GOOD MORNING 早上好！
Groups and Communities in Online E-Learning: 網絡學習環(huán)境下的小組與社區(qū) 為什么很重要？ Why are they important ?
Professor David McConnell Centre for Studies in Advanced Learning Technology Department of Educational Research, Lancaster University, England
My Background 我的背景
Designer of online e-learning (distance learning) courses for teachers in higher education, with a special interest in group work and learning communities
Online tutor
Educational researcher: online groups and communities
Structure of the Presentation 報告的結構
1. Background（背景）
2. Theory: collaborative groups and communities（理論：協(xié)作小組和社區(qū)）
3. Example: Masters in Networked E-Learning -Design Features
（案例：網絡學習社區(qū)碩士課程設計的特征）
4. Conclusions
（結論）
BACKGROUND ISSUES 同背景相關的問題
Online e-learning, the e-learner, the context of learning and our educational values
A: Online E-Learning: Some Problems 在線E-Learning存在的問題
HIGH DROP OUT RATES: Harvard Extension School- drop out rate on correspondence online degrees is 98.5% (Carr-Chellman, 2005, p257)
POOR QUALITY: “ I took the online course last semester and it was easy. I took the class for all the same reasons that almost every other student takes the class - because I can finish it in six weeks and receive an A for putting forth little effort. Here is why I think the class is not good for learning and why we need to stop and think before we incorporate more of these classes into school.” (Penn State student: Carr-Chellman, 2005, p257)
“the ways in which the Internet is used for teaching and learning is of equal importance to the tool itself” (Alexander &Golja, 2006)
B: The independent online e-learner: some problems 獨立網絡學習者所面臨的問題
independence in learning - the e-learner may experience negative feelings of disconnectedness
lack of community: increased feelings of isolation leading to withdrawal from online learning courses (Carr-Chellman, 2005)
The Context of Teacher Professional Development 同教師專業(yè)發(fā)展相關的情境
problem based learning: often complex, ill-defined problems
teachers like to learn in the company of other teachers
fertile ground for the production of mutual understandings in groups/communities
how can we design online distance e-learning courses to support groups and communities in virtual learning environments?
What are Virtual Learning Environments (VLE’s)? 什么是虛擬學習環(huán)境
Provide tools to support group learning
Support virtual and/or blended learning
Supports real time (synchronous) and asynchronous communication between the learner, their peers and tutors
VLE’s can be customised and are secure
Management tools
2. THEORY OF GROUP AND COMMUNITY LEARNING 小組和社區(qū)學習的理論
Two Aspects:
A: Benefits of cooperative group work to learners（對于學習者來說，合作小組的優(yōu)點）
B: The role of communities in professional development（在專業(yè)發(fā)展中社區(qū)的角色）
A: Cooperative Group Work: Learning to Learn from Others 合作小組：學會相互學習
It is not enough to learn how to direct one’s own learning as an individual learner abetted by artefacts such as textbooks. Learning to learn in an expanded sense fundamentally involves learning to learn from others, learning to learn with others, learning to draw the most from cultural artefacts other than books, learning to mediate others’ learning not only for their sake but for what that will teach oneself, and learning to contribute to the learning of a collective. (Salomon & Perkins, 1998, page 21).
The Nature of Learning and Achievement 學習和成就的本質
Student learning is usually COMPETITIVE and INDIVIDUALISTIC
What about COOPERATIVE and COLLABORATIVE learning?
What is the impact on achievement of competitive, individualistic and cooperative learning?
Benefits of Cooperative Learning 合作學習的優(yōu)點
In cooperative/collaborative learning:
Mastery and retention of material: higher in cooperative learning environments
Quality of reasoning strategies: focusing strategies used more often in coop learning; higher level reasoning greater;problems solved faster
Process gains: production of new ideas greater
Transference of learning: group to individual transference high
B: Developing Learning Communities 開發(fā)學習社區(qū)
Sociocultural and constructivist views of learning (eg Lave & Wenger; Wenger)
Learners learning together
Two important questions
“What social engagements and processes provide the ‘proper’ context for learning?
“What forms of co-participation might be required when engaging learners in these forms of learning?”
Different Kinds of Community 各種類型社區(qū)
Learning community: focus on learning together, sharing, developing relationships（學習社區(qū)）
Communities of practice: focus on developing professional practice（實踐社區(qū)）
Community of inquiry: focus on enquiring about an issues/area（探究社區(qū)）
Knowledge community: focus on developing knowledge（知識社區(qū)）
Teachers Intentions and their Effects on Students 教師的意圖和對學生影響的效果
“Whatever lies behind the intention of each concept of ‘community’ will determine to a great extent how we go about designing for learning and teaching, and what eventually counts as learning, when we come to use the different concepts in practice.
Each definition of community has embedded in it a set of values and beliefs that govern what is expected of the members of the community. We therefore need to be careful about specifying what kind of community we want and how that relates to the learning goals and purposes we are trying to achieve.”
(McConnnell, D. 2006)
What is a Learning Community? 什么是學習社區(qū)
Learning community: members attend to issues of climate, needs, resources, planning, action and evaluation - ie democratic processes of learning together
Cornerstone of Community 社區(qū)的基石
“..the cornerstone of online community lies in the presence of “socially close, strong, intimate ties”, the development of trust, and shared values and social organization.
The quality of peoples’ relations is an important characteristic in an online community.
In designing e-learning courses based on groups and communities we should therefore be aware of the need to incorporate these desired characteristics into the teaching and learning processes. A key question to answer is: how do we design distributed networked e-learning so that it supports those values and beliefs of learning communities we hold to be so central to our practice?” (McConnell, 2006)
3. Theory to Practice 實踐的理論
The Masters degree in E-Learning
MEd: two years part time
Completely virtual using WebCT
Focus on developing a reflective research practitioner community, in learning & teaching via the Internet
Masters Degree: Holistic Design 碩士學位課程的設計 Matching learning processes & values to the technology （同學習過程相匹配，并有利于技術的應用）
group and community perspective
synchronous and asynchronous communications
shared workspaces, and document sharing/production
collaborative/shared knowledge production
collaborative self-peer-tutor assessment processes
collaborative evaluation of the experience of learning and teaching
Design Features 設計特征
Strategic scaffolding of learning: at macro level (Phases); micro, group work level
Community spaces: eg plenary networking; workshop reviews; dissertation presentations and reviews
Group spaces: eg e-seminars; collaborative projects; personal assignments; self-peer-tutor review and assessment; scaffolded discussions; free ranging discussions
Workshop Reviews: collective evaluation and design
Cafe: chat, sharing photos, exchanges
Resources: journal papers; photos & biographies; Web links; library
4. CONCLUSIONS (I) 結論（1）
Online E-Learning offers new opportunities for distance/global education, and on campus education
Online e-learning requires new and innovative course designs focusing on groups and learning communities
Teachers producing online courses need to develop new pedagogies
We need to research our practice as ‘research practitioners” and develop theory about e-learning
4. CONCLUSIONS (II) 結論（2）
Learning theory is important when you design online e-learning
The relationship between theory-led designs and learning experiences and outcomes is complex and requires us to carry out research in order to understand it
Bibliography
Carr-Chellman, A. A., Ed. (2005). Global Perspectives on E-Learning: Rhetoric and Reality. Thousand Oaks, Sage.
Alexander, S & Golja. T (2006) The consequences of e-learning in higher education: the UTS experience. Studies in Continuing Education
Hodgson, V & Reynolds, M (2005) Consensus, difference and ‘multiple communities’ in networked learning. Studies in Higher Education, 30(1):11-24
Johnson, D.W. & Johnson, P.J.(1990;2003) Joining together: group theory and group skills.Allyn and Bacon, Boston
Lave, J. & Wenger E. (1991) Situated learning: legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press
McConnell, D (2005) Examining the dynamics of networked e-learning groups and communities. Studies in Higher Education, 30(1)25-42
McConnell, D (2002) The experience of collaborative assessment in e-learning. Studies in Continuing Education, 24(1), 73-92
Bibliography (cont)
McConnell, D (2002) Action research and distributed problem based learning in continuing professional development. Distance Education, 23(1):59-83
McConnnell, D. (2000) Implementing computer supported cooperative learning. London, Kogan Page
McConnell, D. (2006) E-Learning Groups and Communities. SRHE/OU Press
Rheingold, H. (1993) The virtual community: homesteading on the electronic front. New York, Addison Wesley.
Salomon, G. & Perkins, D.N. (1998) Individual and social aspects of learning. Review of Educational Research, 23:1-24
Usher, R. (2201) Telling a story about research and research in story telling: postmodern approaches to social research. In Paechter, R et al(eds) Knowledge, power and learning. London, Paul Chapman.
Wenger, E. (1998) Communities of practice: learning, meaning and identity. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press
