'Getting them thinking - integrating online discussion into teaching', Neil Hughes, Barry Gregory, Sarah Horrigan

Image source: Thomas Hawk, http://farm1.static.flickr.com/53/155918164_cb8dd42438_b.jpg

Image source:  laurenmarek, http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurenmarek/3914225701/

Image source: art crimes 'Waiting', http://www.flickr.com/photos/artcriminal/1249601513//1249601513/

Slide 1: INTRO What?Experimental Staff Development Course for PGCHE assignment Why?To get people with different perspectives on e-Assessment talking to each other How?Fully online, 5 weeks long, simple, discussion-based activities Pic: Something to do with e-assessment … or… sharing best practice

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES? 1: Engagement:How do I get people to participate in these discussions? In my case

ENGAGEMENT Sarah has already pointed out that one of the main failings of discussions is that they’re just bolted on to a course, rather than being properly integrated Integration(discussion is venue for an activity, not a standalone item)

This page introduces the activity. It says: What the topic is why I think we should be interested in it What the activity tasks are

This page is the external resource I want people to look at as part of the activity

This page sets out the activity in more detail, listing: The ILOs addressed by this activity The task type and duration Explicit instructions, explaining how I’d like people to engage with the task

The discussion forum itself. The task details are repeated at the top, to save people having to flick back and forth

And here is the discussion itself.

ENGAGEMENT Relevance(to assessment task or learning outcomes)

Slide 3: ENGAGEMENT Pay-off(‘what’s in it for me?’)

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES? 2: Activity Design:What do I want them to do once they are there? Chat?Solve a problem?Swap experiences? It depends on the nature of the course and of the particular cohort. In this case, the point of the course was to exploit the differing perspectives of participants; generate opportunities for an extended, electronic chin-wag.

ACTIVITY DESIGN My starting point was to think about my cohort: Who are my learners? Does the make-up of the cohort suggest a certain TYPE of activity?

ACTIVITY DESIGN My starting point was to think about my cohort: Again, bearing in mind who my learners are... How much time are participants able or willing to dedicate to activities? How demanding should activities be… a) for participants, and b) for me, as course convenor and moderator

Once the course is running, it’ll need some input from you, to promote engagement and to guide discussion where required. In the discussions, MODERATING – (minimal) prompting, summarising Outside the discussions, MANAGING – chivvying emails twice a week:

Moderation to guide discussion How much needed, and what type, will depend on the type of learners you have and the complexity of the activity. In this case, very little was needed, thanks to the straightforward nature of the activities and the motivated group of learners.

2. Management to promote engagement Here I had a definite badgering strategy: On Monday - Email 1: Thank participants for their contributions to previous week’s task Summarise any interesting points that came from the discussion Encourage participation in the coming week’s task On Thursday - Email 2: Thank participants for their contributions to task so far Remind people that there is still plenty of time to contribute

LESSONS LEARNED For me, it was a balancing act between Broadly successful, although participant feedback indicated that activities were too simple and too transmissive. Missed opportunity for more substantial group tasks: problem-solving etc.

Slide 1: INTRO What?Experimental Staff Development Course for PGCHE assignment Why?To get people with different perspectives on e-Assessment talking to each other How?Fully online, 5 weeks long, simple, discussion-based activities Pic: Something to do with e-assessment … or… sharing best practice

Reference: Baird, R (n.d.), ‘How Online Writing Can Enrich Classroom Lectures and Discussions’, available online: http://www.cites.illinois.edu/edtech/participate_programs/brown_bag/archive/spring05/baird.html (date accessed, 19th March 2010)

Image source: Major Clanger, ‘Horrible Example’, http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035667891@N01/4850772/

Image source: 96dpi, ‘Yellow light’, http://www.flickr.com/photos/67499195@N00/3920929080/ Danger signs to watch out for when you’re using discussions in teaching: It’s bolted on to the side of your normal teaching materials You over-stretch yourself with the technical or moderating skills required You expect that it will be perfect – it won’t! Sometimes it works brilliantly, other times not so much. The make up of the group itself can affect things hugely and not every discussion experience will be the same. It’s not related to a meaningful context. There has to be something in it for participants otherwise why should they bother? You haven’t got time to acknowledge or support contributions. If you don’t scaffold the discussion, then the lack of recognition of people’s effort can damage the value they get from the discussion

January 7, 2010 Enhancing life-long learning, teaching and research through information resources and services

January 7, 2010 Getting them thinking - integrating online discussions into teaching Sarah Horrigan, Senior eLearning Developer Barry Gregory, eLearning Developer Neil Hughes, Principal Lecturer, School of Arts and Humanities

Sometimes online discussions can feel like you're talking to an empty room Image source: Thomas Hawk, http://farm1.static.flickr.com/53/155918164_cb8dd42438_b.jpg

Image source: laurenmarek, http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurenmarek/3914225701/ Participation is limited and conversation superficial...

What can you do about it?? Image source: art crimes, http://www.flickr.com/photos/artcriminal/1249601513//1249601513/

Example 1: ‘e-Assessment: Principles and Practice’ S/D course for NTU staff 5 weeks 10 participants

Engagement: How do I get people to participate in the first place? Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mic_n_2_sugars/564570276/

Engagement: 1. Integration (discussion forum as venue for an activity, not a standalone item) Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sunface13/2597074553/sizes/l/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/epublicist/3546059144/ Engagement: 2. Relevance (to module assessment or learning outcomes)

Engagement: 3. Pay-Off (‘what’s in it for me?’) http://www.flickr.com/photos/wasabidoobie/2448490111/sizes/l/

Activity Design: What do I want them to do when they get there? Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/naturewise/4171353173

Example 1: ‘e-Assessment: Principles and Practice’ How? Non-credit bearing NOW learning room; simple, discussion-based activities Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mkmabus/3331419489/ Activity Design: 1. Who are my learners? And does this suggest a certain type of activity?

Activity Design: 2. Time & effort – how much can I ask my learners to commit to? Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kubernan/478413420/sizes/l/

Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/state-records-nsw/2987893622/ Moderation: How do I ‘keep management manageable’?

1. Moderation... to guide discussion Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/17516529@N00/3865553118/

Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheepies/3695860386/sizes/l/ 2. Management... to promote engagement (‘planned badgering’)

Example 1: ‘e-Assessment: Principles and Practice’ How? Non-credit bearing NOW learning room; simple, discussion-based activities Lessons Learned: it’s all about balance Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/superfantastic/50088733/sizes/l/

Example 2: Use of discussions in supporting face-to-face teaching in the Arts and Humanities

“Online discussions as voluntary supplementary resources almost never work” (Baird, n.d.)

“Integrate online discussions into class work, course objectives and credit”

Coordinate with content for each week

“…consider using online discussions before, during, and after the traditional classroom meeting time.”

Rules of the game?

Assess

For example… Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035667891@N01/4850772/

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/67499195@N00/3920929080/ Final thoughts?