Activity+11--THE+FINAL

Designing an e-Learning Course Brad Egan ELT 7003 Northcentral University Dr. Glen Gatin, mentor

**//Course Introduction//** The course I selected was //Staying Connected//, a pilot, self-paced, asynchronous computer group for individuals residing at a transitional living center. This course was designed to be a complement to the mandatory face-to-face computer literacy group that residents participate in the first two weeks of their residency. Because Watkins (2005) suggested that online courses are most successful when learners can apply knowledge and skills outside the online classroom, S//taying Connected// was primarily developed to provide residents with an opportunity to better integrate daily tasks and the computer. For example, residents use a wiki to complete daily chore check offs, update lunch and dinner menus, and complete the weekly grocery list. This design approach is consistent with Connectivist views (Giesbrecht, 2007) which encourage the extension of classroom learning practices to real life examples. //Staying Connected// is one tangible example of how Alexian Brothers Bonaventure House strives to meet the mission of improving computer literacy and life skills. //Staying Connected// was designed after reviewing data from resident satisfaction surveys that suggested more structured computer groups were needed. Interestingly, however, resident survey data also suggested that only 2 residents actually utilized the computer tutoring services offered for two hours every Wednesday and Thursday. As such, a secondary goal of //Staying Connected// is to help residents take greater initiative and responsibility of the learning experiences, so it facilitates a stronger adaptive response to an increasingly techno-centric world. The key to designing a useful course is to design around the learners’ profile rather than the content. Doing so increases the likelihood that the course will be relevant. Moreover, Siemens (2006) suggests that relevance, the degree to which the learning experience matches a learner’s needs, fundamentally impacts the learner’s motivation level. In this case, targeted learners are mostly 35-50 years old with social histories remarkable for chronic homelessness, regular substance use, and limited formal education. The following generalizations are typical of most learners: § 75% of learners have never actually used a computer before and are unable to identify the basic parts (i.e. keyboard, monitor, mouse) § Almost all learners have limited keyboarding skills § Approximately 90% of all learners have never had an email address or sent an email to anyone § 90% of all learners have never surfed the Web § Only 1 learner in the past 7 years has ever owned a computer Summary of Selected Course Activities In designing activities for the //Staying Connected// group, I focused largely on engagement, which according to Conrad and Donaldson (2004), “does not simply happen” (p.13), and the central position of activity (as opposed to lecture) in the process of engagement. I also followed Reeves, Harrington, and Oliver’s (2002) advice: in order to have engaged learning, activities need to be authentic and largely contextualized by the learner’s real world places and experiences. In turn, I used the following six question checklist to help the design process: 1. Will the activity help the learner increase his/her number of tools? 2. Will the activity assist in the social process needed to establish a learning community? 3. Will the activity prepare the learner to generate knowledge? 4. Will the activity require regular reflection? 5. Is it possible that few learning activities, rather than more, can be designed to improve the quality and depth of knowledge generation? 6. Is it likely that the finished product/tool will be useful to the learner outside of the classroom The activities that I designed in ELT 7003 can be organized in one or more of the following categories: introductory/icebreaker activities, collaborative/team activities, course-related/content activities, and interactive activities. **//Introductory/Icebreakers Activities//** One of the introductory activities that I designed was //A PLACE AT THE TABLE.// While the activity reinforced the technical skills needed to use a major search engine to locate a web site for a favorite local restaurant, embed the link in the group wiki, and increase one’s familiarity with basic keyboarding skills by posting to the group wiki in a non-threatening way, it is also explicitly oriented towards creating a community among participants. Title: A Place At The Table Task: //A Place At The Table// is an introductory activity requiring participants to engage in an asynchronous dinner party. This activity attempts to introduce wiki participants to each other’s favorite meal and local restaurants. Method: asynchronous Tool(s): group wiki Instructions: Many of the wiki users only know each other in the context of being fellow housemates in recovery from addiction and homelessness. This activity allows wiki users an opportunity to share personal interests with other participants. In using the wiki to describe their favorite foods and local eateries, participants could be potentially introduced to a new restaurant by virtue of another wiki participant. Such situations could reinforce the connectedness among participants. In this activity, participants will: 1. use the internet to find their favorite restaurant's homepage and menu; 2. post information to the group wiki regarding their favorite local restaurant and meal; 3. embed the link to their favorite local restaurant or menu; 4. respond to at least one wiki participant by commenting on something you know about their favorite restaurant or meal. Course connection: The participant is expected to: A) use a major search engine to locate the web site for a favorite local restaurant and menu B) embed a link in the group wiki C) post to the group wiki D) increase familiarity with basic keyboarding and computer literacy skills Relevance: A) prepare learners to begin using an organizational wiki to generate a house grocery list for weekly outings to the grocery store.  **//Collaborative/Team Activities//**  Designing for collaboration is a key step in creating authentic learning activities. One of the team activities I created was //Text-To-Movie Recipes//. In this activity, learners were required to use Xtranormal.com, a free text-to-video program, to create a recipe video and upload it to the group wiki. It was suggested that residents use the videos to help plan dinners. I made a sample movie and embedded it on the group wiki to provide participants with explicit instruction and an example. In the video, I suggested that any learner who was struggling with embedding the video into the wiki could simply post their recipe to the group wiki and sign-up for an individual appointment with me.  Course connection: The participant is expected to: A) use Xtranormal.com tools to create a text-to-movie recipe B) reflect on practical ways to use the computer C) increase familiarity with basic keyboarding and computer literacy skills D) increase familiarity with collaborative online assignments E) continue to reinforce familiarity with the group wiki Relevance:  A) create a video based recipe book that could be housed on the group wiki and used during weekly dinner planning. **//Course-related/Content Activities//** One of the activities I created to arc back specifically to relevant content was //Before and After//. In this activity, learners were required to use photography/images and a few words to depict their initial feelings about the computer and their current feelings after participating in the computer group for 3 weeks. Learners were encouraged to search for images that would be helpful in completing their Occupational Performance and History Interview Slope, a formal assessment requirement every six months of residency. Title: Before and After Task: Activity 1 is a reflective activity requiring participants to engage in an asynchronous photo posting. This activity encourages participants to use photography/images and a few words to depict their initial feelings about the computer and their current feelings after participating in the computer group for 3 weeks. Method: asynchronous Tool(s): group wiki; Kodak digital camera and uploading software for participants that would like to create their own images; Flikr Instructions: Each wiki member will post an external link to two graphic images from Flikr.com (or from digital photos taken by the learner) that reflect how they first felt about working with the computer and how they currently feel after participating in a structured computer group for 3 weeks. Cut and paste the URL and then name each link according to the feeling that most describes your experiences. In addition, each member will have to post a comment in response to another member’s album. Use the internal links provided to review other members' responses. 1. use the wiki to embed two photo links ; 2. use the wiki to review posts made by other wiki members; 3. use the wiki to reply to posts--make sure to sign your initials; Course connection: The participant is expected to: A) use a group wiki to make a post and reply to posts B) practice using wiki e-signature after each posting C) cut and paste URLs from Flickr to create an external link in the group wiki D) practice creating and embedding an internal link Relevance: A) participants can begin selecting images that will help them create their visual slope assessments that are required by their case managers every six months of residency  **//Interactive Activities//**  One of the interactive activities that I designed was //Sketch Artists//. Per the provided instructions, learners were required to use Google Docs drawing feature to sketch their signatures. Directions were provided to sketch signatures in a certain color based on their individual weekly chore (i.e. weekly hall monitors were to sketch in green, weekly cleaners were to sketch in blue, and individuals who were responsible for gathering the supplies were to sketch in red). These documents were used in place of the traditional signature log to reinforce the connection between computer use and real life responsibilities.  Title: Sketch Artists Task: Activity 1 is an interactive activity requiring participants to engage in an asynchronous sketch using Google docs. This activity encourages participants to add to fellow learners’ sketches and to collaborate to determine an appropriate title for the resulting drawing. Method: asynchronous Tool(s): Gmail account; Google Docs drawing application; group wiki Instructions: Learners will divide up according to their assigned weekly chore group. Each learner’s chore group is determined by his/her case manager every Friday. If you are assigned the role of hall monitor, you are responsible for starting the drawing and emailing the rest of your group members the link to the sketch. Each member must sketch their signature in a different color by using the pencil icon on the toolbar. Continue the drawing until all members of the chore group have added their signature to the sketch. Once the sketch is complete, the hall monitor is again responsible for downloading the drawing as a JPEG file (FILE—DOWNLOAD AS—JPEG), naming it, and then uploading it to the group wiki. Each member is required to post a possible title for the sketch to the group wiki. I have provided an example on the group’s wiki page under the tab ‘example sketch’. Course connection: 1. use Google Docs drawing feature 2. work collaboratively with other housemates; 3. practice downloading and uploading documents; 4. practice using the FILE feature of the group wiki; 5. practice posting to the group wiki; 6. use the wiki to reply to posts--make sure to sign your initials Relevance: A) Each hall monitor is responsible for creating a signature log that is turned into the case manager after all duties are completed. This sketch, which can be used instead of the traditional signature  log, will provide learners with computer-centered experiences that are related to familiar tasks.  Reflection:  The learners for whom these activities were designed live in a transitional living facility for individuals dealing with HIV, homelessness, and addictions. Many of the residents have limited to no basic computer literacy skills. As such, I believe that these icebreaker activities are designed accordingly. While these activities were designed to reinforce elementary computer skills, icebreakers are also used to build relationships and a learning community among learners (Watkins, 2005). By requiring participants to reveal a part of themselves in a non-threatening way, I fell that this activity increases the likelihood that learners will form new bonds and engage begin to see each other in ways that are not directly related to being HIV positive, homeless, or an addict. Because students in asynchronous environments often equate a lack of physical presence to a non-presence, it is important for online facilitators to design activities that create a social presence (Watkins, 2005). Using icebreakers as an opportunity for learners to introduce themselves to one another helps develop a social presence among learners (Conrad and Donaldson, 2004). Icebreakers, according to Conrad and Donaldson (2004), are also important because they allow students to begin using the technology that will be their tools for learning. In particular, this seems to be especially important for individuals who are very limited in their familiarity with basic computer skills. These learning experiences ensure that learners will not only become more familiar with using the course wiki, but will also develop practice in negotiating the World Wide Web and with basic word processing functions. I also feel my icebreaker activities will be well received because they provide learners with an opportunity to reflect on personal topics rather than ones primarily selected by the facilitator. In designing //A Place At The Table//, I referenced Conrad and Donaldson’s (2004) icebreaker checklist: · Fun and non-threatening; · Person-focused as opposed to content-focused; · Required reading of one another’s entries; · Required learner’s to find commonalities with other members of the learning community; · Required imagination and/or openness; and · Required a response Learning activities influence learning outcomes and how learners will engage with the course materials (Oliver, 2000). By design, collaborative learning activities provide opportunities for engaging dynamically with the course content. In the //Text-to-Movie Recipes// activity, I was focused on creating experiences that increased the interactivity among learners while proportionally decreasing my level of involvement. To increase the likelihood that all learners would experience success in this module, I purposefully created subtasks along a continuum of difficulty level. As such, if learners were unable to successfully create and publish their Xtranormal video, they were still able to post a comment on other learners’ videos or simply use word processing skills to type their recipe and instructions to the group wiki. Making sure that learners have experiences of success will be particularly necessary in maintaining their motivation to engage in the learning process. Peer partnership activities should be simple (Conrad and Donaldson, 2004). //Text-to-Movie Recipes//, while multi-stepped, is still straightforward and requires only the use of three basic tools: email, wiki, and the World Wide Web. It was designed to not only encourage collaboration but to also reiterate some of the learners’ personal goals for participating in this online occupational therapy group. In reflecting on why it is important to increase one’s familiarity with the computer, the learners will inevitably reinforce many of the secondary goals of the group During the design phase, I referenced the checklist for authentic activities (Reeves, Herrington, & Oliver, 2002). Specifically, I believe that my activities meet the following criteria: examining tasks from different perspectives, providing an opportunity to collaborate, allowing for competing solutions and diversity of outcome, and creating polished products (video and poem) that have value in their own right. Planning and designing for increased levels of interactive learning are particularly important for online learning since learners and instructors rarely, if ever, interface in a live, face-to-face manner. According to Kafai (2001), instructors can increase students’ motivation to learn by presenting the learning material in a form that encourages engagement, practice, learner-control, and learner-created feedback. Since the ultimate goal is to design learning experiences that make learners interact with the course’s content and tools, it seems an activity like //Sketch Artists// can be used in pedagogical design to increase the depth in which learners relate to the content. References: Conrad, R., & Donaldson, J. (2004). Engaging the online learner: Activities and resources for creative instruction. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Giesbrech, N.(2007). Connectivism: Teaching and learning. Retrieved April 30, 2011, from [] Kafai, Yasmin, (2001). //The educational potential of electronic games: Fromgames-to-teach to games-to-learn //. Retrieved from the Web April 22, 2011.Available online [] Oliver, R. (2000). Developing online learning environments that support knowledge construction, in A Blended Approach to Active Learning, EdTec. Reeves, T., Herrington, J., & Oliver, R. (2002). Authentic activities and online learning. HERDSA, 562-567. Siemens, G. (2004). A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved April 30, 2011, from [] Watkins, R. (2005). 75 e-learning activities: Making online learning interactive. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.