Collaborative Online Interactions: The Ups & Downs

Collaborative online interactions and activities are an integral part of distance/online learning? This week’s learning resources highlight the advantages and disadvantages of effective collaborative interaction; also highlighted are the many obstacles and stumbling blocks that were/are threats to developing effective online collaborative interaction.
Using the information provided by this week’s learning resources (as well as one additional outside resource) discuss the following:

• What attributes constitute an effective online collaborative interaction?
• What are some of the early missteps associated with the formative period of collaborative online interactions?
• What are some of the current trends influencing the development of collaborative online interactions?

By Friday
Please post to the discussion blog a summary of your thoughts and reactions to the above questions. Be sure to site your resources in order to validate your responses.
Discussion Link Rubric https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0S2WnzX9LQqQVFRa0NBakpqLWM/edit?usp=sharing

Plagiarism is an aspect of education that has always been a variable to be accounted for and, depending on what the future brings, it may always be. As a classroom teacher, I am all too familiar with plagiarism and the role that it plays in the academic journey of many students. As an inspiring instructional designer and college instructor, it is even more important that I learn the most effective ways of combatting plagiarism, while also helping student’s that choose to do so, understand the damage that they are actually doing to themselves.

In post -secondary educational settings, you have the advantage of the majority, if not all, work being submitted in a digital format of some kind; this allows for the use of highly efficient plagiarism detection software suites. Two of the more reliable programs available are:

*EVE (Essay Verification Engine)- Located at http://www.canexus.com/, EVE is touted as a faster and more efficient program for identifying plagiarism within digital documents; it requires a one-time fee of $29.99 for an unlimited use license

*Turnitin.com- This site not only offers best in class functionality, but it also provides feedback on submitted work and the opportunity for peer review; it published works database covers millions of documents and sources

Plagiarism detection software assists in catching plagiarism after it has taken place, but a more effective method, some would argue, is to take preventative measures. When designing both formative and summative assessments, instructors should make sure to create a tool that challenges the student in a way that they not only demonstrate their subject matter knowledge, but demonstrate it in a way that is individualized and personal. Instructors should also take care not to constantly recycle the same exact assessments over and over again, which may lead to “hand-me-down” assignments. Taking the time to thoughtfully plan out and create assessments using tactics such as these can go a long way to discourage plagiarism.

If I should ever find myself in the role of an online instructor I would have to create and refine a strategic plan to discourage, detect and deal with plagiarism amongst my student’s. I believe that being a “visible” and accessible instructor will help curb the incidences of plagiarism that I will encounter. As an instructor I would make sure to monitor and interact with students in discussion boards and forums in order to build a rapport with my students. People are less likely to betray someone that they trust and respect. I will also make sure to be very accessible; people may cheat when they do not fully understand the material that they are covering and being available to assist with comprehension prior to assessment may help to curb plagiarism. Additionally, online professors should make sure to properly review expectations regarding original work, plagiarism and cheating; make sure to provide educational resources to assist students with work and to make sure that every student is aware of the consequences of plagiarizing the work of others.

Impact of Technology & Multimedia

What impact does technology and multimedia have on online learning environments?

Technology and multimedia enhance the educational experience by creating interactive learning environments and providing experiences that increase learner engagement. With Web 2.0 tools such as Skype or ooVoo allows for learners to build an online learning community and communicate remotely as effectively as if they were in the same location. With the advent of Course Management Systems, instructors can create virtual classrooms that rival and in some circumstances, surpass the efficiency of face-to-face environments.

What are the most important considerations an online instructor should make before implementing technology?

When planning and/or implementing a plan for an online course instructors must consider any factors prior to implementing/incorporating technological aids. I feel that first and foremost learner access must be considered. High-speed internet access is often taken for granted and presumed by most to be widely available everywhere, but that is definitely not the case. There are thousands of rural areas that do not have broadband options, which leaves dial-up internet access as the sole means of accessing online content. Anyone in this situation would be hindered in an online environment, particularly when it comes to data heavy activities such as VOD, video chats and file downloads/upload. Instructors must also be cognizant of the age and technological experience level of each individual learner. While not always true, a lot of older learners tend to be less technologically savvy and may not be comfortable with an abundance of tech tools thrown at them at once. Even a young learner that may not have a lot of exposure to technology can quickly become lost in a high tech online environment. Instructors must also take care to ensure that technology is being used as an enhancement and a catalyst for learning and not just being mandated because it is available an d accessible.

What implications do usability and accessibility of technology tools have for online teaching?

Mobile technology has changed and improved the landscape of online learning tremendously. In 2006 I was enrolled in an M.S. program and I took a few of my courses online. While I was able to look at the course outline and weekly objectives on my smart phone, I could not interact with the site, interact with anyone or anything on it and I definitely could not download or stream multimedia files. Today online learners can download and stream multimedia content, submit documents, chat, video conference and collaborate on assignments using a tablet or a smart phone; learners can go anywhere in the world at the drop of a dime without the worry of being home in front of a PC or tethered to a bulky laptop. I can foresee an online learning future where portable devices are curriculum requirements for most online courses.

What technology tools are most appealing to you for online teaching as you move forward in your career in instructional design?

There are three technology tools that I find interesting and would like to utilize in the future:

·         Aggregators- Prior to the week 6 course resources I had never heard of an aggregator; I am a fan of any tool that makes collecting/monitoring student related information easier and more efficient

·         ooVoo- This (free) video communication application has become a great tool for group collaboration, allowing up to ten people to conference via video; although not as popular as Skype, I believe it is a more intuitive and feature-rich alternative that can have a great impact on online class communication

Wikis- A wiki provides a virtual space for online classmates to not only collaborate, but analyze and critique each other’s’ work; these wiki’s can also be used subsequently by student’s that enroll in a given course at a later date

Preparing An Online Environment

What is the significance of knowing the technology available to you?

When setting up an online environment for a distance learning course it is extremely important to both be aware of and know how to utilize the technology that is available to you. While it is not necessary to master all of the tools that are available to you right away (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010), you should focus on and familiarize yourself with the essential tools of the CMS/LMS that is being utilized, as well as those that are required for course completion. Knowing the technology also puts you in a position to assist students with the basic technological tasks required by the course, as well as giving you the opportunity to gather information resources to share. Having at least a working knowledge of available tools also opens up the opportunity to dialogue with students that may have valuable information that they can provide.

Why is it essential to communicate clear expectations to learners?

In an asynchronous online environment, where teacher and students are often separated by many miles and time zones clear and concise communication is of the utmost importance. Speaking from personal experience, I can say that when expectations are not clearly communicated, it can be a costly and time consuming endeavor. Those participating on online courses are often adults with busy home lives (Conrad & Donaldson, 2011) which makes time a precious commodity. If a student does not have a clear understanding of the course expectations or expectations for a particular assignment, it will inevitably lead to the student having to go back and edit work that has been done, or worse, lose valuable points on an assignment, affecting their course grade. 

Clearly communicating to students also opens up lines of dialogue between the instructor and the students. Even expectations that are expressed clearly will garner questions from students. This provides the instructor with a chance to engage, familiarize themselves with and challenge students in unscripted and random ways. This helps to build a rapport, comfort and respect between both parties which will improve over all communication for the duration of the course.

What additional considerations should the instructor take into account when setting up an online learning experience?

An instructor should take into account the differences that each student brings to the table (Laureatte, 2013); both to learn more about the their students, as well as to be aware of sensitivities that students may possess based on things such as religion, cultural beliefs or personal life experiences. A student that does not feel comfortable in an online environment is more inclined to drop the course, which is not a desired. Also, knowing and respecting your students background allows you to engage them on a personal level, leading to a higher comfort level and hopefully a more engaged and active student.

Instructors should also take care to:

·     *Properly establish an active and robust online presence because students relate a strong teacher presence   course effectiveness (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010)

·        * Prepare a syllabus particular to the online course, not simply copy a syllabus from a face-to-face course

·         *Provide an engaging and fun ice breaker

·         *Perform a quality check for the course site and tools required for the course

Please feel free to leave comments and questions below J

References

Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2010). The online teaching survival guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass

 Conrad, R., & Donaldson, J. A. (2011). Engaging the online learner: Activities and resources for creative instruction (Updated ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass

Laureate Education, Inc. (2013). Launching the Online Learning Experience [Video webcast]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2818946_1%26url%3D

Building An Online Learning Community

Online learning communities provide an arena where both the student and the facilitator have equal access and relevance in discussions and activities; it also provides an atmosphere where peers can interact with one another on a level that is usually not possible in a face-to-face setting, simultaneously providing added comfort openly communicating with others that are facing the same obstacles.

Some of the essential elements of online community building

People

*Method- The way people interact, communicate & connect with each other

*Social presence: establishing online identity)

Purpose- Why these people are brought together (the class)

Process- The way that the course is delivered

When attempting to build a productive online community, one must make sure that the rules of engagement (Frequency, expectations, rules & regulations) are reasonable and appropriate for each particular audience, lest you risk alienating parts of your community and even driving people away. You also want to make sure that there shared responsibility between all parties (students and facilitators) in maintaining and improving communications and learning within the community. 

In order to sustain an online learning community it is important to design a good orientation, reach out to drifters, peer support, community comfort, account for life outside the course, start technologically simple and build, provide ice breakers and relationship-building activities.

All of the aforementioned factors related to community building serve to strengthen the online instruction portion of a course. No matter how well constructed a course is, having an active community that feel comfortable communicating with and assisting others goes a long way in creating a strong and healthy online learning environment. While the source video for this post did not provide an abundance of new information, it did introduce the concept of proper course introductions. Aside from proper over all course design, I am now aware of the importance of not front-loading online courses with too much information or too many tasks; this may intimidate and ultimately led to the departure of participants that are not as prepared for the online environment as others are.

The Case of the Creepy Scope

As I do not have any professional project management experience, I must draw upon my personal life for an example of scope creep affecting a project. When my wife and I were looking for a house in Atlanta (via FL) one of my non-negotiable items was a finished basement. Once we found and purchased our house, I began remodeling the basement. My wife and I created a budget together based on the items and functionality that I desired out of my man cave. As I began installing equipment and arranging furniture, I kept “envisioning” improvements that I could make as I went along. This resulted in me making frequent trips to Home Depot and multiple purchases on Amazon.com. In addition, I returned furniture and attempted to custom build a theater platform.

This became a point of contention between my wife and I; I spent much more than we had agreed upon when we created our project budget and I was spending far too much time in the basement, which was not fair to my wife. As the manager of the project, it would have been beneficial for all involved if I had performed more research during the planning phase of the project; this would have prevented me from finding the next best item that caused me to repeatedly change my mind about the direction of my basement project. 

Helpful Instructional Design Links

Link 1: http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/costs.html

This site offers an overview of the instructional design project management process, detailing the potential pitfalls and trials that designers may run into throughout the design process. It is a brief, but concise site that focuses on speeding up the design process while minimizing errors and improving efficiency. These tips can be used to help both novice and veteran designers streamline their design process; it is especially helpful for those, like myself, that have no process as of yet.

 This site specifically addresses budgeting in an instructional design project. The author breaks down the process using a specific example, but also offers the average development time for multiple types of design projects and estimations for the amount of time it takes for instructor preparation, offering valuable guidance for beginners such as myself. I recently started my own social media and instructional design consulting company and one of my struggles has been determining pricing; this site is an invaluable source and will help me determine my pricing.

Link 2: http://www.bnhexpertsoft.com/english/products/advent/module4.htm

This site offers an overview of the instructional design project management process, detailing the potential pitfalls and trials that designers may run into throughout the design process. It is a brief, but concise site that focuses on speeding up the design process while minimizing errors and improving efficiency. These tips can be used to help both novice and veteran designers streamline their design process; it is especially helpful for those, like myself, that have no process as of yet.

The Art of Effective Communication: Interpretations

This exercise proved to be quite interesting; the written message seemed to be extremely wordy and came across as timid. The message felt as if the writer was almost afraid of being a nuisance or pest. The voice-mail was an entirely different story; it started off with the same tone of timidity, but quickly became assertive and borderline demanding. The speaker’s voice emphasized the importance of the report data that was needed. The face-to-face video seemed to take a step backwards; it did not give off the same feeling of timidity as the written notice, but it did not seem as assertive as the voice-mail  The speaker’s body language and ending smile lacked assertiveness as well, making the request seem less important.

This exercise is attempting to illustrate the importance of communicating with your team members in the appropriate manner for the appropriate situation. When dealing with many different people that each have potentially different personalities (and work ethics). It is imperative that, as a project manager or instructional designer, you communicate both clearly and effectively so that your team can operate smoothly. It is especially important in a case such as this, in which a deadline is in danger of being missed; one cannot afford for a team member to misinterpret the level of urgency of the requested task. This could be the difference between success and failure. When I take on either of these rolls I will have to make a conscious effort to maintain a clear and concise line of communication with my team members, especially in relation to meeting deadlines on project deliverables.

Post Mortem Of A Failed Project

I took on a household project in 2008 that, in retrospect, should have been left to professionals. I decided to build my own custom home theater in the basement of my home in Atlanta. I had a rectangular shaped 30 x 14 foot room in which I wanted to build a three level platform in order to simulate stadium seating for watching movies and entertaining guests. I performed my “research” by looking through multiple home theater magazines and web sites. I was on vacation and planned to begin and complete the project in 13 days (the amount of time that I had left before returning to work).

Unfortunately the project was a complete and utter failure. If I had any knowledge of the project management process (or common sense) I would have been a lot more thorough during the planning phase of the project, make sure that my research was more thorough. If I had performed a feasibility study I would have realized several things:

·         I did not possess the  carpentry skills that were required to complete this project

·         I did not own some of the required tools needed to complete this project

·         I did not even attempt to set a budget for the project, thinking that whatever money that I spent would pay for itself in the end.

·         I did not research the design specifications for the type of platform that I was building

When I measured the area for the platforms I did not account for the crown molding at the base of the wall. I measured and cut three platforms, but had to re-cut each of the platforms to adjust for the molding. Additionally, I had to purchase a particular type of electric saw and a much higher grade of wood that I had previously anticipated, for durability purposes. When all was said and done, the upper platform collapsed under the weight of the seats because I did not build the proper support structure underneath. The project ended at that point because I could not justify the cost of starting the project over (to my wife, LOL).  If I had properly researched my project, looking at blueprints of other similar projects; setting an appropriate budget, which would have included determining the proper tool set and properly pricing the required wood. In short, my project required management.