Designing active learning. Reinder Vrielink, April 29Th 2013

[rvrielink]

Introduction

This article describe the benefits for designing active learning with the Internet and it’s appropriately use. The insight of participatory learning (Davidson et al., 2009) combined with the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education (Chickering et al., 1987, 1999) might be an excellent way to use the Internet for learning and teaching. Jacobs (2013) describes twelve underlying developing principles for a personal learning environment to strength the learning in Higher education.

The Future of Learning Institutions in a Digital Age combined with the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education

Davidson (Davidson et al., 2009) states that ‘the single most important characteristic of the Internet is its capacity to allow for a worldwide community and its endlessly myriad subsets to exchange ideas, to learn from one another in a way not previously available. A key term in thinking about these emergent shifts is participatory learning. Participatory learning includes the many ways in which learners (of any age) use new technologies to participate in virtual communities where they share ideas, comment on one another’s projects, and plan, design, implement, advance, or simply discuss their practices, goals, and ideas together.
The above insight into the Future of Learning Institutions in a Digital Age combined with the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education (Chickering et al., 1987, 1999) might be an excellent way to use the Internet for learning and teaching. The Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education were a huge success when they were first issued in the mid-1980s, and they have continued to be refined and used in a variety of ways since then. These principles have inspired several lines of research. The results support the extension of five from the seven principles of good practice in classroom-based undergraduate education to web-based graduate education. These findings suggest that principles of effective classroom teaching may be used as a starting point for developing and teaching web-based courses (Baars et al, 2005; Hutchins, 2003; Arbaugh et al., 2006).

The Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education and Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

These principles are:

1. Encourage contact between students and school;

Frequent student-school contact, both inside and outside class, is an important factor in student motivation and involvement (Baars et al., 2003). The student’s intellectual capacities will increase. The Internet makes it more accessible for students and teachers to ask questions and to give feedback. The Online College distinguishes some hundred ways in which Facebook can be used in your classroom/an educational setting. Facebook is not just a great way for you to find old friends or learn about what is happening this weekend; it is also an incredible learning tool. Teachers can utilize Facebook for class projects, for enhancing communication, and for engaging students in a manner that might not be entirely possible in traditional classroom settings (Pempek et al., 2009). The advantage of the usage of Facebook in education is that it is fast and provides feedback on a larger scale than through a traditional virtual learning environment. The security can be guaranteed, through the privacy settings. Students mostly have already a Facebook account and it is not necessary to be friends with them. There is also a Facebook for educators. This is a guide created for teachers on how to establish a professional image while using Facebook as a social networking application (Phillips, et al, 2011). According to Jans (2011) training on the technical and pedagogical aspect of using Facebook in Education is needed.

2. Develop reciprocity and cooperation among students;

School should create and encourage opportunities for collaborative learning among students. Collaborative learning stimulates the involvement of learning. According to Kessler (2010) Twitter increases student engagement. Students in the study, who were asked to contribute to class discussions and complete assignments using Twitter, increased their engagement over a semester more than twice as much as a control group did. According to Buchem (2011), it provided a certain degree of intellectual readiness and a set of exploratory skills, microblogging can become a serendipitous learning space. Hart (2011) describes a Guide how to use Twitter for social learning – that is to build a community, communicate, collaborate with others, as well as share information and resources. In addition, it looks at how it can be used for to support formal social learning events and programmes. Dunlap (Dunlap, et.al, 2009) describe the use of Twitter to encourage free flowing just-in-time interactions and how these interactions can enhance social presence in online courses. Willi (1999) brings the human needs to shape and leave tangible signs in any environment to the foreground. The significance of these needs and even more, the need to fulfill these needs with success usually brings about a drive in humans to form intensive and effective relationships with their environment. In that way, one will also attempt to reach out for the other person, trying to get into contact with interpersonal relationship. Participation is also made possible through a wiki (Hazari et al., 2009). The Wiki platform constitutes the learning portal that integrates learning contents from all of the learning modules in the learning environment, making them accessible in a structured way. It does not only serve as knowledge repository, but also as working environment. The Wiki is an activator in the learning and teaching setting in terms of blended learning – in both phases of online and actual presence (Blees et al., 2009).

3. Encourage active learning;

Students should actively work with their knowledge and skills. Interaction is an important feature of an active on-line way of working. Oblinger and Oblinger (2005) emphasize the importance of interactivity and learning-by-doing. Interaction is essential in order to receive feedback on the learning process. Feedback is a relevant factor in the interaction between student and teacher as well as between peers. Next, it is important that an assignment is geared to the student’s perception of his or her environment. This can be made possible, for instance, when data is used coming from the students themselves. Students tend to become more motivated developing their own product. If this product (for instance a traffic control plan) is really actually used (at school or in real) then it will work extra motivating (Ploegman et al., 2008).

4. Give prompt/immediate feedback;

School should provide appropriate and prompt feedback on performance. Students need assistance in assessing their actual competence and performance, and they need frequent opportunities to perform and receive suggestions for improvement. Such feedback should be an ongoing process in collegiate settings; it is essential to the student’s learning process. The Internet offers the possibility to give students feedback in different ways. A digital portfolio makes it possible to assess on the learning process, to see if there is proof that the learning goals have been reached. When guiding the personal development of citizens to police officer writing week journals gives input to the students’ reflection report. A great power of writing week journals is the process of continuous reflection which gives time and space to create new ideas (Hartnell-Young, 2003). The fact that the week journal is on-line refers to the easy access teachers have to it, since they can use it for consultation at any time by just going into the Internet. This allow them to easily access and read the week journal without having to collect them in, and provide feedback by attaching written comments to individual entries (Lopez, 2006 ; Xiang, 2005). Students can put their week journals in their own thread in the discussion board of Blackboard or in their own Weblog. With the proper supervision of Weblogs, the ability for students to receive feedback and critiques to guide and monitor their academic achievement can surely be an effective assessment tool (Lee et al., 2006). Periodically, students should also be given the opportunity to reflect critically on what they have learned so far. Experience becomes knowledge through reflection, which is enhanced by timely and appropriate criticism (Brown et al., 2005). Learning to reflect is a competence of growing importance in higher education (Andernach, 2006). Learning is the result of active construction of knowledge, coupled to personal unique foreknowledge. This couple is necessary to save this knowledge in the long-term memory. Learning is the development of meaningful concepts, in a realistic context. Reflection and feedback at the learning process are of vital importance for the development of Meta cognitive skills. Learning always takes place in a social context and learning you do together (Kral, 2005). Reflection is among the main reasons why people blog and is described by numerous authors (Thomas, 2005; Koa et al., 2006).

5. Emphasize time on task;

School should create opportunities for students in order to enable them to practice good time management. This includes setting a realistic deadline for students to complete assignments and to use class time for learning opportunities. A teacher’s support is made effective when clarity on the overall aim, time investment, and choice of literature is provided. As a result, students are able to learn more efficiently. Furthermore, students tend to lose time by searching for resources on the Internet. However, on-line communication can be efficient if you organise it well. Using social media applications accelerates the learning process and encourages effective use of time.

6. Communicate high expectations;

School should set and communicate high expectations for student learning. Such will turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy and students will often endeavour to meet the challenge. When a student has a clear awareness of his/her own expectations, he/she will work harder. Creating a website, working with students from other countries through virtual teams, displaying assignments through a site can be sources of motivation and excellence (Jain, 2003).

7. Respect different talents and ways of learning;

School should create learning opportunities that appeal to the different ways students will process and attend to information. A variation of presentation styles and assignment requirements will allow students to highlight their own personal and unique talents and it offers them different ways about how to learn on an individual level. In general, Human Dynamics (Seagal et al., 1997) distinguish three categories learning styles namely students who are mentally centred, emotionally centred, or physically centred. The mentally centred student proceeds in a linear way and does so mostly alone. He/she gathers information and he asks him/herself what the use of this information is, next he comes to a product. The emotionally centred student starts immediately. The process looks chaotic. He/she proceeds by trial and error. His/her product gradually improves but is never finished. He has an eye for detail. The physically centred student gathers a great amount of information, many details and after a (long) time he completes his product. That is the end; they do not chance it any more. Students differ in talent and style of learning and they should be offered the possibility to show their talents in a way that suits them. Social media applications allow students to work at their own pace. Social media can provide for different learning styles, independent working of students and personal responsibility (Baird et al., 2006).

Finally

What is actually new to learn? Why do we see so little of above principles back in the classroom? The design can be more in line with what the current generation is used to. Sexier, with playing elements. Jacobs (2013) endorses the above principles in his thesis. He describes twelve underlying developing principles for a personal learning environment to strength the learning in Higher education. A number of pre-conditions complements it. For instance it also allows the access can be improved by designing a portal and applying a single sign on. More over the implementation of new technology is important (Roosenberg, 2006). It Is a part of the year conversation?
Nowadays, it is no longer the teacher or the student who remain central in the learning process but the learning process itself has become significant. A learning process, which is independent of place and time. And ‘the choice of what technology is situation dependent. A triangle between teacher, student, and content. What content, which pedagogical approach and with what technology. Why and how’? (Hudson, 2008). A professional authentic product drives this learning process.
Many educational institutions are becoming increasingly aware that social media applications can be effectively integrated into their learning programme and lifelong learning delivery systems. However, currently very few are actually using these applications to innovate their training systems’ (Toole et al., 2010). Participatory learning fits with the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education, and with proper attention paid to its implementation it might be an excellent way to use the Internet for learning and teaching purposes. For designing active learning.

References

Andernach, T. (2006) Zelfreflectie & Digitale didactiek. Digitale Didactiek: E-Journal voor het onderwijs, nummer 12, februari 2006 . Last accessed on Oktober 28 2006 at URL: http://www.digitaledidactiek.nl/dd/themas/1111

Arbaugh, J.B.and Hornik, S (2006) Do Chickering and Gamson’s Seven Principles Also Apply to Online MBAs? The Journal of Educators Online, Volume 3, Number 2, July 2006

Baars, G. and Wieland, A. (2005) Effectief online onderwijs. Digitale Didactiek. Last assessed on May 25 2011 at URL: http://www.digitaledidactiek.nl/wp/?p=871

Baird, D.E. and Fisher, M. (2006) Neomillennial user experience design strategies: Utilizing social networking Media to support “Always on” learning styles. J. Educational Technology Systems Vol. 34(1) 5-32, 2005-2006

Blees I, and Rittberger M. (2009) Web 2.0 Learning Environment: Concept, Implementation, Evaluation eLearning Papers • http://www.elearningpapers.eu • 1 Nº 15 • June 2009 • ISSN 1887-1542. Last accessed on December 25 2011 at URL: http://www.elearningeuropa.info/files/media/media19743.pdf

Brown, A.R. and Voltz B.D. (2005). Elements of Effective e-Learning Design. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, Vol 6, No 1 (2005), ISSN: 1492-3831

Buchem, I. (2011) Serendipitous Learning: Recognizing and Fostering the Potential of Microblogging Formare Open Journal, February 2011 Issue “Microblogging in Education.”

Chickering, A. W., & Gamson, Z. F. 1987. Seven Principles of good practice in undergraduate education. AAHE Bulletin, 39 (7): 3-7.

Chickering, A. W., & Gamson, Z. F. (1999). Development and Adaptation for the Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, no 80. Jossey-Bass Publishers
Clark,

Davidson C.N., and Goldberg D.T. (2009) The Future of Learning Institutions in a Digital Age. The MIT Press ISBN 978-0-262-51359-3

Dunlap, J. C., & Lowoenthal, P. R. (2009). Tweeting the Night Away: Using Twitter to Enhance Social Presence. Journal of Information Systems Education , 20 (2), 129-136.

Hart, J. (2010) How to use Twitter for Social Learning 30 November 2010 Last accessed at June 12 2011 at URL: http://janeknight.typepad.com/socialmedia/2010/11/twitter-as-.html

Hartnell-Young Elizabeth. (2003). Digital Portfolios: Their Use in Education. ICP Online
Last assessed on October 26 2006 at URL: http://www.icponline.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=71&Itemid=50

Hazari, S., North, A., & Moreland, D. (2009). Investigating Pedagogical Value of Wiki Technology. Journal of Information Systems Education, 20 (2), 187_199.

Hudson, B. (2008). Didaktik Design for Technology Supported Learning. Zeitschrifft fur Erziehungswissenschaft, Vol. 9, 139-158.
Hutchins, H.M. (2003). Instructional immediacy and the seven principles: strategies for facilitating online courses. In: Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, Volume VI, Nr III. State University of West Georgia, Distance Education Center. Last assessed on May 25 2011 at URL: http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/fall63/hutchins63.html.

Jain, K. K. (2003) Managing Virtual Teams in a Virtual University – Students’ Experiences Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education-TOJDE January 2003 ISSN 1302-6488

Jacobs, F. (2013) Slagvaardig met ICT proefschrift TU Delft

Jans (2011) Facebook in Higher Education: Can Facebook support learning in Higher Education? Last assessed on April 29 2011 at URL:
http://elmac2010.pbworks.com/w/page/47995945/Ruben%20Jans%20-%20Dissertation

Kao, M. and Langenberg, H. (2006) Feedback op leerproducten via een weblog Digitale Didactiek. Last accessed on May 17 at URL: http://www.digitaledidactiek.nl/wp/?p=1116

Kessler, S. (2010) Twitter Increases Student Engagement. Last accessed on December 16 2010 at URL: http://mashable.com/2010/11/04/twitter-student-engagement/

Kral, R. (2005) Hoe leren leraren constructivistisch leren en onderwijzen met ICT. HAN

Lee, J and Allen, K. (2006) Edublogs as an online assessment tool. Current Developments in Technology-Assisted Education. Formatex (2006) pp. 391-395

Lόpez, J.C. (2006) Uses of the virtual diary in High Education in Moodle. Current Developments in Technology-Assisted Education. FORMATEX 2006 Vol. 1. pp. 698 – 702.

Oblinger D.G. and Oblinger J.L. (2005) Education the Net Generation. Educase e-Book

Pempek, T. A., Yermolayeva, Y. A., & Calvert, S. L. (2009). College Students’ Social Networking Experiences on Facebook. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 30 (3), 227-238.

Phillips, L.F., Baird, D., & Fogg, B.J. (2011) Facebook for Educators Last accessed on May 26 at URL: http://facebookforeducators.org/

Ploegman, M & Bie, D. (2008) Aan de slag! Inspirerende opdrachten maken voor Beroepsopleidingen. Bohn Stafleu van Loghum

Rosenberg, Marc. (2006) Beyond E-learning: Approaches and Technologies to Enhance Organizational Knowledge, Learning and Performance. Last accessed on July 16th 2006 at URL: http://www.learningcircuits.org/2006/March/rosenberg.htm

Seagal, S and Horn, D. (1997). Human Dynamics. A New Framework for Understanding People and Realizing the Potential in My Organizations. Pegasus Communications, inc. Cambridge.

Thomas (2005). 7 things you should know about blogs. EDUCAUSE Learning initiative. Last accessed on April 19 2007 at URL: http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7006.pdf

Toole T, Newrly P, Pede S. (2010) How to promote social media uptake in VET and adult training systems in Europe – Practical example of the European project “SVEA”
eLearning Papers • http://www.elearningpapers.eu • 1 Nº 22 • December 2010 • ISSN 1887-1542
Last accessed on December 25th 2010 at URL: http://www.elearningeuropa.info/files/media/media24551.pdf

Willie, J. (1999) Ecological Psychotherapy. Developing by Shaping the Personal Niche. Toronto, Bern, Göttingen: Hogrefe & Huber Publishers. ISBN 0-88937-179-9.

Xiang, C. (2005) Encouraging Reflection Using an Electronic Diary (BLOG). Last accessed on March 30 2007 at URL: http://www.ltss.bris.ac.uk/showcase/casestudy_catherine.html

[jrconlon95]

I hardly dare add a reference to this list but it was recommended to me by Cheryl Reynolds (thanks).  Currently only got it out of the library but it looks very useful from her comments and the contents

Kraut, R.E., Resnick, R. (2011) Building Successful Online Communities

 

[Author]

Posts