Module+4+Reflection

=Module 4 Reflections= As a teacher and student, I can see first-hand how the Internet is rapidly changing the way we learn. This has become even more apparent with the readings from module 4. As indicated in the readings, computers are able to be put to a myriad of cognitive uses in a multitude of situations. Software can be developed to aid disabled people that were previously isolated. The deaf and blind can now communicate via computer, and severely mentally handicapped students can use computers as an effective tool for learning. Remote and culturally isolated people (such as indigenous groups in the Andes) can now be connected to any other group in any other location around the world in real time. According to Merry Merryfield’s article (The Ohio State University), her latest online course consisted of 65 students from 18 states and 22 countries. The barriers of culture, cognition, space, and time are being lifted, and this has enormous applications for education. Another major advantage to online learning is the massive amount of information available on the web, and the ease and efficiency by which it can be accessed by anyone. Digital images in sharp detail provide information as never before. Digital libraries enable even the most shut-in or remote individuals to have the same access to the other individuals who are in major centers of learning in major metropolitan areas. It is truly marvelous how the creation of one individual can so rapidly travel to the minds of multitudes. And, it is truly incredible how this access to information is transforming societies, from the current protests in the middle-east to the crackdowns in China. Authoritarian governments have rushed to shut down the free flow of information, as it is a direct challenge to their power. The old barriers to learning that existed when the only information that students could attain was through the knowledge of their teacher are gone. Now that massive amounts of information are readily available through the easy click of a button, the new challenge for educators and educated becomes how to utilize that information to achieve educational objectives. As an educator who plans on integrating some aspect of online learning into the classroom, I have learned many important aspects from this particular section. First is the realization that for all of its benefits, there are best practices that need to be considered in implementing an online course. Margie Martyn’s article Using Interaction in the Online Discussion Boards indicated that although there is no real difference in learning outcomes between FTF and online learning, the social aspect of a class is lacking in the online environment. Bartlett’s Facilitating online interaction using community building strategies was especially useful in showing the importance of establishing community. As a beginning doctoral student in Curricular and Instructional Studies, it is my intent to further research online learning, with a possibility of using it as a dissertation topic. My immediate goals are to create a collection of articles for further reference once this course is over. I have begun this with copying the excellent resources in these reading units and saving them, so that I may use them in a literature review. I will also use these readings as material for my final project in this course. The knowledge and information gained from these readings will benefit me for a long time to come.
 * Impact**
 * Intent**

Jerry Witmer Module 4 reflection:

Description:

This module was very good, what I enjoyed about one article "Teaching Critical Thinking through Online Discussions. I like how they use the critical thinking as an objective how it show intellectually disciplined, applying, conceptualizing and how to analyzing. This article was very informative to me and it may me think how I would use this in my online learning.

Impact:

It show me how to get engage just being a student now being in discussion, how to ask good questions and to be able to get great feedback. Just like in this class we are having some great discussion. I am a student that probably did not come with critical thinking in the beginning, but I believe that I am improving.

Intent:

To be able to engage my learners to be able to do critical thinking. As the instructor it is my responsibility of creating good discussions so that I can support my learners. I have to make sure my learners can ask all the right questions and be able to listen to others. I want my learners to be able help each other. Basically, I want to be able to show my learners how to be able to effected in an online setting.

Melissa Tillison

Andrea Franklin Reflection This week we read a lot about online learning and how discussion boards can have a big impact on the outcome of the class. We want the students to get as much out of the class we can, and since discussion boards allow us the opportunity to have people interact with each other and the material, they become essential to the class. I had an online class once that did not have a discussion board, and as a student I was required to read articles and write papers about them. No questions were asked about the readings, just papers on the topics mentioned in the articles. Based on that experience and what I have read, I think discussion boards are an essential piece of online learning. There is not another way for students to learn from one another or share their thoughts. I also learned that the questions you ask in the discussion board should be important and get to some higher order thinking. A real discussion about the topic is what you want whether the class in online or F2F. Online courses have a more difficult time getting people invovled and talked to one another. The right discussion board questions can certainly get people thinking beyond what they have read or researched, and even get the students to apply what they have learned. In the discussion board I plan to create, I will be sure to review my questions and make sure they are getting to that higher order thinking and asking students to really think beyond what they have read and instead apply it or think of how it can be applied.

I really found Module 4 to be very informative. It is starting to get at the heart of designing the OLE. The two cetral themes that resonated most for me were the Communication Building and the Critical Thinking in Online Discussion Boards. According to the reading there are five stages of community buidling and they are:
 * __James Bell Module 4 Reflection__**


 * Accessing and Motivation**- where the student should be presented with access to tech support in the event of difficulty with technology. Facilitator motivation occurs in this step. For example, the teache should incorporate a video welcome message to the students.
 * Online Socialization-** includes providing private spaces for students to interact.
 * Information Exchange**. emails are central to communicating with the insturctor for feedback.
 * Knowledge Construction**- group discussions and online chats are used for students to build knowledge from one another a well as the subject matter.
 * Development** - in this stage the student becomes more independent and the teacher withdraws and takes more of an observational role. students by this point should be using the online tools on their own.

The second theme to developing critical thinking on the discussion boards. Critical thinking is the aim of learnin within secondary education. This is the first time that I had to think about it within the confines of an online specific area. I came to realize that my own interaction on discussion boards throughout various courses I have taken, have shaepened my ability to crtically look at an idea or a concept. As I have eading other students viewpoints on a subject, I have come to value the divrsity involved. I have found that I have had to practice one of the key components of critical thinking.//recasting thinking.// Often time I thought that I had a firm grasp or opinion on a subject and had to alter my thinking upon reading others way of lookingat something. They either provided a convincing argument, or added sound dimension or fact. I am grateful that I have the ability to recast my thinking at times for we all most likely, find it difficult to engage those who are rigid in their thinking in some areas.

The reading presented a viewpoint that constructivism was the best learning theory to utilize when designing online instruction for diverse populations. He argued that the early development of online study included elements from behaviorism and was therfore inappropriate for today's multiculturalism. While the author also stated that cognitive principles also worked well in areas, I still hold that employing elements from all three learning theories, a "blended" approach, makes for the best design.

Marlean Ames – Module 4 Reflection Description This week’s Module was on the topic of creating an online environment in which integrating a positive discussion board can be a challenge. Also, being able to engage the students in an online environment can sometimes be a very difficult task. The subject matter that we read about and learned from each other gave a variety of ways to ask questions and to engage the students into having a positive discussion even online vs. face 2 face. Impact Impact for me was that I have learned through reading about the topic just how difficult it can be to engage the students. I really never thought about how much of a challenge it could be. I have taken online classes for so long that it seems like online discussion boards are the only way I have talked with other students in a long time. The OLE does take a lot of time to create properly. I have been in some classes that it was evident that the instructor did not take much time in the planning of the class. Time Management is another important part of the OLE. Dishonesty, collaboration and professional development are also high in priority. Intent After learning that the planning and engaging students is an important aspect on OLE, I will be more thoughtful in creating meaningful discussion questions that will help make the student want to participate with meaningful dialogue. I also will make sure I allow myself plenty of time when planning an OLE.

__Ted Schafer - Module 4 reflection__ Description of topics for week 4: Both topics discussed for week four did a good job of allowing learners to interact with each regarding designing an OLE utilizing discussion boards and creating opportunities for learning in an online environment. Review the comments by classmates showed strong support for this type of environment as many learners might not be able to participate in this type of environment if they were required to come to class. Additionally, reading through some of the proposed ideas for assignments proved to give me some insight into what others are doing. It was also of interest to note that many classmates felt that since they were not teaching (or teachers) that their comments might not be as valid as others.

One of the things I find valuable about in this type of environment is being able to read others views. In a face to face class we would be turning in papers, and presumably having discussions – but we might not see what others are writing. This has noteworthy overall. Discussion boards continue to be the primary way to collaborate and discuss ideas in an online learning environment. Overall this seems to be effective, and I see no other alternative to collaboration at this time – especially since we are all logging on at various times. The only downside of this is that some threads die if the user has completed the assignment and moved on to other activities in the course.

Julia L. Cutler Description

This week we discussed how online learning has created an opportunity for a very diverse population of learners. From adult learners to students with disabilities to single parents, online learning has opened the door for these students to attend classes. Online learning has flattened a lot of the barriers that once stood in the way of some populations. We also discussed creating effective discussion board questions that enhance critical thinking.

Impact I was able to share a discussion question that I use on a regular basis with my classmates. I described the lesson that the question went with and they were able to critique and give me positive feedback on what I’ve been doing. Overall it seems that I was on track with my question but I was given some good ideas to add. I liked that one student suggested that I ask for a link to the website that the student used to formulate their answer. Also, I liked the other idea that a student suggested which was to expand on the question with a critical analysis of the issue.

Intent After completing Module 4 and learning more about creating online discussions through discussion boards, my intent is to really think about my questions before posting them. I want to make sure that I am teaching critical thinking through these discussions. We read an article titled, //Teaching Critical Thinking Through Online Discussions,// and the author, Carol B. MacKnight stated, “[T]eaching critical thinking through online discussion is an important strategy in advancing teaching and learning in electronic forms. Students need to develop and apply critical thinking skills to their studies, to the complex problems they will fact in the future in order to compete and survive, and to ‘the critical choices they will be forced to make as a result of the information explosion and other rapid technological changes.”


 * Ben Dulin**


 * Wiki Reflection for:**


 * Module 4 Strategies for Facilitating Online Interaction & Engaging Learners**

1. Description. “involves recalling your experiences such as class activities, textbook readings, and school involvement”

I am in my ninth course in my master’s program and it has been a blended program so I have participated in many discussion board conversations. I have been in some courses that have required us to make discussion postings daily, weekly, or as needed. They have been very structured and regimented to student lead and directed. Some have been personal and helped create a sense of community and others have been just a comprehension question from the reading to address and answer.

2. Impact. “You comment on what you learned from each experience”

I have enjoyed experiencing the different types of discussion board situations and learning from them. I do not think that they were all effective but one learns from mistakes as well. I too have grown as a learner while being involved in these discussion board postings. I have grown from someone uncomfortable with the material and therefore uncomfortable to make comments to someone who is confident with the material and therefore comfortable to make clear and effective comments with confidence. I was also unsure how people would take my comments when they could not see I was joking or other mannerisms so I reflected on that as well. If my comments are unclear in print, am I saying it as clearly as possible?

I have learned that the professor can set the climate for learning with strict guidelines and dates or flexibility. I prefer flexibility but I have noticed that it can create a chaotic and frustrating discussion board for some. I have enjoyed this discussion board set-up and found it conducive for learning. I like how the discussion questions are applicable to our lives and not just a comprehension question from the reading. I have found that I write more and participate more when I can relate to the material and assignment (duh, I guess).

I also liked the roles assigned to us as facilitators. I was apprehensive and nervous at first but it has worked out as I assumed it would. I have been reading the assignments with a specific purpose and goal and then read others postings with a purpose or goal as well. I also think that the facilitator roles have required us to go deeper in Bloom’s Taxonomy.

3. Intent. “Your intent should include how and when you will do what you want to do”

I am still thinking about creating an online learning environment to teach a Web 2.0 tool and I think open-ended questions will accommodate the learners of different ages but similar technological understanding. I think that it will be more of an as needed basis as far as discussion board postings and I would like to have a young and older student pair up and compare their experiences. I think that this would help create a sense of community.

Gerald Cabacungan Module 4 Reflection

After reading the content of Module 4, I confirmed what I already expected - that online discussions are a critical part of the online learning experience. I believe the online discussions are just as important to the course content when you have a group of students who are able to think critically like we have in this class. Through discussion, we validate or invalidate what the content says by comparing and contrasting the content to our own experiences instead of taking the content at its word. Through discussion, we get different perspectives and different interpretations of the world around us and get ideas that we may have never thought about otherwise. But like it says in the MacKnight article "Teaching Critical Thinking through Online Discussion," the moderator/facilitator has to ask the right questions.

I gleaned many ideas from the readings regarding different strategies and techniques for online interaction. The foremost idea was from the Martyn article "Using Interaction in Online Discussion Boards" in which she observes that social rapport leads to greater levels of interaction. This observation makes sense as people tend to open up and share more with people they know and trust; thus, it is critical to establish a safe environment from Day One of the course to assure that people can say what they want as long as everyone is respectful of each other. Other ideas I will use come from the Illinois Online Network article "Instructional Strategies for Online Courses. I like to use the strategies of discussion, self-directed learning, and small group work that the article describes.

In future online classes that I design, I will ensure a safe environment for discussion by first posting an article on Netiquette. I will also establish a separate forum called Cheers!, similar to the student lounge forum we have in this class where we can feel free to talk about anything not related to the course. Depending on what the class is for, I will either be the moderator/facilitator, or if I am instructing other instructors, I will assign students to be moderator so they can have that experience. Either way, the moderator/facilitator will emphasize asking the right questions to promote critical thinking. I will also incorporate small group work to encourage more collaboration and teamwork in a non-threatening, non-overwhelming way.

Description

In this week I have read some articles such as using integration in online discussion board, effective online facilitation, Teaching critical thinking in online and more. Also, I became the Skeptic and the Moderator

Impact

In this week I learned how to engage students to participate and ask good questions. It is important to keep students thinking in the concept because this will help students to understand a specific concept and online discussions are part of the online learning experience. Also, I learned that we have to leave a good feedback for students because instructors’ feedback cam impact students’ learning.

I was not happy for being a Moderator and I think it is one of the difficult roles. As a moderator, I have to ask a correct question and read every thing carefully. I do not know why I am not happy. Maybe because I am learning a new concept so I could not play the role correctly. About the other the Skeptic I enjoyed doing this because students will try to find a strong answers to make the Skeptic change his mind.

Intent

In the future, I will make sure to ask great and deep questions to make the students think. I will help my students learn from the discussion. I can tell that students will have opportunity to learn from the materials, instructors and students’ discussion.

Ahmed Alshahrani

Description We have explored a good topic about using technology in education. This topic focuses on Strategies for Facilitating Online Interactions and Engaging Online Learners. Also, I have read some articles such as using integration in online discussion board, and effective online facilitation. Finally, I became the Skeptic and the Yenta.

Impact: After reading the articles under this model. I have learned many things such as how we can promote the students to participate and interact with online environment. There are many ways to do that for instance asking critical thinking question.

The second thing I learned from these articles how I can give my students a good feedback. It is important to learn how to use the feedback to improve the performance of students. Also, students should learn efficacy strategies of peer feedback in online Learning Environments because they learn from each other’s more.

 Finally, I had a good experience to work as Skeptic and the Yenta on online environment. I think learn what the roles of Skeptic and the Yenta are, will make the online environment more active and efficient.

Intent: I intend to learn some strategies will help me to make the discussion more active and efficient. Using different ways for the discussion will attract the students for learning as well as learn from each other. Also, I will learn how can I use the feedback to improve the performance of my students in the classroom. Finally, I will give my students a chance to work as Skeptic and the Yenta.