ETC655: Lesson 3 Instructor’s Notes

(Same message posted to NAU email & Nabble Discussion Board)

As in ETC645, I will continue sharing the weekly "Instructor's Notes."

I hope you had positive learning experiences in Lesson 2.  I will continue to post 1-2 Instructor's Notes to help you to improve your learning experiences. This Instructor's Note is longer than normal because I want to make sure we have an understanding of our lesson discussion expectations. This is because I want you to engage in the lesson discussions effectively and efficiently. Simply posting a lot may not necessarily result in excellent learning.  One of ETC655 goals is to prepare you to become competent "Adaptive Learners" facilitate the development of states of being (affect, emotion, self-regulation, goal setting, and so on). We will cover Adaptive Learning in Lesson 6.

 

These Instructor's Notes include these sections:

• Lesson 2 Discussion General Feedback
• Lesson 2 Discussion: Instructor's Reflections of each topic
• Lesson 3 Highlights

 

Lesson 2 Discussion General Feedback

This is the most important lesson in our class because it introduced the key theory, pedagogy, and analysis, such as Connectivism, ONLE/PLE, open education/learning, and OERs, etc.  A good understanding of these topics will help you to prepare for the upcoming lessons.  I encourage you to go back to re-read the assignments or search for more readings on the topics to understand theory, pedagogy, and concepts. Here are a few reflections I share with you to improve your upcoming performances.  ETC655 has the highest course number in all ETC courses. This means I expect your highest quality performances and active and interactive participations in our course community.

 

Asking the class one good/inspiring question

What we did well?

·         Several of you have asked great questions and received inspiring responses to deepen your understanding. Continue doing this.

 

What improvements are necessary for the upcoming lesson discussions?

·         Some of you did not post "Follow-Up" postings: Make it a habit do so in the upcoming lessons.

·         Inscribe the "Subject" field with "Follow-Up": allowing the class to understand that this is your follow-up question.

 

Q: Should I post my "Follow-Up" question to the original key question or to the classmates' posting?

A: Either way is fine. If you feel your follow-up question is an extension to the key question, reply to the key question. If your follow-up is inspired by the specific classmate's posting, reply to that specific student.

 

Post your "Follow-Up" questions as early as possible. Ideally, post it on Friday or Saturday so it gives your classmates enough time to deepen their thoughts.

 

Frequency: Friday-Saturday-Sunday

 

Three KEY Areas: Connectivism, ONLE/PLE, and OE/ OERs

The discussion of the lesson is one of the most critical objects in our class because we cover three fundamental areas: Connectivism, ONLE/PLE, and Open Education (OE)/Open Educational Resources (OERs). I hope you see them as ONE big area because they are related to each other rather than three different areas. We are not done with these areas yet. In fact, you need to re-review and re-digest these areas while proceeding with the lesson content. For now, you have a basic understanding of all three.  After we ponder other related topics, you will deepen this understanding. I hope you see the evident connections among these three areas. In Lesson 8, we will bring them back to reflect upon your knowledge of them.

 

Q: How can I deepen my understanding and knowledge on the discussion content?

A: It is expected that you apply critical thinking in ETC655 to understand Connectivism and ONLE/PLE.  Read more about the four categories of Inquiry Learning Model (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000) to understand what they are and how you should apply them to your lesson discussions.  For the upcoming lesson discussion evaluations, an Inquiry Learning Model will be used to deepen your knowledge and skills in Connectivism, and ONLE/PLE.

 

How to conduct quality posting?

If you apply the four categories of Practical Inquiry Model to assess your Lesson 2 discussion responses, what scores (Scale 1-7) do you think you may have for each category? We will dig deeper in the upcoming lesson. The figure below represents your Class Lesson 2 Overall Practical Inquiry Practices.  Compare/contrast yourself to the overall class.

 

 

In ETC655 discussions, you are encouraged to do something differently from previous course discussions, such as ETC645, by applying more "Divergent; Convergent; & Deductive Thinking" skills to enrich your discussion postings.  I encourage you to minimize expressing what you like and dislike and ask yourself questions on what I noticed on others' postings, why, and how.  By doing so, you would improve your Prestigious Role (PageRank).

 

SNA/Interactivity Performance: Eigenvector (Prominent Role) & PageRank (Prestigious Role)

SNA/Interactivity can help you to deepen your discussion to become a competent "Adaptive Learner."  If deepening your understanding is one of your learning goals for the discussion, score higher for Eigenvector Centrality and PageRank. High Eigenvector indicates you interact with the classmates with high Page Ranks. High Page rank indicates your classmates see you with high quality interaction and postings.

 

Lack of your own opinions: Significant amount of materials copied from course materials or outside sources without condensing them through analysis or synthesis.  To improve such postings, you could integrate multiple views and show values as a seed for reflection by including other participants' views. Includes analysis or synthesis of course materials, your own experience, and/or classmates' postings. This would improve your PageRank score.

 

Asking other questions & follow up the responses: This is a great way to engage in network interaction. Be sure to ask good questions to generate deeper interaction with classmates. In addition, people are more likely to respond to well-thought-out questions.  It will show on your In/Out Degree Ratio, Reciprocated Vertex Pair Ration, and PageRank.

 

Did not address the questions raised by others: Be sure to respond them.

 

Engage in more Advanced Interaction

I have observed that some of you challenge yourselves with one-to-many interaction.  Continue doing so.  For those of you have not done this, I encourage you to at least try it in one posting for each lesson discussion.  How to do? See: Advanced Interaction

(https://sites.google.com/site/etcnle/advanced-interaction)

 

Lesson 2 Discussion: Instructor's Reflections on each topic

Self-reflection on our learning process is very critical to Connectivism.  Take time to reflect upon each of our key discussion topics.  Here are my reflections on Lesson 2 discussion topics.

 

L2-KEY-1-Connectivism: Instructor's Reflection

Connectivism may be considered as a post-modern learning paradigm.  It reflects modern learning in an effective way, particularly with network technology.  Does it make other learning paradigms (Constructivism, Behaviorism etc.) obsolete? Perhaps not.  Why do we need to learn about Connectivism?  Because it is new and cool?  I hope that is not your answer.  As an expert in educational technology and instructional designers, we need to know the full range of learning paradigms.  When you need to design technology-based instructions, you know what would be the most appropriate and relevant learning paradigm to apply to research your learning/teaching goals.

 

From Anderson

Behavioral/Cognitive models are useful for memory and conceptual knowledge acquisition.

Constructivist models develop group skills and negotiated knowledge.

Connectivist models and tools introduce networked learning and are foundational for lifelong learning.

21st Century Literacy's and skills demand effective use of all three pedagogies

 

L2-KEY-2-ONLE: Instructor's Reflections

Here are a few of my reflections to share with you to help you to think deeper and more critical.

• ONLE/PLE/Connectivism is not the same as traditional online learning. ONLE may be considered as one online learning design. Not all online learning is considered as ONLE.
• ONLE is not the same as Connectivism. Connectivism is considered as a learning theory (in early development) while ONLE/PLE is considered instructional strategy and design. ONLE/PLE is framed under Connectivism.
• Using Web 2.0 tools doesn't mean we integrate ONLE/PLE/Connectivism.
• ONLE/PLE supports wider range of learning. It can be completely closed to completely open in online context.

 

L2-KEY-3-Open Education/OERs: Instructor's Reflections

I know I asked many very tough questions to stimulate your understandings in open education.  After readings many of your postings, I think it is even more than how we define open education.  It is more about what open education means to our current society. As educators, educational institutions, and education providers, what "responsibilities" do we carry in society and in the global community?

 

By examining social justice in open education could be one of the aspects to help us to understand our responsibilities.  

 

OER-Bibliometric Analysis

Personally, I use it regularly to learn more about the topic and to observe its development and evolution.  I encourage you to conduct bibliometric analysis for other topics in our upcoming discussions.  When you approach a new topic, don't just ask yourself, "What is it?" It is an Opportunity to conduct bibliometric analysis to help us to address this question: how does this topic relate to other topics?  In the pedagogies of Connectivism and ONLE/PLE, this is very critical.  For example, we can conduct bibliometric analysis for "Mobile Learning."

 

It is great to see many of you have an interest in OER which is related to Open Education.  If you would like to learn more about OER, here are some suggested readings to enrich your knowledge in OER and Open Education.

 

Weller, Martin-2014-Book-Battle for Open. http://www.ubiquitypress.com/site/books/detail/11/battle-for-open/

 

Tait, A., & O'Rourke, J. (2014). Internationalization and concepts of social justice: What Is to be done? In Online Distance Education: Towards a Research Agenda (Zbaracki-Richter, Olaf and Anderson, Terry. eds., pp. 39–70). Athabasca, Canada: Athabasca University Press. Retrieved from http://www.aupress.ca/books/120233/ebook/01_Zawacki-Richter_Anderson_2014-Online_Distance_Education.pdf

 

L2-KEY-4-GD Add-Ons: Instructor's Reflection

I enjoyed reading many of your reflections on your experiences in GD Add-Ons. It is expected that you are surprised and amazed by the features of Google Docs' Add-Ons.  As an expert of educational technology, I challenge you to see this tool at a deeper level.  Embed one tool into another tool is a unique feature that an application can afford.  In fact, it is not uncommon that two application tools are linked.  For example, we can link/embed MS Excel to MS Words.  

• So, what's special about Google Docs' Add-ons?

• What role does GD Add-ons play in ONLE?
• How can we integrate ONLE/PLE instructional strategies to integrate GD Add-Ons?

Think deeper!!

 

 

Lesson 3 Highlights (11/4-10)

 

DUE: 11/07, Thursday

• Due: 1st posting period for Lesson 3 discussions: You must respond to ALL KEY questions.

 

DUE: 11/10, Sunday

• Due: 2nd posting period for Lesson 3 discussions: TWO or more postings: Respond to others' postings.
• Due: Assignment 2: Analysis for ONLE Instructional Strategies
• Lesson 4 readings.
• Due: For Group 7: Chapter template & the instructions for Assignment 4
• Due: All groups sign-up for Assignment 3: Network Technology Training sessions