Module 2-Collaborative Interaction

Collaborative interaction has evolved in many aspects of technology and distance learning.  As a graduate student, I find it intriguing to collaborate with colleagues, friends, and family.  Interactive collaboration has impacted distance education by changing the way we communicate through evolutionary methods.  George Siemens (Laureate, 2008) states “that future directions in education support growing shifts toward the triple helix model of education where we have universities, governments, and businesses to form a strain of interaction to provide and equip student for the online environment.” 

Engaging in online collaboration brings students together to support the learning of each member of the group.  It promotes creativity and critical thinking which enhances the learner’s communication skills and offers social motivation and multimedia courses (Palloff & Pratt, 2005).  Collaboration also helps you to reflect on each others comments as well as critique individual comments. 

Some online tools that are available today to facilitate ways that collaborative interaction has evolved are through these methods:

• Wikis                                    
• Blogs
• E-mails
• Podcast
• Virtual schools
• Social Networks
• VOIP (Phone conversation, computer to computer)
• Video Chats
• Text Chats

Blogs:

1. http://blogs.cisco.com/news/providing_a_more_collaborative_interactive_classroom_learning_environment_t/ Description-Bruce Klein’s blog is entitled “Providing a More Collaborative, Interactive Classroom Learning Environment through Video”.  The Video-Enabled Teaching and Learning Solution platform helps students in K-12 and higher education gain the skills they need to advance in today’s workplace by introducing them to a more collaborative, virtual learning environment.

    2.      http://www.smartteaching.org/blog/2008/08/50-ways-to-use-wikis-for-a-more-collaborative-    and-interactive-classroom/

Description-This blog came from Smart.Teaching.org.  I thought it would be useful to share with the class.  Wikis are an exceptionally useful tool for getting students more involved in curriculum. They’re often appealing and fun for students to use, while at the same time ideal for encouraging participation, collaboration, and interaction.  This blog shares 50 ways to use wikis for a more collaborative and interactive classroom. 

    
    3.       http://salt.swan.ac.uk/wiki/?p=559

Description-This blog is by Chris Hall demonstrating an interactive short video on how Microsoft‘s new touch screen works.

Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2005). Collaborating online:  learning together in community. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer) (2008). The future of distance education. Baltimore, MD: Author

Brigit's response to Tiffany

Hi Tiffany,

I also agree that students interact more in a distance education than face-to-face but the learning process should be equivalent (Laureate, 2008).  No, I do not think there is equivalency amongst face-to-face and distance education.  Yes, I do think there should be an equivalency amongst face-to-face and distance education.  For example, some of my coworker fined it hard to take an online class because of the work load or notion that being in a classroom will be more beneficial.   I think that the information in online learning is just as solid as face-to-face.  In my experience the instructors in an online class are more available and have a faster response time than that of face-to-face.  Distance education should be viewed as high quality education and equal, if not more equal, than face to face.   

Thanks for the response. :)

Brigit

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer) (2008). Equivalency theory. Baltimore, MD: Author

Module 1 Updated

After reading the articles by Moller, Huett, Foshay, and Coleman, and listening to Simonson’s video programs, they all implement similar qualities on the evolution of distance education.   From the virtual schools to the hands on schools, I agree that distance education needs to evolve into the next generation and come together to meet the needs of all students. There is a need for newer methods of education that should meet the requirements of 21^st century instructional learning.  I also believe in the statement from Dr. Simonson video that “Equivalency Theory requires that distance and face-to-face education should have the same learning outcomes and provide equivalent learning to meet these outcomes" (Laureate, 2008). 

In Terry Anderson and Jon Dron’s (2011) research paper they examine the three generations of distance education pedagogy.  These three generations are:  cognitive-behaviorists, social constructivist, and connectivist pedagogy.  Anderson and Dron argue that the three generations can be effectively used to address the learning needs of 21^st century learners.  Cognitive-behaviorists focus on motivation, attitude, and mental barriers.  Social constructivist focuses on the social nature of knowledge and the minds of individual learners.   Connectivist pedagogy focuses on the networked connections and the learner’s role to have the capability to find and apply knowledge where it is needed.  With these three generations of distance education in mind, there has been much involvement with the models of teaching and learning.  According to Anderson and Dron (2011) distance education has evolved through many technologies within the three generations and no one generation is right or wrong.  The most important information is that distance education keeps evolving through different types of learning for the 21^st century.

Podcasts on Distance Learning:

1.  Title:  Distance Education for the Uninitiated

Date:  May 1, 2010

Website:  http://www.bncast.com/educ-today/educ-today-002-distance-education-for-the-uninitiated/

Description:  This is a podcast brought to you by Jeric Pena from the Brinks Notes Podcast Network on how Distance Education and how it works for teachers and students.  Jeri Pena has a weekly 30 minute broadcast on educational issues affecting teachers and students.   

2.  Title:   Distance Learning in the University of Maine System, Part 2
      Date:  December 28, 2010
      Website:  http://blogcast.svconline.com/?p=174
      Description:  This podcast is brought to you by Bennett Liles from the Sound & Video Contractor Blog Cast of a continued interview discussion with John Tiner, senior systems and design engineer from the University of Main.  Tiner talks about the way production is done in the distance learning studios that include monitoring of calls from students watching the programs.  

Anderson, T., & Dron, J. (2011). Three generations of distance education pedagogy. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 12(3), 80-97. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Coleman, C. (2008, September/October). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 3: K12). TechTrends, 52(5). 63-67.

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008, May/June). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 1: Training and development). TechTrends, 52(3), 70-75.

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008, May/June). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 2: Higher education). TechTrends, 52(4), 66-70.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer) (2008). Distance Education: The next generation. Baltimore, MD: Author

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer) (2008). Equivalency theory. Baltimore, MD: Author

Hello

Hello Everyone,
My name is Brigit McAroy and I teach first grade in Pensacola, Florida.  I have been teaching for 14 years and love every minute of it.  Well, not all of the paperwork! :)  I look forward to learning new technologies and communicating new ideas with Dr. Powell and my classmates. 
Brigit