As new online tools such as MyGateway are introduced, it is important to
consider how the various tool features within these systems can be used to
support teaching and learning. Assembled are the collective thoughts of UMSL
colleagues and others in higher education institutions who have had longer
experience in implementing online instruction than those of us at UM-St. Louis.
The focus is on the specific features available on MyGateway.
Teaching and Learning Activities for the Web
Why should I use a discussion board?
Online discussions are not unlike those conducted within the traditional, face-to-face classroom, and are often seen as more useful for the distance educator who does not meet students face to face. Even the on-campus instructor may find discussion boards useful, however. A few advantages to using discussion boards include:
--Educational Technologies, Virginia Tech "http://www.edtech.vt.edu/edtech/id/ocs
How is a discussion board different from listserves or the virtual chat feature offered on MyGateway?
Discussion boards are asynchronous, available for responses anytime from anywhere by anyone who has access to the course web site. The participants must actively "log on" to the Internet to read and respond. Discussion "threads" within MyGateway can be started by either the instructor or students, depending on how the instructor sets up the discussion parameters. Objectionable postings can be deleted, and students can be disabled from posting, if necessary. Specific threads can be sorted according to read/unread, authors, and may be archived when the time period has expired or the thread becomes too lengthy.
Listserve members receive and send messages, anytime from their email accounts that have been requested by a listowner for the group listserve. The discussion threads must be more carefully moderated by the listowner/instructor since all types of messages can be exchanged among the listserve group.
Virtual chats on MyGateway allow for real-time or synchronous communications, meaning that participants will be tied to time-specific periods. Virtual chats may serve best as an instructor's office hours. Students can log on within the prescribed time period to receive instantaneous replies to their questions. A secondary use is one for smaller groups (3-5 people) who want to do interactive sharing of documents or planning of group projects at a specific time of day.
How I've used a discussion board (Cheryl Bielema, Curriculum & Instruction, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana).
I set up a hypothetical, yet real-world, problem for a group of preservice elementary teachers. I asked them to respond to this scenario: "In your new elementary classroom, you are allotted two hours per week (only) for social studies. Describe which of the social studies areas you would emphasize in that limited time, reasons why you give priority to those subjects, and the learning activities you would initiate."
Students posted their answers, selecting
critical areas and describing how they might integrate social studies with
other subject matter. One student built a critical thinking activity for her
future students that captured the real intent of the discussion topic. Here is
her reflective response: "In middle school, I think it is important to
emphasize the reality of history. If we can help students understand the
significance of the decisions people made throughout history, students may feel
more empowered….A scenario could be: You are an African American mother of two.
You have a job that helps support your family. Tomorrow there is a civil rights
march. However, you are supposed to work when the march is taking place. What
do you do and why?" (B. Kowynia personal communication, February 1, 1999).
Group tools include Discussion Board, File Exchange, Email and Virtual Chat.
Small groups can be designated within the Communication section of MyGateway.
The students can then conduct their project development work or discussions
independently of the larger class Discussion Board by clicking on their group
name within Group Pages. They may also exchange files and participate in
real-time virtual chats. The instructor is automatically a member of each group
s/he authors.
What is File Exchange?
One of the Student Tools available in MyGateway is Student Drop Box. The drop box feature permits file exchange between student and teacher and among students within the Group Pages section of Communication. It will be necessary to experiment with the best file formats among the computers used to upload and download the documents. Documents saved as text files seem to be most universally accepted and displayed correctly within the browser for MyGateway.
Establishing Group Activities
We know from considerable cooperative learning research that group activities must be structured for effectiveness (Johnson & Johnson, 1998). Key elements to build into any group activity include:
Positive Interdependence. Each student must feel they cannot succeed unless the other students in the group also succeed. Create tasks where each student is responsible for a critical role, and where each role is necessary to complete the task appropriately. Students cannot proceed or succeed without the positive contributions of each team member.
Interaction. Create activities whereby students help one another solve problems, review one another's work, or discuss issues or concepts.
Individual and Group Accountability. Emphasize and assign group grades to encourage team members to help one another learn. At the same time, promote peer evaluations and feedback to help individuals understand their strengths and work to improve their weaknesses.
--Educational
Technologies, Virginia Tech "http://www.edtech.vt.edu/edtech/id/ocs
How I've used Group Pages (Van Reidhead, Anthropology, University of Missouri, St. Louis).
I have divided my classes into groups of 5-6
students each. . .they conduct discussions online, organize themselves into
tasks, and report in 5-minute presentations per group in class. . .I can
monitor their online discussions. It makes for a good way to objectively assess
their participation. (V. Reidhead personal communication, September 7, 2000)
Why use online quizzes?
Online quizzes allow instructors to quickly gauge student understanding of course concepts. Further, students can monitor their progress in a course, and those with inadequate comprehension can seek help or revise student habits to better manage the course load.
Online quizzing typically allows students to see a summary of their performance (i.e., questions they answered correctly or incorrectly with feedback). This feature is not available for short-answer questions. If necessary, feedback can be disabled until a quiz is over, so students who have not finished their quiz will not be able to see an answer on another student's computer screen.
--Educational Technologies, Virginia Tech http://www.edtech.vt.edu/edtech/id/ocs
CAUTION: Quizzes can be printed by students from the web site, so it will be
good practice to develop pools of questions and set the MyGateway system
to randomly select questions from the pool as individual students log on to
complete the quiz.
How I plan to use quizzes (Tivoli Majors, English, University of Missouri, St. Louis).
I will use the quiz/test section of
Blackboard™ as a study tool for my students. They must each take a study quiz
before the exam and my hope is that this will help them prepare for in-class
exams. They can take the quizzes repeatedly….My view is that Blackboard is a
tool to augment what we are already doing in class -- not replace it. (T.
Majors personal communication, September 6, 2000)
What are the uses of links to promote learning?
--Educational Technologies, Virginia Tech "http://www.edtech.vt.edu/edtech/id/ocs
What I see happening with my students (Kathleen Haywood, Education, University of Missouri, St. Louis).
The more I have learned about it [MyGateway],
the more ideas I've had for ways to support and help the doctoral students in
my course. It is facilitating discussion among our group, putting students in
touch with a wide array of information, and helping students when they have a
professional commitment that keeps them away from a class meeting. Moreover, I
see the eyes of my students widen in excitement as they realize the potential
of this software. Rather than lowering the bar, if anything, I believe we will
be able to expect more of students because of the increased information that
will be available to them. (K. Haywood personal communication, September 7,
2000)
Pioneering instructors who use electronic learning tools recommend that course
requirements spell out specific numbers as well as what constitutes
"quality" postings to a discussion board. They also suggest that
there should be multiple ways to access students' learning, rather than relying
solely on the quizzes and surveys within MyGateway. Students need
well-defined reasons to work online. The grades they earn should reflect the
type and quantity of electronic participation you expect from them. Develop
participation points and percentages for online discussions, group work, and
evaluation of electronic resources, for example.
Learning contracts can be effective in the online teaching and learning environment. Instructors can set up the criteria and measures for earning specific grades and students can "contract" themselves to the grade they would like to earn. Self-directed learning contracts might also be useful for upper level undergraduates as well as graduate students. Self-directed learning is defined as "the process in which individuals take the initiative, with or without the help of others, in diagnosing their learning needs, formulating learning goals, identifying human and material resources for learning, choosing and implementing appropriate learning strategies, and evaluating learning outcomes" (Knowles, 1975, p. 18).
How I've use learning contracts (Lauren Leach, Family & Consumer
Economics
Northwest Missouri State University).
[After experimenting with raising points for the additional online work I required with a 400-level course], it became a contracted class. And, I'm a lot happier with it. There's going to be a slow process of acceptance as students get pushed to be more active learners. Here's the minimum for an A:
There were some students who did all the
above work, but earned mostly B's, and they earned a B for the course grade. I
wanted to show them that quality is as important an quantity, and it wasn't
just a matter of jumping through the hoops. Students recognize they are
learning critical thinking skills. They are working harder, but they are getting
something out of it, too. If I increase my standards, I believe they increase
their standards. (L. Leach, personal communication, July 13, 2000)
In conclusion, the World Wide Web and MyGateway can enhance teaching and learning, if instructional strategies are planned and web pages and activities are authored in advance of the course getting underway. Here is a short list of the types of teaching and learning activities well suited to the electronic environment. Use the MyGateway Resources portal and the Information Technology Services staff members to help answer your questions and prepare what you envision for your students' best learning experiences. Consider us part of your instructional team.
A. Conversing
B. Mentoring, Questioning, Supporting a Partner
C. Debating
D. Impersonating, Role Playing
E. Sharing Data, Analyzing
F. Developing a New Product or Artifact
G. Traveling Virtually
H. Seeking, Collecting, Organizaing, Synthesizing Online Information (Research)
I. Exploring Real-World Cases or Problems
J. Accessing Tutorials with Exercises, Quizzes, Questions, Online Drill and
Practice
Gall, J. E. (1995). The effect of external orienting task on learning,
learner attitudes and en-route behaviors in the use of an educational hypertext
system. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Florida State University.
Johnson, D. W. & Johnson, R. T . (1998). Cooperative learning and social independence theory. See Social Psychological Applications to Social Issues.
Knowles, M. S. (1975). Self-directed learning: A guide for learners and teachers. Chicago: Follett Publishing Company.
Mayes, T., Kibby, M. R. & Anderson, T. (1990). Signposts for conceptual oriention. In R. McAlesse & C. Green (Eds.). Hypertext: State of the art (pp. 121-129). Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corporation.
Nelson, W. A. & Palumbo, D. B. (1992). Learning of educational
multimedia and hypermedia, Learning, Instruction and Hypermedia Journal, 1(3),
287-299.
Prepared by Cheryl Bielema, Ph.D.
MyGateway Training, September 20, 2000