Blog 3
1. How can 3-D technologies be used to create online social environment and support social interactions among community members? What are the theoretical rationales underlying the pedagogies of using 3-D environment for the benefits of learning and to achieve educational goals? (Ch. 5 - required for all)
This chapter introduces the use of a 3D online social learning environment which combines social constructivist principles with immersive gaming theory as an alternative to the traditional teaching methods and spaces. This is not a new concept as various designers and theorists have studied the combined use of engagement strategies and multiuser domains in virtual 3D environments in the form of educational games to enhance existing curriculum and materials. The results show that the active engagement created by the games supports discovery, observation, trail and error, problem solving, deep concentration, high and balanced challenges and skills, and a sense of control and satisfaction, which are all positive traits associated with learning (Dickey, 2005). As Kearsley and Shneiderman (1998) point out, “students must be engaged in their course work in order for effective learning to occur” (p. 5). Deep learning does occur when students are engrossed in the activity and there is no doubt that 3D environments captivate learners of all ages.
One of the theoretical rationales that Jones and Bronak quote is Brown, Collins and Drugid’s (1989) study on situated cognition and the culture of learning which also looks at the educational goals for learning such as the transfer of knowledge from the classroom to the real world and meaningful learning through interaction with others. As Jones and Bronack point out knowledge is social. This idea is also a major premise of Kearsley and Shneiderman’s engagement theory which is based upon an idea of creating successful collaborative teams. Knowledge emerges as students interact in meaningful ways with others. These interactions cannot be forced as Jones and Bronak emphasize the need for participatory learning in social environments or communities of practice.
In looking at the use 3-D technology as a medium for enhanced learning, M. D. Bush puts it into an indisputable perspective. First he quotes Mary Alice White stating that, “for 10,000 years humans learned from images and speech” (Bush, 1997, p.308). Next, he points out that the printed page, a relatively “modern” technology, has served as a medium of choice for only 500 years (Bush, 1997). Finally, he poses and responds to this question, “Is it any wonder that TV has the attraction that it does? Given the affinity that students have for TV, it does not seem out of line to assume that the audiovisually poor environment of the typical classroom is not the one that today’s students find stimulating” (Bush, 1997). Bush is right. Transposing the affinity that students have for TV and video games into an interactive online world of learning versus the bland environment of the typical classroom- there is no comparison.
2. How was the game “Reliving the Revolution” designed and PDA used to support collaborative problem solving activities? (Ch. 13)
Karen Schrier’s study uses a simulation game to engage learners collaborated in the reconstruction a historical event through collection and analysis of evidence, formulating and testing of hypothesis and developing conclusions. One of the major premises of Schrier addresses in her article is the need for students to learn and apply critical thinking skills to the knowledge domain of history. As she points out students are generally fed a diet of facts and historical information which they memorize, but never scrutinize the validity. One of the areas that Schrier wants to address is the availability of alternate view points in recounting historical events. This is inline with the ideas of Jonetta Cole who stresses the importance of an education in which the individual’s cultural heritage is valued. Instead of the traditional Eurocentric based education that is found in many schools and universities or its exact counterpart of an Afrocentric based education, she calls for the promotion of a Worldcentric education or an an “Everyone’s studies” education which is based upon three pillars: social awareness and responsibility; knowledge of and respect for human diversity; and participatory learning. For Cole an education system based upon these three principles “would help create an environment in which creativity, imagination, and intellectual curiosity flourish” (174). Taking a critical look at historical events from differing viewpoints has other learning benefits as we are forced to transform or modify our existing views. Transformative learning occurs when we must adjust our existing schemas or frameworks of knowledge through a period of critical reflection which may require the discarding of older viewpoints, assimilation of new ones or lead to a greater understanding of previously acquired assumptions.
Another area that Schrier stresses is a need for authenticity, mobility and discovery. Many times the knowledge learned within the classroom is often compartmentalized as facts and information that does not extend into real world situations. Meaning that cognitive skills acquired through classroom activities or tasks more often than not never transfer to the real world. Brown, Collins and Drugid’s (1989) argue the point that all knowledge domain specific or general is context bound. In other words, knowledge is situated, being in part a product of the activity, context and culture in which it is developed and used.
Schrier also looks at the issue of nonlinearity and control. Sometimes for learning to occur we have to be out of our comfort zone. In other words we have to be challenged to engage in higher order thinking skills. This idea is reminiscent of Prigogine’s new paradigm which states that as disorder increases to a critical level in open systems they will suddenly shift to a higher order. Many of our current education models are described as closed systems moving in a linear fashion with no deviation. A few of the assumptions upon which current education models are based are: the teacher is all knowing and objective; pupils learn what is taught; the curriculum is a linear course to be followed; IQ and standardized test scores have a predictive value, therefore, testing is predictive and objective; and the curriculum should be uniform for all. Our world is not closed it is filled with change and randomness. Why should we teach knowledge to students in a format that is static and not open for interpretation? We need a system based on transformative curriculum which allows for transformations and changes. Simulations like this one utilize many pedagogical objectives while engaging participants in collaborative problem solving. It is through interactions like the one created by Schrier that student learning can be transformed while they are prepared for the new challenges that a multiple perspective global community will introduce.
Bush, M. D. & Terry, R. M. (Eds.). (1997). Technology-Enhanced Language Learning.
Lincolnwood: National Textbook Company.
Cole, Johnetta. (1993). She Who Learns Must Teach. Conversations (157-183).
New York: Anchor Books.
Dickey, Michele D. (2005). Engaging By Design: How Engagement Strategies in
Popular Computer and Video Games Can Inform Instructional Design. Educational
Technology Research & Development, 53(2): 67-83.
Jones, G. J. & Bronack, S. C. (2007). Rethinking cognition, representations, and
processes in 3D online social learning environments. In D. Gibson, C. Aldrich,
& M. Prensky (Eds.), Games and simulations in online learning: Research and
development framework. (pp. 89-114). Hershey: Ideas Group.
Kearsley, G. & Shneiderman, B. (1998). Engagement Theory: A Framework for
Technology-based Teaching and Learning. Educational Technology, 38(5): 20-23.
Schrier, K. (2007). Reliving history with “Reliving the Revolution”: Designing
augmented reality games to teach the critical thinking of history. In D.
Gibson, C. Aldrich, & M. Prensky (Eds.), Games and simulations in online
learning: Research and development framework. (pp. 250-269). Hershey: Ideas
Group.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Reflective Summary 1
Reflective Summary 1
Summary of module:
Throughout this module’s readings, discussions, and blogs there is one theme that I feel is dominant in the unit and that is the set up, design, purpose, and functionality of a virtual learning community. One of the things that I seem to keep coming back to in reflecting upon in the module is that a virtual community, just like a regular community, has to be well planned and developed. The scope of planning and development must meet both immediate as well as future needs of the community and its members. Communities that are not well planned out tend to sprawl and meander without a clear purpose or direction and are difficult to navigate. Along with a well thought out design, communities must have stable and responsive leaders, as lack of leadership can lead to the demise of the community. It is the leaders who are charged with carrying out the mission and purpose of the community as well as providing insight and direction to members. Another concept related to both leadership and design which concerns the members is support which includes help and safety features. Members are the heartbeat of the community, therefore their roles and activities must be clearly stated and the appropriate help and support provided so they can carry out their mission. By incorporating all of these same elements into a virtual community we can create the foundation for a virtual learning community where knowledge construction is both process and product.
Option 1: Building a virtual learning community
(a) Describe your conceptualization or the model of a virtual learning community you are going to design and create; including the context, the subject matter, the target audience.
Virtual Learning Community Model: The virtual learning community that I will design and create is in conjunction with a project I am currently involved in with College of Education and the National Rural Educators Association. I will be designing and building an online Spanish course for educators.
Rationale for development: Oklahoma and other states in the south and southwest have experienced a large increase in the number of English Language Learners (primarily Hispanic students), in recent years. The increase is seen in both urban and rural districts: Tulsa public schools reported 30% of student populations are ELL; Oklahoma City public schools reported that the number of Latino ELL has doubled in the past year; and up to 1 in 5 students in rural schools is ELL. In contrast to urban school districts, rural schools districts do not have the programs in place or local practitioners with expertise to assist ELL students. Compounding this is the fact that rural schools have fewer state, local, and federal financial resources per pupil to develop and maintain educational programs of any kind, including those for ELL students. Due to the fact that this trend, increased numbers of ELL students and fewer state, local, and federal financial resources for rural schools is not anticipated to change anytime in the near future, there is a desperate need to assist and educate rural teachers in order that they may assist the large Hispanic populations in their schools.
Target audience: Educators and administrators in rural areas.
Context: The VLC will function as a knowledge acquisition area, a knowledge application/practice area and a support/community building area. Educators will begin with an intensive language preparation program (ILLP) via the VLC. The goal of the ILLP is to prepare teachers for an intensive five-week language study and culture immersion experience at Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla (UPAEP) in Puebla, Mexico. Following their returning from Puebla educators will be engaged in the development of pedagogical skills that will utilize their language and culture understanding to address ELL students in their classroom via VLC and OU campus meetings.
Subject matter: The subject matter will be designed to focus on three specific outcomes:
• Experiences to develop an understanding of Hispanic culture.
• Experiences to develop pedagogical skills for addressing ELL.
• Experiences to develop Spanish language skills.
Each of these outcomes are interrelated are key if rural educators are expected to make a difference in the learning of all students in their classrooms.
(b) Specifically describe the strategies you will use to build or create the virtual community, addressing the contextual factors, such as the needs, interest, leadership, etc.
The online course will be a task-based learning community, which according to Riel and Polin (2004) has a shared goal which “is the communal use of diversity to achieve a deeper understanding of issues, find a solution to problems, or to complete a task in a away that is beyond the capabilities of any single person”(21).
The task is to make a difference in the learning experiences of ELL students. In order to do this, educators will need a rudimentary knowledge of the Spanish language and culture, to practice this knowledge in an immersion setting and finally the application of skills, knowledge and attitude beyond the program. In other words, the end goal is the transfer of all knowledge, skills and attitudes accumulated during the program to be demonstrated through evidence of their application in the public school setting. As pointed out in my opening reflection, the initial planning and development is key in successful virtual communities. In order to determine the success of learning in VLC’s a proper evaluation has to be developed. For this reason I have selected the accountability process, developed by Paula Berardinelli and Jim Burrows (1998) as the theoretical framework for the course. The framework encompasses all elements of a program from planning to evaluation including: purpose of the program; learner skills, knowledge and attitudes to be developed; educational program design decisions; learning that occurs- tasks and materials; anticipated changes in job performance; organizational improvement resulting from program (21).
While I have identified a theoretical framework for planning the course, there are still design challenges that are a work in progress. One of the challenges in course design will be to include ways for the authentic usage of the language and skills learned. As some of the educators may have beginning to intermediate experience in the language, another need will be designing the VLC with a contingency for those learners that do not need to start at 0 level in Spanish language acquisition. After returning from Puebla the needs of the learners within the community will shift from acquisition of the language to development of pedagogical skills for application of knowledge. This shift in the focus of the VCL will present new challenges both in content needs and application/discussion forums. To address these challenges I think Reigeluth’s Elaboration Theory (1999) is applicable as it provides guidance for designing holistic sequences of course content in an effort to make the learning process more meaningful and motivational. The use of spiral sequencing will prove beneficial as learners will be allowed to master grammar and vocabulary gradually through several passes of the materials (Reigeluth, 1999, p. 432).
(c) Explain how the literature (e.g., the reading materials), the class discussions, and personal reflections help you to frame your design ideas. In other words, how did the literature and the class activities help you come up with those ideas? Make sure you have cited all the important, relevant literature.
One of the things I gained from the literature and discussions was a greater understanding of the need for an interactive leader/instructor to make the learners feel part of the group especially in an endeavor like I am proposing. This same idea was pointed out by several members in Discussion 1 including Kim Puga, who stated, “If the user is made to feel welcome and their ideas heard, then most likely they will return.” I would also add that feeling part of the learning community can also lead to greater collaboration and engagement in an online course. The importance of a supportive leader is summed up nicely by Renninger and Shumar (2002), “That feeling of support needs to be there for someone to give their time to something that is not monetarily rewarding” (74). In an online course, an instructor who is available and responds to students questions in a timely manner can change the atmosphere and experience for the students.
The need to set up forums for educators to share stories and ideas or highlight their uses of Spanish to assist students and parents is an especially important concept to include in the VLC course design for use during the immersion and final course phase. The need to set up discussion activities including properly educating learners on what to expect can have a great impact on both sharing and interactions. According to Levin and Cervantes (2006) one of the factors affecting the Life Cycle of OLC’s is the discrepancy in how network interactions differ from face-to-face exchanges (p. 272). This is important as many of the educators taking part in the course may be unfamiliar with the time factor involved in asynchronous communications. As the authors point out, people see the internet communications as moving at the “speed of light” when in reality they can move in extremely slow motion. There is a lot of confusion caused by the “time elongation” involved in online exchanges of communication (Levin & Cervantes, 2006, p. 272). I am both overwhelmed and excited by the amount of ideas gleaned from these readings and the reading in last semester’s multimedia technology course that can be applied into the design of this OLC. My task now is to begin to commit these great ideas to paper using Berardinelli and Burrows theoretical framework of accountability process to see which theories and ideas should be incorporated in each area of the course.
References
Levin, J. & Cervantes, R. (2002). Understanding the life cycle of network-based learning communities. In K. A. Renninger & W. Shumar (Eds.), Building virtual communities:Learning and change in cyberspace (pp. 269-292). Cambridge University Press.
Reigeluth, C. M. (1999). The Elaboration Theory: Guidance for Scope and Sequence Decisions. In C. M. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional Design Theories and Models: A New Paradigm of Instructional Theory (pp. 425-453). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.
Renninger, K. A. & Shumar, W. (2002). Community building with and for teachers at The Math Forum. In K. A. Renninger & W. Shumar (Eds.), Building virtual communities: Learning and change in cyberspace (pp. 60-95). Cambridge University Press.
Riel, M., & Polin, L. (2004). Designing for virtual communities in the service of learning. In S. A. Barab, R. Kling, & J. H. Gray (Eds.), Designing for virtual communities in the service of learning (pp. 16-50). Cambridge University Press.
Vella, J., Berardinelli, P., & Burrow, J. (1998). How do they know they know? Evaluating adult education. San Francisco: Josey-Bass Publishers.
Summary of module:
Throughout this module’s readings, discussions, and blogs there is one theme that I feel is dominant in the unit and that is the set up, design, purpose, and functionality of a virtual learning community. One of the things that I seem to keep coming back to in reflecting upon in the module is that a virtual community, just like a regular community, has to be well planned and developed. The scope of planning and development must meet both immediate as well as future needs of the community and its members. Communities that are not well planned out tend to sprawl and meander without a clear purpose or direction and are difficult to navigate. Along with a well thought out design, communities must have stable and responsive leaders, as lack of leadership can lead to the demise of the community. It is the leaders who are charged with carrying out the mission and purpose of the community as well as providing insight and direction to members. Another concept related to both leadership and design which concerns the members is support which includes help and safety features. Members are the heartbeat of the community, therefore their roles and activities must be clearly stated and the appropriate help and support provided so they can carry out their mission. By incorporating all of these same elements into a virtual community we can create the foundation for a virtual learning community where knowledge construction is both process and product.
Option 1: Building a virtual learning community
(a) Describe your conceptualization or the model of a virtual learning community you are going to design and create; including the context, the subject matter, the target audience.
Virtual Learning Community Model: The virtual learning community that I will design and create is in conjunction with a project I am currently involved in with College of Education and the National Rural Educators Association. I will be designing and building an online Spanish course for educators.
Rationale for development: Oklahoma and other states in the south and southwest have experienced a large increase in the number of English Language Learners (primarily Hispanic students), in recent years. The increase is seen in both urban and rural districts: Tulsa public schools reported 30% of student populations are ELL; Oklahoma City public schools reported that the number of Latino ELL has doubled in the past year; and up to 1 in 5 students in rural schools is ELL. In contrast to urban school districts, rural schools districts do not have the programs in place or local practitioners with expertise to assist ELL students. Compounding this is the fact that rural schools have fewer state, local, and federal financial resources per pupil to develop and maintain educational programs of any kind, including those for ELL students. Due to the fact that this trend, increased numbers of ELL students and fewer state, local, and federal financial resources for rural schools is not anticipated to change anytime in the near future, there is a desperate need to assist and educate rural teachers in order that they may assist the large Hispanic populations in their schools.
Target audience: Educators and administrators in rural areas.
Context: The VLC will function as a knowledge acquisition area, a knowledge application/practice area and a support/community building area. Educators will begin with an intensive language preparation program (ILLP) via the VLC. The goal of the ILLP is to prepare teachers for an intensive five-week language study and culture immersion experience at Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla (UPAEP) in Puebla, Mexico. Following their returning from Puebla educators will be engaged in the development of pedagogical skills that will utilize their language and culture understanding to address ELL students in their classroom via VLC and OU campus meetings.
Subject matter: The subject matter will be designed to focus on three specific outcomes:
• Experiences to develop an understanding of Hispanic culture.
• Experiences to develop pedagogical skills for addressing ELL.
• Experiences to develop Spanish language skills.
Each of these outcomes are interrelated are key if rural educators are expected to make a difference in the learning of all students in their classrooms.
(b) Specifically describe the strategies you will use to build or create the virtual community, addressing the contextual factors, such as the needs, interest, leadership, etc.
The online course will be a task-based learning community, which according to Riel and Polin (2004) has a shared goal which “is the communal use of diversity to achieve a deeper understanding of issues, find a solution to problems, or to complete a task in a away that is beyond the capabilities of any single person”(21).
The task is to make a difference in the learning experiences of ELL students. In order to do this, educators will need a rudimentary knowledge of the Spanish language and culture, to practice this knowledge in an immersion setting and finally the application of skills, knowledge and attitude beyond the program. In other words, the end goal is the transfer of all knowledge, skills and attitudes accumulated during the program to be demonstrated through evidence of their application in the public school setting. As pointed out in my opening reflection, the initial planning and development is key in successful virtual communities. In order to determine the success of learning in VLC’s a proper evaluation has to be developed. For this reason I have selected the accountability process, developed by Paula Berardinelli and Jim Burrows (1998) as the theoretical framework for the course. The framework encompasses all elements of a program from planning to evaluation including: purpose of the program; learner skills, knowledge and attitudes to be developed; educational program design decisions; learning that occurs- tasks and materials; anticipated changes in job performance; organizational improvement resulting from program (21).
While I have identified a theoretical framework for planning the course, there are still design challenges that are a work in progress. One of the challenges in course design will be to include ways for the authentic usage of the language and skills learned. As some of the educators may have beginning to intermediate experience in the language, another need will be designing the VLC with a contingency for those learners that do not need to start at 0 level in Spanish language acquisition. After returning from Puebla the needs of the learners within the community will shift from acquisition of the language to development of pedagogical skills for application of knowledge. This shift in the focus of the VCL will present new challenges both in content needs and application/discussion forums. To address these challenges I think Reigeluth’s Elaboration Theory (1999) is applicable as it provides guidance for designing holistic sequences of course content in an effort to make the learning process more meaningful and motivational. The use of spiral sequencing will prove beneficial as learners will be allowed to master grammar and vocabulary gradually through several passes of the materials (Reigeluth, 1999, p. 432).
(c) Explain how the literature (e.g., the reading materials), the class discussions, and personal reflections help you to frame your design ideas. In other words, how did the literature and the class activities help you come up with those ideas? Make sure you have cited all the important, relevant literature.
One of the things I gained from the literature and discussions was a greater understanding of the need for an interactive leader/instructor to make the learners feel part of the group especially in an endeavor like I am proposing. This same idea was pointed out by several members in Discussion 1 including Kim Puga, who stated, “If the user is made to feel welcome and their ideas heard, then most likely they will return.” I would also add that feeling part of the learning community can also lead to greater collaboration and engagement in an online course. The importance of a supportive leader is summed up nicely by Renninger and Shumar (2002), “That feeling of support needs to be there for someone to give their time to something that is not monetarily rewarding” (74). In an online course, an instructor who is available and responds to students questions in a timely manner can change the atmosphere and experience for the students.
The need to set up forums for educators to share stories and ideas or highlight their uses of Spanish to assist students and parents is an especially important concept to include in the VLC course design for use during the immersion and final course phase. The need to set up discussion activities including properly educating learners on what to expect can have a great impact on both sharing and interactions. According to Levin and Cervantes (2006) one of the factors affecting the Life Cycle of OLC’s is the discrepancy in how network interactions differ from face-to-face exchanges (p. 272). This is important as many of the educators taking part in the course may be unfamiliar with the time factor involved in asynchronous communications. As the authors point out, people see the internet communications as moving at the “speed of light” when in reality they can move in extremely slow motion. There is a lot of confusion caused by the “time elongation” involved in online exchanges of communication (Levin & Cervantes, 2006, p. 272). I am both overwhelmed and excited by the amount of ideas gleaned from these readings and the reading in last semester’s multimedia technology course that can be applied into the design of this OLC. My task now is to begin to commit these great ideas to paper using Berardinelli and Burrows theoretical framework of accountability process to see which theories and ideas should be incorporated in each area of the course.
References
Levin, J. & Cervantes, R. (2002). Understanding the life cycle of network-based learning communities. In K. A. Renninger & W. Shumar (Eds.), Building virtual communities:Learning and change in cyberspace (pp. 269-292). Cambridge University Press.
Reigeluth, C. M. (1999). The Elaboration Theory: Guidance for Scope and Sequence Decisions. In C. M. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional Design Theories and Models: A New Paradigm of Instructional Theory (pp. 425-453). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.
Renninger, K. A. & Shumar, W. (2002). Community building with and for teachers at The Math Forum. In K. A. Renninger & W. Shumar (Eds.), Building virtual communities: Learning and change in cyberspace (pp. 60-95). Cambridge University Press.
Riel, M., & Polin, L. (2004). Designing for virtual communities in the service of learning. In S. A. Barab, R. Kling, & J. H. Gray (Eds.), Designing for virtual communities in the service of learning (pp. 16-50). Cambridge University Press.
Vella, J., Berardinelli, P., & Burrow, J. (1998). How do they know they know? Evaluating adult education. San Francisco: Josey-Bass Publishers.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Case Study 1
For case study 1 part “a” I chose Coloquio Cervantes. This web site http://www.ou.edu/cervantes, and listserv CERVANTES-L@LISTS.OU.EDU, is the unique creation of Spanish Golden Age experts Dr Robert Lauer, University of Oklahoma and Kurt Reichenberger, owner of Edition Reichenberger a publishing house in Kassel Germany. The mission statement of Coloquio Cervantes appears on the website in Spanish, “Promover el intercambio de ideas sobre el Quijote y otras obras de Cervantes a nivel internacional para estudiar su sentido y extraer su significado”. The mission of the endeavor was to promote the interchange of ideas on an international level and provide the backdrop for enlightened discussions between experts and novices alike, over Quijote (Don Quixote) and other works by Miguel Cervantes.
The listserv was started on March 29, 2005 with the web site appearing on April 11, 2005. Using the Coloquio Cervantes listserv Kurt Reichenberger and Dr. Lauer sent out a discussion theme each week to inspire a dialogue between colleagues and graduate students interested in the symposium style discussion. There are two options for taking part in the dialogue, enter a chat room for a virtual chat or to respond back to the original message. Members have access to all chat transcripts and dialogues between members as retired themes with all discussions are archived and accessible on the website. Sample discussion themes included "Cervantes, is he a feminist?", "Catalina de Palacios, is she a co-authoress of the Quixote of 1605?". Each weekly theme took on a life as its own as researchers and students from all over the world debate positions by offering evidence of their positions as well as debate current theories and offer new ones.
Using Riel and Polin’s 2004 article as a base I would place this site into two categories. It is both a practice based learning community and a knowledge-based learning community. Riel and Polin (2004) describe a practice-based learning community as, “larger groups with shared goals that offer their members richly contextualized and supported arenas for learning” (20). On the other hand, “knowledge-based learning communities often share many of the same features of a community of practice but focus on the deliberate and formal production of external knowledge about the practice” (Riel & Polin, 2004, p. 21). The website itself provides the members with a variety of interactions and a wealth of information including archives of past discussions, original arte work dedicated to Cervantes Works, electronic directory of members, bibliography of works discussed and cited in discussions, monthly critical discussion point, Published articles, posting of information on and the results of International conferences on the works of Quijote. Both the listserv and the website provided an outlet for members to post news of their publications as well as alert the community on new studies and publications. The listserve provided the members with and ongoing discussion and banter concerning issues and topics over the Spanish Golden Age and Quijote.
I have been a member of Coloquio Cervantes since it started and I enjoy the discussions. Although they are not as frequent and the emails do not fly back and forth as furiously as they once did. I have taken part in the community as an observer, as well as becoming involved in the ongoing discussions. I have also published an article on the site “Reciclando a Zoraida y el Capitán Cautivo”. One of the things I enjoyed most was the posturing to defend positions taken in the debates and discussions. Members from Spain were very formal in all their postings and replies. They were very cordial and included long introductions and closings. If they were in disagreement, they were very eloquent in addressing it. Members from other geographical areas were not so gentle in their opinions of others essay and thoughts. In fact, if they had been involved in a round table discussion I felt several times they would have come to blows! In looking at the community, I feel it fills a need for those whose field of expertise is in the Spanish Golden Age or are just “aficionados” of Quijote, or Cervantes. The community offers members a way to meet and exchange ideas, promote new publications of their field and stay connected between conferences.
The structure of the site itself is good and allows members to come and go at will. The discussions via the listserv are very cumbersome and are problematic when a comment sparks a large protesting debate. The design of community will limit its growth as all messages are sent through a mediated listserv which requires support and monitoring. In fact, Coloquio Cervantes is currently on the same course that MediaMOO experienced with leadership issues as Mr. Reichenberger is not well and Dr. Lauer is extremely busy. So far other members of the Reichenberger assist in keeping the discussion lines open, but I am not sure how long that will last.
For Case Study 1 Part “b” I chose a virtual community that I have used many times. TrackStar http://trackstar.4teachers.org/trackstar/index.jsp, is a repository of online lessons and activities. Teachers can go to locate online activities or interactive lessons over themes and topics by grade levels or they can build their own. To build a lesson all that a teacher needs to do is collect Web sites, enter them into TrackStar, add annotations for their students, and an interactive, online lesson called a Track is created. TrackStar is a searchable database/repository where thousands of these information Tracks made by other educators are stored. The data base can be searched by subject, grade, or theme and standards for interactive and engaging activities. There is even a Track made for each day of the year.
I found TrackStar easy to use and navigate. I have used the system to build tracks in the past. Step by step instructions are provided and support is there if you have a problem. The TrackStar project was started in 2000 by the University of Kansas. It continues to be maintained there by 4teachers.org. The mission of the repository is to encourage educators to incorporate technology in their daily lesson plans. According to Riel and Polin (2004) TrackStar would be in the category of a practice based learning community. The focus of TrackStar is to assist teachers with building or locating activities that can be incorporated into daily lesson plans and units that require students to use technology as a means to receive and find information over a them or topic.
There are several ways teachers can use Trackstar as a learning tool. The first one is to locate a Track that meets their objectives and have the student work individually or in small group to complete the Track. Each Track is interactive requiring the students to link out to resources and then return to complete learning activities. Another possibility is to use the track as a data base for information that can be presented to students. A third possibility is for instructors to design their own unique Track by combining their own content with that found on the web and in other tracks. All Tracks contain a teacher page with information about the track concerning the specific audience, instructional goals, objectives, rationale, description of unit, needed materials, and students involvement- motivation, engagement, processing, etc. Included in this page is contact information if an instructor would like to ask any other questions or give a suggestion. The site is maintained by university staff and is part of ALTEC, the Advanced Learning Technologies project at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning. These are actually the only two communication options available through TrackStar.
Some of the design features at the site are the ease of navigation, multiple ways to search the date base such as by topic, theme, author, subject, grade level, standard, and multidisciplinary. The site started in 2000 to promote the inclusion of technology use in the classroom and has gained popularity due to its ease of use. One of the best uses of the site is in setting up small groups of learners and allowing them to navigate through a Track. Each Track is designed with the same template so students can work through them. The design of each Track is structured to guide students through the activities and then to an assessment. The use of technology by students in working through the Tracks is engaging for all types of learners. The content is fully interactive containing videos, photos, links to outside sources, interactive worksheets, assessments and activities.
In looking at the two sites Coloquio Cervantes and TrackStar each one strives to reach a different audience as well as serve a different purpose. While Coloquio Cervantes is provides a community to engage literature experts, university faculty, graduate students and fans of Spanish Golden Age works, with a focus on Quijote and Cervantes, TrackStar aims to engage elementary and secondary students in technology based learning. Each one also provides it members with different community interactions. Coloquio Cervantes has both online synchronous and asynchronous communication and information data bases. TrackStar provides an online repository of technology based learning activities and lesson plans.
Riel, M., & Polin, L. (2004). Designing for virtual communities in he service of learning. In S. A. Barab, R. Kling, & J. H. Gray (Eds.), Designing for virtual communities in the service of learning (pp. 16-50). Cambridge University Press.
The listserv was started on March 29, 2005 with the web site appearing on April 11, 2005. Using the Coloquio Cervantes listserv Kurt Reichenberger and Dr. Lauer sent out a discussion theme each week to inspire a dialogue between colleagues and graduate students interested in the symposium style discussion. There are two options for taking part in the dialogue, enter a chat room for a virtual chat or to respond back to the original message. Members have access to all chat transcripts and dialogues between members as retired themes with all discussions are archived and accessible on the website. Sample discussion themes included "Cervantes, is he a feminist?", "Catalina de Palacios, is she a co-authoress of the Quixote of 1605?". Each weekly theme took on a life as its own as researchers and students from all over the world debate positions by offering evidence of their positions as well as debate current theories and offer new ones.
Using Riel and Polin’s 2004 article as a base I would place this site into two categories. It is both a practice based learning community and a knowledge-based learning community. Riel and Polin (2004) describe a practice-based learning community as, “larger groups with shared goals that offer their members richly contextualized and supported arenas for learning” (20). On the other hand, “knowledge-based learning communities often share many of the same features of a community of practice but focus on the deliberate and formal production of external knowledge about the practice” (Riel & Polin, 2004, p. 21). The website itself provides the members with a variety of interactions and a wealth of information including archives of past discussions, original arte work dedicated to Cervantes Works, electronic directory of members, bibliography of works discussed and cited in discussions, monthly critical discussion point, Published articles, posting of information on and the results of International conferences on the works of Quijote. Both the listserv and the website provided an outlet for members to post news of their publications as well as alert the community on new studies and publications. The listserve provided the members with and ongoing discussion and banter concerning issues and topics over the Spanish Golden Age and Quijote.
I have been a member of Coloquio Cervantes since it started and I enjoy the discussions. Although they are not as frequent and the emails do not fly back and forth as furiously as they once did. I have taken part in the community as an observer, as well as becoming involved in the ongoing discussions. I have also published an article on the site “Reciclando a Zoraida y el Capitán Cautivo”. One of the things I enjoyed most was the posturing to defend positions taken in the debates and discussions. Members from Spain were very formal in all their postings and replies. They were very cordial and included long introductions and closings. If they were in disagreement, they were very eloquent in addressing it. Members from other geographical areas were not so gentle in their opinions of others essay and thoughts. In fact, if they had been involved in a round table discussion I felt several times they would have come to blows! In looking at the community, I feel it fills a need for those whose field of expertise is in the Spanish Golden Age or are just “aficionados” of Quijote, or Cervantes. The community offers members a way to meet and exchange ideas, promote new publications of their field and stay connected between conferences.
The structure of the site itself is good and allows members to come and go at will. The discussions via the listserv are very cumbersome and are problematic when a comment sparks a large protesting debate. The design of community will limit its growth as all messages are sent through a mediated listserv which requires support and monitoring. In fact, Coloquio Cervantes is currently on the same course that MediaMOO experienced with leadership issues as Mr. Reichenberger is not well and Dr. Lauer is extremely busy. So far other members of the Reichenberger assist in keeping the discussion lines open, but I am not sure how long that will last.
For Case Study 1 Part “b” I chose a virtual community that I have used many times. TrackStar http://trackstar.4teachers.org/trackstar/index.jsp, is a repository of online lessons and activities. Teachers can go to locate online activities or interactive lessons over themes and topics by grade levels or they can build their own. To build a lesson all that a teacher needs to do is collect Web sites, enter them into TrackStar, add annotations for their students, and an interactive, online lesson called a Track is created. TrackStar is a searchable database/repository where thousands of these information Tracks made by other educators are stored. The data base can be searched by subject, grade, or theme and standards for interactive and engaging activities. There is even a Track made for each day of the year.
I found TrackStar easy to use and navigate. I have used the system to build tracks in the past. Step by step instructions are provided and support is there if you have a problem. The TrackStar project was started in 2000 by the University of Kansas. It continues to be maintained there by 4teachers.org. The mission of the repository is to encourage educators to incorporate technology in their daily lesson plans. According to Riel and Polin (2004) TrackStar would be in the category of a practice based learning community. The focus of TrackStar is to assist teachers with building or locating activities that can be incorporated into daily lesson plans and units that require students to use technology as a means to receive and find information over a them or topic.
There are several ways teachers can use Trackstar as a learning tool. The first one is to locate a Track that meets their objectives and have the student work individually or in small group to complete the Track. Each Track is interactive requiring the students to link out to resources and then return to complete learning activities. Another possibility is to use the track as a data base for information that can be presented to students. A third possibility is for instructors to design their own unique Track by combining their own content with that found on the web and in other tracks. All Tracks contain a teacher page with information about the track concerning the specific audience, instructional goals, objectives, rationale, description of unit, needed materials, and students involvement- motivation, engagement, processing, etc. Included in this page is contact information if an instructor would like to ask any other questions or give a suggestion. The site is maintained by university staff and is part of ALTEC, the Advanced Learning Technologies project at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning. These are actually the only two communication options available through TrackStar.
Some of the design features at the site are the ease of navigation, multiple ways to search the date base such as by topic, theme, author, subject, grade level, standard, and multidisciplinary. The site started in 2000 to promote the inclusion of technology use in the classroom and has gained popularity due to its ease of use. One of the best uses of the site is in setting up small groups of learners and allowing them to navigate through a Track. Each Track is designed with the same template so students can work through them. The design of each Track is structured to guide students through the activities and then to an assessment. The use of technology by students in working through the Tracks is engaging for all types of learners. The content is fully interactive containing videos, photos, links to outside sources, interactive worksheets, assessments and activities.
In looking at the two sites Coloquio Cervantes and TrackStar each one strives to reach a different audience as well as serve a different purpose. While Coloquio Cervantes is provides a community to engage literature experts, university faculty, graduate students and fans of Spanish Golden Age works, with a focus on Quijote and Cervantes, TrackStar aims to engage elementary and secondary students in technology based learning. Each one also provides it members with different community interactions. Coloquio Cervantes has both online synchronous and asynchronous communication and information data bases. TrackStar provides an online repository of technology based learning activities and lesson plans.
Riel, M., & Polin, L. (2004). Designing for virtual communities in he service of learning. In S. A. Barab, R. Kling, & J. H. Gray (Eds.), Designing for virtual communities in the service of learning (pp. 16-50). Cambridge University Press.
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