Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online
description
Transcript of Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online
Strategiesthat Promote
Collaboration Online
Jo Gibson
Authentic Encounters Online Ltd
Strategies that PromoteCollaboration Online
A case study insight involving:
• 10 years within online environments
• Interaction with 23 countries - mainly with NZers
• Individuals, classrooms and GATE students
• Students aged 7-15 years: age irrelevant vs strategies
• Technical, design and management strategies
What is acollaborative
online environment?
• It’s the result of a paradigm shift
• It’s a learner-centred paradigm not instructor-led
• It’s where there are time & distance boundaries
• It’s where the learning theory is constructivist
Spotlights
Eg: Pauline McLeod
ICTPD Facilitator, Cambridge
Currently in Turkey, beaming back to 80+ students
Learn-Now: an online learning centre for extension & enrichment.
The reference base for examples given alongside strategies presented.
Strategy #1
Develop a leadership/planning team - varies in style, eg:
• Guest: Pauline & Learn-Now staff
• 12 year old: WW2, Henry VIII & Elizabeth 1
• Classroom teacher, a guest + 2 Learn-Now teachers
Strategy #2
Develop a shared vision, objective & timeline
• The framework & the big picture
• Student interest, capturing the moment, curriculum
• Eg: Pauline: to show several schools in her cluster, the tools available for learning online, using an inquiry focus
Strategy #3
Sell the idea
• Inviting participants on board - staff and students
• Detailed presentation of intent absolutely crucial
• Give a clear indication of support and opportunities
Approximately 80 students are virtual tourists to Turkey - increasing by word of mouth
Strategy #4
Create a colourful, image laden site
• Technical elements help capture participants
• Captivating titles - avoiding cluttered menus
• Students click clear, easy to read links first
• Pages & threads need images galore
• Select images that foster collaborative interaction
Strategy #5
User Orientation & Navigation
• Administrators to set up the login
• Personal emails share login details & link
• Students find site and initial components
• Project banners secure them to the ‘right site’
• Introductory overviews orientate to hyperlinked next steps
• Activity#1: introduce yourself in the members Lounge
• Activity#2: understand mechanics in the orientation zone
Strategy #6Experiencing the tools
• Assume no experience, unless otherwise known
• Target commonly used components first: forums
• How to start? Instruct / Read other messages. Insist
• Use bold to highlight key elements
Strategy #7aProtocols & Skills: Live chat/workroom
• Address first, as an actual live chat session
• Chat: most in danger of abrupt & upset interactions
• Target patience when waiting for responses
• Response time = thinking, typing & editing time
• Live chat = oral equivalent: spelling is irrelevant
• Write in short bursts - send mid sentence
• Accept several discussion threads at once
Strategy #7b
Protocols & Skills: Forums
• Address in the workroom - as a discussion
• Reply to threads requiring intervention, re: ettiquette
• Encourage resetting subject threads
• Encourage basic composition rules - beginning, middle, end
• Emphasise ending with a question to promote interaction
• Emphasise revisiting 2-3x a week / checking short cut areas
Strategy #8aDevelop a sense of community
• A crucial strategy
• Students: desire to talk & be social• Teachers: keep them well informed
• Teachers: need to facilitate the learning• Students: desire being in charge of their learning
• The learner-centred paradigm now very evident
Strategy #8b
Developing that sense of community…
• Community: an ambiguous buzzword• Discussion boards + chatrooms only?
Learning context: • Vehicle for connecting people• Connecting stories and experiences• Vehicle for mentoring, facilitation, tutoring, teaching• Result: extended & enriched learning & knowledge
Spotlight
• Community = A TEAM = successful collaboration• Invite participants to nominate a team leader• Expose skills, knowledge & interests• Teams do justice to collaboration: less so the go-solos
• Integrate various communities/teams together• Integration: new audience, knowledge & viewpoints
Strategy #9
Seed the collaboration
• A must for the facilitator• A strategy that strengthens a learner-centred focus
• Post some questions/challenges…then fade out• Resist temptation to respond to everything: overkill• Engineer further depth through other students
• Reiterate that students ‘end with a question’• Email invitations to contribute…even just ‘thoughts’
Strategy #10aGive enough time: Timelines
• Reality checks are crucial on eg: 10 weeks
• 30mins/week x 10 weeks = 5 hours: a school day
• Is a school day enough time to do a full project?
• Involve students in assessing weekly time needed
• Ownership = healthier perspectives on achievement
Strategy #10b
Give enough time: Forums
• Single thread: all done within 24-48 hours if full time
• When collaborating with other classes: 2-3 weeks
• Schools: have to often cater for shared computers
• Home: cater for dial-up and family demands
• Time zones: great application for 24hr time in Maths!
Strategy #10c
Give enough time: Live Chat / Workroom
• Patience: crucial skill
• Multi-tasking: encourage during ‘wait time’
• Allow 3 minutes before intervening incoming chat
• Allow for : think time, typing, editing, mentoring time
• 3 minutes+? Hello? Support usually needed…!
Strategy #11Give feedback
• Risk overkill during the first 2-3 days
• Give to all student threads / send emails to teachers
• Verify, support and ‘seed’ further interaction
• Suggest, recommend, challenge, query, redirect…
• Avoid direct demands: less depth/replies received
Strategy #12Ensuring Return Visits: feature…
• Edification of success evident
• Seeded next-step action
• Opportunities for assemblies
• Mystery guest workroom sessions
• Treasure Hunt challenges
• Home page quick link navigation
• Resistance to restructure site design
Ensuring Return Visits:
• Email highlights
• ‘Coming Soon’ items
• New blood: guests
• Another audience
• Learning logs/blogs
• Feedback to teachers
• Student leadership
Good Luck! The 12 Strategies
Learn-Now? All evident within a 2 month collaborative programme
• Ideal strategy: look ahead at the big picture
• Problem solve all issues through
• Don’t forget visual and kinesthetic learners
• Ensure variation & feedback
• Never be afraid to hand it over to students