Teaching Teaching andandLearningLearning

in ain a

Joy McGregor & Lyn HayAssociate Professor Lecturer in Teacher LibrarianshipSchool of Library & Information Studies School of Information StudiesTexas Woman's University, Denton Charles Sturt University, Wagga WaggaTexas, USA NSW Australia

Collaborative Collaborative Electronic EnvironmentElectronic Environment

Growing up digitalGrowing up digital

Growing up is about learning. Growing up is about learning. The Net Generation are The Net Generation are beginning to process information beginning to process information and learn differently than the and learn differently than the baby boomers….baby boomers….

The destination is different and The destination is different and so is the route kids must take.so is the route kids must take.

Don Tapscott (1996)Don Tapscott (1996)

Learning digitalLearning digital

As teachers we need to:As teachers we need to: rethink our educational rethink our educational deliverydelivery aware of new learning aware of new learning technologiestechnologies evaluate the digital landscapeevaluate the digital landscape test application of new toolstest application of new tools work with colleagues to work with colleagues to streamline streamline IT integrationIT integration professionally network beyond professionally network beyond local local

What is a collaborative electronic What is a collaborative electronic environment?environment? a site that integrates collaborative activities for a site that integrates collaborative activities for

workgroups, or learning groupsworkgroups, or learning groups place for teachers & students to meet and place for teachers & students to meet and

share ideas and resourcesshare ideas and resources a mix of email, listservs, web forums, web a mix of email, listservs, web forums, web

resources, electronic meeting software resources, electronic meeting software (NetMeeting), IRC and MOOs(NetMeeting), IRC and MOOs

Collaborative electronic Collaborative electronic environments (CEEs) environments (CEEs) providing pathways to digital learningproviding pathways to digital learning direct impact on student learningdirect impact on student learning harnessing the available technologiesharnessing the available technologies digital information managementdigital information management entertainment and education mergeentertainment and education merge students collaborate in real-timestudents collaborate in real-time virtual classrooms created by staff & studentsvirtual classrooms created by staff & students

Challenge of online teachingChallenge of online teaching …is to find a way to communicate that the learners

understand, actively engage in, and gradually find as a flexible, user-centred style of learning. The success of collaborative electronic environments (CEEs) seems to depend on building the social learning environment provided by real time contact with other students, teachers and a sense of "place" where the learning happens.

Many of the principles of effective teaching practice are carried over to the new environment and you become enriched as you discover and share new teaching and learning experiences with your students.

(Eustace 1999:2)

Enter…Enter… Synchronous learning environments Synchronous learning environments

multi-object oriented programming (MOO)multi-object oriented programming (MOO) real-time collaborationreal-time collaboration sharing ‘physical’ spacesharing ‘physical’ space experiencing a ‘state of presence’experiencing a ‘state of presence’ reflects ‘real’ classroomreflects ‘real’ classroom wonderful worlds of wordswonderful worlds of words power of the imaginationpower of the imagination

Cognitive Demands on UsersCognitive Demands on Users MOO is more than dialogueMOO is more than dialogue requires interaction with environment, requires interaction with environment, people & thingspeople & things

Students involved in:Students involved in: engagementengagement immersionimmersion constructionconstruction synthesis, analysis, evaluationsynthesis, analysis, evaluation

Learning Opportunities in MOOsLearning Opportunities in MOOs real-time interaction for education across distancereal-time interaction for education across distance and time zonesand time zones global student collaborative projectsglobal student collaborative projects ideal for group brainstorming, information sharingideal for group brainstorming, information sharing and decision making sessions, eg. literature and decision making sessions, eg. literature circles, circles, debates and mock trialsdebates and mock trials excellent PD facility for teachers and excellent PD facility for teachers and administrators administrators eg. online conferencingeg. online conferencing

a range of virtual places to meeta range of virtual places to meet access via raw telnet or MOO clientaccess via raw telnet or MOO client Pueblo Pueblo <http://www.chaco.com/pueblo><http://www.chaco.com/pueblo> connect to Learning Communities MOO via connect to Learning Communities MOO via telnet address: ispg.riv.csu.edu.au 8762telnet address: ispg.riv.csu.edu.au 8762

A virtual worldA virtual worldat LC_MOOat LC_MOO

Basic MOO commandsBasic MOO commandsCommunication commands:Communication commands:

Type:Type:

” ”[text] eg; "Hi You say, "Hi"[text] eg; "Hi You say, "Hi" :[text] :jumps Joy jumps:[text] :jumps Joy jumps `[name] `Lyn `[name] `Lyn Hi Joy [to Lyn]: Hi -[name][text] -Lyn Hi pages Lyn with a private-[name][text] -Lyn Hi pages Lyn with a private

message from any roommessage from any room

Movement Commands:Movement Commands:

lily lily Goes in the exit named ‘lily’Goes in the exit named ‘lily’

@join Lyn@join Lyn Teleports you to Lyn's locationTeleports you to Lyn's location

@go room # or name@go room # or name Teleports you to a room, if you can enter.Teleports you to a room, if you can enter. eg. @go #157 or @go LilyPondeg. @go #157 or @go LilyPond

Other Commands:Other Commands:

who who Gives a listing of who is connected.Gives a listing of who is connected.

look here look here Shows the description of where you are.Shows the description of where you are.

look Lynlook Lyn Shows Lyn's description.Shows Lyn's description.

@quit @quit Exits LC_MOO.Exits LC_MOO.

Customising virtual classroom Customising virtual classroom environmentsenvironments

Factors to consider:Factors to consider: audienceaudience types of activities, forums, etctypes of activities, forums, etc teaching stylesteaching styles learning styleslearning styles presentation stylespresentation styles interactivity with environment, objects, etcinteractivity with environment, objects, etc

Jasper Park LodgeJasper Park Lodge an informal classroom area and small groupan informal classroom area and small group meeting roomsmeeting rooms 1 large, comfortable ‘lodge’ area for large 1 large, comfortable ‘lodge’ area for large group discussions - Jasper Park Lodgegroup discussions - Jasper Park Lodge 6 more traditional small group meeting6 more traditional small group meeting rooms surrounding the lodge area - Maligne,rooms surrounding the lodge area - Maligne, Alberta, Pyramid, Skyline, Cavell, MietteAlberta, Pyramid, Skyline, Cavell, Miette a patio for relaxation (with a pool!)a patio for relaxation (with a pool!)

Shearwater Shack & ThinkTankShearwater Shack & ThinkTank

2 classrooms for MLS students2 classrooms for MLS students 1 informal workshop area - Shearwater Shack1 informal workshop area - Shearwater Shack

- relaxing, fun environment for PM discussion- relaxing, fun environment for PM discussion- 1 to 1 consultation- 1 to 1 consultation

1 formal panel discussion area - ThinkTank1 formal panel discussion area - ThinkTank- brainstorming, decisionmaking- brainstorming, decisionmaking

Casuarina Conference ResortCasuarina Conference Resort

formal conferencing centreformal conferencing centre simulates ‘real’ conference centre environmentsimulates ‘real’ conference centre environment public lobby areaspublic lobby areas large auditorium for 1 to many style presentationslarge auditorium for 1 to many style presentations breakout meeting rooms for workshopsbreakout meeting rooms for workshops social meeting areas, eg. verandah, café, barsocial meeting areas, eg. verandah, café, bar

The LilyPond WorldThe LilyPond World classrooms for K-9 literature circles groupsclassrooms for K-9 literature circles groups central launching or meeting pointcentral launching or meeting point experience a learning journeyexperience a learning journey 4 paths from LilyPond to meeting rooms4 paths from LilyPond to meeting rooms 4 paths from meeting rooms to Departure Lounge4 paths from meeting rooms to Departure Lounge Last Minute Chat Room & Souvenir ShopLast Minute Chat Room & Souvenir Shop plus children’s author rooms, eg. Andy Griffiths plus children’s author rooms, eg. Andy Griffiths

T h e L i l y P o n d # 1 5 7

l i l y

s a i l # 1 5 8

s u b # 1 5 9

p a d # 1 6 0

s w i m # 1 6 1

a l i g h t

a i r l o c k

r o p e - l a d d e r

c l a m

W a t e rL i l y L o u n g e

# 1 6 2U n d e r P o n d

P a l a c e# 1 6 6

P a d d l e - O - P a d# 1 6 7

M e r m a i dG r o t t o

# 1 9 5

D e p a r t u r e L o u n g e# 1 6 3s h o p c h a t

C h a tR o o m# 1 6 5

S o u v e n i rS h o p

# 1 6 4

a l o f t

o u t

fl y

b u b b l ee

Jennie Bales 1999

This kind of environmental This kind of environmental interaction provided my interaction provided my

students with precisely the students with precisely the kind of surroundings that kind of surroundings that

foster learning and foster learning and metacognition naturally…metacognition naturally…

English, JA. (1997). Actualizing the environment: a study of student MOOEnglish, JA. (1997). Actualizing the environment: a study of student MOO activity. <http://leahi.kcc.hawaii.edu/org/tcc_conf97/pres/english.html>.activity. <http://leahi.kcc.hawaii.edu/org/tcc_conf97/pres/english.html>.

Plato and his students wandered Plato and his students wandered aroundaround

Athens arguing their way to Athens arguing their way to understanding. While my cyber-understanding. While my cyber-students… learn also from the students… learn also from the

collaborative efforts of online debates, collaborative efforts of online debates, conferences and papers. They will conferences and papers. They will

thinkthinkabout what they have to say, and about what they have to say, and they will come to class each week they will come to class each week

amazingly prepared to argue and type amazingly prepared to argue and type their way toward insight.their way toward insight.Phillips, V. (1998). Education in the ether. Salon Magazine, 20 Jan. (online).

Available <http://salon magazine.com/21st/feature/1998/01/20feature.html>

Other CEEs Other CEEs

LinguaMOO: supports a writing and rhetoric LinguaMOO: supports a writing and rhetoric program. http://lingua.utdallas.eduprogram. http://lingua.utdallas.edu

AtheMOO: for people interested in theatre. AtheMOO: for people interested in theatre. http://moo.hawaii.edu/athemoo/http://moo.hawaii.edu/athemoo/

Tapped In: PD for K-16 teachers, staff, Tapped In: PD for K-16 teachers, staff, researchers. http://tappedin.sri.comresearchers. http://tappedin.sri.com

Potential CEE ActivitiesPotential CEE ActivitiesPlayground: from simple play (e.g. swing on a swing) Playground: from simple play (e.g. swing on a swing)

to complex problem-solving (e.g. puzzles, mazes, to complex problem-solving (e.g. puzzles, mazes, obstacle courses)obstacle courses)

Building worlds reflecting fiction and non-fiction: (e.g. Building worlds reflecting fiction and non-fiction: (e.g. The Little Prince, a gold mine)The Little Prince, a gold mine)

Author visits, ask-an-expert forumsAuthor visits, ask-an-expert forums

From real to virtual classroomFrom real to virtual classroomAn effective classroom provides:An effective classroom provides: tools that learners use at the point of needtools that learners use at the point of need an environment conducive to learningan environment conducive to learning opportunities for teachers & students share opportunities for teachers & students share information & exchange ideasinformation & exchange ideas freedom to experiment and take risksfreedom to experiment and take risks mechanisms for evaluating performancemechanisms for evaluating performance safe haven for learning to take placesafe haven for learning to take place

(Porter (Porter 1997:24)1997:24)

Teaching a virtual classTeaching a virtual class

Establishing a “time window”, eg. Friday 11amEstablishing a “time window”, eg. Friday 11am1.1. Convene a meeting via e-mail Convene a meeting via e-mail2.2. Set an agenda & prep on a webpage Set an agenda & prep on a webpage3.3. Send MOO transcripts to ALL students Send MOO transcripts to ALL students4.4. Survey and evaluate sessions Survey and evaluate sessions

E-mail, WWW and MOO as CEEE-mail, WWW and MOO as CEE

Don’t reinvent the wheelDon’t reinvent the wheel adapt teaching strategies, eg. online roll adapt teaching strategies, eg. online roll call, pointing to students, taking/holdingcall, pointing to students, taking/holding the floor..., group work, student leadersthe floor..., group work, student leaders develop new strategies, eg. electronic develop new strategies, eg. electronic

preparation, logging session transcripts, preparation, logging session transcripts, synchronise time zones, open classroom synchronise time zones, open classroom management, MOO client troubleshooting, MOO management, MOO client troubleshooting, MOO netiquettenetiquette

‘‘Doing time’Doing time’ on your L-Plates on your L-Plates familiarity with CEE managementfamiliarity with CEE management ‘ ‘clock up’ online hours in MOO, eg. 12 hrsclock up’ online hours in MOO, eg. 12 hrs informal MOO conferencing with expertsinformal MOO conferencing with experts ‘ ‘skill up’ with MOO teaching colleaguesskill up’ with MOO teaching colleagues trial ‘classroom management’ strategies trial ‘classroom management’ strategies with small groups of studentswith small groups of students

Position vacant: MOO mentorPosition vacant: MOO mentor

Alliance with MOO expert essential...Alliance with MOO expert essential...

software support, eg. downloading MOO software support, eg. downloading MOO client, getting connectedclient, getting connected

MOO commands, eg. @join, @pageMOO commands, eg. @join, @pagecustom build virtual classroomcustom build virtual classroompresence while ‘prac teaching’presence while ‘prac teaching’

Teaching Teaching andandLearningLearning

in ain a

Joy McGregor & Lyn HayAssistant Professor Lecturer in Teacher LibrarianshipSchool of Library & Information Studies School of Information StudiesTexas Woman's University, Denton Charles Sturt University, Wagga WaggaTexas, USA NSW Australia

Collaborative Collaborative Electronic EnvironmentElectronic Environment

http://golum.riv.csu.edu.au/~lhay/aasl/cee.htmlhttp://golum.riv.csu.edu.au/~lhay/aasl/cee.html