THE USE OF DISCUSSION THE USE OF DISCUSSION TOOLS IN WEBCT TO TOOLS IN WEBCT TO

SUPPORT SUPPORT COLLABORATIVE COLLABORATIVE

LEARNINGLEARNING

Dr. Emma ClayesDr. Emma Clayes

Perth College, UHIPerth College, UHI

OUTLINEOUTLINE

• IntroductionIntroduction• Virtual learning environments (VLE’s)Virtual learning environments (VLE’s)• Webct: main features of discussion toolsWebct: main features of discussion tools• Set-up and use of discussion tools: tutor Set-up and use of discussion tools: tutor

as facilitatoras facilitator• ObservationsObservations• Results: Number of discussion activities Results: Number of discussion activities

by group and overall module resultsby group and overall module results• SummarySummary

IntroductionIntroduction• PhD Research- Multi-mediating Groups (MMG), the effects PhD Research- Multi-mediating Groups (MMG), the effects

of multi-mediating technologies on group communicationof multi-mediating technologies on group communication

• UHI teaching: module leader for two on-line modules part UHI teaching: module leader for two on-line modules part of BA Social Science and BA Child and Youth Studies of BA Social Science and BA Child and Youth Studies DegreesDegrees

• Experience of on-line and face to face teaching.Experience of on-line and face to face teaching.

• What are the effects of on-line learning and how do we What are the effects of on-line learning and how do we support students at a distance to encourage collaborative support students at a distance to encourage collaborative learning?learning?

• Challenge of replacing traditional forms of teaching with Challenge of replacing traditional forms of teaching with tools to support collaborative learning on-linetools to support collaborative learning on-line

IntroductionIntroduction • Relatively easy to provide teaching materials on-line Relatively easy to provide teaching materials on-line

but challenge is to provide tools for collaborative but challenge is to provide tools for collaborative learninglearning

• How does one replace tutorials, group activities and How does one replace tutorials, group activities and encourage participation in the discussion of encourage participation in the discussion of coursework in an on-line learning environment?coursework in an on-line learning environment?

• The above activities are important as they may The above activities are important as they may encourage students to strive for higher order goals of encourage students to strive for higher order goals of ‘analysis, synthesis and understanding’’ (Gibbs, 1992) ‘analysis, synthesis and understanding’’ (Gibbs, 1992)

• Related to psychological theories of cognitive Related to psychological theories of cognitive development such as Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development such as Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development-peer supported collaborative learningdevelopment-peer supported collaborative learning

Virtual learning Virtual learning environmentsenvironments

• Main benefit of on-line learning is Main benefit of on-line learning is asynchronous nature- students able to study at asynchronous nature- students able to study at their own time/place etc which benefits students their own time/place etc which benefits students in remote locations and with additional in remote locations and with additional commitmentscommitments

• Yet how to replace synchronous nature of group Yet how to replace synchronous nature of group work, tutorials, and collaborative activities? work, tutorials, and collaborative activities?

• VLE’s utilise both synchronous and VLE’s utilise both synchronous and asynchronous forms of computer-mediated asynchronous forms of computer-mediated communicationcommunication

VLE: WebCTVLE: WebCT

• Teaching materials/ lecture notes Teaching materials/ lecture notes presented on-linepresented on-line

• Many additional features:Many additional features:• EmailEmail• Chat roomsChat rooms• Discussion boards Discussion boards • Tracking facilitiesTracking facilities• Assessment drop boxAssessment drop box• Compile toolCompile tool

Discussion Tools and Good Discussion Tools and Good Teaching PracticesTeaching Practices

• Promotes & encourages Promotes & encourages active learningactive learning - the student is challenged to - the student is challenged to participate and respond in a meaningful way in online discussion means the participate and respond in a meaningful way in online discussion means the student is actively learning. student is actively learning.

• Promotes & encourages Promotes & encourages reflective learningreflective learning – in asynchronous discussion – in asynchronous discussion students have time to reflect on their response to the question posed. This students have time to reflect on their response to the question posed. This could benefit those students who hesitate to respond in f2f discussions, in the could benefit those students who hesitate to respond in f2f discussions, in the face of more confident or vociferous personality types, to take a fuller part in face of more confident or vociferous personality types, to take a fuller part in the class, and therefore have a more fulfilling learning experiencethe class, and therefore have a more fulfilling learning experience

• Promotes Promotes independent, self-directed learning- independent, self-directed learning- students do not have to attend a class on a specific day/time, therefore they are individually responsible for the progress of their learning on the module

• http://www.wit.http://www.wit.ieie/library//library/webctwebct/guides/Discussions_Tool./guides/Discussions_Tool.htmhtm

WebCTWebCT

• Synchronous: Chat roomsSynchronous: Chat rooms

• Tutor can set specific day/time for on-Tutor can set specific day/time for on-line tutorialsline tutorials

• Can also be used as ‘informal’ drop-in Can also be used as ‘informal’ drop-in chat rooms chat rooms

• Discussions recorded so that Discussions recorded so that transcripts can be posted for transcripts can be posted for students/tutor to reviewstudents/tutor to review

WebCTWebCTAsynchronous: emailAsynchronous: email

• Most common form of computer-mediated Most common form of computer-mediated communicationcommunication

• Can be used for tutor-student, student-tutor and Can be used for tutor-student, student-tutor and student-student communication. student-student communication.

• Useful for communicating private and Useful for communicating private and confidential information, important course confidential information, important course information and specific issues with individualsinformation and specific issues with individuals

• Yet time-consuming and inefficient form of Yet time-consuming and inefficient form of communication for tutors.communication for tutors.

WebCTWebCT

Asynchronous: Discussion boards:Asynchronous: Discussion boards:

• Asynchronous like email- yet provide Asynchronous like email- yet provide

• Messages and replies available to all Messages and replies available to all students thereby more efficient than emailstudents thereby more efficient than email

• Revisable-students able to use postings as Revisable-students able to use postings as part of their revisionpart of their revision

• Threaded/unthreaded- can be organised Threaded/unthreaded- can be organised under specific topics therefore more under specific topics therefore more manageable than separate emailsmanageable than separate emails

• Can reply privately to sender if necessaryCan reply privately to sender if necessary

Set-upSet-up

• Email- used for introductions, Email- used for introductions, important information and general important information and general one to one correspondenceone to one correspondence

• Chat rooms- used for specific Chat rooms- used for specific tutorials and student chatstutorials and student chats

• Discussion boards- set up groups Discussion boards- set up groups and specific topics for discussion and specific topics for discussion

Set-upSet-upTopic Total

Main 99Notes 0Week 1: Reading 29General queries 18Week 2: Reading 35Week 3: Reading 39Week 4: Reading 10Week 5: Reading 9Week 6 Reading 2Week 10: Reading 0Group 1 189Group 2 42Group 3 121Group 4 172Group 5 157Group 6 7Group 7 20Assessment queries 121All 1070

ObservationsObservations

• Email:Email: In total 385 messages received and 1175 messages In total 385 messages received and 1175 messages sent over one semester. sent over one semester.

• Very useful for introductions in first week and chasing up Very useful for introductions in first week and chasing up individual students with specific issues for late assessments. individual students with specific issues for late assessments. Limited use in terms of discussing course content.Limited use in terms of discussing course content.

• Chat rooms:Chat rooms: Approx 6 tutorials conducted in semester one Approx 6 tutorials conducted in semester one at the request of student groups. Based on assessments. at the request of student groups. Based on assessments. Other student discussions also took place without module Other student discussions also took place without module tutor.tutor.

• Extremely useful for discussing course content, especially Extremely useful for discussing course content, especially assessments and real benefits for tutor in terms of efficiency.assessments and real benefits for tutor in terms of efficiency.

• Discussion boards:Discussion boards: In total 1070 messages posted on the In total 1070 messages posted on the discussion boards, some groups far more communicative discussion boards, some groups far more communicative than others. than others.

• Very useful in terms of facilitating peer- supported Very useful in terms of facilitating peer- supported collaborative learning- within a few weeks the discussions collaborative learning- within a few weeks the discussions were almost entirely student led.were almost entirely student led.

ResultsResults

• Discussion activities: Hits, Read and PostedDiscussion activities: Hits, Read and Posted

• Does on-line participation relate to the type Does on-line participation relate to the type of degree and location of students: eg. Do of degree and location of students: eg. Do Perth BASS students participate more in Perth BASS students participate more in on-line discussions than Inverness CYS on-line discussions than Inverness CYS students?students?

• Does on-line participation relate to overall Does on-line participation relate to overall module results?module results?

ResultsResults

Discussion activities by Group

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Group/Location

Tota

l no

over

sem

este

r on

e

HITS

READ

POSTED

ResultsResults

Overall Results and No of Postings by Group

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Group

Nu

mb

er/

Sco

re

POSTED

RESULTS

SummarySummary

• Number of postings appears to be related Number of postings appears to be related to overall module performanceto overall module performance

• Not participation per se but contributions Not participation per se but contributions to on-line discussions that appear to to on-line discussions that appear to enhance on-line learningenhance on-line learning

• Yet difficult to assess real benefits of Yet difficult to assess real benefits of discussion tools-chat room observations discussion tools-chat room observations indicate these are extremely useful for indicate these are extremely useful for both tutor and students. both tutor and students.

SummarySummary

• Benefits: benefits may not be directly related to Benefits: benefits may not be directly related to module results- perhaps sense of belonging module results- perhaps sense of belonging and on-line community provides other benefits- and on-line community provides other benefits- e.g. reduces drop out rates/contributes to e.g. reduces drop out rates/contributes to overall enjoyment of module?overall enjoyment of module?

• Discussion tools may provide added benefits Discussion tools may provide added benefits for collaborative learning in comparison to f2f for collaborative learning in comparison to f2f discussions: e.g. encourages active learning, discussions: e.g. encourages active learning, reflective learning, and discussions are reflective learning, and discussions are recorded and can be used as learning materialsrecorded and can be used as learning materials

SummarySummary

• Problems: need to conduct detailed analysis Problems: need to conduct detailed analysis and perhaps conduct surveys to assess utility and perhaps conduct surveys to assess utility of discussion tools and how they may be used of discussion tools and how they may be used to enhance collaborative learningto enhance collaborative learning

..• Tutor as facilitator: far easier to facilitate chat Tutor as facilitator: far easier to facilitate chat

room discussions yet discussion boards should room discussions yet discussion boards should be monitored in order to check learning be monitored in order to check learning progress and that correct information is progress and that correct information is provided by students to others.provided by students to others.

• Despite the convenience of on-line learning Despite the convenience of on-line learning for students, on-line teaching can be very for students, on-line teaching can be very time-consuming and a heavy workload for time-consuming and a heavy workload for tutorstutors

SummarySummaryFutureFuture• Set specific tutorials in chat rooms for all groups. Set specific tutorials in chat rooms for all groups.

• Encourage all students to contribute to discussion Encourage all students to contribute to discussion boards- not just hit and read!boards- not just hit and read!

• Incorporate e-learning guidelines into training for Incorporate e-learning guidelines into training for tutors: tutors: WebCT Discussions Tool : Guide for WebCT Discussions Tool : Guide for DesignersDesigners

• http://www.wit.ie/library/webct/guides/Discussionshttp://www.wit.ie/library/webct/guides/Discussions_Tool.htm_Tool.htm

• Need to define relationship between collaborative Need to define relationship between collaborative learning and pedagogy- perhaps easier in an on-learning and pedagogy- perhaps easier in an on-line learning environment and could have line learning environment and could have interesting theoretical and practical implicationsinteresting theoretical and practical implications