Group Work

What is a Creative Commons?

A Creative Commons (CC) is a copyright mechanism that allows one to legally share their knowledge and creativity.  It offers public copyright licenses that enable people to freely distribute their copyrighted work.  The creative commons licensed is used by an author when they wish to give people the right to share, use, and build upon work they have created.  There are different combinations of licenses that can be used and each license provides both the author flexibility and protects people who use or redistribute an author’s original work from copyright infringement.

Please watch the brief video below for more information on creative commons:

These licensing tools are free to use and each creative commons involves licensing elements which indicate the level of freedom accessible when sharing one’s work.  All information with a creative commons can be shared however different rules apply according to each license element when one wishes to share your work.  The main types of elements are:

Attribution (BY) - the author must be acknowledged for work

Non-commercial (NC) - no compensation must be made from work

No derivatives (ND) - no permission to change or alter original

Share Alike (SA) - new creations need to carry the same license

There are 6 different combination types of attribution:

The chart progresses top down from the most freedom to share original work to the most restrictive.  Notice how all creative commons contain attribution (BY), meaning the original author must always be acknowledged.

Videoscribe on Paraphrasing

The Student Engagement Technique of Paraphrasing is an important skill for students to excel at.  Paraphrasing is used to express the meaning of a message using different words than the speaker (or written information) to achieve greater clarity.  It is used to assess understanding and ensure messages are accurately being received.  When utilizing paraphrasing in education, both the educator and the learner play a role.  The educator can facilitate this strategy by providing scaffolding, modelling, and coaching activities.  The learner can take the active role of participation, reflection, and exploration to deepen their understanding.  There are several pros and cons to the paraphrasing strategy.  Pros include several benefits; a better understanding of material, ability to be concise, greater proficiency in communication, and improved quality care.  A couple cons to this strategy would be the overuse of paraphrasing and possible redundancy of information.  However the benefits outweigh the potential downsides and thus should be encouraged amongst our students.

Moving Technology Outside the Classroom

Information technology has taken the educational landscape by storm, causing a complete shift in how we utilize technology in education. The millennial generation has grown up in an era of rapid technological advances. For them “listening to a lecture and taking notes is no longer an important skill, but analyzing information from screens is” (Bowen, 127). These students have been exposed to digital screens from a very early age and have adapted their learning accordingly. And since not all students learn the same, information technology has served to provide a rich array of multimedia for usage in education (Delzotto). Teachers now have access to a wealth of educational tools; engaging presentation tools, laptops, smartphones, tablets, smart-boards and a host of Web 2.0 tools. They can post documents, ebooks, podcasts, videos, and encourage online discussion forums. In turn, students can submit assignments online and view feedback all in a single virtual space. Learning Management Systems (LMS) can facilitate communication, interaction, and collaboration among students while providing opportunities for increased engagement. Thus the use of technology for education delivery is paramount; both to meet the needs of the student and to ensure students are current with the technological demands of the future workforce.

The chapter on technology for information delivery in Bowen’s text “Teaching Naked” gave me some great ideas on how to incorporate educational technology outside the classroom. The author stresses the importance of using technology outside of class time for first exposure to content, as students will be more engaged when they subsequently come to class. The class time can then be utilized to maximize student learning by facilitating increased discussions and promoting deeper understanding of material. I also realized that technology can often deliver content in better ways than the traditional classroom-style lecture. In the article “Impact of Technology on Education,” (Oak, 2016) the author states the greatest impact of technology on education has said to have been a change in perspective. The paradigm shift in thinking from local to global can be attributed to technology. That is a very powerful statement that captures the essence of the effects of technology on learning. We have really shifted from thinking on a local scale to a much grander scale, with the ability to connect world-wide. Opportunities for collaboration are endless and serve to enrich our knowledge base.

The research on technology indicates it is the way of the future; technological literacy will be a valued skill in students’ futures (Kuntz, 2012). Thus, educators must embrace all forms of technology instead of fighting against its usage. Quite often we see instructors commenting on the use of cell phones in classrooms. I believe instead of focusing on the negative aspects of cell phone usage we can have transparent conversations about appropriate usage instead. Smart-phones, instant messaging, music, videos, and social networking are all part of the youth culture; party of their identity and it’s not going away (Kuntz, 2012). Technology also promotes independent learning for students as they are accustomed to surfing the internet in order to look for the lessons they need to study. They will have easier access to information as they no longer need to worry about forgetting items behind if they are accessible online. Moreover, students will be exposed to more images, graphics and text, arousing their interest in the subject matter. On the flip side, one could argue students might become lazier from having easy access to information. They may forget the basic way of studying and rely heavily on online resources. Nonetheless, technological advances will continue to occur and we must equip our students with the necessary skills to navigate successfully.

One strategy for engaging students outside the classroom is to pose a question to them at the end of class and ask them to perform a google search and be prepared to discuss their findings at the next class meeting. We can email students a link to a youtube video to watch prior to attending the next class. Sometimes I like to email an online article and have the students formulate a professional email in response to the article. This serves as practice for job-specific skills that will be required of them in the workplace setting. I have not tried podcasts yet however will be making one in this course and I would love to implement them in the program I teach. Research suggests mixing technology by using podcasts in place of some of the reading can keep students more awake and enable more classroom discussions (Wainwright, 2016).

References

Bowen, Jose Antonio (2012). Teaching Naked: How Moving Technology Out of Your College Classroom Will Improve Student Learning. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Delzotto (2016). What Are the Benefits of Information Technology in Education? Retrieved May 22, 2016 from: http://science.opposingviews.com/benefits-information-technology-education-1213.html

Kuntz, Brad (2012). How to Master the Art of Communication: Engage Students by Embracing Technology, vol 54, no 6. Education Update. Gladstone, OR: USA

Oak, Manali (2016). Impact of Technology on Education. Retrieved May 22, 2016 from: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/impact-of-technology-on-education.html

Wainwright, Ashley (2016). 6 Ways to Engage Student with Technology in the Classroom. Secure Edge Networks. Charlotte, NC: USA

What is Flow Theory?

I had never heard of the term Flow Theory before however it makes complete sense that we would try to achieve “Flow” in education. The intrinsic motivation aspect of flow is pretty crucial to foster lifelong learning, curiosity, and optimal experiences. Csikszentmihalyi and his colleagues, Rathude, Whalen, and Nakamura defined optimal experiences as those accompanied by a merging of action and awareness, strong concentration to the task at hand, and the loss of awareness of time (Bjornestad et. Schweinle 2009). It is the feeling one achieves when thoroughly engrossed in an activity.  Challenge must be appropriate to skill level or one risks producing factors such anxiety, apathy, or boredom.

The idea of optimal challenge is not new to education and can be related to Lev Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development and concept of scaffolding. It can also be linked to Jean Piaget’s Child Development theories, where learners add new concepts to prior knowledge and education is learner-centered and constructivist-based. The difference with flow theory is that it accounts for the fact that motivation, cognition, and affect are situational whereas most other theories on motivation presume decontextualized individual psychological processes.

Teachers can help create flow by fostering positive learning environments and research indicates benefits of the following strategies:

1. Immediate Constructive Feedback
2. Student encouragement to persist
3. Focus on cooperation versus competition
4. Support for student autonomy
5. Matched challenge and skill level
6. Emphasis on importance of material

Encouragement of students to remember principles and not algorithms
It is important to recognize that flow is not something strictly constructed from within but that we can help to trigger the process in our students.

Is Group Work Effective?

Group work is a controversial topic, often reminding us of our own educational experiences. I found some information on the benefits of group work and the potential challenges experienced.

An article by MaryEllen Weimer, suggest there are 5 things students can learn in groups:

1. They can learn content and master the material – students can discuss case studies and figure things out for themselves, while considering different perspectives.
2. They can learn content at deeper levels of learning equated with understanding – when students engage with one another, they may challenge each other’s viewpoints and are also forced to justify their own positions, leading to deeper understanding.
3. They can learn how groups function productively – student working in a group often have individual responsibilities to fulfill as work is often divided and then re-calibrated, enabling students to learn the art of compromise.
4. They can learn why groups make better decisions than individuals – students can consider different perspectives they may not have thought of and engage in constructive deliberation. One example of this would be our discussion forum for this course; we are all coming with various experiences and interpret information in novel ways.
5. They can learn how to work with others – students work with others from different backgrounds and those that may disagree with them and/or they may not like.

The author also acknowledges students may not learn the above concepts however suggests that if group work is well designed and well managed, students are more likely experience the positive benefits listed above. original source

Cathy Middlecamp, with the National Institute for Science Education, offers students perspectives on collaborative learning. I have chosen 5 of the list of challenging items experienced by students:

1. People need to progress at different speeds – students absorb information at different paces, some group members may also work faster in order to leave early.
2. 1 individual may try to take over the group – 1 person may try to dictate what the group should do, not allowing all group members an equal voice.
3. Quiet people may not feel comfortable – sometimes the instructor may ask the students to form their own groups and the quiet student may feel very shy and left out as the social students gravitate toward each other.
4. People may not pull their weight – some members of the group may find themselves performing the majority of the work.
5. It’s not fair – students may feel group work is unfair, especially if a group grade is assigned and/or group work is expected to be conducted outside of class time. Original Source

I’m sure many of us have experienced most of the benefits and challenges listed above and may hold mixed views regarding group work. I personally have mixed views on group work; on the one hand, I realize the immense benefits of collaboration and alternately have experienced the downsides as well. I know an important question of whether group work should be allocated during class time is often debated in education. I actually try to offer class time for group work to be conducted. However, I have noticed students will occasionally leave early and try to get together at another date. I don’t particularly mind this approach as I know I have offered class time for the group work. I realize that not all students will feel like collaborating at the same time.

The importance of group work and its relevance to the working world is of particular consideration.  I would agree with this viewpoint as many workplaces are now structured to be collaborative, with teamwork regarded a highly valued skill. In our health care programs at the college, we recognize this skill as an important attribute for students to achieve.

Carmen Chan’s Digital Project

Carmen Chan, a fellow student in PIDP 3250 Instructional Strategies has prepared a video scribe on a Student Engagement Technique referenced as “Role Play.” This particular technique is meant to create a fun and engaging classroom experience for students. Role Play is especially important for learning in fields such as healthcare, aviation, and hospitality industries to name a few. It enables the instructor to provide students with real-life learning opportunities and offers hands-on simulation training. As mentioned by Carmen in the video below, it promotes problem-solving and critical thinking by encouraging creativity and “on-the-spot” thinking. Role play can be used to deliver curriculum with both basic academic and clinical components. Carmen offers some clear guidelines in how to utilize this strategy in her video scribe below:

I particularly like this strategy as I often utilize Role Play with students in our healthcare programs. The benefits are numerous:

1. increased verbal communication skills
2. stimulates student intellectually and socially
3. raises interest in the topic under study
4. provides student opportunities to apply their knowledge
5. enables learners to view scenarios from divergent perspectives

There are some cons to this strategy, as mentioned by Carmen. For example, students may feel they are “put-on-the-spot” and shy students may be timid in Role Play environments. It can also be challenging to implement Role Play in larger classroom settings. However, the benefits outweigh the negatives. Students entering careers such as healthcare will need to learn the skill of assertive communication and role play scenarios will serve to strengthen this aspect. One way Carmen suggests to get around this is to strategically align students so that timid students are paired with not-so-timid students. It is also important to establish a role play scenario that is as close as possible to real-life situations thus maximizing student learning.

Janice Graham’s Digital Project

Another fellow PIDP 3250 student, Janice Graham, has chosen to focus on the Student Engagement Technique of the “Background Knowledge Probe.”  This strategy is very useful for instructors as it can help the instructor know where to focus the learning.  An instructor would want to maximize student learning by focusing on new information and minimize repeating information students already know.  Janice has made a very creative short video presentation of the Background Knowledge Probe using PowToon:

https://www.powtoon.com/online-presentation/bu84UVDs29k/?mode=movie#/

Janice makes sure to point out the fact that the lesson needs to be challenging but not too challenging as to discourage student learning.  One method to ensure we are meeting student needs is to probe student’s current background knowledge of the topic to avoid repetition.  Janice mentions we can do this by asking students to fill out a questionnaire prior to class.  The questionnaire can contain open-ended, short answer or multiple-choice type questions.  One great way to do this is to offer the questionnaire online prior to class, providing the instructor more time to prepare and/or restructure the lesson.

Firas Haddad’s Digital Project

Some time ago, we discussed Classroom Management Techniques with fellow students in my PIDP 3250 class.  Firas has created an excellent digital project using PowerPoint Office Mix, and subsequently editing it by utilizing Microsoft Movie Maker.  I like Firas’s project since it is unique and discusses a very relevant issue to many of us instructors.  Classroom Management can be a source of great stress for many beginning instructors as they struggle to find an appropriate balance of strictness while simultaneously preserving student freedom.  A view of Firas’s digital project will provide you with some familiarity of challenges experienced with classroom management.

Firas focuses on “Classroom Management” which he defines as “a process of ensuring that classrooms run smoothly, even in the face of disruptive behaviours.”  Classroom Management involves a few key aspects:

1. Rules & Expectations
2. Disruptive Behaviours
3. Cellphone Usage

For classrooms to run smoothly, students must be very clear on the rules and expectations of the learning environment.  This may include factors such as mutual respect, confidentiality, equality and diversity, punctuality, and class code of conduct.  Disruptive behaviours such as talking during lecture time, challenging the instructor, and/or monopolizing class discussions must be dealt with appropriately.  There should be a clear policy with respect to cellphone usage.  Often, certain industries such as healthcare may have very strict guidelines for cellphone usage and applied programs at the college level must model acceptable practices that extend into industry.

John Boulton’s Digital Project

The following is a digital project created by a fellow PIDP 3250 student, John Boulton.  The project is on the Student Engagement Technique of “Poster Sessions.”  Please preview the video below to get a sense of how this technique can be put into action in the classroom.

I particularly like John Boulton’s use of VideoScribe for this video and it has served as inspiration for my own digital project.  John highlights the technique of Poster Sessions in order to encourage active student learning.  This particular strategy is learner-centered, a philosophy I personally ascribe to.  My personal focus is to inspire students to be active in their learning and therefore provide them some leeway with research projects.  John suggests the following steps for implementing Poster Sessions in the classroom:

1. Choose a subject for learning
2. Create guidelines for the project and a marking rubric for student expectations
3. Discuss and agree on topics of interest to focus projects on
4. Research and produce a poster
5. Exhibit the poster to the class – encouraging group feedback
6. Share the learning

Allowing students some control over their learning enhances intrinsic motivation and shifts the focus of learning to the student.  As John mentions, it is a great tool to promote active learning.