RSA4: Skepticism to Success: Meeting Critical Workforce Needs through Innovation and Collaboration

Resource Online: http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ909884.pdf

In this week’s reading, the overall experience of online learning with meeting course goals and objectives is fostered by having meaningful collaboration communities. Palloff and Pratt state, “The more that participants can relate their life experience and what they already know to the context of the online classroom , the deeper their understanding will be of what they learn” (Palloff and Pratt 2007). The authors suggest that having online learners relate as much of their own experiences and background into the course will provide a more meaningful experience for the student.

New technologies and teaching modalities are shaping the lives of students and instructors in higher educa­tion. One thing is recognized for sure and that is the enrollment of online courses continues to increase among college students as well as high school offerings. With the increased need of online classes, schools must make sure that they have staff that is able to provide an online learning experience that still addresses collaboration among staff and students.

Anderson, Maier, and Shepard identify indicators that students have a sense of community include “active interaction, collaborative learning, socially constructed meaning, sharing of resources, and expressions of support and encouragement” (2006).  Being able to feel that you are still connected to the instructor with an online learning class is most important to keep students motivated and keep students feeling as if someone is still present to help assist when struggling.  

References
Anderson, M.,  Maier,  L., and M. Shepard. Skepticism to Success: Meeting Critical                            Workforce Needs Through Innovation and Collaboration. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 14( 3) 2006.

        

         Palloff, R. & Pratt, K. (2007). Building Online Learning Communities: Effective strategies for the virtual classroom, (2nd ed.). San Franciso: Jossey-Bass.

RSA 3: Beyond Blackboard and into Virtual Communities

Resource Online:http://web.ebscohost.com.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/ehost/detail?vid=11&hid=7&sid=0b9adbdf-36b4-46c1-a603-cd7b8e38fe76%40sessionmgr15&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWNvb2tpZSxpcCxjcGlkJmN1c3RpZD1zODQxOTIzOSZzaXRlPWVob3N0LWxpdmU%3d#db=eric&AN=EJ818962

Building online learning communities that are successful can be designed differently based on the environment given. Two perspectives that I am most familiar to is the blending of online learning communities as a teacher in my classroom using blackboard, as well as a graduate student completing a master’s program through a blending of online learning and face to face meetings within eight week courses. One thing is for sure, that online learning in the last ten years has moved to greater experiences for the student if the online learning community has been developed successfully using best practices and following online learning standards.

Through the experience as a teacher using an online learning community as Blackboard for my students, at this time I am at the early stages of having a successful online learning community. At this point my students are using the online community to receive additional resources to the already given, in class curriculum. As some may say this is practical at this time for students who must attend school on a regular basis, I feel that I need to add some additional applications for my students to become more successful in the real world of day-to-day technology. When speaking as a student in an online learning program I have had a difficult time at the beginning adjusting to the new problem-solving methods I must use when I am not in the classroom to ask questions for clarification. You rely more on yourself as well as the virtual online learning community you are paired up with. Once you are able to navigate your issues with assistance this environment becomes easier and for me the positives are exemplified as to why I choose this program. I am able to learn additional information on technology and I can complete my course work on a semi-individualized time frame.

I am reminded by Palloff and Pratt (2007) the physical, emotional, and psychological issues that come with online learning communities. The one that seems to detect the most hardship among students is social presence. Students at the high school level could be having a difficult time finding themselves in person as well as have a completely different affect to the online learning communities. For some this may show positive ways in which ones that do not feel strong enough to participate or share ideas in the classroom setting will be able to show creativity and excitement through the virtual world. Dr. Meg Benke reminds me that, “there is a generation of kids that already get this immersive chat-based, synchronous pretend environment,” and those kids “are going to be savvy to the point of expecting integration with learning management systems” (Diverse: Issues in Higher Education). This is very important as an educator of high school students; all around us sits this generation of students.

I think the best way at this point to include online learning communities to students in a high school setting is using a blended approach with staff focusing on what is most appropriate for the student to learn through an online learning community. As for college students obtaining credited classes, online learning communities must include teaching to the student that is not sitting in front of you on many different levels. Staff will need to become accountable for still providing a sense of presence online like the classroom in addition to meeting curriculum goals!

References

Cleaver, S. (2008 ). Beyond Blackboard and into Virtual Communities. Diverse: Issues in

Higher Education, 25(18). Retrieved from

http://web.ebscohost.com.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/ehost/detail?vid=11&hid=7&sid=0b9adbdf-36b4-46c1-a603-cd7b8e38fe76%40sessionmgr15&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWNvb2tpZSxpcCxjcGlkJmN1c3RpZD1zODQxOTIzOSZzaXRlPWVob3N0LWxpdmU%3d#db=eric&AN=EJ818962

Palloff, R. & Pratt, K. (2007). Building Online Learning Communities: Effective strategies for

the virtual classroom, (2nd ed.). San Franciso: Jossey-Bass.

RSA 2: Critical and Transformative Practices in Professional Learning Communities

Online Resource: http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ810651.pdf

Through the text book readings and journal articles, we are reminded that PLCs are designed to improve student results. It has been perceived that schools need to correct their results with picking the correct curriculum, using the right teaching strategy, and preparing the perfect schedule.  We are reminded in Dufour’s (2006) textbook, Learning by Doing, schools only continuously improve if they switch their focus from inputs to outcomes and from activities to results.  

In order to achieve these results in the assigned PLC, staff will need to create a results orientation.  In forming a results orientation, PLCs will define their SMART goals that specifically align with the goals of the school and district. Goals are continuously maintained and changed based on student results.  The biggest challenge that teachers face is being able to score results quickly along with their daily classroom expectations. In addition, finding the time to discuss those results within a reasonable time frame can be difficult at the beginning of this process.

McLaughlin and Talbert (2006) offer this definition: “teachers work collaboratively to reflect on practice, examine evidence about the relationship between practice and student outcomes, and make changes that improve teaching and learning for the particular students in their classes”. This definition reinforces the ideas that Dufour presented in the chapter readings. In order for PLCs to continuously grow with new formative assessments to reach desired SMART goals, PLCs will need to work together in teams and be given support from department chairs and administration.

References

DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., Many, T. (2010). Learning by Doing: A Handbook for

Professional Learning Communities at Work (2nd ed., pp. 59-154). Bloomington, IN:

Solution Tree Press.

McLaughlin, & Talbert (2006). Building school based teacher learning communities: 

            Professional strategies to improve student achievement. New York: Teachers College

           

            Press.

Servage, Laura (2008). Critical and Transformative Practices in Professional Learning

Communities. Teacher Education Quarterly, 35(1), 63-77.

RSAI: Professional Learning Communities in Partnership: A 3-Year Journey of Action and Advocacy to Bridge the Achievement Gap

Online Resource: http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ915859.pdf

When constructing professional learning communities within school districts the foundation for collaboration should include shared development in mission, vision, values, and goals. Schools actually maintaining this focus throughout the school year seem to be growing with in their PLC. If administration does not keep mission and vision strong throughout the year, most PLCs struggle to keep their own values and goals strong and organized. Along with groups working collaboratively to achieve common goals and maintaining focus on results, these steps will help keep groups achieving success and improvement.

The article “Professional Learning Communities in Partnership: A 3-Year Journey of Action and Advocacy to Bridge the Achievement Gap” (2009) has provided similarities from Module 2 of understanding professional learning communities based on focus. The article references a 3 year research study that brings Professional development school (PDS) partnerships between school districts and universities to provide potential ongoing staff development that bridges theory and practice for best results. The interesting part of the research group was that PLCs were formed among multiple districts and they still found these groups productive even with different districts policies’, goals, and multiple perspectives. “Collaborative teams of teachers work together to build shared knowledge” (DuFour, DuFour, Eaker & Many 65); even coming from all differing districts, the shared knowledge seemed to be most aspiring to each other. The PLCs found that the overall discussions on how each district handles areas of concerns were most beneficial for the groups. By maintaining the continued focus throughout the three years by administration and then staff, achievements became easier to achieve throughout this process by all groups.

Today in PLCs,’ organization can be a main focus that will provide groups continued support from one another. The research study explained that although it was hard to be in professional learning communities with staff from all different districts, one way that kept them focused and on track was being organized as a group as well as individually. Each person had to come prepared on their own and ready to contribute.  In today’s PLCs even when participating with staff in your own school, groups seem to run more efficient when all come organized and ready to contribute. When this focus does not take place many times the group will be constantly spending the given time preparing for what they need next time instead of actually looking at and forming common formative assessments. The professional learning communities seem to experience success and positive staff feedback by maintaining group focus throughout the community process.

References

DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., Many, T. (2010). Learning by Doing: A Handbook for

Professional Learning Communities at Work (2nd ed., pp. 59-154). Bloomington, IN:

Solution Tree Press.

Hoffman, P., Dahlman, A., Zierdt, G. (2009) Professional Learning Communities in Partnership:

A 3-Year Journey of Action and Advocacy to Bridge the Achievement Gap. School-

University Partnerships, v3nl,28-42. Retrieved January 21, 2012 from

http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ915859.pdf

Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL).(2003). Sustaining School

Improvement: Professional Learning Community, 1–4. Retrieved January 20, 2012 from

http://www.mcrel.org/PDF/LeadershipOrganizationDevelopment/5031TG_proflrncommfolio.pdf