Week 6 Discussion: Strategies Discussion

What was the discussion about?

Discussion protocols provide a step-by-step approach to discussion, and a structure for making sure that everyone in a group has a chance to lead and guide the discussion. These protocols are especially useful when discussing challenging or controversial content, but are equally suited to helping us achieve variety in our approach to online discussions. Discussion protocols provide a step-by-step approach to discussion, and a structure for making sure that everyone in a group has a chance to lead and guide the discussion. These protocols are especially useful when discussing challenging or controversial content, but are equally suited to helping us achieve variety in our approach to online discussions.

General Overview
This discussion was interesting because it we all got to play the role of discussion leader. It was interesting to see different styles emerge and all the different interests everyone had. We picked a quote out of Horton's book that made a connection with us for using different strategies for eLearning. We posted in 100 words or less the quote and why we thought the quote was significant. Then each member of the discussion posted in 50 words or less a response to our quote to stimulate discussion or to shed new light on our quote.

Most valuable contribution to the discussion
My most “fab” contribution on to the discussion was due to the topic I picked for the quote: synchronous eLearning. Synchronous learning is a vital piece of the larger learning strategies that must be engaged if self-paced learning is to succeed. It is such a vital piece because it incorporates "social instructional values" as learners are required/encourage to communicate with one another to enhance each other’s learning experience. One ways this is beneficial is because synchronous learning is not black and white, that is it doesn't necessarily need to happen at the same time and place for it to be synchronous learning. People can meet economically in a chat room or post comments to a discussion blog, or with a bigger budget in Adobe connect webinar. Either way we can share valuable experience and knowledge with one another via synchronous learning.

My quote:“One of the most important design decisions is whether to make e-learning synchronous or asynchronous.” page 363This quote struck me because I noticed that in taking online instruction we all still have different learning needs. Synchronous and asynchronous learning really is not black and white, but a mixture of real time learning and everybody at different stages. Both can be blended together, but first consider your learners’ needs, consider the learners’ schedules, should they have discussions, do they need motivation…. I think synchronous learning might be useful for projects in different stages, learners using the product can provide synchronous feedback to learners just beginning to use the product."

Discussion responses:
1. I agree Kerry this decision is most important to design. In terms of learners providing the feedback, I found that Jackie Dobrovolny article on self-paced learning in that she states that discussions and conversations are a definite part of self-paced learning has stuck with me. She says adults use conversations in three ways to learn the content: (1)ask or answer questions about the course content, (2)discuss problems the content helped solve and (3)teach a colleague or subordinate. As I indicated in a post in Week 5 it seems natural to me to use learners as part of the feedback process through threaded discussions, e-mails, etc. in the role of coach, mentor, instructor assistants or "Champions" to engage other learners.

2. Kerry - This is always difficult since both learners and content are in constant change. Sometimes it's also helpful to look at the ROI and budget allocation which does drive how to present content. For example, Breeze is a great interactive tool, but one that I cannot afford to use in my design. Email, threaded discussions and phone chats are my modes of interaction with learners.

3. Synchronous learning and $$$...I agree with everyone's assessment of blended learning and how important the decision is on when and how to use each. I think it is a shame that synchronous methods are so often difficult to incorporate because of time and money concerns. This is especially a problem in situations where management outside the training/instructional design department writes all the checks and has to answer to "efficiency" guidelines. While the value can be clear to us, it isn't always the case with corporate management.

4. I to think that e-learning can be synchronous or asynchronous or mixture of both, you just need to decide if it is cost effective to do it one way or the other and keep in mind the advantages of each.

My response: Yes, cost is very important component to consider. I am thinking about cost in a new way, especially since three posts focused on cost. I was intrigued by Linda's info on the ways adults learn content.

Week 5 Discussion: Where’s the Social in Self-Paced Instruction?

Week 5 Discussion: Where’s the Social in Self-Paced Instruction?

What was the discussion about?

In the world of eLearning (in corporate settings, in particular), a lot of our instructional design work is in the service of creating self-paced instruction. Think back to your original stories of great learning experiences that you shared...were any of them self-paced? No. But, that doesn't get us off the hook when determining how we can achieve the common values -- especially the Social value -- when there are no (or limited) learner-to-learner or learner-to-instructor interactions. How should we reconcile our need to create self-paced instruction with our need to reflect the common values in our designs? Or, do we need to reconcile? What strategies do you have for addressing the values in self-paced instruction (or in learning from computers instruction, in general)?

General Overview

This discussion was interesting because it made us probe into the Common Instructional Values. We focused on the Social Instructional Value by pondering how we should reconcile our need to create self-paced instruction with our need to reflect the common values in our designs.

Most students agreed that including self-paced learning is valuable since is adds spice to the blandness of self-pace learning. To “kick-it up a notch,” self-paced learning need to be learner-centered, authentic, engaging, but it also needs to include social instructional values—collaboration, debate, conversation, team work, cooperation, discourse, discussion…ect. One example of how social interaction contributed to self-paced learning was seen in an Audio car forum. The Audio forum didn’t meet the needs of all involved, so the dissatisfied members left the forum to create their own Audio forum. This forum grew into a national forum beckoning members to travel the county to meet face-to-face, in the kitchen no less! They had a different take of things, and quenched their needs by building a new forum using social interaction.

But not everyone agreed that social interaction is fabulous. Some saw value in learning on their own as a way to learn the most since figuring things out and learning by mistake makes a more memorable learning experience.

Most valuable contribution to the discussion

My most “fab” contribution on to the discussion was how self-paced learning is going to revolutionize learning. No more are we going to think of learning as being one-directional: it is not going to come from the hierarchy of expert to student, e.g. author to student, teacher to student. We are going to be using on our own creativity and ingenuity to aide us in our own learning process, and, in addition, we are equally going to us our peers as teachers/mentors/coaches.

Why was this a great contribution?

It reformed the way I view “feedback” from peers. Now, I really see the value social interaction and how I can grow from learning from my peers. I used to take suggestions from my peers as a knock against me/my ideas. But now, I see how their point of view as a way to broaden the way I understand ideas, thus making me a well rounded individual.