A Lecturer’s Homepage as a Means of Learning, Communication, and

GuidancePresented by

Johnni Olsen, lecturer in social science, School of Social Work, University

College Zealand, Nykoebing F., Denmark

Overview

• Background for the project• Main concepts of the project• The project• The development of the project• The results of the project• Conclusions • Perspectives

Background

• Present avaible tools inadequate: The homepage of the university college with

passwords and several menues to navigate within.

The intranet with passwords, menues and submenues

Lack of flexibilityLack of users’ influence

Conditions for the Learning Process

• The social aspect – learning processes as social processes

• Fast and easy access to necessary and/ or social platforms of communication

• This project focusses on the social process, that simultaneously enhances the learning process.

Objects

• Strengthen motivation• Strengthen the learning result• Involve/ engage the students in the learning

process• Strengthen the social learning environment

The Project 1

• The basic idea is that a homepage is set up for each class

• The homepage is set up as a free homepage within the domain of ”wikispaces.com”.

• It is easy and it is free. • The lecturer sets up the homepage• The students are invited to participate

The Project 2

• Lecturers and students may communicate• The students may communicate mutually• Notes and notices may be communicated

The First Home Page

• New students• No admittance to intranet and the home page

of the university college• The class were without social relations

The Following Classes

• 7th semester’s bachelor assignment– Students work on their own, individually or in

groups– Students are assigned a teacher for guidance– They found less need for exchange of experience

during the process

7th Semester’s Homepage

Further Development

• Now each group or single student have access to personal guidance

• If one student has asked for guidance in relation to a problem, other students may comment or benefit from the answer

• All teachers assigned to give guidance must participate. Questions and answers will be accesible to everybody

International Semester

• New class in Campus Storstroem• No immidiate access to intranet and the home

page of the university college• The class were without social relations in campus• Without relations in the local society• Students living scattered in the town area• Students don’t speak Danish, but their home

page is international, in English

International Semester’s Homepage

Guidance

Lecturer’s Notes

Exchange of experiences

Students’ Involvement

Discussions

Results

• Activity not high• International semester most active• 1st semester slow starters• 7th could have benefitted but did not use it.

Occupied by other tasks.

Conclusions

• Difficult to judge beforehand whether or not a certain class will benefit from their own homepage

• Every class should have one• Conditions for success:– Experienced as rewarding– Experienced as necessary – Experienced as interesting– Strengthen the social relations

Perspectives

• The concept may/ ought to be developed from the basis of;– Evaluation of the present project– Response from students– Involvement of the students– Involvement of other lecturers

I invite you

• to visit the following home pages,• www.Hong-Kong-Conference-

2010.wikispaces.com• johnni-olsen.wikispaces.com (in Danish)• IntV10. wikispaces.com (in English)