Learning designs with web conferencing

9 Learning Designs Web Conferencing

Matt CornockE-Learning Development Team

http://bit.ly/ytelhb

Photo: flickr.com/photos/benwerd/6031353822

http://bit.ly/ytelhbLearning Designs with Web ConferencingExternal Speakers

Suggestions from participants of the #durbbu Collaborate Workshop, led by Matt Cornock, E-Learning Development Team, University of York.

New concepts might not be contextualised within a professional discipline.

Availability of experts to travel and attend face-to-face sessions.

Learning challengesSession design

Specific time arranged with external speaker, share link and instructions for joining.

Speaker presents remotely to students on campus in lecture room / distance learners.

Linking theory with practice through discussion with practitioners.

Vicarious learning from contexts/experience.

Learning opportunities

Test session with external speaker to ensure audio quality and connectivity.

Lecturer facilitates discussion as chair by repeating questions from room, or students use Mobile App to post questions directly.

Skype is simplest for a one-to-many presentation in a face-to-face class, with communication via a chair. Blackboard Collaborate offers students direct interaction with the speaker. Within remote or face-to-face environments the Mobile App could be used for students to send questions to the presenter. Managing verbal dialogue in class requires a good microphone set up. After session, pull together key points and

lead into subsequent learning activity.

Approach

Learning Designs with Web ConferencingDistributed Groups



Prefacing small group work with mini-lecture or instruction requires scheduling a large room in addition to small group spaces.


Students located in group-work spaces, introduction lecture delivered remotely.

Group work across different locations can take place simultaneously, interjected by lecturer.


Small group work spaces, such as labs, study rooms or studios, can be connected together using Blackboard Collaborate so that groups can share results and ideas with each other during the group activity. Within the group work session, the lecturer can deliver introductions, mini-lectures or address issues being raised that are useful for all groups remotely to all spaces.

Approach

Lecturer delivers introduction remotely to students, using interactive tools (e.g. polling)

to check understanding.

Students go to group work space and connect to session.

Students undertake group activity, using session to ask questions or report back.

Lecturer provides Q&A support, students using the hand-raise tool throughout.

Summary of session and link to next activity.

http://bit.ly/ytelhbLearning Designs with Web ConferencingReading Groups


Limited time in-class to go beyond curriculum.

Special interest groups requiring a place to convene and discuss.

Learning challenges

Session design

Lecturer-facilitated session

Structured activity lecturer/student led

E.g. introduce reading, key questions, break-out room discussion, whiteboard for

idea dump, summary plenary.

Contributions to whiteboard/recording saved

Structured time-slot for group to come together, potentially out of hours.

Facilitates wider reading, critical perspectives.


Student self-facilitated session

Shared for reference via VLE / Google Group

Scheduled time and link on VLE

Link to open room on VLE

Using a specific scheduled Blackboard Collaborate session, the discussion can be structured with a slide-deck, sub-group discussions in breakout rooms, and ideas from these group spaces brought quickly into the main room. For both, the whiteboard is a powerful tool for capturing ideas as they are discussed. Whiteboard content can be exported as PDF then uploaded into a shared space for future reference.

Approach

Learning Designs with Web ConferencingExtended / Group Projects



Maintaining focus and engagement on extended projects.

Students with outside commitments may find it difficult to participate in group meetings.


Synchronous contact points to sustain motivation and assist groups in focusing on project goals, practising presentations.

Participation by remote students, fostering inclusion in campus-based activities.


Blackboard Collaborate can be linked from within VLE sites, scaffolded by instructions and resources that guide students through an extended task or longer group project work. Sessions can be linked to specific project milestones, with a lecturer reviewing project objectives. Open spaces can be created for groups to use ad hoc, for project meetings, enabling remote participation.

Approach

Lecturer facilitates review of project

milestones and provides focus for next project

stage.

Scheduled time, link embedded within project materials and

task instructions on VLE.

Link to open room available to

project group.

Walkthrough of group project presentations

Informal session for planning, discussion, application

screen sharing.

http://bit.ly/ytelhbLearning Designs with Web ConferencingOffice Hours


Supervision opportunities may clash with other commitments, including coursework, family, placements, work.

Students may require support on resources, tools, assessed work available on their computer.

Learning challenges Session designSupervisor creates open session.

Supervisor shares link to session with supervisees, specifying ‘drop in’ times or individual time slots; link in email footer.

Student enters session and uses voice chat to communicate with supervisor; screen-

sharing to talk through resources, documents, programming code; graphical

calculator to illustrate mathematical models; group supervision.

Flexibility of time, place and mode.

Dialogical feedback, and immediacy, rather than text-only, email-based communication.


A Blackboard Collaborate room can be created that is ‘always on’ for participants to use. This means that there is only one web link that can be shared for all supervisees. A specific time would still need to be arranged, or having a dedicated office hour where Collaborate runs in the background. In this case, a slide that indicates students should run the audio setup wizard and then raise their hand when ready will notify you of their presence.

Approach

Learning Designs with Web ConferencingPlacements



Students on placement lack opportunities to connect with other students and lecturers.

Placements often take up the working day and meetings could be hard to schedule.

Learning challenges Session design

Remote placement supervision or group discussions aid student reflection during the placement experience.

Structured reflective learning approaches can be designed-in throughout the placement.


For programmes with a year in industry or shorter-term work placement, web conferencing provides students the opportunity to reflect on their learning and share their experience with their supervisor or fellow students during the placement. One-to-one supervisions can be facilitated using Skype, but group sessions (scheduled or open access) may be better using Blackboard Collaborate. Both platforms enable remote and mobile participation, useful for certain forms of placement learning.

Approach

Lecturer-facilitated session

Structured reflective learning activity, can be lecturer or

student led, using reflective practice models.

Reflections written up using blog / doc

Scheduled time and link on VLE

Link to open room on VLE

Student peer support group

session

Learning Designs with Web ConferencingDevelopment Workshops



Institution-wide skills and development workshops may clash with degree timetable.

Skills development may be perceived as low priority for students.

Learning challenges

Session design

Remote participation allows students to undertake workshops without travel time.

Workshops can be recorded easily.


Blackboard Collaborate sessions can be set up with guest access, so all that is needed for participation is the link. No need to log into the VLE. The link can be shared publically, or emailed to participants who register in advance. Sessions outside of working hours or shorter sessions during lunch breaks may appeal to participants trying to balance commitments.

ApproachSpecific time, link and joining instructions

(sent to registered participants / open to all).

Speaker presents remotely to students. Slide at start to prompt use of audio set up

wizard, begin with sound check, welcome and session outline.

Prepare slides and publicise session outline.

Remove all participants, close session.

Use simple interactions (yes/no, poll tool) keeping engagement throughout, helping

participants check their understanding.

Learning Designs with Web ConferencingInduction



Pre-arrival campus based students have a lot of information provided, but little opportunity to build connections in advance.

Distance learners required to undertake group activities lack ice-breaker opportunities.

Learning challenges

Session design

A synchronous contact point connects students with each other and the lecturer.


Creating a learning community, particularly with distance learners, encourages contributions, builds confidence and generates trust among the cohort. A synchronous contact point can motivate students to engage, by providing space to build relationships with other students and the lecturer. This phase of online learning design is crucial to the long-term success of weekly activities.

Approach

Welcome students, brief introduction about yourself and purpose of the session,

establishing participation ‘rules’.

Create specific time session and embed link as part of an induction task. Include full

joining instructions, technical guidance and contact for support.

Invite students to participate in an ice-breaking activity (e.g. what they wish to get

out of the course)

Presentation, informal group task, small groups leading to wider group discussion

Link into subsequent activities.

Learning Designs with Web ConferencingResearch Seminars



Research communities may have limited time or money to travel, yet value immediacy of interaction research seminars offer.

Learning challenges

Session design

Dissemination of latest research.

Recordings give access to research discussion for doctoral students or those looking to develop a specialist interest.


Blackboard Collaborate can be used without log in details, enabling participants from outside the institution to take part in research seminars or to collaborate on projects. For seminars and presentations, the recording function is useful for dissemination, evidencing impact of research and logging research progress. It also provides a way-in for students to participate informally in research communities.

Approach

Remote presentation

Remove all participants, close session.

Use simple interactions (yes/no, poll tool) and text chat tool keeping engagement

throughout, allowing participants to steer discussion and present their perspectives.

Scheduled time, link publicised

Link to open room shared with

research group

Informal session for planning, discussion, application

screen sharing.

Learning designs with web conferencing

Education

Transcript of Learning designs with web conferencing