Online collaboration is an excellent example of how we can expand our learning through that of others. Other students and their contributions allow us to reframe our learning and our ZPD is realized through our online collaboration. As an example I have requested permission to add some conversations from within our online discussions on Vygotsky. Watch as one idea is expanded, developed, questioned and refined through the ability of individuals to work together to come to an understanding.
Note: Student names have been changed to reflect their privacy and exceptional responses.
Classroom Conversations as Social Learning on Prezi
Discussion:
1. Do you feel that online learning provides enough “mentorship” opportunities? Do you feel that your learning is adequately supported by instructors, readings, tools and other students within the context of this program?
2. Do you feel that you are at a higher level of task completion, based on the theory of ZPD, due to the collaborative nature of online learning?
Hi All,
I do think that online learning somewhat provides mentorship opportunities. There are some MET courses that overwhelm you with required readings, supplementary readings, a host of tools or platforms to interact and indulge in and the level of the community of learners automatically allows for knowledge building. However, there are a few online learning courses where the instructors are barely present and I think this needs some adjusting to create a more adequate mentorship opportunity for the learners. Thoughts?
~ Shawn
That’s a valid point Shawn. What have you found to be the most effective way for instructors to facilitate this?
Hi Rebecca,
I think if instructors are more present in the forums, giving guidance and regular feedback, would facilitate this tremendously!
To add to Shawn’s response, if instructors can give thoroughly written feedback to students’ assignments with guidance of what we could do to improve on them, it would be beneficial to them as well. Instructors’ participation in the discussion forums on a regular basis is significant in online learning as it’s the only way to communicate with them.
Deb
Hi As an adult learner, intrinsic motivation plays a key role on online learning. There is something in it for me, learning is relevant in my job and can be utilized to improve my practice as a teacher. Therefore, ZPD provides and element of understanding of where I want to go the journey I need to take to get there.
Most assuredly, I am at a higher level of task completion at the end of this course although my bar might be set lower than most as I’m new to this field.
Hard to jump in and engage socially when busy getting context, absorbing vocabulary, getting the lay of the land. Sufficient to get new ideas in a new playing field.
Readings and YouTube are best MKOs so far, discussion threads intimidating! Self-directed study and intrinsic motivation the steady stand by.
Interesting thought Catherine. So would you think that by the end of the program your opinion on this would change?
Like many things, we get out of it what we put in. I think that we need to seek out the MKO where ever we are. Ideally I feel that this should happen in a social setting. As we have already seen with Vygotsky, social interactions are key. I don’t want to down play this post, or all others made this year, but I kind of feel that if Vygotsky could see us today, he would probably say that we need way more Skype, Hangouts, Blackboards, etc. in our courses. Through a simple interaction I can pick out a/or many MKOs and know that others would differ in their choice for many reasons.
Ultimately we should all have mentors, SO GO GET ONE!