Communication Tools
LMS Communication Tools
“Excellent teachers like dealing with learners; they have sufficient knowledge of their subject domain; they can convey enthusiasm both for the subject and for their task a learning motivators; they are equipped with a pedagogical understanding of the learning process, and have a set of learning activities at their disposal by which to orchestrate, motivate, and assess effective learning” (Anderson, 2008b, p. 360).
I have selected two asynchronous communication tools (wiki & discussion forum) for my LMS site. I selected these tools as they support the goals I have for enriching student learning in my classroom. The goals I outlined in my LMS proposal are:
- 1. Improve collaboration between students.
- 2. Improve communication with parents.
- 3. Explore and experiment with different recipes and food techniques to make the experience more authentic.
Tool #1 – Wiki
Why I chose it, does it work, and the limitations?
I have created two wiki’s within my Moodle site; one for parents and one for students, and yes, both are up and functional.
The wiki for parents is intended to open the lines of communication between myself and parents and parents and their children. I welcome parents to the wiki and offer suggestions of what they can write, as well as a brief “how-to” use the wiki. One of the major limitations to this is that parents might not be aware that I have the Moodle site. To counter this, I should put the link to my Moodle on my course outlines as well as a message that I welcome parents to take a look. Another obstacle is parents comfort level with using technology and in particular a wiki. I have not used a wiki before, but collegues in my ETEC 565 class have and have found parents are willing to participate.
I am very excited about the student wiki. I want to use this as a communication tool for my current students, but also I want to create a student-developed resource that students can access after completion of the course. I am asking students to create a database of online tutorials that they come across as it relates to food, nutrition and recipes. I am requiring all students to contribute two resources by the end of the term. A limitation to the student wiki is that students do not participate as they either don’t feel comfortable posting links or they don’t take the time to research tutorials. To counter this, I have made this a requirement of the course and will assign marks; there is some debate if forced participation does work or not (Anderson).
What the wiki brings to the educational experience?
Bransford, Brown and Cocking (1999) suggest four lenses to define learning and I will apply these to learning online through my Moodle (as cited in Anderson, 2008b). I will focus on the student wiki primarily.
Learner-Centred – The wiki is a perfect opportunity for students to bring their previous knowledge that they have (or that they have researched and acquired) to the classroom. I have purposely left the criteria for what students can post very open to allow students to explore what interests them best and share that with the class.
Knowledge-Centred – Anderson comments, “the Net provides expanded opportunities for learners to plunge ever deeper into knowledge” and the wiki allows students to share their knowledge with other students. The Foods & Nutrition 9 curriculum falls into the Applied Skills area of the BC curriculum and I want students to learn to explore and create exciting recipes on their own. It is my hope that this wiki will encourage students to expand their repertoire.
Assessment-Centred – In terms of assessment, there will be informal assessment from peers. I will provide time to the students to allow them to explore the resources that the class has developed and we will discover what resources are gems. As we all have different interests as chefs, some tutorials may be more useful to some students then others – which I find very acceptable.
Community-Centred – The primary reason that I created the wiki is my belief in Wenger’s notion of ‘community of practice’ (CoP). I believe that we construct knowledge through our formal and informal relationships and that the wiki supports the idea that we are all collaborating on a project together. In terms of the parent wiki, we are sharing our knowledge with the parents and looking to see how they feel about the experience.
Tool #2 – Discussion Forum
Why I chose it, does it work, and the limitations?
I have three forums set up at this point – yes, the work!
Forum #1 – Icebreaker
- Although my course is taught in a traditional classroom, often students don’t take the time to get to know one another. The Icebreaker forum is the EXACT same set of questions that I pose to students in my class, but usually I am the only one who receives this information. I am excited that the Icebreaker forum will allow students to get to know one another better. The limitation of this forum is that students may not take the assignment seriously. I hope to lay out guidelines that will encourage everyone to be respectful of others posts.
Forum #2 – Questions about assignments
- This is a general area where students can ask questions about assignments. It is great to have this area as everyone will have access to the same information. Students can answer the questions and I will answer as well. Limitations to this forum are that students will not feel comfortable posting questions. Once again, we will have to work on developing a community feeling where students feel safe.
Forum #3 – Group Forum
- I set up three groups and created a private discussion area where the groups can discuss their project. This group forum is only visible to group members and the teacher. I decide to create this discussion area, to encourage all students to participate and so that I can monitor their development. The limitation to this forum is that not all students will participate equally. Another limitation is that not all students may have access to the Internet at home. Our school does provide computer access at lunch and after school, so they do have time outside of class to add information.
What the forum brings to the educational experience?
Once again, I will use Bransford, Brown and Cocking four lenses to look at the learning that these communication tools offer:
Learner-centred – The purpose of the forums is to bring students experiences and thoughts to the forefront of the learning process. I am excited for what they have to share with me and the rest of the class. It is my hopes that the “Icebreaker” will open students’ eyes to the diversity in our class.
Knowledge-centred – The “questions about assignments” is a great opportunity for students to support each other through the learning process. I created the “group forum” as a way for the students and myself to monitor the progression of their project. As well, the interaction should be less on socialization and more on content when it is written as opposed to face-to-face.
Assessment-centred – All the forums will allow me to conduct formal and informal assessment. I value informal assessment, and this will give me the chance to see the direction that students are heading and offer suggestions. They will also be able to assess their own work and that of their peers.
Community-centred – One of my overall goals for my LMS is to build a cooperative learning community and I believe that each of the forums I have set up support this goal. By allowing the students time to get to know each other a level of trust and comfort can be established.
Conclusion
It is my belief that the communication tools that I selected will be useful for students to create a collaborative community and explore different techniques with regards to food and nutrition. The wiki will also be a great tool for improving communication with parents.
Sources:
Anderson, T. (2008a). Towards a Theory of Online Learning. In: T. Anderson & F. Elloumi (Eds.), Theory and Practice of Online Learning. Edmonton AB: Athabasca University. Accessed online 5 June 2009 http://www.aupress.ca/books/120146/ebook/02_Anderson_2008_Anderson-Online_Learning.pdf
Anderson, T. (2008b). Teaching in an Online Learning Context. I In: T. Anderson & F. Elloumi (Eds.), Theory and Practice of Online Learning. Edmonton AB: Athabasca University. Accessed online 5 June 2009 http://www.aupress.ca/books/120146/ebook/14_Anderson_2008_Anderson-DeliveryQualitySupport.pdf