1) Emerging Technologies Course Description from Clifford Layton of Rogers State University

2) Creating Communities from Deborah Hutti of Lakeland Community College

3) Personalized Notes from Georgeanne Cooper of University of Oregon

4) Online Survey Tools Link from Andrea Han of Miami University Middletown

5) Tech Tools from Randal Baier of Eastern Michigan University

6) Group Project Suggestion from Arta Szathmary of Bucks County Community College

7) Assessment Links from Medaline Philbert of Pace University

8) Group Project Exercise Description from Thom McCain of Ohio State University

9) Socio-Educational Networks from Gwen van der Velden of University of Kent

10) Ideas for Building Community from Shauna Schullo of University of South Florida

11) Discussion Board Etiquette Site from Sarah Swart of U. Detroit-Mercy

Back to Top of Page/Table of Contents

1) Emerging Technologies Course Description from Clifford Layton of Rogers State University

Sent: Mon 3/15/2004 12:13 PM

To: gilbert; TLT-SWG@LISTSERV.ND.EDU

Subject: RE: TLT-SWG-14: HELP Building Community & Connections in Large Courses & by Using Assessment

Steve,

I will use one of my courses as an example with respect to your below.

The course is called Emerging Technologies.

In the course, students explore new (or newly emerging) technologies in two ways: by reporting on a technology of choice (but with my OK required), and by showing evidence that they have explored the technologies chosen by other students. There is no text book used in the course.

Each report of a student includes a paper, a set of PowerPoint slides, and a verbal presentation over the Internet/web. Verbal presentations are facilitated based on use of a text/voice chat (usually PalTalk), and use of corresponding slides in a browser separate from the text/voice chat environment. Sometimes the sessions are recorded and made available online to interested students who can not attend the presentation synchronously, allowing extension of community and connectivity across time. A question and answer session is part of each presentation session (usually at the end of a presentation).

The community involved often includes students from both online and onground sections in the same semester, extending community and connectivity across space in a current time-frame; the onground students do their presentations live in class but also over the Internet/web, and the online students do their presentations online only. Frequently, papers and slides and recorded presentations from students in semesters previous to a current semester are used in current semesters, further extending community and connectivity across time.

All of the above indicated is available to students in a current semester at low bandwidth or above.

Cliff (Layton) (Rogers State University)

Back to Top of Page/Table of Contents

2) Creating Communities from Deborah Hutti of Lakeland Community College

Sent: Mon 3/15/2004 12:34 PM

To: gilbert

Subject: RE: TLT-SWG-14: HELP Building Community & Connections in Large Courses & by Using Assessment

Steven:

With our recent experience through the Illinois Online Conference in conjunction with LearningTimes, we used two ideas that may assist in creating community. First, we asked all participants and presenters to send us a digital photo of themselves and/or their favorite coffee mug, calling it "MUG SHOTS." This activity was meant to create community and connections among the group. It was simple, and only required that participants/presenters had a digital camera available at some point and could forward a photo. To our amazement, most people sent something, and no two were alike. There were all types of coffee mugs and photos, and this exercise spawned communications among those participating. Easy, inexpensive, and fun.

The other example of building community was the creating and sending of our coffee break e-cards. We have had more comments than we can list on the value of this particular item. As most conferences have breaks, this card provided a moment of comic relief or a pause in the online activity. To me, it is easy to be lighthearted or funny in person, but it is much more difficult to convey that same type of attitude online. With the coffee break e-cards, we added a moment of fun - intentionally - that seemed to resonate with the participants.

I will find these two items and send you a link to both. Hope this is what you were seeking.

Back to Top of Page/Table of Contents

3) Personalized Notes from Georgeanne Cooper of University of Oregon

Sent: Mon 3/15/2004 1:57 PM

To: gilbert

Subject: Re: TLT-SWG-14: HELP Building Community & Connections in Large Courses & by Using Assessment

1. One instructor here at the University of Oregon acknowledges any birthdays in his large class group (250 students) each time the class meets.

2. We encourage our large class teachers to send email notes of encouragement and support to everyone in class periodically throughout the term. The notes can be generalized feedback about a paper, test or assignment ("I've had a chance to look over most of your papers and I'm seeing a common pattern of misunderstanding which is.....), ("I'm about halfway through grading your midterms and is gratifying to see the evidence that you have grasped well the concepts we've been working on so far..."), or tips and extra examples ("An example that I think may help you understand________ came to me as I walked back to my office after class. Here it is...") ("If I were preparing for this test, here are some of the things I would be doing...")

Georgeanne Cooper

Director, Teaching Effectiveness Program

Academic Learning Services

University of Oregon

Eugene, Oregon 97403

Back to Top of Page/Table of Contents

4) Online Survey Tools Link from Andrea Han of Miami University Middletown

Sent: Mon 3/15/2004 11:59 AM

To: gilbert

Subject: Re: TLT-SWG-14: HELP Building Community & Connections in Large Courses & by Using Assessment

I'm not sure if this is the type of assessment you're looking for but...

Until recently I taught online classes where students met only once - if that. To help students get to know one another and to encourage discussion, I always tried to use an online survey tools (like

Hope this gives you some ideas!

****************************************************************

Andrea Han

Educational Technology Coordinator

Miami University Middletown

Middletown, Ohio 45042

(513) 217-4001

5) Tech Tools from Randal Baier of Eastern Michigan University

S

I would suggest the Hugo Zemp recordings on Ocora of hocketing Alpine

horns. You will not believe your ears, your friends will stop singing

"Edelweiss, Edelweiss," even though that's Austria, and the Heidi

Zeitgeist will be forever removed from their consciousness!!

I don't know if this works as assessment, but I give them GPS units and

have them spend a few weeks mapping the campus. First, they need to

locate their homes using online USGS images, do the same using their new

campus environment, and then actively map specific locations. Rotate

teams and create online maps using ARCView. I think it helps in building

community, perhaps even in an oddly reverse way as they ask, "Now, why

is he having us do this?"  Next year I think I will explore GeoCaching.

Then I would hire an EdPsych graduate student to tell me if it works or not.

Randal Baier

Multimedia Librarian

Eastern Michigan University

Back to Top of Page/Table of Contents

6) Group Project Suggestion from Arta Szathmary of Bucks County Community College

________________________________

Sent: Mon 3/15/2004 10:07 PM

To: gilbert

Cc: 'Arta Szathmary (BCCC)'; Rebecca Stevenson

Subject: RE: TLT-SWG-14: HELP Building Community & Connections in Large Courses & by Using Assessment

Steve,

I have my students do a group project. Part of project is to do a little research about careers involving technology, but part of the hidden agenda I have is to encourage student-to-student communication using discussion topics, email, IM, telephone or smoke signals. I use these "assessments" with both my Face to Face Class and my Distance Learning Class. We are using WebCT as our CMT.

I am currently involved in one of the Faculty Institutes at BCCC, this one on Outcomes Assessment. This Institute is facilitated by Arlene Franklin, a member of our TLTR. There are 6 faculty members in this session. As part of the Institute, which meets 6 times throughout the semester, I must complete 5 CATs ( Classroom Assessment Techniques). We are using :Learner-Centered Assessment on Colleges Campuses by Mary E. Huba and Jann E. Freed as the main text. We are also referencing Classroom Assessment Techniques, A Handbook for College Teachers by Thomas A. Angelo and K. Patricia Cross.

My current CAT, asks the members of the Team to start communicate and hand in one assignment. All member of the group will get the same grade.

Assignment: Collaborative Team Project Prospectus

Assignment Information

Maximum grade: 10

Due date: March 21, 2004

Collaborative Team Project Prospectus

Since this is part of your team project, only one member of team need submit it. All active members of the team will get the same grade recorded in the grade book. One member of the team should become the "recorder" for this assignment and submit it in a timely manner. I will post my comments in the groups private discussion area.

Directions: The prompts listed on the attached file are meant to help you plan your team project. Respond to each prompt with a very brief, well-thought-out answer. Remember that this prospectus is just a plan. You will almost certainly change part of your plan, and you may even change all of it. before you complete your project. So make your best predictions and plans, but don't be surprised or concerned if you decide to alter them later.

Brief project description (What do you plan to do?):

Project site/setting (Where and with whom will you work? Please list active team members names here):

Major questions you hope to answer/ goals you hope to achieve:

Products/results (What will be the measurable outcomes of your project?):

Resources needed (What do you need in order to do an excellent job?):

Calendar of component tasks (When will you complete each part of the project?):

Your biggest concerns or questions about the project:

Back to Top of Page/Table of Contents

7) Assessment Links from Medaline Philbert of Pace University

Sent: Mon 3/15/2004 2:15 PM

To: gilbert

Cc: '"Murdock, William"'

Subject: RE: TLT-SWG-14: HELP Building Community & Connections in Large Courses & by Using Assessment

Hi Dr. Gilbert,

Your request was received by Mr. Murdock, my supervisor, and was forwarded to me. We met at Pace's TLTR session on Friday, March 12, 2004, and we spoke briefly during the break.

In addition to the requested link I sent earlier today, here are a few more resources you may want to consult for additional ideas:

Assessment:

Community and Connections:

I hope these resources will be of some value to you. 

Best of luck with your presentation and enjoy your visit with your family.

Regards,

Medaline

--------

8) Group Project Excercise Description from Thom McCain of Ohio State University

Sent: Mon 3/15/2004 12:07 PM

To: gilbert

Subject: TLT-SWG for distribution

Steve:

I taught a large lecture/practicum course where student grades were largely dependent on their performance in group projects. There were all sorts of tools to help them collaborate, but the consequences of not working together was a continual issue for everyone. Each member of each group rated themselves and others according to two scales: did the person carryout their responsibilities; did the person attend group meetings etc. One of the issues that surfaced early was a wide variety of student views regarding what was fair and appropriate to those who did not "pull their weight." I've attached a copy of the exercise we used early in the course to help each member of each group understand the consequences of not participating and to begin a dialog amongst themselves as to how they would treat each other. This turned lively and was 1). inexpensive; 2) helpful in dealing with the practical issues related to peer evaluation.

Thom McCain

Ohio State University

Assignment: First read the case below as an individual. Prior to discussing the situation with your group members, rank-order your responses as to your personal favored course of action. Then respond to the following scenario as a group. Try and form a consensus. Select the reason that most closely reflects your neighborhood recommendation as to the course of action.

The Case of the Woolly Wonks

The thing about the Woolly Wonks is that they are totally dependent on one another for survival. It is one of the things that makes them so attractive and so much fun to be around. These furry little creatures have a very complex social structure that includes rewarding clans for cooperation and working together, and punishes them for lack of attention to the needs of members of their groups, because of the inherent interdependencies of their roles.

The Woolly Wonks, in order to survive the 3 months of freezing temperatures, must burrow deep in the earth and wait out the cold. Exposure to cold will result in their death. There is a traditional way that they get ready for the long cold winters. In order to gather sufficient supplies, gaggles of Wonks work on separate tasks. There's a gaggle that gathers food, a gaggle that gets the necessary medical stuff, a gaggle for fuel, another gaggle that gathers board games and circus riggings that can be constructed in the caves below, etc.

The three months that are spent underground are a lark, but pale in comparison to the fabulous life of fun and frolic that transpires the other nine months of the year.

A major problem has been discovered during the first week of the subterranean life. The King Woolly Wonk has gathered the heads of the gaggles responsible for provisions to report a serious and life threatening crime. The fuel gaggle has betrayed the clan. The stack of fuel that they pointed to with pride is a phony. It is hollow inside and represents less than one eighth of the fuel they will need to survive the winter. The hip fuelers were so busy having a good time frolicking in fall that they built a house of cards that now jeopardizes the entire clan. They finished their work only at the last minute, after all the other gaggles had completed their parts. There was so much playing around that the seriousness of the task was not understood and all the crosschecking and back-up strategies that are so critical to successful teamwork were apparently never undertaken.

The laws of the Woolly Wonks clearly state that behavior that threatens the well-being of the clan results in death or expulsion (the equivalent of death at this time of year). The Woollies will have to reduce the space that they use in the cave in order to heat enough space for survival of the rest. The King has offered four choices to her council:

1. Turn the fuel gaggle out of the cave. They have betrayed their fellow Wonks and, besides, it's the law. They will most certainly die.

2. Build the new smaller space in the cave large enough for everyone except the fuel gaggle. Allow the fuel force to try and make it through the winter without any fuel.

3. There were seven member of the fuel force, but only two of them actually built the fake piles. Send the truly guilty parties out of the cave and let the others stay in the restricted space. The others were gatherers and doing other things, like checking and analyzing clan needs for fuel. They were responsible only as accomplices and are guilty only of not paying attention to what was happening.

4. Forgive them. They made a mistake and are truly contrite. Messing up is a fact of life. Everybody deserves a break.

Back to Top of Page/Table of Contents

9) Socio-Educational Networks from Gwen van der Velden of University of Kent

Sent: Tue 3/16/2004 5:48 AM

To: gilbert

Subject: Re: TLT-SWG-14: HELP Building Community & Connections in Large Courses & by Using Assessment

Dear Steve,

I hope examples from Britain are acceptable to you, and if they are, here are some taken from our extensive work on student retention. At the core of it is the development of what we call socio-educational networks, which you could loosely translate as study groups, building not on the straightforward social interaction that all humans need, but on the development of a shared approach to study, peer based self help and study goal based processes. We have found that retention rates improve dramatically if these processes are put in place, and on many occasions we use e-learning means to support this.

The exact examples are mentioned below.

Kindest regards,

Gwen van der Velden

Head of the Unit for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching

University of Kent

Canterbury Kent

Great Britain

We ask students to take part in an online groupwork session, whereby they have to design a plan for using 2 million pounds donated to the University by a benefactor (Alumnus). There are other briefs, including setting up a champagne and oyster company for business students, but the main element is a fun brief. A remit is given for the type of expenditure this has to be, and a plan must be designed within three working days, ready fro presentation to senior managers at the University. This happens entirely on line and groups of six students have been set up in advance. They are not introduced to each other, nor are they given much of a brief on netiquette or good on line working practices. Part of their OFF LINE assessment ultimately is to reflect on their working practices and collaborate on a code of professional on line study behaviour. At this stage the groups need to meet each other off line, and this is where a lot of further building of the socio educational network ta!

kes place. The codes of professional practice then are used as their own guide for future on line work.

It is all very helpful in setting up students for active independent, but reflective learning, and it quickly allows them to start building up socio-educational networks.

Another medium for setting up socio educational networks, on or off line, is to let students identify their own learning and study styles (using some of the commonly available self diagnostic tools) and have them find like minded, or a mixed group of students, that they will be working with for the rest of the term. It causes confusion and discussion, but sets the students up straight away with their socio educational network, and makes them take responsibility for their own study progress. It certainly seems to do the trick on taking young adults out of the 'hand holding' study culture they were previously used to.

And finally, those students who have been unable to form allegiances (which tends to be quite a small percentage), are then particularly monitored as being at risk of failure, as we have found over the years, that organisational and social networking skills are indicators for possible retention problems.

Clearly, this model is used for introductory purposes, but a more serious brief could be given, that could be assessed. In that case, we sometimes allow students part of the final mark to self award within the group for particular contributions of a single student, as long as feedback is provided on the reasons for awarding the additional percentage to a particular student.

One of the most straightforward ways of starting up community-building is to allow a few minutes in the first four lectures (if full frontal teaching is used) for students whilst sitting in a lecture theatre, to introduce themselves to the three or four people physically directly next, in front and behind them, preferably just before a coffee break. Any old ice breaker will do, to help students on their way to socialising. It is too simple for words really, but it is amazing how many students my student learning advisory staff meet, who claim they never managed to introduce themselves to others in their class group.

Still, it is cheap and cheerful, needs no preparation and little time. Importantly, it works, as long as it is done in the first year, first weeks, first classes.

I hope this is of use to you.

Gwen

Back to Top of Page/Table of Contents