Enhancing Learning Opportunities by Student Collaboration in Online Learning Community

1. February 25-27, 2007 Abu Dhabi, UAE Enhancing Learning Opportunities by Student Collaboration in Online Learning Community Denys M. Lupshenyuk & Clayton Tartt The University of West Alabama This project proposal is supported in part by a grant from the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program, a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the United States Department of State, administered by IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board).

2. What is TIGC Project? Experiential Learning Collaborative Learning Reflective Learning Action Learning Supported Learning

3. Project Needs • Students lack ICT literacy • Teachers lack hands-on technology use • Insufficiency of web resources on education

4. Project Goals • To enrich national educational experiences; • To make pre-service teachers more open to using web-based technologies in classrooms; • To give future teachers opportunity to experience problem-solving learning through on-line community; • To develop reflective individuals willing to improve effectiveness of teaching around the world; • To lay foundations of professional networking via on-line community of practice.

5. Project Organization • Project Working Group • Project director • Team facilitators • Knowledge leaders • Preparatory Stage • Design of TIGC Project framework • Selection of project participants • Diverse composition of project teams • Development of instructional package • Learning agreement • Project syllabus • Study guide • Techtorials • Videopodcast about project

6. Computer Equipment High-Speed Internet Community-based web application Manila User Land (Tapped In, My-ecoach) Digital Resources

7. Computer-Mediated Communications • Communications tools • Asynchronous tools • Discussion Board • Email • Synchronous tools • Text-based chat-room • Audio/video conferencing • Instant messaging • Collaborative Technologies • Streaming multimedia • Blogging tools • Wiki-technology • File Sharing

8. TIGC Project Implementation Community Evolvement Implementation Stage Evaluation Stage Introduction Stage

9. Project Implementation • Community Introduction: • Chat, audio/video conferencing, IM • Discussion board, webloging, podcasts Introduction Stage • Period: 2 weeks • Activities: • Team Icebreaking • Opening web conference • Skills development webinar • Clarification of project goals & tasks: • Text-based chat or audio/video conferencing Problem-solving & Team-building skills PowerPoint & Audio conferencing

10. Project Implementation Implementation Stage Introduction Stage • Collaborative research to develop action plan: • Wiki-technology • CMC tools • Streaming multimedia • Period: 3 months • Activities: • Inter-team online collaboration • Skills development webinar • Presentation • Period: 2 weeks • Activities: • Team Icebreaking • Opening web conference • Skills development webinar • ICT literacy and research skills • PowerPoint & Audio conferencing

11. Project Implementation Evaluation Stage Introduction Stage Implementation Stage • Peer evaluation (CMC tools) • Self-evaluation(web survey; weblogs) • Period: 2 weeks • Activities: • Inter-team evaluation • Online community debating • Closing web conference • Period: 2 weeks • Activities: • Team Icebreaking • Opening web conference • Skills development webinar • Period: 3 months • Activities: • Inter-team online collaboration • Skills development webinar Online discussion of students’ end-products Sharing experiences (CMC tools)

12. Project Evaluation • By team members: • Weekly reflective blogs • Peer assessment and peer review • Summative self-evaluations • By team leaders: • Weekly evaluation of team work • Summative self-evaluations • By facilitators: • Continuous observation of team interactions • By knowledge leaders: • Measurement evaluation of the final product of collaborative work and individual action plans

13. Summary • TIGC is carried out between universities located in different countries. • It is delivered via an online learning community. • The purpose is to develop action plans to resolve problems in technology integration. • It provides hands-on experience with the latest web-based technology. • It provides ongoing educational facilitation, informational and technological support.

14. Thank You For Your Attention

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