CALMet14: Activity 2 - Successful online learning strategies

Furthering our investigation of "Successful online learning - what strategies do we need?" please find two short resources for you to view. The first is rather direct in terms of the 8 Lessons learned from teaching online, the second is a short case-study:

Activity 2a:

View https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp4BG4Me7TU

Q: What are the 8 lessons learned from online learning presented here? Do you agree? What others have you personally learned in delivering learning activities on-line? Can you share experiences that reinforce or add to these?

Activity 2b: Is a short TED talk

View:
http://www.ted.com/talks/peter_norvig_the_100_000_student_classroom

What type of lessons and strategies did Peter Norvig apply when taking a traditional face to face course and delivering it online?

Cheers - Roger :)

Re: Activity 2 - Successful online learning strategies

от Vesa Nietosvaara - понедельник, 24 ноября 2014, 09:20

Roger, good morning/evening.

I watched that nice 4 minute Youtube video during my morning coffee. I found the tips on Being Explicit, High Touch over High Tech and Digital Storytelling the most useful for my own online course life. I would like to learn more about Digital Storytelling.

Re: Activity 2 - Successful online learning strategies

от Roger Deslandes - понедельник, 24 ноября 2014, 12:56

Hi Vesa (my good friend ;)

You are the first to hit this activity so thanks for your input.
I like these short resources and encourage folks to direct us to plenty of other and interesting resources.

In summary so far:

With Brain-rules the consequences for learning are:

- include motion (interesting in terms of the online environment ;)

- create team-oriented activities;

- allow trainees to learn at their own pace through staged activities and accessible, asynchronous resources;

- create resources that cater for 10 minute attention spans;

- utilise repetition to enhance long-term memory;

- be aware of sleep cycles and organise learning activities accordingly;

- create a stress-free environment;

- stimulate more senses – auditory, visual and kinaesthetic (Vision trumps all)

- Create an environment to allow for exploration.

The 8 lessons are also interesting (presented here in reverse order):

- Feedback is critical to success;

- Encourage fun and the unexpected;

- Be explicit in terms of expectations and learning requirements;

- Utilise and take advantage of a plethora of external resources;

- Use technology intentionally (the technology should serve the learning outcomes);

- Digital story telling (in many cultures story-telling is a key part of the culture in terms of learning);

- High-touch over high tech (simple solutions can be just as effective as the high-tech ones)

Cheers - Roger

Re: Activity 2 - Successful online learning strategies

от Larissa Timofeyeva - понедельник, 24 ноября 2014, 15:56

HI All

I've watched the videos with great interest. Thank you, Roger and Bodo!

But I am afraid they are more about successful online teaching strategies, than learning strategies. I have never taught online, but have been an online learner for some time (and am now))). And from a learner's point of view these are teaching strategies.

As for the 8 lessons - they are learned not from learning, but from Teaching, as the title says.

There are some common tips for students' success

http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/tutorials/pedagogy/tips.asp

http://www.mcw.edu/mphprogram/CurrentStudents/OnlineLearningStrategies.htm

I see, there are strong links between teaching and learning success, but don't think these terms can be always interchangeable.

Thank you for the Summary of the activities, very useful!

I would like to add my Lesson learned from online learning and classroom teaching

- Assessment.

I've written about this to the earlier session forum. And write it again, because it is a big challenge how to do this efficiently. And students' attitude to grades is very serious, since sometimes they can affect their future.

As for a TED talk, it was a perfect example of use of active teaching strategy/learning activities:

- open-ended questions (Bloom's verbs - sinthesize, analyse )

- short videos

- peers effect

- little learning by heart

And the thing I like most of all, at the end:

a lot of data gethered to be analysed )))

Good luck!

Larissa

Re: Activity 2 - Successful online learning strategies

от Patrick Parrish - понедельник, 24 ноября 2014, 18:53

Hi Roger,

Thanks for sharing the two videos. A couple interesting things: Joni Dunlap, the woman interviewed in the YouTube video, was a presenter in the very first CALMet Online! She spoke about using Discussion Forums. In fact, I have co-authored papers with each of the presenters in that video. They have extensive experience in online learning, probably nearly 15 years for Joni. But she and Patrick Lowenthal have written many papers on how to increase student engagement over the years. They are worth looking up.

I particularly appreciated the point about providing good feedback. This is important in any venue, not just online, as Larissa points out. In fact, any principles we can derive about learning apply in all venues. It is only the tools and tactics that vary. Rich feedback is probably the key thing for helping learners. Think about the Exploration principle from the Brain Rules. Exploration needs feedback for any learning to occur.

The Ted Talk was also really nice. There is a lot to draw from that, so I hope many people will look at it. But one thing that stood out was the willingness to let go as a teacher and let students help each other. It is the only way to conduct a MOOC, but perhaps not a bad thing to do in traditional courses as well. It always happens of course, but perhaps it needs to be cultivated even more.

Thanks for sharing.

Patrick

Re: Activity 2 - Successful online learning strategies

от Patrick Parrish - понедельник, 24 ноября 2014, 20:15

I see I sent this too quickly. As to feedback, I wanted to remind that first you have to provide something for students to DO to REQUIRE feedback. Not just wait for questions. You need to ASK questions, provide exercises, etc. I will make sure this one gets into the Wiki.

Patrick

Re: Activity 2 - Successful online learning strategies

от Larissa Timofeyeva - понедельник, 24 ноября 2014, 20:49

Dear Patrick

In Russia we say:

The world is not incapacious (small) - the layer is narrow.

The layer - Professional society.

And these coincidences prove this.

You have met your co-author!

I have got a new image of the Lake effect snow )

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=84758&src=nha

You have noticed in a TED talk "the willingness to let go as a teacher and let students help each other" - isn't it co-figurative learning (culture), according to M. Mead, I have mentioned this earlier.

Some experts think, co-figurative culture/learning occurs in an unstable society ) Even though, I do agree with you, learning from peers should be cultivated.

For most of my students the first peer-assessment was a really unusual experience. But then they liked it! (Learnopoly - peer-assessment ...)

As for collecting students' feedback, it was a challenge for me - It was really frightening ... But now I look forward to getting it since it is so useful!

Feeling a part of a professional society is a great thing!

Thank you, CALMet 2014!

PS Patrick, as for your addition: I mean after course (lesson) feedback and I prepare a special Questionnaire (remember Boulder!) and do encourage them to give true answers (I do not strive only for "5")))

Re: Activity 2 - Successful online learning strategies

от Bernadette Connell - понедельник, 24 ноября 2014, 20:03

Thanks to Roger and Bodo for bringing up this activity and to all the others who have added comment so far. Yes! - there are many points to consider in both the first activity and the second.

Since this is a forum for successful online learning, I’d like to direct you to yet another aspect – the Quiet revolution. http://www.thepowerofintroverts.com/susan-cain-ted-talk-2014-quiet-revolution/ This topic perhaps resonates more strongly in the US where to be successful, personality is promoted much more than character. Susan Cain wrote the book “Quiet” and she gave the Ted talk that is linked on the above page. It’s hard to sum up in a few points what is relevant for online learning, but from my more introverted perspective, I’ll make a go at it from her recommended points (at ~16:30 minutes in to the talk)

1) Stop the madness for constant group work.

The point here: she mentions that research suggests a third to half of people tend to have introvert characteristics and they do great work. Many of these people perform best when they work in a quiet physical and mental space. After they have had a think though period of time, they are better prepared to interact with the group.

2) Go to the wilderness and have your own revelations.

The point here: If you need to, make time to think and contemplate about what the task at hand is.

I think this fits in with the Brain rule of get exercise.

3) Take a look at what is in your own suitcase (either tending toward introversion or extroversion) and utilize what is in it (and respect what other people have in their suitcases as well)

If you happen to read her book, many of her observations and research that she cites can be linked back to this brain list in terms of sleep, stress, sensory integration, and exploration.

Successful online learning can be very beneficial for the person who tends to be on the introvert side of things. In the common tips that Larissa sent out, in the first list from U of Illinois, #4 and # 7 are very relevant to introverts. #4 Make sure you have a private space where you can study. And #7 Take advantage of your anonymity.

This one is meaningful to both introverts and extroverts:

#2 “Participate! Whether you are working alone, or in a group, contribute your ideas, perspective and comments on the subject you are studying, and read about those of your classmates. Your instructor is not the only source of information in your course—you can gain great insight from your peers and they can learn from you as well.”

I can’t remember where exactly I’ve picked these up, but they are helpful to keep in mind:

If you have a question or observation that has not already been stated, chances are that someone else will have the same question or observation – so make it.

It’s not obvious until it has been made obvious.

It’s only intuitive when it is familiar.

Regards,

Bernie

Re: Activity 2 - Successful online learning strategies

от Patrick Parrish - понедельник, 24 ноября 2014, 20:13

This is an excellent contribution Bernie! Points that can be overlooked. If we had ratings set up, I would rate this post at the highest level for responding, reflecting, and expanding. I resonate with all your points.

(I have read a good portion of the book. Thanks for pointing it out. It is timely and valuable.)

Patrick

Re: Activity 2 - Successful online learning strategies

от Larissa Timofeyeva - среда, 26 ноября 2014, 17:17

Hello Bernie

Your post and Patrick's comments made that evening a pleasure )

You have added a really valuable resources to the collection, which I have been completing since CALMet beginning)

As for introverts (and more broadly - different learning styles) - I still remember a 10-year boy who said to his teacher:

- If there would be only games I won't go!

If it is possible, teachers should let students chose the way of acting that they prefer. And there will be someone who would work alone, while

others will form duets, small groups .... In other words, let students create (on their own) the basis of the learning environment that better suits them.

Re: Activity 2 - Successful online learning strategies

от Izolda Marcinonienė - вторник, 25 ноября 2014, 09:27

Hello Roger,

only today I had (and hope will have) time to flick through Activity 2. For me,not English speaker, the most important feature during online lectures-fluent language (clear speach, good tempo and very little slang or specific impressions). And slides should be not too crowded with text. So both video talks a) and b) are an excample not WHAT are they talking about but HOW they are talking and presenting the material.

Btw, I liked P. Norvig's certificate-he showed not only attendence at trainings but also evaluation.Not only students should change the way how they look at the world -the same fits to teachers:) Thanks a lot for introdusing us with these great people!

Izolda

Re: Activity 2 - Successful online learning strategies

от Larissa Timofeyeva - среда, 26 ноября 2014, 18:28

Hi Izolda

Being another non-native speaker I would join your words about use of English by presenters. And would like to thank CALMet 2014 facilitators for providing most of their materials with written summaries. This does help. While face-to face teaching relevant hand out might be used to enhance involvement and understanding.

Yes, Izolda, you have pointed out the Certificate!!!

Students work for them to impress parents or friends (and many other stakeholders), teachers - to impress their students )

Larissa