Wiki Lesson Continued...the Wiki Project Summary

Well this feels a little anti-climatic but here goes for the final blog...this week I to meet class requirements I chose one of the group activities from last week and expanded it by incorporating the case studies wiki activity found in Chpt 4 of the West and West book.  Enjoy...

CHALLENGES FACING UNDERGRADUATE INSTRUCTORS

Lesson Summary (excerpt) - Wiki Project (Critical Thinking)

(Note: Items italicized are directions for the instructor)

Case Study #1 - Class Size

Purpose

The following purpose must be presented by the instructor to the students to develop interest and provide the main objective.

Provide the following abstract to the student groups:

“Explain the possible consequences of increased class sizes Kansas State University undergraduate classes and what challenges this causes first year undergrad instructors.  Propose possible solutions.”

Frame

Homepage

On the homepage the instructor should include the following introductory information to provide context:

“A new president has just been appointed at KSU.  She is determined to get the first and second year class sizes under control and reduce them to a more manageable number of students.  A number of professors and students alike have been complaining about this for sometime.”

Example of Case Study expectations can be found on the following site:

Case Study Research Guide - University of Calgary

https://webdisk.ucalgary.ca/~nmstuewe/public_html/CaseStudy/pdf/completingcasestudyresearch.pdf

Don’t forget to promulgate links to each student groups’ pages on the introductory page!

Guidelines for Completion

Students should be provided with the following excerpts to give additional background information on the Case Study:

“The president has appointed your group as part of her task force to look into solutions.  Your group is to brain storm, discuss and present potential solutions for managing first year class sizes.  What are the challenges associated with class sizes?”

Additional direction to the students must provide the actual case study assignment and expectations.  Instructors must list the following aim and deliverable to the students on the home page to ensure student comprehension of what is expected:

“Your group has to come up with a wiki listing challenges associated with class size.  Along with the challenges, case studies and potential solutions will be expected.  Be creative!”

Grading Rubric is listed in Annex A.

Case Study Material Page

On this page instructors should place and organize supporting materials to aid student analysis.  This material is only meant as a launch pad for students as they are expected to perform some original research and do their own analysis (West & West, page 83).

Artifacts

- Link to memo from KSU President (publish on wiki instructor homepage) as this will provide greater detail on the background of the case study

Analysis aids

• eListen Survey software: This should only be offered to students who have previous experience and desire to survey students (examples include measuring student and professor frustration with class size)
• SPSS:  If students demonstrate advanced analytical abilities, then provide access to SPSS to aid data interpretation and data manipulation

Useful links (to other examples of Case Studies, Learning Aids, and supplementary information):

Transport Canada examples of Case Studies

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/programs/environment-utsp-casestudylibrary-229.htm

York University Tutorials

http://www.yorku.ca/tutorial/academic_integrity/caseintro.html

Kansas State University President homepage

http://www.k-state.edu/president/profile/

Case Study Solution Page

This separate page is to be set up to provide students with a place where each group can engage in case analysis and build a solution (West & West, page 84).

The following phases should be included:

Research

• As the groups research and build their knowledge base, they will require an area where they can share ideas.  Therefore it is important to provide a space where students can organize and coordinate activities related to this.

Analysis

• Once the research phase is completed, students will then begin to organize and structure their ideas in a such a way as to be able to analyze the data.  Provide a separate area where students can brainstorm and discuss their interpretations of the data.  Provide additional online communication tools as required (e.g. chatroom)

Writing

• This is the final phase where students construct the finished findings.  If the students are weaker, make use of scaffolding to provide a structure students can utilize for their finished product.

(Adopted from West & West, page 84).

Group Management

• Case studies will have a maximum of three people, no more
• By mid-week instructor should be able to gage student comfort level and competence, release additional information pertaining to KSU Class Size Faculty Board report as required
• Indicate to students that previous KSU Class Size Working Group members will be available to interview and consult

Additional Resources

Provide additional resources as required by students (e.g KSU Class Size Faculty Board Report).  Remember that students are expected to conduct the bulk of their research and the instructors role is to step back and function as an online facilitator.

Annex A

ASSESSMENT PLAN

Summary: Students will be graded as per rubric below.

Wiki Project Collaboration
Criteria	Exemplary	Above Avg	Mediocre	Way unsat
Constructive Process	All group members made frequent and constructive contributions	Most group members made substantial efforts to contribute	Most members made some sort of contribution	One or two members attempted to carry group
Balanced Contributions	All group members worked to complete projects in assigned roles	All group members contributed but some had to step in to complete certain tasks	Long pouty silences followed by maniacal periods of sweat filled desperation	Fights broke out between group members and police were called

(Loosely adopted from West & West, page 43)

References

West, J.A. & West, M.L.  (2009).  Using wikis for online collaboration.  San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass.

Lesson in Wiki lessons...

This week's Blog is a bit of a non-blog.
For your viewing pleasure I have constructed a fake lesson for a fake course for new university instructors.  This course is how to be an instructor and the lesson is on "challenges facing first year university instructors".  It includes wikis as the main means of instruction and the elements for wiki lessons as listed in West & West, chapters 2 & 3.  Hope you find it interesting.  This was a pain in the some place to come up with...

LESSON TITLE:

CHALLENGES FACING UNDERGRADUATE INSTRUCTORS - WIKI

Lesson Summary

Performance/lesson outcome: Students shall explain the current challenges facing the university instructor in a first year undergraduate class.

Target Audience:

Newly hired university professors enrolled in KSU University Instructor Teaching program, College of Education.

Conditions:

Given: Computer access; LMS; LMS-based wiki; LMS-based video and virtual whiteboard

Denied: Nil

Environment: Virtual Classroom/Wiki/Combination synchronous & asynchronous

Standard: Students shall work collaboratively to create a wiki explaining the challenges facing an undergraduate class as per Annex A and the assessment plan (Annex B).

Main Teaching Points: 

1. Identify current challenges facing an instructor conducting a first year undergraduate class (Stage 1);
2. Collaboratively categorize these challenges (Stage 1);
3. Research the challenges your group identified (Stage 2); and
4. Construct final wiki that explains each of the challenges facing an instructor of a first year undergraduate level class (Stage 2). 

Method: This lesson will be accomplished by a combination of individual readings, interactive small group activities using a wiki, and a final deliverable project (completed wiki).  Students will be required to work collaboratively in the assigned groups to research and populate a wiki meeting the requirements of their respective assigned projects.  The students will be broken into three groups, each with a different set of contextual challenges.  Each group shall construct separate wikis and then upon completion evaluate the other groups’ wikis jointly.  The instructor will then present via a live synchronous virtual class a summary of the evaluations, challenges facing undergraduate instructors and review of lesson objectives.  Instructor should engage students interactively by means of Q&A discussion with students regarding lesson objectives.

Duration/Time: One week group work + 60 minute synchronous virtual class

References.

Davis, B.G. (2009).  Tools for Teaching.  San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass.

Kansas State University.  (2012).  Fake Instructors Guide to Conducting Interactive Discussions.  Manhattan, KS:  Fake KSU Press.

West, J.A. & West, M.L.  (2009).  Using wikis for online collaboration.  San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass.

Training/Learning Aids:

LMS announcement page detailing assignment, wiki module in LMS, Virtual Classroom with video and chat features.  Students may use any available academic reference so long as it complies with Kansas State policy for proper citation and plagiarism policies.

Note to the instructor:

Ensure the students have sufficient understanding of wiki format from module 1.  The success of this lesson depends on the students having a high level of comfort with wiki and electronic formats prior to attempting this lesson.  Access to this lesson may have to depend on an online threshold knowledge quiz to gage knowledge of student awareness of module 1 and technology proficiency.

Lesson Plan Outline

Stage One

Using LMS announcement page:

• Introduce lesson outlining an explanation of the lesson, expectations, and lesson objectives
• Present list of students showing which one of three groups they are in and include attachment for their respective group scenarios (see Annex A)
• List required readings to provide initial background on respective subjects
• Link to wiki website
• Students are then expected to do the readings and collaboratively achieve teaching points one and two

Stage Two

Using the wiki module in the LMS, students shall:

• Conduct further research and populate their respective group wikis with information pertaining to the challenges they identified in stage one
• Format their wikis and continue to refine material listed on their wikis
• Expected to achieve teaching points three and four
• Evaluate the wikis of their peers as per instructions listed under method in lesson summary & rubric in Annex B

Stage Three

Using virtual classroom module with in LMS, the instructor shall by video and virtual whiteboard:

• Present a summary of the evaluations
• Highlight and review challenges facing undergraduate instructors as per the group wikis
• Review lesson objectives with student via interactive discussion

NOTE:  The lesson confirmation is based on final deliverable (wiki) and concluded by reviewing challenges and lesson objectives.  Instructors should be satisfied the objectives have been achieved through the necessary discussion with students in Stage Three.

Consult the Instructors Guide to Conducting Interactive Discussions should there be any question of how to achieve this.

Annex A

SCENARIOS/CHALLENGES

SCENARIO #1

CLASS SIZE

Objective

Explain the consequences of class sizes and what challenges this causes first year undergrad instructors.  Propose possible solutions.

Background

A new president has just been appointed at KSU.  She is determined to get the first and second year class sizes under control and reduce them to a more manageable number of students.  A number of professors and students alike have been complaining about this for sometime.

Aim

The president has appointed your group as part of her task force to look into solutions.  Your group is to brain storm, discuss and present potential solutions for managing first year class sizes.  What are the challenges associated with class sizes?

Scope

Your group has to come up with a wiki listing challenges associated with class size.  Along with the challenges, case studies and potential solutions will be expected.  Be creative!

SCENARIO #2

INFLATED GRADES

Objective

Explain the consequences of inflated grades class and what challenges this causes first year undergrad instructors.  Propose possible solutions.

Background

Kansas has come under fire in the media for allowing grade inflation to become endemic in its universities.  In response the Governor has made a it a priority to combat this.  In response KSU’s administration has decided to look into grade inflation itself to determine what, if anything, can be done.  A committee of professors who teach first years has been put together to look into grade inflation in their respective classes.

Aim

As members of the team, you need to determine what challenges grade inflation poses for KSU and what alternatives may exisit.

Scope

Your group has to come up with a wiki listing challenges associated with inflated grades.  Along with the challenges, case studies and potential solutions will be expected.  Be creative!

SCENARIO #3

TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM

Objective

Present a summary of the challenges technology presents to first year undergrad courses.  Also come up with potential solutions.

Background

An ambitious new Dean of the Social Sciences faculty has made it a priority to ensure every classroom and sylabus has the latest technology and all professors incorporate it into their lectures, lessons and courses.  This is met with opposition amongst some of the faculty members.  Other professors and lecturers think this new focus is long over due.  In order to satisfy the debate senior members from several departments are meeting to explore the benefits and drawbacks of adopting more technology in the classroom and in course sylabi.

Aim

You are each a member of this group that’s charged with exploring technology.  It is expected that the group will look at different aspects of technology and how they could be applied to teaching.  The drawbacks of more technology should also be examined.

Scope

Your group has to come up with a wiki listing challenges associated with technology and its impact on first year classes.  Along with the challenges, case studies and potential solutions will be expected.  Be creative!

Annex B

ASSESSMENT PLAN

Summary: Students will be graded as per rubric below.

Note: Group peer evaluation shall be composed of parts C & D.

RUBRIC

1.  Group evaluations - 20%.  Base ten percent on each groups respective evaluation.
2. Group comments on other wikis - 20%.  Base ten percent on each groups’ respective comments/feedback provided on their evaluation of another group.  The ten percent mark should be based on the quality and quantity of comments and constructive feedback provided to the other group.  The group’s feedback should be relevant, linked to the material in the wiki, and be constructive in nature.
3.  Content - 30%.  What is the range and depth of material present in the wiki?  The content should come from proper academic sources, be current and relevant.  Ten percent should be allocated to the number and quality of links, media, and other material supplementing the main text.
4. Format - 30%.  The information in the wiki should be properly formatted including grammar and clarity of the information.  Proper spelling, punctuation, typos and other similar errors can be distracting.  Ten percent should be allocated for proper citation format, see APA Style Guide, 6th edition.

To Wiki or not to Wiki, that is the Blog question

Hey, what other image could I choose for a Blog post about Wikis???

Okay, this week's exciting discussion is on the Pros and Cons of Wikis.

A couple years ago, wikis were suddenly a hot idea amongst some of the Lt Colonels and other Poobahs of the RCAF & CF.  Great, they heard about this at some conference or were keen and read about it in some paper.  Problem is no one knew precisely what a Wiki was or exactly how to apply it to a military setting.

At its simplest a wiki is "an online collaborative writing tool" (West & West, p. 3).  Elaborating on this it is an online space where a group of people can add content and edit each others work and publish this information (West & West, p. 3).  Okay, that said, let me predicate this blog on the idea mentioned before, a blog or wiki or whatever, is just another methodology, a tool, to use to achieve learning.  Using the analogy "the right tool for the right job", so too must a wiki be chosen for its specific purpose.  So when would one chose to use a wiki?

Application

According to West & West* wikis can be used to build an archive of resources on a specific subject/topic, utilized as a means for group debate, and/or to create a group project (West & West, p. 6).

Pros

As stated in King & Cox, eds., "blogs have the potential to be a transformative technology for teaching and learning because of their reach into the virtual world of learners" (p. 97).  Quite a powerful statement.  Wikis offer learners a collaborative place and tool that is free from time and space constraints.  It is possible to have discussions, keep information current, not rely on one person's point of view or bias, and draw on a greater selection of resources.

Now my one criticism of both books are they are short on the negative points of wikis.  Let me qualify this first by saying I have not read the whole of the West & West book.  However, I still expect authors who are trying to sell a book about wikis would not be my own first choice to look for wiki negatives.  From a different perspective Davis says regarding wikis that "the collaboration of many contributors lends breath and depth to the entries even as it endangers accuracy and objectivity" (p. 184).

Cons

Well as we like to say in the Canada Forces, "garbage in, garbage out".  Wikis are like any other media, they are dependent and are only as good as their content and the information contained in them.  This is not a problem if the authors for a particular wiki are all experts in their field.  However, this could be a problem if the backgrounds of the various authors are not checked or verified.  This opens a greater possibility for poor information to be input, a frequent criticism of Wikipedia (West & West, p. 3).  Let me also qualify this by saying that an amateur historian or self-taught individual might know more than a so-called expert, but this does not negate the obligation to ensure the authors are informed in the area they are constructing a wiki for.

A second major draw back is the same problem shared by any group project.  As they say in the Navy a "fleet is only as fast as its slowest ship".  Being collaborative in nature means a wiki is dependent on its authors working together to achieve the common goal.  A wiki used as an educational tool offers many advantages as outlined in the previous sections but the drawback that some authors may have to do more if one or two others in the group don't carry their own weight.  Let me also qualify this by saying this will most definitely not be a problem with my super awesome graduate course classmates:)

Challenges

As I have already mentioned in previous posts, in my own experience with trying to set up a wiki was the constant worry from Aviation Technicians that someone might introduce a short-cut that may not adhere to all safety standards or introduce an idea or procedure that is "the wrong way to do it".  With a huge segment of the Baby Boomers retiring, there will be a dearth of experience within some RCAF technical trades.  A wiki is an excellent collaborative space to group knowledge based on experience for select topics.  However, with concerns over Flight Safety, Transport Canada Regs, Air Force Orders, etc it is no surprise that senior technicians were wary of creating wikis.  Also with such technical applications as fuel module replacement or jet engine repair, wikis may not be as useful for training new technicians until they are more experienced in the basic skill sets.

As alluded to above, training and education may require different tools to achieve learning.  As per Goldstein and Ford "To maximize learning potential, training designers must examine the methods and techniques available and choose the training approach most appropriate for the behaviors being trained" (p. 220).  For the Cognitive Domain wikis are perhaps more appropriate.  However, as many organizations are training tasks within the Psychomotor domain or skill-sets other than critical thinking, wikis may have more limited use within the training field when compared to education.

To Sum up...

Wikis offer a great place for group collaboration to create content by a group of like minded individuals who are working towards a common purpose and goal.  Challenges remain with content control and certain technical standards.  However, this should not scare aware educators from adapting wikis as a potential tool. As with any tool there are certain pros and cons, the strengths and merits should be weighed when deciding which too to use.

Again, it is all in the course design!!!

* Misc info:  neither one of them ever played batman or guest starred on Family Guy.

References Cited/Consulted

Davis, B.G.  (2009).  Tools for teaching.  San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass.

Goldstein, I.L. & Ford, J.K  (2002).  Training in organizations.  4th ed.  Belmont, CA:  Wadsworth.

King, K.P & Cox, T.C.  Eds.  (2011).  The professor's guide to taming technology.  Charlotte, NC:  Information Age Publishing, Inc.

West, J.A. & West, M.L.  (2009).  Using wikis for online collaboration.  San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass.

Rise of the E-Classroom

Wow, four days have flow by and time for another post.  Lots of exciting topics in education this week from the protests in Hong Kong over compulsory government civics classes professing the greatness .... well, I'll leave out my interpretation of the what the proposed civics courses were...to the potential lock-out of teachers in Ontario and the continued evolution of the teacher's role in the modern class.

Interesting story on the CBC this morning on the show the Sunday edition in the second hour.  The story was on the MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses).  These classes are offered by big universities, often in conjunction with Silicon Valley companies.  The companies provide expertise for coding and programming.  The spiritual inspirations were TED talks and the Kahn Academy.  The basic concept is a utopian but powerful idea, offer top rate free online courses that cover the same material as the traditional F2F classes in bricks and mortar schools.  The ultimate aspect of the courses is anyone in any part of the globe with an internet connection can register and take these courses.

I will not summarize more than I have, I will let you listen for yourselves.

http://www.cbc.ca/thesundayedition/shows/2012/09/09/universities-in-the-digital-age/

The pros for this type of learning I think are self explanatory:  student centred, liberating, available anytime, etc.

However, the cons are actually more interesting (in my opinion).  Some include, how to assure the student at the other end of the tablet or computer is the person they claim to be taking it, the right form or online design to maximize learning, the best way to test people, etc.

It offers a chance to liberate the learner and ultimately achieve the much toted goal of an educated workforce.  However, just as the authors/editors Kathleen King and Thomas Cox talk about the learning transformation in their book, The Professor's Guide to Taming Technology, the gulf between the new learning technology and the support structure (e.g. academic accreditation) still exists.  We have not yet closed the gap.  How do we do this?

Now point of clarification, the MOOCs are not trying to replicate the classroom experience online but are in fact trying to exist as an online environment with a unique design and complete learning experience; potentially a truly transformational learning experience.

Blogging vs Discussion Boards ... what an exciting topic

So, I am now finally doing my long delayed Masters degree at an unspecified university somewhere in Kansas.  One of the requirements for this course is to write a Blog.  Now I am thinking that I normally associate blogs with angry left-leaning political commentators.  I had no idea what the hell a blog was until I started to actually read up on it in our course text books.

The Prof, KH, not his real name, asked us two questions:  is blogging the same as a discussion board and is there any value in it as a tool or exercise for the adult learner.  Well this is difficult to answer as now I have read the theoretical benefits listed in the Kathleen King and Thomas Cox book The Professor's Guide to Taming Technology, but as yet do not have any practical experience using it in the classroom or even writing a blog myself (yes, this is my first blog, oh brave new world).  With this in mind, let us first define a blog.  It is "a series of time-stamped entries posted by the blog's creator, each of which is followed by comments contributed by readers" (Davis, p. 183).  Some suggested educational uses include providing unvarnished points of view and invites for conversations, forum for peer review of work done, and answers for course content (Davis, p. 183).

From my vantage point this provides some useful tools for an educator and student.  As a Blog is on the web and accessible to the public, it is not confined to the closed loop of a university or organization's LMS (Learning Management System).  This means anyone from around the world can discuss with the blogger the merits of her/his post; a very powerful concept to exchange a full range of ideas (King & Cox, p. 97).  One of my own questions was how does a blog then differ from an online chatroom?  From viewing various blogs and posts, it would appear to be a more formal setting than any online chatroom, more likely that certain academic standards will be upheld.  This in essence addresses the problem Socrates had with the written word, you can't have a debate with a book.  A blog means the writer can now have exchanges with anyone world wide.

One of the more interesting concepts that grabbed my attention was the idea of a blog as means to capture learning in progress.  A Blog can function as "repositories of student work; or as journals for chronicling a doctoral student's journey from beginning states to dissertation" (King & Cox, p. 98).  A Blog can function as any student's journal for chronicling learning, not just a Post-grad student.  This is a very powerful concept that can illustrate the pathways of learning and allow educators the chance to witness the learning that is occurring first hand.

Now what might be some of the disadvantages?  Well for one a Blog could be personality based, meaning someone who is shy or does not wish to post to the world will be uncomfortable doing so.  From my own experience working with Aviation Technicians, some of whom were very uncomfortable with technology, a Blog may not be the best choice.  It was hard enough to get the Technicians posting on a closed discussion panel, I can't imagine them being very welcoming of the idea of posting on the world wide web.  Another draw back is the very strict standards that must be upheld in an industry like aviation repair.  As a Blog is public and most anyone can post relies, certain errors or deviations from the accepted Standard might be introduced that can lead to later errors.  This is what killed the concept of using Wikis in aviation technician training.

Another suggested benefits of the Blog is it can capture the "a-ha" moment (King & Cox, 94).  This is debatable as "a-ha" or eureka moments are considered by some to be myth (presentation made panel discussion at CSTD conference in Toronto, November 2011).  More importantly and relevant is Blogs are not continuous but a series of snap-shots that might miss the so called eureka or "a-ha" moment.

A neutral point, neither good nor bad is the hybrid nature of a Blog.  It is part journal, partly formal, partly informal, and slightly compressed with quick updates but unlike Twitter not instantaneous updates.  As with any hybrid, it can do many things but it lacks the full benefits of a formal paper (less space for reflective points), is not instantaneous (like Twitter), exchanges can occur but still in a limited "to and fro" formats.  This is not to say it is a poor method of information exchange, only one where an Educator should be familiar with the benefits and drawbacks of the Blog and understand it before deciding to include it as a instructional method in any course design.

So here is to the Blog as a means to further the dialogue of Adult Education.  Not such a bad experience but it will still take some getting used to.  Oh well, as St. Augustine said "per molestias eruditio" (Cahill, 95).


Sources Cited

Davis, B.G.  (2009).  Tools for Teaching.  San Francisco:  Jossey-Bass.

King, K.P. & Cox, T.D., eds.  (2011).  The Professor's Guide to Taming Technology.  Charlotte, NC:  Information age Publishing, Inc.

Sources Consulted

Cahill, T.  (1995).  How the Irish Saved Civilization.  New York, NY:  Double Day.

While not directly cited, this provided the quote for St. Augustine and provided insight into the ideas of the Socratic means of learning and learning as understood in classical times.