RSA 4: Skype in the Classroom

RSA 4: Skype in the Classroom

http://www.wtvi.com/teks/05_06_articles/skype-in-the-classroom.html

            Online learning communities are a great place for building group collaboration. Students learn to work together and depend on one another to reach their learning goals and to elevate their learning experiences (Palloff & Pratt, 2007). One example of this is learning through the Internet because it allows groups of people to connect from all over the world and it provides a more thorough understanding of the content they are studying. Teacher can assign their students to search the Internet for articles about the content and use that knowledge in assignments. Instructors can also create collaborative connections with others learning the same topic in other universities around the world. Classes could communicate with other instructors, specialists, and students in the same field. This type of collaborative online learning provides limitless possibilities and “can greatly enhance the educational experience” (Palloff & Pratt, 2007).

            “Internet connectivity in educational settings provides opportunities for interactive exchange and collaboration between students living on other sides of town or the other side of the planet, states Wesley Fryer, author of Skype in the Classroom (2005). Skype is free software on the Intranet that allows real-time discussions through high-quality audio calls to others on Skype (Fryer, 2005). This authentic learning engages students in collaborative group work by talking with others through video. Skype is an educational and motivational tool that expands outside of traditional education settings. As education is evolving so is the way students learn. Skype is an active way to gain information from the Internet through group collaboration that will be converted into knowledge (Fryer, 2005).

            Group collaboration with online communities promotes interdependence, which is critical for online learning. Instructors who do not promote collaborative learning in online communities create an environment where there is little participation and less engagement in learning (Palloff & Pratt, 2007). Skype is a technology tool that motivates students to communicate with authentic learning opportunities. Students can conference online with communities globally. This is a extraordinary teaching tool that expands student learning and knowledge though a group environment.

References

Fryer, Wesley A. (2005). Skype in the Classroom. Retrieved from

            http://www.wtvi.com/teks/05_06_articles/skype-in-the-classroom.html.

Palloff, R., & Pratt, K. (2007). Building Online Learning Communities: Effective

            strategies for the virtual classroom, (2^nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. ISBN:

978-0-7879-8825-8.

RSA 3: Creating an Online Learning Community: Is it Possible?

RSA 3: Creating an Online Learning Community: Is it Possible?

http://dx.doi.org.rwlib.neiu.edu:2048/10.1007/s10755-011-9188-6

In the book, Building Online Learning Communities, Palloff  and Pratt state that “learning in the distance education environment cannot be passive” (2007). It is important to create a sense of community with shared goals so that students can present themselves as a “real” person in an online course (Palloff and Pratt, 2007). Online classes offer the opportunity for a different environment for learning. The traditional lecture model, that doesn’t work for all students, is disregarded. Because of this, more active learners can interact within their collaborative groups, which is very valuable in their learning process. Introvert students can open up more and share their ideas in a safe environment. The interaction among the students creates knowledge and meaning, which is what makes online learning communities work. Also, the facilitation of the instructor is very important in helping to create a strong community in online communities. The key elements that Palloff and Pratt state should be present in an online community are “organized into three groupings – people, purpose, and process – and believe that the outcome of a well-constructed, community-oriented online course is reflective/transformative learning” (2007).

Online learning communities face the challenge of creating an environment that builds a community between the students and staff. The instructor shares the responsibilities in assisting the online community to nurture interactive learning. “The sense of community in an educational environment encourages collaboration, sharing, and relationships to enhance student learning outcomes” (Murdock and Williams, 2011). Murdock and Williams state there is research that shows that establishing learning communities strengthens student learning (2011). “The building of relationships in an online learning community enables the development of a supportive peer network, brings together the social and academic roles of students, and facilitates collaborative and interactive learning (Murdock and Williams, 2011). In this article, Murdock and Williams conducted a study to see if there was a difference in student perceptions of learning communities in an online and on-campus setting. The results stated that students felt no significant difference between an online or on-campus learning community (Murdock and Williams, 2011).  

Both readings proclaim that it is challenging to create a strong sense of community in an online community, unlike the ease of creating on-campus communities. Instructors should be innovative and adaptive (Murdock and Williams, 2011; Palloff and Pratt, 2007). “Instructors of online courses can facilitate the development of an online learning community by adapting instructional techniques to promote students’ sense of connection, engagement, and responsibility (Murdock and Williams, 2011; Palloff and Pratt, 2007). When this occurs, student satisfaction rates are high, dropout rates are lower, and learning online is successful. Within the last decade, the educational system is changing because of the advancement of technology. Education models are changing with time and are allowing students a new innovative and collaborative way of learning in online communities. When online instructors are able to create a safe atmosphere and community, online learning is just as successful as face-to-face learning model (Palloff and Pratt, 2007).  

References

Murdock, J. L., & Williams, A. M. (2011). Creating an Online Learning Community: Is It

            Possible?. Innovative Higher Education, 36(5), 305-315.

Palloff, R., & Pratt, K. (2007). Building Online Learning Communities: Effective

            strategies for the virtual classroom, (2^nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. ISBN:

978-0-7879-8825-8.