Expanding Classroom Communication with an Online Medium

1

• Expanding Classroom Communication with an Online
  Medium
• Slavit, David 2002
• Presentation by
• Ruchi Mehta, ETAP 723
• October 9, 2006

2

• Learning
• Comunication
• Reflection
• Instructional Technology to be used to promote
  individual and group reflection.

3

• Electronic Communication
• Textual (not face-to-face)
• Asynchronous

4

• Electronic communication
• Textual (not face-to-face)
• Asynchronous
• Less intimidated
• Active participation
• Less bias
• Increased levels of reflection

5

• Instructors Role
• Supportive environmental structure for meaningful
  discourse to occur
• (Nonis, Bronack and Heaton, 2000)
• Simply inserting e-communication is not enough
  for its enhancement (Espinoza et. al, 2000)
• What is needed?

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• Speakeasy
• Flexible, interactive online space designed to
  enable a formation of a community independent (to
  some extent) of constraints of time and place.
• Easily navigable, non-threatening virtual forum
  that can directly support classroom interactions.

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• Use of Technology
• 10 tables with various topics for an
  asynchronous, virtual discussion
• Focus questions were provided, and space made for
  student-generated issues related to course topics
• Weekly posts, 10 weeks.
• Respond to a response of a response

8

• Study Design
• Analysis of perceived usefulness of Speakeasy
• - Classroom Survey
• - Quantitative nature of student
  activity
• - Weekly conversations with
  individual students
• - Monitoring by instructor

9
D

• Results
• Slavit, D (2002)

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• Study Design
• Impact on Student Learning
• - Natural archive of all chat activity
• - Comments analyzed for relevance to
  course topics
• - Trends in vocality of students in real
  and virtual media
• - Differences in the amount and nature of
  student communication due to technology

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• Results
• Average 11.7 posts during 10 weeks
• (2 per week for first 2 weeks)
• Initiation and response type posts Equal
• 69 made an entry each week, average of 3 weekly
  missing entries
• Electronic forum allowed their response to be
  carefully crafted Reflection

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• Significance
• Providing conversational areas
• Group construction of knowledge and beliefs
  related to classroom practice.
• Space and opportunity to express, reflect,
  discuss and learn

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• How can educators design instructional practices
  using electronic communication that incorporate
  social interactions and reflective processes?

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• Teacher Education
• Instructor monitoring and support
• Defining topics of discussion
• Facilitating course discussion
• Opportunities for reflection and growth

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• https//my.wsu.edu/portal/page?_pageid177,205302
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