Principles of Distance Education: October 2011

Siemen discussed in the video that participative pedagogy is collaboration and teamwork in curricular activities. The key to a successful learning community is collaboration and teamwork. The instructor must provide clear instructions for all activities and a detailed rubric for assessment. I can see how assessment may be difficult to grade when some students are more actively involved in the learning community than others. Siemen also discussed three models for assessment in a collaborative environment. The models are students assess their peers, students receive feedback from online communities, and educators assess based on student contributions. I personally believe students should be assessed based on what is required of them for a particular assignment. I can see how some members of a learning community could disagree with this idea if they are going above and beyond the expectations for these assignments. If the instructor’s rubric is understood, then there should be no misunderstanding about assessment.

I learned from the writing of Palloff and Pratt how important it is for members of a learning community to be active and maintain participation to achieve the desired goal. The goal of the learning community is to acquire knowledge by collaborating with others. I am aware of the benefits of communicating with professionals in and out of my field of work. Each member of the learning community should be aware of the role they play and how they are a crucial component. We are all aware of the difficulties that arise in our daily lives. We should be understanding for our partners and willing to help each other stay on track. An email or phone call to provide support and show concern could be what it takes to get someone back on track. This is essential for maintaining a successful learning community and achieving the overall goal.

References:

Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2005). Collaborating online: Learning together in community. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Laureate Education, Inc. (2008). Principles of Distance Education. Baltimore: Author

Principles of Distance Education

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Engaging Learners with New Strategies and Tools

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Assessing Collaborative Efforts

Monday, October 10, 2011

Storyboard for Video Presentation