Unplugging the Classroom. Teaching with Technologies to Promote Students' Lifelong Learning [1st Edition] 9780081020364, 9780081020357

Table of contents :
Content:
Front-matter,Copyright,List of contributors,About the editors,About the authors,PrefaceEntitled to full text1 - Learning through dynamic design and animation, Pages 1-11
2 - Creating digital videos in an ESL learning community to develop communication skills and content area knowledge, Pages 13-35
3 - Unplugging with off-the-gridders, Pages 37-45
4 - PROS: A self-guided process for assignment completion and meaningful learning, Pages 47-58
5 - The use of free resources to facilitate anytime-anywhere learning, Pages 59-74
6 - I teach, therefore iPad: Improving asynchronous learning through formative assessment, Pages 75-91
7 - The selfie (and ussie) as identity in the classroom, Pages 93-102
8 - Rhizomes of the classroom: Enabling the learners to become the curriculum, Pages 103-118
9 - Supporting the conceptualization of student innovation projects through peer and expert feedback on virtual pitches, Pages 119-135
10 - Synchronous “elevator pitch”: Teaching digital communication literacy with peer consultation and self-assessment, Pages 137-147
11 - Effective use of technology for asynchronous learning to elevate students’ knowledge and problem-solving ability, Pages 149-158
12 - STEM to social awareness: Connecting the dots through audio storytelling with podcasts, Pages 159-167
13 - Asynchronous blogging as a mechanism to enhance students’ conceptual understanding of the epidemiological and public health ramifications of microbial diseases, Pages 169-176
14 - Ten-story building: App development for ESL, Pages 177-186
15 - Global classrooms: Creating international collaborative initiatives, Pages 187-213
16 - Integration: Theory to everyday life, Pages 215-223
17 - How rich media and discussion boards in online classes can foster student learning and an understanding of online social activism: A special focus on Black Lives Matter, Pages 225-235
Index, Pages 237-246

Citation preview

Unplugging the Classroom

Unplugging the Classroom Teaching with Technologies to Promote Students' Lifelong Learning

Edited by

Sharmila Pixy Ferris Hilary Wilder

Chandos Publishing is an imprint of Elsevier 50 Hampshire Street, 5th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, OX5 1GB, United Kingdom Copyright © 2017 Sharmila Pixy Ferris and Hilary Wilder. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Details on how to seek permission, further information about the Publisher’s permissions policies and our arrangements with organizations such as the Copyright Clearance Center and the Copyright Licensing Agency, can be found at our website: www.elsevier.com/permissions. This book and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by the Publisher (other than as may be noted herein). Notices Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary. Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility. To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress ISBN: 978-0-08-102035-7 (print) ISBN: 978-0-08-102036-4 (online) For information on all Chandos Publishing visit our website at https://www.elsevier.com/books-and-journals

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List of contributors

Asem F. Aboelzahab Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States Gordon Alley-Young Kingsborough Community College, Brooklyn, NY, United States Jodi Cataline Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States Dana C. D’Angelo Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States Elisabetta Fasella University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, United States Kevin Garrison Angelo State University, San Angelo, TX, United States Eileen M. Grodziak Pennsylvania State University, Center Valley, PA, United States Kathy L. Jackson Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States Karen E. Kackley-Dutt Pennsylvania State University, Center Valley, PA, United States Jean P. Kelly Otterbein University, Westerville, OH, United States Jennifer Kienzle University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States Apostolos Koutropoulos University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, United States Mark J.W. Lee Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia Juhong C. Liu James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, United States; Education Advisory Board, Washington, DC, United States Thomas J. Liu New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ, United States Paul E. Mabrey III James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, United States; Education Advisory Board, Washington, DC, United States Madhu Mahalingam University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, United States

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List of contributors

Ellie Miller James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, United States; Education Advisory Board, Washington, DC, United States Karobi Moitra Trinity Washington University, Washington, DC, United States Claire Monroe New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ, United States Sasha Nikolic University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia Jeffrey T. Olimpo The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, United States Crystal M. Ramsay Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States Christian H. Ritz University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia Jacquelyn R. Rufo  James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, United States; Education Advisory Board, Washington, DC, United States Carrie Scheckelhoff Otterbein University, Westerville, OH, United States Christopher Shamburg New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ, United States Emilee L. Simmons University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom Jeffrey P. Smith Otterbein University, Westerville, OH, United States Susan A. Stearns Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA, United States Tia C.M. Tyree Howard University, Washington, DC, United States

About the editors

Sharmila P. Ferris is a professor in the Department of Communication at William Paterson University, teaching undergraduate courses in Communication Studies and graduate courses in the Professional Communication MA. Her research encompasses communication and technology, technology and pedagogy, and computer-mediated communication. Hilary Wilder  is a professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Professional Studies at William Paterson University, teaching courses in learning technologies, educational research, and higher education. Her areas of interest include the use of readily available technologies by students and teachers in the creation and accessing of shared content.

About the authors

Asem F. Aboelzahab is the Lab and Assessment Coordinator at Purdue University’s Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. In his role, he instructs laboratory courses in Bioinstrumentation and Biotransport as well as the Capstone Senior Design lab. He has focused much of his time recently on research and curriculum development in Biomedical Engineering Education. He is also the advisor of Purdue’s chapter of the Biomedical Engineering Honors Society (Alpha Eta Mu Beta). Since graduating from the University of Toledo with a B.S. and M.S. in Bioengineering, he has worked as an educator in various capacities and levels. He has taught as a primary and secondary school teacher as well as an Adjunct Faculty in Science at Owens Community College in the Toledo, Ohio, before coming to Purdue. He currently resides in West Lafayette, IN, with his wife, Walaa, and two children, Farha and Ameer. His main passion is spending time with his family. Gordon Alley-Young is a Speech Communication Professor and the Chairperson of the Department of Communications & Performing Arts at Kingsborough Community College—CUNY. A native of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada, Gordon received a B.A. in Communication from Cape Breton University, Master’s Degrees in both Communication and Women’s Studies from the University of Maine, and a Ph.D. in Speech Communication from Southern Illinois University. He has published research in English, Spanish, and Turkish, and his research foci include media representations of sociocultural difference, critical perspectives on identity and education, and the scholarship of teaching and learning (SOTL). He is a former book review co-editor for American Communication Journal, and was a president of CLASP: The CUNY League of Active Speech Professors. Jodi Cataline is an Associate Clinical Professor in Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business, and a Fellow with LeBow College’s Center for Teaching Excellence. Prior to working at the University, she spent several years working on Wall Street in banking. She teaches in the areas of start-up consulting, accounting, personal finance, and general business. She also commits time to community outreach with a local nonprofit based in West Philadelphia as well as consults for a small manufacturing/distributor based in New Jersey. She is certified in the Ennea International IMI programs. Dana C. D’Angelo is a Clinical Professor in Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business, and a Fellow with LeBow College’s Center for Teaching Excellence. She also serves as the Associate Director for Drexel’s Center for Academic Excellence. As a CPA and CMA, she supports integrated and collaborative approaches in business and education. She teaches numerous courses in several business disciplines, with a focus on Global Classrooms and international experiences, experiential learning

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About the authors

(particularly through action-based consulting programs), and leadership and team development. She is also certified in the Ennea International IMI programs, and has had several recent publication and presentations in topics within the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). Elisabetta Fasella is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry. At USciences she teaches general chemistry and organic chemistry courses, from the freshman to the graduate level. Her current research interests are in green synthetic methods and in chemical education. She collaborates with other faculty in the department on developing teaching strategies to improve student problemsolving ability, as well as on synthetic aspects of different projects, ranging from foldamers to enzyme inhibitors. Kevin Garrison graduated from Texas Tech University in May 2009 with a Ph.D. in Technical Communication and Rhetoric. He currently works as an Associate Professor of English at Angelo State University (ASU) where he is the director of the ASU Usability Testing Lab, teaches a course in usability testing, and studies theories and philosophies of technology. His recent publications include articles in Explorations in Media Ecology, Technical Communication, and the Journal of Technical Writing and Communication. Eileen M. Grodziak, M.Ed., is an Instructional Designer at The Pennsylvania State University, Lehigh Valley campus. She received her Master’s Degree in instructional systems from the Pennsylvania State University. She has 9 years of experience collaborating with faculty to find effective teaching strategies and technologies that facilitate learning. She regularly presents at regional and national conferences on learning design. Kathy L. Jackson works at the Pennsylvania State University in the Teaching, Learning, and Technology Faculty Research Group and as an Affiliate Associate Faculty in the Higher Education Department. Her research areas include engineering education, faculty development, student engagement, cyberlearning, and online pedagogy. She has taught courses on college teaching, instructional design, secondary methods, television production, and professional and instructional uses of technology. Karen E. Kackley-Dutt, Ph.D., is an Instructor of Biology at The Pennsylvania State University, Lehigh Valley campus. She teaches undergraduate courses in general biology, ecology, environmental science, and economic botany, and leads international field experiences. She received a doctorate in plant pathology from the University of Maryland at College Park. She worked in the horticulture industry for 18 years before returning to academia. She is a recipient of teaching awards at the University of Maryland and Penn State. She regularly presents at regional and national conferences on the use of technology to facilitate learning biology outside the classroom at home and abroad. Jean P. Kelly is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at Otterbein University where she teaches publication design, online technologies, and magazine writing and editing. Her research focuses on exploring new types of formative assessment made possible by interactive EPUB texts and touchscreen interactivity.

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Jennifer Kienzle (Ph.D., University of Nebraska–Lincoln, 2016) is a term faculty member in the Department of Communication Studies at University of San Francisco. She teaches classes in social media, public speaking, and interpersonal communication. Her current research focuses on how technological affordances influence identity construction, identity management, and language type. She also publishes and presents research on pedagogical activities using communication technology in the classroom. Apostolos Koutropoulos (“AK”) is the program manager for the online M.A. program in Applied Linguistics at the University of Massachusetts Boston. He is also a lecturer for the Instructional Design M.Ed. program. Over the last few years, he has participated in many massive online open courses (MOOCs) and has co-authored research papers with his colleagues in various research teams. He holds a B.A. in computer science, an MBA with a focus on human resources, an M.S. in information technology, an M.Ed. in instructional design, and an M.A. in applied linguistics. He is currently an Ed.D. student at Athabasca University. His research interests include online learning, open education, knowledge management, educational technology, linguistics, and games in education. Mark J.W. Lee is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer in Education with Charles Sturt University. He has published widely in the areas of educational technology, e-learning, and innovation in tertiary teaching, with over 70 refereed publications to his name. He was Editor-in-Chief of MERLOT’s Journal of Online Learning and Teaching from 2012 to 2014, and continues to serve as Associate Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Education and on the boards of several other leading journals. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Training and Development and the UK Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce; an Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management; and a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Association for Computing Machinery, and Australian Computer Society. He founded the IEEE Education Society’s New South Wales Chapter and served as its inaugural Chair from 2007 to 2009. Juhong C. Liu is a Senior Instructional Designer/Assistant Professor in Libraries and Educational Technologies at James Madison University. She has taught undergraduate and graduate classes in face-to-face, online asynchronous and synchronous environments. Her research focuses on engaging student learning in technologymediated environments and collaborative teaching and learning with interoperability and connectivity. She received her Ph.D. in Instructional Design and Technology from Virginia Tech. She has published in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters and regularly presented at international, national, and regional conferences. She was an AECT PacifiCorp Design & Development Contest finalist and a best-in-track presenter at the OLC conference. Thomas J. Liu is a Professor in Computer Science at NJCU, the Program Coordinator of Health Information Management program, and Project Director of Title V Grant “Enhancing Nursing and HIM Education and Programs”. He is multidisciplinary in Engineering and Computer Science. His current research interests are Big Data, Mobile Programming, and Computer-Assisted Education.

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Paul E. Mabrey III is the Communication Center Coordinator and a faculty member in the School of Communication Studies. He holds an M.A. in Human Communication & Social Influence from Georgia State University and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Strategic Leadership Studies from James Madison University in the Postsecondary Analysis & Leadership concentration. Madhu Mahalingam is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry. She is a Physical Chemist by training. Her current research interest is in the area of chemical education specifically teaching methodologies that improve student learning and retention of learning in both classroom and laboratory settings. She has presented her work at national and regional conferences. She was named the recipient of the Philadelphia Section of the American Chemical Society’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching in Chemical Science for 2015. Ellie Miller holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from James Madison University and currently lives in Washington, DC. She works as a Research Associate with the Education Advisory Board and is furthering her interest in expanding access to higher education for women and Indigenous peoples. Karobi Moitra is a Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology at Trinity Washington University in Washington, DC. She has previously received a Fellows Award for Research Excellence from the NIH for her research that is centered on the role of ABC transporters in human disease/drug resistance. She has authored numerous scientific and educational papers (including case studies) and also three textbooks. At Trinity she teaches several Biology courses and has received outstanding evaluations from her students. She has an active interest in educational research, particularly in “storytelling” and “podcasting” as educational tools. She is also interested in faculty development and has conducted several workshops for faculty both locally and at national conferences. She has a passion for mentoring women in STEM. Her undergraduate laboratory comprises devoted students who work under her supervision on the genomics of the rare disease Pseudoxanthoma elasticum. Claire M. Monroe has taught ESL at the elementary school, adult, undergraduate, and graduate levels. In addition to teaching at NJCU for over 30 years, she has written and participated in numerous grants, administered programs, and given teacher and tutor training sessions and presentations in the US and abroad. One of her special interests is community-based adult TESOL. Sasha Nikolic is a Lecturer in Engineering and Information Sciences Education at the University of Wollongong (UOW), where he is also a Fellow of the Wollongong Academy of Tertiary Teaching and Learning Excellence. He was previously a Laboratory Manager at UOW, and before that worked in operations analysis and telecommunications support in the banking and financial services industry. His work as an engineering educator was recognized at an institutional level in 2011 with a UOW Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Teaching and Learning, and at a national level in 2012 with an Australian Government Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning. He is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), serving as Chair of the IEEE Education Society’s New South Wales Chapter and as a member of the IEEE Teacher

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In-Service Program, an initiative aimed at providing engineering education training to K-12 teaching staff. Jeffrey T. Olimpo is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at The University of Texas at El Paso. He teaches courses in the areas of cell and molecular biology and bioeducation, and is a member of the department’s committee on graduate teaching assistant professional development. His research interests are focused in two areas: (1) the impact of large- and small-scale course reform efforts on student learning, attitudes, and motivation in biology; and (2) the role of structured professional development in promoting undergraduate teaching assistants’ acquisition of subject matter and pedagogical content knowledge in the STEM domains. Crystal M. Ramsay is a member of the Teaching and Learning with Technology Faculty Research Group and an Affiliate Assistant Professor in the Educational Psychology program at the Pennsylvania State University. Her research explores topics that include strategies for improving students’ reading comprehension and compliance; motivation, interest, and learning; fun in the classroom; and instructor characteristics and behaviors that define teaching excellence. She has taught courses in learning and instruction, individual differences in education, and curricula in higher education. Christian H. Ritz is an Associate Professor in the School of Electrical, Computer, and Telecommunications Engineering within the Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences at the University of Wollongong (UOW). He is a member of UOW’s Visual and Audio Signal Processing Lab, where he directs the anechoic recording and playback facility, and conducts research in speech and spatial audio. Since 2014, he has chaired his Faculty’s Engineering Education Committee, responsible for managing, reviewing, and approving changes to engineering programs delivered within three schools and nine disciplines. As Chair of his School’s Education Committee, a role he has held since 2010, he is charged with leading quality assurance, curriculum development, and professional accreditation efforts. Additionally, he sits on two subcommittees of UOW’s university-wide Education Committee. Christian is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and serves as Vice-Chair of the IEEE Education Society’s New South Wales Chapter. Jacquelyn R. Rufo is the Student Services Coordinator for the Adult Degree Program at James Madison University. She holds an M.Ed. in Educational Technology from James Madison University and is currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Assessment & Measurement in Higher Education. Carrie Scheckelhoff is an Associate Professor in the Department of Education at Otterbein University where she teaches courses in literacy and assessment. She conducts ethnographic research on at-risk readers and the teachers who work to support them. Christopher Shamburg is a professor of Educational Technology at New Jersey City University and the Coordinator of the Doctoral Program in Educational Technology Leadership. He is the author of several books on educational technology, including Student-Powered Podcasting: Teaching for 21st Century Literacies (ISTE Publisher) and Technology for the English Language Arts: Units for Grades 9-12 (ISTE Publisher). His interest is in new literacies and inclusive education.

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Emilee L. Simmons. Before becoming an academic at the University of Leeds, she worked in retail management, educational engagement, the creative and cultural industries, as well as the third sector. At the University she taught at the School of Music for 4 years, before moving into a central role where she helped to develop a UK student recruitment strategy for the university in addition to serving on many central committees. In 2014 she joined the Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Studies, where she has delivered teaching in social enterprise, new venture creation, and creativity in business. In 2015, she became the Director of Enhancement, where she is responsible for the faculty’s strategy and delivery of excellence in teaching and learning. In addition to the Global Classroom project, she also works on projects within Experiential Learning and Cross-Discipline initiatives. Her research interests center on approaches to experiential and blended learning. Jeffrey P. Smith is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Otterbein University. In addition to teaching mathematics and mathematics educations courses, he is the Director of Mathematics Education and the Director of Graduate Studies in Mathematics. His research interests include cognitively guided instruction and technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) in mathematics teaching and learning. Susan A. Stearns is a Professor of Communication Studies and enjoys discovering ways to encourage students not just to learn but also savor the process of learning. She defines a great class session as one where students critically discuss what they are learning from the textbook, articles, and lectures in relation to everyday life. Tia C.M. Tyree is a Professor at Howard University within the Department of Strategic, Legal and Management Communications. She teaches graduate and undergraduate courses. Her research interests include hip hop, rap, reality television, film, social media, as well as African-American and female representations in the mass media. She has published several book chapters and peer-reviewed articles in journals, such as Women and Language; Howard Journal of Communications; Journalism: Theory, Practice & Criticism; and Journal of Black Studies. She is the author of The Interesting and Incredibly Long History of American Public Relations and coeditor of HBCU Experience—The Book, Social Media: Pedagogy, and Practice and Social Media: Culture and Identity. She is also the cofounder of the Social Media Technology Conference and Workshop. To learn more about Dr. Tyree, please visit her website at www.tiacmtyree.com.

Preface

As educators, Pixy and Hilary work to promote student learning. As educators who are passionate about learning, we are always searching for ways to create learning experiences that promote meaningful learning—where we define meaningful as learning that impacts our students’ lives outside the classroom. And as idealistic educators we find fulfillment in kindling a love of learning in students, what Plutarch called “a desire of knowledge and ardent love of truth” (Plutarch, Moralia). We feel that the 21st century offers us unprecedented advantages in promoting meaningful learning and inspiring in students a desire for knowledge. The 21st century uniquely positions educators to revolutionize teaching and learning. Through the millennia, education meant learning from the accumulated wisdom of others. In the first millennium (of Western civilization), learning was largely personalized and one-on-one, often only formalized through apprenticeships. In the second millennium, the printing press slowly enabled a formalized learning structure, through the wider dissemination of information. It was only after the Industrial Revolution that our current educational system developed. For about two centuries, learning was focused on the classroom and expert authorities, while wisdom was disseminated through common texts (for details, see Wilder & Ferris, 2006). While this “received wisdom” model still dominates education today, we are now in an Information Age where technologies, particularly educational technologies, are in a state of high interpretive flexibility (Brent, 2005), allowing us to change the focus of the classroom from an emphasis on accumulated wisdom to learning that can occur any time, in any place, take any path, and proceed at any pace. This change is much needed as, following decades of transformation in the 20th century, higher education is facing profound changes in the 21st century. The 20th century introduced a focus on learning for specific outcomes (e.g., professional/career success, informed and productive citizenship) or even innate curiosity; the 21st century introduced a focus on adult learning, andragogy, distance education, and massive open online courses (MOOCs). Many of these emphases were associated with, and promoted by, technology. From well beyond the 20th century, we have always looked to technology to promote teaching and learning—starting in the first millennium with the written word, and in second millennium with the technology of the printed text. While we’ve all heard the dire warnings predicting the demise of tertiary education as we know it, due in part to new technologies enabling learning that can occur any time, any place, take any path, and proceed at any pace, we have always known that learning, whether for professional/career success, informed and productive citizenship, or just innate curiosity, is a lifelong pursuit that does not stop when students leave the ivory tower. Contrary to the critics who cast academics as antiquated pedants who believe that

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students only learn by listening in rapt attention to their lectures, good educators are always searching for ways to create learning experiences that promote the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that will help our students with their continued education both within their specific field of study and, more generally, as autodidacts. We define autodidactic learning as happening outside of the classroom (“any time, any place”) with students asserting a greater control over their learning (“any path, any pace”). The traditional university experience prepared students with all kinds of wonderful “just in case” knowledge and understanding, imparted by an expert within the confines of that professor’s classroom. Now that expertise is readily available outside of the classroom, so we need to consider how to ensure students are able to best avail themselves of it “just in need” within their professional and personal lives. Autodidactic learning is increasingly the focus of higher education in the 21st century, with such pedagogical models as andragogy, inquiry-based learning, and discovery learning, to name just a few. In this book, we take “any time, any place, any path, any pace” learning as our motto for a new educational focus for the digital age. The traditional university education once consisted of several years of reading and studying a prescribed curriculum, with the teacher serving as the “sage on the stage.” In the digital age, students have a world of information available, easily and immediately, and no longer need the traditional teacher. As educators we must now teach students how to manage their own learning and actualize their own learning goals, using the digital (and nondigital) technologies available to them. Technology can encompass the four aspects of autodidactic learning: any time, any space, any path, any pace, or may emphasize one or more aspects. Any time (asynchronous) learning can occur whenever the learner accesses the material, e.g., from an online website. It might be from anywhere, e.g., a podcast that was downloaded to the student’s mp3 player, or from a specific location, e.g., a museum kiosk or a QR code at a point of interest. Relatedly, any place learning may be any time, as in the podcast example, or may be scheduled for specific times, e.g., the use of instructional radio still used in many remote or marginalized communities. Similarly, any path learning may have existed before the World Wide Web, but certainly the hyperlinking and searching afforded by the Web has been crucial to the rise in any path learning. Personal learning environments (PLEs) are but one spinoff on this, providing a way for the student to keep track of resources and their progress. At the same time, new technologies spinning out of artificial intelligence are creating tailored learning experiences where the software controls the path the learner takes through the material, adapting it based on their correct and incorrect responses, harkening back to the days of B.F. Skinner’s teaching machine (1961). Finally, any pace learning, which allows material to be reviewed and repeated or paused and resumed as many times as necessary has been made easier by streaming online technologies, although again, tailored learning programs often control advancement through the material, not letting the student proceed until they have demonstrated some mastery criteria.

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We recognize that the four types of learning we type as autodidactic learning (“any time,” “any place,” “any path,” “any pace”) are not mutually exclusive and often work together, but some aspects call for specific background knowledge and skills. For example, any path and any pace learning may require greater content knowledge or skills in the discipline than the first two aspects of any time and any place, which depend more on general self-regulated learning skills or dispositions. The reality is that without adequate background knowledge, learners often do not know what they don’t know, and are often unable to determine what direction to follow through the material or whether they have sufficiently mastered the material enough to move on. Any time and any place learning, on the other hand, may simply require that the learner be familiar with more general knowledge for when and/or where to access the information. For example, if a learner wants to study native plants they might investigate the local botanical gardens but only during the seasons that these are open. Or if a learner wants to study dinosaurs, they would most likely chose a museum of natural history rather than an art museum. Any time, any place, any path, any pace learning offers exciting and thoughtprovoking potential for today’s classroom. This book highlights some of the many opportunities autodidactic learning experiences offer across a range of disciplines and subject areas. While the book utilizes many of the technologies prevalent in the classroom today, we note that the overarching focus of this book is pedagogy. That is, our focus is on learning enabled by technology, not the technology itself. We feel very strongly that technology is the vehicle to facilitate learning, not the end in itself. Technologies can offer exciting tools to facilitate learning, but technologies come and go very rapidly (witness the disappearance of MySpace and the present popularity of Snapchat and Instagram), highlighting the importance of pedagogy as the underlying base for the use of technology, Yet, in spite of educators’ familiarity with, and personal use of, digital technologies, research shows that traditional teaching methods continue to dominate teaching and learning. If it is to stay effective, higher education must work with students who have always been, and will continue to be, surrounded by information and communication technologies that are a part of their personal and professional lives. The theoretical and “future proofed” contribution of this book is the manner in which it provides interdisciplinary and applied pedagogical resources for understanding and effectively fostering appropriate skills and strategies in these students. In line with our pedagogical focus, our book takes a practical and applied approach, where theories are employed in nontraditional teaching and learning. Concepts and principles are translated to specific teaching strategies, addressing performance outcomes in teaching and learning with today’s students. These innovative methods of teaching and learning include autodidactic learning utilizing various forms of digital (and nondigital) technologies including (but not limited to) social media, multimedia, experiential learning, collaborative learning, active learning, peer-to-peer learning, and best practices with emphases on the skills and strategies needed for students to pursue their own path, at their own pace.

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Each chapter explores a strategy to help students engage in learning that may be beyond the classroom walls or outside of class-time hours, follow an alternate sequence through the syllabus, or have the freedom to go more slowly through content that is challenging and more quickly through content that is not.

Chapter Structure Throughout the book, chapters follow a common structure, as outlined below. They begin with an Abstract and Keywords, which are followed by these sections: Discipline/Academic Area(s). While most chapters are built around specific disciplines as examples, the activities/assignments/projects can generally be incorporated across the curriculum. Instructional Purpose, indicating how the activities will promote teaching and learning outside of the traditional time-and-space-bound classroom and promote lifelong learning within the discipline, equipping students with the competencies to attain knowledge and skills “just in time/need” (rather than “just in case” as traditionally taught). This section includes information on how the material in the chapter: goes beyond the scheduled class time/dates (experience might be synchronous or asynchronous, i.e., anytime); occurs outside of the school venue (experience might be tied to a specific location (e.g., a museum) or anywhere (wherever Internet is available); allows students to work at a pace that best suits them, and develops their self-regulated learning skills; encourages students to direct their own path of exploration through the material and to develop their autodidactic skills. Student Learning Outcomes and Discipline Specific Student Learning Outcomes, provided as specific, measurable statements describing knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes that a student will be able to demonstrate at the end (or as a result) of his/her engagement in the activity/assignment/project. Prerequisite Skills and Knowledge needed for successful completion of the activity/ assignment/project. Step-by-Step Directions for Instructors, with enough detail to ensure that both novice and expert users can conduct the activity or assignment. Step-by-Step Directions for Students, with detailed directions that may be given to the students to enable them to complete the activity/lesson. Approximate Time Required for completion of the activity/assignment/project. Readings and Resources includes, as relevant, required websites, technological requirements, etc. Variations on the Basic Theme, indicating ways in which the basic directions could be varied for different disciplines; the technology usage supporting any time, any place, any path, and/or any pace learning; and underlying issues, concepts, and technological characteristics that could be utilized in different ways. Observations and Advice, where authors consider lessons learned in using the teaching tool.

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Further Readings that could help interested faculty learn more about the topics discussed in the chapter. Citations for any sources referenced in the chapter are also included here. Supplemental Materials include instructor handouts, rubrics, etc.

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Chapter Previews Contributors bring a variety of philosophical and practical perspectives to their approaches to any time, any place, any path, any pace learning. They present learning activities that can take place both inside and outside the traditional classroom walls, utilizing technologies that are freely available to instructors and learners, and making the traditional classroom more flexible and porous so that the learner makes the learning happen. Most of the learning activities are applicable to multiple academic disciplines. In Chapter 1, Learning through dynamic design and animation, Asem F. Aboelzahab demonstrates how students can learn autodidactically, taking learning into their own hands and developing a dynamic animation of important processes in a way that provides them with a personalized fundamental understanding of new course topics. The activity involves the use of readily available software, such as PowerPoint, to develop a dynamic representation of processes taught in the classroom, and then apply similar principles in future courses or projects. This activity is suitable across the curriculum, with the examples used in the chapter being from science and engineering. In Chapter  2, Creating digital videos in an ESL learning community to develop communication skills and content area knowledge, Gordon Alley-Young discusses student use of digital videos to demonstrate speaking and writing skills, and content area knowledge. Students create their digital video through a guided process of feedback following drafts of scripts, voice recording demos, and collection of visual images. The activity encourages students to take ownership of learning, and to work collaboratively. Relevant for all disciplines, the examples in the chapter are from ESL/ L2 learners in a multidiscipline learning community. In Chapter  3, Unplugging with off-the-gridders, Kevin Garrison has students reflect on the nature of technology by adopting alternative and historical techniques/ technologies into their daily routines, metaphorically “unplugging” from the technology that defines 21st century life in the developed world. The activity encourages critical thinking, problem solving, and reflection and analysis, and is appropriate for writing intensive courses across the curriculum, especially in courses related to science, technology, engineering, and math. In Chapter 4, PROS: a self-guided process for assignment completion and meaningful learning, Kathy L. Jackson and Crystal M. Ramsay provide a framework to guide students in developing a consistent approach to completing assignments. The framework utilizes a study structure and suggests technologies to support students as they manage, monitor, and adapt learning strategies. The broad goal is to support students in becoming self-directed and autodidactic learners. The framework is

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applicable across the curriculum and enables students in any discipline to approach coursework with an organized plan and with reflection. In Chapter  5, The use of free resources to facilitate anytime-anywhere learning, Karen E. Kackley-Dutt and Eileen M. Grodziak demonstrate how open educational resources (OERs) and other free Internet/digital resources eliminate the cost of textbooks as a major barrier to student learning. The use of OERs and free educational resources can ensure that all students have access to the requisite instructional materials and move students out of the classroom boundaries for learning within real-world contexts. The specific exemplar in this chapter is from the life sciences, but the chapter has relevance to all the sciences and social sciences, while the pedagogical practices of selecting and using freely available educational content and OERs extend across academic disciplines. In Chapter  6, I teach, therefore iPad: improving asynchronous learning through formative assessment, Jean P. Kelly, Carrie Scheckelhoff, and Jeffrey P. Smith discuss how apps as digital formative assessment tools can be used to view and support student composition, problem solving, and analytic discussion in the time between traditional face-to-face classes, with the goal of improving students’ academic processing. While three apps are used as specific exemplars (iAnnotate, Educreations, and VoiceThread) the techniques discussed in this chapter can be extended to the use of many other apps. And while the authors of this chapter are from the disciplines of communication, mathematics/mathematics education, and literacy education, the strategies discussed are relevant across the curriculum. In Chapter 7, The selfie (and ussie) as identity in the classroom, Jennifer Kienzle explains how social media can enable students to gain insights on self-presentation and identity. Building on theories of identity, students can utilize the ubiquitous selfie to understand performance and exhibition, the role of online audiences, and the ways technological affordances and culture of social media platforms impact identity impression. This activity is specifically applicable to the social sciences and communication, but is relevant to any discipline where the consideration of identity is important, such as art, business, or education. In Chapter  8, Rhizomes of the classroom: enabling the learners to become the curriculum, Apostolos Koutropoulos discusses an activity that helps move the learner away from the instructor as external locus of motivation to an environment where the learners establish the curriculum. The goal is to introduce the learner to learning theories, learning approaches, and methodologies that they can apply to their own organizational and learning contexts. The activity has specific applicability in education, management, liberal arts, and communication, with the techniques easily adaptable across the curriculum. In Chapter  9, Supporting the conceptualization of student innovation projects through peer and expert feedback on virtual pitches, Mark J.W. Lee, Sasha Nikolic, and Christian H. Ritz demonstrate how self-determined innovation projects can enable students to develop, refine, and articulate ideas; work collaboratively; elicit feedback; and prepare for formal face-to-face presentations. Here, expert feedback can supplement instructor guidance, and enable students to benefit from expert perspectives beyond the walls of the classroom. The activity discussed here was created

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for an engineering class and as such is particularly well suited to disciplines such as engineering, business, information technology, industrial design, fashion design, and architecture, but it is suitable for any discipline that utilizes open-ended, self-directed project-based learning. In Chapter  10, Synchronous “elevator pitch”: teaching digital communication literacy with peer consultation and self-assessment, Juhong Christie Liu, Paul E. Mabrey III, Jacquelyn R. Rufo, and Ellie Miller explain the use of a learning activity in which students learn and demonstrate digital literacy and professional communication skills by preparing and presenting a short “elevator pitch.” Students work with peers to evaluate presentations, and, through collaboration with an on-campus communication center consultant, they identify campus support resources. While the specific exemplar was adult degree programs (ADPs), the activity has cross-curricular applicability for any student demographic. In Chapter  11, Effective use of technology for asynchronous learning to elevate students’ knowledge and problem-solving ability, Madhu Mahalingam and Elisabetta Fasella provide a variety of resources by which problem solving can be facilitated in courses that require strong foundational knowledge as well as structural knowledge. Students engage in “deliberate practice” working with a learning management system, personal response systems, after-class resources, an online homework system, and mixed-skilled peer groups. The activity discussed here was created for a chemistry class and as such is particularly well suited to the sciences, but is suitable for any discipline in which problem solving and content knowledge are important. In Chapter  12, STEM to social awareness: connecting the dots through audio storytelling and podcasts, Karobi Moitra presents an activity that utilizes studentcreated podcasts to use social media in a responsible manner, and connect classroom learning to the issue of social responsibility. In creating podcasts on course content, students build communication and technology skills, and presentation skills. In interacting with the subject matter, they acquire a deeper understanding of course content. The particular subject matter discussed in this chapter pertains to a life sciences course, but it has cross-curricular relevance to the sciences, general education, and liberal arts. In Chapter  13, Asynchronous blogging as a mechanism to enhance students’ conceptual understanding of the epidemiology and public health ramifications of microbial disease, Jeffrey T. Olimpo describes the use of a weblog that provides students with an asynchronous, self-directed opportunity to further explore, research, and refine discipline-specific content knowledge. In addition to its focus on content, the weblog activity provides students with foundational competencies such as problem solving, writing, reasoning skills, active engagement in the knowledge-building process, and opportunities for developing both informational and technological literacy. This activity was designed for epidemiology and public health courses, but it can be adapted to use in any science course, and in any discipline emphasizing scientific, technological, information literacy, and communication skills. In Chapter 14, Ten-story building: app development for ESL, Christopher Shamburg, Thomas J. Liu, and Claire Monroe demonstrate the use of an app they created to teach language skills. Using an interactive game-like mechanic, the app is a “teacherless”

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mobile informal learning tool that focuses on engagement, iteration, convenience, and high-interest content. Although this particular activity was designed for use in an ESL class, the nature of the app, which is modeled on the types of activities people commonly engage in with their handheld devices while on the go, makes it appealing to students, and allows it to be adapted for use in disciplines where communication and writing skills are important. In Chapter 15, Global classrooms: creating international collaborative initiatives, Emilee L. Simmons, Dana C. D’Angelo, and Jodi Cataline present detailed guidelines for the development of a collaborative project between two universities. The international collaborative project prepares students for a globalized workspace, enabling them to acquire discipline-specific knowledge in a practice-based environment; ensure knowledge is embedded and holistic (so that it can be applied outside the curriculum and/or in their career); develop key skills sought by employers including research, communication and social skills; and build a global mindset. The project discussed here can be utilized in any discipline in collaborating universities. In Chapter  16, Integration: theory to everyday life, Susan A. Stearns offers a teaching technique to assist students through the process of integrating concept and disciplinary knowledge into their everyday lives. Using a two-stage process of instructor-prompted, student-led online discussions and thematic analysis, students are guided through the integration process. The activity promotes integration, critical thinking, oral communication, reading, and writing. While the particular example in this chapter is based in communication studies, the technique is transferable to any discipline. In Chapter 17, How rich media and discussion boards in online classes can foster student learning and an understanding of online social activism: a special focus on Black Lives Matter. Tia C.M. Tyree demonstrates how an activist assignment with robust usage of rich media and discussion boards (forums) can increase students’ reading, writing, and critical thinking skills; promote student engagement through the use of videos, photographs, infographics, and other online content; and foster participation, motivation, and social presence. The techniques described in this chapter work across the curriculum as an approach to structuring an online class, or as supplements to a traditional, face-to-face class. In closing, we note that this book is linked to, and further develops the theme of, our previous book. That book, The Plugged-In Professor: Tips and Techniques for Teaching with Social Media (Ferris & Wilder, 2013) showed educators how to utilize social media technologies in their classrooms. We envisage this book as another step forward, as we provide strategies to promote learning outside the classroom, with the expectation that our students will need these skills and strategies to continue their personal and professional growth. Both books share a focus on pedagogy over technology, and a practical emphasis. We hope you find the activities interesting, engaging, and useful as pedagogical tools. Sharmila Pixy Ferris and Hilary Anne Wilder

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References Brent, D. (April 2005). Teaching as performance in the electronic classroom. First Monday, 10(4) Available online http://journals.uic.edu/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1221/1141. Ferris, S. P., & Wilder, H. A. (Eds.). (2013). The plugged in professor: Tips and techniques for teaching with Social Media. Oxford: Woodhead Publishing. Plutarch, Moralia. (1878). On the hearing of lectures (T. Hoy, Trans.). In W. W Goodwin (Ed.) Boston: Little, Brown, and Co. Available online . Skinner, B. F. (1961). Teaching machines. Scientific American, 205(90-112), 381. http://dx.doi. org/10.2307/1926170. Wilder, H., & Ferris, S. P. (2006). Communication technology and the evolution of knowledge. The Journal of Electronic Publishing, 9(2) University of Michigan Press. Available online http://www.hti.umich.edu/j/jep/.

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Asem F. Aboelzahab Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States

1.1  Discipline/academic areas addressed While most of the online supplemental examples are developed for science and engineering applications, the activity itself can be adapted to fit any discipline as the techniques used are not specific to a certain academic discipline or area. Additionally, the project can be modified for different levels of ability/familiarity with the animation process described. This activity can also be structured as a presentation that includes a series of more simplistic animations as opposed to creating a complex simulation of a process. The main outcome of either is introducing students to further methods of presenting their work visually in both academic and professional arenas.

1.2  Instructional purpose Due to the interactive nature of this project and need for students to research more about the process they are illustrating, this project deviates from textbook learning and actually encourages students to do more self-paced “any time, any place, any path, any pace” learning. The use of technology and developing something that “moves” is a strong encouragement for students to have fun with this assignment and dedicate extra time to it. With the use of a readily available software package like PowerPoint, this activity has the potential to impact a large number of students. The golden aspect of this project is that it does not have to be stringently defined; instructors should encourage each student/group to come up with their own idea and set their own pace. Even when multiple students/groups identify the same idea or process to replicate, the two will almost certainly take different angles or employ various different skills/techniques in their development of the dynamic process digitally. For the purpose of this chapter, PowerPoint will be the target platform, but instructors are free to choose design platforms that they are comfortable with or that are available to their students. Additionally, the project employs the use of many online sources and searches. Students are encouraged to watch videos, read scholarly publications, review textbooks and find relevant images that help explain their topic. The creativity of combining images, videos, and various other graphical formats to create a novel structure or animation that portrays a relevant process being taught in the class helps induce high interest levels from students. Unplugging the Classroom. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102035-7.00001-1 Copyright © 2017 Asem F. Aboelzahab. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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This project is very feasible both as an individual assignment as well as a team assignment. Also, it allows enough diverse features that can vary the complexity/simplicity of the design process. For example, students can develop a simple animation showing how covalent bonds are created in a specific chemical reaction to create a long carbon chain molecule. Conversely, students can develop a very elaborate digital animation showing the inner workings of a watch, depicting all the mechanical components moving synchronously. As a result, this assignment encourages students to set the pace and complexity of their project based on their comfort level. Instructors can also set guidelines of minimum expectations/complexity they expect from students based on technical capabilities, educational level, etc. One strong incentive that can be included as part of the project is to introduce a competition among the class. This encourages students to explore their design further and increase levels of complexity to develop a very meaningful animation or simulation of the process or topic they are portraying. These skills are applicable across all disciplines and focus can be placed on certain areas based on the most relevant skills or outcomes in the course.

1.3  Student learning outcomes 1.3.1  Overarching student learning outcomes Students will demonstrate the ability to: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

complete online research develop a bottom-up understanding of processes related to the course brainstorm ideas based upon certain criteria collaborate with group members and assign tasks use their creativity to integrate many small components into one dynamic system present/teach their process to students in the classroom iterate on their digital design to optimize functionality, realism, and accuracy

1.3.2  Discipline-specific student learning outcomes Students will demonstrate the ability to: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

design an animated simulation/presentation that accurately depicts a course topic/process complete structured brainstorming to identify a topic of interest complete literature searches and maintain a notebook of literature reviews present/teach others about a course topic employing visual aids of dynamic simulations develop a creative/innovative way of displaying a process or course topic using multimedia to induce learning/understanding among students 6. practice the process of iteration of design to develop a cohesive digital simulation

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1.4  Prerequisite skills and knowledge 1.4.1  Prerequisite skills and knowledge for instructors The instructor should be skilled in the use of PowerPoint (identifying geometries, sizing, formatting images, animation, use of available tools in the software, etc.). The instructor may also use a different software platform that they and their students are more familiar with. The instructor should prepare an example to share with students (or be comfortable with sharing one of the online examples referenced below).

1.4.2  Prerequisite skills and knowledge for students Students should have at least a basic understanding of PowerPoint (or other design software) and should have experience preparing presentations, copying and pasting images, and using the animation tool (preferable). Students should also have access to online search engines for academic literature as well as images and other multimedia formats.

1.5  Step-by-step directions for instructors Designing the assignment for your course 1. When deciding on how to integrate this project into your course, there are several key factors to take into consideration: i. time allotted to project (it’s generally a good end of term project) ii. availability of design software/program for students at school and home iii. familiarity of students with design software iv. type of project/process being animated 2. Based on these factors, decide on whether this can be a project that students work on at home or if they require resources at the school. Also, according to students’ aptitude with design and the use of animation software, you may want to limit the complexity of projects or extend/decrease the time allocated to the project. 3. A few rubrics and worksheets are provided at the end of this chapter for your reference (See Appendices A, B & C), but based on many personal factors for each classroom, these can be customized to better reflect the scope of the project in your course. 4. This project can take two main paths: i. Developing a PowerPoint presentation that includes animations to illustrate different processes. The focus of this path is to present a broad topic with various animated simulations within (e.g., chemical and biological processes). ii. Developing a standalone digital illustration using animations to serve as a visual simulation of a process. The focus of this path is to develop a conceptual design (e.g., design and engineering courses).

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Identifying dynamic processes for students to animate 5. This project will work best when students are given the opportunity to choose from a pool of processes/events to animate. This will allow each student/group to develop something different than others and explore their creativity. It also helps when students come to present to the class that each student is the expert on their topic and can lead others through the process. Therefore, it is recommended that it be an end of semester/year project so that students would have learned about most of the topics in the course and can better identify what they want to focus their project on. 6. As the instructor, you should identify simple processes (or components of processes) that students should choose from. If the project is done twice during the semester/year, you can identify simple processes for the first round and more complex or multicomponent processes for the second round.

Developing an example to share with students 7. To help put students on the right path, it would be very helpful for the instructor to prepare an example of their own on a relevant process in the course. As this project is implemented, you will steadily build a library of both your own animations as well as those from students and will be able to share both simple and complex animations with students. 8. It is good to develop a very simple animation so that during the class time you can walk students through the steps you took to create it so that they can see some of the tools and techniques used and try to implement those in their own projects. 9. You can visit some of the supplemental videos linked at the end of the chapter to view some examples of how these animations can be made for a few different applications/disciplines.

Introducing students to searchable multimedia formats 10. When developing these animations, there are various multimedia formats that can be used and combined to help make high-quality depictions of the process/event that students are creating. Being able to combine these creatively is a technique that students will pick up quickly and be able to apply to further projects. 11. Some main multimedia techniques to point out are the use of videos, GIFs (graphical interchangeable format), images, animations, etc. Once this multimedia is transferred to PowerPoint, it can be reformatted to allow for integration of various components to create a final animation. 12. GIFs are an extremely useful multimedia format due to their relatively small size and ability to continuously loop. GIFs can be created simply by recording a video and converting the file to a GIF file through free online converters. 13. Extensive formatting options are available through PowerPoint, such as removal of background, adjustment of brightness/contrast, lens filters, softening edges, adding frames, etc. In order to help students, it’s very useful for the instructor to practice using these tools and give examples of how they can be implemented into students’ projects.

Using animations to breathe life into the project 14. PowerPoint animations are strong tools for developing a high-quality depiction of the process or system that students are illustrating. This is where a lot of creativity is introduced as well to really set a project apart. Through some of the supplemental video links, examples can be seen to depict how a few animation techniques can be used for different applications. 15. Animations can be used to provide light, remove a cover, show how interactions occur between components of the design, linearly show how something is built, etc. For a complex project, tens or hundreds of animations can be incorporated. In some cases, a way to reduce the use of animations is by using GIFs available online or creating GIFs yourself. 16. The instructor can identify various resources or tutorials, in addition to the nonexhaustive list given in this chapter, to share with students and help provide ideas on techniques that can be used.

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1.6  Step-by-step directions for students Completing brainstorming worksheet 1. Review the proposed topics/areas that are provided in class and complete the brainstorming worksheet provided to you. Take about 10–15 minutes to do this. 2. When brainstorming, you should use the time to quickly write down as many ideas as possible for each topic area you are interested in. Don’t stop to think about how hard or easy each one is, or which one is more interesting at this point. Just try to get a list with as many ideas as you can. 3. The final stage will be to go through your list and identify any topics or processes that are very similar and can be combined, then deciding on which choices you want to pursue for your project. Many factors come into play here, including your interest level, how simple or complex a topic or process is, how much literature or resources you have to give you details or information on that topic, etc. Think of each of these, and decide on the topic you want to cover for your project.

Research 4. In the research stage, you want to gather as much information as you can about your topic or the process you will be animating and presenting. First of all, you want to have a method to record information you find online or read in a book, so keep a notebook with these records. If most of your research is online, use a Word document so that you can easily copy and paste web links, citations, images, keywords, etc. 5. As you do your research, you want to record similar resources together under a relevant keyword so that you know what component or part of the project that reference is useful for. 6. As you find images, videos, animations, and other visual or graphic files, you can either save these to a folder on your computer or bookmark the webpage you found them on. 7. After you’ve completed your research and have gained a good understanding of your topic, you should go back to the brainstorming process to begin collecting ideas for how you will be designing your animations and presenting them.

Design brainstorming 8. Start jotting down steps or components of the process you will be designing and animating. For example, if your project is to animate how an electrical circuit is built to amplify a signal from the heart (i.e., electrocardiograph), begin to list all the components needed (i.e., resistors, operational amplifiers, battery, electrodes, wires, heart signal, etc.). 9. Once you’ve completed this, draw a sketch of what you want your illustration to look like and mark components that will need to move or change in some way. Remember that to create a visual animation of a process, you want to show the order in which things happen.

Developing your animation 10. Now, once you’ve completed your initial illustration draft, you should begin to decide how each component will be created. Following the same example of amplifying the heart signal, you can identify some of the more simple geometries that might be easy for you to draw in a program like PowerPoint. For example, connecting wires can easily be drawn using some of the shape tools. Even a battery can be drawn by combining a few different shapes together. 11. Once you’ve decided which components you can draw, you should begin assessing which components might be too complex to draw, such as the actual human heart. In this case, you can use the vast online image library through Google Images or other search engines to find pictures of a heart. This is also where GIF media is also useful. This can allow you to not just have a picture of a heart in your presentation, but an actual beating heart.

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12. As you begin to collect images and other graphics for the components of your project, you can paste these into PowerPoint and complete further formatting. One of the most powerful tools to use to help make your project better integrated is to remove the background. This makes your animation much more cohesive. 13. Once you’ve obtained all your components, it’s all about bringing everything together. This is where you can get very creative. Think about all the ways you can make different components interact with each other.

Learning animation techniques 14. The more techniques you are willing to learn, the more creative you can be with your animations. There are a lot of different techniques to explore when creating your animation. 15. A good place to start if you are entirely new to animating in PowerPoint is the Microsoft Office website. This will introduce you to the animation pane in PowerPoint and provides some video examples of how to use these techniques. 16. Other resources for more specific techniques include wikiHow as well as YouTube. Searching for a particular technique or just a general search on how to create animations in PowerPoint or other platforms will help solicit a host of ideas. 17. Once you’ve watched some tutorials and explored some of the animation tools in PowerPoint, you should begin creatively thinking about what animations can be used to depict different components of your designed animation. 18. First place all your components in PowerPoint and place them relative to each other. Then begin assigning motions for different components to start developing your process. Follow a logical pattern so that animations are easy to change if needed.

Iterating on your design 19. Once you’ve completed a first draft of your animation, you should run it in presentation mode and analyze the animations you applied. Keep note of things that can be improved or aren’t working properly. 20. Now, begin iterations on your design. Make simple changes and run your presentation again. Keep note of issues you notice need improvement and continue this process of design iterations until you are satisfied with your final outcome.

Expanding on your design 21. Once you’ve finalized your original design topic and settled on a final animated simulation of the process, it becomes very easy to expand on it and explore further aspects of the topic or process. 22. For further practice, keep developing your project and try to incorporate other processes that occur in series with the one you developed initially. Having completed one animation, you will have learned several techniques that you can apply to further projects.

Presenting your final design 23. In order to present your final design, prepare an outline discussing how the process works and prepare your talk as you walk through your animated design. Be sure to provide enough detail to fully explain the process in a clear format that helps fellow students understand the fundamental process that takes place. 24. Final presentations of the design can be completed live in front of the classroom audience or by recording a narrated/captioned presentation using a screen-recording program (e.g., Camtasia Studio), which will allow you to present in distance-learning courses. 25. Upload your final presentation/animation to the public course site or YouTube channel.

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1.7  Approximate time required Required time is flexible and can be adapted to take place over the course of several class sessions or be an extended project (multiweek or semester-long). This project can be developed for students to work on outside of the classroom by giving them the ability to set their own schedule over the course of the term/semester. This also allows for a wider range of topics to be covered in the class before students are required to turn in their project and gives the instructor more time to work with individual students/groups to check progress or help guide them through bottlenecks.

1.8  Readings and resources Recommended Technology: PowerPoint (Microsoft Office Suite); Version 2013 or later Online Search Platform: Google Search (web, images, videos) or other search engines Optional Add-ons: Microsoft Office webpage provides additional add-ons/updates to access further tools in PowerPoint Required Websites: Access to scholarly publication websites, image and video search engines, video-sharing sites (YouTube) Recommended Books: To supplement online resources, availability of course subject textbooks will be a good resource Recommended Tutorials: Tutorials by the author and examples of animations will be available on a dedicated YouTube channel Channel Name: Asem Aboelzahab Channel URL: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-C59KnUtkK4cq3SC-m6oLg

1.9  Variations on the basic theme The technology suggested here (PowerPoint) is one of the more widely available resources at educational facilities. Certainly, the technology platform itself can be changed due to the preference of the instructor (what they are comfortable with) or availability of other platforms in the school. The general principles do not change and many of the same techniques can still be applied. The main variation would be in the technology’s internal tools and abilities. It is recommended that for most applications of this lesson, the instructor choose one technology that they are well-versed in, and standardize it. This allows the instructor to offer more guidance, especially if the lesson is taught at an earlier stage in primary/secondary education. At a college level (or even later secondary school level), giving students free rein to choose the platform they use and work more independently is a very good option. The lesson itself can also be modified quite a bit to better suit various disciplines. For example, rather than creating one dynamic process or event that is animated, a more basic level of developing a presentation that employs some of these techniques

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can be implemented. Additionally, creating a video-guided presentation is another method that can be introduced to give students the opportunity to make a selfcontained presentation. A further component that can be implemented to this project is in its final implementation. The use of social media or online sharing platforms is a great way to engage students and allow them to share their creations with a larger audience. For example, developing a YouTube channel for the course and allowing students to post their videos to the channel is a great method to showcase their work and take ownership of it.

1.10  Observations and advice An overarching goal of implementing this project in academic curricula is to allow students to contribute to the academic field within the respective discipline of the class. Initially, these dynamic systems/processes that are designed by students will be fairly basic, but with continued use, they will be able to contribute immensely to their field by developing new animations that help teach other students. With the support of an academic institution, the animations developed by students can be used as supplementary learning material within the school and shared with other schools or perhaps published. One of the main lessons learned from implementing this activity is the creative ability and skill that is honed by continuous use of these technologies. Although it may prove to be difficult at first, once a user has identified all the available tools and experienced different uses for each, it becomes very intuitive to break down a highly elaborate process into small structures, geometries, images, and animations that can be grouped together to demonstrate a harmonic process. A major outcome of this assignment is to develop students professionally. Too often students are not able to visually represent something in a simple, clear, and complete manner; this technique allows students to explore this ability further. In their professional life, whether creating devices, developing algorithms, teaching, or any other line of work, the techniques students explore here will give them a creative ability to always illustrate their thoughts and innovations to an audience in a very visually effective manner.

Further reading Ayres, P., Marcus, N., Chan, C., & Qian, N. (2009). Learning hand manipulative tasks: When instructional animations are superior to equivalent static representations. Computers in Human Behavior, 25(2), 348–353. Berk, R. A. (2011). Research on PowerPoint®: From basic features to multimedia. International Journal of Technology in Teaching and Learning, 7(1), 24–35. Carmichael, S. W., & Pawlina, W. (2000). Animated PowerPoint as a tool to teach anatomy. The Anatomical Record, 261(2), 83–88.

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Gebre, E., Saroyan, A., & Bracewell, R. (2014). Students’ engagement in technology rich classrooms and its relationship to professors’ conceptions of effective teaching. British Journal of Educational Technology, 45(1), 83–96. Hoyek, N., Collet, C., Rienzo, F., Almeida, M., & Guillot, A. (2014). Effectiveness of threedimensional digital animation in teaching human anatomy in an authentic classroom context. Anatomical Sciences Education, 7(6), 430–437. Mayer, R. E. (2003). The promise of multimedia learning: Using the same instructional design methods across different media. Learning and Instruction, 13(2), 125–139. O’day, D. H. (2006). Animated cell biology: A quick and easy method for making effective, high-quality teaching animations. CBE-Life Sciences Education, 5(3), 255–263. Ruffini, M. F. (2009). Creating animations in PowerPoint to support student learning and engagement. Educause Quarterly, 32(4), 1–4. Schrand, T. (2008). Tapping into active learning and multiple intelligences with interactive multimedia: A low-threshold classroom approach. College Teaching, 56(2), 78–84. Sewasew, D., Mengestie, M., & Abate, G. (2015). A comparative study on power point presentation and traditional lecture method in material understandability, effectiveness and attitude. Educational Research and Reviews, 10(2), 234. Singh, S., Singh, S., & Gautam, S. (2009). Teaching styles and approaches: Medical student’s perceptions of animation-based lectures as a pedagogical innovation. Pakistan Journal Physiology, 5(1), 16–19. Stasko, J.T. (1997). Using student-built algorithm animations as learning aids (Vol. 29, No. 1, pp. 25–29). ACM. Stith, B. J. (2004). Use of animation in teaching cell biology. Cell Biology Education, 3(3), 181. Weiss, R. E., Knowlton, D. S., & Morrison, G. R. (2002). Principles for using animation in computer-based instruction: Theoretical heuristics for effective design. Computers in Human Behavior, 18(4), 465–477.

1.11  Supplemental materials 1.11.1 Appendix A: Brainstorming activity to help students decide on topic choice for project Learning through dynamic design and animation Idea Brainstorming Worksheet 1. Identify the top 3 course topics that you are interested in developing an animated design for: Topic Choice 1  Topic Choice 2  Topic Choice 3 ____________  ____________  ____________ 2. Now, do some brainstorming to identify specific processes/systems/activities in each topic. List as many as you can without assessing how simple or complex they are just yet:   Topic Choice 1   Topic Choice 2   Topic Choice 3 3. Based on criteria given in class, begin to critically assess your brainstormed ideas and choose one from each topic area to explore further and gather more information about it: 1. 2. 3.

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Table 1.1 

Fill in your top 3 choices from Part 3 above and rate each idea for each criterion given on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 = Low, 5 = High) Top 3 choices

Team interest

Complexity

# of resources

Expected time

Novelty

1. 2. 3.

4. Use available resources (textbook, notes, handouts, Internet) to learn more about each of your top 3 ideas. Use the following table to assess each idea based on the provided criteria. (You can extend the table to include further criteria if needed). 5. From your analysis of Table 1.1, identify an idea that has a high interest level, an acceptable level of complexity, many useful/accessible resources, fits within project timeline, and can be developed by your team in a novel way that adds to current animations/illustrations. 6. Use the space below to explain your choice and your initial plans (in a general sense) of how you will approach modeling/simulating the process/event you chose.

1.11.2 Appendix B: Example grading rubric for animation and presentation Learning through dynamic design and animation Final Animation and Presentation Rubric 1. Complexity of Animation………………………………………………………. 15 -Incorporates a number of components, animations, images/geometries, and employs various techniques. 2. Evidence of Iteration…………………………………………………………… 15 -Students demonstrated iterations on level of complexity,  scope of project, use of animations, and level of detail. 3. Demonstrated Detail of Topic/Process…………………………………………. 15 -The process includes various intricacies and is complete  in its demonstration/illustration of the topic being covered. 4. Creative Use of PowerPoint in Design…………………………………………. 15 -Evidence that critical thought and creativity went into choice of images, illustrations, animations, and integration of components used in project. 5. Presentation Setup……………………………………………………………… 15 -Presentation provides an overview of the topic followed by an intuitive animation of the process with use of text/sound to describe the process. 6. Oral Presentation……………………………………………………………….. 15 -Demonstrate strong understanding of presented topic and present in a logical order. No notecards used and audience engagement maintained.

Learning through dynamic design and animation

7. Formatting/Grammar…………………………………………………………… 10 -Presentation is uniformly formatted and does not include too much text. No grammatical or content errors. Slides are well-formatted and images/text are easily visible. −Total……………………………………………………………………….. 100

1.11.3  Appendix C: Proposed grading distribution for project Learning through dynamic design and animation Grading Breakdown 1. Brainstorming Worksheet………………………………………………… 10% 2. Literature Notebook……………………………………………………… 10% 3. Animation(s)……………………………………………………………… 50% 4. Oral Presentation…………………………………………………………. 30% 5. Public Disclosure of Animation………………………………………….. 10%

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Creating digital videos in an ESL learning community to develop communication skills and content area knowledge

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Gordon Alley-Young Kingsborough Community College, Brooklyn, NY, United States

2.1  Discipline/academic areas addressed English as a Second Language (ESL), Second Language Learning (L2 Learning), Public Speaking, Art, Health, Language Awareness, Psychology, Sociology, Interdisciplinary.

2.2  Instructional purpose The digital video is a three-minute digital video created in Photostory 3 free-use software from Microsoft. Students must produce several drafts of a 300-word script for their videos in which they answer questions that are designed to get them to reflect on concepts and issues raised in their content area courses as well as to reflect on their own learning and or their identities as second language (L2) learners. In addition students are expected to collect or create images with their smart devices as they commute to and from college, work, and home. The images they collect need to reflect the content area concepts they are exploring (e.g., health campaigns, personality traits, art, migration, surveillance), and document the complexity of their lives as L2 learners. Some images will have written messages while others will get captions in the video-making process. They must sequence the pictures in the video in accordance with their voiceover script and a free music file that will play in the background and complement the mood and tone of their digital video that, when complete, becomes a digital story of their learning journey over their semester/year in the program. This assignment has two instructional purposes. The first purpose of the assignment is to allow students to work on their videos at home, during commuting time, and when shuttling between our different classes. Our students use their camera-equipped smart devices to collect images (e.g., street art/murals, parks/recreation spots, nature, and advertising) and to draft their video scripts as emails or texts that they will later submit to their ESL professors for feedback. Students’ smart devices function as mobile file folders, allowing them to edit, delete, and select the order of the photos that constitute the visuals of their videos while they simultaneously sample and download free music Unplugging the Classroom. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102035-7.00002-3 Copyright © 2017 Gordon Alley-Young. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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files or select something from their own music libraries to complement these images. We also ask students to record a practice narration of their script using the recording feature that they can email to their public speaking instructor for feedback and critique on volume, pronunciation, and word stress. In scheduled computer lab time, students use their smart devices as storage devices from which they retrieve their photos, scripts, and music. Before we leave the computer lab students email working versions of their digital videos to themselves and watch them on their mobile devices with others to decide what to change or improve as they continue to work on their projects. The second purpose of this assignment is to allow students to self-direct their work pace while helping each other develop their ESL language and technology skills whatever their proficiency level or work speed. In computer classroom sessions that are scheduled during class time we give suggestions for where students might be in the process (e.g., by saying, “Today you might want to record your final voiceover if you haven’t done this already”). However, we recognize that students approach the tasks differently at different paces and sometimes they prefer to work in a different sequence. It is not unusual to be in a computer lab session and see a group of students working on task you have suggested, some still on the previous assigned task, and other students who are ahead in their work taking time to help fellow students or apply special effects to their videos. Having students of different ESL skill levels working together challenges students at lower levels of English proficiency to strive to match their higher-proficiency peers who give them writing and speaking feedback. This relationship goes both ways as students with lower English proficiencies have sometimes been some of the most technically adept students at helping their higher English proficiency peers to troubleshoot technology problems. This allows students who are still developing as English speakers to feel pride in being able to take on a technology mentoring role. A key element of self-directed learning is getting students to take ownership of creating their own learning materials and experiences. Though we as instructors mentor the students through the process we encourage students to acquire extra proficiencies with the technology and then get together and teach us and their peers the skills they have learned in making their videos. This self-direction extends to their speech, writing, and content course learning. For instance, in ESL public speaking classes, I provide each student with diagnostic sheets after each oral presentation that lists the word pronunciation, stress, and articulation issues that they should be most aware of when speaking. I summarize these troubleshooting sheets for them and then have them attend to these issues when they orally produce their video voiceovers. Similarly, in ESL, my English department coinstructors correct student writing through several drafts for coherence, to correct content sequencing and to assess if the responses to the assignment prompts are complete; we then ask that their final scripts reflect the improvements of this revision and self-correction process. Finally, in content classes (e.g., art, health, sociology, psychology) instructors introduce students to aesthetic concepts (e.g., chiaroscuro, composition, Impressionism) and/or social scientific theories (e.g., the five-factor personality trait taxonomy) and we ask them to apply these concepts by teaching them to their peers and us through their videos as they also reflect on their own learning process.

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The importance of the self-directed and student-created learning becomes clear when you survey the literature on ESL and L2 education practice. Much scholarship exists on students of various language ability levels watching premade educational/ instructional and popular entertainment videos in order to study their effect on training learners’ listening and conversational skills, the effect of subtitles on comprehension/reading, and whether musical entertainment facilitates language learning (Cruz Rondón & Velasco Vera, 2016; De Haan, Johnson, Yoshimura, & Kondo, 2012; Hayati & Mohmedi, 2010; Lei & Huang, 2012; Mei-Ling, 2012; Rance-Roney, 2010). However a growing body of literature details the benefits of ESL and L2 students creating their own digital videos and stories in order to actively participate in their own language learning process (Afrilyasanti & Basthomi, 2011; Huang & Hung, 2010; Kalyaniwala-Thapliyal, 2016; Li, Gromik, Edwards, & TESOL International Association, 2013; Riddle, 2009; Thang, Lin, Mahmud, Ismail, & Zabidi, 2014; Unger, Rong, & Scullion, 2015). Research has also explored how beneficial creating digital videos can be for ESL and L2 educators in training to develop and/or reflect on their educational practices (Manner & Rodriguez, 2010; Savaş, 2012). As part of our learning community training we as instructors attended workshops by the Center for Digital Storytelling, which is based in Berkeley, California. Though my original learning community coinstructors and I attended separate workshops at different times and in different places we all created videos in which we reflected on our own L2 learning experiences. I reflected on the challenges I faced in learning French as a second language while growing up in my native country of Canada while my colleague reflected on the challenges of learning Japanese as an American-reared ESL educator who had relocated to work as a teacher in Japan. I recommend that instructors who plan to teach this lesson undertake to complete a video of their own so that they fully understand the process and can foresee any challenges a student might face. The instructional purposes for this assignment come out of a larger initiative to revamp our already successful ESL learning communities and the digital video became symbolic of programmatic changes. Before 2012 our incoming ESL students were placed in one of three different levels of proficiency in our ESL program based on their scores on university-wide reading and writing tests. Our students struggled to transition out of ESL because reading posed a challenge and also because when they would fail to transition out of ESL they would become discouraged and do worse in the next level of ESL proficiency. To remedy this, a working group of learning community faculty came together to create a new learning community model named ACE ESL, where that name combines the acronym Assessment of College English (ACE) test, which our students took to transition out of ESL, with our goal to have students ace (i.e., pass with high scores) the test on the first try. Our learning communities would still include an ESL class not for college credit together but now all three levels of ESL are combined as one. ESL class is combined with a public speaking course, a student development course that all incoming students take to learn about college life, and one content area course (e.g., psychology, health, sociology, or art) all taken for college credit in the fall semester. In the spring semester students would take another level of noncredit-bearing ESL paired with the next level of public speaking

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for college credit, and they would choose other courses on their own and also take their ACE tests to possibly transition out of ESL. A new focus of this learning community would be intensive reading (e.g., reading with others/alone, reading for pleasure) to be completed by students outside of the classroom and project-based assignments that would interconnect the community’s courses and require students to use all the language capabilities (i.e., reading, writing, speaking, and language awareness). The digital video assignment fits into this new holistic focus on literacy with its emphasis on reading (and rereading). Students are not only writing, revising, and speaking their scripts for their videos, they are also constantly reading and giving feedback on their own and their peers’ writing as well as reading information to be able to effectively explain concepts from content area courses in their videos and to be able to reflect on their own personal life experience and learning experience with these concepts. They also connect their own educational journeys to the experiences of the protagonists in the books they are reading. While this assignment outline might suggest a typical student experience in this course, again it must be reiterated that there is no one typical ESL student in our program. He or she often is older than the traditional college-aged student but other times is not. If he or she does not have a family then he/she often has extra family obligations such as providing financially for family members both in the country and abroad as well, translating for family members who are not proficient in English, and/ or keeping pace with their own children’s learning when those children are native speakers of English. Our students, as most urban dwellers, both privileged and disadvantaged, spend long hours on busses and subways commuting between school, work, and home. Often in-classroom hours are consumed by required sessions of intensive reading, drafting and redrafting essays, practicing and performing speeches, and mastering theories and concepts in their content areas of courses. In addition, building skills through these learning activities we prepare students with activities that reflect the reading comprehension and analysis activities required by the ACE test. Our approach is not to teach only test preparation as you can see from this activity; endless test prep serves only to deaden skills and enthusiasm for learning. Instead we facilitate learning experiences where students can strengthen the language in learning skills they will need to ace the test and complete their educational journeys as quickly and meaningfully as possible.

2.3  Student learning outcomes 2.3.1  Overarching student learning outcomes These overarching student learning outcomes are derived from foundational principles for the entire ACE ESL learning community model. These principles are included in Supplemental Materials and Resources. 1. Students will acquire new language, expression, and technical skills through interactive and creative activity.

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2. Students will activate metaawareness both of their sociocultural and/or linguistic histories and environments and their own cognitive processes as learners. 3. Students will correlate different literacies (e.g., reading, writing, speaking, visual, auditory) and different interdisciplinary knowledge to narrate self and identity through creative project-based learning.

2.3.2  Discipline-specific student learning outcomes 1. Students will create a three-minute digital video that combines images, a voiceover narration, and musical accompaniment using the free access software Photostory 3. 2. Students will master a concept or concepts from a content area course by explaining that concept (or concepts) to through his/her own life experience. 3. Students will formulate a script with a complete beginning (i.e., orient us to the video content), middle (i.e., answer the questions and reflect on self and experience), and end (i.e., sum up your experience/story and give a final thought or reflection). 4. Students will self-monitor their spoken English in the video narration by paying specific attention to improving elements such as pronunciation, word stress, volume, rate, and vocal features that have been identified to them in advance on diagnostic speech assignments. 5. Students will be able to judge images and music in their videos in terms of clarity and accordance with the overall meaning and emotional tone of the message.

2.4  Prerequisite skills and knowledge To complete this assignment students require a basic knowledge of the different mobile smart device functions (e.g., take and store photos, record and save practice voiceover narrations, write and submit drafts of their video scripts via email). Over the 4 years we have been working with students we have not encountered a student who is not able to execute these basic functions and while all of our students come prepared with their own smart devices we also have devices that can be loaned to our students from our college computer center so that all of our students can work on the go. Students learn Photostory 3 via an in-class session where they are shown a video tutorial, given a step-by-step handout, and then led through a practice exercise where they must tell me how to assemble a short 30-second practice digital video (see Step 3 in Step-by-Step Directions for Professor/Lecturer). Students also help their peers to troubleshoot small gaps in knowledge that arise. One of the most common is not adjusting the volume of the background music so that the student’s voice is hard to hear; this is easily fixed by backtracking to the screen where music is added and lowering the volume on the control bar. Students have even helped us to troubleshoot technical problems. In one computer lab session when we were recording voiceovers my students pointed out that their smartphone earpieces and microphones worked better to record their voices than the microphones that were purchased by our college to work with the computers. Photostory 3 was chosen because it easy to use with a basic knowledge of computing, it is free to download to desktop personal computers, and inexpensive mobile versions exist in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Students are then given scheduled time across the semester to work in a computer lab

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classroom on their videos, and in between lab sessions students can collect materials for and work on their videos on their smart devices while mobile. After each lab session students can email working versions of their videos to themselves for viewing and critiquing their work between lab sessions. Once a final version is achieved students can upload their video to the learning community Facebook page.

2.5  Step-by-step directions for instructors Step 1: Class One (20–30 Minutes): Introduce the Assignment—After the first couple of weeks of the semester give the students an assignment sheet that outlines the process their work should take and content their videos should include, and the rubric you will use to grade their assignment (see Appendix A and Appendix B). Ask students to draft a 300-word script that responds to the questions on the assignment sheet that you provide. These questions can be modified to get students to reflect on and apply whatever course content you might be working on and should also have students reflect on their language and content learning process. Asking for a 300-word script allows 100 words of speaking per minute of video, which is within the normal range for conversational American English. Let students know that they will read this script orally in class for feedback from their peers and professor during a class one to two weeks from the time the assignment is originally assigned. Step 1B: Outside of Class: Collecting Images and Music—Tell students to start collecting images with their smart devices as they travel to and from college, work, and home. Students are given an initial goal of 15 images though they might want to expand this later. The images should be an opportunity to critically analyze linguistic messages and/or the themes in their script. After students amass a collection of images they should be encouraged to peruse license-free music sites (or their own music collections) to begin thinking about what music captures the emotional tone of their images. Students can visit Tissot (2010) or Creative Commons (2012–2016) to consider different music choices for their videos (see Readings & Resources). Encourage students to edit their images on their mobile devices using basic editing tools and to save their edited images along with their music files on their smart devices. They will take their mobile devices into the computer lab and retrieve their images and music by connecting the device to the computer or accessing the files via their cloud account or an online platform. Note: Some music sites charge for their music to pay for the licensing of the song for public viewings. If this video is only going to be shown on the classroom Facebook page to class members and is for educational (not commercial) purposes only then they can use commercial music from their own collections. Urge students to use instrumental music without vocals as the singing of lyrics can distract listeners from the speaker’s voice and message. Note: Encourage the students to back up their smart device files to their cloud accounts or if they do not have cloud accounts then they can upload their photos and music files to their own Facebook pages in case their mobile device is lost, stolen, or damaged. Step 2: Class Two (50–60 Minutes): Share Drafts of Scripts—For a class of 20–25 students, you can ask students to read the first two minutes of their script and give each student a minute or so of feedback on both the development of the idea and their spoken production of English. When looking at their spoken English I will give one example of a speech production problem and then make them responsible for finding and fixing others. For example, for a student who drops the “ed” sound off of past tense words I will note one and then have them look for others by recording themselves on their smart devices and then listen

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to the recording. Peers are good at pointing out areas of word pronunciation and stress that they need to work on as well as telling the student where they need to develop the content of their answers (e.g., telling them when more detail or examples are needed). I also give each student a list of pronunciation and word stress errors that they have made on previous speaking assignments that they are then expected to look for in their oral narration. Note: You might require two classes to do this assignment depending on the size of your class. An alternate way of doing this is to have students upload their voice recordings to the Facebook page you create for the course and then assign each student two or three peers to give feedback. Whether feedback is given face to face or online, I role model for students that they need to give both positive and constructive comments and to tell their classmate specific things they can work on and suggest ways to do something better (see Step 13 of Step-by-Step Directions for Students). Step 3: Class Three: Introduce and Practice Photostory 3—To teach students how to use the Photostory 3 software we take one class and show them a short tutorial video by Myers (2013), in which he shows them the software as he creates a short video screen by screen (see Readings & Resources). Give students a copy of a paper handout by James (2010) and in a classroom with a computer smart board and projector open the software and ask the students to tell you the steps required to create a short digital video with five photographic images and a stock music file. I make planned mistakes during my process to get students to apply their knowledge to correct me. For instance, I upload my photos in the wrong order and ask the students how to correct this (i.e., I have to drag and move the photos with my mouse). Note: Know how to make a video before coming to class. Also check your classroom computer and have reliable Internet access, and have Photostory 3 already downloaded, along with the folder of practice images and the music clip you will be using. Step 4: Classes Three to Five: Putting the Pieces Together—You can schedule three sessions in a computer lab over 2–3 weeks, request that students do the assignments in campus computer labs independently and/or have students do this work on their smart devices using the mobile version of the software. You should expect students will need a three 50–60 minute work sessions to (1) put their images in order and type captions on these images; (2) add a voice narration to each of the images in the video; and (3) add music to the video and make last-minute changes and edits. Remember each student works at their own pace so do not react negatively if a student is a step behind in the work process; it just means that the student will have to catch up on their own time or do extra work in mobile mode. Before the class where students arrange their pictures and write captions have them create storyboards using index cards. The index cards will have a hand-drawn representation of one of their photos and note what caption they want to write on the photo. The students will then put these captioned image cards in the order they want them to appear in the video. Before lab session two have them take the final revision of their script and write on each of the index cards what sentences they would like to speak from their script for each image. Have students email the video to themselves at each stage in the process and watch it on their mobile devices with friends, family, and classmates to help them decide if revisions are needed. The final lab session is to add and adjust music after making any needed changes (e.g., add or delete images, captions, narrations). This process runs more smoothly for students who use the index card storyboard method but anticipate that some students will prefer to create as they go. Note: This works well in a learning community so that all of the computer lab time is not coming exclusively from one instructor’s course. Remember to tell fellow instructors what students accomplished in your lab time so they will know where to start their lab session.

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Step 5: Classes Six and Seven: Viewing the Videos as a Class—Schedule a class (or two depending on the time required) during the last week of classes to watch the videos. If possible it should be a time when other instructors can attend if you are in a learning community. Require the students to upload their video to the course or learning community Facebook page prior to class. The classroom will require a smart board with a projector and speakers that is hooked up to a computer with Internet access. Designate a student to play the videos to keep the sessions on time and allow you time to fill out your evaluation sheets for each video. If you choose to do feedback after each video during these class sessions calculate a minute or two per video into the classroom time needed for viewing. Make sure that a variety of students respond and whether feedback is live or online remember to set some parameters (see Step 13 in Step-by-Step Directions for Students). Step 5B: Outside of Class: Feedback Online—If time constraints do not allow for feedback immediately after the class you could assign students two classmates’ videos and it becomes their job to go to the class social media site and give a positive and a constructive piece of feedback for each video. This is something students can do as they commute as they already watch online videos and work on assignments during their commutes. Also allowing ESL students the chance to write their comments takes away some of the anxiety students have of making mistakes in English because they can read and reread their comments and edit, if necessary, before posting. If students are doing their comments online later I encourage them to take notes during the in-class viewing.

2.6  Step-by-step directions for students Each time that I work with students the learning community always contains public speaking and ESL classes, and in the fall these classes are paired with a content area courses (e.g., art, history, psychology, sociology). When we are linked (learning communities are often referred to as links) with a content area course the theme for the digital video comes from exploring a topic studied in the content area course. For instance, when our learning community was linked with a health course the students’ videos reflected on their overall sense of health and wellbeing, including the levels of stress in their lives, their daily health practices, and examining the health messages they see all around them as they travel through the city. In the spring continuation of this learning community, our same students from the previous fall receive the next level of public speaking and ESL and we are not paired with a content area course (they choose the other courses in their schedule individually). Since we are not paired with a content area course the theme for the digital videos comes from the books that students read in ESL. For instance, one spring my students were reading the book Little Brother by Cory Doctorow, where the theme is about the impact of technology and surveillance on our personal privacy and security, thus the students’ digital videos considered how technology and surveillance have impacted their lives and their rights to privacy as new immigrants to the United States. At the beginning of each new fall learning community I might stay with the same configuration of courses as the fall prior, with new students of course, or I might join a different community and find myself working on a digital video with a new theme that relates to a new content area course. The instructions below are general. The content that students reflect on and respond to changes based on the theme that we set for the learning community,

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and this theme might also be determined by the content course that is included in our learning community and/or the books that students read as this learning community encourages ample amounts of independent reading in English outside the classroom. 1. The theme of this digital video will vary according to the content courses included in the learning community and/or the themes explored in the readings in classes (see Variations on the Basic Theme). 2. Go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=11132 to download a free version of Microsoft Photostory 3 for your PC or tablet. A Mac version of this is program is available at the Apple App Store either for free (Photostory) or for $2.99 (Photostory Pro). If you have an Android smart device the software Photo Story is free in several versions on the Google Play Store. a. You can use these apps and programs to work on your project when you are on the go or at home but you will also be provided access to 3–4 computer lab sessions during the semester. To successfully complete this video you will need to work both inside and out of the classroom. b. If you want to work in another software program that gives a similar result to Photostory 3 please check with us first. c. If you do not have a mobile smart device (e.g., smartphone, tablet) let us know and we can arrange for you to borrow one from the student computing center. 3. You will be asked to produce a 3-minute digital video on the theme identified above. Please refer to the video tutorial (Myers, 2013), handout (Jakes, 2010) and the notes you took during our in class tutorial for step-by-step instructions on how to complete a video using Photostory. 4. Review the questions and prompts on the assignment sheet and write a 300-word script for your digital story that replies to these prompts. a. Define any concepts from your content class and explain them. b. The key to a good script is editing your ideas. You want to give us enough detail to understand your experience but not so much detail we lose focus. c. Remember to give your video a brief introduction (introduce us to the theme of the video), a middle (explain the concepts and your learning experiences; this should be where you spend the 80% of your time), and a brief conclusion (sum up your experience or thinking on this experience or theme). 5. While you are traveling through the city, collect images (photos) that reflect the theme of your video. Look for signs, advertising, graffiti, social situations, and settings that comment on your theme in some way and comment on some of these images in your consideration of the content area concepts you discuss in the video. a. Aim for 15 or more images for the final video. Remember to edit these images in terms of quality and focus using the photo tools on your smart devices. b. Collect images as you write your script and organize these images in an order that fits your script. As you edit and change your script, edit and change the order or type of images you use. Think about what captions or comments you want to write over these images to point out or comment on the key meanings in the images. c. It is a good idea to back up your photo collections to your Facebook page or your cloud account in case your mobile device gets lost, damaged, or stolen. 6. We will read a draft of these scripts in class so that your peers and your instructors can give you feedback both on your spoken English and your ideas. a. Use your tablet or smart device and create a practice recording of you reciting your script that you will submit via email so I can give you feedback on your oral

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performance. Take the pronunciation feedback sheet that you are given after your speeches 1 and 2, and watch for these pronunciation errors when practicing your voice recording of your script. Aim for a conversational tone of voice in your recording (e.g., as though you were explaining your ideas to me face to face). b. Submit written copies of your script to your ESL instructor and your content instructors so they can give you feedback on your grammar, writing style, and discussion of the content concepts. 7. We have computer sessions scheduled for you to order and caption your images, record your narrative voiceovers and add music and make final edits. To work efficiently in the computer lab you will want to organize your script and images. Do not forget to bring a USB cord to connect your smart device to the computer if you are using it as a storage device for images, music, and versions of your video. 8. Before your first computer lab session make sure that you have edited and organized your images on your smart device. If you have not already organized and written captions in your images in your mobile version of Photostory, create storyboard index cards for the captions you want to include for each image. Remember that captions should briefly comment on the image but not prevent us from seeing it (i.e., you might want to position captions in the corner or off to the side). 9. Before your second computer lab session you will want to know which lines of your script you will speak as each image is on the screen. You can note this on each index card you have prepared and organized for the first lab session. 10. After each lab session email the working draft of your story to yourself and watch it several times. Note what you like and what you want to change. The more times you evaluate and edit your work the deeper and more thoughtful your final video will be. 11. Before the last computer lab sessions you should have picked a piece of instrumental music that will play in the background of your video. Visit the free music sites that were suggested in class to pick a piece. If you use a commercial piece of music be aware that you will not be able to share this video publically due to copyright limitations. Save this piece of music to your device so it can be downloaded into the final version of your video. The final lab session is the time to make any final edits (remember to include a title slide with your name and the title of your video and a credits slide with anyone you want to acknowledge or give credit to). 12. When you render a final version of your video, email copies of the video to yourself and to your instructors and upload it to our Facebook page by the posted due date.

Before we watch the videos together check the sheet distributed in class to see what two other students’ videos you have been assigned to go onto our Facebook page to critique. For each video we need to give one positive comment and one constructive comment per video. You are not allowed to make unclear comments such as “I liked it” or “I didn’t like it.” Each time you make a comment, follow this formula: give us your reaction (e.g., I could relate to/I was distracted by), plus the specific element you are reacting to (e.g., the explanation Keiko gave of the concept of eustress/ the lyrics of the music you used in the video), and finally a suggestion on how to use the positive feedback or improve the area that needs work (e.g., I think all of your explanations should sound like this/I think you should choose music with no lyrics so I can focus on your speaking). I recommend taking notes when we watch the videos in class so you will be prepared when you go online to write your critiques. You have until the end of the day of our public speaking exam to post your critiques.

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2.7  Approximate time required Our college has a 12-week semester model (fall and spring) with two 6-week intersessions (winter and summer). The ACE ESL learning community is taught during the fall and spring semesters and my public speaking class is taught over three hours of instruction a week, usually in three 60-minute periods. You will want to adjust this timeline if you are teaching over a longer or shorter semester or during longer or shorter class periods. Time requirements for this activity are as follows: 20 minutes: In the second to third week of the semester I introduce the assignment during the last 20 minutes of one public speaking class period. I instruct students to start a 300word script draft that answers the questions on the assignment sheet. Students are also asked to start collecting images and to start listening to different free music clips. 60–120 minutes: In week four, students will spend one to two hours of class time writing and redrafting the script for their digital stories in their ESL class. 60–90 minutes: In week five, I use one to one and a half public speaking classes to let students orally share a portion of their scripts. They are given feedback on both the content and the pronunciation of the script in a written form (from me) and orally (from their peers). 45 minutes: In week six, I use almost three quarters of one public speaking class period to teach students how to use the Photostory 3 software (i.e., watch a video tutorial, provide a handout, walk the class step by step through creating a practice video). During this week students submit redrafts of their video script both to their ESL instructor, who looks at their writing and expression, and to their content area instructor (e.g., psychology, art, health, and sociology), who looks at the concepts and theories that the student explains for clarity and accuracy. In week seven, students record their scripts outside class as a voice recording on their smart device and submit this to me via email for feedback. During this week students work in one ESL class session to write grammatically correct captions for their images. 180 minutes across three different classes: Over weeks eight to eleven, our learning community schedules three (or more) sessions for students to work in a computer lab. One of these classes takes place in Public Speaking class and the other two are scheduled during the other classes in the learning community. One session involves importing the photos into Photostory, putting them in order, and writing the captions on the images. A second session (usually during public speaking class) involves recording the voiceover narration for each image. A third session involves adding music and making last-minute edits and changes. Because the work sessions happen over different classes, the instructors must communicate via email as to how much work students accomplished during each session. 60–90 minutes: In week twelve, one to two class periods are set aside to view the videos as a class in the public speaking or ESL classroom with students giving classmates feedback, usually outside of class on the course Facebook page.

Throughout this process students are encouraged to work independently. Messages are sent orally in classes and using email and the course Facebook page throughout the semester reminding students of important tasks. Reminders urge students to start collecting/editing their photos, record and send their practice narrations, and watch and critique their draft stories after each computer lab session. At the end of the semester students are reminded to post their videos on Facebook and to give feedback on each other’s videos.

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2.8  Readings and resources 2.8.1  Required hardware and software A smartphone or smart device, various models and operating systems will work for this assignment (e.g., Apple iPod Touch or iPhone, Android phones). Photostory 3 software is free from Microsoft for desktop computers and students with Mac or Android devices can download a Photostory app for free for some versions and for no more than nominal fee for others (e.g., $2.99). Having access to a computer lab at school is helpful and a smart classroom with a projector and Internet connection is necessary for teaching students the basics of Photostory 3 and for viewing the completed videos as a class. Many colleges also have laptop/tablet rental programs and wireless campuses and these can be important resources for this activity.

2.8.2 Online platforms for uploading, viewing, and commenting on student videos Instructors should set up a Facebook page restricted to the students and instructors in the learning community. The instructor will have to serve as the moderator for this page. A good tutorial for setting up a Facebook classroom site can be found at: Koch, A. (2015). How to set up a Facebook page for your classroom. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwYSve54dU0 Some instructors prefer to keep their Facebook for nonwork social networking so you might alternately set up a Google Classroom site or a Tumblr site for your classroom. Yet most students are conversant with Facebook and use it regularly so if you want them to complete work independently they might be more likely to do it on a platform they visit regularly.

2.8.3 Online tutorials for creating digital stories and using Photostory 3 I show Myers’ (2013) brief Photostory 3 video tutorial because it is all based around screenshots of the actual Photostory 3 program as the author both talks through and shows the viewer the basics for creating a video. I pair this video with Jakes’ (2010) handouts, which also show the screenshots while explaining the steps in easy-to-read prose in an offline print format. Other options include: Benner, D., & Guhlin, M. (n.d.). Digital storytelling lesson. Retrieved from https:// sites.google.com/site/digitizeww/digital-storytelling-lesson Cowan, D. (2008). Using Photostory 3 with ESL students: Introduction to multimedia technology (Part 1 of 4). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=k6JdbCgxsMY Frith, G. et  al. (n.d.). Digital approaches to academic reflection: A digital storytelling story guide. Retrieved from http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1pi1i/ Digitalapproachestoa/resources/1.htm

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Jakes, D. (2010). Using Microsoft Photostory 3. Retrieved from http://www.jakesonline.org/photostory3.pdf Morra, S. (2013). 8 steps to great digital storytelling. Retrieved from https:// samanthamorra.com/2013/06/05/edudemic-article-on-digital-storytelling/ Myers, B. (2013). Creating videos with Microsoft Photostory 3. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtB6_D_toVQ

2.8.4  Sample digital videos These sample videos are not videos created by my students but they are good approximations of the types of final products you can expect with Photostory 3. The creators represent different cultures and reflect on larger learning and cultural lessons similar to what we ask students to do in this activity. Kwok, S. (2013). A story of white michelia. Retrieved from https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=6UHCZhb4Rog Lau, L. (2013). The biggest challenge in my life. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Lz-LKXdsak Sze, P. (2011). We are all one. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=zTPHqubSUhw

2.8.5  License- and royalty-free music for videos Creative Commons (n.d.) and Tissot (2012–2016) (see citations below) offer royaltyfree music that students can use if they wish to share their final videos outside of the classroom without paying copyright fees. In some cases the music on these and similar sites might be free or low cost provided they are being used for learning projects within education. If you have concerns about students using copyrighted music in their videos there are allowances for students using small portions of copyrighted works for educational purposes (i.e., fair use doctrine) as outlined in a PDF handout by the Orange County Public Schools (n.d.). Commons Creative. (n.d.). Free music archive. Retrieved from http://freemusicarchive.org/curator/Creative_Commons/ Orange County Public Schools. (n.d.). Copyright and fair use for teachers. Retrieved from https://www.ocps.net/lc/east/htc/mediacenter/Documents/FairUse.pdf Tissot, B. (2012–2016). Royalty free music by BENSOUND. Retrieved from http:// www.bensound.com/

2.9  Variations on the basic theme We chose Photostory 3 because it is either free or low cost to access, has versions for those who work on either Mac or PC, and is simple to use as many of the steps are intuitive to how students are used to using computers (e.g., highlighting and dragging a photo onto the image screen to import it) or self-explanatory (e.g., clicking the record

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button to record your voice and the stop button when recording is done). In four years and eight semesters of doing digital videos with ESL students of various ages who come with varying degrees of prior computer experience, I have not encountered any significant difficulties in students using the program. That said, every semester I have one or two students who prefer to work in Apple iMovie because they are more familiar with this software and/or want to use different effects in their videos. For students who are less technologically savvy or if the institution has limited access to technology a similar type of video with still images can be made with Microsoft PowerPoint (i.e., as an animated and narrated presentation) or Apple’s Photos application (i.e., as a photo slideshow). For my students who use iMovie, they will sometimes use Photostory as a storyboarding tool. Additionally, if instructors feel that having each student make her or his own digital video would be too difficult then students could be assigned to make one video as part of a small group of classmates. In this instance, the time and content requirements for the video could be expanded to account for more individuals having a role to play in completing the work. I have overseen digital video projects of various themes. For instance, based on the classes that are in a learning community and/or the themes that are in the readings that students are doing I have heard of and/or participated in video projects on the following themes:

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The Big Five Personality Traits and Me (psychology theme) Holistic Health and Managing Stress Through Activity (health theme) Technology, Privacy, Surveillance, and Civil Liberties (technology theme) My Migration Story (sociology theme) The Importance of Art to My Life (art theme)

Other ways this project could be approached differently is in the visuals that are used. I have been in learning communities where we have had students draw visual summaries of scenes in the books that they are reading and then photocopy or scan these images into their videos. Our learning community is based on an intensive focus on reading books outside of class so by having the students represent these books visually and in their scripts we can sometimes bridge the in- and out-of-classroom experiences into one project. The possibilities are endless. I could imagine a professor in a research methods course having students use the digital project to represent the stages of their research project and/or fieldwork, or a professor in an arts discipline course having students use this digital video to document the evolution of their creative process as they work on a semester arts project. Additionally, education students who are learning to teach students—ESL, L2, or otherwise—could use the digital video to document their insights and engage concepts and theories as they are learning the profession. As I discuss variations on this assignment I note how this assignment approaches ESL (English class) and public speaking classes as though they are process or tools classes, where the skills of speaking, reading, writing, and listening are taught to be used to process ideas and theories from other disciplines’ classes, which I have been referring to here as the content classes, where substantive disciplinary knowledge is

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acquired. In the process of writing about and describing this activity I realize that moving forward in my practice it is important not to lose sight of the fact that ESL (English) and public speaking classes are content classes in and of themselves and the history, ideas, theorists, theories, and approaches of these disciplines could form the basis of digital video themes for student exploration. As I develop my own practice I would like to experiment with digital video projects that reflect major concepts from public speaking (relatedly communication studies) and ESL (relatedly English literature) as disciplines. Finally it should be noted that when I reflect on the execution of these videos, although we provide computer labs through the semester for students to work on specific tasks at specific times, I regularly observe that students are often at all different stages of putting a project together at any given time. Students work together outside of classes to vet each other’s creations and also to assemble the materials for these projects. Students also use the tools we provide them with for different purposes than what we intend. For instance, some students use Photostory 3 as a rough drafting or planning tool for their videos and they then complete their videos using another software tool. Alternately, students will take the digital video expertise they learn in this learning community and use it to create scholarly presentations for other classes while some of their classmates might be content take the knowledge to create a slideshow of their different fashion looks or pet dog’s pictures to share on social media to entertain their friends. It is possible for students to do all of this work on their smart devices with access to a cellular network and/or wireless Internet. Students who work on the go come to computer lab sessions not to use the equipment but to share their drafts and to give feedback and get feedback (i.e., learning is a social process occurring over time). Other students who, having mastered the basic level of Photostory using mobile or desktop devices outside of the lab sessions, come to class with the goal of incorporating advanced editing and transition techniques or creating their own instrumental music using online tools into their videos. The point is that whatever the end results of the skills that students learn in creating digital videos, or the level of digital video production they reach, they are all able to work at their own pace in an environment that encourages peer support, feedback, and encouragement.

2.10  Observations and advice I outline challenges of this activity not to dissuade instructors from attempting it but to prepare them for issues that might arise. The advantages of this activity outweigh any challenges. First the challenge is to find the time and technology to do these activities. Increasingly, speech and ESL professors feel the pressure to teach students to pass assessment tests for them to leave ESL classes and enter mainstream college classes. This pressure does not lend itself to the flexible structure and spirit of play required to carry out an activity. The second challenge is working with a population of students with various levels of technology experience. We circumvented this

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by using software, technology devices, and social media platforms that all students would be familiar with. Could we create more technologically adept videos with more sophisticated technological tools? Absolutely, but at the same time this would require more time in the curriculum to teach and troubleshoot with students as they navigate this technology. The third challenge is that students’ videos require them to share and reflect on themselves in a public exercise. This could be a challenge for some students based on how open they are to public sharing in a mixed audience. Students need to be given parameters to participate and share and show that they can be reflective of their learning process without having to tell stories or experiences that leave them vulnerable or lead to their marginalization. There are many advantages to this activity but I will restrict myself to three major benefits. The video provided a means of getting students who may be intimidated by writing and speaking in English to do much more of this activity. The same is true of getting students to revise and edit their work as the video activity requires ongoing editing. Relatedly a second benefit is that the videos created were much more effective at communicating the students’ selves and perspectives than an essay or a speech alone could ever be. Students who in speeches communicated haltingly or hesitantly achieved a greater ease of speaking with the opportunity to record and rerecord their voices. Students whose ideas on paper lacked detail or explanation developed their thought to a greater detail when they had visual images prompting them to explain or say more. Bringing together different modes of expression made us feel that were seeing students in a much more complete way as we were invited to see different sides to their learning journeys, some of which were painful and hard to encounter. A third benefit is that students developed mentoring relationships as they helped each other and their instructors troubleshoot and complete phases of the project. One student was so caring in her guidance of her peers that I asked if she had ever considered a career in teaching. Her mind was firmly set on becoming an accountant but was she surprised that this project had revealed a skill she had not realized she possessed. Finally, this experience taught me that the classroom is a place of creation and play, where the onus should be on the student creating new knowledge and understanding when I think so much of higher education for ESL students is structured with them as the passive recipient of an instructor’s knowledge. The literature abounds with articles on having students interact with, mimic, or listen to audiovisual materials that are created for them. This project flips the ESL classroom as it participates in a growing area of scholarship that I previously noted in this chapter that casts the students as authors of their own videos and thus their learning processes.

Further reading Acosta, S., & Garza, T. (2011). The podcasting playbook: A typology of evidence-based podagogy for preK-12 classrooms with English language learners. Research in the Schools, 18(2), 40–57.

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Afrilyasanti, R., & Basthomi, Y. (2011). Digital storytelling: A case study on the teaching of speaking to Indonesian EFL students. Language in India, 11(2), 81–91. Benner, D., & Guhlin, M., (n.d.). Digital storytelling lesson. Retrieved from https://sites. google.com/site/digitizeww/digital-storytelling-lesson. Cruz Rondón, E., & Velasco Vera, L. (2016). Understanding the role of teaching materials in a beginners’ level English as a foreign language course: A case study. Profile: Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development, 18(2), 125–137. De Haan, J. D., Johnson, N. H., Yoshimura, N., & Kondo, T. (2012). Wiki and digital video use in strategic interaction-based experiential EFL learning. CALICO Journal, 29(2), 249–268. Hayati, A. M., & Mohmedi, F. (2010). The effect of films with and without subtitles on listening comprehension of EFL intermediate students. International Journal of Instructional Media, 37(3), 301–313. Huang, H. D., & Hung, S. A. (2010). Implementing electronic speaking portfolios: Perceptions of EFL students. British Journal of Educational Technology, 41(5), E84–E88. Kalyaniwala-Thapliyal, C. (2016). Collective digital storytelling: An activity-theoretical analysis of second language learning and teaching. Canadian Journal of Learning & Technology, 42(4), 1–27. Lei, L., & Huang, C. (2012). Learning English through musicals: A case study of social economically disadvantaged aboriginal students in Eastern Taiwan. Journal of Humanities & Arts Computing: A Journal of Digital Humanities, 6(1/2), 204–210. Li, J., Gromik, N., Edwards, N., & TESOL International Association. (2013). ESL and digital video integration: Case studies. TESOL International Association. Manner, J. C., & Rodriguez, D. (2010). Professional development in ESL through digital video. International Journal of Applied Educational Studies, 9(1), 33–40. Mei-Ling, C. (2012). Effects of integrating children’s literature and DVD films into a college EFL class. English Teaching: Practice & Critique, 11(4), 88–98. Morra, S. (2013). 8 steps to great digital storytelling. Retrieved from . Rance-Roney, J. (2010). Jump-starting language and schema for English-language learners: Teacher-composed digital jumpstarts for academic reading. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 53(5), 386–395. Riddle, J. (2009). Life in every language. Multimedia & Internet@Schools, 16(3), 22–24. Savaş, P. (2012). Use of digital video recording in the preparation stage of pre-service foreign language teachers’ micro-teachings. International Journal on New Trends in Education & Their Implications (IJONTE), 3(3), 107–116. Thang, S. M., Lin, L. K., Mahmud, N., Ismail, K., & Zabidi, N. A. (2014). Technology integration in the form of digital storytelling: Mapping the concerns of four Malaysian ESL instructors. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 27(4), 311–329. Unger, J., Liu, R., & Scullion, V. (2015). Creating joint attentional frames and pointing to evidence in the reading and writing process. Reading Matrix: An International Online Journal, 15(2), 1–17.

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2.11  Supplemental materials 2.11.1 Appendix A: Sample assignment sheet for a digital video assignment on the theme technology, privacy, surveillance and civil liberties (Elements of this assignment sheet were created in collaboration with my colleagues Cindy Greenberg and Martha Cummings) SPE 21: Effective Public Speaking for ACE-ESL Digital Story Assignment Professor Gordon Young Requirements: Follow both the 5 steps listed below and pay special attention to the digital story grading criteria and rubric Digital story due date: T.B.A.

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Steps for Creating the Digital Story: Step 1: Draft Your Story. Your story should reflect how your life has been changed or influenced by the technology you use in everyday life. Also consider how your thinking about technology changed as a result of being in the ACE-ESL link this semester. When writing your story reflect on the following prompts: Describe in detail how many different types of technology are a part of your everyday lives (e.g., at school, during your free time, at work). Tell us what are the most fun, enjoyable, and/or pleasurable experiences that you have when using technology and what are the negative, frustrating, and/or dangerous experiences that you have had when using technology. Give three original suggestions/ideas for how the US government should use technology to keep US citizens safe while not violating your right to privacy. Give evidence for why these ideas are effective. Explain in detail how your experience of technology and surveillance is the same as and/ or different from the character of Marcus in the book Little Brother. Remember to also tell us how your thinking on technology has evolved over the course of the semester. Step 2: Gather Your Materials. What other pictures, visuals, film clips, and music do you want to include in your digital story? Collect and present pictures/photos (e.g., subway posters, flyers, magazine advertisements, online pictures) of words and messages about computers, video, cameras, technology, surveillance, security, etc. Use these images for Step 2 (below).  Draw a picture that visually summarizes a key scene in the book Little Brother. Photograph the drawing and include it in your digital story. Step 3: Revise Your Story. Remember to reflect on how your thinking has changed over the course of the semester and reading, writing, and speaking about the issues of technology, surveillance, and security raised by the book Little Brother. Incorporate the feedback from your ESL professor on your written draft and the feedback from me into your final spoken narration for your final video project. ●

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Step 4: Create Storyboards. Get 15 or more index cards that represent the different pictures in your digital story. On each card write the name of the picture or visual that you want to use and under that picture list write the words that you will read aloud while that picture is on the screen. Remember to include any captions you want to include on your images. Put your cards in the order you want them to appear. This is the order of your visual story. Step 5: Start Creating your Digital Story with Photostory 3. Open the program and select “Begin a new story.” Import and arrange your pictures (use your index cards to remind you of the order of your pictures). Add a title to your story. Record your final voiceover (be careful to speak slowly and clearly; pay attention to your pronunciation and word stress using the lists of pronunciation areas you should be aware of). You can borrow the microphones from your professors, use your own smartphone microphones, or you can schedule a time to record your voiceover with the director of the campus radio station. Add background music. Make sure we can still hear your voice after the music is added. Bring a pair of headphones with you to listen to your final story. Post your story to the Facebook page for our course link on the day that it is due. Post your feedback for the two videos you have been assigned to critique online. Remember to include one positive comment and one constructive comment for each video. These comments are due by the end of the day that your final exam is scheduled. ●

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2.11.2 Appendix B: Sample grading rubric for a digital video assignment on the theme the importance of art to my life Class

Criteria

Grade: D to F

Grade: C

Grade B

Grade: A

Public speaking

Message completeness

Speaker discusses their perspective on art and its evolution. Ideas connect in a basic way. Speaker needs to outline their ideas with more detail and explanation.

Speaker follows an understandable thought path to relate their idea of art and how it has evolved. Some details and examples are used to help clarify ideas.

Speaker’s ideas on art interconnect to present a whole and cohesive thought. Frequent use of examples and details to give the listener a complete idea of speaker’s perspective.

Public speaking

Word pronunciation and word stress Elements you were asked to work on include:_____ ________ ________ ________ Visual imagery collected and created

Speaker discusses their perspective on art in a disorganized/confusing way lacking detail and explanation. Ideas are isolated from each other and/or unrelated to the assignment. Speaker had frequent pronunciation and word stress errors that made listening to/understanding the message difficult in part or throughout.

Speaker had some pronunciation and word stress errors yet the message was understandable.

Speaker’s pronunciation and word stress had a few small errors that had a minor or negligible impact on the message.

Speaker’s pronunciation and word stress allows listener to completely focus on the message.

Images lacked connection to the story. Images were distorted/blurry/ and/or inappropriate.

Images could have more personal connection to the topic and/or be of a higher quality.

Images have a good personal connection to the digital story and helped listeners to follow and understand the story. Good clarity of images.

Images were personalized to the digital story. Images captured the visual concept of the speaker’s message. Innovative and creative images were used.

Public speaking

Class

Criteria

Grade: D to F

Grade: C

Grade B

Grade: A

Public speaking

Voiceover and music

The speaker spoke too softly to be heard and the music overshadowed the speaker’s voice and story in parts or throughout the video.

The speaker could be heard. The music (and/or lyrics) is competing with the voice of the speaker.

The speaker’s voice is loud and clear and the music complements the tone of speaker’s voice and adds to the meaning and expression of the video.

Public speaking & ESL class

Drafts of written script and practice voice recording (pre–final video creation)

There was no draft(s) submitted and/or practice voice recording or what was submitted was insufficient for evaluation.

The written script and/ or the voice recording required significant revision in content and/or grammar/ pronunciation.

Speaker has a good voice volume. The music works with the speaker’s message and mostly agrees with the emotional tone of the speaker’s voice. The written script and/ or the voice recording required some revision but overall reflected the criteria for written and spoken evaluation.

The written script and/or the voice recording was at final draft stage with only minor or inconsequential edits suggested.

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2.11.3 Appendix C: Summary of curricular principles: Interdisciplinary ESL Pilot working group Authored in 2012 by Gabrielle Kahn, Cindy Greenberg, Natasha Lvovich, Martha Cummings, John Keller, Jason VanOra, and Gordon Young 1. The foundational principle to be applied to our interleveled, one-year curriculum is that new knowledge, including language acquisition, is socially constructed over time (Vygotsky, 1978). We understand the development of mind, thought, and language understood to be rooted in interpersonal dialogue. While we have to assess students as the individuals they are, we cannot divorce their individual progress (or lack of progress) from the classroom spaces we create. Rather, we understand our students’ individual and gradual developmental trajectories to be situated in, and emerging from, particular social settings and interactional histories. All of our activities must build in this awareness. 2. Let’s extend this concept to our understanding of a second core principle of our pilot curriculum: reading as a dialogic activity (Vygotsky, 1978). Even if reading may seem on the surface to be individualistic, it is a complex interaction between one’s previous readings, conversations with others, conversations with ourselves, life events, and bits of knowledge we have accumulated. It is through these dynamic connections that we are able to comprehend, analyze, and apply what we are reading. Our students are with us because they have not had, in English and possibly in their native languages, these foundations for thinking, language, and literacy. Because of this, we will create an experience that provides for the dialogic foundations of reading and encourages joy in reading. Besides classroom conversations and responses about required course texts, we will facilitate an ongoing component that will give students the opportunity to choose their own texts in multiple genres and engage with these texts on their own terms, allowing them to develop their own style and pace of reading, and to share aspects of their reading with others. 3. Encompassing our view of reading as dialogic, our third aim is to create a literacy-based approach to teaching (Kern, 2003). We understand literacy as not only involving systems of writing, but also requiring knowledge of how language is used in spoken contexts. To this end, we will work with our students on activities such as researching uses of language inside and outside the classroom through data collection and interviews, searching out “patterns” within these texts, exploring various registers of language (“formal” and “informal”), and engaging with such materials and media as TED talks, podcasts, and plays and theater. 4. Our fourth curricular aim is to activate students’ metaawareness. We will encourage students to reflect on their uses of language, and also on their own cognitive processes to explore the layered relationships between words, larger units of meaning, real and imagined worlds, and themselves (Kern, 2003). We will weave in their psychology [or other related course] course content wherever possible to make such reflections meaningful. We will work to promote students’ metalinguistic awareness of their native languages and of English, and the similarities and differences between languages. We will explore the cultural knowledge needed for literacy, and the particular systems of attitudes, beliefs, customs, ideals, and values embedded in texts (Kern, 2003). In addition to teaching the subcomponents of language—e.g., grammar, phonology, and the lexicon—we will work with students to establish concrete goals with students in these areas, and to document their learning processes for their yearlong (and lifelong) education. 5. A fifth aspect shaping our curriculum is play. According to Vygotsky (1978), it is through play that we bridge the mind’s imagination and the rules of real life in cognitively transformative ways. Play is memory in action. It brings about imitation, highlighting what a student is noticing in another’s behavior and can do with this behavior as a model. Play is creative, evoking narrative, symbolism, metaphor, and new ways of thinking, behaving, and being. Play grows out of agency and desire.

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6. A sixth curricular principle is the development of self and identity in learning, and the role of emotions. These two interconnected notions have been critical contributions to second language research over the past decade (Kramsch, 2009; Norton, 2000; Pavlenko & Lantolf, 2000). Learning another language and investing in it emotionally, culturally, and socially, L2 learners construct a new identity—a process our classrooms can promote by encouraging culture-immersing reading “in massive amounts” and creating multilingual identity empowering assignments, i.e., a/b narratives, creative multisensory and artistic projects. The development of a new (L2) self occurs via the construction of a personal narrative, Bruner’s narrativity (Bruner, 1991), and Bakhtinian dialogism (Bakhtin, 1982), in the process of self-translation (Besemeres, 2002; Pavlenko & Lantolf, 2000), where the L2 is used for emotional expression and self-representation. When learners are encouraged to develop creativity, metaphoric thinking, subjectivity, and language emotionality for their “stories” and interactions with each other, language becomes the foundation for this new developed self (or vice versa). Taking into account emotionality and subjectivity in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) reflects the Vygotskyan (Vygotsky, 1978) sociocultural framework of language and thought/Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and literacy: students learn the language in and through carefully configured social environments, each at their own pace and in individually formed, subjective, and emotional spaces, renarrativizing their stories/ personae. 7. A seventh is multimodality. We will promote the use of technology as part of literacy, inextricable from larger networks of discourse practices and constraints (Kramsch, 2009). 8. An eighth is project-based learning. In addition to assignments given over the short term, we will work with students to refine pieces of work over long stretches of time. These projects will be based an underlying view that focuses on learning as participation (over acquisition), transformation (over transmission), and classrooms as “busy workshops with lots of activity” (van Lier, 2004).

Works cited in Appendix C Bakhtin, M.M. (1982). The dialogic imagination: Four essays. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. Besemeres, M. (2002). Translating one’s self: Language and selfhood in cross-cultural autobiography. New York: Peter Lang. Bruner, J. (1991). The narrative construction of reality. Critical Inquiry, 18, 1-21. Kern, R.G. (2003). Literacy as a new organizing principle for foreign language education. In P.T. Patrikis (Ed.). Reading between the lines: Perspectives on foreign language literacy (pp. 40-59). New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Kramsch, C. (2009). The multilingual subject. New York: Oxford University Press. Norton, B. (2000). Identity and language learning: Gender, ethnicity and educational change. Harlow, England: Longman/Pearson Education. Pavlenko, A. & Lantolf, J. (2000). Second language learning as participation and the (re)construction of selves. In J. Lantolf (Ed.). Sociocultural theory of second language learning (pp. 155-177). New York: Oxford University Press. Van Lier, L. (2004). The ecology and semiotics of language learning. Norwell, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard, MA: Harvard University Press.

Unplugging with off-the-gridders Kevin Garrison Angelo State University, San Angelo, TX, United States

3

3.1  Discipline/academic areas addressed Writing intensive courses across the university, especially in courses related to science, technology, engineering, and math.

3.2  Instructional purpose This activity encourages students to adopt, for a time, the off-the-grid mentality, thereby encouraging (1) thinking critically about their relationship with technology; (2) problemsolving by identifying alternative means to similar ends; and (3) reflecting and analyzing how living “off-the-grid” can provide a sense of empowerment. This encourages students to seek out their own paths of learning, especially as innovative/creative thinking becomes increasingly prioritized in both their private and professional lives.

3.3  Student learning outcomes 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Students will use technologies from other times/cultures. Students will think critically about their relationship with technology. Students will problem-solve new ways to achieve similar technological ends. Students will write reflectively on their understanding of technology. Students will create a workplace memo to learn a workplace genre.

3.4  Prerequisite skills and knowledge College-level writing skills.

3.5  Step-by-step directions *

A few notes: The steps move from theory to practice, beginning with the most abstract theoretical concept and moving to how these theories can be implemented. Steps four and five provide tips for constructing course materials. As well, the five steps for instructors are meant to be read side-by-side with the five steps for students. Unplugging the Classroom. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102035-7.00003-5 Copyright © 2017 Kevin Garrison. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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3.6  Step-by-step directions for instructors 1. Prior to the beginning of the course, instructors should spend time grappling with Jacques Ellul’s theory of the three milieus and use these ideas to prepare lectures, activities, and discussion sessions that utilize his ideas. A good place to start is his easiest book What I Believe or his most famous work The Technological Society, both of which outline the foundation for his research, specifically his theory of the three milieus (French for environment). In most of his books, one of Ellul’s central theses is that technology has historically progressed through three stages: the natural, social, and technological milieus. In 2012, I expanded his theory to include a fourth milieu—one of virtuality—and Table 3.1 shows some basic differences throughout history. Most notable about Ellul’s theory is how certain important technologies in human evolution are strongly correlated with changes in human psychology, communication approaches, and external environmental changes. For example, the emergence of writing systems, combined with flourishing agricultural techniques, provided the foundation for a new milieu: the shift from the natural environment to the social environment, where people became more concerned with philosophical and religious grapplings with the question of “good versus evil” over the previous questions of how to stay alive in the natural world. Similar shifts occurred with the introduction of the printing press in the 15th century and electronic/digital technologies in the 20th century. Perhaps the best image for explaining Ellul’s theories comes from Polski and Gorman (2014). In their article, they provide an image reminiscent of a (potentially) neverending pyramid. The pyramid makes it clear that current milieus (epochs? technologies?) are predicated and founded on previous milieus. Someone in the 21st century, then, is required to learn an exponentially large number of communication technologies to be fully fluent for today’s world and tomorrow’s future. Teaching only digital technologies, such as applications, programming languages, web development, digital software, and the like disregards the historically complex, nuanced, and inefficient growth of past technologies (Fig. 3.1). The first step, then, prior to providing students with an activity is to begin by analyzing the history of technology—learning how our current, efficient techniques have not always been such. Table 3.1  The

four milieus (Garrison, 2012) Milieu 1

Milieu 2

Milieu 3

Milieu 4

External environment (exogenous—adapting the environment to the person) Internal environment (endogenous— adapting the person to the environment) Discourse Efficiency dichotomy

Nature

Society

Technology

Virtuality

Ritual and storytelling

Politics and religion

Psychological

Transhumanism

Orality Life/death

Writing Good/evil

Approximate dates

~11,000– 3000 BCE Language

Print literacy Rationality/ irrationality ~3000 BCE–AD AD ~1500– 1500 2000 Agriculture Enlightenment

Electronic Posthuman/ human AD ~2000– Present Postmodernism

Transitory moment

Unplugging with off-the-gridders

39

Figure 3.1  Polski and Gorman (2014).

2. The second step requires that the instructor theorize and understand one small-scale movement to place technology into a historical context: the off-the-grid movement. Off-the-gridders, as they are called, frequently exchange predetermined, efficient solutions to technological problems for alternative (and sometimes inefficient) solutions that involve a stronger sense of know-how, innovative technique, self-reliance, and community-building. Currently, nearly 2 billion individuals live off-the-grid. Quite literally, they are not connected to, or plugged-in to, grid-based power. Instead, they rely on other ways of fulfilling their electrical needs, e.g., solar electric systems, fuel-based generators, electricity-generating windmills, or simply reducing and eliminating their need for electricity. In a literal sense, then, off-the-gridders live with less reliance on our predetermined technological systems. Metaphorically, this sense of self-reliance becomes the foundation for living a life mixed with modern and ancient techniques, finding innovative solutions to historical and contemporary problems. For step 2, then, instructors should recall, in Marshall McLuhan fashion, that the “medium is the message.” Off-the-gridders recognize that not all mediums (technologies) are useful for all messages (ends). In short, our technological means change our technological ends. In technology studies, Andrew Feenberg (1999) calls this perspective “substantivism,” a term that I introduce my students to on the first day of discussions about technology. 3. In step 3, instructors should experience the off-the-grid movement in a practical, lived-world way. A simple way to begin is to start by adopting past solutions to current problems. For example, in a 2015 technical writing course, I presented the following list to my students: Time technology: remove a watch or clock for a week Cooking technology: use a stove/oven over a microwave to reheat leftovers Transportation technology: walk/bike to a few locations (safely) Lighting technology: use lanterns/flashlights over home lights Communication technology: turn a cell phone off for several hours each day Information technology: call a friend/family member rather than texting Seating technology: sit on an inflatable ball during schoolwork, not a chair ●

●

●

●

●

●

●

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Footwear technology: switch to barefoot/minimalist technology around the house Reading technology: use a book over an e-book Cooling/heating technology: use fans/windows instead of an A/C unit Writing technology: use a pen/paper or typewriter to write the first drafts of an essay This list is far from being comprehensive, but it provides a useful starting point for action. Each of these items can be personalized, such as the final item, for specific disciplines and specific fields. A biologist, for instance, might be more interested in technologies of the body (clothing, footwear, seating), whereas an engineer may be more interested in questions of transportation or electrical lighting. In each case, though, the challenge is for the instructor to have familiarity with these ideas prior to beginning a section of the class where they are required to teach these ideas. 4. The fourth step requires the instructor to create an assignment that does two things: (1) requires students to implement these theoretical ideas into their lifestyles; and (2) requires that students write reflectively on their experiences. A copy of my assignment and a sample grading rubric can be seen in the Supplemental Materials section. 5. The fifth step involves teaching students how to write reflectively, using a workplace genre: the memo. For this section, my students read a chapter from their technical writing textbooks about the format and conventions of a memo. An alternative approach would be to show students memo templates, such as MS Word memo templates, or to show them websites that reveal the conventions of memo writing, such as the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University. Instructors may also want to share and explain their expectations for writing reflectively. Reflective writing is a much more philosophical approach to writing than students are used to, and as such, they should be shown examples of effective moments of reflection. For my students, I share two sample reflections (one that is poor, one that is stronger) from past courses, and then students are required to articulate why one is better than the other. For instance, good reflective writing involves the use of a strong thesis or a theme that emerges from the experience, complete with specific details that support their discoveries. A student who writes reflectively must begin with a strong understanding of their identity, allow that identity to be challenged via new experiences, and then be able to articulate the journey. A useful website can be found in the Readings and Resources section. Finally, for instructors uncertain about their ability to assess writing from the perspective of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization, I’ve found it useful to share with students your expectations: what errors do you find most often in student writing? What errors are most troublesome to you? What errors are severe and what errors are less severe? It may be useful to recall that errors in writing are largely a question of rhetorical ethos: the reader of the document makes judgments about the author based on the level of proofreading. Concerns about “serial commas” or “commas in compound sentences” are far less useful than concerns about errors that reveal a lack of interest in the document (humorous typos, for instance). For information about the most common student mistakes, see the link in the Readings and Resources section. ●

●

●

●

3.7  Step-by-step directions for students 1. While instructors are researching Jacques Ellul and technology theories, students should begin doing their own preliminary research on theories of technology. In my classes, I have students form groups, choose a broad category of technology (e.g., medicine, weapons,

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music, computers, telephones, etc.) and have them conduct basic online research concerning its history by looking at two variables: 1. Establishing a timeline. Look at major milestones in the evolution of current techniques. For instance, in weaponry, the move from single shot to lever action and single action weapons during the mid-19th century changed the way individuals conceive of violence and warfare. Or in music, the ability to store music in a digital format allowed music to be unbounded by spatial constraints. 2. Establishing impact. Begin to explore how major moments in the history of technology shaped subsequent iterations of technological development, created cultural change, redefined social issues, renamed users, and modified the environment. Students then present their findings to the class. Remember this early attempt is simply an opportunity to explore a broad claim: technology isn’t just a tool that people use; technology restructures our environments, our minds, and our histories. 2. The next step for students is to begin exploring how previous technologies are still viable today. For example, in my own field of technical communication, a field whose livelihood is based on technological innovation, several studies have revealed how past technologies should not be scrapped in favor of new and emerging technologies. Consider three examples of the potential benefit of unplugging from the digital world as it relates to oral, literate, and visual communication. Example 1: A study of students’ ability to retain information from a lecture presentation, both with and without an accompanying PowerPoint slideshow, revealed that while students preferred the use of PowerPoint, they remembered 15% less information (Savoy, Proctor, & Salvendy, 2009). That is, an efficient method of delivering information does not always result in an efficient method of remembering information. Example 2: In another study, Mueller and Oppenheimer (2014) found that students who take notes with laptops performed worse than students who took notes via longhand. In their words, “participants who had taken notes with laptops performed worse on tests of both factual content and conceptual understanding, relative to the participants who had taken notes longhand” (8). Example 3: In a third example, a number of individuals have become advocates for returning to pencils, pens, and paper because of their ability to help with writing and conceptualizing arguments. Elbow (2000) in composition theory has advocated for the value of pencils, pens, and paper in freewriting. Clive Thompson, a writer for the New York Times and for Wired, has presented on the value of using pencils as a way to “change the way you think” (2015). And Brown (2015), famous for the book The Doodle Revolution, has advocated for the value of visual literacy via doodling. In each case, older communication technologies (pen/pencil and paper) are argued to have efficacy in certain contexts, moreso than the technologies that are replacing them. Students, then, are encouraged to move from historicizing about technology in step 1 to recognizing how these histories impact them individually in step 2. 3. For step 3, students should begin brainstorming a short list of activities that might stimulate off-the-grid thinking. I encourage students to reflect on which technologies are most important to them and choose activities that will challenge them to relearn their technological know-how. An easy way to so this would be for students to list and rank the most important technologies in their life (e.g., “I feel naked without my phone” or “I need my air conditioning”) and use the list as a foundation for deciding what activities to engage in (e.g., turning off a cell phone for a few hours each day or driving to school with the windows down rather than the air conditioner on). Avoid reliving activities from the student’s childhood. For instance, if students grew up reading paperback fiction, playing barefoot in the yard,

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and never wearing watches, then putting aside e-books, shoes, and watches will be more of a nostalgic trip than an exercise in thinking critically about technology. 4. For step 4, students should experience off-the-grid thinking by adopting past solutions to current problems for a few days. Students should NOT try anything dangerous, illegal, or stupid. That is, they should not light candles in an apartment building that does not allow for candles. They should not bike to campus if the campus does not have bike lanes. They should not walk barefoot into places that require shoes for service. Remember: students should seek out an alternative means to arrive at the same end. In the process, they may find that doing so changes the end itself, but they should not choose means that end in injury, death, jail, or probation. 5. The final step has students writing a reflective memo that details their experiences. Student should recall that strong reflective writing goes beyond surface level critiques and moves towards exploration of hidden assumptions. A statement such as “When I didn’t wear my watch for a week, I learned that it is important to me to know what time it is” is sophomoric. A stronger statement might be: “I have a new appreciation for the phrase ‘being on time.’ Without a watch, I found myself increasingly anxious about making it to my next class ‘on time.’ But ironically, being ‘on time’ implies that I am in control of my life, my schedule, and my destiny because the alternative is to be ‘out of time’ or ‘behind time.’ But I learned that I’m not in control: the watch has always been my taskmaster, forcing me to adhere to a universal constraint of ‘be here when I’m supposed to be.’ So a watch gives me power, yes, to be at the right place at the right time, but it also became a burden. During this assignment, being ‘on time’ morphed into being ‘controlled by time.’” Ideally, reflective writing reveals that the assignment has provided students with the opportunity to gather new insights about their personal and professional life. But these insight are the result of challenging themselves; poor reflective writing usually results from students who are trying to be too efficient in their choices. Learning is, above all, inefficient. It happens when students challenge themselves to grow as a person rather than earn a grade for a class.

3.8  Approximate time required Approximately 2 weeks or 4–6 class periods (a few class periods to discuss theories/ philosophies of technology, 2 class periods to discuss conventions of memos and reflective writing, and 1 class period for a workshop on rough drafts).

3.9  Readings and resources *Note: For more theoretical readings, I’ve provided several books and articles in the Recommended Readings section. Practical advice for how to write a memo: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/590/1/ Example of a lecture talking about the value of pencils/paper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89vzfTFu1Vw&feature=youtu.be&list=FLQAOJyE0_2xUpzjr6 uANznw

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Example of reflective writing website: https://student.unsw.edu.au/reflective-writing How to proofread a paper: http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/everyday_writer/20errors/

3.10  Variations on the basic theme Ultimately, the underlying goal of this activity is to empower students: once they realize that they are constrained by their technological choices, they can be empowered to choose technologies that best match up with their desired ends: better critical thinking skills, stronger retention of information, more creative routes to productivity, and more. As such, the details of the assignment description can easily be changed for each academic discipline. Moreover, writing a reflective memo is not likely to be a primary learning outcome for most other disciplines. Instead, the goal may be a more direct deliverable: a presentation without PowerPoint in a communications course; code that is less efficient in a computer science course; a study session with no electronic devices for an introduction to campus life course; sidewalk chalk messages for a mass media course; copies of grammar textbooks from the early 20th century for a linguistics course. Any instructor in any course can innovatively create new ways to engage students with historical techniques, thereby fulfilling the ultimate learning goals of being exposed to earlier technology and thinking critically about their technological choices.

3.11  Observations and advice Some students readily grasp the concept of off-the-grid thinking. In the semester when I implemented this activity, students found value in unexpected ways: recovering a lost sense of control, adapting to a life with fewer luxuries, recognizing that choices include trade-offs, choosing inefficiency for valuable things in life, fearing the irreversible nature of certain technological choices, detaching from objects, and more. At the same time, I found that other students were better able to articulate their reflections verbally than in written form. I suspect that this is because they felt compelled to learn something and state so in the memo, when, in fact, they sometimes only reinforced preexisting beliefs. For example, one student decided to not wear a watch during her jogs, and then shared that she found it difficult to match up with her expected times. This observation is not particularly insightful; of course running without a watch makes it difficult to match up with target times. The value of running without a watch, however, is that doing so can have a substantive impact on how one views running: the end goal of running ceases to be governed by efficiency (at least when measured by time). The goal is changed to something else, e.g., running in order to experience pleasure, health, or a new destination. Encouraging students to speak about their experiences helps them make connections that writing, alone, did not.

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Further reading Brown, S. (2015). The doodle revolution. New York, NY: Penguin. Elbow, P. (2000). Everyone can write: Essays toward a hopeful theory of writing and teaching writing. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Ellul, J. (1964). The technological society. New York, NY: Vintage Books. Ellul, J. (1989). What I believe. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Company. Feenberg, A. (1999). Questioning technology. New York, NY: Routledge. Garrison, K. (2012). Ellul’s alternative theory of technology: Anticipating the fourth milieu of virtuality. Explorations in Media Ecology, 11(1), 55–70. Mueller, P. A., & Oppenheimer, D. M. (2014). The pen is mightier than the keyboard: Advantages of longhand over laptop note taking. Psychological Science, 1–10. McLuhan, M. (1962). The gutenberg galaxy. University of Toronto Press. Ong, W. (1982). Orality and literacy. New York, NY: Routledge. Polski, M., & Gorman, L. (2014). Teaching media ecology Russian style. Explorations in Media Ecology, 13(3/4), 331–342. Savoy, A., Proctor, R. W., & Salvendy, G. (2009). Information retention from PowerPoint and traditional lectures. Computers and Education, 52, 858–867.

3.12  Supplemental materials 3.12.1 Appendix A: Technology reflection assignment description Assignment Purpose: This assignment has two learning outcomes from the syllabus: (1) experience alternative technological solutions from other times and cultures, and (2) reflect on what technology is and how it impacts career choices. As well, you’ll be exposed to the conventions of memos and reflective writing while recalling rules of standardized English (spelling/grammar/punctuation/mechanics). Assignment Description: Do three things. First, change four aspects of your technology usage—two that make life less efficient and two that make it more efficient. Do these new techniques a few times or for a few days/weeks. Examples include (for less efficiency):

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

Watch/clock technology: remove a watch or clock for a week Cooking technology: use a stove/oven over a microwave to reheat leftovers Transportation technology: walk/bike to a few locations (safely) Lighting technology: use lanterns/flashlights over home lights Communication technology: turn a cell phone off for several hours each day Information technology: call a friend/family member rather than texting Seating technology: sit on an inflatable ball during schoolwork, not a chair Footwear technology: switch to barefoot/minimalist technology around the house Reading technology: use a book over an e-book Cooling/heating technology: use fans/windows instead of an A/C unit Writing technology: use a pen/paper or typewriter to write the first drafts of an essay

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Do NOT do anything dangerous, illegal, or stupid, such as bike at night or use matches in the dorm rooms. Second, write a reflection (1 page, MS Word file, memo format, addressed to me, 400–500 words, single-spaced) that discusses your understanding of technology after the experiment. Answer questions, such as: what did you learn from your activities? What was it like to alter your life? Did you see substantive changes or instrumental changes? Do you see value in inefficiency? Are you more inclined to explore alternative techniques or less inclined? How does this experience challenge your understanding of your career and the scientific/technological processes that accompany it? How does this change your definition of “technical” writing? Third, submit your reflection before class on the day it is due. Grading Description: You’ll be graded on whether or not you followed the expectations in the previous section (memo format, reflective writing, word count, on-time submission, etc.).

3.12.2  Appendix B: Technology reflection sample grading rubric A

B

C

D

F

Memo conventions

Includes all the conventions of memos, such as appropriate headings and information

Includes most of the conventions of memos, such as appropriate headings and information

Includes some of the conventions of memos, such as appropriate headings and information

Includes few of the conventions of memos, such as appropriate headings and information

Includes none of the conventions of memos, such as appropriate headings and information

Quality of writing

Writes organized, concise prose that is errorfree

Mostly writes organized, concise prose that is errorfree

Sometimes writes organized, concise prose that is errorfree

Rarely writes organized, concise prose that is errorfree

Does not write organized, concise prose that is errorfree

Reflective insights

Provides reflective insights regarding technology and its impact

Mostly provides reflective insights regarding technology and its impact

Sometimes provides reflective insights regarding technology and its impact

Rarely provides reflective insights regarding technology and its impact

Does not provide reflective insights regarding technology and its impact

Following assignment criteria

Follows assignment criteria (e.g., submitted on time in the correct file type)

Mostly follows assignment criteria (e.g., submitted on time in the correct file type)

Sometimes follows assignment criteria (e.g., submitted on time in the correct file type)

Rarely follows assignment criteria (e.g., submitted on time in the correct file type)

Does not follow assignment criteria (e.g., submitted on time in the correct file type)

PROS: A self-guided process for assignment completion and meaningful learning

4

Kathy L. Jackson and Crystal M. Ramsay Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States

4.1  Discipline/academic areas addressed General education, Higher education, First-year experience, First-year seminar.

4.2  Instructional purpose Much of student learning occurs away from an instructor. We expect our students to be able not only to practice independently, but also to perform a variety of instructional activities without immediate instructor feedback. We often find, however, that students “miss the mark” on assignments and are not able to make much headway self-regulating their learning. Given that academic tasks can be multilayered and reflective of discipline-specific language and expectations it is not surprising that students often have problems with assignments. In this chapter, we provide a framework to guide students in developing a consistent approach to completing assignments. We want students to become self-directed learning PROS! That is, we want them to be the best self-directed learners they can be. To help, we recommend the four-step PROS process. For any given course assignment, students: Prepare based on a brief, but targeted, needs assessment Resource the assignment using the Tech Tool Guide Organize a task completion strategy Self-reflect on both process and product

Our framework provides a study structure and proposes technologies to support students as they manage, monitor, and adapt their learning strategies. It enables students to approach coursework with an organized plan and reflection. While the aim is to support self-directed and autodidactic learners, we recognize that instructors still play a powerful role in guiding learning. We suggest that instructors introduce the framework and provide feedback, if needed, but the intention is for this to be a tool in a self-directed learner’s toolbox.

Unplugging the Classroom. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102035-7.00004-7 Copyright © 2017 Kathy L. Jackson and Crystal M. Ramsay. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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4.3  Student learning outcomes Upon successful completion of this module, students will be able to: 1. effectively construct and implement a self-directed learning plan to support assignment completion in a self-selected class; 2. reflect on their self-directed learning process and consider adjustments for next time.

4.4  Prerequisite skills and knowledge Students need only basic technology skills and minimal independent learning skills to complete the tasks in this module.

4.5  Step-by-step directions for instructor and students We want students to become self-directed learning PROS! That is, we want them to be the best self-directed learners they can be. To help, we recommend the four-step PROS process: For any given course assignment, students: Prepare based on a brief, but targeted, needs assessment Resource the assignment using the Tech Tool Guide Organize a task completion strategy Self-reflect on both process and product

Once you introduce the PROS process to students, they can use it again and again across assignments, courses, and disciplines. You can facilitate their use of the framework. Depending on the level of the students, you may want to have a more guided approach the first time they use PROS. As they become more competent and confident, they should be able to independently use the four-step PROS process. We next elaborate on the PROS tools, one for each step.

4.5.1  Step 1: Prepare For many students, getting started can be confounding. Not only is it hard for students to know where to begin, but they may also lack an ability to recognize what the task entails and what strategies/skills are needed to get it done. By providing your students a way to systematically conduct a needs assessment, they will begin putting parameters on the task by identifying what needs to be done. Thus, the first step toward students becoming PROS is to prepare based on a brief, but targeted, needs assessment. Before starting any assignment, it is important to ask a few critical questions. The PROS process begins with five simple yet powerful questions to help students determine whether they fully understand what is expected of them. The assignment preassessment lists the five questions and prompts students in how to answer each (see Student Handout 1: Assignment Preassessment, Appendix A. This

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49

handout demonstrates an assignment preassessment, with examples of “top 5” critical questions to guide students’ thinking before starting an assignment).

4.5.2  Step 2: Resource Having conducted the assignment preassessment, students will have a clearer sense of the scope and requirements of their assignment. Depending on the nature of the assignment, the self-directed learning dimensions of motivation, management, and monitoring may benefit from a technology boost. Technology tools are emerging and changing all the time. It is, therefore, difficult to suggest specific tools for specific uses. What is available and appropriate today will be replaced by something different tomorrow. What is helpful, however, is a guide to thinking about the dimensions of self-directed learning and the kinds of tools that can support each dimension. We offer the SDL tech guide for students (see Student Handout 2: Self-Directed Learning Tech Guide, Appendix B. This handout is a guide to self-directed learning technologies. The table helps students consider the kinds of tools that can support learning as they work to complete important assignments).

4.5.3  Step 3: Organize Once students clarify and understand assignment goals and expectations and consider ways that technology may support their work, they are ready to organize their task completion strategy. The task completion strategy handout (see Student Handout 3: Task Completion Strategies, Appendix C), which includes the nature of the task, what it entails, resources needed, and a reasonable completion date, guides students through an exercise to identify and prioritize the subtasks necessary for completing the assignment. Then each task is entered into a matrix, important external resources are identified, and soft deadlines are imposed.

4.5.4  Step 4: Self-reflect Self-reflection allows for ongoing monitoring of the extent of learning and the relative effectiveness of particular strategies. We recommend the stop–keep doing–start (SKS) process as a way not only to reflect, but to do so in a focused way. Although it appears as the fourth step in the PROS process, over time and with practice students should treat self-reflection as a recursive process to inform their ongoing planning and decision-making (see Student Handout 4: Self-Reflection: Stop–Keep–Start, Appendix D). This handout guides students on self-reflection, using the SKS process. In this process, students reflect on what worked and what didn’t as they progressed through the process of completing their assignment. They ask themselves, going forward, what should they stop doing (e.g., stop assuming I understand the assignment, when I actually have questions), keep doing (e.g., keep tracking my progress on an assignment calendar), and start doing (e.g., set a self-imposed deadline at least a day in advance of the actual deadline).

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4.6  Approximate time required The PROS process is designed for broad application. The time required to execute it, therefore, will vary. The intent, however, is that it assists students in their assignment completion without burdening them with work that is not germane to the task. To be self-directed, students need to understand the PROS process, how it works, and when it makes sense to apply it. We recommend that you, as an instructor, employ a transactional approach: Describe the PROS approach to students. Model how you use the approach in your own work (e.g., management strategies, resources). Share reflections at each stage, especially how you monitor and adjust as necessary.

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To assist you, we have provided an example of the PROS process (see Instructor Handout: Example of complete PROS process with student responses in Appendix E). This handout shows an example of how students can use the PROS approach to complete a specific assignment. The example can be used by instructors to inform the way they share the approach with students. It can also be shared with students to orient them to the approach in a very specific way. Of course, we encourage you to create and share examples of the PROS steps that are relevant to your own course or discipline. With a well-conceptualized example, the PROS approach could be “taught” in a 30-minute time frame. We envision that, depending on the level of the course and the nature of the discipline, the time frame is adaptable. For example, in a first-year experience seminar an instructor might devote an entire class session to strategic assignment completion. Alternatively, in an upper division discipline-specific course, an instructor might briefly introduce the PROS process as part of a first-day-of-class activity.

4.7  Readings and resources Four student handouts are included in the Appendices A–D as handouts. Handouts are intended for instructors so that they can disseminate them, through a transactional process of instruction and modeling, to students in their classes. Students will find the process to be highly flexible and transferable across their courses. One instructor handout, Example of the PROS Process (Appendix E), is a resource to guide instructors and can be shared with students at the instructor’s discretion.

4.8  Variations on the basic theme This approach to systematic assignment completion is inherently “any time, any place, any path, and any pace.” With it students can confidently approach their course assignments armed with a process they can deploy as needed. Anytime they receive a course assignment, they can launch the PROS process, beginning with the assignment

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preassessment. The SDL tech guide provides them a framework to consider technology tools to aid their motivation, management, and monitoring of the task and their learning. The task completion strategy allows them to chart their own path and pace to assignment completion. Finally, monitoring learning through self-reflection ensures a better connection between what is known and what is new knowledge. It also serves as quality control for a more effective learning experience the next time.

4.9  Observations and advice Use PROS broadly. This framework is course-, discipline-, and technology-agnostic, thus making it adaptable for different settings and needs. By using PROS, students systematically and strategically complete their course assignments. They ask a set of pre-questions, select technology tools that support and expedite their work, plan a course of action, and reflect on the process and result. Encourage a variety of technology-supported options. Motivation is one dimension of SDL. We know from extensive research that choice is motivating in academic settings (e.g., Deci, Vallerand, Pelletier & Ryan, 1991). We have learned that when it comes to technology, in particular, individual choice is optimal. By merely guiding students toward appropriate technologies, PROS supports students’ personal attributes, distinct preferences, and different skills. Foster reflective practice. The PROS process integrates reflection into the assignment completion process. With it students can think about not only what they did, but also the implications of their actions. Using PROS enables students to have a clearly delineated process to employ as they complete assignments and practice self-directed learning behaviors.

Further reading Armstrong, P., & Stanton, K. (2015). Rethinking expectations about assignments. Retrieved from: . Assignments. (2015, September 10). Retrieved from: . Burns, N. (2015, August 13). 10 free apps and tools for starting out (and staying) organized. Retrieved from: . Chick, N. (2015). Metacognition. Retrieved from: . Deci, E. L., Vallerand, R. J., Pelletier, L. G., & Ryan, R. M. (1991). Motivation and education: The self-determination perspective. Educational Psychologist, 26(3&4), 325–346. Erickson, B., & Strommer, D. (2005). Inside the first year classroom: Challenges and constraints. In Challenging and supporting the first year student: A handbook for improving the first year of college (Chapter  14). Retrieved from: . Nielsen, L. (2011, January 11). Ten ways technology supports SDL. Retrieved from: .

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Nilson, L., & Zimmerman, B. J. (2013). Creating self-regulated learners: Strategies to strengthen students’ self-awareness and learning skills. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing. Pintrich, P. R., & Schunk, D. H. (2002). Motivation in education: Theory, research, and applications (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall. Tanner, K. (2012). Promoting student metacognition. CBE Life Sciences Education, 11(2), 113–120. Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.. Zimmerman, B., Greenberg, D., & Weinstein, C. (1994). Self-regulating academic study time: A strategy approach. In D. H. Schunk & B. J. Zimmerman (Eds.), Self-regulation of learning and performance: Hues and educational applications. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

4.10  Supplemental materials 4.10.1 Appendix A: Student handout 1: Assignment preassessment Before starting any assignment, it’s important to ask yourself some critical questions. Use the questions below to guide your thinking BEFORE starting an assignment. Preassignment “Top 5” 1. What am I being asked to do in this assignment? Do I understand what’s expected? What information do I need to better understand the task? Consider a simple reading assignment. What is the purpose for reading? Are you reading simply to understand? Are you reading in order to write a summary? Are you reading so you can argue a perspective in an effort to persuade your classmates? The purpose of the assignment will determine how you move forward to complete/accomplish it. 2. What are the pieces or subcomponents? Is the assignment a small, single-step process? Or is it large and multi-part? Can it be chunked into smaller pieces? If so, is there a “best order” of completion? 3. As I consider this assignment, what are the aspects I consider to be strengths for me? What aspects will be challenging? By now, you should have clearly defined the problem/task and understand the expectations. You also should have a good sense of the various aspects of the assignment. As you think about each, where do you already have knowledge and skills, and where do you need to learn, develop skills, or seek out resources? 4. When am I expected to have the assignment completed? (i.e., When is it “due?”) Typically, the advertised due date is not the best one from which to work. At the very least, impose your own deadline at least a day ahead. This provides a time cushion in case something goes wrong. Even more important is setting your own assignment benchmarks as you work on the subcomponents. Allow extra time for the challenge spots. 5. What resources/tools will I need to successfully complete the project? Do you need software, library resources, a librarian, a teaching assistant, equipment? Arranging for some resources will take time, so plan ahead. Does the project require effort from teammates?

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4.10.2 Appendix B: Student handout 2: Self-directed learning tech guide Self-directed learners are motivated to engage in learning activities and are strategic task managers and self-monitors. Technology tools can help with all three of these characteristics. Use the table below to help you consider the kinds of tools that can support your learning as you work to complete important assignments. Once you know what type of tool you need, you can locate specific examples that are available. Dimension of SDL and what you need to do

Types of supportive tools

Examples

Motivation Find relevance, purpose, or interest in the assignment or task; have a desire to carry out the task and persist in doing so

Optimal tools are those that allow you to: Easily connect and plan with others Locate and/or organize examples of class concepts Optimal tools are those that allow you to: Manage projects Maintain goals, task lists Store and readily access relevant documents Meet with team members Optimal tools are those that allow you to: Record notes and reflections about processes and results (e.g., did the study approach result in keen understanding?) Track progress over time

Yammer Google Zoom YouTube Instagram

Management Control factors that are external to you (e.g., goals, resources) but that affect your learning

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Monitoring Systematically observe, record, and reflect on your behavior and progress toward goals; make adjustments as necessary

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Box Google Drive Dropbox Cloud-based work and collaborative spaces (Adobe Connect, Zoom, Google Hangout) LMS (Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle) Blogging platforms Personal cloud spaces

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4.10.3  Appendix C: Student handout 3: Task completion strategy Brainstorm What are the things you need to do to complete the assignment? List everything that comes to mind. Rank the List Rank the tasks in the list above; prioritize the task list (i.e., place a number 1 by the most important task or the one that must be completed most immediately. Place a 2 by the next most urgent, etc.).

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Prioritize and Plan Think about the requirements of your assignment. List the top-ranking To Do items in the matrix below. For each, identify specifically what the task will entail, resources you will need to get it done, and commit to a reasonable completion time (giving yourself a goal will help keep you on target!). Add rows to the table, as needed. Task/“to do” item

What does the task entail?

Resources needed (colleagues, access, time)

Reasonable completion date

4.10.4 Appendix D: Student handout 4: Self-reflection: Stop–Keep–Start Self-reflection is critical if you are going to effectively monitor your own learning and growth. It’s what will allow you to focus on what is working for your learning and what is not. A simple, yet effective, strategy is one that is recommended in management settings, leadership development, and even in personal roles. It also holds promise for students. It’s called stop–keep–start, or SKS. In this process, you reflect on what worked and what didn’t as you progressed through the process of completing your assignment. Ask yourself, going forward, what should you stop doing (e.g., stop assuming I understand the assignment, when I actually have questions), keep doing (e.g., keep tracking my progress on an assignment calendar), and start doing (e.g., set a self-imposed deadline at least a day in advance of the actual deadline). Consider things like: Problem definition—How did you go about clarifying and understanding assignment expectations? Resources—What, if any, technology tools did you leverage to support completion of this assignment? To what extent were they effective in helping you do what you needed to do? Time management—How did you structure and manage time? To what extent did you manage time well in order to complete the assignment by the due date and submit a quality product or performance?

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Identify one or two bullets for each of the categories below: When I am tasked with similar assignments in the future, I should stop doing: − . − . When I am tasked with similar assignments in the future, I should keep doing: − . − .

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When I am tasked with similar assignments in the future, I should start doing: − . − .

4.10.5 Appendix E: Instructor handout: Example of complete PROS process with student responses Course: Political Science (for nonmajors) Assigned by instructor: Select a current story/issue in the news. Consult at least five different sources to learn about the issue. Write a two-page reflection paper (1) summarizing the story/ issue, and (2) suggesting potential implications of the issue for your local community. The assignment is due at the beginning of the 7th week of classes.

4.10.5.1 Example student handout 1: Assignment preassessment top 5 questions Before starting any assignment, it’s important to ask yourself some critical questions. Use the questions below to guide your thinking BEFORE starting an assignment. 1. What am I being asked to do in this assignment? Do I understand what’s expected? What information do I need to better understand the task? First I choose an issue or story in the news. After that, the assignment has two parts. For the first part, I have to learn about the issue. The reason I have to consult five different sources is to get a good idea of the background and the current details. I will have to understand it well enough to summarize it in about a page. Then I write a second page to share my thoughts on why it would matter to my community. I will have to think about the connections between the story and where I live. I have two questions: 1. I’m being asked to locate and read different sources. Do the five sources have to be of particular different types (i.e., news story, blog, textbook)? 2. Are there constraints around the story/issue selection? I really like to read about science issues. Could something like that count? 2. What are the pieces or subcomponents? This is a two-part assignment. The two parts are related, but I will definitely need to do the first part well before going on to the second part. As I do part one, I might get ideas for part two, even if I don’t really complete the second part until later. 3. As I consider this assignment, what are the aspects I consider to be strengths for me? What aspects will be challenging? I really like current affairs. Motivation around the topic shouldn’t be an issue here. Lots to pick from! But I’m a biology major. Typically, I read science magazines, not online newspapers or pundit blogs. Reading could take a little longer, and be a little more challenging, than usual. Also, depending on the story/issue I choose, it may or may not be easy to imagine implications. I might choose a couple topics in the beginning, until I settle on one that is workable for both parts of the assignment.

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4. When am I expected to have the assignment completed? (i.e., When is it “due?”) The assignment is due in Week 7. It’s currently Week 3. That’s 4 weeks to complete the assignment. I will aim for having a solid draft by Week 6. This will give me a week’s cushion, in case I run into complications or difficulty. 5. What resources/tools will I need to successfully complete the project? It would be helpful to consult with a librarian about best databases or data sources for this assignment. I should also make sure I get my questions answered (Question 1) before getting too far into my exploration.

4.10.5.2  Example student handout 2: SDL tech guide Self-directed learners are motivated to engage in learning activities and are strategic task managers and self-monitors. Technology tools can help with all three of these characteristics. Use the table below to help you consider the kinds of tools that can support your learning as you work to complete important assignments. Once you know what type of tool you need, you can locate specific examples that are available. Dimension of SDL and what you need to do

Types of supportive tools

Examples

Motivation Find relevance, purpose, or interest in the assignment or task; have a desire to carry out the task and persist in doing so Management Control factors that are external to you (e.g., goals, resources) but that affect your learning

Optimal tools are those that allow you to: Easily connect and plan with others Locate and/or curate examples of class concepts Optimal tools are those that allow you to: Manage projects Maintain goals, task lists Store and readily access relevant documents Meet with team members Optimal tools are those that allow you to: Record notes and reflections about processes and results (e.g., did the study approach result in keen understanding?) Track progress over time

Yammer Google Zoom YouTube Instagram

Monitoring Systematically observe, record, and reflect on your behavior and progress toward goals; make adjustments as necessary

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Box Google Drive Dropbox Cloud-based work and collaborative spaces (Adobe Connect, Zoom, Google Hangout) LMS (Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle) Blogging platforms

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For this assignment, it would be good to have a folder in cloud storage to help me manage this project. In the folder, I could keep links, articles, and other information sources. I can also keep electronic notes on the sources that I read as well as potential

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implications. It would also be good to maintain a timeline there so I don’t hand the assignment in late. Something like Box or Google Drive could really help.

4.10.5.3  Example student handout 3: Task completion strategy Brainstorm What are the things you need to do to complete the assignment? List everything that comes to mind. 2 – Do some searching to learn about my topic/issue. 1 – Select a topic/issue (one that really interests me). 4 – Compile a bibliography. 3 – Write summary and implications. Rank the List Rank the tasks in the list above; prioritize the task list (i.e., place a number 1 by the most important task or the one that must be completed most immediately. Place a 2 by the next most urgent, etc.). Prioritize and Plan Think about the requirements of your assignment. List the top-ranking To Do items in the matrix below. For each, identify specifically what the task will entail, resources you will need to get it done, and commit to a reasonable completion time (giving yourself a goal will help keep you on target!). Add rows to the table, as needed. Task/“to do” item

What does the task entail?

Select a topic/ issue

− Consider several; pick the most interesting. − Start a folder in Google Drive to manage the assignment. − Explore a range of library/ online resources. − Aim for 5 different types of sources. − Take notes as I read. − Use my notes

Search/investigate the topic/issue

Write summary and implications Compile a bibliography

− Cite only the ones I actually reference in my paper.

Resources needed (colleagues, access, time)

Reasonable completion date Now

− Library search tools/functions; check with a librarian.

6th week of classes

7th week of classes 7th week of − EndNote will help me manage sources. classes

4.10.5.4  Example student handout 4: Self-reflection Self-Reflection: Stop–Keep–Start Self-reflection is critical if you are going to effectively monitor your own learning and growth. It’s what will allow you to focus on what is working for your learning

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and what is not. A simple, yet effective, strategy is one that is recommended in management settings, leadership development, and even in personal roles. It also holds promise for students. It’s called stop–keep–start, or SKS. In this process, you reflect on what worked and what didn’t as you progressed through the process of completing your assignment. Ask yourself, going forward, what should you stop doing (e.g., stop assuming I understand the assignment, when I actually have questions), keep doing (e.g., keep tracking my progress on an assignment calendar), and start doing (e.g., set a self-imposed deadline at least a day in advance of the actual deadline). Consider things like: Problem definition—How did you go about clarifying and understanding assignment expectations? What difference did it make? Resources—What, if any, technology tools did you leverage to support completion of this assignment? To what extent were they effective in helping you do what you needed to do? Time management—How did you structure and manage time? To what extent did you manage time well in order to complete the assignment by the due date and submit a quality product or performance?

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Identify one or two bullets for each of the categories below: When I am tasked with similar assignments in the future, I should stop doing: Stop waiting until the last minute to even read through the instructions. When I am tasked with similar assignments in the future, I should keep doing: Keep reminding myself why I’m reading and what kind of notes I should take to help me when I sit down to write. When I am tasked with similar assignments in the future, I should start doing: Start getting a draft finished early enough that I can put it down, then revisit and revise before submitting it.

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Karen E. Kackley-Dutt and Eileen M. Grodziak Pennsylvania State University, Center Valley, PA, United States

5.1  Discipline/academic areas addressed Open source textbooks in a wide variety of disciplines are available through OpenStax (http://openstax.org), including chemistry, statistics, sociology, math, and others. Texts for additional disciplines are also available from a variety of other open textbook initiatives through universities and foundations, such as OpenSUNY (http:// opensuny.org). Academic applications for concept diagraming in Lucidchart are varied, and include concept mapping for any discipline, brainstorming and flowcharts for project management, entity relationship diagrams in engineering, networking diagrams for engineering and information technology, flowcharts for web design, UX design prototypes for mobile app development, among others. The rock pocket mouse BioInteractive virtual lab is applicable to life science, specifically mechanisms of evolution, natural selection, evolution of populations, genetics, and gene regulation. However, similar materials are available at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) BioInteractive website for other life science disciplines, such as general biology, anatomy and physiology, biochemistry, chemistry, and physics. BioInteractive materials include applicability of content to grades 4–12 content connections with Common Core, Next Generation Science Standards, and Advanced Placement course standards. A plethora of free educational resources are available from museums, as well as government and foundation sources. Furthermore, the pedagogical practices of selecting and using freely available educational content and open educational resources (OERs) extend across academic disciplines.

5.2  Instructional purpose Textbooks are the most often required instructional materials in postsecondary education, yet many students do not purchase them due to their high cost. In our classes, we see students forgo purchasing text materials to save money, and students with financial aid delay textbook purchases until the funds become available. Florida Virtual Campus reported in 2012 that 23% of students did not purchase textbooks due to cost (as cited in Fisher, Hilton, Robinson, & Wiley, 2015). Therefore, the first instructional purpose of using free educational resources is to level the playing field and ensure that all students have access to the requisite instructional materials. Unplugging the Classroom. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102035-7.00005-9 Copyright © 2017 Karen E. Kackley-Dutt and Eileen M. Grodziak. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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A second overarching instructional purpose for OERs is to transport students out of the classroom boundaries for learning within real-world contexts. Students observe, question, analyze, and problem-solve using primary sources and living environments to gain real-world context for their learning. Curricula in the arts, history, and the natural sciences, such as geology, environmental science, and the biological sciences, encourage contact with real-world artifacts and phenomena. The ability to participate in real-world experiences often requires travel to locations outside of the classroom boundaries, making many experiences out of reach. Educators and students have the opportunity through a variety of quality online resources to virtually explore locations, artifacts and populations that are otherwise inaccessible to the normal undergraduate student because of cost, remote location, and difficulty of travel. Finally, through the use of concept maps students are able to construct a visual representation of their understanding and instructors can evaluate student understanding as demonstrated in their concept map. Additionally, students identify the semantic relationships among discrete facts within complex concepts and systems. A large body of research points to the efficacy of concept mapping as a pedagogical learning tool in the sciences. Science textbooks and student resource websites provide instruction in the use of concept mapping as a study tool, especially in the hard sciences. A wide variety of academic disciplines are represented in the concept mapping literature, including biology, physics, geology, environmental sciences, nursing, pharmacology, medicine, accounting, math, literature, writing, sociology, psychology, and English as a second language.

5.3  Student learning outcomes 5.3.1  Overarching student learning outcomes This chapter outlines a specific conservation ecology unit that incorporates the three types of free resources: open textbooks, virtual field trips, and online concept mapping tools. Encouragingly, a similar approach can be leveraged in other disciplines. For the featured ecology learning unit, the detailed instructional objectives for using the three free educational materials include: 1. To enrich student learning experiences beyond the classroom and beyond the confines of time, cost, and location. Visiting remote field research locations with students is logistically impossible. The HHMI short film The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection and Adaptation transports students to a remote location in New Mexico’s Valley of Fire. The only requirement is a computer and Internet connection. (HHMI videos, films, and short films are available, by request, in DVD format at no cost to the student or instructor, including shipping). 2. To engage students in real-world research through manipulation of actual research data sets. A set of materials that accompanies the short film, titled Allele and Phenotype Frequencies in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations, is a lesson that uses real rock pocket mouse data collected by Dr. Michael Nachman and his colleagues to illustrate the Hardy–Weinberg principle. The film and the lesson provide real-world experience and application of concepts by hearing and seeing scientists in the field and the lab. 3. To engage students in problem solving and analysis of real-world evolution questions using the Hardy–Weinberg equation.

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4. To engage students in constructing a concept map of their understanding of the factors that control species distribution.

The open source OpenStax Biology textbook unit, entitled Evolutionary Processes, introduces students to the concepts of evolutionary biology and population genetics. In their own time, students read the webview textbook and check their understanding with the OpenStax Concept Coach prompts for spaced practice, retrieval practice, and feedback. HHMI BioInteractives provide the virtual field research experience. This particular set of BioInteractive activities, introduced at the beginning of a freshman ecology course for biology majors, provides students a real-world example of natural selection. Natural selection drives species interactions and distributions. While manipulating the primary data, students experience how a trait that is desirable can take over a population in a relatively short time, if the trait mutation is desirable. The short film, The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection and Adaptation, gives an excellent overview of the environment in which the rock pocket mice evolutionary adaptation occurred. Often students imagine randomly scattered piles of light and dark rocks when first introduced to the scenario. They don’t fully understand the size and the scope of the differently colored lava flows. When students view the aerial survey footage, they are able to visualize the geological factors that play into the natural selection of the mouse fur color and why these adaptations are beneficial. From the movie, students observe a full field trial: who are the predators, who are the prey, how are the mice trapped, and how are data collected. For the lab activities, the BioInteractive materials provide all that students need to engage in learning the evolutionary Hardy–Weinberg theorem. At the end of the unit, to facilitate further self-directed learning of the evolutionary concepts of species adaptations and distribution, students construct concept maps using the Lucidchart online diagraming tool.

5.3.2  Discipline-specific student learning outcomes The student learning outcomes listed below are very specific to the particular evolutionary biology unit of population genetics. However, these same learning outcomes of observe, define, describe, problem-solve, construct, and evaluate can be leveraged by combining an open textbook, a virtual field experience, and concept mapping for topics in other disciplines. 1. Students will observe the rock pocket mouse population in their natural habitat. 2. Students will define population genetics and describe how population genetics is used in the study of the evolution of populations. 3. Students will describe how variation, selection, and time contribute to the process of natural selection, evolution, and adaptation. 4. Students will analyze data to solve an evolutionary problem using the Hardy–Weinberg theorem. 5. Students will construct a map based on their understanding of the factors controlling species distribution. 6. Students will evaluate how their concept map of factors controlling species distribution differs from an exemplar map. 7. Students will change their map to reflect change in understanding.

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5.4  Prerequisite skills and knowledge 1. Access to a computer with a video card and Internet access. 2. Basic computer operation skills and the ability to navigate through websites. 3. Access to a software or web program that is compatible with Microsoft Excel documents (MS Office software, MS Office 360, Google Sheets, Open Office, or other). 4. Exposure to polynomial equations, generally acquired through high school or college algebra.

5.5  Step-by-step directions 5.5.1  Step-by-step directions for instructors Before conducting class sessions (during live or virtual class sessions; or for supplemental/enrichment student self-directed learning) 1. Navigate to the Allele and Phenotype Frequencies in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations lesson that is available on the BioInteractive website (URL in Reading & Resources). 2. On the lesson webpage, navigate to the Downloads call-out box. Download the Student Handout PDF (Allele & Phenotype Student Handout) and the Teacher Materials PDF (Allele & Phenotype Teacher Materials Document) (Optional: Download the Selection Coefficient Workbook—Excel.). 3. Make copies of the Allele & Phenotype Student Handout (one per student). 4. Prepare the pocket mouse weight samples, as outlined in the Allele & Phenotype Teacher Materials Document (page 2). For conducting an online virtual lab or for supplemental, student-directed self-learning, plan to provide a similar experience to the students. For instance, instruct students to place 15 US dimes into a sandwich bag to feel the average weight of a pocket mouse. 5. Request a Lucidchart education account for the class. (https://www.lucidchart.com/pages/ usecase/education). The request is completed within a couple of days. 6. Log into Lucidchart and navigate to the team section of your account. Create user accounts for the students by uploading a .CSV file with student first and last names (or alias), passwords that you create, and student emails for Lucidchart access. There is also an option for students to self-register into the team. When students self-register into a Lucidchart team, students will create their own accounts.

To conduct the learning activities related to this unit on the evolution of populations: 1. Assign students to self-read (at a time/place suitable to each student) Chapter  19: The Evolution of Populations in the Evolutionary Processes unit in the OpenStax textbook, Biology. 2. Encourage students to use the web-access textbook content and complete the Concept Coach question activities. (Concept Coach is in pilot mode during 2016 and will be available first in the web-access version of the text). Students may read the text, without the Concept Coach, in a variety of devices and formats, including print. 3. At the beginning of the class session, distribute the Allele & Phenotype Student Handout. 4. Introduce the rock pocket mouse population activities, as outlined in the Allele & Phenotype Teacher Materials Document and Allele & Phenotype Student Handout. During this introduction discussion, invite students to handle the rock pocket mouse weight samples.

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5. Direct students to record information requested in the Allele & Phenotype Student Handout, Procedure (questions 1 and 2) while viewing the film Natural Selection. 6. Play the short film Natural Selection. 7. Introduce the principles of the Hardy–Weinberg theorem and work through the sample problem, as outlined in the Allele & Phenotype Student Handout (pages 2–3). 8. Direct students to work individually or in small groups (lab partners) and to complete Part 2: Applying Hardy–Weinberg to Rock Pocket Mouse Field Data in the Allele & Phenotype Student Handout. From this point on, student work is entirely self-directed. The instructor facilitates the learning session serving as a resource. 9. (Optional) If time permits, assign Part 3: Hardy–Weinberg Extended in the Allele & Phenotype Student Handout. This module offers extra practice mathematically modeling natural selection and extends the lesson by introducing the selection coefficient. (Part 3 does require a computer or web-based software that is compatible with Microsoft Excel files).

Students are required to create concept maps that diagram species distribution (approximately 10 days before the first exam), students complete concept maps that diagram species interactions. The steps for assigning the out-of-class concept map activity follow: 1. Assign students to view the brief introductory video on how to use Lucidchart for creating a biology concept map. 2. Provide students with the Concept Map Checklist that lists the concepts/elements that should be included in the student-created map (Appendix A). 3. Give students approximately one week to complete a draft concept map in their own time. 4. Make available for student viewing the Example Concept Map (Appendix B) after students submit their draft concept map. 5. Give students several days to submit a second revised concept map. They will use the Example Concept Map as a basis of their revision, to correct omissions and to correct illogical connections between concepts. Student map revisions should not be exact replicas of the Example Concept Map. 6. (Optional) Grade student submissions using a pass/fail Concept Map Grading Rubric (Appendix C).

For a virtual class session: You will need to provide students with access to the BioInteractives resources. Due to HHMI’s use agreement* these resources must be provided within the college/university. Therefore, we suggest directing students to the online resources** or adding the resources to the institution’s firewall and password-protected course management system: 1. Provide students with access to the Allele & Phenotype Student Handout. 2. Provide students with directions for making a mouse weight sample, as outlined in the Allele & Phenotype Teacher Materials Document (page 2). 3. (Optional) Provide students with the Selection Coefficient Workbook. 4. Provide students with the short film, Natural Selection (the YouTube URL or the interactive video URL). 5. Assign students to complete the following in the Allele & Phenotype Student Handout: Introduction, questions 1a–1c; Part 1, questions 1–3; Part 2, questions 1–8 (Optional: Complete Part 3, questions 1–3.).

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6. (Optional) Create and moderate a discussion forum for students to collaborate and post questions. Students can also be required to post updates on their progress working through the activities. 7. (Optional) Schedule and post virtual office hours for students to meet for additional assistance. 8. (Optional) Since students will not be in a live class session, record a short video introduction to the Hardy–Weinberg theorem, as outlined in the Allele & Phenotype Teacher Materials Document (pages 2–4). Provide students access to view this recorded introduction. 9. Provide students with the question answers after the due date. The answer key can be found in the Allele & Phenotype Teacher Materials Document. 10. Provide individual feedback on students’ submissions.

For self-directed supplemental learning: 1. Follow the previously mentioned directions for a virtual class session, steps 1–5. 2. Provide students with the option to schedule face-to-face or virtual meetings, if they require additional assistance. 3. Indicate a date when you will make the question and problem answers available to the students. The answer key can be found in the Allele & Phenotype Teacher Materials Document.

Directions for students in face-to-face class session: 1. Read Chapter  19, The Evolution of Populations in the OpenStax textbook Biology, and complete the Concept Coach activities before attending class. 2. Review the Introduction in the Allele & Phenotype Student Handout. Handle the rock pocket mouse weight samples. 3. View the short film Natural Selection. While viewing the film, complete questions 1a–1c. (These questions are in the Allele & Phenotype Student Handout, Procedure, page 1). 4. Participate in the short lecture introduction to the Hardy–Weinberg theorem. Participate in answering/solving the review questions with the instructor and class. See the Allele & Phenotype Student Handout, Part 1: Reviewing the Hardy–Weinberg Theorem, pages 2–5. 5. Complete questions 1–8 in Part 2: Applying the Hardy–Weinberg to Rock Pocket Mouse Field Data, in the Allele & Phenotype Student Handout. You may work individually or in small groups. Review and check your answers with the rest of the class. 6. (Optional) Complete Part 3: Hardy–Weinberg Extended in Allele & Phenotype Student Handout. Use the Microsoft Excel document to complete the selection coefficient exercises.

5.5.2  Step-by-step directions for students 1. Read Chapter  19, The Evolution of Populations in the OpenStax textbook Biology, and complete the Concept Coach activities before beginning the following activity. 2. Read the introduction section of the Allele & Phenotype Student Handout. 3. Follow the directions (provided by your instructor) to make the example of the weight of a rock pocket mouse. Hold the example to experience the rock pocket mouse’s weight. 4. Watch the short film Natural Selection. While viewing the film, complete questions 1a–1c in the Allele & Phenotype Student Handout, page 1. 5. In the Allele & Phenotype Student Handout, read Part 1: Reviewing the Principles of the Hardy–Weinberg Theorem, pages 3–5 (Optional—if instructor creates a video introduction). View the instructor video introducing the Hardy–Weinberg theorem and the equilibrium sample problem.

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6. Complete questions 1–8 in the Allele & Phenotype Student Handout, Part 2. 7. Post your questions to the discussion forum in your course learning management system (LMS). Help your classmates by providing responses to their questions. 8. (Optional) You may contact the instructor to schedule a virtual meeting, if you are having difficulty. 9. Submit your answers to Introduction, questions 1a–1c, and Part 2, questions 1–8, in the LMS assignment/dropbox. 10. After the due date, check your answers with the posted answer sheet. 11. (Optional) Using the Selection Coefficient Workbook, complete Part 3: Hardy–Weinberg Extended, beginning on page 5 in the Allele & Phenotype Student Handout.

Concept Map directions for students (face-to-face, online and supplemental learning): 1. View the online video on how to create a concept map using Lucidchart. 2. Create a concept map draft that includes and that logically connects all of the concepts/elements listed in the Concept Map Checklist. 3. Submit the draft concept map to the assignment/dropbox in the course LMS. Once you submit your first draft, you will have access to view the Concept Map Example. 4. Compare your map with the example and revise your map, as needed. Submit your revised map to the revised map assignment/dropbox in the course LMS. Your revised map should not be an exact replica of the example!

5.6  Approximate time required One hour of prereading: textbook. Two hours: view short film and complete parts 1 and 2 of the Allele and Phenotype Frequencies in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations lesson. One hour (or more, depending on student familiarity of digital spreadsheets): data manipulation and analysis, using the Excel data set. Spreadsheet activity is optional. Use in-class if time permits; or, assign as homework.

5.7  Readings and resources Allele and Phenotype Frequency in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations Lesson Resources (select the Downloads link in the orange call-out box at the right, to access resources, including the Student Handout PDF, Teacher Materials PDF, and a Selection Coefficient Workbook—Excel): http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/ allele-and-phenotype-frequencies-rock-pocket-mouse-populations Natural Selection and Adaptation, short film: http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/ making-fittest-natural-selection-and-adaptation Natural Selection and Adaption, short film: YouTube URL https://youtu.be/ sjeSEngKGrg Natural Selection and Adaptation, short interactive video (three-question embedded quiz): http://media.hhmi.org/biointeractive/interactivevideo/pocketmousequiz/

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OpenStax Biology textbook: https://www.openstax.org/details/biology Concept Coach: http://cc.openstax.org/ Instructional video, How to Create a Concept Map in Lucidchart: http://youtu.be/ kRz7WzLJX10 Include this note: (a) The default size of the page is 8 × 10. If you need more space, use the page button in the small vertical toolbar at right. Select custom page size, such as 12″ × 12 ″. (b) Use the navigation tool (star button on right toolbar) to access hidden page sections and to adjust zoom setting. What follows are directions for accessing the HHMI BioInteractive materials from the website homepage, http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/. On the menu bar, at the top of the page, select Resource Type. In the dropdown menu, select Short Films. Navigate through the results and select the Natural Selection and Adaptation film (which displays a mouse image). The link to view the film will be visible on the webpage that opens. Navigate below the movie information, and scroll down the list to the Allele and Phenotype Frequencies in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations. Select the download link at the right, to access lesson resources, including the Student Handout PDF, Teacher Materials PDF, and a Selection Coefficient Workbook in Microsoft Excel. *HHMI Terms of Use for BioInteractive Resources: You may download and display for educational purposes the free resources made available on the BioInteractive pages of the Site (www.hhmi.org/biointeractive) (BioInteractive Resources). The BioInteractive Resources may not be used for any commercial purpose without the express permission of HHMI and all other copyright owners. Except as permitted below for the Image of the Week Image Content, the BioInteractive Resources may not be republished, redistributed or otherwise disseminated beyond your institution or organization without the express permission of HHMI and all other copyright owners (http://www.hhmi.org/terms-of-use). **Please note when using BioInteractives in a credit course: The BioInteractive resources are freely available on the Internet. If you direct students to the Allele and Phenotype Frequencies in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations lesson webpage (http:// www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/allele-and-phenotype-frequencies-rock-pocket-mousepopulations) to download the Student Handout PDF or view the rock pocket mouse film, students will also have access to the teacher materials with answer key. For this reason, we recommend that you download the file and supply the document to students. HHMI maintains a YouTube channel where you can direct students to access the rock pocket mouse film, thus reducing the possibility that students will obtain the Teacher Materials.

5.8  Technology resources Other sources for open textbooks: Open SUNY: http://www.collegeopentextbooks.org/ http://opensuny.org; Open Washington: http://www.openwa.org/category/textbooks/; University of Minnesota Open Textbook Library: https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/. Short instructional video: Create a Concept Map in Lucidchart: http://youtu.be/kRz7WzLJX10 Open Educational/Free Educational Material Rating Scale: https://goo.gl/2ccNHj

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Open courses: Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Sciences Open Educational Resources http:// open.ems.psu.edu/ Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges http://opencourselibrary. org/course/

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5.9  Variations on the basic theme The use of OERs and other free digital educational materials addresses two challenges facing many of today’s college students: a shortage of time and money. The high cost of college requires that many students hold jobs while taking classes. Work and family responsibilities mean that many students are forced to spend a large portion of their time away from campus. The digital nature of the free educational materials affords students the ability to continue to pursue their education while being unplugged from the physical college campus. Additionally, the no-cost, low-cost nature of these resources helps to ease the financial burden of pursuing an education. Instructors also benefit from using free educational resources. Forgoing the use of costly textbooks and ancillaries provides freedom to select materials from a variety of sources. When expensive major publisher content was adopted, this instructor felt obligated to make use of the publisher materials for which students paid, regardless of whether additional quality products were available at no cost. Not being “tied” to a single publisher frees this instructor to compile a portfolio of high-quality free educational resources from a wide variety of sources. The digital nature of these free educational resources enables a variety of use scenarios: (1) self-learning outside of the traditional credit college learning environment, anytime-anyplace for personal enjoyment and learning; (2) self-learning at a time and place suitable to the student within a for-credit course, either as a required learning activity or a supplemental/optional activity; (3) asynchronous virtual distance learning activity within a for-credit course or noncredit enrichment; (4) asynchronous virtual distance learning within a blended/hybrid for-credit course; (5) asynchronous or synchronous distance delivery in lieu of a classroom session, such as bad weather or other unforeseen face-to-face class session cancellation; (6) enrichment materials for high-performing or gifted students. Students are not tied to the confines of the classroom or laboratory session. The HHMI materials are available in a variety of online, downloadable, and physical formats. Additionally, students can receive the film materials in alternate format, in the absence of Internet access. Outside of a normal semester course, the open textbooks are available for anyone to use. With most publishers’ e-texts and ancillary materials, students receive an access code that expires after one or two semesters. These open source textbooks don’t expire. Students can use the open textbooks to prepare for upcoming courses, to review a past-learned subject, or to learn a subject to earn college credit by exam. OpenStax provides a wide variety of options for the text format. Students may choose the format that best serves their specific learning needs. Students have the option to read the text online or download a PDF version for reading on any number

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of digital devices, or print a hard copy. At a minimal cost, students have the options to purchase an iPad app ($4.99), to purchase a new or used print copy of the text, or to rent a printed version of the text at a very reasonable price (a new book purchase of Biology is $52 directly from OpenStax; used book purchase is approximately $39 through a campus bookseller, rental book is approximately $20 through a campus bookseller). HHMI is only one science foundation or agency among many others that offers free educational materials suitable for undergraduate learning. Major museums in the United States and around the world offer free educational resources in a wide variety of disciplines, such as art, architecture, history, economics and science, and many more. The Smithsonian, National Geographic, PBS/Nova, Natural History Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Library of Congress, NASA, the Louvre Museum Lab, and the British Museum represent the wide variety of collections available to educators worldwide. With such a vast variety of different collections, questions arise: How do I find appropriate materials? How do I determine quality and usefulness? Shank (2013) outlines methodology for navigating through a variety of repositories and provides a rating system for interactive OERs. Concept mapping was introduced by Novak (1980) as a learning tool in biology education. Since then, the teaching practice has been adopted in a variety of other disciplines, including writing, literature, and business, among others. An extensive body of literature can be found regarding the use of concept mapping in medical education, nursing, pharmacology and other professional healthcare education. Students construct concept maps based on their own understanding, given a few basic guidelines. Therefore, the activity requires students’ self-directed application and learning. With the development of interactive computer technologies, a variety of commercial software, web, and mobile tools are available for individual and collaborative digital concept mapping. Some commercial providers offer limited free trials. CMap (http://cmap.ihmc.us) is an open source concept mapping tool that is totally free for use. One advantage of the Lucidchart software is the team access that allows groups of students to collaboratively construct maps in real time. This collaboration facilitates peer instruction of important concepts. For example, students with an advanced grasp of the material are able to coach classmates that are struggling with the concepts. This enriches the experience for both the high-achieving and the struggling students. The high achievers are challenged to demonstrate and explain their learning and the struggling students receive the benefit of peer instruction (Taber, 2010). The three materials highlighted in this chapter—OpenStax textbook, BioInteractive, and Lucidchart—are all accessible on mobile devices. Anecdotally, one student created all of his concept maps in Lucidchart on his mobile phone while waiting somewhere that was outside of both home and school!

5.10  Observations and advice The concept of population genetics and evolution using the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium is intimidating for many freshman undergraduate students, due to the

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math required, i.e., polynomial equations. The lab activities and data sets available in the HHMI activity are perfect to introduce the model while keeping students engaged with the real-world application. Casual observation of students using the HHMI short film and activities as a virtual lab, over 2 years, reveals a reduction of math anxiety and improved student confidence in manipulating and analyzing data. HHMI updates their materials continuously. To help keep up to date with new materials, instructors using BioInteractives, or any other collection, should create an account and subscribe to the newsletter, updates, YouTube channel, etc. The students are very appreciative of the cost savings. It really pays off in goodwill with the students. Compiling and updating these types of materials does take more work for the instructor; nevertheless, the students do seem to be more flexible and forgiving because they perceive and appreciate the instructor’s efforts to save them money. Students comment that they feel cared for because of the instructor’s efforts to contain costs. From the beginning, the students are asked, “Is this absolutely the world’s best textbook? Probably not. But, it’s a good textbook.” Without asking, students are purchasing/renting the print copy of the book and bringing it with them to class! Using free resources allows for more individualized learning. Student excuses for missing materials are now virtually nonexistent. The materials are always available with an Internet connection, and they can be downloaded for offline use. Since Lucidchart is a commercial product, educators must request the free educational upgrade for educational team access. As administrator of the team, the instructor creates groups, by class or other grouping, and adds student users. All educational upgrade users receive PRO account access, including the synchronous wiki-type collaboration. In other situations, students can collaboratively construct concept maps in the tool. A free mobile app is available. Students report that the mobile version is very easy to use.

Further reading DuPuis, E. M., & Ball, T. (2013). How not what: Teaching sustainability as process. Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy, 9(1), 64–75. Elmorshidy, A. (2012). Mobile learning—a new success model. Journal of Global Business Management, 8(2), 18–27. Retrieved on October 16, 2015 from http://search.proquest. com/docview/1312295476?accountid=13158. Fisher, L., Hilton, J., III, Robinson, T. J., & Wiley, D. A. (2015). A multi-institutional study of the impact of open textbook adoption on the learning outcomes of post-secondary students. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 27(3), 159–172. http://dx.doi. org/10.1007/s12528-015-9101-x. Hilton, J. L., III, Robinson, T. J., Wiley, D., & Ackerman, J. D. (2014). Cost-savings achieved in two semesters through the adoption of open educational resources. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 15(2). Johnston, D. J., Berg, S. A., Pillon, K., & Williams, M. (2015). Ease of use and usefulness as measures of student experience in a multi-platform e-textbook pilot. Library Hi Tech, 33(1), 65–82. Liu, D., Amagai, S., & Bricken, J. (2012). Engaging Teachers, Scientists, and Multimedia to promote learning. 2010 & 2011 Web Site Winners, 4. Retrieved on October 16, 2015 from:

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. Matulich, E., Papp, R., & Haytko, D. L. (2008). Continuous improvement through teaching innovations: A requirement for today’s learners. Marketing Education Review, 18(1), 1–7. Novak, J. D. (1980). Learning theory applied to the biology classroom. The American Biology Teacher, 280–285. Papp, R., & Matulich, E. (2011). Negotiating the deal: Using technology to reach the Millennials. Journal of Behavioral Studies in Business, 4, 1–12. Reindl, K. M., White, A. R., Johnson, C., Vender, B., Slator, B. M., & McClean, P. (2015). The virtual cell animation collection: Tools for teaching molecular and cellular biology. PLoS Biology, 13(4). http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002118. Rendas, A. B., Fonseca, M., & Pinto, P. R. (2006). Toward meaningful learning in undergraduate medical education using concept maps in a PBL pathophysiology course. Advances in Physiology Education, 30(1), 23–29. Shank, J. D. (2013). Interactive open educational resources: A guide to finding, choosing, and using what’s out there to transform college teaching. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons. Taber, K. S. (2010). Challenging gifted learners: General principles for science educators; and exemplification in the context of teaching chemistry. Science Education International, 21(1), 5–30. Trepagnier, B. (2002). Mapping sociological concepts. Teaching Sociology, 30(1), 108–119. Walz, A. (2014, October). To boldly go: First-year exploration of OER initiatives. Concurrent Session presentation at the Virginia Libraries Association Annual Conference, Williamsburg VA. Retrieved from: . Yuan, M., & Recker, M. (2015). Not all rubrics are equal: A review of rubrics for evaluating the quality of open educational resources. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 16(5).

5.11  Supplemental materials 5.11.1 Appendix A: Concept map checklist: species distribution/ invasive species Using Lucidchart, arrange the concepts and subconcepts (one item per shape/node) in a connected map that identifies factors limiting distribution. Group by major factors: dispersal – include four modes of dispersal behavior/habitat suitability biotic factors abiotic factors For each major factor, indicate that the factor can be present or not present. For each major factor, identify reasons why or why not the species would be found there (a total of 22 shapes/nodes): not a dispersal stage barriers

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diffusion secular jump ideal free distribution not suitable for raising young lack of symbiont parasites predators disease competition all five chemical factors (one factor per shape/node) all five physical factors (one factor per shape/node) Identify which factors are mostly due to human intervention The connections between factors of distribution and the subfactors are logical. Also, the overall flow of the map is logical. ●

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5.11.2  Appendix B: Concept map example: species distribution/invasive species

Created by Karen Kackley-Dutt, Ph.D.

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5.11.3 Appendix C: Concept map grading rubric: species distribution/invasive species Criteria

Total number Number present Comments required in the map

All 4 major factors determining distribution are represented Each major factor shows consequence of presence and absence (individual nodes/shapes or labeled connections) The 3 modes of dispersal are represented The 22 subcategories of the 4 major factors that limit distribution are represented Human intervention is illustrated in the occurrence of invasive species Total Relationships between concepts/ elements are logical Full credit earned when 80% are present AND relationships are logical (no credit for more than 20% missing or illogical relationships)

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1 38 YES 31

Note: This grading rubric is based on the specification grading instructional method to encourage student motivation and manage instructor workload (Nilson, 2015).Nilson, L.B. (2015). Specifications grading. Sterling, VA: Stylus.

5.11.4 Appendix D: Open educational/free educational resources rating scale Criteria

Presentation quality Production, video, audio, design, layout Reliability of source Who created it? Is it vetted? Is the information current & accurate? Usability Can you easily use the materials? Are alternate formats available? Access Is there a cost? Do you or students need to create an account? Are the materials easy to find?

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Interactivity/engagement Does the resource fit? Does it support, expand upon existing curriculum? Are extension materials available, e.g., teacher/student guides, other interactives, etc.? How is it licensed for use? Limited use? OER/reuse? (There are pedagogical implications for both yes and no responses)

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Grodziak, E., Kackley-Dutt,K., Jackson, K. (2015). Free up your teaching with quality no-cost educational resources. Lilly International Conference on Teaching and Learning. Bethesda, MD.

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Jean P. Kelly, Carrie Scheckelhoff and Jeffrey P. Smith Otterbein University, Westerville, OH, United States

6.1  Discipline/academic areas addressed Communication, Mathematics/Mathematics Education, Early Childhood Education.

6.2  Instructional purpose It is often difficult to assess and support complex disciplinary processes like writing, thinking, and discussing. We share strategies for capturing point-in-time snapshots of these foundational academic processes through the use of iPad apps (iAnnotate, Educreations, VoiceThread). These apps give instructors a window into students’ thinking in the time between classes. Instructors use the data to detect emerging student learning needs and craft strategic instructional support. For example, widespread learning needs may be supported with whole-class F2F (face-to-face) instruction, while an individual student’s need in particular may be able to get back on track with the help of a quick email. App-facilitated cognitive reconnaissance helps instructors differentiate the amount, type, and timing of instructional support. Asynchronous formative assessment may also help students put their best thinking forward as they can engage the tasks at personally optimal times, use as much time as they need, and in essence turn back time by revising and revising initial contributions. Asynchronous formative assessment allows instructors and students to optimize learning opportunities by seeing what’s on each other’s minds in the time and space between F2F classes.

6.3  Student learning outcomes 6.3.1  Overarching student learning outcomes Students will learn to compose, think, and speak in specific disciplinary ways.

Unplugging the Classroom. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102035-7.00006-0 Copyright © 2017 Jean P. Kelly, Carrie Scheckelhoff and Jeffrey P. Smith. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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6.3.2  Discipline-specific student learning outcomes 1. Composing Like Designers (using iAnnotate) Students will identify the esthetic convention of modularity—meaning that all elements of every story (headline, body copy, and graphics) form a neat rectangle or square and those rectangles are stacked to form a page—and use the convention in their own compositions. a. Students will submit layouts of their own creation for newsletter stories and pages. Instructor will indicate which stories are not rectangular and show via drawings and examples by other students. b. Students will imagine how the story elements of their own work could be reshaped to be rectangular but also fit in the space of the page. They will then use software correctly in order to apply the changes they imagined. c. Students will submit revised layouts. 2. Thinking Like Mathematicians (using Educreations) Students will formulate, grapple with, and solve complex problems that involve a significant amount of effort, reflecting on their thinking—and the thinking of others—during the problem-solving process. a. Students will develop a plan to solve a weekly low-threshold, high-ceiling mathematics problem; b. Students will record their problem-solving process using Educreations and a think aloud protocol; c. Students will reflect and comment on a curated selection of Educreation solutions within a Weebly blog. 3. Talking Like Educational Researchers (using VoiceThread) Students will draw upon research and data to substantiate and challenge statements made during disciplinary discussions. a. Students will identify effective talk moves in modeled analytic conversations. b. Students will read and contribute to an online asynchronous analytic conversation (via VoiceThread) using talk moves learned in class. c. Students will reflect on their contributions to the online asynchronous analytic conversation (archived on VoiceThread) and set personal goals for the next asynchronous or F2F discussion opportunity.

6.4  Prerequisite skills and knowledge Web access capabilities.

6.5  Step-by-step directions for instructors and students 6.5.1  iAnnotate directions for instructors 6.5.1.1 Preface Instructors should create and distribute a traditional rubric showing relative weight of assignment requirements, with most important concepts (such as modularity) bearing

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highest point value. They should also create jpegs for common assessment comments such as “not modular” or “strong front page” and upload these to the image photo library on the iPad; these will become custom “stamp” annotations. In the course of grading the assignments, instructors should also capture via screenshot examples of good work to be used as peer examples. 1. Students save visual and textual work as PDFs and send to instructor via email. 2. Students also agree to allow the instructor to excerpt exemplary work (without attribution) to share with other students in the class. 3. Instructor downloads PDFs to iAnnotate: If via email, send the PDF directly to the app from the downloaded PDF: tap and hold the PDF attachment, tap Open In…, and then chose iAnnotate PDF. The document now appears in a default folder called Imported Documents. If via Dropbox, open Dropbox, tap on PDF in Dropbox window, then Open in…iAnnotate. iAnnotate will open automatically. 4. Overview: To make comments in iAnnotate, open Imported Documents and tap on thumbnail of document. a. Choose an annotation tool from the toolbar at the right and make marks on the document; use the content-specific menu at the top right to change parameters of the tool. b. Tap on any annotation and add “note” to explain the correction or question. c. Always choose Done before making a new comment or using another tool. d. iAnnotate saves your changes automatically. 5. In order to facilitate (student learning outcome) SLO 1a: a. With the pencil tool, outline the shapes of all stories that are not modular, showing that the elements together do not form a quadrilateral. b. Create a customized comment “not modular” using the stamp tool. Stamp all layouts that are not modular. c. With the pencil tool, circle specific elements (body copy, graphics, headlines, etc.) and draw arrows showing where they could be moved. d. Screenshot 1–2 student layouts that are modular and save the images. Using the camera tool, tap on the nonmodular story and insert image of what a modular story might look like. Tap on the image and add a note saying “Like this.” 6. In order to facilitate SLO 1b: a. Offline, using the same software students use, create a modular solution using the students’ content. Take a screenshot of it and upload it to iAnnotate. Using the camera tool in iAnnotate, insert the comment “Here is one possible solution” into the image. b. Send the file back to the student, to be read on their computer. Click on the tab with the file name, choosing Share. Email as a choice will require you to pick a format; flattened works best. If sending through Dropbox, choose Open In, then Dropbox; choose “annotated PDF” as format. 7. In order to facilitate SLO 1c: a. Provide students with instructions (see next section) for how to access all annotations. Explain that they will be expected to revise and resubmit the assignment. b. Instructor can then compare revisions to original annotated files for each student in the iAnnotate archive. ●

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6.5.2  iAnnotate directions for students 6.5.2.1 Preface In order to give you richer feedback about your work and show you how to see, apply, and revise your work for the next assignment, you will receive an annotated PDF of your multimedia project. 1. You will need to turn your work in as a PDF file. In Microsoft Word, choose “Save As” and choose PDF. In Adobe InDesign, command it “Export” and choose “PDF for Print.” Then send the file via email or saved to Google Drive or Dropbox as instructed. 2. The instructor will return in class a print rubric with point values shown (see Appendix A: Project Grading Criteria Print Production), but will also email you an annotated PDF that you can open on any computer or mobile device. The body of the email will include a list of all the instructor’s notes and comments. 3. Click on the email attachment. That will launch Adobe Reader and open the file. 4. How to see and interpret comments: Large checkmarks: Indicate elements that meet the assignment requirements. Highlighted words, other symbols, comment balloons: Mouse over the symbol to see an explanation of a necessary correction or revision to that element. Paperclip: Double click on the symbol, which will launch a download of a photo, or screenshot given by the instructor as an example. Audio speaker: Double click on the symbol to hear audio comments from the instructor. ●

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6.5.3  Educreations directions for students 6.5.3.1 Preface You will be recording your work as you solve a low-threshold, high-ceiling problem— tasks that everyone in the class can begin and then work on at their own level of engagement. Of course, you can pause the recording to give yourself time to think and room to breathe … but, when you come back to the video, make sure you quickly describe what you were thinking about while you were away. The goal is to capture your raw problemsolving process. If you are disappointed with your solution or reach an impasse, don’t worry. We are valuing your thinking, not getting the perfect answer (SLOs 2a and 2b). 1. Open the Educreations app. A lesson collection window will open. This is the place to store drafts and finished videos of your work. 2. Click the + icon in the upper left-hand corner of the lesson collection window. A blank recording window will open. 3. Click the microphone button in the upper left-hand corner of the recording window and select the pen (and pen color) to begin capturing your solution to the problem. The microphone button will change to a pause button and a timer will appear, showing elapsed recording time. If you want to add graph paper to the background of your recording, click the dog-eared page icon in the upper right-hand corner of the window. If you want to add typed text or images to your recording, click the + button in the submenu bar. ●

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If you want to add another blank page to your recording, click the double + page icon in the upper right-hand corner of the window. To pause or stop recording, press the pause button. To save the recording, press the return icon in the upper left-hand corner of the window and select Save Finished Video. Fill out the Lesson Details pop-up window and press Save. From the lesson collections window, press Select in the upper right-hand corner of the window. Select the finished video and press the upload icon in the top menu bar. Send the video via email to your instructor. ●

4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

6.5.4 Weebly blog (curated solutions) directions for instructors 6.5.4.1 Preface Instructors should view all submitted video solutions and select five to seven as curated pieces for publishing on a student-accessible blog site. The selection process may involve different criteria at different points in the semester (e.g., choosing widely varying approaches or picking solutions that represent a common approach). 1. Sign up for a Weebly account (www.weebly.com) and choose a blog template for your site. 2. Enter information on the splash page fields to welcome students to the site. 3. Select Pages from the top menu bar. 4. Click the + Add button on the left-hand panel and select Blog Page. 5. Create a blog entry for each curated solution by: clicking the New Post button at the bottom of the page entering a title dragging the embed code element into the highlighted pane copying and pasting the video code 6. Select Post from the top menu bar. 7. Once all solutions have been added, select Publish from the top menu bar. ●

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Share the Weebly website with students, enabling them to view and comment on the curated solutions.

6.5.5 Weebly blog (reflections on solutions) directions for students 6.5.5.1 Preface You will be examining curated solutions to low-threshold, high-ceiling mathematics problems. These have been submitted by your classmates and represent their thinking on how to attack the problem. Whether s/he arrives at an appropriate answer is not our primary focus; be mindful of how the video is allowing us a window into the problem-solving process (SLO 2c). 1. Watch all of the curated solutions at (provide Weebly website address). 2. Comment (or respond to a comment) on at least one of the video solutions.

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3. Some things to consider when offering a comment: new insights gained from seeing Person A’s solution comparison of your approach to Person A’s solution I liked … I wish … I wonder … 4. With one of the videos as a starting point (of course, you may use your own), construct a formal, answer-key quality solution to the problem that relies primarily on one of the following approaches: (a) numerical; (b) geometric; (c) algebraic (no functions used); or (d) functional/analytical approach (includes calculus-based approaches). 5. Attach the answer-key quality solution to an email sent to the instructor, with the body of the email containing a reflection (approximately 1 paragraph/4 sentences/100–150 words) on what you have learned while completing this activity. Identify at least one “big idea” that may help inform your future teaching of mathematics. ●

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(See Appendix C: Weebly Video Blog: Low-Threshold, High-Ceiling Solutions Rubric)

6.5.6  Directions for instructors (VoiceThread) The following learning module represents a sequence of curricular steps (directions for instructors) with responsive. Directions for students in italics. Before beginning: Upload provocative student data to VoiceThread. This will be the catalyst for the analytic conversation. Create video introduction to task on VoiceThread (http://www.screencast.com/t/Y0ff4Kk3l4). Step 1: Model an analytic discussion on a controversial topic with a colleague (15 minutes) in class. Before the modeled discussion, ask students to focus on one of the two participants. “Listen for the conversational moves that the person uses to convince the other person of his/her perspective. Jot notes on what you see and hear that seems particularly useful.” After demonstration, help students share observations of useful talk moves. Make a list of useful discussion moves for future reference. It is helpful to provide an example quote of each talk move on your list. You might want to post this list or the Effective Talk Moves Anchor Chart to your learning management system so students may refer to it in the time between F2F classes (See Appendix D: Effective Talk Moves Anchor Chart). It might also be helpful to show students examples of other students leveraging talk moves to participate in an analytic discussion as in this Teaching Channel video (SLO 3a) (https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/teaching-ells-to-participate-in-discussions-ousd). Step 2: Introduce the task (analytical discussion) Explain that we will use analytical discussion to learn in this class. Remind students they will also use analytical discussions in their careers as practicing teachers (during parent/ teacher conferences, collegial conversations, intervention team meetings). “Conversation is a time-pressurized act. Have you ever left a conversation wishing you would have, could have, should have said something different? To help you practice talking like a teacher and using the analytical talk moves we saw during the demonstration, we will suspend time by first holding the conversations asynchronously online using VoiceThread. This will give you time to consider others’ contributions and compose your responses. Try to use one of the talk moves we’ve discussed in class.” Step 3: Introduce the tool (VoiceThread)

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Show the “What Is VoiceThread” screencast in class. Share VoiceThread tutorial (https:// voicethread.com/myvoice/#thread/409) to demonstrate how to record contributions and provide students with the link to VoiceThread “how to” PDF (in case they would like to experiment with this tool with their own students). It has proven useful to archive the screen tutorial shown during class on the course Blackboard website (or other learning management system) so that students can access those resources at a point of need. Note: Students can access VoiceThread through an app or at the website (https://voicethread.com). If students would like additional support accessing and contributing to VoiceThread, invite students to practice contributing to a demonstration VoiceThread in the computer lab while providing one-on-one or peer support. Step 4: Guided practice with analytical conversation “Before our next F2F class, go to our class VoiceThread and consider the data provided. Be sure to listen to others’ contributions before weighing in to the conversation. Use our Effective Talk Moves Anchor Chart to inform your contribution. I’ll be interested in seeing the content of your thinking, as well as the communication strategies you use to make your point or challenge a colleague’s perspective. Let’s see how much we can learn from each other.” (SLO 3b) Step 5: Remediation and response Instructor, read the analytic conversation created on VoiceThread. Support individual students as needed (email or provide Jing screencasts to students who need particular support with conceptual misunderstandings or ineffective talk moves). Then look for patterns of need across students. Identify especially strategic talk moves. Use the next F2F class to support group needs (remediation moves) and showcase effective speech moves (show sections of the students’ VoiceThreads) and discuss what was useful about the contributions. Encourage students to note what they have done well in this discussion and set a personal goal for the next asynchronous online or F2F discussion opportunity. “Take a moment to consider your current contribution to our discussion. How would you describe your talk move? (refer to anchor chart created in Step 1) How did your contribution influence the direction of the conversation? What might you have said differently? Based on your analysis of your current discussion contribution(s), set a personal goal for our next online/asynchronous or F2F discussion.” Note: During Step 5, students may uncover new effective talk moves; add these discoveries to your Effective Talk Moves Anchor Chart (started in Step 1) (SLO 3c). Step 6: Extended practice Repeat Steps 4 and 5 with new data sets until students can demonstrate analytic conversation moves independently. Step 7: Debriefing Following this exercise it is helpful to explore differences between F2F and asynchronous conversations. For example, in past debriefings students have noted F2F conversations add pressure in that one has to quickly compose a response. On the other hand, F2F conversations provide flexible opportunities for clarification (“What I hear you saying is….”). Discuss strategies for maximizing affordances and minimizing limitations of each form of conversation (online/F2F). In addition to strengthening students’ abilities to engage in each mode of conversation, this debriefing helps students consider under which circumstances and for what purposes they might select a particular mode of discussion (asynchronous/ synchronous). During subsequent F2F class discussions remind students to use conversational moves developed in the VoiceThread modules and F2F debriefing.

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6.6  Approximate time required 1. iAnnotate: One part of a class session to explain how to create PDFs from native software and another partial class session to explore types of annotations in assessed work. Students then work asynchronously on revising their designs. 2. Educreations/Weebly: One part of a class session to explain how to capture solutions and comment on curated solutions. Weekly low-threshold, high-ceiling problems are provided; students will work asynchronously, throughout the semester, once the 15-minute introduction is complete. 3. VoiceThread: 40 minutes to introduce task and technology 30–40 minutes per debriefing conversation. Note these sessions were an effective use of class time as the focus is on the content of discussion as well as the means of communication.

Since the formative assessment work takes place asynchronously, students can take as much or as little time as needed to engage in and contribute to the discussion (reported student time investments ranged from 15 to 40 minutes per discussion). Since the instructor differentiates the amount, type, timing, and delivery method of instructional support, an estimate of faculty time investment ranges from 30 minutes to read the VoiceThread to 2 hours (to provide needed responses and create instructional next steps).

6.7  Readings and resources iAnnotate: Technical Requirements Instructors must use the app, available from the Apple App Store, on an Applecompatible device. iAnnotate: Resources http://support.iannotate.com/ Educreations: Resources FAQ: https://www.educreations.com/ Weebly: Resources Support Center: www.help.weebly.com VoiceThread: Resources Website: http://voicethread.com/

6.8  Variations on the basic theme 6.8.1 iAnnotate Another annotation app to consider: GoodReader is great at managing files, syncing, and accessing remote servers. Annotation options are not as robust, however!

6.8.2 Educreations Another screencasting/whiteboard capturing tool to consider: PixiClip (for those who prefer using non-Apple technology) offers comparable features; however, there is a 5-minute time limit for recording. Educreations has a 30-minute time limit.

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6.8.3 VoiceThread Learning management systems such as Blackboard and Schoology have a discussion boards to host asynchronous conversations. Strategies discussed here for use with VoiceThread could be adapted to support those text-based asynchronous conversations. However, VoiceThread is unique in its ability to leverage verbal as well as visual communication tools.

6.9  Observations and advice iAnnotate solved a teaching problem encountered in beginning print and web design courses: it is difficult for novice designers to see when and how their own creative work does not adhere to esthetic and usability design conventions, a first step in knowing how to revise and improve their work. Students more easily see design weaknesses in the work of others, but fail to see it in their own due to the complexity of the task of creating content, executing it in a new software, and then self-editing. Traditional methods for assessing journalism design work and providing feedback to students for purpose of revision, such as rubrics or hand-marking and editing printouts of web pages or newsletter designs, fall short when it comes to capturing the complexity of successful multimedia work such as hyperlinked text, and audio/video components. iAnnotate, as a multimedia formative assessment tool, overcomes these weaknesses. It is possible to use the students’ content to recreate a better layout, then provide a photo of that solution with a textual annotation. Likewise it is easy to snap a screenshot of another student’s work and provide it as an example. Audio annotations were helpful for providing an overview of the student work’s strengths and weaknesses or to provide encouragement. Educreations enabled the instructor and classmates to view how others approach tackling complex problems. By providing a mechanism for capturing in-the-moment decision-making, the pathways of thinking were made evident. In the past, instructors would need to intuit what was happening in the minds of students when they submitted a page with squiggles. Even if s/he “showed all of her/his work,” it was still impossible to know what sequence the work truly followed and/or what made a student change course. In other words, the fundamentals of the thinking process were camouflaged by the artifact. In many ways, the Educreations approach to examining solutions represents an “anti-flipped” classroom. Whereas “flipped” classrooms tend to rely on instructors making instructional videos to disseminate what was typically in-class lecture, this “anti-flipped” strategy requires that the out-of-class work done by students be appropriated through recordings, with F2F returning to a discussion of metareflections on students’ work. VoiceThread provided the time and space needed to develop and document shifts in students’ analytic conversation skills. Students were able to use data to substantiate points and challenge colleagues’ positions using effective talk moves. Interestingly, VoiceThread also provided the instructor time to consider student contributions and create strategic responses to student learning needs. I could individualize instruction, providing students with unique process or content problems with tailored support via

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email or Jing screencast. If there were widespread content or process issues across the class, I had time to design mini lessons to address these needs before (via Blackboard learning module or Jing screencast) or during our next F2F class. VoiceThread provided this instructor a window into student thinking and this investment in cognitive reconnaissance paid dividends in student learning outcomes. In addition, a few instructive complications surfaced that are worth noting. Students’ expectations for timely instructor feedback in the digital world were different from my own. Students expected me to respond to VoiceThreads immediately, and became anxious when feedback was not provided in the minutes following the close of our discussion period. In an online environment, silence is not golden. Students indicated conversational catalysts (the documents and problems used to spark conversations) needed to be complex enough to warrant and sustain group conversation. Similarly they recommended I deploy this technique earlier in the course when the content was new and discussion was necessary to grasp the concepts. These student recommendations will inform future iterations of the curriculum.

6.9.1  Across the three cases Although we worked on different projects, employing different apps and targeting different processes of understanding disciplinary content, as we shared our work within the team, several points of intersection emerged, including (1) the importance of the timing and sequencing of asynchronous activities to inform instruction, (2) the impact of designing instruction with formative digital assessment as a keystone for student learning, and (3) the cross-curricular potential of these apps when considering fundamental online teaching strategies.

6.9.2 The importance of the timing and sequencing of asynchronous activities It is easy to become enthusiastic about a shiny new tool (iAnnotate, Educreations, VoiceThread). Our experimentations with these tools indicate it is vital to not only consider the affordances and limitations of each tool, but to identify elements of curricular design that contribute to the effectiveness of tool use such as timing deployment, sequencing support, and responding to initial experimentations with the tool. Looking across the cases, we see kinetic potential in asking, “Is this the right tool, for this task, at this time?”

6.9.3  The impact of designing instruction Across the cases we see the need for assessment tools and feedback channels that resonate with particular learning demands. For example, iAnnotate frees students to focus on the visual aspects of multimedia compositions by allowing the instructor to show and tell students what they need to reconsider. Educreations captures the chronology of thoughtful problem-solving one would not normally see when viewing a completed problem. VoiceThread slows a conversation, allowing contributors time to consider perspectives and

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compose responses. Archived VoiceThread conversations can be analyzed and reflected upon. In these ways, asynchronous online formative assessment tools provide unique analysis and feedback opportunities, allowing us to bend the paper/pencil boundaries of attention and time. If we place a premium on the processes of seeing, thinking, and talking in professional and disciplinary ways, then we must find ways to access and assess those behaviors. For students, what we evaluate communicates most clearly what we value.

6.9.4  The cross-curricular potential of the apps iAnnotate can be used, as described, in any course where instructors ask students to submit textual or visual products for critique. Educreations can be used, as described, in any course where instructors require students to brainstorm or work on thought-provoking tasks. VoiceThread can be used, as described, in any course where instructors expect meaningful discussion on focused material.

Further reading Alonso, F., Manrique, D., & Martinez, L. (2011). How blended learning reduces underachievement in higher education: An experience in teaching computer sciences. IEEE Transactions on Education, 54(3), 471–478. Black, P., & William, D. (1998). Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in Education, 5(1), 7–74. Brown, G., Bull, J., & Pendlebury, M. (1997). Assessing student learning in higher education. London: Routledge. Covic, T., & Jones, M. (2008). Is the essay resubmission option a formative or summative assessment and does it matter as long as the grades improve? Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 33(1), 75–85. Gikandi, J. W., Morrow, D., & Davis, N. E. (2011). Online formative assessment in higher education: A review of the literature. Computers & Education, 57(4), 2333–2351. Higgins, R., Hartley, P., & Message across, (2003). The problem of communicating assessment feedback. Teaching in Higher Education, 6(2), 269–274. Jenkins, J. (2011). A multi-faceted formative assessment approach: Better recognising the learning needs of students. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 35(5), 565–576. Jones, M. K. (2008). Is the essay resubmission option a formative or summative assessment and does improve? Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 33(1), 75–85. King, S. E., & Arnold, K. C. (2012). Blended learning environments in higher education: A case study of how professors make it happen by. Mid-Western Educational Researcher, 25(1–2), 44–59. Lopez-Perez, M. F., Perez-Lopez, M. C., & Rodriquez-Ariza, L. (2011). Blended learning in higher education: Students’ perceptions and their relation to outcomes. Computers & Education, 56(3), p818–p826. Nicol, D., & Macfarlane-Dick, D. (2006). Formative assessment and self regulated learning: A model and seven principles of good feedback practice. Studies in Higher Education, 31(2), 199–218.

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Ocak, M. A. (2011). Why are faculty members not teaching blended courses? Insights from faculty members. Computers & Education, 56(3), 689–699. Pintrich, P., & Zusho, A. (2002). Student motivation and self-regulated learning in the college classroom. In J. C. Smart & W. G. Tierney (Eds.). Higher education: Handbook of theory and research (vol XVII). New York: Agathon Press. Pombo, L., Loureiro, M. J., & Moreira, A. (2010). Assessing collaborative work in a higher education blended learning context: Strategies and students’ perceptions. Educational Media International, 47(3), 217–229. Rust, C., Price, M., & O’Donovan, B. (2003). Improving students’ learning by developing their understanding of assessment. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 28(2), 147–164. Sadler, D. R. (1998). Formative assessment: Revisiting the territory. Assessment in Education, 5(1), 77–84. Torrisi-Steele, G., & Drew, S. (2013). The literature landscape of blended learning in higher education: The need for better understanding of academic blended practice. International Journal for Academic Development, 18(4), 371–383. Yorke, M. (2003). Formative assessment in higher education: Moves toward theory and the enhancement of pedagogical practice. Higher Education, 45(4), 477–501.

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6.10  Supplemental materials 6.10.1  Appendix A: Project grading criteria print production

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6.10.3 Appendix C: Weebly video blog: low-threshold, high-ceiling solutions rubric 1

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Unacceptable

Acceptable

Good

Exceptional

Interpretation The of problem interpretation of the problem shows no understanding of mathematical intent. Articulation Problem is not of strategy attempted.

The interpretation of the problem shows understanding of mathematical intent. Strategy is evident, but articulation is not polished.

The interpretation of the problem demonstrates clarity of understanding.

Commentary on curation

No evidence of commentary or commentary is limited to “preferential reaction.”

Commentary addresses a connection between interpretation and strategy.

Commentary explicitly describes how interpretation influenced strategy.

Answer key refinement

Answer key is incomplete or reflection is not included.

Answer key is complete and reflection provides a recounting of process.

Technical skills

Mathematical errors (numeric miscalculations and/or algebraic mistakes)

No mathematical errors.

Answer key is complete and reflection provides insight into the teachinglearning of problem-solving. Logistical, sequential, and no mathematical errors.

The interpretation of the problem demonstrates clarity of understanding, with reference to Polya’s schema. Strategy is evident and articulation is polished. Showcases innovation. Commentary explicitly describes how interpretation influenced strategy, providing insight on heuristics. Answer key is clear & concise and reflection provides insight and describes implications for practice.

Comments:

Strategy is evident and articulation is polished.

Logistical, sequential, no mathematical errors, and easy to transcribe.

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6.10.4  Appendix D: Effective talk moves anchor chart Checklist of useful conversational moves from Modeled Analytic Discussion (Step 1 debriefing). The participant:

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makes a clear assertion backs the assertion made with analysis of multiple pieces of observable data asks a clarifying question restates another’s contribution to emphasize or clarify a point adds to another’s assertion with discussion of new observable data challenges an assertion by discussing alternative data or alternative analysis of data connects the assertion made to research, theory, or professional experience moves the discussion forward by posing a provocative question

The selfie (and ussie) as identity in the classroom

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Jennifer Kienzle University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States

7.1  Discipline/academic areas addressed Communication Studies, Communication and Technology, Psychology, Sociology, Social Media, Social Network Sites, Interpersonal Communication, Identity.

7.2  Instructional purpose Goffman’s (1959) impression management theory is one of the most well-known theories in identity performances. Goffman argued that individuals present the self based on the perceived audience in their front stage. Identity presentations are constructed and prepared through the backstage. Impression management theory explains the face that individuals choose to present and also sheds insight into the preparation process. A plethora of research used, and continues to apply, impression management theory to a variety of contexts. This class activity uses impression management theory and applies its tenets and principles to a digital context. More specifically, this activity uses recent research on identity presentations to understand the archived nature of social media presentations (Hogan, 2010). This student activity engages students in Goffman’s impression management theory by applying it to an online identity performance: the selfie. Hogan’s (2010) exhibition approach to identity performances and boyd’s (2006) collapsed context are two major conceptual areas that are discussed in this activity. This chapter delves into the student learning outcomes, preparation, class activity setup and steps, as well as other variations and observations of the activity.

7.3  Student learning outcomes 7.3.1  Overarching student learning outcomes 1. Students will apply Goffman’s dramaturgical approach (i.e., impression management theory) along with Hogan’s (2010) distinction between exhibitions and performances to the presentation of identity in online spaces. 2. Students will use the selfie as an example of how individuals construct their identity in specific online platforms (e.g., Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat), recognizing boyd’s (2006) collapsed context framework when incorporating Hogan’s exhibition approach to identity. Unplugging the Classroom. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102035-7.00007-2 Copyright © 2017 Jennifer Kienzle. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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3. Students will differentiate between selfie as performance or exhibition. In doing so, students can disentangle how individuals not only construct identity, but also how online audiences and perception play a role in impression management.

7.3.2  Discipline-specific student learning outcomes By the end of the class activity students should obtain the following learning outcomes: 1. Students will be able to apply Goffman’s theory of impression management to a digital context by defining the backstage and front stage of identity presentations. 2. Students will be able to explain the distinction between an exhibition and a performance and use the selfie as an example to support the distinction. 3. Students will be able to understand how online audiences shape their identity presentations. 4. Students will be able to explain how technological affordances and platform culture impact identity impression.

7.4  Prerequisite skills and knowledge This activity can be used as part of an identity unit in any class. Ideally, students will have already been exposed to some concepts of identity and communication. It is recommended that students understand how identity is parceled into many different types such as gender, age, social class, religion, and sexuality. This will help orient students to participate in the selfie part of the activity. Students are required to use a smartphone with a camera and therefore students must have access to a smartphone in order to fully participate in this activity. However, students can still learn and acquire the student learning outcomes without actually using a smartphone. This would only be recommended for students who have no access to a smartphone. Instead of using a smartphone, students can locate a previous photo of them that they believe represents their identity in some fashion. Students can also choose to use a camera that is not on their phone to complete this activity and either upload their picture online or print out the photo.

7.5  Step-by-step directions for instructors 7.5.1  Preparation (prior to class) Prior to the class, the instructor should preview Goffman’s impression management theory and possibly assign Hogan (2010) as a reading supplement (see below for complete list of recommended readings). It is also recommended that the instructor ask students to create a selfie that represents their identity and bring it to class or post it on a central discussion board (e.g., Blackboard, Canvas). Another successful idea is to have students post their selfies to a class hashtag on Twitter or any social media platform. This will make the front stage more prevalent to discuss in class.

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The instructor should preview that the selfies will be used in the following class discussion. Therefore, students should feel comfortable sharing their selfie with others.

7.5.1.1  First section: selfie as identity In the first section, selfie as identity, the instructor should have students share their selfie and have group members guess which identity they are portraying (e.g., gender, sports, family). Often times, students will come up with different perceptions of the selfie, thus introducing how different audience members perceive an identity presentation. A follow-up question could be to ask students about the difficulty of creating a selfie of their identity. This gets at the backstage of creating impressions and can be used to apply Goffman’s impression management theory. Furthermore, Hogan (2010) proposed that because of the archived nature of social media that the backstage becomes even more important. Individuals must account for their identity presentation being saved and viewed later. If the instructor asked students to post their selfie to social media prior to the class, this can be discussed in conjunction with student examples.

7.5.1.2  Second section: selfie as reenactment After discussing each selfie, the instructor should transition to the next section of the activity, selfie as reenactment. Students are assigned with the task of reenacting one of the selfies in their group by taking a new selfie, ideally with all group members in the photo. A reenactment is attempting to create the same selfie, but with perhaps different artifacts with different individuals. The instructor should give students ample time to reenact one of the selfies in the group and if feasible, allow students to leave the classroom so they can have a more private backstage. The reenactment can be posted for the class to see via a social media platform (e.g., Twitter) or emailed to the instructor. Since students might leave the classroom, it is recommended that the instructor provide a clear time limit for this section of the activity. The follow-up to the reenactment involves discussing the backstage and front stage of the selfie. The instructor can ask students how they decided to do the reenactment and then ask for perceptions of the reenacted selfies. Often, the reenactments are the most interesting and fun for students because they are challenged to create a selfie during class. A teaching point is to bring up that many identity presentations online are mimicked or reenacted. The exhibition aspect of social media (e.g., Instagram) invites individuals to reenact identity from their viewpoint. An example to discuss with the audience is the duck face and how the duck face has been reenacted, mocked, and shared by many in a selfie. Although a selfie is a unique picture of the individual, it is also a shared artifact with others. This teaching point transitions well into the next section of the activity.

7.5.1.3  Third section: selfie as community In the third section, selfie as community, the instructor asks each group to create an “ussie” or group selfie. The ussie does not need to reflect previously created selfies, but should represent something unique or interesting about the group as a whole.

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The primary purpose of this part of the activity is to address the issue of selfies as examples of narcissism. A common discourse around selfies is the notion that selfies are all about beauty and self-promotion. However, selfies also have a communal element that is often tied with interpersonal relations. The instructor should frame these ideas before the ussies are created. The instructor can also ask groups to post their ussie to a social media platform or central discussion board (e.g., Canvas). During the discussion period after the ussies/selfies are created and posted, the instructor can pull in popular examples of ussies. One prevailing example is Ellen’s Oscar selfie that went viral and was reenacted numerous times. The instructor can make another nod to the importance of the backstage as well. Usually, the backstage is private and solitary, yet for ussies the backstage takes on a very different setting and mood. There is a blurring between the backstage and front stage in that the backstage is no longer a solitary private space.

7.6  Step-by-step directions for students The following section includes a step-by-step guide for students to complete this class activity, from preparation steps and tasks to each section of the class activity.

7.6.1  Prior to class Prior to the class activity day, students should create a new selfie based on their identity. Students are encouraged to get creative and think about the common phrase, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” They can use props, artifacts, animals, and/or other people in their selfie. The picture should be a selfie in that the picture is taken by the student and not professionally setup or taken by another person. The selfie can be turned in via a variety of methods. If the class uses a social media platform such as Twitter or Facebook, students can post their selfie to those platforms. Alternatively, students can post their selfie to a central discussion board on a learning management system such as Canvas or Blackboard. Summary of Tasks for Students 1. Create a selfie based on your identity. The selfie should include you in the picture and be a new selfie created for the purposes of this class (please do not use a previously created selfie). 2. The selfie should reflect your identity in some facet. You are encouraged to get creative and use artifacts, places, and other people. The goal of the selfie is for others to see who you are as a person. 3. Please post your selfie to our class social media account with the appropriate hashtag.

7.6.2  In class Students should get into groups of four to six individuals. The class period is split into three sections: (1) selfie as identity, (2) selfie as reenactment, and (3) selfie as community.

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7.6.2.1  First section: selfie as identity In the first section, selfie as identity, students are asked to share and discuss their selfie with their group members: 1. Please take out your selfie. 2. Each student should share their selfie one at a time and ask the group members for their impressions and to guess their identity enactment (e.g., sports, fashion, family). 3. After a brief discussion, you should share intended identity and purpose of the selfie. 4. As a group, discuss the backstage and front stage of your selfie. How did you prepare for the selfie and how does the social media platform and audience influence your identity performance?

Selfie as Identity Discussion Questions: Students will discuss these questions after they share their selfie. 1. Based on what we learned in class on Goffman’s impression management theory, what is the backstage of your selfie? What is the front stage of your selfie? 2. How does the chosen social media platform influence how your selfie is perceived?

7.6.2.2  Second section: selfie as reenactment The second section, selfie as reenactment, asks students to create a new selfie based on one of the selfies in their group: 1. Pick one selfie in your group to reenact. 2. The reenactment requires you to take a new selfie based on the chosen selfie. Ideally, all group members are in the selfie. 3. You can leave the classroom to take your selfie. 4. If done early, be prepared to discuss the backstage of your selfie and the strategies you used to reenact the selfie.

Selfie as Reenactment Discussion Questions: Students will answer these questions after they complete the selfie reenactment. 1. How did you choose the selfie for the reenactment? 2. What was the backstage of the reenactment? 3. How do you think reenacting selfies impacts our identity presentations as well as interpersonal communication with others?

7.6.2.3  Third section: selfie as community The third section, selfie as community, asks students to create another selfie but instead make an “ussie,” which is a selfie with multiple individuals. The difference between this selfie and the reenactment selfie is that this picture should represent the group’s identity as a whole. Students do not need to reenact another selfie. The exact directions are as follows: 1. Create an “ussie” with your group members. This picture does not need to reflect any of your selfies. The goal is to try to capture the identity of the group as a whole. 2. You are allowed to leave the classroom.

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3. Please submit your selfie to our social media platform with the appropriate hashtag.

Selfie as Community Discussion Questions: Students will answer these questions after they complete the ussie task. 1. Do selfies promote community? 2. How do the backstage and front stage of social media play a role in this process? 3. What are examples of “ussies” that promote community and reenactment?

Are selfies an indication of “obsession” with oneself or are there selfies that bring people together?

7.7  Approximate time required In addition to the preclass preparation, the in-class activity takes approximately two hours for a class of 20–30 students. This might be broken into one longer class period if feasible or two full class periods. If the class is larger, the instructor might consider larger discussion groups and/or extending the activity to multiple class sessions to ensure that all groups are contributing to the discussion.

7.8  Readings and resources The activity has been evaluated through (1) discussion questions during and after the class activity, as outlined in Appendix A; and (2) through essay exams (sample question in Appendix B, grading rubric in Appendix C). The first evaluation is to see how students responded to discussion questions during the class activity. The discussion questions from each section can assess whether students obtained the student learning outcomes. Alternatively, the following questions can be used as a handout to be completed in groups or as a homework assignment. In terms of supplemental material, the instructor might also want to use a PowerPoint or Prezi to show examples of popular selfies. There are a plethora of selfies freely available online and can be shown to students before or throughout the activity. For example, I have used the Ellen Oscar selfie and numerous reenactments of the selfie as an example of both the reenactment and communal aspects of selfies. The instructor should establish a class hashtag if using a social media platform for the selfies. There are several readings that can be used for this activity. Since Goffman’s impression management theory is referenced in so many communication textbooks, it is recommended that students read a synopsis of the theory prior to class. In addition to understanding Goffman’s impression management theory, students should also read articles on how Goffman’s work has been used in a digital context. The readings

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in the Recommended Reading section are ideal for students who are familiar with reading scholarly articles.

7.9  Variations on the basic theme This activity can be shortened or lengthened based on class setup as well as the course student learning outcomes. In order to shorten the activity, the instructor can implement just the sections “Selfie as Identity” and “Selfie as Reenactment” and omit the “Selfie as Community” section. The community section can be weaved in with the reenactment discussion since groups take the reenactments together as a group. Another alternative is for students to complete the “Selfie as Identity” section as an online homework assignment and discuss the questions via a discussion board or social media page. The classroom component can be the “Selfie as Reenactment” section. If the instructor desires to lengthen the activity or create a high-stakes assessment, a paper assignment can be used. The paper assignment would require students to use their selfie, reenactment, and ussie as examples in their paper. The paper could engage students using the previously mentioned discussion and essay questions as a prompt. The paper assignment can also ask students to locate other selfies in order to apply Hogan’s (2010) exhibition approach or boyd’s (2006) collapsed context.

7.10  Observations and advice I have conducted this activity in three communications classes: (1) Communication in the Digital Age; (2) Interpersonal Communication; and (3) Introduction to Communication Theory. From my observations, using the entire activity with an essay question works the best in a class where technology and communication is the central focus. I also recommend using a social media platform for students to post their selfies/ussies if the class is focused on technology. I have used Twitter and Medium. Twitter is ideal for posting the selfie with little text. On Medium, I ask students to write a paragraph on what their selfie represents and why they took the selfie in a particular way. Although I have not used Instagram for this assignment, I believe this platform would also be a good fit considering its focus on photos. For interpersonal communication and communication theory classes, using a social media platform might not be a focus in the class and so the activity might be shortened. However, the student learning outcomes can be obtained with the shorter or longer versions of the activity. In these classes I do not ask students to share their selfies on a social media platform. Instead, I ask them to bring their selfies to class on their device or printed out.

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Based on my experience with this activity, most students exhibit enthusiasm and excitement about creating a selfie as part of a homework assignment. I receive many questions when assigning the selfie task such as, “Can someone else be in my selfie?”, “Can the selfie be altered or can we use filters?”, or “Can we do the selfie in ?” I almost always tell students to be creative, ethical, and have fun creating the selfies. I always go back to the overarching theme of the selfie as identity. As long as the selfie represents their identity and is taken by the individual, it will qualify for the class activity. I encourage instructors to keep the selfie requirements open because students get very creative and use new props and artifacts each time I conduct this activity. Some students might express resistance toward taking selfies because they do not take selfies in their daily life. Furthermore, some groups might not know how to complete the reenactment part of the activity. I advise instructors to tell students there is no wrong way of completing the selfie or reenactment as long as they are in the photo. From my experience, there have been no students that did not complete the selfie activity or refused to participate. In fact, students who were originally resistant toward the activity were more likely to enjoy and share an interesting insight into selfie culture. One concern with the selfie task might be inappropriate pictures such as vulgar language or risqué shots (e.g., nudity). I have never experienced this in any of my classes. I do stress that pictures will be shared with others and in my social media classes they are required to post their selfie publicly. Finally, I usually create my own selfie each time I conduct this activity and share my selfie with the class. I usually share my selfie at the beginning of the class activity as an icebreaker or I share it on our class social media page. I ask students to guess my identity in the selfie. Students appreciate my contribution to the activity and usually get to know another part of my identity as a professor. Overall, this activity is fun, interactive, and engaging for students. After and during this activity, I have seen students grow friendships and connections with each other. This activity is one of the earlier activities in the academic semester and creates a communal and academic environment for students.

Further reading boyd, d (2006). Friends, friendsters, and top 8: Writing community into being on social network sites. First Monday, 11(12). http://dx.doi.org/10.5210/fm.v11i12.1418. Davis, J. L., & Jurgenson, N. (2014). Context collapse: Theorizing context collusions and collisions. Information, Communication & Society, 17(4), 476–485. http://dx.doi.org/10.108 0/1369118x.2014.888458. Goffman, E. (1959). The presentation of self in everyday life. Garden City, NY: Doubleday. Hayes, R. A., Smock, A., & Carr, C. T. (2015). Face[book] management: Self-presentation of political views on social media. Communication Studies, 66(5), 549–568. http://dx.doi.org /10.1080/10510974.2015.1018447.

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Hogan, B. (2010). The presentation of self in the age of social media: Distinguishing performances and exhibitions online. Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society, 30(6), 377–386. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0270467610385893. Marwick, A. E., & boyd, D. (2010). I tweet honestly, I tweet passionately: Twitter users, context collapse, and the imagined audience. New Media & Society, 13(1), 114–133. http://dx.doi. org/10.1177/1461444810365313. Vitak, J. (2012). The impact of context collapse and privacy on social network site disclosures. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 56(4), 451–470. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/ 08838151.2012.732140. Wendt, B. (2014). The allure of the selfie: Instagram and the new self-portrait. Amsterdam: Institute of Network Cultures, Hogeschool van Amsterdam. Wesch, M. (2009). YouTube and you: Experiences of self-awareness in the context collapse of the recording webcam. Explorations in Media Ecology, 19–34.

7.11  Supplemental materials 7.11.1  Appendix A: Discussion questions handout 1. How are selfies exhibited and interpreted on social media applications such as Instagram, Snapchat, and other related platforms? 2. Are selfies a performance or an exhibition? Refer to Hogan (2010). How does each platform determine this answer? 3. How does boyd’s (2006) collapsed context play a role in how selfies are created and perceived? 4. How can we apply what we’ve discussed on selfies to other identity presentations in online spaces, such as videos, blogs, live streaming, and texting? In other words, do the same principles of exhibition and performance apply to other identity presentations?

7.11.2  Appendix B: Essay exam questions The second form of evaluation is through an essay exam question. An example question is: 1. Apply the selfie to Goffman’s dramaturgical approach (i.e., impression management theory) and incorporate how technological characteristics afford new ways of perceiving and enacting a selfie, referring to outside readings and our class discussion. In your response, you should address whether a selfie is a performance or an exhibition and what that means for communication and identity.

Through this essay question, students have been able to define and apply course concepts and usually pull in information from our class discussion to help support their answer since we discussed many responses in class. The essay question also allows students to draw on which experiences of the activity made an impact on their understanding.

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7.11.3  Appendix C: Sample grade rubric In-depth application of Goffman’s impression management theory to a digital context. Discussion of the distinction between performance and exhibition (Hogan). Explanation of specific technological characteristics in relation to a social media platform. Argument and evidenced justification for argument. Referencing appropriate reading(s) and class discussion. Assigned grade. ++ = In-depth explanation, demonstrated strong, sophisticated understanding of concept(s). + = Appropriately addressed all aspects of the question(s). + = Addressed some aspects of the question. Other aspects were not addressed or addressed in a very general manner with gaps in demonstrating understanding. − = Failed to address this aspect of the question or not enough explanation to demonstrate understanding of concept(s).

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Apostolos Koutropoulos University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, United States

8.1  Discipline/academic areas addressed Education, Management, Liberal Arts, Communication.

8.2  Instructional purpose When thinking about the time and space of a “traditional classroom,” the mental image that comes to mind is of a room, on a campus somewhere, where learners and instructors congregate for a scheduled meeting session. This meeting repeats in a predictable and scheduled manner for a semester. If this is the model that we begin with, then a “traditional” online or blended course is already one way of breaking through the traditional time and space constraints imposed by the physical classroom. However, we can still go a bit further than the constraints imposed by traditional online and blended classrooms. Fully online learning takes away all of the constraints of space, in that learners do not need to be physically present at a given location. Depending on the type of platforms employed, learning can be accomplished in traditional settings, such as someone’s office using a desktop computer, or in more fluid settings by enabling mobile learning capabilities. The platforms used will dictate the heuristics of the course. Fully online learning also takes away some of the constraints of time, but it doesn’t remove all of them! Typical designs for online learning courses still focus on modules with structured start- and end-dates, specific assignments with due dates, and required (graded) discussions. The specific content is still top-down from an instructor to the learners. The idea behind this chapter is to design an activity that evolves over a large part of the semester, using rhizomatic learning principles. Rhizomatic learning is loosely based on the work of Deleuze and Guattari titled A Thousand Plateaus. The idea in rhizomatic learning is that “curriculum is not driven by predefined inputs from experts; it is constructed and negotiated in real time by the contributions of those engaged in the learning process. This community acts as the curriculum, spontaneously shaping,

Unplugging the Classroom. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102035-7.00008-4 Copyright © 2017 Apostolos Koutropoulos. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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constructing, and reconstructing itself and the subject of its learning in the same way that the rhizome responds to changing environmental conditions” (Cormier, 2008, p 5). Of course a lack of predefined input from experts does not mean the complete and total absence of expert views, opinions, and sources in the course. It just means that instead of having the course path and content predefined, the learners are more able to grow and branch like rhizomes in the directions that work with their learning abilities, interests, and existing backgrounds and knowledge. Rhizomatic learning doesn’t stand as the lone underlying principle in this approach. In order to operationalize this approach we dive into other theoretical frameworks that help support this rhizomatic approach to learning. For instance one of the key elements here isn’t to have many students go off on their own solitary paths. While working alone for some aspects of the course can be an aspect of a rhizomatic approach, working together is much more powerful. Being part of a community of inquiry, which was seen by Dewey as a social activity that is the essence of education (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2010), is important. Furthermore, borrowing from self-determination theory we look at learner motivation, and more specifically autonomous motivation which “comprises both intrinsic motivation and the types of extrinsic motivation in which people have identified with an activity’s value and ideally will have integrated it into their sense of self” (Deci & Ryan, 2008, p 182). This also harkens back to another theory of learning, namely Knowles’ andragogy (1980). The tenets of connectivism (Siemens, 2005; 2006) also fit in well with this approach. Just as a brief example: according to connectivism (Siemens, 2005) “learning and knowledge rest in the diversity of opinions,” which by necessity needs a community of inquiry to exchange those opinions and have dialogs about them. Furthermore “learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources” (ibid), and in this rhizomatic environment learners are asked to seek out and connect to those sources of information, be they human nodes or nonhuman nodes, such as library databases and textbooks. Finally, a rhizomatic approach is one that can foster emergent leadership behaviors in learners. Emergent leadership is a type of leadership that occurs in teams without an individual who has an a priori leadership role. Misiolek and Heckman (2005) frame emergent leadership within the functional approach to leadership. Emergent leadership focuses on behaviors of a group rather than behaviors of one individual. In emergent leadership, according to Yoo & Alavi, leadership is “spontaneously accorded by fellow team members and as an emergent phenomenon that develops over time through group processes” (2004, p 29). Leadership might not seem like something important to develop in courses that don’t specifically include the word “leadership” in their course title or description; however, it is an important ability for learners to develop while they are in our classrooms. Even if leadership is not part of the learning outcomes for a course, it is important that we as educators encourage the development of leadership. This helps learners on their path to being lifelong learners.

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8.3  Student learning outcomes 8.3.1  Overarching student learning outcomes This activity aims at the following learning outcomes: developing the learner’s interest in independent, as well as cooperative and collaborative, learning; fostering the learner’s ability to pursue learning and knowledge of their interest, within the context of a learner community; developing and honing the learner’s communication and facilitation skills; developing the learner’s leadership skills; honing the learner’s critical information–finding skills.

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8.3.2  Discipline-specific student learning outcomes This approach to teaching can be used in a variety of disciplines within the humanities, education, and management. The activity described in this chapter will focus on an exemplar graduate course titled Introduction to Learning. This type of course is typically offered through a College of Education. In this course, learners are introduced to a body of knowledge concerning how learners learn, and learn how to learn. This is accomplished by exploring theories of learning, examining and critiquing historical and contemporary practices of teaching, learning, and development; as well as examining variables that affect learning. By the end of this course learners will:

compare and contrast two or more learning theories; assess the applicability of at least three learning theories to specific learning scenarios; critique methodologies and tactics applied by learning professions to workplace training; create cases and personas that will be used by fellow classmates to analyze and create learning solutions; analyze cases created by peers and design a learning intervention that applies knowledge of learning theories; demonstrate the application of good practices in asynchronous communication and synchronous presentation techniques.

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8.4  Prerequisite skills and knowledge In order to participate in this type of activity learners need to have some prerequisite skills that deal with information and computational literacy. Learners should be familiar with how to conduct basic research in the field of teaching and learning, education, educational technology, or other related areas. This research is conducted using library resources, as well as professional resources that are specific to their subfields of interest. In addition, learners should have basic skills in using computers,

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the Internet, and social networks. Some learners may choose to engage mostly on the social networking platform, while others may choose to use additional platforms, such as blogs, wikis, and streaming video. It’s not necessary for learners to be fully proficient in the use of blogs and other such media. Learners can, and will, pick up these skills as a means of expressing their learning journey and communicating, and collaborating, with their fellow colearners.

8.5  Step-by-step directions 8.5.1  Step-by-step directions for instructors Note: These directions assume that a course that was previously fully face to face is not following this approach. There is also an assumption made that the course is a standard semester length of 13–15 weeks. 1. About a month before the course begins, the instructor should create the online community where the course will take place. It’s important to create this community somewhere outside of the institutional learning management system (examples of LMS are Blackboard, Moodle, Canvas, etc.). This will allow learners the opportunity to break from institutional structures, such the LMS, and work in a networked environment. This environment can be on a learning site, such as Peer2Peer University, a social site designed for with schools in mind such as Edmodo, workgroup software such as Slack, or a standard social networking site such as Facebook or Google+ communities. This also allows the learners early access to the course if they are so inclined. 2. The instructor should set up an introductory post about the format of the course, and rhizomatic learning. Ideally this should be done in a blog post on the instructor’s blog, with a link posted to the community as well. The rationale behind the blog post is that a blog allows for greater flexibility in content, as well as flexibility in length and formatting of that content, as compared to a post in the Facebook group. Posting this information on a blog also ensures that the initial post does not get lost in a flurry of discussion. Finally, this allows for the instructor to model academic blogging practices that learners might want to emulate. This introductory post should include a bit of background into the course, and some resources that the learners might want to use to explore the subject matter. This introductory post can also include ways for learners to demonstrate their knowledge of the subject, and of the semester’s learnings. 3. Two weeks prior to the semester beginning, the instructor should email all students in the class and have them join the community. This precourse period, as well as the first “inperson” week can act as ice-breakers for the learners. This is the time period where they explore the technologies that they want to use, obtain the necessary technical support and technology mentoring, and get introduced to each other in the course. While learners will have the technical prerequisites for the class they may not have used these technologies in these specific ways in the past. 4. During the in-person meeting times of the first week of classes the instructor can formally provide an overview of the setup of the course, how the rhizomatic online components blend together with the in-person components, and what might be some ways of participating when learners are not physically in the classroom. If the class is small (fewer than fifteen students), it might be of interest to the instructor to consider making this course an

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open course, so that learners who are not signed up for formal credit get an opportunity to interact with others in the class, hence creating a fertile ground for learning and the exchange of ideas. 5. The first week of classes is also a great opportunity to have an educational technologist present to your class. The technologist would be able to demonstrate and answer questions on various technologies that the students can use for the course. They also can serve as technology support for your students. Examples of technologies that can be demonstrated are blogs, wikis, the social network used in the course, and social workgroup software such as Slack. 6. During the in-person components of week 1 the instructor should lead the learners in an activity where the class as a whole, fellow colearners, discuss and agree upon norms of conduct while online, and agree upon appropriate etiquette. Since textual discussions don’t always convey subtle meanings, it would be a good idea to mutually agree upon respectful conduct norms for interactions online. This should include conduct norms for the social site that is hosting the course, e.g., Facebook, and conduct norms for blogs, wikis, and collaborative documents that learners might use. Just because something might be written or recorded on a space that is the learner’s space it doesn’t mean that it gives them carte blanche to act in ways that are not in accordance with group norms. 7. At the end of Week One, the instructor should post their first rhizomatic topic. This can take the form of a blog post, similar to the blog post in item #2 of this list. The idea behind an initial post is that you, as the instructor, are posting an interesting question to ponder—a question that does not have a simple answer, and whose answers may vary depending on the approach taken by the learner to explore a specific chunk of the topic of study. The idea is not to provide the learner with a list of readings and have them answer the question based on these readings. On the contrary, the idea is to have the learners explore and find resources that help them make sense of the question, and then attempt to answer it using those found resources. If the course has a textbook, the textbook may act as a start to untangling the question posed. In true connectivist fashion, the learners may find information from a variety of sources. The learners can engage in the community discussion threads on social media, they may decide to blog about their ponderings, or they may pursue both paths. In this initial post the instructor may present a case that frames the questions posed. 8. An example of a blog post that kicks off the activity is as follows. Frequently, courses on learning theory start with behaviorism. However, for this activity the instructor should start off with something a little older: Socrates. The Socratic method, or maieutics, is what was practiced by Socrates—at least according to Plato. The instructor can introduce the Socratic method, as well as Socrates’ critique of writing instead of remembering. The introduction and wording of this topic should be left up to the instructor, based on his/her personality, interests, and background. At the end of this topic the instructor should ask a broad question, such as “Was Socrates right? Does his method of learning work for all learning? For some learning? Or not at all? What does the critique of writing mean for us as educators and the types of materials we can use? And, are there any contemporary critiques of modern media that you see as modern corollaries to Socrates’ writing critique?” This will spur learners to look into a variety of sources, including classical texts, and education texts, to support their arguments. Discussion and reflection on these questions will take place on the social network, and on the students’ chosen means of self-expression (be it blogs, wikis, podcasts, etc.). 9. While the week is progressing, the instructor should be visible and participating both in blogging on their own blog, and participating in the online community. The idea behind this is to show teaching presence (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000) and to humanize

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this asynchronous mode of interaction (Kilgore, Bartoletti, & Al Freih, 2015). Instructor presence is a key element in this approach. The instructor is neither a sage on the stage nor a guide on the side. In this approach the instructor is just another node in the crowd that is working toward an exploration of the topic. In this sense the instructor and the learners are developing a hybrid presence in this course, not one that is strictly teacher presence or student presence (Koseoglu and Koutropoulos, 2016). 10. An in-person session should ideally happen every week either at the midpoint of the week, or on a Friday when learners have had an opportunity to digest the question of the week, engage in discussion, and discover some resources. The weekly in-person check-in can be hosted in a variety of ways. It can be a way for learners to support one another in person; it can be a way to discuss potential sticky points or things that learners didn’t get initially and want some clarification; or it can be structured as a forum wherein the instructor pulls out interesting discussion threads from the week and provides a forum for in-person discussions, application, and debate. The in-person sessions are also a good way to hone students’ presentational and communications skills. Presentations can take place near the end of the semester, when students have had more time with the topics. 11. After the first week and that initial Socratic post, at the beginning of each week the instructor should create a new blog post with that week’s topic, scenario or frame or reference, and burning question, and the cycle starts anew. Common topics in the first month and a half of the semester will include behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism. Each of these broad categories can encompass either one week or two weeks, depending on the emphasis that the instructor wants to place on the specific categories. 12. Around Week Four of the course, learners should start taking the reins of the course by suggesting topics for Week Six and beyond. Learners should propose topics and start to create blog posts that are similar to the instructor’s “burning question” blog posts that kick off the weekly discussion and exploration. If the learners do not know what the possibilities are and would like a partial list of topics to pick from, the instructor can provide such a sign-up sheet, leaving open the possibility for topics that are not on the sign-up sheet already. Topics may include communities of practice, connectivism, social constructivism, andragogy, and activity theory just to name a few topics. 13. As the semester progresses and comes close to ending, the learners should start to think about how they wish to document and demonstrate their knowledge and mastery of the materials. This can be done in a variety of ways, but having students choose a way to demonstrate this knowledge would be the optimal ways. Some may choose a portfolio approach, others a more traditional paper, and yet others might choose digital multimedia approaches to demonstrate their semester’s knowledge. 14. The final week of class can be an in-person class. The format of this final week should be debrief sessions. This can be an open forum for students to present their work, such as any deliverables or artifacts that they created during the semester, and it can be a way place where they can ask questions that they would like answers to. In short: Where do we go from here? What else do we want to know?

8.5.2  Step-by-step directions for students 1. Prior to the start of the semester the learners should start to consider what online identity they would like to use for this course. If a course has a Facebook group associated with it, do they want to use their regular Facebook identity for the course? Or, do they want to

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create a persona specifically for this course? The same issue is something that they should consider when it comes to blogging. If they want to blog for the course, and they already have a blog, do they want to use that blog space, or do they want to create a new one just for this course? 2. Right before, and during, the first week of class, the learners should join the class community that they were invited to by their instructor. They should spend some time in the precourse introductory section familiarizing themselves with the setup of the system used, and they should note any questions they have. These can be addressed in person during the first week of class. 3. Each week the learners should read the introductory post by the course instructor to obtain the challenge topic or challenge question of the week. This should be done as early as possible so that learners have an opportunity to explore readings and resources, as well as start to initiate and participate in discussions on the learning platform. 4. Learners can work on their own for the information retrieval phase of each weekly challenge topic, but it would be advisable to collaborate with others. Learners can start working with others in the class in a synchronous manner. They can self-organize meet-ups before and after the in-person class, and they can also use technologies such as Zoom, Google Hangouts, and Skype to meet with their peers in the course to discuss and share. The benefit of Google Hangouts is that the session can be recorded, and this recording can then be shared with others in the course as a learning object. 5. As an example, for the first week, when the class discusses the Socratic method as a way of teaching and learning, the students can read through the course readings that are available, search their library, and discuss examples from their own personal learning experiences to discuss, and provide examples for, learning with that approach to learning. They can analyze these experiences and find what worked, and what didn’t. They can also analyze from a historical context what the constraints and affordances to learning were at the time of Socrates in order to determine what today’s constraints and affordances are in their own specific learning sites (be they K–12, higher education, or corporate learning), and how those are conducive to the Socratic method. Similar approaches can be taken with Socrates’ critique of writing in order to analyze where this critique came from, and how justified it was. Historical contexts such as privilege and cost can be explored by looking at manuscripts that were only available to the wealthy and privileged, and how the printing press could, potentially, signal a democratization of knowledge. This would allow learners to look at similar media critiques and to play devil’s advocate for and against those critiques. 6. At or before Week Four of the course, individual learners, or groups of learners (if they wish to work together), should look at a list of some of the topics that they could explore during the rest of the semester and decide if there are topics they wish to facilitate; otherwise they can propose a topic not on the list provided by the instructor. In order to facilitate a topic they would need to propose it, hence claiming it, and do some initial research in order to write up a compelling initial blog posts that will kick off the week of discussion and pique the interest of their fellow classmates. Learners can propose more than one topic that they wish to facilitate, and learners of the class can decide as a group which topics to discuss each week. 7. Starting with Week Six, learners (individuals or groups) should be posting their “burning question” posts by Sunday afternoon (assuming the week begins on a Monday) so that their fellow colearners can have access to this seed post. Learners should consider what they’ve read about their chosen learning theory or teaching methodology and write a blog

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post that will pique the interest of their fellow colearners. They should create a question (or set of questions) that their fellow colearners should consider as they discuss the topic during the week, as well as a scenario that frames the question. It would be advisable to contact the course instructor with a draft of this blog post to receive feedback before it goes “live” to the class as a whole. This way the instructor can provide the learner with critique and points to consider for the blog post, as well as things to correct if learners have misunderstood part of the concept. It is recommended that this consultation happens by Friday of the week prior to the post going live. 8. Throughout the semester learners should keep track of their own learning experiences, their thoughts and ponderings on the topic of inquiry, and the conclusions that they’ve come to. They can document this privately, or publically through a blog, or both. The benefit of blogging about their learning is that it becomes a way for others to engage with them, and with the topic of mutual inquiry. 9. A key aspect of this experience is that learners need to be involved in the virtual aspects of the course frequently. The more frequent their exposure and participation in the online discussions the more connected they become to the topic and their peers. 10. About three-quarters through the semester, learners should start to consider how they want to demonstrate their knowledge gained in this experience. It can be an individual working alone to produce a portfolio using a service like Weebly, Wikispaces, or LiveBinders, writing a paper using Google Docs, creating an interactive presentation using Prezi, a digital story posted on YouTube, or some other deliverable. It can also take the form of a group project where the team collaboratively decides on and implements a final deliverable for the entire team. If the course is an open course, the team can include members of the open learning community that can form around this course. 11. Learners should conference with their instructor during this ideation stage (item #10 on this list) to make sure that they are meeting course objectives with their deliverable(s), and that deliverable(s) are feasible and appropriate for their level of study. 12. At the end of the semester, during the final week, learners can present their deliverables, and participate in a discussion about their overall impressions and learning in the course.

8.6  Approximate time required If we assume a traditional semester of around thirteen weeks, and depending on the overall course outcomes and learner characteristics, this activity can run anywhere from six to twelve weeks. The sample instructions above assume that the instructor is running this activity for the entire semester. The minimum recommended time for this activity is five weeks, so it could be used in semesters or quarters that last less than the traditional semester. If the instructor wished to run this activity for about five or six weeks, the topics could include behaviorism, cognitivism, which can run for two weeks, while leaving students free to pick topics for four of the six weeks. This approach, as mentioned earlier, isn’t just an activity to be bolted onto an existing course. Rather, it is meant as a way of redesigning a course that exists in either faceto-face or blended format. If the activity spans twelve weeks (most of the semester), then it would be expected that the “regular” class components, especially in a course that is currently face to face or blended, integrate well with this approach.

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8.7  Readings and resources Some technologies that can be considered as supporting materials for this activity are the following. It should be noted that this is not an all-inclusive list. The members of the learning community should use any tools that they feel necessary to accomplish their goals. This list could be considered as a starter pack: Blogger: https://www.blogger.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ Google Hangouts On Air: https://plus.google.com/hangouts/ Google Docs: http://drive.google.com Google+: http://www.plus.google.com LiveBinders: http://www.livebinders.com/ Peer2Peer University: https://courses.p2pu.org/en/ Prezi: http://www.prezi.com Slack: http://www.slack.com Skype: https://www.skype.com/ Twitter: http://www.twitter.com Weebly: https://www.weebly.com Wikispaces: http://www.wikispaces.com/ Wordpress: https://wordpress.com/ Zoom: https://www.zoom.us

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8.8  Variations on the basic theme The basic activity, as described above, is framed as an activity that has an on-boarding component at the beginning, the rhizomatic activity in the middle, and a debrief session at the end. This can be varied depending on the modality of the original course that’s being modified. For example the original course may begin as a fully faceto-face course, one that is fully online, or one that is already a blended course. For example, if we begin with a course that is fully online, then the instructor may still choose to have an on-boarding activity during the first week of classes, but he may choose to not have a formal debrief. In lieu of that formal (in-class) debrief, the instructor may choose to let the learners choose how they want to conclude the course, and what that activity might look like. If the learners choose to have a debriefing session, that may take the form of a Google Hangout for a more public conversation, or an Adobe Connect session, for a session that is private to the members of the course. The activity can also vary depending on the level of learner expertise in the classroom. For example, if the learners are already more independent and technologically savvy, and the course is already fully online, the course can run in its entirety in this format, without a formal “closed” on-boarding process in the institution’s LMS. The introductory phase can occur in the open environment. This allows learners to get immersed right away. If the course begins as a blended or an in-person course, the first in-person sessions can be ideation sessions on how part of the semester will run.

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This brings us to another possible variation: student choice. While the instructor of the course may already have some ideas for interesting topics to cover, and provoking questions to ask to kick off each week’s learning adventure, it would be advisable to build in additional elements of student choice. Once a number of weeks have passed, and the instructor has modeled how each week kicks off, the learners themselves may want to take the lead in generating topics and provoking questions for the entire class to explore. As is described in the procedures above, the instructor can provide a short of list of methods and learning theories for students to get started thinking about what they want to experience in the course, but learners could always come up with additional topics that are not on the instructor-provided list. In open learning environments we have an example of this learner choice. In the Rhizo14 MOOC (massive open online course) for instance we see that even though only 6 weeks of the course were planned by the initiator and facilitator, the community (co-learners) continued the course well beyond that original 6-week run (Cormier, 2014). This can be adapted and adopted for a traditional course by encouraging learners to be active in their own learning and think of ways of contributing to the course in ways that meet the learning objectives for that course. Along with student choice with regard to weekly topics of exploration, there is also an aspect of learner choice in assessment. In a MOOC, assessment may not make sense; after all MOOCs are voluntary courses for lifelong learners, and as such assessment is potentially inappropriate. In a traditional for-credit course, however, an aspect of assessment is important to ensure that learners have a satisfactory grasp of the intended course outcomes and can demonstrate this grasp in some way. As stated above, learners should start to think about how they would like to be assessed. In the Rhizo14 MOOC, individuals wrote and reflected on their learning in their own personal blogs, and some banded together to explore rhizomatic learning in collaborative ways. Some for example wrote academic articles based on their experiences in the course (see e.g., Bali et al., 2016; Hamon et al., 2015; Honeychurch et al., 2016; and Mackness & Bell, 2016). Learners can work on their own in their personal blogs, papers, or portfolios, or they can work together. Since a typical semester is more constrained, from a time perspective, than an open course, learners might need some guidance as to what forms of assessment fit better within a framework of a semester.

8.9  Observations and advice Regardless of the original format of your course it is important to note that this activity is not a “bolt-on” or “remove something, and replace with this one” type of activity. This activity takes the place of your regularly scheduled online course and it’s important to redesign your course in order to fully integrate this activity into your course structure. In addition, it’s important to think about the structure of your course in order to avoid the “course-and-a-half” syndrome where the amount of work and effort required on the part of the learner is not congruent with the level of the course and the number of credits earned.

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If you are teaching a fully on-campus course, in order to avoid the course-and-ahalf syndrome you will need to redevelop your course into a blended course. While it is possible to keep your in-person session as intact (as far as time and place of meeting goes), and you can use the online platform as a support space for your learners when they are outside of the classroom, that still leaves a lot of work deferred for the time and place that the learners meet formally. This also potentially provides for fertile ground for the course-and-a-half to creep in. Even if you plan on meeting every week for an in-person session, the recommendation is that you cut back your meeting duration by at least 50%, if not more. Please keep student privacy guidelines in mind! In the United States, e.g., there are Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act regulations that govern student privacy. This is something to keep in mind, especially if you make your course an open course! A good way of steering clear of potential issues would be to provide grade information in private, not in public, and any sensitive feedback you provide to learners, or groups of learners, should occur in a private channel, such as email (for online courses) or in-person (for blended courses). Keep in mind also that this format might be jarring for some learners. Learners may expect you to be the sage on the stage, and this activity specifically aims to help scaffold learners into a lifelong learning role that doesn’t depend on the sage instructor lecturing to them. It might be of use to prepare your learners for this format before the semester begins, or to have a good discussion about this format during the on-boarding week.

Further reading Bali, M., Honeychurch, S., Hamon, K., Hogue, R. J., Koutropoulos, A., Johnson, S., Singh, L. (2016). What is it like to learn and participate in rhizomatic MOOCs? A collaborative autoethnography of #rhizo14. Current Issues in Emerging Elearning, 3(1), 41–59. Chong, E. K. M. (2010). Blogging to enhance the initiation of students into academic research. Computers & Education, 55, 798–807. Cormier, D. (2008). Rhizomatic education: Community as curriculum. Innovate: Journal of Online Education, 4(5) Article 2. Retrieved from: http://nsuworks.nova.edu/innovate/vol4/iss5/2. Cormier, D. (2014). Rhizo14—the MOOC that community built. Journal for Innovation and Quality in Learning, 3. Retrieved from: http://davecormier.com/edblog/2016/04/13/ rhizo14-the-mooc-that-community-built/. Davies, J., & Merchant, G. (2007). Looking from the inside out: Academic blogging as a new literacy. In M. Knobel & C. Lankshear (Eds.), A new literacies sampler. New York: Peter Lang. Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2008). Self-determination theory: A macrotheory of human motivation, development, and health. Canadian Psychology, 49(3), 182–185. http://dx.doi. org/10.1037/a0012801. Dron, J., & Anderson, T. (2015). Teaching crowds: Learning and social media. Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press. Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2000). Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: Computer conferencing in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education, 2(2–3), 87–105.

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Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2010). The first decade of the community of inquiry framework: A retrospective. Internet and Higher Education, 13, 5–9. http://dx.doi. org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2009.10.003. Hamon, K., Hogue, R. J., Honeychurch, S., Johnson, S., Koutropoulos, A., Ensor, S., … Bali, M. (2015). Writing the unreadable untext: A collaborative autoethnography of #rhizo14. Hybrid Pedagogy June 4. Retrieved from: http://www.digitalpedagogylab.com/hybridped/ writing-the-unreadable-untext/. Honeychurch, S., Stewart, B., Bali, M., Hogue, R. J., & Cormier, D. (2016). How the community became more than the curriculum: Participant experiences in #rhizo14. Current Issues in Emerging Elearning, 3(1), 26–40. Kilgore, W., Bartoletti, R., & Al Freih, M. (2015). Designing intent and iteration: The #HumanMOOC. Proceedings of the European MOOC Stakeholder Summit 2015. Mons, Belgium. Kirkup, G. (2010). Academic blogging: Academic practice and academic identity. London Review of Education, 8(1), 75–84. Klenowski, V., Askew, S., & Carnell, E. (2006). Portfolios for learning, assessment and professional development in higher education. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 21(3), 267–286. Knowles, M. S. (1980). The modern practice of adult education: Andragogy versus pedagogy. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall. Koseoglu, S., & Koutropoulos, A. (2016). Teaching presence in MOOCs: Perspectives and learning design strategies. Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Networked Learning 2016. Lancaster, UK. Mackness, J., & Bell, F. (2015). Rhizo14: A rhizomatic learning cMOOC in sunlight and in shade. Open Praxis, 7(1), 25–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.5944/openpraxis.7.1.173. Misiolek, N.I., & Heckman, R. (2005). Patterns of emergent leadership in virtual teams. In Proceedings of the Proceedings of the 38th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS’05)—Track 1—Volume 01 (p. 49.1). Washington, DC, USA: IEEE Computer Society. http://doi.org/10.1109/HICSS.2005.486. Roblyer, M. D., McDaniel, M., Marsena, W., Herman, J., & Witty, J. V. (2010). Findings on Facebook in higher education: A comparison of college faculty and student uses and perceptions of social networking sites. Internet and Higher Education, 13, 134–140. Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved from: . Siemens, G. (2006). Connectivism: Learning theory or pastime for the self-amused? Retrieved from: . Yoo, Y., & Alavi, M. (2004). Emergent leadership in virtual teams: What do emergent leaders do? Information and Organization, 14(1), 27–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j. infoandorg.2003.11.001.

8.10  Supplemental materials 8.10.1  Appendix A: Sample grading r­ub­ri­c

Playing well with others:

Communication skills: writing

Exceeds class expectations (100+%)

Meets class expectations (80–100%)

Does not meet expectations (50%)

Nonparticipation (0)

Works well with fellow classmates in a collegial way. Often initiates work that includes other classmates, and works cooperatively with others. Classmates hold this individual in high esteem. Cooperative work reads like one person wrote the work and every member is an expert in all parts of the project. Consistently flawless grammar and spelling on all assignments throughout the semester. Students may start at “meets expectations” but if they correct their work during the semester based on instructor and peer feedback they may earn the “exceeds expectations.”

Works with fellow classmates in a collegial way. Often initiates work that includes other classmates, and works at least collaboratively with others. Collaborative work may suffer from splitting it apart and having different people work on different sections. Classmates hold this individual in high esteem. Some minor errors in spelling, grammar, and word usage. Not enough to impact readability of discussion forums or submitted work. Students may start at “does not meet expectations” but if they correct their work during the semester based on instructor and peer feedback they may earn “meets expectations.”

Does not actively seek to work collaboratively or cooperatively with others. In an open class situation this individual may be considered a “lurker.” If this individual works with others, the classmates are not satisfied with their performance.

Nonparticipation

Numerous errors in grammar and spelling and does not improve throughout the semester with provided feedback.

Nonparticipation

(Continued )

Exceeds class expectations (100+%)

Meets class expectations (80–100%)

Does not meet expectations (50%)

Nonparticipation (0)

Communication skills: ePortfolio

Exemplar pieces of work are appropriate for demonstrating mastery, and associated reflection pieces highlight product, process, and learning in the class. The portfolio technology used is appropriate to communicate the message of competence for the learner, and the portfolio is designed in an easy-to-use manner.

Exemplar pieces of work are appropriate for demonstrating mastery, and associated reflection pieces highlight product, process, and learning in the class.

Nonparticipation

Communication skills: facilitation

Engages all of the participating classmates during their week at facilitation by thoughtfully augmenting classmate contributions to the discussion and illuminating new paths for discussion and idea exploration. Tries to engage in discussion classmates who are not participating. Engaged with class with teaching, cognitive, and social presence.

Engages the majority of the participating classmates during their week at facilitation by thoughtfully augmenting classmate contributions to the discussion and illuminating new paths for discussion and idea exploration. Engages the class in a teaching presence and cognitive presence.

Exemplar pieces of work are not appropriate for demonstrating mastery, and there is either a lack of associated reflection pieces to highlight product, process, and learning in the class, or there isn’t a clear connection as to why the learner picked these pieces to demonstrate mastery. The metanarrative does not support the selected pieces. Little effort to connect with participating classmates. May have social presence in the class, but does lack cognitive and/or teaching presence.

Nonparticipation

Leadership skills

Information discovery

Exceeds class expectations (100+%)

Meets class expectations (80–100%)

Does not meet expectations (50%)

Nonparticipation (0)

Shows leadership capabilities throughout the semester by taking the initiative to start class discussions, offers up suggestions for improvement of classroom process and following up on it, sees group projects to completion, and is seen by fellow classmates as a role model to look up to. Takes on the initiative to help fellow classmates when they are experiencing class-related issues (readings, concepts, technology, etc.). All of cited information comes from sources that are reviewed sources, such as peer-reviewed journals, edited books, authoritative websites. Students who show preference for primary sources in their citations.

Shows leadership capabilities some weeks of the semester by taking the initiative to start class discussions, offers up suggestions for improvement of classroom process and following up on it, sees group projects to completion, and whose work is valued by fellow classmates.

Does not take any leaps in leadership during the semester. Is always one of the last people to discuss and post in the forums, and actively does not want to work with others.

Nonparticipation

The vast majority of cited information comes from reviewed sources, such as peer-reviewed journals, edited books, authoritative websites. Information may usually includes secondary sources.

Relies mostly on sources that are not peer reviewed for any claims made. Often uses as authoritative work from other students (at other universities) on the web who have published their own projects. Indicates a lack of critical information literacy.

Nonparticipation

(Continued )

Critical thinking and information use

Exceeds class expectations (100+%)

Meets class expectations (80–100%)

Does not meet expectations (50%)

Nonparticipation (0)

For the most part, learner reconciles information provided by research when it conflicts with learner’s own experiences and worldviews. Research findings are discussed and applied critically. No one article is used as the primary basis for framing arguments. Readings are not taken on faith that they are right, but are considered in a critical manner by examining readings in relation to other research in the field. Learner helps facilitate this skill to other learners in the class.

For the most part, learner reconciles information provided by research when it conflicts with learner’s own experiences and worldviews. Research findings are discussed and applied critically. No one article is used as the primary basis for framing arguments. Readings are not taken on faith that they are right, but are considered in a critical manner by examining readings in relation to other research in the field.

Tends to dismiss research Nonparticipation because it does not conform to their worldview. If research is used it is often used to reinforce worldview or tends to repeat information from articles without thinking about them critically.

A note about this rubric: This rubric is meant more as an action guide for learners in the class and as a mentoring guide for the instructor of class. It’s not meant as a grading rubric per se, which is meant more as a way of assessing the performance of learners by assigning a numerical value to that performance. Whereas grading rubrics tend to be used for postaction evaluation, this action and mentoring guide is meant to help learners understand the norms of the classroom: collegiality, critical inquiry, and peer support. While these things can be legislated by assigning a grade (an external stimulus) to them, the idea is to develop these qualities in learners so that they are self-motivated to pursue them without seeking a grade (the external stimulus). While grade percentage ranges are offered in this rubric, instructors using this rubric are called upon to tweak these ranges, and the proportion of the grade that goes to each category, to the norms of their class. My reference norms are “check,” “check-plus,” and “zero.” Furthermore, the idea behind this rubric is to encourage lurkers to come in from the sidelines and participate. Lurking, in an open class (MOOC), isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, since grades need to be assigned for student work and participation in a traditional credit-bearing course, peers are encouraged to reach out to lurkers and people who participate little in order to increase class engagement. This rubric is meant to evaluate work of a learner throughout the entire activity (weeks 4–12). This means that learners may begin at the “does not meet expectations” level, but could in fact rise up to the “exceeds expectations” level if their work is consistently good for the majority of the activity.

Supporting the conceptualization of student innovation projects through peer and expert feedback on virtual pitches

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Mark J.W. Lee1, Sasha Nikolic2 and Christian H. Ritz2 1 Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia 2University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia

9.1  Discipline/academic areas addressed This activity may be adapted for use in any subject area where an open-ended, selfdirected, project-based learning methodology is deemed to be appropriate. However, it is particularly well suited to disciplines such as engineering, information technology, industrial design, fashion design, and architecture, in which students are required to design creative and innovative products/solutions to meet business or market needs, and in which they would benefit from interaction with experts external to the university (e.g., industry professionals) as well as with one another to obtain feedback on their design concepts. The ability to participate remotely by way of synchronous online technology is an important element for the external experts, who often have busy schedules and for whom travel to campus may not be a convenient or viable option.

9.2  Instructional purpose Project-based learning is a popular pedagogical strategy that encourages students to engage in independent, self-directed inquiry and exploration, developing a range of discipline-specific and generic skills in the process. In contrast to traditional classroom-based instructional approaches that are closed ended and deductive, beginning with theories and progressing to the applications of those theories, the open-ended, deductive nature of project-based learning mirrors how knowledge and expertise are acquired in real-world settings. However, having completely open-ended projects bereft of any form of guidance or scaffolding is known to be pedagogically unsound, and is likely to result in confusion, frustration, and demotivation for students. A dilemma faced by educators, especially in the beginning stages of students’ projectbased learning journeys, is how to go about supplying them with the assistance and support they require without imposing on them the educator’s own opinions or preferences, since many students have a tendency to treat even passing comments or suggestions from their instructors as directives that they must follow to the letter. Unplugging the Classroom. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102035-7.00009-6 Copyright © 2017 Mark J.W. Lee, Sasha Nikolic and Christian H. Ritz. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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This activity uses peers and external experts as alternative sources of advice and feedback on project ideas presented by students in the form of entrepreneurial pitches, with a virtual world used to permit synchronous (real-time) interaction between participants irrespective of their location. Peer feedback strategies, in which students are facilitated to mutually assist and support one another, have a number of advantages over instructor-supplied feedback, including offering opportunities for deep learning by both the giver and receiver of the feedback, the ability for the feedback to be delivered in a timelier manner, and potential reductions in the instructor’s workload. Soliciting input from external experts and the wider community stands to benefit students by introducing them to even richer and more diverse perspectives from beyond the walls of the classroom; by giving them practice conveying their ideas to both specialists and laypeople; and, particularly in professional disciplines, by affording them networking and industry exposure opportunities to prepare them for their future careers. The virtual event is followed up with a face-to-face component in which students, after having had a chance to build upon and improve their initial ideas in light of the peer and expert feedback received, present more fully developed proposals to faculty in a formal setting. This is a hurdle that they must clear in order to gain approval to proceed with their proposed projects, and as such acts as an additional scaffolding mechanism that maximizes the likelihood of their projects being successful. It also serves as an exercise for students in planning and delivering presentations. The activity strives to cultivate in students the types of creativity, entrepreneurship, and innovation skills that are now heavily sought after across industries and economies. An ancillary purpose is for students to learn experientially how to collaborate and communicate in both face-to-face and online/virtual environments, developing awareness of the differences in the modalities and adapting as necessary when moving between them, as they will increasingly need to do in the 21st-century workplace and society.

9.3  Student learning outcomes 9.3.1  Overarching student learning outcomes As the activity focuses specifically on the initiation phase of a project-based learning intervention, the learning outcomes it directly addresses relate primarily to this phase. The overarching project might address a much broader range of outcomes, including one or more that are specific to the subject domain. For example, the target learning outcomes of the two-semester engineering design course in which we have implemented the activity include developing in students the ability to: 1. demonstrate an understanding of the product design cycle, including the roles of those supporting engineering design; 2. demonstrate an understanding of the role of social and ethical considerations in engineering design;

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3. describe the types of project management structures and demonstrate an understanding of the implications of a particular choice of structure; 4. undertake problem identification, formulation, and solution within the framework of a product design team; 5. function effectively in a multicultural, multidisciplinary team, with the capability to be a team leader/manager as well as a team member; 6. write structured reports and give organized presentations on design activities to both peers and “customers”; 7. perform structured, organized, and costed electronic design utilizing skills from core 3rdyear courses. Source: University of Wollongong (2015). ECTE350—Subject Descriptions—subject information. Retrieved from http://sols.uow.edu.au/owa/sid/CAL.SUBJECTINFO?p_subcode=ECTE350&p_year= 2015&p_source=WebCMS

9.3.2  Discipline-specific student learning outcomes Through this activity, students will: 1. demonstrate an understanding of the initiation phase of the project life cycle; 2. foster their creative and innovative abilities, undertaking concept generation and ideation through an iterative process; 3. work independently and cooperatively in teams, self-regulating their learning as they access and draw upon professional and academic resources to support their needs; 4. develop a range of interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to network professionally, to solicit and accept constructive feedback from others, and to deliver effective investor pitches/presentations; 5. attain competence and confidence in using online synchronous collaborative tools to network and communicate with peers and experts.

9.4  Prerequisite skills and knowledge Prior to commencing the activity, students should possess basic computer and Internet proficiency. Previous experience in using a virtual world or other three-dimensional (3D) multiuser virtual environment is helpful, but not essential. They should have been provided with an overview of the project life cycle, to supply context for the activity, and should receive instruction on brainstorming tools and techniques and on project management fundamentals (including scope, time, cost, and team management) either ahead of or in parallel with the broader project-based task.

9.5  Step-by-step directions for instructors and students 1. Students should be supplied with broad themes from which to choose for their projects and informed of any constraints or parameters within which they must operate, before being asked to go away and brainstorm their initial project ideas. For example, in our engineering

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design course, suggested themes have included the Internet of Things, alternative power systems and automation for farms, and machine-to-machine communications. In our course, students are told that their projects are expected to contain both hardware and software elements, and to exhibit technical complexity that is commensurate with the 3rd-year undergraduate level; they are allotted a budget of AUD$300 for materials. Except in the case of very small-scale or short-term projects, the bulk of the brainstorming work will likely need to be done outside of class time. 2. The date and time of the virtual event should be determined well in advance, and invitations should be sent to relevant people to serve as external experts, with a clear mechanism provided for them to RSVP (e.g., email reply or web form). Scheduling should take into account any time zone differences and/or public holidays that might affect the guests’ availability. In our case, in addition to sending targeted invitations to our professional contacts to attend the engineering design virtual trade fair, we put out calls for participation to some of the networks and associations of which we are members, as well as to alumni working in industry. 3. If students are working in teams, each team should be asked to nominate representatives to staff the team’s station and deliver pitches to visitors. Our students, who work in instructorallocated teams of six to eight members, are asked to nominate two presenters per team, with the remaining students strongly encouraged to attend the event as nonpresenting participants. Alternatively, students can take turns staffing their station while their teammates are visiting other teams’ stations, but either way, all students—not just those tasked with presenting—should play an active role in planning their teams’ pitches. 4. Students may use the worksheet in Appendix A to help them plan and structure their pitches. However, they should be reminded that they should not treat this as a script from which to be read. (Alternatively, they may devise their own structure based on their reading and research on what constitutes an effective pitch.) The goal here is to establish a unique selling proposition that, with further development and refinement, will eventually form the basis of a full, formal written proposal or business plan. Additionally, to accompany their pitches, each team should create a single poster or infographic that will be displayed at their station within the virtual environment and that they can use to help explain their project concept to visitors. Multislide presentations are not recommended as they discourage succinctness when pitching, and moreover, lags and delays in the synchronization of slides between users within the virtual environment can pose problems. 5. Students and confirmed guests should be furnished with clear instructions and training (face-to-face or synchronous, if possible) on how to set up their computers to access the specific virtual world environment that will be used for the event, including installing any necessary software, and configuring/testing their network and peripheral device settings as needed. Importantly, they should be advised to access the venue ahead of the event to verify that their audio and video are functioning properly, as well as to familiarize themselves with the software interface and the layout of the environment. Students who are tasked with presenting pitches should devote additional time to practicing their pitches within the virtual environment, on top of the time spent learning to operate the software. 6. At the commencement of the virtual event, a welcome speech should be made to ensure all participants understand the procedures and ground rules for the event. Guests and students who are not presenting should be directed to starting points within the environment so that they are evenly spread out across stations. 7. During the virtual event, the instructor and teaching assistants (if any) should circulate among participants and stations, proactively offering help to those who appear to be

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confused or having difficulty, and making themselves generally visible and available to resolve queries. 8. Following the virtual event, students should be given ample time to reflect on the conversations and feedback received in relation to their pitches. They should be encouraged to revisit and revise their unique selling proposition as encapsulated in their Pitch Planning Worksheet (Appendix A), before fleshing this out as a complete proposal. 9. The final step is the formal face-to-face presentations. Approximately 3 weeks after the virtual trade fair, our students are required to present their project proposals to a panel of faculty members, acting as venture capitalists. This task is assessed and the outcome determines if students are allowed to move forward with their projects as proposed or with minor changes, or if they are required to resubmit their proposals following substantial revision. Students should receive feedback on both the content of their proposals and their presentation delivery, along with guidance on the next steps to progress their projects. Appendix B contains a sample assessment rubric for the formal face-to-face presentation; instructors may wish to augment this with criteria specific to the discipline, course, or topic in question.

9.6  Approximate time required Students should be given at least 2 weeks to brainstorm their initial project ideas (possibly longer for multisemester projects), since this can require substantial background reading and research. Prior to the virtual event, they should spend at least half an hour exploring and becoming accustomed to navigating the virtual environment; the amount of time required to master the user interface of the software can vary depending on the platform and client program being used. Presenters should spend at least an additional hour practicing their pitches in-world. The virtual event should be in the range of 1 to 2 hours’ duration, depending on the number of individual students or teams presenting. (Allow approximately 10 minutes for each presenting individual or team, to give attendees sufficient time to visit each station.) In terms of the face-to-face presentations, 15 to 20 minutes should be budgeted for each presentation, including questions and the changeover time between presenters/ teams.

9.7  Readings and resources 9.7.1  Technology needed Each participant (student or guest) will require the following: desktop or laptop computer (many virtual worlds can now be accessed using mobile smartphones and other handheld devices, but these are not recommended for the present activity as their small screen sizes are not conducive to the types of user interaction required); headset with microphone;

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webcam, if the ability for participants to see one another during the virtual event is desired (highly recommended); virtual world client software (sometimes called a viewer or browser) that is compatible with the chosen virtual world server platform/service; broadband Internet connectivity (with the relevant port and other network security settings configured as required by the chosen software platform, if Internet access is via a firewall and/or proxy server).

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Other technology requirements will vary depending on the software platform chosen. The relevant product’s or vendor/manufacturer’s website should be consulted for details. For example, certain platforms may require the educator or institution to maintain their own server(s).

9.7.2  Virtual world platforms In terms of virtual world platforms, a number of options exist. Perhaps the bestknown and most widely used of these for educational purposes is Second Life (http:// www.secondlife.com), which permits free basic access for users (clients), but for which costs are involved to own in-world real estate (land) and to purchase virtual objects such as buildings, furniture, and clothing. Open Simulator (http://www.opensimulator.org), or “OpenSim” for short, is an open-source server platform for hosting virtual worlds that is compatible with the Second Life client software; OpenSim worlds can be standalone or alternatively can be run in Hypergrid mode, allowing regions hosted on different servers and under the control of different administrators to be linked to one another. For educators and institutions that do not wish or do not have the resources and expertise to maintain their own servers, several commercial grids such as InWorldz (http://www.inworldz.com), Kitely (http://www.kitely. com), and Avination (http://www.avination.com) provide hosted OpenSim-based virtual worlds. Alternatives to OpenSim that are also free and open source include Open Wonderland (http://www.openwonderland.org), a Java-based toolkit, and Open Cobalt (http://www.opencobalt.net), which uses Squeak, a dialect of the Smalltalk programming language. AvayaLive Engage (http://www.avayalive.com/Engage) is a cloud-based virtual world platform geared toward business users. Based on the Unreal Game Engine, it uses a per-user-per-month subscription pricing model in a hosted environment, with a downloadable version of the server software also available for licensing. Most virtual world platforms, including as those listed above, generally do not offer live user video as a native feature. Although it is often possible for video streams to be rendered in-world on walls and other surfaces with the help of third-party products and/or scripting, this can be cumbersome to set up, and the decoupling of each avatar (a user’s graphical character representation or alter ego within the virtual world) from the corresponding webcam feed may impose extraneous cognitive load on participants, detracting from their sense of copresence and from the immersiveness of the experience. In our context, we use a product called iSee (http://www. isee-meetings.com), a relatively new entrant to the virtual worlds arena that is unique

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in that it allows users to undertake videoconferencing within a 3D immersive virtual space. Each user is represented in the iSee environment as a floating video avatar window that he/she controls and uses to navigate the virtual space in much the same way as he/she would using a conventional avatar. Built into iSee are various useful collaboration features, such as interactive whiteboards on which presentation slides and other visual aids may be displayed, and a laser pointer tool that allows presenters to direct attention to specific parts of a board (see Fig. 9.1). Students (if using their own computers for the activity) and guests should be directed to the website pertaining to the chosen virtual world platform to download, install, and configure the applicable client software. The vendors and developer communities of many of the platforms have also published beginner tutorials or “Quick Start” guides on the Web that may be helpful in providing a gentle yet concise introduction to setting up and using the software.

9.7.3  Learner and teacher aids The subsections below contain links to some free online readings and videos for students on how to present effectively to venture capitalists and other potential investors. They may be used in conjunction with the worksheet in Appendix A to assist students in planning their pitches. In addition, recordings of previous students’ pitches are a potentially useful resource for giving students a sense of what to anticipate and showing them examples of what is expected. A compilation of video clips from one of our past engineering design virtual trade fairs in iSee can be found on YouTube at http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQLF2O_t3sY Handouts or other quick-reference material should be made available to assist participants in navigating and invoking the various features/functions of the virtual environment. In-world instructions in the form of signage, note cards, pop-up messages, etc. may additionally be integrated into the virtual environment as appropriate to direct participants.

Figure 9.1  An engineering design project pitch taking place in iSee.

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Finally, for educators looking to construct their own virtual environments and for students wishing to create more complex in-world artifacts for use in their pitches, books on topics such as 3D modeling as well as on building/scripting for specific virtual world platforms are available that are too numerous to list here.

9.7.3.1 Readings “How to pitch a brilliant idea”: http://www.hbr.org/2003/09/how-to-pitch-a-brilliant-idea “How to create an enchanting pitch”: http://www.guykawasaki.com/how-to-create-anenchanting-pitch-officeandguyk “How to pitch an idea”: http://www.scottberkun.com/essays/38-how-to-pitch-an-idea “How to pitch an idea to Shark Tank”: http://www.scienceofpeople.com/2014/01/ pitch-idea-shark-tank “How to pitch to investors in 10 minutes and get funded”: http://articles.bplans.com/ how-to-pitch-to-investors-in-10-minutes-and-get-funded “14 pitch pointers for young entrepreneurs”: http://www.businesscollective.com/14-pitchpointers-for-young-entrepreneurs “9 golden rules on how to pitch to investors”: http://www.businessfundingshow.com/ business-funding/9-golden-rules-on-how-to-pitch-to-investors “5 quick tips on pitching angel investors and VCs”: http://www.instigatorblog.com/5quick-tips-on-pitching/2008/05/14 “10 tips for making the perfect pitch”: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/ 2014/01/12/10-tips-for-making-the-perfect-pitch-cnbc/4396281 “13 tips on how to deliver a pitch investors simply can’t turn down”: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/251311 “10 slides for a perfect startup pitch deck”: http://www.barcinno.com/10-slides-for-a-perfectstartup-pitch-deck “The only 10 slides you need in your pitch”: http://www.guykawasaki.com/the-only-10-slidesyou-need-in-your-pitch

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9.7.3.2 Videos “How to deliver a lean, persuasive pitch” (presented by Michael Margolis): http://www. youtube.com/watch?v=Ng80fkkOSjg “7 elements of an entrepreneurial pitch” (presented by Conor Neill): http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=fs6nUu0q-OE “Make a great pitch” (presented by Guy Kawasaki): http://ecorner.stanford.edu/videos/1177/ Make-a-Great-Pitch “How to pitch to a VC” (presented by David S. Rose): http://www.ted.com/talks/david_s_ rose_on_pitching_to_vcs “Telling your story” (presented by Strategyzer): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= SshglHDKQCc

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Another useful resource is the IDEATE toolkit (http://howto.ideate.me), which contains instructional and learning material arising from the European Union-funded IDEATE project (http://www.ideate.me) that may be used to help support and scaffold students’ ideation processes.

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9.8  Variations on the basic theme A number of variations and extensions on the learning task design are possible. These include: Peer and expert assessment. In the standard version of the activity, only the formal face-toface presentations are assessed. One way of extending assessment to the virtual pitch task would be to have in-world or web-based evaluation forms for students (peer assessment) and/or guests (expert assessment) to fill out after listening to each pitch. The written evaluations may serve as a valuable additional source of formative feedback for presenters and their teams. Virtual “speed dating.” This involves a more structured approach to the virtual event, whereby those presenting ideas are rotated to deliver their pitches to different peers or experts over a series of short (e.g., 3-minute) intervals. The virtual environment may be scripted to generate random pairings and automatically connect individuals to their new partners at the end of each interval, or alternatively, participants may simply switch partners by manually moving their avatars from one part of the environment to another. This approach discourages time wasting and small talk, and ensures participants “get down to business,” vigorously networking and interacting with a large number of people over the duration of the event. Virtual “Shark Tank.” In this variation, inspired by the popular ABC television show of the same name, student teams compete for “funding” (project approval) by pitching their concepts in-world to a panel of experts and/or faculty role playing as potential investors or “sharks.” One or more rounds of this activity may be used narrow down the list of candidate projects in a way that either complements or replaces the formal face-to-face presentation component, and the shortlisting process can optionally take into account student votes. Only a limited number of projects can be funded, meaning students whose concepts are not selected to proceed will need to negotiate with the successful teams to join one of them. Virtual design reviews. The virtual world environment may also be used at various points later in the project life cycle—for instance, to involve peers and experts in design reviews, which are defined as milestones within the product development cycle at which a workin-progress design or other interim deliverable (e.g., prototype) is critically evaluated. The purpose is to verify the outcomes of the work that has been done to date against project requirements, and to identify problems and issues, as well as any corrective or remedial action that may be necessary, before continuing development. Virtual product launch/exhibition. Upon completion of projects or at the end of the semester, the virtual world environment may serve as a gallery of finished work and a forum in which students can showcase and obtain feedback on their final deliverables. Virtual hackathon. A hackathon brings together individuals to collaborate intensively over a short duration (usually between 1 day and 1 week) to build a proof of concept, working prototype, or, in some cases, a complete usable product. The entire project life cycle is essentially compressed to fit this timeframe. A virtual world–based version of such a model may be adopted when students are geographically distributed, when ideation and incubation over an extended length of time is not possible, and when it is acceptable for the outputs to be somewhat unpolished or unfinished. A related idea is that of a “coworking space,” which has emerged in recent years as a flexible option for startups that cannot afford to lease dedicated office premises and of which a virtual version may also be possible.

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An alternative to hosting the online event in a virtual world would be to use other synchronous technologies, such as desktop video conferencing (e.g., Skype at http://www.skype.com) or web conferencing (e.g., Adobe Connect at http://www. adobe.com/adobeconnect, Blackboard Collaborate at http://www.blackboard.com/ collaborate), to facilitate participant communication and interaction. However, these technologies tend not to fare well with large numbers of concurrent speakers (more than 10), and multiple instances or “rooms” may be required to accommodate simultaneous group conversations or presentations. The advantage of using virtual worlds for this activity is that they let large numbers of participants move freely around and interact with one another from a first-person perspective in a 3D immersive space, instead of being confined to a “flat,” 2D interface. The ability for participants to roam the environment, spontaneously initiating new conversations and joining those that are already in progress, mimics human behavior in a real-life gathering, and this is enhanced by audio that is sensitive to users’ position and distance relative to one another. Hybrid platforms like iSee further extend these spatial affordances by allowing each user’s real visual appearance and body language to be conveyed, effectively merging the strengths of video/web conferencing with those of virtual worlds.

9.9  Observations and advice Our students have reported finding the opportunity to present to a peer and expert audience not only highly enjoyable and motivating, but also extremely helpful to them in developing and refining their project ideas. Assessment results from their formal face-to-face presentations have shown substantial improvements when compared with previous years (i.e., before the virtual pitch component was introduced). Previously, many proposals were unrealistic, underdeveloped, and/or failed to take into account operational, marketing, and implementation considerations. In contrast, following the virtual pitch task, students presented much more mature designs and showed evidence of having grown as entrepreneurial thinkers and communicators, mounting strong arguments regarding the competitive strengths of their proposed products and the feasibility of their proposed business models. In our context, a virtual world is used to expose engineering students to diverse, global perspectives from industry representatives and other guests based across Australia and around the world, many of whom would not otherwise be able to participate. This is an especially important factor in our scenario, as with the University being located in regional Australia, more than an hour’s drive away from the closest capital city, the pool of external experts in the local vicinity is somewhat restricted. Industry professionals—even those working or living close to the University—have limited time to spare, and are less inclined to travel to campus than to participate in a virtual event. Moreover, the logistics and costs involved in organizing an equivalent campus-based event would be quite substantial. A major strength of the activity’s learning design arguably lies in the repetitive nature of the virtual pitch task. Each time they present their pitch, students gain increased confidence, improve their delivery, and incorporate the feedback from previous

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conversations, moving closer toward solidification of their project ideas through a constructivist process of assimilation and accommodation. The rationale for culminating the activity in a formal face-to-face presentation, then, is twofold: Firstly, it serves as a concrete milestone or “checkpoint” at which students receive summative feedback and approval (or otherwise) to move forward with their proposals; and secondly, it provides for the development and assessment of students’ oral presentation skills. Limited success was achieved with regard to the latter in our first iteration of the activity. We discovered that although our students may have gained increased confidence and competence with networking and oral communication in general through undertaking their virtual pitches, there were deficiencies in certain delivery-related aspects of their faceto-face presentations, e.g., with some teams’ speech and dress being overly informal and their presentation slides being poorly designed. If the ability for students to deliver professional presentations is a desired learning outcome, it is recommended that they receive explicit instruction and practice opportunities in this regard. In planning a virtual world–based event such as our virtual trade fair, the design and layout of the virtual environment are considerations whose importance should not be underestimated. As with a physical venue, the virtual environment must be sufficiently large in area and the presentation zones/stations spaced far enough apart to avoid overcrowding, and to prevent participants engaged in conversations from being distracted or interrupted by audio from other, nearby conversations. Additionally, a completely flat floor gradient is not ideal since this may lead to participants blocking one another’s view; instead, flooring should be sloped or stepped, and/or a pedestal or similar used to elevate presenters above the level of their audience. The virtual environment should be intuitive and easy to navigate, with appropriate signs or maps/ floorplans posted in strategic locations to direct participants and prevent them from getting lost. Measures should also be put in place to help participants distinguish between students, guests, and teaching staff/faculty. In real-world, physical events, participants typically don name tags or badges that allow key details about them to be identified at a glance. In iSee, frames around video avatars can be color coded to distinguish between participant types, while in other virtual world platforms like Second Life, avatars can wear virtual clothing or apparel to serve a similar purpose. Second Life also allows for other descriptive text to be displayed along with the users’ real or avatar names, such as the in-world groups and communities of which they are part. Our experience with this activity as well as with other virtual world–based educational interventions suggests that adequate user orientation, training, and support in the use of the technology are crucial. Our students have reported no major difficulties in learning to use the iSee software on their own, but appreciate being walked through the various controls and options during regular on-campus tutorial classes, and having some of the more advanced features such as whiteboard sharing and using the laser pointer explained to them. Many guests arrive at the event without having fully read the instructions sent to them beforehand, and require one-on-one coaching and ad hoc briefings to be brought up to speed. For larger scale events, it may be worth considering placing a helpdesk within the environment (staffed by IT support technicians and/ or teaching assistants) that participants can visit to seek assistance as needed.

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From a hardware point of view, it should be noted that virtual worlds can place a significant strain on processing and memory resources. This means laptop batteries will be drained very quickly, and as they do, software performance will decline, since power management systems typically limit processor use in an effort to prolong running time. It is therefore recommended that laptops are charged to full capacity and that they remain connected to power outlets for the duration of the virtual event. Furthermore, video conferencing applications are known to be demanding in terms of network bandwidth. Although this is less of an issue with iSee, which uses an innovative algorithm to regulate bandwidth usage based on the user’s context within the virtual environment, broadband Internet speeds are generally recommended to ensure a satisfactory user experience when streaming live video between users.

Further reading Cajander, Å., Clear, T., & Daniels, M. (2009). Introducing an external mentor in an international open ended group project. In Proceedings of the 39th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference. Piscataway, NJ: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Cajander, Å., Clear, T., Daniels, M., Edlund, J., Hamrin, P., Laxer, C., & Persson, M. (2009). Students analyzing their collaboration in an international open ended group project. In Proceedings of the 29th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference. Piscataway, NJ: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Chandrasekaran, S., Stojcevski, A., Littlefair, G., & Joordens, M. (2013). Project-oriented design-based learning: Aligning students’ views with industry needs. International Journal of Engineering Education, 29(5), 1109–1118. Daly, S. R., & Yilmaz, S. (2016). Directing convergent and divergent activity through design feedback. In R. S. Adams & J. A. Siddiqui (Eds.), Analyzing design review conversations (pp. 413–429). West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press. Donnelly, R., & Fitzmaurice, M. (2005). Collaborative project-based learning and problembased learning in higher education: A consideration of tutor and student role in learnerfocused strategies. In G. O’Neill, S. Moore, & B. McMullin (Eds.), Emerging issues in the practice of university learning and teaching (pp. 87–98). Dublin, Ireland: All Ireland Society for Higher Education and Higher Education Academy. Dunbar, N. E., Brooks, C. F., & Kubicka-Miller, T. (2006). Oral communication skills in higher education: Using a performance-based evaluation rubric to assess communication skills. Innovative Higher Education, 31(2), 115–128. Hauer, A., & Daniels, M. (2008). A learning theory perspective on running open ended group projects (OEGPs). In S. Hamilton & M. Hamilton (Eds.), Proceedings of the 10th Conference on Australasian Computing Education (pp. 85–91). Sydney, Australia: Australian Computer Society. Jarmon, L., Traphagan, T., & Mayrath, M. (2008). Understanding project‐based learning in second life with a pedagogy, training, and assessment trio. Educational Media International, 45(3), 157–176. Lou, Y., & MacGregor, S. K. (2004). Enhancing project-based learning through online between-group collaboration. Educational Research and Evaluation, 10(4–6), 419–440.

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Nelson, B. C., & Erlandsson, B. E. (2012). Design for learning in virtual worlds. New York, NY: Routledge. Page, T., & Thorsteinsson, G. (2008). A virtual reality learning environment to improve ideation: An Icelandic action research project. Pedagogika, 91, 42–52. Park, Y. J., & Bonk, C. J. (2007). Is online life a breeze? A case study for promoting synchronous learning in a blended graduate course. MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 3(3), 307–323. Pittenger, K. K. S., Miller, M. C., & Mott, J. (2004). Using real-world standards to enhance students’ presentation skills. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, 67(3), 327–336. Savin-Baden, M. (2010). A practical guide to using second life in higher education. Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press. Schäfer, A. I., & Richards, B. S. (2007). From concept to commercialisation: Student learning in a sustainable engineering innovation project. European Journal of Engineering Education, 32(2), 143–165. Smith, M. (2012). Improving student engagement with employability: The project pitch assessment. Planet, 26(1), 2–7. Summers, D. C. S. (2001). Practical methods for keeping project courses on track. In Proceedings of the 2001 Annual ASEE Conference and Exposition (pp. 6.787.1–6.787.11). Washington, DC: American Society for Engineering Education. Van Ginkel, S., Gulikers, J., Bemoans, H., & Mulder, M. (2015). Towards a set of design principles for developing oral presentation competence: A synthesis of research in higher education. Educational Research Review, 14, 62–80. van Rooij, S.W. (2009). Scaffolding project-based learning with the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK®). Computers & Education, 52(2), 210–219. Vavreck, A. N. (2002). Project management applied to student design projects. In Proceedings of the 2002 Annual ASEE Conference and Exposition (pp. 7.952.1–7.952.12). Washington, DC: American Society for Engineering Education. Yilmaz, S., & Daly, S. R. (2014, October). Influences of feedback interventions on student concept generation and development practices. Paper presented at the 10th Design Thinking Research Symposium, West Lafayette, IN. Retrieved from http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/ viewcontent.cgi?article=1076&context=dtrs.

9.10  Supplemental materials 9.10.1  Appendix A: Pitch planning worksheet Elevator Pitch Summarize the entire pitch in no more than 30 seconds. e.g., [Product name] is a [product type] for [target customer] who [customer need] that [key benefit], which unlike [competitor], [key differentiator].

_________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ What is the problem? Tell a story that highlights a problem.

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Who benefits? Identify the individuals or groups who will benefit from a solution to the problem.

_________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ What is the product? Outline what your product is, how it works, and how it solves the problem.

_________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Who is the competition? List your main competitors, and discuss their weaknesses and your counter strengths.

_________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Budget Explain how you will make money. Justify intended expenditure (with realistic assumptions).

_________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Resources Specify the resources you have and those you will need to make the project a success.

_________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Value Outline how you will create both monetary and nonmonetary value over 3, 5, and 10 years, and indicate what value will be attributable to stakeholders.

_________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Closing Statement Finish with a 10-second-or-less statement that will leave a lasting impression.

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9.10.2  Appendix B: Assessment rubric for formal face-to-face project p­ro­po­sa­ls Criterion

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Problem and target market

Problem very clearly conceptualized and explained. Benefits to target customers are compelling and wide reaching.

Problem clearly conceptualized and explained. Benefits to target customers are clear.

Problem satisfactorily explained, but could be conceptualized more clearly. Potential benefits to the target market are apparent, but not well explained.

Product and positioning

Unique product that presents an effective solution to the identified problem, convincingly differentiated from existing solutions through several key competitive advantages. Budget, timeline, and resources available inspire strong confidence in the ability of the project to be completed ahead of schedule. Costs are appropriate and justified. Robust and persuasive case made that the product has a strong chance of making money and of significantly benefitting stakeholders in other terms in the next 3, 5, and 10 years.

Interesting product that solves the problem with some differentiation from existing solutions and offering some competitive advantage.

Product appears to solve the problem, but needs more thought and/or seems similar to existing solutions, offering only minor advantages over the competition.

Problem poorly conceptualized and explained. Little or no consideration of target customers and/or how they stand to benefit. Product does not solve the problem and/or is very similar to existing solutions, offering no advantages over the competition.

Budget, timeline, and resources available indicate the project is likely to be completed on schedule. Costs are generally appropriate and mostly justified. The product could make money and be of some other benefit to stakeholders, although there is uncertainty surrounding the magnitude and timeframe.

Budget, timeline, and resources available exhibit some flaws that present a risk of the project running behind schedule. Costs are not well justified.

Budget and resources

Value proposition

The product might possibly make money and be of benefit to stakeholders, but the value proposition requires greater elaboration and justification.

Budget and timeline are unrealistic and/or resources available do not appear adequate to bring the project to fruition. Costs are inappropriate or not justified. It seems unlikely that the product will make money or be of any real benefit to stakeholders.

(Continued )

Criterion

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Structure and timing

Very clear presentation structure with logical progression of ideas presented in a novel way; appropriate emphasis on, and repetition of, key points. Concludes within ±10% of the allocated speaking time. Very clear and audible speech; steady pacing; accurate pronunciation; effective use of variations in intonation, inflection, phrasing, and volume to sustain interest of listeners.

Clear presentation structure with logical progression of ideas; appropriate emphasis on key points. Concludes within ±20% of the allocated speaking time.

Some structure and logical progression of ideas, but difficult to follow due to topical shifts and jumps. Concludes within ±30% of the allocated speaking time.

Clear and audible speech; steady pacing; correct pronunciation of most terms; some variations in intonation, inflection, phrasing, and volume to sustain interest of listeners.

Barely audible speech with uneven pacing; occasional mumbling and/or mispronunciation of terms; little variation in intonation, inflection, phrasing, and volume.

Regularly looking at the audience, making periodic eye contact with a variety of people; effective use of body language to convey the message. Natural, confident, and energetic delivery, demonstrating a genuine belief in the product’s merits and strengths, with little or no reference to speaker notes.

Mostly looking at the audience, making some eye contact with a few people; some use of body language to help convey the message. Confident and fluent delivery, displaying reasonable enthusiasm for the product, with occasional reference to speaker notes.

Little eye contact made with the audience; limited use of body language to convey the message. Less confident and unpolished delivery, giving the impression of being somewhat unsure/ lukewarm about the product’s viability and/or having to refer frequently to speaker notes.

No structure or logical progression; unfocused and/or rambling; impossible for the audience to discern the key points. Concludes >30% under or over the allocated speaking time. Inaudible or excessively loud speech; poor pacing (too fast or slow); unclear diction; significant mispronunciation of terms; no variation in intonation, inflection, phrasing, and volume. No eye contact made with the audience; inappropriate or exaggerated body language that distracts and/or detracts from the message. Severely underprepared and/or lacking in confidence, causing a need for excessive reliance on speaker notes.

Voice

Audience engagement

Visual aids

Presenter appearance

Questions and feedback

Very clear, relevant, and attractive visual aids, used in an effective manner to complement the presentation and enhance audience understanding of the content. Negligible spelling or grammatical errors. Very neat and well groomed, wearing professional or business-casual attire that aligns with or enhances the brand or other image that the presentation seeks to convey. Very effective use of Q&A time to elicit audience feedback, answer questions, and spur discussion. Questions asked by the audience answered knowledgably and thoroughly; questions asked of the audience thoughtful and well phrased. Evidence of critical engagement with audience comments.

Clear and relevant visual aids used to complement the presentation and enhance audience understanding of the content. A few minor spelling and/or grammatical errors.

Some visual aids that are of limited use in enhancing audience understanding (e.g., due to lack of clarity or overcrowding of slides). Several spelling and grammatical errors.

No visual aids, or poorly designed visual aids that are error filled, confusing, and/or bear no relationship to the presentation content.

Neat and well groomed, wearing professional or business-casual attire.

Fairly neat and well groomed, wearing business-casual attire.

Poorly groomed and messy or untidy in appearance, wearing overly casual or inappropriate attire.

Effective use of Q&A time to elicit audience feedback and answer questions. Comfortable with the subject matter and able to respond to most questions from the audience; some thoughtful questions asked of the audience.

Some attempts made to elicit audience feedback and answer questions, but with apparent deficiencies in knowledge of, and comfort with, the subject matter (e.g., only able to answer basic questions); frivolous or illconsidered questions asked of the audience.

No attempt made to elicit audience feedback (or unreceptive toward audience feedback); audience questions unanswered, avoided, or ignored.

Synchronous “elevator pitch”: teaching digital communication literacy with peer consultation and self-assessment

10

Juhong C. Liu, Paul E. Mabrey III, Jacquelyn R. Rufo and Ellie Miller James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, United States; Education Advisory Board, Washington, DC, United States

10.1  Discipline/academic areas addressed This project prepares professional digital communication literacy for students enrolled in courses of adult degree program (ADP). It is applicable throughout any discipline and for any student demographic—online education programs, introductory classes, or courses for career planning.

10.2  Instructional purpose As the society’s landscape changes, so do the demands on higher education in the United States. Technological innovations, budgetary constraints, student demographics, and workforce expectations not only complicate already existing demands on postsecondary education leaders and teachers, but also what is expected of students. In the meantime, networked technologies are becoming ubiquitous to facilitate communication and collaboration that are not restricted by physical locations in both academia and the rest of the world. In learning environments, the norm of students’ use of networked and wireless devices provides ready support to continued, extended, and lifelong learning. To engage in learning activities in such environments, the remotely located students need to identify and utilize available campus resources and get equipped with the literacy and skills for the synchronous communication and collaboration in the digital arena. With this assignment, students will collaborate with existing academic support personnel to practice synchronous and asynchronous professional digital communication. Students will not meet in a traditional face-to-face classroom but will work with communication consultants outside of class time and, from hundreds of miles away, to develop a professional 3-minute elevator pitch to be presented synchronously in an online environment. They will be asked to write and present a 3-minute speech with which they will inform an audience about the academic program that they are enrolled in and what it offers students and how it is positively benefiting their education. Unplugging the Classroom. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102035-7.00010-2 Copyright © 2017 Juhong C. Liu, Paul E. Mabrey III, Jacquelyn R. Rufo and Ellie Miller. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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The collaborative partnership between students and the consultant will take place via email, live face-to-face online video sessions, and practice with self-assessment. The self-assessment enabled with recording features in web-based video-conferencing (VC) technologies can detach learners from scheduled class time and location and will provide opportunities to capture learning progress as well as facilitate ongoing feedback to students. This activity assesses a student’s ability to understand, develop, and deploy appropriate professional digital communication. This skill set is becoming increasingly important as students are required to perform learning activities in college classrooms and participate as employees in (or even lead) digital business meetings, which can blend onsite with remote, and synchronous with asynchronous modes of communication.

10.3  Student learning outcomes At the completion of this project, students will be able to: 1. Identify the campus support resources available to students enrolled in online courses or programs and the objectives of this synchronous “elevator pitch” project. 2. Demonstrate professional digital communication competencies, both synchronously and asynchronously. 3. Create a professional 3-minute introductory elevator speech to advocate on behalf of yourself and your enrolled academic degree program. 4. Deliver a professional 3-minute introductory elevator speech. 5. Evaluate peers’ 3-minute introductory elevator pitches with a checklist.

10.4  Prerequisite skills and knowledge having access to a Windows or Mac computer, laptop, or a Windows Surface Pro with a connected or built-in camera, the Internet, and optionally a headset with microphone; basic computer and Internet skills such as connecting a headset, locating camera settings on a computer or tablet, identifying plug-ins, launching an application, and navigating a website.

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Tutorials and resources are available for students who may need to refresh or learn these skills.

10.5  Step-by-step directions Task-centered instructional strategies, adapted from the First Principles of Instruction (Merrill, 2007), are used to guide the design, development, and implementation of the instructional events in this project. The central task for the students in this series of activities is defined as: To be able to create and present a 3-minute elevator pitch speech about self and the enrolled academic degree program, through asynchronous and synchronous collaboration with a peer communication consultant and self-assessment.

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Figure 10.1  Task-centered instructional strategies mapped to SLOs. Source: Recreated based on Merrill, 2007, p. 7.

Self-paced instruction, tutorials, and resources are provided. Asynchronous and synchronous sessions and length of time will be determined after the initial communication between students and the Communication Center consultant. Sufficient time should be allowed for the activation, demonstration, application, and integration with evaluation as the major phases in this project. Fig. 10.1 illustrates the four taskcentered phases of learning mapped to the student learning outcomes (SLOs). 1. Activation—1st Phase: Introductory Activities (This phase directly leads to SLO 1, and informs students of SLOs 2–5.): a. Students will be provided with the objectives of this project and informed of the procedure to complete the activities. Students will receive the Project Instruction (Appendix A), the Guidelines for Presenting a Synchronous Online 3-Minute Elevator Pitch (Appendix B), as well as the Checklist for Evaluating a Synchronous or Recorded 3-Minute Elevator Pitch Presentation (Appendix C). This information will be disseminated on a class site in a learning management system (LMS). b. Students will need to get familiar with the available academic support resources and obtain the contact of the Communication Center consultant from the LMS course site or the ADP course instructor. 2. Demonstration—2nd Phase: Learning to Contact Communication Center Consultant with Professional Asynchronous and Synchronous Methods (This phase directly leads to SLOs 1 and 2.) a. Students should contact the Communication Center consultant via emails to introduce themselves and set up the first synchronous online communication consultation

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appointment. When a student emails the consultant, she/he should copy the ADP course instructor. The asynchronous communication with emails should follow the guideline as specified in Appendix A: Project Instruction for Students. b. Students will learn the essential functionality of a web-based VC environment, and learn the operational procedure by reviewing text- or video-based demonstrations with the tutorials provided in the Readings and Resources section in this chapter. c. Students will set up a free Zoom account at: http://zoom.us/signup and practice presenting with the VC platform. The adjustment of webcam angle, lighting, and sound should be included at the initial practice. d. Students will learn the synchronous professional communication literacy by studying the Guidelines for Presenting a Synchronous Online 3-Minute Elevator Pitch (Appendix B), and the Checklist for Evaluating a Synchronous or Recorded 3-Minute Elevator Pitch Presentation (Appendix C). 3. Application—3rd Phase: Developing a 3-Minute Elevator Pitch Presentation about Self and the Enrolled Academic Degree Program (This phase directly leads to SLOs 2–4.) a. Students are expected to construct a 3-minute elevator pitch to introduce the enrolled ADP program and themselves to a member of the university community. The context for this elevator pitch is that not everyone knows about or understands the ADP although the program has been a part of the university since 1977 and many adult students have accomplished their lifelong learning goals through taking the ADP courses. The content evaluation criteria of the 3-minute elevator pitch will follow the checklist in Appendix C. b. At this phase, students are expected to practice the synchronous communication literacy with the Communication Center consultant. Students will meet with the Communication Center consultant at least once prior to the recording of the 3-minute elevator pitch. The expectations for the consultation include: - Presenting the elevator speech and receiving critique or feedback. - Revising the speech through discussion with the consultant. - Practicing the speech with the consultant to get the timing to no longer than 3 minutes. - If the speech and timing are ready for recording, the consultant can assist with recording the speech. c. With the written outline or script of the speech, students will practice the 3-minute elevator pitch by recording and reviewing their own sessions. These can be practiced as many times as they want, which allows sufficient self-assessment of the learning process. 4. Integration/Evaluation—4th Phase: Share the Recording of the 3-minute Elevator Pitch and Evaluate with the Evaluation Checklist (This phase directly leads to SLOs 4 and 5.) a. Students will record a self-assessment session with webcam turned on, upload the recording to Google Drive or OneDrive, and submit the URL to the class LMS site. Additional resources about using Google Drive or OneDrive can be found in the Readings and Resources section in this chapter. b. Finally, students will evaluate the recordings submitted by peers and self, provide comments with feedback based on the Checklist, and submit the completed Checklist to the course site in the LMS.

10.6  Approximate time required The activities in this project can depend on participating students and their schedules but could be adapted for shorter and longer timeframes. An estimated breakdown of

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time distribution on major activities include: 5–10 minutes to understand the instruction of the assignment, 30 asynchronous minutes to schedule an appointment with the Communication Center consultant, 2 asynchronous hours to develop the 3-minute elevator speech including studying the history and benefits of the enrolled ADP program and highlighting self introduction, 30–60 minutes to learn the technological tutorials and to practice the use of technologies, two 40-minute sessions to meet with Communication Center consultant to collaborate on and record the 3-minute elevator speech. Additional time may be needed for students to review tutorials and resources, create the speech draft, and learn to use Google Drive or OneDrive.

10.7  Readings and resources 10.7.1 Readings Bremen, E. (2012). Say This, Not that to Your Professor: 36 Talking Tips for College Success. NorLights Press.

10.7.2 Resources Tutorials for using Zoom.us 1-minute overview of Zoom: https://youtu.be/B0s5TbqXATg Zoom Local Recording—Text-based Demonstration: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/ articles/201362473-Local-Recording Local Recording with Zoom—Video-based Demonstration: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=D617OXKhSYw How to Join a Zoom Meeting Room—Video-based Demonstration: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=Rzk4vdTIi0c Access to Audio and Video Settings in Zoom—Video-based Demonstration: https://youtu. be/rJc-Af5i7hU Screen Sharing with Zoom—Video- and Text-based Demonstrations: https://support.zoom. us/hc/en-us/articles/201362153-Screen-Sharing-and-Annotations

10.7.3 Tutorials and resources for using Google Drive and OneDrive Upload files to Google Drive and share: http://learn.googleapps.com/products/drive/ get-started/ Adding and sharing files with OneDrive: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/ getting-started-onedrive-tutorial

10.7.4  Tips and resources Tips for professional look at a video conference: https://youtu.be/rQwanxQmFnc Pre–video conferencing checklist: http://media5.ntdtv.com/ml/training/Pre-Interview%20 Checklist%20for%20Skype%20Interviews.pdf

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Ten Tips to Improve Your Online Presentations (January 13, 2010, InstantPresenter): http:// blog.instantpresenter.com/web-conferencing/10-tips-to-improve-your-online-presentations/

10.7.5  Hardware and software recommendations USB or built-in camera: For a high-quality VC session, a webcam with USB connection to a computer or built in a laptop or tablet needs the following basic technical specifications: − capable of generating video with 25–30 frames per second; capable of generating high-resolution images of 1280 × 792 pixels, and 720p or −  1080p HD videos; − having noise cancellation function and a stereo microphone; − compatible to Windows and Mac platforms. Adjusting Audio and Video Settings on a Windows computer (by Microsoft): http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/en-us/help/support/how-to/webcam/adjust-settings Using iSight camera with Mac OS: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201799 Changing camera options on a Windows tablet: h t t p : / / w w w. m i c r o s o f t . c o m / s u r f a c e / e n - c a / s u p p o r t / h a r d w a r e - a n d - d r iv e r s / surface-cameras?os=windows-10#Cameraoptionsw10

10.7.6  Supplemental resources How to look good on a webcam: https://youtu.be/FMex-9FyljU

10.8  Variations on the basic theme Based on the basic theme of this project, variations can be adapted to different groups of students and consultants, needs of online synchronous public speech, and applicability of technologies. First of all, the professional digital communication literacy can benefit students new to the postsecondary educational environment, whether they are first-year students or transfer students. This would help students become more comfortable with campus academic support resources and their own academic program since university advising and instructors may use synchronous online VC sessions to provide guidance or host office hours. The online portion of this assignment would be great for blended or totally asynchronous classrooms. The role of consultants can be expanded to other academic support services like writing centers, career and academic planning, or other university advising and consulting services. Secondly, the context of the 3-minute elevator pitch can be adapted to meet different needs of students. For example, for seniors or graduate students, perhaps the content could be geared toward describing why one is qualified for a given job description or graduate school application. Or in scenarios with specific disciplines, a student might expect to practice a business pitch for a startup or to present a science research proposal to a public audience.

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Finally, similar activities can be easily adapted with Google Hangout for VC functions and with Google Hangout Air for recording functions, based on the same instruction, guidelines, and evaluation criteria, with the addition of: a secondary Gmail account of the presenter is needed to allow a private preview before the recording is released as an unlisted public YouTube video; students need to be familiar with YouTube sharing parameters.

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Additional tutorials are provided below to use the same set of instruction, guidelines, and checklist with the Google Hangout and Hangout Air: Get started with Hangouts On Air: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/7083786 Give the link of Hangouts On Air JUST to your second Gmail account (By Martin Shervington): https://www.plusyourbusiness.com/private-google-hangout-on-air/ Monitor who can see your broadcast with Hangouts On Air: https://support.google. com/youtube/answer/7083786 https://support.google.com/plus/answer/4646402? vid=0-635788138747710487 Check the privacy settings for your YouTube video: https://support.google.com/youtube/ans wer/157177?hl=en&vid=0-635788137675698421-1966028089

10.9  Observations and advice 10.9.1  Importance of the project Students may have varied skills and understanding of collaboration and communication with technologies depending on their previous experience. Some may struggle with technologies; some may concern the promptness and adequacy of emails. Both older and younger generations of students are not accustomed to the ubiquity of email communication. Sometimes even getting students to check emails on a regular basis is an uphill battle, not to mention communicating in a professional and appropriate manner. Helping students of all populations adapt, become comfortable, and even confident with digital communication is more important than ever. Advocacy is a powerful component of this assignment. Students are asked to get to know themselves and their enrolled academic programs in more detail so that they can advocate on behalf of themselves and for the programs. This is especially important as they will encounter strangers or members of the public throughout their life and they will have to demonstrate professional digital communication competencies to advocate an idea, a concept, or an initiative in technology-facilitated environments. Therefore, the competency of communication for advocacy, the literacy of collaboration for learning with both synchronous and asynchronous modes, and the skill sets of using technologies need to seamlessly blend in the context of application. The strengths of this project are the linkage between learning a competency outside of formal curriculum, consulting, and performing self-assessment with technologies. This project detaches the learning activities from physical classrooms and set schedule. The online synchronous and asynchronous modes of communication, collaboration, self-assessment, and evaluation enable the learning process to take place anytime and anywhere. Guided and self-paced informal learning of the skill set and

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literacy for professional presentations in a virtual environment scaffolds student learning to develop self-regulated learning norms to pursue new knowledge. The self-image, via the video feed, helps students identify the importance of light, camera angle, audio equipment, and background in a VC setting for a professional presentation of self to a distributed audience. The process of learning the technologies, planning the presentation, operating various computer programs, practicing alone, collaborating with a peer consultant, and evaluating with a checklist prepares students to be able to solve complicated problems in a networked world. With the literacy and skill set preparation, students will be ready for virtual communication and collaboration and lifelong learning in their future careers.

Lessons learned Students need to fully understand the purpose, procedure, and expectations of the project. Students need to understand how to use the VC platform by learning the tutorials and reviewing the resources thoroughly. Students need to plan the recording with prior rehearsal. Students need to practice sufficiently with the platform. Preview needs to be conducted before actual recording and final project submission. Similar self-assessment projects need to be integrated in subsequent learning in subject areas or professional development for learning transfer.

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Further reading Bremen, E. (2012). Say this, not that to your professor: 36 talking tips for college success. NorLights Press. Coffey, J. W. (2010). Web conferencing software in university-level, e-learning-based, technical courses. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 38(3), 367–381. Cyrs, T. E. (1997). Teaching at a distance with the merging technologies: An instructional systems approach. Las Cruces: New Mexico State University. Dvorak, J., & Roessger, K. (2012). The impact of web conferencing training on peer tutors’ attitudes toward distance education. Quarterly Review Of Distance Education, 13(1), 31–37. Gatto, S. L., & Tak, S. H. (2008). Computer, Internet, and E-mail use among older adults: Benefits and barriers. Educational Gerontology, 34(9), 800–811. Gautreau, C., et al. (2012). Video conferencing guidelines for faculty and students in graduate online courses. MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 8(4) December 2012. Retrieved from http://jolt.merlot.org/vol8no4/gautreau_1212.htm. Heinemann, D. S. (2011). Using You’ve Got Mail to teach social information processing theory and hyperpersonal perspective in online interactions. Communication Teacher, 25(4), 183–188. Helvie-Mason, L. (2010). Instructional identity: The journey to the online public speaking course. Louisiana Communication Journal, 12, 94–107. Mabrey, P. E., III, & Liu, J. C. (2013). Digital literacy, social media and public speaking: Building literacy through student produced multimedia informative presentations. In S. P. Ferris & H. A. Wilder (Eds.), Plugged-in Professor: Tips and techniques for teaching with social media (pp. 121–150). Cambridge, UK: Woodhead Publishing.

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Merrill, D. M. (2007). A task-centered instructional strategy. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 40(1), 5–22. Orellana, A., Hudgins, T. L., & Simonson, M. R. (2009). The perfect online course: Best practices for designing and teaching. IAP.

10.10  Supplemental materials 10.10.1  Appendix A: Project instruction for students This project is to develop your literacy and skills for presenting a professional speech and performing advocacy synchronously in an online environment. To accomplish the project, you are expected to collaborate with a peer communication consultant in an online environment with asynchronous and synchronous methods. Context of the Speech: You are expected to construct and deliver a 3-minute elevator pitch to introduce yourself and the academic degree program that you are enrolled in, to a member of the university community synchronously in an online environment. With the speech, you will advocate for the ADP, which has been a part of the university since 1977, has enabled many adult learners to realize their lifelong learning goals, and in which you are a proudly enrolled student. Please note that not everyone can be in the same physical location to listen to your speech, and that you need to prepare for a synchronous online presentation or a recording for flexible access. Through completing this project, you will accomplish these learning outcomes: SLO 1: Identify the campus support resources available to students enrolled in online courses or programs and the objectives of this synchronous “elevator pitch” project. SLO 2: Demonstrate professional digital communication competencies, both synchronously and asynchronously. SLO 3: Create a professional 3-minute introductory elevator speech to advocate on behalf of yourself and your enrolled academic degree program. SLO 4: Deliver a professional 3-minute introductory elevator speech. SLO 5: Evaluate peers’ 3-minute introductory elevator pitches with a checklist.

The procedure and expectations are provided below to help you accomplish the learning outcomes of this project: 1. Get familiar with the course site in the LMS, find out the functions of the Communication Center, and locate the contact information of the consultant. 2. Include the following components in the email when you contact the Communication Center consultant: Introduce yourself as an ADP student in Professor [Professor’s Name]’s class. Let the consultant know that the intention is to book a time for individual consultation appointment and the meeting will happen synchronously online with a VC platform of your choice. Provide the best available days and times for the upcoming meeting. Close by thanking them for their time or by saying how you are looking forward to the meeting. ●

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3. Conduct research about the history of your enrolled academic degree program and how it has benefited students. 4. Construct the 3-minute elevator pitch about yourself and your enrolled academic degree program. 5. Practice the synchronous VC technologies for the meeting and learn the tutorials if necessary. 6. Discuss your 3-minute elevator pitch draft with the consultant at the meeting. Make any necessary revisions to your speech, based on your consultation. 7. Record your 3-minute elevator pitch and upload to Google Drive or OneDrive; learn the tutorials in the Resources section on the course site in the LMS, if needed. 8. Evaluate the recordings submitted by the peers and yourself, and provide comments with feedback based on the checklist. 9. Submit your completed checklists to the course site in the LMS.

10.10.2 Appendix B: Guidelines for presenting a synchronous or recorded 3-minute elevator pitch Be ready with the equipment. Network connection with a stable wired or Wi-Fi environment is the prerequisite for a successful VC session. If you use a headset with microphone, please make sure to connect the headset prior to launching a VC session. If you use a tablet like Windows Surface, please switch to the front camera view. Set the stage and yourself. A professional look is very important to the live and remote audience, no matter whether it is for a virtual presentation or interview. A jacket, blazer, or a cardigan of solid color with light makeup will usually create a polished image of you. Let the light source come in front of you above the eye level. Adjust the camera lens at the eye level about one arm’s length away from you. Remember to look into the camera lens when you talk with the audience. Prepare the background. Your background can affect your image in the video feed. Please select an appropriate “backdrop” for your audience and avoid an empty room with all hard walls, which can create hollow and echoing sound. A room with carpet and cushion padding, with no extended background, is usually an ideal choice. Plan and practice your presentation. A VC session requires operation of multiple media and expression modes with live or asynchronous audience when it’s recorded. An intentional plan with an outline will help the success of a VA session. In the preview mode of a VC session, testing whether the visual aids look clear to the audience and noting down the transition of different tools such as that between your live video feed to sharing screen are always good preparation. Practice and test of run-throughs with recording will prepare your pace at the real presentation. Use sufficient and specific verbal cues. In a VC session or its recording, the audience members are usually not in the same physical location. What is taking place on your computer screen is not explicit to the audience. Sufficient and specific verbal cues can inform your audience when you switch between different interaction modes of the presentation, for instance, transition from the camera mode to sharing a computer application. Be mindful of your audience. A live or recorded VC session conveys your presentation with video feed, tone of voice, selection of words and facial expression. It is very important to communicate your ideas clearly and coherently at a VC presentation,

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with your virtual audience in mind. Invite your peers to help you enhance this mindfulness. Be relaxed at recording. After all the preparation and practice, you can now relax to record yourself. Sitting straight up in front of your computer or tablet with a stand and enunciating clearly, you will deliver a recorded professional presentation with confidence.

10.10.3 Appendix C: Checklist for evaluating a synchronous or recorded 3-minute elevator pitch This checklist will help you understand the expectations of a 3-minute elevator pitch presented live or recorded with a video feed at a VC session. You will use the criteria in the checklist to evaluate your own virtual presentation and those of your peers. Content: The 3-minute elevator pitch is expected to include the following components: Introduce yourself as an ADP student. Provide a brief introduction of the ADP history and impact. If you are a returning student through Return 2 Madison, a transfer student or an employee of JMU, you can add that information as well. Explain that it is an individualized study major and how you have developed your concentration (what your concentration is and how you named it) to meet your educational goals. Close with an expression of how you feel about being in the program, at JMU or something along those lines. Example: “I am excited to be able to complete my degree at JMU through the Adult Degree Program.” Focus: The presentation focused on the topic. The presenter articulated the ideas coherently. Time: The presentation used 3 minutes at a proper pace. Transition: Sufficient and specific verbal cues were used in the transition(s) between different interaction and presentation modes. Tone of speech: The presenter utilized appropriate tone throughout the presentation, occasionally varying tone for emphasis and to keep the audience’s attention. Professional look: The presenter presented her/him self professionally in a setting with appropriate light source and sound. Mindfulness of audience: The presenter looked into the camera lens as if she/he had direct eye contact with the audience. The pacing of the presentation and tone of voice engaged the audience. ●

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Madhu Mahalingam and Elisabetta Fasella University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, United States

11.1  Discipline/academic areas addressed General Chemistry.

11.2  Instructional purpose The flipped-classroom model of learning has captured the interest of instructors because of the promise of better prepared and therefore, better engaged students in the classroom, leading to better learning outcomes for students (Berrett, 2012; Faculty Focus Report, 2015). Rather than aiming for a fully flipped model, the goal of the approach described here is to scaffold student learning appropriately outside of class, using technology, so that students come better prepared to class. Further use of technology as a scaffold for learning within the classroom enables students to improve their level of understanding in class. Traditionally, students were given text reading assignments to help them prepare for class but it was clear that many students found little meaning in the activity. This is because students often do not have the necessary reading comprehension or chemical language skills (Van Lanen, Lockie, & McGannon, 2000; Ver Beek & Louters, 1991) to understand the reading assignment. Therefore, reading assignments alone are not very effective in helping students prepare to the level needed for class, especially for general chemistry. Providing additional exposure to the discipline via guided homework and group problem solving can support student independent studying and learning (Cuadros, Yaron, & Leinhardt, 2007). The advent of LMS (learning management system) such as Bb (Blackboard), as well as online tools such as publisher-provided videos or free simulation software (PHET software for basic chemistry concepts), enable instructors to provide resources that allow students to interact with the material in multiple ways and thereby improve comprehension. When used appropriately, these technologies allow the instructor to provide activities scaffolded at the appropriate level for students to learn effectively not only when in a face-to-face (f2f) classroom but also anytime outside the classroom. In our approach, the f2f meetings, lecture, and recitation bookend the asynchronous activities Unplugging the Classroom. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102035-7.00011-4 Copyright © 2017 Madhu Mahalingam and Elisabetta Fasella. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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outside the classroom. We “scaffold” student learning in the class at each level of cognition through use of technology. Scaffolding is a term used to describe the support that is provided to the learner to help them build comprehension that they cannot yet accomplish on their own (Lipscomb, Swanson, & West, 2004). For example, at the level of clickers in the classroom, we provide students an opportunity to discuss each question with their peers before polling. Depending on the distribution of responses, students are asked to rediscuss their responses with their peers after a minilecture or clarification of the question. This provides a mechanism for social interaction, which is considered an important element for developing cognition according to Vygotsky’s social constructivist theory (Vygotsky, 1978). Similarly, we provide scaffolding in the online homework through use of tutorials or questions that have hint features. Finally, in recitation the learning is scaffolded through peer mediation as we use mixed-skill grouping (Mahalingam, Schaefer, & Morlino, 2008). Students bring their own learning from the asynchronous environments to the f2f environment and therefore, are able to engage in discussions more meaningfully, thereby building their comprehension. According to Vygotsky’s model, learning occurs in the zone of proximal development, which is defined as the “distance between the learner’s actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the higher level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance and in collaboration with more capable peers.” Since students achieve mastery at different rates, the culmination of the learning process through group problem solving in recitation, where students are placed in mixed-skilled groups, allows students at a higher mastery level to practice and apply their learning while providing the scaffolding necessary for those who are developing mastery. The presence of the instructor and two undergraduate teaching assistants (TAs) in recitation provides additional support as the students build their problem-solving skills. A similar structure can be used in online environments such as LMS through discussion boards mediated by the instructor and TAs. Asynchronous online discussion forums have been used in the social sciences with the goal of encouraging higher order thinking skills (Leflay & Groves, 2013; Rabu, Aris, & Tasir, 2013). The structure provided by the instructor in the form of problems of increasing complexity, both in synchronous and asynchronous settings, with opportunity for hints as well as peer and instructor feedback, enables the learner to eventually master problem-solving skills that were initially beyond their reach. The technology we use for assessing student comprehension in the f2f environment is specific (TurningPoint) but there are many others that may be used equally effectively. These include iClicker, Poll Everywhere, Socrative, Piazza, etc., with some that can be used asynchronously as well. Similarly, there are a variety of LMS that can be used to provide the resources that students need to support their learning process outside the classroom. These include Moodle, Angel, Canvas, Desire2learn, etc. Online homework systems have also become commonplace. We use MasteringChemistry, which is available through Pearson, our textbook publisher. However, online homework systems are also offered by other publishers, including LearnSmart (McGraw-Hill), (OWL-Cengage) or standalone systems like Webassign or Sapling Learning. This approach can therefore be adapted and extended not only to improving problem-solving skills but also to improving learning in other physical sciences, social sciences, and humanities.

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The approach outlined below is used to enable students to improve their problemsolving skills and their auto-didactic skills, as it allows students autonomy in directing their own path of exploration through the material within a scaffolded environment.

11.2.1  Use of LMS for asynchronous learning The organization of the resources provided on the LMS plays a large role in enabling student preparation for the class, as well as ability to study the material after class. The material that is provided to students on Bb, the LMS adopted at USciences, is organized into “PreClass Preparation” and “PostClass Review” folders. The PreClass Preparation folder contains a lecture outline that is a Word document with a framework for taking notes in class. For each class, this is accompanied by the previous year’s lecture capture video, a PowerPoint presentation with additional problems along with solutions or a link to an external video or a simulation that students can view in their own time. The PostClass Review folder contains narrated PowerPoint slides that are recorded via Panopto. For formative assessments students are given quizzes through the Bb LMS environment following completion of each chapter. To tie all of the material together, as well as provide students an overview of the material to be covered during the entire week, a weekly syllabus is posted that outlines the sections within the textbook corresponding to each lecture as suggested reading assignment. The weekly syllabus also provides students with the homework due dates and suggested end-of-chapter problems for additional practice. In addition, students have the option of listening to the narrated PowerPoint in the PostClass Review folder on their mobile devices as this is also available as a podcast through their LMS.

11.2.2  Use of clicker technology for synchronous learning Clickers or personal response systems (PRS) can be used as a tool to evaluate students’ preparation for class. By starting class with clicker questions that evaluate student preparation, the instructor highlights the importance of preparing for class. Students realize their responsibility as they are able to evaluate their performance relative to their peers. Clicker questions at the start of class also provide the instructor information on the effectiveness of the resources provided on the LMS. An advantage of polling through PRS is that students respond anonymously, which allows them to participate more freely, without being afraid of exposing their deficiencies to their classmates. At the same time, both students and the instructor obtain real-time feedback on student comprehension.

11.2.3  Use of online homework for asynchronous learning There is evidence in literature that “deliberate practice” improves students’ ability to build the necessary knowledge and skills to become better problem solvers (Deslauriers, Schelew, & Wieman, 2011). Online homework systems such as MasteringChemistry now have adaptive technology embedded in them, which provides additional practice for students who do not achieve the necessary skill level at

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the end of an assignment. Many of the problems assigned for the homework can be attempted in a mobile learning environment, thus enabling anytime, anywhere learning. The homework system itself has built-in tools such as “hints” that enable students to become self-regulated learners. The homework is assigned with an adaptive followup problem set so that students getting a 95% or higher can skip the adaptive followup if they choose to do so. This again provides students with an opportunity to make a decision on the amount of additional practice that they choose.

11.2.4  Use of student assessment of learning gains survey (SALG) An online survey available at www.salgsite.org, provided at the end of each semester of a two-semester sequence, is used to encourage student self-reflection on the perceived effectiveness of the resources provided. It also guides further improvements in course organization to promote better utilization of the resources. The SALG survey was designed to promote metacognition and has a basic framework that the instructor can tailor to make it course specific (Seymour, Wiese, Hunter, & Daffinrud, 2000).

11.3  Student learning outcomes Students will demonstrate the ability to: 1. Develop technological literacy by effectively using web/server hosted software for online homework and for accessing course materials and assessments. 2. Learn asynchronously using online homework and quizzes and build on that knowledge synchronously using electronic (PRS/clickers) and f2f techniques. Learn asynchronously using online homework and quizzes and build on that knowledge synchronously using electronic (PRS/clickers) and f2f techniques. 3. Use previously acquired knowledge such as terminology, formulas, methods, and conventions in general chemistry to solve problems that require interconnecting this prior knowledge to new concepts. 4. Develop analytical thinking skills necessary to develop solutions to higher-level problems. 5. Articulate their understanding to a group of peers while solving higher-level problems in recitation. 6. Develop team skills necessary to work with a group of peers to develop solutions to higherlevel problems.

11.4  Prerequisite skills and knowledge With increased compatibility of mobile technology with LMS and online homework systems, it is becoming easier for students to use any of their devices to access course materials and assessments anywhere. All of the online resources used in this class, such as Bb (LMS), MasteringChemistry, and TurningPoint clickers/ResponseWare, come with resources that allow students to use each technology effectively and readily obtain technical assistance if needed.

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Bb help site for students: https://en-us.help.blackboard.com/Learn/9.1_2014_04/Student MasteringChemistry: http://www.pearsonmylabandmastering.com/northamerica/masteringchemistry/ students/support/ TurningPoint: http://www.turningtechnologies.com/support/turningpoint-5/tutorials Ease of use within each of these environments has improved as the competition within the marketplace for these tools increases. Students have very little trouble asking questions if they need help within each system.

11.5  Step-by-step directions for instructors 1. Preclass preparation (asynchronous): Identify resources that would be useful to students so they prepare for class more effectively. Make these resources available using the LMS. Organize the content area that allows students to use the posted resources as needed. Provide an outline of the material to be presented in class, so students can review the posted resources and take notes in the document. This forms the foundation as they build their understanding of the material. 2. Clicker questions (synchronous): Begin class with clicker questions that evaluate student understanding from the posted preclass preparation material. This focuses students on the material at hand. The questions evaluate students’ knowledge and understanding gained from reviewing the preclass preparation material. Based on the class response to the questions, the explanation can be tailored to suit the students’ needs. Further, if the distribution of responses is not satisfactory, the question can be repolled following a brief small group discussion among students. This often improves student responses and understanding of the material. Clicker questions can also be used for instantaneous feedback on student comprehension of topics under discussion in class. 3. Online homework (asynchronous): Assign about 1 hour of homework for each hour of class over a period of 1 week. Most online homework systems have tools that evaluate the average time for a set of questions. Using the guideline of 1 hour of online homework per class hour, a variety of questions can be assigned that will build the necessary knowledge and problem-solving skills. Besides exercises that contain “hint” features, problems that do not include hints must be assigned so students can build confidence as they build their problem-solving skills as well as their knowledge. The affective component of confidence plays a role in successful problem solving. Homework questions that are assigned should help students develop domain and structural knowledge as well as understand disciplinespecific methodologies used for problem solving (develop problem-solving schema). The only requirement is that the due date for the homework be set prior to the f2f recitation problem-solving session. Students decide when and where they attempt the homework questions and may choose to work alone or with a study group. Algorithmic questions provide sufficient practice for students who work in study groups. 4. Online quizzes (asynchronous): Students also need tools that they can use as self-assessments. Quizzes administered through the LMS (Bb) or the online homework system can serve this purpose. If these quizzes are administered as end-of-chapter quizzes, it enables students to evaluate their understanding of relevant concepts and therefore provides them much-needed information on what they need to focus on more as they learn the material.

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Though a quiz may be available to students online for a few days so they may take it at a time of their choosing, the quiz itself must be timed so that students are aware of their ability to solve problems within a given time frame. 5. Recitation group problem solving (f2f, synchronous): The rationale and implementation of the group problem solving as well as the details of the nature of the problems used for the recitation have been described in detail elsewhere (Mahalingam, Schaefer, & Morlino, 2008). The recitation session has been described in detail in The Plugged-In Professor (Mahalingam & Morlino, 2012). In order to ensure that students are able to solve higherlevel problems in recitation, recitation must serve as the culminating activity for a unit and must be sufficiently challenging to engage all students in a group. If students do not seem to need any discussion with their peers, then the problem set is not challenging enough. On the other hand, if students do not seem to know where to begin, the problem set is too challenging. Observing students’ performance in this environment provides instructors a handle on the level of challenge that is appropriate for the class to make the activity most meaningful for students.

11.6  Step-by-step directions for students

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1. Prepare for class by going over posted resources, including outline of material to be presented in class, reading assignments, short video lectures or animations. 2. Answer clicker questions in class, ask clarification on preparation material as needed. Selfassess understanding of topics under discussion in class. 3. Work on recommended textbook problems, about 1 hour for each hour of class. Identify problem areas and look for clarification. 4. Work on assigned online homework, about 1 hour for each hour of class. 5. Complete online quizzes and use them for self-assessment, in terms both of understanding of different topics and ability to perform task in given time frame. 6. Actively participate in group problem solving in recitation, discuss problem-solving strategy with peers, evaluate if answers are reasonable. Identify, verbalize, and clarify problematic steps with assistance from peers, TAs, and instructor.

11.7  Approximate time required Out-of-class activities (asynchronous learning)—Variable. Average time per week for online activities: PreClass Preparation time-30 min to 1 hr per lecture, Online Homework and quizzes-3 hr, 30 min . Students are expected to review the material posted for each class on Bb using the posted powerpoint to take notes in the lecture outline before class. The materials are also supplemented with videos and or simulations posted on Bb to help with building comprehension. Both online quizzes and online homework are done outside of class. Students typically have a week after the homework is assigned to submit it through the MasteringChemistry environment. The homework questions are structured so that students can choose to do the questions anytime within that week. MasteringChemistry provides information on the average time it takes students to solve each problem, and assignments can be structured so that students have at least 1 hour of practice for each hour of class. In addition, students take timed quizzes on the completion of a chapter, and can use their performance on these quizzes to self-assess their comprehension. The quizzes are administered on Bb and are available for a few days online so students can take them when they feel prepared on the chapter material. The quizzes are 30 minutes duration and students have to complete the quiz once they launch it. In-class activities (synchronous learning)—Clicker questions (average of 45 minute/week), recitation problem sets (50 minute/week). In the current format, clicker questions can take approximately 10–20 minutes of class time. Students meet once a week to solve higher-level problems in small groups for 12 weeks in a semester. Each problem session lasts 50 minutes.

11.8  Readings and resources www.salgsite.org The Student Assessment of Learning Gains Survey is a useful tool both for students as well as instructors to evaluate their respective efforts in the course.

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http://www.facultyfocus.com/free-reports/flipped-classroom-trends-a-survey-of-collegefaculty/ http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/category/chemistry/general http://wps.prenhall.com/esm_tro_chemistry_3_msa/233/59853/15322613.cw/index.html http://www.chemicum.com/chemistry-videos/

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11.8.1  Technology resources 1. The classroom must be equipped with an Internet-enabled computer with a receiver for the PRS along with A/V equipment and projection capabilities. 2. There are several online homework systems available. Some are through the textbook publishers (e.g., MasteringChemistry, http://www.masteringchemistry.com) and others are solely online homework providers (e.g., Webassign, http://www.webassign.net; Sapling Learning, www.sapling.com). Students need to purchase an access code for all the online homework systems. The access code can be bundled with the textbook if through a publisher or can be purchased online through the homework system’s website. 3. Students may purchase personal response devices (e.g., www.turningtechnologies.com) or must have a mobile device (smartphone, tablet, laptop) with the appropriate software and purchase a license to use the software.

11.9  Variations on the basic theme The underlying theme of this approach is to provide students with a variety of resources that can be used by students any time or any place, and if they choose, as many times as possible within the time frame of coverage of the material. Some students may use all of the resources provided, while others pick one or two resources that they have a preference for. The clicker questions and the online quizzes provide students with feedback on whether their choice of resources is working for them or not. This provides a way to discuss why students made the choices they made and allows them to calibrate their use of resources so they improve their learning.

11.10  Observations and advice The overall strategy at this point is a gradual ramping up of the level of knowledge and problem solving starting with lecture and culminating with the group problem solving in recitation. Three important technology tools are used as formative assessments along the way. These are LMS, online homework, and PRS (Personal Response System). Different technologies are integrated and structured, both in timing and difficulty level, so as to provide students with a variety of learning tools to engage in “deliberate practice” of the material. The technologies provide instant feedback as students engage with the material in an asynchronous fashion. This allows students to self-regulate their learning and makes the time spent on the activities more meaningful. Students also realize the importance of the activities as they observe their ability relative to their peers both in responses to clicker questions in the classroom or their

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ability to devise a solution to the problem set and engage in meaningful discussions with their peer group in recitation. Another crucial element of these online activities is the ability of the instructor to set a due date for the assignment prior to group problem solving in recitation. These tools provide students with the opportunity to engage with the material independently prior to the problem-solving session and therefore enhance student preparation for problems that are designed to promote higher-level thinking skills in general chemistry. The online homework and quizzes also serve as a useful tool for intervention when students are struggling with the material. Often these are the students that fall through the cracks. Using their performance on the online assignments to start a dialogue with the students often helps these students become more engaged and allows us as instructors to provide the necessary support in a timely manner. To summarize, asynchronous online learning in the form of online homework and timed online quizzes, coupled with the synchronous use of technology in the classroom in the form of clickers, assists in gradually transitioning students’ knowledge levels and problem-solving abilities from level 1 skills (recall, repeat, reproduce, state) to level 2 (explain, classify, recognize), and finally to higher-order thinking skills, levels 3 and 4 (application, analysis, interpretation, comparison) (Anderson et al., 2001) through problem solving in recitation.

Further reading Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (Eds.), (2001). A Taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Pearson Education Group. Berrett, D. (2012, February 19). How “flipping” the classroom can improve the traditional lecture. The Chronicle of Higher Education. http://chronicle.com/article/ How-Flipping-the-Classroom/130857/. Cuadros, J., Yaron, D., & Leinhardt, G. (2007). “One firm spot”: The role of homework as lever in acquiring conceptual and performance competence in college chemistry. Journal of Chemical Education, 84, 1047. Deslauriers, L., Schelew, E., & Wieman, C. (2011). Improved Learning in a Large Enrollment Physics Class. Science, 332(6031), 862–864. Flipped Classroom Trends: A Survey of College Faculty, A Faculty Focus Special Report, 2015, Retrieved from: . General Chemistry Simulations:http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/category/chemistry/ general. Jonassen, D. (1997). Instructional design models for well-structured and ill-structured problemsolving learning outcomes. ETR&D, 45(1), 65–94. LeFlay, K., & Groves, M. (2013). Using online forums for encouraging higher order thinking and ‘deep’ learning in an undergraduate Sports Sociology module. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education, 13, 226. Lipscomb, L., Swanson, J., West, A. (2004). Scaffolding. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved December 23, 2015, from: .

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Mahalingam, M., & Morlino, E. (2012). Using technology as a tool in the development of student’s problem solving skills, The Plugged-in Professor, Edited by Sharmila Pixy Ferris and Hillary Anne Wilder, Elsevier. Mahalingam, M., Schaefer, F., & Morlino, E. (2008). Promoting student learning through group problem solving in general chemistry recitations. Journal of Chemical Education, 85, 1577. Morgan, J., & Williams, B. (2007). Overview of problem solving, faculty guidebook (4th ed.). Lisle, IL: Pacific Crest Publications.181–184. Nygren, K. (2007). Elevating knowledge from level 1 to level 3, faculty guidebook (4th ed.). Lisle, IL: Pacific Crest Publications.165–168. Rabu, S. N. A., Aris, B., & Tasir, Z. (2013). Teaching critical thinking through online instructor scaffolding: A conceptual framework. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 97, 314. Seymour, E., Wiese, D., Hunter, A., & Daffinrud, S.M. (2000). Creating a Better Mousetrap: On-line Student Assessment of their Learning Gains. Paper presentation at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, San Francisco, CA, March 2000. Accessed 30.09.15. Van Lannen, R. J., Lockie, N. M., & McGannon, T. (2000). Predictors of nursing students’ performance in a one-semester organic and biochemistry course. Journal of Chemical Education, 77, 767. Ver Beek, K., & Louters, L. (1991). Chemical language skills: Investigating deficit. Journal of Chemical Education, 68, 389. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological process. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Wallace, M. L., Walker, J. D., Braseby, A. M., & Sweet, M. S. (2014). “Now, what happens during class?” Using team-based learning to optimize the role of expertise within the flipped classroom. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 25(3&4), 253–273.

STEM to social awareness: connecting the dots through audio storytelling with podcasts

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Karobi Moitra Trinity Washington University, Washington, DC, United States

12.1  Discipline/academic areas addressed This project could apply to any discipline depending on the subject matter. This particular subject matter pertains to the course Critical Thinking about Disease, however it may be used in general biology, general education, or in any liberal arts or science course.

12.2  Instructional purpose This activity encourages any time, any place, any path, any pace learning, so that students can engage with the subject material to research a specific disease/addiction and explore their community to connect the biology of the disease to its societal outcomes. It will help students apply different platforms to create, design, produce, and disseminate their own podcasts. The project allows students to converse with and interview members of the community and to connect with them through personal stories. Students can create informational and educative material in a collaborative fashion while critically analyzing the impact of a disease/addiction on a community. The project can also help students find their voice and connect the biological basis of a disease to its social outcome. The podcasting project will enhance their ability to gather and synthesize relevant information that will be useful to educate others by disseminating it across public Internet platforms and help students learn how to communicate ideas to the public in a responsible manner. It will also encourage students to use technology in order to interact with a large audience and to reflect extensively on a socially relevant topic.

12.3  Student learning outcomes Groups of students will create a series of three short informative and engaging podcasts based on a disease or addiction to disseminate on a public platform. Students will be able to: 1. recognize and apply different platforms to create, design, produce and disseminate their own podcasts using freely available tools; 2. demonstrate creativity in designing podcasts to engage an audience; Unplugging the Classroom. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102035-7.00012-6 Copyright © 2017 Karobi Moitra. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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3. synthesize biological knowledge of disease/addiction and connect it to its impact on society; 4. acquire a deeper understanding of the underlying biological concepts about disease/addiction and communicate it to a public audience; 5. utilize critical thinking and problem-solving skills to engage with the subject matter; 6. reflect on a socially relevant topic and concisely explain it in an engaging manner; 7. enhance research skills by researching a topic and summarizing/distilling it down into its main concepts for public communication; 8. develop and improve oral presentation skills by learning to communicate and speak on a publicly available platform; 9. support and demonstrate the responsible use of social media; 10. develop collaborative skills and utilize these skills to create informative, educational material to raise social awareness.

12.4  Prerequisite skills and knowledge Students should have knowledge of basic computer skills and Internet skills. They should also know how to gather information using PubMed, be able to read and understand basic research papers, and to synthesize material from different sources. Instructors might need to spend a class or two before this activity helping the students to develop some of these skills and making sure that students have a general awareness about podcasts.

12.5  Step-by-step directions for instructors 12.5.1  Overview and initiation of the podcast project Groups of students should be allowed to choose a disease or an addiction that is prevalent in their community. After they have chosen the project and explained why they have chosen this particular project, they can then start to create their podcasts. Students should write a script for the podcast and have it approved by the instructor and also by their peers. The podcast project should include at least three short podcasts. The first podcast should explain the biological basis of the disease/addiction (1–3 minutes); the second should connect the disease/addiction to its outcome in the community and should include a three-question interview with either a person who has the disease/ addiction or someone in the community who has had personal experience with such a person. The third podcast should sum up the connection between the disease/addiction and its impact on the community. None of the podcasts should be more than 2–4 minutes long. After completing the project students will be required to present it in class for review by their peers and instructor before making the project public.

12.5.2  Class sequence Two to four 75-minute classes may be dedicated to this project. One class should be devoted to explaining the project and demonstrating the recording of a podcast, and

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having the students pick and research a project. After the instructor has approved the project, the second class could be utilized in writing the script and time outside the classroom (homework) could be spent interviewing and recording the podcast. The third class could be used to troubleshoot or present the podcast for peer review/ instructor review and to upload final podcasts. The last class may be used to present podcasts and also have the podcasts be made available online to the public. The instructor also has the liberty to assign the project as homework to free up some of the class time, in which case only two classes are needed.

12.5.3  Grading of podcasts The grading rubric and scoring guide for the podcasts can be found in the supplemental materials section, Table 1.

12.6  Step-by-step directions for students 12.6.1  Background information What is a podcast? A podcast is an audio recording or digital media file, or series of files, distributed over the Internet for playback on portable media players and personal computers or alternatively listened to via streaming technology directly from the source (Guertin, 2010; Lonn and Teasley, 2009). The term podcast was initially derived from Apple’s MP3 player the iPod and the word broadcast (i)Pod + (broad)cast = podcast (Jham, Duraes, Strassler, & Sensi, 2008) and is sometimes also referred to as portable on demand broadcasting. Tips on Recording Podcasts 1. There are many free and online tools available for recording podcasts such as SoundCloud (https://soundcloud.com/), Audacity (http://sourceforge.net/projects/audacity/), and QuickTime (available as a preloaded application on Macintosh computers). Some of these tools require that the user create a free account (SoundCloud) or download the software (Audacity) but are usually free to use depending on how many hours of audio are recorded. 2. It is usually not necessary to invest in high-end recording equipment to record educational podcasts. An investment in a small microphone may be useful but if not, the microphone on most computers will work. 3. A quiet environment is essential before and during the recording and ideally a written transcript of the material is advisable; this makes it much easier to present the podcast. 4. After recording, the podcast can be saved and in the case of online programs podcasts can generally be downloaded to the computer or tablet, etc. 5. These may be then uploaded to the particular learning management systems in use at an educational institution. 6. If you are more familiar with another podcasting technology or app it is at the discretion of your instructor to allow you to use it or not.

Detailed instructions for Podcasting with SoundCloud: 1. Use your web browser to find SoundCloud at https://soundcloud.com/. 2. Sign up to use SoundCloud. 3. Alternatively, create an account and sign in with Google Plus.

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4. To create or upload a new sound recording: Go to Upload button top right and choose either Make a New Sound Recording or Upload New Sound Recording. Hit the record button. Stop recording when you are done and save your recording. - You can download and also share your recording. - Free accounts have two hours of audio time. - This video has detailed instructions on using SoundCloud: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=EMzIraOZ2ug - SoundCloud mobile is also available for phones and iPad/tablets. - You will need to download the app and sign in to start creating podcasts through the same process as stated above.

How To Create Podcasts in QuickTime Player (Mac OS): 1. Open QuickTime Player. Look in the search app (magnifying glass on top right hand of screen to find it; type in QuickTime). 2. To get started, launch QuickTime Player. Go to FILE > NEW AUDIO RECORDING. This will bring up a recording widget. Before pressing record, you can click the arrow to the right of the record button and choose the microphone you will be using. You can choose “Built-in Microphone” if just using the microphone on the Mac. If you connect a microphone, the microphone will display here. 3. Hit the record button (big red button) and start recording. 4. As soon as recording starts, a “Stop Recording” button will appear in the top title bar of the desktop. This is where you will click to end the recording. 5. Save the file as audio only. Hit the small “x” in the corner to close the file; this will bring up a dialog box, click the drop down box and save the file as an audio recording. 6. Put the file in dedicated folder for future reference. 7. You can listen to the audio file on your computer, mobile phone, MP3 player, etc. It is saved in an iTunes format, in which case you will need iTunes to listen to it.

12.6.2  Broadcasting the podcasts The files can be uploaded directly to Moodle or other learning management systems for grading. They can be uploaded to SoundCloud for podcasting. This is achieved through the upload function on SoundCloud. Hit the upload button and import your file(s) from your device. To make the files public you can hit the share button at the bottom of the podcast file. The files can also be imported into iMovie and a movie or picture can be associated with the file(s) to allow upload to YouTube or any other video-sharing site.

12.7  Approximate time required Two to four partial/full class sessions (1 hour 15 minutes each) at the instructor’s discretion and additional time spent outside of class interviewing volunteers.

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12.8  Readings and resources 12.8.1 Technology a cell phone (smart phone) or a computer is required to record the podcast free and online tools available for recording podcasts: SoundCloud (https://soundcloud. com/) and QuickTime (available as a preloaded application on Macintosh computers) instructional video on recording podcasts in SoundCloud: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=EMzIraOZ2ug webpage with additional instructions for using SoundCloud and other freeware: http://www.disruptiveconversations.com/2015/05/the-power-of-soundcloud-as-a-podcastpublishing-platform.html

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12.8.2  Other resources Guertin, L. A. (2010). Creating and using podcasts across the disciplines. Currents in Teaching and Learning, 2(2), 4–12. Jham, B. C., Duraes, G. V., Strassler, H. E., & Sensi, L. G. (2008). Joining the podcast revolution. Journal of Dental Education, 72(3), 278–281. Lonn, S., & Teasley, S. D. (2009). Podcasting in higher education: what are the implications for teaching and learning? The Internet and Higher Education, 12(2), 88–92.

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12.9  Variations on the basic theme Portable audio has been an integral part of our culture in the digital age and podcasts have since moved beyond the realm of recreational listening and become an integral part of higher education (Guertin, 2010). Podcasts have been used across disciplines by both faculty and students in diverse ways. Faculty have been known to utilize podcasts to deliver lectures, short seminars, review sessions, etc., whereas students have been encouraged to use podcasts in different kinds of assignments such as public service announcements, paper reviews, etc. (Guertin, 2010). This assignment is a novel idea that can engage students to explore the medium of audio to connect science with society. Slight variations to the initial assignment could make it suitable for almost any discipline. For instance the topics could be slightly changed to make it useful to a business class (to connect business practices to societal outcomes), it could be used in liberal arts classes to help students connect their learning with societal outcomes, and it could be used in a religious education classroom to allow the students to create a podcast project based on the influence of religion on society. The possibilities are endless. In the interests of time devoted to the project the students may be asked to record only one longer podcast instead of a sequence of three podcasts and could possibly omit the interview portion on the actual podcast to streamline it to suit the time frame of the project. These student podcasts could also be made available to other students to learn from and also be made available to the general public.

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12.10  Observations and advice Podcasts use a very small digital footprint, hence can be directly uploaded onto course websites and downloaded onto portable media such as iPods and cell phones so that students can listen to them anywhere and at any time. Listening to podcasts created by other students not only helps students learn new material but also teaches them to critically comment on other people’s podcasts. The beauty of the short podcast lies in its time frame: it helps the students to pare down the essentials of the material and deliver it in a concise and engaging manner. It teaches them how to pull out the important material that needs to be communicated and separate it out from irrelevant jargon. Students find a sense of purpose while creating these podcasts and are eager to share their viewpoint with their peers. They learn that creativity is not only reserved for the liberal arts disciplines but that they as STEM students can also be creative while studying science. It also helps them to speak clearly and concisely. I have found that students are very eager to share their work and creativity with their peers in this “new” medium. Very few students have created an audio project previously. Usually they have been asked to create a PowerPoint presentation or in some rare cases a movie; as a result, they are very excited to learn and share this novel medium of the spoken word. It is at the instructor’s discretion to allow students to use other applications to record the podcast. Students have used other cell phone applications and voice recorders with which they are more familiar with but ultimately need to broadcast the podcast through SoundCloud. Students have also been eager to create another variation of this project called a “photovoice” project, where they can tell a very powerful story to an audience based on their podcast project but this time the challenge is to tell the story with very few written words and mostly in pictures that they have taken themselves. This flip on the initial project encourages students to think creatively and completely reimagine their original podcasting project to create it “without” the words. The students of today are very connected to technology but have very rarely been encouraged to think about the ways in which they can develop skills to express themselves through digital media, be it through words or through pictures. Students, especially STEM students, are very excited to do an engaging project and express themselves and their thoughts through a medium that can be shared with other people.

Further reading Bell, T.C.A., Wingkvist, A., & Green, R. (2007). Podcasts as a supplement in tertiary education: An experiment with two computer science courses. Conference on Mobile Learning Technologies and Applications, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand. Boylan, M. (2004). What have we learned from 15 years of supporting the development of innovative teaching technology? Social Science Computer Review, 22(4), 405–425. Campbell, G. (2005). There’s something in the air: Podcasting in education. Educause Rev November/December, 5, 33–44.

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Chan, A., & Lee, M.J. (2005). An MP3 a day keeps the worries away: Exploring the use of podcasting to address preconceptions and alleviate pre-class anxiety amongst undergraduate information technology students. In DHR Spennemann & L. Burr (Eds.), Good Practice in Practice: Proceedings of the Student Experience Conference (pp. 58–70). Wagga Wagga: NSW. Edison Research and Triton Digital (2014) The infinite dial. Retrieved from: . Fisher, M., & Baird, D. E. (2006). Making mLearning work: Utilizing mobile technology for active exploration, collaboration, assessment, and reflection in higher education. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 35(1), 3–30. Friedman, L. (2013). Apple: One billion iTunes podcast subscriptions and counting. MacWorld. Retrieved from: . Gribbins, M. (2007). The perceived usefulness of podcasting in higher education: A survey of students’ attitudes and intention to use. Proceedings of the Second Midwest United States Association for Information Systems, Springfield, IL May 18–19. Hsi, S. (2007). Conceptualizing learning from the everyday activities of digital kids. International Journal of Science Education, 29(12), 1509–1529. Maag, M. (2006). iPod, uPod? An emerging mobile learning tool in nursing education and students’ satisfaction. In Who’s learning? Whose technology? Proceedings ASCILITE 2006 (pp. 483–492). Meng, P. (2005). Podcasting and vodcasting: A white paper. IAT Services, University of Missouri.10 Shim, J.P., Shropshire, J., Park, S., Harris, H., & Campbell, N. (2006). Perceived value of podcasting: student communication-medium preferences. In: Proceedings of the 12th Americas Conference on Information Systems, Acapulco, Mexico, 271, 2186–2194.

12.11  Supplemental materials 12.11.1  Appendix A: Table 1. Podcast rubric and scoring guide Name:________________________ Podcast URL:____________ Benchmark

Milestone 1

Milestone 2

Capstone

1–5

6–7

8–9

10

Presentation is a report of facts with no interpretation. No connection is made between the problem and its impact on the community.

Presentation is little more than report of facts with very little interpretation.

Presentation is targeted toward a specific problem and presents mostly information relevant to that problem. The connection between the problem and its impact on the community is somewhat discussed.

Student has clearly defined problem and purpose that is apparent in final product. Student makes clear connections between the problem and its impact on the community.

Content of message

Message becomes a report of facts.

Message is not focused around a central issue or issues are vague or unclear.

Message identifies a problem and discusses it with others in a meaningful way.

Technical skill: Clarity of presentation and sound

Podcast recording quality is low making it difficult to understand.

Podcast recording quality is acceptable making it mostly easy to understand. Audio volume is inconsistent.

Message identifies a problem and provides a quality outlook to address the problem. Podcast recording quality is clear and easy to understand. Audio volume is inconsistent.

Purpose

Flimsy connection made between the problem and its impact on the community.

Podcast recording quality is clear and easy to understand. Audio volume is consistent

Score

Planning of presentation

Voice

Benchmark

Milestone 1

Milestone 2

Capstone

1–5

6–7

8–9

10

Evidence of planning is not present. Presentation appears random or does not tie ideas together. Seems too impromptu. Sounds like student is reading or has no enthusiasm.

Planning may have taken place but was generalized resulting in a final product that seems disjointed.

Planning was done first to ensure that final product flowed to communicate the message. Specifics were not included in the plan.

Planning for the project included outlining the overall product to ensure flow and sequence but also specific scripting to ensure all content is related and little editing is required.

Student makes a good effort at Voice inflection is good and the production, but stammers or interesting, but volume is uses poor grammar. inconsistent. TOTAL POINTS

Professor comments:

Voice has good diction, inflection, and is interesting to listen to. Volume is the same throughout. Out of 50 POINTS

Score

Asynchronous blogging as a mechanism to enhance students’ conceptual understanding of the epidemiological and public health ramifications of microbial diseases

13

Jeffrey T. Olimpo The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, United States

13.1  Discipline/academic areas addressed The exercise described herein is appropriate for use in undergraduate epidemiology and public health courses, including both lower- and upper-division contexts. Furthermore, the activity can be adapted for use in related classes (e.g., microbial pathogenesis, infectious diseases) as well as in the humanities and social sciences without substantial investment of time or resources.

13.2  Instructional purpose The study of epidemiology and public health continues to remain of significant interest to individuals from diverse academic backgrounds, largely due to the relevancy and practicality of these disciplines to students’ personal lives. Foundational among those topics present within coursework in these fields is that of human diseases and/or disorders. It is oftentimes the case, however, that direct limitations imposed by course structure or duration preclude a thorough and comprehensive discussion of such varied conditions. The weblog project described herein seeks to address these concerns by providing a platform for students to utilize course content and competencies (e.g., critical thinking) as a vehicle to analyze a disease or disorder of interest to them— extending the boundaries of formal classroom lectures and conversations to the online realm and allowing for anytime, any place, any path, any pace learning. Students are provided with relative autonomy throughout the duration of the project, both in selection of the weblog theme (i.e., which disease or disorder they will focus on), as well as in regard to the timeline for submission of the completed product. Though students are required to upload all blog posts no later than final exams week, they possess the freedom to set their own schedule for writing and editing posts, conducting necessary research, and managing other aspects of the project. Online course discussion boards, email, and a frequently asked questions (FAQs) wiki Unplugging the Classroom. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102035-7.00013-8 Copyright © 2017 Jeffrey T. Olimpo. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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are all made available should the student require additional guidance or support as they complete this self-paced and self-directed assignment. Because the weblog can be made public to other individuals in the course, students also have the affordance of receiving formative feedback from both the instructor and their peers, allowing them to refine their own site while simultaneously learning about what other diseases and disorders are being researched. In addition to its focus on content, the weblog assessment is designed to provide students with foundational competencies necessary for academic success, including problem-solving, writing, and reasoning skills, active engagement in the knowledgebuilding process, and opportunities for developing both informational and technological literacy. For this reason, the assignment is readily adaptable for use in other scientific and social science domains that emphasize these same outcomes (examples provided in the Variations on a Theme section later in the chapter). Furthermore, the weblog could be utilized to underscore cross-cutting, interdisciplinary concepts. Dietetics and nutrition instructors might, for instance, assign students to research the relationship between food consumption, metabolism, aerobic cellular respiration, and human health. Structuring the assignment in this manner would presumably provide students with greater opportunities to identify and explore the interconnected nature of content presented in various courses—content that, when presented independently by different course instructors, might otherwise seem unrelated.

13.3  Student learning outcomes Upon completion of this activity, students will be able to: 1. describe, in written format, the etiological, epidemiological, and pathogenic characteristics of a microbial disease of their choice; 2. read and evaluate both popular and primary literature sources to make claims about the disease or disorder they are interested in researching; 3. demonstrate enhanced scientific, technological, and information literacy skills through creation of an online course blog; 4. demonstrate an understanding of the discipline above and beyond the knowledge conveyed to them through lecture and through the text; 5. apply course content to critically evaluate weblogs prepared by their peers, and, in turn, utilize feedback provided by classmates to improve the quality of their own submission; 6. demonstrate those competencies important to success in the scientific (and other) disciplines, including problem-solving and analytical skills, scientific reasoning, and active engagement in the knowledge-building process.

13.4  Prerequisite skills and knowledge Students should possess a foundational understanding of cell and molecular biology at the introductory level prior to engaging in this activity. From a

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technological standpoint, students need also be familiar with appropriate guidelines and etiquette for structuring and maintaining an online blog. Resources for accomplishing this latter objective can be found in the Step-by-Step Directions section of this chapter.

13.5  Step-by-step directions for instructors 13.5.1  Instructor preparation and project evaluation Please ensure that student guidelines for the project (detailed below in the Student Preparation and Student Blogging Criteria sections) are made available on your course website. In addition, it is recommended (particularly in the case of online courses) that you post an announcement to your course site informing students that the project submission period is now open. As students are completing the blog assignment, a discussion board embedded within your learning management system (LMS) can be utilized to address common student questions and/or serve as a FAQ page for students to reference. This online forum/FAQ page should be monitored daily. In the event that the weblog will serve as a summative assessment in your course, a sample evaluation rubric can be located in the Supplemental Materials section of this chapter.

13.6  Step-by-step directions for students 13.6.1  Student preparation 1. Please familiarize yourself with the procedural steps necessary to create and maintain a weblog by reading the following resources: a. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/courtney-price/netiquette-pointers-for-social-mediausers-and-bloggers_b_7786356.html b. https://support.google.com/blogger/answer/1623800?hl=en

To create your own blog, navigate to https://www.blogger.com, and register with your university email address (if it is linked to Gmail) or your personal Gmail account. Then, click on the “New Blog” link, which can be found near the top of the left-hand side of the page. The title of your blog should be whatever disease or condition you are focusing on, and the address should be [CourseName][YourLastName] [Semester] (e.g., BIOL105OlimpoFall2015). You may select any template you would like for your blog. Please ensure that your blog remains public or you invite me (the course instructor) to view your blog. Otherwise, I will not be able to access and assess it. Sharing your blog with your peers will also provide you with an opportunity to receive formative feedback prior to submission.

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13.6.2  Student blogging criteria Note: Once you have created your blog, it should appear on the main page anytime you log into Blogger. To edit your blog, click on the “New post” button or on the title of an existing post, which will allow you to modify that submission. To view what your blog looks like to others, click on the “View blog” button. You are required to submit four blog postings throughout the course of the semester. A description of these postings is listed below: 1. Disease History/Statistics, Etiology, and Symptoms In this first post, you will provide a brief history of the disease, including any relevant statistics (e.g., hypertension is found in one in four males in the United States) about your disease of interest. You will also explore the factors associated with the development of your disease, any symptoms that present clinically, and the detection methods for diagnosing the disease. 2. Disease Transmission and Treatment/Prevention How is the disease spread? Who is at-risk for acquiring the disease? Where is the disease most prevalent? These are a few of the important questions you must address in this second post, which focuses (in part) on how your disease is transmitted from host to host. In addition to focusing on the transmission aspect of your disease, you must also briefly discuss current treatment and/or preventative measures in place to reduce the incidence or severity of your disease in at-risk populations. You should conclude this post by providing your opinion on whether or not you believe these preventative and/or treatment measures are effective, as well as give recommendations for how you believe the disease could be better managed in the future (make sure to cite evidence for your argument(s)). 3. Review of a Primary Source Article on the Disease Without question, epidemiologists are currently studying some aspect of your disease of interest. In this post, you will summarize the results of one journal article that explores your disease in some aspect. To do this, search for an article using Google Scholar (http:// scholar.google.com) or PubMed (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed) with at least one keyword for your disease. For instance, if I was interested in the development of lung cancer in teenage smokers, I might go to Google Scholar and use the following string of keywords: “smoking” AND “teens” AND “lung cancer.” If possible, select a recent article (published after 2010). You CANNOT simply copy the abstract!! You must read the article to the best of your ability and provide a synopsis of the authors’ research, including their results and methods of data analysis. You are encouraged to use any relevant figures or graphics found in the paper in your own blog to support your synopsis. Please make sure to cite where these images originate from (please ensure that you also cite the article itself). You should conclude your post by making recommendations for future research questions the authors might pursue. In other words, propose an additional experiment (or experiments) that the authors might conduct, and offer a reason as to why these experiments are necessary. 4. Review of a Popular Media Piece on the Disease In addition to reviewing a primary source article, this last post will require you to also review a popular media piece on your disease of interest. The type of media you select to review is at your discretion—it can be another blog, a web article (no Wikipedia, please!), a documentary, a book, etc. You should again cite and summarize the piece you are reviewing, but this time, you should also feel completely free to insert your own gut reactions to that piece. If you are reviewing a documentary, for instance, do you agree with the arguments being made, or do they seem contradictory? And why? Though your opinion is to be included, please make sure that you provide evidence to justify your opinion.

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Please note that I will also be assessing your blog on its overall layout and attention to detail. The following checklist contains items that you should be mindful of in preparing your project: Is your blog written in narrative style, rather than simply as a bulleted list of items? Do you include pictures, video, and other forms of nontext media when and where appropriate within your blog? Have you cited all sources (including web and primary article sources) in each of your posts? Are your posts understandable? In other words, do you provide enough context for a reader to comprehend what your post is about? Are your blog posts written in your own words? Plagiarism will not be tolerated on any part of this assignment and will result in an automatic grade of “F” being given for this assessment!

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You will have the entire term to complete your blog, so it is recommended that you distribute the workload evenly across the semester. Please post any assignmentrelated questions to the course discussion board or send them via email. Attached (Appendix A) is the grading rubric for blogs.

13.7  Approximate time required In preparation for this activity, students should spend approximately 10 minutes independently educating themselves about the proper technique for constructing and maintaining an online blog. Students should subsequently create a blog site of their own, which they will utilize throughout the duration of the project. The exercise itself is designed to be a semester-long activity, with all required project components due at the conclusion of the term. Given the asynchronous nature of the activity, students can be expected to spend between 1 and 3 hours on each post, including finding and evaluating resources, as well as writing entries. Furthermore, students are informed that they may submit completed posts at their leisure with the stipulation that all entries be uploaded prior to the project due date (i.e., at the end-of-term).

13.8  Readings and resources No specific hardware or software is required for implementation of this activity, though Internet access is necessary in order to upload and access blog postings. A sample evaluation rubric for assessing students’ completed blogs can be found at the end of this chapter. Several platforms are currently available for generating blogs. These include customizable tools embedded within one’s LMS (e.g., Blackboard), as well as course-independent online sites. In previous iterations of this activity, students have been required to use Blogger (https://www.blogger.com), a free publishing tool from Google. This resource was selected intentionally due to its ease of use and its

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familiarity among students enrolled in the epidemiology course in which the project was implemented. Potential alternate platforms include: 1. WordPress (https://wordpress.com) 2. Tumblr (https://www.tumblr.com/) 3. Weebly (www.weebly.com)

It is highly recommended that instructors determine the “compatibility” of each platform for use in their course (e.g., Is it appropriate given course size? Will student blogs be public or must they be shared in order to be accessible to the instructor/ peers?) and ensure that online resources are available for users prior to reaching a final decision regarding which platform to utilize.

13.9  Variations on the basic theme The use of weblogs in educational settings has grown tremendously within the last decade. Though designed specifically for use in an online course on the epidemiology of microbial pathogens, the blog-based activity described here could be readily adapted for both nonmajors and majors contexts across a wide array of disciplines. In a history course, for instance, students might be asked to construct a blog that outlines the causes of the American Revolutionary War, utilizing evidence from primary documents and sources to support their claims. In an art course, on the other hand, the instructor may require student groups to visit different museums and post a critique of an exhibit or style of artwork showcased at that venue. Regardless of the focus of the course, weblogging provides an accessible and approachable means of promoting students’ conceptual understanding of foundational content in the discipline. Assuming that Internet access is available, students can make contributions to their blog asynchronously and at any point throughout the duration of the course (as was the case here), read and comment on other students’ posts, and research material (e.g., primary literature) that they intend to utilize to create their posts, all outside of the formal space of the classroom itself. This blog-based project could, therefore, theoretically accommodate course sizes ranging from 3 to 300 and, importantly, it offers a high degree of flexibility in allowing students to pursue topics that are of interest to them.

13.10  Observations and advice Epidemiology of Microbial Pathogens is an online upper-division elective course offered during the winter and summer terms at the university with which the author is affiliated. This course is often oversubscribed, likely due to the overtly

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relevant nature of the course material to students’ lives. Due to time constraints, the blogging project was created to provide students with an opportunity to further explore a disease or condition of interest to them aside from those previously discussed in lecture. This student-driven project has been well-received, with endof-term Student Assessment of Learning Gains data indicating that greater than 85% of individuals believed the project helped develop their understanding of course content, increased their interest in the field, and improved their scientific and technological literacy. For instructors new to this pedagogical technique, I recommend consulting with your institution’s Center for Teaching Excellence prior to utilizing the project in your course so as to ensure that you are effectively prepared to adopt this approach. In addition, though the project is asynchronous and student-directed, I have observed over three semesters of implementation that periodic, online “check-ins” with individual students assists them in managing and completing their blogs in an appropriate and timely fashion.

Further reading Batts, S. A., Anthis, N. J., & Smith, T. C. (2008). Advancing science through conversations: Bridging the gap between blogs and the academy. PLoS Biology, 6(9), e240. Beldarrain, Y. (2006). Distance education trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education, 27(2), 139–153. Goldman, R. H., Cohen, A. P., & Sheahan, F. (2008). Using seminar blogs to enhance student participation and learning in public health school classes. American Journal of Public Health, 98(9), 1658. Halic, O., Lee, D., Paulus, T., & Spence, M. (2010). To blog or not to blog: Student perceptions of blog effectiveness for learning in a college-level course. The Internet and Higher Education, 13(4), 206–213. Levine, T. C. (2014). The use of blogging in tertiary healthcare educational settings to enhance reflective learning in nursing leadership. Journal for Nurses in Professional Development, 30(6), 287–295. Li, K., Bado, N., Smith, J., & Moore, D. (2013). Blogging for teaching and learning: An examination of experience, attitudes and levels of thinking. Contemporary Educational Technology, 4(3), 172–186. Moule, P., Ward, R., & Lockyer, L. (2010). Nursing and healthcare students’ experiences and use of e-learning in higher education. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 66(12), 2785–2795. Noel, L. (2015). Using blogs to create a constructivist learning environment. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 174, 617–621. Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms. Corwin Press. Sim, J. W. S., & Hew, K. F. (2010). The use of weblogs in higher education settings: A review of empirical research. Educational Research Review, 5(2), 151–163.

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13.11  Supplemental materials 13.11.1  Appendix A: Blog grading rubric

Problem statement

Information use

Sources of evidence

Future directions

Presentation and layout of entry

Exceeds expectations Meets expectations (2 pts.) (1 pt.)

Below expectations (0 pts.)

The focus of the blog post is clearly articulated and appropriate Communicates, organizes, and synthesizes information from relevant sources with great clarity and depth to address the topic pertinent to the blog post Addresses all questions/items posed in the student instructional handout using high-quality, credible sources When appropriate, material presented within the post is used to generate novel questions or areas for future exploration

The focus of the blog post is not clearly articulated or is inappropriate Communicates and organizes information from relevant sources; minimal synthesis is present, leading to the conveyance of an unclear message regarding the topic

The focus of the blog post is not stated/indicated

When appropriate, material presented within the post is discussed, briefly, in relation to novel questions or areas for future exploration

Uses appropriate, relevant, and compelling content to indicate understanding of the topic

Uses appropriate and relevant content to develop and explore ideas throughout most of the blog post

Limited or no discussion of how material presented within the post could result in the generation of novel questions or future exploration Submission does not reflect appropriate/ relevant use of content related to the topic of the blog post

Information is communicated, though this information is fragmented and/or used inappropriately; no clear or unifying message regarding the topic is present Demonstrates an Limited use or attempt to use credible lack of credible sources to address all sources to address questions/items posed all questions/items in the handout posed in the handout

Post #1: Disease History/Statistics, Etiology, and Symptoms_____/ 10 Post #2: Disease Transmission and Treatment/Prevention_____/ 10 Post #3: Review of a Primary Source Article on the Disease_____/ 10 Post #4: Review of a Popular Media Piece on the Disease_____/ 10 Overall Layout: Comprehensive Evaluation of the Blog_____/ 10 Total Points:______/ 50 Comments:

Ten-story building: app development for ESL

14

Christopher Shamburg, Thomas J. Liu and Claire Monroe New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ, United States

14.1  Discipline/academic areas addressed ESL (English as a Second Language), English Composition

14.2  Instructional purpose This app was developed in the spirit of mobile, teacherless, and engaging learning—the type of activity that people are compelled to do outside of schools with their handheld devices. It is intended to be an engaging form of informal learning done outside of the classroom. The app is modeled on the types of activities people do with their handheld devices while on the go—for example, on busses, in doctor’s offices, or even while waiting for a professor during office hours. Furthermore, the app is designed to be teacherless, encouraging autodidactic learning through several design features. First, it uses every idiom in context before assessing it. Players will have an example and a usage before a problem is posed. It also starts small and simple—with shorter stories and multiple choices. Students level up to more complex stories with more space and time between the example word and the problem. Also, multiple choice questions are replaced by more challenging fill-ins. The app is developed to be iterative in that students will continually play to improve their scores. On a multiple choice question, a student will have several chances to get it right but will only get the full score of three points if he or she gets the correct answer on the first try. To maintain intrinsic interest and to do justice to the power of idioms, the stories are compelling. These stories, told through emails, Facebook posts, and text messages, begin with a woman accepting a job—one that is found to have grave consequences. With each ensuing story, the reader is brought into ethical dilemmas, moral choices, and life-changing situations. The ten stories include a missing person with a drug addiction and the investigator who is charged with finding him, a woman and her child’s pediatrician having an adulterous relationship, and an ex-con who must choose between going straight and providing for his family.

Unplugging the Classroom. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102035-7.00014-X Copyright © 2017 Christopher Shamburg, Thomas J. Liu and Claire Monroe. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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14.3  Student learning outcomes Students will be able to do the following: choose the correct phrasal combination from among similar expressions (e.g., John was “married to Juanita,” not “married with Juanita”); use phrasal verbs appropriately in a variety of situations; engage in the iterative process of feedback and language improvement with repeated plays of the game.

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14.4  Prerequisite skills and knowledge An intermediate knowledge of reading and writing in English.

14.5  Step-by-step directions for instructors Since this activity is built around an interactive gaming mechanic to engage students, instructors have three choices: they can duplicate this activity, create an app customized to their own course content, or use an existing app other than the one provided here. For a professor or lecturer to duplicate this lesson, he or she needs to ensure that each student has an Android device. The students should then be given this URL to download the game: http://web.njcu.edu/sites/faculty/cshamburg/Content/projects. asp. The first few stories should begin simply, but subsequent ones should increase the linguistic and cognitive demands on the player. If the professor has a list of the targeted phrases, he or she could reinforce or extend the current app work. There are several text-based and language-oriented handheld games that are worth noting and exploring. First, there are analog games, such as Mad Libs, charades, or Pictionary, that facilitate language use. The instructor should consider the mechanics and skills of the games. For example, Mad Libs (a game where a player is asked for parts of speech, such as nouns and adjectives, which a partner puts as fill-ins in a predetermined context, usually with incongruous and funny results) can help a player learn the parts of speech in a humorous and interactive way. There are several digital textbased and language-oriented games that are worth exploring as well. “A Dark Room” (Rajan, 2015) is a science fiction story in which one explores a “map” with a series of characters. “To Be Or Not To Be” (North, 2015) is an immersive game version based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet in which the player can make plot choices for the various characters. Finally, “Blackbar” (Mrgan, 2015) is a game about censorship in which a player deduces a puzzle based on the “blacked out” sections of text. Instructors who wish to build their own games can be guided by our experiences, as discussed below. Step 1: Research and brainstorm the best use of the app. When creating a game or an app, one should prototype often and continuously. The original prototypes for Ten-Story Building began on a deck of index cards. The project went through

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at least three major iterations at that stage. Next, a version was created on PowerPoint, simply to share the idea and the mechanics. While some experience in app development is helpful, resources abound for novices. There are several tools that can be used to design prototypes for mobile apps. We used Principle for Mac (http://principleformac.com/) to develop ideas about the look and feel of the app. One’s choice of prototyping tool would depend on the timeframe and the objectives of the prototype (e.g., Is user testing important? Is collaboration needed?). Tools such as Solidify (http://www.solidifyapp.com/) allow one to create clickable prototypes and focus on user experience. Marvel is another that is especially noteworthy for its inexpensive price and quick learning curve (https://marvelapp.com/). For a comprehensive list of such items and their features, Cooper’s “Designer’s Toolkit: Prototyping Tools” (Cooper, n.d.) is a fine resource. Step 2: Develop a game mechanic. The mobile app should be game-like and should entice students to play outside of school or even outside of a formal class. The main concept in our activity was to tell stories with missing phrasal verbs through “found documents”—text messages, Facebook posts, and email messages. This idea of telling stories through text messages has its roots in epistolary fiction. The concept of using the conventions of found digital messages satisfied several goals. First, it lent itself to delivery on a handheld device. These are items that fit on a handheld, and people are used to seeing them that way. Second, we could simulate authentic communication, though with exaggerated narratives. Third, we could increase the difficulty: at first players have to pick the correct phrasal verb among three choices (e.g., “Jessica is married with, married to, married on Jonathan.”). Then they have to fill in a blank with the hint of the number of letters (e.g., “I’m looking *** Jason.”). Finally, it was important for us that this be not simply an assessment but a self-contained teaching tool. In this regard, one of the most important organizing principles was that each phrasal verb be italicized and used in context before a student has to choose an answer. In this way, a player will read an example of a use and then will be assessed later in the game. A player can rely on his or her memory or scroll back and check. Instructors developing their own apps should keep discipline-specific guidelines in mind. Step 3: Make a paper version of the app. Collaboration with colleagues and tech-savvy students can be highly helpful here. For our activity, we first developed a paper version using index cards to represent the different screens, questions, and options for two of the stories. Two English majors were then brought on staff to write the stories. These students were recommended by the English department chair for their creative writing. We also began talking to students in the computer science department who would do the programming. Our revision of the content and concept was then partly based on what the computer science students had previously done and what they thought they could learn from the project. Step 4: Create a proof of concept. For our activity, the students on the app development team created a two-story version to see how it worked. One of the takeaways was that the stories were too long to sustain players’ interest in choosing the phrasal verbs, so we consolidated the stories and did some drastic editing. On the technology side, this project was developed based on the current mobile technologies: 1. Android: Java programming, XML with JSON, Internet communication technology and database MySQL. 2. iOS: Objective-C and SWIFT programming with the iOS platform for software development.

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Step 5: Revise, revise, revise. It was easier to revise and edit on paper rather than in the app programming. We revised the stories and added as much detail as possible to the flow of the app. In this way, the programming team could have a simple job with minimal revisions in the code. Step 6: Revise the code. Even with attention to detail in the planning and printing, ​app developers will make mistakes, come up with better ideas, and realize the advantages and drawbacks of the interface. An app development team should be open to communication and “restarting” an area or idea. Step 7: Expand testing and revision. Before we rolled out the final version of the activity, the stories and the overall experience were tested by the developers and participants, and then by a focus group of ESL students. We thus discovered needs for both technical and design improvements.

14.6  Step-by-step directions for students Students should either download the Ten-Story Building app on an Android device (http://web.njcu.edu/sites/faculty/cshamburg/Content/projects.asp) or follow the instructor’s directions. 1. The Ten-Story Building game begins with the following message: The following stories are true. They were taken from cell phone records from an apartment building in northern New Jersey. They are being used for educational purposes only. Please do not attempt to investigate, identify, or contact the people involved. Their names have been changed to protect their privacy. Read the messages on these phones. Solve the phrasal verbs and then solve the dilemmas at the end of each story. The main menu is a list of the 10 interrelated stories, the Conclusion, and Who Did It? Story 1: New Job Story 2: Tommy is Missing Story 3: Wedding Date Story 4: Medical Affair Story 5: Dangerous Work Story 6: Warning to Kristen Story 7: Stolen Story 8: Parents’ Worries Story 9: Confused about Gay Marriage Story 10: Fear Loves Company Conclusion Who Did It? The 10 stories start out with two friends—Beth and Kristen—texting about Beth’s new job as a waitress. Eventually, we read stories about other residents of their building, Beth’s theft of money from her employer, Kristen’s affair with a married doctor, and a concluding murder—with 10 characters as suspects. Each new story deepens and expands the world of the Ten-Story Building.

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2. Players “unlock” stories by using the correct phrasal verbs. Here’s an excerpt from “Story 5: Dangerous Work.” The expression choices in > that were introduced in previous stories are then assessed in this one. The expressions in italics are introduced here and will be assessed later. John: Marc, I’m finished with the cleaning job. I need some work … the kind that pays a lot. Marc: What happened? You got going straight? Not enough excitement? John: Something like that. I’m your friend’s offer—to drive that truck on that special job. Can we talk about it? Marc: You should forget about it. You have a wife now … and kids. They need a dad who isn’t in jail. You said you were finished with the life of crime. John: They need food on the table. I’m more losing our apartment than losing my freedom. 3. Stories 7, 8, 9, and 10 feature fill-ins and not multiple choice.

At any time, players can scroll back to read the completed stories to find the correct phrasal verb.

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4. Aside from the scoring feature, there is a “personality assessment” built into the story. At the end of each story, players are asked to make some kind of prediction, such as these: Do you think Ravi is still interested in a relationship with Trevor? Y/N Did anything bad happen to Tommy? Y/N Do you trust Detective Deitrich? Y/N Based on their answers, at the end of stories 2, 5, and 10, they are given personality assessments such as the following: You have a strong streak of self-reliance in you. You’re a “self-made” person. You’re very protective and perceptive. You have a “sixth sense” that spots danger, which is very useful to you. You’re a risk taker. You know that fortune favors the bold. This was done to create some emotional interaction with the game. It was an extremely popular feature in the focus group research. 5. Finally, the player reads the Conclusion—a story about the scene of a murder—and then must go on to try to guess the suspect. 6. If this app is used formally in a class, there could be a debriefing. Students could share their scores and their mistakes. Classroom activities based on the 75 chosen phrasal verbs could be used to extend and transfer student facility with them. ●

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14.7  Approximate time required A single play at the app takes 25–35 minutes to complete. However, the initial scores tend to range from 120 to 134, not the potential of 150. It typically takes a much more deliberate approach (e.g., plenty of scrolling back and confirming work) or repeated play to hit the high score.

14.8  Readings and resources For developing game-like activities, these books were extremely helpful. Farber, M. (2014). Gamify your classroom. New York, NY: Peter Lange. Koster, R. (2004). A theory of fun for game design. Phoenix, AZ: Paraglyph Press. Mcgonigal, J. (2011). Reality is broken: Why games make us better and how they can change the world. New York, NY: Penguin Books. Salen, K., & Zimmerman, E. (2004). The Rule of Play. Boston, MA: MIT Press. Stewart, S. & Weisman, J. (2006). Cathy's book: If found call 650-266-8233.​ Philadelphia: Running Press.

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Some examples of prototyping tools: Marvel (https://marvelapp.com/) Principle for Mac (http://principleformac.com/) Solidify (http://www.solidifyapp.com/)

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Some examples of text-based language games: Mrgan, (2016). Blackbar. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/blackbar/id672002602?mt=8 North, R. (2015). To be or not to be. http://store.steampowered.com/app/324710/ Rajan, A. (2015) A dark room. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/a-dark-room/id736683061?mt=8

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14.9  Variations on the basic theme The content and activities in this app could be web-based or print-based. Actually, the idea for the app came from print, chiefly epistolary fiction and alternative reality games such as Cathy’s Book (Stewart & Weisman, 2006). Also, we have provided a list of the 75 phrasal verbs used in the app. A teacher or player can use them in other activities. However, a major variation would be a performance-based approach to using the stories. Each story could serve as a script for a dramatic interpretation. For example, this is “Story 7: Stolen” adapted for role-playing. Two Characters: Kristen and Beth STAGE DIRECTION: Kristen is sitting on a couch looking at her phone. Beth walks in and nervously paces around until she finally speaks to Kristen. Beth: Can I count on you to keep a secret? Kristen (looking up into Beth’s eyes): I’ve been doing a lot of that lately. Yes. Whatever it is. No one will learn about it from me. Beth (upset and almost crying): I stole $5000 from the restaurant, and I’m scared of getting caught. Kristen (jumps up, shocked): What?!? You’re Miss Goody Good. How did it happen? Beth (walks away…cannot look Kristen in the face): Basically, I took out an ice bucket. Kristen (follows Beth): Huh? I don’t understand. Go over it slowly. Beth (turns to Kristen, but looks at the floor): I can’t tell you. I’m too ashamed of what I’ve done. Kristen (bending down so she looks into Beth’s eyes): Don’t worry about what I think. I may not agree with what you did, but I’m always here for you. I’ve got your back. Beth (takes a deep breath): The manager is always careful with the cash, so he hides it in a bowl under the safe. I saw it in an ice bucket. I think the other waiter was planning to steal it. Everyone thinks he did it now. But really I just took it and walked out with it. I don’t know what came over me. Kristen (pats Beth’s shoulder): OK…I get it.

14.10  Observations and advice Ten-Story Building is a handheld app designed to teach one of the more difficult and important aspects of English for nonnative speakers—the phrasal verb (Liao & Fukuya, 2004; Lui, 2011). The target audience is intermediate or advanced ESL speakers who are fairly competent in expressive and receptive vocabulary but need assistance with phrasal verbs.

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We attempted to take a difficult skill— recognition of the idiomatically appropriate use of popular phrasal verbs—and teach it in a teacherless, authentic, and compelling way. We had numerous ideas for both the content and activities before we agreed to the ten short stories in a murder plot. One working definition of a phrasal verb is a verb + one or more prepositional or adverbial particles whose combination is fixed yet relatively arbitrary (e.g., succeed at but never succeed of) and functions as a single unit of meaning. Phrasal verbs include the verb “to be” with the addition of adjective + preposition (e.g., similar to) and adverb + preposition (e.g., friendly with) with relatively arbitrary combinations. We chose a set of 75 phrasal verbs that consisted of some of the most common ones in American English (Lui, 2011) augmented by an expert selection of difficult but important phrasal verbs for nonnative speakers. The app is a game-like teaching environment in which a player follows stories through the social media posts, text messages, and emails of several people. Each exchange is a unique, high-interest story, aimed at engaging college-age students. Authenticity is a key feature, but the stories follow the conventions of Standard American English. To move forward in the story, a user must correctly select a phrasal verb in context. One important feature is that each phrasal verb first appears in context before a player is asked to use it in context, so a user can remember the use or scroll back to reread it. The stories are designed to introduce and indirectly teach the phrase before a player is assessed on it. There is no profanity, but the stories do contain adult situations drug use, marital infidelity, theft-- addressed in respectful and responsible ways. We would recommend this app for users 18 and older. We wanted an app that would specifically address the interests of college-age adults, yet without offending sensibilities or cultures. The phrasal verb lends itself to these interconnected, authentic, and emotionally charged stories. It is a syntactical unit, a piece of language that conveys a united and unique meaning. Authentic conversations about important events and feelings seemed to be the most important vehicle for phrasal verb learning and practice.

Further reading Cooper. (n.d.). Designer’s toolkit: Prototyping tools. Retrieved from: . Farber, M. (2014). Gamify your classroom. New York: Peter Lange. Hayati, A., Jalilifar, A., & Mashhadi, A. (2013). Using short message service (SMS) to teach English idioms to EFL students. British Journal of Educational Technology, 44(1). Kim, H., & Kwon, Y. (2012). Exploring smartphone applications for effective mobile-assisted language learning. Multimedia-Assisted Language Learning, 15(1), 31–57. Koster, R. (2004). A theory of fun for game design. Phoenix, AZ: Paraglyph Press. Liao, Y., & Fukuya, Y. (2004). Avoidance of phrasal verbs: The case of Chinese learners of English. Language Learning, 54(2), 193–226.

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Lui, D. (2011). The most frequently used English Phrasal verbs in American and British English: A multicorpus examination. TESOL Quarterly, 45(4). Mcgonigal, J. (2011). Reality is broken: Why games make us better and how they can change the world. New York, NY: Penguin Books. Nassaji, H., & Tian, J. (2012). Collaborative and individual output tasks and their effects on learning English phrasal verbs. The Modern Language Journal, 96(3). Stewart, S., & Weisman, J. (2006). Cathy’s book: If found call 650-266-8233. Philadelphia: Running Press. Salen, K., & Zimmerman, E. (2004). The rule of play. Boston, MA: MIT Press. White, B. (2012). A conceptual approach to the instruction of phrasal verbs. The Modern Language Journal, 96(3).

14.11  Supplemental materials 14.11.1  Appendix A: Assessment rubric Score/time

Under 30 minutes

30–60 minutes

Over an hour

200–225

Idiomatic genius!

Steady hand. Good score. Try again but more quickly.

150–199

Speed master. You’re getting there… Slow down and perhaps jot down notes. Woodpecker. Do you know what you’re clicking?! Slow down and reread; the answers are there.

Midlevel. Practice. You’ll get better.

Turtle Award. Practice using and reading phrases in English. You got them, but it doesn’t look like it was easy. Redo, but also work with a native speaker if you can, and work on reading comprehension.

Below 150

Divide and Conquer. Focus on the first 5 stories.

Fun needed. Try to have fun. Focus on the first 2 stories and go over them with a native speaker.

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Emilee L. Simmons1, Dana C. D’Angelo2 and Jodi Cataline2 1 University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom 2Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States

15.1  Discipline/academic areas addressed Entrepreneurship; Enterprise; New Venture Creation; Project Management; Business Studies.

15.2  Instructional purpose Globalization has quickly moved from the academic to an everyday reality. This is true with the Internet and availability for individuals to travel, in addition to businesses harnessing this global reach, some for daily business survival (see OECD, 2008). To this end, universities have been working to find better ways to prepare students for this international environment, either through international programs (see Crossman & Clarke, 2010) or through developing partnerships with businesses. When universities ask businesses what the gaps are for students, a common rhetoric amongst businesses is that students need more development of their “practical” or “professional” skills in addition to academic acumen (see Andrews & Higson, 2008). A study on the top skills employers look for in new graduates discovered that the following were in the top 10: integrity, communication, courtesy, responsibility, social skills, positive attitude, professionalism, flexibility, teamwork, and work ethic (Robles, 2012). All of which are fantastic skills for the workplace, but can be more difficult for students to practice in the classroom. To this end, the Drexel Leeds Global Classroom (DLGC) program works in tandem with the curriculum to enhance students’ ability to “put theory into practice,” while harnessing the benefits of globalization to better their understanding of working in collaborative, international teams and building demonstrable employability skills.

15.2.1  Background of global classrooms at Drexel University In 2013, the Drexel University Office of International Programs (OIP) launched the Global Classroom (GC) program to promote internationalizing the classroom, and to provide students with opportunities for international experiences while remaining Unplugging the Classroom. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102035-7.00015-1 Copyright © 2017 Emilee L. Simmons, Dana C. D’Angelo and Jodi Cataline. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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on campus. GCs are courses that engage Drexel students with partner universities abroad through a range of projects and assignments using a variety of interactive technologies. Faculty members from any discipline are encouraged to incorporate a global dimension into their already developed and scheduled class, and to link it to a class of students at an international partner institution. OIP provides small faculty stipends, partnership development support, and referrals to technology services. Students collaborate on projects as part of international e-teams, review and evaluate each other’s work, jointly present projects and findings, and engage in a diverse range of technology-enhanced international relationships. The GC program has been recognized at all levels of the University and is directly connected to the University’s strategic plan initiative: “Enhance Drexel’s Global Impact… by preparing citizens of the world who are conversant with the broad array of global opportunities and challenges. Develop courses that compare and contrast different cultures and foster cultural competencies.”

15.2.2 Background of internationalization at Leeds University business school The University of Leeds is recognized as an international institution, with students representing over 140 countries and staff representing over 90 different countries. At the Business School (LUBS) alone over 45% of the teaching staff is international. This international theme is also evident in the research and teaching strategies within the faculty. Like Drexel, there is a strong internationalization agenda that focuses on programs for students from study abroad and international industrial placements. Furthermore, the “internationalization at home” strategy centers on in-curriculum activities, e.g., GCs and intercultural competency classes, as well as extracurricular activities linked with the Opportunities Hub, where students can learn from international business leaders through mentorship schemes and programs such as Leaders in Residence.

15.2.3  Background to the DLGC program There are many known differences between higher education institutions, from timetabling to delivery of classes. Therefore, this section will give a brief introduction to the main educational structures of the Drexel and Leeds classes that participated in the DLGC, before discussing the overall context of the program itself. Students taking part in the DLGC from Leeds University Business School were part of the module (course) LUBS1890: Starting Your Own Business (see online module catalog). The course runs in the first semester, which runs for 11 weeks, typically starting in the final week of September, with exams in January. It is taught using team-based and experiential learning approaches, with emphasis on learning knowledge online (virtual learning environments, or VLEs, and videos) and “practicing” this theory/knowledge using classroom time within 2-hour interactive workshops per week. It is compulsory for UG management students, which averages 200–240

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students per year; therefore, to be interactive the students are split into 3–4 cohorts of 60–75 students. Due to the size of the course, the DLGC is voluntary/extracurricular. Students taking part in the DLGC from LeBow Business School at Drexel University were part of the course BUSN101: Foundations of Business I. The course runs in the first semester, which begins mid-September and runs for 11 weeks. The classes are delivered twice per week, with additional field trips, professional and faculty experiences, and enhanced assignments. It is compulsory for undergraduate students, which can average 20–50 students per year, because the DLGC is limited to two cohorts of student learning communities. The DLGC is worth 10–15% of the students’ total grade. The DLGC project consisted of a 4–6 week activity whereby the students (e.g., ideally two Drexel and two Leeds) were asked to work together remotely to create a new product and/or service, which they had to pitch (simultaneously) to a panel of experts and academics in both the United Kingdom and United States. For the Drexel students, this was part of their curriculum and therefore was assessed, whereas Leeds students could volunteer to take part, thus illustrating the flexibility of this type of project and the adaptability that may occur when working with foreign/other institutions. The DLGC promotes teaching and learning outside of traditional classroom as well as lifelong learning. Specifically, it supports the overall skills for a professional career by: 1. exposing student participants to using research, critical thinking, and collaboration through synchronous cross-disciplinary teamwork among the two universities; 2. using various online tools for real-time meetings, presentations, and discussions, as well as sharing of documents and collateral permanent to the project; 3. allowing students to develop their creativity and addressing customer needs in an entrepreneurial mindset.

In addition to discussing a GC in general, the instructions and materials provided in this chapter are based on a “case study” of the latest DLGC, with the overall experience forming useful tips in italics. From there, the reader can develop a GC project relevant to a unique course.

15.3  Student learning outcomes Following Bloom’s KSAs (1956) and Kolb’s experiential learning process (1984), the overarching objectives are for students to: Knowledge: gain insight into discipline-specific concepts and principles; using a practice-based environment to ensure knowledge is embedded and holistic (can also be applied outside the curriculum and/or in their career);

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Skills: develop key skills that employers look for, ranging from conducting primary and secondary research to communication, project management, and teamworking skills;

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develop communication skills through both live (oral) and virtual (written) real-time conversation, using collaboration access tools, such as Google Docs; convey information via presentation tools, such as PowerPoint or Prezi; and conduct formal presentation to both an in-person and virtual live audience; develop social skills working with culturally diverse teams, in differing time zones and with various backgrounds;

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Mindset/Attitude: expand their understanding and awareness of international cultures, thus helping to prepare them to become global citizens; understand the cultural differences when working with members of a team not only from other countries, but living and studying in another country as well; realize that “global experience” does not only mean physical travel; appreciate the idea of gaining global experience from the start of university study.

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15.3.1 Within our project, the following objectives were explicitly directed to the students The objective of this assignment is to give you an opportunity to deliver an informative presentation surrounding a new business opportunity. You and your group will work together to deliver a cohesive, informative summary of your business idea. Each part of this assignment will be evaluated on the following criteria: understand competition and marketplace dynamics in successfully developing a new business idea make collaborative decisions and enhance skills in communication, delegation of responsibilities, conflict resolution, and time management explore and understand some of the tasks and responsibilities associated with entrepreneurship prepare a 6-minute PowerPoint or Prezi presentation to best display relevant and persuasive data understand the culture of your international team and be able to work collaboratively in an international team to deliver an effective final idea and pitch

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15.4  Prerequisite skills and knowledge The project was originally developed and designed for undergraduate university students (particularly first-year students); however, a more generalized GC could be created for lower or higher levels of students (i.e., secondary school to postgraduate). The main prerequisites and/or skills they could learn through the GC project could be: good general computer and Internet skills good time management and project management skills good general communication skills; more specifically a shared/common language between the different students good open-minded attitudes and interest in such a project

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With regards to the case study, students were required to have these skills with the addition of: basic business and entrepreneurship knowledge

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15.5  Step-by-step directions This area will provide step-by-step instructions by breaking down our experience of the GC project into seven different sections, from preplanning to final evaluations. Each of these sections will provide information for both faculty and students, as well as provide insights based on what has been learned over the years. Initiating a GC: The Six-Minute Pitch Project For reference, Drexel University is referred below as University A, and Leeds University as University B; since both universities equally share participation and collaboration in the project.

15.6  Step-by-step directions for instructors 15.6.1  Section 1: prior to the onset of the GC Prior to the onset of the Global Classroom (GC) Faculty from both universities

Find partner institution and contact the faculty. Establish a good working relationship between GC staff members and the faculty institution prior to planning. Establish time frame for class within the course syllabus. The student project can run for either the full term or semester or can run as a short project within a course itself. GC partners must communicate prior to students “meeting” in Global Classroom. Create a lesson plan and timeline for when students should meet either synchronously or asynchronously. A critical part of a successful GC is making sure students are fully aware of what is expected, how it is scheduled to run, and what outcomes are planned for the students. An agreed-upon design and framework is critical, but assessment from one institution to another can vary. For example, this can be a voluntary assignment for one institution and graded by the other. This is still okay as it is more critical that parameters are defined. If the GC is built into the syllabus, then assessments are determined well ahead of the course starting, per institution regulations. If the GC is voluntary, then clear communications about how to sign up and the benefits of participation should be considered at this time. Refer to Appendix A (Handout to Students: Objectives and Marking Criteria) for a sample project assignment.

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Prior to the onset of the Global Classroom (GC) Both universities contact key technology personnel to see what software (e.g., Skype, Zoom, VLE) could be employed during synchronous classroom activities and ensure classrooms are equipped with technology. It is crucial to test the ability to teach synchronous live GC sessions. Both universities should have tech support personnel who communicate with one another to ensure success. A contingency plan is helpful in the event of a technology failure. Be sure faculty are aware and equipped to move forward with asynchronous classroom activities if technology fails on one or both sides of the classroom. Textbook For the DLGC (Drexel Leeds Global Classroom), both universities used or other an assessment from Ennea International to enhance the GC by building material students’ awareness on individual and team personality traits (the Integrated requirements Mastery Index (IMI) tool). This is not essential, but could add value to the GC project. The software vendor was contacted prior to the project inception, and licensing was obtained. If using a vendor, communication is key prior to project start, as they may have had similar projects or may be willing to test project prior to student engagement. If any external materials are used, such as a textbook or a computer simulation program, be sure to have resources such as logins available prior to start of the GC. Team project Teams should be set up as evenly as possible, e.g., a mixture of three/four component University A students and two/three University B students for the pitch based on classroom sizes. Groups of more than five students are not advised. Setting up teams and verifying student email addresses is important. This information will be shared with students at the start of the project (see Day One) and is used to expedite the project, as well as enhance buy-in from the students from day one. Thus, they know the project, they know the group members, and the professors can build excitement by sharing that information prior to the first meeting online. It is important to have the groups arranged prior to the start of the GC. It again is allowing for both faculties to coordinate, communicate, and implement the classroom and in essence work as a team themselves. This works with faculty members as well. There can be, e.g., two University A faculty and one University B faculty, so it doesn’t necessarily have to be one-to-one coordinating, but instead a group effort. Outside Send email or otherwise contact potential panelists to “save the date” to panelists judge the pitch competition. Panelists can include other faculty, alumni, staff, as well as the local or guest business community. reviewers There should be three to five outside panelists scheduled on both sides to allow for a variety of feedback to the students as well as lively discussion during the judging part of the project. Technology needs

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15.6.2  Section 2: week prior to first GC meeting Week prior to first Global Classroom (GC) meeting Faculty from both universities

Technology needs Textbook or other material requirements

If using Ennea International (the IMI tool) or other personality and/or teamwork questionnaires: Students are sent an email from instructor(s) as well as a cue from Ennea International asking to complete the online “personality and teamwork” questionnaire. The instructors need to work directly with Ennea International to set up student profiles, emails, and the named facilitator, or they will need to coordinate that request with the Ennea director to ensure there is enough time allowed from when the email is initially sent to students through to completing the questionnaire. The instructors will have to monitor student engagement, and ensure all students complete on time. The instructors will need to initiate or combine student profile reports into one team report; this aspect of the project requires up to four hours of instructor prep time to execute depending on class size, and may have to be done piecemeal if students are lagging behind in completing the questionnaire. Needs during this component are a computer and Internet access.

Materials are purchased or licensed from Ennea International obtained at a reduced student cost. Faculty can become certified in Ennea delivery and therefore have access to do this aspect efficiently. Alternatively, the vendor can help set up the Ennea tool. Team project Although teams were defined in step 1, a critical component of this GC was component employing Ennea as a team-building tool and assessment. Teams do not need to be built based on any Ennea criteria or output, but once teams are defined it is best to keep the Ennea theme constant throughout the project. If a student drops from the course, and teams are unevenly distributed feel free to move students to create even numbers of participants in groups. However, this is not critical.

15.6.3  Section 3: first day of first GC meeting First day of first Global Classroom (GC) meeting Faculty from both universities

Prior to starting the synchronous session, have partners connect using the agreed technology, and discuss the agenda for the day. This will allow for a seamless synchronous execution. The setup prior to class meeting times allows for execution and participation to happen immediately, instead of “wasting” class time and allowing students to focus energy elsewhere.

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First day of first Global Classroom (GC) meeting Typical first meetings could be a single hour of synchronous class time, or less if there are time constraints. Student success in the GC is also based on having a “professor” who they are familiar with, even if that professor is not responsible for assessment. The discussion will enable respect and trust built on both sides of the classroom between student and professors. Absence of this will make the project lopsided and add confusion. This step is imperative to keep classrooms focused, prepared, and responsible for the outcome of the overall project. GC faculty in both locations should have “face-time” or contact time with both groups of students on this first day. Have faculty introduce themselves, the project, and the intent of the meeting. The “first day” is about getting the students together for the first time and going over the project objectives and learning outcomes, the milestones, and deadlines. It also gets them to think about teamwork plus meeting virtually with their groups. A successful project can be planned to the extreme, but without student buy-in on both sides of the GC, it will not be successful. Therefore, it is important to have ice-breakers or create an initial “virtual meeting” during this first class. It does not need to be documented, or formal; it can even be done using Facebook Groups or other social media. It does, however, need to happen; there needs to be time allocated for the exchange of introductions, which will also build excitement for the project. Technology Ensure tech support is involved prior to start of the GC to help set up the needs session. This includes having technology personnel attend class prior to the start (about 15 minutes earlier) to help the faculty “set up” any sessions across all locations/institutions. During the synchronous sessions, make sure that once the room is set up that the microphones are muted until needed. Otherwise, this can interfere with not only your classroom, but the other classroom as well. Only turn on the microphone when you are ready to teach as a whole unit. Keeping the live video streams of both classes running, while the sound is muted, does not pose an adverse effect on the synchronous sessions. Textbook It is crucial to introduce the project requirements as well as criteria for or other success. If using external reporting like Ennea International, then it may be material requirements worthwhile to go over the Ennea team reports, but only if they are ready. This can be done at a later stage. Team project Teams get to meet! This is very beneficial and exciting for students on day component one, and generates a lot of interest and momentum for the project. This should be informal—a “getting to know you” activity only—and only planned for maybe 10–15 minutes at most, so that students are focused but not overwhelmed if dialog does not happen naturally. Icebreaker activities prepared by faculty also aid in this contact exercise.

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15.6.4 Section 4: maintenance of the GC (reassessment and evaluation m­id­pr­oj­ec­t) Maintenance of the Global Classroom (GC) Once the project has officially begun, i.e., teams have officially met and work is progressing on the project itself, it is important for faculty on both sides to monitor progress by regularly checking in with the students. This should happen weekly at a minimum and the check-ins should be conducted at the class level with faculty asking questions or drawing out content and progression of the project, but also should be conducted by faculty or teaching assistants at the individual group level. For voluntary GCs, the class time check-ins could be during the final 15 minutes of the regular class time. Challenges can arise in terms of lack of communication and contribution when members are in the same classroom, but this can be elevated at the GC level if maintenance and monitoring are not happening from the faculty of the project. If working with an international partner institution, then differences in time zones can also make this a challenge for students. This also includes “overzealous” students who may work ahead and exclude their international partner. In this case, staff needs to intervene and support students to work through their issues as a team. It is critical that faculty checks in with their domestic students on both sides, and that students are all contributing equally to the GC project. While this is predetermined by faculty prior to the start of the class, it is also good practice to copy in any and all relevant check-ins with the other institutions as well, so that everyone is on the same page and using the same language to provide feedback and guidance. Technology Continued communication and scheduled online sessions need to be needs managed every time the classes meet in a synchronous environment. Technology personnel should be booked for every applicable session well in advance, so they are aware of the GC and can staff appropriately. Confirm with all technology personnel prior to a synchronous teaching day. Make sure technology personnel are in the classroom 15 minutes prior to the start of every synchronous class for support. Textbook No specific materials are necessary; however, if you are using an outside or other resource such as a professional development tool, be sure to contact the material vendor and work out prior to the GC all of the required logistics. requirements If using a professional development tool, it can be used before, during, and after the project so keep students aware of this if it is necessary. The Ennea International assessment can be done as an individual reflection preteamwork, a team assessment pre–team engagement and then two postassessments (one individual and one team that are reflective in nature). It can be preplanned via a joint syllabus where both institutions agree to learning outcomes and use of the tool. Also very helpful and a best practice would be to weave the use of materials or textbook content throughout the project and then allow the project to have its own standalone features. Faculty from both universities

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Maintenance of the Global Classroom (GC) Team project Synchronous versus asynchronous project work will occur during this component phase. As in the real world, time differences are also a crucial part of a GC. Therefore, students will need to learn to balance their academic schedules outside of the GC project. This is where the asynchronous content comes in and is crucial for project progression and completion. During check-in phases, ask students how work is being completed, how they are “meeting,” and how they plan to compile their data. Students should not Skype only when necessary or in the classroom itself and then go off and work independently. Communication outside the classroom should occur somewhat regularly depending on the project timeline and scope. Ultimately, faculty should communicate that some asynchronous project work will happen naturally, but that teams should also have preplanned meetings scheduled outside of class as well. Outside Refer to Appendix E (Example Panelist List). Send an email communication confirming guest reviewer participation in panelists the assessment. or guest Panelists should also be given the details of the assignment, and the reviewers grading rubric they will be using to provide feedback on the day. It is important to keep panelists aware of time commitments and responsibilities prior to arrival. Panelists will need to contribute to judging during class time, as well as be scheduled to provide feedback immediately following the class. At this point, the panelists should meet (virtually) with panelists from the other institution to assess the students’ projects and performance.

1­5.­6.­5  Section 5: the GC project panel (the pitch day) The Global Classroom (GC) project panel Faculty from both universities

Faculty ensures that technology is running, microphones are turned on, and students are in the classroom prior to the start of the presentations. Depending on how the presentation day is run and the number of participating groups, this could be a single 2-hour class/event, or it could be spread out over several days. It is helpful if only one faculty member conducts the order of the day, otherwise signals can be crossed and time mismanaged. Each faculty member introduces the panelists initially and then sets an order to the structure of the day. It is important to determine which groups are presenting, as well as hand out assessment forms to both panelists and students and to collect them at the end of the day.

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The Global Classroom (GC) project panel

Technology needs

Students are not present at the panelist project assessment after the class finishes. This time is for faculty and judges only, as they determine a “winner” of the project and assess the project performance for all of the groups collectively. It is also important to have planned and informed panelists of this time after the event/class in order to discuss the outcomes of the presentations; this is where lunch/dinner can be provided to say thank you. Faculty collect evaluation forms at end of project and bundle together by group, as there are several panelists and several groups. Faculty can hand back original forms to teams postproject or can summarize overall contents in a separate document for each student. Ensure that tech personnel are there prior to class beginning, maybe even 20 minutes prior so that everything can be tested and explained to the guest panelists as well as students. This is ultimately the most important day of the project, so it must be executed as flawlessly as possible. Ensure there is a backup if technology fails. Ensure microphones are working and work with tech personnel in the other location to ensure all set up properly. N/A; however, students may be given evaluation sheets to complete in order to be engaged with the other presentations, and provide peer-to-peer feedback.

Textbook or other material requirements Team project The team component requires all students to be professionally dressed, component since they are presenting to experts on the panel. The most critical part of this team project may be the questions and answers following the presentation. It is very important for groups to allow students from both institutions to answer questions from the panelists. If for example a panelist from University B asks a question, then a University A student should be prompted to answer, and vice versa. This makes for a more cohesive experience. If questions and answers are lopsided either by panelists or by the students answering it is up to the faculty members to balance out the Q&A session, so that one partner is not dominating the conversation. Otherwise it will exclude the others and that could be upsetting to the students. Outside Guests will arrive prior to the start of class. It is important for them to be panelists introduced to everyone in the GC, not just the members sitting in that room. It is also important that the microphones are on and that the rooms are fairly or guest quiet in terms of background noise so panelists have opportunity to speak. reviewers Panelists should be given a list of presentation summaries and evaluation forms prior to the start, so that they can complete these during and after the presentations. Refer to Appendix B (Judge’s Rubric and Comments Sheet). Refer to Appendix D (Example Student Idea List).

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15.6.6  Section 6: assessment of student performance in the GC Assessment of student performance in the Global Classroom (GC) Faculty from both universities

Technology needs Textbook or other material requirements Team project component Outside panelists or guest reviewers

Students were assessed in their GC project with evaluation forms (two sets) given to both reviewers (which included the faculty), as well as to the students not presenting, in the form of a peer student evaluation. Both universities should use the same assessment form for continuity. The assessment form can contain information such as “team dynamics,” “pitch content,” and “presentation skills.” It can also address whether the content was appropriate to be marketed in both countries, as well as an area to address whether the content was delivered evenly by all team members, and not focused on just one side presenting or vice versa. N/A If using an IMI tool, then a continuation of this tool for self-reflection and evaluation is needed. Students can continue to use their given reports on both individual and team aspects for their self-assessments and reflections, and later in other professional development contexts during their university career. Students should be graded as a team, not as individual members. Teams should be graded in both locations, even if one is voluntary based (provides additional feedback to the student in a medium they are used to). N/A. Although the panelists themselves are not directly involved in the assessment of student performance and/or grading the project, the content from reviewers/panelists is considered by both faculties when determining a grade (especially in the Q&A). Refer to Appendix C (Example of a Completed Judge’s Rubric and Comments Sheet).

15.6.7  Section 7: wrapping up the GC, reflection and evaluation Wrapping up the Global Classroom (GC), reflection and evaluation Faculty from both universities

Technology needs Textbook or other material requirements

Give certificates of participation to students signed by professors at each university as a token of their work in the GC initiative. This is a nice token to give to students to include on their CVs. It is also important for all faculty members to hold a debrief meeting. The agenda of the debrief meeting is to run through what works, what needs to be improved upon from both parties, and the continuation (or not) of the GC itself. N/A; however, it is good practice to send thank you notes to tech personnel from all faculty involved in the GC, across the institutions. N/A

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Wrapping up the Global Classroom (GC), reflection and evaluation Team project Teams will receive feedback and a grade (formative/summative) from both component professors on the outcome of their work in the GC project. It is a group assessment and therefore a group grade, with no individual grade or feedback. Outside Thank guest reviewers via email for dedicating time for the GC initiative. If budgets allow, a token memento can be provided. This could be lunch/ panelists dinner during the debriefing/feedback session after the students have or guest presented. reviewers

15.7  Step-by-step directions for students 15.7.1  Section 1: prior to the onset of the GC Prior to the onset of the Global Classroom (GC) University B students (i.e., voluntary)

University A students (i.e., assessed)

The GC can be advertised as part of a module, and students would receive information on how to sign up for the project. You may be asked to email an “expression of interest” to be enrolled in the GC. This is just a quick email to state that you want to participate in the project, why you want to be involved, and that you can make the necessary time commitments. Staff will communicate that strict attendance is required for a successful project, especially if it is an optional project on your curriculum. Students may be part of a course cohort determined on student interest when enrolling in the university initially. These students are aware of the GC project based on promotion, and are automatically signed up. If the GC is integrated into your program and/or module, then you will be given explicit instructions in the beginning about what it involves and how it will be assessed.

15.7.2  Section 2: week prior to first GC meeting Week prior to first Global Classroom (GC) meeting Students from both universities

Technology needs

Both universities may be using a personality and/or team-building tool to help students succeed in the GC project. If this is the case, students will need to complete any/all questionnaire(s), which can take up to two hours of outside class time and should be completed in one single sitting so results are not skewed by your environment. Students will receive an insight report into their personality traits and preferences, which will be used for discussion and team collaboration. If your GC professor is using an assessment tool or questionnaire, then needs during this component are a computer and Internet access.

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Week prior to first Global Classroom (GC) meeting Textbook Materials may need to be purchased or licensed from companies such as or other Ennea International, but can often be obtained at a reduced student cost. material Your universities will let you know if there is a cost associated with any requirements materials well in advance of the project starting.

15.7.3  Section 3: first day of first GC meeting First day of first Global Classroom (GC) meeting If time allows, students will be encouraged to engage in the GC dialog as well. This can be done via online communications technology; alternatively email or FaceTime formats work just as well. On day one, you may be given your team’s information (e.g., email, Skype name, etc.) immediately following the project outline and description. You will also be given a bit of time during the synchronous GC to “meet” your team and learn more about each other through ice-breaker type activities. Technology You may be allowed to use any type of technology (e.g., tablet, Skype, needs etc.) to “meet” your team members. Most students chose to use Facebook or FaceTime on their personal smart devices. Just ensure technology is available in the classroom location and that the location is free from too many outside noises or interferences. Team project Teams get to meet! This is very beneficial and exciting for students on day component one, and generates a lot of interest and momentum for the project. This is done as an informal activity, i.e., an ice-breaker “getting to know you” event. Students from both universities

15.7.4 Section 4: maintenance of the GC (reassessment and evaluation midproject) Maintenance of the Global Classroom (GC) Students from both universities Technology needs Team project component

See team project component.

Students will need to regularly use a computer and/or smart device as well as have Internet access to work on the project and connect with their team. Students will find that they have the freedom to work when it suits their team. This may mean meeting at the same time online (synchronous) or completing work in their own time zone, then sharing it with the group to revise in their own time (asynchronous). To help with managing your time: the average DLGC (Drexel Leeds Global Classroom) group met at least once a week synchronously and then completed various pieces of work asynchronously. Overall, our DLGC students averaged about 2–4 hours per week.

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15.7.5  Section 5: the GC project panel (the pitch day) The Global Classroom (GC) project panel Students from both universities

Students prepare to present, have content in a slide presentation, and are professionally dressed and rehearsed. Due to the time constraints of a 6-minute pitch, rehearsing often and well in advance of the pitch is crucial to your group’s success. Students will introduce themselves and other team members, even those at the other institution, which makes it much more team oriented and shows the true nature of a GC team project. Students should split the project as evenly as possible, so that not everyone presents necessarily but everyone has content included in the presentation. If students are not presenting that moment or even that day (the day can be split into two sessions if there are many projects and/or time constraints) then students will be completing evaluation forms for the other student groups who are presenting. Students may be asked to provide peer feedback via forms handed out prior to the presentations.

Textbook or other material requirements Team project The team component requires all students to be professionally dressed, component since they are presenting to experts on the panel. Students will need to introduce each other at start of their presentation, allowing all to participate even if all do not present because of time constraints. The most critical part of this team project may be the questions and answers following the presentation. It is very important for groups to allow students from both institutions to answer questions from the panelists. If for example a panelist from University B asks a question, then a University A student should be prompted to answer, and vice versa. This makes for a more cohesive classroom. If questions and answers are lopsided either by panelists or by the students answering, it is up to the faculty members to balance out the Q&A session, so that one partner is not dominating the conversation. Otherwise it will exclude the others and that could be upsetting to the students. Therefore, practicing for potential Q&As is highly recommended.

15.7.6  Section 6: assessment of student performance in the GC Assessment of student performance in the Global Classroom (GC) University B students (i.e., voluntary)

Students are given a peer evaluation form to complete for members within the team. It contains categories to comment on such as how well the students worked and presented in a group, and whether the product pitched was viable in both marketplaces. The comments should be returned to you after the project for your own benefit and self-reflection. Refer to Appendix G (Example Peer Review Feedback Form).

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Assessment of student performance in the Global Classroom (GC) University students are given a peer evaluation form to complete that evaluates the members of the group based on both individual and group dynamics. A reflective component using the Ennea IMI tool may also be weaved throughout the GC for University A students as part of their grade. There were reflections written both on individual and group dynamics that students had to reflect on referencing the Ennea tool. Textbook If using IMI or other tools to support their learning, students can continue or other to use their given reports on both individual and team aspects for their selfmaterial assessments and reflections, and later in other professional development requirements contexts during their university career. University A students (i.e., assessed)

15.7.7  Section 7: wrapping up the GC, reflection and evaluation Wrapping up the Global Classroom (GC), reflection and evaluation University B students (i.e., voluntary) University A students (i.e., assessed)

Students receive a certificate of participation and are thanked for their efforts. If this was a voluntary/optional component of the course, then you were not formally assessed; however, it is still important that you provide feedback on your overall experience (feedback forms will be provided). Students are given a certificate of participation and are thanked for their efforts. Because this was part of their grade, they received a letter grade for the project, which was included in their final grade on the course. If using any external tools (e.g., Ennea IMI), you may also be asked to complete a final evaluation on the project including using the reflective component of this tool. Refer to Appendix F (Example Reflective Assignment).

15.8  Approximate time required As emphasized in previous sections, more of the educator’s time is spent during the planning phase than the delivery, as the delivery is more student driven. The time required for students can vary depending on the project you wish to employ; however, in this case we do suggest an average of 4–6 weeks per project. This can factor as 30%–60% of the entire course period. Below is an example of what this can look like using our 6-minute pitch case study

15.8.1  Week 1: launch In-Class Workshop: Team Allocations (1 hour class time; synchronous classroom). This is the launch of the project and a quick introduction including an outline of the learning objectives, before students are put into teams.

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15.8.2  Week 1 onwards: students only Start of Remote Teamwork (approximately 1–3 hours outside of class; 5 weeks total). This is at the students’ discretion, as long as they meet at least once a week and complete the work to the milestones given.

15.8.3  Week 2/3: teamwork In-Class Workshop: Further Teamwork (1 hour; synchronous classroom). This is another early chance to get  all the groups together to discuss and deliver teambuilding activities and to answer any questions about the project (which at this point are usually quite general and useful for all groups).

15.8.4  Week 6: final week In-Class Panel Event (2–3 hours; synchronous classroom). Depending on how many groups you have it could be approximately 10 minutes per group (6 minutes for the pitch and 4 minutes for Q&A) plus at least 3–5 minutes to transfer between groups. Therefore, this could be a single one-day or multiple-day event. Typically, they last around 2 hours, with an additional 30 minutes afterwards for panelists and educators to decide on the top teams.

15.9  Readings and resources The major technology resource is the virtual conferencing system, and then the physical facilities to support that system. Drexel LeBow has been using Zoom software, with the majority of rooms set up with both multiple large and small screens, standalone and room-sensor microphones, and access to all software needed. Both global locations should have a technology specialist on call and present for technology support during key sessions. Leeds University Business School uses a bespoke Lecture Capture system that feeds into a Blackboard VLE and BB Collaborate system. Although both Drexel and Leeds use BB Collaborate, it was decided to use Zoom for the DLCG project, with Leeds providing multiple camera and microphone feeds from their end during the synchronous classrooms. There are no required technologies or websites, as such. There are good examples of GC through the Drexel website, including news stories and links to GC examples across various disciplines: http://drexel.edu/oip/academics/globalclassroom/. Please see appendices to this chapter. We have provided a variety of handouts and materials that we have personally used, which you may find useful in understanding our approach to the GC project and/or to use as templates for your own GC. The supplementary materials are as follows:

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15.9.1  For students 1. Handout to Students: Objectives and Marking Criteria (Appendix A) 2. Example Reflective Assignment (Appendix F): This could be one of a series of small assignments connected to the GC to enhance students’ understanding. 3. Peer Review Feedback Form (Appendix G). In-class feedback form that may be used for peer-to-peer evaluation of the GC.

15.9.2  For educators 1. 2. 3. 4.

Handout to Students: Objectives and Marking Criteria (Appendix A). Judge’s Rubric and Comments Sheet (Appendix B). Example of a Completed Judge’s Rubric and Comments Sheet (Appendix C). Example Student Idea List (Appendix D): Provided to panelists before judging. This gives the panelists an idea of what to expect and to keep track of the various ideas during the judging. 5. Example Panelist List (Appendix E). 6. Example Reflective Assignment (Appendix F): One of a series of small assignments connected to the GC to enhance students’ understanding. 7. Peer Review Feedback Form (Appendix G): Basic in-class feedback template that may be used peer-to-peer to evaluate the GC.

15.10  Variations on the basic theme As a rule of thumb, the technology should be kept simple and cheap (if not free). The idea of a GC is to open the world to the students, but in a way that is not constricting to both the educators and the students themselves. Therefore, educators are encouraged to use what technological resources they have and to seek out online sources that are free and widely used/tested. Students are encouraged to engage with their peers as they see fit, therefore, using any technology that all members feel comfortable using. This idea supports the “any time, any place” learning since the GC is student led, and they have control of how, where, and when they engage with the project. GC projects can also be utilized for any discipline. Again, see http://drexel.edu/oip/ academics/global-classroom/previous/ for specific examples. The main considerations for educators would be: 1. finding the right international partner(s) to work with; 2. making sure there are compatible technologies and/or learning online software they can access together; 3. ensuring the project itself has clear, achievable learning outcomes within the timeframe that benefit both classes in some way (might not be exactly the same course for example, or could be slightly different approaches to a similar subject).

15.11  Observations and advice 15.11.1  What makes this different? A GC project provides the opportunity for students to explore particular academic concepts in a practical way, which encourages students to think creatively and to gain

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useful employment skills that they might not get in the classroom. The project also opens their minds to the possibility of a classroom outside the physical environment, and allows students to work collaboratively in international teams, driven by the students themselves.

15.11.2  What makes this important? A GC can provide the following: Students get a chance to do something outside the classroom to benefit their education and their employability skills. Educators can do something that is creative and exciting, moving beyond the classroom, and have more engaged, motivated students. Alumni and partners can forge and/or strengthen external partnerships through these projects. Universities can use this to foster new or further develop their international partnerships.

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15.11.3  What makes this powerful? The flexibility of the GC makes this a very powerful tool for any educator. The simplicity in the idea—i.e., basically bringing two international classes together to collaborate on a project—also adds to this, as it can be delivered in virtually any manner, any discipline and at any time. Also, depending on how the GC is conducted, it can run with virtually no budget—as here the educator’s time in planning can be the main, crucial cost. For the students, it’s a powerful experience, because they have the opportunity to have a “study abroad” experience without having to leave the classroom—so no added expenses, no stress to make travel arrangements, and effectively no need to leave the country. For the stakeholders (both internal and external) it’s an exciting way to work with students, it’s a great way to showcase the work at the institution, and it’s a great way for all types of individuals to get involved and get excited about working together.

What lessons have you learned in using this with your students?

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Learning from the DLGC, we see the following key areas for improvement and lessons learned. At the Strategic Level Leverage university resources. We didn’t do this in the beginning and instead relied on ourselves to source everything. Though once the project was successful, this did make leveraging the resources much easier. Follow up and share results with all interested parties. This needs to be done in a timely fashion; typically, within a week of the final panel event. After this, we would suggest delivering regular updates and delivering at conferences to increase the exposure of the initiative. Promote and market the project for exposure. This is again something we did not do a lot of in the beginning, which did not do us any favors. So we are now much more conscious of getting the project marketed well and regularly. Incorporate additional dialog through backchannels. Understanding how to acquire the resources, etc. needed (ties in with the following point). Secure senior level buy-in and support (potentially university-wide). This is also important for future strategies and iterations of the project, which may be embedded in the curriculum and therefore take time and paperwork! As an Educator Debrief with partner faculty and adjust details in a timely manner. We would recommend being in regular contact, even in the months before/after the event. Establish a good working relationship with your partner and try for similar teaching styles. This makes everyone’s lives easier and helps to stabilize the working relationship. Establish the project with direct student career growth. For example, make sure there are employability and opportunity links within the projects. Photograph/film activity. We also forgot to do a lot of this in the beginning and so we relied on mobile phone cameras. Having a few professional photographs is always worthwhile. Keep the technology simple, always triple check it, and have A–Z backup plans (ones without tech too). The connection could go down, so it’s worth having backup activities and plans in case this happens. For the Students A GC helps to build relationships with students domestically before going global, an example being study abroad. Keep teams evenly balanced (e.g., two from each university; not one and three, etc.). This way, students have someone in their home country to speak to and collaborate with face-toface as well. Allow students to engage in their own style and platforms they know (e.g., Facebook). This makes the work easier for the students and it is one less thing as an educator you have to worry about. Remember to always have shared explicit instructions and milestones, with regular support for students (including out-of-hours contact). This includes keeping the project challenging, yet simple in its design so that it can be concisely and effectively communicated as well as completed in a timely fashion.

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Overview of Faculty Tips from the DLCG Program: DREXEL build students relationships domestically before going global and keep teams evenly balanced leverage university resources promote and market the project for exposure

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follow up and share results with all interested parties debrief with partner faculty and adjust details timely establish the project with direct student career growth incorporate additional dialog through backchannels photograph/film activity buy everyone pizza and have fun!

LEEDS

get the academic working relationship right from the start secure senior level buy-in establish a good working relationship with partner and try for similar teaching styles allow students to engage in their own style and platforms they know well (e.g., Facebook) keep the technology simple, always triple check it, and have A–Z backup plans (ones without tech too) create explicit instructions and milestones, with regular support for students (including outof-hours contact)

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Further reading Andrews, J., & Higson, H. (2008). Graduate employability, ‘soft skills’ versus ‘hard ‘business knowledge: A European study. Higher Education in Europe, 33(4), 411–422. Bonk, C. J., & Graham, C. R. (2012). The handbook of blended learning: Global perspectives, local designs. John Wiley & Sons. Crossman, J. E., & Clarke, M. (2010). International experience and graduate employability: stakeholder perceptions on the connection. Higher Education, 59(5), 599–613. Daim, T. U., Ha, A., Reutiman, S., Hughes, B., Pathak, U.Bynum, W., et al. (2012). Exploring the communication breakdown in global virtual teams. International Journal of Project Management, 30(2), 199–212. Erez, M., Lisak, A., Harush, R., Glikson, E., Nouri, R., & Shokef, E. (2013). Going global: Developing management students' cultural intelligence and global identity in culturally diverse virtual teams. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 12(3), 330–355. Hanlan, L.R., & Riley, E. (2015). Information use by undergraduate STEM teams engaged in global project-based learning. In ASEE 122nd Annual Conference and Exposition. Kulturel-Konak, S., Maurer, C. R., & Lohin, D. L. (2012). Teaching students how to effectively work in virtual teams. Project Management Techniques and Innovations in Information Technology, 127. López-Pérez, M. V., Pérez-López, M. C., & Rodríguez-Ariza, L. (2011). Blended learning in higher education: Students’ perceptions and their relation to outcomes. Computers & Education, 56(3), 818–826. Moore, M. G. (Ed.), (2013). Handbook of distance education. Routledge. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (2008). The global competition for talent: Mobility of the highly skilled. Retrieved January 3, 2016 from: . Rath, J. (2012). Learning in the Global Classroom: A guide for students in the multicultural university. International Journal for Academic Development, 17(1), 85–87. Robles, M. M. (2012). Executive perceptions of the top 10 soft skills needed in today’s workplace. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(4), 453–465.

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Taras, V., Caprar, D. V., Rottig, D., Sarala, R. M., Zakaria, N.Zhao, F., et al. (2013). A Global Classroom? Evaluating the effectiveness of global virtual collaboration as a teaching tool in management education. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 12(3), 414–435. Zaugg, H., & Davies, R. S. (2013). Communication skills to develop trusting relationships on global virtual engineering capstone teams. European Journal of Engineering Education, 38(2), 228–233.

15.12  Supplemental materials 15.12.1 Appendix A: Handout to students: objectives and marking criteria Six-Minute Pitch Presentation OBJECTIVE: The objective of this assignment is to give you an opportunity to deliver an informative presentation surrounding a new business opportunity. You and your group will work together to deliver a cohesive, informative summary of your business idea. Each part of this assignment will be evaluated on the criteria outlined below. Economics: Understand competition and marketplace dynamics in successfully developing a new business idea. Problem Solving: Make collaborative decisions and enhance skills in communication, delegation of responsibilities, conflict resolution, and time management. Career Planning: Explore some of the tasks and responsibilities associated with entrepreneurship. Writing: Prepare a PowerPoint presentation to best display relevant and persuasive data.

*Stay within the time limit: 6 minutes for the presentation, 3–5 minutes for the questions and answers (Q&A) period. Points will be deducted at your instructor’s discretion if time limits are not observed. Section 1: Market Opportunity GOAL: For this section of the assignment, you should clearly articulate the market in which your new product/service will compete. You should answer three questions: What is the compelling need for your product/service? (who, what, where, when, why) How will your solution satisfy the need/solve the problem? Who is your target market?

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Section 2: Competition GOAL: For this section of the assignment, you should clearly articulate your knowledge and understanding of the competition for your product/service. Realizing that it is rare to have zero competition, you should discuss: Who is the competition for your business? What they have accomplished/how long have they been involved, what group/groups have they targeted?

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Section 3: Competitive Advantage GOAL: For this section of the assignment, you should clearly articulate your knowledge and understanding of your advantages over the competition. You should answer three questions: Why is your product/service different from the competition? What are the benefits to the consumer who uses your product or service? Why will customers buy your product/service? (e.g., features, pricing, convenience)

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Section 4: Presentation Skills/Quality GOAL: For this section you will have to create effective visual aids to enhance and clarify your delivery of important data. You and your group will have to determine what information should be put on each slide, how much information should be put on each slide, and what information should be graphed/charted. As a group you should: create relevant, consistent, labeled, easy-to-follow visual aids

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identify individual presentation skills to assign presentation roles display professional appearance: dress/expression/interest/articulation/posture/energy deliver seamless transitions of speakers and slides ensure that all team members have an opportunity to display their individual understanding of the business through speaking roles and/or participation in Q&A period

15.12.2  Appendix B: Judge’s rubric and comments sheet Six-Minute Pitch Presentation Review Team Name/Product Idea_____________________________________________ R­ev­ie­we­r_­__­__­__­__­__­__­__­__­__­__­__­__­__­__­__­__­__­__­__­__­__­__­_____________ Criteria

Scoring

Market opportunity (target market) Competition (research) Competitive advantage (differentiation, pricing, etc.) Presentation skills/quality (visuals) Teamwork Q&A Time limit

Out of 20 Out of 20 Out of 20 Out of 20 Out of 10 Out of 10 Deduct to 5

T­ot­al score_______________________________ General comments/notes:

Comments

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15.12.3 Appendix C: Example of a completed judge’s rubric and comments sheet Six-Minute Pitch Presentation Review Team Name/Product Idea NAME OF TEAM Reviewer Summary US & UK Criteria

Scoring

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Market opportunity (target market)

Out of 20 19

Well defined Need a big initial customer base Seems like a limited market, limited opportunity— can it be applied to other situations? Seemed researched well. How better than Involvio since that is a DU-based product as well? Include average budgets of campus clubs, and a percentage of their budget this may be—show an ROI. Try not to use notecards or papers and be consistent on business dress level. Great opening

Competition (research) Out of 20 19 Competitive advantage Out of 20 (differentiation, 19 pricing, etc.) Presentation skills/ Out of 20 quality (visuals) 19 Teamwork Out of 10 10 Q&A Out of 10 10 Time limit Deduct to 5−2

Handled well Over

Total Score 95 Out of 100 General Comments/Notes US Like the use of “inclusion” since that is the big buzzword Unique idea, but limited scope, market. Market—are there university club members that want to connect to similar clubs at other colleges? And willing to pay for it? Research that…. How would you monetize? Fees listed for advertisers or clubs? Seems expensive per club, but even so, how many clubs would you need to make money? Seems like a limited market, limited commercial opportunity. Good speakers. Good content.

UK Panel Comments Group: NAME 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Opportunity—very good niche Competition—great research Advantage—good work on understanding the market Presentation—we really enjoyed your presentation, especially the graphics Teamwork—very well organized Q&A—good answer about society paying & not individuals

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15.12.4  Appendix D: Example student idea list Product name

Description

Color Changing Intoxication Bracelet uplo@ds

This product is able to indicate when its user’s blood alcohol content and vitals are above or below normal levels. The design of the bracelet will be a sleek and fashionable accessory for both men and women alike.

YourSpace

The Jacket

Bridge

Risky Business

DiMEnsions

Social app (name pending)

Rescue Buddy

This product creates a website domain with software that will allow consumers to log into their social media accounts and post directly from their computers. This app allows you to see reviews from students regarding housing near the university using a rating profile that includes the address, number of rooms, quality of the rooms, etc. It allows you to view all aspects of renting the space and a profile of the owner of that space. Owners can also post any available space to rent. This product is a jacket that is especially made to provide relief for achy, sore, or stiff joints and muscles. It can be designed to either be chargeable or solar powered. You can interchange heating, vibrating, and messaging mechanisms to provide relief to problem areas. The best part is that it is for people both on the go and at home. Bridge is an app that allows users to create group chats with their contacts. It lets them easily keep track of deadlines, classes, and assignments by allowing the users to set dates of events and reminders on the calendar. You can also post media from events and write notes during the events. Risky Business is a middle-man marketing service. It grants producers easy access to a large and diverse group of test marketers. This will allow producers to receive feedback to make any necessary modifications to their products; alternatively the test marketers will receive compensation and have the opportunity to explore new products. This product is device connected to an app and website that allows customers to measure their bodies in a way so they can buy clothes (online) that will fit perfectly. Working with retailers, the company would match measurements from their product with measurements from the retailer so that the consumer is buying a perfect fit. Designed exclusively for college students, this app would allow students to connect with their peers at surrounding schools, host and attend events, and make new friends. Committees at each member university would be responsible for hosting events and convincing their students to participate in the wider network of events. This mobile app allows users to make smart, potentially life-saving decisions in emergency situations. The application would give instructions (text, audio, or video) for offering aid when faced with a medical emergency.

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Product name

Description

Mimir

This mobile application for young drivers detects potentially dangerous situations (drunk drivers, obstacles in the road, etc.) on the road and warns the driver. It aims to utilize some of the technology used on self-driving cars to help drivers now avoid accidents. Bio Wrap This product is a biodegradable food wrap (to substitute for plastic wraps) that can be used in consumer and business markets. Social College This app will connect specific college club members among institutions, and provide a collection of events happening around college campuses for that interest group, as well as introductions for meeting other students with similar interests while traveling or studying abroad.

15.12.5  Appendix E: Example panelist list THE DREXEL LEEDS GLOBAL CLASSROOM PROJECT Six-Minute Pitch Presentations Faculty Supervisors Jodi Cataline—Associate Clinical Professor, Drexel LeBow Michael Sassano—Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, Drexel LeBow Dana D’Angelo—Clinical Professor, Drexel LeBow Sandra Petri—Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, Drexel LeBow Emilee Simmons—Teaching Fellow, Leeds Enterprise Center

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GUEST REVIEWERS Monday, November 16 (10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST) in GHALL 109 at Drexel University (3:30–5:00 p.m. GMT) in The Meadows Room 4, University of Leeds Richard Blumberg—President, World Sales Solutions, LLC; Drexel Alumni Louisa Henry—Director, The Opposite Café; Leeds Alumni and Enterprise Ambassador Louisa Hill—Undergraduate Employability Tutor, Leeds Julie Mostov—Vice-Provost Global Initiatives, Drexel University Melissa Schuessler—Faculty International Director, Leeds Jock Sommese—Entrepreneur; Drexel Instructor James Waggot—Serial Entrepreneur; Leeds Affiliate Adam Zahn—Academic Program Manager, Drexel Office of International Programs ●

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Wednesday, November 18 (10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.) in GHALL 409 at Drexel University (3:00–5:00 p.m. GMT) in The Meadows Room 4, University of Leeds Larissa Bdzola—Director of Student Opportunity and Senior Teaching Fellow, Leeds Chris Finnin—Director, General Business Studies, Drexel LeBow Chris Lindberg—Managing Director, Ennea International; Drexel Alumni Maria Mascioli Charlton—CFO, Edmar Abrasive Company; Drexel Alumni ●

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Maria McCabe—International Tutor, Leeds Jennie Robinson—Director, Undergraduate Management Programs, Leeds

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Panelist discussions will follow from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. EST (5:00 to 6:00 p.m. GMT) after each session.

15.12.6  Appendix F: Example reflective assignment The Ennea International IMI Team Report 1. Based on the Ennea patterns for team roles, how did your role fit into your team? Did it change over time? How did you draw on other styles and roles? Use examples of the project’s workflow and its goals and end results. 2. What did you learn from the others in your team and their roles and styles? Be specific. 3. How did you see your team move through the team phases of forming, storming, norming, and performing? 4. How will you apply what you now know/learned about yourself and working in teams to other teams and experiences you have or will have outside of this project and class, especially those that may not have this knowledge and experience? 5. What advice do you have for future users of Ennea with teams within the Drexel Leeds Global Classroom or other LeBow courses?

15.12.7  Appendix G: Peer review feedback form Pitch Peer Review Feedback Your Name__________________________________________ Date____________ Pitch________________________________________________ What did this team do well? What suggestions do you have for this team to improve? Overall this presentation is (circle) Outstanding Above Average Average Below Average ____________________________________________________________________ Any further comments?

Integration: Theory to everyday life

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Susan A. Stearns Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA, United States

16.1  Discipline/academic areas addressed This particular example is based in communication studies but is transferable to any discipline. The two-step process directly addresses integration and critical thinking, but can also be adapted to incorporate additional learning goals as exhibited in Step Three for Professors/Lecturers in this chapter.

16.2  Instructional purpose This activity assists students to integrate theoretical concepts into their everyday lives and/or recognize events, discussions, and other activities of their life as exhibiting a particular theoretical concept or concepts. If you’ve ever heard a student make a remark such as, “That was interesting, but what has it to do with real life,” you can use this activity to help students cross the divide between theoretical concepts and how they appear in everyday life. And because integration requires thoughtful contemplation, this activity is best accomplished outside the timed strictures of a classroom. A lengthier timeline offers students opportunities to ponder concepts at a more leisurely pace and in whatever environment they choose. Additionally, their interaction can take place via a computer, tablet, or phone application (depending on the course management system and support your college offers). The first stage of this activity walks students through an online discussion designed to bridge the divide between theoretical concepts and application. In so doing, each student individually comes to see theoretical concepts alive and functioning in their life. Students are then asked to respond to other students’ accounts of seeing theory in their lives so they begin to see various ways colleagues are, also, making these connections (according to social constructivist theory, interacting with others encourages learning through the multiple perspectives offered). The second stage of this activity, the thematic analysis assignment (TAA), is specifically designed so students learn even more from online discussions. I was learning so much from my students’ online discussion assignments, but when I would discuss with my students the wonderful, insightful comments their peers had made online I was met with somewhat blank stares. After discussion, I learned from my students that they typically only read two or three responses in the online discussion—only enough to Unplugging the Classroom. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102035-7.00016-3 Copyright © 2017 Susan A. Stearns. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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fulfill the response requirement. Thus, the TAA was created so students could take full advantage of learning via their student-colleagues’ comments, meaning students first and foremost need to read the online discussion. According to the research on the TAA (Stearns, forthcoming), students now read a little over 75% of their student-colleagues’ responses; cognitively process at higher levels, i.e., Bloom’s taxonomy—analyze, synthesize, and evaluate; and enjoy the process of learning from their peers as they see the various ways everyone else is applying theoretical concepts to their everyday lives. So I encourage you to incorporate both stages of this process and not stop with stage one. Following through to the second stage opens our students’ minds to a plethora of knowledge, making it worth both their time and yours.

16.3  Student learning outcomes 16.3.1  Overarching student learning outcomes Integration: Students will exhibit the ability to apply academic theory to everyday life. Critical Thinking: Students will exhibit the ability to (1) analyze, (2) synthesize, and (3) evaluate student-colleagues’ suggestions.

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16.3.2  Discipline-specific student learning outcomes Both of these goals are frequently added in Step Three for Professors/Lecturers: Oral Communication: Students should exhibit the ability to use communication utterances that reflect theoretical concepts. Oral Communication: Students should exhibit the ability to offer suggestions to studentcolleagues about how to improve their communicative offerings.

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16.4  Prerequisite skills and knowledge Access to the course management system, and therefore the online discussion. Basic theoretical knowledge by which to base integration. A maturity/ability level to participate in student-led discussions; I teach juniors, seniors, and graduate students.

16.5  Step-by-step directions for instructors 1. Choose when you will have online discussions in your class. I choose to meet my students face to face on Mondays and Wednesdays, then the class online discussion is between Wednesday (after we leave class) and Friday at 5 p.m., followed immediately by the thematic analysis, which is then due by Sunday at 11 p.m. The key to both steps in this process is to give students enough time to process their thoughts; integration requires thought, which in turn requires time.

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2. Choose a theoretical concept or group of concepts you want students to focus upon. See the following examples: a. In my Organizational Communication course, I have weekly topics. For instance, one week we focus on workplace relationships and students learn the pros and cons from the research literature regarding workplace friendships, dating colleagues, creating relationships with superiors, etc. b. In my Senior Capstone course, we read Goffman’s book Stigma (1963). This text repeatedly refers to the concept of impression creation and formation building in complexity in the book sections entitled “Biography” and “Biographical Others.” c. In my Communication Theory course, students learn approximately two theories a week with a multitude of concepts within each theory. 3. Acknowledge whether you have additional learning goals you may want to incorporate in your assignment, i.e., in addition to integration. The examples below correlate with the concepts mentioned above, i.e., 2a is an extension of 1a, 2b of 2a, and 3a of 3b. a. In Organizational Communication, I have one additional learning goal. Organizational communication textbooks are weak in offering examples of actual communication utterances students might use to effectively express theoretical concepts. b. No additional learning goals. c. No additional learning goals. 4. Create the online discussion prompts in a manner that fulfills steps two and three while simultaneously encouraging students to integrate theoretical concepts with everyday life. a. Students respond to a scenario by giving the actual words they would use to demote an employee, their assistant manager, back to the level of the employees the assistant manager previously managed (See Appendix A for the entirety of this assignment.). This fulfills both the integrative learning and actual theory-to-conversational-words goals. b. Students read an online article on the con artist Christopher Gerharts Reiter prior to the online discussion. Students then choose a quote from the “Biography” or “Biographical Others” section of Goffman’s (1963) text and apply it to how this con artist has created and/or managed impressions to be such a “successful” con artist. (See Appendix B for the entirety of this assignment.) c. Students choose two concepts from a list of theories (the theories most recently covered in the course), define each, and explain where they see these concepts exhibited in everyday life, e.g., in their own life, a TV show, a book, etc. 5. Create very specific response guidelines including the minimum number of required student responses to other students. The benefits of specificity with these guidelines are twofold: (1) the guidelines keep students focused on the learning goals (instead of the tendency to make “atta boy” and “atta girl” comments); and (2) students responding to other students’ comments encourages students to use higher-level cognitive skills. Additionally, if you want students to ponder further concepts, you can introduce them as issues students may address with their responses (see the second part of 5b, regarding Goffman and technology). a. Respond to two your colleagues’ comments and help finesse their communication to make it the best it can be! So offer better wording, additional wording, or an alternative strategy with the EXACT words you would say. b. Respond to two other comments by your fellow students. Stay stigma focused in general and biography and biographical focused if you can—if you can’t, then talk communication theory! Also, don’t forget that times have changed since Goffman’s era and there is much about these topics that you can ponder that he couldn’t because technology has dramatically changed, so do bring that up if it comes to mind!

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c. Respond to one comment by a colleague who is addressing a concept you did not address and discuss how their application of theory to life now lets you apply that concept to your life. Be sure to include an example of how this concept is functioning in your life. 6. Reinforce your learning goals with your grading as reflected in your rubric. This lets students see exactly how they will be graded, which in turn encourages them to walk through the steps you have created to encourage integration. (For an example, see Appendix C for the grading rubric on the Demoting an Employee Discussion) 7. Grade the online discussion with the rubric after the assignment deadline. 8. Assign the TAA immediately following the online discussion. This encourages students to read student-colleagues’ responses, thereby learning a variety of ways in which others are integrating theoretical concepts to everyday life, e.g., social constructivist learning theory addresses how students learn from a multiplicity of perspectives. (See Appendix D for the entirety of this assignment.) 9. Grade the TAA with the rubric (See Appendix E for the rubric). 10. Remember outstanding student comments from both the online discussion and the TAA to share with students in class. This allows students to hear and learn from what other students submitted for the TAA and to take pride in what they have done in both the online discussion and TAA. Additionally, many students take this opportunity to offer further suggestions as to the online discussion and TAA, which once again promotes learning.

16.6  Step-by-step directions for students 1. Verbally explain the two-stage process of this activity to students while showing the assignments on the course management system (e.g., see Appendices A, B, and D). 2. Explain both the timing of the assignments, in terms of beginning and ending times, and the need for students to take their time to think through the assignments. 3. Encourage students to follow the instructions for each assignment completely and to double-check they have done so by reading not only the instructions but also the rubrics so students are sure to earn all points available (then walk them through the process of integration; see Appendices C and E for sample rubrics).

16.7  Approximate time required The key to timing the first stage of this assignment, the online discussion, is offering students enough time to contemplate the prompts prior to attempting their responses. Students frequently report reading the discussion prompts and coming back later, once they have had time to think, to respond to the questions. The TAA also requires time, first to read the online discussion responses and, second, to thoughtfully ponder and create three themes based upon these responses. Additionally, professors/lecturers need to grade both assignments prior to class time so excellent student responses can be discussed in class. My students have a little over 24 hours to complete the first stage and an additional 48 hours to complete the second stage. When choosing the amount of time for each stage of this activity focus on the needs of both the students and professors/lecturers in conjunction with the practical aspect of when the face-to-face portion of the class is taught.

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16.8  Readings and resources Goffman, E. (1963) Stigma: Notes on the management of spoiled identity. New York: Simon & Schuster.

16.9  Variations on the basic theme Depending on the online discussion prompts, photographs or videos can be offered as a response to one or more questions. Depending on the online discussion prompts, verbal responses can be offered via a tape recording as a response to one or more questions.

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16.10  Observations and advice Students enjoy taking ownership of the online discussion and the TAA. There are many potential “right” answers and students revel in learning from each other as they share their thoughts on how they bridge the divide between theory and everyday life. Students take pride in the development of their ideas and enjoy when their colleagues or myself remark upon their themes or online discussion comments in class. I’ve learned the less structured the discussion, the more students appear to seriously consider their responses. Some of the most vibrant discussions have prompts such as, “In our readings for pages 53 through 68, what is the quote that stands out to you and why?” Which is followed up by, “And now tell us where you see this quote in everyday life.” The creativeness of their responses is phenomenal and their enthusiasm is enjoyable to see.

Further reading Research on elements to consider for effective online discussions Kingsley, P. (2011). The Socratic dialogue in asynchronous online discussions: Is constructivism redundant? Campus-Wide Information Systems, 28(5), 320–330. Moon-Heum, C., & Tobias, S. (2016). Should instructors require discussion in online courses? Effects of online discussion on community of inquiry, learner time, satisfaction, and achievement. International Review of Research in Open and Distribute Learning, 17(2), 123–140. Moore, J. L., & Marra, R. M. (2005). A comparative analysis of online discussion participation protocols. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 38(2), 191–212. Perkins, C., & Murphy, E. (2006). Identifying and measuring individual engagement in critical thinking in online discussions: An exploratory case study. Educational Technology & Society, 9(1), 298–307.

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Santiago, R., Leh, A., & Nakayama, M. (2012). Design and redesign of online discussion: Comparison of lessons learned. Proceedings from European Conference on e-Learning, Kidmore End, 497–504. Vlachopoulos, P., & Cowan, J. (2010). Choices of approaches in e-moderation: Conclusions from a grounded theory student. Active Learning in Higher Education, 11(3), 213–224.

Research on social constructivist theory Murphy, K. L., Mahoney, S. E., Chen, C., Mendoza-Diaz, N. V., & Yang, X. (2005). A constructivist model of mentoring, coaching, and facilitating online discussions. Distance Education, 26(3), 341–366. Schellens, T., & Valcke, M. (2005). Collaborative learning in asynchronous discussion groups: What about the impact on cognitive processing? Computers in Human Behavior, 21(6), 957–975.

Research on critical thinking skills Havard, B., Du, J., & Olinzock, A. (2005). Deep learning: The knowledge, methods, and cognition process in instructor-led online discussion. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 6(2), 125–135. Hsiao, W., Chen, M., & Hu, H. (2013). Assessing online discussions: Adoption of critical thinking as a grading criterion. International Journal of Technology, Knowledge & Society, 9, 15–25.

Research on the TAA Stearns, S.A. (forthcoming). Student responsible learning: Getting students to read online discussions. Manuscript submitted for publication.

16.11  Supplemental materials 16.11.1 Appendix A: The demoting an employee online discussion assignment as the students see it on our course management system, e.g., Canvas, Blackboard, Angel Demoting an Employee Stay (mentally) in the mode we are in for this week—workplace relationships—as you work through this issue. Imagine a situation where you are a midlevel manager at a company that has clearly stated policies (you can create whatever it is or just refer to a policy in general) and one of your highly valued employees, your assistant manager, keeps violating one of the policies. You really want to keep this employee because she contributes so much to your department and the company, so you have tried to keep this issue just between yourself and the employee, telling her she has to follow the policy, but you

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have not been successful with getting her to obey policy. Now the upper, upper management has become aware that she continually violates this policy and it requires her demotion. You’ve worked with Human Resources and today you are telling her she is being demoted, but will remain in the department as an equal with the other employees she used to help supervise. Two other issues: (1) your other employees have heard through the grapevine various versions of this story (correct and incorrect) and this is starting to cause issues; and (2) her assistant supervisor job is being posted at the end of the week so one of the employees she used to help supervise will be taking over her position in the near future. Do numbers 1 and 2 as one entry 1. Tell me the actual words you will say to this employee. Put the words in quotes so everyone knows these are the actual words you will speak. 2. After you have said the actual words in quotes for this demotion conversation, identify what conversational goals you have addressed with that sentence, line, etc. For example, you might put in parentheses something like this: (encouragement so she will remain with the company). Remember, most conversations are multigoal oriented. Help colleagues to the best of your ability 3. Respond to two of your colleagues’ comments and help finesse their communication to make it the best it can be! So offer better wording, additional wording, or a concept with the EXACT words you would say.

16.11.2 Appendix B: The biography/biographical others online discussion assignment as the students see it on our course management system Biography, Biographical Others, and the case of “Clark Rockefeller” Here are the articles on Christopher Gerharts Reiter, who claimed to be Clark Rockefeller. This first link is a lengthy article that overviews his case as of January 2009 (the event that brought to light his false identity, kidnaping his daughter, occurred in July 2008). http://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/2009/01/fake_rockefeller200901 (Links to an external site.) Now for those of you, like me, that are just intrigued by con men, false identities, and all that stuff (love the communication ties to all of this!), I’ve included this more current article because this link very briefly explains more things that he has done. This link is not required reading; it’s here for the curious at heart! http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/10/17691239-rockefeller-familyimpostor-convicted-in-1985-southern-california-murder?lite Now for the official assignment: 1. Share a quote from the “Biography” or “Biographical Others” section of Goffman’s Stigma (this begins around page 62 in my version of Stigma). 2. Explain how this quote is important/relevant to you. 3. Show how the quote can be tied to the con man article—his behaviors, what other people discover, etc. In other words, I’m asking you to make your quote relevant to everyday life, but focused on his life of pretense, and what we are learning about biography and ­biographical others.

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4. Respond to two other comments by your fellow students. Stay stigma focused in general and biography and biographical focused if you can. If you can’t, then focus your response comments on communication! Also, don’t forget that times have changed since Goffman’s era and there is much about these topics that you can ponder that he never did because technology has dramatically changed, so do bring that up if it comes to mind!

Look forward to reading a wonderful, vibrant discussion!

16.11.3 Appendix C: The demoting an employee online discussion grading rubric as the students see it on our course management system Demoting an employee Criteria

Ratings

The actual words are presented The multiple issues/goals are explained

Sounds well thought out 4 pts Issues and goals well explained and covered 3 pts

Sounds adequate 2 pts Adequately explained 2 pts

The issues/ goals match the words chosen

Words chosen successfully match goals 4 pts

Finessing of another’s words

Excellent finessing job! 3 pts

Words chosen match goals but not all goals were covered 2 pts Adequate finessing 2 pts

Needs much more work 1 pts Missed one or more crucial goals but the ones mentioned are well explained2 pts Need to work on match between issues/goals 1 pts Needs work on the finessing 1 pts

Pts Not done 0 pts

4 pts

Not done or done poorly 0 pts

3 pts

Not done 0 pts

4 pts

Not done 0 pts

3 pts

Total points: 14

16.11.4 Appendix D: The thematic analysis assignment as the students see it on our course management system Thematic Analysis Now read your colleagues’ responses for the last online discussion and send me an analysis in which you note THREE themes: 1. Label the themes. 2. Explain each theme. 3. Give two examples from the discussion for each theme—these are exact quotes from your student-colleagues.

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16.11.5 Appendix E: The thematic analysis assignment rubric as the students see it on our course management system Thematic analysis assignment Criteria

Ratings

Pts

Themes labeled

3 themes were thought through and chosen. These themes are not merely words or phrases repeated by students in the discussion but reflect deeper thought. 3 pts

2 themes were thought through and chosen. These themes are not merely words or phrases repeated by students in the discussion but reflect deeper thought. 2 pts

1 theme was thought through and chosen. This theme was not merely a word or phrase repeated by students in the discussion but reflects deeper thought. 1 pts

No themes were presented. 0 pts

3 pts

Each theme explained

All three themes were well explained. 6 pts

Two themes were well explained. 4 pts

One theme was well explained. 2 pts

Ruh roh— not done 0 pts

6 pts

Examples

Two examples (specific quotes from students) were presented for each theme. 6 pts

One example (specific quote) was given for each theme. 3 pts

No examples from the discussion were given. 0 pts

6 pts

Total points: 15

How rich media and discussion boards in online classes can foster student learning and an understanding of online social activism: a special focus on Black Lives Matter

17

Tia C. M. Tyree Howard University, Washington, DC, United States

17.1  Discipline/academic areas addressed This is not discipline specific and can work within an array of majors as simply an approach to structuring an online class.

17.2  Instructional purpose In the digital age, how individuals protest and call for social change has completely changed. Gone are the days when activism hinged upon marching, boycotting, picketing, pamphleting, and small groups working with neighborhoods, nonprofits, and government officials to spark change. Further, public discussions and change no longer must happen in the epicenter of where the unjust action occurred. The democratizing nature of the Internet means anyone with access to a computer, smartphone, tablet, or electronic device with online capabilities can participate in and work to evoke change. Whether tweeting, posting, writing blogs, or uploading pictures and videos, individuals can now easily insert their voices and opinions in what is now a more active, activist society. However, what now is being called into question is how effective is online activism in amplifying individuals’ voices about a social issue, and does it ever really impact offline activism or what happens in real life? The view is online activism is simply superficial, lazy activism or what is often called slacktivism, clicktivism, armchair activism, or keyboard activism. Students in online classes are already utilizing the Internet. They, too, have the ability to research, participate in, and experience online activism fairly easily. Comprehensively, this assignment provides the instructor with the ability to teach students about online activism, including what it is, how it is done and how to create online content to engage others who might be in support of or stand in opposition to Unplugging the Classroom. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102035-7.00017-5 Copyright © 2017 Tia C.M. Tyree. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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a cause they personally support. The assignment provides instructors with the ability to create a vigorous and rigorous course structure that challenges students to demonstrate their cognitive knowledge of online activism by remembering lessons and course readings, researching and understanding what materials can be found online to substantiate their personal beliefs, and evaluate peers’ ability to articulate their beliefs, as well as create content to validate their thoughts and standpoints. Online classes pose significant issues with helping students interact with one another. When dealing with online classes, it is critical to understand how computer-mediated communication affects students. Asynchronous tools are rarely successful in establishing a sense of immediacy, interactivity, and shared purpose, and it is important to foster social presence in online courses, which is the feeling of community students experience as members of an online environment. If this does not occur, students can feel isolated and frustrated in online courses. With the popularity of online classes, learning is no longer constrained to a specific time and place within the walls of academic institutions. Yet, as designers and facilitators of online courses, faculty must work to maximize student participation and engagement. Often, in more simplified learning management systems (LMS), the ability to see and hear other students does not exist. Or, as noted in a 2014 study of the uses of LMS, few faculty take advantage of advanced features offered within them. Therefore, students can spend most of their time interacting with the professor and the content, instead of classmates. Through a robust usage of rich media and discussion boards (forums), students can not only engage with multimedia content more stimulating than text, but they can demonstrate their understandings of online activism through postings and responses. Further, students are provided the opportunity to learn from each other. These interactions foster both peer supportive comments and challenges, all of which help nurture a dynamic online learning environment beneficial for students and even the instructor. 1. The overall assignment’s purpose is to increase students’ critical thinking skills by challenging them in online classes to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of online activism through interactions with the instructor and other classmates. 2. Using the tools available and instructional prompts provided by the instructor, students are able to interact with one another while applying what they learn in the course readings to the evaluation and analysis of peer and instructor postings and responses about online activism. 3. It allows students in online classes to read assigned texts and explore supportive materials, such as videos, photographs, infographics, and other online content, provided by the instructor at their own pace. In addition, it supports students who embrace and appreciate online audio, video and visuals, which are proven to increase engagement among online users. 4. Students are challenged to not only write, but also answer discussion questions. To promote autodidactic skills, they must explore online content to locate supportive materials to validate their responses. This requires students to investigate both sides of a social issue, work to understand what pros and cons might exist, and to structure informed responses that demonstrate their critical thinking and research skills. 5. The assignment works to increase participation and motivation as well as foster social presence in an online course by providing a space via discussion boards for students to interact.

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17.3  Student learning outcomes Students will demonstrate an understanding of online activism. Students will synthesize selected content to compose thought-provoking questions that spark discussion and debate among classmates. Students will think critically, creatively, and independently about course content. Students will learn to investigate and identify rich media to include with responses to substantiate their interpretations and standpoints about specific social issues. Students will think critically about classmates’ responses to evaluate and analyze them for accuracy of information as well as clarity of content. Students will appropriately write informative responses to classmates using proper grammar and punctuation.

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17.4  Prerequisite skills and knowledge Students should have a familiarity with their institution’s LMS, including the ability to use discussion boards.

17.5  Step-by-step directions for instructors 1. Faculty should create a tab in the overall course menu for each of the assigned topics, such as immigration, police brutality, affirmative action, and global warming, on the LMS. Faculty should be sure to carefully select topics that will engage their respective student bodies and work to challenge who they are, what they believe, and how they interact in the world. 2. Faculty should take advantage of capabilities within the LMS to begin to populate the tab before the semester begins. Tabs allow for easy navigation by students and eliminate the need for multiple mouse clicks to begin to engage content. This should include information from traditional textbook readings as well as links to news articles, hashtags for searching online platforms, relevant case studies, videos of marches or protests, and links to critical activist websites related to certain topics. For example, if an instructor wanted to focus on the shooting of unarmed Black men and boys by police officers, Black Lives Matter would be a great online social activist movement to highlight. One could post news articles about a few of the men and boys who sparked some of the most famous protests, including Trayvon Martin, Freddie Gray, Tamir Rice, Mike Brown, and Eric Garner; provide links to videos of the various eyewitness accounts of the marches and circumstances surrounding their deaths from YouTube; upload reports from government agencies and nonprofit organizations about police brutality; and list the official social media accounts of Black Lives Matter. In addition, several other specific key online resources to include could be: Alicia Garza’s initial post that sparked the Black Lives Matter movement; the August 2014 “Hands Up Don’t Shoot” photograph of Howard University students that was triggered by the death of Mike Brown and the “Purge” post that allegedly initiated the protests of high school students over Freddie Gray’s death; a list of important websites, such as www.blacklivesmatter.com, www.naacp.org, www. rainbowpush.org, www.blackcaucus.net and www.justice.gov; ●

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the Pew Research Center’s July 2016 report titled “How Americans View the Black Lives Matter Movement”; online content connecting the Black Lives Matter movements to the Civil Rights Movement, including the video on Essence.com in which Rev. Al Sharpton compares and contrasts the movements, New Politics’ article titled “‘Black Lives Matter’: Constructing a New Civil Rights and Black Freedom Movement” as well as The Washington Post’s article “Black Lives Matter and America’s Long History of Resisting Civil Rights Protesters.” 3. Faculty should leave the tabs available for students for the entire semester to allow them to go back and review content and past discussions. 4. Course linking is also a great tool to use to show how the current topic connects with past lectures, information, and other online social movements. 5. Faculty should also upload content well in advance of the assigned week to allow students to review the content at their own pace, even moving forward beyond the selected topic, if they desire. In some cases, it might help students to clarify or support content offered in an earlier week, by simply seeing how it might build knowledge later in the course. 6. Once a specific tab is created, it is critical to lay a proper foundation for the selected social issue led by the instructor, which can include an uploaded video lecture, web conference, or live chat session. 7. Faculty should then build content to provide supplements to further facilitate information literacy. Organization of content is critical, and folders should be used, if there is a wealth of information. Audio, video, web links, images, and files can all easily be added. 8. Faculty should develop a discussion board specific to each social issue to allow for peer interactions. A few sample questions are below: Black Lives Matter The affirmation that “Black lives matter” is often met with resistance and the idea of “all lives matter.” Debate either side of this issue. Are there any similarities between the Black Lives Matter movement and the Civil Rights Movement? Have social media positively or negatively impacted the Black Lives Matter movement? Compare and contrast the Black Lives Matter movement to one other recent online social activist movement. Have some social activists or types of social activism surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement been more successful than others? Explain. Racism, class, power, stereotyping, social justice, civil rights, human rights, socioeconomics, police brutality, and education are all often tied to the Black Lives Matter movement. Select one topic and historically explain what happened in American society that undergirds the current issue impacting the movement and Blacks. General If you were to use social media to advocate for a cause, which cause would it be, and how would you utilize social media? Find a quote, statement, or research report online from an individual or entity that opposes a cause you support. Using your knowledge from this week’s readings, refute their argument and develop an original item (e.g., infographic, online visual, or meme) that could be posted online to support your stance. 9. Finally, faculty should inform students about the need to read, review, and watch all information in the tab and then write a one-page summary. In addition, faculty should inform students about posting one discussion board question, responding to at least two others, and understanding the types of online content that should be used to complement postings. ●

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17.6  Step-by-step directions for students 1. Students should review the tab dedicated to the selected tab created by the instructor for the specific topic. It could include memes, podcasts, video lectures, infographics, YouTube videos, PowerPoint presentations, or links to webpages, studies, reports, and other documents to help further describe, clarify, and explain the selected topic. 2. Students will write a one-page single-spaced typed summary of the course content. The intent is to concisely extract the important ideas, concepts, and principles associated with the social issue. This summary is uploaded as an “assignment” or emailed to the instructor. It is not shared with other students, but it is graded and serves to ensure students understand the content in the tab. 3. Students are required to answer one discussion question. Questions may be located at the end of a required textbook chapter, posed by the instructor, or developed by students on their own. At a minimum, there should be five sentences in the paragraph, and responses should be grammatically and factually correct as well as reflect a high level of critical thinking. Students should provide some type of online evidence to support their responses from an acceptable and reliable source, such as a link to a video, podcast, vodcast, report, or infographic. 4. Students must respond to at least two other posts from students in the course. Responses should demonstrate an understanding of the social issue and be thoughtful as well as critical, which means more than a cursory “yes,” “I like this,” or “ I don’t agree with you.” Responses should also include some type of online evidence to support positions from an acceptable and reliable source, such as a link to a video, podcast, vodcast, report, or infographic.

17.7  Approximate time required One week is the minimum time required, but the formula could be duplicated for the entire semester.

17.8  Readings and resources Mac or PC Learning management system (e.g., Blackboard, Canvas, Moodle) Internet access Websites: Four Ways to Make a Good Impression in Online Classes: http://www.usnews.com/education/ online-education/articles/2013/07/08/4-ways-to-make-a-good-impression-in-online-classes Black Lives Matter And America’s Long History Of Resisting Civil Rights Protesters: https:// www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/04/19/black-lives-matters-and-americaslong-history-of-resisting-civil-rights-protesters/ “Black Lives Matter”: Constructing a New Civil Rights and Black Freedom Movement: http://newpol.org/content/“black-lives-matter”-constructing-new-civil-rights-and-blackfreedom-movement

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Essence Debates: Is the Black Lives Matter Movement the Civil Rights Movement of Our Generation?: http://www.essence.com/video/essence-debates-black-lives-matter-movementcivil-rights-movement-our-generation How Americans View the Black Lives Matter Movement: http://www.pewresearch.org/ fact-tank/2016/07/08/how-americans-view-the-black-lives-matter-movement/ How to Use Blackboard Discussions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxjOU5sXmns Help Queries on Blackboard: https://en-us.help.blackboard.com Notes on Digital Activism: http://www.digitalactivist.net Pedagogical Benefits of Video for Teaching and Learning: http://www.uq.edu.au/teach/ video-teach-learn/ped-benefits.html Peer Critique Guidelines: https://community.plu.edu/~nelsoned/Courses/GrCiv/GrCivAssign ments/PeerCritique.html Selecting the Appropriate Communication Tools for Your Online Course: http://www.faculty focus.com/articles/online-education/selecting-appropriate-communication-tools-onlinecourse/ Six Strategies for Improving Communication Practices in Online Education: http://www. learninghouse.com/blog/publishing/six-strategies-for-improving-communication-practicesin-online-education The 7 Cs of Effective Communication in Your Online Course: http://www.onlinecollege. org/2011/09/16/the-7-cs-of-effective-communication-in-your-online-course/ Using Video and Audio in Teaching (Online and Otherwise): https://www.lib.umn.edu/ copyright/using-video-audio

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17.9  Variations on the basic theme This approach works with any number of LMS, including Blackboard, Canvas, and Moodle. The faculty member must simply use the discussion board or forum capabilities as well as dedicate a specific space within the LMS for supplemental information about the designated chapter or selected topic. The online space would then be used to build on readings by facilitating additional opportunities for student interactions, peer reviews, and discussions. Relying on the same exact structure of this project, history instructors could benefit from using this assignment. Instead of using contemporary social issues, an instructor could have students investigate historical moments and determine how the Internet and online activism during those times could have changed the course of history. For example, an African-American history instructor could highlight the Civil War and slavery, or a women’s history professor could highlight the Women’s Rights and Women’s Liberation Movements. Further, this could be translated to other disciplines. For example, in a journalism course, professors could propose a specialized type of journalism, such as sports. The faculty would then develop a tab with a lecture and supplemental content to provide foundational information about sports journalism. Then students could compose articles or identify those of others for critique or discussion. In visual courses, such as Introduction to Broadcast Journalism or Fundamentals of Drawing, professors could instruct students to produce videos or construct artwork, and then upload their

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assignments for review, analysis, critique, and discussion by others. For law courses, students must be able to locate, read, analyze, and interpret case law. Based on the selected topic, law professors could provide case studies for discussion, and students could provide supporting case law to distinguish or affirm the legal issue.

17.10  Observations and advice At nearly every moment in American history, there is the potential to investigate the existence of unequal social, political, environmental, religious, or economic power structures that exist. Our country provides the ability for every citizen to voice his or her concerns and peacefully assemble, but how individuals and groups enact social change throughout our history has evolved. Further, in today’s media-saturated society, how one goes about providing information about a movement, convincing others to support a movement, or shaping the narrative for the opposition of a movement requires more than a cursory Google search. Instead, students need to understand history and how to research both sides of an issue to critically think about a position they can support in order to capitalize on the most powerful communication channel in the 21st century, the Internet. This assignment pushes students to connect to real-world issues, gain an awareness and concern for inequalities that exist in society, utilize sources and resources online to their benefit, and use strategic thinking skills to express their beliefs in a responsible and thought-provoking manner.

17.10.1  Instructional advice Summer sessions can be very intense, as faculty have to cover what usually would be taught in 16 weeks in 5 or 6 weeks. With an online summer session, faculty has the added challenge of not having critical face-to-face instruction with students on a consistent basis. Therefore, it is important to teach in a way that allows interactions for students and the ability to specifically assess each student in multiple ways. Sessions with various types of student activities, such as tests, quizzes, and group and individual projects, provide multiple ways for students to showcase their mastery of course content, and the weekly chapter discussion boards further allow the faculty member to ensure students are reading content, actively participating in the learning environment, interacting with other students, and showcasing what they learned in a clear and concise way. In addition, rubrics help to validate grades provided by instructors and work to ensure students are accountable for what they develop. The specific rubric outlining how students’ responses and questions will be graded and tracked in the system should be included and reviewed prior to any postings. Students should understand the importance of thinking strategically and critically in their responses, and they should know exactly how responses will be assessed. Finally, it is very important to provide feedback to students each week to ensure they are able to correct any issues prior to the next week’s deadline.

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Further reading Andrade, H. (2000). Using rubrics to promote thinking and learning. Educational Leadership, 57(5), 13–18. Anusha, S., & Reddy, N. S. (2015). Social learning in engineering education. Journal of Engineering Education Transformations, 292–294. Baecker, R. (2003). A principled design for scalable internet visual communications with rich media, interactivity, and structured archives. In Proceedings of the 2003 conference of the Centre for Advanced Studies on Collaborative research. IBM press.16–29. Brown, M., & Initiative, E.L. (2015). The next generation digital learning environment. Dahlstrom, E., Brooks, C.D., & Bichsel, J. (2014). The Current ecosystem of learning management systems in higher education: Student, faculty, and IT perspectives, research report Louisville, CO: ECAR. Dennen, V. P. (2005). From message posting to learning dialogues: Factors affecting learner participation in asynchronous discussion. Distance Education, 26(1), 127–148. Du, J., & Xu, J. (2010). The quality of online discussion reported by graduate students. The Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 11, 13–24. Easton, S. S. (2003). Clarifying the instructor’s role in online distance learning. Communication Education, 52(2), 87–105. Felder, R. M., & Brent, R. (2003). Learning by doing. Chemical Engineering Education, 37(4), 282–283. Gago, O. (2012). How e-learning can help digital activists. Retrieved from: . Gan, Y., & Zhu, Z. (2007). A learning framework for knowledge building and collective wisdom advancement in virtual learning communities. Educational Technology & Society, 10(1), 206–226. Hall, R. A. (2015). Critical thinking in online discussion boards: Transforming an anomaly. Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 81(3), 21. Hwang, G. H., Chen, B., & Huang, C. W. (2016). Development and effectiveness analysis of a personalized ubiquitous multi-device certification tutoring system based on Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 19, 1. Karpf, D. (2010). Online political mobilization from the advocacy group’s perspective: Looking beyond clicktivism. Policy & Internet, 2(4), 7–41. Kassop, M. (2003). Ten ways online education matches, or surpasses, face-to-face learning. The Technology Source, 3. Kim, K., & Bonk, C. J. (2006). The future of online teaching and learning in higher education: The survey says. Educause Quarterly, 29(4), 22. Lindgren, S. (2015). The work of audiences in the age of clicktivism: On the ins and outs of distributed participation. Media Fields Journal, 10, 1–6. Marra, R. M., Moore, J. L., & Klimczak, A. K. (2004). Content analysis of online discussion forums: A comparative analysis of protocols. Educational Technology Research and Development, 52(2), 23–40. Moore, M.G., & Kearsley, G. (2011). Distance education: A systems view of online learning. Cengage Learning. Pew Research Center. (2011). The digital revolution and higher education college presidents, public differ on value of online learning. Retrieved from: .

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Richardson, J. C., & Swan, K. (2003). Examining social presence in online courses in relation to students’ perceived learning and satisfaction. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 7(1), 68–88. Tu, C. H., & McIsaac, M. (2002). The relationship of social presence and interaction in online classes. The American Journal of Distance Education, 16(3), 131–150. Tyree, T. C. M. (2013). Using social media and developing social media courses. In K. Langmia, T. Tyree, P. O’Brien & I. Sturgis (Eds.), Social Media: Pedagogy & Practice. Lanham, MD: University Press of America. Uden, L., Wangsa, T., & Damiani, E. (2007, February). The future of e-learning: E-learning ecosystem. In Digital EcoSystems and Technologies Conference, 2007. DEST'07. Inaugural IEEE-IES (pp. 113–117). IEEE. Zhou, H. (2015). A systematic review of empirical studies on participants’ interactions in internet-mediated discussion boards as a course component in formal higher education settings. Online Learning Journal, 19(3), 1–20.

17.11  Supplemental materials 17.11.1  Appendix A: Assignment sheet Below is a sample assignment sheet. It is generic and can be used throughout the semester for any topic selected by the instructor. Name of Instructor:______________________ Course and Section:______________________ Student Name:______________________ Assignment Due:______________________ Assignment Value:______________________ Read all selected readings provided by the instructor. Then review the tab dedicated to this week’s selected social issue online. The tab has a variety of content. Therefore, it is important for you to read, watch, or listen to everything provided, as each works to increase your understanding of the topic. Once you have completed your review of the tab’s contents and read all of your selected readings, complete the following: a. Write a one-page single-spaced typed summary outlining what you know about the selected social issue. The intent is to concisely extract the important ideas, concepts, and principles associated with the social issue. Be sure to share your personal opinion and stance on the social issue, but ground it in facts. Once complete, upload the summary as an “assignment” in the LMS. b. Under the discussion board, you must answer one discussion question. You may answer one provided by the instructor or pose your own. Be sure your response is at least one paragraph. At a minimum, there should be five sentences in the paragraph, and responses should be grammatically and factually correct as well as reflect a high level of critical thinking. You must provide some type of online evidence to support your response from an acceptable and reliable source, such as a link to a video, podcast, vodcast, report, or infographic. c. You must respond to at least two other discussion board posts from students in the course. Responses should demonstrate an understanding of the social issue and be thoughtful as well as critical, which means more than a cursory “yes,” “I like this,” or “I don’t agree with you.” You should also include some type of online evidence to support your position from an acceptable and reliable source, such as a link to a video, podcast, vodcast, report, or infographic.

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17.11.2  Appendix B: Rubric for grading discussion board As instructors will have a variety of personal ways to grade the one-page summary, no rubric is offered for its grading. However, below is a sample rubric for use in grading both the online discussion board posting and peer responses. It is generic, and it can be used throughout the semester for any topic selected by the instructor. Further, to increase its usage, the point structure was removed to allow instructors to create their own systems. Category

Scoring criteria for discussion board postings

Mechanics

Postings are well written and provide a logical sequence of information, and sources are properly cited. Postings are slightly problematic, as there is an issue with either the writing, flow of information, or with citing sources. Postings have more than one issue with writing, the logical sequence of information presented, and citing sources. Postings are poorly written, the flow of information is unsatisfactory or confusing, and sources are not properly cited. Posts have no grammatical or spelling errors. Posts have a few grammatical or spelling errors, but the content is not compromised by them or distracting to the reader. Posts are of poor quality with several grammatical and spelling errors. The post was submitted on time. The post was not submitted on time. Postings demonstrate a strong ability to synthesize and analyze content and provide well-developed arguments for discussion. Online evidence is provided and is of high quality and relevance. Postings demonstrate some ability to synthesize and analyze content and provide an argument for discussion. Online evidence is provided and is of high quality and relevance. Postings demonstrate some ability to synthesize and analyze content and provide an argument for discussion. Online evidence is provided, but the link is broken, or content is not relevant or is of poor quality for peer discussion and feedback. Postings lack any purpose and seem to be carelessly constructed. There is no online evidence provided and no analysis of readings, and supplemental information is largely personal opinions or feelings.

Spelling and grammar

Timeliness Analysis

Points

Score

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How rich media and discussion boards in online classes can foster student learning

Category

Scoring criteria for discussion board postings

Knowledge

Postings display an excellent understanding of the required readings and mastery of the concepts and ideas presented by the instructor in supplements under the selected tab. Postings display some understanding of the required readings and some understanding of the concepts and ideas presented by the instructor in supplements under the selected tab. Postings display little understanding of the required readings and little understanding of the concepts and ideas presented by the instructor in supplements under the selected tab. Postings display no understanding of the required readings and no understanding of the concepts and ideas presented by the instructor in supplements under the selected tab. Student posted two peer responses. Student posted one peer response. Student posted no peer responses. Responses were relevant and provide meaningful content. They properly tie together knowledge of the readings and supplemental materials, and they are effective in moving the conversation forward in the discussion forum and drawing other peer responses. Oppositional statements are clearly supported with evidence or research.

Peer postings

Peer and community responsiveness

Responses were somewhat relevant and provided some meaningful content. They tie together some knowledge of the readings and supplemental materials, and they work to move the conversation forward in the discussion forum. Oppositional statements are somewhat supported with evidence. Responses are shallow, off topic, contribute little to the discussion, or are based in emotion, not knowledge. They lack any relevant connection to the readings and supplemental information provided. Student did not post any peer responses. Total points

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Score

Index

Note: Page numbers followed by “f” and “t” refer to figures and tables, respectively. A ACE. See Assessment of College English (ACE) Active learning, 170 Activity theory, 108 Adobe Connect, 111–112, 128 ADPs. See Adult degree programs (ADPs) Adult degree programs (ADPs), 137, 139– 141, 145 Advocacy, 143 Allele and Phenotype Frequencies in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations, 60 Andragogy, 104, 108 Angel, 150, 220–221 App development, for ESL, 177 assessment rubric for, 186 discipline/academic areas, addressing, 177 instructional purpose of, 177 observations and advice, 184–185 prerequisite skills and knowledge of, 178 readings and resources of, 183–184 step-by-step directions for instructors, 178–180 students, 180–183 student learning outcomes of, 178 time requirement for, 183 variations on basic theme, 184 Apple App Store, 17–18 iMovie, 25–26 Assessment of College English (ACE), 15–17, 23 Asynchronous digital communication, 137 checklist for, 147 discipline/academic areas, addressing, 137 instructional purpose of, 137–138 observations and advice for, 143–144 prerequisite skills and knowledge of, 138

presentation guidelines for, 146–147 readings and resources of, 141–142 step-by-step directions of, 138–140 student learning outcomes of, 138 students, project instruction for, 145–146 time requirement for, 140–141 variation on basic theme, 142–143 Asynchronous learning, 225–226 Autonomous motivation, 104 AvayaLive Engage, 124 Avination, 124 B Bb. See Blackboard (Bb) Behaviorism, 107–108 Biology, 159 Blackbar, 178 Blackboard (Bb), 94–96, 106, 149–150, 152–154, 173–174, 220–221, 230 Blackboard Collaborate, 128 Blogger, 173–174 Blogging, 169 discipline/academic areas, addressing, 169 grading rubric for, 176 instructional purpose of, 169–170 observations and advice, 174–175 prerequisite skills and knowledge of, 170–171 readings and resources of, 173–174 step-by-step directions for instructors, 171 students, 171–173 student learning outcomes of, 170 time requirement for, 173 variations on basic theme, 174 Bloom’s taxonomy, 215–216 Brainstorming, in dynamic animation activity, 9–10, 10t worksheet, 5–7

238

C Canvas, 94–96, 106, 150, 220–221, 230 Cathy’s Book, 184 Center for Digital Storytelling, 15 Center for Teaching Excellence, 175 Charades, 178 Clickers, 151, 153 CMap, 68 Cognitivism, 108 Collaborative learning, 2 Collapsed context of selfie, 99 Communication, 94, 160 synchronous and asynchronous digital, 137 Communities of practice, 108 Community inquiry, 104 selfie as, 95–98 Concept map, 59–63, 65–66, 68–69, 72 checklist, 70–72 grading rubric for, 73 Connectivism, 104, 108 Constructivism, 108 social, 108 Creativity skills, 120 Critical thinking, 216 D “A Dark Room”, 178 Desire2learn, 150 Digital audio recordings, 161 Digital communication, synchronous and asynchronous, 137 Digital stories, online tutorials for creating, 24–25 Digital videos, 13 discipline/academic areas, addressing, 13 instructional purpose of, 13–16 interdisciplinary ESL pilot working group, 34–35 observations and advice, 27–28 prerequisite skills and knowledge, 17–18 readings and resources, 24–25 digital stories, online tutorials for creating, 24–25 hardware and software requirement, 24 license and royalty-free music for videos, 25 Photostory 3, online tutorials for, 24–25 sample digital videos, 25

Index

uploading, viewing, and commenting on student videos, online platforms for, 24 sample assignment sheet, 30–32 sample grading rubric for, 30–32 step-by-step directions for instructors, 18–20 for students, 20–22 student learning outcomes, 16–17 discipline-specific, 17 overarching, 16–17 time requirement for, 23 variations on basic theme, 25–27 Discipline/academic areas, addressing blogging, 169 digital videos, 13 discussion boards, 225 dynamic animation, 1 English as a Second Language, 13 ESL app development, 177 expert feedback, 119 global classroom, 187 integration, 215 iPad, 75 learning management system, 149 off-the-grid technologies, 37 open source textbooks, 59 peer feedback, 119 podcasts, 159 PROS process, 47 rhizomatic learning, 103 selfies, 93 synchronous and asynchronous digital communication, 137 Discussion boards, 225 assignment sheet, 233–234 discipline/academic areas, addressing, 225 grading rubric for, 234–235, 234t–235t instructional purpose of, 225–227 observations and advice, 231–232 instructional advice, 231 prerequisite skills and knowledge of, 227 readings and resources of, 229–230 step-by-step directions for instructors, 227–229 students, 229 student learning outcomes for, 227 time requirement for, 229 variations on basic theme, 230–231

Index

Drexel Leeds Global Classroom (DLGC) program, 187–189 background of, 187–188 Dynamic animation, 1 brainstorming activity, 5–7, 9–10, 10t discipline/academic areas, addressing, 1 grading distribution for, 11 grading rubric for, 10–11 instructional purpose of, 1–2 observations and advice, 8 prerequisite skills and knowledge, 3 for instructors, 3 for students, 3 readings and resources of, 7 step-by-step directions for instructors, 3–5 for students, 5–7 student learning outcomes, 2–3 discipline-specific, 2–3 overarching, 2 time requirement for, 7 variations on basic theme, 7–8 E Edmodo, 106 Educational technology, 161 Educreations, 75 cross-curricular potential of apps, 79 observations and advice, 83 student learning outcomes, 76 students, step-by-step directions for, 78–79 time requirement for, 82 variation on basic theme, 82 Ellul, Jacques theory of the three milieus, 38–40, 38t, 39f English as a Second Language (ESL), 13 app development for, 177 discipline/academic areas, addressing, 13 instructional purpose of, 13–16 interdisciplinary pilot working group, 34–35 Entrepreneurship skills, 120 Epidemiology, 174–175 ESL. See English as a Second Language (ESL) Evolution, 61–63, 68–69 Evolutionary biology, 61

239

Exhibition approach to selfie, 99 Experiential learning process, 189 Expert feedback, 119 discipline/academic areas, addressing, 119 instructional purpose of, 119–120 observations and advice of, 128–130 prerequisite skills and knowledge, 121 readings and resources of, 123–127 technological requirement, 123–124 virtual world platforms, 124–127 step-by-step directions of, 121–123 student learning outcomes of, 120–121 discipline-specific, 121 overarching, 120–121 time requirement for, 123 variations on basic theme, 127–128 Extrinsic motivation, 104 F Facebook, 17–24, 106–107 Face-to-face learning, 65 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 113 Feedback expert. See Expert feedback peer. See Peer feedback First Principles of Instruction, 138 Forums, 226–227, 230 G GC. See Global classroom (GC) GIF. See Graphical interchangeable format (GIF) Global classroom (GC), 187 discipline/academic areas, addressing, 187 instructional purpose of, 187–189 instructors, step-by-step directions for, 191–199 first GC meeting, first day of, 193–194 GC project panel, 196–197 maintenance, 195–196 prior to GC onset, 191–192 student performance, assessment of, 198 week prior to first GC meeting, 193 wrapping up, reflection and evaluation, 198–199

240

Global classroom (GC) (Continued) judge’s rubric and comments sheet, 209– 211, 209t, 210t objectives and marking criteria, 208–209 observations and advice for, 204–207 panelist list, 212–213 peer review feedback form, 213 prerequisite skills and knowledge of, 190–191 readings and resources of, 203–204 for educators, 204 for students, 204 reflective assignment, 213 student idea list, 211–212 student learning outcomes of, 189–190 students, step-by-step directions for, 199–202 first GC meeting, first day of, 200 GC project panel, 201 maintenance, 200 prior to GC onset, 199 student performance, assessment of, 201–202 week prior to first GC meeting, 199–200 wrapping up, reflection and evaluation, 202 time requirement for, 202–203 final week, 203 launch, 202 students, 203 teamwork, 203 variations on basic theme, 204 GoodReader, 82 Google Docs, 110, 190 Google Drive, 140–141 tutorials and resources for using, 141 Google Hangout, 111, 143 Google Play Store, 17–18 Google Scholar, 172 Google Sheets, 62 Google+, 106 Graphical interchangeable format (GIF), 3 Group problem solving, 149–150, 154, 156–157 Guided framework. See PROS (Prepare, Resource, Organize, Self-reflect) process

Index

H Hardy–Weinberg principle, 60–61, 63–64, 68–69 Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), 67–69 BioInteractive, 59, 61, 63–64, 66 The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection and Adaptation, 60–61 Natural Selection, 63–64 Natural Selection and Adaptation, 65–66 I iAnnotate, 75, 88–89 cross-curricular potential of apps, 85 observations and advice, 83 readings and resources for, 82 step-by-step directions for instructors, 76–78 students, 78 student learning outcomes, 76 time requirement for, 82 variation on basic theme, 82 iClicker, 150 IDEATE, 126 Identity, selfie as, 94–95, 97 Idioms, 177 Impression management theory, 93–95, 97–99, 101 Innovation skills, 120 Instagram, 93, 95, 99 Instructional purpose of blogging, 169–170 of digital videos, 13–16 of discussion boards, 225–227 dynamic animation, 1–2 of English as a Second Language, 13–16 of ESL app development, 177 of global classroom, 187–189 of integration, 215–216 of iPad, 75 of learning management system, 149–152 off-the-grid technologies, 37 of open source textbooks, 59–60 of podcasts, 159 of PROS process, 47 of rhizomatic learning, 103–104 of selfies, 93

Index

of synchronous and asynchronous digital communication, 137–138 Instructors prerequisite skills and knowledge for dynamic animation, 3 step-by-step directions for blogging, 171 digital videos, 17–18 discussion boards, 227–229 dynamic animation, 3–5 ESL app development, 178–180 global classroom, 191–199 integration, 216–218 learning management system, 153–154 off-the-grid technologies, 37 open source textbooks, 62–64 podcasts, 160–161 PROS process, 48–50 rhizomatic learning, 108–110 selfies, 94–96 Integration, 215 discipline/academic areas, addressing, 215 instructional purpose of, 215–216 observations and advice, 219 online discussion, 220–222 prerequisite skills and knowledge of, 216 readings and resources, 219 step-by-step directions for instructors, 216–218 students, 218 student learning outcomes, 216 discipline-specific, 216 overarching, 216 thematic analysis assignment, 222–223 time requirement for, 218 variations on basic theme, 219 Internationalization, 187 InWorldz, 124 iPad, 75 checklist, 91 discipline/academic areas, addressing, 75 grading criteria print production, 87 instructional purpose, 75 instructors, step-by-step directions for, 76–82 iAnnotate, 76–78 Weebly, 79

241

low-threshold, high-ceiling solutions rubric for, 90 observations and advice, 83–85 asynchronous activities, timing and sequencing of, 84 cross-curricular potential of apps, 85 designing instruction, impact of, 84–85 prerequisite skills and knowledge, 76 readings and resources for, 82 student learning outcomes of, 75–76 discipline-specific, 76 overarching, 75 students, step-by-step directions for, 76–82 iAnnotate, 78 Educreations, 78–79 Weebly, 79–80 time requirement for, 82 variation on basic theme, 82–83 iAnnotate, 82 Educreations, 82 VoiceThread, 83 iSee, 124–125, 125f, 128–129 K Kitely, 124 Knowledge, prerequisite blogging, 170–171 digital videos, 17–18 discussion boards, 227 dynamic animation, 3 for instructors, 3 for students, 3 ESL app development, 178 expert feedback, 121 global classroom, 190–191 integration, 216 iPad, 76 off-the-grid technologies, 37 open source textbooks, 62 peer feedback, 121 podcasts, 160 PROS process, 48 rhizomatic learning, 105–106 selfies, 94 synchronous and asynchronous digital communication, 138

242

L L2 learning. See Second language learning Leadership, 104 Learning community, 15–17, 19–24, 26–27 Learning management system (LMS), 106, 111–112, 139–140, 149, 171, 173– 174, 226–230 discipline/academic areas, addressing, 149 instructional purpose of, 149–152 for asynchronous learning, 151 clicker technology, 151 online homework, 151–152 student assessment of learning gains survey, 152 observations and advice for, 156–157 prerequisite skills and knowledge of, 152–153 readings and resources for, 155–156 step-by-step directions for instructors, 153–154 students, 154–155 student learning outcomes of, 152 time requirement for, 155 variations on basic theme, 156 LearnSmart, 150 Leeds University Business School (LUBS), 203 background of internationalization at, 188 Lifelong learning, 113 LiveBinders, 110 LMS. See Learning management system (LMS) M Mad Libs, 178 Maieutics, 107 The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection and Adaptation, 60–61 Marvel, 178–179 Massive open online course (MOOC), 112 MasteringChemistry, 150–153, 155 Microbiology, 174–175 Microsoft Excel, 62 Microsoft PowerPoint, 1, 3–6, 25–26, 41, 98, 190 Mobile learning, 103, 162 Moodle, 106, 150, 162, 230

Index

Motivation autonomous, 104 extrinsic, 104 MS Office, 62 MS Office 360, 62 N Natural selection, 61 Natural Selection, 63–64 Natural Selection and Adaptation, 65–66 Networks, 105–107 O Off-the-grid technologies, 37 discipline/academic areas, addressing, 37 grading rubric for, 45 instructional purpose, 37 observations and advice for, 43 prerequisite skills and knowledge, 37 readings and resources, 42–43 reflection assignment, 44–45 step-by-step directions for, 37 for instructors, 38–40, 38t, 39f for students, 40–42 student learning outcomes, 37 time requirement for, 42 variations on basic theme, 43 OneDrive, 140–141 tutorials and resources for using, 141 Online course, discussion boards in, 225 Online discussion, 220–222 Online homework, 151–153 Online learning, 65 Online Writing Lab (OWL), 40 Open Cobalt, 124 Open educational/free educational resources rating scale, 73–74 Open educational resources (OERs), 59–60, 67–68 Open Office, 62 Open Simulator, 124 Open source textbooks, 59 discipline/academic areas, addressing, 59 instructional purpose of, 59–60 observations and advice, 68–69 prerequisite skills and knowledge, 62 readings and resources, 65–66

Index

step-by-step directions, 62–65 for instructors, 62–64 for students, 64–65 student learning outcomes of, 61–62 technology resources for, 66–67 time requirement for, 65 variation on basic theme, 67–68 Open-ended student projects, 119 OpenSim, 124 OpenStax, 59, 61, 66–68 OpenSUNY, 59 Open Wonderland, 124 OWL. See Online Writing Lab (OWL) P Peer feedback, 119 discipline/academic areas, addressing, 119 instructional purpose of, 119–120 observations and advice of, 128–130 prerequisite skills and knowledge, 121 readings and resources of, 123–127 technological requirement, 123–124 virtual world platforms, 124–127 step-by-step directions of, 121–123 student learning outcomes of, 120–121 discipline-specific, 121 overarching, 120–121 time requirement for, 123 variations on basic theme, 127–128 Peer2Peer University, 106 Performance, 93–94, 101 Personal response systems (PRS), 151, 156–157 PHET software, 149–150 Photostory 3, 13, 17–19, 21, 23–27, 30–32 online tutorials for, 24–25 Phrasal verbs, 178–181, 184–185 Piazza, 150 Pictionary, 178 Pitch Planning Worksheet, 123, 131–132 PixiClip, 82 Podcasts, 159 discipline/academic areas, addressing, 159 instructional purpose of, 159 observations and advice, 164 prerequisite skills and knowledge, 160 readings and resources of, 163 rubric and scoring guide for, 166–167

243

step-by-step directions for instructors, 160–161 students, 161–162 student learning outcomes of, 159–160 time requirement for, 162 variations on basic theme, 163 Poll Everywhere, 150 Population genetics, 61–62, 68–69 Preassessment of assignment, 48–49, 52, 55–56 Presentation skills, 1, 3, 5–8, 128–129 Prezi, 98, 110, 190 Principle for Mac, 178–179 Professional communication digital, 137–138, 142–144 and networking skills, 121 PROS (Prepare, Resource, Organize, Selfreflect) process, 47 discipline/academic areas, addressing, 47 discipline-specific instruction, 47 instructional purpose of, 47 observations and advice, 51 preassessment of assignment, 48–49, 52, 55–56 prerequisite skills and knowledge for, 48 readings and resources, 50 self-directed learning tech guide, 53, 56–57, 56t step-by-step directions for instructor and students, 48–50 student learning outcomes, 48 student responses to, 55–58 task completion strategy, 49, 53–54, 57, 57t time requirement for, 50 variations on basic theme, 50–51 PRS. See Personal response systems (PRS) Public health, 169 Public speaking, 142 PubMed, 160, 172 Q QuickTime Player, 162 R Reenactment, selfie as, 95, 97 Reflective writing, 40, 42–45 Remote working, 189, 203

244

Rhizomatic learning, 103 discipline/academic areas, addressing, 103 grading rubric for, 115–118 instructional purpose of, 103–104 observations and advice for, 112–113 prerequisite skills and knowledge of, 105–106 readings and resources for, 111 step-by-step directions for, 106–110 instructors, 106–108 students, 108–110 student learning outcomes of, 105 discipline-specific, 105 overarching, 105 time requirement for, 110 variation on basic theme, 111–112 S SALG. See Student assessment of learning gains survey (SALG) Sapling Learning, 150 Scaffolding, 149–150 Scientific thinking, 170, 174–175 SDL. See Self-directed learning (SDL) Second language learning (L2 learning), 13, 15, 26 Second Life, 124, 129 Self-assessment, 138, 140, 143–144 Self-determination theory, 104 Self-directed learning (SDL), 14–15, 47–51, 119. See also PROS (Prepare, Resource, Organize, Self-reflect) process tech guide, 53, 56–57, 56t Selfies, 93 as community, 95–98 discipline/academic areas, addressing, 93 grading rubric for, 102 as identity, 94–95, 97 instructional purpose of, 93 observations and advice, 99–100 prerequisite skills and knowledge, 94 as reenactment, 95, 97 step-by-step directions for instructors, 94–96 students, 96–98 student learning outcomes of, 93–94 discipline-specific, 94 overarching, 93–94 time requirement for, 98 variations on basic theme, 99

Index

Self-monitors, 56 Self-regulation, 47 Short film, 60–61, 63, 65–66 Skills creativity, 120 entrepreneurship, 120 innovation, 120 networking, 121 prerequisite, 37 blogging, 170–171 digital videos, 17–18 discussion boards, 227 dynamic animation, 3 ESL app development, 178 expert feedback, 121 global classroom, 190–191 integration, 216 iPad, 76 off-the-grid technologies, 37 open source textbooks, 62 peer feedback, 121 podcasts, 160 PROS process, 48 rhizomatic learning, 105–106 selfies, 94 synchronous and asynchronous digital communication, 138 presentation, 128–129 SKS. See Stop–keep doing–start (SKS) process Skype, 128 Slack, 106 SLO. See Student learning outcomes (SLO) Smart classroom, 24 Smart devices, 13–14, 17–19, 21–24, 27 Snapchat, 93 Social constructivism, 108 Social constructivist theory, 149–150 Social media, 93–96, 98–100 Socratic method, 107, 109 Socrative, 150 Solidify, 178–179 SoundCloud, 161–162, 164 Stop–keep doing–start (SKS) process, 49, 54–55 Stories, 177 Strategic task managers, 56 Student assessment of learning gains survey (SALG), 152

Index

Student learning outcomes (SLO) blogging, 170 digital videos, 16–17 discussion boards, 227 dynamic animation, 2–3 ESL app development, 178 expert feedback, 120–121 global classroom, 189–190 integration, 216 learning management system, 152 off-the-grid technologies, 37 open source textbooks, 61–62 podcasts, 159–160 peer feedback, 120–121 PROS process, 48 rhizomatic learning, 105 selfies, 93–94 synchronous and asynchronous digital communication, 138 Students brainstorming activity dynamic animation, 9–10, 10t learning outcomes. See Student learning outcomes (SLO) prerequisite skills and knowledge of digital videos, 17–18 dynamic animation, 3 project instruction for, 145–146 readings and resources of global classroom, 203–204 step-by-step directions for blogging, 171–173 digital videos, 18–20 discussion boards, 229 dynamic animation, 5–7 ESL app development, 180–183 global classroom, 199–202 integration, 218 iPad, 75–76 learning management system, 154–155 off-the-grid technologies, 37 open source textbooks, 64–65 podcasts, 161–162 PROS process, 48–50 rhizomatic learning, 108–110 selfies, 96–98 Supplemental learning, 65 Synchronous digital communication, 137 checklist for, 147

245

discipline/academic areas, addressing, 137 instructional purpose of, 137–138 observations and advice for, 143–144 prerequisite skills and knowledge of, 138 presentation guidelines for, 146–147 readings and resources of, 141–142 step-by-step directions of, 138–140 student learning outcomes of, 138 students, project instruction for, 145–146 time requirement for, 140–141 variation on basic theme, 142–143 Synchronous online tools, 119, 121, 128 T TAA. See Thematic analysis assignment (TAA) TAs. See Teaching assistants (TAs) Task-centered instructional strategies, 138, 139f Task completion strategy, 49, 53–54, 57, 57t Teaching assistants (TAs), 149–150 Teaching with technology, 1 Technological literacy, 170, 174–175 Technology-assisted learning, 47–51, 53 Thematic analysis assignment (TAA), 215–219 “To Be Or Not To Be”, 178 Tumblr, 174 TurningPoint, 152–153 instructors, 153–154 Twitter, 93–96, 98–99 U Ussie. See Selfies V Video-guided presentation, 7–8 Virtual field trip, 61–62 Virtual lab, 59, 62, 68–69 Virtual world platforms, 124–127 readings, 126 videos, 126 VoiceThread, 75 cross-curricular potential of apps, 85 observations and advice, 83–85 student learning outcomes, 76 time requirement for, 82 variation on basic theme, 83

246

W Webassign, 150 Weebly, 110, 174 low-threshold, high-ceiling solutions rubric for, 90 step-by-step directions for instructors, 79 students, 79–80 time requirement for, 82

Index

Wikispaces, 110 Windows Surface Pro, 138 WordPress, 174 Z Zone of proximal development, 149–150 Zoom, 140