Transcript Blending Using Online Activities: A Case of a Significant

Blending Using Online Activities:
A Case of a Significant Learning
Experience at a Jordanian
University
Salam Abdallah
Abu Dhabi University, UAE
[email protected]
Introduction
Background
Blending with Online Activities & Social Constructivism
Challenges as catalyst for change
– Rote memorization
– Information overload
– Surface learning, no critical thinking
– Little value added to their knowledge and experience
– Dull & lacks motivation
– Lifelong learning skills development
Research Method
Case
– Context
– Research Question:
“How online activities have impacted students learning?”
– Data
• 150 students, 5 semesters, 300 Qualitative – rich data,
• Students were asked to discuss openly the things they liked
and disliked about their online participation.
• Framework of analysis
– The “Taxonomy of Significant Learning” proposed by Dee Fink
(2003)
Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant
Learning
• Aimed at higher
education, to
expresses the
need for learning
that impact the
lives of adult
students.
• No change, no
learning
4. Findings and Discussions
Students description of the online learning
environment:
“interesting”, “enjoyable”, “rich”,
“motivates”, “interactive”, “easy way
to learn”, “relevant to our lives”, “great
experience”, “no stress”, “creative”,
“active” and “beneficial”
1. Foundational Knowledge
• Related to content acquisition, key understandings and
remembering of various topics including terminologies, concepts,
theories ideas or perspectives.
…The best thing in this forum is that it allows others to comment on
your post, the more opinions we get, the better understanding we
gain. In addition, this helps other students on getting more
knowledge when they read and answer each others' posts…
Indicators
Depth, more understanding, more knowledge, new knowledge,
remember, learn more, stored in my mind, variety of
information, deep understanding, gain experience and
knowledge
• Student had the opportunity to understand topics in depth and gain
diversified knowledge in a new different way and their own
language. students were active in searching, reading and writing,
which had impacted the retention and memory recall of information.
2. Application
•
Related to students gaining certain skills to allow for engagement
in critical or creative thinking or practical development of ideas or
artifacts, or managing projects. This kind of learning allows the
other types of learning to become useful e.g. using foundational
knowledge to think critically about other issues.
Critical thinking
•
Observing and learning from diversity
…can see other students assignments and make comparison
and learn from others experience…
•
Broadening horizon of thinking
…extending the boundary of thinking, by trying to predict the
possible outcomes or problems…
•
Improving thinking ways
… it was an experience that enriched my ability to think
correctly on how to comprehend the different raised topics for
the subject…
2. Application (Cont.)
Skills
Confidence and freedom of expression
…gave me the opportunity to express myself freely and without any
barriers. …I had more self confidence to introduce any topic
that I find useful for students
Care and accuracy
…because I feel that I am going to prepare a document not only for
me but it is mainly for others, because every thing should be
accurate and revised thoroughly
Searching, reading, writing, and using technology
… It helped me in writing in English …gain more benefits from
reading the other students’ blogs…it made me search for
answers whether from other books or from the
internet…Online learning activity helped me improving my
skills through writing intensively... in addition of the experience
of using the internet…it increased my computer knowledge…
•
Students gained lifelong learning skills such critical thinking,
communications, and technology use and gave them a sense
of significant learning experience.
3. Integration
• Relating fragments of knowledge to build a holistic understanding or
the ability to connect to other people or to integrate knowledge
between different contexts and this provides the learner with
intellectual power.
…the website, glossary, blogs, discussion board, helps to bring
everything together…making connection between the book
theory with the practice side…
Indicators
Linking, relation, harness, designing and building, tie
ideas together
• The complementary activities assisted students to see knowledge
holistically. Students were relating various fragment of knowledge
and were also integrating knowledge into their working lives.
4. Human Dimensions (self, others)
• To know something of value about themselves or others, such as
self image or what they want to become. Sometimes students
acquire a better understanding of others: how and why others act
the way they do, or how the learner can interact more effectively
with others.
…It gave the opportunity to know how the other think, which I have to
respect and give value. It is a mean of learning to hear to each
other and communicate … how to deal with my self and how to
see my self while I am in such situation which give a great sense ( a
feeling of responsibility)…working as one team and to accept the
opinions of others…
• The dynamics of the environment allowed students to interact more
effectively and purposefully with themselves and with others,
basically they were learning about the “Human dimension” of life.
5. Caring
• Related to the change of feelings, behaviors, interests and values.
This change motivates students and provides them with energy to
learn about the subject in a lasting way; deeper and more
meaningful
…I like the feeling that the student is attached to the subject
throughout the whole week and not just during the lecture hours… I
like the way we take the lecture cause we have to participate and
share opinions and thoughts which makes us somehow active…
Many years later I will remember all about this subject… the
quick response from the site administrator and his wide interest and
respect to his student which encouraged everybody to speak and
write without fear…
Indicators
Active, enthusiastic, stronger connection, motivated, connect with
course, had developed a love for seeking knowledge
• Student have cared for the course and its active method of teaching
which had positively motivated their learning and skills development.
6. Learning How to Learn
• Gain understandings about the process of learning and to give the
leaner sustainability in continuing learning for life with greater
effectiveness.
…This experience has benefited me by changing my way of
studying, which used to rely on memorization and than
comprehension followed by application some of the understandings
in my work, after this experience, became capable to abstract and
how to utilize many of the knowledge and understanding in my
working live…
Indicators
construct appropriate new knowledge, taught me how to learn,
develop another approach of thinking, learning from each
others
• Students had acquired skills to learn better, how to construct new
knowledge and how to learn from each other by collaborating.
Summary
“The method of learning the subject was
effective, it allowed collaboration, thinking
and actions to collect information related
to the subject, so in general it is a good
way to learn and at the same time
enjoyable, but requires extra time and
effort for the student” [Student Statement]
Value of Blending with Online
Activities
• Fosters active learning
• Encourages skills building: critical thinking,
reading, writing, searching, collaborating, self
development, and technology use
• Builds holistic view of the subjects
• Motivates quality work, because work is visible
• Retention of knowledge is improved
• Less effort required prior to exams
Conclusions
• The environment promotes active, self directed learning
opportunities in a flexible approach that can produce
significant learning.
• Use of online activities should be encouraged at local
educational institutions as a way to strengthen the faceto-face learning environment and in order to equip
students with lasting lifelong learning skills.
• The use of Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant Learning had
provided a good framework for understanding students
statements and to answer the research question: “How
online activities have impacted students learning?”
Thank you
Questions & comments
Salam Abdallah, PhD
Assistant Professor of MIS
Abu Dhabi University, UAE
[email protected]