Community” in teh - Villanova University
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Transcript Community” in teh - Villanova University
CREATING COMMUNITY
THROUGH THE USE OF
TECHNOLOGY:
A LOOK AT VILLANOVA’S
MPA PROGRAM
THEODOROS ARAPIS, PH.D.
RALPH GIGLIOTTI, MPA
STEPHANIE NISSEN, MPA
VILLANOVA UNIVERSIT Y
INTRODUCTIONS
AGENDA
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
Overview of the MPA program at Villanova – Stephanie
Virtual Community Research Findings – Ralph
Design Faculty Perspective – Theo
Strategies for Cultivating Community – Stephanie
Conclusion, Challenges, & Broader Applications
Q&A
BACKGROUND
UNIVERSIT Y MISSION
Villanova University is a Catholic Augustinian
community of higher education, committed to
excellence and distinction in the discovery,
dissemination and application of knowledge.
Inspired by the life and teaching of Jesus
Christ, the University is grounded in the
wisdom of the Catholic intellectual tradition
and advances a deeper understanding of the
relationship between faith and reason.
MPA PROGRAM
Public Administration is the organization
and management of people and materials
to achieve public purposes.
The program’s mission seeks to prepare
“successful professionals capable of
ethical, intelligent and creative
leadership in the public service.”
AGENDA
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
Overview of the MPA program at Villanova – Stephanie
Virtual Community Research Findings – Ralph
Design Faculty Perspective – Theo
Strategies for Cultivating Community – Stephanie
Conclusion, Challenges, & Broader Applications
Q&A
NEW ONLINE PROGRAM
Launched in Fall 2012
Fully online with no on -campus requirements- no hybrid
courses
Video based e-learning modules
12 required courses/36 total credit hours
8-week courses
Weekly virtual class meeting requirement through use of
Blackboard Collaborate initially, but now uses Adobe Connect
Synchronous chatroom during virtual class meeting
Asynchronous assignments & discussion board
First graduate in September 2013
Currently has over 250 active students
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT:
CHALLENGES AND CONSIDERATIONS
Partnering with outside vendor - division of responsibilities
National Association of Schools of Public Af fairs and
Administration (NASPAA) accreditation standards
Transference of campus courses and curriculum to virtual
environment
Measures of assessment and condensed classes
Adjunct Faculty
Use of new technology - faculty and students
Comprehensive Exam
Maintain strong presence on campus while growing online
program
Creating a sense of community
CURRENT LITERATURE
Community
“a group of people who are willing and able to help each other.
In this sense, community is more than a way a group of people
defines itself: it is a capability that can be developed and
improved over time” (Cothrell & Williams, 1999, p. 60).
The “community question” (Hampton & Wellman, 2003)
Internet’s impact on community:
- severely weakening community
- transforming community into an online ‘virtual
community’
- enhance community and existing social relationships
Haythornthwaite (2001) – raises the question as to what impact
the Internet may have on community and interactions with others
CURRENT LITERATURE
Virtual Learning Community
Overview of virtual community – Wellman, et al., 1996,
Wellman & Gulia, 1997
Selznick (1996) identifies seven elements of community –
history, identity, mutuality, plurality, autonomy, participation,
and integration
Schwier (2001) – adds an orientation to the future, technology,
and learning
CURRENT LITERATURE
Virtual Communication & Distance Education/Online Learning
Media multiplexity (Haythornthwaite, 2001)
“how group members engage in multiple types of interaction,
using multiple media in support of multiple goals” (p. 222)
Importance of informal communication for creating bonds of
community and group identity
Latent tie theory (Haythornthwaite, 2001)
“adding any network-based means of communication…lays
the groundwork for connectivity between formerly
unconnected others” (p. 136).
Supporting virtual distance learning communities
(Haythornthwaite, et al., 2000)
CURRENT LITERATURE
Online learning & community
learning pertains to all communities and online communities
(Haythornthwaite, 2008)
positive relationships between sense of learning community
and perceived learning engagement, course satisfaction, and
learning outcomes (Xiaojing, L., et al. (2007).
“Communication, collaboration, interaction, and participation
are four cornerstones in a learning community framework”
(Lock, 2002, p. 397).
Vygotsky (1978) – social development theory: “social
interaction is vital to cognitive development – all higher-order
functions originate as the relationships among individuals” –
constructivist approach
CURRENT LITERATURE
Organizational Identification
“If we accept the idea that organizational communication is
essentially a process through which meaning is created,
negotiated, and managed, we should expect to find identity at
issue in most organizing processes” (Cheney & Christensen,
2001, p. 241).
In what ways do students in the online chatroom identify with
the university?
CURRENT LITERATURE
Other considerations:
Social affordances
the possibilities that technological changes provide for
social relations and social structure (Bradner & Kellogg,
1999)
“Interpretively flexible communication systems”
allow groups to define the form of their own collaboration
and communication (Orlikowski, 1992)
VIRTUAL COMMUNIT Y FINDINGS
Reasons for communication in the
online chatroom
Informal discourse
Weather
Technology
Family
Work
Humor
Definition
Casual communication between students
that is unrelated to the course content
Course-related discourse
Formal communication directly related to
the course content
Peer-support discourse
Communication used to motivate and
support classmates in the virtual class
Program-related discourse &
institutional identification
Statements of identification to the
graduate MPA program or the University
AGENDA
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
Overview of the MPA program at Villanova – Stephanie
Virtual Community Research Findings – Ralph
Design Faculty Perspective – Theo
Strategies for Cultivating Community – Stephanie
Conclusion, Challenges, & Broader Applications
Q&A
ONLINE TECHNOLOGY
LMS
Course Menu (Syllabus)
Video Lectures
Camtasia Videos
Virtual Class
Adobe Connect
PPT presentations
Poll Questions
Screen Share
File Share
Break-Out Rooms
Chat-Room
LMS – COURSE MENU
LMS – VIDEO LECTURES
LMS – CAMTASIA VIDEOS
VIRTUAL CLASS - ADOBE
VIRTUAL CLASS – POLL QUESTIONS
VIRTUAL CLASS – SCREEN SHARE
VIRTUAL CLASS – FILE SHARE
VIRTUAL CLASS – BREAK OUT ROOM
(WORKSHOP SESSION)
Break students into groups
Upload Instructions and Excel file for each group
Visit break-out rooms and observe how students work or
answer student questions
End break-out room and allow students to present their work,
main findings, etc.
ON-CAMPUS VERSUS ONLINE…
On-campus
Ppt Presentations
Video Demonstrations
Youtube
Mass Media
Excel
Demonstrations
Workshops
Blackboard
Syllabus
Ppt Presentations
Extra Readings
Homework
Project
Quizzes
Project Examples and Instructions
Learning Activities
Online
Adobe Connect
Ppt Presentations
Video Demonstrations
Video Lectures
Camtasia Videos
Excel Demonstrations
LMS
Quizzes
Blackboard
DESIGN FACULT Y
CONCLUSIONS
The on-campus and online class designs benefit from each
other
Technology allows for identical on -campus and online designs
But…
Evolution is faster in on-campus classes
Less flexibility in online classes
AGENDA
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
Overview of the MPA program at Villanova – Stephanie
Virtual Community Research Findings – Ralph
Design Faculty Perspective – Theo
Strategies for Cultivating Community – Stephanie
Conclusion, Challenges, & Broader Applications
Q&A
CONNECTING AND CULTIVATING
COMMUNIT Y
Building connections early
Personal welcome messages and individual outreach
New Student Orientation
Online Info Session
Providing access to resources and services
Writing Tutor
Comprehensive Exam
Learning Support- modification of online class
Access to events on campus
Recording and Live Stream
Webinar
MPA Enewsletter
Creating opportunities to connect
Online “Coffee Break”
MPA Meetups
Inclusion in campus clubs and honor societies
Washington DC Happy Hour
2014 Pi Alpha Alpha Induction
MPA ENewsletter
SOCIAL MEDIA AND COMMUNIT Y
Utilizing social media and blogging as modes of communication
to bridge the gap between the two programs
MPA Leaders Lounge
Local and virtual networking events
Job board- “Career Compass”
MPA Facebook Page
Upcoming Events
Photos
Flickr
MPA Twitter Account
Linkedin
YouTube Channel
*Online students/alumni are more receptive and responsive to
social media communication
AGENDA
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
Overview of the MPA program at Villanova – Stephanie
Virtual Community Research Findings – Ralph
Design Faculty Perspective – Theo
Strategies for Cultivating Community – Stephanie
Conclusion, Challenges, & Broader Applications
Q&A
IMPORTANT THEMES
By “lay[ing] the groundwork for connectivity between formerly
unconnected others,” community is brought to life through
communication among initially weak ties with no prior shared
experience (Haythornthwaite, 2001 , p. 136).
Learning and community lie at the core of the graduate online
MPA experience – cultivated intentionally by individuals
associated with the program.
Noteworthy challenges include changes in technology and
reaching disconnected students
Broader applications
STUDENT TESTIMONIALS
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8pzcgi0mzm47l8h/WIN_20141103
_124933.MP4?dl=0
QUESTIONS?
Theodoros Arapis – [email protected]
Ralph Gigliotti – [email protected]
Stephanie Nissen – [email protected]
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Journal of Knowledge Management, 3 (1), 54-60.
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