Research

Research on Computer-Mediated Communication and Collaboration

During this course we have found more and more reasons why using the internet and other forms of technology in the classroom, K-12 and beyond, can be largely beneficial. Keeping with my current research focus on the efficacy of distance learning, I chose to examine the benefits and challenges of computer-mediated communication and collaboration. Three peer-reviewed articles related to this topic were chosen and are summarized. Karpova, Correia, & Baran (2009) conducted a global study examining what, why and how learners used different technologies while solving an educational related problem with international group members. Thompson & Savenye (2007) examined the participation of students in online classes via discussion boards when postings were not mandatory or graded and came up with three factors that effect this participation. Carr (2007) examines the difficulties utilizing blogs, podcasts, e-mail, and websites may pose for educational settings.

First we will examine the numerous benefits of computer mediated communication and collaboration. There are several different avenues one can take for using online courses for communication and collaboration. Some examples used in the present articles are blogging and podcasts (Carr, 2007) and Skype, Acrobat Connect Professional, Google Docs and Learning Management Systems like WebCT (Karpova, Correia, & Baran, 2009). Carr points out one benefit of blogging for educators is the opportunity for increased communication and collaboration for teachers and parents alike. Whether it be a website, a blog, e-mail or chat, increased communication between parents, teachers and students will most likely help overcome previous barriers that lack of communication presented (Carr, 2007). Pertaining to online learning, web-based or computer-mediated communications allow for a very diverse group of people from all over the world to work together – in a timely fashion – in order to solve a problem. Synchronous (i.e chat) and asynchronous (i.e. discussion boards) forms of communication assist learners world-wide in communicating and collaborating, and there are a variety of programs and modules (many free!) that one can use. Skype is a free program downloadable from the internet that offers chat, voice chat, and video chat along with many other features. Karpova, Correia & Baran (2009) stated that students were overall very impressed with how easy Skype was to use and how greatly it increased their ability to problem solve, brainstorm and communicate together in real time. It should be noted that Skype has been updated to a Fifth version since the publishing of this article and at least one of the “challenges” pointed out in the article is no longer present because Skype now allows for multiple user video conferencing. (One could also add to the benefits of technology in general being that it is constantly evolving… solving challenges one version at a time.) Acrobat Connect Professional was also used in this study and participants listed benefits as eight person videoconferencing, whiteboard visible and mark-able by all participants, and shared documents and desktop. Another tool found very useful to the participants was Google Docs which is a free web-based program that allows simultaneous viewing and editing of documents by multiple learners. This tool greatly reduced time and frustrations associated with sending, downloading, editing and re-sending documents being created by more than one author (Karpova, Correia, & Baran, 2009).

“Practice makes perfect” may be an old saying, but it is found to be extremely applicable to those using technology. Just like the title of the article, participants in Karpova, Correia, & Baran’s study stated that “learn to use and use to learn” was one of the hardest, yet most beneficial aspects of the technology they used when collaborating with students world-wide (2009).  The more they used specific programs, the easier it became and the more they were able to do with those programs. This is very similar to the finding of Thompson & Savenye (2007), which states that the more experience students have with online classes, the more likely students are to participate in online discussion forums, even voluntarily. Technology can be quite scary to one who does not have a lot of experience in using it, however, many programs are available that are created to be user-friendly and have built-in help programs. The final benefit we will discuss is the multi-cultural experience that online communication and collaboration can bring with it. There are limitless possibilities for students all around the world to not only communicate with each other about educational information, but, like the students in “Learn to use and use to learn” discovered, there are personal gains to be made as well… simply in interacting with those from different countries, cultures and belief systems than your own (Karpova, Correia & Baran, 2009).

While there are many benefits to computer-mediated communication and collaboration, there are definitely also real challenges. Technological malfunctions and user-related problems (not knowing how to use a program) are two discussed by Karpova and researchers. Students in that study found the most common problem was the lack of ability to use eye contact, facial expressions and body language as external communication tools. Communicating via chat, e-mail or discussion boards offered no visual communication guides with other participants, and while video conferencing at least offered a picture of the person and their real-time reactions, one learner found the lack of eye contact (which of course is a cultural preference) was still disturbing. Another challenge this global team faced was the 7 hour time difference. Participants found it difficult to set up times that were suitable for all students in the midst of jobs, other classes and family life. Whereas I am sure this is a challenge faced by any graduate level group, the 7 hour time difference certainly doesn’t help with world-wide computer mediated collaboration (Karpova, Correia & Baran, 2009). Other potential challenges are related to the real-time, globally accessible information that personal sites, blogs, e-mails, texts and videos have. These sources have the opportunity to reach millions world-wide in seconds, and one mistype or spur-of-the-moment decision can affect many people: legally, emotionally and financially. Great care must be taken, especially in the educational realm when trading information using any online avenue. Policies, ethics, privacy concerns, etc. should all be well-known and utilized by all braving the world wide web (Carr, 2007).

In conclusion, it should be noted the many uses and possibilities technology offers educationally and socially. The borderless world accessible to students for computer-mediated collaboration and communication can have a positive effect on one’s education. The skills learned while taking part in web-based world-wide collaboration can easily be transferred to the work setting, and many employers are most likely looking for employees who are already technology savvy in our ever-evolving world of e-everything. E-students should be cautious to remember that the words and data they are receiving on the computer are in fact from another human being and not forget the importance of face-to-face meetings and telephone calls when possible or necessary (Carr, 2007). If one is careful with the information they share online and mindful of the repercussions of technology misuse, then one should be able to navigate the world of e-learning and find it extremely beneficial for his or her education, career, and personal life.

References
 
Carr, N. (2007, March). Wired-World Mishaps. American School Board Journal, 194(3), 48-49.  
 
Karpova, E., Correia, A., & Baran, E. (2009, January). Learn to use and use to learn: Technology in virtual collaboration. Internet & Higher Education, 12(1), 45-52.
 
Thompson, E., & Savenye, W. (2007, October). Adult Learner Participation in an Online Degree Program: A program-level study of voluntary computer-mediated communication. Distance Education, 28(3), 299-312.
 

Theory

I chose to look at Carl Rogers’ Experiential Learning. One of the reasons that using the internet and other technologies in the classroom are growing in popularity is that it puts the learner in control in many ways, and the teacher is simply a guide. This idea parallels Rogers’ theory of Experiential Learning in that Rogers believes when the learner is in control, significant or experiential learning takes places, and this is the learning that stays with the student throughout time, as opposed to simply memorizing and regurgitating facts. As stated in the article, Rogers’ theory applies primarily to adult learners. While I believe that it is still applicable in a K-12 setting, I have chosen to look into the efficacy of web-based (distance) learning for my research project and will focus primarily on adult learners.

According to Rogers, all humans have the ability to learn, and the teacher is simply a facilitator of this learning. It is a teacher’s responsibility to (1) set a positive climate (2) clarify purposes of the learner (3) organize and make available resources (4) balance intellectual and emotional components of learning and (5) share feelings and thoughts with learners without dominating. This approach to teaching differs greatly in many ways from methods traditionally used in a classroom, but web-based learning is directed at a different kind of learner. These students are (or should be) more self-directed. If a teacher will provide the material, the support, and the encouragement, the web-based learner will have the necessary tools to be successful at distance learning. To facilitate the learner as needed is the primary responsibility for a web-based teacher, and the type of facilitation or support needed will vary from student to student.

When a person enrolls in distance learning, they are initiating the learning process. Assuming a person is enrolling in classes that are interesting to them or that will serve a purpose for them in the future, I believe this would qualify as the student fully participating in the learning process and having control of its nature and direction. Rogers also believed that the student should have direct confrontation with realistic problems. Because web-based learners are not restricted to the classroom for learning, opportunities are limitless for this confrontation to take place. Whether it is through virtual gaming, real-time problem solving, or field research, the learner is in control. The final principal Rogers believes facilitates learning is self-evaluation. Although web-based learners may be tested and graded by the teacher, these students are constantly responsible for the comprehension of the material; therefore self-evaluation is a never-ending process.

Finally, we will look at the 4 principles of Rogers’ Experiential Learning. Rogers believed that significant learning takes place when the subject matter is relevant to the personal interests of the student. As mentioned above, this concept is appropriately applicable to distance learning. Typically, distance learners are either attempting to reach a goal through their learning or are simply furthering their knowledge of a particular subject, meaning that hopefully the subject is of interest to the learner therefore making significant learning possible. Principle two and three deal mostly with decreasing the external threat to the learner. Classrooms are very social environments. The distance learner has the capability of learning from the comfort of their own home or office. Any social anxieties a learner may possess are practically eliminated with web-based classes. If, for instance, a student has a question, a simple, private email to the teacher will produce an answer without fear of judgment from either classmates or teacher.  Removing these outside threats, Rogers believes, increases the speed of learning, possibly making distance learning more productive for students. Lastly, self-initiated learning is the most lasting and pervasive. Obviously if a student is interested in the material they will be more motivated to learn, but according to Rogers they will also be more likely to retain and use the information.

Experiential Learning is all about the learner. When a student is interested in the material, they are more likely to learn. When they are able to control the pace and methods used to learn, they are more likely to retain. When external threats are decreased, they are more likely to learn quickly. And when learning is self-initiated, the learning is more lasting and pervasive. I believe that distance learning offers the learner all of these qualities and could possibly produce well-rounded, self-efficient students.

Social Media

 From the What is Social Media article, Think of regular media as a one-way street where you can read a newspaper or listen to a report on television, but you have very limited ability to give your thoughts on the matter.  Social media on the other hand is a two-way street that gives you the ability to communicate.  I joined the group Clif’s Notes On EdTech in diigo.  I joined this group because it has resources on education, technology, and quite a bit more.  Its tools, tips, and resources to help you be the most organized teacher you can be using the internet.  From assessment, to instruction, and special education, this site has a lot of great resources for helping you get your classroom organized and keep it that way throughout the year.  
There are so many reasons why the young and old find networking to be so appealing.  On sites that I’ve seen and personally been on there are opportunities to meet new people, find old friends that you lost content with, find jobs, keep updated with news and sports and information about today’s hot topics.  Networking websites can be used positively in many ways in a classroom.  Students can collaborate on projects with students in different school, cities, states, and countries.  This allows for so much in a classroom, open ended possibilities with projects in any subject.  With any form of networking there are always negative ways that this technology can be used if it is not monitored properly or frequently.  Cyber bullying is something that is common and I think what we read about or hear about most with these sites.  I think that the positive hugely outweighs the negative.  Strict guidelines just need to be established with students and parents prior to using this in the classroom. 
 Personally I actually tend to spend quite a bit of time networking on facebook, keeping up with family and friends I don’t get to see or talk to often.  Professionally I would tend to spend time networking on websites that have any kind of resources or tools that I could utilize in my classroom with the equipment that I have available to use.  I keep in touch with teachers that I have worked with and always bounce ideas off of them or find out what they are doing in different subjects for ideas.  This benefits me every time I share ideas with fellow teachers, I love to see what they’re doing, how I can improve something, or new ideas I can try.  This helps me keep lessons fresh and interesting for my students.  Plus there are always new ideas on websites about lessons and subjects to help me with my planning.  I don’t know that I see any drawbacks to this.  Planning with other professionals can only help and provide more creativity.  As said in the Social Media video, social media isn’t a fad, it’s a fundamental shift in the way we communicate.  We no longer search for news, the news finds us.  In the near future we will no longer search for products and services, they will find us via social media.

Gaming

Gaming has accelerated quite a bit in recent years.  These games range from simple paper and pencil to complex online gaming.  As a teacher I think that gaming can be a very useful and beneficial tool in the classroom.  If used appropriately and monitored students will benefit from gaming because they are from the technological era never knowing a world in which digital games were always an important part of their lives.  They have all the resources of the needed knowledge to access all these forms of gaming.  According to the 2010 Horizon Report research into games for educational purposes reveals some interesting trends.  Early studies of consumer games helped to identify the aspects of games that make them especially engaging and appealing to players of various ages and of both genders:  the feeling of working toward a goal; the possibility of attaining spectacular successes; the ability to problem-solve, collaborate with others, and socialize; an interesting story line; and other characteristics.  Gaming offers many positive advantages in an educational environment as a pose to reading about it in a textbook.  Technology engages students so much more than just reading about it.  Gaming and computer simulation encourage a learner not only to wonder, "What would happen if ...?" but also try out those alternatives virtually and see the consequences right in front of them according to Simulation Nation: The Promise of Virtual Learning Activities.  Some other benefits this technology offers to an educational environment according to the video No Gamer Left Behind is the opportunity for students to do real life procedures like surgery and be able to make mistakes without the real life consequences or experience an emergency room and the interactions with patients and other doctors. 
The 3 sites that I thought were interesting and fun were Shepphard Software, Arcademic Skill Builders, and Gamequarium.  Shepphard Software offers games in all subjects.  I played around with some Language games with nouns, verbs, and adjectives.  I also played a life cycle game.  Both games were fun and engaging.  Arcademic Skill Builders had Math, Language, and Geography games.  I played a state and capital game that was very helpful, it made me think :)  The last site was Gamequarium and this had games in all subjects as well, but the best part of this site was that it had e-books that could be downloaded for free.  I read through some of them.  This was very entertaining to me since I've never actually done anything with e-books.  Great games and technologies.

Legal, Illegal, and the Future

There was quite a lot of information in the readings and videos this week.  I didn't realize all the legalities that came with copyrighting and all the fine lines with creative commons, fair use, and open content.  And then electronic books get added to all of this.  These are so much more commonly used now and will just continue to increase in use.  The easiest way for me is start with telling what each of these topics are.  Open content is any kind of creative work including articles, pictures, audio, and video that is published in a format that explicitly allows the copying of the information.  Open content is also sometimes used to describe content that can be modified by anyone.  According to the 2010 Horizon Report on Open Content it has now come to the point that is rapidly driving changes in both the materials we use and the process of education.  At it's core the notion of open content is to take advantage of the Internet as a global dissemination platform for collective knowledge and wisdom, and to design learning experiences that maximize the use of it.  Creative commons is an organization devoted to expanding the range of creative work available for others to legally build upon and share.  The creative commons site enables copyright holders to grant some of their rights to the public while retaining others, through a variety of licensing and contract schemes, which may include dedication to the public domain or open content licensing terms.  The intention is to avoid problems which current copyright laws create for the sharing of information.  According to the YouTube video on Copyright and Fair Use and Wikipedia  Copyright is a set of exclusive rights granted to the author or creator of an original work, including the right to copy, distribute and adapt the work.  Copyright does not protect ideas, only their expression.  Uses covered under limitations and exceptions to copyright, such as fair use, do not require permission from the copyright owner.  All other used require permission.  Fair use is a doctrine in United States copyright law that allows limited use of copyrighted material without requiring permission from the right holders.  It seems to me that open content is a way for information to be shared and copied with not having to worry about copyright laws.  The creative common goes hand in hand with open content because it is designed to allow people to legally share and build on previous work or information.  Copyright is designed to protect an author or creator of any original work.  The author or creator are the only ones that have the right to sell or copy their works.  If anyone wants to use any of these works they need permission from the original author or creator.  I think the main reason for this is because of money.  The original author or creator has all rights to their work and any profit that is made when used or when someone else uses it.  Then we come to electronic books or e-books as they are often called.  According to the 2010 Horizon Report on E-books the convenience of having an entire library of books, magazines, and newspaper - each remembering exactly where you left off the last time you looked at them - all in a single, small device is one of the most compelling aspects driving electronic reader sales.  3 reasons that campuses have been slower to adopt electronic books are availability, the ability to render high quality illustrations, and the publishing model and their formats.  With today's technology all of these reasons are becoming extinct. 
All of these concepts mean something different for education.  Open content and creative commons want anyone including students to be able to legally be able to copy or share information from any source that allows it.  This makes researching or sharing certain information in a classroom easier because of legal binds.  Copyright and fair use are set up so that no one can take the credit for or earn money for something that does not belong to them or that they didn't create.  This teaches students to make sure to give credit where credit is due and make sure they go through necessary loop holes if they want to use any information that is not theirs.  As far as e-books are concerned, I am sure classrooms in the future will have student books on some form of electronic device rather than textbooks.  As a teacher I do see future classrooms being more technologically advanced and all students having the necessary equipment for these ideas.  With as many books as I have I wish I would have been more knowledgeable about e-books because I would not need the huge storage space that I use for all my books.  I would have every title I love in one portable device, saving me space and money. 

Cloud Computing

By far for me this seems like the most confusing form of technology to follow.  After watching the videos and reading the articles it made more sense, but up until now I've never formally heard of cloud computing.  I actually had to reread and re watch some of the articles and videos.  After looking at the educational clouds it all made more sense and I was able to see all of the many helpful tools an educator has access to.  According to the 2010 Horizon Report: K12 Edition it was difficult to find examples of the use of cloud computing in schools a year ago, there are now many, many schools that have adopted cloud-based tools for productivity, scheduling, curriculum development, and collaboration, at least at the administrative level.  I've also learned from the YouTube video Cloud Computing Explained that cloud computing can offer significant cost savings in IT support, software, and hardware expenses.  With the descriptions that I followed this seems like a very valuable tool for teachers, administrators, and older students to use.  There are quite a few examples of how these groups of adults and students use cloud computing.  I definitely see the advantages of cloud computing for schools and why it makes it an attractive option for many schools.  It also makes more sense when given real examples of how this technology is being used and that is successful. 
After exploring the educational clouds it was easy to find many that would be beneficial in a classroom.  There were so many outlets, which then led to more options, it seemed never ending.  Three of the sites I chose were Ficly, Museum Box, and School Town.  Ficly is a wonderful site for creative writing.  It allows students to build on another story or start their own.  I know personally my students are not big fans of writing.  This would be a great site to introduce them to because it is only short pieces of writing, and it allows them to be as creative as they want.  They are also able to add to another story or start another story, whatever they want.  So many possibilities, plus they get to be on a computer instead of writing on paper.  Museum Box is a site that provides the tools for you to build up an argument or description of an event, person or historical period by placing items in a virtual box. What items, for example, would you put in a box to describe your life; the life of a Victorian Servant or Roman soldier; or to show that slavery was wrong and unnecessary?  History and Social Studies are interesting subjects and so much can be done with them.  This is a great idea because it allows students to pick something that  interests them and then they research and add information from websites or books.  The last site that I chose is School Town.  Students learn in a multimedia rich portal where all courses, assignments, events, announcements, discussions, chat forums, files and portfolio are seamlessly presented and archived. Students collaborate and learn to be good cyber-citizens.  This is a beneficial site because students, teachers, and parents have all the same information and know what is expected.  And what students will enjoy and benefit most from is that it's all done on computers, which most are already savvy with.

Blogging & Twittering

I've done so much reading this week, but it seems that it all makes sense after reading about what blogging and twittering are.  I've learned that blogging is far faster than reading about regular news or information that may take up to a day to read about.  Blogging is designed or targeted to a specific audience based on interests.  It allows people to share news or information with anyone that is interested in reading.  Blogs are easy to follow and they are in order of posts.  I think the best part about blogs is that they are a two way street of communication, blogs are written and then comments can be made.  This allows direct communication between the writer and the reader.  Twittering is an interesting type of communication because it helps us feel connected to the world.  I've learned that it starts with a simple question: What's happening?  This question allows us to share bite size updates every day and share short posts with friends, family, and co-workers.  It allows us to learn new information about the people that we are following or keep updated on the networks we choose to follow.  I like that the updates are short and easy to read.
Blogging
Most everyone these days have a way to communicate online.  With today's technology it is easy to see why blogging has become so popular and helpful.  Blogging is a valuable and relevant piece of technology in classrooms.  In 2009 Horizon Report it stated that developments are creating more ways for users to work anytime and anywhere and these tools are finding their way into homes and classrooms.  Blogging allows teachers and students to connect in the classroom because of the wide spread of news and information that can be shared.  The open communication of blogging allows students to move past the classroom and connect with peers around the world.  This gives them the opportunity to access an endless stream of possibilities.
Twittering
I think if twittering is done the right way it can be a very valuable and relevant tool.  According to The New York Times twittering is a brilliant channel for breaking news, asking questions, and attaining one step of separation from public figures you admire.  No other communications channel can match its capacity for real-time, person-to-person broadcasting.  Twittering is a form of instant messaging to me.  Everyone does some form of instant messaging, online or texting.  If supervised and done appropriately, twittering can be a useful tool in the classroom instead of a distraction.  There are so many networks that could be used on Twitter in the classroom.  These networks would allow students and teachers to keep updated on news, events, and stay connected with people around the world.  It would allow students to see the world through new eyes.
Twitter network
I plan on following the NCAA softball network.  I coach softball and I love the game.  I would love to read what anyone has to say about the sport.  Softball season is going to start very soon and it would be nice to keep updated with events and scores around the nation.