User:Yvette Pena/sandbox

Online Collaborative Learning Theory

Purpose
Online Collaborative Learning Theory has evolved and significantly developed in all education levels from elementary, middle, high school, and college. "Online learning creates a recipe of circumstances that can accommodate learners of the 21st century and their need for collaboration, creation, and construction" (Green, 2010). All individuals in learning environments need to be creative and embody different techniques. Students and teachers can show values, creativity, goals, learning techniques, and collaborative experience in their potential in diverse learning environments.

Goals
Online learning has affected students and their ways of learning to which they had to adapt to. It has also changed the way teachers teach as they have to learn and implement technology, online resources, programs, and be able to alter strategies from a virtual classroom to in-person classroom settings. As there are many different positives and negatives to online learning, my goal is to elaborate on what those factors for both the teachers and the students as well. "Siemens and Downes have developed distinct principles, which imply connectivism's' relevance to modern students. Connectivism is founded on individual ideas and opinions, valuing diversity in the perspectives of others, lifelong learning, building relationships, interdisciplinary connections, current information, and risk-taking" (Siemens 2004). Although online learning has become familiar with students' learning environments, many have difficulty understanding online learning's value as a positive environment. My goal is to provide essential factors for why this also students have a diverse learning environment that exemplifies openness for all students in a positive learning experience.

What is Online Collaborative Learning Theory?
Online Collaborative Learning Theory is refers to "educational applications that emphasize collaborative discourse and knowledge work mediated by the internet; learners work together online to identify and advance issues of understanding, and apply their new understanding and analytical terms and tools to solving problems, constructing plans or developing explanations" (Harasim, 2017 pg. 117). Although online learning is focused online, different team building factors allow students to work as a connective unit by utilizing various online programs and resources. As there are many individual discussions and opinions on virtual learning and the importance of understanding virtual learning dynamics is necessary. It is essential to understand the connections between technology's views and functionality as a foundation and resources for virtual learning. The differences between in-person classroom settings and online courses and how they function for each student can be significantly different—educators' approach in using other programs such as google classroom and Blackboard as an example. As an assignment, I want to ensure that I format and focus on the importance of Online Collaborative Learning Theory and understand the importance of connectivism as we learn to value online education in our student's lives today.

Teachers Roles and Responsibilities
In an online learning environment, the teacher is the base and creator for online courses that can become a significant factor for students' positive and successful experience. Harasim describes the teacher's role as key for representation to implement discipline, intervenes to facilitate and assist students. Hence, they can reach the level of Intellectual Convergence to analyze, or problem solves in the structures they have designed (pg. 117). As a teacher in an online learning environment, it is essential to provide clear directions and expectations with resourceful resources that help all students understand.

What Does Teaching Look Like
Teaching looks a little different online than it would be in person, especially for educators who are used to only using online resources for specific assignments. Teachers are asked to be creative in using particular online programs to design successful lessons and design a curriculum that will lead their students to their practical learning goals. Online learning has been planned, such as Blackboard, Google, and zoom, that allows teachers to bring together all necessary assignments and students in an organized manner. It will enable teachers to organize and structure creative lessons that will allow their students to be creative, which in incenses will enable students to learn and make it fun and exciting.

How does it affect students learning strategies?
Online learning allows students to understand the value of creativity, responsibility, and using valuable resources. As online education has become more popular, it has evolved to utilize the internet for educational purposes. An important factor is understanding what resources are beneficial for projects in which they are learning and how to identify those resources that are accredited and those that are not. As many students might feel that online learning is more accessible, it is essential to understand that hard work and dedication still focus on the value of creativity that online learning permits.

Negatives and Benefits
Many students' struggle factors will be to successfully identify the accredited resources as many websites have opinion-based information rather than evidence-based information. Students find it easy to use the search engine with little direction, but some students have difficulty with the independence portion of what online learning provides them. But although it may be difficult, it gives students the value of asking for help, using resources, building their learning foundation and schedules, and holding themselves responsible for what they need to succeed. Students should take advantage of the opportunity to be creative and construct a thriving learning environment and work together with their class, even in an online learning environment.

Optimal Learning Environment
Online learning gives students the ability to learn in the comfort of their own home, but it is essential to understand the value of responsibility and to hold themselves accountable. Although teachers have little control over student assignments, they can still provide positive feedback and communicate with them outside of class sessions. Students need to take advantage of their time with their teachers and ask questions if directions are not understood. Teachers need to provide guidance and clear instructions in every assignment and ensure that they understand the balance they need for their students. Many have an easier time with technology. Still, they might have those students who have a more difficult time maneuvering their way through technology. For example, Blackboard provides a simple, straightforward, and effective drawing board for resources, assignments, projects, tests, and quizzes that are separated, making it easier for students to navigate. Although online learning is meant to be a distance form of learning all these factors can also be beneficial in person and still actively be utilized an in-person class environment as a resource tool for present and future assignments.

Instructional Materials (Curriculum):
Instructional Materials Blackboard, Canvas, Computer, PowerPoint, Google Classroom, Zoom Methods of Assessment Grading Rubric

Classroom Exercises and technologies:
Exercise 1: Application Design Age Group: Seniors in High School: Computer Applications Length of Project: Two Weeks Material Needed: Blackboard, Canvas, Computer, PowerPoint, Google Classroom, Zoom Objective/Goal: Students will be allowed to create and design their application to be up to market, design, and present to the audience of their choice. This will enable students to apply their creative minds and focus on applications they enjoy the most to create one of their own. The goal is to apply all online resources and use innovative design with different online resources to apply to their application.

Assignment Instructions:
Stage 1: Generating Students will design and creative ideas for their application and their personal goals for this application. They will need to consider what the audience wants to market and focus on and compare ideas to present applications as reference. Stage 2: Selection/Brainstorm Students will make a final choice on what application they want to design and create. Students will brainstorm using www.bubbl.us and utilize computer/laptop, website applicable to the application, google classroom, and PowerPoint for final presentation. Stage 3: Storyboard/ Visualization Students will begin to put together ideas and visually develop their applications. They will explain their application, purpose of the application, draw or find pictures for their application, and design a PowerPoint that describes their goals for their marked audience. Stage 4: Final Touch Students will finalize their application in a PowerPoint presentation to share with the class via zoom.

Exercise 2: Reflective Discussion
Students will go into Blackboard to complete a reflective discussion. Please discuss how the process of designing an application felt with both positive and negative factors in both design and applying it to your targeted audience. Please share any difficulties with finding resources as well as favorite parts of designing your application.

References:
Barkley, E. F., Cross, K. P., & Major, C. H. (2014). Collaborative learning techniques. San Francisco: Wiley. First-Year Students Who Engage Also Persist. (n.d.). NSSE. https://nsse.indiana.edu/research/annual- (Links to an external site.)results/selected-results/fy-students.html Bates, A. W. (Tony). (2015). 4.4 Online collaborative learning. In Teaching in a Digital Age. Tony Bates Associates Ltd. https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/chapter/6-5-online-collaborative-learning/ Harasim, L (2017). Learning theory and online technologies (2nd ed.). Routledge. Chapter 6 "Introduction to Learning Theory and Technology," National Survey of Student Engagement. (2018). The National Survey of Student Engagement. https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/ Reese, S.A. (2015). Online learning environments in higher education: Connectivism vs. dissociation. Education and Information Technologies, 20, 3, 570-588. Roberts, T. S. (2004). Online Collaborative Learning: Theory and Practice. Idea Group Inc (IGI).