M.S. Instructional Design & Technology

____________________________________________________________ 

Selecting Distance Learning Technologies

Spirit 1Rapid advances in technology in recent years have changed the way people communicate and collaborate with each other on a global scale; and the ubiquity of social networking is transforming the way we learn in both the academic and corporate arenas. Various technology tools have evolved that enhance face-to-face instruction, blended learning,  asynchronous learning and collaborative learning. Many of these tools can be used to deliver, enhance and custom tailor a distance learning experience to fit the needs and requirements of the learning context itself (EDUC 6135, Course Home, Week 3 Application).

Common examples of these different tools include wikis, blogs, social networks, webcasts, web conferencing, collaborative workspaces online course libraries, and podcasts. More specifically, Web 2.0 tools allow learners to share knowledge and best practices in a wiki, blog, or discussion forum, and form human networks through a social network site. With Web 2.0, users are able to create and modify content on the Internet instead of just reading websites (United States, 2012).

 Neal (2011). Using Web 2 0 technologies in Distance Education. Multimedia project for EDUC 7102.

For this week’s Blog Assignment, I have selected a real-world scenario that describes a unique distance learning technology challenge. After considering the needs and requirements of the learning context presented and which technologies could provide solutions in each situation, I have concluded that a wiki is the best solution for the given challenge. This blog post presents information that supports my conclusion and provides a rationale based on this week’s Learning Resources. In addition, I have included the results of an Internet search for examples of this technology that showcases how it has been successfully used in distance learning.

Since the staff cannot meet at the same time or at the same location, this is an example of an asynchronous distance learning environment which limits the types of technology tools that can be used in this scenario (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012, p. 10). A wiki is described as an asynchronous communications tool that is especially useful in an online environment that allows groups of students to collaborate and incorporate text, graphics, and other digital material like that described in the scenario into a cohesive, editable document (Simonson, et. al., p. 274, 2012). As Web 2.0 technologies, wikis and other web applications “are highly participatory and promote collaboration, networking, sharing, and widespread generation of content, and the editing and mixing of content from diverse sources” (p. 129). These factors make a wiki the ideal technology tool for implementing the training for the new automated staff information system.

______________________________________________________

My rationale for using a wiki in this scenario is supported by research-based learning theory. Anchored instruction and situated cognition are two theories based on the assumption that technology has an impact on social interaction which subsequently affects the learning process (Beldarrain, 2006). Situated learning theory proposes that real-life problem solving should be a collaborative task that empowers learners to become part of a learning community; while anchored instruction theory is directed towards developing problem-solving skills by anchoring instruction around a situation or problem (Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt, 1993). Students seek solutions to problems being presented in role-playing by interacting with both the content and their peers. Beldarrain (2006) reports that online distance education can integrate emerging technologies–such as blogs, wikis, and podcasts–to achieve this type of communication and interaction in supporting either of these learning theories, among others.

For Kearsley and Shneiderman (1999), learning activities involving collaborative efforts, project-based learning, and non-academic interactions lead to engagement and authentic learning. Engagement Theory posits that all student activities involve active cognitive processes such as creating, problem-solving, reasoning, decision-making, and evaluation. In addition, students are intrinsically motivated to learn due to the meaningful nature of the learning environment and activities. I believe that the use of asynchronous communications tools contributes to these learning behaviors.

Other researcher-practitioners such as Collis and Moonen (2005, cited by Beldarrain, 2006) believe that [quote]

Students should contribute to the content of the course by adding their projects and ideas to a collection of student work that is then used as a repository of knowledge by new students. This “contribution-oriented pedagogy” (Collis & Moonen, 2005) allows students to use and reuse what others have produced as part of their learning process. Students who collaborate in this type of learning community, according to Collis and Moonen, understand that their finished product will add to the knowledge-base of the group, not just their own. Collaboration and contribution further prepare students to become part of a more expert community, a community of practice [endquote].

In the related concept of social presence, when an individual participates in distance education (or any social group behavior), he or she must feel a sense of belonging which enables more comfortable interactions between the learner and peers, as well as between the learner and instructors. Ubon and Kimble (2004, cited in Beldarrain, 2005) view social presence as a precursor to the development of a collaborative online learning community. They further stipulate that “the degree of social presence can mold the quality and quantity of interaction”. Beldarrain (2005) concludes that those teaching models that can successfully integrate technologies, such as blogs or wikis, may provide learners with more control over their learning; and may therefore be more effective at delivering instructional strategies that support knowledge construction.

In their literature review of Wiki as a new paradigm for online faculty training and development, Gullett and Bedi (2007) reported the following:

  • Organizations have started to use wiki as a tool to build internal and external social networks (Fontana, 2006).
  • Wikis increase social interaction, while enabling swift collaboration and interaction, exchanging information, and creating knowledge (Gordon, 2006)
  • The use of wiki as a forum for sharing lesson plans and other educational information may help launch the culture of collaboration (Hatch, 2007).
  • As an informal method of learning, Wiki may impact and improve the learning and skills of employees and online faculty in geographically dispersed locales (Clark, 2006).
  • As criteria of collaborative technology, Wiki represents a methodology that relies on the idea of groupware as a community-building tool where pedagogical theories can be applied, and facilitation takes place (Lipponen & Lallimo, 2004),
  • As communities of practice, Wiki is a place where people with the same interests come together in groups on a regular basis Wenger (1998).
  • The concept of “communities of practice” is a pedagogical approach in professional development that considers the consequences of individual participation within a group (Macdonald & Hills, 2005).
  • Using a wiki gives faculty time to think about what they have read before they reply and contribute. Reflective practice is one of the most effective pedagogical concepts in the professional development practice approach (Schon, 1983).
  • Communities of practice, as well as reflective practice, are recognized vehicles for change management approaches in online settings and methods for progressive professional development (Beaty, Cousin, & Deepwell, 2002; Barab, MacKinster, & Scheckler (2003).

______________________________________________________

In preparing for this assignment, I ran across a modern wiki software application and unified knowledge-sharing hub known asBloomfire. According to their website, Bloomfire (2012) is capable of providing the communication, content creation and sharing tools I would need to be productive and effective in implementing the prescribed training in the scenario. CrunchBase (2012), a free database of technology companies, people, and investors, describes Bloomfire as content management, file sharing, collaboration, learning management, and social business software.

The content creation tools native to Bloomfire include a text editor with the ability to create a text document, a webcam video recorder, digital imaging  for a screencast with audio recording directly from the user interface, and upload/download functionality for sharing video on other sites like YouTube or your company’s website (CrunchBase, 2012).  Bloomfire lets you capture, display, save, and share information, connecting people who have knowledge with those who need it. With this software you can collaborate and iterate on content using simple authoring and sharing tools; connect with team members in a social online environment; organize, tag, and search for content by topic and keyword; upload, download, & stream with unlimited file storage capacity. Bloomfire uncovers the “tribal knowledge” that was previously buried in email and hallway conversations, helping your team perform better (Bloomfire, 2012).

 Fancy a Wiki? Published on May 7, 2012 by bloomfirecom, 2012, May 7

______________________________________________________

In “A Curator’s Tools and To-Do List: Building a Culture of Open Conversation” Kelley Meeker (2012) draws an analogy between a museum curator and the learning and development specialist in the enterprise context where “using technology tools and networks of informed colleagues replaces stacks of dusty books and a pocket full of magnifying glasses.” She believes that large, complex organizations need curators “to capture the ineffable institutional knowledge–know-how that resides in individual brains and not in the processes and DNA of the organization itself” (Meeker, 2012). The process she envisions involves creating a workflow for sorting through content, making sense of it internally, and sharing those tools and processes within an organization.

Meeker (2012) describes the first step in curating institutional knowledge involves bringing order to the untapped storehouse of information in your organization by creating a culture of sharing and recording information in sharable places; and the second step is building a network of information streams to consume from extended networks of colleagues, peers, and experts.  She advocates using technology tools for creating and consuming information, such as screen recording tools and mobile devices to rapidly develop videos for widespread sharing, blogs, RSS readers and social networks; and sharing content by building a collaborative network infrastructure using internal social networking technology tools like Bloomfire.

______________________________________________________

In a paper presented at the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Proceedings ascilite Singapore 2007, Evelyn Gullett and Kanishka Bedi (2007) shared their research on the use of a wiki for a mandatory three-week online faculty training programme (FTP) at Universitas 21 Global (U21Global), Dr. Wing Lam (2010) Dean, U21Global says that “this is a new kind of academic institution offering high-quality, interactive education, centered around a global learning community of students and professors, delivered in a flexible, online community-based format aimed squarely at working professionals who are committed to fulfilling their management and leadership potential” (Lam, 2010).

Researchers Gullett and Bedi (2007) selected wiki as a Training and Development (T&D) tool because they had observed that the expectations and learning styles among professors who facilitated online classes had changed. They felt that to these individuals, the ability to make use of the web for self-paced, on-demand learning, or T&D via multiple platforms or learning technologies was of great value. Gullett and Bedi (2007) further described their rationale for using a wiki as follows:

At U21Global, selected faculty potentials undergo a mandatory three-week online faculty training programme (FTP), which they must successfully complete before they receive their official appointment to teach an online class for U21Global. Considering the length of the FTP, and the time it can take to receive an appointment to teach a class, much of the training content delivered could be forgotten. In the past, this resulted in additional training time on the part of faculty mentors. Hence, there was a need to provide faculty with a knowledge repository that allowed continuous access to information regarding various facets of the LMS, online pedagogy, policies and procedures. It was desirable that this repository could be updated by all faculties, that it was easy to maintain, and that information could be retrieved quickly Thus, it was decided to create a wiki to supplement the FTP at U21Global (Gullett & Bedi, 2007).

The researchers expressed hope that the U21Global  faculty would appreciate the potential benefit of this training tool and see how it could afford them with greater knowledge in the performance of their jobs as mentors and in their own professional development. In addition, they stated their expectations that the use of a wiki could:

  • Promote collaboration, strengthen partnerships, and increase network building among faculty
  • Provide ongoing professional developmental supporting a “connected faculty community” approach
  • Increase and enhance creativity and innovation through the application of reflective thinking
  • Initiate a holistic approach to faculty T&D


Gullett and Bedi (2007) concluded that the use of a wiki for faculty T&D at U21Global, a trans-global institution, was still in its infancy as it had not yet experienced full faculty participation. They believed that a “living system approach” was crucial and noted that “the success of any university teaching professional development (T&D) effort, especially with a collaborative tool such as wiki, requires the involvement of all participants in order to initiate and sustain university growth and teaching changes.


(Tan, 2010). The Ongoing Evolution of Learning

Nick Hutton, CEO of Universitas 21 Global, offers an interesting look at how education has evolved over the years, particularly the last 10 years as the Internet matured and applications came out in support of a collaborative model of learning over long distance (Universitas 21, 2010).

______________________________________________________

My research also revealed how the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (United States, 2012) is using a wiki as a website to provide updates on Training and Development Policy to the public. This is a very informative website that is editable by a number of people within OPM. It has updated information on how some government agencies are using Web 2.0 tools to share knowledge and development programs (United States, 2012) . In terms of training, numerous organizations within the Federal Government are using various technology tools to cut training costs, reduce carbon footprint, and increase continual learning outside the classroom (United States, 2012). The site has examples of agencies who have implemented newer technologies into their employee development programs as well as a list of various types of tools, and additional resources. For example,

The Department of Transportation, National Highway Institute (NHI) provides both self-paced Web-based training modules and interactive Web-conference training sessions to the transportation workforce.

The Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides live interactive webinars to their on-line self-paced supervisory course participants as supplements to their supervisory course series.

Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA), San Diego Healthcare System conducts emergency and disaster preparedness training in a virtual environment. Nurses log in assume control of their avatar. Once in the environment, the nurses complete emergency and disaster preparedness drills (United States, 2012)..

With the implementation of Intellipedia in 2006, the Intelligence Community (IC) began incorporating cutting-edge technology into its workforce (Unite States, 2012). As a collaborative data sharing wiki, Intellipedia was designed to share information among intelligence analysts around the world and to maintain and transfer knowledge on daily operations and events. Intellipedia consists of three different wikis and are classified by the level of clearance: Sensitive but Unclassified, Secret, and Top Secret. Employees with Sensitive but Unclassified cannot access the Secret and Top Secret wikis. Intellipedia is not open to the public.

In conclusion, Simon Constance (2012) believes that, in light of recent trends of the increasing use of corporate social and collaboration tools, corporations need to look beyond creating learning and focus on knowledge and how it flows. He observed that the typical role of “Learning & Development” in most organizations has been to define what gets learned through needs analysis, and then to produce or acquire the content.   In other words, organizational learning functions were tasked with gathering information for employees, packaging it and delivering it back. But Constance (2012) believes that, given the proper technology tools, employees can define what they need and can get answers from those visible collaborative networks and mentors who are jointly engaged in the collaborative community. Constance (2012) cites collaborative technology tools like Bloomfire, Jive, Chatter and Huddle as having the potential to facilitate the sharing of videos, documents and presentation materials at work.

As learning professionals, we need to be the ones who support the flow of information. In this new era of social media and  collaborative networking, Constance (2012) envisions a role for learning professionals that will be focused on prioritizing the knowledge that is important to an organization, ensuring that can be available just-in-time, and providing the mechanisms and impetus for sharing it. Organizational learning professionals need to be advocates for social networking, leaders in community management, champions of the adoption of collaborative technology tools, and firm believers that if we make knowledge accessible, employees will utilize it. Constance (2012) concludes that these are vital functions in the strategic learning organization of the future.

References:

Beldarrain, Y. (2006). Distance education trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education, 27(2),139–153.

bloomfirecom, (2012, May 7). Fancy a wiki?. Retrieved from 

Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt. (1993). Anchored instruction and situated cognition revised. Educational Technology, 33, 52-70.

Collis, B., & Moonen, J. (2005). Contribution-oriented pedagogy. In C. Howard, J. Boettcher, L. Justice, K. Schenk, P. Rogers, & G. Berg (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Distance Learning (pp. 415-422). Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference. doi:10.4018/978-1-59140-555-9.ch062

Constance, S. (2012). From creator to conduit – The role of learning functions in managing knowledge and networks, Strategic HR Review,11(6).

Crunchbase (2012, October 8) Bloomfire. Retrieved from http://www.crunchbase.com/company/bloomfire

Gullett, E. & Bedi, K. (2007). Wiki: A new paradigm for online training and development of faculty. In ICT: Providing choices for learners and learning. Proceedings ascilite Singapore 2007. Retrieved from http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/singapore07/procs/gullett.pdf

Lam, W. (2010). Deans message. Retrieved from the Universitas 21 Global website at http://www.u21global.edu.sg/Education/Faculty/Deans_Message

Meeker, K. (2012, January). A curator’s tools and to-do list: Building a culture of open conversation. eLearn Magazine. Retrieved from http://elearnmag.acm.org/archive.cfm?aid=2110336

Neal, M. (2011). Using Web 2 0 technologies in Distance Education .  Multimedia project for EDUC 7102.Retrieved from http://mneal7102.wordpress.com/category/uncategorized/

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson

Tan, T. A.  (2010, April 18). The ongoing evolution of learning . Retrieved from  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFjBW_hJlGc?rel=0

Ubon, N. A., & Kimble, C. (2004, July). Exploring social presence in asynchronous text-based online learning communities (OLCS). Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Information Communication Technologies in Education, Greece. Retrieved January 14, 2006, from http://www.users.cs.york.ac.uk/~kimble/research/icicte.pdf

United States. Office of Personnel Management. (2012, April 26). Training and development policy; Leveraging new technologies for employee development programs. Retrieved from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management website: http://www.opm.gov/wiki/training/Leveraging-New-Technologies-for-Employee-Development-Programs.ashx