Collaborative Environments and Collaborative Technologies for

Supporting Educator and Business Professional Learning

Donna Russell, PhD

Design of Case Studies of Collaborative Virtual Learning Environments

AERA 2010

Sat, May 12:00pm - 2:30 Colorado Convention Center, Room 212

Protocol for 3D PBL CVLEs

Protocol includes curriculum design, evaluative research design, assessment of learning goals.

1. Template for Design of PBL VLEs2. Guidelines for implementing PBL VLE3. Cultural Historical Activity Theory Model

1. Business Training CHAT Model2. Geosciences CHAT Model

4. Cases of Collaborative Virtual Learning Environments

5. Issues

The new electronic interdependence recreates the world in the image of a global village Marshall McLuhan--- The Medium is the Message

create animage of the desiredstate of the system

1

working in groups, learners gather and analyze information

(physical, scientific, and historical evidence) to determine the

authenticity (Barab & Duffy, 2000; Petroski, 1996) of the problem

and to define the scope of the problem in their community

working in groups, learners gather and analyze information about

an area of expertise (Brown, Collins, & Duguid, 1989) and how

that area relates to the problem in the unit; through case study

analysis (Bruer, 1993; Shulman, 1992), learners examine areas

of expertise in practice, develop a lens through which to view the

practice, and determine the interdependence of the areas of

expertise

working in jigsaw groups (Aronson, Blaney, Stephan, Sikes, &

Snapp, 1978) , learners develop a solution to the problem and

assess the feasibility of that solution from the perspectives of the

experts within the group and the needs of the representative

communities

INQUIRY PROCESSES

INQUIRY PROCESSES

INQUIRY PROCESSES

PHASE 1

PHASE 2

PHASE 3

Why is the problem important to my community?

How can we use our expertise to better understandthe problem and develop a feasible solution?

How can we use the knowledge and skills from Phase 1and Phase 2 to develop a feasible solution?

DESIGN PROBLEM SOLVING

INPUT

OUTPUT

OUTPUT

OUTPUT

prior knowledge andmisconceptions

PROBLEM SPACE(Benathy, 1996; Lawson, 1990; )Glegg, 1969

artifact; rationale forthe relevancy of theproblem to their community

artifact; conceptual under-standing of an area ofexpertise and its applicationto solving the problem

artifact; representation ofthe group’s solution andconclusion about its short-and long-term feasibility

(re)negotiate designinquiry boundaries

2

(re)articulate ashared vision of the

future system

3

outline thespecifications

of the future system

4

develop and testthe model of thefuture system

5

OUTPUT USEDAS INPUT

OUTPUT USEDAS INPUT

knowledge that diversecommunity needs impactthe complexity of the problem(Bereiter, 2002)

knowledge that a problemcan look different and beunderstand differently frommultiple perspectives

OUTCOMEknowledge has properties ofuse and value; is somethingthat can be used andresponded to

E

E

E

E

E

SNS™ COMMUNITY

The ideal of a system of scientific conceptions is to attain continuity, freedom, and flexibility of transition in passing from any fact and meaning to any other: this demand is met in the degree in which we lay hold of the dynamic ties that hold things together in a continuously changing process. Dewey –How We Think

PBL proposes that learning experiences built on the interdependent attributes of meaningful learning including authentic, intentional, active, constructive, and cooperative learning involve meaningful application of knowledge and skills (Jonassen, Peck, and Wilson, 1999)

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Activity Theory Model

There is no one explanation of man, biological or otherwise. In the end, even the strongest causal explanations of the human condition cannot make plausible sense without being interpreted In the light of the symbolic world that constitutes human culture. Bruner--- Acts of Meaning

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are needed to see this picture.CHAT Model for 3D VLEs

The ideal of a system of scientific conceptions is to attain continuity, freedom, and flexibility of transition in passing from any fact and meaning to any other: this demand is met in the degree in which we lay hold of the dynamic ties that hold things together in a continuously changing process. Dewey –How We Think

Developing Collaborative Problem-Solving in an Online Training Program for Insurance

Agents

Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their

lives. --William James

As a result of the review of the training program the following recommendations were made to increase the productivity of the training program.

Contradiction # 1: It is recommended that the training have defined assessment points to identify those subject characteristics that are

developed during the training. These assessment points would include: 1.a pre-survey of trainees that addresses their interests, background and motive including their ideas about training

online. 2.A post-survey that asks them to identify productive or less productive aspects of the online training program. 3.A post survey at the end of each course asking trainees about the productive and less productive aspects of the

course related to course learning goals and objectives. This consistent self-evaluation provides feedback to the designers of the training program and also identifies the learning goals for the course so the trainees understand the learning goals for the program and can potentially develop these cognitive processes.

Contradiction # 2; It is recommended that the field mentors be compensated for their work with the trainees. This can include a money amount

or by making these interactions part of their work assessment. Additionally it is recommended that these mentors be given a set of guidelines including a schedule for mentoring their trainees.

Contradiction # 3: It is recommended that the online interface include problem-solving scenarios as ongoing processes in the courses. These

scenarios can be developmentally scaled for levels of response including recall of information, analysis of information (identification of useful and less useful information) and problem solving. These progressive learning processes can be formatively and summatively assessed by designing interactions between the trainees and the scenario such as open ended scenarios for the trainees to complete and justify.

Contradiction # 4: It is recommended that the online interactions between the online mentors, currently they included an ongoing video mentor,

and a discussion board, be developed by adding a live collaborative process among the online trainees and the mentor that should coincide with decision making in the scenarios. Also it is recommended that the trainees have an asynchronous contact such as an email contact with a mentor.

CHAT Research: Coding

Coding structure for VLEs in CHAT

The human skin is an artificial boundary: the world wanders into it, and the self wanders out of it, traffic is two-way and constant. –Bernard Wolfe, Limbo.

Natural Born CyborgsWe must recognize that, in a very deep sense, we were always hybrid beings, joint products of our biological nature and multilayered linguistic, cultural, and technological webs. Only then can we confront, without fear or prejudice, the specific demons in our cyborg closets. Only then can we actively structure the kinds of world, technology, and culture that will build the kinds of people we choose to be.

Some fear, in all this, a loathsome ‘post-human’ future. They predict a kind of technologically incubated mind-rot, leading to loss of identity, loss of control, overload, dependence, invasion of privacy, isolation, and the ultimate rejection of the body. And we do need to be cautious, for to recognize the deeply transformative nature of our biotechnological unions is at once to see that not all such unions will be for the better.

But if I am right– if it is our basic human nature to annex, exploit, and incorporate nonbiological stuff deep into our mental profiles– then the question is not whether we go that route, but in what ways we actively sculpt and shape it. By seeing ourselves as we truly are, we increase the chances that our future biotechnological unions will be good ones.

Andy Clark- Natural Born Cyborgs.

Contact Information

Donnar@yhti.net Arete Consulting, LLC

arete3D.com and .net Areteconsulting.biz Donna@areteconsulting.biz

Donna Arrow Second Life

DonnaRussell05 in Skype