Audience, User, Producer

2017 ◽  
pp. 254-277
Author(s):  
Jason Chew Kit Tham
Keyword(s):  
Social Learning ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Activity Theory ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Technological Design ◽  
Design Philosophy ◽  
Large Complex ◽  
Rhetorical Systems ◽  
Ecology Of Learning

While some studies have looked at the suitability of MOOCs as an emerging mode of delivery, many seem to miss the mark on the question of usability in the MOOC context. Without a clear understanding of user roles in MOOCs, it will be challenging for course providers to evaluate the effectiveness of their designed systems and thus may negatively impact MOOC participants' experience with the course platform. With an eye toward a user-centered technological design philosophy, this chapter situates MOOCs as socio-rhetorical systems within a large complex ecology of learning. Through the lens of Activity Theory, I investigate the intricate roles of audience, user, and producer that MOOC participants play interchangeably while scrutinizing the relationships between these roles in an online social learning environment.

Genres in the MOOCology of Writing

2016 ◽  
pp. 53-68
Author(s):  
Jason Chew Kit Tham
Keyword(s):  
Online Courses ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Cloud Services ◽  
Brick And Mortar ◽  
Rhetorical Systems ◽  
Conventional Models ◽  
Instruction And Learning ◽  
Complex Relationships ◽  
Ecology Of Learning

With constant emergence of cloud services and platforms for learning at a global scale, the field of education is in the midst of exploring and adapting to new pedagogical features afforded by these environments. Among the most debated is the development of MOOCs, short for massive open online courses, which pose questions to the traditional brick-and-mortar teaching model and implore new ways for instruction and learning. While some studies have looked at the effectiveness of MOOCs as a mode of delivery, there still lacks a genre approach to analyzing MOOCs as socio-rhetorical systems that have complex relationships with other social entities in the larger ecology of learning. With an eye toward how writing is taught and learned in the MOOC context, I investigate the kinds of course genre invented or reimagined by the cloud technologies and pedagogies afforded by MOOCs, and how those affordances facilitate writing instruction. Specifically, I use Activity Theory to highlight the genre activities specific to two composition MOOCs. By situating these MOOCs as activity systems, I offer an informed observation on the genre components affecting how students learn about writing in MOOC settings. These insights lead to numerous pedagogical implications, including the need to treat MOOCs as an emerging learning ecology that is different from conventional models.

scholarly journals A framework to study learning in a complex learning environment

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anders Berglund
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Activity Theory ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Complex Learning ◽  
Complex Computer

This paper presents a framework for analysing variations in the ways in which students experience learning in complex, computer-supported environments. It involves an application of phenomenography extended to encompass the content of the learning as well as its context. Concepts from activity theory are drawn upon to enlarge the scope of phenomenography. By applying this framework, researchers, as well as course organisers, may gain insights into how courses are experienced by the participants and can thus develop these in a way that will be perceived as improvement by the course participants. Within this predominantly phenomenographic approach, the focus is upon the content of the learning experience, giving the ability to relate learning outcomes to the experience of the learning environment. Hence, insights can be gained that can help to improve learning environments and thereby outcomes. A case study illustrating the kinds of results than can be obtained when using the framework is provided.DOI: 10.1080/0968776042000211539

Successful Online Teaching and Learning Strategies

2009 ◽  
pp. 110-123
Author(s):  
Mary D. Oriol ◽  
Gail Tumulty
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Nursing Program ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Positive Learning Environment ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Teaching Learning

This chapter presents a theoretical framework and research base for the successful transition of an established Master of Science in Nursing program from that of traditional classroom delivery to one that is Web-based with no geographic limitations to students. The application of socio-technical systems theory to facilitate creation of a positive learning environment for future nurse leaders is described. Use of social processes and application of technology to optimize learning is explained and the latest research on content presentation and student engagement in an e-learning environment are presented. The authors hope that through examination of successful online teaching/learning strategies, readers will have a clear understanding of the competencies necessary for students and faculty to be successful in online education.

scholarly journals Understanding Language MOOC Learners: The Issue of Capability Development

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 123
Author(s):  
Nikoletta Agonács ◽  
João Filipe Matos
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Skill Acquisition ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Interaction Patterns ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Capability Development ◽  
Wellesley College ◽  
Learner Participation ◽  
Activity Types

Having a clear understanding of the learner population has an impact on effective course design and delivery in any learning context. However, it has greater importance in a MOOC learning environment because of the high diversity of participants. Most of the review studies on MOOC research mention learner population as a recurrent theme. These studies focus on behaviours, performance, learner participation and interaction patterns, learner perceptions and preferences, learner experiences, motivation, demographics, and classifications of learners into subpopulations. Nevertheless, there is little knowledge about the learners’ perceptions of their own learning and the learning process, which is a key element of learning according to heutagogy, the theory of self-determined learning. In our study, which is based on two theoretical pillars (heutagogy and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment) we aimed at capturing traces of capability development through language MOOC learners’ reflections and identifying learning activities that are perceived by learners as preferred activities for skill acquisition in a language MOOC learning environment. We designed two open-ended questions in a survey format that were administered in an Italian language MOOC offered by Wellesley College. We were able to capture traces of capability development through learners’ reflections, and we also found that a) based on learners’ perceptions the most preferred way of acquiring new skills is through receptive activity types; b) these activity types coincide with learners’ perceptions of their own understanding (listening and reading) skill development.

scholarly journals Online interaction in social learning environment towards critical thinking skill: A framework

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 4
Author(s):  
Wan Tur Tasnim Wan Husssin ◽  
Jamalludin Harun ◽  
Nurbiha A Shukor
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Social Learning ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Online Interaction ◽  
Thinking Skill ◽  
Critical Thinking Skill ◽  
Learning Institutions

Interaction is one of the crucial processes in online learning, which is a process derived from a common encouragement among people action that they able to utilize, store, share and construct knowledge. It is believed that the interaction among students is able to train the students to involve in active learning and enhance critical thinking skill. Recently, critical thinking is recognized as one of the 21st-century skills that students must have to do well in the community. The engagement of the students in a learning environment that supports higher-order thinking activity is the most effective approach to guide the students in developing critical thinking skills. Nevertheless, without the assistance of technology, it may be nearly impossible to ensure that all students have access to learning environments that support and develop these skills. The way students study, interact and think has been shifted due to the increasing use of technologies in learning institutions, particularly during online learning. The online platform is better when there are students interact with each other in form of social learning. Nonetheless, limited research is available on how online interaction in the social learning environment can promote students’ critical thinking skill. This study utilized a theory-building method to design the framework. The purpose of the framework of this study is to assist other practitioners and researchers in applying the elements of online interaction in a social learning environment to foster students’ critical thinking skill.

Activity Theory to Guide Online Collaborative Learning Instructional Design

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 15-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siti Rosni Mohamad Yusoff ◽  
Nor Azan Mat Zin
Keyword(s):  
Social Learning ◽  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Activity Theory ◽  
Knowledge Building ◽  
Learning Activity ◽  
Great Success ◽  
Online Collaborative Learning ◽  
Survey System ◽  
Learning Management ◽  
Descriptive Framework

Learning Management Systems (LMS) are facing challenges to improve its traditional focus on individual learning towards social learning. Despite the great success in distributing learning materials and managing students, the availability of the read and write features of social networking applications had encouraged educators to move their learning spaces toward a more interactive applications. Collaborative learning builds its character from social learning, had been established as an activity that enhances students’ knowledge building, team learning and sharing of knowledge among peers. Developing online collaborative learning activity poses many challenges as this involves developing many components to support the learning environment. Therefore it is important to understand each component’s contribution to help guide students learning by themselves socially. Activity theory provides a descriptive framework to elaborate the process of the six components involved in an online collaborative knowledge building activity. This study combines quantitative and qualitative method to collect data from survey, system log and collaborative messages posted in the customised Learning Management System (LMS) called e-Kolaborasi System. Findings suggest that online collaborative learning instructions based on the LMS system were able to assist students in their online collaborative learning activities. Nevertheless the students could only abide the rules to conduct collaborative activities during two periods of time which are during their free time and after practical sessions. This response indicates the reasons as to why the students were not able to give quick feedbacks to their community members.

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