Building a Virtual Classroom CommunityDr. Lujean Baab

Director, M.Ed. Programs - DeSales University

VSS 2010

www.tinyurl.com/BaabVSS2010

Challenges for K-12 Online Teachers

• Transferring skills to new environment.• Insufficient professional development• Management tasks

– Time management– Content management– ‘Classroom’ management

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Rice, K., Dawley, L., Gasell, C., and Florez, C. (2008) Going Virtual: Unique Needs and Challenges of K-12 Online Teachers. Boise State University with North American Council for Online Learning. pp. 3-4. Retrieved 6/25/09 from http://edtech.boisestate.edu/goingvirtual/goingvirtual2.pdf

Cornerstones

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Contact

• As early as possible

• As personalized as possible

• Reduce potential for problems

• Provide clear expectations (doc w/ return)

• Establishing identities and ‘social presence’– Introductory discussion -– Teacher and Student photo directory –– Photo and audio in documents / correspondence

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Research

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• Mode of DeliveryAsynchronous

Blend of asynch / synch (no on-site)

Hybrid (onsite / online) • Teaching Style

Expert – formal authority

Personal model - facilitator - delegator

• Learning Style Active / reflective – sensing / intuitive

Visual / verbal – sequential / global

• Level of Interactivity (Roblyer)• Classroom Community Scale (Rovai)

Building a more solid foundation

• Factors affecting the ‘sense of classroom community’– Mode of delivery

• Highest – Blended/hybrid

• Lowest - Asynchronous

– Teaching style (Grasha-Riechmann)• Highest – Facilitator

• Lowest – Delegator

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Building a more solid foundation

• Factors affecting the ‘sense of classroom community’– Learning style (Felder & Silverman)

• Active – Reflective

• Sensing – Intuitive

• Visual – Verbal

• Sequential - Global

– Interactivity (amount and type)

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Online Questionnaire

Descriptions of Learning Styles

Building a more solid foundation

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Relationship View

Learner Relationships Teacher Relationships

Learner – Teacher Teacher - Teacher

Learner – Content Teacher - Content

Learner – Learner Teacher – Learner

Learner – Technology Teacher - Technology

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Managing the Classroom Community

• Interactivity*– Relationship with teacher and classmates – Socialization and communication with other students – Real time (online or onsite) opportunties– Collaborative learning activities

Social networks and Web 2.0 technologies.

  *From: Watson J. and Gemin B. (2008) Promising Practices in Online Learning: Socialization in Online Programs. North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL) p. 6. Retrieved 6/25/09 from

http://www.inacol.org/resources/promisingpractices/NACOL_PP_Socialization.pdf

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Managing the OnlineClassroom Community

• Established norms (expectations)

• Learning styles - teaching styles

• Roles in the classroom community

– Teacher led, student centered

– Responsibilities defined

• Structure vs. Interaction

– “transactional distance”11

Managing the OnlineClassroom Community

– “transactional distance”• Interactivity leading to dialogue between teachers and students can serve to

reduce what Moore (1993) describes as "transactional distance.“

• Transactional distance is relative and different for each person and from each distance education program to the next.

• Greater structure / lower interaction = more learner autonomy – Greater transactional distance = less connection

• Greater structure / higher interaction = less learner autonomy– Lower transactional distance = greater connection

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Content

• Pacing for guided learning– within the established structure– facilitation not delegation

• Timing and ‘time on task’– Consistent, reliable scheduled access– Estimation of time to complete activities

• Managing files and student submissions– Structure established, maintained, and required

For example: BaabLHistoryFinalPaper06-10

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Consistency (Structure)

• Maintain routine– Reliable– Sustainable

• Maintain patterns– Location of material– Division of tasks (reading, discussion, activity)– Submission of work completed (file/email)

• Maintain schedule– Advanced notice of change– Explanation for change

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Cornerstones

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Dr. Lujean Baab

DeSales University

2755 Station Ave.

Center Valley, PA 18034

Lujean.baab@desales.edu 610-282-1100 X1461 16