Leap to Online Facilitation
From LiteracyTentWiki
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1162] Leap to Online Facilitation (was Participation, Engagement, and Completion)
From: Taylor, Jackie jataylor at utk.edu
Date: Thu May 17 10:49:52 EDT 2007
Hello Leslie, Katherine, Leecy, and All,
Leecy, you mentioned yesterday (regarding participation, "carrots" and
incentives) that even the best constructed blended PD doesn't
necessarily mean "they will come." You expressed the need to layer the
incentives. Katherine and others have expressed the value of interaction
in online learning, Katherine noted a key need to move from "speaker"
and thus "teacher" to "writer" and "facilitator."
But even if they "do come" when one builds the ship, so to speak, it
doesn't necessarily mean that they will interact online. They may read
or reflect, or hesitate for whatever reason. What are some of the keys
to unlocking interactivity online? How does one motivate contributions?
What is the next leap in the learning curve to becoming an online
facilitator?
Best, Jackie Taylor, jataylor at utk.edu
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1165] Re: Leap to Online Facilitation (was Participation, Engagement, and Completion)
From: Leecy Wise leecy at fone.net
Date: Thu May 17 11:24:49 EDT 2007
At 08:49 AM 5/17/2007, Jackie asked:
But even if they "do come" when one builds the ship, so to speak, it doesn't necessarily mean that they will interact online. They may read or reflect, or hesitate for whatever reason. What are some of the keys to unlocking interactivity online? How does one motivate contributions?
What is the next leap in the learning curve to becoming an online facilitator?
Jackie, What you just did in your own response is to encourage
interactivity by summarizing main threads and asking participants to
go a step further. That is key. In my PBS for example, forum
participation is required and highly rewarded (very important), with
rubrics to define the quality of participation expected. Of course,
grades become a huge incentive. Participants are required to answer
the prompt early in the week, with evident support from their
readings and experience, and then return at least twice during the
later part of the week to respond thoughtfully to their colleagues.
In the meantime, I am actively commenting, summarizing, prodding and
reminding. The discussions are amazing, and I never fail to learn
more than I could ever teach even in courses that I have taught
multiple times. Teachers unfailingly report that they learned more
from each other than from any other aspect of the course, including
the readings, which are dynamite. And they keep coming back.
Leecy
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1167] Re: Leap to Online Facilitation (was Participation, Engagement, and Completion)
From: Leslie Petty lpetty at twmi.rr.com
Date: Thu May 17 13:17:27 EDT 2007
Leecy,
You're right - Jackie's facilitation is certainly demonstrating some
very effective ways to keep the discussion flowing. We've also found
that requiring a certain number of posts helps get people to the site,
but I like your additional component of providing participants with a
rubric of what's expected for quality participation.
I also think that some things that were raised earlier this week,
particularly carefully preparing participants for the course, play a
role in participants' involvement in a discussion/course. I think that
additional reasons Project IDEAL study groups tend to have strong
discussions is due to the small size of the group and the fact that they
run for a short time. In a small group, it may be easier for people to
feel comfortable expressing themselves, and it certainly is more evident
if people aren't participating. And it's may be easier to be an active
discussion participant for a 4 week study group than for a semester-long
course. Has anyone had experience with how different sized classes or
the length of the course influences discussion participation?
Leslie
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1169] Re: Leap to Online Facilitation (was Participation, Engagement, and Completion)
From: Crystal Hack chack at cait.org
Date: Thu May 17 13:39:54 EDT 2007
Hi,
I think we need to note that the lurker, reader, non-active participant
might be getting exactly what they need professional development-wise. We
might not need to unlock anything but allow them to learn that way and if
there is an accountability piece at the end of a course/offering that is
something that will allow the instructor to see if the quiet participant
has made gains. At times it is okay to learn without being actively
involved, sometimes the active involvement is so that other benefit and if
I am a lurker and quietly benefiting and growing, what is wrong with that?
And is it the facilitator's job to motivate me to interact, react,
respond, if my needs are being met without me doing that? Just curious.
Crystal
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1203] interaction questions continue...
From: Holly Dilatush-Guthrie Holly.Dilatush-Guthrie at ccs.k12.va.us
Date: Fri May 18 15:23:30 EDT 2007
- And is it the facilitator's job to motivate me to interact, react, respond, if my needs are being met without me doing that? Just curious.
I ask this question of myself as instructor for a hybrid ESOL course -- defining my role is an ever-evolving process. I think the same applies to PD and the facilitator's role. I ponder this question in F2F staff meetings frequently as well --
Holly
