What were your experiences and feelings during the session? If you have impaired vision, or are D/deaf or hard of hearing, how did this affect your participation?
I would agree with Baynes (2005) that as a participant I do experience increased anxiety by using the OU Live Room. This isn’t necessarily due to it being technology as I do not have the same anxiousness of the asynchronous tools such as the forums. I think that main aspect of the OU Live Rooms are the Synchronous nature and that voice is the major communicator on the system. I sometime need the written word or visual support to make sense of the content and feel a little vulnerable with having to translate and understand complex detail in voice only.
What did you learn about the Sfard paper itself? Were some parts of the session more useful than others in this respect?
I spent significant time reading and reflecting (through my blog) on the Sfard paper before this session so this activity was more useful in seeing other peoples experiences and seeing how the metaphors fit into other learning experiences and areas of provision for which I have no experience. It also cemented and gave me confidence that my interpretation of the metaphors were valid and relevant.
Can you come to any (perhaps tentative) views about the pros and cons of OU Live for the task you were set, in the context of a Masters module of this kind? Do you feel, for example, that this synchronous event carries more status when compared with online forums? (You’ll remember from Week3a that Goodyear (2006) argues that this is the case.)
The easy answer here for me is to say, no the synchronous event did not help significantly with further learning but that it more due to my preference vulnerabilities in learning. I do accept that for the benefit of networking with others, getting to know the community who contribute to the forums is all really valuable and as mentioned in the last question hearing other examples helps place your own examples in context. Plus I do also enjoy getting to know people better so it was great for that.
How far, if at all, would OU Live or a similar tool be useful in your own context?
My learners are based generally in their own workplaces with no college based classroom time. The use of a Live Chat Room or forum would allow them to grow their own Personal Learning Networks and engage with other like-minded individuals to share ideas and talk through concerns. The peer support is something they may be more receptive to than an educatory figure.
How would you design the activities?
By undertaking an OU course last year I was really surprised about the power of learning by allowing learners to speak to each other and find their way with the guidance of an ‘expert participant’ being me (the educatory role within the delivery). This was a ‘game changer’ and I realised the pressure of always being the ‘expert of the knowledge’ was not the point. We are all learners in this world and with a world where information is in abundance , ever growing and adapting there is the need to support life-long learning skills. By creating both forums (encouraging learners to start new threads) and a live chat room it offered the learners both Synchronous and Asynchronous tools. This has evolved the delivery with the feedback and suggestions of learners driving forward the learning objects in development. I am an absolute convert and as one example this new model has changed one of the course I deliver from a 24 month/24 visit schedule course to an 18 month/11 visit schedule. All due to a far more utilised eLearning platform that engages with learner communications.
If you are already using a tool of this kind, how do the activities you run compare with the session you have just completed?
I use the moodle tools of chat rooms and forums and they more than meet the initial developments. We do have plans to develop online workshops but plan for these to be recorded rather than participatory at that specific time (mainly due to the feedback that our learners shift work makes it very difficult to coordinate a live event). However, I do see the power of participation so will be ensuring participation and interaction through asynchronous forums which can be accessed and contributed at a time suitable for the individual learners.
First Experiences of OU Live for the H800 Course
I would agree with Baynes (2005) that as a participant I do experience increased anxiety by using the OU Live Room. This isn’t necessarily due to it being technology as I do not have the same anxiousness of the asynchronous tools such as the forums. I think that main aspect of the OU Live Rooms are the Synchronous nature and that voice is the major communicator on the system. I sometime need the written word or visual support to make sense of the content and feel a little vulnerable with having to translate and understand complex detail in voice only.
I spent significant time reading and reflecting (through my blog) on the Sfard paper before this session so this activity was more useful in seeing other peoples experiences and seeing how the metaphors fit into other learning experiences and areas of provision for which I have no experience. It also cemented and gave me confidence that my interpretation of the metaphors were valid and relevant.
The easy answer here for me is to say, no the synchronous event did not help significantly with further learning but that it more due to my preference vulnerabilities in learning. I do accept that for the benefit of networking with others, getting to know the community who contribute to the forums is all really valuable and as mentioned in the last question hearing other examples helps place your own examples in context. Plus I do also enjoy getting to know people better so it was great for that.
My learners are based generally in their own workplaces with no college based classroom time. The use of a Live Chat Room or forum would allow them to grow their own Personal Learning Networks and engage with other like-minded individuals to share ideas and talk through concerns. The peer support is something they may be more receptive to than an educatory figure.
By undertaking an OU course last year I was really surprised about the power of learning by allowing learners to speak to each other and find their way with the guidance of an ‘expert participant’ being me (the educatory role within the delivery). This was a ‘game changer’ and I realised the pressure of always being the ‘expert of the knowledge’ was not the point. We are all learners in this world and with a world where information is in abundance , ever growing and adapting there is the need to support life-long learning skills. By creating both forums (encouraging learners to start new threads) and a live chat room it offered the learners both Synchronous and Asynchronous tools. This has evolved the delivery with the feedback and suggestions of learners driving forward the learning objects in development. I am an absolute convert and as one example this new model has changed one of the course I deliver from a 24 month/24 visit schedule course to an 18 month/11 visit schedule. All due to a far more utilised eLearning platform that engages with learner communications.
I use the moodle tools of chat rooms and forums and they more than meet the initial developments. We do have plans to develop online workshops but plan for these to be recorded rather than participatory at that specific time (mainly due to the feedback that our learners shift work makes it very difficult to coordinate a live event). However, I do see the power of participation so will be ensuring participation and interaction through asynchronous forums which can be accessed and contributed at a time suitable for the individual learners.