In order to further integrate and harness the full benefits of the online PBL environment, we must find a way to move the boundary between Web interaction and face-to-face discussion further down toward the final stage, which is the formation of the final collective information base or common ground.
social interactions needs to increase, community building
The final collective information base includes the information that is accepted and utilized by the group to reach a decision on the task at hand (Propp, 1999, pp. 231–236).
Idea generating, idea organization, idea convergence
Most of the collaboration in Moodle was between students and teachers.
may need to facilitate more student-student interactions
It is essential that tutorials include discussion about where and how the most relevant information can be found and what the most important resources are. Students need practice and guidance to familiarize themselves with different kinds of information resources before they can become effective, competent information seekers. Librarians and other information specialists can also provide the necessary guidance.
scaffolding
Figure 6.3. Curriculum is the interrelationship of instructional goals, assessments, materials, and methods. Illustration by Chris Vallo, © 2013 CAST, Inc.
alignment is key - even with diverse materials and media, it all should align
some number of students do not grasp the concept that is being presented
Appropriate time to monitor and adjust the curriculum
When students encounter difficulty, the curriculum-- not the student -- is assumed to be inadequate to meet the varied and diverse needs of learners
Assuming the student has appropriate motivation, can engage with some productive struggle, and can self-advocate
Thinking and teaching after UDL
UDL and diverse learners can promote creativity for instructors and students. Opportunity to bring in diverse materials that activate connections within content and in between contents.
Lesson Planning Overview
Evaluative - reflective - iterative
A multimedia approach to affective learning and training can result in more life-like trainings which replicate scenarios and thus provide more targeted feedback, interventions, and experience to improve decision making and outcomes. Rating: 7/10
The text discusses the implementation of video-conferencing to provide mental health services to children with a history of emotional and behavioral concerns. 89% of sessions were delivered via tele-health video-conferencing. Rating: 7/10 Need a follow-up on impact of tele-health services on student behaviors/outcomes.
A blended learning approach to emotional intelligence is the methodology for the course created by Google and implemented in various institutions around the globe. Rating: 8/10
An emotional intelligence course initiated by Google became a tool to improve mindfulness, productivity, and emotional IQ. The course has since expanded into other businesses which report that employees are coping better with stressors and challenges. Rating: 7/10 Key questions...what is the format of the course, tools etc?
Online mind-body training (MBT) is evaluated and results suggest that improvements in psychological well-being can be achieved with online MBT. Rating: 7/10
In the text "10 Current and Emerging Trends in Adult Education," ten current trends are briefly reviewed. Among these are the emphasis on effort, growth, and social-emotional learning. In terms of technology, real-life simulations and AI are being used to better prepare learners for their professional encounters and responsibilities. In terms of what is on the horizon for adult learning, one can expect mastery to be emphasized rather than degrees. As a result of the information economy, it is expected that income inequality will grow and thus advocacy for adult learners and continued opportunities for working adults to grow will mitigate the negative consequences. Rating: 7/10
Pre-service teachers can benefit from the use of simulations that reproduce classroom environments, student behaviors and profiles, and academic outcomes to guide their craft as educators. In this text, simSchool is briefly evaluated by student teachers to determine its usefulness. While the study had significant limitations of volunteer test subjects in a one-time usage of the tool, simSchool still was given some high marks for it's purpose and realistic depiction of student profiles and classroom environment. Finding suggest simulations like simSchool can continue to improve and with long-term use, would be effective at developing skills for educators. Rating: 8/10
The article, "Keys to success: Self-directed learning,' authors Fellows, Culver, and Beston discuss the components of Grow's self-directed learning (SDL) model. Learners and instructors fit into a matrix which can be used to determine optimal instructional strategies to meet the readiness of the learner. The authors discuss how SDL is implemented in multiple institutions for higher education. Instructional methods are shared to address foundational SDL skills as well as issues that arose when learners were having difficulty transitioning from one stage of readiness to another. Overall, holistic learner skills were enhanced with SDL. Rating: 9/10
In the text by Jennifer Herseim, virtual reality (VR) is identified as a tool to help with teacher training. Teachers can embark on a learning process in a secure environment with a diverse set of student avatars operated in part, by a real individual. Staff can explore their teaching methods and styles with recorded and measured skills and responses for future review and reflection. Rating 7/10
The text documents a year-long research project into experiential learning in teacher professional development. Teachers participated in experiential learning themselves to then begin to implement it into their own classrooms to serve their students. By and large, teachers were receptive, had misconceptions addressed, changed their practices with their colleagues and students to develop more engaging and active classrooms. Essentially, a shift from teacher-centered learning to student-centered learning was achieved in small increments by using experiential learning and reflection to facilitate teacher growth thereby creating new pathways for student learning. Given the nature of the traditional methods predominantly used, this study seems to reflect some elements of transformative learning in which teacher conventions and ideas were challenged and adjusted through heterogenous groups and personal reflection. Rating: 9/10
Problem-based learning (PBL) in a growing trend in approaching adult learning, particularly in ESL/ELL classrooms. In this text, the basic principles and methods of PBL for ELL/ESL classes are covered for instructors to implement. Key aspects of PBL include relevance to student lives and the opportunity to practice English in a heterogenous group with the end goal being application to another area of life. Multiple resources are helpful for implementation of PBL including technology. A review of the benefits of PBL is summarized as well as drawbacks with embedded suggestions to resolve possible difficulties. Rating: 8/10
Author Jeff Cobb features guest Celisa to discuss trends in the field of lifelong learning. The speakers note twelve existing trends such as MOOCs, micro-credentials, neuroscience, and self-directed learning. Both private and public sectors or contributing to existing and emerging trends. Life-long learning is transforming as services explore free and paid services to extend learning to more populations.
In this text, authors Kit Kacirek and Michael Miller explore adult learning for mature adults, or those identified as senior citizens. Research into mature adult learning programs centered around leisure activities, reveals situational pedagogy in which some traditional adult learning theory may need to be adapted to suit the cognitive changes in adults with advanced age. A brief description of the research methods reveals that adults in advanced age prefer lecture, use of media, and field trips. The implications for such a study are useful as the population of mature adults grows due to advancements in medicine and thus the demand for learning opportunities increases as well.
The text "Adult Learners Come to Campus With Unique Technology Needs" illustrates the barriers to learning that surround a learner's experience with technology. Author David Hutchins suggests having inclusive discussions with diverse sets of technology users to best determine their needs, issues, and reasonable solutions for support. Multi-level support for multiple generations of learners includes the instructors, administration, and IT teams that work together to improve education via technology. Embedding links throughout the text re-direct the reader to valuable resources for further review. Rating: 7/10
Section 508 compliance is discussed to support instructors knowledge of section 508 and how to begin the process of ensuring instructional content is 508 compliant. Section 508 of the federal Rehabilitation Act governs access of media to all persons whether they have a disability or not. Including captions, audio description, and accessible video players are vital to compliance. Compliance with 508 is necessary given that data that illustrates the percent of employees that have need for accommodations to support their learning. This brief article seems highly related to Universal Design of Learning. Rating: 10/10
Author Douglas Lieberman provides insights into how to use text to improve learning. Suggestions for type of text, volume of text, animations, and graphics are discussed to maximize their usefulness and convey information to learners and/or facilitate discussion among learners. Rating: 6/10
The Northwest Center of Public Health Practice's toolkit title "Effective Adult Learning: A toolkit for teaching adults," is . a highly comprehensive resource for instructional design for adult learning instructors. Sections include course or training design, objectives of adult learning, various tools to help in the process of course design, and brief overviews of adult learning methods and theory. The embedded section review charts make it easier for quick references. Rating: 10/10
Universal design for learning (UDL) is the topic of focus for this webinar hosted by Digital Promise. Multiple experts discuss UDL for adult learners and strategies for UDL. Rating: 6/10
Author Mary Burns discusses the key elements of computer adaptive testing (CAT). CAT is defined as assessments that use algorithms to progressively adjust test difficulty based upon learner's correct or incorrect responses. The benefits of CAT include more immediate data and are often more reliable. Types of test items are also covered to illustrate how the test can meet various levels of cognition and measure expertise. An issue related to CAT is the intensive time needed to develop multiple test items at multiple levels of cognition. Rating: 8/10
conventional learning objectives can work against us.
Cathy Moore discusses the love-hate relationship with learning objectives. Objectives can be a critical tool to guide instruction however, we can miss the boat when it comes to meaningful, applicable, and relevant learning. In the text, Moore is critical of objectives that merely are used to ensure a learner knows content. It is preferential, and superior instruction, to ensure a learner can exercise the knowledge with observable actions in context. Rating: 9/10
The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) provides opportunities for professional development for adult learning instructors and organizations that serve adult learners. CAEL has launched its first live stream of the conference to allow people to attend remotely. While the conference has since passed, this resource could be useful to calendar for the coming year. Included on the is a blog, newsletter sign up, and resources for higher education, employers and workforce development. Rating 8/10
The Office of Educational Technology website that is featured on Section 4: Measuring of Learning, discusses pedagogical implications of assessment shifts and how technology is part of enhancing assessment. The site places emphasis on using assessment as a real-time measurement of learning for real-life skills. The infographic that displays traditional models of assessment next to next-generation assessments is a quick reference for shifting ideology and practices. Ultimately, increased personalized learning serves the learner more efficiently and promotes increased achievement and mastery. Rating: 8/10
The lesson plan template provided is a helpful tool for designing a basic lesson with adult learning concepts. Some of the lesson plan template is also a part of pedagogy, but some key elements reflect adult learning theory. For example, the section on Practice and Application encourages activities to transfer skills to new situations and concluded by a reflection activity. Given adult learners may have various goals for their learning, the segment addresses adult learning theory. The template could be used or adapted to begin designing around technological tools used for instruction as well. The template does seem to reflect a model of synchronous, face-to-face learning given it suggests the instructor move around the room to monitor progress and assist learners. Rating: 6/10
Transformative learning theory and methods to support it are discussed in this text. Andragogy is initially reviewed in order for the reader to become acclimated to basic principles of adult learning. Transformative learning segments emphasize the methods and environments needed to achieve such deep and challenging learning. Due to the intensive personal nature of transformative learning, one must understand the readiness of the learner. The text notes that learners in transition are more apt to engage in transformative learning if given an opportunity to develop self-awareness, and a willingness to be in discomfort in open, non-hierarchical environments.
In this text, instructional designers are given brief synopses of three adult learning theories including andragogy, transformational learning, and experiential learning in order to understand how adults best learn and apply learning. The structure of the text is brief paragraphs with numerated descriptors and/or bullet points for reader convenience. Suggestions for learning activities are also provided for the instructional designer to consider in their course design. In the segment for transformative learning, a link is provided to provide the instructional designer more specific methods to incorporate. At the end of the text, diagrams are provided to visual core aspects and flow of each learning theories process. Rating: 7/10
The Digital Promise article presents four major factors to consider when implementing technology for adult learning purposes. The factors include flexibility and benefits of blended learning, data use to support development of instruction, environments with diverse technology available support various learners, and allow the instructor's role to change to meet learner needs. Issues related to each factor are shared and suggestions for resolutions are provided. Rating: 7/10-a good resource for introduction to factors and issues in adult learning via technology.