#edenRW9 editors and the publishing process #papers

Question and answer session with editors, really great questions!

Question: Interesting question from Airina Volungeviciene whether the published research can be tagged in some way (like with xAPI or similar but than connected to bridge theory to practical) in order to see how applicable the research is, whether it is implemented and how. Some indicators to see the impact of science.  

No clear answer to that  from the editors (Dianne Conrad, Jill Buban, Josep Duart, Som Naidu) (yet). I would like to see this happen, also  in other areas. Aaron Silvers, what do you think would this be possible.

Question from Marti Cleveland-Innes: increasing fear for reviewing articles, editing journals… how can this become more possible given the increased time shortage. And can you give a notion of who reviews your articles, how do you choose reviewers.

Answer: (Diane Conrad) you hit the nail on the head, it is a major fallacy of peer-review. We rate reviewers and than evaluate whether they can stay on as reviewer. We assign 4 reviewers to every article (in the hope 2 will respond).

(Som Naidu): we are editors for our academic responsibility. And universities do not reward people for doing reviews! Academics might be given awards for that type of work. There is a process for each reviewer, and if reviewers do not respond than they come out. A full professor is the busiest, and they almost do not respond. So we choose reviewers who are early in their academic career.

(Josep Duart). We collect as much information as possible in terms of their expertise, so we have a good profile of them as academics in their field.

Question: George Veletsianos: could you give feedback to the authors on how to respond to ‘minor or major’ revisions.

Answer: (Diane Conrad) it is upon the reviewer to make sensible comments that support the review suggestion. The feedback needs to provide support for the decision made by the reviewer.

(Som Naidu) I look at the reports and filter them if they are too different before sending them to the author. And than provide the author with the option of what the author can do, making it possible to the author to enter into a constructive conversation.

Question: how can we get published

(Diane Conrad) Most common reasons for rejection:

Turn it in is used, and its reports.

We look at the scope of the research for the journal

Issue of the research with little importance, specifically to our readership

There is always something out there on any topic… never think there is not.  (we prescreen articles before sending them to reviewers)

Make an article understandable right from the abstracts. Abstracts should be written after the article, and be VERY precise, including the conclusions!

If the research is old, probably not accepted, use up to date research.

Use up to date literature

Do not republish, we have seen it before makes it unpublishable.

Question: how do you handle contradictory reviews

There always are more opinions, and it can be depressing to see how different equal experts give different reviews and decisions.

Each review is different, so as an editor I choose what goes out and what does not go out.

I consider the quality of the reviews, and the quality of the reviewer. I might send it to another reviewer, or take a personal decision as an expert myself (Diane)

If one decline is suggested by reviewers, I do not publish it.

Some reviews are not up to snuff, so I do look over the reviewer comments.

There are a lot of subjective components in the editorship. 

editors get not paid

Self-regulated learning for measuring motivation & self-esteem in #MOOC #motivation #SRL

For those interested in self-regulated learning, building upon the knowledge which is created over the years, I gladly share a recently published paper, which is part of the eMOOCs2016 proceedings. The project is briefly explained, and in this paper we (the authors) also refer to the self-regulated learning instrument which is used to monitor young students (16-17 year old) while they follow MOOCs to enhance their personal interests. The goal of this project is to increase (online) lifelong learning skills. The paper includes a reference to a SAM-scale for attitude and skills measurement, focusing on language skills (i.e. practical use of language: speaking, listening), and digital skills such as critical thinking.
The paper gives an update on a year long project which runs at GUSCO, a large and innovative secondary school in Kortrijk, Belgium, for which I lead the research end of the project (in participative mode with the teachers and directors).
The paper can be seen as part of the conference proceedings here, or downloaded from Academia here, the paper is entitled; "Ensuring Self-Regulated Learning outcomes in a MOOC and CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) in a k12 project. 

Guidelines on writing a #paper: a synopsis

The writing paper phase is here again... so I jotted this post together to have a short document for future use.

For those wanting more information, you can also take a look at the 'top tips' for educational research shared through Academia by Mike Lambert.

Please add things I might have overlooked.

This post is Based on two sources:
Writing a paper – by George M Hall – third edition (referenced with pages in this post)and San Francisco Edit: http://www.sfedit.net/newsletters.htm

Here we go:

Readers must be able to

• Assess the observations you made
• Repeat the experiment if they wish;
• Determine whether the conclusions drawn are justified by the data.

Some pointers:

• Search a peer review journal with best reputation in publishing for your domain. Journals of societies have a larger circulation. Is the journal referenced a lot?
• Use active verbs and clear subjects (not ‘several’ but ‘three’, not ‘somewhere’ but ‘in the Maritime region of Canada’
• Make every sentence useful, no blabla
• Explain abbreviations before including them
• Help the editor by using the format (style sheet) journals prescribe
• Write the first draft without hesitation, editing comes afterwards
• Guidelines on figures and tables: http://www.sfedit.net/tabfig.pdf

Step 1: references – always start with the literature/research that is already out there

The references are the backbone of your paper. They provide the scientific background that justifies the research you have undertaken and the methods you have used. They provide the context in which your research should be interpreted.

References should be limited to relevant ones with clear scientific interest (too many references shows insecurity of the author)

Whenever you find a reference, archive them in a clear bibliographical way (use Zotero for instance)

The Vancouver format is preferred for scientific references:

Journal article:

Surnames and initials of authors. Full title of paper. Title of journal Year of publication; Volume number: First and last page numbers of article.

Example: de Waard I., Writeress G. Best practices in building mobile courses. eLearning Magazine 2100;55:123-234.

Book or monograph

Surname and initials of authors. Full title of book. Number of edition. Town of publication: Publisher, Year of publication.

Example: de Waard I. Putting humour into eLearning. 3^rd edition. Antwerp: Epo, 2010.

Chapter in multi-author book

Chapter author (surnames and initials). Chapter title. Book authors or editors (surnames and initials). Book title. Town of publication: Publisher, Year of publication. First and last pages.

Step 2: make an outline

This is the blue print of your paper.

Summary (from San Francisco edit: http://www.sfedit.net/outline.pdf )

• Develop a central message of the manuscript
• Define the materials and methods
• Summarize the question(s) and problem(s)
• Define the principal findings and results
• Describe the conclusions and implications
• Organize and group related ideas together
• Identify the references that pertain to each key point
• Develop the introduction

The basic structure of a paper: IMRaD (p1)

Introduction: what question was asked?
Methods: how was it studied?
Results: what was found?
and
Discussion: what do the findings mean.

2.1 Introduction:

One sentence says it all and engages the reader. Not more than one paragraph to explicit the first sentence. Keep it short, arresting and clear, usually between 300 – 500 words.

(From San Francisco Edit: http://www.sfedit.net/intro.pdf )

• Begin the Introduction by providing a concise background account of the problem studied.
• State the objective of the investigation. Your research objective is the most important part of the introduction.
• Establish the significance of your work: Why was there a need to conduct the study?
• Introduce the reader to the pertinent literature. Do not give a full history of the topic. Only quote previous work having direct bearing on the present problem.
• Clearly state your hypothesis, the variables investigated, and concisely summarize the methods used.
• Define any abbreviations or specialized terms.
• Provide a concise discussion of the results and findings of other studies so the reader understands the big picture.
• Describe some of the major findings presented in your manuscript and explain how they contribute to the larger field of research.
• State the principal conclusions derived from your results.
• Identify any questions left unanswered and any new questions generated by your study.

Other points to consider when writing your Introduction:

• Be aware of who will be reading your manuscript and make sure the Introduction is directed to that audience
• Move from general to specific: from the problem in the real world to the literature to your research
• Write in the present tense except for what you did or found, which should be in thepast tense
• Be concise

Or plain and simple: what is the elevator pitch

2.2 Methods:

“This section should describe, in logical sequence, how your study was designed and carried out and how you analyzed your data. “ (p16) A clear method should be described before starting a study.
“If your research aims to answer a question, you should state exactly what hypothesis was tested” (p16) Always state clearly the a priori hypotheses (p17)

When you use statistics, give the exact tests used to analyses the data statistically.

A good methods section can answer these questions (p21)

• Does the text describe what question was being asked, what was being tested, and how trustworthy the measurements of the variable under consideration would be?
• Were these trustworthy measurements recorded, analyzed, and interpreted correctly?
• Would a suitably qualified reader be able to repeat the experiment in the same way?

How the study was carried out (p18)

• Describe how the participants were recruited and chosen
• Give reasons for excluding participants
• Consider mentioning ethical features
• Give accurate details of materials used
• Give exact data
• Give the exact use of all the instruments involved

2.3 Results

The introduction has defined the questions and the methods the means of getting the answers. Decide during the design stage of your study how the results will be presented. (p34)

Results should not be interpreted, just delivered.

Follow these rules:

• The text should tell the story
• The strongest results should be mentioned first
• The text should complement figures or tables
• The figure will show the highlights
• Provide a heading for each table or figure
• The statistics should support the statements
• Use the past tense when you refer to your results (the present tense everywhere else)

2.4 Discussion

(should not take more than a third of the total size of the paper)

Try not to repeat what you have already stated in the intro to your paper.

Decide which of the references with an important message seem to have involved the strongest methods and make them the centerpiece of your historical review.

Summary (p41)

• Three ways to start your piece: mini-seminar, main finding, or what’s different.
• Summarise relavant important previous work
• Put your results in context
• Mention doubts, weaknesses, and confounders
• Three ways of ending: problem solved, more research is needed, or uncertainty remains.

From San Francisco Edit: http://www.sfedit.net/discussion.pdf

• Organize the Discussion from the specific to the general: your findings to the literature, to theory, to practice.
• Use the same key terms, the same verb tense (present tense), and the same point of view that you used when posing the questions in the Introduction.
• Begin by re-stating the hypothesis you were testing and answering the questions posed in the introduction.
• Support the answers with the results. Explain how your results relate to expectations and to the literature, clearly stating why they are acceptable and how they are consistent or fit in with previously published knowledge on the topic.
• Address all the results relating to the questions, regardless of whether or not the findings were statistically significant.
• Describe the patterns, principles, and relationships shown by each major finding/result and put them in perspective. The sequencing of providing this information is important; first state the answer, then the relevant results, then cite the work of others. If necessary, point the reader to a figure or table to enhance the “story”.
• Defend your answers, if necessary, by explaining both why your answer is satisfactory and why others are not. Only by giving both sides to the argument can you make your explanation convincing.
• Discuss and evaluate conflicting explanations of the results. This is the sign of a good discussion.
• Discuss any unexpected findings. When discussing an unexpected finding, begin the paragraph with the finding and then describe it.
• Identify potential limitations and weaknesses and comment on the relative importance of these to your interpretation of the results and how they may affect the validity of the findings. When identifying limitations and weaknesses, avoid using an apologetic tone.
• Summarize concisely the principal implications of the findings, regardless of statistical significance.
• Provide recommendations (no more than two) for further research. Do not offer suggestions which could have been easily addressed within the study, as this shows there has been inadequate examination and interpretation of the data.
• Explain how the results and conclusions of this study are important and how they influence our knowledge or understanding of the problem being examined.
• In your writing of the Discussion, discuss everything, but be concise, brief, and specific.

Step 3. come up with a titaliting Title (p43)

• Concise and precise
• Informative and descriptive
• Not misleading or unrepresentative
• Words appropriate for classification
• Interesting, not dull

Step 4. write a clear and interesting Abstract

Start preparing the paper by writing the abstract if you do not have a clear outline of the paper or leave the abstract till last if you already have a clear idea and you want to make sure the abstract completely covers the paper.

• Check the maximum number of words ,(mostly between 200 – 300)
• Keep it simple and comprehensive (p46)
• Check for consistency: the abstract should reflect the paper and describe your message succinctly and accurately. Do the objectives described in the abstract match those in the paper?
• State your hypothesis or method used in the first sentence.
• Omit background information, literature review, and detailed description of methods. (http://www.sfedit.net/abstract.pdf )
• Remove extra words and phrases
• Revise the paragraph so that the abstract conveys only the essential information.

Step 5 add Authors

First the person who wrote the paper, second and third authors: significant contributors, last one is mostly the heavy weight and guarantor. (can vary).

free mMOOC design paper and upcoming #mLearncon

The upcoming mobile learning conference organised by the eLearning Guild: mLearnCon (10 - 13 June 2015 in Austin, Texas) will bring mobile learning enthusiasts together and offer great networking opportunities. If you have a speaking proposal in mind, you can submit it here.

In running up to the conference, I remembered that I did not share a mobile design paper from 2013, which was published in the Mobile Handbook, an award winning book edited by Zane Berge and Lyn Muilenburg. Because the design emerged from two early online courses on mobile learning (MobiMOOC), I thought it would be good to share the paper, as it links to both practical and theoretical mobile learning tools and dynamics. Since publishing the paper I have been using the mMOOC design to see what works, and what has changed, and I will get that down in a short article later.

The paper entitled 'mMOOC Design: Ubiquitous, Open Learning in the Cloud' can be read in draft version in Academia.

Abstract of the paper: In the mMOOC design chapter an overview is given of what a MOOC is and how it can be optimized for mobile device delivery and interaction. The chapter starts with an overview of contemporary, educational challenges in this Knowledge Age, after which the mMOOC design is described. The mMOOC design combines characteristics and strengths of both m-learning and the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) format. By using emerging technologies (selecting mobile social media, enabled mobile multimedia) and stimulating content dialogue and self-regulated learning, the course design allows learning to take place in the cloud and being directed by the learners.

#MOOC factors influencing teachers in formal #education

This is a paper entitled MOOC factors influencing teachers in formal education was written for the Mexican open journal: Revista Mexicana de Bachillerato a distancia. Número 13 (2015). The MOOC expert Guadalupe Vadillo asked me if I wanted to write about MOOCs and teacher development. I gladly accepted the request, because I think MOOC can be used in multiple forms, supporting teachers in all areas of formal education. 

The paper is written in two languages, one in English, and one in Spanish: Factores MOOC que influyen en profesores de educación formal

This paper highlights a couple of options for teachers and the use of MOOC:

• Brief history and range of MOOC: from small to massive, from cMOOC to xMOOC.
• It focuses on teachers themselves: real teachers are irreplaceable, MOOC fitting pedagogies that can be used (constructivism, connectivism, networked learning, problem based learning, flipped classroom approach)
• Increased digital skills: technological skills, digital skills, self-regulated learning.
• Rethinking assessment
• Increasing success for students from vulnerable socioeconomic classes
• Scaffolded teacher development: moving from face-to-face to online learning

The paper takes a look at the differences between face-to-face teaching and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) opportunities for teachers, in order to provide insight in the necessities of teacher development. In order to do this a short overview of MOOC is provided, including pedagogical options, the necessary skills needed, and some MOOC opportunities to increase academic success for vulnerable socioeconomic students by using MOOCs.

Teachers in formal education provide the learning path towards learning objectives and learning outcomes that need to be achieved. In order for teachers to deliver quality in both face-to-face and online learning environments, it is pivotal that they experience and understand MOOC options. Overall the paper suggests that teachers need to be informed about MOOC diversity to enable them to perform in the MOOC learning and teaching environment. This will allow teachers to overcome their own doubts, the complexities that come along with these new online environments, and provide them with the confidence and insights needed to use MOOC for their own teaching goals. 

This paper adds to a presentation I gave on the same topic, which I posted to slideshare here. Where the opportunities for teachers, as well as learners are listed: using MOOC as clusters of useful digital content (OER), using MOOC to decrease the digital divide in terms of STEM knowledge for learners planning to go to college, using MOOC to develop yourself as a teacher or to support interests from learners, using MOOC as additions for bright learners or/and learners with a learning difficulty, how MOOC can be embedded in a flipped classroom approach... 

Upcoming the Really Useful #EdTechbook and chapter

What a great start of a new year, to be able to work with wonderful people and get a chapter out as well. The ever working David Hopkins (I think he did not have one single day off during the past holidays), has been editing a book entitled "The Really Useful #EdTechbook" which will be on sale from 28 January 2015.

The book consists of 16 chapters from different authors, all devoted to ... really useful EdTech stuff in a non-academic, simple language. And I am very grateful to David that he allowed me to be one of the co-authors as well, together with the creme of the crop of EdTech experts.

Contributory authors: 

• Catherine Cronin: Foreword 
• David Hopkins: Introduction 
• Wayne Barry: “…and what do you do?”: Can we explain the unexplainable? 
• Zak Mensah: “Why do we do what we do?” 
• Peter Reed: “The structure and roles of Learning Technologists within Higher Education Institutions” 
• Rachel Challen: “Learning Technologists as magicians? Balancing policy and creativity” 
• Julie Wedgwood: “Developing the skills and knowledge of a Learning Technologist” 
• Dr David Walker and Sheila MacNeill: “Learning Technologist as Digital Pedagogue” 
• Lesley Price: “Times they are a changing …or not?” 
• Sue Beckingham: “The Blended Professional: Jack of all Trades and Master of Some?” 
• Julian Stodd: “How gadgets help us learn in the Social Age” 
• Terese Bird: “Students Leading the Way in Mobile Learning Innovation” 
• Inge de Waard: “Tech Dandy, and the Art of Leisure Learning” 
• Sharon Flynn: “Learning Technologists: changing the culture or preaching to the converted?” 
• Mike McSharry: “This is your five-minute warning!” 

Book description:
Technology has invaded our working and recreational lives to an extent that few envisaged 20 or 30 years ago. We’d be fools to avoid the developments in personal, mobile, and wearable technology. Even if we tried we’d still have to deal with other developments and distractions in classroom and learning technology like smart boards, blogs, video, games, students-led learning, virtual learning environments, social media, etc. More than this, however, is how the advances in technology, the economic and physical miniaturisation of computing devices, have impacted education: the students, the teachers, the classrooms, the spaces, the connections, the aspirations, etc.

‘The Really Useful #EdTechBook‘ is about experiences, reflections, hopes, passions, expectations, and professionalism of those working with, in, and for the use of technology in education. Not only is it an insight into how, or why, we work with these technologies, it’s about how we as learning professionals got to where we are and how we go forward with our own development.

Practical:
Title: The Really Useful #EdTechBook
Editor: David Hopkins
Word count: 61,000
Price eBook: $6.99 / £4.50 / €5.80
Price Paperback: $29.99 / £19.99 / €24.99

VAT will be added on the above eBook prices based on where you are located.
Publish date: 28 January 2015 (eBook)
Available: Paper and eBook editions will be available from the following online stores.

Pre-orders for the eBook are being taken through Amazon, links below:
Amazon.com (print and eBook)
Amazon.co.uk (print and eBook)
iTunes (eBook)
Kobo (eBook)
Createspace (print)

Free download
As well as buying and downloading from the above suppliers you will also be able to download a PDF version of the book directly here, once launched. We are providing this option in order to promote openness and collaborative learning practices. I hope you will join me in thanking the contributory authors and, if you like the free version, consider purchasing the book in the format of your choice.

Google+ Community
Join our Google+ community for information on the book, the chapter authors, the launch details, the world of learning and educational technology, and other aspects of The Really Useful #EdTechBook.

See more at: http://www.dontwasteyourtime.co.uk/books/the-really-useful-edtechbook/#sthash.bc9LSXNP.dpuf

Exploring future #seamless learning strands for #MOOC

Last year Nilgün Keskin, Apostolos Koutropoulos, and myself stuck our heads together and wrote a research paper on Exploring Future Seamless Learning Strands for Massive Open Online Courses. There are quite a few research options to explore, so feel free to read the paper.

To provide an idea of what to expect, I gladly share the abstract below, the draft version of the article can be read here through Academia.

This chapter reviews the concept of seamless learning for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) based on the distillation of key factors from papers discussing and describing the mobile seamless learning (MSL) concept. The MSL concept was used as a starting point to explore how MOOC could be prepared for seamless learning and to explore future research options. There is a vast area of research to be explored related to seamless learning in MOOC. The authors belief that some of the challenges faced by MOOC , such as “dropout” rates, redefining learning activities to fit diversity of contexts, self-directed learning, collaborative content artifact creation, the mobility of the adult learners, and the “dip-in, jump-out” aspect of participation can be countered by researching and suggesting seamless learning designs and guidelines that fit both the adult learners and the MOOC realities. Investigating all the elements, challenges and benefits for providing seamless learning in MOOC environments will contribute to the  body of knowledge of contemporary online learning.

For those looking for references: de Waard, I., Keskin, N. O., & Koutropoulos, A. (2014). Exploring Future Seamless Learning Research Strands for Massive Open Online Courses.Handbook of Research on Emerging Priorities and Trends in Distance Education: Communication, Pedagogy, and Technology, 201.

New free #research articles #IRRODL lots of interesting papers

IRRODL has a new issue out, gathering papers from across the globe. Did not have time to read it yet, but I put many papers in my 'to read' folder based on interesting titles and related abstracts. The wonderful bonus of IRRODL is that they deliver each paper in a variety of digital formats and they are OPEN to all.

Copying from the wonderful editorial accompanying this issue and which is written by Dianne Conrad:
Several topics emerged in this issue’s selection of articles. The first, in pieces from Canada, the UK, Korea, and Saudi Arabia, considers aspects of open and distributed learning on culture, learning, and knowledge. E.g. Hamdan from Saudi Arabia approaches her cultural study through the gender lens, considering the impact of ODL on female learners in that country.

A second topic, the increasingly popular open movement, is further explored by Mtebe and Raisamo as they look at African instructors’ use and adoption of OER. And from Katy Jordan comes a wide-ranging study that presents the results of a study that draws together MOOC enrolment and completion data from courses across the major MOOC platforms. 

Thirdly, and not surprisingly in any ODL journal, South African, Balkan, Chinese, and Taiwanese researchers give us the results of their investigations into the use of specific distance learning tools. 

Finally, reflecting our evolving field’s continuing interest in the critical issue of what constitutes effective teaching and learning at a distance, several writers offer their answers to that question from a variety of perspectives. One of the most popular approaches to “what works” over the years has been the measure of student satisfaction. The relationship of satisfaction to learning is, of course, its own topic, also often researched. With examples from Canada, Spain, Russia and China.

So from four continents, multiple researchers using a variety of methods ... this sure makes one perfect mid-week read.  

The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning

Vol 15, No 1 (2014)

Table of Contents

Editorial

Editorial: Volume 15, Number 1	HTML PDF MP3 EPUB
Dianne Conrad

Research Articles

Post-secondary distance education in a contemporary colonial context: Experiences of students in a rural First Nation in Canada	HTML PDFMP3 EPUB
Jesse Simon, Kevin Burton, Emily Lockhart, Susan O'Donnell

Roles and student identities in online large course forums: Implications for practice	HTML PDF MP3EPUB
Jacqueline Aundree Baxter, Jo Haycock

A cultural-historical activity theory investigation of contradictions in open and distance higher education among alienated adult learners in Korea National Open University	HTMLPDF MP3EPUB
K. P. Joo

Benchmarking the habits and behaviours of successful students: A case study of academic-business collaboration	HTML PDFMP3 EPUB
Elizabeth Archer, Yuraisha Bianca Chetty, Paul Prinsloo

Multi-country experience in delivering a joint course on software engineering – numerical results	HTML PDF MP3EPUB
Zoran Budimac, Zoran Putnik, Mirjana Ivanović, Klaus Bothe, Katerina Zdravkova, Boro Jakimovski

An exploratory study of effective online learning: Assessing satisfaction levels of graduate students of mathematics education associated with human and design factors of an online course	HTMLPDFMP3EPUB
Joohi Lee

Initial trends in enrolment and completion of massive open online courses	HTML PDF MP3EPUB
Katy Jordan

A case study of integrating Interwise: Interaction, internet self-efficacy, and satisfaction in synchronous online learning environments	HTML PDFMP3 EPUB
Yu-Chun Kuo, Andrew E. Walker, Brian R. Belland, Kerstin E. E. Schroder, Yu-Tung Kuo

Student satisfaction with a web-based dissertation course: Findings from an international distance learning master's programme in public health	HTML PDFMP3 EPUB
Roger Harrison, Isla Gemmell, Katie Reed

Design and implementation of a simulation-based learning system for international trade	HTML PDF MP3EPUB
Guo-Heng Luo, Eric Zhi-Feng Liu, Hung-Wei Kuo, Shyan-Ming Yuan

How well do Canadian distance education students understand plagiarism?	HTML PDF MP3EPUB
Cheryl Ann Kier

Challenges and instructors’ intention to adopt and use open educational resources in higher education in Tanzania	HTML PDFMP3 EPUB
Joel Samson Mtebe, Roope Raisamo

Introducing a learning management system at a Russian university: Students' and teachers' perceptions	HTML PDFMP3 EPUB
Natalya Emelyanova, Elena Voronina

Rethinking dropout in online higher education: The case of the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya	HTML PDF MP3EPUB
Josep Grau-Valldosera, Julià Minguillón

The reciprocal and correlative relationship between learning culture and online education: A case from Saudi Arabia

HTML PDFMP3 EPUB

Amani K Hamdan

Challenges for conceptualising #MOOC for #vulnerable learner groups

With the latest EU MOOC platform (http://www.openuped.eu/) being launched late 2013, the relentless MOOC roll out keeps on going. When a corporate MOOC platform is rolled out, the type of learners targetted by such a platform is open to the MOOC provider, but when an EU platform is rolled out, policy becomes important to ensure social equality, especially policy towards including vulnerable learners. Some of us with an interest in vulnerable learner groups (= those learners at risk of sliding into poverty, or already residing in a poverty position), took the opportunity to collaboratively write a paper highlighting some of the challenges that might be faced. All of us authors also tried to add possible solutions to these challenges, but the proof of the pudding is of course in the eating, so lots of research still needs to be done.

The paper will be published in the EU papers, but in anticipation of that, sharing the draft via Academia here. It is called "Challenges for conceptualising MOOC for vulnerable learner groups". All of us authors as mentioned in the paper: Michael Sean Gallagher, Ronda Zelezny-Green, Laura Czerniewicz, Stephen Downes, Agnes Kukulska-Hulme, Julie Willems and myself (Inge de Waard).

During the upcoming 10-12 Feburary eMOOC2014 MOOC stakeholder summit in Lausanne, Switzerland this collaboratively written paper will be discussed with MOOC providers from all realms (academics, corporate MOOC providers - all will be there: Coursera, EdX, FutureLearn, IMC...). A nice opportunity to get an idea of the interest by all stakeholders, the status of learner profile attention (specifically vulnerable groups) and overall trains of thought. 

Abstract: This exploratory paper picks up elements from the European Commission’s educational vision and philosophy behind Opening up Education, the resulting initiative of the OpenupEd.eu MOOC platform and takes this as a starting point to look at potential challenges for developing MOOCs that include vulnerable learner groups. In order to align the future conceptualization of MOOCs with the vision and philosophy of Europe, potential tensions of contemporary and future education are listed. The current dichotomy of xMOOC and cMOOC are used to mark some of the unexplored MOOC territory. Practical answers to contemporary, ICT supported educational challenges are provided as options to fuel the debate. The challenges and options for future online education initiatives are based on insights and ideas of international scholars and researchers reflecting on potential barriers for learners and online education. This paper aims to stimulate discussion of the potential for new educational technologies to ensure social inclusion for virtual and physical vulnerable learner groups.

The paper builds upon previous discussions and looks at:

• Digital and social exclusion(s)
• Increasing diversity of learner groups
• Formal and informal learning
• Local versus global
• North-South postcolonial tensions
• Ubiquitous social technology and infrastructure
• Individual learning versus networked learning
• Closed versus Open Educational Resources
• Digital identity
• Learner access and success
• Global communication needs versus language barriers
• Possible future strategies

A tool for screening #gender and #ethnicity in #mobile courses

First of all a wonderful 2014 with lots of inspiring moments and growing wisdom!

To start this new year, I gladly share a short paper that describes an instrument I made years ago to screen mobile courses for their gender and ethnicity depiction/narrative before roll out. It is a simple tool, with a simple clicking system and systematic, but nevertheless it has provided me with many insights into my own repetition of the norm embedded in me by culture and habit.

The description of the tool can be read here via academia, in a short paper that was published in
de Waard, I., & Zolfo, M. (2009). Integrating gender and ethnicity in mobile courses ante-design: a TELearning instrument. Name: International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies, 3, 77-78.

This simple tool was initially build to construct interactive mobile courses for health care workers in different developing regions, but with the rise of MOOC, I figure it could be used for all global courses. Or for very local courses at that. Identity and empowerment are so fundamental to self-esteem, confidence and learning success that a conscious choice to use specific identities in an online course might push interaction, understanding, and self-reassurance.

How does it work: you take your course storyboard - or your course pilot content - and you go through. Every character (animated or real; visual or audio) is categorized or numbered. For example if a black colored woman animated actor is used in the course, the skin color is clicked, the gender is clicked, and her action is counted (an action can either be passive or active - for example a female doctor actively examining a patient). This counting is done for all characters and all narrative voices. At the end the tool tells you how each gender and ethnicity is depicted in the course, and that can be an indicator to redesign certain features to make the course overall more balanced (or focused on a specific identity if that is your wish).

Although this was made for mobile courses, the relevance for MOOC is evident. So I dare you to take this simple tool, and to go to a MOOC you are following and screen it for its gender/ethnic/active-passive representation. That will clearly show how 'global' the content is.
In the process of adding age more specifically as well. 

free online #elearning research articles from JOLT

Vol. 9, No. 3 of the MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching (JOLT) at http://jolt.merlot.org/currentissue.html has been published and is available online. The contents of the issue are listed below. In this issue you will find 12 articles concerned with various aspects of online learning and teaching. I hope you will find several articles of interest, and that you will take the time to forward this notice to colleagues who might also be interested in JOLT. 

Articles I read and found useful:

The Rachell Sturm-Beiss shared an interesting paper on the efficacy of online exam-review sessions for math students: reaching both high- and low-performing students (paper pdf here) simple actions for hightened student performance ... always nice.

Abstract "Teaching mathematics in a class comprised of students with varying levels of 

preparation and aptitude poses a significant challenge: How does one keep the top 

performers engaged without losing those who are struggling? In an effort to 

accommodate commuter students with little schedule flexibility, screencast videos made 

accessible on YouTube were used as means to deliver optional exam-review sessions 

in two pre-calculus classes. The screencasts were introduced before the second exam; 

thereafter, several poor performers began to score better and appeared more motivated 

in class. Students in both classes completed brief surveys regarding their preparation 

for the first two in-class exams. An analysis of survey data together with test grades 

showed that 55% of the students viewed the entire screencast series and that high- and 

low-performing students viewed the videos in equal proportions. The mean 

standardized grade of the student group who watched the entire video series increased 

significantly from the first exam to the second exam. Subsequently, in an effort to 

promote autonomous mathematical problem-solving skills the author experimented with 

videos containing embedded math exercises. Positive student feedback suggests that 

this type of teaching medium is beneficial to and appreciated by the motivated student. "

The position paper accompanying this JOLT volume I also found of interest as it provides options for collaboratively constructing instructional design with multiple actors coming from different fields (within the same university). Real title: Instructional Design Collaboration: 

A Professional Learning and Growth Experience written by multiple authors of the Calgary university in Canada.

Abstract: "High-quality online courses can result from collaborative instructional design and 

development approaches that draw upon the diverse and relevant expertise of faculty 

design teams. In this reflective analysis of design and pedagogical practice, the authors 

explore a collaborative instructional design partnership among education faculty, 

including the course instructors, which developed while co-designing an online 

graduate-level course at a Canadian University. A reflective analysis of the collaborative 

design process is presented using an adapted, four-fold curriculum design framework. 

Course instructors discuss their approaches to backward instructional design and 

describe the digital tools used to support collaboration. Benefits from collaborative 

course design, including ongoing professional dialogue and peer support, academic 

development of faculty, and improved course design and delivery, are described. 

Challenges included increased time investment for instructors and a perception of 

increased workload during design and implementation of the course. Overall, the 

collaborative design team determined that the course co-design experience resulted in 

439 MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching Vol. 9, No. 3, September 2013 

an enhanced course design with meaningful assessment rubrics, and offered a valuable 

professional learning and online teaching experience for the design team. "

Pasting the whole set of articles below. 

Research Papers

An Exploration of Students' Experiences of Learning in an Online Primary Teacher Education Program

Margaret Cain and Sharon Phillip

304-315

Quality of Interactions in Face-to-Face and Hybrid Career Development Courses: An Exploration of Students' Perceptions

Siu-Man Raymond Ting and Laura M. Gonzalez

316-327

The Use of E-Learning Tools for Improving Hispanic Students' Academic Performance

Jennie Johnson and Edith Galy

328-340

Adjunct versus Full-Time Faculty: Comparison of Student Outcomes in the Online Classroom

Brian Mueller, B. Jean Mandernach, and Kelly Sanderson

341-352

Experiences with Military Online Learners: Toward a Mindful Practice

David Starr-Glass

353-363

Which Instructional Design Models are Educators Using to Design Virtual World Instruction?

Victor J. Soto

364-375

Using a Video Game as an Advance Organizer: Effects on Development of Procedural and Conceptual Knowledge, Cognitive Load, and Casual Adoption

Jennifer J. Vogel-Walcutt, Katherine Del Giudice, Logan Fiorella, and Denise Nicholson

376-392

Case Studies

Developing a Supportive Framework for Learning on Biosciences Field Courses through Video-Based Resources

Anne E. Goodenough, Lynne MacTavish, and Adam G. Hart

393-405

Improving Undergraduate Sociology Students' Presentation Skills through Reflective Learning in an Online Learning Environment   

Natalia V. Smirnova and Irina V. Nuzha

406-417

Old Concepts, New Tools: An Action Research Project on Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning in Teacher Education

Orly Sela

418-430

The Efficacy of Online Exam-Review Sessions: Reaching Both High- and Low-Performing Students

Rachel Sturm-Beiss

431-438

Position Paper

Instructional Design Collaboration: A Professional Learning and Growth Experience

Barbara Brown, Sarah Elaine Eaton, D. Michele Jacobsen, Sylvie Roy, and Sharon Friesen

439-452