In our PBL-group 11+6- my Learning community for the moment, we try to follow the FISH document for Problem Based Learning- we read the scenario together, brainstorm (which is more like a mix of questions, opinions, experiences etc- all in one…), then take individual time to figure out personal questions until next OL-meeting when we decide which questions are to be solved. The last times we divided us in two smaller groups, in relation to questions decided, and had our own OL-meetings between the regular ones, to discuss the topic in a more relaxed form and then met OL in the big group, sharing our new knowledge. We discuss all together possible ways of present our findings and last it ended up with consensus in a Pictochart…..Our group member Saad constructed a new PBL-model- the Fork joint model! It shows the way we have worked and feels like a very useful way of collaborating especially as we share our findings regularly to one and another. We also tried to have online break out groups during a regular meeting, which was useful for the groups but left the facilitator out for a moment.. an undesirable event…  Another excellent communication tool is Whats up, where we continuously ask, discuss, inform, SUPPORT, give and get feedback and get immediate replies! It strengthens the group collaboration and have a warm including feeling, which is necessary to be able to continue the ONL course… The work load is more than expected for all of us..  

Then I come to the frustrations… As I only have very
little experience of online learning before, and don’t teach students at
university (only clinical staff- but I do see the potential of shifting our
short courses to more online teaching), I can only relate to this course
content compared to our discussions, readings and my own experience as a
student.

In Capdeferro & Romero (2012), frustrations during online collaboration is dealt with.  The finding from one of the questionnaires (as shown in the reworked table below) does not respond to a course like ours I think, because the Master’s students were not beginners- most of them already had three semesters of online learning before, and probably had other pre- expectations of the collaboration. Their communication was discussion forums and e-mails. For me that is common in today’s distance learning courses but they lack the direct online interaction (read face-to face online)! In a group like ours, with very different previous knowledge, especially of all the tools used, different language skills, the frustration frequency-, level-, and content may vary a lot. For me, beside some frustration, it is a great opportunity to discover and learn more about the different presentations tools and collaboration tools, which have been shared and discussed online, direct within the group, but also to see the other PBL groups’ presentations. My dear group member Donna quickly made a demonstration film, just for me, about how to use Prezi! I was very impressed! Thank you Donna! I actually think I now will be able (have learnt) to do something similar!

My PLN is still different work groups where we share
and discuss different pedagogics but also some online national- and international
networks about Inter-professional learning in the healthcare, both for students
and co-workers. On Youtube I’ve found lots of useful pedagogic films, where it’s
actually possible to comment and discuss the film content- it’s a forgotten
forum I think… I could develop my PLN by taking part (or start myself) in more
Twitter- Facebook- and international networks touching my working area.

But- what could make me an excellent online teacher?                                        Anderson (2008) comes to the conclusion that she/he has sufficient knowledge of their subject, convey enthusiasm, pedagogical understanding of the learning process, have a set learning activities, sufficient technical skill to navigate and contribute effectively and last- resilience, innovativeness and perseverance like a “pioneer in unfamiliar terrain”. Capdeferro & Romero (2012) ads from their perspective to avoid frustrations; the importance of instructing the students about the learning model, technical tools, social- and group skills, inform about the work load and expected quality of work and- very important- ensure support, feedback(!) and evaluation.

So now I know what to develop…

References:

Anderson, T. (2008). Teaching in an online learning
context. In The theory and practice of online learning (pp. 343-395). Athabasca
university press

Capdeferro, N. & Romero, M. (2012). Are online
learners frustrated with collaborative learning experiences?. The
International review of research in open and distance learning, 13(2),
26-44. PNL and Online collaboration

Saad’s Fork joint model (2019) https://opennetworkedlearningblog.wordpress.com/2019/11/12/topic-3-learning-in-communities-thoughts-on-effective-collaborative-learning/  Accessed 2019-11-17.