We are sort of moving through the process of online learning and now we have reached the part of how to think about and use design as a support for learning. This is something I have been struggling with for quite some years now so this time I will try to reflect upon the theories and models this course offers related to my own practice and experience.
One thing we was asked to do in the scenario that started the group work was to formulate a convincing argument for our Head of Departments. That can be a really challenging part depending om who the heads of department are, what experience they have of online learning and also their attitude and knowledge about learning and how education needs to be planned.
Also while trying to get acceptance for more online learning and OER.s there is more needs in the organisation/group that are involved. Lindblom, Alklind Taylor, Tambush and Svensson (2011) highlights in a modell five vital parts for success in a group; mutual basic view of pedagogy , team work, the culture of education, positiv attitude towards technique and administrative, pedagogical and technical support resources. With that on mind I would like to say that there are so much more that needs to be done that just persudade the HoD, but having her/him with you is for sure one necessity among other.
This topic also highlighted the need of awareness for emotions in learning. That makes me think back to the NU 2018 conference in Sweden where two of the key speakers from different perspectives talked about the role of emotions in learning. I found it interesting then and could relate to what was presented, so it was fun (see there- an emotion in my own learning) to get back to it in this course.
One of the articles I read during the group work was about gratitude as one way of enhacing the relations between students and teachers( Howells, 2014). The main focus in the article for me was how we can work to develop a positive climate that influence learning. In the article the author express how a positive climate can be put in actions in different ways, but that it also needs to be internalized in the daily behaviour as an attitude that gives direction for actions and practice. Interesting is that Howells also refers to Nodding( in Howells, 2014) who writes about caring and caring education, which is my area and who I have studied earlier. From my opinion emotions and gratitude as ways of building relationship with our students is absolutely vital when we try to educate nurses. They need to have evidence based knowledge, but even more they need skills in communicating, making patients feel safe and seen, how to listen and respect and how to learn from the encounters to reach their responsibility for safe and personal centered care. That is a major issue in nursing education, traditional, blended and/or online.
Trying to put at least some words to my own experience about how to design learning encounters with emotions and gratitude I will use Salmons (2013 ) five stage model as a structure. The examples are from an initial course in the three- year program but could be as much relevant for courses later on. One difference there is that some of the actions on the first stage may be less time consuming.
At the first stage we in advance plan the learning platform så they meet a personal message as the first encounter with us. In the former platform we had we could have their name show up in the greeting message and that was highly appreciated. It felt more personal than just a website. Now we need to make it personal by how we greet and invite them. We also see to that there are contact information to us, we have pictures in our personal presentation and tells both about ourselves as teachers but also as individuals, a little about family, interests and so. We also send out a letter a week before and give the opportunity to contact us if they have questions, problems related to the program or just feel unsafe about their choice to start. Our aim is to make them feel seen as individuals and that their opinions and feelings for taking the program is important. Which it is.
Also in courses later on in the online program we use some of this steps and actions to make sure that students have a positive feeling when they start the course. Do we always succeed. No way, not at all, but then we have to try to work us up and make the students feel better over time. One thing I have experienced over time is that it is really important as a teacher to just be who you are, tell what you know and not know and be present in the moment. No matter if we are talking online or blended learning. It is very much about taking part in the encounter.
At the second stage we ask them to present themselves in a post in a discussion forum and we form the study groups as soon as possible and give them things to work with. It can for example be the competence description for licensed nurses, to discuss, find things they are aware of in their coming role aswell as things they didn’t know. We have online meetings where we give time to support their use of the technique aswell as discussing what they have worked with in their groups. Reading and working with the competence description also makes it possible for the studentes to realize what demands the progam has and what complex role, based on several topics and sciences that are starting to develop, not just being the doctors assistans. Our aim is that they could start to see the meaning for different parts in the program and how they relates to their future role. Also to help them feel confident with that the program gives them relevant knowledge and skills to reach their goal. As also Howells (2014) express about the need to put extra efforts in the beginning and end of an online course, we put a lot of time in the first period to make the students feel that they are in as much control and as safe as possible in the beginning of a process. But we also acknowledge the feeling of anxiety, stress and uncertainty they express and use time to talk about it and help them see how they could handle it or give suggestions on alternative reading or whatevet can be needed. As I wrote earlier, if we should be able to form good nurses who dare to see their patients and their needs we need to see the students and dare to take difficult discussions.
On stage three – information exchange (Salmon, 2013)- we start working with different themes, we present what next coming week will contain and give them possibility to discuss their planning with us online. I have now and then made small videos where I have both summed up on the week/theme that ends and also presented upcoming themes. That has been used also in the more traditional program and it seems like students appreciate it. After reading this topic in ONL192 the conecpt scafolding, that was new for me, is what I probably would use for what we do.
On stage four- and five- for knowledge construction and development (Salmon, 2013) we give assignments that needs collaboration if the learning goal should be fulfilled. Now we often have to step in and discuss what collaboration means since many students have a negative experience from group work being” copy and paste” of the part each students has to do. We try to build learning situations so that each individual have to contribute with something based on their background/interest e g and then collaborate to find for example a mutual meaning, a general statement or what different areas of knowledge the individual preparations has given the rest of the group. The work is online, with shared documents, they may produce short videos and we have seminars with break-out groups as examinations. Most often the examining seminars are recorded and the recordings afterwards are used in different ways: for students as help for next topic or for evaluation of the groups performance and for teachers as a grading material aswell as a possibility to evaluate ones own work as a seminar leader.
Well- I could go on with examples, both good and bad, but if anyone have had the strength to read all the way down here, i just say- Thank you for the interest!
/Lena
References:
Howells, K., (2014) An exploration of the role of gratitude in enhancing teacherestudent relationships. Teaching and teacher education 42(2014) 58-67
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0742051X14000468?via%3Dihub
Lindblom, J., Alklind Taylor, A-S., Rambusch, J., Svensson, H. Pedagogisk digital kompetens för nätbaserat lärande inom högskolan. (Kap 4 sid. 54 – 73) I: Högskolan i Skövde (2011). Utbildning &
Lärande -Tema: Att bilda lärare i digital kompetens, 5, nr 1. Skövde: Högskolan i Skövde, Avdelningen barns, ungas och vuxnas lärande.
http://his.se/PageFiles/7922/UtbLar5nr1_2011_PedagogiskDigitalKompetens.pdf
Salmon, G (2013) The Five Stage Model. [Homepage] http://www.gillysalmon.com/five-stage-model.html
