Adapted Learning Pattern for Program Model

Adapted Learning Pattern for Program Model

July 25, 2016

I have created this adapted learning pattern-based model for the Self-Paced Online Courses program I manage.  This model is going to be useful in that I can clearly communicate the process of offering a course in my program from start to finish, or from the time that interest is expressed in teaching a course to it being placed on the schedule.

As you can see below, this environment begins with dialogue.  While this can occur face to face, it primarily happens online through email initiated by the faculty member that wants to teach the course, hence the solid line.  Following that, I communicate information regarding policies of the course and the process of converting online courses to asynchronous, self-paced format.  Next, the faculty member must complete (or already have completed) an online course facilitation workshop. They must then convert the course to SPOC format in the learning management system.

If the course is perfectly revised, it can be immediately placed upon the schedule for student enrollment.  Often, there may be something that is missed, at which point the required revisions will be communicated to the faculty member.  The course must be re-approved once they complete the revisions.  If there are still issues, the process is repeated.  If there are no further issues, the approved course is offered to students.

Design Pattern Notebook Templates

Design Pattern Notebook Templates
July 22, 2016

For this post, I have created a series of Design Patterns that I have taken out of larger learning environment contexts. 

1. Group Study
For this pattern, I thought it would be great to extract group study exercises from a larger course context.  As you can see, I have placed the information block first as that will include the content that is needed for studying.  Students will begin interaction with dialogue to discuss the objective, followed by individual and group practice and peer feedback. 

 

2. I chose to make a pattern from Strategic Brainstorming Sessions that may be found in the larger context of program development.  For the beginning, the planning group will hold introductions, with the facilitator following with the overall objective of the session and background information.  Next, dialogue will take place between the group to brainstorm the ideas. 

The facilitator will then compile the information and explore solutions to the issue, holding follow-up meetings within that separate organization to determine other options available.

 

Next, a strategic planning document is produced that will be circulated for feedback before being presented to the client.  Once the client's feedback has been obtained, dialogue can begin within the department receiving the strategic plan.

 

4.  This is a model I have extracted that displays the dynamic of technical support.  In the initial stages, a customer (solid arrow) calls and communicates that there is an issue.  The technician (dotted arrow) receives this information and attempts to solve the problem.  If the attempt is successful (dotted line), then a solution has been reached.  If the attempt is unsuccessful, the system will give feedback at which time the technician will need more information and attempt another solution.  This loop can repeat if the secondary solution is not successful, but the environment can reach its conclusion if it is after all.  I thought this model displayed a great dynamic that is present in classrooms as well.

 

5.  I wanted to drill down a bit further within the pattern above to show this design pattern within the other.  You can see here that this is a repeatable sequence in that if one solution doesn't work, more information must be obtained and another solution attempted.  This happens so much in any type of feedback-based environment. 

Decoding a Communicative Foreign Language Environment

LEML for Foreign Languages
July 22, 2016

In searching for patterns within Learning Environment Modeling, I immediately went to one of the most intensive courses I have taught:  beginning Italian.  This type of course presents a unique challenge in that students must absorb a great amount of content, but the best way to do so is through communicating with others.  I mapped out an approximation of how I would conduct my class sessions and noticed there was certainly a pattern that developed.

I begin each class with a discussion on the previous session's topic, followed by a practice quiz for which I give immediate feedback to the class.  I then introduce the new topic, whether it be a vocabulary set or grammatical structure, followed by a discussion between students and a oral/written practice.

You'll notice that within this environment, I subconsciously marked a pattern:

You can see here that I repeat the process of introducing a topic, having students hold a discussion on it, practicing problems in groups then individually with feedback.  This is a structure I repeat in communicative language teaching because it's necessary to have dialogue-centered instruction that includes ample opportunities for practice and feedback in the classroom environment.

Another pattern I noticed was at the beginning.  I always begin each class with a review and assessment of the objective from the previous class.  Because foreign language courses build continuously upon grammatical principles, it's necessary to maintain this continuum in each class session.

So, this model got me thinking about other intensively interpersonal trainings.  I think these two models combined would work well in a group training setting, such as mine when I became an academic advisor.  There's such great value in dialogue when you're learning a foreign concept, and often times it's the student dialogue and peer learning that I find to be most effective, as displayed in this environment:

As you can see, I would begin each training session with dialogue, practice, and feedback from the previous session's objectives.  Following, I would present the new content, followed by a discussion, group practice, individual practice, and feedback.  Finally, I added the evidence block  which would come in the form of an assessment or other measure of competency. Notice as well that there are multiple ways that feedback can be given in this environment.  Should an individual practice in an online course module with an electronic quiz, that would be a system action for grading.  Should it be in class, the instructor would need to take action.

Even after looking at this final version, now that I have it in front of me on a screen, I can see there are still modifications to be made.  For example, there could be more discussion or peer feedback given added after the group practice when introducing new content.  I look forward to hearing from you on how I could improve this model even further!

Revising the Faculty Interview Assignment

Revised Assignment Utilizing LEM
July 21, 2016
Brad Griffith

I have become more aware of how Learning Environment Modeling can be used to modify existing assignments and I'm excited to show you a revised version of my Faculty Interview Assignment. 

As for the original, even using LEM to map it out in the beginning made me aware that there were additional opportunities to expand this assignment and its impact on my students.

You can see that I only provided one space for dialogue within this assignment and that there's not much that occurs in the classroom other than setting the stage for the assignment.

Now I present to you my updated model!

You'll notice that I have added more dialogue into this learning environment in the beginning, middle, and end.

I have decided to begin with a discussion of how students analyzed their relationships with high school instructors.  Considering the target audience of this course is freshmen, I wanted to contextualize this assignment because its true goal is to change their view of instructors from high school to college.

I have also shifted email etiquette to the point in the assignment after which we discuss Q/A for the requirements and begin a discussion about their discipline interests. 

Following that, I will now present email etiquette and the campus directory before I have them draft the sample emails and provide feedback in class.

The online/asynchronous component of this learning environment has not changed.  I will still have students email their faculty member to set up an appointment, provide them with sample interviews and proper questions, while requiring that they participate in online discussion boards to share their questions with myself and their peers.

Following, the students interview the faculty member.

They then submit their portfolio online and I provide feedback electronically.

I have added an additional level of dialogue at the end of this assignment because there was a lacking element of group reflection.  Students have similar experiences, misconceptions, and discoveries during this assignment.

Finally, I felt it was important to clearly define the learning objective for this assignment and to discuss more details regarding the evidence contents.

Now that I have revised this model, I certainly understand why it's important to use analog tools in the beginning.  Originally, I created too simple of a model that failed to capture the complexity of my assignment.  Having the ability to easily move the sticky notes, make new dry erase marks, and discuss this with others has allowed me to create a more robust model.  Concerning the zoom for this assignment, I see that this model could be translated for other objectives in my course.  I would find great benefit in contextualizing most of my assignments in terms of students' experiences in high school, while providing exemplary content and opportunities for dialogue and feedback throughout the whole assignment.

I hope too, that with these revisions, that this model better supports the decision making process by providing greater amounts of dialogue and feedback. 

I look forward to continuing to hear your comments about this exercise!

My First Learning Environment Model

The Opportunities Here are LEMitless...

Brad Griffith

I was excited to try out these modeling techniques for the first time and even more pleased in the end when it all made more sense as a whole environment.  For my first attempt, I chose an assignment that I give in my First Year Experience seminar:  the faculty interview assignment.  My true goal of this is to get students to have a conversation with someone who teaches in a field they may be interested in pursuing academically.  This happens about midway through the course because I want them to feel a sense of friendship in the course and an attachment to the university before sending them out to meet a random person.

 

My attempt at LEM.

 

Reading from left to right on this blueprint, you'll notice that I am the first to take action in the synchronous classroom environment.  I begin this lesson by presenting the assignment rubric and offering them examples of interviews, both written transcripts and audio recordings.  Following, we discuss their discipline interests.  Some students at this point do not have a specific interest, so I might help them determine that or pick a universal instructor. 

 

Next, I present information on email etiquette and we discuss how to locate faculty information using the campus directory and department websites.  Following that, I have students practice drafting an email request for an interview to a professor in groups.  We discuss these and I, along with the students, give feedback to each of the groups.  If there are major issues, I have them write a second draft and we discuss it again. 

 

At this point, students are directed to find contact information and email the faculty member of their choice.  I provide information online regarding possible interview questions and require students to submit them to me in advance of their meeting to give them feedback and make sure they are robust enough for a fluid conversation.  If they are not, I ask them to revise the questions. 

 

Students then will have to conduct the meeting with the faculty member in their office.  Following that, the evidence of meeting the learning objective arrives in the form of a portfolio submitted online.  They must provide reflection on their experience, documentation of the meeting, and format a summary interview transcript appropriately.  I then provide feedback with their final grade for the project.

 

I'm left wondering... what could I do to make this assignment better? It seems to me on the front end I'm left trying to get them to understand the value of this assignment and giving them examples of how they should be communicating.  With the LEM symbols, I can tell that more dialogue in this assignment might be beneficial.  I am making students interact with faculty members, but may not be providing enough of an opportunity to engage with their peers before they set out to complete the task. 

 

 

Evolving Views of Learning Environments
Brad Griffith
July 18, 2016

Where doesn't learning occur?  I find myself asking this question more and more the further I get into this course.  One of the unique parts of my job is that I try to help those around campus understand that learning doesn't happen just inside the classroom.  There are some that, when asked what blended learning means, still refer to it as a hybrid course.  To me, this term and the concept of a learning environment means so much more than a course type. 

In looking at formal learning, it's easy to understand how course types are automatically the first point of discussion.  Questions always arise.  When do students meet? Can this course be done online?  Why does this class have to be face to face?  My favorite way to combat this when working with faculty members is by asking "where do your students learn" repeatedly until they run out of responses. 

Once there are no further answers, the true locations of learning seem to appear:  study halls, in students' cars before they come to class to take a test, on the job when formal studies are the last thing on their mind, or on weekends when students are out in public and find a spark somewhere that connects what they have learned to their daily life.  It's the informal component of life where some of the most valuable learning can take place.

Take, for example, this image of the Crystal Bridge at the Myriad Gardens in Oklahoma City.  I have seen this place from the outside for more than 20 years, but never went inside until a few weeks ago when I was spending an afternoon with my family.  This garden sits in the middle of the Myriad Gardens in Downtown Oklahoma City and has tropical and desert flora throughout.  Guests can either take a guided tour, audio tour, or self-guided reading tour.  There is a flowing trail through this garden that leads you from the most humid atmosphere into the canopy and transitions back through the desert-style terrain. Nearly all of the plants are within reach so that children can touch and smell them.  They also have a large parrot that is native to the climate. 

I was able to show my nephew so many varieties of plants that cannot be found in Oklahoma, all of which he had no previous exposure.  The questions he raised, some of which I couldn't answer, caused me to look further into the space I had in front of me.  I was only excited to visually see what was in the conservatory, but left with much more than that. I appreciated that this place catered to multiple learning preferences and had opportunities both for synchronous and asynchronous learning.