Instructor’s Notes: Reflections on Lesson 6 Discussions

As usual, below are my reflections on each key discussion question to share with you and to advance your critical thinking and learning.

 

Community Development

It is not necessary that "High" is positive while "Low" is negative. Learn more on Community Development Indices

 

Overall, the community connections and interactivity were weakened but the two-way communication increased. This is likely that it did not have two-posting period requirements which resulted in two-way communication but the quality of the community interactivity decreased.

 

Two areas to improve are (RED Sections):

• Unique Edge (# of Connection) AND
• Graph Density (Connection Density).

 

Green: Positive; Yellow: Neutral; Red: Negative

	Lesson 4	From Lesson 3 to 4
Unique Edges # of connections Higher; better.	Low|Negative	Decrease|Negative
Reciprocated Vertex Pair Ratio Two-way interaction Higher; better.	High|Positiive	Increase |Positive
Maximum Geodesic Distance Longest distance to connect Lower; better.	Low|Positive	Unchanged|Positive
Average Geodesic Distance Distance of connections to connect Lower; better.	Low|Positive	Unchanged|Positive
Graph Density Connection Density Higher; better.	Low|Negative	Decrease|Negative
Modularity Cross Clusters Connection Lower; better.	Low|Positive	Unchanged |Positive

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

L6-KEY-1-Flat-structured-Instructor's Reflection: Allow Personalized

I know most of us have not thought about there are different interfaces and structures for online discussions until we pointed out in this discussion topic.

When a new technology is introduced to support learning, educators commonly find a way to replace old technology for the same function.  Innovative network learning designs require educators to seek disruptive ways to integrate emerging network learning technologies.  This requires educators to experience a fundamental change in pedagogical concepts and practices.  Dede argued that effective strategies are to provide multiple specialized tools instead of a single instrument to complete all tasks.  In innovative and disrupted learning environments, educators should build ONLE as interoperable learning infrastructures within learners and allow instructors to select appropriate, multiple tools to craft their PLE.  With multiple tools and social network features, network discussion environments allow learners to construct and to contribute their knowledge by self-organized and self-managed discussion topics, conversations, and content.  Educators should critically examine how they can empower network learners to define their organizational scaffolding network learning structures and environments rather than follow the pre-determined hierarchical structures defined by technologies.

 

No one interface is better than the others. With the features offered by ONLE/PLE, educators should empower learners and allow them to choose and manage their "network" discussion activities. Agree?!

 

L6-KEY-2-IFTTT-Instructor's Reflection: Tool Network

Most of us have never heard about IFTTT.  It is a unique tool to apply 3^rd Party Linkage.  IFTTT is a tool that functions in the background.  In fact, it plays a critical role in ETC655 instructions.  Do you know where we integrate it?

I encourage you to look for additional 3^rd Party Linkage tools.  They are not easy to identify because we overlook them.  It is not necessary they are not available.  Keep on learning on Tool Network.  In other words, how we can link different tools together to achieve what we need.

 

L6-KEY-3-DDI-Instructor's Reflection: Not a Test-Driven Instructions

Data-Driven Instructions is a new emerging pedagogy.  New technology affords educators to collect and to analyze data to improve teaching and learning.  As educators, we need to approach DDI carefully. DDI is more than just assessments.  Many DDI integrations focus on tests, assessments, etc.  Does this mean DDI is a type of test-driven instructions/learning?  We have covered many critical topics in our course.  I encourage you to think how DDI may relate to PLE, ONLE, Quantified Self, Learning Analytics, Predictive Learning, InfoViz etc.  How we may move away from students are just "numbers" to us!  How can more integrate PLE into DDI to make our instructions more personal?

 

L6-KEY-4-AL/PLE/PL-Instructor's Reflection

It is great to see we have many diversified opinions on this question. I think there is no fixed answers for this question, regardless of whether they are the same or different.  In fact, I think it is too shallow just to say they are the same or different. More important is that we are able to examine and analyze them critically.

 

Were you able to draw a relation figure to represent their relations and relationships?

I encourage you to continue challenging yourself with this discussion question since this is an emerging area.

 

Frame this discussion question from different aspects/stakeholders:

Learners

Instructors/Instructional designers

Educational institutions  

 

Who take the action to make personalized learning/PLE happens with what technology?

How flexible/personalized can we offer?

 

We should give up the weekly instructional schedule to reach more personalized learning?

Too personalized/flexible will lose interaction and collaboration? How flexible should it be?

 

Some classmates noted that SNA in your lesson discussion grade and feedback are an integration of personalized learning in addition to the discussion feedback and learning analytics that I emailed you.  That is correct.  I hope you appreciate that is one strategy we integrate to support personalized learning and PLE. Learning analytics is an adaptive learning technology.

 

Can we say: Personalized learning is an ideal learning. PLE is a learning pedagogy to fulfill personalized learning while adaptive learning technology is tools or a platform to deliver PLE to reach personalized learning. Agree? Disagree?