A book critique

The theory and practice of online teaching and learning: a guide for academic professionals is a free book sponsored by Routledge which compiles a series of chapters related to the topic and offers teachers advice and instructions on how to deliver an online course and also invites us to reflect on its constant development. Throughout the book Ko et al. (n.d.) explore basic features and challenges of online teaching.

In the first chapter, Ko and Rossen (2010) address the readers in a kind and friendly way. They explain the difference between teaching online and teaching in a classroom. In this part, the differences made are clear and easy to understand. This chapter provides useful concepts for teachers and online instructors. At this point Ko and Rossen explain the importance of body language and remark that an online instructor should be able to read the students’ faces behind the screen and interpret his/her words carefully. Moreover, Ko and Rossen discuss the idea of support personnel and training when a person wants to start delivering an online course. In this part the authors’ ideas are dismissive as regards online teaching. This feeling arises because Ko and Rossen argue that it is difficult to acquire knowledge on computer use. In contrast, after the following sub-title, Ko and Rossen become extremely positive about being a computer expert. Additionally, Ko and Rossen state that there are several benefits in being an online instructor. For instance, online courses help you become aware “of what we are actually doing in the classroom” (as cited in Routledge, n. d., p.13). To conclude this chapter, Ko and Rossen add that online education allows the exchange of ideas involving people all around the world without the cost and difficulty of travelling.

The second chapter is related to orientations in online teaching and learning. Sosulski and Vai (2011) mention key characteristics of teaching online and state the difference between teaching online and teaching onsite. The presented list, on page 17, makes these differences clear. The cited ideas are easy to understand and are developed using simple vocabulary. Similarly, in this chapter, differences between asynchronous and synchronous learning are described. Sosulski and Vai state that “asynchronous learning is more flexible than real-time learning” (as cited in Routledge, n. d., p. 20). The table on page 22 is undoubtedly helpful for those who are not still familiar with online courses. Their ideas and advice are outstanding, nevertheless, throughout this chapter concepts become too repetitive.  

                       Although the introduction of the third chapter encourages the reader to use e-tivities, it does not look well organized. At the beginning, when Salmon (2012) states that E-tivities enable enjoyable and productive online learning for the greatest number of participants at the lowest cost (as cited in Routledge, n. d., p. 29) it seems like the author expresses himself in a very informal way. Likewise, on page 35 Salmon keeps repeating the same idea but using other words. In addition, it would have been better if the chart named “who’s who in e-activities” had been placed at the beginning of the chapter since it explains key terms that are previously mentioned in this part. Besides, Salmon’s ideas seem to be contradictory since he first claims that the majority of teachers do not have the necessary skills or the time to spend producing texts and videos. The words used in this part are overly strong and negative. Indeed, in the conclusion Salmon assert that:

To be successful in designing and running e-tivities you will need some passion and commitment…It involves setting up a computer and getting the software to work to your satisfaction, which may include going cap-in hand to others for help. You may need to rethink your teaching and consider what is really important about the subject matter you want to teach. (as cited in Routledge, n. d., p.38)

           Chapter 4 deals with the new variations in online learning settings, so Means, Bakia and Murphy (2014) suggest categorizing online offerings into four dimensions: context, design features, implementation and outcomes. As regards context, Means et al. consider the field of use, the provider, the breadth and the learner’s level of preparation. When dealing with design features, they take into account different types of modality, pacing, pedagogy, online communication synchrony, intended instructor and student role online, the role of online assessments and the source of feedback. Concerning implementation, the authors look at the learning location and the co-located facilitator. Additionally, the dimension of learning outcomes classifies them into cognitive, engagement, productivity and learning to learn. This chapter is well-structured and aids the reader to understand the functioning of online learning with concise information and a summary chart.

           In chapter 5, Open Educational Resources (OERs) advantages are introduced. Littlejohn and Pegler (2013) focus on the significant impact of OERs in learning taking into account that they are free of charge and this has allowed more learners gain access to previously limited materials and courses. When it comes to the topic of the rise of OERs, most of us will readily agree that they give learners the possibility to be active in reusing, adding and creating materials. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is the question of equality and accessibility. Whereas some are convinced that OERs have only brought about positive changes, others maintain that they have expanded the gap between those who can access new technologies and those who still need to manage with a piece of chalk and board. However, according to Littlejohn and Pegler (2013) the real transformation in the educational field as regards OERs, has been the relational expertise skill, i.e. the ability to know who to turn to for learning support in order to coordinate learning and to benefit from each other’s knowledge. This new learning practice brings about changes in the social organization of learning, involving a transition from individual problem solving and knowledge acquisition to knowledge building negotiated with others around tasks (Littlejohn and Pegler, 2013, as cited in Routledge, n. d., p.52). Littlejohn and Pegler also put forward the different ways in which participants benefit from these new learning contexts. Among them, we can mention the change and diversification of knowledge as a consequence of joining the individual with the collective. In this chapter some examples of how OERs are reused and integrated in the textile industry or in a photography course are mentioned though it would have been more persuasive if only educational contexts had been included since the former distract the audience. The authors could have exemplified how OERs work in school life, in primary and secondary levels.

           In chapter 6, Laurillard (2012) compares teaching with an art and she associates it with a design science. For both of them she identifies an underlying principle in teaching, claiming that to teach as an art involves encouraging learners to develop their personal knowledge and capabilities to create a powerful experience while she recognizes that teaching as a design science means a continuous improvement in already applications and for this, she claims, technology plays a vital role. Incidentally, Laurrilard points out the inefficacy of the educational system as a generator of technological inventions though there has been a close relationship among them. Laurillard surely is right about the urgency to master digital technologies by adapting the system since it sheds insight on the difficult problem of exploiting their power to work efficiently.  If Laurrilard is right that the role of technology in the shaping of tasks depends on how teachers articulate what has to be learnt with how and reflect on the principles of teaching as a design science, as we think they are, then we need to reassess the popular assumption that digital technologies come to make our classes more entertaining rather than more effective.

This book is a basic introduction for the reader to gain acquaintance in the field of online teaching and learning. Though the ideas are clear and organized, it seems that the book is more theoretical than practical. However, someone who wants to get a general idea about this new teaching and learning environment would find this book absolutely helpful.

References

Ko, S., Vai, M., Sosulski, K., Salmon, G., Means, B., Bakia, M., Murphy, R; Littlejohn, A., Pegler, C.; & Laurillard, D. (n.d.) The theory and practice of online teaching and learning: A guide for academic professionals. In Routledge.  Retrieved from https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/tandfbis/rt-files/docs/FreeBooks+Opened+Up/Theory_and_Practice_of_Online_FB_final.pdf

Annotated Bibliography

Warwick, L. (2016, November). The use of assessment criteria in classroom speaking tasks. Research Notes: The 2015 Cambridge English/English Uk Action Research Scheme, 66, 16-21. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

This paper describes an action research project carried out with nine 18 to 43-year-old international students of English that were at level A2 of proficiency. The aim of the project was to ascertain whether the use of assessment criteria could contribute to students’ enhancement of both speaking and self-assessment skills. The study consisted of two phases: in the first one, students completed a self-assessment form after doing a speaking task. In the second part, students were given the same form but before doing the speaking task.  The results showed that the use of self-assessment criteria to self-monitor students’ speaking performance in class has a positive outcome on students’ performance and self-assessment skills regardless of the moment in which students were given the self-assessment form.

Listen to your inner voice

Steve Jobs, former CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, delivered a commencement speech at Stanford University in 2005, in which he told three stories that paved the way to his final message. The purpose of this paper is to summarize those stories.

Jobs called his first part of his speech “Connecting the Dots.” Having declared that he had never graduated, he told the story of his adoption: before he was adopted, his biological mother offered him for adoption on one condition: that he would go to college. He also talked about his motives for enrolling in Reed College as well as for dropping out. Then, he talked about his attending some other courses he was interested in and that provided him with the skills and tools that he would need for his future creations. This story was told to make it clear that what one does today, no matter how meaningless it seems, will most probably serve a purpose in the future. He ended the first story by saying “you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So, you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life” (Jobs, 2005).

The second part of his address was called “Love and Loss”. In this part, Jobs told his audience about the creation of Apple and Pixar, his dismissal from Apple- followed by his frustration and sense of loss- and his devotion to what he did, which encouraged him to start from scratch all over again. He concluded this part saying “Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle” (Jobs, 2005).

The third and last story Jobs told was named “Death”.  He told the audience about his struggle against cancer and gave an account of the effect a quote he read early on in his life had on him. He reckoned that it was death that made change possible and consequently he started living life to the fullest. Jobs (2005) added “Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And, most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary”

Having shared those three stories, Jobs cited the farewell message of a magazine called The Whole Earth Catalog written by Stewart Brand to wish the graduate students that same thing and finish his speech saying “Stay Hungry.  Stay Foolish”.

Job´s commencement address at Stanford College was meant to transmit the newly graduate a long-lasting message. To convey this message, Jobs drew on his above-mentioned personal experiences as reminders of the important aspects they should bear in mind in order to excel both professionally and personally.

References

Jobs, S. P. (2005, June 12). Recorded Commencement Speech in Stanford.  [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc .

In-text citations

       When writing a paper or an article, it is necessary to bear in mind that it is a crime to cut and paste somebody else’s concepts. It is undeniable that when writing it is necessary to do research and sometimes refer to other authors’ ideas. The original writer must always be named if we use his/her thoughts. One way of doing this is by using the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association 6^th Edition (2010).  In this book, different in-text citations appear, like paraphrased material, parenthetical citations or block quotations. Some examples of in-text citations can be found in the text Narratives in teaching education written by Dolk and den Hertog (2008).

·         Paraphrased ideas are used to share other authors’ ideas but using our own words. In the following example found on page 220, it can be seen that the authors choose to place the original author’s name and the date between parenthesis.

In relation to this, we can refer to the methodological norm of ‘‘trackability,’’ which is used as a criterion in ethnographic research (Smaling, 1992).

·         Paraphrased ideas can also be used by mentioning the author’s name in a signal phrase and placing the date between parenthesis, an example was found on pages 215- 216.

Goffree and Dolk (1995) identified reflection, narration, and construction as being particularly important for teacher education.

·         When mentioning the same authors for several times, for future references it is advisable to write only the first’ author’s last name and et al.  The following example was found on page 216.

MILE is a multimedia interactive learning environment for prospective primary school teachers, with content for primary mathematics teacher education programs (Dolk et al., 1996; Goffree & Oonk, 2001).

Writers with little experience tend to steal ideas from other authors and many times they do this without realizing it, this is called plagiarism. But, it is easy to avoid having problems with the original author. For this, it is advisable to use the advice given in writing manuals, like the APA Manual 6^th edition (2010).

References

American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. (6th, ed.) Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Dolk, M & den Hertog, J. (2008) Narratives in teacher education, Interactive Learning Environments, 16:3, 215-229. Doi:10.1080/10494820802113970

Narratives and sharing could help teachers' improvement

       Dolk and den Hertog (2008), in the article titled “Narratives in teacher education,” analyzed the idea of helping student-teachers to develop narratives using a multimedia learning environment. They carried out an experiment at a Primary School to help student-teachers construct their own personal growth through personal practical experiences. Furthermore, student-teachers had to share and discuss their own practices with their peers.

       Dolk and den Hertog (2008, p.216) discussed the idea that “taking the narrative approach implies a redesign of teacher education”. They focused the experiment on a multimedia learning environment called Multimedia Interactive Learning Environment (MILE).  MILE is used for didactical investigation so it helps users to analyze students’ learning and their process. “MILE contains a database of real classroom teaching: a video database of real teaching and learning practice in primary schools, communication tools for learners, a search engine, a scrapbook, and a journal for the learners.” (Dolk & den Hertog, 2008, p. 216)

        In the article, it is described the worth of using narratives by student-teachers. Dolk and den Hertog (2008, p.217) stated that “constructing narratives from learning experiences will help teachers to reflect on those experiences”.

       In the multimedia, environment student-teachers observe and discuss different topics related to education. This debate leads them to talk about their own stories and to develop them into narratives (Dolk & den Hertog, 2008). Student-teachers are asked to tell their stories and “telling stories about the observation of short episodes in the classroom brings student-teachers to constructing hypotheses about education.” (Dolk & den Hertog, 2008, p.221)

       Dolk and den Hertog (2008) presented and explained one specific situation that happened to a particular student in a Primary School. This was taken as an experiment. Dolk and den Hertog (2008) asked student-teachers to observe a video about a specific episode and to make it their personal story. After that, several stories were shared and analyzed among the peers.

       Subsequently, Dolk and den Hertog (2008) presented six steps for the construction of educational meaning through narratives. The six steps include: observing; sharing and discussing observations; analyzing; reflecting; developing narrative knowledge; and expanding the personal repertoire and generalizing the situation into a didactic for teachers’ education.

       Practical experience is an important source for constructing a meaning of teaching…Student teachers are expected to explain and justify their observations and interpretations. Their peers are expected to take observation and interpretation seriously, to be able to paraphrase their story, and be able to verify the story with the event in the multimedia environment (social norm) … We see these narratives as the starting point for a discussion about understanding teaching, constructing educational meaning, rethinking classroom behavior, and expanding classroom repertoire. (Dolk & den Hertog, 2008, p.228) 

      The aim of the article written by Dolk and den Hertog (2008) was to help student-teachers reflect upon their own practices. Also, the purpose of the mentioned experiment was that student-teachers should learn to share their personal practices with their peers so as to grow professionally.      

References

Dolk, M & den Hertog, J. (2008). Narratives in teacher education, Interactive Learning Environments, 16:3, 215-229. Doi:10.1080/10494820802113970

Welcome!!

I am a teacher of English in a small town in Misiones. I graduated in 2015. Currently, I am working with children and teenagers, not only in public schools but also in a Language School.

 I decided to continue studying this year so, I am attending an online University course to get a degree in English Teaching. 

This blog is specifically designed to share academic writings with my tutors, colleagues, and anyone who is interested in this topic.

I wish I can make the best of this blog!

Flavia