Preparing for Webinar 2 - Drawing Footprints

Re: Recording: Webinar 2 - Drawing Footprints

by Barbara Berry -
Number of replies: 4

Hi Jenny, 

In another post you asked if I would be ok sharing my footprint and my comments. I am fine with this and have attached my 2 files (the footprint as a pdf and the word docx of my comments) in this space. Not sure if this is what you were hoping for but here goes. : )

I should also let you know that right after I did this course I sketched my experience of the course and discovered was that there really were two "narratives" or what I might consider 2 courses in one. The course I have mapped (attached) involved using industry standard software to complete the assignments (with no negotiation). This "design dilemma" is not uncommon in courses that require students to "learn to use" specific tools while undertaking course assignments. While there is some wisdom in this approach and clearly students must use the software based on an "authentic" practice opportunity, this process must be unpacked to reduce the cognitive load. It requires specific design techniques to ensure that students are not "lost" in software and much more and thus it takes tons of time, often time faculty don't have. I have spoken with faculty about this design issue and they repeatedly tell me that they have no time to actually scaffold the acquisition of skills that would lead to a specific level of proficiency using the software so this results in a "learn as you go approach". Industry standard software is increasingly complex and in some disciplines this can really lead to issues for students. The instructor did not negotiate the tools and also took marks off if students didn't use the specified tools. The funny thing is that this was not a "design course" but actually one about culture and digital media and the instructor used the course to "slip in" design skills.....

see what you think : )

cheers, 

Barb

In reply to Barbara Berry

Re: Recording: Webinar 2 - Drawing Footprints

by Jenny Mackness -

Barb's footprint

Hi Barb - this is exactly what we were hoping for. Thanks so much for your comments, the comment sheet and the footprint which I have posted here so that everyone can see it straight away.

I'm on the road today, so don't have time to study your mapping sheet until later today, but it is clear that there was loads of potential for emergent learning in this course and that in many respects it was an edgy challenging experience.

I wonder if you could say a little more about why you scored theory of mind right at the outer edge of the 'scary/edgy' emergent learning zone - almost at the edge of chaos. What was it that happened in the course that caused you to score this in this way? We have found that theory of mind is often not selected from the palette, so I'd be interested to hear more about your understanding of it.

And I now have a lovely image of the footprints being discussed and drawn on a bus! Wonderful! What did your colleague make of the process?

I'll probably be back later with more questions, when I've had a bit of time to look at your mapping sheet.

Thanks Barb

In reply to Barbara Berry

Re: Recording: Webinar 2 - Drawing Footprints

by Roy Williams -

Barb, great, many thanks. The issue of providing a point (or more accurately a process) of engagement is an interesting one.  If you are thrown in at the deep end (the edge of chaos) you will presumably only learn what you have to learn - that can be good, and efficient, or it could be bad and a waste of time, time which could better be spent on the 'meat' of the course itself. 

You said there were 'two courses' here - how would the other one differ? Presumably there was a software learning course, and a culture and digital media course.  If you mapped them both, and superimposed them, what would that show you (if anything?)  And over the time of the course, would these two adjust relative to each other, and relative to the your degree of skill and comfort in using the software? 

 

In reply to Roy Williams

Re: Recording: Webinar 2 - Drawing Footprints

by Barbara Berry -

Hi Roy, 

Yes, as you point out, the experience of chaos was in this instance one leading to frustration and boredom due to the fact that it was not "meaningful". It essentially was a waste of time and from reading the posts, I got the sense that other students were expressing similar sentiments. So, it seemed like a poor way to assist students to engage in a way that might be meaningful. For instance, had we been in teams or themes even, the discussions might have been more fruitful. What I did learn is what not to do as a designer! (e.g. have 500 - 2nd year undergraduates in threaded discussion with little to no guidance; random comments can produce "noise" and thus for some students can be a real distraction.

Yes, I believe that there were 2 courses in one and I think doing another footprint of the software learning would be a cool idea. My sketch of this is in my sketchbook so I will try to remember to take a photo and upload it. Also will do a footrpint. Yes, the two footprints could be superimposed for deeper analysis. Good idea!  

cheers, 

Barb

In reply to Barbara Berry

Re: Recording: Webinar 2 - Drawing Footprints

by Roy Williams -

Barb, looking forward to seeing the next stage of your visualisations. 

I too am sceptical, if not downright critical of courses that offer not much more than what I call "blind-dating-in-the-dark. There are some reasonable alternatives, from 'quad-blogging' onwards. And ModPo (Al Filreis's modern american poetry course) is a great example of what I called "a collaborative conversation which just happens to be taking place in a MOOC".