Participants in Susan's workshop had little difficulty coming up with what creates barriers to learning in a "traditional" classroom. They ranged from layout of the seating to expectations of the students. What are the boundaries that you experience that may be constraining in you in your efforts to be an effective teacher?
Elizabeth Wallace
Posts made by Elizabeth Wallace
Hi Barb:
I was very interested to read your posting. I know you better in your other life as an Accounting prof, and I didn't realize that you were making a study of learning communities. Thanks for the references.
There is long and intense debate about what a community is: the different kinds of communities, the theories underpinning the concept of community, etc. My simple answer is that a community is whatever it makes itself to be, shaped by internal motives and external forces. I'm sure that is a very weak definition and I look forward to hearing what others have to say .
But I'm wondering, Barb, if you would join me in discussion a more practical issue, and using the particular program we both know so well (you better than I) as a bit of a case study to get the input from others?
As you know, I set up a "community space" for the instructors in a Business program and have been encouraging them to participate. There has been no engagement, and I'm sure that is partly to do with the way I approached it. If there is no engagement, the community obviously can't develop norms or goals or any kind of identity.
What does the literature have to say about forming a community? What are the barriers to participation? What is the role of the facilitator in helping the community to form so that its purpose and character can develop?
June, I hope I didn't overstep by putting down my ideas for the whole chapter. I just can't think about my section (A) without thinking about the whole chapter -- for that matter the whole book. All my ideas are just that. I assume other chapter writers are meeting outside SCoPE because up to recently there was little evidence of discussion -- that I could see at least.
So, please take my "blue" notes and tweak as necessary. Looking forward to hearing about the mayors' meeting, Sylvia.
OK, June and Sylvia, it so happens that I need to get my teeth into something this week and you'll see that I've been mucking about in the course outline. The whole thing is outrageously blue. Get your paintbrushes out and do some colour correction before I get too carried away...please!
Here is the latest update from the Instructional Support Group here at SFU, issued March 15th:
WEBCT UPGRADE: The WebCT upgrade is now available for instructor use
in preparation for Summer 2006 courses and later. All new course
containers will be created in WebCT CE 6. Until the end of the Spring
semester, new course containers will be located at http://webctnew.sfu.ca
NEW LOOK AND FEEL: At a minimum WebCT users should view this flash
introduction to the new WebCT CE6 interface (requires log-in to view)
http://www.sfu.ca/webct/ce6/SFU_resources/upgrade_tutorials/interface.htm
For more resources, start at http://wiki.sfu.ca/webct
WORKSHOPS AND OTHER SUPPORT: If you wish to attend any upcoming
workshops or information sessions, please check the
<https://webserver.lidc.sfu.ca/tep/spring-06/calendar.php>LIDC
calendar of events.
(https://webserver.lidc.sfu.ca/tep/spring-06/calendar.php ).
Regards,
WebCT Instructional Support
____________________________
REQUEST A COURSE CONTAINER: You can follow the normal procedure to
request a new course container by going
to http://webct.sfu.ca/webct/sfu/courserequest.pl
WEBCT PILOT USERS: You will be contacted separately by email about
moving over content to webctnew.sfu.ca
WHERE'S WEBCT?: Courses being delivered in WebCT for the Spring
semester will continue to be available at http://webct.sfu.ca, and
after the Summer semester starts, this will be your entry point to
WebCT, as usual. Older WebCT CE 4.1 course containers will be housed
at http://webctold.sfu.ca for one full year.
SURVEY: How do you use WebCT? What types of WebCT support are most in
demand? Access the survey here: http://websurvey.sfu.ca/survey/511943
Instructional Support at Simon Fraser University: instructional_support@sfu.ca
Request a WebCT course: http://www.sfu.ca/webct/webctrequest.html
WebCT CE6 resources:
At a minimum people should view this flash introduction to the
interface (requires log-in to view)
http://www.sfu.ca/webct/ce6/SFU_resources/upgrade_tutorials/interface.htm
http://www.sfu.ca/webct/ce6
Calendar of some of the upcoming information sessions and WebCT 6 training:
https://webserver.lidc.sfu.ca/tep/spring-06/calendar.php