Online community

     The first method an instructor could use to create a sense of community in an online setting is to promote a way to share information and opinions on the subject they are learning.  Giving the students a setting, be it in a discussion board or in real-time sub-groups,  to bounce ideas off of each other and help each other see the different viewpoints on a subject is a great way to build a community within the student body.  Giving students a specific time to get into breakout rooms to share their thoughts on the subject or add their own insight from their knowledge is a great way to build a community.  Having a discussion board where students can post relevant information based on the topic, such as sharing a YouTube video and then having conversations or debates to broaden their understanding of the topic.  Creating a space in your online classroom for discussions to happen, especially on the first day, is a great way to build a community among the students.  Allowing part of the first class to be an introduction and conversation will build familiarity between the students and help ease future discussions and debates in the class.

    The second method is something called a gallery walk.  A gallery walk is when a small group of students present their information on a subject and present it to the classroom, then the rest of the student body expands upon that information or has a discussion based on that information.  In this method, the teacher chooses a number and that group with the coinciding number comes up to present their work.    Doing this not only has students learn new information on the subject but has them working with students they may have never worked with before.  This gives the students a chance to learn from each other and teaches them how to have a proper in-class discussion.  This method also promotes note-taking and problem-solving.  All in all, this method shows different insights into different groups' knowledge with the possibility of conversations and debates.

    The third method is to have an open forum all semester long for students to have appropriate conversations to help with studying, adding to the teacher's lessons, and sharing interesting ideas or knowledge from online that could help with furthering their in-class knowledge.  Having this for the students creates a sense of camaraderie and interest in the subject.  For example, if a student needs a study partner, they could reach out on this forum to ask for someone to study with.  The teacher could also use this forum as a way to spark a discussion among the students by posting a video or survey, as well as talking with the students to see what forms of assignments or study guides they prefer.  Overall, having an open forum gives the ability to have open communication and community with your students and between your students all year.

    My favorite method out of these three is the open forum.  I love the idea of students using their peers to gain further knowledge.  I would use the forum to make sure the students are not only understanding the material but whether or not they need an additional study guide or more time on a subject.   I would also love the idea that my students would be able to communicate with each other in a safe space and set up study groups.  I would use this forum as a way to promote using their resources as a way to study.  Overall, this method holds the most potential to help the students gain a community within the classroom.

Theories of online learning

     The first theory I wish to speak about is the online collaborative learning theory that was proposed by Linda Harasim.  This newer theory focuses on knowledge building, collaborative learning, and internet use as a tool for new knowledge.  The three main phases in this learning theory are idea generating, idea organizing, and intellectual convergence.  The design in this theory is that students will work together and bounce ideas off of one another until they reach their final conclusion, whether that is in agreement or disagreement.  However, the most important part of the online collaborative learning theory is that the students use the internet as their main resource to help formulate their final work.  This learning theory discusses the importance of allowing the internet to be a helpful tool and allowing the students to use each other's knowledge to make their final decision on the topic.

    The second theory I will speak about is connectivism.  Connectivism tells us about how the instructor needs to explain to the students the knowledge they learn about on the internet is an ever-shifting flow of information.  Where the students are able to recognize that the information being presented to them on the internet could differ from source to source.  The main spokesperson for connectivism, George Siemens, has explained the importance of having programs that can regulate the flow of information and data being shown to students.  Having this program in place will help sort through the possible false data and the data that is known to be true.  Instilling connectivism will be particularly important in classes with large enrollment numbers and where the main objective is to create and seek out knowledge rather than break down the knowledge.

    The third theory I will touch on is the community of inquiry.  The community of inquiry discusses how the presence and participation of the student and the instructor together.  Having a social, cognitive, and teaching presence between both parties is what will allow for the best success in blended and fully online classes.  The best teaching model for this theory is the use of discussion boards, blogs, and online lectures or calls.  Having the students know that the instructor is as active as the students are is the best course for success.  However, it is important to note that only using one or two of the presences will not be as helpful as trying to do all three. 

    Asynchronous learning and synchronous learning have their own benefits and downsides.  Asynchronous learning is where the learning and teaching do not happen at the same time, essentially, the students learn at their own pace, it includes a lot of online lectures and discussion boards, and questions and feedback are given to the student until a later time.  Synchronous is where learning and teaching happen simultaneously in front of the instructor.  With synchronous learning students learn the same content at the same time, this can include breakout groups, live discussions, and questions and responses given at that moment.  Choosing between these two learning styles can solely depend on individuals needs, whether that be needing help at the moment or being okay with learning by yourself.

    There are a lot of things to consider when choosing to take an online course.  Some of the advantages of choosing an online course are the flexibility of when you can work on the course, bringing your education home for those who can't get to campus, can help teach you to be more self-disciplined, and promoting more interaction between students.  Choosing to do an online course is a wonderful choice for those with full-time jobs, those with children, or those that just simply can't carve out the time to get to campus for a couple hours every day.  That shouldn't go without saying that there is a fair share of disadvantages to online courses.  Some examples are it's easier to procrastinate, requires you to be an active learner and need to engage in what you are learning, might give you too much freedom, and need to be responsible for your own learning.   All in all, as long as you are aware of what you are personally able to handle, choosing between in-person and online classes should be relatively easy.

Welcome to my blog!

 Hello!  

    My name is Kate and I am 21 years old.  I am an aspiring educator, although the current grade is unknown.  I've been planning and hoping to become a teacher since I was 17 years old as I grew up around many teachers in my family.  I also had a lot of inspiration from my high school teachers who helped me succeed on so many different occasions.   Knowing that I could get to teach a special group of kids one day and do my best to help them succeed in any way I can has always been a big motivator to me.  

    I enjoy being creative like painting and crafts, so I'm excited to bring that into the classroom with me.  Reading is a very big hobby of mine, I find it fun to learn a new word or a new piece of history in whatever book I'm reading.  Technology is a very big part of my life, there are so many new cool programs, networks, and games to learn about and play!  I love spending my time with my animals or my friends' animals, any type of animal is fun to spend time with.