Module Three

Constructivism, OCL, and Community of Practice (CoP)

Constructivism argues “learner is the center of learning, with the instructor playing an advising and facilitating role. It is a situated learning – learning as contextual” (Ally, 2008, p. 30).

Online Collaborative Learning (OCL)

Core design principles of OCL (Harasim, n.d.):

1. Idea generating – brainstorming to collect diverse thoughts from participants.
2. Idea organizing – participants compare, analyze, and categorize collected diverse thoughts through discussion.
3. Intellectual convergence – to reach consensus (including agreeing to disagree).

Online Discussion	Classroom Seminars
Topic discussion based – participants can follow multiple topics simultaneously	Oral
Asynchronous	Synchronous
Topic discussion based – participant can follow multiple topics simultaneously	Single topic discussion

Community of Inquiry (CoI)

Defined by Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2000):

An educational community of inquiry is a group of individuals who collaboratively engage in purposeful critical discourse and reflection to construct personal meaning and confirm mutual understanding (Bates, 2019, para 8).

CoI core elements:

1. Social presence
2. Cognitive presence
3. Teaching presence

Developing meaningful online discussions

Core elements:

1. Appropriate technology
2. Clear guidelines for online behavior
3. Student orientation and preparation
4. Clear goals
5. Choice of appropriate topic
6. The setting of the appropriate tone of the discussion
7. Clear definition of student’s roles and expectations
8. Monitoring participation of students
9. Ongoing instructor presence
10. Strong articulation between discussion topic and assessment

Challenges in online discussions:

Cultural fluency of multicultural participants (social, cultural, and political differences)

Language delivery

Participants from different backgrounds have different expectations of teaching and learning.

Online Collaborative Learning (OCL)
Strengths	Weaknesses
OCL can lead to deep and transformative learning.	Requires highly knowledgeable and skilled teachers for a limited number of students
OCL can support the development of metacognition – critical thinking, analytical thinking, synthesis, and evaluation.	Best implemented for faculty of humanities, social sciences, education, business, and health.

Differences between OCL and CoP and PLNs
OCL	PLN	CoP
Serving individuals and others in the community	Personal-based	Community-based
Serving individual and group	Serving mainly individual focus	Serving individual and others in the community
		Educators as facilitators
		Educators as subject matter experts?
		Focus on social structures where the learning takes place
Multi-way communication	More of one-way communication?	Multi-way communication?

Harasim’s Theory of Online Collaborative Learning (OCL)

Collaborativism – Online Collaborative Learning Theory (OCL)

“Emphasizes the role of peer discourse as key to learning and defines learning as intellectual convergence, achieved through three progressive stages of group discourse: Idea Generating, Idea Organizing and Intellectual Convergence” (Harasim, n.d., para 5).

Harasim’s OCL theory (n.d.) emphasizes the three group discourses:

1. Idea generating – brainstorming, generating information, and sharing ideas on a particular topic.
2. Idea organizing – the beginning of conceptual idea; idea organizing between learners via agreement and disagreement discussions.
3. Intellectual convergence –sharing position.

Collaborativism, although built on constructivism, is different from it because “collaborativism emphasizes exploring and emphasizing the role of Lev Vygotsky’s discourse theory (Harashim, n.d.).

Koohang’s Models of Constructivism for E-learning

Koohang (2009) models of constructivism for e-learning:

1. The design of learning activities – collaboration, cooperation, real-world examples, scaffolding, self-reflection, multiple representations, and social negotiation.
2. Learning assessment – instructor assessment, collaborative assessment, and self-assessment.
3. Instructor’s roles – coaching, guiding, mentoring, acknowledging, providing feedback, and assessing student learning.

Personal Learning Networks (PLNs)

Sarah Prestridge, Categorizing teacher’s use of social media for their professional learning: A self-generating professional learning paradigm.

Internet and web-based technologies have made access and expansion of information sharing and acquisition at any time, self-generated and on-demand learning possible, resulting in a change of concept and applicability of professional development for teachers and other professionals (Prestridge, 2018).

Because of Online Collaborative Learning (OCL) process, professional development today focuses on:

an internalized goal-centric model of learning identified by terms such as ownership, conversation, deep understanding, and goal-directed activity that contrast with traditional models that represent compliance, transmission, rules, routines, and content coverage (Prestridge, 2018, p. 144).

Social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more have become a more popular vehicle for professional learning compared to MOOCs, webinars, or formalized online events.

Sharing and networking activities.

Professional learning – more for professionals no teacher – self-directed based on individual’s need. Professional learning is “an informal” version of professional development.

Professional development – for teachers. Usually, regulatory body mandates the program, as a “top-down, school agenda-based, one-shot workshop that represents a one-size fits all approach” (Prestridge, 2018, p. 148)

Teacher professional networks – PLNs

“a system of interpersonal connections and resources that can be used for informal learning, collaboration, and exchange of knowledge and ideas” (Trust, 2012, qtd by Prestridge, 2018, p. 144).

PLNs use a professional learning community structure (which one OCL or CoI?) – emphasizing support, assessment, observation, and reflection.

PLNs are socially constructed, personalized, and active with a reciprocal relationship of helping one another that occurs at any time during and after the school day (this is a very nice support system!).

Pros of PLNs through social media:

Improve teaching practice and have a better understanding of the relevant content or pedagogy.

A medium for active learning process – asking questions, exchanging ideas, sharing resources, and reflecting.

To learn new innovative learning strategies.

Online PLNs are about “knowledge construction, knowledge sharing, the culture of collaboration, flexibility & accessibility, and building a community of professionals” (Prestridge, 2018, p. 145).

Personal Learning Networks
Social Media – Twitter	Blogs
Active learning process	Build instructional knowledge
	Personalized teaching portfolio
	Explore scholarly ideas
Knowledge actioning	Knowledge construction
Knowledge sharing	Knowledge sharing
Culture of collaboration – Participating in and contributing to the collective intelligence in social media, such as Twitter, yield professional and personal benefits.	Providing a virtual, personal space, and of forming online communities
Providing a virtual, personal space, and forming online communities
Flexibility & accessibility – anytime/anywhere learning, efficient, affordable, user friendly. Esp Twitter works best because of the short formatting and continuous streaming activity
Build a community of professionals – people orientation or content orientation community

A community of Practice (CoP) is a “group of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly” (Wenger-Trayner and Wenger-Trayner, 2015, para 3).

Three (3) CoP characteristics:

1. The domain – a shared domain of interest. It involves membership with shared competencies (IMF has this CoP for CDMAP in my division).
2. The community – members engage in joint activities and discussions to help ea and share information.
3. The practice – a shared practice.

CoP other names: learning networks, thematic groups, or tech clubs.

The 21st-century learning framework, according to the Wengers, is the social learning theory.

Learning is a joint activity (collaborative, social interaction, and cooperation).

REFLECTION

When I think of constructivism, I think about (i) knowledge is constructed and constructed socially; (ii) learning is a continuous process (active); (iii) the learner is focused on learning; (iv) then, knowledge is personal; (v) learning takes place in learner’s mind; (vi) learner put meaning into the knowledge; and (vii) thus, learner’s motivation is key to a successful learning experience.  

Jean Piaget, John Dewey, Lev Vygotsky, Maria Montessori, and von Glasersfeld are constructivism theorists.

Jean Piaget, with his cognitive constructivism, provides the four stages of the mental development of children. These four stages (sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational) serve as a foundation when altering materials or curricula based on the children’s mental stages. An example of real-life applications, I would say, is the kid’s development toys from infancy to eleven years old. Toys for infants to about two years old focus on the sensorimotor of the children.

Ally (2008) argues that a learner’s motivation is critical to the success of the learning process. I see this in a way as human agency. If a learner sees the importance of one’s commitment and conscientiousness towards learning, the learning process would likely result in positive outcomes.

Learners’ motivation-agency to have a successful learning outcome can exist intrinsically and extrinsically, I would argue. Though many argue that intrinsic motivation is regarded as higher than extrinsic motivation; however, I would argue that in online learning theory, extrinsic motivation is very significant to the success of the overall learning experience and outcome.

Extrinsic motivation, which is highly important to entice, encourage, maintain, and enhance learners’ engagement, can be implemented through various forms, such as timely and formative feedback, attractive learning design, learner-instructor interaction, and perhaps, acknowledgment-rewards upon completion of a learning process?

So, what and how do we implement constructivism in online learning and distance education?

According to Ally (2008), constructivism applications to distance education and e-learning are: (i) instructors serve as guides and facilitators; (ii) collaborative and cooperative learning, through group work and discussion, for example; (iii) reflection; (iv) interactive learning; (v) inquiry-based learning; (vi) problem-based learning; and (vii) cooperative learning (p.31).

Does interactive learning involve visual representations of learning materials? I mean, visual learning can be very helpful, as learners have a different style of learning. As for myself, visual learning can help map the learning material into my mind. We can probably use systems mapping for more complex materials. This mapping technique would help learners to organize all the information they acquire. This organizing phase is, as Harasim states in her Online Collaborative Learning theory, the idea organizing part.

In my OMDE 601 class, I had to map my systems thinking on my context, the elderly transgender community in Indonesia. A systems thinking map helps me tremendously to lay out my idea as a whole, by incorporating all pieces that are interconnected with each other to the overall goal, my context, the elderly transgender community. I believe that mapping ideas and information also help tremendously by maintaining and/or increasing information retention.

With a systems thinking map, I was able to view my context in a bigger picture, utilizing the interconnectedness and diversity of information. I was able to recognize the issue pertaining to my transgender community, which is gender inequality. This issue is the bigger picture part. Furthermore, in my systems thinking map, I included all stakeholders that are significant to the success of achieving gender equality for this transgender population in Jakarta, Indonesia.

In collaborative and cooperative learning, group work and discussion can be incorporated. As social constructivism emphasizes that learning takes place in a social setting, thus, collaboration and cooperation are significant to the success of a constructed learning process.

Collaboration and cooperation improve idea generating and organizing and intellectual convergence in Harasim’s OCL. Collaboration and cooperation demonstrate social, cognitive, and teaching (to a certain extent) presences. Collaboration and cooperation also demonstrate the community part in a CoP.

One of the few features I like in constructivism is the idea that learners put meaning into the knowledge. I would argue that each learner is a unique individual who brings unique experiences to the learning process; thus the personal meaning learners put into the knowledge is often related to their personal experiences or expectations.

For example, learners from a more diverse and well-rounded background would likely have diverse and broader perspectives as they are equipped with more lenses to view issues. I grew up in a developing country. I have lived and worked in different countries prior to the U.S. too. My background and experiences are what I bring to the classroom and incorporate into any topic discussion.

Another thing I like about constructivism is there can be more than one right answer. I sincerely believe that many things in life are not static. Life is not merely black and white. Often time, things are in the grey area, the truth is depending on what angle our perspective comes from. I never like too much this “either/ or” ideal (like behaviorism). Instead, I believe, most things in life can exist in parallel despite differences; thus, “and” seems more appropriate to my liking.

I try to socially construct my children’s understanding that we do not always have to choose A or B because things are also circumstantial. Just because we are in a position to choose, it does not eliminate the value of the unchosen one. I do not know if I am putting this in a sensible manner.

Constructivism is also a good theory because it can promote social and communication skills. Since knowledge is socially constructed, thus, it nurtures and develops social and communication skills, which are extremely useful for learners’ personal and professional development. Being in a social setting “forces” learners to speak up and convey their minds.

In my personal opinion, one of the most important benefits of collaborative and cooperative learning during school is to train ourselves to work collaboratively and cooperatively with other people. This is particularly important because it is an important quality to have in a professional setting. We have to be able to work with other people effectively and constructively. The ability to work alone and as a team would make us valuable team members. We are to be able to work with others not only when we agree but also when we disagree. This part is explicitly mentioned in Harashim’s OCL theory, for example.

The three applications of constructivism theory that I am interested in applying to my context, the girls and boys of Sumba Island, are reciprocal learning, inquiry-based learning, and storytelling. I am thinking to do reciprocal learning by pairing two learners to teach and learn from one another. For inquiry-based learning, I am thinking to form a small group of learners to pose and answer questions about topics such as patriarchal culture, bride kidnapping, gender empowerment, and gender equality. As for storytelling, I am thinking to encourage learners to create storytelling from their perspective on the topics above mentioned to see how they communicate their constructed version of the knowledge. I would argue that storytelling is also a form of reflection, in this case, the self-reflection of the learners.

References

Ally, M. (2008). Foundation of educational theory of online learning. In The theory and practice of online learning (pp. 15-44). Athabasca University Press. https://www.aupress.ca/app/uploads/120146_99Z_Anderson_2008-Theory_and_Practice_of_Online_Learning.pdf

Bates, A. W. (2019).  Teaching in a Digital Age.  Victoria, BC: BCcampus. Retrieved from https://opentextbc.ca/teachingindigitalage/

Harasim, L. (n.d.). OCL theory. Linda Harasim Blog. https://www.lindaharasim.com/online-collaborative-learning/ocl-theory/

Koohang, Riley & Smith.  (2009).  e-Learning and constructivism: From theory to application. Interdisciplinary Journal of E-Learning and Learning Objects, 5.  http://www.stevekerby.com/omde_610/Readings/e-learning_and_constructivism_Koohang_Riley_Smith.pdf

Prestridge, S. (2019). Categorising teachers’ use of social media for their professional learning: A self-generating professional learning paradigm. Computers & Education, 129, 143-158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.11.003

Wenger-Treyner, E., & Wenger-Treyner, B. (2015). An introduction to communities of practice: A brief overview of the concept and its uses. Wenger-Trayner. https://wenger-trayner.com/introduction-to-communities-of-practice