Using WebCT to Support a Using WebCT to Support a Community of PracticeCommunity of Practice

Geoffrey Roulet & Krista Taylorwith the assistance of

Karen Burkett & Elaine Van Melle

Queen's University, Faculty of Education

funded by

e-Learning Incentive Grant Program

Graduates are expected to integrate theoretical, practical, and experiential knowledge in the understanding and resolution of professional issues.

Mission StatementMission Statement

Queen's University, Faculty of Education

Program Pattern:Program Pattern:On-Campus & Practicum SessionsOn-Campus & Practicum Sessions

Program Pattern:Program Pattern:On-Campus & Practicum SessionsOn-Campus & Practicum Sessions

““reflects teaching as both an reflects teaching as both an intellectual and practical activity”intellectual and practical activity”

But Practicum is the dominant influence for Teacher Candidates. Practicum focus is on performing well; on "the practical". Teacher Candidates are school successes and are generally

comfortable with schools as they exist. Reluctance to raise deep questions about teaching and

learning.

Sharing & ReflectionSharing & Reflection

need to tell stories -need to tell stories -

make meaning of experiencemake meaning of experience

journaling - delayed sharingjournaling - delayed sharing electronic communication - timely sharingelectronic communication - timely sharing

CURR343B: Intermediate-Senior Mathematics Curriculum: 2004-05

Assignment #2:Assignment #2:Participation in Online Practicum Discussions Participation in Online Practicum Discussions

OR Practicum JournalOR Practicum JournalTeaching practice by itself does not automatically lead to becoming and improving as a professional. One needs to reflect on practice; addressing questions such as: What did the class accomplish?, What worked well?, What did not work well?, What reasons might there be for the outcomes?, What changes might you make in the lesson?, and What general teaching/learning principles might be drawn for the experience?. Working alone, a teacher can ask and answer these questions, but there is great value in discussing such issues with fellow professionals. Assignment 2 asks you to reflect on your practicum experience in one of two ways.

Option A: Participation in Online Practicum Discussions

Candidates selecting this option will log into the course WebCT site at least twice each week during the Fall Practicum. On each visit you will: i) post a note that describes a teaching event that you wish to explore, pose some questions, and give your initial answers or reactions, and ii) read and respond to the messages posted by other candidates. You may not relate to all the experiences and issues being raised, so a response to all messages is not required. But, you should select and join the discussions concerning a range of experiences and concerns.

In addition to providing a forum for professional growth you should find that these Practicum conversations give class members mutual emotional support and also allow the sharing of practical teaching suggestions.

Option B: Practicum Journal

Candidates selecting this option will keep a journal during their Practicum weeks. In the journal you will briefly describe events; highlighting those that you wish to explore. For these experiences you will record your reactions and interpretations, the issues and questions raised, and what you learned. Journals will be submitted electronically or by mail in the week after the Practicum is completed (Dec 18 -24). Prior to submission you will have the option of removing any journal sections that you do not wish to have read.

Due to the lack of professional interaction, Option B is likely to be of less value to candidates than Option A. All class members are encouraged to locate some means of accessing the Web and joining the Practicum Discussions.

CURR343B: Intermediate-Senior Mathematics Curriculum: 2004-05

Assignment #2:Assignment #2:Participation in Online Practicum Discussions Participation in Online Practicum Discussions

OR Practicum JournalOR Practicum JournalTeaching practice by itself does not automatically lead to becoming and improving as a professional. One needs to reflect on practice; addressing questions such as: What did the class accomplish?, What worked well?, What did not work well?, What reasons might there be for the outcomes?, What changes might you make in the lesson?, and What general teaching/learning principles might be drawn for the experience?. Working alone, a teacher can ask and answer these questions, but there is great value in discussing such issues with fellow professionals. Assignment 2 asks you to reflect on your practicum experience in one of two ways.

Option A: Participation in Online Practicum Discussions 23

Candidates selecting this option will log into the course WebCT site at least twice each week during the Fall Practicum. On each visit you will: i) post a note that describes a teaching event that you wish to explore, pose some questions, and give your initial answers or reactions, and ii) read and respond to the messages posted by other candidates. You may not relate to all the experiences and issues being raised, so a response to all messages is not required. But, you should select and join the discussions concerning a range of experiences and concerns.

In addition to providing a forum for professional growth you should find that these Practicum conversations give class members mutual emotional support and also allow the sharing of practical teaching suggestions.

Option B: Practicum Journal 5

Candidates selecting this option will keep a journal during their Practicum weeks. In the journal you will briefly describe events; highlighting those that you wish to explore. For these experiences you will record your reactions and interpretations, the issues and questions raised, and what you learned. Journals will be submitted electronically or by mail in the week after the Practicum is completed (Dec 18 -24). Prior to submission you will have the option of removing any journal sections that you do not wish to have read.

Due to the lack of professional interaction, Option B is likely to be of less value to candidates than Option A. All class members are encouraged to locate some means of accessing the Web and joining the Practicum Discussions.

WebCTWebCT

extensive experience:extensive experience:

B.A./B.Sc. at Queen'sB.A./B.Sc. at Queen's B.Ed. coursesB.Ed. courses CURR343: CURR343: Intermediate-Senior

Mathematics Curriculum

Experience DataExperience Data

frequency of participationfrequency of participation Questionnaire - 26/28Questionnaire - 26/28

• why conference or journalwhy conference or journal• positives & negatives of the conference experiencepositives & negatives of the conference experience• links to on-campus experiencelinks to on-campus experience

Interviews - 5 - range of participationInterviews - 5 - range of participation• comfort levels with sharingcomfort levels with sharing• community buildingcommunity building

Frequency of Participation:Frequency of Participation:Visits with PostingVisits with Posting

Frequency of Participation:Frequency of Participation:Visits & Messages PostedVisits & Messages Posted

Frequency of Participation:Frequency of Participation:Highly Activity Highly Activity

Frequency of Participation:Frequency of Participation:High & Low ActivityHigh & Low Activity

Frequency of Participation:Frequency of Participation:High, Low & Typical ActivityHigh, Low & Typical Activity

ParticipationParticipation

70% visited conference 2 or more times 70% visited conference 2 or more times per week (the requested frequency)per week (the requested frequency)

50% posted messages 2 or more times 50% posted messages 2 or more times per week (the requested frequency)per week (the requested frequency)

60% desired to access the conference 60% desired to access the conference with greater frequencywith greater frequency

Lack of time the main deterrentLack of time the main deterrent

Ease of WebCT ConferencingEase of WebCT Conferencing

95% found WebCT conferencing easy95% found WebCT conferencing easy 95% used the reply option to respond to 95% used the reply option to respond to

messagesmessages 85% found following discussion threads 85% found following discussion threads

easyeasy 75% employed the 'following threads' 75% employed the 'following threads'

feature when readingfeature when reading 90% used the WebCT editor rather than a 90% used the WebCT editor rather than a

word processor for composing messagesword processor for composing messages

Conference ValueConference Value

85% reported value85% reported value classroom based practical topics: classroom based practical topics: classroom classroom

management, resources, success/failure of lessonsmanagement, resources, success/failure of lessons

65% received valuable advice65% received valuable advice 70% reported increased reflection70% reported increased reflection 40% found conference useful for linking 40% found conference useful for linking

on-campus activity to the practicumon-campus activity to the practicum 75% would participate even if not a course 75% would participate even if not a course

assignmentassignment

Comfort & CommunityComfort & Community

85% comfortable sharing teaching dilemmas85% comfortable sharing teaching dilemmas 85% comfortable with receiving critiques85% comfortable with receiving critiques 100% comfortable with instructor/TA 100% comfortable with instructor/TA

participationparticipation 75% appreciated the anonymous posting 75% appreciated the anonymous posting

optionoption 80% experienced positive support80% experienced positive support 70% increased sense of community70% increased sense of community

Journal (Non-conference) Option - Journal (Non-conference) Option - Why?Why?

Not due to lack of computer expertise or Not due to lack of computer expertise or Internet accessInternet access

Not due to lack of interest in others' Not due to lack of interest in others' experiencesexperiences

Previous negative computer conferencing Previous negative computer conferencing experiencesexperiences

Value of journalingValue of journaling Shy/prefer to work aloneShy/prefer to work alone

Interviews: Mixed MessagesInterviews: Mixed Messages

too many postings, too much too many postings, too much chatterchatter

long unfocused messageslong unfocused messages do not have mandatory postingdo not have mandatory posting in-class preparation - rules for in-class preparation - rules for

conferencingconferencing use pre-established topics & use pre-established topics &

discussion areasdiscussion areas greater moderator rule by greater moderator rule by

instructorinstructor no anonymous postingno anonymous posting

"great, and useful, and wonderful""great, and useful, and wonderful" make conference mandatorymake conference mandatory no problems with number and no problems with number and

length of messages - selective length of messages - selective readingreading

got to know people in the classgot to know people in the class no need for in-class preparation - no need for in-class preparation -

professional standards were fineprofessional standards were fine do not use pre-established topics do not use pre-established topics

- "We crafted it as we went along"- "We crafted it as we went along" permit anonymous postingpermit anonymous posting

?Next Year??Next Year?

o continue with online conference for allcontinue with online conference for allo mandatory visits/voluntary postingmandatory visits/voluntary postingo pre-conference discussion re best practices pre-conference discussion re best practices

for conferencingfor conferencingo establish separate discussion areas when establish separate discussion areas when

distinct continuing themes emergedistinct continuing themes emergeo increased instructor participation - probing increased instructor participation - probing

questions to deepen discussionquestions to deepen discussion