In October 2012, iNACOL’s Virtual School Symposium (VSS) will bring together over 2,000 representatives from national, state, district, private, and other virtual school programs to attend the premier K-12 online and blended learning conference. Experts in K-12 virtual education will have robust networking opportunities; learn about the latest trends, challenges and opportunities in e-learning; interact in session presentations; and gain access to the latest research and best practices reports.

VSS highlights the cutting-edge work in K-12 online education across the country. It is the only national conference focused solely on K-12 online and blended learning in such a comprehensive way, and the highest-level practitioners and policy-makers seeking to develop e-learning programs within educational institutions in the United States, Canada, Mexico and abroad attend it.

As a new virtual school principal, this symposium should serve as an outstanding opportunity to network with other virtual school leaders and academics.  If only it can last for weeks, not just days!

And, I’ve been invited by Rob Darrow, iNACOL Director of Member Services, to help with a session titled, “The New Teachers Lounge: Collaborative Communication for Online Educators.”  I’m hoping to bring my experiences and stories as an education blogger to this session and help others join the ranks in education blogging.

For more information, visit the Virtual School Symposium #VSS12 website.

In short, social learning purports one’s community and environment are vital to one’s learning.

But how does this apply within online courses?  How can students learn from others within a virtual environment?

Instructors of online courses must create a learning environment that differentiates student discussion.  But specifically, teachers must incorporate use of student blogging in an online course structure.

Clarke and Kinne (2012) conducted a study that followed two forms of asynchronous discussion amongst students–1.) through use of threaded discussions in a message board and 2.) by blog posts and responses.  According to their findings, students felt more engaged and personally connected to other learners by engaging in discourse through blogging.

According to their research, students who blogged about coursework and posted responses to classmates, developed a strong sense of community amongst each other.  Because the form of blog writing tends to be less “academic” and more personal, students linked their meaning of academic material to their own lives and experiences.  This resulted in more candid and personal discourse amongst the class.  While students maintained attention to the various academic topics of study, they did so with their own voice.  Students “felt more listed to and valued in their posts than students using discussion boards” (p. 11).  Ultimately, this led to the indirect formation of a community of practice, of which students connected their learning experiences to the shared experiences of others.

This was in sharp contrast to the experiences of students that engaged in discourse through threaded discussions via Blackboard learning management system.  Students tended to collaborate with peers in a very “academic,” less personal tone.

Nystrand, Wu, Gamoran, Zeiser, and Long (2003) indicate that threaded discussion board conversations tend to mimics the delivery of traditional brick-and-mortar classrooms, in which the teacher is the gatekeeper of knowledge and students occasionally participate.  Learning is less social, and therefore, less personal and motivating.

Clarke and Kinne’s research indicates that threaded discussions are missing the element of community amongst its participants, resulting in decreased perception of engagement and empowerment.

Rovai (2007) asserts the goal of online courses should be to create a learning environment that fully motivates and empowers learners to be active in their learning, exchange positive communication with others, and feel engaged/moved by the course.  This is how learning becomes social and truly motivating.

For instructors of online courses, this doesn’t mean forever-abandon the use of threaded discussions.  Not at all.  They have their place.  But, this research provides more justification of how instructors can create the conditions that result in the development of a community of practice.  This community leads to social learning and student motivation.

References:

Clarke, L, & Kinne, L. (2012). Asynchronous discussions as threaded discussions or blogs. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 29,

4-13.

Nystrand, M., Wu, L., Gamoran, A., Zeisler, S., & Long, D. (2003). Questions in time: Investigating the structure and dynamics of unfolding

classroom discourse. Discourse Processes, 35, 135-196.

Rovai, A.P., Wighting, M.J., & Lucking, R. (2004). The classroom and school community inventory: Development, refinement, and validation of a

self-report measure for educational research. Internet and Higher Education, 7, 263-280.

On November 27, attendees will participate in a day-long conversation dedicated to the topic of bullying prevention in our public schools.  According to the Governor’s office, the day’s events will include:

The agenda for the Governor Bullying Prevention Summit is as follows:

 8:30 a.m.- 10 a.m.            Registration

10 a.m.- 10:05 a.m.          Welcome – The Honorable Kim Reynolds, Lieutenant Governor of Iowa

10:05-10:15 a.m.               Opening Remarks — The Honorable Terry Branstad, Governor of Iowa

10:15 a.m.-10:45 a.m.     “It Takes a Community” Paul Gausman, Superintendent of the Sioux City School District 

11 a.m. to 12 p.m.            Breakout Sessions

 Breakout Session One

“24/7 Bullying in the Digital Age”

Marsali Hancock, CEO and president of the Internet Keep Safe Coalition, will speak and moderate a panel discussion, followed by questions from the audience

Panelists:

• Ben Barry, Guidance Counselor at Carlisle Middle School
• Elizabeth Englander, Director of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center at Bridgewater State University
• Matt Shankles, Student at Linn-Mar High School, Marion
• Jenny Pfeifer, College student from Simpson College, Indianola

Breakout Session Two

“Schools in the Legal Twilight Zone”

Tom Wheeler, Member of Frost Brown Todd LLC, Indianapolis, IN, and Past Chair of the National School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys, will speak and moderate a panel discussion, followed by questions from the audience

Panelists:

• Drew Bracken, Attorney at Ahlers & Cooney PC, Des Moines
• Judy Bradshaw, Des Moines Chief of Police
• Matt Carver, Legal Services Director for School Administrators of Iowa
• Frank LoMonte, Executive Director of the Student Press Law Center, Arlington, VA
• Beth Townsend, Director of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission

12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. Box lunch available

12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. “Queen Bees and Wannabes: Teaching Social Competency” Rosalind Wiseman, Parenting and Bullying Expert whose book became the basis for the movie “Mean Girls”

1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. Breakout Sessions

Breakout Session One

“Sick from Bullying”

Diana Schroeder, Director of Bullying Prevention Initiatives for the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at Windber Research Institute in Windber, PA, will speak and moderate a panel discussion, followed by questions from the audience

Panelists:

• Cheryll Jones, Health Services Coordinator and Director of Policy and Advocacy for Child Health Specialty Clinics, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
• Dr. Jennifer Groos, pediatrician at Blank Children’s Hospital, Des Moines, and vice president of the Iowa Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
• Laura Jackson, Executive Vice President, Health Care Strategy and Policy, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Des Moines
• Sharon Guthrie, Executive Director of the Iowa School Nurse Organization
• Michael Peters, Great Prairie Area Education Agency school social worker, Ottuwma 

Breakout Session Two

“The Culture of Mean”

Barbara Coloroso, author of “The Bullied, the Bully and the Bystander,” will speak and moderate a panel discussion, followed by questions from the audience

Panelists:

• Ella Daft, Student at Newton Senior High School
• Lori Eastwood, Counselor with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Decorah Office
• Dave Kramer, Executive Director of the Iowa Pupil Transportation Association
• Michelle Lane, Parent Advocate for Youngsters with Disabilities, Waterloo
• Mike Schlesinger, Publisher of the Marshalltown Times-Republican

2:45 to 3:45 p.m. “Leadership Makes the Difference”

Conference-wide discussion moderated by Iowa Public Television’s Dean Borg, followed by questions from the audience

Panelists:

• Penny Bisignano, Consultant for Bullying Prevention and Intervention, Iowa Department of Education
• Arthur Tate, Superintendent of the Davenport School District
• Joel Pedersen, Superintendent of the Cardinal School District, Eldon
• Emily Domayer, Student at Morningside College, Sioux City
• Timothy Minard, Senior Vice President, U.S. Distribution, the Principal Financial Group, Des Moines
• Nate Monson, Executive Director of Iowa Safe Schools, Des Moines
• Nishan Singh, Student at Iowa State University, Ames 

3:45 to 4 p.m. Final remarks by Jason Glass, Iowa Department of Education Director

Biography

James Brauer is a virtual school principal and education blogger striving to help educators “Connect. Network. Learn.”

Brauer is presently pursuing a Doctorate in Education Administration from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He has also graduated with the following degrees:

• Ed.S. Education Administration (University of Missouri-Kansas City);
• M.S.Ed. Adaptive Special Education (University of Kansas);
• M.S.Ed. Curriculum & Instruction (University of Kansas); and
• B.S.Ed. Comprehensive Social Studies (University of Kansas).