Communities of Practice (CoPS)

       As I progress in learning to be an online educator, I realize that I want and need to collaborate with others that have the same interest not just for social purposes but to maintain teacher professional development.

        What I need is called a Community of Practice. “A community of practice consist 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, & Wenger-Trayner, (2015). I learned that Communities of Practice were common even in ancient times.  For example, in classical Greece, groups of various types of potters, masons and metalworkers bonded together for social purposes and a business function, training beginners and spreading modernizations.

       Presently, my Community of Practice consist of my professor and a classmate both have a passion for what they do, and I learn how to do better from our interactions. Informally we speak each week separately, they motivate me, and they share innovations and information.My goal is to grow my community of participants with functional expertise in online learning and instructional design that creates a culture of inquiry, interest, and problem-solving and explore other tools to stay connected and informed.

       A way that I could use Community of Practice throughout my profession as an online educator to stay abreast of new practices in my field is to remain involved with closed group discussions on Facebook and Twitter. Participation in an online community can foster frequent engagement, joint initiative, and a shared collection of expertise. “Twitter chats exhibit elements of CoPs and benefit teacher professional development” (Johnson, Bledsoe, Pilgrim, & Lowery-Moore, (2019). Some time ago, I joined a MATLT group on Twitter through the suggestion of a professor, and it was informative and useful for feedback, but I was remiss in continuing involvement in the chats.

       As an online educator, I can also develop or use existing CoPs to support students in online learning utilizing social networking sites to promote teacher and social presence and using chat discussions to engage the students by moderating a dialogue presenting an educational topic by developing five or six focused questions. In the online course that I am designing on the Jim Crow Laws, I am utilizing social networking sites for one of the discussions to motivate my students and stimulate conversations about the topic and to provide a platform for an exchange of views, information, and to establish a connection with peers.  



References

Johnson, M., Bledsoe, C., Pilgrim, J., & Lowery-Moore, H. (2019). Twitter: A Tool for Communities of Practice. SRATE Journal, 28(1). Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1203420&site=eds-live&scope=site

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

Motivation and Support for Online Learners and Instructors

       Online students, more than traditional students, need to be autonomous and take responsibility for their learning, involving organization, motivation, and a sense of confidence.

       But how can online educators enhance motivation and support for online learners? Based on my journey as an online student, I have considered some of the techniques, tools, and strategies I learned and integrated into my online course to make the experience successful. One effective way to motivate students online involves connecting the lesson to the “real world.” Something as simple as a beginning lesson with an online class discussion relating the topic to something relevant in the news or engaging in role-playing by having students apply current concepts to hypothetical situations. Either of these techniques could be carried out in a chat room through student discussion, which will engage the student with each other and the subject material. In my opinion, it is crucial that students not just have ownership of their learning but also that they enjoy the process. Tools, such as e-learning, mobile applications, and various personalized learning environments also help to make the topic of the lesson more relevant and applicable to students’ day to day lives.

       As an online educator, I want to facilitate enjoyment by trying to make my lessons fun. One thing I have learned through online learning is that when an instructor provides chances for exploration into a subject, it increased my interest in the learning process. “Within a learning environment, it is important for learners to have opportunities for exploration and manipulation to foster the construction of knowledge” (Jonassen, (1999). Encouraging a sense of community is necessary to promote engagement, interaction, and collaboration, which are all factors that contribute to the student's success. Feelings of isolation, frustration, and disconnection can discourage a student and become so overwhelming that the student gives up. “Excellent online learning environments are comprised of elements of behavioral learning theory, cognitive learning theory, and social learning theory” (Johnson, & Aragon, (2003). When designing my online class, I want to ensure to include these theories. The lessons should contain positive reinforcement, present new information in motivating ways, encourage group interaction and feedback.

       Rather than my students thinking that I am just a “talking head” that passes information to them, I want to use innovation and creativity to implement the power of technology in the classroom.

References

Johnson, S. D., and Aragon, S. R. (2003). An instructional strategy framework for online learning environments. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 2003: 31-43. doi:10.1002/ace.117

Jonassen, D.H. (1999). Designing constructivist learning environments. In C. M. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional-design theories and models: A new paradigm of instructional theory. Vol. II (pp. 215–240). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates