This is a final facilitation plan created by a team consisting of Alistair Linds, Amanda Dunn, Jeff Clemens, and Joyce Wimmer. This is created for LRNT528 at Royal Roads University for the purpose of facilitating a module addressing conflict and controversy in an online course environment. Please leave any comments or suggestions you might have for improving or adding to this module that you feel could improve the learner experience.

This has been a working document so there have been a few changes and there will likely continue to be according to feedback and knowledge.

Module Breakdown

Through this module, you will understand elements of conflict and controversy in an online course. There will be a discussion of elements of controversy and where they come from. How to deal with and recognize potential controversial content.

There will also be an opportunity to learn about different conflict styles to understand how you personally interact with others and how you might be able to address those issues.

The online elements will be explored by having these conversations in an online environment.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Recognize and discuss controversy while exploring conflict and understanding strategies you and others might use to address it.

ASSESSMENT

Assignment 1: Padlet conflict discussion

Assignment 2: Padlet controversy discussion

Reflection survey

READINGS
    • O’Neill, T., Hoffart, G., McLarnon, M., Woodley, H., Eggermont, M., Rosehart, W., & Brennan, R. (2017). Constructive controversy and reflexivity training promotes effective conflict profiles and team functioning in student learning teams. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 16(2).

This research article discusses constructive controversy and finds that when paired with proper conflict training can enhance team success.

Week 1: Managing controversy and conflict

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Learners will be able to:

    • A. Identify their own conflict style
    • B. Understand strategies to address conflict and controversy
    • C. Recognize conflict and controversy
LEARNING ACTIVITIES

 

  • Learning Activity 1.1: Conflict Styles

 

  • Learning Activity 1.2: Discussion Board Topic – Understanding controversy

 

        • What is something in your daily life that could potentially cause controversy (Team names, city names, locations)
        • How do you feel about this controversy
        • What kind of bias do you think you might bring when looking at this controversy
        • Discuss these issues with other classmates in a respectful and exploratory manner
        • https://padlet.com/jeff_clemens/py4lstpjh8xh 

 

  • Learning Activity 1.3: Evidence of Learning Survey

 

 

TECHNOLOGY

The module will be offered on Articulate 360 Rise. This platform is accessible on all devices and is very easy and intuitive to navigate. There are also many members of our team who have previously used the Articulate platform either in their day to day work or through the Royal Roads MALAT program. We also found that the linear structure really helps make the platform user-friendly and intuitive. As the student scrolls down they are provided a chronological order of what to accomplish including readings, activities, watching videos, assignments, and surveys. Articulate provides a percentage completed in the top left corner which helps learners understand how far along they are in the course. The layout is clean and doesn’t distract from the learning objectives. It is accessible and holds the same functionality on PC, tablet, or cellphones. Finally, the platform was available to use and has intuitive features for facilitators to update and make edits to the course materials at a moment’s notice with minimal or no training required.

The context is a week-long course, students don’t need a new interface that they have to learn, it should be as simple to use as possible allowing students to maximize their time focusing on the learning objectives rather than trying to navigate new technology. If the course had been much longer then perhaps we may have chosen a different platform, however for the context of a one-week simple course with few objective and few activities we felt the Articulate had the most to offer in the most intuitive design. 

We chose Padlet for the purpose of allowing students to share video, audio, imagery and/or written discussions and responses. Social presence is important and allowing students to see each other’s faces in an asynchronous environment can help make the collaboration more ‘real.’ The idea behind this was also to give the initial post the option of also posting a text post knowing that due to the nature of the topic some students may not feel comfortable recording that.

We will also be using Mattermost as a way to further connect with learners throughout this module and as a way to connect with them throughout and encourage engagement. This platform was chosen because all participants have previously gone through training with this tool as part of their participation in LRNT528. This likely means that through their previous learning they should be prepared for using this tool during this activity. In order to help differentiate this module from the main part of the class we will create a channel within Mattermost specifically for work around this module. We will create a Conflict and Controversy channel but use the main Town Hall channel for intial communication.

WORKFLOW

Day 1 – Introduction Video – This will give an introduction to the module for the learners. It will be accompanied with the text of the video included (captioned) (Team video)

Day 2/3 – Conflict styles – USIP Quiz and discussion (Joyce)

Day 4/5 – Discussion topic- Understanding controversy (Jeff and Alastair)

Day 6 – Conclusion Survey (Team)

Day 6 – Closing message to participants (Team conclusion/Jeff recording)

One member of the team will focus on communication in Mattermost. (Amanda)

Week 1 – Managing Conflict and Controversy
Sunday September 22 to Saturday September 28, 2019
Deadline Course Activities Learning Outcomes
Ongoing  Contribution to the learning community discussion
Sept. 22 – Sept. 28 Complete Readings
Tues. Sept. 24 Activity 1 – Complete Conflict Style Quiz and participate in discussion A
Fri. Sept. 27 Activity 2 – Participate in Discussion on Controversy B, C
Sat. Sept. 28  Submit Evaluation Survey by 5 pm MST

COMMUNICATION

Will communicate with our cohort through Mattermost through the main “town hall” course channel. We will also post our module and check-in/summary videos.

PRESENCE

 

  • Teaching
    • Introduction videos will help create a guiding path which will introduce the teaching presence
    • The content chosen was done so to create questions to encourage the learners to discuss
    • The activities are self directed but the directions are clear to encourage students along a specific path with the freedom to roam
    • Mattermost will be used to help encourage or answer any question so learners know they are supported

 

  • Social

 

    • The activities (with the exception of the final survey) are all collaborative. This will allow the learners to create and add to a social presence within the course
    • The activities chosen are done in a way to increase the social presence and to help build a Community of Inquiry around the topics covered in this module.
    • Technology allows for more social interaction allowing for video and images to be used that creates a more ‘real’ asynchronous discussion/environment.

 

  • Cognitive

 

    • The learners will be looking at and assessing their own feelings and bias’ through the first activity. The cognitive presence will be present here in that the learners will demonstrate a self-awareness through this exploration
    • The second activity is a self-assessment of each learner’ conflict styles. This will allow another form of cognitive self-assessment
    • The final assessment with the survey will give learners an opportunity to reflect on what they learned and give the facilitators an opportunity to assess cognition from the learners based on their answers.
    • The final video will address the learning and responses from the participants and provide a reflection on the week.