Digital facilitation still feels awkward and I am still not a fan of it. There are certainly many reasons for it and to summarize assignment 4, it doesn’t seem to suit my personality and teaching style. I am not looking to change either of them. It makes me wonder then:

1. Is it possible to overcome this issue with better technology?
2. If this technology does not exist yet, how would it function so that it would make #1 possible?

To answer my own question “but why bother?”,  I thought about 3 moments that I enjoyed

• Brainstorming ideas in the planning phase.
• Critiquing the whole thing.
• Learning from a not-so-enjoyable experience.

Perhaps, there is a place for me (if it exists) in the background, on the support team.

 

 

      Learning context: Our program has a new series of Virtual Parenting Workshops (via Zoom).
I was asked If I wanted to help with facilitating. After learning that I would not be involved in creating the structure or content for these workshops and that I would have little to no influence on how they are run, I decided not to. I saw the previous edition and while the workshops (especially in-person ones) were informative, they did not suit my style. They were conducted as if students came to learn from an instructor, instead of parents learning from a parent and from each other. If I had an opportunity to improve the workshops, I’d use these strategies, adopted from the Community of Inquiry theory.  

Canva infographic

Social Presence

• Mirror individual/group mood/situation (inspired by Bull(2013))
  Usually, parenting workshops run weekly, they have a predetermined topic, as well as content and activities based on that topic, regardless of what the individual participants are going through at the moment. I would connect with the group/individuals first and then customize the activities/content based on what’s relevant.
• Use humour (dad jokes) (inspired by Lalonde (2020))
  Usually, parenting workshops mimic a classroom atmosphere, it’s too dry and too formal for my style. I’d incorporate humour to warm up the group and connect with them on an emotional level since teaching parenting is less about information transfer and more about modelling a way of being. And humour is not just a way to connect with the audience, it’s also a great coping mechanism for daily struggles that most parents face.
• Incorporate role-playing (inspired by Boettcher (n.d.))
  Usually, parenting workshops are all about information transfer, while relying on large/small group/individual experiences in role-playing is not only more fun but it’s also more effective.

Teaching Presence

• Ask for informal feedback (inspired by Boettcher (n.d.))
  Usually, parenting workshops are set up as one-way communication and there is very little real-time feedback from participating parents
  
• Be authentic/vulnerable (inspired by Bull(2013))
  Usually, facilitators of parenting workshops act as all-knowing experts, close-to-perfect parents and fear being vulnerable, admitting flaws, mistakes and shortcomings. Most parents want to learn from someone relatable and don’t want to feel like crappy parents in comparison to someone else.
• Normalize uncertainty & making mistakes (inspired by Lalonde (2020))
  Usually, when facilitators do not acknowledge their own mistakes and not knowing what to do, participants also follow suit and miss opportunities to learn.
  
  

  Cognitive Presence

  • Share your own struggles (inspired by Bull(2013))
    It helps you learn from other parents, while you model being a co-learner, a parent that never stops learning. 
  • Connect theory & personal stories (inspired by Boettcher (n.d.))
    Connecting theory to personal stories helps parents find personal meaning in theoretical knowledge.
  • Seek/discuss a resolution to previously shared challenges(inspired by Lalonde (2020))
    Usually, parenting workshops move on to another topic next week and never follow up on anything that was discussed last week. Parents need an opportunity to apply new ideas as they seek a resolution to their ongoing issues.
    

References

Boettcher, J. V. (n.d.). Ten Best Practices for Teaching Online. Design for Learning. http://designingforlearning.info/writing/ten-best-practices-for-teaching-online/

Bull, B. (2013). Eight Roles of an Effective Online Teacher. Faculty Focus.

Lalonde C. (2020) Facilitating in a Community of Inquiry video (11:20)

Digital Literacy in Higher Education:
Implications for Facilitation 

Learning Module Draft

By Eric Yu, Denys Koval, & Jonathan Carpenter

Welcome to the initial plan for the Digital Literacy (DL) in Higher Education learning module. Although we are excited about the direction we are taking with this learning module, we invite readers to weigh in on how we can inject even more value into this upcoming learning experience. 

Learning Objectives

The primary learning objective for this module is to explore and discuss key topics on digital literacy in higher education from the facilitator’s perspective. In addition, we will create an open-source digital resource (e.g. infographic and personal reflection stories) that helps to inform online facilitators of digital-literacy best practices on the following five topics:

• What is DL? 
• The importance of DL in online higher education 
• Essential DL competencies in online learning 
• Methods of teaching DL in online learning 
• Critical issues in DL (e.g. issues and solutions)

Therefore, the learning outcomes of this module are as follows: 

• Define digital literacy 

• Understand the importance of DL in online higher education 
• Identify and describe at least three essential DL competencies
• Identify and describe at least three methods of teaching DL
• Identify at least three critical issues on DL 

Learning Resources

This learning module features one primary reading and several readings on key digital literacy sub-topics which will assist learners in their efforts to complete the week’s learning artifact stated above. 

Primary Reading

Ivus, M., Quan, T., Snider, N. (March, 2021). 21st Century Digital Skills: Competencies, Innovations, and Curriculum in Canada: Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC). https://www.ictc-ctic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/21st-century-digital-skills.pdf

Readings on the five DL sub-topics

• Topic 1 resource: Definition of DL  

University, W. S. (n.d.). What is digital literacy? Retrieved September 16, 2021, from https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/studysmart/home/study_skills_guides/digital_literacy/what_is_digital_literacy

• Topic 2 resource: Importance of DL in higher learning, online context  

Alt, D., & Raichel, N. (2020). Enhancing perceived digital literacy skills and creative self-concept through gamified learning environments: Insights from a longitudinal study. International Journal of Educational Research, 101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2020.101561  

• Topic 3 resource: Essential DL competencies in online learning 

MediaSmarts. (n.d.). Digital Literacy Fundamentals. Retrieved September 16, 2021, from https://mediasmarts.ca/digital-media-literacy/general-information/digital-media-literacy-fundamentals/digital-literacy-fundamentals    

• Topic 4 resource: Methods of teaching DL in online learning 

Stenger, M. (2018). 7 Ways to teach Digital Literacy | Tips and Tricks for Educators. https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/edtech-integration/7-ways-teach-digital-literacy/  

• Topic 5 resource:  3 Critical issues  

bin Abdul Salam Al-Hayani Hisham bin Jameel Bardesi Mohammed bin Ahmed Hassanien, A., & Salah Youssef, S. (n.d.). The Five Competencies of E-Learning Edited by.  

Asynchronous Activities

Ice Breaker

• Learners post one personal DL experience on Flipgrid
• Learners reply to each other throughout the entire week

Jigsaw Activity 

• Learners are assigned specific DL subtopics to create and post a brief summary, via Padlet, to add to the DL digital resource/tool. 

Synchronous Session

Date: September 22, 2021 @ 6:30 pm PST

1. Introduction of the five DL sub-topics
2. Open group discussion on the five DL sub-topics and personal reflections from the ice-breaker activity (e.g. discuss solutions). 

Rationale: Many members of the 2021 MALAT cohort have acknowledged, on numerous occasions, the value of open-ended questions in group discussions. We thought it would be appropriate to foster this learning themed by conducting an open (and prompted) group discussion on DL!

Learning Technologies 

Moodle 

• The host platform for the learning module
• Why? Moodle is a proven learning management system in higher education that is easy to use and effective technology to use for meeting short instructional design deadlines. 

Discord

• Host ongoing learner-learner and learner-facilitator communications (e.g. news, learner collaboration, facilitator questions, and discussion prompts)
• Why? The 2021 MALAT cohort uses Discord exclusively for ongoing communications, so the resulting familiarity largely underpins our decision to use the platform for this learning module. In addition, the functions and social elements in Discord are easy to use, making for a smooth user experience, which only boosts its value as a supplementary learning tool. 

Flipgrid

• Hosting group discussions (e.g. the course ice breaker) which will emphasize the use of video to post ideas, in addition to text-based posts, to promote self-expression and creativity. 

Canva

• At the end of the course, the facilitators will aggregate the Padlet contributions and create an infographic for others to use and share. 

Padlet

• A quick and convenient way to collaborate on the learning module artifact. The MALAT group is familiar with this platform already, so collaborative efforts should be seamless. 

Learning Schedule

• Module introduction and orientation
• Monday – Ice breaker activity (replies occur the duration of the week)
• Introduction to the group project
• Primary reading and optional readings
• Synchronous session (Wednesday) 
• Friday Possible reflection on DL (short Flipgrid post) 
• Sunday (Padlet submissions due)

Connections to the Community of Inquiry framework

Teaching Presence 

• The synchronous session (Indicators: Instructors will be providing a brief overview of the material, sharing a personal meaning and facilitating a discussion based on that material)
• The discussion forums (Indicators: Instructors will be moderating and participating in discussions) 
• The communication prompts (Indicators: Instructors will be prompting learners to respond to check-ins about the module progress)
• The question and support thread (Indicators: Instructors will be inviting and answering questions)

Social Presence 

• The synchronous session (Indicators: Learners will be expressing themselves in discussions)
• The discussion forums (Indicators: Learners will be sharing their reflections and responding to each other’s posts)

Cognitive Presence 

• The Moodle shell (Indicators: Learners will be exploring module content such as reading materials)
• The discussion forums (Indicators: Learners will be exchanging information and connecting ideas)
• The creation of infographic (Indicators: Learners will be integrating the new ideas they learned in a module)

Digital Facilitation, for me, is like having sex in space. Not that I have had the experience, but according to Neil deGrasse Tyson, it’s awkward. And it seems to be a constant struggle to overcome obstacles. In other words, it takes more time and effort, and it’s less enjoyable. I still prefer to do it (teaching) in person. And probably always will.

Unless technology advances to a point where it is a super realistic simulation, but I could still do it from home. Walk around my place in my underwear (invisible to my students) and teach a bunch of student holograms in my living room. I guess my students would see my hologram as well. I wonder if that scenario would present any issues? Somehow I suspect it would still feel less natural. Which brings me to another question: could digital facilitation ever be better than in-person?

Yes, I am doing 1-2-3 instead of 3-2-1. It’s in my nature to break patterns, and I find it difficult to conform to existing structures, rules or guidelines. Even if my way is not a better way, I need to feel like I am an individual, which made me realize that I would not fit into any system of formal education. Going through this program has been an interesting journey, but I could never teach in it. Every course is designed the same way; it follows the same formula. I am sure it is the most effective way for the institution, but I wouldn’t be motivated since I am stimulated by novelty, uncertainty, and unpredictability.

This week’s reading mentions the Socratic method, and it’s great, but Socrates didn’t sit in front of the computer all day, nor did he stand in front of the classroom. His students followed him in the streets. And the passing of knowledge (and his method) was done through mentorship rather than the traditional (which digital facilitation tries to emulate) facilitation.