peer-facilitated discussions to enhance oer-based e-learning

Shironica Karunanayaka

J.C.N. Rajendra

H.U.W. Ratnayake

Som Naidu

The Open University of Sri Lanka

Peer-facilitated discussions

to enhance

OER-based e-Learning

AAOU-2015; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia30 November-02 December, 2015

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Background

� A professional development online course on

OER-based e-Learning (OEReL) was implemented

by OUSL, adapted from a core-course of CEMCA.

�A Scenario-based learning design and a

constructivist pedagogy was adopted to facilitate

knowledge construction in a collaborative manner.

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OEReL Course

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Course Design

05 Modules

• Concept and

Practices of OER

• Search and

Evaluation of OER

Materials

• Licensing and

Copyrights

• Designing Learning

Experiences for OER-

based e-Learning

• Integrating OER in e-

Learning

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Discussion Forum

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Conceptual Framework

� From a social constructivist perspective,

ICTs enable opportunities for

co-construction of knowledge by learners.

(Jonnasen, Peck & Wilson, 1999; Vygotsky, 1978)

�Asynchronous discussion forums

are proven to be effective

peer-based e-learning environments.

(Baran & Correia, 2009; Harris & Sandor, 2007;

Rourke & Anderson, 2002, Garrison, 1997 )

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COI Framework

(Source: Garrison,

Anderson & Archer, 2001, p.88)

SP

TP

CP

TP

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1. How did peer-facilitated discussions affect the

OER-based e-Learning process among educators?

2. What factors supported the peer-facilitated

discussions in enhancing OER-based e-Learning?

3. What factors hindered the peer-facilitated

discussions in enhancing OER-based e-Learning?

4. What challenges were faced by the educators in

the peer-facilitated discussions?

Research Questions

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Methodology

�A descriptive study on how peer-facilitated

discussion forum activities affected

professional development of educators in

OER-based e-Learning at OUSL.

�A Case Study Approach was adopted, which

allowed an in-depth examination and gaining

first-hand understanding of people and events

in a real life context (Yin, 2003).

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Participant Profile

Male

49%Female

51%

PhD

36%

MPhil

9%

Masters

26%

PGDip

3%

Bachelors

26%

< 5

37%

6--10

26%

11--20

17%

>20

20%

Gender Qualifications

Experience

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Data Collection Methods

�Threaded

forum

discussions

(Content Analysis)

�Participants’

self-reflections

�Focus group

discussions

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Approach to Data Analysis

(Based on COI Coding Template – Garrison et.al., 2001)

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The “Three Presences”

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

DF 1-1

DF 1-2

DF 1-3

DF 2-1

DF 2-2

DF 2-3

DF 3-1

DF 3-2

DF 3-3

DF 4-1

DF 4-2

DF 4-3

DF5-1DF 5

-2CP

SP

TP-I

TP-S

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Units of Analysis

“Good work! Seems that you have almost completed the task. (SP)

You have…described the relevance, effectiveness and importance of

selected criteria on evaluation. (CP)

However your answer would be more comprehensive if you evaluate

the OER by using the identified criteria. (TP-S)

Good luck for your final submission! ” (SP) #M2-D3-B1

“ What a colorful concept map! (SP)

You have identified the key concepts and shown their relationships. (CP)

I have some comments to improve it further... Build your key concepts

and related concepts…linking them in a logical order (TP-S)

Hope you will do a better job in the next version. Hurry up!! Tomorrow

is the deadline!!! ” (SP) #M1-Dl-G2

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Multiple Presences

� Occurrence of multiple presences within a single

unit of analysis.

� A complementary relationship between all three

‘presences’, establishing the interdependence of

the three elements (Garrison & Arbaugh, 2007).

SP

TP CP

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Effect of ‘Three Presences’

� Confirmed the fact that in a Community of Inquiry,

�Social Presence lays the base for a high level

academic dialogue,

�while the Teaching Presence created through

course design, structure and instructor's

leadership impact on meaningful learner

interactions,

�through which Cognitive Presence can be

developed.

(Garrison & Arbaugh, 2007)

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Supportive Factors

• “…The design adopted - SBL liked it very much...”

• “...The consistent structure in the modules helped facilitate my

learning experience…”

• “…I am happy about the resources…they are very relevant and

interesting…”

• “…I have been able to improve, due to the constructive

feedback given by the facilitators...”

• “…This is the beauty of online learning, having all discussions

posts stored and can be retrieved later…”

• “…The best part of this is collaborative learning that takes

place through the discussion with peers.”

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Hindering Factors

• “...I am so late in submitting this assignment …if you

have time please go through my draft and give your

suggestions…”

• “…I was not very satisfied with the reading resources

given in this section… I could not grasp the main aspects,

clearly and easily…”

• “…I was trying frantically to upload the Assignment

…finally gave up…a serious problem with the server…”

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Challenges

• The major challenge faced by the participants was

coping with the expected workload within the

stipulated timeframe.

• Some participants faced confusions in

understanding certain tasks that required

additional support.

• The ‘cognitive load’ (Sweller, 1988) had been quite

challenging for them.

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Overcoming Challenges

• The participants’ commitment and motivation

in facing challenges, especially with peer-

support, helped them successfully complete the

course.

• Continuous guidance and motivation provided

by the instructors via a general News Forum,

without disturbing the peer discussions, was

also supportive.

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Knowledge Construction

• Peer-facilitated discussion forums were very

effective in enhancing participants’

knowledge construction.

• These allowed social negotiation, where

facilitation became a shared responsibility

among instructors and learners.

• A complementary relationship and

interaction between cognitive presence,

social presence and teaching presence

supported the knowledge construction.

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Learning Experience Design

• The SBL learning experience design with OER

integration was very supportive in learning, yet

adequate time allocation is essentially needed.

• Peer-facilitated forum discussions can be

effectively used for knowledge construction,

through carefully orchestrated, well-structured

and pedagogically-sound OER-based e-learning

environments.

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Role of Instructors

• Overall, the findings reaffirm the

significant role of the instructors in

cultivating the three presences within a

peer-facilitated OER-based e-learning

environment, by enabling learners to

engage with the content through

appropriate course design, structure

and leadership .

(Garrison & Arbaugh, 2007)

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Acknowledgements

• Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA) –

For providing the course to be adapted & financial support

• The Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) – For support in

implementation

• Colleagues at Wawasan Open University (WOU), Malaysia,

involved in the original course development

• Participant academic staff members of the OUSL – For their

invaluable contributions