Virtual Hospital Community
Virtual Learning Communities involve a combination of physical and virtual interaction, social imagination and identity. They may be distinguished from physical communities in that virtual communities can extend the range of community and individuals can tailor their personal communities (Renninger & Shumar, 2002). Virtual communities allow learners to participate, inquire and interact to facilitate learning. The connection the learner has with virtual communities invokes imagination and identification with the site which includes autonomy, time, space, choice, opportunity, support and depth of content (Renninger & Shumar, 2002).
The virtual community I would like to create is a virtual hospital community. This virtual learning community (VLC) would be utilized by all nursing programs such as licensed practical nurses (LPN), registered nurse (RN) both associate degree (ADN) and baccalaureate (BSN). The virtual hospital would have the typical departments found in a hospital such as laboratory, radiology, dietary, nursing administration and nursing units specializing in different areas such as orthopedics, obstetrics, pediatrics, nursery, renal, medical surgical, emergency, intensive care and surgery. Each area the hospital would be a different virtual world consisting of information of that specific area. My virtual hospital would consist of four horizontal rows of squares represented as a floor and each square represents a department.
The pedagogy principle that is followed in this idea of a virtual hospital is the Knowledge Building Community Model. In this model, knowledge is collaborative construct from students and teacher (Koschmann, Hall, & Miyake, 2001). Students and instructors would collaborate on content presented in each department. There is a nondirectional flow of knowledge between instructor and students in order to develop knowledge construction.
The purpose of this virtual hospital would be to expose nursing students to a hospital world in which they could feel comfortable in asking questions, problem solve, interact with other students and instructors and get a sense of how a hospital and its departments interact. A constructivists argued that knowledge is situated, being in part a product of the activity, context and culture in which it is being developed and used (Lave, 1988). This virtual learning environment emerges the learner in a medical culture. The learner participates as an active member of the medical team in order to facilitate their learning. Students interact with each other and instructors to build upon their knowledge to increase their understanding. Empirical studies found that peer interaction provides a powerful context for supporting change in logical and spatial reasoning (Ge, 2009).
The student would enter the hospital and they would have a welcome host to direct them to the area the student wishes to go. Each department would have discussion forums over case studies involving that specific department. For example if you enter in the laboratory you would find a presentation (relevant to lab value interpretation) on a chosen topic followed by a discussion forum by the student answering questions posed by the nursing instructor. Students would then collaborate with one another to develop a better understanding of the concepts presented and applying the concepts learned through solving a problem. Nursing instructors and or graduate nursing students follow and facilitate the discussion boards. These discussion boards may be synchronous or asynchronous in nature depending on how the instructor wishes to set it up. Participants would communicate by chat, microphone or video feed in synchronous instruction or typing in asynchronous instruction. The classes would be archived for future students to view. The virtual hospital may also be utilized by numerous nursing schools to collaborate with other instructors and various levels of nursing programs.
Over time a learning organization will be established. “A Learning organization is the intersection of task-based, practice-based, and knowledge-based communities” (Riel & Polin).The virtual hospital will become a task-based learning community, in which students and/or instructors are involved in a class with a specific purpose and have a well defined beginning and end. In addition, it will also be a practice-based learning community because practice based learning takes place when teachers seek out knowledge from other teachers in order to improve their educational practices. Lastly, knowledge based learning is also observed when students and teachers leave online libraries of discussions, papers and information on topics of interest for future students to access and build upon their knowledge hopefully improving and furthering the communities knowledge base. When a learning organization is positioned in this way the organization becomes self-aware and is constantly evolving both in practice and in the knowledge based upon which it relies (Riel & Polin). This virtual hospital would accommodate its’ participants and assist in their growth professionally.
Over the past weeks our studies of virtual communities have given me insight into a world of infinite possibilities involving virtual pedagogy. It has also given me a perception of the learner to consider when forming a virtual learning environment such scaffolding, guidance from the instructor and collaboration with other students to deepen an understanding of the knowledge at hand. Knowledge is building blocks to metacognitive activity in which the learner learns to learn and applies the knowledge acquired.
I believe my virtual hospital would assist the learning of nursing students and enrich the current nursing curriculum of participating schools.
References
Ge, X. (2009, Spring). Situated Learning and Constructivist Perspective: Powerpoint Presentation.
Koschmann, T., Hall, R., & Miyake, N. (2001). CSCL2 Carrying Forward the Conversation. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Lave, J. (1988). Cognition in Practice: Mind, mathematics, and culture in everyday life. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Renninger, K. A., & Shumar, W. (2002). Building Virtual Communities Learning and Change in Cyberspace. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Riel, M., & Polin, L. Common Ground and Critical Differences. In S. Barab, Online Learning Communities (pp. 16-50).
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Learning in Collaborative Settings
Over the past 20 years teaching has taken on a new approach to educate the technological savvy learner. The days in which knowledge was passed from teacher to students and task based curriculum are the norm are slowly becoming “old school” (excuse the pun). Educators are finding innovative ways to assist the student in building their knowledge through understanding and applying concepts rather than memorizing and reproducing data.
The sixth grade teacher who introduced a Computer-Supported Intentional Learning Environment (CSILE) to change the way his students learned in the classroom should be commended even for his failures. He eventually found a technique that supported his “Knowledge Building Community” with his students and changed the technique of acquiring and applying knowledge. The six strategies and four guidelines he developed gave the student s the framework for the knowledge transformation to succeed. I particularly like the beginning in which the teacher would pose a question and before the students were allowed to research the topic students would post “My Theory” to the question. This gives the teacher the insight to a student’s mental connection and thought processes. His strategies also lend to scaffolding student’s knowledge. Through using the “type tags” (problem, my theory, I need to understand and new information) students could build upon previous posts and apply the knowledge thus promoting a better understanding of the subject. Earlier this week my son came home and said his science teacher wants them to blog. I had him show me what he meant. The science teacher set up a “seventh grade blog site” in which the students answered questions after visiting a posted website. Each of the students in his class could see what the other students posted and respond to their post. I was so excited to see this. Maybe it was because that was what we are discussing. I called the teacher the next day and thanked him for using an innovative teaching tool.
The second chapter of CSCL2 seemed outdated and somewhat incomparable in subject matter. The study was done in the late 1990’s. The internet was a fairly new concept. Traditional instruction of the teacher passing knowledge to students was the norm. The idea of using asynchronous and synchronous communication for delivering instruction was innovative for its time but I am not sure it addressed its research questions. Comparing asynchronous and asynchronous learning environments to traditional learning may have been premature in that the delivery of instruction of asynchronous was still being perfected. In addition comparing novice and expert learner to what? What were they the expert or novice to? The material? The computer? I am lost. If this same study was done today and there were more defined concepts if outcomes would be different?
Over all collaborative settings provide the learner and educator an opportunity to grow and redesign instruction. With the use of knowledge building communities educators are able to assist students with understanding and application of the knowledge they are acquiring rather than concepts and definitions dictated and memorized short-term only to be forgotten later. In addition the student develops skills to seek out knowledge rather than waiting to be spoon fed information.
The sixth grade teacher who introduced a Computer-Supported Intentional Learning Environment (CSILE) to change the way his students learned in the classroom should be commended even for his failures. He eventually found a technique that supported his “Knowledge Building Community” with his students and changed the technique of acquiring and applying knowledge. The six strategies and four guidelines he developed gave the student s the framework for the knowledge transformation to succeed. I particularly like the beginning in which the teacher would pose a question and before the students were allowed to research the topic students would post “My Theory” to the question. This gives the teacher the insight to a student’s mental connection and thought processes. His strategies also lend to scaffolding student’s knowledge. Through using the “type tags” (problem, my theory, I need to understand and new information) students could build upon previous posts and apply the knowledge thus promoting a better understanding of the subject. Earlier this week my son came home and said his science teacher wants them to blog. I had him show me what he meant. The science teacher set up a “seventh grade blog site” in which the students answered questions after visiting a posted website. Each of the students in his class could see what the other students posted and respond to their post. I was so excited to see this. Maybe it was because that was what we are discussing. I called the teacher the next day and thanked him for using an innovative teaching tool.
The second chapter of CSCL2 seemed outdated and somewhat incomparable in subject matter. The study was done in the late 1990’s. The internet was a fairly new concept. Traditional instruction of the teacher passing knowledge to students was the norm. The idea of using asynchronous and synchronous communication for delivering instruction was innovative for its time but I am not sure it addressed its research questions. Comparing asynchronous and asynchronous learning environments to traditional learning may have been premature in that the delivery of instruction of asynchronous was still being perfected. In addition comparing novice and expert learner to what? What were they the expert or novice to? The material? The computer? I am lost. If this same study was done today and there were more defined concepts if outcomes would be different?
Over all collaborative settings provide the learner and educator an opportunity to grow and redesign instruction. With the use of knowledge building communities educators are able to assist students with understanding and application of the knowledge they are acquiring rather than concepts and definitions dictated and memorized short-term only to be forgotten later. In addition the student develops skills to seek out knowledge rather than waiting to be spoon fed information.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Case Study of a Sociological and Pedagogical Online Virtual Communities
Case Study of a Sociological and Pedagogical
Online Virtual Communities
Sociological Virtual Community
Introduction
The social virtual community I chose to observe was World of Warcraft. This is an online role playing multi-player game in which it takes place in virtual world in real time. I chose this social network because my three sons are involved in this community and I wanted to learn more about it.
I began my quest (no pun intended) by creating a character. My name is Hardknocks. I am a hunter. I live in Sen’jin Village. It is in the middle of a desert. My first impression of this community was uncertainty of what to do next. There were a lot of characters moving all around me. I had options to move freely. I traveled to the auction house in the town of Orgrimmar. I would communicate with other characters by real-time chat. I could also communicate with voice through the use of ventrilo if I wished.
Type of Community
The game fosters interdependence between the players in that characters are of different experience levels, different skill levels, and have different profession levels. Characters of higher levels help those which are of lower levels to complete quests and to obtain better equipment as they increase their level. Even though the game offers different professions, to increase your proficiency in your given profession you will need to purchase goods from other characters of different professions. For example if you are a Blacksmith to make advanced weapons you will also need elements from Alchemists and Animal Skinners to produce the products.
Structure of the Community
The community is broken down into two factions (Horde and Alliance) who see each other as a common enemy. Each faction has several multiple races (Human, Orcs, Tauren, Blood Elf, etc.) and each race has multiple choices of class (Paladin, Warlock, Warrior, Rogue, etc.). When an individual selects a race and class they then have a choice of professions to select from. The members of each faction barter and trade their services so that they can advance their characters ability and net worth. Characters can form Guilds which are a collection of friends and other characters to help each other.
People communicate mostly by text through multiple channels depending on the nature of the discussion. People can also utilize the voice chat option available through the game. The player’s character is walked through the multiple story lines of WoW by way of quests and interacting with Non-Playing Characters. Players can participate in multiple types of combat and adventures starting solo by leveling a character from a starting level 1 to a maximum level 80. Players also can participate in group activities such as player versus player combat where
the two-factions fight each other for honor points. Lastly players can form 10 or 25 man groups to run through a dungeon to take on high-level computer bosses for advanced weapons and armor.
While in Orgrimmar I visited the auction house where characters would buy and sell goods such as food, armor and weapons needed to complete a quest. I also observed a chat network called “Trade.” Players will post services and the cost of the service in which other players would exchange. For example I asked for a portal to the closest major city. I was sent to Thunderbluff.
Design Features and roles of the Technology
The community consists of 12 million players that are split up into about 50 different realms. Blizzard which is the developer of WoW maintains the game every week with normal down time updates on Tuesdays. Blizzard offers regular updates to the game to tweak player’s abilities and update or improve the player’s experiences. Blizzard also releases regularly scheduled content expansion packages which increases the realms of WoW but advances all the story lines to keep the content fresh and interesting.
This virtual community has spawn legions of websites where players can share thoughts, ideas, and opinions of the game. Other websites like WoWhead, WoWwiki, Thottbot and others provide detailed information about professions, quests, dungeons, and many other game related details. Most players will access other websites while they are in game.
Conclusion and Implications
In conclusion this virtual community has developed into a very popular world among the pre-teen, teen and techy sci-fi individuals. By visiting and partaking in this world I can understand what my children are talking about. I must say the world is very dark and doomful, but it does provide networking with others and planning skills to acquire higher levels in the game.
Pedagogical Virtual Community
Introduction
From a pedagogical perspective I chose to study the “Tapped In” virtual community at http://tappedin.org/tappedin/. “Tapped In” is a synchronous virtual community designed for educational professionals (primarily K-12 teachers) for professional development. I chose this site because it allowed you to visit as a guest without having to sign up as a member. It also was easy to navigate (that is after I viewed the tutorial). I was an observer of this community. I found what rooms were opened to guest and I would introduce myself “My name is Sharon, I am just observing.” Some of the participants would ask more in depth questions such as “What grade do you teach” I would reply “I am a graduate nursing student in education,” then go on to explain our assignment. Everyone was very polite and willing to answer any questions I may have had. My first impression of this virtual community was “WOW” because I have had little
experience with virtual communities. I am in awe how technology can connect so many people and information is shared as though the participants were conversing in a hallway.
Type of the Community
Tapped In is a good example of a Learning Organization. “A Learning organization is the intersection of task-based, practice-based, and knowledge-based communities”
Structures of Community
The structures of “Tapped In” consist of a virtual campus with eight buildings, Azusa Pacific University-APU (chapel, lounge and library), National Writing Project (NWP), Teachers Learning in Networked Communities (TLINC), Pepperdine University, Alameda County Office of Education (ACOE), Teachers for a New Era (TNE), SNL Center and the Tapped In welcome center. Each building has virtual floors and rooms. Groups contain owners, moderators and members. Groups may share a particular interest or content with other educators. Instructors/Teachers / “Leaders” or lead a room on a specific subject and or discussion. Discussions are synchronous real-time chat and use of white board. Discussions/classes generally last about an hour. Knowledge and interaction are exchanged through chat. Individuals define their roles as help desk, students / learners and leaders / instructors. When I had entered the Welcome Center Jeff with the help desk asked how he could help me. At first I told him I was looking around and then after exploring I came back to the welcome center and told Jeff I was a graduate student studying VC. He asked if I was a teacher. I told I taught nursing students and he offered me a room for instruction and office hours if would join as a member. I could really see the possibilities this could offer later in my career.
Design Features and Roles of Technology
The welcome center was impressive. Jeff addressed me as soon as I entered the room and offered his assistance to guide me to where I wanted to go. I was not left to wander aimlessly (although I did do this because I wanted to look around in the buildings on campus. Also the credentials of instructors are notable. These leaders encourage new and experienced educators and offer guidance and support. The cornerstone of this VC is the leaders and
participants. “Tapped IN” was created nine years ago with the vision of “a virtual place where teachers with diverse interests, skills, and backgrounds can meet and learn from one another; where teachers can be exposed to not one, but many education reform concepts and approaches; where teachers can find high-quality resources in minutes rather than hours; and a thriving teacher community practicing these aspects of their profession on-line"
Opportunities present themselves for an individual to progress from a member or student of a group or class to becoming an owner or leader of group as the user becomes comfortable with the environment. Long time instructors seem to encourage those wanting to
advance. In addition if you were to join the site they would suggest groups you may have an interest in based on your initial membership questionnaire.
Conclusions and Implications
In conclusion this site was very interesting and quite informative. The K-12 educational community should view this site as an asset in their professional development. I would suggest having more classes available in a given day. I would also suggest having help desk at each of the buildings on campus. When I visited the buildings there was no one available to ask questions. In addition I would propose using a microphone. Some of us are not fast typers. But overall this was a fascinating VC.
References
Riel, M., & Polin, L. Common Ground and Critical Differences. In S. Barab, Online Learning Communities (pp. 16-50).
Tapped In. (n.d.). Retrieved Febuary 11, 2010, from http://tappedin.org/tappedin/.
World of Warcraft. (n.d.). Retrieved Febuary 8, 2010, from http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/index.xml
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Understanding Virtual Communities
The implications of the power of the virtual communities to education after reading the TIME's articles and CH. 1-3 are that nearly everyone has access to information and we all are wanting to share, discover, and educate ourselves. However as educators I feel it is our responsibilty to help students decipher what is reliable information and what is not. Virtual communities have a lot to offer but need some guidance.
Of all five chapters I have read this week the one I most enjoyed was chapter 5 "Evolution of an Online Education Community." I found it fascinating of teachers were learning from other teachers in the virtual world. The continuing education offered for teachers in a virtual classroom was very innovative for the time (late 1990's). I did not realize virtual classrooms originated at this time. I remember talking with my husband in the early 1990's about the "new" Worldwide Web. I told him I thought there was no way that concept would ever work. Boy was I way off track. Now here we are blogging, sharing, stories, pic and conversing with people all over the world. I am in awe by the potential the virtual world has. OK sorry I'm rambling. Anyway back to the chapter 5. Tapped In was a virtual community in which teachers could gain guidance and insight with other teachers on a variety of topics. I enjoyed the comments made by Tapped In participants. One in particular statement that caught my attention was the teacher that stated she lost track of time and her bell (she was at school on break) had rung and she imagined all the teachers across the state having to leave because the bells had rung at the same time.
My least enjoyed chapter was Chapter 7 " Mask and Identity." This was a difficult chapter for me. I understand the overall concept of the chapter (I think) is that the virtual world allows us to be anyone we want to be and that we should take advantage of this facet of the virtual communities to have a sense of connection with others with in the community. Various theories of identity were discussed and um...dissected so to speak. Many of the theorists I have not heard. Any enlightenment from others on this chapter would be welcomed.
Chapter 8"WISE Learning Communities" describes a learning community success by giving consideration to the four design guide lines 1. Support practices and tasks of participants. 2. Collecting experiences and representing them. 3. providing framework and 4. Represent the identities of the community members. I enjoyed reading about the scaffold knowledge framework-- "encourages students to link and connect their ideas so that they develop more integrated and cohesive ideas" This framework builds on what the student knows and fosters learning from one another. This type of scaffold framework I have seen in post conferences with my past nursing students. Following clinicals, students would share experiences and as a group everyone would offer insight and this would assist the students in critical thinking skills. WISE learning communities can be beneficial to school age children because it allows students to learn from one another and cultivate critical thinking skills at an early age.
Chapter 9 "Reflexive Modernization and Wired Self Help" explores the growth of self help groups. Over the years I have heard many statements from my patients "I think I have this because I researched it on the Internet" or "I am doing this treatment because I saw it on the Internet." Today's health consumer is much more knowledgeable than years past. This can be good or bad,. Some of the self help groups may be giving wrong advice. It is important to advise patients and any one who uses self-help groups to be skeptical and know/research the resources.
Chapter 10 " Life Cycles of a Learning Community" discussed the phases of learning community, from birth to death. The Zero-g project was the community analyzed in this chapter. In nursing school we study and teach Erickson's Development Stages. Erickson was a psychoanalyst that described the physical, emotional and psychological stages of development and relates specific issues, or developmental work or tasks, to each stage of a person's life from infancy to elderly. As I was reading this chapter I thought of how the stages of a learning community are similar to that of a person's. It's like the song "to every season turn, turn,turn."
The implications of the power of virtual communities to education are 1. educators must become knowledgeable and navigate within virtual communities in order to reach more students, and keep the interest of the new "virtual savvy student, 2. virtual communities can take the classroom beyond the 4 walls and bring a world to the student that some may never experience otherwise, 3. Gives added insight from others (teachers or students) experiences and 4. virtual communities gives teachers more material to exercise.
I believe sometimes the students and teachers roles reverse, even prior to the Internet however with so much information at our fingertips I think in a lot ways we have become some what self taught with minimal guidance from teachers. My 13 year old son said he had a paper to write over koala bears. He did not use references at the library. He came home and immediately googled "koala bears." He wrote a 3 page paper about Koala Bears and shared it with his class. I find rarely school age children use library references anymore. In addition if we want to understand something the reply anymore is "google it." So I guess it does make us experts in some way if only to know how or where to look for the information.
This hyper-connectedness we have with virtual communities will impact nursing education in several ways. First, the student consumer will come to expect virtual comm unites as a predictable form of education delivery. I can see this especially with adult learners because virtual learning provides flexibility and convenience for the student. Second, learners are encouraged to seek out and investigate knowledge. Third, student are able to draw from one an other's experiences.
Thanks, Sharon Smith
Of all five chapters I have read this week the one I most enjoyed was chapter 5 "Evolution of an Online Education Community." I found it fascinating of teachers were learning from other teachers in the virtual world. The continuing education offered for teachers in a virtual classroom was very innovative for the time (late 1990's). I did not realize virtual classrooms originated at this time. I remember talking with my husband in the early 1990's about the "new" Worldwide Web. I told him I thought there was no way that concept would ever work. Boy was I way off track. Now here we are blogging, sharing, stories, pic and conversing with people all over the world. I am in awe by the potential the virtual world has. OK sorry I'm rambling. Anyway back to the chapter 5. Tapped In was a virtual community in which teachers could gain guidance and insight with other teachers on a variety of topics. I enjoyed the comments made by Tapped In participants. One in particular statement that caught my attention was the teacher that stated she lost track of time and her bell (she was at school on break) had rung and she imagined all the teachers across the state having to leave because the bells had rung at the same time.
My least enjoyed chapter was Chapter 7 " Mask and Identity." This was a difficult chapter for me. I understand the overall concept of the chapter (I think) is that the virtual world allows us to be anyone we want to be and that we should take advantage of this facet of the virtual communities to have a sense of connection with others with in the community. Various theories of identity were discussed and um...dissected so to speak. Many of the theorists I have not heard. Any enlightenment from others on this chapter would be welcomed.
Chapter 8"WISE Learning Communities" describes a learning community success by giving consideration to the four design guide lines 1. Support practices and tasks of participants. 2. Collecting experiences and representing them. 3. providing framework and 4. Represent the identities of the community members. I enjoyed reading about the scaffold knowledge framework-- "encourages students to link and connect their ideas so that they develop more integrated and cohesive ideas" This framework builds on what the student knows and fosters learning from one another. This type of scaffold framework I have seen in post conferences with my past nursing students. Following clinicals, students would share experiences and as a group everyone would offer insight and this would assist the students in critical thinking skills. WISE learning communities can be beneficial to school age children because it allows students to learn from one another and cultivate critical thinking skills at an early age.
Chapter 9 "Reflexive Modernization and Wired Self Help" explores the growth of self help groups. Over the years I have heard many statements from my patients "I think I have this because I researched it on the Internet" or "I am doing this treatment because I saw it on the Internet." Today's health consumer is much more knowledgeable than years past. This can be good or bad,. Some of the self help groups may be giving wrong advice. It is important to advise patients and any one who uses self-help groups to be skeptical and know/research the resources.
Chapter 10 " Life Cycles of a Learning Community" discussed the phases of learning community, from birth to death. The Zero-g project was the community analyzed in this chapter. In nursing school we study and teach Erickson's Development Stages. Erickson was a psychoanalyst that described the physical, emotional and psychological stages of development and relates specific issues, or developmental work or tasks, to each stage of a person's life from infancy to elderly. As I was reading this chapter I thought of how the stages of a learning community are similar to that of a person's. It's like the song "to every season turn, turn,turn."
The implications of the power of virtual communities to education are 1. educators must become knowledgeable and navigate within virtual communities in order to reach more students, and keep the interest of the new "virtual savvy student, 2. virtual communities can take the classroom beyond the 4 walls and bring a world to the student that some may never experience otherwise, 3. Gives added insight from others (teachers or students) experiences and 4. virtual communities gives teachers more material to exercise.
I believe sometimes the students and teachers roles reverse, even prior to the Internet however with so much information at our fingertips I think in a lot ways we have become some what self taught with minimal guidance from teachers. My 13 year old son said he had a paper to write over koala bears. He did not use references at the library. He came home and immediately googled "koala bears." He wrote a 3 page paper about Koala Bears and shared it with his class. I find rarely school age children use library references anymore. In addition if we want to understand something the reply anymore is "google it." So I guess it does make us experts in some way if only to know how or where to look for the information.
This hyper-connectedness we have with virtual communities will impact nursing education in several ways. First, the student consumer will come to expect virtual comm unites as a predictable form of education delivery. I can see this especially with adult learners because virtual learning provides flexibility and convenience for the student. Second, learners are encouraged to seek out and investigate knowledge. Third, student are able to draw from one an other's experiences.
Thanks, Sharon Smith
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