Global Learning Technology Conference. Wilmington, NC, October 11, 2013.

1. Pedagogical Strategies for
Synchronous Learning
Global Learning Technology Conference
Wilmington, NC
October 11, 2013
Anthony C. Holderied
Instructional Technologist
North Carolina State University
*

2. Agenda:
1.
Why Pedagogy?
2.
Building Student Engagement – Considerations, Instructional Challenges, Best Practices


Ice Breaker Activities

3.
Creating a profile
Pair and Share
Facilitating Group Interaction – Considerations, Instructional Challenges, Best Practices


Interactive Whiteboards

4.
Breakout Rooms
Pair and Share
Assessing Synchronous Learning – Considerations, Instructional Challenges, Best
Practices


Polling

*
Pair and Share

5.
Peer Assessment
Quizzing
Questions/Discussion

3. Building Student Engagement
Why Does Engagement Matter?
1. Cognitive Engagement
Interest
Motivation
Retention
2. Social Engagement
Community and connections
Active partners in learning
Teach and learn

4. Building Student Engagement
Instructional Challenges
1. Disparate locations
2. Physical isolation
3. Too convenient to...
Procrastinate
Forget
Become disengaged

5. Exercise: Edit Your Profile
1. Choose Edit Profile from the
drop-down menu
2. Click the No Picture icon
3. Browse to an image on your computer
4. Choose the image
5. Click Open
6. Enter your name and other information
7. Click OK, when finished

6. Ice Breaker Exercise:
“I learn best in classes where the instructor_____...”

8. Pair and Share
Get with a neighbor and…
1. Exchange names, occupation, and organization
2. Brainstorm two additional ice breaker activities that could prove successful in establishing
student engagement in a synchronous learning environment
3. Record and report back to the group
*

9. Facilitating Group Interaction
Why Group Work?
1.
2.
Students teach and learn from each other (multiple perspectives)
3.
Promote a sense of belonging
4.
*
Prepares students for 'the real world'
May cut down on prep time for instructor

10. Facilitating Group Interaction
Instructional Challenges
1. Achieving 'buy-in'
2. Student schedules
3. Social 'loafing'
4. Assessment
*

11. Breakout Rooms
Key features:
1.
2.
Participants in each room may only hear/see each other
3.
May be created at any time and reused throughout the session
4.
*
Replicate collaborative environment for small groups
Moderator can move from room to room

12. Group Concept Map Exercise
In this activity you will work as a group to create a concept
map. Creating a concept map is an approach to learning
that allows you to brainstorm and articulate different
perspectives of looking at a topic or idea. Most commonly,
concept maps are used to gain, share, or produce
knowledge.
By creating this map collaboratively, your group will benefit
from having multiple perspectives contributed by you and
your group members.

13. Concept Map Directions
Assemble a concept map of pedagogical applications for a
variety of learning technologies.
1. Work as a team in breakout rooms, discussing ideas
collaboratively
2. Click and drag the labels on the left into the appropriate
“bubbles” on the right
3. Use all of the labels by placing one per bubble. All bubbles
will not be filled unless you use some labels more than once.
4. Once you have completed your map, have each member
save it to their desktop (File  Save  Whiteboard 
Current Page)

15. Pair and Share
Get with a neighbor and…
Brainstorm one idea that could serve as an engaging group “breakout” activity. If helpful,
think of past group activities you have facilitated that were successful in engaging students in
the learning process, and how it would translate in the synchronous learning environment.
*

16. Facilitating Group Interaction
Best Practices
1. Set expectations, explain importance
2. Set up groups appropriately
•
•
•
Self select
Teacher select
Randomized
3. Duration
•
•
•
*
Frequent vs. Occasional
Semester-long vs. Rotating groups
Major project vs. In-class activity

17. Assessing Synchronous Learning
Implementing Peer Assessment
Why Employ Peer Evaluation?
1. Grounded in Active Learning (Piaget) and Social Constructivism (Vygotsky)
2. Promotes critical thinking (re-evaluation)
3. Increased engagement through higher responsibility
4. May reduce grading time
*

18. Implementing Peer Assessment
Considerations
1. Process, product, or both?
2. Low-stakes vs. high stakes
3. Small or large groups?
*

19. Concept Map Peer Evaluation Activity
Work as a team in breakout rooms to assess another group’s concept map
1.
Each group should turn in one score sheet only
2.
Use the rubric provided to score the assigned concept map
3.
Scoring Assignments
A.
B.
C.
Room One evaluates Room Two
Room Two evaluates Room Three
Room Three evaluates Room Four
4.
In your Break Out room, click Load Content, then Browse for and upload the
appropriate group’s concept map to the whiteboard.
5.
Using the Page Explorer, check Follow, and toggle back and forth between assigned
concept map, Bartel’s rubric and your group’s scoring rubric.
6.
Type the Room Number, points for each category, and score total using the
whiteboard’s text box tool.

20. Peer Assessment Rubric
4
3
2
1
Participation
Group member
participated fully and
was always on task in
class.
Group member
participated most of the
time and was on task
most of the time.
Group member
participated but wasted
time regularly or was
rarely on task.
Group member did not
participate, wasted time, or
worked on unrelated
material.
Leadership
Group member
assumed leadership in
an appropriate way
when necessary by
helping the group stay
on track.
Group member
sometimes assumed
leadership in an
appropriate way.
Group member usually
allowed others to
assume leadership or
often dominated the
group.
Group member did not
assume leadership or
assumed it in a
nonproductive manner.
Listening
Group member listened
carefully to others’
ideas.
Group member usually
listened to others
ideas.
Group member
sometimes did not
listen to others’ ideas.
Group member did not listen
to others and often
interrupted them.
Feedback
Group member offered
detailed, constructive
feedback when
appropriate
Group member offered
constructive feedback
when appropriate
Group member
occasionally offered
constructive feedback,
but not always useful.
Group member did not offer
constructive or useful
feedback.
Cooperation
Group member treated
others respectfully and
shared the workload
fairly.
Group member usually
treated others
respectfully and shared
the workload fairly.
Group member
sometimes treated
others disrespectfully
or did not share
workload fairly.
Group member often treated
others disrespectfully or did
not share the workload
fairly.
Time
Management
Group member
completed assigned
tasks on time.
Group member usually
completed assigned
tasks on time and did
not hold up progress
because of incomplete
work.
Group member often
did not complete
assigned tasks on time,
and held up completion
of project work.
Group member did not
complete most assigned
tasks on time and often
inconvenienced the group.

21. Bartel’s Scoring Rubric for Concept Maps
4
3
2
1
Concepts and
Terminology
Shows an understanding of
the topic’s concepts and
principles and uses
appropriate terminology and
notations
Makes some mistakes in
terminology or shows a few
misunderstandings of
concepts
Makes many mistakes in
terminology and shows a
lack of understanding of
many concepts
Shows no understanding of the
topic’s concepts and principles
Knowledge of the
relationships among
concepts
Identifies all the important
concepts and shows an
understanding of the
relationships among them
Identifies important concepts
but makes some incorrect
connections
Makes many incorrect
connections
Fails to use any appropriate
concepts or appropriate
connections
Ability to communicate
through concept maps
Constructs an appropriate
and complete concept map
and includes examples;
places concepts in an
appropriate hierarchy and
places linking words on all
connections; produces a
concept map that is easy to
interpret
Places almost all concepts
in an appropriate hierarchy
and assigns linking words to
most connections; produces
a concept map that is easy
to interpret
Places only a few concepts
in an appropriate hierarchy
or uses only a few linking
words; produces a concept
map that is difficult to
interpret
Produces a final product
that is not a concept map
Group Number
Concepts and Terminology
Knowledge of the
relationships among
concepts
Ability to communicate through concept
maps
Score (12)

22. Pair and Share
Get with a neighbor and…
Brainstorm one idea that could serve as an effective peer assessment activity where students
assess another student or a group of students via the use of a rubric. If helpful, think of past
group activities you have facilitated that were successful and how you might involve peer
assessment using a rubric in a synchronous learning environment.
*

23. Implementing Peer Assessment
Best Practices
1. Individual and group contributions
2. Fewer dimensions
3. Expectations and rationale
4. Co-develop criteria
*

24. Assessing Synchronous Learning
Flipping the Classroom
Why Flip?
1. Engagement
2. Flexibility
3. Active Learning
4. Application
5. Peer Instruction
6. Feedback
(Mazur, 2013)

25. Exercise: Create a Poll
1. Click on the Options menu in the
Participants panel, and change the
Polling Type to A..D Multiple Choices.
2. If visible, make the polling
responses invisible.
3. In the Whiteboard space below,
use one of the Text tools
to type a multiple choice question
requiring an A, B, C or D answer.
4. Allow the other participants to
answer the question.
5. Lock the responses.
6. Publish the responses to the Whiteboard.
Question:
A.
B.
C.
D.
A.
B.
C.
D.

26. *

27. Sample polling questions
Physics Example:
An object floats in water with 3/4 of its volume, V, submerged. The ratio of the density of the
object to that water is:
A. 1/4
B. 1/3
C. 1/2
D. 3/4
E. None of the above
F. Not enough information
Law Example:
Which of the concepts from the Unit 5 lecture video would you like to discuss further?
A. Intentional Tort
B. Negligence
C. Strict Liability
*
D. Insurance

28. Flipping the Classroom
Best Practices
1. Create a need to know
2. Employ engaging models
3. Consider technology
4. Allow for reflection
(Miller, 2012)
(Mazur, 2013)

29. Questions?
Review
1.
Building Student Engagement – Considerations, Instructional Challenges, Best Practices


Ice Breaker Activities

2.
Creating a profile
Pair and Share
Facilitating Group Interaction – Considerations, Instructional Challenges, Best Practices


Interactive Whiteboards

3.
Breakout Rooms
Pair and Share
Assessing Synchronous Learning – Considerations, Instructional Challenges, Best
Practices

Peer Assessment

Pair and Share

Polling

Quizzing
Thank you for attending!

30. Thank You!