Facilitating a community of practice with Slack (mostly)

How an online communication platform can be used to facilitate and enhance a designed pedagogy, moving students through a series of learning phases towards rhizomatic learning.

Transcript

1. Facilitating a community of practice with Slack (mostly) David Watson Department of Creative Professions and Digital Arts University of Greenwich @springfishblue
2. How an online communication platform can be used to facilitate and enhance a designed pedagogy, moving students through a series of learning phases towards rhizomatic learning.
3. MA Web Design and Content Planning ▪ 12 month programme of study (plus overlap) ▪ Taught in blended mode ▪ Vocational in nature ▪ Students want career in web design ▪ Web design is changing rapidly ▪ Too much new stuff for the individual learner ▪ Staff + students = the learning team ▪ Teams need to communicate
4. Who are our students? ▪ 15-20 students each year ▪ 25/75 male/female ▪ 25/75 UK/Non-UK ▪ Mid-20’s to mid-50’s age range ▪ Little prior knowledge of subject area ▪ Recent graduates at the start of their career ▪ Mature professionals changing career
5. In the beginning… 2003
6. Community forum 2003-2014 Web-based community forums developed in the mid-1990s and were very popular until the advent of social media platforms.
7. 2014-now Evidence of independent learning moving towards collaborative learning
8. Analytics 33 registered students 2017-18 * * Average = 66 messages per day Communities of learners shouldn’t have to be broken up once students complete their studies and are no longer registered with the university. Alumni are a very useful resource...
9. An “open” resource Student A graduated September 2016 Student B graduated September 2017 Evidence of engagement beyond the end of formal study
10. Engagement Evidence of community building
11. How is Slack used? Student/tutor via DM Evidence of scaffolded learning
12. How is Slack used? Student/student feedback Evidence of collaborative learning
13. How is Slack used? Self-help Evidence of collaborative learning
14. How is Slack used? Industry events Evidence of employability initiatives
15. How is Slack used? Ownership of platform Evidence of rhizomatic learning
16. Platforms to pedagogies A good understanding of the dynamics of online platforms and the technology that underpins them is important for academics but equally important is an understanding of the educational theory and the designed pedagogies that they facilitate. = ?
17. A progression of academic skills Some of our students have been out of education for a long time, others are recent graduates. We have to carefully consider the pedagogical design of the MA to ensure that all can develop appropriate learning skills. Wherever they begin, they must end as rhizomatic learners in order to negotiate the Major Project. Scaffolded learning Independent learning Collaborative learning Rhizomatic learning
18. Modes of learning defined: Scaffolded learning Independent learning Collaborative learning Rhizomatic learning = = = = Student is guided through the curriculum Student is exploring the curriculum Students are extending the curriculum Students are developing their own curricula
19. How Slack can help The Slack environment gives students the support and confidence to move from scaffolded learning to independent learning. Once a social community has developed, collaborative learning naturally follows. Ultimately, students’ understanding of the subject area allows them to become rhizomatic learners. Scaffolded learning Independent learning Collaborative learning Rhizomatic learning
20. However… Slack is only one component in the classroom communication landscape. Almost all student groups will have a back-channel that they use for informal communications such as the sharing of memes, general socialising and organising meetups. This group is no different.
21. WhatsApp WhatsApp seems to be the most popular platform for student back-channels, with it’s group-chat feature being ideally suited to communication within large or small groups.
22. WhatsApp = Education? Although not usually considered a platform for education, WhatsApp (and other back channel platforms) form an important and integral part of the establishment of an active and successful community of learners.
23. Why two platforms? I wasn’t sure, so I spoke to my students, expecting them to tell me they needed a space where they could talk about their tutors.
24. Here’s what they said… Evidence of tutor research ;)
25. Different quality of communication The student view: WhatsApp = informal* Slack = formal * Able to post content that is “not appropriate for Slack” = too frivolous.
26. Different ways to express yourself The student view: WhatsApp = in the moment comments* Slack = more ordered and curated * Help! It’s after midnight, is anyone else working on this?
27. Separation of workspace and social space The student view: WhatsApp = how you’re feeling* Slack = our workspace * Considered a more social space.
28. Different relationships The student view: WhatsApp = we’re friends Slack = we’re classmates
29. Both This is not an either/or argument. Both platforms fulfil an important role and it’s important for academics to understand that students need their own communication space and that back-channels are not necessarily a bad thing.
30. Lessons learned 1. No matter how suitable you think the tools you provide are for the task in hand, students will always want their own space. 2. Successful learning communities work together and play together but may use different spaces for each. 3. Resist the temptation to meet students in their own space.
31. Lessons learned 4. Just because you have a sound pedagogy and the ideal platform to deliver it, doesn’t mean students will feel obliged to use it.
32. Questions? @springfishblue David Watson d.watson@gre.ac.uk
33. References Rhizomatic learning: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/enhancement/starter-tools/rhizomatic-learning Collaborative learning: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/collaborative-learning Independent learning: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/independent-learning Scaffolded learning: http://edglossary.org/scaffolding/ Communities of practice: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/communities-practice Slack: https://slack.com/ WhatsApp: https://www.whatsapp.com/ @springfishblue