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Canadian Initiative for Distance Education Research - CIDER
| Our most recent session November 7, 2018 Social affordances, social presence and sociable online learning environments: A study of the SIPS model in action Joshua Weidlich, FernUniversität, Hagen Students in distance education often study under conditions of relative social isolation. This is also reflected in online learning environments that are not sociable but aloof. This session will first introduce the SIPS model and then report on a field-setting quasi-experiment conducted at FernUniversität in Hagen, Germany. It will describe an "ecological" approach to designing sociable online learning environments and fostering socio-emotional variables such as social presence, and discuss the concept of social affordances and sociability as proposed by the SIPS model. The results of the study are promising in that they show support for this approach to making learning environments more sociable, as well as effects on social presence, satisfaction, and other variables. These findings will be discussed in terms of their relevance for future research as well as their applicability for practitioners. |
The CIDER Sessions Series includes monthly sessions running from September 2018 to June 2019. These sessions feature presentations by leading researchers in distance, distributed, and online learning.
OPEN CALL: Do you have research to share with our CIDER audience? To suggest a session or nominate a speaker, contact the Sessions host and manager. Download our full call.
See below for our 2018-19 Season as it develops, along with recordings from previous seasons.
Technical note
Note that Adobe Connect uses Flash. If you have not used Adobe Connect with your computer, you can take a moment now to pre-visit our presentation room to make sure all necessary software is downloaded ahead of time.
Please log onto the CIDER sessions - https://athabascau.adobeconnect.com/cider/ - as a "guest". You will then be prompted for your name, and you could add your location or institution as well, if you wish.
| November 7, 2018 Social affordances, social presence and sociable online learning environments: A study of the SIPS model in action Joshua Weidlich, FernUniversität, Hagen Students in distance education often study under conditions of relative social isolation. This is also reflected in online learning environments that are not sociable but aloof. This session will first introduce the SIPS model and then report on a field-setting quasi-experiment conducted at FernUniversität in Hagen, Germany. It will describe an "ecological" approach to designing sociable online learning environments and fostering socio-emotional variables such as social presence, and discuss the concept of social affordances and sociability as proposed by the SIPS model. The results of the study are promising in that they show support for this approach to making learning environments more sociable, as well as effects on social presence, satisfaction, and other variables. These findings will be discussed in terms of their relevance for future research as well as their applicability for practitioners. |
| October 10, 2018 Assessment strategies for online learning Dianne Conrad, Athabasca University Although learners sometimes respond negatively to evaluation, assessments have provided educational institutions with important information about learning outcomes and the quality of education for many decades. But how accurate are these data and have they informed practice or been fully incorporated into the learning cycle? In their new book, Assessment Strategies for Online Learning, Conrad and Openo argue that the potential inherent in online learning environments to alter and improve assessment and evaluation has yet to be explored by educators and learners. They insist that online and distance learning environments afford educators new opportunities to embrace only the most effective face-to-face assessment methods and to realize the potential of engaged learning in the digital age. In this session, the author will introduce her new book, Assessment Strategies for Online Learning, describing new forms of assessment and a number of best practices.
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| September 12, 2018 Hearables for online learning: The beginning Rory McGreal, Athabasca University Hearables are wireless smart micro-computers with artificial intelligence that incorporate both speakers and microphones. They fit in the ears and can connect to the Internet and to other devices; they are designed to be worn daily. One form of specialised hearables are the earphone language translators that offer potential in language teaching. This opens up the possibility of taking full advantage of these devices to support other forms of mobile learning in both traditional and distance education. Hearables can support the delivery of lectures, educational podcasts, notifications, and reminders through a wide variety of applications, while supporting interactivity. Intelligent hearables can determine the context and choose the right time and place to deliver the best content. These devices can become one of the principal ways we interact in learning and provide continuous support for independent, personalised, just-in-time, and self-directed learning contexts.
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