EDU 678: Emerging Learning Technology
Week 2 Blog Post: This week, we were asked to read and
reflect on three articles from Special Issue: Systematic Reviews of Research on
Emerging Learning Environments and Technology. Educational Technology Research
and Development (ETR&D).
Article 1: Exploring Social Media in Faculty Professional
Development
Key Takeaways from the Reading
This systematic review by Dennen, Choi, and Word (2020) explores the role of
social media in faculty professional development (PD) in higher education. The
study reveals that professional learning networks (PLNs) and online communities
of practice (CoPs) offer faculty members opportunities to engage in informal
and collaborative learning beyond institutional boundaries. Key findings
highlight that social media-supported PD is still in its early stages, with
Twitter and Facebook being the most utilized platforms. However, challenges
persist in sustaining faculty engagement and ensuring effective participation,
particularly for novice users (Dennen et al., 2020).
Personal Reflections
I find it fascinating how social media blurs the lines between formal and
informal PD, allowing faculty to engage in meaningful dialogues and resource
sharing on their own terms. However, I am concerned about the digital
divide—faculty members who are less tech-savvy or lack access may struggle to
fully participate. Additionally, the challenge of maintaining sustained
engagement resonates with my own experience; while social media offers great
initial excitement, long-term participation requires structured incentives and
community-building efforts (Trust et al., 2017).
Emerging Technology Highlight
Twitter remains a powerful tool for professional learning, with hashtags like
#AcademicTwitter and #EduChat fostering global conversations. According to
Veletsianos and Kimmons (2013), Twitter provides instant access to scholarly
discussions, research findings, and peer support in ways that traditional PD
methods often lack.
Peer Engagement
How do you think social media can better support faculty development? Are there
strategies to ensure sustained engagement beyond the novelty phase?
Quote of the Week:
"Professional learning is no longer confined to traditional settings;
social media expands the classroom beyond walls, time zones, and
disciplines."
Article 2: A comprehensive systematic review of
MOOC research: Research techniques, topics, and trends from 2009 to 2019
This review highlights the evolving nature of MOOCs from an
initial emphasis on open access to a more structured and revenue-driven model.
As an educator, I find it interesting how the focus on student experience and
engagement aligns with my own experiences in online learning environments.
However, the limited focus on instructors indicates a gap that should be
addressed in future research to better support educators in online teaching.
Emerging Trends and Implications
One of the critical takeaways is the increasing emphasis on using MOOC data
analytics to understand learner behaviors and outcomes. As MOOC platforms
continue to expand globally, there is a need for more qualitative and
mixed-methods research to capture the nuanced experiences of diverse
learners. Furthermore, the findings can inform policy makers on the potential
of MOOCs to bridge educational gaps in underserved regions.
Discussion Questions for Peers
- Given
the rapid growth of MOOCs, how can institutions better leverage them for
lifelong learning?
- What
strategies can be implemented to enhance instructor engagement and
participation in MOOC design?
Quote of the Week:
"MOOCs have evolved from being a free educational experiment to a
structured ecosystem with commercial potential and academic credibility."
— Zhu, Sari, & Lee (2020)
Article 3: Using Technology in Special Education: Current
Practices and Trends
This article by Olakanmi et al. (2020) provides a systematic
review of literature from 2014 to 2018 on the use of technology to support
learners with cognitive and developmental disabilities. Analyzing 126
publications sourced from databases such as ACM, IEEE, ScienceDirect, and SSCI,
the study examines the characteristics of technology use, learner demographics,
and intervention outcomes. The findings indicate that educational games were
the most commonly used technology, with cognitive skill improvements being the
most frequently studied outcome. Most interventions were conducted in formal
educational environments and lasted between 5 to 10 weeks, primarily targeting
pre-college students with learning disabilities. The study reveals a focus on
academic subjects, especially in the natural sciences, while life and job
skills received relatively little attention. The authors highlight the need for
more comprehensive reporting of intervention details and a greater emphasis on
promoting social and vocational skills. They also emphasize the importance of
social validity, suggesting that technological interventions should align with
learners’ practical needs and long-term goals.
Personal Reflection:
This article resonates deeply with my research interests in the intersection of
technology and education, particularly in supporting students with special
needs. It highlights the potential of educational technology in addressing
cognitive and developmental challenges, reinforcing my belief that
well-designed interventions can significantly enhance learning outcomes.
However, I find it concerning that life and job skills receive minimal
attention, as these are crucial for fostering independence and social
integration. Given my background in teaching and instructional design, I see
opportunities to bridge this gap by incorporating digital tools that not only
support academic learning but also empower students in real-life applications. The
emphasis on social validity is particularly insightful, as it underscores the
need to align technological interventions with students' long-term aspirations,
a principle I aim to incorporate in my own work.
References
Dennen, V.
P., Choi, H., & Word, K. (2020). Social media, teenagers, and the school
context: A scoping review of research in education. Educational
Technology Research and Development, 68(6), 1635-1658.
Trust, T.,
Carpenter, J. P., & Krutka, D. G. (2017). Moving beyond silos: Professional
learning networks in higher education. The Internet and Higher
Education, 35, 1-11.
Veletsianos,
G., & Kimmons, R. (2013). Scholars and faculty members' lived experiences
in online social networks. The Internet and Higher Education, 16, 43-50.
Zhu, M.,
Sari, A. R., & Lee, M. M. (2020). A comprehensive systematic review of MOOC
research: Research techniques, topics, and trends from 2009 to 2019. Educational
Technology Research and Development, 68(4), 1685-1710. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-020-09798-x
Your acknowledgement of the digital divide, or gap, between faculty is an important. I reviewed the article by Dennen et al. (2020), and was wondering to myself how I might use social media with the faculty I work with. Part of my thinking included the fact that some of them were not on social media, or had an account because they felt they needed to. For me, I mainly used LinkedIn for professional growth, following the right people or pages helps me gain knowledge from others. As I lead a group of faculty for this, LinkedIn has been proposed as a way to quickly provide new and important information or data to help faculty, however, only a percentage of faculty are on LinkedIn. The other part of social media is that now more than ever, everything you see is curated for you by some algorithm, for faculty this could be good or bad. If faculty members stay on a specific topic and follow the right thing, then social media can be effective. If faculty stray too far, they may stop seeing or engaging with the right content for professional development growth.
ReplyDeleteI have not read about or explored MOOCs to a great depth yet, but have a similar question. How do designers/faculty ensure faculty engagement in a MOOC? How does a learner receive adequate and personalized relevant and timely feedback?
Hi Fidelis,
ReplyDeleteGreat idea to not only provide your own insights, but encourage participation with some questions for us! I might have to borrow this idea.
How do you think social media can better support faculty development? Are there strategies to ensure sustained engagement beyond the novelty phase?
Something that I think is difficult to overcome from a staff engagement perspective would be choosing a social media platform in the first place. Everyone has different preferences, and creating a culture of sustained participation would be difficult if you cannot get everyone using the same thing.
I recently interned at an organization that had a company-wide social media platform through Microsoft. It presented like a feed, and many staff members would share exciting professional accomplishments and upcoming projects. But it was also a space where one could use it to post a picture of a recent trip, pet, or family outing. This was a great way to support relationship building within the organization, and made it a little more fun to participate. I think this type of social media implementation can encourage ongoing participation - even as an intern I found it fun to keep up with some of my colleagues on there.
Given the rapid growth of MOOCs, how can institutions better leverage them for lifelong learning?
I think a lot of the shift we want to see in regard to MOOCs will have to come from corporations and companies. MOOCs/certificates don't seem to carry the weight that a four year degree does during the application and job seeking phase. In order for institutions to make these more appealing to learners, we will culturally have to shift our thinking and accept them as an equally valuable and viable option for lifelong learning and skill building.
ReplyDeleteHi Fidelis, I really appreciate how you organize your reflections and include questions to spark further discussion with peers. Your question about using social media to support faculty development is particularly thought-provoking, especially given its ubiquity in today’s technological era. As Diana mentioned, sustaining participation can be challenging due to individual preferences. Creating an information-sharing platform tailored to the academic community, similar to an internal network within a company, could potentially help maintain connections and share useful information instantly. This approach could enable faculty to achieve a common level of dialogue, making communication and collaboration more efficient.