Cultivating ICT students’ interpersonal soft skills in online learning environments using traditional active learning techniques.
Abstract
Flexible online delivery of tertiary ICT programs is experiencing rapid growth. Creating an online environment that develops team building and interpersonal skills is difficult due to factors such as student isolation and the individual-centric model of online learning that encourages discrete study rather than teamwork. Incorporating teamwork into classes can be problematic due to uneven effort of group members, getting everyone to participate and making sure everyone is actually contributing in the team. Despite this, employers still state that a key learning objective of ICT graduates is the ability to work in team environments as this mirrors work force requirements. This paper presents a discussion of preliminary findings from a pilot study to determine best practices for developing interpersonal skills for students while working in virtual groups using synchronous and asynchronous online technologies.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Bangert-Drowns, R., Kulik, C., Kulik, J., & Morgan, M. (1991). The instructional effect of feedback in test-like events. Review of Educational Research, 61(2), 213-238.
Blackman, A. (2012). The Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique (IF-AT): an innovative teaching technique for human resource management students. The Business Review, Cambridge, 20(2), 59-72.
Carnaghan, C., & Webb, A. (2007). Investigating the effects of group response systems on student satisfaction, learning, and engagement in accounting education. Issues in Accounting Education, 22(3), 391-409.
Chan, V. (2011). Teaching oral communication in undergraduate science: Are we doing enough and doing it right? Journal of learning design, 4(3), 71-79.
Chickering, A., & Gamson, Z. (1987). Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education. AAHE Bulletin, 39, 3-7.
Clark, D., & Gibb, J. (2006). Virtual team learning: An introductory study team exercise. Journal of Management Education, 30(6), 765-787.
Cotner, S., Fall, B., Wick, S., Walker, J., & Baepler, P. (2008). Rapid feedback assessment methods: Can we improve engagement and preparation for exams in large-enrollment courses? Journal of Science Education Technology, 17, 437-443.
Davidson, R. (2012). Wiki Use That Increases Communication and Collaboration Motivation. Journal of learning design, 5(2), 38-49. doi: https://www.jld.edu.au/article/view/110
Dihoff, R., Brosvic, G., & Epstein, M. (2003). The role of feedback during academic testing: The delay retention effecti revisited. The Psychological Record, 53(4), 533-548.
Dineen, B. (2005). Teamxchange: A team project experience involoving virtual teams and fluid team membership. Journal of Management Education, 29(4), 593-616.
Epstein. (2009). What is the IF-AT? Retrieved 13/05/2012, from www.epsteineducation.com/home/about/default.aspx
Epstein, M., Lazarus, A., Calvano, T., Matthews, K., Hendel, R., Epstein, B., & Brosvic, G. (2002). Immediate feedback assessment technique promotes learning and corrects inaccurate first responses. The Psychological Record, 52(2), 187-201.
Falahah, & Rosmala, D. (2012). Study of Social Networking usage in Higher Education Environment. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 67(0), 156-166. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.11.316
Ferris, S. P., & Wilder, H. (2006). Uses and Potentials of Wikis in the Classroom. Innovate: Journal of Online Education, 2(5), 2006.
Friedman, B., Cox, P., & Maher, L. (2008). An expectancy theory motivation approach to peer assessment. Journal of Management Education, 32(5), 580-612.
Gilson, L. L., Maynard, M. T., & Bergiel, E. B. (2013). Virtual Team Effectiveness: An Experiential Activity. Small Group Research, 44(4), 412-427. doi: 10.1177/1046496413488216
Hall, H., & Davison, B. (2007). Social software as support in hybrid learning environments: The value of the blog as a tool for reflective learning and peer support. Library & Information Science Research, 29(2), 163-187. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2007.04.007
Higgins, R., Hartley, P., & Skelton, A. (2002). The conscientious consumer: Reconsidering the role of assessment feedback in student learning. Studies in Higher Education, 27(1), 53-64.
Hutchinson, D. (2007). Teaching practices for effective cooperative learning in an Online Learning Environment (OLE). Journal of Information Systems Education, 18(3), 357-368.
McMurtrey, M. E., Downey, J. P., Zeltmann, S. M., & Friedman, W. H. (2008). Critical skill sets of entry-level IT professionals: An empirical examination of perceptions from field personnel. Journal of Information Technology Education, 7, 101-120.
Michaelsen, L. K. (1998). Professional and organizational development network essay series teaching excellence: Toward the best in the academy (Vol. 9). Ames, IA: POD Network.
Michaelsen, L. K., Knight, A. B., & Dee Fink, L. (2004). Team-Based Learning: A Transformative Use of Small Groups in College Teaching. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.
Moog, R. S., & Spencer, J. N. (2008). Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL). USA: American Chemical Society, Oxford University Press.
Myers, T., Monypenny, R., & Trevathan, J. (2012). Overcoming the glassy-eyed nod: An application of process-oriented guided inquiry learning techniques in Information Technology. Journal of learning design, 5(1), 12-22. doi: https://www.jld.edu.au/article/view/97
Oztok, M., Zingaro, D., Brett, C., & Hewitt, J. (2013). Exploring asynchronous and synchronous tool use in online courses. Computers & Education, 60(1), 87-94. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2012.08.007
Pascarella, E., & Terenzini, P. (1991). How college affects students: Findings and insights from twenty years of reserach. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
POGIL. (2014, 2011). Process-oriented guided inquiry learning. Retrieved 10 September, 2014, from http://pogil.org/
Richardson, J. T. E. (1993). Gender differences in responses to the Approaches to Studying Inventory. Studies in Higher Education, 18(1), 3-13. doi: 10.1080/03075079312331382418
Shrivastava, P. (1999). Management classes as online learning communities. Journal of Management Education, 23(6), 691-702.
Sim, J. W. S., & Hew, K. F. (2010). The use of weblogs in higher education settings: A review of empirical research. Educational Research Review, 5(2), 151-163. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2010.01.001
Tess, P. A. (2013). The role of social media in higher education classes (real and virtual) – A literature review. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(5), A60-A68. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.12.032
Trevathan, J., & Myers, T. (2013). Towards online delivery of process-oriented guided inquiry learning techniques in Information Technology courses. Journal of learning design, 6(2), 1-11.
Trevathan, J., Myers, T., & Gray, H. (2014). Scaling-Up Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning Techniques for Teaching Large Information Systems Courses (in print). Journal of learning design.
Trigwell, K., & Prosser, M. (1991). Improving the quality of student learning: The influence of learning context and student approaches to learning on learning outcomes. Higher Education, 22(3), 251-266.
Vonderwell, S. (2003). An examination of asynchronous communication experiences and perspectives of students in an online course: a case study. The Internet and Higher Education, 6(1), 77-90. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1096-7516(02)00164-1
Williams, E., Duray, R., & Venkateshwar, R. (2006). Teamwork orientation, group cohesiveness, and student learning: A study of the use of teams in online distance education. Journal of Management Education, 30(4), 592-616.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5204/jld.v7i3.194
Article Metrics
Metrics powered by PLOS ALM
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.