Matt's Adventures in mLearning: FO2010

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Wow!

It’s interesting how you just don’t consider things until they are pointed out to you in black and white.

I have been designing and running virtual classroom and online facilitation events for the past three years, and it wasn’t until today that the concept of cultural competence really struck a chord with me.

I had always been careful in ensuring that the language I use is broken down and designed for my learner.  That is, it is easily digestible, with no jargon or acronyms etc, but after reading “...the digital skills we need to be life-long learners in a culturally diverse online environment by S. van de Bunt-Kokhuis and M. Bolger (2009): Talent competences in the new eLearning generation, I actually got a much clearer picture of what it is really all about.  

I had never considered the difficulty that would face individuals where English was their second language (in my own defence the audience I generally design for is Australian, 20-40 somethings, male and female) Individuals who speak English as their primary language have a hard enough time understanding all of the terminology.  Imagine trying to translate the English into a native tongue and then try and understand what it means!

The one example within the document that really brought it home for me was where an extremely talented individual, who may have an amazing discovery to share, had to submit a paper about their discovery in for example, English.  A language that wasn’t their native one.  Now, due to their inexperience with English the paper would get knocked back and not published due to poor punctuation.  Yet if it was composed in their native language, people would be clamouring to get it in a publication.

The other example was the one where those that use screen readers are disadvantaged in ‘chatrooms’ because the screen reader can not pick up the text out of a java-based chatroom.  I had no idea that was the case.

So the question that was posed is “How do I ensure I am being a culturally competent facilitator in an online environment?”  Here is what I decided was necessary:

·         Be aware of your own assumptions and don’t leap to any conclusions

·         Learn a bit about the cultures that are participating in your sessions

·         Use an online translator for any difficult words.  If you are lucky to have someone who is bilingual ask them if it’s ok to assist

·         Be forgiving on mistakes in spelling or punctuation, esp. if English isn’t their primary language

·         Check that screen readers will function with the tools you will be using

·         Make learning objects as accesible as possible i.e. subtitles, good use of contrasting colours, alternative media etc

·         Be culturally sensitive.  What is appropriate banter for a bunch of male Australians may not be necessarily appropriate for any other cultures, especially where there are marked differences in what’s appropriate according to gender.

·         Be aware of your online communication and resources.  Consider whether they are appropriate for your learners and the various cultures, genders, sexuality, race or personal beliefs.

·         Re-assess your material as often as required or as new individuals join the online environment.

I am continually frustrated by people that "poo poo" elearning and online collaboration after only playing in the space for 5minutes.

 Like anything in the world you don't become an expect in it the minute you start using it. Great musicians don't pick up their first guitar and belt out an awesome riff or compose an classic piece of music in 10 seconds, everything takes time.

Some people have researched and stated that it can take up to 10,000hours to become an expert in anything!

The pedagogy/andragogy should be driving the technology NOT the other way around!

Actually, Let's forget the word "technology" and call these tech things a  "learning activity or learning tool" just like a roleplay, a case study discussion, a worksheet, or an experiential activity.

If a face to face workshop is more appropriate then an online one, then run a face to face workshop!

Don't "diss" a learning tool because of an initial bad experience. You will be doing yourself a great disservice.

If you have had an unpleasant experience with elearning, before you write it off, show a little patience and preservere. You will uncover some amazings learning tools, opportunities and experiences.

Just don't expect it to happen in 5 minutes.

I finally had the opportunity to connect to FO2010 online session yesterday, and it was nice to be interacting synchronously with other FO2010 attendees.

My experience with Twitter has been predominantly as an information resource, but I have had the opportunity to observe it being used as a ‘back channel’ and as an online discussion via the weekly #lrnchat session.

Last night I jumped on with the #FO2010 hashtag, and was able to spend the last 30minutes of the session interacting with my co-participants.

What worked well?

The hashtag made it easy to see everyone who was involved and was great to get differing ideas in regards to how twitter could be used as an online facilitation tool.  The near instantaneous feedback is good for those that prefer a synchronous learning method.

What did not go so well?

I find the ‘peripheral noise’ of twitter to always be a challenge.  I compare Twitter to a pub/bar/nightclub at about 9pm at night.  You are generally chatting to your friends, but sometimes straining to hear them over the noise of all the other ‘tweets’.  I occasionally have ADD moments using the platform.

What skills or resources do you need to network and facilitate meetings using Twitter?

As with all technology, you need a good modicum of patience to assist those that aren’t as techno savvy as others.

A major dose of concentration!  It’s quite easy to get lost amongst the tweets.  Have a plan for what you want to discuss, keep it to a reasonable time period i.e. an hour.  Any longer and it gets harder for people to stay focussed.  I find that’s the case with any online synchronous collaboration platform e.g. Elluminate, Dim Dim, WizIQ, MS Live Meeting etc.

Have a back-up plan.  Twitter has notorious moments of EPICFAIL called the ‘Fail Whale’.  I would never rely on it as your sole platform.  Definitely have another online platform ready to go in case you need it.  As with all online facilitation, Plan B should always be ready to takeover at the flick of a switch.

How do you see yourself using Twitter in the future, if at all, for online facilitation?

I think Twitter comes into its own as a back channel at conferences/seminars etc.  It’s informal enough to wash over you but formal enough to comment and discuss further ideas about whatever is being discussed in the main arena.  One of the cleverest ways I have seen Twitter used is at a live conference where they fed the related Twitter feed onto screens for people to view while the presentation was occurring in real time.  The presenter used Twitter to poll the audiences and as a way they could ask questions about the presentation.  There are even some tools doing the rounds on the net that will allow you to embed the twitter stream directly into your PowerPoint presentation as you deliver it.  Very Clever!

In mLearning the iPhone, Blackberry, Android, Nokia, Sony Ericsson etc is the ideal interface to support the live conference back channel as described above.  Small, portable, and fits in your pocket.  The mobile platform is much easier to utilise then whipping out your laptop or netbook, booting up, starting your client of choice, and then tweeting.  By the time you have done that the presentation would have moved on.  With the mobile platform being practically ‘always on’, you can get into the ‘guts’ of the learning moment with minimal delay.

UPDATE

I just attended the second twitter session that was held this morning, and experienced both what was good about twitter and bad.  The bad was that our hashtag #FO2010 only seemed to be functioning for half of the participants, the others just weren't showing up in the stream.  After some basic troubleshooting we still couldn't work out why some poeple weren't showing up, and going back over the stream there seemed to be a few people falling out as well?  Very odd and confusing.  Some participants patience started to fray and left the session.  Very disapointing for them and also Sarah who had done everything in her power to assist.  Unfortunately that is the nature of technology, sometimes it is completely unpredicatble and doesn't work how it should.

On the positive side, those that were able to take part had quite a good discussion about padagogy and technology, and were able to experience how a twitter session should play out.

I hope those that missed out get the opportunity to experience it soon.

Wow, time flies when you’re well...lurking

I have just realised how long it has been since my last post and can’t believe what has happened in that time period.  Australia finally has a new government (albeit a minority one), the workload has continued to increase at my place of employment and there has been a dreadful earthquake in NZ (Hope you are all safe and being able to return to some level of ‘normalcy’).

So what have I learnt over the past few weeks?

Well, the first thing I have learnt is that if you rely on a mobile platform to interface with a learning event, the temptation is very strong to lurk. 

Getonbuspayfareandopenupiphonebrowserreadweeklyresourcesthinkhowtoapplyincurrentworkplace
flicktoblogsthathavebeengoodtofollowwherepeoplearehavingsomeamazingdiscoverieslistentopodcasts
fromitunesuniversityandaudiostreamsofelluminateseminarscurseselffornotbeingmoreinvolved
promiseselftoblogsoonbutcan’tdealwithtinykeyboardatthemomentbecausesomeonejustsatnexttoyuoonsaidbus
andhastheirelbowjammedintoyourribsturnphoneoffgetoffbusandfallintocoldrealityofdailygrind...

*sigh*

I am not a fan of the ‘lurker’ yet I have just become one.  The irony is killing me.

So to all my co-participants in FO2010, contrary to popular belief I have not been kidnapped by aliens or locked away in a dingy cellar somewhere. I am still here.  It’s just the role I’m playing is the person looking over your shoulder who is desperately wanting to chat but has had his vocabulary stunted by his choice of interface.

Well it is...and it isn't.

• Accommodation
• People/Relief
• Room/chairs/tables/PC's
• Refreshments 
• Location/Travel

• PC access (work or home)
• completed on any PC at work
• shorter time off the front line