Abstract:

This presentation illustrates the ways in which a framework for discussion was utilized as a pedagogical tool to provide students in a senior capstone course with the opportunity to critically reflect on course content, develop and assess goals, as they considered theory and their service learning and community engagement experiences while working in partnership with local schools and community members.

The framework, focusing on the needs of adult learners (Knowles, 1984), constructivist approaches and the process of inquiry , was developed considering the role of discussion as a reflective tool (Brookfield, 1995) and the need to assist students with different learning styles scaffold and organize information while developing and assessing goals leading to action plans. Brookfield and Preskill (2005) explained how “learning the dispositions and practices of democratic talk takes time and effort” (p.42). Keeping in mind that not all learners may be prepared or have the necessary skills to regulate their behavior to actively engage in the process of inquiry through the use of discussion, in which higher order thinking skills are required in order to be able to critically reflect on experiences and materials (Oliver, 2007, p. 289) tools and techniques to facilitate collaborative interactions and "shared knowledge" (Scardemalia, 2002) were considered. Important to the process of inquiry was the role of the facilitator and the impact specific pedagogical decisions can have in the learning process of students and the sharing of perspectives during discussion. The selection of collaborative techniques and tools to assist with the exchange of perspectives between different stakeholders through experiences requiring learner engagement while taking into consideration learning styles and the way tools were embedded throughout the discussion also become essential when considering ways to engage all participants.

Pedagogically, a variety of collaborative techniques and tools to help students with the process of ongoing inquiry and collaboration were explored. The constructivist nature of the class provided opportunities for students to engage in socially constructed knowledge while being able to be motivated in the exploration of concepts (Sproken -Smith, Bullard, Ray, Roberts, & Keiffer 2008) while discussions were facilitated by the instructor. Key components of class strategies that were modeled for students included the use of small and large group discussion, hands on activities and presentations, coupled with guided reflection and journaling. Collaborative grouping techniques were utilized with a variety of Web 2.0 tools to expand on the topics being discussed.

The main focus for this session will be to share the development, implementation, and results of utilizing a framework to help students scaffold information, the way Web 2.0 tools and collaborative grouping techniques were embedded, and the impact of community involvement in the critical reflection of students. Examples of ways students with different learning styles collaborated with one another will also be explored as well as the role of the facilitator in the selection and assessment of materials. Formative and summative assessments that were utilized will also be discussed.

Session handouts will be provided to all participants and will include detailed resources related to Web 2.0 tools, collaborative grouping, discussion, differentiation of instruction, and inquiry.

Keywords:

Collaborative learning, Web 2.0, discussion, face to face and online learning, frameworks for learning.