Janette R. Hill

Teaching and Learning in Digital Environments: The Resurgence of Resource-based Learning

The digital age has not simply changed the nature of resources and information; it has transformed several basic social and economic enterprises. Contemporary society—the settings where we live, work, and learn—has likewise changed dramatically. Both the amount of information and access to it have grown exponentially; a significant potential for using varied resources in numerous ways for instruction and learning has emerged. However, several issues related to the educational uses of varied resources (e.g., people, place, things, ideas) must be addressed if we are successfully to implement resource-based learning environments. In this paper, we trace the changing nature of resources and perspectives in their use for learning in the digital age, describe the overarching structures of resource-based learning environments, and identify key challenges to be addressed.

Virtual Mentoring and HRD

The problem and the solution. The purpose of this article is to explore virtual mentoring and discuss its implications for human resource development (HRD) as an individual and career development intervention. The authors recognize virtual mentoring as an alternative to traditional mentoring that is easier to manage, less costly, unconstrained by geography or time, faster, and more egalitarian than traditional mentoring. This article defines, compares, and contrasts traditional and virtual mentoring. It discusses the benefits and challenges of using computer-mediated communication for mentoring purposes. It concludes with a discussion of how human resource development professionals can facilitate virtual mentoring in the global knowledge age. Key implications for HRD include using virtual mentoring as a lifelong education tool, educating mentors and protégés, supporting a multicultural workforce, and building knowledge.

Overcoming obstacles and creating connections: Community building in Web-based learning environments

THE WEB, LIKE NO OTHER TECHNOLOGIES BEFORE IT, has received widespread acceptance and use across disciplines within higher education. Despite its broad application, satisfaction with the Web for purposes of instruction is not as prevalent. Many obstacles have presented themselves, creating barriers to satisfaction with the environment. Creating a community of learners is one strategy that has been recommended for increasing satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to present several strategies and techniques that have proven successful for community building in Web-based learning environments.

Collaborate to Learn, Learn to Collaborate: Examining the Roles of Context, Community, and Cognition in Asynchronous Discussion

This study explored how asynchronous discussion supported by a Web-based learning system facilitated collaborative learning. The participants in this study consisted of the instructor, facilitators, and the students in a masters level course at a university in the south. Different sources of evidence were used in the study (individual/group interviews, and discussion board transcripts), and various methods were used to analyze the data (inductive analysis and discourse analysis). Three main categories with multiple themes emerged from the data as important for facilitating collaborative learning in online environments: context (i.e., structural support, active participation), community (i.e., a formation of membership, generation of social dialogue), and cognition (i.e., a social process of learning, communal facilitation). Implications for research and practice are described at the conclusion of the article.

Real-time use of the iPad by third-year medical students for clinical decision support and learning: a mixed methods study

Purpose Despite widespread use of mobile technology in medical education, medical students’ use of mobile technology for clinical decision support and learning is not well understood. Three key questions were explored in this extensive mixed methods study: 1) how medical students used mobile technology in the care of patients, 2) the mobile applications (apps) used and 3) how expertise and time spent changed overtime. Methods This year-long (July 2012–June 2013) mixed methods study explored the use of the iPad, using four data collection instruments: 1) beginning and end-of-year questionnaires, 2) iPad usage logs, 3) weekly rounding observations, and 4) weekly medical student interviews. Descriptive statistics were generated for the questionnaires and apps reported in the usage logs. The iPad usage logs, observation logs, and weekly interviews were analyzed via inductive thematic analysis. Results Students predominantly used mobile technology to obtain real-time patient data via the electronic health record (EHR), to access medical knowledge resources for learning, and to inform patient care. The top four apps used were Epocrates®, PDF Expert®, VisualDx®, and Micromedex®. The majority of students indicated that their use (71%) and expertise (75%) using mobile technology grew overtime. Conclusions This mixed methods study provides substantial evidence that medical students used mobile technology for clinical decision support and learning. Integrating its use into the medical students daily workflow was essential for achieving these outcomes. Developing expertise in using mobile technology and various apps was critical for effective and efficient support of real-time clinical decisions.

Strategies for Instructors on How to Improve Online Groupwork

Online groupwork is becoming an increasingly popular instructional strategy. Although researchers have questioned the benefits of groupwork in online learning environments, little empirical research has examined the challenges it presents. The purpose of this study was to investigate the experience of students involved in online groupwork to find strategies that could be implemented to assist students in completing online groupwork. The findings indicated that the strategies for the instructors included two areas: course design and groupwork process. The course design strategies include 1) providing multiple communication methods; 2) providing an overall plan for the class; 3) preparing for technology; and 4) building virtual team skills. The groupwork process strategies include 1) assisting group formation; 2) building a sense of connection; 3) being involved in group processes; and 4) evaluating group processes. Finally, this study suggested future research is needed in the conditions that facilitate effective group composition.

Reflections on resource-based learning environments : continuing the exploration of opportunities and obstacles

The digital age has led to several changes in the nature of information resources. The very nature of the media and the ubiquitous presence of enabling technologies in classrooms, libraries, homes, businesses and communities have assisted with propelling the transformation. The implications of this change for education have been somewhat nebulous. While some recognise the promise for teaching and learning in the digital age, the methods and strategies used remain largely unchanged. The purpose of this paper is to provide a framework for thinking about the design of learning environments based on a resource-based model. Firstly, I present examples to frame Resource-Based Learning Environments (RBLEs) from different contexts. A description of the underlying infrastructure of RBLEs follows. Secondly, I discuss of how RBLEs can open opportunities within a learning environment, regardless of the context followed by some obstacles that can hinder RBLE implementation. Finally, suggestions for implementation and future research are provided.

Design and Teaching: A Bibliographic Essay

Abstract Distance education, particularly online education, is becoming a standard experience in formal learning environments, particularly at the postsecondary level. As more faculty and students have expectations that distance education is a part of the learning experience, we need to build a deeper understanding of how to design effective environments to enhance and extend the learning process. Further, we need to explore how to best facilitate learning in these contexts. This bibliographic essay explores the literature related to design and teaching in distance education as presented in the third section of Moores (2007a) Handbook of Distance Education (Table 1 provides an overview of all the chapters in the Design and Teaching section of the Handbook).

Design and teaching: a bibliographic essay

Ingenierie pedagogique et ingenierie didactique : un essai bibliographiqueL’enseignement a distance, et particulierement en ligne, est en train de devenir une demarche standard dans les environnements d’apprentissage formels, notamment au niveau post-scolaire. Alors qu’un nombre croissant d’enseignants et d’etudiants s’attendent a ce que l’enseignement a distance soit integre a leur apprentissage il est necessaire de mieux comprendre comment concevoir des dispositifs efficaces pour developper le processus d’apprentissage. Au-dela, il s’agit aussi d’explorer comment faciliter l’apprentissage dans ces contextes. Cet essai bibliographique explore la litterature portant sur la conception d’environnement et l’enseignement a distance tels que les articles de la section trois du « Handbook » (2007) les exposent (voir la liste des articles dans le premier tableau).DOI:10.3166/DS.7.601-613