RSA#1-OnLIne PLC Considerations

When examining the Professional Learning Communities (PLC) three factors are important: development, implementation, and sustaining (of learning) must be focused on.  By building a solid foundation for learning outcomes, communicating the learning outcomes to students, and then offering avenues for that learning to take place, students may advance through the PLC successfully.  However, successful learning will only occur if the students are actively participating, or feeling connected to the community.  What happens when an individual is not being successful in the learning community?  In a traditional school setting, the student may be surrounded by an army of helpful and concerned adults who offer support.  In high-functioning schools, this is what occurs.  DuFour, Dufour, Eaker, and Karhanek state, in Raising the Bar and Closing the Gap: Whatever it Takes (2010) describe nine different schools where students receive additional time and support for learning.  In each school, systems and were put into place that allowed for remediation. 

The research study “Beyond Student Perceptions: Issues of Interaction, Presence, and Performance in an Online Course” by Anthony G. Picciano looks at the perception that face to face, traditional classroom courses allow greater student involvement.  The idea of presence in a course may dissipate without real life interaction, and some students could feel isolated and separate from classmates and course content with an online course.  The study performed looked at the number of posts in relation to students’ success in the course.  The study found that a correlation does exist between the number of interactions on the course discussion boards; higher participation showed greater success.

Implications of the two ideas point to the following idea for online learning communities sustaining the success of each participant.  A struggling student will receive extra time and support in a traditional school setting.  I assert that an online learning community could offer these same supports (extra tutoring and targeted practice) through the online community.  Either face to face or online, experts and those knowledgeable to help may both interact with a student who needs extra time.  I wonder if the online atmosphere would offer more flexibility and ease to individual’s schedules and time constraints.

References:

DuFour, R., Dufour, R., Eaker, R., & Many, T. (2010) Learning by doing. (2^nd Ed.) Bloomington, In: Solution Tree Press.

Picciano, A., (2002). Beyond students perceptions: issues of interaction, presence, and performance in an online course. JALN, Volume 6, July 2002.