Blackboard Project

(210+60=270 points)

I. Philosophy of the Project

1. Establish a collective community goal to support collaboration and engagement in the community. Throughout this semester, students in each group work together to solve some educational problems or to discuss some educational issues. All these assignments are required to be completed with the constructs of the knowledge the students have acquired from their own experiences and from this class.

This project is designed as a tool to promote collaboration and knowledge building.

2. To enhance the level of interactivity (communication, participation, and feedback), which is a vital element in the online learning process. According to social constructivists, learning is a social construct that is mediated by language and social discourse (Vygotsky, 1978). The social view of knowing places emphasis on a collaborative and cooperative learning environment and encourage active dialogue. In such an environment learners are exposed to multiple perspectives that serve to form cognitive scaffolds as the students exchange information with each other, the people around them and experts in the field. Furthermore, the social view of interactivity uses problem-based learning as an instructional procedure in order to transfer control over the learning process from the teacher to the students and to structure and support a carefully planned series of collaborative learning activities, which constitute the content and assignments of the online instruction.

3. To maintain positive relationships with one another Emotions, feelings, motivations, and attitudes are integral parts of an intellectual and social development. A community of learners cannot exist if its members do not care for each other and do not understand each other's feelings. Members of a community must have feelings or empathy for each other and provide emotional support when needed. This emotional support could be in the form of providing encouragement or offering help and hints. Thus, it was assumed that in this collaborative and conversational learning environment, emotional support would be provided along with social and cognitive support.

This Blackboard work assignment consists of graded and ungraded activities, which will be indicated in the detailed assignment direction, different forms of discussions and different discussion topics according to each unit.

Here is the direction of how to work on this assignment:

II. Group Discussion Questions (7 questions, each worth 30 points, totaling 210 points)

Different group discussion activities will be done according to different learning contents. There will be a discussion question posted in the Group Discussion section of Blackboard for each unit. You will be graded on quality as well as quantity. It is hoped that answers will be stimulating and thought-provoking.

NOTE: Everything you post is open to the class and is NOT ANONYMOUS.

1) Log into Blackboard using your ODU email login and password
2) Click on the Courses tab at the top of the screen
3) Click on the SOCIAL/CULTURAL FOUNDATN OF ED link
4) Click on the Group Discussion link
5) Click on the link for the group you have been assigned to
6) Click on the Group Discussion Board link
7) Click on a forum to enter the discussion
8) Click New Thread to post your answer
9) You can respond to other group members'answers for each discussion topic.

There are 30 possible points for each unit. There are seven units for a total of 210 points. Group discussion questions are graded shortly after the assigned due date.

III. 2+2 Evaluation (20 points each, total 60 points)

The 2+2 is an effective system that Dr. Allen frequently uses to exchange feedback. It is a quick and effective way to open the lines of communication. You combine 2 encouraging things to say (compliments) with 2 constructive things to say (suggestions). You do two of each so that the person you are talking to doesn't get too much information, and you combine the encouraging with the constructive so that the person gets help without feeling criticized.

1. After Group Discussions you will irregularly be required to do a 2+2 on blackboard. You can do these 2+2s on a number of different things including the quality of the questions, members of your group, general aspects of the group discussion experience, etc.

2. If you submit your 2+2 after the due date you must email the TA's to bring it to their attention, otherwise we won't know that it was submitted. Late 2+2s will not be counted without any special reason. There are three 2+2 for a total of 60 points.

EXAMPLE OF A 2 + 2