A Marketing Class blog experience. By: Carole Raymundo Diamante Research Consultant

Transcription

1 A Marketing Class blog experience By: Carole Raymundo Diamante Research Consultant

2 In response to the changing learning environments where students and peers play a critical role in authentic learning, E-learning today has permeated even the academe, thus providing greater flexibility in the study (Safran, Helic & Gutl, 2007). Its popular use for enhancing traditional learning environments has lent to authentic and collaborative learning experiences.

3 As a point of departure from Piaget s cognitive development where learning has an end, Vygotsky popularized the Social Development theory of Learning which argues that social interaction profoundly influence cognitive development, thus making learning a continuous process focused on the connections between people and the cultural contexts in which they act and interact in shared experiences (Crawford, 1996).

4 Central to Vygotsky s theory is a phenomenon he called the Zone of Proximal Development which refers to the use tools developed from culture to mediate their social environments. It is this ZPD which bridges the gap between what is known and can be known, where learning becomes a reciprocal experience both for the students and teacher.

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6 Instructional design of a material to be learned could be structures to promote and encourage student interaction and collaboration. Only then can classrooms be authentically transformed to a community of learning.

7 Blogging, an E-learning form, has become firmly established as a webbased communications tool. Blogs, along with Podcasts and Wikis are no longer emerging technologies (Seitzinger,2006).

8 Today, most learners possess a computer, use multifunction mobile technologies, have easy access to Internet, regularly apply course management systems for coursework, and to send instant messages (IM) as well as short messages. (McGee & Diaz, 2007).

9 Within the trajectory of instructional strategies, this study was implemented to evaluate the appropriation of edublogs to a given locale for purposes of determining its effectiveness of reciprocal teaching and cognitive guided instruction in testing the applicability of Lev Vygotsky s Social Development Theory.

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11 1. What instructional strategies were used to access the Zone of Proximal Development among the 4 th year Business students of Assumption College towards learning in the subject Global Marketing Trends and Styles?

12 2. How was the Instructor able to provide his students the opportunity to extend their current skills and knowledge? In what scenarios were dialogues created in the interface between students and their teacher?

13 1. To determine the instructional strategies used by the teacher in accessing the Zone of Proximal Development 2. To describe the strategies employed by the teacher aimed at extending current skills and knowledge

14 3. To explain the scenarios where dialogue was/were created in the interface between students and their teacher

15 The study on the effectiveness of Lev Zygotsky s Social Development Theory has been organized around the class activities of Prof. Belarmino on the subject Global Marketing Trends and Styles, offered to 4 th year Marketing students of Assumption College Makati.

16 VARIABLES MEASURES INDICATORS Use of edublogs Instructional design and strategy Accessing the ZPD Social Development Theory Social interaction Interface of cognitive development & learner s culture Community of Learning Zone of Proximal Development Developing enhancing skills

17 First main point: Social interaction and culture have a dramatic impact on cognitive development.

18 Second main point: The Zone of Proximal Development

19 Third main point: the cognition process on educational blogs. Educational blogs require a cognition process to work.

20 SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT THEORY Social Interaction as the main driving force of learning TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM Face to face interaction More moved by vocal interaction All paralinguistic cues (emotions and facial expressions) are visible More informal No time lapse between flow of communication Clear opacity of the medium. Everyone sees all participants and how many people they are engaging with. EDUCATIONAL BLOG Distance communication More text-based interaction Paralinguistic cues as to a speaker s intention are not available, except through the use of the combinations of keystrokes (emoticons) or the use of typeface for emphasis More formal and fluent Huge time lapse between conversations Time and place independence

21 SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT THEORY Zone of Proximal Development TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM In the traditional classroom the ZPD are the lessons unknown to the students. Scaffolding by the teacher includes introduction to the new lesson and the discussions furthermore. EDUCATIONAL BLOG In the virtual classroom, or the edublog system, the ZPD refers to the instructions of the teacher about what to post and how to post. Included here are the instruction of when and who to give feedback to.

22 SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT THEORY Cognition Process TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM The cognition process on the traditional classroom differs greatly on the virtual classroom. The traditional method here applies, the teacher gives the discussion and the students listen. In some cases, the students are allowed to participate. Also, on submission of requirements, the students are required to pass a hard copy to the teacher. EDUCATIONAL BLOG Edublogs follow the interaction system. The students learn by interacting with their peers/colleagues. A higher participation is needed to achieve the maximum educational potential of blogs. An edublog is a paperless society. Instead of handing a hard copy, requirements like reflection papers, reviews or critiques, even audio visual materials could be posted online.

23 Apart from data triangulation, the researcher used a qualitative analysis method called the notice-collectthink system. On a general level, noticing means making observations, writing field notes, tape recording interviews and gathering documents (Saidel, 1998).

24 Findings 1. Social Interaction as a crucial part of the learning process. 2. The Zone of Proximal Development as applied to Prof. Ferdie Belarminos classes

25 3. The cognition process of educational blogs as applied to the Marketing classes 4. It may justifiably be said that there was a significant shift from surface to deep learning among students.

26 5. In the end, the responses about the potential of blogs as effective virtual extensions of the traditional classroom were unanimous. Everyone agreed that educational blogs are efficient supplements to learning.

27 Conclusions 1. Because of its functionality and flexibility, the educational blogging approach has shown positive results in leading students to deeper learning as long as the facilitator ensures active participation.

28 2. Motivations lead to participation. The right motivations keep students at work.

29 3. The overall degree of satisfaction among first-time users remains subjective. Certainly, there is no single interaction that is applicable for all situations. Educators need to make learning fun and worthwhile, depending on the attitude of the students, to create or maintain the current sense of excitement associated with participating in the blogsphere. Instructional designs have to be tailored for them, as well as for the target objectives.

30 4. Students, the new educational bloggers, have to feel a sense of ownership of the media. They have to hold a certain degree of control over their educational blog sites.

31 5. While there were some negative views, the advantages that the new media bring outweigh the detriments that could possibly surface. Educational blogs are effective virtual extensions of the traditional classroom.

32 6. The new social media, based on the class of Prof. Ferdie Belarmino, was effective in facilitating the students learning and helped ultimately in the development of further comprehension.

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38 THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!