SELF DIRECTED LEARNING EDAC 634
SURVIVAL GUIDE
Begin Today
Online group work can be daunting and difficult to manage and if you are proactivly engaging in active communication, meet preset deadlines, and are patient with one another it may be that much easier. In our group, we employed regular group meetings using an online virtual meeting space via ‘gotomeeting.com’, allowing us to discuss assignments and concerns in real time. During our first virtual meeting, we established a specific group plan with clearly defined roles and deadlines. When questions arose outside of these meetings we emailed one another as a group, and when a member needed to take personal time we eagerly picked up the difference and supported the member. Establishing a clear timeline and roles for each assignment early will help streamline the process even when hiccups occur, thus avoiding missing a deadline. Our group maintained regular communication with compassion, goodwill, and patience easing what could have been a difficult and daunting process.
EVALUATION OF PRAXIS
The program evaluation involved input from three different sources which was then used to make changes to strengthen and refine the initial design published on our blog. First, we received feedback from other students in class, just as we provided feedback to them on their designs. Second, we presented our program to outside professionals from a variety of professional fields to get a feel for how the program would look to the general public. Third, we finally received feedback from our instructor, Dr. Bo Chang, who was able to look at our program from an expert viewpoint. All of these reviews were combined into a coherent document which included our individual and combined reflections on the suggestions made by our evaluators.
DESIGNING THE PROGRAM
The first portion of the Program design was divided into two parts: individual reviews of the general literature on the topic of self-directed learning and focused reviews on aspects related to our program design. In the first part, each group member read a wide variety of articles and books to get a better understanding of the field of self-directed learning. In the second part, one group member compiled these ideas into a rationale from literature for the program we designed while another member reviewed literature concerning existing self-directed learning programs to create a rationale from practical cases. These were then combined with the an outline of the program as it was developed by the group and streamlined by one member into a coherent whole.
REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
The next stage of the project involved the writing of literature reviews. Each member performed individual research on the general themes, implication, and a reflection. During the meeting to determine the group plan, group members established a time line for peer review before the due date. The inclusion of the peer review allowed an opportunity for edit and feedback prior to the due date. Upon assessment of our individual work we identified individual member strengths and weaknesses, two group members were especially strong in completing the required chart and were responsible for the charts in the remaining assignments. Through this assignment we established the measures, general themes, and praxis of self-directed learning.
OUR PLAN
The initial stage of developing our project was the creation of a group plan. This group plan, shared on our blog between all members of the group as well as our classmates, explicitly stated due dates for each section and who was responsible for each piece of the puzzle. These due dates included a timeline for the initial creation of every part as well as timely feedback from all group members followed by a deadline to share final drafts with our blog-master for posting. Another key element of our group plan was the designation of a task master for each assignment. This person reminded the other group members of their jobs and deadlines as well as offering encouragement and feedback along the way.
OUR PROJECT
Welcome to our program construction demonstration! We provide complete transparency of our process to you, our client. Within this website, you will witness the step by step process we take to build your comprehensive self-directed learning (SDL) program. During the research and development of your SDL program, we remain grounded in theoretical framework devising a plan, reviewing the available literature, developing a program, and forwarding the final product to you for your edit and approval. This website serves as a template of our process and we invite you to add your voice to our process and comment.
