Developing an online learning community through an open reflective assessment

Authors

  • John Owen University of Manchester
  • Catherine Wasiuk University of Manchester
  • Ailsa Nokes University of Manchester
  • Sian Roderick University of Manchester

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21100/compass.v14i3.1217

Keywords:

learning communities, open educational practices, co-created resources, reflective assessment

Abstract

The concepts of learning communities, open educational practices and co-created teaching and learning are topics of current debate, particularly since the switch to online learning in 2020/21 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This case study uses student feedback to evaluate a new assessment method introduced within an online distance learning Master of Public Health programme. The assessment required students to blog about their motivations for studying public health, submitting their reflections to an open online platform, resulting in the co-creation of a shared, open-learning resource for current and future students. The assessment design was informed by the benefits of open educational practices and co-created teaching and learning, with the overall aim of developing an online learning community that will continue to grow and develop beyond the initial assessment and cohort. Feedback suggests that the open, reflective nature of the assessment had a positive impact on the student learning experience and contributed towards a sense of learning community through enhanced social cohesion within the group.

Author Biographies

John Owen, University of Manchester

John Owen is a Lecturer in Technology-Enhanced Learning at The University of Manchester. He has a background in educational development and technology-enhanced learning. John teaches on the Master of Public Health programme where he is the course unit lead for Introduction to Public Health. 

Catherine Wasiuk, University of Manchester

Cath Wasiuk is a Learning Technologist at The University of Manchester. She has a particular interest in open education, micro-learning and student-staff partnerships in learning and teaching. 

Ailsa Nokes, University of Manchester

Ailsa Nokes is a Master of Public Health student and works in the NHS as an Account Director and Head of Commissioning Delivery at North of England Commissioning Support.

Sian Roderick, University of Manchester

Sian Roderick has a background in the pharmaceutical industry is now studying for a Master of Public Health.

References

Blake, J., Millson, C. and Aston, S. (2019) ‘Bursting Out of the Bubble: Social Media, Openness and Higher Education.’ In: Chris Rowell (ed.), Social Media in Higher Education: Case Studies, Reflections and Analysis. Cambridge, UK: Open Book Publishers. Available at: https://doi.org/10.11647/OBP.0162 (Accessed: 24 February 2021).

Bonk, C.J. (2012) ‘Making a Contribution: Opener #6: Learner Participation in Open Information Communities’. In: Bonk, C.J. (ed.), The World Is Open : How Web Technology Is Revolutionizing Education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. ISBN: 978-1-118-01381-6

Bovill, C. and Woolmer, C. (2018) ‘How conceptualisations of curriculum in higher education influence student-staff co-creation in and of the curriculum.’ Higher Education, 78, 407-422. Available at: http://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-018-0349-8 (Accessed: 24 February 2021).

Bovill, C. (2020) ‘Co-creation in learning and teaching: the case for a whole-class approach in higher education.’ Higher Education, 79, 1023-1037. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-018-0349-8 (Accessed: 24 February 2021).

Conole, G. (2013) Designing for Learning in an Open World. New York: Springer New York. ISBN: 978-1-4419-8517-0

Conrad, D. (2005) ‘Building and maintaining community in cohort-based online learning.’ International Journal of E-Learning & Distance Education, 20(1), 1-20. Available at: http://www.ijede.ca/index.php/jde/article/view/78 (Accessed: 24 February 2021).

Deeley, S.J. and Bovill, C. (2017) ‘Staff student partnership in assessment: enhancing assessment literacy through democratic practices.’ Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 42(3), 463-477. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2015.1126551 (Accessed: 24 February 2021).

Greenhow, C. and Lewin, C. (2016) ‘Social media and education: Reconceptualizing the boundaries of formal and informal learning.’ Learning, Media and Technology, 41, 6-30. Available at: http://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2015.1064954 (Accessed: 24 February 2021).

Healey, M., Flint, A., and Harrington, K. (2014) ‘Engagement through partnership: Students as partners in learning and teaching in higher education.’ Available at: https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/engagement-through-partnership-students-partners-learning-and-teaching-higher (Accessed: 24 February 2021).

Hibberson, S., Barrett, E. and Kelly, J. (2020) ‘Digital Wellbeing of Learners.’ Available at: https://www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/digital-wellbeing-of-learners (Accessed: 24 February 2021).

Johnston, S. and Stewart, B. (2020) ‘The Open Page: A Case Study of Partnership as Open Pedagogy.’ International Journal for Students As Partners, 4(2), 81-89. Available at: https://doi.org/10.15173/ijsap.v4i2.4182 (Accessed: 24 February 2021).

Kear, K. (2010) ‘Feeling Connected.’ In: Kear, K. (ed.), Online and Social Networking Communities: A Best Practice Guide for Educators. London: Taylor & Francis Group. ISBN: 9780415872478

Kear, K., Chetwynd, F. and Jefferis, H. (2014) ‘Social presence in online learning communities: the role of personal profiles.’ Research in Learning Technology, 22. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3402/rlt.v22.19710 (Accessed: 24 February 2021).

Lubicz-Nawrocka, T.M. (2018) ‘Students as partners in learning and teaching: The benefits of co-creation of the curriculum.’ International Journal for Students as Partners, 2(1), 47-63. Available at: https://doi.org/10.15173/ijsap.v2i1.3207 (Accessed: 24 February 2021).

Lubicz-Nawrocka, T.M. (2019) ‘More than just a student: How co-creation of the curriculum fosters third spaces in ways of working, identity, and impact.’ International Journal for Students as Partners, 3(1), 34-49.

Available at: https://doi.org/10.15173/ijsap.v3i1.3727 (Accessed: 24 February 2021).

Noddings, N. (2005) The challenge to care in schools: An Alternative Approach to Education (2nd edition). New York: Teachers College Press. ISBN: 0-8077-4609-6.

Tai, J., Ajjawi, R., Boud, D., Dawson, P. and Panadero, E. (2018) ‘Developing evaluative judgement: enabling students to make decisions about the quality of work.’ Higher Education, 76, 467-481. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10734-017-0220-3 (Accessed: 24 February 2021).

Downloads

Published

08/18/2021

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 3 (2021)

Section

Case Studies

License

Compass: Journal of Learning & Teaching provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a more equitable global exchange of knowledge.

 

Works are released under the default licence of Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY) licence, which provides unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. If authors require a divergent licence, please contact [happy to have 'the Scholarly Communications Manager' (ks8035h@gre.ac.uk) listed here if that is easier.]

 

Authors of articles published in Compass: Journal of Learning & Teaching remain the copyright holders to their published work and grant third parties the right to use, reproduce, and share the article according to terms of the Creative Commons license agreement applied to the work by Compass: Journal of Learning & Teaching.

 

Self-archiving policy: authors are permitted, and encouraged, to deposit any version of their article - submitted, accepted, and published versions - in subject and institutional repositories at any time. 

 

If you have any queries about the choice of license, or which to discuss other options, please contact the Scholarly Communications Manager at scholarlycommunications@greenwich.ac.uk.