Arnold_Kumar_NLC2014
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Crossing professional thresholds with networked learning? An analysis of student e-portfolios using the threshold concept perspective. Patricia Arnold1 /Swapna Kumar2
1Munich University of Applied Sciences, Germany 2 School of Teaching & Learning, University of Florida, USA Networked Learning Conference 2014, Edinburgh
Partially funded by
Slide 2 Networked Learning Conference 2014 Patricia Arnold, [email protected]
1. Research Aims
2. Context – Online BA Degree Program Social Work
3. Threshold Concepts as Analytical Framework
4. Methodology - E-Portfolio Analysis
5. Findings – Threshold Crossings & Refinement of Methodology?
6. Conclusions
Overview
Slide 3 Networked Learning Conference 2014 Patricia Arnold, [email protected]
1. To gain evidence whether or not professional students
“cross professional thresholds” in an online degree program in
social work
2. To develop a method for regular impact studies in this setting
(explorative pilot study)
Research Aims
Slide 4 Networked Learning Conference 2014 Patricia Arnold, [email protected]
Context - Online Degree Program BA Social Work
Context
75% online modules, 25% on-site seminars Requirements: minimum of 3 years work
experience in the social field, working in the social field alongside the study program
Networked cooperation with 7 universities across Germany
www.basa-online.de
Learning environment Learning Management System OLAT Live Classroom Adobe Connect Peer-to-peer counseling Kokom.net Mahara for e-portfolios On-site seminars a week-end per month
BA Social Work
Slide 5 Networked Learning Conference 2014 Patricia Arnold, [email protected]
Context - Module Scientific Theory & Practice Transfer Content Task
1 peer-to-peer counselling
Discuss real-life challenge, using -peer-to-peer counselling
2 Key concepts of social work (inclusion, empowerment etc.)
Produce guidelines, resource website for practitioners
3 Professional identity
Discuss role-conflict, using -peer-to-peer counselling
4 “Reflection-on-action”
Create e-portfolio : look back, reflect and evaluate personal learning trajectory
Assessment
Slide 6 Networked Learning Conference 2014 Patricia Arnold, [email protected]
Figure 1: Structure of e-portfolios
***************Comprehensive narrative on personal learning trajectory across the module************ Learning Product A Learning Product B Learning Product C Student's comments as to selection, significance, production process and context, etc.
Student's comments as to selection, significance, production process and context, etc.
Student's comments as to selection, significance, production process and context, etc.
Feedback by peers, lecturers or retrospective self-evaluation
Feedback by peers, lecturers or retrospective self-evaluation
Feedback by peers, lecturers or retrospective self-evaluation
Context - Structure of E-Portfolios
Slide 7 Networked Learning Conference 2014 Patricia Arnold, [email protected]
Image: Land / Meyer 2010
pax intrantibus, salus exeuntibus (1609)
Threshold Concepts as Analytical Framework
Threshold concepts …like a „portal“
Slide 8 Networked Learning Conference 2014 Patricia Arnold, [email protected]
Image: Land / Meyer 2010
(Meyer & Land, 2003)
Threshold Concepts as Analytical Framework
Threshold concept
“a new and previously inaccessible way of thinking”
“a transformed way of understanding, or interpreting,
or viewing something”
Transformative – Integrative – Troublesome -
Irreversible
Slide 9 Networked Learning Conference 2014 Patricia Arnold, [email protected]
Image: Land / Meyer 2010
Threshold Concepts as Analytical Framework
Threshold crossings
“as students’ changed way of thinking, perceiving or
behaving in their practice, the field of social work”
(in alignment with Hays 2008)
Slide 10 Networked Learning Conference 2014 Patricia Arnold, [email protected]
Do students cross thresholds during the online degree program in social work?
Connection to Content : Relating content to one’s own person (C1)
Relating content to one’s professional experience (C2)
Academic Knowledge & Social Work Profession : Commenting on relationship between theories and practice in social work (A1)
Describing the significance of scientific knowledge for profession (A2)
Transformation (T 1): Changed way of thinking (T1)
Changed way of acting (T2)
Qualitative content analysis, unit of analysis a sentence or an image, mutual reviewing to enhance trustworthiness, open for emergent categories (Carley, 1993)
Methodology - E-Portfolio Analysis
Slide 11 Networked Learning Conference 2014 Patricia Arnold, [email protected]
Findings – Overview of E-Portfolio Analysis
Indicator # EP (n=21)
Example( P = e-portfolio)
C 1 one’s own person 12 “Method of 'reframing' applied to myself: 'perfectionist' then becomes 'target-oriented‘ ”(P19)
C 2 professional experience 18 “Team leading skills applied to the team I manage at work” (P6)
A 1relationship between T & P 12 “Theory and practice 'feed' each other mutually” (P17)
A 2 significance of T for P 14 “Only with theory-based knowledge is possible to negotiate with authorities for funding” (P15)
T 1 changed ways of thinking 17 “(I realized that) social work does not only happen face-to-face but also behind desks and within online platforms”(P9)
T 2 changed way of acting 15 “Deep change: I tend to ask for the sources of any information presented to me, regardless of the context, even at a party” (P2)
Slide 12 Networked Learning Conference 2014 Patricia Arnold, [email protected]
Findings - Threshold Crossings (Cont.)
Changed attitudes towards their role as social workers – new ways of thinking, reframing and questioning their professional work: “my aspirations for the social work profession changed from being a
„Lichtgestalt“ (all mighty angel“) to a competent human being” (P17)
“I will not let myself instrumentalized as a buffer zone” (P2)
Student included an online petition in e-portfolio to document her grown awareness of the importance of social workers to engage themselves in socio-political issues (P14)
Slide 13 Networked Learning Conference 2014 Patricia Arnold, [email protected]
Findings - Limitations & Refinement of Methodology
16/21 e-portfolios at least one research memo documenting coding issues: e-portfolios part of the educational design, with many degrees of freedom in
producing it, not produced as research data
Only identifies threshold crossings manifested in e-portfolios
Challenge 1 : diverse language and writing styles - impersonal styles, only alluding to points, non native speakers, etc.
Challenge 2: coding multimedia elements - strong visual effects by images with snappy captions possible distortions?
Extending set of indicators – emergent category troublesomeness of new knowledge Conflicts with colleagues at work due to changed insights Struggle to come to terms with concepts – reducing self-assertiveness at work
for a while
Slide 14 Networked Learning Conference 2014 Patricia Arnold, [email protected]
Findings - Limitations & Refinement of Methodology
Slide 15 Networked Learning Conference 2014 Patricia Arnold, [email protected]
Conclusions
Impact of networked learning programs in social work education:
evidence of threshold crossings in professional development
Methodology for impact assessment
With further refinements methodology can provide a way to
analyze impact on a regular basis
Further research :
Which elements of the educational design contribute to the crossings?
How to integrate method into quality management for networked learning?
Slide 16 Networked Learning Conference 2014 Patricia Arnold, [email protected]
Carley, C. (1993). Coding Choices for Textual Analysis. A comparison of content analysis and map analysis. Sociological Methodology, 23, 75-126.
Hays, M. (2008). Thresholds and transformation. European Journal of Management, 8(3), 24-46. Meyer, J., & Land, R. (2003). Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge: linkages to ways
of thinking and practising within the disciplines. Occasional Report 4, ETL Project, Universities of Edinburgh, Coventry and Durham, 2003.
Land, R. , Meyer, J. & Baillie, C. (2010). Editors' preface. Threshold Concepts and Transformational Learning. In: J. Meyer, R. Land & C. Baillie (Eds). Threshold concepts and transformational learning, ix-xlv.
Meyer, J., Land, R. & Baillie, C. (2010). Threshold concepts and transformational learning. Netherlands: Sense Publishers.
Image source Land, R. and Meyer, J.H.F. (2010) Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge,
Keynote Presentation at issotl10 (International Society for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) Conference, Liverpool, UK, October 19-20, 2010: http://issotl10.indiana.edu/pres/tc.ppt
References & Image sources
Slide 17 Networked Learning Conference 2014 Patricia Arnold, [email protected]
Thank you very much…
…..for your attention!
Contact: Patricia Arnold, Professor of Socio-Informatics
Munich University of Applied Sciences
[email protected] http://patriciaarnold.wikispaces.com/
Partially funded by