Layers of Collaboration
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The document outlines a project aimed at fostering collaboration between first-year writing classes and senior seminar students at Seton Hall University, utilizing Second Life for interactive virtual learning. It details multiple layers of collaboration, challenges faced, and the positive results achieved through various student and faculty partnerships, including the development of projects centered on Edgar Allan Poe. Evaluations from students indicate that the experience enhanced their understanding of the material and supported engaging learning environments.
Layers of Collaboration
- 1. Layers of Collaboration NJEDge Annual ConferenceNovember 18, 2010Dr. Mary BalkunMary ZedeckSeton Hall University
- 2. Project OverviewHistoryWhere we were Goal – Spring 2010Foster collaboration between first-year writing classes and senior seminar students (English majors)Continue to explore potential of Second Life for teaching and learningResultUnanticipated multiple layers of collaborationInteractive virtual learning space: The Poe Crawl
- 3. The ChallengesCollaboration in English classes is not common practiceStudents in one class, course to course, university to universityApplying critical theory/material cultureSecond Life and similar toolsCourse specificStudent use is often limited to course workGenerate further interest in SL for teaching and learning at SHU
- 4. The Layers
- 5. Layers 1 and 2 - PlanningLayer 1 - Faculty to IDDr. Mary Balkun – Senior SeminarMary Zedeck – Instructional DesignerLayer 2 - Faculty to Faculty + IDDr. Mary Balkun – Senior Seminar (SS)Melinda Papaccio – College English II (CEII)Mary Zedeck – Instructional Designer
- 6. Layer 3 – Faculty to StudentsLayer 3a – Faculty to Senior Seminar StudentsIntroduction to and training in SLOrganized course to course partnershipsLayer 3b – Faculty to College English II StudentsOverview and demonstration of SLStudents write about SL experience and suggestions for SL project build as part of research paper proposalPapers sent to Senior Seminar students for feedback
- 7. Layer 4 – Students to StudentsCEII send paper proposals to SS StudentsSS students peer review of CEII student paper proposalsSuggest idea for their research on PoeComment on student ideas for Poe SL buildSend papers back to College EnglishII students
- 8. Layer 5 – Senior SeminarSenior Seminar SL Project DevelopmentGroup share of CEII ideasDevelop project ideas based on CEII suggestionsStudents organized into teams based on project interest
- 9. Layer 6 - EvaluationLayer 6a – Closing the LoopCEII faculty demonstration ofSS class final Poe Crawl build in SLLayer 6b – AssessmentSenior Seminar student in-class presentations of SL projectsReview CEII evaluation
- 10. The Poe CrawlSL Poe Projects – Spring 2010The Black CatUsher in the MadnessPremature BurialMirroringAlcoholismThere Are No Accidents
- 11. ResultsAll layers of collaboration had positive resultsFaculty-Instructional DesignerFaculty-FacultyFaculty-StudentsCourse-Course (SS and CEII)Student-Student (SS)Real-world audienceEnhanced team skillsProject-based teaching and learningBroader exposure to SL
- 12. College English II Evaluation“Regarding the add-ons to the Seven Gableshouse, I like all of the stories and podcasts pertaining to Poe. It makes learning about what would usually be a monotonous subject more of a fun experience.”
- 13. CEII Evaluation“I think that the Second Life build is great… With your avatar you can tour the Seton Hall Island and learn a lot of things about most early gothic writings. I think that the build helps the reader understand and grasp a clearer idea of the stories they may read. I like the gothic setting as well as the sound effects. The graphics were pretty cool. Overall, I think the students did a great job with this Second Life build. ““I think that the Second Life build is great… With your avatar you can tour the Seton Hall Island and learn a lot of things about most early gothic writings. I think that the build helps the reader understand and grasp a clearer idea of the stories they may read. I like the gothic setting as well as the sound effects. The graphics were pretty cool. Overall, I think the students did a great job with this Second Life build. “
- 14. CEII Evaluation“We liked the interactiveness of the graveyard. The atmosphere of the graveyard was put together very well especially with the addition of the changing colors of the fog. We thought that the podcasts were pretty cool but having to click on different links seemed to be a hassle. It takes too much time to go to outside links so we believe they should all be within Second Life. Also, we thought that there was too much reading in the notecards.”
- 15. Senior Seminar EvaluationDo you believe doing textual analysis through the Second Life project was useful for learning about the text(s)/your topic? Please explain your response.“Yes, Second Life provided a new environment for exposure to the primary text as well as the ability to experience the text in an environment that contributes to the overall effect.”
- 16. SS EvaluationWhat preconceived notions about doing a class project did you have prior to class? Have they changed at all and if so, how?“Class projects are generally boring, have an unevenly distributed workload, and generally have no impact after they are handed in. This was a dynamic project that was completed quite fairly, and will be around long after the close of class.”
- 17. SS EvaluationOther comments:“I believe working within Second Life as we did in Women and Lit in the Spring 2009 helped to learn the way in with SL is meant to be used better than the way in which we used this semester. However, I do understand time constraints. I believe that the 1202 class could have betterplanned their part of Second Life so we could have done the work in a timely manner and could all have been involved in every aspect of the project.”
- 18. Future Plans – Spring 2011Repeat SL collaboration between CEII and English majorsDifferent author or theme?Early American Grotesque and CEIITo achieve deeper collaboration between students and coursesOne CEII class instead of threeCommence project earlier in the semesterCEII students to be actively involved in SLIn addition to prior collaboration, SS to peer review CEII research papers and provide feedback in SL
- 19. Q&ADr. Mary Balkunmary.balkun@shu.eduMary Zedeckmary.zedeck@shu.eduSeton Hall Pirate Island – House of 7 SLURL:http://slurl.com/secondlife/Seton%20Hall/163/186/30/