Mission Possible: The Cross-Disciplinary, Multi-

Generational Online Learning Community

Jen Ehrhardt
Assistant Professor of Communication
Pensacola Junior College
Hosted by The University of West Florida
Glenn Browning
Korean War
- June 25, 1950 – July 27, 1953
- 1,789,000 served
- 33,741 hostile deaths
- 3,000,000 deaths all nations
Brittany Verlaan:
PS. My grandfather served in World War
II, but he never spoke of his experiences. I
learned about them from my grandmother
after his death. I just wanted to stress how
much I appreciate your telling us about
your experiences.
Korean War Memory Project
Online Community
- 24/7 access
- Customizable for learning objectives
- Student-generated resources
- Promotes Authentic Learning
- Facilitates collaborative learning &
altruism
- Offers archives for future students
 Authentic Learning

Affords the exploration, discussion, and

meaningful construction of concepts and
relationships in contexts that involve real-world
problems and projects that are relevant to the
learner.
- Adapted from Donovan, Bransford, & Pellegrino (1999)
 Spring 2008
- 2 online sections of Public Speaking
- 4 face-to-face Public Speaking

Summer 2008
- 1 face-to-face section of Public Speaking
- 2 face-to-face sections of Basic Speaking/Listening Skills
- 1 online section of Interpersonal Communication
- 1 online section of Survey of Mass Communication
Port Inchon
Arthur Grebe’s Experience of Air Support
and Bombing Operations
Over North Korea in 1951

by

Tanya Weisenbarger
Collaborative Learning
Methodologies and environments in which learners
engage in a common task in which each individual
depends on and is accountable to each other.

- Wikipedia

Altruism
1 : unselfish regard for or devotion to the welfare of
others
2 : behavior by an animal that is not beneficial to or
may be harmful to itself but that benefits others of
its species
- Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
Types of Sharing:

- Answering Questions in the

‘Student Lounge’
- Posting Coursework
- Posting Resources
- Offering Peer Feedback
Vogt's Coursework in Progress
backgrounds by TRACY KIEVITS (tlk1122) at 7/20/2008 3:05 PM
Great backgrounds. I plan to use the Air Force one for my presentation on Bill Horney.
Thanks!!
awsome backgrounds by BRANDON BLANCHARD (blb1152) at 7/18/2008 5:08 PM
these are so great thank you for your time on these photos i am going to be using them on my
project thank you so much brandon blanchard
Commentby LIANNE MAUPIN (lmm1183) at 3/25/2008 4:35 PM
i really like your slides and would like to use some.
Feedback on slidesby LAUREN FAGLER (lef1039) at 3/25/2008 3:43 PM
I think that your slides are AWESOME!!!!! They look very professional. GREAT JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
comment by CHANNELE WARE (cmw1199) at 3/25/2008 11:13 AM
The backgrounds were very helpful thank you
Commentby ERIC AUZENNE (ega1012) at 3/23/2008 2:05 PM
I found a few that I am going to use on my powerpoint. Thanks for the help
Comment on designsby CHERIE BAUS (clb1341) at 3/20/2008 11:31 AM
Your designs are great. I plan on using them in my presentation. Thank you for taking the time to
create them and posting them for us. I plan on using the air force slides. Cherie
Re: updated pp slidesby MAURICE HARGRAVES (mlh1301) at 3/4/2008 11:15 AMYou did a very
good job on these! My PP should look great! Thanks
Re: updated pp slidesby JESSICA MOHR (jam1483) at 3/24/2008 4:59 PM
Thank you so much for creating these for us! They are amazing! Jessica Mohr
Re: updated pp slidesby KATIE DALE (krd1076) at 3/25/2008 9:53 AM
Great Job! I am trying to figure out how to use your awesome work! Thanks!
Re: work in progress: power point backgroundsby JOHN BARTHOLOMEW (jcb1032) at
4/9/2008 11:49 AMThank you for the great backgrounds
Portraits by MONICA CUTLER (mlc1238) at 2/21/2008 3:36 PMThese are
Portraits that myself and Laura have taken of the Korean War Veterans.

Thanxby CHERIE BAUS (clb1341) at 3/24/2008 7:38 PM

Thanks I've been looking all over for an E.G. Walker photo.. I'll be using that
picture.. thanks again.

thanksby VIVIAN GIBSON (vjg1011) at 3/22/2008 7:15 PMI just wanted to let
you know that I used a couple of your pictures in my power point there really
good thank you.

Re: Portraits by MARION WORKMAN (mjw1153) at 3/24/2008 12:23

PMthanks, i'll use the E.G. Walker portrait... good job

Re: Portraits by KATIE DALE (krd1076) at 3/25/2008 9:55 AM

The picture of Mr. Foley is really nice. Thanks for your hard work.

Re: Portraits by VICTOR VATH (vnv1001) at 3/25/2008 2:18 PM

I'm going to be using the portrait of Bill Horney in my Korean War presentation
PowerPoint. Very professional-looking work. Thank You! ~Victor Vath

Korean War Veteran's Portraitsby MAURICE HARGRAVES (mlh1301) at

4/8/2008 9:08 AMThanks your pictures helped a ton!
 Types of Sharing

- Answering Questions in the

‘Student Lounge’
- Posting Coursework
- Posting Resources
- Offering Peer Feedback
Multi-Generational Online
Learning Community
An online learning community that spans more
than one semester, thus including more than
on generation of students.

- Jen
 Sustainability Project
• 2 face-to-face sections of Public Speaking
• 1 face-to-face section of Survey of Mass
Communication
• 1 online section of Survey of Mass
Communication
• 1 Online section of Interpersonal
Communication

Blog support
 Behind the Scenes
• Request ANGEL Community Group
• Structure group shell
• Request population of shell section by section
• Handouts & training for engaged faculty
• Handouts & training for engaged students
• Maintenance of group rosters
• Continue to build the community
• Communicate, communicate & communicate
 Facilitate Faculty
• Acknowledge technophobia
• Identify real communication habits
• Brainstorm curriculum integration with A,
B, & C plans
• Troubleshoot timelines, A, B, & C plans
and how to manage tension
• Perception check often
• Celebrate ANY & ALL accomplishments
• Help the institution recognize achievement
 Prevent ‘Lost’ Students
• Don’t take students in until they need to be there
• Start with Scavenger Hunt assignment to help
them navigate with minimal risk
• Preflect wrong turns – “Skip short-cuts, the
’Course Content’ tab is the Holy Grail”
• Attempt to agree on similar conventions for
posting across the community
• Use home page for ‘Introduction to the
Community’ link and direction to section
announcement pages only
• Once structure is set, create organizational chart
 Prevent ‘Lost’ Students (cont.)
• Explain up front why they are part of the learning
community and how this will benefit them
personally
• Alert them over and over and over again, to pay
attention to where they are and where that are
going.
• Organize the ‘Course Content’ page with
‘Communal Resources’ folder and class folders
only
• Explain the philosophy behind the structure of
the community group up front
 Prevent ‘Lost’ Students (cont.)
• Copy/paste the breadcrumb trail in
assignment pages (i.e., Group > Course
Content > Research Folder > Mike
Gilbert's Lecture > Part 1)
• Encourage students to use the ‘Student
Lounge’ instead of e-mailing ‘Entire
Group.’ Post with course title to prevent
confusion.
• Establish conventions for interaction
Fall coursesby ANONYMOUS STUDENT1 (aso1111) at 7/9/2008 10:25 PM Hey everyone! I have prepared my
schedule for the Fall and plan to take my last few courses online next semester. I enrolled in the online courses
College Algebra([name of teacher]), Intro to Education([Name of teacher]), and Descriptive Astronomy([Name of
teacher]). Has anyone ever taken these courses online? If so do you think I should go for it?! What were the pros
and cons??? Any advice.. Thanks guys.
Re: Fall coursesby ANONYMOUS STUDENT 2 (ast2222) at 7/10/2008 2:27 AM
Hey Anonymous Student 1 I have never taken those particular classes on-line, but have taken many many
others. My only advice is to schedule a lot of time to dedicate to them...as they require a lot of self discipline and
commonly a significant amount of reading and writing. Math is the only subject I would not be able to take on-
line...for myself, I need someone to actually SHOW me how to solve advanced math equations...I cannot teach
myself. You should have very few problems, if this communication course is any indication! Good luck and enjoy!
Anonymous Student 2
Re: Fall coursesby ANONYMOUS STUDENT 3 (ast3333) at 7/10/2008 4:10 PMif you are ok at math you
should not have a problem with college algebra. I took it last semester and now I am taking Bus/Cal with the
same teacher. I received an A in it but i am pretty good in math. make sure you give yourself enough time for
each course. good luck
Re: Re: Fall coursesby ANONYMOUS STUDENT1 (aso1111) at 7/10/2008 10:52 PMSo how is the online
course layed out? Do you use math excel or do bookwork? I have already taken elementary stats so im familiar
with excel. Does [teacher’s name] give you all of the assignments for the semester so that you can work ahead?
Thanks for the feedback.
Re: Re: Re: Fall coursesby ANONYMOUS STUDENT 4 (asf4444) at 7/14/2008 11:28 AMYou use both.
Re: Re: Re: Fall coursesby ANONYMOUS STUDENT 3 (ast3333) at 7/15/2008 8:12 PMyou use mathxl the
whole semester and you can work ahead. all the assignment are posted at the beginning of the semester.
Re: Fall coursesby ANONYMOUS STUDENT 4 (asf4444) at 7/14/2008 11:27 AMYes I have taken most all of
my courses on-line including Astronomy and Calculus now. Unless you are very strong in mathematics I would
not suggest taking them on-line. I have [Name of teacher] and Calculus is a Hybrid class and that really helps.
Astronomy is wonderful and fascinating but a lot of research and writing also Calculus. I wish I had taken it
another time as Calculus and this speech class requires a lot of research and time consuming. Hope this helps. I
will be selling my text at the end of this semester if your interested. Anonymous Student 4
 Prevent ‘Lost’ Students (cont.)
• Organize the ‘Course Content’ page with
‘Communal Resources’ folder and class folders
only
• Explain the philosophy behind the structure up
front
• Copy/paste the breadcrumb trail in assignment
pages (i.e., Group > Course Content > Research
Folder > Mike Gilbert's Lecture > Part 1)
• Encourage students to use the ‘Student Lounge’
instead of e-mailing ‘Entire Group.’ Post with
course title to prevent confusion.
• Establish conventions for interaction
 Conventions for Interaction:
Message Title
To keep track of sections and semesters, have students
include the following in the message titles of their posts:
1. Specific type of posting in parentheses,
2. Specific title of the posted resource or
assignment, and
3. Course title, semester and year in parentheses.

Example:
(Website) ecoast.pjc.edu (MMC2000, Fall ’08)
 Conventions for Interaction:
Leave a Note
1. To keep track of the cross-disciplinary interactions taking
place in the community, have students reply directly to
posts they read and take advantage of. I ask my students to
describe how they plan to use the content of the post in
their own coursework.

2. As a back-up strategy for 1, include a “Use of Community

Resources” assignment in the course in which the students
share what posts they’ve read and how they have used the
content of these posts in their own coursework.
Presentational aids- Maps
POSTING STUDENT (aps1111) at 3/26/2008 5:04 AM
Maps of N. & S. Korea, pusan perimeter, and yalu
river
Attachments:
MAP_1.jpg
MAP_2.jpg
yalu_river.jpg

Re: Presentational aids- Maps

RESPONDING STUDENT (ARS2222) at 3/26/2008 8:46
AM
thank you ... i really needed the yalu river map... i
tried to find some but i didn't have much time to
search. thank you
 Miscellaneous Advice
-Start development during the semester prior to the
community going live. If you don’t have time to
prepare optimally, still do it.
- Once the semester has begun, embrace a “I’ll
learn as a go” attitude.
- When technology isn’t cooperating, take a deep
breath, then call for professional help.
-Things may move very fast, but try to keep some
sort of record of the things you figure out in the
process so you can take advantage of them for the
next round.
 My question to you!
Consider the mix of courses you teach or would like to
teach. What is a theme that would offer the students in
these classes practice in authentic and collaborative
learning by integrating the coursework in an online learning
community?