[Article Reflection] - Paradoxes in virtual learning interaction and multidisciplinary collaboration

[ORIENT-2] Lecture 2: Presenting Faculty Research - Learning and Learning Processes (LLP)

In lecture 2, we learn about Learning and Learning Processes Research Unit. Tiina Törmanen introduced about LET unit and Jenni Kunnari introduced about Research Center for Psychology and Educational Psychology.

They talked about the responsibilities as well as focused research areas in these two units. Examples of research thesis and projected are given. I find the information given is very detailed and useful. It helps us even in the remote situation understand more about what people are doing in the faculty. It feels like a virtual tour.

After attending the lesson, we are encouraged to read one of below articles and write a reflection on it.

1. Kauppi, S., Muukkonen, H., Suorsa, T., & Takala, M. (2020). I still miss human contact, but this is more flexible – Paradoxes in virtual learning interaction and multidisciplinary collaboration. British Journal of Educational Technology, 5(4), 1101-1116. 
2. Hadwin, A. F., Järvelä, S., & Miller, M. (2018). Self-regulation, co-regulation and shared regulation in collaborative learning environments (pp. 83-106). In D. Schunk, & J. Greene, (Eds.). Handbook of Self-Regulation of Learning and Performance(2nd) Ed. New York, NY: Routledge.
3. Järvenoja, H., Malmberg, J., Törmänen, T., Mänty, K., Haataja, E., Ahola, S., & Järvelä, S. (2020). A collaborative learning design for promoting and analyzing adaptive motivation and emotion regulation in the science classroom. Frontiers in Education, 5(July), 111.

I choose the first document and write a short reflection on it below.

1. Summary:

What did they observe? The e-course, “Collaboration and Professional Interaction Skills.” 

Why did they do the research? to develop the pedagogical design of this e-course, to build on the research about design principles that guide teachers in constructing e-courses, enabling in-depth learning in hybrid learning spaces. 

What does the data come from? 

- Students’ assignments and reflections

- Teacher’s observations

- Data from the digital learning management system 

2. My reflection:

This article is too interesting that I wish I read it sooner. 

To summarize, in the research they collect and analyse data from a very specific case which is the e-course, “Collaboration and Professional Interaction Skills”. They report clearly the two cycles of their research, in which they collect feedback and data and study results from both teachers and students. Between these two phases are the immediate changes in order to improve the course's experience for students.

This research interests me firstly because it relates very much with the situation that not only me but many educators are facing in the pandemic - the situation of remote teaching and learning. I can see the effort of teachers in designing the course as well as the challenges that both teachers and students faced when it comes to practice. For examples, students gave a considerable number of negative feedback at the end of the first cycle. Then, researchers analysed the reasons and quickly improve the course with specific changes in the second cycle. This is what we see every day when teaching in this difficult and uncertain time of COVID-19.

Secondly, I like the system of six design principles used in this study. It is "to examine the characteristics and aims of the pedagogical practices of the course and to reflect on the features of the design of the courses based on student self-reflection and learning outcomes". This system gives the research a very scientific foundation. I feel that I can use this system to analyse my designs in the future. We can relook at it below:

The six design principles (Source: the article)

Thirdly, I like the four ideas that the authors gave in the conclusion part. In short, they are:

• Groups should be offered real-life cases (because it fosters discussions in groups).
• There should be many tasks that concern both the process and the content (it increases the amount of productive interaction).
• A structured timetable is imperative (for the collaboration within and between the groups).
• Learning activities should be situated within the same system (because it is easier to collect data of the process).

This article inspires me to read more about remote learning design. The favourite quote from this of mine is:

"It is of great importance to emphasise that “teachers are designers”. Hybrid learning spaces can indeed foster in-depth learning and even sustainable development, but leveraging the hybridity requires careful designing."