<![CDATA[Nanny Maroon's Academic Musings - Social Skills in Online Discussions]]>Thu, 27 Jun 2024 15:39:28 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Reflections Skills for Pre-service Teachers]]>Tue, 02 Oct 2018 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.nannymaroon.xyz/social-skills-in-online-discussions/reflections-skills-for-pre-service-teachersAli, Sukri, Tahir & Md Said focus on the Malaysian Education Blueprint that states “students must be able to develop high-order thinking skills so as to prepare for the future employment.” Teachers, however, struggle to think on a higher level and have difficulty integrating thinking into their curriculum. Within the various conceptual definitions, critical thinking ultimately requires the acquisition of knowledge and continuous use of analytical skills. It enhances thinking through reflection and questioning. Ultimately, Ali et al explain how “critical thinking includes a wide area of thinking skills that leads toward desirable outcomes.” Along these lines, teaching requires reflection within the context of critical thinking in order to adapt new knowledge to complex situations. To explore the feasibility of using social media to facilitate development of reflection ability, two accounts were created: one for pre-service teachers, their colleagues and supervisors while the other was for pre-service teachers and their students. Coincidentally, and somewhat unintentionally, I currently have a similar dynamic: my original account includes reggae industry professionals, spiritual elders and my consulting attorney, formerly with UNESCO, while the second account has recently attracted a few thousand people from India and her surrounding countries. In the research, teachers improved in all areas that received adverse student feedback after hearing guidance from their peers and supervisors. This is comparable to how I use Facebook: information in the new account is used to measure the efficacy of messages being shared in my old account. To overcome all limitations, pre-service teachers need enough technological experience to integrate the online discussions into class interactions. I have these understandings; I use them to develop communication across cultures, facilitating our interactions with music, graphics, language, message design and computer programming concepts (i.e. algorithms).
 
Ali, M.F., Sukri, M.N., Tahir, M.L., and Md Said, M.N.H. (2017).  Developing critical reflection skill among pre-service teacher through collaborative inquiry using social media. Faculty of Education, University Technology Malaysia. Retrieved October 2, 2018, from https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8064430
​]]><![CDATA[Arts Marketing to Audience Enrichment]]>Tue, 02 Oct 2018 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.nannymaroon.xyz/social-skills-in-online-discussions/arts-marketing-to-audience-enrichmentWalmsley, B. (2015). From arts marketing to audience enrichment: How digital engagement can deepen and democratize artistic exchange with audiences. Poetics 58. pgs 66–78. Retrieved October 2, 2018, from www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304422X15300383]]><![CDATA[Developing Collaborative Learning in Tech Environments]]>Tue, 02 Oct 2018 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.nannymaroon.xyz/social-skills-in-online-discussions/developing-collaborative-learning-in-tech-environmentsNevgi, A., Virtanen, P. and Niemi, H. (2006). Supporting students to develop collaborative learning skills
in technology-based environments. British Journal of Educational Technology. 37(6). pgs 937–947. Retrieved October 2, 2018, from onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2006.00671.x]]><![CDATA[Online Feedback Contributor vs. Lurker Motivation]]>Tue, 02 Oct 2018 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.nannymaroon.xyz/social-skills-in-online-discussions/online-feedback-contributor-vs-lurker-motivationPhang, C. W., Kankanhalli, A., Tan, B. C. Y. (2018). What Motivates Contributors vs. Lurkers? An Investigation
of Online Feedback Forums. Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS). Retrieved October 2, 2018, from pubsonline.informs.org/doi/10.1287/isre.2015.0599]]><![CDATA[Can Online Discussions Facilitate Learning to Communicate?]]>Tue, 02 Oct 2018 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.nannymaroon.xyz/social-skills-in-online-discussions/can-online-discussions-facilitate-learning-to-communicateDomakin, A., (2013). Can Online Discussions Help Student Social Workers Learn When Studying Communication? Social Work Education, 32 (1),  pgs. 81–99. Retrieved October 2, 2018, from www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02615479.2011.639356]]><![CDATA[Blended Socratic Method of Teaching (BSMT)]]>Tue, 02 Oct 2018 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.nannymaroon.xyz/social-skills-in-online-discussions/blended-socratic-method-of-teaching-bsmtBoa, Wattanatorn, & Tagong (2018) emphasize the facts that critical thinking is highly valued in the business community, and, because of this, educators agree that it has top priority: Every educational institution in Thailand should emphasize these skills. Unfortunately, people worldwide continue to struggle in this area. Teaching methods are a significant contributor to the problem: students learn to listen rather than question. Boa et al.’s “study presents an instructional model combining the Socratic method of teaching and information communication technology (ICT) by using the popular social media platform, Facebook. This model is known as the Blended Socratic Method of Teaching (BSMT).”
 
The objective of BSMT is to help students recognize assumptions, evaluate arguments, and draw conclusions. To meet these goals, a group of students write and present a case scenario analysis in class. Everyone is encouraged to ask questions that anyone except the instructor can answer. Displaying name cards to monitor participation adds to the sense of urgency. The case is then posted in a Facebook group where the conversation continues online. The instructor acts a guide-on-the-side and concludes the discussion. The environment tends to be uncomfortable while the discussion is intellectual and productive. Respect for everyone is maintained all the time. New case studies with supporting material about business ethics and social responsibility are assigned each week to help familiarize students with applying course material in real-life situations. The model is valid and considered a breakthrough by experts.
 
I am not surprised by these findings. Other than group versus individual analysis of case scenarios, this is almost exactly the format that I learned to employ from my mentoring professor at UCF while teaching Legal Studies online in WebCT in 1999. I have been doing something similar in Facebook since returning from Africa in 2011. The differences being that I will analyze current events and present my discoveries as a series of status posts, usually at the beginning of the week. I then watch my news feed over the following few days, reacting to other people’s shares on the subject. At that point, I write a closing statement(s) and watch for feedback. This typically happens mid-week, allowing the reggae industry enough time to include the dialog in their weekend shows. Many Jamaicans produce new songs every week. Occasionally, I see or hear my words or some derivative of them on TV satire shows, in entertainment media or even as an inspirational quote on a tech giant’s login window. When we started this, I gave everyone permission to use anything I say without asking permission. I prefer privacy. As a retired educator and social activist, I am most interested in hearing how the reggae industry summarizes everyone’s views in their recorded shows.
 
Boa, E. A., Wattanatorn, A., Tagong, K. (2018). The development and validation of the Blended Socratic Method of Teaching (BSMT): An instructional model to enhance critical thinking skills of undergraduate business students. Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences. 39(1). Pgs. 81-89. Retrieved October 2, 2018, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452315117307087

Picture
]]><![CDATA[Internet Interventions]]>Tue, 02 Oct 2018 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.nannymaroon.xyz/social-skills-in-online-discussions/internet-interventionsHerreroa, R., Mirab, A., Cormob, G., Etchemendy, E., Bañosb, R., García-Palaciosa, A., Ebertf, D. D., Frankef, M., Bergerg, T., 
Schaubh, M. P., Görlichi, D., Jacobij, C., Botellaa, C. (2018). An Internet based intervention for improving resilience and coping
strategies in university students: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Elsevier B.V.. Retrieved October 2, 2018, from www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782917301252]]>