Session 5: E-facilitation (Practicum)

E-facilitation

E-facilitation known as utilizing various kinds of online discussion and dialogue which are facilitated and managed through online. Web-based interaction such as E-mail is one good example for online discussion or dialogue where the communication goes directly to the inbox of the participants. In the modern world, people have started migrating from their hometown to other city, state and foreign countries. Web-based contact and email based interaction is the main medium of communication. It helps us perform our work and duty in an inclusive way and gain experience from our friends and colleagues. Nevertheless, the online interaction may not occur automatically it needs to build up, requires maintenance and development. E-facilitators can help create ownership and trust, as well as make online communication more efficient, results-oriented and participatory. An e-facilitator typically has four key skills or tasks such as trust creation, manage, support and ownership of creation.

e-Facilitation (Practicum)- ED403

As the final session for ED403, we were given an opportunity to act as e-Facilitators among the collages in ED403 by acting as a course coordinator, design, develop, manage and support the course. As a result, we had three teams (Aristotle, Illich and Jonassen) each of them experienced e-facilitation. I am belonging in team Aristotle where we did a fantastic work on our facilitation.

Team Aristotle designed a course on “Online Learning in the Pacific Regional Context”. This course extended a platform to explore the opportunities and challenges in eLearning on developing countries which is mainly focused on developed Pacific Island Countries (PICs). Pacific Island Countries are undergoing social and economic changes including: fast population growth; a breakdown of traditional support systems; increasing poverty; migration; and rapid urbanization. Several major topics covered during a week long course. In this course, students will engage themselves in discussions through forums, twitter and blog platforms. In this course, students engaged themselves in discussions through forums, twitter, quizzes and case study platforms.

Team Illich performed their e-facilitation by designing a course on “Elements of Successful Online Learning in the Pacific Context”. This course provided an understanding of how the elements of an online course are integrated such that they form a cohesive structure that creates easy travel based upon instructor presence, appropriate feedback, and easy navigation for students. This is more so in the Pacific where we are defined by the fragile ecosystem and vast ocean. In this course, students were engaged themselves in discussions through forums, twitter and quiz platforms.

Team Jonassen’s e-facilitation on a course “Being Inclusive: Role of Culture, Gender and special needs in Online Learning in Developing countries”. This course was intended to explore the area of the role of gender, culture and special needs in inclusive education in the context of Pacific Island Countries. In this course, students engaged themselves in discussions through forums, twitter and blog platforms.

Overall, the practicum experience in ED403 was awesome and informative. I learnt many types of e-Facilitation including planning online discussions or dialogues. Though some online discussions may take place spontaneously, others should be planned in the network work plan. Also, online dialogues aimed at getting feedback on specific documents produced under the rubric of the network should be included in its work plan. Planning those activities together with the network members and making the work plan (including the timing) available, increases the level of participation and ownership of the results of such online dialogues.

Cheers,
Ramesh Subramani