Transparency Book

http://www.vickcopy.com/images/Transparency.jpg

By Sónia Valente e Telma Jesus

Janeiro 2010


Transparency in Online Education 2010

“I’ve gained much from being a transparent learner.

Over the last nine years – on blogs, wikis, and

recently Twitter – I’ve expressed half-formed ideas

and received the benefit of constructive (and critical

feedback). I generally focus on what I’ve gained, but I

suspect readers of my sites and articles have gained

something from the experience as well.” (http://www.connectivism.ca/?p=122)

http://coachaljohnson.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/transparency.jpg

Keywords: transparency, cooperative learning, social networking, communication

Sónia Valente e Telma Jesus 2


http://www.connectivism.ca/?p=122


Transparency

“Jones uses the concept of networked learning and draws a direct line between

networking and learning. He stresses the importance of facilitating “connections

between learners, learners and tutors, and between learners and the resources they

make use of in their learning” (in Dalsgaard). These connections can provide a

cooperative learning. Paulsen argues that “transparency is a prerequisite for distance

students to work cooperatively”. “Transparency means that students are visible to each

other as potential partners and resources”; teachers can monitor the process and

progress of their students and be part of it.

Transparency can be considered as a strategy that reach, catch, hold, motivate, and

inspire students.

“Transparency means that you and your doings are visible to fellow students and

teachers within a learning environment. (…) students and teachers are made aware of

and have access to each other’s

interests, thoughts, concerns,

ideas, writings, references, and

assignments. The purpose of

transparency is to enable students

and teachers to see and follow the

work of fellow students and

teachers within a learning

environment and in that sense to

make participants available to

each other as resources for their

learning activities”. (Dalsgaard &

Paulsen, 2009)

http://ttoes.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/school-transparency.jpg

“Transparency is also an important driver for improved quality. It has the following three

positive effects on quality:




Preventive quality improvement - We are prone to provide better quality when we know

that others have access to the information and contributions we provide.

Constructive quality improvement - We may learn from others when we have access to

their data and contributions.

Reactive quality improvement - We may receive feedback from others when they have

access to our data and contributions.” (Dalsgaard & Paulsen, 2009).

( http://toonlet.com/archive?i=11247)

"Transparency may reduce the number of low quality contributions and may make high

quality work more accessible as paragons for others. In transparent online learning

environments, poor contributions from teachers and course designers cannot be

hidden easily behind closed doors. It is important to realize that transparency must be

handled carefully with regard to privacy issues. The users must be confident that their

privacy is assured. They should be able to choose their preferred privacy level and

understand how this choice controls how much of their personal data and contributions

will be available to others." (Paulsen and Dalsgaard, June 2009)

In this way Jones concept of networked learning is present in transparency concept.

We can consider transparency between students and between tutors (as colleagues

and as members of a Education Institution), between learners and tutors, and between

learners and the resources - as users and creators (in this point share that resources

and tools is part of transparency). This exchange and sharing is considered to be the

basis that develops cooperation.


http://toonlet.com/archive?i=11247


Transparency between students in online education

“Transparency between students means that they

have insight into each other’s work, thoughts, and

productions” (Dalsgaard). All the process is

important to colleagues: research, notes, tools,

conclusions, links, bibliography; they can find

inspiration and motivation for their own work, task or

self-education process and provide a source of

inspiration for each other. “Transparency should

serve the purpose of supporting and encouraging

participation by making student opinions and

thoughts available.” (Dalsgaard, 2009)

(http://conversamos.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/dearpaper.jpg)

Exists a voluntary cooperation between students into online community, but in a social

networking site each student has a personal page (with they personal information),

which they own develops, modifies and publishes. “online students serve as mutual

resources without being dependent on each other” (Dalsgaard & Paulsen, 2009). This

learning process does not claim direct communication or collaboration. “This creates a

kind of indirect or “passive” form of communication and sharing (…) that

communication within social networking sites is a matter of awareness and

transparency. The principle is that you communicate by editing, developing or updating

personal services.” (Dalsgaard)

For students beginning the transparency process there’s 4 steps to follow used in NKI’s

learning partner experience (Paulsen, 2009): Make a personal presentation (with

several information about themselves, pictures, previous educational and professional

experiences, interests, hobbies. In this point is important define transparency level) ;

decide who may access it (define the privacy of information, who can see the personal

information’s? colleagues, teachers, friends, everybody?); search for potential learning

partners (see the others presentations, look for affinity and commons interest) and

invite someone to become your learning partner (and start the transparency adventure

of learning cooperation).


http://conversamos.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/dearpaper.jpg


(http://toonlet.com/archive?i=11245)

“Transparency enables students to be visible to each other as potential partners and

resources an important objective is to support an individual’s consciousness and

awareness of the activities of others. This can be achieved by making a variety of

information transparent, for instance by developing student catalogues and learner

profiles, by encouraging learners to become partners, and by sharing personal learning

tools. Whereas discussion forums and other tools for direct communication and

collaboration focus on direct sharing, social networking can support students’ indirect

sharing of resources, thoughts, ideas, productions, writings, notes, etc. The

pedagogical potential lies within developing social networks in which students’ activities

are visible to other students. The potential is to support transparency through a

combination of personalization and socialization and through sharing personal

information and tools within social networks (Dalsgaard 2006)".

Paulsen and Dalsgaard (2009) considered that "Student catalogues are important tools

for showing students that they have access to a learning community. A comprehensive

catalogue that provides relevant information about students is crucial to students

acquiring an overview of the learning community. Student catalogues usually provide

information about all students enrolled in a course; however, if students can access

information about the students enrolled in other courses offered by the institution, they

may benefit from taking part in a larger learning community. Moreover, a catalog that

includes alumni could be of interest to students who seek advice on courses they are

considering or on future employment. To facilitate cooperation, a student catalogue

should include information that makes it easy to initiate and maintain communication,

such as e-mail addresses, telephone numbers, chatting identities, etc. It may also




include information on geographical location (e.g., zip codes) to facilitate identification

of potential partners for occasional face-to-face meetings. Similarly, it may include

progress plan information so that students can identify peers who are working with the

same study unit. Finally, one may argue that student catalogues should include CV-

type information to make it possible to search for peers who have special

competencies.”

“The basis for social interaction in social networking sites is a personal profile, which

often consists of a personal webpage on the networking site. “A personal

profile/webpage provides an opportunity for the user to create his/her own page with

content such as pictures, videos, links, texts, etc. “The personal profile can be seen as

a space for individual creation and expression”. (Dalsgaard) Each student have the

opportunity to be the author of his process and give his contribution for development of

his studding area “(…)hard-working and successful students are willing to share

achievements and experiences in an open, online catalogue is valuable for the field of

online education. At the same time they can improve their knowledge whit the partner’s

contributions” (Paulsen, 2008).

The discussion forums are the opposite of this type of personal page and are a place

where students send comments, posts, messages or documents in order to

communicate or share. Having a personal page (weblog or other...) is a form of

socialization since it is connected to other personal pages and the individual is notified

whenever a page is modified. In general it is built a network of personal relations. This

is what is happening with us in this

master. We are able to follow the work

of our colleagues and be aware of the

activities they are developing and even

make use of the information that we

consider important. Everyone should be

voluntary engaged to a network and

contribute to the learning community. A

commitment should be established so

that the individual can serve as a

resource for all the learning community.

http://images.google.pt/imgres?imgurl=http://www.diseno-art.com/images/transparent-canoe-kayak.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.diseno-art.com/encyclopedia/strange_vehicles/transparent_canoe-kayak.html&usg=__Twxc_O0CM4JiPSwJEvgW-_go5Rs=&h=343&w=400&sz=68&hl=pt-

PT&start=3&um=1&tbnid=M2H3Qf98gnS4KM:&tbnh=106&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtransparen%2Bkiak%26hl%3Dpt-PT%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1



What is the potential of social networking within cooperative online education?

“As a passive form of communication and sharing, the Social networking does not

necessarily involve communication, dialogue, or collaboration”. (Paulsen and

Dalsgaard, June 2009).The Social networking services are most important example of

transparency. People can see what other’s do, their actions and have freedom to read

and to use other’s work as a form of cooperative work. As a consequence people have

a more careful attitude in doing their work once they notice that other’s will be able to

see it.

“When someone decides to share their

thoughts and ideas in a transparent

manner, they become a teacher to

those who are observing. Social

technology – such as Twitter, blogs,

Facebook – opens the door to sharing

the process of learning, not only the

final product”

(http://www.connectivism.ca/?p=122). (http://zackhayhurst.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/social_networking_sites1.jpg)

Students can find contributions and engage knowledge reading other’s contributions; it

is in the communication (direct or indirect) and in the sharing point of view that you can

construct new knowledge and find innovation. Transparency in online education brings

us a new possibility to discuss and build knowledge with partners around the world

(with different experience, point of view, cultural issues, and education characteristics).

Transparency between Tutors in online education

We considered that the transparency between tutors has two important points for

analysis: transparency between tutors and transparency between tutor’s institutions.

The transparency between tutors is similar to transparency between students; and has

similar goals. As Paulsen and Dalsgaard say (2009) “The pedagogical potential of

social networking lies within transparency and the ability to create awareness among

students [and we say that tutors are students too in a lifelong learning](...). The basic assumption


http://zackhayhurst.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/social_networking_sites1.jpg



is that transparency is important to cooperative online education. People can cooperate

only if they know about each other and have access to some common information and

services."

The educational institutions have too many

interests that their tutors learn and have more

tools and resources to increase the quality of the

institution. Share is an effective method

(research’s, documents, reports, all kind of

knowledge) and cheaper.

http://www.coneinc.com/stuff/contentmgr/files/0/f8d7f4d84684529a183e6be275b32918/misc/transparent_globe_in_hand.jpg

Transparency between Learners and Tutors in online education

Transparency in a pedagogical relationship provides a shared vision about the effort

and development of the learner. The tutor can provide ongoing assessment,

(re)oriented student work, help to correct errors and motivate. Is a constantly and

effective work. Students felt being followed in process and motivated to improve and

share their efforts.

(http://portalamazonia.locaweb.com.br/sites/amazonsateducacao/img/upload/elearning2a.jpg

In transparency within cooperative online learning a central challenge for tutor “is to

enable students to follow the work of their colleagues.” (Dalsgaard & Paulsen, 2009)


http://portalamazonia.locaweb.com.br/sites/amazonsateducacao/img/upload/elearning2a.jpg



"This transparent information may include personal information about the users and

statistics related to the users’ deployment of the online tools. It may further include

work students and teachers provide in online notebooks, blogs, and discussion forums

as well as results from quizzes, surveys, and assignments." (Paulsen and Dalsgaard,

June 2009). But the authors also say that “Student catalogues must address privacy

issues appropriately. Some information in student catalogues may be regarded as

sensitive and may require student consent. Some students may also be opposed to

inclusion in a student catalogue."

We can analyze some questions: how is created that relationship between tutors and

learners? When each individual creates a personal profile in a social network site, he

has to think who can see that information, because it can define the relationships within

the learning community. Has to think: How the personal information’s about me

(learner) can influence the teacher’s objectivity? or How the personal information’s

about me (teacher) can influence the way learners see my competence?

So we can ask: Can a teacher be student friend in a social networking? What are the

boundaries? How much information can or want to share with he’s students? How can

this influence the pedagogical relationship?



Transparency by Design

(http://www.wordsellinc.com/wp-content/uploads/word-sell-sales-transparency.jpg)

"One of the requirements for implementing Transparency by Design is the development

of a new set of best practices for participating institutions. “You want to make sure

things are in place at the institutional level”, says Merle Harris, president of Charter

Oaks State College, who has been instrumental in developing just such

standards.”(Hill, October 2009) “Collectively we went back and we looked at best

practices that have been put out by other organizations for online learning and then we

developed our set based on those" she says.

"Most important, Transparency by Design reports includes outcomes at the program

specialization level, allowing prospective students to assess how well a program will

prepare them for their professional pursuits."(Hill, October 2009)

Christopher Hill discusses issues like: What are the benefits of every online student be

well-informed." A key focus of the plan is providing program-specific outcomes data

that allows students to make informed decisions about their education investment"(Hill,

October 2009) and the benefits for everyone.

“To meet the education needs of adult students, we must provide them with trustworthy

and transparent ways to choose among many available options and to gauge the

potential of each one to further their careers”(Hill, October 2009).The goal of the


http://www.wordsellinc.com/wp-content/uploads/word-sell-sales-transparency.jpg


program is “to lead universities and colleges toward greater accountability and

transparency.”, said Michael Offerman, president of Capella University.

All types of transparency in Online Education

are very important, aspects like student

demographics, completion rates, costs, student

engagement, and knowledge and skills learned

are essential information for students. This kind

of data can be viewed in institutional annual

reports.

http://www.ecampus.lhup.edu/images/keyboard_transparent.jpg

“Harris and her associates concluded that there were a few basic principles for

institutions that really want to be transparent:

1 - Make distance education a central element of your mission: Distance learning really

has to be central to what the institution is doing. If it is viewed as an add-on and not

part of the central mission then very often it doesn’t get the resources that are needed

to carry out a quality program.

2 - Accountability to stakeholders: Who are the primary stakeholders in a transparent

institution? The prospective student and the enrolled student. “One of the reasons we

feel it’s important to have accountability measures and to report on those regularly is

because prospective students who are making a decision about where they want to go

to school, where they want to take courses should have information,” Harris says.

Accountability to prospective students includes providing adequate information about

the program, what it contains, and who’s teaching it. But it also includes measuring

what happens to students who go through the program. Harris’ group looks at things

like graduation rates, retention rates, what alumni say about the program, and

measures of student engagement, with the aim of making this information readily

available to prospective students.

3 - Responsiveness: In practice this means nothing more or less than good customer

service, so that when there are issues and questions students can get quick answers.

Responsiveness in the academic process means that faculty respond quickly to a

student, so that a student who’s learning online can get an answer to a question or

feedback on an assignment within 24 to 48 hours, depending on the institution’s policy.




Administratively, responsiveness means that if there are questions about grades going

out, about registration, about fees being paid the student will get very quick response

either by email or by telephone.

4 - Faculty competence: First, and most basic, the faculty that are going to be teaching

online must have the content background. But beyond

that they have to get the appropriate training to teach

online. They have to understand online pedagogy and

they have to understand the technology they’re using.

You need to be able to certify that the faculty have the

appropriate skills. Then you need to constantly update

the faculty on those skills. Finally you need to have a

faculty evaluation system and use that information to

feed back into the courses.

http://viu1.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/online-education-diploma-thumb3091362.jpg

5 - Institutional integrity: Again, starting with basics, the institution must be accredited.

Regional accrediting agencies are your allies in ensuring institutional integrity. They will

help you look at what you say you’re going to deliver and what you’re actually

delivering and help you make sure they match. Institutions must be rigorous in

establishing outcomes for programs and courses and measuring their effectiveness—

are you achieving those outcomes?”

“You say you’re going to do something and you show that you’re actually doing it,” says

Merle Harris, president of Charter Oaks State College. Here, too, a key point is to make

this information easily accessible to students. “You have to be upfront about it and

make sure that people know that you are going to be upfront about it,” Harris says.

6 - Excellence in student services: The guiding principle is that you have to recreate

online all the services that are offered on the ground. You have to be sure that students

can get online advice and counseling. You have to make sure they can get complete

information about their courses in advance. The online registration process has to be

efficient. Students must have access to library services online. Online tutoring services

should be available. You have to be able to accomplish financial aid transactions at a

distance. Since the students are using technology they have to have a help desk. Not

only must you recreate the services that students could walk to on campus—in most




cases you actually have to do a better job because often enough students have a

difficult time connecting with services on-campus.

7 - Integrity in marketing: Make sure you’re giving a clear and accurate message about

what you actually can and do deliver, so that you’re not making promises that can’t be

fulfilled. As with other aspects of transparency, integrity in marketing has to do with

providing relevant information on your website—what the graduation rate is, what the

alumni say about the program, etc.

8 - Curricular quality: “We have to make sure that there is quality in the content,” Harris

says. For example at my institution courses are reviewed by other faculty members

both before the course is offered, and the first time it’s offered, and then it comes up for

review again within at the most five years—it could be earlier.” This periodical review is

necessary to be sure that outcomes are clearly stated and that the students are

achieving those outcomes.”(Hill, October 2009)

“The keys are disclosure, transparency, the ability to interact with students easily and

the quality of the curriculum. So that we know what we’re trying to achieve and we

regularly measure it.” (Hill, October 2009)



http://www.cognitivedesignsolutions.com/images/elearning_TreeOfKnowledge.jpg

Conclusion

Is important remember that one of the problems of transparency is the level of

transparency. Students and tutors have to find balance between transparency and

privacy, and this balance depends of each person and those personal and social

characteristics.

The more transparency in all its aspects, the more cooperative work will be done by all

those individuals involved in the online learning process.

Transparency means open learning process, fellow students can see and follow work,

researches, tools, reports, assignments of others. Each one can provide important

learning opportunities for others.

"I learn so much from my fellow students. Everyone brings in a different perspective

and experience. Being in the Masters of Non-Profit Management program, it's great to

network with other non-profit leaders across the country." – Brian Laskey.



Transparency brings the opportunity to improve knowledge quality with less effort,

because exist many people to work and sharing for the same goal: learn more, learn

better, in less time!



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http://www.masternewmedia.org/images/media_literacy_digest_georgesiemens_irrodl_new_issue_id34856591.jpg

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shaughnessy/8076.html

Images





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elearning2a.jpg






















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Documents

Transparency Book