Concise paper

Download the paper [PDF]

Oriel Kelly
New Zealand Tertiary College
@oriel.kelly

Nuhisifa Seve-Williams
New Zealand Tertiary College

Binky Laureta
New Zealand Tertiary College

Keshni Kumar
New Zealand Tertiary College

Catch this session

Tuesday 5 December, 11am – 11.20am
Stream 2
Room R113

Abstract

The power of community – of Us – has long been assumed to be important in adult learning. Student interactions on discussion forums are encouraged, and it has been claimed that they foster a learning community which makes a difference to student outcomes through collaboration and joint construction of knowledge. This paper reports on interim results of a research project to establish, firstly, if there is a correlation between student participation in forums and their overall course outcomes, and secondly, shares a matrix designed to code both social and cognitive forum activity, to support an investigation into the existence of a learning community in student forum conversations – the power of Us.

About the authors

Oriel Kelly

Oriel Kelly is the Academic Manager at NZTC. She has a Masters in Educational Administration and her tertiary background is in staff development, the uses of technology to support teaching and learning and educational leadership. She is a Fellow of the New Zealand Association for Educational Administration and Leadership and a winner of a New Zealand national Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award. Her research interests include learning technology, online communities and the NZ eLearning Guidelines. She has been teaching online now over 15 years, five with NZTC.

Nuhisifa Seve-Williams

Dr Nuhisifa Seve-Williams hails from the island of Niue but raised in NZ.
She completed her PhD in Education Sociology in 2009 from the University of Auckland. She is currently the Research Manager at NZTC.

Binky Laureta

Binky Laureta has a Masters in Family Life and Child Development and is a registered teacher in early childhood education. She has been involved in teaching for 20 years, both overseas, and in New Zealand. She started her career as a preschool teacher and then joined the tertiary sector. Currently, she is working as lecturer and Program Leader for the Graduate Diploma in Teaching ECE program at New Zealand Tertiary College. Her interests are in inclusive education, social competency, cultural diversity, multicultural education, adult/higher education teaching and learning, teacher training, online teaching and learning, curriculum and learning support.

Keshni Kumar

Keshni Kumar has a Postgraduate Diploma in Education and has 17 years experience in education. Her research interests are in science and early childhood education, and other curriculum areas. She is currently a lecturer in early childhood at NZTC.