Anyone interested in exploring the educational use of Ning?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Fahriye on February 13, 2009 at 1:48pm

Hi,

first of all your area of interest is good. I think, we have parallel with my focus. You are considering also teachers. In my research project, i concentrated on online tutors and trained them on online pedagogy by emphasizing social interaction in online context.

You can set ideas for every week or month to teachers and make them to practice how to be colleague within online context. you know that colleague is important for their professional development. How technology support this???? This is my research interest that i would like to do after finishing my current project.

I looked at your link, it seems good.

Goodluck.

Best regards
Fahriye

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Permalink Reply by Eric Zhi Feng Liu on February 13, 2009 at 8:58pm

It's a good idea. In the past, I try to teach students how to use social bookmarking to help them writting and help them to share ideas in/out classroom.

Maybe I can try to use Ning!! Can you share the ideas of how to use Ning in teaching and learning?

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Permalink Reply by Fei Gao on February 14, 2009 at 4:15pm

I am not sure about it yet. As I said, currently, i am using it as a place for students to share news, have discussions about issues related to ed tech, provide feedback regarding this course and ask questions.
But I find it hard to get students really involved although I actively modeled these behaviors, and frequently encourage them to contribute to the site, and comment on each others' post.. Usually, they just post their assignments there, and they are done.
So, I keep wondering how I could get students more actively involved...


Eric Zhi Feng Liu said:

It's a good idea. In the past, I try to teach students how to use social bookmarking to help them writting and help them to share ideas in/out classroom.

Maybe I can try to use Ning!! Can you share the ideas of how to use Ning in teaching and learning?

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Permalink Reply by Dean Sheetz on February 15, 2009 at 1:24am

Hi Fei,

I haven't used ning in the classroom yet, but I do have a ning site I set up for exchanging information about teaching and learning in my college. (http://teaching-learning.ning.com/).

One problem I've found with the use of social networking and other types of learning sites is the time commitment it takes to contribute to and participate in them. I think how you structure the use of them in the scheme of learning is crucial. They can't be 'in addition to' what you are already doing. They must be a part of it. I have also found that, if they are part of assessment, they take up more of a teacher's time than more traditional media. This is because it is possible to give feedback at almost anytime (this may, in fact, be why you want to use electronic media) but we have the same amount of time available to read and comment on our students' work (i.e. 'not enough').

Cheers,
Dean

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Permalink Reply by Jamie Billingham on February 15, 2009 at 1:30pm

Hi,

Yes, I want to explore.

I have been using Moodle for several years and despite the robustness of the platform (I'm a big Moodle fan) it does not seem to be a good match for that set of learners. Or maybe it's just the nature of that particular group combined with my inability to move them towards collaborative engagement.

With another group I am trying to create a community of practice using Basecamp. That was going pretty well until a few folks figured out that every message they sent was viewable by the whole group. My bad, I assumed they would know that. Now the entire group is lurking lol

On first glance there really are more similarities between the three platforms than differences. So I guess my curiousity is around, what are the differences between platforms, that make a difference? I supect that the platform is not the variable that makes the difference but would like to prove or disprove this.

jamie

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Permalink Reply by Fei Gao on February 16, 2009 at 10:46pm

Hi Dean,
I can totally relate. Since I started this Ning, I have spent a huge amount of time on it, managing the site, posting news, and replying to students' posts. I mean I enjoy the process, but at the same time, I find it impossible to keep up with everything happening there. Maybe, as the site grows, I will ask my students to take more responsibilities...

Dean Sheetz said:

Hi Fei,

I haven't used ning in the classroom yet, but I do have a ning site I set up for exchanging information about teaching and learning in my college. (http://teaching-learning.ning.com/).

One problem I've found with the use of social networking and other types of learning sites is the time commitment it takes to contribute to and participate in them. I think how you structure the use of them in the scheme of learning is crucial. They can't be 'in addition to' what you are already doing. They must be a part of it. I have also found that, if they are part of assessment, they take up more of a teacher's time than more traditional media. This is because it is possible to give feedback at almost anytime (this may, in fact, be why you want to use electronic media) but we have the same amount of time available to read and comment on our students' work (i.e. 'not enough').

Cheers,
Dean

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Permalink Reply by Fei Gao on February 16, 2009 at 11:15pm

Hi Jamie,

I think that you raised a very important issue. There are so many different platforms that are similar to each other. Why we choose to use one instead of another?

I think that though the variations among some platforms are small, they may create a slightly different environments for learning. For example, the reason I decide to use Ning rather than Moodle for my class is that I want to create a less formal learning environment where students share something about their lives as well as what they are learning. Ning allows them to present themselves in a variety of ways (in pictures, video, music). And, in Ning, it is very easy for them to form small groups, and have informal chat with each other (by writing on each other's wall). In this sense, I think Ning might be a better tool to serve my purpose.

Since you are a big fan of Moodle, maybe you'd like to share why you think Moodle serve your purpose better as compared to other tools. And I only used Basecamp once, so I would love to hear more about that too. :)

Jamie Billingham said:

Hi,

Yes, I want to explore.

I have been using Moodle for several years and despite the robustness of the platform (I'm a big Moodle fan) it does not seem to be a good match for that set of learners. Or maybe it's just the nature of that particular group combined with my inability to move them towards collaborative engagement.

With another group I am trying to create a community of practice using Basecamp. That was going pretty well until a few folks figured out that every message they sent was viewable by the whole group. My bad, I assumed they would know that. Now the entire group is lurking lol

On first glance there really are more similarities between the three platforms than differences. So I guess my curiousity is around, what are the differences between platforms, that make a difference? I supect that the platform is not the variable that makes the difference but would like to prove or disprove this.

jamie

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Permalink Reply by Larisa Enríquez Vázquez on February 17, 2009 at 11:16am

Hi Fei!

As a part of a research, I'm planning a course on learning environments in which students will be able to experience different virtual learning environments; Ning will be one of them. My hypothesis is that social networks, like Ning, will be used more on informal and flexible learning programs. If you try to post messages and open up forums with time limited by a semester or certain period, you will end up just as you're saying, with too much trouble to keep up.

I would love to keep in touch with you and hear about your experience and of course, I would gladly let you know about our progress.

Larisa

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Permalink Reply by Fei Gao on February 17, 2009 at 11:50am

Larisa,
That sounds interesting. Please keep me posted of your progress. I will do the same too. :)

Larisa Enríquez Vázquez said:

Hi Fei!

As a part of a research, I'm planning a course on learning environments in which students will be able to experience different virtual learning environments; Ning will be one of them. My hypothesis is that social networks, like Ning, will be used more on informal and flexible learning programs. If you try to post messages and open up forums with time limited by a semester or certain period, you will end up just as you're saying, with too much trouble to keep up.

I would love to keep in touch with you and hear about your experience and of course, I would gladly let you know about our progress.

Larisa

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Permalink Reply by Deirdre Bonnycastle on February 17, 2009 at 3:01pm

Social Networking sites have been my biggest disappointment of all the Web 2.0 tools because I think very few people know how to make them work. I joined 30 NING's when they first became available and after an initial flurry of activity most of them died. I blame our passive learning culture, everyone seemed to be waiting for something to happen.(I'm as guilty as anyone else for not getting the ball rolling)

The most interesting NING's now seem to be instructional ie Images4Education or like this one related to an event or issue.

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Permalink Reply by Ed Bowen on February 17, 2009 at 5:27pm

Fei,

Thanks for sharing your ning. I enjoyed the video of Cayme Sharp. What a hoot! Great ning. I plan on visiting it often. Mine's at http://desideratum.ning.com/ if you're interested.

ed

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Permalink Reply by Virginia Yonkers on February 20, 2009 at 11:18am

I currently am blogging about my use of the Ning during the semester. My school used Blackboard and I was not satisfied with how the students were using it (basically to post assignments and send me e-mails). I set up a Ning which I use for questions about the class and a way to get resources to students. I also use it as a way to communicate important information about the class.

What surprised me is the exchange of information BETWEEN students (less teacher centered than blackboard seemed to force because of its structure) and the greater level of use by students. Jenny Luca is also blogging about the use of the Ning for secondary school (there is a link to her blog in my posting).

I wonder if Nings need a purpose (beginning and end) to be truely useful (in response to Deirdre's comment on her disappointment in the Ning). I also wonder if it is a tool that will be replaced by something else that will be more effective.

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