Presentation at SiED EnPED 2014 Conference, Sao Carlos, Brazil.

1. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 1
MEETING ONLINE
LEARNERS’ NEEDS
THROUGH COGNITIVE
APPRENTICESHIP
Dr. Vanessa Dennen
Associate Professor
Instructional Systems & Learning Technologies
Florida State University, USA

2. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 2
Overview
• Learner needs and possible solutions
• Types of online learners
• Using cognitive apprenticeship to meet learner needs

3. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 3
I may teach the same
course year after year,
but I never teach the
same class.

4. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 4
WHAT DO YOU NEED
RIGHT NOW?
Sleep
Coffee
Food
A good laugh
More money
A date

5. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 5
WHAT DO YOU NEED
FROM THIS CLASS?
Knowledge of topic
An “A”
3 credit hours

6. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 6
WHAT DO YOU NEED
FROM SCHOOL?
A degree
A good job

7. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 7
Roles of the Online Instructor
Managerial
• Running the
course
Pedagogical
• Teaching the
content
Social
• Fostering
relationships
Technological
• Supporting
CMC
(Berge, 1995; Bonk, Kirkley, Hara & Dennen, 2001)

8. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 8
Online Student Needs
Managerial
• Follow the
course plan
Pedagogical
• Learn the
content
Social
• Feel a
connection
Technological
• Use the
course
technology
In class:
In general:
Advising
Career Preparation
Financial Aid
Friends
IT Access
Library Access
Study Skills

9. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 9
Who’s in your class?
Perfect
Paula
Social
Sam
Experienced
Ellen
Eager
Edgar
Newbie
Ned
Needy
Nancy
Overloaded
Owen
Absent
Alison

10. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 10
Perfect Paula
• Profile characteristics:
• Well-prepared for both the course content and online learning
• Devotes sufficient time to her studies
• Self-regulates effectively
• Unique needs:
• Typically none, but if they arise she is
proactive about finding a timely solution.
• Challenges:
• None! We love having Paula in class.

11. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 11
Social Sam
• Profile characteristics:
• High level of energy / high degree of socialization
• Willing to engage in course activities
• Unique needs:
• Attention!
• Challenges:
• Sometimes big on talk but short on
substance
• Keeping him from taking over the
conversation

12. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 12
Experienced Ellen
• Profile characteristics:
• Has a lot of course-related experience
• High degree of self-efficacy
• Unique needs:
• May not be able to map course content
onto her experiences
• May need affirmation of her experience
• Challenges:
• Keeping her engaged and challenged
• Helping her see alternate points of view
• Keeping her from spreading
misconceptions

13. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 13
Eager Edgar
• Profile characteristics:
• Enthusiastic about course
• May appear more experienced than he is
• Unique needs:
• Attention
• Challenges:
• Keeping him focused and engaged

14. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 14
Newbie Ned
• Profile characteristics:
• New to online learning
• May lack confidence, technology skills
• Unique needs:
• Learning how to be an online student
• Challenges:
• Keeping him from feeling overwhelmed

15. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 15
Needy Nancy
• Profile characteristics:
• Worried about whether she is doing things correctly
• Unique needs:
• Affirmation
• Challenges:
• If she doesn’t get affirmation, she may
tune out or become negative about the
course

16. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 16
Overloaded Owen
• Profile characteristics:
• Struggles to make school a priority
• May perform work at the minimum level
• Always has a (real) excuse
• Unique needs:
• Flexibility
• Assistance with time management
• Challenges:
• Helping him figure out how school fits
in with other commitments and interests
• Counseling him to make wise decisions

17. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 17
Absent Alison
• Profile characteristics:
• Often invisible
• Turns in assignments late, if at all
• Unique needs:
• Reasons to attend or interact
• Challenges:
• Getting her to communicate
• Determining WHY she is absent
• Changing her concept of online classes

18. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 18
Another Need:
Self-regulation Technology
self-efficacy
Lifelong
Learning
Skills
Metacognitive
strategies Networking

19. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 19
Ideal Progression for Learners
Learning in
class Graduating
Participating in
a professional
community of
practice

20. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 20
Target: Community of Practice
Mutual engagement
Joint enterprise Shared repertoire
Community of Practice
(Wenger, 1998)

21. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 21
Cognitive Apprenticeship Model
Model • learners observe expert
Coach • learners receive expert guidance
Scaffold • learners perform with support
Articulate • learners explicate their knowledge
Reflect • learners analyze their own performance
Explore • learners own and extend knowledge
(Collins, Brown & Newman, 1998)

22. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 22
Types of Learning in a Cognitive
Apprenticeship
Managerial
Pedagogical
Content Knowledge
Expertise is:
Distributed
Domain-specific
Social
Technological

23. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 23
How to Not Foster
Cognitive Apprenticeship
• Mini-case 1
• Passive learning + didactic techniques
• Mini-case 2
• Heavy instructor intervention
• Instructor-student communication dyads

24. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 24
Operationalizing Cognitive Apprenticeship
in an Online Class
Modeling
Coaching
Scaffolding
Articulation
Reflection
Exploration
• Foster peer engagement
• Let more experienced students help less
experienced ones
• Encourage collaborative exploration

25. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 25
Matching Up Learners
Perfect
Paula
Social
Sam
Experienced
Ellen
Eager
Edgar
Newbie
Ned
Needy
Nancy
Overloaded
Owen
Absent
Alison

26. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 26
Goals of Using Cognitive Apprenticeship
• Focus on content
Learning • Authentic experiences
• Build intersubjectivity
Community • Draw upon distributed cognition
• “Own” content and related
experiences
• Prepare for workplace learning
Independence

27. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 27
Providing Rewards
• Badges
• Personal attention
• Communication
• Showcase / highlights
• Assign responsibilities

28. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 28
Summary
• Learners needs extend beyond content and pedagogy
• Cognitive apprenticeship can be used to meet learners’
within-class needs across areas
• Collaboration and community are necessary to foster
cognitive apprenticeship in a class setting
• End goal: Produce professionals who are competent
lifelong learners

29. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 29
Questions?
Contact Information:
Dr. Vanessa Dennen
Instructional Systems & Learning Technologies
Florida State University
vdennen@fsu.edu
@vdennen
http://slideshare.net/vanessadennen

30. SiED EnPED 2014 • Dr. Vanessa Dennen • Florida State University 30
References
• Berge, Z. L. (1995). Facilitating computer conferencing:
Recommendations from the field. Educational Technology, 35
(1), 22-30.
• Bonk, C. J., Kirkley, J. R., Hara, N., & Dennen, V. P. (2001).
Finding the instructor in post-secondary online learning:
Pedagogical, social, managerial, and technological locations. In
J. Stephenson (Ed.), Teaching and learning online: New
pedagogies for new technologies (pp. 76-97). London: Kogan
Page.
• Collins, A., Brown, J. S., & Newman, S. E. (1998). Cognitive
apprenticeship: Teaching the craft of reading, writing, and
mathematics. In L. B. Resnick (Ed.), Knowing, Learning, and
Instruction: Essays in Honor of Robert Glaser (pp. 453-494).
Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning,
meaning, and identity. Cambridge, England: Cambridge
University Press.