Self-directed blended flexible learning opportunities for on reserve First Nation students

Case Study: Self-directed blended flexible learning opportunities for on reserve First Nation students

?Blended learning pre COVID case study evaluated by Vaughan (2012) by applying Chickering & Gamson's Seven Principles? of Effective Teaching.

Publication

Vaughan, N.D. (2012). A blended approach to Canadian First Nations education: The Sunchild e-learning community. https://www.ascilite.org/conferences/Wellington12/2012/images/custom/vaughan%2C_norman_-_a_blended_approach.pdf

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Paradigm

This case study is about the Sunchild E-Learning Community blended program and applies the Seven Principles? of Effective Teaching (Chickering & Gamson, 1999).? Arthur W. Chickering and Zelda F. Gamson wrote the “Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education” in 1987 to improve teaching and learning. In 1991, Chickering and Gamson published a book titled Applying the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education. The seven principles are as follows:

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1. encourages contact between students and teachers,??

2. develops reciprocity and cooperation among students,??

3. encourages active learning,??

4. gives prompt feedback,??

5. emphasizes time on task,??

6. communicates high expectations, and??

7. respects diverse talents and ways of learning?

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Power (2008) has coined the term Online Blended Learning to describe the simultaneous and complimentary integration and implementation of an asynchronous-mode learning environment (i.e. a course management? system, or CMS) and a synchronous desktop conferencing environment (i.e. virtual classroom).?

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Theoretical Framework includes problem statements, research questions and literature review.

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??Problem Statements

The Sunchild First Nation Reserve (40) is located in the remote western central part of Alberta, Canada. (Government of Canada, 2008). In 1999, members of the Sunchild First Nation considered the lack of education in their community and decided? alternative methods were needed to reach First Nations students. They (Sunchild E-Learning Community, 2012) discovered that:?

• First Nations students faced unique challenges including family and legal situations, time away from class and relocating to new homes.?
• Many First Nations students were adults. These students wanted to upgrade and build a better future while meeting their current schedules and responsibilities.?

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In order to address these challenges the Sunchild E-Learning Community Program was established. This? program adopted a blended learning approach for high school courses by combining the use of mentors at local? learning centers with online teachers who provide synchronous tutorials through the use of a web-based learning? management system and conferencing tool.?

The purpose of this research study was to investigate if and how this blended approach to Canadian First Nations education could be used to foster student engagement and success.?

Research Questions

1. What are the advantages of a blended approach to Canadian First Nations education??

2. What are the challenges??

?3. Recommendations for improving this approach to Canadian First Nations education??

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Literature Review

Bleed (2021)? argued that, “blended learning should be viewed as an opportunity to redesign the way? that courses are developed, scheduled, and delivered through a combination of physical and virtual instruction, - bricks and clicks” . The goal of this redesigned blended approach to education should be to join the best? features of in-class teaching with the best features of online learning to promote active, self-directed learning? opportunities for students with added flexibility (Garnham & Kaleta, 2002; Littlejohn & Pegler, 2007; Norberg,? Dziuban, Moskol, 2011). This is echoed by Garrison and Vaughan (2008) who state that ―blended? learning is the organic integration of thoughtfully selected and complementary face-to-face and online? approaches and technologies (p.148).

The educational research literature strongly suggests that student engagement is the key to academic success and? retention (Astin, 1999; Kuh, 2008; Pace, 1980; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005). Littky and Grabelle? (2004) advocate for a learning environment that stresses relevance, rigor, and relationships (3R‘s of? engagement).??

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Methods of investigation?

An action research (Stringer, 1999) and case-based method (Creswell, 1997) were utilized for this study. Gilmore, Krantz and Ramirez (1986) define such a framework as:?

Action research . . . aims to contribute both to the practical concerns of people in an immediate problematic situation and to further the goals of social science simultaneously. Thus, there is a dual commitment in action research to study a system and concurrently to collaborate with members of the system in changing it in what is together regarded as a desirable direction. Accomplishing this twin goal requires the active collaboration of researcher and client, and thus it stresses the importance of co-learning as a primary aspect of the research process.? (p.161)?

This approach consisted of a mixture of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. All students enrolled in the Sunchild E-Learning Community program were invited to complete an online survey in the fall 2011 semester and then follow-up online interviews were conducted in December 2011 with four of the students who completed this survey. In the winter 2012 semester, these online interviews were expanded to include seven mentors, two online teachers, and the principal of the program. Two site visits were also conducted (Chinki Adult Education Center and the Calgary Aboriginal Futures Center).?

This study also had data from Mount Royal First Nations students program and this showed the similarities between on reserve and urban Indigenous First Nations students.

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Manisha’s note: This study was published in 2012 which is pre COVID. I would suggest the use of Talking Circles for future studies about action research. Collective thinking and sharing are transformative.

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References

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Bleed, R. (2001). A Hybrid Campus for a New Millennium. Educause Review, 36 (1). 16-24.?

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Chickering, A., & Ehrmann, S.C. (1996). Implementing the seven principles: Technology as lever. American Association of Higher Education Bulletin, October, pp. 3-6.?

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Chickering and Gamson. (n.d.). Center for Instructional Technology and Training - University of Florida. https://citt.ufl.edu/resources/the-learning-process/designing-the-learning-experience/chickering-and-gamson/

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Power, M. (2008). Responsible outreach in higher education: The blended online learning environment.? American Educational Research Association, Instructional Design SIG, New York, USA, March 24-28

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Vaughan, N., Nickle, T., Silovs, J. & Zimmer, J. (2011). Moving to their own beat: Exploring how students? use Web 2.0 technologies to support group work outside of class. Journal of Interactive Online Learning,? 10, (3), 113-127.??

https://www.ncolr.org/jiol/issues/viewarticle.cfm?volID=10&IssueID=33&ArticleID=162?

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Vaughan, N.D. (2012). A blended approach to Canadian First Nations education: The Sunchild e-learning community. https://www.ascilite.org/conferences/Wellington12/2012/images/custom/vaughan%2C_norman_-_a_blended_approach.pdf