Using VoiceThread to Promote Active Learning and Learner Engagement in an Online Business Course
This position paper explored the use of a Web 2.0 technology, VoiceThread, to enhance student engagement and active learning in one business course. The platform was integrated into various learnercentered activities together with learner reflections, and relationships to key concepts of an online course as part of a course improvement plan. The researchers found that the use of VoiceThread provided the much needed momentum by enabling a learning community and encouraging students to become more involved, thereby contributing to their success. In all activities, based on choice theory as proposed by Beresford and Sloper (2008) learners were given a choice as indicated in Table 1 with the following instructions: Select the topic from a list of alternative issues related to the course objectives tied to the reading. In addition, while initially encouraging the use of video, learners had a choice in response mediumvideo, audio or written text. Moreover, learners were asked to reflect and relate the materials to their real life experience. The method for student response was to respond to a classmate of their choice and then add their unique comments. In both courses, the last comment was to reflect on the entire course by means of using the following instructions: Tell us five ideas, concepts you feel you now have a greater understanding of. Or another way of putting it, what do you know now that you did not know before this course? Respond to one other classmate. Students responded to a classmate of their choice, and the instructor also responded, individually and collectively. In all cases, by responding to one other classmate, students were encouraged to engage and reflect. Instructor feedback was provided via a range of media individually and collectively. Audio podcasts, via Soundcloud were provided. Soundcloud is: "an audio platform that lets you listen to what you love and share the sounds you create" (Soundcloud Tumblr, n.d. para. 1) At times the link was stand alone and, at other times, feedback provided on a set of notes taken as the instructor listened to the VoiceThread comments of each learner. At times video feedback was provided with a link to a specific YouTube, or a link to a video created using Swivl, a tool that allows split screen, presenter one the left and slides on the right. Finally, occasionally feedback was in the form of a Pdf file of an article related to the overall topic. Throughout the course the instructor was able to observe all the learners as the numbers of students in each course did not make up a large group. The instructor took daily notes regarding their collaboration and their interactions. In addition, as the course came to a conclusion, students provided the instructor with an evaluation of the course based on all three interactions: learner learner, learner content, and learner instructor (QM Higher Education Rubric, 2014) Both informal interviews in the form of focus groups, and textual data provided the researchers were textually rich data (Creswell, 2012) The textual data were analyzed and codes were formed for themes. Anecdotal data and qualitative analysis of student perspectives and evaluations based on learner engagement indicated that VoiceThread was instrumental in encouraging more interactions and support, resulting in creating a much needed virtual community. Students felt they "belonged" to a community, they could "trust" their classmates and "rely on them" when needed. Similar findings were noted by Fallon (2011) ".majority of students, using the classroom helped build trust and rapport and went some way toward developing a sense of identification with others in the group three important components in relationship formation." The words and phrases used in describing student feedback and thoughts for the two courses were positive: "felt challenged," "felt supportive," "felt successful," "felt organized," "being helped," "being encouraged," and "felt needed." Majority of the students indicated that the interactions with their classmates "helped" them "improve" their skills: "better team members," "was able to help solve problems," "able to listen to others." In addition, reflections by means of video, text encouraged students to share their experiences and learn from the experiences of each other. Learning from each other was fundamental as the course taught professional training and prepared them for the workforce. Furthermore, students revealed that being part of a learning community encouraged them to be "open" with other students and their instructors. Many revealed feeling related to support and friendly community. They were "not intimidated." They did not feel "peer pressure." They felt that they "belonged" to a community and "enjoyed studying with others." Forming a focus group of 21 volunteer students, when the instructor asked if students felt more supportive learning in a virtual community, majority of the students indicated that they definitely felt part of the group. These students were able to make comparisons as they had also been experienced in taking face to face classes. Some indicated that they found more support in their virtual groups than they did in their face to face classes. They were able to "communicate more" with their classmates. This paper demonstrated that VoiceThread appeared to be extremely effective in delivering an online business education related course content to virtual learners. Qualitative data indicated that students not only felt engaged in active learning but also had a sense of "belonging" in a supportive online community. This study demonstrated the ways in which VoiceThread could promote a dialog, and engagement between learner and instructor, learner and content, and learner and learner, creating a collaborative learning environment in the process resulting in active learning in a supportive environment. The researchers concluded that, because VoiceThread offered a range of appropriate learning activities and feedback tools, it proved to be an effective learning tool that met QM standards, creating a supportive environment, and encouraging more active learning. This position paper was limited in that it presented the use of VoiceThread in one online course as part of Business education curriculum. Future studies of Web 2.0 technologies in higher education online courses need to be conducted. The researchers suggest the following research topics to determine the efficacy of Web 2.0 technologies regarding active learning and virtual learning communities: Beresford, B. Sloper, P. (2008) Understanding the dynamics of decision making and choice: A scoping study of key psychological theories to inform the design and analysis of the panel study. University of York, York: Social Policy Research Unit. Blackboard (n.d. VoiceThread. Retrieved from https:/wp.voicethread.com/howto/blackboard 2/ Bradberry, T. Greaves, J. (2009) Emotional intelligence 2.0. San Diego, CA: Talent Smart. Creswell, J. W. (2012) Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. (4th ed. New York, NY: Pearson. Fallon, G. (2011) Making the connection: Moore's theory of transactional distance and its relevance to the use of a virtual classroom in postgraduate online teacher education. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 43(3) 187 209. Gostick, A. Elton, C. (2014) What motivates me: Put your passions to work. Kamas, UT: The Culture Works Press. Hew, K. F. Cheung, W. S. (2013) Use of Web 2.0 technologies in K 12 and higher education: The search for evidence based practice. Educational Research Review, 9, 47 64. iTunes Preview, VoiceThread. (2016) In Apple Inc. Retrieved from https:/itunes.apple.com/us/app/voicethread/id465159110?mt=8 Kolb, D. A. (1984) Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, New York: Prentice Hall. National Survey of Student Engagement Indicators High Impact Practices. (2016) In National Survey of Student Engagement Annual Results. Retrieved from http:/nsse.indiana.edu/NSSE_2016_Results/pdf/NSSE_2016_Annual_Results.pdf Negash, S. Powell, T. (2015, May) Increasing student engagement and assessing the value of an online collaboration tool: The case of VoiceThread. Journal of Interactive Technology Pedagogy. Retrieved from http:/researchguides.dartmouth.edu/c.php?g=59712&p=382798 Ng, W. (2012, November) Can we teach digital natives digital literacy? Computers Education, 59(3) 1065 78. Pacansky Brock, M. (2013) How to humanize your online class with VoiceThread [E book version] Retrieved from Smashwords. Quality Matters Higher Education Rubric. (2014) In Quality Matters Higher Education Rubric Workbook. (5th ed. Annapolis, MD: Author. Siemens, G. Tittenberger, P. (2009) Handbook of emerging technologies for learning. Retrieved from http:/www.bucks.edu/media/bcccmedialibrary/documents/academics/ facultywebresources/Handbook_Emerging Technologies.pdf Soundcloud Tumblr. (n.d. Retrieved January 29, 2017 from http:/soundcloud.tumblr.com/ VoiceThread LLC. (2016) VoiceThread. Retrieved from https:/voicethread.com/ VoiceThread Research. (2016) In Ed.VoiceThread. Retrieved from https:/voicethread.com/products 1. A statistically powerful longitudinal study with larger groups to determine the efficacy of Web 2.0 tools in supporting active learning. 2. An exploratory study on instructor feedback when using Web 2.0 technologies in online classes. 3. A correlational study to determine the relationship between VoiceThread and retention in learning