Networked Learning Conference 2004 |
Orgsanised By: Brigitte Denis
OVERVIEW
After a short introduction to the theme of this symposium on contextualised
tutors’ roles and tutors’ training, we propose three papers.
The first one deals with the definition of the e-tutor’s roles and
competencies, the second illustrates the influence of the context and tutor
roles in the tutor’s choice of media, and the third one describes three
case studies of tutors training sessions.
The development of e-learning environments is linked with similar developments
in instructional design, which has resulted in other changes, particularly
the tutor’ roles in an e-learning environment are sometimes modified
from those in a face-to-face environment with new roles and ‘professions’ appearing.
In this symposium, we address the tutor’ roles as they relate to interaction
in fully distance learning or in blended learning environments.
Our goal is to share and discuss the “state of the art” of the
work engaged by the EQUEL SIG4 on “Contextualised tutors’ roles
and tutors’ training”. On the one hand, many documents exist in
the field of e-tutoring, but there still important work needed to address the
needs of future e-tutors and e-tutor’s trainers in obtaining relevant
information related to each of these areas. On the other hand, we need well
trained e-tutors and a methodology of training that takes into account the
different kinds of contexts as we see the e-tutors’ roles differing from
one context to another. For instance, the e-tutor doesn’t intervene in
the same way in a collaborative distance activity between learners as they
would in in an individual learning activity.
Our work mainly relies on the epistemological framework of socio-constructivism
(Piaget, Bruner, Doise, Perret Clermont, Wood, …), the activity theory
and socio cultural approach (Vygotsky, Engeström, Wenger, …). It
is mainly focussed on the micro-level related to the interactions between the
e-tutors and the learners. These learners can be adults or students of different
school levels.
One of our SIG objectives is to share and exploit relevant information collected
from the literature, case studies, etc. and to provide this information through
a data basis and five specific questions:
1. Practical implementation of the theories (implications of the learning theories
in the instructional design concerning the actors, the learning/teaching activities, …).
2. Roles of tutors (their adaptation to different contexts).
3. Design and implement tutor training (objectives, methods, planning, …).
4. Assesment, reflection, regulation (retroaction, revision) of the learning/tutoring
process.
5. Acreditation, professionalisation, status of the tutors.
In this symposium, we shall focuss on three topics: the e-tutor’s roles
and competencies, the influence of the context and role upon media choice for
learning support interventions and some e-tutors’ training methodologies.
Roles and Competencies of the
e-Tutor.
Brigitte Denis, Philip Watland, Sébastien
Pirotte and Nathalie Verday
Which Media When, and Why?
Erica McAteer, Ian Ruffell, Shanti Williamson and Alison Muirhead
Staff Development And E-Tutors
Training
Sheena Banks, Brigitte Denis, Uno Fors and Sébastien Pirotte