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Julie Shaw

SUNY: Empire State College, Center for Distance Learning (CDL), Faculty Member

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What gives life meaning? What are the diverse ways that we find it and how can we make use of a meaningful life to make a more meaningful world? As a lifespan developmentalist, I explore how people of different ages make the best use of their precious lives.

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Noel B. Salazar

KU Leuven

Ataturk University

Universidad Nacional de Colombia (National University of Colombia)

UCL Institute of Education

Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Kansas State University

Patrick Lowenthal

Boise State University

S. Sadi SEFEROGLU

Hacettepe University

California State University, Fullerton

Florida International University

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Books by Julie Shaw

Julia P Shaw CV

2018-2 Julie Shaw CV(2).doc

This is an updated CV.

2018-2 Julie Shaw CV(2).doc

 Chairlevel responsibilities to develop and guide online programs in Human Development, bridging... more  Chairlevel responsibilities to develop and guide online programs in Human Development, bridging psychology, human development, humanities and social science research. Responsible for excellent development, quality execution, and strategic planning of the Psychology curricula and then the Human Development curricula, with intersects to Social Science Research programs.  Developed, codeveloped or directed the development of more than two dozen quality online courses.  Mentor for about 30 students and instruction of three courses a year, with excellent student evaluations.  Responsibilities for development, management, and delivery of 20 webbased courses/year over thirteen years, many having multiple sections over five terms a year, and consistently serving over 1000 enrollments/year.  Supporting about forty adjunct faculty colleagues/year to deliver these courses.  Initiated and cochaired (for four years) the CDL Conference, an ongoing annual regional conference for 10 years.  Collaborated to create an online program for the Infant/Toddler Development Certificate for New York State.  Active role in establishing the Master of Arts in Teaching and the Master of Arts in Adult Learning and in teaching in those programs, as well as teaching many MALS (Master of Arts in Liberal Studies) students.

Shaw, J. P., Chacon, F. (2010). Structure and change in elearning: An ecological perspective. Chapter in Distance Learning Technology, Current Instruction, and the Future of Education: Applications of Today, Practices of Tomorrow. (Song, H., Editor). Hershey, Pennsylvania. IGI Global Publishers.

This chapter provides a view of elearning from the perspective of ecological systems with nested ... more This chapter provides a view of elearning from the perspective of ecological systems with nested levels of structure, organizing principles, and emergent properties for use in accomplishing at least three goals: to evaluate emergent patterns in the development of elearning; to assess current threats and enablers at any level; and to plan for successful growth within determinate niches. Elearning is structured into four levels: the International/National level; the Institutional level; the Class/Community level; and the Learning Object level. Within each level, and between them, there are organizing principles of integration and differentiation contributing to their stability or decay. Those that the authors have identified include: transactional distance in delivery of learning; industrialization of learning functions; functional equivalence of learning experiences; virtualization of knowledge; technological convergence of learning media; developmental growth of learning systems; and requisite variety in learning strategies. For administrators, practitioners, and faculty whose institutions have an identity within the ecology, the authors introduce the GEMS process to better control the Goals, Engagement, Management and Support of system elements between and across their levels of elearning structures. Both the broad ecological view upon elearning -and the specific tools of GEMS useful within it- are applied to existing structures in elearning, such as open courseware and course management systems, and to elearning innovations, such as mobile learning, meta-worlds, and virtual gaming.

Shaw, J. P. (in press). Experts and novices in elearning: Teachers, students and instructional design. Chapter in Interactivity in E-Learning: Cases and Frameworks. (Wang, H. Editor). Hershey, Pennsylvania. IGI Global Publishers

Teachers teach to the level of their ability: novices can teach students to be novices: experts c... more Teachers teach to the level of their ability: novices can teach students to be novices: experts can teach students to be experts. This paper explores aspects of online learning, particularly as offered through instructional design, that can both scaffold novice instructors to teach to a higher level of learning, and also support experts to help students reach higher goals. Three facets of the teaching/learning dialogue are explored: expertise in a domain of knowledge (teacher), expertise in how to acquire deep knowledge in a new domain through learning (student), and expertise in the instructor/student learning interface (instructional designer). Expert and novice teachers and learners and their relationship through instructional designers will be discussed.

Papers by Julie Shaw

Subtle Multicultural Advantages of Online Learning: A Focus on Perspective-Taking

Journal of education and culture studies, Nov 23, 2020

Many teachers have been challenged by the unexpected and rushed transition to online learning, fo... more Many teachers have been challenged by the unexpected and rushed transition to online learning, forcing them to modify their courses for a virtual environment in a matter of weeks, or even days. Hopefully, they will soon see pedagogical advantages of virtual learning that may be overlooked during this unprecedented time-in addition to the current benefit of protecting the health of faculty, staff, and students. Four that are presented here are particularly relevant to teachers of culturally diverse students who increasingly enroll in online courses: (1) cycles of reflection, (2) scaffolded integration of content, (3) articulate communication, and (4) visible responsibility for learning. The advantages to both deep learning and perspective-taking-both of particular interest to culturally diverse student populations-are presented for each of the four benefits.

Structure and Change in E-learning

Applications of Today, Practices of Tomorrow

This chapter provides a view of e-learning from the perspective of ecological systems with nested... more This chapter provides a view of e-learning from the perspective of ecological systems with nested levels of structure, organizing principles, and emergent properties for use in accomplishing at least three goals: to evaluate emergent patterns in the development of e-learning; to assess current threats and enablers at any level; and to plan for successful growth within determinate niches. E-learning is structured into four levels: the International/National level; the Institutional level; the Class/Community level; and the Learning Object level. Within each level, and between them, there are organizing principles of integration and differentiation contributing to their stability or decay. Those that the authors have identified include: transactional distance in delivery of learning; industrialization of learning functions; functional equivalence of learning experiences; virtualization of knowledge; technological convergence of learning media; developmental growth of learning systems;...

A Noble Eightfold Path

Case Studies and Frameworks

Teachers teach to the level of their ability: novices can teach students to be novices: experts c... more Teachers teach to the level of their ability: novices can teach students to be novices: experts can teach students to be experts. Using the Buddhist Eightfold Path as a model, this chapter explores the expert/ novice paradigm as a framework for e-learning, particularly as offered through instructional design that can both scaffold novice instructors to teach to a higher level of learning, and also support experts to help students reach higher goals. Three facets of the teaching/learning dialogue are explored: expertise in a domain of knowledge (teacher), expertise in acquiring deep knowledge in a new domain through learning (learner), and expertise in the instructor/learner learning interface (instructional designer). Expert and novice teaching and learning and their relationship through instructional designers will be discussed.

Developing a Process Improvement Request System at SUNY Empire State College

Applied science and innovative research, Dec 24, 2021

This paper presents the Process Improvement Request System initiated at SUNY Empire State College... more This paper presents the Process Improvement Request System initiated at SUNY Empire State College as a case study for institutional change management. Through this system, employees can submit suggestions for improving any kind of institutional processes at the college using an Information Technology "ticketing" system like the one used for technical issues. These communications are addressed, tracked, and stored by the Process Improvement Committee which includes representatives from all areas of the college. The Process Improvement Request System addresses many critical goals including 1) the storage of process issues, concerns, and suggestions; 2) a mechanism for addressing these; 3) open access to all employees (and to students through employee representatives) to submit ideas; 4) the ability to make suggestions about all levels of process issues, from college wide to personnel specific; 5) anonymity for making a request when desired; and 6) a feedback loop about the effectiveness of new processes. In this paper, the essential aspects of this project are discussed and analyzed. The paper also enables readers to ascertain the viability of such a project at their campuses and invites them to reach out to the authors if they have questions about doing so.

Learning at Developmental Cusps: A Lifespan Perspective

Journal of Education and Human Development

This article presents a qualitative analysis of learning at various ages from 1 through 76-sugges... more This article presents a qualitative analysis of learning at various ages from 1 through 76-suggesting in each case that the learner crossed a boundary at a developmental cusp, with an associated shift in awareness of the self. That these are all ages outside traditional schooling reinforces the lifespan nature of learning. Four elements were present: 1) a pressing puzzle to the self (psychological); 2) developmental readiness of the learner (biological); 3) a conducive learning environment (cultural); and 4) a trusted scaffolding relationship between the learner and a guide (social).Lifespan, childhood, and adult learning theories, as well as sources as diverse as Aristotle and Jung, contribute to an understanding of how developmental cusps are negotiated. Teachers aware of the concept of-developmental cusp‖ are more apt to provide the educational support needed for the learner to transcend a developmental juncture to a more integrated sense of self.

Subtle Multicultural Advantages of Online Learning: A Focus on Perspective-Taking

Journal of Education and Culture Studies

Many teachers have been challenged by the unexpected and rushed transition to online learning, fo... more Many teachers have been challenged by the unexpected and rushed transition to online learning, forcing them to modify their courses for a virtual environment in a matter of weeks, or even days. Hopefully, they will soon see pedagogical advantages of virtual learning that may be overlooked during this unprecedented time—in addition to the current benefit of protecting the health of faculty, staff, and students. Four that are presented here are particularly relevant to teachers of culturally diverse students who increasingly enroll in online courses: (1) cycles of reflection, (2) scaffolded integration of content, (3) articulate communication, and (4) visible responsibility for learning. The advantages to both deep learning and perspective-taking—both of particular interest to culturally diverse student populations—are presented for each of the four benefits.

Deep Learning; Media, Methods and Meaning, Part 1

Perceptions of participants enrolled in adult education programs regarding the role of computer -based instruction

UMI, ProQuest ® Dissertations & Theses. The world's most comprehensive collection of dis... more

Transactional distance and teaching presence in e-learning environments

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2012

... presence in e-learning environments', Int. J. Innovation and Learning, Vol. 11, No. 1, p... more

Shaw, J. P., (2006). The Problem With “Getting It Right the First Time”. Proceedings from EdMedia International Conference (16277). Orlando, Florida.

In all aspects of our lives, it is gratifying to “Get the right answer” and move on to the next p... more In all aspects of our lives, it is gratifying to “Get the right answer” and move on to the next problem on our list. But what if the first problem and also the next – and the next – were better solved if the first answer were not easily acquired? This paper discusses the value of structuring online learning so that students push beyond easy solutions and premature closure of ideas. Using adult developmental theory as a basis for discussion, ideas are presented for stretching a topic, challenging a premise, and creating an internal dialogue that extends beyond the online class (Erikson, Balthes, and Kegan, 1980) using tools from Vygotsky, Piaget, and Fischer).

Shaw, J. P. Teaching tips: Some subtle advantages of online learning. In Adult Development and Aging News. Newsletter for the APA Division on Adult Development and Aging. Volume 39, Issue 1, 2011.

Shaw, J. P., Chen, J. (in press). Transactional distance and teaching presence in e-learning environments. International Journal for Innovation and Learning. Projected for Volume 11, Number 1, 2012.

As elearning increases in scale and significance, it is useful to analyze it as an ecology (Shaw ... more As elearning increases in scale and significance, it is useful to analyze it as an ecology (Shaw and Chacon, 2010). Following this lead, we propose that transactional distance is a key systems tool to assess and guide the design of effective elearning systems, as impacted by three aspects of any elearning environment: teaching presence (social, cognitive, and cultural); levels of infrastructure (basic, grounded, emergent); and the essential learner-teacher dialogue. From a perspective inside an elearning system (an ‘emic’ perspective), we analyze the goals, engagement, management and support (GEMS) of the learner-teacher dialogue, demonstrating that the goal is a dynamic learner-teacher dialogue; engagement is through effective teaching presence; management of teaching presence is through short transactional distances; and support is through an understanding of the levels of infrastructure transacted to create the learner-teacher exchange. Through this analysis we introduce the concept of elearning transactional distance, with the premise that short transactional distances for teaching presence (using cultural presence as an example) improve effective elearning at the heart of the learning system: the learner/teacher dialogue.

Shaw, J. P. (2005). Building Meaning: Experts and Novices in On-line Learning. Proceedings for EdMedia International Conference. Montreal, Canada.

Abstract Teachers in a domain teach to the level of their ability: novices can teach students to... more Abstract Teachers in a domain teach to the level of their ability: novices can teach students to be novices: experts can teach students to be experts. This paper explores aspects of on-line learning that both scaffold novice instructors to teach to a higher level of learning, and support experts to help students reach higher goals. Two facets of the teaching/learning dialogue are explored: teacher knowledge about a field of expertise (depth of explored) and student knowledge about learning (depth of exploring). Aspects of course design will be reviewed from both subject matter and teaching expertise to consider ways to scaffold both the instructor and the student to levels of greater expertise.

Talks by Julie Shaw

Shaw, J. P. (accepted). Emergent Consciousness from Self-Organized Dimensions of Meaning Through Intercoordination of Perspectives:

This research demonstrates the emergence of consciousness in adolescents and adults by the cre... more This research demonstrates the emergence of consciousness in adolescents and adults by the creation of complex constructions of meaning using single abstract perspectives as building bloc! ks into four dimensions of meaning: Narrative, Ranking, Partition, and Visual gestalt. Nearly all participants age ten through 86, when given instructions to make a 'personally meaningful arrangement' of ten cards, each of which had a self-selected perspective, arranged a meta-level 'dimension of those ten perspectives into: 1) a Narrative; 2) a Ranking; 3) a Partition; 4) a Visual Gestalt, or an intercoordination of these meta-level gestalts.
Participants, particularly with age (p = .01) used these four meta-level arrangements as dimensions. In personal meaning, narratives organize perspectives temporally, whereas rankings, partitions and visual images organize perspectives spatially. Personal differences lead to variations in patterns of perspective (translations) where time and space can translate one to another. Developmental maturity leads to increased complexity in patterns (transformations) where individual perspectives simultaneously situate within patterns of m! ultiple dimensions, creating unique complexes of perspective.
The results of this study visually show how dimensions of operational time and space for personal meaning emerge into a more consciously organized self from fluid and formerly unrelated perspectives within a less-organized self. This is a process for emergence of a well-formed identity. Awareness of this process of perspective-alignment into meta-level dimensional gestalts can assist in self-reflection; in awareness of systematic variations in dimensional meaning in others; and in the creation of more grounded and more flexible constructions of meaning.
:
Key words: consciousness; psychology; learning; symbol; systems; narratives; developmental theory; perspectives; emergence, dimensions of meaning; time and space; transformations

Comments: Based on Harvard School of Education doctorate, this study explored emergence of organization of perspectives across the adult lifespan into four dimensions for meaning: Narratives, Rankings; Partitions (categories); and Visual Images, from age ten (start of Piagetian formal operations) through old age. Predominantly US, Caucasian participants arranged ten self-generated individual perspective cards into visible patterns on a table. All ages, when instructed to 'create personally-meaningful arrangement' constructed patterns using the four dimensions, and provided gestalt explanations for their arrangements (the "personal meaning" of the arrangement was different from and more complex than the meaning of any of the ten individual perspectives which composed the whole). Typically, younger participants used one dimension but older ones interrelated multiple dimensions into complex, unique patterns (P=.01) by using the same perspective for multiple dimensions at the same time (an event in a story, a step in a ranking, a place in a partition, ! and a part of a larger theme or visual image). The constructi! on of th e ten individual perspectives into these four dimensions was emergent behavior, used to communicate meaning to self and others. These results are rich for at least three reasons: 1) the use of only four dimensions for meaning, functionally generated by nearly 100% of participants without prompting; 2) the self-initiated capacity to build complex perspectives from the integration of those dimensions, and 3) the construction of meta-level gestalts to bring the ten individual perspectives within one holistic framework. This presentation shows many examples of the expansion from simpler to more complex, and the variety of unique approaches from multiple participants. The breadth and depth of variety of the emergence of consciousness through the construction of dimensions for meaning is very compelling.

Shaw, J. P. Systematic development of complexity of perspective-making across the adult lifespan.

Abstract: A new methodology called the Symbol Sort© game provides concrete evidence for dif... more Abstract:

A new methodology called the Symbol Sort© game provides concrete evidence for differences in adult development of social consciousness in two ways: first, that perspectives on social consciousness become statistically more complex with age; and second, that male and female perspectives on social consciousness become more distinct in measurable ways as people age. Participants in the Symbol Sort process from age ten to eighty-plus create 10 individual perspectives (Fischer single abstractions), put them on individual cards, and then arrange them in a ‘personally-meaningful way.’ Young participants (age 18-24) arrange individual perspectives as parts of four simple patterns (narrative, ranking, partition or image), whereas older participants (past sixty) arrange the perspectives in complex patterns, where each perspective has multiple meanings within a complex system of meanings (p = .01). The patterns of the older participants, however, differ significantly by gender. The older men create personally-meaningful patterns in which they are moved by large impersonal forces; the older women create personally-meaningful patterns in which they act to create significant interpersonal relationships (p = .06). Results can be measured statistically because each of the ten perspectives created in the Symbol Sort© game is discrete and is at the same level of complexity - a single abstract perspective - so the number of meanings of each perspective can be identified. This paper will provide many examples of Symbol Sort© arrangements, showing how the complexity of perspectives can be measured, and showing differences in how men and women develop social consciousness.

Julia P Shaw CV

2018-2 Julie Shaw CV(2).doc

This is an updated CV.

2018-2 Julie Shaw CV(2).doc

 Chairlevel responsibilities to develop and guide online programs in Human Development, bridging... more  Chairlevel responsibilities to develop and guide online programs in Human Development, bridging psychology, human development, humanities and social science research. Responsible for excellent development, quality execution, and strategic planning of the Psychology curricula and then the Human Development curricula, with intersects to Social Science Research programs.  Developed, codeveloped or directed the development of more than two dozen quality online courses.  Mentor for about 30 students and instruction of three courses a year, with excellent student evaluations.  Responsibilities for development, management, and delivery of 20 webbased courses/year over thirteen years, many having multiple sections over five terms a year, and consistently serving over 1000 enrollments/year.  Supporting about forty adjunct faculty colleagues/year to deliver these courses.  Initiated and cochaired (for four years) the CDL Conference, an ongoing annual regional conference for 10 years.  Collaborated to create an online program for the Infant/Toddler Development Certificate for New York State.  Active role in establishing the Master of Arts in Teaching and the Master of Arts in Adult Learning and in teaching in those programs, as well as teaching many MALS (Master of Arts in Liberal Studies) students.

Shaw, J. P., Chacon, F. (2010). Structure and change in elearning: An ecological perspective. Chapter in Distance Learning Technology, Current Instruction, and the Future of Education: Applications of Today, Practices of Tomorrow. (Song, H., Editor). Hershey, Pennsylvania. IGI Global Publishers.

This chapter provides a view of elearning from the perspective of ecological systems with nested ... more This chapter provides a view of elearning from the perspective of ecological systems with nested levels of structure, organizing principles, and emergent properties for use in accomplishing at least three goals: to evaluate emergent patterns in the development of elearning; to assess current threats and enablers at any level; and to plan for successful growth within determinate niches. Elearning is structured into four levels: the International/National level; the Institutional level; the Class/Community level; and the Learning Object level. Within each level, and between them, there are organizing principles of integration and differentiation contributing to their stability or decay. Those that the authors have identified include: transactional distance in delivery of learning; industrialization of learning functions; functional equivalence of learning experiences; virtualization of knowledge; technological convergence of learning media; developmental growth of learning systems; and requisite variety in learning strategies. For administrators, practitioners, and faculty whose institutions have an identity within the ecology, the authors introduce the GEMS process to better control the Goals, Engagement, Management and Support of system elements between and across their levels of elearning structures. Both the broad ecological view upon elearning -and the specific tools of GEMS useful within it- are applied to existing structures in elearning, such as open courseware and course management systems, and to elearning innovations, such as mobile learning, meta-worlds, and virtual gaming.

Shaw, J. P. (in press). Experts and novices in elearning: Teachers, students and instructional design. Chapter in Interactivity in E-Learning: Cases and Frameworks. (Wang, H. Editor). Hershey, Pennsylvania. IGI Global Publishers

Teachers teach to the level of their ability: novices can teach students to be novices: experts c... more Teachers teach to the level of their ability: novices can teach students to be novices: experts can teach students to be experts. This paper explores aspects of online learning, particularly as offered through instructional design, that can both scaffold novice instructors to teach to a higher level of learning, and also support experts to help students reach higher goals. Three facets of the teaching/learning dialogue are explored: expertise in a domain of knowledge (teacher), expertise in how to acquire deep knowledge in a new domain through learning (student), and expertise in the instructor/student learning interface (instructional designer). Expert and novice teachers and learners and their relationship through instructional designers will be discussed.

Subtle Multicultural Advantages of Online Learning: A Focus on Perspective-Taking

Journal of education and culture studies, Nov 23, 2020

Many teachers have been challenged by the unexpected and rushed transition to online learning, fo... more Many teachers have been challenged by the unexpected and rushed transition to online learning, forcing them to modify their courses for a virtual environment in a matter of weeks, or even days. Hopefully, they will soon see pedagogical advantages of virtual learning that may be overlooked during this unprecedented time-in addition to the current benefit of protecting the health of faculty, staff, and students. Four that are presented here are particularly relevant to teachers of culturally diverse students who increasingly enroll in online courses: (1) cycles of reflection, (2) scaffolded integration of content, (3) articulate communication, and (4) visible responsibility for learning. The advantages to both deep learning and perspective-taking-both of particular interest to culturally diverse student populations-are presented for each of the four benefits.

Structure and Change in E-learning

Applications of Today, Practices of Tomorrow

This chapter provides a view of e-learning from the perspective of ecological systems with nested... more This chapter provides a view of e-learning from the perspective of ecological systems with nested levels of structure, organizing principles, and emergent properties for use in accomplishing at least three goals: to evaluate emergent patterns in the development of e-learning; to assess current threats and enablers at any level; and to plan for successful growth within determinate niches. E-learning is structured into four levels: the International/National level; the Institutional level; the Class/Community level; and the Learning Object level. Within each level, and between them, there are organizing principles of integration and differentiation contributing to their stability or decay. Those that the authors have identified include: transactional distance in delivery of learning; industrialization of learning functions; functional equivalence of learning experiences; virtualization of knowledge; technological convergence of learning media; developmental growth of learning systems;...

A Noble Eightfold Path

Case Studies and Frameworks

Teachers teach to the level of their ability: novices can teach students to be novices: experts c... more Teachers teach to the level of their ability: novices can teach students to be novices: experts can teach students to be experts. Using the Buddhist Eightfold Path as a model, this chapter explores the expert/ novice paradigm as a framework for e-learning, particularly as offered through instructional design that can both scaffold novice instructors to teach to a higher level of learning, and also support experts to help students reach higher goals. Three facets of the teaching/learning dialogue are explored: expertise in a domain of knowledge (teacher), expertise in acquiring deep knowledge in a new domain through learning (learner), and expertise in the instructor/learner learning interface (instructional designer). Expert and novice teaching and learning and their relationship through instructional designers will be discussed.

Developing a Process Improvement Request System at SUNY Empire State College

Applied science and innovative research, Dec 24, 2021

This paper presents the Process Improvement Request System initiated at SUNY Empire State College... more This paper presents the Process Improvement Request System initiated at SUNY Empire State College as a case study for institutional change management. Through this system, employees can submit suggestions for improving any kind of institutional processes at the college using an Information Technology "ticketing" system like the one used for technical issues. These communications are addressed, tracked, and stored by the Process Improvement Committee which includes representatives from all areas of the college. The Process Improvement Request System addresses many critical goals including 1) the storage of process issues, concerns, and suggestions; 2) a mechanism for addressing these; 3) open access to all employees (and to students through employee representatives) to submit ideas; 4) the ability to make suggestions about all levels of process issues, from college wide to personnel specific; 5) anonymity for making a request when desired; and 6) a feedback loop about the effectiveness of new processes. In this paper, the essential aspects of this project are discussed and analyzed. The paper also enables readers to ascertain the viability of such a project at their campuses and invites them to reach out to the authors if they have questions about doing so.

Learning at Developmental Cusps: A Lifespan Perspective

Journal of Education and Human Development

This article presents a qualitative analysis of learning at various ages from 1 through 76-sugges... more This article presents a qualitative analysis of learning at various ages from 1 through 76-suggesting in each case that the learner crossed a boundary at a developmental cusp, with an associated shift in awareness of the self. That these are all ages outside traditional schooling reinforces the lifespan nature of learning. Four elements were present: 1) a pressing puzzle to the self (psychological); 2) developmental readiness of the learner (biological); 3) a conducive learning environment (cultural); and 4) a trusted scaffolding relationship between the learner and a guide (social).Lifespan, childhood, and adult learning theories, as well as sources as diverse as Aristotle and Jung, contribute to an understanding of how developmental cusps are negotiated. Teachers aware of the concept of-developmental cusp‖ are more apt to provide the educational support needed for the learner to transcend a developmental juncture to a more integrated sense of self.

Subtle Multicultural Advantages of Online Learning: A Focus on Perspective-Taking

Journal of Education and Culture Studies

Many teachers have been challenged by the unexpected and rushed transition to online learning, fo... more Many teachers have been challenged by the unexpected and rushed transition to online learning, forcing them to modify their courses for a virtual environment in a matter of weeks, or even days. Hopefully, they will soon see pedagogical advantages of virtual learning that may be overlooked during this unprecedented time—in addition to the current benefit of protecting the health of faculty, staff, and students. Four that are presented here are particularly relevant to teachers of culturally diverse students who increasingly enroll in online courses: (1) cycles of reflection, (2) scaffolded integration of content, (3) articulate communication, and (4) visible responsibility for learning. The advantages to both deep learning and perspective-taking—both of particular interest to culturally diverse student populations—are presented for each of the four benefits.

Deep Learning; Media, Methods and Meaning, Part 1

Perceptions of participants enrolled in adult education programs regarding the role of computer -based instruction

UMI, ProQuest ® Dissertations & Theses. The world's most comprehensive collection of dis... more

Transactional distance and teaching presence in e-learning environments

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2012

... presence in e-learning environments', Int. J. Innovation and Learning, Vol. 11, No. 1, p... more

Shaw, J. P., (2006). The Problem With “Getting It Right the First Time”. Proceedings from EdMedia International Conference (16277). Orlando, Florida.

In all aspects of our lives, it is gratifying to “Get the right answer” and move on to the next p... more In all aspects of our lives, it is gratifying to “Get the right answer” and move on to the next problem on our list. But what if the first problem and also the next – and the next – were better solved if the first answer were not easily acquired? This paper discusses the value of structuring online learning so that students push beyond easy solutions and premature closure of ideas. Using adult developmental theory as a basis for discussion, ideas are presented for stretching a topic, challenging a premise, and creating an internal dialogue that extends beyond the online class (Erikson, Balthes, and Kegan, 1980) using tools from Vygotsky, Piaget, and Fischer).

Shaw, J. P. Teaching tips: Some subtle advantages of online learning. In Adult Development and Aging News. Newsletter for the APA Division on Adult Development and Aging. Volume 39, Issue 1, 2011.

Shaw, J. P., Chen, J. (in press). Transactional distance and teaching presence in e-learning environments. International Journal for Innovation and Learning. Projected for Volume 11, Number 1, 2012.

As elearning increases in scale and significance, it is useful to analyze it as an ecology (Shaw ... more As elearning increases in scale and significance, it is useful to analyze it as an ecology (Shaw and Chacon, 2010). Following this lead, we propose that transactional distance is a key systems tool to assess and guide the design of effective elearning systems, as impacted by three aspects of any elearning environment: teaching presence (social, cognitive, and cultural); levels of infrastructure (basic, grounded, emergent); and the essential learner-teacher dialogue. From a perspective inside an elearning system (an ‘emic’ perspective), we analyze the goals, engagement, management and support (GEMS) of the learner-teacher dialogue, demonstrating that the goal is a dynamic learner-teacher dialogue; engagement is through effective teaching presence; management of teaching presence is through short transactional distances; and support is through an understanding of the levels of infrastructure transacted to create the learner-teacher exchange. Through this analysis we introduce the concept of elearning transactional distance, with the premise that short transactional distances for teaching presence (using cultural presence as an example) improve effective elearning at the heart of the learning system: the learner/teacher dialogue.

Shaw, J. P. (2005). Building Meaning: Experts and Novices in On-line Learning. Proceedings for EdMedia International Conference. Montreal, Canada.

Abstract Teachers in a domain teach to the level of their ability: novices can teach students to... more Abstract Teachers in a domain teach to the level of their ability: novices can teach students to be novices: experts can teach students to be experts. This paper explores aspects of on-line learning that both scaffold novice instructors to teach to a higher level of learning, and support experts to help students reach higher goals. Two facets of the teaching/learning dialogue are explored: teacher knowledge about a field of expertise (depth of explored) and student knowledge about learning (depth of exploring). Aspects of course design will be reviewed from both subject matter and teaching expertise to consider ways to scaffold both the instructor and the student to levels of greater expertise.

Shaw, J. P. (accepted). Emergent Consciousness from Self-Organized Dimensions of Meaning Through Intercoordination of Perspectives:

This research demonstrates the emergence of consciousness in adolescents and adults by the cre... more This research demonstrates the emergence of consciousness in adolescents and adults by the creation of complex constructions of meaning using single abstract perspectives as building bloc! ks into four dimensions of meaning: Narrative, Ranking, Partition, and Visual gestalt. Nearly all participants age ten through 86, when given instructions to make a 'personally meaningful arrangement' of ten cards, each of which had a self-selected perspective, arranged a meta-level 'dimension of those ten perspectives into: 1) a Narrative; 2) a Ranking; 3) a Partition; 4) a Visual Gestalt, or an intercoordination of these meta-level gestalts.
Participants, particularly with age (p = .01) used these four meta-level arrangements as dimensions. In personal meaning, narratives organize perspectives temporally, whereas rankings, partitions and visual images organize perspectives spatially. Personal differences lead to variations in patterns of perspective (translations) where time and space can translate one to another. Developmental maturity leads to increased complexity in patterns (transformations) where individual perspectives simultaneously situate within patterns of m! ultiple dimensions, creating unique complexes of perspective.
The results of this study visually show how dimensions of operational time and space for personal meaning emerge into a more consciously organized self from fluid and formerly unrelated perspectives within a less-organized self. This is a process for emergence of a well-formed identity. Awareness of this process of perspective-alignment into meta-level dimensional gestalts can assist in self-reflection; in awareness of systematic variations in dimensional meaning in others; and in the creation of more grounded and more flexible constructions of meaning.
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Key words: consciousness; psychology; learning; symbol; systems; narratives; developmental theory; perspectives; emergence, dimensions of meaning; time and space; transformations

Comments: Based on Harvard School of Education doctorate, this study explored emergence of organization of perspectives across the adult lifespan into four dimensions for meaning: Narratives, Rankings; Partitions (categories); and Visual Images, from age ten (start of Piagetian formal operations) through old age. Predominantly US, Caucasian participants arranged ten self-generated individual perspective cards into visible patterns on a table. All ages, when instructed to 'create personally-meaningful arrangement' constructed patterns using the four dimensions, and provided gestalt explanations for their arrangements (the "personal meaning" of the arrangement was different from and more complex than the meaning of any of the ten individual perspectives which composed the whole). Typically, younger participants used one dimension but older ones interrelated multiple dimensions into complex, unique patterns (P=.01) by using the same perspective for multiple dimensions at the same time (an event in a story, a step in a ranking, a place in a partition, ! and a part of a larger theme or visual image). The constructi! on of th e ten individual perspectives into these four dimensions was emergent behavior, used to communicate meaning to self and others. These results are rich for at least three reasons: 1) the use of only four dimensions for meaning, functionally generated by nearly 100% of participants without prompting; 2) the self-initiated capacity to build complex perspectives from the integration of those dimensions, and 3) the construction of meta-level gestalts to bring the ten individual perspectives within one holistic framework. This presentation shows many examples of the expansion from simpler to more complex, and the variety of unique approaches from multiple participants. The breadth and depth of variety of the emergence of consciousness through the construction of dimensions for meaning is very compelling.

Shaw, J. P. Systematic development of complexity of perspective-making across the adult lifespan.

Abstract: A new methodology called the Symbol Sort© game provides concrete evidence for dif... more Abstract:

A new methodology called the Symbol Sort© game provides concrete evidence for differences in adult development of social consciousness in two ways: first, that perspectives on social consciousness become statistically more complex with age; and second, that male and female perspectives on social consciousness become more distinct in measurable ways as people age. Participants in the Symbol Sort process from age ten to eighty-plus create 10 individual perspectives (Fischer single abstractions), put them on individual cards, and then arrange them in a ‘personally-meaningful way.’ Young participants (age 18-24) arrange individual perspectives as parts of four simple patterns (narrative, ranking, partition or image), whereas older participants (past sixty) arrange the perspectives in complex patterns, where each perspective has multiple meanings within a complex system of meanings (p = .01). The patterns of the older participants, however, differ significantly by gender. The older men create personally-meaningful patterns in which they are moved by large impersonal forces; the older women create personally-meaningful patterns in which they act to create significant interpersonal relationships (p = .06). Results can be measured statistically because each of the ten perspectives created in the Symbol Sort© game is discrete and is at the same level of complexity - a single abstract perspective - so the number of meanings of each perspective can be identified. This paper will provide many examples of Symbol Sort© arrangements, showing how the complexity of perspectives can be measured, and showing differences in how men and women develop social consciousness.

Personal Perspective Systems© and Academic Advising.

The Development of Personal Wisdom

Shaw, J. P. The Cusp: The Adolescent Transition from Representation to Abstraction in Narratives.