6 Enhancing Student Learning Experience through Group Supervision Using a Digita
6 Enhancing Student Learning Experience through Group Supervision Using a Digital Learning Platform
Wendy E. Rowe
Professor, School of Leadership Studies
Royal Roads University
Brigitte Harris
Professor, School of Leadership Studies
Royal Roads University
Marie Graf
Professor, School of Leadership Studies
Royal Roads University
Sandra Rogers
Instructional Designer, Centre for Technologies and Learning
Royal Roads University
Abstract
This article describes the use of a digital learning platform to facilitate group supervision of students completing their capstone projects for a Masters in Leadership program. To address the problem of social and academic isolation experienced by students in traditional one-on-one supervision, the authors sought ways to use the digital learning platform Moodle to provide a supportive and collaborative learning environment, similar to what students experienced earlier in the program. Following a pilot demonstration period of two years, 35 students and 5 supervisors were surveyed and engaged in focus group discussion to obtain their assessment and feedback on the benefits and challenges apparent in the use of the digital learning platform to provide group supervision to these students. Students noted many positive benefits in support of a collaborative learning environment using the digital platform, while some supervisors were more mixed in their assessment of this supervision approach. Some faculty were adamant that the group supervision digital platform saved them time and helped them be more consistent and focused with students. Other faculty were concerned about the difficulties inherent in using the technology effectively. Results are discussed in light of relevant literature[1].
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Introduction
In this chapter, we describe the use of a digital learning platform to facilitate group supervision of students completing their graduate capstone project. The capstone project is an 8-month long major organizational change project that students do at the end of their 2-year academic program. We report on data gathered from students and supervisors who used this digital learning platform and from supervisors who did not. This study is relevant to any academic program in which distance learning students are engaged in an individualized and long-term project.
Students in the MA Leadership program at Royal Roads University, in Victoria, Canada, are required to complete a leadership change project within a sponsoring organization for the purpose of integrating leadership theory into practice and providing “real time” benefit to the organization. Using an action research methodology, students are required to engage key stakeholders in the organization in dialogue and to explore an issue as well as possible solutions (Rowe, Graf, Piggot-Irvine, Agger-Gupta, & Harris, 2013). Students work in a mutually supportive cohort-based learning community throughout the entire first year of their graduate program. Yet, during the capstone