The background

Michelle Williams on a Field trip sitting in the Shelfo river … charging up the batteries of laptops in a land cruiser and camping out.

Within different professional communities and workplaces in a large organisation, people work on common ideas even though they do not always have opportunity to share expertise and work together. Further, geographic distances and workplace schedules often reduce the opportunity to access collegial expertise. An online roundtable is a strategy which enables dispersed professionals to work together over a period of time without needing to allocate concentrated face–to–face time and travel resources. The increasing use of online strategies for professional work and learning means that people have the skills, knowledge and dispositions to work comfortably online in asynchronous activities. There is also an increasing understanding of online facilitation strategies which promote online professional conversations.

The roundtable metaphor promotes evenness amongst participants. It feels like people would have equal opportunity to share expertise and that a facilitator would support the sharing process. It is also usual that a roundtable would result in a product – either recommendations for action or consensus on a shared product which is usable at least, by the members of the roundtable. The process of expert roundtables is also likely to move knowledge forward in the field, as the synergy of experts shapes new frontiers and new ideas.

This model then for online expert roundtables, responds to the context of distributed expertise, takes advantage of developing technology–mediated practices and capitalizes on the powerful roundtable metaphor to create a strategy for experts to collaborate on projects which will lead their professional community forward.

The scenario

At this point in time, people with expertise in their area of responsibility may have varying levels of experience at working online. Those working in small face–to–face teams and teachers working in schools, may not spend much time working online. The level of experience is uneven everywhere. Further, the nature of people’s work, their working styles and interrelationships, mean that they use a variety of ‘modes’ to work with others; speaking face–to–face, speaking by phone, participating in teleconferences, sharing information in documents, using email and bulletin boards and using online spaces deliberately designed for teams of people to work together. People will have preferred ways of communicating and sharing expertise within task designs. Being online all the time may not work yet, but will increasingly, as online experiences continue to gain popularity.

For a professional community to grow in its knowledge and mature in its practices, it needs to draw on its expertise. It is likely that these experts provide leadership in a professional community and set directions. They will take risks to explore and try out new ideas that others will value. The potential for capitalizing on expertise is great, though taking advantage of the synergy is a complex but powerful ambition. However, communications technologies provide the tools which enable distributed experts to collaborate. They may need support to learn how to work this way and they will need facilitation to capitalise on their knowledge.

Working through phone and Internet networks with a dispersed team, does take longer than working face to face. The working progress on a project seems fragmented and asynchronous. For participants, the work on any one project is dispersed amongst multiple simultaneous projects and often may feel fragmented and elongated. However, it is often in this modern era, commonplace to work in what could be described as a multi–tasking environment. Using communications media to share conversations and documents is increasingly commonplace and combined with synchronous meetings of people in teams, ideas mature and progress when all people are committed to the process and eventual products or outcomes. There is an increasing understanding of how to work in a modern connected context, especially as people work practices change and become reliant on communications technologies.

This model for capitalizing on distributed expertise, does account for the varying levels of comfort with working asynchronously and with Internet–based technologies. It is a facilitated model. This model assumes that busy people dropping into a reasonably long asynchronous conversation, will value a strong facilitator role which seeks to balance the time required for busy experts to formalize their contributions and their desire to have strong input.

The model in a nutshell

This model involves a facilitator preparing the materials, sharing them online in multiple ways and conducting rounds of professional conversation, working towards a final product which will be distributed publicly. The design of the model divides activities into three groups: preparation activities, the online round table itself and the follow up processes to complete the activity. Some activities are completed by the facilitator, others involve individual participants and some, the whole group. This model assumes use of the Learning Place Project Rooms or a similar space, to store materials and record/conduct conversations.

The model explained

Preparation activities

1. Investigate the depth of the subject matter and shared problem. The facilitator immerses in the subject matter to convey it clearly and directly to participants.

   The facilitator needs to have expertise in the subject matter of the roundtable. He/she needs to understand the topic from the perspective of the participants. It is worth exploring existing knowledge available in the texts and online resources, participants might access and or have written. It is useful for the facilitator to verbalise an understanding of the subject matter and potential conflicting issues as often as practical, to gently prompt participants to consider other perspectives and to provide them with a chance to clarify the facilitator’s language and meaning.

2. Develop a description of the shared purpose and process after talking with participants. Use all conversations to develop trust and mutual respect.

The final description of the problem or subject matter needs to be succinct and account for the shared understanding you are constructing for the group. Focus on commons and check that everyone can identify with the description developed for the roundtable. By checking back with participants, the members of the Roundtable will appreciate their opinion and expertise is valued and help them prepare mentally for intense participation. It is not ‘out of sight and out of mind’.

3. Articulate the subject matter of the roundtable in multiple formats to be shared in a variety of media and mediums. (Catering for preferred learning/working styles, and comfort with various online environments).

   Use summaries and detailed descriptions and think about screen layout when writing sentences, paragraphs and using bullets and numbering, indenting etc. maintain integrity of versions.

4. Negotiate online spaces and processes and prepare them for content.

   Think about access and navigation, whether participants will read on screen or print and if files or web–based information is most suitable. Think about how email and web information can complement activity. It may be useful if using threaded discussions, to set up a playspace for people to practice navigating and contributing. Separate out the elements of the round table into sections or areas if you can. In the Project Rooms of the Learning Place, set up forums or chat rooms for each activity or activity part and name them cleverly to aid navigation and build a working place atmosphere.

5. Re-Issue a phone or face–to–face invitation to participate. Confirm by personal email.

   This signals the start of the intense online and other activity. Ask participants to set aside thinking and writing time. Indicate when and how often they will be contacted and when they need to contribute to the group discussions.

6. Distribute information about the round table process and purpose by email with all participants.

   This confirms all phone and other personal communication and lets everyone know every person has access to the same information and that there are similar expectations of everyone.

Online roundtable

1. Issue invitations to go online and explore the Learning Place Project Room or alternative environment.

   This is an important time is setting the tone of the activity and for helping people immerse in the spaces and unfamiliar environments. It may be useful to use an online or telephone session to support people as they first explore the space and develop familiarity of this roundtable spaces. It is also a useful and gentle introduction to the activity to ask people to share who is ‘online and active’ and what they hope will happen online. Begin to set the expectation that there will be something for the roundtable every day or two.

2. Email a concise explanation of the topic/issue along with housekeeping for how to participate.

   This provides another medium to ensure people have all information and are ready to go. Email is a daily reminder of the roundtable, especially if some of the activity is occurring in online spaces. The housekeeping will help people find things, use passwords and generally overcome any distractions to participating.

3. Conduct an activity to immerse participants in the topic selecting an activity which checks to see level of shared understanding of the topic/issue. Use this to develop group identity and a sense of shared commitment.

   This is round one of the activity and enables people to share their expertise. Suggestions include analysing a scenario, brainstorming to draw out ideas, conducting an online game to extract ideas in a fun way, focusing questions, using one of the participants as an online guest. At this stage critique and judgmental activities might be avoided. Ensure everyone understands how this activity contributes to the final product. Record the outcomes along the way and perhaps summarise ideas in an email. It is sometimes necessary to email and telephone personally to encourage their contributions. There will need to be a critical mass of contributions to create a shared sense of purpose and a productive atmosphere.

4. Conduct an activity(s) which enables exchange of professional expertise and opportunity to strengthen the expected product of the roundtable. This might take several rounds of activity and use a variety of strategies and mediums.

   In this process, a range of synchronous and asynchronous activities will keep folks on track and engaged. It will significant to draw together ideas, challenge the group to ‘go further’ and help them reach a consensus on developments and new directions. Ask individuals to contribute their strengths and seek to summarise regularly. Synchronous activities include teleconferences and chats or use of messaging services where practical. Using graphical and other props during teleconferences may be useful to have a sense of shared view and to prompt visualization though common language.

   Asynchronous activities need to construct new ideas and might include nominating starting ideas and participants to share the next step, asking specific questions about strategies they can bring to the table, asking them to fill in ‘what if’ scenarios. Perhaps specific techniques from the CORT thinking strategies or from Eric Frankenhiem will work well if participants are familiar with them - KWL, PMIs DOCA, Jigsaws etc. use props where practical to keep activities tight and manageable asynchronously and remotely.

5. Conduct an online activity(s) in the round table environment leading to shared products.

   In this round of activity, the level of interaction will depend on how close the group is to consensus. The facilitator may simply need to collate into the shared product or may have to negotiate the products carefully with the group.

6. Communicate with each participant to finalise product and ensure it is a representation of their contributions and growing expertise.

   Publishing online and or as attached files to email will be useful. Enable as much feedback as practical.

Post Round table

Publish the original problem, process and products.

Provide them back to participants in a format they prefer and tell them where else they are being stored. Thank folks for joining in and encourage to not only use the products but share them with other expert colleagues.

Distribute products for use by the broader educational community.

Negotiate this and share news of the resources so people know where they are and their intention.

Selecting media for various communication and other tasks

The facilitator will have to select media that accounts for the level of expertise and the preferred working styles of participants. The use of online tools and the proportion of online activity will need to be negotiated. Sufficient time will need to be provided to enable participants to develop familiarity and undertake preparation.

The following suggests the fit between tools and conversations and other activities.

Resources to assist in developing a roundtable

Frangenheim, E, Reflections on Classroom Thinking Strategies, Rodin Educational Consultancy, Australia, 1998.

These classroom thinking strategies also work in professional development settings. The E–Lesson Learning Planner also describes these strategies. Adopting these to online strategies is not documented though anecdotal stories are shared amongst online facilitators.

Searching the Curriculum Exchange and EdNA for the following terms would provide background information on facilitation strategies which could be modified for use in online expert roundtables.

• CORT thinking strategies
• Critical thinking skills

Flexible Learning Network (2003). Flexible Learning Network Quick Guides What have we learnt about … Effective Online Facilitation. http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/guides/facilitation.pdf
Last accessed June 27 2003.

This summarises the key lessons from the VET sector in online teaching. The issues and references in this excellent guide will assist facilitators of Online Round tables to think about techniques for including participants and how to set tone and purpose.

Searching the Curriculum Exchange and EdNA for the following terms will reveal a raft of background materials and strategies for hosting online events.

• Online facilitation strategies
• Online learning
• E-learning

Acknowledgement

This project was funded by the Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training as a quality teacher initiative under the Commonwealth Quality Teacher Programme