2009 Fall ETC647

Hello Russ, The content of this unit supports organizational learning network environment. The Web 2.0 tools you integrated into the lesson plans are feasible and enable group collaboration. You included 4 components of technology integration as required. Your unit integrates Constructivism instructional strategies. The learners will have an understanding of technology integration in the classroom and its importance. Your goals and objectives were clear and concise. The rubrics you included were informative and supported your lesson content. Even though I am not familiar with photography, the information provided was interesting and engaging. The pictures you shared are wonderful. I am certain your students enjoyt your lessons immensely. Great job!

The content of this unit supports organizational learning network environment. The Web 2.0 tools you integrated into the lesson plans are feasible and enable group collaboration. You included 4 components of technology integration as required. Your unit integrates Constructivism instructional strategies. The learners will have an understanding of technology integration in the classroom and its importance. Your goals and objectives were clear and concise. The rubrics you included were informative and supported your lesson content. Even though I am not familiar with photography, the information provided was interesting and engaging. The pictures you shared are wonderful. I am certain your students enjoyt your lessons immensely. Great job!

Thanks Adrianna I see places that I missed and plan on updating the unit. This will be a big help for me and students that miss class. I hope students don't come to class because to this though.

Hi, You have incorporated many useful tools here for communication and collaboration. Google Docs is a great tool for collaboration and sharing, Delicious sets the stage for social learning that is perpetual in its ability to post updated information, Webspiration is a web-based tool that allows for the creation of concept maps, that eventually individuals can work on as a group and communicate using a chat component of the tool, and finally iGoogle is the foundation ( currently in my opinion) as a PLE that allows for the unification of useful and effective tools for updated content. good job.

Hi, i feel that this tool is useful for any course because most individuals would like to see the progress of their learning. It is also imperative that individuals focus on areas that they appear to be weak in so that when new information is introduced, a strong foundation for the basics have already been covered and mastered. Thanks. Great job in seeing the vision for this assignment. You did very well. Mary

Thanks, Mary, for being such a conscientious and thorough evaluator. I value your feedback very much. Betsy

:)

Hi Dennis, Content: I have provided numerous floating messages on your website, but I wanted to say that your unit was very informative. You used lessons that embraced the learning theories that the units should have focused on: Constructivism and Connectivism. Technology: It appears your technology usage and unit production focused on a progressive learning experience. You used many Google tools, which seem to embrace the user, such as Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, and iGoogle. You also included a tool called SurveyMonkey, which could be used easily as an assessment tool. Instructional Strategies: I see that you used research and video to assist you in teaching the content. You also utilized many tools that would allow for students to learn from each other. Assessment: I do feel that you could have used some assessment tools for the assignments that could have guided the students and provided an overall analysis of their learning. Objectives would have also guided the learners and revealed some expectations. Overall, I think you had a simple yet informative unit. I would recommend a little more development in the areas of assessment and instructional strategies, but other than that, I think you did a good job. Mary

Hi Betsy, Content: I have provided numerous floating messages on your website, but I wanted to say that your unit was very well-developed and informative. It appears that the creation of content of this sort is not foreign to you...lol. I loved your layout and usage of certain terms and concepts. You used lessons that embraced the learning theories that the units should have focused on: Constructivism and Connectivism. Technology: It appears your technology usage and unit production focused on a progressive, elaborate, and challenging learning experience. You used many Google tools, which seem to embrace the user, such as Blogger. You also included Delicious, RSS Feed, Go to Meeting, and Google Docs. Outstanding. Instructional Strategies: Your strategies reflect those of a Master who has covered this area before. There is collaboration, cooperation, discovery learning, independent study, incorporation of effective web-based tools,etc. I feel that you really embraced the learning theories that the professor requested. Great job. Assessment: I think you included a great deal of rubrics, self-reflection, and one thing I normally dont see, a "long-term" assessment and reflection in my opinion that measures the progress of the learner to make sure learning is occurring. Good job overall. I find this unit one of a kind. Mary

Hi Joshua, Content: I have provided numerous floating messages on your website, but I wanted to say that your unit fulfilled its focus of teaching teachers how to integrate technology, specifically, Web 2.0. You used lessons that embraced the learning theories that the units should have focused on: Constructivism and Connectivism. Technology: It appears your technology usage and unit production focused on a progressive, elaborate, and challenging learning experience. You used many Google tools, which seem to embrace the user, such as Google Docs. You also included Webspiration which utilizes a chat component to support collaboration. You have also incorporated Diigo and Zotero, the latter, I had never heard of so I have learned something quite new to incorporate into my curriculum, web-based or face to face. Finally, as a PLE, iGoogle was used. I have personally found this tool to be extremely helpful, for it supports organization, collaboration, easy access, and updated content. Instructional Strategies: Your strategies used appear to place the learning as the learner's responsibility. There are also collaborative exercises that could increase the various perspectives of content, thus introducing new ways to solve a problem,etc. Assessment: Although you have included surveys and included a blog, I felt that a rubric would have been appropriate to use as well for guidance and assessment. Other than that, the pre & post surveys are good opinionated measurements to assess student progress. Good job. Mary

Sure, they are opinionated...they test what the instructor imagines to be important but learners have a mind of their own. Ever wondered about that?

That is true, but that is also a problem I think occurs in discovery learning and goes back to whether or not the thinking matters or the fact that an individual arrived at the correct answer.

I think it is good to be sure to mention what they have accomplished. It reinforces the learning.

Hi Dennis, In this lesson, you have indeed connected the learners and created opportunities for their learning to "snowball." Some students may be just instructed to use one form of Google docs alone, but in this lesson,you have instructed the students to collaborate and you have instructed them to share what they have with the workshop class, which could lead to more learning opportunities. Good job. Mary

Your unit does an excellent job supporting learning network environment in terms of content. Resources are provided each step of the way. Additionally, the wiki environment you have created supports the learning network environment concept. Groupspaces are provided for collaboration as well as discussions that encourage network learning through sharing and discussion of ideas. There are a variety of web 2.0 tools supported and used throughout the unit. The first lesson requires students to go through tutorials and gain a familiarity with these tools for use in there lessons throughout the unit. There is also a variety of discussion that is encouraged using the web 2.0 tool Voice Thread. Strategies are constructivist based and require students to build there own knowledge and demonstrate their learning and understanding. Examples include building your own information database by using social bookmarking, a research paper designed to demonstrate their understanding of network learning, and finally the group lesson plan and presentation using powerpoint. These technologies incorporated lend themselves to the strategies used, which include individual work, group collaboration, peer review, and group discussion. Rubrics and guidelines are clearly stated for what is expected of each lesson. Also there is an end of unit survey which allows the student to reflect back on how much they actually learn as well as provide information to the instructor that can be used in future implementations of the unit. Moussa, overall I thought the unit was very well though out and designed. It applied constructivist principles, multiple technologies, is very simple to follow and easy to understand. I also really like the graphic on the home page that introduces ICT. Well done!

Thank you Mat, for the excellent comments and for taking the time to review my unit plan.

I am not clear what you are asking for here. The directions seem a little confusing.

I concur. This appears more about learning how to use the tools so the word research seems confusing.

Great list of NLE tools

I might make this more than one page. It seems a bit overwhelming at first glance.

These are great activities to help folks learn about collaborative and NLE.