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alexandra m. pickett

one small step for blogging…one giant leap for me - 4 views

  • Someone please explain to me the whole “hashtag” thing. PLEASE!  I feel so out of the loop!
  • I guess I just assumed that she was the exception,
  • I realize now that I was taking this, as well as all of my other skills, for granted.
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  • Twitter
  • not getting feedback on my course profile or course information documents. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      I am still trying to figure out how to not be overwhelmed with the volume of interaction in this course. : )
    • Lisa Martin
       
      I realized since I wrote that how much more you have to do than usual...I can't imagine!
  • I also realized that my ideas come from a desire to incorporate social networking more into online courses. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      take a look at this http://www.masternewmedia.org/ning-alternatives-guide-to-the-best-social-networking-platforms-and-online-group-services/ - i think you are thinking about a social networking site. In the future you may want to consider this as a companion to your course.
    • Lisa Martin
       
      Thanks Alex!
  • ~I continue to be astonished every week with how much I am growing and learning in this course.  Not only am I learning how to be an effective online instructor and everything that it entails, but I am also learning a lot about myself.~
  • I lose track of time and hours have gone by without me even realizing it. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      that is the definition of "engagment"
  • “What young children perceive that their teachers do plays a more significant role in their socio-emotional outcomes than what teachers report they do” (p. 30).  We have an EVEN bigger impact than we thought!
  • “Am I providing a bridge for my students from their prior knowledge to where I want them to be and where THEY want to be?” “What am I doing to facilitate their growth not only in building a positive self-image, but also as learners in general?” “Am I REALLY taking into consideration their interests, passions and motivations?” And finally, “What Would Alex Do?”
  • “I really like how you tell them you are there for them.  A lot of my teachers give us confusing assignments and I never feel like I can ask them questions.” 
  • When she was done going through everything she said, “Are you actually going to teach this class? Can I take it when you do?” 
  •   I was spending so much time figuring out the tools that I felt like I wasn’t spending time on content.  I realize now that I needed to spend that time and those tools were part of the content of this course. 
  • I LOVE learning in general!  I liked learning before…well I never disliked it anyway…well unless it was math…or science…I had no idea what it was like to truly LOVE learning.  Its sad to me that it took me 30 years to experience this.  Did I work A LOT in this course?  Did I give up much of my social life?  Did I stay up too late?  YES, YES and YES.  Was it worth it? Absolutely!  Did I mind? NOT ONE BIT…Reflecting on the fact that I worked so hard and so much on something and not only wasn’t bothered by it, but enjoyed every moment was a HUGE wake up call to me. 
  • You just have to have passion and a belief in yourself.
  • This was the only course I have EVER taken in which I will walk away having truly internalized knowledge.  I know that I internalized what I have learned because when I was reviewing my classmate’s courses I didn’t have to refer to a book or a checklist, it was all in my head.  When I look back at my undergrad education, I have always said that I didn’t feel like I actually “learned” anything until I student taught and learned by DOING.  That’s exactly what happened in this course, I learned by doing.  This is only course that has ever provided me with this type of experience and it has shown me what quality education should be, not only online but in a face-to-face situation as well.
  • We(myself, my classmates AND Alex) worked together in this course to contribute to the construction of our knowledge. 
  • It wasn’t until this summer when I turned 31 that I finally experienced being a student in a student-centered, constructivist environment that actually got me to THINK.  Not just think, but think critically…It took 31 years for me to experience a true community of learners!  I don’t want other students to have to wait 31 years to experience what its like to REALLY LEARN!
  • I want to CHANGE someone the way that Alex, ETAP 640 and all of you have CHANGED me.
  •  
    I'm posting the link to my blog so that I can practice adding bookmarks to diingo
Irene Watts-Politza

School Context, Student Attitudes and Behavior, and Academic Achievement: An Explorator... - 0 views

  •  
    A full-length study that concludes learner self-perception of being academically successful precedes learner engagement when these factors are weighed with respect to motivation.
alexandra m. pickett

Vivir es Aprender - 0 views

  • word wrapping.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      in the olden days you had to manually shift and move the carriage to move from one line of typed text to another. Today word processer do that automatically. http://www.techterms.com/definition/wordwrap you wouldn't believe how many faculty hit the return key at the end of whatever line they are typing on... : ) me
    • Joan McCabe
       
      oh! so I can change that answer on my quiz then :)
  • They’re already half way there!
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      Are they really? question that assumption! just cuz kids surf and text does not mean they know how to use the internet to learn or for professional or academic purposes. Can you find research to support that assertion?
  • communities
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      presences
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  • I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to take this class. I have learned so much and have really enjoyed being involved in a community of learners with all of you. I have never truly felt like I have been part of a community of learners before, or really knew what that was or meant. I think this has resonated so strongly with me that it is something that I want to strive for with students in a face-to-face class or an online class, whichever comes first.
  • what does that actually do? What are they learning? Are they learning or enjoying it? Are they engaged? Are they interested?
  • I am so excited!
  • I wanted to be present in my course and have my students feel like I was a real person so I created a voki avatar, various voicethreads and discussions, contact hours, a completed profile, and I gave directions in a direct format. I would hope that right off the bat my students would feel comfortable in my class and would know that I would be there for them.
Melissa Pietricola

Special Connections - 0 views

  • is typically perceived as two educational professionals working together to service a group of heterogeneous learners. The most common teams of educators found to engage in co-teaching relationships are:
  • o-teaching
  • meet a wide range of learners more effectively
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  • paraprofessional and a special or general educato
  • co-taught middle school setting, special educators are assigned (typically by grade level) to be a member of the interdisciplinary team. Also at this level, as is true at all levels, students with disabilities who are included in a co-taught setting must feel positive about themselves.
  • "Is what we are doing good for ALL students?"
  • because the curriculum is being modified for everyone,
  •  
    Co-Teaching Model
Diane Gusa

The Ed Techie: Using learning environments as a metaphor for educational change - 0 views

  • It has often been noted that when a new technology arrives we tend to use it in old ways (eg Twigg 2001), before we begin to understand what it really offers
  • t has often been noted that when a new technology arrives we tend to use it in old ways (eg Twigg 2001), before we begin to understand what it really offers
  • t has often been noted that when a new technology arrives we tend to use it in old ways (eg Twigg 2001), before we begin to understand what it really offers
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  • It has often been noted that when a new technology arrives we tend to use it in old ways (eg Twigg 2001), before we begin to understand what it really offers. So, for example the television was initially treated as ‘radio with pictures’
  • In an attempt to move towards the possibilities offered by a completely digital, online world, they have started with the education model we are familiar with. They are, in effect, a virtual classroom, or course, with content (which map onto lectures) laid out in a linear sequence with discussion forums linked to this (mapping onto tutorials). In one LMS (the open source Bodington system, http://bodington.org) they even went as far as to make this mapping explicit by making the interface a building which you had to navigate to your lecture room.
  • Heppell (2001) argues that “we continually make the error of subjugating technology to our present practice rather than allowing it to free us from the tyranny of past mistakes.
  • Daniel (1996) has argued that elearning is the only way to cope with expanding global demand for higher education, claiming that “a major university needs to be created each week” to meet the proposed demand.
  • f we view our online learning environments not as analogies of how we currently teach, but rather as a metaphor for how we engage with changes required for a digital society, then this provides us with some insight in to how to tackle the issues above (and others).
  • Siemens (2008) argues that “Learning theories, such as constructivism, social constructivism, and more recently, connectivism, form the theoretical shift from instructor or institution controlled teaching to one of greater control by the learner.”
  • To learn is to acquire information Information is scare and hard to find Trust authority for good information Authorized information is beyond discussion Obey the authority Follow along
  • lecture hall ‘said’ about learning,
  • Why would we seek to recreate the sort of learning affordances Wesch highlights in a virtual environment, when we are free to construct it however we wish?
  • Arguably then there has never been a better alignment of current thinking in terms of good pedagogy – i.e. emphasising the social and situated nature of learning, rather than a focus on knowledge recall with current practices in the use of technologies – i.e. user-generated content, user-added value and aggregated network effects. Despite this, the impact of Web 2.0 on education has been less dramatic than its impact on other spheres of society – use for social purposes, supporting niche communities, collective political action, amateur journalism and social commentary.”
  • "Tools such as blogs, wikis, social networks, tagging systems, mashups, and content-sharing sites are examples of a new user-centric information infrastructure that emphasizes participation (e.g., creating, re-mixing) over presentation, that encourages focused conversation and short briefs
    • Diane Gusa
       
      Mashups are web pages or applications that combine data or presentation from two or more sources -WIKIpedia
    • Diane Gusa
       
      Mashups?
  • connectivism (Siemens 2005) places decentralisation at the heart of learning:"Learning is a process that occurs within nebulous environments of shifting core elements – not entirely under the control of the individual. Learning (defined as actionable knowledge) can reside outside of ourselves (within an organization or a database), is focused on connecting specialized information sets, and the connections that enable us to learn more are more important than our current state of knowing"
  • Wikipedia succeeds by decentralising the authoring process, YouTube succeeds by both decentralising the broadcasting production process, but also by allowing embeds within blogs and other sites, thus decentralising the distribution process
    • Diane Gusa
       
      Two good examples
  • Knowing how to link to and locate resources in databases and search engines is a skill for a decentralised information world. The result is that online references are forced into an existing scheme, which has an inherent preference for physical resources. The traditional reference is often provided in papers, when it is the online one that has actually been used because the referencing system is biased towards the paper version.
    • Diane Gusa
       
      I wonder what Alex's PLE would look like. I also wonder what our PLE will look like in 8 more weeks, next year?
  • ‘eduglu’
    • Diane Gusa
  • SocialLearn has been conceived as a deliberate attempt to discover how learners behave in this sphere, how to develop the appropriate technology and support structures, what pedagogies are required and what are the business models for education in a disaggregated educational market.
Diane Gusa

Interaction and Immediacy in Online Learning | Woods | The International Review of Rese... - 0 views

  • Interaction alone, however, is insufficient to create a positive social dynamic in the online classroom.
  • Research demonstrates that the integration of verbal and non-verbal immediacy communication behaviors lets instructors move from mere interaction to authentic intimacy and interpersonal closeness.
  • an instructor’s understanding of interaction and immediacy dynamics will affect the nature and quality of communication in the online learning environment.
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  • Mehrabian (1967) defined immediacy as the extent to which selected communicative behaviors enhance physical or psychological closeness in interpersonal communication.
  • Anderson (1979) summarizes the impact of immediacy: The more immediate a person is, the more likely he/ she is to communicate at close distances, smile, engage in eye contact, use direct body orientations, use overall body movement and gestures, touch others, relax, and be vocally expressive. In other words, we might say that an immediate person is perceived as overtly friendly and warm (p. 545).
  • “Knowledge building occurs as students explore issues, examine one another’s arguments, agree, disagree, and question positions. Collaboration [learner-learner interaction] contributes to higher order learning through cognitive restructuring or conflict resolution, in which new ways of understanding the material emerge as a result of contact with new or different perspectives” (p. 55)
  • Kearsley (2000) declared: “The most important role of the instructor in online classes is to ensure a high degree of interactivity and participation” (p. 78)
alexandra m. pickett

Reflections - 0 views

  • “This is not going to be easy and it is going to take a lot of time and energy, but I want to do this and I know I can!”
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      yes, i am so glad, i know you can too!
    • Catherine Strattner
       
      Thank you!
  • What I do believe is that it will be increasingly important to maintain our own learning. 
  • I am truly surprised to see how many students from other states and countries are part of SLN. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      if you look at the numbers it is really only about 2% that come from outside NYS.
    • Catherine Strattner
       
      I did recognize that the portion of students wasn't that large, but I am still surprised that it is even 2%. I think I could have communicated myself better by noting the number of countries and states outside of New York which were represented.
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  • I would expect that most students would be located in New York
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      yes. 98% come from NYS.
  • Especially with younger students, this feeling of uncertainty can lead them to completely shut down.  If students trust in their guide, the teacher, they are much more likely to persevere through the uncertainty and attain resolution.
  • I realize that online teaching includes continuous reflection, assessment, and development of yourself as an online instructor and of the course itself.
  • K-12 online instruction does exist. 
  • Ultimately, I have learned that being learner-centered involves much more than making students do most of the work.  It involves understanding the needs of each of your individual students, both academically and personally.  It involves striving to meet those needs on an individual basis, while promoting self-directed learning.  It involves being empathetic and addressing the specific limitations each student may have and striving to break through those limitations together.  In my mind, that is what true interaction is all about, and it is one of the best ways to engage students in learning more deeply.
    • diane hamilton
       
      Catherine, I love the metaphor! Nothing to add - you said it well. Diane
    • Catherine Strattner
       
      Thanks!
  • What I am realizing is that there really is a significant difference between creating an online course from scratch and converting a face to face course.
  • I want my students to understand that these activities have a true purpose.  I want to remind them of that purpose each time they engage in these activities. 
  • I kept finding myself asking “How can this contribute to higher levels of cognitive presence?  Isn’t that ultimately the point of developing teaching and social presence?” 
alexandra m. pickett

One Step at a Time- Lauren D. - My journey through ETAP 640 - 1 views

  • dig deeper.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      Lauren: you are almost there!!! what did you learn? how did you learn it? how do you know you learned it? what was it about the questions that made you dig deeper. what points were bought up about student-centered learning, meaningful discussions and writing intensity and enriched course materials? what did you learn about your classmates? make your thinking and learning visibile to me here. REFLECT!! add links to support your assertions and make your content more engaging. Think about the reader. think about your voice. engage me! did you see my reply to your comment on someones blog about ADDIE ? try to find it. (ask rob what i think about ADDIE : )
    • diane hamilton
       
      Sounds you have been very thoughtful in your approach to setting up your course.
  • Using YouTube, we learn that people all over the world can connect and share ideas, but it has become way more of a teaching tool. People are using this to reflect on themselves and the world around them. One student mentioned how they saw this as an inner thought process: how others would perceive them and how the conversation became inner-mediated. With the activities that we have in the course, the discussions, and blogs we learn to become self-sufficient learners. Not only through the reflective process, but in the activities geared towards the process of learning and why it is important to learn and help each other learn.
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  • I believe if I didn’t have this opportunity to reflect, it would have been a thought but I would not have acted on it. At first I thought blogging and journaling was just busy work and I wasn’t too excited to do them, but I have found great benefit from thinking about how I learn, why I learn and how I can use this to improve my contributions as an educator and student and that deflated feeling is going away with every week that passes and it is renewing my faith in education and where it is headed.
  • The course was developed in a way that the harder you work and the more you participate the better the experience and the more you will get out of it. I can guarantee that all of us were nervous and scared the first time we entered this course. The first day we knew that it was going to be a challenging, but we have made it to the end with a lot of rewarding experiences and a lot of lessons learned along the way.
  • Being a students and feeling like my work is getting noticed and valued is a tremendous boost in wanting to participate in the course and in my course design.
alexandra m. pickett

etap687 Joan Erickson - 3 views

    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      Brilliant! i love how you have made your thinking visible to me here!!!
  • 2) leaving my comfort zone and exploring methods I had little training in. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      i am so glad you choose #2, joan!
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  •  Synthesizing and formulating a mini-thesis is where learning becomes meaningful for me; this is where mere information becomes MY knowledge
    • Shoubang Jian
       
      Well said. I couldn't agree with you more.
  • Then I think about the etap course now.  The teaching presence is so apparent.  I see it from the professor in the way shes asks questions and my classmates in their posts.  I listen to the exemplar courses interviews and think “wow, it must be interesting to be in that course!”
  • I don’t really care how students categorize me as a certain type or style of teacher.  I want to know if I am a good teacher in terms of challenging students to obtain knowledge. 
  • ” yeah, Joan Erickson is not easy but she can get you to do really good work.  And you know you are learning stuff in her class.”  
  • learning.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      don't forget to self assess : )
  • But does it make sense to a novice learner’s eye?
  • I love my subject, but I have failed to utilize the human nature to my advantage.  I forgot how powerful social interaction, motivation (how to engage), and the need to feel ownership can be in helping students learn. 
    • Sue Rappazzo
       
      This is very moving Joan. You must be a great teacher to think this way.
  • I don’t know yet if my online students will step up to the plate, actively and enthusiastically contribute what they know to the community.
    • Francisca Capponi
       
      Hi Joan (4) I have the same fear, I think they will be more slow that we expect, so we have to be patient, and encourage them to participate at first, and wait till they feel comfortable participating, but I hope it will work after a while!
  • Kind of like a wedding planner who walks through the empty reception hall and can foresee the problems with lighting, photography, food, and traffic pattern…  I am the course designer, it is my job to minimize any possible glitches.  It is my job to provide students with a doable and engaging learning environment.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      exactly!!
  • I see more clear vision of myself as an educator.  During this summer course I was confronted with questions that challenged my teaching practices. I started asking myself why I wouldn’t try to trust my students more, let them develop the social presence in the f2f class?  What was the harm in that I wouldn’t even consider trying it?
  • I’ve finally made the connection between theory and application.  I witnessed firsthand the benefit of social constructivism.  It can be done.  Our etap687 course is a living proof.
  • I understand myself better as a learner.  This course pushed me to think honestly what I truly want to do. 
  • Taking education courses  is like a spring that feeds into my puddle, bringing fresh new perspectves and ideas.  I needed it.  It’s reshaped my outlook on teaching.
  • For weeks and weeks I was obsessed with making Jing videos, trying new communication tools. 
  • have 2 weeks left.  I want to make a difference.  I CAN make a difference.  I can use the web 2.0 applications as my allies.  There is enough time for me to plan and implement changes in the f2f courses before school starts.
  • My reflecting puddle may seem small, because there is so much to learn and I’ve just begun.  But my puddle is deeper and its water runs clearer now.  Taking education courses  is like a spring that feeds into my puddle, bringing fresh new perspectves and ideas.  I needed it.  It’s reshaped my outlook on teaching.
  • 2 weeks ago I wrote my tagline on this blog as my “reflecting puddle”.  I still think it’s a puddle; it is still small(but so much deeper!).  I can recount the discoveries on this etap687 journey when I stare into the puddle.  I see the following things:
  • ’t believe we are coming to the end of this course.  It wasn’t that long ago I was installing diigo toolbar, signing up for voice thread, and setting up this blog site.
  • Now the excitement of trying new tools has settled a bit.  I start to think how technology tools will impact my teaching. 
  • My self efficacy is low.  Does it matter in the end?  I only have two  options:  If I cant’ seem to do the work, I should leave the course.  Or, I try with my darnedest effort, and see where I land. Time to take a chance!  I think I will have a lot to gain!
  • So this is what I’m gonna do:  I will blog here periodically and document my journey in the Ed Psych course.  Let’s see if I can be honest with myself.  Learn because life in general is interesting and worth exploring, and I can’t capture all on my own.  So I go to the experts and learn knowledge from them.
  • For weeks and weeks I was obsessed with making Jing videos, trying new communication tools.  I thought WOW, these are the coolest things I’ve learned this summer!  Now the excitement of trying new tools has settled a bit.  I start to think how technology tools will impact my teaching.  What other tasks should be let go in order to make room for the new things in my practice?  What educational principles do I base on to justify the changes?  What kind of measured learning outcomes and students’ perceived learning do I anticipate after the changes are implemented?
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      hi joan!
  • I added several communication tools.  I want the students to feel that I want to talk to them.  I want them to hear and see me.  (again, teaching presence and social presence.)
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      good point
alexandra m. pickett

Learning... - 0 views

  • . I  have to get away from thinking that LIB 105 is “just a one credit requirement that no one wants to take.” Instead, as Alex suggested some time ago, I need to make it alive and engaging and what I really want it to be.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      Bravo Anne!! share your passion! think about stuff from their perspective and what would make your content relevant, applicable to their real lives. how will you know if you are doing it right? will they tell their friends about it? will they continue to do it/use it after the course? would they spend their own money to do it/use it?
  • to answer the question of who I am as an educator and a learner, I am both simultaneously
  • I think what I learned in this module is that my class will only be as engaging as I make i
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  • As interesting as this article was, I would have like to have read it prior to reading the Shea, et al. article which used Garrison’s material. I think that it would have been more relavent then.
  • The cool thing is that they seemed like second nature after reading the manual, listening to the model course instructors and most importantly paying close attention to how Alex has constucted, guided and facilitated our course. I learn best by example and this has been an extraordinary model for me to follow.
Diane Gusa

Relational Context of Teaching - 3 views

  • He continues that we can face the future with confidence if we know how to teach ourselves, read between the subjective lines of media, process the vast amount of information that will be available, work collaboratively, and reaching for resources that will expand our capacities – for example a resource like this course!!
  • I believe that anyone can conquer fear by doing the things he fears to do, provided he keeps doing them until he gets a record of successful experience behind him.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      You can do this!!! You are doing this diane!!! Thank you for being brave and persisting. you just made my day!! : )
  • However, to be part of the social network and be actively involve citizens, each must become life-long learners. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      ... and like it or not life is now technology mediated. No matter who you end up being "when you grow up" if you are not comfortable with technology, can't assess/evaluate information, can't find information when you need it, you will be at a disadvantage.
    • Diane Gusa
       
      I agree. I am concern for the students who are not exposed to this technology. In our district, the computer teacher was laid off, yet we kept all the coaches/sports. Adults, who are not on board with the technological needs of their students, are the ones making these decisions.
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  • Eleanor Roosevelt
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      don't forget to self-assess!
  • I am going to give this blog a 3.
  • Teacher presence
  • June 21st,
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      diane: the blogging assignment for module 2 was due on june 19th.
  • What I would like is to have the option of posting and assessing it as NG (no grade)
    • Donna Angley
       
      I too feel that the blog area should be a little more relaxed. I like your idea of a NG post. I'm wondering if you could create a separate "page" just for social commentary. Just a thought.
  • Finally, I carefully considers there are no place where Alex might say “can you tell me more”
    • Donna Angley
       
      It's okay if Alex asks you to elaborate a little more, that's the role of the instructor if the students aren't providing enough feedback.
  • Since our blogs are shared work-spaces, we are suppose to engage in collaborative reflective discourses,  creating a shared understanding, leading to collaborative knowledge
    • Donna Angley
       
      Yes, it has taken me a while to figure all this out as well. I never take the straight path from point A to point B. I always take the detour, but I do get there eventually :-)
  • Dewey states: “I assume that amid all uncertainties there is one permanent frame of reference: namely the organic connection between education and personal experience. (Dewey 1939:25).
    • Donna Angley
       
      Dewey was a great believer in the connection between the educational system and the social community. "It was forgotten that to become integral parts of the child's conduct and chracter they must be assimilated; not as mere items of information, but as organic parts of his present needs and aims -- which in turn are social" (Dewey). In his book, The School and Society, he talks about the deep connection between home and school, between home and work, and the importance of the school as the connector.
  • pay attention
    • Donna Angley
       
      I had a doctor describe ADD very aptly to me. He said think about your child's surroundings as radio waves. Your child is picking up every radio wave that is out there and he does not have the ability to ignore any of it. When my son was 11 he described his inability to understand things in school like this: it's like I'm looking through a window that is foggy. I can see, but it's not clear enough to make sense.
    • Diane Gusa
       
      This was a good explanation of ADD. Do you know that there is a college that is set up for ADD students? It is called Landmark College and it is a remarkable place!
  • then I go on an adventure and troll through the internet and my books to satisfy my desire to learn. I continue, immerse in my hyper-focus state of mind, until I feel that I have a deep understanding of whatever I am exploring.
    • Donna Angley
       
      This is a good thing; it's what online learning is all about. I realize it's probably frustrating to you because you focus so intensely on what you're doing, but I definitely see your presence in this course, so I wouldn't worry that you're not interacting enough. Just for the record, 12 posts is difficult for me as well when you consider how much research goes into each one.
  • I will investigate and use group Wikis
    • Donna Angley
       
      I've decided to have my students use Wiki as well for a group project. I think it will be a good learning activity and will give them the opportunity to collaborate outside of the forum. They will be writing their own short stories in small groups.
  • detailed rubric
    • Donna Angley
       
      I need to create a rubric for my "Book Club" forum. Any suggestions for where to start? Do I reinvent the wheel, or are there sites that have pre-fabricated rubrics that can be tweaked to fit my needs?
    • Diane Gusa
       
      Hi Donna, Whenever youi can do not reinvent the wheel. I am going to post either today or tomorrow a post on building a rubric. First I need to see what Alex wants us to do
  • plan on using Alex’s rubric for my instructional design,
    • Donna Angley
       
      Can we do this, just borrow a rubric from somebody else? That would be awesome, but I don't want to plagarize anything.
    • Diane Gusa
       
      I prefer to think I synthesize....I always search the internet for "ideas" for my rubrics and course syllabi.
    • ian august
       
      Hey diane, sometimes I never know when I am ready to write. I thought I had the pattern down. Read the material, take notes, reflect and research on what interests or inspres me, but this module I was not ready to blog and i started writing something, and some crazy stuff just came out. It might have been the two best blog posts of the semester. 
    • ian august
       
      Give this women a thousand points for quoting me :)!!
    • Diane Gusa
       
      Yes Ian I have learned much from you all. I also could use the 1,000 points! :)
    • ian august
       
      While i agree with you I think I would not push myself sometimes if I wasnt forced. I might have chosen to slack instead of worked when I was tired or busy with life.  Do you think you can use different models of teaching with different students in the same class?
    • Kimberly Barss
       
      I agree with Ian...it reminds me of doing sports in high school. If my coach didn't push us harder and harder we wouldn't ever have been successful! Alex is our coach and we can either choose to step up to the plate and work our butts off or we can sit on the bench and let the game, or in this case the learning, pass us by!
    • Kimberly Barss
       
      On a side note, I loved kung fu panda!!
  • I am saddened and concern for the positivist, behaviorist methods she employs and models. I
    • Donna Angley
       
      I don't understand this comment.
    • Diane Gusa
       
      This was base on reading only half of the rubric...
  • poor grade.
    • Donna Angley
       
      This is the second time you've brought up this issue. The way I see, Alex is the instructor, and she has designed a course with rubrics. I really don't see that the rubrics are that difficult to understand. I understand you wanting to get an "A" but if you want the "A" you have to work hard for it. If your life circumstances prevent you from doing what she considers the fair amount of work, that's not her problem. I don't feel an instructor should change the syllabus or rubrics for every student that complains about the work load, unless the instructor has received numerous complaints. I think that perhaps you have a lot on your plate right now, atleast that's the feeling I get from reading some of your posts. I can understand that, I've been through a lot myself this semester. However, it's unfair to expect Alex to change the point system just for you. May I suggest something: Clearly you are a hard working student, but circumstances are obviously preventing you from putting in the amount of work needed to earn an "A." Just accept that and work toward a "B" which is a perfectly acceptable grade. Take the pressure off of yourself. It's just a grade. A year or two from now it won't matter. All that will matter is that you learned about online teaching and came away with a robust course that you can teach. I think that's a good deal.
    • Diane Gusa
       
      Donna My comment is a pedagogical one and not an attack on Alex. The point I may not be making clearly, why the number 12? I am not the only student who has stated that a post takes several hours. Does Alex require this? No. Why I take this time is because of the quality I expect to bring to the discussion forum. I was not posting prior knowlege, but new understandings. Learning takes time and the #12 does not seem to recognize this time. I again do not see "choice" in this rubric. I agree the knowlege is the goal, and I have no problem with what I have learned and will continue to learn. However, with the exception of the last grading I have not gotten a "B" but failed every discussion forum except the last. Yes I was teaching a summer online course. I also have home responisblilites. These were stresses, but not obstacles. According to the expectations we were expected to do ~ 45 hours in class work and 100+ hours building our course. I don't know about you but the class work I have done over 150 hours just in class work. Finally, why do I bring this argument up for a second time. It is not for Alex to change; but for you all in this class to not simply copy and use Alex's rubric in your own courses. That is why I speak out.
    • Diane Gusa
       
      Again if I had scrolled down I would have seen that 12 posts were not required.
  • In the future I will build my course off line,
    • Donna Angley
       
      Good idea!
  • when a student finally understands that their discussions need to encompass teaching, cognitive engagement, and social presence, then the discussion forum truly becomes a awesome learning tool!!!!!!  
    • Donna Angley
       
      I guess that's what it's all about in the end. I'm not sure all online students understand this concept when they first delve into it. I've actually added a resource that explains the generalities of social learning theory and the students part in it.
  • Alex, my  Shifu, has diligently pushed me down the road of online pedagogy. There were many times when I landed hard and bounced a few times. However, just like the panda, I too will become capable in my bumbling ways. I too realize there is no secret ingredients in 21st century teaching….it still is best practices in education with technology embedded in it.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      i TOTALLY LOVE this image : ) thank you! : )
  • I have changed in many ways as a result of this class. I am now and will continue to be a blogger, and use blogs  as one way to facilitate learning for my students. I understand the Community of inquiry approach, and have now created a rubric for my discussion forums that reflect the elements of teacher, cognitive, and social presence. I was fortunate to be teaching online as I took this class, and I observed my discussion forums going from conversations to dialogue that exhibit depth of learning. I have observed the pedagogy of my professor and will incorporate similar ways of interacting with my students, using the tools that web 2.0 affords me. I have moved from having little enthusiasm for online learning to embracing it as an essential medium for learning.  
  • I will do this because I care about their learning.
  • I knew I needed this course to become the better online teacher, what I didn’t know was the transformative change  that I would experience this summer.
  • ulnerability, especially with the knowledge that their efforts will be evaluated by their instructor.
lkryder

REAP - Resources > Assessment Principles: Some possible candidates - 0 views

  • Table 1: Principles of good formative assessment and feedback. Help clarify what good performance is (goals, criteria, standards). To what extent do students in your course have opportunities to engage actively with goals, criteria and standards, before, during and after an assessment task? Encourage ‘time and effort’ on challenging learning tasks. To what extent do your assessment tasks encourage regular study in and out of class and deep rather than surface learning? Deliver high quality feedback information that helps learners self-correct. What kind of teacher feedback do you provide – in what ways does it help students self-assess and self-correct? Provide opportunities to act on feedback (to close any gap between current and desired performance) To what extent is feedback attended to and acted upon by students in your course, and if so, in what ways? Ensure that summative assessment has a positive impact on learning? To what extent are your summative and formative assessments aligned and support the development of valued qualities, skills and understanding. Encourage interaction and dialogue around learning (peer and teacher-student. What opportunities are there for feedback dialogue (peer and/or tutor-student) around assessment tasks in your course? Facilitate the development of self-assessment and reflection in learning. To what extent are there formal opportunities for reflection, self-assessment or peer assessment in your course? Give choice in the topic, method, criteria, weighting or timing of assessments. To what extent do students have choice in the topics, methods, criteria, weighting and/or timing of learning and assessment tasks in your course? Involve students in decision-making about assessment policy and practice. To what extent are your students in your course kept informed or engaged in consultations regarding assessment decisions? Support the development of learning communities To what extent do your assessments and feedback processes help support the development of learning communities? Encourage positive motivational beliefs and self-esteem. To what extent do your assessments and feedback processes activate your students’ motivation to learn and be successful? Provide information to teachers that can be used to help shape the teaching To what extent do your assessments and feedback processes inform and shape your teaching?
  •  
    a web resource with the REAP material in the JISC pdf for easier bookmarking
lkryder

REAP > Theory & Practice > Conceptions - 0 views

  • In this website some key assumptions are made about assessment and feedback.  In particular, the primary purpose of these processes is conceptualised as being to enable students to develop as self-regulated learners, able to monitor, evaluate and regulate their own learning. This does not mean a focus on individual learning. Rather, student self-regulation is more likely to be developed through collaboration amongst students rather than by individualistic approaches to learning.
  •  
    engagement and empowerment through effective assessment redesign
Catherine Strattner

ScienceDirect.com - The Internet and Higher Education - Exploring causal relationships ... - 0 views

  • The premise of this framework is that higher-order learning is best supported in a community of learners engaged in critical reflection and discourse.
  •  
    Interesting article exploring the relationships between each of the presences in the CoI framework.
alexandra m. pickett

Malczyk Mirror | Am I an online learner or an online teacher? - 1 views

  • access to highspeed internet
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      huge assumption
  • Perhaps the mark of an effective teacher is not that there students have all the right answers but that there students know how to ask the right questions.  
  • I appreciate the chance to reflect and recognize that the “me” that comes out in the blog is different than the “me” in the discussion area. I want my students to have various opportunities to express themselves.
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • reveals things about myself.
  • his has been a great exercise to realize that my personal preferences are not likely everyone else’s preferences and should therefore be thought through.
  • I really believe that this course has taught me important skills because I was required to actually use the skills I was learning about.
  • when I am able to direct the topic of my learning I am more engaged. It becomes a joy to find additional resources instead of chore. Online courses offer a unique aibilty to have more individually focused learning in discussions that I have greatly benefitted from during this semester.
  • . My learning was enhanced when I sat down and made time for the course. Even though it is an online course, I had to treat it at times like a traditional course and block out an hour or two or three as if it were a class time. Then I was much more productive. Setting aside time for online courses is a must as many others have recognized. 2. If my life was sufficiently complex to hinder learning, how much harder it must be for young students who face much more challenging conditions. I have a very supportive wife and family, a car to get from place to place, an office and access to fast reliable internet. Many youth who we criticize for dropping out or doing poorly in school have no such supports or access. They live in unsafe conditions, lack examples and role models and may even be lacking basic necessities of life like food and safe shelter. These conditions are the real hindrances to learning and have been recognized as such for some time.
rhondamatrix

Limiting Structural Stress for Online Learners - LimitingStructuralStressforOnlineLearn... - 1 views

  •  
    This article by Matthew Putz discusses ideas for course structuring that will help students better navigate the course. Sound theories at work here!
  •  
    This article by Matthew Putz discusses ideas for course structuring that will help students better navigate the course. Sound theories at work here!
Jessica M

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) | Special Education - 1 views

  • Universal Design for Learning is a framework that provides educators with a structure to develop their instruction to meet the wide range of diversity among all learners.
  • provides flexibility in the ways information is presented, in the ways students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in the ways students are engaged;
  • educes barriers in instruction
Melissa Pietricola

Today's Middle Schools Combining Education with Life Experiences - 0 views

  • most successful middle schools recognize learner diversity,
  • promote a positive school environment
  • collaboration among students and educators, promotes harmony and interpersonal relations among students, and reflects positive communication. Teachers and students listen with empathy and support others in a positive manner.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • ith the elimination of the “students vs. educators” mentality, middle school students perceive the harmonious relationships in the school and see less of a need to engage in hostile and confrontational behaviors.
  •  
    Elements of a successful middle school
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