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alexandra m. pickett

Transformation via Online Learning - 4 views

  • original target audience,
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      who is your target?
    • Alicia Fernandez
       
      Nontraditional, commuter, reentry are terms assigned to my target student population, which I refer to as adult learners. Adult learners are difficult to categorize, as the determinants are often arbitrary. Their demographic variables cut across a wide swath of the population.  Ross Gordon (2011) refers to a set of shared characteristics which include: delayed entry or reentry to college, employment, and family and community responsibilities. They are also primarily part-time students. The group is typically described to be between the ages of 25-64.  Reference  Ross-Gordon, J. (2011). Research on adult learners: supporting the needs of a student population that longer nontraditional. Association of American Colleges and Universities.  (Previously bookmarked in Diigo)
  • adult online students
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      what assumptions are you making about this population?
    • Alicia Fernandez
       
      I am assuming that adult online learners meet the six assumptions of Knowles' Andragogy learning theory. Traditional college students are often still formulating self-concepts and are involved in much more socialization on campus. Adult students are usually not seeking the social component and are driven by the immediate application of acquired skills and knowledge to life outside of the classroom.  The University of Central Florida (UCF) drilled down into the age demographics of their adult student population and extrapolated generational data. Hartmann et al. (2005) reported results of a survey of nearly 1,500 online learners at UCF that shed light on generational differences in attitudes and expectations among students born during 1946- 1964 (the cohort authors nicknamed 'Baby Boomers'), students born during 1965-1980('Generation X') and others born during 1981-1994 (the so-called 'NetGen' students). The results noted that there were substantial differences between the cohorts as far as learning engagement, interaction value, and whether they changed their approach to learning as a result of their online experience.  Hartmann, J., Patsy, M. & Chuck, D. (2005). Preparing the academy of today for the learner of tomorrow. In D. G. Oblinger & J. L. Oblinger (Eds.), Educating the Net Generation, pp. 6.1-6.15. Washington, DC: EDUCAUSE. Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/research-and-publications/books/educating-net-generation/preparing-academy-today-learner-tomorrow  (Bookmarked in Diigo)
  • students who attend fully online
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      not sure what you mean. these numbers are fully online students.
    • Alicia Fernandez
       
      Are these students that solely attend online classes?  Do they attend classes on campus as well?
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  • traditional and non-traditional students i
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      This perspective/distinction is very interesting/curious to me. I don't distinguish. I guess you mean traditional age college students vs. older "adult" students. In my mind they are all adults and they are all online students. Just an observation of my own perspective. : )
    • Alicia Fernandez
       
      The literature I have reviewed indicates that younger age college students may not like the lack of social interaction and find the online classroom's demands of extensive writing too laborious.  I have also found a distance difference between the two groups in my own experience. Of course this is a broad generalization and there are exceptions.  
  • If undergrads enroll in online courses and do not actively participate, this will impact the development of critical thinking skills and meaningful learning outcomes for all students
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      in my experience this "undergrad" or age variable is not significant. : )
    • Alicia Fernandez
       
      I think the maturity of the student matters greatly as far as motivation and level of participation. This would impact lower level undergrad courses much more. However, your experience proves that andragogy is not always defined by age. 
  • Jun 12th, 2014
  • Aug17
  • Satisfied. I am thrilled that I persevered and was able to complete the course. My Moodle course is far from stellar but I am pretty happy with the results of my maiden voyage.
  • I know that I have learned that social presence and teaching presences are as important as cognitive presence. More to the point, I learned that as an online student my reluctance to focus on the social aspects of the online classroom may have inhibited community building.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      Hi Alicia! Nice blog! don't forget to self assess each post!
  • Morrison, D. (2014, February 28). Best methods and tools for online educators to give students helpful and meaningful feedback. Online Learning Insights. Retrieved from http://onlinelearninginsights.wordpress.com/2014/02/28/best-methods-and-tools-for-online-educators-to-give-students-helpful-and-meaningful-feedback/
J Robin Ward

Preparing Instructors for Quality Online Instruction - 1 views

  • The major concerns are centering on the following questions: What will be the new role for instructors in online education? How will students' learning outcomes be assured and improved in online learning environment? How will effective communication and interaction be established with students in the absence of face-to-face instruction? How will instructors motivate students to learn in the online learning environment?
  • Instructors have many concerns about online education. Their primary concern is how online education changes their roles and responsibilities, and how they can adapt to this change. Online education is widely accepted as student-centered education, and the traditional education is regarded as professor-centered education. Due to a shift to online education, the instructor's role has become more of a facilitator than a traditional lecturer. Therefore, the traditional professor-centered educational environment and student-centered online educational environment will have many differences. Besides their role shifting, the role of the virtual instructor is to select and filter information for student consideration, to provide thought-provoking questions, and to facilitate well-considered discussion (Kettner-Polley, 1999).
  • Clark (2002) pointed out that online learner must be a constructivist learner. This suggests that the learner must be active in the process, cognitively complex and motivated. According to Clark , motivating factors in the learning process include self-reference, personal goals, control and autonomy . Howland & Moore's (2002) study examined 48 students' experiences in online environments. Their results confirmed that the students who were the most positive in their perceptions of online learning were those with attributes consistent with constructivist learners. The most positive students were more independent, proactive and responsible for their learning.
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  • Alley and Jansak (2001) have also identified 10 keys to quality online learning. The authors suggested that online courses will be high quality when they are student-centered and when: Knowledge is constructed, not transmitted. Students can take full responsibility for their own learning. Students are motivated to want to learn. The course provides “mental white space” for reflection. Learning activities appropriately match student learning styles. Experiential, active learning augments the Web site learning environment, Solitary and interpersonal learning activities are interspersed. Inaccurate prior learning is identified and corrected. “Spiral learning” provides for revisiting and expanding prior lessons, The master teacher is able to guide the overall learning process. (p. 6-17)
  • nstructors may lack sufficient information on how well learners actually perform
  • how to appropriately use technology to serve an instructional purpose tends
  • they have to face the challenge of lack of direct interpersonal contact with students
  • the instructor to motivate students to adjust their roles when becoming an online learner
  • Since face to face instruction is usually eliminated in online classes, i
  • While arguments have been made in opposition to online education, there are proponents who are in support of this mode of instruction. They suggest that the lack of face-to-face interaction can be substituted by online discussions in bulletin board systems, online video conferences or on listservs (Blake, 2000). Online education can also promote students' critical thinking skills, deep learning, collaborative learning, and problem-solving skills (Ascough, 2002; Rosie, 2000). Donlevy (2003) asserted that online education may help schools expand curricula offerings with less cost and can help graduates gain important technology skills to improve their marketability. Proponents also argue that online education can encourage non-discriminatory teaching and learning practices since the teachers and students, as well as students and their classmates typically do not meet face-to-face. Palloff and Pratt (1999) have concluded that because students cannot tell the race, gender, physical characteristics of each other and their teachers, online education presents a bias-free teaching and learning environment for instructors and students.
  • academic dishonesty of online learners (Muirhead, 2000)
    • J Robin Ward
       
      This is one of the topics I expressed interest in -- need to take a look at the source.
  • several factors that may deter faculty from teaching online.
  • lack of professional prestige
    • J Robin Ward
       
      Similar to Rogers 2003.
  • While many critics have suggested that there is no sure way to hold students accountable for academic dishonesty, Heberling (2002) concluded that while maintaining academic integrity in the online instructional setting may be a challenging, many strategies may be employed to detect and prevent plagiarism, such as reversing an Internet search, tracking back to an original source.
  • 10 keys to quality online learning
  • Knowledge is constructed, not transmitted. Students can take full responsibility for their own learning. Students are motivated to want to learn. The course provides “mental white space” for reflection. Learning activities appropriately match student learning styles. Experiential, active learning augments the Web site learning environment, Solitary and interpersonal learning activities are interspersed. Inaccurate prior learning is identified and corrected. “Spiral learning” provides for revisiting and expanding prior lessons, The master teacher is able to guide the overall learning process. (p. 6-17)
  • Alley and Jansak (2001)
alexandra m. pickett

Reflections Blog - Just another Edublogs.org site - 1 views

    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      Hey Bill: i completely get the "technologically connected" fatigue. i am very plugged in... but, i remind myself that i am in control. I have boundaries. Also fyi - i don't have a cell phone. I know i know... hard to believe, right?! I just don't want to be that connected. me : )
    • William Meredith
       
      I envy you for not having a cell phone!  I took mine to France but told people not to call me.  One of the best parts of being away!
  • it helps remove the filter.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      interesting. really? say more about that. : )
  • Alex mentioned her desire not to allow students to unsubscribe from the posts.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      Bill: i am actually really torn about this. I myself don't use the email subscription AT ALL. I find it confusing and disconnecting from the context and flow of the discussion. I have mine set to subjects only as a daily digest and i mostly just delete them... before even opeining them. I use the cousre interface to interact and view the interactions. I wish i could give students the option. But i can't. I have tried it both ways and talked about it with students from past courses. I even tried it once where i initially forced but then gave students the option to opt out... And i have come to the very reluctant decision that i have to force. I force the subscription, becuase frankly students don't login to the cousre. They disappear for days, and then claim they didn't know or couldn't find...and then claim they are overwhelmed. You also just can't "catch up" once a discussion has ended. The flow has moved on. There are also students that for some reason just prefer to get the posts via email. I've had several students tell me that they liked to view posts from their cell phones... So, i force subscription to all/only the essential forums in the course. The reality is that I can't force students to login to the course and click on the discussion and other areas of the cousre to see all that is happening. And i need a way to make sure that they are aware of the level of activity in the course and what is happening. me
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  • I feel as though students must be subscribed to forums, but be forewarned that they need to develop a system for themselves to allow for tracking of the dialogue and how they want to participate in that dialogue.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      i don't remember this being a problem in past semesters and i wonder if a default was changed at the system level. I thought everyone got a daily digest of subject lines and that highlighted new forum post tracking was automatically enabled by default... based you your feedback here, i have added "forewarning" : ) to 2 of the course information documents (contact and evaluation). : ) me
  • my presence could be demonstrated in other ways than just logging in daily or talking to students.
  • I came to realize that
  • in this course I feel as though everything I learn is huge.
  • it feels as though I am letting the students go without my assistance.
  • This is were the “earth-shattering” part comes in.  I am learning that I am not letting the students go.  I am going to be there.
  • I can fully see the difference between f2f and online teaching and WHY those differences exist.
  • In the beginning of this course my intention was to translate my f2f assignments and activities to an online format.  This made me feel comfortable as I knew that these activities worked for me and for most of my students.  Yet, as I began to learn about presence and community it became apparent that these f2f activities did not embody presence or community building.  They represented ease for me, and that cannot be the focus in online learning.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      this is a brilliant observation bill!
  • Yet, I know I will always want to be tweaking my activities!
  • My two issues with online education before the start of this class dealt with the actual education being offered as well as the connections being formed.
  • But the theory in this course has allowed me to see that in practice, online education can allow for a sound education and a classroom community that can match that of most f2f classrooms.
  • Online learning allows an instructor the opportunity to put everything into place before the course starts so that students come in being able to see all that they need to be successful.  This may not always be the case with f2f courses.  Additionally, to make sure that such theories as presence and community are present in online courses online instructors often have to do more to ensure success in their classes.  For these reasons I am starting to believe that online education, when combined with effective theories can eventually surpass f2f learning.
  • I am not decisive as I would like to be.
  • While it probably should not be surprising that I feel prepared to teach online at the end of a course in online teaching, for me, I feel as though it is quite a surprising development and one I hope to pursue.
  • The article  written by Mark Edmundson, a professor at UVA, questions the validity of online learning. 
  • I have discovered that my thoughts are completely different on online education as a result of this class.  While this is probably not a huge development it has been interesting to watch my opinions change so much.  So, for the moment that is where I am.
  • I discovered that just inserting technology does not suddenly make things better. 
  • I leave this course knowing that presence is more than just responding to students. 
  • Being truly present requires that the students feel your presence as they are completing assignments and learning – knowing what is expected of them and what they expect of the instructor.
  • if a student knows what to do and how to do it (presence) he/she might feel more comfortable branching out in discussions and discussing points with a majority of students instead of just discussing with the same people at the same time.  But community depends heavily on presence and the two really work in tandem.
  • Yet, the blame lies solely with me for just assuming that my students know how to do something.
  • Instead, instructors, both f2f and online, need to assume that their students do not know how to do something.  Taking the time to explain something may seem tedious but it will provide for greater clarification, greater learning, and more meaningful assessments.  Taking the time to just let students know what to do and how to do it has the potential of increasing the enjoyment of learning for all involved!
  •   I truly struggled with this course and I walk away feeling fantastic about it.
  • Coming into this course I figured we would read a few articles about online education and create a course shell for an online course.  Additionally, I came into this course assuming online education failed to meet the standards of f2f education. Now, my thoughts are completely changed. 
  • Leaving this course I feel as though I could write an effective rebuttal of that argument and I believe that illustrates a great amount of growth for a person who entered this class questioning the merits of online education.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      what would you say? i would like to read that rebuttal.  : ) 
  • Yet, I feel as this is one of the first courses that will let me leave with having a profound change in thinking. 
  • Online education is the way of the future and more important, it needs to be done correctly.
  • o in my new “educated” role, I would like to try and be an advocate for online education.  I will try to discuss the field more often and when I hear someone mention online education I will ask them what they know about it and what they think about it.  Striking up conversations allow for the spread of ideas and maybe eventually online education will gain the same prominence that many f2f courses currently possess. (4)
Teresa Dobler

JOLT - Journal of Online Learning and Teaching - 1 views

  • Student learning ought to be at the heart of any pedagogical strategy or technique, regardless of whether the class is delivered online or in a more traditional classroom setting.
  • there is little doubt that online teaching and learning requires more time in both preparation and delivery; however, the point was previously made that this should not necessarily be the case. Good teaching in traditional classrooms, when done well, also requires a significant amount of time to prepare and deliver. We argue here that both teaching and learning would improve if many of the considerations inherent in the preparation and delivery of online learning were given priority in courses delivered in traditional classrooms.
  • It is hoped that the key issues addressed here will assist faculty in the preparation and delivery of their traditional courses. In summary, the benefits for traditional instruction in statistics through the use of online pedagogy are: 1) Improved ability to know what material is “essential” to the students’ understanding and learning. A focused delivery of traditional pedagogy minimizes student confusion and misunderstandings and leaves time for additional activities that can be used to enhance student learning. 2) Improved ability to logically and consistently organize and deliver course material. The use of weekly modules containing an overview that summarizes the lecture topic and objectives is helpful to both the instructor and the student in organizing course material 3) Improved willingness to seek out and complete training on how to teach in the traditional classroom. While some colleges and universities require training to teach online, few, if any, require training to teach in the classroom. Many colleges and universities provide both individual and group training to instructors who are new to teaching, and the experience of teaching online can enhance an instructor’s desire and ability to be a better teacher in the traditional classroom. 4) Improved ability to create multiple strategies for the submission of student work and clarification of misunderstandings. The experience of teaching online enables instructors to devise varied strategies for the submission of course work, and provides additional arenas for the instructor to clarify misunderstandings in a forum in which all students can participate. 5) Improved ability to use new technologies for the development and delivery of instruction. Knowing what tools are available for course development and delivery can broaden an instructor’s ability to prepare course materials and deliver them in creative, stimulating ways. 6) Improved ability to maintain the course schedule. 7) Improved ability to maintain contact with all students in the course. In traditional classrooms, students can sit quietly for weeks, engaging little, if at all, with the instructor, the material, or their peers. Teaching online exposes instructors to a wide variety of strategies for enhancing student engagement because they must participate. 8) Improved pedagogical versatility. Being proficient teaching in multiple venues increases one’s own instructional flexibility, and also increases the flexibility of a department to deliver instruction to students. 9) Improved student access to the course material during instructor absences. Having the course material created by the instructor available during the instructor’s absence facilitates student learning and helps maintain the course schedule. 10) Improved student learning due to the repetitive availability of course material, including practice problems and solutions. Once voice-over lectures have been created, they can be uploaded to Blackboard for use in any course.
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  • The pedagogical and practical benefits of teaching online are identified, and specific suggestions are made for how instructors can use these benefits to improve their traditional classroom pedagogy.
  • If instructors gave as much thought to the construction of their on-campus courses as they do their online courses, all education would be better
    • Teresa Dobler
       
      My experiences building an online course will greatly impact my face-to-face teaching - I spend so much time planning, revising, and improving before I even begin teaching, and I have an end goal in mind.
  • Successful online learning outcomes appear in large part to be due to the care with which the course is designed and delivered.
  • online pedagogy frequently involves consultation and collaboration
    • Teresa Dobler
       
      I wonder why? This is definitely true of my course as a grad student. Is it true elsewhere?
  •  
    online and on campus teaching should both take the same amount of prep
Alicia Fernandez

Preparing for Distance Learning: Designing An Online Student Orientation Course - 0 views

  •  
    This paper describes the analysis undertaken to design a 1-credit-hour online orientation course for students new to online learning. An instructional design team, as a part of an advanced instructional design course, worked with a university-based client. The client identified specific problem areas encountered by novice students of online courses and the team designed a comprehensive program to meet those needs. Analysis of the data revealed surprising differences in expectations between instructors of online courses and their students of what an orientation to online learning should include. The team also conducted a task analysis to aid in further identifying the skills, knowledge and attitudes required by students for success in online courses. Findings indicated that there is a need for online learners to understand the time commitment required of an online course and possess or develop strong time management skills. Because of small sample size, results cannot be generalized beyond the respondents. The authors found a mismatch in the perception of instructor technical skills versus student technical skill. Based on their findings, the paper provides recommendations on the appropriate design, development and implementation of an orientation to online learning.
  •  
    This paper describes the analysis undertaken to design a 1-credit-hour online orientation course for students new to online learning. An instructional design team, as a part of an advanced instructional design course, worked with a university-based client. The client identified specific problem areas encountered by novice students of online courses and the team designed a comprehensive program to meet those needs. Analysis of the data revealed surprising differences in expectations between instructors of online courses and their students of what an orientation to online learning should include. The team also conducted a task analysis to aid in further identifying the skills, knowledge and attitudes required by students for success in online courses. Findings indicated that there is a need for online learners to understand the time commitment required of an online course and possess or develop strong time management skills. Because of small sample size, results cannot be generalized beyond the respondents. The authors found a mismatch in the perception of instructor technical skills versus student technical skill. Based on their findings, the paper provides recommendations on the appropriate design, development and implementation of an orientation to online learning.
Alicia Fernandez

The Technology Source Archives - Effective Student Preparation for Online Learning - 0 views

  •  
    This study has engendered several recommendations for the use and design of online orientation courses. Effective student and faculty preparation for the Web-based teaching and learning environment can make a significant impact on student success in their studies, thus increasing retention and curriculum completion.
  •  
    This study has engendered several recommendations for the use and design of online orientation courses. Effective student and faculty preparation for the Web-based teaching and learning environment can make a significant impact on student success in their studies, thus increasing retention and curriculum completion.
Alicia Fernandez

A Well Rounded Education for a Flat World - 0 views

  •  
    With today's global competition, there is increasing concern about the nature and quality of higher education. One set of concerns focuses on higher education's purpose - should it be practical and graduate well equipped students to supply a competitive workforce? Or, should it rather explore what some critics label "romantic" notions of a liberal education with broad ideas and values to prepare students for democratic citizenship? The authors argue that for students to be successful in today's global economy, higher education must recognize and emphasize that practical and liberal education are tightly coupled, and that students' academic, developmental, interpersonal and experiential lives are entwined. Colleges must move from traditional education to what we term transformational learning.
  •  
    With today's global competition, there is increasing concern about the nature and quality of higher education. One set of concerns focuses on higher education's purpose - should it be practical and graduate well equipped students to supply a competitive workforce? Or, should it rather explore what some critics label "romantic" notions of a liberal education with broad ideas and values to prepare students for democratic citizenship? The authors argue that for students to be successful in today's global economy, higher education must recognize and emphasize that practical and liberal education are tightly coupled, and that students' academic, developmental, interpersonal and experiential lives are entwined. Colleges must move from traditional education to what we term transformational learning.
Danielle Melia

Preparing Teachers to Teach Online - 0 views

  • Online teaching effectiveness The following behaviors are associated with effective online teaching: n     providing timely and meaningful feedback, n     creating learning activities that engage students, n     keeping students interested and motivated, n     ensuring students interact with each other, and n     encouraging students to be critical and reflective. These behaviors constitute criteria for evaluation of online teaching. For each behavior there needs to be a definition of minimal acceptable performance as well as exemplary performance. To assess online teaching effectiveness, these behaviors need to be evaluated during the delivery of online classes. Most existing teaching evaluation does not assess these kinds of factors.
  • Online teaching
  • Online teaching effectiveness The following behaviors are associated with effective online teaching: n     providing timely and meaningful feedback, n     creating learning activities that engage students, n     keeping students interested and motivated, n     ensuring students interact with each other, and n     encouraging students to be critical and reflective. These behaviors constitute criteria for evaluation of online teaching. For each behavior there needs to be a definition of minimal acceptable performance as well as exemplary performance. To assess online teaching effectiveness, these behaviors need to be evaluated during the delivery of online classes. Most existing teaching evaluation does not assess these kinds of factors.
    • Kristina Lattanzio
       
      Nessary characteristics to create a nurturing classroom environment. Feedback, both timely and meaningful, shows a dedicated instructor.
  •  
    Online courses have become very popular in higher education and with the emergence of virtual schools are becoming common at the K-12 level (see Clark, 2001; Vail 2001). While most universities and colleges have established training programs to prepare their faculty to teach online, school systems are just beginning to address this need.  As McKenzie (2001) notes, preparing teachers to teach online needs to involve a lot more than the short workshops typical of inservice training. Hannum (2001) describes an extensive state-wide initiative in Colorado. The Concord Consortium and Illinois Online Network both have successful online teacher training programs. A number of online learning system vendors such as Apex Learning, Blackboard Inc., and eCollege also offer online teacher training programs, although these tend to be tailored to their systems.  
Diana Cary

Untitled Document - 0 views

  • How will you initially engage your students? It is well accepted that: "frequent student-faculty contact in and out of class is a most important factor in student motivation and involvement" (Chickering and Ehrmann, 1996). It is also the case that: many instructors who are new to the online environment have legitimate concern as to the impact of the loss of face-to-face classroom interaction. Also, many students who are new to online courses are frequently anxious about this new way of learning and greatly appreciate a supportive teacher. Given these observations: we believe that it is highly beneficial, if not absolutely essential, for instructors who are leading online courses to "reach out" and communicate with their online students--early and often. In addition, we suggest you consider the following strategies for engaging your students as you get your course underway.
  • IV. Techniques: 1. Create a biography of yourself and prepare a brief video introducing yourself and the course topic to the class. This could be the first thing that the students sees in his or her course shell. This is a great way to present your personality online and set the mood for the semester. 2. Have students place a one page vita in document sharing for all to view within the first week of the semester. 3. Set up a threaded discussion asking students to respond and share about his or her experiences with issues related to the course topic.
  • 9. Two Lies and A Truth. My activity for my students is for them to list three interesting things about themselves. (I own two iguanas; I once shook hands with Tom Cruise; and I love to waterski.) Two must be lies and one must be true. Other students must vote to determine which interesting thing is a lie. The student with the most incorrect votes wins. --Suhana Chikatla
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  • 10. Childhood Dream. Ask the students to share their childhood dream (what they wanted to be or do when they grew up) and then ask them to reflect on how their current coursework correlates with their current aspirations.--Charles Collins
Amy M

Minds on Fire: Open Education, the Long Tail, and Learning 2.0 (EDUCAUSE Review) | EDUC... - 0 views

shared by Amy M on 28 May 09 - Cached
  • 30 million people today qualified to enter a university who have no place to go. During the next decade, this 30 million will grow to 100 million. To meet this staggering demand, a major university needs to be created each week.
  • Open Educational Resources (OER) movement, which has provided free access to a wide range of courses and other educational materials to anyone who wants to use them.
  • Web 2.0,
    • jessica mascle
       
      ?
    • Amy M
       
      Web 1.0 was individuals accessing information.  Web 2.0 is the "social web."  Users focusing on social interaction rather than just getting conent.
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  • from access to information toward access to other people.
  • What do we mean by “social learning”?
  • e that our understanding of content is socially constructed through conversations about that content and through grounded interactions, especially with others, around problems or actions. The focus is not so much on what we are learning but on how we are learning.5
  • Students in these groups can ask questions to clarify areas of uncertainty or confusion, can improve their grasp of the material by hearing the answers to questions from fellow students, and perhaps most powerfully, can take on the role of teacher to help other group members benefit from their understanding (one of the best ways to learn something is, after all, to teach it to others).
    • Shoubang Jian
       
      The dichotomy between Cartesian and Social Learning is problematic, and this is one of the reasons why. If Social Learning still comes down to group learning from each other, it remains unclear what would be the "alternative" model of learning/teaching between group users, if not substance/pedagogy.
  • But viewing learning as the process of joining a community of practice reverses this pattern and allows new students to engage in “learning to be” even as they are mastering the content of a field.
    • Irene Watts-Politza
       
      Schools of Ed/teacher prep programs are being charged with providing "clinically rich" programs that engage candidates more actively, earlier, and more frequently in their program of study. This is proving to be difficult to actualize in the current wave of APPR uncertainty.
  • apprenticeship
  • open source movement
    • Shoubang Jian
       
      Open Source Project may be a model for building up knowledge base among devoted users who are willing to follow the "path" set by predecessors. It is quite another issue whether it is a model for education.
  • Digital StudyHall (DSH)
    • Shoubang Jian
       
      It's not clear in what sense this DSH method is an example of social learning.
  • We now need a new approach to learning—one characterized by a demand-pull rather than the traditional supply-push mode of building up an inventory of knowledge in students’ heads. Demand-pull learning shifts the focus to enabling participation in flows of action, where the focus is both on “learning to be” through enculturation into a practice as well as on collateral learning.
  • open participatory learning ecosystems
    • b malczyk
       
      Not only is it a matter of "if" such campuses are a possibility, but "should" such campuses be a priority. If online and distance education can yield at least comparable results to traditional academic settings, then their ease of accessibility and lower overhead costs warrant further exploration as a viable possibility.
  • “I think, therefore I am,” and from the assumption that knowledge is something that is transferred to the student via various pedagogical strategies, the social view of learning says, “We participate, therefore we are
  • provided students with opportunities to observe and then to emulate how experts function
    • b malczyk
       
      How does the open source idea fit with fields like medicine or chemistry where knowledge is less "socially constricted"? 
    • Amy M
       
      Open Source/Access research.  One of the problems right now is that the NIH or fed government will pay for research, but the public then had to pay for the results of that research.  We are paying for the same research twice.  Open Access Journals (see Harvard Memo) hopes to change this.
  • seeking the knowledge when it is needed in order to carry out a particular situated task.
    • b malczyk
       
      Knowledge that is obtained when "needed" then answers the famous question many high school students ask their teachers, "When will I ever use this?" 
    • Irene Watts-Politza
       
      I grew to see high school as a time for exposure to all disciplines in order to find what best suited one in preparation for college or the workplace. Now I am wondering if the multiplicity of disciplines will be "tailored" to fit the personal interests of the learner. Will differentiating for all eradicate the question Ben mentions?
  • all student writing was done on public blogs
    • b malczyk
       
      This form of education was also based on what could be called an industrial style of education. They education system became an extension of industry--students were passed along on the assembly line from one course to the next, year after year and came out a finished produce with similar skills and altitudes as their peers. Now education has and can become more narrow and niche based and less industrial.
  • This involves acquiring the practices and the norms of established practitioners in that field or acculturating into a community of practice.
    • Irene Watts-Politza
       
      This is the model embraced by most teacher ed programs.
    • Amy M
       
      Which has its advantages and disadvantages. 
  • In this open environment, both the content and the process by which it is created are equally visible, thereby enabling a new kind of critical reading—almost a new form of literacy—that invites the reader to join in the consideration of what information is reliable and/or important.
  • And at the third level, any participant in Second Life could review the lectures and other course materials online at no cost. This experiment suggests one way that the social life of Internet-based virtual education can coexist with and extend traditional education.
    • Irene Watts-Politza
       
      Will the professions embrace as colleague one who excels in a non-credit course of study or will opportunities continue to be closed to those who don't present the "right" credentials?
  • Through these continuing connections, the University of Michigan students can extend the discussions, debates, bull sessions, and study groups that naturally arise on campus to include their broader networks. Even though these extended connections were not developed to serve educational purposes, they amplify the impact that the university is having while also benefiting students on campus.14 If King is right, it makes sense for colleges and universities to consider how they can leverage these new connections through the variety of social software platforms that are being established for other reasons.
    • Irene Watts-Politza
       
      I am wondering if "leveraging" these networks will become a basis for funding in the case of state colleges and universities.
  • he site’s developers note: “We fundamentally believe that the new electronic environment and its tools enable us to revive the humanistic spirit of communal and collaboratively ‘playful’ learning of which the Decameron itself is the utmost expression.”
    • Irene Watts-Politza
       
      The notion of 'playful' learning is my ideal; this seems to be at odds with the test drill environment I am currently observing in grades 3 - 6. Currently, it seems as though there are two tracks developing in "Learning 2.0": assessment-driven and learner-driven.
  • As more of learning becomes Internet-based, a similar pattern seems to be occurring. Whereas traditional schools offer a finite number of courses of study, the “catalog” of subjects that can be learned online is almost unlimited. There are already several thousand sets of course materials and modules online, and more are being added regularly. Furthermore, for any topic that a student is passionate about, there is likely to be an online niche community of practice of others who share that passion.
  • that will support active, passion-based learning: Learning 2.0. This new form of learning begins with the knowledge and practices acquired in school but is equally suited for continuous, lifelong learning that extends beyond formal schooling.
    • Irene Watts-Politza
       
      Surely the content and skills currently being taught and assessed Pk-12 must give way to a new set of literacies.
  • In addition to supporting lecture-style teaching, Terra Incognita includes the capability for small groups of students who want to work together to easily “break off” from the central classroom before rejoining the entire class. Instructors can “visit” or send messages to any of the breakout groups and can summon them to rejoin the larger group.
  • CyberOne Classroom in Second Life
  •  
    Social View of Learning
alexandra m. pickett

Learning Online Learning - 2 views

    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      exactly!!! : )
  • Teaching is less about transferring knowledge to learners than giving them the chances to ask the questions and to find answers on their own.
  • Now I know that’s not the only way to teach, not the only way to achieve the teaching goals, and, most importantly, not the most effective way to teach.
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  • In my course, it is important that students are able to learn the basics correctly. So I think the course design should foresee situations like these, and, there should be some modules or learning activities within modules that are designed to have the effect of lectures, i.e., a more systematic presentation of the subject matter. I am not sure at this moment whether this will work or not, but to me it seems to be the logical solution to the problems.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      Why do you do things the way that you do? why do you believe what you believe?
  • July 3rd,
  • On top of it is that it allows the Professor to reach to individual student in a personal tone. I am so used to read assignment and feedback in written format that I don’t remember when was the last time a professor went through my assignment in front of me. Almost always the case that the feedbacks were scribed down on the tiny margins of the papers, with often less then eligible handwritings. I did the same thing to my students when grading their papers and exams. So, using Podcast to give feedback is marvelous. It can easily create a strong sense of connection and trust between the instructor and the student. It helps out the most for those students who may be on the brink of feeling isolated from the learning community or fall behind in the middle of a long and demanding semester.
  • I wouldn’t be surprised if we are asked to when our courses are implemented in coming weeks, and it certainly would be a lot of fun.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      it's coming!! : )
  • Careful choice of words
  • Sharing personal story.
  • It feels real.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      great observations! how will you use this in your own instruction?
  • Professor was right in pointing out that during online course the predominant form of student participation is discussion forum, and it’s up to the course designer to devise ways that can evaluate student’s understanding of the course materials.
  • Discussion Forum Exploring the ethical world Ask it like Socrates Website critique Case study Peer review M1 V V M2 V V M3 V V V M4 V V V V M5 V V V M6 V V V V M7 V V V
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      brilliant!!! way to make your thinking and your design visible to me/us!!!
  • Trust your students, and we will be amazed by what they can come up with.
  • , I also assign a discussion forum dedicated to the topic: how does the online learning work? How to succeed
    • Melissa Pietricola
       
      Great idea!
  • guess I am not the only one in the class who feels weird not be able to share thoughts and reflections as we’ve been doing for weeks. I miss it very much.
    • Melissa Pietricola
       
      It has been a little strange, but a welcome break to focus on our courses!
  • Larry was right
    • Joy Quah Yien-ling
       
      I became very disorientated as well. I did one blog instead ot 2, and I did not refer to the prompts. This has given me an insight about how I should try to find ways to helping students deal with the disorientation. Like you say, it's not the course design. It's other psychological factors. I want to study this effect more and try to understand it. I think it is something important to deal with in online learning.
  • I believe my problem is typical of first-time online course takers. Online learning environment requires a very different mindset and learning style from the students (from teachers as well) in order for the course to be effective and successful. When learners are not aware of this fact, of what their responsibilities are in making it work, online courses are less likely to move forward.
  • detach themselves
    • Joan Erickson
       
      Hi Shoubang, I am glad you found the peer reviews helpful. I did wonder if my review was too blunt. I visited your course again today. You've covered so much ground in 2 weeks! The course looks fantastic! And yes I saw your inserted "seinfeld" video!
  • Peirce suggests that, since students come to class with loads of opinions about the topics (even more so moral issues, I’d say) whether they are well-informed or not, a way to generate interest in assigned readings is to take a survey of their opinions, or to pre-test their knowledge of the information. (p. 310) I find this suggestion interesting and it leads me back to my earlier reflections on quizzes. Quizzes may not be needed in taking attendance, nor reliable in assessing whether students come to class well-prepared or not, but quizzes may still be useful in inspiring curiosity among students.
  • Provoking discomfort (point 5) is very useful.
  • Creating cognitive dissonance is also a very useful triggering event that may eventually lead to the completion of the cognitive inquiry.
  • I’ve been trying to reflect on my learning process in a very personal way, and I will continue to do this even after the semester finished.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      cool!! i hoped you would : )
  • Given the opportunity, the learners are more likely to express their true selves on consistent basis.
  • I felt like my understanding of the criteria of good course design had increased significantly simply by changing the perspectives back and forth between reviewer and self-reviewer.
  •  
    ", I also assign a discussion forum dedicated to the topic: how does the online learning work? How to succeed"
alexandra m. pickett

Authentic On-line Learning - 3 views

  • I suppose one of the assumptions that I have about my own on-line course is that if a certain percentage of my students are of the Generation Y population, they may very well know more about the technology than I do.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      question your assumptions!!!!
  • 20 to 22
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      it's 20-24 yrs old- that is 38% Fifty-one percent are over 25 yrs old.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      the larger percentage are OVER 25 years old!
  • so I guess that will most likely be my audience.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      check your assumptions!
    • Donna Angley
       
      You're right; I don't really know who my audience will be. I also assume that the Generation Y population have the technology down pat; that's not necessary true.
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  • While I think the technology has to be embedded in instruction whenever possible, it can’t be left to teachers alone to solve this problem.
    • Donna Angley
       
      I feel teachers need much more support from administrators as well as the Education Department. I know that SED is currently addressing the problem of making technology accessible in our classrooms, but even as they are planning it, the technology is increasing exponentially. It's going to take major educational reform -- Our new commissioner has been personally involved with the Technology task force.
    • Diane Gusa
       
      This is a wonderful analogy, which I plan on using in my instructions for discussions!
    • Diane Gusa
       
      This is my struggle too. I am spending this weekend stopping in. I do like the post titles, it helps me to priortize what I want to read.
    • Donna Angley
       
      I think a lot of my difficulty is that my only comparison for online learning are the 2 courses I've taken prior to this. One was okay, the other not so good. So, I'm only realizing now that the online environment and experience can be a lot more robust that I had thought.
    • Diane Gusa
       
      I work to 2AM every morning to keep up...as I teach an online course and take care of a 18 month old. However, I am enjoying the late night flow as I work! I have enjoyed your posts, and I can see your hard work.
    • Donna Angley
       
      Thanks Diane, a lot of this is new to me as well, but I'm working through it.
  • I had to question what the objectives were first, and then create an assessment that tied into the objectives. 
    • Donna Angley
       
      This is probably one area that still scares me. I think I'm going to have to come up with a rubric for the forum in my course, and I don't have any experience creating a rubric. I've Googled it and there are many rubrics out there, but I don't know if I can just "borrow" a rubric and tweak it or is this plagarism?
  • what I need to do is think of these posts as mini research papers.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      exactly!!! i actually say "Every post you make in this course is an exam. " in the interaction course info document for the course!! : )
    • Donna Angley
       
      Now that I realize this, I'm finding the workload a little easier. I had to adjust my schedule. I'm used to doing most of my online work on weekends, but that's not enough for this course, so I made changes. Now I come home from work and put aside about 2 hours each night specificallly for addressing posts.
  • I don’t feel like I can get to it all.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      you can't. just really digg into stuff that interests/engages you.
    • Donna Angley
       
      Whew! Thanks Alex. I'm feeling a little more comfortable this week as far as what I should be doing to stay on top of things.
  • I’m doing my best.
    • Donna Angley
       
      I am making it work, and I don't feel as overwhelmed as I did just 2 weeks ago. Feeling more confident in the whole process of posting and working in the course shell.
  • I decided to give it a try.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      excellent!! give your students the gift of having high expectations : )
  • 1) Will it help you present content in a more effective or engaging manner, 2) will it facilitate collaboration or interaction between students in an more effective manner, and 3) will it help provide feedback or help assess students more effectively.  I feel the blog will get students interacting in a more casual setting regarding the stories, and the Wiki will definitely facilitate collaboration.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      brilliant!!
    • Diane Gusa
       
      Your assessment of the first 4 weeks is so correct, (in my opinion). I am into the end of the 4th week in an online course I am teaching now and my students are finally soaring, It is soooooo exciting for me to see the growth. The only problem is that my class is only 6 weeks summer....The course I am planning is a 4 week winter term course, so now how to I get my students to soar within one week? My dilemma.
    • Donna Angley
       
      Wow, 4 weeks is not very long. What kind of class will you be teaching in the winter session? I'm not sure you can push the timeframe of when they begin to soar...that happens when it happens. I guess if you can somehow get them interacting with each other right away, that might help promote discussions that lead to those 'aha' moments.a little quicker.
    • Diane Gusa
       
      I decided not to do winter term...I will no less than 8 week courses...which as an adjunct is a $$$ decision that will hurt. However, I do not believe that 16 courses squeezed into 4 weeks is ethical.
  • My Avatar
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      WOW!!! cool
  • I really hope I get the opportunity to teach this course
  • I really hope I get the opportunity to teach this course
  • the course unfolded slowly
  • the course unfolded slowly
  • the course unfolded slowly
  • the course unfolded slowly
  • the course unfolded slowly
  • the course unfolded slowly
  • the course unfolded slowly
  • the course unfolded slowly
  • the course unfolded slowly
  • off.  Luckily, the course unfolded slowly and in a very specific order, and I had time to reflect, prepare, and digest the information coming at me.  I’ve learned that I can take on a rather monumental assignment and with a lot of hard work and perseverance, I can complete
  • flect, prepare, and digest the information coming at me.  I’ve learned that I can take on a rather monumental assignment and with a lot of hard work and perseverance, I can complete it.  This was a BIG deal for me and it’s given me a sense of empowerment.   It’s also come at a good time, because I’ll be taking my last course in September in order to finish up my degr
  • flect, prepare, and digest the information coming at me.  I’ve learned that I can take on a rather monumental assignment and with a lot of hard work and perseverance, I can complete it.  This was a BIG deal for me and it’s given me a sense of empowerment.   It’s also come at a good time, because I’ll be taking my last course in September in order to finish up my degr
  • the course unfolded slowly
  • the course unfolded slowly
  • the course unfolded slowly
  • the course unfolded slowly
  • ’s also come at a g
  • prepare, and digest the information coming at me.  I’ve learned that I can take on a rather monumental assignment and with a lot of hard work and perseverance, I can complete it.  This was a BIG deal for me and it’s given me a sense of empowerment.   It’s also come at a g
  • Never in a million years did I ever think that I would go on to graduate school, but here I am on the cusp of that achievement.  I am the first out of 6 siblings to earn a master’s degree. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      Congratulations Donna!!!
  • I didn’t realize that I was in charge of my own learning. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      any kind of learning... online or f2f is ONLY student-centered if that is how it is designed and if that is how the instructor facilitates it... now that you know that you are in charge of your own learning, i need your help : ) You can help me change the world by sharing that insight with anyone you have the opportunity to teach in the future. I have very high expectations of you Donna!!! : )
  • I came to realize that I didn’t have to give them all my knowledge — that in fact, I had to let them learn some of these things on their own.
  • I think it’s a situation where I don’t know what I need until somebody tells me that I need it.  I’m certainly open to suggestions, but at this point I feel like I’ve done what I was supposed to do; however, I realize that this is VERY new to me and that I have probably made some mistakes that will be pointed out to me.  That’s fine, and as I said, I welcome comments and suggestions. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      good point
Heather Kurto

JTE v24n1 - Transfer of Learning: Connecting Concepts During Problem Solving - 0 views

  • There are several factors that affect learning transfer. These include whether students understand or simply memorize knowledge, the amount of time spent on learning the task, the amount of deliberate practice that is done beyond learning the task, the motivation of the student, how the problem is represented, the transfer conditions, and the metacognition of the solver (Dweck, 1989; Ericsson, Krampe, & Tesch-Romer, 1993; Johnson et al., 2011; Palinscar & Brown, 1984; Singley & Anderson, 1989).
  • A student’s comprehension of a problem and his or her ultimate ability to transfer concepts learned previously to the current problem is inextricably linked to his or her ability to properly represent the problem.
  • ognitive research shows that the organization of learning and how new learning relates to what a student already knows are the strongest predictors of how well a student will transfer knowledge (National Research Council, 2000). Schunn and Silk (2011) articulated, however, that in science and engineering students often “lack relevant conceptual frameworks or have frameworks that are not developed enough to support new learning adequately” (p. 9). The absence of such frameworks makes it difficult for students to connect and apply other knowledge where relevant.
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  • The problem solving process begins as soon as the problem solver generates enough information about the problem space to gain an understanding of the problem.
  • Representation in the problem-solving process refers to how the solver mentally represents the problem. The solver’s representation of the problem is directly related to his or her existing knowledge structure of the content of the problem.
  • Students have to increase their reflective practice to aid their metacognition and transfer of STEM concepts.
  • Different individuals have different conceptual knowledge and will make different associations to their knowledge. Exposure to the constraints and affordances of a particular context in which a problem exists will invariably influence the way in which the student represents a problem in a similar context.
  • Sanders (2009) admitted that it is difficult to prepare a teacher that is competent in all three bodies of knowledge, given the volume of content knowledge necessary to be an effective science, mathematics or technology educator.
  • This pedagogical approach is not without its challenges, as students may still compartmentalize their knowledge. Also, it is often difficult logistically and in terms of instructional timing for teachers across STEM discipline to collaborate effectively (Crismond, 2011; Kimbell & Stables, 2008).
  • Good and poor problem solvers differ in their recall of information from previously encountered problems and by extension their ability to transfer concepts to the target problem. This difference exists because poor problem solvers tend to remember surface similarities between problems, while good problem solvers remember underlying conceptual structures that make two problems similar although they have different surface features (Sutton, 2003).
  • Until student assessment methods are modified to reflect less dependency on standardized tests, engineering and technology educators will garner greater collaboration from math and science teachers when the latter can see that engineering and design-based curriculums does improve students’ ability to solve standardized test problems.
sherrilattimer

Depth of Knowledge in the 21st Century - 0 views

  • Depth of knowledge offers some advantages over Bloom’s Taxonomy for planning lessons and choosing instructional techniques. By increasing the DOK levels of activities, teachers can teach students to adapt to challenges, work cooperatively and solve problems on their own.Whereas Level 1 of DOK prompts students to recall or reproduce, Levels 3 and 4 require students to work without the constant supervision of teachers. Usually students work on higher DOK activities in groups, communicating with one another to solve challenging problems and freely offering their own ideas.
  • The teacher’s role at higher DOK levels is therefore to facilitate, not simply dispense the acquisition of knowledge.
  • Working on creating activities in such peer groups enables teachers to learn and articulate while planning for lessons that promote high expectations and cognitively challenging curriculum. In addition, administrators need to provide ongoing support for their teachers in order to empower teachers to succeed in this endeavor.Administrative leadership must mentor and assist teachers in providing the enthusiasm and motivation to continuously teach lessons that promote high student expectations and cognitively challenging lessons.
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • The students in one classroom are prompted to recall facts and procedures while the students in the other classroom are encouraged to apply their learned knowledge to solve complex problems featuring real-world relevance.
  • Through his work with the business community, he has learned that there is no shortage of employees that are technically proficient, but too few employees that can adequately communicate and collaborate, innovate and think critically. So, rather than simply equating 21st century skills with technical prowess, educators need to expand their understanding of such skills to increasingly emphasize preparing students to think on their feet, communicate effectively and value the ideas of others.
  • The depth-of-knowledge levels of Norman Webb’s depthof-knowledge (DOK) levels constitute a system that addresses how to teach these skills. Depth of knowledge is a scale of cognitive demand that reflects the complexity of activities that teachers ask students to perform. DOK-1. Recall — Recall or recognition of a fact, information, concept, or procedure DOK-2. Basic Application of Skill/Concept — Use of information, conceptual knowledge, follow or select appropriate procedures, two or more steps with decision points along the way, routine problems, organize/ display data DOK-3. Strategic Thinking — Requires reasoning, developing a plan or sequence of steps to approach problem; requires some decision making and justification; abstract and complex; often more than one possible answer DOK-4. Extended Thinking — An investigation or application to real world; requires time to research, think, and process multiple conditions of the problem or task; non-routine manipulations, across disciplines/content areas/multiple sources Level 1 of DOK is the lowest level and requires students to recall or perform a simple process.As DOK increases toward the highest (fourth) level, the complexity of the activity moves from simple recall problems to increasingly difficult and teacher independent problem-solving classroom activities, as well as real-world applications.As students are prompted to work within the realms of higher DOK levels, they will learn to independently employ higher-level thinking skills.
  •  
    Webb's Depth of Knowledge
Jessica M

Educators: Are Web - based Resources an Effective Means for Increasing Knowledge in Hig... - 0 views

  • Previous research has shown that online instruction has aided in the preparation and retention of special education teachers (Dymond & Bentz, 2006; Knapczyk, Frey, & Wall-Marencik, 2005).
    • Jessica M
       
      Online instruction is research proven to help benefit special education students
  • positively affect attitudes, knowledge
  • lack of training during their preservice years in proper interventions for students with disabilities, including modification, accommodations and assistive technology
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  • outcomes, and perceptions of educating students with disabilities in general education (Carroll, 2003; Cook, 2002; Kirk, 1998; Powers, 1992).
  • For example teacher educators identify time constraints as one of the biggest barriers in providing an effective overall class on how to educate students with disabilities in the general education classroom
  • ill-equipped
  • Assistive Technology Outcomes and BenefitsFocused Issue: The Role of Higher Education in Preparing Education Professionals to Use AT
  •  
    Many facts about students with disabilities and how educators can benefit from online courses and learning to better support the needs of these students. Benefit of taking this course online - community, sharing..
efleonhardt

JOLT - Journal of Online Learning and Teaching - 0 views

  • Classroom community and student engagement are closely related to one another
  • sense of connectedness and psychological closeness rather than isolation are better prepared to become more actively involved with online learning and the resulting higher order thinking and knowledge building
  • text-based experiences are likely insufficient for participants to break down the barriers created by distance and the lack of face-to-face interaction.
  • ...8 more annotations...
  • emphasized the need for instructors to validate all student perspectives, as well as acknowledge differing beliefs and biases, to create a safe and welcoming community that helps students become “more engaged and feel more interconnected”
  • who provide a structured and comfortable classroom environment that involves the participation of everyone in the learning activities
  • thoughtful care for instructors to help students become engaged in their learning and to design virtual classrooms that enhance a sense of community
  • carefully plan ways for students to interact, students can focus on achieving course learning goals
  • focus primarily on academic content and not as much on meaningful, interpersonal connections.
  • such as Facebook, twittering and blogging, might increase the social presence of all of the students as well as the teaching presence of the instructor.
  • collaborative decision-making related to communication protocols, and required and ongoing student postings in online discussions
  • instructors need to find ways to help students feel more strongly connected with each other and with the instructor and to facilitate activities that more actively involve students in their own learning.
Lauren D

Communication in Online Courses: Strategies for Providing Feedback - 0 views

  • Here are strategies for providing feedback in the Virtual Classroom
  • Clearly communicate exactly how participants will be graded.
  • Set evening hours if most of your students work during the day.
  • ...10 more annotations...
  • Be prepared to use a variety of delivery systems for feedback in case the technological system fails
  • Take note of students who don’t participate during the first session, and contact them individually after class. They may have technological difficulties
  • Provide substantive critique, comment, and/or evaluation for work submitted by individual students or groups, referring to additional sources for supplementary information where appropriate.
  • Provide private, weekly updates to EACH participant on their grade status.
  • Thank students publicly for comments submitted to the Virtual Classroom showing insight or depth. This will serve to model the types of responses and critical thinking skills you expect from other participants as well as give positive reinforcement to the student who contributed the message.
  • Make interpretive as well as descriptive comments.
  • the instructor should recognize quality work and intervene as the work is being developed to steer students in the right direction
  • Do not comment on every student posting. Much like in face-to-face class discussions let the conversation develop and give students a chance to participate before jumping in with in depth comments/feedback or analysis.
  • Use your students' feedback regarding course content, relevancy, pace, delivery problems, and instructional concerns to improve your course for the next time you teach it.
  • formative assessment
  •  
    The importance of continuous and prompt teacher feedback in the virtual classroom.
  •  
    Online students need more support and feedback because they may feel alienated online. Read some strategies to provide feedback here!
Donna Angley

MIT Open Courseware - 0 views

  • What Makes a Short Story
    • Donna Angley
       
      I like this "introduction" to what makes a short story. I did something very similar in my course, so I feel like I'm on the right track.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      how will you use this resource in your own online course donna?
    • Donna Angley
       
      I hadn't thought about a group project for my course; however, after reading about these students writing and publishing a short story, it got me thinking. I was originally going to have my students do a final paper comparing two stories. Then I decided I wanted to do something different and a bit more collaborative. After seeing this website, I started to think about a group project more seriously. Then I thought I'd like it to be a little more hand-on like this course, and so it has morphed into a final group project where they can decided to either write a short story or create a multi-media presentation of a short story we've read. This website got me thinking about the project from the students' perspective. Giving them the choice to write or use multi-media is a better idea and will get the creative juices flowing. It also puts them more in control of what they want to do creatively.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      brilliant!!! student perspective- student choice - control, creativity, innovation in student hands : ) !!!!
  • Silko, Leslie Marmon.
    • Donna Angley
       
      I am glad to see an American Indian writer included in the syllabus. I also included a story by Leslie Marmon Silko called "Lullaby."
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  • Everyday Use Walker." I
    • Donna Angley
       
      I too included this story in my course. For those of you that might not know, Alice Walker is the author of "The Color Purple."
  • A Good Man is Hard To Find."
    • Donna Angley
       
      Again, I also included this particular story in my course. Flannery O'Connor has written many short stories, but this one is probably a "classic" within the genre.
  • Usage of Point of View
    • Donna Angley
       
      Point of view is the first thing a writer has to think about when preparing to write. Depending on the point of view, what is written and how it is written will be very different.
  • The Yellow Wallpaper."
    • Donna Angley
       
      This is an exaggerated account of the actual post pardom depression that the author suffered from after the birth of her daughter. Again, a classic short story that I have included in my course also under "point of view."
  • To Build a Fire Faulkner
    • Donna Angley
       
      I love that they too included this story. As you read it, you can't help but wonder how Jack London manages to keep describing his surroundings, which really don't change. He's a master.
  • Workshop
    • Donna Angley
       
      I like that there is a workshop component to this course, where it appears that students will go through the process of writing a short story. It also looks as if they might publish as well, or at least go through the process of publishing so that students can attempt to publish in the future.
  • Discussion of Getting Published in the Real World
    • Donna Angley
       
      Excellent resource for those students who are seriously looking at writing for a living.
  •  
    This class will focus on the craft of the short story, which we will explore through reading great short stories, writers speaking about writing, writing exercises and conducting workshops on original stories.
alexandra m. pickett

Try College 101 « Saylor Academy - 1 views

  • However, having a sense of purpose that motivates you and a lifestyle that supports your ability to focus on your academic goals are the basic building blocks of success in college and beyond.
    • Elena Buttgereit
       
      I love their attitude! It really speaks to their dedication to helping students succeed in a college atmosphere.
  • a new college student or a person considering a college education
    • Elena Buttgereit
       
      This is essentially a course that I could see being a sequel to my course! It talks about what you need to be successful in college; so once you get there, what do you need to know?
  • Reading: College Success
    • Elena Buttgereit
       
      This article is spectacular and it won't let me highlight within it because it is a pdf. But it gives many self-assessment surveys so students can learn where they stand in their college readiness.
    • Elena Buttgereit
       
      This article is spectacular and it won't let me highlight within it because it is a pdf. But it gives many self-assessment surveys so students can learn where they stand in their college readiness.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • Learning Outcomes
    • Elena Buttgereit
       
      I really like how they break down the learning outcomes by activity. I should do this more clearly in my class.
  • Unit 7: Academic Writing and Research in College
    • Elena Buttgereit
       
      This is something that students don't often understand coming into college and causes a lot of stress during the first semester. Students need to be aware of what is expected of them in college and anticipate the heavy reading and writing curriculum that college provides. This could help prevent a lot of failed assignments and help students keep up their confidence for learning.
  • first impression people have of you
    • Elena Buttgereit
       
      Netiquette! Already incorporated in the unit!
  • Unit 12: The Social World of College
    • Elena Buttgereit
       
      This is another concern many students have while researching colleges. Introducing activities/readings like this could help to alleviate some of those worries.
  • ry College 101
    • Elena Buttgereit
       
      There really isn't anything in this course that I don't like. I think it is all incredibly useful, and some of it can be incorporated pre-emptively so that college applicants are prepared and knowledgeable about the college experience.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      This is great, Elena, but i need you to add how you intend to use this resrouce in your course.
  • Try College 101
    • Elena Buttgereit
       
      I will use this page in the last module of my course, as a way to help students transition to being a student. I will probably use it as an extra credit assignment.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      yay!! got it!!!
  •  
    Module 4 assignment
  •  
    Module 4 assignment
Sue Rappazzo

PREPARING OR REVISING A COURSE - 0 views

  • fter you have "packed" all your topics into a preliminary list, toss out the excess baggage. Designing a course is somewhat like planning a transcontinental trip. First, list everything that you feel might be important for students to know, just as you might stuff several large suitcases with everything that you think you might need on a trip.
  • Distinguish between essential and optional material.
  • Cut to the chase. Go for the most critical skills or ideas and drop the rest
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • Prepare a detailed syllabus. Share the conceptual framework, logic, and organization of your course with students by distributing a syllabus. See "The Course Syllabus."
  • Devise a logical arrangement for the course content.
  • Stark and others (1990) offer additional sequencing patterns, suggesting that topics may be ordered according to the following: How relationships occur in the real world How students will use the information in social, personal, or career settings How major concepts and relationships are organized in the discipline How students learn How knowledge has been created in the field
  • List all class meetings.
  • elect appropriate instructional methods for each class meeting. Instead of asking, What am I going to do in each class session? focus on What are students going to do? (Bligh, 1971). Identify which topics lend themselves to which types of classroom activities, and select one or more activities for each class session: lectures; small group discussions; independent work; simulations, debates, case studies, and role playing; demonstrations; experiential learning activities; instructional technologies; collaborative learning work, and so on. (See other tools for descriptions of these methods.) For each topic, decide how you will prepare the class for instruction (through reviews or previews), present the new concepts (through lectures, demonstrations, discussion), have students apply what they have learned (through discussion, in-class writing activities, collaborative work), and assess whether students can put into practice what they have learned (thro
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