My original goal was to get an A in the class, and every other class until I reached my objective of my Master’s w/ a 4.0. Now my goal is to become a teacher that is there for my students, who isn’t assuming any good or bad about them, who’s only goal is to help them grow and learn, (and hopefully to get at least a B in this class.)
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Small Town Girl in the Big Cyber City - 1 views
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Again, I find myself writing for a college professor rather than a middle school student. Even this past September, I handed out my “course syllabus” to each of my classes. Looking back now I wonder if they knew it was one of my course information documents or is they were trying to figure out how to clap out the syllables.
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Why did I need to call it a syllabus? That wasn’t for them, it was for me.
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I want them to know that I understand that some activities will suck and be difficult and that they’ll want to rip their hair out but that I also know which activities are the most fun and how rewarding and accomplished they will feel when it’s all said and done.
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I really don’t know why I do things the way I do. Is it from years of routine as to this is how it needs to be done? Is it from no one stopping and helping me break these habits?
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I was predispositioned to not question, to memorize and regurgitate information. I was scared that I was passing this trait on to my students.
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After Alex asked me to think about how this may hold true in my daily life and routine I realized I really don’t speak up any where let alone in class.
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I think I’m just scared.
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This is a brilliant self-reflection. Now what are you going to do about it? There is NOTHING wrong with being shy, or an introvert ( http://www.diigo.com/user/alexandrapickett/introvert ) WATCH this NOW! http://www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts.html You need to get MAD and use that anger to get over the fear that is preventing you from doing/being/experiencing. Anger is a powerful force that can help you stop focusing on yourself -when you flip it to use it to advocate for those less powerful than you - your students!
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Oh, I'd love to get angry and actually stand up for myself and others. Unfortunately that only seems to happen with a few glasses of wine in me. Not too feasible in the classroom, lol. That should be my next goal, find strength without liquid courage!
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Ya know Alex, I love you and all and this class has been amazing but I honestly think you are killing my laptop!!
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Well no more soul searching I have a course to design. Best of wishes to all my fellow classmates as we begin to wrap up this amazing journey!
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Lisa, I can’t believe how amazing your course is! I want to take it!!
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Less than 24 hours later this article appeared in my inbox. At first I was really aggravated by this article because it seemed like it was ripping to shreds everything I have been working at this summer and I felt like he was sitting at home with an “I told you so” smirk. This quote just floored me “In terms of learning on the college level, the Department of Education looked at thousands of research studies from 1996 to 2008 and found that in higher education, students rarely learned as much from online courses as they did in traditional classes.” Really, what study? Everything that we have read seems to be in the complete opposite direction of this statement! I agree that for some there will be a financial obstacles and internet issues like we’ve all had but that’s where as a teacher we come into play and offer solutions and options. Upon reading it for a second time I feel that this article and any other article discrediting online teaching should be looked at as a challenge! I am strong and passionate about this endeavor of mine and no article or fuddy duddy teacher is going to come in the way of that. Well I hope you all have an amazing weekend. I will be attempting to cool my boiling blood as I sit by the calming cool waters of the Kinzua Dam with a delicious glass of Riesling.
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That article prompted response from the online learning community. Here is a particularly excellent articulate and respectful response: http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/technology-and-learning/open-letter-professor-edmundson
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: ) ammunition for your challenge: http://slneducation.edublogs.org/2010/02/16/online-learning-vs-classroom-instruction/
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As this class come to an end and I look back at where I was in May, I can only say I wish I knew then what I know now. This class has given me so much academically, personally and technologicially, lol. In only a short time I feel like I have grown so much as person and as a teacher.
Scaffolding student-generated questions - 0 views
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GeneratingQuestions.pdf (application/pdf Object) - 0 views
Rakes, T. A., Scott, S. M. (1983). Using teacher student generated questions. - 0 views
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"Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel." Socrates... - 1 views
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Solar Eclipse Educational Video - YouTube - 0 views
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Evidence-Based Practice Tutorial - 0 views
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The fundamental skill necessary to conduct evidence-based practice is learning to design a Well-Built Clinical Question
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shared by alexandra m. pickett on 20 Jul 12
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The ABCs of observing - Astronomy Magazine - 1 views
www.astronomy.com/...e%20ABCs%20of%20observing.aspx
Module 4 Assignment star science astronomy space
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alexandra m. pickett liked it
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Know your equipment
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Question yourself
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quality of "seeing,"
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Additional online observing tools from Astronomy magazine
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Amateur astronomy is about observing:
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safety
Free Resources for Teachers | Help Students Say Something Substantial - 0 views
www.collaborizeclassroom.com/...ents-say-something-substantial
questions asking-questions substantive-posts
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Student Lounge Discussion Board -- Byrnes - YouTube - 0 views
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TEAL Center Fact Sheet No. 6: Student-Centered Learning | Teaching Excellence in Adult ... - 0 views
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"Instructional strategies and methods are used to Manage time in flexible ways to match learner needs. Include learning activities that are personally relevant to learners. Give learners increasing responsibility for the learning process. Provide questions and tasks that stimulate learners' thinking beyond rote memorization. Help learners refine their understanding by using critical thinking skills. Support learners in developing and using effective learning strategies for each task. Include peer learning and peer teaching as part of the instructional method. "
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Scaffolding for Success - 0 views
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"Structure" is the key word. Without clear structure and precisely stated expectations, many students are vulnerable to a kind of educational "wanderlust" that pulls them far afield.
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in Chapter 4, "Students in Resonance," the work gathers speed. The drive toward meaning is accelerated. The essential question and its subsidiary questions create suction, drive, urgency and motivation.
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If done well, a scaffolded lesson should nearly scream with efficiency. Teachers and students should shake their heads in disbelief.
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Intelligent avatars populate museums, galleries and science centers | Chatbots.org, fac... - 0 views
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Reflections | Just another Edublogs.org site - 1 views
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However, I do wonder about exactly how this survey was implemented in order for it to valid.
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Somtimes I just have to tell myself “I Think I Can”
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Victoria! i am so glad that you are considering using bloggin in your course. Your reflections on the benefits and your insights on this aspect of the course and how it applys to you and might apply to your future students are astounding to me. Thank you for making your thinking visible to me. Als, your observation of the Social Presence afforded by Moodle with the simple little addition of an icon/avatar that represents the individual and its comparison to FB is brilliant. Well done!
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My experience as a student was that I was focused on my routines from the other class and interpreting feedback to what I was thinking Alex meant and it wasn’t the same. Then, we I began to trust Alex’s words and it became clear to me that she wanted to use to think deeper about the questions.
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My question is how do we get our students motivated to think critically when, students just want to get the right answer?
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In this process I learned a lot about myself as a learner and teacher. I really need to promote more critical thinking activities and discussion. It is very hard especially, with the children who I teach because they just want to get the right answer and have no motivation to further discuss any math concepts.
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I also need to think more critically as a person and a teacher. In my school we put a lot of the blame on the parents because the parents don’t help students at home. Meanwhile, many of these families can’t do it because they don’t know how the do the homework assignment, can’t read English, or are working.
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I know I have learned this because now I have a deeper appreciation in using technology as a learning tool.
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What hindered my learning was time. This course was a big adjustment in how much time I needed to set aside for this course. I feel as though my school activities got in the way. I really put too much on my plate this year as far as being involved in school activities. This coming school year I am not going to do as much so I can focus more on taking the online courses.
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Reflections Blog - Just another Edublogs.org site - 1 views
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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 : )
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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!
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it helps remove the filter.
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Alex mentioned her desire not to allow students to unsubscribe from the posts.
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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.
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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
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my presence could be demonstrated in other ways than just logging in daily or talking to students.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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The article written by Mark Edmundson, a professor at UVA, questions the validity of online learning.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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Yet, I feel as this is one of the first courses that will let me leave with having a profound change in thinking.
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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)
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Increasing Student Interaction in Your Online Course - 0 views
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create a Dear Abby discussion forum in your online course that allows students to post problems they may be having with a particular concept or assignment assign a few new students to the role of Abby each week and have them respond directly to any peer questions encourage other students in class to confirm "Abby's" suggestions or provide alternative suggestions
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Educational Leadership:Teaching for Multiple Intelligences:Integrating Learning Styles ... - 0 views
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Learning-style theory begins with Carl Jung (1927), who noted major differences in the way people perceived (sensation versus intuition), the way they made decisions (logical thinking versus imaginative feelings), and how active or reflective they were while interacting (extroversion versus introversion)
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Most learning-style theorists have settled on four basic styles. Our own model, for instance, describes the following four styles: The Mastery style learner absorbs information concretely; processes information sequentially, in a step-by-step manner; and judges the value of learning in terms of its clarity and practicality. The Understanding style learner focuses more on ideas and abstractions; learns through a process of questioning, reasoning, and testing; and evaluates learning by standards of logic and the use of evidence. The Self-Expressive style learner looks for images implied in learning; uses feelings and emotions to construct new ideas and products; and judges the learning process according to its originality, aesthetics, and capacity to surprise or delight. The Interpersonal style learner,1 like the Mastery learner, focuses on concrete, palpable information; prefers to learn socially; and judges learning in terms of its potential use in helping others.
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In integrating these major theories of knowledge, we moved through three steps. First, we attempted to describe, for each of Gardner's intelligences, a set of four learning processes or abilities, one for each of the four learning styles. For linguistic intelligence, for example, the Mastery style represents the ability to use language to describe events and sequence activities; the Interpersonal style, the ability to use language to build trust and rapport; the Understanding style, the ability to develop logical arguments and use rhetoric; and the Self-expressive style, the ability to use metaphoric and expressive language.
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In MI theory, I begin with a human organism that responds (or fails to respond) to different kinds of contents in the world. . . . Those who speak of learning styles are searching for approaches that ought to characterize all contents (p. 45).
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They recognize the role of cognitive and affective processes in learning and, therefore, can significantly deepen our insights into issues related to motivation.
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They tend to emphasize thought as a vital component of learning, thereby avoiding reliance on basic and lower-level learning activities.
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Learning-styles models have a couple of limitations. First, they may fail to recognize how styles vary in different content areas and disciplines.
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Second, these models are sometimes less sensitive than they should be to the effects of context on learning.
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Emerging from a tradition that viewed style as relatively permanent, many learning-style advocates advised altering learning environments to match or challenge a learner's style. Either way, learning-style models have largely left unanswered the question of how context and purpose affect learning.
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But learning styles emphasize the different ways people think and feel as they solve problems, create products, and interact.
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The theory of multiple intelligences is an effort to understand how cultures and disciplines shape human potential
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Though both theories claim that dominant ideologies of intelligence inhibit our understanding of human differences, learning styles are concerned with differences in the process of learning, whereas multiple intelligences center on the content and products of learning. Until now, neither theory has had much to do with the other
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Discussion of MOOCs: more links and questions - 0 views
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Others will offer MOOCs because it’s an effective way of getting out an important message or to raise awareness about certain topics.
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The retention and lurker behavior described above adds another differentiation to the previous list.
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haviourist way it lends itself to automation. Shouldn’t the face-to-face class have been doing something different
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ays a lot about the quality of face-to-face teaching, as well as the online course. If you design a course in a very cognitive-