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alexandra m. pickett

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

wamered.edublogs.org

shared by alexandra m. pickett on 11 Jun 12 - No Cached
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 11 Jun 12
       
      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
      William Meredith on 25 Jul 12
       
      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
      alexandra m. pickett on 12 Jun 12
       
      interesting. really? say more about that. : )
  • Alex mentioned her desire not to allow students to unsubscribe from the posts.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 12 Jun 12
       
      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
  • ...28 more annotations...
  • 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
      alexandra m. pickett on 12 Jun 12
       
      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
      alexandra m. pickett on 26 Jul 12
       
      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
      alexandra m. pickett on 19 Aug 12
       
      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)
alexandra m. pickett

ETAP640 Summer 2011 Blog - 2 views

kbarss.edublogs.org

shared by alexandra m. pickett on 07 Jun 11 - No Cached
  • So far I am enjoying the experience
  • What are the most effective instructional technology tools available to me to help me meet my instructional objectives?
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 07 Jun 11
       
      brilliant!
  • challenge!
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 07 Jun 11
       
      self assess!
    • Kimberly Barss
      Kimberly Barss on 03 Jul 11
       
      check!
  • ...37 more annotations...
  • I have been much more aware of the idea that today’s younger generations (those who are 30 and younger) are much more technologically savvy. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 07 Jun 11
       
      I want to challange you, just like i challanged Ian (who is currently smitten with Prensky : ) to challenge the notion of natives vs. immigrants. Read this (http://steve-wheeler.blogspot.com/2011/05/natives-are-revolting.html), find other articles (and there are many) that unpack the problems with this notion, and come back and tell us all about it.
  • I have been spending quite a bit of time and energy learning the Moodle system,
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 02 Jul 11
       
      I think I spent the entire weekend last week playing around in Moodle, learning how things worked, and trying to set up my basic module outline. Once I got the hang of it, I kinda like it. I find with technology that it just takes time and patience (not my forte) to really grasp it. I don't think computer skills of any kind can be learned from a book alone; it needs to be hands on learning.
    • Kimberly Barss
      Kimberly Barss on 03 Jul 11
       
      I completely agree! I am a very hands on and visual person, I need to INTERACT with the material in real life or else it's just text on a page.
  • It is ENGAGING
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 02 Jul 11
       
      Very. I found myself not wanting to step away from the computer, even to eat. Eventually, I got hungry enough and forced a break.
    • Kimberly Barss
      Kimberly Barss on 03 Jul 11
       
      Yes! The faculty on the SLN website even said that online teaching is an addiction!
  • Blackboard
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 02 Jul 11
       
      The two other online courses that I took were both on Blackboard. I've never actually taken a course in Moodle. I have no idea what my course will look like when I'm done, but I'm very curious.
  • I’m really starting to get the hang of the expectations for posts
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 02 Jul 11
       
      Took me a while as well, but now I feel more comfortable with my posts. I wasn't doing enough research. Once I started doing that, I felt like I was contributing something to the whole class.
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 04 Jul 11
       
      I had the same thought. I only hope that the computer lab is open during my class time.
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 30 Jul 11
       
      Your sticky notes are usually "floating" so I never know what you're commenting on. Can you make them stationery?
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 31 Jul 11
       
      I wonder the same thing...this applies to several blogs ago. I guess we need to add a date or title.
  • This course has been the most difficult course that I have ever taken
  • I was teetering between dropping the class
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 04 Jul 11
       
      i am really glad you did NOT drop the course!!! : ) me
  • punishment
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 04 Jul 11
       
      : ) seriously teacher-centric...
  • I am still under the impression that the interactions required of us in the discussion space are too numerous. 
  • I LOVE LOVE LOVED that Bill Pelz commented on our posts!  I felt like a celebrity walked into the room and his comments could be equated to getting an autograph. 
  • I have learned a lot this module, especially: NEVER give up (this has been especially resonant with me) Passion for teaching and learning go hand in hand, and are a must-have for online educators The best training tool for an online teacher is to be an online learner BE ORGANIZED MANAGE YOUR TIME Support your students and your faculty (whatever your role is) And last, but not least (yes, this was intentional) don’t procrastinate.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 04 Jul 11
       
      LOVE the new theme Kim! looks great!
  • half of the requirement for this class.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 04 Jul 11
       
      please read the rubric. it is NOT required that you do 12 posts. this is your own self imposed choice if you do. The minimum is 6 - maximum 12. it is entirely up to you.
  • I was given this gift: show your students the importance of reflection. 
  • There was absolutely nothing about my course learning activities that was learner-centered, or, one could argue, learning-centered!  I was being extremely teacher-centered in my approach! 
  •   Because of that, I need to embrace these tools, explore new ideas, and for goodness sake- think about the STUDENT.
  • It took me almost two and a half hours just to set up a voicethread that didn’t crunch all of my text and pictures together!  Or get the right size and color font.  I realize that these are all things that cannot be explained to anyone, or if you did try and tell them, they wouldn’t understand how much work it is until they tried it themselves.
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 19 Jul 11
       
      I, like the others in this course, understand. It's a lot of work, but the finished product will be worth it, I'm sure.
  • I think that embedding a youtube video or loading a podcast are in my future and I can’t wait! 
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 19 Jul 11
       
      Two thumbs up!
  •   I made all of my assignments turned in to me, privately,
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 19 Jul 11
       
      I too had made this mistake with some short writing assignments that I was going to have my students write. It was Alex's suggestion to have them blog it that really made sense. This way they could read each others blog entries and leave comments as well.
  • This week, as we are supposed to have the course “done done” I am doubting myself.  Every time I log in to my course I change something, add wording, create new links to rubrics where there weren’t any, etc.  It just seems like I’m never satisfied.
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 30 Jul 11
       
      So glad I'm not alone. I keep logging in as well, looking to change something. Over the past 3-4 days I've definitely made changes, but I'm getting to the point now that I'm wondering if I should just leave it alone. I'm the same way about large writing project...always looking to edit. Thinking it might be time for me to step back from the computer.
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 31 Jul 11
       
      I thought done, done, done is at the end...aren't we going to have peer feedback next module?
  • I’ll have my master’s in December and I couldn’t be more proud. 
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 30 Jul 11
       
      CONGRATULATIONS! I'll finish in December as well. It's been a long journey, and as much as I've enjoyed it, I'm ready to have my weekends back :-)
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 31 Jul 11
       
      :)
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 05 Aug 11
       
      congratulations kim!!!!
  • I feel like a late bloomer (I’ll be 26 in November
  • #1- I’m scared of the idea of  real live students actually taking my course #2- I’m really disappointed that real live students will never take my course
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 30 Jul 11
       
      I'm glad you said this, because I've been thinking it for several weeks now. I really want a chance to teach it, but I'm afraid of getting a chance to teach it. I'm not a teacher by profession, so I think I have more fear than most that I won't be able to facilitate my course properly. For instance, how do I open modules, are grades recorded automatically or do I manually put them in, how do I get them to show for each individual student, etc. I've put so much time and effort into building this course, I want a chance to teach it, but having never taught at the college level, I don't know that I'll get the opportunity. I will still give it my best shot as soon as I graduate in December. If SUNY isn't interested, I'll try other avenues.
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 31 Jul 11
       
      "live students" when you do teach live students you will discover kinks you never saw...this semester I had a great activity that 18 of 19 students loved! The discussions were full of every presence. The I discovered that my student from China was so lost and overwhelmed. Now I am rethinking cultural sensitivity in my activities...how do I balance a activity that engages 99% of my students 110%, but looses one student because of a cultural difference...still thinking on this.
  • feedback
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 30 Jul 11
       
      I don't know if I should have done this, but I actually have 2 evaluation/feedback areas. One is the generic resource right in Moodle. I tried to write my own questions, but when I "viewed" the forum, my questions were replaced with the generic questions. So, I created a document with my own questions and I am having students download the document into a word processor, add their answers and then post to a forum.
  • o there will likely never be online courses at Mildred Elley.
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 30 Jul 11
       
      Can you teach it elsewhere? As we have learned in this class, online learning is up and coming. It might be worth looking into.
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 31 Jul 11
       
      Failures maybe because the facilitators did not "know" and "do" what "you" know...convince him to try your course as an experiment...because this is the future of education...This summer I taught one online course and had a student from China, several from the west coast, and only two within driving distance in a class of 20!
  • ETAP 680 (research seminar). 
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 30 Jul 11
       
      I'll be taking the course in September...how was it? I had hoped that it was just a very long research paper...any such luck? It's my last course for my degree.
  • quality with the traditional classroom in the public eye? 
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 30 Jul 11
       
      I think you're probably right, but I think it's turning a corner. At a time when institutions are scrambling for money, online learning costs them very little. They pay an instructor and that's about it. We don't need a classroom or any campus resources other than student access to the library for research if they need it.
  • prettying up
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 30 Jul 11
       
      Do you mean the background or theme of the course, because I'd love to know how to change that.
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 31 Jul 11
       
      I am almost three times that....almost :)
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 31 Jul 11
       
      My dissertation chair gave me wonderful advice...Enough is enough! If we recognize that we are always evolving, growing, expanding, deepening our understanding...then we understand that a "project" is just a snap shot of one time in our progress.
  • the more effort you put into it, the more successful you’ll be.
  • One thought I had, as I look forward to getting a PhD, is that theories come from practice which means that theories about online learning come from individuals creating courses, teaching courses, and collecting feedback from courses over and over and then after all of that work is finished, turning right around and working at analyzing the data, and attempting to answer research questions.  In order to have credible research, the questions must be relevant, the measures must be valid and thorough, and the analyses of results must be comprehensive. 
  • Reflective Writing: I have to admit, at the beginning of the course I thought the blogging activities were just busy work.  I viewed the assignments as busy work, and treated my entries as such.  As time ticked on, I started getting into the blogs and realizing that it was my personal space in which I could reflect on my work on my course and my learning throughout the week/module.  So much of life and learning in school is sort of thrown at you, and if you don’t take the time to intentionally deconstruct the events and make sense of them, then you’ll never grow and improve.  I’d rather grow.
  • If I don’t place intentional emphasis on something (like making it worth a portion of their grade) then I am sending a message that it’s not important. 
  • Nothing should be an accident or “just because” in the online teaching environment. 
  • Students don’t want their time wasted.
alexandra m. pickett

Reflections - 0 views

dianacary.edublogs.org

shared by alexandra m. pickett on 13 Jun 13 - No Cached
  • I am finally breathing!
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 13 Jun 13
       
      Glad to know that you are still breathing : )
  • Then I realize I am learning I just do not know it. Whenever I answer a discussion question I am learning, whenever I do an assignment I am learning and whenever I just ask a question I am learning.
  • This just goes to show sometimes you think you know but there is always more to know.
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • I need to stop focusing on the fact that I am not a teacher and just do what I have learned and what I do know and then I should be able to get my online course module all created.
  • ‘I am a teacher and I can do this’.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 27 Jul 13
       
      : ) !!
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 27 Jul 13
       
      yes you are and yes you can!!
  • This course has taught me that I am a teacher!
alexandra m. pickett

If I'm talking, you should be taking notes. - 0 views

nvanhoose.edublogs.org

shared by alexandra m. pickett on 07 Jun 11 - No Cached
  • , mad
  • However, I also have learned that we cannot assume that everyone of a certain age is a digital native. Working at a community college, I have students with a large variety of academic and technological experiences. Some students have very limited access to technology.
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 21 Jun 11
       
      Hi Nicole, I worry about the same thing. I guess the more we make them work, the less likely we are to do too much leading.
  • ...16 more annotations...
  • June 20th,
  • it is concrete, born before me with a structure and a real plan
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 02 Jul 11
       
      Thank you Alex! I would never have been able to create this course without Alex laying out the modules as she did. Like you, I am starting to feel the course coming together in a very organic way.
  • I am fully committed to the idea of self-discovery and peer-teaching within my online course, but I also feel that I have a lot to add and I can’t keep all of this information to myself
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 02 Jul 11
       
      You don't have to choose one; you can facilitate from afar, yet still be a presence in your course. In fact, your students will need feedback from you in order to know that they are on track. Self-discovery, peer teaching, and instructor presence are not mutually exclusive, thank goodness.
  • h-ha moments are coming regularly now. The challenge is now enjoyable.
  • The a
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 02 Jul 11
       
      Yay! All the time and effort becomes worthwhile.
  • not necessarily because it meets a learning objective
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 02 Jul 11
       
      There have been times when I have had to stop and ask myself, "why am I looking to this particular technology?" If I can't attach it to a learning objective, I let it go.
  • . The first time I implement something I cannot always anticipate all of the issues, but after a run through I can plan for those problems and be proactive in preventing them.
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 02 Jul 11
       
      I think this process is not only natural in teaching, but expected - especially in the online environment. We ask for student feeback so that we can improve the course. In this way, it is constantly evolving.
  • . Students will need to find a community setting for 15 hours of either observation of a child, or volunteering in working directly with children
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 02 Jul 11
       
      Great idea, and as a former supervisor of both a before-school and after-school program, you can observe a lot at one of these programs. Kids play, study, socialize, etc. Lots to learn through observation and probably with permission, your students might be able to interact with the kids as well.
  • July 4th,
  • I am going to give up more control and expect more self-directed learning from my students, not only online, but in my f2f courses too! I am going to put more emphasis on discussion boards than I had previously anticipated.
  • I am thinking about what I feel is working for me as a student and what is not, so I can include or not include those things in my course.
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 30 Jul 11
       
      I think this is difficult for us because no matter how much we include in order to get students interacting, in the end it is out of our hands. Well, not completely -- we can always facilitate the discussion from behind the scenes if we need to, but you see what I mean.
  • Now my perspective had drastically changed—I am instead asking myself how do I get the students to the information? How will I devise learning activities that will assist them in their search for knowledge and understanding? It is not my responsibility to spoon feed them, but to teach them how to spoon feed themselves.
  • conceptualizing some of the activities for my course
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 30 Jul 11
       
      I struggled with this as well. Still not sure if I have enough substantial learning activities for my course. It wasn't until I actually started creating the learning activities that I realized I was rather naive about the entire process. Like you, I had this vague idea. I finally had to sit down and figure out what I wanted my students to be doing and then creating activities that met those objectives.
  • despite the extensive conversations that we have had.
  • Giving up control and trusting students to learn. I don’t need to give them the information, just provide the opportunity for them to discover it for themselves, and trust that they will do it. Everyone says this works, I can’t wait to see it happen!
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 05 Aug 11
       
      brilliant!! : ) just made my day !!
  • Not only has my expectation for online teaching changed, but I also am trying to apply some of these ideas to my f2f courses.  I want students to take more responsibility for their learning. I want them to learn from each other, and to discover knowledge instead of waiting for it to be fed to them. I want to build more community into my courses, so students feel that they can share and learn from others and take risks in class. I also want students to learn what they are interested in learning, or what they need to learn depending on where they are in their understanding of the content.
alexandra m. pickett

Authentic On-line Learning - 3 views

dangley.edublogs.org

shared by alexandra m. pickett on 07 Jun 11 - No Cached
Kristen Della liked it
  • 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
      alexandra m. pickett on 07 Jun 11
       
      question your assumptions!!!!
  • 20 to 22
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 07 Jun 11
       
      it's 20-24 yrs old- that is 38% Fifty-one percent are over 25 yrs old.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 07 Jun 11
       
      the larger percentage are OVER 25 years old!
  • so I guess that will most likely be my audience.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 07 Jun 11
       
      check your assumptions!
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 23 Jun 11
       
      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.
  • ...36 more annotations...
  • 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
      Donna Angley on 23 Jun 11
       
      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
      Diane Gusa on 18 Jun 11
       
      This is a wonderful analogy, which I plan on using in my instructions for discussions!
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 18 Jun 11
       
      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
      Donna Angley on 23 Jun 11
       
      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
      Diane Gusa on 18 Jun 11
       
      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
      Donna Angley on 23 Jun 11
       
      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
      Donna Angley on 23 Jun 11
       
      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
      alexandra m. pickett on 22 Jun 11
       
      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
      Donna Angley on 23 Jun 11
       
      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
      alexandra m. pickett on 22 Jun 11
       
      you can't. just really digg into stuff that interests/engages you.
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 23 Jun 11
       
      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
      Donna Angley on 23 Jun 11
       
      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
      alexandra m. pickett on 22 Jun 11
       
      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
      alexandra m. pickett on 22 Jun 11
       
      brilliant!!
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 04 Jul 11
       
      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
      Donna Angley on 17 Jul 11
       
      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
      Diane Gusa on 30 Jul 11
       
      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
      alexandra m. pickett on 18 Jul 11
       
      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
      alexandra m. pickett on 05 Aug 11
       
      Congratulations Donna!!!
  • I didn’t realize that I was in charge of my own learning. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 05 Aug 11
       
      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
      alexandra m. pickett on 27 Sep 11
       
      good point
alexandra m. pickett

Ian August etap 640 SuMmEr 2011 - 1 views

ianaugustetap640.blogspot.com

shared by alexandra m. pickett on 07 Jun 11 - No Cached
  • Student centered learning
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 07 Jun 11
       
      question your assumptions! why do you assume that "student-centered" means "teacher-less"?
  • why do I need to pay for this if I am on my own. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 07 Jun 11
       
      well... if this were true, you could walk into a library and "BAM" - you would know it all! digg into your assumptions here... it is about role and expectations and where the focus is. Is it on the student or on the teacher? see my blog post "if i do all the work, who does all the learning?" : )
    • Kimberly Barss
      Kimberly Barss on 11 Jul 11
       
      I wish I could walk into a library and know it all! I sometimes (jokingly) tell my students to put their textbooks under their pillow at night in hopes that learning-by-diffusion may come true!
  • leaders. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 07 Jun 11
       
      self-assessment?!
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 07 Jun 11
       
      missing from every post! check the rubric!
    • ian august
      ian august on 09 Aug 11
       
      i did not even realize, :O
  • ...26 more annotations...
  • could not locate a link for diigo but I contacted Mimi for more info
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 07 Jun 11
       
      excellent! : )
  • But the last article I read after the, yawn, diffusion one, yawn, was about digital natives. WOW .
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 07 Jun 11
       
      I am glad that Prensky "engaged" you, but in the long run the other article would help you to better understand and serve the fauclty you work with. Theories help us frame and understand probelms systematically. I need you to think about this and to think about what "engages" you and why. So here is something to engage you. Prensky is WRONG!!! I was hoping you would find find this on your own: http://steve-wheeler.blogspot.com/2011/05/natives-are-revolting.html - Steve is a friend of mine and a well-known and respected blogger. Digg into this controversy! And then come back and tell me what you think!
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 18 Jun 11
       
      I so agree. I use the polling option in my online course and was told I was the first to ever try. I believe that part of the problem is that online learning is coming from the top down, with little support.
    • ian august
      ian august on 17 Jul 11
       
      how do you use the polling option diane, for what type of assignments? Prof. Pickett has been telling me to let the student decide on many things, like Bill Pelz course, where the students approve each others final essays. when you say top down do you mean the teacher ruling the classing room? Because that seems to be the norm, how f2f classes run as well.
  • They use the basics like read this article and write this paper or take this quiz.
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 18 Jun 11
       
      I am a visual person and find that I don't still have a mental map of this class. I wander around quite a bit. I have developed a few shortcuts, but it is definitely a work in progress.
    • ian august
      ian august on 17 Jul 11
       
      The map of the class has definitley gotten better since the start, I dont know if you used angel, but we use it at our college, I dont think I can send pics through here but I will send them to you another way.
  • t took me a minute to figure out the moodle system.
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 18 Jun 11
       
      Do you like moodle better than Angel? I am disappointed in Angel's blog, so I will need to send my students to edublogs.
  • These ideas are the modern theories in action,  of the students new role in the classroom, whether online or f2f. Professor's have said in the past "this is our class", but these ideas I have mentioned are really creating an "our class" type of atmosphere where the teacher and students are more equal participants in the learning process than the traditional model of the teacher being the boss, and the student being the subordinate.
    • Kimberly Barss
      Kimberly Barss on 20 Jun 11
       
      I agree. This is certainly a benefit of online learning. You don't have to worry, as an instructor, about who's paying attention or talking in the back or being the "disciplinarian" you can all just focus on coming together and learning as a community.
  • Randy Pausch
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 22 Jun 11
       
      love him. saw his last lecture a few years ago on youtube.
  • wikis's
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 23 Jun 11
       
      I'm going to include a student project that also has them create and work within a Wiki. It looks to be the perfect environment for collaboration on a single document (a short story).
  • This also shows the teacher asking the student to be an active participant in their own learning,
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 23 Jun 11
       
      Yes, that's what the online environment is all about...student centered social learning.
  • Every one of the teachers in Exempler courses for observation talked about they way analzye their course, sometimes when its over sometimes during, to see what worked and what did not work
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 23 Jun 11
       
      We are already learning this through our use of "self assessment." I would imagine it takes a few runs through the course to work out all the kinks, and if it's a subject like science or technology where the information changes constantly, it's ever-evolving.
  • That was the role of student.
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 23 Jun 11
       
      In the wake of new technology, the role of the student is changing very quickly to one of self-directed learning.
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 11 Jul 11
       
      Ah this is a philosophical stand. Many times we teach by the way we learn; however, this may not be the best for our students.
  • The Angel LMS that I am familiar with even gives he teacher the option to shut off news posts in a discussion forum so the student has only one option and that is to reply to a previous post.
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 19 Jul 11
       
      That's an interesting idea, especially when there are too many discussions going on.
  • build a wiki together
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 19 Jul 11
       
      I was going to have my students do the same, however, I just noticed that the course shell has an option for a Wiki...did anybody else see that? Anybody know how it works? I have since decided to give my students a choice other than to "write" a short story in small groups within a Wikispace. I'm going to allow them to recreate or interpret a short story in a multi-media fashion. Howard Gardner influenced. :-)
  • don’t show them how you do it, let them find out how it is done on their own
  • leave it up to the student to choose,
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 19 Jul 11
       
      I think they will surprise you!
  • I guess I can guide, so when the students get off course I can say hey you should check this guy out, or this writer out.
    • Kimberly Barss
      Kimberly Barss on 29 Jul 11
       
      I had an instructor last semester (Jason Vickers, if you get a chance to take a class with him, he's great! Also, he's a PhD student) who would do this exactly. He would scarcely add to our discussions as he said that oftentimes that can shut them down, but when he did it usually was to suggest that we check certain authors/theories/articles out that might help put us back on the right track.
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 30 Jul 11
       
      I remember Alex suggesting something to me during the first week or two when I was a little lost. She pointed me in the right direction and that was good because I was able to focus my energies.
  • Case Study
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 30 Jul 11
       
      Very good idea, because you're right...it seems like a very large amount of information that you're trying to cover. Case studies might work better.
  • Hopefully they will read the author I provide them with and than on their own they will read more articles by that author because they like him.
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 30 Jul 11
       
      Perhaps you can assign one particular article, and then actually provide them with the links to 1-3 other article they might find of interest.
  • Another issue I am having is questioning if I have too much for the student to do. I really wanted them to do a group project but it seems like too much work.
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 30 Jul 11
       
      Have you gone through the learning activities for each module and guesstimated how long it would take them to do? That might give you a better idea of whether it's too much. Just a suggestion.
  • letting the student do the heavy lifitng. Professor Pickett told me that it is a hard concept to implement as a teacher and I am seeing that.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 05 Aug 11
       
      letting go of control of someone else's learning is a constant struggle. just keep telling yourself that it is NOT about you and what you know. It is about your students and catalyzing the passion for the topic of your course in them... they are the only ones that can do that... remember... if you do all the work, who does the learning? you have to let go and trust them to learn. That does NOT mean you are not there or that you have chaos.... you have to design it and facilitate it so that it works that way. It is a LOT of work : )
  • I am so glad I took this class. I learned so much, I feel so much more confident in my job as an instructional designer, and I feel more confident to take my skills to a new job envirnment. ANYONE HIRING OUT THERE?
  • I learned about some really important concepts for teaching online, like; -supply the students with a lot of information, module overviews, due dates, contact info, detailed explanation of how to complete assignments, rubric describing what type of work constitutes a Grade of A, B, C etc, -show your teacher presence in the course, by answering questions fairly quickly, posting in the discussion to guide, engage, provoke the student to do more research, asking for student input and using it, -Let the students do as much as possible instead of giving them everything ona silver platter. -Let students play the role of teacher in some of their assignments
  • After the first two weeks of this course, the first module, I learned so much, and grew so much more confident in my ability to work with faculty developing online courses.
Michael Lucatorto

Unshielded Colliders: Poverty and Education - 0 views

www.unshieldedcolliders.org/...poverty-and-education.html

education poverty

shared by Michael Lucatorto on 27 Jun 11 - No Cached
  • For example, Mel Riddile points out that when one conditions on various measures of poverty, instead of trailing other nations, the U.S. actually comes out on top! He concludes that "when it comes to school improvement, it's poverty not stupid." Poverty causes educational deficiency.
  • or example, Mel Riddile points out that when one conditions on various measures of poverty, instead of trailing other nations, the U.S. actually comes out on top! He concludes that "when it comes to school improvement, it's poverty not stupid." Poverty causes educational deficienc
  • Michael Lucatorto on 27 Jun 11
     
    For example, Mel Riddile points out that when one conditions on various measures of poverty, instead of trailing other nations, the U.S. actually comes out on top! He concludes that "when it comes to school improvement, it's poverty not stupid." Poverty causes educational deficiency. Now, I like to actually have data to play around with, in part because people have been known to lie about politically charged issues and in part because I like to have nice graphs (which are not provided by Riddile). Anyway, it turns out that international poverty data is pretty hard to come by and fraught with interpretational difficulties. On the other hand, the National Assessment of Educational Progress provides test data for most of the states in the U.S., and the U.S. Census Bureau provides data on the percentage of people in poverty by state. I took the NAEP data for 8th grade science achievement and regressed on the percentage of people below the poverty line for the measured states. The two are negatively associated: as poverty increases, science achievement scores decrease according to the relationship in the plot below. (Alaska, Kansas, Nebraska, and Vermont did not meet NAEP reporting guidelines and are not included in the plot above.) The association is highly significant (p=9.98*10-6). I also took pilot NAEP data for 8th grade mathematics achievement and regressed on the percentage of people below the poverty line for the measured states. (Evidently, the NAEP has only just started testing for mathematics achievement, and only eleven states were included in their pilot.) Again, the two are negatively associated. The slope of the relation turns out to be almost exactly the same as for science achievement. The association is not as significant, but it is still significant (p=0.0186). (My guess is the association is less significant in this case because fewer states were measured.) Clearly there is an association between poverty and achievement in science and mathem
Diane Gusa

Relational Context of Teaching - 3 views

relationalcontextofteaching.edublogs.org

shared by Diane Gusa on 07 Jun 11 - No Cached
Kristen Della liked it
  • He continues that we can face the future with confidence if we know how to teach ourselves, read between the subjective lines of media, process the vast amount of information that will be available, work collaboratively, and reaching for resources that will expand our capacities – for example a resource like this course!!
  • I believe that anyone can conquer fear by doing the things he fears to do, provided he keeps doing them until he gets a record of successful experience behind him.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 07 Jun 11
       
      You can do this!!! You are doing this diane!!! Thank you for being brave and persisting. you just made my day!! : )
  • However, to be part of the social network and be actively involve citizens, each must become life-long learners. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 07 Jun 11
       
      ... and like it or not life is now technology mediated. No matter who you end up being "when you grow up" if you are not comfortable with technology, can't assess/evaluate information, can't find information when you need it, you will be at a disadvantage.
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 17 Jun 11
       
      I agree. I am concern for the students who are not exposed to this technology. In our district, the computer teacher was laid off, yet we kept all the coaches/sports. Adults, who are not on board with the technological needs of their students, are the ones making these decisions.
  • ...25 more annotations...
  • Eleanor Roosevelt
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 07 Jun 11
       
      don't forget to self-assess!
  • I am going to give this blog a 3.
  • Teacher presence
  • June 21st,
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 22 Jun 11
       
      diane: the blogging assignment for module 2 was due on june 19th.
  • What I would like is to have the option of posting and assessing it as NG (no grade)
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 23 Jun 11
       
      I too feel that the blog area should be a little more relaxed. I like your idea of a NG post. I'm wondering if you could create a separate "page" just for social commentary. Just a thought.
  • Finally, I carefully considers there are no place where Alex might say “can you tell me more”
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 23 Jun 11
       
      It's okay if Alex asks you to elaborate a little more, that's the role of the instructor if the students aren't providing enough feedback.
  • Since our blogs are shared work-spaces, we are suppose to engage in collaborative reflective discourses,  creating a shared understanding, leading to collaborative knowledge
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 23 Jun 11
       
      Yes, it has taken me a while to figure all this out as well. I never take the straight path from point A to point B. I always take the detour, but I do get there eventually :-)
  • Dewey states: “I assume that amid all uncertainties there is one permanent frame of reference: namely the organic connection between education and personal experience. (Dewey 1939:25).
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 23 Jun 11
       
      Dewey was a great believer in the connection between the educational system and the social community. "It was forgotten that to become integral parts of the child's conduct and chracter they must be assimilated; not as mere items of information, but as organic parts of his present needs and aims -- which in turn are social" (Dewey). In his book, The School and Society, he talks about the deep connection between home and school, between home and work, and the importance of the school as the connector.
  • pay attention
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 02 Jul 11
       
      I had a doctor describe ADD very aptly to me. He said think about your child's surroundings as radio waves. Your child is picking up every radio wave that is out there and he does not have the ability to ignore any of it. When my son was 11 he described his inability to understand things in school like this: it's like I'm looking through a window that is foggy. I can see, but it's not clear enough to make sense.
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 09 Jul 11
       
      This was a good explanation of ADD. Do you know that there is a college that is set up for ADD students? It is called Landmark College and it is a remarkable place!
  • then I go on an adventure and troll through the internet and my books to satisfy my desire to learn. I continue, immerse in my hyper-focus state of mind, until I feel that I have a deep understanding of whatever I am exploring.
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 02 Jul 11
       
      This is a good thing; it's what online learning is all about. I realize it's probably frustrating to you because you focus so intensely on what you're doing, but I definitely see your presence in this course, so I wouldn't worry that you're not interacting enough. Just for the record, 12 posts is difficult for me as well when you consider how much research goes into each one.
  • I will investigate and use group Wikis
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 02 Jul 11
       
      I've decided to have my students use Wiki as well for a group project. I think it will be a good learning activity and will give them the opportunity to collaborate outside of the forum. They will be writing their own short stories in small groups.
  • detailed rubric
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 02 Jul 11
       
      I need to create a rubric for my "Book Club" forum. Any suggestions for where to start? Do I reinvent the wheel, or are there sites that have pre-fabricated rubrics that can be tweaked to fit my needs?
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 04 Jul 11
       
      Hi Donna, Whenever youi can do not reinvent the wheel. I am going to post either today or tomorrow a post on building a rubric. First I need to see what Alex wants us to do
  • plan on using Alex’s rubric for my instructional design,
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 02 Jul 11
       
      Can we do this, just borrow a rubric from somebody else? That would be awesome, but I don't want to plagarize anything.
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 04 Jul 11
       
      I prefer to think I synthesize....I always search the internet for "ideas" for my rubrics and course syllabi.
    • ian august
      ian august on 17 Jul 11
       
      Hey diane, sometimes I never know when I am ready to write. I thought I had the pattern down. Read the material, take notes, reflect and research on what interests or inspres me, but this module I was not ready to blog and i started writing something, and some crazy stuff just came out. It might have been the two best blog posts of the semester. 
    • ian august
      ian august on 17 Jul 11
       
      Give this women a thousand points for quoting me :)!!
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 30 Jul 11
       
      Yes Ian I have learned much from you all. I also could use the 1,000 points! :)
    • ian august
      ian august on 17 Jul 11
       
      While i agree with you I think I would not push myself sometimes if I wasnt forced. I might have chosen to slack instead of worked when I was tired or busy with life.  Do you think you can use different models of teaching with different students in the same class?
    • Kimberly Barss
      Kimberly Barss on 29 Jul 11
       
      I agree with Ian...it reminds me of doing sports in high school. If my coach didn't push us harder and harder we wouldn't ever have been successful! Alex is our coach and we can either choose to step up to the plate and work our butts off or we can sit on the bench and let the game, or in this case the learning, pass us by!
    • Kimberly Barss
      Kimberly Barss on 29 Jul 11
       
      On a side note, I loved kung fu panda!!
  • I am saddened and concern for the positivist, behaviorist methods she employs and models. I
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 19 Jul 11
       
      I don't understand this comment.
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 17 Aug 11
       
      This was base on reading only half of the rubric...
  • poor grade.
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 19 Jul 11
       
      This is the second time you've brought up this issue. The way I see, Alex is the instructor, and she has designed a course with rubrics. I really don't see that the rubrics are that difficult to understand. I understand you wanting to get an "A" but if you want the "A" you have to work hard for it. If your life circumstances prevent you from doing what she considers the fair amount of work, that's not her problem. I don't feel an instructor should change the syllabus or rubrics for every student that complains about the work load, unless the instructor has received numerous complaints. I think that perhaps you have a lot on your plate right now, atleast that's the feeling I get from reading some of your posts. I can understand that, I've been through a lot myself this semester. However, it's unfair to expect Alex to change the point system just for you. May I suggest something: Clearly you are a hard working student, but circumstances are obviously preventing you from putting in the amount of work needed to earn an "A." Just accept that and work toward a "B" which is a perfectly acceptable grade. Take the pressure off of yourself. It's just a grade. A year or two from now it won't matter. All that will matter is that you learned about online teaching and came away with a robust course that you can teach. I think that's a good deal.
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 30 Jul 11
       
      Donna My comment is a pedagogical one and not an attack on Alex. The point I may not be making clearly, why the number 12? I am not the only student who has stated that a post takes several hours. Does Alex require this? No. Why I take this time is because of the quality I expect to bring to the discussion forum. I was not posting prior knowlege, but new understandings. Learning takes time and the #12 does not seem to recognize this time. I again do not see "choice" in this rubric. I agree the knowlege is the goal, and I have no problem with what I have learned and will continue to learn. However, with the exception of the last grading I have not gotten a "B" but failed every discussion forum except the last. Yes I was teaching a summer online course. I also have home responisblilites. These were stresses, but not obstacles. According to the expectations we were expected to do ~ 45 hours in class work and 100+ hours building our course. I don't know about you but the class work I have done over 150 hours just in class work. Finally, why do I bring this argument up for a second time. It is not for Alex to change; but for you all in this class to not simply copy and use Alex's rubric in your own courses. That is why I speak out.
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 17 Aug 11
       
      Again if I had scrolled down I would have seen that 12 posts were not required.
  • In the future I will build my course off line,
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 30 Jul 11
       
      Good idea!
  • when a student finally understands that their discussions need to encompass teaching, cognitive engagement, and social presence, then the discussion forum truly becomes a awesome learning tool!!!!!!  
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 30 Jul 11
       
      I guess that's what it's all about in the end. I'm not sure all online students understand this concept when they first delve into it. I've actually added a resource that explains the generalities of social learning theory and the students part in it.
  • Alex, my  Shifu, has diligently pushed me down the road of online pedagogy. There were many times when I landed hard and bounced a few times. However, just like the panda, I too will become capable in my bumbling ways. I too realize there is no secret ingredients in 21st century teaching….it still is best practices in education with technology embedded in it.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 05 Aug 11
       
      i TOTALLY LOVE this image : ) thank you! : )
  • I have changed in many ways as a result of this class. I am now and will continue to be a blogger, and use blogs  as one way to facilitate learning for my students. I understand the Community of inquiry approach, and have now created a rubric for my discussion forums that reflect the elements of teacher, cognitive, and social presence. I was fortunate to be teaching online as I took this class, and I observed my discussion forums going from conversations to dialogue that exhibit depth of learning. I have observed the pedagogy of my professor and will incorporate similar ways of interacting with my students, using the tools that web 2.0 affords me. I have moved from having little enthusiasm for online learning to embracing it as an essential medium for learning.  
  • I will do this because I care about their learning.
  • I knew I needed this course to become the better online teacher, what I didn’t know was the transformative change  that I would experience this summer.
  • ulnerability, especially with the knowledge that their efforts will be evaluated by their instructor.
alexandra m. pickett

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

lisamartin371.edublogs.org

lrnchat via:packrati.us edchat

shared by alexandra m. pickett on 28 May 12 - No Cached
  • Someone please explain to me the whole “hashtag” thing. PLEASE!  I feel so out of the loop!
  • I guess I just assumed that she was the exception,
  • I realize now that I was taking this, as well as all of my other skills, for granted.
  • ...16 more annotations...
  • Twitter
  • not getting feedback on my course profile or course information documents. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 25 Jun 12
       
      I am still trying to figure out how to not be overwhelmed with the volume of interaction in this course. : )
    • Lisa Martin
      Lisa Martin on 25 Jun 12
       
      I realized since I wrote that how much more you have to do than usual...I can't imagine!
  • I also realized that my ideas come from a desire to incorporate social networking more into online courses. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 25 Jun 12
       
      take a look at this http://www.masternewmedia.org/ning-alternatives-guide-to-the-best-social-networking-platforms-and-online-group-services/ - i think you are thinking about a social networking site. In the future you may want to consider this as a companion to your course.
    • Lisa Martin
      Lisa Martin on 25 Jun 12
       
      Thanks Alex!
  • ~I continue to be astonished every week with how much I am growing and learning in this course.  Not only am I learning how to be an effective online instructor and everything that it entails, but I am also learning a lot about myself.~
  • I lose track of time and hours have gone by without me even realizing it. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 22 Jul 12
       
      that is the definition of "engagment"
  • “What young children perceive that their teachers do plays a more significant role in their socio-emotional outcomes than what teachers report they do” (p. 30).  We have an EVEN bigger impact than we thought!
  • “Am I providing a bridge for my students from their prior knowledge to where I want them to be and where THEY want to be?” “What am I doing to facilitate their growth not only in building a positive self-image, but also as learners in general?” “Am I REALLY taking into consideration their interests, passions and motivations?” And finally, “What Would Alex Do?”
  • “I really like how you tell them you are there for them.  A lot of my teachers give us confusing assignments and I never feel like I can ask them questions.” 
  • When she was done going through everything she said, “Are you actually going to teach this class? Can I take it when you do?” 
  •   I was spending so much time figuring out the tools that I felt like I wasn’t spending time on content.  I realize now that I needed to spend that time and those tools were part of the content of this course. 
  • I LOVE learning in general!  I liked learning before…well I never disliked it anyway…well unless it was math…or science…I had no idea what it was like to truly LOVE learning.  Its sad to me that it took me 30 years to experience this.  Did I work A LOT in this course?  Did I give up much of my social life?  Did I stay up too late?  YES, YES and YES.  Was it worth it? Absolutely!  Did I mind? NOT ONE BIT…Reflecting on the fact that I worked so hard and so much on something and not only wasn’t bothered by it, but enjoyed every moment was a HUGE wake up call to me. 
  • You just have to have passion and a belief in yourself.
  • This was the only course I have EVER taken in which I will walk away having truly internalized knowledge.  I know that I internalized what I have learned because when I was reviewing my classmate’s courses I didn’t have to refer to a book or a checklist, it was all in my head.  When I look back at my undergrad education, I have always said that I didn’t feel like I actually “learned” anything until I student taught and learned by DOING.  That’s exactly what happened in this course, I learned by doing.  This is only course that has ever provided me with this type of experience and it has shown me what quality education should be, not only online but in a face-to-face situation as well.
  • We(myself, my classmates AND Alex) worked together in this course to contribute to the construction of our knowledge. 
  • It wasn’t until this summer when I turned 31 that I finally experienced being a student in a student-centered, constructivist environment that actually got me to THINK.  Not just think, but think critically…It took 31 years for me to experience a true community of learners!  I don’t want other students to have to wait 31 years to experience what its like to REALLY LEARN!
  • I want to CHANGE someone the way that Alex, ETAP 640 and all of you have CHANGED me.
  • Lisa Martin on 28 May 12
     
    I'm posting the link to my blog so that I can practice adding bookmarks to diingo
alexandra m. pickett

The Digital Citizen - My Sojourn in the World of Web 2.0 by Irene Watts-Politza - 3 views

irenewp.edublogs.org

lrnchat via:packrati.us edchat learning education teaching

shared by alexandra m. pickett on 23 Jun 12 - No Cached
  • “You are interacting with one single individual at all times.  There is no ‘class’ …”
    • Lisa Martin
      Lisa Martin on 23 Jun 12
       
      Thinking about this really helped me redesign my course profile :-)
  • “Design a course with the student perspective, one who has never taken an online course before” (Pickett, What Works?).
    • Lisa Martin
      Lisa Martin on 23 Jun 12
       
      Great advice! I have a hard time sometimes with this, because there's part of me that also wants to design it for someone who not only hasn't taken an online course, but perhaps isn't very tech savvy :-)
  • I must find a balance, however, in order to complete the necessary tasks well so I can savor the doing of those that have salience.
    • Lisa Martin
      Lisa Martin on 10 Jul 12
       
      I need to find balance myself. I think the only reason the way I'm doing things right now is ok is because I live alone. I will eventually have a family, and I want to be an online instructor...I will certainly need to figure this out!
  • ...26 more annotations...
  • I realized that the online environment is actually a type of classroom; is that why course language includes such terms as “area”, and “room”?
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 23 Jul 12
       
      e u r e k a ! ! !
  • The resulting ah ha moments became the core of my entry …
  • One activity that I am especially excited to observe is the students tweeting from their placements when they make a course- to- practice connection.
    • Lisa Martin
      Lisa Martin on 23 Jul 12
       
      great idea!
    • Maria Guadron
      Maria Guadron on 24 Jul 12
       
      AWESOME idea! Love it.
  • How am I simultaneously learning how to be an online student and instructor?
    • Lisa Martin
      Lisa Martin on 23 Jul 12
       
      Great way to think about it
  • Something that has been proven to work is frequent, immediate instructor feedback.
    • Lisa Martin
      Lisa Martin on 23 Jul 12
       
      This is a HUGE difference I notice between Alex and other instructors. She has definitely built her social presence with me this way. Her podcast on my learning activities was an eye opener for me. It made me feel so good that she had ACTUALLY looked at my work! I have often wondered if other teachers REALLY did that.
  • Aug 04 2012
  • Reflecting on the online course design process, I realize I have made a tremendous transition from first-time student to instructor in the space of one semester. What I have learned about myself is that I have an affinity for designing in the online environment. 
  • I am technology-proficient.
  • While I am not yet a full technophile, I am surely no longer a technophobe!
  •   I so deeply enjoyed the reading and studying portion of this course … it opened a new world of theory to me, made more exciting by the historic proximity of the leading researchers in the field. 
  • I kept telling myself, “You need the experience if you want to be an instructional designer!”
  • So, reflection has proven its worth yet again:  reflecting on my work in designing EED406 thus far is proof that research-based best practice works.
  • discussion is the heart of online learning. 
  • students’ learning is demonstrated through the vehicle of discussion.  
  • blog posts are personalized records of learning, thinking, and being. 
  • It is not about what the instructor wants to hear, it is about hearing the student’s articulation of what is being learned that is essential to evaluating the content of a blog post.
  • Through trying to be “fearless” about using technology, as Alex advises, I have come to learn that confidence is something that one must exercise in all spheres of the online environment.
  • we can not help but to teach when we learn and to learn when we teach.
  • “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” This is certainly true of discussion forum.  We learn with and for each other: as  you learn, I learn. 
  • (Think Twitter, Irene!) 
  • It causes me to reflect on the similarities between online and physical communities, something I had not thought of before.  Could it be that we really are, slowly and steadily, growing into a genuine community?
  • I am a student whose understanding of connectivism and heutagogy is being developed experientially through taking this course.
  • Teaching presence also involves anticipating students’ needs based on monitoring progress and being ready to find that perfect something to support the student’s learning.
  • I have spent my academic life I believing that I have to ‘go it alone’, since I walked home from school alone the first day of first grade.  Strangely, this course, in which I spend so much time alone, is teaching me that I don’t. 
  • complaints, above, I think about the layout of the course; if it’s too many clicks away or the explanations aren’t clear, students become anxious, lose interest, and possibly
  • I just finished what may be my last discussion post for ETAP640. As I went through the post process, I was cognizant of each step: read your classmates’ posts; respond to something that resonates within you; teach (us) something by locating and sharing resources that support your thinking;  include the thinking and experiences of classmates; offer your opinion on what you are sharing; cite your resources for the benefit of all; tag your resources logically.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 22 Jan 13
       
      hi irene!
  • alexandra m. pickett on 23 Jul 12
     
    Student Reflections @wattspoi on "Heutagogy & its Implications for Evaluative Feedback" http://t.co/xiuWsCsD #lrnchat #edchat
alexandra m. pickett

Notes to Self - 1 views

tjbianchi.edublogs.org

shared by alexandra m. pickett on 12 Jun 12 - No Cached
  • I think if I could focus on a few people’s posts, I could make more quality contributions. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 12 Jun 12
       
      i am kinda torn about the small group thing. i hate taking choice away - it seems to me that you can self select your own small groups. why don't you just do that? scan all the posts and then decide who you want to engage and then just pick them to interact with. Read all interact with a select few. In the discussion for this module (2) i have it split into several discussions. i am wondering if splitting it by topic like that will feel different to you. Let me know. ok? I have toyed with the idea of reducing the number of posts required... and just doubling your score on them. what would you think about that? i have never had so many people in the course. It is designed for a more intimate number of students. I am trying to come up with ways make my work more efficient yet still intimate, personal and effective. Work in progress. i am learnking too. : )
    • Lisa Martin
      Lisa Martin on 12 Jun 12
       
      Alex - Seeing that module 2 was split into several discussions was a HUGE relief to me! It seems much less overwhelming and easier to be organized :-)
    • Tina Bianchi
      Tina Bianchi on 13 Jun 12
       
      Now that some more time has passed, I actually have done what you're suggesting here...reaking all and interacting with a select few. With this approach, it became more manageable. I haven't done my first post for module 2 yet (just finished the readings) but I do think the split into several discussions will make a huge difference. I can only imagine the work you have cut out by having read/rate ALL THESE POSTS! It seems overwhelming, and I am considering the implications of it as I think about designing my course. Thanks for the feedback!
  • We could still have been required to complete the same number of posts, but perhaps had fewer count toward our grade on this first run.  I
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 12 Jun 12
       
      hmmm. i don't count them all. the first couple with my feedback are the grace period... "if i were to rate this it would be a ..."
    • Tina Bianchi
      Tina Bianchi on 13 Jun 12
       
      I understand what you're saying here...I don't know what I missed and where I missed it, but I "assumed" (there's that pesky word again!) that all posts, beginning with the initial introduction, would be rated. I did fewer posts than I should have considering this. There were a few (though admittedly not of high quality as they were early in the Module and I hadn't yet gotten the hang of things) that weren't scored, so what I thought my score would be for discussion in the first module was not even close to my actual score. Live and learn...
  • BOY, WAS I WRONG!
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 25 Jun 12
       
      : ) welcome to social learning!
  • ...10 more annotations...
  • As we continue to interact with content and then share that learning with each other, we construct our own meanings and apply what we’re learning in a variety of contexts.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 25 Jun 12
       
      E U R E A K A !!! brilliant!! : )
  • is imperative that I stop thinking about how to transform my F2F materials to suit the online environment.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 25 Jun 12
       
      it is impossible to duplicate the f2f environment online. to try to do so is folly. you must reconceptualize. you have to leverage the options and mitigate the limitations of any environment in which you teach.
  • I hit “Publish” only to find half of my post showed up and no way to retrieve what was lost.  Therefore:
  • I am very interested in the hyper-content design. I like the idea that with this model, students determine the order of their own learning activities. In this model, there may be a few things that could be tricky; for example, setting up group activities might be left to the students to manage since they wouldn’t all be completing the same activities at the same time.
    • Lisa Martin
      Lisa Martin on 22 Jul 12
       
      I've been thinking the same things about this model. I think it's so hard for me to envision because of my lack of experience with it. I also have a hard time applying some of the things we've learned in this course to that design.
  • Whatever it takes.
  • Yet, as I continued reading I realized that my grasp of the content was continuing to evolve.  I feel that I have a deeper awareness of what teaching presence looks like, not only in an online course but also in a traditional classroom, as well.
  • Perhaps it’s time I move from measuring in coffee spoons to taking in the big picture.
    • Maria Guadron
      Maria Guadron on 27 Jul 12
       
      Love your "How To" section! Can't wait to see your screencasts.
  • Even though the course won’t start until January, I know it’ll be here before I know it.
  • has led to me a realization–the course I’ve created will never (and should never) be finished!  It makes sense.  I never teach the same lesson twice in exactly the same way, so it should go without saying that every time I look at this course and eventually start using it, I will continue to add, remove, and change what’s there.
alexandra m. pickett

I am a high school librarian continuing my education to keep my library updated with tr... - 2 views

dsmelia.edublogs.org

shared by alexandra m. pickett on 12 Jun 12 - No Cached
  • introduction post counted (which apparently it didn’t) that now I am behind.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 12 Jun 12
       
      Most initial posts are personal opinion/social and so don't generally get high ratings according to the rubric. I like to give you the first couple of posts as low pressure intros so that you can get the hang of the rubric and my feedback.
  • I did that wrong too
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 12 Jun 12
       
      my hope is that you will push through your feelings and look to see what insight you can gather that will help you succeed as a student and as an educator.
    • Danielle Melia
      Danielle Melia on 12 Jun 12
       
      I'm trying but just when I feel like I have a grip I realize I did something else wrong!
  • I enjoyed being able to observe the exemplary courses also.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 25 Jun 12
       
      what did you learn from your observations?
  • ...11 more annotations...
  • The cool thing is that I was able to show him some things that Alex showed me that he didn’t know, I looked like a rock star:)
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 25 Jun 12
       
      that is awesome!
  • I know it hasn’t been utilized much or for a long period
  • research
  • Research is a difficult topic to entice high school student with.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 09 Jul 12
       
      question that assumption
  • I think the digital age is reducing the amount of human interaction and students are losing out on the social aspects of school.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 09 Jul 12
       
      question that assumption
  • online learning in k-12 students
  • part.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 22 Jul 12
       
      self assess!
  • am having a hard time picturing my unenthusiastic, too cool for that, high school students being responsible enough to take an online course.
  • community.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 22 Jul 12
       
      There are guiding questions for these reflections that i don't see in your posts for this module and you need to self assess.
  • August 4, 2012
  • Right now I am very frustrated. I have tried very very hard to listen to all of Alex’s comments throughout the semester and make changes based on her criticisms. My course when reviewed needed a lot of work but she expressed being frustrated that I didn’t take her advice when I am always careful to do that. I am not sure if I misunderstood or maybe it was the way things were worded. She had mentioned changing the names of my module’s during one of the previous assignments but in my course review she said she was frustrated because I didn’t listen about changing names of discussions and forums, when in fact, I changed the names of the modules like we had discussed. We never discussed discussion or forum names. I think these issues are issues that need to be addressed when learning about teaching online. Without having a face to face discussion misconceptions are not always cleared up right away and could cause problems later.
alexandra m. pickett

Online Course Design - 0 views

joyquah.edublogs.org

shared by alexandra m. pickett on 23 Jun 10 - Cached
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 23 Jun 10
       
      Joy! thank you for making your learning visible to me! I am awed and inspired by the depth of your insights!
  • So establishing teaching presence is what all the designers, Alex, and even I, am doing when we make decisions about the content of the course, the types of activities we want to include, the tools we would like to use, how we want to assess, how we provide channels for providing and managing feedback, how we want to induct students into the course, how we want to wrap up the course….Basically – everything!
  • From planning, to execution, to assessment, to revision. So this is why developing a course is an “iterative process”.
  • ...23 more annotations...
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 23 Jun 10
       
      eureka!!! brilliant!!!
  • And nothing happens by chance. Everything happens by deliberate design. And I am seeing how this is happening.
  • People are important, so… (make decisions, plan activities, evaluate, discard, adapt, iterate, etc.) Thinking is important, so ….(make decisions, plan activities, evaluate, discard, adapt, iterate, etc.) Learning is important, so….. Content knowledge is important, so… Skills are important, so…
  • From this, I have learnt that it is perfectly fine to change your mind, as long as you have solid justification. This was also a useful reminder abot the importance of accurately matching the number of objectives with activities. A designer needs to avoid creating an objective that has no activity, and an activity with no objective, as can sometimes happen through oversight.
  • “You need to rethink lots of things, to be open to possibilities, opportunities to options, then you’re more likely to be successful,” says Alex. This kind of openness does not happen as a matter of course. It has to begin with an awareness. This attitude of being open to possibilities, opportunities and options has to be actively worked upon. I failed to understand this at first. So I found it perplexing that Alex would pursue what I thought was a trivial line of discussion. What do you think is not possible to teach and learn online? I volunteered several bright contributions. I was still unaware of the purpose of this apparently innocuous discussion. Of course now I know better. That discussion was supposed to challenge a closed mind. Because with a closed mind, we render ourselves unable to be open to possibilities, opportunities to options. A closed mind works against innovation, progress, improvement, expansion. This is a new frontier, and therefore the stance which can reap untold benefits and leanings should be “Let’s explore!” So the question we should be asking isn’t “What cannot be done?” but rather “How do I make this possible?”
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 05 Jul 10
       
      thank you for this observation, joy! thank you for taking the bait and giving us all the opportunity to question our assumptions and to arrive at creativity, innovation and possibilities!! : )
  • I need to be open to possibilities, opportunities, to options. I must put aside my prejudices and temporarily suspend “logical thinking” in favor of creative thinking.
  • But we should never give up on the unwilling ones.
  • The best way to spark change is to let them attend an effective online course.
  • I am beginning to see how “developing a course is a transformative experience”.
  • I don’t think I can return to the classroom and teach anything the same way before.
  • Designing an online course has been, for me, a truly transformative experience. It has allowed me not only to reexamine, reformulate and reassess, but to also move forward to innovate and in some ways, to reinvent myself as a teacher.
  • I was therefore quite relieved Alex confirmed what I had feared. I was packing in too much. Even before even before Alex provided her completely justified feedback that my course was too packed (“for you Joy, less is more!”)
  • An online environment is different from a f2f setting. Being able to state it in a theoretical way is not the same as understanding it and translating it into practice. Of course I knew the theory. But when the time came for application in the design of the online course, my knowledge did not transfer well into practical application. This is one of the main problems when there is a failure of the student to  successfully transfer learning, which is basically one of great challenges of teaching.  So basically, what I did initially did was to replicate my f2f activities directly into my online classroom.
  • As I feared, and Alex confirmed, this large amount of group work puts a strain on the students and also poses too many logistic difficulties. Perhaps one or two group work activities might work, but not several in each module. It is unrealistic. So I have learnt, in a very concrete and hands-on way, that designing for my online classroom in this instance is different from designing for my face-to face classroom.
  • Once again, I am reminded that theory and practice need mutual reinforcement. Understanding the theory is one thing. Transferring the theoretical knowledge into action requires experience, reflection, and feedback from others.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 20 Jul 10
       
      thank you for making your thinking and learning visible to me!
  • Having experienced a wonderful sense of community, and seeing how it is done, I do feel that I have a fair idea of the basic ingredients that go into creating a sense of community. However, Alex has set a high, high standard, and I don’t know I have the energy to sustain the community building effort, even if I knew how to do it!
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 20 Jul 10
       
      i have great expectations of you joy! i know you can do it : )
  • this is a process
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 20 Jul 10
       
      Yes!!! the value to me and to the others in the class is to be able to watch your process. we see how you think and refine and how your ideas change and evolve and that adds to our understanding of you and our own learning.
  • My present ideas never look like version 1! The result is that the ideas I handed up in the proposed learning activities resemble very little of what I actually have now
    • Joan Erickson
      Joan Erickson on 20 Jul 10
       
      Oh Joy, I can relate! By the time Alex reads my submitted writing assignment, my actual course design has already morphed a few times. I've visited your course, it looks great! the activities you set up indicatethat you have high expectations for the participants!
  • Confucius
    • Joan Erickson
      Joan Erickson on 16 Aug 10
       
      wow, Confucious said that? I didn't even know, and I'm Chinese!
  • In short – let the students do the work. This is the best way to learn. This principle, I think, has been demonstrated in this course. And I intend to pursue it in my own course. I see the value of giving the students both structure and space.
  • One of the insights has to do with letting go as a teacher.
  • Reading Sue’s
  • I agree with Sue.
alexandra m. pickett

Learning Reflections - Just another Edublogs.org site - 0 views

amerie.edublogs.org

shared by alexandra m. pickett on 25 Jun 12 - No Cached
  • I think I’ll hang around another week.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 25 Jun 12
       
      glad to hear that !! : )
  • talking with the professor and maximizing perception of student to access instructor are small things I can do to enhance the course and student satisfaction.
  • I honestly have to say that this is an ongoing process because I learn something new every day that cause me to reevaluate things.
  • ...8 more annotations...
  • I have also learned to be Open about to suggestions and change.  Why? Because I know that learning is a lifelong process.  Continuous learning and education has long since been a part of the social work field. 
  • habit
  • I have to squeeze a lot of material into an online course
  • doing it
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 22 Jul 12
       
      don't forget to self assess!
  • intent
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 22 Jul 12
       
      don't forget to self assess!
  • Thinking back on my experiences, I can say that I developed a support system and friendships through working with classmates in online classes, but before this class, I never realized that may have been the
  • How do I know this?  Because I just told you that I did. AND I did it verbatim from memory—that’s how I know.  How else do I know that I learned this?
  • I have been changed in many ways, particularly in how I think, how I will teach, how and what I will study in the future.  I was a proponent of online learning before I took this course, I am a greater fan now that I understand the flip side of the equation.  I love the course I built and want to keep working on it and improve on it so when I am ready (in the near future) I can teach it.  I still do not think that I am quite ready to teach—there are a few things I need to work on. However, I am confident that I will be ready relatively soon.  I feel confident and empowered!!!
alexandra m. pickett

Reflections - 0 views

catherinestrattner.edublogs.org

shared by alexandra m. pickett on 11 Jun 12 - No Cached
  • “This is not going to be easy and it is going to take a lot of time and energy, but I want to do this and I know I can!”
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 11 Jun 12
       
      yes, i am so glad, i know you can too!
    • Catherine Strattner
      Catherine Strattner on 16 Jun 12
       
      Thank you!
  • What I do believe is that it will be increasingly important to maintain our own learning. 
  • I am truly surprised to see how many students from other states and countries are part of SLN. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 12 Jun 12
       
      if you look at the numbers it is really only about 2% that come from outside NYS.
    • Catherine Strattner
      Catherine Strattner on 16 Jun 12
       
      I did recognize that the portion of students wasn't that large, but I am still surprised that it is even 2%. I think I could have communicated myself better by noting the number of countries and states outside of New York which were represented.
  • ...9 more annotations...
  • I would expect that most students would be located in New York
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 12 Jun 12
       
      yes. 98% come from NYS.
  • Especially with younger students, this feeling of uncertainty can lead them to completely shut down.  If students trust in their guide, the teacher, they are much more likely to persevere through the uncertainty and attain resolution.
  • I realize that online teaching includes continuous reflection, assessment, and development of yourself as an online instructor and of the course itself.
  • K-12 online instruction does exist. 
  • Ultimately, I have learned that being learner-centered involves much more than making students do most of the work.  It involves understanding the needs of each of your individual students, both academically and personally.  It involves striving to meet those needs on an individual basis, while promoting self-directed learning.  It involves being empathetic and addressing the specific limitations each student may have and striving to break through those limitations together.  In my mind, that is what true interaction is all about, and it is one of the best ways to engage students in learning more deeply.
    • diane hamilton
      diane hamilton on 19 Jul 12
       
      Catherine, I love the metaphor! Nothing to add - you said it well. Diane
    • Catherine Strattner
      Catherine Strattner on 22 Jul 12
       
      Thanks!
  • What I am realizing is that there really is a significant difference between creating an online course from scratch and converting a face to face course.
  • I want my students to understand that these activities have a true purpose.  I want to remind them of that purpose each time they engage in these activities. 
  • I kept finding myself asking “How can this contribute to higher levels of cognitive presence?  Isn’t that ultimately the point of developing teaching and social presence?” 
rhondamatrix

'Which (blank) are you?' Online personality quizzes go viral on social medi...: Univers... - 0 views

eds.a.ebscohost.com.libproxy.albany.edu/...detail

e-learning

shared by rhondamatrix on 19 Jun 14 - No Cached
  • rhondamatrix on 19 Jun 14
     
    I am trying to find research (if it exists) on the academic value of online personality quizzes. This article, which appeared in several Canadian newspapers, discusses what is so compelling about this social media trend.
  • rhondamatrix on 19 Jun 14
     
    I am curious, can you folks read this article? I am posting the link as it appeared in the SUNY Albany library, and since we are SUNY Albany students, it should work, right? A couple of folks said so on the discussion board ...
alexandra m. pickett

Learning Online Learning - 2 views

shoubang.edublogs.org

shared by alexandra m. pickett on 05 Jul 10 - Cached
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 05 Jul 10
       
      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.
  • ...22 more annotations...
  • 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
      alexandra m. pickett on 05 Jul 10
       
      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
      alexandra m. pickett on 20 Jul 10
       
      it's coming!! : )
  • Careful choice of words
  • Sharing personal story.
  • It feels real.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 20 Jul 10
       
      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
      alexandra m. pickett on 20 Jul 10
       
      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
      Melissa Pietricola on 31 Jul 10
       
      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
      Melissa Pietricola on 31 Jul 10
       
      It has been a little strange, but a welcome break to focus on our courses!
  • Larry was right
    • Joy Quah Yien-ling
      Joy Quah Yien-ling on 13 Aug 10
       
      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
      Joan Erickson on 16 Aug 10
       
      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
      alexandra m. pickett on 17 Aug 10
       
      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.
  • Melissa Pietricola on 31 Jul 10
     
    ", I also assign a discussion forum dedicated to the topic: how does the online learning work? How to succeed"
alexandra m. pickett

Reflection - where am I? | Kelly's Reflections for ETAP 687 - 0 views

etap687kelly.edublogs.org/...reflection-where-am-i

shared by alexandra m. pickett on 07 Aug 10 - Cached
  • where am I?
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 07 Aug 10
       
      hi kelly - i am also interested to know where you are regarding our course and your course. these were the questions for this reflection period " After conducting your own course review of your own online course, where are you in terms of completion of your online course? How are you doing? What do you need to complete your online course? What have you learned so far about yourself during this process? What has been the most surprising thing you have learned so far? What thoughts do you have about moving from theory (social, cognitive and teaching presence) to practice (building it into your online course)?" Also, you have neglected to self assess based on the rubric.
alexandra m. pickett

Sue's reflections ETAP687 - 1 views

srappazzo.edublogs.org

shared by alexandra m. pickett on 20 Jul 10 - Cached
  •   Perhaps that is why Professor Pickett mentioned she had a hard time with students that felt they had nothing to learn.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 20 Jul 10
       
      : )
    • Joy Quah Yien-ling
      Joy Quah Yien-ling on 09 Aug 10
       
      Nothing to learn??!! I am wondering what on earth those folks were expecting. This says nothing about the teacher. But is says volumes about the students. I think readiness is a key component in learning. When a student is not ready, there is nothing even the best teacher can do about it. There is also an attitudinal component in learning which some students lack.
  • “the aim of education must be the facilitation of learning”.
  • Though Rogers was referring to these traits in classroom, these same qualities apply to online learning and have been demonstrated by the Professor in the design of this course and in the breeze presentation explaining effective online learning.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 20 Jul 10
       
      thank you for noticing. i can't think of a higher compliment. : )
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • For a while, I never thought I would get here!
    • Melissa Pietricola
      Melissa Pietricola on 01 Aug 10
       
      Good for you, Sue! You must feel relieved :)
  • spelling errors
    • Joan Erickson
      Joan Erickson on 08 Aug 10
       
      I have those, too! I wish Moodle had a spell-check. I couldn't even catch my own spelling errors when I proofread my own writing.
  • the finish line is still there right?
    • Joy Quah Yien-ling
      Joy Quah Yien-ling on 09 Aug 10
       
      It keeps moving Sue. Thought I was done as well. So this is the meaning of "iteration". You're never done!
    • Sue Rappazzo
      Sue Rappazzo on 10 Aug 10
       
      Great point!
  • I have struggled with who I am as a “Teacher”.  I am a trainer, spoon feeding information for those to do their jobs.  A teacher brings students to the level of thinking for themselves…nurturing critical thinkers.  A very big part of me now questions my training. 
    • Joan Erickson
      Joan Erickson on 16 Aug 10
       
      Sue, I think we all have to work with this issue. You are certainly not alone...You work with adults, so the role of a trainer is appropriate! :)
    • Joan Erickson
      Joan Erickson on 16 Aug 10
       
      Sue, thank you for being such a great classmate and teacher to me. I've learned from you!
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 17 Aug 10
       
      brilliant observation!!
  • I feel I am now a teacher
  • Melissa Pietricola on 01 Aug 10
     
    "For a while, I never thought I would get here!"
Joan Erickson

Kelly's Reflections for ETAP 687 - 1 views

etap687kelly.edublogs.org

shared by Joan Erickson on 20 Jul 10 - Cached
  • 1.  Asking better questions.  2.  Reflecting the “real” me in my written materials throughout the course.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 20 Jul 10
       
      excellent!!! i am glad you shared what you are actively working on. It gives me insight into your thinking and where you are. ps. don't forget to self assess.
  • Right now, it is 1 am and I am sitting in my hotel room at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, DC
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 07 Aug 10
       
      hi kelly - i am also interested to know where you are regarding our course and your course. these were the questions for this reflection period " After conducting your own course review of your own online course, where are you in terms of completion of your online course? How are you doing? What do you need to complete your online course? What have you learned so far about yourself during this process? What has been the most surprising thing you have learned so far? What thoughts do you have about moving from theory (social, cognitive and teaching presence) to practice (building it into your online course)?" Also, you have neglected to self assess based on the rubric.
  • Everyone is different so why is being different so different
    • Joan Erickson
      Joan Erickson on 16 Aug 10
       
      I'll try to remember that I face my students. Thanks for sharing
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • deployed to Iraq twice
    • Joan Erickson
      Joan Erickson on 16 Aug 10
       
      I had a gentleman in my class who toured Iraq twice. He walked with a limp and suffered short term memory lapses....I think about the brave men and women who serve our country, what can I do to make a difference in their education?
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