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Heather Kurto

Teaching Outside your Comfort Zone - 0 views

www.columbia.edu/...de%20your%20comfort%20zone.pdf

teaching comfort zone

shared by Heather Kurto on 17 Jun 13 - No Cached
  • Heather Kurto on 17 Jun 13
     
    How to teach a course when you are not comfortable teaching it!
Robert Braathe

Jim Kenney's Courses - 0 views

cadres.pepperdine.edu/...index.htm

online powerpoints presentations

shared by Robert Braathe on 20 Jun 08 - Cached
  • Robert Braathe on 20 Jun 08
     
    Jim Kenney at Pepperdine University outlines an effective method for becoming comfortable with becoming an online instructor. He has taught a course to instructors who are going to be teaching online, and on his website he lays out steps to prepare you for teaching online effectively. Some of the steps include using Powerpoints and other tools that are used F2F online, and progressively adapting the format as you become more comfortable teaching online.
Lisa Martin

Free Technology for Teachers: Engaging Students with Voki - 1 views

www.freetech4teachers.com/...gaging-students-with-voki.html

shared by Lisa Martin on 03 Jun 12 - No Cached
  • Another way I use Voki is to help my very young students create digital identities. The parents feel more comfortable with the children using avatars instead of their real identities.
    • Lisa Martin
      Lisa Martin on 03 Jun 12
       
      I hadn't thought before about parent's comfort level with their children using online technology. Using Voki would definitely provide comfort to them regarding this :-)
  • I asked my students if they could figure out what the phrase "rooting for" meant by listening to the conversation.
    • Lisa Martin
      Lisa Martin on 03 Jun 12
       
      Love the idea of using voki conversation to introduce vocabulary. My students would love this and be much more interested than just listening to me talk!
lkryder

Adaptive Learning System - The Role of Adaptive Learning in Math - 0 views

www.dreambox.com/adaptive-learning

learning Adaptive ZPD

shared by lkryder on 02 Jul 14 - No Cached
  • Pedagogically and research-based intelligent adaptive learning technology accesses and stays in the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) for each learner. That means it provides the right next lesson at the right level of difficulty at the right time. When work is easy, learners can do the work on their own without any help. It’s in their "comfort zone." If all the work a learner is asked to do is always in the comfort zone, no real learning will take place and the learner will eventually lose interest. Conversely, when the work is too hard, the learner becomes frustrated and will likely give up. The area between the comfort zone and the frustration zone is the one where true learning will take place – the optimal learning zone. It’s the area where a learner will need some help or will need to work hard to understand a concept or complete a task. By keeping the challenge appropriate, the learner is guided to be a mathematical ‘doer’ — someone who thinks and strategizes in ways they can apply in school and in their real life experience. This is optimal teaching and optimal learning.
    • lkryder
      lkryder on 02 Jul 14
       
      This has been my thinking all along on the gamefying and my weekly really hard quizzes. Now I hope to build on it.
  • lkryder on 02 Jul 14
     
    This is a page offering a product BUT what I found fascinating was their use of ZPD as the learning opportunity in adaptive technologies. I recall as a child having programmed learning guides that I loved and I did them for hours ( I recall they were about logic and problem solving- very cool). They were printed in a book. Now that kind of thing is frowned upon as low on Bloom but all the publishers are creating these adaptive supplements and students love them.
  • lkryder on 02 Jul 14
     
    This is a page offering a product BUT what I found fascinating was their use of ZPD as the learning opportunity in adaptive technologies. I recall as a child having programmed learning guides that I loved and I did them for hours ( I recall they were about logic and problem solving- very cool). They were printed in a book. Now that kind of thing is frowned upon as low on Bloom but all the publishers are creating these adaptive supplements and students love them.
Lauren D

Ben_Online.pdf (application/pdf Object) - 0 views

blackboardsupport.calpoly.edu/...Ben_Online.pdf

education teaching interaction social online

shared by Lauren D on 25 Jun 12 - No Cached
  • Lauren D on 25 Jun 12
     
    Students share perspectives Online forums, provide public areas to post information. Each student can view another student's answers and learn through the exposure to different perspectives. This benefits students because they can combine new opinions with their own, and develop a solid foundation for learning. Research supports that "as learners become aware of the variations in interpretation and construction of meaning among a range of people [they] construct an individual meaning, " (Alexander, 1997). Students experience a sense of equality-Another benefit to using web-based communication tools is to give all students a reinforced sense of equality. Each individual has the same opportunity to "speak up" by posting messages without typical distractions such as seating arrangements, volume of student voices, and gender biases. Shy and anxious students feel more comfortable expressing ideas and backing up facts when posting online instead of speaking in a lecture room. Studies prove that online discussions provoke more confrontational and direct communication between students.
Anneke Chodan

Contrast Sensitivity Testing - AllAboutVision.com - 0 views

www.allaboutvision.com/...contrast-sensitivity.htm

shared by Anneke Chodan on 13 Aug 12 - No Cached
  • Anneke Chodan on 13 Aug 12
     
    This is a problem my husband has with his vision, and a reason someone might be more comfortable reading on a computer instead of reading a physical book!
diane hamilton

Intergenerational communication in the classroom: recommendations for successful teache... - 0 views

www.freepatentsonline.com/...194701408.html

technology communication classroom intergenerational

shared by diane hamilton on 03 Jun 12 - No Cached
  • Traditionalists are often described as loyal, hardworking, conservative, and faithful to their employers. Many have worked faithfully for 30 years and have a very strong work ethic
  • Baby Boomers are known to crave recognition, value respect, see education as a birthright, and favor personable communication to build rapport with peers and co-workers
  • Xers tend to be skeptical, independent workers who highly value a balance between their work and their social life. They desire their time off more than extra pay or promotions and have little fear of changing jobs. In turn, they do not expect employer loyalty. This generation is shaped by a culture of instant results. They are comfortable with multitasking, are motivated to get the job done, value efficiency and directness, expect immediate responses, and look at education as a means to an end
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • Millennials tend to be highly collaborative and optimistic and are very comfortable with technology (cell phones that are cameras, iPods, and PDAs). Like their parents, they focus on a work/life balance
  • Table 1. Successful Communication Strategies for Four Generations
  • Table 2. Teaching/Motivational Strategies for Four Generations
  • diane hamilton on 03 Jun 12
     
    description of intergenerational differences and how to improve student-teacher relationships
  • diane hamilton on 03 Jun 12
     
    description of intergenerational differences and how to improve student-teacher relationships (scroll down to find full text)
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

Jing, screenshot and screencast software from TechSmith - 1 views

www.techsmith.com/jing.html

screencasts jing screencast TechSmith screenshots

shared by alexandra m. pickett on 13 Jun 12 - No Cached
    • b malczyk
      b malczyk on 20 Jul 12
       
      For the Moduel 4 assignment I explored and practiced using Jing. I know Alex has used it many times in our course. I will use it in the beginning of my course to help student get familiar with blackboard. Many of my students in previous semesters are unfamilar with blackboard. Having a screencast video can help them to feel comfortable with blackboard and help to resolve many questions that students will have right from the beginning.
  • Take Screenshots: Capture an image of what you see on your computer screen Record Screencasts: Record up to 5 minutes of onscreen video
  • Jing eliminates a lot of phone and email time
    • b malczyk
      b malczyk on 20 Jul 12
       
      In previous semester I received several emails at the beginning of the course about how to use the online discussion boards, how to upload files, how to download article etc. Having a video screencast can allow students to watch step by step how to do all of these thing.
    • b malczyk
      b malczyk on 20 Jul 12
       
      In previous semester I received several emails at the beginning of the course about how to use the online discussion boards, how to upload files, how to download article etc. Having a video screencast can allow students to watch step by step how to do all of these thing.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • Give your students the information they need
    • b malczyk
      b malczyk on 20 Jul 12
       
      For the Moduel 4 assignment I explored and practiced using Jing. I know Alex has used it many times in our course. I will use it in the beginning of my course to help student get familiar with blackboard. Many of my students in previous semesters are unfamilar with blackboard. Having a screencast video can help them to feel comfortable with blackboard and help to resolve many questions that students will have right from the beginning.
  • b malczyk on 20 Jul 12
     
    jing- screen shots on to use blackboard
Irene Watts-Politza

Reflections on Online Teaching - Diane Hamilton - 3 views

dianehamilton.edublogs.org

shared by Irene Watts-Politza on 27 May 12 - No Cached
  • maybe even a little less nervous. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 27 May 12
       
      you are doing a great job so far! : )
    • diane hamilton
      diane hamilton on 27 May 12
       
      Thanks!
  • The rubric does allow for that, but there is a strong sense that some of these dialogic purposes are not as highly valued as others, but I value them all as essential components to class community.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 12 Jun 12
       
      Not at all. personal opinion, experiences and social presence and support ARE essential in building trust and the sense of a class community. That is why they we have class community areas for interaction in the course and why they are in the rubric. It is, however, important to understand that the discussion can't consist only of those types of posts. And high quality posts are what we need to strive for in the discussion areas of the cousre. The rubric is a device to clarify- to give students informed choice and guidance, and to elevate the quality of interactions. "2" points is not bad. it simply indicates the kind of post that it is. you can post as many "1" point posts as you like - that is not wrong - but, you also need to contribute to the quality of the discussion and learning and to do that you need to aim higher than social and personal experience/opinion type posts.
  • I believe students can have teaching presence within a course when the nature of their interactions helps others to think more deeply or to look at something from an alternate viewpoint.
  • ...9 more annotations...
  • (even caused me to consider dropping
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 12 Jun 12
       
      i am so glad you didn't : )
  • conversational tone she is requesting we use.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 25 Jun 12
       
      hey diane: don't misunderstand. I use a conversational tone becuase that is my style. my choice. That may not be right for you. I want you to find your own voice. Interestingly enough in my opinion, you have one, and it is strong : )
    • diane hamilton
      diane hamilton on 27 Jun 12
       
      Hi Alex, Thanks for this notation. Now, I am curious though - what kind of voice do I project to you? Diane
  • I keep trying to understand why it’s been repeated
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 25 Jun 12
       
      the problem is that not every student reads every document. you would be surprised. That said, there are lots of ways to address this. It is certainly easier to not be redundant. Less to update. Less documentation. If you go this route, just make sure that you always link back to the documentation where the information is posted. : ) me
  • Maybe that’s the point.  Maybe I don’t need to know everything well, just the things I need in the moment. 
  • I have however come to realize that I need to ask my own questions and pursue them, go on a QUEST to find answers, to locate research and ideas that relate to my own burning wonderings.  There is a QUEST in every QUESTion!
  • It’s really difficult to flesh out, and it’s kind of foreign to me to be sharing these behind the scenes thoughts….
    • Maria Guadron
      Maria Guadron on 29 Jul 12
       
      Great screencast, Diane! What a wonderful way to add social presence and direct instruction
    • diane hamilton
      diane hamilton on 29 Jul 12
       
      Thanks!
    • Catherine Strattner
      Catherine Strattner on 30 Jul 12
       
      I would like to echo Maria! Thinking about doing this in my course as well- thank you for the inspiration!
    • Lauren D
      Lauren D on 31 Jul 12
       
      Great idea with the screencast!
    • Irene Watts-Politza
      Irene Watts-Politza on 17 Aug 12
       
      This is often how I felt. I attribute it to first-time online learning curve. Do you think you will be more comfortable in the role of instructor in discussion forum? I do.
    • diane hamilton
      diane hamilton on 17 Aug 12
       
      Yes, I do. I usually feel quite comfortable in that sort of role, but I also think I will have to be sure to promote a horizontal relationship within discussions so students don't shut down or defer to me. I want them to think,explore, and construct without pressure to give me the answer they think I want.
    • Irene Watts-Politza
      Irene Watts-Politza on 17 Aug 12
       
      Shea proposes "learner presence" ... http://www.slideshare.net/alexandrapickett/learning-presencecs2 Can you propose and research Course Presence?
    • diane hamilton
      diane hamilton on 17 Aug 12
       
      Interesting....
alexandra m. pickett

etap687 Joan Erickson - 3 views

joanerickson.edublogs.org

shared by alexandra m. pickett on 23 Jun 10 - Cached
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 23 Jun 10
       
      Brilliant! i love how you have made your thinking visible to me here!!!
  • 2) leaving my comfort zone and exploring methods I had little training in. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 05 Jul 10
       
      i am so glad you choose #2, joan!
  • ...23 more annotations...
  •  Synthesizing and formulating a mini-thesis is where learning becomes meaningful for me; this is where mere information becomes MY knowledge
    • Shoubang Jian
      Shoubang Jian on 18 Jul 10
       
      Well said. I couldn't agree with you more.
  • Then I think about the etap course now.  The teaching presence is so apparent.  I see it from the professor in the way shes asks questions and my classmates in their posts.  I listen to the exemplar courses interviews and think “wow, it must be interesting to be in that course!”
  • I don’t really care how students categorize me as a certain type or style of teacher.  I want to know if I am a good teacher in terms of challenging students to obtain knowledge. 
  • ” yeah, Joan Erickson is not easy but she can get you to do really good work.  And you know you are learning stuff in her class.”  
  • learning.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 20 Jul 10
       
      don't forget to self assess : )
  • But does it make sense to a novice learner’s eye?
  • I love my subject, but I have failed to utilize the human nature to my advantage.  I forgot how powerful social interaction, motivation (how to engage), and the need to feel ownership can be in helping students learn. 
    • Sue Rappazzo
      Sue Rappazzo on 21 Jul 10
       
      This is very moving Joan. You must be a great teacher to think this way.
  • I don’t know yet if my online students will step up to the plate, actively and enthusiastically contribute what they know to the community.
    • Francisca Capponi
      Francisca Capponi on 21 Jul 10
       
      Hi Joan (4) I have the same fear, I think they will be more slow that we expect, so we have to be patient, and encourage them to participate at first, and wait till they feel comfortable participating, but I hope it will work after a while!
  • Kind of like a wedding planner who walks through the empty reception hall and can foresee the problems with lighting, photography, food, and traffic pattern…  I am the course designer, it is my job to minimize any possible glitches.  It is my job to provide students with a doable and engaging learning environment.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 05 Aug 10
       
      exactly!!
  • I see more clear vision of myself as an educator.  During this summer course I was confronted with questions that challenged my teaching practices. I started asking myself why I wouldn’t try to trust my students more, let them develop the social presence in the f2f class?  What was the harm in that I wouldn’t even consider trying it?
  • I’ve finally made the connection between theory and application.  I witnessed firsthand the benefit of social constructivism.  It can be done.  Our etap687 course is a living proof.
  • I understand myself better as a learner.  This course pushed me to think honestly what I truly want to do. 
  • Taking education courses  is like a spring that feeds into my puddle, bringing fresh new perspectves and ideas.  I needed it.  It’s reshaped my outlook on teaching.
  • For weeks and weeks I was obsessed with making Jing videos, trying new communication tools. 
  • have 2 weeks left.  I want to make a difference.  I CAN make a difference.  I can use the web 2.0 applications as my allies.  There is enough time for me to plan and implement changes in the f2f courses before school starts.
  • My reflecting puddle may seem small, because there is so much to learn and I’ve just begun.  But my puddle is deeper and its water runs clearer now.  Taking education courses  is like a spring that feeds into my puddle, bringing fresh new perspectves and ideas.  I needed it.  It’s reshaped my outlook on teaching.
  • 2 weeks ago I wrote my tagline on this blog as my “reflecting puddle”.  I still think it’s a puddle; it is still small(but so much deeper!).  I can recount the discoveries on this etap687 journey when I stare into the puddle.  I see the following things:
  • ’t believe we are coming to the end of this course.  It wasn’t that long ago I was installing diigo toolbar, signing up for voice thread, and setting up this blog site.
  • Now the excitement of trying new tools has settled a bit.  I start to think how technology tools will impact my teaching. 
  • My self efficacy is low.  Does it matter in the end?  I only have two  options:  If I cant’ seem to do the work, I should leave the course.  Or, I try with my darnedest effort, and see where I land. Time to take a chance!  I think I will have a lot to gain!
  • So this is what I’m gonna do:  I will blog here periodically and document my journey in the Ed Psych course.  Let’s see if I can be honest with myself.  Learn because life in general is interesting and worth exploring, and I can’t capture all on my own.  So I go to the experts and learn knowledge from them.
  • For weeks and weeks I was obsessed with making Jing videos, trying new communication tools.  I thought WOW, these are the coolest things I’ve learned this summer!  Now the excitement of trying new tools has settled a bit.  I start to think how technology tools will impact my teaching.  What other tasks should be let go in order to make room for the new things in my practice?  What educational principles do I base on to justify the changes?  What kind of measured learning outcomes and students’ perceived learning do I anticipate after the changes are implemented?
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 29 Jun 11
       
      hi joan!
  • I added several communication tools.  I want the students to feel that I want to talk to them.  I want them to hear and see me.  (again, teaching presence and social presence.)
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 12 Jul 11
       
      good point
alexandra m. pickett

Mike's reflection blog on on-line learning within 2.0. - 1 views

mikefort1.edublogs.org

shared by alexandra m. pickett on 20 Jul 10 - Cached
rileybo liked it
  • I have 222 discussion questions. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 20 Jul 10
       
      if you do all the work, who does all the learning? 222 question?! now wouldn't it be cool if your students came up with even half of those questions themselves?
  • It’s forced me to get out of my comfort area of relating to other music teachers and challenged me to consider music and my teaching of it as it related to other disciplines transposed to the on-line learning environment.
  • I’ve included the student need for teaching presence in my discussion rubric but need to further create ways to be part of their learning.  This might be just sitting on the sidelines and observing until I feel the need to re-set the climate for learning if it’s off track.
  • ...8 more annotations...
  • By doing these activities I have become even more challenged and feel even more uncomfortable.  Now I am dipping my other foot in to the online course world.  I am inserting my knowledge to this new forum.  It’s as if I’m putting my quarter in and watching the wheels turn until they stop on something. What will that something be?  I must have felt that I was in some kind of comfort zone. Then I was understanding and proving myself valuable to the other student’s learning.
  • I am going to have to think very deeply about. That suggestion is to give more freedom to my students. The students in my course can better express their creativity by having to create their own activities!  Wow!  This is going to be hard…
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 20 Jul 10
       
      sometimes you can only achieve what you are trying to achieve by letting go... trust yourself and trust your students.
    • Mike Fortune
      Mike Fortune on 09 Aug 10
       
      Thanks for the advice Professor!
  • Creating PDFs takes lot of time
    • Joan Erickson
      Joan Erickson on 03 Aug 10
       
      I have been following your posts, I know you finally got it to work and were able to link pdfs successfully!
    • Mike Fortune
      Mike Fortune on 09 Aug 10
       
      Yes thankfully!
  • 222
  • If discussions wane then I can take one of these questions out and use them to stimulate new discussions
    • Joan Erickson
      Joan Erickson on 03 Aug 10
       
      hey that's great and smart idea!
    • Mike Fortune
      Mike Fortune on 09 Aug 10
       
      Thanks. They are not going to be introduced all together. That would be too much.
  • seeismic did not register me properly
    • Joan Erickson
      Joan Erickson on 03 Aug 10
       
      can you try again with a junk email account? I'd love to hear your input
  • Being taught what is effective, seeing it being applied to me and then being involved in reflection of its relation to my instruction is the sequence of events that [helped my learning].  This might seem as a surprising statement considering my own blog entry requirements were so open-ended and free-form, a sincere effort to provide scaffolding, that looking back such an attempt could not result in effective metacognitive resolution.
  • Therefore I will continue exploring what I have learned in this course and consider the possibility that there may have been things going on in this course that I did not learn because I did not internalize them.  (3)
Donna Angley

Curriculum and Instructional Design - 0 views

kristendella.edublogs.org

shared by Donna Angley on 07 Jun 11 - No Cached
  • I can now see that learning to transform my ideas and beliefs about learning IS GOING TO require a constant and steady flow of reflective inquiry.
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 07 Jun 11
       
      brilliant!! : )
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 23 Jun 11
       
      Took me a while to realize it as well!
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 18 Jun 11
       
      I am curious, what do you mean logical? Is it possible that what is logical to one student, will be chaos for another?
  • There are still so many tools and technologies to learn!
    • Kimberly Barss
      Kimberly Barss on 20 Jun 11
       
      I KNOW! It is so overwhelming at times. I just keep telling myself "it's all going to be worth it!" It is extremely comforting, however, to hear the experts in the field and those who have been doing this for a long time saying that they felt the same way when they first began.
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 23 Jun 11
       
      I just found out tonight about this ability to use Diigo in our blogs to leave post-its....very cool!
  • ...13 more annotations...
  • Jun 21st,
  • I do not know all that there is to know about online learning
  • I need to move outside of comfort zone to make this course work!
  • I am able to read the discussion posts and announcements while I’m on the road, at work, exercising or shopping. I am able to stay connected to the course, and this has been a great help to my learning.
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 23 Jun 11
       
      I'm a little jealous :-) I don't have internet on my phone, so I have to wait to be home to do any work at all. It must be nice to always have the option of connecting!
  • I still have so much learning to do
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 23 Jun 11
       
      We all do...hopefully the learning never ends. I think of myself as one long work in progress.
  • visual
  • post quality responses
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 02 Jul 11
       
      This has proved to be one of the more difficult portions of this course. It takes me hours to create a quality post, but I do learn a lot in the process.
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 04 Jul 11
       
      Hi Kristen I too am grateful for the experiences, even though that cause me great frustration, because those have made me dig deeper...
  • teacher
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 04 Jul 11
       
      it is teaching presence not teacher presence. there is a big difference. : )
  • This course allows me to learn the theoretical underpinnings of learning and teaching online, but also allows me to apply what I have learned and “make the connection” to my professional life and to the greater world!
  • From this point on, I have made the decision to be strategic about the design and impact of my course on my faculty’s personal and professional lives.
  • for business
    • alexandra m. pickett
      alexandra m. pickett on 18 Jul 11
       
      it is a process : )
  • stay consistent with the structure
    • Donna Angley
      Donna Angley on 30 Jul 11
       
      It's taken a while for me to realize this as well. I've since gone back and added consistency throughout my modules.
Diane Gusa

Humor, Analogy, and Metaphor: H.A.M. it up in Teaching - 0 views

radicalpedagogy.icaap.org/...garner.html

modile 4 assignment pedagogy teaching humor metaphor learning

shared by Diane Gusa on 09 Jul 11 - Cached
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 09 Jul 11
       
      Very strong statement!
    • Diane Gusa
      Diane Gusa on 09 Jul 11
       
      I am a metaphoric person...when I want to remember or learn deeply a metaphor helps me.
  • The proper use of humor, analogy, and metaphor appropriate to the topic can provide benefits in the college classroom.
  • ...15 more annotations...
  • Better comprehension,
  • increased retention of material,
  • more comfortable learning environment
  • effective use of these strategies.
  • Humor has been defined as “the mental faculty of discovering, expressing or appreciating something that is comical, amusing, or absurdly incongruous” (Merriam-Webster, 2001, p.564)
  • The use of humor as a pedagogical tool has been shown to reduce classroom anxiety, create a more positive atmosphere, as well as facilitate the learning process (Berk, 1996, 1998; Garner, 2003, in press; Glenn, 2002; Hill, 1988; Pollio & Humphreys, 1996).
  • Garner (in press) found that participants who were exposed to a series of lectures containing course-specific humor demonstrated increased retention of the course-content information as compared to those who received the same material without the infusion of humor.
  • According to Glenn (2002), humor may physiologically help to connect left-brain activities with the right-brained creative side
  • teaching philosophies of highly-rated teachers finds the use of humor as an important component of their teaching strategies. Humor can increase (Civikly, 1986) and sustain (Dodge & Rossett, 1982) student interest in learning and provides a means to engage in divergent thinking. Instructors’ use of effective humor in the classroom can foster mutual respect (Kher, Molstad, & Donahue, 1999), provide commonalities and connections between the instructor and students (Pollio & Humphreys, 1996) and even increase class attendance (Devadoss & Foltz, 1996; Romer, 1993; White, 1992). According to Bergen (1992), “teachers who use strategies that promote the connection between humor and learning usually provide students with their best school experiences” (p.106).
  • Metaphor and analogy have historically been used as an effective teaching tool. Greek myths, religious texts, and fairytales all use metaphor, analogy, and parables to teach and help us learn expected conduct (Gorden, 1978). The use of metaphor and analogy is pervasive in society in both language and communication
  • According to the National Research Council (2000) the effective use of metaphors and analogies is an important educational strategy.
  • . In teaching, using either analogy or metaphor allows the instructor to relate a potentially unfamiliar idea with that which is familiar.
  • Pedagogical use of analogy and metaphor can enhance learning and retention, but they must have a high degree of resonance for the listene
  • be most effective, an analogy or metaphor must transfer ideas from a familiar concept to one that is less familiar or unknown. According to Bowers (1993) the metaphorical relationship must be clear and accurate—possessing face validity.
  • Williams (1986) suggests that vivid metaphors have the capability to teach in a way that is not always available with the use of words alone.
  • Diane Gusa on 09 Jul 11
     
    I am comfortable using metaphors, but will need to work on the humor aspect. New goal for the Fall semester.
Diana Cary

Student Perceptions of Asynchronous Computer-Mediated Communication in Face-to-Face Cou... - 0 views

jcmc.indiana.edu/...an.html

CMC Research Asychronous Face-to-Face

shared by Diana Cary on 11 Jun 13 - Cached
  • Finally, CMC can provide a more comfortable environment and discussion opportunities for students who do not perform well in spontaneous face-to-face discussion because they are shy or because their native language is not English (Berge & Collins, 1993; Harasim, 1990; Leasure, Davis, & Thievon, 2000).
Diana Cary

The Role of the Online Instructor/Facilitator - Reading 2-1 instructor role.pdf - 0 views

www.cordonline.net/...%202-1%20instructor%20role.pdf

instructor facilitator ETAP640 teaching online student-centered learning

shared by Diana Cary on 13 Jun 13 - No Cached
  • The facilitator must make participants comfortable with the system and the software that the conference is using.
  • This role involves setting the agenda for the conference: the objectives of the discussion, the timetable, procedural rules and decision-making norms.
  • Creating a friendly, social environment in which learning is promoted is also essential for successful moderating
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • Certainly, some of the most important roles of online discussion moderator/tutor revolves around their duties as an educational facilitator
Erin Fontaine

Critical Thinking Development: A Stage Theory - 0 views

www.criticalthinking.org/...483

shared by Erin Fontaine on 29 Jun 12 - No Cached
  • We must recognize the importance of challenging our students — in a supportive way — to recognize both that they are thinkers and that their thinking often goes awry. We must lead class discussions about thinking. We must explicitly model thinking (e.g., thinking aloud through a problem). We must design classroom activities that explicitly require students to think about their thinking. We must have students examine both poor and sound thinking, talking about the differences. We must introduce students to the parts of thinking and the intellectual standards necessary to assess thinking. We must introduce the idea of intellectual humility to students; that is, the idea of becoming aware of our own ignorance. Perhaps children can best understand the importance of this idea through their concept of the "know-it-all," which comes closest to their recognition of the need to be intellectually humble.
    • Irene Watts-Politza
      Irene Watts-Politza on 29 Jun 12
       
      This is a great foundation for an icebreaker module.
  • recognize that they have basic problems in their thinking and make initial attempts to better understand how they can take charge of and improve it.
  • begin to modify some of their thinking, but have limited insight into deeper levels of the trouble inherent in their thinking. Most importantly, they lack a systematic plan for improving their thinking, hence their efforts are hit and miss.
  • ...40 more annotations...
  • appreciate a critique of their powers of thought.
  • we must teach in such a way as to help them to see that we all need to regularly practice good thinking to become good thinkers.
  • We must emphasize the importance of beginning to take charge of the parts of thinking and applying intellectual standards to thinking. We must teach students to begin to recognize their native egocentrism when it is operating in their thinking.
  • since practicing thinkers are only beginning to approach the improvement of their thinking in a systematic way, they still have limited insight into deeper levels of thought, and thus into deeper levels of the problems embedded in thinking.
  • need for systematic practice in thinking.
  • Practicing thinkers recognize the need for systematicity of critical thinking and deep internalization into habits. They clearly recognize the natural tendency of the human mind to engage in egocentric thinking and self-deception.
  • regularly monitor
  • articulate the strengths and weaknesses
  • often recognize their own egocentric thinking as well as egocentric thinking on the part of others. Furthermore practicing thinkers actively monitor their thinking to eliminate egocentric thinking, although they are often unsuccessful.
  • intellectual perseverance
  • have the intellectual humility required to realize that thinking in all the domains of their lives must be subject to scrutiny, as they begin to approach the improvement of their thinking in a systematic way.
  • We must teach in such a way that students come to understand the power in knowing that whenever humans reason, they have no choice but to use certain predictable structures of thought: that thinking is inevitably driven by the questions, that we seek answers to questions for some purpose, that to answer questions, we need information, that to use information we must interpret it (i.e., by making inferences), and that our inferences, in turn, are based on assumptions, and have implications, all of which involves ideas or concepts within some point of view. We must teach in such a way as to require students to regularly deal explicitly with these structures (more on these structure presently).
  • Recognizing the "moves" one makes in thinking well is an essential part of becoming a practicing thinker.
  • Students should be encouraged to routinely catch themselves thinking both egocentrically and sociocentrically.
  • advanced thinkers not only actively analyze their thinking in all the significant domains of their lives, but also have significant insight into problems at deeper levels of thought. While advanced thinkers are able to think well across the important dimensions of their lives, they are not yet able to think at a consistently high level across all of these dimensions. Advanced thinkers have good general command over their egocentric nature. They continually strive to be fair-minded. Of course, they sometimes lapse into egocentrism and reason in a one-sided way.
  • develop depth of understanding
  • nsight into deep levels of problems in thought: consistent recognition, for example, of egocentric and sociocentric thought in one’s thinking, ability to identify areas of significant ignorance and prejudice, and ability to actually develop new fundamental habits of thought based on deep values to which one has committed oneself.
    • Irene Watts-Politza
      Irene Watts-Politza on 29 Jun 12
       
      What do YOU believe in? How and why do you believe it?
  • successfully engaged in systematically monitoring the role in their thinking of concepts, assumptions, inferences, implications, points of view, etc., and hence have excellent knowledge of that enterprise. Advanced thinkers are also knowledgeable of what it takes to regularly assess their thinking for clarity, accuracy, precision, relevance, logicalness, etc.
  • critique their own plan for systematic practice, and improve it thereby.
  • articulate the strengths and weaknesses in their thinking.
  • reduce the power of their egocentric thoughts.
  • a) the intellectual insight and perseverance to actually develop new fundamental habits of thought based on deep values to which one has committed oneself, b) the intellectual integrity to recognize areas of inconsistency and contradiction in one’s life, c) the intellectual empathy necessary to put oneself in the place of others in order to genuinely understand them, d) the intellectual courage to face and fairly address ideas, beliefs, or viewpoints toward which one has strong negative emotions, e) the fair-mindedness necessary to approach all viewpoints without prejudice, without reference to one’s own feelings or vested interests. In the advanced thinker these traits are emerging, but may not be manifested at the highest level or in the deepest dimensions of thought.
  • our students will not become advanced thinkers — if at all — until college or beyond. Nevertheless, it is important that they learn what it would be to become an advanced thinker. It is important that they see it as an important goal. We can help students move in this direction by fostering their awareness of egocentrism and sociocentrism in their thinking, by leading discussions on intellectual perseverance, intellectual integrity, intellectual empathy, intellectual courage, and fair-mindedness. If we can graduate students who are practicing thinkers, we will have achieved a major break-through in schooling. However intelligent our graduates may be, most of them are largely unreflective as thinkers, and are unaware of the disciplined habits of thought they need to develop to grow intellectually as a thinker.
  • have systematically taken charge of their thinking, but are also continually monitoring, revising, and re-thinking strategies for continual improvement of their thinking. They have deeply internalized the basic skills of thought, so that critical thinking is, for them, both conscious and highly intuitive.
  • As Piaget would put it, they regularly raise their thinking to the level of conscious realization.
  • Accomplished thinkers are deeply committed to fair-minded thinking, and have a high level of, but not perfect, control over their egocentric nature.
  • To make the highest levels of critical thinking intuitive in every domain of one’s life. To internalize highly effective critical thinking in an interdisciplinary and practical way.
  • Accomplished thinkers are not only actively and successfully engaged in systematically monitoring the role in their thinking of concepts, assumptions, inferences, implications, points of view, etc., but are also regularly improving that practice. Accomplished thinkers have not only a high degree of knowledge of thinking, but a high degree of practical insight as well. Accomplished thinkers intuitively assess their thinking for clarity, accuracy, precision, relevance, logicalness, etc. Accomplished thinkers have deep insights into the systematic internalization of critical thinking into their habits. Accomplished thinkers deeply understand the role that egocentric and sociocentric thinking plays in the lives of human beings, as well as the complex relationship between thoughts, emotions, drives and behavior.
  • Naturally inherent in master thinkers are all the essential intellectual characteristics, deeply integrated. Accomplished thinkers have a high degree of intellectual humility, intellectual integrity, intellectual perseverance, intellectual courage, intellectual empathy, intellectual autonomy, intellectual responsibility and fair-mindedness. Egocentric and sociocentric thought is quite uncommon in the accomplished thinker, especially with respect to matters of importance. There is a high degree of integration of basic values, beliefs, desires, emotions, and action.
  • For the foreseeable future the vast majority of our students will never become accomplished thinkers 
  • important that they learn what it would be to become an accomplished thinker. It is important that they see it as a real possibility, if practicing skills of thinking becomes a characteristic of how they use their minds day to day.
  • Thus it is vital that an intellectual vocabulary for talking about the mind be established for teachers; and that teachers lead discussions in class designed to teach students, from the point of view of intellectual quality, how their minds work, including how they can improve as thinkers.
  • in elementary school an essential objective would be that students become "beginning" thinkers, that is, that they will be taught so that they discover that they are thinkers and that their thinking, like a house, can be well or poorly constructed. This "discovery" stage--the coming to awareness that all of us are thinkers--needs to be given the highest priority. Middle school and High School, on this model, would aim at helping all students become, at least, "practicing" thinkers. Of course, students discover thinking only by discovering that thinking has "parts." Like learning what "Legos" are, we learn as we come to discover that there are various parts to thinking and those parts can be put together in various ways. Unlike Legos, of course, thinking well requires that we learn to check how the parts of thinking are working together to make sure they are working properly: For example, have we checked the accuracy of information? Have we clarified the question?
  • We are not advocating here that teachers withdraw from academic content. Rather we are suggesting that critical thinking provides a way of deeply embracing content intellectually. Within this view students come to take intellectual command of how they think, act, and react while they are learning...history, biology, geography, literature, etc., how they think, act, and react as a reader, writer, speaker, and listener, how they think, act, and react as a student, brother, friend, child, shopper, consumer of the media, etc.
  • to effectively learn any subject in an intellectually meaningful way presupposes a certain level of command over one’s thinking, which in turn presupposes understanding of the mind’s processes.
  • Thinking is inevitably driven by the questions we seek to answer, and those questions we seek to answer for some purpose. To answer questions, we need information which is in fact meaningful to us only if we interpret it (i.e., by making inferences). Our inferences, in turn, are based on assumptions and require that we use ideas or concepts to organize the information in some way from some point of view. Last but not least, our thinking not only begins somewhere intellectually (in certain assumptions), it also goes somewhere---that is, has implications and consequences.
  • Thus whenever we reason through any problem, issue, or content we are well advised to take command of these intellectual structures: purpose, question, information, inferences, assumptions, concepts, point of view, and implications. By explicitly teaching students how to take command of the elements of reasoning we not only help them take command of their thinking in a general way; we also provide a vehicle which effectively enables them to critically think through the content of their classes, seeing connections between all of what they are learning.
  • if I am to develop my critical thinking ability I must both "discover" my thinking and must intellectually take charge of it. To do this I must make a deep commitment to this end.
  • the human mind, left to its own, pursues that which is immediately easy, that which is comfortable, and that which serves its selfish interests. At the same time, it naturally resists that which is difficult to understand, that which involves complexity, that which requires entering the thinking and predicaments of others.
  • When we learn together as developing thinkers, when we all of us seek to raise our thinking to the next level, and then to the next after that, everyone benefits, and schooling then becomes what it was meant to be, a place to discover the power of lifelong learning. This should be a central goal for all our students--irrespective of their favored mode of intelligence or learning style. It is in all of our interest to accept the challenge: to begin, to practice, to advance as thinkers.
Lisa Martin

ETAP640amp2012: Discussion: I'll go first - 0 views

ualbany.mrooms.net/...view.php

shared by Lisa Martin on 30 May 12 - No Cached
  • At their age there are no egos, no prejudices, they just love to learn about what children their age are like from all over the world
    • Lisa Martin
      Lisa Martin on 30 May 12
       
      This is my favorite part of working with the little ones as well. They are so innocent and eager to learn with no bias :-)
  • I want to not only be able to bring these techniques into my classroom but I also want to be able to help other teachers who may not have a strong technical background feel more comfortable bringing it into theirs.
    • Lisa Martin
      Lisa Martin on 30 May 12
       
      I've been thinking about the same thing. So many teachers at my school are terrified of technology and I would love a chance to show them that not only does it not have to be scary, but it can be fun!
Lisa Martin

The Dove® Campaign for Real Beauty - 0 views

www.dove.us/...campaign-for-real-beauty.aspx

dove beauty self-image

shared by Lisa Martin on 31 May 12 - No Cached
  • In 2011, Dove® released the findings of its largest global study to date on women’s relationship with beauty—The Real Truth About Beauty: Revisited. The study revealed that only 4% of women around the world consider themselves beautiful, and that anxiety about looks begins at an early age. In a study of over 1,200 10-to-17-year-olds, a majority of girls, 72%, said they felt tremendous pressure to be beautiful. The study also found that only 11% of girls around the world feel comfortable using the word beautiful to describe their looks, showing that there is a universal increase in beauty pressure and a decrease in girls' confidence as they grow older. Though Dove® efforts have moved the needle in a positive direction, there is more to be done
  • Lisa Martin on 31 May 12
     
    Some startling statistics about girls' self-image and ideas of beauty.
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