Regardless of the tool or set of tools that you use, be sure your communication plan is clear to your students. Online communication does have rules, just like face-to-face communication. Set guidelines as well as expectations, and use only those tools that you’ve evaluated and which clearly enhance your teaching and student learning.
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Adobe Acrobat ConnectPro - 0 views
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Adobe® Connect™ is an enterprise web conferencing solution for online meetings, eLearning, and webinars used by leading corporations and government agencies.
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It is useful for synchronous sessions for online courses
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Ellumnate Homepage - 0 views
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This is another instructional tool (not free) that may be used with online or blended courses. It uses live feeds, to allow course members in different locations to interact with each other in real time.
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Asynchronous and Synchronous E-Learning (EDUCAUSE Quarterly) | EDUCAUSE - 0 views
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In the [asynchronous discussions] it is easier to find some more facts, maybe have a look in a book and do more thorough postings.In fact, according to Kock’s estimate,18 an exchange of 600 words requires about 6 minutes for complex group tasks in face-to-face settings, while exchanging the same number of words over e-mail would take approximately one hour.
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Almost every sentence in the asynchronous discussions of the smaller group, and a vast majority of sentences in the larger group, were classified as content-related. This is a remarkable result—imagine if learners on campus spent more than 90 percent of their time discussing issues related to course content. These results can also be interpreted as troublesome, however. If e-learners seldom meet face-to-face and teachers mainly rely on asynchronous e-learning, students might feel isolated and not part of learning communities, which is essential for collaboration and learning.15
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ETAP640student FIR reflections - 1 views
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Fook and +Askeland (2007) explore the benefits of critical reflections. They point out that reflection is an intentional practice of exploring underlying assumptions in thought processes, for the purpose of achieving growth. They explain that this practice is useful for an individual to be able to understand their own thinking, and gain better insight into what drives their behaviors.
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Did You Know Video
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Ian’s post about faculty ignoring technology forced me to reflect on my own biases.
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It has taken nearly 2 years for the administration on our campus to support the request of one of our faculty members to provide infrastructure and equipment to use Elluminate. Elluminate (http://www.elluminate.com) is a web based tool that provides opportunities for distance learners to stay in their location and participate in synchronous, real time lectures, seminars, or presentations with other members in a different location.
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Furnborough and Truman (2009)
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Hi Francis, I too am guilty here, and this course has taught me the importance of redundancy. I beleive it will cut down on the many emails I get by students who "forget" what is expected.
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June 20th, 2011
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francia: there are 2 blog posts due for each module. for module 2 they were due between june 6-19th.
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it is ideal to make the online environment as effective as possible to meet the learning objectives, and the learners needs.
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Yes, very good point - and as I'm learning week after week, there are many technologies out there to help with meeting the objectives. What I've realized in the past 2 weeks or so is that I didn't have very clear objectives. Once I clarified those, I found it easier to begin to build my course and visualize the modules.
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This includes the feedback I so diligently write on their assignments.
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I am so guilty of this; Alex had left me feedback in several areas, and I didn't realize it. I wasn't checking back frequently enough. Live and learn.
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I honestly don’t see how all of this technology has necessarily improved life for the poor, the hungry, and the uneducated
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I agree that perhaps these populations aren't benefiting from the technology yet, but the potential is huge. Imagine being able to reach out to poorer communities via online learning. Urban schools have a really difficult time recruiting and retaining quality teachers. It's not unheard of for an uncertified teacher to teach in an urban school, because they are so desperate for teachers to man the classrooms. If some of the learning can happen online, or if they could offer blended classes, it could have real potential to raise graduation rates. Online learning is still fairly new in the grand scheme, but it is spreading like wildfire. More people will come on board, great minds will (have) come together for Best Practices, and the proof will be in the student outcomes.
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Hi Francia, Sorry for spelling your name wrong in last sticky note. What you are trying to achieve is a paradigm shift....it takes time, but it can happen Diane
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ISETL : International Society for Exploring Teaching and Learning - 0 views
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Presentation Objectives are to: 1) Educate faculty on the pedagogical uses of avatars in the online classroom, 2)Provide an opportunity for participants to practice developing their own avatar and 3)Promote interest and improve confidence in using avatars as part of established learning activities and spark generation of new ideas. Presentation Audience: Faculty who desire to see improvement in the richness of their students’ online experiences will find this presentation interesting and beneficial. Faculty who have never considered using or developed their own avatars will find practical assistance. Presentation Activities: In this highly interactive session, participants with laptop computers will have the opportunity to create and publish an avatar, which can be posted on their faculty webpage or other Web 2.0 forum. The facilitator will also present avatars developed by undergraduate students as part of a class project and will invite participants to generate ways that they can use this medium in own classrooms. Description: Avatars have typically been associated with gaming, recreation and entertainment, and most recently were the central characters in a hugely successful blockbuster movie. Their use in learning environments is much less popular, although it is growing. A central definition has not emerged, although the following are generally accepted: “a digital representation
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Online instructors lament some of the same problems expressed by their students, not the least of which is the feeling of disconnection in the learning environmen
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The social presence created by avatars may diminish some of these negative factors
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Allmendinger, K. (2010). Social presence in synchronous virtual learning situations: the role of nonverbal signals displayed by avatars. Educational Psychology Review, 22(1), 41-56
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Falloon, G. (2010). Using avatars and virtual environments in learning: What do they have to offer? British Journal of Educational Technology, 41(1), 108-122.
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How to Design Effective Online Group Work Activities Faculty Focus | Faculty Focus - 0 views
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Online collaboration tools While Skype and other real-time collaboration tools make it easier for dispersed students to “get together,” Mandernach cautions against overusing synchronous tools. Instead, she says, you should encourage your students to take advantage of the many asynchronous collaborative tools inside your course management system or some of the new Web 2.0 tools. Some of her favorite Web 2.0 tools include: Tokbox, VoiceThread, Creately, Google Docs, and Teambox. These tools are relatively easy to use and help build a sense of community in the online classroom. They’re also another way to get students to buy into group work activities and using them makes the students more marketable upon graduation. “If you can use the collaborative environment to really bring them into your classroom and get connected to you and connected to their peers you’re going to see a lot of benefits besides increased test scores,” Mandernach says. “Many employers and graduate schools really view online learning as learning in isolation, and I think it’s important for students to show that they are capable of collaborative work — that they can work independently and with others.”
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In the recent online seminar Online Group Work: Making It Meaningful and Manageable, Mandernach provided tips for adapting proven face-to-face group work strategies to the online environment. The key is to design tasks that are truly collaborative, meaning the students will benefit more from doing the activity as a group than doing it alone. Effective online group activities often fall into one of three categories: There’s no right answer, such as debates, or research on controversial issues. There are multiple perspectives, such as analyzing current events, cultural comparisons, or case studies. There are too many resources for one person to evaluate, so a jigsaw puzzle approach is needed with each student responsible for one part.
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Collaboration has been defined like a coordinated, synchronous activity that is the res... - 0 views
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een shown thatwhen several users, each with his own personal input device but with a shared scree
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Early Attrition among First Time eLearners: A Review of Factors that Contribute to Drop... - 1 views
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Some have reported attrition from eLearning as high as 70 - 80% (Flood 2002, Forrester 2000, in Dagger & Wade, 2004). Parker (1999) argues that “With the growth of distance education has come the problem of exceedingly high attrition rates”. Citing Carter (1996), she suggests that eLearning student attrition in some institutions is exceeds 40%, while others (Frankola, 2001). Diaz (2002), put it at between 20 - 50%, and Carr (2000), estimate it to be 10% - 20% higher than for traditional on-campus education.
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learners in employment bring a different set of needs, strategies and motivations to the learning process.
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frequently geographically removed from the learning resources, information sources, learner peers and Tutors compared to their on-campus peers
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Employed adults tend to complete eLearning in their personal time due to workload pressures in the workplace and/or Internet access issues at work
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Cognitive Load Theory
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states that learning is initially processed in working memory
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Learning complex or technically demanding material requires building mental models or cognitive schemas about the subject being studied or the skill being developed over time
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Learning new material or a skill, for which a schema in long term memory is undeveloped or non-existent, can cause working memory to quickly overload its limited capacity. This overloading can result in a learner becoming highly anxious and losing confidence, which in turn can lead to the learning process, in effect, freezing and the learner being unable to continue.
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“Digital literacy involves more than the ability to use software or operate a digital device; it includes a large variety of complex cognitive, motor, sociological and emotional skills, which users need in order to function effectively in digital environments.”
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It is this author’s experience in designing, developing and delivering several eLearning programmes to public sector employees in New Zealand, that a face to face workshop prior the start of the online distance course can make a significant difference to a first time eLearner’s perception and experience of eLearning.
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This type of pre-course face-to-face induction workshop can also be used to foster the group’s sense of itself, and to identify the individual participants and their backgrounds, along with their expectations and concerns. It is also helpful to have the course design, structure and philosophy explained and to discuss anxieties associated with beginning an online course.
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The multi
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al learning tasks of the first time eLearner
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dimension
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(1) negotiating the technology; (2) negotiating the course website; (3) negotiating the course content (4) becoming an eLearner (5) negotiating CMC interaction.
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come to terms with the computing technologies involved.
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develop a mental model of the content structure and navigation system in order to find his/her way around
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engage with the learning materials, readings, activities and assessments that make up a programme of study
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Confronting the actual content and of becoming a learner again.
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anxiety
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abandon his/her existing mental model of what it is to be a learner in a formal learning situation
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embrace a model based on a self-directed and motivated learner
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undertake the learning tasks involved in interacting with peers via synchronous and asynchronous Computer Mediated Communication
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Successfully negotiating this early experience depends very much on the relevant skills, circumstances, motivations and personal attributes of the learner. It follows then, that paying particular attention to how an eLearning course is structured and introduced and the manner in which the learner is inducted can make a very important difference in a learner deciding whether or not to engage and persist or to drop out.
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actually apprising learners of the issues of cognitive overload and how it is commonly experienced would go some way towards inoculating learners against its more pernicious effects.
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Supporting learners till they are over the initial “eLearning learning-curve hump”, may involve a seemingly high level of resource and effort on the part of the course facilitator and associated programme administration staff, but the payoff is that fewer learners will drop out at the early stage.
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Actively supporting, encouraging, gently cajoling and following up on learners who seem to be struggling will help to keep wavering learners in the course.
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In terms of the actual course design and the structure of the materials and learning activities, then it is a useful practice to aim to start slowly and build the course tempo over time.
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The one area where something may be done to reduce attrition is in the early stages of an online course.
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Cognitive overload is a likely contributor to high drop out rates, particularly where those withdrawing do so within the first few weeks of the start of a course. Greater levels of persistence and completions may be achieved if learners are supported to anticipate, prepare for, recognise and recover from the cognitive burden they may experience as first time eLearners.
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Looks at why some students don't make it through online courses- many first time online students are unsure what to expect and are just overwhelmed by the whole experience. -
The experience of the first-time online learner is qualified. Suggestions for decreasing early attrition are suggested. -
Attrition among mature adult online learners is affected by sociological, psychological, technical and cognitive factors, critical features of which are the notions of cognitive load and locus of control.
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