Group items matching

in title, tags, annotations or url

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

Virtual adjunct faculty have largely carried higher education into the cyber classroom. Adjunct faculty have always been broadly used in higher education, especially in the community college setting. Nationally, adjuncts teach 30-50% of all credit courses. At community colleges, adjuncts compose about 60% of all faculty (Gappa and Leslie, 1993).

About 80% of all online course offerings are taught by virtual adjuncts. About 70% of the active 250 adjuncts teaching in the program reside in the state of Florida , and the other half in assorted states.

As colleges and universities work steadily to get full-time faculty onboard with distance learning, virtual adjuncts have eagerly stepped up to fill the void, thereby enabling institutions to respond promptly to market demand.

We are consistently engaged in critical thought, Alex’s expectations are clear and supported with models, and we receive feedback that is not only timely, but it is also specific to our particular needs. Although we use a good amount of technology, it does seem to enhance our purpose and was chosen with objectives in mind. The technology—blogs, discussion forums, diigo, etc. serve to enhance our learning experiences and make our learning visible to one another (haven’t we heard that before!?!)

Digital storytelling enhances not only the students literacy development but also their social-emotional development.

is that with digital storytelling students may use a real and authentic voice. This is of course very empowering in terms of motivation.

Perhaps a school wants to be able to recognize the master teacher who is caring and constructive mentor to new teachers in her school.    Isn’t that a fantastic contribution that so many teachers make, day in and day out, that, currently, goes unrecognized?  (An aside:  I loved the “Go, Teachers!” thread that ran throughout yesterday’s program.)    Perhaps there’s a national network of auto mechanics that would like to be able to come up with a way of credentialing high school drop outs who happen to be great at fixing hybrid cars but who cannot afford to go to for-profit trade school that offer formal credentials.   I’m making this up, but I can see applications that could help participants and communities to recognize those with achievements “outside the system” and yet crucial, to the community and to their own success in the workplace.   What do we have now to offer? Multiple choice tests, ABCD grades, transcripts, resumes:  that is an extremely narrow r

Our current, standardized systems of credentialing  are very rigid and often restrictive.   Badges allow groups of people—organizations and institutions--to decide what counts for them and how they want to give credit.   Every contribution isn’t measured by ABCD.   If you contribute, you can have a record of that contribution.   That’s the beauty of digital badge systems or eportfolios such as Top Coders where you can actually click on the badge and see all the specific contributions or skills of a person that were recognized by peers in the form of a badge. 

"Structure" is the key word. Without clear structure and precisely stated expectations, many students are vulnerable to a kind of educational "wanderlust" that pulls them far afield.

1) Scaffolding provides clear directions

3) Scaffolding keeps students on task

What is the theory that underpins our moocs?

Interactions are distributed, multi-spaced.

Fostering autonomous and self-regulated learners. At the core of the MOOCs that I’ve been involved with is a power question: what can learners do for themselves with digital tools and networks? MOOCs foster not only a particular type of knowledge in a particular area of inquiry; they also foster a self-regulated, motivated, and autonomous learner. When an instructor does for learners what learners should do for themselves, the learning experience is incomplete. Developing capacity for learning and the mindsets needed to be successful learners is a central attribute of our MOOCs. We are not only concerned with the epistemological development of learners (knowing stuff) – we target ontological development (being a certain type of person) as well.

Moore’s original 1965 article described doubling the number of transistors every 12 months, rather than today’s popular form, which has microprocessor performance doubling every 18 months

A huge collateral effect of Moore’s Law was the creation of the commercial software industry as a meaningful force in the economy. This took place in two ways. First, the falling cost and wide availability of powerful processors greatly increased the number of computers in use, and thus successful software products could be sold in enormous numbers at modest prices.

As the days go on, I realize that my understanding of what it takes to be a successful online learner and teacher is changing.

I find that I am quickly falling back into old (and excellent) habits of being a student.  While it’s overwhelming, I do love it.  I’ve also observed that since the last time I was a student, much has changed.  Yes, in terms of technology and pedagogy, but I’m referring to me personally.  I’m a little older, a little wiser, much more settled in terms of my personal life and career, and overall just a much happier person than I was 7 years ago.