EDUC251

This VoiceThread I put together as a presentation regarding some shifts in thinking and accomodations I have made regarding online & tech applications. I thought we might be sharing these, this evening, but nevertheless, it stands alone. Enjoy!

It was nice to see the preliminary decision process you went through to determine the 'collage' project. Using voicethread to explain was interesting.

Helen, your Voice Thread was a perfect finish to your final project, even if it did stand alone! I agree with one of your statements to your pre-service teachers about them needing to be on board with all the tech tools they teach to their students in the 21st century. Your "metaphor" was also engaging!

This link is to my development of a learning activity that maps to a course learning objective for Module 7. The activity I've chosen to work on for this project is in response to one of the learning objectives for a class called Visual Storytelling (CMST 115) that I'm teaching for Bellevue College. The learning objective (or understanding) I'm addressing is a final project that has students demonstrate their ability to put into practice a selection of visual storytelling skills that were taught during the quarter. This activity was designed to make use of authentic learning principles, derived from the ideas of Marilyn Lombardi - which are available in complete form in her article, Authentic Learning for the 21st Century: an Overview.

Very impressive, Bruce! This assessment piece is definitely in line with Lombardi's ideas AND is a perfect showcase for student understanding of the objective you set forth. I imagine your students jumped at the challenge you presented them, producing outstanding work! You continue to inspire me with your thinking and creativity!

Thanks for your comments, Mary Ann. One of the big take aways I've gotten from our EDUC 251 class so far, is the idea of relinquishing progressive amounts of control throughout the quarter - so that students at the end are teaching part of the class and demonstrating their acquired skills in some kind of collaborative, hands-on project. I've been exploring this idea over the past few years as I've become more comfortable with my teaching - and both the Boettcher reading and Jennifer's course structure validate this approach. One of the more interesting recommendations for "authentic learning" is having ill-defined goals - meaning that students have to fill in gaps with their own solutions - derived from general or even vague instructions. This enhances creativity, innovative pathways, and problem solving. Cool idea!

This is the wikitation I'll be working with for our first f2f class.

This is an important article about our education system.  I think the paragraph about "drive-by" professional development gets at what I was speaking of last night.  Budgets for teacher professional development are rapidly decreasing, and we are being forced to learn on our own time with our own dollars.  This is why I'm so insistent upon "learning to learn."  My hope is that you all get the opportunity to work in an environment where your professional development is valued and encouraged.

I agree with you, Jennifer, this is an important article! I posted it to my facebook page because many of my friends are teachers and I thought they should read it. Lifelong learning for ALL people is the key to change--I just hope this will translate into additional meaningful dialog about our education system and then into some action! Maybe in some small way, I will be able to effect change--who knows.

So what is new here? Wisconsin is where the wheels hit the pavement. So much for decent pay and etc. Our government doesn't seem to get the educational part of developing and development. Now when it comes to on line teaching they do...go figure!

I just finished reading E-Habits, by Elizabeth Charnock, CEO of the company who puts out this blog. It was fascinating (and scary!).

I think there's more of an opportunity for us to recognize that with so many different ways to communicate, the nuances of interpersonal communication are more important than ever. I think the people who will be successful, are the ones who truly learn to connect with their audience and make the digital seem personal. I grew up with a dad who taught English and was an Air Force public affairs officer. My writing style has always been formal, and cold, and I've had to learn to add warmth in digital spaces. I'm still trying to figure it out!

My experience with your style is you are very intellectually based in your writing style, while your personal style when dealing with this student was warm and open, encouraging and sharing. Okay, it is one opinion among many, I am certain; but this one is mine. I spent many years with the military as a family member and the mother of soldiers. One has to be careful in the civilian world when it comes to interacting with others, because military directness and crispness can get in the way of showing warmth and interest. Hopefully, I have mastered a more civilian way of speaking over the past several years.

Sorry all - I am serioiusly and sadly behind in class. This is the self check from Module 4.

I liked the question - rate new thinking or idea prompted by ... It enabled "critical thinking" for me, as I had to reflect on not just the information, but the concepts from the lesson.

Hyerin, Is this Badminton course designed for students to take along with live practice sessions during the week? I'm curious to know how you will integrate this online theory side with the hands-on practice... Interesting topic!

I love playing badminton. I am wondering whether you will have anyway of knowing how much they have learned from their practices and if they have really done what they said they did. I have always felt badminton is more fun than tennis or handball!

I learned alot about badminton - something I hadn't really focused on before as a sport.

I don't have time to dig into this right now, but can't wait.

In her important, controversial new book, Sherry Turkle reads our leap into digital technology not as the unfettering of a deep, human urge to connect, but as a dire symptom to be understood within an older framework: psychoanalysis. Whether you find this book's analysis convincing depends on how you read the Rorschach test that is the Internet.

Bruce, CaringBridge has been a great support for so many people. I originally discovered the site while I was following the story of Baby Allie http://www.scotthousehold.com/allie.htm whose mom documented her short life battling with AML. A huge community grew around her little life, and I discovered many CaringBridge sites. Jenny went on to start the Heroes for Children foundation, raising more than $3 million for families in TX with children undergoing treatment. My own early blogging experiences were around my own grief and loss http://momrealityblog.blogspot.com/2006/01/it-began-with-tragic-ending.html I had previously been involved in several online parenting communities. They were a huge support to me during that time. We have the potential to do a lot of good online and off. I think we just need to be cognizant of how our messages are amplified, and how we amplify the messages of others.

Joy, I am so sorry for your loss. I think grief is different for everyone, and the internet is a place we can find other people who share similar methods of grieving, so we don't feel so alone. In our own families, it's hard to support each other through periods of loss. I've discovered a lot of online communities, some healthy, and some not, where people feel comfortable expressing their feelings about loss. I think the most important thing I learned online during that time, was "be gentle with yourself."

There is a website that shows about the eLearning network in Washington state! :)

The trend for businesses to go online with learning seems to have really taken hold. I know University of Washington also uses an on-line training system, both for optional and mandatory training.

Interesting. I don't remember ever seeing that before. I'll have to check it out some more.

Thought this might be of interest on the topic of copyright.

I don't think this problem would be so wide spread if the information as open. There is a lot being done to open materials to all students. We learned about this concept in Intro to eLearning. I have sent an example: http://www.curriculumcompanion.org/openCourt/index.cfm

We're going to do some experimentation with plagiarism. Stay tuned!

The author of this study is Penny Ralstom-Berg, a Senior Instruction Designer at University of Wisconsin, where a survey of what makes a good course from a student perspective was conducted. The summary of the study starts on slide 20. The top 10 desires is consistent with what we've been focusing on in this class, however the bottom top is somewhat at odds and seems, to be, counter-intuitive to what I would have expected. Top 10: Assessments are appropriately timed, varied and appropriate; Instructions on how to access resources are sufficient and easy to understand; Course components are web-based or easily downloaded for use offline; Requirements for interaction are clearly explained; Opportunity to speak with instructor, classmates through email, bulletin boards, any time / any place; Technologies required are readily available - provided or easily downloaded; Clear instructions tell me how to get started and to find course components; Criteria for how I will be evaluated is descriptive and specific; Navigation is logical, consistent, and efficient; The grading policy is clearly stated Bottom 10: I find course-related content and share it with the instructor and classmates; I use wikis, shared documents, or other online collaborative tools to complete group work; I am asked to introduce myself to the class; I coach other students and help answer their questions; Opportunity to speak with my instructor and classmates through… same time, same place technology; Instructor does not participate in class discussions Course contains interactive games or simulations; I author / create course-related content and share it with instructor and classmates; I work in groups with other students; Course contains audio and video content

Reading through these student recommendations was very helpful, and as you say - they complement the material presented in the Boettcher textbook very well. I was somewhat confused by Penny Ralton-Berg's differentiation between the Top 10 and Bottom 10 items. My impression is that there is a low student positive response for their contributing course materials for a class site.(??)

I am not certain I grasp the meaning of that slide presentation. Some of it I get and agree with.

I have made some personal comments on obtaining the skills and not being able to get the job one trains for.

To elaborate on your: " My point is this, giving my student the skills to do the job they hope to do in the future is not the end of the learning process." School has the dual purpose of both enlightening us as people and preparing us for a profession. As this article points out, obtaining a degree or going to school does not guarantee of a job. It may not guarantee a job, but without you can't have the insight or credential to eventually get there.

What deeply saddens me is technical and community colleges may give you the skills; but then they may drop the ball by not helping beyond that point. Without internships and situations for obtaining experience...one cannot overcome the obstacle of needing experience in the field. Same goes for my hope to teach...which may just be a dream I am holding onto with no basis in reality. Then the feds paid for the courses, the college got the money and I am in fact the loser.

This article seems to be a good example of the type of design I hope to accomplish. Evan is a fellow University of Wisconsin graduate and has pursued an interesting career in design. His resume/blog was well worth the time it took me to explore and read it.

Joy, I really appreciate your link to Evan Sveum's blog, especially this week when we're taking a look at how to organize and present an online curriculum. Initially, as I was moving through his opening page review, I was struck by the following item: "Voice Recognition (Dragon NaturallySpeaking). Talk-to- type has been a huge efficiency for me! I very rarely use the keyboard on my computer anymore". I used Dragon software about 8 years ago, and found it to be very unsatisfying to use. However recently, I've been hearing good reports back about it. I'd be curious to know if anyone in the class has been using voice-to-text in their work...

The tab in Sveum's blog regarding eLearning technology was useful - a good overview of different types of technologies one needs, with the practical tools highlighted.

The issue you proferred in you blog - being able to quickly address technology issues - is one I deal with personally and is both easier and harder in the professional environment. In the professional enviornment, there is staff who is responsible for the technology and has expertise and focus that I don't. Yet, it is often working through others, where their priority or objectives might be different (like not standardizing on a tool that I prefer) that makes the situation even more frustrating.

Another Professor from my Alma Mater, the Unversity of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He is a professor of Political Science.Taken from his blog the follow excerpt: "He received his Ph.D. from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in 2003. He currently teaches introductory politics, international politics, and a U.S. Foreign Policy course at Steven's Point through the Collaborative Degree Program. His current research focuses on how the U.S. military has adapted strategies and tactics in stability and reconstruction operations. Contact Eric at: egiordan@uwc.edu" We both are Political Science majors with an interest in Law and Diplomacy and the U.S. Military.

I love reading reflections on implementing new strategies in teaching and learning. That's one of the best things about posting your reflections online. You never know when someone will find you and feel connected, or at least less alone!

It's for kids, but still good!