Reflection: EDTECH 522
I pursued EDTECH 522- Online Teaching for Adult Learners as an elective to satisfy the requirement of the M.E.T. degree program offered by BSU. During the semester, I learned about the andragogy that surrounds adult learning in distance education.
I can safely say that I learned almost everything this course has to offer that will equip me to deliver future online instruction. I intend to share some of the assignments I did with you, since I do not have any favorite one.
I learned how to plan and execute effective online lessons in Moodle LMS, this was a very challenging and time consuming activity, but it was worth the effort. It was fun to create the assignment in the Moodle course shell and customized it.
I also learned to record and upload tutorial in Adobe Captivate on Dropbox- a tool that can help adult learners collaborate on a ducument. I will definitely purchase this tool for capturing and recording screencast for future online classes that I intend to teach.
I will definitely try to incooperate all of these new ideas, techniques, and tools learned in the EDTECH 522 class into my classroom to actively engage learners in the lessons presented by stimulating their interests in order to improve their learning performance. I will create more tutorials and other interactive lessons as well as share some of these ideas with my peers to help enhance their professional development. Some of my peers have already downloaded Dropbox and started to use it for disseminating information and also to collaborate on research assignments.
The EDTECH 522 class taught me to create blogs on blogger.com and share them on BSU Facebook. Collectively, at my institution we started to use some of these Web 2.0 tools such as blogging as a way of reaching students and collaborating with them virtually.
I started a collection of Web 2.0 tools that I learned, and I plan to start using them in the creation of my future lessons.
EDTECH 522 class also taught me several things and impacted my online teaching skills tremendously. I am in a position to evaluate my school and make significant contributions to future courses the institution will offer. I can advise them about offering a straight online course or a blended version called hybrid. This is partly due to extensive research done online in this area and an interview I conducted with a student who is currently pursuing a hybrid course in the USA.
I used Photostory to create my final project for this course then I uploaded it to YouTube. This video presentation demonstrates my understanding of the theory and practice of online teaching and learning with adults.
Finally, when I just started the EDTECH 522 course at the beginning of Fall 2011 semester, I was at the receiving side of instruction, but I am happy to say that after completing this class, I am closer to the delivery (facilitating) side of instruction. Thanks to my instructor and peers for their thoughtful feedback and comments during the semester.
Wednesday 7 December 2011
Wednesday 16 November 2011
Hybrid/ Blended Learning
What is blended/ hybrid learning?
Blended or hybrid learning combines face- to- face learning with online learning. Studies prove that hybrid offers a better academic experience than pure brick-and-mortar classes or online-only courses. I have never done any online courses before; as a result, I am unable to relate from a personal standpoint. However, from reading literatures on hybrid learning, I gain adequate insight to write this blog.
Based on information gathered about hybrid, I think it has its place in today’s society. Stanley, L. (2007) believes that blended learning has the potential to increase the learner’s understanding and application of new skills by leveraging rich, interactive learning content while controlling training costs. Online learning applications, has the ability to take advantage of a wide range of Web resources, including not only multimedia but also Web-based applications and new collaboration technologies. Some examples are blogging, wikis, SMS messaging, video conferencing, chat, discussion forums among many others. These technology tools enable students to stay connected and share their work online and receive feedback from instructor and peers.
If my organization comes to me for advice on the offering hybrid courses I would tell them that they should offer it. This is because hybrid learning has the potential to bridge the gap between a pure face- to- face and online learning by providing students with the requisite technological skills to transition to a 100% online course. A word of wisdom for any faculty who is planning on offering a hybrid course is to make sure potential students are aware that a portion of the course will be taught online, while the other portion will be done face- to- face, and to inform them of their expectations. Faculty is also required to plan rich and meaningful learning experiences for learners to be engaged and empowered rather than just to upload materials on the web which will detract learning and have no bearing on students’ involvement.
Additionally, a word of wisdom for a student who is planning on pursuing a hybrid course is to make sure that he/ she has good time management skills, be proactive in his or her approach, and be willing to collaborate with peers and provide feedback when necessary.
Wednesday 2 November 2011
Moodle LMS - Experience
EDTECH 522 - Reflection
The topic I did for my lesson was Poll Everywhere. I found the interface of Moodle to be very intuitive and interactive.The experience I gained by completing my first lesson in Moodle was very rewarding. By watching a few tutorials and interacting with the Moodle interface, I was able to figure out the areas where all information are being located within a short time period. At the same, when I was designing the lesson, I figured out where I should place all the necessary information such as forums, assignments, ect.
The area where I found to very interesting is the choosing of an activity or resource to add to the interface. The area where I encounter difficulties is to embed a video into the interface.
The exposure to Moodle from the instructor’s side was very fascinating and I think I will select Moolde LMS as my first choice for future online course delivery.
The first hand experience I obtained when I planned and executed the lesson in Moodle established the platform on which I can develop future lessons, because I am now familiar with the interface. I am competent in areas such as; the uploading files and other resources, the opening discussion forums, and the linking of assignment pages to the interface.
Teaching online is fun, although it comes with a lot of work and the instructor has to dedicate a great deal of time to develop and implement a course.
Here is the Course link.
Thursday 13 October 2011
Reflection- Rich Media Tutorial
Reflection - Rich Medial Tutorial
Topic: An audio/ video tutorial Presentation on Dropbox
Title: An overview of Dropbox
Software: Adobe Connect
URL: https://edtech.adobeconnect.com/_a768376479/p1s729zcxbd/?launcher=false&fcsContent=true&pbMode=normal
Objectives
A the end of the tutorial presentation on Dropbox, learners (colleuges) will be able to use Dropbox to:
My first comment is that Adobe Connect software is not user- friendly for novice users like me. Although I watched several videos and tutorials before I began to use it I was not able to do a ‘one-shot’ recording. I actually did about seven or eight recordings before acquiring a satisfactory one. Each time I tried to select the various settings, there are always something happening before time; for example, screen sharing, the mic, or recording taking place before I was ready to start the meeting. Honestly, setting up the meeting was cumbersome, mainly because I was unfamiliar with the software and I was uncertain which action I should perform first in order to have a successful recording of the meeting.
Unlike non- visual tutorials such as a podcast where I could read from a script, I was unable to bring a script to the meeting, because reading the script would definitely allow me to loose eye-contact with the audience. Additionally, as I’m not a competent typist I would definitely loose eye-contact, so to alleviate that foreseeable problem , I deliberately did not type much, because I know I will be looking at the keyboard when typing and not in the camera of the webcam.
However, after I became familiar with the interface, it gradually became very intuitive and I was able to navigate around the meeting room and make the necessary changes to various features such as, Pod, host name, web links, screen sharing, start meeting, record meeting, invite participants, block participants, create break out room, etc. I was then able to record a presentation on ‘the overview of Dropbox.’
Now I know exactly what I should do in the future when I go into Adobe Connect meeting; the setting- up of meetings should be fun. I think I will incorporate the software in my classroom to create meaningful tutorials as well as conduct live meetings with my students in order to optimize learning among my students.
When I go back to Adobe Connect in the future, the things that I will do differently are as follows:
Topic: An audio/ video tutorial Presentation on Dropbox
Title: An overview of Dropbox
Software: Adobe Connect
URL: https://edtech.adobeconnect.com/_a768376479/p1s729zcxbd/?launcher=false&fcsContent=true&pbMode=normal
Objectives
A the end of the tutorial presentation on Dropbox, learners (colleuges) will be able to use Dropbox to:
- Create, store, and share files in the cloud.
- Upload files from computer and share them.
- Invite participants to collaborate on files shared.
- Use Dropbox as a convenient way of sharing content with students in an attempt to minimize the use of photocopied notes in the classroom.
My first comment is that Adobe Connect software is not user- friendly for novice users like me. Although I watched several videos and tutorials before I began to use it I was not able to do a ‘one-shot’ recording. I actually did about seven or eight recordings before acquiring a satisfactory one. Each time I tried to select the various settings, there are always something happening before time; for example, screen sharing, the mic, or recording taking place before I was ready to start the meeting. Honestly, setting up the meeting was cumbersome, mainly because I was unfamiliar with the software and I was uncertain which action I should perform first in order to have a successful recording of the meeting.
Unlike non- visual tutorials such as a podcast where I could read from a script, I was unable to bring a script to the meeting, because reading the script would definitely allow me to loose eye-contact with the audience. Additionally, as I’m not a competent typist I would definitely loose eye-contact, so to alleviate that foreseeable problem , I deliberately did not type much, because I know I will be looking at the keyboard when typing and not in the camera of the webcam.
However, after I became familiar with the interface, it gradually became very intuitive and I was able to navigate around the meeting room and make the necessary changes to various features such as, Pod, host name, web links, screen sharing, start meeting, record meeting, invite participants, block participants, create break out room, etc. I was then able to record a presentation on ‘the overview of Dropbox.’
Now I know exactly what I should do in the future when I go into Adobe Connect meeting; the setting- up of meetings should be fun. I think I will incorporate the software in my classroom to create meaningful tutorials as well as conduct live meetings with my students in order to optimize learning among my students.
When I go back to Adobe Connect in the future, the things that I will do differently are as follows:
- Familiarize myself better with the software before commencing meetings.
- Be very restful,calm, and relaxed before I start the meeting.
- Try to speak more slowly and fluently in order to lessen the occurrence of stuttering at times.
- Know my topic thoroughly before I enter the meeting.
- Position my face better in the webcam camera headspot to maintain eye- contact throughout the meeting.
- Invite at least one participant to each meeting.
Monday 3 October 2011
Blog as an Online Teaching Tool
Blogging as a teaching tool
According to Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog, Blogging is a website or part of a website. Blogs are usually maintained by individuals with regular entries, commentaries, descriptions of events, and other materials such as graphics and videos. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse- chronological order. Most blogs are interactive, allowing visitors to leave comments and and even message each other via widgets incorporated on the blogs and it is this kind of interactivity that distinguishes them from other static websites. In the classroom, blogging can be a very effective tool to engage and empower learners. Situated in the context of student empowerment, open knowledge and democratic freedom, blogs provide the individual learner a worldwide forum for publishing or contributing their thoughts, writing, and expanding knowledge base Dawley, L. (2007). The author of the blog can post reflective writing, report of findings of a laboratory experiment, integrate hyperlinks to music, videos, podcasts, etc. The author is in control and is responsible for all the contents of the blogs, he/ she dictates the direction the blog takes which makes this approach student- centered in the classroom. Dawley, (2007) referenced Olson, (1994) stating that the nature of blog content provides the perfect forum for student expression of learning, thinking, and meaning making. In addition to the benefits of students publishing their own writing, students have the opportunity for additional cognitive scaffolding when receiving feedback or revisiting their own work. Dawley, (2007), also referenced Blood (2002), who describe a three- step process in the blogging process: scouring, filtering, and posting. This means that students locate the information, sieve through it and pick out what makes sense, then post it.
After posting the blog, the content becomes public, therefore anyone can view it and make comment where necessary. Often time the information can be objective rather than subjective because of the lack of authentic source provided to support the information posted. However, links in some blogs give the authors’ statements some form of credibility.
According to Dawley, (2007), the main strength of a blog is the ability to self- express in a public forum. Blogs are being used by instructors to support the writing process, reflection in the learning, provide student empowerment, and to promote the idea of students as experts in their own learning process. Blog promotes social and peer interaction and collaboration, increase positive student/ teacher relationships, and improves flexibility in teaching and learning. She further states that working with blogs gives students an authentic learning experience.
On the other hand, the weaknesses of blogs according to Dawley, (2007), are evident, especially when one considers an online teacher using an LMS, learning another tool outside the LMS costs time. Time is also impacted when the teacher and students have to learn to use the blogging tool. Extensive typing might be overwhelming for younger students and their privacy can be compromised. Negative comments or feedback to blogs can also have devastating effects on a student, therefore, steps should be taken to safegaurd what the students published. Once published, blogs have little potential to edit, hence, keen attention must be paid to information before posting.
Some common blogs sites are:Blogger is a Google site where free blog sites can be set up.
According to Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog, Blogging is a website or part of a website. Blogs are usually maintained by individuals with regular entries, commentaries, descriptions of events, and other materials such as graphics and videos. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse- chronological order. Most blogs are interactive, allowing visitors to leave comments and and even message each other via widgets incorporated on the blogs and it is this kind of interactivity that distinguishes them from other static websites. In the classroom, blogging can be a very effective tool to engage and empower learners. Situated in the context of student empowerment, open knowledge and democratic freedom, blogs provide the individual learner a worldwide forum for publishing or contributing their thoughts, writing, and expanding knowledge base Dawley, L. (2007). The author of the blog can post reflective writing, report of findings of a laboratory experiment, integrate hyperlinks to music, videos, podcasts, etc. The author is in control and is responsible for all the contents of the blogs, he/ she dictates the direction the blog takes which makes this approach student- centered in the classroom. Dawley, (2007) referenced Olson, (1994) stating that the nature of blog content provides the perfect forum for student expression of learning, thinking, and meaning making. In addition to the benefits of students publishing their own writing, students have the opportunity for additional cognitive scaffolding when receiving feedback or revisiting their own work. Dawley, (2007), also referenced Blood (2002), who describe a three- step process in the blogging process: scouring, filtering, and posting. This means that students locate the information, sieve through it and pick out what makes sense, then post it.
After posting the blog, the content becomes public, therefore anyone can view it and make comment where necessary. Often time the information can be objective rather than subjective because of the lack of authentic source provided to support the information posted. However, links in some blogs give the authors’ statements some form of credibility.
According to Dawley, (2007), the main strength of a blog is the ability to self- express in a public forum. Blogs are being used by instructors to support the writing process, reflection in the learning, provide student empowerment, and to promote the idea of students as experts in their own learning process. Blog promotes social and peer interaction and collaboration, increase positive student/ teacher relationships, and improves flexibility in teaching and learning. She further states that working with blogs gives students an authentic learning experience.
On the other hand, the weaknesses of blogs according to Dawley, (2007), are evident, especially when one considers an online teacher using an LMS, learning another tool outside the LMS costs time. Time is also impacted when the teacher and students have to learn to use the blogging tool. Extensive typing might be overwhelming for younger students and their privacy can be compromised. Negative comments or feedback to blogs can also have devastating effects on a student, therefore, steps should be taken to safegaurd what the students published. Once published, blogs have little potential to edit, hence, keen attention must be paid to information before posting.
Some common blogs sites are:Blogger is a Google site where free blog sites can be set up.
WordPress is a free blogging site run by the makers of WordPress blogging software
References:
Dawley, L. (2007), The tools for successful online teaching.
Information Science Publishing, Hershey PA 17033
Blog. Retrieved: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog
Linging Dot: Teaching tools. Retrieved: http://www.linkingdots.com/?content=tools
- LiveJournal Another site where free blogs can be set up. In addition to blogs or journals, LiveJournal is a community with some social networking features.
References:
Dawley, L. (2007), The tools for successful online teaching.
Information Science Publishing, Hershey PA 17033
Blog. Retrieved: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog
Linging Dot: Teaching tools. Retrieved: http://www.linkingdots.com/?content=tools
Reflection- Chat Session
Reflection
The communication tool I used to conduct the chat session was Skype.
Skype is a software application that allows users to make voice and video call and chats over the internet. Skype has also become popular for its additional features which include instant messaging, file transfer, and video conferencing.
The video conferencing aspect of Skype was used as the teaching tool which brought five group members from across the globe to discuss pertinent issues related to blogs and other Web 2.0 tools which were read and discovered for module #3 assignments. At least one person from the group must have a Skype premium account for my team to participate in the conference. Matt volunteered to sign up for a seven day trial version of Skype.
I observed the tips suggested by Dr. Dove and brought them with me to the chat session. They were very helpful because they allow me to facilitate the chat flawlessly. I was able to monitor the time limit of each presenter very effectively and there was a smooth transition from one speaker to another. I felt empowered being the facilitator and it was a great accomplishment for me being placed in a managerial role where I was able to schedule and coordinate the conference. The chat session in the conference occurred in real time which created a community of learning and interacting with group members. We met face-to-face through the use of videos where visual cues were evident especially when a point was being emphasized by one of the group members. We were able to see the head shakes, the gestures, the smiles, the grins, etc. all displayed by each group member. This sort of setting provided a sense of connectedness with each other and we were able to collaborate on most points discussed during the session.
On the other hand, there are some negative things about the Skype being an effective video conference chat tool, one has to have broadband Internet service to make the connection before he/ she can be invited to the conference. When you are connected to Skype, you can be easily be disconnected due to narrow bandwidth or slow Internet connections. For example, I was ‘bumped’ during the chat session a couple of times and had was to be reconnected as quickly as possible because I did not want to miss out on any point being discussed. At one point I had was to reboot my PC before I could get reconnected.
Additionally, problems can arise when people come from different time zones resulting in setting a suitable conference time that is satisfactory for everyone. Other problems or drawbacks included, but are not limited to the need of participants to have prior training before joining the conference, the need to have a working webcam and or headset with microphone. At the same time, the rapid pace of presentation without instant playback can lead to cognitive overload, since participants at all times will be holding and processing information in their short term and long term memory respectively.
Although Skype video conferencing tool has several disadvantages, its advantages outweighs its disadvantages; as a result, it can be incorporated parallel to a LMS in the school system where instructors can meet students and deal with them on a one-to-one basis or in small groups to clear up a point, discuss a topic, etc. Feedback is spontaneous because the video conference happens in real time. “Through interactions, students are able to construct their own knowledge, develop schemas, and participate in their own personal meaning making. They are active participants in the learning process.” Dawley, L. (2007) p. 125 - 126.
The communication tool I used to conduct the chat session was Skype.
Skype is a software application that allows users to make voice and video call and chats over the internet. Skype has also become popular for its additional features which include instant messaging, file transfer, and video conferencing.
The video conferencing aspect of Skype was used as the teaching tool which brought five group members from across the globe to discuss pertinent issues related to blogs and other Web 2.0 tools which were read and discovered for module #3 assignments. At least one person from the group must have a Skype premium account for my team to participate in the conference. Matt volunteered to sign up for a seven day trial version of Skype.
I observed the tips suggested by Dr. Dove and brought them with me to the chat session. They were very helpful because they allow me to facilitate the chat flawlessly. I was able to monitor the time limit of each presenter very effectively and there was a smooth transition from one speaker to another. I felt empowered being the facilitator and it was a great accomplishment for me being placed in a managerial role where I was able to schedule and coordinate the conference. The chat session in the conference occurred in real time which created a community of learning and interacting with group members. We met face-to-face through the use of videos where visual cues were evident especially when a point was being emphasized by one of the group members. We were able to see the head shakes, the gestures, the smiles, the grins, etc. all displayed by each group member. This sort of setting provided a sense of connectedness with each other and we were able to collaborate on most points discussed during the session.
On the other hand, there are some negative things about the Skype being an effective video conference chat tool, one has to have broadband Internet service to make the connection before he/ she can be invited to the conference. When you are connected to Skype, you can be easily be disconnected due to narrow bandwidth or slow Internet connections. For example, I was ‘bumped’ during the chat session a couple of times and had was to be reconnected as quickly as possible because I did not want to miss out on any point being discussed. At one point I had was to reboot my PC before I could get reconnected.
Additionally, problems can arise when people come from different time zones resulting in setting a suitable conference time that is satisfactory for everyone. Other problems or drawbacks included, but are not limited to the need of participants to have prior training before joining the conference, the need to have a working webcam and or headset with microphone. At the same time, the rapid pace of presentation without instant playback can lead to cognitive overload, since participants at all times will be holding and processing information in their short term and long term memory respectively.
Although Skype video conferencing tool has several disadvantages, its advantages outweighs its disadvantages; as a result, it can be incorporated parallel to a LMS in the school system where instructors can meet students and deal with them on a one-to-one basis or in small groups to clear up a point, discuss a topic, etc. Feedback is spontaneous because the video conference happens in real time. “Through interactions, students are able to construct their own knowledge, develop schemas, and participate in their own personal meaning making. They are active participants in the learning process.” Dawley, L. (2007) p. 125 - 126.
Monday 26 September 2011
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