Responses to Video Presentations

I responded to my classmates' video presentations:


Cora Blades
Cathy Marziali
Tawana Stiff
Kaija Spencer
Rachel Sally
Laura Lee

Video Presentation for a Professional Distance Education Conference

Module 5 Comments to Classmates

Comments to classmates:


Cora Blades


Christopher Cannon

Moving Toward Dynamic Technologies

 STATIC                                             DYNAMIC  
 1      2      3      4      5     6     7     8     9     10
   
Before taking the Principles of Distance Education class, I would say that I was about a 4 on the STATIC-DYNAMIC CONTINUUM.  I have been working with educational technology for a long time, and I would have said that I thought this was good.  After having taken this class, I am about an 8.5.  I am still stuck to STATIC a little bit, but I am seeing the importance of providing and using DYNAMIC tools for the students to learn. I have also found that I must be knowledgeable and skilled at using any technology tool that I bring into my curriculum, and the students must also be adept at learning online and at a distance.

Module 4: Comments to Classmates

Comments to classmates:


Cora Blades


Cathy Marziali

Module 4: Engaging Learners with New Strategies and Tools

Engaging Learners with New Strategies and Tools

How can a teacher bring the technological tools learners are using outside the classroom into the educational process, and which tools and strategies are best for this purpose?  A piece of technology that most students bring into the classroom is their cell phone.  Currently, this piece of technology is generally required to be turned off, hidden away, and forcefully ignored.  Does this have to be the case?   

Some strategies that teachers can use to implement cell phone technology in the classroom could be:

Provide an authentic collaboration lesson where the students divide into groups to solve a real world problem such as the clearing of a forest to build a mall.  Students can use their cell phones to go to the site and create geographical markers of where all the trees are overlaid with where the proposed mall would be located.  They could call the local town hall and their city representatives to find out more information and speak with those who are at the forefront of this issue.  The students can text their findings to each other, create video blogs made with the use of their smart phones.  The final project can be a videoconference with a local councilperson or researcher to present their findings and collaboratively reflect with each other to brainstorm more ideas.

References:

Anderson, T. (Ed.). (2008). The theory and practice of online learning (2nd ed.). Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press Durrington, V. A., Berryhill, A., & Swafford, J. (2006). Strategies for enhancing student interactivity in an online environment. College Teaching, 54(1), 190−193. Siemens, G. (2008, January). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles for educators and designers. ITForum.

Module 3: Feedback to the Learning Community

Feedback given to Cora Blades:


Blog
http://corablades.blogspot.com/2011/10/assessing-collaborative-efforts.html?showComment=1318718768210#c5021260817995982345


Story Board
http://corablades.blogspot.com/2011/10/video-presentation-storyboard.html?showComment=1318719011684#c4266534860060346645


Feedback given to Christopher Cannon:


Blog
http://christophercannon.blogspot.com/2011/10/assessing-collaborative-efforts.html?showComment=1318719237121#c197730744029822776


Story Board
http://christophercannon.blogspot.com/2011/10/storyboard-for-video-presentation.html?showComment=1318719462508#c251620750562938399

Module 3: Assessing Collaborative Efforts

George Siemens states that assessment in a collaborative environment can be very difficult because the students share a score, and the grade may not reflect any individual’s performance.  There cannot be the assumption that you can put people together to work on a task, and they will automatically become a team and know how to work together (Hurst & Thomas, 2008, p. 468).  It is important to make participants feel comfortable with, and trusting of, the online environment early in the process (p. 447).  In a group, the individuals each bring in their own expertise, strengths, and weaknesses – just like in the “real world”.  For an instructor to ensure a “fair and equitable assessment” of learning, then the objectives and rubric for the project need to be clear and understandable by all students.  The students also need to have all of the information and skills necessary to complete the tasks at hand.  The instructor also needs to place students together in groups who can meet at common times, are able to communicate with each other, and have the technological skills to complete the tasks.

George Siemens says that there is a growing emphasis of doing things in groups, learning is becoming collaborative in nature, and the individualistic model of education does not reflect society and the networked age we live in today.  If a student does not want to work in a collaborative environment, than supports within the distance education school should be used to intervene.  This can include academic support, one-on-one communication with the instructor, or other resources at the school.  If this is an isolated situation, then I don’t think that the learning objectives, rubric, or assignment should be modified.  An online group discussion or arbitration may be necessary.  If this is an ongoing issue within a certain class, then the curriculum and/or projects should be revisited and possibly modified.  The instructor also can modify the lesson plans and/or project to make it more accessible to different learning styles, but the learning objectives and desired outcomes should be the same for all students.

References:

Hurst, D., & Thomas, J. (2008). Developing team skills and accomplishing team projects online. In T. Anderson (Ed.), The theory and practice of online learning (2nd ed., pp. 441–472). Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press.

Laureate Education, Inc. (2008). Assessment of collaborative learning. Baltimore: MD, Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (2008). Learning Communities. Baltimore: MD, Author.

Module 3: Storyboard for Video Presentation

Introduction/Overview (1 minute)	The introduction/overview will provide an effective and specific summary detailing the specifics on the topic of social presence in a distance-learning program. Title Slide:  Social Presence in Distance Learning Definition of Social Presence:  The ability of a learner to have a real relationship with other members of his/her learning community despite barriers of time and distance. We are Social Beings – Learning is Social – Imagine being the only student in a class, you only hear your footsteps in the halls, the lecture hall is empty, you sit by yourself in the classroom, you sit alone in the lunchroom, the library is empty, there is nobody there to talk about things that you don’t understand, there is nobody there to celebrate your successes with you. Examples of Social Presence:  Learning stories, digital storytelling, regular participation in discussion forums, cyber cafes, usage of first names, alternative communication tools (Twitter, etc.), synchronous video enabled chats, etc.
Research (1 minute)	Presentation of research and data supporting use of social presence in a distance-learning program. Present 6 pieces of research – highlights, key findings, etc.
Critical Analysis (1 minute)	Critically analyze and assess the impact of one social trend on educational technology, and the influence of educational technology on one social trend based on solid research support. The educational technology that I will focus on is Ning.
Best Practices (1 minute)	Present best practices of social presence by using specific examples of how I use it in my classroom (Ning and Edmodo).  This will show exemplary application of content to authentic situations with relevant and appropriate conclusions based on literature.
Conclusion (1 minute)	Conclusion will leave the audience with a question that stimulates thought about the topic of social presence.

Reflection on Learning Community Blogs

Reflection on blog of Cora Blades:


I too believe that communication is an essential part of a distance learning program, but I remember the first online courses that I took had minimal communication. This must have been over 10 years ago when we were just getting used to e-mail and going to websites. I am impressed that you contact your parents by e-mail! Most of the my students' parents don't speak English or even know how to use a computer. I can imagine a day when we can send an e-mail in English, and then it gets automatically translated into whatever language is used for the destination.

By the way, I have 1-to-1 computers for all of the students in my classroom. Yes, my students log in to their Ning accounts everyday and write in the e-journals. I have found that this works best as an everyday activity to get the students accustomed to being part of an everyday "conversation".




Reflection on blog of Christopher Cannon:


I am excited to hear that you use online technologies in your elementary school. I believe that it is so important to get our young minds accustomed to technology at a very early age. I just read a news article about ipads being used in kindergarten (Clcik HERE for the story and video)

I wish I had this technology when I was little. By the way, my 10 year old niece helps me out with my smartphone when I can't figure something out!

Elements of Distance Education Diffusion

George Siemens (2008) in the Future of Distance Education says that even people who thought that face-to-face communication was primary have found meaningful relationships using online media.  The notion of geographical separation is not that important in distance learning.  Online communication has created a more effective learning experience in distance learning and has helped create a unique identity compared to that found in face-to-face courses.

Communication has evolved over the past 100 years.  When I was young, if you wanted to talk to someone that was not standing next to you, a telephone was the only way to do it.

If you wanted to send a letter or note to someone, then you had to put a letter in the mail.

Communication in our schools has changed, but a traditional classroom still has teachers standing in the front of the classroom giving lessons.  Students are still sitting at desks doing their work with pencils and paper.  They are still reading paper bound books.  Parents are still being called on the telephone by their children’s teacher.  Grades are printed out on paper and mailed home or given out at school during open house.

Communication has evolved in the digitally connected classroom.  This includes classes that are offered online, as part of a hybrid system, or in a traditional classroom with online technology-infused learning. In this modern system, online learning systems have evolved and there are all-in-one web-based applications that allow students, teachers, and parents to communicate 100% in a digitally enhanced environment.  I use two such applications in my classroom - Ning and Edmodo.

NING

EDMODO

Ning is a private social networking site where I can communicate with all of my students, and they can communicate with each other.  Every day, my students participate in a threaded discussion where they discuss a topic and can respond to their peers' contributions.  This sort of communication could never happen in a non-digitally enhanced traditional classroom.  The students can also ask questions, review the curriculum, see the daily agenda, and read RSS feeds on the day's technology news.

Edmodo is a FREE on-line grading system where my students can submit their work, see their grade in real time, ask questions about assignments, and see what's due and what's been turned in.  Parents also get a log-in code where they can view their student's progress at any time.

I could never have provided this rich of a curriculum in a traditional classroom.  Without this technology, my communication with my students was extremely minimal and there were very few interactions among my students.  Now, I know what is going on in my classroom at all times and my students are connected in a way that is so much more exciting and full of learning.  I can't wait to find out what tomorrow's technology will bring!

Reference:

Laureate Education, Inc. (2008). The Future of Distance Education. Baltimore: Author.

Module 1 Blog: The Next Generation of Distance Education

Simonson (2008) says that formal education that is institutionally based where the learners are separated and technology is used to link the learner and the education is not self-study at a distance.  Our educational system is quickly transforming to a point where over six million students are learning from a distance.  Distance education is going to dramatically increase in the near future, and the Diffusion of innovation theory shows that when a new idea is proposed it needs to be promoted and then reaches the point of critical mass and needs to be supported, widely adopted, accepted, and respected.  If we look at past patterns, we can expect distance education to grow, but it will not replace traditional schools.  Distance education will be incorporated into most learning environments (Simonson, 2008).

Simonson (2000) discusses how equivalency theory functions within distance education, and emphasizes that instructors must create equivalent, rather than identical, learning experiences. There is a need to create equivalent learning environments, rather than identical, learning experiences.  In the early adoption of distance learning, there were many videotaped lectures that would then be presented to audiences off location.  This was an attempt to create an equal experience, but not an equivalent one.

In higher education, colleges and universities see distance education as a way of sustaining growth and could mean the difference between a budgetary surplus and a loss.  It has an importance much greater than the enrollment figures may suggest (Moller, Foshay, & Huett, 2008b, p. 66).  The current business climate places a premium on speed – speed of development, delivery, and dissemination is critical even at some sacrifice (Moller, Foshay, & Huett, 200a, p. 73).  Within distance education, and in traditional education, the most effective strategy is the one learners actually use.  On-line instruction holds the promise of increasing communication among learners.  Significant learning often occurs as the results of learner-to-learner communication (p. 74).  In the K-12 system of education, the schools attempt to address previously unmet needs.  State governments typically establish virtual k-12 schools directly or provide funding to traditional schools to create their own virtual programs (Huett, Molle, Foshay, & Coleman, 2008, p. 63).  Like classroom schooling, virtual schooling must address student related issues  including feeling isolated and concerns about social development (p. 64).  The next generation of distance education will have gone through many different challenges such as politics, economics, and social progress.  Just like our human race has changed and transformed with time, so too shall distance education.

References:

Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W. & Coleman, C. (2008, September/October). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the Web (Part 3: K12). TechTrends, 52(5), 63–67.Use the Academic Search Premier database, and search using the article's title.

Laureate Education, Inc. (2008). Principles of Distance Education. Baltimore: Author.

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008a, May/June). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the Web (Part 1: Training and Development). TechTrends, 52(3), 70–75. Use the Academic Search Premier database, and search using the article's title.

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008b, July/August). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the Web (Part 2: Higher Education). TechTrends, 52(4), 66–70. Use the Academic Search Premier database, and search using the article's title.

Simonson, M. (2000). Making decisions: The use of electronic technology in online classes. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 84, 29–34. Use the Academic Search Premier database, and search using the article's title.