Static vs. Dynamic

Reflection

            Static versus dynamic mapping is a way to inform teachers about what level of content, communication, and collaboration that should be part of the instructional process in an online environment.  The objective of this is to benefit all learners.  Comparing technologies and making sure that course designs meet the university standards, help develop integrated content for learners, identify teachers’ developmental needs, and provides communication among all stakeholders.  Another helpful thing is that these visual representations help to reveal where in the spectrum personal experience may need to be developed.  I find myself pushing into dynamic technologies.  Static technology still has foundational uses and I cannot just abandon some of those technologies.  I found this visual concept map that elaborates my understanding of static versus dynamic technologies.

Static and dynamic technologies concept map: http://www.slideshare.net/dabsatz/static-and-dynamic-technologies-concept-map

Engaging learners

Graphic Organizer
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BzCwQsmggX80M2x1OC1ESzFTc2M/edit

Engaging Learners

It is important thatstudents learn how to apply academic skills to all areas of learning andcurriculum. Managing content, communication, and collaboration gives studentsthe opportunity to learn new skills through the use of technology and developinteractions to establish effective environment that can incorporateorganizational skills and to create meaningful presentation about the academicsubject.  Integrating learning standardswith both technology and presence makes sense as it allows students toinvestigate and present ideas at a much deeper level of learning.  Both Blogs and WIKIS allow users to discuss,share, and edit ideas; therefore these innovations can fit into more than onecategory. 

Each further examplerevealed how technology can motivate students through simulation and other innovativesoftware that further enhances the learning experience in an online course.  Discussion threads, emails, chat, andmessenger all allow for a communication channel connecting to a learningenvironment.  I could not rule out theimportance of teacher directed content. There is still a need to deliver content whether through podcast or YouTube;there is still some content student’s need direction on straight from theexpert.

The word collaboration impliesinvolvement. I believe this type of teaching goes beyond the learning that onlyrequires memorization. Indeed, content and communication of subject pushesstudents toward more forceful thinking and enables them to make the applicationof knowledge feasible. Another strategy for encouraging learner-to-learnerinteractions is the use of student-moderated discussions using coursediscussion threads. The instructor may provide the topics for the discussionsor students may develop their own course-related topics (Durrington, 2006).  It is also beneficial for the teacher as wellsince the endeavor requires more collaboration among professional to develop asuccessful building block. For example, in the K12 classroom integratingsubjects such as literature and history, in upper elementary grades, influencesstudents to write out of a social context. The literature can influence theirwork in that it brings historical characters to life when they write abouthistorical characters.

“But when they engagewith subject matter, the key concepts of a discipline are transparentlyreflected through the curatorial actions of the teacher.”  (Siemens, 2007, pg.17)

This makes theirunderstanding more comprehensive, more emotional, and alive. What isfascinating about this process is the way students can apply knowledge withinthe context of their personal lives. Students, in this manner, can seeconnections and relevance between subjects to provide a range of perspectivesin their knowledge. Another important aspect of engagement in a distancelearning environment is the side effect of cooperation that is required forcollaboration to be effective. This type of dynamic learning invites dialoguebetween instructors and students about learned facts, shared ideas, and inquiryto develop an environment that promotes creativity and collaboration.

References

Durrington,V. A., Berryhill, A., & Swafford, J. (2006). STRATEGIES FOR ENHANCINGSTUDENT INTERACTIVITY IN AN ONLINE ENVIRONMENT. College Teaching, 54(1), 190-193.

Siemens,G. (2008, January). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles foreducators and designers. ITForum.

 

I Replied to K. Gallagher and E. Brinson BLOGS

Assessing Collaborative Efforts

How should participation in a collaborative learning community be assessed? How do the varying levels of skill and knowledge students bring to a course affect the instructor's "fair and equitable assessment" of learning?

MAKING CONNECTIONS:UNDERSTANDING

Professional development webcast are available within the university resources could help form a collaborative learning community.  Making sure that the course design is well organized and group expectations are balanced as well as clear. Creating a schedule to pace the deliverables helps the students stay on track and encourages organization.  Differentiated instruction: this can be a class or workshop for teachers to be flexible teaching style and adjusting the curriculum to learners and not expect the students to adjust to the curriculum. “Learning objects are operationally defined in this study as interactive web-based tools that support the learning of specific concepts by enhancing, amplifying, and/or guiding the cognitive processes of learners.” (Kay & Knaack, 2009).  Differentiated Instruction is a teaching theory where instructional approaches should vary and be adapted in relation to individual and diverse students in classrooms.  It can be difficult in distance education to determine an approach to meet the needs of all learners.  Building group norms initially will help give students stability.    For students who tend to work in isolation, it would be preferable provide deliverables that are not group tasks.

If a student does not want to network or collaborate in a learning community for an online course, what should the other members of the learning community do? What role should the instructor play? What impact would this have on his or her assessment plan?

The instructor’s role is the facilitator and it is the responsibility of the students to hold each other accountable.  If a student is placed in a group and expresses their unwillingness to participate, the members should come together to discuss and establish roles.  Sometimes it is the unknown that causes one to shy away from collaborative groups.  Part of the culminating collaboration deliverable for assessment, students should complete a peer evaluation based on the instructor’s creation.

References

Heick, T. (2012, MAY 10). How to get students to participate in online discussions… [Blog post]. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/slippery-notion-assessing-understanding-terry-heick

Kay, R., & Knaack, L. (2009). Assessing learning, quality and engagement in learning objects: the Learning Object Evaluation Scale for Students (LOES-S). Educational Technology, Research and Development, 57(2), 147-168.

Video Story Board: Online Learner Assessments

My Storyboard
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BzCwQsmggX80bDFQaDg1LUEwY1E/edit


This is a rough draft of my video storyboard as described in the EDUC 7102 course guidelines.  Thank you for your input!

Elements of Distance Education Diffusion

How has this element evolved?

            Collaboration influenced instruction in online courses is bound to bring in those extra hands on approach.  Lessons can be tiered by interest, ability, and learning style; even virtual field trips can bring the content to life for diverse learners.  This gives them an opportunity to participate in the learning process without feeling like their needs are causing them to be lagging.  The idea of collaboration strategies implies involvement. This type of teaching strategy goes beyond the learning that only requires memorization. Indeed, instructional collaboration pushes students toward more forceful thinking and enables them to make the application of knowledge feasible. It is also beneficial for the instructor as well since the endeavor requires more collaboration among professional to develop a successful building blocks of learning.  "While certain researchers show that some students are (Anderson, 2005; Caspi & Gorki, 2006), others argue that distance education students are attached to the individual freedom and flexibility that the self-paced model affords" (Poellhuber & Anderson, 2011).

What online tools are available today to facilitate these interactions among learners?
Making A Connection: Wikis

            The course design utilizes many tools to promote collaboration.  The Blackboard discussion threads offers communication of ideas and peer feedback.  Development of Wikis is another useful collaboration tool that allows students and instructors to share their products.  I have recently learned how create a Wiki space by watching the video link above.  Finally, Social Media as a communication tool provides students with a connection that can cross the barrier of time. "Social software and web conferencing tools offer new interaction affordances as well as new forms of collaboration" (Poellhuber & Anderson, 2011).

References

Poellhuber, B., & Anderson, T. (2011). Distance Students' Readiness for Social Media and Collaboration. International Review Of Research In Open & Distance Learning, 12(6), 102-125.

Common Crafts. (2012).Wikis in Plain English. Retrieved on September 26, 2012 from http://www.commoncraft.com/video/wikis

Note to Dr. Powell: Replied to A Carpenter's blog & K Gallagher's blog (this reply is in our group blog section within our course)

Implications: Review of three articles

Distance education is important to the mobility of students, no matter the age.  As a teacher in the classroom, I look for ways to streamline processes like data collections, curriculum building, and classroom management.  The motivating factors for corporate eLearning are predominantly economic (Moller, Foshay, and Huett, 2008).

Three articles discuss barriers and eventually the need to design distance education to meet the needs of the next generation.  The ability to access courses, tasks, and communicate with professional in the field will continue to develop.  It is always better to stay ahead of curve, in manner of speaking, where distance education is concerned.  Educational technology and distance education pull together learning strategies.  Putting this tool in the hands of the teacher is easy, but it is the implementation the differs from school to school.  Online high schools are often state-centered initiatives established to expand course offerings and meet the needs of certain student populations (Huett, Moller, Foshay, & Coleman, 2008). 

Considering all of factors that compile to design an effective course, it really is no different from what a traditional classroom teacher does in his or her lesson planning.  There must fidelity from the instructor and rigorous outcomes for all learners.  Fidelity from the instructor can be best described as how the learning environment can be facilitated.

Making A Connection: Julie Cornin-Gilmore - Creating an Online Course That Captures a Students Attention

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.

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008, 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.

Simonson, M. (2000). Making decisions: The use of electronic technology in online classrooms. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 84, 29–34.

Cornin-Gilmore, J. (2010). Blog. Retrieved on September 26, 2012 from http://usdla-org.blogspot.com/2010/07/creating-online-course-that-captures.html.