Wk 12 - 6105

Well, this is my final post for this course. It has been nice to keep a log of my personal thoughts and learning experiences that I have had in this course. It really has made me reflect on my learning.

Distance Education Evaluation
I've usually viewed DE from a student perspective, so when it came time to review on how to evaluate the effectiveness of distance education all I could think of was the end of course evaluations we do. But it goes a lot deeper than that. I also see the need for more formal evaluations in DE is perhaps more critical than in a f2f environment because you don't get the regular feedback (body language/facial expressions) to adjust your teaching. In teaching math, I rely heavily on facial expressions to determine student understanding.

It was also a good reminder of what I should be doing in my f2f classes. Sometimes I get a little lazy and don't want to do a class end evaluation.

In one of my other classes this semester I created an educational website. I also have to do some kind of usability testing. I used a Google Form for this and it worked out quite nice. This could be one way to have formal evaluations for a DE class. I would prefer this over the postcard idea. (I think the 3rd article was a bit dated)

To wrap things up, I have gained vast amounts of knowledge about the plethora of resources available if I ever get the opportunity to teach a DE class. I hope that if this happens in the future, I will be able to fully utilize what I have learned and properly implement the knowledge I have gained into the DE classroom.

Adios

Wk 12 - 6105

Who knew that iTunes had so much to offer. Especially free!!! I surely didn't. It is so great that the restrictive bounds that have been set on education are being crossed and knowledge is being freely shared over the Internet. Creative Commons is aiding in this endeavor. It is truly a remarkable day we are living in.

One note on last weeks accessibility. I just did a simulation for another class on how it would be to be blind and have to navigate the Web using a screen reader. The simulation had 3 relatively easy questions for me to find the answers to... I couldn't do it. I had to cheat. I hope I can be more conscientious when creating learning modules/activities/websites/etc online to be more accessible to ALL that may use my products.

Wk 11 - 6105

So I've always been an Internet Explorer (IE) person. Mostly because that is what came installed on my computer, it is what my dad used his computer, and that is what my work used. Then last summer for my internet development class Doug wanted us to use Firefox. I actually prefer Firefox over IE. Then this week I was introduced to Google Chrome. I think I am switching again. I just love how using the Internet just keeps getting better and better.

I also learned about wiki tools. I still don't feel comfortable with using that in my classroom because I don't trust my students. I am responsible for everything that is posted and teenagers can be very mean. I would hate for something inappropriate to be published that hurt another student. I just don't want to take that risk. Perhaps if I move to the college level I will incorporate wiki's.

Wk 11 - 6105

I read an article about accessibility of the internet for people with disabilities (PWD) and boy did it hit me hard. I can't believe that I have never thought of the frustration it might cause somebody trying the surf the internet with out a mouse, or accessing a website to find you can't access the links. I have been around PWD my entire life and thought I was pretty sensitive to their needs, but I completely missed the boat when it came to the internet. I am creating a website for one of my other classes and it looks like I have to go back and reconfigure some things. It is great when you learn something in one class that applies to another class.

Wk 10 - 6105

I read a very interesting article on characteristics of the distance ed learner. The distance learner still needs to be intrinsically motivated and have a internal locus of control, the population of learners is becoming younger and more techno-savvy. Another interesting characteristic of the online learner is they should possess great interpersonal and communication skills, especially in typing. I had to chuckle at that characteristic because I have neither. I have such a hard time getting the thoughts out of my head and on to paper. Interestingly enough, I do a much better job verbalizing my thoughts. You would think that it would be the same, but it's not. Last semester I had a 25 page paper I had to write. The instructor gave us many questions to answer. When I was struggling, my husband would come over and read the question aloud to me and I could usually answer him immediately. Then he would say, "K, now type that." I don't know why but that made a HUGE difference.

The article also covered what online instructors need to do to meet the educational needs of the changing online learner. More inquiry-based learning such as WebQuests and social interaction through dialogue and conversations. There have been many times in this class where I have read the same article as someone else, but they picked up on something I totally missed. It has truly deepened my learning and understanding of the material.

Great read and very interesting article for anyone that plans on being an online learner or teaching an online course.

Here is the reference:

Dabbagh, N. (2007). The online learner: Characteristics and pedagogical implications. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 7(3), 217- 226.

Accessed 7/20/2010 at http://www.citejournal.org/articles/v7i3general1.pdf

Wk 10 - 6105

I learned this week about Jing which is great because in another class I have to create a lesson plan with screen shots. Very convenient. Screen shots are great for some things, but not all and Jing only allows you to create 5 min videos. For most topics I teach a five minute video will not suffice.

I also learned about Moodle. Now that is something great for distance ed. Especially because it is free! I wish the presenter would have spent more time describing what each activity did instead of spending so much time on the lego example. Show me how to use it, not just what it can be used for. I have had a limited amount of interaction with Moodle, but in no way proficient. I know it will support an entire course very similar to Blackboard.

Wk 9 - 6105

I read an article this week about how distance ed is just as effective as face to face learning. . . on average. They did find that mathematics (and other sciences) are more effective in a face to face environment. I couldn't agree more. I can not begin to express the need for interaction between teacher and student in a mathematics course. Especially if you struggle. I know math does not come naturally to many people.

I have been very successful in many online courses, but I always knew I needed math face to face. The article confirmed my notion that math is better in person. Hopefully that means my job is secure :)