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 :)

Wk 9 - 6105

I learned this week that Facebook actually has educational value.

I heard from a bishop in the LDS church that the number 1 reason why couples were getting divorced was because of Facebook. Being a newly wed, I wanted nothing to do with it, but I created an account to go along with the presentation this week and am actually glad I did. I have found long lost friends from high school and college and get to keep in touch with my family that is out of state. It will be important that I use facebook appropriately and not let it get in the way of spending time with my husband.

I don't think my district has any plans of allowing facebook to be accessed at my school any time soon, but the presentation showed how social networking sites can be of educational value. I kind of see it like the discussion boards we have with blackboard. The discussion boards have been a great resource throughout this degree, so it could be very effective in a classroom situation rather it be F2F or online.

Wk 8 - 6105

What I've been learning about this week (not particularly in this class) is that change is coming. Technology is here to stay and we, as teachers, need to adapt to the changing world of education. That is why I think this course is so beneficial. We get to spend 8 weeks learning about technologies and how to implement them into the classroom or in a distance education setting.

This week we learned about Windows Movie Maker and Audacity. Both great tools to use in the classroom, not to mention free, which is a word all educators love to hear. I wrote a lesson plan a few weeks ago that had the students creating a movie. I didn't know quite how I was going to implement it because I was not aware of Windows Movie Maker. Now I am definitely going to use this lesson plan next year.

Wk 8 - 6105

In our readings this week I read a research article done by Jung in 2005. Summing it up very briefly they compared the cost-effectiveness of online teacher training to face-to-face instruction. They found that the online teacher training was more cost effective than face-to-face instruction. However, the face-to-face instruction was more effective. They gave a couple of reasons for this. The one that stood out to me was "... the absences of online pedagogies" (Jung, 2005, p. 145). "This supports the results of previous studies in which instructional design, rather than technology itself, has been found to be a key factor in making differences in learning" (Jung 2005, p.145). These two phrases really jumped off the page for me. We, as teachers, need to be aware that what may work fabulously in the classroom probably won't have the same effectiveness in an online setting. As we prepare online courses, we need to be educated ourselves in online pedagogies and best practices for the online classroom to facilitate student learning and not solely rely on what works in a face-to-face environment.

Wk 7 - 6105

The presentation I watched this week was on PowerPoint. I thought I knew all I needed to know about PowerPoint, but Marc did an excellent job of showing the many capabilities of the tool. The presentation made me think of all the PowerPoint's that I have created in the past. I started out really well making them thought provoking and all, but recently I have become lazy and just put bullet points up. It reminded me that I need to capture the attention of my students and keep them engaged. I need to do a better job. Looks like I'll be revamping quite a few of my PowerPoint's to make them more student friendly.