- The most important thing I learned during Module X was...
- This learning will benefit me as an online facilitator by...
- Other reflective thoughts…
Module 8
- Reflect on your overall learning experience within the course.
- Where does your progression into online facilitation (or as an online facilitator) go from here?
- Other final thoughts…
The most intriguing thing I learned in this course was… getting organized is (at least) 70 percent of the battle. Design, assessment and facilitation seem to be the feet of the tripod for Online Teaching. After completing the first course, EDUC 760, I did not feel qualified to teach online and I do not understand why the State of Wisconsin would consider that one class adequate preparation. I enjoyed sorting out how this course fit with the others and continuing to whittle away at the 70 percent of a class that I will one day teach.
The second most intriguing think I learned in this course was… facilitation is not scary. We have been encouraged to ask leading questions since the first course. Newer techniques (changes in the subject line and modifying fonts as a visual cue for "voice") were not hard to implement, but sometimes it was difficult to remember to follow through with them.
I will use this newfound knowledge as an online facilitator by… taking a new look at the Grade Two Library website I created as a blended learning opportunity. This has been a fantastic practice vehicle and a very useful website even in my face to face teaching. Everything I need for the "meat" of my second grade library lessons is all in one spot. Should I ever need to defend even the half time librarian position at the ELC/PC, I believe the things I've learned in this course and others from the certificate program will be helpful in proving my case.
Where does your progression into online facilitation (or as an online facilitator) go from here?
After reading Dennis' comments to others and talking with my family, I have decided to register for a fall practicum experience. I will be able to enjoy my yard and garden and the extended time off will allow for visits to Idaho to see my parents. I believe a rest will do me good in many ways. Dennis also suggested taking the time to work on my portfolio and provided links to the guidelines. I will do so as well as continue to work on my Grade Two Library content.
If an online teaching position for which I feel qualified comes up, I will apply with confidence. For the moment, I am looking at the ALA joblist website daily. More and more positions are listed that might be related to Online Teaching. At this writing, of the ten most recent postings, there are these titles: digital communications librarian, integrated technologies librarian, electronic resources acquisitions librarian, instructional librarian, metadata and discovery services librarian, information commons & e-learning librarian, and learning services librarian.
Other final thoughts... replies to direct questions.
(Mod 3) Regarding the lost participation points due to our family emergency - I think my grade will be okay; we do not need to revisit this.
(Mod 5) Did you share your own experience with the gone for 10 days scenario? No, I did not. I considered it, but when I read the initial scenario in the assignment I was shocked that anyone would ask such a silly question. Then I realized that I had indeed asked the very same silly question. Rather than risk the embarrassment, I chose to stay quiet. It would have been a good teachable moment using a real life experience, and I see that now.
(Mod 6) I did ask Dennis about the practicum as you no doubt noted in subsequent reflections. He is always so helpful! I also talked with my family and we decided fall would be the better choice. I am looking forward to the rest and to the practicum experience.
(Mod 7) Of course you may borrow my words and modify them to fit your needs. I borrowed them from someone else! I think the original is good, but I think your modified version is terrific for getting the point across in this class. I did find the discussions (especially with my small group) were "tough sledding" at times. I could have sworn Dennis drummed it into us to always ask questions, extending the conversation and hopefully bringing deeper thinking and learning. A number of my classmates, and my small groupmates in particular, chose only to reply. This politely, but effectively ended the conversation.
Activities
Online Resources for Course Management
Course Management
Portfolio revision
Readings
Chapter 2: The Past, Present and Future: Development of Online Learning
Chapter 13: Troubleshooting
Chapter 14: Employment in Online Teaching
Time Management Tips for Online Teachers - by Kay Lehmann
Resources for Online Teaching from NEA - The National Education Association offers these resources.
Articles of the Month - from University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Distance Learning Certificate Program. Excellent list of articles about online teaching and learning!
Faculty and Teaching - The Distance Education Clearinghouse at University of Madison is an excellent resource. This link goes directly to articles about teaching and learning however the whole site should be explored.
Distance Education at a Glance - Created for professors of engineering at the University of Idaho. Focus in particular on Guide # 2 Teaching Strategies for Teaching at a Distance.
Module 7
- The most important/interesting/challenging thing I learned in Module 7 is...
- Describe or analyze the experience of both getting and giving peer feedback, and how that informs your methods of facilitation...
- Other reflective thoughts…
The most intriguing thing I learned in Mod 7 was… synchronous chat may have a place in an online class, if managed correctly. It was fun and high-energy, but my group mates and I decided it would be better suited for communication more toward the middle or end of a course. We also felt it would work best with small groups. Even among the five of us, communication sometimes became muddled. It was also very difficult to find a common time to meet online.
The second most intriguing think I learned in Mod 7 was… EASy lesson revision is a misnomer. It is a good nemonic, but not a proper descriptor. The assignment did, however, indicate that moving a class online is not a trivial task, but one that takes a great deal of thought and preparation.
I will use this newfound knowledge as an online facilitator by… looking at my current and future lessons in a new light. I will work toward those EASy levels, and look for ways to create f2f lessons that more readily cross over into the online classroom.
Describe or analyze the experience of both getting and giving peer feedback, and how that informs your methods of facilitation… depending on the type of feedback from peers, it makes the job of facilitating more or less difficult. A common maxim is "don't just talk, say something!" and it holds in online discussion as much as anywhere. A step further is to extend the conversation through questions. The discussion board comes to a grinding (and very awkward feeling) halt when participants forget to ask questions of their classmates. This makes the job of facilitator more challenging because it becomes the facilitators job to force the extensions into the conversation or to somehow remind students of their obligation to do this themselves. The better the interaction among peers, the better the conversation; the better the conversation, the better overall experience for the students and the facilitator and the deeper the learning for everyone.
The Collison (etc.) article on critical thinking strategies was helpful when considering this. As promised, it was long, but very much worth reading. As feedback through discussion goes along, it is good to be aware of these facilitator practices: sharpening strategies and digging deeper strategies.
Impact/Other reflective thoughts… a fall practicum will allow for visits to Idaho to see my parents. Dennis also suggested taking the time to work on my portfolio and provided links to the guidelines. Although it doesn't seem like it at the moment, spring will be here soon and it will be time to enjoy the yard and garden again.
Activities
Small groups - Darlene, practice facilitator
Synchronous chat
EASy lesson revision
Readings
Chapter 7: Basics of Course Design
Chapter 8: Learning Activity Design Assessment and Assignments
Chapter 7 - "Critical Thinking Strategies" from Facilitating Online Learning: Effective Strategies for Moderators by George Collison, Bonnie Elbaum, Sarah Haavind, and Robert Tinker (Atwood Publishing: Madison, WI, 2000).
McKenzie's "Questioning Toolkit"
Defining Critical Thinking - A detailed definition of critical thinking from the Foundation for Critical Thinking
Applying Assessment Strategies in Psychology - Using the New Bloom's Taxonomy to Design Meaningful Learning Assessments by Kevin Smythe & Jane Halonen
Module 6
- The most important thing I learned during Module X was...
- This learning will benefit me as an online facilitator by...
- When you read the Time Management Tips for Online Teaching, what were the two most important tips, for your purposes, on the list? In other words, what made you say, "Aha!" and why?
- Other reflective thoughts...
The most intriguing thing I learned in Mod 6 was… there was no need to be nervous about facilitating. My group really came through with some good comments, questions, and dialogue. I tried for a bibliography using Replies Only, and I asked one participant to repost a new, single question from her reply to another student. Likely, I should have asked for the repost earlier in the week as I do not think it will get much attention at this point.
The second most intriguing think I learned in Mod 6 was… Google is my friend. I struggled and struggled to embed the tip sheet .pdf file onto the Google site. On two different days, I fought with it and Googled for help and finally, finally discovered the main problem was that the file I was trying to embed had to be made Public so that I could get the URL for it. I had Googled instructions galore and at last searched for help to find the URL. After that, it was a matter of minutes before the PDF was displayed on the Tip Sheet page.
I will use this newfound knowledge as an online facilitator by… keeping a printout of the time management tips posted near where I work. I will also keep in mind my student's time when creating lessons and assignments. By giving the tip sheet assignment early, it was easy to finish on time (even with communication issues, differences of approach and opinion between partners that were minimal, but needed working out, technical difficulties with email, file types, and Google site management…). Balancing the workload among modules may prove tricky, but is something to keep in mind.
Time Management "Aha!" moments… "Record notes each week in a teaching journal identifying thoughts about revisions for the next semester. Some fixes like broken links can be done on the fly during the current run, but others, like the rewriting of a section, need to wait until the students are no longer present. At the end of the semester, reflect on the notes and adjust as needed."
Although I have heard and read many of these tips before in a general "get organized" setting, they are always worth revisiting. The above tip has a definite "online teaching" focus and will be truly helpful when working online. The website I created for the first two courses in the certificate program needs updating, as does the website I created as a following the instructional design class. I can practice journaling by visiting those sites and taking notes on what needs to be updated, modified, added or deleted.
Impact/Other reflective thoughts… The final course in the certificate program has been on my mind a lot lately. The obvious time to enroll would be summer when I have plenty of time to devote to the work and while some of the information is still very fresh. I have, however, been a bit leisurely in pursuit of the certificate, so perhaps waiting until fall would not be a major disadvantage. It is not that several semesters will have passed since my last online experience. I do only work part time at school, so I have quite a bit of flexible time in my weekly schedule, so could be successful as a fall intern, and then would have my summer truly available to travel and go see my parents. Apparently, this week is all about balance and finding what is right for myself, my family and my students.
Activities
Small groups - practice facilitator
Replies Only
Readings
Chapter 12: Time Demands and Efficiency Tips for Online Teachers
Chapter 9 (review): Online Interaction: Facilitator, Learners, and the Tools Used to Connect Them
The Anatomy of a Distance Education Course: A Case Study Analysis - by Vandergrift, published in Sloan's Journal of Asychronous Learning Networks.
Time Management Tips for Online Teachers - by Kay Lehmann
Module 5
- The most important thing I learned during Module X was...
- This learning will benefit me as an online facilitator by...
- Other reflective thoughts…
The most intriguing thing I learned in Mod 5 was… that I had already completed some of the work for our First Week activities; it was a matter of working out how to connect the pieces.
The second most intriguing think I learned in Mod 5 was… a LOT of thinking goes into the First Week information. Clear and concise writing is very challenging, but very important to a successful course and, ultimately, student success.
I will use this newfound knowledge as an online facilitator by… being aware of and observing the 70/30 rule. Planning and preparation will save everyone, facilitator and students alike, a lot of frustration. Planning and preparation will give students confidence in themselves and in their teacher, set up a good rapport in the "community classroom", and lay out the long term plan for student success in the course.
Also, this portion of my pre-course email requires more thought: "Lastly, please send create a new email message and send it to me at the email address listed above to verify that we are communicating. This email was sent from an automated email system and a simple reply will not work as expected." I need to find out how our e-blasts actually work. I have never sent one, relying instead on my principal to send an e-blast on my behalf twice a year to remind families about our book fair. Therefore, I am not certain what would happen if someone did try to reply to the email itself. I believe that even if e-blasts are sent from an individual teacher they do come off a server and a simple reply will not work. However, I think I can also send emails to my families directly from my library database. Another consideration: do I really want to invite families to send me an email? K-2, we have nearly 600 students, many with multiple email contacts. I think that in "real life" this portion of the welcome email would be deleted.
Impact/Other reflective thoughts… I enjoyed the small group discussion. I had a direct connection with the topic because the exchange was nearly word for word an exchange I had with an online facilitator nearly a year ago. As a parent chaperone for a 10-day trip to Europe with my daughter's youth orchestra, I would be traveling during the middle portion of our class. I was politely encouraged to take the course at a later date because my travel dates fell within important modules that included working closely with a group. Although I knew I would have internet at all our stops, I did not know what the course load would be during the time I would be gone from home. Once that was made clear to me, I deferred enrollment to fall. It was the right decision and I appreciated the frank, yet friendly exchange with the course facilitator, even if it did put me behind where I wanted to be in terms of completing the certificate courses. Possibly I I could have enrolled during summer anyway, but with the facilitator's input and my desire for a good learning experience, being off a schedule imposed only by me seemed a good idea. Also, having previously traveled abroad with family and with student groups, I was aware of some challenges I could encounter besides a good internet connection, chiefly tiredness from an altered schedule and potential illness.
Activities
Small groups - Becky, practice facilitator
First Week
Readings
Chapter 11: The All-Important Window of Time: Precourse Work through the First Week
Module 4
- The most important thing I learned during Module X was...
- This learning will benefit me as an online facilitator by...
- Other reflective thoughts…
The most intriguing thing I learned in Mod 4 was… that I use a good number of web 2.0 tools to help teach my students and to communicate with my staff, but there are many more tools to explore and incorporate into my work.
The second most intriguing think I learned in Mod 4 was… that the practice facilitator can be very involved or very hands off. I as expecting more involvement, but was pleased that the group members took care of each other and created lively discussions.
I will use this newfound knowledge as an online facilitator by… deciding in advance how much I will be involved in discussions. I imagine it depends on the nature of the course, the age and experience of the students, etc. I also know that this also requires flexibility and some groups may need more and some groups may need less involvement. I will also consider which web 2.0 tools I will use with my students as well as be flexible in allowing them to choose tools with which they are comfortable (since so many tools do so many of the same things). As long as we are communicating effectively, the tool is the least of our concerns.
Impact/Other reflective thoughts… I was initially confused by our small group assignment. I supposed that we would post and our facilitator would comment and ask leading questions which would lead to deeper conversations. Although I posted earlier in the week than usual, in an attempt to allow for more dialogue, the resulting silence was deafening. After a couple days, group members began to comment on each other's discussion threads, and then our facilitator chimed in. It was just not clear to me how this should work and I was surprised by the hands off approach of our facilitator this week.
Activities
Web 2.0 Tools
Small groups - Julie, practice facilitator
Community Matrix
Readings
Chapter 5: Who Are Our Online Learners?
Chapter 9: Online Interaction (review)
Module 3
- The most intriguing thing I learned in Mod 3 was...
- I will use this newfound knowledge as an online facilitator by...
- Other reflective thoughts…
The most intriguing thing I learned in Mod 3 was… although there are things that come up in our lives offline, it is important to communicate (probably I should have also communicated with my small group as well as with my professor).
The second most intriguing thing I learned in Mod 3 was… that I am better connected than I thought I was (thinking of my PLN), but have a lot I want to and should explore.
I will use this newfound knowledge as an online facilitator by… having empathy for my students, especially if they contact me beforehand or as soon as they are aware of something in their personal life that will possibly impact their participation in class. I also learned again that there are a lot of ways to create and connect, so it is good to allow students to create with tools they are comfortable with (but care needs to be taken so that the end product can be viewed by the instructor).
Impact/Other reflective thoughts… the best thing about these classes in the online teaching certificate program is the opportunity to learn again the fundamentals of good teaching and to realize that with a little tweaking of current practices, I can be a much better leader in my classroom (even if it is the library).
Activities
Scenarios
Small groups
Personal Learning Network
Readings
Chapter 4: The Many Hats of the Online Instructor
Chapter 9: Online Interaction
Module 2
- The most important thing I learned during Module 2 was...
- This learning will benefit me as an online facilitator by...
- Other reflective thoughts…
Activities
Discussion of Social Constructivism following a literature search. Some good summaries of the research that is out there. Bottom line: communication and collaboration are key elements in any learning environment.
Small group discussion of personality inventories and forming discussion groups. It was interesting to see how many different versions of personality inventory exist, although the Myers Briggs seems to come in many and varied forms.
My partner and I made contact via email, but have not determined when to meet on Blackboard.
Probably we should do that soon so that the assignment does not get lost in the shuffle.
Readings
Chapter 3: educational theories, including social constructivism.
Chapter 10: building and sustaining learning communities. Communication and discussion in groups.
Impact
I made the connection once again between social constructivism and the "new" common core standards, which emphasize the collaborative process. Each time I take one of these classes for the online certificate, it makes my K-2 face to face library classes so much better. I like being reminded of the fundamental principles of teaching and thinking of new ways to help my small students learn what they need to learn. Unfortunately, the online personality inventories don't particularly lend themselves to my current position. I rely on the classroom teachers to provide me with ways to group the students because they have already grouped them. I can see how the surveys would be very useful with older or adult students, especially in a class where I see them for more than 30 minutes a week, and certainly an online course.
Module 1
- The new knowledge and skills I gained during Module 1 were:
- The knowledge and skills will benefit me as an online facilitator by...
- Other reflective thoughts…
Activities
Miscomm-puter-unication: a nice icebreaker, meant to bring us together in our common struggles with technology. It also serves as a reminder of what has gone wrong so often. Perhaps with these memories brought to the fore, we will be able to avoid some of them for the next few weeks.
Good Practices: lively discussion of the seven principles of good teaching practices. The identified practices are great, a strong list and it was difficult selecting one on which to focus. I learned that most of us who are interested in online teaching have benefited from course facilitators who follow these good practices. I also learned that when good practices are not followed, a potentially good course can deteriorate quickly. Communication and organization seemed to get the most attention in our class discussions.
E-Portfolio: getting reacquainted with Google sites is always a frustrating and time-consuming experience, but I was able to modify the site from last semester so that my e-portfolio for this term shares a common space with the e-portfolio from last term. I had hoped to get back to my original website for my e-portfolio, but that will have to wait.
Readings
Chapter 1, "The Radical Truth". This introductory chapter presents myths and misconceptions of online education as compared to traditional education, lists 26 reasons why online education is better than traditional education, and begins a brief history of distance education that is fleshed out in Chapter 2.
Chapter 6, "The Paradigm Shift from Traditional to Online Learning", is really a discussion of Chickering and Gamson's seven principles of good practice in teaching. Near the end of Chapter 6 was this gem: "But at its core, good teaching is good teaching. And no amount of content expertise or gadgets and gizmos can make up for the teacher lacking pedagogical training and practice." (Kay Lehmann;Lisa Chamberlin. Making the Move to eLearning: Putting Your Course Online (Kindle Location 796). Kindle Edition.)
Impact
It's always good to be reminded of what makes a good teacher a good teacher. Although many of us have had good models in our online classes, we need to be able to identify those characteristics so that we can better emulate them in our own teaching situations, whether an online, a face to face or a blended classroom. It is better to be a good teacher deliberately than by accident.
testing… one, two
this is a test, only a test. should a real posting occur, one hopes it will contain substantive information.
have a nice day.