December 5

IMHE “What Works” Conference, Managing Quality Teaching in Higher Education

(Mexicali, Mexico – 5-6 December 2011)

My teaching and learning in the cloud presentation.

slides – http://prezi.com/yyzcr9_btox6/teaching-learning-in-the-cloud/
tools – https://etap640.edublogs.org/2011/07/14/tools-i-use-to-enhance-my-instuction-to-engage-online-learners/
example: technology-enhanced course – http://ualbany.mrooms.net/course/view.php?id=140 – enter with guest access
handout/links: https://etap640.edublogs.org/2010/10/07/teaching-in-the-cloud/

selected links for the presentation:
http://www.youtube.com/alexandrapickett
http://www.youtube.com/alexandrapickett#p/c/16B1004AC945748C
https://etap640.edublogs.org/
http://groups.diigo.com/group/ETAP687
https://etap640.edublogs.org/2011/07/31/2011-course-review-screencasts/
https://etap640.edublogs.org/2011/07/10/learning-activities-feedback-2/
http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=1106177


my questions to the group:
how do you support teaching innovation at your institution?
what are the difficulties/challenges in supporting teaching innovation at your institution?
how do you overcome these difficulties/challenges?
how do you catalyze change? what motivates faculty? what incentives are there?
how do you keep current with innovative instruction, change, technology?
how do you decide what technologies/initiatives to adopt?
how do you scale and sustain such initiatives?
how do you maintain/insure quality, security, safety, etc.
what are the costs? are they free like “beer”, or free like “puppy”?

My responses to these questions, for example: 
http://slnfacultyonline.ning.com/ – Join!

twitter example:
submission form – http://slnfacultyonline.ning.com/page/share-what-you-know
white paper – http://issuu.com/alexandrapickett/docs/what-i-know1v1?mode=embed&viewMode=presentation&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Fgrass%2Flayout.xml&showFlipBtn=true
workshop – http://prezi.com/qlrwf_cuenc1/powerful-uses-of-twitter/
group to continue discussion/sharing – http://slnfacultyonline.ning.com/group/twitter

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October 3

does it take more time to teach online?

I was recently asked by a colleague from another institution the following 2 questions.

  1.  From your experience (both personal and working with other faculty), would you say that teaching online takes more time (simple answer requested here).
  2. Are you aware of research that indicates either more, the same, or less time is required to teach online.

My answers:

  1. no. (I think that the design of the course can result in it taking more time- I think that level of online experience and training of the faculty factor into that). It should take no more time to teach online than f2f.
  2. some refs on all sides of the issue : )
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September 28

how to build a successful online community

  1. How do you build a successful online community for education and professional development?
    Create relevant value.     
  2. What defines success in online communities?
    Members find relevant value in the community and engage, contribute and participate in the community.     
  3. What elements of community building contribute to the ongoing engagement of members in an online community?
    -generosity and willingness to share what you know for the good of the community
    -shared passion, values, interests, purpose
    -positive non irritating communications
    -relevant content
    -rulz – aup – tolerance, respect
    -a continuum of expertise is represented in the community from novice to rockstar
    -leadership with cred, skillz, and willingness – it also helps to have heart, charm, personality, and a POV = passion
    -supports network and ways to contribute and a place to talk – interact.
    -TRUST and a shared sense of belonging.
    -continuous improvement with community input
    -interaction.     
  4. What role do community leaders play in the sustainability of their online community?
    depends on where the community is in its life cycle. at the beginning it is essential that leaders play a major role – Herculean effort that requires authentic heart, genuine passion. it requires being a force of nature.

  5. How do you encourage members to create content?
    ask questions, provide a focus and context for relevant affinity groups and discussions     
  6. What kind of community features are most used?
    profiles, introductory discussions     
  7. What community platform do to use? How did you arrive at this choice?
    ning. http://slnfacultyonline.ning.com i could create it and support it by my self  : )     
  8. Can you share any best practices for moderating a community?
    keep it fresh/updated, with regular current relevant new content. Work smart not hard. Guide, seed, cultivate, model, give generously of your IP and time. don’t trick people or use gimmicks.     
  9. What kind of rules or guidelines will your community have?
    -new member guide – what you can do features – description of and links to all the stuff you can/should do to get started.
    -community guidelines- what NOT to do and what to do.
    -FAQs
    -TOU
    -a way to report problems/suggestions/questions
    -privacy
    -copyright     
  10. How do you measure success?
    People join, share, contribute, participate, interact, come back, invite other/more people, post content, initiate interaction, respond, express that the resources and community are valuable
    People value their membership and feel ownership of and belonging to the community.

JOIN!!  http://slnfacultyonline.ning.com

 

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July 14

eduMOOC 2011 – Online Learning Today… Tomorrow

Intro: what i do

My digital footprints: http://bit.ly/mTQBIt
My work: http://slidesha.re/ppIpE1 and http://sln.suny.edu
My team: http://wiki.sln.suny.edu/display/SLNED/*about
Work bio: http://slneducation.edublogs.org/about/ and https://etap640.edublogs.org/about-2/

My faculty hat: http://bit.ly/o1bpVT and http://www.albany.edu/etap/iotl.htm

My community: http://slnfacultyonline.ning.com/ – JOIN!

The role online technologies can have in online learning
http://bit.ly/teachinginthecloud
* facilitate more engaging collaboration and interaction
* provide more engaging feedback
* make me more effective/efficient
* criteria: better faster safer easier or cheaper

How do you engage online learners ?
My teaching: http://prezi.com/yyzcr9_btox6/teaching-learning-in-the-cloud/
About my course: https://etap640.edublogs.org/2010/10/07/teaching-in-the-cloud/
My tools: https://etap640.edublogs.org/2011/07/14/tools-i-use-to-enhance-my-instuction-to-engage-online-learners/ and  https://etap640.edublogs.org/2011/01/22/top-10-cooltools-for-2011/

(voicethread) enhancing content presentation and interaction: social presence/class community
Ice breaking activity: http://voicethread.com/share/1991825/

(microblogging: twitter) content presentation: social presence, teaching presence, engagement, interaction, microlearning/blogging
https://twitter.com/#!/etap640
Engage students in personally driven professional development, community of practice, affinity groups. Reaching out to and engaging in self directed passion driven professional development.
About twitter: http://issuu.com/alexandrapickett/docs/what-i-know1v1?viewMode=presentation

(social bookmarking: diigo) enhancing student engagement: student-generated content, shared resources, social bookmarking
http://groups.diigo.com/group/ETAP687
We co-create a shared annotated bibliography of resources that persist beyond the end of the term.
Makes me more effective and efficient in providing feedback.

(blogs: edublogs) reflection and metacognitive journaling: developing a public voice, presence and contributing to the read/write web and social discourse
To establish an online presence: for academic and professional purposes
To contribute to and engage in academic and professional public discourse
My current students’ blogs: http://www.netvibes.com/alexandrapickett#ETAP640_-_summer_2011
My blog grading rubric: https://etap640.edublogs.org/2008/06/02/reflections-blog-post-grading-rubric/

(screencasting: jing) enhanced and engaging feedback    and makes me more effective and efficient in providing feedback, examples:

(podcasting: audacity and podomatic) engaging audio feedback
https://etap640.edublogs.org/2011/07/10/learning-activities-feedback-2/
http://alexandrapickett.podomatic.com/
http://www.podomatic.com/playlist/alexandrapickett/412413

engaging presentation of content, feedback, interaction
video: YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL16B1004AC945748C

My community: http://slnfacultyonline.ning.com/ – JOIN!

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July 14

Tools I use to enhance my instruction-to engage online learners

I use a variety of web2.0 tools external to the Moodle course management system in this course:

  • to enhance the presentation of course content,
  • to faciltitae your engagement and interaction with course material and with your classmates,
  • to provide you with access to course materials beyond the end of the term, and
  • to expose you to tools and utilities that may have potential to enhance instruction.
  1. voicethread – an online media album of any type of media (images, documents and videos). Used in this course as an ice-breaking activity. This example uses a video of my daughter introducing me from her perspective.
  2. diigo – social bookmarking tool. Used to bookmark, highlight, and comment upon and share references used in the course. Also used to create a dynamic link roll of resources that auto-displays latest additions to the shared class annotated bibliography of resources currated by the course participants – that remains available to students beyond the end of the term.
  3. edublogs – education-focused blog. Used in this course to keep metacognitive journals and reflections/feedback on the online teaching and learning experiences. I an example blog for the course, where i model blogging, link to student blogs, and post student feedback: https://etap640.edublogs.org
  4. netvibes – to aggregate and display student blogs.
  5. twitter – micro blog. Used in this course for newsflash type announcements, questions, interaction. https://twitter.com/i/#!/alexpickett/etap-640-summer-2012 and https://twitter.com/etap640
  6. jing – a screen capture tool used to provide instructions, feedback, and clarification. (i also use screencast-o-matic for 15-minute screencasts)
  7. screencast – a Techsmith repository affiliated with the jing project that gives me the ability to create a playlist of my “how-to” videos in my course.
  8. meebome – an IM utility to facilitate synchronos extemporaneous interaction from the course homepage and course blog site. Now using digsby as an alternative to meebome.
  9. audacity – an audio recording utility used in the course to record audio comments and interviews with exemplar online faculty.
  10. podomatic – a podcasting utility used to deliver the audio feedback created with audacity to you. See podcasted student feedback examples on course learning activities.
  11. youtube – to record and view course-related video materials. – online asynchronous video discussion to bring “rockstars” into the class and blur the boundaries of the online learning classroom environment “box”. See also the course videos playlist.
  12. vimeo – to post course-related video materials. See the screencasted feedback course reviews.
  13. voki – a speaking avatar used for announcements in this course. Example: Welcome to ETAP640!
  14. breeze – used to create voice-annotated powerpoint course materials.
  15. polldaddy – survey tool used to collect feedback from students on the course.
  16. rate my professor – professor rating tool.
  17. jumpscam – a QR code generator used to create a scan-able QRcode with information about this course.
  18. vyou – conversational video used to ask and answer questions.

http://www.appappeal.com/web-2-0-application-world-mosaic/
http://www.go2web20.net

cooltools

teaching in the cloud prezi

Teaching in the cloud links

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July 10

Learning Activities feedback

Below you will find individual podcast episodes of my feedback for you on your learning activities assignment from module 3. I would encourage you to listen to the feedback and incorporate it into your “build it” assignment for this module as you build the learning activities into your course shell. I would also encourage you listen to the feedback podcast episodes other than your own.

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June 13

blog feedback for u – 2011

Here are screencasts of feedback to help you improve your blog posts. Each are about 5 minutes long. View each others feedback. It will help you! : )

diane’s blog feedback -2011
donna’s blog feedback – 2011
francia’s blog feedback – 2011
ian’s blog feedback – 2011
JJ’s_blog_feedback – 2011
kim’s_blog_feedback – 2011
kristen’s_blog_feedback – 2011
mike’s blog feedback – 2011
nicole’s blog feedback – 2011

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May 10

the course goes LIVE today!

… or maybe it was yesterday. In any case, my summer fully online course, ETAP640, begins and i am, like every semester, nervous and excited. VERY.  : )

I am nervous becuase:

  1. i am always a little nervous before the term starts. I wonder who will be taking the course? Will i have enough time to do everything? Will everything work the way i have planned/intended? What problems will i have this term?
  2. i have had to make many changes to the course for this term and i am concerned that i may not have found and updated everything. The course code was changed fro ETAP 687 to ETAP 640… So all the sites including my blog, diigo group, twitter stream, links posted everywhere needed to be updated… i am sure i missed something somewhere.

I am excited because:

  1. i can’t wait to meet and get to know my students.
  2. i LOVE teaching this course!
  3. i can’t wait to see what i learn this term. Already i have learned a lot from updating all my sites. I learned how to migrate a blog from this to this. I learned that you can change the URL of a twitter stream, but not the URL of a diigo group… I learned something new about youtube. I am playing with voki, jumpscan, and vyou this term in my course.

Wish me luck!!  : )

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