Thursday, October 30, 2008
Cybermentoring
What an interesting term: cybermentoring. cyber- meaning in cyberspace; on the 'Net and mentoring to act as a sage for a newbie. Basically, a cybermentor is someone wise in the ways of the cyberworld. Welcome to the World: 2.0 style. As online instructors, we need to be able to encourage, bolster spirits, guide, facilitate, and dry cybertears. This is especially important to me as I want to work with students in the k-12 area where many will be newbies to this type of educational delivery.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Bloom's Taxonomy
We worked with an old friend this week: Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning. We read and analyzed a class that might be adapted to an online environment. To start this, we used the taxonomy.
I read somewhere that writing objectives based on the Taxonomy was old-fashioned. Sinc e I started teaching 30 years ago, I have used this framework to build objectives for the classes I teach, making sure I was progressing from recall to internalization with each unit.
You can see my analysis of the course here.
I read somewhere that writing objectives based on the Taxonomy was old-fashioned. Sinc e I started teaching 30 years ago, I have used this framework to build objectives for the classes I teach, making sure I was progressing from recall to internalization with each unit.
You can see my analysis of the course here.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
My part of the Jigsaw
Survey Monkey
Survey Monkey (http://www.surveymonkey.com/) is a website designed for users to build a survey to collect data and have the site collect and report the responses in a graphic format. Although there a free component for limited use, upgrading is possible for a relatively low price for operations that need to conduct many surveys with many respondents.
Uses in the online classroom. Instructors, who use quizzes in their classroom to test for understanding of the readings, might use Survey Monkey to construct a short series of questions that would require the learner to either choice an answer (i.e. multiple choice questions) or answer in a short essay. Instructors might also use Survey Monkey to develop an interest survey, or collect demographic information.
Benefits. Survey Monkey can be use at no charge with limited access to the many features. Instructors and learners alike can use the site to gather information. The reports are adequate, reporting in bar graph form the responses to each choice in the question. Survey monkey has a nice bank of tutorials and very strong help section for the user.
Weaknesses. The free service limits the number of survey items to ten and only 100 respondents. Of course the creative instructor can do a series of tests. There are other features that are disabled for the basic account also, but it can be used.
Challenges. An instructor who wants to construct a test over 10 questions may wish to look for other online sites to build a test. Other sites might be: QuizStar, ExamBuilder, QuizBuilder and Zoomerang. As with all online communication, wording is important.
Survey Monkey (http://www.surveymonkey.com/) is a website designed for users to build a survey to collect data and have the site collect and report the responses in a graphic format. Although there a free component for limited use, upgrading is possible for a relatively low price for operations that need to conduct many surveys with many respondents.
Uses in the online classroom. Instructors, who use quizzes in their classroom to test for understanding of the readings, might use Survey Monkey to construct a short series of questions that would require the learner to either choice an answer (i.e. multiple choice questions) or answer in a short essay. Instructors might also use Survey Monkey to develop an interest survey, or collect demographic information.
Benefits. Survey Monkey can be use at no charge with limited access to the many features. Instructors and learners alike can use the site to gather information. The reports are adequate, reporting in bar graph form the responses to each choice in the question. Survey monkey has a nice bank of tutorials and very strong help section for the user.
Weaknesses. The free service limits the number of survey items to ten and only 100 respondents. Of course the creative instructor can do a series of tests. There are other features that are disabled for the basic account also, but it can be used.
Challenges. An instructor who wants to construct a test over 10 questions may wish to look for other online sites to build a test. Other sites might be: QuizStar, ExamBuilder, QuizBuilder and Zoomerang. As with all online communication, wording is important.
Examples of application of the tool in an online classroom. This list is not, nor is it meant to be all-inclusive. However, let’s look at some applications of online survey and quiz building tools at the K-12 and academic levels.
Instructors can collect data about the learners at the beginning of a class to help the instructors understand where the learner is in terms of demographics (age, gender, education, etc.), technology use (beginner, comfortable, expert), if they are familiar with the CMS software, etc.
Quizzes and tests might be constructed by the instructor to access the depth of understanding of the readings assigned.
Survey instruments might be used by the learners to collect data that would be used during the class to prove a hypothesis.
Examples of learning objectives.
Learners will pass a 20-question multiple-choice test with 90% proficiency.- Learners will build, test and survey 25 people.
For the complete toolbox, visit my e-portfolio.
Jigsaw Method of Cooperative Learning
The Jigsaw Method of cooperative learning is made of small groups. Each student is part of two groups and accountable to both for the work produced.
The first team is the project team. The assignment is that the group has to produce a product that will instruct the rest of the class. Each member of the team has a different task, or job, for which he is responsible to learn more about and then be able to teach the rest of the team.
The second group is made of those students whose task is the same. Together, they share resources and ideas about their job. They bring that information back to the project team.
The project team is responsible for the final product, whether it is a presentation or a document. Each person of the team will have taught the others in the group about her specific area and together they make sure the final project is completed on time.
I like this method because I can work with the “experts” as a facilitator to help them identify sources, find information, and guide their research. As the instructor, I can work with the project groups to help them brainstorm the kind of project they want to produce within the limits of the classroom.
We used part of this method in UW-Stout’s online class, Assessment in Learning. We each were a part of a group and produced a one-page recommendation for our toolbox concerning online quiz & test builders, reflection assessment tools, peer-to-peer collaboration tools, and course tracking tools. By the end the assignment, each 3- or 4-person team had a “toolbox” with one each assessment tool. Then we shared what we had with the other teams so we had access to all the toolboxes created in the class.
The first team is the project team. The assignment is that the group has to produce a product that will instruct the rest of the class. Each member of the team has a different task, or job, for which he is responsible to learn more about and then be able to teach the rest of the team.
The second group is made of those students whose task is the same. Together, they share resources and ideas about their job. They bring that information back to the project team.
The project team is responsible for the final product, whether it is a presentation or a document. Each person of the team will have taught the others in the group about her specific area and together they make sure the final project is completed on time.
I like this method because I can work with the “experts” as a facilitator to help them identify sources, find information, and guide their research. As the instructor, I can work with the project groups to help them brainstorm the kind of project they want to produce within the limits of the classroom.
We used part of this method in UW-Stout’s online class, Assessment in Learning. We each were a part of a group and produced a one-page recommendation for our toolbox concerning online quiz & test builders, reflection assessment tools, peer-to-peer collaboration tools, and course tracking tools. By the end the assignment, each 3- or 4-person team had a “toolbox” with one each assessment tool. Then we shared what we had with the other teams so we had access to all the toolboxes created in the class.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Mapping
We had an assignment to do a concept mapping. In elementary school we call those graphic organizers. Instead of downloading a trial of Inspiration or Kidspiration, I tried Webspiration. This is the beta of the online shareable brother of the Inspiration. We are supposed to have a copy in our blog, but Webspiration is forever in cyberspace or it can be printed. I was able to get a screen shot and paste into a word processing document, but I couldn't link it, I couldn't upload a document, I couldn't save it. The only way it can be seen is by invitation only. So if you really want to see it, ask and I will be glad to share a concept map made by a kindergarten class based on the book The Wing on a Flea: A Book About Shapes by Ed Emberly. You are welcome to try this link, but understand you will have to set up an account, http://www.mywebspiration.com/launch.php
Emerging Technologies for Online Education
There are some many new technologies. As computers were gaining popularity and becoming must-haves in business, homes and schools, I was hesitant to buy one because the technology involved was changing so rapidly. I've had computers that I needed to swap program disks in order to use a multi-disk program, others that had two drives, but still had to swap disks, then came the hard drive of a small size that would store the programs and then the 5-1/2 inch floppy disks became 3.5 hard-shell diskettes... Flash forward to today where I sit down at my 5.3 lb laptop wirelessly connected to a home network and a printer that runs on a battery. The hard drive is 60 gigs and I only have a drive for a CD/DVD disk.
All the hardware changes over the past 20 years had been tremendous. Now it seems we are turning more toward the software side of things, especially on the Internet. We now have Web 2.0 tools that allow us to collaborate online. Although most of them don't have all the bells and whistles that the full-blown that Microsoft Office has, it is functional enough for collaboration on word processing or spreadsheets.
Web 2.0 offers so many opportunities for online learning. Keeping up will be the issue, as it always is in education and technology.
All the hardware changes over the past 20 years had been tremendous. Now it seems we are turning more toward the software side of things, especially on the Internet. We now have Web 2.0 tools that allow us to collaborate online. Although most of them don't have all the bells and whistles that the full-blown that Microsoft Office has, it is functional enough for collaboration on word processing or spreadsheets.
Web 2.0 offers so many opportunities for online learning. Keeping up will be the issue, as it always is in education and technology.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Personal Page
During the first course of the E-Learning & Teaching Certificate, one assignment was to create a personal page.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
A Little Test
Assessment: Teacher-centered or Learner-centered?
I am in a non-graded situation, so to me learning is the most important because I know what I teach will be important in other situtations. I also know that if the students don't learn what I am teaching, they will struggle. As I took this test, I had no trouble distinguishing between teacher-center and learner-centers situations.
I am in a non-graded situation, so to me learning is the most important because I know what I teach will be important in other situtations. I also know that if the students don't learn what I am teaching, they will struggle. As I took this test, I had no trouble distinguishing between teacher-center and learner-centers situations.
Introduction to a classmate
Meet Craig Kwosek, resident of Holcombe, WI and graduate of UW Stout CVTC Le Cordon , who is currently a househusband caring for his almost 6-month old son, William, and going to school fulltime. Although he misses the people from work, he doesn’t miss going to work.
When he finds time, Craig enjoys outdoor pursuits such as baseball, football, hunting and fishing. I’m guessing William will grow up enjoying these pursuits, too.
Craig has a long-term goal of getting a PhD from the University of Minnesota in Work and Human Development.
He likes interacting with his fellow learners, so give Craig a big welcome.
When he finds time, Craig enjoys outdoor pursuits such as baseball, football, hunting and fishing. I’m guessing William will grow up enjoying these pursuits, too.
Craig has a long-term goal of getting a PhD from the University of Minnesota in Work and Human Development.
He likes interacting with his fellow learners, so give Craig a big welcome.
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