Module 6

Final Video Project: Social Presence

• Depending on your internet connection, please wait until the streaming is further along before playing video as it may appear choppy if the play rate and streaming rate are too close together. Thank you.
  

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For Module 6, I responded to the following blogs:

William Goldstein
http://billgoldstein.blogspot.com/

Lynne Butkiewicz
http://waldentechnology.blogspot.com/

Andree Simmons
http://andreesimmons.blogspot.com/

Katherine Crawford
http://kat-edutech.blogspot.com/

Bradley Gogan
http://gogans.blogspot.com/

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Module 5: Static-Dynamic Concept Map

Reflection

I believe I am to the right of the middle of the static-dynamic continuum. I tend to begin my first and second graders at the static end of the continuum. We do internet searches, PowerPoint, and use multimedia software (KidPix) to create presentations. Then in third and fourth grade we move towards the dynamic end of the continuum employing wikis and Skype. Because they are so young and there is much they do not yet know (like how to read) I am limited in how far I can take them once a week for 45 minutes. However, much of our class discussions move up and down the continuum as we discuss technology and they relate what they know or have seen mom, dad, or the siblings do. Most are very familiar with text messaging although most have not participated in it yet (mostly because you need to know how to read and spell to text). Because of the level I currently teach at, moving further down the continuum would require that I have the students more often and for a longer period of time. First graders all pretty much start from the same point every year. They are more “computer savvy” however, their skills are not.

Personally for me, I (currently use and) expect to see a huge leap towards the dynamic end of the continuum after I have gotten my degree and get a new job, hopefully teaching online. But in considering distance education, I believe that it would be a fallacy to think that the “best” practice is to be completely on the dynamic end of the continuum. There is good and necessity in the static end and the middle. Students need to learn how to utilize all of these skills. Some, students and teachers alike, need to be encouraged to move beyond “middle”.


References

Fahy, P. (2008). Characteristics of interactive online learning media. In Anderson, T. (Ed.) The theory and practice of online learning (2nd ed.). (pp. 167-199). Edmonton, AB: AU Press, Athabasca University.

McGreal, R & Elliott, M. (2008). Technologies of online learning (e-learning). In Anderson, T. (Ed.) The theory and practice of online learning (2nd ed.). (pp. 143-165). Edmonton, AB: AU Press, Athabasca University.

Moller, L. (2008). Static and dynamic technological tool. [Unpublished Paper].


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For Module 5, I responded to the following blogs:

William Goldstein
http://billgoldstein.blogspot.com/

Lynne Butkiewicz
http://waldentechnology.blogspot.com/

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Module 4: Engaging Learners with New Strategies and Tools

As an instructor, the tools and instructional strategies that would be most successful in an online class would be a combination of those depicted in the graphic as well as others that exist now and will be in the future. The distance education environment lends itself well to multiple styles, tools, strategies, theories and learning styles. With effort, an instructor can create a dynamic, cohesive, collaborative learning environment that meets the needs of many students. Those whose needs may not be met by design can have their needs met with alterations that the instructor can make almost instantaneously.

Tools such as; blogs, wikis, document sharing, text messaging, chats, Skype, etc. all provide avenues for students to interact and engage with one another. Those who like “real-time” interaction can use text messaging, email even blogs. Those who need f2f time can use products like Skype. Those students who need more processing time, as Siemens (2008) describes, can benefit from email, blogs, wikis, document sharing, and asynchronous discussion postings.

The instructor can enhance and improve the quality and the experience of the distance education environment employing these tools and suggestions by Durrington, Berryhill and Swafford (2006). Durrington, Berryhill and Swafford suggest that effective online instructors should provide for their students clear guides, syllabi, assessment rubrics, and timely responses to students questions and emails. Siemens’ (2008) description of the role of an educator as a curator is one who “with advanced knowledge of a domain and guides who foster and encourage learner exploration. Educators create learning resources that expose learners to the critical ideas, concepts, and papers within a field” (p. 17).

An educator wears many hats, employs multiple theories, uses multiple tools and strategies and adapts their curriculum as best they can to meet the diverse learning needs of all their students. I believe there is no one way or theory; educator must employ many different techniques. Establishing social presence, cognitive presence and teaching presence, as described by Anderson (2009) is essential for any online educator to utilize.

References

Anderson, T. (2008). Teaching in an online learning context. In Anderson, T. (Ed.) The theory and practice of online learning (2nd ed.). (pp. 343-365). Edmonton, AB: AU Press, Athabasca University.

Durrington, V., Berryhill, A., & Swafford, J. (2006). Strategies for enhancing student interactivity in an online environment. College Teaching, 54(1), 190-193. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.

Siemens, G. (2008). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles for educators and designers. Retrieved from Course Notes Online: http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4199707&Survey=1&47=4862829&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

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For Module 4, I responded to the following blogs:

William Goldstein
http://billgoldstein.blogspot.com/

Lynne Butkiewicz
http://waldentechnology.blogspot.com/

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Module 3

Assessing Collaborative Efforts

Assessing collaborative learning communities is a tricky thing to do. Dr. Siemens discussed some options he feels are necessary for proper assessment, one of which I feel is very useful and effective: peer evaluations. As Dr. Siemens noted, we have all been graded throughout school on what we could do as individuals. Moving over to working in a group makes many people uncomfortable, especially the over-achievers. Working in a group means that now I am dependent on someone else’s effort in this project of which I am being graded. The biggest worry is “How is their work (the other members of the group) going to affect MY grade?”

Rubrics are a great start. They tell us what we need to know about what is being assessed. But, I think a key element of successful assessment in a learning community is peer-evaluation. As a member of the group, I know I will be able to: one, defend myself if I perceive other members of the group are blaming me and two, I get to comment/express my thoughts on others’ contributions. I get to let the instructor know what I experienced and how it affected me. I get to make sure the member who, in my opinion, was slacking off and letting the rest of us do the work doesn’t just get to slide by on our work and our grade. James Clay, ALT Learning Technologist of the Year 2009, has a blog entitled “100 ways to use a VLE – #9 Peer Assessment” (VLE-Virtual Learning Environment) where he discusses this very experience and how instructors can employ different tools and techniques to over-come this barrier.

As for students who do not wish to actively participate in a collaborative learning environment, handling them requires responsibility on the parts of the other members of the group and the instructor. Members need to reach out to the non-participating member in whatever means they deem appropriate to try and connect with the member and discover if there is a particular reason the member is not participating. If that fails, the instructor needs to intervene. “According to Palloff & Pratt (2005), one of the most effective ways to deal with a member that does not actively participate in the learning community is through peer evaluation. Allowing peers to evaluate their own performance as well as that of other members of the group and have the instructor intervene when someone is not participating fully or has commandeered the group and is doing all of the work” (Rand, 2010).

References

Clay, J. (2010, June 18). 100 ways to use a VLE – #9 Peer assessment. [Web log comment]. Retrieved from http://elearningstuff.wordpress.com/2010/06/18/100-ways-to-use-a-vle-%e2%80%93-9-peer-assessment/

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Assessment of collaborative learning featuring Dr. George Siemens. United States: Walden University. Podcast retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4199707&Survey=1&47=4862829&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Learning communities featuring Dr. George Siemens. United States: Walden University. Podcast retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4199707&Survey=1&47=4862829&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Palloff, R. M. & Pratt, K. (2005). Collaborating online: Learning together in community. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass

Rand, C. (2010, March 24). Online learning communities. [Discussion posting]. Walden University, EDUC 8841-2. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4007784&Survey=1&47=4862829&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1


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For Module 3, I responded to the following blogs:

William Goldstein
http://billgoldstein.blogspot.com/

Katherine Crawford
http://kat-edutech.blogspot.com/

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Storyboard-Social Presence

Description	Visual/Audio	Resources/References (No particular order or usage at this time)
Opening: Social Presence-What is it? How can we define it? How do we know when we’ve experienced it?	Various pics of people in groups, classes, working online, texting	http://www.albany.edu/ltl/swan.html http://cela.albany.edu/researcher/swan.htm
Importance in Distance Education-Why? Implications for Students	Pics, video clips of students expressing feelings of their online experience	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWcHjb-AxrI
Importance in Distance Education-Why? Implications for instructors	Pics, video clips of instructors expressing feelings of their online experience	Music (to be selected later) will accompany video
Introduce Keynote Speaker: Dr. Karen Swan Bio & background	Pics of Dr. Swan, listing of published books, papers, articles	The video will be shot showing me giving the introduction of the keynote speaker
Closing remarks on social presence in distance education leading to Dr. Swan’s appearance	Pics, text with key points leading up to Dr. Swan’s speech	http://www.albany.edu/cela/ http://cela.albany.edu/researcher/karen.htm# publications

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For Module 3 - Storyboards, I responded to the following blogs:

Chris Wallo
http://cwallo.blogspot.com/

Richard Wasserman
http://principlesofdistanceeducationwaldenu.blogspot.com/

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Module 2

Elements of Distance Education Diffusion

The element of online communication has evolved rapidly over the years. As Dr. Siemens’ points out on the DVD (2008) as recently as five years ago people would not have believed that video conferencing could have the clarity and reliability that it does today. Thanks to the multitude of online communication tools used for socializing, people are becoming more and more comfortable with online communication. Dr. Siemens’ believes that if we can get learners to be more comfortable with online communication, if we can “bridge the comfort gap”, then that, with the development of newer better communication technologies will have a tremendously favorable effect on distance education. I agree with this thinking.

The improvements in online communications tools have greatly enhanced my educational experience overall. The new tools allow me to access more information that is relevant to me and interesting to me. I can quickly find clarifications to things I don’t quite understand and in the process I very often come across other pieces of information and knowledge that I find quite useful. I can employ a variety of tools to meet my different learning styles in order to be sure I understand what I am learning. The instantaneous connection with a professor or other classmates at any time is more useful to me than waiting for the weekly class meeting or making an appointment with the professor during “office hours”.

Jane Hart (2010) has complied a “Top 100 Tools for Learning 2010” this list and her blog are dedicated to the new and best online tools available for communication. As I looked through her list I was just amazed at the tools that are out there that I never knew about. And the development and usage of the tools I do know about. With all of these different types of communication tools available, it’s easy to see how distance education can be so much more valuable than ever before. Sarah Sorensen (2010) comments on how the “mobilization”, “personalization” and “virtualization” trends in distance education illuminate the impact of online communication tools for distance learners.

More and more people communicate daily in some form of online method. It naturally makes sense that education should strive to embrace and utilize this opportunity to the best of their advantage. Online communication tools have had a great impact on social presence in distance education. Social presence impacts students’ satisfaction and feeling of connectedness which is vital to their online success. Online communication equalizes students. Those who have a lot to say and need to say it now can. Those who are shyer or more reserved and need more time to sort out their thoughts and comments can. Through this type of communication we are able to interact with people much different from ourselves, to experience their thoughts and views of things and provide new ways of thinking about things. This connection is very powerful. I know from my own experiences, there were students in my brick and mortar classes that I never ever spoke to. In my online experience, it has been much easier for me to have an interaction with everyone in the class in one form or another. Already the benefit is there, I’ve interacted with people I might not have in another setting. I’m benefitting and learning.

Reference

Hart, J. (2010, June 25). Jane’s pick of the day. [Web log comment]. Retrieved from http://janeknight.typepad.com/

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). The future of distance education featuring Dr. George Siemens. United States: Walden University. Podcast retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4199707&Survey=1&47=4862829&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Sorensen, S. (2010, June 18). Technology trends transforming higher education. [Web log comment]. Retrieved from http://broadcast.oreilly.com/2010/06/online-learning.html

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For Module 2, I responded to the following blogs:

Richard Wasserman
http://principlesofdistanceeducationwaldenu.blogspot.com/2010/06/module-2.html

Bill Goldstein
http://billgoldstein.blogspot.com/2010/06/elements-of-distance-education.html

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Module 1

Module 1: Next Generation of Distance Education

All four authors in question (Moller, Huett, Foshay, Coleman and Simonson, 2008) advocate that distance education (DE) needs to evolve. They all agree that DE is powerful, useful and can save on resources like time, energy, location etc. They agree that DE isn’t going to go away and nor should it; it would be a wasted asset not to focus on enhancing such a tremendous resource and learning tool.

Moller et al. (2008) advocate strongly for an assessment piece to be developed. They espouse that for quality success for both the learner and the instructor of DE there needs to be a concrete was to evaluate the processes being utilized in DE; to be able to adequately assess the outcomes and the learners’ experiences with DE and to measure whether or not the desired goal is reached by utilizing such a program.

Simonson advocates more for the development of DE. He contends that DE needs to take into account the learner, the teacher and the resources while being mindful of the fact that all three of these aspects are separated by geography and time. He states that we cannot “duplicate” what is being done in the classroom. That DE needs to develop an “equivalency” (Simonson, 2008) for student learning. That location, time, resources, culture, education, etc. all play a part in DE and that without the face-to-face contact, the instructor is left to address these somehow. Developing an “equivalent” experience for learners is Simonson’s contention.

I think that all the authors have valid points. I completely agree with Simonson, that DE cannot be conducted or construed the same as face-to-face learning environments. They are not the same and therefore should not be treated the same. I also think that Moller et al. (2008) are correct in that we need some valid way of assessing/measuring the effectiveness of DE. Using the same measurements we use for face-to-face learning is not adequate, nor comparable. I think taking these ideas and utilizing them together is the next step for DE.

References:

Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Coleman, C. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 52(5), 63-67. doi:10.1007/s11528-008-0199-9.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Distance education: The next generation featuring Dr. Michael Simonson. United States: Walden University. Podcast retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4199707&Survey=1&47=4862829&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Equivalency theory featuring Dr. Michael Simonson. United States: Walden University. Podcast retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4199707&Survey=1&47=4862829&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Moller, L., Forshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 52(3), 70-75. doi:10.1007/s11528-008-0158-5.

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 52(4), 66-70. doi:10.1007/s11528-008-0179-0.

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For Module 1, I responded to the following blogs:

Amy Cantymagli
http://acantymagli.blogspot.com/

Lynne Butkiewicz
http://waldentechnology.blogspot.com/

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Welcome!

Well, this is a first for me, which is pretty funny considering I have no problem telling people what I think! One would think I would be a huge blogger, but I'm not!

I look forward to seeing how this turns out.