Teaching in the Virtual Classroom

Asynchronous and Synchronous Learning

Define and describe asynchronous and synchronous learning. Use pros and cons to compare and contrast each. Discuss ways to present instructional content synchronously and asynchronously.

Good instructional design allows for both learning activities to blend the material.

Asynchronous learning is when the individual sets the pace, time is determined by the student, independent of other factors. Examples would be: self-studies, computer based learning, online courses, discussion boards, blogging, web quests, wiki, research, traditional homework, assignments or projects that are due at the end of the course.

Pros – can be taken in different locations, accessible to meet the needs of a busy learner, material is ready when learner is equipped and ready, remote learning. Individuals that need to spend more time on the material can pace their learning, do additional research to ensure learning is occurring in the way they need the information presented.

Cons – Distractions may keep learner from reviewing the material, no guarantee that the learning is understood correctly, questions learner has not easily be answered, learners may find way to “cheat” the assessment. Material can be very boring if designed poorly. “Checking back” with the learner is more difficult when they are learning on their own.

Synchronous learning is instructor led, time element, learners “in sync”. Examples could be traditional classroom, virtual classroom, video conference, virtual lecture, chat board or interactive learning management system. Also, wikis or other collaborative tools could be used where several participants join together at the same time to learn or work on a project simultaneously.

Pros – Social presence, familiar with the learning setting, group interaction, non-verbal interpretation to check back to see if learning occurred.

Cons – Not all learners move at same pace, can be frustrating if the pace is too fast, or too slow. Language barriers could exist. Room may be too large or too small for individual learning. Physical challenges such as room configuration, lighting, temperature can distract from effective learning.


How have you used different types of learning effectively?



Resources:

Clark & Meyer. (2007). E-learning & the science of instruction: proven guidelines for consumers & designer of multimedia learning.

Colvin Clark, R, & Kwinn, A. (2007). The new virtual classroom. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.

Testing another mobile method to interact. A Text to my blog. Once again making it easier to update from anywhere. How can this be applied to training and e learning? Possibilites are endless!

Just in time training (JITT)

Just in time training (JITT) is “a training scheme in which the required knowledge and skills are imparted for immediate application, to avoid loss of retention due a time gap (businessdictionary.com).”

A personal JITT success story occurred in August, 2010. My one-year old daughter had her first grand mal seizure, went unconscious and turned blue in my arms. Even though I had taken CPR several years before, I was unable to recall the skills to effectively perform infant CPR. After a long night in the emergency room, at 11:00 am the next morning a nurse informed me that they were bringing a babysitter to my child’s room so my husband and I could attend a CPR training course. The Dallas Children’s hospital builds into their program the ability to teach and certify parents in CPR while they wait with their child to recover from an emergency. That is JITT at its finest. My husband and I were extremely attentive, asked tons of questions and left the hospital class armed with knowledge that we will not forget. We would never had thought to ask about such a course since we were emotionally spent, but they gave us life saving tools JIT.

Training can be required for gaining job skills, teaching new information, or satisfying a compliance or legal requirement. Based on the learning needs and timing of the training can determine if JITT is the correct approach. JITT, if designed correctly, can reduce training costs, reach the learner at the correct time, and be effective for retention. If JITT training is offered at the wrong time it can be a huge waste of time, resources, and lose effectiveness.

“While “just-in-time training” meets immediate productivity needs, employees also need more than job skills to serve in a rapidly changing and competitive environment. Ensuring that workers have the knowledge, skills, and intellectual flexibility to join the challenge; training dollars need to move workforce development beyond training (Excelsior College, 2010).“

The Northwest Center for Public Health Practice created a virtual classroom presentation to describe their orientation to the model of Inclusive Just-in-Time Training (I-JITT). They describe learning dimensions, learning styles, and cultural context and how local health departments can adopt the framework and philosophy into current public health preparedness training programs. This program was aired live, but is now saved as an archive and can be viewed again, which is a huge advantage for offering training in this method.

When have you used Just in time Training, and how effective was JITT?


References:
Businessdictionary.com. (2010). Businessdictionary. Retrieved from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/just-in-time-instruction.html#ixzz15U2a2TTZ

Colvin Clark, R, & Kwinn, A. (2007). The new virtual classroom. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.


Leader, Phd, C. (2010). Corporate training benefits white paper bottom line: college credit for corporate training makes economic sense. Excelsior College, Retrieved from https://www.excelsior.edu/Excelsior_College/Partnerships/Corporate_Training_Benefits_White_Paper

Northwest Center for Public Health Practice. (Producer). (September 21, 2010). An inclusive approach to just-in-time training. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.nwcphp.org/training/hot-topics/2010-hot-topics/i-jitt

Smart Board Quick Look

In 2006, SMART created the SMART Classroom Suite a software program that allows for the integration of technology from teacher to student in the classroom. Comprised of four components it allows for the teacher to create a multi-media lesson, share with the students and allow them a place to take notes and organize information. Then the teacher can quiz students and adapt future lessons to meet the needs of the student and enhance learning. This technology allows for educators to integrate technology to enhance learning. The company’s original project, SMART Boards was introduced in 1991. One visit to the SMART website and you gain access to global sources of on-line resources. There is the SMART Exchange site, online resources, a teachers resource community, downloadable game, and lessons. You can also change the country from US to other countries to make your lessons global (Smart Technologies, 2010).

SMART has just released the new 800 series board in November, 2010. Rob Abbott, the Product Manager at SMART states, “The goal is to create as many connections with the content as possible, the technology should be invisible. People expect to be able to walk up to a surface, a display and touch it. SMART has been doing touch for a long time.” Below is a YouTube link to their new product.

There is also White Paper on SMART’s website that details the costs, both initial cost and ongoing. A simple board can be purchased for as little as $1,000, but the costs with all of the materials may range between $1,000-$2,000. Grants may be available for this purchase if an educator, or school system. There are many free training resources after the item is purchased so that we can prepare the presentation for the board of directors.

References:
Smart Technologies, ULC. (2010). Retrieved from http://smarttech.com/

SMART Technologies, Inc. (2006). White paper: evaluating the cost of ownership for smart board™ interactive whiteboards. Retrieved from http://downloads01.smarttech.com/media/research/whitepapers

SMART Technologies. (Designer). (2010). Introducing the smart board 800 series interactive whiteboard. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gdtRQ1K2vY

Practice with Camtasia Software

Camtasia was a very exciting tool to use and I found it full of rich features that could support online learning, tutorials, and simple video production. I can see the usefulness of this type of program in videos that I personally want to create and share. The Pros to Camtasia is that it takes the simple screencast to a new level. It was simple for me to record a video and make edits to the playback with ease. The Zoom feature was easy to add and move through the timeline of my screen shot so I could place it where I wanted the emphasis. Using the callout feature was very straight forward, and I had no difficulty with that. TechSmith had very easy tutorials and good instructions on how to use all of the features of their product. I have enjoyed using Jing Pro and this is an advanced version with editing capabilities that are useful. Camtasia also has an add-in to PowerPoint and can be accessed to record a PowerPoint slideshow. Uploading to the web was very simple, allowing to send to screencast, blog, YouTube or other web media. I created a quick screencast and included the link below. Cons were that there were some features that I was not able to integrate into my presentation. The custom backgrounds contained images and videos, but I was never able to overlay my presentation on top and integrate. Also, the cost to the software could be a drawback to some school districts or companies that have invested in other programs already.

Camtasia has a 30 day free download, and I look forward to practicing with the features it offers.

http://www.screencast.com/users/soulfull/folders/Default/media/2cc487f4-41df-44ce-ba24-94e30feb072a

Thank you,
Brooke

Downloaded free version of Articulate

Downloading Articulate’s software, Engage, was very easy and I was shocked at how easy it was to use. In a matter of a few minutes I had created a Five Step Process course with sound recorded on each page, a test script on one Page, and had loaded a video that I had created for another project. Pros: this software is very simple and easy to use to create professional E-learning programs. The variety of styling choices makes it easy to tailor the look to the needs of the participants. The ability to incorporate media with a few mouse clicks, make it easy to share media for various applications. The options to publish made it simple to use and flexible to send to my desired location or format. Engage is a very interesting tool and I can see why customers enjoy its features. Cons is the cost, which make it an investment for either school districts, or businesses that have other forms of e-learning software and staff on hand that build courses.

Up until now, I have used Jing Pro for my screencasting, and have enjoyed the ease of the software, and the fact I can send it directly to YouTube or Twitter. The limitations I found is that I have been creating PowerPoint slideshows as my templates, and used that as a foundation to deliver the material. Engage offers a program that looks like other e-learning programs I have seen, but is simple enough that I could create the courses very quickly. It would allow me to create my own courses not using a design professional, and could save money in the long run. This was a great resource, and one that I will enjoy the free trial to explore as many applications as I can to understand why the program would be worth the cost.

What other methods have you used to create self studies or e-learning programs? If you use, Articulate, what features have you enjoyed the most? How does it compare to the competition? Is it worth cost?

Regards,
Brooke

WebQuests as a Learning Tool

Webquest.org was a new site and I was not familiar with the information it contained. Conceptually, it makes sense, but as the Web has evolved it would not be the platform I would choose for hosting a Webquest. This site was created in 1995 and designed to “make it easier to create great WebQuests without having to master a web editor, QuestGarden was created by Bernie Dodge.” If I was hosting a Webquest, I could create the document in Google Docs and it would easily be accessible for my students. Another option would be to have the students create their own blog and record their findings, or frame a wiki so they could record as an individual or collaborate as a team. All of these options are free solutions, that do not require I master a web editor, and currently offer an easy web link.
If you choose to use the WebQuest the pros are that the cost is low, $20 for a two year subscription. Templates are already created for quick, simple topics if a teacher is short on time and resources. Cons are it was difficult to search, and I was not able to find topics in the search function, it reverted to bringing up books to purchase. After reviewing several Webquests on the site, they were very one-dimensional. Did not see any use of video, just photos or characters. Many of the links were no longer functioning or active, which makes the site appears out-of-date. I also did find a link that gave tips and red flags for Webquests, which was helpful to review in any platform you choose.

A WebQuest can be a valuable training tool. It engages the participant to research, analyze and create their own interpretation and evaluation of the information or topic. Any student can Google and find a few sources, but responsible teachers also will instruct how to review a source for validity and continue to train students on effective uses for technology in research.


References:
Dodge, B. (2007). Creating webquests. http://webquest.org/index-create.php

Dodge, B. (1999). Selecting a webquest project. http://webquest.sdsu.edu/project-selection.html

Dodge, B. (2010). Questgarden. http://questgarden.com/

March, T. (2006). The 7 red flags: warning signs when sifting webquests. http://www.bestwebquests.com/tips/red_flags.asp

Internet Radio as a Learning Tool

How internet radio different than podcasting? Internet radio “streams” and is available on demand, but does not save as one unit on the listeners device. Podcasts, on the other hand, are a recorded audio that can be downloaded, accessed or stored as one unit. Internet radio reaches many users, while a podcasts reaches one user at a time (paul@octalkradio.net,2010). I found an informative Slideshare presentation that was very helpful, specifically pages 11 and 12; the reference link is http://www.slideshare.net/octalkradio/internet-radio-vs-podcasting-3874769

As I commute an hour each way to work and I enjoy listening to books on cd in my car to help pass the time. Certainly, I could use my mobile device or I-tunes to listen and learn from books, lectures, or other information while I commute or perform other tasks to learn. I-tunes currently offers selections of courses available to download to support learning. This application I was familiar with in the format of podcasting, but not using internet radio.

There are several education sites that offer resources and Educator Streaming Radio network http://www.bamradionetwork.com/ or the Educator Podcast network http://www.epnweb.org/ which may give new ideas for applications.
I see that internet radio offers educational tools, just another way to reach the students where they are.


Have you used Internet radio as a learning tool? If so, what did you do and how did it work?

Voki Practice

Practicing embedding code into my blog & wiki

Wanted to learn how to embed videos into my blog, wiki and website. Was able to successful use the embed code into this blog and into my wiki to enrich the learning. For this blog just had to click on the Edit HTML tab and paste the embed code from the video. For the wiki just had to click on the Edit tab, click insert and click YouTube, and click insert embed code. Click back to View on wiki tabs, and it works.



This is going to be great!
Brooke

Quick Time Software Decipher Definitions, Use in Training

Have you worked with Quick Time?

Quick Time Virtual Reality is software that I had only heard about, but was not familiar with. As I researched it became apparent that there were words that I was not familiar with, and before I could understand more about VR tools, I needed to head to Wikipedia and a dictionary to help decipher.

Terms: “fisheye image” “Stitch perspective” “Convert equirectangular” “Visualizations of polyhedra” “Sprites” . Fisheye perspective is an extremely wide angle lens to produce hemispherical images. Stitch perspective is an inexpensive way to produce panoramic images. Converting equirectangular to cubic is the process of converting a fisheye image into panoscan. Panoscan is a camera used with special fisheye lenses to capture competency spherical images used in computer based virtual reality. Sprites are two-dimensional pre-rendered figures. Polyhedra is basically a complex shape, if you click the link below regarding polyhedra you will be amazed at their complexity.
Understanding the terminology, along with reviewing the links below it became clear how Quick Time is a valuable training tool. My laptop is already equipped with the Quick Time software and I was able to access some of the features. The breadth of features is available if you upgrade to Quick Time Pro. Apple has a free manual to download to help understand the features of Quick Time and how to use. It will be exciting to practice using Quick Time to apply to my training needs.

Some links to help decipher the VR terminology:

http://www.worldserver.com/turk/quicktimevr/QTVRlinks.html
http://www.apple.com/support/quicktime/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisheye_lens
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panoscan
http://wiki.panotools.org/Equirectangular
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_uniform_polyhedra

How have you used VR tools for education? Can you share any links?

Brooke

Topic - Learning Objective Template

Creating a Complete Topic or Learning Objective can be challenging to stay focused and keep the learning simple for the participants. Topic Activities can be simple or complex but teach one learning objective. They will include an absorb, do, and connect activity followed with an assessment to be effective. At our organization, we needed access to simple activities or worksheets that Field Trainers could access to reinforce knowledge over a variety of topics. If an employee was not understanding one specific topic, having quick and simple pre-made solutions would help. A template I created for a new Ten Minute Review program has been very effective to build a series of activities that can be accessed via a company intranet. Field Trainers can have the new hire complete the topic online, or if there is no computer available, they can easily print the documents on 2 pages, front and back, to make it easy for the employee to complete by hand. Each Topic includes one page of information (absorb), the next page will include an activity (do) to reinforce knowledge. Matching, fill in the blank or memory game work well on this page. Page 3 has several rhetorical questions which can be reviewed individually, or performed as a role play with the trainer (connect). Last, the trainer can request that a quiz be completed to reinforce the knowledge. These items will be available by topic so that only those topics that need to be supported or trained will be required to print.

What simple activity designs have you created that have worked?

Brooke

Top 10 learning

Top 10 things I learned in the most recent Master's course

1. Absorb, Do, Connect Activities – I was not clear on the detailed aspects of each of these activities and the characteristics of each. Breaking them down each week allowed me to understand and apply the knowledge immediately to a project I am creating at work
2. Jing! It had used Jing in a previous class, but I did not fall in love with Jing as I did this course. Once I got the hang of it, I have been using Jing to post training videos direct to YouTube or Twitter.
3. E-learning self – study – For my absorb activity; I created my first complete e-learning self-study. It was complete with hyperlinks, navigation and the knowledge review. In the design phase I did not know how to create the Answer selection, provide feedback, while allowing the learner to move to the next question. Once I started thinking in layers versus linear I was able to create the slide arrangement, hiding certain slides and created the feedback segments. For the learner, it appears to go to the next slide, but it is a series of hidden hyperlinks. That was the most challenging project I did for this course.
4. The concept of professional “branding”. It occurred to me that by creating e-learning and various activities that I could post them to YouTube and being to create a training style or brand to my work. Each activity in this course has been an opportunity to practice and now I have three YouTube videos that I did not have before. The idea is to provide platforms for icebreakers, activity ideas based on specific topics. It has been a learning process, but I feel that each video I create I learn more than before.
5. Tests – Creating the assessment is vital to the learning, but it was in this class that I reviewed the common mistakes. Applying this information and suggesting rewrites to specific questions may help our learners, and give me a keener "eye" when evalutating course assessments.
6. PDF and Adobe - I was familiar with Adobe, but did not know the free resources for PDF files found via Google. That was great insight and I have been able to use those already.
7. Blending technologies for learning activities – Using the combination of a blog, Word, PowerPoint, video or podcast is an effective way to deliver training. In my experience I have been able to create animated PowerPoint, screencast them and post on YouTube for effective learning using multiple technologies.
8. WinZip - I found the timing of this technology appropriate as the same week we downloaded the free version, I needed it to submit my weekly assignment.
9. Professional Portfolio – Over time, the professional “work” we create in class can be viewed and can build a working online resume. It is important in today's environment to direct to your blog, website, YouTube videos and wiki for a review of my ability.
10. Last, but not least important, was the interaction, professionalism and valuable insight that I received from my classmates. It is wonderful to learn side-by-side so many teachers that are trying new formats and new technologies in the classroom.

Asking the right questions - Creating Tests, Assessments, Surveys

Asking the right questions is extremely important when creating an assessment, test or survey.
There are many different types of questions that you can ask, depending on your desired outcome. A link to a training video on this information is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmRThsz2wHI

Overall, the key to design is to stay focused. Trying to accomplish multiple goals will make for a confusing document that may not serve any useful purpose. In the design process, one of the first three steps that you will take will be to create the assessment. 1. Analyze Tasks, 2. Identify Objectives, 3. Design Assessment. The assessment is not a wrap up thought after all of the content has been created. When you prepare the assessment in that fashion you are summarizing what was taught versus creating the content specifically to meet the objectives of what is to be learned.

What do you hope to accomplish? Are you measuring their progress, helping them measure their own progress, certifying knowledge or skills, motivating, teaching new knowledge or skills, or understanding where they are with skills and knowledge. Know what you are trying to measure so you stay focused on that objective.

When you create assessments, tests or surveys it is vital to understand What you want to know or achieve. Then you have to design each question to create the answer in a specific format. First ask if the questions will be graded by a computer or by a human. Depending on the type of evaluation, tells you how you can define the answers.

If you want them to:

• Make a judgement - use True / False or Yes /No . This also allows for multiple paths to be built
• Categorize - Pick One
• Characteristics - Pick Multiple
• Recall facts, numbers, specific information - Fill in blank
• Associate - Match
• Chronological order - Sequence
• Create - Compose original work
• Perform - Simulation

Common mistakes: Avoid giving away the answer, layering questions, using all of the above or none of the above. Provide realistic choices , consistent formatting for grammar, and simplify the correct answer. Randomize the answers, make answers the same length, sequence the questions effectively. Vary the form of the question to achieve the desired answer or confirm specific learning objective. Give feedback that is straightforward, not embarrassing or patronizing and provide the answer in the reply.

When creating any assessment, return to your original objectives for every question. If it does not meet the learning objectives, you don't need it.

What challenges have you faced when creating a survey?

Brooke


References:
Horton, William. (2006) E-learning by Design

Creating an Online Survey - Easy Breezy

For years, I have taken numerous online surveys, but had no idea how easy they were to create. We currently use Survey Monkey at work to have participants completed end of course surveys. Last night I downloaded the free version of Survey Monkey and learned how to create my own online surveys. That was such an easy process. In two clicks I was logged on with my Google account and very easily created samples. It allows you to have the URL address and the embed code to easily add to a website.

For our class, we are to create a survey and then collaborate with our classmates to review and tabulate our replys. The free version has basic features, limit is 10 questions, but has many uses. Immediately, I recognized that I have employee needs that I can use this to resolve. Our field offices have been asking for learning tools that they can use to check back with employees and have asked me for short quizzes they could give. They want something to keep a new hire busy when the lines snake around the store and they are not able to actually perform transactions for the customers. Our organization already subscribes to the upgrade version, so it makes sense that with no additional cost I could create short quizzes and worksheets to supplement other training documents that I envision for field tools. It was a method of delivery that I had not considered, but makes sense. In addition, once created the training tool could be available to new hires and existing employees for additional or followup training when the need arises. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SDF688Q


This morning, I tried another test survey to see if I could embed the code in my website. I am not a "techie" by nature so embedding code is truly an amazing act. It worked with ease and I am excited how simple the process was. I have envisioned a series of self-help activities and questionnaires to help. This may be a simple and effective tool to use for another application.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SBVK7Y3

Have you created an online survey? What worked? What did not work?

Next time, asking the right questions on the survey is very important.

Brooke

Importance of asking the user during design

This week my charge is to meet with employees and discover what they need from a class that I am creating. Now I already know what we think the objectives are, and what senior management thinks the objectives are, but this week is dedicated to interviewing key employees and picking their brain. It is amazing when you spend the time to research, what information you gain, and can bring real world applications to the course design. Something as small as the default print setup was a key piece of information that I was not aware of. Field office printers print all documents in a two sided format, our training packet needs to have blank pages built in so that it prints correctly in that format and does not require that they make copies of the backs of certain pages to save for future use. Who knew? One of the challenges when making the rounds in this fashion is getting employees to open up. When you go asking questions, they are hesitant at first to share, in case you will "burn" them by uncovering some unique style they have found works for them. Knowing how to put the employees at ease, and develop a series of open ended questions to engage conversation is the key to gaining trust and information. After the rapport is built, employees begin to share loads of information on procedures, policies and the short cuts they have had to create to "make do" with systems that are not meeting their needs. The lack of resources and tools to access to support their training needs in the field is a big deal. Yes, they have computer based training, but they want "hands on" short worksheets and small tests that they can give to a new hire to keep them busy. Interesting how almost everyone I met with felt that reading a computer based learning was required, but not a way to keep someone busy. As I design curriculum it has become extremely important that the gathering of information, needs and the objectives is the most important piece of the process. Without having all the key facts, you can design a great program, but it will miss the mark for one of the groups in the organization. Then you have "another class that is a time waster" versus having a dynamic learning tool that gives them real world application. Designing for me is a new skill, and I love it. The research, the planning, the integration of facts and objectives, coupled with the creativity of building a program is a combination of skill sets that I enjoy.

William Horton's book E-learning by Design has been a great resource.

Have you designed education programs? What has worked? What hasn't?

Brooke

Connect Activity Insights

In the design process it became apparent that a connect activity can be something as simple as a few rhetorical questions for the learner to "connect" the knowledge to a real world application. While designing I had to specifically identify the simple objective and recognized that my connect activities were a part of a larger Module of learning. There were several "Do" activities to educate the participants on the topic, once that is complete, then I could have them complete the connect activity assignment. I used the format of a brainstorming session as a summary activity, to allow the participants to practice the knowledge they had learned about various learning styles and apply it immediately to adjusting branch training delivery styles. I created a YouTube video to describe the instructions and posted it for others to view as an activity idea and see how many people would go to look. I am really interested in the possibility of a personal "brand" and how technology could support that fact. If I continue to perform educational research, gain contacts via Twitter and collaborate information, and generate instructional videos about training, in time, there will be Web presence that can be identified.

Attached is the second video I have made http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jnexpxzWfk&feature=channel. As I watch my own work I really try to not overwhelm the learner by having too much graphics and audio at the same time. However, I realize that I am a little "dry" and in my efforts and may need to bring some more "flash" to the videos. Practice makes perfect.

Have you ever thought of using the web to become an expert on a topic, or to build a network of "like" minds? If so, how did the process evolve? Where is it now?

Brooke

New Learning Activities - Connect

This week our charge is to create a connect activity. Connect activities bring real-world applications to the learning. In my job, we require many connect activities because we have a short time to train an employee, and the expectation is when they head back to the store, they will be ready to go. My desire is to create templates of connect activities that could be used by corporate trainers in various fields by inserting specific criteria or using an on the job training form that is required by many employers. I have searched for similar, free examples or templates, and have not found the resources that I imagine. For example, the connect activity I envision includes the new employee, on the job trainer for that employee (usually another employee with more experience), and a manager at a minimum for a group. In the classroom, you could perform the activity with a minimum of three employees in each group. If you had a larger group size, the classroom trainer could add another role such as a customer, or a higher level manager to each group. The 3 - 5 roles could be scripted so that discovery questions are asked and a specific role play is required. Allowing the group to build a skit based on questions allows them to interact and work together. When the role plays are being developed, the classroom trainer could visit with each group and then provide them with a "red" card which is a challenge that could be presented for that day. In any industry, an employee who is training a new hire may have the best plans for that day. When they arrive at work, they could be short staffed, they could have an overwhelming amount of customer issues, or other challenges. When these problems arise, the employee who is training may not be able to train, but they just "take over" and the trainee is stuck just watching, not doing because they are in a crunch. This may happen day after day, and when the trainee arrives at the end of their training time, what have they actually learned or been able to perform. The challenges are that for the employee performing the training, the manager, and even a higher level manager, be able to support the challenges faced during an on the job training session. In the classroom setting, these "red" cards allow for each member in the class to understand that they may need to redesign their training plan for the day, or allow the employee to work through the challenges that are presented for that day.

What do you think? Could this type of training activity, be applied to various industries? How do you handle on the job training?

New Computer, New Learning Activities

The last few days have been about a lot of New in my life. Computer crashed and had to buy a new computer. For this week's assignment, we needed to create a "do" activity. Do activities stimulate curiousity and engage the learner to become involved in the learning process. I wanted to create a Powerpoint with narration, created a Wordle, recorded the video with Jing and post to YouTube. I have never posted anything to YouTube so this was a learning experience. I also have not been successful lately with screencasting due to my system and software updates. In the end, I have created a learning activity, the first of its kind for me, that is been published for all to see. Last night I viewed the presentations available on YouTube and it appeared there was a niche for a series of programs that could be viewed to assist a trainer with icebreaker and other activities. The possibilities are only limited to my imagination. I feel so proud that I navigated my way through the "high-tech" systems, and have arrived.....I am published on YouTube!

Here's the links to all:
YouTube video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEpdFL1gYX0
Wordle: http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/2410107/student_thoughts
Screencast only: http://www.screencast.com/users/soulfull/folders/Jing/media/1225f042-3a16-4269-a771-7b1dbc414d1d

How about you?


Brooke

Computer Troubles

All of us have had computer trouble from time to time. Well, my trusty laptop closes in on the four year mark which in computer time makes it an older model. The last few months have had increasingly long wait time, and lots of "chugging" trying to load. I did get a new battery for free thanks to my service contract, which helped some of the slowness. Yesterday, I spent hours on the phone with Microsoft and despite trying everything they could, I know have a Senior Analyst calling me back today to work on the problem again. To do so, I needed to find the original discs to perform a Restore. That just sounds bad and gives me a sad feeling that this ole' laptop and I will be parting ways sooner than I expected. I backed up my documents the best I could so we'll see how it goes. The challenge when your computer is your lifeline and deadlines don't stop, computer woes can stop us dead in our tracks. The upside is that I have learned how much I really could accomplish from my mobile device which I have to rely on more heavily in the last month. That gives cause to ask, how many of our students will abandon the computer and use only a mobile device. How will we support that, can we in education live only by mobile alone?

What do you think?
Brooke

Elearning - Building an absborb activity

This week I desgined and built my first e-learning self study in the form of an absorb activity. The goal of an absorb activity is to have the learner read, listen or watch the information to learn. The student is passive and the teacher or learning tool is the source of the information. The design process began with the needs assessment, which was vital to understanding what needed to be solved and taught. After determining the needs I began building the list of objectives for the elearning course. Using the book, E-Learning Design by William Horton as a guideline, I used his techniques on building specific primary objectives supported by secondary objectives to create my purpose for the activity. From the outside it seems "easy" to create a slideshow program to teach a topic, yet designing the elearning is much more in depth. The concept that became clear to me is that elearning is layering. No longer to you think in a linear pattern, you need to design in layers to create a seemless flow for the learning as they click through the e learning. Building Hyperlink, back and next functions and then creating the Knowledge Review were all opportunities to design directional components. In this case I gave the learner some control with the directions through the learning, but removed them in the Knowledge Review to require all 10 questions be answered. Also I created hyperlinks at the beginning based on topics so that expert learners could jump directly to their specific topic, instead of requiring they go through the entire learning if it was not relevant. The audience for the learning will mostly be medium to expert knowledge, and it will be rare to have a novice learner complete this particular learning. One challenge that was a huge time drain was the formatting of PowerPoint's hyperlinks in my Review. The only way to change them from the underlink was to create a rectangle shape over, change the color, reinsert text and then build the hyperlink on the box, not the text. I searched several help sites and found the same instructions. Fixing that formatting took numerous hours that I had not planned. What I learned from this process, is that the design is key! Now that I have completed the process I will design the next one very carefully before ever coming to the computer. Using sheets of paper that can easily be moved, layering them so that I can see the flow. Build only once can be the timesaver to any professional.

Have you built an Elearning program? Or other teaching program? What challenges did you face and how did you overcome?

Brooke

Using YouTube in Education

YouTube should be used as a media for learning because it brings access to a global network of learning available from any laptop or mobile device. There are numerous pros to incorporating video into the classroom. In my Masters program, YouTube has been used to view videos for discussion boards or for reference material on assignments. It has been effective in viewing and reviewing information to create my analysis on my own schedule. In addition, as a corporate trainer, I try to incorporate YouTube videos to keep the attention of my young employees. The best part about YouTube is that anyone can post a video, novice to expert.

As educators, we need to be prepared to teach students how to evaluate a video for accuracy, content and expertise. The downside to YouTube is that it is blocked from many work computers through broad security networks to prevent employees from accessing the technology during class or work hours. As a trainer, this limits the access to material while at work, and requires preplanning or instructing employees to view on mobile devices. Another con for YouTube is students is they need to be prepared to filter through numerous videos before citing one as a reference work.

The following list includes three great examples of learning and one poor example and how it can work for educational purposes:

A great example of this is How to Tie a Bow Tie (Howcast Media, 2009). The video has very simple step-by-step instructions. Below the video there is text to read or print if you need to refer back, but it does not overwhelm the learner at the same time. This Media group has numerous How To videos that can be viewed to help learn specific instructions.

Large corporations can use YouTube to teach retailers, customers and build excitement about their new products. Cisco created a video regarding a new shopping technology and their sales video is an excellent example of using graphics and audio to describe and teach. The Future of Shopping video (Ciscovid, 2010) is fun to watch and easily shows the consumer how their product will work.

Another good example of this is, How to Build a Peephole (BarbarasWay, 2009). The narrator has good graphics, simple text and a narrative that informs without overwhelming. This celebrity has a series that can be viewed to learn on a variety of topics.
Conversely, the video, How to Change Your Appearance in Second Life (Torley, 2007), is a negative example of using video for education. The intense music throughout the video, the author’s narration and complicated screen graphics distracts from easily understanding how change the avatar appearance. In this case, the learner is inundated with too much sensory information and it is difficult to follow the instructions. It could be modified to remove the music and have the narrator state simple sentences to describe how to change the appearance.

Educators should incorporate YouTube videos, but need to be preparing students to understand that “just because you can Google it, does not make it valid or accurate.” Helping them understand how to review, cross reference and corroborate sources, will give them tools to survive the new Web 2.0 and access to millions of pieces of information.

References:
BarbarasWay. (Producer). (2009). How to Install a peephole. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx4VBzIgwfg&feature=pyv&ad=4771626639&kw=how-to

Ciscovid. (Producer). (2010). Future of shopping. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDi0FNcaock&NR=1

Howcast Media. (Producer). (2009). How to tie a bow tie. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.howcast.com/videos/430-How-To-Tie-a-Bow-Tie?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HowcastStyle+%28Howcast+Style%29

Torley. (Producer). (2007). How to Change your appearance in second life tutorial. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqbuMi5N97c

Educators incorporating new technology

As educators dedicated to incorporating new, emerging technologies we will often be stalled by broad controls or individuals that do not yet see the value of trying new methodologies. It is important to me to understand how to use my current environment in the workplace, and still be able to try new software, or new opportunities for teaching my employees.

At home, Adobe Acrobat Professional had been installed on my personal laptop, and I have already had access to the software. I have used PDFs in many situations when I did not want my pages altered or edited. To complete this process, I perform a “Save As” and just change the “Save Account Type” to a .pdf file. I did practice the steps in the assignment, and did not encounter any problems.

At work, however, it was a completely different story. As a corporate trainer, we have situations where a .pdf file would be a great resource. My laptop has Adobe Reader installed, but our security controls limit me from downloading anything additional on my work laptop. I then made some inquiries to see how many people have full access to Adobe. It appeared it takes something similar to an “Act of Congress” to be authorized to full Adobe, which I found very surprising. So I continued to pursue some options I could use to overcome broad system controls. When I scan documents to my laptop, they automatically appear as a .pdf and I can use them with my Adobe Reader. I printed this page with my Discussion content, scanned it to my laptop, and created a .pdf document that I can use in Adobe Reader.

What challenges have you faced in the workplace trying to incorporate a new technology for educational purposes?

Brooke

Working with a wiki

A wiki can be an excellent tool to enhance the learning of the group through collaboration and sharing of knowledge. Using a wiki is only as good as the development of the content template and can be the difference between a wiki success, and one that is not.

1. Specific goals and learning outcomes must be identified - “A successful wiki project must account the learning outcomes and goals of the project and the unique process of wiki collaboration” (West, 2009, p. 21). We must carefully plan and design the wiki at the beginning stage with the goals and learning outcomes identified. Pros – If it is identified who the learners are, what the wiki is about, specific wiki type, what challenges will be faced it can be a very powerful team tool. Con - Without strict learning outcomes the wiki may become unfocused, unorganized and lead to unproductive learning.

2. Learning must have relevant activities to apply to real situations - “Context gives meaning to content…The role of the instructor is not to provide learning…but to provide context in which learning can occur” (West, 2009, p. 22). The context clearly defines the purpose, goals, framework, and preparation and promotes the collaborative process. Pro – If the best practice is an area that is a dynamic sharing of knowledge, then it could be the best method. Con - If we fail for provide the proper context, the staff will work in a format that may not be applicable or effective to learning.

3. Design your framework – The wiki must be built and planned correctly so that it can provide meaningful learning. A successful wiki includes: clear definition of purpose, learning domain, desired outcome, template design, group rules and a clear assessment guideline (West, 2009, p. 31). Pros – Proper design and framework of the wiki: Knowledge Construction, Critical Thinking or Contextual Application, will be selected based on the learning goals. Con - If the framework is not designed properly, students may not provide the correct information, may become frustrated in the collaboration process and disengage from the activity as a whole.

4. Skill Level – Using a wiki is not difficult, but does require a short learning curve. Pros – Preparing warm up activities to allow the staff to practice in the wiki will be important to ensure they have the right skills to edit and share content. Cons – Not preparing users for the skills required could have some staff disengage in the process, others become overbearing with material, and others being destructive to the content.

5. Handling group struggles – Pros - When the group struggles whether by conflict, clashes, work ethics or other difficulties arise, being prepared to handle the differences, by asking questions, but not intervening (West, 2009, p. 45). Cons – No setting clear expectations upfront on group behavior can cause problems between the staff and make the wiki a battleground. “The cardinal rule for the wiki instructor is: Never Edit Their Page” (West, 2009, p. 51).

How have you used a wiki? Was it effective? What recommendations can you offer?

Brooke



References

West, J, & West, M. (2009). Using Wikis for online collaboration. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Course 3 Reflections

Finished up course 3 yesterday. The objective of this course was to instruct how to collaborate and learn in a virtual environment. As educators, we must be aware that our learners are incorporating virtual environments in all aspects of their lives, and we need to be prepared to interact with them on a new platform. The process of this curriculum allowed me to learn about new technologies and how they could be applied to education. We were tasked to first document the learning with a blog and link with our Twitter account to record our findings over the six weeks. Building mock classes and integrating with others taught us to understand the planning process and what evolution occurs, and privacy considerations, when a class becomes part of a social network platform. The instructor must build a thoughtful template for the learning, but the amazing growth occurs when the students collaborate. Managing the information overload is a key factor to successfully reviewing the assignments given to our learners. The realization that I can be linked to experts in my field, and draw upon their knowledge and resources is a fact that will help elevate my overall skill level and performance. Next to Number 4!

Brooke

Monolithic view of Education - Jean Piaget video

After viewing the following video from Swiss Psychologist Jean Piaget http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtNdLKqPCyI discuss the Monolithic view of our educational system.

Our education system has been rooted in a methodology of learning that has been effective for hundreds of years; but now as a global culture, we are experiencing a technological revolution. To answer whether our education system is rooted in a monolithic model of instruction and learning, I had to first go to Webster’s Dictionary to understand what the term monolithic actually meant. There were several definitions, “consisting of one piece; solid or unbroken: a boat with a monolithic hull; constructed of monoliths or huge blocks of stone: the monolithic monuments of the New Stone Age; characterized by massiveness, total uniformity, rigidity, invulnerability, etc.: a monolithic society, or Electronics: of or pertaining to an integrated circuit formed in a single chip. Education styles will always lag behind new technology, but successful teachers must take the role of a visionary and be adaptable to changing environments. The definition of the word monolithic intrigued me as we are evolving into a global mass of information, shared and connected through the internet similar to the electronics definition of the integrated circuit forming one chip. As a society we are moving from a rigid and uniform approach to a collective of many parts that create one unit.

Educators must be visionary, but the bureaucrats and administrators must also be open to new ideas and new methods to deliver curriculum. Piaget asked, “Are we forming children who are only capable of learning what is already known? When we continue to do something just because it worked in the past, we will miss opportunities to grow and can be impacted by competition. In the last few months, as I have returned to school, it is obvious to me that I had an enormous gap of knowledge and understanding of new resources, technologies and was not being as effective of a trainer as I could have been. There is new life in the way I teach, what I talk about with my students, how I relate to them on their level. The dedication to education is being able to meet the student where they are as each generation changes.
As educators we need to teach our students how to create new knowledge, how to spark passions for learning and develop their natural talents. Piaget said, “We should try to develop creative and innovative minds capable of discovery from preschool age on, throughout life?” However, we cannot abandon what has worked in the past, using history, examples, scenarios and case studies as methods to teach students problem resolution is still effective. If we can teach minds to interpret, analyze and make appropriate decisions, then they are equipped with skills to follow passions and develop talents.

After you view the video, what do you think?


Reference
Ccaldero. (Producer). (2007). Swiss psychologist jean piaget. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtNdLKqPCyI.

Final week review - professional contacts

We begin week 6 and the final week of this class and I realize the online connection that I have made from a professional standpoint. I went back to our discussion boards in Week 3 and reviewed all of the blog addresses and twitter names to ensure I had everyone loaded in my Google Reader and am following them on Twitter. Five weeks ago when I began this class, I did not have a personal blog, Twitter account or use Google Reader. What am amazing transformation into the world of technology and I can see so many alternatives and options. This morning I reviewed my website which I want to develop into so much more. The difference is as I went through each segment I understood the terminology and understood so much more than when I created it just three months ago. I have made true bonds with my classmates in this class as we have interacted on a daily basis in some cases. They are teachers and corporate trainers and other professionals all working to advance their knowledge and apply it to education. I want to see them succeed and keep in touch on a professional level. Up until now, I found social networking to be used for personal updates and quite frankly, boring. I now recognize that I can connect with experts, I can follow them, learn from them on Twitter and in blogs and become part of a greater group from a professional level. The barriers are down and they can't judge me because I am a novice, the community wants the group to participate and make the "whole" smarter. Very cool! How have you used social networking to make your professional life grow?

Brooke

Mock Classes and Searching Passions

The process of sharing mock class information with my classmates has taught me a great deal. I have had to really learn how to "manage" lots of information using the tools of Google Reader, Diigo and Delicious. I can see that without these tools, you would be overrun with too much information and it would take too much time. I need to spend this week reviewing my RSS feeds and determining what my "passions" are so I can connect with the experts for my Stronger Than Espresso dream. I also found out about a new EM network that was created for women, by a Christian women to empower and yet provide a smaller circle than Facebook. I'll report back here what I find. I need to map out a social networking strategy to build my program so that the foundation is ready for next year. God keeps whispering the words Foundation, Training, Shield to me so I will dedication my Stronger Than Espresso blog to discover what messages should be uncovered. I look forward to learning more and how I can use technology to reach a broad network.

What passions do you have and how have you used the web to grow that interest?

Connecting with Courses on FB, Ning and PB Works

This week the assignment was to connect and join our classmates mock classes on FB, Ning and PBWorks. First off I have to say we have some very talented and creative people. Her are my pros and cons. Facebook the class was not as easy to set up and customize as Ning, but it was very easy to send the invitations, to accept and to work with my group. The cons is that now I have access to many of their Walls and their personal contacts. As an educator that line between professional and personal needs to be carefully managed if FB is being used. Ning was very easy to set up and customize, and easy to send the invites. The con was every invitation I received from a classmate I had to complete two pages of login, password, dob, city etc. I kept thinking, I have an account, I have my own network -- please remember me, this is a a waste of time. Also with the Ning basic account, I was unable to view Groups on my Main Page. I know that I am connected to numerous groups but I have to go to each of them individually, or upgrade. Since Ning charges after the 30 day trial I really have to want to stay or cancel my account. PW Works was very easy to invite and accept. I like that all my wikis are on my Wiki Account Page and I can easily go to each one to view. The only downside to PB Wiki is that many of classmates did not turn off the notification by email when they make a change so my email is burning up with hundreds of edit notifications to their wikis. I really don't need that information. A good experience and took more time than I ever imagined to navigate, add, filter through all the emails and make comments on the sites. A great learning activity!

Students and Learning

After reading the USA Today article, Scientists ask: is technology rewiring our brains, I have to say that I agree that students are different. From my training experience, I teach employees over the age of 18, many that have been “digitally wired” (Dovarganes, 2008). Many of my students have extreme difficulty sitting still for more than 45 minutes, all my lectures have to be very short or they lose concentration. As a whole, they do not have proper reading skills, poor spelling ability and their handwriting is not legible. Our employees frequently tell me they have ADHD and that is why they cannot sit still; however, I do not know if this is a medical diagnosis, or just a common statement they have heard to explain their behavior. When I began in the Department and grading assessments, I began to recognize common banking words that were being spelled phonetically versus the correct way as written in the text. In order to overcome this, I made a point to write each of the words on the board and have everyone write it in their books spelling the word. It has improved the assessment scores. I segment all of my learning to make sure that I talk for no more than 20 minutes before changing the pace. I also provide long pipe cleaners in my classes, and find that my students twist, bend and create which improves their ability to pay attention. For classes that last several days, I have different toys that I bring for each day to add to the pipe cleaners to keep bringing something new. Keeping their hands busy appears to be a requirement to listen and learn, which has become so prevalent in their life with communication by text. Socially, I believe that they would rather text someone, than talk to them. Actually, just last week that was a topic in the classroom on a break; students were sharing the fact that they don’t like to talk on the phone to people, but they would be happy to sit and text for hours. This new group of learners, do not perform the traditional “deep reading” skills (Dovarganes, 2008); it appears they “skim” information and create their own conclusions. When I was taught there were long sessions of lectures, note taking, and requirements to sit still. My employees would not be able to perform through those conditions, they have to be taught in short segments, with lots of movement and frequent breaks to check their mobile devices or a physical withdrawal sets in. I am curious about the new wave of medical diagnosis that must be on the horizon due to the use of mobile technology. As educators are we prepared to identify the signs of internet addiction?


References

Dovarganes, D. (2008). Scientists ask: is technology rewiring our brains? USA Today, Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2008-12-03-digital-brain_N.htm

Set up Delicious Account

Created my Delicious account for social bookmarking at http://delicious.com/soulfullcreations. I already use Diigo as my social bookmarking tool and really like its ease of use. I find that it is my source of information when I am going between computers and researching on the go. I like the look of Diigo better and find it easier to navigate. What do you find are the pros and cons of Delicious vs Diigo? If you haven't had a chance to try either out, log in, and set up an account. They are free and it is a location for you to load, sort, organize, and share with others web sites and other URL information that you find on a particular topic. Share your experiences?

Brooke

Inviting Classmates to join or mock classes

This week we will be inviting all of our classmates to join our classes in Ning, FB and in PB Works. I did have a chance to log on and view all of my class mates contact information so they can all be added, but I am having questions on the best way to contact them? The way I will approach this is to first print a list of all the students in my class so I have all the names. I have also sent an email to the class with my links. Then go to the Discussion threads and work through their postings or reply to emails they have, or will send to me to ensure I have everyone in the class. My Ning and FB classes were mock courses. My PB Works class is one that I want to pursue and include as a part of an overally training program.

How do you approach inviting attendees?

Brooke

Classes on Ning, Facebook and PBWorks

Submitted assignment to create classes in Ning, Facebook and PBWorks. I thought Ning was the easiest to navigate. Facebook was not as good and I fear that students will be so distracted with the other notifications, that learning will suffer. My wiki was created to support an actual course I want to create for my Stronger Than Espresso program so it was really great. I am excited about the format and feel it will support the objectives.

Web 2.0 - Learning 2.0 - Medical 2.0?

Hi, As I reread Minds on Fired AGAIN I keep identifying new trends and monumental shifts that are occurring and twenty years from now we will look back and use these models to teach marketing, psychology and sociology in our ever changing universities. Last night I was reading the supply push versus demand pull and remembered years ago in my undergrad program learning those in relation to marketing and inventory management theories. Thanks to Sam Walton, yes, Walmart's founder, who applied Just in Time inventory methods JIT to transform how inventories are managed. At the time, no one knew that the economy as society knew it was transforming. I have been pondering the widespread events of this technological transformation and realized this forward motion would only stop if there was a major catastrophy due to technology, and enormous crime event, or that the medical warnings of cell phone usage and wireless waves was really proved true. I wondered what medical changes would be occurring in our society and envisioned that AA would not include some form of Mobile Anonymous. I saw this News article that was just posted and included the link as it appears new medical labels are being generated for internet abuse and addiction. Makes sense it would begin with teens. http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnews/teendepressionlinkedtointernetoveruse

As educators, are we preparing for this aspect as well? Are we just jumping on the bandwagon to catch up, without keeping a contingency plan or safety net? I just wondered what would happen if twenty years from now if we forced our young into a new array of health problems, depression, obesity, ADHD and other sensory issues based on the requirement that they always have to be online?

What are your thoughts?

Brooke

Ad Sense for Blog

Who has used Ad Sense for their personal Blog? What are the pros and cons to monetize your blog? I had been opposed to it at first, but now am more curious as to the possibilities?

Any thoughts?
Brooke

Facebook class design

Working to design a class for a Facebook application for my Week 4 assignment. Still concerned about the privacy issue and how could I protect those who come to log in? Today I did an informal poll of my class of 14 how many of them use FB and 2 were under the age of 30, but extremely opposed to using it. Two over 40 did not have an account, but weren't concerned. The rest did use FB but when I asked how they would feel to take a class on FB they were not receptive to the idea, which surprised me a great deal. They defined FB as a way to keep up with family and friends that they would not be able to otherwise, not as a way to learn effectively.

What do you think?

Brooke

Pros and Cons of social networks for LMS alternatives

Just submitted the assignment with the pros and cons of each type: FB, Ning and PB Works. FB has the broader network, but privacy and special educational features lack. Ning is simple to use, but the cost and specialized features for educators is lacking. Did search their apps and surprised that out of 253 there was none for educational purposes. Hmm? Is that something that needs to be created to bridge the gap between social networking and LMS systems? I do believe that PB Works is a great fit for many educational applications. It is simple to use, easy to design, allows for private and team pages and collaborative projects to occur to promote learning. The key to a wiki is in the design. I have found that process much more challenging than I expected to develop template pages and format how I wanted the learning to progress in my wiki. What do you think about social networks replacing current learning management systems?

Brooke

Developing Classes in Facebook and PBWorks

Good morning,

This week I need to create my class in Facebook and I need to think about how I will formulate that. How will I use the social network to help with the class formation? Facebook is so widespread it could be a great alternative because students are already there everyday. I was able to easily create a class in Ning and my PBWorks wiki is already under creation. The Ning class was so easy to do, I hope the FB application works as well. I only have one piece of the Ning class that I couldn't complete which grayed out and I don't know how to make it work. This week I teach classes and will be traveling for work which will keep me busy and will need to carve out time to complete my school work. Also printed the document, Minds on Fire, so I can review when I have time to complete the written assigment. Another full week of learning ahead.

Have you created a class on FB? How did it work for you?
Brooke

Knowledge Applications

So I began this Master's program as a god whisper..or more like a God push and he said, "It was my time, he had work for me to do and I needed to not be afraid.." When I cried and said, I don't have time, he replied, "It's okay, I'll be there to support you."

I thought is was just for Stronger Than Espresso, but I wasn't thinking big enough. My husband came to me last night and discussed a project he has been given by a non profit organization to do on the side. My husband is an amazing marketer for a Fortune 500 company so he was a good choice for the work. As we discussed the objectives I began talking about using social networks since they are free and how to leverage the objectives. I was talking about Google Reader and RSS feeds and simple Widgets with a learning focus. He just stared at me and we realized that between us we have the knowledge base to let God's work happen through us for this non profit. How awesome is that!

Be Blessed,

Brooke

Creating Ning Class

Good morning,

Spent time this morning working on next week's assignment to create a class in Ning. It was very easy to do and I completed all but one of the steps in the PDF guide. I was not able to add the Group feature because it was grayed out. All the other pieces were extremely easy to create. It took me a very short time to make the class. If I had my syllabus, course objectives and other materials I could very quickly load the information into the class format in under one to two hours. Once loaded it could be the format for a current class or for future classes. Adding the widget was very easy and I am amazed that I didn't realize that there were companies forming all around me that create widgets. Have I been living in a black hole? Wow, there is so much opportunities out there.

Ning Comparisons

I have been asking myself the differences between Ning, Facebook, Linkin and other social networking sites trying to understand why a consumer, business or educator would choose one over the other. I do believe that Ning was the easiest format for me to navigate and allowed total control in my design and numerous applications at my fingertips. The customization I like. What concerns me is the cost which would require anyone in my network to also be paying a fee. I found some blog information that is good content on how others feel about the Ning network.

http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/07/using-ning.
by Lisa Barone July 20, 2009


http://www.alatechsource.org/blog/2009/05/privacy-potential-pitfalls-using-ning-to-create-community-part-three.html
by Michael Stephens on May 19, 2009


http://techcrunch.com/2007/02/26/ning-in-full/
by Michael Arrington on Feb 26, 2007


They were informative to read about Ning.

Brooke

Facebook as a Learning Technology

Spent this morning reviewing Facebook understanding the applications that are available. The real time comments, photo sharing, event planning, beta tsting, knowing who is online, forming groups and the ability to generate targeted Facebook ads all are applications tha are important to me. I found some new applications that I didnt know about: Coin Can Avatar which is Second Life but even stranger. Visual Bookshelf which sounds like a good idea. Family Tree was new for me and that really makes alot of sense. Updating my Facebook account hasn't been a priority for me and I don't use it as blogging tool to update every movement I make in my life like others do. Finding the balance between keeping an update and overwhelming information is a personal choice. How can we apply to education? With the ability to know who is online, course curriculum and attendance factors could be inplace. Group discussions, debates and collaborative projects could be done in "real time" despite the local of the participants. Posting syllabus', assignments and other course preparation is an easy way to reach the intended interest group. Separating the friends, versus professional groups is important to categorize different information needed for specific individuals. What risks do we face by providing all of that information "in the cloud"? Once its online, its there. So don't say or publish anything you would not want to be reviewed at a later time.

How do you think Facebook could be used as a learning technology?

Reviewing the wikis of my classmates

I had an opportunity to review the wiki concepts from several classmates and found the wiki applications are very diverse and much greater than I had imagined. We have K-12 teachers from all different specialities and corporate trainers from many industries all proposing a unique application to use wikis in our instruction.

Last night I began to detail how I can create my wiki framework and develop the resource bank wiki that I want to create. I am answering the following questions:
What is my specific purpose?
What links will I create for specific information?
How will I use Scaffolding in my design to aid in content formation?
Will I design a contact template so individuals can easily fill in the resource information.
Will I limit it to enrollees in the program, program administrators and beyond?
Will I break down the resources by States or by regions?
How will the teams: plan, brainstorm, communicate and practice?
What will I assess? How will I assess it?

Once those items are clearly defined, then it is a matter of building each page in the wiki for testing.

Excited about the possibilities. share your thoughts?


Brooke

Linking Blog, Web Site and Twitter

Good morning,

Well its been amazing that the blog, twitter, web site and wiki are linked together. I need to call the web provider and ask some questions about my Sitebuilder. I know how to add the RSS feeds and the Script in the site, but it won't update the way I desire. I would love to have this blog update the website. I can load the script but it doesnt "activate" and show. I have learned so much.

The next few weeks I will design the classes and am excited to design the wiki. I wonder how many resources we can really get for individuals to access. It would be awesome. I am not sure how to leverage all of this new technology, but know that I am answering God's calling in the venture. He pushed me to go to this program and said he had work for me. He was right.

Today I looked at my website and there are so many updates I want to make to make it more interactive and dynamic. Over the next year it will develop into the new dream.

Assignment 1-3 due this week...the blog, the twitter and the begining of the wiki. I was able to get them all up and running and linked this week. Good news.

What dream do you have that you would like to develop?

Set up the first page on the wiki

http://strongerthanespresso.pbworks.com/

Rem RSS Feed

Hi, just removed the RSS feed but I can add it to my other blog. Using blogger is so much easier than the other format I was using through my web site. I wonder if I can link these so I can update here and it will post there.....oh yes more questions and curiousity. What fun - this is a truly a whole new world.

Adding RSS Feed

Wow, just ran a test on some of the features of blogger and its super easy to add a RSS feed to my blog. I can easily add resources to Stronger than Espresso's format to leverage the update features.

Cool

Link Blog and Twitter

Its a test to link my blog and twitter.

Wikis

Hi,

This morning I finished defining my 3 wikis for Week 2 discussions. Just read the book, Using Wikis for Online Collaboration by James and Margaret West, and they broke down the various styles of wikis. I created 3 templates and am going to move forward with the Resource Bank as my assignment. As I develop my Stronger Than Espresso program I am so excited that it is being to take shape as an online program. I need to see if I can link the wiki to my website? I need to construct my blog content for the site. Oh, yes, and I need to figure out the Twitter, blog link. I was so excited I got a great Twitter name - be soulfull. Time to link up and use technology as a tool to leverage to help others.

Linking Blog and Twitter

Just set up my Twitter account and have included the link in my tweets. Do they update together?

Wiki - a whole new world!

This morning I just finished reading the required text, Using Wikis for Online Collaboration, by James and Margaret West. The book defines the purpose of a wiki and breaks down the learning into three major categories: Knowledge Construction, Critical Thinking and Contextual Application. Depending on your purpose and goals for the wiki will depend on how you build the framework and direct the students through their process. Leaves me with some questions:

Can I link my wiki site to my web page?

Can I link my wiki site to this blog?

I also found the description of the Millennial Student on page 24 a great summary of many of the employees I teach at the bank. They are Digitally Literate (they teach me everyday something new on YouTube), Connected (physically attached to the phone), Immediate (like speed-get bored easily), Experiential (want to do), Social (ah yes, heard of Facebook?), Teams (they like working together), Structure (they like to win and get the right answers and dont like vague or ambiguious rules), Engagement (they want to do), Things that Matter (so what? they need to know how it applies to them to be important). I know that Cognitive Theories have been around for a long time, but these folks truly learn differently than we did.

An example of my students that was great was two young men in my class created an animated stick figure show using a small post it cube. Back in the day, kids would take small books and create simple stick figure pictures one page after another and when you flipped through it quickly you would get animation. So these guys create this silly animation with the post it cube, video the animation and post it to You Tube. The coolest part of this was the animated video of the stick figure and made me realize how far we have come.

When I have some more time I can look into that?

Share your thoughts

Brooke

PB Wiki and Twitter

Set up my wiki account and ready for the new assignments this semester. I already have one topic but need to think through the other two for my discussions this week. Tried to set up the Twitter account several times and it must be having technical problems. I can't get signed up and the last "tweets" on their home page are from 5 hours ago. I bet there are some people scrambling in their office this afternoon... Never thought I would be eager to Tweet :)

Brooke

Masters Degree, Class Three Week One!

I have arrived at the end of week one of my third class on my Masters of Education program and just submitted my first assignment about Critical Thinking and responded to my discussion posts.

What I learned this week was that I once again was amazed at the learning technologies that I don't know about. The Cloud and geotagging were all concepts I didnt know about and now understand. I was amazed to discover that Flickr has over 100 million items geotagged as of July 2010. Diigo.com was my new favorite find. Wow, it answers all of my bookmarking needs and answers the organizational need I had been struggling with. Finding Moodle is now my resource to write my Stronger than Espresso courses. I can use the free resources to create my online course program.

I couldn't receive my masters degree any other way but online due to my schedule. The last two weeks have included, I completed my second class final paper, submitted the paper to my boss for review into our curriculum, taught classes for 40+ hours, had 20 people from my husband's family staying at our house for a 10-day period, had my son's 3rd birthday party and my daughter was recovering from the croup. Somewhere in that, I got larygitis and taught a 40 hour class from a whisper. Needless to say, I survived and enjoyed my way through all of the challenges with a smile. God whispered and told me to go for this degree and I cried and said it would be hard, but he said he would be there.

What are you learning in your life that is making a difference?

Brooke

Every life is a soulfull creation!