Wk_12 Lessons Learned

There were a great many things learned this quarter. I could not believe how slow it started. Once I was used to everything, keeping a schedule for Skype, for blogging, for discussions and projects, once everything was in place, then it sped up to the point where we are now. I almost don't want it to end.

I used wikis all summer and thought I was on the cutting edge. I now know I wasn't even close. The VoiceThread technology and Second Life have done wonders for opening my eyes to knew educational possibilities. I could not believe just how much I didn't know and how much I thought I knew.

My husband would tell me (something that he had read once), that there are two types of people who are confident that they are experts at something: those who know a lot in their fields and those who are clueless, but think they know everything. For this reason, I tend to walk the middle ground. This class has proven to me that I did not know everything. I had only a glimpse of what was actually available. The diversity in presentation software that was web-based really blew my mind. Even the use of wikis for the presentations was something completely new to me. I didn't know wikis could be used that way.

I have learned so much from this course and the people in it that I really don't want it to end. I fear that I will forget a lot of what I have learned (which is actually part of the learning process, it happens), but I hope to retain the principle concepts behind the course: the use of Web 2.o tools for collaborative learning.

Take care all, and know that I have learned a lot from each of you in this EDUC 8823 Walden University course. Thank you professor Toledo for being patient, understanding, and a perfect model for teaching with Web 2.0 tools to which I shall aspire.

Tamyra

Skype Chat History_2

Here is a copy of my Skype Chat History for the second six weeks (10/13/08 - 11/18/08)...
I did notice that some people were not on as much during the second six weeks.

Dolores King is my KAM study buddy. We did not used to Skype. We spent three hours on the phone once and our phone bill was so high, that when I started this course, Skype seemed the best alternative.

:D

Wk_11 Sims in Education

This week we are discussing simulations, simulation-games, and games in educational settings. The setting could be a training exercise in the corporate or military world, or a classroom demonstrating a type of learning. When discussing the classroom, I decided to seek out the educational advantages of using simulations or games. Derek's blog discussed the educational benefits of simulations in the classroom. These characteristics of learning would benefit anyone in any discipline.

Derek Wenmoth wrote, "These simulations are engaging in different ways. They’re especially useful for developing critical thinking, and exploring ideas and concepts at a deeper level than a superficial read of a magazine or text book article - especially when engaged in as a part of a classroom group activity. Like all good simulations - they’re intended to teach not through the imparting of lots of information, but through the understandings developed through the process of participation, problem solving and decision making."

In this case, students are not passive learners absorbing information, but are actively participating in the learning process. They develop active listening skills when collaborating with their group, or critical thinking skills when finally determining a solution to a problem. These skills can be used in any classroom in any discipline. They are essential to the development of a lifelong learner.

Reference:

Wenmoth, D. (2007, March 12). Simulation games for the classroom. Available at: http://blog.core-ed.net/derek/2007/03/simulation_games_for_the_class.html

Gary DeRoest

This is a test to see if Gary DeRoest's "Embed Code" from VoiceThread works in blogspot.

Wk_10 LMs with LOs in LCMS

McCord (2003) states, “…we lack a structured approach… to capture and preserve the intellectual output of the campus community for future access.” I am reminded of the recent Walden email about a new website for Walden faculty and scholars concerning projects and forums. It is an opportunity to share what you are doing in the field to foster social change. The LMS is another way to help provide an overarching structure to the LCMS and make it available to all who need it. That is one area that is annoying in Walden. Once the six weeks have passed from the end date of a class, you no longer have access to the discussion boards, the study notes, none of the rich text, links, or information of note from the course. This is a disservice to those who could use this information as a reminder of what the course was like and what was learned. It is a great tool for reflection. To shut us out of our classes is a disservice to the educational process.

When discussing the LCMS, learning objects (LO) can be pulled in from repositories to enhance student learning. Much like any other opportunity to search the web, some of the sites in the repositories do not work. The link to the FLORE site from the Beck (2007) Collections page seemed like an exciting tool for me as a French teacher, but once I started searching the sites most of them were all text, and others did not go anywhere. It would have been nice to find what I was looking for right off the bat, but it was much like surfing the web, you have to know the magic search words.

The Harvey (2005) article introduced me to the more technical side of computer science terminology, which I probably should have already known, such as metadata, granularity, and reusability (which sounded made up to me). I felt more in my field when he began using the terms ID and ADDIE. I love the statement that if instructional design “principles are not heeded, learning repositories will gain a reputation for amateurish content, rather than credibility as worthwhile educational resources.” The FLORE site was really disappointing to me. It did not feel like the sites were chosen as examples of good pedagogical tools with clear instructional design implementation, but that they were just really informative points of interest.

Harvey makes a distinction between CO (content objects) and LO (learning objects). Learning objects “employ explicit planning for learning, intentional instructional design…” and are more than just a website. They can be used on a “stand-alone basis to bring about intentional learning.” The future of repositories in education depends on the groundwork currently being laid. It is important that more consideration be used when labeling a site as a “learning object” if they are to be taken seriously in the field of education. The benefits of a well designed learning object can greatly enhance the online learning experience when properly incorporated into a LCMS.

References:

Beck, R. J. (2007). Learning objects: Collections. Available at: http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CIE/AOP/LO_collections.html

Harvey, B. (2005). Learning objects and instructional design. IRRODL (July 2005). (Online Journal). Available at: http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/227/310

McCord, A. (2003). Institutional repositories: Enhancing teaching, learning, and research. Educause Committee Report. Available at: http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/DEC0303.pdf

Wk_9 To LMS or Not to LMS

The idea of not needing a Learning Management System never dawned on me until I saw these three discussions. Tony Karrer (2006) has several posts on his blog about the use of LMS and LCMS in the business world. He responds to a post by Dennis Coxe that alleges that LMS “places toll booths inbetween the learner and the knowledge”’ and that he himself describe the LMS as a “barrier to learning that provides management and reporting that corporate training functions want.” In this sense, schools are a lot like the corporate world. They have begun to use statistics as their basis for being, as the measure of their success. Teachers are the offline LCMS that gives the schools the data needed to function. The online system should not and does not need to function this way. I never thought of a blackboard system as a hindrance to learning, but as a structure that helps guide students through the process. In some cases, however, it seems that it can be used as a sort of watchdog that boxes students in to a certain learning style and format and reports their every move to the higher ups.

I found two other interesting sites on LMS opinions. I have not read all of the blog posts on these pages, but I thought the statement by Stephen Powell April 1st, 2008 was interesting on this site http://www.pontydysgu.org/2008/03/do-we-need-learing-management-systems/ and that the list of bloggers was intriguing here http://wordpress.com/tag/learning-management-systems/

References:

Karrer, T. (2006, October, 24). Informal learning and learning mangagement systems: eLearning technology. Available at: http://elearningtech.blogspot.com/2006/10/informal-learning-and-learning.html

Karrer, T. (2007, September 20). LMS satisfaction features and barriers: eLearning technology. Available at: http://elearningtech.blogspot.com/2007/09/lms-satisfaction-features-and-barriers.html