Posts filed under 'e-Learning'
Greetings during this muggy summer.
I find that a framework often works for me and I thought I would pass along a couple that might work for those plotting out/developing their courses in eLearn. Moving courses online or from one platform to another is a great opportunity to check in with the content (activities, resources, assessments, etc.) and make sure there are opportunities in the course to tap into the strengths of every learner. Where previously you discovered the perfect article, you might want to add a complementary video or podcast for different learning preferences. Instead of writing an essay you might also include an option to create a video or present their research and conclusions in an alternate format - the same rubric could apply for assessment!
Two Frameworks
Summer is the time to travel and the time to garden, so we will frame the pedagogy and course development with this in mind.
A travel analogy for blueprinting the major components of your course:
1. Identify the destination: Where do you need the learner to be?
2. Inspire the learner: How to promote the journey?
3. Share the language: Is there common understanding of concepts?
4. Provide the tools: Which resources, texts, instructions, quizzes, checklists, guides?
5. Focus the context: How and when will they use what they know?
6. Assess the arrival: Is the journey complete/satisfactory? How do you know?
For those of you further along in eLearn, here’s a garden analogy for development that will ease re-development and rollover:
Perennials - survive year after year
- policies and procedures that you write once and use “forever”
- these chunks can be used in multiple courses
Annuals - require re-planting each year
- these include: applications of theories and root knowledge; assessments and activities; articles and readings
- update on an annual basis to ensure currency and relevance
Cut Flowers - only briefly survive
- these include current news and sites controlled by others
- if you don’t own it, it is subject to change
Transplanting - easier to move and maintain small pieces
- always keep the modular in mind!
I do hope these bits and bytes assist with your exploration of online learning and support!
If you want to follow up on these ideas or any teaching and learning questions and/or concerns, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Take care,
Peggy
CTL
August 5th, 2010
If you are adding content to your eLearn course, you might be wondering what’s legal and what’s not regarding copyright. Limbo is the name of the game right now as we wait for Bill C32 (the Copyright Modernization Act) to become law. In the meantime, your librarians can help! Check out our comprehensive guide that aims to tell you how you can use various types of materials in your courses and remain within the law.
Have questions? Give us a shout - copyright can be complicated and we’re here to help!
July 21st, 2010
When I was at the STLHE (Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education) conference I met Tara Lee, a math teacher from Nova Scotia Community College. She shared with me a survival strategy that she implemented for keeping up with email.
She teaches math online and found it difficult to keep up with the email questions in a timely way. So she told her students that she would give up to 5% bonus marks for correctly answering “math related” questions posted on the discussion group. She said that the result was beyond her expectation. She said that the students started teaching one another, expanding on someone else’s explanation, and pointing students to other resources on the internet that had good explanations of the math concept being learned. She NEVER answered one email question – just complimented students on their resourcefulness. She monitored that the “correct” answer was given and counted the number of opportunities and the individual responses to calculate the bonus marks.
While some students never bothered, majority of students achieved the 5% bonus marks. It was so successful that next year, she plans to increase participation to 10%.
June 30th, 2010
Those of you who attended Day 1 of Connections were treated to a keynote address by John Baker, the President, CEO, and founder of Desire2Learn.
John shared some best practices for eLearning, instructional design and course building tips that could impact both online and classroom education, and provided an early look at the upcoming Desire2Learn Version 9.0 Learning Environment release.
To view the 45 minute video, go here.
May 26th, 2010
I attended the Newbie Stream, “Oh the Possibilities” of the Connections Conference and I was excited to learn about the many tools that are available to support faculty and students. Thank you to the CTL/eLearning services team and the pioneer users for generously sharing their knowledge with us!
I can see the immediate benefit of these tools:
Discussions
The Discussions tool provides a place for users to communicate by posting messages into defined topic areas and responding to messages posted by other users. Faculty often require students to post their question on the Discussion tool rather than personal email. The answer usually benefits many students.
Dropbox
The Dropbox tool replaces the need for users to mail, fax, email, or physically deliver assignments. Users simply submit (upload) electronic versions of their assignments to the appropriate dropbox folder in the learning environment.
Scheduler
The Scheduler allows you to place personal or course-related events on the course Calendar, such as due dates, reminders.
If you missed Connections or just want to learn more about the possibilities, the eLearn services team is offering ongoing workshops. Check the PD calendar for a list of workshops happening this week.
May 7th, 2010
This is a reminder that eLearning Services (of the Centre for Teaching & Learning) offers specialized eLearning workshops to departments and other groups by request. If your team would benefit from a custom session, let us know and we will design and deliver a session just for you.
On occasion, and when space allows, we will open these sessions to the larger College community. One such set of workshops is scheduled for next Thursday, March 18, when we will offer our two primary ‘building block’ sessions for new users of eLearn@Mohawk. Between 9:30 and 12:00, we will begin with An Introduction to eLearn@Mohawk, which provides a broad overview of the system and its capabilities. Between 1:00- 3:30, we will continue with Configuring a New Course in eLearn@Mohawk, delving deeper into course-related tools and the construction of learning spaces. While neither workshop is a prerequisite for the other, we strongly suggest that the introductory session is a good first step for all new users.
Registration is not required. One way to help prepare for these sessions is to view the online videos available at eLearn.mohawkcollege.ca, specifically A Look at an Active Course, The Organization-Level Homepage and Navbar, and Customizing the Navbar and Homepage.
We hope to see you next Thursday in i204, at the Fennell campus.
A. Connery, C.T.L.
March 12th, 2010
Advancing Learning, the 16th annual E.T.C. conference (formerly This is IT!) will be hosted by Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning between May 26- 28th, 2010. This is the premiere eLearning conference in the province, offering high quality professional development for those who live teaching and learning with technology every day.
This year’s theme, Let’s Get Creative! draws upon the notion that we as educators have an important role in preparing students to be active contributors in a society that is currently driven by a creative economy.
For more information or to submit a proposal, visit the conference website here.
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There is still time to nominate individuals or groups for the two E.T.C. Awards presented at the conference. For more information or to access the nomination forms for both the Innovative Teaching with Technology Award or the Impact Award, visit the E.T.C. website at http://etccommittee.ca, and click on Awards.
…posted by Andrew Connery, e-Learning Services, C.T.L.
February 15th, 2010
This Reading Week, eLearning Services will be offering a series of Introductory, Course Configuration, and Drop-In sessions. These sessions will be of interest to faculty who are migrating to eLearn@Mohawk, but also to anyone who wants to learn about the new system.
The offerings and schedule can be found here.
February 3rd, 2010
This update focuses on system and resource improvements on eLearn@Mohawk since October 2009, and presents the progress made to date, the current enrolment and usage, the immediate challenges, and the work that still needs to be completed. The most significant advances since October include the successful Banner integration, and the completion and availability of Modules 1 and 2 of the eLearning Certificate Program.
To view the January 2010 eLearn@Mohawk Project update document, go here.
January 28th, 2010
All faculty at Mohawk are now enroled in the eLearning Certificate Program: Level 1. Level 1 consists of 2 Modules, and their completion is a minimum requirement for Web-facilitated delivery at Mohawk and a requirement for all faculty using eLearn@Mohawk.
You’ll find the Modules under the Employee tab in your My Courses widget once you login to eLearn@Mohawk here.
…posted by A. Connery
January 5th, 2010
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