Video Presentation on Best Practices in Discussion Forum

While I was crafting this video, I came across many challenges. One that readily comes to mind is media compatibility issues that kept rearing “its ugly head” as I got closer to completing my video. However, I overcame adversity and have learned that Blackboard Collaborate webinar and Camtasia Studio 7.0 version do not play well together i.e. video becomes distorted, image quality poor, and it times out quickly thus giving a false illusion that you completed your production.  A midst these two challenges, one media rise to the challenge and enabled me to complete my video. I give many thanks to iMovie Apple media production for working well with my Flip video recording and allowed me the sweet reward of “completing”.  I do apologize for it being a day late; however, I learned a great deal out of this so call “5 minute video” project for my course i.e. EDUC 8842 Principles in Distance Education under Dr. Amar Almasude’s guidance and patience.

These are the links to two video production. Part 1 is research materials I compiled and render through various media tools but to no avail until I discover iMovie from Apple.  Part 2 is feedback from video recording on my Flip camera that I compiled and made several attempts to push it through Camtasia and Blackboard Collaborate but, again, to no avail until iMovie came along and saved the day.

Part 1




Part 2

Educational Technology and Media: Static vs Dynamic

Click here to view my concept map: SpicyNodes: Sample nodemap

Hello everyone,

This is my version of mind mapping designed on a new tool I discovered recently while exploring various web 3.0 tools for my ASSIST program at work.

I wanted to demonstrate how modern day online instructors can teach online by presenting this project on a dynamic or what I call web 3.0 version of online learning tools. I have been an advocate for use of new technologies in all learning environment and am quick to demonstrate to those skeptics and the “ resistance” population the benefits of Universal Design Language (UDL) in online classrooms and hybrid classes. Noted, the demonstration is a comparison between Static (2-D text, documents, and image) and Dynamic (3-D documents, text, and image amplified to a new level of engagement). Enjoy and share your feedback about the concept of teaching dynamic style. Also worth noting, while web 3.0 is just getting starting in today’s educational population, web 4.0 is the latest emergent technology. Web 4.0 focuses on virtual world, augmentation, holographics, and avatar engagement to others in Radio Frequency Identification tag (RFID), semantic, Electronic Learning (E-Learning).

An alternative to presenting my concept mapping #2:


Lynda

Online Learning Web Tools

Learning has changed from traditional lectures to Internet-base applications. Teachers and students alike are using the various web tools like Googledocs and Pbworks to collaborate on sharing of information, talking online, and working on html documents. Palloff and Pratt (2005) emphasized the importance of students and teachers alike adapting to the idea of working together online and learning how to effectively communicate online.  With the explosion of Web 2.0 tools and now Web 3.0 tools i.e. use of apps on smart devices, students and teachers are having to adopt to the web tools and learn to connect with each other in the online environment (Anderson, 2008 and Siemens, 2008).  The learning tools shown above are examples of just some of hundreds available online to educators, students, and organizations.  A brief description of the functionality of each web tools is depicted underneath the logos. Of the learning tools shown, OOVOO online 2-way chat offers more than just simple live chat. OOVOO is a multifunctional tool that extends its service to 6-way texting and video sharing – visit ooVoo: http://www.oovoo.com/home.aspx

Below are samples of communication and collaboration:

Software Review- Oovoo Video Conference Software (YouTube, 2012)

Introducing a new Google Docs (YouTube, 2012)

Reference

Anderson, T. (2008). Teaching in an online learning context. In Anderson, T. (Ed.). The theory and practice of online learning (2nd ed.). (pp. 441-472). Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press.

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

Siemens, G. (2008, January). Learning and Knowing in Networks: Changing roles for educators and designers. ITForum.

YouTube. (2012). Videos. (Online Videos). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/.

Crafte by Lynda Marshall July 27, 2012

Assessing Collaborative Learning

After viewing Dr. Siemens’s podcast on Assessment of Collaborative Learning and reading some of my peers review on assessing collaborative learning, I have come to a conclusion that team learning is great in achieving unity within the online class environment. However, it does not do much for those students who like to “stand out” amongst their peers and be recognize as the “Einstein” of the class.

While collaborative learning in online education helps those students who are less likely to speak out or afraid to participate because the over achievers always chime in first, it does not seem to be too fair of a playing ground for all types of learners. Siemens (as cited in Laureate Education, Inc., 2008, Podcast) asks the question “How do you pin point an assessment that is designed to see individual learning?” More so, The high achievers in the class may exhibit a lower tendency to participate at a 100% rate capacity to the group as these students find that their identity as “A” students are loss (Siemens, 2008, Podcast). What are your thoughts on this issue?


Reference

Laureate Education, Inc. (2008). Learning Communities. In Siemens, G. (Ed.). [Podcast].

Baltimore, MD: Author.

Lynda Marshall
 

myStoryboard

Hello Group,

I would love to get feedback on this storyboard.

(I hope this works)

This is a preview of my storyboard presented in video format. The topic of my video is Best Practices in Discussion Forums. The start of my video will be presented in Voki (note, I do not like to see and hear myself talk so I like to use Voki animation of myself). My next approach in the video is to provide YouTube clips on topic about Netiquette, Engagement, and Pitfalls in Discussion Board platforms. Next, I will offer some research work on Discussion Board Netiquette like writing Styles, critical thinking, and assessments. Following the research work on Netiquette, I will discuss some qualities of discussion engagements and list of Pitfalls that most students and instructors fall victim too on the discussion board. Moving on, I will illustrate hrough a graphics chart some of the benefits of using discussion board. Lastly, I will give a summary of my topics and introduce my keynote speaker who will talk about the next generation of online discussion boards.

(revised July 27, 2012)
Lynda Marshall

Blog #2

                                                     

 Elements of Distance Education Diffusion

Of the three elements i.e. 1)Global Diversity 2) Communication, and 3) Collaborative Interaction that Siemens as cited in Laureate Education, Inc., 2008, Podcast) discussed in The Future of Distance Education podcast, I opted to review the topic Collaborative Interaction in online learning.

Collaborative interaction in online learning has evolved from simple online email and instant messaging to in-depth social communication (Palloff & Pratt, 2005).  In other words, online learners benefit from social communication like structured discussion forum, group shared documents like Wikispace and Google Docs, and blogs. These web 2.0 tools enable learner-to-learner interaction (Palloff & Pratt, 2005), time to reflect on ideas, and further research on specific topics i.e. depth learning to name a few. As a matter of fact, learners experience a more gratifying learning environment when clear and precise expectation from the instructor is conveyed at the start of class. This minimizes confusion and frustration from learners and allows learners to focus on subject matters (Durrington, Berryhill, and Swafford, 2006). Overall, online learners are engaging in in-depth style collaborative interaction through use of web 2.0 technologies versus the less active email.

Sample  Video of Web 2.0 Tool: Google Wave

References

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

Laureate Education, Inc. (2008). The future of distance education. Principles of Distance Education. Baltimore, MD: Author. 

Palloff, R. M. & Pratt, K. (2005). Online Learning Communities Revisited. 21^st Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning. Retrieved from http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/

Lynda Marshall