Still Here

I don't know if anyone is following this blog or not. I just wanted to drop by and say "Hi." I'm taking a little break to do several things:

-  Reflect on my learning up to this point
-  Organize my resources and references
-  Do a little redesign of my blog
- Incorporate this Blog into my e-portfolio

That's enough to keep me busy fro the next couple of weeks. I will be starting EDUC 761 (Collaborative Communities in E-Learning) June 10, 2013. I'm trying not to take too much of a break, don't want to get out of the learning mode. Oh, quick mention, I have been discovering some really interesting blogs, thumb through them if and when you get a minute. Will blog you later ;)

Week 8 Final Thoughts, Not A Final Entry (Assessment in E-Learning)

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        Assessment in E-Learning has really been a learning experience for me. It has taken my Web 2.0 knowledge to an unprecedented level. Prior to this course, I didn’t know about online assessment tools. Most of my experience has been in the classroom. I don’t have any experience in online training. I believe, by completing this course, I am more prepared now to take on the task. I have the confidence to write lesson objectives that are measurable by the appropriate Web 2.O tools. I have a wealth of reading resources to refer to. I gained valuable insight from my classmates and instructor (Mr. Jim Erbe), a trusty sage of knowledge.

        My workshop is not taught online. It’s still in an f2f (Face 2 Face) format. My plans are to bring it online. This will enable me to addresses larger audience while creating a course that is accessible and budget friendly. From the modules, I have learned how critical it is to have assessments that will accurately measure the level of accomplishment for the individual student. It is also important to utilize more than one assessment tool to get good measure of the individual students capabilities. Conducting a good assessment will enable me to make the appropriate adjustments to my course and discover what areas I need to improve upon to increase my student’s retention of the subject matter. Transfer of training will be the final measure of the success of the course and the assessment.

      I gained valuable knowledge from researching and utilizing several of the Web @2.0 tools. I utilized Blogger as my blog of choice. For me, this was a very easy tool to set-up and I use. I won’t have any problem explaining to my students or other instructors on its benefits and uses. I got really comfortable with Weebly for creating webpages. I have created three so far and it just keeps getting easier. I have created short videos with Animoto. This is another great resource that I have become comfortable with. All of these tools will enable me to provide an online course that is accessible, easy, and enjoyable to work with. If you can take anxiety out of the equation or at the very lease reduce it, I think you will go a long way towards making your online teaching experiences effective for you and retainable for your future students.

       I would be remiss not to thank all of my EDUC 762 EDUC 762  Classmates. You all provided valuable and generous feedback, great discussion topics, shred experiences, and an internet load full of great resources. Thank you for helping me to continue my educational journey.

Week 7 (Assessment In E-Learning Final Project)

What can I say about this project? It was a lot of work! I t will probably still require more work and it will never be complete. It’s an e-portfolio. I’m thinking shouldn’t they continually evolve and grow as we continue on our individual educational journeys? I chose to use a Weebly website to construct my final project with. I followed the outline and the advice that was provided by Jim. I think that I captured all of the elements that he wanted to be included in the final project. At the same time I have personalized it to make it my own.

I reviewed and rated four Web 2.0 tools: Vyew, Animoto, Blogger, and TestMoz. These are not the only tools but they are the ones that I feel would be most applicable to learners and my workshop. I have provided information related to how I would be applying these tools to my Leadership Is Everyone’s Business (LIEB) Workshop. I have also addressed topics related to accessibility, plagiarism, and student-centered learning.

Creating and assessing an online course involves a lot of research, more than I could have possibly imagine. Getting your objectives properly formatted to enhance a student's knowledge is equally challenging. I did several rewrites to get them to a point where I could actually create an assessment to accurately measure them. My assessment toolbox is is something that I will utilize for reference and as a reminder of the importance of creating solid and usable tools and references. 

Week 6 (Assessment In E-Learning)

       This has been the toughest, yet most productive week yet. I have put a lot of work into my final project. It's a work in progress so I'm sure I will be adding more to it as I continue the E-Learning Program.  I know, as I go forward, there will be more things to add to my tool box due to nature of technological advancements. In the upcoming days ahead, I will get the chance to post my final project to our class discussion board to get that all important feedback from my classmates. I'm looking forward to their feedback to further refine my tool box.

Finding My Bearings (Assessment In E-Learning)

This has really been a hectic couple of days. I am training two instructors for a workshop that we have to put on next week, pulling together the logistical aspects(students, rooms, workbooks, guest speakers), and working diligently towards finishing up this course. It's a lot of work creating something from nothing, but once you get it together and look back, it's all worth it. Several weeks ago, I only read blogs, today I'm posting to my own. I was  browsing websites, now I'm playing around with header designs. This was a case of a lot of experimentation. I have to tell you, I think I did a pretty good job. Okay enough patting myself on the back, I have papers to write and courses to finish.


All you online teachers out there, if I said it once, I will say it again, "I A-P-P-R-E-C-I-A-T-E you!!"

Week 6 Sneek Peak Post (Assessment In E-Learning)

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        New challenge this week folks. I get to craft up a pre-course survey for a future online course that I will be facilitating. I am drawing a blank right now. It could be from the hundreds of surveys that I have completed in my lifetime that is causing me to have an outbreak of Murfnesia. Be careful that you don’t stare at my post for too long, you might catch it.

        I guess the question that I have to answer is, “How can I generate an effective survey that will ask the questions that I need to know about my future students and their course/workshop expectations?”  Hmmm…what a conundrum. Well, I will rely on my past painful experiences taking surveys and try to generate a relevant and painless one for my future online students.

      In addition to that, I’m still hurtling head first towards the end of the course. I’m gathering all my passengers (assignments) to make sure that we make it to our destination in one piece.

Week 5 Edit, Edit, and Re-Edit (Assessment In E-Learning)

       I'm taking my self through Ground Hog Day with my Bloom Taxonomy doc, Rubric, and higher order assessment objective. Teachers and Educators of the world, I sincerely apologize.
I  envisioned you
as tormentors determined to keep me from enjoying the sun shiny days of my youth with all your assessments and quizzes. Please forgive my "dunce cap" wearing self. I had no idea of the time, effort, edits, and re-edits that you went through to ensure that unappreciative young hooligans like myself could aspire to be something better and greater. I apologize. If I wasn't gainfully employed, I would come back and sit through classes and be the model citizen in the class. Unfortunately, my boss won't give me a note to come back to school. Besides, a guy my size would have an awful time trying to fit into one of those combination desk chairs.

            Okay, I digress. My future online students will have the best assessments that I can create utilizing the latest Web 2.0 tools, knowledge of the subject matter, and good fashioned "burning the midnight oil." The assessment aspect may be important, but I have to tell you the assessment instrument carriers equal if not greater importance. You really have to put a great deal of thought into the creation of lesson objectives. I now know that they have to be aligned and they have to be relevant in order to generate a meaningful and applicable learning experience for my students. I was a bit of a memorization finatic in school. It's not really about memorization, it's all in the application. The $5 (actual worth based on today's economy) question is, " Little Johnny or Little Susie build that bridge based on what they know or what they can remember?"

 Oh, a very important point to mention, while you are in the lab creating your masterpiece, get that second set of eyes for a sanity check. Be prepared for someone to call your baby ugly, but don't suffer in silence.