Concepts and Practical Tools for Online Courses

1. Slides available online at http://loki.stockton.edu/intech/aug25.pdf Concepts and Practical Tools for Online Courses Linda Feeney, Ed.D. Director Computer Services Rita Mulholland, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Teacher Education

2. Before We Start… • First a brief poll so you can tell us about your experience with online meeting environments

3. Overview • Introduction to Wimba Live Classroom features • Exploring the possibilities of the Blackboard CE6 Discussion Tool • Using Wimba Live Classroom for Discussion • Managing group projects • Using Wimba Live Classroom in group projects • Applying Bloom’s Taxonomy to Assignments , Assessments, Goals, and Grading Forms • Consolidating the learning experience with ePortfolios • Incorporating publishers’ e-pack content

4. Wimba ClassroomParticipant Screen Areas Content Frame Media Bar Text Chat Area Participant Area

5. Wimba ClassroomMedia Bar

6. Wimba ClassroomText Chat Area

7. Wimba ClassroomParticipant Area

8. Wimba ClassroomPresenter Screen Presenter Panel

9. Wimba ClassroomPresenter Panel

10. Checking in Again… • Another quick poll. Tell us about the tools that you use in your instruction

11. DiscussionCommunity Building • Ice Breaker – open-ended • Introduction • Content Preview • Personal experience with topic (level setting) • Keep in Touch • Who am I? (20 questions to identify fellow students) • Housekeeping/Support • How do I? Where is? Etc.

12. DiscussionQuick Check • Integrated – Online Survey Widget – Vizu.com for opinion overview.

13. DiscussionGeneral Roles • Initiator – proposes topic(s) for discussion • Facilitator – middle man, invites contributions, mediates disagreements • Contributor – adds relevant commentary • Lurker – reads discussion but does not participate • N/A in instructional setting • Elicitor -- asks questions, seeks additional information or clarification • Acknowledger – “Me, too” agreement with discussion • Complicator – Reframes discussion, may pull discussion off track • Closer – summarizes and synthesizes discussion, draws conclusions

14. Using Discussion Rolesin Instruction • Assign specific roles to individual students or groups of students • Use roles for evaluation • Grading Form (i.e., rubric) • Peer Evaluation • Self Evaluation • Faculty generally take on the roles of initiator and facilitator – be sure to perform or assign summary function

15. DiscussionDebate • Choose an issue (e.g., government administered health care) assign students to three groups – for, against, judge • Debaters back up responses by referring to text or additional resources • Judges evaluate debaters’ responses to scenario, justifying with references to text or additional resources

16. DiscussionRole Playing • Based on narrative text, auto/biography, historical or current event • Assign “characters” to individual students • Assign evaluator role to student(s) • Pose questions or scenario to the actors • Actors back up responses by referring to text or additional resources • Evaluators judge actors response to scenario, justifying with references to text or additional resources • Example – Students are reading Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar; • Assign roles of Brutus, Cassius, Marc Antony, Portia, and Calpurnia, and evaluators • Pose questions like: How has your life changed since his death? Would your life have been better had he lived, why or why not? etc. Evaluators pose additional questions to actors

17. DiscussionSimulation • Choose a relevant scenario • Divide students into groups responsible for a variety of functions appropriate to the scenario • Instructor acts as outside force informing groups of various actions beyond their control that affect their virtual world • Example – Preparing for an Influenza Pandemic http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/states/tr319.html#gen

18. Group ProjectsManagement • Assign functional roles • Coordinator, Scribe, Manager, Illustrator, Editor • Other roles project specific (e.g., data analyst, interviewer) • Don’t assume students have teamwork skills • Emphasize process as important as product • Provide direction – input/feedback with each role as project progresses; require early submission of group project analysis and timeline • Alert student to pitfalls – conflict resolution, procrastination

19. Group Project PlanningMapping • Mind map – a diagram representing ideas, tasks, processes • Enhanced method of brainstorming -- generate, visualize, and organize ideas. • http://www.wisemapping.com • Free (for now, at least) • Collaborative • Export to multiple formats

20. Another Check… • Using the Yes () or No () button at the bottom of the Participant Area: Are you familiar with Bloom’s Taxonomy? • Using the Yes () or No () button at the bottom of the Participant Area: Do you use Bloom’s Taxonomy in planning your instructional activities, assignments, and assessments?

21. Bloom’s Taxonomy 1956 2001 Evaluation Create Synthesis Evaluate Noun Verb http://www.uwsp.edu/education/lwilson/curric/newtaxonomy.htm

22. Learning Dynamics • Environment/ • Tools • Interaction • Process/ • Style • Evidence/Artifacts

23. Learning Evidence/Artifacts • Test/quiz scores • Verbal Literacy (e.g., case study, lab report, essay, research paper, discussion postings, debate) • Quantitative Literacy (e.g., spreadsheets, calculations, projections, statistical analysis) • Visual Literacy (e.g., graphs, tables, maps, charts, photographs, illustrations, movies, animations) • Interpersonal Skills (e.g., group projects, discussion postings, video of presentation) • Share artifacts with others using ePortfolio

24. ePortfolio Rubric • Organization • Topical or Chronological • Related to Goals • Representative • Illustrates full scope of expertise • Varied artifacts – • Demonstrate verbal, quantitative, visual, and interpersonal skills • Demonstrate higher level cognitive achievement – application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation (Bloom’s Taxonomy) • Reflections on artifacts included in portfolio • Selective • Enough, but not too much content • Best work

25. ePortfolio Reflections • Who I am? • Qualities, experiences (successes and failures), and characteristics that shape my professional interests • What do I believe? • How I see and relate to the world and my profession • How I see my profession’s function in the world • What I see for the future of my profession • How do I practice (or intend to practice) my profession? • How do my artifacts relate to these factors?

26. PublisherePack Content • Many publishers generate online content that duplicates and/or supplements textbooks. • Free to faculty, students pay for access code (cost varies by complexity of content) • Always review thoroughly before use • Request development section for testing/modification at http://compserv.stockton.edu • http://www.blackboard.com/Support/Extensions.aspx Click on e-Packs

27. Wrap Up • Archive • Follow up session – August 31 • Questions?

28. Resources Survey Widget • http://www.vizu.com/index.html Mind Mapping • http://wisemapping.com/c/home.htm • http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Download Bloom’s Taxonomy • http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/researchskills/dalton.htm • http://www.uwsp.edu/education/lwilson/curric/newtaxonomy.htm • http://www.scribd.com/doc/933640/Bloom-Revised Textbook e-Packs • http://www.blackboard.com/Support/Extensions.aspx Group Project Management • http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/teach/instructionalstrategies/groupprojects/structuring.html