Using your selected portfolio platform, create a "cognitive presence" (Boettcher part 2, chapter 4, page 54) post. This could be a simple blog post, or you're welcome to use a video tool or something else if you prefer. It should be a personal reflection on your prior knowledge and experience, what you hope to learn in the course, how you think you will connect with your peers, and any concerns you have about the expectations (academically or socially).
It does not have to be lengthy, 3 paragraphs or so written, or 5 minutes or less for a video. I will provide an example. In the last module of the course, we'll look back at these posts and reflect on them.
The first online course I took and completed was an html programming course. Reflecting on the reasons for completion, I realized it was the first online class that delivered several of the ‘best practices’ from the Boettcher book. The html class was the first in which there was interaction with the instructor, assistance was provided for problems or issues, feedback given for weekly assignments, expectations clearly outlined, and resources provided. It was the interaction with the instructor that was the critical piece for me in meeting the class goals.
I teach many in-person classes and think that some of that content itself will transfer to the online environment, especially with the software we are using now and Moodle, which will be up and running for this summer. What I hope to learn during these classes is how to structure on-line classes for staff so:
• Learning goals for staff participants are relevant to their classroom, clear, and attainable
• Resources are useful, supportive
• Learning activities usable for/with their classroom students to meet learning goals
• Participant frustration is limited
One considerable issue for me is the wide range of staff technology skills and experience and hoping to construct the class so that the frustrations with the technology can be quickly addressed so that participant learning will not be negatively impacted.
At this point connecting with peers and concerns about the class expectations both revolve around and are limited by what is probably the same for most of the people in the class – time. Work commitments during the week are pushing class work for me to the weekend. Anyone come up yet with a way to add a few more hours in each day?
I completely understand that. I support just 3 instructors, but they do things on their own time, which means I get a lot at the last minute. I wrote something a few years ago about instructor PD, that might help. http://www.scribd.com/doc/17246762/Nurturing-Informal-Professional-Development-for-eLearning-Instructors It might be outdated, though. In professional development, I've found the best way to get the message across, is to get the teachers to talk to each other. Any time someone comes to me excited about what they've learned, I ask them to share it with someone else.
ReplyDeleteSkagit Valley college is going through a Moodle implementation right now, and they've done a good job starting with a pilot faculty PD group. There are a lot of good models out there. Definitely embrace your early adopters and get them to spread the word!