4.3 Reflection: Social & Professional Networks

The Internet has been an integral part of my personal learning and sense of communication in the last few years.  I am a member of several personal and professional social media networks. I am a volunteer board member for Metafour Productions, a non-profit organization focusing on global issues. One of our projects is Beyond Walls Online, a website that provides a forum where youth can create art with meaning focusing on the goal of making our world a better place. On this website, one can see how interested young people are involved in global issues and becoming members of a larger global community looking for positive change.

Personally, I am very interested in photography and really enjoy thinking about what makes a photograph striking. I have learned the most from a group I am a part of on Facebook; the focus of the group is centered on the study of color and movement in photography. I learn a great deal from the group members’ submitted work and from their comments made about the all photographs posted on the site. One reason it works so well is that there is a lot of trust, and comments are framed in helpful ways. However, one pitfall is that it can be distracting if the posted photographs or comments are not focused on the objectives. To keep the group focused, the group owner has restated the goal as a reminder of our purpose.  At the same time, he has also provided the group with alternative ways to express opinions if they are not closely tied to the objective.  

I imagine my experience participating in a social network for personal learning is similar to that of students. There are commonalities that occur in a group situation when there are many people posting everyday. Students may become distracted or frustrated by off-topic or inappropriate conversations and may themselves lose focus in their contributions. We all at times need a “gentle” reminder about our aim and focus.  

Students can be successful using the Internet for personal learning with some proper support. Helping students identify what content they would like to pursue and then directing them to a learning network that matches their skill level and interest would be a first step. The best sites offer students control over content and pacing and provide guidance for any support they may need.  Also, making sure there is a friendly environment for sharing and discussing projects and ideas is critical for building confidence, trust, and critical thinking.

 Facebook COLOR Study Group

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3.3 Reflection: Using Web 2.0 Tool

1. What the experience looks like for students:

In this unit students will learn what life was like before the United States became a country. They will study one of the thirteen colonies in depth and share what they learned with classmates. Students will produce a digital interactive poster that demonstrates understanding of the geographical, social and economic conditions in early American history. Components of the assignment include the following activities:
 designing a map highlighting location of the colony and any points of interest or significance. 

• creating a photomontage of life from their chosen colony with explanations of why it is included in the montage. 
• writing a rap song that includes information about their colony such as geography, leaders, religion, etc. 
• writing a journal entry about life in their colony. 
• creating a video dramatizing what life was like in the colony. State who the characters are, with pertinent information about the colony (where is it located, how many people live there, jobs, beliefs, unique characteristics). 

In addition students will critique at least two other students’ interactive posters for content accuracy and digital presentation.

2. How the outcome is tied to curriculum objectives:

California Content Standards – Fifth Grade
CA.5.4. Content Standard: United States History and Geography Students understand the political, religious, social, and economic institutions that evolved in the colonial era.
5.4.1. Performance Standard: Understand the influence of location and physical setting on the founding of the original 13 colonies, and identify on a map the locations of the colonies and of the American Indian nations already inhabiting these areas.
5.4.2. Performance Standard: Identify the major individuals and groups responsible for the founding of the various colonies and the reasons for their founding (e.g., John Smith, Virginia; Roger Williams, Rhode Island; William Penn, Pennsylvania; Lord Baltimore, Maryland; William Bradford, Plymouth; John Winthrop, Massachusetts).

National Educational Technology Standards
1. Creativity and Innovation
3. Research and Information Fluency
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making

3. What Web 2.0 tools are aligned to the outcomes and lead to higher order thinking skills:

Blooms Digital Taxonomy - Creativity
Using Glogster EDU students will create a digital interactive poster presenting key characteristics of one of the thirteen colonies with information gathered and researched from valid resources. Students can include descriptions and explanations in a variety of ways that include text, images, web links, and visual and audio files. Glogster is a Web 2.0 tool that fosters higher order thinking skills by providing students with a tool that encourages planning, analysis, evaluation and creativity.

Useful research resources:
Colonial American Culture
Growth of the Thirteen Colonies
The Road to Revolution

4. Kinds of directions or guidelines you will provide in order to ensure success:

Glogster has many choices and options users can select. With elementary school students, this can be overwhelming. Minimizing the challenges of using this tool will help to make the task fun and more meaningful. In order to do so, have students storyboard their ideas and organize information efficiently by collecting and saving resources in file folders before beginning the project. An excellent article with tips for using Glogster can be found at: Tips for Using Glogster with Kids.

This is a sample rubric with criteria I would use to provide direction and guidance in completing a successful project using Glogster: Rcampus iRubric


                                                                                              

2.2 Reflection: Methodologies of the Online Instructor

1. Reflecting on the information covered in this module so far, how might your instructional methodologies need to change in an online or blended learning environment?

2. What skills and strategies might you improve or expand upon in order to best support student learning in a blended or online environment?

This assignment forced me to take a critical look at teaching methodologies I have used in a face-to-face environment and consider whether or not those practices would be successful in an online or blended model. I decided I needed to get a clearer picture of what my teaching style is. I took an online quiz that helped me evaluate my preferences: Teaching Styles Self Evaluation. While I always thought I used more of a “Delegator” style, I found my actual choices were a combination of “Formal/Authoritarian and “Demonstrator/Personal.” I think the online environment, particularly, lends itself to the “Facilitator” and “Delegator” style, and I would like to explore methodologies that reflect those styles.

In light of this new information and looking at the National Standards for Quality Online Teaching, Standard A – “The online teacher knows the primary concepts and structures of effective online instruction and is able to create learning experiences to enable student success,” I feel I need to focus on developing assignments that encourage students’ independence and problem solving skills and enable them to use modalities that best demonstrate their learning.

Using the Discussion feature in an online/blended environment is one place to let students take more responsibility for their learning. Having students select their own articles related to the topic and post them for other students to respond to is a way to begin the process. Also the use of voting and polling tools provides students with a voice that may or may not reflect the teacher point of view and encourages more critical thinking. Giving students more credit for reviewing other sources like video, webinars, podcasts, etc. allows for diverse learning styles and independent exploration. Formative assessment becomes an integral part of the assignment; providing multiple measures for success is a way I plan to expand my understanding of student performance. Assessment may vary according to learner needs and what is the best match for the topic.

This You Tube video from Indiana University is interesting in that it provides an overview of how to plan an online course, discussing the pedagogical differences in online and onsite classes: Planning an Online Course

After taking two online self-assessments, I feel confident that I have the necessary skills to perform in an online environment. While I answered the questions correctly, there are definitely areas for improvement I plan to address, particularly in the areas of time management. Establishing a dedicated workspace and appointed time during the week for working on projects will be very beneficial in keeping me on track. My motivation for taking the Leading Edge course is to be able to create the best environment for students to gain knowledge and expertise by enhancing current knowledge and learning new skills.

One challenge, as I see it currently, in an online environment is creating the energy that a group working together in a face-to-face class affords. An understanding of how to foster connection, communication and collaboration online is a skill I am interested in developing. One of my personal learning goals for this course is focused on creating an effective forum for productive discussions. It seems that “discussion” may be at the heart of online learning. Sharing ideas and new learning openly and honestly can enlighten everyone and vitalize the group. Also, discussions that encourage learners to consider alternative ways of thinking about strategies and assessing students’ knowledge is a powerful means of changing behavior and increasing the quality of education. I am interested in learning how to create a forum that fosters that kind of sharing.

In addition, another one of my learning goals is to explore the best technology tools that match the learning objectives of the course. With Web 2.0 tools ever increasing, I would like to look at different kinds of software applications and innovative technologies that are best suited to develop critical thinking skills. I have some experience producing podcasts and video, but I have not used the online digital sharing resources to a large extent and would like to incorporate those into an online class.

I am exploring Go2Web20; it is a directory that enables people to stay up to date with new services that are created every day. There are links and descriptions of applications, which make this exploration very efficient. Check out the site:  Go2Web20

I am looking forward to learning and experimenting with new strategies and applications to better facilitate online courses.