lunes, 24 de mayo de 2010

Reflection of unit four

This particular unit, I found it that it needs it more time, the one activity we made only the a little taste of what should be (or is) to manage a Distance learning course wishing to have more experience of managing and desing deeper a course, time, materials. As team work, this unit i found particularly difficult, not only we had little time, but also I could not contact my partner as fast and easyly than my otheyr classmates could, and to add that different timelines we are, but, still, it was an enjoyable experience.

Doing the activity

Activity 1: you will read the next short text taken from the book of Alice Adventures in Wonderland. After Reading the text, mark the words that you do not know, and on the blog define at least five of those words you do not know and answer the next question: 'how would you change the story of Alice after she falls on the hole?' comment and respond on your mates answers, feel free to share and exchange ideas!

From: (hypothetically) April 1st
To: (hypothetically) April 8th

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland:
Chapter One: Down the Rabbit-Hole - Part 1
Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, 'and what is the use of a book,' thought Alice 'without pictures or conversation?'
So she was considering in her own mind (as well as she could, for the hot day made her feel very sleepy and stupid), whether the pleasure of making a daisy-chain would be worth the trouble of getting up and picking the daisies, when suddenly a White Rabbit with pink eyes ran close by her.
There was nothing so VERY remarkable in that; nor did Alice think it so VERY much out of the way to hear the Rabbit say to itself, 'Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be late!' (when she thought it over afterwards, it occurred to her that she ought to have wondered at this, but at the time it all seemed quite natural); but when the Rabbit actually TOOK A WATCH OUT OF ITS WAISTCOAT-POCKET, and looked at it, and then hurried on, Alice started to her feet, for it flashed across her mind that she had never before seen a rabbit with either a waistcoat-pocket, or a watch to take out of it, and burning with curiosity, she ran across the field after it, and fortunately was just in time to see it pop down a large rabbit-hole under the hedge.
In another moment down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the world she was to get out again.
The rabbit-hole went straight on like a tunnel for some way, and then dipped suddenly down, so suddenly that Alice had not a moment to think about stopping herself before she found herself falling down a very deep well.

Abstract gotten from: http://www.saberingles.com.ar/stories/82.html


From: (hypothetically) March 15th
To: (hypothetically) March 22nd

Activity 2: You will watch the next interview video on you tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0VFC704wI0
And will look for the next information and post the answer to only 5 of the questions:
1.What is the video about?
2.What is the anniversary of the movie?
3.Who were the leading actor and actress?
4.How many were the guests?
5.What kind of show is the interview presented?
6.What is a spoof?
7.What is the Julie & Carol at the Garnege Park and at what year was it?
8.What was the mock name given to the movie by the lead actor?
9.Why do they say 'nine months', 'six inches' 'boat flipping over'?
10.What happened at the end of the video?
11.Have you seen the movie? Did you like it?

After that you will reflect about what you liked (or not) about the movie.

And lastly, you will find a video on you tube that you like make five questions related to the video, post them on the blog and answer to at least to two of your emates and comment on the video choose.

lunes, 17 de mayo de 2010

Reflection of unit Three

This unit was about meant to teach how to manage our time as teacher, the time of our learners, as well as to teach us how to motivate our learners into the a process of interaction with me as a teacher and his e-mates as a cognitive process.
Also it is important to note how they will be assessed, of the different methods and techniques, we can see that a mix of all of them will be the option instead of choosing only one if we want a reliable assessment, and to that the objectives must always be presented in a clear form -but also attractive if we want them to be participative during the course.

Feedback

Personal development plan

q development needs: to achieve greater, thoughtful, deeper, respectful, clear, objective participation from my e-learners in online working

q development objective: to increase participation from 5 messages per week per participant to 10 messages per week, to make the e-learners proactive within a 5 months course

q Strategy: to be more encouraging to participants to participate and communicate with each-other through the help of questionnaires, private/group chat, blogs…

q Actions:

- respond within 24 hours to all messages that look as if a response is required

- recommend readings and or exercises depending of the needs of each e-learner

- contact participants directly if they have not made a contribution for three days

- make sure they know that I read, though I may not always feedback, all their comments and exercises

- provide an incentive for each participant to make a contribution

- use a friendlier, more informal style

- use videos, song, pictures or any other multimedia to encourage them during their learning

- encourage them to share/comment any idea or multimedia they consider could the in the course

encourage them to cooperate through exercises that promote work as a team

Assessment

From: Unit 2, activity 2

The original: In chapter 2 of the book of Anderson, T. & Elloumi, F. (2004). Theory and Practice of Online Learning, there is a model to develop on line learning (pages 48 -52). Revise it carefully and explain it in 200 words. Post your summary of this model in the foro of unit 2 under the sequence called “Explaining the model”

The instructor will post a general comments at the end of the this sequence.

I would assesst it not necesarilly by the number of word used, unless they are less than 100, but by the depth, precition, cohesion of the ideas used to express, also it should be added that the learner must read and comment on their eclassmates responces and if they agree, disagree and why with them.

The importace of assessment increases in the case of distance learning education, but only how is this process done but on how it is presented to the learners. specially, because our learner must see the connection too between our assessment and their participation on the course as the assessment activities must be integrated with e-learning activities, If discussions are not assessed, experience shows that many students don't participate.

We have different forms to present our assessment, all with advantages and disadvantages:

The simplest and most easily managed approach to assessment is a quantitative one, but it does not take into account the quality of the participations.

qualitative assessment of student participation requires the establishing of a certain criteria for topic knowledge, producing certain kinds of language or ideas, and so on, is not so problematic. But it should be good to think about the features of effective interaction. So we might ask these sorts of questions about a student's e-participation:

q Do they encourage others to learn/participate?

q Do they contribute regularly at each stage of the discussion?

q Do they contribute to creating a supportive, friendly environment?

q Do they take the initiative I responding to others?

q Do they bring others into the discussion?

q Do they build on the contributions of others?

q Do they use netiquette effectively?

q Do they demonstrate a reflective approach to using CMC - eg do they talk about the learning process during a conference?

Asking students to assess themselves, their online participation, and other areas of assessment (as long as they have clear criteria and an agreed method of workingand it does not impact heavily on the final assessment.)

Peer assessment can be a powerful and valuable experience, as well as an uncomfortable one. But it may be better to use it as a formative rather than summative tool it is also recomendable to do it in small groups, to reduse the stress that may come from this tipe of assessment.

If we value the interaction and discussion in our online classrooms, then we have to explore ways of deciding the kind of value we are after, the sorts of participation that we want to encourage through assessment.

Summarizing and weaving

the order of the posts for summarizing was chosen according to the time they arrived, but deleting all unnecessary information taking from each of them the key words.

The Key words are:
attractive
clear explanation
eloquence
examples
problems
ideas
help each other
not intimidating
positive/inviting message
needs experience
specific objective
needs spark
elicit the audience
(not) clear instruction


The best response is the one written by KARLA JANETTE RANGEL CAMPINO
It is Clear, not short and expresses a deep understanding of the activity

Prompting students

What would you do if you saw the following question in a conference you are running?



"My learners expect me to answer their questions. What should I do so that they don't always look to me to be the expert?"


You as a teacher can do three possible things (they could be more, but i can only think of these right now):


1. ask them that before to making you a quentions they have first to read different sources, but this has more impact if it done at the beginning of the course, however it could make your learners to close up to you.
2. turn the question aroun: help them change the perspextive in which they are viewing the problem and ask them to try it again suggesting them sources.
3. make a section of questions and answers in which the learners can express theirs doubts, but with the condition that if they write a question they have to help clear the doubt of one their e-classmates to get the answer, so the teacher has only to check how the things progress.