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- Before
You Jump In:
- Ten
Facts of Life for Distance
Educators
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- Annette
Lamb
- alamb@eduscapes.com
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- Even experienced teachers with
technology skills will find developing and
delivering web-based curriculum a
challenge. Each learning environment has
unique problems and frustrations. Whether
you're planning a high school English
class or an MBA curriculum, your mission
is the same. This session will explore ten
tips for creating and implementing
effective, efficient, and appealing
web-based courses.
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- You're already a great teacher. Apply
these skills in new ways
- Are you a dynamic speaker? Think audio
and video
- Are you a great discussion
facilitator? Think threaded
discussions
- Are you a super writer? Think web
pages
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- http://www-esd.worldbank.org/rdv/training/index.htm
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- Teaching at a Distance
- Web Pages
- Word or Composer
- Web Development Tools
- Course Development packages
- WebCT, Blackboard
- HTML Programming
- http://www.webct.com/
- http://www.blackboard.com/
- http://multimedia.marshall.edu/cit/webct/compare/comparison.html
- http://multimedia.marshall.edu/cit/webct/compare/index.htm
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- Ideas:
Facts of Life for Distance
Educators
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- 1
Students are
Individuals
- Each student is unique
- Each class is unique
- Varied backgrounds
- Individual differences
- Entry Skills
- Content Area Skills
- Study Skills
- Communication
- Collaboration
- http://www.travlang.com/lang.html
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- Technology Skills
- Internet navigation
- Internet searching
- Typing
- Data organization & management
- http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/FindInfo.html
- http://www.worldsofsearching.org
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- Distance Learning
- Email
- Chat
- Online collaboration
- Self-paced learning
- http://everythingemail.net/email_help_tips.html
- http://lss.sbcc.net/orientation/index.htm
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- Individual Differences
- Multiple Channels
- Text
- Graphics
- Audio
- Video
- Communication
- http://www.poets.org/index.cfm
- http://historychannel.org/speeches/index.html
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/
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- A Running Start
- Face-to-Face
- Learning Strategies
- Support Each Other
- Face-to-Face
- Go through
- syllabus
- calendars
- web materials
- requirements
- assignment
- Discuss what to expect
- http://papyr.com/hypertextbooks/engl_101/table101.htm
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- Learning Strategies
- Time for course:
- "class" time, "study" time
- Interaction options:instructor, other
students
- Read on the web:exploring, skimming, reading
- http://www.cybereditions.com/aldaily/
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- Provide Support
- Eboards
- Egroups
- Listservs
- Chats
- http://papyr.com/eforum/
- http://www.eboard.com/eduscapes
- http://www.egroups.com/
- http://List-Universe.com/
- http://www.gaggle.net
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- 2 Technologies
Evolve
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- Be prepared to deal with new
- development tools
- browsers
- technologies
- Explore emerging options
- http://www.macromedia.com/software/
- http://www.cnet.com/
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- During 1 Semester
- New computer system software
- Updated web browser/ plug-ins
- New web development tools
- Before updating, consider
- student skills
- student access
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Keep It Simple
- Avoid overdoing it
- skip distracting animations
- autoload messages
- annoying music
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Avoid Plug-ins
- Stick to
- Adobe Reader - PDF files
- Quicktime or Windows Movies
- Avoid specialty software
- Provide links to downloads
- http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
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- Course Evolution
- Start where you're confident, then
- add small pieces - video clips
- add one at a time
- field test each new element
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Make Informed Decisions
- Is the new technology worth the
?
- learning time
- development time
- expense to you and students
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3 Technology
Fails
- Your paper will run out.
- Your bulb will blow out.
- Your connection will be down.
- Be prepared for failure
- Backup Technology
- Take your umbrella
- Backup markers
- Help phone numbers ready
- Extra bulb & cartridge
- Zip disk backup
- Powerpoint transparencies
- Backup Plans
- Website - backup/mirror, on disk or hard
drive
- PowerPoint printouts
- Use phone & fax machine
- http://eduscapes.com/start.html
- http://home.earthlink.net/~eduscapes/start.html
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- 4 Planning
Shows
- Careful instructional design
- Equals
- Successful implementation
- Have you ever...
- ...been 1 day ahead of your students?
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"previewed" the video 5 minutes before
class
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run to the photocopier 15 minutes before
class?
- Be Prepared
- Everything must be ready
- students need to see the "big picture"
- varied student work speeds
- Instructional Design
- Start with outcomes
- Create a visual plan
- Work from a template
- http://magic.usi.edu/blockies/educ214/educ214.html
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- Plan the Big Picture
- Start the semester w/ a complete course
- Revise as you go
- Inform learners of changes
- Provide Good Starters
- Search Engines
- Subject Area Portals
- Specific Website Assignments
- http://www.artcyclopedia.com/
- http://www.nga.gov/
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- Look for Shortcuts
- Use existing databases of info
- Lesson plans online
- http://cagle.slate.msn.com/politicalcartoons/
- http://cagle.slate.msn.com/teacher/
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- 5 Students
Procrastinate
- Establish deadlines
- start with firm dates
- provide reminders
- use peer pressure
- use peer review
- encourage early submissions
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It's a Different Environment
- You can't
- count them as they walk in
- look them in the eye
- pester them before class
- pull them aside for a talk
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Things that Work
- Print the course calendar
- Encourage early submissions
- Provide email reminders
- Peer evaluation - support
- Use guilt & competition
- quote good projects
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- 6 Track them or
lose them
- Monitor each student
- Be systematic
- Email quick messages, updates
- Things to Track
- Assignments
- Discussions
- Email communications
- Progress
- Keep Records
- Web-based systems
- Web-CT
- Peer evaluation
- Discussion groups
- Spreadsheet
- Students Disappear
- Illness
- Personal & job problems
- Conflicting schedules
- Guilt for getting behind
- Moving away
- Regular contact = Fewer problems
- Electronic Postcards
- Communication
- Good job
- Encouragement
- Projects due
- Instruction
- http://marktwain.about.com/arts/marktwain/library/texts/bl_postcards.htm
- http://www.enature.com/ecard/ecard_home.asp
- http://bluemountain.com/
- http://icards.mac.com/WebObjects/iCards
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- Vary Assessment
- Activities
- Assignments
- Exams
- Papers
- Discussions
- Consider learning styles
- http://www.schoolsucks.com/newsucks/
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- 7 Students
Appreciate Feedback
- Student job: turn in projects on time
- Teacher job: give prompt, useful feedback
- Feedback Options
- Comments: text/clipart
- on web page
- on discussion
- on Word file
- colors or comments option
- Online Practice
- Practice and Feedback
- Quality questions
- Helpful feedback
- Tutorials
- http://www.biology.arizona.edu/default.html
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- Email Management
- Respond to student input
- Immediately
- Time each day or week
- Separate account for class
- Inform students about your email approach
- Outside Help
- Peer evaluation
- Outside experts
- Real-world practice environments
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- http://www.expertcentral.com/
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- Assessment Tools
- Quiz or Exam, Checklist, Rubrics
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- http://uahs.upper-arlington.k12.oh.us/classfiles/class720-3/ortman_britlit.html
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- 8 Technology
Takes Time
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- Double the time you
- Development time
- Work time
- Email answering
- Grading time
- Prepare Students
- Recognize that onscreen reading:
- seems longer
- promotes eye strain
- causes distraction - ads, links
- Provide guidelines & focus
- Time saving suggestions
- Skimming: Skim, explore, read
- Multitask: Web resources & Word
- Cohort groups: Email, eboard, egroups
- http://www.blackboard.com/courses/FPST2153/
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- Focus Attention
- Select an article
- Cite the source
- Groups compare viewpoints
- Partners debate an issue
- Put in historical context
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- http://www.freedomforum.org/first/index.html
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- 9 Active
Learning is Critical
- Active involvement
- Student interaction
- Varied assignments
- web development
- email discussion
- PowerPoint dtpresent
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http://www.indiana.edu/~w505e/lauradailey.html
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Discussion
- Live or delayed
- Focus of discussion
- assignment questions
- sharing ideas
- collaboration
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http://www.musictheory.halifax.ns.ca/ceilidh/emtforum.html
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Use Modules
- Short bites of information
- Focus on specific outcomes
- Provide information, examples,
- practice or discussion
- http://library.thinkquest.org/12111/
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- Active Learning
- Collaborative projects
- Discussions
- Peer evaluation
- Listservs, egroups, email
- http://miavx1.muohio.edu/~psybersite/racism/
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- Online Tools
- Discussion Groups, Online Software
- Calculators
- http://www.dietitian.com/ibw/ibw.html
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- Provide Choices
- 10 Idea Exploration Activities
- 5 Book Reviews - peer evaluation
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- 10 Students
have great ideas!
- Listen to your students
- Encourage student leadership
- Refocus activities as needed
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Student Evaluation
- Ask them to:
- evaluate activities
- provide ideas & suggestions
- keep work logs
- Was this assignment a good use of time?
- Student Sharing
- Create a class web project
- Add to an ongoing project
- Create a new project
- Look for "real-world" impact!
-
http://campus.northpark.edu/history/WebChron/
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- Take the Leap!
- Start small
- Keep it simple
- Encourage student leadership
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- http://eduscapes.com/
- Have Fun!
- Resources
- Lamb, A. & Smith, W. (Feb 2000).Top Ten Facts
of Life for Distance Education. Tech Trends, 44(1),
12-15.
- Lamb, A. & Smith, W. (1999). Virtual
Sandcastles: Teaching and Learning at a Distance,
- Vision to Action. http://eduscapes.com/v2a
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Created by Annette
Lamb, 10/00
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