I think I have arrived at the conclusion that these medium requires a balance between static and dynamic technologies in order for it to really work for most people. I think there needs to be static elements, elements that work more asynchronously, because without which the schedules of distance education could be just as limited as traditional schooling. On the other hand, in order to maintain a reasonable pace, you vitally need those more dynamic or synchronous elements of a class. For example, I think content delivery is an area that has to be balanced. Some things just need to be plain printed texts, or podcasts/vodcasts that we see and listen to. The dynamic elements need to be those that encourage interaction, discussion, and sharing of resources beyond what the instructor places center stage. Technology such as White Boarding, or peer file sharing, allow students to own the technology in a sense, and builds their understanding of content and the learning community at the same time.

Video Project

Here's my first pass at my video. I have a few changes I know I want to make this weekend, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

http://bellsouthpwp2.net/e/d/edwardtustin/8842.wmv

Module 4

Link to my graphic organizer: http://mywebspiration.com/go/59938

In doing this assignment, I decided to embrace the concept and created my graphic organizer online. Feel free to add or edit, or visit the download option to save a copy to your desktop.

I think the tools we use in distance learning should meet all the purposes that Garrison et proposed in his “community of inquiry,” where the community is made up of "three essential elements: cognitive presence, social presence, and teaching presence." (Garrison, Anderson, and Archer, 2000, p. 88) If each tool contributes to one of these three dimensions, than it should be successful.

I think the graphic organizer is one tool that is used by students at home, that can be successfully brought into a distance learning situation. The information that all users contribute to it makes up the cognitive presence. The shared editing features allow it to be used both as a social presence and a teaching presence since both students and the instructor can contribute to it or add notes as feedback. Using free software online such as mywebspiration allows users to create graphic organizers, share them, and their peers add to the organizer or offer feedback. The same functions are available for free through a variety of others sites. The benefit is increased feedback and communication, as well as another tool to foster interaction between students and faculty members. There are tools which allow simple written texts to also be shared and edited online in the same manner, using sites such as Writeboard or Buzzword by Adobe.

Instant messaging tools can also be used both as a means of knowledge sharing as communication, because it offers an easy and free (in most cases) way for students and faculty to interact in a synchronous environment. Tools like Skype allow users to meet online to discuss assignments, readings, or offer peer help. This particular IM tool also offers internet phone capabilities, which further increases communication and collaboration.

There are a number of tools to facilitate knowledge sharing in a distance learning situation. There are document sharing tools offered through the commonly used software for these classes, such as Blackboard or WebCT. However, there are a number of free services such as Google docs or Wikimedia that also allow users to share documents containing information. Most public libraries across the country are also adopting some form of a virtual library where registered users can access databases and even books online. All of which further facilitates knowledge sharing.


Garrison, D., T. Anderson, and W. Archer. (2000). Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: Computer conferencing in higher education. Retrieved on January 12, 2009 from http://communitiesofinquiry.com/files/Critical_Inquiry_model.pdf

Johnson, k., H. Trabelsi, & T. Tin. (2008) Library support for online
learners: e-resources, e-services and the human factors. Anderson, T. (Ed.). . The Theory and Practice of Online Learning (2nd ed.). Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press.

Durrington, V. A., Berryhill, A., & Swafford, J. (2006). Strategies For Enhancing Student Interactivity In An Online Environment. College Teaching, 54(1), 190−193.

Siemens, G. (2008, January). Learning And Knowing In Networks: Changing Roles For Educators And Designers. ITForum.

Siemens, G. (2007). “George Siemens - Curatorial Teaching.” Retrieved on January 12, 2008 from http://learnonline.wordpress.com/2007/09/20/10-minute-lecture-george-siemens-curatorial-teaching/

Module 3

I think in order to fairly assess students in an collaborative learning community, you have to decide are you assessing knowledge or are you assessing prescriptive participation? Anderson puts it this way: “The demands of a learning-centered context at times may force us to modify the proscriptive participation in communities of learning, even though we may have evidence that such participation will likely advance knowledge creation and attention.” (Anderson, 2008, p. 52) I think sometimes we grade participation more on quantity than quality, even though both should be reflected in the rubrics we use. Both need to be reflected because sometimes it takes more discussion to really get the best thoughts out of someone on any particular topic. Swan lists some criteria typical to rubrics of this type

• Make participation in discussion a significant part of course grades.
• Develop grading rubrics for discussion participation.
• Require discussion participants to respond to their classmates postings and/or to respond to all responses to their own postings. (2004)
  

The challenge becomes to write rubrics that address the goals of the content as well and to rate the effectiveness with which a student meets these goals. If an effective learning community has been established, then student to student interaction may be the best way to assess this, that being how we argue or defend our positions. Siemens (2008) also stresses that it is the experience of the community that is important, and that it should count but not a huge percent of the total grade. It should also be stressed that an important aspect of this assessment should be the interaction itself, that is to say the depth with which we read and respond to one another in the learning community and the evidence that this is taking place by the incorporation of others ideas into the responses (Pratt and Paloff, 2007, p. 208).

The issue, in turn, also becomes what to do when there is one “dead limb,” so to speak, in a learning community. This is a situation that I know I have struggled with in the past, because if the whole community doesn’t live up to their responsibility (deadlines, etc.) it can hold back the entire development process. I think it is everyone’s responsibility to try everything that they can to encourage group member participation. If that is not effective, than it becomes the instructors role to do what is in the best interest of the learning community. I think the group should be not suffer academically for the failings of one member. The related sufferings, in terms of slowing academic development and progress, are enough tangible consequences. The instructor can also rebalance communities and even merge them if necessary as the facilitator.

Anderson, T. (Ed.) (2008). The Theory and practice of online learning (2nd ed.). Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press.

Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2005). Collaborating online: Learning together in community. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Siemens, G. (2008). Transcript of video program: assessment of collaborative learning featuring George Siemens.

Swan, K. (2004). Relationships between interactions and learning in online environments. Sloan Consortium.

Project Outline

Tustin Video Presentation Outline

Using Virtual Classrooms as Tools to Teach Content in Middle School Classrooms
A Means of Differentiating Instruction

I. Blackboard (virtual classroom)
a. What is Blackboard? (using screen capture and voice-over)
i. Overview of layout and commonly used functions
b. Conventional use in a middle school (interview with a dot-com classroom teacher who is an average user of blackboard)

II. Possibilities

a. The dot-com classroom as a "virtual" school - using this form to create distance learning communities in a brick and mortar building
i. Design of blackboard used as a virtual classroom
ii. Interview with dot-com teacher who truly uses blackboard as a "virtual" classroom

b. Blackboard as a tool for differentiating instruction and teaching content
i. Interview with a teacher who diversifies instruction using blackboard
ii. Interview with a student user of a diversified blackboard website