EDU 6701: Journal for Week 5

One of Ten

Having spent so, so much time on the Final I found myself being grouchy as to whether all of this is worth it . . especially at my age! Good Lord, I thank that we had five weeks of lock-down at the prison, thus giving me lots of time to do writings, readings (but not online). That really helped.

I know understand why Anne wanted everything covered in the course including the kitchen sink in a no-more than 1100 word project. It is an excellent way to hone writing skills to its basic distillation. But, as I've written elsewhere, I still feel much was left out, no matter as to how many times I rewrote it and tried to pare it down to its most basic. I do worry that 50% of the final grade is a bit too much to ask students to strain for that 'distillation to the basics'. But, I do understand . .

One class (almost) down and nine to go. I really don't see it as a drudge, really I don't. I'd much, much rather do it online, knowing that I could not - would not, never want to - do this (another MA) in a f2f component.

Still, it bothers me a bit . . .

One Week Off

I'm glad we have access to Dr. Khalsa's 6702 syllabus. Great way to start the readings and get at least one week under the belt. This really helps.

Which brings me to another point. Indiana University's MS program on Information System Technology page lists all courses and, in some cases, extensive syllabi and reading lists for the semester. (I realize that course content, requirements may change, but it gives the student / perspective student an idea, in-depth, of what s/he can expect. I really like this. I wish CSUEB would do this.)

Yikes!

Well, so much for Dr. Khalsa's 6702 syllabus! Guess she decided to 'shut down' access to it. I knew I should have copied the reading list for the first couple of weeks. Yes, I know, I know . . the list may change but it probably won't change that much. And, I won't get angry if the list is different. I'm not a 22 year old who would be piqued if this happened. I'd just learn more . .

Course Evaluation

Don't know if I said this at course evaluation . . .

The course needs to be a full quarter (and probably as well for the next 3 courses). Is this to save money?! God, I hope not. We really need to have more intro readings, maybe two group and two long project papers. I don't get it.

EDU 6701: Journal for Week 4

Online Learning (for those of us who wouldn’t dream of doing a degree program again f2f)

Some of my ‘teacher friends’ think it a bit esoteric (if not a bit strange) that I still extol the virtues of online learning. It’s interesting, but I really don’t miss that ‘contact’ time that I think is at times overrated for f2f classes. A case in point was a grad-level course on research on reading, plodding through a 1200 page tome. I now think how it could have been so much better had it incorporated the ideas of construtivism, collaborative, student-centered learning. Just same old teach up front, lecturing with a good amount of discussion, but not very enlightening.

But, Good Lord! There are so many variables that must be taken into account for a successful and informative online class to succeed. Guess that’s an important part of the challenge.

And the Project goes on (and on, and on . . )

My concerns regarding the amount of expected points to cover in the project have not abated. Talk about writing as being engaged, recursive, and more of the same! But, that’s the wily part of the assignment.

I keep hovering between 1050 to 1150 words, constantly weeding out wordiness (what tends to be a problem for me). I went back and realized that it’s o.k. to ‘fantasize’ a bit about what the blended class at California Community College (alias for Sacramento City College) would really look like. The information that I wrote in is factual (I worked there as adjunct for 4 years), so the information as to what can transpire in the creation of a blended class as basically factual.

Rubrics

I’ve written a lot of rubrics for writing courses and wrote a basic one for one of my TESOL classes, so I’m a little familiar with them. I’m still not sure as to how many categories to add for the Project. I’ve seen that didn’t have enough and others that went way beyond what was necessary. I’m currently thinking of 4, 5 major categories and subtopics. We’ll see how it shapes up.

The Tech Thing

Still concerned about this. I was accepted to Indiana University’s MS program in Information Systems Technology but opt for CSEU first (and maybe do, at the least, the certificate program after these classes). I feel so inadequate (as I know others do) when it comes to ‘tech stuff’. I wish I were ahead of the pack as Vivian is with this stuff . . in time.

Group Projects and the Assessment

I still feel strong for a group assessment that assigns points to both individual contributions to the good of the whole. However, I wish I could remember how an instructor – years ago – had such a rubric for one of my f2f classes. It really worked well and the group wasn’t punished for what the slacker(s) did not do.

Not that it was a problem with Mini #2; it wasn’t and, in the end, everyone worked well and collaboratively. I was pleased (but for synchronous discussion, but let’s not go there again).

EDU 6701: Journal for Week 2

Social Darwinism in the Age of Electronic Learning?

"Computers will not replace teachers, but teachers who use computers will—inevitably—replace teachers who do not."

I think this a bit too hyperbolic, if not exhibiting a kind of self-serving smugness. There’s an inevitability about it that makes me a bit uneasy. I prefer to think that there’ll be a place for all kinds of teachers in the world; after all, don’t people learn differently and aren’t they deserving of having mentors who teach to their particular niche of learning?

A trained and gifted teacher using the Socratic method is practicing a rich learning approach that focuses on the high-level thinking techniques of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Bloom would approve and certainly would have been comfortable in the gymnasium. Sounds pretty student-centered and collaborative to me.

Now, I certainly am a believer in the power of transformative education that computers and their various programs and applications can have – are having – on education. After all, I wouldn’t be spending time and effort to learn more about the promise of this media (and hope to become an instructor in said media). Perhaps I lack prescience in realizing the inevitability of replacing of one group of instructors by another group.

No, I’m the true believer in every sense for online learning and training. But, there is plenty of room for all, instructors and students. We see ourselves as facilitators in the education of our students; we are guides and collaborators. That’s exactly what Socrates was doing more than 2400 years ago.

Have you had an "AHa!" moment?

More 'Ditto' than 'AHaa!' for the course so far. Case in point is Khanh's posting yesterday at '2:2 E-Learning': "In some ways E-learning is like returning to the older Socratic methods of education, just with new technology." I thought that my thoughts on Socrates possibly a bit too esoteric, but . . there was Khanh's posting. I like to think I'm not being too weird.

Maybe I've had more pint-sized 'AHaa moments than gallon-sized ones. Realizing that I can do things with Firefox that I can't with Safari; realizing that I'm on track with others' thinking more than I had thought; realizing that wow! . . this can be hard if I don't keep my nose the the grindstone! But, it's definitely been a learning curve.

Are you excited about a new idea for your online course?

Problem may be is that I have too many ideas for my online course. I believe I'm sufficiently prioritizing what the course will entail - perhaps 'Ahaa' moments - but I need to develop a course fully to see what needs to be added, deleted, modified, etc. As it now stands I have a linear approach with first having poetry, then essays, short stories, drama / a play, a novella, novel. I'm considering intercalating drama, novella, and novel with poetry, essays, and short stories and introducing literary terms such as plot, character development, theme, etc. at appropriate times. I am worried that I may be overdoing it with WeqQuests, but I think that - if kept to basic research - it would be a good way for team-building and collaborative research.

How is the course going for you?

A bit overwhelmed. At the least I've laid out a plan for my final project. I have the information - lots of it from TESOL.org - so research-wise I'm fine. Just need to be sure and stay disciplined on this.

I am a bit concerned about being the lead person for my group Mini #2. Not being the leader, that doesn't bother me: Been there, done that. Just hope all keep their noses to grindstone.

The Blended Class

The blended (hybrid) class is difficult to define beyond the obvious of it being online as well as in a traditional f2f (face-to-face) classroom environment. The difficulty lies in it being a malleable term: The time element for each teaching platform is fluid. Is the class to be 50-50 in its delivery? 40-60? Actually, this is a moot point. A sufficient definition need only be that it be taught in a f2f situation as well as through a distance-learning situation. Other examples of a blended class could include a correspondence module as well as a f2f situation. However, we'll maintain the conventional definition of it being f2f and online.

In reality, a definition that includes a time-element for a blended class is only important when deciding what is pedagogically possible (and not) in one platform or the other. This allocation of time may vary due to the skills from class to class. For example, a listening-speaking class, although it could be facilitated through technological features such as iPods and / or QuickTime applications. As such, instructors teaching a class in these skills may prefer more inclass over online participation. The needs of the curriculum usually tend to affect the time allocation; the proficiency of the students in both the skills to be mastered as well as the skills needed to navigate through a CMS may necessitate the careful choice of time allotment spent in one platform over the other. There are other factors and these factors have to be considered carefully and balanced according to some of the points stated above.

Among the most important factors to be considered are

• a vision and plan stated in the future goals of the institution;
• the curriculum to be included in the online program (either blended or fully online);
• the student services that are available for on-campus students should be as readily available to online students;
• student training and support for those students who wish to incorporate online learning in their education;
• copyright and intellectual property rights for the instructor;
• and consideration of the change in organizational structure (which will vary according to the amount of time and effort that will be allocated to the total commitment to online teaching).

See Levy's article for a more detailed survey of these points.

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There are many resources available on online learning and teaching. The following links offer various thoughts on blended environments. Most of them agree on the principles of what online learning entails for successful outcomes to be achieved.

• Learning Circuits is a source for e-learning. P. Valiathan's Blended Learning Models is a good survey of the why and how of three blended learning modules: skill-driven, attitude-driven, and competency-driven. If you like neat, clear, and succinct lists as I do, this short article should be read.
• Rossett, et al. offer another list in Strategies for Building Blended Learning.
• Building a sense of community for online classes to be successful is essential if collaborative learning is to succeed. Roval and Jordan's article, though not primarily concerned with building a blended learning course, is an important addition to research on learning collaboratively online, with emphasis on the role of participants in blended courses.
• For us neophytes in this new genre of online teaching and learning there's Hensley's short but informative article about his own experiences teaching a hybrid Introduction to Theatre class.