XLS Commons
Posted on July 27, 2009
Filed Under Emerging Technologies, Engagement, Faculty and Student Support, Instructional Design | Leave a Comment
The Annual Conference on Distance Learning at the University of Wisconsin is less than two weeks away, and I’ll be attending for the first time. I’m especially looking forward to the one-half day workshop entitled Community of Inquiry Framework: Informing instructional design and learning being facilitated by Karen Swan and her project colleagues. I’ve been following their work in developing and testing a survey instrument that validates Garrison, Anderson and Archer’s Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework (2000) of online learning because I’m a firm believer in the CoI model.
When checking email on Tuesday, I was surprised to find one from Karen Swan. I was even more surprised to discover, upon reading it, that she created a Ning for workshop participants. Karen not only introduced herself on this social network (and invited us to do likewise), she also provided us with resources that will be used in the workshop and created discussion forums around them. With a few mouse clicks, my electronic library grew, I was connected to a group of professionals interested in communities of inquiry, and I was invited to deepen my understanding of the CoI framework and survey — long before the formal learning event will begin. That’s a real twofer in my book!
Now in addition to anticipating what all I will learn during the one-half day workshop, I’m wondering how the Ning community will support and extend my learning long afterwards. This is particularly relevant given our intention to use a Ning for the next annual Extended Learning Institute (XLi 2010). Check back in for a “Part 2” post sometime in mid-August.
Posted on July 20, 2009
Filed Under Emerging Technologies, Faculty and Student Support, Instructional Design | 1 Comment
Web conferencing is the process of using communication tools such as text chat, voice, video and a white board for live meetings or presentations. Web conferencing systems integrate these tools into a single meeting ‘room’. Participants can access the room from their personal computers via a URL (Internet web address). In this way, a web conference is a platform for real-time communication for individuals in different locations. In an educational setting, the key difference between web conferencing and webcasting or streaming video is that web conferencing involves participants in live sessions that provide a degree of interactivity comparable to face-to-face environments. Read more
Posted on July 15, 2009
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Elluminate Live! is a web conferencing system that offers synchronous (same time) communication for online learners. Its “live session” interactivity can enhance the quality of teaching and learning in online courses in numerous ways. Read more
Posted on July 13, 2009
Filed Under Faculty and Student Support, Instructional Design | Leave a Comment
Accessibility. I thought I understood the extent of this concept until last week. That was when I realized that barriers to online learning for students with disabilities can exist in numerous places: the Learning Management System, the layout of the course content, the adaptive technologies, and even in the student him/herself. That was when I realized that the little things I’ve always done, such as creating alt text for images and keeping a transcript of any audio recording I’ve made, aren’t nearly enough. That’s when the online short course on accessibility for e-learners in which I enrolled began. Read more
Posted on June 29, 2009
Filed Under Emerging Technologies, Instructional Design | Leave a Comment
In response to the question ‘What percentage of the knowledge you need to do your job is stored in your own mind?’, knowledge workers in 1986 responded, 75%; in 1997, 15 to 20%; and in 2006, 8 to 10%. Source: Robert Kelley, Carnegie Mellon University. In today’s workplace, it’s common for individuals to work in teams where they generate and discuss ideas, come to agreement on issues of strategic importance and represent their organization through the production of high quality items. In the last few years, it has also become increasingly apparent that being effective in the workplace means being literate with online information, locating and accessing learning networks as well as harnessing the expertise of online communities. To ask our own question, how well we are preparing students to be successful in today’s workforce? Read more
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