It is time to spread my wings!

The time has finally come! The end of a wonderful semester but the beginning of something new. Not just for myself, but what I have learned will greatly benefit my students! I am very excited about introducing new things on campus and sharing with my faculty peers. Being a part of this online learning community has truly been an enriching experience. If you have followed my Blog from the beginning, you already know how much I have learned. But those of you who are new to my Blog, I will try to summarize a few things within this posting. So, let's get started......

One of my most recent experiences was with Wimba. Before this class, I had never heard of Wimba. One of the assignments was to be prepared for a Wimba session. So, I quickly ran out to the nearest Best Buy store and purchased my equipment. Upon arriving home, I immediately tried everything out to see if it would work (3 weeks before the session). When it was time for the session, I did not know what to do! I brought everything that I thought I would need into the room (telephone, snacks, soda, pillow, paper & pen). It was really a production!

I was really surprised during the practice session how smoothly things flowed. There is definitely a learning curve associated with this platform and it would be smart for the moderator to learn the functionality before introducing this to the students. As an educator, I would utilize this with my students for classroom discussions (small groups), office hours, and maybe even student presentations. The good thing about this delivery of content, is that is real time and active participation is encouraged. The downside to this however is that it could become overwhelming for not only the instructor but the students if the groups are very large.

Another topic that comes to mind as I reflect on my learning in this course would be the creation of my digital portfolio. This was an excellent project as it forced me to understand and navigate independently to create this "personal diary" so to speak. This is an excellent resource for me to build upon as I continue to develop my teaching both f2f and online. I can actually showcase my accomplishments in one compact location. This is great because it is so transportable and visible. I have thought about how this would be useful for my students. I teach nursing and upon completion of the program, the students begin their trek of becoming gainfully employed.

I can visualize the students building their personal portfolio at each stage of the curriculum. Here they could highlight their clinical experiences and showcase their clinical skills for their future employer! They could upload their resume and any other credential that would support the positions that they are seeking. Prior to taking this online class, I would not have even thought about this possibility!

What I have found to be very valuable and priceless was the ongoing interactions that I had with my online peers. The whole idea of a "discussion board" went over very well with me. Not only did I gain a wealth of knowledge by interacting with my classmates, but the constructive criticisms and thought provoking questions that arose from the discussion questions, proved to be well worth the time. I actually learned many things that went well beyond the syllabus.

I have decided (and have already implemented) that providing the students with an open and/or private discussion platform during the semester is truly the way to go! There are lessons to be learned from group projects and peer evaluations!

In summary, this online course is an excellent start for anyone interested in online teaching and learning. I will sit back now for just a little bit, and enjoy the fruits of my labor! Now that I have a different view of pedagogy, learning theories, learning styles, and technology, I will begin to construct something beautiful!

Learning is lifelong....Self Selected Blog #2

Here I am again, reflecting on what I have learned. Learning is lifelong and I must say, I have already learned a tremendous amount of information regarding online teaching. It is truly an asset to have this knowledge! I have already begun to incorporate techniques into my courses.

Socrates questioned everything and everyone he came in contact with. It has been said that through this type of inquiry, the truth can be found. Like Socrates, I too recognize my own ignorance.

As a result of this course, at least up to this point, I have learned that in order to be an effective educator, there are many facets that must be understood. The learner, technology, the environment, the stage, learning styles, and learning theories….AHH…learning theories did you say? I am not quite sure why this particular topic was a struggle for me, but I think I have narrowed it down.

As I went back and re-read the assignment and associated readings, it started to become clearer. After receiving great feedback from my instructors and other students in the class, it was identified that I was mixing two concepts: Learning Theories and Learning Styles. So, what I believe was happening, was that I was so comfortable with mastering learning styles, that I did not want to leave it behind (smile).

I challenged myself to gain a deeper understanding of the learning theories and was surprised at what I found. I happened upon this wonderful website that basically described each type of learning theory and how it effects curriculum development. http://www.learning-theories.com/

Not only did I gain a better understanding, but I was also able to identify with one of the theorist: Jean Lave, who has been given credit for the “situated learning theory”. As a nursing instructor, this theory closely relates to how I have to deliver the content of the course in order for students to gain a meaningful knowledge base to function in the medical arena. I am very confident that my final blog posting will be just as exciting as this one… so stay tuned!

Reflections.....End of Part I

As I reflect upon what I have learned and my experience within this course, many thoughts float up to the surface. As previously stated in my first blog entry, this is all new to me. I am beginning to understand why I have been so overwhelmed with teaching online. Now, where do I start? Well, first I must give Kudos to my online instructor who has provided me with ongoing support, great feedback and excellent critiques of all of my work! I must say, I am surprised at the quantity and quality of material that I have been exposed to in such a short period of time!


I would like to start out by commenting on my WebCt. Having a computer background, I started this course with a moderate comfort level. However, after navigating through the course tools and stumbling a few times, it became apparent that I had a lot to learn. I became more and more comfortable by joining chat sessions, being a part of threaded discussions and at times offering help to other classmates as they navigated through the course. At this point in the course, I am not very comfortable with the content manager section of my WebCT. My comfort level has always been with the Blackboard platform, but now I can add yet another online learning platform to my credentials!

If I had to compare the online environment with the F2F setting, I would have to say that as an online learner, I find that I can focus better at home and in some instances be more creative. There are many ways to interact in the online community; email, chat rooms, discussion threads, therefore I do have a sense of community with my online peers. So, what will I do with the knowledge I have gained thus far? Well, for starters, I am now made aware of my personal learning style. Based on the DVC survey I am a visual/non-verbal learner. Taking this survey also provided me with a broader perspective in relation to the students that I teach. Believe it or not, I never really thought much about this concept until now. I have in turn begun to incorporate this aspect of learning into one of my F2F courses, where I provided the students with a link to the VARK learning styles inventory:


http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=questionnaire

"The report that I received back from the students was of course a mixed bag; 2/3 were visual learners and the remaining 1/3 were kinesthetic learners"

What was the take home message for me? I now know that I must include learning activities for all types of learners. Typically I present the lecture verbally and utilize PowerPoint's, however based on my student population and the various learning styles, I will now include more visual aides, group interaction and hands on demonstrations to effectively deliver the lecture content. In order to improve student success, the instructor must be aware of the abilities, levels, and preferences of the group being taught.



The courses that I now teach online are either web enhanced or hybrid in nature. What I have learned is that not all topics are great candidates for the fully online version, but could be very successful courses with either the web enhanced or hybrid focus. For example, I teach a variety of nursing topics all of which requires some form of validation of skills by the instructor, therefore, many of the nursing courses are either web enhanced or hybrid. At this point, I am investigating other ways to bring about a virtual clinical experience, patient assessment and documentation section of our F2F classes to the blended online environment.


This will take a joint effort on the parts of the staff and the IT department to make it successful. The upside to this intervention is that the students can practice over and over without physically being on campus and with out the stress of the instructor being on the scene. This will not only build the confidence level of the students but keep them engaged. I found that the seventeen elements of online courses by Madden outlined excellent pointers to follow when developing fully online courses.


http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/online/web-elem.htm

Another point that I feel worth mentioning is how the disabled students are not often considered in the design of online courses. As I read through the section about the learner with disabilities, I felt as though I had been negligent by not considering this population. Wow, what a challenging issue! My plan is to meet with my IT department and ask for assistance as I incorporate this into my existing courses. I found an excellent Internet course that overviews the intricacies of the disabled learner and I plan to share it with my peers on campus.


http://www.harpercollege.edu/doit/examples/RWLO/overview.html

Now, this brings me to what I have learned about my teaching style. As a result of reading and understanding the various teaching styles, it is very clear to me that there is a difference between my learning style and my teaching style... two different entities both of which must come under consideration as I develop my teaching strategies. As I completed the survey, I found that I was the " expert" in my teaching style. I could not agree more! I feel as though I really need to give the students a quality learning experience, therefore I take total control of the classes and assignments.

I must learn to become more flexible in my approach as not to appear too authoritative. I was also surprised that my personal style ranked number three. The area that I plan to concentrate on is the delegator style. This approach will allow the students to have more control of their learning experience. As I reviewed the Bio's of other online educators, I have a better concept of the overall picture of online learning. Organization and presentation are key elements to keep the students engaged. I look forward to the next phase of this course as I learn more about technology and instructional concepts, putting it all together to become an effective online educator!

Online Learning: My Self-Selected Blog Entry #1

As I reflect upon Week 3: Models of online learning, there were several goals to focus on. As a result, I am now more aware of my learning styles. According the the DVC survey, I am a visual/non-verbal learner. I must agree, this is very true. It was not until I became a part of this online community that I was made aware of the importance of learning styles. It just makes sense! Everyone learns at their own pace and own style and this must be taken into consideration as educators prepare courses of study.

Personally, I have a new respect for all types of learners. Now that I am an "online learner", it is very intriguing to read the various articles of information as well as research on this topic. I particularly enjoyed the article "Lead balloons, stone canoes and learning styles in the Internet world" by Greenagel, F. This article touched upon the issue that for many years, learning styles was never discussed in the construct of e-learning. I totally agree! Up until now, I never really considered the various learning styles with my online courses. So, of course, this article started me to think: as an online learner what would I like to know based on my learning style? As I searched the online world, I found this website to be an excellent resource for many issues as it relates to online learning.

Perhaps I will utilize this site as an "ice breaker" for my next online course. I believe that this site will be very useful especially for students who are new to online learning. There are multiple links within links which speak directly to a particular issue. For instance, if you want to gain a better understanding on posting to discussion boards or how to participate in a live chat, you can get tips here; all on one site. This web site is very friendly and easy to navigate.

You will find that this website also offer tips on potential problems and pitfalls of online learning as well as offer solutions. If you are an online learner with children, you can find tips to be successful. If you are concerned about feeling disconnected or alone, this is discussed also. I really enjoyed the we blink for understanding the chat room signs and symbols. So here it is....

Enjoy!

http://www.elearners.com/guide-to-online-education/online-education-how-to-guides.asp

My personal take on Online Teaching as I know it now....

As I embarked upon teaching within the college setting, I wasn't sure what to expect. When I arrived on campus, I was truly amazed at how outdated some of the techniques were. As an outsider coming in, I felt overwhelmed with the thought of changing some of the "old habits". My first thought was how can I play an active role in this change process? My first attempt was to teach an online course on Blackboard, an introduction to nursing type of class. After I developed the syllabus and obtained help from the experts, I began my class. As the course evolved over the semester, I felt as though there was something missing. I really did not feel connected to the students, I felt like I needed to be talking to them to get my point over, and I frequently thought about the potential of students not really engaging in the course content. So, to overcome this, I began to incorporate discussion sessions, allowing students to reveal something about themselves, not related to the course. I found that this allowed me to have a sense of human connection as well as allowing the students to get to know one another! I am enrolled in this course to obtain a higher level of understanding about online teaching which will allow me to become a more effective instructor as I continue to engage the minds of the adult learner.