I am feeling comfortable with the choices I am making. I am working on the NET-T standards for the scope of this course, and I will make my efolio a working document. This will continue to be an ongoing project that I will add to periodically in the next year. The same will hold true for my project.
My project will be the wiki I have been putting together for my math class. Not only does the project incorporate some of the tools and assignments from the MEIT courses, but it also is a project that I'm reflecting on, modifying, and creating. It is a project that I've been working on for about a year, I am in the process of working on it as I cover lessons in the course now, and I will reflect and modify the wiki in the future.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
CED0555 Post 2
So, this portfolio thing may not be all bad. I may be thinking a little broader than what's required, but I learn best when I make a useful product. And though I'm not sure what I will be able to use my MEIT for specifically, I know for sure that I will have to maintain a portfolio in my district. This is why I decided to include the WI Teacher Standards. It's something we need to include in our annual goals and reflections.
I think I will also put a section in my portfolio for my PDPs and reflections I need to submit to my principal. I might have this replace the section I currently have for Credentials and Documents. I think it would be a good idea for everyone in my district to create an efolio to replace our big red binders. This would allow for videos to be included in the evaluation also. This also may ease some of the burden of classroom visits experienced by administrators. The newer teachers will be doing something for their PI34 requirements, and it would give the older teachers, such as myself, a practical application that would require them to learn and use a variety of digital tools.
Huh. I may have just found something useful for me to do...
I think I will also put a section in my portfolio for my PDPs and reflections I need to submit to my principal. I might have this replace the section I currently have for Credentials and Documents. I think it would be a good idea for everyone in my district to create an efolio to replace our big red binders. This would allow for videos to be included in the evaluation also. This also may ease some of the burden of classroom visits experienced by administrators. The newer teachers will be doing something for their PI34 requirements, and it would give the older teachers, such as myself, a practical application that would require them to learn and use a variety of digital tools.
Huh. I may have just found something useful for me to do...
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
CED0555 Post 1
I really felt overwhelmed when I first learned of the course objective: creating a professional portfolio. The picture was way too big for me to comprehend, to imagine. I feel a little better about things now that we have had to explore other portfolios and create a rubric for assessing a portfolio. The experience has allowed me to focus in on one thing at a time. I have some picture in my mind of what it is my portfolio will look like, though I really haven't been able to start creating it yet. I would ultimately like to see my portfolio have the look and feel like http://jessicareynard.net/. This portfolio has a nice balance of personal/emotional content and professional content.
I appreciate the time schedule we have in this course to digest the idea. It's critical for me to take time to envision something like this. Having time is one key factor in being able to accomplish this vision.
I appreciate the time schedule we have in this course to digest the idea. It's critical for me to take time to envision something like this. Having time is one key factor in being able to accomplish this vision.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
CED550 Week 6 Final Blog
This course was amazingly eye-opening. I could not have imagined how difficult it would be to manage a classroom online. Using online tools and venues, even on a regular basis, in a primarily traditional classroom, doesn't even being to compare with the neither the synchronous nor the asynchronous environments.
I will use what I have learned in this course over the next 30 days by sharing with colleagues some of the experiences and implications of online learning.
After completing this course I would like to learn more about 'a day in the life' of an online teacher. Also, I'd like to more about how online jobs are posted as vacant.
I will use what I have learned in this course over the next 30 days by sharing with colleagues some of the experiences and implications of online learning.
After completing this course I would like to learn more about 'a day in the life' of an online teacher. Also, I'd like to more about how online jobs are posted as vacant.
CED550 Week 5
Essay Submission: My experience with online communities has been positive. I am still amazed to see how much can be done to address the differentiated learning needs of each individual. I think all educators should be shown what is possible with online learning.
Essay Score: 1
Essay Feedback:
You have a new charge. Sharing what you know about online learning with your peers.
Greg
Essay Submission: I believe the biggest benefit of collaborative groups is the sharing of resources, opinions, and ideas. This is not something that is exclusive to online learning, but it is enhanced with online tools. Shared products are available to everyone at any time.
Essay Score: 1
Essay Feedback:
The ability to collaborate asynchronously is fabulous. Pair that ability with short synchronous sessions for organizational purposes and you have a dynamite process.
Greg
Essay Submission: I believe the greatest challenge of collaborative groups is/would be the awkwardness of voice and/or video communication. For me, it is difficult to schedule in time for virtual meetings when my frame of mind is 'online'. In addition, my communication style (the kind where the hands are flying everywhere) is not conducive to voice and/or video interactions. It's not something that comes naturally, yet.
Essay Score: 1
Essay Feedback:
I agree with you that a different commuication style is necessary. I tend to speak with my hands and my eyes.
This is challenging with small video windows or no video at all.
I wonder if online teachers would benefit from public speaking classes tailored toward online learners.
Greg
Essay Submission: My thoughts regarding the social development and socialization issues are changing. Prior to reading the articles made available, and researching 'What Online Learning Is', I thought social interaction was a weak point of online learning. Now, I can see how some aspects of online learning can be quite a bit more advantageous to socialization.
Essay Score: 1
Essay Score: 1
Essay Feedback:
You have a new charge. Sharing what you know about online learning with your peers.
Greg
Essay Submission: I believe the biggest benefit of collaborative groups is the sharing of resources, opinions, and ideas. This is not something that is exclusive to online learning, but it is enhanced with online tools. Shared products are available to everyone at any time.
Essay Score: 1
Essay Feedback:
The ability to collaborate asynchronously is fabulous. Pair that ability with short synchronous sessions for organizational purposes and you have a dynamite process.
Greg
Essay Submission: I believe the greatest challenge of collaborative groups is/would be the awkwardness of voice and/or video communication. For me, it is difficult to schedule in time for virtual meetings when my frame of mind is 'online'. In addition, my communication style (the kind where the hands are flying everywhere) is not conducive to voice and/or video interactions. It's not something that comes naturally, yet.
Essay Score: 1
Essay Feedback:
I agree with you that a different commuication style is necessary. I tend to speak with my hands and my eyes.
This is challenging with small video windows or no video at all.
I wonder if online teachers would benefit from public speaking classes tailored toward online learners.
Greg
Essay Submission: My thoughts regarding the social development and socialization issues are changing. Prior to reading the articles made available, and researching 'What Online Learning Is', I thought social interaction was a weak point of online learning. Now, I can see how some aspects of online learning can be quite a bit more advantageous to socialization.
Essay Score: 1
CED550 Week 4
Essay Submission: In reflecting on my teaching experiences to date, I would say that the proprotion of teacher centered versus student centered lessons has been primarily student-centered. It is a gift of the CMP2 curriculum, and has allowed me to run my class via a wiki on days I have had a sub.
Essay Score: 1
Essay Feedback:
It must feel good to be able to recognize your teaching as being student centered.
Nice to use a curriculum that makes the student the priority.
Greg
Essay Submission: I was able to identify more than one authentic assessment to measure mastery of a single concept lesson when I wrote the rubric for the student-centered differentiated lesson.
Essay Score: 1
Essay Feedback:
Essay Submission: The rubric I created for my lesson clearly defined expectations and scoring for the assignment so that my students could actively participate in team-based learning.
Essay Score: 1
Essay Feedback:
Essay Submission: While working on this module I had success while doing something new involving familiarizing myself with legislation surrounding virtual schools. I was also able to share that information with colleagues of mine.
Essay Score: 1
Essay Feedback:
Glad to hear that. Take a look at the legislative audit on virtual charter schools.
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lab/reports/10-3full.pdf
Essay Score: 1
Essay Feedback:
It must feel good to be able to recognize your teaching as being student centered.
Nice to use a curriculum that makes the student the priority.
Greg
Essay Submission: I was able to identify more than one authentic assessment to measure mastery of a single concept lesson when I wrote the rubric for the student-centered differentiated lesson.
Essay Score: 1
Essay Feedback:
Essay Submission: The rubric I created for my lesson clearly defined expectations and scoring for the assignment so that my students could actively participate in team-based learning.
Essay Score: 1
Essay Feedback:
Essay Submission: While working on this module I had success while doing something new involving familiarizing myself with legislation surrounding virtual schools. I was also able to share that information with colleagues of mine.
Essay Score: 1
Essay Feedback:
Glad to hear that. Take a look at the legislative audit on virtual charter schools.
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lab/reports/10-3full.pdf
CED550 Week 2
ESSAY SUBMISSION
I think building student rapport and giving clear and concise directions are a couple of the more important asynchronous skills needed when addressing 7th graders.
Their relationships with adults are generally a bit tumultuous at this point in their lives, and creating an atmosphere and trust is usually primary to their learning needs. A lack of a rapport could actually impede further learning.
Of course pre-teens generally question directives given. It doesn't matter whether they are questioning the authority of the directives, trying to determine the minimum amount of work, or just not comprehending the directions, the clearer, the more concise the directions, the fewer questions there will be; the more confident the student will be in meeting the expectations.
In an synchronous situation, ensuring equity of participation, and acknowledging contributions are important skills to have when dealing with middle school students. Middle schoolers come with diverse abilities; many are academically and/or socially ready for a high school environment, while many are still in need of close guidance and routine seen in a more elementary setting. These diverse abilities play out in interactive learning situations, where some will monopolize the interaction, while others will sit quitely in the background.
While these students are acting in a way that is comfortable to them, it's important for every student to stretch themselves into situations that may be uncomfortable in order to address the different part of their brains involved in learning. In addition, not only will this be an opportunity for a student to discover their own strengths and weaknesses, but it will also allow the facilitator to assess whether or not each student understanding what is going on and is actively engaged in the learning activity.
ESSAY FEEDBACK
Great reflection Danelle - You have addressed some really important facilitation skills. Greg
Points earned on this question: 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question 2 (Worth 1 points)
List four different types of activities that you might use with your targeted online learners and identify an appropriate online tool to use in implementing that activity.
ESSAY SUBMISSION
1) Watching a video - embed in a wiki or webpage via You Tube
2) Online quiz - embed or link via proprofs.com
3) Interactive brainstorming - during a live webconference via elluminate.com
4) collaborative reflection - via Google Docs
Points earned on this question: 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question 3 (Worth 1 points)
Is my initial contact warm and inviting? Are there things I did particularly well or could do better in the future?
ESSAY SUBMISSION
Your initial contact was inviting...I really wasn't looking for the warm part. I appreciated the week 0 module, and the email in advance gave me confidence in you. When you requested a reply to your initial emails, I felt accountable for the contents and that you were actively engaging me in a conversation of types.
I would love to have seen the recording of (Connie) the teacher or a similar recording that explicitly stated how to use Encompass. I somehow missed some of the details.
I was wondering...how the mice worked into the whole scheme of things... ;)?
ESSAY FEEDBACK
This is the first time the Wisconsin eSchool Network has partnered with Cardinal Stritch to provide this course and I have learned a few lessons. The first being that our typical preparation was ineffective in this application. We expect participants to take some time the week before class to familiarize themselves with the LMS and the format of the class. In this case, you all were so busy finishing CEDO 540 that there was no time. This has left everyone feeling behind. Not a great feeling.
Points earned on this question: 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question 4 (Worth 1 points)
Is my initial contact clear and concise and yet user friendly? What are some strategies that help to format your contacts to make them as clear and concise as possible?
ESSAY SUBMISSION
Your contact was indeed clear, concise, and user-friendly. Some strategies that help format a clear and concise contact include: embedding links to sites being referred to, specifying dates and/or times, requesting a reply, and using separate emails for multiple purposes (eg. setting up an account, familiarization of the site contents, etc.).
Points earned on this question: 1
I think building student rapport and giving clear and concise directions are a couple of the more important asynchronous skills needed when addressing 7th graders.
Their relationships with adults are generally a bit tumultuous at this point in their lives, and creating an atmosphere and trust is usually primary to their learning needs. A lack of a rapport could actually impede further learning.
Of course pre-teens generally question directives given. It doesn't matter whether they are questioning the authority of the directives, trying to determine the minimum amount of work, or just not comprehending the directions, the clearer, the more concise the directions, the fewer questions there will be; the more confident the student will be in meeting the expectations.
In an synchronous situation, ensuring equity of participation, and acknowledging contributions are important skills to have when dealing with middle school students. Middle schoolers come with diverse abilities; many are academically and/or socially ready for a high school environment, while many are still in need of close guidance and routine seen in a more elementary setting. These diverse abilities play out in interactive learning situations, where some will monopolize the interaction, while others will sit quitely in the background.
While these students are acting in a way that is comfortable to them, it's important for every student to stretch themselves into situations that may be uncomfortable in order to address the different part of their brains involved in learning. In addition, not only will this be an opportunity for a student to discover their own strengths and weaknesses, but it will also allow the facilitator to assess whether or not each student understanding what is going on and is actively engaged in the learning activity.
ESSAY FEEDBACK
Great reflection Danelle - You have addressed some really important facilitation skills. Greg
Points earned on this question: 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question 2 (Worth 1 points)
List four different types of activities that you might use with your targeted online learners and identify an appropriate online tool to use in implementing that activity.
ESSAY SUBMISSION
1) Watching a video - embed in a wiki or webpage via You Tube
2) Online quiz - embed or link via proprofs.com
3) Interactive brainstorming - during a live webconference via elluminate.com
4) collaborative reflection - via Google Docs
Points earned on this question: 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question 3 (Worth 1 points)
Is my initial contact warm and inviting? Are there things I did particularly well or could do better in the future?
ESSAY SUBMISSION
Your initial contact was inviting...I really wasn't looking for the warm part. I appreciated the week 0 module, and the email in advance gave me confidence in you. When you requested a reply to your initial emails, I felt accountable for the contents and that you were actively engaging me in a conversation of types.
I would love to have seen the recording of (Connie) the teacher or a similar recording that explicitly stated how to use Encompass. I somehow missed some of the details.
I was wondering...how the mice worked into the whole scheme of things... ;)?
ESSAY FEEDBACK
This is the first time the Wisconsin eSchool Network has partnered with Cardinal Stritch to provide this course and I have learned a few lessons. The first being that our typical preparation was ineffective in this application. We expect participants to take some time the week before class to familiarize themselves with the LMS and the format of the class. In this case, you all were so busy finishing CEDO 540 that there was no time. This has left everyone feeling behind. Not a great feeling.
Points earned on this question: 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question 4 (Worth 1 points)
Is my initial contact clear and concise and yet user friendly? What are some strategies that help to format your contacts to make them as clear and concise as possible?
ESSAY SUBMISSION
Your contact was indeed clear, concise, and user-friendly. Some strategies that help format a clear and concise contact include: embedding links to sites being referred to, specifying dates and/or times, requesting a reply, and using separate emails for multiple purposes (eg. setting up an account, familiarization of the site contents, etc.).
Points earned on this question: 1
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