Navigate 2 - LMS Trends

Navigate 2 - LMS Trends

Explore: Research trends in digital learning and select the trend that will make the most impact on digital learning over the next five years.

Answer: 

1. Which trend did you select?  The trend I selected is gamification.
2. How do you foresee this trend impacting online learning?  This trend has enormous potential to enhance students' learning experience.  In the past 20 years students have become more and more technologically savvy. Their way of life revolves around technology, specifically cell phones. These as well as laptops will provide an optimal platform for gamification to increase students learning.
3. Will this trend be a learning fad or will it become an essential part of online learning in the future? Explain. Gamification will become an essential part of online learning in the future because it meets the needs of modern students. This student-centered trend is a way to engage students to promote learning. When students are having fun, "learning" is a natural byproduct.

Navigate 2 - Tools for Deciding on an LMS

Navigate 2 - Tools for Deciding on an LMS

Explore: Which LMS is best?  Consolidate the information about open and commercial LMS presented in this lesson.  Select your favorite LMS.

Answer: 

1. Which LMS is best? Canvas is the best due to its user friendly layout. 
2. How does the selected LMS meet the needs of all stakeholders, including administrators, students, teachers and faculty, instructional technology, development, support, and parents? Teachers can load material and assessments on this LMS. Students can easily access the material at any time. Administrators can monitor progress of students and teachers. Parents can effectively view students progress on LMS. Development and support staff can update and monitor material.
3. How does the selected LMS align with the initiatives, growth, and technological needs of your organization? Canvas is easily learned by staff and students. It is an effective platform to instruct and assess. Schools can provide support through their IT specialist. 

Navigate 2: Roles: Learning Management System and Student Information System

Navigate 2: Roles: Learning Management System and Student Information System

Explore: Consider the role of teacher, facilitator, course developer, instructional administrator and LMS administrator. Explore the various roles and responsibilities within the online learning community.
Create: Using the information from this lesson, create a digital resource that highlights the various roles in a learning management system.

Navigate 2: Roles: Learning Management System and Student Information System on PhotoPeach

Navigate 1 - Screen Capture

Navigate 1 - Screen Capture

Explore: Try-out a screencasting tool of your choice.  

Create: Create a screen capture sample lesson (under 2 minutes) in which you explain a educational concept for students.

Artifact: Post a link to your screen capture sample lesson in your blog. Please be sure this is publicly available to view with no sign-in required.

Answer: 

1. How does screen capture function in the online classroom? This video can be used to explain methods and content to students.
2. How would the integration of screen capture modify teaching methods? This would be useful for "flipped" classrooms. Students could rewatch the video to clarify information. 

Navigate 1 - Synchronous Vendor Market

Navigate 1 - Synchronous Vendor Market

Explore: Select one of the synchronous vendor applications listed in this lesson. Try-out the application.  Think about how you would use this application to host a live lesson with students.

Answer: 

1. What synchronous vendor application/tool did you select? Google Hangouts
2. Using the application, what did you experience using the synchronous learning tool? This is a wonderful tool with many positive options. Many students are already familiar with google and have gmail accounts.
3. Was the task easy? Challenging? Did the process present problems? The messaging feature was very easy to use. It has the possibility of communicating synchronously with one person or a group.  Students can use a computer or a cell phone. This makes it very practical.
4. Document the responses and general reflections on synchronous learning in your blog. This has enormous potential! Students can ask questions about certain topics and the teacher can answer immediately, just like in a classroom1

Navigate 1 - Commercial vs. Open Source Virtual Classrooms

Navigate 1 - Commercial vs. Open Source Virtual Classrooms

Reflect: Consider for a moment the role of synchronous learning in the virtual classroom and the exploration of various synchronous applications. Using the lesson as a point of reference, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the open source versus commercial software in relation to synchronous learning in your blog.

Open source: The benefits of open source resources for synchronous learning would be the variety of available options. There are limitless possible sources for teachers to use for students. Many of these are free. The down side is that sometimes sites are not available. Others may require a fee. Schools need to have a technology person to help train teachers, upgrade and host.

Commercial software: With this type of resource teachers can "control" what is shown to students. This provides an opportunity for students to participate in a safe digital learning community. An example of this is Blackboard. This provides a platform for presenting material as well as communicating with students.

Answer: 

1. When would an open source application take precedence over a commercial product? When cost is a factor, open source applications are free and readily accessible and available online.
2. What are the issues when choosing between Open Source vs. Commercial Software? With Commercial Software, schools can get technical support whereas with Open Source that is not always possible.

Navigate 1 - Delineating Asynchronous and Synchronous Learning

Navigate 1 - Delineating Asynchronous and Synchronous Learning

Create: Using the information from this lesson, create a digital resource that explains the differences in the asynchronous and synchronous methods of delivery.

Navigate 1 - Delineating Asynchronous and Synchronous Learning on PhotoPeach

Participate Reflection

Participate Reflection

Being able to consistently and effectively participate with students, parents, and other educators in a digital learning community is an essential skill. Proficient candidates must demonstrate that they possess qualities that allow effective participation and promote a safe, digital learning environment.   

How has the Participate module prepared you to meet each standard listed above? Link to or provide specific examples from your work in Participate.  

1. STANDARD C: Joining a Digital Learning Community: My favorite resource from this section was Diigo. It is user friendly. Benefits include collaborating with colleagues, saving important information and websites, and portability. Students can highlight and annotate when they find a resource. They can collaborate with other classmates as well.  
2. STANDARD E: Digital Safety & Security: Protecting online users is of utmost importance. Social bookmarking sites make digital safety resources readily accessible, Teachers can encourage students to post things that they would say in person. It is important to make sure that there is not a "bullying" or "harassing" tone.  
3. STANDARD  J: Ideal Digital Learning Communities: An ideal digital learning community would make digital learning easier and more accessible to everyone. It would feel like a welcoming environment where people are free to ask for help and to give help. This would be a respectful environment. Collaboration and cooperation are necessary traits to bring this vision to fruition. I am very intrigued by the vast resources available on AcademicEarth.org for numerous topics. One way to make an existing DLC more attractive for students, is to use images or icons. These are easier to recognize immediately and are more user friendly. Simple and easy directions to follow is another way of making a DLC more welcoming for teachers. Teachers can model positive and respectful language with their students.  

What strategies will you take away from the Participate module and apply to your teaching? Collecting Reputable Digital Resources:  Students need to discern the reliability and trustworthiness of sites and resources.  Just because some information is on the internet does not mean it is reliable or credible. Reliable sites can be found by using online resources that end in the following extensions:  *.gov, *.edu, *.org, *.mil,  Teaching students to use the extension mentioned in the previous point is the first step. Then students can evaluate the reliability of the site by using the add on known as Web of Trust, https://www.mywot.com/ This will help students search safely. By modeling the above steps, teachers can help ensure students' safety. 

What lessons were most beneficial for you? Digital Safety & Security: At the beginning of the school year it is important to show presentations to students by demonstrating how to use online resources safely. Students needs to be reminded of this on a regular basis. Joining a DLC: Learning about bookmarking sites was revolutionary. I really like the collaborative aspect of Diigo. It also categorizes what I save which makes it very user friendly.  Character traits:  This lesson provided a good reminder to be respectful and honest on the internet. It is important to remember to write only something I would say in person.

Participate 4 - Digital Health

Participate 4 - Digital Health

Create: Create a digital calendar containing scheduled appointments designed to improve digital health. Embed the calendar (or include a screenshot of the calendar) in your blog.

Answer: 

1. How did you modify your technology habits?  I made a conscious effort to "unplug". I used my cell phone less.
2. What is the most proactive means of ensuring the most balanced blend of technology and well-being? By scheduling suggestions on how to live a more balanced life, I was more likely to follow the suggestions.
3. What can students and teachers do to make sure they get the most from technology while simultaneously safeguarding good health? Model good habits. Plan no-tech or lo-tech activities in the classroom.

DIGITAL HEALTH CALENDAR

Digital Safety and Security

Digital Safety and Security

Digital resource which addresses the following questions.

a. What is the most important step we can take in terms of ensuring our digital safety? Protecting online users is of utmost importance. Social bookmarking sites make digital safety resources readily accessible 

b. What strategies can we take to help our students consistently keep digital safety in the forefront of their minds? Teachers can encourage students to post things that they would say in person. It is important to make sure that there is not a "bullying" or "harassing" tone. 

    c.  How might your artifact be implemented in a learning environment? This presentation can be shown to students at the beginning of the school year to demonstrate how to use online resources safely.

Participate 4 - Digital Rights and Responsibilities

Participate 4 - Digital Rights and Responsibilities

Next: Include the following in your blog

Artifact: Formulate a plan for supporting and protecting a Digital Learning Community through Digital Rights and Responsibilities.  Share your plan in your blog.

Answer:

1. How can a DLC ensure that citizens within the community have access to an environment where an AUP protects members as well as the community itself, where individuals uphold laws, and a cooperative/collective venture provides robust, safe, and ethical resources and opportunities for learning?

Be informed! Know what copyright means and how to reuse material from the internet responsibly. Copyright protects intellectual property and images found on the internet. 

2. What is the best way to establish and maintain a flourishing DLC where citizens understand, observe, and are inclined to willingly support and ultimately benefit from Digital Rights and Responsibilities?

Teachers can start by encouraging students to learn about fair use and copyright. Plagiarism should be discouraged and students encouraged to use their own words for assignments. Also they can share resources with students about how to find images form the Public Domain or Creative Commons. One of my favorite resources for images is  http://www.photosforclass.com/

When images are downloaded, the citations appear on the image itself. These images are from the Creative Commons. 

Participate 3- Digital Resources and Netiquette

Participate 3- Digital Resources and Netiquette

Create: Using the information from this lesson, create a digital resource that encapsulates the types of respectful attitudes and behaviors appreciated and necessary for civility in a digital learning community–a virtual Netiquette DO's and DON’Ts list.

My Prezi  Digital Resources and Netiquette 

Participate 3- Accessing Digital Learning Communities

Participate 3- Accessing Digital Learning Communities

What types of barriers might impede students’ opportunities to access digital learning? 

There are numerous barriers which impede students' access to the internet. One barrier is location. Depending on the area of the country in which they live, there might be limited broad band availability. Another barrier is lack of income to afford internet. For families on fixed incomes, internet is a luxury. Additionally, lack of transportation to areas with free wi-fi is also a barrier.

What might we do to eliminate such barriers?

Some communities provide free wi-fi to residents. Perhaps towns can increase/reallocate tax money to provide access to free wi-fi. Mobile telephone carriers can provide more reasonably priced packages for unlimited data. Fiber optic infrastructures, such as the one in Urbana-Champaign Illinois, can provide options for those without access to the internet.  

Participate 2- Collecting Reputable Digital Resources

Next: Include the following in your blog

What were the three most useful tools or resources resulting from the web walkabout? 

1. Web of Trust - Students can enter the website to check to see if it is safe BEFORE accessing it. https://www.mywot.com/ 
2. StopBadware - This is useful for blocking harmful and dangerous sites.  https://www.stopbadware.org/ 
3.  United Nations - By using this resource students can check the reliabillity and credibility of websites.  http://unfccc.int/essential_background/library/items/1420.php 

How can students be taught to safely collect tools and resources that can help them maximize their learning? Students need to discern the reliability and trustworthiness of sites and resources.  Just because some information is on the internet does not mean it is reliable or credible. Reliable sites can be found by using online resources that end in the following extensions:  *.gov, *.edu, *.org, *.mil

What policies or procedures might need to be in place to make this possible? Teaching students to use the extension mentioned in the previous point is the first step. Then students can evaluate the reliability of the site by using the add on known as Web of Trust, https://www.mywot.com/ This will help students search safely. By modeling the above steps, teachers can help ensure students' safety. 

Sources for analyzing reputability of digital resources  https://www.diigo.com/user/cariezimmerman?query=%23Reputable

Participate 1 - Ideal Digital Learning Communities

Participate 1 - Ideal Digital Learning Communities
Answer: Consider what would be needed to create an ideal digital learning community. What would be needed to bring such a vision to fruition? What can one do to make an existing DLC more attractive to and welcoming for students and teachers?

1 An ideal digital learning community would make digital learning easier and more accessible to everyone. It would feel like a welcoming environment where people are free to ask for help and to give help. This would be a respectful environment. Collaboration and cooperation are necessary traits to bring this vision to fruition. I am very intrigued by the vast resources available on AcademicEarth.org for numerous topics. In particular I am fascinated by Art History. Having free and unlimited access to this topic is exciting! Here is the link http://academicearth.org/arthistory/ 

2 One way to make an existing DLC more attractive for students, is to use images or icons. These are easier to recognize immediately and are more user friendly. Simple and easy directions to follow is another way of making a DLC more welcoming for teachers. Also, if it is FREE, that is even better! 

Participate 1 - Joining a DLC

Participate 1 - Joining a DLC

Examples of my Digital Learning Communities:

1. Symbaloo - This was very appealing because of the icons. It was a lot like "apps". It was very user friendly. This is portable and available on any computer.  https://www.symbaloo.com/profile/CarieZimmerman
2. Diigo - This is user friendly. Benefits include collaborating with colleagues, saving important information and websites, and portability. Students can highlight and annotate when they find a resource. https://www.diigo.com/user/cariezimmerman 
3. Google Bookmarks - This was easy to use. Students are already familiar with Google.

Participate 1- Character Traits

Research: Investigate character traits associated with an exemplary digital citizen.

Character traits of an exemplary citizen

1. Respect - use positive language and do not harass or embarass others.
2. Do not "steal" material - use material you are allowed to use from Public Domain or Creative Commons
3. Communicate appropriately - use language suitable for the purpose