CEDO 550 Week 3

Week 3 Reflection:

1.

What is the greatest challenge that I have encountered as an online teacher/facilitator and how did I manage it? (If you have not yet taught online what do you think would be the greatest challenge for online teachers/facilitators?)

I think one of my greatest challenges will be managing the synchronous discussions while getting to know the tool I am using (such as Elluminate). Right now I'm struggling with making notes on the whiteboard while keeping the conversation moving.

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	2.	Some things that I feel are really important to consider about synchronous and asynchronous facilitation as I prepare to facilitate my threaded and web conference discussions are. . .
		I think it is really important to consider having my prompts and participation expectations clearly stated in my asynchronous discussion thread because if they are not clear, the conversation could get off track very quickly. Preparation for the synchronous facilitation is also really important. I think just having a plan on paper that will get the conversation rolling, as well as how to transition from one part of the discussion to the next, will allow me more freedom to work through unforseen challenges without losing focus on the overall objective.

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	3.	I chose my particular discussion topic because . . .
		This topic is a pretty natural fit for me in my line of work. Providing professional development for my staff of teachers is an ongoing process and I am always looking for ideas on how to improve in this area. I think in facilitation a discussion about effective vs. ineffective ongoing training and support, I can learn more about how people view training and what works best for them--I hope to gain a new perspective.

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	4.	One thing that I thought about when developing rubrics for the 2 different discussions was. . .
		I thought about how the rubric will help participants know the expectations ahead of time and how that will hopefully motivate them to bring their "A" game!

Week 2: CEDO 550 Reflection

Here is this week's reflection:

1.	Identify at least two synchronous and two asynchronous online learning tools that would be appropriate for your targeted online learners.
	I work with adults in more of a professional development setting. Some synchronous learning tools my targeted group of online learners could use include the Learn Central Elluminate rooms, and web conferencing tools such as skype, oovoo, or Live Minutes. As far as asynchronous tools go, my learners could use wikis, discussion boards, and email to name a few.

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	2.	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.
		1. Plan a project using a wiki. This could be done asynchronously, allowing for participants to add and edit on their own time. 2. Share ideas / effective lesson plans with the team using a shared Google Doc. Each month we select a HOTS Level and a 21st Century Learning Skill to integrate into the lesson plans. I've set up a Google Doc with a table for the teachers to share any lesson ideas using the skills of the month that they feel were especially effective or innovative. 3. Collaborate in developing an online presentation during training. I've done this with my staff at the beginning of the year when reviewing test administration. I share a Google Presentation Doc with the slides set up to include headings. The staff worked in teams to complete the assigned slides and then each team shared their contribution to the presentation. It was an engaging way to review somewhat dry subject matter. 4. Brainstorming. Use Wallwisher.com, provide a prompt and give participants a set amount of time to post their note/contribution. As a group the responses can be categorized and used as a way to facilitate the discussion.

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	3.	Is my initial contact warm and inviting? Are there things I did particularly well or could do better in the future?
		Yes, I think my initial contact is warm and inviting, as well as appropriate for my audience. I think I did a good job of providing information to describe our first steps in the training. I tried to be reassuring by extending myself for assistance both regarding the online session and in general as a resource within the organization. I hope that by asking participants to share a little about themselves, and by giving some insight to the objectives of the session, they will have less anxiety about starting a new job. I am sure it could be better, and I tend to edit and revise as I get feedback from those who are on the receiving end of the information.

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	4.	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?
		Overall, I believe it is clear, concise and user friendly. I used bulleted lists to help break out the information visually for the reader and that helped take out some of the "wordiness." I shared objectives and gave the participants an opportunity to ask questions via email or phone. I provided a link to the online meeting space, made them aware of the headset / audio setup, and let them know I would be online early should they need any assistance.

CED550 week 1

This is my first week of Taming the world of online learning and so far I have been happily surprised by how much new we've been introduced to in a short time. We are using a lot of the same types of tools, but we are now learning about them from a teacher perspective, rather than the learner perspective.


Our first synchronous class allowed us to explore the Elluminate room with moderator permissions, which was pretty eye-opening. Features such as application and file sharing are a lot easier to use than I thought and just having the time to try it out in a supportive setting helped me to get over any hesitation I had about using those tools. I can see using Elluminate to communicate with my staff who are at multiple remote locations across the city. I could use it for training sessions, or simply to conduct a virtual meeting online. I would also like to try using some of the moderator features when meeting in future study groups in order to continue to feel more comfortable with the tool.

As far as our course management system goes, it is new and it takes some getting used to, but I am almost always up for a challenge and I like the opportunity to try new applications. I am curious if this is a free or paid application...

I am looking forward to gaining more experience and exposure to resources that will help me become an effective online teacher.