Producing Digital Content-Reflection

I must admit that in the beginning, this course seemed a bit daunting. When I first heard the name of the course, "Producing Digital Content" , I did not know what to expect. My first thoughts were that I would have to spend unpredictable and enormous amounts of time attempting to learn a new programming language and figuring out how to weave what I learned into elements that would make for a student-friendly course. That was not the case at all. It is true that in the beginning, I spent lots of time acclimating myself to the instructor side of the course management system, experimenting with learning how to navigate with the instructor tools, figuring out the difference between an "item" and a "module page", and when should each be used, but after putting in the extra time the first three weeks, I was able to read each course lesson along with supplementing materials and implement them into my course rather quickly. This was time well spent.

Other items that made building the couse more student-friendly were the step-by-step instructions of the instructor and the Blackboard video tutorials that suppplemented each of the course lessons. The videos were  immensely helpful because the visuals actually demonstrated how the tools could be used in building the course, giving credence to the cliche, " a picture is worth a thousand words".

The instructor was very helpful and the initial Collaborate (live) session put to rest most of the inhibitions I had about taking the course. One good thing is that the previous course, "Designing Online Courses", (difficult as it was) linked well and logically with this course and made it much easier to build the actual course. Additionally, the pace of the lessons was just about right; lessons were not so packed where I did not have time to complete the assigned tasks, especially when I experienced a few technical challenges along the way.

Writing for Print Media

The course that I built was a traditional journalism classroom course, "Writing for Print Media". I began by creating the above banner for the course and selecting a "look" for the course from available templates in Blackboard, the course management system. For the course menu, I selected the "button" look, rather than links because buttons stand out and make the course more visually appealing.  Course management buttons look similar to the blue buttons in the below picture:

Each subsequent lesson covered elements that were mapped out in the design phase of the previous course. In 'Producing Digital Content",  I attempted to build my course according to best practices of online teaching and learning using a quality matters rubric as a guide. Using the quality matters rubric is very important because it takes into account what a course should look like, to meet the needs and expectations of almost any type of student (i.e., those who have physical challenges, visual learners, auditory learners, etc.). Since I am still rather new at designing and building an actual course, I kept my course structure, digital content, and instructional modalities rather conservative, using basic multimedia such as videos, lesson recordings and Internet links. The good thing is that this course provided me with a comfort level and a foundation to couch in the more high level digital content at a later time or in another course.

It was a long journey but I learned a lot along the way.



Producing Digital Content

This course promises to be interesting as well as challenging. During the course of the online graduate certificate program, each course built on the one before it and each course provided a wealth of new information. I believe this course will be just as intense. This is where everything I learned to place in a blueprint and design comes together and is built.

My aspirations and expectations for this course are to carefully consider the design from the previous course (Designing Online Courses) and produce digital content that can support that design. I know  there is a wealth of technology available to support my design and because I know the nature of technology and how it changes at such a rapid pace, my challenge will be selecting the best tools/technology to use. My goal is to construct a course and keep it as simple as possible for students. I really want the course to be as user-friendly  as possible and easy to navigate for students.  While I will build the course the course from an instructor's vantage point, I want to keep the students' vantage point in mind to optimize their learning experience.

Another challenge will be creating the actual course elements described in the course design such as the syllabus, tests, and assignments using the the available tools in the learning management system. This is where my ability to think creatively and make good use of the tools will be challenged.

I know that we will be using the Blackboard user manual as a reference guide and I hope that the guide provides clear instructions on the tools that are available in the learning management system and rationale for how they can be employed in building a good course. With committment on my end to invest the time and energy into the course, I am up for the challenge!

Designing Online Courses-Reflection

 "Designing Online Courses" (ONTL 7101) has has been an interesting and challenging course. One good thing about it is that it built on the previous two courses in the course design certification program and also challenged me to examine elements from a design vantage point rather than a pedagogical or facilitation perspective.

Each lesson logically followed the previous one and students were required to demonstrate learning of concepts by writing about them in a design proposal and apply them to a course. The tools and course aids helped to further cement my understanding of course content.

The course covered the following concepts, their impact and how they relate to course design:

• Giving and providing feedback;
• Learner and Non-Learner issues;
• Assessments;
• Content Presentation and Interaction;

Since students may be new to the world of online learning and instruction, an icebreaker exercise was apart of the first lesson. Thes types of activities are important to begin to build community and reduce feelings of learning in isolation.

Feedback




To set the tone for the course, students gave their perspectives on giving and receiving feedback. This is very important because throughout the course, peer review was a requirement. Students need to know how to give and receive feedback to maximize their potential for success. Feedback can provide valuable information that should be included in design structure. Also, in the real world, peer review can provide a balanced insight of what can be improved. I incorporated much of the feedback I received from my peers in my final design proposal.

Course Design Phase

The course design phase began by challenging students to write a course overview and purpose about a course they wanted to design online. This was the first part of what would be a final project at the end of the course. The overview served as an outline for the entire project. Fortunately, students were provided with a course overview form which served as a guide. We created course objectives and a lesson outline over the length of the proposed course.

This course also focused on design considerations and constraints which covered learner and non-learner issues. This was by far the most difficult component of the course because there are so many design elements to consider and propose effectve strategies for each element.

Non-learner issues are environmental elements that place constraints on the design and must be addressed to ensure that the student learning process is not negatively impacted. Non-learner issues should include considerations for elements such as technology to be incorporated, changing content, experience level of the instructor and available support for the instructor.

Learner issues are characteristics of the expected student group that require specific design strategies to ensure students are successful. Such characteristics include but are not limited to learning styles, technical experience, cultural barriers and time management. Learner issues must also be taken into consideration during the design phase otherwise it could negatively impact student success.

As an instructor with limited experience, I believe a good strategy for my course would be to keep the course design elements simple. Fortunately, a tool was provided to assist in reflecting on course design questions, impacts and potential strategies.

Assessments




Next, students were introduced to the use of assessments from a design perspective. Assessment is the measurement of student retention of important course materials and proficiency with application of concepts. There are many ways that student learning can be assessed and the type and number of assessments are directly related to student outcomes.

For my course, "Writing for Print Media", my design proposal incorporated formative and summative assessments, where formative assessments are a measure of student progress in the learning of lesson objectives and summative, which is a measurement of how well students learned course content for practical application. Both relate to course level objectives. I incorporated discussion posts where students have to demonstrate learning of objectives, writing assignments and quizzes to assess how well they can apply the concepts learned.

Content Presentation and Interaction

 

Content presentation and interaction were the next elements to consider in the design phase and included:

· Content Presentation-[how content is presented to students-i.e., textbook, links, multimedia].

· Student-Content Interaction [interaction consisting of active learning exercises in which students utilize the knowledge they have gained through the lesson content presentation strategies. This is important because this kind of interaction promoted deeper learning and long term retention of course materials].

· Student-Student Interaction [involves students taking the information they learn and interacting with other students to heighten the learning experience and foster the student learning community. This is important because by fostering this sense of connection, it will reduce attrition that comes when students feel like they are learning in isolation from others].

· Student-Instructor Interaction- [involves communication between the student and instructor about course content, assignments, lesson objectives, learning activities, etc. This is important at the design level because regular communication supports student success in the course, especially since the online environment may be a new medium of learning for students. This encompasses one-to-many communication and one-to-one communication].

Quality Management



Quality Management (QM) focuses not only on the quality of course design but the process as well. The QM process measures the course design information against proven standards from universal expert sources. The process also encourages recommendations for improvement. For this course, the QM tool was helpful because it brought all course concepts together in one place. From this tool, I was able to think critically about what my design was and measure it against what it should be optimally.

Conclusion

Overall, this was a very challenging course, however, the tools were excellent in assisting students to think about the best practices in designing online courses. I look forward to implementing the design elements in the last course of the certification.

 

 

Designing Online Courses-ONTL-7101

I have to admit that when I first began to contemplate what it would be like to take this course, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I never thought of myself as a designer in the basic sense but after thinking about it some more, I realized that we are all designers to some degree or other. The only difference is what we are actually designing. For example, a cook has to design and then cook a meal; a person who makes clothes conceptualizes them on paper first (design) and then makes them. An architect designs buildings; and so forth and so on.

I had some reservations about designing online courses because along with laying the course out in great detail the way I want students to see it, I know I will have to ensure that nothing is overlooked, or, if it is, something that will not require an in-depth amount of tweaking. Of course, as courses go through their evolution, they will have to be updated and tweaked but that is just another part of the process, kind of like adding an addition on to a house that a family has outgrown.

In the previous two (2) courses, Introduction to Online Teaching and Learning and Online Facilitation, I learned that online courses have to be user-friendly, not overly packed with information, have to be easily navigable, and instructions have to be presented clearly and it is probably a good idea to have important items in more that one place so that they are not overlooked or buried. "The devil is in the details" is a cliche, albeit an accurate one.

In considering the course I would like to attempt to design as an online course, I think my class room experience will be invaluable in terms of what to include, how to include them and will also outline some challenges that I have to address. For example, in the traditional class room environment, I already require students to collaborate in groups to create and present projects/assignments. This fosters group cohesion, an important ingredient in online teaching and learning. Also, I usually have students complete at least one or two presentations to become acquainted with speaking in front of an audience and addressing questions. In an online environment, presentations (i.e., Powerpoints) would work well, especially within a Course Management System (CMS) such as Blackboard.

I think the differences between an online class of this nature versus the traditional classroom environment are mainly in the tools used. For example, all information in the traditional class would have to be reflected in the online environment. The only issue I forsee that may present a challenge is how I would address meeting the needs of disability students and how that would look in an online class.

In this course, I want to learn more about the design process in greater detail, examine some courses with different design elements, and if/how the technology is roped into this process. Additionally, I want to learn more about the best practices so that my designed course ensures that students will have the best learning experience.

Facilitation Week Reflection

Online facilitation was not too much different from facilitating in a classroom environment, although the tools may be different. In the beginning stages of this class, I must admit that I was unsure of the expectations and what was involved in online facilitation. This was especially daunting since student facilitation was to begin in the first few weeks of class but as I read the requirements in the syllabus, everything became apparent.

  
A effective  facilitator, whether online or in a traditional learning environment, weaves in the above items as part of his or her facilitation to maximize the learning session. One of my initial apprehensions was the fact that  I was unfamiliar with WIMBA from a moderator's point of view and  unfamiliar with Blackboard Collaborate in all aspects. I felt overwhelmed at the prospect of having to learn the functionality  and also be able to effectively weave in course concepts that may be new.

Synchronous Session

In synchronous sessions, facilitators must have at a minimum, a basic understanding of the concepts to be presented. This can be a challenge, especially if the concepts are new and unfamiliar. Facilitators must also conduct research to gain a knowledge outside course materials to supplement the sessions. It has been my experience that any questions related to course subject matter can and will be asked by participants. As such, facilitators must take the initiative and conduct independent research in anticipation of  such questions to be able to respond intelligently. To prepare for the synchronous session, I looked at other information to supplement the presentation. Additional information always makes it more interesting since participants may learn something new. I was also able to prepare by collaborating with my co-facilitator to divide up the content.

As far as the synchronous session was concerned, I was not surprised by input from the participants but I was pleasantly elated to know that the software was not that difficult to navigate.  Additionally, I have seen synchronous facilitation in the business world with similar software so my perspective did not change.

Asynchronous Sesssion

As far as responding to student posts, I was not sure what questions would be asked and how I would respond. Also, I wondered if there was something I missed that students would have a question about. The great thing about asynchronous sessions is that I had the chance to think about and reflect on my answers without the pressure of providing instant feedback. If there was something I was unsure about, I had the opportunity of time on my side. The challenge with the asynchronous sessions was to keep abreast of all the different posts to provide prompt feedback, one of the holy grails of online facilitation.

Overall, I believe both sessions were fairly successful.

Facilitator Roles-ONTL 651

The section on facilitator roles provided valuable information on the tools that instructors utilize online to enhance the learning experience for students. In this section, I learned about how social networks can be couched into online instruction, their uses, various course management systems (CMS), the typical week in the life of an online instructor and how to manage activities, setting the stage for for students before the course begins, and pedagogical roles in online instruction.

Pedagogical Roles 
 



Instructors have to motivate and coach students to success. On the other hand, the student also plays a role in taking responsibility for completing assignments in a timely manner and communicate with their peers, especially in group discussions. Additionally, effective pedagogy involves a respect of a diversity of opinions, values and experiences, otherwise known as cultural sensitivity. The effective online instructor will also be able to manage these same dynamic between student-to-student interaction.

Social World-Building Community
How does one build a community in an online course? This can be challenge since there is no face-to face interaction and there is no real way to harness community the way it would be done in a traditional classroom setting. There are steps an online instructor can take, however. Communication is a great way to begin. Instructors can assign group projects with communication requirements between students (i.e wikis, chats, discussion boards). The more communication that takes place, the more likely community can be built. Ice breakers are other tools that instructors can use to build community. For example, when students upload their pictures so that others can put a face with a person, this can make the environment more warm and inviting. Another way is for students to share information about themselves and their experiences with others.

Social Networks and Bookmarking
 

Just about everyone nowadays has had some exposure to social networks such as Twitter and Facebook or knows someone who use them. These are used to share information and ideas. Since communication is a large and important part of online learning and instruction, these can be great resources for the online classroom. One obvious advantage is that many are already familiar with Facebook and Twitter. Discussions can take place between students in these environments. On Twitter, maybe someone with great information on course content can be followed for the latest updates. One has to be careful in using social networks, however, because on the flip side, there is also a lot of non-credible, often questionable exchanges that take place on these networks. Educational environments usually do not allow content as such. Because social bookmarking is a relatively new concept to me, I wonder how it will play out over the long time in online education. Here is a short video on the ABC's of social bookmarking:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeBmvDpVbWc

Managing Online Courses
This can be a challenge for even the most experienced of instructors. Communication is key, along with effective time management skills. How does an instructor manage posts from many students, grading, give feedback, monitor communication, and stay abreast of the latest technology? The answer is very carefully. Quick feedback (i.e., within 24-48 hours for posts and a week for grading assignments may be best practices). Students seem to adapt better when feedback is constantly in motion during the process rather than at the end. Announcements are also another great communication tool in a CMS since many times this is what students see first. There are many online resources available to assist online instructors in learning about best practices and course management tips. Bookmarking them for later use is a great idea. The following links offer more tips:
http://www.ponce.inter.edu/html/retencion/11stratmanageonlinecourse-oc.pdf

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=course+management+system&view=detail&mid=64796A3BE57AF788271264796A3BE57AF7882712&first=21

Reflections on Changing Roles and Pedagogy-Part 1

As I move forward in class two of the online teaching certification program, it is not hard to notice that the facilitation piece follows a logical pattern. As such, this course is much easier to grasp because it taps into the concepts learned in the introductory course.

In part one of the facilitation course, I actually learned how to create an audio introduction. It had not occurred to me that audio introductions were even possible in this way and it propelled me to constantly think of ways to deliver content outside the box in an untraditional way, while effectively meeting objectives in an interesting manner. The software was surprisingly easy to use for me.

Next, I was surprised that part of the learning in this course will be hands-on. Specifically, each student will take a lesson to facilitate to the rest of the class. While I think learning by doing is an excellent way to drive home course concepts and grasp them, use of the technology made me somewhat nervous. The good thing about it is that students have a choice between using Wimba and Blackboard Collaborate as a tool. This lets us know that there is more than one tool available to support online instruction and we should learn to tape into those resources.

Facilitating online means that instructors have to manage discussions to reach students to ensure that they have grasped course content. An instructor can achieve that by designing course content that is interesting. Some ways to do that are to utilize multimedia and social networks as support tools and ensure that links are live so that students can access them. Social networks are online communities where students and instructors can share ideas and experiences. For example, a student can follow a mentor using Twitter as a resource. Another dynamic to manage facilitation is to offer feedback and grades in a timely manner, and when students have questions, communication should be frequent. A start page can connect social sites that students and instructors choose to use in one place. Managing student interaction (nettiquette) is important as well since electronic communication is in and of itself another language and conflict can ensue.

In online instruction, I learned that the role of the instructor changes from the top-down model to a student-centered model. This increases student learning because instructors cater to different learning styles of students and also realize that student learning encompasses their own particular experiences. To that end, there are four (4) basic roles of an online instructor: Pedagogical, Managerial, Social and Technical. How well an instructor masters these skills will make the difference between a competent instructor and an exemplary one (of course there can also be incompetent category as well).

Technology



Technology is a big part in the online environment and from my experience, there is a learning curve with learning and using technology and I will have to spend a fair amount of time becoming adept at using it. For the instructor, technology also involves creating digital content, course design and setting up communication sessions (collaborative, synchronous, and asynchronous). The following link demonstrates some strategies that can be used in an online class:

http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~zariski/tlf/zariskiatlf2000.htm

Pedagogy

An instructor must be able to communicate to reach students and be able to assess (measure) learning and grasp of course concepts. This is where the technical role meets the facilitation role. Frequent feedback and open communication can serve to achieve this objective.

Managerial



Another skill of an exemplary instructor is the ability to manage online conflict, motivate students to learn, and time management since so much information will be presented.

Social

The social role intersects with the pedagogical role in that instructors must be knowledge builders and be able to meet students within their specific learning styles. This builds on the constructivism theory of online instruction and means that all objectives must be geared toward student-centered learning.

I am looking forward to learning more about the dynamics of online facilitation and would like to understand how it differs from the traditional classroom setting.