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| Created By: RaKinah Fletcher |
The blogger
The photographer, teacher, student, wife, and mom!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Strategies and Tools Graphic Organizer
This Graphic Organizer gives an overview of my view of Durrington, and Seimens' ideas of engaging learners, especially online. CCC, Collaboration, Content, and Communication are the keys to engagement. The online learner must be familiar with the content and in the organizer I chose eBooks, Theory, Rubrics, and Syllabi to highlight because these are as essential as a map in a forein land. Students need to know where their final destination is and how to get there the most successful way. Within the Collaboration circle I delegated -learning teams and conference calls as great collaboration strategies; along with wikis and blogging because of the necessity for differentitated instruction for different learning styles as well as the need to belong as it relates to a learning community. Communication was the most inclusive because all of the Cs could fit easily within the realm of communication; however, the communication between peers and with the instructor provides the trust factor that is necessary in successful learning communities. The tools here are as innovative as Texting, Facebook, Twitter, among other Social networking sites. I also chose Skype and email. One on one telephone calls could also be a beneficial tool and strategy in engaging students and especially adult learners.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Module 3 BLOGGING and Collaborative Learning
How should participation in a collaborative learning community be assessed?
Participation in learning communities should be assessed with the outcome of the product requested to be created. Usually collaborative learning requires many parts to a whole, similar to Seimens' (2011) analogy to the completion of an airplane. Learning community assessment should be fair to all parties involved, and it is not a mention of the amount of feedback from each of the participants but how participants work together to understand the concept being taught and the final product.
How do the varying levels of skill and knowledge students bring to a course affect the instructor's 'fair and equitable assessment' of learning?
The fair and equitable portion of assessment depends on the relationship with the facilitator and the student. Teachers are faced with this problem on a daily basis when required to make accommodations for special education students. Student rapport is important because of the amount of learning from the beginning to the end of the term can not be determined without knowing where the individual levels are from the start. Each student brings knowledge and experiences to the group when collaborating and creates a unique view for the group to analyze and eventually come to a consensual agreement on how to present or complete the project.
If a student does not want to network or collaborate in a learning community for an online course, what should the other members of the learning community do?
Learning community members should attempt to reach out to the non participants for feedback and to question their well being in hopes to create a relationship. The relationship formed should spark a sense of community and increase their participation in the community. According to Seimens, there is a sense of hesitation when participating in a group because of individualized instruction throughout history. Encouragement of communication and feedback is detrimental when collaborating in a learning community.
What role should the instructor play?
The instructor should be the facilitator in the learning community- fostering a pleasant urging of communication among group members. The instructor should also probe students to think outside the box and add to the discussion.
What impact would this have on his or her assessment plan?
The assessment plan would have to be based on a rubric and it will be the discretion of the instructor to determine the amount of knowledge gained throughout the process of the group assignment. Each individual in the group will be graded individually and possibly as a concerted team effort toward a genuine sense of community within the group.
Seimen's Video on WaldenU.edu
Participation in learning communities should be assessed with the outcome of the product requested to be created. Usually collaborative learning requires many parts to a whole, similar to Seimens' (2011) analogy to the completion of an airplane. Learning community assessment should be fair to all parties involved, and it is not a mention of the amount of feedback from each of the participants but how participants work together to understand the concept being taught and the final product.
How do the varying levels of skill and knowledge students bring to a course affect the instructor's 'fair and equitable assessment' of learning?
The fair and equitable portion of assessment depends on the relationship with the facilitator and the student. Teachers are faced with this problem on a daily basis when required to make accommodations for special education students. Student rapport is important because of the amount of learning from the beginning to the end of the term can not be determined without knowing where the individual levels are from the start. Each student brings knowledge and experiences to the group when collaborating and creates a unique view for the group to analyze and eventually come to a consensual agreement on how to present or complete the project.
If a student does not want to network or collaborate in a learning community for an online course, what should the other members of the learning community do?
Learning community members should attempt to reach out to the non participants for feedback and to question their well being in hopes to create a relationship. The relationship formed should spark a sense of community and increase their participation in the community. According to Seimens, there is a sense of hesitation when participating in a group because of individualized instruction throughout history. Encouragement of communication and feedback is detrimental when collaborating in a learning community.
What role should the instructor play?
The instructor should be the facilitator in the learning community- fostering a pleasant urging of communication among group members. The instructor should also probe students to think outside the box and add to the discussion.
What impact would this have on his or her assessment plan?
The assessment plan would have to be based on a rubric and it will be the discretion of the instructor to determine the amount of knowledge gained throughout the process of the group assignment. Each individual in the group will be graded individually and possibly as a concerted team effort toward a genuine sense of community within the group.
Seimen's Video on WaldenU.edu
Friday, April 8, 2011
What fuels your fire? (Learning communities)
Moller et al (2005) examine a group of graduate students to determine if learning communities have an impact on motivation. Their rationale was that learning groups add to the motivation of learning by individuals based on previous studies. I agree with this hypothesis and would set out to examine this phenomena on a high school or middle school level. It was a small study group of 51 participants and the results yeilded a definate yes motivation is positively affected. Moller et al (2005), "membership in a learning community can promotecommunication, social interaction, and deeper understanding. This, in turn, increases motivation,which strengthens the community."(p. 141). As an awardee of an online degree and the pursuant of another, I would say that the online community does spark the individual competetive nature. Within the competition there is motivation to be better than the best. The challenge is the fuel the motivation is the fire.
REFERENCE
Moller, L., Huett, J., Holder, D., Young, J., Harvey, D., & Godshalk, V. (2005). Examining the impact of learning communities on motivation. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 6(2), 137−143
REFERENCE
Moller, L., Huett, J., Holder, D., Young, J., Harvey, D., & Godshalk, V. (2005). Examining the impact of learning communities on motivation. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 6(2), 137−143
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Technology
As I travelled today at approximately 80 MPH I wondered, how I ever made the 6 hour trip without my iPhone, Blackberry, or SmartPhone of choice. At every stop, I checked my Facebook, text messaged my friends and husband, listened to my favorite playlists, and found the nearest gas station with the cheapest gas. I also wondered why there was not a blogger app. The reach of technology is astounding ! When I was on a two lane road with cattle and nothing but land, my iPhone was ready for my touch to give me any information I desired. This trip has confirmed my choice in pursuing my Ph.D. in Educational Technology. Next school year, I will create a blog that will enhance the learning of my students by incorporating more technology than ever before!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
As for me and my house...
Forget Your Inhibitions and Worship
Thursday, March 31, 2011
"earth is crammed with Heaven.
Every bush is aflame with the fire of God,
but only those who see take off their shoes [and worship].
Our Bible teacher seemed set on making me feel very "unspiritual"! Now he was talking about worship and when, and how, and where do we worship. My thoughts? Pretty dogmatic, isn't he? But his probing started the wheels turning in my mind about my own worship experiences.
My searching led me first of all to some people in the Bible. Let's think about it. Moses definitely had a fantastic worship experience when he met God in the burning bush. Paul had an incredible experience of worship when he met God on the road to Damascus. Samuel marked the very spot with a stone where he had a worship experience with the Lord and named that stone "Ebenezer". I think Peter might say, "On the morning when I saw the Lord on the shore and I jumped in the water and ran to His side. That was a great experience of worship for me." Nebuchadnezzar "raised his eyes toward heaven" and worshipped the Lord when his reason returned to him. Very exciting, memorable events, but David journals many times of worship with the Lord as he was just meditating.
We could probably go on and on and find worship experiences from many different people in a lot of different settings. Which brings this question to mind. Why do we anticipate "worshipping" the Lord on Sunday morning as we sing--as though this was the only time during the week when we are free to worship? Worshipping with others is Biblical, wonderful, and very fulfilling, but I see worship as a very intimate thing, unique and personal for each of us. When everyone else is singing and clapping and raising their hands is it all right for me to whisper, "Oh, Lord. I love You. I know You as my compassionate Friend, my constant Companion, the One who never leaves me and understands every thing about me. I worship You." But there's no raising of the hands, no swaying with the music, no singing, no dancing. Can this be worship for me?
If I were to ask you to give me your definition of worship, what would you say? I would define worship as a personal encounter with God and I think we limit our worship for Him and with Him when we designate a special time set aside for "worship" and have these great expectations for burning bushes, Ebnezers, and soaring emotions. He is with us constantly, not only around us but IN us--as close as the air on the outside as we gulp it and take it to the inside! We can't get away from Him! Every moment spent in His presence can be worship, acknowledging His awesome nature. He and I are together and I am awed being in His presence. Yes, there are special times when He seems closer, more real, more a part of my infinitesimally small world. I love to "worship" the Lord when I'm sitting in the swing out in the screened-in "Summer House", or looking out the window into the silence of night when moonlight is illuminating the darkness, in the front yard watching the leaves swirl around me, or raising my hands in praise just as I drift off to the Sandman's House.
If I were to ask you to give me your definition of worship, what would you say? I would define worship as a personal encounter with God and I think we limit our worship for Him and with Him when we designate a special time set aside for "worship" and have these great expectations for burning bushes, Ebnezers, and soaring emotions. He is with us constantly, not only around us but IN us--as close as the air on the outside as we gulp it and take it to the inside! We can't get away from Him! Every moment spent in His presence can be worship, acknowledging His awesome nature. He and I are together and I am awed being in His presence. Yes, there are special times when He seems closer, more real, more a part of my infinitesimally small world. I love to "worship" the Lord when I'm sitting in the swing out in the screened-in "Summer House", or looking out the window into the silence of night when moonlight is illuminating the darkness, in the front yard watching the leaves swirl around me, or raising my hands in praise just as I drift off to the Sandman's House.
Psalm 95:6 says: Come let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
John 4:24 says: God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
I think the verse from Psalms is saying, "Anabel, forget where you are--who is watching you--your inhibitions--and worship Me. I am right here with you, you know. Pay homage to Me as you desire. Don't let others control your worship of Me." And John is admonishing us to worship Him sincerely, not as a show, not as you are expected to worship, and be very truthful as you kneel before Him--not for others to see--just for God to see.
So, here at my desk, at 8:15 on Sunday night, I will lean back in my chair, close my eyes, and worship Him. I may raise my hands in adoration or lower my head in abject submission. Whatever. I believe it will be acceptable to Him as worship. Do you?
I chose to utilize this for today's blog post because I feel inhibited at times during worship and I need to let go and let the Holy Spirit move. Have a wonderful weekend!
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