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With all the buzz about second-generation web technologies it is time for Education to look beyond course management systems to the next generation of distance learning environments. New live virtual classrooms extend the CMS with audio, video, application sharing, and content display, enabling faculty and students to build real, interactive learning communities. Teaching and learning online now includes live online presentations, guest lectures, webcasts, and group meetings. Coupled with advances in faculty-friendly media production and content creation tools, the new learning environment is increasing interaction and level of student engagement in online courses. Scott Smith, Professional Services Manager for Wimba, Inc shares his experience working with faculty, course management systems and advanced distance learning tools, including featured projects at VSU, the University System of Georgia and elsewhere. Participants are sure to pick up practical tips and new ideas for connecting with students at this special lunch & learn presentation.
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Findings from research literature detail characteristics shared by online students most likely to succeed. As an experienced online instructor, I generally agree with the findings. I have, however, discovered a few additional 'star qualities' that I seek, and even count on, in at least a few students in every online class I teach. This session will use an interactive Live Classroom setting to present research findings to the participants, and to introduce them to these star students.
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Learn how you can add live meetings to your online class in this hands-on introduction to Wimba Classroom. Now available in WebCT Vista sections at VSU, Wimba Classroom supports audio, video, application sharing, and content display, enabling instructors to add vitally important elements of interaction that simply cannot be provided in a text-based course. Personalize your online courses by holding live, online classes, office hours, guest lectures, webcasts, and meetings. Instructors consider personal interaction to be the most valuable element of the teaching and learning process. Wimba Classroom allows faculty and students to build relationships by combining state-of-the-art interactive technologies such as voice, video, application sharing, polling, and whiteboarding, with traditional best practices of instruction. Now, enjoy the best elements of face-to-face and online instruction as faculty and students can talk to each other, express emotion, and feel as if they're part of a single community.
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Mobile multimedia devices are at the forefront of attention in the education world. The iPod has captured the attention of both educators and students. But there is a variety of handheld devices now available, some with advanced computing abilities that should be considered for mobile learning. This session will examine handhelds such as the Dell Axim X51, PepperPad 3 Handheld Web Computer, as well as the video iPod and the new iPod Touch. Instructional uses in Nursing and Allied Health programs at Darton College are discussed as examples.
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How SMART are you? Okay, maybe you don't want to answer that question out loud; but how about attending this session to see how SMART Technologies can enhance your teaching and maybe even make you and your students SMARTer. This session will demonstrate a variety of ways to integrate SMART Technologies, such as the SMART Board (interactive white board) and Airliner (wireless slate) and Senteo (interactive response system), into your instruction. The SMART Notebook software makes it possible for teachers to create content rich, dynamic lessons which address specific student skills. When connected to a computer, the white board's screen becomes a "live" computer desktop, which can be tapped to pull down menus, highlight, and move or open files. Users can also circle relevant sections on the projected image, draw geometric figures, underline, insert pictures or video and even record. They then can save the screen — complete with annotations — which can then be e-mailed, made available on a shared server, embedded in a Web site, or simply printed. By just using your finger, you can control the computer! So, come see how SMART technology really can be.
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The purpose of the session will be to offer suggestions and gather information regarding institutional procedures, responsibilities of the course instructor, and available resources for students that will give students the guidance necessary to help them be successful in an online class. Topics to be covered in this session are:1.Pre-assessment of preparedness for taking an online course, 2. Completion of a course approval form signed by the instructor, 3. Interactive tutorial of how to use the course management system, 4. How to incorporate "A Student Guide to Success" in an online course, 5. Discussion as a means of keeping students involved in the course, and 6.Fun and informative face to face orientation to online instruction for students who are available to come to campus the first week of class. Student success issues inlcude: a.Time commitment required for an online class, b.Various ways an online course is assessed, c. Policies and procedures for online classes, d. Technical requirements needed, e. How to purchase textbooks, and f.Developing a support system.
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A creative collaboration occurred this semester as three Communication Arts theatre majors acted as “clients” for 43 social work students who in completing their final assignment for the semester conducted a social work interview. A simple setup in a corner of a room in the Division of Social Work required only a digital camcorder, two DVD recorders, and two lapel microphones. A schedule was created for actors, social work students, and two instructors at a time to assist in the recording of the interviews. The student actors were given short vignettes of their “characters” and instructed to elaborate and improvise as needed in response to the social work students’ interview approaches and questions. The social work students had the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in a simulated yet “realistic” situation by interviewing a stranger. At the end of each interview, two DVDs had been recorded. Each student took one recorded interview home to write up a self-assessment. The other copies were kept for instructors to evaluate. The presenters will discuss the process of this and other collaborative efforts in terms of the advantages for students in both Communication Arts and Social Work. It is anticipated that the recording equipment and setup will also be useful for a variety of recorded sessions, used in a F2F or virtual classroom.
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The World Wide Web now has version numbers. Web 1.0 was characterized by a relatively small number of companies, institutions and advertisers producing content for users. In version 2 of the web, Web 2.0, content is increasingly organized, shared, remixed, critiqued, updated and created by users. What is Web 2.0? What makes it different from the web we've been using? Join in as we take an interactive look at the emerging "read-write" web
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The presenters will demonstrate the use of the WebCT Vista Chat tool, along with use of the Chat log, as a low tech, practical way for students to practice interviewing skills, conduct role plays, analyze case studies, and more. Students with dial-up connections and those without camcorders or microphones can effectively practice, communicate, debate, plan, and provide feedback to each other in a hybrid or online course. We will demonstrate the use of Chat as an assigned activity in which students practiced beginning social work interviewing skills in pairs (role play format) over the course of a semester. The course Practice Skills Lab (SOWK 6303) is a new course with one F2F section that met weekly and one hybrid section that met only once per month (approximately 20 students in each section), with much of the rest of the course online. The hybrid section had fewer F2F meetings and thus students needed a way to do some online role plays. We used Group Manager to create small groups that were assigned particular Chat rooms. Students arranged for a specified number of Chat sessions with partners to practice their skills. As instructors, we used the Chat logs to view sessions, give points, and provide occasional feedback via Vista E-Mail. Students expressed a high level of satisfaction with the assignment, and it was apparent that their skills improved significantly over the course of the semester. We are confident that using Chat in this manner can be utilized by various academic courses in the helping professions and beyond.
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This presentation is aimed at providing attendees with a model for successfully managing and using student-directed, asynchronous threaded discussion boards. The focus of the presentation will be on a providing a user-friendly discussion board format that encourages active and frequent student participation, while allowing the teacher or facilitator to monitor and manage the discussion board without becoming overwhelmed. The information presented can be applied to settings ranging from middle grade to high school classrooms, post-secondary instruction, staff development, and community focus groups. Actual on-line threaded discussions will be used as examples during the presentation to support and demonstrate the information that is presented.
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Faculty Use of iPods: A Report and Discussion on the iDoctors Program
J. Patrick Biddix, Assistant Professor, Department of Curriculum, Leadership, and Technology, Valdosta State University Andy Brovey, Associate Professor, Department of Curriculum, Leadership, and Technology, Valdosta State University |
With the rising focus on innovative technology applications in the classroom, educators have turned to academic uses of portable media devices. Modeled in part on the findings of researchers at Duke University* (who handed iPods to students), VSU introduced a similar program in the fall of 2007. This time, iPods were put into the hands of faculty to evaluate how portable media can affect a variety of student learning and faculty professional development outcomes. The “iDoctors” are a special interest group composed of faculty from the College of Education, led by Dr. Andy Brovey and supported by the Dean of the College of Education and the Director for Curriculum Content, Research & Technology. At present, a dozen faculty participants meet biweekly to learn about podcasting, and discuss the use of iPods and podcasting in education. The goal of iDoctors is to enhance teaching, learning, and professional development, by exploring and generating innovative activities that are relatively easy, low-cost, and have a high probability of success. Attendees will “experience” early successes, challenges, and opportunities of faculty iPod uses with the goal of facilitating mutually beneficial discussion. Each panelist will provide a brief summary of his or her activities along with a brief demonstration. * Results available online at http://cit.duke.edu/pdf/reports/ipod_initiative_04_05.pdf |
Join us as we travel through this collaborative endeavor with IT to enhance our program submission process. On the journey, you will discover advantages and disadvantages of paper-based tracking devise. IT has beamed us up, with an effective way to best: utilize our resources, improve accountability and enhance data collection and reporting. Topics addressed include: Paper-based Program submission/evaluation Format, Conversion of paper-based program submission/evaluation, Creation of Resident Program Participation Incentive(Reslife Bucks), Disadvantages of paper-based of Reslife Bucks, Conversion of paper-based Reslife Bucks system, Collaboration with IT to combine programming submission/evaluation & Resident incentive program attendance, Advantages & disadvantages of online system.
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This presentation will replicate a mini-version of the online ENGL/JOUR 3080 Grammar and Editing course I developed for fall 2007. It will focus on the questions and challenges associated with developing an engaging persona as on online instructor as well as a small foray into the problems of duplicating the chemistry of a face-to-face classroom. I will discuss the creation and use of “Grammar Gato,” an avatar designed to set the tone of the course, the use of language and interactivity in course materials, and the use of Live Classroom (both successes and challenges). Attendees will be asked to spend the first part of the session looking at specific material on the site and taking a short survey gauging their reactions. I will then discuss my rationale for how I developed those aspects of the course. The session will end with a question and answer period designed to help attendees determine which, if any, of these techniques might be suitable for their courses. |
Wikis are online collaborative web pages that can be edited by multiple users. This presentation is an interactive introduction to educational wikis, specifically those hosted by PBwiki. Attendees will see examples of educational wikis, hear testimonies from real users, and be able to setup their own wiki. Attendees will learn: how wikis can help enhance collaborative learning in their classrooms, the basic differences between blogs, wikis, and forums, how PBwiki’s security features can keep their material private, how to create a several-page wiki and enhance it with files or plug-ins (i.e., calendar, voicechat, picture slideshow, online video, etc.), and where to go for additional resources. There will also be a chance for attendees to win one of several “Gold Keys” which will upgrade a PBwiki to Gold-level access for one year (each is valued at $250.00!). The presenters have been using PBwiki since Fall 2007 and have each created their own instructional design and technology wiki using PBwiki.
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This presentation includes a variety of technology tools to aid in the development and production of teaching materials. These include podcasting tools, microphones, photography aids, sound enhancement tools, video cameras, and many new and useful education technology gadgets.
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The syllabus is the primary means of communication between faculty and students regarding the purposes, materials, and evaluations for any course. The connection between the course objectives and the assignments often is vague or imprecise, resulting in the common question, "Why do we have to do this or know this?" This session will help faculty clarify the objectives for courses and corresponding assignments with an eye toward developing meaningful outcomes and assessments that will generate data appropriate for SACS or other accrediting bodies and perhaps help students comprehend the purpose of a course. Participants are encouraged to bring a syllabus to share.
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