922-Session 2-The Ultimate Tool for Collaboration

Welcome to Session 2-Where we'll get an great overview of wikis and their connection to our course curriculum and get a small taste of Open Educational Resources.

Most of you are getting the hang of using this forum and are becoming more adept at posting and downloading. Remember to post your insights and comments in the 'comment' section and also remember to return regularly to read your peers comments.

In order to facilitate a truly collaborative setting (one in which we can begin to foster an environment where we can benefit from the 'Collective Knowledge' of all the participants here) I am asking that you make a special, concerted effort to try to respond or comment upon, at least, one other posting from w/i each session starting with Session 2. This may mean going back and revisiting the blog after you have posted, because you may be the first or second person to post your thoughts. This is not a requirement, but it is a request---one that will help benefit all of us and truly foster a collaborative network of learners and educators!  The most efficient method for this is to make sure that you have signed up for a Blogger account.  If you already have a Google account with any of G's other services like gmail or Google Docs, then you may use that.  After you post your comment to our blog and before you hit the publish button, you'll see an option to have future comments emailed to you.  Choose that.  There is a tremendous font of knowledge among this group.  Don't miss out on the insights and experiences of your peers.

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This session will find us broadening the scope of our view of wikis. This information is pertinent to our discussions on digital content because as the semester unfolds we'll see our definition of user-created content evolve.  The merging and integration of e-books with additional multimedia (screencasts, interactive simulations, podcasts, videos,...) is changing so rapidly that no one can predict what our students will be using in just a few short years.  Some surveys predict eBook penetration w/i school libraries to increase 14 fold by 2016.

We will begin this session by taking a look at the benefits of wikis, and other Web 2.0 tools, for students, teachers, and the entire educational community. We'll view some screencasts and videos that give us students' perspectives, as well as hear from teachers from across the K-12 spectrum.  Each and every one will be focused upon how Web 2.0 tools have changed the way they teach and learn. And also demonstrate how teachers are becoming the authors of Digital Content shared with the world freely under an "Open" philosophy.

And lastly, we'll end by discussing the fluid definition of the word, "literacy" and try to pin it down in a 21st century classroom---a classroom where the walls have come down and the world is flat. There are lots of different interpretations out there.  And as I stated above--prior definitions are changing quickly.  Under the subject heading of Wikis there are an increasing number of sub-headings.  Google Docs has evolved to be a very wiki-like tool.

Before you download this week's session:

• Please read this article from SLJ called, "Things are Changing Fast."  It reminds us that those of us that run into technology-roadblocks are not alone (unfortunately). When you are finished reading that article, also read, "Not Just the Lucky Ones."
• Then visit: http://www.edweb.net/ebooks  and join the community if you haven't already.

Lastly, you may access and read past participants' comments about the educational uses of wikis here and here.

Good luck and I look forward to reading your comments, insights, and reflections.

DF
PS--You may find a back-up copy of this week's presentation here. Just search for the term: "edc922" and then choose the appropriate session to view and listen to.

PPS--Here is an online copy of this week's session as well:

922-2

More PowerPoint presentations from DaveFontaine

922-Final Project descriptions and links

Well--Our semester is coming to a close. The Final Projects will need to be completed by midnight on Friday, July 29th, so please spend some time going through everything to make sure that you are finished.  Please post a brief description of your Final Project and a link to where you uploaded it in the comments section below.  Many of you will have placed your Final Project on Curriki, so just give us the link to it in the comments here. 

I will be going through all of the material over the course of next week and will then contact you with your final grade.  

Good luck and as always, feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

Dave

922-Session 13/14-Using and Sharing OER's

Welcome to our last session of the semester: "Using and Sharing OER's"

Let's start this week's session with an introduction video from Brett Shelton on our topic.  He has created the last Curriki OER Module that we will be viewing this semester.  This unit explores open educational resources and the critical role of this educational technology as one tool in the transformation of education. This module is designed as an introduction to composing, adapting, and designing your own Open Educational Resources (OERs), with a special emphasis on the using and sharing of OERs. Using information contained in the Open Educational Resources Handbook, this lesson will help students consider aspects of instructional design in order to create their own OER for sharing with others. Students will work to apply the concepts presented and discussed in the OER Handbook to complete and share a lesson plan. A review of the materials concerning copyright, finding and evaluating of OERs is expected before exploring this module.

Here is a link to this week's module.  You don't have to actually do the assignments, but go through them to make sure that you have all of the skills, resources, and information necessary for a global view.  Again some of the material may go above and beyond what you need for your particular educational setting, but if you are ever asked to put together a truly informational presentation on the topic, then this material will really aid you with this.

Reminder:  As stated in the syllabus, please post your midterm assignment to the wiki and write a brief description of it under Session 12's blog entry (please also include a link to that wiki page). This should be completed before Tuesday, July 19th. 

Reminder:  Final Project material will be published within Curriki (as stated in the syllabus).  Soon I will post a blog entry where you may write a brief description of your Final Project, include the link to the Curriki page, and say your final goodbyes to your fellow participants.  All Final Projects are due by midnight on Friday, July 29th.

Good luck and as always, feel free to contact me if you have any questions along the way. 
DF

922-Session 11/12--Creating an OER from Scratch

This week we'll be covering how to create an OER from scratch.  Once again we'll be accessing Curriki's "Open Educational Resources Integration" project.  For this session we'll be accessing the module created by Dr. Michael Searson, the Executive Director for the School for Global Education and Innovation.  You may read more about him here.

Mike created a CC licensed module aimed at both pre-service and in-service teachers.  His module will be particularly useful to you b/c you may easily use it to guide you in training or education others on OER's.  I've just gone through his module again and updated any dead links that I could find, but please let me know if you can't access something.  You may find all of the links in our syllabus under the Session 11/12 details.

Good luck and have fun?
DF

PS--Please also place your brief description of your midterm assignment under this entry.  Details are in the syllabus.  Your completed, full copy will be placed on the wiki.