Disco Sam's Thoughts

dailyPosts 07/21/2009

2009-07-21T02:30:00.001-07:00

Career Advice: Tech Your Children Well - Inside Higher Ed
tags: technology, online learning, teaching
Quick Takes: Midnight Oil at Bunker Hill Community College - Inside Higher Ed
alternative time offerings for courses
tags: community, college
News: Blackboard Buys iPhone-Application Company - Inside Higher Ed
tags: internship, mobile, cms
Technologies - Software rivalry gives schools more choices
tags: internship, mobile, cloud computing
Technologies - Cell phones used to deliver course content
tags: internship, mobile
edtechpost - PLE Diagrams
tags: internship, PLE
6 Examples of Using Twitter in the Classroom
tags: twitter, education
Beyond Management: The Personal Learning Environment ~ Stephen's Web ~ by Stephen Downes
tags: internship, PLE
Web Squared: Web 2.0 Five Years On: Web 2.0 Summit 2009 - Co-produced by TechWeb & O'Reilly Conferences, October 20 - 22, 2009, San Francisco, CA
tags: internship
Google Chrome Operating System - elearnspace
tags: internship, cloud computing
25 Awesome Virtual Learning Experiences Online - Virtual Education Websites | AceOnlineSchools.com - Online Education
tags: virtual tours, online, biology

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 07/02/2009

2009-07-02T02:30:00.001-07:00

News: The Evidence on Online Education - Inside Higher Ed
tags: research, online learning
- The use of video or online quizzes -- frequently encouraged for online education -- "does not appear to enhance learning," the report says.
- Successful education has always been about engaging students whether it is in an online environment, face to face or in a blended setting. And fundamental to that is having faculty who are fully supported and engaged in that process as well."

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Articles I found that pertain to my internship, but still need to read

2009-06-29T21:13:00.000-07:00

dailyPosts 06/20/2009

2009-06-20T02:28:00.001-07:00

100 Free Online Lectures that Will Make You a Better Teacher Best Universities
tags: online lecture, improve teaching

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 06/18/2009

2009-06-18T02:28:00.001-07:00

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 06/17/2009

2009-06-17T02:28:00.001-07:00

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 06/13/2009

2009-06-13T02:28:00.001-07:00

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 06/12/2009

2009-06-12T02:28:00.001-07:00

Wired Campus: 10 University-Press Directors Back Free Access to Scholarly Articles - Chronicle.com
tags: internship, open access content
Wired Campus: Considering Electronic Textbooks? Beware the Learning Curve - Chronicle.com
tags: internship, e-books, mobiles
Wired Campus: Princeton Alumni Association Introduces iPhone-Friendly Web Site - Chronicle.com
tags: internship, geolocation, mobiles
Wired Campus: 'The Computer Ate My Homework': How to Detect Fake Techno-Excuses - Chronicle.com
tags: faculty development, technoexcuses
Technologies - ASU journalism school simplifies technology
tags: internship, virtualization, network services, user services
Technologies - Google Wave has great potential for education
more information concerning google's wave - like what others have said this could be the future of content/course delivery
tags: internship, google wave
Technologies - Syracuse, IBM collaborate on green data center
Green Data centers a way for colleges to save money especially in a time when budgets are getting cut.
tags: internship, green data center, network services

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 06/11/2009

2009-06-11T02:28:00.001-07:00

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 06/05/2009

2009-06-05T02:28:00.001-07:00

Jane's E-Learning Pick of the Day: Plagium
tags: internship, plagiarism, online
- Plagium is an innovative, fast, and easy-to-use means to check text against possible plagiarism or possible sources of origination. Simply enter text that you would like to analyze into the text box and let Plagium do the rest of the work. You can also check the contents of an entered URL for its sources.
- Plagium is an innovative, fast, and easy-to-use means to check text against possible plagiarism or possible sources of origination. Simply enter text that you would like to analyze into the text box and let Plagium do the rest of the work. You can also check the contents of an entered URL for its sources.

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 06/04/2009

2009-06-04T02:28:00.001-07:00

Google Wave Preview
The end of lms/cms?
tags: internship, personal web, google wave
untitled
This is one of those devices that looks good - is designed for connecting to the cloud and the developers hope it to be under $200. If so bye bye kindle.
tags: internship, cloud computing, internet appliance
- This is a Linux based operating system and a Webkit based browser. The device boots directly into the browser.
- This is a Linux based operating system and a Webkit based browser. The device boots directly into the browser.
Sailing by the Sound: Evolutionary Dead-end?
Will this hold true - every gadget expands until it becomes a PC. Any gadget that doesn't is replaced by one that will.
tags: internship, mobiles, gadgets
- Every gadget expands until it becomes a PC. Any gadget that does not so expand is replaced by one that will.
Google Squared is an Exponential Improvement in Search - O'Reilly Radar
This changes the way we search/research using the internet
tags: internship, research
The New & Improved Voice Over ?Porta-Booth?
tags: portabooth, podcast, audio

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 06/03/2009

2009-06-03T02:28:00.001-07:00

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Daily Intership Log: 6/1-3/09

2009-06-01T19:59:00.000-07:00

Articles Read:

Horizon Report - http://wp.nmc.org/horizon2009/ (finished looking at the 2-3 year technologies)
Google Squared reviewed - O'Reily Radar Blog - http://radar.oreilly.com/2009/06/google-squared-is-an-exponenti.html

Technologies/Trend:

Personal Web or Personal Learning Environments (PLE)
internet appliances
improved internet searching

_____________________________________________________
Summary:

The last couple nights I have been getting caught up in what I have been looking at I haven't had a chance to summarize what I have been looking at. Personal Web or Personal Learning environments have been around for awhile (in technology this could mean a year or so) with examples like google's personalized home page igoogle or pageflakes or what Michael Wesch uses netvibes to organize his research classes in digital ethnography. What these "websites" do is give the owner a place to pull in data from outside sources and organize it in a way that suits their needs (insert learning or personal needs here).

So let's look at what this means - a user wants to learn Spanish because her or she is going on a month long vacation and would like to be able to speak the local language. This learner would have the ability to pull in a widget/nugget/flake/gadget that maybe has Spanish lessons - one i am thinking about gives like 10 words in the language you are learning and then after a certain time period switches back to English (or your primary language). Other feeds can be brought in so the learner could search for all of the videos that teach Spanish and then save that search as an RSS feed so that anytime a new video is added it shows up on the PLE. So these two items capture the content gathering one can also add social networks, blogs, wikis and so on to connect to other learners, and since the learner can then reflect on what is being learned via a blog then this student has most of the components needed to build knowledge. So as in the article that colleges are looking to blogs to replace Blackboard - is this how colleges will deliver its distance education? Maybe a page is created by the instructor or subject matter expert and then students access it - something keep looking into.

Tonight I ran across a quote that goes along with what I was looking at concerning mobile technology. The quote said that (paraphrasing) any gadget eventually becomes a pc - any gadget that doesn't will be replaced by one that will. And you see this all the time - the blog that referenced this quote had an image of a digital picture that ran windows ce and could connect to the internet via wifi and had other computing power - but again it is supposed to display pictures. But look at cell phones - they are now mini computers - although my wife is always telling me to stop using your phone and get a real computer - probably because I look like a doof reading articles on a two inch screen. How about the ipod it use to play just music then video was added, games, you could read text documents that could be hyperlinked but all of this had to be synced from a computer - well now look at the ipod touch or the iphone now you can just surf the web or download a million apps that do almost everything. What are some other examples?

So the quote I found several days ago saying that laptops and mobile phones will eventually find a happy medium is probably not that far off. Look at the CrunchPad that I found the concept drawings for today - it boots straight into the browser and is meant to be used to surf - what they called couch computing - only thing missing is a way to talk to other people - but I guess you could use skype as long as you can connect some sort of microphone - blue tooth headset?

Today I also ran my very first OTS all-staff meetings and what I did was have the different service groups get together and talk about the technologies or trends they think they will have to start looking into in their area. Got some good conversations going with folks even emailing me afterwards with ideas to improve their area! I must say I am really enjoying this internship!

dailyPosts 05/31/2009

2009-05-31T02:28:00.001-07:00

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Daily Internship Log: 5/30/09

2009-05-30T19:51:00.000-07:00

Over the next couple days I need to come up with the technologies and trends that I will focus on and I am struggling with the best way to do it. At first I was thinking that it would be a good idea to look at wide topics like network, administrative, online, media, and user services and then what technologies/trends fit under each area - which may still be the way to go. Especially since this is how the college is separated in the Office of Technology Services. I believe all of the technologies that I have looked at so far would fit into one of these areas.

Well I think I just decided what I am going to do organize the technologies/trends as I would between the different services at San Juan College. This makes even more sense because as I present this information to the OTS staff they would be able to identify - and support or not my thoughts. Well time to get moving on day 3 of 70 days of my internship.
__________________________________________

Articles I read:

Horizon Report - http://wp.nmc.org/horizon2009/ (Looked at the 2-3 year technologies)
7 Things you should know about geolocation - http://www.educause.edu/ELI/7ThingsYouShouldKnowAboutGeolo/163157
Geotagging to share field trips with the world - http://www.geographyteachingtoday.org.uk/fieldwork/info/teaching-technology/geotagging-photos-to-share-fieldtrips-with-the-world/

Technologies/Trends that deem further reading:

Geo-Everything (Mscape - http://www.mscapers.com/ - a tool to create a virtual and walking tour of SJC - based on where the student is standing could serve up content - video, music/spoken word, text, or photos. - very cool)

Summary:

I focused on geolocation/geotagging today and the things teachers/instructors could do is limitless. From documenting a summer trip, creating virtual field trips, providing students with learning prompts while on a fieldtrip based on the students location, and many more. I read one article where an instructor was connecting location with literature to give students a real sense of what the characters would be looking at during a story like grapes of wrath.

This would be a way to do virtual and real guided tours at a university giving students information about a certain area of campus based on where they are standing at that moment. For example as a student nears a certain area near the student union a video or audio describing what can be found in that building.

As more mobile phones have gps and location aware applications the more this technology will expand and become more ubiquitous. Like said in the 7 things everyone should know article this introduces privacy issues - if a social network can share my exact point on a map to all the people who are my "friends" its great for connecting with people but very dangerous as well. I think an episode of numbers explored an issue like this where the school tracked the students via their id cards and a group of students hacked into the system to determine where certain students were and used that info to hunt down those students.

At this point I don't know if I want people to know exactly where I am - I like the idea that I could hide.

Daily Internship Log: 5/28/2009

2009-05-28T19:59:00.000-07:00

Articles Read:

2009 Horizon Report - http://wp.nmc.org/horizon2009/
Whither Twitter? - http://www.ccweek.com/news/templates/template.aspx?articleid=1091&zoneid=7
Time to leave the laptop behind - http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122477763884262815.html
Voice in Google Mobile App - http://radar.oreilly.com/2008/11/voice-in-google-mobile-app-tipping-point.html
The Cloudworker's Creed - http://www.ribbonfarm.com/2008/10/23/the-cloudworkers-creed/
see Daily Links post for other articles that I scanned will come back to for future reference on each technology

Technologies/Trends that deem further reading:

Mobiles
Cloud Computing (Nicholas Carr’s The Big Switch: Rewiring the World, From Edison to Google - need to check this book out again - from what I read of the book it connects how power/electricity became a commodity the internet is following the same path)
Geo-coding
Personal Web
Semantic aware applications
Smart Objects
Game-based coursework
"Smart" classrooms
Classroom response devices like Clickers or mobile phones
Green Data Centers
Course/Learning Management Systems (CMS/LMS)
Personal Learning Environments (PLEs)
Campus Alert systems
Social Media in Learning, Student Support, and Recruitment/Enrollment Management

Twitter
Facebook
MySpace
Linked in
YouTube

Netbooks vs Mobile phones vs laptops
Open Courseware, Open Source Software, etc...

Wow the articles I read get me really excited about these two technologies/trends - mostly focused on mobile and cloud computing. And from what I read today I think these two really are merging very quickly. The future of cloud computing looks like we will have powerful applications that we will be able to access anywhere we have an internet connection. As mobile devices get closer to the "real" web (being able to display a web page like it is displayed on a desktop/laptop); will we be able to access these same apps from our mobile devices?

This is more likely than not - look at the netbooks that are coming out recently by the major computer producers. One comment made in an article I read said that laptops are getting smaller and mobile devices are getting larger which eventually we will find a happy medium [paraphrased - exact quote is in the leave your laptop article]. Once these devices [possible term internet appliance or cloud appliance] become main stream will the internet become a commodity like electric, gas, garbage collection accessible from any where? Nicholas Carr's book The Big Switch says so!

The Cloudworker article I triggered a thought: are we moving towards the cloudlearner? Will all students become "online" learners that connect to the university cloud and literally learn any where, any time, any place, and possibly any pace [heard this at a conference somewhere and of course from O'banions learning college]?

Where are these technologies going to take us - only the future knows!

I start my internship today

2009-05-28T19:38:00.000-07:00

Today is my first day of my internship for my master's in community college administration. I am excited about what is going to go on this summer because I will get to experience what it is like (in a limited way) what a CIO does day to day.

I have 3 main objectives with this internship - 1) observe the day to day responsibilities of a CIO, 2) facilitate OTS (Office of Technology Services) all staff meetings, OTS managers meetings, and give a presentation open to the entire San Juan College campus community - or at least to the folks who come ;), 3) develop a strategic technology plan forecasting what technologies/trends the college will need to anticipate in the coming year, 2 years, and 3 years from now.

During my internship I am going to document my experience here on my blog and so there will be postings (daily) that describe my experiences with the meetings I facilitated or the presentation I gave or summaries of articles, technologies, or trends that I have found.

Who knows maybe the constant blogging will get me in the habit and I will want to continue my semi-daily postings - we will see.

Here we go Day 1 of 70!

dailyPosts 05/28/2009

2009-05-28T02:28:00.001-07:00

2¢ Worth » Could I be Sorry to see a Test Go?
tags: great quote, education, learning
- In a time of rapid change, the value that we bring to our endeavors will not come so much from what we know that is the same as other people. It will come from what we know and how we think that is different. We have to ensure that all students graduate with a common context for their world and their future. But it is just as important that our graduates are able to resourcefully make themselves experts, and be able to adapt and innovate.
Use Twitter in PowerPoint | Poll Everywhere
tags: twitter, PowerPoint, Polls

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 04/28/2009

2009-04-28T02:29:00.001-07:00

cathellis13: Ten Commandments of eLearning
tags: elearning, effective practices
Deseret News | Universities will be 'irrelevant' by 2020, Y. professor says
Higher education needs to adapt or become irrelevant
tags: higher education, future

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 04/21/2009

2009-04-21T02:29:00.001-07:00

Views: Don't Starve the Staff of Online Programs - Inside Higher Ed
tags: online, student, support, success coach
- Success coaches
- Regardless of their background, they have a common interest in education and student success and have been trained as student service generalists who understand admissions, financial aid, registration, bursar policies, and academic support resources.
  - Isn't this what Tim S. is always talking about .... we need to get some front line staff who can in all areas to suport students and know where to send them when they don't know the answer - we need to LEVERAGE Student Services! - post by discosam
- But if an institution expects to support students, grow enrollment and live up to a promise of being learner-centered, the provision of a success coach as a single point of contact is very important. That is because students demand, deserve, and expect to not get the run-around.
- Students don’t want to have to contact four different offices to obtain answers on how to switch courses or resolve a student billing question.
Online charter schools a big hit
tags: online, charter, school

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 04/09/2009

2009-04-09T02:29:00.001-07:00

100 Free Online Books Everyone Should Read | Best Colleges Online
100 Free Online Books everyone should read
tags: free, online, books

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 04/01/2009

2009-04-01T02:29:00.001-07:00

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 02/13/2009

2009-02-13T01:30:00.001-08:00

MDC | Virtual College | ANGEL Requirements
tags: ANGEL, system, check, how-to

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 11/20/2008

2008-11-20T01:30:00.001-08:00

Oyez: Rosenberger v. University of Virginia, 515 U.S. 819 (1995), U.S. Supreme Court Oral Argument
tags: audio, case, law, oyez

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 11/18/2008

2008-11-18T01:30:00.001-08:00

Download the free Mobipocket eBook Reader software to read on your PDA and Smartphone.
tags: mobipocket, creator, reader, mobile, content

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 11/08/2008

2008-11-08T01:30:00.001-08:00

YouTube - Pecha Kucha and Education
My first youtube video upload. It describes what the pecha kucha presentation format is and how it can be applied to education.
tags: pecha, kucha, presentation, revolution

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

My Pecha Kucha on Pecha Kucha

2008-11-07T09:38:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share with you the presentation I did at NM Technology in Education on October 16th of this year in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (see youtube video below) It was well recieved and was a fourth of the entire presentation that was given with my colleagues at San Juan College (David, Marty, and Curt). At our presentation we each gave a Pecha Kucha presentation in quick succession covering four vastly different topics with time for questions in forty five minutes.

Hope you enjoy!

dailyPosts 11/06/2008

2008-11-06T01:30:00.001-08:00

PHP MySQL Tutorial : Connecting to MySQL Database Using PHP
tags: php, mysql, tutorials

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 10/29/2008

2008-10-29T02:30:00.001-07:00

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 10/26/2008

2008-10-26T02:30:00.001-07:00

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 10/23/2008

2008-10-23T02:30:00.001-07:00

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 10/21/2008

2008-10-21T02:30:00.001-07:00

American Sentinel U Adopts Web-based Retention Program
tags: online, retention, program

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

dailyPosts 10/10/2008

2008-10-10T02:30:00.001-07:00

Educational Technology Services > Online Readiness Survey > Detroit, Michigan > Marygrove College
Technology Experience
1. I feel confident using the keyboard and the mouse.
Yes No

2. I feel confident working with files, such as creating, saving and printing documents.
Yes No

3. I feel confident about logging on to an Internet service provider and navigating to different web sites.
Yes No

4. I feel confident about using most of the tools in the web browser, such as navigating to the next or previous web page, printing a web page, or bookmarking web pages.
Yes No

5. I feel confident about my Internet skills, such as using a search engine, identifying and downloading appropriate files, and installing new browser software.
Yes No

6. I feel confident about resolving most common error messages while surfing the Internet, such as "connection timed out" and "page not found."
Yes No

7. I feel confident about my electronic e-mail skills, such as logging in and out of the account, sending and receiving mail, and attaching and downloading files.
Yes No

8. I feel confident about basic troubleshooting, such as rebooting the computer in case of a crash and resolving printer errors.
Yes No

Access to Tools
9. I have consistent and convenient access to a computer with a Pentium chip or higher, such as a PC running Windows 2000 or XP, an iMac or PowerMac running OS 9 or higher.
Yes No

10. I have a reliable Internet connection.
Yes No

11. My computer is equipped with a sound card with headphones or speakers and microphone.
Yes No

12. My computer is capable of at least 800 x 600 resolution.
Yes No

13. I have a working printer attached to my computer.
Yes No

14. My computer has a working DVD drive.
Yes No

15. My computer has a working CD-ROM drive.
Yes No

16. My Internet connection speed is at least 56K or higher. DSL or Cable recommended.
Yes No

17. I have one of the following Web browsers: Safari, Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher, AOL 7.0 or higher (PC) or AOL OS X, or Netscape 7.0.
Yes No

18. I have virus protection so
tags: online, readiness, survey

dailyPosts 10/03/2008

2008-10-03T02:30:00.001-07:00

dailyPosts 09/17/2008

2008-09-17T02:30:00.001-07:00

Live Events Strategy: Mashing Up Physical Conferences With Online Extended Events - Live Events Become X-Events - Robin Good's Latest News
tags: xevents

dailyPosts 08/21/2008

2008-08-21T02:30:00.001-07:00

PressThink: National Explainer: A Job for Journalists on the Demand Side of News
the whole rather than the parts - is this the opposite of what we are saying with microlearning? Could this be in support? We are having students move away from having thing handed to them and have them construct the whole picture for themselves - definitely need to give them all of the pieces and the box lid so that they know when they are finished.
tags: explaining, whole, story
elearnspace: Location-based learning and working
You don't need a classroom to learn - in fact I would say most learning doesn't occur in the classroom any way - so isn't all learning already these things?
tags: online, classrooms, open, distributed, mobile
- Consider another perspective: "we go to classrooms to learn". It may have been more valuable at one time, but with meetups and internet connectivity, I wonder if classrooms are going to go the way of business offices: distributed, open, mobile.
elearnspace: Presentation: Designing new learning landscapes
tags: technology, classroom
- Many of us have moved from asking "is technology effective" to "how can we use technology as a lever for transformation"
Daily Bookmarks 08/20/2008 « Experiencing E-Learning
tags: dipity, online, timeline
- Dipity
  
  Create a timeline by adding each event manually or by adding a source (Flickr, RSS, twitter, etc.) Images, music, and video can be included in events. Related services include Tickr, which lets you create a dynamic timeline with Flickr images based on search criteria, and TimeTube, which does the same for YouTube. Some people are playing with this as a way to visualize the river of information from the Connectivism course (CCK0 this fall.
Hooking learners with a simple story « the Shady Learning Blog
Using a teaser scenario to introduce a course - and continue story throughout to move learner through the course.
tags: teaser, scenario, introduction
- Hooking learners with a simple story
  
  Instead of just starting an e-learning course with a dry-as-sand list of objectives, I like to start with a “teaser” scenario. A teaser is designed to hook the user and give them a bit of motivation for taking the course.
The Power of Wikis in Higher Ed
tags: wiki, higher, education

dailyPosts 08/14/2008

2008-08-14T02:30:00.001-07:00

dailyPosts 08/07/2008

2008-08-07T02:30:00.001-07:00

Equipping Community Colleges' New Leaders :: Inside Higher Ed :: Higher Education's Source for News, Views and Jobs
tags: no_tag

dailyPosts 07/31/2008

2008-07-31T02:31:00.001-07:00

Any Flv Player - Software to play FLV video file and enable FLV playback on website, blog
tags: flv, player
elearnspace: Rumour has it, the web is big
tags: no_tag
- "We start at a set of well-connected initial pages and follow each of their links to new pages." It's that simple. Start somewhere. Follow links from there. That's learning today.

dailyPosts 07/24/2008

2008-07-24T02:30:00.001-07:00

dukaDIAL Free Phone Calls to Any North American Phone Number
tags: voip, phone, call

dailyPosts 07/10/2008

2008-07-10T02:31:00.001-07:00

Arkansas State University-Beebe Study Tips for Online Learning
tags: tips, online, learning
Tips For Online Learning Success » UMassOnline Blog
tags: tips, online, learning
Southwestern College - Online Learning Tips
tags: tips, online, learning
UW-Platteville Distance Education Blog: Top 10 Tips for Successful Online Learning
tags: tips, online, learning
Peterson's Distance Learning Advice - Study Tips for Distance Learning
Study Tips for Successful Distance Learning Email a Friend

* Tools
Before enrolling in a course, make sure you have access to the tools necessary to complete assignments. A word processor can help you to organize your work and communicate your thoughts more clearly. If your lessons appear through cable television, you'll want to know how to program your VCR to record the programs to refer back to. Access to a fax machine, computer with adequate hard disk space and modem for e-mail transmission are "musts" for many classes.

* Schedule
Set aside a regularly scheduled time for study. If you have not been involved in academic pursuits recently, you may find that your career, family, hobbies, and social and civic commitments leave little time for studying. To help you fit studying into your schedule, keep a record for a week of how you spend your time, and then decide what you are willing to give up. Schedule your studies for a time when you are mentally fresh and able to devote at least one hour to your work. Think of the hour as "reserved time." If you miss too many study periods, revise your schedule.

* Where to Study
You will find it easier to focus in an appropriate environment for study. Find a place that is free from distractions. You might consider work--before or after hours and on your lunch hour--a public library, or a separate room in your home.

* Reading Skills
You must comprehend and retain what you read for real learning to take place. Reading skills can be developed by concentrating on what you read and by taking frequent pauses to organize and review the material in your mind. At the end of a study session, review everything you have read, making special notes of important points. Reading a computer screen can be hard on your eyes; it may be necessary to download hard copies of reading assignments and communications from your instructor and coworkers.

* Communication Skills
It can be intimidating to speak into a microphone in a video or conference call, but your communication skills are an important part of any assignment--on the job, at home, and at school. Distance learning provides the opportunity to enhance these skills. Pay careful attention to instructions and be certain that you understand what is being asked. It often helps to develop a brief outline before responding to questions whether they are submitted in writing, via e-mail, orally, or on video/audio tape. Organization, grammar, and the appropriate style are important whichever medium you choose.

Presented with permission from Peterson's by Virtual Ink Press™
tags: tips, online, learning
Regent University - Online Learning Tips for Success
tags: tips, online, learning
Illinois Online Network: Educational Resources
tags: tips, online, learning
Tips for online courses
tags: tips, online, learning
Successful Online Learning: Tips for Taking Your First Online Class
tags: tips, online, learning
Tips for Distance Learning Success
tags: tips, online, learning
Penn State Tips for Students Student Services
tags: tips, online, students

dailyPosts 07/09/2008

2008-07-09T02:30:00.001-07:00

ASCD
tags: no_tag
- The Difference Between Summative and Formative
  
  What is formative assessment, then? First, it's not a product. That was the central misunderstanding of the administrator who asked for an example of a good formative test item. Even though assessments will continue to be labeled
  formative or summative, how the results are used is what determines whether the assessment is formative or summative.
  
  To begin, let's look at summative assessment. In general, its results are used to make some sort of judgment, such as to determine what grade a student will receive on a classroom assignment, measure program effectiveness, or determine whether a school has made adequate yearly progress. Summative assessment, sometimes referred to as assessment of learning, typically documents how much learning has occurred at a point in time; its purpose is to measure the level of student, school, or program success.
  
  Formative assessment, on the other hand, delivers information during the instructional process, before the summative assessment. Both the teacher and the student use formative assessment results to make decisions about what actions to take to promote further learning. It is an ongoing, dynamic process that involves far more than frequent testing, and measurement of student learning is just one of its components.
- Feedback: The Key Difference
ASCD
tags: assessment, formative
- But if desired learning goals are the foundation of students' instructional experiences, then assessments of student learning are simply extensions of those same goals. Instead of “teaching to the test,” teachers are more accurately “testing what they teach.” If a concept or skill is important enough to assess, then it should be important enough to teach. And if it is not important enough to teach, then there's little justification for assessing it.
- The best classroom assessments also serve as meaningful sources of information for teachers, helping them identify what they taught well and what they need to work on.
Formative and Summative Assessment in the Classroom - Annotated
tags: assessment, formative, summative
- Because they are spread out and occur after instruction every few weeks, months, or once a year, summative assessments are tools to help evaluate the effectiveness of programs, school improvement goals, alignment of curriculum, or student placement in specific programs.

dailyPosts 07/03/2008

2008-07-03T02:30:00.001-07:00

University of Manitoba: Information Services and Technology - Michael Wesch and the Future of Education
tags: no_tag
- Dubbed “the explainer” by popular geek publication Wired because of his viral YouTube video that summarizes Web 2.0 in under five minutes, cultural anthropologist Michael Wesch brought his Web 2.0 wisdom to the University of Manitoba on June 17 (see video above).
  
  During his presentation, the Kansas State University professor breaks down his attempts to integrate Facebook, Netvibes, Diigo, Google Apps, Jott, Twitter, and other emerging technologies to create an education portal of the future.
  
  “It’s basically an ongoing experiment to create a portal for me and my students to work online,” he explains. “We tried every social media application you can think of. Some worked, some didn’t.”

dailyPosts 06/29/2008

2008-06-29T02:30:00.001-07:00

Aliens Teach University Economics Class : NPR
tags: economics, immersive, game
ViewDoc.aspx (application/pdf Object)
Leadership Reconsidered
tags: leadership, change

dailyPosts 06/26/2008

2008-06-26T02:31:00.001-07:00

Athabasca University Press - The Theory and Practice of Online Learning
tags: theory, and, practice, of, online, learning

dailyPosts 06/11/2008

2008-06-11T02:30:00.001-07:00

Orientation: Blackboard/Vista Essentials — Distance Education
tags: online, orientation, cms, blackboard_vista

dailyPosts 06/06/2008

2008-06-06T02:30:00.001-07:00

Prototype Composer — Serena Software, Inc.
tags: no_tag

dailyPosts 06/02/2008

2008-06-02T02:31:00.001-07:00

eLearn: Feature Article
tags: netiquette, guide, for, student, emails
JOLT - Journal of Online Learning and Teaching
tags: best, practices, adult-centered, online, learning

dailyPosts 05/13/2008

2008-05-13T02:30:00.001-07:00

Futurelab - Resources - Publications, reports & articles - Web articles - Working with online learning communities
tags: online, community, tips, suggestions
- Clark contends that “leaders are needed to define the environment, keep it safe, give it purpose, identity and keep it growing”. He gives a set of mantras for teacher/leaders in any online community:
  - all you need is love
  - control the environment, not the group
  - lead by example
  - let lurkers lurk
  - short leading questions get conversations going
  - be personally congratulatory and inquisitive
  - route information in all directions
  - care about the people in the community; this cannot be faked
  - understand consensus and how to build it, and sense when it's been built and just not recognised, and when you have to make a decision despite all the talking.
  He cites confirmation that “personal narrative is vital to online learning communities. Personal stories and experiences add closeness, and provide identity, thus strengthening online communities.”
- William Klemm has a more pragmatic approach[9, 10] to student participation, one that tends to coerce the engagement of post-secondary students in online collaborative learning. A minimum level of online participation as well as a deliverable piece of work relevant to the community activity is a mandatory course requirement. Many universities adopt a similar approach in order to ensure minimum online engagement of each student in collaborative study.
- her guidelines[14] for growing communities within a class of students:
  - communicate frequently with the class
  - make as much interaction public as possible
  - create a space for non-classroom-related interaction
  - understand the limitations and strengths of the technology you're using in terms of fostering interaction
  - ask questions often, and interact with students in the forum you have devised for class interaction.

dailyPosts 05/07/2008

2008-05-07T02:30:00.001-07:00

A List Apart: Articles: Community: From Little Things, Big Things Grow
tags: online, community, tips

dailyPosts 05/03/2008

2008-05-03T02:30:00.001-07:00

Synergy
tags: virtual, kvm, opensource

dailyPosts 05/01/2008

2008-05-01T02:30:00.001-07:00

Wikalong Firefox Extension
tags: firefox, extension, wiki

dailyPosts 04/29/2008

2008-04-29T02:30:00.001-07:00

WebTools4u2use » About This Wiki
tags: web2.0, resources
- The purpose is to provide information about some of the new web-based tools (Web 2.0) and how they can be used and are being used by school library media specialists and their students and teachers.

dailyPosts 04/26/2008

2008-04-26T02:30:00.001-07:00

CCPE Nebraska - Postsecondary Education Operating Budget Recommendations for 2005-2007
tags: no_tag

dailyPosts 04/25/2008

2008-04-25T02:30:00.001-07:00

Dave’s Whiteboard » Blog Archive » When you need incompetence fast - Annotated
how NOT to be a good leader/administrator
tags: leader, competence
Getting Results
A professional development course for community college educators.
tags: faculty, development
photophlow: preview
possible tool for elearning - share an image, everyone in room can see image, can comment on image - what about digital photography?
tags: flickr, photphlow
Learnlets » Like riding a bike… - Annotated
elements of great learning experiences right tools, motivation, support, and environment - good story
tags: learning
- The lesson was that with the right tools, motivation, support, and environment, learning is magic. Are you making your learning experiences like that?
F-Shaped Pattern For Reading Web Content (Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox) - Annotated
Eye-tracking software was used to determine on several web pages the pattern people view the pages. Consistently it is in a F-Shaped pattern. Do students do the same with web content?
tags: usability, web, design
- The biggest determinant for content usability is how users read online - and because people read differently, you have to write differently.

dailyPosts 04/17/2008

2008-04-17T02:30:00.001-07:00

dailyPosts 04/16/2008

2008-04-16T02:30:00.001-07:00

The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard
tags: environment, sustainability, education

dailyPosts 04/15/2008

2008-04-15T02:30:00.001-07:00

Academic honesty and online courses | College Student Journal | Find Articles at BNET.com - Annotated
tags: academic, honesty, online, courses
- Until now, the supposition was that, because of decreased monitoring and interaction in online classes, cheating in this setting would be greater than in traditional classrooms. Our paper suggests that as online education expands, there is no reason to suspect that academic dishonesty will become more common.
Thirty-two Trends Affecting Distance Education: An Informed Foundation for Strategic Plannning
tags: trends, distance, education
Staying the Course: A Study in Online Student Satisfaction and Retention - Annotated
tags: online, student, satisfaction, retention
- Frankola (2001) claimed that adult learners drop out of online courses due to the lack of time, lack of management oversight, lack of motivation, problems with technology, lack of student support, individual learning preferences, poorly designed courses, and substandard or inexperienced instructors. The Frontline Group (2001), an online learning provider, offers five reasons why adult learners drop out of online learning programs: poor design, failure to understand the new medium, lack of consideration for a variety of learning styles, lack of support systems and ignoring the self-selecting content need of learners.
Quality in Distance Education. ERIC Digest.
tags: quality, distance, education
Making the transition: helping teachers to teach online
This article explores the transition factors face to face instructors need to make to move to teaching online.
tags: online, pedagogy
A Brief History Of Distance Education Article - Study College University Articles
tags: brief, history, of, distance, education

Using a Wiki

2008-04-14T07:01:00.000-07:00

I can't remember where if read this or heard it during a presentation - but I found a scribble on a piece of paper that take my phone messages on and I wanted to document it so that I don't lose the idea.

Using a wiki to have students write and answer exam questions for exams. This would double as a way to get students involved with their own learning and also help them study for the exam. It also helps me or the instructor create exams that coincide with student learning.

I also heard of instructors who have students help them plan the syllabus for the class - a wiki would work for this as well. If I remember the instructor would send out a survey several weeks before class to get an idea of how many exams the students would like, what type of work they preferred group or individual, and other course structures that wouldn't effect the content of the course. If you had a wiki created students could edit the parts you allowed and students would have an idea of what the course would entail. This is something that would at least be worth trying.

Supporting Student Learning Online in Science and Engineering

2008-04-07T07:46:00.000-07:00

Presented by: J.B. Wiskell, Bonita Bray, University of Alberta & Dr. Curtiss Hanson, Jason Vetter, University of Northern Iowa

The other day I attended this presentation and J.B. Wiskell from the University of Alberta had a interesting analogy for learning - that there are two types.

The first is described as a teflon learner where after the semester is over nothing really sticks. And the second type is described as a velcro learner where after the stuff learned does stick. And this was all tied back to using eportfolios as a way to make students more velcro type learners.

Introductions

2008-04-03T06:33:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is DiscoSam and I wanted to introduce myself and explain a little about why I started this blog. First I am an Instructional Designer - officially for almost two years by title - have been designing courses and working with faculty since 1999. I work at San Juan Community College in Farmington, New Mexico - but I am employed by SunGard Higher Education. I am currently working on my Master's through New Mexico State in Community College administration (this is my first semester). I have a bachelors in elementary education and an associates in graphic design.

Enough about me for know - I started this blog as a place to jot down my ideas, thoughts, and possibly my ramblings about community college administration, instructional design, online education, and online student support. I also wanted a place to document my learning/professional development.

Over the next couple months I will also be preparing my presentation that I will be doing at TTIX (Teaching with Technology Idea Exchange - http://www.ttix.org/). The presentation is entitled "The Separation of Course and Classroom". The main focus is to get SME's and faculty to stop building their courses inside a course management system and to build them so that they can be delivered in multiple classroom settings i.e. online, mobile, face-to-face, hybrid or any combination above. If you have seen any anything that will support this idea please pass it along - I am always looking for more information.

I think that is all I wanted to say for this first posting. More to come soon . . .

Disco Sam's Thoughts

dailyPosts 07/21/2009

dailyPosts 07/02/2009

Articles I found that pertain to my internship, but still need to read

dailyPosts 06/20/2009

dailyPosts 06/18/2009

dailyPosts 06/17/2009

dailyPosts 06/13/2009

dailyPosts 06/12/2009

dailyPosts 06/11/2009

dailyPosts 06/05/2009

dailyPosts 06/04/2009

dailyPosts 06/03/2009

Daily Intership Log: 6/1-3/09

dailyPosts 05/31/2009

Daily Internship Log: 5/30/09

Daily Internship Log: 5/28/2009

I start my internship today

dailyPosts 05/28/2009

dailyPosts 04/28/2009

dailyPosts 04/21/2009

dailyPosts 04/09/2009

dailyPosts 04/01/2009

dailyPosts 02/13/2009

dailyPosts 11/20/2008

dailyPosts 11/18/2008

dailyPosts 11/08/2008

My Pecha Kucha on Pecha Kucha

dailyPosts 11/06/2008

dailyPosts 10/29/2008

dailyPosts 10/26/2008

dailyPosts 10/23/2008

dailyPosts 10/21/2008

dailyPosts 10/10/2008

dailyPosts 10/03/2008

dailyPosts 09/17/2008

dailyPosts 08/21/2008

Hooking learners with a simple story

dailyPosts 08/14/2008

dailyPosts 08/07/2008

dailyPosts 07/31/2008

dailyPosts 07/24/2008

dailyPosts 07/10/2008

dailyPosts 07/09/2008

The Difference Between Summative and Formative

dailyPosts 07/03/2008

dailyPosts 06/29/2008

dailyPosts 06/26/2008

dailyPosts 06/11/2008

dailyPosts 06/06/2008

dailyPosts 06/02/2008

dailyPosts 05/13/2008

dailyPosts 05/07/2008

dailyPosts 05/03/2008

dailyPosts 05/01/2008

dailyPosts 04/29/2008

dailyPosts 04/26/2008

dailyPosts 04/25/2008

Implications of the F Pattern

dailyPosts 04/17/2008

dailyPosts 04/16/2008

dailyPosts 04/15/2008

Using a Wiki

Supporting Student Learning Online in Science and Engineering

Introductions