Hello All,
Thanks to Wenda for kick starting the New Year - there was a problem with the email notifications being sent out so some may have missed her recent posting. please take a look....
Cheers Kirsty
:: Comments (if any)::
Hello All,
Thanks to Wenda for kick starting the New Year - there was a problem with the email notifications being sent out so some may have missed her recent posting. please take a look....
Cheers Kirsty
:: Comments (if any)::
Hi All
Well finally I have met with the IT gurus and started our course orientation and e-tivities.
This orientation is designed to be a 2 week intro for new students to the cousre, adn will be required to be completed prior to commencing the subject content.
would love your comments, thoughts, ways to improve?
The document refers to "viewlets" which will be little video type footage of screen captures that demonstrate how to complete a particular function within the site.
The site will be developed as a html page with four sections, going from the top left and around the page clockwise, there will be "activity content" then a "video of me talking", "viewlet" and then "what to do"
any questions, comments etc welcome. It should be attached to this document, I hope, haven't tried this before.
regards
Wenda
:: Comments (if any)::
I love the idea of the viewlets - Everyone take a look at the attached word document. Well done Wenda for figuring that out!
Capturing screen actions into little movies really makes learning the software easy - I guess it's the online version of the data projector.
It will be interesting to hear how the development process goes.
Cheers, Kirsty
It will be interesting to see how it works, that's for sure. When it has been uploaded onto the site, I will see if I can get a password for you all to view it in action. I really would love new ideas etc. I hope it may be of help/interest to you all as well in developing your own courses.
Wenda
:: Wenda Donaldson January 16, 2004 08:40 AMCongratulations! Wenda for the excellent work!
I like the first (home?) page as I think you have successfully captured all into one single page, with a very easy to follow clockwise flow. Also the idea of the viewlet is an excellent way of jazzing up online learning (by removing the monotony of reading endless wordy instructions)! Did you have to go through lots of hurdles in terms of financial considerations? ;-)
A question if I may. I enrolled in one online unit where the video segments were at least 20 minutes+ each. Personally, I find it too long as I tend to lose my concentration. In addition, I find shorter segments give more flexibility to the learner. Given that yours is a demo. I think you should not have the problem?
Had a quick glance of the document. I noticed on p15 (Journaling), section 3, you asked students to “Read and respond to at least 2 other students.”
I met my supervisor this morning. She commented on my orientation tasks of asking students to respond (similar to what you did). Although I did give some suggestions of how to respond to students’ postings, she wondered if one needs to be more prescriptive as well as being open-ended? The reason being that some students may simply not know how to respond meaningfully. I suppose the answer to this question lies in the maturity and capability of the students in question? Just sharing my supervisor’s feedback :-)
Hope all these make sense and I am not too late….
Best wishes
Jenny
Jenny
Many thanks for your feedback. Extremely valuable. I am also considering the value of just open ended request s for responses, it doesn't necessarily prompt ideas, thoughts which is needed to motivate people to engage in discussion. Will give this some thought. I have read an interesting discussion online (see the link below) that also talks about issues involved with engaging online learners, a lot of food for thought there as well.
http://ifets.ieee.org/discussions/discuss_january2004.html
With regards to the videos, I agree, only very short intros to the activity. The idea being to create and establish a relationship with myself that will also help to engage students online.
The viewlets are extremely cheap and easy to make.
http://www.qarbon.com/products/viewlet/
go this website you can see them in action. They are simply screen captures that you can edit and join together in a small movie. You can download the software from this website for free, if you are hapy to have advertising in the viewlet. Otherwise you can purchase the software for a minimal cost, something like $500 US.
Many thanks Jenny for taking the time to look through the document. when I get it on line I will provide you with passwords to have a look and see what its like
Regards
Wenda
Hi Wenda
Many thanks for the detailed reply and for the websites. Will certainly look at them soonish.
Best wishes
P/s: How was your Christmas?
Cheerio :-)
Jenny
Hi There Again
Well can you believe it is nearly the end of summer? We had a beautiful summer in Canberra but at the moment it feels like we skipped straight from summer to winter, miserable and cold at the moment.
Well we have finally posted our orientation stuff online, still tweaking it a little. the viewlets are still being developed and added as we go. But feel free to check out the site, it is a work in progress so will be silghtly different each time you get in, till its finalised. www.staff.vu.edu.au/cc4ep/online
I haven't had a chance to edit the text too much as yet, as trying to get all the development done first. so any ideas easily accommodated and appreciated
Regards
Wenda
Hi all. I seem to be in Kirsty's basket of those who have fallen off the email notification list.
Have had a flat out start to year and only just time now to think "What's happened to that lot?", only to find some really good stuff happening here!
How are you all?
Your site looks great, Wenda. Do you have a launch date?
(Isn't it scary to see how much upfront orientation has to be provided to newies! Wow! You certainly seem to have thought of everything.) Almost makes you wonder whether a mailed-out CD is the easier way out when slow dial-ups may impede the initial experience, doesn't it.
Hope to talk to you all more often (and I'll go and see about putting myself back on the email list right now!)
Cheers to all.
Kathi
Hello Everyone!
Is that time of the year when one is either in a relaxed mood or frantically trying to do everything before the year ends....
So here's wishing everyone and your families a very enjoyable holiday and Happy New Year! May all your wishes come true in 2004 and may this coming year be filled with lots of happiness, peace and good health!
P/s: Wenda, have you finished your load of shopping for all your nephews and nieces? Happy shopping everybody!
Cheerio!
Jenny
:: Comments (if any)::
Hi Jenny
Thanks for your Christmas greetings.
I had a weekend in Melbourne last week and did a mad rush to buy toys and stuff for the kids. It is so hard because they have everything and don't really need or want anything more. But anyway, they will have one more toy to add to the cupboard.
I am in the latter of your scenarios at the moment, in a frantic rush trying to tie up all the loose ends before Christmas. I still have on my plans over Jan to write the introduction activities for the course, and I would still love everyone's feedback in the New Year.
I hope everyone is well and has a great break, and thanks to you all for your support and friendship over the last few months. It has been great getting to know you all.
Regards
Wenda
Hallo everyone - I must say that the New Yyear is just peeping around the corner. Time is flying by too quickly. Although I am at work - the place is really quiet as many people are away on their annual vacation. The shopping malls are busy and rather "noisy" with all the Christmas shoppers and parents who are also shopping for their children in readiness for the new school year. Just thought that I will also jump on the bandwagon and wish everyone a "Merry Christmas" and a Happy New Year. May 2004 be a good year for everyone - peace and goodwill to all.
:: Siti Rabikhatun December 23, 2003 05:57 PMHi It's great to see that you are still keeping in touch. I hope everyone had a great Christmas, mine was fine, just enough to do without getting stressed!! I'm now starting to think abour 2004 and what it has in store for all of us.
If any of you need help at any time with your projects please feel free to give ma a shout, you all have my email address.
I wish you all a happy and peaceful New Year
Val
:: Val Robertson December 28, 2003 11:50 PMHello my E-Buddies!
I read somewhere in our E-moderating notes the possibility of a Cyberspace War? I came across some postings, which I consider to fit that category (or at least dangerously close!!). So I thought this would provide us with a good opportunity to practise our E-moderating skills.
The exercise was a seemingly innocent topic: seeking our views on a statement released by an Asian leader** and the impact of that statement on the operation of Australian companies in South East Asia. (The Leader** commented on his opposition to the International Declaration on Human Rights as he believes the Declaration does not reflect cultural life and values in South East Asia)
One of the students (Lucy White: fictitious name) responded with “evidences”++ (articles on websites etc) on how the leader has allegedly abused human rights in his country. [Personally, I would say it is rather disconcerting for someone from that country to read all these “evidences”.] She concluded with a summary of the views from both the critics and supporters of the Declaration, indicating that the bottom line is about political power and not cultural values as claimed.
The response from another student (Mohammad Abdullah: fictitious name) was swift. (I have paraphrased the reply (while trying to keep the tone of the email).
“Your response is a repeat of the much publicised stories from the usual suspects. Bogus opportunists and Amnesty International. What is AI doing when it comes to defending the rights of people being held in cages for two years without charges?? You spoke of people from that Asian country writing to Tony Blair, the same person who has a problem telling the truth? The last time I checked, tony was the PM for UK, what has the problems of that Asian country got to do with him????? Leader** may have some inadequacies, but he did an excellent job for his country and people. Good on you Leader** and long live the dream!”
Lucy responded with what AI is doing at G Bay etc. and finished with a query: “...... and what false premise are you referring to?”
Scenario: You are the Emoderator of this course. The quick responses between the two did not allow you the opportunity to intervene in between the postings.
Task: What would you do?
I would be very interested to hear from you all….back to the good old days Folks!
Looking forward
Jenny
:: Comments (if any)::
Hello Siti
Wishing you and your family Selemat Hari Raya! (Folks, is the end of the fasting month and is a day of celebration for Muslims!)
Sorry Siti, but I think I am a day late in sending the greetings? But better late than never.... :-)
Enjoy this joyous ocassion!
Cheerio
Jenny
:: Comments (if any)::
Hi Jenny it's great to see you still doing your caring role, I'm sure Siti values your good wishes.
How are you all? busy as usual? and are you all managing to put the course learning into practice?
My best wishes to you all
Val
:: Val November 30, 2003 10:58 PMHallo there Jenny,
Many thanks for the greetings. I was away for about a week - just to keep up with the celebrations most of us will have after a month of fasting. This is the Eid celebrations - which is ususally celebrated for one whole month of Syawal. This year - I have been having a quiet one - since many of my family members are having a bad attack of the "flu" - and I have ended with a bad cold myself. I am not feeling too good today and it is my first day back to work. Hopefully it will go away soon. I have been taking some cough mixture (bad cough too) and lots of fruits and drinks.
I see that many of our friends are doing quite alot of exciting new things. I am still with my "unlaunched" nursing on-line course. We are still waiting for news from the Accreditation Board - and that will take time.
Time really seems to fly - it is already december ans soon the end of the year will be looking at us in the eye. I really feel that nowadays the year just seem to fly by - and I keep wondering what I have achieved during that time. Don't you agree?
I must sign off for now. I hope to be able to write more next time - just that I am feeling rather uncomfortable with this running nose and sore head.
Cheers for now.
Siti R
:: Siti Rabikhatun December 1, 2003 03:17 PMDear Siti
So sorry to hear that you and many of your family members are unwell. I hope you have sufficiently recovered by the time you read this email and are in a better state of mind (and health) to continue the celebration!
Yes, time is zooming pass by. As for achievements…..there is at least one thing both you and I have achieved: our new found zest for E-moderating and our Emoderating buddies! So I think that is one achievement we can both be proud of! With regard to news of accreditation, such process is notoriously slow. So hang on in there and we all await the good news together with you!
Take good care and rest well
Cheerio
Jenny
Hi all,
Wenda, your relating of this discussion to counselling "'when things are going well' what is happening, and how can we draw on those strenghts and resources to move back to that scenario once again.' shows you are always cross-referencing your experiences - so valuable, and what a pool of experience you appear to have to draw on!
Jenny that notion of providing enough framework to (virtually) liberate people has popped up with me intermittently in the past, in designing forums, conferences, etc. Have you ever noticed the way panel discussion time is LEAST productive when everyone gathers together at the day and the invitation is put "Would anyone like to ask or discuss anything with the panel?" My mind goes blank, everytime, along with, it would seem, everyone else's in the room. Compare this with some well-thought out discussion seeds carefully planted, asking for opinions, etc. (and you're right about this group as an invaluable contingency measure!!!).
Wenda, I'm sorry I haven't had the opportunity to be online long enough lately to try to help you with your access problems, but I fear that is what caused Kirsty to warn us not to change passwords, etc. (Correct, Kirsty?) Is all OK now?
Cheers
Kathi
:: Comments (if any)::
Planting questions before a panel session worked really well at the Networking2003 Conference, and it also got other people asking questions and making comments too. This was in a room of about 650 people!
Kirsty
:: Kirsty November 10, 2003 08:20 AMKirsty what do you mean by planted? Did others in the room thought they were spontaneous as a consequence of what the asker had heard during the day, when in fact they weren't?
Kathi
I guess rather than planted, people were asked to think up questions that related to what they had heard, the panel was not aware of the questions beforehand, so not really planted. More a strategy to get people involved. From the questions that were asked they were in response to what had happened in the room during the day. Others probably viewed them as more spontaneous.
Kirsty
Dear Wenda,
Glad to hear that you have started to put new gained knowledge into practice. As for me still in the process searching articles for my course contents on Gerontology nursing. Trying to get local information on Gerontology nursing but seems very scarce. Anyway, if you do need help to test your trial orientation course, just tinkle me.
Good luck.
:-) Soh Cheng
Many thanks Soh Cheng, I will let you know
:: Wenda November 13, 2003 01:04 PMHello Wenda
Re-read all the recent postings. My apologies for overlooking your request. It would be my privilege to have an input into your program.
P/s: are you already into the process of searching for the presents for all your nephews and nieces? Happy hunting!
Cheerio
Jenny
Hello All!
Reading through all the recent postings brought back our days of intense exchanges in our Emoderating course ;-)
Kathi’s comment about the use of “framework” vs “structure” reminded me of an article I read recently about the importance of having a good design that is clear and defined, yet providing participants with the flexibility to response as they negotiate and construct their own meaning. Goodyear distinguished these differences as learning tasks (ie. our designed tasks for participants) and learning activities (what the participants actually did). With this type of design in mind, I suppose that will address Kirsty’s comment regarding Jonassen’s viewpoint that the “endpoint is different for each learner”?
Thanks to you all, as I read and re-read the recent postings, I am also now of the view that the design process is a continuously evolving process and is not an end point by itself. This supports Grace’s observation that much depends on the group dynamic. I must also bear in mind Wenda’s strategy of using these strategies to evaluate our strengths and resources
I am attaching the article (mentioned above). It is based on Wenger concept of COP (community of practice). Hope this works!
Happy reading and a big thank you to all again!
Jenny
P/s: But Folks….wait….there is still an existing contingency plan: this Emoderating Group! :-) Hooray!!!
:: Comments (if any)::
Ooops! Attachment did not work. Here is the article title:
Brosnan, K., & Burgess, R. (2003). Web based continuing professional development - a learning architecture approach. Journal of Workplace Learning, 15(1), 24-33.
Or if you have access to Emerald database, under advanced search, key in the 2 authors and the journal title.
Feeling a little silly....
Jenny
Hi All,
Just to let you know that if you change the username and password, that will affect all the other people who use the shared username. If you like, I can set up individual logins for you, drop me a line with your preferred username and I'll organise it. Any problems logging in etc just send me an email to kirsty@otheredge.com.au
Cheers,
Kirsty
:: Comments (if any)::
My most sincere apologies, Kirsty. I must be one of the culprits...naughty! naughty! Which ever is easier for you...currently I am still able to log in.
So so sooorrry.......
Jenny
Me too, sorry Kirsty, I didn't realise. And, like Jenny, I am beastly careless, just followed the steps one usually does when setting up access rights to a new website. Should have checked beforehand.
Cheers
Kathi
HI,
Not to worry - It's really easy for me to set up new usernames etc, I probably should have made it clearer that the shared username was shared at the beginning.
Kirsty
If you think about it, the course taught us to monitor and employ strategies as necessary to address contingencies that our learning and planning has told us will be warning signs of potential problems (e.g. someone lurking a long time - send a private email to check, encourage, assist, etc).
Thus, our contingency response forms part of many of our strategies. Think about it as "Which tactics are we using when things are humming along perfectly?" vs "Which tactics swing into action, or are enhanced, when things aren't going ideally?" The latter reflect our readiness for deviation from the ideal - our contingency planning.
Unfortunately, the BIG contingency, like mass defection and no return, would constitute a mass failure of the whole concept. Here would one suspect inaccurate initial feasibility and other research?
Disasters do happen, but advances are not made without well-informed pioneering efforts! We must be one of the best-placed groups for success in our endeavours!
Kathi:-)
:: Comments (if any)::
Hello all
I like Kathi's comment about "thinking about what tactics we use when things are working well". How often do we forget to do that? When someone goes belly up we are quick to think about where we went wrong, however there is so much value in looking at what is happening when things are going well. This gives us great insights into our strengths and resources.
This is exactly the same as a counselling approach known as strengths based counselling. Where the focus of the counselling is more heavily on "when things are going well" what is happening, and how can we draw on those strenghts and resources to move back to that scenario once again.
A valuable point for us to consider when reflecting on our work.
:: Wenda Donaldson November 5, 2003 03:26 PMOoops - I meant someTHING not someONE sorry
:: Wenda Donaldson November 5, 2003 03:28 PMHELP Please
I can access the main page, and have just discovered the neat little option - to subscribe to the Bloglet, which I assume means I will get an email when new postings are made??
However I can not login and therefore I can't work out how to create a new thread or how to access more than the main page - this is the oly site I can get into www.otheredge.com.au/klogs/sparks2
Can anyone help?
Thanks
Wenda
Like several of you Contingency plan anyone? I am puzzling around the design of a training program with a two-fold purpose - both to complete a uni assignment and also as a program to be used in-house. I found I have to be very wary of slipping into old habits as I worked on developing the course. When I went back to review the first chunk I had worked on, all of a suddent I realised a really crucial part was missing - the interaction!!! So reading through your combined thoughts about contingency plans and structured beginnings has helped me get back on the right path.
While I was researching my assignment I came across a quote from Fischer who states: ‘It is impossible for design processes to account for every aspect that might affect the designed artifact. Therefore design must be treated as an evolutionary process in which designers continue to learn new things as the process unfolds. . My reading of this is that whilst we can plan, we'll never really get it all right, so those contingency plans might be best devised as the need arises, rather than trying to foresee all the disasters (maybe just the really obvious ones?)
Any thoughts?
Kirsty
:: Comments (if any)::
Yes, agree with Kirsty based on the quotation that "design must be treated as an evolutionary process in which designers continue to learn new things as the process unfolds".... & each case is unique by itself even it can be of the same course, but with different sets of group dynamics with different group member compositions.
However, based on my own learning experience with the e-moderating course, if one observes some basic conference design principles, then the chances of people participating in Stages 1 & 2 could be higher.
:: Grace November 3, 2003 01:28 PMThanks for your confirmation Grace.
In undertaking this particular Instructional Design project for uni I have queried how I can design for a project-based, self-directed learning experience. Jonassen suggests that if the end point is different for each learner, how can we design instruction for that? But I find this a bit of a fuzzy approach. Within the e-moderating course I could really see the value of having structure and the benefits that all that effort in carefully planning stages 1,2 brought. Personally, I like/need quite a bit of structure in my own learning and also the training program I am working on is driven by organisational goals, so it really demands the structured approach, with a contingency plan tucked up my sleeve as well.
Kirsty
Kirsty and Grace,
Sometimes I think we regard a framework (for discussion), etc, as a structure. The word "structure" infers some degree of confinement for most of us. However, if, instead, we think of a course framework, a good framework can actually provide us with all the freedom we want, along with the tools we need to achieve our desired outcomes.
Think about the difference between when your mother used to say "What did you do at school today", to which you, like me, probably responded trucculently "Nothing much", compared with the question, "Did you learn any new words in French today?". We now have a launching point for discusssion, from which we may well lead to a discussion about the rest of the day, far more successfully than the "blank page" approach (I've just taken up French with Adult Ed this semester - that must be why this example sprang to mind).
Cheers
Kathi
Hello Siti and All!
What you have planned sounds really good to me, but it must be tedious to have to travel to regional centres to visit your students? You wrote: “The course I am planning will be a blended mode - some face-to-face sessions with online and printed materials given. The on-line session would be to provide the support and friendship among the students.” I assume that the online activities are there when the students went their separate way. As such, I think your strategy of making use of every opportunity (such as tutorials and discussions) to have the students to know one another better and therefore support each other in virtual space is great!
Are you including the “Post it” activity we did in Week 2 for the first 10 days? I heard of one icebreaker recently where they call it the Martian Stare! Each student jolts down what they s/he thinks of the other ie. favourite car, food, music etc (no sign language or body language allowed) before exchanging information about each other. Apparently it was quite hilarious.
Also I think your allocation of one Emoderator per 10 students is great! Only the cynical me is wondering how long before the administrators clamp down on the budget and have a ratio of 1:20 instead? It is not uncommon in uni. to have a lecturer facilitating 30 p/g students in an online course.
As for fasting, I often wonder how one can manage to abstain from food for so long??? I would not be able to do it! Wow! Hats off to you, Siti!
Thanks Siti, is great to keep in touch
Jenny
Siti wrote at October 27, 2003 06:13 PM
Thought I might give a try and see how you feel about my plan. I plan to have all the students to come in initially to the campus and get to know one another face to face. During the 10 days that they will be on campus, we will get them to identify with each other so that when they go online, they will be able to visualise each other and that may promote greater discussion and participation among themselves.
The course I am planning will be a blended mode - some face-to-face sessions with online and printed materials given. The on-line session would be to provide the support and friendship among the students.
I don't think I have any contingency plan as yet - it will have to be as I progress and as students evaluate the effectiveness of the online course. The blended mode that I will be using will require that I also travel out to meet the students at certain regional centres over a weekend in between the semester. During this time, i will be able to further ensure that they get to know each other as I can plan for tutorials and discussions.
:: Comments (if any)::
Dear Jenny,
Glad to be of help. Yes, I do agree with you that after a while we may have to deal with more that 10 students - but we will begin with a small number until we get our bearings and also become "good" at moderating students' postings.
It is so true what you say that management will want to maximise the teachers available - so we will eventually be having one teacher to 20 or even 30 students as we progress with the course.
Cheers,
Siti R
Hi Siti
Best wishes for your course. And you will have us here as your sounding board!
P/s: When I was back in Singapore, I used to look forward to my Muslim friends breaking their fast at the end of the month as I get invited to their homes for cookies! So yummy! And we in turn invited them for Chinese New Year. And my Indian friends as well...so I got to celebrate at least 3 "Happy New Years" in a year!
Lucky me!
Jenny
Hi Just thought I'd pop in to say that it's good to see you're all active in this. I miss our interesting sessions but keep finding messages in the course.
See you all again soon.
Hugs to all
Val
:: Val November 1, 2003 01:01 AMDear Siti, Vicki, Wenda and All
Thought I start a new thread so we can all get the alert to read the postings.
Thank you so much for each of your responses and suggestions.
Siti’s suggestion of an introductory f2f, Vicki’s observations that f2f meetings generate much high participation rate and the need to have really structured activity plus Wenda’s timely reminder of the importance of being valued and the support from peers – all points towards one thing: there is no better plan the existing strategy. And as suggested by both Siti and Vicki, develop a plan as I move along.
I don’t know why but somehow, after reading all your messages, I feel much more confident than I was.
Thanks heaps! Folks!
Jenny
:: Comments (if any)::
Hello All!
Was trying to post the following queries last Friday but was unable to log in …until Saint Kirsty (Yes, I have promoted her to sainthood too for starting this weblog!) came to my rescue!
I was sharing with my Supervisor about my success and experience in the Emoderating course. I felt privileged to be able to count myself part of this exciting online community and expressed concerns about my ability to generate the same level of success and enthusiasm in my forthcoming modules…..indicating that perhaps I should have a contingency plan just in case!
Which brings me to the aim of this email. 2 questions if I may:
1) Do any of you intend to have a contingency plan, if Stage 1& 2 did not generate the level of bonding that is necessary for subsequent activities? Makes me wonder if Saint Val actually has Plan B in her strategy kit? :-)
2) Do you think the process (ie. the activities) is robust enough to be able to lure the participants to stay in the course and complete the course even if they are not as committed eg. not logging in everyday and only once in a while to complete the activities?
I would be most grateful for any feedback and comments
Jenny
:: Comments (if any)::
Hallo everyone,
Just thought I'd let you know that I have made an attempt to see what everyone is doing post -emoderating. Looks like there's some exciting development with Wenda, Kirsty, Kathi and Jenny. You are already putting to practice what you have just learnt - how wonderful.
Me? I'm having a small break - everything at work is fairly quiet to-day. Many are still on vacation due to the Hindu Festival of Lights on Friday. To-morrow all will be back to normal - so I can expect a lot of traffic on the road as well as noise here.
Being a Muslim, I have started to fast today - this will go on for 29 or 30 days -during this holy month of Ramadan. We fast at dawn and will break fast at dusk - about 18.5 hours of nothing (no water, no food, no evil thoughts too)but pure goodness in our heart. I always enjoy the fasting month as it really gives me a chance to lose a bit of weight and make me realise how I don't really need to eat all the time.
I will have to seriously start working on the online course content - and hopefully I will be able to make it work just as well as what we had gone through. It will be tough as we are going to have 50 students - but there will be five of us moderating - so I hope that we can handle at least 10 students each and get them communicaion with each other.
By the way, i tried to log in using the passwprd given (emod) but have been having a problem as it kept saying invalid password. Have you changed the password by any chance? I will make another attempt later and see what will happen this time.
Nice to be in touch again.
Cheers and have a nice day.
Siti R
Hello Jenny,
Thought I might give a try and see how you feel about my plan. I plan to have all the students to come in initially to the campus and get to know one another face to face. During the 10 days that they will be on campus, we will get them to identify with each other so that when they go online, they will be able to visualise each other and that may promote greater discussion and participation among themselves.
The course I am planning will be a blended mode - some face-to-face sessions with online and printed materials given. The on-line session would be to provide the support and friendship among the students.
I don't think I have any contingency plan as yet - it will have to be as I progress and as students evaluate the effectiveness of the online course. The blended mode that I will be using will require that I also travel out to meet the students at certain regional centres over a weekend in between the semester. During this time, i will be able to further ensure that they get to know each other as I can plan for tutorials and discussions.
Jenny, I think the best thing to do is to see how your first session goes and from there you would be able to have an idea of the kind of contingency plan to have.
Good luck in your planning. Of course you can always get Saint Val to let us share some of her ideas occasionally!
Siti R
:: Siti Rabikhatun October 27, 2003 06:13 PMHello Jenny (and others!!)
I think the suggestion that you make a start and hten develop acontingency plan based on what happes makes good sense. I've just started with three new courses with the OU - the first one is a group doing a certificated course and they have some online work and face to face tutorials...I've found htat the group memebers who have already met usually contribute more so Sits's suggestion about getting the students to meet certainly seems to work well in practice. What iI think is important is that we have clear structured activities...and clear signposts so tha tparticpants know what they need to do.
Which brings me onto my second group of students - they are all in Nepal and the course is online (althouhh I will go out to Kathmandu in december and April for a residential). What I've decided to do as a direct result of the course is to make the activities much more structured and take the students though a sequence like the one we went through...so my first activity is for each particpanyt to post a few sentences on the view from outside their window (I used to ask them to say something about themselves, their work and the view from their window)...the next activity is to say something about themselves and their work adn why they are doing the course..so I'm making it more structured than previously. I don't have a contingency plan other than I will contact anyone who does not parpticipate and encourage them to do so.
Hope these thoughts are of use
Vicki
Hello all
I made a very similar point in my belated evaluation I just completed for Val. I wish we had been a little less compliant, so that we could experience some of Val's contingencies. with an active and eager group like we were, it certainly is a much easier task for the emoderator.
I think as others have mentioned, key to getting me involved was actually feeling valued and even missed if I wasn't there. Val emailing me when I was absent and seeing notes from others to welcome me back etc, certainly helped. Using the student tracking tool is something I would like to do a lot more. How often have they been on line, when was the last time they were on line etc and send encouraging emails if there are any gaps.
Any thoughts?
Wenda
:: Wenda October 28, 2003 09:38 AMOh Yes, and like Siti, I can no longer log in????
:: Wenda October 28, 2003 09:43 AMHi all,
Yes, I guess the issue is what CAN you do as a contingency?
If you have planned as well as possible, tried to anticipate potential problems, all you can do is closely monitor to make all the strategies that we have discussed are used to full effect in the most timely fashion (and maybe use this blog for ongoing discussion of progress).
I mean, you can't really change to f2f or mail-based if online falls apart mid-module (can you?).
You can only plan, monitor, finetune and keep improving (and if you employ half the strategies you have with us, you'll do just fine, I'm sure!)
Kathi
(PS Siti, very impressed at your religious observance - although weightloss does sound a value added bonus. For myself I barely used to get through the far more lenient observances of my very Catholic childhood of many decades ago.)
Hallo Kathi and Jenny
Fasting during the month of ramadan is easy because everyone (sort of) is fasting too - so it is just that you miss a couple of meals, that's all. I usually wake up early at 5.00am and have an early breakfast - because fastinf starts at 5.30am - then I go to work and just miss out on my tea breaks and lunch. When I get back after work - I start cooking and we break fast at 7.00pm - so it is as though you have had a busy day at work and missed out on your meals!!!
I had problem fasting when I was in the UK way back in 1985 and it was summer time - when fasting began at 4.00am and breaking of fast was
at 9.45pm. I could not complete the one month - as I was really exhausted. But, in 1973 when I was in UK, fasting was during winter and it was a dream because fasting started at 7.30am and ended at 3.45pm - so it depends on the season. This is because the Muslim calendar is short of 12 days of the normal calendar. In Malaysia - it is always the same - 5.30am to about 7.00pm.
Another good thing, during this time, we have what we call as food bazaar for breaking fast. So many kinds of delicacies are sold at the bazaar - you don't even need to cook if you are too tired - you buy and take home all the wonderful dishes available. Of course this defeats the purpose of fasting (we are supposed to understnad how people feel when they lack food and drink - so that we can emphathise with the poor) as some people tend to overeat during this period. But then Malaysia is famous for it's food - and you will find even non-Muslims are busy buying the food sold at the bazaar - as some of the dishes are not available all the time - only during this season. I know some of my non Muslim friends who look forward to the fasting month because of the food bazaar!
Looks like I am giving a very long lecture on fasting. Interesting eh!
Regards,
Siti R
On our Radio National yesterday was a program about relationships that begin online. In one case the intercontinental email phase had led to engagement, but the f2f phase failed, almost on first sight.
In the discussion of this, someone commented that as soon as you involve the written word you have fiction (this wasn't said cynically, or implying intended deception - just as an observation). Interesting - I'm sure many of our greatest writers would protest that they have used the written word as a vehicle for the real truth.
During the course we discussed possible advantages of being "unseen" and "heard" differently in online situations. I hadn't considered the notion of it being "fiction". Deep and philosophical? Anyone else find the concept intriguing, or should I have just changed the station?
Cheers
Kathi
:: Comments (if any)::
Hi Kathi and All
Intriguing indeed! The concept of "fiction" is alien to me in this context. I have always associate fiction as being fictitious ie. imaginary and unreal. So I am not too sure…but perhaps it is true…our cyber celebration is a good example of fiction in action but other than that….I would find it difficult in associating our online discussions with that notion…ummmm…Kathi, you are giving me more grey hairs! :-)
Jenny
:: Jenny Sim October 27, 2003 04:58 PMHi Kathi,
This reminds me of one of my friends - she eventually married the person she met online - and he was not from Malaysia but was in the USA. She was so brave to leave her job and went to USA to meet him - and to make a long story short - they liked what they saw of each other and got married. She's back in Malaysia for a spell - and I get ot meet this chap who have literally swept her with words online!!!
I felt that I was witnessing a fiction come alive - you just can't believe it and yet it's true.
So how's that for fiction and true story?
Siti R
:: Siti Rabikhatun October 27, 2003 06:20 PMKathi, you know I do feel that participating on line has a fictitious feel about it. Not that what we share is made up, but that the person we are and the relationships that develop are certainly very surreal. There is a kind of detachment that makes the interactions feel safe and with little judgement. Maybe if we all knew each other socially, we may be a little more worried about people's perceptions of our responses? Or there impressions/judegements influencing our f2f relationship.
Food for thought
Wenda
Hi Jenny, Siti and Wenda,
I think that Jenny has put on her interpretation the same perspective as my own first impression(fiction implies false). Do you agree Jenny? Siti, you have drawn the interesting possibilities for "fiction" to become fact. Never before has the whole world opened up to such a degree as a possible place for meeting one's soulmate. And why not?
And then Wenda puts another slant on it which I find I identify with very much, as well. Disembodied voices totally free of many common constraints in speaking their minds. But even this can only succeed in the atmosphere of mutual respect that this group displays so well.
Sure is food for thought, Wenda.
Kathi
Hi,
The notion of fiction for me comes from the different environment in which we are interacting - I have read somewhere that the effects on participation in discussions between F2f and online for the same group of students was that participation in the discussions was spread between more participants and also the discussion that took place went to a higher level. Those people that like to reflect before they speak suddenly are working with a tool online that encourages that, also the nature of written communication has changed over time with the advent of email and other electronic communication - think of businesses where all of a sudden letters and memos did not have to go through a typing pool and instead could be sent by their author. In terms of communication between students a mix between f2f and also e-communication will reach the widest group of students and mix of learning and participation styles?
Kirsty
Just thought I'd update everyone on the whereabouts of Kirsty.
Last seen trying to keep her eyes open yesterday afternoon at a workshop in Sydney that we both attended, following on from a "pleasant" occasion, involving a little wine, the previous evening.
Better keep those Beroccas handy for the rest of the week, Kirsty!
Cheers for now.
Kathi
:: Comments (if any)::
Sounds like a great jaunt! Wish I was there to join in. Mind you I probably wouldn't have been as dedicated as Kirsty and skipped the next days sessions.
:: Wenda October 24, 2003 09:52 AMHonest, it was the air conditioning that dried me out! Well my week has continued in much the same vain, nearly lost my voice yesterday from talking too much (not like me at all) and also laughing till the tears were streaming down my face at Kathi and co's performance of the "zimmerframe tango". So lubricated it with some local red wines and talked flexible learning till the cows came home. I taken heaps of notes at the conference which I now need to proofread and collate into a logical report. Wish me luck :-)
Kirsty
Just like Wenda, wish I was there as well.
Good luck to your report writing, Kirsty! Must be difficult to settle down after such an exciting time; especially meeting Kathi must be an occassion! :-) Like I say, wish I was there!
Cheerio
Jenny