e-Portfolios and Personal Learning Environments

How can e-Portfolios and Personal Learning Environments best be leveraged to facilitate learning?

These tools are a way for a student to organize their work in a way that enables them not only to keep track of their work completed but anticipate work to be done. With quick links, calendars and electronic reminders, students can set up an individualized system that works best for them. It is even more effective when the teacher has established resources and links that the student can access electronically outside of class.

Depending on the e-Portfolio, it may have the opportunity for the student to work collaboratively on projects with other students. Supporting work in teams is a critical experience for students to have as they progress toward their careers. The e-Portfolio also gives the student a resource to reference for information and easily provides the opportunity to share accomplishments and growth with new teachers or employers.

There are some considerations. The "dog ate my homework" excuse is now replaced with "my hard drive died." It does require students to be tech savvy with skills such as back ups, network connectivity and file management. Though it is widely assumed that students of today are quite proficient with electronic gadgets, it is still important for schools to assess what skills the students have and don't have to make sure that tech knowledge isn't too shallow.

It isn't all about tech skills either. Just because a student has an electronic gadget to help stay organized doesn't necessarily mean that the information in the gadget is organized any better than the backpack on the floor. Organizational skills need to be taught using the technology media.

Social Media and the World

Social media is changing the world in extraordinary ways. We have the opportunity to be better informed and to be in a better position to help. Amateurs with cameras and internet access are able to easily inform the world of issues and situations. Information is spread instantly and rapidly. Injustices or causes can be spotlighted for action. Fundraising campaigns can be easily created to address the needs of the cause. We've seen incredible aid come to earthquake victims, missing children identified, criminals apprehended, and governments held accountable for corrupt practices.

We also must learn how to evaluate and act on this information because the negative ramifications can also be extraordinary. Who is the author of this information and can it be trusted? Think of the incident of Shirley Sherrod being fired from the USDA because of an edited video on a blog that misrepresented her speech. Has an individual's identity or privacy been violated? Think of the Star Wars Kid whose class video was obtained by classmates and posted on the internet causing great humiliation.

Immediate access has raised the consciousness of learners. Studies are showing the connection between active social networkers and higher academic, social and extracurricular engagement. These learners are also not associating institutions with authority as they have in the past and seek information from a variety of sources. Key to learning through social media skills is awareness of what it means to belong to a digital community and the responsibility and citizenship required for that community to be positive and productive.

Teacher/Student Relationships--Online and F2F

What is unique about the teacher/student relationship in online vs F2F class?

• Students may be more apt to pose a question to a teacher online than they might in a large classroom where it may be judged a stupid question by their peers.
  
• Teachers have the opportunity to connect one-on-one with students through emails and comments on blogs, wikis, etc. Although, the quality of that interaction will depend on the number of students in the class and the time investment the teacher is willing to make. During this connection, the teacher can also provide links to other information that may be of interest to the student. It is not that this cannot happen in a F2F environment, it's more likely to be timely and happen with a broader reach of students.
  
• The nuances of nonverbal communication, gestures and body language are missing in communicating humor, angst, compassion, etc. The relationship is built on the strength of the written word. Technology can help mitigate this through video chats, webinars, and teleconferences.
  
• Teachers can maintain relationships with students who may have barriers to attending classes during regular school hours due to illness, discipline status, social issues, etc.
  
• Teachers can develop realtionships with students where communication barriers exist. Technology can be leveraged to enhance learning through translators, text readers, and other assistive technologies.
  

Building Blocks of a Learning Module

My new role as the "online learning coordinator" is still being defined, but I thought I would create a resource for our teachers that would introduce them to online learning--the opportunity and the challenge.

Guiding Questions

• Why should I consider using online teaching strategies?
• What characteristics make an effective online teacher?
• What is currently happening in the Issaquah School District?
• How can I determine the opportunities for me and my class?

Goals

• Inform and educate Issaquah teachers about online learning in general and what's happening in the Issaquah School District.
• Help teachers decide if they are ready to pursue online learning.
• Provide information and tools for the teacher to assess opportunities for their class.

Objectives

• Teachers learn about current trends in online learning through informative links.
• Teachers build awareness of what is happening around them through postings of projects and efforts that are currently underway.
• Teachers are given the opportunity to engage with current teachers and administrators to learn how they can make steps to integrate online learning in their classroom.
• Teachers assess their abilities against effective online learning characteristics to determine their professional development needs.
• Teachers request assistance in taking the next steps.

Philosophy of Teaching and eLearning

Welcome to my teaching and eLearning space! It is my sole purpose to guide you to a better understanding of our subject at hand through cooperative learning and activities that are relevant for what you want to accomplish.

Most of you have elected to take this class because you have a genuine interest in the subject matter. Good for you! For those of you who took it because someone else told you to, I hope you will soon understand why they told you take this course.

Here are some thoughts on how teaching and learning happens with me as your instructor....

We are all students, and we are all teachers. With technology changing so quickly, we need to research developments from the most current resources available and also draw from the knowledge and experience of our classmates and other learning partners to maximize our learning experience. Be prepared to learn from others and be prepared to teach others.

Let's get real. I will work to provide you with a quality learning experience that draws from industry professionals and resources. Our activities will model those that occur in industry. To the extent possible, we will engage in actual industry activities. At any point in time, it is critical that you understand the relevance of what you are learning. Ask yourself why is it important? How does it relate? If you don't have an answer, then ask!

Take risks! Challenge yourself to try new resources, new approaches, new thinking. Consider this thought from Will Rogers, "Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."

Be resourceful and a problem solver. This requires energy and persistence. Learning is not a passive activity.

We are off to a great start!

How is technology, social media, gaming, multimedia transforming education?

Technology, social media, gaming, and multimedia have become a part of our culture and the means by which our younger generations (and many of the older generations) have become use to communicating and gaining information. Transformation is occurring in education, and it provides a number of opportunities and challenges for me in my career as an online learning coordinator.

Opportunities

• Learners can be actively engaged in learning through many means that suits their style--audio, video, written text, interactive. Care and creativity must be used with the instructional design.
• Distance barriers are removed. Students from remote areas have access to resources at their fingertips. Students have the opportunity to easily engage with our countries and cultures--or continue education from home if they are housebound.
• Language barriers can be mitigated through translaters, visual representations, text readers.
• Learners have flexibility in the time and duration of each setting they access the courses.
• Simulations can provide "real-life" experiences without the expense or safety concerns of a true field experience. (i.e. Flight simulators, military tactics, surgical procedures.)
• Educational materials can be updated and distributed without the traditional cost of printing and shipping textbooks and other print material.

Challenges

• Educators must rethink past practices and attitudes on "sharing" work.
• Copyright laws must be abided by.
• Learners must learn to manage the active nature of learning with technology--distracting, interrupting, overstimulating, frustrating.
• Etiquette and civility must be regarded.
• Academic integrity must be safeguarded.