Article about CMS and the reinvention of Instruction

http://thejournal.com/Articles/2004/10/01/Course-Management-Systems-and-the-Reinvention-of-Instruction.aspx?Page=1

Project Proposal

Well here is the last one that is required for the class. I hope that I continue this blog and that others will still share their knowledge and viewpoints of all and any topics of technology in the world of education with me!



I look forward to using and incorporating technology into my lessons, classes and content for many years to come.



I posted my Project Proposal below, for a previous class. Here is another way to get to it!

For class members I will also put it in the class!


http://workspace.office.live.com/?wa=wsignin1.0#welderwow/SCORE/Instructional Technology Project.docx

Course Management Systems

I have been taking online classes at the college level for the last 5+ years.

I first started with an application that isn't even available anymore. Then moved to using the Angel network. I have now taken classes with angel, e-campus, blackboard and others. I have done professional development with a variety of other learning applications that are out there.

I think to this point I like e-campus the most.

A course management system is a platform where someone is able to post, save, and develop components of content for a wide variety of people to use in their search for greater knowledge.

These systems can be used alone, or along side or in conjuntction with in person learning. All of these aspects needto be taken into account prior to creating the course.

Here is a site, where you can choose a number of different platforms and review them side by side! http://www.edutools.info/item_list.jsp?pj=8

The Course Management System is where you controle, and present the content.

A Learning Management System is a platform, where you can also take attendance, view how often someone is online, see online test results to name only a few of what can be accomplished with a Learning Management System.

I like most of those that I have used. I have come to find that the difference in the classes, is in direct relation to the instructor for each class.

A bad or inferior class is not always the direct result from the instructor. There are those courses that are developed by a course creator, or team and the instructor can only deliver the content and manage what has been made available to them.

I think that the more the instructor is invested in the course the better the course works as an overall learning experience for all students.

Students have to be a different kind of individual from what many people think of when they think of a student in a class. They do not sit in a room and listen to a lecture, they must be self motivated and very disciplined to ensure that they are doing everything needed to gain all the learning that is available to them not only within the course and material stored on the platform, but I believe on the web as a whole!

As far as all of the different technology that we have been introduced to have explored in this course I think that if you use and incorporate many of them together you can present a class online without the use of a course management system.

I do believe that the use of the system is easier to use, especially for someone who is not computer, internet friendly.

I also want to mention that online learning, with or without the use of a course management, or learning management system is NOT for everyone. There are those who will struggle with learning in this manner. There are those that need to have the human factor.

But for many this form of gaining knowledge is the wisest choice for them, either because of limited, or restricted time. Because of their travel schedule, work or home life that would make it hard for them to go to a traditional school and classroom setting to gain their knowledge.

I absolutely love online learning! I have spent upwards of 100 course hours online to date and am looking at applying for admission to another graduate degree program for administration in education.

So as I continue my education online, I also want to wish anyone else Good Luck on continuing their education weather it be online or off!

Online Office applications and Word Processing

I have been using Microsoft Office Live Online for the past year. I had a flashdrive crash on me and lost a lot of information over a year ago. I wanted a more secure way to store my documents, but still be able to access them in a variety of places, home, parents house, school, union hall.

Then I started working with my JATC on a wide variety of topics and issues and the need for collaboration was needed among multiple people. So we started working, sharing documents with Live. It made things very easy to use and I liked how it eliminated the need to email documents back and forth.

The chat capabilities within live online is nice.

Unfortunately with Microsoft still having a strong hold on the word processing and spreadsheet business, I found this one nice to work with as the documents work well.

I would love to get away from Microsoft, so I was happy to see the links to other online applications.

ZoHo is a great application. I like how it works, I posted my project below directly from their site to my blog. It was easy to use and navigate. I hope that it takes a stronger hold of the industry.

Instructional Technology Project

	8/1/2009
Business 101 Class Proposal Initial Class Proposal
			Michele Robbins

Business 101 Class Proposal

Initial Class Proposal

Sheet Metal Business 101 was developed to help union sheet metal workers who are considering going into business for themselves, to prepare them for the challenges involved in becoming union sheet metal contractors.

In this course you’ll start byasking yourself some important questions: Am I ready to own my own business? Do I have what it takes? If I do this, what are the risks? What will be the rewards? Once you decide that you’ve got the skills, personality and support to take on this exciting opportunity, you’ll learn about the many details you’ll need to address to get your business off the ground.

Because planning is an essential part of running a business or a project, Sheet Metal Business 101 introduces you to the tools you need to plan for successful business ownership—from carefully choosing your business name, to hiring the right people, to bidding accurately, to keeping track of your cash flow. You’ll also get a jump start on your own business plan—an essential marketing and financing tool in today’s construction market.

In the classroom, you’ll get a chance to face some of the ethical decisions that sheet metal contractors face every day. You’ll work together with your classmates to prepare and present bids for jobs in competition with each other. And you’ll hear from contractors and experts who have walked the walk. Before you leave the classroom, you will have taken your first big step: you’ll complete your own business plan as the final project of the course.

The course manual serves as a basic classroom text. The class will also be presented online, using the BlackBoard online classroom platform. The units will run for two weeks, with the lessons, reading, discussions and worksheets made available to the students on Sunday. Classroom time will be spent the following Saturday, with guest speakers, group activities and time allotted for completion of worksheets. All unit work will be due the following Saturday online, with the next unit being available again on Sunday.

The class will run for 10 weeks, with 5 classes being held at the Union Hall on Saturday from 9 AM to 2PM on alternate weekends. The class will be a total of 20 seat hours.

For those who would like to take advantage of the online component of the class they will be introduced to a variety of web sites that will support all that they will be learning in the class and supplemented with introductions to online office applications, blogs, video, text to speech applications, online conferences and focusing on Google and Microsoft Live sites.

All .pdf files for the worksheets will be stored on Microsoft Live and shared only with those active in the class, staying available to them for 2 weeks after the class is complete.

The reading material will be copied to the classroom platform and available to access with each unit. Links to all worksheets will be available within each unit in the classroom platform. All self assessments will be loaded and available as quizzes within the class also.

For students participating in the online portion of the class they will be required to communicate by e-mail and also post weekly within the classroom platform. They will be able to contact me by phone, and I will introduce blogs, by creating a discussion topic that each of them needs to post in response to. Within Microsoft Live they will use the Chat application to discuss progress on worksheets and they will use the web conferencing application if they have the technical capabilities.

Each unit has a number of web sites that are recommended sources, these will all be available online by links possibly in an aggregator or social bookmarking site.

Summarization of technology features and their use

Web Element	Present Information	Communicate	Collaborate
Classroom Online Platform, text links, web site links, and Quiz’s	√	√	√
Online office applications, access, save and modify a document within the site	√	√	√
Blogs w/entries and possible comments	√	√
Video	√
Text to speech applications	√
Google and Microsoft Live applications	√	√	√
Email, Phone	√	√	√

Weekly Outline

Intro night

Online	In Classroom
Introduction to Course	Introduction to Course
Thinking About going Into Business	Thinking About going Into Business
Self Assessment	Self Assessment
Reading	Reading
Worksheets 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3, 1.1.4	Worksheets 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3, 1.1.4
Risks and Rewards	Risks and Rewards
Reading	Reading
Worksheet 1.2.1	Worksheet 1.2.1
Establishing Your Sheet Metal Business Identity	Establishing Your Sheet Metal Business Identity
Reading	Reading
Checklist	Checklist
Links	Links
	Introduction to Office Live and Google
Marketing	Marketing
Reading	Reading
Links	Links
Introduction to Office Live and Google (website application)	Introduction to Office Live and Google (website application)
Introduction to Technology
Worksheet 1.P.1

Week 1

Online	In Classroom
Introduction to Course	Introduction to Course
Thinking About going Into Business	Thinking About going Into Business
Self Assessment	Self Assessment
Reading	Reading
Worksheets 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3, 1.1.4	Worksheets 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3, 1.1.4
Risks and Rewards	Risks and Rewards
Reading	Reading
Worksheet 1.2.1	Worksheet 1.2.1
SCORE	SCORE
Introduction	Introduction
Links
	Guest Speaker -
Establishing Your Sheet Metal Business Identity
Reading
Checklist
Links
Introduction to Office Live and Google
Establishing Your Sheet Metal Business Location
Reading
Worksheet 1.4.1
Links
Human Resources and Ethics	Human Resources and Ethics
Reading	Reading
Worksheet 1.5.1	Worksheet 1.5.1
	Guest Speaker – Greg Bush
It’s All About Planning
Worksheet 1.P.1

Week 2

Online	In Classroom
How To Succeed in Business	How To Succeed in Business
Attorneys, Tax Advisers, and Accountants	Attorneys, Tax Advisers, and Accountants
Reading	Reading
Worksheets 2.1.1	Worksheets 2.1.1
	Guest Speaker – John Backus –Accountant Mike Tobin - Attorney
Insurance, Bonding, and Financing	Insurance, Bonding, and Financing
Reading	Reading
	Guest Speaker - SCORE
Contracts	Contracts
Reading	Reading
Worksheets 2.3.1, 2.3.2	Worksheets 2.3.1, 2.3.2
Sample Contracts and Attachments	Sample Contracts and Attachments
	Guest Speaker – Mike Loweke
Help When You Need It	Help When You Need It
Reading	Reading
Continue Checklist	Continue Checklist
Links	Links
	Guest Speakers – Kirk Peterson - SMACNA
Technology
Social Aggregators
Calanders

Week 3

Online	In Classroom
Costs, Profits, Bidding, and Cash Flow	Costs, Profits, Bidding, and Cash Flow
Know Your Costs	Know Your Costs
Reading	Reading
Worksheets 3.1.1, 3.1.2	Worksheets 3.1.1, 3.1.2
	Guest Speaker – Tina Looke – Funds Office
Bidding on Profitability	Bidding on Profitability
Reading	Reading
Worksheet 3.2.1	Worksheet 3.2.1
	Guest Speaker – Fred Ledtke
Cash Flow	Cash Flow
Reading	Reading
Worksheets 3.3.1, 3.3.2	Worksheets 3.3.1, 3.3.2
	Guest Speaker – Rochester Works
Watching Costs, Not Failure	Watching Costs, Not Failure
Technology
Videos
Blogs

Week 4

Online	In Classroom
Preparing a Business Plan	Preparing a Business Plan
Writing the Plan	Writing the Plan
Reading	Reading
Worksheets 4.1.1	Worksheets 4.1.1
Sampling the Plans	Sampling the Plans
Reading	Reading
Sample Sheet Metal Business Plan	Sample Sheet Metal Business Plan
The Merits of Project Planning	The Merits of Project Planning
Reading	Reading
Worksheets 4.P.1	Worksheets 4.P.1
	Guest Speaker – Paul Johnson
Technology	Technology
Online Conferencing
Collaboration on Documents

Video Sharing

OK, I could have sworn I already did this one, but for some reason it is not here anywhere!

So my son and I were in VEGAS last week and we took a couple of videos, ok (he did!). But I helped him load them on Utube and post them so they could be seen by family friends, and anyone else who was interested.

Here are the links!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG9vvDQhdiE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkZTmGTgHeY

So as you can see the recording is not the best, but he is only 11! OK will be 12 in just days, but I think he did alright.

I thought it was relatively simple to do these and load them on Utube.

I have had my account for a long time and have never done much with it, I would like to create some union videos and post them for all to see!

My friend Ed Armour from Local 359 in Arizona sent me some links to a couple videos that he has created for the Sheet Metal Workers Union there. I will attach a link to them for you to view!

OK cant find it right now, will update tomorrow!

Online Test, Quiz and Polls

http://teachersites.schoolworld.com/webpages/MRobbins/myquiz.cfm#

Please Use for Log in:

First Name: Lucas

Last Name: Robbins

Password: lrobbins

If you click on the first quiz GMAW it is a short 4 question quiz that you can take and will be able to view the results. It will also show you the correct answer on any question that you got wrong.

This page is a part of my class web site, I started using the online testing last year. Most of my students did not take advantage of it.

This year I will be making it mandatory, as it is much easier for me to grade! It does it for me!!!

I can scan pictures and post them with the questions.

I can choose from a variety of question types, multiple choice (select the best answer), multiple choice (choose all that apply), true-false, or short answer.

I can set the dates the quiz is available.

I can choose if it is given in order, or if the questions are asked randomly.

I can choose if the correct answers are shown after the student takes the test.

I can choose if there is a time limit, or how many times a student can take the test.

This year I will be doing all of my tests and quizes online. I will be taking my whole class to the computer lab for testing. They will have access to Kerzwile which is a program that will read text to you, and therefore any student that has a problem with reading will be able to use the Kerzwile program and open the test site within that program and the test questions can then be read to the student.

I wont have any grading to do, and as all AWS (American Welding Society) tests, must be kept and records are recorded and saved for 3 years, I will have the ability to do this by simply printing out the class scores as a whole, in the grade book area, it tells me how many times a student attempted the test, the date and what their score was each time.

This helps with record keeping and as our students become more able to navigate the computer, the better prepared they will be for success in the workplace.

There are a variety of places to create tests and quizes, but I think I will use some simple polls for my class I will be adminstering at the Union Hall this year. I will be looking for feedback on what students think of the new class I will be facilitating and hope to get some good recommendations for improvement for it in the future!

I have enjoyed taking the polls and answering the questions that the class has put out there! I hope we get to see the results of those that did not provide with answers or results!

Photo Sharing

WOW
WOW
WOW
WOW
WOW

How cool is this??????

So here are some great pictures of my son, I am also going to post a little video, or slide show that I created a few years ago on his birthday! It turned out really cool!

The reason that I WOWed again and again, was how easy it was to link the album to my blog!
I absolutely loved it.

I had used Photobucket previously, to do the photo sharing and the slide show, but I had to them email it to everyone.

I love how easy it was to simply link to my blog and post the contents right there.

I think there is great potential for this with many other things, like this class that I am going to be creating. You could run a movie right here for all to see rather than showing it in class, and then you could have them watch it prior to attending class.

Or for my students to have them search up photos of industrial accidents, place a link to the photo and then post a blog about how, where, when, and why's of what happened who was hurt and how many were affected by the accident to the best of their ability.

The options are endless and the ease of use is wonderful!

I can see using this to communicate..........duh, isn't that what we are doing!!! LOL

Phone Recording

Audio Podcast

This had to be a challenging one for me.

I started with downloading Wavepad to my laptop, but then could not get the microphone to work on the laptop....Grrrrr.

So then I went to Gcast which "Says" that you can do a podcast by phone, but when you get there, it then says you have to do a years subscription for 99$.....NOT!

So I ended up with evoca and loved it! It was very easy! Quick setup and not to big of a problem, rather easy to navigate my way around.

The only problem I had was that when I called the New York number it did not recognize my account. Multiple times......Grrrr again as it is 12:48 AM and I get on a plane at 6:00 AM. So no sleep for me tonight.

ZZZZzzzzzz all the way acrost the country!!! This shall be a nice flight for me!

OK back to Podcasts! I did a little get to know my podcast message, and can see where this might be useful!

I am going to explore in my mind a few ways to possibly use this application in my new class I am putting together, Business 101. This class is a focus on creating your own business. How to create a business plan and all the pertinate information someone needs in order to accomplish this task. We work with SCORE to put it all together and I am looking forward to supplimenting the learning the students will be doing with some introduction to technology that might come in useful in their journey as a business owner.

If anyone has any ideas on some fantastic ways to use podcasting and some topics that might be covered in this please do not hesitate to share with me, I would appreciate it greatly!

The other place I can see this helping is with a student who struggles with literacy, especially in the reading area. Someone could read the writen material and post in a podcast so that someone could listen to the material and follow along in their book rather than having to scan and use a computer to read the text to them.

I am going to investigate how long podcasts can be, that might be the only downfall when reading an entire chapter to someone.

OK, Happy podcasting everyone I look forward to checking in on everyone!

Social Bookmarking

Gotta say "I see great potential for this"

I LOVE IT!!!!!

In my other classes, we do an assignment each week, where we are to find a relevant web page to the topic we are learning about and enter it just as you do on Delicious.

I have taken care to copy each of the completed bibliographies so I would be able to refer back to these sites.

Simply copying them has not done me much good, to go back and reference them would simply take me forever.

So now I have created an account and have started to add them each into my delicious account and using the notes that others have saved to identify them.

I love the idea of this. I will be using it in the class that I am going to be teaching this fall. I think it will be a powerful tool for new business owners and will provide them with a wealth of knowledge as they create and prepare a business plan.

Anyone who has a favorites list a mile long and always want to save a web site, but then can never find it again later, this is a wonderful tool and I can see it becoming addictive!

Thanks everyone, go try it out yourselves!

Here is a link to mine! http://delicious.com/welderwow/literacy

Online conferences

I have to say, I was excited about this class. I also think it went very well. I had been involved in a few online conferences already, but had not been on the end of setting one up.
SOOOOO I set it up. I wasn't not that hard to set up with Microsoft for their online conferencing tool. I say I spent about 20-max 30 minutes getting set up.
Then I just invited a co-worker to try this with me. I was relatively easy and we both could see where this could come in very handy. He just spent the week traveling around the state working with other locals and thier JATC's. He was very interested in the fact that he could most likely do the same thing online without having to leave his office.
We don't think everyone is ready for this, but we can both see its advantages when the meeting in on something relatively simple and the online feature can add a little bit more of a personal touch than just a text, email or phone call.
I would like to use this feature with parents of my high school students also. I can see where some of them would be interested in doing this online perhaps at a lunch break rather than having to drive in for a face to face meeting. Especially if it is a simple routine matter and not something of great urgency that would necessitate them coming in. I am hoping that by putting some of this communication in place this next year, it will help hold my students accountable.
As for the apprentices. I think this would be a great way to set up office hours or an extra meeting night a week rather than having to come in to the school. Our International Training Institute has just developed a curriculum that can be used for distance learning. (Yes they are behind the times for online classes) I think the video conferencing could be a wonderful addition to this aspect of learning.
I look forward to reading everyone elses posts!
And please let me hear what you think about the ideas I have posted for how to use it!

Google Reader

I can see how this could be a great addition to organizing the web sites someone visits and the searches that are done to find information. I wish I had known about this feature when I started my Masters Degree in Literacy. The online course platform that the college uses has the ability to post web pages, that might be of interest to those in your class. I have saved so many of the these in notebook, and am looking forward to organizing these sites in a place where they can be shared with others easier.
I am going to be creating an electronic portfolio for my Masters Degree in the next 7 weeks. I can see where using some of these things we are learning will enhance my portfolio and help it stand out from others.
I also see where so much of these things will help my students to be more engaged in their learning. So many of these things will be things they will use and come into contact with as they progress throughout their lives. I am glad that I will be able to help introduce them to these things.
At my local union I look forward to introducing many to these items that will only engage not only our officers, but hopefully spread to our apprentices and our members as well.
So if you are reading this and not a part of the class I am taking, please take a look at Google READER at: http://www.google.com/reader/shared/user%2F05289752372913673464%2Flabel%2Fblogs

Changing Minds?

So here is my question.

Can you change the minds of people who just don't see the value of technology in the classroom?

To me these people are simply scared of it.

And when you add children into the mix, then they are all worried about their safety and being responsible for their well being.

When I say "they" I am speaking of administrators I believe. Or teachers who have been in the classroom for far toooooo long and are not willing to learn about the new technologies that are out there.

So I am including a link to a report on Safe & Smart the key findings in a report about children and internet use. I think it is very good information to share. There is a link on the right to the full report the link just goes to the key findings.

http://www.nsbf.org/safe-smart/key.htm

Let me know if there is anything new to you in the report?

Of course back to my question...........

Can we change the minds of those in charge of our schools, that internet use is a way of life for our students, and must be integrated into each and every classroom?

Oh and HOW do we do this?