Day 10 - June 29

Thank you for spending the past two weeks with QM. Today is our last day for Standard 6: Using Media Effectively. I'm not sure if the blog caught on the way I wanted it to, but it certainly illustrates a common issue in using technologies for teaching: when you use a new technology in a course, consider how you can effectively weave it into your course as an essential teaching and learning element. I need to make reading or commenting on the blog a required component -- perhaps include a discussion postings.

Day 9 - June 28

Have you heard of Prezi? It is similar to Microsoft PowerPoint but, since it is Web-based, it has the advantage of providing editing access to multiple users. In addition, it has a zoom feature that allows you present an overview of elements, then focus in and pan out as necessary. You can see what we mean by viewing this presentation on how to turn a PowerPoint into a Prezi.

Day 8 - June 27

Most of us work on several different computers. Do you every find that you bookmarked a webpage on your office computer, but you wish you had the URL when you are working at home? Delicious is a “social” bookmarking tool that tracks your favorite websites with a web-based account that you can access on any computer. Delicious helps you manage course materials more efficiently and takes very little time to set up. With Delicious, you can also share your favorite websites. Perhaps you want to share websites that will help your students write their history papers or will help students prepare for their nursing licensure exam.

Day 7 - JUne 24

Another instructional tech tool that you might be able to use is xtimeline. With this tool, you can create timelines that incorporate pictures and videos. It’s a great tool for highlighting important history and biography dates. You could even use it to have your students create a timeline of significant events in their own lives.

Day 6 - June 23

Let’s take a breath! The Standard 6 course “Using Media Effectively” presents a lot of tech tools. This is a good time to emphasize that your goals and objectives, not the latest and greatest tech toy, should lead the decisions that you make regarding technology. Does the tool that you are considering enhance the learning experience for students?

Is there a way the technology can help “offload” some of the material that students will learn? Perhaps a pre-activity diagram matching anatomy with labels can introduce students to information taught in a physical therapy lesson. Or can a follow-up self-check quiz reinforce key dates prior to a history of jazz discussion about the impact of technology on jazz?

Day 5 - June 22

Yesterday, we noted that we look at technology applications for (1) how they can enhance student learning and/or (2) how they can help the instructor to manage his/her teaching tasks. A great tool that may help you to manage scheduling synchronous meetings (e.g., guest speakers, office hours, conferences) is Doodle. It is a polling system that gathers votes on when participants are available. Has anyone used Doodle? Another application you might find helpful for timing student presentations is an online timer. You gotta love the nice big numbers on this stopwatch.

Day 4 - June 21

When we see a new technology tool or application, we immediately consider whether it is a tool to enhance (a) student learning or (b) teaching administrative responsibilities. Finding and learning new technology is extremely time consuming. I encourage you consider the benefits of the technology before you invest too much time learning and using it.

Most of the application for this course are instructional technology tools. One example of an administrative tool is DropBox.com . It is a free web-based file hosting service that lets you store and access all your files in folders that you can access from anywhere.

Day 3 - June 20

Over the past five years, I have reviewed more than 30 courses using the QM rubric. Not that long ago, most courses were text-based and students were using dial-up modems to access their learning material. Today, audio, video, games, simulations, and other forms of multimedia are freely available. Publishers offer a wide range of rich resources. The expectation of peer reviewers is that courses will incorporate some media beyond basic text. However, multimedia is not a requirement of Standard 6. Should it be?

Day 2 - June 17

Having fun yet? While you are digging into the Standard 6 material, here are statistics that provide some information about standard 6.

In 2008-2010, QM studied inter-rater reliability or the level of agreement among peer reviewers conducting course reviews. The following standards had the highest levels of inter-rater reliability among the 40 standards:
• 6.5 The course components are compatible with current standards for delivery modes. (94%)
• 6.1 The tools and media support the learning objectives, and are appropriately chosen to deliver the content of the course. (91%)
• 6.4 Students have ready access to the technologies required in the course. (91%)

On the other end of the spectrum, the standard with one of the lowest levels of inter-rater reliability is:
• 6.7 The course design takes full advantage of available tools and media. (70%) The low level of inter-rater reliability indicates that peer reviewers have a broad range of interpretation for Standard 6.7.

Apparently, Standard 6.7 has a high level of interpretation. Your thoughts?

Day 1 - June 16

Let the games begin! In addition to the Standard 6 Moodle material, I will supplement the course with a daily blog (my personal comments shared through this website). The purpose of our blog is to share additional timely information about instructional technology. I hope to introduce some new tools and spark some ideas. If you have never used a blog, here's chance to try one.

Wikis and blogs are among the most useful tools I have used in online courses. A blog is similar to a journal or commentary with one person (in some cases – two or three writers) posting information for a targeted group. You can read and comment on my blog entries, but you cannot change them. If you create an account at blogger.com, you will be able to comment on my blog posting. Many students on study abroad programs have blogs about their travel and learning experiences. One nursing course that I helped to develop uses a blog to summarize weekly internship experiences.

A wiki is a little different. It is a collaborative webpage. A group of students can use it to develop a lab report or plan a presentation. Unlike a blog, participants in a wiki all have the ability to write and edit the information.

I hope you will follow my blog entries over the 10 days of this course.