training online teachers

It's been awhile since I've posted, but wow, was the ride worth it! I just completed a four week online training with about 30 9th grade virtual teachers based around the country. Their talents and knowledge is extraordinary, and the pioneer spirit is still strong.

Everytime I teach, I learn something new or something old all over again. Key memories from this experience include:

No one knows everything. Even the most expert and experienced teacher in one area can be missing information in another area. The key is learning to learn from each other's strengths.

Even expert teachers can feel like novices when placed in new teaching and learning environments. I've experienced this phenomenon myself each time I've switched teaching environments such as a live class, a class in a computer lab, a hybrid course, or a fully online course. The key is to remember that expert teachers understand good pedagogy, and these principles apply in ALL environments. We just have to learn the tools of the trade and the context in order to apply those principles.

Online teaching isn't a cure all. Many of these teachers reported working with at-risk or special needs kids. And the need for additional assistance can actually be created by the online environment itself, thus resulting in the need for assistive technologies, and training in the use of assistive technologies.

It was a great experience to be part of their learning process. I'm imagining myself supervising online students teachers in the near future....via video conferencing, of course.

video chat library for online teachers

I'm so proud of the graduate students with whom I have the privilege to work. This semester, they first learned to use Breeze video conferencing software. Then, working in pairs, they designed and created video tutorials to help other online teachers. I hope you'll check out the work of Paul, Julie, Dallas, Bou, Pam, Caryn, Blaine & Kate.
Kelly also did a great tutorial on using Kidspiration with ESL Learners.
Thanks guys!

SimSchool

I am so pleased to see the release of SimSchool, a role play simulation that allows teachers, or preservice teachers, to practice their classroom management and teaching skills. Using a 3D role play environment, similar to the ever popular Sims series, this tool is a boon to teacher education programs! The program takes into account different learner profiles, attitudes, and learning styles. Imagine standing in front of the class, trying to teach, when you are confronted with students who are bored, falling asleep, or have learning difficulties...what do you do? Registration is currently free. Take a tour.

simple videoblogging

OK vbloggers...Conn McQuinn introduced me to Sightspeed, a free, cross-platform tool for video conferencing. Now you can record your videos, up to 60 seconds, and post them to your blog. Check out Conn's video.

using add-ins and mash-ups

If you are involved in presenting any kind of information on the web (websites, blogs, etc), then you want to know about add-ins* and mash-ups. Add-ins and mash-ups allow us to integrate live feeds from other sites into our own.

For example, here's a live map showing all the ski conditions around Tahoe. I was able to create the feed for this map at Skibonk.com

Try clicking on any of the links or information in the map--you'll immediately see the power of add-ins.

Some other examples:

• Integrate a daily news feed to display on your site
• Insert a live map into your website
• Insert a live poll into your blog

What we are doing in reality in using a javascript script tag to call that dynamic feed into our own site. Not familiar with javascripting? No problem! Use the converter at http://www.rss-to-javascript.com/ to create the code for you! Then all you have to do is paste that code into your website or blog. What could be easier?

keeping current in online teaching

A lot of teachers ask me how I stay current and up-to-date in online teaching: best practices, standards, new technologies, the list goes on. Well, in addition to attending conferences, reading books and journals, I use these free internet resources:

• First, I subscribe to the daily news at Distance-educator.com. This quick email gives me highlights of the latest news in distance learning.
• Second, I subscribe to the Pew Internet Reports. These research reports are fascinating and give trends on usage of internet technologies. If you want to know what's hip, what's happening and current, subscribe!
• Third, I'm a blogger. I like to read a variety of blogs in educational technology, and use Google Reader as my RSS aggregator. Don't know about RSS aggregators? Basically, Google Reader allows me to subscribe to multiple blogs and all the daily entries show up in my browser--saves me time having to click around from blog to blog. Also, check out Google's Blog search tool to find blogs of interest to you.
• Fourth, I created the Center for Online Educators as a home for all the information I collect! I'm so happy to be able to share those resources in a centralized location for other online teachers.

coming out of the closet--educational gaming

Sssssh! I have a dark secret that I'm about to reveal....up until this point in time, it was not considered socially or professionally appropriate for me to admit one of my great passions. Yes, it's true, I am an online gamer. I've played mmorpg (massive multiplayer online role play games) for years....Asheron's Call, Dark Ages of Camelot, Star Wars Galaxy, and now World of Warcraft for the last two years. It all started 11 years ago when Dr. John Johnston pulled me into a MOO to conduct action research online, and I've never been the same.

I can hear it now...the whispers behind my back...you mean she plays those games that teenage boys play?? Hang onto your hats. The world of educational gaming is starting to bust loose, and come to find out, the population of gamers is a lot bigger than boys from 14-17. I am not alone. This will save me thousands in therapy.

Now, you might be asking yourself, why is she talking about educational gaming in a blog about Online Education? Come on...I know you can see it....the intersect that is being created between the two fields. And that intersect is only going to get bigger as our current generation of kids who've played electronic games their entire lives moves into the adult workplace. If you'd like a little more background on the topic, check out the Horizon Report published by Educause. It looks at trends over the next 5 years and educational gaming is one of them. Bernie Dodge at SDSU has a blog on educational gaming, and a lot of good resources for those interested in reading and learning more about educational gaming and simulations. Heck, even the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) recently held a Summit on Video Gaming.

This fall I've been asked to teach a new graduate course on Educational Gaming and Simulations. I feel as if I've come home. I'll actually be getting paid to better understand and teach others about the aspects and design of gaming for learning purposes.

PS Many of my graduate students have confided to me in email that they are gamers, as well. I'm looking forward to having public discussions on that topic this coming fall.

moving beyond the lms

Last semester we were fortunate enough to have representatives from Blackboard come to our campus and ask for faculty input on Blackboard updates. I asked about the idea of including a video conferencing tool, as my teaching has been so hugely impacted by the availability of Breeze in our department. I was told the Blackboard was designed "linear," and didn't really have the capability to be everything to everybody, and certainly not to integrate such a highly developed tool as Breeze.

How disappointing! I'm finding that my online teaching more and more everyday moves outside the LMS...Breeze, Blogger.com, instant messaging, websites, commercial online assessment tools. I'd love to hear more about how learning management companies are moving into next generation systems to support online learning...if you find some good references, please post them here!

ready for more complex LMS tools

I've spent the last three days providing project feedback to my students in Instructional Design. We run fully online in Blackboard, and yet I find myself using a myriad of tools outside BB to do this type of work as an instructor.

For example, I had to 1) create the rubric in RubiStar, 2) paste it in Excel, 3) use Word to write the email text I then copy and paste to my students inside Outlook, and 4) attach the excel rubric to the email. This whole process happens outside the BB LMS. I then have to go into BB to record grades. My wish, my dream, my desire is for an LMS that gives me a suite of interactive tools designed to do this job in a less complex way. Where oh where are you? :)

expert chats

Tonight I'm hosting an expert chat with another educator on the topic of hybrid learning. We're running the chat in Breeze, our video conferencing program. How cool is it that we can see and hear our guest lecturer from the comfort of our own homes and offices?

We practiced in Breeze on Monday to get ourselves ready. Uh oh...troubles with the audio going in and out, up and down. An hour of troubleshooting and still no firm resolution. We're going to proceed with the chat and cross our fingers. If all goes as planned, I'll add a link of the recorded presentation to the bottom of this post. Wish us luck!

(Here's our chat! http://breeze.boisestate.edu/p27012193/ )