Help needed to promote distance learning

Help needed to promote distance learning

by Jill Kaminski -
Number of replies: 16

I've been a lone voice in my K-12 school district for several years, advocating our establishing online learning options. Last spring, people in power began to listen. I believe we will begin this effort soon.

I've been tasked to find some excellent examples of online courses. I have some ideas, but sometimes it's difficult to get access to courses you're not taking. But I know that this community will help me out.

If you don't mind letting us have guest access, and if you have an example of an excellent course in Moodle -- one that exemplifies great online pedagogy, please reply. I don't really want your whole course list, unless they're all exceptionally great. We are targeting high school courses at first, but would still like to see great K-8 or college courses that use the technology to improve learning and don't just offer a mediocre online alternative.

Thanks so much --

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In reply to Jill Kaminski

Re: Help needed to promote distance learning

by Ray Lawrence -

Have you had a look in the Moodle Exchange course on this site? Also I have a course which I am hoping to lodge there this evening or over the weekend. It probably won't meet your exacting criteria but you're welcome to visit the demo site and try it out.

Ray

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In reply to Jill Kaminski

Re: Help needed to promote distance learning

by Art Lader -
Hi, Jill,

Thanks for fighting the good fight. smile

Maybe you could elaborate a little more on what you mean by great online pedagogy and exceptionally great. That might help us better understand what you are looking for.

Hang in there!

-- Art
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In reply to Art Lader

Re: Help needed to promote distance learning

by Jill Kaminski -

Good questions, Art.

First, although I use online tools like Moodle to supplement my face-to-face courses, I'm talking about either 100% online courses, or hybrid online courses (some f2f, but not the majority).

Next, I'm talking about more than just a f2f course turned into an online course by posting a lot of worksheets online. There should be great use of the online media, doing things that you can't do as well f2f.

A great course would be interactive, collaborative, and employ multiple learning styles. Tools should be added on a course-by-course basis as they make sense. There shouldn't be discussion forums just for the sake of having discussion forums -- each component is carefully designed for that course to supplement learning.

But basically, I'm just looking for really good online classes. If anyone has a class or two that you're really proud of, could you either make me a temporary user or let me in as a guest?

Thanks!

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In reply to Jill Kaminski

Re: Help needed to promote distance learning

by Art Lader -
Dear Jill,

I would make you a non-editing teacher in a heartbeat, but you have just described the course I dream of creating. The unfortunate truth is, my Moodle courses have never come close to it. They always seem to turn into a collection of semi-interesting "resources" that never get to the "Wow!" level. I remember, for example, trying for months to design some really good workshop activites before I gave just up. The workshops I came up with always seemed so lame and uninspired, I never subjected my students to them. Sigh...

But THIS YEAR, I am absolutely determined to come much closer to what you describe. I know that won't help you right now, though.

But I'll bet that you will discover several courses like the one you have described. It's a heck of a community!

-- Art
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In reply to Art Lader

Re: Help needed to promote distance learning

by Bryan Williams -
Bless Art for having the courage to say out loud, what I imagine a few moodlers have thought. Much attention is given to the technical prowess of Moodle, which nobody can deny is world class. There is a challange in creating really good content, and I hope Art's and Jill's comments kick off a wide ranging discussion among course creators in this forum.
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In reply to Art Lader

Re: Help needed to promote distance learning

by W Page -
Ha!

Art you have brought up the "White Elephant" in the room no one wants to see. CONTENT

WP1
Attachment elephant_t.gif
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In reply to W Page

Re: Help needed to promote distance learning

by Art Lader -
Well, I am sure that many Moodlers are, indeed, creating inspired sites. People are going to be reluctant, though, to announce that their sites are terrific. Most folks simply do not want to come accross as arrogant, I think.

Still, you and Bryan are certainly right. It is hard to create good content. My goal would be this: "...a social group constructing things for one another, collaboratively creating a small culture of shared artifacts with shared meanings..."

And I think that is part of what Jill is looking for, as well as outstanding use of technology.

As far as my own situation is concerned, I am going to have to think more about what I ask my students to do. If my third-year German students, for example, read an article in a German newspaper, I typically ask them to read the article; answer simple comprehension questions about the article; use new vocabulary and grammar in practice activites; and perfrom a task or two requiring more analysis and thought. I guess I have to ask them to go beyond this, to collaborate on something new, something that is related to what they have read. So, if they read about a man who is kidnapped, for example, they might collaborate on rewriting the article from the victim's point of view, I guess. Or they could collaborate on writing and performing a role-play of a conversation between the victim and his/her abductors. So far, this is more or less what I do.

The next step would be... What, exactly? What challenges the students to create "a small culture" with "shared meanings"? Should they, for example, publically evaluate each others' artifacts?

After more than twenty years in the classroom, it is actually a bit embarrassing to me to pose these questions, but I am interested in what my fellow Moodlers have to say about this.

Of course, this is Jill's thread, and I hope that we can provide her with access to several exemplary courses. (I do not want to hijack this thread!)

-- Art
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In reply to Art Lader

Re: Help needed to promote distance learning

by Jill Kaminski -

Hijack away! It's our thread.

Good point about my asking people to post their great work. Humility is a good thing. Please share anything that you're fond of in the least! smile

Art, you ask the questions that should be asked. We don't use technology to dazzle or impress anyone. It sounds as though you're trying different activities; maybe different than the last assignment or unit, and maybe not. You're using collaboration if/when it makes sense. You're willing to experiment and change things that don't work. I don't have nearly your experience in teaching, and I always want to learn from the veterans, especially the ones who aren't stuck in their ways.

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In reply to Jill Kaminski

Re: Help needed to promote distance learning

by Art Lader -
Thanks, Jill. Kind words, indeed. smile

Well, I have been reading a little and thinking a little about my kidnapping example above. I guess the problem I seem to have comes from organizing the lesson around the article. The point of the lesson should be to explore feelings of fear, isolation and helplessness (How awful!), NOT simply to comprehend the article and perform some task(s) based upon it.

I am not quite sure, though, how I would actually design a lesson utilizing this "Constructivist Learning Design Outline" that I read about HERE - http://www.prainbow.com/cld/cldn.html :
1. Situation (you arrange for the students to explain.)
2. Groupings (of students and materials.)
3. Bridge (between what students know and what they might learn.)
4. Questions (you will ask or anticipate students will ask.)
5. Exhibit (of student explanations for others to understand.)
6. Reflections (by students on their process of explanation.)

Still thinking about it...

-- Art
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In reply to Art Lader

Re: Help needed to promote distance learning

by Michael Lambert -

Dear Art and Jill,

Great questions and thought.  We know that the brain is social, that emotion drives attention which leads to learning.  So, "how" do we do this online? 

I'm trying to move to a culture of Gameboy with Moodle.  Currently, after each journal writing and any other posting, such as answering the survey questions, students are given points either based on participation or quality of writing (a score of 1 to 5).  They will collect these points over a month and then can redeem them. 

Also I've written passages and they were to make corrections of the passages using a different color and font.  This is a good tool that pushes students to work on their conventions.

Still working on other ideas.  Let me know if you have any specific ones.

Mike Lambert
Hong Kong International School
http://dragonnet.hkis.edu.hk/up/Clusters/Grade34A/Lambert/default.asp

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In reply to Michael Lambert

Re: Help needed to promote distance learning

by Art Lader -
> They will collect these
> points over a month and
> then can redeem them.

That is interesting, Mike! And what can they get for their points?

-- Art
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In reply to Jill Kaminski

Re: Help needed to promote distance learning

by Maldwyn Pryse -
Thanks for a very interesting discussion! As someone who is completely new to Moodle a section on good practice/examples would be a great way in. I'll keep viewing to see how things develop.
Thanks
Maldwyn
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In reply to Maldwyn Pryse

Re: Help needed to promote distance learning

by Art Lader -
Dear Maldwyn,

Thanks for joining the conversation. I actually have been to POWYS several times and help set up student exchanges with two schools there: Llandrindod High School and Gwernyfed High School. Such a lovely place and such friendly people! Small world, huh?

Please feel free to chime in with any thoughts you have about this topic.

Merry Moodling!

Regards,
Art Lader
Aiken HS
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In reply to Jill Kaminski

Re: Help needed to promote distance learning

by Tony Hursh -
Hi, Jill. While I don't know how it compares to other Moodle courses, you might be interested in our EdPsy 387: Computer Uses in Education course. It's open for guest access.

This is a graduate course, not a K-12 course, but an interesting wrinkle is that our students are themselves practicing K-12 teachers. Several of them chose to create their own Moodle courses for their semester projects (those are all linked from the Major Project forum within the 387 course).
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