Course Portfolio

I. Susan Moore Educational Technology University of South Carolina AEET 755 | Design and Evaluation of Information Access and Delivery Summer I 2013 Research and Practice in Distance Education

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The course AEET 755 Design and Evaluation of Information Access and Delivery taught me a great amount regarding the use of technology and the delivery and design of online learning environments. The course was designed around three main goals, and all of the assignments met numerous objectives of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) accreditation standards. The following is a break down of each major goal, and a description of the completed assignments that supported it. Goal 1. To be knowledgeable about research in aspects of distance education and the use of telecommunications in educational and other settings. This first goal was reflected by almost every assignment in the course. Nearly the entire first half of the course was spent reading about and researching various aspects of distance education. The assignments that met this goal specifically included: 1. The first readings of the class revolved around the educational theory for online learning. I was required not only to read three of the chapters of The Theory and Practice of Online Learning, but to also reflect on the content and ideas, and later to respond to the thoughts of my peers. While most of this collaboration and learning took place in the class discussion board, my narrated presentation in response to chapter 10 can be accessed at http://moore755.wikispaces.com/chap10. 2. The Online Course Evaluation required me to work in a group and assess the functionality, effectiveness, and other aspects of current preexisting courses available online. A checklist-type document was used to assess the course overview and introduction, assessment and measurement, learning objectives, instructional materials, learner interaction and engagement, course navigation and technology, learner support, course administration, and accessibility. One can access the course evaluation summaries here: http://moore755.wikispaces.com/courseevals 3. The CourseSites assignment was also a group effort that required me to create an online course of my own. It was required that the course be fully developed, complete with syllabi and other necessary documents, a list and description of each assignment, and vital support tools. The mock course created, EdTech 500, can be accessed at https://www.coursesites.com/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=null& url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%2 6id%3D_267143_1%26url%3D 4. Small group discussions were also incorporated throughout the course to

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collaborate about research articles regarding current online course development and the use of various telecommunications tools in education. These discussions were completely student-led, and consisted of four students. Two of the students served as the discussion leaders, while the remaining two had the job of summarizing the discussion as a whole. This collaboration also took place in the class discussion board. At the beginning of the course, all students were required to create a short biographical presentation to introduce ourselves. Because of the nature of this online course, we were required to create a presentation using the online telecommunication tool VoiceThread, incorporating our own narration and pictures. This was then posted at our self-created wiki page. You can access my wiki and introductory biography at http://moore755.wikispaces.com/ A lengthy compilation of annotated bibliographies on an aspect of distance education was required. This research synthesis required us to review research literature extensively, and to search through scholarly articles and research studies. My topic revolved around e-learning and social media and networking. This research synthesis can be accessed at http://moore755.wikispaces.com/research, and a short presentation on my findings and conclusions can be accessed at http://moore755.wikispaces.com/presentation. This presentation was created through the telecommunication tool helloslide, which creates an audio narration based on text and plays it to previously created PowerPoint slides.

Collectively, these assignments all resulted in a growth of knowledge regarding current research and methods of telecommunications in distance learning. I learned about the development of distance learning as well as effective methods and theories both through research and the creation of my own course. Through collaborating with my peers, I explored various ideals and methods in regards to distance learning. We discussed what works and what doesnt, and most of all the importance of communication when it comes to delivery, connectivity, and distribution of class information and expectations. The readings, discussions, and evaluations of preexisting online courses taught me the vital characteristics of creating and developing a successful online course. Having completed such a great amount of research, I was able to implement what I learned in the creation of my own course. My group was sure to exhibit clarity through constant communication with our students and the inclusion of all of the necessary documents and support links to help along the way. After ensuring that our communication was stable, we were sure to create assignments that required additional collaboration among our students, along with engaging and reflective assignments. Distance learning requires students to take control of their learning, so our assignments required self-directed creation of tools and engagement with fellow students. After examining the importance of these assignments, I can identify ways in which I can use these ideals in my own life. First of all, as a current student in online education, I am now able to comprehend past professors choices of assignments and requirements. I understand that discussion board posts are more than merely a self-reflection, and instead see that they are vital aspects of the learning process. The discussions with my peers in this course broadened my thinking, and helped cement the reading into meaning. As I progress through my next required courses, I will view the discussion board assignments in a different light, and look forward to the additional learning that I will gain from my peers. Perhaps one of the greatest concepts I learned

through this course was the necessity for communication something that is often overlooked in the traditional setting of education. As a traditional teacher, I need to make sure that my communication is just as solid as it should be in online settings. I also want to include more collaboration opportunities. While I feel I engage my students on a daily basis, I want to use more group reflection opportunities to further their learning. Further, I want to include more of the telecommunication tools in my classroom. Although my students are able to give in-person reports and presentations, I want my students to be familiar with the technological tools that are available to better prepare them for our current technology-driven society. Tools like VoiceThread, Prezi, and Helloslide are excellent options for my fourth graders to use and become familiar with. Goal 2. To critically evaluate examples of distance education implementation in educational and business settings. This second goal ensured that I was able to apply the initial readings and research conducted in real-life, fully developed, authentic online courses. The following assignments met this goal specifically (the assignments are numbered as identified in the previous section): 2. The Online Course Evaluation required me to work in a group and assess the functionality, effectiveness, and other aspects of current preexisting courses available online. A checklist-type document was used to assess the course overview and introduction, assessment and measurement, learning objectives, instructional materials, learner interaction and engagement, course navigation and technology, learner support, course administration, and accessibility. One can access the course evaluation summaries here: http://moore755.wikispaces.com/courseevals 3. The CourseSites assignment was also a group effort that required me to create an online course of my own. It was required that the course be fully developed, complete with syllabi and other necessary documents, a list and description of each assignment, and vital support tools. The mock course created, EdTech 500, can be accessed at https://www.coursesites.com/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=null& url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%2 6id%3D_267143_1%26url%3D These two assignments permitted me to examine distance education and identify issues related to the instructional delivery, connectivity, and distribution methods. After evaluating two sites, I was able to demonstrate my growth and learning by creating an effective, full-functional online course. These assignments were engaging and relied on collaboration with my peers. Instead of simply reading about the dos and donts of distance learning, these assignments required a hands-on approach that allowed me to dissect existing courses and directly apply what I learned. These assignments directly affected me, as I will use the information I learned in my own classroom. Although I teach in a traditional classroom, we are quickly switching to a more digitalized media. Edmodo was introduced last year, and iPads were implemented in the classroom. As our educational technology options are growing, I foresee digital classrooms to pop up more and more, even in the traditional setting. This year, I plan to create my Edmodo

account with much more than my contact information and an About 4th Grade section (as I had last year). Instead, this year I want to utilize Edmodo and other tools to their full potential. I want to ensure that my site includes every piece of information necessary, but I will also keep it clean and well organized. I want to create a simple and easy-to-navigate site that my own students can use. I want to incorporate some type of discussion board, and include more reflective components of assignments. Learning goals and assessment methods will also be posted, to inform parents ahead of time what to expect. While I do not teach in a distance learning environment, much of what I learned about online courses will be very beneficial to my students and me in the upcoming years. Goal 3. To construct effective delivery of courses, topics, or training by using existing CMS tools. I feel that the first two goals built a solid foundation to ensure that this third goal was successful. Smaller assignments met this goal at the beginning, but all of the course requirements led to the creation of my own sites. A list of the assignments that helped make it possible for me to meet this educational course goal is included below (the assignments are numbered as identified in the previous sections): 1. The first readings of the class revolved around the educational theory for online learning. I was required not only to read three of the chapters of The Theory and Practice of Online Learning, but to also reflect on the content and ideas, and later to respond to the thoughts of my peers. While most of this collaboration and learning took place in the class discussion board, my narrated presentation in response to chapter 10 can be accessed at http://moore755.wikispaces.com/chap10. 3. The CourseSites assignment was also a group effort that required me to create an online course of my own. It was required that the course be fully developed, complete with syllabi and other necessary documents, a list and description of each assignment, and vital support tools. The mock course created, EdTech 500, can be accessed at https://www.coursesites.com/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=null& url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%2 6id%3D_267143_1%26url%3D 4. Small group discussions were also incorporated throughout the course to collaborate about research articles regarding current online course development and the use of various telecommunications tools in education. These discussions were completely student-led, and consisted of four students. Two of the students served as the discussion leaders, while the remaining two had the job of summarizing the discussion as a whole. This collaboration also took place in the class discussion board. 5. At the beginning of the course, all students were required to create a short biographical presentation to introduce ourselves to each other. Because of the nature of this online course, we were required to create a presentation using the online telecommunication tool VoiceThread, incorporating our own narration and pictures. This was then posted at our self-created wiki page. You can access my wiki and introductory biography at http://moore755.wikispaces.com/

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A lengthy compilation of annotated bibliographies on an aspect of distance education was required. This research synthesis required us to review research literature extensively, and to search through scholarly articles and research studies. My topic revolved around e-learning and social media and networking. This research synthesis can be accessed at http://moore755.wikispaces.com/research, and a short presentation on my findings and conclusions can be accessed at http://moore755.wikispaces.com/presentation. This presentation was created through the telecommunication tool helloslide, which creates an audio narration based on text and plays it to previously created PowerPoint slides.

Whether the assignment involved research, readings, discussions, or actual online development, I was learning about the educational theory of online learning throughout. Every assignment required me to use some kind of content management system (CMS) tool, and incorporate it in to my finished product. In the past few weeks, I have used wikis, VoiceThread, helloslide, PowerPoint, Prezi, discussion boards, Google Docs, Skype, Scribd, and CourseSites. Each of these were used for an educational purpose, and helped ensure the effective delivery of a variety of topics. This expanded knowledge on online collaboration, as I was permitted to use tools that I had never even heard of before. Furthermore, I learned multiple means to collaborate, present, and learn online. As I mentioned in the discussion of the second goal, I plan to create a much more advanced Edmodo site for my students next year. Along with Edmodo, I also plan to use a variety of telecommunication tools. Many are very user-friendly and easy to use, and I know my fourth graders would have no trouble at all experimenting with new delivery of presentations. Collaboration is a skill that can enhance learning even at a young age, and I plan to begin to use these skills to create a foundation for that. Further, I will continue to share these tools and ideas with my coworkers. Not only could they use some of the CMS tools in their classroom, but we should use them and gain experience in using them. Our own teacher-teacher collaboration could be greatly enhanced through these tools. The idea of professional development and training could be expanded as these tools make it possible for anyone to access these presentations at any time. Further, our team of teachers would strengthen if we created our own discussion board to reflect or share ideas. III. Summary

It is clear that AEET 755 Design and Evaluation of Information Access and Delivery utilized a variety of engaging and collaborative methods to research and learn about the current information available on distance learning. I learned about the importance of collaboration, accessibility, and delivery of materials in distance learning environments, and will be able to incorporate them as a student and teacher. I clearly met the three stated course goals, which required that I gain knowledge about distance learning, evaluate examples of distance education, and finally construct my own mock online course. Further, throughout the process I learned about a variety of telecommunication tools, including Web 2.0 tools, social media, and online communication tools that are beneficial in the online educational environment. While meeting the course goals, my success also followed the objectives of a variety of accreditation standards of the AECT. The online course that I created met a variety of

these standards, including create a plan for a topic of a content area to demonstrate application of the principles of macro-level design (1.1.2a), incorporate contemporary instructional technology processes in the development of interactive lessons that promote student learning (1.1.2d), and develop and prepare instructional materials and products for various distance education delivery technologies (2.4.2). In other words, I used the knowledge I gained through previous reading, research, and collaboration to develop my own full-semester online course. In this course, I included interactive, engaging, and reflective lessons that allowed students to learn from themselves and each other. The materials and assignments required the use of a variety of online educational tools, which added to the effectiveness of my course. The VoiceThread, helloslide, and other technologically based presentations also served as examples of instructional materials and products for use in distance education. Many of the assignments adhered to standard 4.0.1: demonstrate leadership attributes with individuals and groups. The readings and corresponding discussions that followed, along with the group discussions revolving around the article reviews instructed each person to be a leader in their group. Each student was required to provide engaging and thoughtful responses to render further responses from other group members. These team-building assignments developed leadership characteristics and encouraged self-directed learning. Finally, the online course evaluations permitted me to adhere to 3.4.5: Identify policies and regulations that apply to the utilization, application, and integration of distance delivery technologies. Through the evaluation of previously-sites, I identified specific tools and strategies that are effective in distance learning. I then applied this gained knowledge in the creation of my own online course. AEET 755 taught me a great amount regarding the use of educational technology and the important characteristics of a successfully designed distance learning program. The delivery, communication, and design of such a program must be clear and include a copious amount of communication and collaboration in order to end in success. I will definitely use the information learned in this course as I continue to be a student in the online environment, and as a teacher in a traditional classroom.