Utilizing On-Line Instruction Experiences of a Geek

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Utilizing On-Line InstructionExperiences of a
Geek

• Podcast Introduction
• Robert C. McCracken
• College of Education and Human Development
• School of Teacher Education and Leadership
• rmccracke_at_radford.edu

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Change the World
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Session Overview

• This presentation will demonstrate and discuss
  the use of several of the universities on-line
  tools for instruction. Those tools include the
  combined use of WebCT/Blackboard, Breeze/Connect,
  Respondus and Survey Tools.  The presentation is
  designed to be informative/interactive and
  somewhat instructive, but more about showing
  advantages and opportunities for technology
  integration from the instructors perspective of
  technology use as opposed to the technology
  expert level.

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Goals for the Session

• Goal To share experiences of developing
  on-line opportunities for student learning
  utilizing RUs on-line tools.
• Goal To provide practical ideas for the use of
  RUs on-line tools.

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Instructors Background

• Formal Training in K 12 Education and
  Educational Leadership
• Technology and Electronic Gadgets as a Hobby
• Experience Public School Teaching, Leadership
  Assignments, Adjunct University Teaching, and
  Assistant Professor in the College of Education.
• Belief Statement Regarding Technology/Instruction
  Technology is not a replacement for the teacher
  student relationship, but a way to enhance that
  relationship and to provide greater opportunities
  to meet the needs of todays Millennial Students.

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Have You Seen This?Are There Changes Happening
Around Us?
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Tools to Be Discussed

• WebCT/Blackboard
• Breeze/Connect
• Respondus

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Change and Todays World
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Think Before Clicking

• Design your work somewhere before entering the
  digital world
• Use your content knowledge as you design your
  expectations / outcomes FIRST
• THEN, design the use of tools to meet these
  expectations / outcomes
• ALWAYS design a method to assess students
  technology skills PRIOR to introducing content
  AND be ready to remediate technology deficits

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Ethical and Philosophical Issues

• Honesty and Integrity
• How do you ever know when students cheat
• Cooperative Learning
• Modeling by Instructors
• Quality versus Quantity
• Ethical Behaviors of Instructors

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Why Should We Change
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My Plan

• WebCT/Blackboard becomes the outline of each
  module and includes
• Content Section
• Content Assessment Section (To check for
  knowledge)
• Cooperative Learning Assignment (Case/Group Work
  to be done in Breeze/Connect)
• Individual Assignment (To check for knowledge)

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Content

• Instructors Information via Podcast (or RSS
  feed) or Breeze O (Audio clip created with
  Audacity)
• Cooperative Assignment/Group PPT Project of
  Assigned Content
• Groups are determined by the GROUP SIGN UP
  application in WebCT/Blackboard
• Cooperative Assignment/Group PPT Project of
  Assigned Content and Alignment with National
  Assessment Standards

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Student Assessment

• WebCT/Blackboard
• Develop an assessment in Word using the required
  format so that Respondus can be utilized to
  convert the assessment to a WebCT/Blackboard
  Quiz. Save the document in a plain/rich text
  form.
• Here is a brief demonstration

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(No Transcript)
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Creating a Group Assignment

• Utilize Group Assignment Function
• Work is done by Groups in Breeze/Connect and then
  final response is submitted in WebCT/Blackboard
  as a Group Assignment
• Here is a brief demonstration (created with
  Camtasia)

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(No Transcript)
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Student Assignment(s)

• Utilization of WebCT/Blackboard Assignment
  Module
• Each module contains an individual student
  assignment
• Subjective scoring
• Group Assignments
• Rubric Scoring
• Reality work associated with content
• Rubric Scoring

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WebCT/BlackboardCourse Resource Module

• Course Resources is a Module I develop and post
  on the Home Page of the course. It contains
  many different types of resources.
• Course Packets
• YouTube Content Information
• Self-Help Resources
• Camtasia Demonstrations
• Breeze O Samples/Demonstrations
• Directions on Web 2.0 Tools
• Web Links to important resources
• WebCT/Blackboard Utilization Reports
• Virtual Meeting Attendance Roster
• Class Picture

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Course Schedule/Overview

• A single document to provide an overview of the
  entire set of course expectations
• Traditional Syllabus with integrated expectations
  for the on-line version of the course

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Additional Course Requirements and On-Line Tools
(Breeze/Connect)

• All students must participate in a set number of
  Virtual Office Meetings. These are established in
  the Course Schedule/Overview.
• These meetings are held in Breeze/Connect
• Meetings are for the purpose of discussing not
  only content information but program issues. With
  the use of private chat / separate breakout
  groups, student advising sometimes occurs as well.

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Additional Course Requirements and On-Line Tools
(Breeze/Connect)

• Group Work Sites
• Each group developed for each course is also
  provided its own work space (Breeze Meeting) to
  complete its cooperative learning assignments)
• This allows the instructor to monitor
  participation.

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Use of Survey Instruments for Certain Assignments

• I use several survey instruments for certain
  assignments. Part of the goal with these
  assignments is to provide students with an
  opportunity to use survey instruments and to help
  them think about possible uses of those
  instruments. Here is an example

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WebCT/Blackboard Weblinks

• Weblink is a great way to embed external content
  within WebCT/Blackboard
• I always use the Weblink option to open the link
  in a new window
• Weblink Screen

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Scoring Rubrics in WebCT/Blackboad

• WebCT/Blackboard has a function available for all
  assignments (group and individual) that allow you
  to create rubrics (grading forms)
• All fields can be edited and added/removed.
• Here is an example

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WebCT/Blackboard

• Utilize WebDev to map to your WebCT/Blackboard
  Network Space/files
• Save ALL content on the WebCT Server
• Saves your local drive and H drive space
• Here is demo of setting up your WebDev space as a
  local drive on your computer

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Demo of WebDev
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WHY
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Questions/Discussion

• Thanks for your time?
• My Contact Information
• Robert McCracken
• rmccracke_at_radford.edu
• Campus 5682
• Office A042 Peters Hall
• Virtual Office http//breeze.radford.edu/office
• RU Website http//www.radford.edu/rmccracke