CI 5330 Old postings

Friday, July 29, 2005
July 29, 2005 (Friday) Daily Reflections. How much we "need" vs how much we "want" in distance education
July 29, 2005 (Friday)I revised my self-evaluation with reflections, but I have no ways to resubmit via WebCT. So, I have to expose my personal message here. Hope you could recieve my re-sent email on July 30, and discard the following old email message, thanks:(Dear Dr. Aaron, the following is a message that I emailed you today-July 29 Friday:Attached is my last reflections and self-evaluation file in an email sent to you today in case my blogs doesnot reach you.I uploaded it on my blogs http://www.tc.umn.edu/~huan0195/blogs/index.html and WebCT under Assignments icon - of Final Class Project and Presentation. Thanks for a wonderful class. Have a great rest of summer!Crystal Li-chin Huang)What do you believe is the future of distance education and what can we as educators do to move the field forward in the right direction?I am contemplating my belief of the future of distance education in this way: necessity is the mother of invention – if this still holds truth, and “invention creates necessity” is its ramification….Franz Kafka once said that he did not watch advertisements, otherwise he would be buried in wanting things… something like that. I am thinking the future of distance education depends on how much we “want” distance education verse how much we “need” distance education. Can we have the meat and eat it – this is a question.As educators, we have lots of freedom and tons of constraints in terms of personal, situational, institutional, and ideological complexity confronting us on daily basis.Just focusing one small episode within the institutional or technological complexity as an example: Oliver (2001) stated that “a major concern of online course management systems is that they emphasize faculty dissemination tools over student processing tools, even though than latter are more likely to promote student interaction and engagement.” (p.47) According to Olsen’s research (2001), CMSs were not meant to be a pedagogical tool, but rather a productivity tool for handling the distractive tasks of teaching. Yes, there is plenty of room for criticism, but most CMS products are constantly striving for better flexibility and seamlessness, such as supporting multiple forms of knowledge presentation, authentic assessment and the use of distributed tools assisting student in knowledge construction and meaning making (Harvey & Lee, 2001).Such episode of challenge and response is just a grand of sand from the beach. Still, there are vast areas of inquiries left for conscientious and conscious stakeholders to engage in.To move the distance education toward in a direction which is beneficiary to the greatest interest of humanity/common good, though sounding grandiose, is a way that every individual educator can strive for. As educators, conscientiously challenge our teaching philosophy, pedagogies, and strategies supported by authentic research and critiques within and beyond our teaching/learning communities (domestic as well as international) is a major way to check the trajectory of such a direction.Thanks for a great class led by a passionate facilitator who believes what he is doing!Crystal Li-chin Huang
posted by Crystal @ 6:17 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
July 27, 2005 Wednesday Pedagogical modes, Knowledge Acquisition Models, and the Metophors
7/27/05 WednesdayIn the following pedagogical models and modes of knowledge acquisitions, I tend to integrate part of the modes or models into my teaching/learning environment. I am courious about what the eclectic approach under what kind of pedagogical, instructional, and technological circumstance will be the better choice for the authentic and meaningful teaching and learning?Pedagogical models:views about teaching and learning. They are cognitive models or theoretical constructs derived form learning theory that enable the implementation of specific instructional and learning strategies. In short, they are the mechanism by which theory is linked to practice.Knowledge Acquisition ModelsCIP- The “mind as a computer metaphor” represents the information processing model, based on information processing theory, in which “the human learner is conceive to be a processor of information in much the same way a computer is.”(M.P. Driscoll, 1994, p.68), had led to a knowledge acquisition model know as cognitive information processing (CIP).PDP – parallel distributed processing model (or “mind as a brain” metaphor) An alternative view of CIP is the parallel distributed processing model In the PDP model, long term memory is perceives a dynamic structure (or network) that represent knowledge in patterns or connections with multiple pathway instead of fixed schemata as concept nodes and positions.Situated cognitive model (or “mind as a rhizome” metaphor) The situated cognition model resembles the PDP model but has additional characteristic that distinguish it from both PDP and CIP. These characters are a. the concept hat know ledge extends beyond the individual, and b. an emphasis on perception rather than on memory.Implication for instruction: aligned with constructivism epistemological assumption.Pedagogical models are: situated or anchored learning, cognitive apprenticeships, cognitive flexibility hypertexts, communities of practice, or learning communities, computer supported intentional learning environment, microworlds, simulations, and virtual learning environments.
posted by Crystal @ 9:44 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
July 26, 2005 (Tuesday) My Principles of Online Teaching
If you were to give 10 guiding principles for teaching online, what would they be and why?So far, I came up 5. I will add up if some ideas pop into my mind.Principle 1- Meet the needs of the “desire-to-learn,” in particular.The first guiding principle for teaching online is to facilitate the serious learners who are challenged constantly by time, space, finance, family, career, physicality, and other related bio-psy-cultural attributes or obstacles that ordinary learners do not have to face. Why? My answer is that I have seen some students who might try to find an expedient ways of leaning. For this issue, the pre-orientation of the nature of online learning is very importnat to the prospective students. Otherwise the attrition rate will worry the adminstrators as well as the facilitators.Principle 2 - Facilitator’s teaching philosophy and integrity supported by appropriate trainings and tech facilities, in particular, be versed and practice varies of pedagogical, instructional, and technological theories and models.Ideally speaking, an instructor with strong integrity, conscientiousness, and responsibility who is particularly interested in meeting the abovementioned students’ needs can be oriented into an effective and efficient online facilitator. I incorporated Thach & Murphy’s 7 principles here too: interpersonal communication and providing prompt feedback, promotion of interaction, reinforce teamwork skills, knowledge of how to conduct a needs assessment, comprehension of new learning technologies and their impact on learners, and development of systems perspective of thinking.Principle 3- Institutionally take care of common good and self-interestAn educational setting offering online courses shall not emphasize too much on lucrative purposes. However, under capitalistic commercialism, educational products are desirable commodities acquirable to various levels of social class. To balance the common good and lucrative interest will reveal the depth and breath of a school’s mission and statement.Principle 4- Teaching online is scaffolded by visionary insight and systematic research. Educational online teaching is not to catch up the trend, which is always spearheaded by the business world. Educational online shall stand timingly on educational philosophy and pedagogy.Principle 5- Teaching online shall shorten the social gap and enhance the common goals of humanity. Online teaching has it niche in human learning/teaching experience. It functions more than transmitting knowledge, forming knowledge community, providing alternate educational opportunity, and evoking research and so on. It shall play the role as a social equalizer not the stratifier.
posted by Crystal @ 3:43 PM 0 comments
July 26, 2005 (Tuesday) Edugaming
I am not a member of the 40-under- D(igital) generation. I grew up and was educated in a period of time when visual imageries were quite scarce and even bleak (a slim type of CIP). The daily sensory and perceptual activities were adaptively geared toward audio-cerebral ways of learning when I was a grad and undergrad student in Taipei.So I quite understand the constant challenges on my performing/teaching in competing with the multimedia video-digital environment that most students grew up from; and how much visual stimuli students crave to keep focused in a technical college setting where open admission is an important policy to accept various psycho-physiological diverse students into the very demanding teaching/learning world.Once upon a time, I did not acknowledge the visual learning is supreme to the auditory learning (due to part of my previous educational acqisition being from CIP fashion). I was skeptical that the fast pace visual browsing would encode information into working, short term, not to mention the long term memory. Without the seriously exercising encoding, retrieving processing information, messages were drifting nowhere in the brain. Yes, we all hate memorizing and regurgitating (if any fill-in-the-blank questions dare to show up on the test sheets, you are doomed to be a bad teacher, no matter how important that knowledge is, unless crib sheets are allowed! Only True/False and Multiple choice are welcome with some essays that function as remedy or extra credits in case the wrong choice or wrong T/F were made.) As for group activities and discussions (reinforced PDP or situated models) that are always welcome as classroom (onground) procedures as long as they are not so much focused on CIP model of learnig. Anyway, all knowledge is on Internet, who needs the brainy short term and long term memory for?? I am not being dour here. Actually, the visual and kinesthetic ways of preference from students make me to reorient myself into the fascinating wysiwyg world. That explains the constructive situated-rhizome mode of learning based on our current econ-tech-cultural trends sometimes working better in several educational settings.Now as living in the info-tech-visual culture, looking, watching, or seeing is much more quicker, direct and powerful to register the sensory receptors via neural impulse transducted to the brain. It is paramountively high speed! My teaching/learning consciousness pushes me to understand more possibilities (such as PDP or Rhizome model) or alternate pedagogies is a way to help both students and myself to survive in this visually cool/cruel world.Playing educational visual games is one of several instructional strategies. For examples, students download “who want to be millionaire”, “Jeopardy, “ “wheel of fortune,” and other types of famous TV brainy games to incorporate the contents of readings or handouts to figure out their own meta-cognition, and meta-learning. It was fun, but getting stale quickly both to students and myself. In reality, most of instructors are far behind in designing and configuring meaningful pedagogical games that fit into classroom setting at the post-secondary educational setting (I mean, 2-year college, in particular.) Do students and faculty in the Ivy league need edutaining video games to aid teaching and learning? Some say, why not? Sooner or later!!!However, I am not so skeptical as Jane Healy, the educational psychologist and author of “Failure to Connect: How Computers Affect Our Children's Minds-and What We Can Do About It.” (Simon & Schuster, 1999). She believes that we not only haven't figured out how to make "intellectually appropriate and challenging and enriching" games for kids, we also don't yet understand the impact of gaming on kids' minds well enough to recommend this type of learning experience. But when we wait for researchers all figure out how to make intellectually appropriate and challenging and enriching games, the children could have moved to some other outerspace combating real star wars….I know I am always ambivalent toward visually double-edged high techs. The problem is that we are on the one-way-ticket info-super-highway, who can/will/shall control the brake?I like the Prensky’s social impact games. But some socio-political games as they noted have themes and portray ideas that are offensive to many people. I do see what they mean! I am wondering if a theme can be designed/programmed between some fine lines that entail some subtle socio-political whim/wisdom? Or their designers/programmers have specific agenda to accomplish?? A last, not the least, being still encapsulated in the “puritan” ideological era, religious and sexual “thematic” inquiries take great wisdom to show a little bit of insight!http://www.socialimpactgames.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=index&catid=10&topic=&allstories=1
posted by Crystal @ 1:26 PM 0 comments
Monday, July 25, 2005
July 20, 2005 recovered file
July 20, 2005 (Wednesday)1. The differences between the classic distance learner and the emerging online learner. Classic distance learners via correspondence, or home, studyCharacteristics: adults with occupation, social and family commitments. Independent, place-bound, adult, self-motivated, disciplined self-starter, and goal-oriented learners.2000 demographic survey- average 35, mostly women, have some college degree, full or partime employed, mostly middle class, very busy, attracted to what seems like an efficient means to study. Student’s locus of control (internal or external attribution of success and failure) and learning styles (verbal, visual, or kinesthetic) as predicators of success among college distance learnersEmerging online learners: discussion forum, group contributions, shared resources, peer assessment, and group projects – deemphasizes independent learning and emphasizes social interdependence and collaborative learning.The types of learning technologies that facilitate online learning and their application and use from the online learner's perspective. Web-based hypermedia; web-based multimedia, asynchronous and synchronous communication, web-based publishing and authoring tools, presentation and visualization tools, and Internet.The competencies and skills that lead to a successful online learner. Being fluency in the use of online learning technologiesExhibiting a need for affiliationUnderstanding and valuing interaction and collaborative learningPossessing an internal locus of controlHaving a strong academic self-conceptHaving experience in self-directed learning or the initiative to acquire such skillsThe differences between the traditional classroom instructor and the online instructor. On ground- face2face: manager, expert, disciplinarian, controller, dispenser of information, goal setter, and timekeeperOnline: resource, co participant, scaffolder, co learner, moderator, facilitator, coach, monitor, and advisorThe technological, logistical, and implementation challenges facing the online instructor. Technological challenges: online learners’ prior knowledge and experience of students and first time online facilitators; software challenges- appropriate technology and applications for both learners and facilitators; Hardware challenge: bandwidth/speed, hardware equipments from institutions.Logistical and implementation challenges: adequate training and assistance from support staff, pedagogical reengineering.The term intellectual property. Any item that meets one of these three criteria: (a) an author’s original creation expressed in any medium, (b) a new invention that has use, or (c) a text and/or graphic that identifies a provider of services or goods. Each of these has protection under various statues of intellectual property law (= copyright).
posted by Crystal @ 3:20 PM 0 comments
Sunday, July 24, 2005
July 24, 2005 Sunday- How can blogs be integrated in daily teaching and learning
July 24. 05 (Sunday)How can blogs be integrated in daily teaching and learning?Here are two interesting research via PPT- they were titled “Social Network Dynamics in the Blogosphere” and “Revolutionary Vanguard or Echo Chamber?Political Blogs and the Mainstream Media” @ Broggers at Sunbelthttp://www.blogninja.com/The blog phenomenon is an unprecedented domain providing collective networking as well as individual expression / creativities in terms of poli-psycho-cultural development. This can be a momentum for a genuine electronic democracy in the tech era.In teaching and learning environment, due to BlackBoard and WebCT having their life span within registered semesters, archiving and retrieving students’ academic works is an extra job. On the other hand, not all of students’ works reached the bar or interested in a continuity of teaching/learning process. I would like to encourage students who are really interested in a continuing dialogue after semester is done still connecting with the instructor via blogs.The other daily possibility for using blogs is a functional remedy when CMS is down or for maintenance sake, the blog might be an alternate ways to keep on flowing.I am still a novice in Blog/Brog world. I will learn more and do a better reflection! CrystalReferences:http://blog.lib.umn.edu/blogosphere A collection of essays on the nature of blog communication.http://www.blogninja.com/ Contains a collection of blog-related research on genre, gender, audience, and social networks, led by Susan Herring.http://blogtalk.net/ In its third year as a conference about blog researchhttp://blog.mathemagenic,com/categories/weblogResearch/index.html Lilia Efimove – collection of blog research.http://wiley.ed.usu.edu/ Wiley’s own professional webloghttp://teachable.org/blog/ Martindale’s own professional webloghttp://www.persues.com/blogsurvey/thebloggingiceberg.html To see the examples of blog interfaces, and to find all the other links and supporting resources mentioned in Martindale and Wiley”s “using weblogs in scholarship and teaching”http://www.reusability.org/blogs/trey/archived/000601.html A widely publicized survey site.http://incsub.org/association/poll. BROG paper nominated for Edublog award
posted by Crystal @ 1:41 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Using Weblogs in Scholarship and Teaching by Trey Martindale and David Wiley
Sometimes I consider the proprietary educommercial products such as BlackBoard, WebCT, DTL (desire to learn)...etc are major Techcultural corporates, currently dominating vast educultural markets.The Cultural Inc. deserves the fair shares of profits for promulgating the fast transactions of knowledge via CMS design and developments. It looks noble but very expensive to maintain! One of the democratic ideas behind Martindale and Wiley is to challenge the tech power system – “ a step toward leveling the (publishing) playing field” – as they named it!If, as they predict that Blogs can be the next killer application, then what will happen to the those giant proprietary Incs? Will the Blogs someday turn their face to profiteering or the giant companies play the low keys for more common good? Crystal Li-chin Huang
posted by Crystal @ 7:00 PM 0 comments
July 20, 05 (W) Daily Reflections
July 20, 05 (Wednesday) Daily ReflectionsSo far, the smartest way of Blogger is to let everyone take charge of FTP - anytime, anywhere, as we have learned today (via UMN server).Though BlackBoard and WebCT can be done at home, I always feel inconvenient to FTP my teaching materials for updating my webstie (due to the server issue and my folders being stored at school public drives).
posted by Crystal @ 6:32 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
July 18, 05 (Monday)
1.What are your initial thoughts and impressions about the course and the content of the course? My initial thoughts and impressions are about designing the authentic and meaningful distance education courses that will help me improve my current practice in school and enhance my understanding of the updated trends in this field. And I got it today! I skimmed some chapters of the textbook, and found it very rich and interesting, in particular, chap 3. 2.What lingering questions do you have about today's content? I only know about Blackboard and WebCT. Should I try the road less traveled, and not to worry about which CMS is the most killing one? I also hope that most of us can select different type of CMS/authoring tools. So we all can learn from each other’s presentation about that specific CMS. I will try not to repeat the same LCMS if any peer has picked the one that I have known. But I don’t know if this idea is feasible. 3.How do you believe the content and discussions of today will impact your future practice? I know I always learn something really good from you. I am very interested in learning today’s Blogger. I am trying to learn more about it.
posted by Crystal @ 11:02 AM 0 comments