Web 2.0 Tools That Support Learning

Module IV


Email

• Benefits and advantages: range from communicating with colleagues, students, and parents. Messages can be organized, and used to facilitate collaboration with students in and out of the classroom;

• Utilized in the classroom: To communicate/keep parents and students updated on events, and provide feedback. This includes a class web page, and discussion groups, and distribution lists.

Poll Everywhere.com

• Benefits and advantages: standard web technology allows live responses from any venue. Conferences, presentations, classrooms, radio, tv or print. (free for those who need to collect 30 or fewer responses per poll.) plans for K-12 and Higher Education are available

• Utilized in the classroom: class can vote after a debate, for a persuasive argument, choice of assignment, class president, school/class rules. Etc.

Linkedin.com

• Benefits and advantages: locate friends, alumnae, professional contacts

• Utilized in the classroom: grades 10 and up are able to search for contacts in industry, exchange information, ideas, and job opportunities as part of coursework, or project. Create professional groups, contacts of portfolios.


Winksite.com

• Benefits and advantages: a mobile website community that can be shared worldwide. Immediately connects to web pages that provide hundreds of links within the category.

• Utilized in the classroom: an fun alternative to the usual search engines. Visually appealing, students can browse tagged sites by category alphabetically.

Twitter.com

• Benefits and advantages: called microblogging, this web 2.0 tool can be used to make contact without sharing cell phone numbers or email addresses.

Utilized in the classroom: Application “tweetworks” can be used for group communication. Announcements for upcoming projects, tests, change in schedule. Send out updates, current events, follow professors or classmates for research purposes.

References

Email: Learning Light e-Learning Center:. Retrieved October 19th, 2009 from http://www.e-learningcentre.co.uk/eclipse/Resources/usingoutlook.htm

Linkedin: Relationships Matter. Retrieved October 19th, 2009 from http://www.linkedin.com/home

Polleverywhere.com:Text Messaging, Polls, (SMS) Audience.Retrieved October 20th, 2009 from http://www.polleverywhere.com/

Sketchfu: Draw, Share. Retrieved October 20th, 2009 from http://sketchfu.com/

Twitter: 50 Ways to use twitter in the college classroom. Retrieved October 20th, 2009 from http://www.onlinecolleges.net/2009/06/08/50-ways-to-use-twitter-in-the-college-classroom/

Winksite: Winksite.com. Retrieved October 20th,
2009 from http://winksite.com/site/index.cfm


please visit my wiki space below to view my graphic organizer.

http://bunwik1.wikispaces.com/

Assessment of Online Learning

Module III

Assessment of students in an Online Environment should not mirror the same model, or mode of instruction and evaluation as utilized by traditional classrooms. Assessment of online learning should be based within an "authentic" context- that is, not just on content, but from what the student learns and experiences within the learning community. (Sieman, 2008). The student gleans information not just from course content, but also from peers and within the online environment which may include web 2.0 tools referrred to as social networks,(Blogs, discussion boards, et cetera.)

Collaboration also known as being based in the theoretical foundations of constructivism is said to hold the process of active learning....also noted is that individuals learn through interaction with others rather than individual exploration.(Palloff & Pratt, 2005, p.6) Padloff & Pratt (2005) further explain that collaborative activity is important in both face-to-face (F2F) and online classes because it promotes the following:

1. Development of critical thinking skills
2. Co-creation of knowledge and meaning
3. Reflection and,
4. Transformative learning

Sieman (2008) explains in detail how and why students in a collaborative learning environment should be assessed primarily through four different models of assessment whose criteria are based on the Assessment Models that follow:

1. Peer assessment
2. Feedback from the online communities to provide collaboration
3. List Serve (vast community of learners with varying degrees of expertise)
4. Educator/instructor assessment based on level of participation

Methods of Assessment

Important as an assessment tool is evaluation by direct comments and feedback from instructors and peers. Educators can assess learners based upon the degree of student participation – time spent on postings, how much, how often, the total length of time spent on participation in the online environment; how often did they contribute to group-related activities, which as Seiman states, usually constitutes a greater proportion of what is translated into a grade.

From the pages of an online student guide - Teaching and Learning Online, (Poe & Strassen, p. 39) a handbook created for a university’s online fellows program, indicates it being crucial to create a “mix”of assignments that cover multiple dimensions of learning such as:

1. end of semester paper
2. weekly test
3. group projects
4. case study analysis
5. journals
6. read and response and,
7. threaded discussion participation

These specific guidelines are said to be most important in assessment of students and go far beyond the traditional tests.

A few examples provided for assessing students in online courses included assessment techniques being based on desired learning outcomes, interactive mentoring opportunities that enabled students to evaluate their own progress throughout the course, and to providing feedback on course content areas that need further enhancement and/or development.(Holzen, Runyon, & Heeler)




Student Participation

In the event that a student participates, but on a minimal level, members should initially reach out to the student, try to find out what, if any, problem exists for this learner. Support should be offered from members of the learning community to assist in resolving the issue.

The instructor should play a lesser role initially, unless there is an impasse, and the learner’s issue remains unresolved. If, the learner is not able at some point to reconcile so as to resume full participation, which will eventually impact negatively upon the learning community, the instructor should then intercede, personally email and/or speak with the student.

Assessment based on all of the aforementioned criteria would, I agree, constitute fair and equitable assessment of student learning.

References

Holzen, R., Runyon, D., & Heeler, P. (Eds.). (). Assessment in online course: Practice examples (NorthWest Missouri State University). Missouri: Technology in Information Center.

Palloff, R., & Pratt, K. (2005). Collaborating online: Learning together in community. (1st ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Poe, M., & Strassen, M. L. (Eds.). (). Teaching and learning online: Communication, community,and assessment (Univeristy of Massachusetts). Boston, Massachusetts: University of Massachusetts, Online Fellows Program.

DVD: Laureate Education, Inc. (2008). Principles of Distance Education. Baltimore: Author.