Online Learning

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Online learning/ communicating
Preparing yourself for an online course,whether it is totally online or with some classroom time, is a matter of asking a series of questions.Studies have shown that it takes a certain amount of self discipline and motivation to schedule and manage yourself through such a course. If this is your first experience with online or distance learning, your skill set of experiences and expectations begin with your educational goals with the course. What purpose does this online course serve in my education? Think the process through! You may have to work without face-to-face contact with your teacher, your classmates, and possibly outside academic support How confident am I of • • • • Managing my time? Keeping your focus on the course objectives and assignments? Taking responsibility for accomplishing tasks? Meeting unexpected problems or challenges?

The course syllabus provides information about • • • • • • Prerequisites Course objectives and priorities The teacher and language of instruction Course schedule or pacing as regards timelines for completing tasks Procedures for submitting assignments Requirements for interaction whether live or asynchronous contributions whether in person or online via email, text messaging, chat rooms, videoconferencing whether discussions, feedback on projects, Q&A sessions, whether with the instructor, course mates, experts Assessment & tests Grading scales Academic support, whether online or in person Study guides, help lines, reference works, research librarians Opportunities for feedback throughout the course.

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What is this course electronic learning environment like? • • • • • What are the course technical requirements hardware, software, specialized applications What is the optimal browser, and perhaps email client What training is necessary for the course applications? What training or orientation is available for the textbook website, CD, DVD, etc. What training or orientation is available for the course learning system, such as Blackboard, WebCT, Moodle, etc.

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• What training or orientation is available for additional communications options? Conference or chat rooms, discussion boards, video conferencing, email, voicemail, text messaging, etc.

What is my home learning environment like? • • • • • • What hardware and software do I have at home? What access to the Internet and email do I have? How fast is the connection and what connection is necessary? What technology does this course require? If not explicitly stated, ask the teacher If I should have a computer failure (disk crash or virus attack), what is my back up? Can I schedule time to complete assignments without interference? What alternatives outside the home are available to me?

Overview for the online learner and learning

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As a learner, what is your skillset, experiences & expectations that will help you succeed? A. Motivation 1. Educational goals 2. Personal responsibility 3. Self discipline B. Life experience C. Resource management 1. Task focus 2. Time management skills 3. Coping skills 4. Communication skills (IV. B.) IV. What components should you consider in a course of study? A. Course syllabus 1. Objectives 2. Preconditions a. Prerequisites b. Constraints of time and distance c. Paced/unpaced d. Language of instruction e. Course interruptions/trip s, emergencies 2. Content outline B. Calendar 1. Assignments/procedures 2. Tasks with priorities 3. Communications sequence 4. Assessment C. Teacher/instructor & Teaching assistants D. Content 1. Lectures In person and/or digital 2. Texts 3. Digital texts 4. Course website 5. Course management system E. Evaluation/feedback a. Tests b. Assignments' grades c. Communications with teacher and learning community B. Academic support i. Online resources/library/helplines ii. Study guides and strategies iii. Tutors/professional assistants

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Who will be in your community of learning to help you succeed?

A. Community 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

B. 1. 2. C. 1. 2. D. II.

Teacher Teaching assistants Tutors Fellow students Support professionals: Librarians, tutors, study skills professionals, lab managers, Will you be Autonomous/independent Social/fitting in/connected What are your communication skills? Individual: email/voicemail/text messaging Group: video conference/ chat rooms/discussion boards Netiquette

What are the components you need in your electronic learning environment? A. Institutional resource centers training/tutorials B. At home C. Course learning system D. Textbook website

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E. Technical requirements 1. applications requirements browser, email, communications 2. hardware ISP: access to Internet & email 3. Viruses & computer/network failures Communicating clearly on the Internet without creating misunderstandings is a challenge. One problem is that you haven't any facial expressions, body language, or environment to help you express yourself; another that there is little "give and take" for developing what you mean to say or are discussing These guidelines hopefully will help you: • • Be clear Make sure the subject line (e-mail) or title (web page) reflects your content Use appropriate language If you have a question on whether or not you are too emotional, don't send the message, save it, and review it "later" Remember: no one can guess your mood, see your facial expressions, etc. All they have are your words, and your words can express the opposite of what you feel Don't use ALL CAPITAL LETTERS--it's equal to shouting or screaming Be brief If your message is short, people will be more likely to read it Refer to the Guide on "Writing for the Internet" Make a good impression Your words and content represent you; review/edit your words and images before sending Be selective on what information you put in an e-mail or on a web site: Information on the Internet is very public, and can seen by anyone in the world including criminals, future employers, and governments Forward e-mail messages you receive only with permission of the sender Remember you are not anonymous What you write in an e-mail and web site can be traced back to you Consider others If you are upset by what you read or see on the Internet, forgive bad spelling or stupidity; If you think it violates the law, forward it to the FBI or your state's Attorney General Obey copyright laws Don't use others' images, content, etc. without permission

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Don't forward e-mail, or use web site content without permission Visit the Library of Congress' Guide on "Copyright Basics" Cite others' work you use Refer to the Guide on "Citation" Use distribution lists appropriately and with permission Do not send SPAM SPAM is posting or e-mailing unsolicited e-mail, often advertising messages, to a wide audience (another way of thinking of it is electronic junk mail) Don't forward chain letters If you receive one, notify your web master Don't respond to "flames" or personal attacks Contact your web master for action and referral

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I. The Problem The Internet is a relatively new and untested information and communication medium. As such, we need to evaluate, expand, and adapt existing criteria for evaluating content, as well as develop new techniques. The Internet is a ubiquitous medium: aside from questions of affordability, it is very pervasive in both authorship and audience. A web address is now an international information and persuasion medium The Internet can very well be an unregulated and un-regulatable medium. As such, it is the visitor to a website who must have both tools and responsibility to discern quality websites. II.. Examples of the problem Have you been to New Hartford, Minnesota? (Probably only virtually...) What do you think of the distinguished academic study "Feline Reactions to Bearded Men" by Catherine Maloney, Fairfield University, Fairfield, Connecticut, Sarah J. Lichtblau, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois Nadya Karpook, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida Carolyn Chou, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Anthony Arena-DeRosa, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts? III. Eight basic types of website purposes: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Personal with biographic data, often called "vanity pages" Promotional to sell a product "Current" to provide extremely up-to-date information, as for newspapers' sites Informational to share information on a particular topic or hobby Advocacy/persuasive as propaganda to convert you to particular point of view Instructional to teach a unit or course of study; Registrational to register for courses, information, and/or products, accumulate a database of, and simplify communication with, registrants 8. Entertainment!

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Characteristics of 5 types (outside links): • • • • • personal business/marketing news informational advocacy

IV. Contexts of website evaluation: header * body * footer * navigation V. Five evaluative guidelines from the School of Journalism & Library Science: Authority Who is responsible for the page? What are their qualifications and associations, and can you verify them? Check the footer for name of the web page author, his/her credentials and title, organizational affiliation. Is the information verifiable? Currency Are dates clear when the website was first created and edited? Check the footer for when the website was created, and when last edited. Check the content for news items, indications that the site is actively maintained, acknowledgements/responses to visitors Coverage What is the focus of the site? Are there clear headings to illustrate an outline of the content? Is the navigation within the website clear? Check the header for a clear title and web site description Check the content for headings and keywords Check the navigation to reflect content outline within the web site Objectivity Are biases clearly stated? Are affiliations clear? Check the content for statement of purpose, to determine the type of web site and potential audience for outside links for information external to the website for graphics and cues for affiliations Check the header/footer and URL/domain (.gov .com .edu) to determine organizational source of website and how this reflects on content type

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Accuracy Are sources of information and factual data listed, and available for crosschecking Check the content for accuracy of spelling, grammar, facts(!), and consistency within website Check content for a bibliographic variety of websites (external links), of electronic media (electronic databases of references, established (print & on-line) journals, of electronic indexes (ERIC), and of books for comparative/evaluative purposes

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