My reflections on my TEL pilot activity: Blogging as a tool for reflection after synchronous audio conference, Friday 3rd April 2015, 9:00-10:00 pm, using WizIQ

Friday 3rd April 2015, 9:00-10:00 pm

The experience of using such a tool was for me something new and unknown. I must admit I was not feeling confident enough to moderate such an activity using a new tool for the first time. However, I had to be brave enough to give the opportunity to my peers and myself also. So, after signing WizIQ (many thanks to Dimitris for sharing the tool with us) i scheduled my course, uploaded my reading to be discussed, enrolled the participants and scheduled the vc. Finally,  I managed to send invitations to my peers to join me and pilot my activity and tweeted it also!

At this stage I wish to thank once more my peers who commented on my pilot activity and gladly joined the SAC session and also those that for any reason were not able to do so.

Finally, four of us managed to experience the SAC session and discussed the following questions:

  1. How blogging helps learning?
  2. Do you think a lot before writing/posting/commenting in a blog or are you fast?
  3. How students use blogs to learn things?
  4. How do you actually learn how to blog?
  5. Please suggest other blogging tools ( except WordPress)

At first I could not hear any of my three attendees and one of them texted “ ‘Is there a chance the moderator  muted our audio?’. Of course, the lady was absolutely right. I then unmuted one by on the microphones so all of us could hear each other.

Then, a new suggestion was thrown to the discussion table “Shall we speak one by one as we did with Alex last time we had SAC?”

Again, this was very crucial for me since as a moderator I would have the role to pass the microphone to each one of the attendees, so that all will be able to express their ideas/feelings/opinions. I am pleased to say that my guests were pleased and seemed to enjoy the SAC session and I felt this as one of them during the 1hr discussion/ session said: “discussion goes very smooth”.

I did not recorded the SAC session on purpose , since I was not feeling confident enough to do so but also because I preferred my guests feel free to speak without the ‘Big brother eye”.  If I was intending to record the SAC session for sure I should have informed my attendees so that to give me in advance their permissions. Those who did not manage to join the session please excuse me for my desicion but you will have the chance to read this reflection. 

As far as the questions are concerned my attendees did their homework very well. They read the reading provided and were ready to answer when the microphone was passed to each one of them.

Below some answers to the questions as given by the 3 attendess:

Answers for question No1:

Blogging allows interactivity any time any place

Using blogging one can find/read excellent thoughts

Blogging develops prior thinking skills

Answers for question No2:

Baby bloggers tend to think before posting in a blog and even write their post in word before publishing it

More experienced bloggers tend to write in a more casual way and more quickly and more spontaneously. They do not bother for mistakes just for the meaning.

Answers for question No3:

They read others blogs and see what worked or not worked so they try when blogging fill in the gaps.

Learn quickly and get quick answers

Network with experts /blog experts

At first they learn because someone or something (may be a course they attend) forced them to blog and accomplish specific tasks. Later on they soon realize that they benefit from communication and are convinced to use it gradually

Answers for question No4:

By start reading others blogs (what looks good, layout, content, language).

Getting into the habit.

Getting more familiar.

Others just go for blogging and learn by doing

Answers for question No5:

Only, one of the attendees proposed moodle blogging. This sound strange for me since I know moodle is an LMS and I will search to learn more about moodle blogging.

The whole experience was wonderful. Technology was with us except from one attendee that tried to join us unsuccessfully.

Finally, my last reflection is that we do not blog to be assessed but to get improved. So, please blog and leave comments and share opinions and ideas. That’s the way to learn and unlearn and again learn and so on.

My Tel pilot activity:Blogging (wordpress.com) as a tool for reflection

1. Expected hours required: 2 ½ – 3 hrs

2.  An explanation of the learning benefits for participants.

Proposed activity is about educational blogging.

Blogging reflects a personal style so it can be used as a tool for reflection and learning. This personal style may be reflected in either the writing or the selection of links passed along to readers.

Blogging also combines aspects of thinking writing which is the writing for ourselves and not for audience, with aspects of presentation writing which is the kind of writing we do in order to communicate a message and finally adds in conversation as well.

3. Any prior reading or resources that they need to engage with.

Reading 1: Educational blogging by Stephen Downes

http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERM0450.PDF   

Reading 2: Blogging as a tool of reflection and learning, Rettberg, UiB

http://www.virclass.net/eped/ep_tmp/files/17842056574abc85cdf304e.pdf 

4.   What they are expected to do.

4.1 Participants are expected to:

(a)  read the two readings

(b)  keep notes of what is important and useful

(c)   reflect their ideas/notes  using forum discussion and

(d)  provide constructive comments on others participants postings

4.2 Participants are expected to join a SAC main room and 4 sub-rooms to discuss in groups the following topics

4.2.1     Main SAC room– Rules of discussion using SAC, check of microphone set,  Delegation of topic (Tutor present) and

4.2.2     Sub room A – Discuss how blogging helps learning (No tutor)

4.2.3     Sub room B – Discuss how you can help learners use blog so that they will learn gaining confidence, practicing, writing, participating in networks of other learners ( No tutor)

4.2.4     Sub room C – Discuss how you can use blogs in your teaching as tutors ( No tutor)

4.2.5     Sub room D- Propose any other software except  WordPress.com (advantages/disadvantages) (No tutor)

Finally, use their personal blogs to reflect on the resume of each group discussion and inform others for their blog posting via twitter for any comments.

5. Your expectations of their participation.

I expect that they will all participate actively for activity 4.1 which is a straight forward activity that needs no group working effort. I do not expect that all participants will read each other’s postings and give comments but some or most of them will do so.

Also, I expect some kind of difficulties in agreeing on a suitable time for the main and sub room SACs but this is predictable. If such difficulties arise I will propose the use of doodle software as a time scheduler instead of forum area.

Another difficulty in participation is expected during SAC discussions due to the fact that some participants might be shy and not speak at all. I will try to create a friendly environment during main SAC so that to trigger more smoothly SAC sub room discussions.

Finally, I believe all participants are expected to reflect their ideas on SAC sub rooms discussions since is creative and useful for their learning.

6. What kind of support they can expect.

They can expect support from me as a tutor and from other co learners during forum discussions in order to clarify topics they read from proposed readings. They can also expect support from me (tutor) especially when using SAC (main and sub rooms) if technology problems appear. Finally, they can expect support again from me (tutor) and co learners to give constructive and encouraging comments on their reflection postings in their blogs.

7.   How you would like them to feedback to you on their experience.

I would like every participant feel free to give me feedback whenever he/she feels that has to do. Feedback for me is more than welcome since it will improve my efforts to provide an authentic and collaborative activity. Learners are free to use different channels of communication: emails, tweets, forums, skype, viber. Having in mind that some learners might be shy to give feedback I will ask them to give me feedback with a small formal evaluation at the end of the SAC meetings and before the reflection. If they are not feeling happy with the result mostly due to unexpected technology problems I will suggest repeating the SAC meetings (in the meantime I will try to fix any technical problems) so that all be satisfied.

My first thoughts on signing up for a MOOC

After reading Laurillard (2014),  Five myths about MOOCs I am writing below my first thoughts on signing up for a MOOC.

Actually, my thoughts are written /expressed in a form of questions that need to be answered in order to make the big step.

  1. Are MOOCs really free of cost or is it a myth?
  2. If answer to the above question is YES then who pays the costs for the design/development/implementation of the course/s,  at which benefit/advantage and why?
  3. Who will support me during the course, when and how? Will I have any support from any tutor or other learners or I will be left/feel alone and lonely?
  4. What is the educational level of other learners taking the same course with me? Do they have any college/university degree or are there any prerequisites in signing in/enroll in a MOOC provider/course?
  5. Will I be able to start and finish a MOOC course with the same enthusiasm as if I would have in a classroom or eLearning platform environment?
  6. Are the Verified Certificates or Honor Code Certificates that a learner ‘gain’ after completing a MOOC course recognized globally and how? Are they recognized as college/university level certificates?

Even though I mentioned all the above thoughts/questions I would like to inform you that today I signed in Edx Dashboard platform and I was enrolled in the course ILX1 Inclusive Leadrship Training: Becoming a Successful Leader. Later on I did the same with Coursera platform and I was enrolled in a course about Gamification. It is True – I like challenges!

A little bit about myself

Online-Education

My name is Des and i would like to welcome you to my blog!

I created it for educational pusposes. Few moths ago i was enrolled in the Postgraduate Certificate in the field of Vocational Technology Enhanced Learning provided by Univeristy of Wales, Trinity Saint David.

My work experience includes Sales telecommunications engineer, instructor, lab assistant and currently training officer.

I always try to follow new trends and developments in learning and that’s why i have just created this personal blog.

I hope you will enjoy it!

Des