Is the Module designed in such a way as to reach/connect with and engage the learners for whom it is intended?
From reading your narrative and going through your DE module, I see that your intended audience consists of teachers within your school division who are interested in expanding their use of technology. I think you have been concise in your presentation, which I feel busy teachers appreciate. I also like how you have outlined the contents into segments, so a busy teacher may view one portion at a time or a few at a time as they progress, without losing the ‘big picture’ or the intent of the module. In that way, I found your module user friendly.
Is the content delivered in engaging, stimulating and challenging ways?
I also felt that the delivery method used in your DE module was user friendly. You clearly identified the purpose and what I could expect to discover from your module – you were comparing and contrasting the uses and design of wikis and blogs. I also liked the fact that you gave examples from education as to how others were using each.
Are the learning activities, multimedia elements (if any) and assignments/learner assessment samples relevant, appropriate? Do they help extend learning?
You included clear and easy-to-follow YouTube videos as well as print explanations. As a digital immigrant, I appreciated the visuals as well as the clear and concise explanations that were free from technical jargon that I may struggle to understand. I also greatly appreciated you taking my learning one step further by showing how other educators used wikis and blogs, so that I could begin slowly testing out tried-and-true examples that others had used.
What is the best aspect of the Module? What is exciting, interesting, unique, creative?
I think the clarity of the explanations and the clear learning sequence that you outlined were the features that I enjoyed most. The most interesting aspect, in my opinion, was the fact that you also linked to many sites that I could explore.
What would make it even better?
This is a hard question for me to answer, as I found your DE module both user-friendly and interesting. So I have only the option of selfishly wondering if you found any math specific examples that I might use in my work with math teachers in my school division?
Thanks, Gail, yours is a DE module that I would like to be able to refer to in the future to teach me how to use wikis and blogs!
Carol, thanks for all of the positive feedback, I really appreciate it. I really struggled to come up with a topic for this module as I no longer teach students directly and I didn't want to just create something that I was never going to use. I am including a math wiki that a friend of mine has used but I have not really looked at in a lot of detail. Thanks again. g http://studentmathmovies.wikispaces.com/home
Hi Gail. My first thoughts when reading/viewing your module were: "I wish I had this resource when I was designing my own blog for this project!" Your wiki is user-friendly with a simple layout. I like how everything was linked back to the homepage so that I never felt lost if I made a wrong turn in navigating the site. You had a great blend of different elements with the oral directions, written directions, comparison chart, and sample sites.
I will be the first to admit that teachers can make bad students and I have been at convention sessions where session leaders have had to deal with teachers who are disengaged, disintersted, and even distracted! I like that your module is designed to combat some of these problems. The video on the homepage was a nice touch. Not only is it a nice change from written instructions, it also allows different participants to work at their own pace. In fact, your whole design allows for that. All participants can be engaged in the module but on different tasks. That's important as we know how frustrating it can be as a session leader/teacher to try to keep all of the students/participants engaged in the exact same task.
I think you have been very realistic in estimating the wide range of age levels and technological abilities of teachers. Some may be very familiar with blogs and wikis while others will have almost zero experience in using them. I think your module does a great job in providing a lesson that appeals to all ranges. As someone who has limited experience with blogs and wikis but would like to know more, I found this module very informative and not too overwhelming. The examples and links to other blogs and wikis was a nice touch and, as Carol said, one of my favorite parts of the site. I also think it was smart thinking of your part to choose an asynchronous delivery model in case technology wasn't working that day!
I also enjoyed the "how-to" sections and can see other teachers appreciating this. Teachers want some information but they also want practical solutions. You've given enough background information to allow for informed decision making on the blog vs. wiki debate but also enough opportunity to have students engage in creating their own.
It's hard for me to offer suggestions as your expertise in blogs and wikis far exceeds my limited knowledge. I will echo what Gail said and suggest more subject specific examples like math and science.
Teachers are a tough audience and you've managed to create a module that is appropriate for the the wide range of interests/abilities, appropriate for the time constraints of your session, and useful for all teachers. As someone who has presented at convention days, I know this is no easy task. I woud love to sit in on this session!
Thanks for the positive feedback Jaime, much appreciated. I did struggle a bit to figure out how much should be 'live' technology on the day and I think it is best to keep it an asynchronous delivery as you just never know. I have sat at webinars and then the feed doens't come through. I am hoping on the day to be live for everyone and if I can't be then the instructions are clear enough that they can work through them as a group or on their own. The nice thing about this wiki is I can share it with teachers that do not get to my session. I put a math wiki in Carol's response if you want to check it out. Thanks again. g
Hello Gail! Thank you for posting such an exemplary module. I have learned so much form viewing it. I posted mine on a wiki as well, but as a first time user of a wiki, I have a long way to go…Your wiki gives me something to aim for! The screenr that you used to introduce the wiki module gave a clear overview of what the next hour would involve. I think one barrier that has to be addressed for online learning is ensuring that the participants know how to navigate the material. You effectively provided this in an engaging, clear and time efficient manner. Visuals sure can go a long way in clarifying a lot of content in a very short time. I like that you recorded your voice, it created a teacher presence and set a welcoming and supportive tone for the module. It will also serve a practical purpose- those teachers who like to visit and not attend to the material being presented will need to stop talking to hear the introduction/overview! Very crafty, whether intentional or not! What I have read in the other blogs is the sad truth…teachers can be a tough audience. I like the sense of purpose you create- blogs or wikis? Teachers will be looking at what will serve their needs the best and I think this will help to engage them in the content. The module is helping them to make a decision. I also think the four questions you post on the interactive page allow teachers to reflect upon and share their background knowledge and set their own goal for the module. Another hook to reel them in- well done! The wallwisher is a technology I haven’t used before. It has visual appeal and is perfect for the time frame of your module. I think the teachers are going to enjoy this and will, as I have, think about how I can use this with my students. Your wiki gives the participants a great example to follow. It is visually appealing, clear, and easy to follow. You have used various tools and ones that teachers can utilize for their own wikis as well. I think the teachers will learn as much from your design as they will from the content. The amount of text on each page is appropriate for the time frame if the participants stick to your text. If they start clicking on too many links, I don’t think they’ll get through the content in an hour as many of the links have a lot of information. These sources will provide more information for anyone in the module who already knows the basics about blogs and wikis. It will give them an opportunity to further their knowledge while others are exploring the basics. As a beginner with my use of blogs and wikis, I feel that you have provided me with all I need to get through the module material AND start my own blog or wiki. I especially like that you give several examples of blog options, but highlight one that is easy to use and moderate. Sometimes this can seem overwhelming and steering those who are reluctant towards a blog that will be easy to use will set them up for success. I am so grateful that I chose your module to review- it has taught me so much! I am amazed at how many PD modules there are. Perhaps DE will serve our PD needs in education more frequently as time goes on.
Hey Lisa, thanks for the comments on the blog and also your voicethread. I have used blogs and wikis for different reasons in my professional life and I really do believe that they have different purposes. Sometimes the editing in a wiki drives me nuts. I have edited that front page on my own wiki about 25 times and no matter how often I try I cannot get the text all of the same size etc. Being a visual learner I like things to look good and I have to tell myself to not get too hung up on how it looks. Especially if other people are going to be adding on to the pages, it will not be perfect ever. I appreciate the positives, I had a lot of doubt going into this assignment for whatever reason. I wanted something that was going to be useful and me creating a lesson/unit for a class that I am never going to teacher wasn't it. So I am glad that you found it useful. Thanks again. g
Hey Gail, I was interested in exploring your module due to the similarities between our projects. You have designed a very practical and relevant module that can be used by teachers to begin constructing blogs and/or wikis with students. Teachers thinking about using blogs or wikis in their classrooms have a great resource that is easy to use, well organized and that provides interesting and engaging links, videos and activities.
I really appreciated the lay-out of your wiki space and found it very easy to navigate. The links on the left side of the wiki provided an easy path for students to navigate and to access different areas of the module. In my opinion, this design feature suits your audience very well. Participants with very little experience with blogs and wikis would find the background information and videos helpful as they decide which tool would suit them and their students best. Educators with more experience in this area who may already know which tool they would like to use may skip the information areas and get right into constructing what they deem appropriate for their needs. This feature makes this module highly conducive for adult learners.
I found the embedded introductory video to be a highly engaging introduction to the module that very effectively sets the stage. Embedding the video is a great feature that makes it more engaging than a simple link to the video which can be easily skipped over.
The descriptions and information links that describe blogs and wikis would be very useful for the teacher new to this area. Personally, I learned a lot about each of these tools from your module. I imagine that teachers that have contemplated using blogs and wikis know what they want to accomplish with their students but are unsure of which tool to use. I believe that your module will effectively answer these questions for teachers. The comparison chart is a great space for teachers to explore these tools in a simple and efficient way.
The subsequent activities are appropriate, broken down into simple yet effective learning pieces and contain pertinent information that should be easily processed by teachers participating in a convention session setting.
My favorite feature of your wiki is the "wallwisher" page. I would love to see what is recorded on the wall as the convention day progresses. The interactive section of the wiki provides ample opportunity for participants to share ideas. and collaborate. In your narrative you mention that one of the ideas or desired outcomes of the session would be collaboration between participants. The participants will have the ability to edit the wiki and contribute to the wallwisher page. Is this how you envision teachers collaborating when using your module on the convention day? Do you have any plans to allow students to interact with audio or perhaps the SMART Board at the Swift Current location?
Your consideration and planning in the event of technology issues is well thought out and provides a great contingency plan in the event that you encounter a technology "snow day."
Do you have any plans for participants to rate the effectiveness of this module? How will you know if participants found the module useful and engaging? Perhaps a future consideration for the module could be adding a participant reflection section at the end of the interactive page. Since you are presenting this at convention you will probably ask participants to provide feedback on a session feedback form. Maybe a feedback section in the wiki would be useful?
Great module Gail!! It is evident that you put some considerable time and effort into the construction of this module. The finished product is highly engaging, well planned and simple to use. Most importantly your module will provide teachers with a resource that they can begin using almost immediately. Thanks and congratulations on your module!
Dean, I have not used the wallwisher page before but thought it might be a different, more interesting way for people to leave a short comment. There would be no pressure about writing a whole ton. I am really hoping to use the Smart board and our Lync connection which all of our computers have access too. This way we can have a conversationa dn share ideas from each site. But i did want to set something up that we could use as a back-up plan just in case the Lync doesn't work that day. I always think the worst thing about being in a different location from the presenter is sitting in a room waiting for the technology to work.
I like your suggestion about having the participants provide feedback about the session. Attaching it to the wiki is a good idea, I think maybe just adding a couple of questions to the interactive page is a good idea. Thanks for the comments Dean!
Is the Module designed in such a way as to reach/connect with and engage the learners for whom it is intended?
ReplyDeleteFrom reading your narrative and going through your DE module, I see that your intended audience consists of teachers within your school division who are interested in expanding their use of technology. I think you have been concise in your presentation, which I feel busy teachers appreciate. I also like how you have outlined the contents into segments, so a busy teacher may view one portion at a time or a few at a time as they progress, without losing the ‘big picture’ or the intent of the module. In that way, I found your module user friendly.
Is the content delivered in engaging, stimulating and challenging ways?
I also felt that the delivery method used in your DE module was user friendly. You clearly identified the purpose and what I could expect to discover from your module – you were comparing and contrasting the uses and design of wikis and blogs. I also liked the fact that you gave examples from education as to how others were using each.
Are the learning activities, multimedia elements (if any) and assignments/learner assessment samples relevant, appropriate? Do they help extend learning?
You included clear and easy-to-follow YouTube videos as well as print explanations. As a digital immigrant, I appreciated the visuals as well as the clear and concise explanations that were free from technical jargon that I may struggle to understand. I also greatly appreciated you taking my learning one step further by showing how other educators used wikis and blogs, so that I could begin slowly testing out tried-and-true examples that others had used.
What is the best aspect of the Module? What is exciting, interesting, unique, creative?
I think the clarity of the explanations and the clear learning sequence that you outlined were the features that I enjoyed most. The most interesting aspect, in my opinion, was the fact that you also linked to many sites that I could explore.
What would make it even better?
This is a hard question for me to answer, as I found your DE module both user-friendly and interesting. So I have only the option of selfishly wondering if you found any math specific examples that I might use in my work with math teachers in my school division?
Thanks, Gail, yours is a DE module that I would like to be able to refer to in the future to teach me how to use wikis and blogs!
Carol, thanks for all of the positive feedback, I really appreciate it. I really struggled to come up with a topic for this module as I no longer teach students directly and I didn't want to just create something that I was never going to use. I am including a math wiki that a friend of mine has used but I have not really looked at in a lot of detail. Thanks again. g
Deletehttp://studentmathmovies.wikispaces.com/home
Hi Gail. My first thoughts when reading/viewing your module were: "I wish I had this resource when I was designing my own blog for this project!" Your wiki is user-friendly with a simple layout. I like how everything was linked back to the homepage so that I never felt lost if I made a wrong turn in navigating the site. You had a great blend of different elements with the oral directions, written directions, comparison chart, and sample sites.
ReplyDeleteI will be the first to admit that teachers can make bad students and I have been at convention sessions where session leaders have had to deal with teachers who are disengaged, disintersted, and even distracted! I like that your module is designed to combat some of these problems. The video on the homepage was a nice touch. Not only is it a nice change from written instructions, it also allows different participants to work at their own pace. In fact, your whole design allows for that. All participants can be engaged in the module but on different tasks. That's important as we know how frustrating it can be as a session leader/teacher to try to keep all of the students/participants engaged in the exact same task.
I think you have been very realistic in estimating the wide range of age levels and technological abilities of teachers. Some may be very familiar with blogs and wikis while others will have almost zero experience in using them. I think your module does a great job in providing a lesson that appeals to all ranges. As someone who has limited experience with blogs and wikis but would like to know more, I found this module very informative and not too overwhelming. The examples and links to other blogs and wikis was a nice touch and, as Carol said, one of my favorite parts of the site. I also think it was smart thinking of your part to choose an asynchronous delivery model in case technology wasn't working that day!
I also enjoyed the "how-to" sections and can see other teachers appreciating this. Teachers want some information but they also want practical solutions. You've given enough background information to allow for informed decision making on the blog vs. wiki debate but also enough opportunity to have students engage in creating their own.
It's hard for me to offer suggestions as your expertise in blogs and wikis far exceeds my limited knowledge. I will echo what Gail said and suggest more subject specific examples like math and science.
Teachers are a tough audience and you've managed to create a module that is appropriate for the the wide range of interests/abilities, appropriate for the time constraints of your session, and useful for all teachers. As someone who has presented at convention days, I know this is no easy task. I woud love to sit in on this session!
Great work!
Thanks for the positive feedback Jaime, much appreciated. I did struggle a bit to figure out how much should be 'live' technology on the day and I think it is best to keep it an asynchronous delivery as you just never know. I have sat at webinars and then the feed doens't come through. I am hoping on the day to be live for everyone and if I can't be then the instructions are clear enough that they can work through them as a group or on their own. The nice thing about this wiki is I can share it with teachers that do not get to my session. I put a math wiki in Carol's response if you want to check it out. Thanks again. g
DeleteHello Gail!
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting such an exemplary module. I have learned so much form viewing it. I posted mine on a wiki as well, but as a first time user of a wiki, I have a long way to go…Your wiki gives me something to aim for!
The screenr that you used to introduce the wiki module gave a clear overview of what the next hour would involve. I think one barrier that has to be addressed for online learning is ensuring that the participants know how to navigate the material. You effectively provided this in an engaging, clear and time efficient manner. Visuals sure can go a long way in clarifying a lot of content in a very short time. I like that you recorded your voice, it created a teacher presence and set a welcoming and supportive tone for the module. It will also serve a practical purpose- those teachers who like to visit and not attend to the material being presented will need to stop talking to hear the introduction/overview! Very crafty, whether intentional or not! What I have read in the other blogs is the sad truth…teachers can be a tough audience.
I like the sense of purpose you create- blogs or wikis? Teachers will be looking at what will serve their needs the best and I think this will help to engage them in the content. The module is helping them to make a decision. I also think the four questions you post on the interactive page allow teachers to reflect upon and share their background knowledge and set their own goal for the module. Another hook to reel them in- well done! The wallwisher is a technology I haven’t used before. It has visual appeal and is perfect for the time frame of your module. I think the teachers are going to enjoy this and will, as I have, think about how I can use this with my students.
Your wiki gives the participants a great example to follow. It is visually appealing, clear, and easy to follow. You have used various tools and ones that teachers can utilize for their own wikis as well. I think the teachers will learn as much from your design as they will from the content.
The amount of text on each page is appropriate for the time frame if the participants stick to your text. If they start clicking on too many links, I don’t think they’ll get through the content in an hour as many of the links have a lot of information. These sources will provide more information for anyone in the module who already knows the basics about blogs and wikis. It will give them an opportunity to further their knowledge while others are exploring the basics.
As a beginner with my use of blogs and wikis, I feel that you have provided me with all I need to get through the module material AND start my own blog or wiki. I especially like that you give several examples of blog options, but highlight one that is easy to use and moderate. Sometimes this can seem overwhelming and steering those who are reluctant towards a blog that will be easy to use will set them up for success.
I am so grateful that I chose your module to review- it has taught me so much! I am amazed at how many PD modules there are. Perhaps DE will serve our PD needs in education more frequently as time goes on.
Hey Lisa, thanks for the comments on the blog and also your voicethread. I have used blogs and wikis for different reasons in my professional life and I really do believe that they have different purposes. Sometimes the editing in a wiki drives me nuts. I have edited that front page on my own wiki about 25 times and no matter how often I try I cannot get the text all of the same size etc. Being a visual learner I like things to look good and I have to tell myself to not get too hung up on how it looks. Especially if other people are going to be adding on to the pages, it will not be perfect ever. I appreciate the positives, I had a lot of doubt going into this assignment for whatever reason. I wanted something that was going to be useful and me creating a lesson/unit for a class that I am never going to teacher wasn't it. So I am glad that you found it useful. Thanks again. g
ReplyDeleteDean's feedback - Part I
ReplyDeleteHey Gail, I was interested in exploring your module due to the similarities between our projects. You have designed a very practical and relevant module that can be used by teachers to begin constructing blogs and/or wikis with students. Teachers thinking about using blogs or wikis in their classrooms have a great resource that is easy to use, well organized and that provides interesting and engaging links, videos and activities.
I really appreciated the lay-out of your wiki space and found it very easy to navigate. The links on the left side of the wiki provided an easy path for students to navigate and to access different areas of the module. In my opinion, this design feature suits your audience very well. Participants with very little experience with blogs and wikis would find the background information and videos helpful as they decide which tool would suit them and their students best. Educators with more experience in this area who may already know which tool they would like to use may skip the information areas and get right into constructing what they deem appropriate for their needs. This feature makes this module highly conducive for adult learners.
I found the embedded introductory video to be a highly engaging introduction to the module that very effectively sets the stage. Embedding the video is a great feature that makes it more engaging than a simple link to the video which can be easily skipped over.
The descriptions and information links that describe blogs and wikis would be very useful for the teacher new to this area. Personally, I learned a lot about each of these tools from your module. I imagine that teachers that have contemplated using blogs and wikis know what they want to accomplish with their students but are unsure of which tool to use. I believe that your module will effectively answer these questions for teachers. The comparison chart is a great space for teachers to explore these tools in a simple and efficient way.
The subsequent activities are appropriate, broken down into simple yet effective learning pieces and contain pertinent information that should be easily processed by teachers participating in a convention session setting.
Dean's feedback - Part II
ReplyDeleteMy favorite feature of your wiki is the "wallwisher" page. I would love to see what is recorded on the wall as the convention day progresses. The interactive section of the wiki provides ample opportunity for participants to share ideas. and collaborate. In your narrative you mention that one of the ideas or desired outcomes of the session would be collaboration between participants. The participants will have the ability to edit the wiki and contribute to the wallwisher page. Is this how you envision teachers collaborating when using your module on the convention day? Do you have any plans to allow students to interact with audio or perhaps the SMART Board at the Swift Current location?
Your consideration and planning in the event of technology issues is well thought out and provides a great contingency plan in the event that you encounter a technology "snow day."
Do you have any plans for participants to rate the effectiveness of this module? How will you know if participants found the module useful and engaging? Perhaps a future consideration for the module could be adding a participant reflection section at the end of the interactive page. Since you are presenting this at convention you will probably ask participants to provide feedback on a session feedback form. Maybe a feedback section in the wiki would be useful?
Great module Gail!! It is evident that you put some considerable time and effort into the construction of this module. The finished product is highly engaging, well planned and simple to use. Most importantly your module will provide teachers with a resource that they can begin using almost immediately. Thanks and congratulations on your module!
Dean, I have not used the wallwisher page before but thought it might be a different, more interesting way for people to leave a short comment. There would be no pressure about writing a whole ton. I am really hoping to use the Smart board and our Lync connection which all of our computers have access too. This way we can have a conversationa dn share ideas from each site. But i did want to set something up that we could use as a back-up plan just in case the Lync doesn't work that day. I always think the worst thing about being in a different location from the presenter is sitting in a room waiting for the technology to work.
DeleteI like your suggestion about having the participants provide feedback about the session. Attaching it to the wiki is a good idea, I think maybe just adding a couple of questions to the interactive page is a good idea. Thanks for the comments Dean!