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Week 5 Reflection!

Week 5 was an interesting Week 5. We focused on Blooms taxonomy and how it fits in with writing learning objectives. I have an understanding of both and how they fit in, but this is the first time I took a couple of the learning objectives, analyzed them and determined where they fit in with Blooms Pyramid. It was very interesting to the learning objectives to be placed where they are and how they were used in the classroom. I have always like using the pyramid to assess how students are progressing and to ensure learning is taking place. This week I had a discussion with a few of my classroom peers about field trips and the financial aspects of field trips, especially in an online environment. I would like to at sometime include a self field trip for students to take, document, and write small report to assess what they have learned in the classroom and to what degree they are able to use the tools they have learned and put them to work outside the classroom.

Week 5 Discussion

Activity5

Week 4 Reflection:

This week we learned about “Jigsaw.” It is kind of interesting because I have used this technique before as an instructor and as a student. This is the first time I had heard the term “Jigsaw,” and it made more sense to me why this idea is used and how useful it can be used. We didn’t have much opportunity to have in depth discussions with this tool, which I think would have been rather interesting. There are so many tools out there to be used for assessment, it is almost mind boggling. The team I worked with was great and wasn’t afraid to offer constructive feedback. It made this assignment a lot easier to get through with minimal 2nd guessing as my group members were always there to offer feedback. The topic I did my tool research on was Micrograde. I do see a lot of benefits that could come from this software, but I really don’t know if I would use it right away? First thing would obviously be, “what is the school using for a grading tool.” I would check that out at first as it may have similar benefits and features. I do like though how Micrograde updates instantly with a place to offer feedback. It amazes, it seems like there are software programs for almost everything that can make curriculum easier, more exciting, and beneficial… it is just a matter of finding it! I have begun to enjoy (more and more) just browsing and searching for assessment tools that can be used in the classroom.

Week 4 Midterm

Midterm Project: Assessment Toolbox (Jigsaw Method)
Assessment in E-Learning – SU10-960C
Alfi Velasco-Hurst, Michael Walz, and Renee Williams
July 2010

Make deliberate attempts to build community in a virtual setting, as it becomes
a means to promoting collaborative learning. (Palloff and Pratt, 1999)
RM Palloff, K Pratt – 1999 – macqunilearners.pbworks.com

Hammers, saws, planes, braces and bits are all tools usually found in a carpenter’s toolbox. As E-Learning educators, we also carry a variety of ‘tools’ in our ‘box’ that can be utilized with students that align with learning objectives. Just as with carpenter’s tools, these e-tools can have benefits as well as weaknesses. In order to learn more about some of these tools, our cooperative jigsaw group, consisting of Alfi Velasco-Herst, Michael Walz and Renee Williams, chose to research one assessment tool each from three different assessment tool categories. Alfi researched Scribblar (Peer-to-peer collaboration), Michael looked into E-Gradebooks – Micrograde (Course tracking tools) , and Renee reviewed Our Story (Reflection Assessment Tool).

Scribblar www.scribblar.com
Alfi Velasco-Hurst

Scribblar is a free online instantly available collaboration tool that features live audio, chat, whiteboard and image sharing capabilities. Used by online learners, trainers and schools around the world, Scribblar is quickly becoming a favorite tool.
It is a free site and can be used instantly, although there is a Pro version to purchase for more ease of use. In the past I have used the free vision several times and am fine with its capabilities.

In Scribblar users can collaborate within their own “room”. Inviting others to join is simple; in fact Scribblar will link to your email and send the invitation out to the invitee.
You can embed Scribblar pages into your WIKI or Blog, which I have done on my blog. I have also included a short tutorial for you:

http://sites.google.com/site/alfivelascohurst/home/using-scribblar

You can also add video or sound (if you have Internet cameras and microphones). I have included a demonstration within my Blog space.

Some benefits of using Scribblar are; it’s free and instantly available to use. It has built-in audio broadcasting and the quality is good. It can take snapshots of work in progress, which you can save and download later as wanted into project. I like the fact I can invite as many people into my room as I want and can invite them instantly. Our team used it the first night of our team meeting and although we did not use all the features, I think we felt ok within its arena. The editing and text tools are very good as well.

A challenge that I have with the tool is the free form drawing. It seems hard to get things they way I want them to be, or maybe it’s just my lack of using this feature properly.
I have found several teacher sites that have used or are using Scribblar within their educational setting. One site: http://www.teachersfirst.com/20/tchrkeyword.cfm?keyword=brainstorming&lower=6&upper=12 used Scribblar with a 6 through 12 setting, here are some of their ideas for use:

“ Students will use pictures from a science lab or experiment to write information on the picture to Rubric standards.
Student groups will collaborate to create a diagram of the steps in a process shown in a photograph to 90 of Rubric standards.
Students will add annotations to an art images or ad layouts, showing design elements and the path of your eye as you view the image to 90% accuracy
Students will create images as a group or use for tutorials with 90% accuracy.
Create artwork or use for brainstorming.
Have students create their own whiteboard as part of a research project.
Project the “Scribblar – whiteboard brainstorming” on your interactive whiteboard or projector as you begin a unit or lesson or to recap the steps in a process with the entire class.
Collaborate with others outside the classroom as you create a community map or action plan together.”

All of these above mentioned learning objectives sound worthy of a modern classroom.
In conclusion it is shown that Scribblar is a worthwhile free tool to have a look at for use within classrooms. The ease of use and the no dollar spent, which is so important in our economic environment, will surely bring many benefits to the users.

Micrograde http://www.chariot.com/micrograde/
Michael Walz

Micrograde is a software management system that an instructor can use for various reasons such as tracking grades, tracking progress, student feedback, and can be accessible by both student and parent via the Internet. It is a program that sure beats the old way of computing grades. Remember when our high school teachers had the big red/brown books that they hand wrote everyone’s name into, put the grade of the assignment and score, then every few weeks the instructor averaged (by hand or calculator, at least twice) all the scores to determine where you were in the class? Now with computers and software, programs such as Micrograde can help this be a thing of the past. Micrograde allows a teacher to enter scores and feedback so that the student can view their recent assignment and make improvements in their coursework beginning today. Micrograde is a software system that offers teachers of any level (elementary thru higher education) a convenient, user friendly and time saving grade book.

A few of the key benefits of Micrograde are:

• Timesaver. This system does all the work for an instructor. The instructor puts in all student information, grades, percentages, etc. It computes the percentages and/or numbers for you to give you a grade instantly.

• Instant feedback. Students can access their grades at any time. This saves the hassle of the student emailing or calling the instructor asking, “How am I doing in the class.”

• Constant classroom development. Micrograde allows an instructor to easily develop reports and graphs that allow the instructor and student to visualize the progress being made.

However, with every great “thing” there has to be setbacks. A few of the challenges faced with Micrograde are:

Cost. The cost of this software is a minimum of $89.00. This is not a lot of money, but if a school won’t cover the cost, does an instructor really want to pay $89.00?

• Another day, Another Class. Students may just log on to look at score, if at all, and not pay any attention in to the feedback given.

A benefit and a challenge in one new feature is Micrograde can integrate with the CMS, Blackboard. The benefit of this is that this allows the teacher to utilize this user-friendly software and its benefits in Blackboard. The downfall of this is that a school system has to utilize Blackboard.

Micrograde is a program that would be used throughout the course. If Micrograde is used for grading, then as an instructor one would need to make certain the students know the tool is out there, give a brief tutorial on how the software works, and remind them to review their scores weekly. Having students log on regularly and making participation in this area mandatory. Have the students respond to questions the instructor wrote in the feedback and have students ask the teacher a question. Students could discuss how they are improving in the course, or even advise what they could be doing better at. This program could not only save time and allow for instant feedback in grades, but also allow for instructor growth as well in meeting student needs.

Learning objective for involving the students in to Micrograde: Following the rubric, the student will analyze their progress in Micrograde at the end of each week.

Using some type of electronic grade book and integrating it in to the course work would definitely be a plus. It can be important that students know where they are at in the content, where they need improvement, and where they can help in the classroom. The sooner the students get their grades for assignments and receive feedback, then the sooner they can adjust to the teacher and enhance learning.

Our Story Ourstory.com
Renee Williams

Using timelines in educational settings can help students relate events over time, visualize trends, tell stories, summarize details, and help them understand the big picture. Started in 2005, Our Story attempts to be “a user-generated personal content web site that combines the best of blogging, photo sharing, digital storytelling, and family history with rich features such as an interactive visual timeline, privacy controls, collaborative email requests and a library of over 2,000 prompting interview questions.” It can be used as both a reflection and peer-to-peer collaboration tool, depending upon how it is set up.

When first logging on to the site, one has a choice of two memberships (both free): Standard (create and share your own timeline) or Guest (read and comment, only). You need to submit your name, email and password to register and must check that you are at least 13 years old (in alignment with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998) and agree to the Terms of Service.

After becoming a member, you immediately have a page titled Collaborate! You are encouraged, but may decline, to invite your family and friends to add stories and photos to your timeline. Following this is Step 1: Select a Question (What was your most memorable family trip? What is the first album or CD you remember buying? ) or you may develop your own. Step 2: Send to family and friends by entering their email addresses. You (thankfully) can skip this option altogether.

The next page is a clear and colorful interface where you can start developing your own timeline. One may click on an icon or drag and drop into a decade or customize by adding your own pictures and/or new names and details. After clicking on your choice and adding a story, a window (once again) appears encouraging you to add the email of the person/people associated with your story (no spam guarantee). It even volunteers to link to your email addresses in Gmail, AOL, Yahoo, etc. You may view your timeline in playable mode (a clever addition), export it as a widget, choose story color, or subscribe to RSS feed. The ads are refreshingly unobtrusive. One may add videos, make into a photo book or postcard, or burn it to a DVD. Just like Facebook, it’s important to set privacy controls carefully (found under Settings). While all of this is free, the Premium Membership is $49.94, which allows members additional ways to manage privacy, creates unlimited profiles, access spell-check, text formatting, and more design and color options. There is a video (linked to the bottom About Us) but is more of an advertisement rather than help.

While there are many positive aspects of Our Story, there are a number of weaknesses and challenges, too. There was no HELP option, so when I could not find how to edit a point on my timeline or add a decade, I was left with self-problem solving. Even a brief Jing tutorial would have been a good idea. I got tired of being frequently asked whom I wanted to invite. The default privacy settings are set as public, so I had to work on insuring that only I could view my timeline. I got the feeling that this site had not been updated for several years and was surprised that there wasn’t an audio component to add voice clips or music, for example. There was no way to print out the timeline, which would be an especially helpful option in an educational setting. As an elementary school teacher, students would not be able to utilize this tool independently because of the age restriction.

Even with these shortcomings, there could be some carefully crafted authentic applications of this tool in an online classroom that encourages collaboration between students. Here are some examples:
• Delineate a class timeline noting important events, deadlines, and/or assignments. Students and/or teachers could add comments and details to supporting ‘stories’. Finished videos or photos could be added to the corresponding event for all to view.
• Students develop their own personal timeline where other classmates can add comments. These could be either their lives from the past or their future hopes and goals.
• Working in collaborative jigsaw groups, student could develop a timeline of a famous person, an event in history, an invention, countries, period of time, etc.
• Students (either independently or collaboratively) develop their work progression timeline for a long-term project.

Attaching meaningful learning objectives to this tool should help focus and direct the possible activities. Some learning objectives, aligned with the above activities and connected to this assessment tool could be:

• The students will collaboratively develop a timeline using Our Story to outline the major events of Benjamin Franklin’s life by incorporating at least three major details per decade during his lifetime.
• Each student will identify at least ten major personal life events using Our Story to create a timeline.
• Each student, working in cooperative jigsaw groups, will describe the correct series of events that led to the invention of the telephone, T.V. or radio, using the timeline in My Story.
• Each student will create a personal timeline in order to determine the steps needed to finish a long-term project.

While Our Story has many potential benefits (collaboration, clean format, visuals, clever ways to design a timeline, options for privacy, etc.) it could benefit from an update with options to add audio and a help section. Would I use it with my 4th graders? Not with the registration requiring students to be over 13 years old and the occasional ‘glitches’ without help available. Would I use it with older students? I’d want to do more research on other timeline tool options, including Excel, before feeling confident that this product was the best timeline tool currently available for instruction and assessment.

In conclusion, these three E-learning tools (Scribblar, MicroGrade, and Our Story) provide students with the opportunities for collaboration and exposure to multiple assessment measures. Harvard Profession of Education Chris Dede states that ‘…in our second-generation assessments, we need broader measures, multiple measures that look at the different kinds of things that students have learned and have mastered.” (Edutopia – Online). Carpenters require a variety of tools in their toolboxes to get the job done correctly. Similarly as E-Learning educators, it is our responsibility to provide meaningful and rich learning opportunities for our students. Having access to, and knowledge of, a variety of assessment tools will help insure that we, as teachers, meet the needs of our students.

Week 3 Reflection!

The topic that I was most interested and am very intrigued to see what the future holds is “virtual worlds.” There are so many questions I have out there that just cannot be answered until it is seen. I do see virtual classroom becoming a great tool for assessment and a way to get the student in to the technical realm of things without any major consiquences. I have to be honest that I have not tried any of the virtual worlds and know I will find myself visiting a few of them over the course of the next few months and “checking them out.” For an assignment we had this week we had to link an assessment tool with learning objectives. I actually found this harder to do then I thought… It reminds me that I am continually and constantly tweaking learning objectives, and need to continue to do so, to meet the needs of my students. I haven’t done as much blogging and blogging “surfing” as I would have liked this week as my work schedule was a hetic one this week but look forward to doing so! This blogging stuff is already starting to grow on me a little bit!

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