Craig Hansen's Blog

Blender Lite - Lt Cmdr Gordon Robinson's file

2009-05-11T20:27:00.000-07:00

After Gordon's online meeting, I committed to sharing the 'Blender' file.
If Bronwyn thinks appropriate, maybe we could do a session on how to use it.
http://www.theoscarclub.org.nz/files/Blender_Lite.xls
Click the post title to get the file or past the url above into your browser or ftp client to download.

Cheers

Craig

Articles of Interest

2009-04-22T23:55:00.000-07:00

These are the articles I will summarise and use as a resource framework for my evaluation project.

Elgort, I., Smith, A. G. & Toland, J. (2008). Is wiki an effective platform for group course work? Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 24(2), 195-210.

Evaluation Cookbook

evaluation of ipods at duke university

A Virtual Laboratory Structure for Developing Programming Labs, Josep Prieto-Blazquez, Jordi Herrera-Joancomarti, Ana-Elena Guerrero-Roldán

TENTube: A Video-based Connection Tool Supporting Competence Development
Albert A. Angehrn and Katrina Maxwell INSEAD / Centre for Advanced Learning Technologies (CALT), Fontainebleau, France

Quality Matters Rubric Standards 2008-2010 edition with Assigned Point Values

Criteria for Evaluating the Quality of Online Courses Clayton R. Wright

The eLearning Guild : eBook - Tips - Online Instruction

eLearning Guidebook

2009-04-22T18:54:00.001-07:00

The eLearning guidebook describes some types of evaluation to improve course deployment. I think, due to the stage of deployment we are at with our course, the front-end analysis is the best method. Says the guidebook:

Carrying out such surveys periodically and especially prior to the full roll-out of e-learning will enable your organization to get a better handle on how to align its services to meet the needs of prospective users

Not only will this front-end analysis help us get it right for learners, it will give us a benchmark and parameters to do any other of the methods of evaluation, a comparison stick.

Types of Evaluation Models

2009-04-22T18:41:00.000-07:00

I would agree with Tom Reeves that teachers, and more specifically instructional designers are not really interested in evaluation for the purpose of understanding the deepest rules of life, the universe or the meaning of life. I do agree also that teachers are problem-solvers, solution-focused and wholly interested in doing stuff better to ensure student learn better. Of the approaches described by Reeves and Hegarty, I prefer a mixed model, going for what ever is efficient and effective. I actually prefer surveys compared between what people say they did, what other people observe happened and what the data says. This helps to make clear the difference or consistency between how the student sees what they did, and how they did it. This understanding can feed into modifying the resources they receive in future, the guidance provided, the expectations given to them, the committments made by them...

Useful stuff from Gráinne Conole

2009-03-28T20:25:00.000-07:00

I am reading through "Describing learning activities - Tools and resources to guide practice" by Gráinne Conole. The point is made that the shift is from focus on the content of learning (images, text, media etc. and how it is presented) to the focus on the social approaches involved in learning. I have pulled diferent parents out of the text to create the bulleted, levelled list below. The black text is mine.

Learning Design (as deﬁned in the Introduction to this volume) speciﬁes
the teaching and learning process, along with the conditions under which it occurs
and the activities performed by the teachers and learners in order to achieve the
required learning objectives.

The article also helped me to understand some key terms:

• digital assets – normally a single file (e.g. an image, video or audio clip),
sometimes called a ‘raw media asset’;
• information objects – a structured aggregation of digital assets, designed purely
to present information;
• learning activities – tasks involving interactions with information to attain a
speciﬁc learning outcome; - this is where we consider:
what the learners should know, or be able to do, after
completing a learning activity
The pedagogy (learning and teaching approaches) - I believe this would influence the type of "mediating artefacts" used, as the tools or resources provided would be considered useful only within the approach being applied
The tasks undertaken. This speciﬁes the type of task, the (teaching) techniques
used to support the task, any associated tools and resources, the interaction
and roles of those involved and the assessments associated with the learning
activity. The tasks have a range in them too, which I have summarised:
assimilative tasks - reading, viewing or listening
information handling - gather and classify
adaptive - modelling or simulation software
communicative - such as pair dialogue group-based discussions
productive - something is made
experiential - practising or investigating

• learning design – structured sequences of information and activities to promote
learning.

The pedagogy and learning design parts are where I believe I concentrate on the Communities of Practice theory or approach, designing learning opportunities that are shared with others, performed in a real content, have impact on others/self and the learning can build on previous understandings (my nod to constructivism), while also being not too great a leap in ability required (read here 'Vygotsky').
I have inserted the video below as it describes building a community of practice - or interest - and is generic enough to be used by educators.
http://www.stepforward.co.nz
http://www.theoscarclub.org.nz
http://www.keakids.co.nz

My Guidelines

2009-03-17T18:59:00.000-07:00

The following is my first cut at choosing some elearning guidelines that would be useful to apply to, or review with, a project I am involved in.

Then I realised I was getting confused between:

The organisation I work with, implementing an LMS and developing blended learning strategies for presently operating courses (7000 learners), also creating an NZ first for a new course delivered 75% online, and,
The non-profit that I am working with 'for love', creating a single new course from the ground up for NZQA approval, developing courses to put on the Moodle install we have, with my understanding of the types of people working in the OSCAR childcare sector.

CUT ONE - the key ideas for me are bold, the ones that grabbed my attention. My thoughts are in red after each guideline.
TT13 Does the teacher evaluate the e-learning during the course
to identify its effectiveness and how to improve it?
TT2 Does course assessment relate to intended learning
outcomes and to student learning needs and situations?
TT5 Do students get clearly defined and documented
assessment criteria at the start of each course?
TT15 Are you able to measure and monitor student activity in a
learning management system?
MD1 What systems are in place for monitoring the quality of study material, including its periodic review and or
redevelopment?
MO11 Has the institution collaboratively developed a vision for e-
learning that is aligned with its overall vision for teaching
and learning?
MO20 What systems are in place for ensuring that teaching and
support staff have the knowledge, experience and ability to
match the objectives of the institution? Is there even any recognition of this match and the potentially signiicant returns for the organisation?
SD2 Do students have any choice in terms of what they learn,
the particular resources they will study and / or the learning
activities they will engage in? A self-selected course of study, with learning activities chosen as desired ust be really powerful - how do I do this an not burn out developing 3 different learning opportunities and potential assessment activities for our non-profit?
SD3 Do students gain knowledge relevant to employment and/or
current thinking in their field? Wafle will not be tolerated in the organisation, especially when a core motivation for the elearning development and the LMS deployment is to save 'man-power non'effective' time in class getting spoon fed content. We have to be 'precise'.
ST2 Do the students know at the start of the course what is
expected of them? How many times and in how many ways do we explain this - I guess a good evaluative measure, asking the right questions in the right way will show it. Like the study of different media types

ST5 Have activities been identified that allow individuals and
groups to learn through experience, including opportunities
to demonstrate, reinforce knowledge, develop
understanding and practice skills? Some course may be revision that improves practice, because the person is already doing a good job but is motivated to get another 'nugget of wisdom'. A preenrolment measure that captures this will be important for the non-profit.

My SECOND CUT: I will focus on the non-profit as I have in many ways, more control over the process and the implementation of evaluation.

MD1 What systems are in place for monitoring the quality of study material, including its periodic review and or
redevelopment? I chose this because it covers more than one other question, as it includes scope for assessment criterial up front, support materials, content structure, accessibility etc.

ST5 Have activities been identified that allow individuals and
groups to learn through experience, including opportunities
to demonstrate, reinforce knowledge, develop
understanding and practice skills? I chose this one because I want to use a 'communities of practice' approach to course development, hands on, workplace based learning and this question's answers can be evaluated in this type of course.
http://www.stepforward.co.nz
http://www.theoscarclub.org.nz
http://www.keakids.co.nz

Evaluation

2009-03-17T18:02:00.000-07:00

Evaluation importance...

Evaluation is about feedback. Feedback provides valuable information that confirm the path we are on is effective, it can point to areas of improvement and it can highlight redundant activities or products. I define evaluation as feedback for the purpose of changing a practice.

I am familiar with diagnostic, formative and summative assessment, having used both as a teacher and business person.

Quality important in eLearning because:

student outcome may not improve
organisational benefits may not be realised
resources used may have been better spent elsewhere

It is important to acknowledge that quality of a learning process is not something that is delivered to a learner by an e-learning provider but rather constitutes a process of co-production between the learner and the learning-environment. That means that the product/ outcome of an educational process is not exclusively a result of the production process of an educational institution. Quality therefore has to do with empowering and enabling the learner. It has to be defined at the final position of the provision of the learning-services: the learner. http://www.eurodl.org/materials/contrib/2004/Online_Master_COPs.html

Here is a slideshare about evaluating using a rubric, imilar measures to Bronwyn's video.

Evaluating Distance Education: Focus on Online Course Evaluation

View more presentations from desertjul.
http://www.stepforward.co.nz
http://www.theoscarclub.org.nz
http://www.keakids.co.nz

The eLearning Guidelines website

2009-03-16T19:31:00.000-07:00

The eLearning Guidelines website
This resource is an excellent tool to use:

prior to esablishing an online learning environment
as formative assessment regaridng delivery
to evaluate an ROI at milestones after delivery
enabling good questions to be asked of the right people about the right things

Four of the guidelines discussed:

SO3 Are prospective students made aware of the teaching style
and course delivery approaches inherent to e-learning?

There is a fundamental shift in learner expectations that occurs when a learner moves from a face2face course, traditional delivery... into an online environment. I believe my organisation would benefit from:

making clear that elearning is new to the organisation and to them
they will no be penalised for systemic difficulties and in fact their contribution to growing the success of elearning will enhance their career prospects
the notion of force-fed, hand delivered content has died and a more interactive, self-managing, self-motivated approach will be the norm
the skills required to access learning opportunities may be new, and an investment of personal time is mandatory

ST6 Are problem solving skills addressed through project and
inquiry-based teaching & learning?

The idea of learning through a scenario, that is work-specific, challenging, where success is measured by completion ... has always been part of my organisation. Now, the new challenge for my organisation is to develop:

rich online scenarios that have
opportunities for team work,
for peer feedback and
supervisors to correct,
that is as challenging as real life situations,
where life and death could be the outcome.

MO17 How does the institution monitor the impact and
effectiveness of e-learning?

At this stage I am pretty sure my organisation has not considered effectiveness, has not considered what effectiveness actually means. Whether student outcomes, ROI or instructor capability are the measures, I have not seen the precise measures articulated yet. Cost effective (reduced cost and increased operational readiness) has been stated. Learning outcomes - no.
These guidelines provide a good starting point for measurement.

MD2 What guidance is available to staff for the design of student
assessment?

The training development cell has a cadre of qualified, respected staff. Moving to an elearning, blended mode of delivery will require a great deal of discussion and shared learning to ensure we can:

design assessment ouselves that are reliable and valid,
encompassing the new tools available,
increase collaboration and community strategies...

....thus increasing our own effectiveness when guiding schools to design assessments.

The Importance & Purpose of Evaluation

2009-03-16T18:06:00.000-07:00

So I watched Bronwyn's slide show about why evaluation is so important. The key idea I am picking up on is that formative evaluation is key to increasing the value to students in:

their ability to access the information
their ability to interact with the information
their ability to interact with other for the benefit of learning

It can also provide value to the course provider to know whether or not the course has any value at all. It all has cost to a provider; time, resources diverted, real dollar investment and the opportunity cost (the investment could have gone into another area for a better return).

The purpose of the evaluation is key. The WHY? question being answered at the outset can save previous time and money, making the tools for evaluation more precise and productive.

"...students will only keep coming to an institution if they know they will receive a high quality learning experience" http://www.wikieducator.org/WikiEdProfessional_eLearning_Guidebook/Evaluating_the_impacts_of_eLearning/The_importance_of_evaluation

A great example is the podcasting of lectures (http://connect.educause.edu/Library/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/PodcastingLectures/39987). These course producers could have:

spent significant time, money, resources and intellectual property investing in videos and slideshows of course content,
spend much time talking with students about how this was a trial and not much was expected to be of benefit, ...
making it mobile ready or burning to CD or DVD and
offered multiple ways to download as a mutlivariant test, then...
making the fatal mistake thinking that new, recorded lecture content could replace scheduled lectures... only to find:

53% downloaded audio files (podcasts) as their preference - not video, not hard copy media
66% downloaded files to listen to as REVIEW of lectures attended - reinforce learning
63% listen at home - being clever with mobile device-appropriate recordings was not neccessary as home use meant likely a stereo or computer was used
69% liked the system being used
A massive 73% thought it had a POSITIVE effect on their grades

Formative assessment, knowing why (purpose) they were asking and being clear on what (accurate) to ask reaped significant feedback that could be employed immediately on the same course and other courses that students thought could benefit from audio file support.

Vygotsky and Social Cognition

2009-03-15T18:22:00.000-07:00

What children can do on their own is their level of actual development and what they can do with help is their level of potential development. http://www.funderstanding.com/content/vygotsky-and-social-cognition

For our OSCAR services training we can apply Vygotsky's Social Cognition theory by ensuring the feedback and support loop is clear, consistent and timely.

This will help students to understand how their practice / application of learning can get better, become more effective and adaptable.

As we have so many venues for students to practice their craft, it is important to ensure that the feedback is delivered to a similar level of quality and based on the same standard expected.

Social Cognition = learning within a relationship

Communities of Practice

2009-03-15T18:01:00.000-07:00

"Knowledge is inseparable from practice. It is not possible to know without doing. By doing, we learn."

Only in terms of assessing learning by an outsider, or by someone else in the community, does knowledge have to be embedded in practice. People can learn and not apply that learning, and this does not devalue the learning.

"Empowerment–or the ability to contribute to a community–creates the potential for learning. Circumstances in which we engage in real action that has consequences for both us and our community create the most powerful learning environments."

This has potential for a strong impact on developing our OSCAR courses; the practical experiences, application of learning, demonstrating new practices, refining present practices, contributing to others in the OSCAR courses/sector etc. etc. shoudl all occur within the real work environment as much as possible. This is good for the learner and the community of practice.

Multiple Intelligences

2009-03-15T17:35:00.000-07:00

This theory of learning could be simplified into a how/where question, "how do you like to learn?' or "where do you like to learn?"

When I create online learning and assess it, I need to keep a mental or digital check-list to ensure I am not leaning too heavily on one type of learning process, context or environment.

Verbal-Linguistic–learn with poems or song or discussion or speeches or debates an expression of ideas bringing clarity to thoughts
Logical-Mathematical–find patterns in real life or something theoretical, and come up with a rule
Visual-Spatial–good for measurement, sports contexts, lego
Body-Kinesthetic–could be mechanical, or dance, tactile
Musical-Rhythmic–sing a song to learn by rote or natural sounds
Interpersonal–interviews or discussion
Intrapersonal–Thinking, pondering, reflecting

I reckon the 7 above provide guidance to ensuring the learning environment has different spaces and resources, learning activities reflect different opportunities to take in new information or apply learning and assessment may be 'free choice' or has variety in terms of how learning is demonstrated.

plug: www.theoscarclub.org.nz for after school care in New Zealand

Learning Styles

2009-03-15T16:51:00.000-07:00

The quote below gives the summary of the four styles.

I reckon most of my education has been abstract and reflection - thinking about new ideas and applying it or reflecting on it, with another abstract situation.

I our development of training for OSCAR providers, this theory reminds me that I need to get a good balance in the types of learning opportunities and the assessments demanded.

Students should be able to have choices between (Conc) delivering a real life application of a concept, (Abs) evaluating an idea from analysis, (Act)using new ideas to change behaviour or processes, and (refl) reflecting on the outcomes or judging value.

Concrete and abstract perceivers–Concrete perceivers absorb information through direct experience, by doing, acting, sensing, and feeling. Abstract perceivers, however, take in information through analysis, observation, and thinking.
Active and reflective processors–Active processors make sense of an experience by immediately using the new information. Reflective processors make sense of an experience by reflecting on and thinking about it.

http://www.funderstanding.com/content/learning-styles

Brain Based Learning

2009-03-15T16:34:00.000-07:00

I would have thought that everyone's brain was a base for learning, however two points:

Feedback is best when it comes from reality, rather than from an authority figure.
People learn best when solving realistic problems.

http://www.funderstanding.com/content/brain-based-learning

re n.1 above... So, feedback systems should be part of the learning context (e.g. a statistical project to help a shop owner decide best times of day to sell flowers... let the shop owner or, even better, sales figures show the result or outcome as feedback - good or bad - rather than the classroom based tutor).

re n.2 above.... As in the example above, a life-based problem rather than something esoteric is better. Preferably something that provides a real life, value added solution like increased sales, purer water for a village or cheaper fuel for beneficiaries.

Neoroscience

2009-03-15T16:18:00.000-07:00

"the brain is better described as a self-organizing system." (http://www.funderstanding.com/content/neuroscience)

Notwithstanding the quote above, our brains need a little help.

Why do blogs have dates? So we know what is most recent.
Why are blogs archived? So we can search/review previous posts in a chunked manner.
Why do blogs have teasers and titles? So our we can choose whether to invest time ready it or not based on title and brief content.

It is about providing "context" for the content.

So, even a self organising brain can get some help from a well constructed blog, learning environment (LMS) or book (contents, index, glossary etc. are old-world technologies that actually work in the new 2.0 world).

plug: www.theoscarclub.org.nz - NZ's nationwide listing of after school care providers

Piaget’s Developmental Theory

2009-03-15T15:38:00.000-07:00

I don't think that Piaget’s Developmental Theory has much to offer my development of an online course for those working in the OSCAR childcare sector.
As most students should be well past the Formal operations (beginning at ages 11-15)
or at least able to think about concepts before application, there is not much that would impact my course design based on his theory.

Behaviourism

2009-03-15T15:24:00.000-07:00

While I am a constructivist educator, I DO accept that reinforcement aids learning new skills and can make observable (encourages demonstration) what is possibly only learned inside the mind.
For example, my kids my learn through a constructivist method how wash dishes (first cups, then plates, then big cooking pots etc. warm water, then hot), dry them and put them away. I want to see it.
They can describe how to do it. They tell me they know how to do it.
When I praise them for a good job or discipline & reteach small steps for a bad job, they get better - it is observable learning.
Behaviourism's reinforcement, combined with constructivist, small steps in building learning, is effective. I like behaviour to be demonstrated - like kids getting better at the dishes as this is evidence, observable.

The YouTube Videos on this Blog

2009-03-15T14:59:00.001-07:00

For our non-profit's website www.theoscarclub.org.nz I have been using animoto.com to create some short movies on many of the pages.
The videos on the blog are not really about the topic of this blog, but one or two may be and I will highlight this on my blog when they are relevant to the courses I am studying this semester.

Constructivism

2009-03-15T14:53:00.000-07:00

I am reading the pages for one of my courses (
I think that I am a constructivist. I think this because describes the things I do in managing learning like building on prior knowledge, assessing in a formative way, using strategies like getting students to analyze, interpret, and predict etc.
http://www.funderstanding.com/content/constructivism
At Teachers' College I was taught to teach in this way, and working on adult learning programmes has reinforced this way of behaving.
Maybe when I read the next 11 (!) theories I will change my mind or come to a balance between the theories.

Educational Design for eLearning & Evaluation of eLearning for Best Practice

2009-03-01T11:59:00.000-08:00

Greetings All

I have started two courses this semester and am really looking forward to learning stuff!
The two courses are:

Educational Design for eLearning &
Evaluation of eLearning for Best Practice

Time will be pressing for me, so this blog will now be used for both courses; assignments, course comments, reflections etc.

My expectations for both courses is to grow my network, engage with innovative thinking and to be more aware of the research out there for my future PhD - when that finally happens.

Cheers!

Feedback please www.theoscarclub.org.nz

2009-03-01T11:57:00.000-08:00

Hi

We are working on our after school care website, set up to give OSCAR services in NZ an easy way to find professional development, and for parents to easily find an OSCAR service for their kids.
Please check our www.theoscarclub.org.nz and give us some feedback on this blog or from the website itself on the contact form.

thanks in advance

Craig and the NZSET team

Special Opportunity - 3D Simulator Interview

2008-12-22T19:09:00.000-08:00

I got the chance to interview Evan at the NZ Navy about his 3D work creating simulators for training people with the new engines on the frigates.
The powerpoint on the interview is here (http://www.slideshare.net/CraigHansen2008/craig-foc-08-evan-interview-presentation/)
The audio was recorded with Audacity (see below) and edited with it also. The files are accessible at the site here, on the right hand block of the page - click the files and they will load. Be patient as some files are 20 to 56MB!

You can see a movie of the PowerPoint here on YouTube
The following is the summary of the interview...

3D Engine Simulator

3D Graphic Environment for simulators – in this instance a new Navy frigate engine
Designed to go on an LMS

Optimising to fit the delivery mode – onshore, on a boat, at home etc.
Created from a pedagogical perspective to encourage a methodical approach or process to problem identification and resolution
Accurately provides a model that can be interacted with, providing all the parts to scale and spec, able to be dismantled and put back together

Problem based scenarios that constantly change

Mathematically things can happen in simulation that might happen once in 1000 years, only in extreme or unique circumstances
Allows learners to download the simulator anywhere, anytime for new learning or refreshing learning

Endless opportunities to reuse the simulation

Facilities available for subject matter experts to interact with learners

Collaborative learning, synchronous (at the same time)
Coaching on the spot
Trouble shooting anywhere, anytime
Observation of team dynamic and assessment for promotion and training

Online Conference (Inteview) Summary

2008-12-22T18:54:00.000-08:00

Good thing: we did the interview
Learning point: be in a good reception area, segment recordings and make summary notes as you go.

We covered a number of things in the interview. It was conducted through Skype, and recorded, edited and exported with Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/). The following is a summary of all points from the interview. There is a powerpoint on the interview here on SlideShare (http://www.slideshare.net/CraigHansen2008/craig-foc-08-afterinterview-presentation/)
The sound files of the interview have been edited for reasons of size, quality and topical accuracy (i.e. we talked about the rugby for some of it)
The links for the sound files are on this site here, on the right hand block and can be clicked to load and play - be patient, as they are between 20 to 56MB!
There are movies of the powerpoints on YouTube here

The Process used by BISAM

Client describes the problem or issue
BISAM seeks client ideas about solutions that would suit their industry

CLIENT has; big idea about industry, small ideas about IT solutions
BISAM has; small ideas about the industry, big ideas about IT solutions

Provide general advice, book further time for more detailed solutions
Google potential solutions, speak with other experts
Gain clarification, increased understanding from client of issues in the industry
Produce a brief of tools for potential solutions, alternatives from present practice

An example from the Print industry was used, describing the need for online ordering. The client thought they would use

Scan and email solutions was proposed by client
BISAM provided an online option, capturing bookings and provide a ‘proof’ for customers online

The outcome provided greater effectiveness (quality/milestones achieved), efficiency (time/dollars) then expected by the client.

The use of Open Source solutions
We covered:

Open source verses freeware
Open source software can be developed feely

Start a community on the new development
Grow a base of developers
A completely different product may result

The Mambo vs. Jooma was given
It was suggested business models can be built on the strategic vision of company, rather than the commercial boundaries set by non-open source owners
The role of community in developing open source software was highlighted
The CINDEOS CMS vs. site@schools example was given
The real power of open source software is the quality of what can be created and the specialisation it can achieve, and can rival commercial products due to user input being extensive, with precise feedback that is implemented.

The use of Drupal as a CMS
Key Points

Straight forward to install
Easy to use, intuitive to create content and modify
Cost effectiveness of set up and ready to go being $300 to $500 in total Iincludes following)

Users set up
Themes and modules and plug ins installed and ready to go
Ready to use

This was a direct set of questions from a FOC08 member
Drupal installs have organic groups, though do need more precise control levels of page development
Jooma as an alternative was discussed, not as powerful for collaboration as Drupal.
Jooma has attractive templates that look clean, slick, tidy.
The time commitment needed to keep a Drupal website looking good is a factor
Commercial use of Drupal by very large publishing and media organisations (Fast Company)

The Updates Issue
Managing updates – be mindful of...

Compatibility with content
Time consuming compared with initial install
Security updates could be a lower level of priority
Back ups of users and content is highly important – of the server and a local back up
Must-have updates should be done keep things cost effective

The update cost can be reduced by only installing updates that provide both functionality and security revisions

Organic Groups in Drupal
Organic groups with Drupal

Self developing, maintaining, enabling
Set authority levels, authentication

Wikis
Wikis provide the opportunity for people to:

Contribute ideas, learning, experiences
Add, Modify, Share contributions on a global platform

Wikis may contain a variety of contributions:

Subjective thoughts on topics or events, Perceptions or viewpoints, Perspectives and opinions,
Facts – verifiable information with dates, times, events, people and contributions that can be substantiated

Wikis can track how the contributions have developed over time:
Versions showing how alterations were made; like an editing track

History – showing who, what, when, how and possibly why changes were made
The capability to refer back to previous versions to identify the workflow and
To understand the development of knowledge as a whole

SlideShare Link

2008-12-13T00:29:00.000-08:00

http://www.slideshare.net/CraigHansen2008/craig-foc-2008-presentation/

Click the link above to see the introductory slideshow to the Miniconference
The slideshow was created in MS Office 2008, and then saved in a lower version to .pps format
Some effects, transitions have been lost

The Mini Conference Process

2008-12-12T23:31:00.000-08:00

This is the process I have gone through to set up the mini-conference. It did not happen.
10/10/2008
Email to Leigh to discuss my complete lack of ideas about the mini conference, back and forward to settle on Open Source, Drupal and Moodle.
20/10/2008
PowerPoint of interview scope drafted (see SlideShare Link http://www.slideshare.net/CraigHansen2008/craig-foc-2008-presentation/)
24/11/2008
Emailed BISAM to finalise interview.
25/11/2008
Confirmation reply from BISAM about interview timings.
26/11/2008
Sent initial interview topics and questions to BISAM
26/11/2008
Logged onto eMIT and sent email to all users. Identified the topic, the date and requested questions from group members.
Responses added to questions and question content modified / adapted to group members’ themes.
Questions sent to BISAM in prep.
27/11/2008
Attempted initial SKYPE test drive during the day in preparation for the night
27/11/2008
Interview canceled for BISAM personal reasons
4/12/2008
Second attempt at interview – canceled for technical reaons
7/12/2008
Emailed Leigh to confirm the interview could not happen
7/12/2008
Leigh suggested a full plan write up if it cannot happen
12/12/2008
Interview booked to happen – it did not for unknown reasons

When you unpack the impacts

2008-12-11T22:44:00.001-08:00

"What is the web all about?
Not about information.
It's about linking people, in ways we have not done before, and is changing... we need to rethink all of these things..."
Very cool YouTube video about community
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPAO-lZ4_hU

This next one is a thought-provoking video of students today, and how educational reality does not match community reality for students
http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o

FOC 2008 Report Back

2008-12-11T15:06:00.001-08:00

What were the most enjoyable aspects of this course?
I enjoyed looking at other member's blogs, their resources or links list and the conference planning nots (actually found that more beneficial than the content)

What were the most challenging aspects of this course?
Seriouslly, keepin up to date and on time, and ensuring third-parties that was relying on were on track.

Did the course meet your expectations? How or how not?
It gave me a good intro to the facilitation of online learning, I now know a little more about what I do not know...

What improvements would you suggest?
Break up the online conference into some smaller discrete units; the planning as one section, the topic generation as another (maybe with rationale), the delivery, the eval...

Any other comments?
We have a fantastic tutor running it!

Looking for online community: Discussion forums

2008-12-07T23:16:00.000-08:00

It can be quite difficult to find a discussion forum that matches my needs from a content-perspective.
Some groups or discussion forums have a likely topic (e.g. http://groups.google.com/group/alt.childcare/topics?lnk=srg), but are filled with ads to 'make money while working form home' which might match a childcare topic but it ends up being about AMWAY etc. or advertising adults sites.
So, maybe groups should be member driven, with approved membership... (http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/onlinefacilitation/), as Joe Manna says:

Communities which are public usually have three problems:
- Trolls
- Fear from New Users
- Spam Exposure

(http://www.communityspark.com/why-making-all-of-your-forums-private-is-a-bad-idea/)

Some ways to make a discussion forum worthwhile are:

have students teach students - ensure as tutor that I pick someone with a good attitude and good ideas or perspectives to share
Moderate loosely but precisely - use a gentle hand in editing or culling posts, but be very clear about standards and topics to be covered and when disconnecting someone make it very obvious so peers learn by example
Don't be a Nazi - I don't have to be in complete control (http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-behave-on-an-internet-forum)

And, while the following quote was primarily talking about the IT or tools for use, I think the pre-course tutor choice is essential!

"...empower the teacher to impact on the learner and learning environment and whether the teacher is able to design, facilitate and direct the learning experience towards “educationally worthwhile learning outcomes”..."

(http://incsub.org/blog/2004/communication-dynamics-discussion-boards-weblogs-and-the-development-of-communities-of-inquiry-in-online-learning-environmentshttp://incsub.org/blog/2004/communication-dynamics-discussion-boards-weblogs-and-the-development-of-communities-of-inquiry-in-online-learning-environments)

Reviewing the online MiniConference for FOC08 Asgn 3

2008-12-06T22:18:00.001-08:00

http://www.wikieducator.org/Facilitating_online_communities/course_mini_conference#2-9Nov_Managing_Multimembership_in_Social_Networks

Evaluation:

organised and promoted: the summary of the topic was full enough, the ways to contribute were simple
managed and conducted smoothly: the survey put me in the right mind, listening to the voice threads gave me a reference for where others were thinking, the planning notes on the wiki are full and its clear who did what...
all participants knew where they were supposed to be and when: clear enough
set the stage: the discusssion threads headed us in the right direction and is a clear record of the ideas shared http://scope.lidc.sfu.ca/mod/forum/view.php?id=1171
Whether the facilitator did a round up, drew closure and indicated where recordings and other follow up materials would be made available: all clear and labeled
Was the follow up done in a timely and professional manner? YES
What the facilitator did well: lots of questions, not too much 'summarising other's responses', thoughtful resposnes
How the event could be facilitated better: a slideshare of the key learnings
General comments and additions: nil

2008-12-06T21:54:00.000-08:00

I decided to join facebook (www.facebook.com).
It took quite some time for the confirmation email to come through so I could start finding friends.
Finding friends was like finding some sprats in a massive ocean; there are so many people with my own name... it was harder finding my own mates than the organisational facebook pages that I wanted to join.

To have effective facilitation in a facebook environment I would consider doing the following:

getting agreement on ground rules
asking for ideas, shared resources and experiences on a topic of interest (like a simply links list of appropriate resources like http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2358208324 or FAQ)
let friends define priorities for topics
identify expertise in the friends
use other tools (Google Gears and Google Apps) to plan and share understanding and create presentations that are easy to access (e.g. SlideShare.com)
build a rotation of the role for Social Director on a topic or online event

Ideas from:
http://tilz.tearfund.org/Publications/Footsteps+51-60/Footsteps+60/Effective+facilitation.htm
http://veronique-online.blogspot.com/2007/12/assessment-4-reflection-on-facilitation.html

Cool Drupal Sites

2008-11-26T14:14:00.000-08:00

Country
! Belgium !

Linked Media Content (TV & Web)
ABC family Channel
- has groups, downloads etc. commercial, slick and informative

Community portals
e.g. Team Sugar

Academic
e.g. University of Fine Arts

Media Companies
e.g. Sony Music

Promotional
e.g. Beyonce - suburb quality an integration of content, media etc.
News, Blog, competitions, video, sound clips, Calendar, members (fans), Poll (survey), forums, downloads, image galleries, newsletters.
(could not find a G rated screen shot of the website so here is the link http://www.beyonceonline.com/us)

Social Networks
e.g. Jewcy

What is Drupal?

2008-11-26T14:10:00.000-08:00

Now about Drupal, "Drupal is a free software package that allows an individual or a community of users to easily publish, manage and organize a wide variety of content on a website."http://drupal.org/about
Drupal has:
* Content Management Systems
* Blogs
* Collaborative authoring environments
* Forums
* Peer-to-peer networking
* Newsletters
* Podcasting
* Picture galleries
* File uploads and downloads

BISAM hosts our Drupal installs for about 5 organisations, companies, training organisations etc.

Online Discussion - FOC08

2008-11-26T14:06:00.000-08:00

Hi

Tonight I will be interviewing Bill Pugh from BISAM.
Bill advises NZSET on Drupal, Moodle and web deployment.
We'll cover:
BISAM Services
Open Source - a real choice or just a nice idea
Drupal for building community web environments
Moodle for effective learning

I have some questions from my FOC08 coursemates that I will ask.
Responses will be posted here.
An edited transcript will be available here or linked.
The Podcast will be here or linked.

More to come...

An entire month...

2008-11-19T16:46:00.001-08:00

Hi
An entire month since my last blog...
Technical paper is nearly finished.
Facilitating Online interview this weekend. http://www.wikieducator.org/Facilitating_online_communities/course_mini_conference
Any questions for Bill, email me craig@nzsetrust.org.nz

Cheers

Craig

Me Real in a Virtual Life

2008-10-16T14:11:00.000-07:00

I really have a Second Life...
This is us in Jokaydia.

10 Things to Know...

2008-10-16T11:56:00.000-07:00

Good post and interesting video at the bottom! http://npirl.blogspot.com/2007/12/what-every-second-life-newbie-should.html

Good thing to know about the camera:

Alt + Left mouse click = ZOOM!

Control + 8 = Increase FOV (fisheye)

Control + 9 = Reset camera

Control + 0 = Telephoto

Yes, I am a noob or newbie.

Second Life

2008-10-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

Today is our meeting in Second Life.
My SL name is CraigHansen Constantine.
Original, isn't it?
I could not put it up on the Wiki as it took forever to create a user name and password for the Wiki site. The just sat there, 'loading' and making fun of me.

The Blogosphere of FOC 08.

2008-09-16T21:55:00.000-07:00

Do we need a facilitator? Yes, to keep the direction moving towards learning options.
Are we insular? Yes, more than we are ‘open’ as we feed off the direction, starting points etc. of Leigh’s resources and those extraneous ones that come through from other class members.
Guess what? Even my MS Word dictionary corrected my wrong spelling of blog-o-sphere. Even Mighty Microsoft is aware the bloggers are out there, in unison and their have a context called… Blogusphere… sorry, that’s Blogosphere!
Networks (2)
http://9rules.com/
http://www.webbleyou.net/join <<<<-I think this one is better a an example as it is a network of networks on differentiated topics

Must See HTTP:// (http://www.bradlands.com/weblog/)

2008-09-16T21:54:00.000-07:00

Well, Mr. Must See HTTP:// shows us all to clearly that anyone calling them a name on the internet must live up to that name… we are now Septemberß 2008 and the last article was Sept 10, 1999.

The Blogosphere By the Numbers By Rob McGann, The ClickZ Network, Nov 22, 2004

2008-09-16T21:53:00.000-07:00

In internet life and times, this is an old article. But some conclusions:
- New blogs join the milieu offerings every few seconds, but few translate into regularly updated, comprehensive blogs
- A small percentage of blogs gain a wide readership, and a very small percentage gain phenomenal readership, with readers subscribed and regularly checking updates – meaning the either:
1. A small number have incredible influence over the few – what’s changed, really – it’s just a new forum or context?, and/or,
2. A small number have something of importance to say, or feeling passionately motivated say to say something, and/or,
3. A small number gain the skills, have the network or catch a wave in time to develop a following through good online marketing, or, link with an established membership online (or a membership that can easily translate to online), or, latch on to a topic that has already (or has the capacity to) grab the attention of readers mid- to longer-term, or, write so compellingly on a topic of interest as to solidify their presence as an online opinion that matters.
- Communicable events (sounds like a disease) – these high interest events increase ‘media’ activity regardless of the online status, on TV, in newspapers or on radio, like elections or disasters. This does not mean that blogs have become a favourite source of information and comment.
- People that are normally socially connected or socially motivated (13-19 2,120,000 51.5%) are using blogs to elevate their profile in their own social circles and launch their influence into wider national or international circles, with adult snow able to see, hear and read about a teen’s life as they never could before – social scientists must love this phenomenon and new doctoral topics must abound!

Keeping up to date

2008-09-16T21:51:00.000-07:00

I've been saving the articles to my laptop, reading and commenting into a Word doc for blogging later. That's why there are lots of blogs on one day.
Right now, I am sitting on the toilet seat (not using it of course), while my 2 yr old plays in the bath, while I check my email an update the blog posts.
Amazing really what wirelessness can do.
Even men can multitask.

What have we learnt about ... Effective Online Facilitation

2008-09-15T22:22:00.001-07:00

Response to What have we learnt about ...Effective Online Facilitation
http://pre2005.flexiblelearning.net.au/index.htm

I think a key quote here is, “the teacher manages discussions and learning activities”.
It is useless for a teacher to use the tools but abdicate responsibility for learning. The focus is always the learner; the medium is not the issue unless it gets in the way. Feedback opportunities need to be in place.
This enables the learner to move from novice to practitioner to expert. I studied this stuff for my doctoral prep in Education.

The stages go:

Novice.
Advanced beginner.
Competent.
Proficient.
Expert.

(fuller here http://www.j-paine.org/students/lectures/lect8/node7.html)

Communication opportunities that encourage interaction between learners can create a cross-pollination effect, with learners helping learners – one learner answering questions that another learner hasn’t considered relevant until a meaning context is provided based within a work or home or learning problem.

So, another key quote around this idea is, “moving from an emphasis on web content to a more interactive structure that recognises the social and interactive elements of knowledge construction”

In terms of measuring effectiveness, I wonder if any and all learners are ready to ‘put themselves out there’ in a virtual space, describing their own understandings, getting feedback from other learners & the tutor, giving feedback. It’s all a bit, well scary, really.

Facilitation is not just managing the learning environment and pace of learning opportunities, it is about relational leadership, being an exemplar of proactive, supportive and corrective behaviours.

In order or progress through Salmon's fives stages a learner actually needs some basic ICT skills otherwise the consideration of learning online is so foreign its not an even option. To encourage new entrants to try online learning, I think institutions need to provide examples or case studies of different learners and how they have moved from a physical to a virtual learning environment.
Peers from a similar social or age background to coach them, at the start.

This is acknowledged in one of our other readings as there is the two-fold ministry of tchnical support and e-moderation ( All Things in Moderation | E-tivities | 5 stage model http://www.atimod.com/e-tivities/5stage.shtml)

Face to face learning in preparation for the online environment is probably a good beginning or prerequisite for a facilitator to expect, as he/she can begin the online mediation process with some assumptions of learner skill-level.

I think my notions fit more into Paulsen's Function model: instructor, social director, program manager, and technical assistant.

Anyway, still thinking on this...

Response to Managing Groups and Teams/How Do You Build High-performing Virtual Teams?

2008-09-15T22:22:00.000-07:00

Managing Groups and Teams/How Do You Build High-performing Virtual Teams?
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Managing_Groups_and_Teams/How_Do_You_Build_High-performing_Virtual_Teams%3F

Our enterprise could not operate without virtual tools, enabling the ‘team’ to exist. Most of our childcare operations are outside Auckland, where our HQ resides. We rely on txt messages, emails, phone calls and posted newsletters, faxes of system documents and scans of documents t report on work assigned and tasks completed. At times we can no communicate with people in the field because they are slicing organises for afternoon tea, driving a van to pick up kids or they are just out of range. ICT allows us to schedule times for real-time communication and set an agenda.
Because our nation-wide funding round closes in the next few weeks, we have some very clear results we are seeking to achieve. Everyone knows these goals and the way they will be measured. Larson and LaFasto’s ‘4 necessary features’ are extremely relevant. The third feature of individual performance monitoring and feedback revolves around the leadership tasks that individuals report on, such as staying within spending limits; this issue alone generates substantial dialogue as we review the recreational programme provided to our children in care, and how we resource it. Some staff are either naturally god at managing this area of responsibility, some staff require weekly feedback and monitoring. The last feature of fact-based decision making is driven by the reporting procedures, where we may actually close an after school care programme due to low numbers and no apparent, demonstrable opportunity for growth.
At times, we give-up speed of response to ensure we gain accuracy in response. We want real information and might get it a day later than desired, but we prefer to get a real document, with real signatures or numbers, rather than a ‘guestimate’ that is on time.

Video of Stephen Downes 2006

2008-09-14T21:43:00.003-07:00

I watched the video online of Stephen Downes, talking about the differences between networks and groups. It makes sense.
From an educator's point of view, we're going for a clearly defined "group" to deliver learning opportunities.
But when i am developing learning opportunities, i am clearly going for a "network". understanding the definitions or distinctions will help me structure or provide or enable each type to take part or contribute.
It's all a bit theoretical but I am pragmatic and and finding some good practical ways forward.
It also sounds a little class-struggle-marxist
Group
Unity coordination closed
Distributive - centralised, leaders authority
Technology - TV, radio = one to many, tecnolog that coordinates, stndards, values, podcast, technorati
Unequal power, a spike of power base, creates barriers
Privacy, as a projected power, when a private action is displayed in public, but others ca not act on it.
Network
Diversity Autonomy
openness - bridges not walls
Connective - between members, united in purpose, motives may be different
Technology - personal emails, portfolio, self-directed, blogs, identity, conversations, social networking
different technologies may be used for different types
Equal power, a scale free environment,

Communities of Practice - Learning as a Social System by Etienne

2008-09-14T21:43:00.001-07:00

Communities of Practice - Learning as a Social System by Etienne Wenger

The following are some key points that stood out to me:
A community of practice defines itself along three dimensions:

purpose or topic
roles people take towards the purpose or topic
product - this may not be a physical or electronic project, it may be a sense of communiyt or the learning held by the members individually or the "whole is more powerful than the sum of its parts"

Key Qoutes:

Communities of practice develop around things that matter to people. As a result, their practices reflect the members' own understanding of what is important.
it defines itself in the doing
participation has value
community of practice is different from a network in the sense that it is "about" something

Communities of practice...

retain, exchange and interpret information
give a home and opportunities for displays of 'identity'
can be a liability
to legitimize the community as a place for sharing and creating knowledge, recognized experts need to be involved
the best place to start is to foster the formation of communities of practice that leverage the potential that already exists

Facilitating online communities

2008-09-14T21:42:00.001-07:00

From this course i expect to gain a good understanding of:

structuring a learning environment for learners
designing individual learning components that engage the learner
creating a variety types of learning activities, that can be also assessmnt activities

I am hoping that people with different learning styles can relate to the learning opportunities we'll provide online, through the Trust's Moodle.

Building Online Communities

2008-09-14T21:39:00.000-07:00

Building an online community seems to have lots of similarities to building a physical
organisation:

shared purpose
shares stories - myths and celebrations
a champion or evangelist of the core
a culture developed through traditions, speech, actions, opinions, topics of discussion etc.

I read the book Organisaitonal Leadership. Many of the processes in leading, building, growing an
organisation in that book are in this articlecle.

The real bonus in any community as chromatic describes it, form my perspective, is the freedom for
individuals to let their passions take them in directions, to depths and to 'substantively different levels'
(e.g. quality or variety in presentation of the passion area).
The individual's sense of ownership can be maximised as there may possibly no limits of the freedom
to express their passion:

number of pages of content created
the structure, linking, heirachy of content
the flavour of content - video, plan text, in-order or reader-decides-order, hardcopy or only web-based
etc.
summary, referenced or interpretive or grounded theory etc.

And the thing is, once someone is IN they are IN, unless rules of engagement at the start define what
is 'acceptable'.

Shared culture, a shared history, maybe only a shared start and the end point may not be related in any
way to where the community began