Exploring Online Tools For Teaching Alexandre Enkerli Department of Sociology and Anthropology Concordia University http://enkerli.wordpress.com/ http://www.slideshare.net/Enkerli

Introduction Overwhelmed? Internet use by students Internet use by colleagues Technology changes Accompany teaching changes What can be done? Moodle Facebook Other tools

Overwhelmed?

Internet use by students

Internet use by colleagues

Technology changes

Accompany teaching changes

What can be done?

Moodle

Facebook

Other tools

Workshop Exploration of tools Inside classroom Outside classroom Presentation Experiences, learning contexts Round-table discussion Some issues with educational technology

Exploration of tools

Inside classroom

Outside classroom

Presentation

Experiences, learning contexts

Round-table discussion

Some issues with educational technology

Plan Self-introductions Presentation on tools Discuss other tools Discussion on issues

Self-introductions

Presentation on tools

Discuss other tools

Discussion on issues

Why Am I Here? Nobody special (PTF at Soc. and Anthro.) “ Free, Open, Flexible: Rethinking Learning Materials Online ” (Spirit of Inquiry) Tech/Teach backgrounds Use of Online Tools Ph.D. seminar

Nobody special (PTF at Soc. and Anthro.)

“ Free, Open, Flexible: Rethinking Learning Materials Online ” (Spirit of Inquiry)

Tech/Teach backgrounds

Use of Online Tools

Ph.D. seminar

Computer Technology “ Wannabe geek” (online since 1993) Hang out with “geeks” Blogger since 2005

“ Wannabe geek” (online since 1993)

Hang out with “geeks”

Blogger since 2005

Teaching Ghost of Piaget Diverse teaching experience (Qc, NB, IN, MA) Informal and formal teaching Bridges between life and teaching “ Born to teach ” Facebook group

Ghost of Piaget

Diverse teaching experience (Qc, NB, IN, MA)

Informal and formal teaching

Bridges between life and teaching

“ Born to teach ” Facebook group

Controversial Stance? “ Learning happens despite teaching” “ Tools meant to be used” Think about possibilities (“sales pitch”) Anti-deterministic

“ Learning happens despite teaching”

“ Tools meant to be used”

Think about possibilities (“sales pitch”)

Anti-deterministic

Participant Introductions

Presenting Tools

Tools to Cover Moodle Facebook RefWorks Slideshare

Moodle

Facebook

RefWorks

Slideshare

Moodle A Free, Open Source Course Management System for Online Learning

Moodle Learning/Course Management System Virtual Learning Environment Also: Sakai, Oncourse, Blackboard , WebCT “ Interactive course website.” Provide content Do activities

Learning/Course Management System

Virtual Learning Environment

Also: Sakai, Oncourse, Blackboard , WebCT

“ Interactive course website.”

Provide content

Do activities

Moodle Use Platform (modules, applications) Resources (content) or Activities (interaction) Constructivist model Teacher-student connection Moodle community

Platform (modules, applications)

Resources (content) or Activities (interaction)

Constructivist model

Teacher-student connection

Moodle community

Moodle Issues Outside authentication (ConU) Training/documentation Versions Some confusing tools Toward social networking

Outside authentication (ConU)

Training/documentation

Versions

Some confusing tools

Toward social networking

Facebook A social utility that connects you with the people around you

Facebook 800 lbs. gorilla Social phenomenon “ Where students are” Social networking system Platform with applications

800 lbs. gorilla

Social phenomenon

“ Where students are”

Social networking system

Platform with applications

Facebook and Learning Socialisation Peer-learning Informal learning Discovery Use as CMS

Socialisation

Peer-learning

Informal learning

Discovery

Use as CMS

Facebook Issues Black hole? (“Addictive”) Commercial site (advertising) Scarcity of dedicated learning tools Lack clear roles “ Where students are”

Black hole? (“Addictive”)

Commercial site (advertising)

Scarcity of dedicated learning tools

Lack clear roles

“ Where students are”

RefWorks Your online research management, writing and collaboration tool

RefWorks Use Online citation manager “ Web-enabled EndNote” Concordia availability Library catalogues (CLUES, MUSE...) Google Scholar integration Desktop integration (Microsoft Word) RefShare

Online citation manager

“ Web-enabled EndNote”

Concordia availability

Library catalogues (CLUES, MUSE...)

Google Scholar integration

Desktop integration (Microsoft Word)

RefShare

RefWorks Issues Few students really use Cumbersome login (ConU) Few databases (PubMed, OCLC Trial) Missing some Endnote features? Attachment Formatted list Handheld/PDA

Few students really use

Cumbersome login (ConU)

Few databases (PubMed, OCLC Trial)

Missing some Endnote features?

Attachment

Formatted list

Handheld/PDA

SlideShare YouTube for PowerPoint

SlideShare Use Upload before class Edit during class Embed after class Slidecast (with sound)

Upload before class

Edit during class

Embed after class

Slidecast (with sound)

Slideshare Issues PowerPoint/PDF/OpenDocument Changed fonts Posting delays Indirect editing (unlike Zoho show ) Cumbersome audio synchronisation

PowerPoint/PDF/OpenDocument

Changed fonts

Posting delays

Indirect editing (unlike Zoho show )

Cumbersome audio synchronisation

Other Tools

Other tools Google Docs Had to learn Skype Screens Email feedback

Google Docs

Had to learn

Skype

Screens

Email feedback

Blogspot Comments Feedback on assignments Comfortable expressing themselves Interconnect after class (Moodle gone) Semi-public Successful

Comments

Feedback on assignments

Comfortable expressing themselves

Interconnect after class (Moodle gone)

Semi-public

Successful

Research use of Web Online databases Instead of entertainment Patrick Labelle Research librarians

Online databases

Instead of entertainment

Patrick Labelle

Research librarians

Online Workshops Dreamweaver References from face-to-face workshop Professional video Program application RefWorks workshop? Download/show IITS and CTLS Refresher

Dreamweaver

References from face-to-face workshop

Professional video

Program application

RefWorks workshop?

Download/show

IITS and CTLS

Refresher

Basecamp? Storage Large Closed/private

Storage

Large

Closed/private

Discuss Issues

Discuss Issues (examples) Comfort Luddites and fear of technology Shelters or windmills Teacher control Online/offline learning Informal/formal learning Resources (time, money)

Comfort

Luddites and fear of technology

Shelters or windmills

Teacher control

Online/offline learning

Informal/formal learning

Resources (time, money)

Attitudes Technology proficiency “ Old-Fashioned” Outside help Want to learn Experimentation Concentrating on teaching vs. tools Facebook too public Textbook/didactic Technology helps

Technology proficiency

“ Old-Fashioned”

Outside help

Want to learn

Experimentation

Concentrating on teaching vs. tools

Facebook too public

Textbook/didactic

Technology helps

Time-consumption To learn To use To control Focus on teaching

To learn

To use

To control

Focus on teaching

Moodle frustration Abandon (lack of support) Open Source (could be dealt with) Assignment use Came from Site Generator Own way to use

Abandon (lack of support)

Open Source (could be dealt with)

Assignment use

Came from Site Generator

Own way to use

Expectations Ex. PowerPoint Not about entertainment Pandering to expectations Bells and whistles, “Wow factor” Tangible product of/for teaching

Ex. PowerPoint

Not about entertainment

Pandering to expectations

Bells and whistles, “Wow factor”

Tangible product of/for teaching

Pleasing students Bother to show up? Online evaluation Teaching expectations Tenure system Part-time Learning styles Ways to remember Grades

Bother to show up?

Online evaluation

Teaching expectations

Tenure system

Part-time

Learning styles

Ways to remember

Grades

Student Diversity Non-traditional students Students not sold on empty PowerPoint Get to understand learning /teaching

Non-traditional students

Students not sold on empty PowerPoint

Get to understand learning /teaching

Change in university climate Service-based learners Deep-level learners Change in proportions Autodidact/self-learning Our expectations As process Disciplines Excitement

Service-based learners

Deep-level learners

Change in proportions

Autodidact/self-learning

Our expectations

As process

Disciplines

Excitement

Legal Issues? Getting out of hand Lawsuits? “ Paranoid fascist” Student diversity

Getting out of hand

Lawsuits?

“ Paranoid fascist”

Student diversity

Comfort level Students’ Not that comfortable Teacher’s Added stress for setting up (logistics) Resource person (individual support) We’re also learners

Students’

Not that comfortable

Teacher’s

Added stress for setting up (logistics)

Resource person (individual support)

We’re also learners

Hope! Been using a tool, comfortable Need for something else? Use constructively /critically Not prison Special population

Been using a tool, comfortable

Need for something else?

Use constructively /critically

Not prison

Special population