3. Today, you’ll learn
• Why faculty should consider including an “Icebreaker”
assignment in e-learning environments
• How a multimedia Icebreaker assignment can:
• Get students motivated and into their learning
state
• Encourage collaboration
• Improve communication
• Provide students with some tools for a future
group project
• How to facilitate a multimedia icebreaker
• Tools and instructions for making a Slidecast mashup
4. Why include an Icebreaker Assignment?
Icebreakers promote student /teacher and
student/student interaction
Objective: To encourage interaction in your online course through engaging
online activities that generate questions & discussion.
Rational: In an online environment, human interaction does not just
happen.
Your online students need a way to get to know each other and feel
comfortable collaborating in a substantive way.
The idea is to set a task for students to follow in order to stimulate
asynchronous discussions.
Photo Credit: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
5. Simple Sample Icebreaker Assignment
Online Icebreaker Assignment
Task:
Post a personal introduction - include
• Name and location
• Why you are taking the course
• 3 websites about Finance that you like
• Personal interests
Post minimum of 3 comments and/or questions to “Icebreaker assignment”
discussion board thread
Delivery:
Post personal introduction to “Icebreaker Assignment” discussion board
thread, personal page, blog, or ...
Post questions and comments to the assignment discussion board thread.
6. Simple Sample Icebreaker Assignment
Task:
Post a personal introduction - include
• Name and location
• Why you are taking the course
• 3 websites about Finance that you like
• Personal interests
• Post minimum of 3 comments and/or questions to “Icebreaker assignment”
discussion board thread
I am Mike from Fort Hamilton NY. I am taking this course
because I am very interested in learning more about
finance, and it is a core requirement in the MBA program.
I like Yahoo finance, OSU Virtual Finance Library, and
Careers in Finance. In my spare time, I take photographs.
7. e-Learning Communication Challenge
7%-38%-55% Rule - words, tone of voice, non-verbal
behavior
Mehrabian, A., & Wiener, M. (1967). "Decoding of Inconstant Communications".
Journal of Personality ad Social Psychology 6 (1): 109 -114
**********
You say……. Tomato
I say.…………. Tomato
8. e-Learning Communication Challenge
"most online educational offerings are flat - they're
still primarily based on text and pictures, with little
use of audio, video, graphics, simulations, or even
asynchronous discussions”
Zemsky, R., & Massy, W. (2004). Thwarted Innovation: What Happened to e-Learning
and Why. West Chester PA: The Learning Alliance for Higher Education.
hppt://www.irhe.upenn.edu/WeatherStation.html
Photo Credit: NASA
10. A Multimedia Icebreaker?
Multimedia principle— The incorporation of relevant, instructional graphics to
supplement written text improves learning through the dual coding of verbal and
visual information.
Modality principle— The inclusion of audio to explain graphics enhances
learning more than simple written text via the expansion of cognitive resources
by simultaneously tapping both visual and phonetic memory processes.
Redundancy principle— Generally, learning benefits more when graphics are
supplemented with audio alone rather than audio and redundant text as there is
a reduction in cognitive overload.
Personalization principle— The use of conversational tone and a learning
agent (such as a person or character who guides instruction) enhances learning
by engaging the learner through reliance on social conventions to listen and
respond meaningfully.
Clark and Mayer (2002)
11. Slidecast Icebreaker
Slidecasting is a multimedia format for viewing slide
presentations synchronized with an mp3 audio file.
Free tools to create slidecast mashups are available on line.
• adds another meaningful layer of communication
• makes the presentation less "flat”
• encourages student communication and collaboration with the technical aspects of
the assignment
• trains students in presentation technique and technology that will be used/expanded
in other assignments
• Students create artifact and self-catalog by adding meaningful "tags"
12. Course Facilitation
Areas of facilitator responsibility:
Social - Design a forum for students to post introductions,
comments, and help each other with the assignment
*****
Pedagogical - Create an ice breaker related to a course key
objective or concept
*****
Technical - Provide resource and instructional links on using the
technology
13. Slidecast Icebreaker
Task: Create a 4 slide "Slidecast" presentation that includes
• Personal introduction
• How this course relates to what you do or what you want to do?
• Personal interests
• Audio narration and relevant graphics
• Post minimum of 3 quality comments and/or
questions to assignment discussion board thread (see Discussion
board grading rubric)
Delivery:
Post link to introduction to discussion board thread, or embed on
personal page, blog, or ...
Post questions and comments to “Icebreaker Assignment”
discussion board thread.
14. Slidecast Mashup Publishing
The process:
• slideshare account
• presentation slides
• recorded audio narration mp3
• synchronize slides and audio
• publish publicly or to a selected audience
Software and tools available FREE on line
Student may need to invest in microphone
17. Audio Narration
Create a singe mp3 narration (Audacity & Lame)
upload the mp3 to SlideShare directly from your computer
(or) upload your audio file to a server or to a podcasting service
like http://www.archive.org/. Find the URL for your audio file.
18. At SlideShare site: Add Audio to slideshow
go to [Edit slideshow]>[edit Slidecast]. Upload the mp3 directly
(or) enter the audio URL and click the "Link mp3 to slideshow"
button.
Now wait for the synchronization tool to load (depending on
connection could take 1 or 2 minutes)
19. Synchronize Slides & Audio
There are three ways to do the synching.
(a) You can leave the audio unsynchronized
(b) You can do a quick synchronization using the
Divide Audio Equally selection.
(c) Or you can synchronize each slide to a
particular point in the audio file.
Once the synchronization tool has loaded, you
are ready to go.
22. Group Project SlideCast
presentation?
Add tools like:
ThinkFold
• Real time interaction in a shared outline
• Add text, images and files
• Rearrange your ideas on the fly
• See changes being made, in real-time
MindMeister
free online mind/project mapping come outliner
service.
23. Resources
Create presentations:
Google docs, Impress - Open Office, Zoho, MS
PowerPoint ($)
Create audio:
Audacity - sourceforge.net & Lame MP3 encoder,
PodcastPeople.com ($)
Upload, synchronize, publish slidecast:
Slideshare
![ICEBREAKER
[SLIDE]show + Pod[CAST]
MASHUPS
e-learning and Web2.0 tools](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/slidecatmashup-100805114934-phpapp01/85/slidecatmashup-1-320.jpg)
