Task 1 Deliverable

Part II:

• Prior to this activity did you use any of these software tools?  If so which ones.

I did not use any of the tools from this activity (google reader, diigo, twitter, igoogle), nor have I heard of them before.

• Do you plan to continue managing the news resources that you have gathered in your personal learning network?

I really like the igoogle homepage because it allows me to have all of my feeds up on one page; facebook, twitter, youtube, and cnn news. I also like the google reader because I get to choose the websites and news channels that I personally like and it automatically updates with any new news alerts.

• Do you think that a refined personal learning network would be valuable to a new teacher?

I think it can be useful but I dont think that I would use it for teaching purposes. 

• Share the web address url of your ScreenR presentation.
• http://www.screenr.com/user/JolieSam
• (igoogle)
• 
  

Self Introduction

Task #1 Milestone 1: Blog Self Introduction

Aloha everyone! My name is Jolie Sam and I am the author of this blog. This blog is mainly used for my online course at LCC, ED 279. My favorite technology gadget would have to be my cell phone because not only can you use it as a phone, but its able to access the internet, connect to my email and other important accounts, and have cool/fun apps. When it comes to school and work though, I would much rather prefer a laptop than my cell phone. My work style preference is actually working independently at my own pace which is why I have enjoyed my online courses; because I am able to work around my own schedule and fit everything in when I can. Here's an online video that addresses the need for teachers to address 21st century learners:

Task 2 Deliverable

Task 2 Deliverable

Part 1: Posted my favorite 2.0 web tool to my twitter account at https://twitter.com/J0LIESAM
(screenr itself: http://www.screenr.com/ske7)
<iframe src="http://www.screenr.com/embed/ske7" width="650" height="396" frameborder="0"></iframe>

Part 2:

• Having completed this review of a web 2.0 tool would you use this tool in your classroom?

I would definitly use Prezi in my classroom! Maybe my 3rd graders wouldnt know how to operate to well, but I as the instructor would! I like how you can zoom into parts of the presentation being shown and zoom out as well. It's more interesting than your average powerpoint presentation because in some aspects, it looks to be more 3D or more interactive for me and the audience.

• Prior to this activity, how did you typically select website or tools to use?

I would actually just stick to what we learned in school during my time; posters, reports, or powerpoint presentations, which I thought already was an upgrade until I saw Prezi. 

• Do you have any ideas, comments or feedback on improving the web 2.0 tool selection process?

No comments on improving the web 2.0 tool selection, but I would definitly suggest that you surf the web and see what other interesting web 2.0 tools there are so that you yourself can learn and be more computer savy in that aspect. You'll be suprised at what you find!

Week 13: Online Communication

Week 13: Online Communication

"Top 3 Most Effective Ways of Communicating with My Peers on this Online Course"

The internet is a wonderful medium for communicating and sharing with others and a critical element for our national infrastructure. There are many technologies for communicating online. Some might prefer live, multipoint, audio-video communications. This can make it seem like the other people are in the same room, and you can see facial expression and hear vocal inflection. It can be a great tool for making quick decisions in a group, for a series of questions and answers, or for providing social support.

However, among the drawbacks are that all users must be online at the same time, and they all have to have hardware, software, and bandwidth required. While archives can be stored, they are arranged chronologically rather than by idea or topic. And when the session is over, it is over, often with some comments and questions still left unsaid. Thus, for the bulk of one online communications, text-based systems might be used.

One key in improving technology to communicate, is to all communicate clearly and openly. For example, if you do not understand what I meant in an assignment, let me know. If you have some good feedback for other people, offer it. And, if someone else offers feedback, keep and open mind. The students in the class represent a variety of backgrounds, experience, and interests, and we can gain a lot from each other.

Here are our groups "top 3 effective ways of communicating with my peers on this online course."

1.Email

For our course, our email was also connected to our forums/discussion board, so whenever something new was posted in there, we would be alerted to go check that out, so through email, we were all kept up to date with eachothers posts. In online classes, emailing becomes a huge form of communicating but it does have to go both ways in the sense that the person you email, has to respond in an orderly fashion for it to be effective.

2. Face-to-Face

We feel that this is the best form of communication. The only struggle in this is that we have to make time for it that will fit into everyones schedule. Face-to-face doesnt neccessarily mean that we have to drive away from home to meet somewhere else to talk, nowadays, we have online tools such as skype, face time, etc. that we can use from our own home, but again, we all have to fit it into our own personal schedules, all at the same time, which may be inconvenient for those who are taking online courses for the reason of not needing to do that.

3. Cellphone/Telephone

If emails doesnt work, if meeting face to face doesnt work, a phone conversation is a great fallback. Lack of communication when put into groups in an online course is definitly not good. To make an online course successful for everyone, we all have to communicate effectively in anyway possible and make complete the group work as a team, and as a facilitator or teacher, the grading needs to be done fairly and equally.