Wednesday, August 22, 2012

LOUISA'S DISCUSSION GRADING RUBRIC « Program for Online Teaching


LOUISA'S DISCUSSION GRADING RUBRIC
 
CRITERIA Full Points Most Points Partial Points No Points
Timeliness and Frequency of Posts Student posts three or more times, including initial post and responses, according to deadlines. Student posts only twice, or initial post is late. Student posts once before the final deadline for the section. Student does not post within the section deadline.
Relevancy and Completeness Student's initial post thoroughly addresses all aspects of the question(s), and responses to other students directly address their initial postings with augmentation, correction, challenges, and insightful questions. Student's initial post addresses most aspects of the question(s), and responses to other students address their initial postings. Student's initial post addresses some aspects or questions, but is incomplete or off-topic, and responses to other students are mostly unsupported agreement, disagreement, or encouragement. Student's initial post is off-topic and doesn't address questions, and responses are "me toos" or discouragement.
Knowledge of Class Materials Student's postings show thorough knowledge of the section's textbook reading and websites, including relevant quotations and other references. Student's postings show general knowledge of readings and websites. Student's postings show vague knowledge of topic. Student's postings show no knowledge of topic or convey serious misunderstandings about the topic that should have been corrected by doing the reading.
Contribution to Learning Community Student's postings support the creation of knowledge by going beyond what was in the readings to add insights taken from personal experience, other classes, outside readings, and research. Student's responses to other students support their pursuit of greater knowledge, and are respectful, helpful and encouraging, even when providing correction or raising objections. Student's postings ask and answer insightful questions and add to the course knowledge base through information taken from personal experience and understanding of the class readings. Student responses to students are polite. Student's postings answer questions and do not intentionally insult classmates or their opinions Student's postings deliberately show disrespect for other class members

The Sloan Consortium FREE Conference and Webinar in Online Learning

 
Upcoming Webinars

August 28, 2012 - 2:00pm - 3:00pm

No travel funds? Unable to find time in your busy schedule to attend an onsite conference?
Learn more about the virtual attendee option for the 18th Annual Sloan-C International Conference on Online Learning, taking place October 10-12, 2012 in Lake Buena Vista (Orlando), FL at The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort. This year’s program explores the theme 'At A Crossroads: Online Education in a Complex World', offering a full complement of over 300 presentations rooted in solid research to support best practices in online learning. This year’s conference theme will help us frame discussions about quality, scale, cost, ethical issues and other concerns about the future on online education.
 
September 11, 2012 - 2:00pm - 3:00pm
This webinar is meant for those just embarking on the journey of online education and want to review some tips and tools to help enhance the learning experience for their students. This webinar can also be a good refresher for those who have completed Sloan-C Getting Started Workshop in the past.
Webinar topics that will be covered;
  • A basic overview of quality online courses
  • How to start the online course conversion process.
  • Using Course Objectives To Lead The Design
  • Building the Course Syllabus For The Online Classroom
  • Developing A Strong Social Presence Online.

50 Creative Ways to Use Skype in Your Classroom

http://www.onlinedegrees.org/50-creative-ways-to-use-skype-in-your-classroom/

Collaborate!


  1. Meet with other classrooms: One of the most common projects educators utilize Skype for is setting up exchanges with classrooms around the world, usually for cultural exchange purposes or working together on a common assignment. The program’s official site provides some great opportunities to meet up with like-minded teachers and students sharing the same goals.
  2. Practice a foreign language: Connect with individual learners or classrooms hailing from a different native tongue can use a Skype collaboration to sharpen grammar and pronunciation skills through conversation.
  3. Peace One Day: Far beyond classroom collaborations, the Peace One Day initiative teamed up with Skype itself and educators across the globe to teach kids about the importance of ending violence, war, and other social ills.
  4. Around the World with 80 Schools: This challenge asks participating schools to hook up with 80 worldwide and report back what all they’ve learned about other cultures and languages.
  5. Talk about the weather: One popular Skype project sees participants from different regions make note of the weather patterns for a specified period of time, with students comparing and contrasting the results.
  6. Collaborative poetry: In this assignment, connected classrooms pen poetic pieces together and share them via video conferencing.
  7. Practice interviews: The education system frequently receives criticism for its failure to prepare students for the real world, but using Skype to help them run through mock-up interviews with each other, teachers, counselors, or professionals will help grant them an advantage.
  8. Gaming: Merge the educational power of gaming with the connectivity of Skype for interactive (maybe even international!) role-playing and other competitive delights that educate and engage in equal measure.
  9. Hold a contest: Challenge other classrooms to a competition circling around any subject or skill imaginable, and work out a suitable prize ahead of time.
  10. Hold a debate: Similarly, Skype can also be used as a great forum for hosting formal and informal debates to help students with their critical thinking and research skills.
  11. Make beautiful music together: Build a band comprised of musicians worldwide, who play and practice together over video — maybe even hold digital performances, too!
  12. Who are the people in your neighborhood?: All the press about classrooms meeting with one another tend to veer towards the international, but some schools like to stay local. These two Tampa Bay-area kindergartens met regularly via Skype, sharing their current assignments with new friends only 10 miles away.
  13. Highlight time differences: But there is something to be said about global exchanges, too, as it provides some insight into the differences between time zones — great for geography classes!
  14. Combine with augmented reality: Both at home and in school, Skype provides a communication tool for collaborative augmented reality projects using the PSP and other devices.
  15. Mystery call: Link up to a classroom in another region and have them offer up hints as to their true location, challenging students to guess where in the world their new friends live.
  16. Each student works a specific job during calls: Divvy up responsibilities during Skype calls so every student feels engaged with the conversation, not just passive participants watching talks pan out. Assign bloggers, recorders, mappers, and any other tasks relevant to the meeting and project.
  17. Play Battleship: The classic board game Battleship offers up lessons in basic X and Y axes; plus it’s also a lot of fun. Compete against other classrooms for an educational good time.

Communicate!


  1. Parent-teacher conferences: Save gas, time, and energy by holding meetings with moms and dads via video chat instead of the usual arrangement.
  2. Meet with librarians: Teachers and students alike who need some assistance with research or ask some questions about a specific book might want to consider hooking up a Skype link with the school library.
  3. Meet with advisors: Similarly, the VOIP program also connects college kids with their advisors whenever they need to ask questions about degree plans or scheduling classes for next semester.
  4. Record a podcast: Download or purchase an add-on that allows for recording audio via Skype and use it in conjunction with GarageBand (or similar program) when looking to set up an educational podcast for or with students.
  5. Record video: Numerous plugins allow Skype users to record video of their chats, lectures, and presentations for later use, and students who miss class might very much appreciate having what they missed available for viewing.
  6. Provide tutoring and office hours: If students need some supplementary help with their assignments — or simply something they can’t get past in the lessons — videoconferencing allows their teachers to offer up tutoring and opportunities for extra help. Special education classrooms might find this strategy particularly valuable.
  7. Teach digital literacy: Because social media (comparatively) recently started creeping into most facets of daily life, it’s exceptionally important to illustrate online safety to the Digital Age kiddos. Skype requires the same sort of care and attention as Facebook and Twitter, and serves as a useful lesson in keeping one’s identity protected.
  8. Make Skype the classroom: The growth in online classes means Skype itself works as a platform to conduct lessons, share presentations, provide tutoring and support, and more.
  9. Reduce absences: Set up Skype streams to help students from falling too far behind in the event of a sickness, suspension, caretaking or similar scenario that causes them to leave the classroom for an extended period of time.
  10. Presentation tool: Rather than sending students off on a virtual field trip, let them present their research and findings to institutions or eager parents wanting to know what their kids are learning about right now.
  11. Meet special education needs: Skype allows the special education classroom to incorporate students of all ages and abilities into the conversation, and it works equally well as both a remote and a local tool.
  12. Study groups: Instead of staking out precious library or coffee shop space, holding study groups via Skype provides a cheaper, more time-manageable alternative.
  13. Meet exchange students early: Before shipping off to live with a host family or bringing in an exchange student, arrange meetings ahead of time and get to know one another’s unique needs, wants, and expectations.

Connect!


  1. Art crits: Schedule time with professional artists and receive thorough crits about how to improve a piece. Because Skype allows for screen sharing, anyone working in digital media will appreciate the convenience!
  2. Interviews: Rather than a lecture, try hosting a Skype interview with professionals and – if the money’s right — game-changes happy to answer student questions.
  3. Tour a museum: Many distinguished museums around the world, such as the York Archaeological Trust, digitally open up their collections so students browse and learn no matter where their classroom may sit.
  4. Guest lecturers: Many plugged-in professionals these days will gladly offer up special lectures and lessons to classrooms via Skype, and sometimes charge a much lower fee than if they were to travel!
  5. Simulcast performances: Inevitably, some students’ parents, grandparents, and other loved ones can’t attend a play, concert, or other performance. Streaming it over Skype gives them an opportunity to tune in and show some support.
  6. Book club: Whether part of a classroom project or organized as an extracurricular, book clubs meeting over the ubiquitous video conferencing tool make for a great project.
  7. Music lessons: Thanks to Skype, tech-loving music teachers now reach a much broader audience of eager pupils willing to perfect their skills on almost any instrument imaginable.
  8. Professional development: Skype benefits more than just students, as educators themselves can use it to plug in and keep their career skills sharpened and broadened.
  9. Attend or throw a poetry reading: Many poets hold readings via Skype, but some educators might want to take things a step further and organize their own.
  10. Storytime: A perfect idea for plugged-in libraries and pre-K and kindergarten classrooms: offer remote storytime for kids around the world or ones stuck at home sick.
  11. Participate in town hall meetings: Search for town hall meetings the world over and see which ones allow civic-minded classrooms and students to plug in and participate via Skype and other VOIP-enablers.

And here’s the tools to help you do it!


  1. Skype in the Classroom: Run by the video chat client itself, this social network allows teachers and students alike to find collaborative projects meeting their educational goals.
  2. ePals Global Community: Any and all VOIP-enabled classrooms seeking others for shared assignments or a quick meeting might want to turn toward this incredibly popular social media site to discover like-minded students and teachers.
  3. IDroo: This virtual whiteboard makes online presentations a breeze and works especially well during collaborative classroom sessions or with any special guests who pop online.
  4. Skype Office Toolbar: Skype-savvy educators use this plugin to make sharing Microsoft Office files that much quicker and easier.
  5. Google suite: Collaborative classrooms often take advantage of Google Docs, Maps, and Translate for various projects as easy, free resources to keep collaborations organized and understood.
  6. Skyremote: Add on Skyremote for desktop sharing and the ability to control other computers remotely — a great tool in the collaborative classroom!
  7. Vodburner: Make use of this video recorder to tape digital lectures, field trips, special events, streams, simulcasts, and more for later viewing by students, parents, and other teachers who might benefit from the information at hand.
  8. Hot Recorder: When it comes to whipping together podcasts or other audio, Hot Recorder is considered one of the best companion programs to Skype.
  9. telyHD: Wheel in the giant TV and attach a Skype-ready telyHD camera for a much bigger viewing screen, which students in larger classrooms will appreciate!
Posted on 22/08/12 | by Staff Writers | in Education, Resources, Technology | No Comments »

Campus Technology: The Intersection of Digital Literacy and Social Media

Campus Technology
Digital Literacy | Feature

The Intersection of Digital Literacy and Social Media

As educators look for new ways to teach digital literacy or the use of digital technology to find, organize, comprehend, evaluate, and create information, some are turning to social media to help advance the concept in the college classroom.
"Digital literacy and social media is an inseparable and powerful combination," said William J. Ward, a social media professor at Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. "Done correctly, this combination enhances the quality and efficiency of teaching, research, learning, communicating, collaborating, and creating."
Combining digital literacy and social media also helps educators connect and collaborate with students in an online format most of the former has been using in some fashion – be it via Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Google+, or another platform – for years now. Whether they are connecting with friends and family, gathering news and information, or posting photos and videos, today's youth continues to swarm to social media in droves.
By harnessing some of that activity and using it in the classroom, educators can save time, increase student engagement, and teach in a more efficient manner, said Ward. An added bonus is that digital literacy and social media can be delivered with technology that is open and free online – making the pairing particularly cost effective during an era where every penny counts.
Connect the Dots
For the intersection of social media and digital literacy to have the most impact, educators can't assume that students will embrace the idea because it's cool, digital, and involves their mobile phones. "Students want to talk to their friends on social media sites but they don't necessarily want that exercise to be work-related," Ward pointed out. "It's not as exciting when that extra effort is involved."
There are ways around that challenge, according to Jim Groom, director of teaching and learning technologies at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA. He said colleges leveraging social media to improve digital literacy must focus on students' current use of social media and then find ways to interface those activities with the curriculum. "Asking students to ‘come in and play in my online tree house,' doesn't work," said Groom, whose institution created a blogging platform for students and faculty.
"Through our blogging platform we've been able to integrate social media into our classrooms and teach students not only how to use the Web," explained Groom, "but also the implications of using it and other technology tools to change the practices of teaching and learning."
The platform also helps students shape and reflect upon their online identities – a step that Groom sees as being critical to the effective pairing of digital literacy and social media. Such self-realization typically results in more productive, responsible use of the Web as a learning tool. "A big part of digital literacy," said Groom, "is understanding what it means for other people to see, experience, and find you online."
Throwing lessons at students and asking them to "Tweet about it" or "post it on Facebook" is another ineffective way of connecting the dots between digital literacy and social media. "It has to go deeper than that," said Ward, who points out that his own department's efforts to effectively intertwine the two concepts have included a partnership with social media management dashboard HootSuite. During the spring semester of 2012, Ward and his team integrated the application into the curriculum via a beta test of the vendor's Pro Account offering.
Instead of using traditional books, professors delivered content via a classroom blog and students learned about search engine optimization, content curation, and other relevant topics using the blog and various social media sites. "Students were able to integrate their entire social media presences onto a single platform," said Ward, "and also received Social Media Certifications as part of their classwork."
New Mindsets
Many times, it's the educators who stand in the way of effective digital literacy-social media connections. Getting them into the right mindset to meld the two can be a challenge, said Ward. "A cultural shift has to take place because most professors are used to working in their own silos," he explained. "They're not necessarily accustomed to sharing and don't like to be told how to teach or what to do." To overcome that obstacle, Ward said institutions must create a culture of accountability that includes continuous feedback, acknowledgement, and rewards to empower change.
Ward pointed to Google's compensation model as a good example of a culture of accountability. "Google ties compensation to how well people use digital and social media as part of the bonus multiplier; employee bonuses increase or shrink by a percentage based on how well those elements are done," said Ward. "If higher ed is serious about changing the status quo it can follow this example by also tying compensation and advancement to digital literacy and social media."
The Social Media Umbrella
The perception that social media is limited to specific websites is another hurdle that institutions will be up against. While the social media umbrella does encompass sites like Facebook and Twitter, Groom said its scope is much broader and far-reaching than those sites. That's something institutions must keep in mind as they leverage the intersection of digital literacy and social media.
"The idea of social media is for people to be able to communicate and share easily on the web – something that was impossible back in the 1990s," said Groom, who points out that the true intersection of the two concepts is not about visiting specific, megapolis sites to post status updates. "It should be focused on a space online that can be programmed and shared. That's the best vision of digital literacy and web that a university can get behind right now."
About the Author
Bridget McCrea is a business and technology writer in Clearwater, FL. She can be reached at bridgetmc@earthlink.net.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

4 Excellent Free Time Tracking Tools [Android]

 http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-excellent-free-time-tracking-tools-android/?utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_source=2012-07-18

 
android time trackingNo matter who you are, time is an incredibly important commodity. We’re all allotted the same amount of time – 86,400 seconds every day – and it’s up to us how we spend that time. Do you feel like you waste your day away, not knowing where all of your minutes go by the time your head hits your pillow? If so, you aren’t the only one.
Of course, if you have to bill clients by the hour, tracking your time becomes absolutely essential. Tracking your time expenditure is a simple but effective way to see where all of your time is sinking. If you want to make the most of your day, then you need to know how your time is being spent before you can optimize it for productivity.
Fortunately, there are a number of apps for Android that allow you to easily tally your daily use of time, and some also let you produce reports for billing clients or other uses.

Toggl

android time tracking
Toggl began as a web-based time tracker that has been around since 2006. It’s rather well-known and, due to its long history, has a reputation for being stable. If you use Toggl, you know that your time-tracking history won’t suddenly disappear tomorrow because the service shuts down.
Recently, Toggl extended their service by allowing a direct interface through their Android app. With it, you can automatically click “Start” to begin tracking a time session. When you’re done, you can fill in the details about the session itself, then it will all sync up with the web backend. Track your time everywhere and anywhere with a single click.
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Printable Timesheets Print Employee Time Sheets Online & Keep Track of Your Personnel.
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On-Time Web © Timesheet Easy to Use Web Timesheet Free 30-DayTrial. Start Saving Now!
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Easy Project Management Manage Projects Tasks & Time Online Free Trial! Great Support
www.proworkflow.com

If you go to the Toggl website, you can view a full report of the time you’ve tracked. The report will break down the time during a specific period that you choose and it can be filtered by project, users, and tags. The data can be exported in CSV (Excel) or PDF formats. Unfortunately, if you want to use the Billable Time or Billable Amount features, you’ll have to upgrade to Pro, which costs $5 per month.

Yast

android time tracking software
Like Toggl, Yast is a web-based time tracker with an Android app frontend. As such, you can track your time no matter where you go, then have all of that data sync up with the web server for a persistent history. Keep in mind, though, that you will need some sort of an Internet connection (either WiFi or 3G/4G) to use this program. There is no offline mode, from what I can see.
Using Yast is easy. All you have to do is set up the different projects (or activities) that you want to track, then click the “Track” button next to the particular project when you want to start tracking. If you want, you can even add comments onto particular sessions, describing what you’ve done during that time. The one complaint I have is that the app isn’t very pretty.
On the Yast website, you’ll be able to view reports of your tracked time. Select a time period and choose how you want to group the data, whether by project, month, week, day, user, or record type. This can all be exported into XLS (Excel), CSV (Excel), or PDF formats. You can even get performance reports that compare your current and past productivities, but this feature requires Yast Business which costs $14 per month.

Time Recording

android time tracking software
If you only plan on tracking your time through Android (i.e., not ever using a web-based frontend), then Time Recording may be the app for you. It is far more sophisticated than Toggl or Yast, but that also means that it has a slightly sharper learning curve. Have no fear, though, as you’ll get the hang of it in no time.
Once you’re in the app, all you have to do is “Check In” and the app will begin tracking a session. You can edit particular tasks and fill in descriptive details. One useful feature is that you can set hourly rates for tasks, which can be used to track revenue or payment for work-related tasks.
In Time Recording, you can bring up a Worktime Overview that details a summary of the hours you’ve worked. You can choose a start and end date to signify a particular time period. You can also export your time data in CSV (Excel), HTML (Webpage), and XML (Markup) formats. This data can be sent out either by email, sent straight to Google Docs, or uploaded directly to Dropbox.Personally, I found Time Recording’s exporting system to be a little confusing, but once you get the hang of it, it’s fine.
There is a premium version of this app that will set you back $2.95. What do you get with it? The ability to synchronize your time tracking data with Google Calendar and Dropbox. If you think that’s something that you’d find useful, then it is well worth the cost.

Timesheet

android time tracking
Out of all the free time tracking apps I’ve examined, Timesheet is my favorite. The interface is clean and efficient, which is an aspect that I hold in high regard. However, Timesheet doesn’t sacrifice power or features for simplicity. On the contrary, it has a number of options and customizations that you’ll find useful.
With Timesheet, you set up a number of different tasks beforehand. When you want to start tracking, you select one of them from a dropdown menu and then click “Start Working.” The app will handle the rest for you.
Within each project task, you’ll be able to view a Details tab that summarizes the total time spent and the total salary earned (if any of your tasks had an hourly rate assigned to them). You can also export the data from Timesheet into XLS (Excel), CSV (Excel), or XML (Markup) formats for use elsewhere. When exporting, you can choose which project to export, the time period of data that you want, and which data fields to export (date, duration, salary, etc.).

Conclusion

If you think that time tracking apps are more of a hassle than a boon, then I’d ask you to reconsider. Think of it like a budgeting app for time rather than money–by observing where all of your time goes, you can then fiddle around with your schedule to free up more time for activities elsewhere.
Know of any other apps that keep tabs on your time? I like Timesheet as it is, but I’m always willing to try ones that I’ve missed. Share them in the comments!

Working with GOOGLE Sites: Insert a Video


Working With Google Sites

Insert a Video
https://sites.google.com/site/amslerclassroom/embed-or-link-a-video

There are a variety ways to provide your viewers access to a video you would like them to see. Check out the options below, with videos on the right.

1. Insert a YouTube Video: This method allows you to "display" to a video that already exists on YouTube. Process: Go to the Insert menu > select Video > then select YouTube. You will then be provided with a space to "paste" in the URL provided at the actual location of the video. When done, simply click Save. See video on the right.
2. Link to a Video: This method allows you to "point" to a video on another website. You could simply copy and paste the URL on the page you are designing, or type in a description or key works and use the Link button above and paste in the URL to the site of interest. See the "Adding Links" page for a video instruction.

3. Using "Embed" gadget. You can also insert videos that have an "embedding" code by using a gadget called Embed Gadget. Go to the Insert menu > go all the way to the bottom and select More Gadgets > selected Featured > then search for Embed Gadget. This gadget will give you the opportunity to insert an embed code and adjust the size of the video frame. See video on the right.

4. Insert an entire web page (iFrame). Ok, you found a video, but it's not on YouTube nor does it have an embedding code. And, you would prefer not to simply "link" to the video. Well, there is another neat gadget that will allow you to insert anything that has a URL. That means you can insert the actual web page into one of your web pages. This can be done using a gadget called Include Gadget (iFrame). Go to the Insert menu > go all the way to the bottom and select More Gadgets > selected Featured > then search for iFrame. This gadget will give you the opportunity to insert any URL and adjust the size of the viewing frame. See video on the right.

5. Insert a Video from your Google Docs. Yes, it is now possible to upload videos to your Google Docs and share these videos as you would any Doc, Spreadsheet, or Presentation. However, to insert in a Google site first make sure that you have set the visibility to either Public on the Web or Anyone With The Link. Now, go to the page on your site you wish to insert the video. Click Edit page > go to the Insert menu > select Video > then select Google Docs Video. Select the video you wish to insert. That's it! Very slick.
 
Here are some short videos that will review the techniques discussed

Insert a YouTube Video



Use Embed Gadget to Insert a Video


Insert an Entire Webpage Using iFrame


Insert a Video from Google Docs

Monday, August 20, 2012

Welcome to the FREE Program for Online Teaching’s 2012-2013 Certificate Program!

Welcome to the 2012-13 Program for Online Teaching Certificate Class, an open online class that begins 1 September 2012. The class is free, offered by the Program for Online Teaching (not an accredited institution), run by volunteer faculty and participants, and open to everyone. We offer a certificate for those who fulfill the syllabus requirements, and open participation for anyone not interested in the certificate.

To get started

1. Check out the Syllabus, above.
2. Email Lisa at llane@miracosta.edu.
3. Fill out the Participant Survey
4. Get your textbook.
5. Set up your blog (see instructions at sidebar on the right).
6. Add your blog feed and info in the box on the right.
7. Join the Facebook group (you can do it with some privacy).

Cost: ~ 50-100 USD

The class itself is open and free. But there are some costs associated with participation.
The textbook costs about $42-50 new online, as printed or ebook.
Domain name = $7-15 a year at GoDaddy or Hover.
Hosting = $10-120/year at Hippie Hosting, Bluehost or Lunarpages.
We recommend setting up your own blog with a hosting company and registering your own domain, then installing Wordpress. This will take time and effort. If it doesn't work for you, we recommend Edublogs Pro at $40/year or Wordpress.com with VideoPress feature at $60/year. MiraCosta faculty may use MiraCosta's Wordpress installation.

The POT Network



Welcome fellow adventurers!
You have arrived at the Program for Online Teaching’s 2012-2013 Certificate Program blog. I am Jim Sullivan, and I will be facilitating the conversation on the blog this year. On behalf of the POT leadership team, I invite you to join us as we work together to enhance our knowledge of online teaching and learning.
Our program begins on September 1st; in the meantime, I encourage you to use this page to do the following:
1. Explore
By clicking the syllabus link on the top of this page, you can review a draft version of our syllabus (please note that we will be refining and rearranging until our September 1 start date) and decide if this journey appeals to you.
2. Set Up
Once you decide you wish to join this year-long adventure, then please use the “To Get Started” checklist on the left sidebar to walk through what you need to do to prepare for our September 1 start. The most significant task is to set up your own blog. And for that, you can find detailed instructions on the right sidebar of the blog.
3. Connect!
Finally, please join our facebook group (which you can do with some privacy) so that you can ask any questions you may have about setting up your blog or the nature of our program to our POT leadership team, program alumni, and current participants.
I hope to see / hear / read you soon in our online community. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.
Jim
jimsullivan@miracosta.edu
(760) 757-2121 ext 6303
freetowrite.com

Monday, August 6, 2012

EduDemic: This Is Why Wi-Fi On Campus Is So Spotty


EduDemic




Posted: 05 Aug 2012 10:00 AM PDT
noservice-wifi
As we all become more connected educators, digital learners, and online explorers, we slowly figure out the biggest problem with progress: infrastructure.

Posted: 05 Aug 2012 06:30 AM PDT
parentteacher
Whether you're interested in school reform, technology, parenting advice, or just want the inside scoop... this curated list of blogs are perfect for parents (and really just about anyone else!)



Thursday, August 2, 2012

FREE Online Course MiraCosta College Workshop: Internet Basics I - Critical Concepts & Browser Basics

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DNWSNU-OHaXKGbpRKcCDz_oOLHHqvTAr2EKOwo32zCM/edit?pli=1

Internet Basics I - Critical Concepts & Browser Basics
http://goo.gl/aop8M

8/13/2012
Jim Julius, Faculty Director of Online Education
jjulius@miracosta.edu / 760.795.6745 / OC 1253 - TIC
Outcomes / Contents
Participants will:


Key Terms and Concepts
Let’s start with a little activity and discuss results (results only available to Jim).

For further reference:


Social Media in Education
What do we mean by “social media” - ?
What benefits might social media bring to education? What challenges?

Discuss differences among the big four social networks

Do you realize how extensively Facebook is being used around MiraCosta?
Of course this is just the tip of the iceberg …

For future reference:


Browser Choices
Browser selection factors:

  • Computers/operating systems you use
  • Speed
  • Security
  • Ease of use & extensibility
  • Features & support


Keeping in mind that browsers are continuously updating and evolving, and evaluating them is a subjective, highly contextualized process, take a look at this site:
http://internet-browser-review.toptenreviews.com/ - and click on the links for the areas rated at the left if you’re curious to learn more about what they mean.

Do any of the ratings/factors surprise you?
Does this help you rethink which browser you are using?

Bottom line at present: Chrome is fast and secure. Firefox is most customizable. Internet Explorer is most likely to have vulnerabilities exploited, is not available on Mac, and can require a lot of tweaking. Recent speed testing on a PC favors Firefox and rates IE very poorly; security testing rates Firefox below both Chrome and IE but if you use an older version of IE, you may be exposing yourself to numerous vulnerabilities.
No one browser is right or wrong, but whichever you use, be sure it is UP TO DATE!

Why I like Chrome: speed, security, one bar for URLs and searches, automatic page