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Sharpen your instructional skills and learn how to engage more students in a blended course environment. |
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In
light of the increased demand for high-quality blended courses and programs,
instructional designers and course developers are facing new design
challenges. To ensure effective course development and engagement for a
variety of learners, course developers must effectively use the online and
physical classroom environments, establishing measurable learning outcomes
and the means for achieving them. Program Brochure (pdf) | Pricing & Registration | Agenda Join us in Atlanta as our expert instructors discuss:
CONFERENCE
FORMAT
The
conference is structured to balance information sharing, targeted learning
activities, group work, and collaboration with colleagues. Through the use of
case studies and collaborative work, you will be able to directly apply the
knowledge that you have gained during the conference while receiving guidance
from the instructors.For maximum benefit, consider attending the optional pre-conference workshop, Cloud-Based, Mobile, and Classroom Technology for Learning and Engagement. Find out more here.
BRING YOUR
TEAM, REGISTER TODAY
Register
for this event online or call 720.488.6800 today. Register three
people from your institution and the fourth can attend for free. Questions? Call us to determine if this event is right for you. |
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It’s not because of Dr. Bonk – his work is very interesting.
It’s the classroom. I wanted to attend to see the new CourseSites from Blackboard, which is being touted as Bb’s “open” LMS. Maybe it would be innovative! A new LMS. I’m always very interested in learning management systems, and what they can do.
Well, it’s the same old Blackboard, with more white space, nicer fonts and some cool icons.
First assignment included two 44-page pdf files that were expensive to print and difficult to read online since they were double-spaced. Oh.
Well, OK. I went over to the discussion to introduce myself, and oh dear. Same threaded discussion – very 1999. With each iteration of Bb, I find it harder to believe they’ve done nothing with forums. Each person had started their own “thread” to introduce themselves, necessitating opening each one at a time or collecting those on the page.
Only those on the page can be collected. There are 30 pages of introductions.
A sense of chore, of overwhelming ennui, engulfed me. I saw that you can also blog instead. That’s good! I can blog as I go, on my own blog! And everyone will read it, and there will be comments, and I can comment on theirs! Oh….
I’m not going to blog inside a closed system, even if it’s open at the moment. Yes, I could add a link to my own blog to the wiki, but that’s not exactly integrated into the course. Pretty evident, then, that the main discussion would be in those horrible forums.
It’s only for a month. No, I can’t. I don’t use Bb anymore for exactly this reason. I will be happy to read Bonk’s works, on my own, and blog about them. I’ll miss the community. No, I won’t. I can’t miss this many people.
I’m spoiled. I blame George Siemens, Stephen Downes and Alec Couros. I blame Jim Groom. I’m used to aggregated blogs, embedded media, distributed conversation. I think of these things as being what open, online classes are all about. I blame my own class at Pedagogy First!.
You’ll say I didn’t give it a chance. You’ll say I’m being too picky. You’ll say…well, I don’t know what you’ll say, since I won’t be in the class.
