Don’t Forget the . . . Data

My son is struggling in his online college algebra course, and I’m wondering if the instructor even knows. The reason for my wondering is the structure of the course itself–Boise State uses a prepackaged course called “My MathLab,” developed by textbook giant Pearson Publishing. Students login to the site, work through exercises on their own and then take tests (this software only works with Windows OS and Internet Explorer, by the way).

My MathLab does not include much social interaction (a necessary element of online course design) and naturally, there are minimal opportunities for teacher personalization of course content. I’m not implying that my son’s algebra course is poorly designed or that the teacher doesn’t care, but I’m wondering if students’ course data are available to the teacher, in order to identify who might need additional help.

But wait a minute, you might argue–isn’t the student responsible for his/her own learning and shouldn’t (s)he be pro-active in getting help? Well yes, of course. But sometimes the student may not know! The instructor, through viewing student data logs and other reports should be able to quickly identify and notify these students of potential problems, helping them address deficiencies in learning. Online courses provide a ton of data to analyze–when students last accessed the course, how long they stay on a page, what pages they visit, how many times they interact in a discussion forum, the resources they access, their personal profiles, and a whole lot more.

With these data, we can discover a lot more about our students and more easily identify their needs. Instead of waiting until the end of the course to discover a student didn’t turn in assignments or participate in activities, instructors can get a snapshot of student activity at any time, allowing them to create more options for students or improve the course design.

Here’s an example:

I want to find out how my students interacted in a discussion forum. In Moodle, I can use the reports feature (Participation Report) to see how many posts were viewed and how many posts my students submitted. Moodle can then identify which of the students did not participate and from there I can send them a message, reminding them of the assignment and asking them if they needed any help. And I can also send confirming messages to the students who were active, thanking them for their participation. Instead of feeling isolated in an online environment, my students receive personalized feedback and know I am monitoring their activity.

But we can take it one step further–by allowing students to view their own activity logs. This is also another feature in Moodle, that can be enabled in the course settings. You should inform your students that they can view their own activity logs and encourage them to be active participants in their own learning.

Being an excellent online instructor is more than uploading content, answering questions, and grading work. It also includes a commitment to consistent analysis of the data available in an online environment to inform, guide, and improve student learning. If you are an online instructor, find out what types of student activity logs are available for you to explore. And then start using them.

Check this out (Image of data visual at top of this post)! Data Visualization Tool for Discussion Forums (browser-based, works with major Learning Management Systems): SNAPP

How to embed a Prezi on WordPress.com

So you’ve created a great-looking Prezi and can’t wait to embed it on your WordPress.com blog. But wait a minute–the embed code doesn’t work. And worse yet, your usual strategy of using VodPod as a way to embed media doesn’t work either. What do you do? Well, if you are like me, you start researching online to find the answer, because it is usually there. And I found it and it works! Following is a quick tutorial I created using Clarify-it:

How to Embed a Prezi on a WordPress.com Blog

Navigate to the Prezi you want to embed

Share

Click the Share button on the lower left of the Prezi.

Grab Embed Code

Click the Embed option to reveal the embed code.

Select the code and copy it to your computer’s clipboard. (Control + C or Apple Command + C)

Paste to Text Editor

1. Open a text editor and paste the code.

2. Search for “embed id” in your document.

Select part of embed code

Once you locate the “<embed id” part, select all of the text from <embed id= to the end of the embed tag (ends in </embed>.

Note the highlighted text below.

Copy this text to your computer’s clipboard.

Add new post

Add a new post to your WordPress.com blog and paste the text in the HTML tab of your text editor.

Edit embed code on blog post

Change the beginning and end of the embed code as shown below:

Save or Update

Click Save (if new post) or Update (if editing post.)

View Post

Your Embedded Prezi should be visible on your post

Troubleshooting:

Not visible? Make sure you have selected all of the embed code from <embed id= to the end of </embed>

Make sure you have replaced the <embed with [gigya and removed the ending embed tag along with the closing tag.

Still having trouble? Copy the embed code you pasted on your WordPress post and send to your instructor.

Finding the Best Tech Tools To Fit the Need

This semester I’m trying a new activity that requires students represent the evolution of the definitions of educational technology in a multimedia format. Initially I thought Glogster (http://edu.glogster.com) would be a good tool, but the education version that I suggested students use is not very user-friendly. I always try to use free, web-based tools when possible, and the education version of Glogster tries to get students to upgrade to a paid version.

So . . . in the meantime, students made suggestions and I thought of some additional ways one could create visual content to represent this evolution. Prezi (http://prezi.com) is one good tool–it provides a sweeping canvas that can be used to represent concepts and how they are related.

Another tool suggested by a student is to simply use PowerPoint, creating a custom canvas like Glogster and then saving it as a jpeg. Good idea and great for students who might struggle with learning new tools.

Another student found an interactive timeline tool, Tiki-Toki (you gotta love these names!) http://tiki-toki.com, which allows users to create a very engaging timeline. Another good idea.

A tool I haven’t visited for a while is Gliffy http://www.gliffy.com, which would be a super-easy and effective tool for creating a graphical representation of concepts.

Finally, I also suggested looking at some tools that could create an infographic (this would be for more advanced users or people who like to experiment a bit more.) Here is an excellent resource describing 10 tools you could use to create an infographic: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/awesome-free-tools-infographics.

So . . . that is where we are right now–moving from Glogster (sorry, Glogster, but your education account leaves much to be desired) to other more user-friendly and/or free tools.

What are you using when you assign multimedia posters or other forms of visual representations of concepts or relationships? I’d like to hear about it, so post your comments below.

Freedom from the Email Monster

It’s time to start a brand New Year, with new ideas and great plans for the future. One area I constantly struggle with is the amount of time I spend reading, composing, and responding to emails.

I recently read a blog post about reducing the time spent answering emails by posting the answers instead to a blog: http://blog.jonudell.net/2007/04/10/too-busy-to-blog-count-your-keystrokes. I really like this post by Jon Udall, arguing that you are not to busy to blog if you transform how you deal with email.

Gina Trapani (Lifehacker.com founder and certifiable geek genius) says we waste too much time on email and tells us to avoid using it if at all possible. Her ideas range from very simple email etiquette (don’t write a two word reply, such as “thank you”) to a strict schedule of when to open your email (just a couple of times a day) and then how to respond to them. Cleaning out her email inbox is a daily habit, and one that I follow as well.

I really like this Email Charter http://emailcharter.org/index.html 10 Rules to Reverse the Email Spiral. Read through it and see if you have violated any of these rules. I will try to obey this charter!

So, what will I do this New Year to reduce time spent on email and actually be more productive in my work and play? Here are my 5 tips:

1. First of all, I have weeded through and removed myself from most of my email subscription lists, using my feed reader instead when I feel like getting updates.
2. Second, I only visit my email two times a day–once at 10 am and the other at 3 pm. And weekends, I avoid email.
3. Third, I respond quickly and courteously to important emails that require very little thought and put ones that require more than two minutes time in my Gmail Tasks list. I try to remember to go back to this Task list in a day or so to work on those longer replies.
4. Fourth, I empty out my email every time I visit it, archiving all messages after doing my quick responses or adding emails to my Tasks list.
5. And fifth, I will post responses to many of my students’ emails in my blog, posting important information that might be useful to other students in the class. I will simply copy and paste the link to the blog post in my email response and include the acronym NNTR (No reed to respond.) Not only will this save me a ton of time, but will keep adding relevant and useful content to my blog. Two birds with one stone.

I’ll let you know how it goes this semester, but I’m thinking this is a great plan and step toward freeing me from the email monster.

Look for more blog posts this semester.

Moving to Moodle 2.0

Our department (Educational Technology Boise State University) will be migrating to Moodle 2.0 right after the grade submission deadline for fall. We have been using Moodle since 2008, making the decision to move from Blackboard (supported by Boise State) to Moodle. We preferred Moodle over Blackboard for many reasons–but perhaps the main reason was simply having more control over how we could customize the user experience. Also, we felt (and still do) that Moodle offered a more constructivist, social environment for teaching and learning. The ability to see instantly online participants, messaging, and online chatting make the experience more engaging and interactive.

So now it’s on to Moodle 2.0–an even more customizable interface and active learning environment.

Navigation

I like the way the navigation appears on all pages and displays links based upon the content. Unlike the multiple clicks to navigate to content on a Blackboard course, Moodle is simple and intuitive, with content easily accessible. Blocks can be added to any page one a Moodle course. Using the dock icon, they can be placed on the side of the screen, or undocked (if the theme allows it), appearing as horizontal tabs along the left side of the web page.

Files

The file system has been replaced with a “File Picker,” allowing instructors to associate and select content globally, rather than solely course-based. Instructors can select files from the Moodle server, their private folder, DropBox, Google Docs, Picasa, Flickr, and others. Students even have their own private file storage. This new systems allows files to be placed in global repositories, where other instructors can select and link to the same content. This not only saves space on a server, eliminating identical files placed in multiple course folders, but permits instructors to link files to activities or resources rather than simply the course.

Messaging

The messaging system offer more options. Users can now choose their preferred notification method (email, chat, pop-up) for a variety of events (private messages, forum posts, quiz submissions, and others). Moodle blogs now allow comments from other users (yes, like a blog should behave) and system administrators can set the ability for blogs to be visible outside the Moodle environment. Users can automatically import blog posts from external blogs to their Moodle blog. Instructors can now add course blogs by adding a forum activity and selecting “Standard forum displayed in a blog-like format” type. And a comments block can be added to any page, allowing students to comment on page content.

Wiki

I’m looking forward to using the wiki activity more, as this has been rewritten, offering better functionality and an improved interface. Having all of the tools available in one area makes the experience more seamless and efficient for everyone.

Google Apps Integration

And finally, we SHOULD be able to connect our Moodle site to our Boise State Google Apps, allowing users to authenticate in just one location. Once a student is logged in to Google Apps at Boise State, (s)he will automatically be logged in to our Moodle site. We still need to wait for OIT at Boise State to work out the wrinkles in Boise State’s Google Apps setup (students and faculty are on separate servers), but they assure me they can do this. This would allow:

• Automatic creation of users in Google Apps (Google Docs™, Google Calendar™, and Gmail™) when they are created in Moodle
• Automatic log in to Google Apps when a user logs in to Moodle
• A Gmail block in Moodle that displays latest Gmail messages on the Moodle Front Page
• A Google Apps block on the Moodle Front Page displays links to Google Start Page, Google Docs, Google Calendar and Gmail
• A Moodle app on the Google Apps Start Page. There is a contributed code block that can be added to Moodle and a widget which can be added to Google. It will allow for a single sign-on for users from Moodle to Google.

These are just of few of the many improvements Moodle 2.0 has to offer. We know there will be bugs and issues along the way, but we feel that it is time to move forward with this version of Moodle, to benefit our students and faculty.

Blackboard Contract: Collaborative Efforts Among Idaho Institutions Pay Off

I was able to find out more about the background of the Blackboard contract with the State of Idaho through a meeting today with Mike Rush, the Executive Director of the Idaho State Board of Education, and Selena Grace, the Chief Academic Officer. This contract came about through a collaborative effort among eight Idaho institutions of higher learning, the Idaho Digital Learning Academy (IDLA) and the purchasing power of the State.

The State Board wanted to assist Idaho institutions in their contractual negotiations with Blackboard. In the past, each Idaho institution had been negotiating separately with Blackboard, resulting in widely disparate pricing models. Also, expiration dates of the institutions’ Blackboard contracts were not consistent.

After discussing LMS needs with each institution, all institutions except Idaho State University* (which uses Moodle), indicated they would continue to use Blackboard if the State could negotiate a competitive price, including the entire Blackboard suite of tools, such as Blackboard Collaborate, their web-conferencing system.

Ultimately, the State Board negotiated a contract with Blackboard for the entire state ($9.50 per FTE), substantially less than what institutions had been paying. Each institution’s current contracts with Blackboard will expire at the same time this new contract goes into effect. This is not a Blackboard-hosted service agreement–individual schools still need to have servers with the Blackboard software installed and personnel to update patches and handle student/teacher support. But this pricing model provides substantial savings for most institutions, offering even more opportunities to expand options for teaching and learning.

It’s always great when Idaho institutions can use their strength of numbers to negotiate pricing and obtain a highly competitive bid. But the real benefit lies in the collaboration and commitment among the Idaho institutions of higher learning, the IDLA, and the State. This type of collaboration should continue, with Idaho seeking new and better ways to offer educational opportunities to students in Idaho and the world. Let’s use the talent, energy, and creativity in our State to make that happen.

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For more information about the terms and details of the Blackboard/Idaho contract, view this PDF agenda draft (go to Tab 3).

*Although ISU uses Moodle, they will be able to use Blackboard Collaborate for a reduced price of $6 per FTE.

5 Reasons to love the new iOS 5 update on the iPad

I updated all of my Apple mobile devices with the new iOS 5 operating system a couple of days ago, and I’m really glad I did. These updates and improvements will make your mobile computing even more convenient and fun.

Here are 5 improvements I’m loving so far with the iPad:

1. Video Mirroring: With an Apple TV hooked up to an HD monitor, you can now mirror anything on your iPad wirelessly. Think of the possibilities for your classroom–You and your students can easily share with the class whatever is on your iPad, without having to connect any cables. As you explore this function, I know you will figure out many ways of using this seamless and interactive feature.
2. Tabbed browsing: I hope I’m not the only one who has become confused on how to return to a previous browser page or how to locate a page I had been viewing! Now, when using Safari on the iPad, magical tabs appear, which more closely mimics a laptop experience. I’m loving that feature.
3. Software Updates: Another time-saving feature is the built-in software update, located in the General Settings. You no longer have to connect your iPad to a computer to get the latest updates. Cool!
4. iTunes Sync: Again, no need to connect to a computer to sync to your iTunes library. You WILL need to be connected to a wireless network, have your computer on with iTunes open, and have your device plugged in. But this is a handy feature.
5. iMessage: Now, you can send text messages without having to be connected to a cellular network which means there are no SMS charges! There is one catch to this, however–you can only use iMessage with other iPads, iPhones, or iPods updated with the new iOS 5. But it’s a powerful feature. Again, if you are lucky enough to have iPods or iPads for your students, then you can easily stay in touch with them using iMessage.

At the time of this writing, I’ve found out that there are some issues in updating Apple TV software to 4.4, so I will keep you posted. Of course, you can always connect your iPad to your HD monitor with an Apple Digital AV Adaptor, but heck, I want the convenience of no wires.

Are you using iPads in your classroom? How are you using them and what do you like/dislike? I’d love to read your comments.