Final Thoughts:

First the blogging task was very interesting. I wish I could continue to write on this blog. Time for any working learner is hard to find the time to express all that happens each week as a distance learner. The creativity and feedback from classmates in my opinion was key to the whole process. I unfortunately did not have the peer feedback that I had hope but it was helpful non the less.

Each week for OMDE 603 was a brand new experience not just technology wise but as a learner. As a final note, I can truly say that learning about education bring a new perspective on how one sees themselves as a learner and the institution they participate in. Putting all the pieces together has helped to create my blog and I look forward in having more experiences for the remainder of my OMDE classes.

Module 4: Design and Development of online courses

This module is one that takes a deeper look into comparing DE and F2F learning experiences. I used Moore and Kearsley for the class discussion this week but I also wanted to use the reading by Anderson in some way. I thought that this would be the perfect way to express what this module taught me and what I enjoyed.

This module asked that we read one chapter from part 3 of the book. While reading the chapters the one that caught my eye was The Quality Dilemma in Online Education Revisited.  My thoughts on the chapter are that they bring a lot of information on how technology has influenced DE and if it will be a long-term success. As mentioned by Anderson (2008), “[T] he Internet have overturned traditional roles of the college or university as the leading (1) research source and knowledge creator, (2) archivist and gateway to knowledge, (3) disseminator of advanced knowledge, and (4) reference and evaluator of truth”(p.310).  I am please over all with all the advances of DE and all the great tools UMUC have started to use to incorporate both technological learning but as well as the regular discussion area and objectives that I used to remember. Technology has become the latest in DE and will continue to blossom as year go on. For my own example I have been away for only two years and I see so much has changes. For example the introduction of LEO, social media tools, and email assignment verification are now being sent. Those are just a couple of advance DE had made at UMUC yet a learner always craves the connection with educators and other peers.

This week’s discussion had a lot to do the difference between F2F and DE educators perform. I enjoyed this week due to the fact that it was necessary to see how DE influences both F2F and DE learners. In the discussion section this week classmates as well myself favor connecting with classmates and professors. Online F2F is still a feature that has not been incorporated at UMUC. I thought how interesting would it be if LEO carried a online face to face function for groups and learning office hours. This would close the gap and could enhance the possibility of students understanding of certain tasks or assignments as well as a deeper peer influence.  On the contrary Anderson(2008) states, “Some have suggested that these shortcomings are the result of trying to replicate the classroom environment, instead of maximizing the new configurations of knowing the community formation possible in an interactive online environment”(306).

It was a great reading and I guess time will tell how fare DE will advance in technology and what the future research will show.

Read any one of the 4 chapters, Part 3, Design and development of online courses. In Anderson. & F. Elloumi (Eds.), Theory and practice of online learning (Second Edition). Retrieved July 29, 2008, fromhttp://cde.athabascau.ca/online_book/second_edition.html

Never to late for 2.0 Web

Module for 2.0 expands on many ideas on tools DE are using. This form of learning demonstrating to learner’s and educators that media tools can be creative and should incorporate learner’s ideas and views. As mentions by Kurtz, Litto, and Oshima, “ In the knowledge of building team or community, participants should contribute to their collective knowledge”(p.4).  With 2.0 tools embarking on ways to show creativity and learners view it’s important to see all the advancements I never thought I could use for class.

Social Networking has been a very fun media experiencebut I never thought there would be additional tools that could assist in my distance education. I could not say that I am at all a blogger or Twitter expert. This skill has been taped into this semester by incorporating blogs, a Twitter account, a wiki pages. I see that for this module Anderson indicates in his research that social networking is unpredictable in really knowing the outcome of its use yet, the potential advantages are still promising (2009).  I would have to agree with this comment because I do see how creative and exciting it could be for students to participate together in this way but I think that overdoing the social media tools could increase frustration. Keeping tracking of multiple media outlets takes a substantial amount of time, which could get confusing for novice social media users.

If I would have to choose a Web 2.0 tool as my favorite I would say it would be a blog. I have the option to change the background, place a picture, and express my frustration or advantages of this learning tool. Since I haven’t been up to date with this tool, I am glad that I had it while taking a distance education class. I say that because I am truly learning more about distance education and what kind of learner I have become. As stated by  Pang(2009), “Blogs can enhance the educational experience of students who use them as reflective learning journals”. I think that viewing the blogs as a journal would help certain students not feel so intimidated by the technology.

Anderson, T. (2009) Social Networking in Education. A draft paper to STRIDE handbook for The

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). Retrieved: April 27, 2009 from http://terrya.edublogs.org/2009/04/28/social-networking-chapter/

Kurtz, G., Sponder, B., Litto, F.M., & Oshima, J. (2011). Using Web 2.0 for fostering students’

creativity and supporting diversity in online courses: Strategies and practices. A paperpresented at the 24th ICDE world conference, Bali, Indonesia. Retrieved September 9, 2012, from https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BzA_NTEhbdH8RTQyc0wtNDE2S1k

Pang, L. (2009). Application of Blogs to Support Reflective Learning Journals. Retrieved May,

21, 2009, fromhttp://deoracle.org/online-pedagogy/teaching-strategies/application-of-blogs.htm

I am a visual learner and so looking at a sunset while being sick this week helps to focus. Our first assignment in OMDE 603 was a good way to refresh on my APA skill. I didnt remember all the little detail but I tried my best by memory. Next time will be better since I purchased the never version of the APA guide. The class has been helpful in that the modules are longer which gives me a chance to interact more and figure out my thoughts for my blog. I really enjoyed this weeks modules because I could talk about the types of social media that I enjoy. I never realized that there were so many and just a couple had a variety of options to use for DE.

As for the second question regarding Tony Bates blog and the response he got were intense. While I was reading it I could sense it was taken personally. Maybe that was just me but I thought he was going strong while defending his thought on the good bad and ugly of OER's. On to the next module and more DE information to learn.

Personally this modual shoed how wonderu

Welcoming My Fall Education 2013

Technology at its best!

After two years of not being on a computer and just working on life, I have come to realize that distance education as it has now been clarified has changed(intro to LEO). I am excited and a little overwhelmed by all the new forms of technology being used. With the blogs, Twitter account, Wiki pages, and more around the corner I am interested to see how long its going to take me to get the hang of this. I'm up for the challenge and look forward to how much I can learn!