Round number 2

Welcome to week 3 of the e-Learning module!
Apart from some technical slow-starts, it seems that all of you are now up and running with your blogs and know more or less what you want to do.

In the coming week, we would like you to now start doing the following:
1. Refine your project: Especially the formulation of your learning outcomes is crucial. Also remember to not take on too big a project (try and calculate how many hours of e-learning you want to create). And then - remember that e-Learning makes activities possible that are not possible on paper, or face-to-face. Interaction, collaboration, formative assessment and rich media are some of the great reasons to use e-learning. We want to engage students, and that sometimes means to cut out a lot of the information (that one could actually refer to in a text book or a hand-out).
2. Remember the ADDIE model: The structure of the ADDIE model really helps one to focus and get started. It is also the model we actively promote as it is relatively easy and well respected. You should be reflecting academically on your project using the ADDIE model. You are not forced to use ADDIE, but if you use another model, you have to indicate which one you are using and again - reflect on the process of using that model. This is an important part of the assessment.
3. We have created an Assignment in Webstudies where you can upload/submit some materials. Maybe your final project outline/ planning, or your storyboard, or some final indication of how your e-learning activity/ programme will work. Incorporating the learning outcomes, activities and plans for assessment and interaction is crucial.
4. Your blog still stays crucial: Please remember to use the blog (e-Learning is learnt by doing!) as an instrument to capture your mind. It is not called a blog (i.e. Web Log) for nothing. Also please comment on each others' ideas and projects. I have heard from all of you personally that would like to have more comments from each other. This collaboration and networking that Siemens talks about can only be experienced, and we all have a chance to do just that! I am glad to hear that some of you actually plan using a blog as their own e-Learning project/ teaching.

Good luck for your wEEk!
JP

Storyboards and tips on livelier e-learning

As part of the module, we will be giving tips and tricks on how to further your skills as e-Teacher.

Here are two categories of help:

1. Create storyboards for your e-learing courses:
Resource 1
Resource 2
Resource 3

2. Creating livelier e-Learning
View this classic Slideshare presentation by Cathy Moore called: Dump the drone: Livelier Elearning.

3. Use this online learning objectives builder (using Bloom's taxonomy levels):
Interesting online tool (from Radio James) that helps one write objectives and learning outcomes called Objectives Builder.

e-Learning module - everybody's blog addresses

Dear Mphil e-Learners
Almost all your blogs have now been created. You can access your colleagues' blogs by clicking on the webaddresses below. Or you can also look in the right-hand navigation bar "Blogs I read", where you will see the other blogs in action. You can now also add this blog, as well as the other blogs to a Blog Reader. Google Reader is one, but those with Outlook 2007 can also add so-called RSS feeds to come into your Outlook (almost as if they were e-mails). Try it out. Maybe I will give a bit more direction in a next posting. But one step at a time!

The three e-Learning participants' blogs are:

1. Bronwen: http://learn2teachcriticalcare.blogspot.com/
2. Estelle: http://estelle-e-leermodulehse.blogspot.com/
3. Wilhelm: http://ugobstb.blogspot.com

Good luck with the process.