Where computer ends and mobile device begins

In the beginning there was the abacus (circa. 500 B.C.) now there is the android and the atrix.

Where does the computer begin and the mobile device begin?  when is it not the right plan for students to complete homework on?
Is it ok to dropbox from your xbox?
Is it a good idea to view video lecture on a blackberry?
does screen size matter when it comes to learning?


I have friends trying iPads who have been very disappointed when they found out that the software manufacturers consider it "not a computer" and so could not enjoy full functionality that they had with laptops.  Is it reasonable to tell a kid, that you wish them luck, but you cannot provide technical support when they try to use a device in an off label manner?

To me the answer is yes.  I want to be helpful and make you as comfortable as I can with using the course, but I wouldn't use an abacus to cook.  You may be able to do it, and good luck on figuring that out.  I would appreciate the information of how it was done.  But I don't think I can justify taking the time out of my day and away from teaching to trouble shoot the process for you.

So test away, beta test, and push the boundaries.  I applaud that.  But if you want to be sure you are successful and not constantly cutting your teeth on untried options, may I recommend the tried and true. (or at least tried and help available) technologies of the modern era.  A lightweight laptop (or notebook) OS of your choice is STILL the best bet for teachers and students alike.

Real?

Dear students,

I am real.  I am here. I want to teach you and I am glad you are here!

I have recently been struck by the perception of my students that I am somehow not real.  They do things like apologize for calling or emailing.  Do students in brick and mortar classes apologize for raising their hands?

They also seem surprised when they learn I have kids, pets, and hobbies.  I know brick and mortar schools can create the same surprise when a kid sees their teacher out to dinner, but not so surprised that they actually doubt what they just saw.  And yet a student this week posted to a discussion "you actually grocery shop?"  ( we were talking about consumer messages about product safety)  Um...how did they think I got food and toilet paper?  mail order?  online shopping and delivery?


So kids, yes I am real.  I am here and I want to teach you!

Turns out my students are not alone.  Innosight Institute recently blogged about this unreal teacher feeling are-online-learning-teachers-real-teachers?

So in a world where some of my students most real friendships are carried out online via social networking how can I improve my reality perception?  I think therefore I am???? But computers have logic ...are they?
So I reached out to friends (well discussion boards friends) on the subject and they had the following thoughts on the subject:

-You are right that in order to think a thinker must exist (anything that "does" or manifests is proof the thing exists). However, often this debate is about whether thinking itself is what defines existence, and that is definitely not true because if it were, then one would cease to exist if one stopped thinking. It is quite possible to learn to stop thinking, and when one does one becomes more aware of one's existence, not less aware. In terms of existence, all thinking makes one aware of is the existence of thinking.

-I exist, the rest of you are just computer simulations created for my amusement. Prove me wrong.

-I think therefore I am" is wrong, it should be… “I believe therefore I am”...

-If I run up to you on the street and (in a fit of rage) I bite off your little finger, how much more real is it if you think I bit off your finger vs. you believe I bit off your finger?

-"If I run up to you on the street and (in a fit of rage) I bite off your little finger... "Is this something we should be worried about? How often does this impulse come over you?

Seeing that as unproductive I am left wondering does it matter if I am real? 

And I have concluded that what matters is if the learning is real.  I happen to believe that I have a direct impact on student success and perseverance in learning subject matter.  So, if I am unreal and effective then I am OK with that.

They use me to accomplish real learning therefore I am content with my own dubious existence really  I am....

Introducing the recommended readings

Check out E Teacher's new recommended readings page.

American idol uses online video assessment.

I love it.  This year American Idol included video auditions via YouTube.  I have previously had student upload student educational presentations to you tube.  I love using that tool because it gives me a different opportunity to know my kids and I get some cool free educational content.  Just remind them about identity safety at the same time and youtube can be a great companion tool for online presenting by students.


Go Idol!  I already have my faves!

Teaching new dog old tricks

Ahh newbies!  They bring fresh excitement, fresh perspective and are a great way to build a fresh experience...but there is a fine line between energetic new teacher's implementing new ideas, and screwing everything up!  Newbies can learn some tricks from the experienced, just as the experienced can be rejuvenated by newbies.

Some examples of old tricks which new dogs should be taught asap!

1. Copy before you create. Many a newbie has lost forever great content that they wish they could have back, but in a digital word, 1 save overwrites the past often irrevocably.
2. Keep records.  yes it is great that IM can be used to reach out to digital students, but we live in a litigious world where anything you say can and will be used against you.  It is a bad practice to get in the habit of using IM's without first creating some archive-ability of that medium.
3. Email has tone.  Tone is a literary concept that is often overlooked, but you have to be aware of it as an online teacher.  Conveying the right tone is the difference between helping students and hurting them.
4. Love your support staff. All schools, virtual and brick and mortar, have a group of dedicated individuals behind the scenes.  Secretaries, Network administrators, Librarians, Aides, Lunch Room staff, crossing guards  these people are the unsung lifeblood of schools.  They often know more about what works and what fails than anyone else around.  Treat them like the gems they are.

Sites to support new teachers: Web resources equip new teachers for success. (the online edge).(Directory): An article from: District Administration

Tools of the trade

Today's entry highlights some fun things you can use to spruce up your website and keep up with the fact that Content is King.

Netvibes:  a site which creates an rss feed or widget based on your selections of topics.http://www.netvibes.com/en



Voki for Education:  Makes playable characters to which you can add custom messages http://www.voki.com/Voki_for_education.php

Taxes are taxing

Today I took time out of my otherwise crammed schedule to do that thing that comes every year.  Yep, time to talk to the government and determine who overpaid whom and who will get a check them or me.

So yea, home offices.  Seems obvious, every e-teacher has one in some way shape or form. Phones, internet and a portion of utilities too make sense.

But here's a few things I didn't think about and now have to go find records for:

• For brick and mortar meetings.  I kept mileage and gas receipts, but I didn't realize I also needed my car interest payments, and car insurance for the year because apparently a percentage of those can be added based on the mileage.
• Cell phone breakdown-while somehow crazy to me instead of just knowing my business cell phone bill amount, there is a difference in where you put down cell phone data usage and cell phone phone charges.
• Last year's depreciated assets.  Whenever possible I tend to 179 the suckers just so I don't have to keep track of what was done when.  I prefer the straightforward version-I paid for it this year therefore my taxes should be dealt with this year.  But the pesky government likes to sneak in things like computers under a no 179 rule, so I have to remember them.  Thank god for last year's records.
• BTW-the govt now claims you only need to keep these suckers for 3 years, but if an item is forces to be depreciated over 5 years, how does that work?

I'm really glad I only have to do this once a year.

8 Big Mistakes Online teachers make

In a world that moves at the speed of instant messaging, it pays to think first.
Common mistakes
1) not checking out the student. Do you get to know the kids and their learning environment?  Do you ask them when and where they will work? do you know if they've taken classes before?  and were they successful?  Getting to know your student can make getting them to complete a much easier task.
2) not lesson planning.  teaching 101 right?  I am amazed at the number of teachers who let the course teach for them, and do not actually read the materials let alone plan their lessons and share the plan with students.  Basically good teaching requires teachers to think through what they will be teaching and how it will be assessed and how and when they expect a student to complete it.  Asynchronous or semi-synchronous teachers may scoff and say they don't care how and when- but they do need to know how long it will take and communicate that to students.  This project will take you a minimum of 10 hours to complete including 3 for research, 2 for writing, 2 for reading peer papers, 1 for writing critiques of peer papers, and 1 for reading the critiques you receive and 1 hour for rewriting based on critical analysis.  Let em know up front and you get a better result.
3) being unrealistic about how students learn best.  Online learning and learning in general are not one size fits all,  when was the last time you surveyed your class for the percent of lessons based on lecture vs reading, hands on vs video.  Its ok to have duplicate lessons for learners with different styles.
4) commiting to teaching an online course without first looking at best practices for tech. how many times has a student had incompatible software to turn in work to you?  You need to stay on top of software that allows saving and opening in multiple formats or commit to using nearly universal formats like pdf or txt.
5) not checking out the school. Institutions are not created equal.  Make sure you are putting your reputation in the hands of someone who does it well.
6) taking on too much too soon. If you have not taught online or blended before ask your employers to limit class size or number of sections, and ask them to provide faculty mentors.  If they don't do this already, you probably don't want to work for them.  Remember the time commitment for you the first time will be similar to your first year of teaching.  It will all be new.  There are new keywords and acronyms (LMS, SCORM, CID,.....) and you will benefit if you get help.
7) Thinking that since it is an online course, it is OK to "copy and paste." Teachers fall under the education standard of fair reproduction for one time use in many cases, however if you ever plan to reteach that course that is now not one time use.  Good site for more info on fair use
8) Being unprepared or unwilling to cooperate with a virtual team. Depending on your institution you will have all of the people you had in brick and mortar schools.  Principals, curriculum directors, tech people, department heads, and co-workers.  So think through what you did to build relationships with people IRL and think how will that be interpreted online.  Remember emails have tone and context, even if you didn't mean them to.  So be careful.  Does it need to be put in writing?  Should you call and chat or have a live meeting?  Because once you text it, IM it, myspace it, blog it or email it its out there on record and you can never get it back.

Today's topic was inspired by The US news and World Report 8 Big mistakes online learners make article of March 25, 2010.


Read the article at
8 Big Mistakes Online Students Make - US News and World Report

I wanted to follow it up with 8 common mistakes online teacher's make.

Them's fightin' words!

Some lessons the public still needs to learn

1) If the promises are too good to be true, then they likely aren't true.
2) Teaching and grading are different.
3) This is a JOB, not a hobby.

So this rant is brought to you by certain,
dare I say it? yes I dare

RUDE

Irritating

People

who have been disrespectful about E Teaching.

Hey gang here's the truth

Shopping for Online Learning is like Car Shopping. The better prepared the buyer, the better the experience. If you go in unprepared thinking we're all alike, you may get lucky and find what you are looking for, but more likely you will find the experience wanting.

Why? Because different Online experiences have significant differences. They range from correspondence school to University level and everything in between. If you want some tips see the organizations on the Pedagogy in Practice page

What I do for a living is teach. Many people are surprised by that because I work online. They think everything is set to automatic, and while that is one form of online learning typically used in credit recovery models and some of the less dynamic schools (personally I am not a huge fan so I am being upfront about the bias), it is not the best form.

Good online schools meet the learners where they are and build them up from there. I work with everyone from the struggling kid who is failing regular school, to the advanced kid who is trying to jumpstart college. I can honestly tell you I have more communication and more direct effect on their learning now than I ever did face to face.

Consider this, my typical classroom had 20 plus students whom I spoke with mostly as a group for 45 minutes in a day. In my online class, I can meet with a student for hours by phone, IM, online meeting rooms. I can have one on one exchanges daily with every kid. I can give instant feedback, and tailor it in ways I only dreamed of before.

Finally, let me say that I do sit around and eat bon bons in my jammies, but that does not make my job any less tiring. I work every day of the year, even Holidays. I work any hour my students need me, and some of them do not share my timezone. There are no longer summers, evenings nor weekends in my life. I literally have to engineer exit times, just to have a meal with my family. and when I do engineer those times, the work is always waiting for me in spades when I return, because there are no subs in online. So yes, there are perks, but my job is every bit as grueling as yours.

Rant complete. Thanks, I feel better :)