Blog Assignment: Impact of Technology and Multimedia What impact does technology and multimedia have on online learning environments? Technology and multimedia have a great impact in an online learning environment. Students are required to have basic computer skills such as emails, internet and research skills. However, in a graduate course the skill sets are required to be more in depth. Tools such as email, announcement, audio and video lectures, and Audacity, Blogs, Wiki and Course management systems are all part of the learning environment. As I reflect on my EDUC 6135, I used www.coursesites.com as my CMS for the course. This particular CMS website was user friendly and followed the format of our current Blackboard. Because of this, the influence is throughout your online learning experience as it relates to technology and multimedia. What are the most important considerations an online instructor should make before implementing technology? The instructor should start by keeping it simple. This is done by focusing on the essential tools, and builds your course around those tools. The instructor should also assess the knowledge level of students in the course. He can do this by surveying the students to see what their knowledge level of certain tools and multimedia. For example, I have knowledge of Adobe software but I had never used Adobe prior to starting at Walden. I had to not only learn Adobe but learn and advance version of Adobe with Dreamweaver, Photoshop and Adobe Fireworks. What implications do usability and accessibility of technology tools have for online teaching? To me this is a simple answer. The more you use these tools and multimedia the more comfortable you become with using them. I never used Audacity until Walden but since I’ve used it a couple times and reviewed the tutorials; I am confident is using Audacity and converting my files to MP3 or MP4 files. The accessibility of technology tools are only a click away and provide so much support to the online teaching. I can go to any website and download or sign up for a particular tool and have this tool available at all times. For example, I signed up for http://www.webspirationpro.com/ for a couple of our classes. It was easy to learn about as well as use for my courses. What technology tools are most appealing to you for online teaching as you move forward in your career in instructional design? The tools that are most appealing to me are the Course management systems, Blogs, Skype and the virtual classroom tools. I chose these because they have enhanced my knowledge of online learning and allowed me to progress in my online learning. I am confident that I can now teach an online learning class because of these great tools.

Blog Assignment:  Impact of Technology and Multimedia

What impact does technology and multimedia have on online learning environments?
Technology and multimedia have a great impact in an online learning environment.  Students are required to have basic computer skills such as emails, internet and research skills.  However, in a graduate course the skill sets are required to be more in depth.  Tools such as email, announcement, audio and video lectures, and Audacity, Blogs, Wiki and Course management systems are all part of the learning environment.  As I reflect on my EDUC 6135, I used www.coursesites.com as my CMS for the course.  This particular CMS website was user friendly and followed the format of our current Blackboard.  Because of this, the influence is throughout your online learning experience as it relates to technology and multimedia.

What are the most important considerations an online instructor should make before implementing technology?
The instructor should start by keeping it simple.  This is done by focusing on the essential tools, and builds your course around those tools.  The instructor should also assess the knowledge level of students in the course.  He can do this by surveying the students to see what their knowledge level of certain tools and multimedia.  For example, I have knowledge of Adobe software but I had never used Adobe prior to starting at Walden.  I had to not only learn Adobe but learn and advance version of Adobe with Dreamweaver, Photoshop and Adobe Fireworks.

 
What implications do usability and accessibility of technology tools have for online teaching?
To me this is a simple answer.  The more you use these tools and multimedia the more comfortable you become with using them.  I never used Audacity until Walden but since I’ve used it a couple times and reviewed the tutorials; I am confident is using Audacity and converting my files to MP3 or MP4 files.
The accessibility of technology tools are only a click away and provide so much support to the online teaching.  I can go to any website and download or sign up for a particular tool and have this tool available at all times.  For example, I signed up for http://www.webspirationpro.com/ for a couple of our classes.  It was easy to learn about as well as use for my courses.

What technology tools are most appealing to you for online teaching as you move forward in your career in instructional design?
The tools that are most appealing to me are the Course management systems, Blogs, Skype and the virtual classroom tools.  I chose these because they have enhanced my knowledge of online learning and allowed me to progress in my online learning.  I am confident that I can now teach an online learning class because of these great tools.

Week 6 Blog Assignment The project I worked on was when I was working on my Master’s at Troy University. It was our capstone class and we had to do a SWOT analysis on a company. SWOT stands for strength, weakness, opportunities and threats. The company we chose was Dell. The project team consisted of 5 of us. We decided to make someone project manager because he did SWOT analysis in the Army and was very familiar with the process. Our schedule was to meet every week at the library and go over our particular portion of the project. There was a timelines of when things had to be turned in. The project managers would be absent more than present towards the end of the project. Honestly, we depended on him a little too much because he did most of the work in the beginning. In the end, some of us had to step up to make decision and make changes to our project. One area we had to change but didn’t was the scope of the project. The project manager had the wrong information and everyone was scared to say something. I knew it was wrong based on my notes but was scared as well. We presented our presentation to the professor and he said we did a good job but our scope was wrong. WOW!!!! Looking back at that situation, I would surely speak up now and not second guess myself. I learned there are no bad questions when it comes to working on a project. Also, I would have stepped up more in the absence of the project manager.

Week 3 Blog Assignment: Communicating Effectively. This week we look at a message from Jane to Mark about an ETA for a report. She needs this report to complete her portion of the project. We look at email, voicemail and face-to-face. I interpret each message depending on the urgency of the information needed. We live in an email generation where everything is emailed. When I look at each, I see a progression of urgency starting with email and then ending with face-to-face. For example, we received escalated emails from the call center concerning an upset policyholder on how their claims were handled. The email gives a brief description of what happened. The claim was denied wrong or right or the claim was paid but the policyholder believes they should have got more money. The email ends with what the customer wants. We have 24 hours to respond to the email. The second form is a warm transfer call. The call centers places a call to the claims specialist because the customer is irate and they want their situation handled immediately. By doing this, we can look at the information right then inform the call center representative whether or not the claim is going to be paid or reviewed again. Lastly, we may be visited by a supervisor or a leader in the company concerning a claim that has escalated all the way to them. These are the “BIG” ones where the policyholder is threatening to sue or call the media. The face-to-face conversation is similar but has a greater since or urgency that the first two. As I review Mark and Jan situation, this is my take. If she sends the email, she needs the information but the sense of urgency is not a top priority. If she leaves a voicemail, then the report is needed very soon but if she comes to him face-to-face, then he is late and she needs the report yesterday. I believe the face-to-face really conveys the true intent of the message. It is obvious Mark is late with the report and Jan needs it now to complete her portion of the project. She is trying to be nice about this situation but it is becoming a problem. From this I have learned that communicating with a project team is at the top of the list. Communication should always be clear, concise and focused. This helps everyone stay on target. One should always avoid ambiguity and always document oral communication. As I communicated with a project team, it is my goal to always remain consistent in my communication with each of them. I want to always remain on topic and try to remain on schedule. I want to motivate them to value the client and stakeholders so that we can present a great project to them.

Week 2 Assignment Educ 6145

A successful men's conference. Week 2 Assignment. A couple of years ago I was fortunate to plan a men's conference fo our church. The event was a three day event that was Friday though Sunday. Friday night was preaching, Saturday was a day of workshops and Sunday was a climax to the conference. The outcomes was great. It was my desire that the men would show up and experience God and learn something and to allow the men to grow depper in the things of God. The workshop focused on our younger men and how to grow deeper in the word of God as well as being the priest of their home. The most frustrating part of the project was getting all of the men of the church to participate and pull their weight. Often times when are working a project, it is difficult getting people to work towards the finished work. I have learned from this that when you are doing a project; it is important that you don't have alot of people working. The fewer the people working towards the goal the more work can get done. I was fortunate to have a few good men who was also willing to work that made the project a success. These people helped with the success of the overall project.

Reflection Distance Learning is a fast growing part of education. This course looks at distance learning and how the distance learner learns and what types of technology is associated with distance learning. The future of distance learning is one of great promise. Dr. George Siemens discusses at great lengths three areas for the future state of distance education. These areas are growing acceptance of distance education, distance education benefits corporations and distance education will be impacted. As we look at the growing acceptance of distance education. There are four main points to convey and they are the increase in online communication, practical experience with new tools, growing comfort with online discourse and ability to communicate with diverse and global groups. How does distance education benefit corporations? This is done by allowing them to interact with different offices around the world. For example, IBM is a global company with offices all around the world. Distance education allows IBM to offer classes or courses to people anywhere and anytime. This can be done through webinars or online instructional tools such as CMS. Lastly, the impact that will be impacted by distance education is new communication technologies, contributions by experts around the world and increased use of multimedia, games, and simulations. Throughout my courses at Walden, we have been introduced to different tools and technologies that enhance our overall understanding of distance learning. We have learned about CMS, Adobe software which includes software such as Dreamweaver and Photoshop. I found this article in education atlas which discusses the future of distance education. The article discusses distance learning for the 1990’s and how impactful it will be in the future. I am using this article to illustrate the importance of distance education today. Brey's (1991) report of U.S. postsecondary distance learning programs predicted that the decade of the 1990's would see such phenomenal growth in distance education programs that most people in the United States would be served by at least one program. Much of this growth is expected to take place in the community colleges. As of 1994, 80% of community colleges in the United States offered some form of distance education program, and that percentage and the extent of their involvement are expected to increase throughout the decade. Here we are 20 plus years later after this prediction was made. We can surely see that this is a prediction that has come true. As we stretch 20 years from today, distance learning will surely be the primary source for education. As an instructional designer, it is our job to continue to grow the knowledge of distance learning and how distance learning is equal or even better than face-to-face learning. According to Swan (2003), student performance in an online course is equivalent or higher than a traditional class with the same assessments and objectives. It is my job as I continue to learn about distance learning and receiving this degree to learn all I can as a designer so that in return I can give back to the next person who one day will be in my shoes. We must become pro active and promote distance learning with a passion like many other passions that are near to our hearts. I have been challenged in this course as well as others because I am stepping outside of my comfort zone. For this reason, I can be a positive moving force for change in the area of distance learning. Brey, R. "U.S. Postsecondary Distance Learning Programs in the 1990s: A Decade of Growth." Washington, DC: American Association of Community and Junior Colleges, Instructional Telecommunications Consortium, 1991. (ED 340 418) Swan, K. (2003). Learning effectiveness: what the research tells us. In J. Bourne & J. C. Moore (Eds) Elements of Quality Online Education, Practice and Direction. Needham, MA: Sloan Center for Online Education, 13-45. Siemens, G. (n.d.). The Future of Distance Education. Retrieved June 13, 2012 from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_549515_1%26url%3D

This week’s assignment deals with open courseware. The course which I am evaluating is from MIT and the course is communication for managers. The course is described as writing and speaking skills necessary for a career in management. Students polish communication strategies and methods through discussion, examples, and practice. Several written and oral assignments most based on material from other subjects and from career development activities (Hartman, 2002). From our reading material for this week and watching the video resources from Dr .George Piskurich, The planning and designing phase of online courses are very important to the overall success of the course. According to Dr. George Piskurich, there are two things needed when developing an online course. The two things are a story board which maps out the flow and a site map which shows the students how to move through the course. The course from MIT is similar to our course outline with Walden. There are six categories which one can navigate through this course. These six are course home, syllabus, calendar, reading, lecture notes and assignments. The syllabus gives further insight into the course as it relates to course meeting times, course objectives, text and material and grading of course assignment. It is clear the course is designed with the distance student in mind. The instructional environment should be viewed as a system, a relationship among all the components of that system---the instructor, the learners, the material, and the technology. Especially when planning for distance education, the instructor must make decisions that will affect all aspects of the system (Moore & Kearsley, 2005). As we look at each reading, there are lecture notes associated that the students can download and keep as their own material. This is a clear indication that the course is designed with the online student in mind because we are students that are in different time zones and different work schedules and this makes it easier for us to access material available for the class. In our text book there are fundamental of teaching online. Some examples of the fundamentals are stated purpose of the assignment, examples of acceptable and unacceptable topics, grading criteria, including areas of special emphasis due dates, point values, instructions for submitting the assignments such as in the CMS drop-box or as an e-mail attachment sent directly to the instructor ( Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, Zvacek, 2012). The MIT course gives instruction about when the assignments are due. It also reminds the students of key dates for certain parts of their presentations. The course describes how the students are to participate in their oral presentation. It gives the procedure to the students. All of which is listed in the syllabus. Overall, this course is a great example of what we have learned this week. It demonstrates the hard work of the instructional designer which includes the planning and designing of this website. The course shell which includes CMS, LMS, WIKI or HTML is also part of this course. The course is using a CMS such as blackboard. The alpha test and beta test for this course has been applied because the course is very well put together and thought out. http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/sloan-school-of-management/15-280-communication-for-managers-fall-2008/syllabus/ Piskurich G. (n.d.). Planning and Designing Online Course. Multimedia Resources. Laureate Education Piskurich Simonson G. (n.d.). Developing Online Course. Multimedia Resources. Laureate Education. M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearsonch