Orientation
Goals
Become familiar with the course structure.
Get acquainted with classmates, teammates, and instructor.
Initiate group work.
Participate in various course preparation activities.
Complete Assignment 1: Personal Identity Chart (PIC)
Instructor's Notes
Welcome to ETC 655!!
ETC 655 is a unique course in the ETC program. In other courses, you learn as a classroom teacher or as an instructional designer and design technology-based learning to support your own teaching. In ETC655, we need to change our mindsets from classroom teachers or an instructional designer to a leader of a "Learning Engineering" in organizations. We need to think we are educational technology specialists and/or learning engineers at educational institutions (universities, colleges, schools, school districts, etc.) or any organizations. As educational technology specialists, we need to take leadership in our organizations to plan, design, and develop organization network environments to support teaching, learning, and administrative work, etc. We need to think at the organization level rather than at the classroom level. Our goals in this class are to learn how to build hard and soft architectures for network learning environments at organization levels.
We need to approach ETC655 by reframing our mindset. Dylan Wiliam says, “If we create a culture where every teacher believes they need to improve, not because they are not good enough but because they can be even better, there is no limit to what we can achieve.” As digital lifelong learners and educators, we need to embrace the mindset of continuous improvement. We need to continuously adapt to leverage new possibilities, not because we are not good enough because we have even more opportunities to be better.
I would like to share this quote with you:
"We also need to be clear on the purpose of higher education. It’s not about skills, and to a certain extent, it’s not even about knowledge. What counts these days is the capacity to learn throughout life; to research, analyze, synthesize, contextualize, and critically evaluate information; to apply research in solving problems, and to collaborate and communicate." by Don Tapscott and Alex Tapscott (2018).
What do you think about this quote?
Additionally, we integrate multiple network technologies (Web 2.0) to deliver our online instructions in addition to BBLearn (Course Management System). In fact, most of our course materials, instruction, and activities occur outside of BBLearn. Why do we integrate and why do we need to learn in a "Multi-Tool Learning Environment?" Multi-tool learning environments are gaining momentum. From the criticism of virtual learning environments (VLEs) and other institution-managed platforms (Wilson, 2005), through the debate about personal learning environments (PLEs) (Attwell, 2007), to the concept of “loosely coupled teaching” (Leslie, 2007), there has been a shift from centralized, specialized, institutionally owned systems (VLE, LMS) towards distributed, general-purpose, user-centered, and user-owned systems, such as social software tools.
Based on Vygotsky's learning theory, knowledge is social in nature and constructed through a process of collaboration, interaction, and communication among learners in social settings. ETC655 is designed based on Connectivism and Vygotsky's socio-cultural learning theory.
"Openness proponents contend that distance education often isolates students behind password-protected gates. By unlatching those barriers, professors like Mr. Couros are inventing a way of learning online that feels less like a digital copy of face-to-face classes and more like the open, social, connected Web of blogs, wikis, and Twitter. It can expose students to a far broader network than they would encounter discussing their lessons with a small group of graduate students. " (Parry, 2010).
In order to create a base of knowledge for our learning community, stay up-to-date with the assigned readings, we will use the readings as our basic knowledge to plan, design, and develop open network learning environments. We integrate various Web 2.0 tools, such as PLE, Diigo, Google Docs and Google Sites, etc. to support the emerging ideas of Open Network Learning Environments (ONLE) and “Personal Learning Environments (PLE).” In fact, researchers foresee that network learning tools will disrupt Course Management Systems (CMS). Another reason to apply Web 2.0 tools to deliver our instructions is that most of our classmates won't have access to CMS since our schools do not have such systems to support teaching and learning. Since most Web 2.0 tools are free and easy to use, schools, or other organizations, are able to adopt them to support organizational teaching and learning for the workforce. We will discuss additional reasons to integrate web 2.0 to create network learning environments.
ONLE, PLE, and Connectivism are three key learning concepts in our class. We need to learn these three learning concepts, how to design and develop ONLE and PLE that integrate these three concepts.
Learners create learning content
Learners share learning content
Learners organize learning content
It is critical to build three effective networks (People network, tool network, resource network) by connecting to the right people via effective tools to obtain the right resources/content you need to learn.
In this orientation, we will complete certain course preparation activities. Failure to complete these activities may create difficulties with your progress through this course. This course requires students to be intimately familiar with the course structure and completing the orientation, if properly performed, will ensure this familiarity. Students must read the syllabus carefully because the design of this course is very different from other educational technology courses. ETC655 combines two major skills that students should obtain: instructional design skills (how well-assorted instructional technologies assembled) and production skills (skilled use of applications to produce desired products). Students will be exposed to both areas in each lesson.
This is not an easy course. It covers a wide range of knowledge in multimedia instructional designs. Most students find this course challenging. There are many important activities and assignments that must be accomplished to fulfill the requirements of this course, many are labor intensive. Students must stay current with course activities, assignments. and readings. Do not fall behind! It is important that students complete every single activity and assignment on time. You must not wait until the final days of the lesson to complete the course work. Procrastination will cause you to encounter many difficulties. This course is fairly intensive. You should follow the course progress closely. In other words, your active participation is critical to positive learning experiences.
Network Learning Framework
If you remember, in ETC645 we explore Online Learning Framework. In ETC655, we need to explore the Network Learning Framework.
ETC655 Network Learning Framework
Course materials are organized into eight lessons. Each lesson is divided into three sections:
The Instructor's Notes section is where the instructor provides learning guidance and information for the lesson. It may be updated depending on the students' progress and learning experiences.
The Activity section lists all important activities in which students should participate, such as lesson discussions.
The Assignment section lists various assignments.
We have very heavy readings in Lesson 2. Using Lesson 1 orientation week to get a head start; therefore, you won't fall behind on the readings.
It is imperative for you to maintain close communication with your teammates and the instructor. Frequently, you will have questions or issues that require help to be resolved. I delight in hearing from you, even though you are doing well in the class. I prefer that you forward your e-mail correspondence to me on BBLearn e-mail.
Data-Informed Learning Literacy
Do you have competent online Self-Regulated Learning skills & Data-Informed Learning literacy?
Both are critical success factors for online learning. To secure positive learning experiences in ETC655, you need to obtain competent skills for both.
We will cover learning analytics in Lesson 7.
Graded Weekly Lesson Discussion Activities
We have fairly heavy weekly lesson discussion activities that require us to engage in active and interactive learning. Previous students indicated that they learn the most, effectively, and efficiently from their peers in addition to from the instructors. Lesson discussion is more like to reflect on the learning content. The instructor frequently integrates Socratic questioning strategies to facilitate the discussion. The purpose is to engage students questioning and analyzing their discussion action and decisions which maintains and improves reflection quality.
Additional information:
Additional Readings: You may need to read additional readings to obtain a better understanding of the course content. This is based on your personal knowledge and skills in particular topics.
Due to the course migration to BBLearn, you may see some course instructions, materials, and activities that have not been migrated correctly. If you see something that doesn't make sense to you, please do not hesitate to contact me at BBLearn e-mail. I will correct them ASAP.
Can I access some course materials, and instructions outside of BBLearn?
Yes, many of our course materials and instructions reside outside of BBLearn. In fact, they are on Google Sites. This is because our course integrates the new concept of Open Educational Resources (OERs). If you want to access our course materials, and materials, you can visit https://sites.google.com/site/etc655 without logging on BBLearn.
What can I expect to occur in BBLearn?
Check your grade book.
Participate the lesson discussions.
Submit your Signature assignments:
Assignment 3: Open Network Technology Training
Assignment 4: Final Project: The Development of an OER Textbook
Assignment 5: ETC Program Portfolio: ETC655 Competency & Reflections
Access BBCollaborate Ultra
Activity
Preparation Activities
Form a group (BBLearn Group)
Students are required to form SEVEN teams ideally that are coordinated with one book editor group (Group 7 or the last group, if we have less than 7 groups.) and six chapter author group2 (Group 1-6). Each group is composed of One to Two members. Currently, we have 11 students in the class.
Here are the number of group members needed.
Group 1-4: two members each; Group 4-7: 1 member each.
If you learn better through collaboration, sign up for Group 1-4. If you prefer to work alone, sign up for Group 5, 6, or 7. First come; first serve. It is recommended that students select teammates who have similar professional interests. Reading the students' bio will help introduce you to your classmates. Teams will collaborate throughout the entire semester; therefore, building good relationships with teammates is highly encouraged. Therefore, you must be thorough in your bio and be open about yourself.
After forming teams, each group has a few things to accomplish this week.
Exchange contact information, particularly an alternative e-mail or other contacts.
Start the conversations and planning for group assignments:
Lesson moderation (OPTIONAL)
Assignment 3: Open Network Technology Training
READ: If you are in a one-person group, you would like to join another one-person group to deliver this training session, notify the instructor. In other words, you have choices to deliver the training on your own or join another one-person group to complete this assignment. If Group 5, 6 and 7, prefer, we can have three one-person groups to deliver one training session with three members. Group 5, 6, and 7 notify the instructor of how you would like to proceed with the training session by 10/26/2022, Wednesday.
Assignment 4: Final Project: The Development of an Open Educational Resources Textbook
Assignment (Assignment 1)
Assignment 1: Personal Identity Chart (PIC): The Story of the Identity
Grade: 5 points
Individual Assignment
Goals:
Self-Introduction
Identity involves entering a class community to draw strength from that community and to give strength there.
Shape who we are as individuals and as communities to build relationships.
PIC depicts our social structure that reveals both enduring abstract truths about our universe (such as the ubiquity of extremely skewed, or ‘power-law’ networks) as well as more particular facts about how technology steers social life in historically patterned ways.
Descriptions:
Who am I?
This is a fun community-building assignment which is a combination of self-introduction, story telling, identity strengthening, as part of building a Personal Learning Environment (PLE) in learning networks in community. Tell us something we don’t know about you. Sharing your stories so we can build our network and community identity. By forging meaning to build our identities so we can invite the world to share our joy.
Identities can be grouped into two major categories: professional and personal. A professional identity describes how you see yourself in your role in the workplace, and a personal identity describes who you are as a person beyond the workplace. In many cases, these two identities will overlap, and both play a role in shaping your decisions for the course.
ETC655 is grounded in Connectivism which emphasizes how and whom we should connect is as vital as what we are connected with.
Here are some ideas to help you get started:
Who are you?
Your name and what you liked to be called.
General information about where you live and what you do.
What your expectations are for our class.
What makes you unique.
Who has/have been influential to you in your life? How have they influenced you? Are they represented in your PIC?
A picture of you, or an image that represents you.
Links to some of your favorite things.
Your hobbies, etc.
What are your future plans for your professional work?
When you are not working, what do you do?
Share something with us that most people don’t know about you.
Anything else that you want to provide
What other entities that you could describe yourself? See Social Identity Portrait (You may see this document in ETC547.)
This is a unique way to tell others about your stories. Here is mine: Chih Tu's PIC. What is yours? You can use additional texts to explain your PIC when sharing it with the class.
Tasks: Complete all THREE parts of the assignment.
Part I: Create Personal Identity Chart (PIC)
Part II: Share PIC
Part III: Reflect on PIC
Instructions
Part I: Create Personal Identity Chart (PIC)
Create a separated PIC with network format.
Example: Chih Tu's Personal Identity Chart-Network (created with NodeXL Pro, a paid version)
My PIC started as a hierarchical one and evolved as a network one. You can see the upper-right section of my network PIC represents an sub-connections (interconnected network), rather than a hierarchical one.
To represent your PIC as a network rather than a hierarchical one, it must contain at least eight sub-connections or more.
This is a good exercise to learn more of Social Network Analysis (SNA) which is one of the key discussion questions in Lesson 3.
Use one of Social Network Analysis (SNA) software listed below to create"
Kumu: Browser based. No download required.
Out of all the options, Kumu was the easiest for most students to learn. Additionally, more previous students utilized Kumu.
NodeXL Basic: Free version. Windows only.
UCINET: Free 90 days use. Windows only.
Social Network Visualizer: Windows/Mac
If you find any good ones, share them with the class.
You could also use a concept mapping tool, listed below, to create a network chart, if it is capable of doing so. However, it's worth noting that some previous students have indicated that some of these concept mapping tools may either lack network features or be difficult to manage.
SpiderScribe: an online mind mapping and brainstorming app.
Apply Excel's SmartArt Graphics to create.
Use Google Docs' Add-ons feature to create your concept maps or figures.
Tips:
Brainstorm factors you consider when thinking about the question, "Who am I?"
Categories such as family, our hobbies and interests, background, and work etc.
Use a Starburst Identity Chart to visualize the difference between factors: arrows pointing out from the center vs. arrows pointing into the center.
For those who have taken ETC645, you can include your PLE in this chart.
Part II: Share PIC
Share your chart on the discussion board with additional descriptions if needed.
Part III: Reflect on PIC
Select 3-5 factors/items/categories/areas (such as work, home, friends etc.) you think are most significant in shaping your identity. Tell us your story of these factors briefly.
Briefly discuss how the PIC creation relates to Connectivism learning theory.
Read and respond to others' PICs and bio. Let's start connecting.
NOTES:
Simply using the network tool to create a PIC doesn't mean you will obtain a "networked or web" PIC. Your PIC must show certain parts of your PIC are "networked."
Here is a simple networked or web PIC. Look at the top-center (gray circles) and the lower-left part (orange & beige circles) of the PIC, they appear as "networked" while the top-left (lime green) and the lower-right (cerulean blue) appear as a tree or hierarchical format. Let's make our PICs in a more "networked" format.
A complicated visualization for a PIC. Each cluster (e.g. Professional, Grade school, Undergraduate, Family, High school etc.) represented the complexity of the networks.
Assignment 7: Designing Gamified Instruction
Grade: 8 points
Group Assignment
Goals:
Employ gamified activities and instructions in ETC655 to cultivate robust learning networks and foster a sense of community among students.
Descriptions:
It is the shared responsibility of all members (students & instructors) in a learning community to create positive learning experiences within effective networks. How can we encourage active engagement among students to cultivate a strong and supportive community?
This assignment is designed by previous ETC655 students. Now this is your responsibilities to integrate gamification design principles to design effective activities to reach the goal stated above.
Tasks:
Sign up a ETC655 Gamification Design Committee
Our current class size is 13 students. Ideally, we should have at least three members on each committee, except for Committee 4. Please note that class size may vary in the first few days of class, and it is not necessary for the committee to align with your working group. Sign up for the committee that interests you the most. Some committees focus on interaction, while others value high-quality work.
Lesson Discussion Committee
How can you encourage active and interactive discussion among your classmates?
How can you encourage your classmates to participate in the KEY #2 questions for each lesson, even though it is optional?
Check the Lesson Discussion Leaders' Board weekly to see the various roles classmates have played in previous weeks. Use these roles to design gamification elements that foster interaction and connection. Furthermore, you have the option to create various badges as a way to recognize individuals who engage in voluntary and significant discussions.
Note that you don't need to use all the interactivity roles in your gamification design.
Be sure to have good understanding the meaning of different social roles. for more information see SNA & Roles.
Network Training Committee
How can we encourage each group to deliver more engaging and informative sessions?
What can we do to increase the number of classmates participating in more than two required sessions?
Badges can be awarded to both groups and individual attendees (our classmates).
We don't need to reward individuals who are not currently enrolled in ETC655, as it may be difficult to reach out to them.
Encouraging classmates to vote on certain badges could be a creative idea, but it's important to have clear criteria for each badge. Your committee is responsible for organizing the voting activity.
Encouraging classmates to vote on certain badges could be a creative idea, but it's important to have clear criteria for each badge. Your committee is responsible for organizing the voting activity.
InfoDoc Committee
How can we highlight outstanding work by classmates on InfoDocs?
What are some ways we can celebrate unique and high-quality work?
Have you come across any InfoDocs created by classmates that you or others could incorporate into your/their own work?
Encouraging classmates to vote on certain badges could be a creative idea, but it's important to have clear criteria for each badge. Your committee is responsible for organizing the voting activity.
eBook Committee
How can we highlight outstanding work by classmates on eBook chapters?
What are some ways we can celebrate unique and high-quality work?
Do the eBook chapters contain innovative, creative, and informative content, information, and interactive instructional activities that could be utilized in a workplace?
Encouraging classmates to vote on certain badges could be a creative idea, but it's important to have clear criteria for each badge. Your committee is responsible for organizing the voting activity.
Develop, Design, & Implement the Gamified Instruction
Instructions
Sign up a ETC655 Gamification Design Committee
OPTIONAL: If you decide to choose one person as the committee chair, please indicate it on the signup sheet. Previous students have found it to be a helpful approach.
Develop, Design, & Implement the Gamified Instruction
Reading:
Utilize Lesson 4's KEY #2 Gaming readings and resources to aid in your design.
Develop & Design
Use the template to complete your development and design.
Announce your gamification design by the end of Lesson 3
Previous student example:
Implement
Post announcements in the committee thread in the discussion board area regarding how you plan to distribute badges to the awardees.
All communications with the awardees should be CC'd to the instructor, if applicable.