Facilitated Course Communication

• Google+Google's brand new social network has some interesting capabilities that should support some interesting collaboration in this course. Right now, you must have a Gmail.com account to use Google +.

  • Circles - Participants in the Facilitated Course should join Google+ and add Dr. Barrett (eportfolios) to one of your circles. You will be added to Dr. Barrett's private class circle. In that circle, the class members can discuss the topics of each lesson. Hangouts - Regular group video conferences will be held each week via Google+ Hangouts. Instructions for joining the hangout and participate in a conversation about the topics of each week will be posted in the Schoology course.

Participation in Google+ requires an individual GMail account although Google made the following announcement in October:

http://googleenterprise.blogspot.com/2011/10/google-is-now-available-with-google.html

Unfortunately, the access to EDU accounts is limited to higher education:

http://support.google.com/a/bin/request.py?hl=en&contact_type=gplus_edu

Educators with GoogleApps accounts can also have private Gmail accounts, which is not as clunky as it might appear. Just use different browsers for different Google accounts (i.e., Firefox for Gmail account, Chrome for Google Apps account).

From your Google+ account, add me (eportfolios) to one of your circles and I will add you to a private circle so that we will communicate further in Google+.

Schoology Learning Management System http://www.schoology.com/The discussions in the latest facilitated course will be conducted in Schoology, an online learning management system designed for K-12 schools. Paid participants will be sent the Access Code to register for the private course.From the website, select Enter Code, provide the Access Code (sent to those who are participating in the Facilitated Course), and indicate that you are a student. If you do not have a Schoology account, you will be prompted to create one with your email address.