Module 3 Assignments
3.1 Discussion: How Do You Create Community?
You will be using the infographic “Humanizing your Online Class” as a resource to engage in this discussion.
How will you “humanize” your online or blended environment so your students are able to “relate to you as someone more than a subject matter expert, where you foster participation from your students as part of a larger community, increasing motivation and satisfaction in their learning and achieving success in your course objectives?” (Picciano, 2002; Rovai & Barnum, 2003; richardson & Swan, 2003)
How will you leverage the theoretical framework of “Community of Inquiry” (CoI) to build a meaningful learning experience including: Social Presence, Teaching Presence and Cognitive Presence?
Looking at the “Facilitation and Course Design” sections, what are your current practices or what ideas do you have for building a robust course design and facilitating an engaged group of learners incorporating the concepts presented?
Discussion Rubric
3.2 Portfolio Assignment: Designing an Online Discussion
As noted in the previous section, properly constructed discussions can produce higher order thinking and a positive classroom community. For this portfolio assignment, you are to design a relevant discussion prompt that encourages students to think deeply and critically about a topic. Your discussion prompt should refer students to prior learning or knowledge, and should pose a clear question to which they respond.
This assignment requires the following three pieces:
The discussion prompt.
Discussion board guidelines/expectations for your students (i.e. "Navigate to the discussion board and make your original post by Tuesday, and respond to at least two other students by Thursday" or "Be respectful in your responses to others.")
Clear criteria of how students will be graded on their initial posts and responses to others (i.e. rubric, checklist,...)
3.2 Portfolio Assignment Rubric: Designing an Online Discussion
3.3 Reflection: Social & Professional Networks
All reflection assignments should show a thoughtful consideration of the topic. Reflections are expected to be written in standard English, and are typically 300-500 words in length. Reflections may include hyperlinks to outside resources, embedded Web 2.0 tools from this course, and/or properly cited images. Write a post responding to the following:
Write a post responding to the following:
1. Think about how the Internet has impacted your own personal learning, communication, and sense of community. Write a new post that includes a description of your participation in an online social or professional network. Or if you currently don't participate, how has your learning in this LEC course as a new PLN influenced your learning. Include a summary of how you use that network for personal or professional connections or for new learning. In your post reflect on:
When does the Internet help your learning? When does it distract you from good learning?
How might your answers to these questions be similar to or different from the answers your students might give?
How might you support your students in using the Internet as their own personal learning space?
2. Based on your focus for this course, blended learning or online learning, respond to one of the two prompts below. (Maintain this focus throughout the course in your reflection responses.)
Reflecting on your work in this module, how has it strengthened your skills in one or more of the Blended Learning Teacher Competencies? Specifically cite the Domain(s), Competency(ies) and Standard(s).
OR: Reflecting on your work in this module, how has it strengthened your skills in one or more of The National Standards for Quality Online Teaching? Specifically cite the Standard(s).
Reminder: You are to choose ONE focus of reflection for this course, blended learning OR online learning, and maintain this focus throughout the course in your reflection responses.
3.3 Reflection Rubric: Social and Professional Networks
