Sept 21-25

The Importance of Human Interactions..

During the Pandemic and Covid Crisis, we were all faced with the reality of living in isolation with our families with limited interactions with others.

While the rules are constantly changing about social distancing, we are still living in the middle of a pandemic and it is as important as ever to continue to connect, interact and check-in on each other.

Listen to this short podcast about how one person can make a difference - by helping others through using an App.

Online learning can be done in isolation. However, part of demonstrating real evidence of learning, specifically a deep understanding of a concept or idea, is most often done by interacting and connecting with others by building upon each other's knowledge.

Throughout this course, you will be answering the question, "How did I support the learning of others in this course?" . For example, you can consider what your peers talk about or ideas that they are sharing in their social pods, then ask yourself, how do I feel about those ideas, concepts. Then you can add YOUR reflections about the learning from others in your weekly ePortfolio posts. Connecting and interacting with others helps build and shape your own learning experience.

Part of being part of social pod is respecting each others' spaces. Consider these " Social Learning Pod Norms & Expectations"

This week, your "Provocation" is a social pod challenge. All students have been added to a "social pod" in moodle. You can find your social pod group by clicking on the "Participants" in your moodle course.

YOUR PROVOCATIVE ePORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENT THIS WEEK->

  • FIRST: Skim over these podcasts and decide WHICH podcast to listen to. Then listen to it. (If you don't like any of my choices, please choose another)

  • SECOND: Go into your moodle course and add you contact information and the way that YOU want to connect/ interact/ check-in with your group each week - in the Social Pod Learning Spaces Forum (The Social Pod Learning Spaces are at the top of your moodle course under FAQ's and the Course Calendar). Also include which podcast you listened to and why (what interested you) AND your signature and updates to your social pod's copy of the learning expectations and norms.

  • THIRD: In your ePortfolio, write about your social pod experience. Consider the following questions:

    • Why is Dr. Roberts making social pods? Why are they important?

    • How is my social pod going to check-in each week? How do you feel about the idea of a check-in process?

    • What is something new you found out about someone in your social pod that intrigued you and you want to know more about?

    • As humans, why is it important to stay connected with other humans? What impact does the loss of connection have on you? How are YOU staying connected with other students, your friends and/or your family?

Social Pod Learning Spaces - EXPECTATIONS

Welcome to Your "Social Pod Groups"!

Social Pod Expectations: WHY Do I Have to Do This?

Since we are all learning online, it is essential that every person interacts and connects with others every week because we are human and need to check in on each other. If someone needs help, we need to support each other, but we don't know if someone needs help sometimes - unless we have a way to check-in. During difficult times, every person in every community needs to take the time to "check-in" on others. The social pod weekly check-ins are the "minimum" expectation as part of being in an online learning community.

Each week you must complete a weekly reflection in your ePortfolio. You are WELCOME to talk about your social pod experiences in your ePortfolio. You are also welcome to add more than one reflection a week. The ePortfolio reflections will be used for the "Personal Reflection" Activities that are assigned at the end of every "Unit or Section" in your course.

How Can I Check- in with my Social Pod?

Read over, edit and sign your acknowledgement of YOUR Social Pod's Norms and Expectations.

You can check in using the "Social Pod Space" in moodle, you can connect through your RVS email or you could create a google .doc and add something unique each week. Your social group can create the way in which you "check-in" each week. Whatever works for your group is ok, BUT you must check-in with each other - every week.

Minimum Interaction/Check-in (Toe-in): Each week you are expected to check-in with each other to see how everyone in the group is doing.

Medium Interaction/Check-in (Wade -in): Create a study group to connect and complete assignments with each other. Create a synchronous time to meet using some kind of digital video tool.

Maximum Interaction/Check-in (Dive-in): Previously Inconceivable: Create "open" study groups which are open to anyone in your class, but led by your social pod. Create a "zoom REVIEW" to play some games online to go over some of your course content - This one is open ended .

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