E-Communication
(1) Contribute to the Class Wikis
- Contribute to the class notes wiki. Each entry should be about a paragraph in lengths and explain something relevant to the content of the class lecture. Identify your contribution by name and link to your wiki contributions.
(2) Sharing files
- Contribute photos and/or files to a shared DropBox and or Box.com folder. Provide links to the folders to which you have contributed.
(3) Communicating with groups of colleagues
Teachers must often communicate with groups of individuals (e.g. department, student club, administration, etc.) via email. Using an email address book, you may establish groups for quick addressing and mailing. Each individual can be in be in one or more groups.
- Using your email program's address book, construct two or more groups from the master directory. Provide a screen shot showing the composition of your email groups.
(4) Communicating with students via e-groups asynchronously
Electronic discussion groups offer great opportunities for extended asynchronous dialog between students and teachers. A teacher may start a discussion thread and require students to post their thoughts, as well as comments on the postings of others. Electronic discussion groups should always be moderated by the teacher.
- Develop a discussion group for your class with two or more threaded discussions. Include a link to the discussion group and passcode if necessary. Include a screen capture of your threaded discussion.
- Contribute a real question to the assignment forum (discussion group), and a real answer to someone else's question and provide a screen capture of your contributions. Provide a link or screen capture showing your work.
- Discuss the potential benefits and concerns of electronic discussion groups in the secondary school environment.
(5) Communicating Synchronously
"Chat rooms" and e-learning systems allow multiple users to communicate at the same time. This can provide teachers with data to make formative assessments. For example, a teacher can pose a question and give students time to form their responses. When given the signal, students enter their comments and instantly the teacher can receive their replies and assess their understanding.
- Log on to the class chat room or e-learning system and respond to questions posed by the instructor. Include a screen capture of an academic question/answer video or text chat session.
- Discuss how an academic chat room or e-learning system can be used to achieve full participation in an interactive class discussion.
(6) Video Conferencing
- Hold a synchronous web-based video-meeting. Include screen-shots illustrating your participation.
(7) Blogging - Feedback on your progress
A blog (weblog) is a personal or group website that facilitates regular entries of commentary, graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.
- Contribute to an instructional blog (e.g. sites of educational interest in Los Angeles) and make at least one edited, meaningful entries. Provide a link to your blog(s) from your website as well as a screen shot of your contribution.
- Create your own blog and make three more more meaningful entries.
(8) Social Networking - Educational Networking
A social network service provides an online environment for people who share interests and/or activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others. Social networking software can be used to develop study groups and other communities of learner
- Develop a Facebook, Ning, Linkedin, Google+ circle, or similar social networking account in addition to any you may already have.
- Add your photo and what ever information you wish to your Google+ profile and your Moodle Profile. Include a link to these profiles.
- Join a study "community" for this class and participate in the discussion and posts. Include a screen shot of your participation.
- Describe an an educational application of social networks relevant to the class you teach.