Using Technology in F2F is possible too

This week I thought a lot about the design of my course. From the readings of the book and the article and videos I watched, I have put together these elements I am thinking in incorporating to my online class:

1. Set objectives and goals aligned with the department SLOs
2. Follow the textbook order regarding activities and content
3. Use Lisa’s charts to outline the course
4. Use table 3.2 p.63 in Ko & Rossen to plan weekly activities
5. My design is going to be clean and easy to navigate. I would love to copy Pilar’s idea of having a main default page where the main content is in the center of the page week by week.  In the menu, I will make sure I only have the most important information.
6. I will try my best in create a syllabus that includes and respect all learning abilities or “diverse talents”
7. Regarding communication with my students I thought in giving them a google voice phone number where they can leave a message for me from their phones.

I would like to have an outline completed for my class before we start with all the tech tools we could use in the class so I can organize every activity. I realized this week that I will not just upload my PPs but I will have to make them all again since they will not be any longer a visual aid but instead they will be an entire lesson.

Also, the article IMPLEMENTING THE SEVEN PRINCIPLES made me think a lot in my face to face course. I am thinking now in diverse ways to increase communication and feedback with my students and I am putting more attention in making lessons accessible to all my students and their learning capabilities.

This week I really enjoyed reading the book; reviewing Lisa’s charts; and watching the model videos of online instructors. I asked in the Facebook Group Discussion a question that was very well responded for several of my colleagues and clarify my thoughts. I was trying to fill Lisa’s charts following the departmental SLOs and the pedagogical goals and I found myself not knowing if I could make any type of synchronous communication with my students. I felt the need to know this in order to fulfill my objective of evaluate the verbal communication of my students. The Fb conversation was very diverse; but in the end I think it was clear to me that if I decide to make synchronous oral evaluations I need to communicate this very well at the beginning of the class and set at least two time-options (one AM and other PM) for them to sign in.

I am not sure if I am ready to design an online course yet; but definitely this week got me very excited about it and made me feel good to know that being an experienced teacher and knowing the mechanical aspect of the online environment will help me decide which instructional activities I will do aligned with the learning outcomes.

I also want to thank all the POT instructors and my mentor this week. Besides the responses I got in Fb; I had to email them with problems with my blog and they responded to me and solve the problem almost immediately! I know at least one instructor personally and I know she is a mother, a wife and a full time instructor… HOW DOES SHE DO IT!! I can only hope to be as good and as dedicated as they are.

Gracias!

Laura

:-8

Well, I must tell you… that is how I feel!

I had a terrible week in the personal aspect; but I managed to survive fine. I had the head back yesterday and I used the entire day to read, do the questionnaire and watch all the videos.

Did you say 4 hours a week? Uhmm… I must be very slow!

Anyway; I would like to start with the book. It was interesting, although it felt a little repetitive and obvious some times. We know that when we teach online we can teach from anywhere! However, I loved the part where it says that to teach online you have to be a people person. That is something I always thought; you can actually have more one on one contact with a student via online than in a class with 35 students. Looking at the screencast videos of the instructors I saw how some of them have a chat window open in their CMS. I loved that idea, and I agree, if you are not a people person, you would not like to chat or answer questions one on one.

As I said before, I do not teach online yet; but I would love to do it one day. I use many resources I learn from this type of courses as much as I can on my class Blackboard. My questionnaire result number was 10; I truly believe that students should construct their own knowledge and that instructors should be open and pay attention to the students needs and learning styles. It is difficult; I am not saying I do it; but certainly, at least I try.

As for the Getting Started Chart; I think it is an excellent starting point. Thank you POT team, this week material and the questionnaire are truly an excellent starting point for our future online classes. Can’t wait to start planing one!

Have a great weekend and see you next week,

Laura

 Hola! I am Laura Carlsson. Yes! I am from Argentina… but; no, I am not the girl in the picture 🙁

I teach Spanish as an associate faculty at MiraCosta College. I do not teach online (yet) but I always wanted to utilize all the available technology in the classroom to make it fun (for the students and for me!) and for that reason I am ready to start this challenge and learn MUCHO MUCHO MUCHO!

The cute picture you see in the blog header are two of my 5 grandchildren. The little one on the right is the son of my daughter and her Brazilian husband. They are leaving next week to try a better life in Brazil. I brought my kids here 16 years ago for better opportunities. We passed through a lot to get our American citizenship and a decent life… and now they go other places with better possibilities. Isn’t that sad?

Well in a much happier note in these next pictures you see me (the real one) with my two daughters, Analia and Cecilia (the one leaving) and my son Lucas with our dog Fred (Alfredo). Hopefully, you can guess who is who 🙂

I have a lot to tell you about me, but I am guessing this is not the last opportunity we will have to get to know each other.

Thank you Lisa and Jim!