Premesis of Virtual Learning

I have just tweaked my blog a little. Wish you all a great holiday (for those who actually read this of course).

Take care

After a bit of bad luck with my health I hope to be back to life on Tuesday.

It seemed to be a good session last week from what I read.

Is the course almost over. It was a very good experience

See you all very soon

The session began with a discussion of the online session the previous week. This was done using an interactive whiteboard (activestudio 3 proofessional).

Here we listed the positive and negative aspects of the session at home. Some positve aspects included: the fun of the platform, the new experience and an active learning environment. However, there were some negative aspects including: the overkill concerning platforms to keep an eye on; being thrown in the deep end, and not really knowing how everything worked (which some saw as a positive aspect); a lack of structure (also not seen as a negative by all in the discussion); log-in problems; disrutions and discrations from other sources.

Other aspects which did not work out optimally included: a need for moderation; a lack of content; difficulty to concentrate on the video.

From this we established certain guidelines: the need for a moderator (or even 2); established communication rules; the use of icons; organisation and structure; backchannel or handshake and always having a plan B.

We also mentioned “Adobe connect”, which enables the session to be viewed again and again. We used the fllowing software:

http://breezesrv.rrz.uni-hamburg.de

This includes: camera, screenshot and a text-chat. The are little windows called Pods. Other aspects of this programme include: filesharing, camera-sharing and making notes like Skype. The system isn’t free, but airtime can be bought (although it isn’t expensive).

For examples, go to: http://e-teaching.org

Our example came from: www.connect.lwm-kmrc.de/p35287287/

Folowing this elena, selma and I (simon) did our presentation of computer-based training (CBT) and web-based training (WBT)

The presentation is available: here (slides)

www.bellenglish.com is a good example of WBT. Our next task, Task #8 Learning Theories will involve us in working collaboratively on the wiki. I unfortunately won’t be able to be at the next session.

PS If anybody is interested to know why, then go to this link:

http://www.portmeirion-village.com/content.php?nID=16;catID=57;lID=1

otherwise see you all in a couple of weeks

I really enjoyed the session, except for a couple of technical aspects, which made it difficult to present the question regarding the way to change an aspect of my blog page. I had a few communication problems, which seemed to be with the platform, my microphone and the webcam.

All in all it showed that one requires a voordinator and perhaps a few tips in writing sype messages. Sometimes one didn`t know if they were being written to or not. By adding the @ symbol, this was clearer - although not really correct English. ;o)) But seriously, the skype session waorks well with few people. Otherwise it can be overwhelming, learning online together. There is always the danger of losing concentration…

However, I unfortunately had to go before the new platform was explained.

I am sure we will learn more next time.

Here (above) you can see my preferred working environment task 6. The simple reason for this choice of workplace is down to the position of my PC in the living room! I used to have an ibook, and was actually infinitely more flexible in terms of my learning environment. At the moment, I this lack of flexibilty does help me concentrate on the task at hand. I also have a good-quality computer chair, which is more comfortable when working for longer periods of time.

When skyping, this is my view (which by the way shows Steve Mc Queen in the background, from his classsic film, “Bullit” - very cool guy, with a very nice car in a film probably even older than me, but retro is the new in, now isn’t it?

Below, is my second working environment. This sofa is really comfortable and even morphs into a bed if the studying becomes too stressful…!

There is also a view out of the really large window to, … well … ahem … more houses - I live in the middle of the city, so there isn’t much getting away from this situation. However, as I have already studied a degree in an architectually-based degree, I have no problem with this situation. Trees are also around.

The only difficulty in this environment lies in the fact that other televisual and audio media are close at hand. Which student - or anybody in fact - doesn’t have the problem of dealing with distractions. Behind me is a poster of Audrey Hepburn. So one can see a bit of a film theme there I suppose.

Well I think that that will do for today…there’s a football match on later. Just check the third task on this blog… I’m for Austria. ;o))

See you on Tuesday. Let’s Skype…

Sly

Seb and I have already worked upon the text for our presentation …

Elena and Selma are us 2 are going to use this and create something very good indeed - we hope . You’ll have to wait and see!

Seb and myself are adding the finishing touches to the presentation.

I am sure that it will be very interesting….

Don`t want to give too much away now

Sly

Following an interesting presentation on the topic of micro-learning and mobile learning, we had a lively discussion on the subject.

The first group showed us their research into the subject, in a varied and interesting manner. The film of the baby was especially cute, and presented an indirect, passive form of microlearning, which showed us certain aspects of learning in an informal way.

We spent a great deal of time on the differences between the three forms of learning (formal, informal and non-formal); in the end the definitions were clearer for everybody, as they can sometimes melt together. It is often hard to define the form of learning, whether it is one form or the other.

I would like to congratulate the group again on a presentation, which was both relaxed and informative. I am also a little jealous of those who had the chance to go to Barca.

Our group would have been next, although we have been moved to either the on-line lesson, or perhaps next week. So, no time like the present…

See you soon,

Si

Hello,

after receiving a comment from Ralf, I checked the links. They didn’t seem to work. Perhaps one could go to you tube at:

http://www.youtube.com/ and then type in the following url:

watch?v=EzHTe8fy0eo

Here you will find one example of web-based training. Just to give you a taster.

Enjoy the sun. Have to go and work…

Sly

Hello there out there,

well, just to show that I am still alive and kicking…

Selma and I, and our new member Elena, were busy setting up our wiki last lesson. Selma had been busy looking through the web to find suitable videos to explain what wbt and cbt courses are. I had also had a look and found some links, which were interesting but perhaps not to be used in our final presentation…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8j3vq6t_TFU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wogpRazlu8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA74xvOrvho

Trying to find an interesting, short and sensible example of wbt and cbt courses seems to be a bit like finding a “needle in a haystack”.

It is also important to note that one says a “training course” (as in computer-based-training course), rather than leaving the “course” part out…without the noun, it doesn’t work in English. That’t probably why I am studying to be an English teacher, so that I can point out such little annoying things. ;o)

Anyway, Selma and Elena were busy in finding our own “rote Faden” - after extensive research I was able to find out that this phrase seems not to be English, and is based on the Greek thread that Ulysees used to escape from the labyrinth in Greek mythology. I am sure we are beginning to find our way out of the labyrinth of information to escape in time for our presentation in May.

That’s all for now…

Sly