Wk - 4 - Amanda Alvarez

“If God be for us, Who can be against us?” If one actually considers the verbiage of this verse after reading Zander’s twelfth chapter, one might see the creative argument that there is no “us vs. Them” mentality for God. frustrations, arguments, battles and wars may have been avoided if this had been understood. Upon rereading the verse the only reasoning I see here is simple: If we are all God’s Children, then there is no one left to be “THEM” and therefore no one to be against “US,” "

Amanda,

These are so true words. However in our professional life just as in our religious one we forget about rule # 6. It is not all about us. Throughout history we read about one nation, tribe, or civilization with the need to overcome another. Corporations destroy our environment to make money. When do we really sit down to think how our actions will effect others. Then somehow when we are older we grow a conscience and blame the young for the terrible shape we are in.

wk 4 - Stacy Robinson

"That fact that we are willing to take courses and provide this information to others proves that our "JOURNEY" is to make a difference - being the board."

Stacy your words are so true. I wish that my fellow teachers would take this "JOURNEY". I have learned so much in this program and I have already started using them in my profession. I think part of the "JOURNEY" would be for teachers to re-evaluate why they are taking the trip in the first place.

Wk 4 - Publishing part two

Since my CBL project is geared toward the elementary classroom. I was looking for publication for the elementary teacher. It is my hope that teachers in the elementary setting can use this as a resource for adding video production in the classroom.

These are the journals I have found so far.

Edutopia

Learning & Leading with Technology

Journal Of Educational Technology and Society

Journal Of Interactive Learning

Wk 4 - How WE can get on board to create a framework of possibility

Starting new projects can be looked at in the scientific method. We start with a problem and determine a hypothesis as to how our endeavor will turn out. We can construct the design of our project. Like in scientific discovery our endeavors will not prove or disprove our hypothesis. It will only support or not support it. When we look at this way we don’t have reason to blame anyone if it doesn’t turn out like we thought it would. Our “failures” are just as important as our successes because it gives us the opportunity to learn and redesign our program. Each participant can honestly look at his or her part to improve the project without fear of being wrong therefore creating atmosphere that WE are working toward the shared vision. In measured school environment it is so easy for WE the teachers to blame administration, the parents, the district and even the students for what is wrong with education. But have we really defined our problem, is our hypothesis a valid one? When we design our project do we consider all the variables involved in our project? What will their reaction be to the stimulus? Did we test it enough times to develop a valid result? Just because it didn’t turn out the way we thought it should have doesn’t constitute failure. It is an opportunity a new framework of possibility.

Wk 3 - Publishing/Presentation - A Personal Comment

I still haven't really decided to publish or to present. I think in this blog I was suppose to write about where I would publish my project. I would like to say nowhere but I don't think I have a choice. This project like many of things I do is personal. I take classes and training to improve my skills as teacher so I can be more effective in my profession. I am always glad to share my ideas but I need no recognition. I have really enjoyed my journey through this project and have learned a lot that will affect my students in the future. It is my hope that as the students hone their video production skills they will take those skills into the classroom and personal life. I don't need the approval or disapproval of the academic community to validate my goals. I truly enjoy working on the sidelines and letting the students or adults I teach shine for me.

wk 3 Patti Yawn

"This type of learning puts the focus on them and what is important to them."

I think for some teachers this is the hardest part of teaching. Sometimes as teachers we have our concept of the students should learn. However each student will internalize what they find important to them. I think it is wonderful that you would allow the student to experience this. They are going to do it anyway. We should just celebrate the fact we part of that experience.

wk 3 - Yesenia Martinez

"Finding ways to inspire and share your “spark” that will in turn, motivate them."

Yesenia,
I have found that many people have a want to change things but they are waiting for someone to light the "spark". Sometimes we feel that we all all alone in our passion but in reality there a many others. When we light the spark others will follow that light to keep the flame burning.

wk 3 - The Way Things Are

This chapter made me think of the of the different attitudes teachers have toward testing. Some feel that because of the high stakes of testing they should just accept it and teach toward the test. Some teachers complain that they can't be creative because testing and just go with the flow. Then there are teachers who accept that there will always be some sort of measurement tool but that will not deter from their passion which is teaching. Those teachers feel that testing has not changed the face of education. Maybe we should think about why we became teachers in the first place. It is not my passion to help all the students pass the state test. It is not my passion to help my school make AYP. It is not my passion help my school make a grade of "A". My passion is to inspire my students to explore all the possibilities to become the person they want to be. It is my passion to inspire passion. Nothing moves me more than to see the light in a child's eyes when they learn, acquire new skills and take those skills to the next level.

When I read about letting go of things that are holding you back it took a more personal note. My kids and I are amusement park fanatics but I always sat on the sidelines as they rode all the rollercoasters. I spent many years holding their stuff while they enjoyed the thrill of the G-force. One day my daughter and I went to Universal with a group. She wanted to ride the Hulk but she didn't want to ride alone. She begged me to go with her and I adamantly refused. After about 20 mins of her pleading I closed my eyes and said okay. I sat locked in the chair basically freaking out and praying for it to be over. All of a sudden I was shot 60 miles an hour out into the wide blue yonder. When I got off the ride I said "Man what a rush". What was I afraid of? You never know what will happen when you learn to let go and participate wholly in your own life. That was 8 years ago and I have got lot of riding to make up.

Wk 2 - Micheal McCurdy - Peer Comment

"Life/family/work is too short for me to constantly calulate what can vs. what can’t be. Instead I need to realize that I’ve made it this far. I have some wonderful memories, and this next phase of my life is going to be even better than the last."




Micheal,

Unfortunately for now the teaching career will be fraught with measurement. What I try to do is at the end of the day think about the little things I do that can't be "measured". A students who really enjoyed a music lesson you taught. A peer who you introduced to the world of Web 2.0 tools. Or simply a word of encouragement. Those are the contributions that matter. After all test scores are only as good as the paper they are written on and like that piece of paper they will soon be thrown away. Your contributions to your family, peers and students will last a lifetime. I'm sure you will do well wherever life takes you.

Wk 2 - Amanda Alvarez - Peer comments

"As time wore on, topics became more and more complex as more and more papers were due. Dr. Dembe did not miss a beat, ever. He was well known for calling out student’s mistakes and knew well when his students were not keeping up with the readings. In class discussion, he always played devil’s advocate and few were able to win with him. He used vocabulary many had never heard, except perhaps if they had studied for the SAT’s. He basically, kept each and every student on his or her toes. No student could get anything by him and most knew better than to try. He was seen by most of the student body as heartless, unwavering and stubborn. Many thought he was bias against Americans (he was Kenyan) and often made reference to the laziness found in society, and by extension the student body. In short, he was not winning many of his student’s hearts and minds."


Amanda,

It is obvious that Dr. Dembe didn't know rule No. 6. Then he would have realized it was not all about him. It doesn't matter what you may feel about a person or group of people. he will never be able to connect with others if he thinks his class and ideas are more important. Good leaders can get more done when they empower others around them to feel they are major contributors to the project. Unfortunately it worked for Hitler. Kudos for getting through. He would be what we call in the teacher profession as a non-example.

Wk 2 - Free choice - "Oh very young what will you leave us this time" - Cat Stevens

Recently I was watching a documentary and they showed a clip of Martin Luther King, Jr. I will paraphrase the comment he made. He said "that if you have an opportunity at 36 to positively impact society but pass on it because you fear harassment, jail or even death you may live to be 85 years old. Unfortunately you were actually dead at 36." Were would we be if he decided to "play it safe"? As teachers and employees in the corporate world we have opportunities to create the change we talk about. It could be as small as a pat on the back or a word of encouragement. Keep throwing those starfish back in the ocean.

WK 2 - Making a contribution by leading from any chair

I think my principal is a fine example of that. He is always open to listen to his teachers and give them the opportunity to put their ideas into action. When a teacher shows innovation in the classroom he is the first one to send an e-mail to the staff about the great work they are doing. This inspires our staff to want to do more.he is the first administrator I have had that I actually feel free to discuss my "crazy" ideas.(We actually purchased Wii's for the classroom). When I came to him about my CBL project he ask me what I needed him to do. I ask for class time for my TV production students and we worked out a schedule where I could meet with them 1 hour a week. He sends e-mails of support to the staff about the fine work our students are doing. Will the skills my students learn help them on standardize test. I don't know and frankly I don't care. Tv production skills will help students define who they are and maybe give them direction of a career goal. Which isn't that the purpose of education anyway.

Rule Number 6. It really isn't about test scores. The reality is test scores are more important to us that it is to our students. In Florida they tried to pass legislation where teacher raises were tied to test performance. It didn't passed - this time. Teachers get so frustrated that their students because they are not "getting it". To many times I have watch teachers in the classroom lecture students because they are not learning the skills and think that will reflect badly on the teacher on the test. They constantly they tell them they are not going to passed the test. However I have been on many job interviews and have yet had one perspective employer about my test scores. I haven't seen it on a job application yet either. And so they do pass the test. Does this mean they will be a viable member of society. I am sure there are many unemployed or homeless brillant people out there. So what do you really want to do make sure your students pass the test or inspire them to do great things.

PS. To all those English teachers who were frustrated with me because I didn't like to read.(My 6th grade teacher actually told my mom I couldn't read) I still think the Scarlett Letter is boring. I am reading this book however and I love it!

Wk 1 - Just a thought - Free Choice

In Melissa Caruso's blog entry she mention doing a book study of the book we are reading for this class. We recently did a book study this year and it was horrible. We read some chapters and answered some questions. The same way we teach our students. What about a book study using blogs as we are doing now. The teachers would read the chapters post their reflections and reflect on other teacher's thoughts. We could also create professional blogs for teachers to research and write about something they find interesting that impacts the field of education. They are always sending something through the e-mail. Why not put it in a blog. It would be my hope that the teachers would experience first hand the power of blogging and how it could be use in the classroom. I know our district allows blogging because they have a blackboard class for blogging. There will be some district policies to follow but I am sure it would be worth it. This is something I will definitely look into for next year. Wish me luck!

Wk 1 comments - Melissa Caruso

"In education, this will be the hardest practice to implement because everything is so data driven these days."

Melissa,

Congratulations on your new job! Having been a Technology Specialist for 11 years I know it will be a rewarding one. Since it is all invented maybe we can re-invent what we call data. The definition of data is a collection of facts so who is to say that assessment has to be grades on a percentage scale. Rubrics are a great way to introduce projects in the classroom. Peer reviews could be another. When I was in the classroom I never put letter grades or percentages on papers. I wrote the number of questions they got correct out if the total number of questions and gave the students and parents opportunity to discuss any concerns. You have the opportunity to eliminate the box and create new possibilities. I would love to know how it is going.

Wk1 Comments- Yesenia Martinez

" I will close with stating that I am so going to implement the practice of giving everyone including myself an ‘”A” on a daily basis and see how this experiment works with students, family, friends, and other loved ones."

Yesenia,

I too was intrigued by "Giving an A" chapter. I would be wonderful to see why the students felt they deserved the "A". This would give them an opportunity to reflect on the journey of learning and what was learned along the way.

Having raised two children I can certainly relate to trying to get there. We work so hard trying to make things better for our children we forget to enjoy the trip.

Week 1 Reading - The Possibility of Change

When I talk about technology integration into the the classroom with my teachers one of the first things they ask me about is how are they going to grade the projects and how this relates to the test. However in our district we are changing the way we "measure" student performance. In grades K - 2 they use the SBAR which is a Standards Based Assessment Report. It bascially a checklist of how students are performing one the Sunshine State Standards for the grade level. It consist of 4- consistant/independant,
3 - meets standard, 2- sometimes meets standard, 1 - seldom meets standard, and there is a mark if standard has not been taught.The student's progress through these standards are monitored throughout the school year. The district plans to incorporate this report card to the 5th grade level. This has required teachers to change the way they measure their students. It would be hard for me to use the current A,B,C grading structure to accomplish this. Project-Based learning would allow the students the show that they have consistently and independently mastered the content. I have shared this with the teachers in the other grade levels however they are reluctant to change from the old paper and pencil test. I must assume they are still in the survival mode. There will come a time when they will have to change. Until then I just provide opportunities for the teachers to make small shifts toward a different way of teaching.


I love the story of the shoe salesmen in the first chapter. About 5 years ago our district started moving toward more web-based programs. Our Integrated Learning System - Compass Odyssey was web-based which meant that students could work on the programs at home and the parents could monitor their students work form home. The district also offered ele-web which allowed the parent the opportunity to check student's grades from home. There were other web-based programs we were using. I asked the previous administration if I could have a media night to be able to show the parents all of the different products and services we had to offer but they didn't want to because only 30% of our population had computers or access to the web.(We did a survey) This percentage didn't justify the time of having a meeting. This would also require teachers to keep their gradebook which was electronic up to date. We did however inform parents of the services through our newsletters. Now 5 years later 70% of our population with computers and access to the web. Our parents demand access to their students grades and they also want to know what technology services we provide to help their students. I also find that students want to know the addresses to the different websites they use in school. I live in a "Field of Dreams". I believe "if you build it they will come".

"Giving an A" There is hope we can move beyond assigning a "grade" to our accomplishments. The students in his class had write why they got that "A". The letters seem to list things they wish to accomplish and some they didn't but did along the way. So why not start off with that list and check off when a goal has been achieved. Students can set goals and monitor their progress. Although "Giving an A" would be a change for the better challenging ourselves to achieve has a greater impact. When I decided to go back to school I did it because I wanted to gain knowledge that would impact my students and my teachers. I feel I have done that. I have already incorporated some of the things I have learned. I may have an "A" but the knowledge I have gained and the changes I have made in my career mean so much more.

Welcome To Month 11 edm613

Welcome bloggers!

Time flies when you are having fun but it is time to move on. My blog has moved on to month 11. Take this journey with me as we discover the wonders of Media Asset Creation.

wk 4 udutu - Yesenia Martinez

First off I must say I am glad I am not in middle school anymore. I don't remember having to learn that. You did an excellent job with your tutorial. I must admit I had to do it twice because I was determine to get the answers right. I am sure your students will enjoy this.

PS. I like the picture at the end and I'm sure your students will also.

wk 4 udutu - Micheal McCurdy

Micheal,

I really enjoyed your tutorial. I myself like to write music and thought about how the different types of chords represent emotions. I myself like minor chords and keys. I hope my music doesn't make people sad. Something to think about.

Wk 4 udutu - Melissa Caruso

Melissa,

Wow! Your lessons were easy to follow. The audio went perfectly with your pictures. I want to know how you were able to add audio and get your video and pictures so clear. That is something I need to fix on mine.

WK 4 Udutu - Patricia Yawn

Patricia,
I enjoyed your udutu. It was very easy to follow with a great mix of video and audio. Thumby says I know my primary colors now.

Wk4 Project: Future Report

WK 4 Udutu Project

Here is the Link to my Udutu project

http://lms.myudutu.com/LMSGadget/courses/lms/20430/Course36264/2083/v2010_6_24_8_8_27/course/Course36264.html

Wk 3 - Comments Travis

"This is the strongest point of the authoring tools available to those looking at creating their own e-learning environment. “Some tools are very simple to use with templates, wizards, and features that work just like...Word or PowerPoint.” (Alcorn, page 2)."

I think that if we want teachers to move to and incorporate e-learning in the curriculum in the classroom these tools need to be easy to use. Not only for the tech novice for time management in general. Most teachers just don't have hours to spend with a intricate content tool. As the teachers become more proficient they may explore more advance tools. First we want to explore e-learning before they get bogged down with "semantics" so to speak. These tools can open a wonderful door but first we need the teachers to knock.

WK 3 - Comments Sarah

"The physical situ-atedness of learning is an interesting concept, a class does not define learning, it is our body and minds that defines learning."

I think this is very true. It is hard for some in an instructional capacity to recognize that learning can and will take place where ever new knowledge is gained. Students learn in the streets, on the bus, riding in cars. For some moving education out of the four walls has been difficult. Maybe they feel that they cannot control the environment in a virtual world.

Wk3 - LMS Choice

LMS Choice

When selecting and LMS there some things to consider.

- “Do not allow the LMS to define your learning processes.
- nor to make its selection the starting point of your strategy development .
- nor to assume that any LMS is adequate to manage the totality of the learning that might take place. (Parkin, 2005) “

The decision of which LMS to use should be made by a team of stakeholders from different arenas of users. This team should consist of the It department which will oversee deployment, the instructors who will manage it and if possible an objective outsider. This team will decide on the strategic and operational processes to manage the learning. This process will follow the objectives that have already been determined. These objectives should be determined by the goals that are need to be accomplished by the learner. “In term of process decide on what do you want to do, who is going to do it, how is it going to work (Parkin, 2005).” Then create a list of requirements the system must satisfy and critical success factors. Other considerations would be can the system be customized or will it be used “out of the box” -as packaged. Decide whether the system will be hosted “in-house” on your infrastructure which will require more IT involvement or third-part hosting. Reports are another big part of the selection process. “Vendors impress you with all the features that house the architecture; however, one of the biggest problems is data out, i.e. reporting (eLearning Guild, 2006, p.5).” Will these reports supply your needs and are they easy to access and read?


Next would be Request for Proposal or RFP. Wikipedia defines a RFP as “an early stage in a procurement process, issuing an invitation for suppliers, often through a bidding process, to submit a proposal on a specific commodity or service.” This will allow for risks and benefits to identified upfront. Other factors besides price are included in a RFP:
- Basic corporate information and history
- Financial stability of the corporation
- Technical capability
- Product information
- Customer references
The more detailed the RFP the better the chances the product or supplier will be put on the approved vendor or supplier list. These list can they be examined by the team to determine which product best achieves its objectives.


The team proposing the acquisition of an LMS, CMS or LCMS should determine standards to judge all systems by. Learn from others. There are many templates to help the team in the decision making process. These templates can be customized to meet the objectives of the organization. A brief overview would include the following:

Learner – Usability
Manager – Usability
Administrator – Usability
Designers/Developers – Usability
Support (i.e., customer service, technical,
hosting) – Usability
Cost

eLearning Guild. (2006) 382 tips for selection of an LMS or LCMS. The e-Learning Guild. www.eLearningGuild.com.

Parkin, G. (2005). The LMS selection process in a nutshell. Retrieved June 19, 2010 from http://parkinslot.blogspot.com/2005/04/lms-selection-process-in-nutshell.html

Wikipedia. (2010). Request for proposal. Retrieved June 19, 2010 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RFP

Wk 2 - Terrance Davis

“According to Carliner (2005) with rising costs CMS, LMS, Open source or customizing a system (FSO) the decision must be scrutinized further. How will they tackle technical support: on-site staff versus, outsource technical support and the higher cost associated with maintenance and down time of these systems.”

I think the failure of the public education in implementing such systems is the lack of projecting future cost. I have seen my district buy into different kinds of e-learning only to abandon them in a few years. A lot of technology in education is funded by grants but what happens when the grant runs out? Do they consider if they can maintain the infrastructure and manpower to keep these systems running? In my position as a Technology Specialist I am involved in the purchasing aspect of technology at my school. These are certainly things I consider when purchasing a new product. What are the cost over the long term and will you have the funds to keep them going. Is there a way to achieve the same goal at a lower cost?

WK 2 - Sarah Chulhan

Louria.macon@mac.com said...

"Also human being are quite adept at fooling systems and there are countless accounts poor failed implementation of these systems."

How true! We use different types of e-learning software in our school and you would not believe or maybe you do the many ways 4th and 5th graders learn to cheat the system. In my reading about these systems there is not much research on how these systems take this into account. There is not much on accountability of the learner to be honest in their learning.
June 13, 2010 7:42 PM

Wk2 LCMS: What are they for?

LCMS: What are they for?

Describe LCMS systems and their uses.

“LCMS – Learning Content Management Systems- are true content management systems (McGee, Carmean, Jafari, pp. 209, 2005).” LCMS provide:
- An authoring tool for creating content.
- A data repository for storing content created.
- An interface for delivering content.
- Administrative tools for managing content and users.
Because the content is stored in an objective paradigm it allows the content to be used across courses and curriculum. This allows for individualization of the product. Dictionary.com defines metadata as data about data. Using a metadata repository describing different aspects of the content makes to easy find relevant content by user or author. “The delivery of the LCMS begins with a pre-assessment that targets content (Ellis, 2001).” The system then can provide content to user as a course or small chunks. This the strength of the LCMS to modulate and manipulate its content.

“A LMS's objective is to simplify the administration of learning/training programs within an organization (Nichani, 2001).” A LMS doesn’t include authoring capabilities. It manages courses created by multiple authors and sources. A CMS will allow for authoring but doesn’t allow for content to be used across the curriculum. “Its objective is to simplify the creation and administration of online content (Nichani, 2001).” The content created is designed for specific courses. The LMS can manage a community of users allowing for the user to access the appropriate content managed by the LCMS which does allow creation of content..

“According to Wikipedia.org, a content-authoring tool is a software application used to create multimedia content typically for delivery on the World Wide Web (Fine, n.d.).” The selection of course authoring software is vital to any course delivery system. The design of the content will determine the reusability of the content across the platform. This is done by creating RLO’s or Reusable Learning Objects. “A RLO to a small piece of instruction that targets a specific performance goal (Nichani, 2001)”. By complying SCORM –Shareable Courseware Object Reference Model – standards, authors of courses can create content that can be differentiated for the user. When deciding on a content-authoring software one must decide if the content created needs to be reusable or not. This will also drive your decision on what e-learning platform , CMS, LMS or LCMS to use.

Ellis, R. (2001). LCMS Roundup. Retrieved June 12, 2010 from ttp://web.archive.org/web/20071012195821/http://www.learningcircuits.org/2001/aug2001/ttools.htm

Fine, D. (n.d.) Choosing the right content-authoring tool for your e-learning
needs. Retrieved June 13, 2020 from http://www.syberworks.com/
articles/ContAuthTool.htm

McGee, P., Carmean, C., & Jafari, A. (2005) Course management systems for learning: Beyond accidental pedagogy. Retrieved from Idea Group, Inc.

Nichani, M. (2001). LCMS = LMS + CMS [RLOs]. Retrieved June 12, 2010 form http://www.elearningpost.com/articles/archives/lcms_lms_cms_rlos/

Wk2 Project Udutu setup

Macon, Louria
Prior Project Selected (or new project): File Management for TV Production

Project to teach students how to create and set up files for News Shows

One thing I didn’t do well with my news team this year was to teach them the file management system we use in TV Production. As a result our work was all over the place and we had a lot of offline media and broken links when we revisited those shows. This is a fairly simple process once the students learn it and understand why it is important. Last year since I did most of the post production I kept it up very well. Now that my students are working more independently this will keep our projects together if everyone uses the same system.

http://web.me.com/louria.macon/Action_Research/File_Management_Tutorial.html

wk 1 Comments - Shontale Fuller

"Institutions researching a LMS may consider purchasing a predesigned system where all components are already in place. In this case training tends to be more simplistic as it focuses on one main system in its entirety. "

The problem with this type of LMS is the improper implemention of the system. In my situation our district has purchased a system called PD 360 for professional development. It has many instructional components for the education community. As a school we were assigned a component for Differentiated Instruction in the classroom. The component was very basic and geared for first year or beginning teachers. I have been differentiating instruction for 20 years. There may have been an advanced component for this course but because of the lack of training in the management and use of the system, our facilitator failed to meet her objective with many experienced teachers. We felt it was a waste of time. Facilitators should be well trained before they are allowed to use any type of LMS. Too many times we buy CMS or LMS and assume they are going to be the solution to our problem. Even CMS and LMS systems have to be differentiated to meet the needs of the learners. We are required as teachers to assess the needs of our students in the classroom, facilitators of LMS should do the same.

Comments - Sarah Chulhan

"This then begs the question would virtual learning environments replace traditional higher education institutions? Or will they continue in advance in parallel with the traditional forms of education. Food for thought" - Sarah Chulhan

Sarah,
You pose two very good questions. However I feel that it will take the latter. In my study of the history of VLE as technology evolved so did the method of delivery of distance learning. VLEs are only one component of a educational system that has occurs to meet the needs of different learners. Because we are so different in our learning styles there will never be a one size fits all educational system although some try to make it so. It will be interesting to see however VLE's will evolve as the technology changes. Did you ever think you could take a college course on your iPod?

Macon Louria History of Virtual Learning Environments:The Beginnings

History of Virtual Learning Environments: The Beginnings


Wikipedia defines distance learning as an instructional system that delivers instruction to students that are not physically in a classroom. In the Wikipedia article “History of virtual learning environments”, virtual learning environments (VLE) are described as systems designed to help teachers manage educational courses using the computers and networks which includes distant learning. One of the first noted distance or correspondence courses was offered by Caleb Phillipps in 1728 which was shorthand. Near the end of the 1800’s a few universities offered distance courses. In 1906 The University of Wisconsin-Extension became the first true distance learning institution.

One of the first use of technology in distance learning was radio. “In the years between the World Wars (1918-1946), the federal government granted radio broadcasting licenses to 202 colleges, universities, and school boards (Nasseh, 1997)”. However by 1940 there was only one college-level credit offered by radio and it did not attract enrollment. “In the 1930s yet another major development in distance education appeared—the television (Hinkle, 2009)”. In 1953 the University of Houston offers the first college course via the television. These classes were offered at night so students who worked could watch. They were delivered through their public television station, KUHT. By 1960 KUHT was offering over 100,000 semester hours.

In the early 1960 researchers at MIT, UCLA and DARPA started discussing the possibility of globally connecting computers. They explored the use of packets for communications instead of circuits. “In 1965 working with Thomas Merrill, Roberts connected the TX-2 computer in Massachusetts to the Q-32 in California with a low speed dial-up telephone line creating the first (however small) wide-area computer network ever built (Leiner ,et al. , 2010)”. In 1964 the Pennsylvania State University, College of Education establishes a Computer Assisted Instruction Lab and the Altoona Area School District in Pennsylvania starting using computers to instruct students. IBM introduce COURSEWRITER and online interactive Computer Assisted Instruction program in 1965 for the IBM 1500.

In 1975 the first personal computers were introduced. It was the MITS Altair 8800. Computer Based Instruction was being used in schools and on college campuses. The introduction of the personal computer would take virtual learning environments to another level. “Although the World Wide Web had been created many years earlier, it was in 1995 that it rocketed into public view (Knight, 2010)”.



Hinkle, L .(2009). Distance education history: The early years of distance
learning. Retrieved June 5, 2010 from http://www.brighthub.com/
eduation/online-learning/articles/24404.aspx#ixzz0q7hTrAAT

Knight, D. (2001). Personal computer history: The first 25 years. Retrieved
June 6, 2010 from http://lowendmac.com/lowendpc/history/
Index.shtml

Leiner, B., et al. (2010) A brief history of the internet. Retrieved June 6,
2010 from http://wwwisoc.org/internet/history/brief.shtml

Nasseh, B. (1997). A brief history of distance education. Retrieved June 5,
2010 from http://www.seniornet.org/edu/art/history.html

Wikipedia. (2009). History of virtual environments. Retrieved June 3, 2010
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_virtual_learning_
environments

Wk1 Project: LMO Overview

Development of Professional Development in the Polk County School System.






Professional Development in the PCSB was first delivered through face to face classes. Teachers signed up for classes and went to the different classes where they met for training. The teachers completed assignments and where graded by the instructors. The content was designed specifically for teachers in the district. After the course was completed the instructors posted the points needed and the teachers could use these points for certification purposes.






About 2007 the county moved toward a CMS using Blackboard. The content is developed and managed by Polk County School Board trainers. This content usually entails readings and reflections through discussion boards. Students can only interact with students within the class. Points for certification are assigned by the instructor. Teachers within the PCSB can use blackboard to design content for classes to use with their students along with face to face classes. The teacher manages the content and assigns grades. Before teachers can use this system they have to take a Blackboard classes and adhere to the Best Practices developed by the District.









In 2009 the district moved to a LMS called PD 360. This is a professional development site managed by the company. It offers classes for teachers nationally. These classes are developed by the company for the education community. These classes can be General Education, State specific, district specific and even school specific. Our school selects which courses they want their teachers to take. The teachers however can interact with teachers across the nation through Professional Learning Communities through discussion boards. These classes can be retake if the need arises. The personnel designated to managed class activity, in our case our Assistant Principal, logs in to the management site to determine if coursework is completed. They then post points to our Human Resource department for certification purposes.

Our school district uses a combination of these platforms to deliver professional development throughout the district.

AR Survey Post

I needed my team to take the post survey so here is where I am posting the link.

The Journey Continues....

To all my followers. I will continuing my journey here in the next month. I look forward to sharing and following your thoughts.

final project

Using the Wii in Education

A Wii in education! It's possible. Just take a look.