Diana Bang's ETEC 565A e-portfolio

If Benoît has one term (~4 months) to work on this project before it goes live in the following semester then I would estimate that he would need 2-3 months (~8-12 weeks) to develop the online version of his Business Writing course. The fourth month (~4 weeks) could be set aside for pilot testing his site. Here’s the work breakdown (with each week consisting of 5 hours):

Benoît’s Business Writing development timeframe:

Week 1: Decide on which software to use- WebCT/Vista or Moodle by taking into consideration aspects of the SECTIONS framework by Bates and Poole (2003), talking with his colleagues in the English department for advice, discussing the pros/cons with the IT department, and comparing the features online using resources such as Edutools.

Weeks 2 & 3: Design the page layouts (i.e. homepage, course content, calendar, chat, assessments, discussions, etc).

Weeks 4 & 5: Develop the content for the online modules using his previous experience with WebCT (disseminating lecture notes and readings for his face-to-face Business Writing course).

Week 6: Implement the design layout and upload modules on the LMS.

Week 7: Obtain appropriate approvals for online course (departmental, university) as necessary.

Weeks 8-12: Pilot test online course with select group of students, colleagues, etc. using questionnaires, focus group, etc. Also, I’d allocate this time for troubleshooting and improving the online course before it goes live in week 16.

Weeks 13-15: Additional time for implementing changes from the testing, resolving any glitches and finalizing online course.

Week 16: Go live.

Weeks 17 and beyond: Continue to monitor and fix any problems as they may arise throughout the course.

As a note, I initially allocated 1 week for designing the page layouts since the case study noted that Benoît was very comfortable in the design mode of WebCT and has some personal experience in web design. However, I changed it to 2 weeks so he would have equal time in the design phase as he does in the development of his online course modules. The final 3-4 months are left to conduct testing and implement any changes in order to minimize any errors once the course goes live.

As well, I was thinking even though he may not formally have IT support if he were to choose Moodle, perhaps he can forge a relationship with his IT department so that he could obtain assistance with a designated IT representative. In my own experience as webmaster of our library websites, we were able to obtain an IT rep to be our designated tech support. It is an invaluable timesaver (as we don’t have to go through the general IT support desk and wait in queue) and it helps that our IT rep is already familiar with our websites as well as the software we use.

How might Benoît go about deciding whether to go with Moodle or WebCT/Vista?

I would suggest that Benoît use the SECTIONS framework by Bates and Poole (2003) and the Edutools resource at: http://www.edutools.info to compare the pros/cons of both Moodle and WebCT/Vista to achieve his objectives. Based on Benoît’s scenario, below is a preliminary comparison of both products:

WebCT/Vista
– It is the university’s “official” LMS
– Has university-wide IT support
– IT help desk is slow responding to email

Moodle
– Hosted by the Faculty of Arts
– Operates stand-alone without tech support
– Instructors need to set up courses from scratch
– More faculty and instructors in the English department are using Moodle since it isn’t administered by IT resulting in less paperwork and less red tape.

What questions might he ask himself? Come up with one specific question and post it in the Benoît discussion thread. Be sure to explain why this is an important question.

So, my one specific question for Benoît would be: does he value more freedom to work on his online business course through his own initiative without potential barriers and restrictions from IT? If so, it may be the case that using Moodle may be better suited for him. This is an important question since it deals with the aspect of whether he can work on his own or requires technical support to help him. However, he does need to take into consideration all aspects of the SECTIONS framework as it pertains to him and then decide what it may ultimately come down to. As this week’s module states in regards to platform selection one must also consider the resources (including time) that can be committed to create online course materials and decide to use a particular technology based on whether it helps us meet their objectives rather than solely considering the latest, “cool” technologies to incorporate.

After reading both frameworks, I decided to focus on the Bates and Poole (2003) SECTIONS framework. Last term during ETEC 510, I found that using their framework was very useful for the design and implementation considerations of our group project. It provided us with questions that we could reflect upon to help guide our decisions about using certain technologies. A couple of elements I examined were the students and cost in regards to my idea to use Moodle as a learning management software to introduce e-learning modules to staff and physicians.

Students- What is known about the students or potential students and the appropriateness of the technology for this particular group or range of students?

In regards to what is known about the potential students is that they are a diverse group of people with varying age ranges in the health care sector (from their mid-twenties to their early sixties). There is a predominantly female workforce here with varying computer skills and comfort levels using technology. From my own experience, I’ve taught nursing staff who did not have a computer at home and were uncomfortable using the basic components of a computer such as the keyboard and mouse. On the other spectrum, I’ve worked with other staff members that are more adept with technology and utilize their handheld devices (i.e. smartphones, tablets, etc) to navigate the Internet, check their email, etc. I think that providing a platform such as Moodle for students to access instructional modules will have to take into consideration their different learning styles and comfort levels with technology. As such it will be imperative to continue to offer face-to-face group and individual instruction for those who are more comfortable learning in this environment. Additionally, I’ll need to talk to health region staff to find out what kinds of learning modules they would be interested in taking. Since library instruction tends to be stand alone modules I’ll have to consider perhaps providing different levels of courses from beginner, intermediate to advanced for some topics such as database searching. However, I think this technology will be appropriate for them as staff will be able to learn on their own time and at their own pace. The added convenience and flexibility of not having to travel to physically attend a training session in a classroom setting is one of the positive aspects of implementing e-learning.

Costs- What is the cost structure of each technology? What is the unit cost per learner?

Since Moodle is a free open-source software there is no cost in terms of its use. However, there will be a cost in terms of the time that library staff will need to allocate to create modules and learn how to use Moodle.

Chickering and Gamson’s “Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education” (1987) and Chickering and Eherman’s “Implementing the Seven Principles: Technologies as Lever” (1996)

Also, I wanted to mention briefly that I found Chickering and Gamson’s (1987) and Chickering and Eherman’s (1996) frameworks practical for self-reflection on my teaching practice and helpful to consider for implementing best practices in the classroom (whether traditional or virtual). There was one aspect in particular that struck a chord with me: #2. Good Practice Develops Reciprocity and Cooperation Among Students. As Chickering and Gamson state “learning is enhanced when it is more like a team effort than a solo race. Good learning like good work is collaborative and social not competitive and isolated. Working with others often increases involvement in learning. Sharing one’s ideas and responding to others improves thinking and deepens understanding.” Thus, during my instructional sessions, I often encourage students to work together on practice scenarios and to share their search strategies as part of their learning process. From my observations in the classroom setting, I have found that when students work in pairs or groups they work together more constructively, helping each other in different ways and contributing to the team dynamic. Consequently, I believe that their collaborative effort rather than an individual one definitely enriches their overall learning experience.

Step 1: In my own teaching, in what ways do I:

a) Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity
– As part of my teaching strategy, I try to encourage hospital staff to reflect and provide opportunities for discussion to solve their real-life research questions using online medical databases.

– I try to engage students by creating interactivities that test their problem-solving abilities and students are given the option to work independently or collaboratively then share their findings with the rest of the class.

b) Design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments
– This is an area that I have identified needs improvement.

– Although I try to design relevant learning experiences which incorporate online resources that promote student learning and creativity, students are not provided with individualized learning activities; rather it is a classroom-based activity for the most part (unless it’s a 1-1 training session).

– Students are not assessed formally in their learning; rather informally questions are asked throughout a session and learning objectives are summarized at the beginning and end of a lesson.

c) Model digital-age work and learning
– Through the use of blogs (Blogger) and our library’s websites (Microsoft SharePoint and Expression Web) I communicate relevant information to health region staff to help keep them informed.

– I provide training sessions on our library’s resources and services including how to effectively search online to teach staff how to retrieve and analyze information in support of patient-care, research and life-long learning.

d) Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility
– I advocate and teach the ethical use of digital information by teaching sessions on copyright law and using reference management software (EndNote, Refworks).

– To address the diverse needs of learners I provide access to a range of online resources and offer group and individualized training sessions.

– I utilize email, Google Docs and WebEx to stay connected with staff and collaborate with colleagues. I share information with my co-workers on upcoming tech webinars and news that may be useful for them.

e) Engage in professional growth and leadership
– I continually strive to improve my abilities and skills by seeking professional development opportunities including: participating in webinars, subscribing to listservs via email and LinkedIn, staying current by setting up RSS feeds via Google Reader, participating in online communities (i.e. ALA Connect), attending conferences and workshops, reading journals, etc.

– I also stay connected through active association memberships and volunteering on committees.

– In terms of technology, I’ve taken courses on Dreamweaver at the University of Saskatchewan to improve my skills in web design and have purchased books to teach myself how to use Microsoft Expression. I readily try out and use different educational technologies including screen recording software (i.e. CamStudio, Screenr), voice recording software (i.e. Free sound recorder), text-to-speech software (i.e. Voki), movie making software (i.e. Xtranormal), presentation sharing software (i.e. Slideshare), etc.

Step 2: Reflection and Goals
After examining the syllabus, I’m truly excited about the various learning technologies we will be engaging in shortly. I’ve been meaning to transition to WordPress from Blogger, however seeing that this is part of our e-portfolio it will give me an excellent opportunity to use it on a regular basis. I currently use Blogger to post library-related news for work.

Another new tool I’m looking forward to using and hopefully implementing in my own line of work is Moodle. I’d like to provide staff with e-learning opportunities rather than the traditional face-to-face instruction which at times can be challenging as some hospital staff are located in rural areas. Connecting with them via an online medium will certainly be useful, however I am mindful that there will be a variety of learners with different skill sets including varying levels of computer and information literacy skills.

Moreover, although I have created and used wikis in the past, attempting to implement it in my work setting may present a challenge. Our library is planning to purchase LibGuides as a better way of organizing our research guides specialized for various departments within the hospital setting. I think that wikis are only as successful as its participants so I’m not sure of the uptake if I were to develop one at work. However, I may be wrong though- as it may just be a matter of what topics are created. It may be like that Field of Dreams motto, if you build it they will come.

Lastly, I think knowing that there are a variety of tools available at one’s disposal is one thing. However, knowing how to effectively utilize it into instruction is another. In library school, there was only one instructional strategies course offered which I took. Yet, most of my teaching experience has developed on the job and through my own initiative to learn different strategies. Hence, this is one of the major reasons I’m taking this program so that I can formally upgrade my teaching skills so I can better assist staff, physicians and residents. Ultimately, I’m hoping to get ideas on how I can go about incorporating some of the educational tech skills I’ll be acquiring throughout this course. Another important aspect will be getting my colleagues on board with changes so it can be implemented successfully and seamlessly.

My name is Diana Bang and I’m currently a UBC MET graduate student. ETEC 565A is my 3rd/4th MET course at UBC and this e-portfolio will serve to showcase my course assignments and reflections as I progress through this e-learning journey.