Author Archives: Colleen Huck

Assignment 1 Reflection – Colleen Huck

In our group scenario, BCcampus had two LMS platforms, one vendor based and the other open source. BCcampus was going to downsize their IT group in three months and had to decide which platform, if either, they wanted to move forward with.

To start the brainstorming process our group looked at the Bates SECTION model for inspiration. Each component of the SECTION model raised important points that BCcampus would need to consider when selecting and implementing one central LMS. Some points that really stood out included, ease of use (for both end users and administration), compatibility, and tech. support (Bates, 2014). From there we considered Chickering & Ehramann’s seven principles of good practice. I took each principle and created a list of specific LMS functionality that would reflect it. For example, contact between students and faculty; this could be accomplished through discussion boards, instant messaging, email etc. (Chickering & Ehramann, 1996). We translated the ideas raised by both Bates and Chickering & Ehramann into five of our six rubric criteria: access, support, functionality, cost, and organizational requirements.

Throughout the planning process the Spiro article inspired us to think long term. According to Spiro, the end of the LMS was imminent, gone are the days of “one-size-fits-all courses” (2014). He emphasised the importance of adaptability and self-directing learning (Spiro, 2014). This lead to our sixth rubric category, customization.  Once we decided on our main criteria, the rubric came together very naturally. We all started filling in the subheading and developing rating standards.

Going into assignment one I had some apprehensions. While I have been the end user for multiple LMS platforms, I have never used a LMS from the administration side. I was worried my inexperience would put me at a disadvantage in creating a rubric. I think being in a group was really beneficial in that way. We all brought different levels of experience to the table and were able to feed off of each other’s’ ideas. While it was challenging to coordinate schedules, I think in the end we all came together and produced a rubric we are proud of.

 

References

Bates, T. (2014). Teaching in digital age http://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/ (Chapter 8 on SECTIONS framework)

Chickering, A. W., & Ehrmann, S., C. (1996). Implementing the seven principles: Technology as lever. American Association for Higher Education Bulletin, 49(2), 3-6. Retrieved from http://www.aahea.org/articles/sevenprinciples.htm

Spiro, K. (2014). 5 elearning trends leading to the end of the Learning Management Systems. Retrieved from http://elearningindustry.com/5-elearning-trends-leading-to-the-end-of-the-learning-managementsystem

Lenora’s Anti-Bullying Resource

I went back and forth on whether an online medium is the best choice for Lenora. I’ve landed on yes, but not a new website. The reason I was torn is because of the dial-up internet. I’m sure Lenora is not the only person in her community (or in other indigenous communities) that struggles with internet access. With that said, Lenora would have a hard time reaching a larger audience using a print source. Further, a print resource would be more costly and harder to maintain. I created a pros and cons chart based on the SECTIONS model to weigh out Lenora’s options.

  Print Medium Online Medium
Students Limited by mailing  list Open to entire community
Ease of Use Easy to reference once received Require internet access
Cost Printing cost No cost (if use free platform)
Teaching/Media Selection Images only Various media formats
Interaction No interactivity Post comments & share links
Organizational Issues Appropriate branding Appropriate branding
Networking No networking Collaborative tools
Security Can be shared Can be shared

Since an online medium is more costly, reaches a larger audience, and allows for interactivity/ networking I think Lenora should pursue it further. However, because Lenora has no experience creating websites and has limited time, I think she should consider other online mediums. Three options I thought of are: a blog, an online newsletter, or adding content to existing online communities. While each of these options pose their own challenges, I think overall they will play to Lenora’s strengths and resources.

Blog

Sites like WordPress and Weebly allow you to create a blog for free and have very user friendly platforms. Lenora could develop a series of post relating to anti-bullying resources. She can also upload documents or embed links (which would be faster). Blogs also allow for open communication, so members of her community and comment and contribute their own stories/resources.

Newsletter

An online newsletter is a great way to share information without having to maintain an online platform. Lenora can draft the newsletter offline and embed documents within it. She can then circulate her newsletter to various indigenous communities.

Online Communities

Instead of creating a website from scratch, Lenora could add her content to already existing online communities (like Cradleboard). These communities already have a following which will allow her to reach a large audience. Further, she would not be responsible for maintaining the website.

References

Bates, T. (2014). Teaching in digital age http://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/ (Chapter 8 on SECTIONS framework)

Thoughts for Benoit

I suppose it is slightly skirting the scenario but I think Benoit should first ask himself if his Business Writing course is appropriate to be run online. By that I mean, will the learners reap the same benefits (or more) from the online version of his course that they do from the face to face version? Coates, James & Baldwin (2005) mentioned in their article that a lot of educational institutions have been drawn in by the allure of Learning Management Systems as they allow for more efficient regulated teaching. However, it has yet to be fully proven if online mediums positively or negatively affect student learning (Coates, James & Baldwin, 2005). Just because Benoit can put his course online does not mean he should put it online. Benoit must balance the aspirations of the university to reach a larger audience with student expectations and course goals/ desired outcomes.

I do not have experience developing online courses so I am not positive how much time Benoit will need to put his course online. With that said, I think he would have to work through the following steps:

  • Determine if Business Writing should be offered online
  • Research possible platforms (Moodle and Blackboard Learn)
  • Experiment with online technologies
  • Alter/develop content for an online medium
  • Have a trial run of the course
  • Adjust the course based on the trial run
  • Go live with the course

References

Coates, H., James, R., & Baldwin, G. (2005). A critical examination of the effects of Learning Management Systems on university teaching and learning. Tertiary Education and Management, 11,(1), 19-36. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11233-004-3567-9

Colleen’s Flight Path

I am the Coordinator of Professional Development at a law firm in downtown Toronto. Our department oversees the learning curriculum for the firm. We run over 100 programs a year. Some of the programs are part of re-occurring curriculums, whereas others are new content. In addition, we run the 2 week orientation program for our summer law and articling students as well as firm retreats. I have worked in professional development for approximately five years. We I first started I was purely on the project/ event management side of professional development. Meaning, my primary focus was on program, event, and orientation logistics. This included tasks like researching offsite venues, ordering catering, arranging audio visual equipment and support, creating PowerPoint presentations and handouts, and drafting evaluations. I obtained a graduate certificate in Project and Event Management from York University and considered going into events full time. It was not until my Manager gave me an online learning project that I changed my focus.

I was asked to work with CPD Online (a third party company) to set-up a private video library for the firm. CPD Online hosts videos and has private libraries only accessible to people with their own access code. Our clients often need help obtaining their CPD hours so we host a series of programs for them throughout the year. However, the recordings of those programs are hosted on our intranet site making them inaccessible to clients. CPD Online allowed us to share our content with our clients while maintaining our firm’s privacy and protecting proprietary information (highlighted by Bates 2014 as an important media selection criteria). We were the first CPD Online private library so we had to create everything from scratch. I found the process of developing our library to be both tedious and exciting. I liked creating something new and it was great seeing my ideas come to life. Once the project was done, I realized I really enjoy online learning and decided to pursue it further. While I still manage the logistics for our learning initiatives, I also re-designed and now maintain our department’s intranet page, I create short video (where applicable) for our live seminars, and I will be creating some online modules for our students using Articulate Storyline.

The increased scope of my role is what inspired me to apply for the MET program. I wanted to learn more about the world of online learning and gain the skills to develop and implement programs/software at my firm. My MET goals are two-tiered. For my current role, I would like to learn about content design strategies and software. When to use online resources and when not and what works best and for whom. I also want to get some hands on experience developing my own content in a wide variety of formats. In the future, I hope to be in a management position and am looking for the MET program to give me guidance on technology selection and implementation. A lot of professional organizations have a LMS – unfortunately my firm does not. With that said, there has been a lot of debate on whether or not we need one. In this course I hope to learn what types of platforms exist, what they can do, and how to select the appropriate platform for our organizational needs. I am also interested to learn how a LMS works/connects with other technologies and resources (e.g. Outlook, Intranet pages, mobile devices etc.). Further, we are looking to create a learning blog at the firm. I would love to learn some tips and best practices for creating a professional blog. How do you make it both a social and professional experience? How do you engage users and encourage participation?

In order to attain my goals I think I primarily need practice. As Bates stated, everyone has different learning styles and preferences (2014). My preference is to learn by doing. I want to experiment, test software, use trial and error, and take advantage of the knowledge and experience my classmates bring to the course. Bates (2014) also highlighted the role of interaction in learning (whether it be student – teacher, student – student, or student – material). I think in order to succeed I need to ask questions and receive feedback. It would also be helpful to see real life examples of online learning my classmates have created. I look forward to being inspired and creating new things throughout this course, helping me reach my ultimate MET goals.

References

Bates, T. (2014). Teaching in digital age, Chapter 8. Retrieved from http://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/