Session+Three

= **​​SESSION THREE: REFLECTION ON THE ROLE OF VOICE** =

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Reflect again on online courses you have facilitated or participated in in the past. Where did you see a weakness in either the "teaching" or "learning" aspect of this course? Please share your reflection in the table below.=====

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Read over the submissions of your colleagues, and consider how this weakness could be addressed, and whether or not the inclusion of audio/voice tools would be useful.=====

As a facilitator I feel I am very weak in adding such rich tools such as voice and video. //I hope to over come this weakness I feel these add a great deal to the learning process.// ** || **(Tyann) as far as being a participant, Kirsten Peterson has been an excellent example of how to use voice and video to illustrate the use of these tools. Hearing and watching someone use these tools helps me to understand and learn. The example on YouTube about Google Docs was excellent in providing what I need to learn to use this tool. Reading sometimes just does not complete the learning.**
 * ~ Weakness ||~ Strategies ||
 * ===**//Use the rows in this column to describe a weakness you have experienced in either the "teaching" or "learning" process of a course.// //(i.e. delivering content, understanding content, completing an activity, etc.)//**=== || ===**//How could this weakness be addressed? Would audio/voice tools have helped? Why or why not?//**=== ||
 * ** (Tyann) As a participant I have taken courses that have had step by step directions and still it would be hard to follow. The problem comes mostly from my lack of experience or understanding on how or what is required. I prefer to take the computer or Internet courses and sometimes I am doing one little think that keeps me from successively completing the assignment.

(Jim) I agree fully that I get the most from online instructors who model the technology tools. And while I am comfortable with video and voice, I am still not comfortable with using these capabilities in D2L. So therein lies the solution for me, become comfortable and proficient in the D2L environment. || Weakness in learning-I am really not happy with how the revision process conducted on the course I developed panned out. When you develop the course you have a certain scope and sequence and when someone makes small changes in your course (which is often hidden until they cause problems) it disrupts the flow and as a facilitator makes me feel as if "I" did something wrong and "I" am the one who had to fix it each time. I was not aware of the revisions till it was time to teach the course. Many of the problems I did not detect till they blew up in my face. I felt unprofessional and unorganized which is the worst feeling in the world. || (Brandy)To resolve this weakness in teaching-personally I can seek a podcast, or video to help myself more become knowledgeable of html code. If I get frustrated while trying to embed code I can take a break from it instead of spending 2 hours trying to get it to work-only to end up pasting a link or picture of it instead. It would be great if in this course we had an interactive tutorial on how to embed code and format html (as I have noticed that I am not the only one who has problems with it.) To resolve this weakness in learning-I think the course logs that we are making are a step in the right direction. I think the developer of the course should be made aware of all changes made to the course and be a part of the revision process. I think a conference call (Drop.io) would be a great way for the revisers to communicate the changes made to the course. I would have loved for someone to "tell" me what was changed and why. ||
 * (Brandy) Weakness in teaching a course-I have realized this week that I know how to use a lot of tech tools but I am always limited by my ability to post the html in creative and visually appealing ways. Some times when I post I will use the "snipping tool" in word to post a picture/graphic (like a wordle or map) instead of dealing with the code. I get frustrated with directions concerning code-I really don't have a very good grasp of it at all. I am supposed to be a leader for my participants and be able to use and manipulate the tools-but I can only do so to a limited extent.
 * **(Kathy) One weakness that I have experienced in learning to use new technology in an online course is not asking for help soon enough. I keep repeating the same mistakes until I am totally frustrated. (I'm talking about spending hour upon hour trying to get something to work.) I would be better off asking for help sooner. Sometimes Donna has given me a quick tip and then I am back on track.

In the course I usually facilitate, one weakness may be the lack of "voices from the field of experienced teachers" and I would love to have an audio presentation from veteran teachers talking about strategies they find most helpful when dealing with English Language Learners.** || **(Kathy) Audio or voice tools might help me in this situation, but I think that directions that I can print out would be most helpful. I would be helped by the audio __plus demonstration__ type of presentation, like the one about creating Vokis from EdTech Leaders Online.

I can foresee modeling and suggesting the use of Audacity to record text for students whose comprehension of __spoken__ English is better than their comprehension of __written__ English. ** ||
 * (Rhonda)I feel I have not always met all the different learning styles within each course. The process by which we oriented students to the online learning environment was by reading step by step directions. In addition the process for our content was primarily by reading information. This is not effective for the students in our classrooms and it is the same for the online learner. || (Rhonda) I think audio plus the video demonstration would meet the needs of so many participants. Many times they spend hours on a simple task because they think their question is too silly to ask.

I have receive numerous positive comments in regards to lessons that had video demonstrations. Reading a transcript of a great lesson is nothing compared to watching an enthusiastic master teacher model that lesson in a classroom. ​ || I find that each time I facilitate a course (Cyber Safety which requires the use of PhotoStory3 to create a video), I add more "how-to's and get more specific as to exactly what step must be performed in what order. When on the phone with troubled participants, it is easy to guide their work and they are comforted by my help. I would very much like to be able to incorporate phone io, when needed, in this course to help participants over hurdles and to give them that "on-the-spot" support they need. || I think audio directions in that particular case would not have been sufficient. ||
 * (Barb) First, I love developing and facilitating online courses. However, I am weak in learning & utilizing some of the "tech" tools for online courses. (This week's activities are driving me wild, even tho I've done a voki previously.) I greatly sympathize with course participants who need "real" help and "tutoring" and find that I frequently receive phone calls from participants who need more than written directions and a tutorial. As I work with phone io and audacity this week, and previously, I am searching for more guidance. I don't need to know how the message is streamed (or how to build the car), I just want to "use" it (drive the car). || (Barb) I learned to create and embed a voki after Kristen's examples. However, it took a lot of support and "tutoring" by Donna and Deb to get me there. As participants in my courses have done with me, I need someone I can ask questions of as I "struggle". I also need the written step-by-step tutorials.
 * (Connie) While taking the WEB 2.0 course I had great difficulty with the RSS feed assignment. It was not until I had tried several tools that I figured out that embedding the RSS feed in my blog as required was as simple as reading the directions for the Blog site instead of in the course site. When it came to embedding the Voki that I created I found the same thing. The directions were very similar, but the course offered several blog site options and I discovered that there were slight differences. || (Connie) I was not the only participant struggling in that course. We worked together well to accomplish the task but a video tutorial, perhaps created in Jing walking the participant through the embed process, may have been a very useful tool.
 * ​ (Nona) As a special educator, I find that most of my students do not learn information in the conventional "school" method of instruction which involves a lot of independent reading. I have found that for many adults reading is not always their strongest method of attaining information, but that is how the majority of information is presented in online instruction. While most choose online classes because of their convenience, the lack of differentiation does not provide for all learners. As part of a review team, I recently had the opportunity to find resources for a course being developed. I made a concentrated effort to find resources that used audio/video files rather than text. It was much more difficult that I had assumed it would be. || (Nona) I know that the inclusion of audio/video files would provide a better range of instructional options for online learners. Having the tools to create resources which cannot be found through searches would be a great benefit for all learners. Being able to create directions in another format for those struggling participants would also be a plus. I definitely think that this would open online instruction to all learners. ||
 * (Janet) As I have mentioned earlier in another session, I think that more limited and more focused readings for the ePear tool in WebTop would help participants to avoid frustrations during their exploration of that tool. || (Janet) Although I can see how the inclusion of audio would add the human voice and also prove to inspire an interest in learning how to use the audio tools themselves, I don't think that audio files without video would be as helpful to participants for this need. ||
 * (Patsy) As a facilitator I feel like it is easy to let the class get boring. I don't always use technology upgrades as I should. As Nona said if you are not using different types of presentation all students are not getting what they need so the class is effective. || (Patsy) As stated earlier, Kirsten provided us with many excellent examples in an earlier class. I made a voki during that time but did not add it to the class. These are things that I need to add to enhance the class and the experience for the students. I feel like the audio/visual tools shown in the class have been excellent and need to be added to our class as possible. ||
 * (Tina) Sometimes, while facilitating, I find that the discussion seems to become stagnant. Even though I try to ask probing questions to elicit in-depth responses, I often fail. Participants tend to get less “talkative” as the course moves along – they seem to get too familiar with the procedure and only do the minimum requirements. This is frustrating for me because I feel I am letting them down by letting them just slide by… || (Tina) I think that using voice tools to “jazz” up the discussions when they stagnate could be intriguing for participants and spark some interest that would keep the discussion lively and productive. I think it would be important to keep the voice messages on the short side as to encourage listening to the entire message. I wouldn’t make this a requirement – only a suggestion. I wouldn’t want to scare off those that are less technically literate. ||
 * (Debbie) In the Cell Phones as Learning Tools class, in the first session that uses Drop.IO there is NO note to the teacher that indicates he/she must set up the drop and inform participants of the URL, email address for drops, and phone number for texts and other submissions. The first time I facilitated the course, I had done all I thought I needed to do to get ready for the course. Thank goodness for an early worker who could not find the information and emailed a request for it. As the facilitator, this information should be provided so one does not end up with egg on their face! || (Debbie) I had never considered using a voice tool to provide this information, but am a believer of addressing as many learning styles as possible in order to reach all participants. I usually send email, post News Items and gentle reminders in order to make sure the participants know what is expected. This would add one more tool. ||
 * ​ **(Peggy) I find the most frustrating part of facilitating is getting the procrastinators to post in time to join the discussion rather than just reply to threads that no one will be reading. Email reminders seem to go unnoticed as well as the occasional personal phone call. I feel that this detracts from the discussion topics.** || **(Peggy) I like the idea of using voice tools to issue welcomes as well as reminders. I think that a Voki "checklist" would be a good addition to each session.** ||
 * ​ (Katie) I am procrastinating again due to vacation. One of my weaknesses is time management. As the course develops, I find that I want to be more involved, but my schedule always seems to get fuller. I relate to the participants that have trouble with managing their time as well. However some students do a good job without real involvement in the discussion just like there are students in face to face classes that are observers and listeners. As a teacher, I find it difficult to assess these students. || ( Katie) Some of our participants are auditory learners and voice tools allow differentiation for these learners. These learners can hear the discussions and respond, thus matching their preferred learning style. Some participants may have trouble with these tools, but facilitators can develop explicit directions and give assistance when including these tools in a course. ||
 * (Linda) I am procrastinating as well, Katie, due to a week out of town and a week to get ready for two weeks out of town and the end of the portfolio course:) My weaknesses are related to time management as well. All of a sudden it is the end of the session and I haven't gotten into the discussion like I wanted. The other is the session summaries. I'm hoping once the course discussions are tweaked in a revision there will be more to report on from the threads. || (Linda) I don't know how the audio could help me with the discussions, but maybe I could attach an audio summary to the next week's news message, including a quick recap of a few important points from the board and let the participants know how many posts need to be read from the previous session. Also, the course does include some videos, which I think breaks up all the readings. ||
 * (Jim) Color me the "King of Forgetfulness" in Session 3 as for some reason the wiki requirement did not penetrate into my conscious state. I sincerely appreciate the thoughtful posts of my course colleagues, including the identification of challenges and solutions. Good stuff. Teaching a new course in the most reason session, a course I helped adapt from another course, I felt I failed to deliver a quality experience for all participants. And I felt I failed to effectively address the "non-engaged." || (Jim) I think the path to a workable solution to address the shortcomings I perceived in this particular course will be to make suggested changes in the course per the logs submitted to Donna. I also think this type of course would benefit from more audio and video as a way to engage learners on many different levels. I also think there should be more emphasis on the "qualitative" aspects of the work done by participants, particularly in discussion. I think the "qualitative" discussion rubric used in this course should be introduced at the outset of the course and enforced. ||