IT648 – Telecommunications in Education Course Reflection

Learning Experience
This has been a class filled to capacity with new learning opportunities. I began the summer with much apprehension and concern over whether I would be able to accomplish all that was involved. When I read the Assignments and Rubrics, I thought, “No way--not with my busy schedule.” But, I did it! I have successfully completed two online courses and am looking forward to starting at least two more this fall. It has truly been an enriching experience interacting with Dr. Wang and my classmates and learning about so many different technologies. The varied assignments expanded my knowledge and understanding of these tools and their application in my own classes. I have already used several while designing the content of my fall online classes at the community college. Creating a Web page was quite a learning experience since I had never designed one. NVU helped me understand the basics of the pages of a website.

Weak/Strong Points
My ability to communicate verbally and in written format is a positive attribute which certainly helped in completing the writing assignments for the class. Becoming better organized and able to manage time efficiently also helped in completing all that was required, not only in my online classes but also teaching four classes. My weak points involved using some of the technology that was introduced. I am very comfortable with software, but the Web tools presented a new learning curve for me. Creating my first Web page was fun. Dr. Wang’s tutorial was easy to understand and follow which made that assignment relatively easy. I know that I have much to learn, but I know so much more than before I began the Web page design. Blogging was also a unique experience since I am relatively reserved by nature. I would write then delete much and rewrite in the early stages, but as the semester progressed, I became more comfortable with journaling in the blog.

Interaction
My interaction with Dr. Wang and with my classmates has been a very positive experience. I have had two previous online classes, but I must say that the interaction in Dr. Wang’s classes far surpasses any interaction experienced before. It was as nearly like a face-to-face class as possible. The feedback from Dr. Wang was appropriate and timely, and getting to know the members of the class, and especially my group, was interesting and helpful. One of my concerns with online classes is feeling isolated from the instructor and the rest of the students, but without a doubt, isolation did not occur in this class. I felt that anytime I needed to ask a question about something, I knew a response would be made quickly. My goal is to make sure the online classes I teach will be as interactive as this one so that my students feel comfortable asking questions and communicating with the other students.

The threaded discussions allowed each of the class members to read the thoughts and ideas of the other members and respond either positively or negatively. Rarely was there much disagreement. New ideas and best practices are always welcome, and much has come out of these discussions. Techniques that each student used in personal experiences will benefit us all, whether their outcomes were successful or not. This sharing of information and experiences is the main advantage. The group interaction was a very helpful experience. Our group met several weeks to discuss our projects. It was interesting to see how quickly the camaraderie developed even though we were not face-to-face. The video and audio chats made me feel as though we were face-to-face in a sense. The synchronous chat allowed us to complete the projects by discussing all phases of them each week. Thanks Group One!

Communication Tools
I cannot imagine how difficult communication would be without the use of e-mail. It has created some issues such as composing grammatically incorrect messages, and messages can be viewed as brusque at times, but without it, communication would return to the pace of snail mail. In this class, e-mail was an immediate connection to Dr. Wang and my classmates. Without it, I think the course would have lost an important element. The Discussions allowed each student to comment, much like an open classroom discussion. Writing a response takes more thought and time, than verbally commenting on a topic, making written responses more carefully thought out. A deeper discussion often resulted. It was interesting to return to the Discussions throughout the week and see the comments made and questions asked and answered.

I only used the chat room a couple of times. It was a simple tool, but because we were not able to use audio or video, it was our second choice behind the Live Classroom. As soon as our group figured out the Live Classroom on the course site, we decided to use it each week for our meetings. Using chat and Live Classroom enabled us to get to know our group members better. It is always preferred, in my opinion, to be able to hear and see the other person with whom we are communicating. The Live Classroom took a little getting used to because of taking turns speaking, but soon we were able to carry on conversations with not too much interruption by each other. I think this was truly a bonding experience. Once I heard the ladies in my group speak, I would remember their voices as I read e-mails from them. Gmail chat was also used. Video chat in Gmail is a tool that can easily be utilized in a classroom. After the initial setup, it is relatively user-friendly. Voice Board can be really useful because it can be forwarded to e-mails. This is a great way to send reminders and announcements without requiring students to login to the course site first. A negative would be if students didn’t have the necessary equipment to participate.

Blogging has become easier as the semester has progressed. At first, it seemed awkward to “journal” so that others could read it. This tool has the potential for classroom use, especially in an online class, because it brings students together by reading the happenings of each week. If the students follow each other’s blogs and respond, it can be an invaluable method of creating interaction. I plan to incorporate a blogging assignment with my hybrid class this fall. By requiring postings on the days the class does not meet will ensure that the assignment is being completed by the students. Just as this course reflection will appear on my blog, it is obvious that much can be shared. It was always interesting to return to my blog and see who had responded and what had been said. I continued to write regardless of the comments, and I realize that not everyone would respond. Sometimes, we read, and there is nothing new to say, or we are in agreement and choose not to respond. This doesn’t mean that it wasn’t enjoyable. I guess just a smiley face emoticon in those situations would be enough positive feedback.

The main advantage of these communication tools is creating channels for student interaction with the instructor and with other students. I don’t necessarily believe that all interaction results in learning, but interaction definitely has a place in the online setting. There are always questions, and if nothing else, not having questions answered in a timely manner will certainly delay the completion of work and negatively impact learning. Some of the major disadvantages of these communication tools are the differences in students’ understanding of technology and the various computer capacities of students. Students must also be encouraged to use proper grammar and punctuation in their writings, whether chat texts, e-mails, blogs, or discussion threads. Some students also will not have webcams or sufficient bandwidth for video communication.

Group Work
Dividing the class into groups was definitely a plus for interaction. It was much easier to have discussions and work in smaller numbers. Even in a traditional classroom, small groups tend to accomplish things faster than individuals. Each has unique talents that can be used to complete various aspects of assignments. Our Group One members provided encouragement and support, and the projects that initially seemed extremely time-consuming and difficult became manageable and not so formidable.

Suggestions
The design of the course was very good with clear directions and tutorials. Listing suggestions for changes would be premature on my part since I am just beginning the ITD program and only have my past experiences as reference. I felt overwhelmed at moments because of the amount of reading and discussion postings, but after stepping back, taking a deep breath, and starting again, I seemed to refocus and accomplish the tasks assigned. I believe the quantity of work fits the level of training involved and certainly would not want to take any course which did not challenge me to new levels of learning.

Research Paper Reflection

At 6:07 p.m. today, I submitted my Research Paper, and to be finished with this assignment is absolutely WONDERFUL!

I began thinking about the project as soon as I read Dr. Wang’s IT648 schedule, but it was approximately four weeks into the course that I actually started reading and searching for material on my topic of choice. Finding sufficient material to write the paper was my first concern. I learned how to use the USM online library and began my exploration.

Psychology has always fascinated me—what people think, how they feel, why they do what they do. So, I chose as my topic, “Psychology of Using Online Communication.” My goal was to attempt to explain how the personalities and characteristics of individuals affect communication in an online environment. It was no simple task, but after having the topic approved, I began organizing my thoughts and jotting down ideas which I thought might “fit” in the paper’s outline. In the most unusual places and times, something would come to me. One evening I was having dinner with my family, and some comment triggered an idea, so I jotted it down on a napkin. Yes, I had some strange notes to compile when the actual writing began.

Last Saturday, I cleared my schedule, postponed laundry and cooking, and sat in front of my laptop for about six hours (with small breaks intermittently, of course). By this time, all my research was completed. I had read and made notes to support my ideas, and this was the day that the writing began. It was interesting to see blank pages transformed into pages filled with thoughts and ideas. At first, the writing was tedious. I decided on the main concept of the paper and tried to introduce the thesis as clearly as possible. Of course, my outline helped, but it was changed as I began to write. The day ended with my having written almost seven pages.

My goal had been to completely finish the paper Saturday, but I realized that it needed to be put away for clearer thinking the following Monday. After teaching two classes, I came home, opened the Word doc, and started a fresh read. The conversation I had with myself went something like this: “Did I really say all that? What about changing this sentence to express this other view? That doesn’t make sense. I’ve used that word too many times.” To be honest, I probably rewrote about half of what I had begun Saturday. Hopefully, it made it better. I will know after Dr. Wang reads it. :-)

This was definitely an assignment that called for creativity, research, following guidelines, and spending a lot of time thinking about what needed to be included. It was not nearly as formidable as I had once thought it was going to be. Once I developed my plan of action, the paper materialized. At least, the next one will not be dreaded so much.

Artifact: Term Paper

My web page. . .

After hours of work, my website is complete and has been uploaded to USM's ocean account. Once the planning was done and I actually started working on the site, it progressed without major problems. When I published it, I discovered that the picture I used in my Personal Info page did not appear because I'd saved it as a .jpeg rather than a .gif file. As soon as that was corrected, the picture was visible. I encountered a few minor situations such as the centering not working when information was keyed and font colors not changing when text was selected. It would be necessary to exit NVU and start over. Then, usually, the formatting icons would respond.

Deciding what information to include on each page was the next part of the creation. I wanted to include enough but not so much that the user did not read it all. Too much information can be overwhelming, so I divided the pages into sections according to instructions. I color coordinated each page with shades of blues and reds and was excited to find the animated bars and clip art that added interest to the website. Also, since my website provides information for Medical Office Technology students, the animated thermometer at the bottom added a little spice to the pages.

This project enabled me to create a simple website, but who knows what applications it will have in my classes. In my Medical Concepts class, for example, groups of students could design a physician’s office website. This would be a great way to teach a technology that my students will not learn in other classes since web design is not part of their curriculum. They would further learn what practice information should be included in a physician’s website that would be beneficial to patients or potential patients.

The overall assignment has been a very positive learning experience and one that will be very useful in the years to come. I know there are many elements of NVU that I have not been exposed to, and the only way to learn all aspects of this program is to continue working on websites and learning.

Artifact: Madelon's Website

Webpage and Viruses!

Technology this week has created some mild (or perhaps major) headaches. My laptop acquired some type of aggravating virus that caused my Internet browser to keep opening the same window repeatedly. A wonderful Office Depot techie patiently looked through my files, did some sort of miraculous something and (keeping fingers crossed) solved the problem. His diagnosis was that someone had deliberately created an "e-bomb" or some such thing, and that lucky I had picked it up with all the interaction. He said that when we link to many websites, this is possible. Hopefully, I've seen the last of the very pesky thing.

My webpage is 90% finished. I'm adding finishing touches, checking grammer, punctuation, and links. To have had zero knowledge of webpage creation prior to this assignment, I must say I am very pleased with the outcome. The more I "play" with the design, the more I learn. Thank goodness for Dr. Wang's tutorial and the UNDO button! Yes, it is far from perfect and quite simple compared to professional webpage designs, but it does have some pleasant attributes and content to match the rubric. I can't wait to try my skills with DreamWeaver.

This next week will be devoted to writing the essay and completing a WebCT course in my other online class. It has been a busy, but interesting and rewarding summer.

Week 6 and Counting!

Time passes much too quickly. The classes I am taking and the classes I am teaching are all winding down. I am pleased with the progress, but there is quite a bit of work remaining. As long as I keep up with grading papers as they are submitted and reading and posting by due dates, things should be completed as scheduled. In addition to this, I have found a house, so I may be moving the week classes end and two weeks before the fall semester begins. It is exciting! Moving from a tiny apartment to a house--my first since Katrina. I can't wait! This has been a summer of events. Each has been a lesson in perseverence and self-discipline.

My webpage is coming along. I am experimenting with some changes, but hopefully it will be ready to publish by the first of next week. I am wondering if the background can be changed without causing problems with everything else that I've already done to the website. If so, then I may be starting over. I shall soon see, but isn't it true that practice makes perfect? :-)

Friday--work, work, work!

Today, amidst laundry, grocery shopping, packing for a trip to north Mississippi, cooking, grading papers, and walking three miles (not necessarily in this order), I worked on my Website. I have all four pages saved and linked, and I am THRILLED!!! Being totally candid, I was not looking forward to this. But, as my group members assured me, it wasn't that difficult. Thanks, Dr. Wang, for the tutorial. Without it, I would have been lost.

I have more information to add to all pages, but I think the most tedious part is behind me. Finding all the backgrounds, animated bars, and clip art, and applying these to the web page was very interesting. It is actually addicting to sit and work on the site. One thing lead to another, and before I knew it, I had been tweaking and checking for the better part of the afternoon. And, if anyone checks the posting time of this blog, you will see that I'm still working. Oh yes,
Happy 4th of July everyone!

IT648/Group 1 - Project 3 Reflection

Finding asynchronous and synchronous communication tools that could be used in online classes was the essence of Project 3. We searched for free downloads that were easily used and not too difficult to incorporate within online classes. Interaction among the students and between teacher and students can be achieved in a variety of ways using this type of technology. I think perhaps the most uninteresting one is Twitter. Following these postings is difficult for me. In my opinion, such random and unimportant statements are made that I wonder what the excitement is all about. Texting on a cell phone is not my preferred method of communicating, so Twittering is lacking in appeal for me.

Skype certainly is a possibility for personal use, but I wonder if I would ever use it in the classroom. Perhaps instructors could use it to communicate and share information, but the application of this technology into a learning environment isn't as likely as Wimba or Gmail video chat would be. I think the possibility of being charged for Skype calls would prevent me from using it regularly.

Until a few short weeks ago, I had never taken the time to become acquainted with technology which is only a click away. Can you believe it? Now I am even checking on the availability of Wimba on my campus for the implementation of video and audio chat in my online classes this fall. Wow! I've come a long way, Baby!

Artifact: Group One's Project 3

Voice Board Message Forwarded

It was interesting to learn how to forward Voice Board messages in emails. Before I attempted this, I had already read the emails from Dr. Wang and other students who had had problems. Because the missing "Forward" icon was resolved before my attempt to forward, it was an easy process for me. I included my group and Dr. Wang in the email recipient list and successfully forwarded the message. This is another way to use the Voice Board in WebCT. This allows students to hear a recorded message in email rather than being logged into the course site. For students with email capabilities on cell telephones, I wonder if they would also be able to hear the message.

Texting vs Talking

After spending almost a week with students at a conference, it was interesting to see the number of students (and teachers) constantly using cell phones and iPods. Students were walking to and from meetings and events either talking or texting. They had to be constantly reminded to turn off cell phones prior to entering a workshop or event.

I wonder if texting, emailing, IMs, etc., cause individuals to lose the ability to have meaningful face-to-face communication. Are we using this method to exchange information without learning the art of communicating by actually talking with someone? Do we spend more time texting than talking? Why do we have such a need to have cell phones turned on and ready to receive calls every moment during the day? What would happen if we turned off our cell phones for even half a day? Do all cell phone users know proper etiquette when using their phones?

Communication is accomplished using a variety of channels, including cell phones, but sometimes I wonder if we have become so chained to them that we lose opportunities for real-time conversations.

IT648/Group 1 - Project 2 Reflection

Another project under our belts! Every time our group works together, it seems that we've been focused and ready to accomplish the task assigned. It has been enjoyable getting to know Kala, Kandi, and Sonya. They are positive and energetic and agreeable. The Wimba Live Classroom has served it's purpose well for us by providing the opportunity for "face-to-face" collaboration. The time passed quickly, and before we knew it, we were saying goodnight.

My daughter and son are home for the summer; my daughter graduated in May from USM, and my son will be a sophomore at USA in the fall. They were present (across the room) during my group's last video conference and were impressed that we were in an online class yet using video chat to communicate in real time. Their mom was involved in a learning situation that was new to them. :-)

Now, to discuss what we actually accomplished for Project 2! I am now comfortable with using the Live Classroom, Voice Board, and Chat Room in WebCT. Before this project, I had never been exposed to the rich technology available in Blackboard/WebCT. These tools make interaction possible in online classes among the class members and with our instructor. By working in groups, we can produce more information more quickly and also learn the value of collaboration which is an invaluable lesson for career application. Studies have shown that more people lose jobs because of poor or lack of soft skills rather than lack of acquired skills for those specific jobs.

I plan to incorporate this technology into my online classes this fall and am already enhancing my course content to include different delivery options for my students. To learn and apply this knowledge will benefit all of my future students. I am excited to see how my own students respond to my online classes. It is my goal to use of video and audio clips for announcements and lesson segments in order to create more opportunities for learning.

Artifact: Group One's Project 2

IT648 Group 1/Project 1 Reflection

Group One’s Project 1 is almost ready to submit. Kala, Kandi, Sonya, and I met again last night in the WebCT Live Classroom for a video chat to add finishing touches to the project and to continue work on Projects 2 and 3. Final revisions for Project 1 are being agreed upon by each group member, and then it will be posted to the course site.

Initially, the instructions for Project 1, seemed overwhelming, but as soon as the group began work, it seemed as though everything began to fall into place. We discussed each part of the project and agreed on what to include in our findings. The technology that is available for use continues to amaze me. Video chat allows individuals to communicate regardless of the location as long as each person has a webcam and adequate internet connection. We have investigated numerous types of free technology that is available.

Gmail is getting easier to use as I continue to experiment with it. At first, I thought it would be impossible to set up the chat and video chat features, but eventually, we were successful in using those features. The applications to education are limitless, and I enjoyed learning how the other members of the group were already using certain types of technology in their classrooms and places of work.

Thank you, Dr. Wang, for having us create groups where we can work together. Even though we are learning at a distance from USM, I feel very connected to you and the other students because of all of our interactions. This has been a unique experience to be able to develop a bond without being physically present in a classroom setting.

Artifact: Group One's Project 1

Technology Lessons--WOW!!!!

Today was a red-letter day! Our group participated in video chat in the Live Classroom of WebCT. I continue to be amazed by the impact of technology on our lives. We could see each other and carry on a conversation, and it was FREE! I know the younger generation isn't nearly as impressed as us baby-boomers, but I remember $200+ long-distance phone bills from talking to parents and loved ones after I moved away from home. I remember when AOL chatting cost megabucks because subscribers paid by the minutes they were logged online.

This week is bound to just keep getting better and better. I will take some of my students to Anaheim (Friday through Wednesday) to a leadership conference and to compete in various skills competitions. Wish us safe travel and good luck! These are the extra-fun moments I am privileged to enjoy outside of the classroom. Tonight and most likely tomorrow night, I will be burning the midnight oil, trying to get assignments submitted early rather than later.

Blogging, I must admit, gets easier with each posting. Who knows, this may be the beginnings of a best-selling novel. :-)

First Time for Everything--even blogging!

Creating a blog and Gmail account has been a new learning experience for me. Once I became accustomed to the the site and began working to create the account and blog, it seemed less intimidating. At least I know I succeeded! My students sometimes feel intimidated by new content and technology, and if I can become comfortable working with new things, I can dispel the fears that my students may have.

One lesson that I have learned is that change is constant. For someone who doesn't even like to rearrange a room's furniture, my life has certainly faced some rearranging. This latest learning experience has helped me gain a new confidence and assures me that a person can learn if given the opportunity.

Through the next several weeks, new ideas and exciting opportunities will begin to surface, and I plan to include those here. Those of us beginning the study of telecommunications in education and how innovative ideas can enhance student learning will share ways to incorporate this into our work environments.

About Me . . .

I am a community college instructor and teach in the Medical Office Technology program in the Business and Office Department. Specifically, I train Billing and Coding Specialists and Medical Transcriptionists to work in healthcare. It is rewarding and exciting to watch my students enter the program knowing very little about the type of work involved and graduate from the program confident in their new training.

The mother of four children and grandmother of two (plus another on the way), I decided to return to school to enhance my skills and have already discovered that now I have another full time job. I love playing the piano, watching old movies, and being with my family. Although I am an avid reader, there isn’t much time for pleasure reading at the moment. I know the end result, however, will be worth the sacrifice.

The purpose of my blog is to satisfy the requirements of Dr. Wang's IT648 summer 2009 class by posting assignment summaries and reflections and finally a course reflection. Through these writings, I hope to journal my thoughts through this learning process.