Ruth's EDU 255 Blog

2012-02-06T14:22:00.001-08:00

Designing Your Online Course by Rudi1234 | Make your own at www.toondoo.com

2012-02-06T14:19:00.001-08:00

2012-02-06T14:16:00.001-08:00

Funk for Your @$$

2012-02-02T10:23:00.001-08:00

Time

2011-10-17T09:15:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest from the Into Your Dreams Blog Talk Radio program. It was aired Sunday, October 16th at 9:00 PM

Time (mp3)

Thanks for listening!

2011-09-11T14:32:00.001-07:00

2011-08-26T12:28:00.003-07:00

Working Wonda

2011-08-13T11:28:00.000-07:00

Testing SnagFilms

2011-06-18T12:43:00.001-07:00

Watch more free documentaries

Spirograph Test

2011-05-30T10:27:00.001-07:00

Created by Anu Garg.

Happy Memorial Day...

2011-05-29T10:40:00.001-07:00

...Remember what it is truly about...

Nine Again by Rian McGonigal

2011-05-27T12:47:00.001-07:00

Nine Again by Rian McGonigal

Just Because...

2011-05-11T19:19:00.000-07:00

Just Because...

2011-04-13T08:35:00.001-07:00

My Pleasure...

2011-04-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

It has been a pleasure to be with you on this journey through EDU 255. What a great group to travel with. I have learned as much from each of you as I hope you have from me. Continue to use your new found knowledge...or you will lose it! Trust me. I speak from experience ;-)

Audio...

2011-03-31T18:57:00.000-07:00

Just a simple tale...Let your imagination flow and see what ideas you can come up with for assignments and lectures...

Listen!

Something Different

2011-03-22T13:12:00.000-07:00

Found this site Mixbook...Just threw this together!

2011-03-21T10:02:00.000-07:00

This is a Welcome Video for the Online Class. It is located within the Blackboard Course as well as on the Class Wiki. Students see the following...

Please Note:
When speaking of the video "Below", this is located on the Wiki Welcome Page as well as in the Week One folder.

PhotoSharing

2011-03-07T13:29:00.000-08:00

From a Virtual World to you...

Social Networking...

2011-03-04T09:20:00.000-08:00

Social Networking is a way for people with the same interests to gather. Multiple persons can now communicate, congregate, make arguments and decisions for the topic at hand; one person no longer holds the key to the mystery door. Wikipedia has a List of Social Networking sites...What makes this list so amazing, is that anyone can come in and edit this list...adding to it or removing those no longer in existence. I found a YouTube video that says it better than I ever could!

Why Wiki...

2011-02-25T12:49:00.000-08:00

OK. So I created my first Wiki a few semesters ago for a class I teach on a Virtual Environment. The first thoughts that crossed my mind during this creation process were:

Now how do I use it?
Who can edit it?
What the heck am I getting myself into?!

This Wiki is being used within the course I teach fully Online (CSA 149: Second Life Virtual World). It houses tutorials, web links and “SLurls”. The class even has assignments which must complete within the wiki itself. The last assignment will be completed in Second Life. The avatar will wear a HUD and post to wiki within the Virtual Environment!

Within the tutorials, video have been added as created for the class. Scripts and animations for participants to use will also be placed here. The SLurls have been growing slowly...Even a few images have been added to explain how they work. The Web Sites increase as I find new and interesting sites about Second Life.

All in all, it seems the Wiki can be of use. When the students ask me in-world about certain areas I have mentioned or places we have toured, I can direct them to the Wiki. This is a simple copy and paste of one URL instead of supplying the same information to fifteen different people!

The Wiki is in its first stages and will be used (mandatory) this semester with assignments. This will be very exciting ;-) The last two semesters were a free for all...use if you need (or want). Now, it is part of the curriculum!

My hopes are to see this grow and become a resource students can turn to even after the class is over.

Educational Blogs

2011-02-14T09:36:00.001-08:00

In my world, the interest lies within how virtual environments and gaming relate to teaching and learning. I did a little Google search and found a few Blogs that reference this topic. It is quite interesting that there are so many people presenting thoughts and ideas on this subject! It truly is a wonderful world we live in.

Art of Cyberdribble
Digital Reveal: Future Web 2010
SLED Blog
Mind Leaders Third Force
Serious Games Market
Educational Games Research
Mathias Poulsen

Teaching Philosophy

2011-02-07T12:48:00.000-08:00

The teaching style I follow, has more of a facilitator approach to it. This is due to believing so much in Active Learning that I tend to lean more toward a Learner-Centered environment; a place where people are held accountable for their own learning. This milieu must also feel safe, where the learner is comfortable sharing their tips and tricks as well as being unafraid to ask questions. The student must also realize that they too are the teacher and recognize that we all learn from each other.

In an online environment, the most critical area is communication. This must be available in an asynchronous and synchronous fashion. With this said, I like to provide students with a way to reach me at all times, whether this is via email, phone call or an instant message format. The communication door is always open, making me very approachable.

To support different learning styles, I love to create (or find) videos which cover the topics or questions asked, as well as provide internet resources where students can discover hands on tutorials. I believe video is the best way to reach those auditory, visual and tactile learners as well as ascertain potential learning problems or minimal computer skills in which students may encounter.

In each class, I learn as much as the students. The learners have become the teachers, showing me new ways to convey the same subject. As a lifelong learner, the Learner-Centered environment becomes my classroom as well as the students. Because I am a product of online education, this drives me to show others how easy the online environment can be and how everything is just a click away. No matter how we learn, there is something available to assist us at all times.

Welcome to EDU255

2011-01-24T13:35:00.001-08:00

Welcome to EDU 255! This will be an exciting endeavor on a journey less traveled for many of you ;-) You will be introduced to a lot of Google "stuff". I can't wait to see everyone's work and all the new Blogs, Wikis and Ning Sites...as well as some audio and video creations!

Do not hesitate to contact me whenever you need assistance. I am always on the computer. Try the Meebo Chat...Try Skype...Try Second Life...

Along with this class, I also teach several others. Am very busy and always "grading" so the computer is an extremity for me! In other words...I use the technology a lot...Maybe not the same as we show here "but" something very similar. Feel free to ask any questions or make any comments.

Just because:

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T06:43:00.001-08:00

2010-11-05T01:26:00.000-07:00

Just Because...

2010-10-26T04:19:00.001-07:00

ButtonBeats.com

They...

2010-10-23T17:19:00.000-07:00

Here's a simple recording of a story written about a dream with a little extra music in the background...

Listen!

Halloween Fun

2010-10-20T10:18:00.000-07:00

I couldn't wait for the Podcast Assignment ;-)

Listen!

VIDEO

2010-10-19T16:12:00.000-07:00

Here's an idea of video and it's use. This is final farewell and thank you video to the CSA 149 Second Life Virtual World class (Spring 2009). Students met "in-world" and completed several assignments that required screenshots of their work. This is a compilation of all of the above. The video has an "unlisted" tag in YouTube so it is not available to the World Wide Web...

Just Because

2010-10-12T12:59:00.001-07:00

Deadly Blessing (with Sharon Stone)...

Another Photosharing Site!

2010-10-11T02:48:00.001-07:00

You can make somethings like this:

This is known as One True Media

Social Networking...

2010-10-02T11:20:00.000-07:00

Why Wiki...

2010-09-26T17:24:00.000-07:00

OK. So I created my first Wiki a few semesters ago for a class I teach in Virtual Environments. The first thoughts that crossed my mind during this creation process were:

Now how do I use it?
Who can edit it?
What the heck am I getting myself into?!

This Wiki is being used in the course I teach fully Online (CSA 149: Second Life Virtual World). It houses tutorials, web links and “SLurls”. The class even has their own navigation to add information (though no one has yet).

Within the tutorials, more than just video can be added. Scripts and animations for participants to use will also be placed here. The SLurls have been growing slowly...Even a few images to explain how they work. The Web sites are also increasing. As great site for Second Life assistance are found, they are added.

All in all, it seems that the Wiki can be of use. When the students ask me in-world about certain areas I have mentioned or we have toured, I can direct them to the Wiki. This is a simple copy and paste of one URL instead of supplying three landmarks to fifteen people!

The Wiki is in its first stages andwill be used this semester with assignments. This will be very exciting ;-) The last two semesters were a free for all...use if you need (or want). Now, it will be part of the curriculum!

My hopes are to see this grow and become a resource students can turn to even after the class is over.

Instructional Design

2010-09-19T13:43:00.000-07:00

To design a curriculum or course, one must first begin with an idea. For myself, this is a simple decision of what it is I want to share. For the benefit of this post, I’ll use the Second Life Virtual World course.

In the beginning, I had an idea. This light bulb moment was to teach educators the basics of Second Life. Educators could in turn utilize this virtual environment to add another element to their teachings. How was I to go about this? How was I going to create content? What about learning outcomes? What was I getting into?!

When I first began creating trainings for applications and technology, I simply used Gagne’s Nine Steps (Clark 2009). First, I would grab the attention of the participant. Keller uses this same design theory in his development (arcsmodel 2009). Now, for this course, a small demonstration of Second Life will suffice for the attention grabber.

The next steps differ in the process…and have similarities…Keller uses four simple areas to follow: Attention; Relevance; Confidence; Satisfaction. While Gagne has a few of these in his steps, they are as follows:

1. Gaining attention
2. Stating the objective
3. Stimulating recall of prior learning
4. Presenting the stimulus
5. Providing learning guidance
6. Eliciting performance
7. Providing feedback
8. Assessing performance
9. Enhancing retention and transfer to other contexts

Now I must decide which route to follow here. In higher education, we must state learning objectives. With this said, showing relevance by specifying goals, as with Keller, covers Gagne’s steps two through three! Could these two really be the same person?! The end result is so much the same...

In the end, one must provide feedback and encouragement, thus letting the participant feel as though they accomplished something…

To throw a curve ball into all this Instructional Design…I have a whole stew pot of all styles; a little ADDIE, little Gagne, little Keller, little of this and a little of that. Aperson needs eight arms to get this stuff!

To start, I like to storyboard the class with the Who, What, When and How…I can then decide the Why and Where. This allows me to create online components that seem to work.

After which, I then evaluate what worked and what did not. By asking questions throughout the class, student feedback helps to make the class better each time. To me, the class is never “complete”. It is always evolving...A continual circle of growth...

References:
http://donaldclarkplanb.blogspot.com/2006/09/gagnes-nine-dull-commandments.html
http://www.arcsmodel.com/Mot%20dsgn%20A%20cate.htm

A New Learning Style

2010-09-19T13:41:00.000-07:00

From the onset of Technology and Social Networking...Comes a new Learning Style: Connectivism

Teaching Philosophy

2010-09-11T13:54:00.000-07:00

Welcome to EDU255

2010-08-22T18:03:00.000-07:00

Thriller Test

2010-08-02T10:37:00.000-07:00

Just Because

2010-06-06T17:42:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day

2010-05-31T09:50:00.001-07:00

Summer Institute

2010-05-20T19:39:00.000-07:00

Well...It's over. Another fun-filled THREE days of trainings. I believe all involved had a great time and filled their heads full of fantastic information. All of this can be implemented into education in one way or another...Some...even to life. My favorite part of the three days were the lunch time when my dear Rod was able to come visit for a few moments ;-)

The End is Here

2010-04-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

Portfolio Example...

2010-04-05T10:08:00.000-07:00

Video Tutorial Collections:

Work created for classes and tutorials:

Digital Design Collection:

Work created in Adobe applications, as well as Digital Photography:

Corporate Identity and Magazine:

Documents created in Adobe applications:

Love Shack

Rage Soda

Art Digest

Video Production Collection:

Work created for class projects and entertainment:

This Statement...

2010-04-01T08:35:00.000-07:00

"No question, the Read/Write Web holds transformational changes in store for teachers and students of all stripes"

Richardson, Will. Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Tools for Classrooms. 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks: Corwin, 2010. 3. Print.

Bennie and the Jets

2010-03-26T09:34:00.000-07:00

Just another method of Podcasting...

VIDEO

2010-03-22T11:37:00.000-07:00

Here's an idea of video and it's use. This is final farewell and thank you video to the CSA 149 Second Life Virtual World class (Spring 2009). Students met "in-world" and completed several assignments that required screenshots of their work. This is a compilation of all of the above. The video is set up in Graspr. Graspr allows me to make this video private to the world; however, still embed into areas without the need of special permission for viewers (as YouTube does).

Another Photosharing Site!

2010-03-12T13:51:00.000-08:00

You can make somethings like this:

This is known as One True Media

Photosharing

2010-03-06T13:24:00.000-08:00

...and again!

Social Networking...

2010-03-01T09:36:00.000-08:00

Helter Skelter...

2010-02-24T15:06:00.001-08:00

Why Wiki...

2010-02-20T18:58:00.000-08:00

OK. So I created my first Wiki last semester! The first thoughts that crossed my mind during this creation process were: Now how do I use it? Who can edit it? What the heck am I getting myself into?!

This Wiki is being used in the Spring Semester course I teach fully Online (CSA 149: Second Life Virtual World). It houses tutorials, web links and “SLurls”. The class even has their own navigation to add information (though no one has yet).

Within the tutorials, more than just video can be added. Scripts and animations for participants to use will also be placed here. The SLurls have been growing slowly...Even a few images to explain how they work. The Web sites are also increasing. As great site for Second Life assistance are found, they are added.

All in all, it seems that the Wiki can be of use. When the students ask me in-world about certain areas I have mentioned or we have toured, I can direct them to the Wiki. This is a simple copy and paste of one URL instead of supplying three landmarks to thirteen people!

The Wiki is in its first stages and is still used minimally. My hopes are to see this grow and become a resource students can turn to even after the class is over.

A.D.D.I.E.

2010-02-14T22:05:00.001-08:00

OK...Another...

Robert Mills Gagne

2010-02-14T22:01:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd share this ;-)

Instructional Design

2010-02-14T17:54:00.000-08:00

Teaching Philosophy

2010-02-08T15:16:00.000-08:00

My teaching style has more of a facilitator approach to it. I believe so much in Active Learning that I tend to lean more toward a Learner-Centered environment; a place where people are held accountable for their own learning. This milieu must also feel safe, where the learner is comfortable sharing their tips and tricks as well as being unafraid to ask questions. The student must also realize that they too are the teacher and recognize that we all learn from each other.

In an online environment, the most critical area is communication. This must be available in an asynchronous and synchronous fashion. With this said, I like to provide students with a way to reach me at all times, whether this is via email, phone call or an instant message format. The communication door is always open, making me very approachable.

To support different learning styles, I love to create (or find) videos which cover the topics or questions asked, as well as provide internet resources where students can discover hands on tutorials. I believe video is the best way to reach those auditory, visual and tactile learners as well as ascertain potential learning problems or minimal computer skills in which students may encounter.

In each class, I learn as much as the students. The learners have become the teachers, showing me new ways to convey the same subject. As a lifelong learner, the Learner-Centered environment becomes my classroom as well as the students. Because I am a product of online education, this drives me to show others how easy the online environment can be and how everything is just a click away. No matter how we learn, there is something available to assist us at all times.

JUST BECAUSE

2010-02-06T22:05:00.000-08:00

Just Because

2010-02-05T14:56:00.000-08:00

Welcome to EDU 255!

2010-01-31T11:42:00.000-08:00

Time

2010-01-05T11:34:00.001-08:00

As I prepare for the new semester, time becomes very relevant. What exactly do I want form my students and from myself? How can we achieve everything without over exerting? There is so much to do and so little time. Once again, I think of David Bowie’s Time…The first line is, “Time is waiting in the wings”. Do you really think so? As a person who is very, very busy with many "jobs" to pay the bills, time is very precious. Even as I write this, I should be doing something else! I’ll do my best to create classes that will teach with little time…

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T10:36:00.001-08:00

Happy Holidays

2009-12-21T11:40:00.001-08:00

First ToonDoo Book

2009-11-30T20:01:00.000-08:00

This was created for a Session at the up and coming Winter Institute:

Rudi1234	Application of Storyboarding ideas...

Designing Your Online Course by Rudi1234

Photoshop Animation

2009-11-28T21:32:00.001-08:00

Was thinking of adding a tutorial on creating an animation in Adobe Photoshop...

Happy ThanksGiving!

2009-11-24T20:01:00.001-08:00

Just Because

2009-11-18T17:52:00.000-08:00

The End is Near

2009-11-05T09:32:00.000-08:00

Digital Design

2009-11-02T08:13:00.000-08:00

For now...Here is a video of a few pieces of artwork I have created along the way ;-)

All Souls Day

2009-10-29T13:26:00.000-07:00

Just a little movie to get you in the Halloween Spirit:

Happy Halloween

2009-10-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

Pull Your Pants Up!

2009-10-26T11:18:00.000-07:00

Here's a great tune in regards to a dress code. Thought it was pretty funny ;-)

Video

2009-10-19T11:37:00.001-07:00

OK. So mine is only 38 seconds! I can do this...I'm the instructor ;-) This is just so you can see other "things" which can be accomplished with video:

Here's another idea of YouTube and it's use. This is from my channel, also known as RahRehula:

Social Networking

2009-10-12T16:40:00.000-07:00

Social Networking is a way for people with the same interests to gather. One person no longer holds the key to the knowledge. Wikipedia has a List of Social Networking sites...What makes this list so amazing, is that anyone can come in and edit this list...adding to it or removing those no longer in existence. I found a YouTube video that says it better than I ever could!

The Wiki Creation…

2009-10-01T13:53:00.000-07:00

OK. So I created my first Wiki! Now how do I use it? Who can edit it? What the heck am I getting myself into?! These are the first thoughts that crossed my mind during this creation process.

This Wiki is for a Spring Semester course I teach fully Online (CSA 149: Second Life Virtual World). It will be used to house tutorials, web links and “SLurls”. The participants will be able to add to the latter two components. Anything else will not be editable.

Within this class, I have a few Scavenger Hunt assignments. The Wiki may be a better environment to add the information than how it is set up currently. Participants can then see what another person has added…Making the next person search out somewhere different; this making the assignment more difficult…Though I like the idea of participants creating notecards in-world, this may be a different solution…Still not sure how this aspect will play out…Mulling it around in the brain now…Ouch!…I think I hurt myself by thinking too hard ;-)

Within the tutorials, more than just video can be added. Scripts and animations for participants to use can also be placed here. This may also be more useful for the final exam than how it is implemented at the present…I’d think about it more “but” I don’t want to hurt myself again…

All in all, it seems that the Wiki can be of use. The class already has a Blog…Why not add the Wiki…Geez…Am I just creating more work for myself? I thought technology was suppose to make my life easier…

Instructional Design

2009-09-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

To design a curriculum or course, one must first begin with an idea. For myself, this is a simple decision of what it is I want to share. For the benefit of this post, I’ll use the Second Life Virtual World course.

In the beginning, I had an idea. This light bulb moment was to teach educators the basics of Second Life so they could use this virtual environment to add another element to their teachings. How was I to go about this? How was I going to create content? What about learning outcomes?

When I first began creating trainings for applications and technology, I simply used Gagne’s Nine Steps (Clark 2009). First, I would grab the attention of the participant. Keller uses this same design theory in his development (arcsmodel 2009). Now, for this course, a small demonstration of Second Life will suffice.

The next steps differ in the process…and have similarities…Keller uses four simple areas to follow: Attention; Relevance; Confidence; Satisfaction. While Gagne has a few of these in his steps, they are as follows:

1. Gaining attention
2. Stating the objective
3. Stimulating recall of prior learning
4. Presenting the stimulus
5. Providing learning guidance
6. Eliciting performance
7. Providing feedback
8. Assessing performance
9. Enhancing retention and transfer to other contexts

Now I must decide which route to follow here. In higher education, we must state learning objectives. With this said, number two with Gagne follows “BUT” showing relevance by specifying goals, as with Keller, covers Gagne’s steps two through three! Could these two really be the same person?!

In the end, one must provide feedback and encouragement, thus letting the participant feel as though they accomplished something…

To throw a curve ball into all this Instructional Design…I have a whole stew pot of all styles; a little ADDIE, little Gagne, little Keller, little of this and a little of that. To start, I like to storyboard the class by starting with the Who, What, When and How…I can then decide the Why and Where. This allows me to create online components that seem to work.

After which, I then evaluate what worked and what did not. By asking questions throughout the class, this provides student feedback to help me make the class better each time. To me, a class is never “complete”. It is always evolving…

References:
http://donaldclarkplanb.blogspot.com/2006/09/gagnes-nine-dull-commandments.html
http://www.arcsmodel.com/Mot%20dsgn%20A%20cate.htm

Teaching Philosophy

2009-09-14T12:08:00.000-07:00

Because I am a product of online education, this drives me to show others how easy the online environment can be and how everything is just a click away. No matter how we learn, there is something available to assist us at all times.

My teaching style is more of a facilitator approach. I believe so much in Active Learning that I tend to lean more toward a Learner-Centered environment; a place where people are held accountable for their own learning. This milieu must also feel safe, where the learner is comfortable sharing their tips and tricks as well as being unafraid to ask questions. The student must also realize that they too are the teacher and recognize that we all learn from each other.

In an online world, the most critical area is communication. This must be available in an asynchronous and synchronous fashion. With this said, I like to provide students with a way to reach me at all times, whether this is via email, phone call or an instant message format.

To support different learning styles, I love to create (or find) videos which cover the topics or questions asked, as well as provide internet resources where students can discover hands on tutorials. I believe this is the best way to reach those auditory, visual and tactile learners as well as ascertain potential learning problems or minimal computer skills in which students may encounter. If a student cannot work with these components, they may need additional support from a tutoring center and/or guidance on how to find this support.

In each class, I learn as much as the students. The learners have become the teachers, showing me new ways to convey the same subject. As a lifelong learner, the Learner-Centered environment becomes my classroom as well as the students.

Welcome to EDU 255

2009-09-10T11:53:00.001-07:00

Welcome to EDU 255! This will be an exciting endeavor on a journey less traveled for me ;-) As for Blogging. I do blog...with Wordpress. This Google "stuff" will be new and adventurous. Can't wait to see everyone's work!

Do not hesitate to contact me whenever you need. I am always on the computer. Try Skype...Try Second Life...

Along with this class, I also teach several others. Am very busy and always "grading" so the computer is a extremity for me! In other words...I use the technology a lot...Maybe not the same as we show here "but" something very similar. There is always another application available to do the same thing!

Just because: