Participation

... part of the Web Site of George North . . . . . EDCI4993 Syllabus
vClass 3, Round 3
George's Top Three
EDCI 4993, Fall 2000

What I did.

George will evaluate the suggestions and decide what he thinks the top thee (3) ideas are. I picked what I considered the to be themes or catagories that fit the ideas expressed in the suggestions for improving our Information Networks class. I ranked these catagories by order of importance. Then I quoted verbatim your suggestions.

I can't express how pleased I was with the quality of your suggestions. Don't forget that ya'll have one more step to complete. Refer to Round 3 in the Plan.

Thanks!

The top 3 suggestion (catagories) are:

First: Improving Class Assignments
Second:Focus on Curriculum Development
Third:More & Better Field Trips
Tie for Fourth:All the rest of ya'll's suggestions!

Number 1. Improving Class Assignments

Weekly assignments that require an online discussion of some topic, designed by the students. Instead of George designing all of the homework assignments, students should be required to think up the homework assignmentsÐ just like what we had to do for the virtual classes. Instead of two large groups collaborating on designing the assignment, perhaps smaller groups of two or three should do it. The venues could be e-mail, chat rooms, discussion boards, etc., while the topics could relate to anything important to the class- again, similar to what we did for the v-classes. The experiential value of the design process would be the point here. Obviously, not all lessons would be equally successful for the class Ð but all would provide the class with valuable experience in real applications and real problems.

More projects, homework, and virtual classes set up by the students instead of George.

Journaling in a more focused manner. For example, What are three things you learned in class tonight, and two how will you implement these things. This may help George get better results! And it will also focus the students, therefore causing longer and more interesting journal entries.

I'd like to take turns running the class from George's computer in the room. I think we should take turns setting up the attendance email, journal and discussion areas, maybe even writing the syllabus. Learning how to run the class through a main computer that has access the class computers don't. Whatever gives us practical hands on experience running an information network.

I would like to study something indepth. I feel as though I got a taste of much valuable information -- but not enough of anything to be satisfied.

Greater instructor control over the content. This course is not about software evaluation or the myriad other issues our discussions evolved to. By its title, this course should be about how emerging technologies can be used to connect people in an educational setting.

More on hands activities in class relating to developing information network sources.

Concrete examples of effective integration of technology in the curriculum.

An individual project that shows achievement in developing an information network source.

Focus some attention on the major subject areas and explore/evaluate how information networks are currently being used in these areas. (This game is a prime example.)

Develop practical information networking units. We should develop formal units that develop networking tools like chat, e-mail. snail mail, videoconferencing, etc. These projects could be tested in our classes and assessed by peers. Peers could offer suggestions on how these units could be improved. Finally, these refined units could be published on the TEC or other Web site (I would offer LaWeb space for publishing). Subject matter and grade level would be up to the class teams.

Assessment techniques for technology. If you assign the projects, how do you assess them?

Increased curriculum integration. I would have enjoyed working with a group of elementary teachers outlining ways in which technology could have been implementated age appropriately.

Web Quest development. I found this type of student research appropriate for my children. I would have found it useful spending some time learning how to use this type of software within my curriculum.

I would like to see more curriculum integration. I know that we have a wealth of knowledge when everyone gets together, but I'm not sure how much of it I am leaving with in December.

In class exploration of different ways to integrate technology into regular classroom usage.

Web Page development

Several classes in general web design

More curriculum integration. I need specific examples to use in my classroom that help the students learn.

Because this class appears to be structured using a Constructivist philosophy, I think a deeper exploration of Constructivism and Technology would be interesting.

Everyone can have a little flexibility to design their own curriculum

Software demonstration and evaluation

Journaling and chat room software. I would have liked to learn how to set this software up in my classroom and brainstorm ways in which this could be effectively used with my students.

I would like to have lessons on using authoring software.

Some suggestions on different software used in k-12.

Conduct more field trips. Elementary and secondary teachers know that students love a good field trip. More visits to schools to study the progress of technology and uses of technology in the curricula is clearly a way to enhance the course. I learned more visiting Newman, Memorial Baptist, etc. than any other single activity. Observation and sharing are parts of the learning process as educators. Clearly, I would have not known about the great things being done at Newman and elsewhere without these visits.

When we go on field trips, reference could be made to the PRIMER. Questions; such as What type of network did you see? OR Which of the following items did you see (followed by a list of equipment)?; could be posted ahead of time so that students would have an idea of what they were looking at. Also, new equipment viewed on the field trips could be added, via student groups who have collected and culled their data, to the PRIMER. Guiding questions followed by in-depth discussion would assist every student in making the most of these wonderful field trips.

If field trips are used, do not ignore the network technology and how it's put together, but make sure the presentation includes how this capacity to connect people is being used to facilitate learning (beyond being a means to administer apps like Excel.)

More field trips like the ones we had this semester. The site visits allowed us to envision real settings with real problems and real solutions.

Outside information. We could have vendors, who love to sell, come in as guest speakers to inform us of what is going on in the industry as it applies to information networks for education. This could be beneficial to both parties, as we might actually buy something that we can use in our schools.

More Special Guest Presentations - possibly individuals responsible for developing standards, policies and/or content on the local, state or national level.

Groups arranged by areas of expertise. One of the most frustrating aspects of integrating technology into the curriculum, I think, is balancing technologically proficient personnel with those that are technologically unskilled yet curriculum wise. I think that in order to maximize input (and output) from these two groups, a brief survey pinpointing areas of expertise (or comfort levels) should be given out in the first week of class. These areas could include the following: hardware installation, networking (netwiring) experience, multimedia software experience, and curriculum design. Groups could then be assembled to take advantage of each individuals experience.

Students could be grouped according to subject matter and/or grade level to produce integrated lessons that would then become part of the Lesson Plan section of the PRIMER. Since this would be an ongoing thing, teachers around the world would benefit. Also, class members could actually use the lesson plans and post updates on actual value, as well as needed modifications. The people in the world at large should also be asked to use and react to these lessons as well as post their own.

Specialized groups for projects in reference to curriculum, content area, and grade level.

Have each student develop an implementation plan for one specific use of technology in the classroom. Plan should include a rationale, hardware and software needs/specifications, personnel and an initial budget to implement. The plan should also include how the technology will be used in the classroom and what specific content or student objectives will be linked to the technology.

More about how to set these devices up (chat room, e-journals, discussion boards) and maintain them

Nuts and bolts. I'm intrigued by the hardware aspect of information networks. I would like to be exposed to what is considered state of the art, at this time, equipment for different applications. Destrehan was great but it doesn't apply to most small schools. Julie's school is the other end of the spectrum.

I would like to see more of a focus on the hardware aspect of computers. I know that we had a conversation in class last week in which most people agreed that knowledge of networking computers and such is not needed in order to fulfill the role of the tech person in a school; however, from the research that I have been conducting by way of a job search, I am finding this belief to be inaccurate.

Viruses- I need to know about them, how they work, how to tell if you have one, how do you get them because a serious enough virus could wipe out a network (or could it). Is it more like a nymph that makes your computers shut off at inappropriate times, etc. Like today, in the middle of my class typing out the newspaper, we dwnloaded another student's work from another computer and I was going to show them how to open it, copy and paste it into their newspaper. Right in the middle of the process, when I tried to open the file on disk, the computer gave an error message and the newspaper we had been working on was lost. I suspect a virus, but is this what viruses do??

Software evaluations. I would like to evaluate different educational software packages.

Several classes dedicated to setting up 'efficient' course web site (syllabi, activities, assignments, grades, etc.)

Software to run networks. What kind of software do you need, should you use, what are their names, what does each do? What is free downloads from Internet and what is purchased? How do you locate free downloads from Internet if you don't have a clue what software you need to run your type of network?

Pier to pier networks verses list servers. Pros and cons of each system. When do you need which?

More about how to set these devices up (chat room, e-journals, discussion boards) and maintain them

A text book of some sort that may include alot of issue that we'll cover. This book will be able to help a person who isn't as computer literate with trouble shooting, as well as give them something tangible to refer to at a later date.

We need a PRIMER of some sort. This PRIMER should contain key vocabulary; like server, flip chip, or any number of other terms; diagrams of simple to compex networking, and hands on trouble- shooting tips. A simple part of the PRIMER could be put together as a web page by the instructor as an overview, and then the class in groups could work on other agreed-upon areas. It could be improved from semester to semester.

Create an alumni database from the course. The key of developing our state's use of information technology is to maintain a list of former "INATC" students for the purpose of continuing contacts, soliciting ideas and reporting on what's new coming from the course. Former INATC students' schools could be made available for field trips. These schools could adopt unit plans for the purpose of testing new units in a real classroom environment.

Social aspect. In other classes I've had in the past, different groups were assigned catering duties for specific class nights. We could have refreshments for when we break into our group sessions. This puts the a more informal atmosphere on the whole evening and tends to bring people together socially.