Week 9: Reflections on curriculum unit/Do differently next time

The many different curriculum units presented a multitude of new ideas in various contexts. Reading about new innovations, tools and website while they are being used in someone's project reveals much more about their full capabilities and the potential problems and issues that arise in implementing them. Following are a few examples which I found inspiring and effective:

• For the 6^th grade ecology unit, I liked that there was a separate page just to contact the instructor. As course designers, we shouldn't make assumptions about what our end users know. We should make information as easy and straight-forward to find as possible.

• For the Analyzing Linear Equations unit, I thought that the link to the Khan Academy video as a supplement was carefully chosen (not too much reliability on video, just at relevant points). I liked having discussion forums for math problems, where students have to write and articulate their views on math; this is good practice not only for writing but also for students to understand and reflect on their process (meta cognition). The creators used real-world examples in appropriate assignments; preparing an oral 5-minute presentation of the final project on population growth is also related to current events, which turns a math class into an interdisciplinary field. I had not heard of "We The People" app or the K2OALT Authentic Teaching and Learning site, so that was useful to discover. In addition, they used mindmap to figure out mathematical concepts. This really intrigued me, and I am interested in seeing what student mindmaps look like on this topic.

• For the virtual visit to the Met unit, the creators showed an innovative use of Slideshare, which made their curriculum accessible from anywhere without needing to log in. Their Survey Monkey survey to get feedback from students showed awareness and value of the end user. Currently, I'm taking an offline class where after every session, the instructors ask for feedback via an online form. They do this because it keeps them in touch with how they are doing and gives an opportunity to students to express anything they want to on a weekly (dependable) basis.

• The American revolution unit introduced me to some software and sites I'd never heard of before (specifically, Museum Box; Fodey.com, Newspaper Clipping Image Generator; and Notely.net, Organization tool for students).

• The Earthquake unit made great use of Canvas (also new to me), which ordered items like links and the calendar in a visually appealing format. I like how the discussion forums link off of the calendar and how instructors included the points value of the assignment right on the page. (I think it's important to make the grading criteria as clear as possible. It's a primary component of fairness.) I'd heard about Voicethread, and it was very helpful to see a use of it. I now know some experts I can go to if I have any questions on how to use it. (It is so interesting that students can record their answers right on the video and then send it to instructors for feedback.)

What I would do differently for the next online curriculum unit I co-create would depend on the subject. Certain tools seem more universally applicable than others (e.g., Voicethread could be used with any class, while Museum Box might be better suited for the arts/humanities).

For a refurbished 2-dimensional design and art online class, I would like to add mindmapping software (as seen in Canvas), a rubric (very generally focused to allow for maximum unfettered creativity or perhaps even generated by the class), a contact page (of not only the instructors' info but also fellow students), and an ongoing survey (able to be taken at any point during the course). This would emphasize a priority on process, discussion, analysis, some scaffolding, creative freedom and end-user input as foundations for a successful online course.

Week 7: Concerns about curriculum unit

My greatest concerns in creating an online curriculum unit are figuring out how to develop a unit which engages and challenges and then how to accurately assess student progress -- from a distance.

Elements of teaching 2Ddesign in a traditional classrooms include pencils, sketchpads, and a bulletin board for critiques. This can carry over to a digital format to benefit all students, if they have full access to necessary tools.

My primary concern relating to what I've expressed above is access to tools. How will students access scanners, digital cameras, web cams and all the associated illustrating and font software?

Students will be posting their work digitally. Will image quality be enough for me and other students to tell how well they are doing?

There may be a lot of time spent in the class acquainting students with the hardware and software. Everyone should post images at the same resolution for fair critique. All students must have access to the same tools for assessment to be equitable, also.

Week 6 blog posting: Google spreadsheet, View of schools changing

Q: Did you change anything in the Google spreadsheet? If so, what? Has your view of the schools you chose to research changed from the first week you looked at them? If so, how?

A: After reviewing what I included on the Google spreadsheet, I realize that I didn't need to change anything. The original facts that I included still stand.

I do have a new appreciation, however, for how difficult it can be to foster s-s interaction in online courses that either have students enrolling/ending at different times or just have one student as a member. (Based on the info from their website and from the research I did, the K12 system seems to have many of these students.)

Also, I think that the discussion forum is an incredibly important part of online learning. For many of the online charter schools that cater to self-paced learners, I cannot see how they can get online discussion as part of the curriculum, even though it could be very enriching to students. These schools have a quandry to deal with: How do they provide the benefits on s-s online discussion, which can do the following--

• hone writing skills
• provide time and space for thoughtful reflection
• acts as an equalizer for in-class participation
• be a space for multimodal expression and additional learning (through links)
• give students practice analyzing/considering other students' writing and then responding to it

Discussions in written forms which can accommodate multimedia provide practice in many literacy areas (foundational and "new"). If online schooling students can't access this, they are missing out on a lot.

In addition, I think ensuring that curriculum is created specifically for online schooling and that teachers are trained for online instruction are both significant components of successful online schooling. As I learn more throughout the semester, I'm seeing its unique characteristics more clearly; they require those knowledgeable about them to make sure that the schools are teaching at their best.