CEP812: Professional Learning Plan

CEP812: Wicked Problem Project: Part D - Findings and Implications

My project is to provide a training solution for students who seek individualized online learning.   It is focused on adults who have specific questions regarding projects that they are working on at home or at their workplace.  A potential customer could be a former student, a small business owner, or a self-payer.  The plan is to conduct virtual sessions through the use of a conference tool called WizIq.  An instructor will be teaching the course based on the subject matter and the computer skill level of the student in order to accomplish the project-based training.

Formative: Did the project get implemented as planned? The implementation of the project took place as soon as it was approved by the Director.  There was a challenge in getting volunteers to attend the free sessions after I posted the invitations on our bulletin board for students who are currently enrolled in our program. But after reinventing my approach to finding students by posting the invitation on Facebook, and by inviting them in person or through email, the online session turned out to be a success and I received positive testimonials.

Summative: Evidence of success in addressing the problem of practice.  To test implement the project, I have conducted a virtual class on “The Practical Use of Excel” through the use of WizIq.   I received positive testimonials from the attendees about their learning experience. I also received requests from students to conduct more virtual sessions like this.  Because of its success, the tool also became a serendipitous solution to a scheduling problem when not all staff members could make it to a staff meeting.  We were able use WizIq to conduct a successful meeting.  

During the 1st session, three students attended,  2nd session: six, and 3rd session: two.  There were four students who went through the recorded first session, and five students requested to have more sessions.  We now use WizIq as a conference tool for our marketing meetings.

Trying to address this problem becomes an opportunity to provide a dedicated service to individuals who need training solutions to their work-related projects and questions.  In addition to retaining our former students as customers, this new service might attract a new set of students like small business owners and self-payers who have similar training needs and requirements and who need help with work projects.

How would you approach another project of this type differently given what you’ve learned here? As educators, regardless of what project we have to undertake with regards to integrating technology in education, I have learned that it is always rewarding and worthwhile to initiate ideas and plans to make teaching and learning more meaningful.  We could have proposed a well thought out project but we should still prepare ourselves not to expect to have it approved nor implemented right away or maybe not even at all.  It could be due to factors like budget cuts, wrong timing, technology issues, and staff issues.  What matters most is the never tiring desire to keep on thinking of better solutions for education.  Teachers should live out the essential tasks of being the leader and accept the challenge of being sensitive to the ever changing learning needs of our students.

What are the lessons learned that others might benefit from knowing about? I have learned that it was not easy to have adult learners get excited about this technology.  They immediately were intimidated by the thought of joining a web conference and right away began to think that it was going to be complicated. BUT, after going through even just one short virtual session, their attitudes changed and they became so eager and willing to tell others about their learning experience. Getting volunteers did not work well for me, I had to talk to my students in person and post an invitation on Facebook.  Adult learners may include teachers, school administrators, and parents.  Therefore, we have to be resourceful when talking to parents like doing a short demo during the parent-teacher conference or an introduction of this tool with written step-by-step instruction included in the parent newsletter.  I suggest teacher be innovative when involving other teachers to test this tool out.  One teaching strategy is to conduct a short demo on how to use this tool during a staff meeting. Another way is to schedule training in WizIq for professional development, or use it with a small group of teachers when tackling a project.  Remember, they will eventually understand and appreciate the value, benefits, and advantages of this technology but we have to be creative in finding an approach to get them try and join a web conference first.

In what ways will you endeavor to do the same project again, and what will you change or not do?  It requires passion, dedication, and discipline to continuously explore different ways to connect with my students. This project has promising value by using web conferencing for different teaching/learning approaches.  Examples on how it can be used are the following:

1. An educator can have a one-on-one interaction with a student to discuss a specific question on a topic.
2. A teacher can create and assign a session for special interest groups to let members collaborate when working on a project.
3. A teacher can make up a missed class though a virtual session.
4. A teacher can pre-plan and record a class session which can be viewed by students anytime that fits their schedule.
5. A teacher can create online classes that can serve any student from any part of the world.
6. An Instructor can incorporate this approach in a hybrid classroom.

If this project will be used again for these purposes, it will be a great idea to have a step-by-step tutorial on how to get started and how to use a web conference tool.  Another initiative is to get this project to be compatible for mobile learning. 

CEP812: Wicked Problem Project: Part C - Implementation

My wicked project is to add virtual sessions into my online courses by using the web conference tool, WizIq.  To implement this project, the plan is to conduct free online sessions about the practical applications of Microsoft Excel. One session was held on Monday, April 18, 6:30pm – 7:30pm.  Listen to the podcast!

Surprise. A big surprise is not only was I approved by our Director to run these as test sessions, but she is also looking forward to the whole implementation of the project for all online courses this fall.

Unexpected bumps in the road (What you would revise). At first, I didn’t get any volunteers after I posted invitations on our bulletin board for students who are currently enrolled in our program. I had to change my approach to finding students by posting the invitation on Facebook, and by inviting them in person or through email. I understand that this can be an intimidating technology for adult learners.  I have assured the volunteers that this should be an additional learning experience and an opportunity for them and not something they should be reluctant to try.

Delights (What went well). Overall, the web conference using WizIq turned out to be a success and I received positive testimonials.

• The students were able to join the session with ease and were able to use the interactive features without any technical issues. 
• During the training, I was able to share my screen with the students to demonstrate the different functions and commands in Excel. 
• I was able to embed a YouTube video to show additional tutorials.
• I received a few requests to have more sessions like this.
• Our receptionist also joined the session and she was very pleased with the training. 
• We will use WizIq for our next instructors’ meeting to talk about project assignments and time management on Friday, April 22, since not all can come that day. WizIq to the rescue!

CEP812: Mobile Learning

Visit Classroom 2.0

I have a growing interest in mobile learning.  I use mobile tagging through the use of Quick Response (QR) codes to market our school’s programs and services.  Mobile devices with QR readers can scan these codes to direct the user to our school’s website or to a YouTube video showing the courses that we offer.   I also have a QR code on my blog to direct people to my LinkedIn profile.  A challenge for me though, with regards to using QR codes, is I have not clearly seen how it is used for education.  Another tool for mobile learning is an iPod which I personally use quite a bit to get things done fast.

Since I am currently working in a computer lab where cellphones are not allowed, I cannot use POLL EVERYWHERE.  But in next few months, I have been scheduled to conduct a series of customized instructor-led training sessions.  I can embed Poll Everywhere survey and results in my PowerPoint presentations for skill pre-assessment.  My students will be teachers and school administrators – they’ll have cellphones.

I also checked out a blog post on “99 iPhone Apps for the Best, Brightest, and Brainiest Kids”.  I may be teaching adult learners but they are also parents who tend to get intimidated with new technology.  Through conducting free Lunch ’n Learns, I can try out and demonstrate some apps that can help parents relate to and connect with their kids.  Also, I am a mother who should teach these educational apps to my two iPod-owning daughters to prepare them for their school starts being open-minded about mobile learning. 

I have been a member of Classroom 2.0 since September 2010, but joining the Cell Phones in Education group would definitely help me expand my personal learning network.   I foresee rapid developments in integrating technology into learning and teaching; but my fear of not knowing what’s next or getting behind with technology updates becomes less by making sure I’m connected with the right learning network. 

Besides, no one should ever be stuck and left in a cage with Angry Birds ;)  

CEP812: Take a short survey ... and see the results, instantly!

I currently work in a computer lab where students can come anytime during lab hours to work on their projects.   Cellphones are not allowed in the lab, therefore this makes it a little bit tough to let my students try a survey in Poll Everywhere.  Fortunately, I was given the additional tasks of maintaining our website, social media, and other marketing practices to promote our school’s programs and services.  This gave me an idea to create a survey to find out what courses people would likely sign up for if our school offered it.  I posted the survey on Facebook and on Twitter.  This approach to finding out what people want will definitely help us as we plan our future courses to offer in fall 2011.  The survey is still going on …

Try this audience polling system at Poll Everywhere

CEP812: Group Leadership Project: PART B - Storyboard and Script

Using WizIq - A StoryBoard on Prezi

For the second part of our project, our group chose to use Prezi to visualize the project’s storyboard.  The group came up with a storyboard to sketch each scene, to write detailed notes on titles, and to describe the transitions, special effects, and animations.  We stated on the storyboard the estimated time durations, and the person assigned to work on the task.  We included the links to the actual instructional video clips and the keywords that we will be using for the final project.

For the actual final recording, instructional video clips are created in Jing to produce series of screencasts.  The frames which contain texts and chart are created in PowerDirector, a video editing tool.  All these components will be joined together through the use of PowerDirector to create a 10-minute instructional video.

Once the video tutorial has been created, we can embed the video on our blogs, and share it on YouTube or on Vimeo.   Also, this project is going to be very helpful for my proposed project on combining virtual classrooms (through the use of a web conferencing tool) and a learning management system (through the use of Moodle) for online courses. 

My teammate, Sharlene, and I both have decided to stay in our group even though one of our team members dropped the class.  At first, I thought our group might be shorthanded after going over the project requirements, but we both have been committing ourselves to be always in contact and to divide almost every task in the project.  We are getting things done as scheduled, now onward to our final project!

CEP812: PART B: The Wicked Problem - Application of TPACK

Photo attribution
Tpack | Dr Matthew J. Koehler
http://mkoehler.educ.msu.edu/?cat=12

The Technology-Pedagogy knowledge. I am proposing the use of a learning management system (LMS) like Moodle with a web conference tool such as Adobe Connect or WizIq to support the teaching strategies and methods I use for teaching online courses.  It is an instructional goal for an educator like me to promote learning retention.  To meet this goal, an LMS and web conferencing have interactive features such as polling, chatting, screen sharing, and discussion posts which can always keep the learners engaged in learning. Discussion is an instructional strategy that encourages active participation among adult learners.  Also, the chosen technology allows me to easily design, organize, and arrange customized training modules based on specific learning needs.  I can assign online projects that provide learners an opportunity to apply the computer concepts and acquired skills to practical situations. Learning contracts is also an effective strategy for an online course.  Due to diversified educational needs and interests, online courses can help the educator and learner share the responsibility for learning.  This can be accomplished by having an agreement between the learner and the teacher to plan and act on how to effectively perform the assigned projects and how to successfully meet the learning goals.

The Technology-Content knowledge. An LMS like Moodle provides accessibility of the course content to learners through the internet.  An LMS makes the course available anytime and anywhere to one or more students.  This technology ensures the consistency of the instructional design and content when retrieved by students. Scheduling virtual sessions with students through the use of a web conferencing tool adds value to the course content because it enables both the learner and the teacher to focus on specific issues that are related to the course. The technology facilitates the agreement between the student and the educator and it encourages problem solving after brainstorming ideas with other classmates.  The course content in an online environment communicates relevant and updated information on concepts, instructions, activities, and assessments that enhance project-based skills. Online sessions are used to discuss details on what will be learned, how the learning will be accomplished, and the specific evaluation criteria to be used in evaluating the completion of the learning.

The Pedagogy-Content knowledge. The proposed project will support me as I reinforce student performance by making the syllabus, objectives, expectations, and learning path accessible.  Student progress can easily be tracked and the generated reports can highlight their success and help strengthen the skills that students need to develop.  Students receive a set of completion dates for projects or activities, and this is a great approach for planning and time management.  The pedagogy and the course content can also be easily evaluated by receiving immediate feedback from students through forums, surveys, emails, chats, and real-time interactions. After a learner completes an assigned online project, it produces a sense of accomplishment. The course content is supported by links to additional resources, audio and/or video clips, step-by-step instructions, and practical applications and examples that further clarify key learning points.

CEP812: Group Leadership Project: Part A - Brainstorm

Whiteboard Screenshot
WizIq Web Conference
04/01/2011

In preparation for our Group Leadership Project, my teammate, Sharlene, and I were both present during the following two recorded web conferences scheduled on:

• Friday, April 1, 6:45 pm – 7:45 pm EST
• Wednesday, April 6, 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm EST

We have chosen to teach WizIq, a web conferencing tool, for professional development.  The group believes that this technology is a great tool that can be incorporated in an online course for adult learning.  WizIq is just one example of a web conferencing tool, and therefore, we will also be showing and comparing other examples of web conferencing tools to give adults more options to use.  The group’s major goal is to provide a tutorial to get adults to be comfortable and knowledgeable of the great benefits of web conferencing.  “Research has shown that adult learners, when properly trained on how to use the technology are highly motivated learners that are capable of absorbing both the content and technological skills necessary to succeed.”[Johnson]

To facilitate the learning, we came up with and will eventually choose one from these two options to demonstrate the tutorial:

• Option 1: Camtasia, a screen recording and video editing software, or
• Option 2: Create short movie clips using Jing (2-3 minutes) per clip, then combine the short clips using a PowerDirector, a video editor software

Since there are only the two of us in the group, we really have to commit ourselves to divide almost every task in the project. During our last conference, we finalized what technology we should be teaching, what technology we should be using for the storyboard, and what are the major topics we should be covering in our storyboard.  Starting today, April 7, Sharlene will be using Jing to record short clips on how to create an account and how to log into WizIq and  I will start laying out the storyboard in Prezi.  We agreed to be always in-touch with each other through phone calls, emails, and discussion posts.  On Friday, April 8, we will be collaborating more on our storyboard by using Prezi.

We have chosen WizIq as our conference tool to record our sessions and it is worth teaching and sharing the features.  The 30-day free account allows us to have a maximum of three 60-min recorded sessions for up to 10 users.  We both can share our screens.  The presenter can give rights to the attendee to have writing, audio, and video sharing. The only disadvantage I could think of is I have not tried it with more than two people but I have seen positive online reviews from educators who conducted big classes using WizIq.

CEP812: Web Conferencing

I checked out three of the web conference tools that were listed on our Web/Video Conferencing Lab.  Here’s what I found out:

• DimDim is no longer accepting new registrations, it was acquired by salesforce.com.
• Yugma needs Java to be installed and a free account allows a user to have an unlimited number of meetings per day with the user and two other people. There is a limit up to 15 minutes per meeting.
• WebHuddle has a very simple interface compared to Adobe Connect.

I searched for another web conferencing tool called WizIq.  I created a free 30-day account in WizIq and this free account will allow a user to have three 60-min recordings for up to 10 users.  I scheduled a conference with my teammate, Sharlene, to test the technology and to start brainstorming for our professional development project.  When I created the session, I chose the option to have the conference recorded. After I scheduled the meeting, WizIq gave me three links to use to join the conference: one for the presenter, one for the attendee, and one to where the recorded session will be stored.

We both agreed to meet on Friday, April 1, 6:45 pm EST.  As soon as the session started, it automatically recorded our conference.  It was both our first time to use it and we found WizIq very easy and intuitive to use as we explored the different features like screen sharing, whiteboard with editing tools, screen snapshot (a presenter-only feature), chat, video, and audio broadcasting.  During the session, I was the presenter, and Sharlene was the attendee.  We both agreed to use WizIq again the next time we schedule another conference, and we will trade roles so we can experience both user views.  For our next session, there are two things I would do differently: to have both plan an outline that will help us focus on what we should be covering during the conference because we had too much fun that we almost exceeded our one-hour session; and to use the upload file feature.   It was a fun and productive conference and it was a great way to get to know Sharlene.

This tool can be a useful technology in my classroom.  Its features may not be as robust as Adobe Connect but it could still be a great add-on tool for online courses.  Combining both synchronous and asynchronous approaches for learning in an online class enables a student to complete the coursework at his own pace with the convenience of receiving real-time interactions among other classmates and/or teachers.

CEP812: PART A: The Wicked Problem - A Need or an Opportunity

I would like to support our school’s mission to help employers and individual learners improve job performance and results through services including training, assessment, best practice information, career development, and learner support.  This proposed project is a “just-in-time” solution as we continually evaluate, update, and improve our programs and services that we offer. 

The educational need and opportunity.  Computer instructors receive phone calls or visits from former students during computer lab hours.  These former students ask job-related or project-based questions which oftentimes require quite a bit of attention and time.  This takes away the focus that instructors should be spending with the current students.  Although, this could also be an opportunity to provide a dedicated service to individuals who need training solutions to their work-related projects and questions.  In addition to retaining our former students as customers, this new service might attract a new set of students like small business owners and self-payers who have similar training needs and requirements and who need help with  work projects.

The plan. We have been hearing budget cut plans in the news which may affect funding or grants to institutions including our school.  Therefore, it is time to be proactive and start reinventing and retooling our services by widening our scope of audience like self-payers and small business owners.   Regardless of who we serve, these new sets of students are also affected by our current economic situation and are also in process of recovering too.  I would like to propose learning options that would focus on teaching project-based solutions and business resolutions.  With this proposed project, students can save gas by not coming to our building to receive individualized or customized learning.  

1. An online form will be available for a potential student to fill out.  This form will be posted on our website and it contains questions that will help us find out and evaluate the specific problem, training needs, and the best time to contact the student. 
2. A learning management system (LMS) with a web conference tool will be used for this project.  To be more specific, I will use Moodle to teach the course and use  Adobe Connect or WizIq to conduct virtual sessions so I can answer specific questions and needs.  Moodle will contain the resources, presentations, and concepts of the course.  The virtual classroom will have scheduled sessions with the teacher and the student to focus on interaction, real-time demonstration, and screen sharing.  
3. As a backup plan, a student-access-only page on our school website can be used with a web conference tool for virtual classrooms. 

I have been using Moodle for my other classes and I currently manage our school website, therefore, we both have the LMS and website resources.  It is really essential to have a virtual classroom for this project in order to address the specific learning goals that should be accomplished during the training. Last week, this plan was mentioned to our Adult Training Manager and she said that I can write up an email to her regarding this proposal so she can forward the plan to our Director for approval.

The logistics. This project will be the training solution for students who need immediate answers to specific questions regarding their projects that they are working on.  A potential customer could be a former student, a small business owner, or a self payer.  An instructor will be teaching the course based on the subject matter and the computer skill level the student will be needing in order to accomplish the project-based training.  Implementation takes place once it has been approved by the upper management which will be brought up by our Director during their conferences.

The research and resources. I have been researching for a web conferencing tool that can be incorporated in a learning management system specifically Moodle, or if not, in a website as a second option.  This tool should be able to have a feature that can record the sessions and allows both student and teacher screen sharing.  Its cost effectiveness is a must.  The lab exercise on web conference, and the virtual sessions that we are having in our CEP 812 class have been very helpful.  These give me ideas on how to use it and what are the criteria and features to search for.  Currently, I see either Adobe Connect or WizIq as a good tool I can use as a tool to incorporate in Moodle. 

The sources/researches that I am currently using for the proposal are the following:

• The New Generation of E-Learning, an Adobe Connect virtual session on how the generation of e-learning fits into today's high-impact learning environment. Presenter: David Mallon, Principle Analyst, Bersin & Associates, March 2010.
• Where Is The Learning In E-Learning?: A Critical Analysis Of The E-Learning Industry, a whitepaper on what makes eLearning successful or fail;  and why eLearning could be an effective teaching strategy for adult learners. Author: Gary Woodwill, Ed. D., Chief Learning Officer, Operitel Corporation, 2004.
• Motivational Factors Affecting the Integration of a Learning Management System by Faculty, a journal on the benefits of integrating a learning management system (LMS) into teaching practices;  and educators’ motivational factors that affect the decision in adopting an LMS in the classroom. Author: Cynthia Gautreau, California State University Fullerton, The Journal of Educators Online, Volume 8, Number 1, January 2011.
• Using Versatile Web Conferencing Technology, an article about the benefits of web conferencing in education. Author: Christian Lehmbeck, Director, Darden Media at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business. January 2009.
• Web Conferencing for Teaching and Learning, an article from videoconference.edublogs.org, a great resource that covers the basics and the effective way to use web conferencing in education. Author: Carol Skyring (Formerly Carol Daunt), Emerging Technologies Specialist, Broadreach Services, May 2009.

The plan for the portion to be implemented.  During the trial period which is the next four weeks of this project, I will be using MS Excel as the pilot course.   I will be using both Moodle and a web conferencing tool.  Moodle will contain announcements of scheduled virtual sessions, resources, presentations, and videos in MS Excel.  I will be making arrangements with students who have signed up for or completed any of our programs, and are willing to go through scheduled free virtual sessions with me.  I can communicate with our existing students through email and in person during my computer lab hours.  I can reach our former students through social media (LinkedIn and Facebook) and through email.  In preparation for the beginning of the course,  I will make sure that when I communicate with the students who volunteered I will provide them  complete instructions on how to log into Moodle, how to join a scheduled virtual session, and what are the technical/computer requirements needed to be able to join a web conference.  During the virtual sessions, I will be covering topics which include practical examples on where and how we can apply MS Excel to get projects done in a workplace.

At the end of the trial period, this course will hopefully be implemented as a functional course once it is approved by the upper management.  It is a training solution that utilizes our existing technology and database resources like:

• Moodle
• the school website where I can embed or insert a link to the survey to find out and evaluate the specific computer skills a potential student needs to be trained in to accomplish a work-related project
• social media (LinkedIn and Facebook) to contact our students
• email addresses of existing and previous students to be used as an alternative method to contact students
• survey tool called Survey.Net to create forms and feedback survey

After I have completed the CEP 812 course, I will propose to teach online additional technology tools that I believe any professionals who are always on the go should know about (e.g. mobile learning, cloud computing, web 2.0).  I believe that teaching online by combining real-time collaboration tools to connect with students virtually and course contents that allow students to learn at their own pace is an effective teaching strategy.  It has been working well with me as a student and would like to be the teacher who would try this teaching approach.  I also would like to partner with our school in getting prepared to this pedagogical strategy. 

The indicators of success.  I have categorized the indicators of success into the following two terms based on how soon can I find out whether the proposed project is on track in meeting my goal as well as my students’ goal to making teaching and learning more meaningful and functional. 

[Long-term] I will know that this project is successful if it meets the two conditions: First, if I was able to solicit positive feedback from our students who signed up for the program.  An online evaluation survey will be given out to the student to take after completing the course. It is a project-based training, therefore, the feedback will be a great indicator if the skills have been acquired during the training to accomplish the project. Second, if other instructors will start adopting the web conferencing technology. Some instructors are currently using Moodle.  They are willing to have scheduled appointments to meet personally with potential students for customized training but might not be ready to have virtual sessions yet.  If instructors see me conduct and record virtual sessions, they may witness and realize the technology’s potential benefits then they will be more open-minded about it. 

[Short-term] For the trial period, which is the next four weeks, I will know that this project is successful if I receive positive testimonials from our students who signed up for the project.  In exchange for the free virtual sessions that I have conducted and the support that I have provided during the trial period, the students who volunteered will be giving me written testimonials.  The testimonial will cover comments and feedback on:

• their learning experience using the LMS and web conference technology, specifically, how the teaching strategy using online learning with real-time virtual sessions benefited them during the course.
• whether the course content has been presented effectively and if the topics covered targeted the practical situations where MS Excel can be used to complete work project.
• whether they would recommend this method of teaching for future courses that we will be offering and how it will  contribute to answering the customized training needs of future students.