CEP812: The Wicked Project Proposal - Final

The Problem: Instructors receive phone calls or visits from former students during computer lab hours.  These former students ask job-related or project-based questions which require attention and time.  This takes away the focus that instructors should be spending with the current students in the lab.  Also, 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.

The Solution: To have a “just-in-time” training solution for students who seek project-based online learning through combining a learning management system (LMS) like Moodle for self-paced learning and web conferencing using WizIq for real-time interaction and individualized learning.

The Technology-Pedagogy knowledge. I am proposing the use of a learning management system (LMS) like Moodle with a web conference tool using 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 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.

Applying the TPACK strategy to my project proposal had helped me recognize the interconnected nature of technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge.   I was able to work on a wicked problem project in which I implemented a technology to address a problem of an educational goal which is now a part of the solution!

CEP812: Group Leadership Project - Final Part

What tool did your group use to deliver the PD tutorial? Why?  Our presentation starts with a rationalization why there is a need for the tutorial and how our technology of choice can assist in adult learning. We have incorporated several tools to deliver our tutorial for professional development:

1. Jing - to capture the screen and to record short clip videos on step-by-step instructions on how to use WizIq. 
2. iWisoft Flash/SWF to video converter - to convert the short clip videos (.swf) created in Jing to a video (.avi) format so we can upload the files as non-Flash videos to SlideRocket, an online presentation tool. 
3. SlideRocket - to bring together all the elements for the tutorial. Elements include: 
• the short video clips that were created from Jing 
• a couple of YouTube videos on WizIqVirtual Classroom, its features, and uses 
• a comparison chart of several web conferencing products 
• animated text frames to lead you through the flow of the tutorial  
• embedded real-time Twitter updates from people who uses WizIq

What did you learn during the development process of the final product? It was our initial plan to use PowerDirector, a photo editing tool, to tie all the elements together. It was used to trim the videos but unfortunately, it did not produce quality videos and its limited features on text animations made us find another option. It is always a great idea to have alternative options just in case something during the development process fails.

Communication is crucial in a team project. Sharlene and I did call, email, post on discussion forums, and we conduct web conferences in order to keep updated on the progress of our assignments. Our phone conversations could be just talking about other school projects and how we are handling the challenges in completing the other projects and then have a short talk on our group project. 

What would you do differently if you had to develop a similar product again? If I had to develop a similar product again, I would like to explore more online tools that encourage collaboration. I was glad that we did not settle for using PowerDirector, a standalone software, and decided to use SlideRocket, an online presentation tool, instead. If the project requires teamwork, It would be very ideal to have all team members meet at a scheduled time and use the collaboration and interactive tools that are now available online to make the project more of a team effort.