5 easy pieces 2011
DESCRIPTION
Five Easy Pieces:Simple Web 2.0 Tools to Increase Course Interactivity and Visual PedagogyBy Dave WolfThere are several easy web 2.0 services that can enhance our courses by stimulating students by either increasing the degree of interactivity or visually augmenting course content. This presentation will illustrate how a few specific tools offer alternative ways of presenting content. These tools ensure that students can access information quickly and seamlessly. Reducing clicking and lag time from the learning management system gives students more time to focus on the information and makes them more likely to explore the content. The tools also help streamline content presentation to offer a sleeker and friendlier learning environment. Besides allowing for a better content presentation, the presentation will explore new ways to easily share information with students. Instructors can share content visually by embedding source materials and having mark up tools. Using the visual information has a well documented history of improving communicative effectiveness. By sharing work-flow charts and type hierarchies, instructors are statistically more likely to improve student understanding and reduce miscommunication. Coincidentally, this improves student satisfaction. The tools explored all have account options that are free. The tools easily merge with our courses – making them effective and cost-effective. The nature of the tools makes then re-usable. They are created in one account, but can be embedded in multiple areas. This empowers the developer or instructor with the ability to make a change in one place and have the content updated in every instance. The accounts also allows for instructors to easily reuse content each semester.This presentation will demonstrate how instructors or developers improve there courses by adopting simple tools that can:1. Embed documents and slide shows within the course2. Embed web pages with instructors notes to visually illustrate points3. Create interactive concept maps4. Create work-flow charts to help students better understand assignments5. Create and embed non-lineal visual presentations to augment instructor’s notes or content guides.These free tools offer instructors flexibility while improving student interactivity with course content. Those at the presentation will learn how to quickly use and embed several interactive tools that will enrich their courses.TRANSCRIPT
5 Easy Pieces:
Simple Web 2.0 Tools to Increase Course Interactivity and Visual Pedagogy
David Wolf
Empire State College
Introduction
There are several easy web 2.0 services that can enhance our courses by stimulating students by either increasing the degree of interactivity or visually augmenting course content.
These tools improve our students learning environments by: Offering visual presentations of content to accommodate more
styles of learning Interactive presentations engage students and promote active
learning Create learner centric tools with opportunities to “play” to
promote understanding and accelerate learning Allow students to access information quickly and seamlessly. Reduce lag of learning management systems by using Web
2.0 and RSS feeds to allow a friendlier learning environment that increases the likelihood of student engagement.
Harness new technology that allows students and instructors to focus less on the tools and more on learning.
Develop and integrate transferable tools/learning objects
Tools that can improve online instruction
These tools are free to use w/ possible upgradesThey exist on one location, for easy editing by instructors or developersThese tools can be broadcasted to multiple web locationsThese tools are easy to use and re-use.
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Power of Visual Presentations
Visual presentations often illustrate content better than text.
For example: A visual representation of the Bush tax plan/cuts best illustrates who benefits the most from them.
(source: The Washington Post)
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Power of Visual Presentations
Images can significantly augment text and increase learning. (Mayer & Mareno, 1998)
Interactive activities further promote active learning.
(Fahra, 2009)
“Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll
understand.” Chinese Proverb
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1. Interactive Content Presentations
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There are several
ways of adopting visual presentations to augment course content.
Prezi.com offers an easy non-linear tool.
http://tinyurl.com/CDLConferenceprezi
2. Concept Maps3. Work Flow Diagrams
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Both are highly visual and allow quick and easy understanding.
Bubbl.in offers an easy non-linear tool.
http://tinyurl.com/
CDLConferenceBubbl
4. Embedding a Webpage
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Allows for visual and mark ups
Embedit.in offer a solutionhttp://embedit.in/7Kpbg8zWNS
5. Embedding Files
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Allows– Sharing files and data
– Instructions on-the-go (printable)– Streaming is quicker than if in LMS
– Smoother viewing learning experience
Embedit.in offer a solutionhttp://embedit.in/qlyVsodk34
What makes them easy?
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ACs and Developers– Just as your Area of Studies CID!
Instructors– You need to just take a little time to make on
with a free account.– You can save any desired page to your LOR
making future uses simple.
The free accounts supply embed code that makes adding presentations to your courses easy.