Online Learning Tools (Other than Moodle)

By Kris PepperAdelphi University

Aspects of Online Learning

• Purchasing a computer• Homework support• Enrichment \ Summer Advancement \• College Classes Online

Buying Home Access to the Internet• The internet itself:

Reduced price internet access may be available at Cablevision (FCC initiative)

• Tablets, Netbooks, Desktops, Laptops• Mac vs PC • Refurbished OK?• What brand - Dell, Gateway, HP?• What processor?

– Intel vs AMD ? – Older Processors (Pentium4 +)?– Low end Processors?

• Open Office --- SurgeForce• Google docs

Homework Support – Teacher Site

• School site– Contact numbers– Some teacher sites • Homework• Lecture notes• Email address

– Many professors welcome email (but follow up!)– Subscriptions to online tools

Homework Support – Knowledge Sites• Knowledge sites– Nassau Library• Tutor.com Live one-to-one help: Every day from 2:00pm to 10:00pm

– Includes writing help

• Online databases for research sources– Kahn Academy (math, science, history - video, exercises, interactive!)

– Purplemath (good explanations - reference pre-algebra/algebra/trig)

– WolframAlpha Math (good pictoral explanations)

– Justmathtutoring (arithmetic through calculus - videos)

– You Tube– Just google

Khan Academy – Try It

• www.khanacademy.org• Search Angles– See topic, video, exercise– Click angle types exercise

• Stuck – watch a video• Move the protractor• Get hints• Enter wrong answer

– Topic angles

• Practice - see the map and click angles

Homework Groups• Skype – Get homework help from friends– Join many people to one call– Some teachers skype– Share screen (but has issues)

• Joinme.com– Choose basic –free– Tell the other person the access number– Share the mouse

Online Class Questions• Class time where everyone joins a session at the

same time? - unusual• What forms of help?• Qualifications of teachers?• Class prerequisites• Syllabus• Workload and study time needed• Credits• Does the college you want to attend accept these

credits as valid?

Free Online College Courses

Certificates often, but Not for college credit– Can take a CLEP exam (check college policy)– Can test to challenge the course - advancement

• Not Accredited• (There are accredited online schools you can pay

for, but no accredited free schools or classes that I can find.)

Some Schools• MITx - Top professors lecture snippets and exams• Stanford Engineering Everywhere– Classes designed for the web – 160,000 students took Artificial Intelligence

Course, with a couple net meetings for "office hours"

• Coursera– Founded by Daphne Koller and Andrew Ng, also

Stanford Professors, but on leave– Website for accessing courses at many colleges– Some courses created for Coursera

Some Schools Not Associated to Physical Universities

• Udacity – Founded by Sebastian Thrun, former Stanford Professor

who helped launch their online program– Paid by companies that hire top students– Truly built for web, not just lectures taped– Udacity certificates

• Many more: – www.openculture.com/category/online_courses– Itunes University

Markoff, John. "Online Education Venture Lures Cash Infusion and Deals With 5 Top Universities." New York Times. 18 Apr. 2012. Web. 22 Apr. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/18/technology/coursera-plans-to-announce-university-partners-for-online-classes.html>.

Physical College's Online Course

• Adelphi Hybrid (Blended) Course• https://moodle.adelphi.edu/login/index.php?

authCAS=NOCAS• Discussion Boards• Assignments• Optional resources• Tests - with ability to review answers• Grades

Tips on Handling Online Courses

• Know when to come to class• Keep track of online assignments • How to keep on track:

– Check email regularly. – Review assignment day description – Plan to work BEFORE the online date – When your PC fails, get to the library

• How to organize your work: – Keep one directory for all your work– Backup – Expect memory sticks and hard drives to fail

• Work in groups - either online or physically

DANGERSkipping an online day is the same as

cutting class. NOT just homework assignments. Brush over in class OR new materialSKIPPING fall behind in class & quizzesNOT easily done later.Library PCs and Backup no excuses

Questions?

Summary

• Bringing internet access to your home • Homework support• Learn more - Advance• How to find and use Free online college