Blab Your Blog....

Storytelling is a big part of helping others learn and comprehend key content points. It allows the learner to connect the story to their own experiences and stories (schema). So I went wheeling around the web and found an interesting tool, Blabberize, for creating a talking head. I think it would be fun for kids to use for telling their own stories to others or for teachers to create interest and motivate listening. I got this online application from a great site that includes many online tools for assisting the storytelling process, namely, CogDogRoo, a wiki using wikispaces, that holds many resource links. The dude also write a blog on instructional technology called, what else, CogDogRoo, a wordpress blog.

So, check these links out and have some fun wheelin' and dealin' the web.

Add Some Video Vavoom...

Last night in class we discussed fitting technical tools to the needs of communities. We explored the ideas that designers of online learning communities need to align their design and development goals to support the group activities and goals. So much of online learning community design is a top-down process with designers at the top and the community (or hoped-for community) at the bottom of the process. The reverse would better serve a community that wants and needs a online learning community space, a conferencing space, or whatever collaborative space they determine would work to further the community goals.

We also discussed that the idea of "build it and they will come" online design, is not as successful as utilizing existing groups, communities, organizations, and databases to establish intent and alignment of planning, design, and implementation of online tools, spaces, and activities as well as to inform design process, timing, and rhythm of development in coordination with existing entities. It is important that designers actually put together a feasibility plan where task force input, physical and online visit data is gathered, and advisory groups are created to inform the development process on an continuous process. Evaluation criteria for each phase of the project could be developed.

Ok, so what does this have to do with Video Vavoom? Well, I was thinking that having a mechanism to meet and speak with others in real-time to help with development could be an asset not only for designers, but also for a community that wishes to share information easily to collaborate, participate, observe, or evaluate activities of a group.

I have been running around the net and found some interesting free tools that could work for online video communication with collaborative/advisory groups. One such online tool is Paltalk Express, which is free with registration and sign-up and accommodates up to 200 viewers and participators. There are moderator tools and security features available for presenters. Audio-visual communications can be controlled by the moderator using a raised hand tool similar to the chat tools CI 5323 has used in WebCT.

In another jaunt on the web, MeBeam, a free video conferencing tool--but without the admin oversite of Paltalk Express. MeBeam seems to be a more informal and limited tool than Paltalk Express. It is extremely easy to set-up an online space to video meet with a small group. Microphone capabilities allow audio-visual communications.

Wiki's are Wonderful....

I just created a wiki to keep track of my reading reflections and to try to help me make sense of what I am learning in CI 5323. Take a gander at http://onlinelearningcommunities.pbwiki.com/

I am hoping that this works for me to aggregate all of my thoughts about my readings, notes, key points, etc. in one area so that when I get to the Quick Start portion of my assignments, I can quickly compare theoretical frames, etc.

Gotta run...more later.

Reading, but Remiss...

Yes, yes, I am doing all of my reading for CI 5323--every page assigned, and yet, I am remiss in blogging about what I am reading. I do, reflect on the articles and, of course, make my notes in the margins and draw my own graphic explanations here and there. The theme of the articles and the text readings has been online learning communities, of course, and I really am starting to see the connections between text, articles, and real life--even after four weeks of class. I think that the search for exemplar communities of practice and my first synchronous presentation and discussion via UMConnect has helped to round out the readings and give me some practical experience to compare the theoretical and case study content to my own real-life experiences.

So this is really what I know so far--generally speaking; I know that communities are diverse entities, some better than others, some sustainable over long periods of time, some not. There are different types of communities to serve different purposes, goals, projects, activities, and members. Some communities are open, others closed; some accessible at all levels to members, some rigidly organized. The organization of communities, the level of participation, the articulation and alignment with existing tools and practices, and many other factors determine the usefulness and longevity of the community. Differing theories define and redefine the ideal community, the effective community, the accessible community, the productive community, the welcoming community. The place where community happens, the tools that are employed, the development path of novice to expert member, play a part in determining the quality of community. And there are terminologies to learn related to seeking community exemplars--moderator, participant, administrator, peripheral learner, practice, multi-leveled participation, and so many others.

To say that I am somewhat overwhelmed by the reading content at this point is an understatement. Of course, within my own experience and in relation to others, I understand what I am reading, but I feel as if I am, at this point, greatly inexperienced, and therefore, cannot tease out differences in perspective, theoretical alignments and frames--I simply do not know enough to have any strong opinion on what really constitutes the best community practice--but I am gradually gaining some insights.

I am going to start a wiki so I can build and construct new understandings based upon nuggets found in the readings--I really like the dynamic nature of a wiki for personal reflecting and recording evolving perspectives and meanings. Unlike a blog that is chronologically linear, a historical record, a wiki is dynamic and ever-changing.