CEdO 550 Post#4

This week involves the creation of a synchronous lesson concerning Internet safety. From what I have seen so far, the fifteen minutes alloted for the lesson moves extremely quickly. I know that I currently have too much information, so I will have to pare that down to a manageable amount. The biggest unknown factor will involve class discussion time. Discussion should be an important factor in the lesson, but the delivery of content is also important. A proper blend of both will be the key to the lesson. I have enjoyed our time using Elluminate for this class, and taking over the driver's seat will an interesting challenge. Elluminate provides so many tools, but fifteen minutes will limit the amount of tools utilized during the lesson.
My topic of Internet safety is one that has special meaning to me. My boys are at the ages that they are starting to explore the Internet, and I want to make sure that they are safe while exploring. Being aware of tools that are available to protect my kids are important to me, but knowing what I am protecting them from is also important. There are so many possible safety threats created daily, that it can be a dizzying task to stay informed. This class has gotten me thinking more about the safety threats in an online environment. At the same time, this environment can present positive experiences for my kids and students. As teachers, we are in a great position to teach students how to behave in an online environment. We cannot assume that this education is happening at home, but my hope is that schools and homes are providing an adequate education concerning Internet use.
Through facilitating the asynchronous discussion, I have concerns about whether or not I could teach online. From what I understand, online teachers often have larger classes. Feedback is always important in my classes, but it takes significant time to offer what I think is adequate feedback. To be in a position where feedback is limited because of time constraints is not something that is of interest to me. With that said, perhaps I am wrong concerning online class sizes, but it certainly is an area that I want to learn more about.

CEdO 550 Post#3

One of the assignments this week is to create an asynchronous post and place it on the class discussion board. I will be in charge of monitoring classmates responses, and to hopefully facilitate a solid conversation concerning my topic. Since my synchronous class lesson involves Internet safety, I thought it wise to look at a Website called Chatroulette. This site allows individuals to instantly see an interact with other individuals in a chat room setting. It doesn't take long to identify some concerns with this type of interaction. Although supposedly governed by some appropriate use restrictions, there doesn't seem to be any enforcement of behavior at this site. In theory, the ability to connect with users across the globe has excellent educational value, but I suspect that most users are not accessing the site for an education to be used in a classroom setting.
My discussion involves classmates reading an article related to Chatroulette, and then responding with their thoughts from the perspective of a parent or educator. The biggest idea that I want to get across involves being informed about sites that our children might be interested in visiting. To trust our kids online is a tricky undertaking. I certainly want my kids to utilize the Web because the world will be at their fingertips, but I also acknowledge that there are many potential dangers in this world. By keeping watch over what our kids are doing online, we have a much better chance to keep them safe. The bigger issue involves educating our kids concerning the dangers found online. I think everyone would agree that keeping our kids safe is of paramount importance, but it is easy to be lulled into a false sense of security. By being vigilant in our study of sites that are available for our kids and students, I think that we increase our chances to keep everyone free from harm.

CEdO 550 Post#2

This week we had the opportunity to grab the reigns during an Elluminate session. In one sense, it is amazing at how fast time passes when participating as a students in a session, but the pace quickens when and individual tries his/her hand at leading an activity. I enjoyed the opportunity, although I wouldn't hang my hat on my performance. I think that as teachers, it is easy to have confidence in what we do in the classroom. This experience left me rather exposed, and I feel that I learned a lot in a brief period of time. I do not like feeling that I am not in control when I am leading an activity, so my fumbling around prompted me to perform a few practice sessions in a Vroom. I know it will take time to get the hang of the Elluminate controls, and I also know that this class will help me continue to develop my skills.
My initial contact exercise left me somewhat befuddled. I know that we looked at some examples, but I was trying to find the right structure for my style. I wonder if the initial contact should simply be a hello and welcome, followed by some information about me. A quick follow-up contact could perhaps delve into content related to the course. Having both on a page seems a bit overwhelming, but it is probably the most efficient way to get started. Thinking more broadly, I have started to wonder if I would like to teach in the online environment. I like the fact that the class would not have the same interruptions seen daily in the traditional classroom. At the same time, I would wonder about the opportunities to really get to know students. I think online learning provides ample opportunities to be in contact with students, but the lack of the physical contact is intriguing. Being able to put a face to a name is a nice feature of the traditional classroom, and I am not sure that online learning could ever achieve the same level of contact as a face to face classroom. But this musing is coming from someone who is new to the online classroom. Perhaps strong relationships with students could be forged in the online environment. I will need to revisit this line of thinking at the completion of the course. :)