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Everything and the Kitchen Sink: Experimenting with E-learning Tools
October 21, 2011
Professor T. Brettel Dawson, Law
Introduction (the ‘why’)
A precursor “some people have technology thrust
upon them” “necessity is the mother of invention” “people create their own luck” “sometimes it’s just dumb luck”
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Welcome to My WebCTQuick SurveySome Show and Tell
Various things I’ve tried4
In class
Using the LCD projector: images of the people involved in the course
topics (eg. judges, litigants) interspersing videos (youtube and ‘movies’
like Maude Barlow and Paisley Snail; websites like www.recycle me.org)
PPT slides (and guide to students on note-taking with PPTs)
“Back channel”: www.todaysmeet.com/L2201Fall)
Clickers
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Clickers
Connecting to experience (corporations class: how many of you or your families ‘have companies’ and then follow ups
Different views: Scenario: Which way would you decide followed by discussion of case law principles;
Concept review: pick definitions Application: repoll – which decision do
you prefer (followed by class discussion)
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Should the court permit Eve and B to be sterilized?
1 2 3 4
50%
0%
17%
33%
1. Yes - both2. No - neither3. Okay for Eve
but not B4. Okay for B but
not Eve
Which decision do you agree with?
1 2 3 4
50%
17%17%17%
1. Re Eve (Canada)2. Re B/Re F (UK)3. Neither4. Both
For tutorials
Vendor videos on databases P2Pedia (pilot) for writing exercise
Cp: Google docs
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P2Pedia
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RLwkZGMWIt6RpDQzdaNOTg6oIr9Va3rvbKC3nvG1mZo/edit?hl=en_US
Planning an evaluation of the P2Pedia tool both to help the creators of the tool and to try to determine whether to continue to use the tool (particularly for online students).
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Between classes: Keeping things ‘humming along’ Discussion boards (introductions, subject
specific and general) Assigning students to TAs through groups
(creating virtual discussion groups) BigBlueButton for synchronous
communication (assignment review by TAs) Chat for virtual office hours with TAs
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/laws2201
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Evaluation
Electronic posting and submission of assignments
Graded research logs and lecture preparation exercises (2908)
Discussion Boards (FAQ) Electronic grading of students’ written
work (with autosum marking sheets which are returned)
Use of grade book Plagiarism detection software
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Other
WebCT Learning Modules tool to post slides by week and supplementary readings (2908)
WebCT Direct link to Library ARES e-reserves (2908)
GetFast (evaluation tool)
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Wondering about
Considering “wiki” for group projects Considering e-casebooks (with appropriate
copyright clearances of course!) Taking 2908 completely distance modules
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What’s worked?15
Criteria
1. The technology worked (didn’t crash) Accessible to students Adopted by students
2. Students ‘engaged’ -went deeper into learning in the course
3. Students helped - got answers in a timely way)
4. Professor helped - more effective use of time; better way to contact and guide students)
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5. Fun; lightened class without losing focus6. Generated more conversations and Prof
got to know how students were thinking7. Students got to see their own progress
(and views) and views of others8. Time effective (saved time or generated
benefits)9. Therefore, Worth doing10. Other?
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Caveats: Student ‘buy-in’
Wonder about Sociology MA project (Erin):
leave my media alone! Don’t try to get me to use my toys for your teaching!
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The ‘tabulation’
A conversation19
Technology Worked
Plagiarism detection (but other issues) Didn’t work
Big Blue Button (required headsets) P2Pedia (too complex in tutorial)
Not accessible P2Pedia (upload) Backchannel (no internet in the room)
Not adopted by students: Twitter (very few students use it and I am a
neophyte too)
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Student engagement-assistance High
Discussion groups on assignments (but….) Clickers Submission, grading, return of assignments
Medium Big Blue button (if perserved and muted) CD use (slides and videos; linked to teaching
technique) Low
Discussion groups on topics Twitter (but hard to assess)
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Effective for professor (time saving, better contact and guidance, feedback from…) High
Clickers (if I got the questions right and took the time) Managing assignments; virtual TA groups GetFast evaluation
Medium Plagiarism detection (always takes more time) Twitter
Low Discussion group FAQs (hmmmm) Back channel (no take up from online students either)
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Other
Fun? Clickers
Deeper conversations Clickers, maybe Microphone/ peer discussion
See progress Clickers maybe
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Scorecard “of the present”
Technology →
Students POV →
Prof POV
Big Blue Button
P2Pedia Clickers Backchannel Twitter WebCT Evaluation
Discussion/virtual TA groups WebCT
Plagiarism Software
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So, what’s left standing? The students speak:
“an open WebCT (LMS) site” to manage their stuff and keep in touch/keep up”
My Wish list Clickers but only if 75% of class uses Big Blue Button without technology delicacy Plagiarism detection software but more seamless Twitter if I ‘get it’ and have the time
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Insights and Observations26
Insights
Has changed my approach (see myself as part of team)
Has changed my ‘preparation’ and expectations (eg. ‘late penalties’, posting, test assignments; instructions)
Has changed my teaching style: helped make me more ‘interactive’ and less ‘talking head’? Still time consuming and challenging to find ways to integrate new ‘techniques and facilitative learning!
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Observations Matches my teaching and learning styles
(through teaching I learn myself and gain insight)
I like tools and bringing my kitbag to class Exhausting -- Stimulating I am still ‘out of touch’ – not in the social
media generation and not sure how they respond to technology in class
Overall: Likely to pull back (at least while turning the legal methods into a fully online class!)
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Esp. to Dragana and the team at EDC
Thank you!29
In Class toolsCriteria Back
ChannelLCD slides, images, video
Microphone
Clickers
Technology worked?
Students engaged (used)
Students found it useful
Professor found it useful
Fun
Deeper conversations
See progress
Time effective
“Grade”
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In between classesCriteria D
BoardsVirtual TA Groups
Big Blue Button
Technology worked?
Students engaged (used)
Students found it useful
Professor found it useful
Fun
Deeper conversations
See progress
Time Effective
“Grade”
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Evaluation toolsCriteria Posting
and Submission
D Boards FAQ
Grading and return
Plagiarism detection
Technology worked?
Students engaged (used)
Students found it useful
Professor found it useful
Fun
Deeper conversations
See progress
Time Effective
“Grade”?
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