Tag Archives: twitter

#oldsmooc MOOC or COOP?

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Earlier today I made this comment on the blog post of an OLDS MOOC participant.

“The serendipitous nature of connected learning has quickly led me to a like minded learner. Many thanks for considering my personal detour part of your learning experience in this MOOC. Our online identity should reflect our personality, this doesn’t mean compromising our privacy. I wonder, is that an ingredient in the learning design process?”

My comment arises out of Helen Crump’s post that you can read here.

holiday

Image by Penny Bentley, New South Wales, Australia

Helen and I shared a brief exchange on Twitter, about camping, during the OLDS MOOC Google Hangout. Sharing a tiny snippet of our authentic selves gave me a sense of connectedness with someone on the MOOC journey.

This week I wasn’t the only one overcoming obstacles to finding a way around Cloudworks, the online platform used to host our artefacts, reflections and conversations during this MOOC. It was fine in the end, I’m learning and contributing to Education Research, I’m not going to relinquish this unique opportunity.

So, what were this weeks defined learning outcomes? I need to give them some thought before applying for my first “badge”.

  • explore a variety of definitions of learning design
  • initiate my own learning/curriculum design project
  • define learning design, as a field of research and practice
  • identify some of the grand challenges of using a learning design approach to the design of learning in the 21st Century
  • identify specific topics of interest for further exploration

I’m a Secondary Maths and Science Teacher. My professional training didn’t include design theory, it’s just understood and expected that you will go out there and make the learning better.

At this early stage my understanding of the definition of Learning Design is limited. Others are miles ahead, it’s their area of expertise.

What I have achieved is finding several like minded participants to work on a project with. Converting classroom teaching into online webinars is our plan. Topics for further exploration are sure to arise as time progresses.

I’ll end it here by saying this MOOC seems like a COOP, a Community Open Online Project.

OLDS MOOC on Twitter

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One way of viewing a Social Media conversation is to select snippets from places like Twitter and Facebook then use a web tool, such as Storify, to arrange them in a story.

Here’s part of the unfolding narrative of #oldsmooc-wk 1 that I was able to post directly from Storify. The html code is also available to use on other websites.

Twitter is one of the best web tools for learning online as users have free access to a constant stream of searchable information, from around the globe, in real time.

  1. cteplovs

    Chris Teplovs@cteplovs
    My new #oldsmooc mantra: I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.

    Wed, Jan 16 2013 19:22:12

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  2. tektrekker

    Bethany Bovard@tektrekker
    I just stumbled on #oldsmooc OLDS MOOC 2013 – looks quite interesting. I’ve missed 9 days of it but am wondering if I should dive in anyway.

    Wed, Jan 16 2013 19:05:27

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  3. petermortimer

    Peter MORTIMER@petermortimer
    Finally up and “running” in the Open University’s #MOOC adding to the #oldsmooc_wk1 activities: cloudworks.ac.uk/cloudscape… Exhilarating :-) #yam

    Wed, Jan 16 2013 16:01:05

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  4. clairedonlan

    clairedonlan@clairedonlan
    Ups and downs – reflection on week 1 bit.ly/VKYiSf
    #oldsmooc #MoocsAndMe

    Wed, Jan 16 2013 14:47:16

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  5. joshuau

    Joshua Underwood@joshuau
    Lost in #oldsmooc ? Join team lost groups.google.com/d/msg/old…

    Wed, Jan 16 2013 14:24:06

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  6. psychemedia

    Tony Hirst@psychemedia
    A Couple of Proof of Concept Demos With the Cloudworks API bit.ly/WJyly8 [#oldsmooc @sheilmcn @nfreear @yishaym @mhawksey ]

    Wed, Jan 16 2013 14:17:16

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  7. ChristophHewett

    Christoph Hewett@ChristophHewett
    Just starting Week 1 of #oldsmooc. Any team/study group available?. I’m in Melbourne AU & interested in ethical training online (or other).

    Wed, Jan 16 2013 11:14:21

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  8. itanagimenes

    Itana Gimenes@itanagimenes
    Feel good to complete the week #oldsmooc week. Applied for a badge, let us see how it works.

    Wed, Jan 16 2013 10:37:14

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  9. virtualleader

    Jane Challinor@virtualleader
    #oldsmooc reflections The Virtual Leader ow.ly/gRDbp ~ or, the student applies for her first badge

    Wed, Jan 16 2013 07:42:03

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  10. ShirleyEarley

    Shirley Williams@ShirleyEarley
    Is there a synopsis of the #oldsmooc #oldsmooc_conv? The video is over 1 hour and I am not sure I am going to find time to watch it all.

    Wed, Jan 16 2013 00:19:01

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  11. vale360

    Valentina Dodge@vale360
    Interesting #oldsmooc_w1 #oldsmooc_conv alternative ‘cloud’ where people r posting about teams & circles
    wallwisher.com/wall/kn2n9f60l5 Tks @sialker

    Tue, Jan 15 2013 14:26:19

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  12. AnnaCPage

    Anna Page@AnnaCPage
    @RebeccaGalley @mbjamieson thats how the #oldsmooc_conv session was for me today as I helped facilitate it!

    Tue, Jan 15 2013 09:50:19

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  13. sialker

    Simon Walker@sialker
    #oldsmooc_w1 #oldsmooc_conv alternative ‘cloud’ where people are posting messages about teams and circles
    wallwisher.com/wall/kn2n9f60l5

    Tue, Jan 15 2013 05:59:05

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  14. paigecuffe

    paige cuffe@paigecuffe
    Still digesting ideas from chat here on #oldsmooc_conv #oldsmooc #oldsmoocw_1 Thanks everyone for mental proddings

    Tue, Jan 15 2013 05:19:30

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  15. yishaym

    Yishay Mor@yishaym
    any volunteers to storify #oldsmooc_conv and share via the open list?

    Tue, Jan 15 2013 05:18:22

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  16. pennyjw

    Penny Wheeler@pennyjw
    never hit the Reload button when the live YouTube session you’re watching falters #learnedtoday #oldsmooc_conv

    Tue, Jan 15 2013 05:17:09

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  17. niallwatts

    Niall Watts@niallwatts
    @sialker Twitter is more suited to synchronous event than forum #oldsmooc_conv #oldsmooc

    Tue, Jan 15 2013 05:13:42

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  18. JulianaR71

    Juliana Raffaghelli@JulianaR71
    @OLDSMOOC Design in context…But where is context in a MOOC?

    Tue, Jan 15 2013 04:59:25

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  19. JulianaR71

    Juliana Raffaghelli@JulianaR71
    @OLDSMOOC I wouldn’t say the platform is confusing, just complex. Openness is complex

    Tue, Jan 15 2013 04:24:49

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  20. joshuau

    Joshua Underwood@joshuau
    @penpln @OLDSMOOC olds.ac.uk/the-course/week-… 12 GMT about 30 mins from now – Not sure what that is in Aus time wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/t… HTH

    Tue, Jan 15 2013 03:29:33

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  21. penpln

    Penny Bentley@penpln
    @OLDSMOOC from way over here in Aus, what time are we meeting in Google Hangout…Aus time pls? #oldsmooc #oldsmooc_wk1

    Tue, Jan 15 2013 02:55:23

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  22. mbjamieson

    Briar Jamieson@mbjamieson
    Dreambazaar cloud draft, Measuring Outcomes/Learning Gains in Open Access Language Learning Environments cloudworks.ac.uk/cloud/view… #oldsmooc_wk1

    Mon, Jan 14 2013 20:59:12

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  23. Clare_Gormley

    Clare Gormley@Clare_Gormley
    @crumphelen @virtualleader Me too! Hope I’ll get hang of Cloudworks eventually..speaking of, I better pay anothr visit re team #oldsmooc_wk1

    Mon, Jan 14 2013 03:05:46

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  24. Tipene52

    Stephen Bright@Tipene52
    #oldsmooc_wk1 dream bazaar development topic Cloud is Stephen Bright:: dream bazaar – Online course design basics

    Sun, Jan 13 2013 14:33:51

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  25. Dr_DonnaSmith

    Donna Smith@Dr_DonnaSmith
    Anyone working on the @OLDSMOOC want to team up to work on use of twitter/social media in teaching? (week1) #OLDSMOOC

    Sun, Jan 13 2013 11:58:25

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  26. AlishaPortolese

    Alisha Portolese@AlishaPortolese
    interested in collaborative writing? want to join a study circle? #oldsmooc #oldsmooc_wk1 #oldsmooc-wk1

    Sun, Jan 13 2013 09:01:18

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  27. petersheat

    Heather Peters@petersheat
    #oldsmooc_wk1 Applying for badges to have evidence of completion for employer

    Sat, Jan 12 2013 14:47:55

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  28. vale360

    Valentina Dodge@vale360
    Thanks @OLDSMOOC @yishaym for #oldsmooc_w1 summary of day 2: olds.ac.uk/blog/summaryofday2 nicely threaded

    Sat, Jan 12 2013 09:50:13

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  29. OLDSMOOC

    OLDS-MOOC@OLDSMOOC
    @suewatling @OLDSMOOC use the hashtag #oldsmooc then we will find your mooc related tweets easier so we can retweet them.

    Fri, Jan 11 2013 04:03:40

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#etmooc (Written June 2012): Why Networks Matter

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Dr Alec Couros is presenting at The PLE Conference 2012 in Melbourne this week. Here’s how I know..his call out for responses floated past in my twitter stream last week.

@courosa, as a teacher, learner and social networker I’m drawn to respond to your question “Why do (social) networks matter in teaching and learning?

Here’s a few thoughts…social networks matter because:

  • over time, authentic relationships develop

  • help is only seconds away

  • experts from around the globe are available to chat in real time #mathchat #scichat #edchat

  • I’m there to read about significant moments in science #cern #higgsboson

  • as a virtual attendee conferences are no longer out of reach #conasta #pleconf #iste12 #slide2learn

  • mobile technology enables me to spread the word to my network when I attend a conference
  • I’m able to connect with educators across all sectors by keeping FacingIT up and running and being a member of other communities of practice. Being able to mentor pre-service teachers who visit these online communities is a privilege.

  • the world is full of people willing to join in the conversation

Networks aren’t about the tools and platforms you use, they will change as time passes and our communities grow. They are about connecting with others, developing relationships, supporting and mentoring, sharing, laughing, caring, encouraging and participating. Educators don’t need to feel isolated in their busy workplaces where transient conversations occur on the way to class and professional development is difficult and expensive to organise. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel and feel reluctant to ask for help. Our voices can be heard beyond the noisy and sometimes threatening atmosphere of the staff room. Social networks do matter.

Addendum

  • I’m touched that Dr Couros included my paragraph above in his Melbourne Keynote.
  • networks are a place for feedback and affirmation too, part of the social-glue that connects us

Dr Alex Couros has kindly shared the responses for his unkenote and his resources for Becoming a Networked Learner.

Finally, I’d love to share with you this proud moment when @courosa shared my blog post at the #whynetworksmatter concerence.

screenshot_416

#tofol Week 2: setting goals and learning outcomes

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Teaching an online course at the same time as participating in #tofol has given me an opportunity to immediately apply what I’m learning

I’m helping to deliver Reflect and Connect, an online course already mentioned in a previous post.

One of the GOALS of this course is for participants to use social media for developing their Personal Learning Network.

The OBJECTIVES of today’s class was for participants to observe how twitter is used and to then sign up and have a go themselves. These objective contribute towards the formative assessment of their progress through the course.

I love teaching online, it allows me to think creatively about activities to use in such a new and challenging environment. Today I took the Reflect and Connect participants on a tour of Twitter using the application share function in Blackboard Collaborate.

Many responses from around the globe came in when I tweeted to my Personal Learning Network that I was teaching Twitter.

Rather than talking through powerpoint slides in Blackboard Collaborate, application sharing allowed participants to be actively engaged in the activity. One student began to tweet live, during our tour of Twitter.

#hashtags

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Attending and participating in many of the Australia e-Series webinars has connected me to a vibrant network of people from all sectors of education. Last week I had the pleasure of organising and presenting a webinar for Community Connect, my topic was “Twitter Hashtags for Community Driven Networking”.

Twitter is a complex social media tool, difficult to get your head around and challenging to explain to others. People are often skeptical of it’s use and unwilling to learn about it’s potential in education.  For these reasons I was edgy, presenting a webinar to educators about Twitter could result in confusion and disappointment.

I tossed around a few thoughts:

  • do they already have an account?
  • how can I engage everyone rather than boring them all with twitter facts?
  • how can I immerse them in a hands on experience from within a virtual classroom?
  • the whole point of this webinar is to get everyone networking…can we do this live?
  • what content do I need…there is WAY too much out there and I don’t know it all.
  • what can I put in place for participants to network into the future?

Here’s what happened:

  • twitter handles of participants were collected via the Australia e-Series Facebook group prior to the webinar.
  • once the webinar started people began to chat about their understanding of hashtags.
  • via application share I demonstrated how to search for Twitter hashtags and use them to follow a topic of interest, participate in a live “chat”, use a backchannel to attend a conference, keep informed about news and social uprisings…and so on.

  • participants were asked to send a Tweet ending in #ozseries
  • via application share we all watched as our tweets appeared on Twitter …yes, we had a live, hands on experience.

Looking back:

  • everyone who attended had their own account and some knowledge of how Twitter works.
  • by using application share and learning by doing, there was no need for heaps of boring text. I find it easier to show people how to use Twitter rather than using verbose explanations.
  • I presented information I had experience with and didn’t try to teach it all…it was enough to fill the hour. Twitter needs to be done in bits, not all at once.
  • Participants can learn and share with each other, into the future, under the hashtag #ozseries.
  • All of the participants Twitter handles have been placed into a Twitter list as another way to keep track of what people are chatting about. I’m hoping that someone will cover lists in another webinar.

Thank you:

  • to Junita Lyon for inviting me to present for Community Connect
  • to David Simpson for co-moderating the webinar and contributing to the conversation.
  • to the participants for being such a great audience.

As an educator who is keen to deliver more professional development, I think it’s important that participants are able to leave with immediately doable, practical skills. New to online learning, this is a personal challenge for me.

What works for you, how do you learn best online? Your feedback is welcome.