E-Learning+for+Educators

== = =

[|E-Learning for Educators] was the inaugural course for the [|E-Learning and Online Teaching Certificate Program] at the [|University of Wisconsin-Stout.] This online class provided me with the opportunity to explore effective methods and mindsets for online learning environments as well as some of the tools available to online instructors.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Artifacts: =


 * [|Carter E-Learning Reflective Journal] (Word Document): Each week we were required to reflect upon our learning for the module. This document is an edited summary of my reflections for the entire course.


 * [|Moderation of Discussion Forum:] Most online classes require students to participate in class discussion through a discussion board or forum. Instructors must be able to moderate these interactions to keep discussions on track and to prevent discussions from becoming personal attacks. I hosted this [|discussion forum] in [|Moodle], an open source class-management system, setting up the topic and forum, and moderating the resulting discussion utilizing efficient response techniques such as:
 * 1) Expansion of the topic.
 * 2) Offering a different perspective
 * 3) Providing an online resource relevant to the topic (include a hyperlink)
 * 4) Providing a summary of the ideas posted so far (good when you come late to the conversation).
 * 5) Asking a specific question (but avoid prompting yes or no answers).
 * 6) Asking an open ended (on topic) question. (source: E-Learning for Educators Discussion Requirements -- Dennis O'Connor)


 * [|Personal Search Engine;] One tool instructors may use to narrow student research to reliable web sites is a personal search engine. I developed this personal search engine on [|Reading Comprehension Strategy Instruction] using [|Google Custom Search].


 * [|Carter_Website_Evaluation] (Word Document): The Internet abounds with information, some of it reliable and some of it not. It is essential that online instructors be able to evaluate the reliability of websites they use in their courses. This website evaluation of a hoax site shows just how difficult determining the reliability of information on the Internet can be.


 * [|Diigo E-Learning for Educators Group:] Diigo is a social bookmarking site. Because anyone can access sites bookmarked on Diigo from any computer, teachers can use Diigo to share information with each other and their students both at school and at home. Diigo also allows users to highlight and annotate information from websites.