EDUCATION BLOG

Carteret Community College had its first Distance Learning forum moderated by Dr. Abbey Brown and Dr. Bill Sugar both Professors in the Instructional Technology Graduate Program at East Carolina University. It was an extremely productive event, and I believe will be a catalyst for some of the initiatives we implement in the coming year. One thing continues to be very evident and was brought out by many participants in the forum. Education is evolving and changing rapidly. The tools, techniques, methods and environments are changing. However, good teaching is still good teaching, whether it’s done in the online environment or the traditional classroom environment. It goes back to the “Human Element”. The personal touch – the connection between the teacher and student. If that connection isn’t made (and nurtured) the teaching / learning, journey will be an uphill climb. Due to the rapid advances in technology and the shift to a global economy we as educators don’t truly know for sure what skills our students are going to need in 5, 10, or 15 years. That’s the scary part.

Technology is changing so fast. It’s incredibly difficult to keep abreast of it. However, if we as educators are going to remain viable, effective and competitive we MUST do everything we can to continually upgrade our skill sets, especially when it comes to technology. Our students are changing. Their backgrounds and instructional needs are very different, yet the one CONSTANT we still have in education is that we all crave connectivity and are social creatures. Whether we as educators teach in the classroom or online, teachers must make the effort to harness the new sophisticated communication tools and use them to make those connections. I don’t care what environment you teach in, if you can’t connect with your students, communicate effectively with them, empathize , relate or motivate them, you can’t get them to join you on the learning journey.
The issues (see below) brought out and identified at this forum using the SWOT approach (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) will continue to be addressed and talked about here at CCC and in High Schools and Colleges across the country. Let’s not lose sight of the fact that we are all in this together, and we must not forget that good teaching is still plain old good teaching, whether we are in the classroom or online. The traits and skills that make good students and teachers for the most part are the same as well, even though the environments may have changed, and Blackboard may have replaced the overhead projector. Change is a reality for all of us and we must all be willing to embrace it and not be intimidated by it.

STRENGTHS

Convenience
Gas Prices
Funding
Participation & Accountability
Flexibility both student & faculty
Peer Review Opportunity
Increase reading & writing skills
Instructional Tech Support
Increase administrative support for student
Richer multi-media
Access to external resources
Improved technology
WEAKNESSES

Online instruction does not meet the needs for students and faculty
Lack of student and faculty computer skills
Feelings of isolation
Danger of miscommunication
Lack of tech support (inadequate)
Extreme approaches to technology
From the student perspective, online instruction requires self-discipline & time management
Time constraints for faculty
Security & Ethical behavior
State Orientation is problematic
Human element is difficult to include

OPPORTUNITIES
Complete degree on-line
Partnership with high schools
Learn & Earn (Free)
Business & Government
Quality of life for Seniors
Increase multi-media
International (Student & Faculty)
New faculty (new skills)
Raise student skills (orientation)
Increase/Diversify social interaction
Raise & Diversify faculty skills
Marketing (expand beyond local area)
Save money on books (e-books)
Make best use of all resources

THREATS
Power failure
Rapid pace of technology change
Competition from other state institutions
Afraid of change
Computing resources for students
Student wants choices between hybrid and online course offerings

Please feel free to comment to this post. Address any issues you see that CCC must tackle in the coming months or elaborate on any of the issues raised at our DL Forum.

There is an incredible wealth of information on this website. OSI Rock Stars can help you take your business to the next level whether you are a business neophyte or a veteran online retailer.

If you are new to eBay and online retail sales, not all of this is going to apply to you right away ... listen to it anyway. It will reassure you that "YES, YOU CAN DO THIS!" Besides it typically requires more than one exposure to a new idea before it takes root. That is why the format of OSI Rockstars is so valuable. one can listen / watch the podcast, video, or webinar as many times as necessary to let the concepts sink in.

If you are an established eBayer / online retailer and are ready to take your business to the next level, OSI Rock Stars is also designed with you in mind. OSI Rock Stars is unique in that one need not choose between seeking practical business advice and uplifting the inner human being. Being a member of OSI Rock Stars feeds both the head and my heart--the mind and the soul. From bestselling author and business guru Seth Godin to marketing mastermind John Jantsch, OSI Rock Stars is literally your own personal "dream team" to enlighten you, mentor you, inspire you, and uplift you in your pursuit of business success and personal excellence. OSI Rock Stars features speakers who have the proverbial fruit on the tree. Because they have each "been there and done that," the presenters not only speak from the heart, they possess the ability to take difficult, complex subject matter and explain it in a way that is accessible and relatable no matter what your background or experience.

For a FREE 10 Minute Backstage Pass to OSI Rock Stars, click the banner below

Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.

As someone who came into the entrepreneurial world with no sales background whatsoever. I think one of the most exciting and intimidating aspects of entrepreneurship is the learning curve. It is truly a proverbial double-edged sword ... The "good news" is that there is always something NEW to learn. The "bad news" is that there is ALWAYS something new to learn! It is easy to feel overwhelmed. (This is especially true for those of us who are "fifty-something" and trying to develop new skills and reinvent oneself.)

The entrepreneurial world is very different from the JOB world. The entrepreneur doesn't have a boss to hold him or her accountable and it is easy to get sidetracked in a world of multiple and competing priorities. A mentor not only gives you the information you need to move on and take your business to the next level, mentors offer a encouragement and support, a role model for success, and a broader vision undiminished by the day-to-day challenges. That is why I not only highly recommend, but I am personally and actively involved in OSI Rock Stars. In addition to providing cutting edge information on the latest developments in eBay selling / online retailing, OSI Rock Stars also offers me an ongoing source of inspiration to recharge my batteries and keep me connected to the bigger picture.

To find out for yourself how having a mentor can advance your Internet business, click the OSI Rock Star Promoter badge below...

GEC
Global Equipping Center

We offer eight Audit Courses recorded from the Forerunner School of Ministry including the Excellencies of Christ with Allen Hood, the Eternal Glory of an Intercessor with Corey Russell, and more… view a demo course here.  Discount ends April 30th!

Want to start a small group using an FSM course?  IHOP-KC staff get a 25% discount on Group Study Courses.  Click here for details on these courses or to apply.

For more information, see our webpage at www.ihop.org/GEC or e-mail us at eSchool@ihop.org (for eSchool inquiries) or gec@ihop.org (for Group Study inquiries).

New Links to New Learning members, don't forget the Virtual Learning Center wants your feedback for the 2007- 2008 school year. Your input helps other educators select videoconferences! Listed here, in alphabetical order, are the five content providers CSD’s schools selected most often this year for videoconferences. We want you to choose your favorite of these top candidates! Please reply by this Friday, May 2, 2008. 

Elementary classes from the Francis Howell, Clayton and Ladue School districts will connect for a one hour videoconference with author/illustrator Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw next week. The Virtual Learning Center is really excited to bring this St. Louis native into St. Louis schools. Jenny Sue will be talking with the students about her new picture book, My Travelin' Eye - ' Jenny Sue’s eyes are different from other people’s eyes. Her right eye looks in one direction, while her left eye sometimes wanders. Jenny Sue has a travelin,’ lazy eye. Although it makes her different, it also helps her see the world in a special way. Here is a charming story about one very inspiring little girl.' (see Author Visit on May 9, 2008) 

Now, here's a bit about the author, by the author! 

 THE LITTLE YEARS. When I was little, I would sit in a box and draw pictures. Eventually, my studio expanded to my closet where I made up characters and neatly archived them in blue binders (including hundreds of made-up Smurfs). I would sit on the green shag carpet under hanging clothes with my older sister Renee sitting in her office on the far other end of the long, skinny closet. She wrote poems and said I could be her illustrator. My oldest brother Freddy and his friend Kevin Brimmer drew a lot, and I thought they were the coolest. I decided then that I'd always be an artist. When I was 8, I won my first art contest with a drawing of Santa Claus. I still remember the phone call—it was the first time I ever remember crying because I was happy...I find a lot of inspiration for my art and stories from my life: traveling+adventures, family+friends, my dog other pets, and memories.

 7 things I remember from my little years on Chatfield Drive, St. Louis, MO... 

1. The above mentioned box/my first art studio.
2. I had a Papa Smurf Doll that I LOVED. I remember giving him hundreds of beard trimmings til he had a charming five o'clock shadow and snowed tiny white beads
3. My dad had this awesome, huge swivel chair in his downstairs office, and my friend Tisa and I would take turns spinning each other til we had out of body experiences running upside down on the checkerboard ceiling.
4. My stylish green pants with the Polish embroidery and vertical ribbed lines.
5. My FAVORITE shirt: The Incredible Hulk.
6. Fighty + Gertrude, the 2 crawfish my sister Renee & I rescued from the live-well in my Dad's bass boat in the garage. We kept them in a sherbert container and let them play on our driveway.
And 7. My thick glasses with the super springy frames sporting Bugs Bunny on the side.

Thanks for sharing and illustrating, Jenny Sue! Looking forward to next week!

Writing is a crucial step without which the process of study is incomplete. It is more so in distance education. But unfortunately IGNOU students do not complete their assignments on their own. To say so, I have a reason. Go to Google and type IGNOU assignments, you will find many sites claim to offer solved assignments to students.

Why is there huge population of sites offering solutions of the coursework? Answer goes to incapability of student to complete the assignments on their own. Inability of students to complete work on their own shows a poor attitude toward life. Students are keen on doing efforts to find the material on line, or through friends, but can’t do hard work to solve the questions on their own. It’s like forcing your energy towards negative direction rather than on positive path. Hence this results in poor preparation for their term-end exams.

Maximum students depend on others for their assignments. This may not benefit student’s characteristics in the long run. As IGNOU is correspondence education, students are expected to be independent learner, develop positive attitude, setting goals and most importantly managing their own time.

According to IGNOU handbook, submission of assignment-responses in distance education system is made compulsory, more often than not, to serve two purposes. They are:

·        to initiate academic communication between the teacher/institution and the student and thereby establish a useful dialogue between them, and

·        to be used for continuous evaluation.

So it would be very helpful for students, if they would complete their assignments independently. This will also help them in preparing for their Term-end exams, as assignments give an opportunity to revise what you have learnt about the courses till now.

write to us at bornfool@live.com

 This was a busy week! The first half we were at the United States Distance Learning Association National Conference (USDLA). It was good to talk with folks from all over the world, especially those we interact with over videoconference frequently. Something that really stuck with me is that the challenges, as well as the benefits, of distance learning are nearly universal! 
 
 Moving on, mid-week, we had a two-hour evening videoconference. Wednesday night was MOREnet's Internet Safety Night. Sites from all over the United States (55 over videoconference!) connected for a two hour videoconference on Internet Safety. Cooperating School Districts acted as a site in St. Louis. At the ISN website, you'll find all sort of resources to educate yourself and your family on the importance of Internet Safety, and ways to implement it at home.

 Finally, today is our official one year 'blogiversary'.  April 25th of last year was when we really got going with The Wired Classroom. In that year, we've posted 210 times with over 650 tags! We're really excited to continue posting to the blog to update our readers about what is going on in the Virtual Learning Center. Thanks to those who take the time to read the blog. 

What tech tools do you use to reach and teach your students or staff?  Do you feel others would benefit from learning more about the technology tools used in your teaching?  Do you have a desire to share your creative and professional successes?

If you or a colleague can answer yes to the above questions, METC 2009 invites you to apply as a presenter for a breakout session or hands-on workshop. More than 1,500 attendees from across the nation are expected to participate including technology specialists, teachers, library media specialists, staff developers, administrators, instructional technology teachers, counselors, and information technology/network specialists. 

Share how your most effective technology tool(s) directly impacts:

Student achievement  |  Transformation of instruction  |  Library media   Administrative leadership  |   Network infrastructure

METC topic strands are:
1.  1:1 Initiatives (One laptop/handheld/desktop per student)  "NEW"
2.  Curriculum & Instruction based on Assessment and Data
3.  Differentiated Instruction
4.  Digital Media
5.  Distance Learning (online learning, conferencing)
6.  Instructional Technology Integration
7.  Library Technology Integration
8.  Mobile Technology (Palm, MP3 Player, Cell Phone) "NEW"
9.  Technology Integration 101 - a primer on basic tech integration  "NEW"
10.  Technology Leadership 
11.  Technical & Networking
12.  Web 2.0 (Read / Write Web)

Select from seven types of presentation formats:
1. 30-min Best Practices for Classroom Integration mini-session
2. 50-min breakout session giving the attendees an overview or introduction of a topic
3. 1-hr and 50-min breakout session that addresses a topic more in-depth.  This will be conducted in two consecutive 50-min sessions with a Part 1 and Part 2. It may be a hands-on workshop BYOL (bring your own laptop).
4. Student Poster session for your students to showcase how they learn and what technology tools they use.
5. Student plus Teacher session (bring your students as your co-presenters).
6. 3-hr preconference workshop on the morning of Monday, January 26
7. 6-hr preconference workshop all day on Monday, January 26

You may submit a proposal using the METC Call for Presenter form or after May 15, use the online proposal form located at www2.csd.org/metc2009.htm

For program updates, keynote and featured speakers, and online registration information, check the conference website at www2.csd.org/metc2009.htm

Cooperating School Districts hopes to see you at METC 2009,
January 26-28 at the St. Charles Convention Center.

On Wednesday April 23, MOREnet hosted its Internet Safety Night.  Sites all over the US connected to this important program- including several St. Louis, MO!  The excellent keynote speaker was James Finch, Assistant Director, FBI Cyber Division.

Finch admitted first thing that at the FBI there was no bigger advocate of technology, including the Internet, than him. He also added he is the parent of three- two daughters in their twenties and a four year old son. All are on line.

Some facts:
+ The United States has highest rate of "computer intrusions" - hacking
+ The FBI has the Innocent Images National Initiative - where undercover agents work to bring on line predators to justice: http://www.fbi.gov/innocent.htm

Finch emphasized "the Internet has changed our lives for the positive and it still holds so much promise... I want to heighten awareness."

How do we heighten awareness?

It is important to talk to your children about the Internet, as you do when they learn to swim, learn to drive, etc. As Finch noted, "the Internet should not be a babysitter" - it will not take care of itself when it comes to the safety of children.

You must have an Internet Safety talk with your kids.
Here are Finch's talking points:
+use strong passwords, don't share passwords!
+maintain your operating system- download updates/patches because they fix programming flaws that become security vulnerabilities
+anti-virus, anti-spam, anti-phishing programs important
+use parental control software (emphasize it is out of concern, not to police them)
+make sure wireless router is configured properly
+change your network name
+using encryption features on wireless routers important
+decide which computers are allowed on your network using MAC filtering list- the unique address for your network card
+set this rule: no Internet after 9 pm  (Internet access policy)
+talk about Internet chats, social networking sites, peer to peer networks, and e-mail
+ask who is on your child's buddy list
+emphasize once you hit "send," you can't get it back!
+let your kids know you will be reviewing their computer time to time

A note: this is NOT a one time only talk. According to Finch, "Internet Safety is not easy, it is not quick, but it is not rocket science, either."

There are many Internet Safety resources at http://besafe.more.net/isn.
Another website Finch spoke about was www.lookstoogoodtobetrue.com.

Finch's keynote was followed-up by a panel of experts who discussed issues like identity theft, spam, legal issues, how to monitor your kids while they are on the computer, and on line predators. Missed it? In St. Louis, Charter Communications will air the program soon. ISN programs will also be available on line: http://besafe.more.net/isn/.