This week I completed my first real training with faculty at the second annual eLearning Symposium here at the University of Washington | Bothell. The focus of the day was on elearning tools and active learning. We tried to do some activities that could promote getting outside and walking about and using tools to document ideas and experiences and had some wonderful faculty share their stories about various forms of engagement in learning.
For part of the morning and all afternoon, we used an activity list similar to one I had some success with at Yavapai College. Basically, it is an 11 x 17 piece of cardstock with a number of activities to complete. They worked in groups of two to complete the activities which ranged from capturing a video of a faculty taking about important qualities for classrooms to have, to simply adding some ideas about classrooms to a Google Doc. One activity had them participate in a VoiceThread conversation and another was to add an image of active learning to a Google Slide presentation. Some had experience with the tools. Others, not so much.
We gave each participant an 11 x 17 “Most Interesting Man in the World” meme with the text relating to teaching and technology. If you want to use it, here is the link. It is 11 x 17.
With them all filled out it was a good way to introduce the challenges of technology and allow faculty a casual way to share concerns and successes.
They all look great when placed edge to edge. They make up a nice piece of art for our office display case for a month or so.
One of our awesome faculty, Jane VanGalen, was describing her work with a class “In the Open” and was addressing her use of Twitter and WordPress. Here is the class blog. She shared that she uses a Howard Rheingold resource and I mentioned that to Howard via Twitter. He Tweeted back before the end of her talk and she was able to show the participants that you really can connect with authors and experts in real time. It was a cool example of using Twitter.
We used a hashtag and had some interaction during the event. I think only four or so people really had experience with the tool. Here is the conversation.
It was a great day and a really nice way to meet some of the faculty here. After four months I am still meeting people and I look forward to the fall when there will be more people about and more questions coming my way!