Week+1+Objectives


 * READINGS**:
 * 1) Heeter: MSU Student
 * 2) Oblinger: Millenial
 * 3) Armstrong Blog
 * 4) Carla Lane: The Distance Learning Technology Resource Guide, 2004 http://rtecexchange.edgateway.net/cs/rtecp/view/rtec_topics/48

MILLENNIAL Students will be able to:
 * OBJECTIVES**:

Identify characteristics of the Millennial student as they relate to learning in general, and online learning in particular. Describe how MSU students reflect those characteristics of the Millennial student (Show the Students of Today Video)

OVERVIEW OF ONLINE LEARNING Students will be able to: Identify benefits of online learning versus traditional f2f learning. List why students like online learning. Identify pros and cons of online learning.

LEARNING STYLES Students will be able to: Identify their own learning style Describe alternative learning styles Identify their own teaching style Describe alternative teaching styles

TECHNOLOGY Become familiar with technology for information acquisition and organization.


 * IN-CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS**:

MILLENNIAL STUDENTS
 * 1) Heeter: "A majority but certainly not all students find it easier to concentrate in the classroom". QUESTION: They may find it easier to pay attention, but does this mean they are actually learning anything? We need to consider passive versus active learning. Assessment of learning needs to be in place.
 * 2) Heeter: "Do not assume doctoral students follow links!". QUESTION: What are some alternative strategies for overcoming students' tendency to not visit embedded links?
 * 3) Heeter: "Instructors who use podcasts or RSS subscriptions for announcements will be leading their students to delve into these technologies". QUESTION:
 * 4) Heeter: "Students are clearly not of a "more online is better" mindset. They often print online materials to read offline". QUESTIONS: What is your experience with this? Do you read things online or in printed form? If you prefer printed, why do you think this is the case? How do you think the nature/background of the student would affect this preference? How might you encourage students to NOT print documents and use the online version?
 * 5) Heeter: "Instructors naturally think of the end of the semester as the end of their involvement with students". QUESTIONS: How might instructors make use of these past assignments to enlarge the context of the learning experience. What materials would you find useful to keep and why?
 * 6) Oblinger: "Consumer and creator are blurring". QUESTION:


 * EXERCISES**:
 * 1) Jigsawing information between pros and cons; brainstorming session versus list on UIllinois list.
 * 2) RSS feed; pros and cons of online learning.
 * 3) TPI (Teaching Performance Inventory) (Objective: Learning Styles)
 * 4) Learning Style Quiz (Objective: Learning Styles)
 * 5) Set up iGoogle with widgets; google reader, Twitter. (Objective: Technology)
 * 6) Set up Twitter account and follow our Tweets (Objective: Technology)


 * PREPARATION**:

What Instructors need to prep for WEEK 1:
 * 1) Pre-assign readings for Week 1

What Instructors need to prep for WEEK 2:
 * 1) Assign readings for discussion forum for Week 2 (on Inclusive Pedagogy).
 * 2) Setup discussion forum on ANGEL for Week 2
 * 3) Seed discussion with some questions/issues.

WEEK 2:

1. Divide class into two groups, e.g., pro and con of online learning, have them in real-time via etherpad create summary of the discussion, and then post the edited version to the wiki (Objective Overview of Online Learning) (our task: make wiki page for wikinotes for each week)