|
 ASYNCHRONOUS FACILITATION TOOLS
Tools for use when interaction between participants is delayed.
Asynchronous communication does not require all parties to be present and available at the same time and will likely be the primary mechanism through which your online instruction will be delivered. Examples of asynchronous tools include e-mail (the receiver does not have to be logged on when the sender sends the e-mail message), discussion boards (which allow conversations to evolve and community to develop over a period of time) and even text messaging over cell phones. Web 2.0 tools such as blogs and wikis are also valuable tools for asynchronous facilitation of learning. Your tasks in this lesson will be focused on identifying, reviewing, and exploring the benefits and uses of asynchronous communication tools in the online classroom.
Objectives
- Review a variety of uses, benefits and purposes for online discussions.
- Identify and review uses, benefits and purposes of Web 2.0 collaboration tools.
Required Reading
-
Read all
background information.
-
Read messages
in the discussion board forums.
Resources
Uses, Benefits, and the Importance of Purpose in Online Discussions
Discussion Forums for Online Teachers
Examples of Discussion Forums Used by Teens & Kids
Web 2.0 Tools
|
ACTIVITIES |
DUE DATE |
1. Identify benefits and purposes of online discussions
Spend some time reviewing the resources provided above (or locate some of your own) and identify purposes and benefits to online discussions. Think about your own classroom. Can you identify an online discussion forum strategy that might extend student learning, facilitate deeper conversation or perhaps allow you to integrate a role play scenario more effectively? |
All
assignments below:
(XX/XX/XX) |
|
2. Apply what you know and participate in an Online Discussion
Explore at least two discussion forums related to education. Choose from those listed above or find others that appeal to you. Dave's ESL Cafe is a great site to start with as it has an extensive list of teacher forums related to a number of educational topics.
- Describe the forums that you visited.
- Post to at least one of these forums and respond to at least one post by a colleague.
- Copy and paste your discussion post into your portfolio and write a short reflection about your discussion forum experience.
|
|
3. Explore Web 2.0 Tools
Review the background material on Web 2.0 Tools and browse the resources under Web 2.0 Tools above.
Learning Activity:
1. Explore the blogs found in these sites or others that you have found:
2. Reflect on the experience, describe what you learned and post this information in your portfolio. How are blogs used in education? How might you use a blog in your specific teaching situation?
|
|
4. Help Construct a Wiki
In this activity you learn more about a Web 2.0 Tool called a Wiki as you find and add resources to the course Resource Wiki. This Wiki has a simple organizational scheme and has already been populated with several resources to help get you started. By its very nature a Wiki is not intended to be static, rather, it should be used as a flexible and dynamic content management tool and as a collaborative repository of the valuable web-based resources that you find in your explorations.
Learning Activity:
- Find at least three valuable resources related to teaching and add these resources to the Resource Wiki
- Follow the rules of netiquette as you work within this collaborative environment.
- Write a reflection about your Wiki experience and add it to your portfolio.
|
|
Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike
©2009 TeacherStream, LLC |