Educational Technology in Practice
Distance Learning, Social Networking, and
Professional Cohort Development
Who am I?
• Writer/editor • Project manager • PR professional • Videographer/photographer • eLearning/Development beginner
Hello! I’m Janet Krenn, a
Communicator with Virginia Sea Grant.
Who am I not?
• An IT professional • A computer whiz • An A/V specialist • A web designer or developer
… but I know enough to be dangerous!
eLearning Considerations
Easy • Asynchronous • Few people • Few inputs • Observers
Challenging • Synchronous • Lots of people • Many input points • Active participants
e Continuum of Difficulty
eLearning Considerations
Easy • Asynchronous • Few people • Few inputs • Observers
Challenging • Synchronous • Lots of people • Many input points • Active participants
e Continuum of Difficulty
DropBox
Blackboard
Skype PolyCom
Web Conference
Our Considerations
• Synchronous class • Moderate number of
people - 8 • Many input points
– 8 computers – 5 locations – 4 time zones
• Active participants
e Continuum of Difficulty
Web Conference
Our Considerations • Interactivity
“How do you promote seminar quality discussion?”
Our Considerations • Interactivity
“How do you promote seminar quality discussion?”
• Accessibility and Flexibility “How do you link 8 people, from 8 computers, in 5 locations with limited equipment or IT support?”
Our Considerations • Interactivity
“How do you promote seminar quality discussion?”
• Accessibility and Flexibility “How do you link 8 people, from 8 computers, in 5 locations with limited equipment or IT support?”
• Ability to Archive “How can you easily record discussions and store more or less indefinitely?”
Web Conferencing Solution
• Adobe Connect became the obvious choice – Allowed for seminar quality discussion.
• Multiple webcams, microphones • Chat, hand raising backup
– Accessible and flexible. • Anywhere you have internet • Minimal equipment
– Ability to archive classes.
Adobe Connect
Web Conferencing Challenges
• Troubleshooting
• Audio
• Archiving • Equipment
Web Conferencing Opportunities
• Graduate-level experience • Invite, engage remote presenters • Students develop familiarity • Technology is improving
eNetworking Considerations e Continuum of Difficulty
• Do we need a private, closed space? • How experienced are our users in social
media? • What kind of functions would users like? • What kind of functions do users need? • What do we expect users to do in the social
space?
Existing eNetworks
Ning BuddyPress, DIY
eNetworking Considerations e Continuum of Difficulty
BuddyPress, DIY • BuddyPress
– Students didn’t already have a favorite social network
– BuddyPress is self-hosted and completely modular
BuddyPress
eNetworking Challenges • Customization • Training • Hosting
• Planning – “Community Building on the
Web” by Amy Jo Kim
• Leading
eNetworking Opportunities
• Customization • Relationship building • Information/experience sharing • Future mentoring
Thank you!
