Evidencing Technology Related Competencies: MMM

Notes from H808 briefing documents:

• The evidence of technology-related competency you produce needs to demonstrate the ability to: learn about using a new piece of software or a new technology
• appreciate some key features as they relate to your own educational practice or context
• identify potential issues for other users

During the course of H808, I have experimented with several new technological applications which I intend to incorporate into my professional practice; the most important of these are podcasting, collaboration on Google Docs and Eluminate VLE.

Podcasting

In Block 8, part 1, I decided to experiment with creating and uploading a podcast. This is a technology that I have not used professionally before, and looks very promising as a contribution to my PDP goal of increasing the range of technology used on my own Distance Learning Programme.

Method

I created the podcast very simply on a portable digital recorder, and then uploaded the file to my pc, tidying up the audio quality by using WavePad Sound Editor. I then converted the file from a WMA file to an MP3 file using switch pad sound converter.

The next step was to upload the mp3 file to my own website storage file, and I was then able to create a link to this file from the Technology page of my e-portfolio.

I subsequently discovered that I may have been better supported in this effort by the podbean platform, which many of my fellow H808 students used for this exercise. I certainly intend to continue to explore the podcast options after H808.

Lessons for my own practice

Reviewing the work of others and my experience of creating a podcast, I have made a number of resolutions which I am keen to apply when I incorporate their use into future Distance Learning Programmes.

1. Be absolutely clear the intended audience of the podcast, and how the subject matter contributes to the DL programme
2. Target the content at that audience, taking account of their existing level of knowledge and any communication or understanding issues that may exist
3. Have a clear structure for the podcast, and let the listener know this
4. It is preferable to have more than one speaker, and for the speakers to engage with each other using a conversational style
5. Restrict the length of each podcast to no more than around 20 minutes
6. Adopt and engaging and enthusiastic tone of speaking
7. Offer some kind of backup notes, or document for collecting thoughts

I am left feeling that podcasts could be an extremely valuable technology which will upgrade our current Distance Learning Programme. My colleagues, who tend to lean towards a transmission approach to teaching, will find that an acceptable way to ensure that the key messages are conveyed to students. This will free up live Webinar sessions for discussion and question and answer sessions, which I believe is a more appropriate use of this dynamic medium. We can also easily update, and add to the podcast library based on student demand.

Collaboration on Google Docs

Google Docs has been used on several occasions in H808 by my colleagues. Alice Kearly created one to help the group when we attempted to collaborate around a group discussion in Block 3, but my most successful application was when Adelaida and Eugene set up a grid to help us assess our case studies against e-learning principles.

As a result of these experiences, I have attempted to use Google Docs with my own colleagues, with varying degrees of success. My most successful was with my Distance Learning Students, who are learning about our company's organisation diagnostic model. This will need to be translated into Spanish, and the translator will require a glossary of terms to help them do a good job. I therefore posted the full diagnostic on Google Docs, and invited all the students to identify phrases that they think require greater explanation. Four students joined in, including one who was not a Spanish speaker.

Having identified the phrases to be included in the glossary, I have now invited all the students to have a go at articulating short descriptions of these phrases so that we can create a much richer glossary than I would have been able to create alone. It has also occurred to me that this is actually an exercise which all students would benefit from - it will surface just how much of what they have learned they really understand!!

Eluminate

This is a VLE, which enables synchronous as well as asynchronous communication, and which operates using VoiP. Having heard about its use from my H808 Tutor, I signed up to attend a webinar that was hosted by CMALT. Not only does this seem to be a seriously viable and less costly platform for our DL Programme, it also has additional features, such a the virtual whiteboard which offer us extra functionality. I am optimistic that the cost benefit argument will make it attractive to my (reluctant to change!) colleagues, and having made the switch, I can gradually take advantage of the extra functionality for teaching and learning purposes.