Week# 13 Current_Events

Top three most effective ways of communicating with peers in an online course.



The Mano group agreed that there are certain ways to communicate in an online course effectively. Online learners can communicate through the wide spread use of cell phone either by talking directly to each other, leaving a message, or texting.  Email is another way to get in touch with classmates and instructors. However, for our group, we've found that the class website (the LAULIMA) has been our primary mean of communication.  There are variety of ways to reach one another in Laulima. There is the mailtool which is used for emailing, the live meeting-where groups can host online meetings, and the forum where members post threads for everyone to read. Although I found the latter to be difficult  to follow, because we post all over the place, it has been the only method by far, utilized  most. Second to this would be the google doc. To contribute to the group, members log in to the group's google doc. and post their answers and ideas accordingly. We owe to explore the other ways of communicating that we are well aware of. 

Task_3-3 Reflection

1.    What ideas have you contributed to your team this week?
       I've contributed enough help my group going. I suggested that we use scenario from one of the lesson plans that were previously created. I contributed my finding for our current event. I started off the Memos that I think we kind of overlooked this week.
 
2.    What role did you play on your team this week?
       My job was to write about the challenges that the students may face with our scenario.

3.    How did you encourage and support your team members this week?
       I shared my experience, or lack of experience for that matter, with technology. I also shared what I've witness at the school that I am currently doing my observation at this semester. As for encouragement, praising at individuals works is the best, and all did a great job. ;)
 
4.    Did the group have any questions or problems this week?
       Yes, we did have a question regarding the scenario. We weren't sure whether you want us to draft a new one or make one from our previous lesson plan.

Task3_wk2 Reflection

1.    What roles did the members of your team have this week?
 Melaine did most of the work this week. Kyra, our facilitator of the week assigned us  the question to answer, I pasted the questions and help answer question #2, Victory did the rest by answering both questions and adding another lesson plan. We all contribute by making some suggestions.

2.    Given your role in the group this week, how did you contribute to group?
I am having hard time following the lesson, I contributed as much as I could, but I  really need an open line of communication where we could talk back and forth.
      
3.    What worked well this week?
Group members take initiative in getting the work done.

4.    What will you do differently next time?
Next time I will start early so that when I ask my million questions, I will know for sure that they will be answered before the end of the week.

Task_3-1 Reflection

What roles did the members of your team have this week?

 Melaine is the facilitator of the week, that's all I know. I know she created our Google Document, and even wrote out our newsletter. The rest of us just post our 3 computer skills in the forum and check weather we've received  the google document.

Given your role in the group this week, how did you contribute to group?

 All I did was read the newsletter that she already typed out and posted the 3 computer skills that I think are important for students to learn. I feel that I didn't contribute much this week. I know I can do more, but I don't know how to help. If I was the facilitator this week, I will be overwhelm with the amount of work that was needed to be done.

What worked well this week?

Realizing what didn't work.

What will you do differently next time?

We need to communicate more, and to agree to meet at least once to converse back and forth. Posting on the forum every other day is not efficient enough.This week we are working on PBL in which the students do everything in their power to gain knowledge and yet we are not applying it. The  facilitator should not be the sole composer of the newsletter, that's why we have it on google doc. I would say emailing and twitter, but I still don't know how to twit and I don't check my email often. I think the best way is to text because we all carry our phone everywhere we go and look at it every time it ring.

Task 2 Debrief

• Having completed this review of a web 2.0 tool would you use this tool in your classroom?
•  This class has helped me learn more about the many different tools that will enhance teaching and learning altogether. I will use the tools that I just learn about in the classroom. I'm sure it will grab the students' attention.
•  
• Prior to this activity, how did you typically select website or tools to use?
• I've never used any of the websites.  The closest I got in using computer was when I google for lesson plans. 
• 
  
• Do you have any ideas, comments or feedback on improving the web 2.0 tool selection process?
• I have no other idea to add beside just skimming through them and look for what will best feed your plan of deliverance. 
•  
• BELOW IS THE LINK TO MY WEB 2.0 TOOL 
•  http://www.screenr.com/7Yw8 

Task 1 Debrief

• Prior to this activity did you use any of these software tools?  If so which ones.

• All the the tools that I learned in task 1 are new to me. I find them extremely helpful to know especially with the wide spread use of technology nowadays. 
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• Do you plan to continue managing the news resources that you have gathered in your personal learning network?

 

• I do.  It is very important for a teacher to be updated on current events.
• 
  
• Do you think that a refined personal learning network would be valuable to a new teacher? 

  

• It sure is. With so much for teachers to do in such a limited time, having a refined personal learning network cut down all the searching I use to do to find what I need to see. 
• 
  
• Share the web address url of your ScreenR presentation.
•  http://www.screenr.com/Vu58

Week#5 Current_Event

This week, the Manos group is featuring two of the websites that are extremely useful for teachers and parents of student with special needs to visit. These websites have a listing of some of the amazing ipad apps that can do magical works to  the students' learning.

 

http://momswithapps.com/apps-for-special-needs/

This website listed the applications and a brief description on what each of them is used for, and what special need it targeted. 

 

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/apps-for-children-special/id423141879

The best thing about this particular website is that all the apple applications on it are FREE.