Week 3 - Consolidation

Main Topics

• Where are we in the course?
• Online communication difficulties
• Elluminate
• Assessments, Policies, Information
• Windows Live Spaces
  

Where are we in the course?

I would like to get started on Introducing Principles of Sustainability either this week or next week, but before we start on this, people need to have some familiarity with searching for information on the web. This is one of the reasons that I’ve asked you to complete a survey for me.

At this point, 6 students have answered my email. The results are telling me

• The online learning experience is well within these students capabilities
• These students are progressing through the learning modules well, and are mostly about where I expected the class to be
• All respondents have completed the connect to and surf the internet learning resource

I’m not sure that these students represent the entire class, so I’ve decided to hold off on making my decision until we have at least 12 responses (half the class).

Can you please make it a priority to visit the survey, and give me your perspective?

In the meantime, I suggest that you should continue spending time working through the learning resources, and completing your assessment tasks.

Please note that the learning resources - Use a Wordprocessor & Use local & distance library services have not yet been completed. I’m getting there.

Online communication difficulties

There has been one comment that at least one of you is finding it difficult having to keep track of so many different websites, and how they all relate.

To clarify things - the communication channels that we are using are email & Pageflakes. Pageflakes is now the primary channel. The email group is now primarily used for discussion.

In addition to this, there are websites that you will be directed to from Pageflakes (Blackboard, elluminate, etc.). From time to time you will need to return to a website periodically (e.g. Pageflakes, Study Skills). If this is the case, you should save the site to your favourites.

So all you really need to keep track of is your emails & Pageflakes. During your study you will build a library of internet resources (in your favourites) that you can use to help you when you need them (e.g. Study Skills pages).

Elluminate

Wednesday, 12th March 1-2pm

Click on this link to login to the session
(at least 30 minutes before the session starts)

From the responses I’ve had, it seems that Wednesday, 1-3pm is the window that is available to all of us.

The purpose of this session will just be getting you familiar with getting access to and making use of the communication tools in our virtual classroom. It is a requirement of your assessment you are able to log in, and communicate using both the text and the voice functions of elluminate. If you’ve already done this, then there’s no need for you to participate. If you’d like to anyway, you’re welcome of course.

We may need to schedule an evening elluminate session for those part-timers who are working during the day (I'm talking about you Sam). :-)

Assessment, Policies, Information

There is a page of information containing information that you might find useful being constructed on WikiEducator. (Remember to add it to your favourites)

• General information on the course
• Assessment schedules
• Departmental policies & forms

Please note that this is a work in progress. If you go looking for something which isn’t here, please get in touch with me & I’ll see what I can do.

Windows Live Spaces

I’ve had three people reply to my request of “friendship” in Spaces. This really means that you are happy for me to visit your space, and receive updates about what you’re posting to it. If you’ve got a request from me, can you please reply to it. If you haven’t got a request from me, can you please “Invite” me.