SIG+Annotated+Links+Page

=SIG Annolated Links Page = =- by Joys, Heather, and Trixi﻿ = =(Please see our original proposal on the "Home" page.) =


 * Joys BookMarks:**

[] This website is one of my favorite websites. There are several reasons: // · // My passion is teaching geometry online. The Resource Center in this website supports users of the award-winning Dynamic Geometry® mathematics visualization software. //The Geometer's Sketchpad.// // I believe it is my best technical tool for my future online class////. //  · There is information about classroom-ready Sketchpad activities, including freely downloadable activities, commercial activities in print, and links to other activity providers. · There are free lesson plans for me to use. It will really save my time.

[] This blog belongs to Ms. Laura B. who is using sketchpad. And she explain sketchpad quite well: Laura B. once told us “The program can be used to draw points, lines, shapes, graphs, patterns and much more to depict mathematics problems for students.”(April, 2010) I have checked out another resource about Online Sketchpad Lesson. “The online seminar will cover using the newest features, class activities as well as advanced teaching techniques.”(July, 2010). I do believe that online teaching geometry using sketchpad software is an excellent solution.

[] WiZiQ helps you learn and teach online - any subject you can think of! Get Free Study material and Classes, Join WiZiQ for Free! I am considering to join WiZiQ during class break. I suggest you also go to try it out if you are interested in it. At least it can widen your knowledge base.

[] There are many professional lesson plans from leading educational organizations in this website. You can also use key word search to find your free lesson plans and educational resources. I enjoyed very much the math teaching picture in this site. I do believe I will learn more after I explore all of the content in this website. Do you want to join me?

[] Indeed games and interactive tools engage students of all ages. When students are playing games, they are full of interest. And the interest will bring a better learning outcome to the students. I remember when I worked at Lansing Community College Services Center, I had created a lot of Flash movies for the chemistry professors and their students. I had experimented the positive impact on those students.

[] This is a resource talking about **Using Technology to Increase Student Interest, Motivation, and (Perhaps) Learning** written by G. William Hill, Randolph A. Smith, & Marco Horn “A classroom student response system (SRS) is a technology that allows instructors to record students’ responses to multiple-choice questions presented in the classroom and then to instantaneously summarize and visually present the data to the class. (July 2004) I do believe that technology can increase the students’ interest in learning.


 * Heather's bookmarks: **

The resources listed below are systems through which an online course component could be set up for remediation purposes.
 * Online Course Management Systems: **

[|www.blackboard.com]

This website offers access to information on Blackboard, an online course management system. A teacher can find resources such as webinars, case studies, videos and research about the technology available. One can also find extended-learning opportunities and contact information for the company. This is all included under the teaching and learning tab.



[] This is an alternative to Blackboard that is used throughout local school districts. Moodle is an online course management system. A teacher find resources, a demonstration site, forums through which help can be obtained and a blog where anyone can answer questions.



[] SchoolCenter is a software program used by many districts to house school district webpages. A teacher can find information about the company’s philosophy, services and contact information for support with SchoolCenter. One can even request a demonstration website to view before signing up with the company.

[] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">This is another online course management site available for districts. The Kaplan website offers links for help with implementation, an online demonstration of the program, a list on how it serves various students and instructional resources.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">This is an online course management program that is free for parents, students, teachers and professors. One can upgrade their site for a fee and get more features added onto their site. The website offers an introductory video, reasons why to choose BrainHoney (ideal for the blended classroom) and support for the educator that uses it.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">The resources listed below are useful for placing diverse assignments and activities for the students as well as links to websites that list resources on how to build an online course.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Online Resources: **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">This website contains all sorts of resources for building lesson plans and assignments for an online course. It contains anything from collaboration tools to digital software to online video and audio resources. Any teacher can access the resources listed under categories on the right-hand side. The best part of the website is that everything on it is free!

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">This website is a home page with several links about setting up hybrid courses. Each link connects to another webpage on a topic about hybrid courses. There are links connecting to web pages about specific teacher experiences, reports on colleges’ progress with setting up hybrids and the answer to why a hybrid course is the answer for students. One could spend hours exploring and reading the resources available here.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">This website is from the United Kingdom and is a nice free resource on e-learning topics. It includes numerous links to book, articles, blogs, presentations and websites. It is all geared towards e-learning and is free. If one wanted to submit a resource, one needs to register with the website.



<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">This site contains numerous web links, articles, tutorials and tools for building the online course. The resources can be used by either a K-12 teacher or a higher education teacher. The only drawback to this website is one must register as a user first before gaining access. The resources are free but require setting up an account.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">[|www.merlot.org] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">This website requires an account but once registered, one can access numerous web resources on any topic possible. WebQuests, tutorials, articles and virtual laboratories are some of the possible resources. One can search for specific resources or browse through the many available. Each resource comes with a peer review, related links and comments about the quality of the resources, grade level of learners and overall rating.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">[]

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">This blog is about multiple resources that could be used in an online course. The author has different blogs about online course management, online resources, libraries, Web 2.0 tools and instructional blogs. A teacher could browse through the different blogs to find information about the author’s experience with the specific tools.



<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">These resources include checklists of important items to consider when building and reviewing the online course.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Instructions and Rubrics: **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">This is a checklist about setting up the different components of a hybrid course. It is divided into five different sections: outcomes, activities, assessment, management and good practice and describes the difference between face-to-face and online instruction in each section. This also includes links to other resources to set up the course, assessments and goals.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">This is a rubric for online instruction. It is divided into six different categories and provides information and resources about each category that an online teacher should consider. This website also provides more resources on building the best online course. The best part is it gives multiple examples of outstanding online course management courses using both Blackboard and WebCT.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">This is a checklist for evaluating online courses. The checklist is divided into sections like technology, instructional design and assessment. It provides space for rating the course and written open-ended comments. It asks general questions then provides the viewer with additional items to consider when previewing the course. This would be useful when testing one’s online course.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">These videos are on building an online course in conjunction with traditional instruction. There is also one example of a high school that has completed such a task.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Videos: **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">This video is relatively short but deals with the seven principles of hybrid learning that should be considered when setting up a hybrid course. The information is delivered through audio rather than visual images. The presenter is in the corner and it is only through listening to him, that you get an explanation of the topics. The only visual information is the key words of each principle. This resource is useful when the teacher is getting started and trying to figure out how to divide up the coursework while taking into consideration the amount of time spent online by the student, activities versus discussion boards and how much coaching is needed to guide the students through the work. media type="youtube" key="jWxYAbTO4SA?fs=1" height="385" width="640"

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">This video goes over how to plan for an online course. The instructor from Indiana University goes over how to translate your instruction from a face-to-face environment to an online course. He gives ideas about what to add to your course, where to find ideas and key tricks before opening your course to the entire student population. media type="youtube" key="m3H7PbkndOk?fs=1" height="385" width="480" <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">This is a short video examining one public school who has integrated online hybrid courses within the curriculum. Each course has most of its content online with seminars to enhance the learning. This video is one example of a school who is adding the online course component to high school courses. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">media type="youtube" key="7VQ_CZJSHas?fs=1" height="385" width="480"


 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Trixi's Bookmarks **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">1. Michigan Virtual University <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> Their mission is described as : "The leading provider of online learning solutions" <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> Especially interesting are the workshops & training @ []

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> 2. INACOL - International Association for k-12 Online Learning <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> A non-profit org which works in advocacy, research, professional development, & networking. Mission <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> "To level the playing field for students through online learning. Our mission is to ensure all students have access to world-class education and quality online learning opportunities that prepare them for a lifetime of success."

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> 3. APLU Sloan National Commission on Online Learning <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> Provided some of the most useful statistics I could find - surprisingly, there are not many available yet as I thought there would be!

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> 4. The Michigan Community College Association <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> Many useful topics about community college level teaching state-wide - particularly the Virtual Learning Collaborative @ []

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">5. Center for Online Learning <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> []

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> Georgia Southern's excellent example of suggestions for online course design. Presumably this was originally intended for faculty, but is freely available to the general public as well!

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> 6. Center for Research on Learning and Teaching <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> []

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> University of Michigan's answer to the same question - in the form of an annotated list to useful sources. It's becoming standard for institutions to have a website related to online course design, so U of M decided to gather many already created.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> 7. Principles of Online Design <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> []

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> Ditto for Florida Gulf Coast University. I chose these three because they seemed the most relevant, but diverse in their approaches - it will be interesting to see when national standards / guidelines develop!

==== Their mission says it all: "Our mission is to serve the distance learning community by providing advocacy, information, networking and opportunity. We will help you stay connected and ahead of trends in learning — distance learning, e-learning, mobile learning, computer-based training (CBT), web-based training (WBT), instructor-led training (ILT), online training, online learning, blended learning, classroom training, webinars... "﻿ ====

[]
==== Described as a professional membership organization for individuals involved in the development of policy and in the provision of quality services to meet the needs of persons with disabilities involved in all areas of higher education. This is ALWAYS something to consider in online course design, and it helps to have a person or better yet an organization to review your product. ====