WebCt and Other Tools Comments by a

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WebCt and Other ToolsComments by a user

• Robert C. McCracken
• Assistant Professor
• Educational Studies
• rmccracke_at_radford.edu
• http//www.radford.edu/rmccracke

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WebCt and Other Tools

• Overview Who Am I
• Planning Mistakes
• Planning Ideas
• Integrating Synchronous with Asynchronous
• Feedback and On-going Training

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Who am I

• Assistant Professor in Educational Leadership
  (Training of School Administrators)
• Former School Superintendent
• Formally known as Dr. Gadget
• Resume

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Planning Mistakes

• Dont Start on the computer
• Dont think SOP
• Dont over estimate student knowledge
• Dont understand student knowledge
• Dont think on-line will be easier
• Dont think youll lose student interaction

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Planning Ideas

• Do think on paper FIRST
• Do think what if, in other words have a plan B
• Do think of technology orientation prior to
  Content
• Do think of basic expectations of students, in
  addition to content expectations

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Planning Ideas

• Do Plan for pen-pal relations via e-mail and
  discussion / chat formats
• Do Plan for extensive feedback to your students,
  grading comments, routine feedback
• Do Plan for Virtual Office Hours
• Do Plan for multi-media uses of on-line
  resources, i.e. WebCT matched with Breeze WebCt
  and telephonic conferences WebCt with Vtel
  equipment

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Planning Ideas

• Do Over Plan the first time
• Do Plan on how to manage your e-mail
• In one course this summer, I generated and / or
  responded to over 500 e-mails
• Do Plan your assignments carefully
• I taught three classes this summer in a hybrid
  model and read / graded/ or responded to over
  1300 assignments

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Integrating Synchronous with Asynchronous Learning

• All students (adults, too) do not learn in the
  same way or same rate
• WebCt is great for Asynchronous learners, those
  that can learn at their own rate and time
• WebCt can be a nightmare for others who need
  direct interaction
• Breeze can help!

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Integrating Synchronous with Asynchronous Learning

• Breeze can be used for student group work
• Breeze can be used for virtual office hours for
  the instructor
• Breeze can be used for private tutoring sessions
• Breeze can be used to record instructors
  lectures with accompanying PowerPoint
  presentations

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Integrating Synchronous with Asynchronous Learning

• Breeze can be used to introduce modules with in
  WebCT
• Breeze can be used for synchronous work by
  student work groups

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Feeback and On-going Training

• Do provide feedback, be sure to plan how and when
• Establish time constraints for e-mail
  communication
• Do NOT assume once youve done it youre
  reached the peak of the learning curve

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Conclusion

• Technology will not replace teachers but will
  enhance our capabilities
• If youre not into technology, take a look
  around the world and your own world
• Technology User does not mean expert or
  programmers but it does mean you need to be a
  knowledgeable user
• It can work!
• Questions??????????