Ready for Nov. 14

Hello!   Super busy around here.

The AASL Conference was great!  I highly recommend it – next one is in Minneapolis in 2011.  I’m still processing, but you can see my notes (definitely unpolished) here.  This is optional – for the curious.

We are now interviewing candidates for the new assistant professor position – who might affect some of you a bit, depending on when you graduate, etc.  This is an extremely time-consuming process, but also it’s fun to hear fresh ideas from these candidates.

The agenda for Saturday is set.  Plan to come at 9a and stay through 2p (with possible group meetings after that).  I will see you there!

Star Exhibition Wrap-Up

Hello!  It’s Monday again.

I was very pleased with the Star Exhibition!   I learned about some new Stars, learned some new things about Old Stars, and learned some new 2.0 tricks.  Judging by the comments and the nominations, you did, too.

This assignment has been self-fulfilling in terms of feedback.  Over the next week or two, Justine will finalize your grades; this is a simple check-off procedure.

This morning I distributed all the “extra” nominations received to the various people who were nominated.  For the most part, I chose ELC email for this task – while I still really dislike ELC overall, the email function works pretty well.  (Especially since I discovered the little icon on the upper right of the “My Elearning Commons” view – which provides all email from all courses in one place.) So, in future, if you want to email me within ELC I will definitely find it.

I updated the Cohort 8 calendar by adding the Spring 2010 dates.

Also, I decided that the Design Idea Assignment was out of order (since we moved the Presentation date to Dec 5).  I changed the Design Idea due date to Dec 6.

The Planner is now up to date.

The Midterm Feedback form is still open, in case you haven’t done that yet – for about another week.

As you think ahead for the PPP, I hope you will plan to use a Web 2.0 method for your actual presentation.  As demonstrated Saturday, the tool can be sophisticated, or it can be as simple as uploading your Powerpoint file to Googledocs Presentations (a trick I have used many times myself). One lesson from the Exhibition is: use the best tool for the job.  Depending upon your topic and presentation style, the best tool choice will vary from team to team.

Finally, looking ahead – hoo boy. We have a furlough day Friday, and UGA will be dark.  This week, Dr. Clinton goes to a conference; next week,  I go to AASL.  Busy times!  So – I reiterate: if your need is urgent,  call.  In times like these, I will definitely fall behind in normal communication – and will be happy to receive an urgent phone call to relieve some of my guilt for letting emails sit too long.

Happy Halloween!

Star Exhibition!

Hello!

Tonight’s the night you should send your Exhibition (direct) link to Jennifer (jenngill at uga edu).

The agenda is set, complete with a schedule.  Plan to login to WebCT 7460 Wimba at 10am.

Yes, that’s right – **WebCT** Wimba 7460.  Of the several classrooms listed there, choose the top one.

Backup plan: I posted the dial-in number and PIN on the agenda as well.

Questions, IMs, phone calls welcome today and tomorrow – I’m in meetings all day Friday.  See you online!

Columbus Day Edition

Hello!   It’s pouring here – Columbus would have drowned today.  I’m sorry that those of you on fall break are not having a prettier Monday.

I’ve done lots of post-planning from Saturday:

• Updated the agenda and finalized the planner.
• Made an audio for you that covers the entire Synthesizing Literature topic, since we did not finish that.
• Sent a thank-you email to Michael Law – you might consider doing the same (lawm at uga dot edu).
• Checked the dropbox for the Interview assignment: yep, can’t blame ELC for this one!  Little teeny tiny box needed a teeny tiny check, and now you should see the results in My Grades.

Most PPP Draft assignments came in last night and I’ve already started working on those. I will finish by Sunday, if things go according to plan.

Ready for Oct 10

Hello!  I believe everything is set for class Saturday.

We’ll have the 9a hour to discuss class business.  We won’t get to everything, but I’ll mop up the leftovers next week in some online fashion.

At 10a Michael Law,  UGA-Gwinnett Librarian, will coach us into GALILEO/ERIC.  This might be a good day to bring a laptop – in case you were thinking “maybe not this time.”  He is not expecting everyone to have one, however.

And at 11a Dr. Clinton will join us along with the Ed.S. folks and we’ll have Stadium Advisement.  Some of you might want to squeeze advisement in the early afternoon with him.   As for my advisees, I’ll collect names and we’ll see what we can do.

Groups can meet through lunch, with the next class beginning at 12:30.  You might enjoy rubbing elbows with your cohort buddies not seen in awhile.

I realize that some of you are off on a long weekend and this class breaks it up – sorry about that!

Post RQ – optional

Hey!

I’ll be working through your RQs probably tomorrow.  Hope to finish tomorrow, as well (since I don’t have to go to Athens, I can get more done!)

Several teams have done this already, as we mentioned in class: if you *want to*, post your RQ assignment, as text, on the ELC 6900 Discussion Board named “Research Questions.”  This will save a lot of time for me, and also give you a chance to share with everyone else.

If not, no worries .

Have a nice weekend!

Soggy Class Aftermath

I hope all of you are dry and not afloat.  It’s nice to get at least a little sunshine today.

I’ve updated the Planner from Saturday, checking resources, and adding a thing or two into ELC.

I forgot to say that Mike Law, the UGA-Gwinnett university librarian, has agreed to come on Oct 10 and give us a session on GALILEO.  I’m hoping he will focus on ERIC.  (And I just heard today that the Feds are pumping some new money into ERIC — great news .)

We didn’t talk about the Notebook  – just begin that as soon as your RQ comes in.

We also didn’t talk about team member makeup – from today, if you send me a project related question, remind me who your teammates are and I’ll make you a private discussion board.  It is always best to thread project-related Q&A’s in this way.

Understandably, there was a lot of internship-related activity over the weekend!  I have caught up or made promises regarding submissions.

Let me know if I’ve left out anything.  I’ll look forward to reviewing your RQ drafts a week from now.

Ready for Saturday, almost

Hello!

The agenda for Saturday is set.  I’ll see you at 9am.

At 11:00, other folks will join us and we will shift to All Things Internship.  Bring your questions – this is an open info session.

At 12:00, you’ll have a chance to meet with your group.

Important: in our time as a class Saturday, we must discuss the Dec 12 issue.  I meant to do that back in August, but it didn’t happen.  So think about it and we’ll talk.

I plan to finish your SLMS Interviews today – almost there.  This is not a feedback-intense assignment; it sort of stands on its own merits.  You can browse through the discussion board notes at your leisure.  There are lots of great “problems” there!  Your team needs to zero in on one asap.

Tomorrow is a busy meeting day – I will definitely not be able to clear email again until Monday (after today).

Weekend reminders

Hello!   Bits and pieces for you today.

Although you don’t have class tomorrow, your Interviews are due on Sunday night.  Remember that there are 3 pieces to this.

One thing we learned from the Profiles is that the term “Dropbox”  might be confusing.  Follow the Assignments button on the left of your ELC 6900 screen, and it leads to the list of assignments.

I’ve already graded a few early ones and these are interesting to read.  Once you’ve submitted yours, browse through the others – lots of good ideas in there.

Check out something new:  a Netvibes view of the course.  I’m still building.  I don’t expect to put anything unique there, but it provides another way in that may be a bit more user-friendly in some ways.

Enjoy your weekend!

Reminder: Submit profile

Hello!

Just a quick reminder – submit your Profile in ELC/6900/Assignments.  This will take 10 minutes.

Most have done this, but enough have not that a class reminder is warranted.

Let me know if you have any problems.  Thanks!