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I've relocated this blog to http://deids.on.uvu.edu

Directors Mtg Notes: June 22, 2009

Here's what I reported on at this week's directors mtg:

- New summer schedule
- Conference notes passing on
- Fall courses
- Budget stuff?

Network drive
* Backups moved
* Network drive evaluated

? Proposed stipends for annual reviews
? Mo - blogging workshop - faculty blogging?
? who will be doing cross-listing, enrollments

Notes on eLearning DevCon 2009

I attended the 3-day eLearning DevCon 2009 in Salt Lake City this past week, and have compiled some brief notes based on the experience. I summarize the conference as having an enticing depth and knowledge of topics, good "presence" and information from most of the presenters, primarily for corporate e-learning developers (which was a refreshing change), not at all a bargain, and awkwardly spread out across Fort Douglas, though I must admit it was a joy to walk outside in late spring weather.

Instructional Design & Development

1. ADDIE, Dick & Cary, and other ID models useful to revisit and reflect upon, especially for planning of critical stages of course design. Models do not necessarily inhibit rapid prototyping. UVU IDS might rethink how its course design process fits into such models (instead of immediate prototyping do we first analyze needs, course objectives, then outline content in design? Prototyping should be mid to late design phase).


2. Build instructional design models into project mgmt software as template. We in UVU IDS do something like this with dotProject, but could more explicitly label phases to provide data documentation and data.


3. Log instructional patterns (e.g. activities, interactions, assessments) and create "templates".


4. Brainstorming ideas: aim for quantity not quality (no negations), stock conference room with treats and toys, limit to 1 hr/break & flow, focus everyone on the task, use online shared docs.


5. In design phase, instead of lists of info, make visual representations like wireframes & site maps. Let it be basic, ugly.


6. Tame your use of media to reduce cognitive load (read Clark's Efficiency in Design again).


7. Avoid novelty for novelty's sake (bad example: wave runner game with multiple choice questions, our Frogger game).


8. Try rapid e-learning dev tools like Captivate, Articulate, and Rapid Intake, but beware of outputs that aren't accessible, web standards format.


9. More often than not Flash is just flashy.


10. PowerPoint continues to be abused by presenters from around the world, resulting in mind-numbing, soul-sucking internments. Folks talk about PPT design in terms of how many bullets, words, fonts per slide, with nearly no mention of "Presentation Zen".


11. Also, a PPT designed for a (classroom) presentation is not elearning, even if you convert that PPT to Flash with Captivate. @BrianDusablon says #1 problem in e-learning is PPT. (#2 is systems that put obstacles between learner and learning.)


12. However, you can use PPT as an effective e-learning prototyping platform, if not a complete and robust authoring platform.


13. Surprise! Corporate training wants demonstrable outcomes, not rubrics that assert generalized ideals of quality based on theory. How well do our distance learning "quality" rubrics (QM, Chico) measure the actual effectiveness of learning experiences at helping students meet learning objectives? Isn't that more important than, say, the 7 principles?


14. Though the session was canceled, it appears possible to use Google Spreadsheets as a data source for live e-learning content generation (think flashcards, quizzes)


15. UVU IDS should create all lesson discussions, assignments, and assessments as plain text files WITHIN the lessons folder, until Common Cartridge XML becomes useful on Moodle and Bb Vista.


16. URLs from augmented reality games session: http://argology.org, http://argn.com, http://unfiction.com

Questions

1. Does UVU IDS have enough accurate dotProject data yet to estimate the hour-cost of a new online course?


2. Non-linear ID is still popular, but is it effective? Have we passed the point at which hypertext inhibits learning and focus?


3. Where are communities that share DTDs and schemas, esp for e-learning? Does our XML DTD match any other known e-learning DTDs? (Really only Common Cartridge)

Reading List

1. Goal-based learning design a la Robert Schank


2. Humanizing education articles


3. Videogames and Education: Humanistic Approaches to an Emergent Art Form by Harry J. Brown


4. Chico State's latest vers. of ROI


5. Survey of Instructional Development Models by Kent L. Gustafson, Robert Maribe Branch


6. Any empirical research on linear vs. non-linear (hypertextual) learning outcomes

Software Demo List

• Articulate (rapid e-learning development)


• Captivate (rapid e-learning development)


• ProForm / Unison (rapid e-learning development)


• Jing (screen capture)


• Agilix BrainHoney (LMS/learning system)

Syllabus Quiz Master Doc

Last year I had a developer compile a master document of syllabus quiz questions. That's since been lost, so I've started a new Google Doc that we can collaborate through to create and maintain a good list of standard syllabus quiz questions.

I've begun with just a handful of questions; be sure to go in and add your own!

I've also shared this doc with the general public as a web page:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dczd9vkv_109d3d6m7m6

Bb Vista: DE Dev New Course Template

I went throug the motions of creating the structure for a new Bb Vista course again today, and realized that we're probably wasting a lot of time in this step.

To expedite the process in the future, I made a new DE Dev course shell that is premade will all the standard DE online course tools, and Learning Modules for Course Orientation and Lessons 1-15.

The course shell also contains blank template pages for the Course Orientation section, so you can just upload those files and go.

Everything else in Lessons will have to be created and added in as files, and the Lessons themselves may need to be renamed, but this should still shave at least half an hour off the new course development process.

To use this, simply elect to copy content into your new shell from the "DE Dev New Course Template" course.

If you have suggestions or necessary additions to this, let me know and we'll work them in.

IDS mtg notes 4/7/09

* = To Do
! = Alert
? = Question
- = Ongoing

RJ
Inline quiz on the gamegarden
Tech 3010

JR
- Course backups - almost finished

Ken
Marsha Haynes - Career Services Orientation
ITR mtg
! Tyrel "T-Bone" is in charge of ITR web page

T-Bone
- MGMT 3430 Pulled apart epack and made Web links in Vista

Dorothy
CLSS 1010 finished, sending to JR

Janel
- Len Pugh content reviewed
- John McLean content reviewed, discussed

Kevin
Finished SWF learner
! Will be working on dotProject
! Japanese

Shaline
* SOC 1010 powerpoints
- TECH 3400 course with Marc
* ART

Travis
* DENT look, will send to Jared and Janel
* YouTube EDU - make dP Project and Tasks;
John can get the YouTube EDU account through Ray?

Adam
TECH 3010 video done; get with John to approve the video
Need Political Conversations from Jared

Jared
* Political Conversations blurb
ITR reviewed
Proposed DE instructional bonus system
! Giving presentation today on online cheating
Course content coming in for DENT, MGMT
- Chou's epack

IDS mtg notes - 3/31/09

I'm going to get back in the habit of posting our IDS meeting notes here on the unit's blog.

* = To Do
! = Alert
? = Question
- = Ongoing

Tyrel
Moodle selective release
-Course backups
!WebDav needs to work on backup computer
*Janel will send Hwang's UVID to Tyrel
*Tyrel try to hunt down the PHP/mysql XML metadata system
*Move RSS onto desource.uvu.edu

JR
-Course backups

Ken
Learned about SVN; svn.uvu.edu; WebDevServices uses it
*Set up SVN for us with UVIDs
dotProject hosted by UVU
*Working with WDS to consolidate our dP servers
Flex is the AWESOMEST!

Jared
!Order software
*ITRs
Course content in
-Prototyping
TTIX tentative schedule is up
*Remind Marc of course ID
!Meeting with Lori and Mike today

Shaline
-Course backups
Ready to work on SOC etc

Janel
Content from Len Pugh in
!May have to revise CLSS course
Waiting for stuff from George for internship
-Advanced tech online class
-Copyright class
*Janel will identify important course criteria

Travis
DENT looks ready for internal review
*Jared will come down to T's office to review them
Helped SC with pens, Wendi with faculty training conference
iTunes U - structure and metadata docs delivered. Apple servers have 500gb to the institute; our own server, just provide them the RSS
!Ray Walker has access to iTunes U. He can give access to DE to a section or portion
*Write justification email and send it to John to send it to Ray

Adam
-Finishing Political Conversations DVDs

Dave W.
-Telephone services video; rough cut ready
1310 video; adding b-roll to enliven
-Ensure that video size is consistent
-Investigating Flash streaming

RJ
*Buy CS4
-Online degree proposal form

Directors Mtg Notes, Feb 9, 2009

Reminded Vicki to find out about my open ed grant $?
Plan to put in a Summer U proposal re. WikiLearn
John says let's also do Cheatability Rubric
Waiting on feedback for Dev Comp Proposal from John
Preparing a WCET Web 2.0 online presentation Scott L
Travis - Video Project Form? He'll get on it soon

Directors Mtg Notes: Feb 2nd, 2009

Here's what I reported in today's Directors Mtg:

TTIX proposals are in
- SLC next year
Finished dev compensation research review
- recommendation this week
OER mtg with Nancy on Tues
- Cc
Portfolio server testing
Jared out on Friday

No important announcements for IDS except painting is NOT going to happen in our temp offices and we can plan on being here till June.

Temporary Move to Admin Bldg

We have new temporary space in the Admin building, BA 205. There is room for everyone, so come by and plan to bring your computer over from LC.

I would like all developers to be "moved in" to this area by the end of next week (Feb 6), and back on a normal in-office working schedule. Coordinate with me or Janel or Ken if you need help moving equipment.

We'll be in this space as short as through mid-March or as late as summer, so bring enough equipment to complete your work, but not so much that it will be a pain to move again!

PS The rooms will be painted in the upcoming weeks, but I will try to communicate that down ahead of time so you can plan to work remotely those days.

Online Exams Through Testing Center

A reminder that all faculty, DE included, who want the UVU Testing Center (CTC) to administer proctored online exams must fill out the CTC exam form through UVLink. I had assumed that if we set up a proctored exam through the DE Service Center that they would notify the CTC. This is not the case, though the Service Center does advise faculty of the need to set up CTC exams.

To clarify this, the Service Center is going to add CTC info to their new instructor brochure, Development is going to add information on scheduling CTC exams to the DE web site, and Development will change the wording of the Exam Proctoring section of the syllabus template, commenting out CTC information. Instructional designers should further be aware of this and advise instructors accordingly.

Working Remotely Dec - Jan

As construction makes working in the Development offices more problematic, IDS Development staff will be allowed to work remotely until conditions improve.

You may work at any locations where you can commit full concentration to work, and have a reliable high speed internet connection. I recommend the new library, but home or other remote locations is acceptable if it does not interfere with your productivity or professionalism.

Guidelines

Staff are expected to:
1. Communicate changes in work location to all DE staff, and to any faculty you work with.

2. Have current schedule of work hours posted in Google Docs.

3. Work during the normal hours of 8am - 5pm, or as arranged with your supervisor.

4. Be "online" through instant messaging and e-mail during scheduled work hours.

5. Be available by telephone, and in an environment suitable for professional conversation.

6. Ensure that they have suitable hardware, software, and internet connections for work use. Monty will make Macbooks available for checkout, running both Windows XP and Mac OSX. Jared maintains the software library.

7. Meet collectively on-campus in the new library (room TBD) once a week, and to work several hours before or after the meeting in the same room.

If your supervisor or co-workers note significant problems arising from working remotely, these directions or guidelines may be modified.