Relocated to on.uvu.edu

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.

DE Video Files on desource.uvu.edu

From here on out we'll be storing all new video files, whether those are streaming QT video or iPod-ready MP4s, on the server desource.uvu.edu. Shawn just set this up and should be sending me a general use FTP account soon.

The download.php (and, for streaming, refmovie.php) file that we use to force the download of an MP4 is available on this server as Dave Walker mentions.

Eventually we will need to move all existing TV courses to this server and change the URLs in all our uvsc.edu/disted/videos hyperlinks and RSS feeds.

We will also need the _dev_resources txt files on the G drive updated to reference desource.uvu.edu

All video files should be put in a dept/1010/in/last(6)first(2)/media/ folder, e.g.

desource.uvu.edu/dgm/2120/in/steinja/media/dgm2120-04.mp4

P.S. As a note for streaming video usage vs. iPod-ready download: use iPod-ready downloads for most video files. Use streaming only if copyright is an issue, or our audience is unable to download large files with no other alternative media.

IDS Services Weekly Ed Tech Meeting

Attending: Janel, Dorothy, JR, Ken, Tyrel, RJ, Jared

IDS Announcements/Decisions

IDS brainstorm mtg required only for first-time instructors; optional otherwise

Donate $ to Karen for Rick, Santa

Card for John at 11

Vista x-list: these will happen just before the semester starts

Moodle upgrades to 1.9.3 for Spring

Mahara demo next Thursday

Streaming vs Download of Videos - Most videos "iPod ready MP4s for download" unless copyright or accessibility of download

Bb Vista rollovers failing? e-mail Monty and Vista list* WikiLearn - tell faculty about it. How can we use it?

Working Remotely in Spring
At least 3 weeks in January--maybe more
Set your schedule and get them on Google Docs
Core FT hours 10 - 4
Always on IM
Phone near you
Meet each week with work hour padding
(schedule study room in library)
laptop for JR and Dorothy

JPNS 1010
Ken to research digital ink for writing assignments

TTIX
backend smoothing - Tyrel to set up mtg
6+ proposals are in and waiting to be rated

Ken: keep trying to roll dred (recreate if necessary)

New CSS Rules for APA Added to Template

The following new CSS rules were added to the template .css file today. These are useful for APA-style oredered or unordered references or bibliographies:

/*APA Bibliography*/
.apa_bib {
list-style: none;
margin: .75em 0;
padding: 0;
}
.apa_bib li { margin: .5em 0; padding: 0 0 0 3em; text-indent: -3em; }
.apa_bib article { font-style: normal; }
.apa_bib journal { font-style: italic; }
.apa_bib book { text-transform: underline; font-style: normal; }

Note that it's debatable whether italic or underline is better online for book titles.

At any rate, the XHTML should look something like this:

<ul class="apa_bib">
<li>Harrison, P. A., & Asche, S. E. (1999). <cite class="article">Comparison of Substance Abuse Treatment Outcomes for Inpatients and Outpatients</cite>. <cite class="journal">Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment</cite>, 17, 207-220.</li>
<li>Sayre, S. L., Schmitz, J. M., Stotts, A. L., Averill, P. M., Rhoades, H. M., & Grabowski, J. J. (2002). <cite class="article">Determining predictors in attrition in an outpatient substance abuse program</cite>. <cite class="journal">American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse</cite>, 28(1), 55-72.</li>
<li>Weisner, C., Matzger, H., Tam, T., & Schmidt, L. (2002). <cite class="article">Who goes to alcohol and drug treatment? Understanding utilization within the context of insurance</cite>. <cite class="journal">Journal of Studies on Alcohol</cite>, 63, 673-682.</li>
</ul>

Studio Production Reminders

Janel e-mailed out this list after discussion with Design Center staff re. recent studio filming:

What we re-learned in the Studio - Post Studio Discussion

GRAPHICS
Title safe graphics / ppts
Final graphics / bullet list script submitted 1 week ahead
Hard copy bullet list script and graphics for Crew and Instructor

TALENT
Prep students ahead of taping day.
Students act interested and engaged.
Pay students real money
Have pre-studio meeting on our dime.

STUDIO
Technical Director
Floor Director
Teleprompter w/ bullet list script & graphics with operator
Cameras as per crew set up Left to Right 1-3

CREW/TALENT CALL
Crew call 1 hour before
Instructor call 30 minutes before
Talent call on the hour
Director/Camera Crew Meeting (ensure speak same language)

STUDIO TRAINING for Instructor/Students
* Studio Protocols (attire/behavior)
* Title safe graphics / limited infor per slide
* Tally Lights
* Talent marks for lighting
* Change cameras with natural breaks
* How to stand w/o looking awkward
* Clean edit points (hold position)
* Prop Positions

Directors Mtg Area Report

I'll post up my quick notes for each week's DE Directors Meeting held Monday mornings. Here's the first:

1. Need dP on new server


2. Need logo for wikilearn


3. Faculty training


4. TTIX updates


5. OER published


6. Hammond ITR


7. dP tasks


8. Report ideas on openconference


9. Openspource

IDS Services Weekly Ed Tech Meeting

Attending: Jared, Marc, Janel, Ken, Dorothy


In the future, will combine this meeting with Directors' Meeting, Monday mornings at 9:00 (both meetings covered duplicate material)

Ken

• Japanese - Some underline problems; may be font related. Ken to investigate.

IDS Services Weekly Ed Tech Meeting

Attending: Jared, Marc, Janel, Travis, Ken, Dorothy

Jared

Financial Responsibility Letter (Val Peterson)

Jared discussed specifics of Val's letter:

• All purchases or approved finding to be analyzed, deemed necessary
• Destruction of assets unacceptable
• Properly execute and record transactions
• Make notes of P-Card items purchased
• Be prepared to explain all P-Card purchases
• All transactions should be reasonable
• Ethical behavior
• Expendable resources not to be used for employees' personal use or on personal time
• Questions about expenditures? Talk to Jared

ENGL 2020

Met with Kirk Rasmussen on ENGL 2020 IN - structural changes helpful; implement this semester

TTIX

• Call for proposals 9-08-08 - View at TTIX.org. Click on rate proposal; see summary of all proposals; click on title to see entire proposal, can make comments
• Ken - in presenter submission, include instructions to choose K-12, Higher Ed, both, or other
• Conference Theme? - Contact Jared if you have a good theme idea
• Lends air of variety
  
• Should not be exclusionary
  
• Should be really great, or do not have a theme
• Need generic business cards to give to sponsors and attendees
• Small and postcard sizes
• Travis - draft some ideas, submit to Jared
• June 3-5 (Wed - Fri) scheduled by Janel

Course Proposal Signatures

• Click, get printable sheet, deliver signatures to Jared when they meet
• Jared to talk to John (printed version more compact, but still complete)
  
• Copy to Janel, Vicki first?
  

No new TV courses - Instead, video-enhanced courses, Online courses with video segments

ANTH 1010 - David Knowlton may be interested in online course- find out his track record in online courses

Marc

Need to contact all instructors (has only met with Shawn Peppers)

• Set up a couple of days for this instruction

Moving to library, possibly this Friday (this is sad news...)

Janel

Fine tuning new courses

• TECH 3850 - Leonard Pavia
• 7 videos, Oct 7
• Need planning meeting with Janel, Will, Travis & Len Pavia. New video segments planned for class filming, but Jared suggested we do it in-studio for a better quality product.
• MGMT 3600 - Harry Taute
• Needs guiding content for class
• Build text-based lectures
• Use Camtasia to narrate PowerPoints
• Travis pulling publisher's content to streaming video (Scott)
  

ITR

• Not ready for ITR reviews - Need to review courses to given instructors input
• Meeting Monday with instructors who want to increase ITR levels
• CLSS 2100 - Rick Mossholder, Marsha Haynes
• DGM 1010, 2010 - Carolyne Kuehne

Ken

• Working mostly on Japanese - Moodle issues
• RJ to work on OpenMod (Open courseware - a modification of UCLA program)
• Work with RJ Tuesday morning at 9:15
• Developers meetings Thursday mornings at 10:00

Travis

• Working on videos for Janel - meeting with Walker about videos
• Jared reminded Travis to take care of the staff management issue


• keep all on schedule with projects

Bb Vista and Relative Resource Manager

Because it's database-driven, Blackboard Vista doesn't use real paths like WebCT Campus Edition did. Instead, it uses a "relative resource manager" to refer to the current Vista course section's root folder. Use the following URL to refer to the root of a particular course section:

/webct/RelativeResourceManager/Template/

Custom Links in the Course Tools Menu

If you need the entire URL (e.g. for custom links in the Course Tools menu [Manage Course > Add Custom Link]) simply add the server URL before the relative resource manager:

https://online.uen.org/webct/RelativeResourceManager/Template/

...and append your filename:

https://online.uen.org/webct/RelativeResourceManager/
Template/myfile.html