Answer : What role or purpose do discussion forums serve in the online classroom and are they effective? How do discussion forums function as a teaching tool? How could they be used effectively and ineffectively? What are some best practices for facilitating forums online? As with a traditional classroom, online discussions are an essential part of learning because they foster collaboration and critical thinking, which are essential to students synthesizing information and deepening their understanding. They also function as formative assessments of students' learning that help teachers inform instructional decisions and practice. Online discussion forums are effective for these purposes if effectively implemented and used. In order for a discussion forum to be effective, the instructor must establish criteria for content, participation, and interaction, as well as stylistic/formatting conventions for the posts themselves. These must be clearly communicated and reinforced throug...

Answer: How has the Participate module prepared you to meet each standard listed?   Standard C: The online teacher plans, designs, and incorporates strategies to encourage active learning, application, interaction, participation, and collaboration in the online environment. Standard E: The online teacher models, guides, and encourages legal, ethical, and safe behavior related to technology use. Standard J: The online teacher interacts in a professional, effective manner with colleagues, parents, and other members of the community to support students’ success. The Digital Literacy section in the Participate module has helped prepare me to meet Standard C on active and collaborative learning by teaching me how to evaluate and curate digital resources that promote inquiry and active learning/application. It was in this same lesson that I first learned about social bookmarking as a means of curating and sharing content. As stated in my post from this lesson , I see social bookm...

Create: Develop a digital resource which addresses the following questions. a. What is the most important step we can take in terms of ensuring our digital safety? b. What strategies can we take to help our students consistently keep digital safety in the forefront of their minds? Answer: How might your artifact be implemented in a learning environment? The most important step we can take to ensure digital safety for ourselves and for our students is to recognize that each of us leaves a digital footprint every time we go online. Where we go and what we do online determines the types of threats and the degree of risk to which we subject ourselves and other members of our DLC. We must help students understand the types and the nature of the risks that they face, as well as the gravity of the fact that their "virtual" life leaves a lasting impression on their "real" life and the lives of others. So our most important step for ensuring digital safety and our m...

Create: Using the information from this lesson, create a digital resource that encapsulates the types of respectful attitudes and behaviors appreciated and necessary for civility in a digital learning community–a virtual Netiquette DO's and DON’Ts list. I have really enjoyed this section of the Participate course. I found that all of the information, resources, and strategies that were presented in the module will be very practical for use with my students. Below is a video I created to implement in my classroom this year. In one of the previous lessons, I read of a teacher who had her students "earn their digital learner's license" as part of a journey toward digital citizenship and literacy. Borrowing from that idea, I've decided to do something similar with my students. I teach in a brick and mortal school, but we are 1:1 with Chromebooks in academic classrooms. I teach a lot of freshmen and sophomores, so many of them are at the point in their lives wher...

Answer: What types of barriers might impede students’ opportunities to access digital learning? What might we do to eliminate such barriers? The first lesson in accessing DLCs has been an eye-opening experience for me, starting with the research on services available in my area. I've learned a lot about access in general and a few eye-opening things about my area of Georgia specifically, as well as some great strategies for leveling the playing field for people with disabilities. I'll elaborate on these in the sections below. About Barriers in my "Neck of the Woods" I recently changed internet service, in hopes of gaining faster speeds at a slightly lower rate than my previous contract. I've been a little disappointed, by the way, because if anything, service with my new provider seems slower . Maybe it's just me, because the speed test did indicate I was uploading and downloading at speeds close to what was advertised. Anyway... After analyzing the map...

Answer: Consider what would be needed to create an ideal digital learning community. What would be needed to bring such a vision to fruition? What can one do to make an existing DLC more attractive to and welcoming for students and teachers? After completing the previous lesson on joining Digital Learning Communities, I realized that in a way I'm part of a few other DLCs that I not previously considered. These include local DLCs in my district, such as the FITE Club ( Floyd County Instructional Technology Educators ) as well as a few groups that I follow on social media, such as Standards Based Learning and Grading on Facebook. These are in addition to those shared on my social bookmarking link. Reflecting on why I joined and continue to be part of these groups, I began to consider what would make an ideal DLC and how to make it welcoming for other learners. Here's what I've come up with (so far): 1. The ideal DLC is open, but closely monitored and moderated. DLCs sh...

Answer: What is the name of the DLC joined and the reason why the DLC was the most intriguing? What traits made the DLCs explored more noticeable or impressive than the others? What is the DLC like? What can Digital Citizens do to make the process of joining a DLC more appealing to and easier for students? The purpose of Participate Lesson 2 was to help users see the benefits of joining a Digital Learning Community (DLC). The lesson began by introducing users to social bookmarking and social bookmarking tools such as Delicious , Diigo , Google Bookmarks, and Symbaloo . I'm a HUGE fan of using Symbaloo Learning Paths for activities such as virtual field trips and webquests, but I decided to try Diigo because of its annotation features. I have started a list of bookmarks for great DLCs using Diigo (shared below), and I hope to add to this list throughout the school year. To view my Diigo bookmarks, please click here . Please note that the link shared above does share brief descri...