Answer:  What synchronous vendor application/tool did you select? Using the application, what did you experience using the synchronous learning tool? Was the task easy? Challenging? Did the process present problems? As I've shared in previous posts, my choice for synchronous sessions has been Google Hangouts (specifically Hangouts on Air). I choose Hangouts because it is a part of the GSuite apps that my students and I already have access to. Our in-house instructional tech team also is available for support with this particular tool. Overall, my experiences with Hangouts and Hangouts on Air have been positive. Hangouts on Air (via YouTube Live) allows me to run synchronous sessions at home or work with my students wherever they are. I used this twice during a two week absence when my child was born, as well as for a few at-home review sessions the night before students had a big test. I create the Hangout in advance and share a link to the Hangout through one of my communicati...

Answer:  When would an open source application take precedence over a commercial product? What are the issues when choosing between Open Source vs. Commercial Software? In this lesson, I have researched the open source and commercial the virtual classroom options presented and evaluated each from the perspective of a teacher looking for options for synchronous learning. When comparing the open source options with commercial options, I have found that most of the features are comparable. The main reasons I would say that open source options may take precedence over a commercial product would be cost and the ongoing collaboration among users and developers. I foresee though that t hese advantages would, of course come with concessions.  Many open source programs are free or "freemium," meaning you can get all of the basic functions with some additional features for a cost. Commercial software offers some free trials or "freemium" versions too, but commercial softw...

Create:  Using the information from this lesson, create a digital resource that explains the differences in the asynchronous and synchronous methods of delivery. I have really enjoyed this section of the navigate course. I have found that many of the ideas in this section are relevant not only to teaching online, but also to teaching in my blended classroom. I currently use technology tools to provide students with both in-person and online learning experiences. I've even begun using synchronous online learning experiences, such as YouTube Live study sessions , with my traditional students. In this module, I created the following slideshow to illustrate the differences in synchronous and asynchronous learning experiences that I would hope to one day implement if teaching totally online.

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...

Answer: How did you modify your technology habits? What is the most proactive means of ensuring the most balanced blend of technology and well-being? What can students and teachers do to make sure they get the most from technology while simultaneously safeguarding good health? Below you will find the Google Calendar that I created for improving my digital health. Starting on Monday September 4th, I implemented a few changes in my schedule, some of which were single instances and others have been recurring items. Single Instances: 09/05 - Adjusted my monitor height and desk chair position. 09/06 - Scheduled a walk around campus on my planning period. 09/08 - Planned dinner with loved ones. 09/09 - Participated in a 5k. Recurring Instances: 2:15 daily reminder - I get a calendar notification every day at the beginning of my planning period to remind me to sit up straight as I work. 5:00-6:00 daily unplug - At this time every day I try to put away my phone and spend time with ...

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...

Answer: 1. How can a DLC ensure that citizens within the community have access to an environment where an AUP protects members as well as the community itself, where individuals uphold laws, and a cooperative/collective venture provides robust, safe, and ethical resources and opportunities for learning? As members of a DLC, students and teachers have the world at their fingertips. This comes with both immense potential as well as the threat of danger. These potential rewards and risks are not inherent to the internet and technology themselves; the internet and technology are neither "good" nor "evil." Instead, the good and the bad, the risks and the rewards depend on the behaviors of the users, their decision of how to interact with others and what sort of content to share. While DLC leaders cannot necessarily control the content that is already present, we should focus on what we can control (or at least influence ): learner behaviors. Enter the AUP. Accept...