(Despite the headline, I’ll be covering all of Wednesday’s workshop here, it will be more of a messy notepad than a substantial post)

Not sure about the “magic” bit but two cases

1. Getting a student group to consider views on society based on a discussion between two teachers

2. Getting a group to reflect collectively on experiences from visiting a job centre

Themes here would be feedback, group discussion (peer-to-peer interaction, student-teacher interaction), collaboration, linking theory and practical observations in a professional programme.

How to transfer to a distance-learning environment?

-> the issue of discussion tools (we experience our students migrating from Fronter to Facebook, still the question of cooperation vs collaboration?)
-> peer assessment

Testing – adaptive tools (is that even possible in Fronter?)

Possible tools for interaction
– discussion forums
– mcq/assessment
– mindmap (-> it this possible in Fronter)
– live chat
– wiki (-> same? Steep learning curve)
– blog (-> )
– collaborative writing tools

Journal – private (how could we use this in a portfolio-based exam?)

Note: Specific services vs. aims/uses. One point here could be to argue how aware we could/should be of specific services?

LMS/Web: When do we use the (open) web
– spontaneously: Students leave the LMS when it is too cumbersome or lacks functionality for them, user-friendliness and flexibility
– teacher driven (same)
– social interaction (which the LMS doesn’t facilitate)

(Consideration: Relationship between teachers/educators and IT-departments -> “Free” services)

Problems with using the web
– Technical challenges (access, future overkill)
– Safety/copyright
– Loss of control

Using LMS
– private space
– possibilities for customisation
– grading purposes, feedback
– limit access for competitors

Consideration on experiences: Students opt out of LMC because of the ability to create closed groups plus familiarity with Facebook and Skype. Do we know what they do there and how it can be put to work in campus and online programmes?

Discussion forums – question: Teacher presence during courses? How, when, which subjects?

Cosideration on tools: The problem isn’t so much lack of tools – but a) our knowledge of the available tools and b) differences between tools provided by the institution and tools used by the students (eg UC Lillebælt has Adobe Connect, students and teachers use Skype)

If we assume that internet access (broadband) isn’t a problem, teacher and student skills (technical and didacticL) may be more of a hindrance,

Gilly Salmond – Bloom’s taxonomy

– Which tools would be relevant, and why? (This also has to fit with the specific aims of the course/module)