1. Explore One Online Teaching Tool

Reflections

1. Read Dawley chapter 9.
2. Go to the Lesson 3 Reflections page.
3. Using the "Comments" feature, write 2-3 paragraphs reflecting on chapter 9.
4. Respond to at least 2 peers’ reflections by clicking on the “Reply” link at the top of their post.

Research

1. Choose one online teaching tool to explore and analyze. You may pick one based on a chapter in Dawley or use OTTER, or Linking Dots to choose a tool.
2. Choose an article from a major educational peer-reviewed research journal. Several references for journals are provided above. The article you choose should analyze the strengths and weaknesses of an online teaching tool: social networks, chat, threaded discussion forums, small online group work, whiteboards, e-mail, blogs, instant messaging, video conferencing, wikis, virtual worlds, content storage, and presentation areas (multimedia, text-based curriculum, etc.), or online assessment tools.
3. Find and read the section on your chosen tool in chapters 2-9 of Dawley. If your tool is not covered in the book, find a Web site that is either a good example of the online teaching tool, or provides more information on effective use of that tool. Educause’s 7 Things You Should Know summaries are a good source for information.

Wiki

1. On the Tools List wiki page, enter the name and facts about the chosen tool in the table.
2. Watch this tutorial (especially starting at about 30 seconds) to learn how to create a wiki page.
3. Create a new wiki page for your chosen tool, unless one has already been created (in which case, please add your entry to the existing page). On the tool’s wiki page, write a 2-3 paragraph analysis of your chosen tool, based on your peer-reviewed journal article, and either the Dawley chapter about your tool or a URL that shows good use of the tool. In your analysis, discuss:
   1. When is the tool best used in learning, most effective, least effective, etc.?
   2. What types of learning objectives are best met using this tool?

   Using the PBMagic footnote plugin, cite the article, and give its URL or, if you accessed it through the Boise State library, footnote it in a standard reference format followed by the name of the data base where you found the article, in parentheses. Complete your entry in time to present it during the synchronous chat (see below).

2. Build Community and Evaluate Tool through Synchronous Chat

Sign up for a small, facilitated chat

Sign up for first and second choices of chat tool by posting your first and second choices in the "Chat Signup" page. Your choices are:

• Elluminate: http://www.elluminate.com/buy_now.jsp (3-seat room)
• Skype: http://www.skype.com/download/
• Second Life: http://secondlife.com/community/downloads.php

For those using Elluminate and Skype, webcams are required. Log in early in order to set up your audio/video settings. Those using Elluminate will be assigned to groups of 2-3 in order to use the free Elluminate conference room, which is limited to 3 users.

Schedule Interactive Chat

I will assign students to groups by Wednesday night.

1. Go to the wiki page for the tool you’ve been assigned to, and post your available times on the schedule. For those meeting in Second Life, please use SLT (Second Life Time, which this time of year is Pacific Time). For everyone else, please post your available times using Mountain Time. Use the Time Zone Converter: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html or check the clocks on our Time Zones page to convert your time to the appropriate zone.
2. The first person listed in group is assigned to compare available times, choose a time slot, and inform all participates via e-mail by midnight. I will be participating in as many chats as much as possible, but I will fit around your schedules. Expect a minimum of 60 minutes for chat. Groups may choose to go longer if they wish.

Hold Synchronous Chat Session

Prepare for and hold a small group chat. Note that I have included some downloadable chat tips and hints (PDF file) to guide the chat activity. Each group member is responsible for bringing at least two pertinent questions/issues/points from the week’s assigned reading to the chat discussion. The second person listed in the group will be the facilitator, responsible for facilitating the chat, ensuring that each group member has equal time for discussion on their question (about 10-15 minutes per person), prompting group members through the chat, asking reflective questions, soliciting input from peers, and so forth. I will participate in the chat only as a support facilitator as needed, making recommendations and participating in the discussion when relevant. After the discussion, please write your observations about strengths and weaknesses of the communication tool your group used.

Report experience

Summarize your thoughts about the communication tool you used in your group chat on the wiki page for the chat tool you participated in. The last person listed in the group is responsible for writing an initial summary about the group's experience. Then the other members of the group will add their personal perspective about the experience to the page, based on the notes they wrote. Finally, remember this is a wiki. It's OK to proofread and edit anything on the page.