Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online: How can we use new media effectively?

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• Gretchen Haas, Arlandis Jones, and Lee S. Tesdell
• Minnesota State University, Mankato
• GPACW, April 8, 2006, NDSU, Fargo, ND

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• At Minnesota State Mankato we are using
  Desire2Learn (D2L), a comprehensive learning
  management system, to deliver our online courses
  to distance students. As we gain experience with
  D2L we are learning both its capabilities and its
  limits.

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• In our paper we have collaborated to examine our
  experiences to date and the possibilities for the
  use of new media in D2L in two ways. Each of us
  has experience with D2L as a teaching tool.

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• First, we look at the learning management system
  (LMS) and its own capabilities. Second, we look
  at augmenting our online D2L course delivery with
  new media from external sources. We define new
  media as teaching technology such as meeting
  software, blogs, video, and audio.

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• We outline the ways we have used D2L so far and
  the ways that we have used new media in our
  courses. We believe that our observations may
  benefit those online instructors who are using
  other LMS tools such as Web CT and Blackboard.

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• What is an LMS?
• Learning Management System
• Comprehensive online learning tool set
• Password protected, registered students and
  instructors only
• What is D2L and what are its main features?
• Content
• Discussion
• Dropbox
• Chat
• Quiz
• Gradebook
• Survey

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• Jones D2L is not just a place to place course
  documents and materials. The system is an
  excellent tool to incorporate supplementary
  material using multimedia.
• Video Microsoft video to convert a
  student-generated course documentary to be
  accessible D2L
• Interactive programs Designed grammar game using
  Kizbiz, linked in D2L so that website is viewable
  from D2L
• Internet content links
• Graphics illustrations in News section
• Audio MP3 or Wav files, play using Quicktime,
  Windows media player
• 3-D animation 2-D illustration import 3D image
  into D2L

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• Haas Technology
• Moving beyond LMSs
• The limits of LMSs
• Clunky tool set
• Limited technology (chat)

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• Haas My preferred tools
• Web page
• Skype
• Camtasia
• Breeze

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?
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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• Haas My preferred tools
• Skype (for small-group teleconferencing or
  one-on-one meetings)
• Free, client-based
• Supported on all operating systems
• Easy-to-learn user interface
• Accommodates small-group conference calls
• Accommodates one-on-one telephone calls or
  videocalls
• View screenshots of Skype

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?
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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• Haas My preferred tools
• Camtasia (for presentations and demonstrations)
• Not free, but available with an educational
  discount
• Functions as a replacement for face-to-face
  lecture
• Enables software, Web site, and document
  demonstrations
• In addition to being a primary source of learning
  material for on-line students, it also functions
  as a secondary source of learning material for
  face-to-face students (i.e., they can view
  presentations to catch material they missed the
  first time around or view presentations for a
  refresher)
• View screenshots of Camtasia presentations
• Library Web site tour
• Power Point
• Usability document

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?
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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?
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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• Haas My preferred tools
• Breeze (for large-group meetings, student
  presentations)
• Free for Minnesota institutions affiliated with
  MetNet or other consortiums (otherwise quite
  expensive)
• Web-based (uses Flash)
• Facilitates large-group meetings that require
  student participation
• Via chat
• Via whiteboard
• Via voice
• Also facilitates student-narrated PowerPoint
  presentations
• View examples of Breeze sessions
• Student presentations
• Student participation in chat
• Student participation via whiteboard

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?
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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• Tesdell New media and D2L--Adding blogs to the
  technology mix
• New media
• Blogs http//english.mnsu.edu/faculty/lee_tesdell
  tc.htm

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• Tesdell New media and D2L--Adding blogs to the
  technology mix
• Justification for adding blogs to online courses
• Discussion board does not allow for inviting
  outsiders to participate
• Give students experience of blogging
• Good discussion venue
• Allows students to be published online

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• Tesdell New media and D2L--Adding blogs to the
  technology mix
• How I set up the assignment
• Set up blog in blogger.com
• Invite participants
• Invite students to discuss their readings
• Read and respond to postings
• Show example from Engl 577

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• Tesdell New media and D2L--Adding blogs to the
  technology mix
• Depending on the course, blogs may fill a need
  that is not met by LMS

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• Conclusions Haas, Jones and Tesdell
• Do the additions of new media to D2L advance
  online pedagogy?

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• Haas I approach my on-line pedagogy with an
  orientation of experimentation. Some tools may
  work, others may not.

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• Haas I generally dont attempt to make on-line
  experiences replicate off-line experiences
  however, I jumped at the chance to use Breeze for
  the relatively rich on-line environment it
  supported

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• Tesdell Supplementing D2L with other technology
• Blogs add value to online courses
• Purpose-driven If D2L cannot do it, find a
  technology that can

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• Jones New media stimulates student interaction
  with the course.

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Desire2Learn and teaching writing courses online
How can we use new media effectively?

• Conclusions Haas, Jones and Tesdell
• As online teaching technology continues to
  develop, we expect instructors to adapt their
  pedagogies.
• We are optimistic about the future of online
  pedagogy and the new tools that will be
  available.
• How to do the future student demographics for the
  Midwest affect online pedagogy? Will we be using
  enhanced online pedagogies to recruit students
  from a shrinking pool of high school graduates?