This week, we are going to begin our Diigo group posting. While this is much like a discussion forum, it will also serve as a resource for you as posting will revolve around Web 2.0 technologies.  We will also be conducting a jigsaw lesson in Collaborate in order to learn about Professional Learning Communities.  It is important that you continue reflecting on what you are learning with some emphasis on how you can use what you have learned in your classroom as well as in mentoring other teachers.  Finally, don't forget to read Chapter 2 and write a brief summary in your wiki.

iNacol Standards Addressed

B3 Knows and understands the importance of interaction in an online course and the role of varied communication tools in supporting interaction.

• Is able to use communication technologies in a variety of mediums and contexts for teaching and learning.

C3 Knows and understands the techniques for developing a community among the participants.

• Is able to apply effective facilitation skills by creating a relationship of trust; establish consistent and reliable expectations; and support and encourage independence and creativity that promotes the development of a sense of community among the participants.

C4  Knows and understands the process for facilitating and monitoring online instruction groups that are goal-oriented, focused, project-based, and inquiry-oriented to promote learning through group interaction.

• Is able to facilitate and monitor online instruction groups to promote learning through higher-order thinking and group interaction.

C9 Knows and understands the need to establish and maintain ongoing and frequent teacher-student interaction, student-student interaction, teacher-parent interaction, and teacher-mentor interaction.

• Is able to provide a variety of ongoing and frequent teacher-student interaction, student-student interaction, and teacher-parent interaction, and teacher-mentor interaction opportunities. 

J1 Knows and understands the need for professional activity and collaboration beyond school (e.g., professional learning communities) to update academic skills and knowledge and collaborate with other educators.

• Is able to engage in professional development activities and collaboration beyond school.

Please read the articles before class on Tuesday.

• Week 4 Materials - this page and articles listed below.
• Chapter 2 of your textbook
• This Pinterest Post provides some links to Web 2.0 tools and technology for educators. 

The actions you need to complete this week as well as directions for each activity follow.

Discussion Question/Diigo Hosting

This week, you will begin a two-week rapid-fire Diigo Discussion Question (DQ) activity. Please note: If you did not ask for permission to join the Diigo group the first week (Summer 1A-C), you will need to do so ASAP. Below, you will find an explanation of what you need to do as participant in the Diigo DQ.

What are Discussion Forums and How do They Enhance Learning?

Many experts on student-centered online learning agree that the discussion board is the place where some of the most important learning can happen. But as teachers and facilitators, we have to find ways to support students in “driving” that learning.  The discussion board or forum can lead to deeper learning through group interaction.  Please view the following guide: Enhancing Teaching and Learning with On-line Discussion Forum.  In your first Diigo Group post, please summarize your understanding of the Discussion Board and discuss how you could use this in your classroom to deepen learning.

Role of the Host

We are going to be something a bit different for the discussion questions this semester.  Discussion questions are still considered an important interactive component of most online courses and asynchronous training. Because many of you will be designing instruction for others, and yourself, in the future, it is important that you know what it is like to develop and respond to discussion questions. Thus, each of you will be expected to hold the role of "host" of a discussion question and you will be expected to respond to at least three other questions that have been posted. While in a typical discussion format a question is posited, students respond substantively and they respond to at least two other comments, in this format, you will focus the discussion on a link that you have found pertinent to share. In developing your post, you will share a site or sites with comments and annotations on the significance of that site to you as a teacher, trainer, designer or student. 

The shared links need to include some annotation, in the form of highlighted notes within the sites that others will be expected to view and comment upon. These discussion questions will be  on the Diigo Group site that can be found here:  https://groups.diigo.com/group/technology-in-education-PK 20

To highlight and annotate, it is recommended that you add Diigo to your toolbar to your browser so you can easily use the power of Diigo groups to share and interact with others.  In order to install the Diigo toolbar in Firefox, see the tutorial below.

You may use Diigo Toolbar on Internet Explorer and on FireFox, but if you use another browser, you will have to use Diigolet instead of the full-blown Diigo Toolbar. Although not as robust, it will nevertheless allow you to complete the requirements for this assignment.  Once you select Tools on the Diigo home page, you will find a link to Diigolet.  Just click on it to find information on how to install Diigolet in your browser.

DQ Discussion Development

On your question, you will be expected to decide on the topic, provide a resource or information that you find important, annotate the page and provide a video if you can find one that is relevant. You will also be expected to moderate - that is, to make some follow-up comments to others who have posted responses to your posts.  The more you practice this skill in Diigo, the more comfortable you will be in using the vast Diigo resources.  In addition to moderating, you will be expected to "grade" responses in the discussion. Thus, it is important that everyone add their content to the Diigo discussion group within the week so that you can provide feedback on who responded to your DQ. 

As DQ creator, you will be expected to do the following:

• Provide at least one bookmarked URL
• Highlight 3 areas and provide sticky notes indicating significance of highlighted area - may include question to which others can respond
• Ask a probing question or comment that will warrant response
• Moderate discussion as needed - make follow-up comments or post answers, additional links, etc. if necessary. While you are certainly welcome to respond to every comment, you do not have to do so.  You should choose where you think it is important to insert your appropriate comments and feedback.
• Provide checklist "grades" for those who respond to your post(s)
• Respond to three other DQ posts

The video below will show you how to bookmark a site, add it to the Group, add a sticky note, and highlight part of the text. When you post, make sure that your highlights and sticky notes are attached to the EDTC 6340 group so we can all see them and comment.

The video below will show you how to moderate your post through the Diigo group page.

The Diigo Discussion Forum will be active for two weeks (summer and regular sessions.  Everyone should have at least posted their initial discussion question the first week of posting. During the second week, you will be expected to respond to at least three others and to respond to anyone who posted to your discussion question.

If you do not respond within the time period required, you will not receive credit for that week.

Please consider the below criteria (adapted from Rubistar) for a substantive post:

• Relevant, telling, quality details give the reader important information that goes beyond the obvious or predictable.
• Adding voice: The writer seems to be writing from knowledge or experience. The author has taken the ideas and made them "his own."
• Writer makes no errors in capitalization or punctuation, so the response is exceptionally easy to read.
• In addition to an original response, interacts with at least two others by responding or re-responding to other comments
• Bonus:  Adds at least one significant and additional link related to the post with supporting evidence of the importance of the link

In the last few days , I have made several posts: a link to an interesting or useful source of information, a video and a discussion article. I have also highlighted certain statements (in pink) and made comments on the page. Be sure to read those so that you can better understand what I think is important about the article.

The previous videos show you how to post a comment to a bookmark, add a sticky note and comment to a sticky note, as well as highlight text in your role as Non-host contributor. 

As the discussion question creator, you may choose your topic related to using Social Media/Web 2.0 in education. It can either be a link to a tool with comments about how it can be used or a discussion of Web 2.0 tools. Please consider items that will benefit you (and the others) as teachers and mentors in the classroom.

Read Chapter and Reflect

Be sure to read Chapter 2 and reflect in your wiki.  Briefly discuss what the key points of the chapter are. No need for formal writing or APA formatting.  As you read, think about how you would utilize this new knowledge in your own presentations as it relates to the recommendations in the book.  Think  

Professional Learning Communities

Much research has been done on school reform. One thing most agree on is that we talk about reform over and over and try  many things, most often to little avail. Indeed, schools generally remain the same. I remember a joke I heard about a time traveler from the 1800's who was transported to 2010.  As he went on a tour of the country, he was overwhelmed and awed by what he saw - and had no idea what that funny box was that people held up to their ears and talked to.  Planes flying overhead astounded him.  Automobiles - simply amazing.  Elevators, fast food places, television, the movies - he felt bewildered and wondered what was going on.  But one day, he was taken into an elementary school - and instantly looked around - feeling completely at home. THIS he knew was a school.

As students are almost always neatly lined in rows and teachers are at the front of the room talking while students are writing and perhaps listening, education has changed little over the decades. Yet, research has shown that one thing can lead to true school reform: Professional Learning Communities.  It is important for MTTs to understand PLCs - what they are and how they work to implement reform.  For this next activity, we will be doing a jigsaw lesson in Collaborate.  These instructions might seem confusing if you have never participated in a jigsaw lesson before.  Bear with me and try to follow the instructions.

A jigsaw lesson is a good way for students to digest and understand large amounts of information in a short period of time. In order to accomplish this, different groups will be given different content to read.  You are responsible for reading only your articles and being prepared to discuss them in teams.  Please go here for the articles you are responsible for reading. Look in the leftmost column and read the articles corresponding to your team number. For example, if your name has a "1" beside it in the course portal page, you are only responsible for those articles listed under Team 1. In order to prepare for the jigsaw activity in Collaborate, please post the top 5 points of each article read in your wiki.

Team 1

What is a Professional Learning Community and Big Idea #1

Professional Learning Community - What are they?

Supportive and Shared Leadership

Team 2

What is a Professional Learning Community and Big Idea #2

Professional Learning Community - What are they?

Collective Creativity

Shared Values and Vision

Team 3

What is a Professional Learning Community and Big Idea #3

Professional Learning Community - What are they?

Supportive Conditions

Shared Personal Practice

Team 4

What is a Professional Learning Community and Big Idea #1

Professional Learning Community - What are they?

Outcomes

Conclusion

The articles are interesting, easy to read and relatively short.  Feel free to read all of them if you wish, but you are only responsible for the ones that are listed above.  Be prepared to discuss the articles on Tuesday during Collaborate.

Don't forget your brief reflection for this week. Then, you are finished with this week's requirements.