Final Project

This is my final project, consisting of my RILS plan and my video describing the deployment of my RILS using the Edublogs.org Web 2.0 tool.

Relevant and Innovative Learning Scenario (RILS)

EduBlog Corporate Training

Target Audience

My target audience consists of my co-workers.  However, I also intend to divide the larger audience into two sub-targets, those who work in IT and those are work in the business line and may not be as literate in tech-speak.

Materials

The materials that I need to deploy my RILS at my workplace include the following:  the Web 2.0 tool that I have chosen, Information Security curriculum, and supplemental materials to enforce the curriculum (consisting of videos, podcasts, and printouts).  I will also have to obtain approved internet access to the Web 2.0 tool.

Objectives

The objectives of my RILS are as follows:

·       Introduce my target audience(s) to the use of Web 2.0 tools for collaborative and integrative learning and corporate training.

·       Develop and share information security training with target audience(s).

·       Create a reference library of these materials and information that is accessible to target audience(s).

·       Comply with training requirements set forth by our company as directed by law.

·       Track training accomplishments and histories of our target audience(s).

·       Upon completion of the training, the learners will have an increased knowledge and awareness of both information security best practices and the corporate policies and procedures.

Procedure

The procedure to implement my RILS will begin with obtaining the required authorization to allow access to the Web 2.0 tool that I have selected.  Next, I will create an account on the website for the tool and perform all the necessary administrative tasks to configure the tool so that it meets my educational requirements.

I will then develop a training curriculum to introduce my learners to the tool, and help them learn to navigate the environment and access the educational resources that will be posted on the site.  As I develop our internal training curriculum I will post the materials to the site and notify my learners of the curriculum’s availability.

Finally, I will devise a set of metrics to monitor learner progress in order to determine training needs.  A second set of metrics will measure the effectiveness of the training so that I can make the necessary adjustments.

Web 2.0 Tool

After evaluating several tools, the tool that I have selected for my RILS is Edublogs.  This is a blog for educators to make it easy to distribute training materials and content. The url for this tool is http://edublogs.org.

Social Participation/Social Learning

My plan is to create groups of users who will participate in group activities and projects on the RILS.  An example of group activities that will be featured is a contest where user groups will compete to complete in the fastest and most accurate manner.  Thus, group members will be able to work together to complete specific training activities.

Making Connections

One of the features of the Web 2.0 tool is that I can upload training materials so that users can access them as needed.  Learners will be able to develop new knowledge using the materials I will provide in order to apply it to their projects.

Create/Produce

For this part of the plan, I will create a corporate blog on edublogs.org and distribute the access information to my target audience.  Users will not produce or create as a result of using the new training environment.

Assessment

Assessment will consist of user surveys regarding their experiences with the learning environment, and also to measure how well they understood the training content.

Reflection

The process of creating the RILS plan has given me an opportunity to organize my thoughts and draft my plan of action on how to implement the RILS.  The process of creating the RILS itself will enforce my skills with the Web tool to enable me to help my learners use the tool as well.

PE5_Edublog

Well, I tried to post my first article to Edublog and it was marked as spam.  I am still not sure why, since I was not advertising anything.  At any rate I submitted a request for review from the site administrators and I have yet to hear back.

If this is how this tool works, I may have to choose another tool that actually performs as advertised.

UPDATE:  I was able to post a blog about Secure Online Shopping to my edublogs site.  Although this was an example post, this is the type of information that I will be developing and distributing to my corporate learners.

Again, the url to the corporate training site is fullsailproject2010.edublogs.org.

PE4_Edublog

The Web 2.0 tool that I picked is Edublogs.  I have created an account on the site where I hope I will be able to post security awareness training and provide a collaborative training environment for my learners.

The link to the blog that I created is fullsailproject2010.edublogs.org.  The next step is to develop training information to post on the site, and if successful then I will also develop training material to help my learners navigate the site.

BP7_Web Tool Review video

BP6_Link to Sharol Caws blog

Follow this link to my comment on Sharol Caws' blog.

BP5_Link to Kris Knof's Blog

Follow this link to my comment on Kris Knof's blog.

BP4_Tool Review

The tool I chose for my review is called MakeBeliefsComix.com (www.makebeliefscomix.com).  I chose this tool because animation and comics generally appeal to most, if not all, learners regardless of age.  They make the presentation of the topic more interesting and my hope is that this tool will help capture and retain my learners’ attention while they learn the concepts we are trying to convey in the lessons.

I began my review by creating my own comic about one of the topics that we are constantly teaching at my work place.  The process of creating the comics seems to be sufficiently intuitive and it is not very difficult, but I think that a young child will need help to navigate the site, select the options, and create a comic.

Below is a screen shot of the comic I created on the site. 

As shown on the screen shot, the tool will also allow us to email the comic that has been created, and this would be a helpful way of sending quick reminders or pointers to our target audience.  However, this option probably will not be an effective way to introduce or teach new concepts because there is simply not enough room or interaction in the comic strips to accomplish this level of instruction.

In addition to creating short comics, the site also features valuable resources for educators and tips on using the tool in the classroom.  For example, students can create longer comic strips and comic books which will allow them to practice a number of skills such as language and writing.  The screenshot below depicts the teacher resource that is available on this site:

 

There are also a number of printables that can be downloaded and used to create books and other writing projects.  Overall, I think this tool is useful in encouraging students to use their imagination and helping them develop a coherent piece of literature using their own words and artistic nature.

PE2_iMovie

The iMovie series also taught me new concepts about utilizing transitions and themes in my movies.  I was unsure about applying themes to my videos, but this educational movie series has shown me how to make my movies more appealing through the themes that are featured in iMovie.

I still have to refine my video production skills but I think that I have a stronger understanding of the iMovie program that will help me improve the quality of my productions.

PE1_iMovie

I learned several interesting things about making movies after watching the movie series titled iMovie 11 Essential Training on www.lynda.com.  I would have loved to have had access to this series earlier in the program, as many of the things that were taught I have had to learn through my own “trial and error” experiences with iMovie. 

The first thing is, of course, becoming familiar with the equipment required to make movies.  I learned about the devices and connectors that are compatible with iMovie, and I learned how to distinguish among the different connectors:

I learned that it is possible to preview footage in iMovie when the source device (eg camera or other external source) is connected to the computer where iMovie is installed.  However, the footage must be imported in iMovie before a project can be created and editing can begin.  iMovie can import video files with the following extensions:  .mov, .mp4, and .dv.

As explained in the movies, the difference between tape-based and tapeless camera imports is that the contents from tapeless cameras are available for preview in iMovie so it is easier to find and select the desired items for import.

BP2_LittleBirdTales

The tool I chose for my research is called LittleBirdTales (www.littlebirdtales.com).  I chose this site because I think it has a great deal of potential as a teaching tool.  By providing a format whereby children can create and tell their own stories to create online books, this site helps reinforce lessons in grammar, art, composition, analytical thinking, reading, and writing (not to mention the lessons it can teach about computer and web technology).

The best part of this tool is that children are able to record their stories in their own voice.  Not only does this provide opportunities for children to express themselves, it also provides a precious keepsake for parents and families.

My research began by watching the tutorial video that is featured on the site's home page.  I was immediately struck by how user-friendly and child-oriented the site is, and the entire process to produce the online books is so intuitive that even a young child is able to navigate it.

The first step in creating an online book is to create an account on the site.  An email account is also required.  After creating the account, the user clicks the option to Create a New Tale:

 
The site offers the options to upload original art and photography by the child, add text, and record the story in the child's own voice.  The child can add pages and rearrange pages as desired to create and finalize the book.

The online books can also be shared through an address book that can be created on the site.  If used as an educational tool, this feature could greatly facilitate the submission of projects by students to teachers and allow students to share their work.

Overall, I was very excited to discover this tool.  I am already planning to introduce my own children to it and encourage them to let their imaginations fly!

BP3 Google Screen Shots

Here are the screen shots from my iGoogle site:

BP1_Welcome to my blog

Hello everyone!  So glad that you have stopped by.  This is my new blog, where I will post my adventures as I learn and pursue my Master's degree in EMDT at Fullsail (hence the name Liz's EMDT Blog).

I am already in my fourth course, and it has gone by fast.  I've learned so much, I've met some great people, and I am looking forward to the rest of my journey.  I hope you join me in this endeavor!