Educational Technology Tools that Work Jean-Claude Bradley E-Learning Coordinator College of Arts and Sciences Drexel University March 17, 2008 Albright College
What is the role of a chemistry teacher? Produce chemists!
What is a chemist? An individual who is –Chemically literate (undergrad) –Competent to create new useful chemical knowledge (graduate)
How do chemistry teachers produce chemists? Select and deliver content Assess and validate skills and knowledge Catalyze the learning process
The evolution of an organic chemistry course The traditional lecture-based course: –Content delivery: Face to Face –Assessment: Manual Grading –Learning Catalysis: office hours/
Evolution of Assessment 1.Manual grading 2.Optional WebCT quizzes with automated grading 3.All tests and exam with automated grading under video surveillance proctoring 4.Extra Credit Blog and Wiki assignments 5.Quizzes as mazes in Unreal Tournament 6.Quizzes in Second Life 7.Student assignments in Second Life
Evolution of Content Delivery 1.Face to face lectures/ paper handouts 2.Face to face lectures/ online pdfs 3.Optional screencast of lectures 4.Audio podcasting (iTunes)/ pdfs 5.Blog about class content 6.Video podcasting (iTunes) 7.Wiki for class organization 8.Youtube/ Google video 9.Google co-op and free online textbooks 10.All class recordings in one zip archive
CHEM students CHEM students Natural migration from F2F to screencast/podcast channels
Evolution of Learning catalysis 1.Office hours and 2.Use class time for workshops and assign recorded lectures Be present while students do problems, watch lectures, play games Discuss extra credit assignment Address technical implementation on their laptops Small groups or one-on-one
Content Assessment Interaction Wiki-Centric Open Courseware Model Blog or wiki versioning Surveys Tests Quizzes Multimedia Images Text Wiki Lecture Recording podcast vodcast Workshops CMS Games
phone blog wiki podcast SENDER RECEIVER NEW OLD PUSH PULL Sharing Ideas
The class wiki front page (top)
The class wiki front page (bottom)
The class blog
Viewing the blog using a feed reader
Podcasting MP3s and PDFs through iTunes
View vodcasts on iTunes or on a video iPod
The FAQ blog
CHEM 241 no Drexel students in winter term Long term trends for Open Courseware RSS feeds In World Lecture Hall
Student Blogging
Student assignments on a wiki
Student assignment on NMR using live research data and JSpecView
Version tracking in a wiki
Interaction using version changes in a wiki
Who is using the class blogs and wikis?
Wheel of Orgo
EduFrag Maze (without weapons)
EduFrag Unreal Tournament (with weapons)
Quiz Obelisks in Second Life (Eloise Pasteur)
Student Assignments in Second Life
Flying Around on a Molecule
3D Periodic Table (ACS and Andrew Lang)
Posters in Second Life – with Bells
Conferences in Second Life
Faculty “Offices” in Second Life
Summary Use blogs for creating podcasts or for storing static sequential content (transcripts) Use wikis to organize content and to interact with students on assignments Use Second Life to stretch student and teacher imagination – and encourage networking Use multiple channels to deliver content and assess learning Most of these technologies are simple, free and hosted