Early Birds Group

1 Who are the Early Birds?

Sunrise - or is it sunset??? Looks like about 1:00PM in Canada...

How we started the group

The Early Birds were formed as a group who study and work together at 5:00am EST for the FET8611 S2 2006 course. This page will be edited by the group to work out meeting times for Skype calls and other events during the course as well as adding ideas and encouraging additions by other knowedgeGarden users. The rest of the page will be editied shortly, this is just a start ...

Who are the group members?

Here are the members in the order we joined...

Avatar	Name	About me...
	Jennifer Bainbridge	Educational Developer with Macquarie University. My interests have been computers forever... ;) My current work involves working with students who have access needs. I want to pass on the knowledge that I have gained to help academics and developers have a better understanding of the issues faced by students using adaptive technology, and to encourage them to always have in mind the need to be thinking of possible students using adaptive technology when they are planning their courses. Skype ID: jenbain
	Andrew Weppner	Senior Training Officer at USQ in Toowoomba Australia. You all should know about this University. I develop courses to train staff how to use Microsoft and Macromedia software as well as in-house programs. My background is electrical engineering, but I enjoy training and the pleasure of seeing people learn. This course looks to be quite a challenge for us all. Skype ID: maddad4, Paltalk ID: maddad4
	Randy Jenne	Full-time instructor at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton, Canada since 1982 — mostly networking (routers, switches, TCP/IP) and operating systems (Windows XP, OS X). I've never used anything like knowledgeGarden, so this is a new experience, a little daunting, but fun. Skype ID: randyjenne
	Carole Hunter	Educational designer in the Schools of Accounting and Communications at Charles Sturt University (Bathurst campus). I'm interested in using emerging technologies to assist in the development of communities of practice. Skype ID: carole.hunter
	Roland Munyard	I work in IT for a small local school. I am interested in educational platforms, software and games in education and the Internet as an agent for change. My most productive time is the mornings. I am becoming increasing aware of and interested by adaptive technologies. My ID is munyard. Skype ID: munyard

Meetings and topics of discussion

Date	Time	Topic
1/8/06	5:00am	Meet each other on Syke and plan the coming activities - have a chat...
8/8/06	5:00am	Randy to start conference call, getting together for week 3 ideas.
15/8/06	5:00am	Carole to start conference call. Please add any agenda items below.
22/8/06	5:00am	Carole? to start conference call. Please add any agenda items below.
		Assessment 2 Requirements - Revisiting the requirements please - Jennifer ;) FET8611_2006_Jennifer
		Sounds great Jennifer, I suggest we read each others progress report in users pages due next at end of the week and any ideas for Assessment 3, more time to discuss. Add ideas below as well to take to other giudes and Peter. userpage:MadDad
		EBGers' can we all add our main facilitated page here so we can ensure we are contributing to the main page. My one is:Technology: Exploring the use of adaptive technologies in the Online Environment - Jennifer. Mine is One Stop Help Shop - Andrew. Mine is Communities of Practice (CoP?) - Carole
29/8/06	5:00am	Carole to start conference call. Please add any agenda items below.
		Agenda item for 29/8/06 meeting: Module 3 - review / discussion of requirements. - Jennifer ;), Welcome to Roland and how we might work in groups on Assignment 3 topics. - Andrew. A look at where everyone is up to. - Jennifer ;)
5/09/06	5:00am	Carole to start conference call. Please add any agenda items below.
		Project topics - now that we've put in our proposals, what next??? Carole Ways to interact in Assignment 3, how we can help more in Assignments 2 and 3. Andrew
		I apologize that I won't make our regular Skype conference. I forgot that it's a holiday in Canada and we're invited over to friends. I'll catch up to you later. Randy
		P.S. I noticed that Carole was two points ahead of me so I just made some random edits to correct that. You wish Randy . . .
12/09/06	5:00am	Carole to start conference call. Please add any agenda items below.
		Project topics - What are we up to, what other ways can we help each other Carole
		Apologies I will be unavailable for this weeks meeting as I will be away from Tuesday until Friday. Jennifer
		The hidden meaning behind Andrew's change of avatar . . .
19/09/06	5:00am	Carole to start conference call. Please add any agenda items below.
26/6/06	5:00am	Our meeting was cut short as we lost Carole and we think Andrew and Roly were having a sleep in. ;) Randy and I had a chat about the course and where we are up to, and abot Second Life and it's usability. Carole sorry we lost you each time you popped up.
3/10/06	5.00am	Carole to start conference call. Please add agenda items below.
		Sorry to have missed you Jennifer. We spent most of the session in Secondlife, the guys at a lecture and me wandering around trying to get a stronger feel for the environment. We wondered about whether we could have our next meeting in Secondlife, just to test it and see if the technology takes over what we are trying to do, or if it adds a new dimension (and extra value) to our meetings. What do you think? Perhaps we can vote on it in the agenda section of the next meeting . . . We also agreed to have one last go at commenting on everyone's main facilitated page for Assign 2, and to make sure the names of our pages are up-to-date here in Earlybirds. I'll add a new section below (Assign 2) just to make sure we know which ones we are looking at. Carole
		Sorry EBGers, the holiday yesterday put me out and I am a day behind.
10/10/06	5.00am	Shall we have this meeting in Secondlife? Add your comments here (and possible agenda items)
		I have marked this down for next week. If it will be Second life can someone post instructions on getting to whereever we need to get to meet. Can I suggest we have Skype chat open incase of any issues. Jennifer ;)
		I have been offered the use of a great location, with a pool, chairs, music and privacy. Or we can choose a more public location such as the SL library. Ransy and I test the location and it is a nice private pad. Once you arrive in SL we can meet there by inviting you to teleport to the location. Jennifer you have registered in SL and have an Avatar haven't you? If so let us know your Avatar name so we can add you as a friend for teleportation. Randy, Roly and I have tested SL with Skype and it works, so if we start up Skye and log into SL we will try both as it make SL very easy to use. Andrew
		If we can analyse SL from the perspective of holding a meeting for new users and the accessibility aspects to us in the A3 report if possible. See you tomorrow morning guys. Andrew
		EBG SL Avatars are: Carole - Zimmer Zohari, Roly - Hoor Ay, Randy - Randy Nap, Andrew - Andrew Ay. Ah well we are not all as creative as some people, with avatars :(. Well I am not creative either Andrew when it comes to names, I mean I have a dog called puppy, a cat called boy and one called uncle and a bird called dickie... says a lot doesn't it!!! ;) I have had to reregester, so I will try to login this afternoon user name is jennifer Bulan - Jennifer ;)
		A guide to using Second Life http://www.nmc.org/campus/Getting_Started and SL Assignment 3 Area?
		Sorry EBGers.. I will be on my way to the airport and unable to make our morning meeting. Hope to catch up with you all next week. - Jennifer
10/24/06	5.00am	I will not be in attendance for Tuesday's Skype meeting. Instead of the pleasure of your company I will be undergoing knee surgery. I'll be back ASAP and faster than ever. - Randy.
		Yikes Randy, we will miss your quiet and reserved manner at our meeting. Seriously we all hope everything goes well for the surgery. - Andrew
30/10/06	5.00am	I will be about in the morning, Randy we have moved into daylight savings time which means you will have to keep us all awake. A song should do it. ;) Regards Jennifer
		Carole and Andrew: Randy and I met at 5pm Sydney time which of course is 4pm Brisbane time and since Randy has now gone off daylight savings time it was 11 am his time. This of course means we need a new meeting time that will suit everyone. Of course 5am Sydney time is a great time for everyone to get up... Andrew I am not chuckling, really I am not..ok well maybe a little bit.. . just think though what you would be able to see at 4pm Brisbane time... anyway... I won't be about when you are both on, and Randy had a lunch meeting so he is happily eating while you and Carole chat. hope we can all catch up through the week. - regards Jennifer Ugh. 4:00am for Roly and I might be getting a tad early guys, and yes I can hear you and Randy chuckling Jennifer. Well maybe we need to consider a time change or is the group coming to the end of the course? 4:30 is when I normally stagger out for this meeting, so I could make it then, . Or have we come to the end of a great relationship in FET8611? Andrew
		End!!! The End surely not, surely this is the beginning.. I hope we can find a solution to enable us all to get together at least one more time... ok I have gone over the top with the emoticons. Maybe we could move it to the afternoon around 3pm that would be 9pm for Randy, not sure if that would be too late for him!... EBGers what are your thoughts? - Jennifer
		Still interested in keeping contact, but not possible during week until 5:00pm Brisbane time Agh time zones!!! I am not allowed to use Skype at work, so it needs to be morning or weekend for me. Andrew I'm not allowed to Skype at work either - so in the same boat. Needs to be before 6am EST, after 7pm or on teh weekend sometime. Will be sad to see the end of you lot!!! (Figuratively speaking, of course! )
		Hi EBGers... well we never got that last get together before the end of the unit, and like me I am sure you have all moved onwards with other study and such. Just wanted to pass on my best wishes for Christmas and the New Year to you all. regards Jennifer
		Yes the term did end quickly and some of use still seem to to hanging around. Maybe we should have one more Skype sometime for old times sake. If not I hope you all have a safe and blessed Christmas too and a great present from the results when they are released on the 8th. Andrew

Skype Availability

Avatar	Days	Times	Preferences
	Any week days	Early morning or afternoon from 4pm to 6pm	I don't always have Skype on so it would be best to send me a message so we can organise a time to meet.
	Any day	Early morning is best - from 4-6am. Or at night after 8pm. On weekends Saturdays are usually busy but Sundays I can find time if organised beforehand	Best organised beforehand if it needs us all there. Otherwise, just start chatting in Skype and I'll respond if I'm there
	Most days	Early morning - from 4:30-6am physically there :). 5:00-6:00pm. Weekends when I am online I will display state. Sundays afternoons some weekends	Same as Carole.
	Any days	Early morning - from 5:00-8am most mornings. As part of my Always Online investigation page just start chatting in Skype and I'll respond if I'm there	Same as Andrew.

Assignment 2 main faciliated pages - comment on these ones!

Avatar	Page link	What would you like others to do for your page?
	Communities of practice (CoP)	I've merged two pages together and changed things around a bit. I'd like general comments and questions (discussion thread?), as well as specific ones in the boxes where indicated, if you can. It's all related to community, and asking for your experiences working in communities (such as this one, I guess). Thanks for any input offered - I'll be doing the same for you this week.
	One Stop Help Shop	Any comments on layout for using a wiki page as a help page. Such as which method is best: bullets, hidden text (Jennifer commented on this for accessibilty), tables etc for layout and ease of editing when used as a page that people to edit and add tips for assitance to others. Any tips welcome as well.

Assignment 3 Working Pages

Avatar	Assignment 3 Page	Comments
	Adaptive Technology Working in the Online Environment (ATWOE)_Final_Report	This is the final report for Assignment 3.
	Using Second Life in Education - Final Report	The "Randy-Andy Team" working area to build on ideas, uses, tips and feedback for Assignment 3 collaboration.
	Case study: nurturing a community of Accounting academics	This page will document how I'm progressing on the project - what I'm doing, how it is going (or not going) and so on. Would really appreciate feedback and ideas - and will try to create enough spaces for them. Create your own if you need to!!!
	FET8611 - Publishing in a Small School	I wish to investigate and document a systematic approach of introducing new media and emerging technologies into a small school. Two major components of my initiative will be the Dynamic School Website (CMS) and The School Club Website (CMS or LMS).

Add pages that you stumble across that you think may be of interest for anyone in the group.

2. Ideas for group participation

• Sharing our project ideas and providing support, feedback and resources (where possible) to others in the team.
  • Working with Randy and Jennifer on the Assistive Technologies
  • Add hidden comments on each others pages and add names to a guest book (if you have one)
  • Add any suggestions for guides to suggest
  • Moral support when someone gets behind! (We're doing pretty well with this one already )
  • Feedback, 5 minute chats in the morning do me a world of good and keep me on track.
  • Weekly meetings have helped to keep me (Jennifer) focused and shown me a real positive towards group work using Skype.

Suggestions to improve or fix knowledgeGarden

• Add ideas to bring up with Peter and other guides (or consider being one)

Who	Idea
Andrew	Add more choices to Help Menu: FAQ, Guides, Live Support, etc
Carole	Try to limit the huge number of links that are available on the home page, particularly duplicated links
Andrew	Add comments to the comment text box when editing a page. Useful to see, compare and roll back changes to a page. Seen in the history of the page. You may know this, but I keep forgetting to do it.
Andrew	What would you like added to the Quicktags. It is possible to have more shortcuts added. Any suggestions?
Andrew	Perms - or permissions. I would like to try this out. Do you want to try this out on this page so only the group can edit the page. As the creator of the page I can do this. Interested in testing it? Yep, I think that's a great idea. Go for it Andrew!!! And report back on how you managed it?? Perms set. Check you can edit page groupies and if you need other permissions let me know, only edits so given so far. Andrew. Check FAQ "Giving permissions for people to edit and view pages" on how to do it, but give yourself admin and edit rights. You must have created the page. Also click in the Save (Floppy disk) button at the top of the page before you change the page - this saves the page to your NotePage in MyTiki as a backup!

3. Pages we are working on:

One Stop Help Shop - Hints, Tips and problem solving. Exploring ways to use a wiki for this. Andrew

Communities of practice (CoP) - Exploring communities of practice - from definitions to ideas for nurturing a CoP using emerging technologies. The follow-on page, Case study: nurturing a community of Accounting academics relates my main project for assignment 3. The focus here is on sharing knowledge and experience about teaching and learning in this discipline. The project needs to develop ownership of teaching and learning issues, foster a collaborative culture, and improve the academics' ability to articulate what they are doing in their classrooms. Carole

Assistive Technologies - Information about disabilities and the software and hardware available to help level the playing field. Everything from blindness to brain injury, from deafnesss to dyslexia. Randy

Methods to present content for online learning - Exploring alternative ways to provide ICT content and classes for university staff and students rather than the traditional "face to face" method. Staff are after ways to learn and revise material, as many will not or cannot attend offered classes. We are exploring Online classes, SOS (short order sessions), Workshops, Online material including WebCT and Breeze as platforms. Andrew

Technology: Exploring the use of adaptive technologies in the Online Environment - Exploring the use of adaptive technologies in the online environment. The focus is to build a rich resource that academics will use to enhance their knowledge about adaptive technology and how these technologies work in the online environment this will allow academics to become aware of the needs of students using these technologies. The new Disability Discrimination ACT (DDA) Education standards came into fource in August of last year (2005) the responsibility for content accessibility is requirement for all educational institutions. The responsibility falls with the academics to ensure students can obtain their content in alternate formats to use with their adaptive technology. If academics are made aware of what the needs are, they can plan to have content available for adaptive technology users. Jennifer

MediaWiki Set up to start my explorations in which wiki to use for my main project. I turned this one over for adoption as I didn't end up exploring it for my project Carole

Sakai This page was set up to reflect the same design as the Moodle page, another LMS. My uni has just adopted Sakai as its LMS, and I wanted to use this page as a site for recording our initial findings. Carole

Yahoo messenger This is just a small page providing links to using Yahoo Messenger and tips on how to set it up. A very basic page. I've tried to add opportunities for people to contribute information about the different features that Yahoo messenger has compared to other messenger systems, and perhaps will add a rating scale. Carole

Digital Learning Platforms Takes a look at three broad areas: Internet Applications, Computers and Digital Devices from an educational perspective. It is also home to a number of my interests which include The School Computer Club, The Perfect School Computer and Do IT Now which looks at ways of encouraging educators to get involved in ITC right here right now.

Second Life Exploring virual a 3D learning environment and adding additional findings in SL Assignment 3 Area? for a collaboration area for findings for a combined Assignment 3 proposal. Investigation into the usability, technological requiremenst and the current and future uses. Randy and Andrew

Wetpaint Strengths and weaknesses of this freely-hosted wiki Carole

pbWiki Strengths and weaknesses of another freely-hosted wiki Carole

Helpful web sites

Wikipedia: Manual of Style

• Excellent guidelines on writing a wiki article. Within knowlegeGarden it is desirable to include more controversial and personal information

4. References

Full bibliographic references for intext citations used on this page. See intext citations and reference list for details)

Intext citations and reference list, (2006). In KnowledgeGarden: Our Learning Community. Retrieved April 20 2006, from http://knowledgegarden.usq.edu.au/tiki-index.php?page_id=323

Resources - Adaptive Technology

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