Assorted information on what I am doing in the FET8611 course, to dos, have done, and other thoughts. Trying out the hidden comment Quicktag so the page is not so cluttered. I like this as all you have to do is click on the + sign to expand it and - sign to collapse it again.
Facilitated Pages
- One Stop Help Shop
- This is the main page I am using for Assignment 2 which is a mixed experiment.
- 1. Encouraging others to add tips and tricks into existing areas or add new topics.
- 2. In addition to this th epage is used to gather ideas on the best way to display the help in a wiki environment such as tables, lists, bullets and hidden comments.
- It is hoped that this might provide ideas to use wikis in a live environment where staff can come and find tips, answers to problems and assist others in an editable environment.
- Working with other pages like HowTo: Wiki page tags examples will build on the features that can be provided to th epage in tips and display options
Facilitated Pages Problems and Ideas
The problem seems to be encouraging interaction with others and editing performed on pages. It seems that this is going to be a challenge in this course for most students. Obviously not everyone is interested in providing assistance to others or my layout needs some work on the One Stop Help Shop. One method of attracting editing seems to be the “I will scratch your back…” theory, so if you change someone’s page they might change yours. This has worked with Cherie as we both edited each others pages. More time will need to be invested in ideas to overcome this. However this will not work in the Help environment I am researching and so maybe this concept is just going to work if a productive group of students will not do it freely (or for assessment), why would staff be any different.
It is very challenging to consider virtual rewards. One person appreciated some advice given to them and asked how to give some reward point to someone else.
Experts Exchange
works on this principal where you assign points to a question and the answer you accept is awarded the points. Interesting concept. I am not fond of this type of rewards, including the star system as new users look at those thousands of point ahead and can look at it as a challenge to achieve or too difficult. I personally love challenges.
Peter is it possible for us to give our points to others as this could be an option...
Links have been placed in the
TOC: FET8611 Emerging Environments for Learning and Table of Contents pages in an attempt to raise the profile of the pages. Also each page has categories added to place them in the categories lists.
It is also important to add a description to each page as this provides a description on links in pages. Some page names are not descriptive and adding description is useful to promote and describe the page. There are many page in the garden that have no description.
As far as the assignment goes the lack of editing and interaction means that the facilitated page may need to be created mainly be myself and to be between 2000 and 4000 words for a help page that is going to be difficult to achieve and count words as much will be code. My thoughts point ot having chosen the wrong topic. I will just have to look at carrots to use.
Pages I have started:
Pages I have edited:
I am still pondering what to do my focus on for this assignment and time is running out for the proposal date. I am attempting to think about this for real application to the training area at work, to apply the time now in the course that will benefit the training team as time in work for research is very, very limited at present.
Current Ideas:
- Looking into ways to provide content to staff and students:
- Using existing printed and webpages
- New methods (to our team) of Breeze and captured screens tutorial with audio
- Other options of wiki type pages that allow users to add ideas, tips, tricks and solve problems.
- Concerns of auditing content to ensure it is correct. Do we rely on others to moderate each other?
- Using simulations.
- This areas excites me and I am considering researching this
- Virual training environment.
- Second Life is an interesting concept, which considered strange at first, but on refection having a non commerical education environment, what could you use it for? Consider having a virtual knowledgeGarden where:
- Wiki pages were 3D
- People could come and interact with each other rather than use Skype they could do it in visual real time
- You could take someone and show them how something works, not type messages
- Interact in virtual discussions
- Have virtual classrooms and tutorials
- Accessibility as part of a group project
- Still considering other ideas...
The final decision is to explore
Second Life and the education possibilies. Initial ideas and findings will be centralised in SL Assignment 3 Area
? page as I will be working with
Randy on this assignment as a group effort. We with the SL Randy Andy team. Proposal approval given and the final report completed and submitted for page
FET8611 - Using Second Life in Education.
Approved FET8611 Project for Assignment 3
Investigation of the educational possibilities in an Online Virtual World.
Submitted by Randy Jenne and Andrew Weppner for Assignment 3 in FET8611.
Rationale for the Project
Online worlds are rapidly becoming a viable tool for education with unique opportunities in distance learning, simulation, and corporate training. Students and teachers throughout the world can work together in globally connected virtual classrooms.
Both the University of Southern Queensland and Grant MacEwan College are interested in maintaining their cutting-edge approach to distance education. A virtual 3D environment allows further exploration without the traditional infrastructure costs of buildings, classrooms, etc.
Scope of the Project
We will evaluate the viability of
http://www.secondlife.com for the purposes of teaching and learning. This will include detailing its strengths, weaknesses in terms of features, stability, and technical requirements.
To do this we will document:
- How to join
- How to move around (body movements as well as transportation: flying, teleporting)
- How to determine what courses are available, where they are located, and any associated costs
- How to attend classes
- Discuss with teachers, lecturers and institutions using Second Life
- Determine unique advantages and disadvantages of using Second Life
- Talk to student and find out benefits and problems
We will need to immerse ourselves in the environment like an immigrant in a new country, learning the culture and social conventions as they pertain to educational opportunities. We will seek out existing education projects and learn how these work from a student’s perspective. This will assist us in determining how we can best use this environment as educators.
A joint report will be submitted. If sections are produced individually, they will be clearly identified. We intend to contribute equally and we will accept a group mark.
Signed Randy - Andy
Info. 
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Wiki
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