Activity8

Hi Learners! I want to congratulate you on maintaining your involvement in this adventure. I know that learning how to use the computer can be intimidating and overwhelming, but it really is a skill that comes with practice. For week 3, please complete the following activities in your personal wiki page. Be sure to add an internal link to your page so we can all post on it. I have provided an example--Brad's week 3 reflection. As always, have fun and remember to bring any of your specific questions to our face-to-face group on Friday morning. Brad Reflective Activities Activity 1

Title: Before and After

Task: Activity 1 is a reflective activity requiring participants to engage in an asynchronous photo posting. This activity encourages participants to use photography/images and a few words to depict their initial feelings about the computer and their current feelings after participating in the computer group for 3 weeks.

Method: asynchronous

Tool(s): group wiki; Kodak digital camera and uploading software for participants that would like to create their own images

Instructions: Each wiki member will post an external link to two graphic images from Flikr.com that reflect how they first felt about working with the computer and how they currently feel after participating in a structured computer group for 3 weeks. Cut and paste the URL and then name each link according to the feeling that most describes your experiences. In addition, each member will have to post a comment in response to another member’s album. Use the internal links provided to review other members' responses. 1. use the wiki to embed two photo links ; 2. use the wiki to review posts made by other wiki members; 3. use the wiki to reply to posts--make sure to sign your initials;

Due: end of week 3

Course connection: The participant is expected to: A) use a group wiki to make a post and reply to posts B) practice using wiki e-signature after each posting C) cut and paste URLs from Flickr to create an external link in the group wiki D) practice creating and embedding an internal link

Activity 2 Title: Keep It On The Download!

Task: Activity 2 is a reflective activity requiring participants to engage in an asynchronous music video posting. This activity encourages participants to find a song that describes their relationship with technology and the computer. Method: asynchronous

Tool(s): group wiki; YouTube or Dailymotion

Instructions: Each wiki member will post two an online music video to the group wiki that describes their relationship with technology and the computer. To provide explanation, each member will discuss the particular lyrics that capture the essence of their current relationship. 1. use Youtube or Dailymotion to find an online video that describes your relationship with the computer 2. use the wiki to embed an online music video ; 3. practice sizing the widget; 4. use the word processing feature of the wiki to draft a 100 word reflection of why you selected the song you chose and which particular lyrics summarize your relationship with the computer/technology the best; 5. use the wiki to reply to one other group member--make sure to sign your initials;

Due: end of week 3

Course connection: The participant is expected to: A) use a group wiki to make a post and reply to posts B) practice using wiki e-signature after each posting

Activity 3 Title: DearProspectiveComputerGroupMember@email.com Task: Activity 3 is a reflective activity requiring participants to engage in an asynchronous email posting. This activity encourages participants to use their personal email accounts to draft a letter to a prospective group member. In the email, which they will address to themselves, group members will discuss their experiences in the computer group so far. To best help a prospective member, the participants will be encouraged to reflect on what they like about the group and what suggestions they have for changing the group. Method: asynchronous

Tool(s): group wiki; personal email account

Instructions: Each wiki member will send him/herself an email that starts out like—**__Dear Prospective Computer Group Member__**,. In the email they will discuss what they like most about the group and what changes they would make to the group to better address their individual needs. . 1. use their individual email account to draft an email to themselves 2. use the wiki cut and paste the email;;

Due: end of week 3

Course connection: The participant is expected to: A) use a group wiki to make a post and reply to posts B) practice using a personal email account C) cut and paste text into wiki

PASTE INTERNAL LINKS TO PERSONAL PAGES BELOW:
Reflection:

Online learning environments are increasingly being used to increase reflective learning. Advances in technology allow online students the opportunity to critically reflect on personal experiences and share those reflections with other course participants. Unfortunately, however, the depth of reflection is usually limited when reflective activities are simply added on or when the course content is largely divorced from the day-to-day world of the student (Morgan, Rawlinson, & Weaver, 2006). Moreover, reflection is more likely to occur when assignments and activities are relatively complicated and ill-structured. Such activities, according to Morgan et al. (2006), require students to further process knowledge since there is not an obvious solution.

Reflection as a teaching strategy is predicated on mentor buy in and support. According to Morgan et al. (2006), it can be a particularly dispiriting undertaking for students to reflect on their thinking only to find an unconstructive response or no feedback at all. Finding appropriate responses to reflective comments from students is a particularly challenging task and requires mentors who are willing to enter into a dialogue with students and to facilitate their learning process.

References:
 * Morgan, J., Rawlinson, M., & Weaver, M. (2006).** //Facilitating online reflective learning for health and social care professionals// - Open Learning: The Journal of Open and Distance Learning. 21(2), 167-176.