Comments on: A disjointed series of thoughts http://techticker.net/2009/12/17/a-disjointed-series-of-thoughts/ educational technology, eLearning & emerging technology Thu, 29 Jul 2010 05:19:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Are students breaking the Bb habit? « Lisa’s (Online) Teaching Blog http://techticker.net/2009/12/17/a-disjointed-series-of-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-7688 Are students breaking the Bb habit? « Lisa’s (Online) Teaching Blog Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:16:12 +0000 http://techticker.net/?p=3223#comment-7688 [...] Blackboard — they are unaware that the class is actually somewhere else. As I’ve commented elsewhere, even if they know it’s another site, they still call any class website [...] [...] Blackboard — they are unaware that the class is actually somewhere else. As I’ve commented elsewhere, even if they know it’s another site, they still call any class website [...]

]]> By: Mike Bogle http://techticker.net/2009/12/17/a-disjointed-series-of-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-7294 Mike Bogle Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:06:57 +0000 http://techticker.net/?p=3223#comment-7294 @<a href="#comment-7288" rel="nofollow">Lisa M Lane</a>: I like that thought - let's go with that :) @Lisa M Lane: I like that thought – let’s go with that :)

]]> By: Blackboard as Kleenex « Lisa’s (Online) Teaching Blog http://techticker.net/2009/12/17/a-disjointed-series-of-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-7289 Blackboard as Kleenex « Lisa’s (Online) Teaching Blog Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:32:30 +0000 http://techticker.net/?p=3223#comment-7289 [...] recent conversations with Mike Bogle, I’ve stumbled on the idea that a lot of students, and online teaching novices, are using the [...] [...] recent conversations with Mike Bogle, I’ve stumbled on the idea that a lot of students, and online teaching novices, are using the [...]

]]> By: Lisa M Lane http://techticker.net/2009/12/17/a-disjointed-series-of-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-7288 Lisa M Lane Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:54:21 +0000 http://techticker.net/?p=3223#comment-7288 @<a href="#comment-7270" rel="nofollow">Mike Bogle</a>: It occurs to me that perhaps "Blackboard" is being used as a synonym for "web learning stuff", at least among novices. If so, being "the Blackboard guy" could translate as "the guy who knows about learning stuff on the web", then it's OK! I think I'm right here, given how many students say "I posted on the Blackboard" when my class is in Ning or Moodle. @Mike Bogle:

It occurs to me that perhaps “Blackboard” is being used as a synonym for “web learning stuff”, at least among novices. If so, being “the Blackboard guy” could translate as “the guy who knows about learning stuff on the web”, then it’s OK!

I think I’m right here, given how many students say “I posted on the Blackboard” when my class is in Ning or Moodle.

]]> By: Mike Bogle http://techticker.net/2009/12/17/a-disjointed-series-of-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-7270 Mike Bogle Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:39:20 +0000 http://techticker.net/?p=3223#comment-7270 @<a href="#comment-7268" rel="nofollow">Lisa M Lane</a>: Some very good points there - especially about differentiating "support" or "professional development" from something far broader and fundamental, in particular something that incorporates change agency. Assumptions on the latter are arising constantly for me - I've even heard myself referred to as "the Blackboard guy." :( You can imagine my overwhelming excitement about that... Fortunately I haven't hit any major barriers so far. Certainly there are the attitudes and aversions with tech and online learning to address, but I find when I clarify how broad and strategic my role actually is - that I'm "not dedicated to any particular technology" but "starting with the instructor's pedagogy" as you say - people are actually please with that and start thinking of the opportunities this introduces. So I get the impression people are really interested in exploring different ways of approaching learning and teaching. FASS is a fantastic bunch of people :) Good luck with the grading! @Lisa M Lane: Some very good points there – especially about differentiating “support” or “professional development” from something far broader and fundamental, in particular something that incorporates change agency. Assumptions on the latter are arising constantly for me – I’ve even heard myself referred to as “the Blackboard guy.” :(

You can imagine my overwhelming excitement about that…

Fortunately I haven’t hit any major barriers so far. Certainly there are the attitudes and aversions with tech and online learning to address, but I find when I clarify how broad and strategic my role actually is – that I’m “not dedicated to any particular technology” but “starting with the instructor’s pedagogy” as you say – people are actually please with that and start thinking of the opportunities this introduces.

So I get the impression people are really interested in exploring different ways of approaching learning and teaching. FASS is a fantastic bunch of people :)

Good luck with the grading!

]]> By: Lisa M Lane http://techticker.net/2009/12/17/a-disjointed-series-of-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-7268 Lisa M Lane Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:26:52 +0000 http://techticker.net/?p=3223#comment-7268 Well, obviously I've done a lot of work on the suitability/desirability/obstructive nature of the LMS, and its issues for faculty using it to teach, but here's some of my own brain dump on the issues you present here. Yes, it is seen as a distribution medium by instructors. It is also seen as a location (like a campus) by students, and its name doesn't matter. Whatever the first one they've used, they assume that's what all their classes will be in. The convenience factor is aking to our 7-11 chain in the US -- you always pay more for convenience. It is rarely worth it to pay so much in terms of an effective learning experience, just to have a single log-in to your online classes. Words like "personalized" and "distributed" are far from the understanding of most faculty and students. I would be very careful about blaming a "lack" of support, technical or professional. When most people talk about such support in an institutional context, they mean supporting the non-distributed, non-personalized systems (i.e. "we need a dedicated Blackboard person to train our faculty"). Such support is not at all helpful in turning the game around, or changing perception. I blame the trend of putting web novices in to teach online classes, without the support you and I would like to see -- tech folks who are not dedicated to any particular technology, but rather start with the instructor's pedagogy and go from there. They call this "instructional design", but I've seen an awful lot of folks with that designation who are basically LMS support. Yes, we must, must, must start with what the instructor wants to do, not with the LMS or any other technology. Pedagogy first. And I gotta get back to grading.... ;-) Well, obviously I’ve done a lot of work on the suitability/desirability/obstructive nature of the LMS, and its issues for faculty using it to teach, but here’s some of my own brain dump on the issues you present here.

Yes, it is seen as a distribution medium by instructors. It is also seen as a location (like a campus) by students, and its name doesn’t matter. Whatever the first one they’ve used, they assume that’s what all their classes will be in. The convenience factor is aking to our 7-11 chain in the US — you always pay more for convenience. It is rarely worth it to pay so much in terms of an effective learning experience, just to have a single log-in to your online classes. Words like “personalized” and “distributed” are far from the understanding of most faculty and students.

I would be very careful about blaming a “lack” of support, technical or professional. When most people talk about such support in an institutional context, they mean supporting the non-distributed, non-personalized systems (i.e. “we need a dedicated Blackboard person to train our faculty”). Such support is not at all helpful in turning the game around, or changing perception.

I blame the trend of putting web novices in to teach online classes, without the support you and I would like to see — tech folks who are not dedicated to any particular technology, but rather start with the instructor’s pedagogy and go from there. They call this “instructional design”, but I’ve seen an awful lot of folks with that designation who are basically LMS support.

Yes, we must, must, must start with what the instructor wants to do, not with the LMS or any other technology. Pedagogy first. And I gotta get back to grading…. ;-)

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