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Hello and welcome to Unit 3. In this unit, you will have the opportunity
to create an online activity you might use in a course that you would teach online. This
will be a chance to really get those creative juices flowing.
While planning your online activity, think about concepts that your students tend to
particularly struggle with. Can those concepts really be digested through reading, or would
active learning be the answer? You probably already have ways of bringing active learning
into your classroom -- Now you will learn how to do so in an online environment.
In addition to the class textbook, you will find many articles and web links to resources
for creating online activities, in this unit. I invite you to explore what is posted in
the course, and also feel free to look for other resources of interest. There are new
ideas and resources posted every day, and we online-types are always keeping an eye
out for developments in the field. I have started a wiki for this unit, on which
I've posted a number of useful resources. If in your explorations you find a good website
for creating activities, please share with the rest of us by adding it to the wiki. I
know I will benefit from learning from you, as will your peers.
Also this week we will consider good online feedback to students. There are a number of
means of giving feedback, and often the type of activity lends itself to a particular method.
Your assignment this week will be to read, explore, and finally plan an activity that
you will later post in your Portfolio. You will also think about the best way to give
your students feedback on their performance on that activity.
By Wednesday, you will post about your plans for an activity and associated feedback on
a blog (found on this Blackboard site). You will give peer feedback on your colleagues'
blog posts by Saturday. The Portfolio piece will include the actual
activity you ultimately create, along with a feedback tool. As with all Portfolio assignments,
that part will be due on August 19th. I'm looking forward to reading about your
plans. It is always exciting to see how different subject matter gets translated into online
learning. Feel free to contact me with questions.