Last week we had an online session. Actually the first REAL one in my life (with a studying background). I have to say that it was quite exciting and an interesting experience for once!

In the beginning we had some problems with the sound, but Ralph – genius as he is – got that fixed in time. After that we heard two wonderful and informative presentation. Now I know what a “White Board” really is – despite the magnet-board in my room… And I really think it is a useful tool for online sessions.

What I didn´t like that much was that I couldn´t see all the other students so the session was kind of impersonal. But well, in the near future everyone is going to have the developed technology to be visible online as well.

Another fact is rather personal. I´m distracted pretty easily from things at the moment. So of course it was a very nice factor, that I could grab some more coffee during the session and didn´t need to be “dressed up” for it, but there was the cat that wanted to be petted, noisy woodworkers outside and the fact that you can do soooo much other stuff on the internet…
Meaning that personally I rather have contact-lessons than online-sessions at home ^^

But still – a very interesting and useful experience which I didn´t want to miss.

Hopefully all of you readers enjoyed the change of years and the hangovers weren´t too bad ^^ Wish you all the best for 2009!

Since I haven´t done anything on my blog lately and also didn´t finish the task until now – shame upon me – I´ll now try to figure out, how this works…

Task will be, to add eLearning theories to the university-WIKI of the media-courses. Couple of nice and a lot saying pictures are already there, which doesn´t make it quite easy to find more general theories. But let´s see how this is to handle.

I´ll inform you here, if sth. incredibly exciting is going to happen!

next task

After discussing our working fields last time, experiencing problems with zoho and no ideas how to present our item in a non-boring way, we still have couple of weeks to go to prepare. *whew* hehe

We were discussing about copyrights by inserting pictures into our presentations. As a result we figured, that, if we e.g. use common signs from a known microsoft programm, to which everybody has access, it might be no problem using things from there. Of course, another possibility: using creations made by ourselves. But let´s see about that.

I´m trying right now, to make my item about LMS more concrete. This not only, because I want to understand it – should understand it, if I´m going to talk about it sometime soon – but because I want all the other people to understand it, too.
I found plenty of technical terms in our presentation so far, but I also found a short “dictonary” on a special LMS page. It´s in german, but lot´s of words are explained here in a nutshell.

If there are new technical terms to explain of my part, I was thinking about explaining them here maybe. So keep looking from time to time, if you like.^^

So far for now – more information coming. Greetz to my wonderful group!

I actually can´t say that my computer or my internet connection is slow – to exclude this right away. I also tried three different browsers for working on the presentation. It´s still slow. Whenever I want to insert texts, pictures and so on, it needs “ages” to work them out! And it doesn´t ”follow” my “orders” – at least not immediately.

Long message short – it´s not fun to work with it right now, because it slows down the working process too much…. we need another way …..

We started to use an online-presentation program (this is the only link you´ll get so far) where we had to figure out first HOW the hell it worked. Loggin in – ok that is easy. But afterwards we had to create a presentation platform where it was possible for all of us to work on it from different places. Yes, I know, the aces amongst you are laughing at me – OK I CAN LIVE WITH THAT!!! Besides: No one is born a master…

But: practice makes perfect and so after a while I figured out how to create that platform for us (Yes, I sort of have an Idiome-Day today hehe). I admit, after finding the “create your platform”-button, it wasn´t that difficult anymore^^.

Now my curiosity went into direction of finding a spot, a text, a hint, something for sharing this platform with my group members…

Finally, on top of that page was written “share”, which I figured would be a good start. When you click on that button, you can see three underparts “Invite”, “Shared Details” and “Notify Shared Users”.

Hard guess, of course I used the invitation fraction and found 4 small windows that were split up in two groups: a) Read only members, b) Read/Write members. To these spaces you could add either individual members or whole groups to attend.

My choice was clear than: we want to work together on this project, so it had to be the “Read/Write”-section.

Next step is to fill in the e-mail information of the group members and send them an invitation. WOW loads of new input, I know hehe.

After a while my other groupmembers appeard on the right side of my screen and I could see wether they were on- or offline.^^ Here comes the point where you can also start chatting with them when they´re online. Cool stuff.

Last step, just save your draft or whatever you have done on the presentation and the biggest steps are done!

One last hint: Normally I use the opera-browser all day long, but it pointed out, that some of these programes that we´re using (including wordpress.com) are working more fluently with different browsers. But one day later the other browser refused to work, too….

Last but not least: Don´t ask me, why exactly I wrote this post. Maybe I just had fun sharing my experiences with you, maybe I just want to try to help others, maybe I just felt bored by the stupid wednesday… I DON´T KNOW!

But well, this seminar and this blog is about eLearning and all the stuff around, so I´m proud of all the small steps I take with new programes on the internet – after all it´s all about eLearning, isn´t it???

In one of the last seminar sessions we had to “learn” how to write comments. Therefore we all had to choose a picture from the seminar page and comment, why we chose it.

After doing that, we were divided into groups. My wonderful group members are Christine and Lauri, whom I already thank now for the last funny meeting!

Our group task now would be, to define, explain and present the terms LMS and LCMS to the other groups during the following weeks. We already had one meeting where we decided to split up the different parts and bring them all together on an online-presentation page. I won´t tell more about that, because I don´t want to spoil the BIG SURPRISE of our presentation…

Some of our sources and who does which part can be found on Christines page.

So far from my side of information about what we´re doing right now.  I´ll update you a.s.a.p..

During the last Seminar session, we discussed what makes eLearning good or bad for us. We fixed these thoughts with a mindmap that can still be edited. Now its definetly time to figure out, what does eLearning really mean? Our task for this week is hence finding two definitions and constitute wether we like or disklike them.

A first short definition I took from a webopedia page:

eLearning is:

“Education via the Internet, network, or standalone computer. e-learning is essentially the network-enabled transfer of skills and knowledge. e-learning refers to using electronic applications and processes to learn. e-learning applications and processes include Web-based learning, computer-based learning, virtual classrooms and digital collaboration. Content is delivered via the Internet, intranet/extranet, audio or video tape, satellite TV, and CD-ROM.*

e-learning was first called “Internet-Based training” then “Web-Based Training” Today you will still find these terms being used, along with variations of e-learning such as elearning, Elearning, and eLearning.”
[JupiterOnlineMedia, 11/2004]

In my opinion this definition is short and to the point. It includes important facts like what kinds of eLearning exsist and which media is involved. The explanation even points out different or older terms for eLearning.

With this definition you get to know what eLearning is in a nutshell. It is suitable, if you only need an overview over the item – like e.g. I needed last week. ^^ But if you want to go deeper into the term itself and whatelse it stands for, webopedia is not informed enough.

In conclusion: I like it for a shortcut and for fast knowledge. But it would fail in a more explicid definition context. They show no examples and don´t give feedback on good or bad issues.

The second one I chose from agelesslearner.com:

“Definition of e-learning

e-Learning. eLearning. “e”learning. However you write it, definitions abound.

• The convergence of the Internet and learning, or Internet-enabled learning.
• The use of network technologies to create, foster, deliver, and facilitate learning, anytime and anywhere.
• The delivery of individualized, comprehensive, dynamic learning content in real time, aiding the development of communities of knowledge, linking learners and practitioners with experts.
• A phenomenon delivering accountability, accessibility, and opportunity to allow people and organizations to keep up with the rapid changes that define the Internet world.
• A force that gives people and organizations the competitive edge to allow them to keep ahead of the rapidly changing global economy.
  [...]“

[creative commons, 15.10.2006]

This excerpt still goes on, but since I linked the source, I figure I don´t have to post the whole page.

I have to say this definition is quite informative. Actually it is a whole webpage based on telling, what eLearning is, what it includes and examples or at least links to “try-out” pages for users and creators. Agelesslearner gives more knowledge about different explanations and also points out literature for more information.

This page might even be useful for teachers. It shows ways for “distance education” and even a help tool is involved, where users and creators can visit when they have any kind of problem.

If you have a closer look at the given links, there is unfortunately at least one, that offers only advertisement for books. This is of course a negative fact.

But besides that, the structure of this page about eLearning is good, goes deeper and includes helpful information.

That´s it for this week. Maybe I´ll still change some things, but for now it´s on the blog.

Have a very nice week!

Task 1:
Before I can write about my experiences in eLearning, I have to figure out for myself, what actually comprehends the term eLearning for me right now at the beginning of this course.
Does it already start when you use a vocabulary program on the internet? Does it include reading lectures for a course online? Does it also include games for abilities and concentration? And where especially do I need eLearning in daily life?

While exploring the internet for a definition – from which there were plenty – I also found one from a special “eLearning-page” from 2004:

“eLearning represents a planed teaching and learning experience organised by an higher education institution, which supports learning process in a sequential and systematised order to be achieved by students in their own pace. The delivery is done through the new communication and information technologies, especially through the Internet (online learning/ education) that represents both the distribution medium and the communication channel between the actors involved.”
Olimpius ISTRATE. “What is eLearning?” .April 2004.

For me in simple words: all things, which somehow pour out of my computer or that are otherwise digital media are a form of eLearning, provided you can learn from it even a tiny little bit.

Becoming that clear I figured that my experiences in eLearning actually started, when I was using the internet for the first time, which was like 10 – 12 years ago. I won´t talk about this in detail, but rather start, when I actually started using eLearning methods and media.

When I started studying at the Hamburg University, I came in touch with PowerPoint for the first time and learned, how to use knowledge out of the internet for an essay or other student tasks.

Actively I´d say I started to use eLearning when I went to Finland as an exchange student two years ago. I wanted to improve my Finish language skills, so it was almost impossible not to use e.g. the internet for learning. The circumstances were helpful, that at the University of Jyväskylä the technology and the possibility for the students to work with it was far more improved.

Especially for studying languages, I found plenty of useful eLearning methods. Next to an uncountable number of dictionaries for vocabulary and/or grammar including examples, there is a wide variety of learning programs including listening comprehensions and learning games.

If you´re interested, check out a page from my host university (JYU). I often used these learning programs. It might be a nice example of the upper mentioned variety. This link is especially for Finish language learning, but you can also find programs there for other foreign languages.

Besides this page I also experienced pure online-courses. They mainly included forum discussions with other students as well as with the teacher, online lectures or movies and different online-tasks. Most of them had not even a personal pre-meeting.

I have to admit that I didn´t like these pure online-classes that much. Though it mostly depends on the subject of the class and what you would like to improve right now. I always missed the personal contact with the people and the fact that almost everything you did staid inside a machine. On the outside it didn´t even “look nice” like for example a book in a shelf. The online lectures are somehow getting “lost”, if you don´t print them immediately or read them every now and than.

In opposite to that I liked eLearning regarding languages. Creative games, vocabulary and grammar training online vary every time you use the program. You can´t learn these enough anyway. As a diversified addition to language classes it is also a good preparation for upcoming exams.
Another interesting fact is listening comprehensions. You start with easy ones in a program, but can enlarge them whenever you want through different media on the internet. You will know that you´ve improved, if you finally understand the news and movies in your target language. =)

Last but not least its sure that the internet is nowadays a very important – maybe the most important – information centre in the world. I am really glad that I got to know different working methods on the internet during the last years, that you not necessarily find out on your own.

I guess that is about it so far. I hope you could follow my thoughts and I didn´t bore you to death…

I´m looking forward to our next classes. I got curious for more– what about you?!

Have a nice start into the week!!!

This is a blog actually only for the eLearning and Learning Seminar from the Hamburg University. At least it starts as this – I don´t know what will happen in the future – maybe I´ll find some time to keep it up to date with new sections and stories after february 09. We´ll see about that.^^

If you want to know more about me, feel free to visit my myspace-profile or check out the Meet me page, which is right now “under construction”. I´ll update here, if it´s filled with information.

So far for now. Have fun rummageing around in my posts, but stop before you fall asleep…

Cathrin