Monday, July 15, 2013
Faculty Certificate in Online Teaching (FCOT)
The Center for Online Learning and Teaching (COLT) organized a very intensive course for academic faculty at the Ghana Technology University College, Ghana. It was a huge success, and I wish to CONGRATULATE all the participants. You were great, and we couldn't have done it without U.
Special shouts to Ms. Lydia Asare, and Messrs Albert Laweh and Gideon Highlander Ntiamoah.
Just went on break, but I am back.
Enjoy this picture, in the company of the President of GTUC and the participants!
Josephine
Special shouts to Ms. Lydia Asare, and Messrs Albert Laweh and Gideon Highlander Ntiamoah.
Just went on break, but I am back.
Enjoy this picture, in the company of the President of GTUC and the participants!
Josephine
Monday, March 23, 2009
ICT in Education in Ghana
This blog is to explore issues of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Ghana.
JAL
- What are the transformation potentials?
- What roles and impacts?
- What are the challenges?
- What is its role in Distance Education?
- How has been the adoption rate in higher education?
- Are lecturers integrating its capabilities in the universities and other tertiary institutions?
- How are students using ICT to access course documents, communicate with professors, submit assignments, etc.?
- What are the potential benefits - to students, lecturers, the university as a whole?
JAL
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Automation and Education in the 1950s
Technology and the Instructional Design Process..., Jim Finn writes:
How far have we come with the application of multimedia in a) instructional design, and b) automated and education?
Jo
- ''The good old days are gone; approached with intelligence and zest, the days of the future will be better."The cost of civilization is the fact that we can make wrong choices because of the alternative technology presents. The reward of civilization is the freedom provided by technology and the opportunity to make the right choices."
How far have we come with the application of multimedia in a) instructional design, and b) automated and education?
Jo
Saturday, December 15, 2007
NEPAD & ICT Initiatives
The initial idea was to use this site to explore global e-learning issues. This idea is still in place. I have been quite busy of late, but I have to explore this further. The roles of ICT is globalized. As indicated in my earlier blog, International Development organizations are promoting universal access to telecommunications as part of the initiatives. A lot has been done in Africa already, but there is more to do when it comes to infrastructure and software development. The emergence of open software is an area worthy of study. Hope to get back to this topic later.
Meanwhile, the ratio of person-to-computer is high, plus high cost of access, relative to other economically endowed places and global average. Based on partnerships between and across Africa, the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) is promoting an African-owned and Africa-led effort to accelerated economic growth. The ICT initiative project is a priority. Fast track programs are being implemented for ICT literacy fluency, benefit awareness and technology professional development. I can't wait to see how far the programs have advanced to meet its goals. Again the NEPAD initiative calls for further study to see how far the program is meeting the needs of its clients on the African continent, and in education. Will be back!
Jal
Meanwhile, the ratio of person-to-computer is high, plus high cost of access, relative to other economically endowed places and global average. Based on partnerships between and across Africa, the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) is promoting an African-owned and Africa-led effort to accelerated economic growth. The ICT initiative project is a priority. Fast track programs are being implemented for ICT literacy fluency, benefit awareness and technology professional development. I can't wait to see how far the programs have advanced to meet its goals. Again the NEPAD initiative calls for further study to see how far the program is meeting the needs of its clients on the African continent, and in education. Will be back!
Jal
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
FIT Team Project
The FIT Team B is composed of four members who were assigned to facilitate twenty-two students in an IT course with the consent of the host instructor. We were to practice facilitation and e-moderating in real online context, write and present our reports F2F and as a term paper. Each guest facilitator was assigned to facilitate a team of two to three students who were required to choose a topic in emerging technologies for presentation, post questions and lead the class in a meaningful discourse. This project commenced from October 23, 2007 to November 19, 2007. The duration for each project was approximately two weeks, December 06, 2007.
The team’s experience as facilitators, e-moderators and observers in practice was presented to the class last week. Prior to the presentation, each member debriefed other group members about their own experiences. Together, we worked as a team to write edit and publish our presentations. Working together has been fruitful; so far we have had no problems. Our main means of communication were through emails and face-to-face meetings in class. There were few differences in our observations and expectations with the facilitation process, but they are all learning experiences. For example, I found members in my assigned group responsive; however, other guest facilitators felt differently. My major observation was that the students did not use most of the resources provided; hence, could not provide in depth knowledge about the topic – Social Networking Websites. I would suggest that students use the resources to expand their scope of knowledge.
As a group, we recommend the use of technology tools such as Skype and simple Homepage development in Bb to communicate – get connected, establish their social presence, and practice with some of these tools. Practice makes perfect. The importance of students to express their views online is extensively discussed by Price & Oliver (2007) and Salmon (2006). In addition, we suggest students provide technology resources, especially, those used in their presentations to others – to share and practice. The experience is worth the time, and I say KUDOS to all the group members.
JAL
The team’s experience as facilitators, e-moderators and observers in practice was presented to the class last week. Prior to the presentation, each member debriefed other group members about their own experiences. Together, we worked as a team to write edit and publish our presentations. Working together has been fruitful; so far we have had no problems. Our main means of communication were through emails and face-to-face meetings in class. There were few differences in our observations and expectations with the facilitation process, but they are all learning experiences. For example, I found members in my assigned group responsive; however, other guest facilitators felt differently. My major observation was that the students did not use most of the resources provided; hence, could not provide in depth knowledge about the topic – Social Networking Websites. I would suggest that students use the resources to expand their scope of knowledge.
As a group, we recommend the use of technology tools such as Skype and simple Homepage development in Bb to communicate – get connected, establish their social presence, and practice with some of these tools. Practice makes perfect. The importance of students to express their views online is extensively discussed by Price & Oliver (2007) and Salmon (2006). In addition, we suggest students provide technology resources, especially, those used in their presentations to others – to share and practice. The experience is worth the time, and I say KUDOS to all the group members.
JAL
Reflection - General 2
Now is the time to monitor students’ collaboration in computer-mediated collaborative problem-solving. How do functions such as tracking, motivation and emotional state play out in this situation? To analyze the effects of these factors, Zumbach, Reimann and Koch (2006) concluded from two empirical researches that feedback is advantageous on processes of group well-being, parameters of participation, collaboration, and interaction. Combining feedback approach for monitoring and fostering collaborative behavior with a design-based approach using distributed learning in the second study, the authors suggest that by distributing learning materials, collaborative behavior can be positively influenced. There was no significant effect on cognitive outcomes in both studies.
Online collaboration is important to keep focus and engage in meaningful discourse. Therefore, it is important that, facilitators provide guidelines and ask specific questions to elicit responses on particular topics. How often do we see learners drift off the main topic and drag the process endlessly, without making any meaningful contributions? According to Beaubin (1999), person-to-person interaction plays an important role in e-learning. The learner-learner interactions and team processes including team task, team development, peer relationships and communication media as regards the dynamics of online collaboration is expertly articulated by Zhang and Ge (2006). The dynamics of this learning environment is complex, involving intensive task definition, engagement, exploratory activities as well as identification of other relevant factors to move the process. However, constraints that may impact negatively on the process must be identified and addressed.
Inter-subjectivity defined simply as shared understanding that helps (facilitators) to relate one situation to another is a topic discussed by Bober and Dennen (2001). These authors focus on technological means to foster inter-subjectivity in knowledge construction graduate level courses and programs in online environment. I am most fascinated by Gilbert and Dabbagah (2005) on how to structure online discussion for meaningful discourse. This is one of my favorite articles. It is authentic and practical. They define meaningful discourse as the ability of learners to demonstrate critical thinking skills by relating course content to prior knowledge, interpreting content through the analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of others understanding, and making inferences. Relating this definition to the FIT project, I found the learners to be only engaged in relating the contents to their experiences. However, what was lacking was the critical thinking, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. The process was too superficial with no deeper insight.
Tsu and Gory (2003) discuss asynchronous communication strategies in designs and management tactics. Methods suggested include discussion, case study, role plays, debates read and respond, and publishing. These are relevant learning methods, and through careful planning and management, will possibly contribute to improvement in the learning and facilitation processes. I will agree that online discussion is not only about posting and responding to questions and queries. Learners must be actively engaged in problem-solving through critical thinking, analysis and synthesis of the problem.
JAL
Online collaboration is important to keep focus and engage in meaningful discourse. Therefore, it is important that, facilitators provide guidelines and ask specific questions to elicit responses on particular topics. How often do we see learners drift off the main topic and drag the process endlessly, without making any meaningful contributions? According to Beaubin (1999), person-to-person interaction plays an important role in e-learning. The learner-learner interactions and team processes including team task, team development, peer relationships and communication media as regards the dynamics of online collaboration is expertly articulated by Zhang and Ge (2006). The dynamics of this learning environment is complex, involving intensive task definition, engagement, exploratory activities as well as identification of other relevant factors to move the process. However, constraints that may impact negatively on the process must be identified and addressed.
Inter-subjectivity defined simply as shared understanding that helps (facilitators) to relate one situation to another is a topic discussed by Bober and Dennen (2001). These authors focus on technological means to foster inter-subjectivity in knowledge construction graduate level courses and programs in online environment. I am most fascinated by Gilbert and Dabbagah (2005) on how to structure online discussion for meaningful discourse. This is one of my favorite articles. It is authentic and practical. They define meaningful discourse as the ability of learners to demonstrate critical thinking skills by relating course content to prior knowledge, interpreting content through the analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of others understanding, and making inferences. Relating this definition to the FIT project, I found the learners to be only engaged in relating the contents to their experiences. However, what was lacking was the critical thinking, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. The process was too superficial with no deeper insight.
Tsu and Gory (2003) discuss asynchronous communication strategies in designs and management tactics. Methods suggested include discussion, case study, role plays, debates read and respond, and publishing. These are relevant learning methods, and through careful planning and management, will possibly contribute to improvement in the learning and facilitation processes. I will agree that online discussion is not only about posting and responding to questions and queries. Learners must be actively engaged in problem-solving through critical thinking, analysis and synthesis of the problem.
JAL
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