I am seeing that new technology tools not only integrate environments through a varoety of access and interaction possibilities, but they also are expanding teh development integrated  and thinking skills - not only for students but also for faculty.  As increasing number of social and learning enviornments interface, faculty as well as students are epxected to "publish" to these environments.  Therefore, thinking drives these enviornments which, in turn, provide wonderful opportunities for applied and critcal thinking to increase.  Also, editing, summarizing, and analyzing are all skills that are requied to keep posts and contributions focused and efficient.  These are all… >>>

So many instructors become frustrated with students' uses of WikiPedia in papers etc.  The truth is, any academic or professional Wiki is an information source and should be recognized as such. So, how can we help students recognize the differences in courses...?  I have used the following research "tiered" outline for students in various projects:

LEVEL 1 - General Information (this includes Wikis)

LEVEL 2 - Critical Comparisons

LEVEL 3 - Applied Ideas

Provide students with pre-identified examples of each and then methods to synthesize information into ideas and concepts and then action steps to apply those concepts to the… >>>

Teaching students about instrumentation or processes in the classroom without actually having the actual equipment available can be a challenge. There are innovative ways to "drive home" a concept, process, or procedure oin these circumstances. What innovative means have you used to teach in these challenging situations?

Think of ways in which you can upscale your classroom to be less task and textbook driven and more thought and application oriented?  How "risky" is that for the instructor?  What checks and balances MUST you include to facilitate that kind of learning environment?

Different learning styles are key to learning.  This directly goes hand in hand with using a variety of resources.

What do career and vocational instructors know that others do not about effective teaching?

Constructing a framework for successful skill-based methodology, please share your ideas based on your experience and the success you have had with students. Share actual examples from your own teaching and even upload a video clip of your teaching success.

Understanding how to develop truly self-directed learners is a series of intentional strategies. Let’s collaborate on what those should be: moving students from dependent to independent learners - which strategies actually work? Share actual resources and examples from your own teaching practice.

Drawing from current theory and practice, let’s work on a framework for the next wave of distance learning; can blended learning tools and methods enhance fully online learning? Share and upload actual examples from your own teaching and instructional design.