Project Management Professional
This certification is sponsored by the Project Management Institute and is an international certification. I was a long-time project manager on the Space Shuttle Program at Kennedy Space Center. After the Space Shuttle retired, I retired. I am currently an adjunct instructor at four colleges. At two of the colleges, my focus is on teaching Project Management courses.
Marcia
Marcia,
Project management is so important in all fields. It's even important in our lives. I love the saying - It's not time management any more, but priority management. Thanks!
What the student's computer capabililies are?
What equipment the student has to work with?
Does the student have any computer experience?
It's difficult for a student to be successful if any of the 3 are insufficient!
Letrice Mitchell
Letrice,
You bring up very good points. Your questions revolve around the students and will have an impact on learning.
Thanks!
My list:
1. Ease of use to students.
2. The level of interaction with the student.
3. The cost of the tool in time and money for implementation.
Ted Framan
Ted,
Right on. When the students can easily use the communication tool they will interact more and be more engaged in the learning process. There are so many "freebies" out there which makes communication more accessible to all. Thanks for your input.
Three important things to consider when assessing the use of technology communication tools in a learning environment are the size of your group, the type of technology communication tools you will need, and will the group be able to effectively communicate with you, and each other.
The size of the group will determine which technology communication tool is best for the group. For instance if it is a small group or one on one, then email,instant messaging, or telephone may be more suitable. If the size of the group is lare Adobe Connect Professional, DimDim, or Elluminate works best.
If the correct type of technology communicating tools are not selected then communication will be lost and understanding of the course objectives and content will not be obtained. Learning will be null and void.
Rashunda,
Right on. We do communication differently with a large group than with small groups. Many times when I have a large group of students I divide them into smaller groups to keep the communication lively and engaging. Thanks for your input.
1) making sure to have all compatible software
2) software updates
3) using a tool that is common and familiar to all users
When using technology communication I think the three most important considerations are.
1. How many people can it reach and is it the correct technology for the numbers.
2. Will those I am trying to communicate with be able to use.
3. How concise is the communication going to be able to be.
What tools are available institutionally or for free?
What tools will serve the functions I need?
Facility of use for both faculty and students?
I like that you mention institutional compliance here...our problem with that is with such a small Online team and limited resources, tracking/managing that is extremely difficult.
The three most important things I think to consider are:
1. Cost, because the students will not want to invest any more money then they have for their education.
2. Convenience, it can't be software that is too complicated. It needs to be user friendly and easy to use, so they will want to use it.
3. No extra equipment, investing in extra equipment and technical equipment at that, can discourage some online learners. You will always have those that seize the new idea, but for the most part, they are trying to learn new content, let alone the equipment they need to it.
In order for students to be enrolled in a VC program, students must feel comfortable using a computer and computer software. Students must own a computer, and their computer must be up-to-date. Aside from the requirements just stated, the 3 most important things to consider when assessing communication tools in VC are as follows:
1.Students cannot allow themselves to feel intimidated by trying out new technology.
2.The communication tool used in class must satisfy it’s purpose.
3.The subject matter taught must qualify for that particular communication tool used in class.
4.Students must be introduced to that communication tool prior to start of class. Class time is not the time to learn how to use the tool, but using a tool must be a pre-requisite for the course.
I believe the most important thing to consider is the student's ability to access the tool. While it is true that most of the time the tools being used come at no cost to the student, it is possible that the students do not have computers that are capable of supporting the tools. SO it is important that prior to enrolling a student the college clearly states the necessary operating system and other technical whatevers are necessary to take the classes. For example, my mother-in-law wants an iPod but her computer is so old it cannot support iTunes. It is possible that a student could run into the same problem and not be able to support a tool such as Wimba.
The second thing to consider is the purpose of communication. There is no need to use YouTube when you have a simple question to ask that can be easily sent via email.
Finally, it is important to consider the tendencies of your students. If you notice that your students are frequently on IM then it might be better ti use this form versus email.
Thanks! ~Melissa
LaShonda,
Yes, the technology/software is extremely important. User-friendly is important when it comes to the users.
Thanks for your input.
Tyson,
You bring up some very good points. Communication is the key and we have to find the technology we can all use effectively. Nice job.
Jenifer,
I like that you use questions. It makes us all thing. These are important questions.
Thanks for your input.
Jenifer,
Many of us do have small teams and we are all trying to be compliant. Keep working with your team and doing what you can. Thanks for your input.
Alice,
You hit the nail on the head: Cost, Convenience, Baseline. We don't have to use all the bells and whistles if a simple horn works. ;-)
Thanks!
