Word cloud and Challenges

Challenges with open Learning? Where to connect this Cable? During Topic 2 we have discussed the concept of open learning, opportunities and barriers with open Learning.



 It is amazing how many different meanings of open learning there is, and it seems to change over time. A couple of weeks back I believed open learning was about MOOC's, and MOOC's only. But it is so much more in it. I have changed my understanding of what is open learning, from thinking of MOOC's I now consider many different things where you can carry out a course using many different Tools. Today we used Mentimeter for creating word clouds which will be used for sharing the result of our topic 2-work.

I believe there can be different grades of open learning where the most important factors are Anywhere, Anytime, Free of charge and available on the www. The picture can represent one challenge, maybe to know how to use the different technical tools and to get connected.





In a couple of weeks I will have my first lecture after about 15 years, something I look forward to! However, I will also be going outside my comfort zone! But it is good to do that. I think that everyone frequently should do something that push the boarder of their comfort zone.



My first lecture will be in a leadership course with our master mariner students and the subject will be equal treatment and what the officer onboard can  do for equal treatment and to reduce the risk of harassment. My plan is to have a Zoom-lecture which I will combine with breakout sessions using padlet. I will tell you about it later.



Now we will have a Easter vacation at the ONL-course, or actually, it is a reflection week. So during Easter I will do some reflecting on the ONL-course.



So for the time being, Happy Easter to all of you!

Topic 1 compleeted!

This week have been a crazy week and it seems as the ONL-course have just the perfect timing now with the Corona virus spreading quickly, cancelling almost all campus-lectures. So today's Picture is from a super light speed voyage symbolizing the speed in which universities is now transfering into new methods of giving lectures. I do wonder, will there be any remaining, longlasting change in teaching methods after the Corona virus?

Now over to the ONL-course; So what have I learned in the Topic 1 work and discussions?

Tools used

Google drive

I have explored the functions in the Google drive and can see new ways of working together with other collecting information and working simoultanesly in the same documents/files. 

Padlet

I think this can be a useful tool for collecting information from Groups working simoultansely and from different places. 

FISh

The FISh procedure is simple and makes it easier to get up and running as quickly as possible with the actual task together with people I don't know. This worked as a guidance on how to get on with the task in a simple way without speending too much time on discussions on how to organize the work. A tool which I beleive I will use in some of my Courses.

We decided to work with the following Three questions.

What is the concept of digital literacy?

It is Amazing how many interpretations there is. Only from this work we found several different definitions. However the definitions themself might not be the most important outcome from this, but instead the disussions itself. However, if one definitions should be mentioned I suggest this one:

Digital literacy encompasses: The knowledge and skills required to participate in essential Information and Communication Tools (ICT) user activities. Ref: European Computer Driving Licence; Joint Information Systems Committee

How do we take into account different levels of digital literacy when designing online content?

Here we discussed different things from how to design the cussiculum to different digital Tools that can be used.
I chose to mention the different Tools that came up. 

- Zoom

- Microsoft 356

- Padlet 

- Panopto

- Mentimeter

- Overleaf

- Google Hangouts and Docs

What do you think? Any of these that you prefer? Anything you want to add to this list?

How can we as teachers support students with low digital competence?

There was different suggestions from the group on how to do this and I beleive all was good. If I have to pick just two of the I prefer these:

1)

Course description should stipulate the necessary skills. My understanding is that the purpose with this is that the student shall have the oportunity to prepare prior to the course starts.

2)    Once the course is running: a Q&A-tool could further support the students.

I found a checklist for digital inclusion wich I think can be useful. You can find it here: https://gds.blog.gov.uk  (search for checklist).

What frequent problems have you experienced and what do you suggest to assist the student? Or maybe assist the teacher? 

Now I am ready to start

I am now ready to start blogging. I have never blogged before and I am kind of leaving my Comfort zone now. Anyhow, I look forward to get started with next step in the ONL-course. Tomorrow I will meet my friends in the course at the first webinar.