Sorry Leigh.....i was going to write this wonderful blog about Elluminate, then got busy with sessions and only managed the title.....
I have had the opportunity to log into both sessions of Elluminate with Terry this week. "Thank you Terry, really enjoyed the sessions."
"Elluminate". What a brilliant resource. I found the way you use the microphone one at a time (when it works without sounding like Darth Vader....sorry Bronwyn) worked really well. In comparision, with Skype, you can over talk someone else easily which becomes hard to keep track of who is talking and then you have a long silence because everyone is waiting for the other person to talk. The connection seemed alot clearer in Elluminate than with Skype. Often with Skype the connection is very disconnected and you end up only hearing have the conversation. Elluminate is much easier to use. If someone is talking you can put your hand up by clicking on the hand icon and this lets the site manager know that you would like to talk. Then by clicking on the microphne icon you can speak to all or one, you choose. Great to beable to txt chat as well. This would be great for shy students that may find it abit easier to do initially rather than speak though the microphone.
The powerpoint presentation was easy to follow with Terry's commentary. The white board is also a great feature where you can write messages, insert pictures etc. I guess the options are limitless. The shared files once they loaded were easy to see and follow. Great to beable to see, hear and participate at the same time. I think if you had dial up, it could be a problem with the files to downloading a bit too slow though.
I can see the great benifits of this teaching tool being used for distance learners. You really do feel as though you are part of the class and is very interactive.
Wednesday, 18 April 2007
Tuesday, 17 April 2007
I have been doing lots of reading about flexible learning. The entrys that other students have done are very interesting and raise some good points.
I have been finding it hard myself to be motivated in learning this course although i am finding it really interesting and relative to my work. I find it differcult to go about learning by myself without being in a stuctured class. My learning style is visual and auditory so i find it differcult to motivate myself to get out there and do research. I can be reading information and at the end i dont wont have a clue what it is i have just read.
Looking for to the Elluminate session this afternoon. I think i will find that most interesting. Using Skype though the Central Otago Venues has been easy and has saved lots of time being able to set up meetings with the other supervisors at different venues instead of phyically going there.
I have been finding it hard myself to be motivated in learning this course although i am finding it really interesting and relative to my work. I find it differcult to go about learning by myself without being in a stuctured class. My learning style is visual and auditory so i find it differcult to motivate myself to get out there and do research. I can be reading information and at the end i dont wont have a clue what it is i have just read.
Looking for to the Elluminate session this afternoon. I think i will find that most interesting. Using Skype though the Central Otago Venues has been easy and has saved lots of time being able to set up meetings with the other supervisors at different venues instead of phyically going there.
Thursday, 8 March 2007
What is Flexible Learning??????
The way we deliver our courses here at our Community Learning centre is, i feel, very flexible.
A person can walk in off the street and be learning how to use a computer within a short time.
Session times are very flexible with 2 hour session thoughout the day and night sessions to suit students that maybe have day jobs or family commitments during the day.
We cater for ages 16 years to 100 years. My oldest C4Free student was born in 1921. He was given a computer from his family and wanted to learn how to use it and send emails to keep intouch with his family that is scattered far and wide around the world. Learning doesn't stop because you think you have reached a certain age.
The process for students enrolling in Computing For Free (C4Free) is very quick, filling out one form and a dicussion with a facilitator to find out how much they know and what their learning needs are. Then they are given a book to work though at their own pace.
Our Qualifications For You (Q4U) courses take a little more time with paper work etc but much the same discussion goes on to find out how much the student knows, their experiences with computer programmes, what their needs are and what they would like to learn. Students are then given the unit standard book to go though at their own pace. Students are given workbooks to fill out as they go though the sections of the book to reinforce what they have learnt in the previous section. This is a good way to assess their learning along the way.
Once they have completed the unit standard book students are encouraged to complete the assessment for that unit. My oldest student enrolled in Q4U was born in 1931 and has now completed their National Certificate in Computing Level 2 . What an achievement!!!!
We also have an on-line version of Q4U with Intuito where the student enrols with us at the Community Learning Centre and is shown by a facilitator how to work with the on-line learning programme and then they are free to work with it anytime, anywhere. They can also come in study the on-line course in our computer suites if they find they need help or reasurrance from a facilitator. I find with the Intuito though its not as flexible as it could be as the students still need to make time to come into the suite to go though the enrollment process and wade though the paperwork with a facilitator. Also when it comes to completing their unit there is an on-line assessment to pass but also they need to come and make a time to do our own assessment to beable to pass that unit. Once the assessment is passed the student then needs to go though the whole process again for the next unit/units. Not very flexible for some people.
A person can walk in off the street and be learning how to use a computer within a short time.
Session times are very flexible with 2 hour session thoughout the day and night sessions to suit students that maybe have day jobs or family commitments during the day.
We cater for ages 16 years to 100 years. My oldest C4Free student was born in 1921. He was given a computer from his family and wanted to learn how to use it and send emails to keep intouch with his family that is scattered far and wide around the world. Learning doesn't stop because you think you have reached a certain age.
The process for students enrolling in Computing For Free (C4Free) is very quick, filling out one form and a dicussion with a facilitator to find out how much they know and what their learning needs are. Then they are given a book to work though at their own pace.
Our Qualifications For You (Q4U) courses take a little more time with paper work etc but much the same discussion goes on to find out how much the student knows, their experiences with computer programmes, what their needs are and what they would like to learn. Students are then given the unit standard book to go though at their own pace. Students are given workbooks to fill out as they go though the sections of the book to reinforce what they have learnt in the previous section. This is a good way to assess their learning along the way.
Once they have completed the unit standard book students are encouraged to complete the assessment for that unit. My oldest student enrolled in Q4U was born in 1931 and has now completed their National Certificate in Computing Level 2 . What an achievement!!!!
We also have an on-line version of Q4U with Intuito where the student enrols with us at the Community Learning Centre and is shown by a facilitator how to work with the on-line learning programme and then they are free to work with it anytime, anywhere. They can also come in study the on-line course in our computer suites if they find they need help or reasurrance from a facilitator. I find with the Intuito though its not as flexible as it could be as the students still need to make time to come into the suite to go though the enrollment process and wade though the paperwork with a facilitator. Also when it comes to completing their unit there is an on-line assessment to pass but also they need to come and make a time to do our own assessment to beable to pass that unit. Once the assessment is passed the student then needs to go though the whole process again for the next unit/units. Not very flexible for some people.
Monday, 26 February 2007
Flexible Learning Course
So far joining the flexible learning course Leigh has helped the Central Community Learning Centres by setting up Skype so we can all communicate to each other. This has proved very successful for all of us. We communicate on a daily basis with each other mainly one on one conversations. Any problems and queries can be solved and/or talked over in an instant. Skype is very easy to learn to use.
Next we joined up with Leigh in Wanaka on th 26th Feb to set up my delicious account and talk over the course.
I found setting up delicious abit confussing. You need to use numbers and letters so i needed to use a different password than my usual one.
Leigh showed me how to post sites to my delicious account. It will be interesting to see if i remember how to do this when i'm on my own.
Vida came with us to Wanaka and she is also helping me with my Blog. Vida is a student from last year and is the CLC supervisor for Alexandra. It is great to have her on board and have her help though this course.
My background is hairdressing which was along time ago. I completed my 3 year apprentiship in Queenstown. My theory work had to be done though correspondence which was very hard to do in your spare time. I had papers sent to me every so often that had to be completed by a certain time. I didn't know or see the person behind marking my assignments, they were just papers that came and went to be marked. Flexible Learning has come a long way since then!
Useful Links:
http://creativecommons.org/
www.SoftwareEducation.co.nz
Next we joined up with Leigh in Wanaka on th 26th Feb to set up my delicious account and talk over the course.
I found setting up delicious abit confussing. You need to use numbers and letters so i needed to use a different password than my usual one.
Leigh showed me how to post sites to my delicious account. It will be interesting to see if i remember how to do this when i'm on my own.
Vida came with us to Wanaka and she is also helping me with my Blog. Vida is a student from last year and is the CLC supervisor for Alexandra. It is great to have her on board and have her help though this course.
My background is hairdressing which was along time ago. I completed my 3 year apprentiship in Queenstown. My theory work had to be done though correspondence which was very hard to do in your spare time. I had papers sent to me every so often that had to be completed by a certain time. I didn't know or see the person behind marking my assignments, they were just papers that came and went to be marked. Flexible Learning has come a long way since then!
Useful Links:
http://creativecommons.org/
www.SoftwareEducation.co.nz
Wednesday, 14 February 2007
Welcome
Welcome to my blog.
Hi my name is Sheryll. I am the superisor for Cromwell Community Learning Centre.
Hi my name is Sheryll. I am the superisor for Cromwell Community Learning Centre.
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