Web Accessibility for Online Educators

I'm currently taking an Web Accessibility for Online Educators class, online.

I'll be posting my thoughts on the course here.

Moodle

Moodle (Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) is a content (or course) mangement system.

As a learner, when I was first assigned by my instructor to become part of a group and as a member of a group, conceded to assume a responsible to participate as a team player.

We, the group, were to go off into our own little virtual space and create things for each other (social constructionist), and the end product was designated by the instructor to be the basis for our grade.

Moodle, provided the activity modules we had available to create these documents. We chatted real-time (asynchronous discussion), it was interesting to watch, how some students would take what seemed like forever, to post a comment, others would ‘step on others’ midstream, but we stuck it out, and covered, who would do what and when, so we could complete this crazy teachers directions.

Next, we moved on to our Wikis which allowed us students to work together on collaboratively-authored project, and put the plan into action, several times we had to refer to the automatically generated text document from our chat session to review our plan.

As the weeks progressed we uploaded assignments. we participated in workshops, journalized on our own blogs, and uploaded graphic files, spreadsheets and flash content to incorporate in our group documents.

Our group glossary came in very handy, come time for quizzes which offered the instructor several options for automatic and manual scoring. I don't know how all of my co-workers fared in the course, but I aced the class, and learned a whole lot more than I would have, had I been left on my own.

The first thing I did after that class was get an online hosting service, my own url, and installed Moodle on it, who’da ever thought I’d own my own virtual learning environment?


There is a wonderful post online entilted The Pretty Good Teacher, that inspired me.

I don't know what will come of my own Moodle campus, but I do know that the possibilities are limited only by myself. I love Moodle, and have a lot to learn in as short as time as possible. I’m comfortable that, I’m in the right place.

"The revolution of Socrates is to change education from the transmission of culture, to the
development of self-reliance. If you want to function at the highest effectiveness as a teacher, then it is not enough to teach a subject to a student. Your goal must always be to teach the learner to be a teacher. Then the student is functioning at his highest relationship to the content, and to himself." - Jensen, Brad.

Class Project Assignment

Instructional/Learning Plan

Monte Thompson

Microsoft Access 2007

Student Learning Outcomes for Lesson 1 - 3

Upon successful completion of the first 3 lessons, the student will:

Lesson 1

• Describe the Access 2000, “Getting Started Window” (Office Button, New)
• Label and define the elements of the Access 2007 user-interface
• Choose a template database from Microsoft Office (you must be using Microsoft's Web browser to use this service).
• Make design changes to templates in Access 2007
• Demonstrate mastery of database terminology.

Lesson 2

• Define the term “Relational Database”
• Demonstrate knowledge of “Database Normalization Theory”
• Plan, design and create a new relational database, based on user needs, based on user needs. (Assignment 4)
• 
  
• Plan, design and create tables and forms for new database.

Lesson 3

• Import data into tables from Excel spreadsheets.
• Query a database using different methods. (Video)
• Generate user specified reports. (Video)

Prerequisites: Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel

Course: Introduction to Microsoft Access

Student Assessments:

Lesson 1: An Introduction to Microsoft Access 2007 User Interface

Content type: Concepts

Teaching strategy:

• Provide reading assignment which lists and examines 10 major Microsoft Access 2007 user-interface elements.
  
• Assign students to groups not exceeding 10 students per group.
  
• Demonstrate the user-interface elements, via an online video, which examines the new user interface of Microsoft Access 2007.
  
• Assign students to collaborative to create a class glossary, with definitions of the technology concepts introduced in this lesson.
  
• Assign reading assignment, discussing the educational advantages to them in participating in group collaborations.
  
• Students will be provided the opportunity to participate in daily scheduled video conferencing which will allow the students to participate in a real time learning experience, giving them access to a teacher and will allow for the ability to interact with other students in a Moodle environment.
  
• Students will be assigned to demonstrate their understanding of the Access user-interface elements (one element per student) by defining each of the major 10 Microsoft Access 2007 user-interface elements introduced in this lesson, using their group's wiki as their medium for exchanging ideas.
  
• Instructor will participate in all of the discussion, offering ideas and feedback.
  
• Students will be assigned a pre-test to determine any difficulties the students may be having grasping the concepts presented in this lessons .
  
• Students will be asked to complete a test, to determine any areas where further practice may be necessary.

Lesson 2: Download/Open/Edit/Save a Microsoft Access 2007, 'Database Template'.

Content type: Procedure
Teaching strategy:

• Provide reading assignment which explains the the elements that make up a database.
  
• Assign students to add to our collaborative glossary, with definitions of the technology concepts introduced in this lesson
  
• Assign students to download the Northwind 2007 template database from Microsoft Office.
  
• Provide reading assignment which describes the procedural steps to make design changes to templates in Access 2007.
  
• Provide students with instructions of modifications, they are to make to the tables and forms of their Northwind template database.
  
• Students will be provided the opportunity to participate in daily scheduled video conferencing which will allow the students to participate in a real time learning experience, giving them access to a teacher and will allow for the ability to interact with other students in a Moodle environment.
  
• Students will be assigned to upload their new database to the lessons assignment module.
  
• Students will provided an opportunity to correct any errors in their database discovered by the instructor, with feedback providing instructions to satisfy lesson requirements.
  
• Students will be assigned a pre-test to determine any difficulties the students may be having grasping the concepts presented in this lessons, post pre-test Instructor will provide student with feedback and direction to help insure the student has grasped the lessons materials. Grading will be based on the criteria of the course quiz/test grading rubric. 100% of learners will satisfactorily demonstrate their mastery of the concepts introduced in this lesson using this lesson's grading rubric
  
• Students will be asked to complete a test, to determine any areas where further practice may be necessary. Post test, the Instructor will provide student with feedback and direction to help insure the student has grasped the lessons materials, and provided an opportunity to retake lessons test.
  Grading will be based on the criteria of the course quiz/test grading rubric. 100% of learners will satisfactorily demonstrate their mastery of the concepts introduced in this lesson using this lesson's grading rubric
  
• Instructor will participate in all of the discussion, offering ideas and feedback.

Lesson 3:

Content type: Procedure

Teaching strategy:

• Assign students a reading exercise introducing them to the concepts of 'Relationship Databases' vs. 'Flat database' concepts.
  

• Assign reading exercise which defines the group database requirements.
  

• Groups will use their group wiki to collaborate their plans for designing and debugging their group's relational database.
  
  

• Assign students to create a group paper, using their wiki, listing and expanding on the procedural steps of designing and evaluating of their group database.

• Instructor will participate in all of the discussion, offering ideas and feedback.

• Students will be provided the opportunity to participate in daily scheduled video conferencing which will allow the students to participate in a real time learning experience, giving them access to a teacher and will allow for the ability to interact with other students in a Moodle environment.

Lesson 1 - 3 Course, lessons assesments
Microsoft Access 2007
Lesson 1: Introduction to the Microsoft Access 2007 User-Interface

• Apply the skills necessary to access an assigned web site, download assigned project, with 100% accuracy. This will be documented by successfully uploading the assigned database to the instructor.Construct diagrams that accurately explain and demonstrate an instructor specified, database schema. This will be evaluated through database schema scored with a rubric, with 80% accuracy and thoroughness.

• Construct diagrams that accurately explain and demonstrate instructor specified modifications to the database schema. This will be evaluated through database schema scored with a rubric, with 80% accuracy and thoroughness

• Demonstrate the knowledge to explain database design terminology. This will be measured by a multiple choice exam, with the criteria of success being that 100% of students, scoring a minimum score of 70%.

Lesson 2: Relational Database Concepts

• Analyze database schema and identify the best possible solution to a problem. This will be measured by a successfully implementing normalization of assigned database exercise, including the design and creation of tables, forms, and reports, with the criteria of success being that 100% of students successfully design and a database, based on instructors requirements.
  
• Demonstrate the knowledge and skills required to design an normalized Access database schema This will be measured by a multiple choice exam, with the criteria of success being that 100% of students scoring a minimum score of 70%.

Lesson 3: Database Schema and Normalization.

• Analyze database schema and identify the best possible solution to a problem. This will be measured by a successfully implementing normalization of assigned database exercise, including the building of tables, forms, and reports, with the criteria of success being that 100% of students successfully design and a database, based on instructors requirements.
  
• Demonstrate the knowledge and skills required to design an normalized Access database schema This will be measured by a multiple choice exam, with the criteria of success being that 100% of students scoring a minimum score of 70%.

Training Principals to Be Instructional Leaders

The following is the text from an e-mail I received from Edweek.org this morning...
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When: Wednesday, March 19, 3 p.m., Eastern time
Submit questions in advance.

Please join us for this online chat to discuss how principals can learn to team up with their teachers in a collegial quest to build top-notch instructional skills.

Nationwide, policymakers increasingly argue that shifting the principal's role from building manager to instructional leader is a key part of improving students' academic achievement. But relatively few districts have defined what instructional leadership looks like and tried to put it into practice.

The Norwalk-La Mirada school district, in suburban Los Angeles, is trying to be one of the few. It's training all 29 of its principals as part of a partnership with the University of Washington's Center for Educational Leadership. With coaches from the Center, groups of principals visit classrooms, observe instruction, discuss its strong and weak points, and plan concrete feedback to help teachers improve.

For background, please read:
• "California District Makes Instructional Leadership A Priority," March 12, 2008.

About the guests:

• Stephen Fink, the executive director of the Center on Educational Leadership at the University of Washington, is a former assistant superintendent, principal, and special education teacher in Washington state.

• Ginger Shattuck, the superintendent of the Norwalk-La Mirada school district, is a former elementary school teacher and principal, and director of elementary education in the district.

Submit questions in advance.

No special equipment other than Internet access is needed to participate in this text-based chat. A transcript will be posted shortly after the completion of the chat.

Security Bulletins From Microsoft Office 2007 - All Critical

Microsoft released only four new Security Bulletins, but all four were rated as Critical by Microsoft. Aside from being Critical, the four Security Bulletins had something else in common- they are all related to Microsoft Office.

Tere are vulnerabilities in Excel, Outlook, Office, and Office Web Components. In each case, the vulnerabilities could potentially be exploited to allow an attacker to control the target system and execute malicious code remotely. Microsoft Security Bulletins: March 2008.

Viscosity - An Online Art Tool

Viscosity is an online program that allows you to 'finger paint' your next art piece easily and store it online for the world to view and admire. Over at Demogirl.com, they have a video demonstrating the program, just click here to view.

Moodle gets WizIQ

WizIQ is now compatible with Moodle.

And, now a word from the videos sponsor:

"About This Video

What can you teach in your own Web 2.0 virtual ...

What can you teach in your own Web 2.0 virtual classroom at http://www.wiziq.com? New education whiteboard technology for online collaboration, which costs nothing and requires no downloads; teach in a browser in Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac and Linux. Share PowerPoint presentations and PDF tutorials on the interactive whiteboard. Use with Moodle for online teaching and e-learning. WiZiQ is similar to existing tools like Webex and Elluminate, but WiZiQ is absolutely free."