|
Objectives for this Activity:
In this
example, they were not directly presented to students before activity or
in syllabus, but rather were encompassed within the course objectives as
a whole. For this activity, the objective could be written as:
By obtaining 5 points in the given journal exercise as judged
by the rubric, student will articulate their own goals for the course to
aid the instructor in pedagogical decisions and to personalize the course
to their needs perhaps increasing motivation. This activity will also open
up or begin an important dialogue between the instructor and student in order
to discuss and internalize learning taking place.
Prerequisites for this Activity: (not necessarily presented
to students)
Student should have completed all activities for the given unit.
Materials and Resources:
What needs to be prepared in advance by the teacher? - The assignment page
What does the student need to bring to the lesson? - Complete prior readings
and activities.
Guiding Questions for this Activity: (may be presented
directly to students)
What do the students bring to the course, and what do they desire to get
out of it?
Activity as Presented to Students: (usually in conjunction with the asynchronous
discussion forum)
 Journal Assignment
Purpose:
During the first week of class (the orientation week), we'll begin
using our journals. You need to enter in your journals at least
three expectations that you have of this class. Be sure to check
the rubric to see how points will be awarded. I'd like to encourage
you to use this as an opportunity to "personalize" the class to
address your needs. Try to apply your goals to your specific needs,
the discipline you teach, the point at which you're currently at
in you online teaching or preparation or the challenges you're
facing. This will help me begin an individual dialogue with you
throughout the course. By using this journal process, I hope that
together we can make this course really practical and beneficial
for each of you!
Journal Entries:
Your journal entries will only be seen by you and me. This is
a private form of communication.
Instructions for Journal Entry:
For our journals, we're using Messaging, a tool that is new to this updated
edition of Moodle. In the past, I've used the dialogue tool for
journals. But the dialogue tool no longer exists in moodle. So,
this will be a new experience for all of us! I'm hoping it will
work smoothly. To enter your course expectations in your journal,
- Click on Messages in the tool bar to the right of your screen.
- Notice the tabs. Click on Contact and make me one of your contacts.
- Submit your journal entry. Please title it -- Course Expectations.
|
Teaching Strategies:
What are some tips to help the lesson run smoothly?
- Make sure that you provide
adequate feedback on this activity so that students will maintain their
motivation to actively reflect on their learning.
- Come back to this activity continually in the course, providing the students
the opportunity to reflect back on what they have learned and re-evaluate
prior decisions.
- To motivate students and start the course on a positive note, provide
a modest number of points toward the course grade through this activity.
Accommodations:
Probably none. Most disabilities have technology allowing text entry; however,
any software used should be appropriately tested.
Ideas for Activity Evaluation and Teacher Reflection:
End of semester evaluations should
ask about the usefulness and learning accomplished through such activities.
Also, the responses in the forum will help guage how the students are
enjoying various aspects of the activity.
Sample Rubric:
The post for this orientation activity, which begins
your journal writing, is worth 5 total points.
Points Earned |
Criteria |
| 5 |
Participant enters into his/her journal two or three
course expectations that outline his/her need for the content,
the topics he expects to cover and the knowledge he will
gain in a well articulated and substantial manner. |
| 3 |
Participant enters into his/her journal two or three
course expectations but does not make clear how he/she
expects to use the information. The expectations are
not well articulated or not substantial. |
| 1 |
Participant enters into his/her journal fewer than two
or three course expectations. They are not substantial
and not well articulated. |
|
Back to Top
 Return
to Journaling Activity
Return
to OTAI Main Page
|
