Asynchronous Delivery Systems in Distance Learning

Dr. Steve BroskoskeMisericordia University

EDU 568 Distance Educationand Hybrid Technologies

Outline

• What are asynchronous delivery systems?• Specific technologies as delivery systems for

content:– E-mail, discussion boards, blogs, podcasts, Wiki,

Web pages.• Hands-on:– Blog.– Wiki.– Web page.

What Are AsynchronousDelivery Systems?

What Are AsynchronousDelivery Systems?

• Asynchronous: When teachers and students do not have to be participating in the same activity at the same time.

• Examples: Web pages, e-mail, Wiki, discussion boards, blogs, and podcasts.

Benefits of Asynchronous Systems

• Students work when convenient.• Students can spend as much time as they

choose (including repeating material).• Students have time to research/process

information.• Students benefit from and enjoy interaction

with instructor and others.

Increases learner control and convenience.

Use of E-mail in Distance Learning

• E-mail is a great way of staying in touch with students (and their parents).– Communication.– Sending/submitting of homework and

assignments.– Sending additional materials.

Use of Discussion Boardsin Distance Learning

• Provides an avenue to express ideas.• Engages students in conversation and learning.• Allows students forum to post information and

receive feedback from instructor/students.• Allows discussions to be conducted away from

the classroom.• Can be used as a collaborative learning tool.• Encourages enthusiasm for writing.

Review

Blogs

• blog: Shortened form of the word weblog. Blogs are Web-based journal pages which are added one at a time, with the most recent on top.

• Blog posts normally allow readers (many times members) to comment on each post, opening the possibility for dialogue.

How Are Blogs Being Used?

• Provide content/news/information.

• Communication tool (like discussion boards).

• Update information on software/hardware products.

Cali Lewis blog

Citizens Voice Times Leader

Google blog

Audacity (also Wiki)

Examples of Educational Blogs

• One teacher’s blog at Weblogg-ed.

• Wiki that lists educational blogs.

• Various topic blogs at Families.com.

One Teacher’s blog

Support Blogging Wiki

Families.com blogs

Educational Uses of Blogs

• Students can post material to show/document their progress on a project.

• Students can post material that they learn as they research a topic.

• Students can make comments about each other’s writing/work (peer reviews).

Educational Uses of Blogs

• Engages students in conversation about learning.

• Allows students to become information providers online.

• Allows students to build skills to communicate more effectively.

Is There Any GoodInformation on Blogs?

• Search blogs at Technorati.com.

Technorati.com

Use of Blogs for Your Course

1. How might you utilize blogs in the blended course you are proposing?

2. What type of information could you blog about (for you to be an information provider on the Web)?

Discussion

Starting Your Own Blog

• Navigate to http://www.blogger.com.• Let’s watch a video about blogging.• Let’s take a tour of the features of this

blogging site.• Let’s create our own personal blog.– Could be academic or personal.

Assignments/Activities

• Create a blog. Use this blog to document information that you learn throughout this course about distance learning. Read the blogs of other class members and leave comments when appropriate on their blogs.

Podcasting

• podcast: An audio recording that can be listened to via an iPod, other MP3 player, or any computer.

• In addition to the entertainment industry, many teachers are creating podcasts to support their classes.

• Many podcasters will offer an RSS feed to alert users of new podcasts available at the site.

Podcasting

• The term podcasting comes from the name iPod, an .mp3 player manufactured by Apple, Inc.

• The term podcast no longer specifically relates to the iPod, but rather to any portable MP3 player or PC software/hardware combination that allows a user to download and play files.

• MP3 players have primarily been used to download and play audio files, but have expanded into playing video files as well.

iPods

• iPods are digital audio (and video) devices.• Also known as

MP3 players.• iPods are not:– Not just for kids.– Not just for music.– Not just for playing costly files.

iPods Are Compact!

• Size and weight– Height: 2.75”– Width: 2.06”– Depth: 0.26”

(6.5 mm) – Weight: 1.74 oz.

(49.2 grams)

• Nano– Height: 1.07”– Width: 1.62”– Depth: 0.41”

(including clip) – Weight: 0.55 oz.

(15.6 grams)

What Does an iPod Do?

• Music.• Movies.• TV shows.• Podcasts.• Audio books.• Games.

iPods Hold Tons of Information!

• Capacity (4 GB or 8 GB)– Holds up to 1,000 or 2,000 songs.– Holds up to 3,500 or 7,000 photos.– Holds up to 4 hours or 8 hours of video.– Stores data via USB flash drive.• Will not erase if battery dies.

Memory is measured in gigabytes (billions of bytes), written as GB.

iPods Hold Tons of Information!

• Units with larger memory:– 16GB: 3,500 songs.– 32GB: 7,000 songs.– 80GB: 20,000 songs.– 160GB: 40,000 songs (or 200 hours of video).

iPod Cost Depends onMemory and Features

• Price Range:– iPod Nano with 1 GB memory• $49

– iPod Classic with 160 GB memory• $350

•More memory = higher cost.•Video = higher cost.•More memory = higher cost.•Video = higher cost.

iTunes

• iTunes is Apple’s online store for the iPod.• You can easily search and purchase (some

free!) content from iTunes.• When you connect iPod to a PC, iTunes

automatically downloads new content.

How Can a Teacher Use iPod?

• Download music for use in class.– Purchase from iTunes.– Import music from other sites.

• Download podcast (audio only or with video).• Download audio books.• Download video and show on TV.• Record class activities (student-created

content songs).

Finding Podcasts

• Educational Podcast Network

• iTunes (largest repository of podcasts)EPN

iTunes

Podcastsalso playon PC’s.We will look at creating

our own podcasts later this semester.

What Is Wiki?

• Wiki– Comes from the Hawaiian term, wiki wiki

(meaning "quick").

What Is Wiki?

• Wiki is a “quick” Web page that readers of the Web page can edit (make permanent changes to).

• Press the edit button to make changes to the Web page for everyone to see.

Wiki Examples

Wikipedia

Using Wiki in Education(Online Book)

Wikiversity

When/Why WouldTeachers Use Wiki?

• Facilitates collaboration.• Allows students to learn from the work of

other students (along with edits by the teacher).

• Enhances student motivation.– Work can be made public (class, school, or

everyone).• Can provide more student control and

independence in learning activity.

When/Why WouldTeachers Use Wiki?

• Can invite contributors/editors from outside of the class.

• Allows student to demonstrate work over time (deter online plagiarism).

• Allows students to participate in a meaningful, real-life project.

• Facilitates construction of knowledge.

How Can Teachers Use Wiki?

• Set up a knowledge base (class or school).• Essay writing.• Collaborative writing of a play/story.• Develop classroom rules or constitution.

Student Wiki Use:Dr. Steve’s Personal Research

• Students are:– Excited to try the new technology.– Excited about producing a meaningful, usable

product (being producers of information).– Appreciate a break from traditional assignment

formats.

Demo

Dr. Steve’s SandboxAt WikiSpaces.com

Try It

1. Create a user name at WikiSpaces.com.2. Experiment in Dr. Steve’s sandbox at

WikiSpaces.

Dr. Steve’s Sandboxat WikiSpaces.com

Tracking Student Work

• Methods of tracking student work:1) View history.2) RSS feed in my browser:• For edits.• For discussion.

1. Select a feed to follow.

2. Then choose a feed to view from your favorites.

Examine

• Examine the following items online:– History of edits.– RSS feed.– Communication:• E-mail.• Discussion.

Music Methods Wiki

Try It

1. Experiment in Dr. Steve’s sandbox at WikiSpaces.

Dr. Steve’s Sandboxat WikiSpaces.com

Assignments/Activities

• Research best practices from teaching and/or learning perspective in distance learning. Submit at least 5 best practices to the class Wiki, and participate in organizing this listing into a practical, usable resource.

Example: MusicMethods Wiki

Our Course Wiki

Use of Web Pages in Distance Learning

• Web pages are a “natural” for distance learning.– Way to introduce yourself to students.– Way to organize course information:• Assignments.• Readings.• Links to material.

Creating a Web Page with Word

• Change the view mode to Web layout view. • Open an existing document created in Word

(such as notes or a hand out you have created for your students), OR create a new Word document. Format the document on the screen as you would like it to appear on the Web.

Creating a Web Page with Word

• Add a background image if you desire. – Click the page layout tab, go to the page

background group. Select page color--fill effects--picture. The image you insert will tile> over the entire Web page.

• Insert a graphic. – From the insert tab, select picture OR clipart from

the illustrations group.

Creating a Web Page with Word

• Add hypertext as needed. – Simple method of creating hypertext:

• Type a URL or an e-mail address. When you type a space, enter, or other character, the text you typed turns blue. It is now active hypertext.

– Complex (and more effective) method of creating hypertext: • Highlight text that you want to make hot. • Right-click and select hyperlink from the pop-up menu.

– In the address field on the bottom of the dialog, type or paste in a URL. – OR, link to another Web page by pressing the existing file or Web page

button on the left, and selecting an HTML file.

Creating a Web Page with Word

• Save the file as a Web page (.html). – Select file--save as--other formats from the Office button. – Complete all of the following options to save as a Web page:

• Name: Create a name for your Web page file. Remember to name your front page: index.htm (or index.html).

• Save type: In the "save as type" field under the file name field, select Web page (*.htm or *.html).

• Page title: In the save dialog above the box where you enter the file name, you find a new option: page title. Press the change title button and edit the title of the page. This title will appear in the blue title bar of the Web page when it is opened in Internet Explorer or other Web browser.

Assignments/Activities

• Using Word, create a personal home page that will introduce you as instructor to your students. (Later on, we will link this Web page in to the final course project.)

Review of Assignments/Activities

1. Create a blog to document information that you learn throughout this course about distance learning.

2. Research and submit at least 5 best practices in DL to class Wiki, and participate in organizing into a practical, usable resource.

3. Using Word, create a personal home page that will introduce you as instructor to your students.

4. Continue discussions under My Courses in e-MU.

Next Week

• Explore synchronous delivery systems in distance learning.