Below is a description of the July/August 2003 issue of The Technology Source, a free, refereed e-journal published as a public service by the Michigan Virtual University at
http://ts.mivu.org
Please forward this announcement to colleagues who are interested in using information technology tools more effectively in their work. Also, please encourage your organizational librarians to add The Technology Source to their e-journal collections.
As always, we seek illuminating articles that will assist educators as they face the challenge of using information technology tools in teaching and in managing educational organizations. Please review our call for manuscripts at
http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=call and send me a note if you would like to contribute an article.
Many thanks.
Jim
--
James L. Morrison
Editor-in-Chief
The Technology Source
http://ts.mivu.org
Home Page:
http://horizon.unc.edu
INSIDE THE TECHNOLOGY SOURCE
One of the more noteworthy recent trends in online culture is the weblog--a personal Web site on which authors regularly post commentary and related hyperlinks. Our first three features in this issue of The Technology Source address the current status of weblogs and weblog-related technology in the academy, as well as the potential impact of these tools on the future of education. Stephen Downes initiates the discussion with an introduction to Weblogs at Harvard Law. (See
http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=2019 ) Mary Harrsch explains how rich site summary, the syndication technology behind blogs and other electronic phenomena, enables writers to have their thoughts and insights directly distributed as news feeds to other sites (See
http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=2010 ) Jon Baggaley narrows the topic to an institutional level by describing the use of blogging as a course management tool at Athabasca University in Alberta, Canada. (See
http://ts.mi!
vu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=2011 )
Distance learning increasingly relies upon problem-based assignments and small group projects. Joel Foreman predicts that this trend will only heighten the importance of synchronous interaction. He compares and evaluates the range of tools currently available to instructors: video conferencing, online chat, phone conferencing, and Web conferencing systems that support both application sharing and audio communication. (See
http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=1042 )
What does it take to create a viable learning "neighborhood" within cyberspace? Eric Adams and Chris Freeman outline the initial questions that should guide online design and then assess the ways in which message boards, virtual classrooms, and user profile pages can work individually and collectively to make learning communities more "habitable" for their members. (See
http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=994 )
Online courses offer many sources from which instructors can mine appraisals of their teaching (e.g., e-mail discussions, chat communications, and message board postings). But as Coralie McCormack, Andrelyn Applebee, and Peter Donnan note, the availability of such information does not imply the free use of it. These authors address the sensitive ethical and legal issues that Web-based assessment can raise, particularly in regard to the reproduction of student comments posted online. (See
http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=1006 )
John Schiller discusses the importance of elementary school principals as "change facilitators," especially in relation to technology implementation and integration. Readers involved with any level of educational management would do well to consider the administrative roles that Schiller describes and their relative success in fostering institutional transformation. (See
http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=1009 )
Too often in virtual learning environments, the basic element that connects students to the course is a static one--a plain syllabus that merely outlines assignments without taking advantage of the digital medium in which it resides. Sylvie Richards reveals how an interactive syllabus can prompt students to engage with course material in adaptive ways. (See
http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=1017 )
The increasingly competitive educational environment in Canada impelled one department at Brandon University to explore distributed learning as a means of reaching its target market. Gabriele Ferrazzi???s report highlights the need for clear road maps that can help small departments or institutions (with limited resources) create partnerships, build organizational support, and make an appropriate commitment to distributed learning. (See
http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=946 )
George Gadanidis and Sharon Rich, both of the University of Western Ontario, conclude the issue by describing their faculty???s replacement of some traditional large lecture classes with interactive online content modules and discussion conferences. The authors describe specific concerns that shaped the online initiative and assess its impact on faculty workload and compensation. (See
http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=1022 )