Doctoral Journey

2011-12-02T13:22:00.001-08:00

Instructor Experiences with Implementing Technology in Blended Learning Courses

Authored by Dr. Nellie Deutsch Ed.D

You may buy the book on Createspace, Amazon, Barnes & Noble or ask for it at your school library.

Publication Date:: May 21 2010
ISBN/EAN13:: 1463594526 / 9781463594527
Page Count:: 462
Binding Type:: US Trade Paper
Trim Size:: 8.5" x 11"
Language:: English
Color:: Black and White
Related Categories:: Education / Research

About the author:
Dr. Nellie Deutsch is a Canadian English teacher to speakers of English as a foreign language (EFL), researcher, writer, and leader in organizing free online professional development workshops for educators around the world. Nellie founded Integrating Technology for Active Lifelong Learning (IT4ALL), an international volunteer network that provides free professional development workshops, to connect educators from around the world. She coordinates and facilitates professional development workshops and conferences for teachers on how to integrate technology into the face-to-face and online classrooms using Moodle, WebQuests, web 2.0 tools, social networks, e-portfolios, and Wikis.
Dr. Deutsch organizes the annual Connecting Online for instruction and learning (CO09-CO12) and Moodlemoot (MMVC11) free online conferences, hosted by IT4ALL and supported by WizIQ online virtual class. Dr. Deutsch has provided consultation on how to integrate Moodle and Elluminate learning environments for distance education at Open University and at WikiEducator supported by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and Otago Polytechnic (New Zealand in developing Open Education Resources (OERs) and facilitating the international free and open online courses.

Nellie earned her doctorate from the University of Phoenix from the School of Advanced Studies in 2010 in education and leadership specializing in curriculum and instruction.

Instructor Experiences with Implementing Technology in Blended Learning Courses in Higher Education: An Abstract

2010-06-29T02:52:00.000-07:00

Instructor Experiences with Implementing Technology in Blended Learning Courses

Authored by Dr. Nellie Deutsch Ed.D

You may buy the book on Createspace, Amazon, Barnes & Noble or ask for it at your school library.

Publication Date:: May 21 2010
ISBN/EAN13:: 1463594526 / 9781463594527
Page Count:: 462
Binding Type:: US Trade Paper
Trim Size:: 8.5" x 11"
Language:: English
Color:: Black and White
Related Categories:: Education / Research

Organizational leaders in institutions of higher education expect instructors to implement blended learning courses without understanding instructor experiences with technology. Requiring faculty to teach blended learning courses without fully understanding the experiences instructors had implementing technology may lead to developing inappropriate professional training programs, ineffective use of technology, or to instructor disuse of technology in the future. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to explore the experiences instructors had implementing technology in blended learning courses in campus-based institutions of higher education worldwide. This qualitative phenomenological research study used a modified van Kaam method by Moustakas (1994) with in-depth, semi-structured interviews to explore the experiences instructors had implementing technology in blended learning courses. The analysis of the transcribed interviews revealed four themes: (a) facilitating instruction and learning, (b) frustrating, ^©satisfying and rewarding, and (d) socially connecting. The conclusions derived from the study suggest that learning about the experiences instructors had implementing technology in blended learning courses may guide educational leaders in providing support and in preparing professional development workshops on how to teach blended learning courses.

About the author:
Dr. Nellie Deutsch is a Canadian English teacher to speakers of English as a foreign language (EFL), researcher, writer, and leader in organizing free online professional development workshops for educators around the world. Nellie founded Integrating Technology for Active Lifelong Learning (IT4ALL), an international volunteer network that provides free professional development workshops, to connect educators from around the world. She coordinates and facilitates professional development workshops and conferences for teachers on how to integrate technology into the face-to-face and online classrooms using Moodle, WebQuests, web 2.0 tools, social networks, e-portfolios, and Wikis.
Dr. Deutsch organizes the annual Connecting Online for instruction and learning (CO09-CO12) and Moodlemoot (MMVC11) free online conferences, hosted by IT4ALL and supported by WizIQ online virtual class. Dr. Deutsch has provided consultation on how to integrate Moodle and Elluminate learning environments for distance education at Open University and at WikiEducator supported by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and Otago Polytechnic (New Zealand in developing Open Education Resources (OERs) and facilitating the international free and open online courses.

Nellie earned her doctorate from the University of Phoenix from the School of Advanced Studies in 2010 in education and leadership specializing in curriculum and instruction.

Teaching with Technology

2010-06-02T14:45:00.000-07:00

SCoPE: Seminars: ePortfolios: May 31-June 13, 2010 | Diigo

2010-05-31T10:03:00.000-07:00

SCoPE: Seminars: ePortfolios: May 31-June 13, 2010 | Diigo

Last Day (May 31, 2010)

2010-05-31T07:03:00.000-07:00

Today is the last day of my doctoral journey. The process began on February 28, 2006. I passed the oral defense and submitted the dissertation to the dean's office on Friday May 21, 2010.

Am I an ABD (All But Dissertation?

2009-04-24T16:36:00.000-07:00

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I just completed my doc courses. Does that mean I am not an official ABD?

No More Grades!!!

2009-04-09T16:40:00.000-07:00

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In less than two weeks, I will finish my doctoral program with no more teamwork, papers, or trying to get 95+. I will have freedom from grades forever. I will have reached the top; no more grading for me. Can you imagine the freedom of that? All my life I have been plagued by being graded out of 100. I will never be graded by teachers again.

Pressure to implement blended learning and technology in higher education

2009-04-04T17:44:00.001-07:00

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Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory and Practice
Issue: Volume 10, Number 1 / 2008-2009
Pages: 3 - 19
URL: Linking Options

Technology and Higher Education: The Impact of E-Learning Approaches on Student Academic Achievement, Perceptions and Persistence

Amaury Nora A1 and Blanca Plazas Snyder A1

A1 University of Houston

Abstract:

While e-learning, Web-enhanced instruction, and other forms of instructional technology have been touted as an effective way of addressing student withdrawal and academic performance, there are those (Carr, 2000) that report both program and end-of-semester course completion rates in distance education courses as merely acceptable compared to more traditional courses. This disagreement, coupled with the need to establish empirically-based instructional techniques, drives the desire to fully grasp the true impact of different forms of technology on retention and graduation rates among students. The purpose of this article is to provide readers with a comprehensive overview of the literature concerning technology at the post-secondary level. We discuss studies that have examined the various uses of technology in the classroom, student perceptions of technology, student usage of technology, student attitudes toward technology, and the direction in which technology is heading. Specifically, the main objective was to highlight the findings with regard to the connection between technology and student learning, and between technology and student persistence.

Pressure to implement blended learning and technology in higher education

2009-04-04T17:35:00.000-07:00

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Community College Review, Vol. 34, No. 4, 324-343 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0091552107300331

Connecting Organizational Environments With the Instructional Technology Practices of Community College Faculty
Matthew M. Mars

University of Arizona, Office of Technology Transfer

Mary Beth Ginter

Pima Community College—West Campus

The ongoing integration of instructional technology within community colleges has occurred for a variety of reasons. First, community colleges have implemented technology-based models to make operations more efficient and cost-effective. Second, instructional technology has been used to expand student markets through alternative course-delivery methods that reach those students unable to attend traditional campus courses because of geographical locations and constraints related to rigid work and family schedules. Third, community college courses are regularly updated to increase enrollment capacities and in many cases to better align content with today's high-tech economy. In this study, the authors use Karl Weick's conceptualization of loosely coupled organizations to explore the organizational environments of three community colleges in relation to the emphasis each institution places on the use of instructional technologies.

Key Words: community colleges • organizational environments • instructional technologies • college faculty culture

Program Evaluation

2009-03-15T14:30:00.001-07:00

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I am on my last course and feeling very strange as I will be leaving my current comfort zone and entering a new domain. The new territory will probably change me forever. I am currently searching for motivators for programmatic evaluations. I found money and improvements. However, I think the main driving force is funding. No one will conduct a program evaluation unless they are paid.

Humour and Doctoral Studies

2009-03-15T14:26:00.000-07:00

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EDD732 on Analysis of Policymaking Development in the USA (UOP)

2009-02-21T00:32:00.000-08:00

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The past weeks have gone by very quickly. I had very little knowledge of the policymaking process before the course. The course helped me understand that policy development is a complex process with many variables that need consideration and teamwork to ensure successful development and implementation. (Cooper, Fusarelli & Randall, 2004). Normative, structural, constituentive, and technical dimensions can help explain the complexities but do make things any simpler (Cooper, Fasarelli & Randall, 2004). The reason for the complexities are multiple ideas (normative) on what needs changing, by whom (structural and constituentive), and how (technical). Professional workshops would help members learn how to listen and collaborate with all the stakeholders involved. Learning to listen in order to gain information will unite and increase collaboration among the constituents and the policymakers (Rouk, 2000).

I liked the idea of "study circle dialogues" that can provide policymakers with information from experts in the field of education as well as from parents, students, and the community (Rouk, 2000). The study circles help policymakers gain a better understanding of the public needs and interests (Rouk, 2000). Policymakers need to learn to relate to a diverse population with multiple ideas (Cooper et al., 2004). The policymaking process must include professional development in self and social awareness. It is important for policymakers to improve their understanding of the different. Training can provide the tools on how to improve relational processes at a learning organization so that learners will be treated fairly (Chernis & Goleman, 2001). Emotional and moral teachings can help policymakers learn about themselves and the way they relate to differences. The focus should be on relating to conflicting interests as an asset and not a barrier (Chernis & Goleman, 2001). I believe that becoming aware of our selves and social awareness are the keys to a better understanding and acceptance of different opinions. The class discussions exemplify the kind of social awareness and respect of others' that policymakers should have.

Dr. Williams has done an incredible job at evaluating individual and teams papers on the second final course on Contemporary Policy Analysis and Development (EDD732). EDD 732 Contemporary Policy Analysis and Development provided me with an excellent background on the political environment educational leaders must understand policy development, implementation, and analysis at the federal, state, local and institutional levels in the United States of America. I gained a good perspective on contemporary educational policy at all levels and investigated two policies, IDEA and Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008. I learned about the complexity of political relations and the factors that influence these interactions. I would like thank my fellow classmates at the University of Phoenix and my instructor. I learned a great deal from the class discussions and teamwork onjavascript:void(0) the debate and team paper on IDEA. I also learned from my instructors assessments. I hope our paths cross as we continue to engage in improving instruction and learning.

I would like to add that I found the topic of Dr. Williams' dissertation (2006)very relevant to what I do online as I attempt to engage educators in collaborative learning. Teachers at all levels find that the process of online collaboration enriches their personal and professional lives. I belong to Webheads in Action (WIA) a professional community of learners who teach English as a foreign and second language worldwide. As a Webhead and the EVO09- TESOL initiative, I have been co-moderating a free online course on a voluntary basis with 3 other educators called digifolios on digital ID and personal learning spaces. The final results produced by the online teams and the feedback has been creative and heartwarming. I believe EDD732 has had a contribution to making digifolios ning a success.

I am sad that we will be parting soon. As much as the courses take a lot of my time, they are great learning environments. I have enjoyed learning by discussions and writing individual and team papers.

I would like to thank Dr. Williams for doing a great job in facilitating the class.

I have one more formal course to go before I attend to chapters 1-3 and my research project.

References used in the implications and conclusion part:

Chernis, C., & Goleman, D. (2001). The emotionally intelligent workplace: How to select for, measure, and improve emotional intelligence in individuals, groups, and organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bas

Cooper, B. S., Fusarelli, L. D. & Randall E. V. (2004). Better policies, better schools: theories and application. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Rouk, U. (2000, November). Policymakers build bridges to the public. Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL), 13, Retrieved February 11, 2009, from http://www.sedl.org.

Phenomenology

2009-02-18T11:09:00.000-08:00

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Presented by the late Professor Robert C. Solomon:

Edmund Husserl was the founder of phenomenology, a philosophical method seeking certainty. His most illustrious student was Martin Heidegger, who took Husserls method into the realm of existentialism. Heidegger called his philosophy a fundamental ontology and began with an examination of Dasein--our Being-in-the-World. Unlike Husserl, however, he rejects mind and consciousness. But Dasein has an identity crisis. It wants to know who it is. So, too, Heideggers own identity has proved to be very controversial.
Category: Education
Tags:
edmund husserl martin heidegger phenomenology existentialism philosophy cartesianism

Existentialism, Mindfulness, Poetry, and Phenomenology

2009-02-18T05:35:00.000-08:00

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Today I listened to Tolle Eckhart discuss object consciousness and manifestations vs. space consciousness and non-manifestations. The ideas took me into my past and present.

I am discovering that my past reading of Greek and Roman plays along with Jean Paul Sartre, Camus, and Ayne Rand at the age of 16 has left its marks. My background in reading, drawing, writing poetry, and in studying literature as an undergraduate student seems to align with my interest in existentialism and phenomenology.

Phenomenology deals with the phenomenon of being. I have been consciously learning about myself as a living phenomenon since the age of 4. I have always been fascinated by perception and reality: Is what I perceive as real, real? In addition, I have spent hours thinking about the value of thinking about reality. In other words, what is the point of thinking about something I will never know? And yet, existentialism, mindfulness meditation practice, and phenomenology seem to appeal to my sense of being.

Ayne Rand Misunderstood and Feared

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Quality Learning

2009-01-16T03:49:00.000-08:00

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I was very pleased to read
At M.I.T., Large Lectures Are Going the Way of the Blackboard because it's high time we understood that education is about quality learning. The debate of education vs learning and student vs teacher centered instruction should have been resolved by now. Learning should be the focus of both instructor and learner as they engage in the learning-teaching-learning process. It should be a give and take situation where teachers and students interact and learn from each other. Teachers learn about student needs and best practices on how to make instruction conducive to learning for the specific students at hand and for future instructional learning improvements and students learn from interacting with the content, instructor, and each other. Learning is a collective process.

Blended Learning and Instruction (Doctoral Research)

2008-12-17T04:22:00.001-08:00

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After getting negative responses from educators and researchers in institutes of higher learning in my country of residence, I contacted experts in the field of blended learning. I got negative responses from almost all of them saying that one campus would not have 20 willing instructors who use blended learning. I contacted my mentor and got the go to use multiple campuses worldwide and use virtual technologies to conduct the interviews. I am now feeling a lot better and ready to accept volunteers. If you combine e-learning with face-to-face instruction in higher education or know instructors who do and are willing to be interviewed, please let me know.

Thank you for your help.

Warm wishes,
Nellie
nelliemuller@email.phoenix.edu

Blended Learning Instructors in Higher Education

2008-12-09T17:49:00.000-08:00

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I have two more courses to complete in educational leadership specializing in curriculum and instruction doctoral program at the University of Phoenix online before receiving an ABD status (April 2009). I am a Canadian residing abroad. My dissertation research is on instructor use of blended learning in higher education around the world. I cannot find an appropriate arena for my research. I have tried contacting instructors for almost 2 years in higher education in my country of residence but have not received any positive responses. I guess the only solution is to conduct my research in another country.

Are instructors in higher education not using technology? Or are instructors afraid of being interviewed about using technology? Is this a common occurrence in other countries? If so, where? I am perplexed by the situation. I would love to hear from instructors in other countries who use blended learning to gain an understanding of some of the issues they face in using technology for instruction and learning.

Week 1 & 2: Implications and Conclusions

2008-10-20T19:25:00.000-07:00

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Weeks 1 & 2 Implications and Conclusions

Implications

The reading material for the course on supervision of curriculum and instruction reminds me of courses on human relationships and communication. The more I learn about teaching, supervision, and evaluations, the more I realize how far I am from submitting my proposal. My dissertation relates to instructors implementing computer technology into blended learning courses. However, how can a university expect instructors to implement blended learning or any innovations into the curriculum to improve instruction and learning if they do not receive supervision and cognitive coaching? I have a lot to learn about the role of supervision in improving instruction and learning.

The books for this course are incredible. I am very impressed with cognitive coaching and the ideas of building relationships based on rapport and trust (Costa and Garmston, 2002). As a graduate of Practical Applications of Intimate Relationship Skills (PAIRS) and conflict resolution and mediation, I find the ideas of empowering teachers and supporting independence rather than dependence very familiar to what I do as a PAIRS facilitator and appealing. However, not everyone has the confidence to act independently; some learners want advice and to be told what to do.

Conclusions

I would like to think of supervision as "a growth-oriented system" where supervisors and principals evaluate teachers for improvement rather than for teacher dismissal (Stronge, 2000, p. 119). Supervision for instructional improvement has a ripple effect beyond the school and into the community (Glickman, Gordon & Ross-Gordon, 2006). Formative observations of the classroom and the interactions among the students and the teacher are far more effective than supervision for dismissal (Danielson & McGreal, 2000; Glickman et al., 2006). I would like to be a member of a school where collaboration is the golden rule and where all the stakeholders; the supervisor of the school, the principal, teachers, parents, community members, and students practice trust and rapport.

Costa, A., & Garmston, R. (2002). Cognitive coaching: A foundation for renaissance schools (2nd ed.). Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon. Required Purchase

Danielson, C., & McGreal, T. L. (2000). Teacher evaluation: To enhance professional practice. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Required Purchase

Glickman, C. D., Gordon, S. P., & Ross-Gordon, J. M. (2006). Supervision and instructional leadership: A developmental approach (7th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Stronge, J. H. (2000). Evaluating teaching: A guide to current thinking and best practice (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

2008-10-19T13:38:00.001-07:00

Instructional Leadership

2008-10-19T13:37:00.000-07:00

Two Weeks of Reading

2008-10-19T13:13:00.001-07:00

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I am currently ending my two weeks of reading for CUR731 Supervision of Curriculum and Instruction .