Smith_Karen_Week 3_ Comment # 1 Jamin

I cannot put an image in as the icon to put images in has disappeared from this place. I'm not sure why. I was going to put the image she used here. It is sitting on my desktop to go in here, if I can ever figure out why it isn't there.

< IMAGE WOULD BE HERE IF I COULD GET IT >

http://xtremejourney-jamin.blogspot.com/

When you develop a learning content to your learners, then you must figure out what tools are necessary for your course. The elements needed to be build based on the individual needs of your learners and at the same time an easy way to manage and track learning. Each function provides a more direct teaching and a better understanding of the course. Some of the development tools are:
1. Graphics-provide a visual statement of the content. Students can understand content through the visual. It provides a clear idea of the concept and explains missing concepts. Diagrams or processes can be illustrated and also you can create interface buttons. You can use software such as Macromedia’s FreeHand or Adobe’s Illustrator. In graphics you can use Photoshop Elements and Fireworks are used to create professional looked graphics. Other two famous tools that you can use can be PowerPoint and Flash.
2. Interactions and Animation-use of animation software will allow to create
more advanced, more flexible, and more creative interactive elements.
Macromedia’s Flash provides all this interactions with animation and provides the ultimate set of rules to manipulate any graphic.
3. Simulation-this tools creates the environment of learning providing a detail idea of what students need to develop and to create practices. Each student can develop a role or characterization and project with different tools the purpose of it. It is mainly target in computer stimulations or broadcast. It is used as a scenario based for business and technical use.
4. Assessment: There are different tools to create assessment at the end of every chapter, objective or concept. Sometimes it can be done by creating games, or quizzes and test. Software Question Mark’s Perception, Exam Builder’s Exam Builder, and XStream Software’s Rapid Exam are some of the software that can be used.
5. Audio and Video: Because of high numbers of students that are auditory and visual learners, this tool comes in handy. From creating movies in Movie Maker, Pinnacle system and Macromedia Director to using high profile software such as Avid or Final Cut Pro, learners have the ability either to see a video or to hear an explanation of the subject.
All of these tools combined create a synchronous pattern to deliver content that attracts learners and makes the content vivid and real. To create some of these elements, you need to contact vendors such as LERSUS or LECTORA, which will align the content you need in a course in a Learning Management System. Another vendor will be Hot Potatoes, which main purpose, is for assessment creation. Each of these vendors is very expensive even though they cover a lot of the main programs in use today. Learning Transactions use a model to analyze, design and implement e-learning. This transaction comprises a structure set of “conversations” between teacher and learner encapsulated by a specific purpose. The set is composed of five conversations: tell, show, ask, response, and feedback. Every learning transaction is headed with its “purpose” or point. As a result the learner should be able to remember or recall information, use or apply concepts, and create, discover or find something new. There is consistency ad coherence between content and the learning transaction. By having a learning transaction it is easy to re-use the content again until the learner master the concept. There are different models according to the needs of the learner but with the same object or purpose design for.
Another concept also search was the Moodle Outcomes. It is imperative to track student performance at any stage of class or course. Moodle Outcomes provides a framework to calculate the student grade average, as well as, the missing assignments for student success. It is set on the standards establish by the creator and connects with web design templates.

References:

Gilbert, L., Sim, Y., & Wang, C. (2005). Modelling the Learning Transaction. Welcome to ECS EPrints Repository . Retrieved June 16, 2010, from http://eprints.ecs.soton.ac.uk
Moodle.org: Login to the site. (2010). Moodle.org: open-source community-based tools for learning. Retrieved June 16, 2010, from http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=78074

Karen's Comments about Jamin's article

This is a very good synopsis of the learning tools available for us to use. I appreciate it so much that I am copying the entire article into my blog, not just the first paragraph. It is a
good resource when trying to remember what is out there, ready to use. With all the
things I’ve learned to use over the years, but especially THIS year, I’ve never really even taken the time to figure out whether something is Graphics, Interactions & Animations,
Simulations, Assessment and Audio and Video. Then you mix it with Vendors and Learning Transactions and Moodle Outcomes.
Thank you for taking the time to put it all together in a clear cut synopsis. This helps even when it seems that I get muddled all the time over all the things out there. It makes so much more sense. Now, to learn to use my Udutu and make it past the first base. Is it me or my computer? Hmmm. I’m ready to get more help on this one.