Legalities and Ethics

Legalities and ethics

One thing that I also just thought about, is how can I accommodate people who may be attempting to complete an online class or their entire degree online, but by say, using the computer facilities at a library, internet cafe, or the connection at a Starbucks/Barnes and Noble. In essence, how can we as future online instructors accommodate those not only with maybe physical disabilities, but limited access to technology and limited time to use those resources. For this reason, I believe that it is great to use programs like Google Docs, because it makes it possible to use their tools with a minimum bandwidth (phone and/or mobile data plan compatible) as well allows people to export pdf (portable document format), rtf (rich text format) doc (MS Word) txt (plain text) and other formats. The versatility offered here allows for people with limited time or access to be able to interact and study the content provided without always having to be in front of a machine, even allows them to print copies and or have them be read using the tts service/feature in Adobe Acrobat. As Dr. Giddens said, the preparation of what if, also prepares you for the trouble that inevitability can create trouble in everybody’s life. No matter how prepared we think we are. These accommodations which are unfortunate necessities for those with disabilities are actually helpful additions to others. I mean consider what happens when a laptop crashes, or when a virus happens and you then need to access your work on a device that either has limited functionality or time. At this point, you realize the importance and necessity of such accommodations.

Ethically speaking, I do certainly agree that it is rather important for people to encourage students to do their best, encourage openness, and the sharing of ideas. When this is done, it helps truly create the healthy, supportive, and inviting environment that makes the wonderful and previously mentioned hallmarks of a healthy class possible. Teachers need to be on the lookout for intellectual bullies. Those people who know that they are right and leave no room for differences of opinion, no matter how valid they are. People who undercut posts that take attention away from them as the “star student”. We need to be prepared to reach out to the quiet one as well and protect them if need be. We need to be vigilant to monitor communication so that we can allow everyone’s voice to be heard in a non-threatening and non-judgemental environment.

That is not to say, however, that we restrict a great mind, but show them how to be brilliant but not boisterous and sensitive instead of secretly sarcastic. We also must ensure that when we grade, that we are careful not to lend too much benefit of the doubt, as in, this is a star student and they may just be having an off day, or offer too much sympathy towards the weaker ones. We can be merciful without being enablers. As with anything, balance is very important. As educators, we must be sure that we abide by all rules and regulations applicable, not only to do the right thing, but with the realization that we are examples and role models for those who will be examples, role models, parents, therapists, counselors etc. to so many others.

Access and Equity

Think about the learning environment in which you are interning. How does access to and equity in this learning environment impact students' learning in their overall education experience?

Well, considering the orientation of GA View, I believe that it is better for those who are visually challenged. My reason for this is the fact that all of the information that you need to access, grades, dropbox, email, discussions, etc., are all on the left side of the page, which is rather different from the Desire 2 Learn/Folio environment. THe information that you need is split up into actually three places, left panel, top panel, and the very top of the screen. Anyway, a person that is visually impaired, in my opinion would have trouble searching to find the information that he/she needs. This also may ring true for those with memory problems; I normally have trouble remembering what is where, and do not, at all, like the design of its GUI. Just imagine for a moment, that you are dealing with a person like Stephen Hawking, a quadriplegic. Can you fathom the irritation, time, effort, and concentration that it would take for a person with limited to no hand-eye coordination to move back and forth on the page. Anyway, just a thought to consider.

Moreover, those who are not great/good communicators and/or strong writers will unfortunately be at a disadvantage in any online setting because of the heavy reliance on discussion boards. I mean, really, whether it is the dissertation or the thesis, I do believe that non-writers are at a disadvantage.

I have used my phone, a tablet, and a laptop/pc to access both sites, and have been successful in performing the major functions of the site. I would therefore imagine that those using TeleTYpewriter (TTY) -sound to visual text- and other things would be used to such an interface, but, I think that it would be also great to provide those with vision trouble with a similar pleasant experience. Many people have used TTS (text to speech) services, but realize how harsh and artificial that voice is. Therefore, though it would only take a little while, it would be very beneficial for instructors to take a little additional time to attach an audio version of the assignments to the text version. This would help those who are visually impaired become more connected to the professor, as we normally attempt to through pictures and video. Our voice is just as important to people with visual impairments as our visuals are to those who wish to bond with us ‘normally’ or visually.

It is important that we realize that we owe a great opportunity and experience to all students regardless to their ability or disability. Therefore, with respect to audio and visual equity, it is important that we do our best to provide an equal opportunity and the best presentation possible for all students.

In an attempt to practice what I preach, I attached an audio recording of my post, as well as a picture of the cross country team I coach.  We won the first trophy in school history and placed 2nd as a Double A school, 600 student body, against 5A schools in excess of 2000 students.

Link to audio files

http://www.yousendit.com/download/WUJZb253T01uSlJMWE1UQw

Photo of the victorious team

Peace and blessings.

Assessing communication in the online classroom

In regards to the assessing and providing feedback for students, it is again highly important that teachers seek out communication not just for the conveyance of learning, understanding, and mastery, but also for struggles with content, life, emotions, etc.  I am known to be a nice person, and that comes out in my communication, such that many of you, that are familiar with me from other classes, were able to pick up on that from my tone.  Also, the manner in which things is turned in is also telling.  For instance, I write my posts late, but do them exactly as I am supposed to, which indicates that though things are rough for me, I am doing the best that I can to get them done as right as I can as soon as I can, but this is very very difficult for me.  This also shows that I value quality over time.  There are others who you can tell that they may value time over quality.  Or for instance, patterns in the posting times, can tell you whether someone is a list/steady/predictable person, or whether they are a night owl/get-R-Done/I'll do it when I can make time type.  That said, the assessing of language can be as telling as a personality profile if you read deeply and intimately enough into it.

The tone part is very cool, because as an English major, I know how words can convey many things.  I found out the other methods when Dr. Green showed me that communication also tells us what is going on by patterns.  In many ways, we are our writing.  For instance, in one class with Dr. Green.  I was normally one of the first ones to post, however that changed suddenly.  She noticing the change, emailed me expressing concern and curiosity about that change.  It was needed, because it was then that I was trying to help my neighborhood after a home invasion spree that affected 3 homes in one single weekend.  It was horrible.  Needless to say, she was professional and understanding, handling things in the best way, while still holding me accountable.  I learned a lot then.

My old Principal says that “Every time a kid enters into the building, that parent is sending us the best that they have got.”  That means here that we as educators have to understand that each of our students are giving us the best that they have, as are we, given their circumstances.  This also ties along with Dr. Giddens, who I paraphrase as saying, so long as I can make my students better human beings, then I have done my job and anything else is icing on the cake.   The most important lesson that we, as instructors of instructors, can teach is the value and imporance of being human, because like an exponential reaction, that will grow into something greater through the lives they impact in accordance with our guidance/training.

Though that was very personal and humanistic, communication can show us also what students value whether it be the theory or the application or usability.  I value the usability of the information, research, techniques, tools, and advice that I receive at this school.  Such that when I post I tend to gravitate towards anecdotes and narratives that capture the essence of just how that modules purpose is valid and valuable to me as a teacher and how I have/do/will use(d) it to enhance my craft.  There are others who post that value facts and evidence.  Such people may be viewed as more dogmatic or orthodox.  The trouble can be how to assess all these different styles and approaches properly.

I personally believe, know, and have experienced the power of trust, honesty, equity, respect, and integrity in terms of grading.  For instance, I ask my students, to honestly rate themselves on say a notebook check.  I state to them what I am looking for, what time period I am interested in, and then say, we all know what constitutes an 'A', 'B', 'C', and an 'F'.  Tell me what you truly believe that you should have.  If you lie, I will request proof, and if your proof is lacking, I will grade you automatically as an 'F'.  Not only are the grades always what I would have given them, it does wonders for their integrity and for their self-awareness.  I say that to everyone reading this, when we assess communication, we already know what A, B, C, and F work looks like.  We know the effort according to the quality; we can read the passion in between the beauty of lines; we can feel the intensity through the diction; and we all know BS when we read it.

Words are but black and white skeletons with all the identifying and descriptive power of the DNA in our blood.  When I assess communication/posts, I look for patterns, focus, tone, organization, time stamps, etc.  All these help us to assess and properly identify those who are truly working to learn and develop best practices and those who are looking simply for a raise.