These urls have been culled
from the fabulous suggestions made by participants on the
All Things in Moderation Ltd (http://www.atimod.com)
courses in 2003. There wasn’t room for them all and
so those with the greatest usefulness for practicing e-moderators
were selected. Many of the sites offer multiple resources
so in categorizing them the key ‘attractiveness’
of that site has been the focal point. Warning, some of these
sites are so rich with information that the faint hearted
should beware!
We’ve given five stars *****
to the ones we like best of all.
We’ve collated them into the following headings:
- Qualities and skills needed to be an e-moderator
- Becoming an emoderator – background reading
- ‘How to’ specifics and samples for e-moderators
- Improving the ‘look’ of your postings
- Talking to other e-moderators – discussion communities/listservs
- People issues
- Language dictionaries, translators and writing online.
- Platform and software specific ‘how to’
sites and tutorials
- Game based learning
- Fun sites – for some light relief
- Online libraries and research sites
- E-journals, newsletters and blogs
- Object repositories
- Online search engines
- World clocks
1. Qualities and skills needed to
be an e-moderator
In
search of the perfect e-tutor interesting article by
Clive Shepherd on what makes a good online tutor, including
exploring the qualities needed for being an online tutor.
Worth a read.
The
Role of the Online Instructor/Facilitator by Zane L.
Berge, Ph.D. This article has lots of info on the role of
the online tutor/emoderator with hints for pedagogical,
social, managerial and technical aspects of e-moderating
- an ‘oldie’ but a ‘goodie’. *****
2. Becoming an emoderator – background reading
Learnativity
short extract providing an explanation of the terms pedagogy
and andragogy.
The
Centre for Online Learning and Pedagogy at New York
University provides a fabulous, interactive exploration
of pedagogical concepts and theories in alphabetical or
graphical form. *****
Educational
benefits of online learning a Blackboard tip sheet.
We liked the positive argument although no negatives are
presented!
Online
Tutoring e-Book which is part of the Online Tutoring
Skills (OTiS) Project website. It’s a little dated
now (2000) but it offers an overview of building a learning
community and the skills needed by an e-moderator. The chapters
can be downloaded as PDF files.
3. ‘How to’ specifics and
samples for emoderators
How
to guides of all shapes and sizes are list here, from
‘Netiquette and Chatiquette’ to ‘How to
manage online teacher workload effectively’. Information
is generally sourced/provided by practitioners from the
Australian Flexible Learning Community. *****
RDN
Virtual Training Suite UK provides approximately 60,
free, self-paced, online tutorials on a range of subjects
from engineering and maths to further education. Targeted
to the vocational sector, we liked the Business
Studies tutorial, which covers effective searching on
the web.
Online
Community Toolkit on Nancy White’s site contains
heaps of great tips for facilitators. We especially liked
the Online
Community Builder's Purpose Checklist and the FaciliTips:
Quick Tips for Online Facilitation
eLearning
Centre is Jane Knight’s up to date, comprehensive
site with topical items. We liked the e-Tutors Centre, the
Delivering e-Learning resources, the elearning quick Guides,
the Live Help desk feature and the rest! There’s something
for all sectors here. *****
Maricopa
Center for Learning & Instruction Teaching and learning
on the web has over 787 examples of how the web is being
used as a medium for learning from small activities to full
courses. Just search for your interest area.
Growing
Knowledge: How to Support Collaborative Learning & e-Discussions
in Forum Systems by Eva Fårheus from Stockholm.
The question, how to "grow knowledge on-line"
was analyzed in an e-discussion before an international
conference as well as in the physical meeting of the participants.
This site captures the discussion, provides tips for teachers
and suggested forum functions to support teachers.
A
Brief Summary of the Best Practices in Teaching Compiled
by Tom Drummond it is based on f2f teaching but is still
relevant to the online world. We liked the discussion about
how to ask questions which foster engagement and confidence.
*****
4. Improving the ‘look’
of your postings
Mindmapper
software provides a free trial download of this program
to create your own mind maps (with different colours, shapes,
hyperlinks, images, etc.). There’s also a great ‘one
minute walk through’ explanation of how to create
mind maps. There is a cost for the full version.
*****
Free
clip art A picture says a thousand words. Spice up your
postings with free clip art. *****
5. Talking to other emoderators –
discussion communities/listservs
Online
Facilitation Listserv Nancy White’s listserv for
online facilitators and emoderators.
Virtual
Learning Space – Robert Gordon and Aberdeen University
site, you need to register (it’s worth it) for access
to resources and online discussions around online learning.
*****
The
Commonwealth of Learning has a ‘sharing our services’
database to connect educators with organisations in developing
Commonwealth countries.
6. People issues
The
Psychology of Cyberspace is an online hypertext book
which explores the psychology of cyberspace and how people
react to and behave within it. It includes information about
groups, relationships and how to deal with conflict online.
Great read to get your head around the ‘people’
issues. *****
Conflict
in Cyberspace: How to Resolve Conflict Online by Kali
Munro, M.Ed., Psychotherapist. We liked the background information
and the tips given re how to resolve conflict online. *****
7. Language dictionaries, translators
and writing online.
Word2Word
Links to dozens of language dictionaries and translators,
from Abadani to Zapotec. While the translations aren’t
perfect they go a long way to lowering language barriers.
Learn to say hello in all your participants’ languages.
We also liked the free language courses.
Altavista’s
Babel Fish Translation Site which translates from/to
English, Spanish, Japanese etc. Enter a section of text
and have it translated, it pays to check both ways before
posting it to participants! *****
Computer
User High Tech Dictionary Lists just about every possible
emoticon you might want to use or interpret. The site also
gives information on file types (extensions) and chat room
terms like ROFL (Rolling On Floor Laughing). A great site
to learn netspeak/online languages. ?
*****
The
American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language
on line at the Bartleby book site provides definitions,
etymology, audio word pronunciations and quotations too.
The
Apostrophe Protection Society Say no more!
8. Platform and software specific
‘how to’ sites and tutorials
First
Class is one of the software platforms used for Gilly
Salmon’s public courses, the site has a tour (limited
tutorial) available.
University
of Kent site provides WebCT tutorials and ‘how
to’ plus links and explanations about Virtual Learning
Environments (VLEs) generally.
The
Macromedia Training Cafe offers free courses on using
Macromedia web development tools (Dreamweaver, Flash, Fireworks
etc). The course on How to Build a Course Web Site has examples
of allocating marks for different activities. *****
W3schools
web site is extremely useful for learning the basics of
web-building technologies such as HTML, XML and XSL, and
XPath. We liked the ‘hands-on’ cut & paste
within the on-line editor and the self-test (quizzes) which
give immediate feedback. *****
Kaz
is the Open University recommended touch-typing tutor, it’s
downloadable but there is a cost for the programme.
9. Game based learning
Mark
Prensky’s web site provides lots of information
and articles on digital game-based learning and e-learning.
Thiagi
(Sivasailam Thiagarajan’s) site provides heaps of
free online games, ideas for incorporating games into teaching,
tips for facilitators and a weekly newsletter *****
Design
Planet Marie Jasinski’s site with great samples
of web based games, ideas and food for thought.
WebCT
Digital Games Community Resources, samples, discussion
and links to games generators make this site useful to those
interested in using games in WebCT or other platforms.
An
Online Role-Play - from Design to Debrief An article
by Margaret Barron which demystifies online role plays.
*****
10. Fun sites – for some light relief
Atlas
of Cyberspaces This fascinating site provides a visual
overview of the web from its beginnings and the attempts
to explain the impact the web has on the whole world. We
loved the images. *****
Flame
Warriors is a lighthearted list of internet ‘types’
for when someone is infuriating you and you want some light
relief. Check out Luke
the Lurker! *****
Emode
provides samples of online tests of all varieties from personality
to IQ and what’s your cat’s type. If you are
thinking of using/creating online tests get your sparks
here.
LDOnline
is a must for all cyber parents and educators! It has twenty-five
practical tips for managing emotion and learning.
Knowledge
Weavers Health sciences library has some cool examples
of flash animations in a health education context, check
out the heartbeat! There are also some online quiz creators
on this site which we haven’t checked out.
11. Online libraries/research sites
National
Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) Australia's
principal research and evaluation organisation for the vocational
sector, this site provides a continuous stream of up-to-date-
research projects (including e-learning) and their results
occurring in Australia. Search the VOCED
international database of research abstracts.
The Distance
Learning Resource Network is the dissemination project
for the US Dept of Education Star Schools Program. The site
offers a library, showcase of projects and information for
educators. Worth a visit even if you are not in the schools
sector.
elearningeuropa.info
this site focuses on e-learning in Europe. We liked the
elearning portal with lots of articles and research on the
European elearning situation.
www.aln.org
The Sloan Consortium provides good links to journals, blogs,
research networks and research reports.
12. E-journals, newsletters and blogs
Electronic
Journals List Created by the School of Education at
the University of Colorado, this electronic journals list
points you to articles, many in peer-reviewed journals,
on learning technologies, communications and culture. Lots
to choose from. *****
SARA
(Scholarly Articles Research Alerting) delivers free, by
email, tables of contents of over 750 academic peer reviewed
journals (Carfax, Frank Cass, Parthenon, Psychology Press,
Routledge, Spon Press and Taylor & Francis). Alerts
are sorted by keyword, title or category. Great way to be
advised of a specific area of interest. *****
International
Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning provides
a wonderful collection of links to Journal Resources in
Open and Distance Learning. *****
Online
Learning E-news A weekly, free service of VNU Business
Media with hands-on how tos re e-learning and stories and
ideas about the latest e-learning practices, processes and
products. We liked the ‘business’ focus. *****
Journal
of Interactive Media in Education has combined an ordinary
reviewing process with open peer reviews and online peer
discussions on the articles in the journal.
OLDaily
Stephen Downes’ daily blog delivered to your email
address. His commentary on current issues in online learning
is always interesting and sometimes controversial. *****
13. Object repositories
The Teacher
Resource Exchange is a moderated database of resources
and activities designed to help teachers (especially school
teachers) develop and share ideas for good practice.
14. Online search engines
Metacrawler
combines the best results from other search engines including,
Google, Yahoo, AltaVista, Ask Jeeves, About, LookSmart,
Overture and FindWhat.
Google
search engine – seems to be the favourite of many!
International
Data Group (IDG) has 330 web sites worldwide and has
an impressive search engine for their extensive online technology
content.
15. World clocks
Time
Zone Converter provides time conversions for most parts
of the globe. We liked the ability to use current time or
specify the time for converting, ideal to work out group
chat times. *****
Many thanks to All things in Moderation E-Convenor, Frankie
Forsyth for her help in compiling and considering this list,
and of course to all the participants in e-moderating courses
for their expertise, suggestions and surfing prowess. |
