Technology Supported Learning/Self-directed faculty development course

Technology Supported Learning (TSL) is a professional development workshop for community college faculty.

Technology Supported Learning (TSL) as self-directed learning

Create your own adventure. What do you need to learn about? What technologies would you like to explore? Are there best practices that you want to practice? Based on Chickering and Gameson's Seven Principles, we have notes, activities and reflective questions to help you on your way. You are the self-directed online learner and we are here to support you on your journey of discovery.

Participants can expect to spend approximately 40 hours to complete all the reading and activities. However, realistically, faculty participants often review the lesson outline and comment in the discussion forums without doing all the suggested activities.

Developing Online From Simplicity toward Complexity: Going with the Flow of Non-Linear Learning

This workshop models participant-centered learning. You decide what you want to learn and how. The learning outline will guide you through the workshop materials, open educational resources and suggested activities. Participate in the discussions. Complete the evaluation quiz confirming that your have accomplished your objectives. Then you are done!

Activities - for each of the Seven Principles there are
 * Overview notes
 * discussion topics - Explore, Learn and Apply - with discussion prompt questions and other posts
 * technologies that support each principle to test-drive, develop learning activities for your own course, and describe your experience.

The intent is to focus as much on learning processes as on content. Effective education requires more than skills training. It involves challenging attitudes, values and beliefs and assisting learners to adapt to change. Reflect upon what it means to learn with and from technology, as well as how your students utilize, learn and engage with technology.

Estimated time to complete

For each topic, reading notes, participating in discussions, completing the technology exploration activities should take about 2-4 hours. The workshop is planned as a 2-units over 12 weeks. Total time is flexible but most participants should plan to spend 24-40 hours completing the activities.

Resources


 * Technology Supported Learning/TSL Resources - articles, blogs, newsletters, open educational resources (OER), podcasts

Technology Supported Learning (TSL) is more than technology enhanced instruction. TSL recognizes that learning is supported in many different ways, even if there is no formal teaching involved. You will be developing and using these practices throughout the TSL workshop.

Your participation is directed by the guide questions, for maximum flexibility to meet your needs within your time constraints.


 * tools and skills development to support learning through technology based on Chickering & Gamson's Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education.


 * using blogs, WikiEducator - outline, reading, activities - blogs, discussions, email, collaborative writing projects


 * for faculty, instruction designers, teachers, facilitators, tutors, mentors

The workshop will follow the Connectivism model explained in this animation.

Getting ready

To participate, set up your personal learning environment


 * add your blog link or feed. Don't have a blog - no problem. Create one free at WordPress or Blogger, also see for information about creating and maintaining a blog


 * track your reading, comments, and ideas. Save links and notations with a social bookmarking tool such as [Digg], [Delicious] or [Diigo]


 * create an account at Moodle for Wikieducators - basic registration information required. We use this for discussions. Sign up for OTL09 Online Teaching and Learning course at . Some other educators have worked through part of the program in the past and their discussion posts are still here. They aren't currently participating but it is nice to see what others are saying.


 * create activities and resources in your own course

Now you are ready to begin. Proceed to the main course Technology Supported Learning