I am thinking about how you would look with blue hair....

Hi Ian  Critical thinking assignments are the same online or F-2-F, but getting the students to understand online the process seems a little more challenging. Faculty in higher education is more about collecting the dots (content learning) than connecting the dots (concept development). Few think pedagogical in either formats. Some seem to work well in f-2-f because of their strong social presence, but many do not know how to bring that social presence to online learning. I find in breaking the cycle either breaks the students (they drop out or stop working) or breaks the habit (and the begin to fly). If you go to my blog you can meet some students who now fly (http://bit.ly/1JgH8jR  

...I worked my students hard to the point they complained to my chair and their department chair...but when they finally did the work they all started being really engaged...We used twitter this summer and it was first resisted and then embraced with my students. Most plan on using Twitter in their future teaching. #educ300  Well got lots to do....stay in touch.

Hey Ian: sorry i missed you in the chat yesterday. yes. i am enjoying the summer and yes, i miss the class. : ) thanks for thinking of me.

me : )

Here is what we are thinking about in my course; Learning Experience Design: A Better Title Than Instructional Design? #oldaily http://www.downes.ca/post/64113

Praxis is the putting an idea or theory into practice. I will be presenting in Berkeley @ the International Conference of Critical Thinking the end of July. I will be sharing my "praxis" of encouraging critical thinking online. I am not an expert, but have focused on developing online courses that encourage metacognition, higher order thinking, and now critical thinking. 

What do you find most challenging as an instructional designer? As an online instructor what I find most challenging are students that see online as a quick way to get credentials. I actually had one student complain on my course evaluation that I expected them to learn too much. Students who have been conditioned to expect online to be reading, power point by teacher, quiz, discussion that is more like chatting - really struggle in my class the first few weeks...I am not sure how I can change this.  Great hearing about your good news.

Hi Ian

It is a small world! Joe Hoffman instructed my nephew when he attended Maritime. I am busy as an adjunct :( and teach one or two online classes a semester. I also teach two online over winter term and three online over the summer, just so I can make a living wage. I find the online work overwhelming. To get my students to engage with the material, I need to have assignments that require the readings. I usually loose about 10% of my students who feel that online learning should be easier than f-2-f. However as my skills have improved AND word has gotten out that you work in my online classes I have fewer students dropping. However all the prep and work is worth it when my students share (in amazement how much they learned in the semester). I am trying to get my first article on online learning out (mindfulness and critical thinking online). I need to get in touch with Alex to suggest a journal of online learning that focuses on praxis. Any suggestions? How are you doing?