Tag Archives: group work

12 Days of Learning: Online Discussion & Collaboration

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Atomic Learning has created the 12 Days of Learning, a series of articles designed to kick off resolutions to keep learning in the new year. We thought this was a great idea and have decided borrow (shamelessly steal) it and do our own. It’s Day 12 and we’re wrapping up our 12 Days of Learning series with online discussion and collaboration. Check in with us tomorrow for a bonus learning day.

Moving your classroom discussion online can pose several unexpected challenges. It can also provide several unexpected benefits. Below is a presentation from two of eLIS’s instructional designers, John McCormick and Sarah Krongard, on how online is different and what to consider when designing one for your course.

View the presentation in another window or click through the slides below.

Groupwork and collaboration online can also present challenges not present in the traditional classroom, but effective collaboration skills are considered critical to being successful in today’s world. This video from the University of New South Wales in Australia offers useful strategies for creating group assignments online and then facilitating and assessing them.

12 Days of Learning: Skype for Business

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Atomic Learning has created the 12 Days of Learning, a series of articles designed to kick off resolutions to keep learning in the new year. We thought this was a great idea and have decided borrow (shamelessly steal) it and do our own. Today’s post (Day 5, if you’re counting) looks at Skype for Business.

Skype for Business is an online meeting tool where you can have class meetings, ad hoc conversations, advising or tutoring sessions or do group work. It includes  text-based instant messages, audio and video chat, the ability to share Powerpoint presentations or even your desktop to demo applications or processes. There’s also a whiteboard for quick collaboration and a polling tool for rapid feedback in larger groups.

skype meeting window

Tutorials:
Set up a Skype for Business Meeting in Outlook
Set up a Skype for Business Meeting in Office 365 (web email)
Explore the Skype for Business Meeting Window

 

12 Days of Learning: One Drive

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Atomic Learning has created the 12 Days of Learning, a series of articles designed to kick off resolutions to keep learning in the new year. We thought this was a great idea and have decided borrow (shamelessly steal) it and do our own. Over the next 12 days we will have links to a series of tutorials aimed at increasing your elearning skills.

Let’s kick off our 12 Days of Learning with a quick look at OneDrive. OneDrive allows you to create and share Word, Excel and Powerpoint files online. You can also upload other types of documents such as images or media files to store or share with your colleagues. You can access OneDrive by logging into the web version of your Lesley email at http://lesley.edu/email.

To learn more about using OneDrive, check out these Atomic Learning tutorials. Enter your myLesley username and password when prompted.

OneDrive

 

 

Lync Web for Online Meetings

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lync2013.png

Lync Web App is an instant messaging and audio/video chat tool. It’s a great option for online meetings, ad hoc conversations, advising and tutoring. Lync Web includes text-based instant messages, audio and video chat, the ability to share Powerpoint presentations or even your desktop to demo applications or processes. There’s also a whiteboard for quick collaboration and a polling tool for rapid feedback in larger groups.

It’s easy to get started with Lync Web. It runs entirely in your web browser and you only need to install a quick plugin to start your first session. Lync can be accessed using the same login and password as your Lesley email.

Having trouble finding time to meet with your colleagues? Why not schedule your meetings virtually? You can do this directly in Outlook or the Outlook Web App, just as you would any other type of meeting. Select the “Online Meeting” options and a link to the Lync meeting will be included in your invitation. Need to meet with someone who isn’t part of the Lesley community or want to invite a guest to your class discussion? No problem. Include their email address in the meeting invite and they will receive guest access to the online meeting. Note: Guests have slightly fewer privileges for presenting, but will be able to fully participate in the discussion and access the whiteboard.

Lync allows you to participate in online meetings in a variety of ways. There is a desktop client for both Windows and Mac and mobile clients for Windows, Android and iOS so you can even stay connected when you aren’t at your desk.

You can find more information on how to get started with Lync at support.lesley.edu.

Not sure if Lync is right for you and want to consider other options? Check out the Comparison of Online Meeting Tools for a quick overview.