Eleven Key Attributes of EDM310

1. Green - No paper in or out
2. Free - No Costs for Books or other materials
3. Blended 25% in class; 75% independent learning using internet materials
4. Lab Oriented - labs run by former EDM310 students - have created a true learning community EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
5. Project Based 16 projects in 15 weeks
6. Multimedia Projects and Writing - text, audio, podcasts, video, videocasts
7. Self-reflection instead of grades
8. Public - All student work is on their individual blogs Blog and all class materials and student work accessible through http://edm310.blogspot.com
9. Global Comments on Blogs to and from all over the world
10.Emphasize Creativity
11. Emphasize Impact on Community

William Chamberlain Awards Announced

The William Chamberlain Award of the University of South Alabama was established in 2010 to recognize students in EDM310 who demonstrate "an outstanding interest in and ability to use technology in learning."

The 2011 recipients of the William Chamberlain Award are

Stephen Akins (EDM310Summer 2010)
Allie Howell (EDM310 Fall 2010)
Josh King (EDM310 Fall 2011)

Congratulations Stephen, Allie and Josh!

Hadley Harrington Strange Awards Annonced

Two EDM310 students are the recipients of the 2011 Hadley Harrington Strange Award. This award is to be given annually in memory of my father, Hadley Harrington Strange, to someone who always asks questions and considers all alternatives.

The recipients of the 2011 Award are

Richard Howell EDM310 Spring 2011
and
Elizabeth Brooks EDM310 Summer 2011

Congratulations Richard and Elizabeth!

Ruth Hart Jessee Strange Awards Announced

Two former EDM310 students are the recipients of the 2011 Ruth Hart Jessee Strange Award. This award is to be given annually in memory of my mother, Ruth Hart Jessee Strange, to someone who has positively affected the lives of others.

The recipients of the 2011 Award are

Martha Yim
and
Amanda Bosarge

Congratulations Martha and Amanda!

Congratulations Elizabeth!

Chae Strathie, author of The Tickle Tree, found Elizabeth's Brooks book trailer on You Tube. He liked it. Here is his comment to Elizabeth:

Tickle Tree
To:efbrooks90

Hi Elizabeth

My name is Chae Strathie - the Tickle Tree guy!

I just came across your trailer and wanted you to know I really liked it. It was a lovely piece of imaginative production. My family and I were tickled pink!

I wish you all the best in your future career as a teacher (is that right?) and I hope you read your students some of my books!

With very best wishes

Chae

Congratulations Elizabeth!

Lab Hours July 25-29

The lab will be open 10-4 July 25-29.

Have a great break!

Final Questionnaire Has Been Gmailed

I have just sent the Final Questionnaire to all students at their Gmail addresses.

If you did not get the email or have questions, CALL ME or the EDM310 Help line.

Questionnaires must be completed by Midnight Sunday July 24, 2011. The questionnaire (and your video reflection) constitute your final examination in EDM310. You must complete both.

The E Fast Experiment

Soon I will write a longer post commenting on the E Fast Experiment and the results of its use in Summer 2011 EDM310. Right now I'll give you a quick summary.

Students had four options for Blog Assignment #14 which can be found on pp. 14-16 of EDM310 Blog Post Assignments Summer 2011:
1. A typical blog post on Pseudoteaching
2. A typical blogpost discussing a critique of the Khan Academy
3. Read one of some 15 books suggested and write a book report
4. Try to do an E-Fast (no electronics use) for 24 hours repeated up to three times if unsuccessful in maintaining the fast.

There are 30 students still enrolled in EDM310 this summer (2011) although only 28 are still active. We will use 28 as the base line for this report. Of the 28, four did not submit their Blog Post #14 on time. Three students read a book (Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman, 1984 by George Orwell and Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire by Rafe Esquith). Thirteen did one of the typical blog post assignments. Eight tried the E Fast experiment.

Of those eight, five were successful in going 24 hours without using any electronic entertainment or communications device such as a cell phone, computer, tablet, radio, TV, DVD player, etc. All but one of those participating in the fast found it more difficult than expected. Those who succeeded in fasting tried various strategies:
going to a farm with horses and goats (Amy Wilborn); spending a day with a boyfriend (Alana Escobio); spending a weekend with their family at the beach (Cinda Prescott who found it easier to do than expected); fishing, tennis and golfing (Heath Morris); being prepared by unplugging TVs, hiding phones and informing friends and family of the fast (Bobbi Jo Nelson). The three that failed all succumbed to the phone/smart phone. (Ouida McDaniel) called her mother. One of the students who failed the fast (Deana Nunn) even had her daughter answer SMS messages and telephone calls for her, sending dictated replies by SMS. Yet she still gave in and used her iPhone. Heather Rigby on her 3rd try turned off her iPhone but watched a funny You Tube video with friends on a friend's iPhone.

This assignment turned out to be a delightful experiment that demonstrated how ingrained the use of technology is in our current students and how it will be even more vital to the daily activities of their students in two years when they begin teaching. the posts of the students participating in the E Fast are a lot of fun to read. I hope you will do just that!

Project 15 Now In Projects; Blog Post 14 Now in Blog Post Assignments

Project #15 is now in the Projects Manual. It has been there for some time but your Checklist cannot be changed by me so it still says To Be Determined. We are now at Version 7 of the Project Instructions Manual.

Blog Post #14 is now described in Version 7 of the Blog Post Assignments Manual.

Lab Will Not Be Staffed Saturday July 9

The EDM310 Lab Staff and I will be attending the EdCamp Louisiana in New Orleans tomorrow Saturday July 9. As shown in the original schedule for this class, the lab will not have a staff person present tomorrow.

Amnesty Declared

Special Assignment #2 Due 7/3 was due last night at midnight. Forty percent (12 out of 30) of you missed the deadline. Because it is a very special holiday today, I am declaring Amnesty for those of you who did not submit Special Assignment #2 Due 7/3 on time as long as it is posted no later than midnight Sunday July 10.

And what about those of you who did Special Assignment #2 Due 7/3 on time? Well, I will apply your Amnesty award to any other assignment that was late. And since most of you always do your work on time (so do some of the "twelve"), I say Thank You Very Much!" I will try to find some special way to reward you later in the course.

Mid Term Reflection

One of the questions I asked on the Mid term Reflection had to do with grades. Twenty-seven out of 30 active students replied to the questionnaire (90%). I agreed with the self-assigned grades in 78% (21) of the cases. In 3 cases I would have given an A in instances where the student gave themselves a B. In 3 cases I would have given a lower grade (1 B instead of an A; 1 C instead of a B; 1 D instead of a C). Poor writing explains every one of these cases. I have urged all three of these students to consider consulting the Writing Lab.

Of the three who did not complete the questionnaire and attend the two required classes on time, one has a medical excuse. The other two will have any grade I gave them (and will give them) reduced by one letter grade for not completing the questionnaire and attending the required class.

Here are the totals:
Student self-grades: A-17; B-6;C-4;D-0 Total 27
Dr. Strange: A-20; B-2; C-4; D-3; I (Medical)-1 Total 30

It would be better if we just determined when you had the skills, abilities and interest to move forward. Unfortunately, we have to give grades. And you will also (most likely).