MicroSCoPE: A Close Look at What's Happening in the SCoPE Community
July, 2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In This Issue
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Welcome New Members!
2. SCoPE Seminar: R2D2 - Empowering Online Learning
3. Gilly Salmon invites your feedback
4. Activity Recap
5. Special Interest Groups
6. PeriSCoPE
7. About SCoPE
8. About MicroSCoPE
1. Welcome New Members!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We've had a bit of a growth spurt in SCoPE over the past few months, due in part to our Shaping Our Future conference in May, but there is also a steady increase in participation in special interest groups and the monthly seminar discussions. It feels like the time is right to say WELCOME! :-) We now have over 2,020 members from 47 countries.
2. SCoPE Seminar: R2D2 - Empowering Online Learning
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 21 - August 3, 2008
Facilitators: Curt Bonk and Ke Zhang
Order your book now! "Empowering Online Learning: 100+ Activities for Reading, Reflecting, Displaying, and Doing" by Curt Bonk and Ke Zhang is the next book in our Professional Reading Group series. Curt describes the R2D2 model as a "problem solving wheel with many entry points". The SCoPE seminar marks the launch of this book. Your best buy for an individual purchase will be to order directly from the publisher, Jossey-Bass. They have provided SCoPE members a 20% discount by using this code: HAE20. Several chapters are available for download, and evaluation copies may be requested if you are an instructor at an accredited institution. There will be something for everyone even if you don't have time to read the book!
3. Gilly Salmon Invites Your Feedback
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In February Gilly Salmon facilitated the Key Competencies for Second Life Moderators seminar to inform the moderator training for the MOOSE project (MOdelling Of SecondLife Environments). The Second Life Training Guides are now available for download and Gilly Salmon invites your feedback. Please have a look and drop into the "afterthoughts" forum to give your feedback.
4. Activity Recap
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* Viral Professional Development
June 2-22, 2008
Facilitators: Heather Ross and Jennifer Jones
This seminar itself was a good example of VPD -- we learn so much from the stories and resources we share! Links shared by participants during the seminar have been organized here.
* Shaping Our Future Online Conference
Joanne Nielsen is gathering data organizing contributions to the Shaping Our Future conference. We will be busy analyzing, summarizing, and writing over the next few weeks to prepare a outcome document representing our work together.
5. Special Interest Groups
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* Learning and Instructional System Specialists
Beverly Ferrell, moderator for the Instructional Technology Forum list has started a new "Tech Tour" SIG in SCoPE for ITForum members.
6. PeriSCoPE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* Education for a Digital World: Advice, Guidelines, and Effective Practice from Around the Globe
The book, co-published by BCcampus and Commonwealth of Learning (COL) is now in print and also available for download in sections or in full. The 500-page volume is divided into 5 sections:
Part 1: The Impact of Instructional Technologies
Part 2: Preparing Online Courses
Part 3: Implementing Technology
Part 4: E-learning in Action
Part 5: Engagement and Communication
The official launch of the book will take place at COL's Fifth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning in London, UK July 13 - 17 2008. Several SCoPE members involved in the book project will be attending the conference.
* e/merge 2008
July 7 - 18, 2008
Register to attend this online conference organized by the Centre for Educational Technology at the University of Cape Town. The conference will be of interest to educational technology researchers and practitioners who have an interest in the use of educational technology in Africa.
* CPsquare Book Club: Communities of Practice: Creating Learning Environments for Educators
Join a group of community enthusiasts at CP2, the community of practice on communities of practice, to read and discuss selected chapters from Communities of Practice: Creating Learning Environments for Educators, edited by Chris Kimble and Paul Hildreth. See the table of contents for both volumes. Selection of which chapters to read together will begin late July. Actual chapter discussions begin a week later. It’s free to CPsquare members and $50 for non-members.
* Statistics Instructors Lost in Cyberspace
Moderator: Michelle Everson
Do you teach statistics in the online environment? Have you ever wanted to talk to other online statistics instructors about your experiences teaching in this environment? A new discussion group called "Statistics Instructors Lost in Cyberspace" has been set up using Google Groups, and an invitation has been extended to SCoPE members to join this group. This group was set up in order to connect online statistics instructors and provide a place for them to share ideas and resources, support one another, collaborate, and commiserate.
* WikiEducator's next online Learning4Content workshop starts 28 July 2008.
* The Greater Cincinnati Chapter of the America Society for Training and Development extends a special invitation to all SCoPE members living near or visiting Ohio to attend the summer Deep Dive Workshop featuring Dr. Tony Karrer.
* Join the SCoPE group at Linkedin to connect with others who are interested in employment in education or in connecting professionally on projects. Our member list is growing!
* Follow SCoPE on Twitter
* The SCoPE Facebook group and member networking is proving to be an effective way to keep up with members' activities. Stop by!
* Check what SCoPE members are blogging about and subscribe to our SCoPE Bloggers feed. Do you have a blog? Add it to our SCoPE member blogs database.
* Have you added your name and location to our Frappr Map?
* Leave a message on the SCoPE Voicethread
7. About SCoPE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SCoPE brings together individuals who share an interest in education research and practice, and offers opportunities for dialogue across disciplines, geographical borders, professions, levels of expertise, and education sectors. Membership is free and open to everyone.
SCoPE forms collaborating partnerships with many organizations to implement and promote community activities and products. This is a mutual exchange of support and services.
Self-register at http://scope.lidc.sfu.ca
Check the SCoPE calendar for a full list of online events that will be of interest to members.
Past SCoPE seminar discussions are always available for reading and afterthoughts.
8. About MicroSCoPE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SCoPE members receive MicroSCoPE issues automatically. If you prefer to read MicroSCoPE on the website or via RSS, manage your subscription here:
http://scope.lidc.sfu.ca/mod/forum/view.php?f=5
MicroSCoPE is prepared by Sylvia Currie, Community Coordinator (scurrie@bccampus.ca).
Please spread the word about SCoPE activities. Distribute this newsletter!