Welcome to SCoPE Reflections and Next Steps

Welcome to SCoPE Reflections and Next Steps

by Sylvia Currie -
Number of replies: 15
Welcome everyone! Over the next 10 days we've set aside some time to reflect on the past year at SCoPE and think about the future. I hope you'll join me in thinking about how we can improve this community. Or if you're pressed for time, just pop in just to say hello. :-)

By tackling these three questions we should be able to get a good picture of how we've been doing and where we should be heading. And I'm sure in the process we'll have many new questions. Ready?
  1. What have you liked about SCoPE?
  2. What would you change?
  3. What are your ideas for future activities?

In reply to Sylvia Currie

Re: Welcome to SCoPE Reflections and Next Steps

by Christine Horgan -

Hello: I joined SCoPE just last year....I think as a result of a comment made at an EduCause conference (but please don't hold me to that). The community has been very helpful to me personally and professionally even if I am mostly a champion lurker.

What do I like about SCoPE?

It provides me with a window to the post-secondary world outside of my own institution (SAIT Polytechnic, Calgary)

It provides me with e-access to leading thinkings and leading learners within and without Canada

It provides me with valuable, ongoing, professional development opportunities

it's a supportive and friendly place to meet and exchange ideas with new colleagues; participants are very tolerant of those less knowledgeable, less experienced, and less able/willing to participate publically.

What would I like to change?

I can't thnk of anything. In any event, I don't think it's SCoPE that needs to change, I think it's me. I think I need to make or find the time to be a more active participant and/or to follow up on some of the valuable resources offered by participants. It's not that I'm unwilling, but it's often at the bottom of my "to do" list.

What are my ideas for future activities?

ummmmm, not sure how to capture this but my interest presently lies in making curriculum projects (especially distance projects) manageable for inexpereinced SMEs....and so my interest would lie in activities that would add to the tools I have in my tool box as a curriculum co-ordinator.

Cheers, Christine (Chris) Horgan

SAIT Polytechnic, Calgary

In reply to Christine Horgan

Re: Welcome to SCoPE Reflections and Next Steps

by Susanne Nyrop -
Ten years back, I was looking all over to find somewhere to engage in online conversations about how to teach and learn in a virtual environment internet supported. At my own university of Education in Copenhagen, Denmark, this seemed to be an almost taboo! Or rather, in the faculty of general pedagogy, the matter was not politically correct, whereas there did exist a small, devoted niche in the faculty of math , which was very hard to get involved with, as they were protecting their experimental server, etc.

My lucky day was when I discovered the startup of Global Educators' Network (GEN - sort of a first generation Scope, also with Sylvia as the core facilitator), . To begin with, I was a devoted lurker, and still recall my first fumbling, longish entry on the floor. I was thrilled! There was a response from someone who actually came from my home university, but was currently a guest student at the Simon Fraser university, Vancouver. As it turned out, I had a study grant for a multimedia research project to visit Vancouver, UBC and also took the opportunity go to Simon Fraser at the valley - where I had an unforgettable, high spirited lunch with some of the active people in GEN.
I was an active and curious participant for several years, and I was encouraged to host a seminar, which I enjoyed.

Over the years, GEN, later Scope and several other communities have brought me in touch with so many interesting online educators in many different contexts and constellations, and crossing trajectories.

For the time being, I'm more often in lurking mode, reading along as we coined the more welcoming term for not actively speaking out in public. I've a busy schedule with only little extra energy for the deep, passionate interest in all about online education, unfortunately. I need to be very focused as time is sparse; also because private matters need my attention.

Scope, to me, means that I am still allowed to follow emerging trends and needs.

Well - I just wanted to tell you I'm still here with you, I have no very constructive suggestions, but looking into the coming seminars, a hope to find more quality time to take part.

Thanks for being our Scope!

Sus
In reply to Sylvia Currie

Re: Unsubscribe & delete my account

by Deleted user -
I clicked unsubscribe from all forums and did not know what happened

Anyway, I want to delete my account and never receive any e-mails from any of the groups
In reply to Deleted user

Re: Unsubscribe & delete my account

by Sylvia Currie -
Daniel, consider it done! :-)

BTW, for others, unsubscribing from all forums in the SCoPE seminar discussions area will only unsubscribe you from current forums. If you don't want to be subscribed to SCoPE seminar discussions at all then you need to unenrol from this group.

Go to SCoPE Seminars and click the "Unenrol me from SCoPE seminars" link on the left sidebar.
Attachment unenrol.png
In reply to Sylvia Currie

Re: Welcome to SCoPE Reflections and Next Steps

by Colby Stuart -
Sylvia, congratulations on the role you have played in helping people gain a deeper insight into the possibilities and specifics of virtual learning.

What have you liked about SCoPE?
What has caught my attention is the broad sweep of participants - from those with little broadband access to those with high levels of experience and application of thinking and tools.

Good moderation has also helped keep SCoPE as a vital instrument in learning.


What would you change?
Not much, because the organic sharing and growing the discussion has been essential to an inclusive participation.


What are your ideas for future activities?
What about something about impact and the changing landscape due to using Virtual Learning - with real-life examples as inspiration.


As a side note, I read most of the posts from email on the road. The site itself is not the best for following a discussion. The richness is in the content, not the platform.
In reply to Sylvia Currie

Re: Welcome to SCoPE Reflections and Next Steps

by Jo Ann Hammond-Meiers -
Hi Sylvia and all SCoPE Adventurers.
I like the questions and will answer briefly.
  1. What have you liked about SCoPE -- I like the fact that I can participate when I have time, but back off when I just don't have the time. I like the fact that there are many ideas shared freely. I feel somewhat discouraged that I don't get to apply more skill building -- but it is not a criticism of the activities, just my own and other external pulls that take my time.
  2. What would you change? -- I really like the format and even the platform sees okay to me. However, I would like to see more international involvement -- if possible. I would like to learn more about application and projects that are working models for others to follow.
  3. What are your ideas for future activities? I would like to see more entry layers addressed -- like consciously offering tiers of learning which helps through scaffolding. For example, introducing beginner skill building of pod casts, video insertions that don't take forever to download (like mine did recently). On ther other hand, another tier of learning could be having people who are budding experts (if not vintage) in an area in which the SCoPE group would be interested. Of course, SCoPE affords lurkers and keeners alike. I like Nellies's WeqQuest idea -- and she, for example might lead a forum or a section of a forum in that area.
Jo Ann
In reply to Sylvia Currie

Re: Welcome to SCoPE Reflections and Next Steps

by Tracy Roberts -
  1. What have you liked about SCoPE?
    timely, relevant topics ranging from the philosophical to the practical, and guest moderators I'm keen to work with. A community much larger/broader than I would otherwise have access to. Sylvia's relentless pursuit of all of the above

  2. What would you change?
    I would like more participation on my part :( That's about all I can think of honestly

  3. What are your ideas for future activities?
    Personally/professionally, the things I'm most interested in right now are: open courses/courseware, PLEs and what I'm calling "instructional un-design" in these situations, mobile learning, and figuring out excellent active strategies/best practices for facilitating synchronous sessions/web conferences
In reply to Sylvia Currie

Re: Welcome to SCoPE Reflections and Next Steps

by Alice Macpherson -
  1. What have you liked about SCoPE?
    The Grassroots feel and sharing of questions and expertise. The safety - all questions and thoughts are welcomed and I have never been made to feel stupid. Thanks Sylvia!

  2. What would you change?
    More time in my life to come here more often.

  3. What are your ideas for future activities?
    Maintain a balance of discussion and active doing. Jesai's video session made me do and that was very valuable.

In reply to Alice Macpherson

Re: Welcome to SCoPE Reflections and Next Steps

by E.A. Draffan -
I agree with all the above statements and find a wealth of information and links as a result of lurking and taking part in the discussions when I have a moment. Thank you Sylvia and I am sorry I missed you at Alt-C in the UK. I would just like more of the same to keep me up to date! smile
In reply to Sylvia Currie

Re: Welcome to SCoPE Reflections and Next Steps

by Sylvia Riessner -
  1. What have you liked about SCoPE?

I love the wealth of ideas, the open discussion, the diversity of opinions and the fact that I can follow along (and sometimes participate in) discussions with people who have similar concerns, ideals and interests in education, learning and improving their practice.

I've enjoyed the opportunity to watch how Sylvia facilitates the discussions, supports the participants and generally makes sure that the discussion moves forward smoothly. I've been trying to use Adobe Connect for the last couple of years with our instructors and students and I really appreciate the benefits of having a discussion leader and a facilitator.

I really appreciate how welcoming and non-judgmental the community is and how supportive all the members are (and patient!)

  1. What would you change?
Not much. For the most part I find the platform easy to navigate and anything I've gotten stuck on Sylvia has 'unstuck' me pretty quickly.
I've found most of the discussion topics right on for my interests so I wouldn't change that either.

As others have said, I need to change myself so that I become a more active participant.
  1. What are your ideas for future activities?
My current interests are
  • practical examples for integrating Web2 or social networking technologies into classroom activities.
  • some skill building sessions in terms of understanding audio and video issues within web conferencing environments or in terms of posting/hosting them on web sites - what are the issues (i.e., bandwidth, privacy, downloadability, format) and how can we plan to avoid the glitches!
  • more sessions that help us work with open learning environments like Wikieducator - perhaps the next one could be on the UK's OpenLearn or Rice University's Connexions.
  • exploring the difference between social networking platforms (services??) and communities of practice or learning communities
  • the role of questioning and critical thinking in teaching and learning - how to support, facilitate/encourage questioning, different techniques, activities
  • visualization tools and how to design learning activities that teach visualization skills - both in creation and interpretation
  • and on and on and on...
Thanks to all of you. I will try to be more of a participant and less of a lurker this year.

Sylvia

In reply to Sylvia Currie

Re: Welcome to SCoPE Reflections and Next Steps

by Deirdre Bonnycastle -
What have you liked about SCoPE?

The people, ease of use, variety of topics, email notification

What would you change?
Nothing

What are your ideas for future activities?
I'd like more about active learning strategies that aren't discussion based.

In reply to Sylvia Currie

So many great suggestions

by Sylvia Currie -
The SCoPE suggestions rolling in so far are just fabulous! I've been reviewing your posts and adding these tags to keep track (using Marginalia annotations):
  • topic
  • format
  • user experience
  • promotion
I'm sure I'm missing a few, but here are the SCoPE ideas generated through our discussion using the above tags:
If you use the same tags, and keep your annotations public, we can continue to compile these lists. And of course feel free to add your own tags!
In reply to Sylvia Currie

Re: Welcome to SCoPE Reflections and Next Steps

by Deleted user -

What have you liked about SCoPE?

  • sharing of experiences & resources (not that I've shared any... but want to change this.. :-) )
  • acceptance of lurkers
  • email - this really helps

What would you change?

  • nothing really - except for my own participation, or lack thereof

What are your ideas for future activities?

  • interested in reflective learning and how it can be fostered / developed over time to enhance student learning
  • fostering learning communities - should it be structured or will that be too overwhelming for learners/students???
  • cultural integration - the way forward after a university merger
In reply to Sylvia Currie

Re: Welcome to SCoPE Reflections and Next Steps

by Nalin Abeysekera -

 

Hello!!

My reflection on scope!!! Actually I learned  lot from scope. I came to know about lot of scholars ,the practices, some theories in online learning and education(Because I am from management discipline) etc… I like to share my knowledge. But the rate was 80:20.I got 80!!! But I gave only 20!!!So feel i have to contribute more but with some practical problems in this part of the world(I think we discuss some of these in one forum “e-learning in developing countries with Nellie Deutsch).it was interesting and I think we can expand the horizons!!!  We can discuss how people think about e- learning in different perspectives (Like in Sri Lanka,India or some regions),we can discuss  how collaborative learning effective in Brazil etc..All might be good input for the research. We can expect some better findings for the development of our own disciplines as well.( X practice in UK is better than ours etc).Known to unknown!!!! And Sylvia, congratulations and thanks for your effort!!Well-done!!!

Nalin

In reply to Sylvia Currie

Re: Welcome to SCoPE Reflections and Next Steps

by Bonnie Johnston -
(Busy people? it's still the 16th, right? :-))

What I like about SCOPE and why I've stuck with you is the really great moderators and presenters. You've had some really great people as well as people who are leaders in their field. What I like is access to them, the ability to get closer, in this informal but structured way.

Not sure about any changes. For awhile, I was irritated by the emails. But then, like others, I discovered that receiving the posts by email was a convenient way of following the conversation. So I like how the emails come automatically for each new seminar and it's up to me to login to turn them off.

In the future, I will echo Deidre's request for more on active learning strategies that are not discussion-based.

Thanks for the opportunity to participate!