[ image : fun3md ]

As with everything even the best made plans are put to rest when technology decides to get the best of us. In fact as we know it generally fails most often in public at the worst possible moment.

Last Friday 16th May was no exception however as always there were great things that arose from the ensuing discussions which you can listen to via the recorded Adobe Connect session.

I certainly learnt early on as an online facilitator that it really is about expecting the unexpected and having a game plan that allows for your to “seamlessly” make the transition from one activity or prompt to another…much like any good teaching and learning experience that seems to work effortlessly and yet behind the scenes are things are chaotic.

I really enjoyed the session as it highlighted for me and for those present ( I hope ) that facilitating online really means interacting successfully online, that the translation between online and offline are little in difference. We rise to the challenge and where I’m headed to from here with the first group is to network them with the SIT wikispace discussion where they can continue to contribute also to explore with them the role of organisational placeholders for creations that would otherwise remain buried in enclaves that better suit creating discussion and ultimately business back to the Institute.

Keep an eye out for updates across the connected web

See the full Adobe Connect Session recording here

If you have iTunes click on the button on the right hand menu and you will be automatically subscribed to the podcast and the audio will be added to your library and you can also have it synced to your ipod.

[ image : wikipedia ]

We live in age that connects things semantically – that is, we are now living in a networked learning environment within which technology surrounds us everywhere.

If we carefully conduct a technology audit ( a great starting point with learners ) we can see that these technology systems are inter-dependent and work together to produce the result.

The result being cohesion in the community, access to facilities, an equitable range of resources and ways to communicate with others. The same results apply for learning environments.

With the onset of new and emergent technologoies our roles as educators are up for a huge challenge and likewise our organisations and the systems that support engaging with clients. The architectures that govern our particpation are changing and learning is not limited to a physical proximity to an educator…..the buildings are dissolving and the manner in which ‘deliver’ is becoming markedly affected by these changes in the way people access information.

The term ‘open education‘ seems to be synonomous with the principles governing knowledge in a networked learning and globally connected world acquisition as is ‘ ‘connectivism‘ to better explain the transition from a constructivist learning model to that of connectivism.

So, what are we to do now that the internet affords us access to technologies which allow for education facilitation to occur from a distance ?

I’m currently employed to assist in this capacity developing training for educators who are looking to find the best solutions for facilitating online. What I intend to do with this blog and the SIT wiki will demonstrate ways to use some of these open ( to the web ) networked learning tools in this delivery and develop this training in a protected ( log-in required ) environment which invites particpation as comment and better still, with a login, some direct contributions to an ever evolving range of resources to support teachers.

The blog here will be used for my journey into this area with SIT and the wiki will be used to collaboratively engage, plan and articulate the learning journey.

I look forward to you joining me in this journey