Facilitator Guide
Back to Facilitator Area
- Read Me First
- Word to the Facilitator
- Chat Sessions
- Important Numbers
- Calendar
- Message Board
- The Module
- Description
- Objectives of this Module
- Outline
- Implementation
- Managing the Daily Routine
- Record Keeping and Grades
- Student Duties and Responsibilities
- Things to do ASAP
I. Read Me First
Word to the Facilitator
As a facilitator you must first be highly competent and comfortable with the
technology and experienced in using it for online facilitation. Your role as
an effective facilitator involves:
- Helping students agree on desired agenda,
- Suggesting ways to proceed,
- Making sure everyone participates,
- Keeping discussions orderly and on track, and
- Creating a working environment in which students can contribute their thoughts
and ideas.
- As facilitator you want to make this an exciting learning experience for
all.
Chat Sessions
Assign participants to groups of three to five students for the initial chat.
One way of doing this is to let students choose which sessions (maximum of two)
they want to participate in, and set a timeframe for this to occur, e.g., 5:00-6:00
p.m. MT. Structure the session into four discrete stages:
- During this stage you may want to set the stage and introduce the content
for the session. Techniques might include a round robin discussion of
team participants and their interest in the session or just informal conversation.
- The presentation and discussion of information is delivered directly,
assuming that understanding is immediate. Levels of emotion are demonstrated
by capitalization, underlining, and the repetition of key words.
- Interactive sessions are perhaps the most difficult to duplicate in
an on line environment. The ability to structure an experience that has
the energy and dynamic of a face-to-face discussion is one of the greatest
challenges of on line learning. As a facilitator you are often left to
interpret the level of consensus, or levels of confusion among participants.
- The closure stage resembles the presentation phase where closure information
is provided in a series of review statements. The closure should identify
what areas are well understood and which ones are not understood.
The positive aspects of the online communication are clearly in the area of
follow up. The ability (or perhaps comfort level) and convenience of the online
communication keeps the virtual teams communicating between formal facilitation
sessions. This type of communication seldom happens in traditional deliveries.
When the session is over the teams do not get together until the next formal
session.
Important Telephone Numbers/Contact People
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Web Address
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Telephone Numbers
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Calendar
Logging In:
Logging into the calendar administration area is very easy. From the facilitator
area of the web site, click on the "calendar administration" link.
You will go to a screen asking for your username and password. Username is "facilitator"
and password is currently "letmein" (no quotes on either word).
Once you have logged in you will be at the main administration screen. On the
left column are buttons that access different features of the calendar.
The features are very easy to use and are self explanatory, but a quick rundown
is as follows:
- General Options: Allows one to change the names of the days of the week
and months of the year. Also set highlight colors and the calendar template.
We have set the calendar to the default, no add option, which basically means
a student can see the calendar, but not add events.
- Add Event: Allows the facilitator to add events to the calendar. Simply
enter the date of the event, a short description for the heading, and a longer
description that will appear when a student clicks on the calendar date.
- Edit Events: Allows the facilitator to edit already entered events. Options
include edit and delete.
- Change Password: Allows the facilitator to change the admin password. Please
keep a record of the password so future facilitators can access the calendar
administration.
- Template Editor: Allows the facilitator to access the calendar template
HTML to change the look of the calendar. This feature requires some knowledge
of HTML. Complete instructions on editing templates can be found at http://www.mattkruse.com/scripts/calendar/
- View Calendar: Allows the facilitator to see what the calendar will look
like, to check changes, layout, etc.
- Admin Login: takes one back to the login screen
- Support/Feedback: Takes one to a form that allows one to contact Matt Kruse.
Matt (not associated with UCD or the module developers) built the calendar
CGI and made it available for use on the Internet. The CGI came from the CGI
resource index
Message Board
The message board is located in the discussion section of the site. In the
left frame, under the utilities section, is a link to Administration options
Logging into the Admin area gives you access to all the features of the message
board. There is a large section providing instruction on administrating the
message board, so we will not go over the instructions here. Needless to say,
the message board is powerful, but it easy to use as well.
The message board CGI comes from Discuss.
II. The Module
Description
Prerequisites: HTML, CGI, Java Scripting, e-mail, Chat experience
This module will use exercises on four cognitive learning theories (Cognitive
Apprenticeship, Problem-Based Learning, Cognitive Flexibility, and Situated
Learning) to provide participants experience in collaborative learning online.
Objectives of this Module
After completing this module, participants will be able to:
- Interview an expert and discuss the interview process online
- Work together online as a group to put together a proposal convincing the
FCC of the benefits of two telecommunications companies.
- Develop online a checklist to trouble-shoot a problem.
- Create a website with the checklist.
III. Outline
- Week One: Assignments, introductions, course overview
- Weeks Two through Five: Cognitive Apprenticeship
- Weeks Six through Eleven: Problem-Based Learning and Cognitive Flexibility
- Weeks Twelve through Fourteen: Situated Learning
- Week Fifteen: Review and Metacognition
IV. Implementation
Managing the Daily Routine:
Encourage students to communicate with you regularly. Our web site enables
students to contact us at their convenience. Communication is vital! Students
should have a vested interest in making the class successful.
Post all assignments, any changes in the course material, and up-to-date
announcements on the web site.
Record Keeping and Grading:
Four components determine the grades in this class:
- Exercises
- Participation
- Evaluation by Peers
- Portfolio
Student Duties and Responsibilities
Review the student guide.
V. Things to Do ASAP
Here are some things you as the facilitator need to do as soon as possible:
- Call CU Denver for facilitator ID and password if you do not already have
this.
- Create a website with bulletin board; topics/assignments; student names,
e mail addresses, and phone numbers; and administrative information.