No problem...
for more of my work please go to:
http://www.redroom.com/author/rodney-d-coates
The man who has no imagination has no wings.
Muhammad Ali
Rodney D. Coates
Professor
-----Original Message-----
From: The Partners Project [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Lindsey Kingston
Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2011 3:56 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Clarification
Hey there,
Would you mind keeping the forum folders for a week? I just gave my students
instructions for posting their first blog. I can give them new instructions
next Tuesday, but for now it would be helpful to keep those folders.
If this helps anyone: I am also asking my students to post a second copy of
their blog under our "group," just so that I can keep track of what my
students wrote for grading purposes.
Thanks, everyone, for your hard work on this. We're almost there!
Lindsey
-----Original Message-----
From: The Partners Project [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Coates, Rodney D. Dr.
Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2011 2:32 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Clarification
Then if no one objects...let us go with the blog option..i will delete the
areas under the forums..unless I hear an objection...
for more of my work please go to:
http://www.redroom.com/author/rodney-d-coates
The man who has no imagination has no wings.
Muhammad Ali
Rodney D. Coates
Professor
-----Original Message-----
From: The Partners Project [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of BRUCE FRIESEN
Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2011 2:16 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Clarification
Deleting the individual schools is fine with me, as is using the Blog option
for blogging.
Bruce Friesen
University of Tampa
________________________________
From: The Partners Project on behalf of Coates, Rodney D. Dr.
Sent: Tue 1/18/2011 11:39 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Clarification
These are all great suggestions...i have modified the syllabus to reflect
them..thanks for all your hard work.
And yes, I do believe that a single discussion Forum for each topic would be
better than the separate ones for each Institution. If that is agreeable
with all, I will delete the individual schools, and we will have only the
single one each topic. This will mean that we will have to have our
students to submit these to us and that way keep up with the posts. But I
do believe that it will facilitate discussions across institutions.
Thanks..
for more of my work please go to:
http://www.redroom.com/author/rodney-d-coates
The man who has no imagination has no wings.
Muhammad Ali
Rodney D. Coates
Professor
-----Original Message-----
From: The Partners Project [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Winnie Poster
Sent: Monday, January 17, 2011 9:40 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Clarification
Thanks for the fast comments! (and an apology from me as well for my last
reply to Elaine which went to the whole group -- we'll get this right one of
these days ...)
Bridget raises a great issue -- if we're organizing projects by topic,
there's no real reason to separate the groups by methodology. If no one has
any objection, we'll just make one forum instead of two (i.g., case study
and service learning) for setting up groups.
Some responses to Bruces great points as well -- yes, we've arranged the
forum discussions by topic, and then within these, some faculty have set up
sub-forums for their students. One advantage is making it easier to keep
track of student postings for purposes of grades.
I'd like to point out another option for students too. I've set up an "all
students forum" inside each of the discussion topics, so that students can
interact with each other there across universities. (In fact, I personally
will NOT be having a separate discussion forum for my university -- I'll
tell my students to go to the "all students" forum. Then I'll have them
print out their entries for grading purposes.)
Since we have a requirement for students to "respond" to the postings of
other students, I hope faculty who have set up their own university
discussion groups will not mind if outsiders comment on their entries
(although I'm not even sure that's allowed through the software ....)
Thanks for noting the distinction between "blog" and "forum" on NING -- that
could really get confusing we didn't catch it quick! And we should
definitely tell students about chat -- maybe they could print those out as
well for grading?
Winnie
On Jan 17, 2011, at 7:08 PM, BRUCE FRIESEN wrote:
> Colleagues:
>
> My class begins this week. I'm excited about the possibilities for myself
and the 18 students enrolled in my class. Below are some comments and
questions, for clarification:
>
> 1. Thank you to Winnie and Natasha. I like the structure you've provided
for group projects. After each of my students have formed a group with
students from two other institutions, I'll encourage them to create a HUDDLE
WORKSPACE in Ning for the three of them. It allows them to work privately
together.
>
> 2. From what I'm seeing, we're going to encourage students to create
their "blog" entries using the FORUM option in Ning. Within each subheading
of the FORUM (i.e. Globalization, Social Justice, Human Rights), each
faculty member will create the Discussion in which their students can blog.
Am I understanding this correctly? That way students will be able to view
students' "blogs" from other institutions and post a response as required.
>
> If this is the case, my only word of caution is to inform our students
that "blogging" will take place in the FORUM instead of the option entitled
"BLOGS."
>
> 3. The syllabus encourages students to interact with students from other
institutions, and that this activity will not be graded. I'll encourage my
students to do this, then, under the "BLOGS" option, and perhaps the CHAT
option. Is this acceptable to everyone?
>
> 4. For week 2 on Human Rights, the first link in the readings takes me to
a page of background on Indigenous Peoples. I assume this should instead be
a link to the UDHR? Please confirm, Rodney.
>
> Best,
> Bruce Friesen, Sociology
> University of Tampa
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: The Partners Project on behalf of Winnie Poster
> Sent: Mon 1/17/2011 3:09 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: comments please! draft on setting up project groups
>
>
> Hi Partners!
>
> Natasha and I have come up with a draft of instructions for students on
how to select their topic and their group for the projects. Please look
over and tell us your improved ideas, or how to make it work better with
your course. Please note:
>
> 1. we're proposing smaller groups to make them more flexible and workable
for the distance work relationships. Hope that's ok!
>
> 2. we set a deadline for choosing groups that we hope is workable for all
the different schedules out there. Let us know if it is not convenient.
>
> Comments are appreciated ASAP! We'll try to post this on the website by
the end of this week. Also welcome are suggestions of exactly *how* or
*what* students should do in their groups once they are formed.....
>
> Thanks, Winnie and Natasha
>
>
> Instructions for Choosing a Project Topic and Group:
>
> 1. Decide on a topic concerning Globalization and Human Rights. We
recommend that you start by looking at the topics on your course syllabus
and discussing it with your instructor.
>
> a. Choose a general topic of human rights, e.g. ("environmental rights",
"children's rights," "labor rights", etc.). This needs to be focused
enough to have a common theme, but broad enough that students from different
locations can join in with specific examples from their communities. Rights
listed on the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights are good examples.
>
> b. Within the general topic, select your specific topic that will reflect
your particular research methodology and geographic context. For instance,
if you are doing volunteer work at a homeless shelter, your general topic
may be "poverty" and your specific topic will be "service learning and
observation of homelessness in XX city of XX country." Remember think about
both the "local" and "global" about the causes and manifestations of human
rights in your community. The overall theme of the course will be global,
and you may be directly comparing your topic to that of another country in
your group. However, depending upon the group formation, you may have
members from the same country, and therefore, the city or state based
comparisons will be more important.
>
> c. Get formal approval of your topic from your instructor.
>
>
> 2. Join a group on the website. Go to the Forum Discussion link and look
for "Case Study Topics," or "Service Learning Topics".
>
> a. Look to see if you like any of the existing posted general topics. If
so, join the group by "replying" to an existing post. Enter your specific /
sub topic, and the university and country you are from. In the subject
line, mention if you are the "second" or "third" member of the group.
>
> b. If your topic is not listed, create a new group by "replying" with the
subject line: "Proposed General Topic: [insert here]". Enter your
specific / sub topic, and the university and country you are from.
>
> c. In your post, try to be as specific as you can about what you intend
to study, and how you plan to do it.
>
> d. If you want to change groups, send another post with the subject
"withdrawing from group"
>
>
> 3. Rules for joining groups!
>
> a. Maximum 3 students per group. Once two others have replied to a given
topic, it is closed. You can start a new topic with the exact same heading,
however.
>
> b. Maximum 1 representative per university. If sometime has already
joined the group from your school, you may not join. However, you are
welcome to start a new group post with the same topic.
>
> c. Recommendation (but not requirement): try to pick a group that has
some international diversity. It may not be possible for every group to
have members from different countries, but let's try. When choosing your
group, see if your country is already represented, and if so, pick a
different one.
>
> d. Deadline is February 11. If you are having trouble finding or joining
a group by February 11, send a reply post to the "Please Assign Me a Group"
thread. If your group is not filled by that date, we will try to fill it
for you. If we cannot, we may be assigning you a new group.
>
>
> Faculty: If you have special instructions or criteria for your students
about what kind of topic or project group they join, please give them in
class. You can also monitor what groups they are joining on your own, and
if you would prefer they join a different group, instruct them to "withdraw"
and rejoin another.
>
>
>
> _______________________________________
> Dr. Winifred R. Poster
> Brown School of Social Work
> Washington University
> Campus Box 1196
> One Brookings Drive
> St. Louis, MO 63130
> www.winifredposter.com
> [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Jan 17, 2011, at 10:24 AM, ??????? ??????? wrote:
>
>
> Hello, Winnie,
> did you get my message? Shall we continue the discussion?
> I have couple of concerns - the main is that different universities
choose various forms of participation in our joint course. At least one
(Mason) will not make a joint project an obligatory part for Moson
university' course. I guess we should know in advance who is in and who is
not to be able to group people (((
>
> cheers,
>
> Natasha
>
>
> Wed, 12 Jan 2011 17:42:40 +0000 ?????? ?? Winnie Poster
<[log in to unmask]>:
>
>
>
> Hi Natasha,
>
> (love your name, by the way, I chose this name for my
daughter!)
>
>
> Shall we start working on the projects? Here are my
thoughts:
>
> 1. I love the idea of starting with topics. Let's do that.
>
> 2. I'm thinking we should reduce the group size -- 6 is way
too big to coordinate across countries, much less in one room! I say three
-- all from different universities.
>
> 3. How about we let the students try to organize themselves
at first? We could open a discussion forum, and students could post a
general topic theme. Then interested students from other universities could
"reply" if they want to join. It would be much easier for students to
arrange this on their own. Anyone who doesn't have a group can reply to a
"please assign me to a group" discussion forum.
>
> 4. Then, for the groups that don't find enough partners, we
could take over and fill in. We could set an overall deadline, like Friday
Feb 11 (which looks like a time when all the course would have started).
Then you and I could distribute the unassigned people into existing
incomplete groups, or put them into new groups.
>
> What do you think????
>
> cheers,
>
> Winnie
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________
> Dr. Winifred R. Poster
> Brown School of Social Work
> Washington University
> Campus Box 1196
> One Brookings Drive
> St. Louis, MO 63130
> www.winifredposter.com <http://www.winifredposter.com/>
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
>
> From: ??????? ??????? <[log in to unmask]>
>
> Date: January 8, 2011 4:48:58 AM CST
>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>
> Subject: Re: Questions, Process, and Getting Started
>
> Reply-To: The Partners Project
<[log in to unmask]>
>
>
> hello, everyone,
>
> thinking about how we are going to group students:
> I would say we should start from students naming
the topics of interest. Then when each faculty has a list (with three
students supporting each topic) we can make the join list on the website to
who is interested in what and how we can group them.
> As long as HSE is making a joint course with the
Mason University I presume some our goroups will be joint, but I would not
want to limit the students and would let them choose the topic first
>
> What do you think about this?
>
> Natasha
>
> Fri, 7 Jan 2011 17:33:42 +0000 ?????? ?? Rodney
Coates <[log in to unmask]>:
>
>
>
> Thanks Winifred and Bridget: The questions
you raise are important. Below I
>
>
> offer some suggestions, but also ask that
others chime in. The questions:
>
>
> More questions for the group: 1.
About the discussions / blogs:
>
>
> Thanks Bridget, I'm totally with you! My
class will also be discussing:
>
>
> environment; food and water; sexual / GLBT
rights; racial apartheid; human
>
>
> rights activism. Rodney: should we just
add new "Discussion" groups for each
>
>
> of these topics? And how about adding
discussions for the wonderful topics
>
>
> that are in the syllabus (under "blog
posts"): defining globalization, social
>
>
> justice, and human rights. (Maybe you've
already started to do this?) Yes, I
>
>
> am setting up Discussions (under Forums) for
each of these as categories.
>
>
> Please go to the Forums tab on our NING
page, then look to the right of the
>
>
> window that opens up, you will see a pull
down tab for Discussions, and
>
>
> Categories. Pull down tab for Categories.
There you will see each of the
>
>
> topics as identified as Blogs on our
Syllabus. I have only made Categories
>
>
> for the first set of topics for our syllabus
(i.e. Globalization, Social
>
>
> Justice and Human rights). Under each
Category, please create a discussion
>
>
> link for your institution. I have already
created one for Miami Students.
>
>
> This will allow us to track discussions by
content area and by Institution.
>
>
> Students can then post responses to a
specific discussion area and specific
>
>
> institution. This allows also for
accountability. 2. As for the student
>
>
> accountability issue, it would be great if
there was some feature on Ning that
>
>
> would let faculty see all the posts for a
given student. If that's not
>
>
> possible, I was thinking I might ask my
students to print out their posts and
>
>
> comments each week and turn them in. Yes,
you can see the threads, but this
>
>
> may be a bit tedious. There is no central
way to access all students threads,
>
>
> but you can click on the student members
name and get a listing of all their
>
>
> postings (I am not sure if this requires
administrator's privileges, if so,
>
>
> let me know and I will designate this for
each Partner.)
>
>
> 3. Can I belabor the point about organizing
the projects some more? (Sorry
>
>
> to be a pest, but I'm not getting how this
will work, and my course starts
>
>
> soon so I need to be able to explain it to
my students!) Rodney, how should
>
>
> we assign students to teams? Is this
something you wanted to do yourself? Or
>
>
> should we ask for a volunteer? It seems
like this is a task that needs to be
>
>
> centralized somehow. If we are doing this
top-down approach, can I suggest
>
>
> that we start it soon? This is critical.
No I did not want to do this
>
>
> myself. I suggest that we ask for a
volunteer to make sure that it gets
>
>
> done. We can use the levels of
Participation spread sheet to first identify
>
>
> faculty. Then we can set up a group for
each set -case studies and service
>
>
> learning which includes each set of
Partners. Then they can choose a
>
>
> coordinator or a process which will
streamline this process. Or, are
>
>
> faculty already linking up with other
schools on their own? I couldn't tell
>
>
> if this was going on in the comments ....
I'm thinking that given the
>
>
> extreme fluidity of this context (varying
start and stop dates for courses,
>
>
> uncertain final enrollments for courses,
etc.), it might make more sense to
>
>
> set up groups online, and let students join
as they become members. For
>
>
> instance, we could start a thread for "case
study projects" and students can
>
>
> propose a topic -- as soon as two other
students join, the group would be on
>
>
> its way. Better ideas welcome!!!!
Yes..see above. 4. What is the
>
>
> "huddle workspace" on the webpage?
>
>
>
>
> Huddle workspace on the webpage allows you
to upload documents that can be
>
>
> shared with other members as you choose. I
think that each partner can set up
>
>
> such a workspace, but this is something I
just discovered, and am not sure how
>
>
> much total space we can have. Right now it
is 100 megs. I think Bridget set
>
>
> up one for her institution, and it has
another 100 mgs. Check it out, it is
>
>
> really cool. It's like a digital drop box.
I imagine students can use this,
>
>
> or other online sites (like google docs) to
help organize their group
>
>
> projects.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> winnie
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> thanks
>
>
>
>
>
> Rodney c..
>
>
>
>
> Sent from my BlackBerry device from
Cincinnati Bell
>
>
> Wireless
>
|
