Connecting Educators For Learning
Connecting for Learning (C4L)
Many of us connect with other people for learning because it excites us to learn and share information. We may not label our interactions that way, but we engage in conversations because we are curious and want to learn. If we pay attention, we can learn from both positive and negative conversations. However, this kind of learning is informal. You won’t get a certificate or a degree for learning on your own. Only credited schools and organizations can award certificates for completing their programs.
The goal of education is to help people learn. But what is learning? Is learning what happens in life through conversations and self-directed learning or is it repeating and/or reproducing content that schools and organizations set up? Is learning using information to create new information or using the old over and and over again?
Are teachers promoting lifelong learning or helping students learn to repeat information? As things stand, most schools expect teachers to transmit agreed upon content and assess whether the students can reproduce the content or not. Do we need formal education for learning or can learn outside of school?
Non-Linear Socially Engaging Collaborative Learning
Learning is not organized. We do not learn in a linear fashion (see Ken Caroll’s blog post) Yet, youngsters are forced into a system that is linear. The school building, the classrooms, the textbooks, assessments (exams, tests, quizzes), are designed for linear learning. Online learning goes beyond the linear school-based learning. It offer each and everyone a chance to learn the way we were meant to learn. You now have a choice on what, how, and where to learn.
Connected Educators Month (CEM) is one way of learning online in a non-linear way. CEM is dedicated to supporting educators learning and collaborating through online communities and social networks as you connect with communities and networks, personalize your learning experiences and earn Connected Educator Badges as you go! Click on the badges below to find activities and projects that interest you and start earning badges today. There are special badges from the Connected Educator Month Starter Kit, as well as badges you can award to your peer educators! This is a natural non-linear way of learning .
USA Department of Education
“The USA Department of Education recognize that learning takes place both in and out of schools”. Connected Educators is an initiative that aims to help educators “connect, communicate and collaborate with others and to provide you a more effective way to build working relationships” and learn naturally in a non-linear way.
Rewarding Badges & Moodle MOOC 2
Moodle MOOC 2 on WizIQ is part of CEM (Click to view). All the live presentations are listed in CEM (see the calendar). In fact, CEM is also providing the participants of each of the live events with badges. You can get a badge on CEM, organized by the USA Department of Education, for attending the webinars on Moodle MOOC 2 on WizIQ.
Get a Badge for Every Webinar
Participants of Moodle MOOC 2 ,who join the live online sessions, will get a badge if they add their feedback. Certificates of Participation will be available at the end of the MOOC for those who blog about the live online sessions and document their MOOC experiences.
Moodle MOOC 2 on WizIQ
Each of the Moodle MOOCs has a unique theme. October’s theme is leading from the inside out. Teachers, who learn about themselves, are in a better position to help their students learn. The presenters of the Moodle MOOC 2 focus on reflective practice as they explore and model active learning. You may view the list of presentations on CEM.
Moodle 2.5 Teacher Training
In addition to the personal development and teaching and leading from the inside out, Moodle MOOC 2 is about teaching teachers about Moodle 2.5. Teachers learn how to teach online using Moodle. Dr. Nellie Deutsch has been teaching blended learning courses with Moodle since 2003. Dr. Deutsch has organized 3 Moodle courses (for beginner, non-beginners, and practice area) and the following webinars on Moodle 2.5:
- Moodle MOOC 2: Review of Week 1 and Plans for Week 2 on Tuesday, October 08, 2013 2:00 PM (EST)
- Moodle MOOC 2: Week 3 Challenges & Best Practices in Moodle Activities on Friday, October 11, 2013 2:00 PM (EST)
- Moodle MOOC 2: Challenges and Best Practices with Moodle Resources on Tuesday, October 22, 2013 12:00 PM (EST)
- Moodle MOOC 2: Moodle as a Course and Learning Management System on Sunday, October 27, 2013 1:00 PM (EST)
- Moodle MOOC 2: Wrapping Up and the Next MOOC on Thursday, October 31, 2013 4:00 PM (EST)