Designated Learner - Lessons from Our Last Experiment

Created by Felcia Sullivan
https://voicethread.com/#q.b4104932.i21006791

On February 6th, Penny Kuckkahn taught Robert Voelker-Morris how to use VoiceThread (VT). Robert served as the designated learner. The event took place using web-conferencing, Adobe Connect. Below are my notes from the chat on lessons learned.

Two more roles emerged:

• Designated Follower (DF). Participants are given the choice to watch or to follow along. The Designated Follower helps a beginning learner stay with the training by asking questions from the follower perspective.
• Designated Kibitzer (DK) adds random informative comment during the training.

Again we discovered nuances that emerged during the training that were unanticipated. For example, Robert's (the DL) specific use for VoiceThread involved embedding the VT into a learning management system. This added another layer of complexity.

We need a pre-module on how to use mics in Adobe for those who might want to use mics during the training. Suggested that some sort of training may be needed for students, maybe record a demonstration.

Sequence used in this session:

1. Intro.context
2. TASK for instructor/DL
3. Others follow along AND add questions, comments, info
4. Encourage (if relevant) all participants to have access to what was built and test it briefly.
5. More reactions
6. 2nd demo/task?
7. Further comments?
8. Next steps

The group decided to continue the learning about VoiceThread on February 20th, 3:00 PM ET. This link will take you to the registration page. Please share a link to the VoiceThread that you create in preparation for the session on 2/20 by commenting to this blog post.

I've made additions and revisions to the Designated Learner slides. Your feedback is always appreciated.

Designated learner slides

Working to develop slides describing the designated learner approach. Would love your feedback.

Designated Learner Experiment Continues

The Designated Learner Experiment continues.  Irene Knohk taught me how to use JING to capture a screen and to create a video.

Below are Steve Gilbert's thoughts on our next steps:
This was a GREAT step forward.
Irene, would you be willing to do almost the same thing with Jing again?
I'd like to try it with 2 or 3 very small, very specific tasks/projects identified in advance and the goal of trying to get the learner to succeed on those 2 or 3 as quickly as possible... with enough time left at the end to discuss other features of Jing that people might find relevant and/or to respond to audience questions.  I think we should also continue to identify the list of tasks/features that we will NOT address during our session...
I also wonder if the model of TV cooking shows has some relevance...  some steps can be omitted or condensed because someone has taken  care of that in advance....
For example...

• We list the prep that we would help our designated learner do in advance.  We make  a bigger deal in advance about the "worksheet" Irene prepared
• Open Jing & Screencast accounts
• Download Jing
• Identify a location on the learner's computer where any Jing files will be saved and avail immediately
• Identify a location (folder?) on the learner's Screencast account where any Jing files uploaded will be saved and avail immediately

What else could be handled this way in advance  AND WE COULD TELL PEOPLE THAT WE WERE DOING SO AND THAT THEY WOULD BE EXPECTED TO TAKE CARE OF THESE IN ADVANCE THEMSELVES IF THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO FOLLOW ALONG IN REAL TIME...
What do you think?
Steve

I love Steve's cooking show analogy.  I am also thinking we may want a place for people to be able to go after the session for more information and to view the recording, in other words, "to get the recipe."

One other thing we could add, either ask the participants for what they plan to do next and or suggest some things that they may want to do next that will help support and reinforce what they have learned in the session.  For example:  I want to go the JING and create a screen capture on my own so I don't forget what I have learned. Below is my latest achievement in that regard.