E-Learning & Online Teaching

I’ve been researching and writing about Information Fluency since the turn of the century. My work is published on the 21st Century Information Fluency Portal: http://21cif.imsa.edu You’ll find modular online learning content including games, micromodules and assessments on the portal. (Free for all educators.)

I include information fluency training in all of my online classes. I introduce power searching and website investigation to the graduate students studying in the E-Learning and Online Teaching Certificate Program at UW-Stout ( http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/elearningcertificate.html ) because I believe that Information Fluency is a foundation skill for all online teachers and learners.

What continually surprises me is that most educators (including those with advanced degrees) lack formal training in this field. Unless I’m working with a Library Media Specialist, most have little experience in searching, evaluating, and ethical use of digital materials.

Curiously, most educators think they are competent searchers and evaluators, when they are really just beginners. Their disposition is to ask for help rather than search for answers. With simple instruction many radically improve their ability to search, and evaluate. This is empowering and greatly increases learner satisfaction. Instruction in copyright and fair use is also part of the program.

At the same time I push the idea that it is everyone’s duty to teach website evaluation and ethical use as part of any online curriculum. Too often educators assume someone else should have done the job by the time their students walk through the door. The application of information fluency to all curriculum areas is profound. Students given even rudimentary instruction in Information Fluency immediately benefit.

As online teachers and learners we work in a computer where information is just a few keystrokes away. I hope we can promote the disposition in all online teachers and learners that skilled use of Internet resources is the essential learning skill of our times.

Dennis O’Connor
Program Advisor
E-Learning & Online Teaching
School of Education
Online Professional Development
University of Wisconsin-Stout
Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University
oconnord@uwstout.edu
530-318-1145 (Cell)
Skype: wiredinstructor2

Search Help, Evaluation and Digital Ethics for School, Business and Home

Courses Starting Soon…

Need to create a back to school training?

Use our modular content to snap together your own unique training course.

Power Searching in a Web 2.0 World

Next session starts Aug 4 (4 Weeks $99)

Login as guest: Moodle Classroom| Course Description

Website Investigator: An Introduction to Information Forensics

Next session starts Aug 11 (2 Weeks $68) Login as guest: Moodle Classroom | Course Description

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Join Carl Heine and Dennis O’Connor in San Antonio for NECC 2008.

Monday June 30, 2008

Web Site Investigator: An Introduction to Information Forensics

[Session: Lecture]

Carl Heine, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy with Dennis O’Connor

Monday, 6/30/2008, 11:00am–12:00pm; HGCC 206 A

blog tags: necc, n08s402

Tuesday July 1, 2008

Teaching NETS•S III: 21st-Century Information Fluency Project

[Poster: Traditional]

Carl Heine, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy with Dennis O’Connor

Tuesday, 7/1/2008, 1:00pm–3:00pm; HGCC Tower View Lobby, Table: 26

blog tags: necc, n08s781

Look for new online classes coming from Information Fluency this summer!

• 4 Week Online Course: PowerSearching in a Web 2.0 World (Starts July 7)
• 1 Week Online Course: Website Investigator: Introduction to Information Forensics (Starts July 14)
• You may view the course offerings in ‘guest mode’. To register online, first create an account.
• Online Registration Information

• Virgle: The Adventure of Many LifetimesVirgin Airlines and Google team up to colonize Mars An invitation.
  Earth has issues, and it’s time humanity got started on a Plan B. So, starting in 2014, Virgin founder Richard Branson and Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin will be leading …. And so begins the next phase of Google’s quest to index all knowlege and Richard Branson’s life long desire to find new beach front property. It’s great to see Billionaires take the high road by combining their insights, technological smarts and ’sense of a good time’ to help out humanity. Way to go guys! (tags: evauation)
• Customize TimeGmail: Google’s approach to emailJust click “Set custom time” from the Compose view. Any email you send to the past appears in the proper chronological order in your recipient’s inbox. Finally a way to get timesheets and my taxes filed before the deadlines. I LOVE TECHNOLOGY!(tags: evaluation)

Microsoft(R) Firefox | We’ve Made it Better

Microsoft’s recent acquisition of Firefox

has raised some eyebrows. Careful examination of this helpful site will lay to rest the worries of many in the open source ‘alternative’ computing community. Everything is going to be fine! They made it better.

(tags: firefox microsoft browser evauation humor)