facilitating+a+virtual+classroom

Virtual Classroom __Description __

This assignment was meant for us as students to create a virtual classroom using blackboard. A virtual classroom is a room in which students learn through the web. This is not the traditional classroom setting where the students and the teachers come to a building and teach and learn. This type of classroom is done completely through the web or virtually. The classroom is set up in a way that the students should feel comfortable about finding and responding to the information that is presented to them. The students should also have access to all the information that they need to learn and ways to learn more if they need help or further direction. This classroom should also be personal as well. The students need to feel open and welcome when talking to the teacher and asking questions when they don't understand the material or the assignment. It is the job of the teacher to make sure that they requirements are met when they are using the web to teacher information. We were to make the classroom user friendly and helpful to students. Because this was an online course that we were creating we had to make sure that there were all options available to students to help them learn.

__Process __

To begin this assignment I made a list of all things that I have seen in a blackboard class. Such things that I have seen were introduction, syllabus, start here tab, assignments, homework, communication, discussion board, help from the teacher, library, and blackboard help. Once I had my list together I then compared it to the rubric that we needed to use. The rubric had almost everything on it that I had already listed. I then started to think back when I first started online classes and what I wanted to know and how I felt maneuvering through the course. I wanted to then make the classroom as user friendly as possible. I made sure that there was a tab for everything the students needed to know. If they needed to go to another tab I would provide a link for them. I also made a screencast for an introductory lesson on how to move through blackboard accurately, just in case the students did not know how to do it. I also wanted to make the directions clear for the students so they wouldn't be confused. To do this I had written directions and videos for the students to watch. I wanted to make sure the students could get a hold of me when they needed help, so I put my contact information in a couple different places for the students to make sure they didn't miss it. I also wanted to make the environment visually appealing so I used "kid-friendly" language and visual effects with colors. After I was done I had one of my students go through the course and see if they understood what they were suppose to do and they did.

__Reflection __

I really enjoyed this assignment. It really opened my eyes to how the instructors must feel when they are creating a course online. I had no idea that so much thought and processing went into creating an online course for students. You really have to think through everything and put yourself in someone else's shoes. This assignment allowed for me to be in the instructor and process through all the steps of how I wanted the students to be engaged and complete assignments. I thought that the visual layout was appealing but I wish in blackboard there were more options as to the color and the layout for the students. I wish I could change the background color to make it more visually appealing to the students. I also thought I did a good job with the tabs and putting them in sequenctial order as to how the students were to complete each assignment. Being a special education teacher I know that all children learn differently, so therefore I made sure that there were written, visual, and auditory directions for each assignment so that all students could access the information. I also color-coded many of the assignments for the students that may have trouble organizing. This is a visual tactic that I use with my students that have a problem attending to tasks. I included an "issue bin" tab, which was my information. This tab allowed the students to be able to contact me when they had a question or problem with the class. I though that everything in the virtual classroom was sequentially laid out and very thorough with the directions.

__Link __ [|My Blackboard Course]

__Resources __ Retrieved from: [|http://bubble.us]
 * Edelman, K. & Amelyan, L. (2006) //Bubble.us Beta//

Aitchison, S. (2007, January1) //How to use bubbl.us to make 2008 your most productive year ever.// Retrieved from []

Davis, B. (2007, April27) //Success with bubbl.us// Retrieved from []

Harroff, B. (2007) //The use of outlines to improve research papers// Retrieved from http://www.pppst.com/html

(2007) //Maryland voluntary state curriculum// Retrieved from []

She, V. ( 2005). //Core rules of netiquette//. Retrieved from []

Winnington, D. (2010) //Plagerism clause// Retrieved from http://wilmu.blackboard.com/webapps/portal/

Purdue University (1995) //Purdue online writing lab.// Retrieved from //http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl///

Luman, R. (2001) //Making an outline.// Retrieved from //http://writing.pppst.com/outlines.html//

||  ||