Well here we go again with another tool I have to learn. I am somewhat familiar with using Skype but I have never used Google+ before.  I don't think that it looks too difficult to pick up though. 

Last nights class session was good.  It was nice to see everyone online and active.  I think that the information given about APA style was very helpful and made me realize the things that I may have done wrong with my own assignment.  I also liked having the opportunity to work with others on the breakout rooms.  Although I am still finding it difficult to get used to writing on the whiteboards.  Anyway hope ever

So last weeks class session completely slipped my mind.  I wasn't gonna be able to make it because of work but still I don't know why I didn't remember.  Anyways hope everyone had a good weekend.  My weekend was kind of mixed.  On one hand Hawaii Football won but on the other hand my Cowboys got killed.

I worked on the Week 4 assignment this weekend.  It was a bit more challenging than I had expected.  I had never used APA style citations before so it took a little getting used to.  I had only used MLA prior to this.  I hope that I did everything correctly.  Anyways hope everyone has a good week.

After reflecting on the above material, you will have reviewed several research- and theory-based approaches to creating quality web-based education environments. Despite the plethora of information that exists about online instruction, as with all methods, optimal online teaching comes primarily with experience.  After perusing the above information and reviewing the presentation and given that you will be designing an online learning unit, how could this material help you?  What considerations seem to be most important for creating dynamic online learning? Why (be specific)?  Reflect on how the material might fit within your own work, community, or personal environment.

The material gives us a guide or framework as to how we can succeed in creating an online learning unit.  The presentation informs us of how to cover all aspects of multiple learners.  They also mention some of the Web 2.0 tools that are the best to use as well as what different combinations of media are most successful.  The R2D2 model covers in depth another framework that can be used to incorporate different activities for online learning.  I think that they are also trying to make the designers of these web based online instruction aware of the different types of learners.

The main consideration that needs to be addressed is how to deliver the subject so that it is effective to all types of learners.  Combinations of video, text, audio, and pictures need to be utilized in various ways for the students to best absorb and retain the information being taught.  In the presentation they talk about how multimodal designs produces higher performance than single mode designs.  I do think that another consideration is that you need to consider “the limits to the amount of simultaneous and serial information”(Menchaca 2008).  

Although I am currently not in a classroom setting I still see many of the changes that distance education and technology has gone through since I was an undergraduate. I think that many of the Web 2.0 tools available to not only students, but everyone has made distance learning and communication so much more possible.  Everyone is busy with their own lives and the time used for meeting or communicating is at a premium.  I think that everyone can use online learning in their lives.  It helps people learn when they have the time in their own schedule and can also be used as a reference for future use.  People are always trying to better themselves whether it is for work or personally and online training could be the answer to the satisfying this desire.