Using Wordle in Online Course Discussion

The Global Workplace: Its Impact on Employers, Workers, and Their Organizations The Global Workplace course examines recent global trends, especially the transformative effects of information technology and the increasing importance of service work on the economy. Students participate in several class discussions to establish an informed position on some of the issues of the global workplace. Using posts from every discussion, the course instructor creates an image using Wordle, a free wordcloud generator, and posts the link to the wordcloud for students to see each week. Before the end of each learning module, students are able to visualize those thoughts, ideas, concepts and themes generated through their discussion participation. The word collages therefore become evocative of the most pressing and controversial issues in the global economy today.

Audio-visuals and Cognitive Reiteration

Working with a course developer on a course about Globalization, I wanted a way to provide images at the top of every section as a way of visually introducing the topics to be covered. This provides stimulation for cognitive reiteration later in the course, when students are working with the content and they have already seen the images in context. That re-use can also provide a level of consistency as well as familiarity.

Globalization is a complex topic and there were many images I could have used, but the course has a thematic focus on labor and trade. With this in mind, I chose images that some students may find surprising, or even a little bit unsettling. I wanted to challenge some potential sterotypes and/or preconceptions about who actually makes up the working class in a global economy.

Interactive Timeline for History of Religious Movements in US

Part of the Politics and Religion course focuses on the history of particular movements in the United States. Rather than listing some the organizations and key events, I designed an interactive timeline for the course using Dipity.

The Development of the Religious Right Movement on Dipity.

Creative Approach to Content Organization: Advanced Organizer

Members of the Technology in Action Committee took the initiative to demonstrate the flexibility and unique capabilities of the ANGEL Learning Management System (LMS) currently being used at CDL at the Annual Curriculum Retreat at SUNY Empire State College's Center for Distance Learning. I was called upon to present alternative content design approaches using the Angel LMS.

Here is a video (you must view in Internet Explorer) of my brief presentation on the model with Carol Carnevale. Please note that I'm still using my maiden name (Ouderkirk):

The Graphic Organizer