Emerging Technologies to
improve Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (CHECET) 2012
Dear CHECET 2012 participant
It is our pleasure
to welcome you to this year’s CHEC short course on using Emerging Technologies
(ET) to improve teaching and learning in Higher Education.
As preparation for
the course, that starts next week Wednesday
2 May 08:30 for 09:00 at the CPUT Bellville campus, IT Centre, we would
like you to do the following 6 short tasks:
Task
1: Pre-course survey (deadline: Monday 30 May 2012, 12:00)
Do this by: going to web
address
http://bit.ly/checetsurvey and completing the
survey (It is very important for us that you complete this survey, since it
will help us to better prepare for your specific needs as participants.
Outcomes of the survey will be shared during the first face to face workshop.
The survey will only take you 10 mins to complete).
Task
2: Create a Google account/ e-mail address
Having a Google
account is crucial for you as a participant, to comment on Google blogs, join
the Google course discussion group, and add blogs to Google reader. The easiest
way to get a Google account (if you do have one already – please make sure it
is active!) is to create a Gmail address.
Task
3: Comment on the course blog
The course will use
a blog as a central repository of information, resources and interesting links.
We would like you to share your thoughts and ideas by commenting on all the
different posts and pages found on the blog. It is quite easy, but we would
like you to practice a bit before hand.
Do this by: going to the
following web adress
http://checet.blogspot.com and comment on the welcoming post on the home page/ or on this copy of
the e-mail sent to your personal e-mail address.
One comments on a post by looking
for the “comments” link just underneath the post, clicking on it, entering your
comments, post selecting profile “Google account” and then clicking on the
publish button. If your comment appears: Success!
Task
4: Join the course Facebook group
We also use social
media as part of the the course so you can experience first hand how one could
use this type of emerging technology to teach and learn. We created a Facebook
group that we want all participants to join. This is a closed group, which will
be only accessible to group members. One of the main benefits of using Facebook
groups is that you can interact with group members without having to befriend
them.
Do this by: going to
www.facebook.com and logging in with your Facebook account (please create one if you
do not have one yet). Then search for the group CHECET 2012 (or just paste the
web address
http://www.facebook.com/groups/checet2012 in your browser)
and
Request to join the group to add it to your own Facebook profile.
** Once joined to
the group, please write a first post on the Group wall, telling us a bit
more about yourself:
●
Where do you lecture?
●
What do you lecture?
●
What are your key teaching challenges?
●
Tell the participants something unusual about yourself?
●
If you did not teach at your university - what would you do?
●
Also - if you can, please take a picture of what you see
looking out of your office/ home (where you are now) and share it on the group
Task
5: Join the Google discussion group
Google groups are
very helpful in facilitating group communication. We will use the group’s “mailing list”
function to communicate, as well as the discussion forum function for debate
and sharing.
Do this by: going to web
address
http://groups.google.com/group/checet-practitioners and joining the
group (make sure you are signed in with your Google account). To send an email
to all your course colleagues use the following email address:
checet-practitioners@googlegroups.com
Task
6: Create a Twitter account (optional)
There will be some
activities using Twitter throughout the course and it may be beneficial for you
to have a Twitter account (and know how to use it).
Do this by: going to
www.twitter.com and then click on the
Sign up for Twitter button.
Some last words
Please do not
hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or problems with any of these
tasks.
Looking forward to
seeing all of you in person!
