Timeline+-+General+Seminar+Outline


 * 7th -8th August – Go Live **

During this week we should aim to:-


 * 1) Make any final modifications to our activities, we don’t need to worry about uploading to Stream cos our darling Gabi has got it all out of Stream and into a website for us – bless you bless you!
 * 2) Get clear in our heads how we are going to run our individual activities.
 * 3) Do a final check on the technology, ensuring all links work in the website, forums etc


 * 9th August to 14th August – LIVE **

During this week we will have the Research, Thought Discussion and Wiki activities open via the website and will each be looking after our own activity. I am wondering what you all think here – would we be popping in and out of each other’s activities to see how they are running and providing the “host” with any suggestions via our Wiki? As my activity doesn’t start till Sunday the 15th I can be Seminar gopher – just let me know how you want me to fit in here.


 * 15th August to 22nd August **

On the 15th of August its “showtime” as Gabi said for the Synch Guest Speak followed on by the Synch discussion for the rest of the week with the Research, Thought Disc and Wiki activities still running.

=ONCE WE'RE LIVE!= (GB)...maybe discuss this tomorrow? We've got to find that balance between too much interaction and not enough. We also want to ACTIVELY encourage critical thought, and reflection. We want them to be reflecting on their own context, and scaffolding to existing learning. If needed, we should also direct people to other readings/ideas, if it seems appropriate. But if we're too careful about stepping on each others toes, we might miss the critical opportunity to comment....I guess I'm thinking of the fact that we need to be constantly watching and commenting, and can't miss a single day. I myself, would not want to have to wait to see someone online in order to check if I can comment. What do you guys think? 7/8 NOURAH: i knw wat u mean Sue but as Gabi said if we are too careful all the time we might miss a great opportunity to comment.. As far as my TD goes, I think you guys should comment and reply as though you are also doing the activity - since you know a bit more about it you may make good points that others have not thought of. And everyone will approach questions differently according to their own experience etc so any input is valuable I think. Agree with you Gabi that we need to be on as much as possible. Thankfully I don't have too much on for the coming 2 weeks so I have set certain times to be online (even if its gets busy, I will be on at least 2wc daily). And Sue in your activity I think i will be a participant as I do not know much about it; for most of your activities I think I would take part rather than comment as a moderator :-)
 * Each of us manages our own activity through the entire two-week period.
 * For those threads that you are not managing, you still need to provide support and help to nudge the discussion in the right direction or stir things up if participation levels are not high enough. All threads are run as a team, each with a respective manager but also with 3 assistants. SUE: Just wondering here Gabi - because each of us are the "master" of our own activity, would you expect that it is best for us to MSN each other with what we are going to say before we interject into each other's discussion to make sure we are following the "masters" intended outcome/understanding (hope that makes sense)?
 * You can expect the same support from the rest of the group in the threads that you're managing.
 * If you need any help, ask any other member of the team at any time. Msn will hopefully help with this!
 * TECHNICAL ISSUES: to Gabi immediately please. My Cellphone number if you want to text me is 027 430 9332 :-) SUE: My mobile number is 021 020 36866 so text away too anyone if you need it. NOURAH: I have ur num Gab and urs too Sue. Mine is 0210617573 might be good if we all have each others.
 * Every one of us must read every post that is made in every thread in our seminar. While we have split the work of preparation and the ultimate responsibility for threads into four parts - the seminar as a whole is a collaboration and we all need to fully understand what participants are going through in every stage of the seminar (before and after our prepared sections) in order to manage it properly as a group. SUE: Agree totally

=DISCUSISION=

24/07 NOURAH: Sounds great ladies. When we go online to take care of our activities etc we may as well log into msn at the same time and then we can discuss issues straight away, it'll certainly be quicker than wiki. Had a look at adobe connect (thanks Sue for the link) looks good and I think it will be worthwhile having a run through/play around together before 'd day'.

24/07 (GB): GREAT idea regarding msn...and having that running Sue. maybe if we all add each other to msn, we can see when each other is online at any point during the two week period. More benefits than just during adobe connect. It will help ensure we don't double up on responses etc...although I'd be loath to restrict our 'creativity' and 'spontaneity' too much :-) Could just be cool to thrash any issues out with each other!

24/07 SUE: Cheers guys - yeah I like the intro thing Nourah - creates that cohesive thing right from the beginning. Gabi agreed - its coming together nicely now. Just call me GOPH or GOPHY or GOPHA whatever in the first week of the live seminar - your wish is my command ladies! Will be ducking in and out of the activities offering little nudges and suggestions. When I was working with Breeze (now Adobe Connect) a couple of years ago running live seminars for the Ministry of Ed, we used to have MSN open all day so that if one of the facilitators got stuck for a response they would MSN the others - dont know if you want to have something like this going.

Also Nourah you can go and have a nosey at our Adobe Connect Pro room [] Log in details: Your Massey University Stream user id and password (sorry no pink curtains up yet). Its quite straight forward once you are in there and as per above we will have a test run prior to the activities getting going - fingers and toes crossed on the day that the technology works well. The John Dron seminar was fraught with technological problems - but that can often just be that day and that time..... i hope.....

24/07 NOURAH: It looks good sue, thank you :-) I like that we are using 'we' and it will probably become clear in each case who is the 'head' of which activity. Or shall we formally introduce ourseleves? As far as the thought discussion goes I will start off in Stream encouraging students and probably 'introducing'. What do you guys think? I think it would be great if we all pop in and out of each others activity and providing feedback on Wiki. As far as the thought discussion goes I welcome you guys to challenge our peers as well if you have something to add and it will make for a rich environment if we all get involved in each others' activities i think! Hehe Seminar gopher.. would be great Sue! Your support is really appreciated. Re the adobe room, sorry if its a stupid Q, is it on stream? I didn't attend the talk with John...

24/07 (GB): I'm happy with this Sue. Thank you! I feel the majority of the leg work is done. Once we get access to stream, we can set up all the thought discussions, including the INTRODUCTION THREAD (Which I've started writing...see WEBPAGE page). You're right re: the dummy run to check everything works. Some of the links in the website will change, when I can put in REAL links to the ACTUAL threads....be great ay! Talk soon :-) WENDY: i think I understand - i am trying to keep up with you techy geeks!! Gabi - i will try to ring you today and have a conversation around some of these things - hope that is okay. (GB): thats fine :-) I'll be at work til about 3pm :-) it all sounds fantastic. i appreciate the work that you have put in and the leadership from Gabi and Sue. WENDY: Have just checked out the Adobe chat room and had no problem getting in. thanks Sue - not sure how it works but will try to get an handle on that as well.I am happy to do any basic jobs. i am unable to do the techy things- but will do anything else that you need done. (GB): Hi Wendy, just need to put the narrative together that you want for stream, where your answers will be placed. Assume thats where you want your responses to be put? Or did you have something else in mind? I'm setting up a new page called 'STREAM' where we'll put all our STREAM planning.