When electronic chatrooms, blackboards, and posting software came about they were reasonably primitive. When these mediums were used for instructional purposes, it became increasingly apparent that things had to change because what you'd end up with is a successive big, fat mess of lots of endless postings. To help with the volume of postings issues, I have divided our cyberspace into varied regions or rooms. Each area has a designated purpose within the course.

Our course software is D2L (Desire to Learn) and is an information management system, nothing more! It is fairly rudimentary and not intuitive in any way, it is not glitzy, nor should you make the mistake of thinking it obeys the rules of other software. Yes, it needs improvement, but right now it is the best device we have for managing on-line conversations. Please familiarize yourself with the varied icons and features of D2L. If you have questions the University Help Desk is your best source, phones at 346.HELP (4357) or Long Distance: 1.877.832.8977.

Here is a PPT schematic of what our D2L Space looks like.

Try to think of it as a laundry room. I am trying to put the laundry in the right basket for the right persons, and in those baskets of clothes sometimes they are presorted, other times I say, "Sort them yourselves." While there are general hampers, and the communally used washer and dryer, there are certain piles of clothes that cannot be used or worn by others.

Important Note: Another issue with D2L is it only converts or reads Microsoft products. For those of you using word processing products will need to convert your uploaded documents into a general accessible format or “rtf” files (rich text format) files, so I and others, will be able to read your uploaded postings.  

Designated areas within our D2L discussion area:

1. Biographies - Tell us about yourself, and if possible please also add a digital or scanned image. This is where we will meet and greet one another. Please feel free to explore commonalities and get to know one another. Open to all

2. Matters at Hand - Discussion Cubbies -This area is shared with POD mates or paired partners and is designated for you to just chat about your readings before you enter the formality of the Forum discussions. Here you can compare notes and share ideas, or bounce ideas for your projects off one another.  Restricted to PODs or pairs.

3. Ask Leslie - the old cyber prof speaks - Please restrict this area to questions that all might be interested in. If you have personal questions, send those to me via e-mail and watch this area for answers.  Since I don't check this one every day, if you are not getting the needed response from me, please e-mail me ASAP. Also, peers may answer peers here too. Sometimes your answers are better than mine anyway! Open to all.  

4. Forums - This is the area of our major academic focus for this course. These areas are designated for large group discussions concerning the chapter questions posed by your peers. After each pair or POD has answered the assigned focus questions for the designated chapters, and formulated their original or expanded discussion questions, you all should migrate to the Forum area for a general discussion. It is the job of the designated discussion leader(s) to post questions to all, and to begin the discussions and keep them going with prompts and redirects. Open to all

5. Expanded Arena - In attempting to compensate for the missing topics in your texts, I will give you a list of folks or concepts that are fair game for expanded investigations. Here you upload the information and resources you have found. Peers read this new information and respond to your postings. Open to all

7. Projects Proposals & Display Space - It is always interesting, at least to me, to see how others interpret assignments and challenges. This space is divided into a Proposals Area where you can ask for and get some feedback from others on your proposed projects. It is also the designated areas for posting your final project reports and artifacts – Final Project Display Area. Open to all

8. D2L Drop Box - Designated areas for filing assignments -- this is not in the discussion area but in a separate file area in D2L-- see top navigation bar. I will be offering brief comments to your assignments that can be accessed here.  Restricted access to individual class participants.  

9. Beginning Area Message Board - As you enter the class's D2L space, you will find a message board. I use this to post pertinent messages, and often my reactions to your work and discussions. Also, watch this area for reminders, summaries, general impressions, directed musings, reflective prompts, and my questions to you. Many of my comments are reflective from me to you, but if the spirit moves you, mull them over and address these in either your POD group Discussion Cubbies, or in the General Forum. Or, if you feel the need for some individual dialog to me personally, send me an e-mail.

10. AoT Space - A place to display and discuss your choices from the Art of Teaching. Open to all