Elluminate+Session+Questions

Elluminate Session  JOINING LINK: @https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?sid=28769&password=M.27778DB8B1BED208129C16A552C9DE

**Overview**

The Professional Communities Elluminate sessions will take place on **Wednesday, Nov 24th 7.00-8.00 pm** and **Thursday, Nov 25th 8.00-9.00pm.** All module participants are expected to take part in at least one of the sessions.

By the time of the Elluminate session (and as as instructed under Task 2 on the Homepage) everyone will have
 * joined and engaged regularly with an online professional community,
 * posted relevant information (including the URL) to the PC Directory page,
 * visited and reviewed at least one other community joined by a peer

Furthermore the questions to consider in preparation for the session are listed below.


 * Questions**

As you will recall from previous readings in modules 1 and 2 around communities of practice, Wenger contends that communities cannot be designed, but rather that they evolve and self-organise in response to the needs of their users. Key to this process is the commitment and motivation of its users and despite the fact that a (professional) community might be organised with a clearly defined purpose in mind, what brings its members together is a voluntary commitment to pursuing their common goals.

In light of the above understanding about communities of practice, for the Elluminate session, please be prepared to share your thoughts about the following questions:

 Note: For communities where technology in teaching and learning is not the main focus, please consider the categories within the context of the community's main purpose.
 * 1) What is the name and core purpose of the community you joined?
 * 2) Why did you join this community?
 * 3) Does the community have an existing and sustainable network of active members?
 * 4) Notwithstanding the impact that the agenda and activities of your community could have (or already has had) on blended and online teaching and learning practice (or other) nationally or internationally, consider **one or two** of the following impact categories and whether or not you believe as an individual member of this community you might be (or already have been) influenced in your:
 * awareness, knowledge, understanding (of) technology enhanced education
 * engagement, involvement or interest in the use of technology for teaching and learning
 * attitude (comfort level) towards the use of blended/online technology in your own professional practice
 * behaviour or intentions with regards to your approaches to teaching/training
 * skills development (technical and pedagogical) in online/blended technology

5. Finally, in your view and also in light of what you have observed in one of the communities your peers have joined, what are the factors that contribute to a sustainable online community and do you feel being a member of the professional online community you joined has the potential to contribute positively to your role as an educational professional?

**Session Format**

The Elluminate session will be facilitated by Colin Gray (and Julia Fotheringham). After a brief introduction to the format, **each participant will have ca. 4 min for oral presentation** of thoughts to the questions (above). **Then there will be 1 min for fellow peers to offer comments** or ask additional questions to the presenter or facilitator.

One of the session facilitators will be keeping track of chatroom activity while the other will take notes on the whiteboard, where each of the communities joined will be listed in the order that they are presented.

In the interest of time the order of presentations will simply be reverse alphabetical as listed below. Should anyone need a slot earlier/later due to other commitments, please let us know in the Problems Forum. Hope this is ok with all - seemed easiest!

The session will be recorded.

Elluminate classroom link to be posted here shortly, in the week 13 header in WebCT.

Wednesday 24/11/10 (Add 1hour to these times for the Thursday 25/11/10 session) 6.45 -7 pm Audio/mic testing time; Colin dabbling around and hunting for headset and specs 7pm Welcome by Colin who will introduce the member of Professional Development team and remind of format Oral presentations begin 8pm Close and end of session
 * Session timetable**


 * Problems**

Please post any queries about this activity to the Problems Forum in WebCT. Thanks!