CCK08: Students begin to enter the blogroom

Dear students, you are just beginning to enter the blogroom. Welcome!

During the last week we met in your respective classrooms of Firenze, Prato and Empoli.

You belong to the curriculum for Radiologic, Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Technologists (TRMIR in local jargon). Next monday other curricula will join.

Let’s recap here what we said in classroom.

---

Basics

Contents are available in the wiki but my attention will be focused on your activities and not on your assimilation of contents. By means of the activities you should learn to integrate contents written by me with Open Educational Resources (OER).

Is not me, your teacher, who plans your path but you, each one for himself. You can choose among three different ways to follow the course.

We met last week and we will meet once again after the next couple of weeks (as specified on the calendar in our wiki) but only those who need to discuss something are supposed to be there.

Otherwise, you are autonomous. I will be available in the computer classroom in Firenze as specified on the calendar in the wiki front page (Verbali ed esami) to discuss with you any possible issue.

You can ask me for lectures or seminars on specific topics that you find particularly difficult or interesting for you.

Follow my blog (posts in category INF08) to know what’s going on.

Pose any questions, technical ones as well as organizational ones, in the forum.

Your choices

You have three basic options:

1. The conventional way. You will study available contents and pertinent OER. At the end you have a multiple choice test.
2. The way for those who already have particular skills and would like to share their expertise.  You can go and browse the contents in the wiki. If you will find a section that you believe to be able to update or to improve then write me. We will discuss your contribution. If you will do a valuable work you will get a B or A grade (30 o 30 e lode).
3. The new way. You have to create a blog or use an existing one. You have to keep track of this blog, the forum and the wiki. In my blog you will be asked to do some activities. Just a few of them will be mandatory, some will be optional. You are encouraged to invent new activities. I will value creativity, cooperation, sharing. I will build grades using 1-5 scores for each activity. Your grades will just build with your activities, there is no time limit and no predetermined order in the sequence of activities.

You may also mix these paths.

How to begin and sign in the course

1. Go to the sign in page (Iscrizione studenti) and follow instructions to enter the wiki. There are two short videos.
2. Edit the appropriate page according to your curriculum by writing your email address. Just the email address!
3. Read carefully the course description (Descrizione del corso) and the social networking chapter (Social Networking). This readings will allow you to choose one of the three available options.
4. In the meanwhile, I will send to you a link by email. There you will find a form where, once you have chosen your option, you will have to specify name, university identification number, email, blog address and some other items. The form is related to a Google spreadsheet where I will find your data ordered in an appropriate way. Only name, number and email are mandatory. If I will find a blog address then I will assume that you chose the third option, otherwise I expect to see you in the test days or to discuss a specific contribution.

How to use your blog

You should see the blog as an exercise book (quaderno). After the course you can throw it away or you can keep it and use it as you like.

I will suggests activities in my blog. I will do this with a certain pace but you can go on with your own pace.

You are supposed to write required contributions in your blogs. You are also encouraged to use the blog as a communication device. You can write what you want and put there any gadget you like with just one fundamental constraint:

do respect others and their opinions

If you feel shy you can use the blog just to write what it is required by the course. To use a blog does not imply to put your inner ego into the open. It is just a powerful communication instrument and it is up to you how to use it.

Grading

In conventional courses time is a constraining parameter. One starts with the first lecture, then there are a sequence of lectures and other activities, then you have a final test, kind of a race photofinish, where you get your grade.
Here the constrain is not time but the minimum quality of learning. You can require as much time you need; just try to plan carefully. You will perform a sequence of activities. I will tell you when the activities you have done will correspond to a minimum acceptable quality. Since I’m obliged to produce grades I will quantify the mimimum acceptable quality to a grade of C, say 25-27/30 in the cumbersome Italian grading system. You can try to improve your grades with further activities if you like.

---

When you try to do something take your time to do it very well
If you have to choose among several activities begin with the most amusing for you
Have a good time!