09/19/02 # 1

During the past three weeks, I was working with my client, Dr. Chepyator-Thomson who is a associate professor in the Department of Physical Education at the University of Georgia, for sever goals, such as what kind of program I am going to develop, what is the program's objectives and goals, who will use this tool, and which software program would she like me to develop? As far as I concern, Dr. Chepyator-Thomson wants to develop an online course class, PEDS 4800/6800, for the students who are interested in across-culture physical education. She wants the students to be able to use the online system to interact with her in this e-communication world. Therefore, I showed her few samples about online course, such as the WebCT and personal website. Finally, we decided to use the WebCT as her PEDS 4800/6800 online course project.

Now, we are trying to apply an account in the WebCT system. Hopefully, Dr. Chepyator-Thomson will get one in next week. As soon as we have a WebCT account, I will try to figure out how the WebCT's function is doing and let Dr. Chepyator-Thomson know because I want to keep a good communication with her and let her know which step we are in now. In order to reach my goal, I will call the help desk or ask my classmates for some information about the WebCT system.

09/25/02 # 2

In this week, I was doing some researches about developing a WebCT course. I found that there are two guidebooks for a designer to develop and design a course websit. In the meanwhile, Dr. Chepyator-Thomson informs me that she has a new course account for this PEDS 4800/6800. Now, it is time to go to my next step, design. After I read the textbook, Multimedia for Learning: Methods and Development, I think I get more sense about the designing knowledge. However, after I met with Dr. Chepyator-Thomson today, I think I will face some problems in future; that is, there is no samples I can evaluate, how can I develop a strong communication with the instructor and learners, and what should I develop this course which becomes independent online course without any "real" traditional class meeting in WebCT system, since this course is a totally new course at UGA.

I would set my short goal for designing my flowcharts and figuring out these two WebCT guidebooks for this week. Since I have collected almost all the information for this project, I think I will just input all the information into this WebCT system and making a flowchart for this process. In order to reach my goal, I think, first of all, I need to learn to design a course on WebCT system and follow the instruction to learn the tool step by step. Second, I will need to discuss with Dr. Hill my coming problems for this project design and ask for a help. Finally, I need to meet with Dr. Chepyator-Thomson once a week to present my current procedure.

10/02/02 #3

After I read the chapter 12~15 of Multimedia for Learning: Methods and Development, and plus I have almost everything ready for me to development my online course project this week, I am trying to put everything on this online course. Step by step, I found that I can develop the audio/video tools in WebCT. I was got shock about that because I though that I might be able to develop the chat room and discussion room only in this project. However, I was wrong about that. In the meanwhile, I tried to find a sample, audio/video tools, in order to show Dr. Chepyator-Thomson in the meeting. I am so excited about that. And, I think I will try to figure it out in this coming week.

WebCT is not a very hard tool to figure out because they have already set up all the functional keys and formation. It seems to be an tutorial website which means that I am a learner role in this case. They have designed a limited control keys for me to select in this website. However, I don't feel very comfortable that when I develop this online course because I cannot create what I want to design in this system. Also, I have discussed with Dr. Chepyator-Thomson about the limitation of designing. She said that won't be a problem for her as long as the WebCT includes everything she needs in this course. Therefore, I will continue to complete all the buttons' contents and set the function of audio/video tools ready as my short goals for next week.

10/09/02 #4

After I met with Dr. Hill and the EDIT 6210 classmates, I got several feedbacks from them, such as WebCT workshops, audio/video solutions, and evaluations. I was worry about these three major problems in my mind before I went to the meeting. This week, I was working on the finding and testing the audio/vedio tools. It seems that I still need to work on this part of tools because I was unable to import the .mov file in the WebCT system. I wonder whether or not it is the .mov file either size too large or not compatible with WebCT system? Also, I went to the WebCT workshop, student management section, today. It was a good workshop to intruduce each buttons' functions. However, in the meanwhile, I was thinking how Dr. Chepyator-Thomson to maintain this website by herself because there are too many details which needs to keep in mind when she update the information. I think I will need to talk to her about this and find out what we can do for futher management.

In the coming week, I would like to set my short goal on another online course which will be my evaluation sample because I need to develop this course before the midterm end and to evaluate the students' reflections on this design. Basically, I will just follow the framework which I had developed in African online course in order to see the students' reactions for "online course in Physical Education Class."

10/16/02 #5

In this week, I still collect the information from the other online course, PEDS 4360, for evaluating the students' reflections on my project design. Moreover, I have discussed this PEDS 4360 course wtih Dr. Chepyator-Thomson. She wants me to have a representation introducing the WebCT basic functions for her undergraduate students and also teach them basic computer skills, such as power points presentation. So, I am planing to have my demo online course ready and show them how to use the WebCT system. In the meanwhile, I also attend the WebCT workshop and try to figure out some buttons' functions. For example, I went to the content management workshop this afternoon. I'm so glad to attend this workshop because I learned module button's functions and recognized how powerful of module button has been designed by the IT staffs. I think I will use module clip most in my project design because it contains the five basic buttons - next, previous, retrace, refresh, and content, - audio clip, video clip, and self-test. Therefore, I will set my next short goal on revising the buttons to module clips and develop each module clips.

As for the sampling online course, I will also work on that. Basically, I think I will just fucou on simpling design as a demo course for introducing to the students.

10/25/02 #6

I went to last WebCT workshop on this Wednesday. It talked about the advance management, such as communication tools. I found that WebCT system has a very powerful functions for online course. In my beginning of expression of WebCT, I felt that it has been formatted system. All I need to do is posting all the information I have from my clint and following the instruction to design. Yet, it was not like what I have expected. WebCT is almost compatable with all the softwares, such as Flash MX and dreamweaver MX. What I need to do is to transfer all my designing flash/dreameaver file to html/exe/mov file. Therefore, I can develop our own design for this course in WebCT.

I used the Flash MX's template to redesign this course's module part. Then, I will put this template into WebCT's module content button in order to create an online learning environment, such as self-test, notepad, search, forward/backward, and related links.

As for demo course, I has overall designed a framework for intruducing the function of powerpoint and using the WebCT online course. Hopefull, I will schedule to present this demo course on Nov. 8th with Dr. Chepyator-Thomson.

In next two weeks, I hope I can finish the second draft of the design and show Dr. Hill.

10/30/02 #7

This week, I has done most of the content design in my project, such as the module part of designing. I also showed my roughly draft with Dr. Hill and Dr. Chepyator-Thomson. After I met with them, I had a general idea of next step of design, audio and movie clips. Also, I think I will plan to have two classes for introducing the WebCT online course to another undergraduate students on next Friday and the following Friday.

Next Friday, I would like to focus on design a powerpoint presentation. I will use a dome course to show the students the procedure of design a powerpoint presentation, including AutoContent Wizard, tamplate design, and so on...

As for my project, I need to wait for Dr. Chepyator-Thomson coming back from conference two week later and get for the movie and audio clips.

11/06/02 #8

After coming back from fall break, I felt refreshed a little bite for next final stage. I developed a demo powerpoint presentation course for my friday speech. I was thinking how I can introduce this presentation in an effective way with WebCT. Do I need to using module content to introduce it or a regular powerpoint presentational way? Finally, I made my mind to use a regular powerpoint presentation way to show them in order to make it more effective and let the students be familiar with computer. Then the following week, I will plan to develop a basic website designing demo course and show them how to use WebCT tool. In the meanwhile, I will also develop a evaluation survey to assess the online course' functions.

Dr. Chepyator-Thomson will come back next week. Hopefully, I can get the movie clips from her, and I can develop my next step of designing.

11/13/02 #9

Last friday, I showed my basic powerpoint presentation to Dr. Chepyator-Thomson's PEDS 4630 course. During the presentation, I felt that the students were not good at the computer skills, such as power point. In the meanwhile, I think I need to add the internet skill question in my evaluation on next class. This week, I got three movie clips from Dr. Chepyator-Thomson. But, I think these movies' sizes are too big to put in the webct.

As for this week's demo WebCt presentation, I am using what I learned from the WebCT workshops' contents to show them the powerful WebCT function. The demo will include audio clip, video clip, self-test, discussion room, chatroom, Notepad, and bookmark. These functions' design generally based on my Africa project design. I will use module to represent whole the online course content.

11/20/02 #10

After I finished my demo presentation on last friday, I felt good at the students' response. I was introducing the basic WebCT online course functions and how to use and manage their webct account. I think they all have fun in this class. After the introducation, I did the evaluation for their general idea of WebCT online course. I think most of the students have a positive response for the online course design, but one/two of them are not becasue they don't trust the techology. I think I got many suggestions to improve my project design. Hopefully, I will discuss with Dr. Chepyator-Thomson about the evaluation response. And I will modify my draft this week.

12/03/02 #11

After the dress rehearsal, I kept to fix some of my project missing areas, including creating a compatable version with MAC computer, developing each module's self-test questions, rechecking movies clips, and adding an audio clip. These mirror problems are very important for running my porject successfully.