Many at BGSU have heard about it, few have actually seen it, and a handful have had the chance to experience it. The long awaited introduction of the academic community blog for faculty and staff interested in distance learning has finally arrived. BGBlocks which was developed here at BGSU for the faculty of BGSU started several months ago as merely an idea on a few scraps of colored paper. The idea was simple; create a community that will allow faculty the opportunity to share their experiences and knowledge regarding distance learning. How many times have you read an article and thought to yourself that would be a great resource to share with someone? You may have even sent the email to several colleagues that you have listed in your address book. What's great about a community blog is that you would not have to stop there. Imagine sharing that same article within an environment that encourages faculty to exchange experiences, provide tips and support, and share knowledge with other faculty.

It's important to also note that this product was not designed to accommodate only those who have had experience in distance learning. There are a great number of faculty who have either never used technology in their classrooms or have used distance technologies but never truly knew if what they were doing was pedagogically sound.

If you are a faculty member interested in experiencing BGBlocks for yourself please visit http://ideal.bgsu.edu/bgblocks/ and take a moment to look around. If you have any questions pertaining to the system please click the Help button located in the left hand navigation. For more information about BGBlocks and blogs in general please visit http://ideal.bgsu.edu/blog.php which contains important information not only about BGBlocks but also information concerning the use of blogs within an academic setting.

Important Note: Though BGBlocks does not fall into the realm of open-source technology it was developed using the same guiding principles. We encourage faculty to not only use the system but also offer suggestions for improvement. If you have a suggestion please make sure to use the Contact Us button within BGBlocks. Here are a few of the features you could expect to see in the future which have been suggested by faculty:

• WYSIWYG editor functionality (editing functionality similar to a word processor like MS Word).
• RSS generation (allows you to subscribe to a particular faculty blog using an aggregator).
• Avatar capabilities (your picture or symbol would be displayed in your profile and in your posts).

Tech Trends is a series of lectures sponsored by the Information Technology Committee (ITC), Office of the Executive Vice President, and Office of the CIO to support the campus community in its understanding of topics in the media that either have or will affect higher education.

The most recent lecture in the series dealt with the trends, opportunities, and current statistics surrounding distance learning. Among the speakers present for the event were Sheryl Hansen, director of development programs for the Ohio Learning Network, Bonnie Fink, interim director at the University's Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology, and IDEAL's own Connie Molnar, director of IDEAL.

Sheryl Hansen was first to speak and discussed the current state on distance education in the state of Ohio . She remarked that nearly 8% of Ohio students take online courses which equate to nearly 45,000 online students. It was also stated that new technologies and methods of engagement are also being developed in Ohio including social computing, educational gaming and context-aware environments, and that much of the effort is occurring within academic institutions, including BGSU.

Connie Molnar focused much of her presentation on the current state of distance education at BGSU. Within the past three years BGSU has seen a huge surge in not only the number of online courses being offered but also in student enrollment. Between the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 academic years (academic year = fall, spring and summer sessions) BGSU witnessed a 50% increase in the number of students enrolling in online courses.

The concluding speaker was Bonnie Fink who was able to create a clear picture of what it truly means to be an “online” instructor. Her years of experience in the field helped many of the audience members understand what it takes to develop and facilitate a distance course.

To view the complete presentation please visit http://ideal.bgsu.edu/techtrends/player.html

“Online learning now depends more on the ability of educators and trainers to tutor and support learners online than on the technology itself.”

Quoted by Bonnie Fink and referenced from Dr. Ian Heywood, 2000 World Open Learning Conference and Exhibition, Birmingham , England.

Lately, it seems the word Skype has become more frequent around the office. Most of the people I know are on Skype. While the word may sound odd, Skype is one of the best online tools I've seen in awhile. Skype lets you make free VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) audio conferencing calls (and video calls for PC users) over your internet connection. Skype works by implementing the peer-to-peer networking idea of connecting PCs together to help route one another's calls.

Using the internet as a replacement for the phone is not a new idea, but Skype seems to have gotten it right. Using Skype is free, as long as you call other Skype members, and the audio quality is very high. Skype calls are encrypted and secure from outside sources. Skyping is just like talking over a phone; microphones are always on and there is almost no feedback from speakers when a user talks. Skype does include a video conference feature (PC only) which allows users to video conference up to 5 people. If one would like to video conference more than 5 people, then they can install a plug-in called Festoon. In addition, Skype has an instant messenger feature that allows the user to send text messages and files to other users. The text messages are saved into the history for archiving purposes.

If a user decides to upgrade their Skype account, they can SkypeOut calls and connect to people over traditional telephone lines, get a real telephone number, and add a voice mail option. Skype users can also buy an additional USB phone instead of using a microphone and speakers. Overall, Skype is an interesting tool that helps connect people.

Imagine the pedagogical implications of this free real-time communication tool within an e-learning environment. It should be noted that much of the learning that takes place in an online environment can and should be done asynchronously; however, there are some situations when real time audio and/or video communication could be a great asset to enhance the course. For example: Skype office hours, group work, oral exams, proctoring quizzes, presentations, language study, and more. Since online students in many cases have different schedules, time zones, and access to technology; real-time communications should be used sparingly; however, when used appropriately, Skype could be an effective communication and collaboration tool. If you create a Skype account, feel free to add IDEAL to your Skype phonebook and give us a call. Our Skype name is IDEAL.BGSU
To learn more about Skype, visit: http://www.skype.com/

The Distance Learning newsletter is published bi-monthly by IDEAL (Interactive Distance Education for All Learners) to provide faculty with current news and initiatives in online learning at BGSU. Each newsletter will contain online pedagogy articles, training and workshop dates, online teaching tips, online teaching resources, and interviews with BGSU faculty or staff who teach online.

"BGSU is accredited from the North Central Association for its distance learning programs at BGSU and has also been granted the "Best Practices in Student Services" designation by the Ohio Learning Network."