11-02-14 Revised T509- Massive: Independent Project Proposal and Rubric
Project Abstract:
In the summer of 2015, the Graduate School of Design (GSD) will be migrating to a new Harvard learning management platform called Canvas. Canvas is a completely new and different system from the current Harvard-developed solution the school has been using for the last ten years. By default, all GSD courses will have such a web space automatically created and populated with basic course data such as title, description, and other administrative information. The course web space will function as a single portal to all course-related resources. The features on this Canvas platform aim to provide Instructors and their teaching assistants opportunities to create robust course content, facilitate knowledge sharing and communication, allow active engagement and interaction, and enhance the ability to distribute and submit assignments. My independent project will be to create an online, GSD-branded learning resource/course that will serve as one option for meeting the training goals of the school.
Outcomes:
The development, configuration, and ongoing management of a course space is the responsibility of the faculty and their teaching fellows or administrative assistants. Consultation and training assistance in the use of the tools within the course platform will be provided by me. This project would enable me to fulfill both my course and work responsibilities; this opportunity to consolidate resources and time are critical, as I am the sole person who manages the GSD’s learning management system needs.
My independent project will help offset the training demands of roughly 170 courses offered each term. I will work with the Advance Placement Department to require that all teaching fellows master this online resource to learn the basic functions and structural defaults specifically branded for the GSD. The online resource will be made public so the Harvard community can learn how the GSD is supporting their faculty with the transition to and use of Canvas. I will communicate with the Harvard iCommons and Teaching Learning Technology groups, so that I can leverage what resources they are developing and focus on creating content/tutorials that address specific GSD teaching components.
The project will give me the understanding and experience of creating an online resource/course using both the Canvas platform and WordPress blog. I will also learn how to create a video and experiment with adding interactive layers by utilizing WireWAX, an online taggable video tool, to see if this type of engagement can elevate the impact of videos.
Product for Presentation Night:
I will present a poster board that will include both a product flowchart/Canvas site map and a project management lifecycle Gantt chart. I will present a wireframe of the online resource that the whole class can experience. I would also like to give the class a short survey/questionnaire using the online survey tool, Qualtrics, to evaluate an example of a video with embedded interactive layers for feedback and suggestions.
Final Product:
I will incorporate suggestions received during presentation night and deliver a prototype of the online resource with a combination Canvas platform-and-WP blog. This prototype will include a one-to-two-minute example video with interactive tagging layers that would link to other parts of the website.
Intermediate Deliverables with Deadlines:
| Deliverable | Description | Due |
| Partner project change to independent project. | Change partner project to independent project. Discuss with Justin. | Oct. 6 |
| Communication with HeroesX coordinator about project change. | Email Jeff, the HeroesX coordinator, about project change. Email Patrice, another Massive student working on a different HeroesX project, about my project change. | Oct. 9 |
| Initial project abstract and objective brainstorm. | Identify initial deliverables, timelines, and tutorial contents. | Oct. 10-Oct. 18 |
| WP blog and Canvas work space. | Create the content container shells for online resource. | Oct. 21 |
| Project proposal and rubric update. | Flesh out document of my independent project rubric. | Oct. 22 |
| Qualtrics survey tool questionnaire. | Create and test survey. | Oct. 22-Oct. 28 |
| WireWAX account and platform environment. | Sign up for WireWAX account and familiarize myself with the online video tagging tool. | Oct. 22-Oct. 28 |
| Product development and project management flowcharts. | Create product flowchart or Canvas site map and project management life cycle Gantt chart. | Oct. 24-Nov. 3 |
| “Phase I” tutorials on the Canvas platforms. | Create tutorials featuring 2-4 Canvas tools on the Canvas platform. | Oct. 25-Dec. 3 |
| Video and WireWAX interactive tagging layers. | Create a short example video with a screen capture app and apply interactive WireWAX tagging layers to the video. | Oct. 31-Dec. 3 |
| Poster board. | Create poster board for presentation night. | Nov. 7-Nov. 18 |
| Presentation night materials. | Gather and organize materials to be shared on presentation night. | Nov. 18 |
| Final product. | Deliver “phase I” prototype of the online resource with the interactive video example. | Dec. 3 |
Evaluation Rubric:
Project Presentation
| Criteria | Exceeds Expectation | Meets Expectation | Underperforms Expectation |
| Online survey using Qualtrics to gather feedback for an interactive video. | Present two videos: one with and one without the WireWAX tagging layers. Communicate survey goal to assess if added layers enhance user experience. Feedback will be used to persuade faculty why adding tagging layers to course videos could enhance student learning by having immediate links to a glossary or other course content. | Create and distribute a survey during presentation night to get feedback on the example interactive video. | Don’t create survey but just solicit verbal feedback. |
| Poster board. | Create poster board that includes both a product flowchart or Canvas site map and a complete project management life cycle Gantt chart. 1) The flowchart or site map would be a quick visual for teaching staff to determine what level of work is required to manage a course site while also delivering the basic required information.
2) The Gantt chart will serve as an administrative timeline to gage the migration progress to Canvas before proposed school-wide implementation in the summer of 2015. |
Create a product flowchart or Canvas site map poster board. | Don’t create poster board but verbally highlight site structure. |
| Wireframe or prototype of the online resource. | “Phase I” development: create an online resource that highlights the functionalities of Canvas by demonstrating how the Canvas tools can be utilized. Illustrate how the Canvas platform can be easily integrated with other local tools and systems. Include a platform comparison chart of commonly used features among GSD courses. | Create an interactive wireframe with a prototyping application such as InVisionApp or Balsamic. | Create a barebones PowerPoint slideshow wireframe with the resource information. |
Final Project
| Criteria | Exceeds Expectation | Meets Expectation | Underperforms Expectation |
| “Phase I:” Create tutorial information for 2-4 Canvas tools. | “Phase I” development: create tutorials of 2-4 tools. Each tool will feature 2-3 different methods (e.g., basic to moderate or advanced) for distributing and sharing course content (file folders, modules, and pages). | Create tutorials of 2-4 Canvas tools that are similar in function as Course iSites. | Create only one Canvas tool feature with just brief descriptions of the other tools. |
| Final deliverable on Dec. 3 and brief summary of next steps. | Deliver a working prototype of the online resource with an interactive video example. Highlight several methods to:
1) share course content (file folders, modules, pages); 2) distribute syllabus information (straight upload or html w/ active links); 3) assign and respond to student submissions (dropbox, online grading via Speedgrader, media comments); 4) facilitate communications (announcements, email, assignment comments); 5) view student enrollment (class list, online attendance, student profiles) , features that are either not available or different in Course iSites. Provide a brief summary that includes a revised project management chart based on feedback. |
Deliver a working prototype of the online resource and provide a brief summary of next steps. | Have good intentions but run out of time, and therefore just deliver a working prototype of the online resource. |
T509- Massive: Independent Project Proposal and Rubric
Project Abstract:
In the summer of 2015, the Graduate School of Design (GSD) will be migrating to a new Harvard learning management platform called Canvas. Canvas is a completely new and different system from the current Harvard-developed solution the school has been using for the last ten years. By default, all GSD courses will have such a web space automatically created and populated with basic course data such as title, description, and other administrative information. The course space functions as a single portal to all course-related resources. The features on this platform provide Instructors and their teaching assistants opportunities to create robust course content, facilitate knowledge sharing and communication, allow active engagement and interaction, and enhance the ability to distribute and submit assignments. My independent project will be to create an online, GSD-branded learning resource/course that will serve as one option to attain the training goals of the school.
Outcomes:
The development, configuration, and ongoing management of a course space is the responsibility of the faculty and their teaching fellows or administrative assistants. Consultation and training assistance in the use of the tools within the course platform will be provided by me. This project would enable me to fulfill both my course and work responsibilities since this opportunity to consolidate resource and time are critical, as I am the sole person who manages the GSD’s learning management system needs.
My independent project will help offset the training demands of roughly 170 courses offered each term. I will work with the Advance Placement Department to require all teaching fellows to master this online resource/course to learn the basic functions and structural defaults specifically branded for the GSD. The online resource will be made public so that anyone within the Harvard community can learn how the GSD is supporting their faculty with the transition to and use of Canvas. I will have communications with the Harvard iCommons and Teaching Learning Technology groups, so that I can leverage what resources they are developing and focus on creating content/tutorials that address specific GSD teaching components.
The project will give me the understanding and experience of creating an online resource/course using both Canvas and WordPress blog as the platform. I will also learn how to create a video and experiment with adding interactive layers by utilizing WireWAX, an online taggable video tool, to see if this type of engagement can elevate the impact of videos.
Product for Presentation Night:
[Describe what you will present to classmates and others at our Presentation Night on Nov. 19th. Consider what would be visually engaging.]
I will present a poster board that will include both a product development flow chart and a project management life cycle Gantt chart. I will present a wireframe of the online resource/course that the class can experience. I would also like to give the class a short survey/questionnaire using the online survey tool, Qualtrics, to assess what was presented and solicit feedback and suggestions.
Final Product:
I will incorporate suggestions received during presentation night and deliver a prototype of the online tutorial/course with a combo Canvas/WP blog platform. This prototype will include a one to two minute introductory video with interactive tagging layers that would link to other parts of the website.
Intermediate Deliverables with Deadlines:
| Deliverable | Description | Due |
| Partner project changed to independent project. Met with Justin. | Partner project changed to independent project. Met with Justin to discuss. | Oct. 6 |
| Communicate with HeroesX coordinator about project change. | Emailed Jeff, the HeroesX coordinator, about project change. Emailed Patrice, other Massive student working on a different HeroesX project, about my project change. | Oct. 9 |
| Initial project abstract and objective brainstorm. | Identified initial deliverables, timelines, and tutorial contents. | Oct. 10-Oct. 18 |
| WP blog and Canvas work space for tutorial. | Created the content containers for resource/course. | Oct. 21 |
| Project proposal and rubric update. | Fleshed out document of my independent project rubric. | Oct. 22 |
| Qualtrics survey tool questionnaire. | Created questionnaire on survey tool; tested via dry run with a friend. | Oct. 22-Oct. 28 |
| WireWAX account and platform environment. | Signed up for WireWAX account and familiarized myself with the online video tagging tool. | Oct. 22-Oct. 28 |
| Product development and project management flow charts. | Finalized and created product development flow chart and project management life cycle Gantt chart. | Oct. 24-Nov. 3 |
| Tutorial on WP blog and Canvas platforms. | Created online resource/course on WP blog and Canvas platforms. | Oct. 25-Dec. 3 |
| Video and WireWAX interactive tagging layers | Created introduction video with screen capture app and added interactive WireWAX tagging layers to video. | Oct. 31-Dec. 3 |
| Poster boards. | Created poster boards for presentation night. | Nov. 7-Nov. 18 |
| Presentation night materials. | Gathered and organized materials to be shared on presentation night. | Nov. 18 |
| Final product. | Delivered prototype of the online resource/course with the interactive video introduction. | Dec. 3 |
Evaluation Rubric:
Project Presentation
| Criteria | Exceeds Expectation | Meets Expectation | Underperforms Expectation |
| Online survey/questionnaire using Qualtrics. | Created, tested, and utilized survey during class presentation. | Created survey but did not test; was abandoned. | Did not create. |
| Poster board. | Created poster board that included both the product development flow chart and the project management life cycle Gantt chart. | Created poster board with just one of the charts. | Did not create. |
| Wireframe of the online resource/course. | Created a wireframe of the online resource/course and presented using Invision, Balsamic, or some other prototyping workflow application. | Created a wireframe and presented as a PowerPoint slideshow. | Created a barebones wireframe shell with not much information or content. |
Final Project
| Criteria | Exceeds Expectation | Meets Expectation | Underperforms Expectation |
| Presentation survey suggestions and online resource/course. | Included some presentation night survey suggestions in final project deliverable. | Noted suggestions for later inclusion in the online resource/course. | Had good intentions but ran out of time and didn’t include any suggestions in final project deliverable. |
| Final deliverable on Dec. 3 and brief summary of next steps. | Delivered a prototype of the online tutorial/course with interactive intro video. Provided a brief summary that includes a revised project management chart. | Delivered a prototype of the online tutorial/course and provided a brief summary of next steps. | Had good intentions but ran out of time and just delivered a prototype of the online tutorial/course. |
T509- Massive: Online Network Participation Rubric Updates and Revisions
Updates:
Our course activities within the past few weeks have been a chaotic stream of information without much time for immediate reflection. The intellectual challenges, particularly from our source readings, have often amounted to a giant hermeneutic circle. While exposure to the different types of assessments, theories, and processes involved with creating a HarvardX course was very helpful, I would like to try a different strategy for the second half of the course. I will focus on figuring out how each week’s topic affects a specific audience that is most aligned with my interests, in an attempt to manage this rush of information within some personally relevant contexts. I will find articles that discuss how the topic has influenced, either positively or negatively, older adult learners, first-generation emerging adults, or learners with special needs. This approach will give me the structure I find I require in order to best focus on specifics within my blog reflections (blog URL: https://blogs.law.harvard.edu/innovationinjection/).
Participation in the weekly tweet reviews has definitely given me insights from the exchanges with my peers. Going forward, I plan in my weekly tweets to share my own thoughts and listen closely to these exchanges to gain deeper knowledge of the topics we cover. I will use this forum to ask questions I might have, and to help address and clarify new ideas as I encounter and understand them. I will continue to share article discoveries that I think might be of use. However, I will not tweet just for the sake of tweeting, that is to say, without attempting meaningful contributions to the conversation. I will of course read peer blog entries and provide feedback when I think I can provide additional information to further the dialog along.
In my original participation rubric, I mentioned that I would like to create a “mini” independent project by experimenting with adding interactive layers on top of videos to see if this would provide more engagement between the learner and the video. If my new independent project is approved, I will incorporate this experimentation into my project rubric as a technical objective.
Revisions:
| Criteria | Exceeds Expectation | Meets Expectation | Underperforms Expectation |
| Course tweeting and participating in review sessions. Learning goals: Community sharing, crowd sourcing, and observational learning. | Engage in the activity. Listen to participants and contribute meaningful dialog to further discussions. | Listen passively and occasionally contribute to the conversations. | Do not participate. Do not share any discoveries related to course topics. |
| Writing reflections and summaries through blogs; creating a technology resources page on static blog page. Learning goals: Sharing content that becomes a part of the larger collective (Constructivist learning); learning by reflecting (Experiential learning). |
Write two blog entries every month on a weekly topic and how that topic has affected, positively or negatively, one of these types of learners: older adult learners, first-generation emerging adults, or learners with special needs. | One to two blog pieces every other month. | No blog activities. Does not share any discoveries related to course topics. |
T509- Massive: Online Network Participation Rubric (Initial Draft)
Personal Compass:
I am hoping this course will give me a better understanding of what large-scale learning is or can be in the digital age, especially if there are implications for deeper learning and quality of the learning experiences in such a platform. Through course readings, participation in projects and classroom discussion I hope to learn the pros and cons of massive online learning. I want to build a better foundation of my knowledge of the various learning theories and learning technologies that are utilized, including the history and evolution of such theories and innovations, so that I can be better informed as an instructional manager/designer.
Participation Commitments:
I am not an active user of tweeting, blogging, or other forms of online social networking services. I do not live in a cave as I am aware of these platforms and do participant in some other SMSs, such as text messaging and Facebook, but I’m just not a huge consumer. However, throughout this term I will dive in and make weekly tweets, blog entries, and tinker with other platforms (Flickr? Deviant ART?) as they are introduced in class. I will keep active on these services so that I can learn through the lens of a different perspective than my norm. I will however make reflective entries occasionally on my blog site https://blogs.law.harvard.edu/innovationinjection/ to express my experiences with some of these activities. I will keep an open mind and assess the value of these activities beyond the timeframe of the course. I might even cherry pick and incorporate a couple of these activities into my routine academic/professional life.
Participation Rubric:
| Criteria | Exceeds Expectation | Meets Expectation | Underperforms Expectation |
| Course Tweets and participation in reading review tweet sessions.Learning goals: Community sharing, crowd sourcing, and observational learning. | 2 or more tweets a week and 85% participation in tweet chats. | 1-2 tweets a week and 60% participation in tweet chats. | No tweets and no participation in tweet chats. |
| Course blogs and creation of a technology resources page on blog. Learning goal: Sharing content that becomes a part of the larger collective (Constructivist learning). |
85% participation in blogging activities on blog site. | 60% participation in blogging activities. | No blogging activities. |
| Personal reflection/expression of project, course sessions, readings, etc. Learning goals: Learning by reflecting (Experiential learning). |
4-5 reflection pieces. | 1-2 reflection pieces. | No activity/reflection to share with community. |
| ***Create a “mini” independent project. Learning goals: Learning by experimentation, tinkering, and remixing/repurposing existing material (Constructivism). |
Create a proto-type or a wireframe to be shared with the class, highlighting ideas discussed in the course. | Start a wireframe with very rough ideas to be shared with the class. | Just didn’t have the time to even start. |
*** The idea of the “mini” independent project is to enable me to physically “make” something that I can potentially use as a prototype to pitch and get buy-in at work to demonstrate how adding clickable hotspots or embedded tips in the curriculum videos can add additional value through user interactions.
For years, the Graduate School of Design has offered a two-week pre-semester workshop geared towards incoming students with no background in the field of Architecture, to teach them the basic foundations of the subject. This workshop is an in class face-to-face experience. However, this past summer a few colleagues and I collaborated with the workshop instructors, and together we created a first-attempt blended course offering. The first week was designed as an online offering, while the second week remained an in-classroom offering. In the online offering, students learned the content by watching videos, assigned PDF readings, and discussions through a blog site.
What I would like to do for my class project is to take the contents presented in the first module of the workshop and remix the material by adding content layers onto the videos. I think adding user interactions to the videos could enhance value, but I want to start with a single-module prototype and present to the key players. If there is interest, I would like to tweak the prototype and apply the same principles to the other online modules between the months of March-August 2015 and incorporate these interactive videos into the online portions of the complete workshop.