Where the heck to do I go?

When electronic chatrooms, blackboards, and posting software came about they were reasonably primitive. When these mediums were used for instructional purposes, it became increasingly apparent that things had to change because what you'd end up with was a big fat mess of lots of endless postings. 

D2L is an information management system, nothing more. It is fairly rudimentary, and not intuitive in any way, it is not glitzy, nor should you make the mistake of thinking it obeys the rules of other software. Yes, it needs improvement, but right now it is the best device we have for managing on-line conversations. 

Try to think of it as a laundry room. I am trying to put the laundry in the right basket for the right persons, and in those baskets of clothes are sometimes sorted, other times I say, "Sort them yourselves." While there are general hampers, and the communally used washer and dryer, there are certain piles of clothes that cannot be used or worn by others.

Designated areas within our D2L discussion area:

First Contact - practice area -- this are will disappear after the first visit.

1. Biographies - Telling us about yourself and please also add a digital or scanned image. Open to all

2. Matters at Hand - Discussion Cubbies -This area is shared with POD mates or paired partners and is designated for you to just chat about your readings before you enter the formality of the Forum discussions. Here you can compare notes and share ideas, or bounce ideas for your projects off one another.  Restricted to PODs or pairs.

3. Ask Leslie - the old cyber prof speaks - Please restrict this area to questions that all might be interested in. If you have personal questions, send those to me via e-mail and watch this area for answers.  Since I don't check this one every day, if you are not getting the needed response from me, please e-mail me ASAP. Also, peers may answer peers here too. Sometimes your answers are better than mine anyway! Open to all.  

4. Forums - This is the area of our major academic focus for this course. These areas are designated for large group discussions concerning the chapter questions posed by your peers. After each pair or POD has answered the assigned focus questions for the designated chapters, and formulated their original or expanded discussion questions, you all should migrate to the Forum area for a general discussion. It is the job of the designated discussion leader(s) to post questions to all, and to begin the discussions and keep them going with prompts and redirects. Open to all

5. Expanded Arena - In attempting to compensate for the missing topics in your texts, I will give you a list of folks or concepts that are fair game for expanded investigations. Here you upload the information and resources you have found. Peers read this new information and respond to your postings. Open to all

7. Project Proposals  - The designated areas for posting project proposals so you can get some feedback from your peers before you begin. We will then see what you have come up with on the last day of class for your presentations. Open to all

8. D2L Drop Box  - Designated areas for filing assignments -- this is not in the discussion area but in a separate file area -- see top navigation bar. Restricted access to individual class participants

9. Beginning Area Message Board - As you enter the class's space, you will find a message board. I use this to post pertinent messages, and often my reactions to your work and discussions. Watch this area for reminders, summaries, general impressions, directed musings, prompts, and questions. You can react to my comments in the FORUM.

10. AoT Space - A place to display and discuss your choices from the Art of Teaching. i