My field notes

Salmon 5-stage moderation model --- I spent the most time in stage 1 of the 5-stage moderation model. The 1st stage involves access and motivation. (offer assurance, welcome and motivation to stay and participate in the course. This stage ends when participants post their first messages)

How do I make teachers sign up to the website?

• set up the platform for teachers to interact in the online forum
  
• provide trainings
• make personal approaches (f2f and telephone)
  
• send personal emails (welcome them and provide links)
  
• send sms
• post invitation through facebook
• conduct promotion during SELEC 2009
• provide lucrative reward
  

Stage 2: online socialization - familiarising and providing bridges between cultural, social and learning environments - (encourage group discussion and make room for purely social interaction among participants & maintain good atmosphere for discussion)

• post topics for discussion
• respond positively to the responses post by the participants
• let participants introduce themselves through the forum.

Stage 3: Information Exchange - facilitating tasks and supporting use of learning materials (participants actively exchange information based on the course content / information/issues presented by the moderator; provide stimulation and guidance in constructive use of learning materials and effective information sharing)

• upgrade website to make it resourceful.
• announce website updates and provide website links through facebook
  
• post announcement and provide links through personal emails

Stage 4: Knowledge construction - Facilitating process - (participants share personal knowledge and opinions. Moderator facilitate, stimulate, summarize and weave together course discussions.

• respond to forum by asking questions for further discussions
• summarize responses
  

Stage 5: Development - supporting and responding. (participants use personal experience to drive their own exploration of the topic area being studied & reflect on their own learning process. Moderator support and respond to participants as they define and lead their own discussions.

• support participants' ideas