Group 4 Artefact: Raptivity
I can't believe this is the last topic for the IOL course! It feels like it has flown by, and it is going to be strange not to have this weekly experience of stimulating conversation and experimentation.
I was looking forward to this topic, as it felt as if everything we had learnt was leading us to this point of discovery.
Whilst there were several readings and videos which I found interesting, the video of Ray Pastore (2020) was extremely interesting, as it provided very valid tips from an experienced lecturer as to how to design courses that flow and are very supportive to students. I enjoyed the video walk-through of his LMS, and I have definitely taken notes to incorporate into my lecturing next year.
We were already ahead of the topic last week, so we started dividing up the reading summaries early as well as brainstorming the type of tool we would like to use. We all did a bit of research, and I came across the Raptivity platform. I often trawl the internet for fun tools with which to experiment, and at first glance, this one seemed a bit 'flimsy' and gimmicky. It was the learning games that caught my eye - fun tools not only to engage students in learning, but also to provide them with an opportunity to test their understanding. It was fun trying to incorporate the reading theory into the games, which made the design of online courses very practical.
We ware so fortunate to have the design guru in Annie - her tech savvy-ness is awe-inspiring, and she took on the task of collaborating our info and games. She is able to whip up design elements, and seems to do it effortlessly. I know she experienced frustration with the backend of the Raptivity tool, but she jumped right in, as always, and put in many hours trying to get the feel of the product just right. I am very proud of the final product and how it came together in the end. I think it showcases the theory in action, as well as highlights the fun that can be found in online learning. It has definitely given me some ideas for online lecturing, and I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to play around on this new tool!
Thank you once again to our amazing team for pulling off yet another successful artefact!
References:
Pastore, R. (2020). Designing an online course: A walkthough with best practices. Youtube video, uploaded 4 March 2020. [Online]. Available at: