Welcome to Open Networked Learning!

First please watch the course introduction film.

During this week the focus is to get familiar with the learning spaces you will be using on the course. This is a week for trying out the different tools and platforms we will be using on the course. Next week you will be connecting with your PBL groups and getting to know each other.

Activities for all learners

Getting started with ONL191: main course site

All the information you need about the course is available on this main course site. The ONL site is where you will find information and guidance for participation in the ONL191 course. The site also serves as a blog where the course team regularly posts information about the course

• Read through information on the course site, most information that you need should be there!
• Subscribe to updates in order to be alerted when there is a new post from the course team; on the bottom of each page you can add your e-mail in the box below “SUBSCRIBE TO BLOG VIA EMAIL” and click “SUBSCRIBE”. Please note that you can unsubscribe to these updates when the course ends by clicking on the unsubscribe link that appears on each e-mail.
• Please read the information about your privacy: Privacy and ONL.

Watch a short introduction film about the main ONL course site.

Getting started with the ONL191 community space

All registered participants will receive an e-mail invitation with a link to join the ONL191  community space and need to create a user account. If you do not receive this please contact your institutional course leader or if you are an open learner please contact Lars Uhlin. Once you created your account you have access.

In the ONL191 community space all the course activities, discussions and sharing will take place. Everyone on the course will belong to the main ONL191 community. Moreover, this is also where you will find your PBL group space. In this closed group for your PBL group most of the course work will take place. Groups can post their collaborative PBL work and can share and discuss in their own environment. Here are a few things you should do:

• Update your user profile. The course will be much more meaningful and enjoyable if we take the time to get to know each other and share a picture of ourselves!
• Present yourself in the ONL191 community space by writing an update
• Check the the other learners’ introductions in the community and comment if you would like to.

Watch another short introduction film about the ONL community space.

Getting started with Google Drive

Google Drive is a place where you can store files, documents and folders and share them with your colleagues. You will be using this in your PBL group work, writing collaborative documents and sharing meeting notes and slideshows etc. In order to use Google Drive, you need a google account. If you have a @gmail.com email address, you also have a Google account. The Google account does not neccessarily have to be a @gmail.com e-mail address, though. You can create a google account and access Google Drive without a @gmail.com e-mail address. If you do not have a Google account sign up for one here. Here are two films to help you get started with Google Drive.

• Getting the most out of Google Drive.
• Google Docs and Sheets tutorial.

Learning blog – reflection

The course reflections are an important part of your learning process. In ONL you will publish your reflections on each topic on your own blog. Five blog posts are required if you want to receive a certificate for the course. Instructions and suggestions for this will be posted for every topic.

• Set up your own blog to be used for your reflections during the course. Try to add a personal touch to your blog with photos and design elements.
• Read more about blogging and how to get started
• Connect your blog to the ONL course homepage

Read about, discuss and familiarize yourself with the ONL design and ONL learning activities including using the FISh model for collaborative inquiry.

Twitter (optional)

It will also be useful to use your Twitter account or create one and follow @OpenNetLearn which is ONL’s Twitter presence. The hashtag of the course is #ONL191. Additional conversations linked to ONL will happen there. The ONL Twitter feed is also displayed on the ONL homepage.

Help

If you have any questions about using the learning spaces mentioned above or any other difficulties in getting started with the course we have arranged a number of drop-in video meeting times where one of the course team will be waiting to help you. The link to the helpdesk is https://sunet.zoom.us/my/onlhelpdesk (only available during the times listed below).

The helpdesk times will be scheduled as follows (check time zone converter):

• Monday, 18 February, 14:00-16:00 (CET – Stockholm)
• Tuesday, 19 February, 14.00-16.00 (CET – Stockholm)
• Wednesday, 20 February, 10:00-12:00 (CET – Stockholm)
• Thursday, 21 February, 09.00-11.00 and 14.00-16.00 (CET – Stockholm)

AIMS

By the end of this week, you will have had the opportunity to:

• familiarize yourself with the learning spaces and tools for the ONL course
• make your first contribution to the ONL191 community
• familiarize yourself with how to use Google Drive for collaborative writing
• start your own blog for individual reflection on the course topics and connect it to the course homepage

Check-list

• Read the course information under About ONL
• Create a Google account
• Introduce yourself in the ONL191 community
• Reply to other participants’ introduction posts in the course community
• Familiarize yourself with Google Drive and how to share documents
• Set up your learning blog and connect it

Open Networked Learning: Challenges and Opportunities. Blog post by ONL student, co-facilitator and contributor Kay Oddone (Queensland University of Technology, Australia)