First test drive

This week I got to kick the tires and test drive the Centra platform used to deliver e-Learning courses for Contact North. The good folks at Contact North organized two "hands on" training sessions for five wannabe e-learning college professors.

First Session - Tuesday, December 16 (2:00pm - 4:00pm)

Theme: Participant Interface

We were located in various colleges around northern Ontario and after completing system and audio checks on our computers, Celinie Russell, our course instructor welcomed us to e-Learning. She expertly and patiently introduced us to the basic features of Centra as viewed from a learner's perspective.

Thanks to Celinie, in no time at all we were showing off...confidently clicking away on various communication icons/buttons to ask or respond to questions...to applaud each other...to laugh at a joke or comment. The test drive was going well.

Next, Celinie showed us how to use text chat and how to interact with whiteboards. We also got to explore Web Safari...which allows an instructor to take learners on a guided tour of web sites. Celinie accessed a web page and one lucky participant got an opportunity to actually operate on a frog....unfortunately it croaked.

Too soon our first class ended.

Second Session - Wednesday, December 17 (7:00pm - 9:00pm)

Theme - Leader Interface

After exchanging greetings, our fearless leader Celinie put us right to work exploring Centra from an instructor's perspective. We practiced using Centra's administrative features. We learned how to import applications and URLs. We developed and tested a survey. We created and managed agendas. We learned how to use the Breakout Rooms to facilitate group discussions.

The session was very lively and informative...but not overwhelming thanks to Celine's continual encouragement and the user friendly features of Centra.

Before we were dismissed, we were encouraged to visit Contact North's Playground where we could continue to refine our newly acquired skills.

Since our training sessions were recorded, we were also encouraged to replay them in the event we required a refresher.

Our test drive was over..no one crashed and the only casualty was a virtual frog.

Thanks Celinie and an icon applause to my fellow classmates.