Interim Report Sent

So without posting again I sat down to write the my 1st interim report of my project. What I have done:

• Made a frame for the whole thesis
• Concentrated on Introduction
• What is nursing
• Situation of nurses in SL Government then Private then Western Infirmary
• Analysis of the current course
• Problems
• Proposed solution
• Literature Review
• Definitions of the terms used in the thesis
• The review
• Conclusions I drew out of the review
• What is my research question
• What are my objective

Thinks I need to think about

• How to get the nurses to give their view on how a LMS system should be. Mr Anuradha feels I should do it through a questionnaire and I do agree but to construct a good one I am doubtful. Perhaps a simple one.
• Justification of using what I will use in Moodle (HCI, Multimedia)

 Thats is about it!

Meeting with Mr Anuradha + Dr Roshan 14.12

Highlights:

• No need for specific UML modelling
• You can do overview diagrams
• SRS is not required
• Feasibility Report should be submitted
• Write about the Human-Computer Interface
• Fonts Used
• Colors Used
• Other HCI priniciples
• Write about the principles of multimedia

Meeting with Dr Gominda 6.12.10

Highlights:

• Submitted curriculum blueprint
• Small pox removed from lessons
• Clinical skills is different from clinical procedures
• Keep the lessons simple
• Front end should be attractive, at the moment dull
• Curriculum map should be introduced in the front page, I have suggested a flash
• Each lesson
• Will have separately designed web pages
• Navigation will be easy inside a lesson
• Theory should be in a scenario style
• Relevant multimedia
• At least one video in the course
• At least on animation in the course
• Interactivity will be useful
• Since they are adult learners they should be able to go through different sections of the course
• Use the outputs with a questionnaire and make an assessment
• Literature review
• Do the review
• Decide on the research question
• Make objectives to answer this question
• Discussion forum should be included as an added incentive
• Send Dr Gominda & Prog Jayantha a revised Project Charter and Literature Review

Stop & Think

OK Perhaps this irregular posting means I need to think from the start:

• Project Proposal

• Done
• Schedule and Deliverables needs amendment to January 31st
• Activity: Resubmit to Dr Gominda & Prof Jayantha

• Literature Review

• Done
• Again needs amendment in structure
• Activity: Resubmit to Dr Gominda & Prof Jayantha

• Lessons Planning

• No nurses to help create the lessons
• Will have to do it on my own

• LMS Design

• I still have some viewing to do on Moodle
• Fortunately I have about 8 hours of good instructional videos to fall back on!

OK that is the flashback. So how should I proceed?

1. Use the time available well. Im thinking giving about ten days to the nursing students to use the system should be adequate. So Im probably looking at a 20.1.11 deadline
2. Resubmit a working proposal and review inside this week. This helps the final report as well.
3. Will have to do two things at the same time. Writing the report as well as develop the system as there wont be time for dedicated work methinks.
4. Probably better to meet my supervisors at least every 2nd week.
5. Rough schedule looks like:

• December

• 3rd Week: Assignment 2 + 3, Rewrite PP + LR, Finish Moodle Videos, FR, Common Cold
• 4th Week: SRS, UML, LMS Frame, Measles, Thesis Writing
• 5th Week: Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Thesis Writing

• January

• 1st  Week: Pulmonary TB, Pertussis, Thesis Writing
• 2nd Week: Diptheria, Herpes, Thesis Writing
• 3rd Week: Deploy, Thesis Writing, Develop questionnaire
• 4th Week: Feedback & Interviews of nurses, Troubleshooting, Thesis Writing, System Manual
• 5th Week: System Manual & Submission

I pray that I follow these targets!

Delay!

Well one minute I was on the ball and the next minute I dont post for nearly 2 weeks! What happened?

1. Got lost
2. Got lazy

Why did this happen?

1. Did not understand the scope of Moodle
2. Suddenly got stuck with the whole lesson plan development
3. No push from the system (perhaps deadlines, interim reports) to motivate me

So what have I done about this?

1. Had a look @ some instructional videos of Moodle but a lot more viewing to do
2. Am due to meet Dr Gominda for the lesson plan and Moodle structure and then will meet Prof Jayantha about the eLearning 2.0 part. I have realised I have no choice and I must make the lessons myself using the curriculum blueprint as a starting point.
3. Today all the students had a discussion and we realised that we need to tap into our BOS and ask them for a few motivators like deadlines and more importantly mini deliverables like interim reports. Some students had issues with method and objectives and Alhamdulillah due to my supervisors I have had no such issues

So this week then I meet Dr Gominda and race to the finish line which seems to have become January 31st but my target is now December 25th InshaAllah.