August 13, 2010
August 12, 2010
Google Forms
The other software that I chose to evaluate was Google Forms. In my opinion, there are a lot of things that Google Forms can accomplish for educators, including:
- Surveys
- Quizzes
- Student Information / Enrollment
- Scoring Rubric
- Contact Form
- Choose Your Own Adventure
- Voting
- and more...
I recently attended a workshop about this technology, and the instructor directed us all to his website at the very beginning, and asked us to fill out the form. On the form were questions about our prior knowledge regarding Google Forms, and once everyone was finished completing it, he immediately went to the results page with us, and used the feedback to determine how much or how little he would speak about various topics of the workshop. It was very powerful!
Below, I have embedded a simple survey about the technologies we have learned in this class. If I have done it correctly, after taking the survey, you should see a link to the results page, which shows real-time data in the form of pie charts, bar graphs, etc.... I tried to incorporate one of each type of question that there is available to create so you can see the variety of question styles available. Enjoy!
August 11, 2010
Picnik
One online application that I chose to review is Picnik. This photo editing application is very intuitive and easy to use. In addition to basic options such as zoom, crop, resize, rotate, etc..., Picnik offers advanced creative options that can dramatically change the appearance of your photos. Many of these options are free, but for a price, you can access additional features. Although my examples do not show this feature, it is possible to include various stickers on the photos like thought bubbles, stick figures, mustaches, sketchy stars, hearts, flowers, etc.... Some of the examples on the website show this, and it offers an opportunity to have make some very cute and fun looking photos. See my examples below, which were all generated from the same original photo.
D/B13: Chapter 31
What most made you say (or think) "that's so neat!" Why?
For some reason, the AI portion of this chapter made me think of the movie I, Robot. Perhaps it's just me, and perhaps I should blame it on the movie, but the thought of machines developing intelligence in a way that unmistakably resembles human intelligence is a bit frightening.
With that out of my system, the thing that most made me think "that's so neat!" was the portion of the chapter about electronic paper.
I think that in general, people become increasingly fascinated by the decreasing physical size of technology. We always want our laptops and cell phones to be less bulky (perhaps not to the extreme of Ben Stiller's character in the movie Zoolander). As the book mentioned, less than a decade ago, the idea of holding 1GB of storage on a storage device the size of a flash drive or SD memory was inconceivable.
Electronic paper fascinates me because as a teacher, I think about the possibilities for using it. Assuming that its purpose will be visual storage, I can imagine a day when students will develop a tangible portfolio with electronic pages which display some of their greatest CAD work. Not the printouts, but the actual drawing files, which you could zoom in/out, pan, spin, etc.... Perhaps they could embed on one page a video introduction, rather than a text letter, in which they explain who they are, and what their career goals are. The possibilities seem endless, and I am anxious to see if this technology will become mainstream.
For some reason, the AI portion of this chapter made me think of the movie I, Robot. Perhaps it's just me, and perhaps I should blame it on the movie, but the thought of machines developing intelligence in a way that unmistakably resembles human intelligence is a bit frightening.
With that out of my system, the thing that most made me think "that's so neat!" was the portion of the chapter about electronic paper.
Electronic paper fascinates me because as a teacher, I think about the possibilities for using it. Assuming that its purpose will be visual storage, I can imagine a day when students will develop a tangible portfolio with electronic pages which display some of their greatest CAD work. Not the printouts, but the actual drawing files, which you could zoom in/out, pan, spin, etc.... Perhaps they could embed on one page a video introduction, rather than a text letter, in which they explain who they are, and what their career goals are. The possibilities seem endless, and I am anxious to see if this technology will become mainstream.
August 10, 2010
D/B12: Chapter 30
What are two ways you believe you can apply ideas in this chapter to improve your teaching/instructional design work?
One of the most prominent concepts that I have highlighted, starred, and circled in my brain is the idea of incorporating appropriate visuals to accommodate my text. (As an aside, this will definitely require that I learn how to perform a screen capture on my Mac, as this is the platform of choice that my school has adopted.) I found it particularly interesting that the level of sophistication of the visual has little to no bearing on its effectiveness, as it pertains to learning. Obviously, it is easier to produce learning materials with text alone, but after reading the chapter, I am convinced that a small sacrifice of time will be far out-weighed by the benefits of educational gain.
Another very interesting concept was that of the working and long-term memory. I couldn't help but consider the comparison between our brains and computers (RAM *working* vs. ROM *long-term*). It was humorous to me about how our working memory capacity was described as "seven plus or minus two chunks of information." As the book went on to describe the inherent limitations of the working memory, I found that it all seemed very logical. This understanding will help me in my teaching profession because it should help me consider which elements of rich media are helpful to the learning process, and which are more distracting. Like a PowerPoint with too many animations and sound bytes, which are meant to do nothing more than "wow" the audience, it will be important to remember that just because I can, doesn't mean that I should. In the future, I will need to be more selective about the type, frequency, and amount of rich media that is incorporated into each lesson to ensure that maximum learning occurs.
One of the most prominent concepts that I have highlighted, starred, and circled in my brain is the idea of incorporating appropriate visuals to accommodate my text. (As an aside, this will definitely require that I learn how to perform a screen capture on my Mac, as this is the platform of choice that my school has adopted.) I found it particularly interesting that the level of sophistication of the visual has little to no bearing on its effectiveness, as it pertains to learning. Obviously, it is easier to produce learning materials with text alone, but after reading the chapter, I am convinced that a small sacrifice of time will be far out-weighed by the benefits of educational gain.
Another very interesting concept was that of the working and long-term memory. I couldn't help but consider the comparison between our brains and computers (RAM *working* vs. ROM *long-term*). It was humorous to me about how our working memory capacity was described as "seven plus or minus two chunks of information." As the book went on to describe the inherent limitations of the working memory, I found that it all seemed very logical. This understanding will help me in my teaching profession because it should help me consider which elements of rich media are helpful to the learning process, and which are more distracting. Like a PowerPoint with too many animations and sound bytes, which are meant to do nothing more than "wow" the audience, it will be important to remember that just because I can, doesn't mean that I should. In the future, I will need to be more selective about the type, frequency, and amount of rich media that is incorporated into each lesson to ensure that maximum learning occurs.
August 6, 2010
D/B11: Chapter 27
Reflect on what you perceive to be your own areas of strength and what competencies you feel you need to work hardest to develop given your professional goals. State and describe at least three competencies you’d like to develop and why.
Based on the competencies listed on page 275, table 27.3 for the instructor, I believe that a few of my strengths would be my ability to:
Based on the competencies listed on page 275, table 27.3 for the instructor, I believe that a few of my strengths would be my ability to:
- Demonstrate effective presentation skills. I try to be conscious about my volume and pace, as well as my proximity to students who need help with focus.
- Demonstrate effective facilitation skills. Aside from presenting/demonstrating information to students, a lot of my time "teaching" is spent facilitating their individual work on drawing assignments and projects. It takes hard work do keep track of each student's progress, and you must constantly be switching gears from one student to the next, but I think I manage this aspect well.
- Demonstrate effective questioning skills. This can be applied both during presentations and facilitations. During presentation, effective questioning techniques will help to keep the students engaged. During facilitation, I often have students ask questions that were covered during the presentation, or are covered in the text. Rather than "spoon feed" the information to them, I ask them to review their notes and/or text. If they are asking an application-type question that does not have an obvious answer, I try to guide them with questions to the answer.
- Evaluate instructional effectiveness. One thing that my principal has always pointed out to me during the follow-up portion of my teacher evaluations is that I am a very reflective practitioner. I rarely just do something and move on. I tend to analyze how students appeared to receive the instruction, and how I might use that information to improve the next class.
A few competencies that I would like to develop include:
- Plan instructional methods and materials. It always seems that there is not enough plan time. I find that with the additional obligations of the teaching profession, I often resort to the way it has always been done, because it is effective (enough) and is easier than trying to implement a new method.
- Stimulate and sustain learner motivation and engagement. I find it very discouraging during a class period, to observe the students' activity and find that they appear to be bored or uninterested in the task or assignment. In order to address this issue, I need to work harder to identify a variety of ways to engage students based on their individual learning preferences.
- Promote retention of knowledge and skills. This is one thing that I put some effort into this past school year, but could use additional attention. In my first few years of teaching, I assumed too much of my students as we moved from one unit to the next. Over time, I have learned that review and summary activities are so important for knowledge retention. Understanding this, I am not working to improve and be consistent with these methods.
- Use media and technology to enhance learning and performance. Thanks in large part to this class, I have come to realize that there is a lot more that I can be doing with technology in my classes. Up until now, I was feeling pretty good about how much technology is used with my CAD students, but that has been the extent of it - CAD. There are so many resources that are available electronically for education, which would take my classes to another level, incorporating reading, writing, communication, and additional technical skills.
August 5, 2010
Screencast & Website
Screencast
This may be my favorite tool that we have looked at so far. For my particular subject area, screencasts can be extremely valuable. Again, I teach CAD classes, so it would be helpful to prepare my demonstrations for students in a screencast. I could then make these available for students to access via the web, so that if they missed a class, or simply need to view it again, I can direct them to the screencast. Perhaps at some point, I can have students create screencasts of tips and tricks that they discover and want to share with the rest of the class. This might also tie in nicely with the idea I had of incorporating podcasts. There are many podcast tutorials for CAD software, and if each student were to view a podcast as an assignment, a follow up to that assignment could be to master that skill, and document it via screencast.
Website
The website that I created is a resource for my students, and I would continuously add content to the website. So far, I have created a page for each class that I will be teaching next year, and some links to important websites. Over time, I could add embedded screencasts, prezis, my class calendar, worksheets, etc...
To play off of Dr. Peterson's idea of a webquest, I could transfer my "Engineering Internet Scavenger Hunt" and my "Architecture Internet Scavenger Hunt" to my website, adding a new page for each with links and instructions for all of the websites that I want them to visit as they gather information about Engineering and Architecture careers. In the past, I have done this activity with students, but all of the information is printed on paper for them. This way, it would all be available electronically.
Here is the link to my Google Site!
This may be my favorite tool that we have looked at so far. For my particular subject area, screencasts can be extremely valuable. Again, I teach CAD classes, so it would be helpful to prepare my demonstrations for students in a screencast. I could then make these available for students to access via the web, so that if they missed a class, or simply need to view it again, I can direct them to the screencast. Perhaps at some point, I can have students create screencasts of tips and tricks that they discover and want to share with the rest of the class. This might also tie in nicely with the idea I had of incorporating podcasts. There are many podcast tutorials for CAD software, and if each student were to view a podcast as an assignment, a follow up to that assignment could be to master that skill, and document it via screencast.
Website
The website that I created is a resource for my students, and I would continuously add content to the website. So far, I have created a page for each class that I will be teaching next year, and some links to important websites. Over time, I could add embedded screencasts, prezis, my class calendar, worksheets, etc...
To play off of Dr. Peterson's idea of a webquest, I could transfer my "Engineering Internet Scavenger Hunt" and my "Architecture Internet Scavenger Hunt" to my website, adding a new page for each with links and instructions for all of the websites that I want them to visit as they gather information about Engineering and Architecture careers. In the past, I have done this activity with students, but all of the information is printed on paper for them. This way, it would all be available electronically.
Here is the link to my Google Site!
August 4, 2010
D/B10: Chapter 22
Before answering the following questions, I wanted to mention that I really enjoyed the "written symposium" structure of this chapter.
Identify 2 or 3 significant themes or differences you have noticed across these contexts and describe them.
Adaptability
In light of consistently progressive technology, it is safe to assume that the most effective instructional designers will be those who are willing to continuously adjust to new positions, developing and demonstrating competency in the latest technological advances.
Applicability
Instructional designers must develop systems which can be easily applied to various subjects. Without appropriate examples or methods of application to the subject matter, their work may be viewed simply as irrelevant.
Teamwork
As evidenced by figure 22.1 on page 225, the instructional designer is one of many contributors on a team that work together to achieve a final goal. This is true in all three areas that have been discussed. In any context, at minimum, an instructional designer requires input from subject matter experts, and often also requires input from other various contributors.
Is there a particular area or way that you believe your current professional working environment could learn from the other contexts described in these chapters?
In chapter 22, one writer discussed her work with faculty development. Upon describing some of her responsibilities, she mentioned that one thing she likes to do is to gather input from faculty members about topics that they would like to receive training on. Based on that input, she schedules the training sessions for the year. I found myself thinking how nice it would be if we had a person to conduct such a survey for our staff professional development, then establish and execute PD sessions that were meaningful and engaging for its participants.
Another concept that has really stuck with me from the beginning of this class has been computer imagination. In my professional working environment, there seems to be a big push to incorporate more and more technology into our classroom. While the intentions are good, it seems that many teachers are simply making their materials and resources available electronically, without much consideration for how technology could be used to breathe new life into that material. My hope is that our staff will find ways to incorporate technology into instruction in ways that change student learning for the better.
Identify 2 or 3 significant themes or differences you have noticed across these contexts and describe them.
Adaptability
In light of consistently progressive technology, it is safe to assume that the most effective instructional designers will be those who are willing to continuously adjust to new positions, developing and demonstrating competency in the latest technological advances.
Applicability
Instructional designers must develop systems which can be easily applied to various subjects. Without appropriate examples or methods of application to the subject matter, their work may be viewed simply as irrelevant.
Teamwork
As evidenced by figure 22.1 on page 225, the instructional designer is one of many contributors on a team that work together to achieve a final goal. This is true in all three areas that have been discussed. In any context, at minimum, an instructional designer requires input from subject matter experts, and often also requires input from other various contributors.
Is there a particular area or way that you believe your current professional working environment could learn from the other contexts described in these chapters?
In chapter 22, one writer discussed her work with faculty development. Upon describing some of her responsibilities, she mentioned that one thing she likes to do is to gather input from faculty members about topics that they would like to receive training on. Based on that input, she schedules the training sessions for the year. I found myself thinking how nice it would be if we had a person to conduct such a survey for our staff professional development, then establish and execute PD sessions that were meaningful and engaging for its participants.
Another concept that has really stuck with me from the beginning of this class has been computer imagination. In my professional working environment, there seems to be a big push to incorporate more and more technology into our classroom. While the intentions are good, it seems that many teachers are simply making their materials and resources available electronically, without much consideration for how technology could be used to breathe new life into that material. My hope is that our staff will find ways to incorporate technology into instruction in ways that change student learning for the better.
July 28, 2010
Famous Structures Map
I created the following Google Map to use with my architecture students as a resource of famous structures from around the world. I can embed this map on my website, so students are able to visualize the relative proximity of famous structures. After completing the map, I noticed a little link in the upper left corner of my screen that said "collaborate," so I clicked on it. It appears that I am able to invite other people to edit the map, which made me think of another possible, and perhaps more powerful use of Google Maps. If I invite my students to collaborate on a class map, I can ask each student to research a different famous structure, write a small report, and find an image or video (or maybe create a video slideshow of photos), and pinpoint their location, and include the above information as part of an assignment. When it is finished, the classroom map would look similar to the one here, but with more location points and more information at each point.
View Famous Architecture in a larger map
View Famous Architecture in a larger map
D/B9: Previous Assignments
I would like to hear a somewhat summative reflection on your experience in the course so far, particularly related to the technology-related tasks you have tackled.
Let me begin by saying that so far, I have learned a lot, and I have really enjoyed the course overall. I'm a little less excited about the book reading than the hands-on material, but have caught glimpses of its relevance, and agree with the authors about the importance of understanding and being able to speak intelligibly on the history of the field.
How challenging have you found them?
The activities have not been challenging for me, but I don't think that is a bad thing. Internet technology has become so intuitive in nature, that I think it ought to be fairly easy for users to comprehend and accomplish. I would also add that the programs which are too challenging will probably not develop a huge user-base.
What support you did not get that you would have appreciated (or what support did you get that you did appreciate)?
I think that the material and amount of information provided so far has been sufficient. I might also take this time to recognize Justin McCandless, and his efforts to help students by answering questions and providing visual "tutorials" when needed. I might also take this time to mention that I have noticed a few inconsistencies or errors within the course material which could benefit from detailed review and correction. By way of suggestion, I think that Diigo is a much more exciting social bookmarking tool for education than delicious, in case you are considering course improvements.
Are excited, frustrated, both?
I'm very excited to implement some of the web-based technologies that I have learned about in this class.
Do you think you will find ways to incorporate some of what we have done in your professional work?
Yes. I have especially been thinking about using podcasts as supplemental tutorials for students, blogs to provide students a paperless way to write reflections about class topics or reading assignments, and a wiki to compile resources for my classes.
For those of fairly (or brand) new to this masters program, how do you feel about this as a first or early course?
I think this is a great first course. It is probably safe to assume that students coming in have the basic skills required to comprehend and complete assignments. It also contains instruction about a variety of web-based technologies which fosters excitement for the program.
Let me begin by saying that so far, I have learned a lot, and I have really enjoyed the course overall. I'm a little less excited about the book reading than the hands-on material, but have caught glimpses of its relevance, and agree with the authors about the importance of understanding and being able to speak intelligibly on the history of the field.
How challenging have you found them?
The activities have not been challenging for me, but I don't think that is a bad thing. Internet technology has become so intuitive in nature, that I think it ought to be fairly easy for users to comprehend and accomplish. I would also add that the programs which are too challenging will probably not develop a huge user-base.
What support you did not get that you would have appreciated (or what support did you get that you did appreciate)?
I think that the material and amount of information provided so far has been sufficient. I might also take this time to recognize Justin McCandless, and his efforts to help students by answering questions and providing visual "tutorials" when needed. I might also take this time to mention that I have noticed a few inconsistencies or errors within the course material which could benefit from detailed review and correction. By way of suggestion, I think that Diigo is a much more exciting social bookmarking tool for education than delicious, in case you are considering course improvements.
Are excited, frustrated, both?
I'm very excited to implement some of the web-based technologies that I have learned about in this class.
Do you think you will find ways to incorporate some of what we have done in your professional work?
Yes. I have especially been thinking about using podcasts as supplemental tutorials for students, blogs to provide students a paperless way to write reflections about class topics or reading assignments, and a wiki to compile resources for my classes.
For those of fairly (or brand) new to this masters program, how do you feel about this as a first or early course?
I think this is a great first course. It is probably safe to assume that students coming in have the basic skills required to comprehend and complete assignments. It also contains instruction about a variety of web-based technologies which fosters excitement for the program.
D/B8: Chapter 21
Pick out two trends or issues that particularly surprised you and/or hit home and explain why.
On page 210, in the section which stated the difference between piecemeal and systemic change, there was a line that captured my attention: "...if a significant change is made in one part of a system, that part will usually become incompatible with other parts of the system, and the system will work to change that part back to what it was before." In my observation, this statement identifies a major problem of when change is initiated without "buy-in." If a change is instituted, and the staff is not on board with that change, oftentimes people will look for loop holes that will enable things to operate as before, or there will be so much resistance, the change will ultimately fail.
In reading about the various teams, networks, and leadership roles that combine to make the Step-Up-To-Excellence model effective, I found that I was impressed by its overall structure. The description of each element led me to conclude that if followed correctly, it would be difficult for an organization to fail at systemic change efforts. In the school district where I work, we are currently experiencing the beginnings of some major changes. One change is the intent of our technology department to implement a one-to-one learning initiative, in which each student will be supplied with a laptop, or portable electronic learning device. The other is the intent of our school board to pursue major facility upgrades, changes, and/or additions in order to accommodate projected growth, and 21st century learning trends. As I was reading about the SUTE method of whole-district improvement, I was also reflecting on these changes taking place in my own district, and found myself wondering if our district has employed a specific systemic change model, and if so (or if not) what impact it might have on the realized success of these changes. I suppose that time will tell.
On page 210, in the section which stated the difference between piecemeal and systemic change, there was a line that captured my attention: "...if a significant change is made in one part of a system, that part will usually become incompatible with other parts of the system, and the system will work to change that part back to what it was before." In my observation, this statement identifies a major problem of when change is initiated without "buy-in." If a change is instituted, and the staff is not on board with that change, oftentimes people will look for loop holes that will enable things to operate as before, or there will be so much resistance, the change will ultimately fail.
In reading about the various teams, networks, and leadership roles that combine to make the Step-Up-To-Excellence model effective, I found that I was impressed by its overall structure. The description of each element led me to conclude that if followed correctly, it would be difficult for an organization to fail at systemic change efforts. In the school district where I work, we are currently experiencing the beginnings of some major changes. One change is the intent of our technology department to implement a one-to-one learning initiative, in which each student will be supplied with a laptop, or portable electronic learning device. The other is the intent of our school board to pursue major facility upgrades, changes, and/or additions in order to accommodate projected growth, and 21st century learning trends. As I was reading about the SUTE method of whole-district improvement, I was also reflecting on these changes taking place in my own district, and found myself wondering if our district has employed a specific systemic change model, and if so (or if not) what impact it might have on the realized success of these changes. I suppose that time will tell.
D/B7: Chapter 18
What are, in your mind, two unique or interesting or different or noteworthy ways Instructional Design/Technology has been used in business & industry that you believe could be usefully applied to your own professional work? Explain.
One of the topics discussed in chapter 18 was rapid prototyping, which I have already found is a useful tool in my classroom. I teach drafting/CAD classes, and often use parts that have been created using a rapid prototyping machine to help students visualize the views of the object that they are drawing. Also, for the past several years, I have worked collaboratively with our calculus students on a water goblet project. The students are responsible to come up with the design of a water goblet, and plot out the profile shape using calculus equations. The design has to meet very strict specifications on the amount of material that can be used, and the volume of liquid that it holds. Once the students have satisfied those requirements, they come to the CAD lab, and I help them apply those equations to our parametric modeling software (Pro|ENGINEER), and we send the 3D file to be created on the rapid prototyping machine. It is always very rewarding to hear student reactions when they are able to hold the tangible product. Furthermore, they are able to use the product to physically analyze the volume and mass.
Another topic from the chapter that I found interesting was the topic of globalization. I found myself reflecting about the nature of technical drawing. One of the things that I begin the year teaching my students about is the fact that technical drawings are required to be universal, meaning that they can be interpreted globally without experiencing any loss of information or meaning. There are many standards and specifications that are applied to technical drawings to ensure that they can be translated in any country. I suppose that the book would refer to that as internationalization. I suppose after further reflection, that there are items included in the drawing, specifically the title block that could be misinterpreted, such as the date. To that end, I might do further research in order to inform my students of those opportunities for misinterpretation. I try to help my students become aware of the global aspect of drafting-related professions, because many firms (like Stryker or Eaton) operate globally.
One of the topics discussed in chapter 18 was rapid prototyping, which I have already found is a useful tool in my classroom. I teach drafting/CAD classes, and often use parts that have been created using a rapid prototyping machine to help students visualize the views of the object that they are drawing. Also, for the past several years, I have worked collaboratively with our calculus students on a water goblet project. The students are responsible to come up with the design of a water goblet, and plot out the profile shape using calculus equations. The design has to meet very strict specifications on the amount of material that can be used, and the volume of liquid that it holds. Once the students have satisfied those requirements, they come to the CAD lab, and I help them apply those equations to our parametric modeling software (Pro|ENGINEER), and we send the 3D file to be created on the rapid prototyping machine. It is always very rewarding to hear student reactions when they are able to hold the tangible product. Furthermore, they are able to use the product to physically analyze the volume and mass.
Another topic from the chapter that I found interesting was the topic of globalization. I found myself reflecting about the nature of technical drawing. One of the things that I begin the year teaching my students about is the fact that technical drawings are required to be universal, meaning that they can be interpreted globally without experiencing any loss of information or meaning. There are many standards and specifications that are applied to technical drawings to ensure that they can be translated in any country. I suppose that the book would refer to that as internationalization. I suppose after further reflection, that there are items included in the drawing, specifically the title block that could be misinterpreted, such as the date. To that end, I might do further research in order to inform my students of those opportunities for misinterpretation. I try to help my students become aware of the global aspect of drafting-related professions, because many firms (like Stryker or Eaton) operate globally.
July 22, 2010
D/B6: Chapter 14
What are some ways the ideas/concepts/principles discussed in this chapter could be applied in your professional work?
The most immediate educational connection that I see with the current idea of Human Performance Improvement, as described in the book, is in classroom management and procedures. The flowchart found on page 141, Figure 14.2, seems to provide a useful framework to process or analyze the effectiveness of how existing classroom procedures contribute toward achieving goals, such as student productivity and successfully accomplishing stated objectives or assignments.
As a teacher, when I observe a "gap" in the ability to achieve "desired workforce performance" from my students, I can move along the flowchart to analyze and identify the cause, then consider necessary changes ("intervention selection and design"), implement those changes, and begin the evaluation process again.
The most immediate educational connection that I see with the current idea of Human Performance Improvement, as described in the book, is in classroom management and procedures. The flowchart found on page 141, Figure 14.2, seems to provide a useful framework to process or analyze the effectiveness of how existing classroom procedures contribute toward achieving goals, such as student productivity and successfully accomplishing stated objectives or assignments.
As a teacher, when I observe a "gap" in the ability to achieve "desired workforce performance" from my students, I can move along the flowchart to analyze and identify the cause, then consider necessary changes ("intervention selection and design"), implement those changes, and begin the evaluation process again.
D/B5: Chapter 3
Based on what you know about the Internet and the World Wide Web, and what you read about he history of instructional films, television, and the computer, indicate whether you think these technological innovations will have a major impact on K-12 education, higher education, and/or adult education.
My short response is a resounding ABSOLUTELY!
Before I go further, I must admit that I did not realize that there is a difference between the Internet and the World Wide Web. I have always used those terms interchangeably, and for the purposes of not pretending that I know how to distinguish between them, I will simply refer to both as the Internet in this blog posting. Having said that, I welcome input from anyone who might be able to explain the difference to me in a comment.
In K-12 education...
Even since the publishing of the textbook (in 2007), the Internet has expanded tremendously, with new content being added every day, and it only continues to improve. As we are learning in this class, there are incredible resources available for the whole spectrum of grade levels and subject matter. Innovative applications are becoming more widespread and easily accessible, and are interactive and beneficial for student learning, lesson delivery, and assessment. I think that is the key. What sets apart this current advancement in educational technology, is the fact that it is interactive, continuously growing, and continuously improving. In comparison with historical advancements, such as instructional television, the impact was not great because it provided very minimal added benefit to the end user. As was pointed out in the book, instructional television was little more than a recording of a lecture.
In higher education...
I think we have already seen the increasing popularity of online college and university programs. These benefits are obvious, and can be boiled down to a matter of flexibility and convenience. Additionally, the advantages that the Internet provides in terms of gathering and observing research data has changed the way that our current generation approaches assignments. We use the Internet to search and obtain journal articles, conduct surveys, communicate with professors and classmates, and collaborate on group assignments.
In adult education...
Professionals are able to communicate and collaborate more effectively using the Internet. There are content-specific forums available where people can ask questions and receive or provide answers. Experts in various fields have created blogs to inform their "followers" of current trends in their particular industry. Audio and video podcasting makes it possible to subscribe to tutorials or information sharing that pertains to a specific subject. Professional conferences can webcast their sessions, which provides opportunities for people who would otherwise not have been able to benefit from the content of the conference.
My short response is a resounding ABSOLUTELY!
Before I go further, I must admit that I did not realize that there is a difference between the Internet and the World Wide Web. I have always used those terms interchangeably, and for the purposes of not pretending that I know how to distinguish between them, I will simply refer to both as the Internet in this blog posting. Having said that, I welcome input from anyone who might be able to explain the difference to me in a comment.
In K-12 education...
Even since the publishing of the textbook (in 2007), the Internet has expanded tremendously, with new content being added every day, and it only continues to improve. As we are learning in this class, there are incredible resources available for the whole spectrum of grade levels and subject matter. Innovative applications are becoming more widespread and easily accessible, and are interactive and beneficial for student learning, lesson delivery, and assessment. I think that is the key. What sets apart this current advancement in educational technology, is the fact that it is interactive, continuously growing, and continuously improving. In comparison with historical advancements, such as instructional television, the impact was not great because it provided very minimal added benefit to the end user. As was pointed out in the book, instructional television was little more than a recording of a lecture.
In higher education...
I think we have already seen the increasing popularity of online college and university programs. These benefits are obvious, and can be boiled down to a matter of flexibility and convenience. Additionally, the advantages that the Internet provides in terms of gathering and observing research data has changed the way that our current generation approaches assignments. We use the Internet to search and obtain journal articles, conduct surveys, communicate with professors and classmates, and collaborate on group assignments.
In adult education...
Professionals are able to communicate and collaborate more effectively using the Internet. There are content-specific forums available where people can ask questions and receive or provide answers. Experts in various fields have created blogs to inform their "followers" of current trends in their particular industry. Audio and video podcasting makes it possible to subscribe to tutorials or information sharing that pertains to a specific subject. Professional conferences can webcast their sessions, which provides opportunities for people who would otherwise not have been able to benefit from the content of the conference.
July 21, 2010
Podcasts
Today, I subscribed to two different podcasts, using iTunes:
The first one is The Official Autodesk Inventor Podcast, which is a video podcast that includes tips and tricks for using Autodesk Inventor. Autodesk Inventor is a design software that I teach to my CAD students.
The other one is called The Sketchup Show, and provides video tutorials for using Google Sketchup, which is a free (basic version) 3D solid modeling software.
I think it would be neat to have an assignment where students view/listen to a podcast related to course material, and report to the class what they learned. It would stretch their knowledge beyond the standard curriculum, and connect them to the world outside of the classroom.
Happy podcasting!
The first one is The Official Autodesk Inventor Podcast, which is a video podcast that includes tips and tricks for using Autodesk Inventor. Autodesk Inventor is a design software that I teach to my CAD students.
The other one is called The Sketchup Show, and provides video tutorials for using Google Sketchup, which is a free (basic version) 3D solid modeling software.
I think it would be neat to have an assignment where students view/listen to a podcast related to course material, and report to the class what they learned. It would stretch their knowledge beyond the standard curriculum, and connect them to the world outside of the classroom.
Happy podcasting!
July 19, 2010
Blogging Media: Fallingwater & Frank Lloyd Wright
Here is the location of Frank Lloyd Wright's most famous architecture project, Fallingwater:
View Larger Map
This is a picture of Fallingwater:
Here is a video containing more information about Frank Lloyd Wright and Fallingwater:
This prezi highlights a few of the other buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright:
July 15, 2010
D/B4: Photo Sharing & Chapter 2
Question 3: How might you incorporate photo sharing into an educational activity or unit? What might be some concerns you would have about allowing students to play with these services? What might be a great benefit of such services?
Next year, we will have a classroom digital camera, and I thought it would be neat to assign a "photographer" on any given day, to take pictures of students participating in special projects, guest speakers, field trips, etc..., then post them to our photo sharing site.
This causes concern for me in two aspects:
1) The student "photographer" taking the role seriously. I would definitely need to establish expectations and training about how to handle the equipment, how to take worthwhile photographs, not to be distracting, etc...
2) Each student (or students' parents) would probably need to give permission to post pictures of them on the internet. It would likely require that I have them sign a waiver at the beginning of the year.
The greatest benefit that I can see is that it would boost classroom morale, and would effectively communicate to students that I think what they are doing/learning is neat and worth sharing with the public. Another benefit would be if I set up a slideshow on my website, then as pictures are added or rearranged on the photo sharing site, the slide show could change to show the most current photos, which would be cool. I'm assuming that I could set this up to work automatically, but perhaps I'm wrong. Any input to that end is welcome!
Question 4: In reading Chapter 2, what similarities and what differences did you identify between the process the authors describe and the processes you have used to develop educational lesson plans?
In my program of study, we were taught the ROPES lesson planning tool:
Review (previous pertinent information)
Overview (today's lesson)
Presentation
Exercise
Summary
Here is an example
Be advised, a quick search on Google will provide no further helpful information about this format.
Along with the 5 main elements, the template provided asked for additional information, such as learning goals, objectives, suggested timeframes, required materials, etc.... The thing that I like most about ROPES is that it causes you to consider connections to past information, which reinforces that learning. It is also effective in reminding you to wrap up the lesson by processing or summarizing the learned information, which I believe helps to provide a more solid learning experience.
This only relates to the "Design" element of the ADDIE process discussed in the chapter. With that in mind, I suppose we could consider ROPES a design-planning tool to be used within the ADDIE planning tool, which is more inclusive of the entire process of developing an educational plan.
Next year, we will have a classroom digital camera, and I thought it would be neat to assign a "photographer" on any given day, to take pictures of students participating in special projects, guest speakers, field trips, etc..., then post them to our photo sharing site.
This causes concern for me in two aspects:
1) The student "photographer" taking the role seriously. I would definitely need to establish expectations and training about how to handle the equipment, how to take worthwhile photographs, not to be distracting, etc...
2) Each student (or students' parents) would probably need to give permission to post pictures of them on the internet. It would likely require that I have them sign a waiver at the beginning of the year.
The greatest benefit that I can see is that it would boost classroom morale, and would effectively communicate to students that I think what they are doing/learning is neat and worth sharing with the public. Another benefit would be if I set up a slideshow on my website, then as pictures are added or rearranged on the photo sharing site, the slide show could change to show the most current photos, which would be cool. I'm assuming that I could set this up to work automatically, but perhaps I'm wrong. Any input to that end is welcome!
Question 4: In reading Chapter 2, what similarities and what differences did you identify between the process the authors describe and the processes you have used to develop educational lesson plans?
In my program of study, we were taught the ROPES lesson planning tool:
Review (previous pertinent information)
Overview (today's lesson)
Presentation
Exercise
Summary
Here is an example
Be advised, a quick search on Google will provide no further helpful information about this format.
Along with the 5 main elements, the template provided asked for additional information, such as learning goals, objectives, suggested timeframes, required materials, etc.... The thing that I like most about ROPES is that it causes you to consider connections to past information, which reinforces that learning. It is also effective in reminding you to wrap up the lesson by processing or summarizing the learned information, which I believe helps to provide a more solid learning experience.
This only relates to the "Design" element of the ADDIE process discussed in the chapter. With that in mind, I suppose we could consider ROPES a design-planning tool to be used within the ADDIE planning tool, which is more inclusive of the entire process of developing an educational plan.
D/B3: Social Bookmarking & Chapter 1
Question 1: What value (if any) do you think social bookmarking might hold for teachers and/or students?
My immediate thought is that teachers could use this tool with other colleagues within their department. I can't tell you how many email messages I have received that read, "check this out," with a link to a cool website. So we have all of these random email messages of cool websites, which are legitimately very neat, often containing high levels of educational value. The problem is that when the time comes to make use of that information, it becomes a hassle to remember, "what was that website?" or "who sent that message?" With social bookmarking, anytime someone finds a neat website, they can share it using a technology, such as delicious, and it is always there. I also like that the bookmarks are stored online, so whatever you save at school, is retrievable at home, and vice versa.
Beyond that idea, I am honestly still a little in the dark about all of the benefits of social bookmarking, so I find it difficult to come up with other educational applications. I look forward to reading about other ideas.
Question 2: To what degree do the definitions in this chapter correspond with what you have thought about this area and what is it that you hope to do in your line of work (or in a future career)? Is there anything surprising or very new that you read in this chapter? Does something seem to be missing?
I suppose my favorite definition is the one presented by the authors of this book. Allow me to bold a few phrases that stand out from the full definition, then extract them to explain why:
This phrase tells me that ID&T is about more than delivering instruction. It includes all facets of the educational process.
"...intended to improve..."
In a sense, this brings us back to the Siegel (2003) article about computer imagination. Instructional design and technology is not simply about being flashy or attention-grabbing, though those are often appreciated side benefits. It is about improving the learning experience by including technologies that make things possible that wouldn't be without it. Or as Siegel explains, "it has to offer features that are a clear advantage over [traditional methods]."
"...and the workplace."
This is important to me in particular, because my background is in Career and Technical Education. For anyone who has every worked in industry, you probably know the dread of attending "mandatory training" that is developed, delivered, and concluded (follow up) poorly. Wouldn't it be great if companies had a greater vision for the value of powerful and effective workplace learning!?
In my current line of work, I hope to use some of these tools immediately in a hybrid fashion to develop a more valuable learning experience for my students. If I ever decide to switch careers, I could see myself moving toward an occupation that incorporates more of this either in a post-secondary educational setting, or a workplace setting.
Overall, I thought that the various definitions were quite appropriately inclusive for their time. I was surprised, however, about the length of the 1977 definition. My initial reaction was something like, "Seriously!? What could you possibly have to say about this topic that would fill 120 pages, especially in 1977?" I suppose we should be grateful that Dr. Peterson didn't ask us to sift through the entire publication!
My immediate thought is that teachers could use this tool with other colleagues within their department. I can't tell you how many email messages I have received that read, "check this out," with a link to a cool website. So we have all of these random email messages of cool websites, which are legitimately very neat, often containing high levels of educational value. The problem is that when the time comes to make use of that information, it becomes a hassle to remember, "what was that website?" or "who sent that message?" With social bookmarking, anytime someone finds a neat website, they can share it using a technology, such as delicious, and it is always there. I also like that the bookmarks are stored online, so whatever you save at school, is retrievable at home, and vice versa.
Beyond that idea, I am honestly still a little in the dark about all of the benefits of social bookmarking, so I find it difficult to come up with other educational applications. I look forward to reading about other ideas.
Question 2: To what degree do the definitions in this chapter correspond with what you have thought about this area and what is it that you hope to do in your line of work (or in a future career)? Is there anything surprising or very new that you read in this chapter? Does something seem to be missing?
I suppose my favorite definition is the one presented by the authors of this book. Allow me to bold a few phrases that stand out from the full definition, then extract them to explain why:
"The field of instructional design and technology encompasses the analysis of learning and performance problems, and the design, development, implementation, evaluation, and management of instructional and non-instructional processes and resources intended to improve learning and performance in a variety of settings, particularly educational institutions and the workplace. Professionals in the field of instructional design and technology often use the systematic instructional design procedures and employ instructional media to accomplish their goals. Moreover, in recent years, they have paid increasing attention to non-instructional solutions to some performance problems. Research and theory related to each of the aforementioned areas is also an important part of the field.""...design, development, implementation, evaluation, and management..."
This phrase tells me that ID&T is about more than delivering instruction. It includes all facets of the educational process.
"...intended to improve..."
In a sense, this brings us back to the Siegel (2003) article about computer imagination. Instructional design and technology is not simply about being flashy or attention-grabbing, though those are often appreciated side benefits. It is about improving the learning experience by including technologies that make things possible that wouldn't be without it. Or as Siegel explains, "it has to offer features that are a clear advantage over [traditional methods]."
"...and the workplace."
This is important to me in particular, because my background is in Career and Technical Education. For anyone who has every worked in industry, you probably know the dread of attending "mandatory training" that is developed, delivered, and concluded (follow up) poorly. Wouldn't it be great if companies had a greater vision for the value of powerful and effective workplace learning!?
In my current line of work, I hope to use some of these tools immediately in a hybrid fashion to develop a more valuable learning experience for my students. If I ever decide to switch careers, I could see myself moving toward an occupation that incorporates more of this either in a post-secondary educational setting, or a workplace setting.
Overall, I thought that the various definitions were quite appropriately inclusive for their time. I was surprised, however, about the length of the 1977 definition. My initial reaction was something like, "Seriously!? What could you possibly have to say about this topic that would fill 120 pages, especially in 1977?" I suppose we should be grateful that Dr. Peterson didn't ask us to sift through the entire publication!
July 12, 2010
del.icio.us & Photo Sharing
After signing up for a del.icio.us account, I found it very helpful to use "bookmarklets" which allow you to easily bookmark a current site with the click of a button, and return to your personal del.icio.us page to see all of your bookmarks. Here are the bookmarks that I have saved to del.icio.us so far.
I chose to use Picasa Web Album, which is a Google service, to share photos. I plan to use this site for educational & professional photos. Check it out!
Just for fun, I'm trying to use linkrolls right inside my blog:
July 8, 2010
D/B2: Blogs & RSS Readers
Click here to view my wiki!
Question 1: What are my early impressions of using a blog and an RSS Reader?
So far, it seems pretty straight forward and simple. I like the blog as a communication device to prompt discussion among readers. One thing I'm not sure about is if a reader makes a comment, and then someone else comments, will the first reader get an email of the new comment, or would s/he need to go back to the blog to check if there were new comments? I'm not sure what I would prefer. From my experience using Facebook, sometimes I like that feature, and sometimes I find it annoying. As for the RSS Reader, I must admit that I was a bit overwhelmed at first by the number of postings that compiled into one area. However, I do like the idea of the convenience of having all the news that is important to you in one place. I will probably continue to use it at least through the rest of the class to see if it takes hold of me.
Question 2: Which part(s) of the cone of experience does the blog and RSS lend itself best to and why?
Quite honestly, this was a brutal reading for me. I had a difficult time following, and kept drifting, and having to reread paragraphs. Funny, because one of the first things that the author of the next article stated was that online learning was not meant to put you to sleep at the keyboard. Ha! Amen! Anyway, to answer the question, I would probably put both the blog and RSS technology toward the top of the cone, as it does not physically involve the learner in the process of gaining the experience. Most often, blogs and RSS feeds contain, visual symbols, images, audio recordings, or videos. For example, while you might read of the devastation from a natural disaster in another country through Yahoo! News, and be moved or heartbroken over it, you cannot smell the air, or feel the physical pain of some of its victims.
Question 3: What is an imaginative way to use a blog and RSS in education?
I think it would be neat to use a blog to post a controversial topic related to the subject that I teach, for instance, alternative energy, including some background information of the pros and cons of various types of alternative energy, and have students comment on which sources they think are the best and why. Or, if each student had his/her own blog, I could assign each one to research one alternative energy source and report on it through the blog. Then ask students to read and comment to a certain number of other blogs that have reported on different alternative energy sources.
As for the RSS Reader, I could have students subscribe to an online engineering journal, blog, etc..., and check the reader regularly to learn about current trends in industry. I could then require students to summarize an interesting article a certain number of times per semester through their blog.
Question 1: What are my early impressions of using a blog and an RSS Reader?
So far, it seems pretty straight forward and simple. I like the blog as a communication device to prompt discussion among readers. One thing I'm not sure about is if a reader makes a comment, and then someone else comments, will the first reader get an email of the new comment, or would s/he need to go back to the blog to check if there were new comments? I'm not sure what I would prefer. From my experience using Facebook, sometimes I like that feature, and sometimes I find it annoying. As for the RSS Reader, I must admit that I was a bit overwhelmed at first by the number of postings that compiled into one area. However, I do like the idea of the convenience of having all the news that is important to you in one place. I will probably continue to use it at least through the rest of the class to see if it takes hold of me.
Question 2: Which part(s) of the cone of experience does the blog and RSS lend itself best to and why?
Quite honestly, this was a brutal reading for me. I had a difficult time following, and kept drifting, and having to reread paragraphs. Funny, because one of the first things that the author of the next article stated was that online learning was not meant to put you to sleep at the keyboard. Ha! Amen! Anyway, to answer the question, I would probably put both the blog and RSS technology toward the top of the cone, as it does not physically involve the learner in the process of gaining the experience. Most often, blogs and RSS feeds contain, visual symbols, images, audio recordings, or videos. For example, while you might read of the devastation from a natural disaster in another country through Yahoo! News, and be moved or heartbroken over it, you cannot smell the air, or feel the physical pain of some of its victims.
Question 3: What is an imaginative way to use a blog and RSS in education?
I think it would be neat to use a blog to post a controversial topic related to the subject that I teach, for instance, alternative energy, including some background information of the pros and cons of various types of alternative energy, and have students comment on which sources they think are the best and why. Or, if each student had his/her own blog, I could assign each one to research one alternative energy source and report on it through the blog. Then ask students to read and comment to a certain number of other blogs that have reported on different alternative energy sources.
As for the RSS Reader, I could have students subscribe to an online engineering journal, blog, etc..., and check the reader regularly to learn about current trends in industry. I could then require students to summarize an interesting article a certain number of times per semester through their blog.
July 2, 2010
D/B1: My Reaction to the Week 1 Articles
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
(image reference: http://www.classroom20.com/photo/649749:Photo:99972?context=album&albumId=649749%3AAlbum%3A100006)
Article 1:
Reigeluth, C.M. & Joseph, R. (2002). Beyond technology integration: The case for technology transformation.Educational Technology, 42(4), 9-13.
I found the list of comparisons between the industrial and information age in Table 1 of the article very interesting. When you just isolate and contemplate on the words used to describe the industrial age: standardization, compliance, conformity, compartmentalization, etc..., it is very plain to see that this is the current picture of public education. Then in contrast, it is exciting for me to envision such an educational environment that could be described by the words found in the information age column: customization, team-based, autonomy with accountability, networking....
To an extent, I think the author is on to something when he talks about standards-based, or task-oriented learning. I, too, have been bothered by the fact that "receiving a B- in U.S. History tells us nothing about what that students knows." However, when he suggests a paradigm shift from "advancement of the fittest" to "advancement of all", I tend to become a bit skeptical. While it is ideal to think that all learners could become doctors given a customized amount of time, resources, and accommodation, the fact remains that we will continue to need workers of all different skill levels, including garbage collectors. And this prompts me to ask the question: which occupation is more important after all? In other words, is it more necessary to cure diseases, or prevent diseases? I suppose I am digressing. My point is that standards-based reporting is a much more effective indicator of a learner's ability, but I don't quite agree that all learners should strive to match the highest level of mastery in each subject. Perhaps we should continue allow achievement to vary in order to help guide students toward their most passionate and successful pursuits.
Article 2:
Postman, N. (1993). Of Luddites, learning, and life. Technos Quarterly, 2(4).
The author begins by discussing Luddites, which seems to imply that he does not advocate for technology as a useful learning tool, but rather thinks of technology as something that will inhibit learners' abilities to become successful and meaningful contributors to society. I could not disagree more. I believe that in our current culture, equipping students with useful technology skills is almost as important as the content of many classes. The trend of today's workforce is headed toward more and improved technology at a pace that is almost impossible to keep up with. He goes on to warn that we are "suffering from information glut", because of our access to the Internet, among other source of technology. I find it curious that a statement such as this is also available for our reading pleasure, thanks to our access to the article via the Internet.
In the author's story about purchasing a Honda, he asks the question of the dealer several times, "What is the problem to which [technology] is the answer?" I believe he is contemplating a question that doesn't deserve our time or energy. Must there always be a problem to warrant us to work toward improvement? Would not our progress become stagnant if we all thought this way? If I consider his question as it applies to education, "What is the problem to which new technologies are the solution?", here is how I might answer: The problem is that our workforce is progressing while our educational system is not. Within the classroom, the problem is that our students are capable of learning this technology which will equip them for success in their post-secondary lives, but we withhold it from them. Furthermore, the problem is that our current generation craves instructional delivery in ways that captivates their attention, and without the implementation of new technologies, we lose them, and they are uninspired.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)