EDUC 8848: Emerging and Future Technology

Tetrad: iPod and MP3/4 Player

Enhances                       Obsoletes

Music sound quality         CD player
Music portability              Walkman

Retrieves                       Reverses

Feeling of "being there"   Online/cloud storage
Boomboxes                     iPhone/Smart Phone
                                    (although this would
                                     have already happened
                                     by now, unless
                                     something new comes)


People have always wanted to take their music with them. Car radios allow music to go wherever the person traveled. But this was limited to where the car could travel. Portable radios allowed people to travel to different places cars could not but the sound quality and reception were not always good and people were at the mercy of what the radio stations played. Portable cassette players and Walkmans allowed people to take their music with them. But the storage was a problem; people could not carry all their music with them. iPods and MP3/4 players allow people to take the music with them anywhere, anytime. And they can take all of it, provided they have the storage for it. But, they are limited to the device they are using. The creation of cloud computing and storage is changing that. People now can access their music from any device with internet capabilities, thus allowing people to “borrow” a device should they not have one at the ready.

EDUC 8848: Emerging and Future Technology

Emerged Technology

Promethean Boards

Promethean boards (and SMART boards) came into my geographical location with not much fanfare at first. Then without an obvious catalyst Boom! Now they are everywhere and everyone wants one! With all these boards have to offer in improving the educating our students, there are pitfalls.

I will skip the infrastructure issues. First, there is the learning curve. Each teacher has to be taught not only how to operate the equipment but utilize the software. Then there is the tremendous investment of time for lesson plans to be created, adapted, or revamped for usage with the new hardware and software. The potential is seemingly limitless yet the investment of human time and effort needs to be taken into account. Some teachers who have done the same thing year after year are not inclined to change or adapt what they do to incorporate the new technology. Others find that it takes a few hours to reinvent what they do to include the new technology. The learning and time investment is huge, especially at the very beginning.

The boards do bring more interaction into the classroom. They can make lesson come alive. Whole class active participation is possible. The boards provide a platform to reach many different learning styles as possible while encouraging participation and risk-taking on the part of the students. It allows and encourages teachers to bring the world into the classroom for students. It helps transform a class of passive observers into active knowledge creators. There is also a whole online community of educators from around the world sharing thoughts, ideas, and lesson plans.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the number one thing I think schools can do to get the most out of this technology is provide teachers with ONGOING training and support. And in some cases, a little mandated encouragement!

Check out these websites and videos about Promethean Boards:

http://mediasuite.multicastmedia.com/player.php?p=m0c671q1

http://prometheanlearning.com/us/

http://www.prometheanworld.com/

http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en/

Module 6: Learning in a Digital World

Technology transforms learning. It allows the learner to interact with knowledge acquisition in a manner far different than how I learned growing up. Growing up, if I wanted more information about something I was learning or interested in, it meant a trip to the library. Many times this was not able to be accomplished in a timely manner. More often than not, the interest disappeared or dwindled to a point of being forgotten. If I did make it in a timely manner, effort in finding the answer became the next obstacle. Technology takes that away. I can find my answers with a click of the mouse. If I need or want extra information, I can simply click a link and be taken to more information. Some people see this as laziness or learners becoming more “stupid” because they don’t need to KNOW something. I disagree. A link to help explain a concept to me, might also present me with other information I might not otherwise encounter. Since it is easy and convenient, the side track I take when studying helps to enhance the experience and add to the knowledge gathering. I told my financial advisor tonight that I don’t need to remember all the details he is telling me; he knows them. I know he knows them. When I need it, I will get it from him. So all I have to do is remember who knows it.

Technology and its effects on learning today definitely influences and informs my teaching and beliefs in learning. I don’t believe I need to teach my 4th graders everything there is to know about word processing. What I need to teach them is the basics of running the program, how to find things, and do the everyday actions such as opening a file, saving and retrieving a document and so on. Once they know these basic skills and the outlay of the program, then when they need to do subscripts, they don’t have to know how automatically. Instead, they need to know that it can be done and how to go about finding out how to do it. I teach them the skills they need to find and retrieve information that they don’t need on a regular basis.

I don’t subscribe to any one particular learning or instructional theory. I tend to use a cafeteria approach; taking from different theories those parts which I find pertinent for my assigned teaching position in an elementary school. Most of these pieces would also apply to other grade levels for me but might be applied differently. As described in Driscoll (2005) some of the theories that I borrow from include: cognitive information processing used to teach basic, rout, computer skills needed to simply run a computer. Meaningful reception learning is a major part of my teaching. I believe in the transference of knowledge and skills, especially at the elementary level where they are so concrete; art is done in art class, music in music class, and we only use computers in computer class. Schema theory and mental models builds on meaningful reception. I help my students take skills and knowledge they already possess and help guide them through the process of learning to take what they already know and utilize it in a different manner or environment to figure out something new. Biological bases of learning is paid attention in my world. Understanding that factors outside of my control and that of the school and the student play a huge part in the student’s learning. Motivation and self-regulation have a rather large role in my beliefs. Getting my students to stop depending on me as their first line of defense when they encounter a problem or something they are not familiar with is a huge undertaking. They need to be able to function independently of me, as I won’t always be where they are when they need help. Constructivism is also a huge part of my beliefs. I try to teach my students to take what they know and add to it, build upon it, use it as the basis for new learning construction. I want them to depend and trust what they already know and learn to use that knowledge in a way that facilitates new learning.

Finally, Siemens’ (2004 and 2006) concept of connectivism defines my teaching style; I teach my students the basic skills to handle the equipment and software and be able to do simple, basic tasks. I then teach them where and how to find other information when and if they need it (Siemens’ nodes). Managing knowledge is an emerging new skill that needs to be taught. Too much information is available at one’s finger tips, anytime and anywhere. This knowledge is constantly changing (Siemens, 2004). To know today may mean nothing with the new knowledge tomorrow. It is more important to know where and how to find the needed information when needed and to learn how to assess the validity and worthiness of the found information. We are learning differently than in the past. Rather than rout memorization, we are learning where the information is and how to access it in a timely and effective fashion. This is just the beginning.


References

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved from http://elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

Siemens, G. (2006). Knowing knowledge. G. Siemens: Lulu.com


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For Module 6, I responded to the following blogs:

Christine Wallo
http://chriswallo.blogspot.com/

LaTonya Simmons
http://latonyasimmons2.blogspot.com/

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Module 5: New Technologies

  
Resistance using technology in the workplace… THIS is the REASON I decided to pursue a PhD in Educational Technology! I wanted to learn the skills or theories or whatever it is I am lacking that would CHANGE this in my school. I wanted the credentials to become Curriculum Integration Director so that I could effect this change in my school. When I first started, my class was actually integrated…meaning teachers came with their classes and I integrated what was happening in their classes into their “computer lab” time. But teachers wanted no part of it. They would not help in the class and on days I was absent, they simply “skipped” computers that day rather than take the students themselves. When I asked why they don’t come if I am absent, they replied, “I don’t know what I’m doing and I don’t have time to learn something new.”

The overall attitude towards computers in the curriculum was and is, “I don’t have time to think up a lesson plan for computers.” This is a total and complete misdirection of thinking and understanding. They are still looking at computers as a topic they must teach rather than a tool they can use. I am here, I teach the students how to use the computers, how to do stuff, etc. The students have the skills; it’s the teachers who are just not interested in utilizing the tools and the students’ skills.

Using Keller’s ARCS model (Driscoll, 2005, p. 333) to help change these attitudes and resistance could be a helpful guide. I would begin with Relevance. By demonstrating to teachers through student projects I design based on their curriculum, I hope to show teachers how using the computer skills I am already teaching the students can be utilized in their classrooms to ENHANCE what they are doing and perhaps make it “easier”. By showing them Relevance, I hope this will translate to grabbing their Attention. Attention is a huge obstacle with my school’s faculty, so trying to grab it first will not work; I’ve tried it several times. The new approach is to show the Relevance first, then I will have their attention. Once I have their attention then we can delve deeper into the Relevance to help lead them into trying and wanting to know how and more.

With my assistance and training, I can start the teachers out with small assignments or projects with the students. From the successes of these I hope the teachers’ Confidence will build. This Confidence would be both in their personal skills and the realization that the students CAN do this and DO know what they are doing. As their Confidence grows, so too will their Satisfaction. They will begin to see transference of knowledge with the students and with their own personal skills. As their Satisfaction grows, so will the willingness and desire to try more. At least this is how I envision ARCS would help me affect the change in my school I wish to accomplish.


Reference

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.


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For Module 5, I responded to the following blogs:

Bradley Gogan
http://gogans.blogspot.com/

Erica Ellsworth
http://ericaellswortheduc8845.blogspot.com/

Lauren Dart
http://ldart7105blog.blogspot.com/

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Module 4: Connectivism

My network has definitely changed the way I learn. I used to go to the library and look up books or periodicals to find my answers. I also used the phone to call people I knew who I thought might know the answer. Now, I still look things up and still contact people I know who might be able to help. It’s how I go about these activities now that has really changed. I depend on my network to know pieces of information that is pertinent in their lives or work. When I need that information, I call upon them for it. I no longer need to know the specifics about DOS commands even though I am quite familiar with them but have not had a need to utilize that knowledge in a long time. So when I do need DOS help, I contact someone in my network, in this case, any one of my techno-geek friends. I call upon them because they can give me the answer as quickly as “What color is the sun?”

Knowing how and where to find the information is key to how I learn and how I teach. I tell my elementary school students that you don’t need to know everything. You just need to know how to find out what you need to know. For instance, when I teach word processing, I tell them right at the start that we will be learning the very basics. They will not be experts in word processing and all it can do because there’s too much and most of it they won’t need. I tell them it’s important to learn the basics and be aware of the potentials. But until they need those potentials, they don’t need to know them. If they never write a chemistry or physics or mathematics paper, then the likelihood of them needing to know how to do subscripts and superscripts, especially in elementary school, is slim to none; erring on the side of none. I tell them it is more important that they are aware of the tabs and pull-down menus of choices available so they know where to look when they need something. I teach them to utilize the help “?” when they cannot find something. I tell them they must ask 3 other classmates for help before asking me for the answer. Through this exercise they begin to build networks of their own. They know who is good at word processing and who is good with KidPix, etc.

My two favorite digital tools for learning are the computer with internet and cell phone with text messaging. Text messaging allows me to contact my go-to people immediately and receive feedback almost as fast. This works better than a phone call as sometimes my contacts are not in a position to take a call but can text. The computer and internet are my other favorite tool. You literally can find just about anything on the internet; even other students’ work from the same course at the same university if you want. I love YouTube. Whenever I want to know “how” to do something, I search it out on YouTube. Almost inevitably someone out there has made a short video, cutting through all the distracting bells and whistles, to teach exactly that which I am looking for.

Kop and Hill (2008) discuss “nodes” as “connection points … found on a network” (p. 2) and these nodes represent information that can be accessed by the learner at any given time. They continue on to stress that connectivism is made up of two important skills; “the ability to seek out current information and the ability to filter secondary and extraneous information” (p. 2). I utilize the nodes in my network to cut-out the information I do not need at that time in order to obtain the pertinent information I do need.

And when I don’t know what it is I don’t know or don’t know what I am looking for, I begin with Google. I type in what I think I don’t know or might need and then read through the results. Sometimes that actually helps me get a hold of what it is I actually need to be looking for. For example (this is kind of morbid but it happened) when my father died from suicide, my brother and I had to find a company to come and clean up his apartment (biological matter is a special cleanup process). It is not like on TV, the police department nor the coroner’s office has a detail that comes in and cleans up. You have to find these people on your own. We had no idea what to even look for. So we began Googling (I’ll spare you the details) and eventually found that we needed to be looking for a “death and crime scene” cleanup crew. (Yes, that’s actually the name we had to search out.) And when we knew what we were looking for we were then able to search them out, find them, and hire them.

So, my networks and my digital tools are invaluable to me and learning. I would be at a loss if I had to solely depend on information found only in books and periodicals. Most of that information is dated before it is available, depending on the topic.

As Siemens’ (2004) stated, “Know-how and know-what is being supplemented with know-where (the understanding of where to find knowledge needed)” (p. 2). I cannot agree more with this statement. Information is constantly changing and being updated. The best thing I believe I can do for my students and myself is improve our skills in seeking, finding, processing, and handling knowledge in a timely, effective, and efficient manner.

References

Kop, R., & Hill, A. (2008). Connectivism: Learning theory of the future or vestige of the past? International Review of Research in Open & Distance Learning, 9(3), 1-13. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved from http://elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm


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For Module 4, I responded to the following blogs:

Bradley Gogan
http://gogans.blogspot.com/

LaTonya Simmons
http://latonyasimmons2.blogspot.com/

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Module 3: Collaboration

Howard Rheingold proposed that humans have a basic instinct to “interact and work as a group” (2005/2008) in his video-cast. I absolutely agree. If you watch two toddlers playing together, you will see times of collaboration. If one child struggles with something the other child will come over to help. They have no language skills yet. They have not developed the concept of asking for help, except to cry to get a bigger human to help them. Yet their young partner can figure out they need help and will go over to help. Present these two little ones with a problem that will require both of them to work together, they figure it out. They figure out that they need to work together and if they do they can be successful. I believe this never goes away. As we grow, we learn to turn to one another for help. We learn to recognize when another person needs help. For the most part, we are willing to help one another and work together.

It’s hard to imagine someone not understanding the power of technology to assist and enhance collaboration. Technology allows people from different parts of the world, in different regions, time zones, and cultures to work together on a common project. There are projects that are born, designed, carried out, and written up by teams of people who have never actually met face-to-face. There are projects, like open-source based projects, where participants do not know one another and do not necessarily work specifically with one another, yet they collaborate. Technology and all that it can do is tailor-made for collaboration.

In education, technology tools and collaboration are fast becoming the backbone to a new wave in student-centered learning. In their study, Gürbüz, Çatlioğlu, Birgin, and Toprak (2009), found students working together on a project utilizing technology, in this case to solve math problems, were more engaged and motivated than in the standard-type math class. The researchers observed comments among the students such as: “why are you doing that”, “how did you get that”, “oh no, it isn’t right, because…” (p. 158). Gürbüz et al. found that students viewed the math problems as “fun” and “lively” (p. 160) and that the work was more “real life” (p. 160) to them. Students automatically wanted to help others or show others what they knew. The learning they constructed together through this hands-on project developed transferable skills to other problems, technologies, and collaborative activities. The study was small in scope and the findings cannot be generalized to all learning experiences, however, the findings are such that they warrant further investigation. In the meantime, the findings do support that collaborative technology tools in the classroom can have a positive and beneficial effect on student learning and collaboration skills.


References

Gürbüz, R., Çatlioğlu, H., Birgin, O., & Toprak, M. (2009). Students’ and their teachers' views of computer-assisted instruction: The case of the probability subject. Educational Sciences / Odgojne znanosti, 11(1), 155-169. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=c3e59f5c-5dd4-4f4c-beaa-94ddff63d4a4%40sessionmgr110&vid=8&hid=111

Rheingold, H. (2008, February). Howard Rheingold on collaboration [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/howard_rheingold_on_collaboration.html


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For Module 3, I responded to the following blogs:

Bianca Lochner
http://lochneruni.blogspot.com/

Erica Ellsworth
http://ericaellswortheduc8845.blogspot.com/

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Module 2

Thoughts on…

Cognitivism as a Learning Theory: Bill Kerr & Karl Kapp

One size does not fit all when it comes to Learning Theory, as Bill Kerr points out; “each _ism is offering something useful without any of them being complete or stand alone in their own right” (2007). Kerr also makes clear that _ism’s are constantly changing and evolving. Sometimes this is due to new research and sometimes it is due to new needs. Is it possible to have one _ism that is applicable everywhere? I don’t think so.

I find myself in complete agreement with Karl Kapp’s blog posting. We do need to take bits and pieces from all the _ism’s and pull the good from each. However, we must also consider the learning level, environment, and “expectations of outcomes that must be measured” (Kapp, 2007). What is correct and effective at one level or in one situation, may not be in a different one. As Kapp stated, “learning is not one thing…it is a multi-layered…multi-facetted”. Therefore to subscribe to just one school of thought ignores the good from others and the needs of the learners themselves.

I think one of the major contributing factors to this inability to find a “perfect” learning theory fit, is that learning itself is constantly changing. We are influenced by the tools and technologies that are available to us. These tools and technologies have a direct impact on how we learn. In Nicolas Carr’s interview on “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” he talks about how technologies over the years have directly and indirectly had an impact on how we learn. Although I do not completely agree with all of his assertions, I do think he has a point; as new technologies evolve, learning must evolve. By extension then so must learning theories. As this is a constant cycle of change, then learning and theories are also going to be in a constant cycle of change.

As educators, I think we must never “settle-in” and do things as we have always done. I, myself, have never had one school year where I could just repeat what I did the year before. But then again, if I did, I probably would not be happy as I know things would have changed and I would not be keeping up. Keep moving, keep current, and keep trying new things. This is what I believe.


References

Carr, N. (2010, June 23). Is Google making us stupid? The Commonwealth Club of California: The Public Forum. Retrieved from http://fora.tv/2010/06/23/Nicholas_Carr_Is_Google_Making_Us_Stupid

Kapp, K. (2007, January 2). Out and about: Discussion on educational schools of thought [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.kaplaneduneering.com/kappnotes/index.php/2007/01/out-and-about-discussion-on-educational/

Kerr, B. (2007, January 1). _isms as filter, not blinker [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/2007/01/isms-as-filter-not-blinker.html


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For Module 2, I responded to the following blogs:

LaTonya Simmons
http://latonyasimmons2.blogspot.com/2011/03/module-2-posting.html

Wanda Ardoin-Bailey
http://educ-7105.blogspot.com/2011/03/cognitivism-as-learning-theory.html#comments

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Module 1: How People Learn

I think people in general, learn best when they “do”. In other words, I think hands-on learning, having the learner “do” something, is better than just talking or reading about it. But I believe it is more than just that. Depending on the level of the student (ie: elementary vs. high school), I think that having the student do some reading about the topic first allows an introduction to the topic and provides background and some basic knowledge. As an instructor, then presenting the material in a manner that relates to the students’ lives and ideas they are familiar with, helps to make a connection from the “academic” portion to “real-life” and then having the students “do” something with that knowledge and connection helps to solidify what they have learned.

In my elementary school, I have the students once a week for 45 minutes, so I skip over the reading part as it would most likely not benefit them. Instead, I move straight to the talking/explaining about the topic along with a demonstration. Then we move to a “follow along with me on your computers” type of hands-on activity. We end with an independent activity designed to show their understanding as well as a connection to “real-life”. For instance, now they know how to do simple word processing, we will take their animal reports they are writing in class and type them up for their final presentation.

I think if you can make the connection for the student between what they are learning and real-life application it has more meaning for the student. Otherwise, it is just another set of facts or information that they wonder, “Do I need to know this for the test?”

The purpose of learning theory in educational technology is to guide the educator in teaching the student. I believe in a combination of Constructivism and Connectivism. As George Siemens discusses in his 2009 vodcast, “What is learning for me?” (Thank you Bradley Gogan for suggesting this link in our course discussions this week.), learning needs to involve making connections. How is what I am learning applicable to other aspects, areas, or people in my life? I put this knowledge together; construct it, as I go. Then I look for areas in which it can be applied. If the knowledge is not applicable to me or my life, as in how to make a racecar engine have better performance, then the learning or knowledge is of little value to me and will be lost. Making the connection, that it is key.

I identify with Siemens’ metaphor of educators as “curators” (2008, p. 17) in his paper “Learning and Knowing in Networks: Changing roles for Educators and Designers”. I believe I am here to guide and fill in the blanks for my students. To allow them to explore on their own, to figure out and discover as we move along. And when they need guidance, explanation, or a push, I am there to provide it. To me, all of this involves constructing knowledge with the student and making connections with what they are learning and their own lives.

George Siemens has many resources on the internet from books, to vodcasts, to blogs and websites. Two in particular that I like (they are connected to each other) are:

Connectivism: networked and social learning
http://www.connectivism.ca/

elearnspace: everything elearning
http://www.elearnspace.org/

References

Siemens, G. (2008). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles for educators and designers. Paper presented to ITFORUM. Retrieved from http://it.coe.uga.edu/itforum/Paper105/Siemens.pdf

Siemens, G. (2009). What is learning for me? Vodcast retrieved from http://www.howcast.com/videos/114131-What-Is-Learning-For-Me-George-Siemens


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For Module 1, I responded to the following blogs:

Bradley Gogan
http://gogans.blogspot.com/

Lauren Dart
http://ldart7105blog.blogspot.com/2011/03/week-1-blog-post.html#comments

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8845-2: Learning Theory & Educational Technology

Welcome all!

I will be using my blog for my current Walden course:

Learning Theory & Educational Technology.

Have a great day!

~Christine