Are we on the right track?

The statistics in these two videos were staggering.  I was amazed and overwhelmed at the numbers presented and most of them were 5 years old!  The PK-12 students of today are strictly digital learners.  If we as educators do not change our teaching styles and methods we are going to lose these students very quickly.  I loved the quote from one of the videos about having to "power down" when at school.  For the digital generation that must be so true!  

I was involved in a discussion just today about how cursive handwriting has been taken out of the required skills for elementary students.  They are no longer taught this skill in most states.  And why should it be?  Most written documents are now created, edited and delivered digitally.  This is one example of a change in the right direction.  We still have a long way to go but educators are making strides!

Today's Learner

I thought these two articles were BRILLIANT!! I love the imagery of the second language learner. I have such a better grasp on how to explain educational technology! Can this article be my Educational Technology Philosophy? Just Kidding!

Educational Technology

What is the meaning of educational technology?
 

Technology can be defined as hardware (ipad, laptop, projector, tv) or software (learning games, word processing, digital recordings). To make these items educational, we, as educators we must use these tools to present and transfer knowledge and skills to our students who face bigger and better technologies every day. 

Intro Week

Having my educational technology philosophy down in writing helps focus my thinking when working on a project or lesson plan.  I now have a jumping off point. 

At this point, what potential uses do you see for blogging?  Stephen Downes' article on Educational Blogging was written in 2004. Have we met this potential? What's preventing us from doing so?  

I think blogs are great.  In my opinion using blogs in the classroom is a non-threatening way for students to practice their writing skills.  If they are assigned regularly scheduled posts with the only limitations being grammar and basic writing guidelines, then the students have the freedom to write. And isn’t that what the goal is anyway? To teach our students to communicate effectively in written formats? 

November's article, Creating a Culture for Teaching and Learning outlines six areas to think about and changes on the horizon with technology and education. Which one stood out to you the most and why?

The area that stood out the most to me was If its on the internet is it true?.  We must train students to filter what they are consuming.  We have to teach them how to search out evidence for the truth (or untruth) of what they are reading/ seeing.  The students MUST learn to think discriminately about what they consume from the internet.  I have been trying to teach this to my own mother by reminding her that just because someone she trusts forwards her the email doesn’t necessarily mean the content of the email is true.  I am constantly asking her if she checked snopes.com or at the very least googled what she is taking for truth. 

And finally, what are some of your expectations for this class?

I am SO excited about this class.  I am really looking forward to diving into the different topics each week.  I think this class is going to give me a great overview of what constitutes “educational technology.”

Educational Technology Philosophy

I believe that technology can be used to further a student’s education in ways we have only begun to imagine.  I believe that technology, if used effectively can begin to close the gap between our at-risk and high achieving students.  This is what led me to pursue educational technology.  

I want the participants in my training sessions (be it professional development or a classroom of kindergartners) to take the knowledge I give them and use it effectively in their own situations.  I want them to have such an understanding of the skill that they are able to “tweak” it in order to make it most effective for them.

As the educator, I need to be able to transfer knowledge from my “head” to that of my students/participants in a meaningful way.  My students should be able to walk away from the session and teach others how to use their new skill. 

I believe that teachers must provide students with real-world learning situations.  By providing this type of learning environment, teachers are giving students invaluable experiences in which to master and retain the skills taught. 

Teachers should also give students opportunities to “think through” and discover knowledge by encouraging higher level thinking.  This will give students the needed practice to be able to use these higher level thinking skills in every area of their learning and throughout their lives.

When learning is student centered, they become more responsible for their own learning.  Teachers should not be the center of learning.

I think that as educators we must also be activists in a way.  We need to be willing to change and PROMOTE change.  Our students learning styles are deeply embedded in technology.  When an 18 month old child knows how to open and use an app on an iphone it stands to reason that our 5-18yr old students possess excellent technology skills as well. 

I believe that technology is a tool for accessing infinite information.  If my students are learning a new skill, using technology can allow them to do anything from having an e-learning session from a team at MIT to participating in a discussion about British literature with students from China.  They can also use the technology to enhance and express what they are discovering around them.

As an educator, I need to be a facilitator.  My students should have the freedom to discover new ways to explore learning.  The skill is what I want them to obtain.  The path they take to get there is an adventure!  I may very well have the next Bill Gates, Steven Hawking, or Mark Zuckerberg in my class. 

Ch 29-31 The Future of Instructional Design

Chapter 29 discusses the concept of reusability. Think back over the courses you've had over your educational career and identify one with poor reusability characteristics. Explain how the course could be redesigned to improve reusability without changing the underlying content.

I believe that the software courses I have taken recently have had low reusability.  I think that if I had not only learned how to use the software but also learned exactly what needs could be met with the software I would be able to transfer that knowledge to the upgraded versions of the software (there are always learning curves) as well as similar software packages.  It is inevitable that when you make a job change or even in the course of the same job you will have to change software from time to time.  Knowing the basis for the creation of a software (such as excel, word, ppt) would make the transition to a similar (but different) software much easier.

·  Chapter 30 takes a look at using rich media. Find or create a visual for instruction describing its surface and functional features.  

http://screencast.com/t/VBd3Q2oRN6Nd

Mr. Marco video clip 

Surface Features include line drawing and animation as well as text on the screen. 

Functional Features include activating prior knowledge, reviewing skills recently covered, using a graphic organizer and animation to illustrate new skill.

·  Chapter 31 discusses the future of instructional technologies in the near future from metadata to nanotechnology. Describe how nanotechnology could be used to improve a specific job or task you are familiar with.  

My mom was a teacher which meant I learned how to grade papers before I even understood the skills involved in the assignment I was grading.  Then as a teacher myself I remember being taken over by the piles of ungraded papers all over my desk.  Imagine if students were able to complete their assignments on nano-paper and then the teacher would be able to “scan” the papers with her “nano-red pen.”  Those papers would be graded almost instantaneously.  The grades on the nano-paper could also be wirelessly delivered to the grade book program on the teachers computer making “immediate feedback” a true statement!  As I read back over this paragraph it sounds utterly ludicrous.  I’m sure that’s how Orville and Wilbur’s mom felt too.

·  And finally! Chapter 32 provides two points of view on the direction of the field - the straight and narrow road and the broad and inclusive road. Which point of view do you agree with and why?

I believe that the broad and inclusive road is the way to go.  I have learned in the past few years that having a broader view opens more opportunities.  By aligning with the broad and inclusive road I think that the instructional designer of tomorrow (and today) will have a greater number of opportunities to ensure quality instruction whether created by a designer-by-assignment or by the instructional designer themselves. 

Ch 28 Distributed Learning

From Chapter 28 locate 5 examples of distributed learning.

1.Corporate distributed learning & 2. For-profit distributed learning

www.syberworks.com is an example of corporate distributed learning and for-profit distributed learning. This site not only offers standardized training suites but also will design specific courses.  They also offer LMS management solutions. 

3.Academic distributed learning

Many “brick and mortar” institutions are now offering online courses as an alternative to onsite classes.  One example of this is this class.  I am able to obtain credit for this course without ever having stepped foot on the TAMU Commerce campus.

4.Distributed learning via virtual institutions

Virtual universities are becoming more and more common.  These schools offer 100% of their courses online.  One example of this is Walden University. www.waldenu.edu

5.Free distributed learning

Free distributed learning is exactly what it sounds like…  free valuable instruction.  I loved MIT’s online courseware site.  They offer lecture video’s on various topics.  This instruction is free and available to anyone with a computer and an internet connection.  I feel smarter just looking at their page.