Responses to Classmate's Final Projects

Anetha "AJ" Johnson

Lewis Chappelear

Laura Lee

Cora Blades

Rachel Salley

Final Project Video: Student Engagement

Click HERE for the video link>

Click HERE for the link to the Keynote Speech by Dr. Sugata Mitra.

Module 5: Static vs. Dynamic Technologies

Online technologies are described as being found on a continuum, from static to dynamic (Moller, 2008). The instructional designer chooses a particular technology tool to used based upon the outcomes of that he/she expects. The continuum can be characterized much like Bloom’s Taxonomy, moving from a process that is minimally cognitively demanding and gradually increasing the cognitive demand until the final level that requires deep cognitive levels of thinking. For example, in a research project, watching streaming video and taking notes about it is less cognitively challenging than searching the internet and compiling a collection of webpages, documents, photographs, and video in LiveBinder.

I believe that I have moved well past the static use of technology and am well on my way to the dynamic use of technological tools. Concept maps and Google Docs are tools that I use on a regular basis. I used a variety of multimedia tools such as pictures, audio and video to create projects. I have tried to use online polling tools and surveys. My greatest challenge is that there are very few colleagues or teachers who I supervise who are ready for some of the dynamic technology tools in their teaching. I move ahead with caution, as these teachers need scaffolded opportunities to teach with such tools. They are just becoming comfortable with the more static uses and I must help them to build their confidence toward a more dynamic use. Although my school setting is not online, I believe that this concept is applicable to an on-the-ground setting.

References

Moller, L. (2008). Static and dynamic technological tools. [Unpublished Paper].

Module 4: Responses

I responded to the following blog posts in Module 4:

AJ Johnson:
http://anethajaye.blogspot.com/2011/10/engaging-learners-with-new-strategies.html?showComment=1319871718074#c9029862266435071684

Laura Lee
http://lauralee1123.blogspot.com/2011/10/strategies-tools-for-engaging-learners.html

Engaging Learners with Strategies & Tools

As we learned from Siemen’s (2008) curatorial teacher metaphor, the teacher arranges the learning environment to display content for autonomous exploration by the learner (p. 17). The teacher can post content in the form of documents, digital media, links to websites, blogs, wikis and social bookmarking sites. One of my favorite tools to share content is Diigo. This site can be used as a research tool and a knowledge-sharing community. It has functions that allow tagging, highlighting, annotations, and creation of groups and communities. A new site that I have recently discovered has great potential for administering formative assessments and providing immediate feedback to students. Utilizing Socrative, a student response system, instructors can gauge their students’ understanding of the content and increase participation.

Durrington, Berryhill, and Swafford (2006) emphasized the critical role that communication plays in an effective online learning environment. The instructor must provide clear expectations, a positive classroom climate, timely feedback, strategic topic choices and skillful questioning in order to promote student engagement. There are a multitude of communication tools that an instructor can build into a course. My favorite communication tool has been Skype. I utilize the chat and videoconference features regularly. The ability to have a group conference is a great feature to promote synchronous opportunities for small group work in an online class.

Durrington et al. (2006) highlighted the importance of collaboration in an online environment by suggesting a course include small group work, establishment of conversation spaces and project-based learning. There are many exciting tools available for collaboration in this context. These tools are great because they can be used synchronously or asynchronously. For example, there are many sites that allow for the sharing and creation of a product in a collaborative way. Google Docs allows the creation and modification of a document between a group of people. Work on a jointly created mind map can take place in Mind42. One can share documents with people on sites such as Let’s Crate and Minus. Collaboration on multimedia projects is possible on You Tube and Voice Thread.

The availability of so many free tools enables any online instructor to provide what Simonson (2000) describes as a learning opportunity for online learners that is equitable to a face-to-face learning environment, affording them virtual opportunities to communicate, collaborate and interact with content.

References

Durrington, V. A., Berryhill, A., & Swafford, J. (2006). Strategies for enhancing student interactivity in an online environment. College Teaching, 54(1), 190−193.

Siemens, G. (2008, January). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles for educators and designers. ITForum.

Simonson, M. (2000). Making decisions: The use of electronic technology in online classes. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 84, 29–34.

Feedback on Storyboards

I gave feedback on the storyboards of the following classmates:

Laura Lee

http://lauralee1123.blogspot.com/2011/10/module-3-storyboard.html

Anetha Johnson

http://anethajaye.blogspot.com/2011/10/storyboard-of-video-presentation.html

Pam Owens

http://educ-technology.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-board.html#comments

Val Mitchell-Stevens

http://mitchellstevensv.blogspot.com/2011/10/storyboard-math-video-game-to-enhance.html

Module 3: Assessment in an Online Learning Environment

We have seen an enormous shift from an individualistic-focused participation that regurgitates information through rote memorization to a group-centered participatory model that focuses upon the collective construction of knowledge (Siemens, 2008). Siemens emphasizes that our society has focused for so long on the accomplishments of individuals that the new paradigm of collaborative work seen in distance learning today is particularly difficult for many learners. How can we assess learners in this type of collaborative environment?

I think that it is important to note that assessment can be used for different reasons. Summative assessments are used to quantify student learning into scores and grades for evaluation purposes. Formative assessments are what Siemens (2008) described as “a teaching-based opportunity to give feedback” which is used to guide the instructor’s next instructional steps

Siemens suggests using several options that provide a balanced approach to assessment in a fair and equitable way. Using peer-to-peer assessment gives learners the opportunity to extend and reinforce their own learning by analyzing and responding to the work of others. Student participation in open communities such as discussion boards allows the instructor to observe how the learner interprets the information and constructs knowledge based upon the instructional activities and feedback from the community. The instructor may also analyze the data that is available through web analytics; tracking hours in class, the number of posts, and number of interactions with peers to detect any patterns or deficiencies in participation. It is important to note that the level of and quality of student engagement in an online discussion board is positively correlated with student learning, especially when students know it is part of the assessment (Swan, 2004, p. 2).

The role of the instructor in an online class is to facilitate discussions, interactions with course content and between classmates, and guide the learners toward constructing knowledge together. However, even more critical is the instructor’s need to “stay abreast of developments in the group and to act decisively and quickly when necessary” (Palloff & Pratt, 2007, p. 65). It is the responsibility of the instructor to facilitate activities that make participants “feel comfortable with, and trusting of, the online environment early in the process” (Hurst & Thomas, 2008). If this environment is not present for learners, they will disengage. When learners experience a lack of trust or a lack of connectedness they tend to withdraw from participation in the class. It is up to the learning community to attempt to build connections to encourage the disenfranchised learner to become part of the group through private messages or questions posted on the discussion board.

References

Hurst, D., & Thomas, J. (2008). Developing team skills and accomplishing team projects online. In T. Anderson (Ed.), The theory and practice of online learning (2nd ed., pp. 441–472). Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press.

Laureate Education, Inc. (2008). Principles of Distance Education. Baltimore: Author.

Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2007). Building online learning communities: Effective strategies for the virtual classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Swan, K. (2004). Relationships between interactions and learning in online environments. The Sloan Consortium.

Module 3: Storyboard

Please click on this link to see my Storyboard for Module 3:

Learner Engagement in Distance Learning

Module 2 Responses

I responded to the following blogs during Module 2:

Valerie Mitchell-Stevens
http://mitchellstevensv.blogspot.com/2011/09/global-diversity.html

AJ Johnson
http://anethajaye.blogspot.com/2011/09/elements-of-distance-education.html?showComment=1317455986718#c4724104631138090981

Module 2: Elements of Distance Education Diffusion

The increasing popularity of distance learning can be attributed to the evolving technologies that enrich our everyday lives. Having spent most of my adult life with family located on two continents 6,000 miles away, the evolution technologies that enhanced communication allowed me to move from letters and telephone calls to email, instant messaging, and video calls. As these technologies have become diffused in society, they have also gone from being very expensive to cheap or almost free. I can afford to make them an everyday staple in my daily life. I agree with Siemens' (Laureate Education, 2008) assertion that because this technology has given me practical experience in my personal life, I have gained enough confidence and comfort to embed it into my educational/professional life. In the distance learning arena we have now moved away from the model that Simonson described as “self-study at a distance,” (Laureate Education, 2008) which is designed for the learner to consume material independently much like the correspondence courses of years ago. The new model of distance learning allows the learner to not only consume, but also interact with content. Interactions with classmates and the instructor can also take place without the constraints of time and place. Learning can happen anywhere, at anytime and technology is the vehicle that helps it happen.

Here are some of the communication technologies that I use in my personal and professional life that are also technologies that are engaging and can easily be utilized in an online learning environment:

Skype: Has both chat and videoconference capabilities that could be utilized in an online classroom. For example, I have presented a project to my classmates using Skype to video chat and to share my screen while presenting.

Eyejot: Compose a quick (60 seconds or less) video email.

Voicethread: Create a discussion around a presentation, adding voice and/or written comments about the content presented.

Voki: Create a speaking avatar that can communicate information that can be embedded in a website or wiki or emailed.

AOL Instant Messenger (AIM): Allows instant communication of messages which can be transmitted via computer, Smart Phone, or iPad. This could help connect learners to the instructor, each other or a librarian even when they are not signed into the course.

Blogs: Utilize a blog (just like we are doing here) to post written ideas that are enhanced by images, embedded video and URL links that provide further information and connect ideas and thoughts with others.

Twitter: Send short messages that could be used to ask and answer questions. Share information that can be enhanced by images and links to videos, articles and other URLs. This could be an ideal way to share ideas and brainstorm with classmates.

Google Reader: Using this web-based aggregator allows me to keep up with websites, blogs, and other sources that continually post news, information and updates. I am able to save a great deal of time visiting this one site which brings in all of the subscriptions that I want to keep up with. I have found this a helpful way to use in online classes when trying to keep up with blog postings of my classmates.

All-in-One Messenger: Aggregates all of my IM accounts like Facebook, Twitter, Google, Yahoo, and Skype so that they are all within one application. This could streamline the communication in a class. It wouldn’t be necessary to be signed into the online class to receive communications from the instructor or classmates.

Second Life: I have done some exploration of this virtual world, which seems like a logical and engaging path for online education.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (2008). Principles of Distance Education. Baltimore: Author.

Response to Blog 1

Cathy,

The information included in your blog regarding the training of distance education teachers resonated with me. Expecting someone to become a successful and efficient distance education teacher without proper training is creating a recipe for failure. No matter how innovative technological resources may be, it is imperative to have someone capable of interacting with students in an effective manner.

Enjoyed your post,

Laura

Educ 8842/Module 1: The Need to Evolve

In his book Diffusion of Innovations, Everett Rogers (2003) explains how difficult it is to adopt and diffuse an innovation, even when it has many great advantages (p. 1). Distance learning is one of those innovations that is being diffused at an exponential rate, but still has a long way to go before it is diffused into the traditional education system. Moller, Foshay & Huett (2008, May/June) argue that relatively low cost, easy access for masses, and timeliness are features that make distance learning an attractive option for learners and institutions that deliver instruction. Explosive growth has been observed most significantly in post-secondary education, “becoming a popular choice for continuing professional education, mid-career degree programs, and lifelong learning of all kinds” (Moller, Foshay, & Huett, 2008,July/August, p. 66). There has been “modest growth” in the efforts to implement distance learning models in the K-12 setting (Huett, Moller, Forshay, & Coleman, 2008, September/October, p. 63). Despite this growing popularity, there are areas that I believe will need to evolved before online learning becomes fully diffused into the traditional educational institutions; equivalent learning experiences, high quality, qualified instructors, and training.

Self-study to Equivalent Learning Experience
Simonson (Laureate Education, 2008) believes that distance learning will continue to grow at exponential rates, however he predicts that its evolutionary path does not threaten the existence of the traditional educational institution, as we know it. In fact, Simonson (2008) describes the trend in terms of equivalency theory, moving distance learning from “self-study at a distance” to a “different but equivalent learning experiences for each learner” (p. 29). In other words, learners in a virtual classroom can still have similar learning experiences despite their separation by location and time. Technology is the tool that allows the students to have similar experiences to those who are in face-to-face learning environments. For example, in a face-to-face environment, students may sit in groups of four to discuss an article, while in a virtual classroom they use instant messages or Skype to have their discussions. Rather than sharing out their groups’ reflections in a regular classroom, the e-learners post their thoughts on a discussion board for the entire class to see. This is how Simonson sees the application of equivalency theory.

High Quality, Qualified Instructors
Moller, Foshay, and Huett (2008, May/June) speak of the shortage of qualified instructional designers who “lack the expertise to produce effective products” (p. 71). Huett, Moller, Foshay, and Coleman (2008, September/October suggest that “instructional designers partner with teachers to create dynamic and engaging distance learning environments” (p. 65). In my opinion, the authors are implying that the key to the success and the maximization of the potential of online learning is dependent upon the quality of the instructional design and efficacy of the teacher who delivers the instruction. This is aligned with my beliefs that it is the quality of the teacher and their ability to deliver sound instruction that will impact student learning the most. It is critical that there is paradigm shift in distance learning from being technology-centered to learner-centered. Technology is merely the tool to deliver the instruction. It is the masterful teacher who knows the best way to use the tools to engage students in the content.

Training
The rapid growth in the diffusion of distance learning in higher education has led Moller, et al (2008, May/June, 2008, July/August) to argue for training. Institutions of higher education often assign web-based classes to “faulty with no formal training in teaching of any kind” (p. 67). A professor may be an expert in his/her content area, but is “faced with new pedagogical issues surrounding student interactions, course content design and delivery” (p. 67) in an environment with technological complexities that may be entirely new. While Simonson (2000) does not directly address the issue of teacher training, his article very clearly states that the key to success in distance learning is “not which technologies are used but how they are used” (p. 29) implying that it is the skill of the teacher that impacts learning.

I predict that there will be advancements in technology that will make the distance learning experience even more equivalent to the traditional brick and mortar classroom. For example, hologram technology has promising potential. Might it be possible that one day the instructor or classmates could be beamed into the comfort of my living room for a class discussion? The potential to bring simulations and real life experiences from a distance could actually provide experiences in teaching and learning that are even more powerful than what happens in a traditional, face to face classroom. This type of evolution in education is a social change that adds significant value to our global society. My imagination is running wild when I think how distance learning has the potential to deliver a high quality education to ALL!

References

Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W. & Coleman, C., (2008, September/October). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the Web (Part 3: K12). TechTrends, 52(5), 63–67.

Laureate Education, Inc. (2008). Principles of distance education [Video program]. Available from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5701364&Survey=1&47=9479398& ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008, May/June). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the Web (Part 1: Training and Development). TechTrends, 52(3), 70–75.

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008, July/August). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the Web (Part 2: Higher Education). TechTrends, 52(4), 66–70.

Simonson, M. (2000). Making decisions: The use of electronic technology in online classes. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 84, 29–34.

Final Project Video

Click on the link to watch my final presentation.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnnawpUiyIU

Module 5 Responses

I have responded to the following posts for Module 5:

Lewis Chappelear

Elizabeth Sanford

Module 5: Red Queens and Increasing Returns

When I began my coursework with Walden University I had never taken an online class before. I had lived overseas for a number of years and was feeling geographically isolated from many things that Americans typically have available at their fingertips. I had no access to university classes or libraries. But I also missed out on places like Kinkos or Staples, Walmart, Target or Blockbuster video, for example. The internet began to play a crucial role in allowing me to be more participatory in my own country. Now, I can easily contribute to the U.S. economy through online shopping and continue my education in my own country while living on another continent....all thanks to advancements in technology which have truly enriched my life.

Recently, as I began to plan for my first trip back to the USA in two years, I began to feel the stress of figuring out how to overcome my internet dependency. The last time I was in the U.S., getting hooked up to WiFi was a hassle and costly. How could I participate in this class when I was physically away from my internet connection for three weeks?

I found myself in a car, driving up the California and Oregon coasts right in the middle of Module 4 when we needed to watch the science fiction videos. Once again, advancements in technology made it possible for me to be away from home and still be connected on the road. Hotels, coffee shops, McDonald's and even some airports allowed me to connect my iPad to free WiFi. However, my iPad and the internet would not be sufficient enough for me to watch a movie while driving in a car. Fortunately, my mom has a subscription with Netflix and she even has a DVD player in her van. Netflix offered the choice between renting a DVD or streaming video, so, the DVD was the best choice.


Using McLuhan's tetrad (Thornburg, 2008b), one can see in the figures below that the DVD is an emerged technology that is approaching the end of its lifespan. It enhanced the world of home entertainment, allowing the movie theater to be brought into the comfort of home. It obsoleted the bulky VHS videotapes and threatened the livelihood of movie theaters. The DVD rekindled the times when the king enjoyed the performers who entertained him in his own palace or when we went to the drive in and watched a movie from the comfort of our own car. Video-on-demand is the technology that reverses the trend and is beginning to replace the DVD.

“Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!”
—Red Queen in Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass

Thornburg (2008c) states that a Red Queen represents the competition between technologies that results in the rapid development of competing technologies. The Microsoft versus Apple war is a classic example of two competing companies who try to run faster than one another to win the market share as they introduce their products. Now it's looking like Google is joining in on the war. The competition between DVDs and video-on-demand are not examples of Red Queens because DVDs actually are a matured technology while the video-on-demand technology is gradually emerging. Because of the significant investment that consumers have made with their home entertainment systems and DVD libraries, the DVDs will continue to be around for awhile until they eventually disappear and are replaced by video-on-demand or another upcoming technology.

Thornburg (2008c) describes increasing returns as a force in which competing innovations end up with one of the technologies surpassing the popularity of another, getting more attention and becoming the emerged technology, sometimes even when it is not the superior technology. The Betamax-VHS War is a good example. I remember our frustration when we purchased our first VCR. We went with the Sony Beta Max because it was said to be of higher quality and it was a smaller tape. However, we eventually saw that the Panasonic VHS tapes ended up having a much greater selection of movies and eventually our Beta Max system became obsolete. I don't believe that DVDs and video-on -demand fall under this category because DVDs have already emerged. I think that a service such as Netflix is competing with other online video services such as Hulu, iTunes10, Amazon video. The competition between services will probably become more fierce as the internet access becomes cheaper, easier to access, and more ubiquitous for all. The service that ends up emerging as the front runner will probably be the one that ends up forging a business merger or relationship with another entity offering more services at a lower price. The recent merger of Facebook and Skype illustrate this phenomenon as they will try to run faster than newly emerging Google+. It must be an exhausting race, but I am thankful for the advancements that continue to enrich my life.


References

Arthur, W. B. (1996). Increasing returns and the new world of business. Harvard Business Review, 74(4), 100−109. Retrieved from the Business Source Complete database.

Thornburg, D. D. (2008b). Emerging technologies and Mcluhan’s Laws of Media. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.

Thornburg, D. (2008c). Red Queens, butterflies, and strange attractors: Imperfect lenses into emergent technologies. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.

Module 4 Responses

I have responded to the following posts for Module 4:

Lewis Chappelear


Wanda Ardoin-Bailey

Module 4 Responses

I have responded to the following blogs this week:

Lewis Chappelear

Wanda Ardoin-Bailey

The Disruptive Power of Second Life

Disruptive technologies come out of nowhere and obsolete existing technologies. Thornburg (n.d.) explains disruptive technologies as being on an evolutionary path, but another technology comes on the scene and obsoletes the prior technology because it has other qualities that make it better. Second Life is a disruptive technology because has found a market in providing free, engaging and innovative ways to allow people to meet and interact in educational, business and social settings. It has had the potential to displace other technologies such as teleconferencing or distance learning technologies. However, even after almost 10 years of existence, I do not believe that Second Life has actually obsoleted those technologies. What it is threatening to displace are real life social relationships.

I suspect that Second Life has not displaced other technologies because it is not as user-friendly as it needs to be to attract new users. It is certainly easy to use for a young, digital native who has spent a great amount of time in the virtual worlds of video gaming. However, a digital immigrant like me will find the experience much more challenging. Although I made a Second Life account a year or so ago, I found the experience to be rather frustrating and so I never investigated it any further. My interest in Second Life has been revived with this assignment and I am reminded of those prior frustrations as I “learn to walk and fly” and explore the virtual world. Here is my avatar, Fiorentina Nicoletti, as she explores St. Peter's Basilica today. She was teleported there from Luxembourg City.

Second Life has been in existence since 2003. Its population is estimated to have reached approximately 15 million by 2008 and 20 million in 2011. This apparent growth in registered users is thought not to represent the actual numbers of concurrent users, which appears to be on the decline from 62, 000 in 2009 and 54,000 in 2010. It appears that Second Life has not sustained its popularity for the masses nor taken on the same mass popularity as social networking has seen with Facebook. While it appears to have a level of success and popularity with a particular crowd and certain institutions, in my opinion, the depth of its impact has not been as disruptive as that of Facebook.

The Forward 150 Timeline states that by 2020 “People will spend a large amount of time in virtual reality worlds.” What I found to be particularly startling is that they predict that the virtual reality may come to mean more to some people than their true reality. I see this as both a blessing and a curse. According to Second Life inventor, Philip Rosedale, there is great appeal in having a second life because it helps participants see the potential of the many things that could be possible as reality in their real lives. For example, someone who might be afraid to try something in real life will have the courage to try and be successful in his virtual life. This gives him the courage to change his real life. I also think of people who are geographically isolated or physically impaired. Involvement in a virtual world allows them to participate in activities in which they could not participate in their first lives. While this can be an enriching experience for some people, it can also be a curse for others who become more involved in their virtual lives than their first lives. My research on Second Life was filled with examples of how Second Life also brought out the dark and evil sides of people, which is not surprising given the anonymity of the environment. A recent film called Life 2.0 investigated this phenomenon.

The social implications of Second Life in education are exciting. While the popularity of this technology might not catch on with the general public, I believe it is a ripe opportunity for educational organizations. We already see the use of distance education and teleconferencing in school organizations. The ability to create virtual classrooms in which a diverse group of people can learn together in an engaging environment that promotes creativity and innovation is promising. Our schools are filled with digital natives who crave more engaging and relevant learning experiences. The digital 3D experiences of video games, the social context of instant messaging and collaboration of Facebook, Skype and Google Docs are part of our students’ lives outside of school. By not using these familiar tools with them in education is like asking our children to take a step back in time. Second Life has the potential to engage students by immersing them in a physical environment that simulates a reality that they would never be exposed to in their regular lives. The ability of students to operate with an avatar has a psychological impact. The learning experience may be far less threatening and have the potential to encourage a greater level of participation for some students who suffer from shyness or lack confidence in front of their peers. Collaboration, creativity, and the ability to differentiate the learning experiences for students could all be embedded into the learning environment for our students as just one more tool to help learning be more engaging and relevant for students.

References

Thornburg (n.d.). Disruptive Technologies. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5260654&Survey=1&47=5568839&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Module 3 Blog Responses

I have responded to the following classmate blogs this week:


Lewis Chappelear

Elizabeth Sanford

Maps to Apps: Rhymes of History

From the time of birth, a human’s brain is wired to
respond to and interact with the stimuli in its environment. There is a unavoidable curiosity that is inherent in the human brain that drives the need to explore. Circumstances in the environment, such as drought or lack of a food source also created the need to venture out in search for the resources to ensure survival. And so, I could imagine the caveman explorer who first ventured out to explore his surroundings may not have ever returned because he became lost, got too far from a water source or entered the dangerous territory of his predators and died. So, the next caveman got a little smarter and when he went out, he devised a system in which he created landmarks and used the sky to help him find his way back to the camp. His people gave him bread and advised him to drop the crumbs along the trail so that they could track him if he did not return. As time progressed, maps became carved on stone tablets, drawn by hand on hides, cloth, and eventually paper. The portability of these tools enabled the courageous explorers to navigate even further from their homes and actually return. As we fast forward in time, recent advancements in technology, such as GPS and RDIF technology allow us to track anything, anywhere.

Thornburg (n.d.) utilizes the term “rhymes of history” to characterize advancements in technology that rekindle something from the past. He asserts that the more knowledge we have of the past, the more prepared we will be to anticipate the future. GPS and RDIF technologies bring us back to the times of the first explorers and their need to navigate the environment. The same innate curiosities that drove the cavemen to explore still exist today. Our globally connected economies and abilities to travel further distances in shorter time frames make travel an inevitable experience for many. With a GPS, the explorer can travel more efficiently and effectively and successfully return to his/her place of origin. With RDIF technology, a person or thing can be tracked and located. Today’s citizens have the same basic needs as our caveman ancestors which explains why history continues to “rhyme.” What changes are the innovations and advancements of the technologies and how we respond to them.

I feel a particular kinship with my caveman ancestors and those other souls who braved the uncharted waters before me. I am about to embark upon a journey during the dreaded “Carmegeddon” that is supposed to occur with the shut down of the 405 freeway in Los Angeles this weekend. I am relieved that I am the beneficiary of a technological era that relieves my stress from trying to use a map while driving in chaos. I can use a GPS that is built into my rental car or I can use an app on my iPad, both telling me exactly where I need to go. Crumbs….maps….apps….rhymes of history leading to innovations in the future.

References

Thornburg (n.d.). Rhymes of History. Retrieved from Walden University on July 13, 2011 http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5260654&Survey=1&47=5568839&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Module 2 Responses

During Module 2 I responded to the following classmates:

Lewis Chappelear

http://cathymarzialiedtech.blogspot.com/2011/06/module-2-smart-phone-tetrad.html#comments

Dolly Fernandes

http://studentofedtech.blogspot.com/2011/07/blog-post.html?showComment=1309680306173#c28614667729894726

I was unable to post response to our other team member Elizabeth Sanford because the post was not present by the deadline. I will contribute to her post when it is available.

Module 2: Progression of Smart Phone Tetrad

In his Emerging and Future Technologies blog, Lewis Chappelear created the following tetrad to illustrate the progression of the Smart Phone to an external device that begins to present communication devices with brain activation:



I believe that the trend of the future will be twofold:

1. Body integrated systems: The trend in technology is moving from wires to wireless to allow for ubiquitous access to communication and information. This access must still be activated by external, physical switching on devices. This technology will progress to being fully integrated into the brain to allow for any access to be activated by thoughts/brainwaves.

2. Fully integrative devices: There will be a greater integration of systems into one device. Currently, MP3 players, GPS technology, cameras, and phones are all combined into one device. This will be expanded to include an even wider array of needs/services and easier access. For example, the telephone conversation of the past required dialing a number and holding a spoken conversation. The conversation of the future may have a conversation activated by thinking of the person and having a quiet conversation within the brain. Or, one may be able to go through the drive-through window and they will have a scanner which recognizes the unique dietary needs of the customer which are stored in the chip in the brain.

The following tetrad illustrates this progression:

It is at this point that I begin to struggle with what could possibly come next. What do you think?

Module 2: Smart Phone Tetrad

I remember from my childhood the old Get Smart television show that featured the secret agent and his many gadgets. Little did I know that the idea of a “shoe phone” would eventually become a reality. The Smart Phone of today has gone through many progressions to arrive where it is today and is primed for where it will go next.

McLuhan's four laws of media illustrate this progression in terms of what the new technology enhances and obsoletes, what it rekindles from the past and what it leads to in the future.(Thornburg, 2008). The Smart Phone is just that, it’s smart. It enhances regular PDA and cell phone technology because it integrates a portable telephone with the ability to store and manage large amounts of information. It enhances ones ability to communicate and be productive without being tethered to the office or home. Regular cell phones and PDA’s are obsoleted because the new Smart Phones integrate the features that are unique to the cell phone and PDA and adds access to the internet. All of these functions have taken over the classic job of a secretary. The secretary’s job was to keep her boss organized, scheduled, and in communication with those who needed him. Now, the Smart Phone is like having your own secretary right at your fingertips. Thornburg (2008) characterizes Mcluhan’s idea by indicating that “every technology extends or amplifies some organ or faculty of the user” (p. 2). I believe that smart phone technology will follow this idea. I predict that eventually we will be able to have a chip implanted in us that serves as a receiver. We will be able to use our brain to communicate and retrieve the information that is stored or that we are seeking. Communication and information retrieval systems will be enhanced by becoming an integrated part of our bodies.

The idea of the “shoe phone” seemed so far out when I think back to those days of my childhood. While a phone in a shoe did not ever catch on, the idea did, and it has advanced even further than I would have ever expected. I predict that the Smart Phone technology will continue to transform itself into an even more integrative tool inserted into the body that will become as commonplace as contact lenses or plastic surgery is today.

References

Thornburg, D. D. (2008). Emerging technologies and Mcluhan’s Laws of Media. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.

Responses

During this Module I responded to the following classmates:


Lewis Chappelear
http://lchappelear.blogspot.com/2011/06/current-trend-in-educational-technology.html#comments

Maria Rodriguez
http://msrodriguez-design.blogspot.com/2011/06/emerging-and-future-technology.html#comments

EDUC 8848: Emerging & Future Technologies Week #1

Click to the Future

I have had my eye on Interactive Response Systems (clickers) for a couple of years, but my district did not want to invest in them. Just this year we finally got a couple of sets of clickers from SMART Technologies. The handheld remotes are sold as class sets and used formative/summative assessments and polling. The clickers provide students with immediate results from the assessment and the data can be exported into an excel document. Here is a link to a tutorial for the clickers
http://www.slideshare.net/Andreatej/tutorial-for-smart-student-response-system


Challenges
The greatest drawback of this technology is the cost of nearly $2000 per set of 32 handsets. I have not seen the price drop over the last few years. This clicker system utilizes a receiver (that transmits through radio waves) that is connected to the computer through a USB cable. Each handset requires two AA batteries. Since there is only one receiver per set and our classrooms have no more than 25 students, it is unfortunate that the clickers are linked to one receiver. The program is compatible with Smart Notebook Software (SMART Interactive Whiteboard). There was a change in the software since the product first emerged and the newer version seems less user-friendly and has some bugs. It is unfortunate that the clickers can only be used through proprietary means, compatible only with SMART products.

Societal Needs/Benefits
There are numerous benefits with using clickers, in education. The scoring of and feedback on the students' work is a great selling point. A teacher who might have 100 students to assess can literally give the test in 30 minutes and have the results in the students hands a few minutes later, saving a huge amount of time spent grading tests and providing students with instantaneous feedback. There is also a component that notifies the instructor when a students does not answer the question, which is key strategy to maintain student engagement. The mere use of an electronic gadget is highly motivating to students and makes them feel like they are playing an electronic game. There is no doubt that students would much rather take a test with clickers than with a traditional paper-pencil format. This digital format also reduces the amount of paper used for printing and subsequently reduces the cost of printing.

Improvement for Future
Mobile devices have already come down significantly in price. It would make sense to me that SMART would design an electronic response app for a mobile phone. The mobile devices are ubiquitous and it seems that the future sees more and more technology folded into one multi-use device. With a wireless connection or blue tooth, rather than a USB connection, students could use their i Pods, i Pads, cell phones to connect, take a test, and submit results. Because the cell phone technology is already here and reasonably priced, all one would need is to purchase the app.

EDUC 8848: Emerging and Future Technologies

My name is Cathy Marziali. This is the 6th class that I have taken in my Walden doctoral program and the only class that I am taking this term. I try to only take one class per term because I am realistic about the balance that I must maintain between my job, Walden classes and my personal life.

I am an Assistant Principal in a Department of Defense school located on a military base near Ramstein, Germany. This is my 23rd year in education and I am finishing up my second school year in this position. Before this job I was a teacher specializing in foreign language in elementary school, having taught Italian immersion and Spanish to grades K-1 at a base in Italy for five years. I also spent many years teaching Kindergarten and in various positions at district and county offices of education in California.

I'm married to a man who I met in Florence, Italy during a study abroad program in college and we have now been married 26 years. Our two kids are in college now, one in California and one in Oregon. It’s hard to live a world away from them. I am thankful for the technologies that keep us in close contact despite our geographical distances. I have also always been drawn toward the use of technology in education which explains why my Ph.D specialization is Educational Technology.

The motivation for my interest in Educational Technology was most likely born from my quest as a parent to see my own children more engaged, motivated and successful in school. My kids, who are both in college now, are right-brained kids who struggled to survive (and continue to struggle) in the traditional left-brained oriented classrooms. My goal is to help teachers transform teaching and learning opportunities so that they are relevant and teach students in the way that their brains are wired to learn. Technology can be a simple, yet powerful, tool that has the potential to provide more meaningful access to learning and success in the 21st century. While it is not the solution or an alternative to best instructional practices, it is a tool that teachers must utilize to connect with the children of this era. My current world is a school full of PK-6th grade children of U.S. Military personnel who are on the front lines of the war in Afghanistan. Approximately 90% of our students have a parent who has deployed within the last few months or so, so they need lots of hugs and TLC these days. These families are making huge sacrifices for our country and I consider it an honor to try to make the educational experience of these children the best that it can be.
I plan to have the month of July off and spend some time with family on the West Coast. I am looking forward to this class... hoping that I will be able to juggle family time and have reliable internet connections while I travel. I look forward to working with you all this term.