Well.. this is it. This is the end of my very first course with Dr. Yuen and I must say I greatly enjoyed the experience. This was a very "hands-on" class which incorporated the content into everything that that was utilized. The telecommunications aspect of the class was seen in all of the projects, discussions, and even in the place where the class was hosted.
The class was hosted within a Social Networking Site called Mixxt. I have mixed feelings about the use of this site for an online class. I really enjoyed the opportunity to be able to subscribe to posts within the forums and I enjoyed the less formal feel of the site. It gave the impression of a more laid-back experience similar to Facebook or Myspace. I did not like the way everything was spread out within Mixxt. I was not a fan of having navigate through many pages in order to find information like having to go one place to get to resources (lecture notes, schedule, syllabus, etc.) and then navigate to an entirely different side of the site to get to the forums. I was also not a real big fan of the style of the forum. The forum application felt very clunky especially in the replies. I wished for a more sleek or collapsible post-reply-thread. That being said, the use of the social-networking site was very innovative and thought provoking and was a positive experience.
The real jewel of the class was the content. This class covered many emerging issues and applications that are found within the field of Telecommunications. I enjoyed this tremendously. My other classes have focused very heavily upon the theory and "Design" side of Instructional Technology and Design and left the technology side as kind of an extra for me to pursue if I wanted to. This course put the technology right up there with the theory and design in one big package. I tried my best in all the assignments to pour as much as I could into them from creating all the backgrounds and headers from scratch in the websites, to making the content of those sites useful for future teaching experiences. I enjoyed tweaking the html and troubleshooting the bugs across browsers for all of my sites. I am very proud of those sites as far as design, content, and compatibility across browsers. The social sites are going to prove themselves very useful in my educational pursuits. The only item that I did not feel had as much potential for use, though it does have some, is Eyejot. I described it in my discussion about the tool, but I just didn't feel that it had much instructional use other than novelty.
Creating these projects were a great joy to me and the discussions were actually beneficial for life outside of this class. :) I think that I am most excited about having this Blogfolio for me. I've always enjoyed journaling and looking back at where I've been. This blog will serve as a marker for me to look back at my presumptions, beliefs, and ideas about technology. This is only my 2nd year in this Ph.D. ITD program and already my ideas have been radically changed from even a year ago. My ideas for my dissertation, views about design/development, and many others are in a constant state of flux. I look forward to opening this blog back up next year and the next and re-evaluating myself, seeing what a moron I was, and realizing the things that I was on to. This is a very exciting to me and I am very excited to have been a part of this experience.
7/25/10
7/16/10
discussion 5:: Internet safety
The Internet is a very robust and useful tool, but so is the chainsaw. When used improperly or carelessly, dangerous things will happen. During my years as a K-12 teacher, I spent a great deal of time talking about Internet safety, privacy, responsible use, etc. I even did this when I wasn’t a “computer teacher” because we used computers and the Internet a great deal. This should be something that all teachers, parents, and community organizations put on their short list of talks to children.
The popularization of social networks, geo-tagging, self-publishing, and other way of telling people too much information online will give, and has given, rise to a greater number of crimes. People must know what information is ok to put online and what isn’t. Parents and teachers must make this a priority for children who are especially susceptible to predators.
Children are very trusting and don’t understand that real, dangerous people aren’t just the scary guys in the alleys, but they could be masquerading as their peers. Teens and pre-teens need to realize how important passwords are and that if someone gets access to an account, especially a social networking account, then anything could happen. This includes things as trivial as gossip and lying to threats and bullying. Then people would think those things were coming from the one whose account was stolen. They also must realize how important it is to be prudent about the things they put online. They must know that once something is online it can never be taken back. This has been seen time and time again for small embarrassments to failed job interviews and even to harassment and murder. People must be made aware of how extremely sneaky and diabolical Internet predators and scammers are. They must be introduced to Phishing and false websites so that they know where to go and where not to go. This will not only keep them safe, but their machines safe as well. This will in turn keep them safe by keeping their machines free of malware, viruses, and keystroke loggers.
Teachers must be vigilant at the beginning of the year and throughout the course of the year to educate and reinforce good decisions for student usage on the Internet. Overly emphasize the importance of reading and being careful what sites are accessed. Filters are good, but good choices are the best. My students were niave in thinking “Mr. Trest, the blocker thing won’t let us go to bad stuff, right?” I had to explain that all filters have gaps, loopholes, mistakes, and vulnerabilities just like everything else. I also had to explain that the security was *mostly* for their safety but the ultimate safeguards were responsible decisions.
That being said, I do think there are good uses for Internet filtering in schools. Students left to themselves on a computer for longer than a minute will try to get off task if they can. This can lead to detrimental things from porn, to harassment, to bullying, to viruses, on and on. *this is being said from experience* The internet filter helps block the most common and accessible problematic sites. I do not think, however, that the filter should be too strict. Those that are too strict tend only to frustrate and make the Internet a tool that cannot be utilized. The district must balance the necessity to guard from litigation and total lockdown. There is a happy medium that helps keep students (and teachers) safe and on task while allowing the usefulness of the Internet to stay intact for the users in the district.
The popularization of social networks, geo-tagging, self-publishing, and other way of telling people too much information online will give, and has given, rise to a greater number of crimes. People must know what information is ok to put online and what isn’t. Parents and teachers must make this a priority for children who are especially susceptible to predators.
Children are very trusting and don’t understand that real, dangerous people aren’t just the scary guys in the alleys, but they could be masquerading as their peers. Teens and pre-teens need to realize how important passwords are and that if someone gets access to an account, especially a social networking account, then anything could happen. This includes things as trivial as gossip and lying to threats and bullying. Then people would think those things were coming from the one whose account was stolen. They also must realize how important it is to be prudent about the things they put online. They must know that once something is online it can never be taken back. This has been seen time and time again for small embarrassments to failed job interviews and even to harassment and murder. People must be made aware of how extremely sneaky and diabolical Internet predators and scammers are. They must be introduced to Phishing and false websites so that they know where to go and where not to go. This will not only keep them safe, but their machines safe as well. This will in turn keep them safe by keeping their machines free of malware, viruses, and keystroke loggers.
Teachers must be vigilant at the beginning of the year and throughout the course of the year to educate and reinforce good decisions for student usage on the Internet. Overly emphasize the importance of reading and being careful what sites are accessed. Filters are good, but good choices are the best. My students were niave in thinking “Mr. Trest, the blocker thing won’t let us go to bad stuff, right?” I had to explain that all filters have gaps, loopholes, mistakes, and vulnerabilities just like everything else. I also had to explain that the security was *mostly* for their safety but the ultimate safeguards were responsible decisions.
That being said, I do think there are good uses for Internet filtering in schools. Students left to themselves on a computer for longer than a minute will try to get off task if they can. This can lead to detrimental things from porn, to harassment, to bullying, to viruses, on and on. *this is being said from experience* The internet filter helps block the most common and accessible problematic sites. I do not think, however, that the filter should be too strict. Those that are too strict tend only to frustrate and make the Internet a tool that cannot be utilized. The district must balance the necessity to guard from litigation and total lockdown. There is a happy medium that helps keep students (and teachers) safe and on task while allowing the usefulness of the Internet to stay intact for the users in the district.
7/14/10
assignment 6:: WebQuest
Labels:
Arts,
education,
Google sites,
Mississippi,
WebQuests
the arts in Mississippi: webquest
My webquest deals specifically with the integration of technology infusing with Language Arts and other arts. Mississippi has a culturally rich and diverse artistic heritage that many don't realize. One of this webquest's purposes is to educate people about a few of the many different artists who have their roots in Mississippi. This webquest was created using Google sites.
This webquest was much more than a simple assignment for me, it was more of an addition to my "toolbox" for educators. I will be able to introduce educators to authentic assignments and constructivist learning theories through the use of this webquest. It is also a brilliant way for me to help educators realize that arts doesn't just belong in the art classroom. Art, like reading, belongs in every classroom where there are students. Art is a way to connect people to people, places, ideas, and other forms of expression. When art is removed from education, NOT ART CLASS, then the humanity in education will die.
This webquest will take students and educators to a new way of thinking. It will force the students and instructors to think about people in their past and present and connect to them through research and experiencing their art. This will form the basis of the authentic assessment. The hope and goal for this assignment is that all parties involved will understand the rich heritage and brilliance that is found in Mississippi art. The Delta Blues alone have had an enormous impact in the United States and international Western-type music. Walter Anderson's paintings are sold today for thousands upon thousands of dollars and Mark Twain's brilliance is still the stuff of wisdom to countless readers. American art without Mississippi is simply not complete. This art heritage can be linked to all areas of the classroom and school subjects. It may take a little tweaking for science and math, but with a little bit of creativity, it is possible.
I'm also going to be presenting at the Mississippi Whole Schools Arts Institute next week so I will get to use this webquest in my presentation. This will most likely be the first time many of the teachers and principals have had any experience with Webquests, Google Sites, and constructivist thought. I'll be introducing a number of technologies including Google Sites, among others. This webquest is a perfect example of something that they can use Google Sites for.
Click here to go to my webquest.
My webquest deals specifically with the integration of technology infusing with Language Arts and other arts. Mississippi has a culturally rich and diverse artistic heritage that many don't realize. One of this webquest's purposes is to educate people about a few of the many different artists who have their roots in Mississippi. This webquest was created using Google sites.
This webquest was much more than a simple assignment for me, it was more of an addition to my "toolbox" for educators. I will be able to introduce educators to authentic assignments and constructivist learning theories through the use of this webquest. It is also a brilliant way for me to help educators realize that arts doesn't just belong in the art classroom. Art, like reading, belongs in every classroom where there are students. Art is a way to connect people to people, places, ideas, and other forms of expression. When art is removed from education, NOT ART CLASS, then the humanity in education will die.
This webquest will take students and educators to a new way of thinking. It will force the students and instructors to think about people in their past and present and connect to them through research and experiencing their art. This will form the basis of the authentic assessment. The hope and goal for this assignment is that all parties involved will understand the rich heritage and brilliance that is found in Mississippi art. The Delta Blues alone have had an enormous impact in the United States and international Western-type music. Walter Anderson's paintings are sold today for thousands upon thousands of dollars and Mark Twain's brilliance is still the stuff of wisdom to countless readers. American art without Mississippi is simply not complete. This art heritage can be linked to all areas of the classroom and school subjects. It may take a little tweaking for science and math, but with a little bit of creativity, it is possible.
I'm also going to be presenting at the Mississippi Whole Schools Arts Institute next week so I will get to use this webquest in my presentation. This will most likely be the first time many of the teachers and principals have had any experience with Webquests, Google Sites, and constructivist thought. I'll be introducing a number of technologies including Google Sites, among others. This webquest is a perfect example of something that they can use Google Sites for.
Click here to go to my webquest.
7/12/10
discussion 4:: webquests
I have heard of Webquests before, but I never knew that they were specifically structured in the way that is listed. I simply thought that webquests were tasks that were planned and structured by the teachers to be a different type of learning experience by the students. That being said, this is truly a different type of learning experience. I think a webquest, when properly planned and coordinated, could be the definition for an authentic educational experience. The Webquest should be designed in a way that the user can define the assignment in the way that will benefit him/her the best. The activity has requirements and specific tasks, but the actual learning experience is actually “constructed” by the learner. These types of tasks create memorable and exciting learning experiences. This will serve the learner well by expanding himself/herself as a person and serve the instructor well by allowing the learners to grasp concepts, learn content, and also be creative while doing so.
Not every assignment or task can be done by using Webquests. I’m not very well versed on many specific ones, but it seems that many subjects lack quests or quest-able material. What do you guys think? These quests can (and should) take extra planning and many teachers may not be willing, or know how to create these types of activities. The instructors must be knowledgeable about the content, be knowledgeable about available technology, and be knowledgeable about sites and resources that are available online. The teacher must also check periodically to make sure that the sites are still online and are up-to-date. I can think back to activities that I would have liked to use a Webquest as a Computer Discovery teacher. I would have especially liked to use one for the introduction of the insides of a computer. This could have made this topic very interesting. I think that Webquests can really shine when they are supplemented by other types of instruction and supported by things outside of the web. Authentic educational experiences must be relevant to real life and find a place within the learner’s world. If this experience is to do that, then it must connect with the learner on a personal level and not just be a “fun” task. Not everyone will think a task is fun just because the instructor does. I’ve seen this a million times in my own classroom as I know you probably have.
Overall, I’m very glad to have this re-acquaintance with Webquests and I will definitely look for ways that I can implement them into any type of learning experience that I will be creating.
Not every assignment or task can be done by using Webquests. I’m not very well versed on many specific ones, but it seems that many subjects lack quests or quest-able material. What do you guys think? These quests can (and should) take extra planning and many teachers may not be willing, or know how to create these types of activities. The instructors must be knowledgeable about the content, be knowledgeable about available technology, and be knowledgeable about sites and resources that are available online. The teacher must also check periodically to make sure that the sites are still online and are up-to-date. I can think back to activities that I would have liked to use a Webquest as a Computer Discovery teacher. I would have especially liked to use one for the introduction of the insides of a computer. This could have made this topic very interesting. I think that Webquests can really shine when they are supplemented by other types of instruction and supported by things outside of the web. Authentic educational experiences must be relevant to real life and find a place within the learner’s world. If this experience is to do that, then it must connect with the learner on a personal level and not just be a “fun” task. Not everyone will think a task is fun just because the instructor does. I’ve seen this a million times in my own classroom as I know you probably have.
Overall, I’m very glad to have this re-acquaintance with Webquests and I will definitely look for ways that I can implement them into any type of learning experience that I will be creating.
7/6/10
assignment 7:: eyejot
Labels:
education,
eyejot,
talking-heads,
videos
I know I skipped assignment 6... I'm still working on it:)
Every now and then, technology will afford instructors with very novel tools. Eyejot is one of those tools. This can be a great thing and not so great.
The brain craves a few things in learning sessions. It craves state changes and novelty, as well as some other things. Novelty is a great resource for instructors to utilize to their advantage in any learning situation. This can be done through new technology, new ways of thinking, etc. It is this idea of "newness" that allows for the item in question to be novel.
When a novelty item is overused it loses its value and becomes tiresome. This can happen with simple items and complex items. This is very often the case for website introductions and flash content on the web. I love this stuff, but when a person is looking for content and has to continuously suffer through intrusive advertising or multimedia presentations, it becomes old... quick.
I feel that eyejot's use as an instructional tool is limited, but it can be a great novelty item in an online course. The instructor is limited to a view of his/her office unless he/she has access to a broadband card or a different location around a wireless internet connection with a laptop. With a limitation to a minute, there's not much that can be done, but I'm glad we were introduced to this tool so that we can be familiar with the type of technologies that are available.
Eyejot videos are what I've heard called "talking-heads" videos. These can be great resources or extremely boring monologues. I've seen these used for introductory videos, edited and combined with photos, text, and music behind, and the site said they can be used for correspondence. This can be extremely motivating for learners because the mind craves novelty. This can be a novel experience that will serve to help motivate and perk the interest of the learners.
Talking heads videos should not be used for instructional "how-to" videos or for long, drawn out explanations. This will get old very quickly because someone is just talking at you. There is no interaction, no real reaction to or from the audience...
Remember to make talking head videos:
~ quick and to the point
~ fun and inviting
~ feel as personal as possible
My Eyejot video is below or you can click here
don't panic
Every now and then, technology will afford instructors with very novel tools. Eyejot is one of those tools. This can be a great thing and not so great.
The brain craves a few things in learning sessions. It craves state changes and novelty, as well as some other things. Novelty is a great resource for instructors to utilize to their advantage in any learning situation. This can be done through new technology, new ways of thinking, etc. It is this idea of "newness" that allows for the item in question to be novel.
When a novelty item is overused it loses its value and becomes tiresome. This can happen with simple items and complex items. This is very often the case for website introductions and flash content on the web. I love this stuff, but when a person is looking for content and has to continuously suffer through intrusive advertising or multimedia presentations, it becomes old... quick.
I feel that eyejot's use as an instructional tool is limited, but it can be a great novelty item in an online course. The instructor is limited to a view of his/her office unless he/she has access to a broadband card or a different location around a wireless internet connection with a laptop. With a limitation to a minute, there's not much that can be done, but I'm glad we were introduced to this tool so that we can be familiar with the type of technologies that are available.
Eyejot videos are what I've heard called "talking-heads" videos. These can be great resources or extremely boring monologues. I've seen these used for introductory videos, edited and combined with photos, text, and music behind, and the site said they can be used for correspondence. This can be extremely motivating for learners because the mind craves novelty. This can be a novel experience that will serve to help motivate and perk the interest of the learners.
Talking heads videos should not be used for instructional "how-to" videos or for long, drawn out explanations. This will get old very quickly because someone is just talking at you. There is no interaction, no real reaction to or from the audience...
Remember to make talking head videos:
~ quick and to the point
~ fun and inviting
~ feel as personal as possible
My Eyejot video is below or you can click here
don't panic
discussion 3:: use the web for teaching and learning
Labels:
communication tools,
online learning
The web offers to nearly limitless opportunities for educational experiences. The only thing that limits educators for using the internet and internet applications is a lack of knowledge. I have used the internet for educational purposes in many ways already and have learned a great deal for using things in the future. I have utilized online tutorials which are simply made available for any learner to come along and learn the content. I have used Google Docs for creating these tutorials, giving online assessments/assignments, and have made resource pages that allow students the opportunity to review and research at their leisure.
The web makes all types of communication possible in ways that the world has never seen before. This is the first time in the history of the planet that run-of-the-mill people can talk to each other at the same time from different sides of the planet. The educational possibilities include opening students up to different cultures by actually taking them there, meeting the people, and communicating in real-time.
There are, of course, limitations to this wondrous world-wide-web. With any technical application comes the need for the knowledge for how to operate such technology. The technology also has to be available for the educational experience to be worth-while. This weekend I was reminded of how things once were. My dad’s internet went out this weekend as we were staying with him. I had 3 assignments due and I had to improvise on ways to turn these in. People who do not have a readily available internet source probably would not find online learning to be something beneficial.
Just as we discussed earlier, straight-forward designed websites are the most effective in communicating the site’s purpose. This not only holds true to main-stream websites, but to online courses as well. The layout for an online course should be intuitive, straight-forward, and simple to navigate. The student should not have to guess or “go around the world” to try to find things inside the course. I’ve really come to realize the importance of well-designed layouts as I’ve been working at the learning enhancement center. I do realize the personalization and creative outlet that some feel is important when designing a class, but I feel that the most important aspect of the design should be a good student experience. We have been preparing the new Blackboard 9.1 that will be implemented next fall for the entire campus. We have a “template” of sorts with a predetermined design that is intuitive in nature and designed to give the students and instructors the best possible experience with this new product. This is in no way to meant to hamper the creativity of an instructor, only to help keep the online experience at the university similar so that student won’t have to learn how to navigate each course for each professor. There are lots of other very great features with the new blackboard including wikis, blogs, mashups, and a ton of addins called building blocks. I am also very much looking forward to the new mobile apps that Blackboard is releasing. We’re all expecting great things from that new aspect of Blackboard. I’m very excited about this release. I think that when Blackboard is used as the primary tool for online courses and outside tools are used for supplementary purposes, rich and authentic learning experiences are the result.
The web makes all types of communication possible in ways that the world has never seen before. This is the first time in the history of the planet that run-of-the-mill people can talk to each other at the same time from different sides of the planet. The educational possibilities include opening students up to different cultures by actually taking them there, meeting the people, and communicating in real-time.
There are, of course, limitations to this wondrous world-wide-web. With any technical application comes the need for the knowledge for how to operate such technology. The technology also has to be available for the educational experience to be worth-while. This weekend I was reminded of how things once were. My dad’s internet went out this weekend as we were staying with him. I had 3 assignments due and I had to improvise on ways to turn these in. People who do not have a readily available internet source probably would not find online learning to be something beneficial.
Just as we discussed earlier, straight-forward designed websites are the most effective in communicating the site’s purpose. This not only holds true to main-stream websites, but to online courses as well. The layout for an online course should be intuitive, straight-forward, and simple to navigate. The student should not have to guess or “go around the world” to try to find things inside the course. I’ve really come to realize the importance of well-designed layouts as I’ve been working at the learning enhancement center. I do realize the personalization and creative outlet that some feel is important when designing a class, but I feel that the most important aspect of the design should be a good student experience. We have been preparing the new Blackboard 9.1 that will be implemented next fall for the entire campus. We have a “template” of sorts with a predetermined design that is intuitive in nature and designed to give the students and instructors the best possible experience with this new product. This is in no way to meant to hamper the creativity of an instructor, only to help keep the online experience at the university similar so that student won’t have to learn how to navigate each course for each professor. There are lots of other very great features with the new blackboard including wikis, blogs, mashups, and a ton of addins called building blocks. I am also very much looking forward to the new mobile apps that Blackboard is releasing. We’re all expecting great things from that new aspect of Blackboard. I’m very excited about this release. I think that when Blackboard is used as the primary tool for online courses and outside tools are used for supplementary purposes, rich and authentic learning experiences are the result.
6/13/10
assignment 5 ::Google Sites::
Labels:
education,
Google sites,
teachers
This past year, Google sites was one of the things that I required my creative design class to learn how to use. They enjoyed it for the most part until we were introduced to the online Flash Site maker called Wix. I didn't really get to explore the development tools on Google Sites as much as I would have liked to. So, I was glad when I saw this assignment on our list of things to do. Google sites is much more than a personal web-page maker. There is no reasonable limit to the amount of things a person could put on their site **If you get to the limit, you seriously need to shrink your photos cause your site is taking too long to load :) ** The possibilities for the quality of site and use for a Google site is nearly limitless. It is also nice in the fact that it is so user friendly. This weekend I made another site for a friend's restaurant. They had a site already but always had a very difficult time getting something changed. With a Google site that is no longer the case. I designed the site and put in all the main content and now they just have to do the updates. The uses for educational purposes are just as expansive. Teachers can make wikis, forums, class web pages STUDENT web pages, and on and on. This tool when paired with Google Docs can be a very powerful interactive tool.
I have been working at LEC for about 2 months now and I have had the opportunity to make a Google site for every class that I've taught. I've found that they are great for quickly collecting resources and giving the URL to your students. They are also a great way to quickly get responses to a form. Instead of having the really long form URL for a Google Doc Form, you can send a URL to a Google Site and the URL can travel by word of mouth as well as electronic means. This has proven to be very beneficial in my classes and I can only imagine that it will be even more in the future.
I am glad to have had this experience. I will be teaching a professional development at my former school. It will be about Google Docs so that is what I decided to have my site about. I hope you enjoy it and feel free to play on it.
http://sites.google.com/site/googdocsismyfriend/
don't panic
mt
I have been working at LEC for about 2 months now and I have had the opportunity to make a Google site for every class that I've taught. I've found that they are great for quickly collecting resources and giving the URL to your students. They are also a great way to quickly get responses to a form. Instead of having the really long form URL for a Google Doc Form, you can send a URL to a Google Site and the URL can travel by word of mouth as well as electronic means. This has proven to be very beneficial in my classes and I can only imagine that it will be even more in the future.
I am glad to have had this experience. I will be teaching a professional development at my former school. It will be about Google Docs so that is what I decided to have my site about. I hope you enjoy it and feel free to play on it.
http://sites.google.com/site/googdocsismyfriend/
don't panic
mt
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
