Week 3 Post

Scenario: A high school history teacher wants to showcase two NYC museums by use of an interactive tour.  Also, she wants her students to interact with the museum curators and see art on display.  For assessment, she wants the students to choose two pieces of artwork and have them participate in a group critique of the works.

My suggestion:  Interactive field trips are very fun!  One of the best parts of the Internet is that we can visit places that are very far away and pretend as if we are there.  In the education sector, this allows our students to gain vast knowledge of far away places, but in a more interactive way.  There are a few ways she can complete this project.

1.     Have the students create podcasts of their opinions of the artwork.  Podcasts “is the process of recording and storing audio and/or video content on the Internet for downloading and playback using iPods, MP3 players, computers, and other electronic gear that plays back audio and/or video files (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, pg. 130, 2012).”  Then, have them collaborate with each other using a forum.

2.     Using an online world like Second Life, you can tour a museum and have the students interact on their platform.  An example is shown in the YouTube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eMa2mYLH70 for the Georgia Museum of Art.  Online worlds are great for interaction and promote online engagement (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012).

3.     Use an already created online trip.  Just a quick Google search will provide great resources, but here’s one such example: http://campus.fortunecity.com/newton/40/field.html.

4.     Use a program like Skype for students to discuss the art with the museum curators.

5.     Use a free online forum for students to discuss the artwork online.  Here’s a good one to use: http://www.proboards.com/

All in all, I think that this is a great idea for the teacher.  The only problem I really see is connecting with the museum via Skype.  Because this is steaming video website, it requires a high amount of bandwidth.  This may be difficult depending on their network and the school’s network.

Assignment 1

            The definition of distance learning is varied.  According to Teaching and Learning at a Distance (2012), distance education is an “institution-based, formal education where there learning group is separated, and where interactive telecommunications systems are used to connect learners, resources, and instructors (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, p 32, 2012).”  Before starting this class, I have had a good variety of experience with distance learning.  Coming from two different graduate level programs, I have seen two completely different learning experiences.  The first was very interactive and project-based while the second was more independent and written.  I feel that both have opened my eyes to understanding that distance learning is varied and that the definition of such a word is very difficult to sum up into a short narrative.

            This week, I learned a great deal on the history of distance learning.  According to the timeline provided in the resources of this course, I learned that the first distance courses were through mail correspondence.  Degrees were even offered after a short bit of time from reputable universities.  Radio was introduced and then, shortly after, television broadcasts were brought onto the field.  We even moved into telephone distance education programs.  In 1969, after the founding of the Internet, it led to a whole new world.  Walden was quick to jump on board in 1970 with limited graduate studies programs, which led the way to an uprising of online universities.  By 1989, distance-learning programs were available in two-thirds of the United States.  The new interest led to the development of a variety of learning management systems, which fulfilled the needs of the online adults, but also now the online children.  We are now teaching children as young as kindergarten online with the latest in Web 2.0.

            As I mentioned before, creating a definition is going to be very difficult.  I have been shaped by my personal experiences through courses, but also through my professional experiences.  Last year, I had the opportunity to teach through Polk Virtual School, which is a subset of Florida Virtual School.  I had a limited number of students, since I was an adjunct, but felt it gave me a good feel for online education.  So much, in fact, that I signed up for a graduate level certificate at Walden because of it.  I had been searching for the right path for me to take – and I finally found it.

To me, online education symbolizes opportunities.  In the six years that I have been teaching, I have met around 900 students.  Over the years, I have seen the power of online education at the secondary level.  In my first year of teaching, I had a student that developed cancer.  She was hospitalized immediately, but wanted to continue her studies.  In a normal environment, she never could have.  However, in my county, we put her in a program called Hospital Homebound where she would work on her classes online, but be visited by a teacher from her home school weekly for interaction and to ask questions.  I quickly volunteered for the experience and found it so meaningful.  Here was a student – losing her long dark hair due to chemo – that still had the desire to learn and we found a way to help her… while still understanding she needed to work in her own time.  Those experiences have shaped what is dear to me most about online education – the ability to work at one’s own time to create meaning and understanding at a highly academic level.

To summarize, I feel that my definition of online education has changed, but only slightly after this week’s readings.  Considering my variety in experiences, I feel that I have a good handle on what online education is about.  I like the definition provided in the textbook because it really is the root of what it is.  Honestly, everyone’s definition will be completely different – based on the programs and experiences they have had.  I’ve had professors I prefer… classes I loved… but also days when I wished I could just find the motivation to write one more word.  In essence, online education is really no different than face-to-face in the fact that you gain information, but it’s up to you to use the resources that you best work with to attain the information in an online setting.  It’s not for everyone – sure, but I know it’s for me.  I believe in it and see us moving forward to developing it further and creating LMSs that will inspire learners for years to come.

Resources

Multimedia Program: "Distance Learning Timeline Continuum"

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

Distance Learning - Hello, Classmates

Greetings, classmates!  Welcome to my blog.  I'm re purposing it for the use of this course from my Instructional Design course.  Enjoy!

Blog Assignment: Fitting the Pieces Together

            After revisiting my post, I feel that I learn about the same way as I said in the first week.  I still feel that I need group learning situations in order to excel and that I’m very much a project-based learner.  I think that, through reflection, that I’m very much of a connectivism learner.  I try to see the connections between fields, ideas, and concepts.  I also put a heavy emphasis on creating networks of people, both on and offline in order to enhance my learning.  This is evident through the mind map project, which helped me visualize how exactly I learn (Davis, Edmunds, & Kelly-Bateman, 2008). 

            Overall, I’d say that I’ve learned quite a bit about various learning theories and learning styles over the last few weeks.  It has opened my eyes in understanding not only how I use various styles, but how my students are mixing styles, as well.  We all borrow from other learning styles in order to become well-rounded students.  As teachers, it is our responsibility to differentiate our teaching styles so that we can accommodate more learners.

            And finally, technology plays a very important role in my learning.  Google is my homepage.  I use my iPhone everywhere I go so that I can always find the answer to a question when I have it.  Honestly, I’d be nowhere without technology.

            Something I would like to add to this discussion is something that I learned at the University of Central Florida.  In college, one of my childhood literacy professors marked me as an “info-kid.”  I asked her what she meant and she just kept walking by.  As soon as class let out, I immediately went home and scoured the Internet for answers.  Not able to find much, she referred me to the book Info-Kids by Rob Jobe.  While I do not have the book any more, I would highly recommend you read it because it explains a population of students that you may think of as annoying.  They are the ones that always question why the sky is blue or why they have to go inside when it is raining.  They want to know the answer to everything.  She knew I’d run home to find the answers and prove her point – I was definitely an Info-Kid.  That was the first time I really though about my learning styles and I will never stop trying to figure out new ways to attain information, thanks to her.

Resource

Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Connectivism

Connectivism Word Map

I feel this best represents my current networking!

Connectivism Reflection

            My network has very much had an impact on the way I learn.  Since I have been involved in many types of networks, I feel that I am more equipped at communicating online with a variety of ages.  Also, I feel that I am able to gain more information by just reading it than by finding it any other way.  I am very adept at finding information online because I have many years of practice with searching for information.

            When it comes to the tools I use, I am a big Google fan.  I tend to use Facebook to communicate about social events, as well as job offers.  I find groups that appeal to me and keep updated through status updates.  When I game, I use the World of Warcraft chat to find people to help me with the quests.  I use LinkedIn to create connections with people I have or currently work with so that it opens me up to more opportunities.  AIM and iChat allow me to communicate with friends, family, and co-workers and to work on projects with classmates. 

            When I have questions, I turn to Google.  I start researching.  I, of course, check the credibility of all of my sources, as well.  For example, I use Wikipedia, but I always check the resources at the bottom to make sure that where they got the information was from a credible source. 

            One of the main principles of connectivism is the ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts (Davis, Edmunds, & Kelly-Bateman, 2008).  I feel that my personal learning network exemplifies this principle because, by using social networks, I feel that I am much more adept at finding connections than before.  Because of sites like Wikipedia, which stress making connections and showing sources from all over the web, I feel that connectivism is much more prominent in this upcoming generation.

Resource:

Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Connectivism

Blog Post - Week 2

Our goal for this week’s post was the find two sites that elaborated upon what we read about this week in class.

The first site I found was an article on The Information Processing Approach (http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/cognition/infoproc.html).  I really found that this approached our textbook reading in a more visual sense.  A little bit down on the page; you can see the model of memory based on the work of Atkinson and Shiffrin.  I like that this flow chart explains the memory confirmation procedure in a visual way, while still using the terms from the text.  It also explains the difference between short and long term memories – and then gives ways to make it work.  For example, to make rote rehearsal effective, it must be done before forgetting begins.  This is why repeating the same thing over and over doesn’t always work.  You have to actually recall it instead of just say  it – otherwise you will forget.  The chart in green at the bottom of the page is extremely helpful for teachers.  It helps us learn how to use the principles of information processing in the classroom – and gives us examples.  These tips will definitely come in handy in my room.

I have read entire textbooks on the brain as it relates to learning and one of my favorites is How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School by the National Research Council (2000).  However, the site that I would like to show that really illustrates the information in this book that I liked the most would be The Human Brain – Exercise (http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/exercise.html).  You can take tests over the individual parts of the brain processes and really start to understand how the brain makes those connections!  You can actually train your brain on this site.  While we have learned so much about how the brain interacts this week, it’s important to learn about how to increase those connections.  We have to exercise our brains.  One of the example ones is to just switch the hand you are using to control the mouse.  It’s more difficult to be precise and accurate with your motions, and, as you continue the usage, it begins to become easier to manage your actions.  This is just one way to exercise your brain – so check out this site for more examples!