Thursday, January 29, 2015

WEEK 4 - MOBILE ENVIRONMENTS FOR LEARNING
            Educators today have so many resources to pull from to help make learning engaging and meaningful. Thankfully, there are various mobile devices that are available in most classrooms. However, as educators we also need to realize that technology should be a resource and not the main focus of every lesson. Pedagogy should take first place to technology. The challenge might be which mobile device to use or better still, which mobile device will enable students to better meet the learning goals of a particular course.

The iPad is an iOS based portable, lightweight, touch-screen tablet computer designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPad has many features like email, messaging, social media, photo-sharing, calendars, to-do lists, video-streaming, and even video chatting. With its front and back camera capability, one can take a picture, convert it to PDF, and then email it all in a very short time. Its lightweight and portability make the iPad easy to fit in the back pack or purse of a busy adult learner. When fully charged, the battery can last for up to 10 hours which makes it very convenient for some on-the-go adult learners who may need to go to evening class right after work. Another advantage is that the iPad is automatically backed up to the Cloud and stored information can be accessed from any computer or mobile device. This ensures that students do not have to worry about losing data.
This mobile device will be very useful in my adult learner classroom where students will be encouraged to use their iPad to complete assignments and then email to me. Students can also use their iPads for blogs or other collaborative activities or to access the classroom for updates. 

Software - Khan Academy App – https://khanacademy.zendesk.com/
Khan Academy is an app that allows anyone to learn almost anything for free. Anyone anywhere can log onto the internet and sign up for free. Students can sharpen their skills by engaging in interactive activities. There is now a free Khan Academy application for the iPad. There are over 150,000 exercises with instant feedback that includes analysis of right and wrong answers and the amount of time taken to answer each question. There is also a scratch-pad feature for note-taking or showing one’s work in solving a math problem, for example. Other features include:
·         Downloadable videos: take individual videos or entire playlists to watch offline at your own pace
·         Subtitles: follow along, skip ahead, or go back by navigating through subtitles
·         Track your progress: Log in with your Khan Academy user account to get credit for watching videos
·         See your achievements


Students will be encouraged to explore the app to practice skills or just to reinforce what has already been learned in classroom. This app will be more of a benefit to students who need extra help or reinforcement in a particular area.

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Week 3 - Social Networking Technologies

WEEK 3 - SOCIAL NETWORKING TECHNOLOGIES
Richardson (2010) was right when he stated that “the power of social interaction … is immense, and is being harnessed in all sorts of new and creative ways” (p. 85). We now live in a global village where information and the world itself are constantly changing. As Siemens (2009a) noted in his video “Connectivism Learning Theory” we need to ask ourselves how we can make sense of an overwhelmingly complex world. He goes on to say that because of the individual ability to create information, we now have an explosion of social media sites that connect us to each other to help address our complex world.
Twitter (https://twitter.com) is a microblogging application which is a combination of instant messaging and blogging. One can watch an event unfold in real time from different angles while getting other people’s perspectives all at the same time. Ideas and information are created instantly while using audio-visual media like music, video, or photos.
            I selected Twitter because it is free and most young people already use twitter for social networking. Since most students are already familiar with how twitter is used, it should not take long to redirect and teach them how to use twitter to enhance their education.
            In using Twitter in my classroom, students can continue discussions or conversations that were started in class but could not be completed because of insufficient time. Students could even use Twitter to collaborate with students from other countries and compare and contrast their take on a global topic or situation, more like a “twitterpal”. If students are looking for a career, they could use the site to follow a professional in that particular field they are interested in as a future career. Twitter Vision allows users to Geotag other users to know what topic is being discussed in any part of the world where the tagged users are.
LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) is the world’s largest professional network with over 300 million users. There are two options for members: basic or premium. Sign up is free and the social networking site promises to help professionals to build their professional identity online and also to stay current with colleagues and classmates. The site offers the option of joining different professional groups where one can read comments or join in discussions on various topics. Professional opportunities like job openings, business deals, and new ventures are all possibilities for users or members of LinkedIn. From time to time people in one’s network may post news or inspiration that could encourage or motivate someone else to take a step in the right direction.
                I selected LinkedIn because I believe that it will help my students to learn how to develop a professional profile that can increase their chances of landing the job of their dreams. LinkedIn will enable students to move one step ahead in the direction of their dream job.
            I will use LinkedIn as a way to teach students how to develop their profile. Students will also be required to join a professional group of their choosing and to contribute to a current group discussion. Students will be required to do this weekly and report on their experience. 
            It is exciting when one considers the endless possibilities of using social networking to enhance the curriculum and actively engage students in their own learning. The fact that we have so many choices of social networking sites means that we have the option of choosing which ones work best for our setting. The downside to the abundance of choices is that as educators, we need to spend time doing research to find what works best for us and our students.

References
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009a). Connectivism learning theory.     Baltimore, MD: Author.

Robert Gibson(nd)http://www.slideshare.net/rgibson?utm_campaign=profiletracking&utm_medi            um=sssite&utm_source=ssslideview

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Integrating multimedia and applications can greatly enhance any curriculum. Effective use can deliver quality content and help maintain the attention of learners while engaging them in their own learning process. Today, there are a great number of applications and multimedia that are available for educators to use in the classroom. I have chosen two which I believe will aid students.
Dropbox  - ltlatnd.wordpress.com
Dropbox is a file storage app that can be accessed from any mobile device: computer, phone, and tablet. Dropbox also works across various platforms. This means that a file from a Windows computer can be modified on a Blackberry, Mac, Linux, iPhone, or Android device. Students are able to do various things like edit a document, add or share pictures, and even play videos from anywhere. Various Dropbox accounts can be set up for public or private viewing. Anything that is saved in a Dropbox folder automatically gets saved in the “cloud” and any other electronic device which is connected to the Dropbox account. This ensures that files are backed up and one does not have to worry about carrying around a bulky laptop or a tiny USB which can be easily misplaced.   
I selected Dropbox because of its versatility. Adult learners are busy people who usually have to juggle between work, school, and family. Due to the fact that Dropbox can be accessed anywhere, adult learners may have some precious time to work on a paper or assignment or to post to a blog, all while on the go.
I will incorporate the Dropbox into my classroom by encouraging students to create an account for all their assignments and classwork. They can then find time during their busy day’s schedule to quickly read or edit a paper. Dropbox can also be used for collaboration. If students are working on a group project, they can collaborate using a Dropbox account.
            Digital storytelling is a short movie of about 2 to 3 minutes long where still photos, documents, music, and sound effects are used to tell a story in the voice of the storyteller(s). a digital story does not require expensive tools or materials and once made can be burnt on a DVD and viewed on a DVD player or the TV. A digital story can also be projected on a screen or even uploaded to a website like YouTube or Vimeo. Digital stories can also be embedded in a blog.
            I selected Digital Storytelling because of the fact that it is inexpensive and the fact that it will enable students working together on a project to sharpen their creative and collaborative skills. Storytelling has long been a medium of teaching. It is believed that stories not only teach, but also empower, motivate, and make difficult or confusing material easy to understand.
            I will assign students to choose a community project to work on and tell the story of the particular project through Digital Storytelling. The groups will then share their stories in class after which there will be a class-wide discussion of what was learned. Digital Storytelling can also be used as a way for students to tell their story to the class. Students could interview family members and friends and ask them specific questions about the family history.
            There are so many different and exciting ways that multimedia and applications can be used by educators in all disciplines to enhance their curriculum and keep their learners engaged. It is by engaging learners that facts and information will be transferred to their long term memory which assures that learning has taken place.