Interactive Tours

The increasing number of students taking online courses is expanding at a rapid pace. Students receive a broader idea of the outside world while still inside their home and school.  The interaction of students with other cultures to expose them to multicultural and global view of the world is important in educating students (Germain-Rutherford & Kerr, 2008).  Instructors need to be looking for activities that give students better exposure in these areas.  Field trips outside of the school are becoming more unfavorable due to many factors.  The ability of an instructor to make lessons a real world situation and create the activity in a more student-centered way gives a better mastery of a subject (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012).

On-site field trips do have their downfalls such as cost, chaperones, security issues, and transportation (Jackson, n.d.).  The ability for students to interact with museums and places in other parts of the country and the world is an increasingly popular activity in high school and college courses.  In this day and age, people do not have the money to allow their students to take field trips.  The Internet provides these resources to students without having to leave their school building. 

In response to the history teacher scenario, interactive tours can be a valuable resource to allow students to view artwork and exhibitions from around the world.  New York is home to many famous museums such as the Guggenheim and the American Museum of Natural History.  Both museums offer interactive tours for students to view from their websites.  The technology I offer to the history teacher is to use a computer lab that contains computers for each student, as well as a white board, projector, and ability to do two way live video chat.  The teacher or instructional designer will need to contact the museum and arrange a time and place to set up a live interactive tour or interview with the curator.  The software such as Skype is great for online interaction and allows the curator in New York to walk the students through an exhibit.  The curator may potentially have a laptop with a webcam and microphone to help give a tour of the exhibit.  If this is not possible, the museums offer interactive virtual tours that the students can view from their computers.  After this tour, the students and curator can have a live video chat to discuss the exhibit with the curator and the two items of artwork for discussion.

The instructor will need the following technology equipment:

• Computer Lab equipped with computers for each student.
• White Board with projector
• Microphone and web cam capabilities for live interaction
• Skype software or another form of video chat software.

This technology is a successful way for students to enrich their cultural background and knowledge.  An example of a successful live interactive tour is a live, virtual tour the U.S. Air Force by Lt. Col. Sharon Nehrings.  The tour gives students of a middle school in Oklahoma a live tour of the air force base in Florida (Scott, J., 2012).  The Skype software company also gives instructors many great ideas on how to use their software for interactive live chats in the classroom.  The site URL is https://education.skype.com/ and is free for all educators to use and view.  The Internet, webcams, and computers offer an abundance of free resources for instructors to use in education. 

References

Amnh.org, (2012).  American Museum of Natural History.  Retrieved on November 12, 2012 from http://www.amnh.org/

Germain-Rutherford, A., & Kerr, B. (2008). An inclusive approach to online learning environments: Models and resources. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education TOJDE, 9(2). Retrieved from http://tojde.anadolu.edu.tr/tojde30/pdf/article_2.pdf

Guggenheim.org, (2012).  Guggenheim.  Retrieved on November 12, 2012 from

http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york

Jackson, C. (n.d.).  The Benefits of Virtual Field Trips for Students.  Retrieved on November 12, 2012 from http://www.ehow.com/list_5970076_benefits-virtual-field-trips-students.html

Scott, J. (2012).  AOC Hosts First Online Virtual Tour.  Retrieved on November 12, 2012 from

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123308795

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

Skype.com, (2012).  Skype in the Classroom.  Retrieved on November 12, 2012 from https://education.skype.com/

Distance Education Definition – Past and Present

Distance education is, “an institution based, formal education where the learning group is separated, and where interactive telecommunications systems are used to connect learners, resources, and instructors (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012, p. 32).  Distance education also contains four components to it.  They are (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012):

1. Institutionally based
2. Separation of teacher and student
3. Interactive telecommunications
4. Sharing of data, voice, and video (learning experiences)

My own personal definition of distance education before this course began was, “education delivered through a technology based medium where the instructor and student are separated by time and space.”  This definition is somewhat similar to the definition from the textbook for this course but is much broader in the definition. 

The need for quality distance education courses is a priority that all educational institutions need to focus.  Many people today must work more than one job or do not have the time to attend a formal classroom setting.  The enthusiasm and demand for e-learning environments continues to grow, but if the courses do not meet or exceed expectations and standards of the students, then it can create disillusionment and can damage the reputation of distance education (Moller, Foshay, & Huett, 2008).

After the readings from this week, my new definition of distance education is, “a method of formal education in which the instructional delivery method combines a mixture of synchronous and asynchronous through multimedia and online learning methods.  The instructional delivery usually contains a separation of time and space between the instructor and student.”

The future of distance education is bright and has much potential as long as educational institutions continue to invest in their e-learning environment.  The introduction of “No Child Left Behind” requires schools to offer students alternative methods of instruction and show yearly improvement in a students’ progress.  The current teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, and lack of federal and state funding give students in at risk areas of the country an opportunity to receive a formal education (Huett, Moller, Foshay, & Coleman, 2008).  Distance education is not a replacement for instructors and the interaction inside a classroom but is an alternative for a student who lives in a less fortunate area to take courses that they not otherwise receive.

References

Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Coleman, C. (2008). The evolution of distance education:

Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 3: K12).

TechTrends, 52(5), 63–67.

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008). 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). 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., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a

distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

Reflection on the Learning Matrix

“Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not. It is the first lesson that ought to be learned.” – Thomas H. Huxley---2009 (theteliosgroup.com, 2012).

The quote from above holds special meaning to me.  I have been in education (one form or another) since the age of 5.  It is true, that I left teaching for a short while, but my job was still some form of education.  Training a new employee or doing an educational outreach somewhere in the community was still part of my job.  As time passes, I find myself not enjoying learning as much as in the past, but this course and re-learning the different theories of educational psychology give me a renewed interest in my pursuit of education.  Learning is an item that everyone must or ought to do.  It is how most of us make it in the world today and strive to get a better job or rise in the ranks of our current employer.  Beginning in the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s, we see the emphasis on educating the young as a major priority.  It began with the introduction of Behaviorism with Piaget and Skinner and continue throughout the remainder of the twentieth century into the modern world today (Ormrod, 2009).  I now see education and learning as an essential part of anyone's life.  It is the reason that the homo sapiens evolved beyond other mammals.  It is the ability to learn and educate ourselves and each other.  My renewal and new found energy in learning make the reason for pursuing my master's degree more important and exciting to me.

The study of different learning theories is not new to me, but the re-evaluation of my own learning style is a newly found interest for me once again.  This course and the learning matrix show me that my learning go beyond one or two learning styles. It shows that my learning extends across multiple styles.  Howard Gardner once said, "I align myself with almost all researchers in assuming that anything we do is a composite of whatever genetic limitations were given to us by our parents and whatever kinds of environmental opportunities are available (brainyquote.com, 2012)."  Learning is a combination of internal and external sources.  We do have limitations as humans from our genetic or environmental background, but in essence, we all the ability to learn new things on a daily basis.  I'm a mixture of all the learning theories on our matrix, and it just depends on what I'm studying that decides which style I am using.  

Technology is a vital and important tool in educating people today.  It is important that we see a whole new learning theory developing around it.  The definition of connectivism is, “being driven by the understanding that decisions are based on rapidly altering foundations. The acquiring of new information is a never ending process, and the ability to draw distinctions between important and unimportant information is vital. Also, the ability to recognize when new information alters the landscape based on decisions made yesterday” (Davis, Edmunds, & Kelly-Bateman, 2008).  No one can deny that technology is not going away anytime soon.  Technology lives in the children of today and is integral in their learning.  We see technology entering into the classrooms more each year. Does this replace good old fashioned teaching methods?  In my opinion, it does not replace.  Teachers are still the best way that someone learns.  This is not to say that a person cannot learn on their own, but for younger children a teacher there to instruct or guide is vitally important.  Technology should be an enhancement for the learning process.  It should fit comfortably into a classroom and lesson, and should feel natural and not a forced tool.  If it forces its way into a lesson and not used properly, then, all it will do is stick out like a sore thumb and could hinder a lesson.

References

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

Howard Gardner. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved February 15, 2012, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/h/howardgard194105.html 

Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M. (2009). Learning theories and instruction (Laureate custom edition). New York: Pearson.

Thomas H. Huxley (n.d.).  Quote of the Day.  Retrieved February 15, 2012 from theteliosgroup.com Web site:  http://www.theteliosgroup.com/quotes/category/lifelong-learning

 
 

Connectivism Reflection

The idea of connectivism is a new concept to the world of education, but, in reality, the idea of learners, especially adults, using real life connections and interactions as their greatest source of knowledge is not new.  Connectivism is  being "driven by the understanding that decisions are based on rapidly altering foundations. New information is continually being acquired, and the ability to draw distinctions between important and unimportant information is vital. Also, critical is the ability to recognize when new information alters the landscape based on decisions made yesterday” (David, Edmunds, & Kelly-Bateman, 2008). These ideas may seem radical in the world of education today because educational psychologists and theorists attempt to use the same theories of learning for both younger and older learners.  The three original learning theories (behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism) began before the modern age of technology (Siemens, 2005).  The idea that technology could have such a radical impact on education is difficult for many in the world of educational psychology to comprehend, but in order for a person to understand the true nature of learners today, one must take into account the factors of technology and real world interactions.

I grew up in a time when the education technology was starting to appear in the classrooms.  The first computer I would use was a Radio Shack Tandy and was all text based (no graphical user interface).  It is at this point that my love of technology and computers began to flourish, and I found myself desiring to learn more about them in and out of the classroom.  I began to think of ways I could use technology in my classroom, and how it could make my teaching experience more enriching for myself and my students.  It grew to the point where I left education for a short period of time to pursue my love of computer and work in a software company.  

My two years away from the world of education was an asset in my growing knowledge of technology, but I never lost my love of education and teaching.  In fact, my time at the software company was a benefit to me now.  I am now able to use my real world experience in technology to even greater extents in my classroom.  It is enjoyable to watch my student be wowed from something I put on my whiteboard that has something a little extra fancy in it to catch their eye.  

The world of technology is rapidly changing day by day, and I attempt to keep up with all the new technology by reading blogs, online technology and educational journals, and online new sources.  My favorite technology tools I use today in my classroom and my own master's courses are my laptop, personal server, smartphone, and my iPad.  I would also have to include my whiteboard and projector as well inside my classroom.  

So how does all this work in to my own network of support and learning?  I learn through interaction with others in the world of technology and education.  I learn through online tools such as search engine databases when I come across a problem or question I cannot answer.  It has literally put the world of education and learning at my fingertips.  My learning from the time of high school up to today is an actual example of connectivism at work.  I can look back at the last 20 years of my life and see how my interaction with technology and my peers has made my knowledge and learning grow. 

References

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

Siemens, G.. (2005, Apr. 5). Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. elearnspace Retrieved Feb. 2, 2012,

Connectivism Personal Mind Map - Network

Online Journal Article Reviews

Technology Confidence, Competence and Problem Solving Strategies: Differences within Online and Face-to-Face Formats
By: Sharon L. Peterson and Louann Bierlein Palmer

http://www.jofde.ca.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/index.php/jde/article/view/733/1267

This article is about a five year study about the use of technology and problem solving skills among 1,500 undergraduate education majors. The studied attempts to see if there is a correlation between the lack of confidence among students who take a conventional technology education classroom in a traditional face to face setting compared to those who took the same course in an online manner. The study is also a useful tool to understand how these students attempt to use problem solving skills with difficult tasks.

The study shows that students who took the online course were more confident in using technology in the classroom compared to students who took the class in a traditional manner. The study also shows that there was differences in students in approaches to solving problems in the class. Traditional students use the teacher as a method for figuring out problems. While the online students use trial and error problem solving methods to figure out problems.

Our textbook explains that in order for a person to comprehend and understand information, one must be use practice and be given feedback, but for a non-traditional student, feedback does not always come immediately (Ormond, 2009). So, one must rely on the trial and error methods until a positive result is reached. This article is a great example of how traditional and non-traditional students learn technology. In many ways, students who take online courses attempt to solve their own problems without relying on assistance of an instructor. The student tends to be more independent and self-motivated in their learning and understanding processes. This article also shows that the online students confidence in using technology in the classroom later in their careers is much greater. This article helps to prove that the newer non-traditional styles of learning in the area of technology is better in giving students more confidence, than found in the older traditional styles of classroom learning.

Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants:

Teaching and Learning in the Digital Age

By:  Lynn Helding

http://www.mediafire.com/?mdrdcat1g7jwmhm 

This article evaluates how the increase in technology information is affecting the learning process and how well people are retaining information.  It shows a trend in the amount of information that our short term memory will take into it each day compare to 40 years ago.  It also examines if this is a good or bad thing for the brain.  Short term memory can only hold so much information into it, and with the on rush of new technology and information overload, these items are not being processed into the long term memory.  The article also goes into how the younger generation of today is becoming addicted to technology and new gadgets and how this affects them.  It shows how an adolescent is constantly glued to their smartphone, tablet, or computer.  They are constantly in the "know", and this can have positive and negative effects on a person.

This article is an extremely important article for me.  I too am a technology junkie, and many of my students are the same way.  I enjoy having my iPhone or tablet with me, but there are many times I do not even want to have the items near me.  On the other hand, my students have a difficult time going through an entire class period without trying to sneak out their smartphone to view their latest text message or send a Facebook update.  It is a slippery slope in the education.  Students need to be constantly entertained visually if they are to learn.  Their attention spans are much shorter, and if a task does not entertain them, then they shut down mentally.  As our textbook explains, our short term memory takes can only take in limited amount of information (about seven items) (Ormond, 2009).  It is also noteworthy that students writing and spelling abilities are deteriorating.  They want to write in the short hand version of text messages and do not use proper grammar and spelling.  This article does start an important discussion on the positives and negatives of technology and does help open one's eyes to it.


References:

Helding, L. (2011, Nov ). Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants: Teaching and Learning in the Digital Age. Journal of Singing, 68, 199-206.

Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M. (2009). Learning theories and instruction (Laureate custom edition). New York: Pearson. 

Peterson, S. L. & Palmer, L.B. (2011,). Technology Confidence, Competence and Problem Solving Strategies: Differences within Online and Face-to-Face Formats. 25(2), Retrieved Jan 12, 2012, from The Journal of Distance Education 

 

The World of Education Technology Blogs

Blogs are a great way to keep up to date on various topics that interest you, and there are thousands of them out there that are sure to peak your interest.  I have taken some time browsing through various sites that are dedicated to educational instruction and technology education.  I thought I would take a moment and share a few of my favorites that you might find interesting as well.  Enjoy!  

Eric

Educational Technology

http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/blogger.html 

This education technology blog founder is Ray Schroeder from the University of Illinois.  It is a blog with various writers.  Updates are done on a daily basis and has existed since 2002.  It includes a number of various resources and articles that are valuable to an educator or anyone involved in educational instructional design.  The topics can range from using technology in your classroom to using everyday technological tools, such as the smartphone to make education more fun and interesting for you and your students.  It is also a worthwhile tool for anyone is an adult learner and taking online learning courses.  The focus is to keep the reader up to date on the latest technology and instructional tools available.  This blog is important for an educator to read since technology changes at such a rapid pace.  

The only downside I see to this blog is that it does not allow for comments and is strictly an information only blog.  It would benefit if educators and IT personnel could interact with one another.  The site also goes out to other news agencies and sites and places links to stories that also relate to the education technology.  It can be a valuable site to gather multiple sources into one place.

iLearn Technology

http://ilearntechnology.com/

This education technology blog publisher is Kelly Tenkely, who is a former elementary and middle school history teacher.  She is also a former technology integration specialist.  This site devotes itself to giving assistance to educators with integrating technology into their classroom and daily lesson plans.  It receives updates on a regular basis and has articles that vary across various curriculum.  It is also a worthwhile blog since it gives access to lesson plans.  Some of the materials are free and others cost a small fee, but many times it is worth it to have prepared lesson plans that give you detailed access to technology in the classroom.  

The site also allows one to search for multiple articles and/or lesson plans based on various learning theories such as Bloom's taxonomy.  It also allows one to narrow down topic fields by grade levels or subject matters in searching for items.  The site does allow one to post comments and start various discussions with others on articles.  It is difficult to find anything negative to say about this site.  The publisher has a good background in education and technology, and the site design is user friendly and makes it easy to find items.

Always Learning

http://kimcofino.com/blog/

This education technology blog publisher is a teacher by the name of Kimberly Cofino, who is currently in her tenth year of teaching technology in international schools around the world.  It receives updates often and is visually appealing with the use of pictures and videos to go along with the articles.  This site gives the reader a global perspective on education and technology in the classroom and is a good source for learning about the unconventional teaching methods that most teachers use.  The article focus is for teachers using technology in their classrooms.  This site goes beyond the usual articles and gives the reader access to multimedia presentations and video training sessions.  The site also gives links to other teachers and students blogs and projects from around the world that can be used in a conventional or non-conventional classroom setting.

The site does allow for comments on articles, so one can interact with other educators.  It is a worthwhile blog to use since it takes perspective from a teacher who is currently active in a classroom setting and because it has a global perspective.  Educators will find this site useful for technology and non-technology information that they can use in their own classrooms.  The only complaint is the site does not allow for narrowing the search for articles according to specific key words or by grade levels.  It is rather large and would be beneficial to be able to narrow the search down to more specifics.