Synchronous Learning Environments (Week 7)

This week discussion is about synchronous and asynchronous communication. Synchronous learning environments permit the instant communication between the parties. In asynchronous communication you send or post a massage and waits for future answers. There are different benefits of using one of these technologies. I believe the combination of them in learning environments will enhance the educational capacity of the learners and also minimize the limitations both techniques have. I am interested in the different technologies to achieve both communications.  

In Lachlan’s blog you find the following recommendation about synchronous technologies:
“The main one that I have had experience with is Adobe Connect (AC). AC has many provisions built into it including: video, chat (typing), voice, file sharing, desktop sharing, in fact, any type of software sharing and other useful tools too many to list.  

… the beauty of Adobe Connect and other synchronous applications is that even if one party doesn’t have all of the hardware to be able to speak to the other participants, they can still type in their comments in a chat box and be heard.”

(http://lachlan7.edublogs.org/2008/04/01/synchronous-communication-in-practice/)

I once try to use Skype for a presentation. The person receiving the presentation did not have a microphone in their computer and Skype did not allowed the transmission. Apart from this incident it worked perfectly and it is free. I haven’t use Adobe Connect but will be trying to use its trial subscription.

Audio and Video Emerging Technologies (Week 6)

This week in class we where reading about audio (posdcasting) and video (screencasting). Richardson (2006, p. 112) defined podcasting as "the creation and distribution of amateur radio, plain and simple". He defines also screencasting as "capturing what you or your students do on the computer with an audio narration to go with it" (Richardson, 2006, p.122).

Personally, I prefer screencasting because I like to have a picture or idea of what I am hearing when dealing with an educational topic. The different educational scenarios’ where this technology can be used range from simply presenting a specific task in the computer to create laboratory procedures narrations. I am concern with the time consuming and effort it requires from the teachers to develop a project with screencasting. A possible solution to this was mention by professor Toledo in this week discussion. Lets use the student to help teachers in these tasks. I am sure that by preparing the video they will learn the procedures and at the same time for them it is a straightforwardly task.

References:

Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful tools for classrooms. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Online learning environment – Motivation (Week 5)

I came across this very electrify blog where one of the post is about Moodle. First, with a very contagious excitement the author express her believe that while learning this type of environment one should be putting into practice this learning by using it.  

“I’ve been bothering them for a while now since I’m on course #5 and I’ve realized that I should be using what I’m learning in these courses while I’m taking them!”

Hence, Learning new educational technology and it application can be a positive motivator to used it. This is a central theme in one of my KAM’s.

The author also gives her opinion about Moodle and why she thinks is a useful tool.

“ I think Moodle is really cool because it’s open courseware, so it’s free and everyone can get at it and add to it, and it’s really innovative (as a result of being open). Designing your learning environment is really strightforward because it also does NOT require the user to know how to do html coding, which means you can get right to creating your course, rather than creating the environment too.”

Therefore, online tools, such as Moodle, should be also user friendly and easy to set up. This is also a positive motivator. 

The link to this blog is:  http://grail.oise.utoronto.ca/blog/watsonj3/2008/10/04/im-getting-moodle/ 

Blogs and Wikis in Education (Week 4)

This week we read about blogs and wikis in education. A blog or web log is a communication tool that can be used in very different ways. Primary can they can be use for the discussion of a specific topic. The discussion is listed and then the blog followers can post they opinion base on what they just read in the other posts. 

Wikies are virtual sharing spaces. They can be use to share any type of digital information. Collaboration is facilitated through the use of this technology.

I strongly believe in the potential of these technologies in education. However, as any other educational instrument its success is going to be related to the clear educational goal for what it is being used. Garner (2000, p.34) mentions, “Before embracing any new technology, we need to declare our educational goals and demonstrate how a particular technology can help us achieve them.”

Gardner, H. (2000). Can technology exploit our many ways of knowing? 32-35.

Multimedia and CBT/WBT (Week 3)

I found a blog with an article about multimedia. The post included the following section:

"Disadvantage of multimedia

• Health issue

Like one coin, every thing got there two different face. Multimedia provided us lot convenience, also give us some problems like health issue. Because peoples became very hard to live without there computer, ipod, and mobile, these electronic product takes us lot serious problems. Many young people sit in front of computer for long hours, leading to deterioration of eye sight. And some problems like radiation from mobile phone, if some peoples used too long time will fell head ache.

• Social issue

Multimedia provide a virtual world, some peoples addict online games or something else. Let peoples got less contact with others, became autism." (http://guangfuwei.blogspot.com/2008/08/impact-of-multimedia-in-our-lifes.html)

The isolation or lack of human contact that we can get from CBT courses is a concern I have about them. I think they cannot substitute a classroom. Maybe if we can combine the web tools to take courses with other people simultaneously in other to share ideas or discuss topic these tools will be more pertain to individuals. I also worry about how daily human interaction can be affected socially if we become more and more immerse in virtual rooms and remote contacts. In my society, Puerto Rico, human contact is very important and I think this type of education is hard for us.

What do you think in terms of USA society? Maybe to broad. How is your experience in life about this?

Larissa

Learning Theory and Emerging Technologies (Week 2)

This week we explore in Alessi and Trollip (2001) a condense analysis about predominant learning theories in education.  I believe these two writers wanted to make clear that we could use many of these theories principles in the different scenarios of the learning process.  By this assumption through the chapters of their book, they will explore multimedia technologies and their multiple learning applications.  From Walczak’s article about 2020 we were introduce to adventure learning. Alessi and Trollip defined the constructivism view of the learner as and “active creator of knowledge, who learn by observing, manipulating, and interpreting the world around them”(2001, p.17).  This is most of what adventure learning considers in its definition.  I felt than even after Alessi and Trollip (2001) support the consideration of the advantages of each learning theory we are incline more to the constructivism approach when talking about technology in education.

References

Alessi, S.M. & Trollip, S.R. (2001). Multimedia for learning: Methods and development. (Third Edition). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Walczak Diana. (2003). Encompassing Education. 2020 Visions: Transforming Education and Training Through Advanced Technologies, U.S. Department of Commerce.

Future Technologies and Education (W1_Reflection)

Many future technologies were discussed in class during this first week.  I believe we all share a few common ideas about these technologies.  In the year 2020 we expect more flexibility and accessibility to the technology available for the communication and sharing of information. Also, we expect to be able to provide students with tools that let them experience different situation and environments without leaving the classroom.

Am I leaving something out?  What do you think?