Technologies Blog Highlights

Technologies Blog Highlights

Over the last eight weeks, I have had the privilege of reading a variety of my colleagues’ blogs on emerging technologies.  Each week the class investigated new technologies to improve the practice of teaching and learning. This week the task is to review all the posts and highlight technologies discovered by classmates. The technologies I chose to highlight are Monitoring Technology Misuse & Abuse and I-Safe.

URL: http://digitalcitizenship.net/uploads/T.H.E.JournalArticle.pdf

Carolyn stated that Monitoring Technology Misuse & Abuse is a five step plan for creating a digital citizenship program in schools. It helps administrators and teachers decide if their school’s technology is being properly used, misused, or abused (Ribble & Bailey, 2004).  I chose this technology because it is very important that learners know how to properly use the school’s technology and does not misuse it. She also brought about a very strong point that “It is time to focus equally on the effective use of technology as well as the appropriate use of technology. We cannot afford one without the other if we expect to produce productive citizens in the 21st century” (2004). I would use the five step plan in my Career Exploration class as a discussion board assignment.  This will cause the students to explore Monitoring Technology Misuse & Abuse and learn how to appropriately use the technology as a digital citizen.  Also, I would have the class to present a five minute PowerPoint presentation on the five step plan of Monitoring Technology Misuse & Abuse on addressing cyber-bullying.

URL: http://www.isafe.org

Uchenna stated that I-Safe was created in 1998, and provides digital citizenship education to adults on how to use Information Communication and Technology (ICT) without abusing it. The endless list of misuse and abuse includes hacking into school servers, using e-mail to intimidate or threaten students, illegally downloading music, and plagiarizing information from the Internet, using cellular phones during class time, accessing pornographic Web sites, and playing video games during class” (Bailey and Ribble, 2004). I chose this technology because it helps educators implement internet safety policies to address the unethical act of plagiarizing information from the Internet.  Plagiarism is a serious problem in today’s educational environment, especially in the online classroom (Jocoy, 2006).  I would incorporate I-Safe in my Career Exploration class by assigning it as a learning group exploration project.  The students would be required to explore the emerging technology of I-Safe and create a significant learning experience for learners and meet an 80% proficiency level on the learning experience checklist. Also, I would post a video of the benefits and how to use I-Safe. This should help build and improve the students’ technology and online communication skills.

References

Jocoy, C. (2006). Plagiarism by adult learners online: A case study in detection and remediation. Retrieved from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/artcle/plagiarism/242/466

Ribble, M. & Bailey, G. (2004). Monitoring Technology Misuse & Abuse. The Journal Online.
Retrieved from http://digitalcitizenship.net/uploads/T.H.E.JournalArticle.pdf

 

Educational Technology Blog: Digital Citizenship

Educational Technologies Blog: Digital Citizenship

URL:  http://www.ikeepsafe.org/educators/

The iKeepSafe Digital Citizenship C3 Matrix  is a technology tool to assist educators in integrating the essentials of cyber-safety, cyber-security, and cyber-ethics (C3 concepts) into existing technology and literacy standards and curricula (Kisor, 2012).  The reason I chose this technology is because it’s a great tool to teach students how to safely and ethically use digital devices in the classroom and communities.  As educators, we must provide guidance for students to navigate through the intricacies of new media and cyber-safety successfully. Many students have to be taught ethical norms in this digital learning environment (Ribble, n.d.).  I would incorporate iKeepSafe Digital Citizenship C3 Matrix in to my Career Exploration class by having the students to do a Digital Citizenship assignment work sheet.  The students would have to score an 80% level of proficiency on the assignment.  Also, I would have the students to perform an ethical literacy exercise using the technology. All students must demonstrate an 80% proficiency level on the exercise check list.  This would teach learners the appropriate norms and behavior to use online.

 

URL: http://www.google.com/educators/digitalliteracy.html

Google Digital Literacy Tour

 

“Digital Literacy Tour workshops are interactive discussions helping students learn, through hands-on scenario activities, how to steer clear of cyber tricks and be responsible digital citizens. Each workshop contains a resource booklet for both educators and students that can be downloaded in PDF form, presentations to accompany the lesson and animated videos to help frame the conversation” (Wallace, 2012).  It is of high importance that learners know how to be responsible digital citizens within today’s cyber world (Ribble, n.d).  The reason I chose this technology tool is because it provide engaging scenario activities to help teach students how to function responsibly on the internet and online learning environments. I would incorporate Digital Literacy Tour into my Career Exploration class by assigning scenario discussions for week six on playing and staying safe online workshops.  Students will have to interact by posting at least three times on discussion board about what they learned in the workshops/ scenario activities. Secondly, I would have the students create a 5 to 7 minute PowerPoint presentations on Digital Literacy Tour workshops with an 80% proficiency level on the presentation check list.  This would alert students of their responsibilities as digital citizens and help improve their critical thinking and communication skills.

 

References

Kisor, A. (2012). Generation Safe for Educators. Ikeepsafe. Retrieved on October 17, 2012, from http://www.ikeepsafe.org/educators/

Ribble, M. (n.d.). Nine elements: Nine themes of digital citizenship. Retrieved May 30, 2012, from http://www.digitalcitizenship.net/Nine_Elements.html.

Wallace, I. (2012). Digital Literacy Tour. Googles. Retrieved on October 17, 2012, from http://www.google.com/educators/digitalliteracy.html.

 

Open and Distance Education Technologies

Open and Distance Education Technologies

URL:  http://www.washington.edu/lst/help/planning/dl_video

Video Conferencing

      “Video conferencing is a communication technology that integrates video and audio to connect users anywhere in the world as if they were in the same room. It is a great tool for distance learning educators to communication with their students” (University of Washington Technology Staff, 2011). Each user or learner who is participating in a video conference typically must have a computer with a webcam and speakers. Another requirement is a connection to the Internet. Video conferencing allows educators and learners to see and hear each other in real time.  It provides the face-to-face conversations and visual elements that are normally lacking during online courses. Students can interact with the educator and their classmates as well.  I chose this technology for distance learning because it afforded the opportunity to view the learners’ facial expressions while presenting the material. I would incorporate video conferencing into my Career Exploration online course by offering a beginning of the week question and answer session each Monday from 6-7 p.m. (CST).  This would add a face-to-face setting to the online learning environment.  Learners will be able to ask questions about the upcoming week assignments. This video conferencing would not be a required attendance but strictly voluntary.  The goal of the session is to offer additional assistance to address learners’ questions and concerns about course material and assignments.  Also, I would incorporate video conferencing into the class by assigning all learning groups the task of coordinating and creating a video conference for the collaborative learning group course project.  This would allow students to build and improve their technology, communication, and time management skills.

 

URL: http://www.dacast.com/audio-video-streaming.html

Dacast

Audio and Video Streaming Services

      “DaCast is an all-in-one video streaming service with full support for audio needs. It offers a complete package for live, playlist and video with full utility to begin streaming quickly and produce professional quality from using high performance servers while having access to built-in monetization features” (Iran, 2012). It is a great tool for educators in a distance learning environment.  The reason I chose this technology is because it afford educators the opportunity to provide students value information in the form of entertainment.  Video Streaming has a rating of 90% favorable with adult learners in online courses (Scott, 2012).  It’s like watching TV or a short movie.  The features of the sound, color, and movement help capture the students’ attention during the learning process.  I would incorporate this technology into my Career Exploration online class by assigning videos to introduce each lesson.  The students would have the capability to stop, replay, or pause whenever needed to gather the information.  Also, I would incorporate DaCast by presenting videos demonstrating how to do course projects.  This would help the auditory and visual learners gather a deeper understanding of the assignments and objectives.

 

References

Iran, S. (2012). Audio and Video Streaming Services. DaCast. Retrieved October 10, 2012, from http://www.dacast.com/audio-video-streaming.html

Scott, R. (2012). Video Conferencing and Streaming for Distance Education. Slideshare. Retrieved October 10, 2012, from http://www.slideshare.net/Videoguy/video-conferencing-and-streaming-for-distance-learning

University of Washington Technology Staff. (2011). Produce a Video for Distance Learners. Washington Learning and Scholarly Technologies. Retrived October 10, 2012, from http://www.washington.edu/lst/help/planning/dl_video

Educational Technologies Blog: Games, Simulations, and Virtual Environments

Games, Simulations, and Virtual Environments

URL:  http://costoflife.ning.com/

Ayiti: The Cost of Life

      Ayiti: The Cost of Life was “funded by the Microsoft Corporations US Partners in Learning and designed in collaboration between Global Kids Playing 4 Keeps program’s youth leaders at South Shore High School in Brooklyn, NY and the game design company GameLab”(Cobb, 2008).  The simulation game is centered on helping the Guinard family made challenging decisions about work, education, community building, personal purchases, and health care. The system requirement to access the simulation game is internet browser with flash player 8 or greater. I chose the technology of Ayiti: The Cost of Life because it is a great tool to teach learners how to set and operate a house hold budget. During this game students have to decide what items to purchase based on needs verses wants. I would incorporate this technology into my Career Exploration class by assigning it as a financial -budget project assignment.  The students would have to play the game and help the parents and children made tough financial decisions to maintain their budget while making ends meet and score an 80% proficiency level.  This process would help the students learn how to survive in the real world on their own concerning day to day living.  The stimulation game would teach the students how to manage their income when entering the workforce and community.

URL:   https://pubsplus.illinois.edu/RW-03-CD.html

Welcome to the Real World

      Welcome to the Real World is a “simulation where young adults are living independently and having to manage their salaries. Using a checking account, debit card, deposit slips, and check register, they make spending choices and cope with the unexpected using a “deck of chances “(Ross, 2012).  Welcome to the Real World was developed by the University of Illinois.  I selected this technology because it’s a wonderful tool to help students learn how to properly handle and manage money in the real world.  “Games aren’t just open environments; they are carefully crafted learning experiences” (Squire, 2011). The simulations consist of having the players make purchases with different types of funding.  I would incorporate this technology into my Career Exploration class by forming learning groups to list and make a transaction using a check, debit card, and cash.  Also, I would ask each learning group to submit a balanced check register after making all purchases and have an 80% proficiency level.  This will provide the students hands-on experience in managing money in the form of checks, debit cards, and cash.  Banks make thousands of dollars in NSF (insufficient funds) fees each year.  It is highly important that adult learners, parents, and employees know how to properly balance and manage a checking and saving account to function in today’s society.

References:

Cobb, J. (2008, April 18). Mission to learn: 26 learning games to change the world [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://www.missiontolearn.com/2008/04/learning-games-for-change/.

Ross, S. (2012). Welcome to the Real World. PUBS PLUS University of Illinois. Retrieved October 3, 2012 from https://pubsplus.illinois.edu/RW-03-CD.html.

Squire, K. (2011). Video games and learning: Teaching and participatory culture in the digital age. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Mobile Learni…

 Mobile Learning Technologies

URL:  http://www.dell.com

      Laptops are mobile personal computers used by learners.  A Laptop has most of the same components as a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device such as a touchpad, and speakers.  They are usually smaller than a briefcase and easy to transport from one learning environment to another.   A laptop is normally five pounds in weight and three inches in thickness. “Among the best-known makers of laptop computers are IBM, Apple, Compaq, Dell, and Tosiba” (Levine, 2002). I chose this mobile learning technology because it is a great to foster distance learning.  Dell Laptop and the internet have afforded many adult learners the opportunity to earn a degree online.  Learners are able to logon anywhere and anytime to attend online classes by way of laptops (Nilson, 2008).  This mobile technology tool has helped transform the educational platform. I would incorporate Dell Laptops into my Career Exploration classroom by having students create and email their resumes for grading.  In the 21th Century email is form of communication highly used in the classroom and workforce (Nilson, 2008). This will help the students learn how to use emerging technology to communication to future employers.  Also, I would allow student to use laptops to perform online job searches during class.

URL:  http://www.apple.com/ipod/

       IPod is a mobile media player. It is a pocket size device used to store media, contains 160GB of storage. Storage capacity varies by model, ranging from 2 GB for the iPod shuffle to 160 GB for the iPod classic. I selected this mobile technology device because it’s a great tool to help learners understand instructions. If you have students that struggle with reading, why not record passages and let them listen to the audio while they read.  Some students understand instructions better when they are verbal (Caskeyd, 2010). I would incorporate iPod into my classroom by recording instructions and read along audio for course projects. This process will help auditory learners that have difficulties following directions and understanding reading material. Also, iPod could be used to help learners with their public speaking skills.  By assigning the students the task of recording a five minutes speech on the history and future outlook of a company they would like to work for.

References:

Caskeyd, S. (2010). Classroom instruction that works. Retrieve September 24, 2012 from http://marzano.wetpaint.com/page/Using+iPods+in+the+Classroom

Levine, L. (2002). Using technology to enhance the classroom environment.  Retrieved from http://thejournal.com/articles/2002/01/01/using-technology-to-enhance-the-classroom-environment.aspx

Nilson, L. (2008). Enhancing Learning with Laptops in the Classroom: New Directions for Teaching and Teaching and Learning, No.  101.  Jossey-Bass.

 

Social Networking Technologies

Educational Technologies Blog:  Social Networking Technologies

URL:     http://www.sophia.org/

Sophia is a social network with an educational platform.  “It is a place for anyone to share what they know.  Whether an educator, tutor, professor, parent or subject expert, SOPHIA makes it easy to share your knowledge and make it available to anyone, anywhere, at anytime” (Stein, 2011). It houses lots of great features to support learning in the following area: English, Science, Math, Fine Art, Humanities, World Languages, and Applied Sciences (Stein, 2011).  Anyone can create a free account at www.sophia.org and get free lesson plans, private group creations, and online tutoring.  As an educator, I would select this technology because it’s a great tool to assigning tutorials as homework to enhance daily lectures which would leave more classroom time for collaborative discussions.  I would incorporate SOPHIA into my Career Exploration classroom by assigning online tutorial writing assignments.  The English tutorial application would help develop the learners’ writing skills to create a well written cover, application, and acceptance letter. What’s also neat about the tutorial is that the learners are able to have online discussions with others concerning the answers and content subject. 

URL:     http://diipo.net/about/

Diipo.com is a social network technology that connects teachers and students by way of web applications.  Educators and learners are able to connect to other classes globally.  Diipo.com has a user interface similar to Facebook and Twitter that helps students stay connected and engaged (Danner, 2011). Some of it key features are as follows: classrooms, direct messaging, student projects, education microblogging, student blogs, and educator community.   I selected this technology because of the student project feature which allows learners to keep and share notebooks.  Learners are better able to keep track of information they learn by writing it in a notebook. “Student Projects is an online project notebook tool for students working together to share the information they collect with their peers” (Danner, 2011, p.2).  I would incorporate Diipo.com into my Career Exploration class by assigning a project grade for online notebooks.  This will help strengthen the learners’ writing and comprehension skills.  Plus, help educators implement technology into the classroom.  Another, way I could used the technology in my classroom is as an end of the class reflection post.  I would schedule a daily reflection notebooks post during the last 7 to 10 minutes of each class.  This would reveal if the students understood the lesson and what areas students need help in. 

 

References:

Danner, C. (2011). Free Social Networking Platform for Educators: Diipo. Technology Bits Bytes and Nibbles. Retrieved September 18, 2012, from http://diipo.net/about/  .

Stein, R. (2011). Sophia.org-The Social Network Based on Education and Learning. Sophia. Retrieved September 18, 2012, from http://blog.sophia.org/sophia-org-the-social-network-based-on-education-and-learning/.

 

Application and Multimedia Resources to Enhance Adult Education

 Application and Multimedia Resources to Enhance Adult Education

http://www.screencast.com

Screencast.com is Tech Smith’s media hosting solution.  Screencasting involves “capturing what you or your students do on the computer with an audio narration to go with it” (Richardson, 2010, p. 123).Screencasting offers many benefits such as video and imaging to address auditory and visual learners. It can be purchase at screencast.com – for the small fee of $9.95 a month.  If learners are unable to afford 9.95 they can use Jing.  Jing is a free screencast one can download and use. I selected screencasting because it will help me demonstrate to students how to properly do job searches on the internet.  I can capture the actual act of performing a job or career search. I would incorporate screencast.com into my future career exploration classroom through biweekly learning group project assignments.  The assignment would help the students learn to collaborate and strengthen their technology skills.  One assignment would be to watch a screencast posted on the internet and then preform a job search and print down two jobs posting that relate to their career field. The second assignment would be to create and post a comment to share their ideas and thoughts on the content with others. This will help the students learn how to use technology to efficiently communicate with others.

http://videopublishing.com

Videopublishing records video right from your computer (ICam) onto a server.  It can be considered as digital storytelling in its most complex form (Richardson, 2010). One can retrieve a free trail at videopublishing.com. The platform includes live and on-demand video streaming, video encoding, syndication, analytics and workflow; audio delivery; photo management and content management services (videopublishing.com). I selected this technology because it can help students build and strengthen their verbal, written, and technology communication skills.  I would incorporate it into my career exploration classroom by assigning each pair team to create a personal advertisement commercial.  The assignment would require each pair-team to write and produce a video about why they are the best candidate for the job.  This would cause the students to use and develop critical thinking skills, writing skills, and technology skills.  The second assignment I would use to incorporate videopulishing would be to create and upload a talent video.  This assignment would be fun and entertaining to the learners while enhancing their technology skills and increasing their self-esteem.

References

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

The End-to-End Solution for Publishing Video, Audio and Images Online. (2012). Retrieve September 12, 2012 from http://videopublishing.com/

TechSmith.(n.d.).Give your high-quality videos, images, and documents the perfect online home. Retrieve September 12, 2012 from http://www.screencast.com/

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Welcome to WordPress.com! This is my very first post. This blog is intended to discuss the emerging technologies in the classroom. I look forward to having a vibrant discussion with you.

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