I am proud to admit that I am a technology geek. If there is a new technology product, website, or tool on the market I love to learn how it works and figure out how to include it in my daily life. As a classroom teacher it is my goal to incorporate as many technology applications as I can effectively. When selecting technology for the classroom it is important to find tools that are appropriate as well as useful for all students. It is important to not expose my students to tools that will require them to pay any fees, while also keep their identity safe on the internet.
Tools that live in a cloud are one of my newest technologies that I try to share with as many people as possible. Cloud computing is an amazingly powerful tool since it is often free - thanks Google, as well as available from any location. Cloud computing meets the requirements of being gender, culturally, and socioeconomically sensitive. There are no fees associated with cloud computing, as long as a person has access to a computer their cloud is at their fingertips.
For my final project in EDUC 8841 I created a video on how to utilize the power of the cloud.
I have not been a subscriber to satellite TV or cable for over five years. I made the choice years ago to get rid of cable for financial reasons, and have not regretted my decision yet! The only downside to not having television programming is that I cannot always keep up when people are talking about television commercials, or the latest reality TV show. But, I have even found a solution to this.
Just because I choose not to have cable, does not mean that I don't watch my fair share to TV. I am an avid supporter of Netflix. I have an extensive list of DVDs in my queue, over 100, and have streamed my fair share in a week. I was a member of Netflix before I officially decided to give up cable, and it was one of the supporting reasons why I thought I could survive without cable. As Netflix has enhanced its streaming options, I too have streamed more programs. When it was time for me to find one of the required movie for the module 4, I quickly turned to Netflix. One thought that went through my head was, "what if Netflix doesn't have one of the movie on the list? Where am I going to turn?" Thankfully Netflix didn't let me down.
So are DVD and streaming video the next Red Queen, or are they an example of increasing returns? Dr. Thornburg defined an increasing return as "two technologies that hit the market at the same time. By chance, one technology gets locked in and drives the other to extinction" (Laureate Education, 2009). By this definition, the two technologies would need to hit the market at the same time. DVDs became popular in the mid to late 1990s. Streaming video emerged ten years later. Due to the fact that they did not enter the market at the same time they are not an example of an increasing return.
Dr. Thornburg defined a Red Queen as "huge competition existing between two technologies, in the process all other competition is left behind" (Laureate Education, 2009). By this definition streaming video would need to be clearly competing with one source for DVDs. At this point in time Netflix is the leader in streaming video, but there are several other sources. iTunes is one place that you can acquire digital versions of media. Also, at this point in time there is not one source for DVDs. People are still choosing between renting them through several different companies, or to purchase them.
From my vantage point it seems that at this point in time in regards to McLuhan's tetrad, streaming video is making DVDs obsolete. Within the next five years I would predict that very few people are still watching the video entertainment on DVD, and are turning to the streaming option.
Here is my final project for my most recent course, Diffusion and Integration of Technology on cloud computing. The project required us to create a presentation to convince the board to integrate any technology that we wanted into their daily business.
Teaching in a state where laptops are in the hands of all 7th and 8th grade students results in a variety of technology comfort with the teachers. Since the integration of the Maine Learning Technology Initiative many models of technology education have been used to create teachers who are comfortable with regular technology integration in their classrooms.
The model of technology education that I have found the most beneficial with teachers follows Keller's ARCS model. Although I did not know about the ARCS model when implementing it, upon reflection it fits. In the early 80's John Keller developed a four step model to increase motivation.
A - attention
R - relevance
C - confidence
S - satisfaction
The successful technology education model that I have found with teachers starts with a small group of teachers who want to improve their technoloogy integration. I then sit around with them in an informal and comfortable setting and ask them what types of technology they would like to learn more about. This is the attention stage.
Once we have decided on a few topics that they want to learn more about I start be doing a simple introduction to the topic. During this initial introductions I try to relate how the technology can be used in both their classroom as well as their personal life. Through this connection to both aspects of their lives I am showing the relevance stage. This shows the teacher that the technology can not only enhance their classroom but also their own life. By getting the teachers comfortable with technology outside of the classroom, I have found that they are more comfortable with integrating it into their own classroom.
Once they know a few basics about the technology skill we then brainstorm was that it can be used both in their classroom and their personal life. Once we have brainstormed a few each teacher, or small group picks a project that they want to work on. They then have several work sessions where I help them develop their ideas into a tool that they can use either in their classroom or in their personal life. through this process they are working on the third step, confidence. Once they know that they can successfully work the technology in our sessions they are ready to apply it either in their classroom or personal life.
The final stage, satisfaction through further meetings. I try to check back in with the teacher in a few days or weeks to see how the integration of their new technology skills has gone. At this point it is expected that they are trying the technology independently. At this point I can answer further questions if necessary.
Through this model, inadvertently designed after Keller's ARCS motivational model I have fond that teachers get more comfortable with new technology skills. They go from Tech NO, to Tech YES teachers!
Cool Cat Teacher Vicki Davis just posted the most insightful list of twelve healthy online habits. If you are a fellow Walden student you might recognize Vicki from a few mentions in weekly vodcasts from EDUC 8847: Instructional Design & Multimedia.
Here are her 12 tips:
1) Share
2) Respond
3) Comment
4) Link Generously
5) Read (or Listen) Prolifically
6) Distribute Yourself
7) Beware of Flattery
8) Live Life Online AND Off-Line
9) Latch Key Your Legacy
10) Laugh (a lot)
11) Take Every Presentation Seriously
12) Expect Criticism
Please click through and read her detailed explanation for each of these twelve tips!
In 1985 Madonna was right in her song Material Girl, it was a material world. If she were to release that song today the lyrics would be that we are "living in a digital world". To be an active learner in the digital age you learn through a variety of channels. In the new learning learning theory called connectivism, networks and connections are critical to learners ability to learn. Wikiversity defines connectivism as "a learning theory advocated by George Siemens and Stephen Downes, among others, which emphasizes the importance and role of networks and connections between people (and things?) as prominent (central) to the learning process". Below is a mind map some of the many of the networks that I learn through. (You can click on the image to view it larger)
There are a plethora of digital tools available for learning, and I try to utilize as many of them as I can. The number one digital tool in my 21st century toolbox is my MacBook Pro. Without my laptop I would not be able to connect as easily to many of my other digital tools. I have been reading and writing blogs for several years now. I write two blogs, one professional (this one), as well as a personal blog. I also read over 50 blogs, many of which are technology or education related. Another digital tool that I utilize for learning is magazine websites. Edutopia is one magazine website that allows you to connect with the material on more interactive level. Through the groups, blogs, videos, and community section I haven't found an educational topic not covered. The countless peer reviewed journal articles also add depth to my digital learning network.
My digital network has only enhanced the ways that I can learn. The instant discoveries of new information only a fingertip way allows for constant learning. I am almost always on my computer looking and reading about any given variety of topics.
When there is a new topic that I want to learn about I always start with Google. If I am looking for more academic focused results and Google doesn't give me the answers that I want I then check Google Scholar. If I am looking for less academic results then Wikipedia, an online public editing encyclopedia, YouTube, a collection of public submitted videos, or Google Reader, a blog search engine can be helpful. My newest discovery for answering burning questions is Wikiversity, which like Wikipedia allows users to collectively edit encyclopedia entries, but all of the topics are focused on education.
This is how I am "living in a digital world", how do you live?
I created this mind web using Webspiration, an online mind mapping software, as an assignment for my Multimedia course. Webspiration is a web based version of Inspiration. It was a very user friendly tool, where your final product can be exported into several formats including Google Docs.
