Trick or Treat?

Walker’s Instant Messenger Experience

Even though I had casually used the one-on-one IM chat feature prior to this class with acquaintances of mine, using it and its other features as a graded requirement with people I didn’t know (beyond their name on the screen) had me a bit tense. Once I got beyond that I did find that it was easy to use and it did help foster interactions with classmates that were more personable. Engaging people in chats was just a selection and click away. Files and pictures that I sent out were easily accepted by classmates and described perfectly. The difficult part for me was thinking faster than I could type. Especially when comments are flying fast on the screen and you’re trying to respond to the comment before that one but the next two comments are now up. I guess you can tell I’m not a fast typist. Therefore the audio feature, once I got synced, was smoother to use for me. Earlier in the quarter I attempted speaking on my landline phone while engaged in an IM chat with a classmate. I found that difficult and awkward but not impossible to do. I did learn that hitting the “enter” key sends the message through. During one chat I was trying to put spacing in between a group of sentences and winded up chopping through my thought. I will have to continue the IM way of communication post EDUC 8823 to improve and become even more comfortable. Its very 21st century—hip and modern. I never would have imagined having a crystal clear, real time voice conversation through a computer unless I was on the set of Knight Rider. With that said, my overall IM experience has been a treat. Happy Halloween everyone!!!

Week 8 Walker’s Reflective Response

Wireless Technologies

I found it fascinating to learn of the various ways mobile technology is being successfully used with students in colleges and universities across the country. I could almost feel the excitement come through the monitor as I read how the technology was being applied. With all of this good news I could not help but give some thought to the adverse effects and/or unintentional consequences that this type of technology may bring. With respect to the environment, will this disposable technology ever become recyclable? How much unintentional damage are we causing to our health by using these devices? And if we were to get sick and go to the hospital, how much interference would our life saving ventilators and other machines experience due to the fact that more and more doctors are using PDAs?

Week 7 Walker’s Reflective Response

Synchronous Learning Environments

In reflecting back on the readings and sites I visited concerning synchronous environments, I have come to the realization that this platform is as complex as it is costly. In my readings I ran across information on simulteaching and course software. This is where the teachers present face-to-face lessons to students in the classroom while simultaneously presenting to another group of students online. Imagine the many possibilities of using that.

Needless to say, I am a little worn from the project but I’m bouncing back. In producing it, I had a couple irretrievable lost data scares. Why do the technology gods play with you like that on the very day things are due? Prayerfully, I was able to rescue the information and make backup copies. I enjoyed using some the bells and whistles that supported Alessi & Trollip’s (2006) summary of general features that the Power Point program offered. I had planned on using rollovers on a couple of the pictures but I couldn’t figure how to compose it in Flickr and then transfer that into Power Point. I didn’t see any rollover features in Power Point unless I overlooked something. Power Point, by the way was not my first choice as a presentation medium. I intended on using the Audacity software to podcast but I ran into exporting problems. Oh well, its over and it is, what it is.

Resources

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

Robler, M.D. (2006). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Week 6 Walker’s Reflective Response

Chapter 8
Podcasting and Screencasting: Multimedia Publishing for the Masses.

I have been enjoying crusing the techno-waters of programs presented (and some not presented) in this week’s reading. I think I might use “Audacity” to record and share the audio and sound files for my multimedia project. I’m really grateful for the undo feature; it made doing test recordings less frustrating.

I am definitely curious about producing my own screencast-once I get a better handled on podcasting. I read screencasting is a step up from podcasting (Richardson, 2006). I felt the John Udell link in the text on “Heavy Metal Umlauts” summed up the essence of screencasts well. It was like I had a private tutor and I clearly understood what a screencast was when I finished.

Radio Willow Web news performed by the elementary students in Nebraska gave me ideas of how lessons could be presented in my own classroom. It gives the students a nice blanket of security. Believe it or not, some students in my school cannot be photographed because of court issues that are occurring within their family. At registration, some of their parents never sign the release statements. With podcasting these students can still participate because you don’t see their images, you only hear their voice and you can give them pseudo-names for extra protection.

I’m not a rapid reader, therefore some of the features of podcasting are attractive to me:
*Portability (can listen to when walking or driving)
*The power of the voice (the author or teacher’s “explaining voice”, as it was called in the text, can create a clearer understanding in the learner’s mind)
*Stop and Replay buttons (users has unlimited review and repetition at will)

This makes me wonder, will some of Walden’s textbooks one day be converted to podcasts? It would be nice to sit under the hairdryer handsfree as I listen to chapter readings.

It was interesting to learn that podcasts services such as “Ourmedia” will host your work “forever”. No expiration dates. I know I was wondering about that with blogs a couple weeks ago.

ITV did not impress me as much as computer based learning does; although I found a great article (posted in the course’s Discussion 2) that makes great use of integrating the curriculum through ITV. I would however use it as another source for teaching.

Oh yeah, just in case you’re wondering, one of extra things I explored was “Ning” http://www.ning.com/ where one can create their own social network. Its like having (or joining) your own online club. Check it out.

References

Campbell, G. (2005). There’s something in the air: Podcasting in education. Educause Review. Retrieved October 9, 2007, from http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0561.pdf.

Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press.

Skelton, S. (2001). Edutainment. The integration of education and interactive television. IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies. Retrieved October 9, 2007, from http://csdl2.computer.org/comp/proceedings/icalt/2001/1013/00/10130478.pdf.

University of Idaho. (1995). Instructional television: Distance education at a glance. Retrieved October 9, 2007, from http://www.uidaho.edu/eo/dist5.html.

Any LifeLock Members?

Has anyone else seen the LifeLock commercial where the CEO is passing out flyers to get people to sign up for protection against identity thieves while showcasing his own social security number on the fliers and on the side of a truck in a busy city? He also has it posted in the company's website: http://www.lifelock.com/default.aspx?promocode=WEBCOMP&engine=adwords!9824&keyword=&match_type=&gclid=CN-gv-XYjI8CFQhlHgodFVLKTQ The company insures you for up to one million dollars. Even though efforts to prevent hackers and others who illegally obtain and maliciously use sensitive information steadily improve, I'm sit a bit leery about future loopholes or slip ups. What are your thoughts on this?

I have been a victim of identity theft before and in an IM chat I had with Dr. Green, he shared the fact that he had co-written an article regarding security and technology that would put my fears to rest. I do not have a hard copy of the journal but I have attempted to access and read the article electronically and was unsuccessful. If anyone else is interested, below is the cover picture of the September/October magazine entitled Learning and Leading with Technology, vol.35: issue 2, pgs. 18-23.

Response to Lori's wk 5 reflections

Hello, Lori.

This week's readings have been very interesting. As a result, I am having a great time exploring wikis, podcasts, RSSs, and trying to polish my skills using this blogger.

I find it strange that when I log onto my blog, your blog and another person's are on my dashboard. I know I invited you guys to be authors, but so was the rest of the class and no one else can post like you can. This is a mystery. Does my blog appear on your dashboard when you first log in? I also see the document I attached to my blog on your blog. I was just experimenting and did not realize my uploaded document would be placed on your blog. Please forgive me.

Thanks,
Denise

Week 5 Walker’s Reflective Response

Chapter 5 (Richardson, 2006)
I have a clearer understanding of what RSS is and its purpose. The text defined it as “Real Simple Syndication” although I have also seen it defined as “Rich Site Summary” on various web sites. I can see myself using this as my research agent for supplemental information regarding my KAMs and dissertation. I attended a Walden residency where I met a student that was in the midst of his dissertation. Due to his many RSS feeds and other resources, he already has 100+ pages and he only halfway finished. I agree with Richardson (2006), having this information conveniently come to you is wonderful but it means nothing if you don’t know how to recognize and extract the nectar of your thesis without feeling you have to read or included everything from the article.

Chapter 6 (Richardson, 2006)
Glad to get deeper understanding of the other social networking services such as bookmarking and folksonomies. I felt that an attractive feature of Furl was saving quotes and having your sources automatically formatted. Now if that feature could just check the format of the entire paper. No matter how many times I’ve checked my APA manual up against a paper or project, its always something that’s not quite right. I can never win for losing. I need to invest that APA software.

Chapter 9 (Alessi & Trollip, 2001)
This year, amongst other things that have changed, our new principal has decided to randomly check lesson plans. They must be fully written and on top of our desks each morning waiting for her if she happens to stop by. This has added extra pressure on many of the teachers. I’m afraid I’d get cut if I mention to my fellow colleagues what new technology would bring. They would also be required to change their teaching pedagogy and be equipped to know much more. This was the statement made in regards to microworlds (p. 308). I’ve concluded that this is not the year to bring up any technology revelations to them. I’ve been keeping the revelations within my classroom and with my students.

References
Alessi, S.M. & Trollip, S.R. (2001). Multimedia for learning: Methods and development. Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon.

Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press.

EDUC 8813

Funding Proposal

Scanterbury and Ogden

The task of providing education professionals with high quality staff development has become an urgent matter since the passage of the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. While much of what passes for in-service training often consists of one-day sessions with little connection to actual classroom goals, Gordon (2003) contended that research shows that professional development will focus sharply on classroom instruction and content. It will be collaborative, intensive, and sustained, giving participants opportunities to examine and critique their own practice and one another’s. Gordon suggested strategies which may include master teachers mentor novices or student-teachers, organizing collaborative discussions of student work around curricular goals, and using lesson-study groups to share best practices and evaluate classroom instruction.

In order to make effective changes toward the implementation of technology in K-12 schools, Gordon (2003) argued that student-teachers must work closely with master teachers who are proficiently and effectively implementing technology in their classroom instructions. Grove, Strudler, and Odell (2004) discovered in their study that although most K-12 classrooms in which student teachers were placed had available technology, most student teachers did not routinely use technology during their experiences or work with master teachers or supervisors who could guide their use of technological tools. They also revealed that less than half of pre-service (student teachers) had opportunities to apply instructional technology and that cooperating teachers were often unable to advise students on these issues. Adding complexity to the issue of integrating technology in field experiences is the problem of locating technology-using teachers for these placements.

Through the Department of Education, the Institute of Educational Sciences is offering a competitive grant in the amount of $2,000,000 for innovative research on instructional technology. The purpose of the competitive research grants is to educators, parents, policy-makers, and the general public with reliable and valid information about education practices that support learning and improve academic achievement and access to education opportunities for all students. In carrying out its mission, the Institute provides support for programs of research in areas of demonstrated national need.

Therefore, we propose to conduct a study on the outcome of cooperating teachers (i.e., student teachers and master teachers) in the implementation of effective technological uses in instruction, management, and learning within a 5 year span. Not only will the study increase the proficiency and confidence of in-service teachers, it will enable master teachers to become more proficient and confident, as well as increase students to academic technology learning environments.

References

Department of Education: https://www.grants.gov.

Gordon, D. T. (2003). Linking teachers with technology for professional development and support. In David Gordon (ED), Better Teaching and Learning in the Digital Classroom. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Educational Press.

Grove, K., Strudler, N. & Odell, S. (2004). Mentoring Toward Technology Use: Cooperating Teacher Practice in Supporting Student Teachers. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 37, 1. Canada: International Society for Technology in Education.