Current Trends in Educational Technology

A current technology that has emerged in the last few years is blogging. Blogging can be a formative innovation that can shape learning and productivity in the proprietary school industry. Blogging can be exciting and can include images, photos, links, video, audio, or simply text. The students seem to enjoy blogging. Blog posting is a good way for students to improve their grammar, reading, writing and critical thinking skills. Students can collaborate with other students as well share ideas, opinions and valuable/significant information about their course of study.

Problem and challenges associated with this technology is (1) some teachers and administrators associate blogging with social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. (2) some schools have not upgraded to Web 2.0, which enhances blogging capabilities. Web 2.0 offers a faster and more reliable access to the Internet and the World Wide Web.

The societal need that blogging meets and the benefits, are supported by research done by Farmer, B., Yue, A., & Brooks, C. in 2008. Farmer et al., (2008) did a case study of the development and use of a blogging resource in a large-cohort first year arts subject at the University of Melbourne. Evaluation is ongoing, but initial results offer support for the potential of blogging as an enabling learning tool in higher education. The dynamic capacity of blogging as a communicative channel for both individual self expression and social connectivity has fuelled increasing interest in blogging as an educational resource (Williams & Jacobs, 2004; Burgess, 2006).

What would make this technology even better, plus avoiding the pitfalls I identified? Professional development workshops for teachers and administers which elaborates on the viewpoint of the proponents of educational social networking tools. Proponents of educational blogging proclaim it as an effective tool for user centered, participatory learning; arguing that it contributes vitally “to a reconceptualization of students as critical, collaborative, and creative participants in the social construction of knowledge” (Burgess, 2006, p. 105). Drawing on the social constructivist educational theories of Vygotski, Ferdig and Trammell (2004) usefully explicate the four central pedagogic benefits of blogging for students:

·Assisting students to become subject matter experts through a process of regular scouring, filtering and posting.

·Increasing student interest and ownership in learning.

·Giving students legitimate chances to participate and enculturating them into a community of practice.

·Providing opportunities for diverse perspectives (Farmer, et al., 2008).

Another component that would make this technology even better, would be to interface blogging with a networking system that has Web 2.0 installed on it server.

Benefits of Blogging - The Reading Workshop

http://www.thereadingworkshop.com/.../benefits-of-blogging.html

Farmer, B., Yue, A., & Brooks, C. (2008). Using blogging for higher order learning in large cohort university teaching: A case study. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 24(2), 123-136. Retrieved Sept. 19, 2010
http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet24/farmer.pdf

Thornburg, D. D. (2009a). Current trends in educational technology. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.

KELLER'S ARCS--MOTIVATING LINCOLN TECHNICAL INSTITUTE TEACHERS

At Lincoln Technical Institute we have many computer labs. One of the things I have notice is that our Medical Assistance teachers have low self-efficacy in experimenting with new technology. One of the areas that come to mind when I think of our MA teachers is that they spend a lot of time in creating their own hard copy quizzes, test, and exams. So I asked a couple of the teachers why are they not utilizing the computerized test bank that comes with their textbooks instructional software.

So, I proceeding to ask a couple of the MA teachers why do they make up their own test when they have access to computerized test banks that comes along with their textbook. One teacher told me that they enjoy making up their own test questions, and they could create A, B, C tests to insure that their students were not cheating. Another teacher said they felt it would take too much time to learn how to use the computerized test bank, and they did not always have access to the computer lab. Another teacher said they wanted to make sure the objectives they taught were cover in the test. Another reason the MA teacher told me was that they really were not computer savvy. So, I asked the teachers when you write your objectives are goals on the board, do the objectives and goals matches the chapters in the textbook. The recurring answer, I receive was of course. So, I tried to explain to them that with the instructional CD give a test bank and it was not hard to learn how to develop test :

1. That met the objectives and goals that they were teaching.
2. They could also create A, B, C tests if they wanted to.
3. They could also list the goals and objectives on the test, which would enable them to access whether the students mastered the goals or objective.
4. They could also set security to the test, by assigning a password for each test.
5. They could also time the test.
6. Allow the students two times to answer a question and if the answer is incorrect a confirmation box was appear on the screen that the answer was incorrect and give the student another opportunity to answer the multiple choice question.
7. At the completion of the quiz, test, exam, the students test is graded and the student get immediate feedback and a grade. The students do not have to wait for the teacher to grade the test.
8. In regards to the computer lab availability, they could at least utilize the mega labs (which have over 35 computers in three sections for testing for their midterm and final exam, so at the end of these major exam students would receive immediate feedback.
9. They could build their own tests using the computerized test bank, whether it was a multiple choice, true/false, short answer, essay or a combination test. Even with the many advantages I pointed out to the teachers I still was met with resistance or disappointing results.

So I started thinking about Keller’s ARCH. How could I use the Model of Motivation, Performance, and Instructional Influence? Then it occurred to me that I needed a strategy to stimulate motivation in using the test bank. So I invited these teachers to sit in my class while I was administering a computerized test. Using ARCS, after seeing the students’ response to taking a computerized test and reviewing their test scores, by receiving immediate feedback, I got their ATTENTION. To demonstrate the RELEVANCE of computerize testing I ask to the teacher to spend one hour after school where I show them how to incorporate goals and objective they wanted to students to meet. I builded their CONFIDENCE by helping them do a step by step development of a multiple choice test within 15 minutes. What would ready neat, I show them how they could incorporate their own test questions into the test bank. Then I allow them to take the test they develop and note how the goals or objective on the answer sheet was available to them. This generated excitement and SATIFICATION because they could feel and see what their students would experience after taking a computerized test.

Check out this video, because teachers' need to understand the importance of motivating students and integrating technology into the classroom.

Motivating Teachers

Reference:

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.

Connectivism

Click on MindMap for Larger View

My network have changed the way I learn through enabling me to network with individuals who have more knowledge than I do on a particular topic or subject. I now rely on connected specialization and knowledge of others, through direct and indirect collaboration. I am able to reflect on other ideas and opinions. My network also function as a support community of faculty members who I work with and fellow Walden students I interface with on a regular bases. bases. Siemens (2006) states we forage for knowledge--we keep looking until we find people, tools, content, and processes that assist us in solving problems (p. 33). The communities I work with not only afford me the opportunities to learn from others, but to share my knowledge with others in a significant way.

With the use of technology, I find the Internet best facilitate learning for me. I am now able to blog and respond to fellow blogger. I also use the Internet for research and locating information on various subject and issues. When I have work related inquiry-based questions, I communicate through e-mail or sometimes twittering. When these questions are school related, I can e-mail or meet with the orange group in the chat room.

Siemens, G. (2006). Knowing knowledge. Retrieved from http://www.lulu.com/

“Howard Rheingold: Way-New Collaboration"

Rheingold discussed the ways people use participatory media and collective activities to collaborate. Rheingold talked about the collaboration of various group throughout times. He also talked about the prisoner dilemma and how each individual did not want to compromise based or his/her perspective of being cheated even though they did not know each other. The social dilemma educators are faced with today is closing the great digital divide and therefore enhancing the learning for all our students. Rheingold also discuss the new emergent of technology and it uses in the new era as a learning tool. The global implication of the use of computer will be the catalyst to linking educators/ students with other educators/students all over the globe.

Getting back to Rheingold, the prisoner dilemma also exists amongst educators. Susana Juniu article on Digital Democracy in Higher Education: Bridging the Digital Divide, she discussed the perspective of using technology in the classroom by three different groups of educators. In her discussion she identified three groups. One group felt that technology alone would not enhance or change education. For this group, "technical information is not true wisdom" (Mitcham 1990). They believe that hardware alone would not enhance students learning. For them, incorporating instructional changes, fostering students' critical thinking skills, and possessing strong constructivist pedagogies must always be a prerequisites for the use of computer technology in instruction. For this group, in short, questions of pedagogy must always precede questions of technological integration.

Another group of educators believes that computers can engage and motivate students to learn more, and thus it advocates the use of technology within the classroom. For this group, pedagogical principles are not necessarily irrelevant, but they are less sharply defined at the outset such that the educators in this group are more willing to modify their teaching strategies with different tools in different circumstances. This group of faculty users corresponds to Milliron and Miles's notion of the "reasoned center" (2000).

A third group views technology as the key answer to the problems in education and an indispensable means of school transformation and reform. These "techno-promoters" usually believe that students learn faster, better, and more extensively with computers (Cuban 2001).

From a constructivist perspective, technology such as the Internet and World Wide Web would facilitate instructional goals, conditions of learning, and method of instruction. Reasoning and critical thinking could be facilitated through microworlds, problem-based learning. And cognitive flexibility (which produces multiple perspectives and multiple modes of learning) could be facilitated through utilizing hypermedia (Driscoll, 2005, p. 402).

What would be the paid off if educators participated in collaboration and a collective educational community using technology as a catalyst to improve learning across our nation.

References:

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/howard_rheingold_on_collaboration.html

Cuban, L. (2001). Oversold and underused computers in the classroom. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.

Juniu, S. (2005). Digital democracy in higher education: Bridging the digital divide. Published in Innovate, http://www.innovateonline.info/

Mitcham, C. (1990). Three ways of being with technology. In From artifact to habitat: Studies in the critical engagement of technology, ed. G. Ormiston, 31-59. Bethlehem, PA: Lehigh University Press.

Milliron, D. & Miles, C. L. (2000). Education in a digital democracy. EDUCAUSE Review November-December): 50-62.

VIDEOS ON BEHAVIORISM VERSUS COGNITIVISM

I was looking for more information about behaviorism and cognitivism and found two videos I would like to share with you.

1. YouTube - behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism part1
Related Videos. behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism part2. Added to. Quicklist1:35 · behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism part2. 389 views ...www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgcNFR-9vj0&feature=related

2. YouTube - behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism part2
Related Videos. behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism part1. Added to. Quicklist1:49 · behaviorism, cognitivism andconstructivism part1. 409 views ...www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cQjtaiI-b0&feature=fvw

Learning theory and Cognitivism

In reading the blogs discussion of Bill Kerr, Stephen Downes, and Karl Kapp it was apparent the these individual had different views on role of behaviorism and, cognitivism. As they when back and forth, I started thinking about the learning theory I supported, I realized in a sense, I support both behaviorism and cognitivism.

I am quite sure throughout by career, I have use both learning theories in developing instructional materials, strategies and techniques in teaching my students. The behaviorist position that learning is observable and the environment shapes behavior, and the principles of contiguity and reinforcement are essential in explaining the learning process. I have used reinforcement when teaching, by rewarding my students when they do well whether it was through high grades or stickers on test results that were over 75%.

I understood Kerr's statement about how he feel about the isms. From my experience, I too feel there are to many isms associated with students' learning. However, what are we to think about how our students learn. Should we accept the behaviorist position that students learning comes from stimuli in environment and that learning is reinforce by positive reward/reinforcement and take a cognitivist's position that states students learning is similar to how a computer work. The cognitivist believe from reading the Kerr, Drownes, and Kapp blogs that learning occurs internally.

In my field we are responsible for teaching our students soft skills as well as hard skills. No matter what subject I am teaching I focus on helping my students develop affective skills through the use of rewarding the appropriate behavior, and effective skill though using a cognitive approach. I adhere to the principle that students learn through input, processing, and output. I believe the input comes for visual or audio perspective and the processing is when the students either use prior knowledge, experience, reconstruction or organization of the data in such a way that they come up with the desire output. The is preagated definitely on my instructional design for the particular lesson. Since I have been teaching computer concepts for so many years I disagree with Kerr's statement that "the mind is not like a computer, at least, not like most any computer we've build, and depicting the mind as analagous to (and governed by the rules governing) symbol system processors is to misrepresent it in a fundamental way" (Kerr 2007).

I have seem over the years how students process information and have notice they take in input from either the broad, the textbooks, and lectures and reorganize the informaiton in order to render a response in the form of output.

I also agree with with Kerr's when he said that “learning” is not one thing…it is a multi-layered word that tends to get treated as if it were just one thing…and it’s not. It is multi-facetted and that is why developing new models for “learning” is so difficult…there are too many levels for one school of thought or one model to do it all (Kerr 2007).

Link to a video on behaviorism and cognitivism.
YouTube - behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism part1

Link to Kerr's, Drownes, and Kapp blogs
http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/2007/01/isms-as-filter-not-blinker.html

http://karlkapp.blogspot.com/2007/01/out-and-about-discussion-on-educational.html

Webcast on K-12 Mathematics

Checkout this webcast about K-12 Mathematics: What should students learn and when should they ... File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - Quick ViewWhat should students learn and when should they learn it? A National Conference .... The archive of the conference webcast will be available at: ...www.mathcurriculumcenter.org/conferences/standards/agenda.pdf

Belief on How People Learn and Learning Theory and Educational Technology

What are your beliefs about how people learn best?
I believe that people learn more from their environment. Children are like aliens to me they learn from many stimuli that are in the immediate environment. Children and adult learners learn from touching, feeling, experimentation, exploring and questioning? There are many learning theories; however, Driscoll (2005) definition of learning is “a persisting changes in performance potential that result from experience and interaction with the world” (p.1). A theory of learning to me, include asking questions and exampling the answers. Or by exploring different ideas through the use of a hypothesis and step by step examination of the hypothesis and coming to a conclusion. In an article about learning, www.funderstanding.com listed are 12 different theories on how people we learn. Constructivism, Behaviorism, Piaget’s Developmental Theory, Neuroscience, Brain-Based Learning, Learning Styles, Multiple Intelligences, Right Brain/Left Brain Thinking, Left Brain vs. Right Brain Teaching Technique, Left Brain vs. Right Brain Function in Learning, Communities of Practice, Control Theory, Observational Learning, and Vygotsky and Social Cognition..
Each of these theories is relative to how people learn and why people learn. Behaviorism is a learning theory that only focuses on objectively observable behaviors and discounts any independent activities of the mind. Behavior theorists define learning as nothing more than the acquisition of new behavior based on environmental conditions. I agree with this definition to some degree, but also, I think that one most take into account constructivism as a philosophy of learning founded on the premise that, by reflecting on our experiences, we construct our own understanding of the world we live in. Each of us generates our own “rules” and “mental models,” which we use to make sense of our experiences. Learning, therefore, is simply the process of adjusting our mental models to accommodate new experiences, (Funderstanding 1998-2008, section 1-2).
Learning takes place through many mediums and set of instructions, therefore, all of the theories listed above have some relativity when we speak of how people learn.
What is the purpose of learning theory in educational technology?
Educational technology purpose is to assist students in the learning process. Because we are dealing with a generation of technophiles who spend the majority of the time interfacing with computer technology, I feel the old way of instructing our students is obsolete. Teachers are learning that the digital age is upon us, and unless we integrate technology in all our curricula we will lose of learners. While observing my grandchildren, who are school age, I have noticed that they utilize the internet and computers at least three to four hours a day. One of my granddaughters likes to write as well as writing in a hardcopy journal, she uses Microsoft Word to journal. She is constantly on the computer interfacing with social networking site. Her parent encourages her to use homework sites for homework tutoring such as: Math help, homework help, and online tutoring websites. www.homeschoolmath.net/online/math_help_tutoring.php

In Siemens paper, he says a growing disconnects in the tools and methods of classroom activity and those of youth culture and larger society is evident. Lenhart, Madden, Rankin, Macgill, and Smith (2007) report that 93% of teenagers are online and that their Internet use is growing (p. 2). The National School Boards Association (2007) reports that 96% of students have used social technology, with 71% reporting weekly use of social networking tools. Even in formal learning, students use communication technologies extensively to support their learning activities (Conole et al., 2006, p. 48). EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research’s research indicates undergraduate learners spend an average of 18 hours per week in online activities (Salaway & Borreson Caruso, 2007, p. 40). The growing prominence of networked technologies for formal and informal learning suggests substantial pressures for education institutions to adapt their models to better suit the interests and digital literacy skills of a growing percentage of the learning population (Siemens 2008, p. 7).

References:
Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
Funderstanding, (1998-2008). About Learning. The content on this page was written by On Purpose Associates.
Siemens, G. (2008, January 27). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles for educators and designers. Retrieved from http://it.coe.uga.edu/itforum/Paper105/Siemens.pdf

Welcome to Joanne Blue Group Site

I like to welcome you to my blog sites. I will be discussing education, learning theory and instructions on this sites. I hope you will enjoy what I have to say.