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Jackie Byford

Technology adds to students' math comprehension | eSchool News | eSchool News - 7 views

  • The animations are so powerful; bisecting an angle becomes a really visual experience,” Bates said.
  • The report found that students often referred to the roles of visual imagery, animations, and videos in helping them understand key concepts.
  • Moving imagery was clearly a key means for [students] to ‘see what is meant,’ rather than their trying to ‘imagine what is meant’ when it is just described by teachers,” the report found
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  • the [MathsAlive] resources enabled a more collaborative environment to emerge, where they were working with students to construct problems and devise methods to solve them,” the study found.
    • Jackie Byford
       
      This article discusses using technology in the Mathematics classroom with findings that suggest that the experiences by students with the animations and visual imagery help them "see" the mathematical concepts verses having to visualize how math works. For many of us this is the case. We learn better when we see or have hands-on experiences with the concepts we are learning. There is a deeper understanding because it takes more for the brain to encode the information into memory when a true experience with critical thinking comes together simultaneously, (Medina, 2008). Schools spend millions of dollars on textbook adoptions every year, needless to say it is a booming business. If research shows that hands-on visual learning will improve not only the learning of the material, but improve critical thinking to empower and build the next generation of problem solvers, why do many educators still stand at the front of the room and lecture from a textbook or tell their students to read this chapter and fill out this worksheet? Compare the experiences you had as a child in school with the experiences today's children have with technology, not only at school, but at home with electronic devices such as ipads. Do you think the next generation that started with an ipad or computer in their hands by age 5 will be more experienced learners because of the visuals and hands-on thinking that is needed to work these devise? Has the induction of these devices helped you become a more in depth better learner? Medina, J. (2008). Brain Rules. Seattle, WA: Pear Press.
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    Very interesting! Your comments made me wonder if teachers, more often than not, stand in the way of learning more than trying to act as mediators. It is sad to see that young children start their lives at school eager to learn and being active participants of that amazing process of discovery that is the acquisition of knowledge and then see them 3 years down the road, so discouraged and demotivated! What happened? Somehow that is regarded as a normal process, part of their growing and maturing. I have to say that I disagree. Answering your questions...I belong to the generation of the Commodore, Basics and Texas Instruments. I remember spending hours programming my computer. It did make me more curious about technology and I found fascinating that just a few symbols could create so much magic. Children nowadays do not have that much of a connection with the process of creation but they do develop a lot more hands on skills that are essentially the ones they will need in the future. These skills are key but they still require the development of critical thinking in order for them to acquire a more in depth knowledge of any topic. It is at this juncture that teachers are invaluable partners in the educational process. In my opinion, this should be the center of every planning and strategic use of educational methodologies.
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    Jackie, I do think the next generation will have more experienced learners. There has never been a more important time to apply principles of development and learning when considering the use of cutting-edge technologies and new media. When the integration of technology and interactive media in early childhood programs is built upon solid developmental foundations, and early childhood professionals are aware of both the challenges and the opportunities, educators are positioned to improve program quality by intentionally leveraging the potential of technology and media for the benefit of every child.
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    I really liked the piece you picked for the discussion group. In my school district we are implementing a 1:x initiative that all students will have Ipads and use them in the classroom. I think this is great on some instances and bad on others. Like the discussion says kids learn more when a video or some other form of multimedea follows with instruction. I get that and I am trying to use this in my classroom. The hard part about this philosophy right now is most of the students that we have, have grown up with the Ipad as a toy not an educational device and having the students think about the Ipad as an educational device is harder said than done it seems. My son is in the 4th grade and was given an Ipad 2 weeks ago. He has been able to some great things with it as a learning tool BUT he still sees the Ipad as something he gets to play Mine Craft on and not a learning tool. My high school students are having a harder time using the Ipad for educational use. I did not mean to derail this thread with this topic but my experience is telling me that we are at a cross roads right now. We have students that started with pen and paper and slowly have moved to a more technology based education are struggling using the technology because they have only used the technology as a toy up until now. The students coming up have had the technology earlier in life and are able to use it in class but they are still having a hard time associating the technology with learning. I guess what I am saying is that I know that the use of the technology will help the students learn but the students are having a hard time realizing that the technology is an educational tool as well as a game. What can we do to help the students realize the powerful tools they have at their disposal these days that we did not growing up?
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    Maria, I have to admit that I am guilty of standing in the way of technology. It is hard to incorporate the technology in a way that is resourceful and useful. I think Adam hit the nail on the head when he talks about the fact that today's student thinks of the technology as a toy not an educational tool, even if they played educational games. Martha has the key that the integration of technologies needs to be built on a strong foundation so that the new generation can see the ipad as a tool instead of a toy.
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    Jackie, You bring up very interesting points as do Adam and Martha. I would reflect on the different issues tackled maybe separating them into their different components. One element is the learning process: as Martha says, applying proper methodologies and evidence-based research in the classroom is essential. My question would be: as teachers, we have all been taught and trained in developmental theories and educational methodologies, however, very little of that seems to trickle into our practice, I wonder why. Another point would be the use of technology as such and the definition of a learning process: if the learning process is restricted to the acquisition of data, technology can do very little for us, since internet, ipads, etc. are, for the most part, meant to facilitate the spread of information. Maybe the emphasis should be on the development of skills that would allow students to process and discriminate sources and facts, and be able to apply them to a variety of real life situations. The acquisition of data should be dependent upon the development of higher order thinking skills. In this sense, the line separating the use of technology as a toy and the use of technology to facilitates the access to data is not very easy to draw. It has been argued that the development of problem solving skills and creativity is at the core of many games. Should the educational process be limited to games? Most certainly not, but, I think that technology is forcing us to redefine the way we see learning.
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    Interesting dialogue! Maria, I completely agree that the emphasis should be on the development of higher order skills. I know, too, that technology can rapidly turn off students if it is slow or boring or whatever they are doing with it doesn't interest them. I think real learning is always going to come back to meeting students where they are and getting them to think in new ways about topics they care about--whether they are using technology or not. So technology may be forcing us to redefine the way we teach, but I don't think it's redefining the key elements of effective teaching.
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    I'm amazed we know as much as we do given the way we were taught and how it is so "wrong" compared to the way our brains actually work. I think that says something for human resilience and adaptation. In spite of the classrooms we endured and seemingly endless lectures, a lot of us have still been able to come out ok and be pretty darned effective in our lives and jobs. Do I think the next generation will be more experienced learners because of the hands on nature of various devices they've been exposed to? Not necessarily. It still depends on how it is used. If all my 5 year old does is play some game on my iPhone, I don't know if that is making her a more experienced learner. Just like anything else, it takes the parent or educator to be involved and help the child use the device in the most effective way.
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    Maria you are absolutely correct! As educators we know what we should do, but it is not the easy road so we fall short sometimes in using proper methodologies. I believe there are many reasons "excuses" such as: classes are large with too many learning styles, paperwork gets in the way of planning, not enough time in class to apply methodologies. Let's face it when it comes down to the wire the use of methodologies are just good teaching skills, which should include the use of current technologies in the right context and for the right reason. I think too many times educational games just become "play" time and a break for the teacher to get other work done. They are called educational, but many times the kids just see the game not the educational aspect. Jennifer and Jeff, I don't think I could have said it any better. In order to be an effective teacher, one must incorporate the available tools in a way that meets the needs of the students. It all breaks down to how we use technology. Thinking about how "we" learned referring to those of us over 30 who did not have all this technology in school, we did turn out okay. If I talk to my colleagues who have taught more than 15 years they would say that the technology has taught our current students to be less effective at critical thinking when it comes to academics, yet they can learn, maneuver, and use problem solving skills to navigate the newest video games. Have any of you tried to play "Call of Duty" or "World of Warcraft?" They are not easy! It takes time, repetition, and good problem solving skills to get through each level. Maybe we as educators need to be more versed in the problem solving skills in popular games and be able to show our students the connection between the skills they use in the classroom and the skills they use in those games. It would give them the answer to that age old question, "Why am I learning this_____________?"
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    Totally in accord, Jackie! Technology should be only one more tool and, consequently, it should be used only under certain criteria.
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    Teacher do become an obstacle in the classroom, but not of their own accord. They get their hands tied by state testing the ruins education and district politics that can end their careers. It is really sad to see what education has become, if you as a few generations before us, it was a privilege to go to school and today students seem to have to go kicking and screaming. The misconception I have gotten from several teachers that I know is that they have this odd belief that the technology is there to replace them or simply teach the class for them. Technology is a tool that is meant to be wielded by someone who understands it. I think in the next few years we are going to see an exodus of pre-technology teachers and and influx of Generation iPad teachers who are tech savvy and have grown up with the technology. I think that will be a game changer for education and good serving of job security for students in our field.
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    I normally will skip articles which mention arithmetic. My eyes are easily caught by a visually appealing graphic, a photograph or a poem. But I absolutely agree that "animations and visual images help students see the mathematical concepts and to visualize how math works." Particularly when integrated learning with games, it will make learning more effective and proficient. I believe next generation children will definitely acquire a different learning style with technology, and is much unlike ours.
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    Jackie, i found a great article on why some children are bad in math! I do not believe that some kids lack the aptitude for math ! http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/03/27/why-is-math-so-hard-for-so-many/
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    It is certainly lovely to see children learning in different ways that make sense to the particular individual. I wish I had the chance to learn new concepts with the aid of visualization. The question is: how many teachers are truly using the resources that are available to them?
Adam Hovde

Ted Talk by Alan November - 8 views

  • Alan November is recognized internationally as a leader in education technology. He began his career as an oceanography teacher and dorm counselor at an island reform school for boys in Boston Harbor. He has been a director of an alternative high school, computer coordinator, technology consultant, and university lecturer. As practitioner, designer, and author, Alan has guided schools, government organizations and industry leaders as they plan to improve quality with technology
  • Thisþff is a brilliant speech. We need our students to have purpose, they really need to be exposed to content but they really need to control the purpose. Technology can help us with this really bright idea.
  • As teachers for tomorrow we agree that students must have the opportunity to create a legacy through their work.þff Students are not learning for us they are learning and creating information for the world. Empowered to develop and create relevant work can only happen when teachers open their minds to what education is. Authentic learning gives student ownership and the ability to create knowledge and instill a lasting desire to learn.
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  • Finally we have an educator that discusses ways to solve a problem rather than definingþff a problem. Thank you for your practical ideas and strategies to improve education.
    • Adam Hovde
       
      Do we educate our students this way? Do you educate your students this way? How can this help our students become better PROBLEM SOLVERS?
    • Maria Austin
       
      Very interesting video! I would look at it in a different way though. I would focus on the sense of purpose that is inside every human being. No matter what we do, we need to care about it, we need to see the reason behind it. More often than not, students are just seen as recipients of data and they are very seldom invited to find the purpose behind everything they learn. Moreover, in order for us to learn we need to have an emotional connection to what we learn. Unfortunately many an educator fail to connect with their students let alone inspire a thirst for knowledge.
    • Adam Hovde
       
      I agree Maria.I was thinking about how this video works with rule 4 "We don't pay attention to boring things." Having the students vested in the learning activity takes out all the boring stuff. Giving the students a reason to care about the learning helps both the student and the teacher. :)
    • Jackie Byford
       
      This is an inspiring video. I can almost pick out the students in my classes that would jump into the various jobs of creating a tutorial. I am trying to make the switch where my students are creating their own learning. My team has decided to do an interactive notebook with our 7th Math students, but after 3 weeks in and seeing this video I think we are missing the mark. We still show our powerpoints, the students write their notes in their notebook in an organized way with a table of contents... but they are still just taking the notes for the most part. We give them the tools(manipulatives and models) to work the problems on their own but really give them little time to really work out the problems themselves. I think what makes it hard is the demand on testing and the curriculum requirements. We teach a new concept almost everyday in a 49 minute class, and we barely squeeze in all the TEKS. My district talks more and more about critical thinking and problem solving...make the tests more rigorous, but if we can't make them care and have that purpose for the learning we are just selling them short! This video really has me thinking! By giving the students the power to create their own learning we are giving them the gift of purpose and helping them learn how to solve problems on their own instead of spoon feeding them the curriculum.
    • Jaime Villanueva
       
      Adam, I love the story about the student creating a database for the handicap. As I understand it, a professor contacts the student and wants to pay her for her work but she refuses the money. Most of us would probably have taken the money but I think we would be missing the point that the work or purpose is more valuable than any monetary again. The student's goal was never about the money it was solving a problem that she had identified and had solved. I agree rule 4 applies big time in this situation. Can you image having the teacher give the students busy work and without purpose. Who would have created the database for the handicap? I agree that shifting the learning from teacher to student to peer to peer have better learning outcomes than we would like to believe. The issue I foresee is tenured teachers changing their teaching style to reflect the new teaching strategy. How to do introduce it to teachers as a school district? What percent of the teachers would truly adopt the new teaching strategy?
    • Jaime Villanueva
       
      I agree Jackie, students should have a purpose when learning but you must first convince administration to adopt the idea. It is probably harder than we think it is because too many school districts believe their curriculum is the best and does not need fixing. This is why it should come from the community and students. If people demand change it is hard for school districts to ignore it I am not saying they will but I believe there will be resistance at some point.
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    A Ted Talk by Alan November in March of 2011. Alan November has traveled the world and discussed education and how technology can be incorporated into classrooms.  Alan did an in-service at my district this year and I got a lot of good stuff from his talk.
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    Thanks for prompting the importance of problem solving and suggestions for helping students to create a meaningful learning experience. I absolutely agree with Alan November that involving the community is one of the best ways to help students learn to value different ways of thinking, furthermore to appreciate the differences in each other. Creative-thinking and critical-thinking skills are essential components of problem solving. Students are natural problem solvers, through interaction with one another and participating in decision making offer countless opportunities for students to grow in their problem-solving abilities. Thanks for sharing this valuable information.
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    Excellent video! It's true on how everything has a purpose; listening to that really stunned me. Nothing was created in vain; everything has a purpose. You only have to find out how to use it correctly.
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    Adam asks "Do we educate our students this way? Do you educate your students this way? How can this help our students become better PROBLEM SOLVERS?" I am not a teacher but speaking for my children, I can say that they are being educated in many of the ways November describes. Particularly in OWNING their learning. I love to hear my son talk about what he learned not only from his teacher but, more often than not, what he learned from his peers. He is in a Montessori classroom and it really is a joy to watch the children choose what they are going to work on together and then see how they help each other. They stay in the same room for three years so in the first year, the younger children learn a lot from the older kids. But then, they build their confidence and are soon teaching each other plus, as they get older, they pass their knowledge to the ones below them.
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    Jeff, I have always admired the work of Maria Montessori and her legacy to education. Unfortunately, Montessori and Lev Vygotsky (scaffolding and learning through social interaction in a given cultural context) are not emphasized enough in our school systems, in my humble opinion. The prevalence of the concepts of competition and individualism have overridden cooperation and consensus. There should be a middle ground that could be reached in order to provide a more balanced approach to education.
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    Motivation certainly drives the most ordinary people to do extraordinary things. This video was not only just inspiring but also raises a question of how many of us are actually able to/ willing to change the way we teach based on what would help our students achieve a life-long learning.
Lauren Simpson

The Simple Things I Do To Promote Brain-Based Learning In My Classroom - 8 views

  • The Simple Things I Do To Promote Brain-Based Learning In My Classroom
    • Lauren Simpson
       
      It's important for teachers to help students understand how their brains work and give them strategies to be successful in the classroom. Our job as educators is not only to teach them the subject matter, but to prepare them for life. If they have these strategies I think we are giving students a leg up in being successful no matter what they face.
    • Pedro Rodriguez
       
      I like that she takes initiative to promote brain based learning. Teaching and preparing students for life is very important, because the world is quickly changing in terms of technological advances. Students can easily learn the content using such principles. More teachers need to incorporates these rules in their instruction.
  • Explaining how the brain works is especially important for students who believe that they are “not smart” and that nothing they do can change that. Many children, and even some parents and teachers, think that intelligence is determined at birth and that even intense effort will not budge their academic abilities. The realization that they can literally change their brains by improving how they approach learning and how they study is liberating.
    • Lauren Simpson
       
      This is so true. I often tell my students who say they are not smart, I correct them and say "yet..you are not smart yet" I am one of those teachers that truly feel every students is smart and a budding genius.
  • Students know that the more they practice a basketball shot or rehearse a ballet performance, the more their skills improve. In my class, they learn that brains respond the same way. When a learner goes over multiplication facts or rereads confusing parts of a book, the brain gets better at processing this information because, with such repetition, more neurons grow and connect to other neurons, and neurons get more efficient at sending one another signals.
    • Lauren Simpson
       
      Being able to relate practicing what is learned in school with something a student already likes is vital. It provides a clear picture of what you are trying to teach them about repetition and how your brain needs it to be successful.
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    One of the things I love about Brain-Based Learning is that it creates a paradigm shift about learners and learning. I suppose that my background in Special Education makes me appreciate it even more. All students CAN learn. The trick is to find out how they learn best. Techniques are explored and used to maximize learning. "The realization that they can literally change their brains by improving how they approach learning and how they study is liberating." This has been the focus of most of my training as a teacher and Brain-Based Learning shows you how. I appreciate that one of the things that this article stipulates is that the learner should be aware of how the brain works. It empowers a student to take charge of their own learning at the core of process.
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    As I read this article, I couldn't help but think of my adult basic education students. I think the explanation of how the brain works to students who believe they are "not smart" is key for my students. These particular adult learners are participating in a GED/Adult High School program. The majority of the students were kicked out of school or dropped out of school. They understand that they in a foundational skills program and must develop their basic educational skills to advance in other areas of life. Unfortunately, I think that many of them have the mindset that they believe that are "not book smart." I think it is wonderful that this teacher/neurologist found that her students became more engaged and confident and they also began to change their student practices. This is my goal/hope as I work on a Problem Based Learning Module which applies the Brain Rules to an everyday mathematical scenario. I plan on presenting this PBL Module to a few adult basic math classes as a pilot to see how the adult basic education students respond to the lesson(s) and Brain Rules compared to their traditional classroom lectures and instruction.
Juan Saldana

- The Virtual High School now offering full-time online program - 10 views

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    Warming up my skills to do my Diigo hosting in a few weeks. I believe we have one resident expert on Online High Schools.
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    This is a quick article on the new program developed by the VHS program
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    Hi Juan, Not sure I qualify as an expert, but I am researching online high schools for this class and I work for an online high school, so I'll jump in. I had not heard of VHS, but the article says they are a nonprofit arm of K12, inc, which has received a LOT of press--most of it bad. It seems that some schools that are using K12 product are better run than others. The wikipedia article on K12 is interesting, and references a lot of the press: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K12_%28company%29 VHS is an interesting one indeed. I can't quite figure out how they are going to work it. It looks like they are partnering with schools so that students can get a degree from a school in their district even though all of their classes are taken from VHS. So rather than get a VHS degree, the degree will actually say Austin High or whatever their local school is. They are doing this only for "partner" schools, which are schools that they have already been supplying with online course material piecemeal. So, that must mean that they are meeting the state-required standards of each partner school. Thanks for the tip. I think I will call them and see if they are willing to be interviewed.
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    I call you the expert since this is your specialty and I wouldn't have know that this is a competing organization otherwise. I like the idea of a hybrid solution where some classes are physical and others are online, make for an easier transition.
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    I think this is a great alternative for students who don't fit well into the public setting, but at $450 a course per semester? WOW! I think I would save my money to pay for college.
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    Jackie, think about all the costs they don't have to spend--wardrobe, gas to and from school, school supplies (fewer), etc. For many, the benefits far outweigh the costs. It can definitely be a good solution for many if the school is a good one and the student has other options for social interaction. Juan, you might be interested to learn about the USC hybrid school. They came recommended to me by the folks at ISTE, who are essentially the standards-setters for online ed. I ended up not interviewing them because they are not really an online high school, but more of a blended option. What appeals to me about that program is that it really is targeting underserved populations: http://uschybridhigh.org/ From their website somewhere: USC Hybrid High School is a college preparatory public charter high school in Downtown LA currently serving 9th and 10th grades. We combine a traditional "no excuses" model with a blended learning model that embeds technology across the curriculum and school day. Our goal is to develop self motivated and disciplined learners who are prepared to graduate from top four year universities and who will go on to use their college degrees to effect Positive Multigenerational Change. Its student population mirrors the population of the USC neighborhood, with 64% Latino/a, 28% African American, 4% White and 4% Asian students. About 82% of the students qualify for free or reduced price lunch. Spanish is the primary language in 40% of the homes.
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    I can see the demographic they have chosen to target as being most in need. I've grown up in neighborhoods like this and you don't always get the best teachers. It is tough trying to excel in a public school where most of your colleagues are in and our of Juvenile hall. Hybrid works simple because those who choose to learn, but are in less than a safe environment.
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    I'm very interested in what you are saying here, Juan. Are you saying that hybrid works because those who choose to learn can do a chunk of their learning from a safer environment than the school? Please expand!
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    I would think so, in areas like SC LA, the Wards in Houston and New Orleans are some of the more impoverished areas in their respective states. Usually these environments are a little hostile and not really safe for students who want to learn much less got to school physically. I grew up in a gang ridden area and I saw many of my friends take to the streets rather than education, sadly most are gone or locked up today. I would imagine the same holds true for areas like Afghanistan where these groups prefer that their followers not be educated, take for instance the Pakistani girl shot for wanting to go to school. My idea is if these people had the opportunity to take classes in either a hybrid or fully online model they could proceed with their education in the safety of their homes. That being said for some people "home" might not be the safest place or best place to get an education. I guess it really depends on the situation. If a person wants to educated themselves they will find a way to do it. Slaves of the 1800s were taught in secret and they in turn taught others, and the history books do state that it was death for a slave to learn to read. An online education just makes it easier to do, because you lack the physical constriction. We all knew someone who was home schooled and we all thought it was the coolest thing to not have to come to school. That was just an off-shoot of correspondence school. Online education is just a natural evolution and if we are lucky be the norm. Schools are no longer the safest place to be and I think some day online may be the best alternative. Jen, hope these ramblings are of some benefit...
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    Thanks so much for sharing, Juan. Very interesting, indeed! I've seen many ways that online can be useful, but I hadn't really thought this one through. You make me want to revisit that interview even though it isn't a typical online school so that I can learn more. THANK YOU!
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    I believe the parents of the students in these types of virtual schools would probably play a much greater role than parents would like to be involved. If not, who would keep the students on task? This also may exclude those parents that could not get involved because of limited resources. Additionally, what if both parents have a full time job this would make it difficult to balance work and the student's education at the same time. Most experts would probably agree that in order to be successful in these types of courses parents would need to be actively involved.
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    Actually, Jaime, what I'm finding is that the students who are successful are the ones who are capable of self-motivating. Sometimes parents are involved and sometimes they aren't. Time management and getting enough social time are the two biggest issues for online students. Schools are coming up with all sorts of solutions, such as teachers who spend a lot of time poking and prodding students or calendar systems that send reminders and give students tools to keep themselves on pace for the former and clubs, summer camps, graduation/homecoming type ceremonies kids can attend in person for the social. Some schools also work out partnerships with regional schools to allow students to participate in local school music, dance, theatre, or sports. Many of the students are what we call "professional students," who are very driven to do something else--like compete in the Olympics--but don't want to miss out on their education, so they find the time to do what they need to do for school when they aren't training or competing. It's a world that is designed to meet special needs, but yes--either the student needs to be self-motivated, or he/she needs a strong parent or teacher to keep him/her on task.
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    Hi Juan, I've got an interview set up with the Director of Academic Affairs of VHS for Tuesday morning. Thanks again for the tip. That's a real interesting setup they've got going on there! Jen
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    Sounds like an interesting idea but I would ditto to what Jackie had said. I can totally see it work for GTs or child celebrities. Can you think of a newly immigrant child who needs to build on his/her English language skills or need to learn how to socialize in their new environment while trying to learn from an fully online program? I don't think it's for everyone. However, It's nice to know that there is an option for the few who can need it and/or can pay for it.
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    Jen, please keep us in the loop with how your interview goes, would be interested to hear.
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    It really depends on the school. One of the biggest advantages of a program that is done right is that the child will actually get MORE individualized attention. So that immigrant child could be greatly helped by more individualized instruction. Some schools, though, are really more like correspondence programs put online, and the child is very much left to his/her own devices. In that situation, the student you describe will not likely make it and would be better off in a classroom where someone can witness his/her struggle.
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    Shaila, If memory serves you are from another country and this might some what match your situation. The towns I have lived in, have always been migrant towns, field works and day laborers. Their children have to up root and move with the seasons. They often don't speak much english if any at all. They have to uproot teachers and friends quite often and don't have a very stable living arrangements, much less education. This is not taking into account students who are from an entirely different continent with entirely different customs. The students will likely be chastised because of their religious view and practices, perhaps even things like attire and eating habits. I spent a month in Singapore for my employer and learned a lot about the mix cultures in that area and how areas at least within our organization are separated by religious views, even meals are prepared differently. So jump back to Online education and you see that this environment provides stability in their education, specialized teachers of appropriate language, and the ability to live a close to normal as possible. This is not to say that some foreign students do in fact acclimate to culture and system well, while still balancing their views and customs.
Juan Saldana

'Walking Dead' online course offers survival education - and more | Lansing State Journ... - 8 views

  • Survival: Lessons from AMC’s The Walking Dead,” a free, eight-week online course that kicked off Monday. Offered through the University of California-Irvine
  • “Gender Through Comic Books” course, offered through Ball State University earlier this year.
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    Since we are talking about MOOCs, I want to point out my favorite thing about them. There can be MOOCs about literally anything, as you can see from the course I am highlighting.
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    Welcome to day 3 on Survival and this MOOC is all about Survival.... I hope that Dr. Butler doesn't mind the liberty I took with this week's topic...
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    I love this about MOOCs. My son is interested in music, but most definitely not interested in school. He's got his eye on a MOOC about Beethoven and another about music theory. This is, I believe, the way of the world, or at least a hallmark of our current generation. They only want to learn about what they want to learn about. Will foundational learning go away? with some vigilance, no. But will students of the future get to better direct and specialize their learning, yes! And, in my opinion, that's fantastic!
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    I am glad that you hit on that point, that the coming generation(s) may not be a strict towards following a learning regiment. I have noticed at least with my children that they learn what they want to learn and will dig further it catches their attention. I was personally taking a MOOC on Comic Books and Graphic Novels from Coursera! Who would have thought you would find a course on that? I do not believe any institution will ever have the flexibility of MOOC, the problem may be that a MOOC may never have the resilience of a University. I know we have talked about "Badges" as opposed to Paper Degrees and I think MOOCs will help make that a reality.
  •  
    In my humble opinion, regardless of what we are taught at school and are supposed to learn, we only learn what we are actually interested in or have some emotional connection with. In a way, MOOCs just emphasize this tendency.
  •  
    I love it! It seems that infused within the course are bits and pieces of different subjects which might lead people to other learning topics. MOOC's are something I want to look into, but have not yet taken the 3 or 4 hour a week I don't have to explore. Who knows what I will be exploring this summer.
  •  
    MOOCs are great in that you will always find one on something that catches your interest. Most of them are not as clinical as the university courses we take, but offer enough complexity to keep you interested. I hope you do find a course that not only helps you out but perhaps allows you to bring something new to the classroom.
  •  
    I think MOOCs are great when enrolled in something that interest you. I once took a MOOC course and did not meet my expectations. Also, it could've been that it was my MOOC course and was not accustom to these sort of courses. I really look forward to enrolling in another MOOC course in the near future.
  •  
    Jennifer, in the light of the conversation about your son being interested in music and music only, I would like to share this video with all: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70AlyhEGWf4 It is nice to see that there are other options out there and MOOCS might just satisfy people's thirst for knowledge- but will not get them a job, at least for now.
  •  
    Wow! Thanks so much for sharing that, Shaila. SO fascinating! I noticed one of the people commented that it's not really a fair comparison b/w US and Finland because they are a small, mostly homogeneous country while the US is huge, has a large immigrant population, and a wide variety of religions. I agree that the environments are very different, but it seems to me that we can still learn some things from Finland!
asuarez1

Building a Better School with Brain-Based Learning | Edutopia - 0 views

  •  
    Brain-Based Learning in Florida
  •  
    I love that the video mentions "motivation initiative". Isn't that what it is all about? Letting students make connections, and creating a life-long desire to learn should be the focus. Brain-Based Learning encompasses learning styles and explains how the brain works. Isn't it important to know how a machine works in order to get the most out of it? What amazes me most about the video is that the students are engaged. Although many are working independently, they is no down time. Brain-Based Learning allows educators to use the time in the class effectively. The video also mentions special needs students. The beauty of this is that Brain-Based Learning applies to all learners! In the video, you see the rules applied. For example, #4 We don't pay attention to boring things is clear when you see all the students engaged and active. Repeat to remember is also evident since the students get multiple opportunities to practice the skill they are working on. Sensory integration is also important. The students were engaged in a multitude of activities that initiate the senses. This video is a clear example that our students are powerful and natural explorers. What would happen to our world if we treated them that way?
  •  
    The portion of the video that I thought was the most interesting was the approach that Jeanne Kurth takes in her classroom (bean bag chairs, water feature sound machine---#1 brain gym, # classroom environment, and #3 the way she presents her five subject areas.) I love that these teachers are customizing their teaching to the needs of the students. I think I will share this video with my team of instructors to encourage them to change up their lesson presentations!
normairisrodz

5 Ways Technology Will Impact Higher Ed in 2013 - Forbes - 5 views

  • In fact, over the last two years, enrollment in the for-profit education sector was down and industry giants such as the University of Phoenix announced the closure of some of its facilities. 
    • normairisrodz
       
      This was surprising to me. With the abundance of advertising for such for-profit companies, I thought they would be growing. It would seem that even though students demand online education to meet their busy lifestyles, they still demand quality (as shown in the annotation below).
  • Over the last two years, the number of top-tier Universities with at least some online activity has more than doubled, in large part due to MOOCs. 
  • By leveraging online platforms, lectures can now be pre-recorded and core content accessed by students any time, anywhere, and as many times as they need.  This means that classroom time can instead be used to augment the lecture content, whether through discussion, group exercises or quizzes. 
    • normairisrodz
       
      Educators can spend more time applying the knowledge and concepts introduced by engaging students in activities during class time instead of focusing on teaching content alone.
    • Martha Rodriguez
       
      Norma, our institution is currently using Echo 360 Lecture Capture. Echo360 makes it easy to transform existing courses into distance education classes. Its blended learning technology enables teachers to provide students who can't attend classes in person with fundamentally the same dynamic experience and interactivity that teachers provide their on-campus students. Plus, moving courses online allows teachers to time shift their courses to meet the scheduling needs of students. We have had positive feedback from teachers using Echo360.
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • what will be the cost to sustain MOOCs over time, will these courses count for credit and if and how will they be packaged together into a certificate or degree program? That said,the hybrid model (where part of a program is taught online and part is taught in person) is one that we can expect to see more fully embraced in this coming year. 
    • normairisrodz
       
      This article posed some very common questions regarding MOOC's? What is your opinion of the questions posed in this section?
  • There is a huge opportunity for instructors to create a more in-depth learning experience
  • The notion that faculty can increasingly reach a greater of number of students in their ‘classrooms’ means the per unit cost of teaching a student could start to decrease, but only if you can achieve similar or better learning outcomes, and simply moving lecture content online will not solve the cost problem. 
    • normairisrodz
       
      I had not thought about lowering the cost of education as a result of moving curriculum into an online platform. This section was quite interesting to me as I had never quite thought about this particular aspect of online education.
  •  
    This article focuses on how institutions of higher education are adapting to emerging technologies to meet the needs of their students.
  • ...5 more comments...
  •  
    You are correct in that higher education is having to adapt to more technologically experienced students. It is really difficult for a student of that caliber to go into a classroom that is taught with a blackboard and chalk. You have hit it on the nail with Rule #4 about boring things, teachers and instructors do need to "step it up" in order to keep these new students engaged.
  •  
    Juan, you are correct. Instructors need to step it up and use more of technology to engage students. The problem with this that many instructors are not tech savvy and want to continue using the old teaching strategies. Some of this faculty are intemediated to use a computer; using other devices would drive them insane.
  •  
    I agree Juan. Many of my students are coming back to tell me that their college classes are basically the same as when we went to college. All lecture based and you never really get to know your professor. In some inservice we had I saw some youtube videos about students that are leaving college because they re not learning anything new in the classes. They could learn everything online if they wanted too. Colleges might have to make some changes if these MOOC or other online classes dip into their attendance base.
  •  
    My apologies for starting a new topic and THEN reading this one. The overlap is great! I am glad, though, to have the Forbes article to reference in addition to the one I supplied from the NYT. This sentence from the article caught my attention in particular, "The beauty of teaching analytics is that teachers will have real time information on how students learn and can augment future plans accordingly." For my research project I've been interviewing administrators from online high schools. A couple of them have mentioned how incredibly valuable it is to have analytical data, such as the amount of time a student spends on a page, site, assignment, or test as well as all the concrete test and assignment data to identify where they struggle. One principal told me that when she surveyed her teachers last year, she heard two things again and again, "You'll have to pry the computer out of my cold, dead hands before I go back to in-class instruction," and "You have broken me and I won't be able to return to a brick-and-mortar setting where I don't have the ability to gather data like I do in an online setting" This particular school (Mountain Heights Academy) has a focus that is heavily data driven and student-centered. She told me, "Teachers are skeptical at first, but have really come to see how much looking at the data allows them to create personalized instruction that can make all the difference in learning for the kids."
  •  
    This is a very interesting article and quite thought provoking. I should start by saying that I love MOOCs. I have taken a dozen classes at different MOOCs and most of them have been very high quality. Teachers are passionate about the topic they are teaching because they are normally topics they don't get to offer at their universities for a number of reasons. Some of the courses even offer undergraduate credit hours. I don't think they represent any threat to the standard university program and, for the most part, my impression is that students who take these courses do it for the sake of learning.
  •  
    It's a fascinating article. Sounds like all of us enrolled in this program/ certificate are in the right place at the right time! MOOCs have worked for my first year teacher cousin. She is a teacher aide in the NYC public school and needed her +15 credits to get the raise that she wanted. MOOCs has made it possible for her. It would surely open up many opportunities for young, struggling professionals (and others) who would like to take classes at their own pace should MOOCs offer online degrees.
  •  
    I know this article focused on higher education, but the same things are happening in public k-12 with the option of online schooling. It is a platform for kids who do not necessarily "fit" into the public education mold and many students are graduating and heading on to college from such program as K12 here in Texas. Just as certain technologies were integrated over the last decade such as televisions and tape recorders, those of us who are educators need to move with the times. The fact that higher education is offering such classes as MOOCs and online classes, it gives adults like me the opportunity to continue my education at a cheaper cost and without losing as much time with my family. I do feel that as we move through the 21st century online education will become a norm... and it offers opportunity and a way to reach the needs of all students.
Juan Saldana

Can the Current Model of Higher Education Survive MOOCs and Online Learning? (EDUCAUSE ... - 2 views

  • Not all U.S. colleges and universities will disappear as a result of new technologies, but clearly some will.
  • Technology-enhanced learning has the potential to transform education and to raise the level of education globally.
  • The first threat to American higher education is that MOOCs and online courses will raise the level of competition too high for some institutions to survive.
  •  
    We begin day two on the topic of Survival. Ten years ago online education was almost non-existent, today it encompasses a good portion of the course offerings at UTB, will the current model of instruction still exist in another 10 years? What does this mean for us as instructional designers?
  • ...4 more comments...
  •  
    I love this article! thanks so much, Juan. It is helpful on multiple levels. It's no easy thing for a large university to scope out a plan for integrating online education. It's a brand new world and it feels very high risk. As we learn about best practices and our budgets get trimmed, the temptation is to do enough to check the box, but that model causes more trouble in the long run. Lucas's article is a thoughtful, articulate review of lessons learned that can be applied straight away. Thank you!
  •  
    Schools as a business are running out of funding, yet tuition keeps getting more expensive (funny right?). I don't know if the current platform for education will be replaced with MOOCs, but it will definitely be replaced, it's natural evolution. Jennifer you are working with Virtual High Schools, soon we will see this in the lower grades. The strange kids we knew who and were jealous of because they were "Home Schooled" will be the norm! However we are not only talking about the "survival" of the institutions, we are talking about the titles that come with these degrees. 50 years High School was a family achievement, today High School doesn't qualify you to stand on the side of the highway with a sign... How long before these titles like M.Ed are no longer worth the paper they are printed on?
  •  
    I believe the University of Miami Online High School has already offered a MOOC about college/ACT prep. I'm bummed because I was hoping to be the first high school to offer a MOOC. I really just love the idea of using technology to give kids opportunities that they would not have otherwise had. But there are practical considerations that trump my idealistic ideas about it. It's always about the money. I think one of the biggest problems we face in our society today is the concentration of wealth at the top. Higher and higher salaries at the top necessitate lower salaries (greater tuition, etc.) elsewhere. We also have huge infrastructure/insurance costs. It's a complex, complicated problem that makes me weary!
  •  
    The beauty of a MOOC is that you can literally run it from your parents basement! Look at how Khans Academy started and what it has grown into. Any one of us could essentially develop an online course, videos and all and run it from our home. Although I was just introduced to MOOCs in last semesters 6329, I see them becoming more and more integrated into future curriculum. It would not surprise me if at one point the 6332/6358 course required the development of a fully functional MOOC. Remember I said it first!
  •  
    People might worried that "massive open online course" may replace the traditional education someday. My answer is NO. They are actually different in nature. MOOC can be taken as an enrichment tool to enhance your urge in knowledge, but can't be officially certified by the Educational Department. MOOC is a good source to learn different topics and meet instructors from vary institutions. That makes learning exciting and help to lighten up life.
  •  
    Some see MOOCs up-ending the whole model of higher education, allowing students to complete full courses of study in a non-traditional format, particularly with international students, which have made up a large part of the student body in early MOOC courses. Others see MOOCs playing a much smaller role, with the MOOC system of "badges" or certificates for course completion integrated into programs higher education institutions already offer.
normairisrodz

"Engage Me or Enrage Me": What Today's Learners Demand (EDUCAUSE Review) | EDUCAUSE.edu - 2 views

  • the kids back then didn’t expect to be engaged by everything they did. There were no video games, no CDs, no MP3s—none of today’s special effects. Those kids’ lives were a lot less rich—and not just in money: less rich in media, less rich in communication, much less rich in creative opportunities for students outside of school. Many if not most of them never even knew what real engagement feels like.
  • All the students we teach have something in their lives that’s really engaging
    • normairisrodz
       
      If teachers could tap into what engages their students, they can also tap into their motivation to learn and be active participants in the learning process.
  • Rather than being empowered to choose what they want
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • in school, they must eat what they are served
  • In my view, it’s not “relevance” that’s lacking for this generation, it’s engagement.
  • So we have to find how to present our curricula in ways that engage our students—not just to create new “lesson plans,” not even just to put the curriculum online
    • normairisrodz
       
      How do you engage your students in innovative ways in your classroom? With such emphasis placed on standardized test preparation, are you allowed academic freedom to engage your students with alternative teaching practices?
  • kids’ long-term engagement in a game depends much less on what they see than on what they do and learn.
  • And if we educators don’t start coming up with some damned good curricular gameplay for our students—and soon—they’ll all come to school wearing (at least virtually in their minds) the T-shirt I recently saw a kid wearing in New York City: “It’s Not ADD—I’m Just Not Listening!”
    • normairisrodz
       
      It's not just about graphics and special effects, it's about substance. Do students learn and are they challenged?
  • That’s one more reason the kids are so enraged—they know their stuff is missing!
  •  
    Engaging students who "tune us out". This article reinforces Brain Rule 4: Attention, "we don't pay attention to boring things." Educators must seek ways of engaging students... solution - game-based learning.
Katy Lu

What Is Your Learning Style? | Edutopia - 4 views

    • Katy Lu
       
      While taking this quiz make sure that you are go with your first thought and not to "think" too hard.  Want to know what is your learning style?
    • Maria Austin
       
      Thank you for sharing this test! I did it and I can say it is fairly accurate.
  • Try not to think too hard
  • multiple ways
  • ...1 more annotation...
    • Katy Lu
       
      Medina's  Rule #4: We don't pay attention to boring things.
  •  
    I just took the test and it is accurate and I know the learner qualities that I have.
Katy Lu

Your Amazing Brain -- National Geographic Kids - 10 views

  •  
    interesting perspective, being from the computing field I work with all types of computer technology. Sadly the one thing I wish most for the human brain is it having the abilty to upgrade as easily as a computer. We can add more processing power, more memory, and more storage. This is all done in minutes, but learning something can take a long time. This goes along with one of my favorite scenes from the Matrix trilogy, where that ability to fly a helicopter is simply downloaded. Imagine if learning was that easy and what we could accomplish as a human race...
  • ...3 more comments...
  •  
    Nice input Juan! I really appreciate the opportunity of learning more about our brain. Knowing how it functions we are able to better utilize this "human computer". I love technology. Nowadays, we can't live without computers. It is easy to upgrade, download, upload or delete files on computer, However, some memories are unable to be deletes from human brains. I guess this is the difference between computers and the human brain. After reading brain rules, I keep on reminding myself : "to give my brain a break".
  •  
    I like the comparison of a brain and a super computer and the complexity of the two. Yes, I agree the similarities are scary and promising at the same time. One of the comparisons is that both can be infected by a virus and cured by either an antivirus or an antibiotic. Although, one of differences that I can think of is even if it had a battery back up a computer can be unplug to turn it off .The other big difference I can foretell is that computer's will never be able to feel or have an emotional component attached to their hardware unlike a human brain can. I have meet people in their late eighties as sharp as a knife at a family BBQ .Image a human brain eighty years old that has never crash or had to be updated to a new operating system or unplugged for the night. I cannot foresee a future where everything we do has to be logical and act according to a plan.
  •  
    I just simply got tired reading how much our brain does and how fast it works. It kept me thinking when I read that the activities in our brain never stop; I thought it would get some rest when we slept, apparently not. I thought Juan's comment was funny about wishing for the ability to upgrade the human brain as easily we would on a computer.
  •  
    I'm really enjoying learning about the brain and how it works. This was some good info to go along with all that we are learning from Brain Rules.
  •  
    Just to think we are only scratching the surface when it comes to the mysteries of the brain! The book is also choke full of fascinating cases of extraordinary people carrying out record breaking feats!
ernieperez519

Is Technology Producing A Decline In Critical Thinking And Analysis? - 7 views

  •  
    How are we coping with technology in our school system and at work? How many times have you seen the squiggly red line when you mispell a word. Our natural instinct is to right click and correct the misspelled word. Have we lost our thought process by multitasking?
  • ...5 more comments...
  •  
    Ernie, I think you pose an interesting question that is not easy to answer. I think that everyone copes with technology differently at school and at work. I think it all depends on how open minded one is to technology and if ones first experiences have been easy or hard. I personally have to say "thank spellcheck for that red squiggly line." I always have been a horrible speller and it makes life that much easier. Luckily, I went to college at 30 when it was the norm to turn in a paper that was typed on a computer with Microsoft Word. I don't think we have lost our thought process, I just think that we have to stop and realize that we truly cannot multi-task everything. There are only certain things that should be multi-tasked such as a pilot on an airplane as mentioned in the article, but most everyday things should not be. We need to learn to be truly sufficient in what we do we need to put our full attention into our task. I am curious about the articles comments about students reading less. I teach middle school and I would not necessarily agree with that statement. I would say that about 60% of my students will pick up their books as much as they can during class and would read the entire class if I let them and many of them would love to bring their Kindles or e-readers to schools if my school would let them. They might not be reading a book in print, but I bet if more students were aloud to read on their phones or other electronic devices we would see more kids reading.
  •  
    I agree with Jackie! Everyone copes with technology differently but I also believe in two distinct ways either positively and negatively. The people that embrace technology positively will not only use the spell check app but would not think twice not to use it because this is acceptable behavior. If it was not acceptable to use, why is the option available? I realize relying on an app or computer software to do most of the work is a receipt for disaster one day. I think it is too late to turn back the old ways because the world dictates the pace we now live in. Let's say for example, we want to slow down the use of technology in the classroom. The question is, will the rest of the world follow suit? I do not think so! Based on the article you have provide Erie, it clearly states that recreation reading is in decline and I do not think it is going to get any better any time soon. The gaming industry is to blame because these games provide students with a shot of instinct gratification that recreation reading will never be able provide. The people that do not embrace technology will not only not use the spell check app but technology altogether. I have few co-workers in my office that refuse to learn and incorporate technology in their daily routine. When they do need to use technology they are always asking for help and it gets old after a while. I believe ten years from now everything will be automated and these cohorts of employees will be obsolete if they do not change their ways. No, Erie I do not believe we have lost the thought process by multitasking. In fact I think the opposite has occurred. I have witness in my office where season techs struggle with a technology issue and a student employee finds the issue without any real training. I then asked the student employee how he was able to figure it out and the answer is always I do not know how I just did. Crazy as it sounds it has happen several times in my office.
  •  
    Technology is ubiquitous and as such, impossible to avoid. We get used to our kindle, notebook, phone, etc. and life seems impossible without them. While technology seems to simplify our lives it also poses questions and problems as the one Jaime describes that require the use of something that technology itself cannot provide, i.e., intuition in the process of problem-solving. That is something inherently human. I don't think I'd worry about losing this trait. I know it sounds like a cliché but a computer cannot replace a human brain. Having said this, I do think that the way we process information is changing but it is an adaptation to new environmental challenges; challenges that include technology amongst other things. It may be described as a new ability to multi-task, although as Dr. Medina explains in Brain Rules, the ability to multi-task is a myth. I prefer to consider it a new ability to focus in sequential processes.
  •  
    One thing that we need to consider is that the pre-computer generation is getting ready to retire and these new "workers" have grown up with computers and internet. Each generation to come will be more and more tech savvy. My daughter struggled with standard keyboarding in school, but types a million miles an hour on her ipad! I read somewhere that the Concorde airplane was the last airplane that actually required a pilot to manually fly it, where as all the new and current planes really only require the pilot for landings and take-offs. There are school districts still fighting to keep cursive in their curriculum, but when is the last time a teacher took a hand-written paper? The question above about whether we are losing something due to our reliance on technology, is an interesting one. The better question would be is what if the technology was taken away, would we be able to function? Can we as a people survive without it?
  •  
    I think that just like anything else, as our technology grows, we will lose some thought processes and gain others. That's not necessarily bad, though. We have always done that. I don't feel bad about losing the thought process that involves sneaking up on a chicken and killing it. Then, cleaning it and cooking it. I like that I can just go buy it prepared. By the same token, I like not having to get out the liquid paper when I mess up a word or sentence. Just a few keystrokes and I have made the correction. With regard to multitasking - Medina tells us that we really aren't wired for that. It does seem that more and more, people wear the ability to multi-task like a badge of honor. But actually it goes back to the old saying "jack of all trades, master of none". I would like to see people (myself included) take more time to focus their attention on one thing and get it right.
  •  
    Great discussion here. I can see this going either way. A teacher can guide students to use technology for critical thinking. I have students that go directly to their technology to try and find an answer and others will try and work on a problem before they try and look up an answer. The way a teacher guides the students will students use technology to bolster critical thinking rather than use it as a crutch. My students know they can just look up an answer in my physics class BUT they have to show their work so just knowing the answers doesn't really help them. Being able to explain how you get to an answer is more important to me than the right answer itself. These skills can be taught and can use technology at the same time.
  •  
    I agree with the fact that our thought processes have changed- but haven't been paralyzed. Like Raquel said, technology is ubiquitous to today's education. There is no way out of it. When I was 11 I had to practice hand writing and got told off by my mother when I did a bad job. My 11 years old son, on the other hand has bad handwriting and is not responsible to beautify it in any way since he does most of his work on the laptop he has been given from school. Yes, spellchecker does eliminate us to learn proper spelling. However, the need to learn how to spell is slowly being diminished. I think we need to take a new approach to looking at how children learn these days and stop sweating over small stuff that once was considered 'big'.
Jaime Villanueva

Know Thyself With A Brain Scanner - 9 views

I realize most people would be skeptical Jackie about the technology. One can only image the positive implications this technology can have in our daily lives. One example that comes to mind is a c...

http:__www.ted.com_talks_ariel_garten_know_thyself_with_a_brain_scanner.html

rtrevin5

How to Create Interactive E-Learning - The Rapid eLearning Blog - 2 views

    • rtrevin5
       
      How many times have we attended this kind of training? I am hearing a lot about PD, but in reality, this applies to all facets of training. We find disengaged learners, and more importantly, we ourselves are disengaged from the process. As the author stated, we then throw more and more tricks at them. Click this, see that, play this...and the real training and learning that needs to take place does not happen. How many of you have experienced this in training sessions?
  • While relevance doesn’t equate to interactivity, it does equate to an engaged learner. And an engaged learner is more apt to learn and not be dependent on interactive gimmicks (which is what we usually start with when we try to make the course interactive).
    • rtrevin5
       
      Story of my life. My job includes very linear information that most students have already been doing for years. We generally do updates to existing content because we need to comply with some regulatory requirement. It can be frustrating and difficult. So, when you are faced with this element, as a designer, what do you do? How do you turn the experience into something more positive and beneficial to those around you?
  • ...3 more annotations...
    • rtrevin5
       
      How does the use of click and explore functionality strike you as an instructional designer and developer? Is this a viable tool? Does your content lend itself to this type of thing? I do tend to agree that pull information is sometimes more effective than pushing it out. In general, we push out information in all of our courses, but when I design, I find that I like to engage the learner and make him or her wonder what is around the next button click. This just seems to work for me. 
  • Unfortunately most of the elearning courses I see are linear and not very interactive. Linear isn’t bad on its own. Sometimes it’s preferable to get the information in a simple linear process. But what tends to make the linear course unbearable is when the course navigation is locked. And we tend to lock it because we’re worried that the “learner will not get all of the information.”
  • Relevant content is good and mixing it with screens that allows people to click and explore helps. But probably the single biggest thing you can do to transition from non-interactive to interactive elearning is craft an environment where the learner has to pull information in rather than us push information out.
  •  
    This is one of the most useful sites on the internet. Articulate is a rapid authoring software suite, but it also has one of the most engaged communities doing amazing things with e-learning. I highly recommend their site and the content within.
  •  
    What a great resource this is for instructors who are newbies at instructional design! I am excited to share this resource with my team of instructors. I think that it will be a good starting point for many of the instructors who I work with who have expressed interest in creating instructional design but who are very inexperienced in their instructional design creation. I appreciate the tips mentioned as well as the demos.
Juan Saldana

More News about MOOCs - 10 views

I was introduced to moocs in the last incarnation of 6329, I took my first mooc and although the time constraints were a problem I found it quite enjoyable. The benefit of these moocs is their fle...

jbm20072003

How social Media can & should impact higher education - 1 views

    • jbm20072003
       
      Of course instructors have to use a sense of caution and awareness when incorporating social media to insure it is properly used and has value. Social media should not be used to replace "person-to-person interaction.
    • rtrevin5
       
      Ok, I have read this article and find it interesting. I do tend to like these types of articles, but I will ask a question here. Why should it not be used to replace "person-to-person" interaction? I respect the statement, but I am curious as to your why. What is the rationale for it? Do you feel that something is lost in translation? Does it diminish the learning that takes place? I would like to hear your thoughts on this matter as I am curious about your perception(s) of this issue.
    • Lauren Simpson
       
      I'm a big advocate of using social media in the classroom as means of keeping students and parents informed of the day to day happenings in my classroom, but I agree that it should not be used to replay "person-to-person interaction". I'm a product of the texting generation, and often find that it's easy to misinterpret the idiosyncrasies of personal face-to-face communications. To me it has to do with the tone in someone's voice, or their facial expression that is lost over social media.
    • jbm20072003
       
      The second page contains the literacies of social media
    • jbm20072003
       
      I think the key words here are "greater student interest." If don't grab their interest then we have lost the battle. We have to hook them in order for them to be responsive and open to learning
  •  
    His literacies are helpful when considering to use social media in the classroom or work environment. Attention, Collaboration, Participation, Network Awareness, and Critical Consumption are essential when incorporating social media. The learner must have a sense of openness and willingness to share and collaborate, as well as being literate in order to take full advantage of their learning. This article really notes the benefits of using social media in the classroom. By allowing students to engage more and take control of their education by using social media sites also allows the student to stay interested in their learning.
  •  
    Of course instructors have to use a sense of caution and awareness when incorporating social media to insure it is properly used and has value. Social media should not be used to replace "person-to-person interaction."
Janice Wilson Butler

464 Digital Learning Tools To Sift Through On A Rainy Day | Fluency21 - Committed Sardi... - 2 views

  •  
    Title explains it all.
  •  
    This list should keep you busy for quite a while. Even the tool they used for presenting the information is good: list.ly
Martha Rodriguez

Technology for Kids - Developmental Milestones - Parenting.com - 4 views

  • “There's really is no ‘right’ age to allow our kids to dip a toe into the digital pond
  • “We found that households with kids ages four to fourteen own, on average, eleven consumer- electronics devices.”
    • Martha Rodriguez
       
      Wow, eleven devices sounds like too many.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • Although the media spends a lot of ink (er, pixels) on the scary aspects (cyberbullying! sexting!),
  • “The ability to use technology to seek answers to questions and reach out across the world opens the mind to an almost endless expanse of knowledge,”
  •  
    Article of integrating the right technology to kids according to the age.
  • ...3 more comments...
  •  
    I like what the article is saying about getting kids feet wet with technology. What I really like is that they gave examples on what to do with kids at different ages. Many times you read articles or hear advice from sources on what is good or bad for kids but they don't give any real advice on what you should do with kids. I like the fact that they are giving parents some choices on what to try with their kids. The internet and App store are big places and it can be hard for parents to find material that is suitable for kids. You can't just turn kids loose with the Ipad and not expect bad things to happen, even if it is just by accident. I would love to see more articles like this that have choice of technology or apps that parents have used with their kids.
  •  
    Thank you, Martha, for sharing such an interesting article! I liked the last phrase about monitoring and took the liberty to add a sticky note. I agree with Adam. The article provided actual advice broken up into ages and even suggested devices and software appropriate for each age. It's an excellent guide to navigate the ever growing world of technological offers that flood the market.
  •  
    Adam, I also found this article very useful because I'm often searching for what is adequate in technology for my daughter to use. She currently has her own Kindle w/parental controls but I have noticed that sometimes she gets bored of the activities or programs that she uses suitable for her age. I think at times she needs more of a challenge in the programs that she currently uses.
  •  
    It's an excellent article with some insight to which apps are age appropriate and could be 'safely' used to expose our children to technology. I think it is never too early for kids to get their feel wet with technology. Children now days are exposed to technology at a very early age and in most cases it does enhance their learning experience. I do agree that TV is not necessarily a bad thing for young kids- as long it is age appropriate and educational. My children (I have 3 kids- 13, 11 and 6) are highly proficient with technology and their school is fairly 'paperless'. I grew up with a more 'traditional' mode of education & didn't even know how to operate a computer until I was 20! I don't think that my children are learning material more than me (from when I was a child) through the use of tech but I do believe that they have more insight to any particular topic and learn more in depth material. Unlike what the author suggests to read e-books to children at night, I would never read an electronic book to my child who is ready to go to bed. Wouldn't the untimely exposure to the light and glare only make my 6 years old more 'worked up'? With all the blessings of technology that my kids have I wonder how much studies are being done to see the effects of technology has on our kid's health.
  •  
    This is very interesting. I didn't get my first computer until I was 29! But, within no time I had my kids aged 3 to 7 at the time on the internet with me or using educational cd's. It used to be amazing to watch a toddler play with an iphone or ipad, now it is just the norm!
Jackie Byford

Sound versus Music versus Audio versus Noise - 26 views

This is something I have thought about incorporating into my classroom, but always wonder if I am picking the right music for the right situation. I am like your daughter's Richard. I started colle...

Pedro Rodriguez

The Neurochemistry of Positive Conversations - Judith E. Glaser, and Richard D. Glaser ... - 2 views

  • The Neurochemistry of Positive Conversations
    • Pedro Rodriguez
       
      I choose this article because it relates to Brain Based learning. Also we all need to positive conversations.
  • Why do negative comments and conversations stick with us so much longer than positive ones?
    • Pedro Rodriguez
       
      Before reading the article, I attempted to answer the question based on my readings. At first I would think its how we encode the information. We tend to encode information better when its is tied to something we feel or is familiar to use.? Before reading the article, please attempt to answer the questions: Why do negative comments and conversations stick with us so much longer than positive ones?
    • Lauren Simpson
       
      I think that negative comments and conversations stick with us because they elicit a bigger emotional response than positive comments. Negative comments make you feel angry, sad, depressed, and sometimes guilty. Those are feelings that, at least for me, stick around longer than feelings of joyfulness, happiness, etc.
  • A critique from a boss, a disagreement with a colleague, a fight with a friend – the sting from any of these can make you forget a month’s worth of praise or accord. If you’ve been called lazy, careless, or a disappointment, you’re likely to remember and internalize it. It’s somehow easier to forget, or discount, all the times people have said you’re talented or conscientious or that you make them proud.
    • Pedro Rodriguez
       
      Most go through this at work, school, or through their personal life. I choose this article because we all can relate to it. Please take a moment and reflect of a similar situation you have gone through. 
    • rtrevin5
       
      This is an important point. The other day I was telling a co-worker, you can do a thousand things right, but you'll be remembered for the one thing you do wrong. In education, I have found that people do not want to call my son lazy despite the fact that he is very obviously being lazy. They say he needs to be more professional. In my workplace, that means dress better or speak better, but it has nothing to do with performance. If you are lazy, you get called lazy. The group polices itself. This is an important lesson that despite articles and psychologists and others saying negative feedback is bad - well, it still happens in the workforce. Just reality. And kids need to be prepared for that.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • Chemistry plays a big role in this phenomenon. When we face criticism, rejection or fear, when we feel marginalized or minimized, our bodies produce higher levels of cortisol, a hormone that shuts down the thinking center of our brains and activates conflict aversion and protection behaviors. We become more reactive and sensitive. We often perceive even greater judgment and negativity than actually exists. And these effects can last for 26 hours or more, imprinting the interaction on our memories and magnifying the impact it has on our future behavior. Cortisol functions like a sustained-release tablet – the more we ruminate about our fear, the longer the impact.
    • Pedro Rodriguez
       
      This is similar to what John Medina describes. The brain imprints or encodes events much better when there is "elaborate" information.  Medina explains that we vividly recall information when associated with fear. 
  • This “chemistry of conversations” is why it’s so critical for all of us –especially managers – to be more mindful about our interactions. Behaviors that increase cortisol levels reduce what I call “Conversational Intelligence” or “C-IQ,” or a person’s ability to connect and think innovatively, empathetically, creatively and strategically with others. Behaviors that spark oxytocin, by contrast, raise C-IQ.
    • Pedro Rodriguez
       
      Understanding how the brain works, I believe we can use what we have learned and apply it to practical situations. I chose this article because we can understand how the brain works and use that knowledge and apply it in our everyday lives. 
  • unfortunately, when leaders exhibit both types of behaviors it creates dissonance or uncertainty in followers’ brains, spurring cortisol production and reducing CI-Q.
    • Pedro Rodriguez
       
      I believe this is very important because if you are a leaders, your followers will be uncertain and will cause them to be distrustful to you. Leading your followers will be much harder.
  • sking questions to stimulate discussion, showing concern for others, and painting a compelling picture of shared success
    • Pedro Rodriguez
       
      Here are a few positive (oxytocin-producing)  behaviors one can do as a leader. 
  • his tendency was to tell and sell his ideas, entering most discussions with a fixed opinion, determined to convince others he was right. He was not open to others’ influence; he failed to listen to connect.
    • Pedro Rodriguez
       
      This are the types of behaviours one needs to stay away from. I am sometimes guilty of such behaviors. Taking this course is helping my leadership skills through Brain Based learning.  
  • Harness the chemistry of conversations.
    • Pedro Rodriguez
       
      I like that saying. What do you think overall of this article?
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