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Saturday, April 21, 2012
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Online Student Connections
Based on web blog written by JaynaB on 8/8/2011
The recent web article I read discusses the benefits of having an online study partner. I think having a study partner is important to have and I believe this does help online students make connections with the coursework. I have had the opportunity to do group work in an online class and I initially dreaded doing group work, but I did enjoy the connections that I made with the other students online. I feel that you do not want to let your other classmates down and this feeling does help to build in a sense of accountability. I have used this prior group member as a study partner by helping each other get on track with assignments or having another classmate to ask questions related to class assignments. In an online environment, I think it is important to have another classmate to help you get a different perspective of what is being presented in class and your study partner may even remind you of when an assignment is due. Even though each student is responsible for his or her learning, it does help to have at least one classmate to ask clarifying questions. If these questions are not getting answered by your “Study Buddy”, then a student will have to ask the instructor. I think this set up is what happens is a traditional class and it may be even more important in an online environment.
JaynaB (2011, Jan. 8) Study Buddies: Having Accountability [Web Log Message] Retrieved on http://community.elearners.com/all_blogs/academic_advice/b/enrollment_advice/archive/2011/08/08/study-buddies-having-accountability.aspx
Facebook Replies!
Based on Blog by Dan Rowinski on 8/9/11
This recent web blog I read talks about Facebook’s new mobile application that is being released very soon, which is call “Messenger”. In response to Google plus and Blackberry applications, Facebook has developed its own mobile application that will compete with these other mobile products. I was wondering when Facebook would get its own mobile application. Apparently, this new mobile Facebook application will let you send messages similar to Blackberry’s messenger and allow you to chat in groups just like Google plus. I have heard that Google plus has been growing, so we will have to see if this new application will keep Facebook as the current giant of social networking sites. I think everyone knows that Facebook has a huge following, but we also know how Google lets you do a lot of applications with both computers and android phones. I think this kind of competiveness is going to launch these types of technologies into our futures much earlier than we all expect. I think it is important for educators to keep up on technology especially when you are using technology in your classroom. Technology is every changing and we will have to wait to see what is around the next corner.
Rowinski, D. (2011, Aug. 9) Facebook Releases Dedicated Messenger App, Takes Aim At Google Plus Huddles and BlackBerry [Web Log Message] Retrieved from http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/facebook_releases_dedicated_messenger_app_takes_ai.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+readwriteweb+%28ReadWriteWeb%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
Traditional Classroom help is Online
Based on blog by Nick Provenzano written on 8/9/11.
Classroom management has shown to become much easier with the use of a class website for a English High School teacher Nick Provenzano. The biggest feature of using his website for his classroom was that he was no longer wasting time in class covering missed assignments or what assignments were due by absent students. I do not teach in a traditional classroom, but I do know that when I teach CPR a lot of time is spent covering the administrative portion or check in portion of class. I think if everyone was registered online properly for the CPR classes that I teach, then actual teaching would begin sooner. I really did not understand the full advantages of having an online website for a traditional classroom, until I read this blog. I think that both Wikis and Blogs can be used to help with classroom management and I truly believe an online website can help all teachers.
Provenzano, Nick (2011, Aug. 9) Summer PD: Use a Web Site to Help Manage Your Classroom [Web Log Message] Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/use-the-web-for-classroom-management-nick-provenzano?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EdutopiaNewContent+%28Edutopia%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Going toward Darkness with Google Plus
Based on blog by Ira Socol on 8/1/11.
This article points to problems associated with using the Google plus as this social networking site has circle of friends being developed where you are in a group or not. I am not sure how this is much different from Facebook as you can either become a friend or not. I do see how using Google plus could promote more cliques, but how is that any different from the real world? I am not sure it is the responsibility of technology companies to create programs that break down social barriers or differences. I think Google plus mimics more real world life and I personally do not see a big problem with this. When a school uses a social networking website, it will be more on a professional level anyway and this is how real work experiences can be developed. A teacher who uses Google plus can group students together as students, which is really what they need to grouped as. I think bullying can never be stopped and should not be blaming technology for a problem that starts with the people who created the problem to begin with.
Socal, I. (2011, August 1) Google+: The Dark Side of the Circle [Web Log Message] Retrieved on http://www.edutopia.org/blog/dark-side-google-plus-ira-socol?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EdutopiaNewContent+%28Edutopia%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
Requirements for Technology Teachers
Based on blog message written by Mary Beth Hertz on 8/3/11.
This article puts into question what type of knowledge should be needed by instructors teaching with technology. I think this is a very important question and this article provides a link to the International Society for Technology in Education organizational website. I think teachers need to be familiar with the technology they are using in a classroom and should be required to keep up with continuing educational opportunities to keep up with current changes in technology. Knowing how to use email properly, knowing how to do various internet searches, and knowing how to use different computer systems effectively are three examples given in this article as suggestions for what an instructor needs to know. I know that public school systems are setting technology goals for their students, but I think it is important for teaching professions to set technology standards for teaching professionals. I do think that some type of standards needs to be established for teaching professionals and this may get improved by initially changing the training that teachers are receiving. Most professions have research that continues to be part of their profession and I think it would be practical to incorporate technology research into teaching professions. There seems to be differences in how technology is used from one school district to another and it would be beneficial to have research to back up how technology is improving a school district.
Hertz, M. (2001, August 3) What Tech Tools Should Be Required Knowledge for Teachers? [Web Log Message] http://www.edutopia.org/blog/technology-skills-required-knowledge-mary-beth-hertz?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EdutopiaNewContent+%28Edutopia%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
Generation gap between twenties vs. forties?
Based on blog written by Richard MacManus on 8/2/11.
I found the statistic presented in this article interesting as the author compares the younger twenties population groups with groups of students in their forties. I question the age of this author since I really do not think forties is old, but definitely older than students in their twenties. In any case the forties group or “traditionalist” were mentioned as less likely to use smart phones and other forms of digital media as compared to the younger group of “digital-media Junkies”. I think this would be hard to evaluate in a totally online course as you may not know the true age of your students, but you may be able to find out this information in the beginning of an online course. I think an instructor needs to understand that online technology resources may not understood as easily by your “traditionalist” student. Working as an instructor, you may need to do an assessment of your students to have a better understanding of what technologies your students are familiar with. If you decide to start incorporating a social network into your classroom, you may need to do some education to familiarize some of your students with what the online social network is all about. When an “older” student commonly uses newspapers to keep up to date on current news, you may need to educate them about online news feeds that are available. The statistics presented in this article comparing these two main age groups are staggering, but this makes sense as younger college students are being brought up with technology more than their previous generations. I thought what was interesting about the ‘traditionalist” student is that females in this category were significantly less inclined than males to use technology, and this was probably attributed to gender role differences. Anyway, I thought this article may be applicable to some online classrooms.
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