Ashley's Technology World

CEP 822 - Literature Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 18:47:00 -0400

Introduction

The Topic

The present educational system is not responsive to digital learners. With the advancement of technology, the educational system needs to realize that today even babies have toys that are electronic. From the time they can walk and talk, they are exposed to technology. When majority of them enter pre-school at 3 or 4 years old, many of them have already used a computer or cell phone in some way. The educational system in the US does not appear to be able to keep up with this. According to Groff & Mouza (2008), “This is evident by the lack of progress in technology integration in K-12 schools in this country, considering the length of time that has passed since the first computers made their appearance in the instructional setting” (p. 42). Technology is changing so quickly, that the way we educate our kids isn't being done fast or well enough. Additionally, another fact that supports this is that we are educating children for jobs that don't even exist yet!

General Overview of Literature

Technology is used in various schools across the country at differing levels of technological advancement. There are numerous reasons why technology is used and not used in classrooms. Sadly, technology integration in many classrooms is often used for reasons in which the goal is not to engage students, or increase technological skills. According to Herrington (2007), “Technology use in classrooms is often employed for all the wrong reasons – such as convenience, pressure from school administrators, the belief that students need to be entertained” (p. 219). Other aspects in the educational setting that affect technology integration include the effects of federal laws, district administration, school administration, technology skills and proficiency of teachers, knowing how to obtain support sources, student and teacher attitudes, and student technological background and experience.

Rationale

The literature that is being reviewed is showing how stressed the educational system is in this country in regards to technology. The research question that my literature review helps to define is: does the integration of technology in the classroom make students responsive learners. Using the vast resources available online, I limited my search to resources about education and technology. The criteria used in comparing the literature sources consisted of looking for a few answers to some key questions. The scope of my literature review consisted of electronic sources such as journal articles, online periodicals, and web documents that could be found in the discipline of education.

Body

Kinds of Work Reviewed

The kinds of work completed by others that were reviewed consisted of reviews, research articles, and theoretical articles. The sources of information were mainly found in electronic databases. They were reviewed and grouped together according to purpose of the work, or the conclusions and opinions of the author(s).

Description of Selected Important Works

The article, “Technology and the Continuing Education of Classroom Teacher” discusses how the educational system is failing students in regards to technology and what has been implemented to better prepare teachers for working with technology. Many teachers pursue further studies throughout their careers. Technology has been advancing at an incredibly fast rate. The educational system has been racing to keep up with technological advances but has not been successful.

An effective educational reform to give students twenty-first century technological skills must begin with educating teachers. According to Glenn (1997),

“The public support for technology is strong and vocal, and there is an expectation that no school can prepare students for tomorrow’s society if new technologies are not available to students. Teachers, therefore, are expected to know how to use technology as a part of instruction even though most teachers feel they do not have the skills needed to use technology” (p. 123).

Teachers may continue their own education for various reasons such as maintaining teacher certification, seeking advanced degrees, or at the request of their school or district. Unfortunately, only recently have some schools and districts began to require teachers to continue their education in technology. Glenn (1997) stated the following:

“Central to these challenges is the response educators will have to the current efforts to reform America's schools. Reformers and futurists contend that educators must prepare a different type of learner, one who is able to work with symbols and information and who remains a lifelong learner. The schools of tomorrow must be intellectual environments for both teacher and student” (p. 127).

In order to create a better educational system in the United States, educational administrators must develop a new model of teaching to create a new innovative way for student learning.

The research article, “Technology Integration and Educational Reform: Considering Student Voice” examines the relationships between student voice, learning, and emerging technologies and their impact towards educational reform. The country revolves around technological innovations. Several laws such as "The No Child Left Behind Act" caused a reform in education. However, these reforms fail to address the use of technology in the classroom. Seitz states that schools in the United States fail to educate students with the skills they need to be successful in the current workforce. Technology is present in school districts across the country. However, the problem that faces the educational field is the quality and utilization of digital tools by students and teachers. Seitz (2007) found that:

“Yet, the problem remains that the quantity and quality of access, tools, and skills taught in utilizing digital tools remains a widening gap: a digital divide persists. The United States education system embraced technology much slower than the society in which their students lived” (p. 83).

Educational reform and technology integration must meet three key areas of pedagogy, emerging technologies, and situated learning.

This article, “Effects of Technology Integration Education on the Attitudes of

Teachers and Students”, researches and explains the profound effect that technology integration has on the attitudes of teachers and students. Studies have shown that attitudes of teachers and students can have a major effect on student learning and outcomes. It is a crucial element in teaching students about technology. Consequently, it can be assumed that the attitudes of teachers and school administrators will definitely have an effect on the types and ways in which technology can be implemented into classrooms across the country. There is one major difference between various roles in which teachers integrate technology. The difference that affects these roles concerns the teacher’s use of technology and the training they have received on the various technologies available to them for use in a class.

Technology is used in the classroom for many reasons. Unfortunately, not all uses of technology are used for the best reason which should be to provide an opportunity for students to learn about subject material and gain various technological skills and abilities. In some classrooms technology is used due to convenience, pressure from school administrators, or entertainment. In classes, majority of the time, the teacher is the one using a given technology. According to Herrington & Kervin (2007),

“However, what often happens when teachers begin to expand their use of technology is that the teacher is the only one to use the technology, usually in the form of exposition of content, such as in Power-Point presentations or showing documentaries or films. Or alternatively, the focus sometimes rests solely on the technology itself, such as in learning to use a digital video camera, rather than on the knowledge, content and processes of the subject area” (p. 220).

Students cannot gain the necessary skills unless they are given the opportunity. A Herrington & Kervin argue if technology can present students the opportunity to employ powerful cognitive tools. Based on the principles of authentic learning, the article by Herrington and Kervin, describes ten ways technology can be used effectively by students. Authentic learning can be defined as providing learning activities that reflect real-life (workplace) situations.

There are many ways of keeping educators motivated and to retain good educators through the aid of technology. Attending classes and seminars can be difficult for the busy professional teacher, especially when it is set at a certain time and a certain place. Technology can give them the freedom of attending through the use of their computer, with on-line classes either live or something that can be seen at a more convenient time. These classes can help teachers with their own assignments and tips on how incorporate technology into their class room. According to Salpeter & Bray (2003), “Only when teachers see the impact on elevating student learning do they ‘buy in’ and integrate the technology-enhanced teaching strategies into their classroom practices” (p. 34). A power point presentation can help children understand the instruction material at hand. The more resources an instructor has the better it will be for the instructor as well as the students.

Conclusion

How this Work is Informed by the Work of Others

The review of this work is informed by the work of others by providing a background about the current state of technology use in the educational system of the United States. The sources of work by other individuals clearly state how technology is currently being integrated into classes and what needs to be addressed in an educational reform that is needed in this country.

CEP 822 - Lab 2 - Annotated Bibliography

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 22:47:00 -0400

Boshier, R. & Mohapi, M. & Moolton, G. & Qayyum, A. & Sadownik, L. & Wilson, M. (2010). Best and worst dressed web courses: Strutting into the 21^st century in comfort and style.

Distance Education, 18(2), 327-349. Retrieved from

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0158791970180209

This article describes what online or web based courses are. There are many benefits and negative aspects of many distance courses. The authors point out that some distance courses need more interaction between students and teachers. Courses should not be merely a bunch of notes posted online for a student to read through. Online and traditional courses need to meet multiple learning needs for their students. Distance courses can help provide technology integration and aid the educational system of the United States to in creating an educational setting that is responsive to all learners.

Christensen, R. (2002). Effects of Technology Integration Education on the Attitudes of

Teachers and Students. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 34(4), 411-433. Retrieved from Pro Quest Research Library. http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/274703287?accountid=12598

Studies have shown that attitudes of teachers and students can have a major effect on student learning and outcomes. It is a crucial element in teaching students about technology. Consequently, it can be assumed that the attitudes of teachers and school administrators will definitely have an effect on the types and ways in which technology can be implemented into classrooms across the country. There is one major difference between various roles in which teachers integrate technology. The difference that affects these roles concerns the teacher’s use of technology and the training they have received on the various technologies available to them for use in a class. This article researches and explains the profound effect that technology integration has on the attitudes of teachers and students.

Educational technology. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.k12.wa.us/EdTech/Research.aspx

This web page discusses the significance and effective instruction of a technologically advanced school environment on performance by students. Students have been using some form of technology their entire life. The information produced on this web page supports my statement that technology does enhance student learning and improve student skills.

Glenn, A. D. (1997). Technology and the Continuing Education of Classroom Teacher. Peabody Journal of Education, 72(1), 122-128. Retrieved from JSTOR database.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/1493263

Many teachers pursue further studies throughout their careers. Teachers may continue their own education for various reasons such as maintaining teacher certification, seeking advanced degrees, or at the request of their school or district. Unfortunately, only recently have some schools and districts began to require teachers to continue their education in technology. Technology has been advancing at an incredibly fast rate. The educational system has been racing to keep up with technological advances but has not been successful. This article discusses how the educational system is failing students in regards to technology and what has been implemented to better prepare teachers for working with technology. Educational reform to give students twenty-first century technological skills must begin with educating teachers.

Herrington, J. & Kervin, L. (2007). Authentic Learning Supported by Technology: Ten suggestions and cases of integration in classrooms. Educational Media International,

44(3), 219-236. Retrieved from Taylor & Francis Online. http://www.tandfonline.com.proxy1.cl.msu.edu/doi/pdf/10.1080/09523980701491666

Technology is used in the classroom for many reasons. Unfortunately, not all uses of technology are used for the best reason which should be to provide an opportunity for students to learn about subject material and gain various technological skills and abilities. In some classrooms technology is used due to convenience, pressure from school administrators, or entertainment. In classes, majority of the time, the teacher is the one using a given technology. Students cannot gain the necessary skills unless they are given the opportunity. The authors argue if technology can present students the opportunity to employ powerful cognitive tools. Based on the principles of authentic learning, the article describes ten ways technology can be used effectively by students. Authentic learning can be defined as providing learning activities that reflect real-life (workplace) situations.

Salpeter, J. & Bray, B. (2003). Professional development: 21^st century models. Technology &

Learning, 24(1), 34-34. Retrieved from Pro Quest Research Library. http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/212094119?accountid=12598

This article refers to ways of keeping educators motivated and to retain good educators through the aid of technology. Attending classes and seminars can be difficult for the busy professional teacher, especially when it is set at a certain time and a certain place. Technology can give them the freedom of attending through the use of their computer, with on-line classes either live or something that can be seen at a more convenient time. These classes can help teachers with their own assignments and tips on how incorporate technology into their class room. A power point presentation can help children understand the instruction material at hand. The more resources an instructor has the better it will be for the instructor as well as the students.

Seitz, S. K. (n.d.). Technology Integration and Educational Reform: Considering Student Voice

[White paper]. Retrieved July 7, 2012, from

http://www.sicet.org/journals/ijttl/issue0703/6_Seitz.pdf

This research examines the relationships between student voice, learning, and emerging technologies and their impact towards educational reform. The country revolves around technological innovations. Several laws such as "The No Child Left Behind Act" caused a reform in education. However, these reforms fail to address the use of technology in the classroom. Seitz states that schools in the United States fail to educate students with the skills they need to be successful in the current workforce. Technology is present in school districts across the country. However, the problem that faces the educational field is the quality and utilization of digital tools by students and teachers. Educational reform and technology integration must meet three key areas of pedagogy, emerging technologies, and situated learning.

CEP 822 - Research in Action Project - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 9 Jul 2012 22:55:00 -0400

The issue in education that I wish to address is: Does the integration of technology in the classroom make students responsive learners?

The issue of technology integration in the classroom is very important. As a middle school, high school, and undergraduate student I always felt that teachers were not using technology as best they could to support student learning. I always felt that as a student, my technology use could have been more advanced. While searching the internet, I discovered that there are some experts who say that the present educational system is not responsive to digital learners. I agree with this. With the advancement of technology, I believe that the educational system needs to realize that today even babies have toys that are electronic. From the time they can walk and talk, they are exposed to technology. When majority of them enter pre-school at 3 or 4 years old, many of them have already used a computer or cell phone in some way. I do not feel our Educational system in the US has been able to keep up with this. There might be some schools with lots of money who have been able to expose their students to this type of learning. However, technology is changing so quickly, that the way we educate our kids isn't being done fast or well enough. Additionally, another fact that supports this is that we are educating children for jobs that don't even exist yet!

I became aware of this aspect in the field of education by talking to people I know that work in education as teachers or principals. In addition, I did some research about the use of technology in the classrooms on the internet. This area of education is not relevant to my current job but this information may be beneficial to me in a future job.

This question that I wish to address will be very significant to anyone who works in the field of education at any level whether they are teachers, principals, or college students studying about educational technology. This question applies practical significance upon the educational system and laws passed by federal government regarding education. In an article written by Sheila K. Seitz of the University of Cincinatti, Seitz wrote, “Educational reforms attempt to address many aspects of education within this knowledge economy such as teachers, administration, assessment, resources and buildings. Surprisingly, much of the effort ignores the voice of what is most central to learning: the student. Today’s students feel desensitized, disenfranchised, and disengaged.” I believe that if students in the USA are going to be well-prepared as the future leaders of the country, then the government needs to make the educational system their first priority that acknowledges the need to make sure students are prepared with the necessary knowledge and skills in the area of technology. Seitz also wrote, “The vision of transforming schools to prepare students as citizens in an advanced knowledge economy, fueled by technological advances, was given inadequate attention.” Technology is constantly changing, and schools need to develop ways to ensure that they will be able to stay current with the latest technological advances and to assess a student’s abilities in technology. I support this with the following sentence from the article written by Seitz, “The United States education system embraced technology much slower than the society in which their students lived”. I believe many would benefit by reading about the issue of technology integration and how technology can increase responsive learning. On a website produced by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of the state of Washington, it says, “Research continues to authenticate the positive impact that effective instruction coupled with a technology-rich learning environment can have on student performance”.

CEP 812 Wicked Problem Project Presentation

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 11:51:00 -0400

Unable to display content. Adobe Flash is required.

Part A: Educational Problem/Need

1. What is the important educational need that you are seeking to address?

Due to geographic location and financial concerns, it is not possible for students and teachers to visit many places to learn about the significance, geography, and history of various places. With the use of technology that is available, these barriers can be removed.

2. How you plan to address this educational issue with technology? SOLUTION

I will address this educational issue with technology with a virtual field trip using Google Earth. Students and teachers can attend the virtual field trip at their convenience without any cost involved for students, teachers, or the schools. By their participation, they will be able to learn about a given area and expand upon their geography, and technology skills.

3. Logistics of solution:

The technology can be used on a computer, and shared with others via e-mail. It can be used for an unlimited amount of time if needed and there is no cost in using the technology because it is available for free on the internet

4. Relevant research and resources (from the Internet and elsewhere) including reports on the closest effort you can find to what you are planning to do as well as ideas and materials you may be able to build upon in your own effort. Your description should include:

Using the internet, I did a search using the Google search engine and found a PDF files that help explain how to create virtual tours using Google earth. These resources are going to help me in the implementation of my project.

http://www.african.ohio.edu/Pdfs/Creating%20a%20Google%20Earth%20tour.pdf

http://www.bridge.edu.au/verve/_resources/GoogleEarthHowToVFT.pdf

http://www.onlineuniversities.com/blog/2010/01/100-incredible-educational-virtual-tours-you-dont-want-to-miss/

After performing my search, I learned about how to use Google Earth to create virtual tours or field trips. I also learned what the general description of a virtual tour is. I would definitely using the Google search engine again.

5. A plan for the portion you will implement during this course and the portion you will implement after this course completes.

During this course, the portion that I will implement is the design and creation of the virtual tour using Google Earth. After this course is completed, the portion that could be completed is observing the benefits and negative impacts of a virtual trip in a class.

6. How would you know you were successful?

If my project is successful, it will be determined by feedback from individuals that would use the virtual tour. At the end of the tour, there will be a survey for participants to complete.

Part B: Application of TPACK

1. What is the TP knowledge for the solution?

For my Wicked Problem Project, I have chosen to use the Experiental Learning strategy using the method of a field trip. However, it will be a virtual field trip. There will also be direct instruction in the form of lectures, and drill and practice. The technology that I decided to use to support my instructional strategy and method is Google Earth. Google Earth supports my strategies by enabling me to create a virtual tour of various locations. In the process of creating a virtual tour and adding a placemark, there are many options available to me in Google Earth. These options allow me to incorporate direct instruction through the ability to direct the audience of the virtual tour to powerpoints that contain information about the given location. Experiential learning can be defined as a process in which students develop knowledge and skills from experiences outside a traditional setting. Experiential learning can encompass many different activities, one of which can be a virtual field trip. A virtual field trip is outside a traditional setting and enables them to acquire knowledge, and skills in geography and technology.

2. What is the TC knowledge for the solution?

The educational need that I am seeking to address is that many do not have the ability to travel to places to learn about the history and significance of various places due to the barriers of time, distance, and financial restraints. Specifically, this technology with the aid of the internet's vast resources makes the content of my educational need more accessible by enabling one to easily participate in an interactive tour of the Washington D.C. area, and learn about the significance and history of the people and the region.

3. What is the PC knowledge for the solution?
In the process of creating a virtual tour and adding a placemark, I can add informational text, images, links to videos or websites, podcasts, and powerpoint files. These options allow me to direct the audience of the virtual tour to powerpoints that contain information about the given location, or contain a series of short quizzes about information that was presented to them. The audience will be basically be able to experience a field trip with some 3D viewing so it may feel like they are actually there instead of at a computer

Part C: Implementation

Link to podcast:

www.msu.edu/~withero3/wppimplementation2.mp3

Part D: Findings and Implications

Formative: Did the project get implemented as planned?

Yes, the project did get implemented as planned. My implementation plan was to create and design a virtual tour using Google Earth. After doing this implementation, I learned that creating a virtual tour requires a great deal of time, and work. I also learned that technology glitches can occur at any given second during the creation process and that you have to be ready to troubleshoot the problems (if possible) or start from scratch! The final version of my virtual field trip accomplishes my goal of creating a virtual tour that teaches students about the significance, and history of the area and I believe it will provide an experience for potential students that was originally intended.

Summative: Evidence of success in addressing the problem of practice.

The problem of practice is that many are unable to leave school to visit other places to learn about them due to various reasons. The evidence of my success in addressing the problem is a creation of my virtual tour or "field trip" to Washington D.C. Virtual field trips can provide new opportunities for learning by being able to take students places they wouldn’t be able to go any other way such as the ocean floor.

How would you approach another project of this type differently given what you’ve learned here?

Based on what I have learned using Google Earth, I would approach another project of this type by trying to use another program similar to that that allows users to attach files without the need of a link. Providing a link wasn’t a problem for several things such as links to websites and presentations. However, it was a problem for images. In the placemark window of each location in the virtual tour designated as a “stop” or “placemark” instead of being able to see an actual image right away in that window, one would see a photograph link. This presents itself as a problem because students will not be able to easily compare the differences between a 2D and 3D view of the locations without going back and forth between computer screens. The pedagogical strategies that I tried such as direct instruction worked well as long as students would indeed click all the links in the placemark windows.

What are the lessons learned that others might benefit from knowing about?

The lessons that I learned that others may benefit from are that in order to attach anything to a placemark in Google Earth, one needs a URL. While creating my virtual tour, a lesson that I learned is that images and Powerpoint presentations can only be incorporated by providing a link. In order to do this, any files that I created myself to incorporate into the tour, I saved them on the Google Docs web server or my AFS space with MSU.

In what ways will you endeavor to do the same project again, and what will you change or not do.

The ways I expect to endeavor doing the same project is to use a different software program.

A major strength in this project for actual learning is that it created an experience of visiting a place outside the traditional format (taking a bus, car, etc. and going to the location). Using Google Earth, I feel there is only one thing I could have done differently to apply TPACK better to improve the learning opportunities for students which is to allow students to create podcasts about a specific location and incorporate them into the tour.

CEP 800 Action Research Reflection

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 18:50:00 -0400

When I was an undergraduate, I began college as a biology major so I felt comfortable using science content as the basis for my lesson. The lesson plan I designed for a potential virtual course consisted of a PowerPoint presentation on the topic of ecology. The presentation was followed by a short activity, and a twenty question quiz based on the material presented in the online lesson. Originally, I was going to use the forms in Google Docs to deliver my quiz but then I found a free site on the internet where you could create quizzes or tests. The free site is http://quizstar.4teachers.org/ . Using this site to deliver my quiz allowed me the options of creating short answer, multiple choice, or true/false questions. On my quiz that I created, I elected to only have multiple choice and true/false questions and timed it. Additionally, I gave learners the option of creating a short presentation or paragraph in Google Docs or in Microsoft Office.

In the beginning, it was somewhat disconcerting to me, wondering where I was going to get students and how I was going to implement a lesson using technology. In retrospect, I feel that to the best of my ability, I was able to successfully complete this course task. After I cajoled some friends and relatives to help me out, I immediately began the task of implementing the lesson. Piloting my lesson plan was very difficult for me. First of all, I am not a teacher with an audience at my disposal in which to implement the lesson. So I had to rely on co-workers, friends, and extended family members who volunteered to be the class for me. As a result, my class consisted of students ranging in age from 11 to 67 years old and all with different educational backgrounds. The breakdown of my students was: one in elementary school, one in middle school, three recent high school graduates, and five who were over the age of 38. Considering the diverse educational backgrounds of my students, I felt that my lesson was well implemented and the student learning outcomes were positive. After looking at the assessment results, which was the quiz I required each student to complete at the end of the lesson, it appeared that the students understood the concepts presented. Since the technology experience of nearly all these “students” were rather limited, all ten completed the activities in Microsoft Office and not in Google Docs. This was not something I had anticipated, so reflecting on my lesson, I am glad that I designed the lesson to be compatible in both programs. This way, the students were able to complete the task assigned with no technical glitches on their part. Since both programs are compatible with each other the activities that each student completed could be shared with others by the instructor in this scenario until students learned about Google Docs. When I planned the lesson, I never realized that my students could lack the technical experience, so I am happy that I set up the lesson using two different software programs for the students to use. In the future, I realize I can’t assume that everyone will have the same amount of technological knowledge and experience. In this regard, I have to make sure I can offer online support to assist them if it is needed.

My lesson’s goal for this digital lesson answers the following essential question: What are the similarities and differences between the relationships of organisms? This goal also correlates to the Florida state standard SC.912.L.17.6: Compare and contrast the relationships among organisms, including predation, parasitism, competition, commensalism, and mutualism. The purpose of my lesson was to allow students to explore relationships of organisms and the intent was to extend the learning objective that was already central to the state’s science curriculum. The affordances for how the knowledge/information was being represented in the digital lesson were that students would be able to view the information on their schedule in a given time frame, and provide an opportunity for personal online research of the topics presented. It was assumed that all students would have full computer access and internet connectivity in order to complete my on-line lesson. The constraints were that a computer and internet connection were required. Learning outcomes took place through information processing of facts presented, and cognitive constructivism. There really were no elements of behaviorism that I could observe through this particular lesson.

The topic for the lesson fits into existing high school curriculum and was intended to enhance the learning of something already central to curriculum. Differences among my learners were taken into effect by providing visual and audio depictions as well as providing learners a logical path to aid them in moving from one part of the lesson to the other essentially made it possible for this particular lesson to be successful. This was purposeful on my part, to insure a level of success for my diverse learners who for some, possessed limited technological experiences. For any type of digital lesson, both teachers and learners need to know the basics of operating a computer as well as a basic knowledge of opening files, receiving and sending emails, and creating an account to access Google Docs. The underlying assumptions about the nature of knowledge were that my students had completed science courses from middle school through basic high school biology. I measured student understanding by checking their quiz accuracy as well as their completion of a short activity.

The main technology used was Microsoft Powerpoint. The role that it played was to present the content clearly and be adaptable for all of my student learners. The advantages that the technology held for this role is that it allowed the lesson to be presented with pictures, text, sound, and video clips and made it interactive for the learner. My digital lesson was designed to address several multiple learning styles (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic styles) of students. It facilitates learning by allowing students to become interactive in the lesson and engaged. In a survey I created for feedback about my lesson, several learners stated that the incorporation of the videos and organization within the presentation helped them to learn the material they were given. I expected students to make use of the technology in the lesson by using resources on the internet to complete their short activity which consisted of creating a paragraph or a 5 slide presentation about one of the relationships they learned about. If my learners had any questions about the lesson, they never told me. Based on the paragraphs and the presentations I received from learners, I would say that my learners made sense of the technology (Microsoft Office) extremely well.

Group Leadership Project

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 21:04:00 -0400

What tool did your group use to deliver the the PD tutorial? Why?
The tool that my group members and I chose to use to deliver the final version of our professional development tutorial is Microsoft Windows Live Movie Maker. However, we orginally completed the presentation in Prezi but decided to make a video using Movie Maker with audio recordings using Audacity. We chose to use this tool because it allowed us to easily include images of our presentation, audio, and video clips we found on Youtube or those we created ourselves.

What did you learn during the development process of the final product?
During the development process of the final product we learned several things. One major thing I discovered was that sometimes the images you use in the video may appear extremely blurred after saving and publishing the video. I also learned how to add other videos to our own video. Another major learning lesson was figuring out how to adjust the timing of everything we put into our video to prevent any audio and videos playing at the same time and ensuring the audio would not end prematurely. It was also difficult figuring out which type of font would have a good visual appearance. I also learned that group projects can be difficult to coordinate but so much can be learned.

What would you do differently if you had to develop a similar product again?
If we had to develop a similar product again, we would not use Prezi. We were not able to get a program to record or capture our Prezi transitions without them appearing blurred or choppy. Additionally, Prezi does not allow audio. Due to these reasons, we ended up with more work than expected. I would recommend using powerpoint for images and audio and add special effects in Movie Maker vs. using Audacity, Jing, Prezi, and Movie Maker.

Professional Learning Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 00:18:00 -0400

I chose to do a Powerpoint presentation to complete my professional learning plan. It can be found at the link given below.

https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=2B613FEE69293E87!115&authkey=!ALN_lprMqELBnNE

Wicked Problem Project: Part D - Findings and Implications

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 23:57:00 -0400

Formative: Did the project get implemented as planned?
Yes, the project did get implemented as planned. My implementation plan was to create and design a virtual tour using Google Earth.

Summative: Evidence of success in addressing the problem of practice.
The problem of practice is that many are unable to leave school to visit other places to learn about them due to various reasons. The evidence of my success in addressing the problem is a creation of my virtual tour or "field trip" to Washington D.C.

How would you approach another project of this type differently given what you’ve learned here?
Based on what I have learned using Google Earth, I would approach another project of this type by trying to use another program similar to that that allows users to attach files without the need of a link.

What are the lessons learned that others might benefit from knowing about?
The lessons that I learned that others may benefit from are that in order to attach anything to a placemark in Google Earth, one needs a URL.

In what ways will you endeavor to do the same project again, and what will you change or not do.
The ways I expect to endeavor doing the same project is to use a different software program.

Wicked Problem Project Part C: Implementation

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 02:24:00 -0400

Here is a link to my podcast for my Wicked Problem Project Implementation.
www.msu.edu/~withero3/wppimplementation.mp3

Here is a link to my Google Earth tour that I created as my implementation task for this project.
NOTE: You must have google earth installed on your computer to view this tour.
www.msu.edu/~withero3/VirtualFieldTrip.kmz

CEP 800 Digital Story Production

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 00:02:00 -0400

This is a digital video I created for my CEP 800 course that tells a learning story which incorporates the learning theories of observational, situated learning, and constructivist.

www.msu.edu/~withero3/CEP800storyrevised.wmv

Group Leadership Project: Part B - Storyboard and Script

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 9 Jun 2012 23:16:00 -0400

My group members and I chose to create a Google presentation to illustrate our storyboard and script. Additionally, we completed the basic foundations of a prezi to show graphics and videos. The graphics and videos will represent our "sketches".

So far it has been great doing the project. Dale has worked on the Prezi, hardware, software, lesson plan material and the script, Rachael has worked on troubleshooting, resources, lesson plan/software options, and I have focused on the content for the lesson plan we will be demonstrating and the script. Each of us has come up with ideas for videos, graphics, or material.

Over the next few weeks, Dale will be doing an instructional video of the setup with a PC, and a video of the lesson plan and Google Earth tour that I created. Rachael will be doing a video using an iPad and a application that works well for the IWB, and I will be working on the final audio of the Prezi. Each of us will continue to edit the Prezi as we continue doing this project.

Our Google presentation can be viewed at the following link:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1_yOvJUnwR_Q9Kx9fxLez4gpCkiKRoccKE8KxeH4NJ5A/edit?pli=1#slide=id.p

Our Prezi can be viewed at the following link:
http://prezi.com/shce8wy9_bs8/group-5-interactive-wiiboard-tutorial/

Mobile Learning

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 8 Jun 2012 23:58:00 -0400

Several tools that I have used before include a USB drive, smart phone, and laptop. Two resources that I explored were Poll Everywhere and Classroom 2.0. My membership with classroom 2.0 is still awaiting approval. I created a question on poll everywhere and following the directions given on my computer screen after I created a poll question, I submitted a response to the question via SMS from my cell phone. If I had a classroom, I would definitely want to incorporate technology into the curriculum on a daily or minimally a weekly basis. The challenges that I believe would occur when incorporating technology is developing lessons that will use technology and engage the students.

Wicked Problem Project: Part B: Application of TPACK

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 3 Jun 2012 00:12:00 -0400

1. What is the TP knowledge for the solution?

2. What is the TC knowledge for the solution?

The educational need that I am seeking to address is that many do not have the ability to travel to places to learn about the history and significance of various places due to the barriers of time, distance, and financial restraints. Specifically, this technology with the aid of the internet's vast resources makes the content of my educational need more accessible by enabling one to easily participate in an interactive tour of the African savannah area, and learn about the wildlife, significance and history of the people and the region.

Group Leadership Project: Part A - Brainstorm

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 31 May 2012 18:12:00 -0400

1. The web conferencing tool that my group chose to use was bigmarker (which can be found at www.bigmarker.com). Before choosing this as our tool, we tried several others such a Vyew but we had problems.

2. There were several advantages to using the web conferencing tool to discuss this project such as being able to use a microphone to verbally communicate with each other, sharing webcams, using chat, sharing our computer screeens, being able to upload files for all of us to see onto the "whiteboard", and being able to write, draw, or highlight information in the files on the board. Additionally, we are able to record our virtual meetings, and it was free of charge. With bigmarker, you can also have up to 50 people attend your virtual session.

3. The disadvantages to using this web conferencing tool to discuss this project were that the recordings only recorded the audio and chat, apparently it failed to record the screens we shared during the session. Another disadvantage is that the recordings will not playback in an internet explorer browser.

My group decided to create a Google Doc presentation where we could all input research on our project and share information with each other. We decided to get together on June 3, 2012 and start working out the details more in depth. So far, we have thought about having some basic instructional videos on the Interactive Wiiboard, and walking through a basic lesson plan using Google Earth. We also concluded to have geography as the subject matter, and designing how it can be utilized on a whiteboard. I will focus on the content and pedagogy, Rachael will be looking at the visual and creative aspects, and Dale will focus on the technical aspects. We hope to have a rough draft on Prezi in a few days.

Below, is a link that will take you to the recording of my group's brainstorm session.

https://s3.bigmarker.com/index.html?meetingId=7f6b1ffe9fe24eb4f8a11da609b8830fb08dca1b-1338430593001

Recording & Podcast Labs CEP 812

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 30 May 2012 13:13:00 -0400

www.msu.edu/~withero3/intro.mp3

The link will take you to my introduction podcast for CEP 812.

CEP 800 Audio Production

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 28 May 2012 01:06:00 -0400

This is an audio podcast I did for my CEP 800 course. It is about technology and education. It can be found at the following link.
http://www.msu.edu/~withero3/interviewfinal.mp3

Wicked Problem Project Part A - Description of a Need or Opportunity

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 25 May 2012 12:26:00 -0400

1. What is the important educational need that you are seeking to address?

2. How you plan to address this educational issue with technology? You need to make a clear and convincing case that your proposed solution will make a real impact on the issue you identify, and that your proposed approach is a reasonable approach given its costs and possible alternatives.

I plan to address this educational issue with technology with a virtual field trip using Google Earth and Google Sketchup. Students and teachers can attend the virtual field trip at their convenience without any cost involved for students, teachers, or the schools. By their participation, they will be able to learn about a given area and expand upon their geography, and technology skills.

3. Logistics of solution:

http://www.african.ohio.edu/Pdfs/Creating%20a%20Google%20Earth%20tour.pdf

http://www.bridge.edu.au/verve/_resources/GoogleEarthHowToVFT.pdf

http://www.onlineuniversities.com/blog/2010/01/100-incredible-educational-virtual-tours-you-dont-want-to-miss/

5. A plan for the portion you will implement during this course and the portion you will implement after this course completes.

6. How would you know you were successful?

If my project is successful, it will be determined by feedback from individuals that would use the virtual tour.

CEP 812 Introduction

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:09:00 -0400

This is a video introduction I created for my CEP 812 course with MSU.

CEP 811 Reflection

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 3 May 2012 23:41:00 -0400

My second course of graduate study, CEP 811 is quickly coming to end and I have been asked to reflect on my growth during the past eight weeks. I have learned many things during this class. When integrating technology with effective teaching strategies, I have learned that lessons must be built in a way that it is accessible to all potential learners with multiple learning styles. Teachers must strive to develop lessons that incorporate UDL (Universal Design Learning) principles to all of their lessons whether they are technology enhanced, or just a traditional classroom lesson. Lessons that use technology should be interactive for the learners and use various teaching strategies to ensure that lessons will be beneficial for students with various learning styles.

Web-based technologies such as wikis, and web pages helped me to think about and evaluate the uses of technology by making me realize how web technologies can be beneficial in education. Wikis and web pages in their own unique ways allow teachers and students to provide information and interact with each other.

During CEP 811, I met my personal goals for learning about technology integration by learning and creating my own web page using Adobe Dreamweaver, and a wiki page. Since this was my first experience with Dreamweaver, I also acquired skills in a new computer software program. I don't really have any new goals yet. My plans for reaching my immediate goals and long-term goals after this course is over is to continue my studies in the MAET program with MSU and to continue to build on my technology skills I have already acquired in my educational journey thus far.

Online Learning

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 16:28:00 -0400

The Michigan Merit Curriculum Online Experience Guidelines document provides examples to successfully meet the online curriculum standards for the state of Michigan. According to the document, there are six important characteristics for quality online learning experiences which include collaborative experience between students, integrated, sustainability, life-long learning skills, teacher involvement, and online ethics and safety.

In a virtual or technology-enhanced traditional classroom setting, the technology that could be used with potential students in middle or high school is a Learning Management System which is commonly referred to as an LMS. According to the document, an LMS can be defined as a software application or Web-based technology that provides a teacher a way to create and deliver content, monitor student progress and assess performance. Two examples of software applications that serve as an LMS in many educational institutions are Blackboard and Moodle. Based on the information in the document, there are four quality characteristics that occur with the use of an LMS. The four characteristics are integration, sustainability, life-long skills, and teacher involvement.

The use of an LMS could help any teacher instruct their students on any subject matter ranging from English Literature to Biology. The instructional strategies that could be used in conjunction with an LMS to benefit students are reflective discussion, computer assisted instruction, assigned questions, demonstrations, lectures, drill and practice, and collaborative group assignments. In many situations, teachers are enabled to create their courses in a learning management system, as a result teachers may incorporate the uses of other technologies for students to use within the LMS.

The technology that I feel would be harder to use with students is RSS because other than providing an easier way for students to possibly stay up to date with news in various fields, it really does not a beneficial online experience for students.

Wikis

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 13:29:00 -0400

In my CEP 811 course, I was assigned several tasks relating to wikis.

My first task consisted of finding a school's page on wikipedia and editing it. However, I am not employed by a school and unable to do that. Instead, I had the option to request membership to the Idea Exchange for the EduTech Certificate Program page on Wikispaces. On the EduTech wiki, I chose to create a new entry with the term ~ Learning Management System. I explained how they can be used in the educational setting by teachers and students and provided some examples. I also viewed a post on the wiki about e-mail. I commented on that entry by informing others how many people are able to receive e-mail on their cell phones in this technologically advanced world. I also said that this new feature on majority of cell phones will enable people to receive up-to-date information almost instantly via the cell phone.

Below is a screenshot of the entry I created on the EduTech wiki:

My second task was to create my own wiki. I created my wiki using PBWorks. My friends and family, and others I come across in my daily life have told me I should visit a particular place for various reasons. The conversations always seemed to end with the same line "Its the best place to visit!". My wiki serves as a way for others to share what they consider the "best place" to visit is. A screenshot and a link to the wiki I created can be found below this text.

http//:ashabadash.pbworks.com

Universal Design for Learning

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 7 Apr 2012 15:04:00 -0400

CAST represents the Center for Applied Special Technology and is an organization that works to create learning opportunities for everyone. UDL or Universal Design for Learning are a set of principles that all educators should be required to use to create lessons that are inclusive and beneficial for all learners.

Below, is an educator checklist of UDL principles that indicate barriers and features in the Lesson Plan, "The Geography of Europe" that I recently created.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xZmShBFCcH4YLLS9NBe6ZPbZS9gO9Pjj7vCFAD_LaSE/edit?pli=1

MERLOT Learning Material Evaluation

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 23:29:00 -0400

The learning material from MERLOT that I chose to evaluate is called "Social Studies: Plan a Trip Across the World". The material may be found through MERLOT at the following web address: http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=327055

Quality of Content:

In this learning material, the software appears to present itself with educationally significant concepts, models and skills for the history discipline.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching-Learning Tool:

The lesson plan entitled "Social Studies: Plan a Trip Across the World" written by Christina Greening can be used in a middle or high school history class. The material could be used in all four stages of the learning cycle which consists of explanation, demonstration, practice, and applying.

The learning objectives would appear to consist of:

· Be able to acquire historical information

· Be able to analyze historical information

· Be able to use web 2.0 technologies to discover, create, and share information about places with historical interest

After successfully learning with the materials, students should be able to successfully use web 2.0 technologies to find information, and be able to provide someone with historical information of the student’s chosen areas.

The target learner must have been exposed to web 2.0 technologies in an earlier class session or be familiar with them prior to completing the lesson provided in the learning material.

The use of the software (Powerpoint, Windows Movie Maker) and web 2.0 technologies (tripadvisor.com, expedia.com, Google Earth, Photobucket, Pageflakes, and Wetpaint) can be readily integrated into current curriculum and pedagogy within the social science field. Both software and web 2.0 applications can be used in many different ways to achieve teaching and learning goals of teachers and students.

I believe the goals for teaching and learning are easy to recognize in the material and that good assignments on how to use the software and web 2.0 applications can be easily written as long as the author has a strong background in the technology applications as well as incorporating technology into the field of education or training.

Ease of Use:

The learning material does not require much documentation. Since computer access is needed to complete the project in the learning material then technical support may be necessary for computer problems that an average user would not be able to troubleshoot without the assistance of a professional. Most students may need instruction in the use of web 2.0 applications.

The material presents information through the software and web applications which are attractive to students due to their desire to use technology in their learning process and growing familiarity of technology devices in the classroom.

Personal Learning Reflection

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 8 Mar 2012 14:56:00 -0500

It is now time for me to reflect on my learning experiences while enrolled in CEP 810. One of things that I have learned is that technology can be used in several ways to help engage students in their own learning process. There are numerous technology applications that can provide educators with more effective teaching strategies. Several applications that I learned about during this course are Twitter, Adobe Presenter, Blogs, RSS, and MACUL Space.

The internet has the potential to be an excellent tool in education. The internet has an unlimited amount of resources, and applications that can be extremely beneficial. During this course, I had to use several programs that are only available through the internet to complete my assignments. The programs I used to complete my assignments were Google Docs and Zoho Docs, RSS, and Blogs. My RSS page has helped me to stay informed with current events in my areas of interest such as geography, technology, and education. Google Docs and Zoho Docs are two programs that are available for free online with registration of a username and password. Both programs are essentially office suites available on the web for free. They allow users to collaborate on a project together, and share their work. Both suites are similar to programs provided by Microsoft Office (Word, Powerpoint, Excel, & Publisher). By integrating the use of the internet in this course, I have realized just how beneficial the internet and other technology tools can be in the field of education for students, teachers, and parents.

There are several assignments that I completed during this eight week course. All of my assignments in their own capacity exemplify teaching with technology. However, the assignment that I feel that best exemplifies good teaching with technology is my "Lesson Addressing the NETS-S". In that assignment, I developed an assignment that could possibly be used in a classroom that incorporates the use of research, and collaboration with three classmates on a presentation or word document completed through Google Docs or Zoho.

In my personal growth plan, my goals consisted of expanding my knowledge in familiar software programs, learning about new software or web based programs, and the design and management of virtual classes. I have met some of my goals during this course by learning and acquiring skills in the various web-based applications previously mentioned in this post. My goals have not changed and I do not have any new goals. Upon completion of this course, I hope I will continue to achieve the goals I have set for myself in future courses in the educational technology masters degree program.

Learning Style

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 01:43:00 -0500

I have recently learned about multiple intelligences in adult literacy and education. There are eight intelligences that people possess. The eight intelligences are languages, spatial, logic/math, body movement, musical, social, self, and nature. I took an assessment that was offered for free online and discovered that my top three intelligences were social, spatial, and self. Of those three intelligences, the highest was social with a score of 3.29. With these intelligences it is easy to understand what my learning style is. My learning style consists of communication with others such as interviews, written notes, visualization, working alone, often use trial and error, and working on the computer. During my experience as a student, I learned best by listening, seeing charts/diagrams, and writing. Teachers should not worry about trying to focus each lesson for each learning style but should focus on delivering their curriculum in the best possible way to meet the needs of all their students.