Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Week 15: Networks of Personalized Learning (e.g., language learning, tutoring, etc.)

Week 15:

We have gotten a bit ahead in our course since we kept having online class during Spring Break Week. This week was really a time for catch up on assignments and posting final projects under the Week 15 Cool Resource Forum.

I hope to have my Final project up very soon. Many of my peers are quite creative and have submitted interesting You Tubes for their final projects.

Included in our assignments are a reflective paper regarding our Educational Blog experience this semester and our Top Ten 'Tidbits' from extra readings through out the semester.

While this has been a crazy busy semester for me personally, I feel I have refined my elearning knowledge and am even more passionate about integrating technology into my face to face classes as well as my online courses.

Dr. Bonk has the ability to push all of us to the next level in learning. I really appreciate his enthusiasm and knowledge.

As far as what I would recommend for faculty in nursing education.... do not be afraid to try anything to make a course more interesting and engaging. Include the students and let them do most of the work... they will learn more and thank you later. Also, take advantage of free courseware that is available. Why re-create the wheel if it is already done for you?

The World is Open for Nursing Education and ALL levels of learning. As Dr. Bonk States: WE - ALL - LEARN!

Best,
deb

Friday, April 16, 2010

Week 14: Podcasting, Webcasting, and Course casting

Week 14: April 12, 2010

Our focus this week was on podcasting. I have listened to podcasts and have nursing colleagues that have made podcasts which were added to online courses. However, I have not made a podcast yet. It is not that I don’t know how or am fearful, I basically have not taken the time to make one.

One of the articles that I read this week that I liked was: Deal, Ashley (2007, June). Podcasting. A Teaching With Technology White Paper. Educause. Retrieved July 5, 2007, from http://connect.educause.edu/files/CMU_Podcasting_Jun07.pdf

The article states: "Only 20% of students in the UW study listened to more than 75% of recorded lectures. In addition to picking and choosing which lectures to review, many students also scan the lectures, fast-forwarding to specific points or sections, and listening to particular portions multiple times (Lane, 2006)."

This is a whitepaper that provide some good info on podcasting. Below are several suggested uses for podcasts:

Reviews for lectures. The article goes on to say: “the true value of podcasting is its “potential not necessarily to educate better, but to educate further” (p. 390) by creating “new opportunities to teach, sans credits and degrees, those for whom attendance, enrollment, or education itself might not otherwise be possible” (p. 393).

For Supplemental Course Related Material. Instructors at many institutions are also experimenting with the delivery of supplemental materials, often designed and produced specifically as podcasts.

For Podcast Assignments. Have students create podcasts as assignments, rather than the instructor creating the content for the assignment.

There were many of us in the discussion forum this week that felt podcasting was beneficial while driving the car or doing some other kind of activity while listening to an ipod. We also seem to feel the same that is unlikely that we would go back and listen to a podcast lecture if we had been in the lecture and taken notes. Finally, we also agreed that an Adobe Connect of a lecture would be more beneficial than a podcast.

Justin (our moderator this week) went on to say in the forum: “ I think there are some inherently different ways of learning based on what technology is being used and if we can reach more people and get them more educated, great. I think the bottom line is we need to understand advantages and disadvantages to different types of technology and we need to try to provide a framework that can be used for learning with different types of technology.”

Cool Resources:

http://learninginhand.com/podcasting-booklet free ebook from Tony Vincent on creating a podcast

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb0syrgsH6M from Justin… a talk about Openness in Education

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hrBbczS9I0 tutorial about making a podcast using audacity


Cool Podcasts:

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/blog and http://www.thisamericanlife.org/podcast blogging and podcasts on current news and issues called This American Life

http://thiagi.net/podcasts New addition to Dr. Thiagi’s site on creativity and gaming in learning

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Week 13: Educational Blogging

Week 13: April 5, 2010

Blogging is new for me. I had heard of blogging but had not been a ‘blogger’ before this course. I like the way that Steve (from my class) summed blogging as a means to link one's learning, to pull it all together. I totally agree with Steve. I think the blogging assignment for this course has allow me to ‘pull it all together’ and reflect as a weekly diary.

The Adobe Connect gathering this week was with Steve Downes. I was unable to attend live but did enjoy listening to the archived presentation. He is the KING of Blogging. Downes stated this during the adobe session: "About blogging, he noted that it induces new ideas and creativity, you learn better by blogging than by merely listening because you are actively engaged. He said it is similar to taking notes during a presentation.....the notes can be tossed when it's over because the act of taking notes engaged you in the presentation and their 'quality' is of no accord."

Dr. Bonk explains in the forum this week: “The comparison between the traditional weblog – blog and the use of Twitter as a blogging tool is traditional blogging includes diary type entries, short essays, whereas microblogging is instant quick exchanges of ideas and thoughts. Microblogging is also considered part of the social networking genre and mobile connectivity that has exploded over the past few years.”

Twitter is also highly valuable. It interacts with people instantaneously. Information can be communicated via twitter for schedule changes, changes in conference agendas, notification of social events,etc.. I am not a twitter gal either but enjoy reading twitter pages of famous people. I have become a huge fan of Adam Lambert from last years American Idol (he was the runner up). I like his music and have followed his twitter page because I am a nosey old woman.

Cool Resources that were my Favorites:
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/ (great site to explore for creativity with blogging)

http://edublogs.org/ (another great site to possible use for online learning with nursing students)

http://edublogs.tv/index.php (incorporates videos with blogging)

http://mashable.com/2009/01/04/twitter-blog-design/ (10 Ways Twitter will change blog design in 2009)

http://www.copyblogger.com/10-effective-ways-to-get-more-blog-subscribers “10 Effective Ways to Get More Blog Subscribers”

http://www.ted.com/talks/pattie_maes_demos_the_sixth_sense.html This is called ‘Sixth Sense’ in which technology will someday know our thoughts and anticipate thinking… intriguing

deb :)

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Week 12: Mobile, Wireless, and Ubiquitous Learning

Week 12: March 29, 2010

I was once again the moderator and cool resource leader this week. While there were many cool resources to find and share, the articles were limited. Due to technology changing so quickly, it is difficult for research and current writings to keep up the pace.

As a review, Dr. Bonk shared the following for all:
Web 1.0: individual, browsing, reading, evaluative, reading, etc,

Web 2.0: social, reacting, commenting, writing to the Web,.

On article that was interesting but somewhat dated was: Traxlar, John (2007, June). Defining, discussing and evaluating mobile learning: The moving finger writes and having writ…. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning. 8(1). Retrieved July 2,2007, from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/346/875

The paper explores and articulates these issues and the connections between them specifically in the context of the wider and sustained development of mobile learning. **Remember that this article was written in 2007 so it is a bit behind regarding technology.

The article defines mobile learning as a 'relatively immature field'. The article also states that there has not been much exploration of the actual technologies or pedagogies in any detail to define questions for discussion and to provide answers for what might in fact be premature or inappropriate questions. It states it is too early to describe or analyze the specifics of mobile learning for distance learning since the field, as a whole, is new and accounts are relatively sparse. The synergy between mobile learning and distance learning, however, holds enormous potential. **Again, I find this very interesting that an article just 3 years old is quite outdated.

Another article that was particularly interesting pertaining to teens was: Lenhart, Amanda, Madden, Mary, & Hitlin, Paul (2005). Teens and technology: Youth are leading the transition to a fully wired and mobile nation. Washington, DC: Pew Internet & American Life Report. Retrieved on November 3rd, 2006 from http://www.pewinternet.org/~/media//Files/Reports/2005/PIP_Teens_Content_Creation.pdf.pdf
This article is 5 years old and while it provides great statistics, I am sure they are not accurate. It would be great to have access to current data to compare.

At the time this article was written, it was cited that 57% of online teens create content for the internet. That amounts to half of all teens ages 12-17, or about 12 million youth. These 'Content Creators' report having done one or more of the following activities: create a blog; create or work on a personal webpage; create or work on a webpage for school, a friend, or an organization; share original content such as artwork, photos, stories, or videos online; or remix content found online into a new creation. Other noted creative mobile credits in the article include:

1. The most popular Content Creating activities are sharing self-authored content and working on web pages for others.
2. 33% of online teens share their own creations online, such as artwork, photos, stories, or videos.
3. 32% say that they have created or worked on web pages or blogs for others, including those for groups they belong to, friends or school assignments.
4. 22% report keeping their own personal webpage.
5. 19% have created their own online journal or blog.
6. About one in five internet-using teens (19%) says they remix content they find online into their own artistic creations.

Interesting links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhBfA2rkZvM new skype application with Verizon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PuhG76WSkI views on wireless and broadband developments as of early 2010
http://www.mlearning.com/?gclid=CPLits3M3KACFYk55wodj23 -DA Mobile learning & content delivery via any cellphone or smartphone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XU0cVNZDG4 Imagining the Future of Learning (past and future)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLWI08xGA8g Very interesting Digital Individualized Educational Plan....

Finally, this week, the iPad was released. Lisa’s mom got one and Lisa shared the following info in our forum:

10 Reasons the iPad is Magic (Here are her top 10 reasons she is in love with it)

1. Able to learn tools in seconds instead of months like other programs I’ve used
2. You can paint pictures right on the screen
3. You can prop it on a pillow on your lap without it getting hot
4. It’s easy to carry around
5. It has thousands of apps
6. Just one app, Sketchbook Pro, has enough brushes to paint a masterpiece
7. I can keep it until I die and never use all the apps
8. You can order your book instantly and read it now
9. Apple tools are waayy easier than Microsoft ones to use and understand
10. Steve Jobs is right, “It’s magic!”

I don’t think I will be getting an iPad anytime soon but it sure is exciting how much is going on in the world of technology. I am a visionary and dreaming of how nursing education can best utilize all these technological opportunities for learning.

deb

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Week 11: Alternate Reality Learning: Massive Gaming, Virtual Reality, and Simulations

Week 11: March 22, 2010

This week was my week to moderate. I chose this week because of the simulation / virtual reality concepts. Simulation has become a key component to learning in nursing education. While the simulations are more so in a lab face to face, I am intrigued with Second Life and how simulation could be used online for nursing education.

One of the articles I read was Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown (2009, January). Why Virtual Worlds Matter. International Journal of Media and Learning, Vol. 1(1). http://www.johnseelybrown.com/needvirtualworlds.pdf

This article describes massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) as a sense of “being with others” and being able to share space, communicate and act in the shared space of a virtual world sense of “being there” with others. These types of games motivate players to think about life (situations) online in the form of an avatar (that the student / player creates) which provides an opportunity to truly engage in the “play of imagination”. The virtual online community that the article discusses is Second Life.

Virtual worlds require thinking about knowing, rather than knowledge (“knowledge in action”). Because the world in which the game happens is constantly in a state of flux, players are forced to continually adapt to changes. The goal is to think beyond the game and look to the ways in which virtual worlds combine the power of play (and situated learning) and the depth of experience that results from the game’s connection to everyday life.

The article discusses a concept called “learning inversion” in which a phase of learning about virtual worlds provide the opportunity for participants to be both/and: both inside and outside, both player and avatar, both character and person.

The article concludes that the kinds of engagement that players have with the game and with the social life around the game, suggest that the relationship players may have with new learning environments may be much deeper and much richer than current learning theories. The goal is to move beyond situated learning toward an understanding of these game spaces which focuses on the ways in which players construct not only a shared discourse and culture, but actually engage in the a feeling of what the article calls a “networked imagination.”

Another article that was interesting was: Teresa Coffman, Mary Beth Klinger (2007). Utilizing Virtual Worlds in Education: The Implications for Practice, International Journal of Social Sciences, Volume 2 Number 1. Retrieved August 18, 2008, from http://www.waset.org/journals/ijss/v2/v2-1-5.pdf

This article specifically discusses Second Life (www.secondlife.com ) which is a 3-D Multi User Virtual Environment (MUVE) that has grown to more than a million residents since its inception in 2003. Second Life is a world created solely by its residents. Within the virtual world are advertisers marketing to residents to buy products and services in the real-world. There are colleges and universities creating environments within the virtual world, such as Dartmouth College who created a 3D virtual island in Second Life to train community emergency response teams to handle real life emergencies by experiencing emergencies in a 3D environment.

In an educational context, the article discusses Second Life as having potential to provide rich and engaging learning experiences for students with peers as well as with other students and educators across the world. The Second Life learning environments allows students to immerse themselves in content that can potentially provide lessons learned within the virtual environment back into their real-lives, thereby creating meaning with the content to connect with concepts being taught in a classroom. This could be the ultimate critical thinking experience for students.

A virtual Second Life Demo specifically for nursing via You Tube is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkuLAOzL0zU&feature=related

Other interesting Virtual Reality / Simulation links:

Virtual Reality Surgery Simulator Hones Surgeons' Skills, Improves Patient Safety:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/06/050627062144.htm

Nursing / Healthcare Simulation Manikins by Laerdal; watch 2 video clips on this page (Sim Man 3 G): http://www.laerdal.com/doc/42045480/SimMan-3G.html

Virtual Autopsy Table: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bws6vWM1v6g

I am a Simulation Scholar for IU School of Nursing but certainly have much more to learn about moving simulation to the online environment.

deb

Friday, March 19, 2010

Week 10: Interactive and Collaborative Learning

Week 10: March 15, 2010

The moderator this week was Mag. She provided the following definitions in order to make sure all were on the same page for discussions:
Synchronous (sync): same time/same place and same time/different place
Asynchronous (async): different time/same place and different time/different place

I personally like a blended use of both sync and asyn. Through my own personal online experiences as a student and as a teacher, I have used skype and adobe connect (aka Breeze).
The voice and video in adobe connect are sometimes not connected and there is sometimes a delay in the visuals on screen in which one is talking. I had trouble with this during a course I taught in the fall, 2009.

Skype is great for chatting with small groups or between several people. My daughter is getting ready to study in London for a month and we plan to use Skype to connect with her while she is abroad (we both have webcams for the visual too).

Leesa made this statement and I actually agree with her: She states that she is quite surprised that oncourse doesn't have something like illuminate or skype built into it. Would be a pretty neat feature! We need to talk with the IU IT department… it there are wikis and live chats, then there has to be an option to skype .

Pros and Cons of Sync:
PROs: quick, immediate, interactive, sense of community, responsive to student questions, visual for instructor and students, can archive and replay back, can invite others in.

CONs: time zone issues, bandwidth / conductivity may vary, other technical problems (microphones, webcams, overwhelming system, complex features)

Pros and Cons of Async:
PROs - delayed, more time to respond, more reflective with responses

CONs - feedback is slow or never comes at all, lacks visuals, lacks real-world or real classroom feel, might get deleted by mistake, too much to read and keep up with.

One of the articles that Mag summarized was: Sync Learning experiences: Distance & residential learners’ perspectives in blended grad course (2007):
Students are satisfied with their experiences in synchronous critique discussion and indicate that live communication is beneficial for them to exchange prompt feedback and suggestions. Regular meaningful interactions scheduled across the semester enhance social presence and a sense of connectivity among learners, playing an important role in their willingness and satisfaction. Instructors need to have solid knowledge and skill in various delivery mediums as well as an awareness of appropriate pedagogies, challenges and new roles for various types of sync and async environments.

I would be in favor of a blended sync and async use of technologies being thoughtful as to the appropriate use of the blend depending on the course. The advantages of synchronized connections certainly outweigh the cons. The sense of community and belonging to the group are very important for engagement and learning with distance education. Interactive technologies such as discussion forums, chats and adobe connect interactions provide effective collaborative learning for students. As a faculty, this is a challenge but in a good way. It keeps an online course fresh and current for students.

Interesting tidbit / link for the week:
http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7036.pdf 7 things you should know about Ning. I had not heard of Ning before but now know it is an educational social networking site.

Interactive sites:
Skype: http://www.skype.com/
Illuminate: http://www.illuminate.net/
WizIQ: http://www.wiziq.com/
Adobe Connect Pro (formerly Breeze) – see our class url: http://breeze.iu.edu/r24399965/
Yahoo! Groups: http://groups.yahoo.com/
Windows Live Groups: http://windowslive.com/Online/Groups

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Week 9: YouTube, TeacherTube, and the Future of Shared Online Video

Week 9: March 8, 2010

This was probably one of my favorite weeks. Diane, my critical partner for blogging, was the moderator and provided many excellent resources under the ‘Cool Resource’ forum.
From the Wayne State Video Professor examples (which were really fun to watch) to the how to make a You Tube and change backgrounds and other You Tube helpful links… great stuff to use for future reference.

I also loved the info for the blind to scan books for audio accessibility. Very interesting info for the hearing and visually impaired.

A question posed this week was: How can (or have) you use tools like YouTube (or how could you make better use of social networks (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc. using tools like YouTube) Give some examples of how you would implement these tools into your classroom.
Teaching online is challenging.

At this point, I am just trying to support readings with other online sites, ebooks, and articles. However, I am a believer in You Tube. I use them whenever I can. I became less inhibited about using You Tubes after Dr. Bonk’s course on creativity and learning. You Tubes can be very educational, humorous, and extreme to stress important points. Other You Tubes can cause thought provoking discussions such as the Hugs Campaign: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4 and the You Tube to support Breast Cancer Research: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEdVfyt-mLw

However, I have not incorporated any of the social networks into class yet such as Facebook and Twitter. I certainly have plans to rethink this in the near future though.

Another question asked this week was: Do you find yourself watching less TV because you now watch YouTube videos, TV shows, news and check your email on your smart phone or netbook?

I personally do not have much time to watch TV but my college age daughter is a huge fan of Hulu and watches (and rewatches) many shows such as The Office and Dexter. She has actually taught me a few things about catching up on favorite shows that I have missed…mmm.

My Favorite article this week was: Bonk, C. J. (2008, March). YouTube anchors and enders: The use of shared online video content as a macrocontext for learning. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) 2008 Annual Meeting, New York, NY. http://www.publicationshare.com/SFX7EED.pdf

Dr. Bonk does a great job of highlighting the pros and cons of online videos and You Tubes. One statement he makes is: online videos such as You Tube videos can illuminate and augment weekly assigned readings. These videos can anchor instruction at the beginning of class as well as help to end the class. I certainly have used You Tubes as ice breakers as well end of class statements as Dr. Bonk suggests. This is a very nice article!

Finally, another favorite You Tube thanks to Dr. Bonk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfKdbWwruY This one is called: Where the Hell is Matt?

Love it and enjoy,
deb