Reflection - IM Activities - Week 8

This week I spoke with Dr. Powley and then with Diane Anderson. Diane and I were able to conduct an audio chat. Briefly though because we were having some technical difficulties. We plan to try again at another time.

It was fun to do. I for one was relieved that I could finally connect using audio in IM.

Reflection on Week 8 activities

This week's focus on wireless technologies and also critiquing the multimedia presentation was informative and fun.

I was able to expand my understanding of the wide variety of wireless technologies and their uses in education.

At first I struggled with the term - wireless technology. Is it referring to connecting to the Internet wirelessly or is it referring to the many devices that can be used without wires (connection to electricity all of the time)? Regardless of the definition, I decided to focus on those devices that were able to connect to the Internet without wires and this includes handheld devices and laptop computers.

As I research this topic, I realized that the US was far behind the rest of the world on their widespread use. As a matter of fact, for my cousins who live in Europe, they primarily use cell phones and smart phones. These wireless technologies as they expand in use, we will see more and more educational software programs being designed for their use in educational settings.

It is my firm opinion that schools need to focus more on the use of this technology in the classroom. This is where students are right now. I teach in Higher Ed., and half the time I have to schedule a lab to conduct some of my classes. And sometimes I am locked out. If I was set up to use cell phones as educational tools then we would be able to connect to each other more seamlessly and so we can proceed with class as if we were in a computer lab.

Cell phones could add a new dimension to how we integrate technology into teaching and learning.

Instant Messaging - Week 7 activities

This week spoke with Karen (for the first time) and Diane. It was a fun discussion. I think I might like this IM more and more and am certainly learning the possibilities for their use in classrooms.

Week 7-Synchronous Learning Environments

This week's session was very informative. At first I felt that the question we had to respond to about the different time zones was a bit difficult. However after considering how I would feel in a class with 40 students, online it was easy to answer the first section. However I would like to know more about how to manage classes in different timezones.

Talk about the pedagogical methods that have to be employed to support the different learning styles and to develop partnerships between and among students. Personally I feel that I can handle the technology. But it is the pedagogy that I need to try and understand more about. For example, how do you exactly manage a class with students in different timezones? How do you support interaction and collaboration between and among students? What are some of the strategies that have worked and failed?

Week 6 reflection - Podcasts and Interactive Television

This week's topic has once again been an informative one. I was aware of podcasts and all that it could do for students. However I was not as aware of the uses of interactive television in the classroom.

I can see how using them in the classroom can be of value. I like watching programs such as the ones on Cable in the Classroom. I know that there was discussion that came afterwards and so on. It was not until I read the article by Squire, K. D. , & Johnson, C. B. (2000). Supporting distributed communities of practice with interactive television, that I really understood how it can be used to support learning.

To actually use this technology to engage in activities in which they would have to apply what they have learned in some sort of a practicum experience and to also include the "experts' in the field as tutors even though they are not in the same room, this I found to be fascinating.

I have developed a new perspective about the use of television in the classroom.

Week 5 Reflection - Open and Online Learning Environments

This is a bit late because I thought that I had posted this reflection but I must have done something wrong. Here it is again.

I was very excited this week to learn about open and online learning environments, because I saw it as a way to connect persons in those countries with resources, training and education that they did not have access to in their own countries.

My nephew who lives in Guyana is very knowledgeable about information systems. In Guyana there are not many opportunities for him to further his education on this subject so he takes courses online from time to time.

As long as the person has access to a computer, they can still keep abreast of a lot of innovations in most subject areas. Open and online learning environments are really make a difference in the lives of many students in developed and developing countries.

Reflections - Blogs and Wikis

This week's topics were very informative. I have learned a lot from information shared by my other classmates.

I learned about Moodle - the course management software tool. I can see it being widely used in many underdeveloped countries.