Module 4 Blog Assignment
When it comes to communication learners are already using cell phones, instant messaging, and social networking on a daily basis. It only makes sense to find a way to use it in the educational setting. Many cell phones today are equipped with Web 2.0 capabilities. Students could use their cell phones to search the web for information, instant message their answers, and then post their reflection on the topic to a wiki or blog. The wiki and blog would make communication of information transfer into collaboration within a group. The group members could post findings and provide feedback to one another on a common project. If a wiki is used then work can be edited as needed by any member of a group. This would work great for a group project. A blog would work best when others are to give feedback on individual projects. Social networking can allow learners to “talk” outside of the classroom.
Collaboration is where we want our students to be functioning. In a world with complex problems it will take collaboration to solve them. It is important to instruct future leaders to work together and not try to make a name for themselves. Times have changed and individual thinkers are still valued however it is the team player that valued above all. Course management systems foster collaboration. In education course management systems could be used to collaborate with others who have the interest in the same topics. Open source classes could be provided to a student body which could allow them to study from a variety of topics.
Content can be provided using wikis, podcasts, blogs, course management systems, and simulations. In today’s classroom it is important to use the latest technologies to provide content. Wikis, and blogs can provide text content with limited capability of moving media. Course management systems by nature provide and foster knowledge of content. A teacher could require students to view any of these as required text for content. Simulations can provide a role play for students to “see” how a new topic would look like in action in real life. Podcasts/Vodcasts can provide both audio and video content for students. Teachers could require students to listen to instruction via podcasts/vodcasts. Teachers also could require students to produce a podcast/vodcast as a final project for a unit of study.
Hi Stephanie:
ReplyDeleteNice graphic organizer! I can see that some of the tools overlap. Along with some tools, there are strategies that will work fine as teachers seek to involve students in collaborative work and forming connections.
Teachers should seek to align strategies with appropriate or the best technologies, for not all technological tools will work for a particular strategy. I therefore think that having a graphic organizer, like the one were required to create, is an excellent starting point. It gives a visual image of what tools are available and for what purpose.
Soushira
The connections shown by your graphic organizer were great. Students using cell phones is a huge topic of discussion presently and for a while to come. Do you think it will ever "catch on" as the computers have recently? Deb :)
ReplyDeleteI am not sure if cell phones will diffuse like computers because there would be no way to regulate what the students do on the phones. On computers, school systems can block certain sites.
ReplyDelete