EDUC 630: Social Media

Over the past year within my courses at Liberty, I have learned to use social media in a new way. For example, I had never had a Twitter account or tweeted at all before one of my Educational Technology courses. From the guided assignments in using Twitter, I was able to develop a professional network in which I learned a lot about current trends within Education and the newest technologies instructors are using. I found the use of social networking in this form to be invaluable for this profession and to make my assignments more meaningful for their application to my own classroom. Baker (2013) addresses the fact that people can become connected with other professionals strictly over a computer and strictly for professional ideas and collaboration without ever having to meet in person. He also indicates that the amount of knowledge that can be shared between individuals is incredible by utilizing social media outlets (Baker, 2013).
As far as learning, social media can spark new interest and meaningful connections. Because today's world is technology-enhanced and social media dependent, we must use these tools as well to teach students how to learn and grow in these areas as well (Smith, 2007). By integrating technology into lessons and allowing the students to be interactive with their technology, teachers can keep the attention of their students and create environments where learning is actually occurring...and is fun! (Smith, 2007).
I have chosen to follow some of leaders in Educational Technology such as EDTech, Edutopia, Education Week, US Department of Education, ISTE, Eric Sheninger, Education Technology, Lead U Now, Connected Educators, The New York Times, Mindshift, ASCD, and some of my professors from Educational Technology. I feel like we need to chose those resources that are directly related to our field of interest to stay on top of the latest and greatest in education.
The main idea with using technology in the classroom is to use it in a meaningful way, including social media. By keeping students engaged in the lesson or activity by providing solid ways to use these technologies, we can alleviate some of the misuse that discourage so many from allowing devices into their classrooms (Smith, 2007).



References:
Baker, J. (2013, February 12). How students benefit from using social media. Retrieved September 30, 2015, from http://www.edudemic.com/how-students-benefit-from-using-social-media



Smith, F. (2007, April 20). How to use social networking technology for learning. Retrieved September 30, 2015, from www.edutopia.org/how-use-social-networking-technology

EDUC 630 - Learning Environments

Every kind of learner has unique opportunities for convenience and flexibility within these different learning environments. Each of these environments also have their own advantages and disadvantages, though, that should be discussed. Synchronous learning offers tremendous opportunities for students to collaborate with each other on ideas and projects, offers the opportunity for students to be engaged in a real-time classroom in whatever physical environment they choose to be in, and provide numerous avenues for learning technological advancements available in our online educational environments today (Higley, 2013). The disadvantages of synchronous environments include technology glitches and, in some cases, an unequal knowledge of the technology being used. By having some group members that may not understand how to use the technology needed to participate in a synchronous environment, the meetings can become more time-consuming than expected.

Asynchronous environments provide ultimate flexibility in a student-centered learning approach (Higley, 2013). Classmates can learn on their own time schedule, while still interacting amongst themselves. These environments also allow a student to take what relevant information they need from information presented and use that information to create their own meaningful projects through their assignments. Disadvantages of asynchronous learning include the inability of the instructor to personally interact with the students in an in-depth manner to evaluate if learning deficits have occurred or if learning disabilities may need to be addressed. A learner must also be very disciplined and organized to teach themselves the information given and use it purposefully in their assignments. Without a face-to-face instructor, students must take on more responsibility for their learning.

Face-to-face classes have been the traditional style of education for a number of years. Advantages to on-campus classes include personal relationships (in most classrooms), availability of the instructor for clarification and information presentation, collaboration and camaraderie amongst classmates, and resources offered on campus such as the library and other student services (Bejerano, 2008). The disadvantage is inflexible or set class time mandatory that students be on campus for instruction.

Blended learning marries the theory of both face-to-face and online environments into a creative and engaging learning atmosphere that gives the best of both worlds. The Christensen Institute identifies blended learning when a student learns partly in an online environment and partly in a face-to-face classroom (Christensen Institute, 2015). The advantages to blending learning include “collaborative learning experiences”, “increased accessibility”, “better communication”, and “successful evaluations (Bright, 2014). Disadvantages include “strong technical dependance”, “lack of IT knowledge”, and the possibility that students can will not follow through on on their assignments and get behind in their coursework (Bright, 2014).

These are all very distinct and unique learning environments that can both benefit and hinder students in different ways. Fortunately, students have a variety of environments to choose from that best fit their own learning styles and habits.





References:


Bejerano, A. (2008, June 1). Face to face or online instruction? Face to face is better. Retrieved September 24, 2015, from https://www.natcom.org/CommCurrentsArticle.aspx?id=884


Blended Learning. (2015). Retrieved September 24, 2015, from http://www.christenseninstitute.org/key-concepts/blended-learning-2/


Bright, S. (2014, May 14). Pro and Cons of Blended Learning. Retrieved September 24, 2015, from http://www.digitalchalk.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-blended-learning


Higley, M. (2013, October 15). Benefits of synchronous and asychronus e-learning. Retrieved September 23, 2015, from http://elearningindustry.com/benefits-of-synchronous-and-asynchronous-e-learning

EDUC 630 - Apps Review - Blog 2

The app that Derrick wrote about (iMovie for iso) seems like something I would be very interested in trying out. I love to take and edit footage as well as create videos that are creative and unique. My dad is really the pro when it comes to video editing, though, so I've learned a lot from him. I am going to have to check this out. This is useful as so many of us have our cell phones with us constantly. Many of the newer phones also have the ability to shoot fairly high quality videos suitable for production. Also, many learning events/environments happen when we are not expecting them, nor do many of us have the money to sink in to high priced equipment and software for video production. I think this can be very useful in our classrooms in the future. I would have to find an app compatible with Android, though:)

The other app I have used extensively that Carol mentioned is Prezi. This app is such a fun and inventive way of presenting what may seem to be an ordinary powerpoint in an extraordinary way. Prezi is easy to use and has hundreds of free templates available to make any presentation look amazing! I use this application in just about every one of my lectures in the Radiography courses I teach now.

Churches are becoming more and more creative with the use of applications and technology. They are adapting to our society that is technologically advanced to be able to reach more and more people that might not otherwise set foot inside a church. Some of the more common advancements of churches is live streaming of their services. Advanced web site options including prayer request drop boxes, mobile apps to keep a member or guest up to date on events happening, access to archived sermons, personal information and bibliographies about the ministry staff, and belief statements about the church are also useful to people wanting to learn more about a particular church. I recently visited a church that used in-service polling to interact with the congregation. So, for example, the service was about the “gray area” of whether or not Christians should drink alcohol. Before the sermon, the preacher displayed a number of questions on a large touch-screen that the congregation could easily see. He would ask a question, allow the audience time to answer on their smartphones, and then receive feedback on the questions within just a few seconds. His polling questions said things like “I feel it is: A)never ok to drink alcohol, B) ok to drink socially, C) ok as long as you don't get drunk, and D) very confused about what the Bible says about drinking. Interestingly, the majority of the congregation answered C. And so the entire sermon addressed this particular answer. I thought this idea of polling was especially interesting being that people were able to answer honestly and have their questions or thoughts about this subject answered honestly without judgment. Many times, as Christians, we want to walk into church acting like we have it all together, like we know all the right answers. The reality, in my opinion, is there are a lot of Christians who do not honestly know what the Bible says about certain things, but we are too ashamed to ask. That is where I thought this interactive, anonymous app helped address these real gray areas without singling individuals out. I think that as our world changes, whether in education or in religion, our methods of reaching people have to change as well. The content will never change, but the ways people learn have continually changed over the years with the advancement of technology.

EDUC 630: Discussion Board Forum 2

Power point has certainly made an impact on education over the last few years.  However, as the blog directions indicate, learners have experienced 'death by power point' because they can become boring and overused.  These presentations are great for the visual learner and provide students a way to go back and review the material after the presentation has been given.  It's functions also allow users to print off the slides in order to take notes on or have for reference as well.  Over the last couple of years, the idea of power point has emerged into other applications that are even more professional and creative than the original concept.  Prezi is supped-up, innovative, and interactive method of presentation that many instructors are learning to use.  The templates for this program are limitless and create a visual and audio haven for some learners.  For me, it has also been fun to use my creative side to produce a power point that keeps the attention of my students.

Some of the basic rules that I personally apply to my power point-type of presentation include not using too much text on a slide, use big enough font and a visually-appealing color of font to ensure your students can easily read the material, and like any other type of material be sure to cite references if you are using someone else's ideas. 

Personally, I have thoroughly enjoyed most of my synchronous learning environments here at Liberty.  It is one thing to write back and forth to your colleagues through a discussion board, and quite another to spend time laughing and working with them in a face-to-face environment.  I have made some life-long friends by being able to collaborate in a meaningful way with other learners.  Throughout my time at Liberty, I have been a part of several online classes.  These have occurred through Adobe Connect, WebEx, and Google Hangouts.  My favorite has been Hangouts because I feel like it is very user-friendly and free.  I think, at first, we all feel uncomfortable in an online class meeting only because we are unfamiliar with the people we are chatting with and do not know what to expect.  I have not yet seen any individuals within my program that have been too shy to communicate or collaborate on projects.  I HAVE felt, at times, that some people try to take over the group and dominate the project which ends up making some people feel unappreciated and unneeded.  This makes learning more difficult. Sometimes is also a struggle to agree on times that are most convenient for everyone, as well.  Overall, though, I believe synchronous environments are very beneficial and should be used in many online distance education programs.  In my own course, although it is face-to-face, I have encouraged my students to use Hangouts to study together in the evenings when/if they are not able to come back to school to study with each other.  These environments can be very beneficial for parents who need to get children in bed and for others who have family commitments in the evening.  I will implement more of this interaction in the next course I teach. 

(This discussion was posted to the discussion board on time this week, just had not added it to my blogspot until today.)

EDUC 630 - Blog 1

This week as we have read the Horizon Reports, I focused more on the Higher Education report as I teach in a Radiography program for adult learners. It is very interesting to read through these reports and see how education is being affected by technology on a daily basis. One of the barriers that prevents true integration of technology into education includes the understanding and appropriate use of technology within the learning environment (Horizon Report, 2015). As technology is ever-changing and dynamic, it is also a common sight within classrooms of all ages. Therefore, as the report indicates, learners are being expected to know certain foundational usage of technology (Horizon Report, 2015). However, without proper training for learners AND teachers, technology cannot be effectively implemented in for maximal use in the classrooms.“The most significant influence on the evolution of virtual learning will not be the technical development of more powerful devices, but the professional development of wise designers, educators and learners” (Johnson et al., 2012, p. 66). I believe that this barrier is related to limited resources and resistance from teachers to commit to extra professional development time. Meyers (2014) notes that higher level institutions are often “under economic, technological, and public pressure” in how they appropriate their yearly budgets.

Over the next 5-10 years, it looks as if technology will consume the higher education classroom. Whether in face-to-face classrooms or online classrooms, technology will play a vital role in education. The Horizon Reports indicate that bring-your-own-device, flipped classrooms, and adaptive learning technologies will all be the wave of the future (Horizon Reports, 2015). Adult learners may find themselves in a combination of classroom types including traditional, flipped, hybrid, or online classes. Educational opportunities will be provided in a flexible and convenient atmosphere and will be able to cater to special needs learners. There is so much potential for technology in our classrooms and I, for one, am very excited to see what the future holds.

References:

Johnson, T., Wisniewski, M., Kuhlemeyer, G., Isaacs, G., & Krzykowski, J. (2012). Technology adoption in higher education: Overcoming anxiety through faculty bootcamp. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 16(2), 63-72.

Meyer, K., (2014). An Analysis of the cost and cost-effectiveness of faculty development for

online teaching. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 18(1), 1-13.

NMC Horizon Report: 2015 Higher Education. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.nmc.org/publication/nmc-horizon-report-2015-higher education-edition/