Slide 1: Increasing Learner Opportunities with Recent Technologies
Presented at Stellenbosch University By Alice Bedard-Voorhees, PhD September 2009
Slide 2: Presentation Categories
Web 2.0 : Web-based applications that allow learners to create and submit content and interact with others (Slides 5 – 17) Mobile Devices: Cell phones (Slides 18 – 31) Virtual Worlds and Simulations: 3-D Immersive Learning with Second Life (Slides 32 – 56)
Slide 3: Motivations for Adapting Instructional Models
Constructivist, Cognitive Theory
Increase Learning Engagement 21st Century Institutional Participation Opportunity
More Ways to Deliver Learning (and Professional Development)
Technological Literacy
Slide 4: Institutional Considerations:
Khan’s E-Learning Model
(Khan, 2008. Used with permission)
Slide 5: Web 2.0: Letting Them Show What They Know
Web 2.0 is characterized by the shift in the role of the web user to take an active role in creating and sharing web-content. The original presentation was based on a forthcoming chapter, “Creating Online Assessments and Preparing Learners for Authentic Displays of Learning” by Alice Bedard-Voorhees, LisaMarie Johnson, and Phyllis Dobson in 2007. It has become an ongoing project as new tools have developed. A earlier slideshow version of this presentation can be viewed at
http://www.slideshare.net/lisamariejohnson/letting-them-show-what-they-know-te
Slide 6: Sample Web2.0 Accounts
Examples of Web2.0 Applications: Audacity, Flickr, Slideshare, YouTube, Voicethread, e-portfolio, blog, wiki, Twitter, Delicious… Trial accounts have been set up for your use. Links to the tools and user and password information for trial accounts is provided at this link: http://delicious.com/coloradomtn/showknow
Slide 7: Student Questions That Matter
What applications are you using? Would X help you with learning in this course? If so, how?
Slide 8: Audio Content: Audacity
Audacity if free, but requires both that you download the application and, for exporting to MP3 format, a plug-in. Audacity files are created on the desktop and uploaded into a course shell directly or through another service like a paid account in gabcast.
Tip: Consider file size… try to limit to 1MB or less. Do brief segments rather than longer recordings (break it up! Spice it up!)
Download page for Audacity: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/ Download page for MP3 encoder plugin: http://spaghetticode.org/lame/ Help using Audacity: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/tutorials or http://audacityteam.org/wiki/
Slide 9: Image Service: Flickr.com
Images can be uploaded from multiple sources
(e.g., phone, camera)
Annotation Link or embedded viewer could be placed in class
Slide 10: Visual Images
Example: Learners take pictures of public art that illustrates certain artistic principles. Can send from camera phone to Flickr account created for the class. Link or RSS feed could be placed in class. Students can also use Flickr tools to annotate images.
To set up an account for the class. Go to http://www.flickr.com/ User Name will be the name you enter in the name field
Slide 11: Image found at Flickr.com: Thomas Sly’s Leopard
This Creative Commons License Requires Attribution to Author: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Slide 12: Using Flickr Collections on the Web
Slide 13: Blogs
Blog.com http://blog.com/ Blogger https://www.blogger.com/ Bloglines http://www.bloglines.com/ Blue Kaffee http://www.bluekaffee.com/ EduBlogs http://learnerblogs.org/ LiveJournal http://www.livejournal.com/ Vox http://www.vox.com/ Wordpress.com http://wordpress.com/
Many options Multiple forms of media can be integrated with a Blog (video, audio, images, etc.)
Tip! Student privacy is an issue when using technologies external to your institution’s servers. Know your institution’s policies.
Slide 14: Twitter: Microblogging (140 Char.)
Slide 15: Replacing Favorites with Social Bookmarking: Delicious
Slide 16: Wikis
Allow for quick content creation and editing Contributory or collaborative Vary in complexity
(e.g., PBWiki, MediaWiki)
Wiki comparison
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_wiki_software
Slide 17: For Course or Capstone: ePortfolio
ePortfolio = electronic portfolio, aka: webfolio, digital portfolio
ePortfolio is a digital representation of understanding and performance artifacts that can lead to personal reflection and promote exchange of ideas and encourage feedback (Lorenzo and Ittelson, 2005).
ePortfolios tend to share the common characteristics of being purposeful, progressive, and reflective endeavors (Gilman, Andrew, and Rafferty, 1995).
Slide 18: Mobile Devices: Cell Phones
Slide 19: Phone Uses
As Receptors for Content Delivery/Retrieval As Devices for the Creation of Content As Transmitters, Interactive Devices for Class Activity
Slide 20: Content Delivery/Retrieval: Louisiana Community College and Technical System
Slide 21: Photo Used with Permission
Cell Phones IN the Classroom
A Beta Story
Alice Bedard-Voorhees, PhD, Colorado Mountain College Rebecca Woulfe, Acadium, Inc.
Slide 22: Beta: An SMS Classroom Response System
Students used cell phones to respond to multiple choice or short answer questions Teacher incorporated questions into PowerPoint or web interface
Slide 23: Beta Test - Technology
Slide 24: Data - Demographics
Gender
Age
Female Male
46% 54%
Previous use of clickers
Yes No
92 % 8%
18-21 22-25 26-30 31-35 35+
7% 31% 15% 31% 15%
Slide 25: Beta Test - Results
Ease of use
Impression*
Frustrating 46% Some difficulty Okay Yes No Unsure 15% 62% 23%
23% 31%
Use by choice
Better able to pay attention 15% More likely to come to class 7% Distracting 62% Frustrating 62%
*Note: Percentage does not equal 100% as students could select more than one item
Slide 26: Data – Student Comments
Only practical for people with unlimited text messaging.
– 31-35 male
Seems like a lot of steps.
– 35+ male
Need free text plans provided by school. – 22-25 female I think it will work to obtain the attention of the younger students.
– 26-30 female
Slide 27: Data – Instructor Comments
Two steps with phone rather than one for submitting response was frustrating. Potential exists when unlimited texting is widespread.
Slide 28: Educator – Lessons Learned
Why Beta is different from Pilot That student expectations about paying for text varied (Kolb, 2007) Students wanted it to work quickly like their Clicker exercises (Prensky, 2007). That survey embedded in case studies engaged students (Oblinger, 2005).
Slide 29: Developer – Lessons Learned
Set “beta” expectations Important to match “texting” demographic Early adopter approach Issue with “join” – teacher experimented in class more than anticipated
Slide 30: Questions for Further Study
Does learner prior experience with Clickers create a different set of expectations? Does learner experience with paying for technology in courses impact satisfaction? What part do demographics play? What part do economics play in expectations about the use of technology? What considerations need to be made by the institution about mobile devices? How would this technology serve distance interactions?
Slide 31: Relevant Bookmarks
Sources and notations for the clicker (Mclk presentation can be viewed at this link: http://delicious.com/constantlearningorg/COLTT
Slide 32: Virtual World Learning Experiences
Slide 33: What is a Virtual World?
Virtual Worlds: three-dimensional simulation environments Elements: computer-generated artificial environments, role and/or game participation, human participation through characters called avatars
Slide 34: “Immersive Digital Environment”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immersive_digital_environm
Computer-generated environment Can be reality-based or fanciful Allows participants to enter into that experience
Slide 35: Virtual Worlds: 3-D Immersive Environments
Individual software that is installed on individual machines or servers Simulations that are connected to the internet.
There are simpler versions of virtual worlds and there are also Serious Games. Second Life is being used by hundreds of higher education institutions.
Slide 36: Why SL?
Immersive Environment provides experience, allows application and creation (create 3D objects and events, interact with others through voice and text, interact with objects). Student participation through avatars (representative characters) allows students to participate in ways they might not in classroom due to shyness or self-consciousness. Extends the traditional classroom: Allows field trips and guest visits that might not otherwise be possible.
Slide 37: Virtual Worlds Examples
Hipihi Second Life Metaplace (Beta) World of WarCraft Sims Online Virtual University Serious Games (Food Force, Beer Game, Sushi Roll)
Slide 40: Learner: Dr. Alice Bedard-Voorhees Avatar: MustangQuimby Messmer
Faculty: Dr. Lisa Dawley Avatar: Mali Young
Evaluating A Second Life Course Experience: A Learner Evaluates and the Faculty Responds Presented at AECT, November 2008
http://www.aect.org/secondlife/08-archives.asp
Graduate Course from Boise State University EDU 597 Teaching and Learning in Second Life
Slide 41: Khan’s E-Learning Model
(Khan, 2008. Used with permission)
Slide 42: Implementation Realizations
Users must be have technological capacities to actually download and run Second Life. (Dial-up won’t work.) New users will have a learning curve. Instructors will want to consider how best to use the virtual world for course experiences. Campus needs to make rental or ownership, and policy decisions.
Slide 43: Needed Materials and Services in Addition to Instruction
technical support advising library object repositories tutorials
(Source: Khan 2005a; Khan 2005b)
Slide 44: Technological Checklist: ED597
Blackboard needs provided by Boise State (Boise, 2004) SL Technological and pre-requisite skills appear in the syllabus; Linden Labs provides tech support.
System: http://secondlife.com/corporate/sysreqs.php http://blog.secondlife.com Prerequisite skills: Use of camera controls Ability to fly, walk, and teleport Knowledge of communication tools (IM and chat) Basic building skills (create prims, add textures and content) Basic inventory management (can find items, wear clothing, make a note card) It is recommended that participants have at least 10-20 hours of prior participation in Second Life before the course begins (Dawley, Syllabus, 2007b. Used with permission).
Slide 45: Source for Learning Opportunities Provided in EDU597
While we can read, view, and listen to learning resources, virtual worlds offer a level of experiential learning: Simulations: (Example: creating and running a business) Role Play: Taking on an identity as part of the learning process Building: Creation, Design, Exhibit Participating in Social Events (Example: guest visits, conferences, job fairs, socials, campus fairs)
Source: Robbins & Bell, 2008, pp. 284 – 285.
Slide 46: Design Challenges and Development
It is challenging to offer an entire course experience in SL. While chat can serve a hearing-impaired guest, screen readers don’t work in chat. R and D groups are working on access for visually and kinesthetically restricted users. (Sierra, 2007; Foster, 2007) Like Other Apps: Plan B thinking is needed when the SL grid has problems
Slide 47: Guest Presenter
Slide 48: Project Based-Learning Assessment Products: Slideshow Project + Additional Project Container to Share with Class
Slide 49: Conclusions
Faculty member in this course had done an excellent job organizing considering institutional and learning support, modeled learning experiences, and communicated extensively. Second Life can provide an interesting and lively space for social learning and exploration; Second Life is best used for more than text discussions only. Data-driven research is developing to measure the learning effectiveness of Second-Life learning experiences (Example: http://www.aect.org/secondlife/archives/24-hornik/really-engagingaccounting.ppt#256,1,Really Engaging Accounting: Second Life™ as a Learning Platform
Slide 50: Second Life Screen Shots
Second Life educators are providing a wide array of rich, educational activities.
Slide 51: Dubai Women’s College Open Area—Engaged in a Geography Game
208, 42, 29
Slide 52: Immersed in Cellular Structure
148, 149, 34
Slide 53: Accounting: Interactive T-Account
Students become game pieces Enables students to practice their understanding of the concept of normal account balances Feedback is provided
Correct responses Incorrect responses Wrong side Correct type Wrong type, Correct side Wrong side, Wrong type
Source: http://www.slideshare.net/shornik/second-life-a-learning-platform/ http://www.slideshare.net/shornik/second-life-a-learning-platform/
Slide 54: Source: http://www.slideshare.net/shornik/second-life-a-learning-platform
444, 176, 22
Slide 55: Sloodle: Course Management and SL Converge
240, 160, 33
Slide 56: Colorado EduIsland: A Collaboration Among Colorado Community Colleges
