Reflection of Emerging Technologies in E-Learning

After reading the chapter on emerging technologies, I found quite a bit of new information that I did not know before in emerging technologies. I like how the chapter with the Web 1.0 parts with the PC era and goes into where we are right now in emerging technologies. It also makes me think of what Web 4.0 look like in the next 20 years from now.

The beginning of the chapter also talks about some of the applications we use in this class like Google Docs, Skype, Google Sites, Blogger, etc. This is very important to a distance-learning environment if you think about in that you have to connect in a way that your students can follow. If it relates to them in a more personal level then they are like to be engaged in the new application. The one thing that I do think was mentioned and that I see taken into account is the learning curve for students who are trying a new web-based learning tool. Some students in a distance-learning course are going to be very hesitate in using a new application program they have never heard of or used. In a real example when we had to write blogs on Blogger, which I was not used to. It took me some time to learn it but know how to use it now and I guess I can say I am an advanced “blogger.”         

        One of the parts I enjoyed reading and found fascinating was about integrating games into education. I think there is some potential in using games to keep students engaged in the topic in an online learning environment. I would find much more fun to use digital games in part of a lesson. For example if I was teaching a lesson on biology, topic and I had the students go through a quest and have to answer questions that are related to the topic at hand.

The educational game would be a RPG or role-playing game that the students would enjoy to play and use. The more questions they get the more they move up in levels. It would be fun for students to see how far they get and they would probably get a bit competitive on who knows more. They are more of a PBL or project based learning, this is learning by doing when you use these educational games. Another aspect is the multiplayer games online that are played. I was thinking that if you get a whole bunch of students together to play the game online and conceal that it is an educational tool, I think the students will find it fun. I was looking at Second Life the other day it looks fun to use and of its free. The costs of the programs or applications are always a huge relief because most are free. I learned a lot from this concept of free applications.
Overall, I think that many new words that I did not know from this chapter. In looking at what I learned, I will really have to check out many of the sites that are listed in this chapter. It is going to be so weird that we may be learning someday in the near future from our mobile phones only down the line. The concept of m-learning is going to be hard for some people like me to become accustomed to. They even have smart phones that are voice activated. It just such a weird thing to comprehend learning from your phone.

The very end of the chapter discusses about facilitating online interactions through collaboration. It also talks about how sometimes you do collaboration in an online class without students even think about it like for example online forums or discussion boards as we had in iLearn. The great thing about a Course Management System (CMS) is that when you upload your assignments you do not waste paper or ink. All these technologies are great tools to use for learning in the educational setting. The problems I have are as a society are we going to let technology take over our minds. The students will not be able to think for themselves and let technology lead their way and depend on it. Is there a limit to how much technology (e-learning/distance learning) we will use in an educational online setting?  



Michael's Computer Interests Digital Storytelling

ITEC Logo:http://www.sfsu.edu/~itec/index.html

Transcript of Audio

Hi, I’m Michael. The digital story I am going to be telling you about is how I got interested in computers, which led to my interest into the ITEC program here at San Francisco State University. It first started when I was thirteen years old and I took a Mac computer class at my middle school for the very first time. This started my interested into how computers worked and functioned in society and everyday life. Then in high school, I took some more computer classes this time using the Windows platform, which I liked them a little more than Macs I realized. The Windows platform was at the time more user-friendly. This was when the Windows 98 operating system came out. After I graduated from high school, I went on to West Valley community college and took another introduction to Windows class yes, again and from that point on is when I knew what I wanted to do as a career. As a result, as I took more of these computer classes at the community college in both PC and Mac based platforms I wondered what type of degree my professors had received to be teaching these types of computer courses. When I got home, I looked up my professors that were teaching the courses I was taking in the back of the college catalog and to my great surprise found out almost all of them received their Masters of Art (M.A) degree in Instructional Technology from San Jose State University. The problem was of course when I tried to get into the program in spring of 2009 at San Jose State it was no longer offered as a degree. Therefore, I found out that ITEC is offered at San Francisco State University and this is where I am today, hoping to be teaching one day basic computer classes for the PC and Mac platforms.         

Week November 3--Job Description for the 21st Century Teacher

Job Description: College Professor in Computer Application/Computer Information

System (CIS) at West Valley College

Start: ASAP

Location: Saratoga, California

About the Job: We are looking for a full-time professor in the Computer Applications Department to teach the computer basic classes and skills for PC and Mac and some Digital Media classes too. You will be involved in the learning of the technologies of today and using them in the classroom and in an online distance-learning environment. The environment you will be working with is with adult’s students and adults possibly with learning disabilities.    

Responsibilities Includes:

• Teaching students the basics of computers in both PC and Mac platforms
• Learning basic computer terminology
• Advanced knowledge of computers
• Working with students who are novices on the computers
• Explaining learning environments
• Implement a Course Management Systems
• Communicate effectively with students
• Access the students progress through learning objectives
• Planning lessons for students
• Diverse Learning Environments
• Know how to post online material for students  
• Knowledge of how to work with learning technologies
• Know some digital media design
• Make learning materials
• Knowledge of Interactive Design/Instructional Design
• Sometimes quick fast paced learning environment 

Skills Required:

• Masters Degree in Computer Information System or Computer Science
• Excellent communication skills
• Advanced knowledge of PC/Mac platforms
• Advanced Internet skills/search skills
• Understanding Web Design
• Knowledge of Dreamweaver
• Adobe Photoshop
• Knowledge of Emerging Technologies
• Excellent skills in Microsoft Office
• Extremely skilled in Web 2.0 technologies
• Using different learning styles
• Excellent usage blogs, wikis Google docs, forms etc.  
• Collaboration skills
• Knowledge of Mobile technologies
• Superb knowledge of CMS/LMS systems e.g. WebCT, Blackboard, iLearn etc.
• Knowledge of Assistive Technology hardware and software
• Excellent knowledge of social media

Personal Characteristics

• Extremely patient with the learner
•  Excellent communication skills
• Excellent oral skills
• Very Enthusiastic about computers/learning
• Drive to learn from students
• Able to learn quickly
• Be there for students when they need assistance

Week 6 September 30-Emerging Technology Presentations Part 2

I just wanted say that again all the Presentations were great and learned about all the different emerging technologies.

Blogging

The presentation on blogging would be very helpful and great idea or concept to use to me when I become a computer professor at a community college or university level and I am teaching basic computer skills. When I get to the unit on Internet basics part of the class, I would incorporate about blogging. One of the ways I can show how blogging can be helpful in a computer class is I would have everyone sign up for on a blog site. I would make it a group blog for our class. Then, I would have them post their thoughts on today’s class. This would a great way for me as the professor to get in tune with how my teaching style is helping them learn about the Internet. I could also give quick and easy updates to what is happening in the class by them going to our group blog and reading what we did for that day. Another time saver about blogs is if they have any questions about assignments or projects coming up in the future. I could communicate through the blog with the whole class at once about projects, assignments, and tests and quizzes coming. It makes my job much easier to flow more smoothly through the course.

Screencasting

The topic that was presented was very interesting to me. If I was teaching, a basic Windows computer class at a community college level, I could apply this concept to the class, and some of the students were sick or doing the class online, I could screencast my screen so they can follow along even from home. This makes this idea much easier especially people that have to travel far to get to my class. They could watch me lecture about computers and I could achieve them so that people who missed something could go back and review what was covered that day. I could also collect and it would provide feedback on how effective was my lecture. It is also a very good tutorial application. The draw back is that usually these videos are two minutes or under so some of the concepts of computers, I really could not do in two minutes. It would have to take a longer for example to explain the parts of a PC computer. I could use screencast software for the students in the class to get a hands-on approach to working and using their computers.

Social Bookmarking (Del.icio.us)

Another topic that was presented and concept I could use in my computer class, is looking at social bookmarking. I would have them create an account on Delicious so that the students can put their resources in one place where they can find them. I could have them do an assignment like for example, find some bookmarking websites that explain the history of PC computers. They also can share them with each other in the class or to anybody they want. I think when it comes to basic computer learning I could have the students look at websites, bookmark them to Delicious, and share them with the class. This gets the students thinking about how a computer functions as a great resource for sharing websites. This shows the students the concept in technology in sharing resources with the whole class. It would make the students become like researchers and find sources that they find interesting and can come back to it later.

HTML 5

The presentation topic of HTML 5, which is webpage language, would really be helpful to me if I was going to teach a beginning course on how to make a basic webpage in Dreamweaver or just a how to do a basic webpage in HTML format for the PC. I would have to explain to the class about HTML 4 (due to the fact HTML 5 will not be out for a while). It is a very hard concept to master with the different types of language they use but would try to make it as basic as possible. I would have to give them a tutorial on how HTML language works and why it is important when you are creating your own webpage. It will be also very helpful for the students to see the mistakes that happen when you are writing in HTML format. As I said even for me it is such a hard concept, idea to master but I think with the right tools, and multimedia (like the Presi that was used) it could go very well. The technology is there it is just getting the concept to the students that will be a bit of a challenge.

Week 5 September 23-Emerging Technology Presentations

     

Before I get started, I just wanted to say that everyone did a great job on the emerging technologies presentations they were all great, me included at least I thought. I really learned a lot about new software programs that I have never heard of. A few presentations that I thought would be helpful in teaching computers to beginning students when I become a computer professor are commented on below. 

Copyright Laws

I thought that the one about copyright laws was very important especially in the corporate world. I am not a professor yet but when I do become a computer professor, I think that making sure, when I teach computer courses that copyrighting correctly is very important. I have to make sure that I give proper image attributions so I do not get into to trouble. I do not want my students to feel that I it is ok to rip of someone else image or text and not give proper citation and credit where credit is due.

Internet Privacy

I know this one was my presentation but I think it is very important because either in the educational setting or in the corporate/training world it is very critical to know about internet privacy. An example would be I am teaching a basic computer class in a university someday and I see that the students are messing around by going to those social networks I can have proof that they are by looking at their internet history or looking in their temporary internet files. Another example is if you work for Google and you accidentally leave your account open and someone has access to it who knows what they will try to do. I also think that learning about passwords in very important in the corporate world because you do not want someone getting into the account of a lets say bank and know how much the bank id worth. It also works for the educational setting in that you do not want the wrong person getting into your school account and messing up the settings. The one thing I do want to make sure that people understand is that Mac’s do get virus also, it does happen.

Microblogging

I thought that this presentation is helpful in the way that I could use it to teach computers. It would serve as a helpful place for beginning students to go when they need help. I would have them create account so if they were having problem on the assignment I give them then I can see it with their microblogg and I could answer their question rather quickly rather then waiting for an email response.

Ustream

I thought this new technology would relevant to me teaching computers because if the student is sick I could broadcast the lesson of the day and they would be able to stream it from home. I do not know if you can archive the lessons thought that you record. It would be great if you did as elluminate does. I think it is a fascinating new technology that will really be changing the way we do face to face instruction.      

Week 4 September 16 2010

Compare and contrast instructional design process and interaction design process. How are they similar? How are they different? What qualities do instructional designers and interaction designers have in common? How are they different?

In looking at the ways, that instructional design and interaction design are similar in their process is that they have to design for clients or learners. They are doing the designing because both represent a need of action. Another similarity is that they both have a certain process or steps that they have to do in order for the design process to be complete. Another similarity of interaction design and instructional design is that they both have to display quality of beauty as well as functionality clarity and efficiency. In this case, it means that in looking at the instructional design viewpoint that the learning objectives are good quality and that the instructional materials are clear for clarity and very efficient in the lesson or concept they students will learn (Buchanan, D. 2000). It goes the same for interaction design in that they look at the human interaction with the website. Another similarity is that both of these processes use usability testing in one way or another. For example when you doing instructional design you get feedback for how the course is going and the instructional materials used. In interaction design, they get look at the website and see if the user like the way the information is conveyed. They both interact and have some design process in some way with computer technology and how to make it better for the product or learner.

In looking at how interaction design and instructional design are different is that interaction design is a form of products that you are trying to sell. Instructional design is looking at an educational setting and not trying to sell something to the user. In interaction design, they are anticipating how the products will mediate human interaction and human relationship (Reimann, R. (2001). This is not the case in instructional designers in that there is human interaction but the instructor is not anticipating how it will have an effect on the learner relationship with others. They are more concerned with how it affects that learner learning style and not learner so much as a whole. Another difference is that you have to learn your environment very quickly and effectively. Another difference to instructional design as oppose to interaction design is it may take some instructional designers not to mention the learners in the course to get familiar with the new technology that they are adapting to. Another example is that it really, only follows the IE of the ADDIE model in instructional design. The ADDIE model means Analyze, Design, Develop(ment), Implementation, and Evaluation. In this case, interaction design does not really analyze who there audience is as much as instructional designer in my opinion. They do not take into account all the different learning styles people have when doing interaction design. They just are looking for the result.

The qualities (traits) that they both have in common (similar) are that they have to look at human interaction and performance of whatever they are creating. They both emphases with the user and try to get their needs across and their aspirations (Reimann, R. 2001). This means that they are there for the user when problems arise. They both from an understanding of how and why people desire to use them to use the technology they require. In addition, as an advocate for the users and their goals of using computers and technology. Another aspect is as gestalts, not simply as sets of features and attributes, by looking to the future-seeing things, as they might be, not necessarily, as they currently are (Reimann, R. 2001). They are both passionate about helping change the world through technologies and learning. Another good trait they both have is they do not mind making mistakes along the way of the design process. They are also always looking to the future for change in both design aspects. They are both very similar styles in their ways they look at the people connection of their audience and work very hard at what they do.

In looking at the difference in qualities or traits in both the instructional designer and interaction designer is that the interaction designer is very technical in they way they design their materials. They also deal with many programming issues. The interaction designer is able to solve complex problems where the instructional may not be able to solve the problem on the spot (Reimann, R. (2001). The interaction designer is more about “comprehensive and pleasing” (Klein 2001) whereas the instructional designer is all about how the learner or user sees the material and gets the concepts. Another trait that I noticed a big difference is that they are different in how they use the term “user.” They both have different ways of defining what design is. The quality I would use there is differentiated definition of the term design. Another quality that is different is that one is quick learner of the material, which is the interaction designer, and the instructional designer is at a slower pace.                  

Week 3 September 9 2010

The interface of a website is the way it looks when you first open it and scan the screen of what you are searching for of that particular website. Interface involves visual, navigational, and organizational elements in an online course. It also includes layout and formatting. These elements can encourage or deter the full use of a course and influence one's ability to create meaning (Delich, P. 2006). Another good definition of interface that I found from my ITEC 860 class is from the book we are using called Online Learning: Concepts, Strategies, and Application by Nada Dabbagh and Brenda Bannan-Ritland. According to these authors it says that interface is all the elements of a computer software program or application (website) that affects the user’s of the developer’s interaction with the screen design and layout, including menus, buttons, graphics, navigational components, and content (Dabbagh, Bannan-Ritland, 2005). This means that how the user sees the website and how much is going to be relevant to what they are coming there to get information on that particular website.

Good Interface

The elements that define “a good interface of a website” are: a good headings that is easily readable to all, good use of white space so they are not too crowded and the text is easier to read that way, use a simple font like Arial, which is a sans serif font (easily read), the use of black on white text works the best,(I have heard that blue on white works also pretty well), break apart content, use of images to break up content, use of section headers, check for grammatical errors, test links, consistent formatting and navigation (Delich, P. 2006).

Please Note: I am in no way a graphic designer/developer and that developing websites, webpages is very new to me, and I am a extreme beginner. I really do not know how to tell what is a well-designed website as oppose to a badly designed website. I am just going from what I read about in the articles about designing a website. Two websites I chose looked to be one good and one in my  opinion very poorly designed.

Critique of a Good Well Designed Website

Website: http://www.sfsu.edu/

The first website I chose was the university website (where I am currently attending as a graduate student) for students planning to go there and get a higher educational degree. This is the functionality of this website is for information. When you look at the first page of the San Francisco State University website, it has very nice layout. It has that university feel and it draws students in and welcomes you to SFSU. There is quite a lot of black actually to me it looks grey/black in the background which works with the color scheme. The navigation on top left hand corner is easy to find what you are looking for. The subheadings like news, welcome, and featured links make it easy to navigate. The text is big enough for you to see it and the golden yellow color of the text with the gray-black background is very good contrast I think. It is easy to read for prospective students to look for how to apply to this university. It also seems to me it is quite an interactive website. The website is also consistent with size and style of the font. The other navigation bars on the left are very easy to read and lined up very nicely. The white text, which is big enough to see, works well with the grayish black background. I think that the quick link drop down menu (on the right side) is easy to find very quickly, what you need do as a student to be admitted to this university.

Accessibility

In looking at the accessibility of this website, I think that it is very accessible to students who are visual impaired or blind. It also makes sure that the forms you submit are clear and concise to the university. It makes sure, when you submit it goes to the right place. I also think it follows the POUR model when it comes to accessibility, which is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. It is perceivable for disabled people in that it is available for the senses using assistive technology screen reader, screen enlargers etc. The website is operable in that they can interact with all the controls and buttons (mouse, keyboard, or assistive device) by clicking on them on the homepage. I am sure that they have captions for the hard of hearing but I cannot find it. It is also understandable in that the contents is clear and easy to follow and no confusion. Finally, it is robust in that it can probably use of new and older technology agents and assistive technology and will not have problem functionality wise and can access the content (Introduction to Web Accessibility, WebAIM, 2010). Overall, I think it is a very well designed and functioning website.

Critique of a Poorly Designed Website

Website: http://www.scu.edu/

The next website I chose was another university that I think the website is very poorly designed which is Santa Clara University (SCU). This is another university website for students planning to go there, be a student at this university, and get a higher educational degree. Again as in the pervious website, the functionality of this website is for information. The first problem with this webpage is that the red with white really is not I think a good color scheme. It makes it hard to read the words behind the dark red background. I think if they wanted to improve that, I would use white and black background with the Santa Clara University banner in white or vise versa. It is so hard to read even the banner. The next reason that it is so poorly designed is that the font is so small everywhere. The font needs to be much better and darker too. They need to make it bolder and larger would be my suggestion to improve the functionality of the website. Another improvement I see is that the navigation is again so small. I actually have to view the little menus in red at the bottom (about SCU, admission, on campus etc.) with my prescription glasses because the type is so small. Another improvement I see is making the navigation menus bigger on the top right of the page. The colors of the font need to be brighter they are so hard to read. The final improvement that I see I would really make to this website is that it needs to be more interactive with the menus and buttons.

Accessibility

In looking at the accessibility of the website, it is not very accessible at all to students that are disabled it seems like to me. The accessibility issue first that I see is that it is so small the font that they use that someone who is visually impaired like me it is very hard to see the words in the menus at the bottom. In addition, another accessibility problem is the menus in red at the bottom are so close together that someone impaired will click the wrong thing. This website does not follow POUR. It is not perceivable in that is going to be hard for the vision and possibly the hearing impaired when they have to use a screen reader or a screen enlarger. The operable in this site it has some interaction/interactivity but again it is very hard to see. Everything blends in with the buttons and menus and you cannot see what exactly you are clicking on. The content on some of the menus is not understandable and is very confusing. It seems the robust range of the technologies is not used much on this site for some reason. They also do not have captions for the deaf and hard of hearing (hoh) people who is very important or people that miss something on the website. The drops down menus are ok but they again, need to be much bigger text and font size. Overall, this website needs to be more accessible to all students and is very poorly designed.