TLT740 - TQ#9

In this week's evaluation of technology products, we focused on two scientific based activities. Although both taught similar ideas, the approaches were fairly different. Both approaches have the potential to successful learning tools when implemented properly.

The first product is called Phun, and it is a multi-platform tool that allows the learner to create scenarios, add various scientific variables, and view real world cause and effect situations. This tool is extremely useful due to its ease of use. You can work with very basic concepts, or design complex scenarios. Teachers can use this product as a value added tool in a classroom setting. Basic concepts explained in textbooks can come to life by designing examples via this tool. The time involved to create examples can take little to no time at all. For example, to explain something like gravity, a teacher could quickly create the concept in Phun and allow their students to experience it, rather than just read about it. For more complex ideas, it would be useful to let the learner work with the tool. There are a lot of variables and changes that can be applied and the nature of the product allows the learner to use their higher thinking skills to produce a unique end product.

Molecular Workbench is the other product evaluated this week. This is a Java based tool that allows you to apply scientific theory in very basic terms to see the outcome. In addition to the tool, the site itself lends itself to be educational and useful in a classroom environment. The focus is to provide a visual explanation to very complex questions. Students can hypothesize and test theories. Unlike Phun, Molecular Workbench provides a more structured and methodical process. It is a more inclusive tool that explains ideas, terms and concepts as you walk through the process. The tool allows you to make changes, experiment and apply theory. By the end of the tutorials, the learner has a working knowledge of the assigned topic. This kind of tool can be used as an in class exercise to reinforce what is being taught by the teacher, or it can also be used as a homework based assignment.

Although neither tool should be considered a stand-alone learning tool, incorporating them into current teaching methods and structures can be helpful for the teacher and useful for the learner. Attempting to produce these tests and scenarios in a realistic way, can not only be inefficient in terms of time, but can also become quite expensive. It may even be impossible to recreate what some of these tools provide in a computer based way. The ability to provide these experiences in such a short time frame, with no real cost association is a tremendous asset for the teacher.

With tools like the one's evaluated this week, teachers are given additional cost effective methods to teach science based topics in the classroom. The learner is given the ability to be expressive, use critical thinking skills, and visually see answers to problems or questions they may have.

TLT 470 - TQ#8

POV-Ray and Sketchup

This week we got to work with 3-D tools. There was a distinct difference between the complexity and capability of these two products, but I think both are quite useful tools. See my work below:

Sketchup



POV-Ray

TLT 470 - TQ#7

When I sat down to work with Gapminder, the first thing I did was download the PDF tutorial. I was surprised that it was only one page. Even the easiest of programs tend to inundate the user with information. Although short, the documentation was sufficient, and easy to understand. The basic overview also forces the user to go through the application and explore the different types of data that can be viewed. This forces the learner to think deeper about how they can apply the tool to figure out which elements may or may not be correlated.

Being a techie, I immediately wanted to see what kind of effect computers had on civilization over time. I was surprised that the US was not first on record, but sky rocketed and surpassed all of the other countries over time. I tried a few variables out to see if they had any impact on such growth. When adding income growth per person, there seemed to be no correlation. Next I tried variables such as Internet use, cell phone owners, and broadband users. Although some of the data did not go back that far in time, nothing seemed to show any substantial reasons for this increase. Variables such as urban growth showed a bit of a "hockey stick" appearance as Dr. Rosling referred to it in his presentation, but there were no significant findings based on the recorded data.

Next I decided to look at computer use and growth from an educational perspective. There was also no substantial correlation between computer use and youth literacy rates, 4th grade math achievement, or 8th grade math achievement. These results can often be construed to mean that the use of computers do not facilitate learning, but I still go back to the idea that computer and technology use can be beneficial, but only if implemented correctly. This data only shows us that based on the resulting data, there is definitely a need to focus on integrating technology more effectively into education to help improve the learning experience.

Overall, I think this tool is an extremely useful way to provide students with a means to gather information to apply to various assignments and projects. For older learners, I think it allows the students to focus more time and effort on the intended assignments. I often found it quite frustrating in my own experiences to spend more time trying to find out information and statistics about a topic, than actually completing the assigned task. For younger students, this tool may be better suited as a teacher lead tool to discuss topics in a classroom setting. The graphical representations help younger learners visually associate different variables and piece together how they relate.

TLT 470 - TQ#6

I started this week with learning how to create a podcast. I'm still amazed that this is my first podcast. I've helped coordinate with clients to setup entire sites on iTunes University, but never actually created one of my own. I went to youtube and watched a short tutorial from tinkernut.com. In only 4 minutes, I was off and running with Audacity. I created a voice recording, and tested the various features. I was able to cut out sound clips, make myself sound like a chipmunk, and clear the sound of the TV in the background. I was very impressed with the capabilities of a free tool like audacity, and the ease of use. I think it is a great tool for teachers and learners alike to have. For teachers, they can offer an array of information including instructions, tutorials, and problem samples. Learners gain the ability to take information with them in a portable fashion. Often times, reading from a book doesn't paint a whole picture, but if you have an audible recording to explain things, it can provide clearer insight into the topic. Learners can also utilize podcasts as a method of expression for various projects and topics. I know that I would prefer to create a podcast over writing a report on a topic any day.

Next, I met with my group virtually on a few different online collaborations services. We decided to try Vyew, Wiziq, and Yugma since none of us were familiar with any of them. We all had previous experience with Elluminate, and it became quite apparent that Elluminate is a top leader in its field. Most of the services we tried still seem to be in the infancy stages of product development.

Vyew - Out of all of the products we tested, I think Vyew had the most potential. It was fairly easy to use, and the sound/video quality was decent. One feature that I was not happy with was the mic control. It seemed like we were often stepping on one another when talking. You had to push a button to take control, and the response was often slow and unreliable.

WiZiQ - This product was more than just a collaborative tool for the classroom. This site was geared toward online classroom services including test taking, online tutorials, classroom calendar management and more. Since virtual real-time collaboration was only a piece of the service, it was as fully developed as the other tools. Only basic functions were offered, such as a whiteboard and screen sharing. Overall I think this site is much more useful when all of the services are incorporated into the classroom, rather than just the one piece.

Yugma - I would only advise those that are technically saavy to use this product, if I even recommended it at all. Although it seemed to work well, there were many limitations including an application install and the lack of VOIP. Although you can call in over the phone or use Skype, adding additional pieces only creates more opportunity for failure.

Overall, I think the use of online collaboration is useful under certain circumstances. The age of the learner must be carefully considered in this situation. For younger children, it may be more work for the teacher than its worth for the knowledge gained by the students. Conversely, for older students in high school or college, there can be many advantages. Students can be broken up into groups as we were and given assignments. I've always dreaded group projects because it often turned into a hassle to coordinate times when everyone can meet up and work together. Someone either had work, or lived far away, or had some sort of limitation restricting us to limited time spent on the project. Online collaboration opens these windows and allows for a more productive interactive experience. The concept of distance learning also becomes possible with tools like these. It gives the learner the opportunity to take part in something that may not have been possible in the past. Online classes no longer have to be based on reading books and writing about them or taking tests. Collaboration services allow these classes to include remote students in discussion, knowledge sharing, and other interactions with their peers.

TLT470 - TQ#5

This week was the first time I've used a conceptual mapping tool. I can definitely see how this tool can be useful when implemented correctly. They are a clever way for students to interact, collaborate, and visualize concepts to gain more knowledge about a topic.

Mapping tools allow the student to explore a topic in an interactive environment. Students can add and change ideas as they learn about a topic and map out the pieces. As I navigated through my CMAP, I created and modified thoughts, and I viewed all of the different connections. I made formed a lot of relationships between various concepts and ideas that were not linked in my mind prior to my experience. Creating the CMAP forced me to fill in gaps of knowledge that were necessary to form the correlation between ideas. My experience was successful because I was only given a topic, and not given a path to follow. Constructive learning is an essential piece to proper implementation of this tool. Although it may be helpful to guide the learner, it is important for he or she to utilize higher thinking skills to develop ideas and learn from this tool.

The CMAP tool we used in class has a very impressive collaboration piece. People from around the world can share thoughts and ideas in real time, and store it for even more people to see later simply by searching for keywords. When alternate perspectives on ideas and thoughts are expressed, it often provokes more thinking, and hopefully more learning. When my team worked on our pieces for this weeks' work, I created a level 1 CMAP and communicated to the group to let them know where it can be found and asked them to provide any changes or input they deemed necessary. After they worked on their pieces, additional content had been added to the level 1 CMAP in addition to their own. Each of us had our own ideas and thoughts that added to the main content. The end result was a detailed piece of work that wouldn't have been quite as complete without all of our input, thanks to all of our collaborative efforts. Students can have similar results if grouped or organized in a fashion that promotes collaboration.

Giving students the ability to visualize a problem or concept is also helpful. Similar to Wenglinsky's example of Socrates teaching a young boy, some ideas are hard to form conceptually without visual aids. In some cases, conceptual maps can fill this void and allow the learner to map out thoughts and processes to help them form an opinion or conclusion. Although this may not be the ideal tool all of the time, this would be ideal for learning about topics that require brainstorming or knowledge sharing. An example of this would be assignment to write a report on a given topic. Conceptual maps can assist the student with formulating their thoughts, and mapping out how they want to write about the topic assigned.

The final take away is also my favorite characteristic of a CMAP. These maps allow a controlled chaos of thought and imagination when you create one. Often times, learning formats tend to be structured and linear. These types of tools give students the opportunity to think out of the box and stray from path driven learning.

TLT470-TQ#4

Throughout Wenglinsky's book, "Using Technology Wisely", a tremendous amount of effort has gone into presenting effective and ineffective strategies to incorporate technology into learning. The three key points that I took away from this book are what, how, and why technology can be successful (or a complete failure) in an educational setting.

What - Constructivist methods

Throughout the book, Wenglinsky impresses upon the fact that constructive methods of teaching are more beneficial that didactic. I'd have to agree with this notion. A constructivist approach to teaching allows the students to engage their minds in more thought provoked learning. I think this point was made quite well with the story of Socrates and the boy. Even without the presence of modern technology, Socrates was able to teach an ill-educated child square roots by helping him visualize and wrap his mind around the problem. All it took was a stick with drawings, but something so simple helped the boy figure out something quite complex. From the technological perspective, computers can be an aid for constructive learning. The expeditionary schools are a prime example of this. The children's primary focus was related to nature, history, culture, etc. Computers allowed them to research their topics of interest and gather information prior to their real world experiences. They were able to take that research along with their personal experiences to record and communicate their thoughts. This type of learning allows the students to relate to the topic and have a much better understanding of the subject.

How - Implementation

Implementation is one of the most important factors to consider when a goal or project is presented. In Wenglinsky's book, it is clear that poor implementation of technology can lead to poor learning environments and unmotivated students. Throughout the last several years, large sums of money have been distributed by the government to schools for technology improvement. The goal was to provide teachers with additional tools to improve the learning process in classrooms, and also align student learning across gender, race, and financial standing. The problem that many schools faced with this goal, is that they did not know how to implement the technology properly. The urban school Wenglinsky wrote about exemplified the worse case scenario for poor implementation. The opportunity was present for the school to use technological resources as tools for learning, and instead they served little to no purpose in the student's educational advancement. In these situations, the technology isn't to blame. It is up to the school and its teachers to come up with a solid plan for making the resources successful learning tools.

Why - Studies and Research

Testing the effectiveness of technology integration in the classroom is a double edged sword. Although there is a need for calculating the impact that technology has on learning, the information often gathered from these studies is insufficient. What is even more disappointing is that the data compiled often initiates changes in practice. For example, the ACOT experience had the potential to make monumental changes in the way technology and instruction interact. Lack of information from poor testing methods and lack of consistency lead to its ultimate demise. As with most standardized tests, open ended questions and the ability to express opinions are virtually non-existent. Measuring higher order thinking requires studies such as the NAEP. Even this assessment isn't ideal, as the time span and patterns of data collection vary. In addition, many of the questions asked of the students, teachers and schools may be eliminated from the NAEP. This is a huge issue when trying to convince a school to fund something, when there is no documentation supporting the cost benefit.

TLT470 - TQ#3

This week we were tasked with trying simulation games to evaluate their abilities to be effective learning tools. I decided to choose Oregon Trail, SimCity Classic and FreeCiv. After spending several hours working with these games, I discovered that although all promote critical thinking and construcive learning, the process to integrate these successfully into the classroom is quite different.

Oregon Trail

Oregon Trail is a game of decision making and strategy. The goal of the game is quite obvious from the beginning; make your way to Oregon to settle. Although the game contains archaic graphics, it still teaches the player timeless skills. The survival of the fittest mentality of the game forces the player to make choices and deal with the repercussions of those decisions. I recall at one point in the game, I came to a river that was about 6 feet deep, I attempted to float across the river in the wagon. The wagon sank, one of my characters drowned, and rations of both food and clothing were lost. One quickly learns to analyze the situation a bit closer the next time a river is reached. This game would integrate well in a classroom. The time to finish should not be complicated to incorporate into a lesson plan, and the collaboration of ideas between the students could be quite beneficial.

In an article written by J. P. Gee called "What would the state of the art instructional video look like?", he said "Something very interesting happens when one treats knowledge first and foremost as activity and experience, not as facts and information -- the facts come to life." I would have to agree that this kind of learning is not something that one can easily gather by sitting in a classroom reading a word problem, or answering a multiple choice question. There is not a single answer to the problem, but many answers with many outcomes. These higher order thinking skills are a key element of technology use that make it an effective learning tool.

SimCity Classic

SimCity classic is a fairly complex game, but it has the ability to work well in most educational environments. The object of the game is to build a city with a fixed budget and a list self sustaining elements of a city. I liked this game best because it provides a tutorial for the player and gives them information about how to begin building a city. There is an indicator in the upper right corner of the screen with 3 colored bars. These bars represent different aspects of the city. They rise and fall as the needs change. My initial attempt at this game bordered on pathetic. I made the decision to do some research online and found communities of people devoted to sharing ideas and perspectives on how to approach the game. My second attempt improved significantly as shown in the screen shot above. I took the advice from the various forums, and applied some of my own ideas. In order to apply this effectively to teach students, it would probably be best to devote some classroom time to begin building cities, and then let the students go off on their own to work with others online, as well as their classmates to continue development. After a decided amount of time has passed, it would be useful to reconvene and discuss everyone's experiences and talk about what was learned throughout the process.

FreeCiv

This open source version of the game Civilization is an extremely complex strategy game. The player starts out with the beginning phases of civilization, and needs to move through land to discover and learn how to do everything that exists in modern times. The instructions for this game were also overly complex. I probably spent the most time on this game, and made the least progress in the game. Although there is an immense amount of content that can be learned from the game, the time required may make this game less than optimal to incorporate into a classroom. Alternatively, this could be beneficial as a voluntary special project, for those students that may take interest in this type of game.