Emerging Technologies

 

PBWorks

This wiki collaboration site works well for corporate training or information sharing. PBWorks can be used for file sharing, managing projects, and a place where employees can meet. The site can be customized to meet the company's needs and  can be used with clients.  There is a fee for its use.  PBWorks keeps an original copy of work that is done, just in case someone changes information that was not meant to be changed, but that can also be a problem.  Wikis are increasingly being accepted as a new breed of collaborative technology in education, (Hadjerrouit, 2011).  However , some students thought that the discussion tool was too poor when used as a collaborative forum, (Hadjerrouit, 2011). This type of wiki may not be a good tool for online students. Perhaps it should be used for business.  All that is needed for this type of wiki is that everyone has a computer.

Skype

Skype can be used to connect learners globally around the world.  Skype can be used for training to connect globally various located branches. Meetings can be attended by all company members.  Skype can also be used for grades K-12, helping the children realize other students around the world are learning some of the same things they are.  Ideas can be shared back and forth by all learners. Skype can be used by the instructor to share a presentation of himself with the online class members.  It would helpful, especially to be used to demonstrate a technical problem that students may have.  A classroom computer monitor that is large enough for the audience to see is needed.  Along with enough broad band to obtain the website.  Some of the drawbacks of Skype is that if you leave Skype open, some portion of your computer's processing resources is being used to facilitate other user's calls.  This failure results in loss of processing power for your other applications, (Kondolojy, A. 2012). Skype also has frequent outages.

Desire2Learn

This is a Learning Management System that helps students learn to make podcasts and downloadable presentations.  The site boasts that it helps students to create a more personalized experience that engages, inspires, and enables people to achieve their potential.  This site can be used for training purposes or in education. It provides a lifelong ePortfolio that can be accessed after the learners graduate. Skype contains free mobile applications and offers a free trial account. There is a fee to use this site.  As with any LMS, without training they can be difficult for the novice technical learner, enabling he learner to become frustrated, and give up.  Some other issues with Desire2Learn were:  issues when printing material, discussion board freezes, system frequently going down, could not copy and paste in drop box, and difficult to download grades, (Chawdhry, Paullet, & Benjamin, 2012).

 

References:

Chawdhry, A., Paullet, K., and Benjamin, D. (2012) Issues in Information Systems, Volume 13 ,Issue 2, pp. 302-310. Retrieved from: ihttp://iacis.org/iis/2012/135_iis_2012_302-310.pdf

Desire2Learn. (n.d.).  Retrieved from: http://www.desire2learn.com/products/learning-suite/d2l-difference/

Hadjerrouit, S. (2011).  A collaborative writing approach to wikis: design, implementation, and evaluation.  Retrieved from: http://iisit.org/Vol8/IISITv8p431-449Hadjerrouit224.pdf

Kondolojy, A. eHow tech. ( April, 16, 2012).  Cons of Skype. Retrieved from: http://www.ehow.com/list_5918123_cons-skype.html.

PBWorks: Online Team Collaboration. (n.d.). Retrieved from: http://pbworks.com/

Skype in the classroom. (n.d.). Retrieved from: https://education.skype.com/?kme=Google+Adwords&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=signup&gclid=CM-B2vvD2rUCFUXf4AodIjUADw

 

 

 

 

 

Impact of Technology and Multimedia

Web 2.0 Technology can have a positive or negative  impact on the student's online learning environment. Web 2.0 Technology such as wikis, blogs, you tube, Skype and mobile apps can assist students in learning and employees in training situations. By collaborating online within web pages, and other common sites, information is shared with group members, and edited in a common place for all to view and use (Laureate, Ed., Inc., n.d.), eliminating the need for uncertainty, and improving information sharing.

Blogs can be monitored by instructors easily when using aggregator software (Laureate, Ed., Inc., n.d.).  The aggregator software allows the instructor to pull all the blogs together in a common place to monitor which ones have been updated. Professor Pratt, of Laureate, Ed., Inc. (n.d.) contends it would be too difficult to monitor each student's individual work separately.  Professor Pratt also warns that it is essential for instructors to determine when it is appropriate for the students to use mobile applications for learning.  He says that most learning institution's apps compress learning into six weeks, as opposed to the normal eight weeks.  Learners may be missing out on valuable information.

The correct web 2.0 technology can be usable for demonstrating procedures and processes, and learners who are isolated or in remote locations, (Laureate, Ed., Inc., n.d.). The chosen application can make these learners feel that are a part of the regular learning group. When  using web 2.0 technology tools the  instructors should consider whether the chosen technology will aid in the learning; otherwise it should not be used.  Sometimes, it may be best to allow the learners to choose the web 2.0 tool that they feel most qualified for their type of  learning project. However, allowing the learners this freedom may require the instructor to expand his/her own teaching tool set, (Boettner & Conrad, 2010).

According to these authors, the three most important basic tools that must be used in online learning are announcements, discussion board monitoring and feedback.  Once the instructor develops experience with the online learning environment, he/she will move into a more comfortable zone and begin experimenting with more visual and audio tools, such as podcasts, audio feedback, blogs, and wikis, and other technology tools, (Boettner & Conrad, 2010).

As an instructor who is interested in training employees online, I would enjoy utilizing all of the web 2.0 tools in time.  I too, would begin learning the most basic tools, and graduate to the more advanced tools as my experience grows.  Technology constantly changes, demanding that instructors keep up with new software, applications and web 2.0 technology tools.  What is favored for instructors and learners to use now for online learning may just be a thing of the past in a few years.

References:

Conrad, R., & Donaldson, J. A. (2011). Engaging the online learner: Activities and resources for creative instruction (Updated ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass

Laureate Ed., Inc. [video] (n.d.). Enhancing the Online Experience.

 

     

 

Setting Up An Online Learning Experience

The significance of the Instructor Knowing the Technology Available for the Course.

                As the instructor prepares to teach his/her online class, he must not forget to review the technology specifications and software that will be used in the course. If there are not any special software programs that will be used, the instructor is free to incorporate any that he/she chooses. 

                However, if the instructor is new to online learning, he should first keep the technology tools to a minimum, (Boettcher and Conrad, 2010). It will be challenging enough to learn how to work the Course Management System, (CMS) without adding unnecessary software tools.

                With each year the instructor gains experience in using the CMS, he/she will be able to learn new tools with practice and from the other faculty.  A website that will assist the an instructor in learning  some of the systems used in higher education is http://www.edutools.info., (Boettcher and Conrad, 2010). Instructors can also learn new technology tools from their learners.  This situation can benefit other learners as well.  By learners sharing information with each other, everybody wins in online learning by allowing the learners to learn from each other (Fish and Wickersham, 2009).

Communicating Clear Expectations to the Learners.

                By communicating clear expectation to the learners, the learners know what is expected of them, and what can be expected from the instructor (Boettcher and Conrad, 2010), thus making the course easier for both parties to achieve their goals. These expectations should be communicated in a common place where the learners can review them.  The instructor's contact information should be given, in case the learners have questions or concerns. Communicating instructions for emergencies and alternate directions for technology failures, should be given too.

 Additional Considerations That The Instructor Should Take Into Account When Setting Up An Online Learning Experience.

                When instructing an online course, it is essential for the instructor to take time to review the course that he/she will teach to the learners.  Nothing is worse than an instructor who is not familiar with the course. Establishing credibility with the learners becomes lost if this happens.

                Instructor presence should be established in the beginning of the course, making the students feel comfortable.  A climate should be built "which causes adults to feel accepted, respected, and supported" within "an atmosphere which is friendly and informal (Conrad and Donaldson, 2011).

                Every function of the  Course Management System (CMS) should be practiced by the instructor, just in case a learner needs assistance. Weekly Teaching Guides should be reviewed by the instructor, ensuring that the goals are met with the week's activities, (Boettcher and Conrad, 2010).  Setting up a To-Do-List may help the instructor develop the online course and stay on track (Boettcher and Conrad, 2010). This simple step will serve as a check off document, ensuring that important steps are not forgotten.

References:

                Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2010). The online teaching survival guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

                Conrad, R., & Donaldson, J. A. (2011). Engaging the online learner: Activities and resources for creative instruction (Updated ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

                Fish, W. W., & Wickersham, L. E. (2009). Best practices for online instructors: Reminders. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 10(3), 279-284. Retrieved from www.waldenu.edu.

 

The Impact of Online Learning Communities

 

               Currently, I am enrolled in Online Instructional Strategies, which is an online course that I am taking for the accomplishment of my MS in Instructional Design and Technology. We will study and write about strategies that well help the instructors and students accomplish their learning goals.  

                Online learning communities impact student learning and satisfaction by properly engaging students who have come together for an opportunity to learn and explore new knowledge (Laureate, Inc., n.d.).  The instructor's responsibility is to engage the students in the first two weeks of the course to prevent attrition in the classes. The engagement can take place in several ways, but according to Doctors Palloff and Pratt, the most effective way is by the instructor making himself known to the adult learners,  and encouraging the learners to feel  comfortable in the course.  If the facilitator notices that there are students who are not responding to course information posted within the first two weeks, the  instructor should reach out to these students and  'grab' them before they are lost (laureate, Inc.., n.d.). The initial two weeks are a critical period, where the students unite or leave the online course.

                The essential elements of online community  building include (a.) the people who are willing to attend the online community, (b.) the purpose of the people who join the community; why they have come together, and (c.) the process, which involves the way the students are engaged in learning. The social presence of the adult learners and the instructor has proven to be important also. The people in the online community need to know that there are other people who share the same objectives and goals that they do.  It is beneficial to the online community's success if the instructor assures his social presence as well, so that the learner are ensured that there is a human being who will monitor their work and be available for assistance if needed.

                When the instructors are dedicated to sustaining a successful learning community that will include effective online learning, he/she will engage the learners within the first two weeks by not only establishing a presence, but  also by assisting in the design of the course management site.  The site should be set up for ease in navigating from one place to another.  Only simple technology should be introduced in the beginning of the course. If additional technology adds to the outcome of the lesson, then it should be included later in the learning.  However, instructors should be prepared to assist learners who may struggle with the technology addition (Laureate, Inc. n.d.).

                The online learning community should ensure  that a learner to learner engagement exists so that the adult learners can learn from each other. The adult learner needs to communicate and share learning experiences with one-another, resulting in new learning outcomes.

                It is important that the learners are transformed from their  learning experiences, and have the perception of a deeper and a more self-directed learning experience when they complete their course, preparing them for the next class.

 Reference:

Laureate, Inc. (n.d.). Online learning communities. Retrieved from www.waldenu.edu.