EDUC 7105-2: Module 1 Blog

Question:

What are your beliefs about how people learn best? What is the purpose of learning theory in educational technology?

Response:

     I define learning as the acquisition and application of information and knowledge. As individuals, it should be a lifetime commitment to be continuous learners, as there are always opportunities to develop and grow academically, professionally, and personally. Because we are all different, we all learn in different ways; and how an individual learns is based on his or her learning style. As it relates to learning styles, Dr. Howard Gartner introduced the theory of multiple intelligences, which says that there are various types of learners. For instance, some individuals are auditory learners (learn by hearing), while others are visual learners (learn by seeing); still others are kinesthetic learners (learn by doing). Therefore, individuals learn best when information is presented in a way that appeals to their style of learning. An effective teacher and an effective classroom consider each type of learning in designing instruction and delivering content. Additionally, students are given opportunities to demonstrate what has been learned through the instruction in a manner that makes the most sense to them.

Educational technology can be defined as “the considered implementation of appropriate tools, techniques, or processes that facilitate the application of senses, memory, and cognition to enhance teaching practices and improve learning outcomes” (Aziz, 2010). Simply put, educational technology involves the use of various media and technological tools to assist in the teaching and learning process, and its purpose is to enhance the learning experience of learners. Learning theory is necessary in educational technology because it provides an explanation of the tools that can be used to appeal to each type of learner. Since the goal of instruction is to improve learning outcomes, teachers are able to incorporate the necessary tools for this to take place. For instance, an auditory learner may benefit from a podcast that explains to them how to save a document, while a visual learner may need to watch a YouTube video that shows how to save the document. Still, a kinesthetic learner may not fully understand the concept until after he or she has demonstrated what was heard or seen by actually going through the steps of manually saving a document. Each type of learner is encouraged to use whatever resources are needed for him or her to gain understanding, and be able to produce. Therefore, it is the teacher’s role to provide the information, and the student’s role to obtain, retain, and be able to apply the information.

Reference:

Aziz, H. (2010). The five keys to educational technology. Retrieved March 12, 2012 from http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/09/16/the-5-keys-to-educational-technology.aspx

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I responded to Sherri Carey's (http://theoryandeducationaltech.blogspot.com/) and David Davis' (http://edtechlearningtheory8845-2.blogspot.com/) posts.

Final Video Presentation

You can view my video presentation on Academic Dishonesty in Higher Education on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_uNwUxJ42M

REFERENCES

Academic dishonesty and plagiarism. Texas A&M University Libraries. (n.d.). Retrieved September 11, 2011 from http://library.tamu.edu/help/help-yourself/using-materials-services/online-tutorials/files/AcademicIntegrityAndPlagiarism.pdf  

College Cheating Story. [Video] (2008). Retrieved Thursday, November 10, 2011 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpPnjWP59MU   

Jones, D. (2011). Academic dishonesty: Are more students cheating? Business Communication Quarterly, 74(2), pp. 141-150. 

Jones, L. (2011). Academic integrity & academic dishonesty: A handbook about cheating & plagiarism. Retrieved September 11, 2011 from http://www.fit.edu/current/documents/plagiarism.pdf  

Satterlee, A. (2002). Academic dishonesty among students: Consequences and interventions. Retrieved September 11, 2011 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED469468.pdf   

Witherspoon, M. (2010). Academic dishonesty of undergraduates: Methods of cheating. Retrieved September 11, 2011 from http://20.132.48.254/PDFS/ED518485.pdf

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Please check it out and leave feedback.


Thank you

Module 5: Static versus Dynamic Technologies Concept Map

Based on my philosophy of distance education I believe that I am in the middle of the static and dynamic contiuum. Because I am a person who enjoys integrating various forms of technology into my daily life (personally, academically, and professionally), I feel very comfortable using both static and dynamic forms of media and technologies to communicate, collaborate, and receive information. I feel that this Walden program is pushing me to use more dynamic media. For instance, prior to beginning this program, I’d never created or used a wiki or blog. I am thankful for the opportunity to learn how to use these technologies, and see how it assists in communication and collaboration with my cohorts and the instructor. And as I mentioned in another blog, the fact that these tools are free makes it all the more better.

Here is some additional information that I located in reference to media and technology being used in distance education:

• Media and Technologies Used In Distance Education - http://www.slideshare.net/alaasadik/media-and-technologies-used-in-distance-education-i-presentation

• Technologies and Media for Distance Education - http://mmcisaac.faculty.asu.edu/disted/final98/finalmh.html

Module 4: Engaging Learners with New Strategies and Tools

The outcomes of learners are the same in any educational environment, traditional or online. However, the differences between the two environments lie in the resources/tools and methods/strategies used in delivering instruction to learners. There are specific teaching and learning strategies that have been identified to work best in online environments than do face to face (F2F) environments. The Three (3) C’s that will cause distance education to be the most effective for online learners are content, communication, and collaboration. The instructor and the learner must be active participants throughout the duration of the course in order for the learner to achieve the stated learning outcomes.

In the graphic organizer above, I have listed ways that the instructor can foster content knowledge within an online course because although the content itself is important, how the content is delivered is equally important. Additionally, the use of various technologies that promote communication and collaboration are essential as well. There are various ways for instructors to deliver content to learners, such as through PowerPoint presentations, podcasts, webcasts, blogs, wikis, video conferencing, etc. Additionally, there are various ways for instructors and learners to communicate with one another, including discussion boards (through learning management systems), blogs, wikis, email, and social networking sites, such as Facebook. As it relates to collaboration, the various communication tools are used to allow learners to work together on class assignments and projects. For instance, some of the same tools that are used to communicate, such as blogs and wikis, can assist in collaboration amongst learners.

Prior to beginning this program at Walden, I’d never created or used a blog or wiki to post information and communicate with my peers and instructors. Being that these tools assist with communication and collaboration, you have to also acknowledge that they are convenient, easy to use, and FREE!

References:
Anderson, T. (Ed.). (2008). The theory and practice of online learning. (2nd ed.). Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press.

Durrington, V. A., Berryhill, A., & Swafford, J. (2006). Strategies for enhancing student interactivity in an online environment. College Teaching, 54(1), 190−193.

Siemens, G. (2008). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles for educators and designers. ITForum.

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Here are some blogs related to this topic:
http://kofianane4.wordpress.com/2010/10/28/engaging-learners-with-new-strategies-and-tools/
http://belindavannorman.blogspot.com/2011/07/engaging-learners-with-new-strategies.html
http://undwd.wordpress.com/2010/11/14/engaging-learners-with-new-strategies-and-tools/
http://prezi.com/r4azmdisrbb4/engaging-learners-with-new-strategies-and-tools/ 

Module 3: Assessing Collaborative Efforts

It can be said that assessment is as much about evaluating educators (their teaching methods) as it is about evaluating their student’s performance, as well as offering constructive feedback on the student’s performance. Siemens supports this claim when he says that “When we [educators] assess, we aren’t just assessing our learners, we’re assessing ourselves as educators” (Laureate, 2008). This is so because through assessment, educators and learners are able to engage in self reflection to determine how well the information is being taught, as well as whether or not the information is being learned. Assessing collaborative efforts in collaborative learning communities is just as important as assessing the efforts of individual learners. Just as it is important that individual students meet/master the standards set forth when the course was designed, it is important for groups to achieve the same goals.  

Palloff and Pratt (2005) says that “Given that well-designed online courses should be focused and centered on the learner, it follows that student evaluation within that course should be the same” (p. 42). Therefore, learners within a group should be evaluated both individually and collaboratively. For instance, to assess learners’ individually, educations can allow time for self reflection (as mentioned above) and the creation of a portfolio. With the reflection component, “students should be asked to reflect on their participation in the activity and their contributions to the group” (Palloff & Pratt, 2005, p. 32). Regarding the creation of a portolio, Palloff and Pratt (2005) says that “Creating a portfolio that includes both the individual contributions of the student and the final product is a good way for the instructor to assess how much work the individual student did and give the student an opportunity to showcase his or her work in light of the larger project” (p. 43). Overall, offering an individual component to a group project can be essential in determining exactly who is doing the work within the group project. For instance, if one of the group members does poorly on his or her individual assessment, then it could be determined that he or she did not make as big of a contribution to the group project as some of the other members, and thereby should not be given the same grade as the other members who possibly did the bulk of the work in the group project.

 
Just as learners should be evaluated individually when working on group projects, they must be evaluated collaboratively as well. Palloff and Pratt (2005) supports this when they say that “when assessing collaborative work…collaborative activities are best assessed collaboratively” (p. 44). Therefore, if one or more learners are not collaborating/participating in the group project as they should, they should not be allowed to remain in the group and receive the same grade as the group members who participated as they should. In an attempt to initially deal with this issue, the whole group should schedule a meeting to try to determine what the issues are and the best ways to solve the issues. If the non-worker(s) is non compliant and unwilling to produce after this initial group meeting, then the instructor should be notified and asked to get involved. It should then become the instructor’s responsibility to determine what to do with the non-workers. Furthermore, it is to the discretion of the instructor how the non-worker will be evaluated. Palloff and Pratt (2005) support this by saying that “after all, the instructor’s responsibility to record a final grade for the course and to follow up with those who are not performing” (p. 44).

In summary, Palloff and Pratt (2007) say that “The assessment of student assignments in an online course should not be the job of the instructor alone. Students should be asked to assess their own performance and to receive feedback from each other throughout the course” (p. 212). Therefore, assessment is critical in evaluating student’s performance and ensuring that they are achieving the necessary outcomes outlined by the course.  

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Assessment of collaboration. [Video webcast]. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5701360&Survey=1&47=9580570&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2005). Building online learning communities. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2005). Collaborating online: Learning together in community. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Video Presentation: Storyboard

Check out my storyboard (video created using Microsoft PowerPoint and Windows PhotoStory3). I welcome all feedback/criticisms/suggestions for improvement.

http://www.slideshare.net/jgreen83/academic-dishonesty-in-higher-education

Module 2: Elements of Distance Education Diffusion

Of the three elements of distance education discussed by George Siemens, the one that I will discuss in great detail is collaborative interaction, as I believe that communication and collaborative interaction are heavily intertwined. Palloff and Pratt (2005) says that “collaborative activity is important in both face to face and online classes because it promotes the following: development of critical thinking skills, co-creation of knowledge and meaning, reflection, and transformative learning” (p. 4). As it relates to the development of critical thinking skills and the co-creation of knowledge and meaning, learners collaborating allow the learners to actually learn from one another… Through collaboration, “The ability to create knowledge and meaning is enhanced” (Paloff & Pratt, 2005, p. 6). This leads me to think about a quote by one great mind that says, ‘two heads are better than one.’ For instance, if I work with someone else, this allows me to consider perspectives other than my own. Finally, I say that collaborative interaction and communication are intertwined because in order to collaborate, there must be communication. In distance education, this communication may seldom times be verbal; instead it will be written, using various technologies such as email, blogs, wikis, social networking sites, video conferencing, etc.. Furthermore, to support communication, Simonson (2008) says that distance education “allows us to communicate in conversations outside of what we would have previously had.” Additionally, distance education isn’t just beneficial in educational settings, but also in “corporations by allowing them to interact with different offices around the world” (Simonson, 2008).

Reference:
Palloff, R. & Pratt, K. (2005). Collaborating online: Learning together in community. Jossey-Bass.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer) (2008a). Distance Education: The next Generation. Baltimore, MD: Author