Andy Najafiarab

Andy Najafiarab

Forsey, M., Low, M., & Glance, D. (2013, December). Flipping the sociology classroom:
Towards a practice of online pedagogy. Journal of Sociology, 49(4), 471-485.
Herreid, & Schiller. (2014, June). Case Studies and the Flipped Classroom. Jourlan of Colleg
Science Teaching, 42(5), 62-66.
Park, & Bonk. (2007, August). Synchronous Learning Experiences: Distance and Residental
Learner's perspectives in a Blended Graduate Course. Journal of Interactive Online
Learning, 6(3), 245-264.
Randall, D., Douglas, D., & Nick, B. (2013, August). Flipping the Classroom and Instructional
Technology Integration in a College-Level Information Systems Spreadsheet Course.
Educational Technology REsearch & Development, 61(4), 563-580.
Straver, J. (2012, July). How Learning in an Inverted Classroom Influences Cooperation,
Innovation and Task Orientation. Learning Environments Research, 15(2), 171-193.

Three Scholarly Articles:
Maddix, M. (2012). Generating and Facilitating Effective Online Learning Through
Discussion. Christian Education Journal , 9 (2), 372-385.
This article lists some problems and solutions to online education, since it is a
relatively new phenomenon. How to translate regular interactions that would take
place within a classroom into a manageable and valuable online forum is discussed
within this article.
Shen, D., Cho, M., Tsai, C. (2013). Unpacking Online Learning Experiences: Online Learning
Self-Efficacy and Learning Satisfaction. Internet & Higher Education , 19 (1), 10-17.
Self-efficacy, being ones belief in their abilities to complete tasks, works in parallel
with online education. This article is a statistical study that has identified self-
efficacy in the categories of completing an online course, interacting socially with
classmates and instructors, ability to use Course Management System tools, and
academic interactions with classmates. The results and implications of all the above
are analyzed in this article.
Walker, K. (2003) Applying Distributed Learning Theory in Online Business Communication
Courses. Business Communication Quarterly , 66 (2), 55-67
Distributed learning theory, which is not much unlike constructive learning is
studied within this article in terms of business educators use of online VS traditional
classroom technology tools. \

Andy Najafiarab
Part 4
Information literacy has been around for a very-very-very-very long time. The
very first scientists, such as Newton, Galileo, and Copernicus, for example, started
information literacy by recording their findings. Recording findings was a revelatory
tool since information, data, or theories could last longer than the discoverers
lifetime. The value, then, is communication of ideas among other people.
Being able to record and read information has literally changed the world and
our understanding of it. Very careful star observations from an astronomer were
recorded and then read by another about 100 years later. In comparison of the data,
we learned that stars are in motion, which was a revolutionary idea.

As a student and future teacher in this rich day and age, the addition of the
internet has greatly broadened ones ability to search and discover documents
written by others. This can be a pain or a blessing, which every way one looks at it,
but I believe that being able to navigate this new sea of information creates more
heads working on the same problem.

On the back of the above, the ISTE standards place a good deal of emphasis on
students ability to also navigate the sea of information, whether it be internet or
library navigations. Beside the personal benefits students would obtain by being
information literate, companies and businesses are looking for employees that are
very adept in this topic.

I would argue that information literacy is almost a skilled trade. Out of the 7
billion people in the world, I would venture to guess that a huge percentage would be
unable, for a variety of reasons, to search databases. I believe a large portion of the
problem would be a lack of technology, which goes to say that information literacy
go hand-in-hand, or create a positive feedback loop. That is why there is an increase
for information literacy.

Lastly, unethical or illegal use of information, such as plagiarism, is a real
issue with the number of people at the helm of information. Its extremely easy to
copy and paste words and ideas, which is something that has even foiled some
peoples careers. This is something that needs to continue being enforced, and
sometimes technology has an ability to stop its own information from being misused.