E-Learning for Educators - October 2017

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Improvement upon the learning experience of online and blended courses

by Joanna Goodwin - Tuesday, October 24, 2017, 10:25 PM

Based on your recollection of learning experiences up until the end of twelfth grade, how could
they be improved upon in online and blended courses?

Please include futuristic technologies that could enhance those learning experiences within online
and blended courses.

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Re: Improvement upon the learning experience of online and blended courses
by Laura - Wednesday, October 25, 2017, 8:43 AM

Hi Joanna,

The highest level of technologies while I was in K-12 were things like television and electric
typewriters. Even then, however, teachers would occasionally use a television program, a 16mm
film, or a radio program to reinforce the learning. In response to your question, crafting a
combination of the potential for networking, research, and general information with the curriculum
goals could be very workable in a day and age where all of that is part of daily living.

In terms of futuristic technologies, one of the things we are looking at right now is effective
implementation of things like Virtual Reality Goggles into the learning process, rather than being a
play activity. A couple of years ago, we employed things like the LEGO robotics and now we are
doing coding activities. If there are other things that you are aware of, I would very much
appreciated hearing about them.

Laura

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Re: Improvement upon the learning experience of online and blended courses
by Joanna Goodwin - Wednesday, October 25, 2017, 12:47 PM

Hi Laura,

In addition to my initial prompt questions, the others might have threads on your ideas and
questions.

Joanna

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Re: Improvement upon the learning experience of online and blended courses
by Joanna Goodwin - Wednesday, October 25, 2017, 7:50 PM

Laura,

Herewith a link covering some futuristic technologies. Classroom of the future where technology
learns as much about children as they do from it

https://www.forbes.com/sites/centurylink/2017/08/07/classroom-of-the-future-where-
technology-learns-as-much-about-children-as-they-do-from-it/#519e2add1163

Does anything stand out to you?

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Re: Improvement upon the learning experience of online and blended courses
by Laura - Thursday, October 26, 2017, 8:24 AM

Thanks for the link, it prompted me to take a look at it and some of the other related links.

The Augmented Reality is interesting because it provides different ways to look at things. Even in
reading books to youngsters, it seems to add a layer of interest and enthusiasm when AR is part
of the activity. This is a fascinating area that I hope educators explore before simply
implementing. Your thoughts?

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Re: Improvement upon the learning experience of online and blended courses
by Joanna Goodwin - Thursday, October 26, 2017, 9:31 PM

Hi Laura,

As a special education teacher, I am pleased to learn that the technology will address all
students' learning styles, interests, and strengths.

Prior to the implementation of this technology, what do educators need to consider?

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Re: Improvement upon the learning experience of online and blended courses
by Laura - Friday, October 27, 2017, 8:50 AM

Hi,

One of the things that seems to be a huge priority is the ongoing willingness to learn and make
ongoing efforts to be aware of changes that are happening so quickly. Recognizing that the
expectations for teachers preK-12 is big, hopefully there are still ongoing professional
development activities and expectations. Over time, I have worked with colleagues who are
comfortable in what they do and others who constantly strive to provide students with what they
need to be successful beyond the classroom. Which would you want your children or students to
be in touch with?

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Re: Improvement upon the learning experience of online and blended courses
by Joanna Goodwin - Friday, October 27, 2017, 10:35 PM

Hi Laura,

I would like my students to be aware of how they learn best (their dominant learning styles and
strengths) so that they utilize it to become life long learners and success in what they do.

The artificial-based systems concern me because the data, if not protected, can follow students
throughout their lives and affect their candidacy for college and jobs. The systems 'can track
students... across social services and other government agencies" (LaPlante, 2017, p. 5).
LaPlante raises salient questions, "Who will decide when- and by whom-the data can be
accessed?"

Teachers need to sign non-disclosure agreements upon hire and in-house security personnel
should regularly monitor that access to data are inaccessible to the external community.

In order to implement this technology, how would you proceed in gaining "buy in" from your
colleagues that are "comfortable" with what they do?

Reference

LaPlante, A. (2017). Classroom of the future: Where technology learns as much

about children as they do from it. ForbesBrandVoice, 1-5. Retrieved from

https://www.forbes.com/sites/centurylink/2017/08/07/classroom-of-the-future-

where-technology-learns-as-much-about-children-as-they-do-from-

it/#dee1ec711637

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Re: Improvement upon the learning experience of online and blended courses
by Laura - Saturday, October 28, 2017, 9:56 AM

Hi Joanna,

The question you posed seems to be one of the biggest challenges. Some of the folks do an
incredibly wonderful job with the way they teach. The concern may be that our society has and is
changed through the advent and access to all sorts of technology. It is hard to imagine a job now
that doesn't include some type of technological use. Getting students to recognize the potential
uses of technology and information research beyond social media alone is daunting.

Getting to know individuals and planning professional development activities that actually may be
of interest are important and challenging for the planner. The teachers need to be able to trust the
folks they are working with and know it is not a one shot deal that will change in a month or two.
So often, it seems administrators jump on whatever wagon is passing by plus jumping off the
wagon they were on just before that. Discouraging.

An article that I saw while doing some research for this class says it nicely.
http://etale.org/main/2013/09/21/5-steps-to-getting-out-of-a-teaching-rut/

Laura

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Re: Improvement upon the learning experience of online and blended courses
by Joanna Goodwin - Saturday, October 28, 2017, 12:05 PM

Hi Laura,

Thank you for the article. We still have teachers that are resistant to utilize the latest technology.
As you rightly stated, "Administrators jump on whatever wagon is passing by plus jumping off the
wagon they were on just before that."

The end users of a newly implemented technology include teachers and students. What can
teachers do to identify students' perceptions and levels of skill following the implementation of a
new technology?

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Re: Improvement upon the learning experience of online and blended courses
by Laura - Sunday, October 29, 2017, 10:31 AM

How I wish I had a good answer to your query but I do not. Hopefully as students and teachers
begin to employ new technologies in the learning process, they also develop something along the
lines of a rubric to help show progress as it relates to learning. Personally, I hope the learning is
the first priority with technologies helping along the road to better learning possibilities?

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Re: Improvement upon the learning experience of online and blended courses
by Kelly - Wednesday, October 25, 2017, 12:25 PM

Hi Joanna, I have a similar answer as some of my peers. I graduated high school in 1996 so my
experience with technologies was very limited and I didn't have the option to take online or
blended courses. Looking back I can see how I may have enjoyed doing this, but I'm also not
sure that I would have been able to stay on task and be fully engaged at that time in my life. I am
guessing that you must have had the experience of blended/online courses while you attended k-
12? What was your experience like?

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Re: Improvement upon the learning experience of online and blended courses
by Joanna Goodwin - Wednesday, October 25, 2017, 8:04 PM

Hi Kelly,

I did not take a blended course during the pre-secondary school years either. This online course
is the first and I took blended ones beginning in 2014.

What are your impressions of the technological experiences in this course?

Herewith a link regarding futuristic technologies. Does anything stand out to you?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/centurylink/2017/08/07/classroom-of-the-future-where-
technology-learns-as-much-about-children-as-they-do-from-it/#519e2add1163

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Re: Improvement upon the learning experience of online and blended courses
by Kelly - Friday, October 27, 2017, 1:36 PM

Hi Joanna,

I'm sorry, but that link didnt work for me.

My impressions of the technological experiences have been pretty good in this course. I will admit
that I am not very impressed with Moodle. For some reason it doesnt seem to cooperate with me
the way D2L does. But it is always fun to try something new!

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Re: Improvement upon the learning experience of online and blended courses
by Joanna Goodwin - Friday, October 27, 2017, 10:51 PM

Hi Kelly,

In Moodle, it was difficult to find the facilitators' prompts and having responded to a peer, I did not
know how to return to the list of facilitators so to follow another discussion group. I like the
opprtunity to edit in Moodle havng posted a response.

The article is also accessible by typing - CenturyLinkVoice: Classroom of the future in the Google
search box. It is the first one on the list.

In what ways has D2L been a positive experience for you? Do you find it intuitive? If so what
background knowledge have you drawn upon to help you navigate this learning management
system?

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Technology - Changing our Education System and Maybe our Communities

by Barbara - Thursday, October 26, 2017, 11:14 AM

Future Trends in K-12 Education.pdf

I graduated high school in 2003. I grew up with the internet, AOL, video editing, video chatting
(Skype), etc. I remember vividly my first experience in a science class where we video chatted
with a marine biologist in Australia. I think the opportunity to blend learning in K-12 gives students
the ability to understand and see the world better, expand their horizons and perspectivies- the
world is at their fingertips. Often we don't like what we don't understand, if students understand
more than their little world it could open their minds to possiblilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

I do believe that technology such as virtual classrooms will become very popular. It is definately
changing the way we as a society needs to look at our education system and even community
structure. Schools are often a hub for the community - how will this change if more and more
schools go virtual or online?
I attached a report completed by Hanover Research that discusses future trends in k-12
education. I found interesting the fact that we have more "Big Data" on students now that more is
online. Decision makers like to see data, and right now it is difficult to provide except in State
Testing. It will be interesting to see how having this data on students will impact the educational
system.

Barbara

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Re: Technology - Changing our Education System and Maybe our Communities
by Laura - Thursday, October 26, 2017, 6:18 PM

Hi Barbara,

A couple of years back, a district asked me to do a survey of what types of reading and how
much reading students at the high school level in the district were doing as part of a grant for
reading they had received. The results indicated that students were doing the assigned reading
for class and some other reading related to their interests but the lion's share of the student
reading was related to social media and communication with their peers. This seems to provide
us with some direction for making connections to learning?

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Re: Technology - Changing our Education System and Maybe our Communities
by Joanna Goodwin - Thursday, October 26, 2017, 9:58 PM

Hi Laura,

Your study provided noteworthy information.

How could educators use this information to enhance the students' learning experience while
preparing them for 21st century colleges and the global workforce?

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Re: Technology - Changing our Education System and Maybe our Communities
by Joanna Goodwin - Thursday, October 26, 2017, 10:17 PM

Hi Barbara,

Thank you for posting the article. It parallels some of the perspectives of Big Data with the
attached link.

What implications could Big Data have on students now in and in the future?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/centurylink/2017/08/07/classroom-of-the-future-where-technology-
learns-as-much-about-children-as-they-do-from-it/#1f902c471163

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