Devi's blog

Week 6: 21st Century Learning

This week, some of the students in ITEC 830 were online via Ellumintate listening and observing our class 21st Century learning discussion and more Web 2.0 tools presentation.

One of the key elements in the 21st Century Learning is learning skills. I believe the learning skill has a huge impact in from my daily life. For example, I want to learn how to cook. You can learn how to cook via the internet now. You do not have to get a degree in culinary which probably cost a lot of money. Back in the good old day our mom and/or grandmother were the one who taught us how to cook. This might not be for everyone but in my family this is the case. A lot of chefs out there have a mentor and they learn it from other people. But not everyone knows someone who can be a mentor to learn how to cook. Since we have the internet, you can search for recipes and learn how to cook. Some cooking website such as foodnetwork.com have videos via online. It's not the same as learning from our mothers or a mentor but it's a good way to learn different type of cuisine, cool new way on how to cook, and etc. The 21st Century Learning opens are eyes into a different level in learning for free.

21st Century Learning

I've presented in class information about VoiceThread. This tool is a great presentation tool to share with people anywhere. he down fall would be that the free version have some limitation. I've upload my presentation on my blog and you can download  VoiceThread on Slideshare.

Voice Thread

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own.

VoiceThread

Thank you Judy (Google sites), Rowena (Twitter) and Jenny (Flickr) for the information on these cool web 2.0 tools.
 

Week 5: Dr. Curtis Bonk via Video Conferencing

Dr. Bonk gave us a wonder presentation on Web 2.0. There were so much information about web 2.0 that I was actually overwhelm with all the great tools out there. I think Web 2.0 is just the beginning of emerging technology as a way to learn and teach. There are different Web 2.0 tools out there that we can help us learn, create an interaction work environment and be use in our personal life. Thank you do much Dr. Bonk for your time to present this wonderful insight about web 2.0.

Despite my major in "nothing', I believe that sometimes you have to start as nothing to want to learn and develop more knowledge that will become into something. Everything is a trial an error for me, but the most important thing is that I have to try it and want it to be able to learn different things and to gain more knowledge.   

Web-20

Thank you to the class presentation :Google Earth (Hung), Google Map (Henry), Cmap/Freemind (Melissa) and Wikiis (Amy). I really enjoy new tools and these tools can come in handy. Looking forward in utilizing these great tools.

Week 5: Emerging technologies for learning: volume 3 (2008)

In the e-book emerging technologies for learning,it says that "the web is no longer just a way to receive information-it is a medium for commenting, collaborating and creating". The web is changing because before you need to know HTML to create a website and now there are tools you can use without knowledge of programming codes. I am glad that these tools are develop because I dislike C++ when I had to take this class for my bachelor. C++ and other programming languages are very difficult for me to understand. The programming languages are complex and can be confusing.

What can the changes to the web do now? That is a good question. With Web 2.0 there are so much we can do now. If we have opinions, we can blog them. If we can not attend class, we can learn online or by video conference. If we need course outline or material, we can collaborate a wiki site. It's a whole new ball game of blogger,wikis,etc.

There are so much medium for commenting, collaborating and creating out there that we can expand different learning opportunities. What can we expect in the near future?

Week 4: Emerging Technologies in Education

Common Craft Videos

Wetpaint Wikis in Plain English

The common craft videos are very interesting. It gives me an idea of how different tools work. I especially likes the wetpaint video from common craft. I've never used wetpaint and when I created one I am still not familiar with the tool. Thank you Sylvia for sharing your http://starvocabwiki.wetpaint.com/ site with the class. I have a better understanding and idea on wetpaint and wiki. Wiki can create a structure topic that can organize, structure, simple and making learning fun. I am interested in learning more about this tool and hope that I can develop a wiki site in organizing the school of social work internship program.

Class presentation:Kindle ebook
Thank you Marshall for the great presentation on Kindle ebook. It's very interesting to me how this tool can take the replace of hard copy book. Do you think that school textbooks will convert to use Kindle ebook? I truly hope so, because textbooks are very expensive these days.

Critique of Flatworld Classroom Project

What are the instructional objectives?

Digital Storytelling using "The Fun Factor"

"Play will be to the 21st century what work was to the last 300 years of industrial society - our dominant way of knowing, doing and creating" Quote from Pat Kane, in Pink pg 193

This student topic best describe: How does her topic relate to how we have fun in our various societies now and in the future?

Title: Students and the Web by Carmyn

Impact on Life

Her title is Impact on life. Summary of her video demonstrate how the World Wide Web has made an impact on LIFE! It gives examples how it can find resources faster rather than spending time reading a book for a school assignment. It gives a better visual way of communicating and a simpler way of handling business.

How technologies are used by students?

Students can use search engine like Google to search information on a topic for a research paper. How World Wide Web can make an impact on education, communication and business. Understand the use on web cam to communicate and conduct business instead calling long distance. The use of email to send information faster.

Put yourself in the students place, and assess what they may learn from the learning experience

As a student, I’ve learned different collaboration of information where we can share to the world. The use of internet as a research to find information you need. The used of email to communicate with people. The used of web cam to interact and communicate face to face. Understand the use on web cam to communicate and conduct business. World Wide Web has changed how societies now and in the future.

List technologies they are using in order to create their digital stories, write research on background, news, impact on education, etc in their wiki site.

• Internet for research
• Youtube to host her video
• Google as her search engine
• Audio and Visual technology for digital stories

 
 

Week #3 Learning in Digital Age?

I'm taking a two hour dance class call Afro-Haitian on Wednesday night. I've been taking this class about 4 times now. It is a very energetic and spiritual dance. I feel as if I am lost without this dance class. Dance has been a special part of my life.

I've performed Indonesia traditional dance since I was a child. I like to explore different type of dance like salsa, modern dance, Brazilian dance, etc. I hope that one day I can teach dance. As technology evolved I’ve asked this question: How would I teach dance in a Digital Age World?

I do not think it's the same feeling if dance are taught virtually. You do not have Ms. Watson (my Afro-Haitian dance teacher) saying " your legs are not position right"; "bend your knees more"; "you're off beat"; etc.  Her voice motivates you to push yourself and work harder every time you go to the dance floor. You listen to the drum beats while dancing away and letting lose. Will I even get the same benefit if I learn how to dance as part of the Digital Age?
Sure you can watch videos on youtube or other multimedia on how to dance, but the feeling is so much different.
Sometime learning in the digital age is not for all subjects. With dancing, you need to learn it by observation, trial and error.
In some case, it depends on the person and whether you are a professional dancer or an amateur. Where and how you want to learn it is up to you. For those of you who have a busy schedule and cannot make it to class, will not miss out on learning how to dance. Learning through video or online is better than nothing. Then again, will you get the same theory or techniques as if you were in a class? You do not have someone like Ms. Watson behind your shoulder giving critic or feedback.

Regardless of how many time I've taking Afro-Haitian dance, I am still learning new things and improving my dance techniques. When I miss one class, I am completely lost. This is coming from someone whom taken this class 4 times. Dance is something you have to constantly keep improving. Without it, you might forget or your techniques are not as sharp as before. So is it really logical to learn dance in a Digital Age?

 

Learning dance in a Digital Age is not the way of teaching dance technique but it's a good way to do background research on a different type dances all over the world.

Learning in the Digital Age might help me with my dance assignment, which is to write a research paper about the Revolution of Haitian. Thank you for the insight presentation of RSS,Feed/Google reader and tagging.This will help with my research paper.

A Koujay Production (Haitian cultural club Dance Troupe)

Please check on the right: a video found on youtube to give you an example of Afro-Haitian dancing.

Week #2 :Got Connectivism?

George Siemens said that connectivism is the integration of principles explored by chaos, network, and complexity and self-organization theories.

What I've learned about connectivism is that technology has change dramatically and that we can use technology as a tool to help us explore our learning process further. I believe that technology has given us the capability to learn as much information that is important to us. We are constantly learn new things and acquire different skills, theories, attitudes, etc. that surround us. These aspects can create greater knowledge that can develop in our daily life as a student, employee, person, etc. 

Below is a image that I found that helped me understand more about Connectivism. This image is found on http://www.visual-mapping.com/2008/03/connectivism-learning-theory-for.html

 

Connectivism1

ITEC 830 Week 1:WEB 2.0

I have been out of school for 5 years now. I can't believe I am back. I am very excited to be back but at the same time I am very nervous. I've learned quiet a few things in my first week of my ITEC 830 class. First of all, I've learned that I am a bit behind with the evolution of technology and  I need to start blogging. I'm not a blogger although I had this blog account since 2006 from VOX.com. I am glad that I am taking this class because it might motivate me to stay in touch with what's going on with the evolution of technology.

What is Web 2.0 ?? I didn't know it at first but at the same time I've used it just never knew the proper term for it. From my understanding, Web 2.0 is the new collaboration of web-based communities and hosted services, such as social-networking sites, video sharing sites, wikis, blogs, etc. I've been a member of frienster,facebook,linkedin,etc and not realizing that these site are part of Web 2.0. I am intrigue to learn and understand different tools of Web 2.0 that will integrate with some my work as an Adminstrative Assistant to School of Social Work.