Communication with Technology

Podcasting is an absolutely great tool for everyone.  It is the most interesting Web 2.0 application I have learned about so far.  It allows people to become independent producers and distributors of any audio or video content (Jonassen, 2008, pp. 160).  Many people may find this beneficial for work, education, or entertaining.  Because podcasting is available through Internet by a subscription for language and podcast or vodcast feeds Web sites as Jonassen explains, it allows people to view or listen to it at their convenience.  Podcasting may be utilized in a classroom specially if there are students who are struggling with writing skills because it gives them the opportunity to use their other skills, such as public speaking and leadership.  Podcasting also works for group projects at the end of the school year. 

Apart from being an additional technology tool for communication, podcasting is different as it interests people the most for personal entertainment.  It is of great advantage to be able to watch your favorite shows when time allows.  It gives anyone the availability to prioritize for important tasks and view or listen to the less important ones later.  While blogging may offer a link to a personal podcasting, blogging remains a place where thoughts are to be expressed and strengthen.  Also, podcasting can be a group project assignment in which students may be engrossed just by the activity itself.  As far as social bookmarking and Voice Thread, podcasting is definitely more interactive because it implies the users to not only be listeners and viewers or participants but also become producers and this requires time, critical thinking, management and sometimes money.  

Although I was very excited when I first bought my iPod, I used it to listen to my favorite songs for one year only.  I never thought I could use it to listen to a professor’s lecture which I find to be useful as well.    Because there is very little time and too much information to learn, I would suggest to my Spanish students to use it to review for word spelling specially if there is a long spelling quiz.  Of course online communication tools are great for work, business, education, or socialization; it brings disadvantages as it may disconnect people from reality.  Depending on technology may be an addiction as it is not about the time users spend but how they spend the time (Rosen, 2010).  Students, parents, educators, or anyone with access to technology may be unconscious of how they are withdrawing from family, friends, or work which could add stress and disappointment.

References

Jonassen, D. (2008). Meaningful learning with technology (pp. 160). Upper Saddle, New Jersey: Pearson.

Rosen, L. (2010). Taking a (virtual) break:can you survive without your technology? i doubt it!. Psychology Today, Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/rewired-the-psychology-technology/201010/taking-virtual-break-can-you-survive-without-your-tech

Learning Communities

The use of wikis and blogs will be helpful tools for my students in my teaching career. Although blogs have evolved, it remains as a more personal tool for diaries or journals as it allows individuals to post their thoughts and ideas (Jonassen, 2010, p. 112). I could use blogs for my E. S. L. students to enhance their writing skills. Usually, students are not as enthusiastic about writing, specially, if they have to write on a paper journal. Blogs, however, offer students the opportunity to write in a more interactive and entertaining way. This would be a perfect weekly assignment for them to write about their favorite TV show or any extracurricular activities with the opportunity to post a response to a classmate’s blog once a month. I will potentially use wikis for a group project in my Spanish class. The assignment may be to explore a specific country in Latin America and inform the rest of class about their costumes, social problems, or touristic places. This could be perfect for an end of semester due project because it will allow them to prepare, process, share, and edit the information.

Social bookmarking seems to be a very reliable tool for anyone, particularly teachers. Because teachers have unique methods for tutorials or extra help, social bookmarking is beneficial to be an expert teacher. Students expect teachers to answer every question they have and they expect a quick answer; thus, having quick and organized access to these links will help students clear any doubts they may have. It also provides an opportunity to share with peers the websites you are currently using allowing them to also access the information available in those sites. Voice thread will be very useful for Spanish students because it will not only give them the opportunity to practice their pronunciation but also listen to themselves and other peers to get the specific feedback they want. This feedback will be almost instantly after they record their voices using a different learning material versus reading a paragraph out loud in the classroom.

 While I have had not heard of Tapped In, Jonassen provides a good explanation: a community of professional educators for an online workplace.  The calendar and the virtual offices provided are excellent tools for us teachers.  I have very little experience with learning communities online, and I do not want to be part of the isolated community due to lack of access to tools such as wikis, blogs, and voice thread. I believe that all educators should be part of these communities because it will serve as a way to learn from a peer’s point of view. By respecting the diversity among participating groups, it enhances the capacity of the learning community (Kilpatrick, Barrett, & Jones, 2003). This is important as it breaks the pattern of isolated communities and allows even for greater learning lessons among peers in education. Further, learning communities give everyone the adaptation to change, and this change means equate learning, Jonassen says.  Just like students engage in learning through learning communities, teachers, too, should be engaging in learning opportunities like this. 

References

Jonassen, D. (2008). Meaningful learning with technology (pp. 112, 129). Upper Saddle, New Jersey: Pearson.

Kilpatrick, S., Barrett, M., & Jones, T. (2003). Defining learning communities. Manuscript submitted for publication, Faculty of Education, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia. Retrieved from http://www.crlra.utas.edu.au/files/discussion/2003/D1-2003.pdf

Assessment with Technology

For most of us, school was boring, and we typically looked forward to the next holiday or summer, not to the next lesson our teacher had prepared for us or the final exam week. This is why it is important to have assessment activities; it lets us know not only how much one has learned but also how meaningful learning was. An assessment goes beyond grades or scores because it generates feedback to the students so that they can improve performance by assessing the product of the same learning activity that the students engage in (Jonassen, 2008, p. 218). For quick access to assessment results, more and more educators are using technology which is great because it will help the student improve their skills sooner.

David Jonassen (2008, p. 220) explains e-portfolios are used to put together a set of documents, pictures, video clips, art, or a collection of data that presents the accomplishments of someone.  Further, it demonstrates the abilities or talents of a person and what he or she is capable of doing. I would describe a portfolio whether it is electronic or not a personal assessment of someone’s own work. The fact that the individual has to put it together, serves as a way to help praise and sometimes reward him or herself for doing such great work. While computer-based tests aid in the grading process for educators, it further allows the ability to track certain answers for future complex levels. Computer-based tests are not as accurate in measuring if the individual’s learning because it is a gathering data system, but it helps educators note the areas in which students need improvement.

If you try to remember your years in school, would your memories be of feelings, friendships, and fear or of academic knowledge (Woolfolk, 2010, p. 65)? Hence, an e-portfolio would definitely show your learning experiences as it is self-image of someone’s own work; it reflects the individual’s skills, strengths, or approaches to our society. Indeed, these characteristics are a result of the efforts teachers and students worked for.

References

Jonassen, D. (2008). Meaningful learning with technology (pp. 218, 220). Upper Saddle, NJ: Pearson.

Woolfolk, A. (2010). Educational psychology (pp. 65). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.