Month: November 2009

As we wind down the last week of classes, DLG 8 Psychology and Phenomenology leave you with good tidings. We have created a jibjab elf video for your enjoyment.

 http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/6nV3DoYDOoyM5jC6jsZ9

Michele

While working on my final essay about blended learning classrooms, I am drawn back to the sociology module and how technology affects students and teachers in a classroom. In fact, sociologists remind us that nothing happens in isolation because one thing always affects another.

In Kerr’s Toward a Sociology of Educational Technology, Kerr points out that “technology changes constantly” and that today, “internet connectivity” is important. In the 1990s, online learning became important partially because the internet and online education “became more affordable” (p.113). As a sociology undergrad, I was taught to look at the effect of one element on another because nothing happens in isolation. Therefore, I understand how technology can affect more than just the people who use it. For example, even though technology will benefit some people because of its affordability, there are still those who cannot afford it. This leads to what is commonly called the “digital divide” or the inequality that results from the gap between those who have and those who do not (p.113).

Sociologists also encourage us to look at how technology might affect the various areas of society. Can it be used to fix “social problems” or will it lead to new ones (p.113)? As Kerr points out, technology may “[affect more] areas other than those intended by its creators” (p.113). This idea reminds me of the far reaching effects of throwing a stone into the water and watch as the ripples move outward away from the source.

Overall, sociology is important to the study of educational technology because it shows us how to evaluate the effects of technology on individual people, classrooms, institutions, and society as a whole.

Kerr, S.T. (2004). Toward a sociology of educational technology. In D.H. Jonassen (Ed.), Handbook of research on educational communications and technology (pp. 113-142). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

It’s hard to believe that another course has almost ended. It was a whirl wind of information combined with the flu! I enjoyed the readings but the most interesting feature of this course was how it was structured. After the instructors taught the first modules, the class was divided into groups and given the task of teaching the rest of the course. What an exciting challenge. Each group came up with original and effective ways to present a variety of information that covered the foundation topics of the course. I learned a lot.

Beyond the learning that happenend in this class, I experienced a camaraderie with some of my classmates. I’ve taken 4 courses now but the dynamics in this class were different. I wonder if it was the weekly chats. I wasn’t looking forward to meeting online each week but once it started, I found myself looking forward to the chats because I felt like I was part of an actual classroom.

The discourse groups were another great experience. I found I was able to get to know the members of my group in a way I hadn’t experienced in other classes. Perhaps it was the amount of work we created together which translated into a lot of time or maybe it was how we communicated. We met in Vista, in email, in Google.docs, after the weekly chats and live synchronously one night using webinar software. Putting a name to a face or voice made it more personal and seeing our photos in the Halloween Monster Mash made it more fun. Even after we were done our group work we still met just to chat!

So once again I’ve found this course very valuable in a way that goes beyond the reading and learning that was required. Perhaps the community interconnectedness that I felt was the true value of the course.

Well it’s taken me several months to figure it all out but I finally feel like I have control over the organization of my blog. Last term I figured out the difference between a page and a post so that I was able to see the difference between pages (permanent, non-movable) blog entries and posts (added by date) entries. This entry is a post which means it will move down when I add the next post. Anything I add as a page, stays where it is.

Now I’ve taken my blog organizational skills to a new level. I’ve developed categories and leveled my pages. By adding the categories ETEC 511 and ETEC 565, I am able to categorize each of my new entries according to the course that inspired me. This allows readers to find the entries they want quickly and easily.

Next, I added page headings so my ETEC 511 and ETEC 565 pages would be separated and easy to read. I also left the pages about, home and flight path on their own because they tell important information about me. The final page is called teaching online. In November 2009, I started teaching my first online class and I am going to use this blog to write about my teaching journey.

Please take a look at my new structure and read my new postings. My ETEC 511 page is currently a work in progress but I will update it as quickly as possible.