Roundup for Week 9 Visual-Intensive Learning
Thanks to all our colleagues that contributed to the activity and the discussion that has led to the market research for this educational venture. Below is a summary of all your contributions that we added to our presentation. Thanks again for a wonderful week! Our final version of the presentation can be viewed at […]
Continue reading Roundup for Week 9 Visual-Intensive Learning Posted in: Week 09: Visual-Intensive Learning
karonw 8:54 pm on June 1, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Great post! I am pretty amazed how Bob Reap taught himself to program. I agree, sometimes it is about the quality of the features not the quantity like you said they could have just hosted links but I guess they wanted to have all the ownership in their site?
Karon
mackenzie 12:35 pm on June 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Karon,
Thanks, I agree that quality is more important than quantity, especially when you want to keep visitors coming back to your site. With Web 2.0, collaboration software has reached a new pinnacle of affordances that is a crime not to leverage. For our 522 Visual-Intensive Project we are going to leverage the affordance of social mind mapping to show just how far these V-I collaborative tools have come and what kind of learning they afford including synchronous online collaboration. Its a shame to try to make websites into closed systems like many LMS sites….take this class for instance.
Cheers, Steve
Denise 2:40 am on June 3, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
HI Steve,
I am interested that you don’t see a place for closed systems. I think it depends on what one is trying to achieve in learning. But love to hear oyur thoughts.
Denise
gillian 9:36 am on June 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hey Steve,
A very comprehensive post. I must say that I have adapted a lesson plan or two from teachers.net (I love the free stuff), but never really thought about its origins. I agree with you that the site is much too busy and may need some restructuring rather than simply taking an adhoc approach to updating.
mackenzie 11:39 am on June 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Gillian,
Its interesting to hear that you have used Teachers.Net in the past. I was amazed at the number of lessons but worried that some teachers may find it difficult to find relevant resources to an area of interest considering the clunky search engine. As part of my final project, I am proposing a site that is similar but leverages web 2.0 affordances and targets a more locallized community such as BC teachers. Considering the pain points of this venture, I think there may be a market need for a better type of collaborative website that provides additional opportunities for engagement.
Cheers, Steve
gillian 7:48 am on June 3, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Steve,
Sounds like a great idea for a final project idea and sounds like you are well equipped to accomplish it. Janet’s idea below for provincially specific curriculum spaces would be a really good organizational method for the site.
gillian
janetb 12:26 pm on June 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi. I think a version of this site for localized communities is a great idea. If one could click on BC or Alberta (or whatever area) it would make it easier to collaborate with teachers in your area and to share resources specific to local curriculum/ideas. Plus it would make managing resources easier as each area would have a great deal in common.
Janet
mackenzie 12:47 pm on June 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thanks Janet, you highlight some important advantages. It’s great to have such valuable input! I am hoping to set up a power point presentation for my colleagues in the next month to get more input…a form of research development. I will also share my link here in case anyone else is interested in adding some opinions or concerns for the venture. With a computer programmer for a brother and a research & development/marketer for my best friend, I think I may stand a chance to create this site in the near future.
I hope that this venture idea will be able to showcase the many affordances that a more open site could offer.
Cheers, Steve
Dennis Pratt 6:36 pm on June 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I have also used Teachers.Net for the odd science and math lesson plan or worksheet for junior high school students. I found it easy to navigate and find what I was looking for. The front page has been updated since I used it last and I agree that it looks very busy but that is how many of these sites can afford to run, through advertising, especially targeted advertising.
Dennis
ping 9:53 am on June 3, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Steve,
Thanks for sharing this. It’s a wonderful website. I like their “sample problems”, so easy to understand and to use. I’m also curious of your Web2.0 version in the near future. Please remember to share us when you start it. If you can somehow increase the utilization of graphics and reduce texts as possible, maybe my daughter could use it despite of language difference ? !
Ping