Looking at the new common core standards, it’s apparent that there will be a significantly increased focus on conceptual learning. While our curricula in the States have traditionally been wide and shallow, covering many topics poorly, we are moving towards much deeper, conceptual explorations of a smaller number of topics. Source: ZDnet
Continue reading Conceptual Learning Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll A move towards assessments that are more product-based. As he noted, ”our Web 2.0 is Web 1.0 for our learners”. Since they are accustomed to producing and sharing content, a move towards a model of students as producers will provide opportunities for more authentic assessments and the sorts of portfolios that provide a much better […]
Continue reading Product-Based Assessments Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll
Products are much more customizable for the learner to express him/herself than a constraining test. Electronic products provide a convenient opportunity for learners to express and share.
I’m not entirely sure how this is different from the products students already produce. Certainly a move towards more “authentic” production is a possibility but I imagine it might outrage educators who seem a bit touchy when real-world applications are discussed for schools. An article I read recently about instructional designers indicated that Masters programs were not adequately preparing their grads for real jobs… at least in the opinions of employers who were surveyed. Those kind of results have caused changes here at Concordia where we focus in some courses on authentic work.
I am hoping to work with Nelson Publishing Canada this fall to pilot their Gates-Macginitie Reading and Comprehension Test online in China. After speaking with the Rep, he gave me a couple of examples of where he could see the future of assessment leaning towards “assessing the actual abilities” and not just the Language and he gave me some examples from some Canadian colleges.
Opportunities for learners to be engaged in authentic activities are central to theories like situated cognition and constructivism, and making these (rather than standardized tests) the assessment does so much for making the learning and evaluation meaningful and representative of the students’ progress and development.
I think products afford an assessor the ability to see a broader range of student abilities in a more authentic light than a smaller assignment or quiz.
The process of producing a product not only allows students to demonstrate a broader range of knowledge then written tests/quizzes, but it could also be a tool for assessment for learning. Studdents can learn not only about the subject, but also about team work and collaboration.
I have already seen in schools that many teachers are eager and interested to start down the path of product-based assessments: easy-to-use tools, exemplars and professional development are the only things standing in the way.
Great move! For way too long students are being put under the pressure of standardized exams to produce number grades. With the advent of web 2.0, they are now able to be assessed in relaxed and virtual settings; presenting and producing quality work and experience that is aimed at their holistic development.
I think that product-based assessments encourage innovation and research skills. These are skills required in the fast-paced, ever evolving technology invaded world we live in.
The idea of differentiated instruction has been around for a long time. However, as Adam pointed out, we have finally “reached a tipping potin with digital assets and access” that can support truly personalized learning. We will hear less talk of learning management systems and more talk of platform that allows students to access the […]
Continue reading Personalized Learning Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll
In high school, we get students entering at various levels of competence. Many of them get stuck in grade 10 for a prolonged period of time, get frustrated, and give up. Through targeted e-learning strategies that complement curriculum, this could help to reverse the problem. Think of personalized reading and writing help, numeracy help, built-in apps that allow students to read content that may be too hard for them while scaffolding the experience. Basically, educators have been talking about individualized instruction for a long time, but is now becoming possible.
If I could vote more than once, it would be for personalized learning. I believe personalized learning is extensive, as no two students learn exactly the same way and now that there is technology to assist the different learning styles, there is no reason why students should struggle through a subject that could be presented to them in a form that utilizes their personal learning style and needs.
The use of technology to personalize learning may not only go a long way to address the diversity in classrooms, but may increase the relevance and interest of education to learners in danger of becoming disenfranchised in the current system.
In the explanatory video for the Khan Academy, they showed how their backend system tracks the progress of students on EACH QUESTION they answer in the system, showing how long it took to answer each question, whether it was right or wrong, and providing a graph of the questions and the time to answer them and the correctness… a graph of learning, basically. This theoretically allows a teacher to intervene with individual students for specific problems without being asked for help. Yes, this still requires human intervention…. but it makes the MOST of that human intervention.
The whole goal of my business company is to create the best possible learning. We have learned through testing and research, that the “best” possible teaching is due to amazing teachers who really get to know their learners – that it is the secret to success. However, the other “secret” is having the teacher act as a facilitator to encourage personalized learning. Even personalized learning needs network support.
It just doesn’t make sense that all learners learn the same way. Research is showing that the kids of today actually are using different parts of their brain in respect to technology. Although they can fiddle with the newest gadgets in the blink of an eye, they don’t read like older learners do nor act as socially as others in the past. In a sense, technology is making them dumber. Personalized learning needs to take this into account as we adapt to today’s needs and advantages.
Being able to asses, design and enable personalised learning is becoming and will continue to trend. Such practices are essential in Constructivist strategies and environments and in harnessing and facilitating diversification and catering to a variety of learning styles and intelligences (Howard Gardner, Theory of Multiple Intelligences). Also, it allows for more targeted and prescriptive assessment/learning and strategies.
I am not a teacher but I got a glimpse into differentiated learning as I had to prepare a research proposal for ETEC 500. I was completely taken in by the concept and philosophy. Poring through quite a number of research documentation, I realised that DI is garnering a lot of interest in the education industry and for good reason too. The reports from research conducted point toward improvement.
Much like the web design strategy and principle of knowing your audience and targeting content /tasks to suit their needs and goals, with data gathered in class the teacher understands the student’s needs and can better direct teaching and learning to yield more rewards. Using technology to personalise learning in my opinion, is a great way to identify the differences/uniquesness we each possess and a great positive yield /asset in education.
I am definitely on board for personalized learning. Such a learning provide the context for them to discover and develop strategies to guide their own learning. I am just concern about the social aspect and the natural human to human interactions that may be absent when each student goes their own way.
So many technologies can be leveraged in such cost-effective ways to get students ubiquitous Internet access during the day and outside of school that the focus of 1:1 is no longer so much “How do we get kids computers and maintain them all?” but “How do we use these things to improve teaching, learning, and […]
Continue reading 1-1 Learning Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll
It would be interesting to see a Sal Khan approach where students are learning on their own then they come to the classroom to have assisted problem-solving with the teacher and their peers. It seems a reasonable way to allow students to learn at their own speed while taking advantage of expertise when it’s available rather than everyone getting information in class then going home to struggle with homework. Perhaps 1-1 learning can assist with the new model.
At the moment my school is undergoing an “iPad for every student” movement. As one of the organizers, I have seen the benefits that the 1:1 use of an iPad can produce, there’s just an app for everything…and if there isn’t now there will be soon. However, when it comes to finances this is not an option for every school and thus, to flip-flop, not always the best option.
In respect of the iPad for everyone issue, I read one article about a lab where students pick up an iPad on their way in and leave it on their way out.
So much for homework, if they are expected to leave the iPad at school and finish off whatever project with pen and paper! More than just having a cool new toy to play with from probably just 40 minutes, students need time to figure out how much they can do with the tablets, even if it means playing games so that they get use to the controls. Students learn by doing, rather than reading the manual.
Even though the 1-1 idea has been floating around for some time now, I am yet to see it blossoming and spreading at the pace it should. As it relates to my country, Jamaica, we lack the necessary resources to undertake such initiatives. Our classrooms are overcrowded which makes such welcoming strategy impossible.
A QR Code is a type of barcode that can be read by QR scanners and mobile phones with cameras, using a QR reader app. Capable of holding text, data and URLs, QR codes have a greater capacity than the old fashioned 10-digit barcode because they’re two-dimensional. Okay, these weren’t a booming trend in 2010, […]
Continue reading QR Codes Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll
I took a webinar where they suggested QR codes could provide just-in-time information about a device, a place, etc. I believe there was some historic building that used a QR code to deliver information about itself. It would be interesting to see a world where information is readily available on demand and instead of learning information we concentrate on developing heuristics for problem-solving using any of the information around us as cases.
With Sixth Sense technology, digital camera will be able to read the object itself to get information, rather than having to print QR boxes which mean nothing to people who don’t have the right technology.
I was thinking of Mistry’s talk / creation, too – had me wondering how long QR codes would remain useful or around at all.
I like the idea of technology so advanced that the digital camera will be able to read the object itself and supply extra information (meta data) but I think the QR Codes will be around for a while until this type of advance is made in digital imaging. However, the speed of advancing technologies continues to astound me.
QR code is a new techology, and my understanding is that there are many ways it can be creatively used classrooms. I would love to learn more about this technology so I can effectively integrate it in my lessons
According to Technorati, the blog count reached 70 million last year. Even though a quarter of them are most likely bot-created spam blogs, the quantity of content ‘in the cloud’ is still staggering. Blogs give everyone a voice to communicate, teach, spout opinions, learn and network. And with RSS technology, blog posts are quickly pushed […]
Continue reading Blogs Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll
Blogs are a fabulous way to interact and communicate to others. This program is a great model to emphasis just how powerful blogs really are; communicating, learning and teaching others all through a site designed to do so.
In our blended learning projects in elementary and secondary schools we have found that the use of blogs with frequent interaction between students and between teacher and students has resulted in an improvement in writing skills of our students. Their feedback to each other, and the knowledge that the writing was going to be viewed by many resulted in a greater effort to improve the quality of work…this took time, but I am now convinced of the value of blogs (and wikis too) for this purpose.
I’m not a fan of blogs. Maybe it comes out of my background but I guess I’m a snob about writing and I prefer writing to meet standards of audience, purpose, utility, organization and entertainment, something editorial gatekeepers used to enforce.
I think blogs are a good way for students to express themselves, as long as it is carried out well in the classroom. I think that they are a good student reflection tool and they can help to highlight student learning.
Blogs can bring huge opportunities for promoting critical thinking skills and develop content through e-portfolios (eP). Schools and Universities in Chile are starting to integrate blogs in instruction as a tool that support the face-to-face setting of learning. So, it is a technology that educators are needing to use.
I used a WordPress blog during summer school to upload course notes and important information (e.g. test/quiz info, etc.). I think there were some pros and cons, but overall was very successful. This year, I’m teaching Math in Tech Immersion Program and have created a course blog for my students. As regular school year is different from summer school and a new school year has just begun, I don’t know if it will be successful again. However, it’ll be a good experience for both my students and me.
A blog is an excellent tool in classrooms because I believe it provides increased access and exposure to quality information. It also promotes critical and analytical thinking which improves learning.
There no doubt that blogs are creating a serious wave across the internet and in the classroom. From current experience, students are showing a great liking for such an environment and the fact that their efforts are going global where others can view their end product.
I see an increase in 3D Virtual World software being used to replace 2D PowerPoint-based virtual meetings. People loose focus quickly in 2D meetings staring at slides on the screen with a disembodied voice. So more companies are adopting 3D virtual worlds—where the environments look like conference rooms or offices—to avoid the mind numbing presentations. […]
Continue reading Virtual Worlds Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll
I still don’t see the point of these. The fact that people don’t use something like the assertion-evidence model of PowerPoint design combined with a Socratic method doesn’t mean that PowerPoint is useless.
http://writing.engr.psu.edu/slides.html
The funniest thing I’ve seen is virtual conferences in 3D worlds with PowerPoint presentations within the virtual conferences.
The usage of 3D virtual worlds to keep interest in meetings seems to be a waste to me. If the virtal worlds are used for an educational application of some sort it would be better. For instance, there are some nursing programs that are using virtual worlds to improve clinical skills in their students. There is some preliminary research that suggests that the self-efficacy and confidence of the students do improve from such exercises.
I was also confused by the meeting example, and the value or importance of simply moving a meeting to a virtual location; that being said, virtual worlds might be very useful for meeting with people when we are all geographically dispersed. I took a look at the link, and the author also discusses doing the kinds of simulations that Juliana mentions – such as medical training – in virtual worlds.
Oh yeah, I am all for this technology advancement. The Virtual Globe would look great in 3D, and it will be the step between present-day computing and the holodeck. Gamers are just getting into 3D gaming, and in a few years they are not going to be impressed with the 2D stylings of even a Prezi slideshow. Teachers will need to catch on to virtual worlds quick.
There’s a good example of border guard training that has effectively used Virtual World technology. They turned to this with the increased security issues resulting from 9/11. I think there is appropriate uses for this technology. However, in my experiments it made me too motion sick so I’m not sure that I’d be an adopter.
I believe just like 3D games, virtual worlds/simulations enable people the power to do anything as far as imagination can go. I imagine it can be used for biology classes when exploring different structures.. for building models.. and creating assignments that might be too expensive to implement in the real world.
In addition, it also provides opportunity for people with physical disabilities.
I’ve had no problem with PowerPoint. I used an animated PPT from http://www.presentermedia.com/ to work on my final project for ETEC 521 and it was a lot of fun. I agree with my coursemates here. I don’t see a point of having 3D replaced 2D PowerPoint.
The work of Mark Weiser and other researchers at Xerox’s PARC paints a picture of the coming third wave of computing where computers are invisibly embedded into the world. As computers proliferate and as everyday objects are given the ability to communicate with RFID tags and their successors, networks will approach and surpass the scale […]
Continue reading Ubiquitous Computing Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll
I believe that this is coming and it will have a significant impact in education… not sure in what context or how but I think it will.
Like Jim I’m unsure how this will play out. I tend to be a little cynical and think people will rely too much on the technology and use their brains less but I may be way off here. I already tend to think that people find things on the Internet to support their pre-conceived notions rather than challenge themselves (looking for fellow members of niche world views to reduce the anxiety they feel about having to change). How much will ubiquitous computing shape people’s thinking for marketing and advocacy purposes instead of truly helping with thinking and problem-solving?
Context-aware computing centers on the concept of using information about an end user or object’s environment, activities connections and preferences to improve the quality of interaction with that end user. The end user may be a customer, business partner or employee. A contextually aware system anticipates the user’s needs and proactively serves up the most […]
Continue reading Context-Aware Computing Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll
• I believe that context-aware computing could provide the ultimate expression of personalized online learning. By interacting with a Web 3.0 browser, students could develop unique Internet profiles and personal learning environments (PLN) that were based on their browsing history. tailored to match their needs and learning preferences. As well, learners with common interests could congregate into online communities for different types of
collaboration.
This could be interesting…. but I think of the user interfaces that try to do this and I often find they really get in my way. I hate it when the computer software thinks it’s more intelligent than I am and I end up wasting time trying to get around it. I think part of the problem is that people who do training often focus on features and decision trees instead of simply providing straight-forward tutorials based on common use cases. Give me an example and I will be able to quickly analogize it to my problem.
I love the opportunities of context-aware computing for an ESL class. In a situation where students are not able, due to lack of language and/or language skills context-aware computing can be the solution to that problem. It eliminates the need for one-on-one learning with person-to-person (which I find great in theory but unrealistic in reality).
Social analytics describes the process of measuring, analyzing and interpreting the results of interactions and associations among people, topics and ideas. These interactions may occur on social software applications used in the workplace, in internally or externally facing communities or on the social web. Social analytics is an umbrella term that includes a number of […]
Continue reading Social Analytics Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll
Although I do think that there can be beneficial uses in using Social Analytics, I question the privacy issues that arise using this technology. I also wonder if the information is always accurate, or simply a product of trends. This could easily lead to false information being seen as fact.
David
There is a lot attention right now in going beyond “data searches” like Google. They want to enhance that and provide another more personal layer that includes the searcher’s social network’s connection to the data.
While I like the idea of quantitative measures of human behaviour, I believe that it really misses the point of human interaction. It seems to me you get captured by lowest-common denominator trends. You’re missing out on the true value of humans which you only derive with in-person interviews. Talking to people creates a much richer experience with pathways for creativity, synergy, and surprise. I think someone once gave me the analogy of steering a car by looking in the rear-view mirror. People are reactive. I’d rather deal in catalysts than in analysts.
i humbly disagree with David P – I think that there is a lot of excellent qualitative analysis of online interactions that can take place alongside quantitative ones; I immediately thought of content and discourse analysis.
I think that this kind of analysis is essential to understanding how (learning) technologies are used by users of different social and cultural backgrounds
I agree with Allie. Though there is a problem with the privacy issue, these data can provide valuable information for market trends.
I agree with David P. However, I believe that conceptually the approach is sound and such information would be valuable. What would be needed is more research into the design of such a system in that such interpersonal information is captured. I see this as a potentially exciting area that if developed properly can offer valuable, comprehensive information that links not only interpersonal communication but also interactions with content and strategies.
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David William Price 6:37 pm on September 7, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I’m hoping that “conceptual learning” focuses on what Foshay might describe as concepts, principles and procedures. In “Writing training materials that work” he describes a cognitive model of teaching heuristics to create expert problem-solvers who make procedures on demand rather than learning them by rote. I have a summary I wrote if anyone wants it.
http://www.amazon.ca/Writing-Training-Materials-That-Work/dp/0787964115
Jay 8:07 am on September 9, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I would like to read a copy of the summary if you could send me a link or a copy by email.
David William Price 8:24 am on September 8, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
A great vid from Harvard prof Eric Mazur about how physics students knew the laws but couldn’t apply them to everyday scenarios and how there was no difference between award-winning teachers and poorly-rated teachers on this important metric. The key is students need to understand and apply the concepts in the real world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbBz9J-xVxE&feature=related