Alright, time to come clean. Although I read most of the articles that had been provided to us it was really the Learning Coach that caught my eye with it’s title. And that’s only because I thought that it was going to be an article about a new technology – Learning Coaches. Which in essence […]
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The Educause: 2011 Top Ten IT Issues article discusses the various challenges associated with running an IT market on a contemporary scholastic budget. It begins by attempting to explain the funding structure of a typical IT department within a university campus. It details the different strategies utilized by campuses in their attempt to forcast upcoming […]
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I am agreeing with the 2.1 and 2.2 introduction pieces and found them to be very clear. I am also finding the 2.2 Who is the customer? to be very cut throat. I can understand that there can be a massive disconnect between the decision maker and the active user. For example I can see […]
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Some great musings,
To answer your question about the decision making process with companies….. I had taken a course where we learned about the s.m.a.r.t. rule for analyzing new technologies and their appropriateness (specific/measurable/attainable/realistic/timely) and that’s all well and good. But it brings up the point that you ask – who is actually doing the decision making?
And generally it’s not the frontline workers is it? Or the users? I was asked during the summer to take a survey about using the new connect system for my course and in my head i was thinking, “you’ve already taken the plunge, why ask me now?”
PC
I looked at the New Media Consortium 2012 Horizon Report. Initially I spent some time trying to figure out a bit about the NMC. At times the internet feels a bit like the wild west, and I like to know before I read who is in charge of putting out what I’m reading, as that, […]
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Gartner Identifies the Top 10 Strategic Technologies of 2012 In this press release, Gartner Inc. identified the top 10 strategic technologies of 2012. I found it helpful that they included their definition of strategic technologies in the opening paragraphs because it helped put into focus the target audience for these technologies. To me, the projections […]
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Upon skimming through this report, I agree with you analysis Lisa.
In addition to the Cloud and App Store areas you focused on, I also see potential in the area of Contextual and Social User Experiences. I can envision the growth of mobile apps which leverage the camera and GPS location features in devices, to provide services and information to students when they arrive at school/campus and as they move through the campus. As an example, such technology is already being tried for identifying when students arrive at school, simplifying attendance tracking procedures. Privacy concerns are undoubtedly a concern in this example, but the concept is intriguing I think. I can envision augmented reality apps which could assist students (those able bodied and otherwise) in navigating the school/campus, finding resources, or in the case of a high-tech media lab such as I teach in, for providing real time tutorials and support for the various pieces of equipment in the lab.
Hi Scott, I found your comment about identifying students and simplifying attendance tracking quite interesting. Privacy issues would be one area of concern, but I also think that there is an assumption being made that every student has a cell phone or mobile device. This may not always be the case. As well, what grades were these attendance tracking procedures taking place on? Are kindergartners expected to have these devices on them?
I can also see the potential of apps in the classroom. Now to only find the funding to provide the devices to students…
Hi Lisa,
There are many online schools that are already making good use of cloud. For example, here in the Okanagan there is the youlearn.ca online school that has managed to mesh it’s moodle into google drive in a really amazing way. I don’t know how they have done it but it’s an incredible means of tracking students and having access to shared documents/portfolios/etc.
And BYOD is a huge reality too – simply because of the financials. Districts don’t have a means of keeping up with the technological changes due to financial restrictions. I’m chuckling as I say this because I have heard it so many times when I’m wheeling the laptop cart from 2002 into my classroom and kids are begging to be allowed to use their phones to carry out research.
Torture with out of date technology – there’s a first.
PC
Hi PC,
I have heard about youlearn.ca, but don’t have any experience with it. Post secondary institutes probably make use of cloud way more than is seen at the secondary and middle school levels.
Our district is looking at BYOD, but probably not for another 2-3 years; on one side, it would be good since signing out laptop carts is becoming harder and harder since more people are using them for projects, but on the other hand, will every student be expected to buy a device to use at school? Our school (and district) won’t be putting in anymore money for laptop carts.
Lisa
I
Hi Lisa,
As far as I can see no cutting edge technology in IT today was designed from the ground up for education. The PC, mobile computing, social networking and cloud computing are just a few that comes to mind. Furthermore as established in this course education is not the easiest market to break into. So it is not surprising that this report is not aimed at educators. Historically education is ‘added’ after the technology is established and its capacity for exploitation by educators is determined. In this report the Internet of Things (IoT) can be a vital tool for gathering data for research and context-aware computing be used to enhance the learning experience.
In the light of the position I have presented I am not convinced that despite the technology available today the current generation tablet PCs are not designed with student and teachers in mind but do not worry I will design one.
Patason
Hey Patason,
Let me know when you have finished creating your “tablet” for educational purposes. I do agree, the current generation of tablets has some capabilities to use in classrooms, but they could be much, much better.
Hi Lisa,
Just in case you missed it my tablet can be found in the venture forum @ https://blogs.ubc.ca/etec522sept12/2012/11/26/my-pitches-and-reflection/
Cheers
Patason
I reviewed Ambient Insight’s 2012 Learning Technology Research Taxonomy: Research Methodology, Product Definitions, and Licensing Model. First impression was of a typical marketing pitched document of this company’s services. There is that – many superlatives that describe its uniqueness or why one should purchase their service. However, this 50 page document also presents a research […]
Continue reading Ambient Insight – Global Learning Technology Market Taxonomy Posted in: Week 02: The Edtech Marketplace
I would agree with you that the report presents a taxonomy that could be used to examine or develop a business care for learning technology products and services. I am very unfamiliar with developing businesses cases for products so this report will be useful for our upcoming assignments. Thanks for passing on the Porter Five Forces Model as well.
After reading ‘Learning Technology Trends To Watch In 2012’ my first thought was to check to see when this article was written. There is no date listed, but from the comments below the article I would suspect that it was released early this year. If this is the case, I think that the author is […]
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It was interesting to read about your perspective on this issue. I had not even heard of some of the technologies the author talked about in the article but I am fascinated to know that these technologies are known about and considered in post secondary institutions. That is fantastic. I think this opens the doors for many opportunities.
I too thought the author did a great job of explaining each ideas and the examples were definitely helpful. The author did a good job of conveying ideas in a non technical manner. Hence, this article can be read and understood by anyone who is interested in the progression of current technologies. It is a good resource for sure.
Nureen
Trends Shaping Education 2010 is the latest biennial book written by the Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI) and published by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Aimed at a broad range of educational stakeholders, the 94 page report presents 27 social, economic, demographic and technological trends which stand to impact education, […]
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I reviewed the report 7 things you should know about “Navigating the new learning ecosystem” by Educause. The report is concise, objective analysis of the current educational technology environment within Higher Ed and provides key considerations for educators, learning technology specialists and venture capitalists. As an instructional designer and project manager working in the Higher […]
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Thank you for making such a well articulated post Ranvir. The focus on using a LMS as more than an online delivery method for digital versions of stale paper handouts, is spot on. As a teacher in the secondary system, which in my view seems to have one foot in outdated classroom baed curriculum delivery methods and the other foot tentatively stepping into more modern online delivery, I think this report could prove beneficial to those outside of higher education as well.
As a layman I found the Garner Newsroom’s article useful in terms of the overall content and concepts found within, but was surprised at its vagueness at the same time. I guess I went into the article with expectations of specific data and insight, but then realized that we can’t really have a solid grasp on innovations […]
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I too find the Gartner reports quite vague, but I assume their purpose is just to give a very quick overview and description of potentially key innovations. I like the word they used – “disruptive”. For leadership positions in education, and the technical departments that support them, being aware of technologies that are likely to have major impacts can be vital. We might tend to agree that education moves slowly in many ways – but by having some forewarning and knowledge of what may eventually infiltrate schools should be an essential part of a smart educational sytem-level plan, as laying the necessary foundations for such systems is essential – it is often necessary to begin selling the key stakeholders (especially those holding the financial purse), as it may take considerable time and money to provide the necessary technological and pedagical foundations.
Just a thought, but I perhaps one of the reasons education is often so slow to adapt is the paucity of visionaries who can sell these ideas to the necessary stakeholders far enough in advance. Without that lead time, by the time the technologies become mainstream, especially in these times, providing the necessary foundations to support is too late and too costly.
Peggy
Hi Kent,
I believe the article was written for the layman and as such is present in the genre a news paper article and therefore it does not have the detail of an academic paper. Once that is taken into account it can be a useful document for educators and venturers. The educator may have to exert some effort to determine which is applicable to education.
Patason
New Media Consortium 2012 Horizon Report 1. How, and how much, is it useful and valuable to the broader community of educators, as well as learning technologies specialists and venturers? Upon opening the forty two-page New Media Consortium 2012 Horizon Report, I was immediately engaged and spent a great deal of time reading […]
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I recently downloaded NMC’s HZ app. Great info and links to articles and journals, updates, etc. Some links were broken, but a great resource nonetheless. (2.99)
I was also drawn in immediately when reading and “couldn’t put it down”. It certainly is a resource that could be used by anyone with any interest in this field!
Hi Eva – Thanks for your very thorough review. I printed and read the K-12 version and thought it was highly credible and valuable. Something I find interesting and controversial is one of the challenges they mention. On page 5 in the K-12 version, they discuss “Critical Challenges” and write that “despite the widespread agreement agreement on its importance, training in digital literacy skills and techniques is rare in teacher education. As a Faculty Advisor in UBC’s newly designed Bachelor of Education program I was surprised and disappointed that the teacher candidates do not have to take a course in digital media literacy. When I inquired about this I was told that it was infused throughout other literacy courses and curriculum classes but I wonder perhaps if it merits its own course. Thoughts anyone? David, do you know if anyone from MET was involved in the creation of the new B.Ed program?
Gartner’s 2012 Top Ten Strategic Technologies are as follows: Media Tablets and Beyond Mobile-Centric Applications and Interfaces. Contextual and Social User Experience. Internet of Things. App Stores and Marketplaces. Cloud Computing. Next-Generation Analytics. Big Data. In-Memory Computing. Extreme Low-Energy Servers. (NB. Cloud computing is number 10 in the original list because I find it is […]
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I chose “Learning Technology Trends to Watch in 2012” because I felt that this article had a lot of information in it that was applicable to the time and place I am teaching and learning in. I think the content in this article was delivered in a clear and concise manner. Emerging technologies and their […]
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I noticed that you connected their report to the areas identified in the readings. It is important to recognize which areas are going to be more successful with certain technologies. What about regions that are wired in but slow to adopt technology? I think reports like this (and the others listed in the 2A: Opportunity Horizon library) will help those that are asking for support from decision makers.
I have never used Backchannel, it sounds like a great way to extend the learning that takes place in the classroom. This also helps with the idea of a learner becoming a life-long learner. Learning doesn’t stop at 3:30 when the bell rings. For students to participate in these types of learning is a very exiting movement in education.
It’s funny you mention backchannel, as my Grade 4 team just set one up for our faculty meeting this afternoon. We were discussing the potential for this type of tool to be used in the classroom, and at what age the kids should be to start using it. We found ‘TodaysMeet’ to be a clean, easy to use resource for creating a backchannel. I would imagine that a lot of the learning in a class would take place there, as students would a) need to be accountable for their comments, and b) feel they were ‘in it together’ and their own seperate knowledge community. A great tool nonetheless
That is great that you have actually seen one of these emerging technologies in use. Thanks for sharing your experience. I agree there is a lot of potential for learning to take place but with any new learning environment or venue comes underlying factors that need to be taken into consideration. There is always some bad with some good.
Nureen
I thought this report was well written from an educator/instructional designer’s perspective. When I read through it, I enjoyed how it summarized the main points and provided links to resources specific to the select learning technologies. It is a useful report to get a quick overview of what the trend is in the application of learning technologies, and I would use it in conjunction with other reports such as those by Educause or Ambient Insight to get a fuller picture of a particular learning technology of interest.
James
I agree. The article is written in a manner that provides good content despite it being short. It is definitely a good way to begin to educate oneself on this issue.
Nureen
That is an interesting point about requiring good connectivity to make certain technologies work. If your storage/sharing system is online and requires being connected the majority of the time to allow sharing or access, it certainly would be limited in its value.
I also read the same article and what stood out for me is the gamification of learning. This approach has unbelievable potential and can foster enormous engagement and deepen learning for an individual. I was recently visited by an individual from Australia who teaches in a Catholic school. Their entire school thrives on that principal. They way they facilitate learning is unlike anything i’ve ever had the opportunity to wittness. But the single biggest piece of advice that he gave my team was they idea of the EPIC WIN. It has to happen in order to get someone to move on. If that’s not there, most learners will give up.
I actually did an assignment about gaming in a previous course and I was blown away by all the educational games that are available. I have personally seen how much more engaged my students are when the content that they are expose to is more interactive. The incentive associated with this type of learning is a motivational factor. The concept of losing can actually be beneficial as well because then the child is more driven to try again and to win.
A good summary of educational technologies to keep an eye on. I especially like the Twitter Back channel as it allows me to not only attend a conference ‘virtually’ and also participate in important topics, discussions. Most of the learning these days is happening outside the classroom in an informal way and following twitter feeds from like minded individuals is a great way to keep informed on the latest happenings.
It is so important to stay connected these days. I find that when I am not keeping up with Social media, I fall behind in what is occurring around me. In this fast paced society, things are chaining at such a rapid pace that being connected is crucial. I agree with you in your opinion that leaning is no longer contained to a classroom and it is very important to stay connected digitally because this is a means of learning.
For this activity I decided to review the Educause: 2011 Top Ten IT Issues report. Just the title alone hooked me as it reminded me of something a manager told me once. “We do not face problems/issues here instead we have many opportunities and challenges to tackle”. While somewhat cliché I however started reading the […]
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Looking at the “issues” is just as important as looking forward to what is promising. When we as educators, policy makers, and consumers start looking at spending money and time it is good to know what needs to be considered. I skimmed through the list and it was apparent that each of the issues related are similar to those I have heard when asking the IT people about new products. Hopefully reports such as this one can offer viable suggestions for overcoming these issues.
Great post. I enjoyed reading how you compared between the reports in Educause and noted what the company is doing to improve the content of its reports. The interactive graph was also interesting to interact with. I could see how educators, technology specialists and venturers will each be able to relate to the graph differently to help them visualize trends in IT.
James
The NMC Horizon Report: 2012 Higher Education Edition aims to provide an overview of the top trends of today and predict what will be coming on the ‘horizon”. The report was completed with the help of the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative and the EDUCAUSE Program. The use of the report is granted under a Creative Commons […]
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I find the comment you made in your final paragraph, regarding the speed at which some of these technologies are adopted by districts to be very powerful. For myself, districts are both an educational, political, and legal entity, all of which sometimes bogs down the system creating a delay in the large scale implementation of these services. Conversely, teachers within those districts could implement change more quickly, but might run the risk of creating controversy with either fellow teachers or the district itself, if they adopt unsanctioned technology.
Furthermore, the speed of implementation in some cases is so great, that by the time the technology is adopted, it is usually out of date, which creates further implementation issues for other technology initiatives.
Thoughts?
Great point. It seems that while the advancements in hardware and software may be increasing according to Moore’s law, our educational infrastructure is having a hard time meeting demands. It seems to all come down to funding… Or perhaps it might be the fact that Moore’s law has been turned into More law by the corporate giants through a design for the dumps approach to satisfy consumer demands. Take a look at this video to find out how: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW_7i6T_H78
James
I thought that this report gave a great overview of several technologies and broad technological ideas for implementation in education. it also gave excellent examples of the educational use and purposes of such technologies and provided great specific examples of technologies that are in current use or are being developed. I very much agree with you that this was an easy read that provided a lot of information and in the future can be used by educators such as myself to get quick access to ideas in time for the technology to be relevant.
I greatly appreciated your review of the NMC Report. I also reviewed it, and felt it was eye-opening. Like you, I started to follow links and started to download apps. Are there any things that you are already using or know that others are using? I’m trying to find a good way to keep track of all the links that I pursue in readings and even categories for new apps. Perhaps there is an app for doing that? I sympathize with your last comments, since many public high schools will likely not adopt many of these things. The same goes for higher ed. However, I do believe that there are elements of this report that can be implemented in small-scale ways, (especially apps).
Thanks Eva,
I have used Delicious as one way to track links that I like. I have even created a Google doc for my own use where I copy & paste links and ideas. There are other ways to find similar links as well. You can use Twitter and follow other educators that you know have similar interests or concerns. This may help you as you build your list of resources to check out. The problem is that there is always something new, that is why I think this report and others like it are so important.
Very good review. I agree that many of us tend to rely on other teachers and ed. tech. specialist for information on the ed. tech. market. This is only natural; other teachers and ed. tech. professionals in our circles are great resources. However, as you have pointed out, reports like this make the search for information easier. It also provides us with additional credible ammunition. As a decision maker, a valid concern in this technologically dynamic environment is purchasing technology now that will become obsolete within the next second. While this report does not solve this concern and this maybe nothing will, it is provides decision makers with a tool that they can consult. Great that it is under a Creative Commons License.
Thanks Sophiabb, I think that the investment and length of time the technology will be in use is a major concern for the purchasers in education. The course ETEC 520 is a great course (if you haven’t already taken it) to help one deal with how these decisions are made.
After reading your post, I took a closer look at the NMC Report and had to agree that this was an easy-to-read report that could come in very handy for future technological requests. I also thought it was useful how they had created a “Relevance for Teaching, Learning, or Creative Inquiry”section that helped relate the projected technologies to these ideas. I found when reading through some of the research reports or market projections many of the technologies were interesting but I couldn’t always think of a way I could use them in my teaching.
You stated in your last paragraph that many school districts were behind in technology movements. Sometimes, even within a school district you will see a big discrepancy. My middle school is 4 years old and we have a lot of new technology within the building. We have also asked for certain things and have gotten them. A colleague of mine recently moved to a high school within the district and she couldn’t believe how many devices they didn’t have. I guess there are different priorities and use of funds at various schools.
Thanks Lisa,
We have the same issue in our district where some schools have and some do not. We also have the problem where we have some schools that have allowed certain products (Apple computers as an example) and other schools being told that they won’t be supported by the same centralized IT department. Very frustrating.
I agree that the “Relevance for Teaching, …” section was a nice feature.
Selecting one (1) of the reports, review it in sufficient detail to post a concise critical analysis of it in the ETEC522 course blog, focusing on the following general criteria: How, and how much, is it useful and valuable to the broader community of educators, as well as learning technologies specialists and venturers? Upon reviewing […]
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I really enjoyed reading the Educause report. Their focus on the educator and practical approach to presenting the information really makes it a tool that one can use to help guide them to useful and effective learning tools. You are right that there is not a lot of data presented…I suppose we are to trust that they have collected the data and analyzed it before presenting the information.
Each of the reports provided in section 2.1 of this module seem to provide information that is targeted to fulfill particular investment needs. I think for reports that do not provide sufficient data to support their claims, it would be best to examine other sources on the same topic before making any sort of investment decisions.
Hi my fellow teammate,
It is a good idea that Educause reports their finding by answering the 7 essential questions f. I hope they continue with this seven things series format ( I have found 18 of these reports). The readers can quickly skim through their report to find any particular piece of info or just to keep themselves abreast to the latest tech.
Hi Paula,
I think this report and the one by Ambient Insight would be useful as follow-ups after reading reports that have summarized the trend in learning technology. It is too bad that all of the more detailed reports need membership to be accessed, which is nonetheless reasonable for the information and services one receives.
I chose this report ( althought it is 50 pages long)because Ambient Insight claimed that they are specializing in learning technology. After reading it, I found it to be very informative and a valuable report, especially in the area of e learning and language learning that I have always had a keen interest in. How, […]
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I’ve quickly become a fan, and thus a future follower, of Educause’s “7 Things You Should Know About . . . “ Learning Technology series . These topic-specific, short briefs give the reader just the highlights – a quick read that provides you with enough information to understand the key ideas or concepts of the […]
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I am enjoying these as well. But I am finding that I am wanting a little more. Particularly on number 6. I always want to know the history of who and why something was started and how it developed to where it is now. Then it can move on to where its going. The latter is opinion but the former needs to be fact. I find the development of a company/product lets me understand and form an opinion on whether I agree with where its apparently going.
Ahh – but that’s the point of the series I believe. Just enough to whet your appetite. If you find yourself wanting more – then it’s up to you to continue your search. I agree these reports are not the best site for a venturer – they do lack depth. Also, I know you didn’t raise this concern (but others might) – I do not consider it a “missing feature” for Educase that they don’t provide links for future readings in their brief reports.. If you are an Educause reader, you will be quite capable of searching on your own.
Peggy
I shied away from these since I am too impatient to download pdf’s but on your recommendation, I just buzzed through a bunch of them. I sent 7 Things you should know about Badges to my principal. Cheers.
Based upon the information you provided, I get the sense that this form of report would be beneficial for experienced technology teachers, allowing them to stay abreast of current trends. And for the general educator, to get both a sense of what the technology is, and potentially hook them into exploring more, especially those topics that interest them.
Thoughts?
Secondly, I noticed teacherben mention that these are strictly pdf’s. I would then recommend using Google Chrome, which easily opens the documents, then allows one to save into their Google Docs account. This recommendation also helps with those teachers who are beginning to explore Google Doc’s and its potential within their classroom, for in our district we have found that this cloud based service runs better on Chrome, than any other browser at this time.
Tom – I agree these reports would be very useful for the general teacher who might hear the buzzwords (cloud computing??) but knows little about the technology. I can see tossing some of the reports on the staffroom table for some quick & easy reads. Just enough to get some teachers thinking.
Peggy
I had a read through Ambient Insight’s 2012 Learning Technology Research Taxonomy and was enthralled by all the interesting and informative data that was provided – it actually got me quite excited to think of the numerous ventures that could very well be successful in the marketplace. Also, some of the data could be quite […]
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In order to know if a source is good or not, it’s important to see its affiliation to see how objective the information they provide is, or if they have been paid to carry out research to indirectly promote a company. This is why I chose the OECD research report Trends Shaping Education 2012. The […]
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One aspect of using WordPress I appreciate is that it can feel like the dynamic flow of a great cocktail party – lots of intelligent people in active conversation. And like at a cocktail party, conversation is injured when somebody says something inappropriate or out of sync. This is my way of saying I’m […]
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Hi David,
Just to be clear, if we ‘discover’ a post outside of the week where it was posted, or we want to carry a discussion on, you would prefer we not bother and instead try to focus on the new topic for the week and let the older stuff rest. Is this right?
In my humble opinion, I think if we want to continue the discussion in the outside area of the weekly forum, like in the Announcements, Blog Café, General, and Questions & Answers, we should be okay to post and respond at anytime. Just my two cents 🙂
Thanks for these –
As Paula suggests, the Cafe, Announcements, etc, are places designed for legitimately off-topic conversations. For example, someone sharing some news pertinent to the whole course, or asking a question about an assignment down the line. What I’m looking to curtail are ‘dead letter’ postings covering an activity or conversations from a previous week. With 40 people active in a blog attention is our most precious commodity – we all need to take part in cultivating it wisely.
David
I found ZDnet report very concise and therefore useful to me. I would recommend it, it gave me opportunity to look things up that I didn’t know about, and explore them on my own (some hyper links are provided).On the contrary, someone looking for a research report that is more in depth might find the […]
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lesson learned: copy and pasting from Word may cause the beginning of the post to look like hell
Hi Mike:
Yes I found that as well but manged to delete the coding before I posted it live. You can go in and edit your post later to delete the excess stuff.
Doug.
Doug.
nice…thanks doug
Hi Mike, I agree with that a 1 year prediction window is too small when determining future trends. I think it would take several years for most of his predictions to happen.
Hi Mike,
I too have wondered what approaches could be taken to ameliorate the divide between those who have access and benefit from new technologies and those who cannot. Or better yet, what alternatives can be implemented so as to make those students feel a little less marginalized? What suggestions would you put forward?
Hi Mike,
Thanks for the post; it inspired curiosity and I delved into several web pages to check things out. It turns you are right in taking the information from ZDNet cautiously, but not only because Adam Garry works for Dell, but because of who ZDNet is. It turns out ZDNet is quite a profitable company presently owned by CBS Corporation; they even accept advertising. Knowing this explains why the major predictions this guy makes are promoting tolls owned by major companies: Dell’s platform; Live@Edu (Microsoft); Journ(i)e (Blackboard); not one mention is made of OERs other open sources. When I couple this with the OECD information about how schools are failing to integrate technology and really make a change in education, I wonder if it’s not because we’re working backwards; instead of educators saying this is what I do and so I need this type of tool, we’re allowing companies to create needs that are not there.
Perhaps where his predictions are correct given the statistics provided by the OECD report on ‘Trades Shaping Education 2010’, is the need for personalized learning; however, I’m not sure this necessarily means LMS systems will disappear, rather we will see more open sourced options. The context of differientiated instruction is that of a community of learning, while that of personalized instruction is a solo act, and there’s room for both. His prediction on tablets and etextbooksis also right, but we need to find more ways to exploit this ability to become mobile learners and educators.
Adriana
Mike – I read the article initially with the mindset with a critical eye, as I would for our coursework, however, I found myself quickly relaxing my stance as I shifted my viewpoint to one of a fan of technology. I became less critical and was just enjoying the article as a general consumer. I couldn’t agree with you more on the Dell involvement. I thought it was fishy and I chuckled with the plug for their own product. His mention got me curious about the product, but I wasn’t able to find too much about the platform other than some general information. Do you have experience with it? I’m well aware of the Dell Duo Netbooks.
Adriana — Thanks for doing the extra research. I took it an extra step further to dig into Dawson’s previous predictions and found that while he was involved in ZDNET Education articles, he is just an informed writer, sharing opinions and thoughts. Naturally he’s catering to a wider audience and he does have yearly predictions. What is interesting about ZDNET and many of these firms as you’ve mentioned is that they are all intricately tightly wound together. I’m more hesitant with regards to some people reviewing products now because of this. Often reviewers feel inclined to give positive ratings just so they can continue to receive products. It’d interesting to know if this is a collegial friendship or one that was setup by ZDNET and advertising itself 🙂
I also enjoyed the hyperlinks in this report and the NMC 2012 Horizon report. I think that I would not rely on one of these reports. I would be more likely to check out a few. Having the links would allow me to go from one report to another and gather the information I want without being bogged down with extras.
Today I spoke with a UBC student who had previously taken an online course. This person recommended to me that I respond to other’s posts in both my online classes as often as possible. They recommended even adding small comments such as “great point” because instructors check the actual number of times you respond and […]
Continue reading Participation Posted in: Questions & Answers
Hi Jen:
In my experience with MET courses, quality is valued over quantity. Check out the Rubric provided for Assignment 4 which covers participation to guide you along through the discussions.
Doug.
I would agree with Doug. Say something interesting (or controversial) that generates a lot of responses and further discussion and you will be in good stead. And to be honest, don’t worry too much about your grades. Class averages in every course I have taken save one have been above 80%.
I concur. “Filler” comments may be noted, but only negatively. Please remember that I’ve got to struggle with the volume as well, so any dip in quality is annoying and memorable in the wrong way.
Given the number of tools and plug-ins available in WordPress, we could easily implement a system where everyone could ‘like’ and ‘unlike’ other peoples’ contributions, completely anonymously. This could potentially resolve the ‘filler’ issue, but I’m guessing it would also cause more social unrest and ‘gaming’ behaviours than we’d want. Thoughts?
Thanks for all the responses. David, I am glad to hear that what I heard was just a “rumour” and that this online course (as I hope is the case with other courses in MET) value quality. Doug, I did look at the rubric again this afternoon and it was helpful. I like the part about adding links to our most valuable comments.
I’ve always thoughougly enjoyed my MET discussions. Now in my 9th class I appreciate, as David mentioned in his Online Manners post, posts that:
* add to the conversion; are not just an “I agree!” type of comment (but never say never – there are always exceptions)
* are generally kept brief. I can be bad for long, rambling posts but try very hard to avoid.
* the poster takes time to proof-read before posting – and edits out excess content if possible
* are sometimes slightly off-topic, but produce great discussions in an equally useful – or more so – direction.
I’ll add one more thing. Our simple usenames that head our posts are often cryptic. I often find it nice if we add our real name to each posts, so we can reply to a real name.
Peggy
Running the risk of a slap on the knuckles, “I agree” with Peggy…
This class is my 7th (or 8th, as I’m taking two this semester), and I have found that although I prefer to create a multimedia project or, sometimes, even write a research paper, the bulk of my learning has come through discussion. I am a bit introverted by nature, so putting my own thoughts out there to be “judged” (not in actuality of course, but often in my own head) can be a bit nerve wracking, overwhelming and difficult. However, doing so in such a non-threatening environment that fosters discussion has been overwhelming helpful not only in sharing my thoughts for forming and reforming them as a result of ongoing communication.
That obviously cannot be done through simple “I agree”s.
I also must admit that I enjoy when a thread goes just a little off topic. I have been able to learn about my classmates, which I feel is something that people can easily disregard in the online environment if always solely focusing on the topic at hand. Hearing about how it fits into their teaching or their lives always brings an extra bit of humanity in, and thankfully so!
Jen
This is the second annual blog post from ‘The eLearning Coach’ where the author, Connie Malamed, gives her predictions of which educational technologies will really take off in the upcoming year. The article is perhaps meant as casual reading and provides some ‘food for thought’ but her predictions are fairly conservative and there is nothing particularly surprising […]
Continue reading Learning Technology Trends to Watch Posted in: General, Week 02: The Edtech Marketplace
I find it interesting the delay this article has in presenting “trends” when compared to other similar articles. Might this be her attempt to allow the general educator time enough to become familiar with the technology to use, and not those on the cutting edge?
Thoughts?
My guess is that she composed her list based on her reading of other people’s top ten lists. Her blog rarely has anything original. She is more of a content curator than anything else.
Interesting observation, which would force one to recommend this type of posting based upon the individual teacher. Those who need time, and more general information, experience should utilize this type of information. Where as our early adopters should steer clear?
Thoughts?
I think that lists like these that are casual, light readings are more important than ones that are overly technical. The majority of educators and administrators do not subscribe to “Wired” or follow Ed Tech professional’s twitter feeds. Lists like this might be purposefully underwhelming as to not scare off an on-the-fence educator who might be looking to become more tech-savvy. If the overall goal is to encourage more teachers to use and become interested in the available technology to increase learning efficiency, it is important to give opportunity for some to start in the shallow end of the swimming pool, so to speak.
I agree with your statements, as to not scare them off.
However, to help facilitate more general educators, would it not be beneficial to add ideas, suggestings, examples on how this technology might look like within a classroom. Allowing teachers to get their “feet wet” before jumping into the pool.
Thoughts?
I agree she just mentions the tools, but not how they could be integrated into classroom practice. She says that the advantage of clouds is that you don’t have the content of your course in your desktop; i though this was the case with an LMS, too. And if you look up the sites she mentions, they are all private companies that offer, easy online course creation tools and even hosting of the course. Isn’t this what Blackboard does? I was not impressed
I see what you are getting at, however I have a different opinion between Blackboard and a Cloud Based Application. Blackboard is a Learning Management System. I go, get information, maybe take a quiz, maybe have a working “chat room”, post comments, upload assignments, get grades. Basically, an electronic version of a traditional classroom. Where as cloud based applications, like Google Docs, simulate traditional software, such as MS Word, that would be entirely housed on your PC, but can be accessed from anywhere.
Yes they have similarities, need the Internet, function regardless of computers operating system. But LMS’s facilitate learning, where as true cloud based applications facilitate the creation of learning artifacts.
Thoughts?
I reviewed the New Media Consortium 2012 Horizon Report for Higher Education. At first glance of the website, I was impressed as they have the report not only in English but also in four other languages: Catalan, German, Japanese and Spanish. Also, they have two shorter documents: The Project Preview and The Project Short List. […]
Continue reading Opportunity Horizon: Perhaps the Horizon reports are overly optimistic ….. Posted in: Week 02: The Edtech Marketplace
Hi Doug,
You’ve done a very thorough job, and it was a great idea to go back to previous reports to see if their predictions come about. They do actually say it is “not a predictive tool”, but rather it is meant to “highlight emerging technologies” (p.7). However, when I read predictions thrashing the Kindle Fire and writing wonder of Ipads, I knew there was something more. I checked them out, and though the NMC is a non for profit organization, it was nevertheless founded by Adobe, Apple, Macromedia and Sony, because the realized that “realized that the ultimate success of their multimedia-capable products depended upon their widespread acceptance by the higher education community ” (NMC.org). They concluded “that a community of innovators embedded in leading colleges and universities would amplify the impact of their tools in a wide range of disciplines” (NMC.org).h They went on to identify institutions and schools where their investment could “bear fruit”. So are these predictions of what the market or educators will need or what they hope they will buy? Either way, there is some truth in what they write. Like the OECD, they recognize a changing world of work and roles. People work anywhere and collaboratively, opening way for the need for clouds and collaborative communication tools. And I think the other thing they may be right with is the growth in tablet computing and Apps. We’ll have to wait and see.
Adriana
I was also interested to see that they were a bit optimistic in their reports about what would be in use down the road. I think that the report is helpful in looking at what might be a resource to watch for. I also don’t blame them if their predictions were a little off. The technologies have been in place for say Mobile Apps long enough to have been “adopted”. Adoption though is up to the institutions and policy makers. I’m sure that the learners and many educators have been waiting for some of these tools to be adopted.
I also found that the timelines to adoption may be a little ambitious, but I focused more on the ideas than the time to adoption. The technologies and ideas provided are get at inspiring thoughts about future technologies and potential technologies to follow and keep an eye on. Several of these technologies have popped up here and there over the years, but have yet to become a staple in every institution. ‘Adoption’ is hard to pinpoint, but it is interesting to observe the examples and see which institutions have adopted various technologies with success and failure.
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lullings 5:51 pm on September 15, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hey PC,
I would be interested in drilling down into this 10% you have calculated. Do you think they are from all backgrounds? Do you think that they are from all ages?
I am going to put my head on the chopping board now and it might actually create a bit of a backlash. In my experience the biggest differentiator between people is their attitudes. The biggest influence on peoples attitudes is their work environment. I find that people working in the public sector are forced into a changeless single-minded-ness attitude that hampers both the ability and desire to change. I am not taking sides and not blaming anyone. I find that private sector people are required, and allowed, to be more dynamic and versatile and that it stands to their personal development in what ever field they are in.
You posed the question that its between the teachers who are willing/flexible/comfortable/confident with technology and those who are not? Would it be more about what systems are in place for teachers to be allowed and encouraged to test and perhaps fail?
S
Peggy Lawson 8:33 pm on September 15, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thanks for the post PC; it actually caught my eye as I was going through the week’s postings, so I decided to take a closer look at the Learning Coach. I like these brief overviews of key technologies to look for. I certainly don’t have time to follow up every one in depth, even though my job is focused on bringing technology to the classroom throughout my division, but the more I continue to hear & read about specific topics the deeper I am drawn in.
I see an increasing number of teachers – my estimate would be much higher than your 10% – who are willing to explore how to integrate technology into their everyday instruction. I think one of their biggest challenges (other than costs, of course) is not resistance but time. I’m constantly reading about technological advances and how they may be used in the classroom. I would guess most teachers would be like me – they require repeated exposure to gain a depth of understanding. They, however, have less time to devote to experimentation and practice. While I wouldn’t say this is the only reason educational advances in this area plod along slowly, I think it’s an important one. And as S noted above, it’s important that teachers do have this time to test and fail.
Peggy
manny 11:24 am on September 16, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Peggy,
The experimentation phase when it comes to introducing new technologies definitely needs to happen. Unfortunately it seems like a catch 22. I read somewhere that on average, a teacher needs about 2 years to successfully adopt and integrate new technologies into their instructional practice. However, it seems as though we are always playing catch up because of the rapid growth of technology. It seems to me that as soon as we figure out how to integrate a new technology into the classroom, it is already obsolete and the next best thing is already on the market and being introduced into classrooms. I feel that this is just one of the realities we have to face and makes it difficult to remain on the cutting edge of innovation.
Manny
Peggy Lawson 5:21 pm on September 16, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Very true Manny – excellent point!
Doug Connery 1:35 pm on September 16, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi everyone:
A few quick comments:
PC – there is a technology divide with post secondary instructors as well, generally by age. Younger more likely to use/adopt technology and older, especially those late in their careers less likely.
Stuart: – I believe the private/public sector situation occurs in all fields, not just education.
Peggy – From what I have seen working for nearly 10 years with post secondary instructors it is a combination of attitude (Stuart) and time. Without some sort of offload it is difficult for instructors to find the time to integrate technology. Some motivated instructors will. I have seen situations where faculty are given time and a goal through a project, andt they do work hard at it and others who because of attitude, don’t really create good value based on the time and money made available to them.
Manny – It is a risk for the teacher and the school to actually prototype something new and different live in the classroom.
Doug.