Flight Path Précis:
Back in May 2009, when I wrote my flight path for this course, my objectives were:
• To further my knowledge and application of new or improved approaches in learning environments that are technology-based.
• Maybe having the chance to learn how to use personal response systems (PRSs) effectively and efficiently. On that same note, how to better use interactive white boards (IWBs).
• Being one of the last courses I am taking, I would love to see what I have learned in the previous MET courses be utilized to help me as an educator better “select, design, and apply learning technologies” (title of our 565 course) in the classroom.
Like many of us in this course, I have learned many applicable things to bring back to my grade six practice. Looking back at the objectives that I set out for myself, I believe I have accomplished furthering my knowledge and application of new or improved approaches in technology-based learning environments (e.g. Blackboard Vista, Flicktion, Wimba, Moodle, etc.). Also, I think ETEC 565 has allowed me to start off on the right foot when it comes to choosing, developing, and facilitating learning technologies. For example, because of this course, I now realize that technology I propose to use in my classroom – whether it be f2f (e.g. IWBs) or online (e.g. Vista) – I need to have sound pedagogical support (e.g. SECTIONS) in order to begin utilizing the technology.
During this course, I spent some time in creating and developing a LMS site with Blackboard Vista. Since I am the head of grade six science at the school I teach at, I took the opportunity to base my LMS site on BC grade six science curriculum. The forming of my LMS site to host grade six science material was a perfect combination for me because that is what I want to start online for my classroom. Now, I can say to myself that I have seen the best of both Moodle and Blackboard Vista since I utilized Moodle in another ETEC course (in co-building a course on digital photography through problem-based learning). However, I am no where near being fully confident in using both LMS platforms but I do believe I understand the basics of how to navigate, build, and teach when using either platforms.
Reflections on eLearning Toolkit Experience:
I enjoyed working through several eLearning Toolkit lessons especially those ones that helped point me in the correct directions in building within Blackboard Vista. Besides using Blackboard Vista for all my ETEC courses in the UBC MET program, I never got the chance to actually develop my own learning modules, assessments, or discussion forums in this LMS. I am glad I did.
Also, the Toolkit experience led me to wonder if I can ever sync my Shaw PVR to my Macbook Pro. This query was formed because I wanted to see if there was a way to use digital clips from the PVR and insert them into video clips that I want to make. For example, if I wanted to make a video clip talking about climate change, and I wanted to insert a clip from “The Inconvenient Truth” from my PVR – would this be possible? I find out from other classmates that, at the moment, this type of sync cannot be done.
This would be my third ETEC course that I had the chance to use WordPress to create an eportfolio or a weblog. However, working through the eLearning Toolkit experience, only reemphasized what I already knew how to do (e.g. making posts, editing pages, etc.) and what I wanted to challenge myself with was how to make my own WordPress templates. When using UBC Blogs, there are several WordPress templates we can all choose from as a MET student – but making my own and being able to upload it and use it would be wonderful. Closer to the end of the course, I found out that a software program called Artisteer 2 can assist in making WordPress templates at the cost of $139 to purchase the program.
Application of SECTIONS (Bates & Poole, 2003, pp. 79-80) to ePortfolios:
S – Students: What is known about the students – or potential students – and the appropriateness of the technology for this particular group or range of students?
I believe that as MET students, although coming from different education backgrounds, we are all more than willing to rise to the challenge of learning how to utilize technology within our various teaching domains. Whether it is in K-12 years or post-secondary years, the technology were were exposed to (e.g. WordPress, the LMS site technology, the Social Media technology) can be employed for our professions and our ePortfolios. Therefore, the appropriateness of the technology used within this course tested us to not only create and develop with it – but to see the potential we can have in making use of the same technology outside of the course. I felt informed and that we (MET students) were given various opportunities to put different appropriate technologies (introduced within this course) into invaluable practice.
E – Ease of use and reliability: How easy is it for both teachers and students to use? How reliable and well-tested is the technology?
For both teachers and students, I believe the technology we used for our ePortfolios was easy to grasp. Even if a student did not come from a strong technological background, the eLearning Toolkit modules assisted individuals towards being more comfortable in using the technology within this course. All technology experiences minor or major unexpected malfunctions (e.g. glitches, shutdowns, etc.) periodically, as I experienced when using Blackboard Vista at my school, but overall everything was reliable. In hind sight, I look at us students as competent testers to the technology and that the course instructors provided consistent updates on maintaining that the technology we used was well-tested.
C – Costs: What is the cost structure of each technology? What is the unit cost per learner?
Within this course, I did not observe any students having to pay extra for any of the technology that was put to use. Nevertheless, I believe that tuition costs for this course included the one-time licensing for Blackboard Vista – which I found out, through my LMS proposal, is approximately $530,000. I built my LMS site using Blackboard Vista and never had to pay any extra for using it; however, if I was to create online courses at my school with Blackboard Vista – I am sure that I will need to propose the purchasing of that one-time LMS platform licensing fee.
On the other hand, Moodle is free – there is no licensing fee for it. Obviously, the time to set it up and maintain it pertains to time – and to some people – time is money.
I have seen Moodle used within other schools but Blackboard Vista has only been seen by me within the UBC MET program. If either platforms (Moodle or Vista) can provide the same services, I think the cost of purchasing rights to use LMS can become the deciding factor of which one to choose – in which case, Moodle would be the initial choice.
T – Teaching and learning: What kinds of learning are needed? What instructional approaches will best meet these needs? What are the best technologies for supporting this teaching and learning?
In this course, we used our ePortfolios as the basis for showing the kinds of learning from our various assignments that were asked of us to complete. These assignments (e.g. Creating an LMS site) created an approach to not only learn how to utilize them (e.g. Blackboard Vista) effectively but also to reflect on how it can better serve other students in learning. The instructors in this course used various readings and scenarios to prompt us in asynchronously discussing with each other our understandings and contributions. In this case, WordPress and WebCT Vista were the best technologies for supporting this teaching and learning style.
I – Interactivity: What kind of interaction does this technology enable?
Our ePortfolios, based on WordPress, provided a learning environment where we could view each others assignments and blog entries. From viewing each others work, we received and provided feedback; therefore, interactions were made between classmates. However, the course itself, based on Blackboard Vista, provided much more interactivity as all the discussion forums were present on that platform.
O – Organizational issues: What are the organizational requirements and the barriers to be removed before this technology can be used successfully? What changes in organization need to be made?
For me, I did not encounter any issues in using my ePortfolio to organize my assignments and blog entries. However, I did read that some students in the course misplaced their assignments – i.e. instead of making a page for an assignment, they simply posted it as a blog entry. So, I believe one barrier to be removed before ePortfolios can continue to be used successfully is the fact that all students need to know and be reminded from the beginning how and where assignments go after they are completed. Our professors were able to address and direct the organizational issues to be corrected.
N – Novelty: How new is this technology?
The use of WordPress to build our ePortfolios may be a novelty to newcomers to the UBC MET program. However, this technology, although created recently within the last decade, is not brand new. I believe the novelty of this technology is subjective because to us MET students it is not new because we have been using it within our courses on a regular basis but to students that we will be introducing this technology to or students that have never used it before – they will see it as a novelty.
S – Speed: How quickly can courses be mounted with this technology? How quickly can materials be changed?
Depending on how familiar one is in using WordPress, Blackboard Vista and/or Moodle (any of these three technologies used for our ePortfolios could be used to mount a course), courses could be mounted very quickly or very slowly. I believe it truly depends on how much exposure and experience one has in developing with these technologies. Materials can be changed only as quick as how fast the user catches on. For me, in the beginning it was a slow process, but now that I am familiar with using WordPress – I can edit, upload, and or create materials fairly quickly.
Next Steps:
When school starts again in September, besides implementing PRSs and improving the use of my IWB (mentioned above), I would want my flight path to include putting into practice what I learned from ETEC 565. For example, I would want to see if I can start using Moodle or Blackboard Vista to host online course material for my science classes, using social media (e.g. Flicktion) to enhance my lessons in my humanities classes, and continue using WordPress to develop a website (along with a good friend) for our digital photography endeavors.
Ultimately, I would like to take steps and see online schooling be developed in the middle school that I teach at. Taking what I learned from this course, I can confidently propose my vision and use my experiences in building within Blackboard Vista to create online materials. However, since the licensing for Moodle is free, I may choose to use it instead of Blackboard Vista.
The good news is that my principal knows that I want to implement Moodle or Blackboard Vista into my grade six teaching. After talking to him in January 2009, he understands that educational technology can cater to different types of learners – and he has given me a green light to see if it can be developed for our middle school. Now, for me, it is a matter of getting an official proposal done up in order to get things rolling.
References:
Bates, A.W. & Poole, G. (2003). Chapter 4: a Framework for Selecting and Using Technology. In Effective Teaching with Technology in Higher Education: Foundations for Success. (pp. 77-105). San Francisco: Jossey Bass Publishers.