Apple announced its newest device -- the iPad -- for the world to see this week. While it will not be ready for sale until spring 2010, Apple lovers, technology followers, and, I believe, instructional designer and educators are anxiously waiting to test if not buy one.
With dimensions larger than an iTouch and smaller than a laptop, the iPad is colorful and portable, and it appears will directly compete with Kindle and Nook, although these popular e-readers are available at a lower price level.
Without further ado, the iPad is positioned to be more than an e-reader, which can offer many productive and convenient instructional applications.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Information and Media Literacy
With the diversity of news outlets, traditional and alternative, one would think high the percentage of literacy. While access to information and time spent with information resources (i.e. electronic media) is on a continuous incline, the question remains if users understand the influence of the medium of choice.
Critical thinking, evaluation, discussion are central to the journey toward literacy.
All should be encouraged to ask questions in order to assess information reliability and credibility.
Some links:
Center for Media Literacy
http://www.medialit.org/
Media Awareness Network
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/teachers/media_literacy/what_is_media_literacy.cfm
Media Use Statistics
http://www.frankwbaker.com/mediause.htm
...for the moment...
aSalas
Critical thinking, evaluation, discussion are central to the journey toward literacy.
All should be encouraged to ask questions in order to assess information reliability and credibility.
Some links:
Center for Media Literacy
http://www.medialit.org/
Media Awareness Network
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/teachers/media_literacy/what_is_media_literacy.cfm
Media Use Statistics
http://www.frankwbaker.com/mediause.htm
...for the moment...
aSalas
Friday, January 22, 2010
Blending Learning
Some students have the impression that signing up for an online or hybrid learning class will be easier than being physically present. That line of thinking gets many students into trouble right away. Actually, the demands of online learning (I dare say with some hesitation) are greater.
While the academic content is and should be comparable to face-to-face instruction, the energy and time investment needed exceeds expectations for both faculty and student. I suppose that is the price for the flexibility offered. Students soon learn they need to be more diligent with planning, reading and assignment completion, timeliness, and then there's the issue of class interaction. The use of discussion forums, designed to provide a sense of community where students can partake in conversational and, even Socratic, exchanges, are central to online and hybrid learning models.
The effectiveness of this model relies on faculty and student discipline: posting on time, reading other student and faculty responses and questions, on time, and commenting with insightful perspectives...all this within reasonable assigned measure. Faculty presence and feedback is of equal consequence as students in this environment exhibit a need to feel connected and, like most, want to keep tabs on their progress from the moment they click "submit."
To be successful, students cannot choose to sit in the back of the classroom and take up space for a semester without the least bit of interaction. Too costly a choice for the online learner.
...for the moment...
aSalas
While the academic content is and should be comparable to face-to-face instruction, the energy and time investment needed exceeds expectations for both faculty and student. I suppose that is the price for the flexibility offered. Students soon learn they need to be more diligent with planning, reading and assignment completion, timeliness, and then there's the issue of class interaction. The use of discussion forums, designed to provide a sense of community where students can partake in conversational and, even Socratic, exchanges, are central to online and hybrid learning models.
The effectiveness of this model relies on faculty and student discipline: posting on time, reading other student and faculty responses and questions, on time, and commenting with insightful perspectives...all this within reasonable assigned measure. Faculty presence and feedback is of equal consequence as students in this environment exhibit a need to feel connected and, like most, want to keep tabs on their progress from the moment they click "submit."
To be successful, students cannot choose to sit in the back of the classroom and take up space for a semester without the least bit of interaction. Too costly a choice for the online learner.
...for the moment...
aSalas
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Alternate Classroom Communication
The inclusion or transition to a new course management platform from the blackboard to the more current whiteboard can be as exciting as it is frustrating for students and faculty alike.
Adding, uploading and tweaking weekly course modules on a learning management system(LMS) is a process that is slowly "perfected" in retrospect as the semester concludes. However, importing those diligently organized weekly activities and materials into a new course at the beginning of a subsequent academic semester do not always transfer as smoothly as one would hope.
In an effort to uphold some level of environmentally-friendly ideals, for instance, printing less, LMSs do offer that possibility. Printing hundreds of syllabi for students, who, as often happens, lose a copy and may need another, is not productive, and is time-consuming. What better option than to post in a place where students will always have access?
Angel, Blackboard, Cardean Learning Group's designs, Ecollege and Moodle are just a few examples of learning platforms at the disposal of educators and academic institutions. LMS (or however else these instructional environments may be called now or in the near future) are not just for distance edcuation any more.
...for the moment...
aSalas
Adding, uploading and tweaking weekly course modules on a learning management system(LMS) is a process that is slowly "perfected" in retrospect as the semester concludes. However, importing those diligently organized weekly activities and materials into a new course at the beginning of a subsequent academic semester do not always transfer as smoothly as one would hope.
In an effort to uphold some level of environmentally-friendly ideals, for instance, printing less, LMSs do offer that possibility. Printing hundreds of syllabi for students, who, as often happens, lose a copy and may need another, is not productive, and is time-consuming. What better option than to post in a place where students will always have access?
Angel, Blackboard, Cardean Learning Group's designs, Ecollege and Moodle are just a few examples of learning platforms at the disposal of educators and academic institutions. LMS (or however else these instructional environments may be called now or in the near future) are not just for distance edcuation any more.
...for the moment...
aSalas
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Day One
Meeting a new set of students every semester is an exciting challenge teachers face semester after semester, quarter after quarter, year after year. Often instructors encounter some familiar faces; other times, the roster is brand new.
One goal is to engage the incumbents, while continuing to learn as a scholar-practitioner should-- complementing adopted course materials with current qualitative and quantitative analyses and perspectives. And, let us not forget technology.
What tools to use in the classroom, what work to assign, and how to generate productive discussion and participation are other goal-oriented questions educators deliberate, although choices depend on the academic discipline. One size, arguably, does not fit all.
...for the moment..
aSalas
kismet.prof@gmail.com
One goal is to engage the incumbents, while continuing to learn as a scholar-practitioner should-- complementing adopted course materials with current qualitative and quantitative analyses and perspectives. And, let us not forget technology.
What tools to use in the classroom, what work to assign, and how to generate productive discussion and participation are other goal-oriented questions educators deliberate, although choices depend on the academic discipline. One size, arguably, does not fit all.
...for the moment..
aSalas
kismet.prof@gmail.com
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