module 5

I obtained my DVD for the science fiction assignment from one of my friends. He is a science fiction fanatic and we actually watched the movie together. This helped me out because I did not have to rent or purchase the movie. I think that the competition between DVDs and video-on-demands is a good example of Red Queens. Dr. Thornburg stated that "red queens refer to huge competition between two technologies and, in the process, all other competitors are left behind". This a true statement because both of these technologies have annihilated their technological predecessors. When looking at McLuhan's tetrad I believe that this belongs in the category of Enhancing. I chose this category because these technologies enhance on the previous technologies by providing clearer pictures and easier accessibility.

Thornburg, D. (2008c). Red Queens, butterflies, and strange attractors: Imperfect lenses into emergent technologies. Lake Barrington, Il: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.

Module 4: The Disruptive Power of Second Life

I believe that Second Life could be seen as a disruptive force because its introduction could cause the displacement of other technologies. In looking at Second Life I must look at it from an educator's viewpoint and I feel that Second Life should not be seen as disruptive but as a tool that can be combined with other technological tools to aid in student success. In particular, my focus is on the benefits of Second Life on special needs students. Some special needs students struggle or have deficiencies in social skills and in social settings. Second Life is the perfect tool to use as a role modeling tool to show them the proper ways to interact with one another in a non-confrontational environment. By utilizing Second Life in the classroom it would allow these students to interact using various scenarios. Second Life could also be used in the general education classroom as well, especially with the many funding issues facing our schools. The use of virtual field trips could be utilized or virtual interviews with people from different parts of the country and the world. It opens up so many possibilities while staying financial feasible. Just as with other technology I am sure that sooner rather than later Second Life will be replaced by a more advanced technological tool in the near future. The key with these technological tools is to use them while they are still current and learn the ins and outs of their applications.

http://secondlife.com/destinations/learning

Module 3: Rhymes of HIstory Technology

Dr. Thornburg (2012) describes a rhyme of history as " an affect of new development that rekindles something from the distant past". I have chosen as my example of this rhyme of history the technological tool SMART BOARD. SMART BOARDs are interactive whiteboards that allow teachers to use touch screen components to display information for classroom usage. This tool rekindles the ideas and tools of the blackboard and the traditional chalk board. SMART BOARDS bring the idea of the chalkboard and blackboard into a totally different spectrum by allowing for internet activity embedded in the system and the touch screen capabilities. A decade ago a classroom tool such as this would have been deemed impossible or too expensive for everyday educational use. Now, many classrooms use this tool everyday to bring excitement and interactivity into the classroom. To me, this brings about Kevin Kelly's point in his speech "The Next 5,000 Days of the Web" in which he states that "we have to get better in believing in the impossible". This notion is so true because those things that we once deemed impossible are being used by ourselves everyday. Looking at the tremendous technological gains that have occurred in the last decades I am immensely excited to see what will be introduced into our everyday world next.


 Link to Kevin Kelly's speech
http://www.ted.com/talks/kevin_kelly_on_the_next_5_000_days_of_the_web.html

Link to SMART BOARD website

 http://smarttech.com/

Emerging technology tetrad

Module 2: Emerging Technology Tetrad

Internet TV

Enhances This technology allows for complete combination of TV and internet capabilities. It includes wifi, blue ray disk player and live streaming	Obsoletes This technology takes away the need to attach the personal computer to the television.
Retrieves/Rekindles This technology brings about the first time that Internet usage was able to be seen on the television. The excitement of this technology is the same excitement as that of the previous product.	Reverses I believe that the invention of a touch screen television will be the next technology to replace this technology.

Links: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/the-internet-tv-latest-in-tv-and-internet-technology

my movie

Wow! This turned out to be a lot harder than I thought but I hope you guys like it!

Static versus Dynamic Concept Map

This week we explored the static technology versus dynamic technology. I found this to be quite interesting because I never knew that there were two categores of technology and I never truly pondered on where I fell on the static- dynamic continuum. While analyzing various technologies, particularily those on the dynamic side I realized that the dynamic technologies are the tools that are needed to fully educate our students. In today's world students cannot fully learn by being taught using static technology. The days of straight teacher lectures and reading out of textbooks are becoming obselete. Now, students need to be taught by using all senses and by touching students of all learning styles. For example, a unit on cell division would be much more impactful by using tools such as whiteboards and discussion boards as opposed to teacher led lectures and various worksheets. Students are able to dive into the material in a deeper manner through the use of technology. It also allows for more collaboration and discussion among their peers. I feel that I am a novice on the more dynamic technologies but I am definitely leaning more towards that side than the static side. My plan to move more towards the dynamic side is to become more knowledgeable about dynamic technologies and integrating them into my classroom.

I have attached my concept map to the link below.

Concept Map

Graphic Organizer

Storyboard for final project

Sorry for the delay but here is my storyboard. I am very confused and I hope this is the correct format. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated!

I will record myself during this period		Introduction of Speaker and Introduction of topic of learner assessment
I will record myself during this period		Importance of learner assessment in online learning
I will record various slides that show descriptions of summative assessment and provide examples.		Description of Summative Assessment and Examples
I will record various slides that show descriptions of formative assessment and provide examples.		Description of Formative Assessment and Examples
I will record myself during this period		Introduction to the different types of assessments
I will record different images of information maps and people creating them.		Information Maps
I will record different images of group projects and their finished projects.		Group Projects
I will record images of sample self assessments and discuss the benefit of using this assessment tool.		Self Assessment
I will record images of collaborative learning environments		Collaborative learning environments
I will record sample project based assessments and show examples.	Project based assessments
I will record myself during this time period. I will explain the purpose of discussion boards and show examples of discussion boards.	Discussion boards
I will show images of different software that can be used for online assessments.	Software that can be used for assessment
I will record myself during this time.	Conclusion: Tie up all previously discussed material and reiterate the importance of learner assessment in online learning.

Module 3

According to Swan (2004) in order to truly create an online environment that allows for a deeper understanding of the content material there must be a social presence and a cognitive presence. This means that there must be interaction with peers and with content. This statement is so true when dealing with online learning. By creating community building activities students learn the content in a deeper manner because they learn through their own understanding and through their peers feedback. Participation should be assessed in a learning community through the use of weekly discussion boards or various weekly assignments. I really enjoy the discussion boards because it allows learners to post their thoughts on the subject matter and get feedback from their peers and faculty. This allows learners to view differing opinions and to see the subject matter from a different perspective. Students in online learning come from various background and have varying knowledge bases. This can sometimes be difficult for teachers to accurately assess learning and various activities because of the varying levels. I believe that one sure way to ensure that assessment is done in a fair and equitable way is to create a rubric, provide this rubric to the students, and use this as a grading tool. By allowing the students to see the rubric they know exactly what is needed for the assignment and there is no confusion in the grading of the assignment. 
If a student does not want to participate in networking with other members in an collaborative learning community then those members should address the wayward member. First, find out if there is a reason for their lack of participation, then encourage them to become a more integral part of the community. If those methods do not work ask the professor to talk to the member about the importance of participating in the group. The instructor should play the role of mentor in an collaborative learning community because the focus should be on the student members of the group. The instructor is there to provide feedback, give encouragement, and mediate if need be.

Swan, K. (2004). Relationships between interactions and learning in online environments. The Sloan Consortium.