Week #7 - EDUC5101G Responses to Posts

Reply to Michelle Mouton

Michelle’s Post:  http://moutondigitaltools.blogspot.ca/2016/02/week-7-blog-6.html#comment-form

Hi Michelle!

I found your post an interesting one, especially when it pertains to our current PBL assignment.  It’s impressive that you located the manual that supports LORI (Learning Object Review Instrument).  I have found in the past that an objective instrument of some sort or a matrix that includes weighted criteria is valuable in helping you reach the right decision.  I have often wondered if a 3-point scale, 5-point scale or 10-point scale works best.  Based on my experience, the 5-point scale usually works well.  The 3-point scale does not allow for enough variation.  This approach is effective when several people are involved in the evaluation process – everyone uses the same scoring mechanism.  Our group decided to use an amended version of Chan’s Checklist.

I also have not written a grant proposal before.  You ask some very good questions as to the format of your proposal – one would think that you would want it to be a persuasive and memorable (in a positive way) document.  Why would you not give it your best sales pitch!  I was curious as well, so went online to see if there were any techniques to keep in mind.  I did come across a site that includes a toolkit supporting the work of preparing a successful grant proposal (overview of the grant writing process, a template for writing a grant application, plus additional tools) (Community Tool Box, 2015).  In reviewing this site, although thorough and clear, nothing exciting or different was noted for the approach.  I came across a second site whereby a teacher provides ten tips to getting your school grant funded, as she has written many grants with 38 out of 40 were funded.  Again very informative, but nothing that will “wow” the reader from a digital perspective.  The hunt continues!

References:

Bossenmeyer, M. (2015). Ten tips to getting your school grant funded. Peaceful Playgrounds. Retrieved from http://peacefulplaygrounds.com/getting-your-school-grant-funded/

Community Tool Box. (2015). Writing a Grant Application for Funding. Retrieved from http://ctb.ku.edu/en/writing-grant-application

Reply to Laura Smart

Laura's Post:  https://laurasmartblog.wordpress.com/2016/02/28/accessibility-within-distance-education/#respond

Hi Laura!

Designing and developing online learning to meet the required accessibility standards is a difficult and challenging activity, but obviously an important one.  We are fortunate that we now have an extensive list of tools and resources available to help us meet these standards.  Since I am in corporate training, all of our enterprise eLearning courses need to be accessible.  I do not have a lot of experience in this area, but I am aware of the following elements:

• Flash is not accessible (we use Flash a fair bit, so need to keep this in mind)
• Alt Tags are created for all images (these are noted in our storyboards)
• Div text is used for activities (explains activity since functions such as drag and drop cannot be done)
• Multiple choice questions can be done, as long as they are not in Flash
• Screen readers are used to enable the instructional designer/developer to access the training as an employee with accessibility requirements would (JAWS has been a popular tool in the past)
• for the regulatory and compliance courses, we partner with an employee who has accessibility requirements to ensure the training is meeting all of their needs - we work closely with them throughout the design/development stages

I went online to see what was currently being used for Screen Reader software, and it appears that JAWS is still recommended and is actually the world's most popular screen reader (see link below).

Reference:
Freedom Scientific (2016). The world's most popular windows screen reader. Retrieved from http://www.freedomscientific.com/Products/Blindness/JAWS

Week #7 - EDUC5101G - Blogs versus Wikis

A colleague recently approached me with a question about collaboration tools.  She is currently designing and developing a leadership program and an element of the program requires the learners to collaborate before, during and after the six-month program.  She is unsure as to the best tool to use.  I mentioned to her that we effectively use Blogs and Wikis in this M. Ed program to collaborate.  She asked what the difference was, and was particularly unsure as to the purpose of a Wiki.  In order to be able to provide her with a somewhat educated response, I thought I would do some research.  Although I have used a few course Wikis (created posts), created my own Blogs and created/responded to Blog posts, I would have to say that my usage is limited relative to the full functionality of these tools.  I want to go back to my colleague with a recommendation and state why.  If possible, I would also like to be able to suggest a few specific tools for the recommended collaboration approach.

I came across two tables that were very helpful in summarizing the similarities and differences between Wikis and Blogs (Starbuck & Orlowski, 2008).

Similarities Between Blogs and Wikis

No html computer language is necessary for basic look Simple to set up using free software Can be accessible to anyone in the world Students can express their own ideas Can last beyond the official end of a course Easy to edit in your web browser Can link to other websites, media, and insert photos  Need to be aware of the fact that anyone can type anything they want.  Entries are not necessarily reliable. Good way to stay current in your field and read about what others are doing

Differences Between Blogs and Wikis
Blogs	Wikis
·         Distinct, dated entries usually made up of text containing news, commentary, notes, and personal reflections1	·         A group of interlinked pages, each with a unique name 1
·         Suited more for individual authoring, although it can be collaborative	·         Suited for collaborative authoring, as many people can edit each page, although it can be an individual project
·         Written in reverse chronological order (newest entry is always at the top)	·         Written according to content, or any arrangement someone wants
·         Only the blogger can edit their own post	·         Have the capability to edit other people’s entries
·         Usually a signature follows each post	·         More likely to be anonymous entries
·         Outside commenting on entries such as from peers, coaches, teaching team, and others at a distance1	·         Can have a discussion function to talk about disputed points of an entry. Similar to a discussion board, but  less structured
·         No automatic saving function of previous post versions.	·         Previous versions of a page saved and retrievable in the event of mistakes1
References for this chart: 1 = http://riee.stevens.edu/fileadmin/riee/pdf/ASEE2005_Paper_Wikis_and_Weblogs.pdf

After reviewing the similarities and differences noted above, I then reflected back on my experiences as a learner in this program (I do not use Wikis and Blogs in my workplace).  How have I used Wikis and Blogs?  From a collaborative perspective, how effective were the tools?

In one course, a class Wiki was created and we were asked to browse the Wiki, contribute to it and change content to the Wiki – with the intention that the class Wiki gets bigger and better with every class. An emphasis was on quality contributions and the collaboration in the building of this Wiki.  This approach resulted in contributions from a large, diverse group of learners all with an interest in education.  It was quite impactful knowing that all of our contributions were being consolidated.  I also found the class Wiki helpful for my assignments.  This class Wiki was built using MediaWiki.  Another course also used a Wiki—this one used the tool Wikispaces.  Learners were asked to contribute six Wiki posts throughout the course.  The tool was easy to use, but the purpose was to submit posts, rather than collaborate with other learners.

From a Blogging perspective, my very first course had learners post the first assignment (personal reflection but well supported by literature) on a Wordpress blogsite with the requirement that it had to be accessible by classmates.  Another course had us create a Blog using Blogger and create five posts throughout the course.  Again our Blogs were to be accessible by all classmates.  A Weebly site was created for this course - designed for us to create our own Blogs, submit posts and respond to other posts.  It also provided a social platform for housing course materials, assignments, readings, tools and accessing blog feeds and twitter feeds.  A final course took a similar approach but uses a personalized social network called Ning.  

When I was researching to determine how one chooses – Blog or Wiki, it was suggested that you ask what outcomes you want to achieve.  In this situation, we specifically need a way for learners to collaborate online.  Based on experiences in this program and my research, I would say the Wiki approach would be the recommendation for my colleague.  It is a stronger collaborative tool, as opposed to individual authoring.  To have our leaders share insights, experiences and best practices – having all of this shared knowledge in one spot, while allowing other leaders to build upon what has already been posted, will be powerful.  It’s the collaborative knowledge and the power of many minds working together that will encourage learners to go to the Wiki when they are seeking for insights on leadership.  I would also recommend that TikiWiki and MediaWiki be considered as potential tools - they are the top two most popular wiki software on the net.

References:

Starbuck, E. & Orlowski, M. (2008). Blogs & wikis: New education tools. Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning.  Retrieved from http://meblog.pbworks.com/w/page/11074186/Similarities%20and%20Differences

UNSW Australia Teaching. (2015). Blog, wiki or fWorum – which should you use?  Retrieved from https://teaching.unsw.edu.au/assessment-blog-Wiki-or-forum-which-should-you-use

Week #5 - EDUC5101G Responses to Posts

Reply to Michelle River

Michelle's Post:  http://michellerivers13.blogspot.ca/2016/02/week-5-death-of-textbook.html?showComment=1455767934799#c1741745890161651434

Hi Michelle!

What an interesting topic!  I enjoyed reading your blog “Death of the Textbook” – catchy title, got my attention!  We are definitely seeing an evolution of the textbook from its physical paper-based form.  With three kids in post-secondary education, I can certainly relate to and agree with your first bullet point regarding the high cost.  On average we are looking at approximately $400-$600 per semester for textbooks.  It appears that certain programs have larger and more expensive textbooks, such as Computer Science at university.  When a student switches to a new program, you are stuck with all these textbooks that you cannot sell because the new students do not want an older edition (page referencing would be different).  I agree with all of the points you mentioned.  I was not aware that a high percentage of students do not purchase the required textbooks (just assumed they had to) or that most of the content is provided in other ways – interesting trends.  Let’s not forget the weight of the textbooks and what that can do to a student’s back and shoulders when the knapsack that they carry around all day weighs fifty pounds.

I have a friend who works for a large publishing house – one of the big educational publishers.  Her company has changed and is continually changing.  Based on the growing demand for classroom technology, the company is transitioning from a print-based business model to customized content through subscriptions.   This shift allows for the development of adaptive learning systems, personalized learning and improved currency of content.

My thoughts are that technology has changed how the textbook market operates – the evolution has started, but many college/university students still use physical textbooks.  But we know it can happen and our M.Ed program is a great example - we can cover all of the required course content and leverage the open-source textbooks and other online resources as our material at little or no cost.  I believe we will see more of this transition over the next five years.  Is the death of the textbook imminent?  I think the answer is “yes” for most programs/ courses, but not all.  The transition requires schools determining the broadband capacity at school and how students will get connectivity after they leave for the day – so it will take time. There is an investment to be made for the transition, but large savings in the end.  I came across an interesting article titled “Why digital natives prefer reading in print. Yes, you read that right” – have a read.

Digital textbooks and digital learning should be a priority.

References:

Rosenwald, M. (2015). Why digital natives prefer reading in print. Yes, you read that right.  The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/why-digital-natives-prefer-reading-in-print-yes-you-read-that-right/2015/02/22/8596ca86-b871-11e4-9423-f3d0a1ec335c_story.html

Reply to Rachel

Rachel's Post:  http://racheleduc5101.blogspot.ca/2016/02/staying-organized-online.html?showComment=1455768034638#c252852741574560786

Hi Rachel!

I can totally relate to your blog.  I too like to be organized.  I am organized in my physical spaces at work and home, but online, my files, emails, etc. need help.  I save everything and delete nothing, hence my problem.  So your topic peaked my curiosity – how does Rachel solve her problem?  I am also a new user of Twitter, but will definitely check out TweetDeck as I follow more people.  I have heard about TweetDeck, but have not yet used it.  The two tools you mention to integrate multiple social media apps, on the other hand, I have not heard about, so will need to do a little research to determine if they can help my situation.  Zotero is a great place to house pertinent readings/articles and seems to work well for this course.  For this program, I have been saving my links of shared articles in a Links folder for each course.  It would be much better if saved in one location, with extra benefits of organizing and citing sources.  Delicious, another tool I have heard about, but was not aware what it did.  I have so many bookmarks, so will need to check out this tool as well.  So many tools to explore!

I came across a site that you might find interesting.  It focuses on organizing your research online.  The topics might help you – keeping current, managing citations, note taking, save now and read later (a list of tools to organize items for future reading, file sync and backup, collaborate and simplify (a list of tools for simplifying your workflow and help you collaborate with others and automated research.  The article also includes a video of how information organization has changed.

Thanks for all the tips!

References:

University of Southern California (2016). Organizing Your Research Online. USC Libraries, Research Guides. Retrieved from http://libguides.usc.edu/productivity

Week #5 - EDUC5101G Post - Learning Trends and Digital Tools for the 21st Century

Learning Trends and Digital Tools for the 21^st Century

What I have found interesting over the past few years  is the transformation the educational system is going through – changes with the classroom itself, the role of the teacher, the role of the learner and how the learning takes place.  The students of today and tomorrow are approaching learning differently.  This transformation will have a direct impact on the digital tools that will work effectively for the 21^st century learner.  For this Blog, I will focus on three areas of change that will impact how we learn and the tools used.

Blended Learning.  This approach is used effectively now, but my prediction is that we will see even more going forward.  This approach offers flexibility whereby a variety of methodologies can be used in the design and delivery of the content. From a digital technology perspective, the learning could entail e-Learning, websites, blogs, wikis, video, webinars, virtual classes (synchronous and asynchronous), access to the Internet, etc.  Digital tools such as Adobe Connect and Blackboard used for the virtual learning experience; Captivate and Articulate Storyline for designing the eLearning courses; YouTube, PowToon,  Camtasia used for video creation; Blogger and WordPress used for creating blogs; Weebly used for creating websites;  and Google Chrome for browsing the internet – just to name a few.  The number of digital tools used for blended learning is limitless as the approach lends itself to different modalities.  The types of emerging technologies will change what we can do with blended learning which makes this approach versatile and flexible.  Over the past few years, we are seeing more of the blended learning approach because of the flexibility of the online format and a perceived improvement in the teaching and learning experience (Napier, 2011).

Collaboration.  Technology allows us to collaborate with people we have never met before or may never see again.  The ability to work together, take an idea to the next level or share ideas are valuable skills that students can take forward and apply in the workplace.  One reason social media has become popular is because it enables people to easily collaborate online (Rocco, 2013).Educators are using social media to connect with each other, share ideas and find the best teaching tools and practices.  Sites such as Classroom 2.0, Teacher Tube, PBS Teachers, Edmodo and Edutopia are just a few of the resources that are available to teachers today. As new resources are being developed, more tools will be available to teachers over the next decade to assist with enabling strong collaboration.  From the learner’s perspective, tools such as Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Hangouts, Dropbox, Voice Thread, Skype, Minecraft, etc., allow students to collaborate. Today’s learner and our future learner have a need to stay connected. Since there is so much information available to everyone online today with the internet, the access to that information lends itself to collaboration. With the file-sharing opportunities online, information is seen as something to be shared.

Student-Centred Learning and Personalized Learning.  I believe we will begin to see an approach to learning that is student-centred, much more than it is today.  The learning will become more personalized to each student.  Education does not have to be a teacher standing in front of a class, but rather it will be a future of customizable learning experiences structured by personal choice (Top Universities, 2014).   With personalized learning, the students’ learning experiences are customized to their individual needs and strengths – aimed to meet students where they are and allows them to advance to more challenging material whenever they are ready.  So what does this mean for the required digital tools?  Teachers, parents and peers must work collaboratively with technology and learning spaces.  Personalized learning challenges educators to think about what new resources may be needed to support learning, and how learners can access these (Ministry of Education, 2012).  Access to the massive amount of information on the Internet provides opportunities with the curriculum and enables the student to be in a position to direct their own learning.  Access and a strong skillset in effectively using a browser such as Google Chrome, is essential.  Learning management systems (such as Edmodo and Blackboard) enable a teacher and the student to connect learning goals with student portfolios, online assessments, and searchable resources in multiple formats.

In order for blended learning, collaboration and student-centred learning to be successful, digital technologies need to make it all happen.  The challenge going forward will be determining which digital technologies are the best fit for a given learning situation.  As technologies become more and more integrated into daily life, we will see a new kind of learner – one who builds their own learning environment, creates content using social media, and develops their own digital presence.

References:

Ministry of Education. (2012). Enabling eLearning/teaching. Future focused learning. Retrieved from http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Teaching/Innovative-learning-environments/Future-focused-learning

Napier, N.P., Dekhane, S., & Smith, S. (2011). Transitioning to blended learning: Understanding student and faculty perceptions. Georgia Gwinnet College. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 15(1). Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ918216.pdf

Rocco, S. (2013). Our future will not look like our present. Evolving educators.  Retrieved from https://evolvingeducators.wordpress.com/2013/12/14/our-future-will-not-look-like-our-present/ 

Top Universities. (2014). Thoughts on the future of teaching and learning in higher education. Retrieved from http://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/university-news/thoughts-future-teaching-learning-higher-education

Week #4 - EDUC5101G Responses to Posts

Mary-Anne's Post: 
http://mvardakas.weebly.com/blog/week-4-evaluating-digital-tools-for-education-looking-at-lori-and-techpuddings-evaluation-checklist-for-tech-tools#comments

Hi Mary-Ann!  I enjoyed reading your blog.  You have chosen the interesting topic that we discussed in class this week – the criteria/checklist for evaluating digital tools.  As we know, there are many checklists available – you have completed a thorough review and comparison of the Learning Object Review Instrument (LORI) and Chan’s Checklist for Evaluating Tech Tools, Apps, Software and Hardware.  I have experienced the same when reviewing these checklists - just when you think a list is quite complete and makes sense, you come across a different list that reminds you of other criteria that is important.  As you have discussed in your blog, these checklists have evolved over time.  They are now much more learner-centred with an emphasis on accessibility, technical support, quality pedagogy, collaboration and security.  I couldn’t agree with you more – we need tools that develop the required critical thinking and higher order thinking skills – essential skills for today’s workplace.  In my workplace, I am not aware that we use checklists before investing in a digital tool for learning, which is unfortunate.  However, cost, compatibility, functionality, tech support and privacy would be the important criteria we would consider.  After recognizing the value that these checklists bring, I will be recommending that we do reference a recent one, such as Chan’s checklist, before making a business decision on a standard tool to use.

In doing my own research on this topic, I came across another approach to evaluating new technology, and it included a process (see below) – Scan, Focus, Evaluate and Decide. I personally feel this process would be useful prior to reviewing a specific checklist.  

A company called Bottom-Line Performance (who created this process) needed a way to objectively evaluate technologies and separate the good from the bad – enabling them to make smarter technology adoption decisions.  This company also developed a checklist to accompany this process (Huhn, 2013).

.

References:

Huhn, J. (2013). Technology evaluation checklist for learning professionals. Bottom-Line Performance Lessons on learning. Retrieved from http://www.bottomlineperformance.com/technology-evaluation-checklist-for-learning-professionals-free-download/

Michelle Mouton's Post:
http://moutondigitaltools.blogspot.ca/2016/02/week-4-blog-4.html#comment-form

Hi Michelle!  I enjoyed reading your post.  Since I do not work for a College, it was interesting to learn about OntarioLearn.  What a great job you have and an important one!  To ensure each course is of high quality can’t be an easy task.  It sounds like the Quality Matters Rubric is the King of all rubrics.  I think the concept of alignment is a critical one and you are “hitting the mark” by placing such an importance on ensuring course components work together to ensure that learners achieve the desired learning outcomes.  We are attracted to the new technology that comes our way, so it is important that we are grounded in meeting the learning objectives.

To answer your question about the use of the Quality Matters Rubric, I don’t believe it will be easy for faculty.  With any new process, there is a learning curve to grasp the concepts and the value it brings.  It will take time and aligning the tools with learning outcomes will not be straight forward – additional support will be required.  You are correct when saying knowledge of the tool and pedagogy are both required.  Not only does faculty have limited time to learn new tools and implement them, but there is a wide range of technical knowledge that needs to be considered.

I came across a site that speaks to another rubric for evaluating online courses--California State University’s  Chico Rubric for Online Instruction.  The priority for this rubric is to create and enhance high quality learning environments.   Apparently, there is an updated version of the Chico rubric which is a checklist format with additional dimensions and similar to the Quality Matters Rubric.  A reader commented that they prefer the updated version of Chico compared to the Quality Matters Rubric as its more approachable, less lengthy and less rigid.  This site might interest you as it speaks about why assessing quality is difficult in online education and the limitations with online assessments.  Here is the link https://onlinelearninginsights.wordpress.com/tag/quality-standards-for-online-courses/

References:

Online Learning Insights (2015). Quality standards for online courses. How good is your online course? Five steps to assess course quality.  Retrieved from https://onlinelearninginsights.wordpress.com/tag/quality-standards-for-online-courses/

Week #4 - EDUC5101G Post - Accommodating Different Learners When Integrating Technology

When I refer to “accommodating”, I will be speaking to “knowing your learners” to ensure the design and delivery will result in a positive learning experience for all learners in the classroom – “leaving no learner behind" due to the technology that is being used.  In the corporate training world, one of the challenges we face when integrating technology into our learning programs, is we never know how easily our learners will adapt to the new technology.  The learners are the employees of our organization – which means a wide range of ages, experiences, education and exposure to technology.

The profile of our learners would be:

• Age – anywhere from 20 to 70 years old (all adults)
• Work Experience – anywhere from 1^st day on the job to 45 years of service
• Technology Exposure – anywhere from limited to advanced
• Adaptability to Technology - anywhere from very adaptable/very comfortable to very resistant with fear

So obviously it is beneficial to consider Knowles Adult Learning Principles.  In particular for this situation, we need to keep in mind that the adult learner brings their experiences (which could be limited) into the classroom to build upon, there is a degree of readiness to learn (readiness could vary with technology involved) that needs to be considered, and they are generally motivated to learn (motivation level could vary with technology involved (Pappas, 2013).  But even having that knowledge in our “back pocket”, how do we know how the learners will respond if we, for example, convert a paper-based course to a digital delivery?  Now we no longer provide a paper-based Participant Guide in the classroom for them to follow, but rather they will use a laptop or tablet to access the files and take notes.  Two key questions:

1. What is the learner’s comfort level with this new medium (fear, resistance)
2. How proficient is the learner in this new learning environment (are they able to keep up)? 

We can make very few assumptions.  We cannot assume that all of our learners will have laptops to bring to the classroom, because they don’t – some still have desktops.  We can’t assume they will have iPads – as very few employees have work iPads, so if they do have them available, they are probably personal iPads.  We can assume that they have basic computer skills with knowledge on how to use email and some of the Office Suite of products.  

Overall, when integrating technology, it’s important we ensure the technology is used as a tool to support knowledge construction.  If we are to integrate technology into our learning, such as a paperless classroom experience, several activities would need to take place to ensure a positive learning experience for all of our learners – here is a list of some of them:

• At the time of registration, we inform the potential registrants that the course is digital and what that means (no surprises)
• We create two participant guides to enable the learners can effectively prepare for the course – one for laptops and one for tablets (files need to be uploaded in advance of the class – mostly .pdf files)
• Communication is critical to set expectations – clear instructions regarding what they need to do as a learner and when
• A few laptops are purchased specifically for this course just in case a learner does not have one
• We provide clear instructions on how to mark up .pdf files
• We might create a Sharepoint site that houses all course materials – learners would access and save their files in their personal folder
• Prior to the session, we would hold a digital drop-in session – serves as an Orientation to the program for anyone who still has questions
• During the session (Day 1 only), we would provide tech support in the back of the classroom – with tech support available for other days

The difference in attitudes towards technology is a function of experience with the technology.  However, regardless of age or experience, research has shown that adult learners, when properly trained on how to use the technology are highly motivated learners that are capable of absorbing both the content and the technological skills necessary to succeed (Johnson, 2011).  Once adult learners have gained confidence in their ability to use the technology efficiently, they are far more likely to report positive attitudes towards using technology as a means of self-improvement (Johnson, 2011).

Two strategies that are used to help gain acceptance to new technology is: (Haymes, 2008)

1. The technology must be evident to the user as potentially useful in making life easier (or more enjoyable) – by delivering the course digitally, how does that help the user?
2. The technology must be easy to use to avoid feelings of inadequacy – this is important for the learner who has fear of the technology or a feeling of not competent.

Some learners will continue to push the technology envelope, but we have a responsibility to the rest to bring them along at a pace at which they are comfortable.  We have to make them aware of the benefits realized through the effective use of technology and we have to ensure the technology they are forced to use is relatively easy to manipulate (Haymes, 2008).

References:

Haymes, T. (2008). The three-E strategy for overcoming resistance to technological change. Educause Review.  Retrieved from http://er.educause.edu/articles/2008/11/the-threee-strategy-for-overcoming-resistance-to-technological-change

Johnson, M. (2011). Adult Learners and Technology:  How to deliver effective instruction and overcome barriers to learning.  Retrieved from

http://www.umsl.edu/~wilmarthp/modla-links-2011/Adult-Learners-And-Technology.pdf

Pappas, C. (2013). The adult learning theory – andragogy.  eLearning Industry.  Retrieved from http://elearningindustry.com/the-adult-learning-theory-andragogy-of-malcolm-knowles

Week #3 - EDUC5101G Responses to Posts

Rachel's Post: http://racheleduc5101.blogspot.ca/2016/01/analyzing-and-categorizing-online.html#comment-form

Hi Rachel! I enjoyed reading your post regarding online digital tools.

I like the structure of the Infographic you shared whereby it groups the tools (creating, evaluating, analyzing, applying, understanding and remembering).  I initially thought this structure was Bloom’s Taxonomy, but when validating, I learned that this structure is a 2001 revised Bloom’s Taxonomy - particularly helpful when writing test questions (Forehand, 2016).

I’m impressed you were able to identify tools that were missing on Professor Power’s list.  Other than learning about Zotero in our course, the other tools are not familiar to me.  While our team was working on our PBL #1 presentation and we wanted to create a mindmap, Popplet did get raised as a potential. We ended up using RealtimeBoard for our mindmap.  Here is a link for details on this tool (free tool for educators and students):

https://realtimeboard.com/education/

While reading about the tools you use as a teacher and which ones you find most useful, I am quickly realizing the value of the Google apps.  Throughout this program Google Docs has become an excellent collaboration tool for our team work, Google Chrome as our browser, Blogger for creating blogs, and Gmail for communication – just to name a few.  I can see why all of these apps and many of the others are useful in the classroom, especially when Google Drive provides students with a storage place that they can easily access and not worry about saving.  In the news today, I heard that Google just passed Apple as the world’s most valuable company. Alphabet, Google’s parent company, reported very good fourth quarter earnings which drove up the company’s shares – resulting in Alphabet, not Apple, both the world’s most valuable technology company, and most valuable company overall (Solomon, 2016).  One would assume from this story that educators are not the only ones who find the Google apps the tools of choice!

References:

Forehand, M. (2016). Bloom’s taxonomy – Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching and technology. Retrieved from http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Bloom%27s_Taxonomy

Solomon, B. (2016). Google just passed Apple as the world’s most valuable company. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/briansolomon/2016/02/01/google-just-passed-apple-as-the-worlds-most-valuable-company/#792d28c516f9

Michelle Mouton's Post:  http://moutondigitaltools.blogspot.ca/2016/01/week-3-blog-3-over-next-few-weeks-our.html?showComment=1454378958260#c2961690624717521669

Hi Michelle!  I am realizing there is tremendous talent in our fellow M.Ed students in the area of video creation – a capability that I want to develop.  You mention the most useful tool for you is YouTube in tandem with Camtasia.  I have heard lots about Camtasia in this program so will definitely check it out.  I too value the visual and auditory tools – proven to enhance the learner’s engagement and retention.  I will do some reading on the Media Richness Theory - I am familiar with the work of Mayer and Moreno who studied computer-based multimedia learning (see my post for more details on their work).

I have not developed an expertise in Twitter myself as yet either, and still assessing how I will use it to my benefit.  In this week's post, I share the Top 100 Tools for Learning and seeing that Twitter is #1 again for the 7^th year in a row, I’m thinking I need to spend more time exploring this tool.  Maybe if we begin to follow people who we enjoy listening to, it might help us jump on board!  I am following Peter Mansbridge and Justin Trudeau as an example - maybe that will help!