Post 6: Backing Up the Bark in VoiceThread

          The sound of someone’s voice can be especially relaxing, mildly annoying, creepily inviting, eerily thrilling, and/or down-right rude. However, in an online learning environment it is nice to be able to put a face and voice to a name from time to time.  

          A “VoiceThread (VT) is a web based application that allows for the upload of various media formats such as videos, images, PowerPoint presentations and documents” (Harland, 2014).  This tool enables instructors and students to add text, audio, or video to discussions within a multimedia presentation that is shared online.  VT gives creators a chance to provide additional narratives that may back up or thread through, succinct slides in their presentations.  While this online program is free for a limited number of threads upon registration, you may upgrade basic user features for an additional service fee.

          The theory of connectivism suggests that learning takes place through informal, networked, technology-enabled means (Siemans, n.d., p. 1).  Formal or informal presentations created in VT may invite (or be made public to) learners with various learning styles, expertise, and perspectives to exchange, discuss, and generate new knowledge (King-Hunter, 2014, p. 10) about a particular topic.  This application can be used in a variety of ways to connect learners both affectively and cognitively.  

          The following lists some of the possible learning and teaching benefits from using VoiceThread as a presentation platform (VoiceThread LLC, 2014):

• Presence - Text alone can’t deliver the subtlety and expression required for meaningful connection.
• Intuitive, Natural, & Powerful - Technology fades into the background, putting people and their ideas front and center.
• Anytime, Anywhere - Collaborate wherever and whenever it’s convenient for you.
• A Perfect Fit - Participate using your voice, video or text, and join in the ways that work best for you.
• Integration - Bring VoiceThread right into your LMS, ERP, or other identity management system. There are no new usernames or passwords to learn, and rosters are sync’d automatically.

         

          VoiceThread can be used in a variety of learning contexts.  Gillis, Luthin, Parette, and Blum (2012) advocated for the use of VT with young children because it (a) accommodates different learning modalities, (b) is suitable for large and small group settings, (c) helps to create individual identities, (d) empowers students’ navigational control, and (e) allows them to draw on the media through video doodling (pp. 204-205).  Wood, Stover, and Kissel (2013) found that middle school “students are more motivated and engaged when they are able to hear their voices and the voices of their classmates in an online space” (p. 62).  Brunvand and Byrd (2011) offered that teachers could use VT in many educational settings with those students (a) in general education, (b) who are considered at-risk, and (c) who may have disabilities (p. 31).  Likewise, it is appropriate for use across grade levels and subject areas as well (Wood, Stover, & Kissel, 2013, p. 62).  

           “VoiceThread has created opportunities for teachers to explore new strategies for providing instruction and new ways for students to demonstrate their understanding of concepts” (Brunvand & Byrd, 2011, p.36).  Such has been this case in this doctoral class, when I was encouraged to explore the use of VT to present my analysis on cognition, culture and learning.  Using Dr. Harland's (2014) notes and tips on how to create VTs in combination with a little bit of trial and error on my part, I managed to create my very first voice thread...... and so can you!

          On a closing note with regards to this Skype screenshot posted by Dr. Harland on the course announcements page, it seems only fitting that I take this opportunity to put a name, face, and bark to this lab specimen (uterus and ovaries) for you …….meet Fergie!

REFERENCES:

Brunvand, S., & Byrd, S. (2011). Using VoiceThread to Promote Learning Engagement and Success for All Students. Teaching Exceptional Children, 43(4), 28-37.

Gillis, A., Luthin, K., Parette, H., & Blum, C. (2012). Using VoiceThread to Create Meaningful Receptive and Expressive Learning Activities for Young Children. Early Childhood Education Journal, 40(4), 203-211. doi:10.1007/s10643-012-0521-1

Harland, D. J. (2014, February 8). End of module 5: Beginning of module 6 [Announcement post]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp

King-Hunter, G. (2014). EDUC 8401: Cognition, culture, and learning analysis. Unpublished manuscript, Walden University.

VoiceThread LLC (2014). Home page: Retrieved from http://voicethread.com/

Wood, K. D., Stover, K., & Kissel, B. (2013). Using digital VoiceThreads to promote 21st century learning. Middle School Journal, 44(4), 58-64.

Post 5: MOOCs on the Moooove

          The outcomes presented in this module prompted me to look into additional resources on innovative technologies in education.  I came across a website that introduced me to the concept of the Massive Open Online Course, or MOOC.  When I first read this acronym, I thought it sounded like a childhood synonym for chocolate milk.  Clearly I need to roam other pastures of educational technology beyond the prairies of Alberta, on which I live.

          A MOOC is an online learning model that is open to any number of students from all over the world wishing to take a course, free of charge.   The instructor is virtually non-existent as students are encouraged to network with, teach, and mark each others’ work (Baggaley, 2013, p. 368).

           

          MOOCs draw from the theory of connectivism. Similar to other higher education distance learning models, MOOCs have a syllabus, readings,assignments, microlectures, exams, and discussions where participants can interact and collaborate.  MOOCs can be offered independently through course designers like Coursera, edX, and Udacity, or generated by the students enrolled in the course (Baggaley, 2013, p. 1). These online courses may or may not offer certificates or credits to participants upon completion. 

          As with any delivery model in education, there are pros and cons and those who wish to sit on the proverbial fence.  On the upside, MOOCs offer people an affordable, convenient, and dynamic learning environment where large amounts of information can be shared and add value to other levels and delivery models within education.  On the downside, MOOCs are a costly investment and may not be suitable for students who need/expect attentive student-instructor partnerships.

           

          Educational technology involves learning and teaching technologies (Laureate Education, 2012a, p. 1), in which both stakeholders may benefit from.  MOOCs offer a virtual think-tank for millenials and neomillenials to engage in a “collective interpretation of experience” (Laureate Education, 2012b, p. 3).  MOOCs empower students to drive their own knowledge sharing, meaningful discussions, and common inquiries, thus enabling teachers to serve as facilitators, instructors, and analysts of students’ learning.

          There are a number of MOOCs that have sprung from Canadian soil and could benefit students and teachers right here, in my own back yard.  For example, an introductory psychology class offered by the University of Toronto via Coursera could be used in part as an instructional vehicle for various high school psychology electives offered in my school district.  Udderly speaking, MOOCs “may be hailed as an educational redeemer, or as an ugly symptom of the general educational slide" (Baggaley, 2013, p. 374).  Students and teachers may just have to milk the cow to find out for themselves.

REFERENCES:

Baggaley, J. (2013). MOOC rampant. Distance Education, 34(3), 368–378. doi:10.1080/01587919.2013.835768

Briggs, S. (2013, July 29). 10 Emerging educational technologies & how they are being used around the globe. Retrieved from http://www.innovationexcellence.com/blog/2013/07/29/10-emerging-educational-technologies-how-they-are-being-used-across-the-globe/

Educause (2011). ELI: 7 things you should know about MOOCs. Retrieved from https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7078.pdf

Educause (2013). ELI: 7 things you should know about MOOCs II. Retrieved from https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7097.pdf

Educause (2014). Massive open online course (MOOC). Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/library/massive-open-online-course-mooc

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012a). Educational technology defined. Baltimore, MD: Author. 

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012b). Millenial and neomillenial learning styles. Baltimore, MD: Author. 

MOOC-List (n.d.). Introduction to psychology (Coursera). Retrieved from http://www.mooc-list.com/course/introduction-psychology-coursera

Plourde, M. (2013). MOOC poster. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/mathplourde/8620174342/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Siemans, G. (2004). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

Post 4: Learning to Love Literacy

            I am about to admit something that might offend many, if not most educators.  I hate reading.  There, I said it. I am not proud of this by any means.  Looking back on my grade school years, I believe that my struggles with reading likely stemmed from environmental, educational, and motivational issues.  First, I did not grow up with parents who read to me regularly at an early age.  Second, I freaked out on timed reading assessments; the anxiety I felt going into the test alone was enough to thwart what little chances I had to concentrate on, and comprehend the material that I was able to cover.  And third, I cannot remember one novel that I read in school, that I really liked or was interested in, or even finished for that matter.  It was not until my undergraduate studies that I started to really develop my own reading strategies.  And when I took a graduate course to administer Level B educational assessments, I realized that my dislike for reading might also be attributed circuit difficulties.  Does this sound familiar to you, or someone that you know?

            The resources in this fourth module have allowed me to not only reflect on my struggles as a reader, but to get reacquainted with the whole concept of literacy, capture some ways in which I may continue to help myself and others, and explore some innovative technologies to support the development of literacy skills.  The culture of literacy in the 21st century has come to include a wide range of abilities and competencies such as (a) traditional, (b) informational, (c) visual, (d) critical, (e)media, (f) tool, and (g) digital literacies.  Traditional literacy typically involves reading, viewing, speaking, listening, presenting, and writing skills.

            During my graduate studies, I came across this great online resource for students, parents, and teachers.  It offers “try it yourself” simulations for difficulties associated with attention, reading, writing, and math, in addition to understanding these basics and exploring remedial strategies.  I used this website in my learning strategies class (in part) to help students identify areas of literary need, and apply individualized strategies.  It was a very helpful resource for all of us.

            Recommendations from this site prompted me to look into assistive technologies that could also help students become better readers and writers.  While we used Read & Write Gold in our high school, Kurzweil is another literacy software program that serves as a talking reader, word processor, translator, highlighter, and spellchecker for students. 

            We also purchased a reading pen for our students to try; it is a hand-held tool that scans text, and provides similar features to that of the software noted above.  The students felt that some features like dictionary and translator were helpful for secondary students, but that the pen’s reading speed would be better suited for beginning readers. 

            With the popularity of Smart phones, my students also explored free apps like Dragon Dictation to record, transpose, and edit oral response to text for written assignments.  This has allowed students to get their thoughts down orally, upload them into Microsoft Word, and then organize, complete, and edit their oral writing (per se) into a final typed submission. Retail apps like Fountas and Pinnell Prompting Guide 1 can also help teachers enhance their reading and writing lessons.  This app can be used to guide instruction and assess learning for students of all reading and writing levels.

            The innovations described above are just a handful of the technologies available to help teachers help students, learn how to read and write better.  They engage students through relevant digital tasks, and they provide formative feedback in real-time for students to self-correct effectively and efficiently. These tools also provide a safe medium for students to maximize their strengths and develop areas of weakness in literacy.  As I lifelong reader I continue to forge through volumes of text and online material at this level of academia with commitment, challenge, and a new-found appreciation for reading and writing.  I hope that other educators will explore all means possible to help their students develop a love for literacy sooner, rather than later.

REFERENCES:

Apple Inc. (2013a). Dragon dictation. Retrieved from https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/dragon-dictation/id341446764?mt=8

Apple Inc. (2013b). Fountas and Pinnell prompting guide 1. Retrieved from https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/fountas-pinnell-prompting/id403800504?mt=8

Balanced Literacy (n.d.). In wikispaces classroom. Retrieved January 18, 2014, from http://part2part3.wikispaces.com/Balanced+Literacy

Cambium Learning (n.d.).Kurzweil Education Systems. Retrieved January 19, 2014, from http://www.kurzweiledu.com/individuals.html

Churchill, D. (2009). New literacy in the Web 2.0 world. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/zvezdan/new-literacy-in-the-web-20-world

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012). Reading and the brain. Baltimore, MD: Author. 

National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). (2013, February). The NCTE definition of 21st century literacies. Retrieved from   http://www.ncte.org/positions/statements/21stcentdefinition
PCI Education (n.d.). Reading pens for special education. Retrieved January 19, 2014, from http://www.pcieducation.com/landing/reading-pen.aspx
Texthelp Ltd.  (2014). Read & Write. Retrieved from http://www.texthelp.com/North-America/Our-products/Readwrite

WGBH Educational Foundation. (2002). Misunderstood minds. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/misunderstoodminds/reading.html

Post 3: Who Gives a Tweet?

     Twitter is a platform where users can share their thoughts, news, information and jokes in 140 characters of text or less.  One can create a handle, decide who to follow, tweet a hashtag, respond to (or retweet) the tweets of others, mention someone in a thread, or direct message that person.  When I first heard about this concept, my initial response was “Who gives a tweet?” I mean, do I really care if someone is shopping for groceries, going out to a movie with friends, crushing on so-and-so, or posing random jokes or judgments about others? I can barely respond to e-mail, Facebook, and texting, so would this be just one more piece of technology that I would not have time to keep up with?

        After attending a technology seminar hosted by my school district last year, I realized that Twitter has potential merits in education.  From a professional development consideration, I could follow other educators to find out what they are learning about, implementing, and researching.  I could also receive updates about topics that I am interested in, or chime in to live seminars that I might not be able to attend.  Overall, Twitter may support brief reflections regarding all things learning and teaching.

     From a learning standpoint, Twitter can benefit students and teachers in the classroom.  Students may profit from “enhanced learning through the use of critical reflections, privacy settings, prompt responses, and writing without restraint due to the anonymity of the evaluation."  In fact, the use of Twitter in a middle school science class has been shown to increase student achievement on standardized tests.

     From a teaching point of view, Twitter has formative assessment applications; individual tweets can be collected to gauge student progress and themes from twitter feeds can inform instructional practice .  It can be used during instruction for live discussion feeds, or after instruction to pose inquisitive chirps to personal learning networks.  This little birdie (per se) supports collaborative creative writing purposes, and connects people from other nests around the world with similar interests.  

In addition to supplementing traditional forms of teaching, Twitter can also dispatch important information to parents, students, teachers and administrators in a timely manner, and help to develop a common language around instructional topics or concerns without ruffling too many feathers.

     While the benefits noted above could help teachers and students soar, it could also get them into trouble if those parties involved do not fly in proper formation.  Appropriate digital citizenship must be modeled and exercised by everyone. However, the greater good should travel further, faster, and experience deeper learning opportunities from having formed these types of academic and personal connections via Twitter. There are a number of reasons why stakeholders in education should consider the not only the eggsellent benefits of Twitter in particular, but social media in general, in that: (a) it builds relationships, (b) it's about customers, (c) they're already talking, (d) listen as well as share, (e) you'll be well received, (f) it builds community, and (g) it's here to stay. 

          Even though I am in the chickadee stage of using Twitter myself, feel free to follow me @libbyandme.  For those of you who haven’t had a chance to check out this baby blue bird and all its terms, you should.  
In the meantime, perhaps a perfect parakeet might shake your intellectual tail feathers instead :).

References:

Cashmore, P. (2008). Twitterspeak: 66 Twitter terms. Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2008/11/15/twitterspeak/

Chen, L. (2012). Trainees’ perceptions on using microblog to support formative evaluation: A Q-methodology study. International Journal of Organizational Innovation, 4(3), 235-246.

Kuehn, L. (2012). Getting into trouble on Facebook. Our Schools / Ourselves, 21(2), 83-88.

Lu, A. (2011). Twitter seen evolving into professional-development tool. Education Week, 30(36), 20.

Matteson, A. (2010). Tweacher (n): The Twitter enhance teacher. School Library Monthly, 27(1), 22-23.

McArthur, J. A., & Bostedo-Conway, K. (2012). Exploring the relationship between student-instructor interaction on Twitter and student perceptions of teacher behaviors. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 24(3), 286-292.

Mercer, A. (2011). Learning takes flight with Twitter. Canadian Music Educator / Musicien Eucateur Au Canada, 53(1), 35.

Messner, K. (2009, December). Pleased to tweet you; making a case for Twitter in the classroom. School Library Journal, 44-47.

Perfect Polly Pet (2013, March 28). Official as-seen on TV commercial.  Retrieved on January 5, 2014, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELrZRru0UbQ

Siemans, G. (n.d.). Description of connectivism [blog]. Retrieved December 31, 2013, from http://www.connectivism.ca/about.html

Smith, B. (2012). The beginner’s guide to Twitter. Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2012/06/05/twitter-for-beginners/

VanVooren, C, & Bess, C. (2013). Teacher tweets improve achievement for eighth grade science students. Journal of Systemics, Cybernetics & Informatics, 11(1), 33-36.

Williamson, R., & Education Partnerships, I. (2012). Social media for school communication: Research into practice. Education Partnerships, Inc.

Wright, N. (2010). Microblogging for reflection: Developing teaching knowledge through Twitter. Proceedings of the International Conference on E-Learning, 419-424.