Developing Critical thinking

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Developing Critical thinking

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Concept Map

While static technology media was widely used a few years ago, dynamic technologies have become much more popular in recent times. Dynamic technologies lend them selves to quicker transfer of knowledge as everyone gets immediate feed act of the questions asked and issues raised. Dynamic technologies are more exciting and they attract a large number of users over a short period of time. Wikis, Web Cam and skype are examples of technologies that spread as rapidly as a rash. I notice also that the number of dynamic technologies continue to rise while the static technologies remained the same in number. CB radios and flip charts are two technologies that remain the same way and are hardly used.

Technology tools & strategies

Web conferencing software is an important tool for collaborative learning in this era. While it is possible to collaborate using audio output, students like to see who they are communicating with. Some people are visual learners and web conferencing will be very useful for their learning style. Peer sharing is very useful for working in small groups. It gives students the responsibility of co-operating and sharing information.
Threaded discussions, sms messaging , email and skype are common and popular communication tools used today. Skype and the web cam are popular today as well and they add another dimension to the process of collaboration. The visual image always appeals to the human mind. These tools are free for the most part and they do an excellent job.
Wikis and blogs are the most common way by which online students build knowledge. There are several other tools like study mate and sub-hub which are among the best applications for knowledge building.

Assessing Collaborative Learning

The whole essence of collaborative learning is to facilitate the acquisition and sharing of skills and knowledge while at the same solving complex problems. Sienmens(2008) speaks of the days of Geniuses being over and he is right. The world has become too complex for even the brightest among us to solve complex problems all by themselves and if they can, it will take so long to be done that it would no longer be useful. During collaborative learning people are required to contribute in various ways. Members of the group bring their expertise, experience and points-of-view to the table. All these contribute to the solving of problems and members should be rewarded once they contribute actively to the group. There are times when the topic suits certain members more than others because it falls along their lines of expertise and they may contribute much and the situation changes when the topic changes.

collaborative learning is wholesome and modern. Today, almost everything is done by teams of workers as we leverage the benefits of the division of labour. Just as it is easy to see who did what in the productiion of a car so must we be able to tell that each member contributed to the group activity. They must be tested also and at time peer-teaching could be a good way to teach a topic. The mark given to the group must be the mark that each gets. This will force the motivated ones to stick to the slackers until they make their fair contributiion to the effort. Course work is the most effective way to assess collaborative exercises.

Reference:
Laureate Education, Inc. (2008). Principles of Distance Education. Baltimore: Author

Collaborative Learning

Assessment of online assignments has been an issue that several persons have been questioning for some time now. How do we know if the student did the work? How do you assess online group work? Should the score for members of the group be the same?
The days of one-man knows it all are over. The world is not as simple as it was 100 years ago. We are now challenged by complex problems which require teams of persons to resolve. Specialization and division of labour has been used in business to enhance productivity and the same thing must be applied to education. Group assignments can be assessed by ensuring that the group activity gives each member a chance to participate and to bring his knowledge and experiences to solve his part of the overal problem and to contribute meaningfully to the group activity. Each student should be awarded a mark with respect to his part of the problem and the contribution he/she made.

The instructor needs to educate the students on the importance and value of collaborative learning by citing known examples. The course can be so designed that group-work carries a good percentage of the final mark so students are encouraged to work in groups. It can be a good idea to have bonus marks for group-work but those marks wont apply to individual assignment. This will encourage students to participate in group activities.
The important thing about groupwork is making sure everyone works well and that those who work are rewarded. Most times instructors are unwilling to give the group a score if they dont see work from every member. This is unfair. If three out of four persons did their work, then there must a way to reward them else the system will be flawed. One member should not be allowed to retard the progress of others.

Storyboard for Java Programming

The following is a story board which shows how I intend to run a two-week training course in Java Programming. Items 1 to 5 will be done in the first week while items 6 to 9 will be done in the second and final week.

Storyboard for Java Programming
1
Video Presentation on Java Programming and the structure of the course

2
Text presentation of course outline and course calendar

3
Video presentation on discovering computers, computer fundamentals and program design and assignment

4
Presentation of resources on web links. Students reading all prescribed materials. Presentation of practice exercises in text form

5
Video presentation on program control and brief assessment (test)

6
Video presentation continues on the Branch statement and iteration and loops

7
Presentation of resources materials on web links and text on classes, methods and objects

8
Group project to develop a small program written in Java and using the content which were covered in course

9
Presentation of more links and texts on arrays. Final examination
Video presentation to close project

Collaborative Interaction

Collaborative interaction has become a major strand in the social Web learning network. Today, it is not necessary to be in physical room to work on and collaborate on a project. This has been made possible with the advances made in technology and the availability of several different applications on the web. Some of these tools are free and the enable users to do video and teleconferencing, collaborative writing, information and desktop sharing and instant messaging among others.
Before ICT became the main platform for collaborative work, the process of online collaboration was expensive, it lacked established standards and users had to undergo intensive training to collaborate. The early tools were limited in functions and features and the were browser dependent so based on what browser you were using on your computer, you would have had problem communicating online. As early as 1876 Graham Bell gave us the telephone which became the most popular collaborative tool at one time. In 1956, the Invention of Bell picture phone made video conferencing possible and the quality of collaborative work did improve. By the time the email and the World Wide Web were invented, the stage had been set for very good collaborative exchanges. Today, almost every university and business use online collaboration in very cost effective ways.
Once, we were limited to how many persons we could collaborate with at any one time. Today, collaborative work has improved to the extent that any number of person may collaborate at once. Collaboration is more widely used in Universities today but I predict it will become common in most business places.

Authors on distance ed compared

The three articles which were written by Moller, Foshay, Huett discuss e-learning from three different
perspectives: - corporate, higher education and K-12. Dr Simonson on the other hand presents some background on the concepts of e-learning and distance education. He dissects Distance education to show its component parts so that people better understand the concept. All four authors share the view that distance education is growing at a tremendous rate and that it is about the reach its critical mass. While distance education is about to reach its critical mass, there are hundreds of people out there who do not quite understand and appreciate the value of distance education. How many of them realize that distance education gives everyone a fair chance at succeeding? In distance education you can access the best instructors, have more options in your program and you can effectively advance your studies without leaving home. This is good for you family, your employer who has access to your expertise and for you financially as well. Distance education is customizable and affordable so it is a very good option for poorer countries as well as the rich.
There is a slight contradiction between Simonson’s discourse and the writing of Moller, Foshay and Huet. Simonson postulates that distance education will continue to grow but Moller et al hold the view that structural changes needed to be made if distance education ought to be successful.

My View:
I am of the view that distance education is still evolving even though it is bringing huge successes to countries all over the world. Contrary to the view held by Moller, et al, distance education will grow and be driven economics and access. In other words, whether or not educators, educational administration, and business managers re-evaluate e-learning and its policies, e-learning will continue grow at an impressive rate.

References:
Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008, May/June). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 1) Tech/Trends, 52(3), 70-75.
Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008, May/June). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 2). Tech/Trends, 52(4), 66-70.
Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Coleman, C. (2008, September/October). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 3). Tech/Trends, 52(5). 63-67.Simonson, M. (n.d.). Distance Education: The Next Generation. [Study video]. Retrieved Sept. 12, 2009, from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=3206859&Survey=1&47=5050260&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1.

Helping others benefit from Emerging Technology

Emerging technology can be made valuable to others if these are aware that those technologies exist and they are prepared to leverage their benefits by learning how to use them effectively. I will conduct staff development sessions with colleagues at work to show them new technologies which exist in their fields of work and how those technologies can bring positive impact on them. I will also arrange to have various vendors and developers of new technologies visit my work place and make presentations to the entire staff. From time to time, I will facilitate field trips so they can see those emerging technologies at work as this can help to convince them of the need to adapt to new ones too. My intervention will on a basis or need, equality and development of people not just at my work place but wherever they are.

Once my colleagues are exposed and maybe have access to the technology I will work with them until they become conversant with the emerging technology. Greenhill (2009) believes that people need to be coached to make full use of Emerging technologies. I can therefore work out a study plan for them to follow and that will help them master the use of their technology. This is important as there is a learning curve in every new technology and without good support and scaffolding some colleagues are likely to give up trying. Writing articles in the local papers, holding sessions with community groups and joining online communities are just a few ways of achieving that goal without offending or prejudicing anyone.

Reference:
Greenhill Kathrine (2009). Why Learning About Emerging technology is a Part of Every Librarian's Job. Murdoch University, Western Austrailia. Retrieved November 19, 2009 from
http://www.caudit.edu.au/educauseaustralasia09/assets/papers/tuesday/Kathryn-Greenhill.pdf

Video on Demand Vs DvD Which Will Win?

Before I looked at Paycheck I had to order it from overseas since it was not available in local stores here. I tried using video-on-demand but the speed of my internet connection did not support it properly.
There is a fierce battle going on between providers of DVD and those of video-on-demand (VOD). According to Skelton (2009), the main advantages of using VOD are that of convenience and no late fees. But the author also cited the cost of bandwidth, the cost of operations and the limits of VOD have made it a second choice. Hawke (2005) also shared similar views when he said that is much cheaper to store DVDs than to keep data on a server. Hawke also warned that the cost of bandwidth should not be overlooked.
DVDs are cheaper than VOD and generally their quality is better (Hawke 2005). There maybe issue with picking the DVD at the store and the need to store them and return them but so far they still remain more popular than VOD among users. The competition is purely related to financial returns since this is what business is about.
Certainly both VOD and DVD have improved the quality of images that was shown to us from the old VHS tapes and players. The VHS tapes and cassettes and their players have been made obsolesce by the presence of DVD and VOD. We had lost the ability access movies on different media but with DVD and VOD the computer and several other peripherals can be used to access movies on those media. People are demanding more every day and as the movie production increases and its demands rise, there is likely to have additional needs. It is likely that movies in the next few years will be stored on very small objects they may be made for multi viewing across telecommunication lines.


Sources:
Skelton Chad ( 2009). Shaw Video on Demand vs. DVD rentals. Retrieved November 11, 209 from
http://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/parenting/archive/2009/05/20/shaw-vod-video-on-demand.aspx
Thomas Hawk ( 2005) The Staying Power of the DVD vs. VOD. Retrieved November 11, 2009 at
http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/2005/04/23/the-staying-power-of-the-dvd-vs-vod/

Second Life

Second Life is a disruptive technology because of the drastic change it has brought in the computing life style of computer users. People have moved into this virtual world called Second Life by the millions. They have left whatever they were using before and have become residents in this virtual world buying property and doing business so it can be considered a disruptive technology because of the drastic change it brought on users of technology.
Second Life has replaced the video conferencing technology as really does expose business people, students and teachers to an interaction that is more vivid and captivating than the ageing video conferencing.
Source:
Linden Lab (2009). Virtual World: Real Change
http://secondlifegrid.net/casestudies/IBM
The world has become very competitive and innovative and I guess Second Life may last for another five years before another disruptive technology replaces it in the same way it replaced those technology that were before it.
The social benefits can be many but Collaboration, sharing, reducing on cost and interacting are the ones that come to mind immediately.
One social implication is that people could get caught up in that virtual world and neglect to interface with real people in the real world in which we live. People are likely to socialize less.

Assistive Technology

Assistive Technology
We live in a world where more emphasis is placed on normal people than people who have some form of disabilities. There is a technology called Assistive technology that does help to make life much more comfortable for persons who are physically challenged. Assistive technology exist in several forms and more continue to evolve as time passes. The following are some of the assistive technology available on the market today.
Iriscom is a system that enables the total control of a computer through the movement of the eye. People who are not mobile and who have little or no use of their limbs than control the computer through their eye movement.
http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/information_technology/report-23600.html

Light signaler alerts monitor computer sounds and alert the computer user with light signals. This is useful when a computer user can not hear computer sounds or is not directly in front of the computer screen. As an example, a light can flash alerting the user when a new e-mail message has arrived or a computer command has completed

Braille embossers transfer computer generated text into embossed Braille output. Braille translation programs convert text scanned-in or generated via standard word processing programs into Braille, which can be printed on the embosser.

The talking calculator is one with voice output that speaks aloud what is on the screen of the calculator.

Text to speech is a powerful tool that allows learners the option of listening to text rather than reading it. Some text to speech software will simply read the text from the screen while others will allow you to convert the text to MP3 format which can then be used away from the computer.
When one considers and examines those few assistive tools listed above one has to agree that truly assistive tools are helping in the lives of people with disabilities. I still think it is an evolving technology and maybe we will see much more advanced ones in the years ahead. Unlike Dr Thornburg who speaks about embodiment, restructuring and co-dependence, I think co-dependence is the most visible component of assistive technologyhttp://www.microsoft.com/enable/at/types.aspx

Smart Objects

Smart Objects Tetrad
Enhances:
· Objects “knowing ” about themselves
· Objects can tell you their location and state
· Items can be traced to anywhere

Retrieves:
· Bar coding information
· ATM/Credit cards
· Metallic detectors/scanners


Reverses:
· Surveillance systems
· Manually stored records
· Existing shopping cards


Obsoletes:
· Tracking systems like GPS and SATNAV
· Less reliance on human investigators
· Items /people being lost

Explanation:
Smart objects have the ability to “tell” where they are and they can feed vital information to any location. We have not seen anything like before and this is certainly something that is new.
With smart objects being able to tell where they are and the state or condition they are in, traditional tracking systems have become obsolete. Libraries for example can track their books to any place on this earth.
Smart objects bring to mind the old military way of wiring someone’s vehicle to track their movements. The problem with that method was that the intelligence built into the devices were very limited in capability and they were restricted to geographic locations.
Smart objects are likely to proliferate into several other aspects of society and business and are likely to be the standard devices in the next few years

Source:
Horizon Report ( 2009). Retrived on October 1, from http://wp.nmc.org/horizon2009/chapters/smart-objects/

Obsolete Technology

Obsolete technology is a critical thing to understand. People who do understand it would know how long to keep a piece of equipment and when to part with it and be able to avoid making costly mistakes. An obsolete piece of technology is one in which the useful life is gone and one that fails to interact well with similar modern equipment, is less efficient and is hardly upgradeable. It could be argued that a technology may be useful to one person while another considers it to be useless but there must be some international benchmark by which everything is measured and judged. For example, a firm in one country may decide to ship some old equipment to some poor community where the citizens consider the technology to be state-of-the-art. Isn’t that “new found” technology still obsolete? Yes, it is because when spare parts for that donated equipment are needed to maintain it they may not be available and that technology may not be as efficient as the more recent models.

In fact, new technology emerges to do a far better job so the earlier piece of equipment is no longer preferred. It means therefore that the speed at which more improved technology emerges determines the rate at which competing technologies become obsolete. We say that computers generally have a useful life of five years but when new and more efficient ones are made, we quickly dispose what we had as inadequate and purchase new ones. The five year life span becomes irrelevant. We must therefore measure the usefulness of technology using several units of measurements which must include: life span, availability of better models and equipment efficiency among other factors. This will help use to better understand at what point something becomes obsolete. I expect the life span of most technological pieces to shorten considerably.

Staff members are techno-resistant

We considered setting up an EMIS in the Ministry of Education and all schools throught out the country and we realized that many members of staff needed to be trained in computer literacy before they would be able to use the new system. To gain the staff's attention, we had the software vendor come over and demonstrated to the staff members how the EMIS works and everyone was given the opportunity to try the new system. Following the presentation, we had extensive discussions on the benefits of the EMIS and everyone agreed that the new system was very relevant to the new thrust in education.

We organized training for the varioius members and noticed that several leading officers were not attending the sessions. We investigated further and discovered that a number of them were uncomfortable sitting in classroom with the younger staff who "knew" more than them. We needed them to come on board so we had one-to-one training in their own offices, for those officers. It took us longer to start using the EMIS but when we did start, everyone was on board.

People were made to interact

We were made to interact.
From a spiritual stand point, we were made to interact. Christians will say to you that God saw how important it was for man to interact not just with animals and plants but with his equals- hence the reason for Eve and procreation.

Why do most people find it very difficult to sit by someone for a long period and don't say something to that person. Those who accomplish it, do so with great discomfort. Why people end up online chatting with hundreds of people they dont have a clue about? No man is an island. We some times need direction, affection, medical attention, companion. Interaction brings us closer together and helps us support each other while at the same time accomplishing a lot. Scheinkman(2004) says that social interaction is useful for resolving issues and achieving goals.

If one tries to imagine a world where there is little or no interaction between the people, one will discover a world that is truly unbalance and boring. Iacoboni et al (2003) believes that interaction builds this community spirit in people and it helps people identify the line of authority in a system.

Connectivism

I am not sure that the network has changed the way I learn. What has happened is that it has revolutionized the way I access information. The network has shown that my resource base has also expanded as I am connected to many more people and institutions, many of which are in the virtual world. The way my work is being assessed has changed in some respects since my participation in discussions, blogs and other online activities are graded and a mark awarded to me. This new network has put me in contact with many scholars and professionals whose input gives credibility to my work. The network also shows that my access to information is not hindered by geograhic location nor time zone. I have a good contingency system in place in terms of my ICT support system and my financial connection is also good.

The Ipod is my favorite digital tool. It works for me as a mobile secretary since it always keeps me in touch with my courses and learning community. The beauty of the Ipod is that I am not limited to space and time. I am in touch with the university anywhere and all the time. Another advantage of the ipod is that it not cumbersome and it is very light. When I need to relax I can play music on it and if I need to revise I can also listen to my lectures on it. Great tool!

I gain knowledge mainly by posting my questions on discussion for a, blogs, to my colleagues in the learning community, my instructors and the printed pages.

Mind Map of Lawrence Cato