Looking back at how information technology has evolved during the last three decades some general aspects stand out: Devices shrink; all seems computer-related; print is optional; mobile devices are everywhere; and all kinds of data are available through a screen.
Children seem to be born already knowing how to deal with technology. Retrieved from Creative Commons, 2017.
The last point gets this blog started since hardly a day goes by without one looking at a screen. The Guardian’s article about children’s screen time questions initiatives for guidelines to moderate the exposure of children to digital screens (Etchells et al., 2017). The questioning targets the lack of support to sustain the claims of impacts on human behaviour and development upon which the initiatives are based.
Technology has been a tremendous enabler for humankind long enough to the extent that -should the hazards be true, there should be plenty of cases reported on health damages like those claimed by the initiatives’ supporters. In the absence of such evidences I am inclined to think that the alarming arguments should be softened until there is substantiated proof, which coincides with the authors’ position.
Besides, having a career in Information Technology and working in the field for a number of years, should allow me to attest the harmless nature of digital technology. But considering that I first came in contact with mobile devices as a young adult, I do not qualify as a survivor of the perils claimed by the authors’ opponents.
In order to complement my pseudo-late entrance to the mobile device arena, I resort to another article titled “Seven fears and the science of how mobile technologies may be influencing adolescents in the digital age”, George and Odgers (2015) after researching the seven fears of their research concluded: 1. Online mirrors offline; and 2. The individual’s characteristics offline predict the individual’s ventures online.
The combination of the two articles lead me to conclude that, on one hand in order to say that mobile devices are harmful to children scientific proof shall be stated (e.g. neurology studies). And on the other, the characteristics of a person dictate to a great extent what the conduct of the online avatar will be. Which points to the very origin: the family, because it is in the family where the core values of the individual are created and developed.
In sum, taking care of values the family instils them in the child, thus he or she shall become a balanced responsible individual. Granting the neurological studies prove no harm, the child will surpass the mobile devices challenge to further grow into adulthood, and have an exciting and fulfilling life increasingly driven by technology. Make it so.
References
Etchells, P., et al. (2017). Screen time guidelines should be built on evidence, not hype. The Guardian. January 6, 2017.
George, M.J., and Odgers, C.L. (2015). Seven fears and the science of how mobile technologies may be influencing adolescents in the digital age. Perspect Psychol Sci. 2015 Nov; 10(6): 832–851. doi: 10.1177/1745691615596788
Co-written by Jason Keddie, Alfonso MacGregor, Fiona Prince, Klaus Rimke, and Gavin Sturgeon.
Activity 7 of the course LRNT523, Foundations of Learning and Technologies, at Royal Roads University asked students to read articles by Richard E. Clark, and Robert B. Kozma. We were then tasked as a group to find four documents that challenge the analysis presented by either Clark or Kozma and subsequently critique and question the claims made by those authors.
According to the Oxford Dictionary (n.d.), ‘Influence’ is defined as “the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something”. Clark (1994) confidently proclaimed that media will never influence learning since “they are not directly responsible for motivating learning” yet his argument seems to miss the nuance of the meaning of ‘influence’ as the following articles reveal.
Bergeron (2015) asserts that media causes motivation while Clark (1994) contends that media does not cause motivation. Bergeron (2015) begins the overview section of the paper by stating that “the purpose of this paper is to provide a brief overview of how media can be effectively used to motivate” (p. 18). There is a consistent narrative throughout the paper that media are driving improvements in motivation and learning. For example, Bergeron (2015) states that “observation of students’ engagement during the unit of work suggests that the use of media tools…did effectively motivate students” (p. 23). This contrasts with Clark’s (1994) position that “media do not influence learning or motivation” (p. 1). Appropriate use of instructional methods, not media, according to Clark (1994), cause motivation and learning.
Bergeron (2015) also separates media into technical and non-technical categories, defining technical as mostly audio and video while defining non-technical as mostly writings, drawings, or images. According to Bergeron (2015), teachers should familiarize themselves with technical media because it is more effective with today’s learners. Bergeron (2015) does not adequately support the assertion that technical media is superior to non-technical media, and this concept would also contrast with Clark’s (1994) position since Clark believes that media do not influence motivation, which would mean that one form of media cannot influence motivation more than another form of media if neither form of media influences motivation.
Bergeron (2015) focused on the idea that media drives learning and motivation, but to a lesser extent comments on the instructional methods employed with the media. Bergeron (2015) details observing increased motivation and learning with the use of media, but according to Clark these increases in motivation and learning are due to changes in instructional method and not media.
Reading Bergeron’s paper while keeping Clarks assertions in mind, it is easy to see all the instructional methods employed that may be the actual cause of the purported increases in motivation and learning.
In this article, Bennett (2016) outlines three concepts that would improve literacy and earning power of adult learners as discussed at the MIT Media Lab by researchers, adult learning experts, and entrepreneurs. These concepts were: Read Out Loud (literacy improvement), Express Me (mobile learning during commutes), and Citizen Tutoring (provide mentoring opportunities from senior tutors). Each of these concepts incorporates the use of technology media to deliver intuitive and accessible information to adult learners while circumventing barriers of language and time.
By providing an atmosphere of accessibility and inclusivity, the media in Bennett’s article had a profound influential effect on the development of the learner and is in stark contrast to Clark’s argument. For example, Read Out Loud “allows the user to scan any book and view the text in English and any other language side-by-side” (Bennett, 2016) which enabled the parent to read along with their kids; thus, “parents are able to engage in this important part of their children’s education and play the role of teacher, while engaging in learning themselves” (Bennett, 2016). Not only does the children’s literacy improve with this media tool; the adults’ does, too.Improved literacy gives the adult learners additional options to select information integral to employment opportunities and provides “autonomy over improving general skills as well as increasing earning potential” (Bennett, 2016). When a technology provides the motivation to directly impact a person’s ability and desire to learn, develop, and improve their self-worth, that in itself is influence; perhaps Clark will revisit this concept.
In order to explore if the media through which content is delivered to learners influences the outcome, Kao et al. (2016) divided a group of 40 fourth-grade students in two groups, and provided them with the exact same reading material. All students received an e-book; what marked the difference was that one set of books were of low interactivity while the other set was of high interactivity. High interactivity consisted of having three advanced features that responded to the reader: “guidance”, “prompt”, and “feedback”.
The conclusions of the authors point toward the positive effects that interactivity has as a complement to reading material. This finding is supported by other researchers, such as Ciampa, Grant, and Lewin (as cited in Kao et al., 2016) who stated that motivation and engagement in readers are increased with illustrations, animations, and narrations when those features are congruent with the storyline and content of the e-book.
When Clark (1994) wrote that media will never influence learning, did he foresee the invention of the following media and technology, and their use in education? Miller (2017) claims that these seven tech innovations are drastically changing the way people learn because they support experiential learning–learning by doing. In keeping with our team’s focus on ‘influence’, we agree that these innovations do influence learning when thoughtfully included in the instructional design.
3D Printing
3D-printers are now affordable and easy to use right of the box. One application is to introduce learners to the basics of engineering through hands-on, problem-solving activities.
Gamification
Clear in game rules, objectives and competition in video games such as Minecraft (Educational Edition) increase learner engagement in subjects from history to reading comprehension.
Virtual reality
Interactive virtual reality platforms in classes, such as Biology (imagine dissection without the mess), Engineering, and Architecture allow students to learn through simulations and renderings; Google expeditions has made virtual travel a reality bringing the wonders of the world to a much greater audience.
MOOCS
Massive open online courses have increased accessibility to learning, allowing anyone with an internet connection to attend classes, even graduate studies. MOOCS are being used in both online and blended delivery models.
Skype
Even though it is a technology originating in 2003, Skype has become a popular media for connecting learners with teachers and tutors , especially for language learning services.
Big Data and custom learning
Algorithms and data tracking are used to guide the development of blended learning programs and give students the ability to customize their learning experience. This has been proven to reduce the dropout rate and increase comprehension. (Now that’s influence!)
IPads and Chromebooks A popular piece of tech that has and is immersed in the schools allowing teachers to facilitate rather than manage the learning of the students.
Clark may see these technical innovations as tools that could be replaced by other tools and methods; however, we must consider whether other tools and methods would provide the same level of engagement, motivation, and timeliness for learners.
The resource I chose to share with you this time is Adobe Captivate. A disclaimer upfront: Although I have not used the resource, the information I found in the advertising video caught my attention due to the alignment with aspects mentioned in our discussions. Adobe Captivate is a new software that offers leading edge capabilities to deal with: E-learning design, content creation, online learning, interactive learning, soft skills training, application simulations, high definition demos, and assessment modules.
Adobe blocks represent an ancient building material with outstanding characteristics such as its thermal performance as well as its aesthetic appearance. Retrieved from Creative Commons, 2017.
The software is capable of performing tasks like programming and fully-responsive courses, managing a concept Adobe calls Fluid Boxes which allow handling: Objects, texts, videos, images, maps, buttons, shapes and iframes to accommodate any kind of content in any kind of digital device. It also features Typekit integration to access a font library in the cloud to guarantee texts are always displayed adequately, as well as Adobe Stock integration and Asset Store from where to access an immense variety of cut-out images, themes, interactions, scenarios, games and 75,000 free more assets to choose from augmenting the value of what can be obtained through the use of the software.
Adobe Captivate also offers the possibility of clicking a button to Save as Responsive previous presentations and contents, which would be like injecting new life into resources already created with other tools because Adobe claims those old materials would become mobile ready –since I have not used the product I cannot provide details and results of such an experience, but it sounds really interesting. So far the impression I get from what Adobe says, their newly released product honours its name for it actually seems to have many, if not all the components we have been talking about in our classes and discussions. In case Adobe Captivate fulfils its promise as easy as it claims taking just minutes, several people in the cohort including me will be adobe-captivated.
For Activity 6 we decided to look at bicycle manufacturing, particularly, producing bike frames from natural materials, bamboo and wood. Since we are both avid bike enthusiasts, this seemed like the perfect topic to pursue. For this activity, we both shared in researching bike frame design and manufacturing information and chose to split our writing on the topic between wooden (Keith) and bamboo (Alfonso).
Riding bicycles and building them are two very different things. While riding the bicycle is all about enjoying the ride or getting the most out of it for transport, amusement, and competition; manufacturing a bicycle requires paying attention to specifications, and being aware that any error may spoil the final experience or in the worst case, be a safety hazard. This knowledge makes building a bicycle a more serious undertaking than simply riding one.
In initial attempts at building bicycles, wood was used as the main component. In Germany on June 12, 1817, Karl Drais invented the precursor to the bicycle, later named “The Draisine” (see Figure 1), he was able to travel 8 miles in less than an hour. Its appearance somewhat resembles the bicycle as we know it today (Hadland and Lessing, 2014) although the Draisine was propelled by the rider placing their feet on the ground.
Figure 1. Draisine by Karl Drais
It wasn’t until November of 1866 that the pedals first appeared on rudimentary bikes, but they were attached to the front wheel as per the patented design of French US immigrant Pierre Lallement (Hadland and Lessing, 2014). Even though those early designs incorporated some metal parts, the frames were made of wood. These became known as “Velocipedes” (see Figure 2).
Figure 2. Velocipede by Pierre Lallement
WOODEN BIKES:
There is plenty of information online about bikes and their history, design, and manufacturing. There is also an interesting trend, or counter trend depending on how you think about it, of wood bicycle frame and even wheel manufacturing. Since the first bikes, or precursors of bikes, rolled out of craftsman inventors shops in North America and Europe, there has been a steady progression in design and manufacturing that make use of every more exotic materials and manufacturing processes often with the goal of cost reduction, uniformity of product, and mass sales. However the return to wood being used for frame construction, we find bikes, at least some of them, have come full circle.
On YouTube there are quite a lot of videos available documenting the recent rise in wooden bicycles, though I could not find any that were purely instructional in nature. I did however find interviews with the creators of these modern marvels of old tech. If one watches closely, many hints as to how modern wooden bicycles are made can be gleaned from the interviews and tours of shops. What I learned in particular is that in order to manufacture frames using wood, you can’t simply cut designed from solid pieces of wood, the frames have to be built using laminates of various grains and types of wood. The reason for this is because wood is highly variable in its qualities even within the same species. In order to build a well functioning wooden bike frame, the various grains of wood and properties of strength must be considered in order to create a bike frame that is laterally strong and able to bear the load of the rider efficiently.
In the videos we see that the manufacturing of modern wooden bicycles requires both the tools of old and new manufacturing techniques and products. In order to design and build a wooden frame, craftsman must devote considerable time and effort to the laminating and shaping of their frame designs. This process can be greatly sped up using CNC technology and power tools, but the final finishing touches, the work that makes frames beautiful, must be done by hand using tools we’ve developed for woodworking over the centuries. The one invention of just the past decade or so has been the improvements in glue technology, a key ingredient when laminating wood. Without this improvement perhaps wooden bikes would still be a relic of the past.
In order to build a wooden framed bike, one must have lots of knowledge of bike frame design. The internet does provide some handy info on bike frame designs, chiefly from high end bike bike companies that share plans and schematics of the frames they produce. Such things as tube lengths, head angles, stand over height, wheelbase, etc., is readily available on their websites. However, one could simply copy the geometry of any standard steel, aluminum, or carbon framed bike they currently own.
When it comes to working with wood however, the abundant information related to bikes online is insufficient. In order to work with wood, to choose the right types, to select the right grains, and ultimately produce a thing of beauty, anyone wishing to build their own wooden bike must have hands-on experience with and an artist’s understanding of wood and its properties. In one video, Ken Wheeler (2012), the owner of Renovo tells the story of failed hires saying that first he hired cabinet makers to work for him, but they could not produce the frames and in the end he had to hire artists to do the frame finishing procedures. One step in frame design that I found interesting and potentially the most difficult to achieve was that frames are hollowed out. This in itself may not seem like a daunting task, but given the effect thickness has on tube strength, lots of trial and error would likely have to go into getting this step right.
I have been involved in the biking industry for years, from building bikes from parts at a pro shop in Germany, redesigning a component on Rockshox forks, to designing mountain bike parks in China. When it comes to bikes, I practically live through them. I have also tried my hand at frame design and am an avid enthusiast of frame design evolution over the years. Still, this background is not enough for me to make use of the information available online. The construction of wooden bikes is simply too much of an art, years of learning, and craftsmanship. However, I grew up around wooden boat builders and come from 4 generations of wooden fishing and sail boat manufacture. Though I am no boat builder, I do have quite a bit of knowledge taught to me by my father and grandfather in regards to manufacturing with wood, and I am familiar with many wood working tools. My brother builds model airplanes and has an engineering business and has in his possession a CNC machine. Were I to embark upon building my own wooden bike, I am sure I could make use of my prior knowledge of bicycles and wood, skills working with wood, and my brother’s high tech equipment.
In regards to teaching other how to design a frame, I believe the internet offers plenty of useful information. As far as constructing wooden bike frames, I believe the internet wouldn’t be so useful. There are just too many steps in the process and too many considerations involved to adequately teach anyone using online resources. In addition, in order to build a wooden bike, prospective builders must understand wood. I think anyone who currently builds musical instruments from wood, builds airplanes from wood, or builds boats from wood and can ride a bike could set out to make their own bike if they used the information available online… and had a 1000 hours to spend on their first one (Thompson, 2015).
BAMBOO BIKES:
The information on bamboo bicycles in the Internet is also plentiful, and although the work to build a bamboo bicycle might require some tools the degree of sophistication does not compare to what we see in the case of the wooden bicycle frame. To begin with, bamboo has some natural advantages over wood from the raw materials standpoint. Since wood comes in logs or sheets the parts to build the frame need to be laminated, composed, and hollowed, while bamboo already comes in tubular hollow canes from the bamboo trees requiring only to be selected by dimensions and appearance.
The video tutorials available range from home-made do-it-yourself versions to tutorials filmed during workshops that guide the learner through the process. Provided that you have a garage or similar space at hand that can be used as a workshop, there still might be some set-up required in order to start working. Some usual tools of the sort anyone has would be handy but there are a few tools and materials that would have to come from the hardware store because improvisation is not recommended; for instance, the joints of the bamboo canes with the other parts like the headset tube, seat-post tube, the bottom bracket sleeve, and the dropouts need to be cut and filed at an angle to meet properly with the rest of the frame thus not just any saw or drill bit will do… and then there is the epoxy resin that is required to mix with carbon fibre, hemp, fiberglass, or a similar material that will provide extra strength needed to hold the joints of the frame (Nyampong, 2013).
If available, Kevin Braddock (2011) suggests the reutilisation of the parts of the frame mentioned above from another bicycle. In such a case, and assuming the geometry of the previous frame is adequate, it shall be traced on a wood board to use as template. Each piece that will be reused shall be secured in place to the board with a jig. Then cut the tubes apart, and clean the paintwork with a wire brush.
Nonetheless in contrast with wood, bamboo canes (or tubes) do not require to be laminated nor hollowed since its natural shape already serves the needs of the bicycle frame. Instead they require a preservation treatment on the inner side of the bamboo which is much simpler than hollowing the laminated pieces that would form the wood frame. That said, in addition to being a ubiquitous material, bamboo makes this option a feasible solution for any community, particularly in underdeveloped countries that lack transport infrastructure. Such has been the case in Ghana and Congo, besides other countries (Calfee, 2016).
We believe that the information available from the Internet can help a person with some basic familiarity working with tools and intermediate knowledge on bicycles to build their own bamboo frame. It might be necessary to go over the videos more than once in order to make sure the key points are clear, and that is one of the great advantages of having the tutorials online 24/7.
Facilitating the learning to others can be done with the information we found online. Some videos are more detailed than others, so pre-selecting the support material would be a must. Craig Calfee (2016), who also offers do-it-yourself kits, and Container Collective Yoga and Bikes (2017) are just two examples of the courses offering available in the web.
Container Collective Yoga and Bikes, 2017. Building a bamboo bike. Posted by: Container Collective Yoga and Bikes. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuNpt57kCI8
Wheeler, K., 2012. Why hand-crafted, high-tech wooden bikes give a better ride. Posted by: Karen Dirksen on June 11, 2012. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBC7NEJwZ5U
Basic needs offer good opportunities for young students to learn by doing, and acquire practical skills to use on a daily basis. Retrieved from Creative Commons, 2017.
Part I
Behaviourism, Cognitivism, Constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective.
Having had the opportunity to teach grade levels ranging from Pre-Kindergarten to Graduate School, over a large period of time, although some were part-time jobs the exposure still allows me to state that I lived different learning experiences according to the age groups of my students. Of the span of grades I taught, the more recent ones were Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten. Besides being these the freshest memories I have, they were also the most rewarding of all so I will concentrate on these grades to do my reflective writing on the topic.
Teaching is a profession that includes structure on one hand, while on the other requires the teacher to be flexible and adaptable in order to effectively reach all the learners. No two students are identical thus what works well for some may not do so for the rest, and that gives way to the concept of differentiated instruction. Differentiated instruction welcomes all the learning theories, and it is the teacher’s role to decide which characteristics apply in every situation and every case so that the best match is achieved for the students and the lesson. I must add that differentiated instruction in pre-school grades is a tremendous challenge. The reason is the short attention span the little learners have, which makes the length of any activity rather short thus requiring a lot of materials handy and content ready.
The constructivist approach is a favourite for the opening lessons in pre-school grades because the hands-on activities are naturally appealing to the little learners. As the school year progresses the learners’ profiles shall enable the teacher to diagnose, as Ertmer and Newby stated (2013), which learning theory to resort to in order to convey the content in the most accessible manner for the students to learn it successfully.
Nonetheless, an example in which behaviourism is fundamental is having the little learners understand and practice the basic discipline rules and routines at the beginning of the school year, since those will be enforced day in and day out. These rules and routines involve actions and conducts the students are expected to perform. The teacher models them out for the class, and then has the learners rehearse them.
Cognitivism comes into play mainly whenever the lesson has a moment for H.O.T. (higher order thinking) questions. That segment allows the students to explore the extent of their knowledge by trying to answer questions that probe their understanding of what has been covered, as well as questions that stretch their learnings to their Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development (Pappas, 2014). The teacher thus identifies what the learners, although they do not know that content yet, are cognitively ready to learn.
As can be noticed the three learning theories play a role in the dynamics and mechanics of the pre-school classrooms, making this matter similar to applying situational leadership in a corporation. Depending on what is needed on the spot the manager –or teacher in this case, would turn to the appropriate resource to make the most out of the moment.
Part II
First Principles of Instruction
First principles (Merrill, 2002), also called basic methods (Reigeluth, 1999), constitute the foundations for instruction regardless of the learning theories being applied. These foundations can be summarised as: engagement [show task]; activation [previous experience]; demonstration [show me]; application [let me]; and integration [transfer]. The five first principles can be aligned positively with the learning theory of constructivism in the pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten classrooms as described below.
Curiosity is an excellent resource to foster engagement amongst little learners. The moment the teacher announces the students that a “problem” is about to be presented to them their attention peaks. This is the show task principle at its best, and from there the challenge is for the teacher to keep the students’ interest in what the next step will be.
Once the “problem” has been introduced the next thing is ask the class for suggestions to solve the “problem”. That way the learners will dig in their minds to find answers, and their proposals shall come from their previous experiences which is what the teacher wants to activate in the young students. An important aspect to bear in mind is that, similar to brainstorming, for any answer that does not work the label “wrong” must not be used, instead it should be addressed from a positive perspective as “it can be improved”. A suggestion that does not work is always preferable to not suggesting anything at all.
An excellent example to work with is a cooking recipe. Something as simple as preparing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich might do. It is highly probable that all the students are familiar with what a recipe is, and also what a PB&J sandwich is and how it tastes like. For a lot more fun the ingredients can be brought to the classroom and actually prepare the recipe. There will be some enjoyable tasting and, most importantly, lasting memories. [Warning: In case of allergic students make sure they only get jelly in their sandwich, and still have their share of fun.]
When a suggestion is tested the trial serves as a demonstration for the class. If the suggestion works the learning has a double benefit: the “problem” is solved, and the student that came up with the answer increases the sense of ownership. Even if the solution has to be provided by the teacher, the students had their opportunity to suggest which, to some extent, also makes them feel included in the exercise. If the recipe example is used the “problem” might be lacking or running out of jelly, and the learners would have to propose something else to put in the sandwich instead. It might be wise and fun to have another jar of a different flavour jelly hidden.
Next, in order to grasp the knowledge each student has the chance to try and solve the same “problem” or another problem that is similar, so that all get to see that the mechanics of the lesson actually work. Having the students preparing their sandwiches would turn the class into a cooking lab, and that would add purpose from a practical standpoint.
The last but not the least important of the principles is the transfer of what has been learned to daily situations the learners might encounter. The transfer could take place at home if the student is given the chance to prepare a sandwich with a parent or tutor supervising. Next day, sharing the experiences in class shall be enriching and fun, and one more reason to remember what has been learned.
Pappas, C., (2014). Instructional Design Models and Theories: The Sociocultural Learning Theory.eLearning Industry. Retrieved from: https://elearningindustry.com/sociocultural-learning-theory
Peanut butter and jelly sandwich image retrieved from Creative Commons website: http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1607178/images/n-PEANUT-BUTTER-AND-JELLY-628×314.jpg
Reigeluth, C.M., (1999). Instructional design theories and models: A new paradigm of instructional theory (Vol. II). ETR&D, 50(3), Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
This article includes a timeline describing the beginnings of the typewriter, why its keyboard is organised as we know it, and some of the impacts this technology has had on today’s lifestyle. Click on the “timeline” title to display the chart.
It is interesting to note that today most people use typewriting skills without formal training. Additionally, the common ways people have to type -or text, which is now used as a verb- widely deviate from the traditional typewriting guidelines and best practices. According to White (1935) university professors urged secondary schools in the 1930s to have students trained in typewriting since that skill favored better grades besides the neatness typewritten papers convey, and because typewriters were proliferating in the work market at that time.
Nonetheless, “texting” could be considered a different skill than typewriting due to several reasons. First, the keyboard of handheld digital devices, although sporting the Qwerty layout shown in the timeline above like the regular keyboards of office equipment -computers nowadays instead of typewriters- does not provide the usual ergonomic conditions for the typewriting activity. Texting is generally performed with movements of the fingers while typewriting frequently involves the whole hand, and sometimes the forearm. Second, texting is used to produce digitally written informal communication, while typewriting can also produce formal digital and printed documents. And last but not least, texting promotes the use of symbols and acronyms as part of daily language which, in time, might erode the form of a language.
Will typewriting become again a matter of training? What would be the benefits of such venture? Regardless of the answers one thing is for sure, technology will continue to drive and shape the change.
References
White, B., (1935). Typewriting as a Factor in College Success. The School Review, 43(5), 374-378. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.royalroads.ca/stable/1080273
With the resulting map of my use of technology the following strategy is outlined to improve several aspects that shall contribute to: a) Utilize more thoroughly the few digital resources I currently know; b) Identify the ones that represent useful additions to my repertoire, and get to know and learn the new acquisitions; c) Gradually become a contributor to the web space; d) Expand the network of contacts; f) All of the aforementioned will allow me to develop my digital identity which includes the challenge of maintaining it since building a better presence should be an on-going task.
Action plan regarding current resources
Personal E-mail (Outlook & Gmail) / level: basic. There might be some functionality that I do not know because it has not been necessary to do more than the regular send and receive messages, at the most with files attached, but no more than that.
Improvement target: Identify functionality that I have not used, and learn how to get the most out of it.
Side-effect: Much needed attention to declutter both mailboxes.
Skype/ level: basic. Similar to the e-mail, I have stayed at the basic service level. I must note that I frequently used Skype to call before WhatsApp appeared.
Improvement target: Review its functionality to assess its value.
Side-effect: Might remain as a secondary tool.
Progress measure: Decision on keep/delete.
WhatsApp / level: intermediate. No action necessary.
LinkedIn / level: basic. There is an interesting growth in this tool since currently I am not following people nor organisations, and I am not publishing content. Besides, there are people I need to add to my contact network.
Improvement target: Select individuals and organisations to follow. Publish content, and add contacts to network.
Progress measure: 612 contacts; following zero; publishing zero.
Google / level: basic. It is the first option of browser I always use.
Improvement target: Investigate what else is there in Google to use it more than as a browser.
Progress measure: To be discovered.
YouTube / level: basic. Currently I use it to watch videos and listen to music. I need to find out and learn the other things that can be done with YouTube.
Improvement target: Identify and learn other uses of YouTube.
Progress measure: To be discovered.
Action plan regarding resources tools added recently
Moodle / level: basic. The daily use of the tool allows me to know more about its features, and gradually practice makes me work more at ease with Moodle.
Improvement target: Access the information I need more directly.
Progress measure: Reduce time spent in finding the required information.
WordPress / level: basic. The daily use of the tool allows me to know more about its features, and the practice increases the benefits I get from WordPress.
Improvement target: Cultivate my digital presence with this blog.
Progress measure: Publish content that motivates others to participate.
Mendeley / level: beginner. I must use the tutorials to start utilizing it.
Improvement target: Get it going.
Progress measure: Once I get started, the more references I register in it the greater the benefit I might obtain from it. Current references: zero.
Action plan regarding resources I do not have
FaceBook / level: none. Evaluate and decide the best way to configure my profile so it corresponds to the levels of privacy and security that make me feel confident.
Improvement target: Get it going.
Progress measure: Learn how to use it and develop my digital presence.
Twitter / level: none. Get it installed, and start using it.
Improvement target: Get it going.
Progress measure: Learn how to use it and develop my digital presence.
Your comments and suggestions will be appreciated. Thank you.
There is more to copyright than just the word. Image retrieved from Creative Commons, 2017.
Property can be public or private. When public everybody can access the property and use it, and when private the access or use is restricted, protected, or controlled. Depending on the nature of the private property the means of protection vary. Some physical properties can be secured with locks and chains, while others can be monitored by electronic devices to protect them. Intellectual property requires a different kind of protection, and that is where the copyright concept fits in as De Freitas (1989) described it:
The copyright system has by now become an essential component of the infrastructure of modern society, enabling creative people and those who are engaged in the business of disseminating their works, by their creative talents on the one hand and by entrepreneurial skills on the other, to earn a living for themselves, free from dependence upon patronage. (p. 69)
This copyright system promotes the creation of work by their authors by providing them a way to remain in control of their pieces, being these: books, articles, paintings, songs, photographs, videos and movies, graphic designs, names and brands, slogans, physical designs, and so forth. In Canada, copyright protection comes into action the moment a work is created (Harris, 2013).
References
Creative Commons picture retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/
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The question was: What was your motivation for doing these studies on female online harassment? And Dr. George Veletsianos acknowledged by replying he had heard personal accounts from colleagues, and there had been several instances in the news during the last two years referring, for instance, to the Gamergate (Lees, 2014).
Similar to the article on Gamergate, at the UBC conference “Representation in Gaming and Technology: The only winning move is to play” (Kinnunen, 2016), Kayla Kinnunen shared her experiences playing MMOs, or massive multi-player online video games. It was very interesting as well as stunning to hear about other players’ behaviours. Kayla is no ordinary player since she has a career in the industry, and at the time of the conference she was Game Director at Roadhouse Interactive. When playing, one chooses the character as male or female which does not affect the on folding of the game. So there is nothing wrong if a man playing chooses to play with a female character or, supposedly, vice versa.
The most relevant fact was the immediate change of behaviour of other players she not only perceived but even felt the moment they knew Kayla was actually a woman, and they learned that because Kayla told them so. Instantly, from being amiable opponents who valued her playing skills, they turned into extremely aggressive and mean enemies to the point where leaving the game was the only way to end the attack. I found the link related to the Gamergate Dr. Veletsianos mentions to be totally aligned with the social phenomenon Kayla referred in her conference.
References
Kinnunen, K. (2016, January). Representation in Gaming and Technology: The only winning move is to play. Conference presented at the University of British Columbia. Vancouver. BC.
Lees, M. (2014). What Gamergate should have taught us about the ‘alt-right’. The Guardian. December, 2014. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/dec/01/gamergate-alt-right-hate-trump
The structure set for the content of the symposium consisted of three tracks. The first one is named The Lay of the Land Track, and covered digital learning environments, networks, and communities, and featured sessions by professionals, experts and academics. The second track, Work in Digital Learning – Stories from the Field Track included professionals of digital learning. And the third one included presentations by near-to-completion students and is called End in Mind Track focusing on content and process, allowing the new-to-program students to have a feel of what is to come lighting up pathways that otherwise might remain unnoticed.
The lay of the land track
In his topic Intentional Messiness of Online Communities, Cormier, D. (2017) explained how the learning ecosystem is formed. On a Cartesian plain the left side of the x axis points toward work alone, while the right side aims to work with others; the upper side of the y axis points to open action, and the opposite side aims to directed action. The first quadrant, between work alone and open action is considered as the starting point of all other possibilities, and represents the consumption of a resource [answer a question]; from there the progression can go downwards to the second quadrant between work alone and directed action, e.g. participate in a course [introduction to a field]. Or it can go to the third quadrant on the right between open action and work with others, e.g. participate in Rhizomatic learning [exploration of a field]. The progression can also go from the second to the third quadrant, and from either can go to the fourth quadrant between work with others and directed action, e.g. mentor new learners [support others]. Rhizomatic learning consists of thinking that what is learned can expand in several directions similar to the rhizomes of a plant leading the learner to further learn more about the same and other aspects. It is that continuation resulting from the openness which increases the participative collaboration, and such tendency shall flourish as long as society understands that “the key is the understanding of the collective needs” (Cronin, 2017). “Openness is changing schemes in every field” (Cronin, 2017), and the Canadian Forces are not the exception as per the Future Navy Training Systems Strategy that Legassie, R. (2017), Lieutenant Coronel, presented and commented on the changes in the management systems, the upgrade of the fleet, and the way communication must occur to be expedite and punctual: how, what, to whom, and so forth. Amongst the biggest changes Legassie mentioned are regarding synthetic learning, simulation, flexible learning spaces [ubiquitous learning], and the flipped classroom concept which consists in everyone teaching the content as opposed to the PowerPoint lectures, a modality followed by the so-called PPT rangers, the old-guard instructors. The validation of the learning is performed in various ways: via the learners’ superiors, through observation, and through reports. The following sentence summarizes the change perfectly: “Teach with technology and through technology instead of teaching about technology” (Legassie, 2017), and he added: “This would be a much better use of tax-payers’ money.” On closing his topic he stressed that openness is being utilized always subject to security restrictions. Now, considering a community other than the military, Roland vanOostveen presented the topic Development of a Fully Online Learning Community model, and just like Cormier, he also turned to a Cartesian plain to describe his model simplifying the reference using the cardinal points of a compass to guide us through the model. On the north are specified tasks, on the south open-ended strategies, on the east learner-managed, and on the west teacher-controlled; the northwest represents instructor-led often text-based instructions, the east contains content controlled by the instructor while learner-controlled learning [e.g. case-based learning], the southwest represents resource-and-discussion-based instructor-mediated learning, and the southeast is self-directed and collaborative learning. The latter being the desired path to follow.
Work in digital learning – stories from the field track
Technology is, besides an on-going innovative ingredient, a key feature to maximize the students’ learning outcome of the School of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. In his presentation titled Leading Instructional Designers, Gary Rosborough (2017) referred to the use of simulators and mannequins as part of the instruction contributing to real-life situations for the students to practice. In order to achieve as much realism as possible professional actresses and actors playing the role of patients are interviewed by the learners, and later become the virtual patients represented by simulators and dummies. “Simulation of a virtual patient’s death is included from the third year of studies once the student has had clinical exposure to such events, before it would be traumatizing for the learner” (Rosborough, 2017). Technology also serves to revamp programs, such as the project presented by Carolyn Levy (2017) for which she titled her session Higher Education in Flux—what’s an Instructional Designer to do. The use of open technology helped both to redesign more than one hundred programs, and to work with 23 teams on site and remotely to achieve the goal of raising the success rate from 84% to the 95% range. “Two tools that have been extensively utilized amongst the teams are Padlet and Google Docs” (Levy, 2017). The project is in progress and it is scheduled to last three years in total. And speaking of periods of time, the concept of openness is not necessarily a novelty since for almost one hundred years Open School BC has been operating. Riddel (2017) commented that the foundations for their educational model stem from the analyze-design-develop-implement-evaluate model (ADDIE) and the successive approximation model (SAM) which are supported by Vygotsky’s theory of proximal development. Vygotsky’s theory sustains that the learner will always strive to go beyond the cognitive boundary set by conventional instruction. Open School BC is not funded, it recovers its costs through the sales of products and services provided by the people at Open School BC. As old as Open School BC might seem its openness make it fit for today’s challenge, and eLearning is one just as Vivian Frossman (2017) mentioned during her session: “eLearning is everywhere and in many different ways” (Frossman, 2017). Elaborating further she predicts: “the future is cloud-based computing” (Forssman, 2017). Thus it would be no surprise to have cloud-based instruction as well. She also discussed that Royal Roads University has been preparing its faculty to teach in an online community, and stressed how important it is to always be protected while in the open. Her peek into the future is that in ten years from now or less the use of virtual reality in education will thrive, digital media will proliferate, simulation will be commonplace, and the old way will continue to be challenged.
End in Mind Track
It might come naturally for students nearing the final stage of the MALAT program but for starters it might as well be shocking. After this track’s presentations it starts to make sense because the picture is now complete. The MALAT program is geared by technology thus since the beginning the learners encounter technological challenges or familiarities depending on the background of each case. In his session Keith Webster shared a small sample of what is to come. Webster (2017) described superficially what Feedly and WordPress are, and the importance each one has for the program. Moreover, the characteristics of these resources shall make a big difference provided the student takes full advantage of their features. And then there are the presentations by the near-to complete students which allow those new onboard to have a glimpse of what they will be doing in two year. Lillian Chumbley is researching on the Impact of Online Learning Development Strategies on Persons with Cognitive Challenges which is centred on individuals diagnosed with the fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Listening to her was revealing because one can sense the enthusiasm that drives her into researching deeper and deeper. After the struggles she shared she comes to the final recommendation: “Trust in the methodology” (Chumbley, 2017). Yet another near-to-complete student contributed with a presentation on Simulation Training for Police Officers dealing with Persons in Crisis (PIC). Yvonne Armstrong explained the situations and consequences there can be, and at any moment a police officer must intervene in such a case. To make things worse someone suffering that sort of condition is usually afraid of the police, thus things usually unfold negatively (Armstrong, 2017). Among the resources being used to train police personnel are simulations, and Armstrong pointed out that those simulations shall avoid failure because failure sticks strongly to long-time memory, which causes the opposite effect than the training. Valuable recommendations to the new-to-program: trust yourself, trust the process, trust the program, and be selfish with your time (Armstrong, 2017). And last but not least, Elizabeth Childs presented the MALAT Exit Pathways: options and process. There is a great benefit in getting the mind early started in identifying any idea or initiative that might be a viable matter for further research. Childs (2017) explained that there are three pathways to exit the MALAT program: thesis, research paper, and digital learning consult project, all of which focus on positive outcomes for the individual, Royal Roads University, and the community.
References
Armstrong, Y. (2017, April). Police Training and Persons in Crisis. Paper presented in the Virtual Symposium of the 2017 MALAT Program at Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC, Canada.
Childs, E. (2017, April). MALAT Exit Pathways. Paper presented in the Virtual Symposium of the 2017 MALAT Program at Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC, Canada.
Chumbley, L. (2017, April). The Impact of Online Learning Development Strategies on Persons with Cognitive Challenges. Paper presented in the Virtual Symposium of the 2017 MALAT Program at Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC, Canada.
Cormier, D. (2017, April). Intentional Messiness of Online Communities. Paper presented in the Virtual Symposium of the 2017 MALAT Program at Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC, Canada.
Cronin, C. (2017, April). Choose Open. Paper presented in the Virtual Symposium of the 2017 MALAT Program at Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC, Canada.
Forssman, V. (2017, April). Centre for Teaching of Education and Technology. Paper presented in the Virtual Symposium of the 2017 MALAT Program at Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC, Canada.
Legassie, R. (2017, April). Future Naval Training Systems Strategy. Paper presented in the Virtual Symposium of the 2017 MALAT Program at Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC, Canada.
Levy, C. (2017, April). Higher Education in Flux: what’s an instructional designer to do. Paper presented in the Virtual Symposium of the 2017 MALAT Program at Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC, Canada.
Riddel, J. (2017, April). Open School BC. Paper presented in the Virtual Symposium of the 2017 MALAT Program at Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC, Canada.
Rosborough, G. (2017, April). Leading Instructional Designers. Paper presented in the Virtual Symposium of the 2017 MALAT Program at Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC, Canada.
vanOostveen, R. (2017, April). Fully Online Learning Community Model. Paper presented in the Virtual Symposium of the 2017 MALAT Program at Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC, Canada.
Webster, K. (2017, April). WordPress & Feedly. Paper presented in the Virtual Symposium of the 2017 MALAT Program at Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC, Canada.
