Month: September 2018

“Soccer Ball in a Yard” by Ryan is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

LRNT523 Unit 2 Activity 6

“Google CEO Eric Schmidt claims that society produces more information in two days than was created from the beginning of human history until 2003” (Weller, 2011, p. 234).

As we set out to accomplish Activity 6, and investigate the abundance of information on a topic, we first had to decide on something we felt we can learn more about, had little knowledge of, and gain new perspectives on. We started to talk about our different hobbies, and soccer was quickly part of our mainstream conversation. As current (Dorothy) and past (Amanda) soccer players, we were both familiar with the iconic soccer ball, but knew little about the ball’s history. This lead us on our google adventure of the soccer ball. As we knew there would be an inordinate amount of information we narrowed our curiosity to, why does the soccer ball look the way it does? Focusing on the tradition black and white hexagonal/pentagonal pattern, and what has caused it to change throughout the years?

Our Findings

• Soccer balls has evolved from humble beginnings, “inflated pigs bladders wrapper in leather” (Biggs, n.d., para 1.). Through the years, the science of the material has improved. The leather and rubber have been perfected to allow for better ball play, and product lifespan.
• Updates to the soccer ball were made due to the leather becoming waterlogged during games. The added weight caused head and neck injuries when players headed the ball (Rigsby, n.d.). These injuries have now been linked to dementia in previous players (Bazian, 2017).
• The iconic black and white pattern was done so the ball could be more visible on television and so that players could more easily track its curve. (Biggs, n.d.; Rigsby, n.d)
• The pattern of 20 hexagons and 12 pentagons makes of a buckminster or buckyball- a truncated icosahedron pattern. It was used as it is the closet to a true sphere that they could create with sewn leather. It first appeared in the 1950s (Rigsby, n.d.).

Our confidence on whether abundant content around our topic exists to enable us to learn about it.

• We are confident that there is an abundant amount of content on the topic. This is due to not just the volume of content, but the diversity of who is publishing the content. This confirms one of Weller’s (2011) assumptions that “content is abundant” (p. 230) due to easy sharing platforms, such as blogs, personal websites, and social media.
• It is important to remember that the soccer ball belongs to a global market and industry that has been commoditized selling us this product. With so many global companies competing in the space of soccer our research spun out of control and took us through detours of pro vs cons of other products.
• Abundance also comes from the fact soccer is a universal world sport, a common sport that women, men and children play.  It is a part of the many lives due to affordability. There are 211 countries that have a national soccer team, players that are famous and fans that idolize and buy all the memorabilia.  Alongside soccer games having a dedicated TSN channel, universities offer soccer scholarships. This almost hinders our ability to learn as the abundance of information does not always make our task of learning easier (Weller, 2011).
• Weller points out that “when goods become digital and available online then scarcity disappears” (2011, p. 224) as it is the case since soccer balls can be customized with any color and graphic and ordered online 24/7 through soccer websites and online stores like Nike and Adidas.
  

Is abundant content enough?

• No, we need to make sure that we have “developed teaching and learning approaches to make best use of it” (Weller, 2011, p. 228).  There has to be distilling and curation of the content to ensure is understood and applied appropriately.
• Often just because there is a lot of information out there it does not mean that the information is valid. It is important to check your sources and consider who is behind the information. The evidence and authority of your sources are essential to ensure accuracy and be supported.
• Sometimes there is so much that you actually don’t get to what you are looking for, as it is masked with some many layers you can easily lose what you were really trying to scaffold and uncover. Kind of like losing your eye on the prize!
• When there is an abundance of content it may be too much, creating a feeling of overwhelming and less clarity. With so much content you can find more sources that sound different, leading to misinterpretation or contradictions.  As Weller points out, “It could be argued that with everyone able to publish content in a web 2.0 world, then the ‘dangers’ inherent in constructivism become more pronounced, as the proliferation of conspiracy theories might attest. However, given that this is the environment everyone has to operate within, the ability to construct appropriate and rigorous knowledge from a range of sources is even more relevant” (2011, p. 229).

What do you need to be equipped with to make use of the abundant content that we discovered?

• Research skills, students need to be able to narrow down the results when searching for specific information.
• Time management and focus to be able to distill and weed out poor sourced and evidenced information.  Using certain sites, resources and sources that are recognized and suggested over others.Find information that has valid evidence that supports your findings and possible conclusions.
• Content management skills where you can break apart and compartmentalize information in to sub-topics and groupings. Furthermore, being able to “see connection between fields, ideas, and concepts” (Weller, 2011, p. 232).
• Technology such as having a mobile device or computer, and the internet, opens up the world to this information. It also allows us to search for information find out who is behind the publications. To be able to learn with all the abundance of information out there, you first must have access to it.

What ways can we make use of this content as instructors or learners?

• To educate players about the sport’s history and some of the reasons why the ball differs. This knowledge can be translated to their game; for example, how it  the ball may react differently on turf vs grass, why it spins and curves when they are taking a shot, and why it grips the way it does when they do a throw. This can help players connect the why with the what, as connectivism suggests this helps nurture to facilitate continual learning (Weller, 2011) and furthermore the opportunity to share that knowledge with others.
• To satisfy and engage in curiosity, for instance we are now wondering how the new balls that are being created would be traced on a black and white televisions, and how certain weather conditions impact the physical aspects of the ball, such as in extremely hot, cold, or rainy conditions. Does it make a difference in the physical aspects of the soccer ball, or if there are environmentally friendly balls?
• To reference as an example of how history and influential societal changes and makes an impact; for instance once soccer became televised the ball had to be changed to make it more visible. This has brought people together from all parts of the world during world cup and how massive global companies started to capitalize on selling the product for profit and sponsorship.  It provides meaning, context and a story behind something as simple as a soccer ball.
• To gain knowledge and insights, to improving skills, knowledge, and abilities as a soccer player.  As technology continues to advance at a rapid speed there are virtual reality rooms that you can virtually kick a soccer ball at a screen which looks like a net and see if you hit certain targets and score goals against a virtual goalie.

References

Bazian. (2017). Heading footballs ‘linked to brain damage in professional players’. Retrieved from https://www.nhs.uk/news/neurology/heading-footballs-linked-to-brain-damage-in-professional-players/

Biggs, S. (n.d.) WHY ARE SOCCER BALLS MADE OF HEXAGONS? Retrieved from https://livewell.jillianmichaels.com/soccer-balls-made-hexagons-4225.html

Rigsby, B. (n.d.) The History of the Soccer Ball. Retrieved from http://soccerballworld.com/History.htm

Weller, Martin (2011). A pedagogy of abundance. Spanish Journal of Pedagogy, 249 pp. 223–236.

LRNT523 Unit 2 Activity 5

As I took a dive in to the readings of activity 5, instantaneously I began to converge what was being read to what was already hard wired in my brain.  The three learning theories; behaviorism, cognitivism and constructivism had me rapid firing several thoughts and questions that seemed to naturally have a connection and interplay with these three theories. 

Behaviorism is about what the learner’s response is to a stimulus and what they do; observable and measurable, where cognitivism is about the learner processing new information and how they organize and connect it with existing information, and finally constructivism is about the interpretation of new information and the meaning and application learners make to their own realities.

I was convinced some of the following variables listed below would help guide what theory was best suited, since I’m convinced one wasn’t necessarily better than the other and perhaps a combination of all three would better serve a more holistic learning approach for the end user. 

As I reflect on my own approaches to designing, developing and implementing learning solutions many of the choices made for good instructional design are based on several considerations below and by no means is this an exhaustive list:

• Is the learner a novice or an expert?
• Is the content simple or complex?
• Is what’s being taught concrete or abstract?
• What is the domain of learning?
• What is the classification of learning objectives based on Blooms Taxonomy?
• Does the learner come with a depth and breadth of experience and tenure?
• What demographics & diversity come in to play (gender, age, location, culture, ethnicity, position)?
• What is their educational background?
• Is there a preferred modality (technological limitations)?
• Currency of time and cost?
• Is there an assumed baseline of knowledge / pre-requisite?
• Is there specific industry risks and regulations?
• Is there an alignment to any competencies?
• What is the level of expertise of facilitator / teacher?

LRNT523 Unit 1 Activity 2

Education for All

I recall my teenage daughter approaching me in sheer shock and disbelief when she learned that it wasn’t that long ago, in the not so distant past, when there was discrimination that prevented many people from receiving an education.  Lost for words, upset, and confused, yet so very grateful the world has since evolved where education is available through a broader and wider net cast, to a larger population of people regardless of age, gender, social status and race.

Education has further catapulted through technological advancements enabling people from all parts of the nation, continent and world near and far, through open and distant education to participate with no boundaries. Accessibility and connectivity as one cohort, as if we are all from the same geographical coordinates on a map.

The history of education has formed so much of the foundation and building blocks of where we are today.  An article from Adult Basic Education written by author Pierre Walter painted a vivid picture of some Canadian history that formed the movement of Alfred Fitzpatrick, founder of Frontier College, on his crusade to give uneducated immigrant laborers an education.  His pitch was, “it’s high time the great resources of nature should be used not to make the few rich, but to make the many wise.” (Fitzpatrick 1920/1999 as cited in Walter, 2003, p.5)  With this he was able to establish a system where university educated men would serve as teachers in the camps supporting literacy programs and exposure to educational, health and social services.  By 1904 there were reading rooms in 42 camps maintained through donations from charge congregations, lumbermen, railways, politicians and other key public figures. By 1922, Frontier College had been granted a federal government charter and became Canada’s first university to offer degrees through extramural study and in 2001 celebrated its 100^th anniversary.  Like many of the pioneers, Fitzpatrick paved the way for inclusion and opportunities for something so essential.  The grassroots of all these pivotal markers in history have really influenced much of where we are today.

Another scholarly article written by Associate Professor Dr. Yusup Hashim shares the movements led by UNESCO and initiative called Education is for All (EFA).  The initiative advocates education shouldn’t be confined to age, ethnicity, gender and social status and through technology open and distant learning can help with the EFA goal.   Dr. Hashim expresses the concept of EFA, equal education opportunities and lifelong learning cannot be addressed with traditional methods of teaching and old technology needs to be replaced by learner-centred approach, supported by online learning pedagogy and technologies. “The education system should be open and flexible in terms of entry, technology and pedagogy.  Students can learn anywhere, anytime and at their own pace and not be confined to live classroom teaching and synchronous learning materials.” (Hashim, 2010, p.2) With open and distance learning (ODL) it may advance us in the cause of accommodation and accessibility to education opportunities, as well as address the needs and demands of 21st century learning.

References

Walter, P. (2003).  Adult Literacy Education on the Canadian Frontier.  Journal of Adult Basic Education,  13(1), 3-18.

Hashim, Y. (2010).  Open and Distance Learning (ODL) – Semantic Scholar.  Asia e University.  Retrieved September 7, 2018 from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download;jsessionid=84D227F92ACD10D5D828CED0EFF461CF?doi=10.1.1.175.5417&rep=rep1&type=pdf