Week 14: Using Gaming for Teaching and Learning

This week we talked about using gaming for teaching and learning. The primary game we talked about in class was second life--basically virtual life, a place where you can do everything in another world with a person you've created. We discussed in class whether this was a good thing or a bad thing. Although the Internet has wonderful programs that can be really useful for education, I think online games is where it becomes a little too risky.

Most children are used to navigating the online world, and as many parents can tell you, most already have online games they play. In this society, it's easy to become swept away with the Internet. It is so incredibly important for teachers and educators to teach children the importance of not letting the Internet take over their life. Using online games for teaching does the opposite. It reaffirms what children are beginning to believe--that it's OK to rely on the Internet for everything. I'm not saying every situation is a bad one, but you must be very picky and cautious about how many online games you use when teaching children.

One area where gaming really hasn't hit too hard yet is journalism. There are no clear, everyday uses for gaming in the journalism field. It is an interesting thing to think about, though. Using games for informing adults and attracting readers is much different than teaching children, first of all. In a constantly evolving world it's interesting to think about how you could use games in journalism. For instance, you could use them to accompany a story or in some interactive way on a publication's website. Actually, using it as an interactive way is really great idea. It'll be interesting to see over the next few years how games begin to permeate journalism.

All that said, I don't want to sound to critical. Like I said before, yes it is a very dangerous area to get into. But to be fair, it's important to evaluate all sides and look at the benefits of online games, too. The below video show how five graduate students from IIT Delhi are trying to make learning easier for  kids through games they are developing. The video, a news report from NDTV, shows the benefits to gaming for teaching and learning. They're really are a lot of benefits. You just have to be extremely cautious.

Week 13: Distance Education and Virtual School

This week we talked about distance education and its influence on  education and society. We discussed the advantages and disadvantages of distance education verse in-classroom education.

What does it mean to be a Gator? Can you be a Gator and not take UF classes on the UF campus? In reality, it probably doesn’t make that much of a difference when you're looking for a job. Your degree doesn’t specify whether it was online or not. But there is something special about being on campus. There’s something special about being around 50,000 other Gator fans.  Socially, you can’t compare the two. Education, however, is hard to measure. In today’s world it’s much easier to take online classes and that is generally an accepted thing. I think a lot of it depends on the classes and the major. Some classes, like science or journalism classes, would be better taught in the classroom rather than over the Internet.

Despite how much it has taken off, though, distance education is still being developed throughout society. It’s still something people are kind of iffy on.  However, some distance education classes can be used in really great ways. When I first started as a journalism student, I had a hard time getting the hang of some of my reporting classes. So, I took free online courses with the Poynter Institute. The Poynter Institute is not necessarily as school, but it’s a good example of how I have been able to use online classes to improve my skills as a journalist. The classes I have taken have been very good and helped a lot, which says a lot about how good online classes and distance education can be.

But just because I had some online success with class doesn’t mean they are all great. As we talked about in class, it is still an area very much up for debate; they each have pros and cons. A chapter, Benefits of Distance Learning, in A Teacher’s Guide to Distance Learning, provides a great look at some of the benefits for distance learning from a teacher’s perspective. We always look at the students when discussing whether distance education is beneficial or not, but what about teachers feelings on distance education? Check out the article for more details. Another article on QuintCareers.com provides a great list of distance education pros and cons. Both articles really show some of the drawbacks and benefits of distance education, so check out both for more details.

Week 12: Creating a Professional Web Presence

This week we talked about the importance of having a professional web presence, some online place where future employers can go to learn more about you and see some of your work. As college students getting ready to look for jobs, it's important for us to show that not only can we do a job, but we also know how to use technology and the Internet for educational purposes.

For our Web Presence assignments we are using Google Sites. Google Sites, like most of the other online tools we looked at this semester, is incredibly easy to use. Through using Google Sites we're able to create an online site with our resume, portfolio, and personal information. As we discussed in class, a web presence is an important development for students to have. It shows you are using the Internet in positive ways--for more than just Facebook.

I was really excited about this assignment. As a journalism student, I'm always building up my portfolio with stories. Journalism is an applied field--it's a skill that's not taught through book work. To get a job as a journalists, employers want to see clips and photos. Sending in tons of copies of stories can get expensive. Being able to give a future employer a site for them to see a variety of stories you've written is such a plus. When I started by internship at The North Florida Herald last summer, one of the very first things the editor told us was that we have to have some online place to put our work. That was the first thing he told us! It's so important for student journalists to have somewhere to showcase their skills because in this day and age, you won't find a job without it.

The work, though, doesn't stop with simply creating a web presence. You have to constantly be developing your site to improve and reflect what you are doing at that point in your life. This blog offers "101 Ways to Create a Powerful Web Presence."  The blog really emphasizes somethings (like blogging every single day). The list offers great ways to continue to develop your web presence and impress future employers. 
 

Week 11: Open Source Software

This week in class we talked about open source software and cloud computing. Open Source Software are  online tools, like Audacity or Gimp, that people can download and use for free. Programs like Google Docs are cloud computing programs. Although open source and cloud computing can be difficult to understand, looking at the tools they produce really clarifies things.

Open Source Software is wonderful because it's free and very useful.  For instance, open source software allow people to use programs like Gimp instead of Adobe Photoshop. Open Office is another good example of open source software--it's a down-loadable program  that's compatible with programs like Microsoft Word. As we talked about in class, open source software and cloud computing are another great example of how technology can provide a multitude of benefits for users.

To be honest, I like open source software because it's free. Why? Beacause I'm a journalist (which almost guarantee's a life of poverty) and a college student. As journalism takes on more and more--from designs to online media--a journalist must be able to use a multitude of things. Having open source software can help make working on assignments and projects easier. I can use Gimp to work on designs and photos instead of buying photoshop. If there's a compatibility problem with a word document, I can use Open Office. I can use Google Docs for ideas and brainstorming, or I can use Audacity to create sound clips. Open Source Software is useful for anyone, but because the field of journalism covers such a large area, cloud computing and open source software really help me out.

There are a TON of resources out their for people to take advantage of. The few programs listed above are not the only programs out there. For a more complete list of open source software programs, check out this list provided by Damicon. The list breaks open source software down by category and is an amazing resource for people to take advantage of.

Week 10: Tech Tools for Critical Thinking

In class this week we talked about using technology for critical thinking. Critical thinking is essentially thinking logically and using reasoning skills, such as comparisons, cause/effect, deductive reasoning, analogies, critiquing, etc. Critical thinking also helps create ideas and stimulate curiosity.

Another great way to think critically is by using concept maps. Concept maps help organize your thought and ideas. Often times by putting your thoughts on paper you stimulate more ideas. As we talked about in class, there are many different online programs that can create concept maps for you, such as Webspiration, Bubbl.us, or Gliffy. Creating concept maps by hand are often a pain—if you need to change something, you have to erase and start all over. Online tools like these can help save time and organize ideas.  I used Bubbl.us to create a concept map (see below) and it was incredible simple!

One area where I found critical thinking to be very useful is in journalism. I have to use critical thinking all the time for the stories I write, whether it’s comparing notes between sources, drawing conclusions about a particular situation, or examining the cause and effect of different things. One of the biggest ways I gain information is though the Internet. It’s essential for me to know how to effectively use online technology for finding story ideas, writing stories, and looking for sources.  Concept maps are also useful for me in journalism. Many of my classes have talked about the importance of brainstorming techniques for ideas. In one class, we used concept maps to think of newspaper design ideas or to write headlines. The online world is becoming part of journalism, and finding ways to use new online technology for critical thinking is an important part of that development.

However, just because technology could help our critical thinking skills doesn’t mean it actually does. In order to use tech tools to think critically, we have to be looking for ways to develop better critical thinking skills through technology. More often than not, the things we use the Internet for are harming our thinking skills. An article in the UCLA Newsroom reports on a study that says Internet use has caused a decline in critical thinking skills. The article brings up a good point, and I think it’s important to remember that you need to use the Internet wisely. Check out the article for more details.

Week 9: Social Tools and Cloud Computing

This week we shifted to talk about social tools that use cloud computing. Cloud computing is using server-based applications as a service rather than being tied to a specific platform on a specific machine or device. For instance, Google Docs and Delicious are both good examples of cloud computing. Cloud computing is Internet-based and can provide easier access than using a specific server or platform.

Because cloud computing was a little technical for me to understand, thinking of cloud computing in terms of Google Docs and Delicious, both of which were assignments in the upcoming weeks, made cloud computing much easier to grasp. Google Docs and Delicious allow people to access the material you’ve created or added. For instance, in Google Docs people can access a document you’ve created (if you’ve invited them) and add to or edit what you’ve already done. Google Docs is a great group organizing tool. Instead of going through meetings and a long series of emails, Google Docs allows every one in the group to share ideas in one place on their time.

The benefits of social tools and cloud computing can affect almost every job, group, or organization. For journalists, cloud computing programs like Google docs is a great way for journalists to share notes and stories and to check accuracy. For instance, if I'm collaborating with another writer, Google Docs would be a great way to fact check and make sure we have the same notes, or to brainstorm ideas about stories for the next magazine or newspaper issue. Similarly, bookmarking sites like Delicious can refer people to useful sites for other projects, ideas, etc. My professor uses Delicious quite a bit, and I have found her bookmarks on Delicious really helpful for my projects. The sites help with my assignments and give me ideas for future projects.

HowStuffWorks.com outlines the benefits of cloud computing more specifically than what my general examples can. The article explains in more detail what cloud computing is and what it specifically does that is so much more beneficial. I also recommend Google Docs for Educators. The Google site explains how teachers can use Google Docs to help their students. Although it might not seem like, students can benefit from cloud computing programs like Google Docs, and the site helps teachers implement them in the classroom.

Week 8: The Sound of…Podcasting

 This week we talked about the use of sound for teaching and learning. In the previous weeks, we talked about the importance of visual literacy and a child’s need to learn by seeing things, whether its through digital storytelling or other forms of visual literacy. Just like visual literacy is an important aspect to a child’s learning, so is auditory learning. 

With today’s technology, using sound to convey messages is a new way to teach topics or stories. One of the most popular forms of using sound to do this is through podcasting. Although we didn’t do any podcasting this week, we were asked to create a sound file using programs like Garage Band or Audacity.

The assignment was cool one—one that allowed you to try something new and potentially have a lot of fun with it. We even looked tons of available music and sounds that are available for anyone to use. However, as exciting as the assignment was, my experience showed me a different side of technology—the uglier one.

Evidently, my computer has a problem with recording sound. I (tried to) use Audacity to record different musical sounds, but the recorder or sound device had a problem. Technical/Computer problems like these illustrate the negative side to the programs and technology now available. Everything as a negative side, and this is technology's. Although the podcasting and sound programs like Audacity are very beneficial, it’s important to be aware of the problems that can arise.

As I’ve stated through much of my blog, one area where podcasting can be very helpful is journalism. A journalist's job is to covey information, so it only seems logical that a journalist pursue every facet that could tell information. Podcasting is already widely used in journalism. UF’s College of Journalism and Communications even has a class where student are required to have a podcast. Podcasting in the media could be used in a variety of ways—for interviews with celebrities or prominent people in the community, with sports broadcasting, or with other unique stories.  Like with digital storytelling, a journalist's options in the world of auditory-based technology are endless.

But despite how important it is in both journalism and education, it’s not necessarily easy to pick up. You can’t be expected to use this cool program to express your opinions, thoughts, and beliefs if you have no idea what to do. The following video, found on Youtube and made by tinkernet.com, is a tutorial on how to create a podcast. Assuming you don’t have the technical problems I did, it should be quick to pick up.

Happy Podcasting!

Week 7: Digital Storytelling

 This week we talked about the usefulness of digital storytelling. Digital Storytelling is a form of visual literacy, which we talked about last week. Digital Storytelling is the practice of using computer-based programs to tell a story. Better put, it’s using a video or other piece of technology to tell a story.

Much like traditional storytelling, digital storytelling tells the story of something specific and can vary in length. A big part of learning about digital storytelling this week was from our Digital Storytelling Forum, where everyone in the class could create their own digital story and share their thoughts.  Here is my video. It has pictures of me and my sisters, Julie and Jenny. The pictures show us together, on vacation, or with relatives. I really enjoyed the digital storytelling project. I used Animoto to create the video. It was very simple to use, and I think anyone can get the hang of it. I had fun working on it.

Programs like Animoto help bring digital storytelling to the public. Many people have the idea that digital storytelling is too technical and something only for professionals to use, but those same professionals have developed programs that the mainstream people can work with.

One area where digital storytelling is important is the media. Of course, we already see it in TV news. However, as print media shifts to the online and tech-savvy world, it's becoming more important for journalists to tell stories and share news in a variety of ways. For instance, videos like the ones Animoto creates could be used for small features, profiles or even bigger stories. Many readers now get their news from online sites rather the newspaper, so it's a great market to pursue. Many of the areas we talk about in education overlap to the field of journalism, and I think this is one of the key examples of that. Storytelling is, basically, what journalists do. So it only makes since that we use all forms of storytelling.

Education is also an important area for digital storytelling. Students learn in a variety of ways. Some are visual, others need to hear you speak, and others might rather read something, so educators should be ready to help students learn in whatever area suits them. As the age of digital storytelling is still new, there are many teachers who do not yet take advantage of digital storytelling. The Digital Storytelling Resources for Educators breaks down digital storytelling into workshops and lessons. The site is provided by the authors of the book Digital Storytelling with PowerPoint. This site is great for future teachers to get some ideas about how to use digital storytelling in the classroom.

Week 6: Visual Literacy

This week we talked about visual literacy—the idea that using visual images (art, photography, etc.) can be used to help people better understand concepts.  We also touched on how powerful  visual literacy tools can be, as well as the importance of students understanding and recognizing the sometimes complex messages of photos. Two videos, both used in class, help show each of these ideas.

A popular Dove video, found on Youtube, illustrates how images (and people) can be manipulated.  The video shows how retouching and tools like Photoshop can be used to transform a person’s image. Another video on Youtube shows the importance visual literacy has on our everyday lives. Often times people associate the term visual literacy with using Photoshop and other tools that can manipulate and create cool images. However, visual literacy is as simple as looking at a photo in a newspaper or recognizing that a stop sign means stop.

One field where visual literacy is especially strong is in journalism. Nine times out of 10, when someone opens a newspaper they see the pictures first and then decide if they want to read the story. The power of a photo can be just as strong as or stronger than the story itself. In my newspaper design class, we’ve talked about the importance of photography to news. As far as appealing to readers goes, the photo is first and the text is last. People are visual. We like to see things, and that idea needs to translate to what journalists provide people with. A journalists job by definition is to inform people of the world around them. Visual literacy is a very important tool to ensuring we convey that effectively. Imagine a newspaper without photos?

Just as visual literacy is important to journalism, it’s equally important to education. In an ever-changing society, young students need to be able to understand and interpret things in different ways.  Visual-literacy.org is a great site for future educators and students to learn more about visual literacy. According to the Web site, it  teaches students to evaluate advantages and disadvantages of visual representations, to improve their shortcomings, to use them to create and communicate knowledge, or to devise new ways of representing insights. Check out the site to learn more about visual literacy in the classroom.

Media and Information Literacy (Week 5)

This week we began talking about Photoshop. Photoshop is an amazing resource that can be used in wonderful and horrible ways. It’s easy to manipulate photos into something there are not, and it’s also easy to create and manipulate photos in a positive way.

One good example of how images can be manipulated is the doctored photos from Time magazine discussed in class. The historical photos illustrate that visual literacy and photo manipulation has been present for much longer than the just the evolution of Photoshop.  We also looked at a video produced by Dove, where a woman’s image is changed using Photoshop. As the video shows, information literacy is important in this day and age, one where the media and others can change perception.

Our practice with Photoshop in class this week was my first experience the program.  Although it is a complex program, it can have some really cool effects. The tools we went over in class offered me a good introductory course to Photoshop. 

I hope my experience with Photoshop continues to develop, if only for my future career as a journalist. The world, as briefly discussed in class, is increasingly dependent on visual literacy. Journalists must be able to use programs such as Photoshop and Indesign in a visually appealing way. However, as the video and photos in class suggest, as a journalists I have the ability to change the world’s perception of what they see. My goal is to use visual literacy to increase the information the world sees and help shape the media using programs like Photoshop in a honest and positive way.

There are two great Websites that I found as I was researching this topic. The sites show what the media can do with information literacy. The media is beginning to use visual literacy more and more to grab reader’s attention. The first Website is Dieline, which show package designs. Dieline illustrates how far the media has come in visual literacy and offer example to the effects programs like Photoshop and Indesign can have. The second Website is from Richworks and shows the “50 most brilliant typography designs for inspiration.” The site shows examples of what Photoshop can do in information literacy. Check out the sites to get inspiration and see where information literacy is headed. 

Copyright Law, Plagiarism and Ethical Issues (Week 4)

This week we talked about copyright, plagiarism and ethical issues. Although copyright and plagiarism have been around for a long time, which we also talked about it class, the Internet has made plagiarizing and breaking copyright laws even easier.

It’s important for users to understand the different ethical laws, such as the difference between copyright and fair use. “Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United State (title 17, U. S. Code) to the authors of “original works of authorship,” including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works,” according to the U.S. Office of Copyright. Fair Use, according to Title 17 of the U.S. Code, “is for various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research." Section 107 also sets out four factors to consider in determining whether or not a particular use is fair:

1. The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes
2. The nature of the copyrighted work
3. The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole
4. The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work 

In class we also looked at different videos and discussed whether they were copyright violations. Often times, if something doesn’t degrade the purpose of the work or if it’s for educational use, then it would not be considered a violation of copyright.  One site that helps users avoid copyright violations is Creative Commons. Creative Commons offers information and pictures that are available for people to use, as opposed to the massive amount of available information on the Internet which might not be available for use.

If there is one area where the problems of plagiarism have become evident it is the field of journalism. Jayson Blair stands as an example to not only journalists but also artists throughout the country. Journalists rely on outside people and documents for their information, and it is important that those recourses are referenced. Unfortunately, as the amount of available information on the Internet increases, it becomes harder to decipher what’s available and becomes easier to take information and pass it on as an accurate representation of facts. As a writer, it is important for me to be conscious of where I get my information and be able to tell if it’s a trusted site. It’s also important for me to understand copyright laws, so I know what my rights are in respect to what I have written.

Not only is plagiarizing a problem in journalism, but it can also affect education. The following video offers a cute example of a way plagiarizing and cheating can work its way into the classroom and its consequences. As this is an educational technology class, it is important to look at the educational aspect to ethical issues. In order for people to understand what is ethical it has to begin in the classroom. The video is a parody on Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats”  and was actually filmed in Gainesville. An interesting question to ponder while watching the video: Where does this fit into to copyright laws? Check it out:

 The video was found on Youtube.com, lyrics and video production by Jim McKenzie and
performed by Kristen Huish.

Web Technology (Week 3)

This week in class we talked about Web 2.0 and the Internet’s role in a new generation. From a persons academic life to personal life, Web 2.0 offers thousands of programs or Web sites designed to help different areas of people’s lives. For instance, in a class forum we discussed applications such as WorkoutBOX, Hulu, Pandora or Wantz.it.

We also discussed in class the history of the Internet--from its early beginnings in the 1970s to 2010. Ethan Zuckerman outlines the history of the Internet, as well. The use of email actually began being used in 1965 and the first computer was created in 1969. As we now can see, computers have come a long way since its young beginnings.

Although the online world as many advantages, a reliance on the Internet can also have negative aspects for children, as discussed in a Frontline special "Growing Up Online." The video series documents the Internet’s impact on childhood. Many children are unmonitored when they are online, creating bad or false images of themselves, or becoming the victims of cyber bullying. Educators, however, have the ability to monitor this use and use educational programs on the Internet to help children learn even more.

Journalism is another example of a field that has been so largely influenced by the Internet and web technology. Today, anyone in the world can read the newspaper online for free instead of paying the usual price to get the print paper every day. One of the biggest topics with evolving technology is where print media will go. Will it be here in 10 years or will everyone get their news on the web? As the world changes, the media has to change with it, and as the Internet’s impact on the upcoming generation becomes increasingly important, the face of regular journalism is changing quickly.

The following video offers students insights to the role of Web 2.0 in education and in the future. The video gets perspectives from everyday users and offers opinions on how society is influenced by the Internet and online world. See what people think of Web 2.0:

The video was found on Youtube.com and was made by Raqeeb Thameem.

Educational Technology (Week 2)

In class this week we talked about educational technology, also known as E-Learning, instructional technology or technology performance. As society continues to evolve and begin to use technology more and more in every day life, it is important that students and children are taught in non-traditional ways that allow them to adapt to a rapidly changing society.  Combining education, which refers to learning, teaching, and instruction, and technology, which refers to gadgets, tools and techniques, cumulates into the following definition from Roblyer in 2002:

“Educational technology is a combination of the processes and tools involved in addressing educational needs and problems, with an emphasis on applying the most current tools: computers and their related technologies.”

In class we discussed the transformation of technology over the last few years. If there is one area where educational technology has transformed, it is journalism.

Years ago, when I first decided I wanted to be a journalist, it was a pretty simple idea. I would write. No videos, no photos, no web design or any of the myriad of other technology-based skills. However, the media has come a very long way in a few short years. Unlike the stereotypical journalists, today journalists need to not only write stories well, but also take pictures, design layouts, put together videos, use Indesign and Photoshop, and put together a web page. Most of the UF journalism classes teach or incorporate a new technology based skill, like using Indesign, or incorporate multimedia, such as pictures and videos, into the regular story assignments.

As I am learning, it’s important that I learn to use the technology now, so I can effectively communicate with readers as the world and the media continue to evolve and shift from print to online journalism.  Many of the advantages to educational technology overlap into the journalism field, as well. As discussed in the second week of class, technology can help learners visualize concepts and problems, much like it could help readers visualize ideas and news better, and technology can gain learner attention, much like technology can grab a reader’s interest.

While researching this topic, I found the following video that provides a timeline of technology over the past 100 years. The video shows the progression of technology in the Twentieth Century and can provide insight to how quickly technology has developed and will continue developing. Watch the video for more:  

The video is from Youtube.com and was posted by OscarRetterer.

Copyright, Creative Commons and Journalism.

Jayson Blair showed us well.

In an ever-changing world, shifting more and more to online media, copyright laws and ethical journalism has become  more of a concern. Plagiarizing and violating ethical and copyright laws have become easier for writers as newspapers and magazines put a large amount of its stories, photos and videos online. Unlike in print journalism, stories and multimedia  stay online forever, giving journalists constant access to extra information. Additionally, with multimedia increasing—to incorporate designs, photos, etc.—the list of what is copyrighted is growing.

Journalists are taught quickly the importance of attributing everything that is not your own, but, as Jayson Blair famously proves, it doesn’t always happen. Journalists’ goal is to inform the public, both through hard breaking news and soft features and through photography, design and video. In order to keep reader’s trust, it’s important for journalists to understand journalism ethics and what is copyrighted.

Check out this video that explains copyright and creative commons licensing:

Practice: Youtube Videos

Intro to Educational Technology class.

This blog is something I set up for my Intro to Educational Technology class. It's under my current Google account, so my Faith and Love blog is still intact and I have the same profile page.

Right now, the instructor, Nate Poling, is discussing how to use blogger. Hopefully, he won't have a problem with me under the same account.

We will use a wide variety of things on the blog, including Youtube videos and photos.

So, We'll see how this goes....