Collaboration Tools

This is sort of carry-over from the discussion boards... about various collaboration tools and ways that groups might most effectively be able to work together online.  I like the Blackboard tools just fine; I've never had any trouble with them.  I don't love google docs; I find that the lack of formatting and editing abilities within the document just lead to more work.  And have you ever gone in to see that somebody took apart everything you did yesterday...?!  That can get sensitive quickly...

Recently I have started using a very simple screen sharing tool for a few projects:  https://www.join.me/

This tool allows primarily for screen sharing and audio or text-based conferencing.  What I like about it is the simplicity.  Users only have to go to the website and enter the nine-digit code that the meeting originator provides them.  No software installation is necessary.  Then the meeting originator shares their screen, and participants join via phone over internet or text in an on-screen window.  Since I am sharing my screen, I can pull up documents, ask questions of the people that need to contribute to that document, and make changes immediately.  It seems as though not being able to share controls could be a drawback, but sometimes I find too many cooks in the kitchen slow things down.  Everybody can see the document and offer feedback while the person who is screen sharing makes the changes.  Less painful (in my opinion) than learning Monday morning that the lone missing group member finally showed up Sunday night and rearranged everything in the google doc... yikes!

Technology in The Classroom - Infuse Learning & Edmodo

In search of some additional examples of the use of Edmodo in education, I tried searching videos for a change!  Found loads, of course, but this one was really good:

Technology in The Classroom - Infuse Learning & Edmodo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz0hNJjFy-M

This video allowed me to better visualize Infuse Learning as it is implemented in a classroom to benefit both the instructor and the students.  I really like all of the screen detail that they worked into the video; it seems as though this system would be very simple to use.  It does focus on elementary students, but I certainly think college students would be willing to make use of it.  The video also mentions Edmodo, and the user contributions that can be shared among the class; I like the social media aspect of that site and I think it would keep increased numbers of students engaged.

Growing Up Puppy - Scout's Journey

Over at the discussion boards, I mentioned service learning projects that I use in conjunction with some of my courses.  One is Small Animal Breeds & Behavior, where students learn to identify common companion animal breeds, and study behavior development and problems.  This video is from Southeastern Guide Dogs, one community organization where students might choose to do service hours.  Would you believe that your volunteer work can be as easy as puppy hugging?!  Or dog walking?  Because these dogs are born with a purpose, they must go through critical development periods in very specific ways, so puppy hugging comes with rules about letting puppies play tug of war or growl at each other or play bite.  Dog walking comes with rules too!  Walkers aren't allowed to correct or offer commands to the dogs; this might interfere with their real training, so you get quite a workout walking the pups...



I chose this video to share because it shows some of the techniques that look plain enough on the outside (puppies on non-level surfaces, novel textures and colors, puppies going everywhere with the puppy raiser, etc.), but that veterinary technology students are learning the meaning behind.  Everything is done with the intent to produce a perfect service dog in the end! 

Losing Library Jobs?!

Today I found the article linked below about the reinvention of libraries, and specifically how competitors occupy niches in the 'reading ecosystem'.  The article's main thrust is the competition that start-ups bring to libraries, and how traditional systems should be learning from and networking with these new organizations in an effort to remain relevant. 

http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2013/09/future-of-libraries/start-ups-take-library-jobs-reinventing-libraries/#_

I think the article is interesting for a couple of reasons; one, it's neat to find additional tools and resources to investigate, and two, we look at these resources and see so much more than a library.  At least, we purport to, right?  None of us ever show off our pages, boards, stories, or postings and say 'look how great this is, it's just like a library!'... interesting.  All of a sudden I find myself wondering what I am missing at the brick and mortar library.

Mixing Modalities?

As I tried to find ways to utilize Flickr for educational purposes, I came across this SlideShare:

http://www.slideshare.net/shaunna/educational-uses-of-flickr

How interesting, using a tool we looked at recently to figure out a tool we are now looking at!

This slideshow helped me quite a bit; I had not thought of a 'virtual field trip' or using flickr for research, but the examples here are really neat!

Analytics

In the 'overlap' theme that Dr. Dennen touched on in her blog last week... I am doing both the Web 2.0 and the Analytics course this summer too!  This week, since I found some challenge in locating education or discipline specific resources in our new technologies, I decided to look for analytics instead!  I found this interesting article linking analytics with online course discussion facilitation and intervention:
http://www.sfu.ca/~afw3/research/e-listening/resources/WiseEtAl-LAK2013-OnlineDiscussionAnalytics.pdf

One of the biggest things that I look to immediately take out of these courses is an ability to better encourage or develop the involvement of my students in online classes.  I love that this article uses analytics to help me see what techniques might do that in the format that I will be using (come fall, I will teach some Bb online only sections, instead of hybrids, yikes!).  We have explored more fancy and technical tools, certainly... but as I figure out which of those I will develop some comfort level with, I like the thought of improving my utilization of the tools already in place!

Learning Spaces

While again exploring Scoop.it!, I came across the following article (scoop? story? sheesh…) under ‘Using Technology to Transform Learning’:

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Education/Tricia-Kellehers-Blog/Digital-learning-transforming-the-relationship-between-the-learner-and-their-learning-spaces-20140610162045.htm 

I found this article very interesting because it strikes me as a way or at least a documentation of changes that we might see in traditional face-to-face classrooms secondary to the addition of technologic support or tools.  Many times we relegate classes to strictly ‘F2F’ or ‘online’, but in fact students are going to be most successful if the learning environment conforms to them whenever possible.  So I think that being an IDer or instructor who can help create a flexible learning environment that can work face-to-face or from a distance could greatly assist my future endeavors.