Web 2.0 and internet learning is an extremely effective method of education. The great thing is the student can access learning sources whenever they have time. This is extremely important because people are very busy raising children, working hard and trying to pay their bills. The internet gives the student the chance to learn what he or she needs while still handling the difficulties of life. Specifically, Web 2.0 is very useful because people can communicate directly with one another about products honestly without direct interruption or sales tactics. Online education is a great resource because it simply allows many people to learn in a way that would have not been possible without the internet.
I am very impressed with bubble.us. I think this is a great way to brainstorm new ideas and other information with colleagues and friends. In addition, Bloglines is a great tool that can be used to find many useful websites and blogs. I see Bloglines being really useful for learning about all sorts of information on many subjects. I also think that Thinkfree mobile is another useful tool. Thinkfree mobile allows you to edit and share messages directly from a smart phone. I think this is important because sometimes you may have a smart phone, and not have access to a laptop and this could be a very useful technology for sharing important educational material.
I am extremely impressed with the overall usefulness of podcasts. I have learned a great deal about this useful technology. I definitely plan to utilize podcasts in the future. Long-term I would like to use them as a great learning tool as I get more involved with teaching down the road. I think that the podcast could make a tremendous difference to those students that need to replay a message over several times in order for long-term learning to occur. I am also contemplating how to use the podcasts where I am currently employed. This could be a great tool that reinforces monthly messages that co-workers could benefit from.
I feel the sky is the limit when it comes to the future and how podcasts are utilized. My thinking is that new and very useful ways to use podcasts will become available in the future. I also think that blogs are useful technology. It is a great way to learn about people and their unique personalities. I plan to use both podcasting and blogs in the future. I am convinced the more I learn that all professors will eventually be using ipods, and podcasts in some way to enhance learning for their students. The professor can use an ipod and a video camera to record a lecture, and then upload the lecture onto a podcast (Hoagland, 2007). This may be the primary way that the professor reaches the students or a very useful side tool that the instructor utilizes. I think it will vary depending on the type of class that is being taught. For example in science classes the podcast may be a side tool because in class instruction, and specifically lab work really needs to be hands on. However, in liberal type classes the podcast could actually be the primary way that professors reach and instruct students.
This will be especially useful for the students that need to listen to lectures over and over for improved learning (Hoagland, 2007). That is the beauty of the podcast, the students have access to the lecture and the information at any time of the day (Hoagland, 2007). The bottom line is that students are growing up with ipods, and we as teachers should use this well-known technology to reach them. I do not think that this can be avoided it should be embraced and developed. Reference: Hoagland, D. (2007, February 7). Getting their ilessons. The Fresno Bee, pp. 1-3. The ipod is a useful tool that the student can use to improve oratory skills. The benefit is that the student has the capacity to continually replay the recording over and over until it is just right. Vess (2006) explained this useful function, “On a survey administered at the end of the semester, several students reported that the ipod helped to develop greater confidence in their oral skills, especially in front of the class” (p. 486). This is a sort of a modern day version of a voice recorder with technological advances. This can go hand and hand with the usefulness of a blog to reinforce leaning through writing. The instructor can use the blog to ask open ended question that prompt the student to use writing to reinforce knowledge and critical thinking (Vess, 2006).
The notes function on the ipod is also a useful educational tool (Vess, 2006). The ipod is light, small and can be carried and used almost anywhere. Therefore the student can take notes on the ipod whenever necessary during a wide variety of learning experiences outside of the classroom. The student can also use the ipod to get familiar with the internet and research (Vess, 2006). The ipod has a screen capture which can show research sites that the student can use to locate internet sites (Vess, 2006). That is a great benefit of the ipod because of the tremendous learning experience that comes through research. The ipod definitely has a place in education. Reference: Vess, D. L. (2006). History to go why i teach with ipods. Society for History Education, 39, 479-492. Podcasting gives us the opportunity to extend and improve lectures beyond the classrooms (Cebeci & Tekdal, 2006). This is going to be a tremendous asset for teachers going forward. The primary benefit seems to be in distribution of audio content. According to Cebeci & Tekdal, (2006), “It is likely that in the future the term “podcasting” may be replaced with “audiocasting” as a more descriptive term of audio syndication and distribution” (p. 48). This may be an effective learning tool for those students that do not enjoy reading and would rather listen to an audiocast. Cebeci & Tekdal (2006) explained the well-known benefits of listening, “It is well known that human beings have used listening as a primary method for thousands of years in the learning process” (p. 49). As long as the student puts effort into listening and understanding the podcast it can only be a useful tool in the educational system.
In this day and age convenience is extremely import for all people and students. Podcasts give the student the chance to use this convenience. According to Cebeci & Tekdal, (2006) “Podcasts can be automatically downloaded to almost all kinds of mobile devices, such as MP3 players, cellular phones, PDAs, and mobile computers” (p. 49). Today, everyone has at least one or more of the previously mentioned devices. However, we must be careful because the majority of podcasts used currently are not educationally based. According to Cebeci & Tekdal, (2006) “The researchers believe that the majority of online resources, however; are not created as educational tools or classroom materials. A podcast without a learning goal will not be useful to support learning globally” (p. 52). We need to make sure that our podcasts are designed to meet learning objectives. I think that the podcasts should always have a purpose and should be used to enhance learning in some way. Reference: Cebeci, Z., & Tekdal, M. (2006). Using podcasts as audio learning objects. Interdisciplinary Journal of Knowledge and Learning Objects, 2, 47-57. My view is that all the advances in technology over the last fifty years have been mostly positive. We as students have access to incredible learning resources via the internet and computers. It is fabulous when you can research primary sources directly through the internet, and the Fresno Pacific University online library. However, there has been drawbacks to this technology. I work in the occupational setting as an athletic trainer. Unfortunately many issues have occurred when truck drivers are texting while driving rather than focusing on the road. The problem is that people in general and students just cannot put down their smart phones when they should be concentrating on driving. That is one thing that is simply unacceptable.
Another problem is that students seem to be using the internet for mainly a distraction and fun rather than using it as the great learning tool that it is. In addition, the information in social networking sites is often chatter that is not backed up by primary resource information. However, I must emphasize that the internet and technology is a great resource when used properly. Teachers need to continually find methods to maximize the internet and social networking sites to improve learning outcomes. There is no question in my mind that social networking is an effective learning tool. The fact is that this is going to be a major force in the learning of the future. Buzzetto-More (2012) explained this in detail, “Previously held concepts of personal expression, privacy, and interpersonal relationships have been replaced by re-envisioned web 2.0 conceptualizations” (p. 63). The World Wide Web and all the different social networking sites have become the most influential form of expression. We as educators need to harness this tool in order to effectively teach our students.
From communicating with other students and colleagues it is clear that students feel social networking helps builds learning communities. Buzzetto-More (2012) stated, "When asked to compare Facebook to the popular Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS) Blackboard was found to be better suited for course announcements and for providing links to course resources; the two systems were rated equal when it came to hosting study sessions, supporting group projects, and facilitating question and answer sessions, and Facebook was considered overwhelmingly superior for community building and facilitating class discussions" (p. 64) In the future, I think that educators will have to get more and more creative with learning activities. Educators should continue to use traditional print based literacies in combination with social networking sites (Buzzetto-More, 2012). All the students and colleagues that I have spoken with feel that this will lead to effective learning outcomes. According to Buzzetto-More (2012), “With well-developed learning activities and sound pedagogy in mind, social networking can be used to create learning activities that are highly constructivist” (p. 67). My hope is to continue to learn creative ways to teach the students of the future. Reference: Buzzetto-More, N. (2012). Social networking in undergraduate education. Interdisciplinary Journal of Information, Knowledge,and Management, 7. |