Virtual Classrooms

An article from the National Education Association titled "Log In and Learn" describes some of the aspects, good and bad, of virtual classrooms. A virtual classroom has an instructor and students, just like a regular classroom, but is done on the internet instead of in a traditional classroom. Some of the advantages to a virtual classroom include flexibility and advanced classes. Virtual classrooms allow students to take classes during times they are out of school, like evenings and weekends. Students involved in many extra-curricular activities can attend virtual school at whatever time is convenient. Another advantage is the ability to take advanced or specialized courses. A student who wants to take a class not offered at their school can receive credit for it by taking it virtually. Virtual classes, if done correctly, can teach students valuable time management skills since a teacher is not physically present anc constantly reminding students of the work needing to be done.

There are some disadvantages, however, to the virtual classroom. The most obvious is a lack of face-to-face interaction. Students and teachers can hold online discussions or do a group project through email, but face-to-face interaction is important because in the workplace, you must be able to work well with others. Another disadvantage is a lack of hands-on experience. For example, a dissection for a science class can be done virtually, but nothing can take the place of actually performing the dissection.

I think virtual classrooms are great if a student needs a class not offered at his or her school, or if extra responsibilities call for a virtual class. I also think virtual classrooms are best for students in upper middle school or high school.

Virtual classrooms would benefit from more research and improvement. For classes in science, developments should be made to create as real an experience as possible when doing activities like dissections. Teachers can also do activities and discussion that promote a lot of interaction. Research should also be done on the effects of taking only virtual classes, like in "cyber-charters."

To read this article go to:
http://www.nea.org/neatoday/0505/onlineed.html

Streaming Video

For this blog, I found an online forum that answered some frequently asked questions about streaming video. My first question was, "What is streaming video?" The answer I found was that streaming video, or media, is a video that is seen as it is being sent. The advantage of streaming is that you don't have to wait for the entire video to be downloaded before you can view it. Often video files are very large and may take hours to download. I also found that all you need to view streaming video is a computer, an internet connection, and a video player like Windows Media Player or Quicktime. If you don't have a player, one can be downloaded free of charge from the internet.

Streaming video is a good tool for classroom use. It opens up just one more avenue on which students can learn. Streaming video can also be much faster than downloading a video. Also, because the video is seen as it arrrives, students can see live broadcasts or webcasts.

Some research needs to be done on improving streaming video. Many times the video is interrupted because of internet traffic, a slow computer, or too many opened applications. "Buffering" has helped a little to control these interruptions, but many times they still occur. These interruptions, no matter how short, can be a distraction to the viewer, especially if the viewer is a student and is seeking to learn from the video.

To view this forum visit:
http://www.videostreaming.org/Forum/viewforum.php?f=5&sid=a05fb364ad38b8b9ee67a142c92821ea

Podcasting

The article I read gave an easy to understand definition of podcasting. It said that, "A podcast is a series of audio or video on the web that can be cataloged and automatically downloaded." (learninginhand.com) It also gave several examples of educational podcasts that teachers could use: "Grammar Girls... MathGrad...and First Amendment Minute." Getting these podcasts for classroom use is a quick and easy process. After opening Itunes or Yahoo, use the search tool to find what you need. There are also podcast directories like Podcast Alley that can help with your search. After you find your podcast, simply download it and it's ready to be heard or seen on your computer or MP3.

Podcasting is a great tool in the classroom. The simplicity of the process makes it very useful and efficient for both teachers and students. It is also a good way to enhance a lesson or lecture. One of the greatest benefits to students, in my opinion, is that the podcasts can be put on their iPod and listened to at any time. This makes podcasting a very convenient study tool. While students may not always be near a computer, an iPod is small enough to carry anywhere. Another great use of podcasting is to have students make their own podcasts. This will allow them to be creative and to present information in a way other than papers or essays.

As with any new technology, podcasting has room for improvement. Since it is a fairly new concept, many teachers and students are not familiar with podcasting. It is important that teachers be educated on this subject so they can effectively use it in a classroom setting. Also, whenever dealing with the internet, it is important to make sure the students are not receiving inappropriate content.

To read this article, visit
http://learninginhand.com/podcasting/

Web-based multimedia/animation

The article I read was actually a study of the effectiveness of animation in learning. Besides this, though, it also had some good information on what is included in web-based multimedia/ animation. The article described multimedia as instruction including "motion, voice, data, text, graphics, and still images." Animation was specifically defined as images in motion used to accomplish one or more of these purposes: "attention-gaining, presentation, and practice." The study compared the use of still graphics with the use of animation when teaching freshmen college students about the heart. Their conclusions were that animation was equal in effectiveness to still images, based on test scores produced by the students after learning the material.

I think multimedia is certainly more effective than traditional print materials. And animation can be effective, if used well. Animation and multimedia are able to capture students' attention and engage them in learning. My high school Anatomy&Physiology teacher used many animations when teaching us about specific processes occurring in or with cells. It gave a much deeper and clearer understanding of what we were learning than simply reading the book or notes did. I think so much is available to teachers and students through technology. It is especially convenient since these multimedia tools can be found not only on software but also on the Internet.

I think if web-based multimedia/animation are going to be used in the classroom, it is the teacher's responsibility to do some research and evaluation on their effectiveness. It could be a temptation to focus more energy on making the animation really interesting than on the actual content of the material being taught. It could also be a distraction rather than a teaching tool. It's also important to determine what form of multimedia would be best- pictures, animation, sound, text, etc.- for the subject being taught and the learning outcomes desired.

To read this article visit
http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/hww/results/external_link_maincontentframe.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/results/results_common.jhtml.16

Digital Imagery

The article I chose discussed digital imagery in the social studies classroom specifically. Not only do students gain a better and more in-depth understanding of history, but they also learn skills "to access, analyze, and evaluate all forms of information and communication," which is necessary to be a well-informed citizen. By thinking critically about the images they have captured, students can understand bias in pictures as well as determine how reliable the image is. Some of the specific uses of digital imagery mentioned in the article dealt with regional artifacts of the community, geography, environmental issues, economic issues, government and politics, cultural diversity, and children in the community. The article gave a specific example of students who put together a photo essay on littering in their community. It opened their eyes to real issues and instilled in them a desire to be a part of the solution.

I think digital imagery in the classroom is a great teaching and learning tool. By exploring some current history, especially with pictures, students will be more interested in learning about past history. I also think the use of digital images can be used in a wide area of subjects- science, math, writing or journaling, and others. Images capture students' attention much more than traditional lecturing or notes. In addition, the use of pictures in projects or essays as described in the article allows students to be more creative than if they simply wrote about or discussed what they learned.

As with any new teaching tool that is introduced into the classroom, it is important to evaluate the effectiveness of digital imagery. Are students learning better? Are they more engaged? Do they understand how to use the technology correctly? Also, because students are taking pictures, some time must be devoted to explaining the ethics of photography. Privacy and credibility of images are just a few of the issues that need to be addressed by the teacher and clearly understood by the students before using digital imagery in the classroom.

To read this article visit
http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/itx/retrieve.do?contentSet=IAC-Documents&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2CUS%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28JN%2CNone%2C18%29%22Social+Education%22%3AAnd%3ALQE%3D%28DA%2CNone%2C8%2920040401%24&sgHitCountType=None&inPS=true&sort=DateDescend&searchType=PublicationSearchForm&tabID=T002&prodId=AIM&searchId=R1&currentPosition=8&userGroupName=gale15690&docId=A116451995&docType=IAC

Storyboarding

The article I read talked about one class's experience with
storyboarding. In the class were several students who were reluctant to write and one student who was labeled Special Education. The author of the article, who also guided the class in how to proceed with their stories, discussed the basics of storyboarding as a tool to eventually get a story on paper. He first had the students get a story from their parents, find the part in the story that was funny, interesting, scary, ect. (known as the hook), and draw simple pictures with few words to describe the story's main events. Because the actual writing process was not done until the very end, more students were engaged and were able to efffectively lay out their story so that revisions and final writing would be easier.

Storyboarding is a great tool to use in the classroom. It not only involves students that are normally uninterested, but it also strengthens the writing of the more involved students. Additionally, storyboarding gives the student more direct and quick access to teacher feedback. In the article, students presented their storyboards to the class and were able to get feedback from fellow students as well.

I never used storyboarding in my classroom experience, but after reading this article I wish my teachers would have used this. I think storyboarding brings a collaborative aspect to classroom writing. Students give and receive feedback but also learn how they can improve their own stories simply by hearing the stories of the other students. I also think storyboarding gives the teacher the ability to get a better understanding of where a student is headed with his or her writing and can therefore better assist the student, instead of merely covering the student's paper with comments written in red ink.

As seen in this article, storyboarding is an effective tool for teaching students to express ideas or stories through writing. But I wonder if it could be effective in teaching other things as well like mathematical or scientific processes. I think further research on this could be very beneficial for both students and teachers.

To view this article go to

http://proquest.umi.com/pqdlink?vinst=PROD&fmt=6&startpage=-1&clientid=8631&vname=PQD&RQT=309&did=841260061&pmid=34901&scaling=FULL&ts=1202405931&vtype=PQD&fileinfoindex=share2%2Fpqimage%2Firs3%2F20080207123850537%2F8977%2Fout.pdf&rqt=309&TS=1202407546&clientId=8631

Wikis

Before this assignment I was not exactly sure what a Wiki was. After reading an article by the San Diego University College of Education, however, I now understand the definition of a Wiki and its use in the classroom. The article said that a Wiki is a web page that can be authored and edited by many people. In the classroom, Wikis are useful for things like group writing projects that are peer-reviewed. Another use, according to the article, could be a problem with multiple solutions, on which students work collaboratively.
I think Wikis are a wonderful technology to use in the classroom. I think they would be most appropriate in middle and high school classes, though, maybe upper elementary. Wikis are still developing, especially when it comes to classroom use. Work needs to be done to maintaining the security and educational value of what is put on Wikis.

To view this article go to:
http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/Articles/wikis/index.htm