04/12/16

The Online Learning Dating Game

We have all been there.  The initial attraction.  The first interaction – exciting and also a little bit awkward as you get to know each other.  And all too quickly things fizzle out leaving you wondering what went wrong.  Inevitably you swear off online learning tools until the latest and greatest tool sucks you in again for another whirlwind courtship that leaves you confused and frustrated.

Seeking out and using online learning tools is a lot like dating.  People can feel very passionately about their favorite toolbut online tools do not “fit” us all the same so it is worthwhile to take some time to figure out what pushes your buttons and gets you excited when using technology.  Rather than going for “looks” when choosing a tool it is better to avoid flashy or “the latest” apps in favor of tools that match course learning goals.  Think about what you want the student end result to be and choose a tool that fits it – there is a reason why we all use MS Office tools, they may no longer be “new” or “exciting” but they fit basic learning goals for students to show what they learn in the form of research papers or presentations.  That being said, there are newer tools out there that let students share their research and/or learning that also foster collaboration, synthesizing information, and creative thinking.  Online learning can be for everyone, it is just a matter of matching the right assignment with the right tool with the right person.

At Seton Hall University the Instructional Design team work as matchmakers, helping faculty members to find the right tool for assignments.  Last week Danielle and I gave a presentation of online learning tools for the English Department TAs based off of the discussion of alternative assignments that she and Joe moderated during the TLTR “Fall in Love with Online Learning.”

Fall in Love with Online Learning: Alternative Assignments

Fall in Love with Online Learning: Alternative Assignments

In this follow up presentation Danielle and I presented to the TAs several assignment and online learning tool matches that we put together using the online learning tool, Blendspace. Some of the pairs include:

  • Presentations + Prezi or TACKK
  • Back Channel Conversations + Today’s Meet
  • Infographics + Piktochart
  • Flipped Classrooms + Animoto &/or Screencast-O-Matic + Blendspace

Are you ready to fall in love with online learning?  Take a turn with the Online Learning Dating Game – who knows, you may find a perfect match with one of the featured tools!

 

 

06/4/15

QR Codes – love ’em or hate ’em?

QR codes seem to evoke strong feelings in people so before this post goes anywhere, let’s take a poll.

Whether you love QR codes and agree with author Scott Strattan that QR Codes Kill Kittens, one thing is certain: they seem to have staying power in education.  As I mentioned in a previous post, I am taking a mlearning course #ID4ML through the Canvas Network and will be blogging about my journey.  Today’s post is about the first activity: Socrative and QR Codes.

After reading the basic instructions for the activity:

  1. Create a Socrative Quiz
  2. Create a QR code and link to quiz created in Socrative

Initially I had doubts about the activity.  I use Socrative extensively when teaching so I am pretty familiar with the tool – both the app and web versions.  I have never come across a unique URL for either a) the virtual classroom or b) individual quizzes; which means that the URL being used for the QR is basically the login URL that students use.  Given that URL could not be specific to my virtual classroom in Socrative it was not clear to me why it was necessary to create a quiz.  I could just create the QR code to link to Socrative and be done with it.  But the course has been really interesting so I decided to put aside my skepticism and get started with the activity.

Part 1: Create a Socrative Quiz

Instead of using a quiz I already had created in Socrative I used this opportunity to draft a “Syllabus Quiz.” (If you are part of the Seton Hall Univ. community you can access the article for free through the library.) As I was drafting the quiz I began to think how I wanted to use the quiz – make it a required quiz or extra credit?  I intend to gamify the course so anything that a student completes earns them points towards the final grade so that point-wise it does not matter if the syllabus quiz is required or extra credit. I need to decide how much I want them to complete and since I really want to try this out I am leaning towards making it required points.

Part 2: Create a QR code and link to quiz created in Socrative

I used the QR Stuff website to generate my QR code.

QR code linking to student login for Socrative.

As I mentioned earlier, there is no way to link directly to a quiz or virtual classroom in Socrative so the link takes you to the student login.  This activity is not a great example of using QR codes for teaching and learning.  If the class is meeting F2F and using mobile device the Socrative mobile app would be a better option to use (even taking the 15 minutes to allow students to download it to their device.)  The same goes for if students are participating remotely – the app or the URL for the web version would be a more authentic and less redundant use of technology.

I still think there is potential for an authentic and relevant use of QR codes in teaching and learning.  I think there is something there with Scavenger Hunts, Virtual Field Trips, and/or Museum Exhibit type activities.  I have not found a lesson to exemplify the use of QR codes yet but I am on the hunt and I need to try my hand at creating some of my own…but that is for another blog post.

While I will not use QR codes with Socrative I still found myself trying to think of a way that would make using a QR code with my syllabus quiz relevant.  In the discussion forums someone had mentioned Augmented Reality (AR) and that got me thinking about the app Aurasma.  I have been trying to find an authentic way to integrate this gaming-type app into my course but so far no ideas have come to mind.  Now that I made the decision to gamify the entire course I am thinking that I can use Aurasma to create ‘Easter eggs’ for the course.  The ‘Easter eggs’ would all be extra credit/points to start which is why I started rethinking making the syllabus quiz a required component of the course.  In the end I am going to keep the syllabus quiz as required but come up with other ‘Easter egg’ ideas to get Aurasma as an integrated tool for the course.

So, despite my initial doubts I’m pretty happy with where this activity has lead me on my journey of including mlearning in my course.  I am excited to start brainstorming ‘Easter eggs’ and then creating them in Aurasma.  Now all I need to do is figure out how I am going to introduce it to the class…in the syllabus?  Video embedded in the online LMS?  What would you suggest?

06/3/15

Education to Go

What comes to mind when you hear the term mobile learning (aka mlearning)?  When I hear the term I think of active movement, that the learning itself is on the move and not stationary.  But I am curious as to how other instructors and instructional designers understand the concept.  In order to find out what others think I decided to sign up for a mlearning and instructional design class through the Canvas Network as a way to join a larger community of instructors and instructional designers and engage in discussions on how technology can be used in the classroom.  As part of course activities I will blog my musings on the course and share new ideas as they come up.

I am almost finished with week 1 of the course and I have learned that the course is using The eLearning Guild‘s definition of mlearning: “Any activity that allows individuals to be more productive when consuming, interacting with, or creating information, mediated through a compact digital portable device that the individual carries on a regular basis, has reliable connectivity, and fits in a pocket or purse.”

I found this to be a curious definition because although it mentions using a device that is carried on a regular basis it makes no mention of in what location or when the activity is being completed.  Does this mean that mlearning can take place in a F2F course as long as students are using small mobile devices?  (vs. being out in the field or a course not having a specific physical meeting location) I must admit if that is the case I am a bit disappointed as I had hoped for a course that would stretch my skills on what it means to use technology for teaching and learning.  On the flip side, if all I need to do is use small mobile devices in my classroom than mlearning is already an option incorporated into my current learning environment.  I require the use of a mobile device by each student – they have the choice of using a laptop, tablet, or smartphone.  I do not require mlearning, so to speak, because I like students to have the flexibility in what they use.  And given that they are coming to a set location there are minimal issues with carrying a laptop versus a smartphone.

I would like to go beyond thinking of mlearning in a F2F setting and consider what it means for an online course that has both synchronous and asynchronous activities.  In order to do that I feel I need to step outside of my comfort zone of always using a laptop and start to use my tablet or smartphone more in my daily life.  As I type this blog post I am using my laptop so there is change #1 that I need to make.  All blog posts going forward need to be done with the WordPress app.  If I want to incorporate mlearning I need to experience mlearning!

 

 

03/1/15

Backchannel Web Tools

This semester I am teaching a course on integrating technology in the classroom and at the start of the semester one of the students asked if I would be requiring the use of Twitter.  When I responded that we would not be using it in the class the student responded with relief because they just didn’t see how Twitter could be used in the classroom.  Twitter to these pre-service teachers is social media and not a teaching tool.  While Twitter has great value and connection to classroom practices I will concede that it is sometimes hard to see.  So instead of trying to convince anyone of the specific merits of Twitter I instead focused on the value of backchannel conversations and how they are more effectively fostered using technology.

Picture this, you are in a classroom where the instructor is using the Fishbowl teaching strategy to engage students in a discussion.  Observe the students outside of the fishbowl.  What are they doing?  Some will genuinely be paying attention to the discussion going on; others will appear to be paying attention but the vacant stare will indicate otherwise; still others will be doodling on paper or thinking they are slyly using their cellphone without the instructor noticing (note to students: you aren’t that subtle, the instructor always notices.)  When the instructor invites other students to join the discussion or offer observations the room is mostly silent with the same students who always participate raising their hand.  The instructor ends the class frustrated wondering how can they implement the strategy differently to get better results.  Here are two options that take advantage of those cellphones and puts them to good use (and yes, one of the options is Twitter)…

todaysmeet

 

 

TodaysMeet is best described as an internal Twitter-type web tool. You can use it in a number of ways in the classroom.  A colleague of mine shared with me that they use it often during student presentations.  Students listening to their peer’s presentation can comment, pose questions to each other, and offer feedback that can be shared with the presenter when done.  It allows those listening to engage with the presentation in the moment instead of being passive observers.  Plus, as my colleague mentioned, when you have a good rapport with your class you can call out students dosing in class over TodaysMeet and the person sitting next to them are kind enough to give them a nudge…

And if we go back to our fishbowl scenario, TodaysMeet offers an excellent opportunity for students to extend the conversation going on in the center of the fishbowl while posing different questions and creating side conversations that complement and go beyond what they are listening to.  Professor James Chisholm recently presented at AACTE his research showing the benefits of using TodaysMeet for these types of backchannel conversations to promote critical thinking and analysis as well as integrate the use of digital tools  in a high school English classroom.

 


Using Twitter for group discussions has become so ubiquitous that it even has its own phrase, Twitterchat.  There are many pros and cons to using Twitter for group discussions rather than a private channel like TodaysMeet.  Twitter is a more common tool that students are likely to already be familiar with.  The use of hastags is also a common social practice so connecting comments is easy for students to do – you just need to make sure students are aware of what the discussion hashtag is ahead of time.  It is also a great way for students in different sections of the same course to interact with each other for a larger discussion using the course hashtag.  Given the open nature of Twitter some cons for using it can be that students may get overwhelmed by the number of tweets associated with a hashtag.  Hashtags are also open to trolling or spamming however Alexis Lothian’s amusing and informative story on her experience using twitter in the classroom offer some tips and strategies to deal with it.

Going back to our classroom discussing using the Fishbowl strategy, picture it in your mind again.  This time, the students listening to the discussion are using TodaysMeet or Twitter, including you.  Instead of seeing students mentally checking out they are able to have a voice in the discussion.  When students in the center circle move to the outside circle they can continue to participate and see feedback from the outside circle while they were in the center.  The energy in the classroom is also different, instead of stale and quiet, even those tapping away on TodaysMeet or Twitter give off an air of buzzing activity.

09/15/14

Mobile Tech Mistakes

I recently stumbled across a list of 5 common mistakes to avoid when using iPads in the classroom.  I found the list of mistakes to avoid to be right on target except for one major thing – why are they only focusing on iPads?  If this article had been written two or three years ago and not in 2014 I would understand why the focus would be in iPads.  Yes, the article was specifically looking at school iPad initiatives and not BYOD initiatives but that is just it – the mistakes to avoid are not specific to iPads but to any initiative to bring mobile devices into the classroom.  So here is the new common iPad mistakes list remixed to make them applicable for any school mobile device initiatives, regardless of the operating system:

  1. Failure to communicate a compelling answer to: “Why iPads?’
    I kept #1 on the list the same as the original, but my annotation is different. The Android operating system is the most prevalent system out there for mobile devices (this includes smartphones and tablets.) Parents and taxpayers will need to know why the most expensive brand tablet out there is being required for a mobile device initiative versus a less expensive but similar device. Let’s go even older than this July 2014 article to one written in September 2013 – Beyond the iPad: Schools’ Choices in Tablets Grow – even a year ago there were a number of alternate options to the iPad and that list continues to grow as the tablet market becomes more competitive. Whether the school wants to have the same device used by all students or takes a BYOD approach, there is no need to purchase the most expensive option out there without a very good reason.
  2. Not understanding why tablets vs. laptops
    This could be seen as an extension to the first mistake “Why iPads?” and I could have phrased it in a similar fashion. However, I see this as a distinct mistake in and of itself. Mobile devices offer new opportunities in the classroom that are, well, mobile. But too often people forget that laptops are mobile. Again, laptops have changed a lot over the years and they come in many shapes and sizes. The netbooks offer a lightweight way to access the internet and can oftentimes be used much in the same way a tablet can be used. But a tablet cannot be used as computer…well, technically it can but the experience is not as smooth as a laptop and there are limits to what the tablet can do. So if you are thinking about a mobile learning initiative for your classroom or school district, make sure you can answer why a tablet? (I purposefully did not throw smartphones into the mix because I feel the phone and texting functionalities are obvious distractions and would ultimately interrupt the learning more than the mobility of the smartphone would add to it.
  3. Focusing on content apps
    I think the originally article sums this up nicely so there is not much more to add. Mobile technology is not just about learning content but also about creating. Looking to the Maker/Tinker culture can provide inspiration and purpose for integrating mobile technology in the classroom.
  4. Lack of teacher prep
    This is a HUGE mistake for teacher in general, not just with introducing technology in the classroom. When I first saw that on the list I thought, “So it is ok to be unprepared for a low-tech lesson?” Of course not and if bringing technology into the classroom uncovers who does prep and who doesn’t, than I see this mistake as a blessing in disguise so those unprepared teachers can get the help they need before it is too late for them and their students.
  5. Assuming this generation of so-called “Digital Natives” knows technology
    I probably should have put this as #1. Yes, today’s students have likely been clicking and swiping away since they were toddlers; but that does not mean they understand what they are doing and can make connections in different situations. The same skills that were important pre-digital age are even more important to teach today. Skills like how to evaluate the legitimacy of a source; how to search; how to cite; etc. are even more valuable to students that have not only print sources but the whole world wide web to search. They need the skills to know that Google is not a source but a search engine. Don’t get fooled into thinking that the skills you learned are irrelevant today, but they may need some polishing so they match the context that today’s students are in.
  6. Thinking that mobile devices can only have 1 user
    This is where I really start to differ with the original list. Yes, apps will use logins and may store settings for students. But again, if you look beyond the iPad you will find mobile devices like the Kindle Fire that allows a multi-user experience so you can log one student off and log in another to access the apps under their name. If the device cannot support multi-user logins then when evaluating which apps to use check to see if when installed they will allow different users to log-in/log-out. If the mobile device and/or app is restricting what you want to do definitely take time to reflect if a tablet is the right solution to your mobile learning needs.
08/8/14

Continuing Development Credentials for Educators

The innovative organization Digital Promise works towards equity in access and participation in digital tools in the classroom. They are also piloting an initiative for micro-credentials for educators.  Get acknowledged for the skills and expertise that you develop as you hone your craft.

Check out their website for more details: http://www.digitalpromise.org/initiatives/educator-micro-credentials

07/31/14

Socrative App

Socrative is a nifty little BYOD app that lets instructors launch quizzes, discussion starters, and assess on the fly.  Students can use any device they like – PC, tablet, smartphone – to submit their answers.  It is a low-investment/high reward way to introduce technology in the classroom.  Check out the rave review that the Infinite Thinking Machine gave Socrative.

Click here to download Socrative for your iOs and Android devices.

Review of Socrative: