A video log post I created discussing using video as an educational tool.
It’s not what you know, it’s how you know it
May 24, 2010
It’s not what you know, it’s how you know…that you know it… (huh???)
What’s an educational technologist to do? Objectivism, constructivism, behaviorism, cognitivism, there are many isms that don’t seem to get along very well. Although each perspective seems to reflect at least some part of reality, there is little middle ground to reconcile all these varied theories. Reality either exists and is revealed to us as we learn, or there is no reality outside of what we think we know. Each theory seems to exclude the world view of the other, yet none of them can fully explain what we actually see around us.
Perhaps the truth, if there is one, lies somewhere in the middle. Perhaps a theory of “discoverism” can bridge the gap between objectivism’s view of one reality and radical constructivism’s view of multiple, valid realities. Rather than having to choose between single or multiple realities, we can postulate multiple interpretations of a single reality, filtered through the understanding of each individual. No one single interpretation is correct, but each describes it in some real way – much like Newtonian physics is commonly understood to be an approximation of quantum physics. It’s not 100% right, but it’s certainly not wrong either.
Learning is a process, one that does not end with graduation, commencement, or even tenure. It spans our entire lives and our knowledge of the world around us changes and matures as we grow. What we think we know at any one time is some approximation of the truth, and hopefully as we learn more we get closer to understanding how the world really works. Two people may have opposing viewpoints that each hold a sliver of truth – perhaps by combining different pieces we can come closer to a true understanding.
This is one way web 2.0 sources can be helpful. Collective intelligence is more powerful and closer to the “real” truth than one point of view – no matter how credentialed that one point of view is. Each individual is limited by their own biases and temperaments; together it is easier to make those biases disappear. Because of the collective, informal nature of the creation of web 2.0 knowledge, it is imperative to teach students critical thinking skills in order to evaluate new knowledge they encounter once they leave school. Rather than instructing students to ignore an entire source of information it is better to teach them how to properly evaluate it and integrate it with what they already know. This is not to say there is no worth in traditional, peer-reviewed knowledge sources. However, these can best be thought of as forming the foundation on which the critical analysis relies when evaluating web 2.0 sources.
Will we ever discover the true nature of knowledge? Will we ever really know, how we know, and how best to learn and teach? Probably not, but we can still have fun trying to figure it out.
A new Web 2.0 epistemology?
April 1, 2010
In an Educause article from 2008 Chris Dede, the Timothy E. Wirth Professor in Learning Technologies at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, proposes that there has been “A Seismic Shift in Epistemology” since the introduction of the collaborative, user generated online communities called Web 2.0.
Originally, websites were simply informational sites published by one user for readers to see and enjoy but not contribute to. In a new take on an old medium websites were books and papers published online instead of in print. With the introduction of web 2.0 technologies websites were transformed into collaborative, user generated content spaces.
Dede explains that now, instead of being presented with one point of view website visitors can see a consensus of opinions centering on one topic. How does this impact on our understanding of knowledge, if it now incorporates conflicting information? What does this do to “truth?” How do we choose what to believe? Do we have to accept everything as potential fact, just because someone with an Internet connection believes it is? Or, does the nature of what is real remain the same, even if it becomes harder for us to sift through the options?
Playing games CAN be educational
January 26, 2010
A recent study has found that regularly playing the computer puzzle game tetris can boost planning skills, critical thinking, reasoning and language skills. The study followed a group of adolescent girls for a period of three months and also found growth in the brain cortex, which is a sign of increased grey matter.
Sounds interesting!
Play First, Then Eat
January 26, 2010
A recent article in the NY Times discusses the differences in childrens’ behavior depending on the timing of recess and lunch. It seems obvious, but apparently if they eat and then run out to play they rush through lunch, not necessarily finishing all their food, and many feel nauseous during recess and don’t run around as much as they’d like. This also impacts on how they feel and learn the rest of the afternoon.
The article suggests letting students have recess first and then come in for lunch. Apparently, in schools that have implemented this change, nurses report a drop in physical complaints during the day, teachers see more attentive students, and even the lost and found pile is reduced.
So, remember what your mothers and grandmothers always said – don’t jump in the pool till half an hour AFTER you’ve eaten. Or, swim first 
Stem Cells Successfully Wired With Neurons
January 26, 2010
Science News reported Sunday that researchers were able to grow neurons from embryonic stem cells that successfully connected with existing brain cells in newborn animals. Directing stem cells to grow into a specific kind of cell, in this case brain cells, is only the first step. Confirming that they can indeed be integrated into the organ they are meant to heal is another major hurdle that apparently has just been passed, at least on a preliminary level.
The next step is to extend this success to mature animals, and then to humans. However, this research shows that stem cells can be used for therapeutic goals. The area of the brain that researchers focused on is responsible for muscle control and is damaged in cases of spinal cord injuries and ALS, but the hope is that someday this can be extended to other parts of the brain and will have applications in treating dementia caused by Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Does Age Matter When Learning Online?
January 21, 2010
So here’s an article that pretty much contradicts my last post – http://www.insidehighered.com/advice/instant_mentor/weir7
In it Rob Weir argues that older students tend to be more successful than younger ones and complete more online courses than his younger students, despite less familiarity with the technology. He claims that younger students love the idea of learning online but often drop out before the end of a course. Older students, in his opinion, are more self-motivated and better organized.
While statistics seem to bear out his conclusion, a closer look is warranted. This seems like a classic example of the principle that “correlation does not imply causation.” Yes, the most successful students in his online courses recently may have been the more mature students. But it is only their maturity that makes it easier for them to pass his class?
In my experience, older students tend to spend more time planning to take courses, online or offline, and do more research about the courses. They are more focused on what they want and tend to take fewer courses than full time students – so they will give more attention to each course they take.
Additionally, a student who has been out of school for a long time isn’t in “school mode” – older students often have to get back into the routine of school. They will easily adapt to the demands of whatever course format they are enrolling in – whether it’s an online course, or offline. Current students, on the other hand may not realize before enrolling in an online course how different it can be from a traditional class and therefore may not be prepared for what is expected of them.
Perhaps a simple orientation outlining the various differences between delivery formats would greatly increase performance in younger students. I do not believe that younger students lack the ability to complete online courses at the same rate as older students. Maturity and focus are certainly important when it comes to success in school at any age, and older students have more of both than younger students. However, it is a matter of expectation, not ability, and it is harder to switch between course format than to adapt to one format and stick with it.
Given the prevalence of “blended” courses on college campuses where even traditional classes are being partially conducted online it is only a matter of time before younger students become much more adept at handling different delivery formats and the balance of younger students to old who are enrolled in online classes will change.
Adapting to E-Learning – Generational Differences
January 19, 2010
One of the hardest things about distance e-learning is trying to stay focused and motivated when sitting alone in front of a computer. There are several factors that can determine whether distance learning is appropriate for a particular student, including self motivation, ability to filter out distractions, and strong reading comprehension, among other skills. But there is no doubt that for many people the isolating feeling of staring at a computer screen can be a big turn off.
The leading factor in not completing an online program for many people is the lack of companionship and support during the program. Many students feel online interaction can’t compete with real face-time. On the other hand, nearly all colleges have added on online component to their coursework, even courses taught on campus in a lecture hall or classroom.
If social isolation is such a problem for distance learning students then why is the phenomenon growing on college campuses across the US? Could it be a generation gap, where those who grew up without cellphones, email, IM, and SMS view them as a supplement or replacement for the “real” thing?
Perhaps students who’ve always used these tools first as foremost as social tools, as opposed to those of us who began using them in the office and then spread to our personal lives (especially since so many of use spend most of our day in the office, instead of socializing) are much more comfortable with them as a primary form of socializing rather than a supplementary form.
I predict that online learning will continue to grow despite the drawbacks of lack of “face-time.” As students become more comfortable socializing via a mediator such as a computer or cellphone, and as kids who are already comfortable with this become university students there will be less resistance to the perceived lack of socializing in a computer mediated course.
Thoughts? Feel free to comment below.
WatchKnow.org – Videos for kids
January 19, 2010
Watchknow.org is a website that aims to collect free, educational videos that can be used by teachers in schools and organize them by topic. This allows teachers to find pre-screened videos on specific topics instead of having to spend hours in front of Youtube to find appropriate materials.
WatchKnow is a non-profit online community where anyone can create an account and add videos. Most, if not all, of the videos are hosted elsewhere, like Youtube or TeacherTube, and linked to with a brief review at WatchKnow. While the site is young and hasn’t yet hit it’s goal of “millions of great short videos, and other watchable media, explaining every topic taught in schools, in every major language on Earth” it does have a number of excellent, short videos that can be integrated into a lesson. As this site grows, I’m sure it will become an incredible resource for educators.
Alice – Through the computer screen
January 19, 2010
Alice is a 3D environment for easily creating animations using drag and drop tiles, where instructions correspond to standard programming statements. Students focus on understanding concepts behind what they are doing rather than memorizing syntax or debugging typos.
Alice is a free program developed by MIT in order to encourage beginning programming students to get past the initial learning curve of programming and develop an interest in the possibilities programming can open up instead of getting stuck on baby steps. Alice was developed to be used by students in high school and college but has been used with children as young as 10. Storytelling Alice is a version that was developed for middle school students, to appeal especially to girls and encourage them to consider a career in computers.
I haven’t worked a lot with Alice yet, but I showed it to my 8 year old and 10 year old and they not only thought it was incredibly cool but quickly picked up how to use it on their own. (Hey, what are kids for if not convenient experimental subjects? ). I am also planning a 3 week course this summer for middle school girls to teach them Alice and GameMaker, another drag and drop programming tool specifically for creating games.
Anyone have any tips on teaching these tools? Got any student samples you want to share?
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