Crafting MEANINGFUL Reflections for ePortfolio
OTD 509 Emerging Technologies
Course Instructor: Avi Luxenburg
Source: https://canvas.instructure.com/courses/820602/files/26184660?module_item_id=5375001
Course Description:
Students will explore educationally significant emerging technologies and will examine aspects of change in education (including topics such as: inspiration and implementation of technology integration, systems and psychological considerations in change and sustainable initiatives, and disruptive innovation). Students will develop frameworks for technology selection, and will investigate applications, benefits and challenges inherent in specific emerging technology deployment
Course Learning Outcomes:
Through course activities, collaboration, readings and research it is expected that student will:
1. Be familiar with common terms, definitions and elements related to emerging technologies.
2. Research and identify emerging technologies with educational applications not yet adopted by mainstream education or in early adoption
phases.
3. Examine current research around technology adoption, best practices for change management and technology integration.
4. Adapt or develop a framework for assessing emerging technologies.
5. Consider potential design/implementation opportunities and challenges of emerging technologies
6. Discuss potential digital citizenship and appropriate use issue
Overarching (Critical Challenge) Questions to keep in mind throughout the course:
______________________________________
Assignment:
Development and implementation of a one week seminar on an emerging technology (learning outcomes covered 1,2,3,4,5,6)
Evidence: Gamification Seminar Plan
Click on this link to access: Course Assignment Document
The first part of this assignment, which took place in week 1 of the course, was to choose three emerging technology topics we would be interested in researching, from a list outlined in the week 1 course plan. We also had to choose whether we wished to do this assignment independently or in a partnership or on a team with two others. We completed the form OLTD 509 Seminar Topic/Team Selection outlining our choices. Based on these submissions, our instructor then assigned the seminar topics. I was assigned the topic on Gamification, my first choice, and I choose to do the assignment independently.
We then completed another form, choosing which cohort led emerging technology seminars we would like to participate in. This would tell us what week we would present and how many others would take part in our seminar. Click on this link to access: Seminar Schedule
I then had the daunting task of putting together my seminar, in week 2 of the course. With the myriad of information out there how does one go about making the right choices? I spent hours… online viewing videos and images, reading articles, blog posts, infographics, going in to Twitter to scroll through related hashtags and exploring different sites that host online games. It was all consuming. But I was able to narrow my topic and then focus on what I felt was important. It all came together and I presented my seminar plan to our instructor.
I emailed my seminar plan, a few days ahead of the start date, to the two students and our instructor, who also took part in the seminar. In this way they had the opportunity to plan out their week ahead of time. I know our instructor received the plan, as he responded to the email, but I still question whether the two students did, as they did not respond. Also in preparation for the seminar a pre-seminar Google Form survey was posted in the Gamification folder. This was completed by all in the seminar, but not as I had hoped, which was a few days ahead of the seminar. In looking back, when I posted the survey I should have included a note about the seminar plan being sent through personal email. This is an idea I garnered from another seminar leader, who hosted a later seminar.
My seminar was hosted in the Gamification folder in our Google + OLTD Shared Space (Learning Community). It has now been merged with all of the other topics in the OLTD 509 folder in Google + OLTD Shared Space (Learning Community). Here you will again find my seminar plan along with discussion posts on gamification.
During my week as a seminar leader I enjoyed and learned from my exploration and response to the different posts and was glad to see others, not assigned to the seminar, participating as well. I found adding pertinent information, as I came across it during the week, added to the seminar. In looking back I would like to have had a chance to review the end of week seminar self-evaluation forms, so I could get a sense of what I did well and how I could have improved.
In relation to the week seminar, the facilitator was required to reflect on his/her learning, this could be part of our assigned weekly blog post. For this I wrote the following blog post “Seminar Planning I Just Wanted to Play a Game"
During my many hours of exploration I came to wonder, if it is taking me this long to plan one week, how long must it take each of our instructors to plan a course. This made me come to the realization of just how much I am looking forward to the time when I can direct my enthusiasm and energy, wholeheartedly, to the application of my learning to my own teaching and course development.
New technologies are continually emerging that may be beneficial to my teaching and my students’ learning. The key here is that whatever the technology is it should be chosen because it fits in with my developing philosophy of education and because it enhances my students’ learning. It should not just be used for the sake of integrating technology. One needs to make an informed decision when looking to integrating technology. This includes looking at what barriers one may face when looking at implementing technology integration. An informed decision can be made by either immersing oneself in the use of the technology and/or doing in depth research. The web is an amazing source of information as are those in our own PLN. One needs to remember though that when looking to information on the web you must use a discerning eye.
________________________
Assignment
Active participation in Instructor and Student-Facilitated Seminars (Leaning Outcomes Covered 1,2,3,4,5,6,)
Evidence: found throughout this post
Along with leading a seminar each student in OLTD 509 participated in three seminars: an instructor facilitated seminar and two student(cohort) facilitated seminars. The first week we participated in the seminar facilitated by our instructor Avi Luxemburg. He used the LMS Canvas to host the course. Click on this link to access: Week 1 Seminar Plan . To see other information related to "Week 1" click on the following and scroll down: Canvas OLTD 509 Week 1.
Which seminars we participated in, for the student-facilitated seminars, was based on a few things.
First, we filled out a Google form survey to identify what seminar topic we wished to host and whether we wished to host it independently or with others. Click on this link to access the survey: Topic Selection Form (Seminar Topic/Team Selection) Once our seminar was assigned we then filled out a Google form survey identifying what seminar topics we were interested in participating in. Click on this link to access: Seminar Sign up Form . Our instructor then had the daunting task of correlating who would present their seminars when, keeping in mind that each of us would be a participant in two seminars and present one, and all over a three week period, with varying size of groups. Our instructor shared that this was far more difficult than he ever thought it would be, a good lesson for those of us who may ever look to create, a seminar style assignment, in our own teaching. Click on the following link to access: Seminar Schedule
I was assigned to participate in the seminars: “Tablet Computing” led by Sonny, Jean and Breanne in week 3 and “eBooks/eTextbooks" led by Tracy and Michael in week 5. The seminar plans and discussion related to these two seminars can be found in our Google + OLTD Shared Space (Learning Community). My reflection relating to my participation in the “Tablet Computing” seminar can be found in this blog post “To Use Ipad Only or Not, That Is The Question”. For the seminar on "eBooks/eTextbooks" we were given the task of creating our own eBook. Along with the creation of an eBook we wrote a related blog post. Both are found here “E-Book- Created in: “Picturebook: School Edition”.
Although we were assigned to two specific student (cohort) led seminars this did not in any way limit us from also choosing to join in or lurk in other seminars. In week 3, I also participated in a Collaborate session which was part of the “3-D Printing” seminar, and followed the posts in the Google+ community OLTD 509 3-D Printing Seminar. Then in week 4, the week I facilitated a seminar, I also participated in the seminar on “Augmented Reality”, specifically in learning to use the app “Aurasma” and posting in the Google+ community OLTD509 Augmented Reality Seminar .
An online course needs to be designed based on best practices that meet the needs of all learners while focusing on best pedagogy. When looking to all learners we must keep in mind students’ different learning styles: auditory learners, visual learners and kinesthetic learners. Most students learn through a combination of all three, but everyone is different. Along with this a course needs to be designed keeping in mind the importance of interactions: student to content, student to student and student to instructor.
Prior to even creating a lesson that involves integration of technology one must look to the the following:
Referenced from the following, OLTD 509 Document, which also lists OLTD 509 students thoughts in relation to each of the four points.
OTD 509 Emerging Technologies
Course Instructor: Avi Luxenburg
Source: https://canvas.instructure.com/courses/820602/files/26184660?module_item_id=5375001
Course Description:
Students will explore educationally significant emerging technologies and will examine aspects of change in education (including topics such as: inspiration and implementation of technology integration, systems and psychological considerations in change and sustainable initiatives, and disruptive innovation). Students will develop frameworks for technology selection, and will investigate applications, benefits and challenges inherent in specific emerging technology deployment
Course Learning Outcomes:
Through course activities, collaboration, readings and research it is expected that student will:
1. Be familiar with common terms, definitions and elements related to emerging technologies.
2. Research and identify emerging technologies with educational applications not yet adopted by mainstream education or in early adoption
phases.
3. Examine current research around technology adoption, best practices for change management and technology integration.
4. Adapt or develop a framework for assessing emerging technologies.
5. Consider potential design/implementation opportunities and challenges of emerging technologies
6. Discuss potential digital citizenship and appropriate use issue
Overarching (Critical Challenge) Questions to keep in mind throughout the course:
- How can you select emerging technologies which fit your developing philosophy of education
- How can you inspire, initiate and implement sustainable integration of emerging technologies in your own practice, and in the practice of others?
______________________________________
Assignment:
Development and implementation of a one week seminar on an emerging technology (learning outcomes covered 1,2,3,4,5,6)
Evidence: Gamification Seminar Plan
Click on this link to access: Course Assignment Document
The first part of this assignment, which took place in week 1 of the course, was to choose three emerging technology topics we would be interested in researching, from a list outlined in the week 1 course plan. We also had to choose whether we wished to do this assignment independently or in a partnership or on a team with two others. We completed the form OLTD 509 Seminar Topic/Team Selection outlining our choices. Based on these submissions, our instructor then assigned the seminar topics. I was assigned the topic on Gamification, my first choice, and I choose to do the assignment independently.
We then completed another form, choosing which cohort led emerging technology seminars we would like to participate in. This would tell us what week we would present and how many others would take part in our seminar. Click on this link to access: Seminar Schedule
I then had the daunting task of putting together my seminar, in week 2 of the course. With the myriad of information out there how does one go about making the right choices? I spent hours… online viewing videos and images, reading articles, blog posts, infographics, going in to Twitter to scroll through related hashtags and exploring different sites that host online games. It was all consuming. But I was able to narrow my topic and then focus on what I felt was important. It all came together and I presented my seminar plan to our instructor.
I emailed my seminar plan, a few days ahead of the start date, to the two students and our instructor, who also took part in the seminar. In this way they had the opportunity to plan out their week ahead of time. I know our instructor received the plan, as he responded to the email, but I still question whether the two students did, as they did not respond. Also in preparation for the seminar a pre-seminar Google Form survey was posted in the Gamification folder. This was completed by all in the seminar, but not as I had hoped, which was a few days ahead of the seminar. In looking back, when I posted the survey I should have included a note about the seminar plan being sent through personal email. This is an idea I garnered from another seminar leader, who hosted a later seminar.
My seminar was hosted in the Gamification folder in our Google + OLTD Shared Space (Learning Community). It has now been merged with all of the other topics in the OLTD 509 folder in Google + OLTD Shared Space (Learning Community). Here you will again find my seminar plan along with discussion posts on gamification.
During my week as a seminar leader I enjoyed and learned from my exploration and response to the different posts and was glad to see others, not assigned to the seminar, participating as well. I found adding pertinent information, as I came across it during the week, added to the seminar. In looking back I would like to have had a chance to review the end of week seminar self-evaluation forms, so I could get a sense of what I did well and how I could have improved.
In relation to the week seminar, the facilitator was required to reflect on his/her learning, this could be part of our assigned weekly blog post. For this I wrote the following blog post “Seminar Planning I Just Wanted to Play a Game"
During my many hours of exploration I came to wonder, if it is taking me this long to plan one week, how long must it take each of our instructors to plan a course. This made me come to the realization of just how much I am looking forward to the time when I can direct my enthusiasm and energy, wholeheartedly, to the application of my learning to my own teaching and course development.
New technologies are continually emerging that may be beneficial to my teaching and my students’ learning. The key here is that whatever the technology is it should be chosen because it fits in with my developing philosophy of education and because it enhances my students’ learning. It should not just be used for the sake of integrating technology. One needs to make an informed decision when looking to integrating technology. This includes looking at what barriers one may face when looking at implementing technology integration. An informed decision can be made by either immersing oneself in the use of the technology and/or doing in depth research. The web is an amazing source of information as are those in our own PLN. One needs to remember though that when looking to information on the web you must use a discerning eye.
________________________
Assignment
Active participation in Instructor and Student-Facilitated Seminars (Leaning Outcomes Covered 1,2,3,4,5,6,)
Evidence: found throughout this post
Along with leading a seminar each student in OLTD 509 participated in three seminars: an instructor facilitated seminar and two student(cohort) facilitated seminars. The first week we participated in the seminar facilitated by our instructor Avi Luxemburg. He used the LMS Canvas to host the course. Click on this link to access: Week 1 Seminar Plan . To see other information related to "Week 1" click on the following and scroll down: Canvas OLTD 509 Week 1.
Which seminars we participated in, for the student-facilitated seminars, was based on a few things.
First, we filled out a Google form survey to identify what seminar topic we wished to host and whether we wished to host it independently or with others. Click on this link to access the survey: Topic Selection Form (Seminar Topic/Team Selection) Once our seminar was assigned we then filled out a Google form survey identifying what seminar topics we were interested in participating in. Click on this link to access: Seminar Sign up Form . Our instructor then had the daunting task of correlating who would present their seminars when, keeping in mind that each of us would be a participant in two seminars and present one, and all over a three week period, with varying size of groups. Our instructor shared that this was far more difficult than he ever thought it would be, a good lesson for those of us who may ever look to create, a seminar style assignment, in our own teaching. Click on the following link to access: Seminar Schedule
I was assigned to participate in the seminars: “Tablet Computing” led by Sonny, Jean and Breanne in week 3 and “eBooks/eTextbooks" led by Tracy and Michael in week 5. The seminar plans and discussion related to these two seminars can be found in our Google + OLTD Shared Space (Learning Community). My reflection relating to my participation in the “Tablet Computing” seminar can be found in this blog post “To Use Ipad Only or Not, That Is The Question”. For the seminar on "eBooks/eTextbooks" we were given the task of creating our own eBook. Along with the creation of an eBook we wrote a related blog post. Both are found here “E-Book- Created in: “Picturebook: School Edition”.
Although we were assigned to two specific student (cohort) led seminars this did not in any way limit us from also choosing to join in or lurk in other seminars. In week 3, I also participated in a Collaborate session which was part of the “3-D Printing” seminar, and followed the posts in the Google+ community OLTD 509 3-D Printing Seminar. Then in week 4, the week I facilitated a seminar, I also participated in the seminar on “Augmented Reality”, specifically in learning to use the app “Aurasma” and posting in the Google+ community OLTD509 Augmented Reality Seminar .
An online course needs to be designed based on best practices that meet the needs of all learners while focusing on best pedagogy. When looking to all learners we must keep in mind students’ different learning styles: auditory learners, visual learners and kinesthetic learners. Most students learn through a combination of all three, but everyone is different. Along with this a course needs to be designed keeping in mind the importance of interactions: student to content, student to student and student to instructor.
Prior to even creating a lesson that involves integration of technology one must look to the the following:
- Developing our own filters: “What filters (concepts, ideas, philosophies, research, beliefs...) might you use in selecting emerging technologies (Note: We are finding that the concepts people are utilizing for their filters go beyond technology integration. This is a good thing. These are concepts such as: "I want my students to experience Flow.")”
- Looking at barriers that could affect integration: “What barriers do you see to implementation of the emerging technologies?”
- Systems/Pedagogy: “What are the systems and/or pedagogical considerations you will need to think of when implementing emerging tech projects (This could be anything from "the challenges of developing assignments when you are in a BYOD environment" to "the limitations of access to technology" to "attitudes of other staff members.)?”
- It is also our role to look to inspire/initiate/implement integration.
Referenced from the following, OLTD 509 Document, which also lists OLTD 509 students thoughts in relation to each of the four points.