The Future

Yesterday evening my wife gave birth to our third daughter. This morning I was thinking about our new baby girl and her future. As I thought about her I considered what it might be like for her when she enters school and what methods will be use to teach her. I also wondered what the future will hold for her education and what tools and methods could be used to give her the best quality education possible. There are so many tools that are available right now that can open up a world of knowledge to our students and these tools will only get better. Many of these tools are changing the way we communicate, collaborate, and learn. As teachers, we have the responsibility of staying current on these tools and discovering ways to use them in educational settings.

As teachers we often fill overwhelmed with our schedules, teaching students, and finding the right methods and tools to use to do our jobs effectively. In this Web 2.0 age, the challenge of having a lack of resources and tools is becoming less relevant. The challenge that is becoming more relevant is deciding what tools to use and how to use them in a manner that will improve student learning. This is at least a challenge that I am facing in my early years of teaching.

Distance Education Trends

As I learn more about providing distance education opportunities, I begin to realize that it takes more effort and thought than I even imagined. If distance education interaction is to ever equal the traditional classroom setting it must provide the proper mix of communication tools that are innovative, easy to use, and allow learners to share and communicate. I feel overwhelmed at all of the tools that are available to be incorporated in this mix. I am also excited about many of these tools and how they have the ability to transform distance learning. The freedoms of this country really do put the world at our fingertips and the possibilities are virtually endless, especially since there are so many tools out there that are free to access and use.

For myself, I will need to find a set of tools that I feel will work in my teaching situation. I will need to become familiar with those tools and then develop and effective way to implement them into my own teaching situation.

Digital Tools and Student Motivation

I've been excited about some of the digital tools that we are learning about that could be used to produce distance learning resources. There are so many ways that these tools can be used to create innovative learning opportunities in distance learning. I also see many ways that these tools could be used in a live classroom. This can be especially true for teachers who are fortunate enough to have access to a high tech computer lab. I am fortunate enough to be able to teach in a computer lab on a daily basis. In fact, I have taken time in class to introduce some of these tools to my students in hopes that they will find innovative ways to complete school work and to stay organized. However, without trying to sound to negative, I really haven't been able to see many of my students get even the slightest spark of interest in these tools. There seems to be little motivation among students when we learn about these tools. I feel that my students don't really catch the vision of these tools and how they can use them for their own development and benefit.

I would think that my students would jump at the opportunity to complete an assignment or project in a new and exciting way. Are they so use to the traditional paper and pencil methods that they are afraid to try something new. I wonder if I am doing something wrong. Why is it that my students won't get excited about these tools? What can I do to help them see the vision of these tools?

Week 6-Open Education Resources

The new OER (Open Education Resources) that are becoming available will be a great boost to our educational system. These resources will provide some excellent opportunities for our students in and out of the classroom. I believe that these resources will also put a new spin on professional development which seems at times difficult for busy teachers like myself to find the time to participate in. Now, with the click of a button, we are able to access online website, learning modules, and podcasts. iTunes U alone is a great example of an OER and how powerful and convenient they can be. I can essentially take a class online while I am sitting on the bus traveling to work.

Needless to say, the readings in class this week sparked my interest. I am excited to take some time to explore some of these OERs and see what schools like MIT, Rice, USU have to offer for the public.

Week 5 # 2

For the past two days I have been attending the annual Business Education conference. This years theme is iTeach Business and Business Education Apps. Many of the conference workshops have presented various Web 2.0 tools and applications. I find it interesting how Web 2.0 is becoming a vital part of education. There are so many tools out there that are free for the taking and I am excited about the opportunities that these tools will create for us. Our students can have access to amazing learning resources and opportunities that could greatly enhance the way they learn. The keynote speaker at this conference stated that 80 percent of young learners are visual and hands-on learners. I feel that Web 2.0 tools are perfect tools for these type of learners. My hope is that our students will realize how powerful these tools are. Teenagers tend to view the Internet as an entertainment resource. If they can realize that there are tools out there that can help
them learn, be more productive, and prepare for the future.

Week 5

This week I have been thinking about distance learning and the tools we use to facilitate distance learning. There are some amazing tools and we often here about how these tools are revolutionizing education. We also talk about how distance learning is the wave of the future for education. However, I wonder if distance education will really ever be an equal or better alternative to the traditional classroom. As I have taken online classes in this program I have come to realize that I prefer the traditional classrom. I seem to get more out of a class if I am having direct interactions with
The teacher and other students. I imagine there are others out there who feel just as I do. With this in mind, I wonder if distance and online learning will ever get the point where it is innovative enough to equal the interaction that exists in a traditional classroom setting.

Web 2.0 2

In my last blog post, I summarized my thoughts on Web 2.0 and how it could enhance the way we learn. As this week has progressed, I have been wondering why we haven't seen a big transformation in education as these new internet technologies have emerged. It is obvious that teachers are now beginning to utilize some of these tools in the classroom, but Web 2.0 technologies have been around for a few years now and are continually evolving. Shouldn't we be seeing some major trends in the classroom such as more computer-based instruction? As teachers, when trying to implement these tools, what challenges are we facing that hold us back from revolutionizing our instruction?

Web 2.0 and its possiblities

Web 2.0 has changed the way we use the internet drastically! We can now communicate, share, and contribute knowledge with just about anyone with a few keystrokes and clicks. There is great power and possibilities with Web 2.0 in our personal lives and in the classroom. Specifically speaking about the classroom, our students can create and share content, post their opinions, collaborate, and communicate. Distance and time are no longer an issue. These technologies are a great upgrade and alternative to the traditional methods of instruction. When I consider the possibilities of instruction created by this new technology, I'm optimistic about the future of education. However, I'm still trying to understand how harness this technology and how to show students that Web 2.0 is more than just a way to be entertained or to chat with friends. I want my students to catch the vision of these technologies and to use them to learn more, penetrate the barriers of knowledge, and be more productive. I hope that over the next few years I can find ways to help them catch this vision, but for right now it seems to be a difficult task.