Educational Technology

We stand at a point where there is more technology than ever before.  As a popular internet meme goes, "If someone from the 1950's appeared today, what would be the most difficult thing to explain to them about life today?", with the answer being, "I possess a device, in my pocket, that is capable of accessing the entirety of information known to man.  I use it to look at pictures of cats and get in arguments with strangers" (http://memerial.net/6067-i-possess-a-device-in-my-pocket).

Technology now enables us to be in constant contact with each other and to have more access to information and entertainment than ever before, not to mention the ability to create our own entertainment in more ways than ever.  A simple Youtube video can go viral, turning anyone into a famous or infamous celebrity (just ask Rachel Black).  Students are putting more energy into designing their webpages and maintaining their Facebook statuses than they probably are to their studies.  We face an ever aging body of teachers, some of whom started teaching long before technology in education became a prominent thing, and some of who are still teaching the same way they were ages ago.  The factory model of one-size fits all education is no longer accurate and is ready to be gently ushered out the door.

Technology has the potential to transform education, if we make use of it.  In the previous blog posts, you will find links to various issues, technologies, applications, and trends in education.  I do not claim that any of these people or links hold the entirely right idea, but they help to paint a larger picture of the world that education is entering and becoming, and leave the decisions of what paths it shall follow to my fellow educations.

One final thought before you dig into these resources?  Is educational technology a separate field in and of itself, or has it become such an integral factor that we should just call it it education?  Judge for yourself.


(title image originally from: http://connectedprincipals.com/archives/7213)

Mobile Devices

Nowadays, virtually every student has a cell phone.  With the advent of smartphones, students and other individuals have the capacity to be connected to the internet twenty-four hours a day.  How can we, as teachers, make use of the vast array of easily accessible information they have at their fingertips?  How can we best use the hundreds of new avenues for communication that have opened up?

Below are a few ideas about how we can use mobile technology.


2010 Fall CUE - Leslie Fisher - Twitter Spotlight Session
A look at how to make use of Twitter.

Web 2.0 Tools
A variety of web-based tools, including many which can be accessed via mobile devices.

60 Inspiring Examples of Twitter in the Classroom
60 ways to use Twitter in the classroom.

6 Examples of Using Twitter in the Classroom
6 more examples of using Twitter in the classroom.

How Twitter in the Classroom is Boosting Student Engagement
Ways in which Twitter is being used to boost student engagement.

title image originally from: http://www.clipartlogo.com/image/two-vector-smartphone_102404.html

Educational Technology Trends

Numerous new trends are emerging in the world of education as technology advances and offers new issues and opportunities.  Below, you will find several different examples of various trends currently emerging in education.

Technology in U.S Schools: Overview on Key Trends
A generalized overview of new and emerging technology trends in schools.

Top Technologies That Will Make a Difference in Education

A video detailing some emerging technologies that will transform education.

Five Predictions for Higher Ed Technology in 2013
An essay of technology predictions for higher education.

8 Great TED Talks About The Future Of Education And Teaching
8 TED talks about emerging trends of education and technology and what the future holds.

Changing Education Paradigms
A look at how education has changed and is still changing.

Student-Centric Education
A look at the shift to student-centric education.

Disruptive Innovations in Education
From the book Disrupting Class by Christensen, a look at some new and disruptive innovations that could transform education

Report: Students Taking Online Courses Jumps 96 Percent over 5 Years
A look at an increasing trend of students getting their education online.

K-12 Teacher Explains what a Virtual Classroom Really Looks Like
One look at what the increasing trend for virtual classrooms has done for one teacher.

The Virtual Classroom Redefines Education
Another look at how virtual classrooms are changing education.

Kadel, Rob.  Data-Driven Decision Making--Not Just a Buzz Word.  Learning & Leading with Technology, v37 n7 p18-21 May 2010

-an article about the emerging trend of using data-driven decision making in schools. Accessible electronically from here.

title image originally from: http://learningweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/educational-technology-resources.html

Applications and Issues in Ed. Tech

As technology advances, numerous issues arise as to how schools can currently make use of it.  Unfortunately, most of the time, schools are finding themselves far behind the curve.  Here are some examples of technology, applications, issues that are arising, and suggestions to get around them.

Adopt and Adapt – 21st-Century Schools Need 21st-Century Technology
An article detailing ways in which schools are behind and can jump ahead of the technology curve.

Differentiated Instruction
A (humorous) look at how technology is changing how we learn and how many feel we're behind the curve.

Engage Me or Enrage Me
Marc Prensky discusses how schools are failing to meet the needs of a new, technology oriented set of students.

A Look at Student Learning and Our Future
Alan November discusses where student learning is going and how where it's been is no longer adequate.

Alan Novermber TED Talk
Alan November looks at how technology can used to make school relevant for students again, answering some of the questions of "why should we care?"

Myth and Opportunities: Technology in the Classroom
Alan November discusses the myths and opportunities that have taken root around technology in the classroom.

The Transformational Potential of Flipped Classrooms
A look at the somewhat controversial idea of "Flipped" classrooms.

Will Richardson and Social Media Tools
Will Richardson talks about the intersection of school and social media, and how the two can be used to improve each other.

Educating the Digital Tribe
A comprehensive blog of educational issues surrounding technology and innovation.

Should public schools be required to offer online K-12 education?
An article questioning whether or not schools should be required to offer some form of on-line education, with an overall emphasis towards the positive end.

A Literature Review of Gaming in Education
An overview of the research being done on the possible application of gaming technology in education.


title image originally from: http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2013/12/16/khan-academys-sal-khan-coursera.html?page=all

Web 2.0 Apps

The internet is now offering a variety of resources to make education far more complex, far more interesting, and far more sophisticated than it has ever been before.  Technology is now more available than ever, and it becomes difficult to device just what programs and strategies are worthy of being used.  Web 2.0 technology allows users to create and customize their own content, not just be content with what is already out there.

Below are some resources for navigating the rather complex world of Web 2.0 technology.

Web 2.0 Tools
A resource for understanding and interpreting a variety of Web 2.0 tools.

Classroom 2.0
A website specifically designed for the use of 2.0 technology in the classroom.

Educational Mashup Technology
A look at how "mashups" of existing can be used to help students and by students.

Karen's Mashup Show
Other examples of mashups in education

Educational Technology Mashup
Another example of mashups and how they might be used.

Mashups in Education
One final mashup possibility, centered around an English class assignment and designed by me.

Cloud Computing Explained
 An explanation of Cloud Computing, an emerging technology app.

A Guide to Open Source Technology in Education
A web-article discussing open source technology and how it can be used in education.

Lakhan, Shaheen E and Jhunjhunwala, Kavita.  “Open Source Software in Education”.

EDUCAUSE Quarterly, ISSN 1528-5324, 2008, Volume 31, Issue 2, pp. 32 - 40 

 --another look at open source software.  Accessible electronically here.


Use of Moodle in Education

Second Life in Education
A look at using the simulation game Second Life in education.

Second Life Education
Another look at using Second Life in education.

title image originally from: http://korcosweb20.wikispaces.com/