Monday, May 9, 2011

Technology and Media for Distance Education

I had some difficulty deciding which technology is predominantly a collaborative communication or concept tool because some of them serve multiple purposes.

I enjoy some of the static tools, and I love some of the dynamic tools. I have used virtual simulations in my classes for some time and am fascinated by the capabilities of virtual environments and what they can do for collaborative projects. There are some environments that can be used for educational purposes wonderfully. I have only used a gaming tool once, yet I see their potential and am going to work on their integration and discover where they can be integrated successfully to enhance student learning. Dyads are new to me, but I think they have a lot of potential.

These tools are used frequently in my classrooms. Although in the area of communication I prefer electronic conferencing tools where we are able to speak and share content as well as see the person we are speaking to.
In conclusion, I would say that in the communication area I predominantly use dynamic tools yet in the other areas I use both static and dynamic tools so I am very much in the middle of the static dynamic continuum although more interested in the dynamic aspect.

5 comments:

  1. Maria,

    I had problems deciding what is static versus dynamic. Also deciding between classifications for communication and collaboration was also difficult. I see much potential for virtual worlds as training tools.

    Tabitha

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  2. To be honest, I mostly use static technologies. This has been the most challenging class for me, but I have learned a lot. I never used the inspiration software on my macbook until now. I'm sometimes frustrated; however, I must say I am "learning by doing."

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  3. Hi Michelle,

    Don´t worry about the fact that you have not started using many dynamic technologies, as soon as you get into them you will see that with them you are able to get your students much more motivated and as you develop your skills it will become much easier.

    Maria

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  4. Maria,

    Your concept map is very visually appealing. I noticed that you stated that you use a lot of online simulations and such in your classroom. Do you have a lot of experience with using Virtual Worlds in your classroom? If so, what do you think about using them?

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  5. Hi Amanda,

    There is a very good virtual environment for teachers and students which is called skolaborate. It is wonderful for projects and you are also able to go to meetings on several topics.

    Maria

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