Hardware/ Electronic Devices

Wireless Internet Learning Devices (WILD)

What are they? How do they work? Why are they important?
Many 'Fortune 500' companies are sponsoring projects to improve student learning using WILD. They may change learning in important ways in mathematics, science, and other subject areas by enabling flexibly adaptive learning activities. http://ctl.sri.com/projects/displayProject.jsp?Nick=wild
Lower cost and easy portability of handheld's (compared to laptop or desktop computers) may make 1:1 student-computer ratios affordable, and thus enable frequent integral use of computers in classroom learning.
http://ctl.sri.com/publications/displayPublication.jsp?ID=121
Future classrooms are likely to be organized around Wireless Internet Learning Devices (WILD) which resemble graphing calculators, Palm, or Pocket-PC handheld's, connected by short-range wireless networking. WILD learning will have physical affordable that are different from today's computer lab, and different from classrooms with 5 students per computer. These differences may lead to learning activities that deviate significantly from today's images of K-12 activities.
http://www.websitetips.com/wireless/#devices - This site highlights some of the major mobile devices
http://scil.stanford.edu/research/projects/collaboramath.html -To see wirelessly connected handheld computers
http://www22.verizon.com/about/community/learningcenter/articles/displayarticle1/0,4065,1087z1,00.html
The above Verizon website discusses how Wireless Adaptive Protocol (WAP) works. Making a Web site accessible through a wireless device is quite a challenge. So far only a small portion of the more than a billion Web sites, about 1.5 million, provide any wireless Internet content. As the use of WAP-enabled devices grows, you can expect that many more Web sites will be interested in creating wireless content.

Tablet PCs

Another "hot topic" as far as technology and education is the tablet PCs. Here is a link to something interesting being done in a high school in Columbus, OH. http://www.tabletpctalk.com/reviews/everydesk.shtml

Software and Applications

MasterSolution Vision 5

For any teacher that works in a class where the students have computers and wants more control - this seems like the ideal product. I remember teaching a small lab of users Search and Rescue software and I was amazed at how far off track they could find themselves--Some would be with me, some jumping ahead, some using the calculator in Accessories, some playing Hearts or Freecell (what is that game?)
I am all for constructivist learning especially with computers where people like to do the "trial and error" thing, but as a teacher there are times one needs to exercise control. A teacher should want the students attention and competing with a computer is hard. This product gives the teacher the following abilities:
Control
Control student PCs by locking the keyboards, mice and blanking student screens during lessons or discussions.
Supervise
Supervise student screens remotely to monitor progress or web browsing.
Demonstrate
Broadcast your screen or any screen in the classroom to one student or everyone.
Assist
Help any student individually through a tough problem right from your desk.
Communicate
Communicate with students by sending messages, holding a class chat or letting a shy student ask for help without raising their hand.
I think they make sense. More info at http://www.mastersolutionus.com/downloads/vision/visionds.pdf

Apple's QuickTime

Here's an aspect of Apple's QuickTime media player technology that many people are unaware of: chapter tracks. You can "bookmark" sections of videos and provide the user with a drop-down list of the chapters.
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/tools_tips/tutorials/chaptertracks.html
This way, instead of developers having to split up a video into many sections, which is time consuming and prevents any sort of linear usage of the video, one video file can be used in many ways.
There are commercial tools for helping with chapter creation as well, such as:
http://home.netvigator.com/~feelorium/feelorium/Textation/
Here is an online example:
http://larcdma.sdsu.edu/dma/languages/french/BusinessFrench/c_radishesButter.html

WebEx Training Center

WebEx has a lot of neat features in their Training Center software that allows you to show presentations, do file transfers, talk to your students through teleconference or VOIP technology and share documents. Training Center also has hands-on labs and break out sessions.
To see a free demo, go to http://webex.com/
1. Click on Interactive Online Classrooms
2. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Live Demo
3. Select a Region then sign up for a demo.
4. I recommend you choose Training Center
Any questions, email me - sarah.ryanroberts@webex.com

Free PowerPoint Templates

Go to the following site and you can download different PowerPoint backgrounds. You will need to give your e-mail address to download. Great site to help enhance your presentation and show some diversity.
http://presentersuniversity.com/downloads_registration.php

Spymac

1 GB e-mail account for free
250 MB of space to upload pictures in the Spymac Gallery (free)
100 MB free space on Spymac Hosting with WebDAV access*
Free iCal Hosting (both public and private)*
Access to the Spymac Forums and Shoutbox
Your very own Spymac Blog*
Access to the Spymac Auctions
The ability to create your very own personal Gallery and Forum
http://www.spymac.com

Connecting Learning Objects with RSS, Trackback and Weblogs

This informative 36 slide presentation (using Macromedia Breeze) explains how customized collections of learning objects from multiple repositories can be achieved with simple, existing RSS protocols, creating access to a wider range of objects than a single source. The presentation demonstrates the approach of two instructors who create RSS views into the collections from different organizations. Their blogs are connected to the RSS feeds and provide a component of object contexuality that is beyond the meta-data.
"Connecting Learning Objects with RSS, Trackback and Weblogs" by Alan Levine, Brian Lamb and D'Arcy Norman
http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/show/nmc1003/
The presentation makes logical sense of a new instructional tool. It will be interesting to see this evolve and how it will be incorporated into both traditional and online courses.

Movie "Fog of War" Technology WOW

http://www.sonyclassics.com/fogofwar/indexFlash.html
Check it out. It uses a different method of dial navigation that I haven't seen. I was in awe and my curiosity got the best of me, so I just used trial and error to navigate. I was especially impressed by the technology, graphics, real sound clips, clarity of video and audio, and check out lesson plans. WOW what a way to capture the attention of your audience. Lesson Plans: http://www.sonyclassics.com/fogofwar/_media/pdf/lessonPlanFOG.pdf
This type of teaching tool could make history a real adventure. I recall the 8mm films we watched in school... poor quality video, B/W, audio that was barely understandable. I think I would of enjoyed my history classes if this tool was available.

Wiki

After reading Melissa's tool on e-library research I realized that Wikis actually build on this concept. Wikis are a threading device which allow community based learning and participation. the concept is that someone will post something the have researched and while another person is reading the information the create a link (hot button) from that person's wiki to another. For example, if a class was doing research on Antarctica and one student begins researching the climate and discusses what types of animals can survive in that climate, a wiki link could be added to talk about that animal in particular. It's a great way to teach people how there research matters and where it fits into a bigger picture!

Here is the EDTEC comprehensive exam Wiki: http://www.organicallydigital.com/compswiki/index.php

The students use it to share resources and course materials.
What a great way to share stress and build a supportive community.

Technology in the News

MIT OpenCourseWare

This one was in the news and stirred some good discussions.
A free and open educational resource for faculty, students, and self-learners around the world. OCW supports MIT's mission to advance knowledge and education, and serve the world in the 21st century. It is true to MIT's values of excellence, innovation, and leadership.
Check it out yourself: http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/index.htm
How is it going to impact education?

Controversy Regarding PowerPoint in Classrooms

http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=1467589

Website Resources

Learning with Technology Profile Tool

Learning with Technology Profile Tool is a website located at http://www.ncrtec.org/capacity/profile/profwww.htm. The website asks you questions about your current teaching practices and asks you to basically fill out a survey. From there, it plots your practices along a continuum and provides recommendations that should engage students more and incorporate more technology in the classroom. It is not meant as a rating system for teachers, instead it can be a useful tool in helping teachers and their strategies evolve.

Feature Comparison of On-line Teaching/Learning Systems

This site compares (ICARE, WCB, Web CT, Blackboard, TopClass, Learning Space) on-line teaching/learning products based on the following categories:
Administration
Content Creation Capability
Teaching, Assessment and Class Management
Learning, Communication and Resources
Other Features
http://pride-i2.poly.edu/docs/PRIDE/icaremarket/compare.htm
This product comparison resource could be used by:
1. Instructors creating online class content (allow instructor to verify tools/options available for creation of his or her class)
2. Institutions selecting an on-line learning product for implementation (easier to evaluate products based on the same categories and criteria)
One point worth mentioning is the omission of the product version (for example WebCT 4.1).

Survival Kit

http://sll.stanford.edu/projects/tomprof/newtomprof/postings/252.html
--Check it out! A great piece on writing tips, tools, and ideas.

Atomic Learning

Great website for you to visit! Atomic Learning has short quicktime tutorial movies on many of the popular programs we use (PC and Mac). The site lets you view some samples, and then you must pay to get the rest. Well worth the price of admission.
http://www.atomiclearning.com

Personal Experiences with Technology

Email

I know it may seem old-fashioned, and comparatively archaic, but nothing has contributed more to my teaching and learning than good ole e-mail. Whether at work or school, this medium has stood the test of time in my book. I'd like to give some credit that is due to this "basic" technology tool!
The ability to communicate and to send attachments back and forth is without compare. I remember taking my first online nursing course...five years ago. Cal. State Dominguez Hills was converting their state-wide nursing program into an online program. They used Blackboard, not much different from what we have today. During group work, we tried using our group space, but ended up with both blackboard discussion threads and email communication-very confusing. Even today, I find group collaboration much simpler in plain e-mail.
I have communicated with my instructor solely by email in my 795 classes. I submit my work in email attachments, and he edits/comments on my work and shoots it back to me.
There are limitations, but overall it's a great tool for teaching and learning!