For course overview and expectation, please see the syllabus.
This course blogging site will work as an archive of web tools and services. Per selected week, the instructor will post a prompt for students’ blogging participation, which will work for your personal reflection as well as formative evaluation (e.g., suggestion, satisfaction, correction, etc.). Your comment can be brief, directed to the instructor’s post or others’ comments, and should address your positive/negative experiences, suggestions for improvement, and/or insights for improving the course. The only criterion is, your comment must add 'substance' to your learning or to the course.
The first prompt for you to comment is to share attitude/belief about web tools/services (e.g., whether they will truly change education/learning, whether it is another hype or passing trend, whether they must be used more for teaching/learning, etc). If there is a tool you already use for learning or sharing and you find it as very beneficial, you can use your experience to support your argument. Before class on W, check how others think of web tools for teaching/learning. There is no correct or wrong answer - you can be honest!
33 comments:
To be honest, most of my college classes seldom utilize the web in any fashion. In my English classes I occasionally use Google Docs for collaborative papers, but outside of the IDT department, web tools seem rare. My younger sister is still in high school, and from what she tells me teachers and students from my high school desire more web content to enforce learning, but the administration continues to block and censor the majority of websites from student access. I feel web tools and services can be extremely useful in today's environment. In this fast-paced lifestyle web tools allow students and teachers to easily and quickly communicate. The majority of students today grew up on the computer, television, and video games. Because of this, the brain functions a bit differently for these students (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/technology/07brain.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1295539297-WrtFxrLZm/wTZGJhfHbrIw), and teaching methods should adapt to these changes for the better of the students.
I feel that web tools/services is very beneficial especially for educations purposes. Teachers has learn to use these tools as a way of have students collaborate over the web with assignments, such as pbwiki has been commonly used for keeping track of group projects affectedly in my IDT course. I feel that a lot of today generations like to utilize the internet programs more other than writing. Almost everyone know has to work around a computer these days so the web-tool could also benefit in speed of the assignment. Only bad thing i could see out of this is someone doesn't want to constantly run to a computer for these programs and need internet access. I like these different web services and im glad teacher our using technology more and more.
Web tools such as Facebook and Twitter are trendy which is good because the vast majority of students use these tools in some way or another. For learning, I have use these tools as a way to communicate with classmates and instructors and I have found it to be effective. Everyone can collaborate and work on lessons without being in physical groups. I do not see this technology going away anytime soon, but I believe it will evolve and become more interactive.
I feel like web tools are an essential part of learning. They give you a different way of looking at learning, as opposed to the traditional teacher method. Technology is always being bettered and therefore I believe that to call web tools/services trendy is foolish. These web tools are just going to keep advancing the way we learn and the way we live our lives.
Overall I would say that I lack real experience with most web tools. They seem like they can change education positively and they seem like they will be around until we figure out something better. I do not feel that they have to be used for teaching but it can be very helpful for some students. Each person learns differently. I have used Google docs and find it to be a useful way to communicate and work together without being required to get to a specific place.
I believe that people have different beliefs about the web because in today's degeneration, some use it for social network, some use for there own personal things, and some use it to establish there career. For example, in my high school, I wish we had more to do with the web and learning different things before going to a college to learn and struggle to learn it; because every one learns at a different pace.
I believe that sites such as twitter or Facebook are a trend that will eventually be replaced by something bigger and better. Much like how Facebook replaced Myspace. Online learning applications like the one we use for this class will also be replaced by something better but they will serve the same purpose. I do not believe that online learning is a fad, and as time goes on I believe it will become more and more popular and widely used.
I cannot say if web tools will truly change learning, really; it all comes down to how they are used and how they progress in the years to come. They may become greatly important for learning, or they may fall by the wayside.
In my opinion, though, they are already well-used for learning, and that will only continue and grow. The learning landscape will probably be changed. These tools and services provide more ways to access and share information, as well as ways to communicate. These tools and services are not a must, however, so there is always the possibility that they will eventually be forgotten.
I believe web tools will help us learn but I also believe that they can hurt us in the end to. I believe this because it's great to have information at the touch of your finger tips, but it can hurt us to because some times we don't put the smartest things up on the web. I use a web tool called study blue for my classes. it's a web tool that allows you to make study cards, and it tracks how much you know and how much you don't know.
Web tools can be a very effective learning tool. I use Team Tree House for things such at Javascript, Jquery, and other things that are useful things to know in web design but are not offered in classes at WIU.
Web tools may allow users to interact and collaborate with each other in a social media dialogue as creators of user-generated content in a virtual community, in contrast to websites where people are limited to the passive viewing of content. so, from this point people can share and exchange learning and make an effective community.
Web tools may allow users to interact and collaborate with each other in a social media dialogue as creators of user-generated content in a virtual community, in contrast to websites where people are limited to the passive viewing of content. so, from this point people can share and exchange learning and make an effective community.
I think Web Tools will change learning simply on the fact that we have move to using the web/internet for almost everything. Also I believe we've been through all this before with radios and television. You don't what is next maybe we might discover we are in the Matrix the whole time. Who knows?
I believe web tools will help us learn. Everyone looks at most social media sights as negative when it comes to learning, but what about using them to stay connected to your classmates. Web tools like Facebook can be used to contact a classmate or even an instructor. I personally don’t really use social media sights but a few of my friends use them to ask others about homework.
The web offers such a wealth of tools for learning and productivity; combined, they open a world of rich, interactive learning. I use so many trade-specific websites, video tutorials, blogs, productivity tools, forums and other methods of learning that I can't even remember every one off the top of my head!
Am so glad to see productive comments. I agree, we have no choice, it is not about positives or negatives, it is bigger. W3 contents will elaborate more on this. Keep up your positive views class. Rupert Murdock insight-fully once said, you don't need to technology, but must know what it can do for you.
Web tools in education are becoming more and more popular. I do not think it's just a trend. It will continue to grow and become more popular. As schools get more funding, more technology is implemented into the classrooms.
I think web tools can be used effectively for teaching and learning, but there needs to be a clear expectation of how the tool will be utilized between the instructor and the student. While it's possible to use Facebook for learning purposes, I think most users already have this expectation that Facebook is for social media and chatting with friends. I don't see students taking Facebook seriously as a learning tool.
There's a website called Duolingo that I think could be used effectively. This site has lessons in learning several languages. Users can generate content in each language for other users to read and practice what they've learned. Users can post questions in the comment sections of these articles such as "why does a sentence begin this way" or "if I say this, is it correct?"
I think that much of a web tool's usefulness is tied to the user's expectations. If an instructor wants to use a certain tool, then they should be sure the learner's expectations are aligned with their own.
I believe that web tools are changing the education for the better and are not just another hype. With more educational material on the web it makes it easier to manage learning around any free time. One web tools that I use for learning that I find is beneficial is YouTube. I use it because it is free and it makes it easy to search for what you are tying to learning. There are many videos from multiple users about the same subject.
I feel that using web tools has changed the way people teach and learn but not everyone has access to those tools so I don't know if it will be something that will be used a lot.
I believe that web tools will truly change the way people learn. Web tools are and are going to be a great way to have access to what people need to learn. It is a good way to get information to a large group of people in an efficient way if it is used correctly. If the person that wants to get the information out can make sure that everybody who needs to access it can have access and know how to use it, it would be a great way to help people learn.
Technology is growing everyday and will continue to grow year by year. Having the ability to use web tools and other types of technology for educational purposes is critical for any student. Using more web tools will help expand technology and help people better understand how they work. Twitter is a very popular web tool today as people can use this to communicate and also learn. Web tools like this will continue to evolve and will help people learn educational materials effectively.
I would like to say that the web tools is changing people's lives. Not simple changing the online education system but also many other things. The web tools can help a lot on the education. I used to have a online course that teacher is in US and I'm in China. We have two hours class every week. We can talk and seeing the teacher by the Internet. It no longer like students just learn the book and finish the homework but also teacher give students some question and work with them to help them to understand what they're learning. Web tools will be more helpful for the education in the future.
I think that if web tools are used correctly it can change how people learn, because on today's days we are using the web for almost anything. People find information easier without having to go through paper books which are time consuming.
As technology is increasingly used, I think web tools will improve learning and teaching and help students to learn effectively. Technologies have changed the way people reach information and communicate with others. So, using web tools for education will makes the teaching more efficient and would catch the students's attention .
I believe that web tools/services are making an impact on education/learning, but not as big as we may think. If you look at a lot of K-12 schools they are still using standard texts books, and also the students have little opportunities to utilize the technology available. They are punished if they are caught using their smart phones, and only computer related classes have daily access to the computers. So if you view the situation in that regard, web tools/services are not really utilized or available to K-12 students, but perhaps as time goes on that will start to change (that is if the faculty doesn’t remain stuck in their old ways). In regards to college, the situation is better, but not all the courses are taught with technology in mind. Some professors still rely on texts books and teach in rooms that have no computers. The courses that are taught in labs have the access to such tools, but they probably aren’t utilized due to how the professor carries out a course. I again believe that technology based majors are the only ones that would utilize web tools/services. I believe web tools/services impact businesses the greatest, because businesses use these tools/services to gather information, organize, and teach their employees. My hope is that businesses continue to utilize these tools/services, and education, both K-12 and college level, strives to utilize web tools/services more. The web is not going away, it’s only getting bigger and better, and everyone should at least attempt to hop aboard.
Everyone else seems to have positive comments, so I will bring reality back into the situation. The videos and information presented in the blog are four to five years old. I for the most part have seen no change in the education system in the time of there inclusion in the blog. And on an even smaller point, not even much has changed in the construction of this class. I would love to see some of these ideas implemented in education somehow. But until the powers that be change their minds, that they truly do want educated employees, instead of ones that are easy to control the education system will not change. Bread and Circuses.
I would have to agree with Kenny, the tools are out there for people to use for educational purposes but this is majority of the time, not the case. If you look at the way the web is, what are people really spending their time doing? Yes, blogging and collaboration could have great uses and be an excellent tool to aid instruction. The videos have shown examples of what could be or could have been. Even if you look at Google Drive which is a collaboration tool, it's main use to some is a way to upload/link and share illegal mp3's, this is the use of the internet and web tools these days. I think there is practical use out there for these tools though I highly doubt they will ever be fully adapted and accepted as a formal means for instruction.
I personally believe that web tools/services has a lot of potential to be used for learning. Has it been fully realized yet? Not exactly. Like Nick and Kenny said, there hasn't been a huge amount of change in the education system in regards to web tools helping learning. Twitter and Facebook help communicating with classmates and Google Docs can as well, but aside from that, what has really changed? Perhaps in the future, we'll see some real improvement in web tools, but until that day comes, we haven't progressed that much.
I feel that web tools are beneficial for both teaching and learning. Since technology has become a big part of our everyday lives, it is important that we use it to incorporate it in education. I feel that it not only is beneficial to learn and share things easily, but I also feel that it helps students stay engaged in the subject when they use web tools, rather than going to a library and searching for text in a book. Not only does it get information to others fast, but it also allows for them to respond quickly too. Web services that I currently use inlcude: Twitter, Facebook, Google Drive; the first two of course are more for sharing personal information and experiences among friends, and Google Drive I use for school purposes such as sharing documents with other students.
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