Reflective Post and Poster

Personal Learning and Reflections.

Gradually with playing around with all the tools I learnt a lot about using Google sites and many other tools. I had to enhance my skills in Microsoft word to be able to achieve my target of teaching the students the same.

There were two major changes in my project due the facts that I learnt while the production of materials of the project. The Changes were:

1. Microsoft PowerPoint was dropped as research tool to be taught to the students. The major reasons behind these changes were (I am trying to be honest here):
• I did not find any special tool in MS PowerPoint which will drastically help students to enhance the skills. This may be because I am not aware of such tools in MS PowerPoint, but I will get back to it once this end -semester rush finishes and enhance my skills first and then share the knowledge using my website, and there is no point sharing half knowledge.
• I lacked time to learn all those extra skills in MS PowerPoint to be able to teach students. As my knowledge in MS PowerPoint is also to be polished to make it a excellent research presentation tool.
2. Video from external sources was preferred to what I made. The major reasons behind these changes were (I am trying to be honest here):

• After I made some video’s to help students understand what I want to teach I realized that it was just the repetition of the detailed downloadable PDF guides I already had prepared for the course. So decided to scrap them and share you tube Video’s which told more than what I could teach, so that the students can enhance their skills further. I will seek for more videos in future and share them. And students will be alerted from RSS Feeds Subscription.
• The owners of the video have been contacted by email or comments and I am still awaiting reply. I have made a point to refer to the source of the video so that they get the credit for the work they have done. And I also have shared it using YouTube gadget so the ownership remains with YouTube and its original owner.

The communication throughout the project was fair. I was under pressure of too many thing happening around me and may have not communicated all my developments with Dr M. Veerhart. I genuinely apologize for that. This is especially for the last minute changes I made to the project in view that the Study Material for PowerPoint was large but not serving the purpose of the course to teach research tools.

Apart from this I communicated everything with my peers and my professor. That is the reason I can only rate my communication as Fair not Good.

Ethical and Accessibility Issues

I would like to emphasize the point that I have acted with utmost integrity while doing this project keeping in mind the ethical considerations surrounding the issues of plagiarism and copyrights.

I have made extensive use of Google and its various tools to assist my assignment. I also have used various relevant YouTube video's to assist learning of the students of this course. I made it a point to contact them to inform that their videos will be shared on my web-site using YouTube gadgets and also mentioned in my site in every video upload to whom these video's belong. No Videos were downloaded, they were only shared using YouTube Gadgets.

I have made this site free and has no commercial benefit attached to this web-site. All users are allowed to view and provide feedback on the website.

Technical Learning

As with all the people who have used Google Sites, it took me a while to get my head around the pages and its functions. And how can I exploit the Google Ecosystem to my advantage. I read a lot of forums and played around with many functions, committed mistakes (a lot of them) then tried to restore them and again tried tom play around till I finally got it right.

The main motive of my website was to make it as simple as possible so that any one with slight knowledge is able to access the knowledge provided in it. The web site is designed to remain open and free 24x7. I have allowed RSS Subscriptions and also will constantly try to improve it using the feedback and requests I receive from the users. I have added a form to my 'Contact Tab' which directly feeds all the feedback to my spreadsheet for me to use and develop my course further. As this course is designed for providing tools to users its important part that it is modified according to requests and feedback to keep it relevant and useful in future as well.

Teaching and Learning Effectiveness

I found the teaching of Digital Learning Technologies to be first rate. It encouraged me to think, innovate, question, analyse  and thoroughly learn various new concepts at my own pace.

And if I talk about effectiveness of the course I have designed, that can only be decided by the feedback's I receive from users. As I said earlier this course is for the people so they decide how it is and how they want it to be in the future. 

From my perspective I have tried my best to implement the idea that I had when I decided to do this project. There were some changes but that were to maintain the teaching and learning effectiveness  of my course.

Project Plan

Project plan served as my checklist and time-sheet  and the project ready to be submitted is the biggest proof of adherence of it.

Well to be true there were variations in the dates decided but the plan was designed with buffers to acclimatize those changes. The project was delayed by a day due to the last minute changes that I made. These were mentioned above, and was large considering the project size. I had to redesign the whole project and edit it with new contents and deleting the old one to make the project more effective. The project would have been deemed complete even if I had not made those changes, but morally thinking would the project have served the purpose of giving 'students who are new to Well referenced assignments', efficient tools and knowledge to counter their new ghost ? NO. So the decision to provide little but efficient knowledge was taken.

Possible Improvements and Future Extensions

A many of them will be done. Improvements will be according to the requests and feedback's that I receive. Also I will make an endeavor to enhance my skills to best level in MS Word and PowerPoint to add more skills and guides to use for the students.

I am planning to design a good template in current APA style which students can use if they lack time to learn the skills. But that is when I learn all about APA, so this is kept for the future.

Poster

My poster is based on web same as my course so that I can share it with the world without any hassle of compatibility and conversion. Simple Glog available to all 24x7 same as my Web Site.  

The link to my poster is: http://www.glogster.com/prashin/prashin-s-research-tool-s/g-6kofu52laqica3u99fon7a0
And it is easy to print too. Just click on Private Print Tab & Print.

and the link to my web site is: https://sites.google.com/site/msofficeasresearchreporttool/home

Please feel free to view and provide you precious feedback by filling the form under my 'Contact Tab' of my Web Site.

At last I would like to sincerely thank Associate Prof. M. Veerhart, for his precious time and guidance. As trust me when I say this his thought and ideology changed the way I thought. As this is the end of the course with him, I only hope I have met his expectations, And I sincerely apologize if I have let him down, during any point in time.

Thank You Sir,
God Bless & God Speed.

Comments on Peer blogs

1. Raj Jadeja : http://exploringdigitalleaning.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/in-process-i-learned.html
2. Raj Jadeja: http://exploringdigitalleaning.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/e-portfolio.html
3. Paula Edwards: http://digitallearningtechnology.wordpress.com/2013/04/01/blog-5-1/comment-page-1/#comment-3
4. Lee gaylor: http://holyarmadillosmoke.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/81-reflections.html
5. Arun Warriar: http://digitallearningtechnologyunlimited.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/online-course-examples.html

Week 8 - Term Reflection for Digital Learning Technologies Course @ EIT, Hawke's Bay

When I enrolled for this course I, had a fair idea that this is a course that will guide me to increase my knowledge to be used in my profile. As now in my life growth cycle I am at a stage where every knowledge I gain is planned and channelized to what my future profession will be. And I am yet to reach a stage to read random library full of books and articles to enhance my knowledge. But for now my goal is a good profession. Now I will try to take you through the journey of the first term (February 2013 to April 2013) of my course name Digital Learning Technologies, from which you can make a small idea of what this course is all about.

My first idea was that this course will teach me to use advanced skills, and knowledge of use of various multimedia tools. These can be used for teaching or developing your own knowledge base. But to be true I learnt much more. May be because of the design and implementation of this course or excellent teaching skills of my professor. For now we will concentrate in syllabus wise what I learnt from this course, and what I liked about it.

We started of with learning to use blogs, micro-blogs and what is 21st century teaching is all about, and how digital learning technologies have been embedded in our daily lives. We also saw what were the challenges it faced in today's world. That made me see the technology that I saw and used form the other side of the window.  We went in depth about the various DLT's used in organisations and how o use social networking as learning tool. I had been using social media but never used it as a tool. The best thing came the later was I learnt what PLN was. It was like my plans for the future got a structure to stand on. I was now preparing to embrace technologies to enhance my learning and professional network. That was a major turning point in my career planning. After all these years of education I had never thought about the pedagogic implementation. I realised that NLP and VAKOG are the need of the future. We learnt about the four pedagogy, and made me think of all the education I had done through that spectrum. 

We learnt all about the various instructional design models, and had our first play with EIT Online (Moodle). We made a model in group within 1 hour using common Google doc. And that started the creativity end in my brain. I started to plan my final assignment of creating a online course, from there. The knowledge of using connected media and detailed use of wiki gave platform to use wiki as tool. We also researched various cloud tools and mobile learning techniques and how it can be used. 

This was just the brief what what all I learnt in just 3 months. The best parts of this course was Adobe connect providing live streaming of the classroom sessions at comfort of your home or anyplace in the world. Then the method of submitting your assessments using blogs and cloud tools like Google sites was unique. 

                                                                              They  opened me to an idea of sharing my work with the

world and receiving feedback from them. It was scary at the start but gradually developed a thought in me that the your knowledge can also be shared with your world. The effort my professor puts in maintaining his course online open and available to one and all in the world was outstanding. It portrayed a amazing ideology of sharing his work that he created with such hard-work. 

For me this kind of educational delivery was new and was a amazing journey of change of ideologies. And will cherish every thing I learnt from this course. The only suggestion I wanted to give in the start of this course almost was inculcated. That was the presentation of assessments.

One thing I would like to add is that apart from Adobe connect we also can use a back technology, just in case Adobe Connect is down. 

I will remember Associate Professor M Veehart all my life for his unique thought of imparting and sharing his wide knowledge. The effort you put is herculean and many teachers and even your peers can learn from that. If in future such efforts are made common education for all will not be far fetched dream.

A sincere thanks to you. 

Week 7 - Example of an online course

First on reading the assessment I searched a lot of online training courses. Then a thought came that we also as students of Digital Learning Technology @ EIT Hawke's Bay also are designing a online training course under guidance of Associate Professor M Veerhart.

So in this blog of siting an example of online course, instead of siting a well established online course training course, I decided to share my online course with the world. As it is meant to be free and accessible without any log in's, I can always use feed-backs on my site. 

The motive of my product is to educate students with basic knowledge of MS Word and MS Powerpoint, how to use these software’s to make the task of making a research paper, written assignments and presentation easier. As this course ware should be available to one and all, the course has to be laid out on a web with free access.

The site: Prashin's Research Tools

P.S. This site is still under construction and is expected to be fully ready by end of may 2013, but will be shared with public as feedback's/comments will be appreciated.

Wiki Page (wiki page where I, added the link)

Week 7 - e - Portfolio

If we speak in general terms it is the collection of all the work that one has done till date in a showcased manner. The work can be files, blogs, sites, CV. We can also adjust the access of different audiences in some but most allow you to collect all your work and share what you want to show and in what template.

In today's world most of us have some or the other form of online social presence but all these are informal way to showcase their work and success. E Portfolio gives  formal platform to share their work, blogs, to showcase what they have done or as a record of what they have achieved till date. It can also be used to create online learning learning communities, career development by setting goal plans. It can also be a showcase of your PLN. Instead of a plain CV paper or pdf file it can be a media enriched showcase to portray your work achievements, co curricular achievements, with proof in the form of photos, graphics, files, reports, spreadsheets, web pages etc. And the students can take this information to be shared with friends and family and most importantly employers and higher study institutions. 

One can gain feedback from the learning community, and also from self evaluation and action planning in a learning process spread throughout you life. One can accumulate all the multimedia profiles and work and show case it in one single platform. This could never have been possible with the paper based old school CV, which would not have been enough to sell yourself in this competitive market.

One of the most followed and simple form of e portfolio is linked in. It is modern method of CV which is been used by many job aspirants and closely followed by employers all over the world. It has some features like joining some professional group and also of getting feedback on the submitted work. But as it is strictly customized, one cant showcase all the things in their own planned manner.

My Linked in Prashin Poovelil 

Another method to make a very vast e portfolio is Google Sites. The best thing is you can just keep adding all you want and only share what you want. Google with is vast family and all supporting apps, if used smartly can provide huge database for all your work on one of the most reliable servers in the world. There is is no doubt it needs a little learning curve before one can use it as a professional e portfolio, but once that learning curve is achieved the vastness of the Google ecosystem can be exploited to create a free but yet most versatile e portfolio.

My CV on Google Sites: Prashin Poovelil CV

Week 6 - Instructional Design Model

This week we:

• Explored the role of learning technologist.
• Looked at using different methodologies (OTARA) and designed a learning object in groups.
• Reviewed the results of other groups and in class one of the group presented your work.

The learning technologist plays a very important role in design of the pedagogy. We had beautiful classroom session on how to design the OTARA model. We learnt to use a document collaboratively and to share our thoughts in a team to construct a instructional design.

The lecture Steph took us through various experiences of intructional design.

We also had a exposure to moodle design and made me motivated to use EIT moodle design for my DLT final assessment. It was a good hand on experience which I would love to take further. It showed instructional design needs a lot of planning, sharing and collaborative work even to design a small design. In the last we shared our work with the class which opened my idea process on instructional designs and broadened my creative angle to it

It has almost motivated to think this also as a career path, and the result of my final assessment will give me final indication on whether I should take it further.

week 5 - Refelective Post

My plan for the PLN is very simple to start with.
For simplicity I have divided my pln in 5 Major segments.
The applications are mentioned in the caption I want to use them in.

The main idea is to use mobile technology to use or maintain these on the go and to increase my efficiency in mobile technology.

The newspaper widgets I want to use are Stuff (For New Zealand news and global news in NZ perspective), Times of India (For Indian News and global news in Indian perspective), Google reader to read my books, with all my other knowledge and general knowledge feed coming on to one page using rss. And also sharing interesting bits with the world.

The Digital Learning class has reintroduced me to world of blogs, which I left using due to busy schedule. But I will try and inculcate it into my daily routine.

Social Networking was a craze when it had started but with busy schedule kicking in it had gone to a backside. I plan to use Facebook, twitter and Google plus to its maximum potential to enhance my social circle.

Career Networking has taken a new turn for me as I am new to NZ and my huge Indian network is not of much use here. I have to built contacts in NZ. As we have to compete in competitive job market with locals who have a clear advantage of networks and references. I plan to built a portfolio web page soon after my studies to reflect all my work, experience and skills till date. Also I plan to take EIT faculty into loop as they are my only support circle in the new land. I will take linked in profile also seriously to portray my image.

For the current time my communication weapons will be gmail, yahoo and gtalk but I plan to increase that as soon as possible.

That is my PLN and last but not least I will keep increasing it more and more with more crisp and efficient applications as and when required.

Week 4 - Reflective Post: Adobe Connect

"What is Adobe Connect?

Adobe® Connect™ is a web conferencing platform for web meetings, eLearning, and webinars. It powers mission critical web conferencing solutions end-to-end, on virtually any device, and enables organizations from leading corporations to the U.S. Department of Defense to fundamentally improve productivity." (Adobe Systems Incorporated. 2013.)

Adobe can serve as a complete solution for digital learning, the best example is the Digital Learning Technologies course conducted at EIT, Hawke's Bay, NZ, which has live streaming for all the students. That means the students can access thier live lecture from any part of the world.

With Adobe Connect you can:

• Create and present courseware.
• Maximise attendance using reminders andonboarding tools.
• Instant access to virually any device.
• Easily integrate third party systems.
• Record sessions for podcasting purpose.
• Reach thousands with webcast option.
• Help ensure secure communication and complaince.

(Adobe Systems Incorporated. 2013.)

The issue of privacy of any session remains a question, as if guest login is enabled then anyone in the world can enter your meeting space.

But this has very less cons and a lot of pro's

Here is a video of a demo of Adobe Connect Meeting

Work Cited:

Adobe Systems Incorporated (n.d.). Adobe Connect. Retrieved March 18, 2013 from www.adobe.com: http://www.adobe.com/nz/products/adobeconnect.html



YouTube (website). (2013). Adobe Connect Pro Meeting: Video retrieved March 18, 2013, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2syFXr6pRZ8



Week 4- Wiki Edits

View the following links to view changes made to Digital Learning Technologies wiki page.

1. Changes under web conferencing.
2. Changes made under "others" tab.

IT skills desirable for teachers to develop courseware using DLT

Basic Skills:

1.      Create and edit  digital audio

2.      Use Social networking sites to connect with colleagues and grow professionally.

3.      Create and deliver asynchronous presentations and training sessions.

4.      Have knowledge about online security.

5.      Use and provide students with task management tools to organize their work and plan their learning.

6.      Use polling software to create a real-time survey in class.

7.      Understand issues related to copyright and fair use of online materials.

8.      Use of collaborative tools for text construction and editing.

9.      Identify online resources that are safe for students browsing.

10.  Use digital tools for time management purposes.

11.  Annotate web pages and highlight parts of text to share with your class.

12.  Use of online sticky notes to capture interesting ideas.

13.  Exploit group text messaging tools for collaborative project work.

14.  Use file sharing tools to share docs and files with students online.

15.  Self learning of tech and where to go for help.

16.  Digital Citizenship - Internet/Email/Social Media etiquette.

17.  Hardware basics and troubleshooting.

18.  Backup Data on Cloud or off site location.

19.  Finding apps and software.

Intermediate Skills:

1.      Use blogs and wikis to create online platforms for students.

2.      Exploit digital images for classroom use.

3.      Use video content to engage students.

4.      Compile a digital e-portfolio for own development.

5.      Ability to detect plagiarized works in student’s assignments.

6.      Create screen capture videos and tutorials.

7.      Exploit  computer games for pedagogical purposes.

8.      Use digital assessment tools to create quizzes.

9.      Find and evaluate authentic web based content.

10.  Use of mobile devices like tablets.

11.  Use YouTube in your classroom.

12.  Use note taking tools to share interesting content with your students.

13.  Use of online graphic organizers and printable.

14.  Use of screen casting tools to create and share tutorials.

15.  Conduct an effective search query with the minimum time possible.

Advanced Skills:

1.      Use Social bookmarking to share resources with and between learners

2.      Use infographics to visually stimulate students.

3.      Create web content for classroom learning.

4.      Conduct A Research Paper Using Digital Tools.

5.      Finding Free Resources and Sources of Funding for Technology.

(Andrade, 2012) (Kharbach, 2012)

Works Cited

Andrade, D. (2012, June 13). 10 Technology Skills Every Educator Should Have. Retrieved from dicoveryeducation.com: http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/blog/2012/06/13/10-technology-skills-every-educator-should-have/

Kharbach, M. (2012). The 33 Digital skills every 21st Century Teacher should have. Retrieved from http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/06/33-digital-skills-every-21st-century.html

Implication of adaption of technologies in Schools, Polytechnic, and University

There are two sides of the implication of adaption of technologies in Schools, Polytechnic, and University. One is the faculty/teachers point of view and second, students point of view. The generalised challenges in adoption of digital technologies can be reliability, less time to adapt or learn, uncertainty and also lack of proper support. 

With the variety and diversity in the context of Digital Learning in daily teaching/learning curriculum/ methods the main issue is that the implemented technology is used to make teaching and learning practises more effective and efficient. It is found that collaborative (in groups or pairs) is more effective than individual/ isolated study while using the technology, as peers are able to help themselves if at a mature age like in Polytechnic  and Universities, but the younger students will need personal assistance. So, technology can be a good addition to the current pedagogy but can never be a complete replacement. The teachers should be given formal training and organisational support in order to learn and adapt to the new technology. So, they are at their normal ease while delivering the blended pedagogy. The role of technology should be identified and adhered to strictly or may lead to scope creep. Role can be like access to learning/teaching content, or does it include assessments online or on paper. (Raulston, C. G., & Wright, V. H., 2012)

In schools the major difference being is to pay more attention to students, than is required in polytechnics or universities, and there digital pedagogy to be designed keeping in mind their mental growth and capability to understand and learn using the sometimes complex digital learning technologies.  The other implications can be termed as, Firstly,  the role of live interactions, this can be rectified using technologies like Adobe Connect, using internet streaming or cabled LIVE video conferencing of classroom sessions, like conducted at EIT, Hawke’s Bay to impart education to their Gisborne Campus, live from Napier Main campus, but this can cost the organisation a lot of funding to install, and maintain the set-up. Secondly, Cultural Adaption it is an issue that will vary from culture to culture, that’s how the community will react to this change. And Last but not the least the digital divide that means the gap between the accesses of technology in students. Many students don’t have access to technology due to monetary or development constraints.  This has to be a collaborative effort to solve the problem and find a specially crafted pedagogy to address these sects of population/area. (Bonk, C. J., & Graham, C. R.,2012)

References

Bonk, C. J., & Graham, C. R. (2012). The handbook of blended learning: Global perspectives, local designs. Pfeiffer.

Raulston, C. G., & Wright, V. H. (2012). Teachers’ Perceptions and Attitudes of One Teacher Laptop Initiative: Connections Toward 21st Century Learning.Meridian, 13(1).

Biggest challenge for ubiquitous and individualised Digital Learning Technology

The biggest challenge for ubiquitous and individualized Digital Learning Technology is in maintaining student motivation. Navigation supports, real-time interaction, discussion forums, instant messaging, online presentations (Slide-share, Google presentations), interactive smart boards, Pod-casting, vodcasting (video-casting (Adobe connect) will enhance student motivation as they are learning around actual space rather than cyberspace which can result in solitude reducing learning efficacy students due to lack of motivation to keep learning with less one-on-one attention from the instructor, and the feedback they received is probably unlikely to be face-to-face. But using more technology can reduce this. But again if the audience (students) the teacher targets at a time is huge, like in hundreds and thousands at one point in time, paying that attention will be difficult. For achieving this then a very huge group of teachers is required to provide constant support to their target students.

Integrating technology into learning. Which is most memorable?

Different ways technology can be integrated into learning are listed and described by Howland, Jonassen, and Marra (2012)

• Inquiry (e.g. a web quest (Search engines), using a mobile to collect data)
• Experimenting (e.g. Simulations, virtual worlds)
• Designing (e.g. graphics design, 3D modelling, CAD, Scratch/BYOB, Music)
• Communicating (e.g. Discussion boards, instant messaging, online presentations (Slide-share, Google presentations), interactive whiteboards, Pod-casting, vodcasting (video-casting (Adobe connect))
• Community building and collaborating (e.g. wikis, Moodle, Google docs)
• Writing (e.g. Concept mapping, Blogging, Collaborative writing (Google docs))
• Modelling (e.g. Spreadsheets (Break even analysis), Databases
• Visualizing (e.g. Drawing/Paint programs, simulators (3D models), Graphical information systems (Google earth), Digital images (Still & video))
• Assessing (e.g. electronic portfolios, online quizzes, Google forms, Voting systems (clickers, in Adobe connect), individualized tests (change based on responses). 

In my opinion, the most memorable method is communicating. Communicating using discussion boards, instant messaging, online presentations (Slide-share, Google presentations), interactive whiteboards, Pod-casting, vodcasting (video-casting (Adobe connect)), is the best method but that does not mean that other methods are not important. Every above mentioned method carries its own importance in the process of education.

For example, Inquiry is the basic tool for any research. Designing and modelling being the methods to collaborate all the researched data into meaningful, relevant communicable information. Writing and communication are the method to record and shared the gained knowledge/information. Last but not the least assessing to judge the quality of learning process by assessing the retaining ratio of the knowledge/information gained and processed.

Sometimes technology also can be a barrier in the process of learning. The most common barriers to technology integration are time, training, resources, and support. Teachers need time to learn how to use the hardware and software, time to plan, and time to collaborate with other teachers. And technologies don’t integrate overnight it takes a lot of time, effort and co-ordination among all the teachers involved in the process.  Lack of resources like computers, ipad, laptops, and smart phones also present a problem to efficient learning and teaching process. Without computers in the classroom or at the user end (at students home) or appropriate software to support the planned layout of the course, technology integration cannot take place efficiently. Lack of leadership, financial support, or an on-site technology expert sends any technology integration efforts for a ride. Often ignored barrier is change. When teachers change according to the change in technology, there are two major ways that teachers are asked to change. Firstly, they are asked to adapt the new teaching tools such as the computer, online presentations (Slide-share, Google presentations), interactive whiteboards, Pod-casting, vodcasting (video-casting (Adobe connect), which is different from the classroom tools many currently use such as the chalkboard, overhead projector, or television which are still preferred by majority of teachers in spite of availability of the technology. Second, teachers are asked to change the way they teach their students (pedagogy), which may include changing the role they play in the classroom and the way their classrooms are physically arranged, using blended way of imparting the knowledge. (Dias, 1999)

Works Cited

Dias, L. B. (1999, November). Learning & Leading with Technology. Integrating Technology, pp. 11-21.

Howland, J., Jonassen,D., & Marra, R. (2012) Meaningful learning with technology, 4th Ed. Pearson

Pedagogy

There are many definitions of pedagogy. Perhaps the simplest is 'The science of teaching' (Oxford English Dictionary). However, the term denotes more than just a set of teaching techniques. Pedagogy encompasses:

what is taught/learned - the content

how it is taught or learned - approaches to teaching and learning

why it is taught or learned - the underpinning values, philosophy or rationale.

 Four pedagogy’s as identified by Anderson (2010)

Behaviourist/cognitive includes logically coherent, self paced and individual study which is capable of being transmitted and is independent of perspective. (Anderson, 2010)

Keeping my education in mind, I felt this more suitable for self motivated preparation of  competitive examinations in mind.

Constructivist is socially constructed in contexts and relationship rather than in minds. Argues that new knowledge is constructed on previous learning but in an active process, wherein errors and contradictions are considered good. It is based on groups and subject to discussion and validation and application in real world. They develop group skills and trust in a group/team. (Anderson, 2010)

I personally never felt this pedagogy in my life, but can use to a creative subject in my education called S.U.P.W (Socially useful productive work).

Connectivist is also known as Networked Learning. It argues that, “learning and knowledge and learning is diversity of opinions.” Learning which resides in non human appliances will need nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning. They introduce lifelong learning for complex contexts. (Anderson, 2010) It can somewhat be related to DLT classes in EIT.

Instructivist is where content is “taught” to students, as in a lecture. In a blended environment, multiple strategies are used to engage students, with different pedagogies suiting different situations. (Anderson, 2010)

Works Cited

Anderson, T. (2010, April 14). CIDER Sessions. Retrieved from http://cider.athabascau.ca: http://cider.athabascau.ca/CIDERSessions/tanderson/cider%203%20generations%20of%20DE.pdf

What is VAKOG & NLP?

VAKOG stands for “Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, Olfactory and Gustatory (human sensory systems)”.

(Thefreedictionary.com, 2013)

And NLP stands for Neuro-linguistic programming. (Thefreedictionary.com, 2013)

According to researchers:

“NLP offers an innovative praxis, underpinned in principle by Bateson's epistemological thinking, which informs a distinctive methodology known as ‘modelling’.” (Tosey & Mathison, 2010)

In Layman terms “Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is an approach to communication, personal development, and psychotherapy created by Richard Bandler and John Grinder in California, USA in the 1970s” (wikipedia, 2013)

Studies and research have showed that NLP enhances the ability of the students to engage and contribute in the class and the schools have reported better quality of learning and teaching using NLP.  “NLP offers valuable insights in a technical sense on the psychological skills for understanding and influencing people.” (Carey, Churches, Hutchinson, Jones, & Tosey, 2010)

The implications of VAKOG in education are many like every teacher or student have their favourite sensory channel through which they want to gain or pass information. Generally the VAK is more evidently used. Use of OG in purpose of education is still under discussion.

VAKOG is a medium for NLP. NLP suggest in most circumstances people use mainly 4-5 senses like visual images, sound or speech, feelings, sense but also on e additional is self talk termed an audio internal. (NLP World Ltd, 2008)

To conclude VAKOG are the sensory mediums to impart NLP. But is not the only tool for imparting NLP.

Works Cited

Carey, J., Churches, R., Hutchinson, G., Jones, J., & Tosey, P. (2010). Neuro-linguistic programming and learning: teacher case studies on the impact of NLP in education. Berkshire: CfBT Education Trust.

NLP World Ltd. (2008, jUNE 16). nlp training – vakog. Retrieved from http://www.nlpworld.co.uk: http://www.nlpworld.co.uk/nlp-training-vakog/

Thefreedictionary.com. (2013, March 01). acronyms. Retrieved from thefreedictionary.com: http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/VAKOG

Tosey, P., & Mathison, J. (2010). Neuro‐linguistic programming as an innovation in education and teaching. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 317-326.

wikipedia. (2013, March 1). Neuro-linguistic programming. Retrieved from wikipedia.org: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuro-linguistic_programming

Meaning of individualised and ubiquitous learning

Teaching and learning both have undergone major changes, due to the development of information technology. Way of learning keeps evolving from time to time, with new research and ideas implemented frequently keeping the advancement of technology in mind.

The dictionary meaning for individualistic is:

          1.   “more interested in individual people than in society as a whole”
      2.  “marked by or expressing individuality”

(Oxford University Press, 2013)

And ubiquitous is “present, appearing, or found everywhere” (Oxford University Press, 2013)

To sum it up in lay man terms, A technique which is focused on a particular individual or group of similar individuals but present anytime and everywhere. This only can be possible by using the digital technologies available or created.

By individualistic approach exactly means that a person can choose what they want to learn at a suitable time and place of their choice, and by making it present and available 24/7 on the cloud in the form of blogs or wiki it makes his study material ubiquitous but yet individualistic.

The latest trend in digital learning is m-learning, as the current generation wants gain knowledge on the move using laptops, iPad, androids, windows phone etc.. (Geogiev, Georgieva, & Smrikarov, 2004)

If given a choice a current generation student will prefer such medium of education than the generic based traditional approach.

Podcast, live streaming also are very good methods which are a part of many ongoing researches.

Note: Also read a brilliant article I found: http://eprints.ulster.ac.uk/24968/1/JIDE-SocialNetworkAnalysis.pdf 

Works Cited

Geogiev, T., Georgieva, E., & Smrikarov, A. (2004). M-Learning - a New Stage of Е-Learning. International Conference on Computer Systems and Technologies - CompSysTech’2004, (pp. 1-5).

Oxford University Press. (2013, March 1). Oxford Dictionaries. Retrieved from http://oxforddictionaries.com: http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english