Mod 4 - Educ 7105 - Responded to

I responded to

Cynthia

http://everythingeducational.blogspot.com/2011/10/connectivism-visions-of-networks.html?showComment=1319861662527#c5691705828059576081


April Carpenter
http://april-carpenter.blogspot.com/2011/10/module-4-mind-mapping.html

EDUC 7105 - MOD 4

 

How has your network changed the way you learn?

It seems like I have always had computers in my life since starting school.  I remember the AppleII computers in elementary school and having a Commador 64 at home.  Over the years what I have been able to use the computers for has changed my abilities to connect and learn.  I can quickly connect with friends, co-workers, family or peers via a variety of my networks.  In teaching and my classes through Walden I am able to quickly find information through educational blogs and educational journals.  20 years ago I would have spent hours at a library trying to find research, but would not have been able to find it nearly as fast as I can now.  

Which tools best facilitate learning for you?

 I can't say one tool works better for my learning.  It depends on the manner that I'm needing the tool for.  If I'm searching for new ideas to implement into my classroom I am more than likely to search various teacher blogs or iTunesU for a podcast.  However, if I'm needing to connect with a peer for a on online class I will use e-mail or Skype.   

How do you learn new knowledge when you have questions?

I often try to explore with new knowledge to see what I can figure out on my own.  If I know someone who has used the new knowledge I will contact them via e-mail, phone, etc.  At work and with my classes I have used webinars frequently to find out information.  There are several programs that we use in my school district that makes constant updates.  I often don't want to wait until we have a district training.  If there is a video describing what to do, a help desk, or anything similar I will use that first. 

Mod 3 0 EDUC 7105

I responded to Adam Arthur

http://mrauthier.blogspot.com/2011/10/module-3-blog-constructivism.html?showComment=1318717163757#c2215031625745716842

and

Jan

http://jancutforth.wordpress.com/2011/10/12/module-3-cooperation-collaboration/

Collaboration

  This video goes with the link for my Module 3 blog. 

Module 3- EDUC 7105

Module 3 Blog-

I don’t think humans have a basic instinct to work as a group, but as we begin to work together  we realize that it does become easier.  We are able to gather more ideas quickly by working together.  I think that many people have a negative thought about collaboration because often in a workplace there is a lack of trust thought with some workers.  The product is on a strict time schedule that there is not a great deal of time allowed for thought on a final product. “You prove to me you are trustworthy, and I will cooperate”(Rheingold, 2008).   However, being able to work in cooperative areas such as Googledocs allows more flexibility for people to work together.

http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-thinkquest-video

This video show how the use of technology and the internet has allowed these students to use collaboration with students in a variety of countries to create a web-design project.   Collaboration, learning, and thinking in this manner  could allow for students to be more engaged  in the education they are experiencing. 

A current research study I looked at was a study to see the effects of collaboration and knowledge building.  The study did find “engaging students in knowledge building is beneficial to enriching their view of collaboration, making them able to see collaboration not only from a group-based perspective but also from an idea-centered perspective” (Hong, 2011). 

http://web.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&hid=13&sid=7f2d007c-e8b7-4237-9adf-ddf9c5c25276%40sessionmgr11

References
Edutpia.org (2009). Web-Design competition sparks collaboration [Video file].  Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-thinkquest-video
Hong, H. (2011). Beyond group collaboration: facilitating an idea-centered view of collaboration through knowledge building in science class of fifth-graders. The Asia-Pacific Researcher, 20:2, 246 – 260. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Rheingold, H. (2008, February). Howard Rheingold on collaboration [Video file]. Retrieved from
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/howard_rheingold_on_collaboration.html