This week Holly and I researched and presented a screencast/script on Jean Piaget.  Piaget created a Theory on Development.  He started as a young scientist studying mollusks.  As he grew his interest changed to psychoanalysis and essentially studying children, and their reasoning of why things are the way they are.  Piaget’s career spanned over 75 years.  He was well accomplished scientist, earning his Ph.D. in zoology.  Piaget held many chairs and distributed countless papers, and several books of his research and work.

I enjoyed researching and learning of Piaget and many of the other theorists viewing classmates screencasts.  I enjoy seeing how we all view things differently and can bring diverse perspectives together.  Theories of learning are just that, the wonderment of how we learn.  The fascination, and exploration of trying to answer the old age question(s) of why are things this way.

I enjoy Jing as well, I have used it before.  It is a great learning tool.  I would like to use it at work…I may explore its possibilities there.  I think I could utilize it for training purposes.  Holly was a wonderful partner.  Thank you Holly!

The siftables are an amazing example of where our technology is going.  I showed that to my kids and no they want siftables.  🙂  I looked around the site, it is so neat the way the cubes can be combined to play a game and learn.  Technology does not cease to amaze me anymore.  Really it show how learning is evolving and the way we learn is taken on a whole new meaning.  I could of never guessed I would learn from “smart” cubes.

The awareness test, totally had me fooled.  I totally missed the moonwalking bear!  I was to busy trying to count passes lol.  Makes such a good point though, about what we may miss when we are not specifically looking for it.  Made me think how often do I do that in every day life…. miss things merely b/c I may not be “looking” for them…. As much as I hope I do not do this too often, I am sure it happens!  I can see how this can easily happen in learning, as we tackle a specific topic or task…..what do we miss along the way?  This is so enlightening, I love it.

I signed up w/ Holly G. to research Piaget theorist.  Jean Piaget was an early little scientist, interested in mollusks.  Piaget eventually became dedicated to finding a “biological explanation of knowledge”.  Piaget did not care for “right or wrong” intelligence type research, instead he asked how children reason.  Piaget’s interest continued to blossom and grow in psychology.  He used the term adaptation for what we generally call learning.

I look forward to researching and learning more about Piaget.

Out of the 3 modules, I liked the DNA module the best.  I enjoyed the fluidity and the various modalities they offered to present the information, such as including video, bio, and easy to follow animations.  I thought the animations were a great way to visually share the information.   The animations were my favorite and kept my attention.  It was visually appealing to my senses and easy to follow/navigate.  The “Framework for Evaluating” reading suggests:

“Presentation design Design of visual and auditory information for enhanced learning and efficient mental
processing
Interaction usability Ease of navigation, predictability of the user interface, and the quality of the interface
help features”

I felt the DNA module easily shared those attributes.  In addition, the site was understandable.  The material was clear, concise and provided continuity as you transitioned through the process.  Goals and objectives salient and provided direction.  The module was also visually appealing to watch.

The MecMovies module I thought had positive attributes of content quality, clearly stating learning objectives, and  interaction usability.  However, I found it to be difficult to navigate and understand.  Partly b/c I do not know anything about Mechanics of Materials, but also b/c it is not clearly identified what Mechanics of Materials is or means…   Someone knew such as I visiting the module would be lost w/ out knowing what are we looking at….what does it mean…how/why is it useful to us to know.

The Neuroscience for kids module had great graphics.  I felt the step by step pictures were a great way of grabbing that aesthetic appeal.  I did feel however, as the “Points to Remember…” reading indicate, that the module was very much lacking media integration.  I would have liked to of seen at least some of the topics portrayed in an animation and/or video.  The brain development topic for example, I thought would have been a great animation.

After exploring the modules and readings I feel these criteria/attributes are most important to consider when evaluating interactive multimedia educational/training modules:

• Ease of use and navigation~  if I can not find my way around the module, or understand how to it, I will likely abandon it and look for another
• Content quality~ the module should have appropriate explanation and detail of what is being presented, goals, etc.
• Layout~  does the layout facilitate learning?  Navigational cues/icons are consistent, there is continuity and fluidity
• Aesthetics~ the module is visually appealing and reaching sensory levels as to connect w/ the learner to help provide a more effective learning environment
• Motivation~ ability to interest the learner
• Media integration~ the module combines various multimedia modalities to provide an effective whole
• Overall functionality~ the learning is going away from it having learned something!

Hi all, below is a quick Intro about me.  Misty Green, 4th semester in my Learning Design graduate program.  I enjoy and appreciative for the flexibility of online learning.  I work FT currently as an HR/Communications Coordinator, but am greatly hoping earning my Masters will open doors for me at the college level.  I am married, just celebrated 15 yrs, whoa! lol  We have twin boys age 12, who just started 7th grade.  When I get the chance of free time, I am doing school work, and chasing my boys in their sports.  🙂  Welcome all to my blog, looking forward to a rewarding semester.  🙂

Misty

Links to final paper and presentation on Personal Learning Environments for Learning Design.

Personal Learning Environment paper 11-24-10

Personal Learning Environment presentation 11-30-10

Feedback review form…. https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dFRnU3dBR0NrMXppSXlsNUZjdGJOY1E6MQ

How are communities of learning the same or different in comparison to connectivism?

I think communities of learning relative to college level education are similar to connectivism in that new information is recognized, researched and discussed.  Also in my experience teachers foster learning outside ourselves, through new development and engagement in a variety of new experiences/tools, which is meant to promote the learner making those ‘connections’ between the learner material and what may or may not be important.   In a k-12 setting, I am not sure this level of vested interest is always the same, which may make age appropriate sense depending on who you talk too.  I think in k-12 settings the focus is still primarily on students collecting information, not necessarily making connections to the information they receive. 

In college environments, reasoning and experiences are fostered and it is encouraged to know “where to get” information we seek.  Continual learning is a regular school of thought, if you will.  

Do you believe connectivism and the abundance of information has stifled or nurtured creativity and inventiveness.  Explain.

 I believe connectivism is a culmination of knowledge obtained learning outside self, making connections through reasoning and experiences, which does help to nurture the creative soul.  For me sometimes when I make a connection it is like a new discovery of the same information, but in a different way.  When I see it in a different light, it will often open new ideas and cultivate fresh avenues to explore.  I think in the long run and big picture the abundance of information is a good thing, but the ability to know where or how to find it may be the challenge at times.   Every semester of college I have learned of at least one new resource or link of information I did not previously know about.  I think the problem comes up with how can one possibly keep up with the abundance of information.  I think real-time search engines and resources, like Google and Topsy can be helpful in this instance. 

 In other words, drawing on Roy Pea’s ideas about “embedded intelligence,” how could you “embed” scaffolds in tools you might offer to students or trainees learning in a connectivism-oriented learning environment? 

Tools I may embed in the learning for connectivism I think may vary dependent upon the topic.  To make the connections in ‘embedded intelligence’ scaffold tools I may include are:  using prior knowledge, utilizing motivational context, providing hands-on examples, allowing for process of thinking aloud-maybe a blog, facilitating participation, using visual stimulation, asking questions and encouraging questions, and modeling the activity or asking for own experiences including my own.    Depending on the topic I may include a variety of the above tools to enhance possible connections.  I think visuals are really important, most of what we remember is connected with a visual image.

1) Describe your opinion of the “effect of technology” vs. “the effect with technology” on intelligence?
The effect of technology on intelligence is the new gadgets and tools we now have available to help engage learning.  We now have the world wide web, smart phones, and endless programs, such as BB and Moodle to promote learning.   Technology is also doing more for us than ever before for example cars that now start with the push of a button. 

The effect with technology on intelligence is that with these new tools learning potential is endless to what the learner makes it.  With technology the learner can foster self development, grow, and continue to learn at a rapid pace if so desired.   It allows the learner to not only self guide learning, but also be open to guided learning in web environments such as our wiki, where learning is nurtured and guided with our fearless facilitator Dr. Calvert.  Although with technology intelligence has the ability to ignite and download information, I also think some of the latter may also be true.  Because technology continues to evolve and appears to do more and more for us, does that hinder our intelligence…..  For example the push button to start a car, if that is the only technology one knows in starting a car, does that hinder the persons intelligence in now not knowing how to start a car with a key…..  I don’t know, food for thought. 

2) How do you believe that the “Zone of Proximal Development” theory as described by Vygotsky has evolved with the introduction of technology?

The ZPD has evolved with technology in that the difference between what a learner can do with help and what a learner can do without help has more elements involved with technology.  Including technology this gap may not be so great for some learners.  I know many people who use new technology as a way of self devlopment in learning a new idea on their own.  What a learner can do without help with technology may be much higher than it used to be.  Because there is so much information available at our fingertips.  I do still believe that in many cases what a learner can do with help with technology will still provide more effective outcomes.  When we have the assistance and guidance in learning a new skill or idea, we have the option of asking questions, and obtaining feedback from each other.  This helps clarify learning.  When learning on our own, we may not have the option of asking a professional for guidance.

I have viewed 5 other classmates PLE presentations and they have been very enlightening.  I have learned several things that will help me continue to build my own PLE which I will be exploring further.

Including:

• igoogle
• yahoo organization
• adding a calendar to my homepage
• google docs
• symbaloo

And several different ways I can organize my information, adding to organized file folders I already use.   This was particularly insightful and helpful assignment for me as I am building my own PLE.  I have already implemented my own igoogle into my PLE and am exploring other elements listed above to possibly include.  This is helpful to my own PLE in knowing what resources are available to use.

My Screencast for my PLE…..follow this link

http://screencast.com/t/x1xh6hKIjsIf

I am definitely learning as we go and my PLE continues to grow.  I hope you can take something away from it.  I know I will from everyone else!  🙂

Snowflake-giftedness present for LRND 6820

Please answer these questions for this weeks discussion on giftedness….