Week 9: Oct. 22rd Course Management 1.0 in a Web 2.0 and participatory e-Learning World

Web 1.0 brings people the capability to read, text, click and browse on Internet. It is characterized by instructor-centered and no interactive. Someone called it shuffle ware since it only change the way of layout, and people read information as they read from the book. There is no significant change happened upon the way of interaction. However, Web 2.0 is different. Providing characteristics of collaborative, learner-centered, shareable, creative, participatory, manipulated, adaptable, and and so forth so on. We also discussed the features of “individualization” in web 2.0. Compared to students in University of Pittsburg, we tend to focus on principle of individualized learning environment rather than practical tools. Quite interesting, one of these articles also described web 1.0 as a behavioral approach and web 2.0 as a cognitive approach.

It has been talking for a long time about the participatory e-learning world. People tend to feel excited especially when we see the future development of technology using in our learning environment. Not only do we expect a learning environment with multimedia to enrich our learning experiences, we also look for a learning environment filled with passion and enthusiasm.

Nowadays, we see the possibility of this dream coming true, but there are also some other problems and side-affect we should concern. First, technology helps people learn quickly, but it brings about distraction as well. Second, young generation may not know how to deal with people in the real world when spending such a long time in e-learning world. People feel comfortable when acting in a virtual world. It’s cool when role play in another person to the virtual world (simulation environment, the second life, etc.), but here gives an example, Chris might be my classmate for about a year, but I cannot even recognize him when I see him. But, I also have to agree that it’s a way to keep our busy live in an ordinary way. Last, but not least, technology makes it possible to complete things that cannot be done before, like join a virtual conversation in a simulated class, create and share experience online, edit and modify document in the same document everywhere and every time, and so forth so on. However, it also brings side effect like communication obstacles, because technology may distract our concentration. Communication obstacles happen when people think that they can do multiple things simultaneously with a protective screen of high technology.

This week we brought Youtube videos or web 2.0 tools to show in class. I picked up VoiceThread as my item and make a creation on it (see: my hometown Taiwan http://voicethread.com/#u14901.b13621.i85560). The first thing come up with me is that I can put my voice, my picture, and my story on it without complicated procedures like designing a professional script or scenario, finding actors and actresses, rehearsing for a show, and editing and rearranging the film. It’s a much easier way showing what you want to share with your friends, family, classmates, relatives, and teachers. It is a valid developed tools using in the education field for its convenience and elasticity of creating and collecting multiple resources.

I am also interested in Sharon’s third show in second life. Ohio University and Boise State University developed an immersive learning environment though it’s a recreated and reinvented creation. It’s cool to build a virtual classroom in second life. People can live, fly, think, learn, and develop useful and meaningful materials there with other classmates not tide to any places. I think the valuable point is that in second life, we can take good use our imagination. However, I am not so sure about the usability of the interface in second life classrooms. I can also see that the second life is some kind of controversial issue when viewing the comments on websites. In addition, series of common craft presents are intriguing to me as well. They show us the power of web 2.0 in a simple way. One of the youtube videos, “my kind of high school” is viewed as a revolution in education to me. In this process, students can experience problem-based learning by working with others. There is a problem-based school in California State; I heard that Indiana State would have one in the near future, too. However, I am thinking about is it appropriate to ignore skills and practicing of memorization because training our memory is also an important element constructing our learning ability.

Reference:
Carmean, C., & Haefner, J. (2003). Next-generation course management systems. EDUCAUSE Quarterly, 26(1)), pp. 10–13. Retrieved August 12, 2006, from http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/EQM0311.pdf

Alexander, Bryan (2006, March/April). Web 2.0: A new wave of innovation for teaching and learning? Educause Review, 41(2), 32-44. Retrieved July 9, 2007, from http://www.educause.edu/apps/er/erm06/erm0621.asp

Thompson, John (2007, April/May). Is education 1.0 ready for Web 2.0 students? Innovate Journal of Online Education, 3(4), Retrieved July 4, 2007, from http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=393

My Kind of High School (Project-based learning; Project Foundry): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX1bv30rYIk
RSS in plain English: http://youtube.com/watch?v=0klgLsSxGsU
Wikis in plain English: http://youtube.com/watch?v=-dnL00TdmLY
Second life from Ohio University: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFuNFRie8wA
The Connected Future (Japan): NTT DoCoMo
partI-3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqFkQswOoTE&feature=PlayList&p=26850E72639F1547&index=0
Second life announcement from San Jose State:
http://chronicle.com/wiredcampus/index.php?id=2064 and
YouTube video.
Second Life from Case Western University
http://chronicle.com/weekly/v53/i37/37a02901.htm

Some Sample Web 2.0 tools and companies:
VoiceThread: http://voicethread.com/ (add audio to pictures)
SnapGenie: http://www.snapgenie.com/ (tell stories behind pictures)
Chinswing: http://www.chinswing.com/? (Constructive communication is the goal of this tool; converse with other people about different topics)
Scrapblog: http://scrapblog.com/(create a scrapbook of pictures.)
Dotsub: http://www.dotsub.com/ (to create subtitling text in online videos and films).
YackPack: http://www.yackpack.com/ (email an audio file)