Virtual Classrooms

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Do-Virtual-Classrooms-of-Distance-Learning-Work?&id=1625398

The article that I read for this subject was titled How Do Virtual Classrooms of Distance Learning Work? The audience that this article targeted was one that was extremely unfamiliar with virtual classes and how they work. Virtual classrooms were explained to be learning environments that are set on the Internet. Students are able to submit assignments online, communicate with fellow students, and take online quizzes and tests. The programs used for distance learning are generally very easy for the students to navigate through and are also easy for teachers to create lessons on. Another advantage of virtual classrooms, besides the convenience, is that working adults can go to school without having to give up their jobs. Personally, I think that virtual classrooms are great. I have taken at least five in the 2 1/2 years that I have been going to FGCU and they are extremely helpful. I live off campus, have a part time job, and I am a wife; so any chance that I get to save on gas and time I will take. This technology directly relates to education. I don't really know any other way that it can be used, but in education. Teachers are able to teach students online as opposed to in a classroom.
I would like to see further research in the area of younger students. I do feel that virtual classrooms should be reserved for higher learning, but it might be a good idea to introduce younger students(high school and middle school) to the idea by having virtual lessons. This not only helps them become even more familiar with computers, but is also preparing them for future possibilities in their academic careers.

Streaming video

http://ezinearticles.com/?Streaming-Video&id=278139

The article that I read was titled Streaming Video and was written by Damian Sofsian. In the article, streaming video is basically described as being a video file that can be watched while it is being downloaded. Streaming videos are beneficial because they can allow news channels to broadcast their news through the internet. Many movie productions take advantage of streaming video as well in order to market their upcoming movies through trailers or previews. Streaming video relates to education because, as the article describes, professors can broadcast live lectures or previously recorded lectures online. This way, just like pod casting, students can watch a lecture over and over rather than only having one shot to get down all of the information. Personally, I think that video streaming is quite amazing. Just look at youtube! Youtube has allowed me to see commercials and clips that I never would have even thought I would see again because I didn’t know exactly what to look for. In the area of lectures it is definitely beneficial. Several people when discussing pod casting had mentioned how sound with a visual would be more effective with the learning process. Video streaming matches that criterion. The article discussed how some websites are even broadcasting live videos of roadways so that commuters can keep clear of certain heavy traffic areas. This is an area that I would like to see further investigated. I live half an hour from FGCU and this would be incredibly useful for me and those who have to travel even longer.

Podcasting

The article that I read was “What is Podcasting?” by Sharon Housley. The article explains that podcasts are a type of audio content that is transferred online. They can be listened to at any time of day and can be listened to anywhere with internet access. The article then listed several common uses for podcasts including music clips, band interviews, story telling, and instructional information. Podcasting was originally named for its use with the iPod but they are not limited to this use. One benefit that the article brought up was that the listener can choose what he or she wants to hear and when they want to hear it.
This technology relates to teaching and learning because teachers can create podcast lectures for their students to listen to or study from. I think that podcasts are a good idea. I had a professor who posted them regularly to our school website and also had us create our own in class. Though I never listened to the podcast, I heard that it was helpful because students could review what they may have missed in class or they could fill in the blanks in their notes. Further research would be useful in the area of ESOL. I think that students who are in ESOL classes would benefit from hearing information in their own language and then in English.

http://www.podcasting-tools.com/what-is-podcasting.htm

Web based multimedia/ animation

http://www.tech-faq.com/multimedia.shtml

The article that I found does not directly relate to web based multimedia, but it does explain the different types of multimedia and how they can be used. Multimedia is defined as "multiple forms of media integrated together." This covers the many different forms of media from graphics, audio, animation, video, etc. One example that the article gave was of a website that utilizes text with audio and/or pictures and videos. The article talked about advertising being one of the biggest successes in the use of multimedia. I have to agree with this because whenever I pull up a website online I automatically see advertising covering dating websites to hair removal. Another successfull use has been in the area of education. The article explained that multimedia makes a lesson or lecture more stimulating for the students because different media will grab their attention and pull them into what they are learning.
This technology relates to teaching and learning because it provides another way for teachers to get students more excited about learning and it helps them to pay more attention to lessons. I believe that web based multimedia is a great way to utilize our generation of technology as long as it is used appropriately. When students are given access to the web there always needs to be supervision, rules, and guidelines to what they are allowed to look at and use. The article talked about how in the future, multimedia will even be able to reach our sense of smell and touch. Personally, I think that further research should definitely be done in the area of making touch screen computers less expensive and creating more learning programs that are more interactive with the touch screen.

Digital Imagery

http://www.davisart.com/Portal/DAI/DAIDefault.aspx?curPage=DAI_K12Classroom

The website that I referred to promoted a specific product from the company Davis. They explained that through digital imagery, a teacher can broaden a student's knowledge of the world around him or her. Digital imagery can show students a certain place in time or even the cultures of people all over the world. These images can be viewed on a computer from websites, cds, dvd, and many other programs. One advantage to digital imagery is that an image can start a discussin or help a teacher finish a discussion with a concrete image. They can also help students become creative in their writing by inspiring them and they can also be used for illustrative purposes. Students can be tested to interpret images and give their own explanations of it or they can simply be exposed to it. I think that digital imagery is great. I have been exposed to it for a good part of my life and i think it can really help in the classroom because it helps students become engaged in the lesson. It reaches out to the visual learners. I think that it would be interesting if digital imagery was further researched in the area of teaching through images in all areas: science, social studies, p.e., and even home education.

Storyboarding

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storyboard#Business

I decided to read about Storyboards on Wikipedia because it was very difficult to find an article on Storyboarding that I could actually understand. Basically, I learned that a Storyboard is a type of media that has a sequence of pictures that tell a story. It was first developed at Walt Disney Studios in the 1930s. A Storyboard can either be drawn or put on a computer. They help creators see areas that may need improvement in their storyline and gives them a chance to brainstorm new ideas for improvement. Storyboards can be used in film, theatre, business, and are being seen more and more on the web. Businesses can use them to showcase a campaign or commercials. This relates to learning and teaching because a teacher could use this organizer to help students really see their stories come together. They will be able to see areas that don't work in the storyline and they will enjoy writing their story more because of the visual motivation. Personally, I think that the concept involves alot of work and time. I would probably only use it once a year because of the time consuming nature, but I do think that it would be effective especially for students who are visual learners. Further research could be done in order to cut the amount of time it to takes to make a storyboard.

Week 4- Wiki

The article that I read describes a wiki as being a “small piece of server software that allows users to freely create and edit Web content using any Web browser and no other special tools.” After reading this definition I thought that it sounded a lot like a blog. However, the author of this author made it very clear that a blog is much different. One way that it is different is that a wiki can be edited by anyone and is basically run by its members. This is a benefit because any spam can be removed immediately which can, in turn, help to create a reliable site. Also, “in a wiki you try to speak without a strong voice, seeking consensus to create something permanent.” In contrast, blogs focus on the author and he or she tries to establish their own point of view. One example, that the website gives, of a wiki is Wikipedia. This is an online encyclopedia of information that everyone has access to. Teachers are also able to set up wikis along with people who are interested in specific fields of science and any other topic.
This article relates to teaching because teachers are able to set up wikis and have their students access them. It seems to me that there may be a bit more structure to a wiki than to a blog. This seems like a plus to me. I have never accessed a wiki that I know of, other than Wikipedia. I didn’t even know until researching wikis that anyone can add information to the site. This definitely makes me a little more cautious about trusting Wikipedia. Overall, it sounds like a good idea to me and I like the fact that people can challenge what is being written. I think that further research would be beneficial in the area of consumer reports. I think that it would be great to have access to what everyone thinks about certain products and their reliability. However, then you take the chance of someone deleting all of the bad reviews and keeping all of the good ones.

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,1072779,00.asp

Citation:

Rupley, S. (2003). What’s a Wiki? September 19, 2008, from http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,1072779,00.asp