Archive of ‘learning’ category

Digital literacy – Can technology and grammar co-exist in class?

Some 30 years ago, there was only “literacy” – the ability to read and write. Then literacy proliferated into a multitude of literacies: e.g. – media (including “new media”), visual, information, computer, digital, technology, data. According to some, up to 20 literacies: http://listverse.com/2012/04/04/20-types-of-illiteracy/.

I often receive [mildly put] “unhappy” comments by students when their semester papers are turned with [a large amount of) corrections, involving their use of grammar and style. Students revolt against grammar and academic style NOT having place in a “technology” class. I counter with the fact that a technology class is still a college class and academic IS ABOUT learning how to speak and write and not only learning the “trade” (technology). There is a multitude of articles underlining the ability to write not only for English major but also computer major, e.g.:

Cilliers, C. B. (2012). Student Perception of Academic Writing Skills Activities in a Traditional Programming Course. Computers & Education, 58(4), 1028-1041.

Dankoski M, Palmer M, Gopen G, et al. Academic Writing: Supporting Faculty in a Critical Competency for Success. Journal Of Faculty Development [serial online]. May 1, 2012;26(2):47-54. Available from: ERIC, Ipswich, MA. Accessed June 1, 2014.

To make things worse (for both students and instructors), instructors are inconsistent, whereas some do evaluate students on their “technology” skills only and some (like me) insist on a “complete” academic package.

What is your take? Do you think at least two of the aforementioned literacies: technology literacy and old fashioned literacy need to co-exist in class?
is grammar and academic style in a college technology class important

For Social Media and Presentations: Free Image Sources

53+ Free Image Sources For Your Blog and Social Media Posts

http://blog.bufferapp.com/free-image-sources-list

As cited in our blog entry of May 29, 2014, one of the most important steps to secure success of your social media presence is the use of images: https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims/2014/05/29/social-media-11-tips-for-using-images-on-twitter/
In this blog entry, we share with you a large (53+) sites with free images. Do you know/have you used successfully a site with free images not listed here? Please DO share…

Please have an excellent outline of what “free” means, what is Creative Commons, what is Public Domain + stock sites with images:

Dreamstime

Free Digital Photos

Free Images

Free Range Stock

Free Photos Bank

ImageFree

IM Free

Morguefile

Pixabay

Public Domain Pictures

and many more at http://blog.bufferapp.com/free-image-sources-list

Backchannel: is it only K12 moving that direction?

backchannel — a digital conversation that runs concurrently with a face-to-face activity — provides students with an outlet to engage in conversation.

In a recent article by Edutopia:
The Backchannel: Giving Every Student a Voice in the Blended Mobile Classroom. (n.d.). Edutopia. Retrieved May 28, 2014, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/backchannel-student-voice-blended-classroom-beth-holland

the author brings yet another argument in support of using the BYOD movement in K12 to promote usage of mobile devices and social media FOR the learning process, rather then seeking ways to shut them off.
It seems that Higher Ed is lagging behind in their paradigm shift toward Backchanneling.
What do you think must be done at SCSU to seek the usage of mobile devices and/or social media to involved students in the learning process?
Pollard, E. A. (2014). Tweeting on the Backchannel of the Jumbo-Sized Lecture Hall: Maximizing Collective Learning in a World History Survey. History Teacher, 47(3), 329-354.
http://login.libproxy.stcloudstate.edu/login?qurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ebscohost.com%2flogin.aspx%3fdirect%3dtrue%26db%3dkeh%26AN%3d96310010%26site%3deds-live%26scope%3dsiteCamiel, L. D., Goldman-Levine, J. D., Kostka-Rokosz, M. D., & McCloskey, W. W. (2014). Twitter as an in-class backchannel tool in a large required pharmacy course. American Journal Of Pharmaceutical Education, (3),
http://login.libproxy.stcloudstate.edu/login?qurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ebscohost.com%2flogin.aspx%3fdirect%3dtrue%26db%3dedsgao%26AN%3dedsgcl.369220588%26site%3deds-live%26scope%3dsiteAagard, H., Bowen, K., & Olesova, L. (2010). Hotseat: Opening the Backchannel in Large Lectures. EDUCAUSE Quarterly, 33(3),
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Cronin, J. J. (2011). The Classroom as a Virtual Community: An Experience with Student Backchannel Discourse. Business Education Innovation Journal, 3(2), 56-65.
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Pohl, A., Gehlen-Baum, V., & Bry, F. (2012). Enhancing the Digital Backchannel Backstage on the Basis of a Formative User Study. International Journal Of Emerging Technologies In Learning, 7(1), 33.
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Jarrett, K., & Devine, M. A. (2010). How to use backchanneling in your classroom. Education Digest, (1), 41.
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Reid, A. (2011). Social media assemblages in digital humanities: From backchannel to buzz. doi:10.1108/S2044-9968(2011)0000003019
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LRS and mobile devices: Please join us in exploring…

SPREAD THE WORD

Please join us for our May meeting to discuss mobile devices, we use at work and privately.
We will meet this coming Tuesday, May 27, 10 AM in MC 205.
Please share your topic/issues preferences, if you have any.
Plamen Miltenoff and Tom Hergert

InforMedia Services

informedia@stcloudstate.edu

pmiltenoff@stcloudstate.edu

trhergert@stcloudstate.edu

 

Contact us and contribute via social media:

IMS blog: https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims/ (keyword: mobile devices)

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SCSUtechinstruc

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InforMediaServices?ref=hl

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/scsutechnology/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/scsutechinstruct

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_UMIE5r6YB8KzTF5nZJFyA

Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/115966710162153290760/posts/p/pub

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scsuinstructionaltechnology


The Myth Of Student Engagement

The Myth Of Student Engagement

http://inservice.ascd.org/education-resources/the-myth-of-student-engagement/

Teaching and Learning: The Chicken and the Egg

the heart of the student engagement myth: that adding or changing classroom elements, doing a new project, or exposing a student to a new technology or method of instruction will magically transform apathy into a white-hot fire of curiosity.

True engagement comes when a teacher knows a student’s strengths and interests beyond the classroom and uses that knowledge to deepen relationships. If we go into our rooms each day to teach but not connect, we can’t expect students to care beyond a test score, if that.

Can you answer these questions about your students? If you can, how do you apply that knowledge to connect with them?

*What home issues are affecting their work?

*Do they have a non-academic passion?

*What are their favorite shows, games, songs, or books?

*Do they have a preferred learning style?

*What is their hidden talent?

*What goals do they have for themselves in the future?

My note: easily said then done; if the instructor is overloaded with 4 classes 100 students per class, the suggestion above is rendered useless.

Learn How to Learn: Smart Strategies That Help Students

Smart Strategies That Help StudentsLearn How to Learn

http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/10/smart-strategies-that-help-students-learn-how-to-learn/

Students can assess their own awareness by asking themselves which of the following learning strategies they regularly use (the response to each item is ideally “yes”):

• I draw pictures or diagrams to help me understand this subject.

• I make up questions that I try to answer about this subject.

• When I am learning something new in this subject, I think back to what I already know about it.

• I discuss what I am doing in this subject with others.

• I practice things over and over until I know them well in this subject.

• I think about my thinking, to check if I understand the ideas in this subject.

• When I don’t understand something in this subject I go back over it again.

• I make a note of things that I don’t understand very well in this subject, so that I can follow them up.

• When I have finished an activity in this subject I look back to see how well I did.

• I organize my time to manage my learning in this subject.

• I make plans for how to do the activities in this subject.

These questions, too, can be adopted by any parent or educator to make sure that children know not just what is to be learned, but how.

• What is the topic for today’s lesson?

• What will be important ideas in today’s lesson?

• What do you already know about this topic?

• What can you relate this to?

• What will you do to remember the key ideas?

• Is there anything about this topic you don’t understand, or are not clear about?

On the Edge of Chaos: Where Creativity Flourishes

On the Edge of Chaos: Where Creativity Flourishes

http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/05/on-the-edge-of-chaos-where-creativity-flourishes/

To foster creativity, teachers can make room for more freedom around activities in class

project-based learning as a way that educators are beginning to introduce choice, and thus freedom, into school work, making space for at least some creativity.

To develop ideas that could be considered creative, the brain has to be both stable and flexible at the same time.

The 5 Step Model to Teach Students Critical Thinking Skills

The 5 Step Model to Teach Students Critical Thinking Skills

http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/05/the-5-step-model-to-teach-students.html

1- Determine learning objectives
This is the initial phase where you need to identify the behaviours you want your students to exhibit and work on encapsulating these behaviours in an overarching higher order thinking schema.
2-Teach through questioning
The importance of integrating questions into instruction is uncontested. Thought-provoking questions help students explore learning from different perspectives. The art of posing well-formulated questions is regaled by a set of techniques, some of which are included in this wonderful poster: Questions A Critical Thinker Asks.
3-Practice before you assess
This is where hands-on learning activities are called for. To consolidate their understandings and therefore increase the retention rate of information taught, students need to utilize all components of active learning such as simulation, experimentations,rehearsing…etc

Related: The 8 Elements of The Critical Thinking Process

4- Review, refine, and improve
Students’ feedback that you can garner either formally or informally constitute the backbone of your teaching procedure. It provides you with insights into areas that students need help with and also informs your teaching objectives and methodology. There are a variety of tools you can use to collect feedback from your students, check out the  8 Practical tools to easily gather students feedback.
5- Provide feedback and assessment of learning
As you need students feedback to help you inform your teaching methodology, students too  need your feedback. They need to learn how they are learning and assess their overall achievement. One way to do this is to provide them with grading rubrics for self-assessment. Here are some other resources to help you provide better feedback to your students:

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