Teaching with TechnologyThoughts on Integrating

Technology Into Your Online ClassroomBy Nancy Hampson

Teaching with TechnologyTechnology is

everywhere and touches nearly every aspect of our lives. When properly utilized, technology in the online classroom will enable students to acquire the skills they need to thrive in their chosen career fields.

Why Use Online Learning Tools? Instructors that view technology as a means of enhancing online student

learning move from a behaviorist approach to a more constructivist approach.

The behaviorist approach views development as a continuous process in which the individual plays a relatively passive role. It is also a general approach that is used in a variety of settings including both clinical and educational. Behaviorists believe it’s what people do, not what they think, to be the focus of this theory.

Conversely ,constructivists believe students construct their own knowledge and understanding based on prior experiences. As students learn, they engage in the process of revising prior learning based on the new knowledge they’re acquiring.

Students that are exposed to online collaboration tools become creators and critics thus taking a more active part in their own learning.

The Center for Applied Research in Educational Technology (CARET) learned that technology impacts achievement in learning, promotes higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills, and prepares students for the workforce; http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-guide-importance

Technology ToolsTechnology tools for the online

classroom can be broken down into three broad categories:

1. Those that publish such as Weblogs

2. Those that manage information such as RSS Feeds

3. Those that share content in new collaborative ways such as Primary Pad.

Our focus today is….The following online technology tools:

WeblogsWikisRSS FeedsJingAlternatives to PowerPointGoogle tools for educationPrimary Pad

Weblogs

Weblogs are easy to create and update and allow one author or multiple authors to instantly publish to the Internet. They engage readers with ideas, questions and links. They also encourage responses and interaction.

For the top 10 sites to build a blog for free, go to:

http://devilsworkshop.org/top-10-websites-to-create-a-blog-for-free

Weblogs – Uses in the online classroom

Class Meet-up : To post additional course curriculum that supports the learning objectives, class rules, links to homework assignments, rubrics, handouts and presentations.

E-Portfolios : A student’s personal record of learning and reflection with links to videos, presentations or podcasts.

Collaborative Space: Students can interact with each other online or with experts in their field of study. It’s recommended that the instructor monitor this blog to ensure accuracy.

Knowledge Mgmt & Articulation : Groups and committees can share meeting minutes or relevant links. Schools can share best practices, lesson plans and discussions on what works and what doesn’t.

For more information on Weblogs, go to this website:https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AclS3lrlFkCIZGhuMnZjdjVfNzQ5ZnpiczlxYzM&hl=en_GB

WikisA wiki is a website that allows users to add and update

content on the site using their own web browser. This is made possible by the wiki software that runs on the web server. Creating a wiki is a collaborative effort by the site visitors.

In most cases, every wiki has a link (many times at the top of the page) that says “edit page.”

Some wiki sites have logins and passwords which help to provide security so no one posts malicious items or erases the work of others.

To get a feel for how this works, click the link below: http://www.commoncraft.com/video/wikis

To view a list of top ten sites for creating a wiki, go here:http://cyber-kap.blogspot.com/2011/05/top-10-sites-for-creating-wiki.html

RSS FeedsRSS stands for Really Simple SyndicationRSS feeds are something you can subscribe to.

They contain information that’s posted to a particular weblog or wiki.

The purpose of the feed is the information is sent to you rather than you visiting multiple websites.

RSS feeds use a software called an “aggregator” which checks the feeds you’re subscribed to, usually on the hour, and collects all the new content. When you’re ready you open the aggregator and read the individual stories, save them for later or delete them if you wish.

RSS Feeds allow you to read more content from more sources in less time.

RSS Feeds and Online LearningAn example of using an RSS Feed for online learning

might be a medical terminology class that’s following a national story that relates to the class or a fashion merchandising class that’s following fashion week in New York or even a marketing class that’s following a trend in tracking clicks on a website.

The instructor would have the class visit the website and click on the RSS feed icon.

Another way to help you organize what RSS Feeds you want to obtain is through Scoops (www.scoops.com) Scoops is an RSS Reader that seeks out information based on the criteria you give it.The website will ask for your first and last name, email

address and a password to log into your account. Then Scoops asks about your interests and gives you a list

of topics to choose from.You select where you want your information to come from.

Things to Remember About RSS Feeds

Not every website has an RSS feedBe sure and add sites that are worthwhile and are

relevant to the class materialIf you create folders in your RSS Reader (Scoops)

this will help you organize your feedsDon’t subscribe to too many feeds at once as this

can be overwhelming. Just try one or two.Try to read your RSS feeds once a day as they’ll

pile upTop 10 RSS Readers:

http://web.appstorm.net/roundups/top-10-web-based-rss-readers/

RSS Feeds – More Uses For The Online Classroom

For the instructor – checking student weblogs. Instead of checking each weblog individually, the aggregator can collect them all in one place saving time and resources.

For the student – Research! Enter a search term and receive any newly published data on that topic as soon as it’s published.

For the instructor – Create a Web page using RSS Feeds and group them together based on a single topic. Give this resource to your students to help them stay current.

Additional uses for RSS feeds can be found at:http://sites.wiki.ubc.ca/etec510/Using_RSS_Feeds_to_Enrich_Learning

JingJing is used to share images and short videos

of your computer’s screen.The software for Jing is free and can be found

here: http://www.techsmith.com/products.html

Another more sophisticated screen capture software is called Snagit and can also be found at the above website.

Some excellent online tutorials are located at http://www.techsmith.com/tutorial-jing.html The website below offers additional ways to

use Jing in your classroom:http://www.techsmith.com/jing-uses.html

Alternatives to PowerPointIn this section we’ll focus on alternatives to

PowerPoint. They are:

Prezi

SlideRocket

Google Docs Presentations

Zoho Show

Prezi – www.prezi.com Prezi is like a giant virtual whiteboard that facilitates an entire

presentation. Unlike PowerPoint where the viewer flips through slides, in Prezi the

viewer is zoomed in and out of appropriate portions of the presentations, based on how the creator sets it up, creating a much more dynamic and visually-appealing experience for the viewer.

Prezi offers three different licensing agreements: Free ! You receive the basic features and 100 MB of storage space

which is about the size of 5-6 small photos. $59 a year, 500 MB of storage, prezi’s can be made private, and 24/7

technical support. $159 a year, 2 GB of storage, all of the above plus the use of Prezi

Desktop for offline editing. The free membership works well. However should you need something

more, contact Weston and we’ll do a cost analysis of the product . Prezi:

Can Pan and Zoom Can Import Media Offers Templates Can Present On or Offline Offers Real-time Collaboration

Sliderocket – www.sliderocket.comSliderocket is a collaborative, web-based

application that is available for use online, offline or via a mobile app.

Sliderocket offers themes and layouts, shapes, charts, tables, pictures, audio, HD video and Flash to tell your story or enhance a lesson.

Ranges in price from $0 to $24 a month to an undisclosed amount for organizational use.

Google Docs PresentationsGoogle Docs allows you to share and collaborate in real time, control who can see your presentation, and safely stores and organizes your work.

For a visual presentation of Google Docs, click the link below to watch a video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upYWo84wNxM

To start using Google Docs immediately, click the link below:https://accounts.google.com/ServiceLogin?service=writely&passive=1209600&continue=https://docs.google.com/%23&followup=https://docs.google.com/&ltmpl=homepage

** In order to use Google docs, you must open a Gmail account or have an email already registered with Google. Gmail accounts are offered free of charge**

Zoho ShowPresentation software that’s web based and

can be accessed from anywhere.Presentations can be viewed and edited from

a standard web browser and can be embedded in blog or website.

FREE for personal useFor a tour of Zoho Show click on the link

below:https://show.zoho.com/help/tour/tour.html

Google Tools for the Educator

Go to http://www.google.com/educators/tools.html for a complete list of free tools for the educator both online and in class.

Primary PadPrimary Pad was conceived by a teacher and

is built for education in the online world and face to face.

Primary Pad has: Sticky Notes Drawing Integration Very Stable Learning Platform Copy Pad and Create Template Feature Speech to Text (with Google Chrome) Wordle Word Visualizer Integration Import/Export Features Image Upload and Insert For more information go to http://

www.primarypad.com

SummaryThe online technology tools available today are multiplying at

a rapid rate. What has been presented here is only a fraction of what’s available to enhance the online learning experience for Weston students. Learning these new techniques takes time and practice. Yet the time that educators spend incorporating technology into their online classrooms will reap great rewards because many of our students are already using tools like these everyday. Why not capitalize on what’s already familiar to them? I would encourage every educator to critically evaluate the tools presented here and try to gradually implement as appropriate into their online curriculum.

In addition, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns regarding how to integrate technology into your online class to improve student engagement. My contact info. is as follows: NancyH@westondistancelearning.com or 970-282-4501.

Weblogs: http://devilsworkshop.org/top-10-websites-to-create-a-blog-for-freeWeblogs uses in the classroom: https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AclS3lrlFkCIZGhuMnZjdjVfNzQ5ZnpiczlxYzM&hl=en_GBWiki’s , how they work: http://www.commoncraft.com/video/wikisWiki’s build your own: http://cyber-kap.blogspot.com/2011/05/top-10-sites-for-creating-wiki.htmlRSS Feeds, Scoops: www.scoops.comRSS Feeds ,Reader: http://web.appstorm.net/roundups/top-10-web-based-rss-readers/RSS Feeds, additional links: http://sites.wiki.ubc.ca/etec510/Using_RSS_Feeds_to_Enrich_LearningJing, software : http://www.techsmith.com/products.htmlJing, online tutorials: http://www.techsmith.com/tutorial-jing.htmlJing, additional classroom uses: http://www.techsmith.com/jing-uses.htmlPrezi: www.prezi.comSliderocket: www.sliderocket.comGoogle docs, video presentation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upYWo84wNxMGoogle docs, to begin using: https://accounts.google.com/ServiceLogin?service=writely&passive=1209600&continue=https://docs.google.com/%23&followup=https://docs.google.com/&ltmpl=homepageZoho Show: https://show.zoho.com/help/tour/tour.htmlGoogle Tools for the educator: http://www.google.com/educators/tools.html Primary Pad: http://www.primarypad.com