Freedom to ask

It has been a few weeks since my last post and I wanted to update you on adventures in reading my two email lists that I have joined

Educause

•    One of the first emails that I read this time was about how to make distance learners feel more a part of the intellectual community that was the college or university that provide the distance course.  I found this very hearting because so many times being isolated and very individualized we forget what we are apart of and do not take pride in being a part of a certain community.  These discussions were all about drawing them in, connecting them to the university.
• There was still alot of concern about some face-to-face connection even though ti was limited there was still the need for that social interaction that provides the sense of community
• The phrase "Ed talk comes first tech talk comes second" was brought up by a very enthusiastic IT director.  She was responding to a previous post on how to use a new technology in their department.  The director insisted that before jumping in and planning on how to use technology in courses one should first see if that technology would even benefit the course objectives and learning outcomes.  I would like you to know that I actually chimed in on this conversation and posted my own response cheering on the Director for bringing it back to education!  Go me I contributed to an email list!
• One thing I was so excited to see was a lot of "help me questions".  I love it all those different perspectives available to give you suggestions when you are stuck and really could use another opinion.
• Overall I am enjoying my readings through Educause's listserv although I still have no clue most of the time what they are talking about, by the way does anyone know what DragMath is?  Oh well I suppose I could always google it.

ITFORM

• I particpated in a survey, how about that!  It involved what did I think a University was.
• I really like the free thinking attitutdes in this listserv expecially the paper discussion weeks.  There is room for erros, or simple questions which when you think about it so many times when you discuss research the questions are even more complext then the research itself so those trying to begin learning on a topic are lost even before they begin.
• Dr. Herman van der Merwe response about including students, faculty, and ID's in seeing how mobile technoogy would impackt teaching and learning was inspiring.  So many times i see programs and projects developed without consuliting all the people affected.
• Goo point brought up about Mobile Learning- "Regional cultural, language, and traditions explained to a broader global audience".  To many times there is a barrier between my bosses and myself because of our cultural and language differences.  One being from England and the other being from New York.  I of course being raised in teh south tend to use a lot of phrases that are indigenous to Alabama and the southern US.  If mobile learning as it was asked "shrink the world"  I wold think that wold be a big score up for communication and learning!- On a side note- really mobile learning?- ITunes U look out!
• Question brought up in AIL 604 about Kindles, eBook, readers, Nooks, and iPADS.  I wondered how they would start to be effectively incorporated into the classroom other then repalcing the hard texts.  Laptops have jsut started replacing pen and paper for the majority of our undergraduate classes here at the University.

Question of the Day: If technology is at our fingertips, and learning is now at our fingertips, what role does the educator play in today's high tech world?

Just the beginning

My impressions of ITFORUM:


I have received emails pertaining to job posting notices, asking for research tips, and how to find specific articles. I have learned why multitasking is bad and how to effectively use my computer. Seriously this email list has everything. I got to read a great article about 3D television for the naked eye (my husband was very excited) and learn that several people have not yet mastered the art of the "Out of Office Assistant" on Outlook.



Do you know why multitasking is bad, well let me tell you. Apparently when we multitask we use certain brain systems that differ from when we focus task causing us to be less effective when we learn. Now of course I also got to read an opposing argument from someone who thought multitasking and focus tasking were all social conditions and had nothing to do with the neurological psychology. All of this emailing back in forth was a flashback to my earlier college days sitting around a dining table at the Ferg. listening to my husband and his classmates argue over Linux vs. Microsoft or worse why Steve Jobs hates flash.



Have I become smarter by reading all these emails? I could argue I have become smarter by a fraction or so the majority of the time I have no idea what these people are talking about but hey I am getting the impression many of them have no clue either. I was however very excited when someone asked for articles for an introductory instructional technology course they were teaching. Yes, I will be reading those articles here in the near future. I would like to note how excited I was seeing my very own classmate Carmen's name come across the email system, it’s like the first day of class and actually recognizing someone you know!



My impressions of EDUCAUSE

After finally figuring out how to navigate a small portion of Educause's website (this thing is big, very big) I finally found out how to sign up for discussion boards galore! I have registered with their blended and online instruction learning discussion board to see if I can learn anything that might help this Nurse Educator program I seem to be committed too (why is it we always become so attached to our jobs). After surfing through the blogs for the past 2 weeks I have come to the realization that everyone is just overwhelmed and consumed by their Annual conference in CA in October. Much of the conference will be online and there looks to be some very interesting sessions. Maybe I can talk someone into letting me attend online during the working day. On another note what is cloud computing? I keep seeing cloud computing this and cloud computing that all over this website and haven't a clue as to what it is. As you should be able to tell by now I am so very new to much of this technology jargon even with a computer engineer as a husband. All I can tell you is thank god for Wikipedia sometimes because I might completely be lost. Oh if you are still reading and what to know what cloud computing is it has something to do with internet based software and resources. I have a feeling it means that no longer do people need their own in house servers or mainframes they can now outsource all of it to the internet.



Question for the day: Here is a question I keep seeing all over Educause: Is the internet making us dumber?