Course Reflection

How has the course been effective in broadening your perspective and skill set for managing technology for change? How could it be improved?

EDC 668 makes the connection between technology and our ability to impact our community. It has prompted me to explore changeability and has given me the realization that I can have both an influence on my environment and can expand my it. The result can be a flattening of at least the part of the world with which I interact.

While I really think the current structure of the course works great, one possible improvement could be a group project exploring creative ways to collaborate with web 2.0 technologies. However, I think given the workload in the final term, that would be difficult a far as time is concerned. I very much appreciated being able to work independently during the final push to complete my Action Research Project.

Change Management - Global

From where does global change derive? How can we use global change to promote deeper learning across the globe?

Global change is really difficult to impact unless you are in a position of great authority. Even if you are on the cutting edge as an educator, you are really more of an early adopter of technology. Being a change agent means finding ways to leverage the coming innovations.

Yankelovich in his article, Ferment and Change, talks about the value of understanding other cultures and languages. He also touches on the need to explore how others see things as far as theory versus fact. I think this is his way of saying that we need to be change agents by finding ways to leverage the new connections and innovations that will present themselves in the next 10 years. The change trends he describes will undoubtedly impact the way do business and learn in the future. But they will also connect us to people we never would have imagined being connected to before.

In my previous post, I talked about how my local environment seemed to be expanding as I am interacting with people who do not live close to me. I think if we embrace the new technologies that connect us like instant messaging, wikis, and virtual worlds, we will find that our local learning environment will be global.

Change Management - Individual and Local

From where does personal and local change derive? How can we use change to promote deeper learning as individuals and in our local settings?

Personal and local change are controllable by us to a certain extent. That is, you and I can effect change in our immediate circle. I have learned that I have more influence than I realized as I have worked through my action research project. And through this project, I have learned the value of reaching beyond my immediate circle to seek knowledge and opinion that can help effect positive change.

But even local change must take global change into account. The technologies that are connecting us are continuing to expand our local context. For example, I consider my cadre of students that I interact with to be my friends. I have been interacting with some of them more than my friends who live near me. Yet, they live thousands of miles away. To me, they have become part of my local environment.

Globalization Part 2

How might the US respond to the tides of change resulting from globalization? What role does education play in this response?

I am especially struck by the writing of Friedman in The World is Flat, that the new middle class will be collaborators, orchestrators, synthesizers, explainers, etc. When I was growing up, the fields to jump into were accounting and engineering. But it seems these skills are being outsourced more and more and it is some of the softer skills that are coming into demand.

Adapted, real world learning must be the response from learning institutions and the US. I think business partnerships between educational institutions and companies are one idea that I have seen that keep learners in step with innovation. Apathy or business as usual can quickly put us behind.

I like the analogy Friedman uses about the wealthy family. The first generation works hard. The second kind of maintains. Then the third squanders. There is a certain complacency that sets in when one doesn't have to work hard to receive reward. If that complacency becomes societal, it could be detrimental to the nation. So the US response must be one of continued urgency and innovation. That is what has fueled our economy and has made our nation great thus far.

Globalization

How does globalization change the needs and demands on US, K12, higher education and corporate learning environments?

It seems globalization is being fueled by the advances in technology. We are able to connect rapidly with anyone around the world in ways that would seem like science fiction as little as ten years ago. The rapid changes in technology demand rapid changes in learning environments. The concept of triple convergence comes to mind. As the technology has advanced, businesses have changed the way they operate. People then change the way they operate. Finally, more and more people are brought into the picture.

It was just about 12 years ago when I was first introduced to the internet. At that time, I saw it as a new sort of electronic encyclopedia. But it has grown well beyond my first impression. I am amazed at how much the average person can now contribute as opposed to just consume online. K12, higher ed, and corporate learning environments not only need to be adapt to this rapid change and globalization; they need to be on the leading edge, helping learners take full advantage of the technology.

NCLB & The Spellings Commission

How do NCLB and the Spellings Commission affect change in the use of educational technology?

Government interference typically hinders progress. That is why I feel that regulation that goes beyond guarding against illegal activities such as corrupt practices or false reporting is not helpful. The role of government is to protect citizens, not control them.

So how do the NCLB and Spellings Commission affect change in using educational technology? I believe they hinder progress. Critics of NCLB say that it sentences children to test preparation drills. To me, that is a good indicator that instead of learners being exposed to real world projects, they are mired in meeting regulatory requirements. Similarly, it seems the Spellings commission dictates method to the school as opposed to the school determining its path.

We live in a very prosperous nation that was built on innovation driven by competition. This has been the system that has also fueled higher education. This is also what fuels technology, educational or otherwise.

Pepperdine is noted as a highly reputable school. The mere mention of the name impresses people. Pepperdine built that reputation through quality education and the free market recognized it. Competition and innovation made the school great. They also made our nation great. That is what will fuel educational technology and 21st century skills.

The Role of Wikis and Web 2.0 in Education

Do wikis make a difference in educational experiences? What role might Web 2.0 play in fostering change in education? How does voice and/or presence change the way learners interact with one another?

From my own experience with wikis, I believe my cadre of students was able to collaborate and accomplish much more than would have been possible without wikis. From script writing for videos to planning for events, we utilized wikis on almost every project.

So do they make a difference in educational experiences? Absolutely! It gave us not only the ability to share our ideas with each other, but to integrate them. We were able to work together without being physically together and without even needing to be online together. The ability to collaborate with peers in this way allowed us to take advantage of each other's ideas and abilities, which can only enhance the educational experience.

I believe the functionality of wikis will begin to spill over more and more into the Web 2.0 world. It is already happening in Google Documents with spreadsheets that have wiki functionality. It is only a matter of time until all collaborative functions employ the same concepts. Take virtual world builds or music composition programs. Eventually, the same sort of collaboration, history, and revision comparison functionality will exist. Students will be able to work together beyond just the development of documents.

The voice all of this gives the learner is invaluable. Instead of the learner just sitting back receiving information, he or she is sitting forward, contributing, collaborating and taking advantage of the diversity and voice of peers.

Authentic Learning Tools

How can authentic learning tools improve student engagement and deepen learning? What does the apprenticeship model tell us about learning?

Reality simulations are not necessarily new but are definitely becoming more mainstream and advanced due to increasingly available technologies. At my company, pilots have used flight simulators for decades. And it’s a good thing. The majority of people I have spoken to who have had the chance to try the simulators have crashed their virtual planes. I think that is a huge benefit of these types of tools. Students can test the limits and perform what if scenarios without causing a real catastrophe.

Similarly, I recently read about a medical tool which simulated different forms of surgery. This struck me as a valuable tool for the surgeon who is learning delicate surgical techniques without risking the lives of real patients as they learn. Again, the student can take risks and understand consequences without endangerment.

I think many of these more advanced tools can really be looked at as a form of apprenticeship. Flight simulations are already treated in this way with pilots even logging virtual flight time in the same manner as they log real flight time. I’m sure surgical simulators are being woven into apprenticeship models as well. This form of apprenticeship is bound to increase.

Even at the gamer level, there seems to be increasing educational value. I also recently learned of a Nintendo Wii video game in which the player’s objective is to treat a virtual patient with various illnesses. While this is not a medical school tool, it is a game that incorporates role playing and seems engaging. At the same time it is educational in learning about first aid techniques.

I think all of these forms of authentic learning tools are great for deepening student learning. They contain the collective knowledge and experiences of those who have gone before. Programmers are making these tools more and more sophisticated so that they more closely simulate reality. This can only be seen as positive for the cause of thorough and more rapid training.

Portolios, Rubrics, and Peer Review

Why do educational organizations choose to employ portfolios? What value does the use of rubrics in evaluating activities and portfolios bring? How can peer review affect learning progress and growth?

I think employing portfolios gives students an excellent opportunity to demonstrate their accomplishments and abilities in a format that is organized and easy to access. Instructors can monitor and track progress. Students can use it to showcase and reference work. The websites we have been maintaining for OMET are portfolios of sorts. It has been of great use to me to be able to quickly go back to a previous project if needed. I have also found that it gives me the opportunity to easily share what I have been working on with my peers at work. So I believe the ability to package and demonstrate accomplishments in such an efficient manner is a big reason why educational organizations utilize them.

Much of what I stated above assumes the portfolio itself is designed well, helping the viewer to easily navigate and gain understanding of the portfolio owner’s accomplishments. The use of rubrics is valuable in evaluating whether the portfolio accomplishes this. Rubrics define the desired outcomes for an activity or project and provide a guideline for assessing a student’s grasp and achievement level. So an instructor can employ a rubric to assess whether a project or task meets or exceeds defined requirements, whether we are talking about a portfolio or any other activity.

I have found that the peer review process can be one of the most valuable learning tools instructors utilize. It is an acknowledgment by instructors that they are not the "end all" when it comes to subject matter expertise. The collective knowledge of a group of students can be powerful and students can learn much from one another. Tapping into this knowledge through peer review takes advantage of the diversity of backgrounds and experiences the group has for the benefit and growth of all.

The Role of Eportfolios

What is the role of an electronic portfolio in my ongoing academic and professional career in educational technology?

I see eportfolios as a way of showcasing my work, my interests, my philosophies, my ideas, my accomplishments, and my passion. It can be used to highlight what I have been working on, what I think is important, or to provide links to others’ work or tools that I find helpful. While an eportfolio may include a resume, it goes beyond the idea of a resume. It’s not just about presenting yourself to an employer. It is about communicating who you are, what you believe, and how you operate. I can add graphics, audio, even video to present myself to the world. What better way to showcase my work with technology than to utilize an electronic portfolio?

Starting Off

This will be my blog for EDC668 - Managing Technology for Change. I will most likely blog in text form but wanted to have the latitude to podcast or vlog if I feel so inclined.