I read this weeks reading in the Horizon Report (2008) with great interest and contemplation. The potential for many of the emerging technologies discussed therein are as numerous as the mind can wander. While they would all certainly have useful and practical uses in the classroom, I believe that the Grassroots Video category shows the most immediate and user-friendly use for the K-12 setting. I have to look no further than my own home to see the potential and wide reaching implications of the YouTube "movement". My three children ranging in ages 6-13 will often congregate around the family room computer to view the latest buzz about a funny video, music video, or even instructions on how to make or do something. The technology is easy to use and provides instant gratification for the audience. For this reason, I believe the Grassroots Video category will have the greatest impact on teaching in general.
While content can be a source of concern to educators of all subjects, I believe a sort of filter could be explored by concerned administrators to address the wide open content available on site's like YouTube. I believe this is where the emerging technology converges based on the overviews of each one discussed in the Horizon Report. For instance, tagging and labels (Collective Intelligence), can make the task of finding appropriate materials easier. As users compile tags and data on Wiki-type sites, the compiled labels, tags, and other relevant intelligence gathering on a topic can function as a necessary filter for student use. Data Mashup technology also has an ability to "reverse" filter the data by pulling in only relevant data and RSS feeds to a single site using multiple forms of data that can be edited by the user or teacher (see Horizons Report 2008, p. 20). For me, the Collective Intelligence is the pre-cursor to Data Mashups, and when combined, hold the most promise for educators looking to combine the Internet into analysis, synthesis, and evaluation for teaching and learning purposes. This anti-teach-to-the-test recipe for weaving Web content into your classrooms will, without a doubt, transform the types of content available for my teacher toolbox. To me, these are the most exiting of the categories and as such, are inseparable.
Finally, due to the overwhelming negative position on use of cellphones in the classroom by the teaching profession (mine included), I feel that this technology will not make it's way into the classroom in a meaningful or sizeable way any time soon. Many Districts have a no cell phone policy during instruction or even during school hours. This is a controversial topic and would take years to fix.
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5 comments:
Well done Brad,
It is always enlightening to read your blogs. Yes, please someone filter or moderate You Tube. I am very concerned with that, because there was this guy posting all kinds of hate statements regarding the "Yes We Can Video". I like the site and I have just recently discovered the site from this class. In terms of the cell phone, well I am absolutely fascinated with all technology and I don't leave home without them. One of my Profs allowed us to use our calculators embedded in our cell phones for a test. I loved him for that, because many of us had forgotten to bring calculators.
Another time that cell phones were handy was on 9/11/01. My school was on a field trip downtown and well we got the calls from our administrators, parents, and families and the entire circus with various school districts was evacuated in less than 10 minutes. Now, this has nothing to do with education, but it calmed many worried families and more than likely saved lives in the cities directly affected too.
Okay, in respect to education, if the students had internet access on their smart phones, PDA's, or blackberries they could use it for a resource while in school. Often the servers are down or there are simply not enough computers,dictionaries, or encyclopedias to go around in urban communities. Now, in no means am I condoning socialization on their mobile phones however. That would be ridiculous.
Tracey,
The use of filters or content program management software, besides firewalls would better server our needs to fully implement cellphones into the classroom. Most phones come pre-loaded with Internet browsers that will gladly upload video, or other content for a price. Since I am not a programmer, I can only conjure up in my mind some type of social or content blocker download or application that would allow the use of cellphones for only those things the teacher would want for a particular lesson.
Brad.
Brad, I agree that Collective Intelligence and Data Mashups hold the most promise for educators looking to combine the Internet into analysis, synthesis, and evaluation for teaching and learning purposes. This would be an incredible study for one to do with children.
-SKW-
Hey Shawn,
I like the idea of "one stop shopping" for web-based content in the classroom. Perhaps, I'll have time to explore C.I. and Mash-ups in the Summer. I would probably have page per subject taught (if teaching more than one).
Brad.
Yeah, I am so in favor of a greater filter for sites like youtube. People are starting to get out of hand with some of the posting they are presenting. Its weird how most things start out with a solid intentions and become something less as time passes on.
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