Module 2

Learning with Technology - Module 2  

Triggering Event: How can students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others?

            Article: Ertmer, P. A., Newby, T. J., Yu, J. H., Liu, W., Tomory, A., Lee, Y. M., et al. (2011).

Facilitating students' global perspectives: Collaborating with international partners using Web 2.0 technologies (Links to an external site.). The Internet and Higher Education, 14(4), 251–261.

My Triggering Question: Can the use of video chat /video calling with other dancers around the world help to give students a better perspective of dance from a global view?

            My Article: https://www.edsurge.com/news/2016-06-23-five-ways-teachers-can-use-video-chat-in-the-classroom

          New Article: http://www.ingrammicroadvisor.com/unified-communications-and-collaboration/six-advantages-of-video-conferencing-for-education

 (Links to an external site.)

Reflection:

           Technology in my subject area is growing but has yet come to a point where information and research have reached a secondary academic level. Taking a step outside of my interest in dance and fitness, and focusing on the greater idea gave me a much more favorable article search, the idea of students making connections via video chat to give students a global view is rapidly growing in schools around the world. In the article "Six advantages of video conferencing in education" the writers at Ingram Micro Advisor (a blog) provides someone like myself who is not tech savvy to see the essential yet beneficial attributes of video communication. The six benefits are:

• Virtual field trips
• Visits from experts
• Leave no students out
• Save conversations and Materials
• Parent Teacher Conference
• Allow students to travel the wold.

Do I feel I have found answers to justify my triggering question? Yes and no. I was able to find various articles on y topic but none that provided greater thinking past listing what most teachers are using it for. I am do not have computers in my classroom the way other teachers do, but I am now more interested in reserving the computer lab for my students to take part in learning through video chat.  

Module 1 - Triggering Question:

Module 1:

·         Triggering Question- How can students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology?

My Triggering Event Question: Can social media be used to improve student to student connections academically? 

Readings:

·         Module Article: “Exploration of secondary students ‘creativity by integrating web-based technology into an innovative science curriculum.”

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5W5P9bQJ6q0N0xSTnc0bEpZUGM/view (Links to an external site.)

The article I read “…  integrating web-based technology into an innovative science curriculum” has found a way to shed some light on my triggering question. Page two of the article “Theoretical Frameworks,” talks about media/ web-based learning as a creative way to solve problems and engage students in learning on a playing field that is comfortable and failure to them. In my small group dance company my dancers took it upon themselves to create a group chat to send video, organize rehearsals and share last min information. Just in this example and the positive progress of my students, I can answer my question by saying YES, social media is a helpful tool for what I teach. Can I trust all of my students to be responsible with this tool? No, but like any other academic situation a teacher should always use their better judgment when allowing their students to use any tool for the purpose of learning.  Looking deeper into the topic I have come across various other articles that have found a use for social media in the classroom.

How Students Benefit from Using Social Media by Joseph Baker ( ttp://www.edudemic.com/how-students-benefit-from-using-social-media/) is a short but informative article on looking at the bigger picture of students using social media to benefit them past the classroom and into the workplace. Connections, Web Engagement, Knowledge, Social Media Marketing are some of the advantages our students can take part in using social media. I see it much like most things like a double edge sword. My dancers who are willing to work above and what are expected of them have done an excellent job of using social media to stay connected with each other to improve the quality of the group and help everyone be successful.

My dancers take part in three of the four points of the article's reasoning for why social media is beneficial to student growth through group chat.

Connections: are made every time the congratulate each other on achievements, list corrections to make for next rehearsal or planning dates for rehearsal.

Web Engagement: Dancers use the group chat to send a video of rehearsal, music and costume ideas.

Knowledge: Through the utilization of the media dancers are able to retain information to keep them prepared for rehearsals, choreography, and performances.

My question of social media in the classroom was well answered. There is for sure a place for social media in the classroom, but it will need to be treated with respect and taught to be used for the intention to improve student work.  

Reference: "How Students Benefit From Using Social Media." How Students Benefit From Using Social Media - Edudemic. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2017.