Graphics and e-Learning Creation Software: An Investigation

Photo Editing Software

In the past, I have mostly used Microsoft Paint and PowerPoint to do some basic photo editing and enhancing.  For the first module, I decided to use Adobe Photoshop as I actually have access to it here at home.   By exploring and clicking around, and with the help of my husband’s coaching, I was able to create the basic graphic for module one.  Although I did find it challenging to step outside my comfort zone and learn some new ways to edit and modify graphics, I found myself immediately absorbed in the project as I learned.   Adobe Photoshop does have to be downloaded and installed but it is part of our Creative Cloud monthly subscription.  This was my choice because I know the capabilities of a robust program like Photoshop and I am definitely eager to step up my game and begin to build upon my skills and more importantly, I have access to the tool through our paid monthly subscription here at home.

e-Learning Software

Adobe Captivate is my tool of choice for creating e-Learning modules.  I have a full version that I purchased for my M.Ed course of study.  However, I have used it in a previous position.  I had to give myself a crash course in the program when I was asked to create video tutorials.  I just used the very basic functions, but I know the program can do so much more!  I would love to learn how to use the built in learning interactions and quizzes, the accommodation functions, and software simulations, and the asset library.  I am also interested in learning about the different publishing file types and when to use each. 

The following graphic was created with Adobe Photoshop.  

FYI for those interested, you can get the Adobe Student Discount on their products.  The full retail price of Adobe Captivate is over $1000 dollars, but I was able to get the student discount and purchased the full version (not the Creative Cloud) for around $370.00  I know that's still a lot, but I saw it as an investment for my learning and for future projects personally and professionally.  

There is also the Adobe Creative Cloud Teacher/Student discount (60% savings) that you can look into here:  http://www.adobe.com/education/students/how-to-buy-eligibility.edu.html? (Links to an external site.) 

From what I can see, you can get all Adobe Apps for 19.99/month with a Year Comittment. 

I think it's nice that Adobe gives you many options for purchasing, however, I would recommend you look into all of the plans here (Links to an external site.)before deciding.  I really am not sure I like the 1 year comittment, so I decided to purchase just the product I really wanted to focus on.  I can access the Creative Cloud account we have here at home for Photoshop

References

Adobe Captivate 9 Product Features:  http://www.adobe.com/products/captivate/features.html

Adobe Captivate Logo.  Adobe Systems Incorporated.  Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Adobe_Captivate_v5.0_icon.png (Links to an external site.)

Closed Caption Icon.  Retrieved from https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Closed_captioning_symbol.svg/153px-Closed_captioning_symbol.svg.png (Links to an external site.) 

Adobe Captivate 9 Software Screenshots. Sarah Lowey, November 30, 2016.

Swirl Background Image.  Retrieved from https://pixabay.com/en/fractal-curves-swirls-design-1076735/ (Links to an external site.) 

Text to speech icon.  Retrieved from https://cdn3.iconfinder.com/data/icons/seo-and-marketing-solid-icons-vol-1/64/017-128.png (Links to an external site.) 

Views on Media in Education: Does Media influence Learning?

I believe that technology affects everything we do from our social or personal lives, to our work environment, and of course learning. In fact technology use has changed over the past few decades and is an influencing factor in every day life perhaps more so than it was 30 years ago. The connection between technology and media exists because as technology advances, new media becomes available. Clark (1994) insists that media has no influence over student achievement but is simply the vehicle.  While I do agree, to some extent, that the media or technology is the tool and the way the tool is utilized within the learning process [curriculum] is the real influence, I also believe that a student's motivation to learn can be increased through use of relevant media. In fact, today's students believe technology is essential to communication (Gardner & Aleksejuniene, 2011). I have always said that we need to meet students on their playing field, so to speak. That is, we need to engage students with technology and media as much as possible to not only motivate them to learn, but to also teach them how to navigate the information that is available to them on the world wide web. In a day and age where information is accessible through a variety of mobile devices, using media to teach students how to sift through information, determine validity, and formulate opinions should be a priority. Advances in technology create new media, and new media becomes part of our lives--including learning. So whether Clark's hard-lined view that media does not affect student achievement is considered, or whether we tend to have a more open approach as technologies come into play and determine to answer Kozma's question of "will" media influence learning (1994), I think that given we all now live in a world where entire degree programs are offered online in virtual learning environments, that considering the media we will use in learning is more important than ever. While I do not totally disclaim the arguments of both Clark and Kozma, we have to consider the time frame and mindset of the arguments. I would also argue that there are many other influences on learning that need to be considered along with media and technology, so I'm not so sure I buy Clark's laser-focused argument on simply the media itself.

References:

Clark, R. E. (1994). Media will never influence learning. Educational Technology Research and Design, 42(2), 21-29. Retrieved from http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~bmann/0_ARTICLES/Media_Clark.html

Gardner, K., & Aleksejuniene, J. (2011). PowerPoint and learning theories: Reaching out to the millennials. Transformative dialogues, Teaching & Learning Journal, 5(1), 1-11. https://www.ebscohost.com/academic

Kozma, R. B. (1994). Will media influence learning? Reframing the debate. Educational Technology Research and Design, 42(2), 7-19. Retrieved from http://www.robertkozma.com/images/kozma_will_media_influence.pdf

Fair Use Rules for Using Online Content

What are the fair use rules for using any type of content that you would find online?

Fair use rules have changed with the impact of digital technology and the internet.  Although there is more leeway for educators in using online copyrighted material, there are some general guidelines and rules both teachers and students need to be aware of in order to ensure legal use.  There are four factors to consider when following fair use:  “(1) purpose and character of use, (2) nature of the work, (3) amount and sustainability of the used portion in relation to the entire work, and (4) the effect on the potential market.” (Cahill, 2012, p. 5)  Even though educational purposes fall under the fair use policy, there are limitations.  

Teachers are required to cite all copyrighted work;  however, if teachers do not have time to seek permission, if only a small amount of the work is copied, and it is not a repeated infringement, then instructors will not be penalized (Cahill, 2012).  In 1988, limits were placed on the quantity of material an educator may use (Cahill, 2012).  The bottom line is that fair use for education is not a free license to use anything.  I would love to include a link to Education World’s series on Copyright and Fair Use (Links to an external site.) as I found it very informative, most notably the fact that experts can’t seem to agree on acceptable fair use guidelines and new technologies, yet we still need to follow general guidelines as pertains to the law (Starr, 2010).

References

Cahill, J. L. (2012). Copyright versus fair use. New Teacher Advocate, 19(4), 4-5.

Starr, L. (2010, 5/25/2010). The educator’s guide to copyright and fair use. Education World. Retrieved from http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr280.shtml

Emerging Technologies Impact on Learning

How are emerging technologies having a significant impact on learning? 

Emerging technologies in education has been an on-going issue for years. Now that the pace of technology is increasing at an exponential rate, institutions of learning should consider a systematic and sustainable approach to dealing with this issue. Because emerging technologies impact every aspect of our lives, including the workforce, it is necessary to consider the impact of those technologies on education (Spector, 2013). Emerging technologies also have the ability to support authentic learning to mirror real-world situations so that leaners are better prepared to utilize these technologies when situations arise (Bozalek et al., 2013). Workers are asked to be more collaborative and with telecommuting becoming more popular, it is imperative that people know how to utilize various technologies for collaboration and virtual communication. I have always felt, as an educator, that it is a constant race to keep up with emerging technologies, trends, and their impact on teaching and learning. I have witnessed this problem first hand both as a classroom teacher, and technology coach. 

One of the emerging technologies most likely to impact education is learning analytics (Spector, 2013). I currently work in an industry focused on learning analytics and while I am impressed with the potential impact of artificial intelligence on teaching and learning, I am more concerned with the necessary change that schools will have to undergo during the successful implementation of such technologies. Not only will network infrastructures and technology resources need to be current, but schools will also need to be willing to invest the resources into on-going professional development to aid teachers in this paradigm shift. We continue to ask more and expect more of our teachers with fewer resources—namely time. While I have witnessed pockets of change and innovation across the nation, I have also seen challenges and barriers to change. 

Emerging technologies will continue to impact teaching and learning and I think the key is to have a successful plan in place that not only considers all stakeholders, but allows them input in the process. I have had the pleasure of working in some districts where there are tech committees designed to invite all stakeholders when considering a large adoption of a new technology.  I have also worked in districts where these decisions are made at the leadership level with little or no input from the end-users.  

Needless to say, district culture is key to successful implementation and adoption.  There is always resistance to change on some level in every organization, but I believe that for the most part, it's not what we do, but the way in which we do it--with careful consideration for giving people a voice in their choice.

There is a book that I read (actually, I listened to it on audible--it's what I do when I'm on the road) called "Switch:  How to change when change is hard" by Chip and Dan Heath.  It really resonated with me and I recommend it to everyone!  In fact, my 28 year old son read the book, and commented to me that his sister's elephant gets in the way of some deep conversations sometimes--classic!

Here is a YouTube clip that speaks about this book's main theme:  

References:
Spector, J. M. (2013). Emerging educational technologies and research directions. Educational Technology & Society, 16(2), 21-30. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/journal/jeductechsoci

Using Virtual Communication and Collaboration to Enhance Curriculum from SarahLowey

Virtual Communication: Advantages, Challenges, Best Practices, and Tools

The following is my discussion board submission for my class this week.  I found the topic and the research interesting, so I thought I'd share!

The assignment posed 3 questions to be answered.  

Thanks!

_______________________

1.  What are the advantages and disadvantages of virtual communication?

I think it is safe to say that most of us communicate digitally as we live in a world where social networking seems to be making a larger and larger footprint in our lives.  Do you know anyone who does not own a smartphone?  While communicating virtually has its advantages, there are also disadvantages to virtual communication.  Some of the disadvantages include the following:

• The absence of non-verbal cues
• The inability for teachers to monitor, motivate, and assist students in real-time
• The inherent team collaboration that takes place in face-to-face settings, including mediation, motivation, and assistance (Yamat, 2013)

The above list includes some of the obvious boundaries and challenges that most of us who work or take classes remotely have faced.  Even in communicating with our friends and families, we can often misread messages in text, as they lack the body language and vocal inflections that accompany face-to-face communications.  While the challenges do seem to be daunting, there are also advantages to virtual communication, and I would venture to say that as technology continues to improve, these boundaries and challenges will start to fall away.  Some of the advantages to virtual communication include the following:

• Students involved in virtual discussions are more thoughtful
• Anonymity makes them less inhibited and more confident
• Collaboration time can help build peer relationships
• Virtual communication transcends geographic barriers
• Students can refer back to and reflect on discussions
• Students tend to be more active and contribute more to virtual discussions (Yamat, 2013)

In addition to the list above, Jones and Green (2012) also point out that virtual collaboration can be impactful on anytime, anywhere learning.  Personally, I think that being able to use virtual communication to teach our students effective communication skills is essential.  We must prepare them to be successful digital citizens and give them the proper tools to function in a the global community, now and in the future.  On the same token, I think we need to help them develop the skills to have confident face-to-face interactions as well.  My son once commented to me, while he was a student advisor in college, that he was surprised at how many of his generation seemed to lack the ability to confidently communicate face-to-face.  While many may dispute his observation, I think it holds some validity given that he was commenting on his peers, and was in a position to observe students on a regular basis.

2.  What are best practices for communicating virtually?

Communicating virtually is common place in today’s world.  However, establishing norms, or best practices, is essential to ensuring success in the workplace and in learning institutions.  Some best practices include the following:

• Frequent communication
• Effecting meeting planning, including agendas and meeting structure
• The ability to communicate clearly
• Awareness (Walls, 2013)

While Walls’ article speaks directly to the telecommute workforce, it resonated with me.  I have been a remote worker for 5 years now and I have experienced some of the difficulties of communicating with a remote team based across the country.  I agree with her best practices of establishing frequent meetings, even if it is for 5 minutes just to touch base.  Virtual communication can make it difficult to build or form strong relationships, unless you are committed to establishing and maintaining frequent contact—especially via skype or video conferences. 

3.  What are some examples of tools that could be used and professional development that could be set up to collaborate online?

There are so many tools available to help break down the barriers of online communication.  Personally, I prefer video conferences—either via webex, Skype, Google Hangouts, Zoom, etc.  These video conferences allow that face-to-face meeting where you can read body language, hear voice inflections, and get that ‘almost there’ experience.  Other ways to collaborate online include blogs, wikis, Google Groups, Google Hangouts, closed Facebook Groups, webinars (group or one-on-one) etc.  Professional development can be conducted synchronously through webinars or similar video conferencing.  Professional development can be conducted asynchronously through blogs, Google Group and Google Hangout discussions, wikis, and so forth.  I would daresay that there are several people—both in the education and corporate world—who receive their professional development opportunities online.  My previous company even used an LMS to provide PD modules and discussion boards.  This post has really made me reflect and I believe now more than ever that it really is not so much about the virtual communication tools, or even the best practices we put in place, but more about affecting cultural change—in an institution of learning or business. 

References

Jones, S. A., & Green, L. S. (2012). Transforming collaboration student learning--anytime, anywhere. Teacher Librarian,40(2), 26-31. Retrieved from https://www.ebscohost.com/

Walls, P. (2013, June 13, 2013). Best practices for virtual communication and meetings [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://blog.ecornell.com/best-practices-for-virtual-communication-and-meetings/

Yamat, H. (2013). Voicing on virtual and face to face discussion. The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology,12(2), 372-375. Retrieved from https://www.ebscohost.com/

What is 21st century education?

Powerful!!

"Hit and Run" Professional Development

I've been forced to sit through these professional development sessions.  You know what I'm talking about, my fellow educators:  those PD experiences that are more closely related to what I call an 'information dump' without any real-world practical application, examples, hands-on collaboration, etc.  After such an experience, I would take my handouts (if any were provided), return to my classroom and the million and one and other things I have on my to-do list.  The handout would invariably get filed away in my PD folder and when I would try to re-call the learning experience...well, I think you get the picture.  This is not to say that I haven't had some amazing PD experiences in my career--I HAVE!  But I would love to say that all of these experiences were wonderful.

I also know what it's like to be on the other side of the fence.  Although I insisted that every PD I conducted be a hands on experience that fostered collaboration and creation, I am guilty of providing these 'information dump' professional development sessions as the K-12 Ed Tech industry usually bills PD per-day.  While I did my best to support my teachers post-PD (via phone calls, emails, one-on-one webinars, and training materials), I know that the best professional development experience--and successful integration and implementation of a particular technology product--requires ON-GOING support!

Until the K-12 Educational Technology industry realizes this and places the value on PD services and the direct correlation to future sales (especially cloud-based product subscription renewals), I think schools and districts will continue to struggle with adoption and user experience.

I also think that the approach to PD needs to shift from providing teachers with a punch list or menu of offerings to supporting teacher choice and helping them along a more personalized professional development path.

I know there are companies and districts out there getting it right.

But, I can only speak from my own experience, both as a teacher and as a service provider.

I'm BACK!

Well, it has been entirely too long since I have posted.  Life tends to get in the way sometimes.  I just completed my first class in my M.Ed in Instructional Design and Technology program.  I'm both exhausted and excited!  I had no idea that going back to school (after so many years of contemplation, hectic schedules, and life events) would be so incredibly exciting and rewarding.

When I started this blog all those years ago, I was a Technology Integration Specialist and my job was to help teachers harness the power of technology tools in the classroom.  Goodness, have we come a long way since then!

One thing remains the same with me, however:  the belief that teachers do NOT have to reinvent the wheel when infusing technology into their lessons.  Teachers can simply take one lesson or activity, and brainstorm ways that a particular technology tool can help enhance or enrich the experience.  The technology is not the magic, but the technology can help teachers enhance the magical moments that occur in their classrooms on a regular basis.

I am currently working on my Google Educator Certification and learning SO much!  If you haven't had a chance to check it out--DO SO!  You can find the information you need here at the Google for Education Certified Trainer Program Page.

As schools look to find ways to make learning more personalized, Google should be their first stop.  Google tools, both basic and advanced, can help teachers and students transition into a personalized learning environment that will give students the skills to successfully function in a technology-infused world.

As I close out my first post in nearly 7 years, I think back over my experiences as a teacher, as a national trainer/PD Specialist for eInstruction/Turning Technologies, and my current role, I can hardly believe the journey.  I am a definitely a life-long learner...

Personalised Learning Environments