I just read an article, “He’s Makin’ a List and Checkin’ it Twice,” on G-Town talks and I was really confused and irrate at first. 

http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2006/09/25/hes-makin-a-list-and-checkin-it-twice/ 

Nevertheless, as I continued reading to the end of the article, I discovered the humor/sarcasm in the post.  At first making a list for children that need improvement in school was suggested to encourage motivation and improvement within the classroom.  In addition, Moritz offers the idea that parents in need of improvement could be placed on a list to serve as a motivational tool.  She even mentions in the end that there could be a President’s list for improvement.  What an idea, Huh? 

As I read this post, I quickly thought of the high focus on standardized testing in schools.  Often times, it seems that educators become so irritated with the emphasis that is placed on testing.  It seems that fun has been taken out of school and students are required to rush through educational content and then are expected to practice “drill” techniques to prepare for the end of the year testing.  Therefore, I am sure that an educator would probably express the same sort of sarcasm, as portrayed in this post, toward the emphasis that is placed on testing in the school systems; in addition to the rush in teaching educational content to young children to improve their scores on the end of the year tests.  So would all of our children in our classrooms be placed on the list?   

I visited the New Century School House and I was expecting to find a set up similar to TappedIn, but all I found was informative information.  I didn’t find any activities, or links within a classroom.  Furthermore, there were very few rooms established in each age category.  I tried to adopt one of these classrooms, but the school house didn’t want to take my information–it may have been my description of the room, or my working information (the site might call for a teaching occupation).  Nevertheless, I figured out that these rooms, in this particular school house, are designed to demonstrate how learning is supposed to be in the 21st century.  This is where you are expected to think “outside of the box,” which is often times very difficult to do.  In addition, there are spaces for people to comment on your room and you can edit it very easily by entering your password and making the changes.  From what I gathered, I don’t think this site is designed to provide links and assignments for a community of learners, but instead it is used to portray the message of what should be included in the classrooms of the 21st century.  Therefore, this site is giving educators a chance to place the traditional classroom behind them and it allows for a trip into the classroom of the future.   

I had a chance to venture with ActiveWorlds and I had a little difficultly with my computer’s compatibility, therefore, my experience wasn’t a great as it should have been. Anyhow, I remember reading in one of Nate’s posts about being able to venture into specific things/places in the 3-D worlds. Nevertheless, in ActiveWorlds, I made it as far as creating my own avatar (Aleigha Ellison) in the world, but I couldn’t get it clothed, and I couldn’t get it to move around the area! Yikes! :-) I was just pondering on a thought. Could we create our own environment in the 3-D world? If so, are there any tips on reaching this level? If we were conducting a lesson on volcanos, for example, could we take a trip inside the volcano in the 3-D world? I was just wondering about this–this would open up so many doors in the classroom if it were so.

Ok, I don’t vent very often, but I want to take a few minutes to share my ideas that are racing through my head!

I now have all types of thoughts rambling in my head about a final project. I know we were given the option of a paper as the final project and at first I thought, “Maybe a paper would be a lot less hectic,” but no, I want the challenge. I am ready for the challenge. I am trying to gear toward something that I can use in a classroom in the future. Whether it be with elementary students or higher ed. students, I would want to be able to use it with either. I liked the idea of a tutorial and I was thinking something along the lines of a tutorial encompassing all we have covered so far and of course adding as we cover new things along the remainder of the semester. I feel like I am stealing someone’s idea, and Nate couldn’t remember who came up with the idea of the tutorial, so whoever it was–I am sending the credit to you for this idea! :-) Don’t get me for plagiarism. :-) I liked the idea of the tutorial. I would call my tutorial, something along the lines of “Getting Connected–A Guide to a Distance of Community Learners.”

At first, I was scared to write ideas about the final project, but we are all a team and we need to work together and offer each other ideas and suggestions. I would, of course, begin my project with some links to places to sign up for a free email account and walk through a basic set-up for email. I would lead into blogs and some basic links to set up a blog, and then walk through setting up a blog–with tips thrown in–and how to get linked, or “feed the gator.” I would include voice in the tutorial. I am trying to figure out how I would record my movements on the computer. I know there is something out there, but I will have to research and see what the cost is, or if I can find something that is free. Of course, this is just an idea that is feeding off of someone else’s idea.

I also thought about borrowing someone’s classroom and a topic that they are covering and designing a tutorial for them to set up their own blogs where the class would become connected and I would act as the facilitator. The teacher could be included in this as well. I was thinking about younger students that may not have computers at home and was wondering if I could get the teacher to work with me on providing time in class for these students to write some on their blogs. Everyone wouldn’t have to write, in class, each day–the teacher could divide the class over a week’s time. If students wanted to write in their blogs at home they could. Then I thought of the liability and if it would be ok as long as I provided the teacher with a permission slip to have signed and keep on file. If parents objected then those students could be left out of the project, but be provided with another computer activity during the time they would be working on their blog. I may be thinking too deep on this, but I don’t have my own classroom, and I have only been through student teaching–so I think on all the “warnings” we have been taught. :-)

I don’t know if anyone can follow this, but when I have ideas surfacing, I have to write them down, and tonight I was at the computer and I thought, “Why not have a record of my thoughts–I can shuffle them later.”

So far, I haven’t read a lot of literature about Wikispaces–I decided to download it and see what I can figure out on my own before reading a bunch of text that really doesn’t make sense until I have had a chance to try it out. So far, I can see that Wikispaces are very similar to blogs, but they can be altered by other members. With blogs, the blogger is the only one that edits or adds to the blog–besides the fact that others can post comments on a blog. Nevertheless, I can see where wikispaces could be very nice to use with a classroom because they are the property of all the members. Nonetheless, you must be careful with the Wiki because people can change or alter content, even it it might be disrespectful or untruthful.
I created a site and my address is

http://bryce.wikispaces.com/

I am still trying to figure out all of the features of the Wiki. I have tried to connect a few links and I hope to add much more.

When I think of exotic, I think of a dancer; nevertheless, I have reevaluated my definition and I have paralleled it with our “things to do,” for this week.  Consequently, I have discovered that exotic can serve as advanced features for distance education.  Moreover, I can consider my advanced toolbox, an exotic toolbox for DE.   

When considering a toolbox for distance education, there is always a basis toolbox, but what would an advanced toolbox include?  First of all, I would like to think of “advanced” as providing more options/added features to distance education.  Let’s keep in mind that we can have a successful DE class with the basic box, but an advanced toolbox broadens the capabilites within the class.  With that presented, let’s take a look at what we could add to our basic toolbox, to consider it an advanced toolbox for distance education.   

My basic toolbox:

1.  Email

2. Internet

3.  Instant Messenger

4.  TappedIn or Blogs

5.  Compatible Computer

In the past, I have always thought it would be nice to see/hear classmates that are included in my virtual classroom; therefore, I would add a videocam/voice feature to my advanced toolbox–this is not to say that this feature would be used all the time or as the primary function of the class, but it could be used periodically to add interest to the class.  Such features can be found with most of the instant messengers, Skype, GizmoProject, etc.  I really like the Wikispaces since a learning community can participate in writing/editing content; therefore, I would include this in my advanced toolbox.  This is a great way for a learning community to “learn together,” and build upon one another’s experiences.  Nevertheless, because of the quality of broadband internet, I would add it to my advanced toolbox–it just makes the overall distance learning experience a lot less hectic–that is considering the regular dial up connection which is extremely sloooooow. 

All in all, let’s keep in mind that I am a learner, still absorbing the unlimited information of technology and how it can enhance distance learning.  Furthermore, just like a carpenter adds to his basic toolbox, I can always add to my advanced toolbox for distance education.  Therefore, as I can insight to various functions/features that can enhance distance education; I will add it to my toolbox.  Will my toolbox ever be complete and I never add anything else to it?  Absolutely not!  Technology is always changing and new things developing; thus, I will always be adding things to my toolbox.  Furthermore, as a new tool develops, I can always replace an old tool with a better one.

When I first began this class, I thought it would be such a great idea to have videos and voice on each class member’s computer–kind of like being in a traditional classroom (I was afraid to break away from the norm or what I have been used to from day one in a classroom).  If this were the case, I fear that there would be a push toward lecture, note taking, and completing homework as the trend for distance education.  I honestly believe the beauty of learning would be altered. 

Nevertheless, I have given this some more thought, and I have altered my thinking.  Often times I feel that learning should be more individually directed.  It should allow the learner to experiment and discover learning opportunities on their own.  Personally, I have learned more in this class than I could have ever thought of learning in one of my traditional classes (I am not saying that learning cannot take place in a traditional classroom–it can very well happen with the right tools)–it is the push to venture outside of the comfort zone and explore a little.  Moreover, there is a learning community that has developed and we sponge from each other’s discoveries, including findings of our own. 

With this said, it doesn’t mean that video/voice couldn’t be an added feature to distance education.  It could serve as part of a chat and add to the social content of learning, but it doesn’t have to be included in distance education for it to serve as a successful learning environment.  Thus, there are features that are available that allows for video/voice to become part of a DE classroom.  

For example, Skype is a computer program that can be used to make free voice mails over the internet to anyone else that is using Skype. GizmoProject is basically an internet telephone that is free and allows a user to call contacts on Gizmo, their mobile phone or landline for free.  I use yahoo instant messenger and it has an added voice/video feature on it.  This is all part of internet telephony.  Which according to dictionary.com, is a category of hardware and software that enables people to use the Internet as the transmission medium for telephone calls. For users who have free, or fixed-price Internet access, Internet telephony software essentially provides free telephone calls anywhere in the world. To date, however, Internet telephony does not offer the same quality of telephone service as direct telephone connections, so this is an important fact that would have to be taken into consideration if this function was added to distance education classes.

All in all, this would be such a nice added feature to distance education, but my only question is, what type of program is out there that would help reduce the chaos that could happen when fifteen people are trying to use voice feature and video cam to participate in a class?  On the contrary I am sure there is a place, maybe like the 3-D spaces, that will allow some type of order to an online class chat with voice/video functions, but I would definitely want to have this program to facilitate an online discussion using the voice/video function.

http://www.hayseed.net/MOO/mootutor1.txt

I am trying to sort this out in my head and figure out how Moo works.  I found an article, “The Cow Ate My Brain, or a Novice’s Guide to Moo Programming” and it breaks down parts of this, but it seems overwhelming (I think I have said that before)!  After reading a few articles, I can see that Moo seems to be a mix between our aggregators and Tappedin.  It is a place where you can chat, play games, or conference.  After reading, I have discovered that you build a room to your preference and you get to design it.  I really want to give this a try, but everytime I try to click in to the download link it says the page cannot be displayed. 

http://sourceforge.net/projects/lambdamoo/

I noticed that you can choose your room to be “noisy,” or “quiet.”  If you want the room to be noisy you can jump right in and chat with different people and figure out how to get things going; however, if you choose your room to be “quiet,” you can read various scripts and figure out how to get things up and running.  I honestly believe, I can discuss this more when I have had a chance to download and see what is out there.

First of all, when I think of a tool box, I think of hammers, nails, a tape measure, etc.–I think of building something.  I don’t think of school.  What would be the tools for teaching at a distance?  According to dictionary.com a tool is a device used to perform or facilitate manual or mechanical work or something regarded as necessary to the carrying out of one’s occupation or profession.  What people use tools?  Carpenters have a tool box for building, while an artist has a tool box for creating art, and a teacher has a tool box for teaching or the building blocks for learning.  Therefore, I am going to take a few minutes to venture into the tool box for distance education.  

As a result of this class, I understand the importance of communication; therefore, email would be number one on my list. Obviously, it becomes really difficult to communicate all over the world without the beauty of the Internet so we’ll place it at number two. In addition, there has to be an alternative way to communicate other than a standard email (what if your email box is full and your email doesn’t store incoming mail?). I really like the instant messenger, only because there is no delay in the post (unless there is some sort of technical delay) and if there is a problem to be discussed or worked out this can be presented very quickly with an instant messenger–it is almost like talking on the phone. Also, I really like the idea of having a record of discussions and this can be done through places like Tappedin, or blogs. Therefore, if someone is “absent” during the time of discussion, there is a record and the student can catch up on the conversation very easily. This is even better than being in a traditional classroom–if you miss in a regular classroom, you can only hope someone took really detailed notes or you are sort of left in the dark.  Accompanying our tools, we must have a computer with up-to-date functions and compatible software and downloads so we can participate in online learning.  Thus, with these tools we have the basic needs for distance education; nevertheless, we can have a more “expensive tool box,” and add to our distance education features but it isn’t necessary.

Overall, I feel that this class has served as a great role model to demonstrate the tools for distance education and how they work together.  Before taking this class, I hadn’t ventured into the tool box for teaching a distance education class, nor had I thought about a way to connect a class and create a community of learners.  As a result, I now have a basic tool box for teaching a distance education class and hopefully I can manage to incorporate these tools into my classroom.       

I noticed in Nate’s post, “Personal Learning Environments,” a very interesting question. “What do you think are the differences between a learner’s toolbox and a teacher’s toolbox?” Is there a difference? Even though a teacher is teaching the children, the teacher is also learning. I recall several instances, during my student teaching, that I learned new facts while preparing my lesson plans and I learned important information from my students as well. Research played a key role in lesson planning–that is why it is so important to continue reading and processing thoughts everyday. You can’t expect to be an educator and never read or learn again. It just doesn’t happen that way. Reading and learning is a continuous cycle–you even learn from the children. It is impossible to begin a teaching role with the attitude, “I know everything–that is why I am the teacher.” To improve successes in the classroom, it is ideal to plan ahead and set goals for the classroom. Set goals for the students.
I discovered, while taking my reading methods course, several factors that lead to me disliking reading as a child. Nevertheless, I have changed my attitude toward reading now, as I have grown older, and I have learned the values and rewards that follow along with reading. Personally, I want to present a positive message toward reading in my classroom and I have a great intention to do that with blogs. I honestly believe this is a way to encourage students to read and practice writing. What other way to become better readers and writers, than to practice, practice, practice. I am so enthused that we have been introduced to this community of learning and I am looking forward to implementing it into my classroom. There is so much to learn and a lot of it is absorbed through reading and interacting.