Just realised i had posted this in another section of the website…twice! Activity 1.1 Emerging Technologies

 What are the 6 key emerging technologies identified in the 2008 Horizon Report?

• Grassroot videos
• Collaoration Webs
• Mobile Broadband
• Data Mashups
• Collective Intelligence
• Social Operating Systems

Which of these technologies are you familiar with, and in what contexts have you used them, or heard of them?

• Social Operating Systems = facebook, myspace, wikis, blogs
• Mobile Broadband = I use an internet connection card [3G] that allows me to access the Internet from my laptop in most locations.

Review the significant trends [p.6] how do these relate to your experiences of technology within learning contexts?

• Social networking sites such as Facebook – connects members of the UTS Peer Network [a voluntary student organisation that helps run university orientation programs] Rather than sending individual messages, it allows mass messaging to occur by posting messages on the group page. It also allows members to connect with each other by sharing photos, videos, comments and anything else they may wish to share.
• Wikis and Blogs- introduced in many of our subjects, such as this one [E-learning Design], E-learning experiences and E-portfolio. Using this medium, we complete individual and group assessments, as well as learn the nature, history and process of using wikis and blogs. I now have a greater understanding of the website Wikipedia and exactly why it is an unsuitable academic source. Blogs are used as a way of reflecting our learning experiences on a continuous basis.
• I have been introduced to applications such as ‘Second Life’ [a virtual world] but personally would not use such applications as i find them too complicated and time consuming, and i would much rather learn in a traditional classroom based environment.

Review your familiarity with the key emerging technologies from 2007 and your current technology experiences?

 The key technologies identified in the 2007 report include mobile phones, social networking, and user created content. It is evident that the use of mobiles is increasing considering our entire class body has a mobile phone. However, I generally find that i do not use it for learning purposes but rather  to communicate with peers on a range of matters and topics, which may include educational issues . Social networking is now the norm, but once again pages such as facebook are used mainly for social reasons. However in the past year, I have been introduced to mediums such as wiki and blogs but have used them mainly for assessments. But I have gained a greater understanding and appreciation of these technologies

I recently read an article regarding the creation on a new generation of learners, also known as ‘Generation-C’. According to the article, this generation is “responsible for open source software development, music file sharing, YouTube, Flickr, and the Wikipedia” (Kaplan-Leiserson 2005). They can be active participants in the design and development of courses as co-creators of content, particularly through access and contribution to the increasing number of shareable and reusable learning objects and communication and content generation tools, such as wikis and blogs (Bruns 2006). According to the characteristics identified in the article, I am technically a member of this generation, and while I find that I agree with many of the points highlighted in the article, I do not agree with others.

One main points I do not agree upon is the creation of an ‘online university environment’, in which activities generally undertaken physically on the university campus are performed online, mainly in terms of lectures. Podcasting would be the main form of online lectures, as well as posting videos on the university websites. I think this would be helpful for those who are working full time or have limited time to attend classes, such as mature age students with families. It could also save time and money spent on travel, especially those who live long distances away from the university campus. There are many times when I wished certain classes were conducted online as it seems a waste of time when we do no work during the classes, or do work that we could have done on our own from the convenience of our homes.  

However, I feel that by making university a purely online experience, it partly destroys the identity of a university student, which involves physically attending classes and lectures at a university campus. By conducting classes online, everyone becomes anonymous and you seem to lose the social aspect that university offers. But that is just the opinion from someone who is in love with romantic or traditional university experiences that are broadcast on television. I think that universities should apply a blended model of learning, which involves work both online and using traditional classroom based setting, to accommodate the preferred learning styles of all students; just as UTS is currently doing. And I just realised that by completing this blog and the group wiki page, I am becoming one of them…Generation C 

References

 Bruns, A. (2006) ‘Towards produsage: futures for user-led content production’, In proceedings: Cultural attitudes towards communication and technology,  eds. Fay Sudweeks, Herbert Hrachovec, and Charles Ess, Murdoch University, Perth, pp.275-284  

Kaplan-Leiserson, E., 2005, Trend: content copyright, the commons, and the C Generation, American Society for Training and Development, Virginia Accessed 15 March 2008, http://www.learningcircuits.org/2004/aug2004/0408_trends.htm

The heading above refers to a quote I read in an article regarding mobile phones for educational use. As part of a generation who were raised in the 21^st century, the article was referring to the fact that the mobile phone plays a significant part in our lives. I agree with this. The other day I forgot my mobile phone at home, and I felt lost for the entire day. I never realised just how valuable my phone was to me and how many functions or roles it plays throughout the day. It acts as a source of entertainment in the form of games on the phone, sending SMS to family and friends, and playing music. It served as a clock to direct me throughout the day and acted as a form of security in that I could ring certain people in different situations. I found that I was constantly searching for the time or a phone that I could use; the whole time wishing that I hadn’t left it at home.  

Before I began the subject E-Learning Design, I never considered my mobile phone as an educational tool, but rather a social and time management tool. But now I realise that it can be used for educational purposes, and on many times, I have used it as one. I tend to record a lot of notes on my phone; just random ones that pop into my head regarding the various assignments that I must complete, and usually when I am not actually completing these assessments such as travelling on the train. The mobile phone also acts as a tool in the creation of a mini ‘community of practice’ in that it allows students undertaking the same subjects/courses to communicate with one another regarding the assessments. At this very moment, my friends and I are sending SMS messages to one another regarding a particular assessment. This allows the creation and sharing of knowledge as well as the intensification of relationships among the members of the community of practice.  

The literature regarding mobile phones as an educational tool emphasise the access to and use of the Internet for learning. While this sounds like a great and convenient idea, one must have the suitable mobile phone handset and Internet access in order for it to work, and this can be a costly process. The most common handset used to access the Internet is the Blackberry mobile phones, whose cost can add up to hundreds of dollars. And then there is the cost of accessing the Internet via the mobile phone and this can depend on the Internet provider to whom one is subscribed. The rate of accessing the Internet on my phone is about $1 a minute, and as in self-confessed ‘Internet Junkie’, I would go broke if I were to access the Internet from my mobile phone, especially if I could access it wherever I went.  I think that in the future when there is an even greater advancement in mobile technologies and Internet access, more people will be using the mobile phone for educational purposes. As many people nowadays have the basic ability to function a computer and browse the Internet, these skills and knowledge can be easily applied to using a mobile phone for the same functions. The only thing then to master is the ability to function the mobile phone handset and the various applications is provides. But until then, I will continue to use my mobile as a form of entertainment and communication, and access the Internet from the convenience of my PC. 

During the last few weeks in class, we have been discussing forms of learning using various technologies. Our group is researching the topic of Mobile Learning, also know as m-learning, which generally involves using mobile technologies to undertake training and learning. The tools that can be used include Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs], iPods and mobile phones. The main aim of this task is to recommended strategies for training and development for the Department of Community Service [DoCS] on which methods are suitable for their needs, the advantages and disadvantages of using these technologies and challenges that may arise while undertaking an m-learning initiative.  

The topic I have decided to research is the use of mobile phones for educational purposes. The literature gave a few examples of people or institutions that have successfully conducted learning tasks using mobile phones. These have included accessing the Internet on the mobile phone and its advancement since the introduction of 3G [third generation] protocols, which provides users with high bandwidth Internet access. Other examples have been using the mobile phone to generate online quizzes and lectures on basic topics. The University of Pretoria in Africa used the mobile phone to provide basic administrative support to students in terms of reminders about enrolling for subjects and exams, and what subject materials needed to be purchased. They found that as a result, there was a 18% increase in the number of on-time registrations, and that 95% of students who had registered for certain classes actually attended after receiving SMS [short messaging services] reminding them of the dates, locations and times of the classes. They also stated that it was more cost and time efficient to send each student an SMS rather than to post them a reminder. This was because many of the students lived in deep rural areas where there was no, or limited, Internet and telecom infrastructure, it would take up to three weeks to deliver the letters.  

I found that there were many examples that could be applied by DoCS. The literature talked about the creation of websites that were specifically for internet access from mobile phones and which, once were downloaded, could be accessed offline on the mobile phones. Each section of DoCS could create their own website containing information and materials specific to the employees in each department. They could also create a mini handbook containing instructions and examples of how to handle certain situations and clients. Prensky [2004] argues that mobile phones have the ability to replace textbooks, with the limited screen size of mobile phones being in fact a positive constraint that forces publishers to rethink their design and logic for maximum effectiveness, rather than just adding pages. Another example considered teaching students through the use of case studies and role plays that could be recorded using the video function featured on many mobile phones. This could then be shared among other learners via bluetooth, SMS, or MMS [multimedia services].