I am not quite sure if i completed this exercise correct, but these are the answers to the question.

What Effect Might Generalising Have In E-Learning Contexts?

It leads to the assumption that by putting people in the right context/e-learning contexts, the students will learn the context being taught. This may involve using positive and/or negative reinforcements, such as rewards and punishments. This could influence the types of teaching methods used, and if these teaching methods do not suit the learning preferences of the students but continue to be used, it may result in a lack of learning and negative feelings among the students. It could also cause resentement to the content of the subject.

However, i read further and found this definition of generalisation. It states that generalisation suggests the importance of using practice in learning contexts. I do not know if this is related to the topic but i will attempt to apply it anyway. In regard to learning in an e-learning context, the use of practice is essential to the success of mastering the topic, concepts and processes. As e-learning uses many technologies, practical activities are much more beneficial than theoretical, lecture style teaching methods to help the learners internalise the concepts and processes. It will also allow the learners to make mistakes along the way and to learn from these mistakes.

I recently watch the video “Part 1- Behaviourism’ on the Learning Wiki web-page and found it quite an interesting video. And i learnt, or recalled, something about the way I like to learn. At first i tried to listen to the video and make notes as it went along, but found that the presenter spoke too fast and i couldn’t keep up with him. I then noticed a link to the transcript of the presentation and so i downloaded it and started reading. The word ‘transcript’ didn’t click at first and i began reading, i had this idea in my head that i was reading a journal article. I started reading the text but couldn’t understand most of it as it didn’t use much punctuation, and the sentences just kept going. Remembering how i learn during university, i decided to apply the same principle and used both mediums at once, and boy did it make a difference.

Stanton Wortham stated that “behaviourism assumes a learning process involves an organism and an environment, where the behaviour of the organism varies according to the environment it is in. The behaviour is also shaped by the application of positive and negative reinforcements. He also talked about how in the academic world, people believe that the concept of behaviourism is dead, but it is actually well and truly alive and kicking. I agree with him. When you actually think about it, behaviourism is everywhere around us. In educational settings, it is argued that the success of a student’s academic performance is dependant upon the school, or the school environment. If students in a school think highly of study and work towards achieving high grades, then it will influence new students to adopt the same approach. One such example is selective high schools where students achieve high grades because it is positively looked upon by the majority of students, and high academic performance is rewarded by both students and parents. One of my local high schools is the opposite to this school, although this could be based on stereotypes and generalisation. However, after growing up with many of these students, i was constantly told that students who studied were ‘nerds’ and that studying was a waste of time. People who achieved academic performance were picked upon and teacher’s disrespected, even physically abused, for trying to uphold rules and educate the students. This is also an example of the cognitivist theory, “where people’s internal representations shape their behaviour, and learning is essentially helping someone to build new representations through indirect ways of teaching” [Stanton Wortham 2007] Unfortunately for many of the teachers in this school, trying to encourage students to take education seriously is difficult when they view educate as useless.

I guess feedback is an important part of the behaviourist theory, and can be viewed as either positive or negative feedback. During school, students constantly ponder the need for assessments, but from a teacher’s point of view, it is an essential part of the learning process. It helps the students understand their capabilities and weaknesses in a certain topic, allowing them to change their behaviours or improve upon their skills. For example, a student could write a million essays assuming they are perfect when in fact they may require further or vast improvements. This can only be identified by the educator reviewing their work, correcting any errors and explaining the feedback to the student.

I find this all rather interesting. Once we have mastered or internalised a process or task, we seem to lose focus on how and why things work the way they do. Unless i had seen that video and previously learnt about these theories, i would have continued doing these tasks without thinking.  But the more i think about things like behaviourism, the more i learn about how and why things work, and the more i appreciate them.

According to Robert Burns [The Adult Learner at Work 1995] “The best definition of learning is to conceive of learning as a relatively permanent change in behaviour, with behaviour including both observable activity and internal processes such as thinking, attitudes and emotions’.

 I think that by reading this definition prior to conceiving my own definition makes the process a little biased and repetitive. But i agree fully with his definition, and in trying to form my own definition, i came up with the following ideas about what i thought learning was. These included:

• Gaining the skills, knowledge and experience of applying theoretical knowledge into practice
• It is an ongoing process- happens throughout a person’s life
• It involves emotions [positive and negative] and the gaining of attitudes and/or self-confidence
• It is being able to recall or continuously use the skills, knowledge and attitudes over a period of time/life time
• Learning happens anywhere and at any time- it doesn’t only occur in an institutionalised, educational, or occupational setting, and can range from simple or difficult skills and knowledge

After completing this exercise, i came to a conclusion that trying to define ‘learning’ is quite a difficult process as it involves so many characteristics. I think that this is also because we have become accustomed to learning on a continual basis, and it has become an internalised process that we are not constantly aware of. While there are many times when we specifically seek to learn things, such as attending courses, there are equally, if not more, times where we learn spontaenously, such as learning the words to songs while listening to them,  remembering the names of characters of our favourite TV shows or even wearing the lastest clothes in fashion. We as humans are continuously learning for educational, occupational, social and personal reasons, and it is a trait that we will never lose.

During the course of the semester, i have researched the topic of mobile learning for our group assignments, and the advantages and disadvantages associated with this form of teaching and learning. As a result, i have become more aware of the presence of this form of learning being applied in the wider community. Earlier today at work, i was serving a regular customer through the drive thru section of the store. As we were heavily understaffed on quite a busy day, i pointed out to the customer that there may be a slight delay in the deliery of his product. He told he me didn’t mind and continued typing away on his computer. A few hours later, the same customer returned but this time ordering another beverage. As we waited for his order to be processesd, we became engaged in a conversation regarding using his computer while driving. I asked him what it is that he actually does on his laptop. He replied that he either completes business tasks or undertakes a training course that is offered by his company. M-Learning in Practice- it was the first that i had actually first hand seen it being applied. It was a very fascinating experience.

 Having researched the advantages and disadvantages of m-learning using examples from other companies and from reading journal articles, i decided to see if these characteristics of m-learning were common around the world…and they were. He stated that the most advantageous aspect of m-learning and m-working was being able to complete tasks when and where he decided to do so. As an individual with a small attention span and a passion for travelling, the use of m-learning/working allowed him to satisfy both cravings. As as his job also involved meeting with clients all over Australia, it also meant a lot of travel and waiting time in between clients, and it is during these times that he got the most work done. Overall, he stated that the introduction of m-learning was the best project his company had implemented. The only negative aspect he really loathed had little to do with the technological and practical aspects of m-learning, but the opportunities to undertake the work in the learner’s chosen location, and for him, this was usually a fast food place or take away store. The result = knowledge and skills; fat and folds!

Social Networking

Experience of Social Networking

Ever since the early years in high school, we have been exposed to social networking sites. These have included Hi 5, MySpace, Bebo and the increasingly popular site Facebook. The use of these sites depends on the trends or popularity of the sites at the time. I find that when you discover a new social networking site, they are extremely fun at first as you explore the different applications you can have and the different ways that you can post your information and files, and in a sense allowing you to display your personality, or computer technical skills, through the presentation of your page/profile. It allows the user to connect and share files with friends and family, and even make new friends online- Although you must be wary of who you are talking to and what you choose to display on your page.

 Social Networking and Learning

Teams and groups can make a page on a social networking site, such as Facebook, which allows members of the group to connect and communicate with one another, share files and information, and discuss work related or social issues. The BAOL group at our university have a page on Facebook where students undertaking the course can join and communicate with one another in regard to assessments, social activities or just plain mumble jumble.

For the subject E-Portfolio [completed in first year- 2006] we learnt about the nature and use of websites such as e-portfolios, and as a requirement of the subject’s assessment plan, we each made an e-portfolio. As with other social networking sites, it allows the members to choose whom has access to the site, and what they choose to upload to the site. It is used mainly as a way of presenting the user to potential employers, and showcases the student’s work, skills, abilities and experiences in a fun and digital form. However, we also learnt that one must be careful of what they choose to upload or write in their blogs, as potential employers can gain access to these files, through a simple Internet search of their name, and any disturbing information may deter the employer from selecting the user in the recruitment process.

Delicious accounts allow users to save the URLs of chosen websites on the website, which can be accessed from any computer rather than just on the users home computer ’Favourites List’. It also allows the sharing of URLs with other users, and through the use of tags, users are able to search for websites that meet their needs. From experience, we have used our delicious accounts for assessments-we were required to post a certain number of URLs with the relevant tags. Through the use of tags, the teacher is able to track the students’ progress, or can share learning materials with the class.

Synchronous Learning

Synchronous learning is direct communication where all the parties involved in the communication process are present at the same time or in the same place. Examples include telephone conversations, chat rooms, instant messaging, and board room meetings.

Group based learning is a prime example of where synchronous communication is essential. It allows the group members to send and receive instant and continuous information, and allows all members to gain the same information. During the last two years at University, synchronous learning has played a major role in the successful completion of assessment tasks. As a diverse group in terms of culture, location and lifestyle/work, group members were not always able to travel to university to have group meetings. Using Internet programs such as the instant messaging website MSN, we were able to brainstorm ideas regarding the assessment, as well as assign tasks and schedule meetings and due dates. Lack of Internet access or time by some members was the only major issues involved in using these forms of synchronous learning.

An increase in the emphasis on group based work and learning and an increase in the number of global companies and workplaces have led to the theory that effective learning can be enhanced through the use of synchronous communication.

 Asynchronous Learning

Asynchronous learning does not require that all parties involved in the communication need to be present and available at the same time and in the same location. Examples of asynchronous learning include email [the receiver does not have to be logged on when the sender sends the email messages], discussion boards [conversations evolve and communities develop over a period of time] and text messaging over mobile phones.

Benefits of using asynchronous communication methods include greater freedom for the user as they are able to choose to communicate at a time that is convenient to themselves. For example, learners who do not have continuous access to a computer or the time to participate in ongoing communication processes, such as instant messaging or chat rooms.

Definitions came from  http://www.definethat.com/define/270.htm

Answers and notes from the activity in the learning module!

Social Sharing in a Learning Context

• I have used the websites Delicious and Netvibes to store and aggregate websites and URLs in the subjects E-portfolio, E-learning Experiences and now again in E-Learning Design
• FlickR accounts were used in the subject E-portfolio during our first year of university. It allowed us to place a link to the photos that we wished to share on the FlickR website rather than uploading each individual photo on to the e-portfolio. This link could be used on a number of personal sites, such as e-portfolios, Facebook, MySpace and other social networking websites. This saves a lot of time!
• Online Photosharing: Advancing technologies have seen an increasing number of digital cameras being placed on the market and used by consumers. This allows for the easier taking and sharing of photos and have partly erased the need to develop camera films to view the photos. Photos can easily be transferred from the camera onto a computer, where they can be saved, copied or digitally remastered using applications such as photoshop. The video on the commoncraft website gave reasons as to why online photosharing was advantageous:

1. Having photos in a digital form placed on the Internet keeps them safe from robbery or fires in the home, and they cannot deteriorate online as they do in paper form.
2. Easy access to photos, especially if photos are tagged and dated.
3. Ability to easily share photos with family and friends
4. Choice of having the photos private or accessible to the public
5. Aility to have fun with the photos through editing applications, such as adobe photoshop

The most common websites used for social photo sharing are FlickR and Photobuckets. I have on many occasions accessed these websites to obtain various photos and have a FlickR account, although i do not have any photos on the website. I have been relatively deterred from putting photos on the Internet, when i discovered a number of photos that i had initially placed but had later taken down, were still accessible on the Internet. It was a real shock to the system. However, i still place photos on websites such as Facebook, as i can limit who has access to my photos and my profile.

Social sharing and photo sharing would be beneficial for learners who are visual or social learners, and gain benefit from collaborating with others and sharing files and information. These applications can also be used to teach various subjects in fun and interesting ways. These could include telling a story through the sequence of pictures placed on the social sharing website or teaching the basics of certain topics, like anatomy, through the use of pictures that, when placed in one place [a social sharing page] all students in the class can access these photos and use them in their study. Classes that specialise in photo taking or design can use photosharing as a virtual portfolio that can be used in the assessment process or to advertise their skills and experience to potential employers, customers or the general public. The range of possibilities in regard to using social sharing and photosharing for e-learning is endless.

Self Publishing applications I am familiar with include:

• Wikis
• Blogs
• Social Networking sites, such as Facebook, MySpace and Bebo.

Self Publishing in E-Learning

• Allows the user to record details and reflections of classes on their blogs
• Allow users to increase their knowledge about applications such as wikis, blogs, and other similar applications and how they are used in educational and organisational settings.
• Videoblogs- can be used as another type of educational tool that can be sent among learners using mediums such as the Internet or on mobile phones via Bluetooth technologies, short messaging services [SMS] or multimedia services [MMS]. Also make the learning process a more fun and technological one.
• Wikis- help to facilitate information sharing among learning groups. As shown in the ‘CommonCraft video’ “Wikis in Plain English” via his camping trip example, wikis are easy to use and allow members of the group to edit and save information on the page, sending mass messages to the group rather than individual messages, which means pieces of information could be lost or not recieved by all members. You can also enable security settings on your wiki page to ensure that only certain people can view the page. Found out today that the group wiki pages used in E-learning design can be accessed only by the group. Phew!

Ok, So i have just spent the last half an hour or so browsing various pages on the Internet to ensure that i am up to date with the current news and information that has been occurring in the world. At the end of my session, i remembered a website that could have saved me a whole heap of time…NetVibes. Based on the RSS feeds that i have included as my preferred websites, i could have seen them all at once, or at least in the same place.

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary, depending on the book or website your are reading. According to Wikipedia [not an academic reference, but a very interesting website] “RSS content can be read using software called an “RSS reader”, “feed reader” or an “aggregator”. The user subscribes to a feed by entering the feed’s link into the reader or by clicking an RSS icon in a browser that initiates the subscription process. The reader checks the user’s subscribed feeds regularly for new content, downloading any updates that it finds. Aggregation is the process of combining multiple web feeds”

Wow, i just randomly read that RSS feeds are an example of Data Mashups. How very interesting! In the last exercise, i claimed that i had no idea what Data Mashup was, only to find out i have been using it for a lengthy period of time, including NetVibes, Google Earth, Flickr and YouTube!

I would like to start off by saying i greatly dislike the keyboards on Mac computers. They just don’t have the feel that the PCs have- they are so soft and freeze to a certain degree. It really makes me not want to type, and i love typing..

After recently submitting our first drafts of the group assignment, we received our feedback a few days ago. My disapproval isn’t so much about the actual comments we received but the method of receiving it. The comments were posted on our Wiki pages in the discussion section, which is open for anyone to read. And what a surprise it was to rock up to class and hear people discussing the comments our group received. I had assumed that we were the only ones who had access to the information, but i guess i was wrong. I feel so violated to a certain degree as grades and comments related to my university work are things i like to keep private.

I think that the use of Wikis for educational purposes can be both a disadvantage and advantage to the users of the application. The advantages could include it is accessible from any computer, providing the user freedom in where and when they access their page, it allows for the sharing of information among group members and the learning community and it allows learners to use technological applications. However the disadvantage would be mainly related to issues of privacy, in that anyone can access and edit a page-as long as they have access to the page/ section of the Wiki website. Another disadvantage could be in terms of Internet connections. On the weekend my Internet failed to connect and so i had no access to the Internet, and hence my Wiki page, blogs and email for a certain period of time. May i say, this is rather frustrating. I guess the best option is to use a blended learning technique, which involves a mixture of traditional classroom based learning, and e-learning concepts, such as Wikis, mobile learning and online learning.