Archive for the 'Uncategorized' Category
One of my students, runs multiple online businesses in addition to his school work. One of these businesses is band text alerts, that allows bands to text their fans about upcoming shows. I also just started using mint instead of quicken for my finances. Mint texts me when I go over my budget for the month.
Anyway, it got me thinking. What if I set up my students to be updated by text, about their assignments? They could even text and get an automatic reply with a grade update for their classes.
I wonder? Do they want to be reminded that they have homework to do while they are standing in line at the movies?
While I don’t believe the hype that a new technology magically makes students learn and retain information, I do think that mobile learning expands the boundaries of the classroom. While learning was once only completed in a formal setting, m-learning expands the classroom to the informal setting to a student’s entire environment.
What actions does m-learning offer the student and the professor?
Record (a learner can create or record information with their mobile device, such as taking a photo, video, audio recording or electronic notes).
Recall (a learner can look up previously stored data, or connect with another information source such as the Internet, to find some information).
Relate (a learner can use a mobile device to communicate with their peers, teacher, or others in a group).
Reinterpret (a learner can use their device to process data).
How is the technology different from other technology?
Portability: the small size and weight of mobile devices means they can be taken to different sites or moved around within a site. They can store an enormous amount of information and functionality in a very compact form.
Social interactivity: data exchange and collaboration with other learners can happen synchronously or asynchronously, textually, vocally or even through video.
Context sensitivity: mobile devices can both gather and respond to real or simulated data unique to the current location, environment and time.
Individuality:“ scaffolding for difficult activities can be customised for individual learners.
How could I use m-learning?
1) Moblogs. Creating blogs on mobile devices. See how one professor in Australia does it.
2) Flashcards. Create SMS study guides and flash cards using StudyTXT, in use in New Zealand.
3) Gaming. Professors are creating their own games to interact with learning material. From SMS reviews for tests to interactive search games.
4) QR codes. Like a link to more information, but way cooler. QR codes or 2D codes are bar codes that are created horizontally and vertically. Take a picture of one and the code reader on your phone will automatically link you to the information it accesses. Make your own QR code here. Or make a treasure hunt like these guys.
5) Assessment. Like American Idol and scantrons rolled into one. Do you think your professor uses inclusive terminology? TXT yes or no to 15412…
Anybody watching “On the Lot”? The ratings are bad, crickets kind of bad. A good concept…Tons of submissions…Mark Burnett…and yet it is a big bomb. Why? Film isn’t about the movies. People go to movies to watch Hollywood royalty - to watch magic. Student films aren’t magic. The only way to get us interested in this subject would be to reveal the magic. That’s why TV viewers watch reality TV. Because they can say, “hey I could totally do that.” Your average Joe cannot make these movies. And no one, I REPEAT, NO ONE wants to watch student films for an hour and a woman trying to drag the time out to make it seem interesting. How do they edit? How do they get an actor to a golden moment? How does the magic happen? We get nothing. So they get no ratings-a TIME SUCK.
Ok. so Microsoft Office is now officially passe. Google now has google docs, spreadsheets and now, basically a Powerpoint tool that runs directly off the web called Presently. I love it. It is cool.
Been working on the show intro for an incredibly fabulous new reality show called Normal Freaks. Check out a sneak peek of my first ten seconds…
There’s this awesome site called yougrowgirl that started my gardening obsession. This year instead of buying plants, I decided to plant seeds.
I was thinking about my black thumb and what a moron I was for taking over my laundry room with large amounts of dirt when the little guys started showing up. I just planted some seeds and within less than two weeks, I actually have plants. And I have not killed them yet.
I wish everything in life had a visible reward within a week and a half. Shouldn’t that be a rule somewhere?
I am so technologically advanced that it hurts when I smile.
