The Navigation and Sailing Report #2
Port Name: ETEC 511
Port Section: 66B
Port Website: http://met.ubc.ca/etec-511
Port Time Frame: (May-Aug 2012)
Port Specialty: Foundations of educational technology (core course)
Port Director: Dr. Franc Feng
Port Administrator: David Roy
Purpose
Our intention is to help you develop a framework for exploring and understanding the foundations of elearning, educational technology, learning technologies, and new media as unsettled and lived by students and teachers. We will encourage you to examine your own biases toward the foundations of media and technology, and a major effort will be in providing you with a background for research into the foundations of e-learning, educational technology, learning technologies, and new media.
Objectives
Our intention is to help you develop a framework for exploring and understanding the foundations of elearning, educational technology, learning technologies, and new media as unsettled and lived by students and teachers. We will encourage you to examine your own biases toward the foundations of media and technology, and a major effort will be in providing you with a background for research into the foundations of e-learning, educational technology, learning technologies, and new media.
Artifact #1: Theorizing Personal Computer as a Learning Tool
For my theorizing essay project I chose to theorize a personal computer as a most powerful and mainstream learning tool in all educational environments
The practical usability of PC as a learning tool is lately increased by flooding markets with tablets and mobile PC’s. As an example, Apple.inc has been a leader in launching iPod, iPhone and iPad devices highly suitable for all kind of learners and teachers looking for assistive technologies (AT) for their classroom. Tactile learners and digital natives alike love to use these handheld devices to learn about core curriculum standards within the classroom. These tablets and handheld devices can be used in many different ways and offer communication options for not only for students with autism, but also for learners of all ages.
Nowadays, the predominant PC OS technologies are the Windows, Mac ( OSX, iOS), and Linux (Android).
The PC’s affordability, durability, energy-savings, speed, accuracy, reliability, and versatility, leads me to believe that the wired/wireless/networked PC’s with all its affordances will remain a predominant learning technology tool for years to come.
Artifact #2: Personal Computer as a Language Learning Tool
For my final essay project I chose to theorize and analyze affordances, applicability, suitability and utilization of personal computer as a best language learning tool present in all Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) educational environments
The goal of this essay project is to theorize the use of Personal Computer (PC) as a best language learning tool, considering the complex needs of both teachers and students, individually and in Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) environments. The primary focus of the project will be to consider the philosophical, educational, pedagogical, andragogical, psychological, phenomenological, anthropological, technical, and other aspects and possibilities of utilization of PCs in complex formal language learning environments in language learning delivery institutions, informal learning environments, and moreover, generally applicable to various educational settings. As the need for PCs as engaging and interactive learning tool increases, it is necessary to theoretically examine best strategies and practices to assist educators and individuals in successfully using PCs for teaching and language learning needs.
My general reflection is that this theorizing essay on the use of PCs in the complex CALL learning environments, is a very demanding project, and I put lots of time and effort to cover all the important theoretical and practical aspects and requirements of the PC utilization in that specific environment. I am aware that in order to improve use of PCs in particular language learning environment, every new application brings new ideas as well as challenges, which PC and education technology designers and administrators have to address properly, according to the newest theoretical and practical enhancements of the PC technology-supported language learning environments.
Captain's Log:
The Metaphor connection
At the beginning of May 2012, thanks to good friendly winds on the warm and calm MET Sea, I easily navigated my ship and sailed toward the ETEC 511 Port as the second harbour on my MET journey, where I successfully anchored my ship and got excited, highly motivated and ready to explore the art of navigation and sailing on waves, winds, depths, horizons, and joys and challenges of the 511 Port and its navigator crowded docks.
Shortly after encountering six demanding modules, and four challenging assignments, I knew that 14 weeks in the 511 harbour waters will sometimes be ruffled with stronger winds and the waves, so my ship will occasionally swing and drift demanding my increased efforts, time commitment and resultantly causing some sleep deprivation. I remember spending most of the weekend times catching up on readings, researching, and authoring of the projects. Fortunately, thanks to the port authorities support, as well as the other captains and navigators who selflessly helped me to stay calm and ready during the strong winds, big waves and drifting times, so even after a few strong waves, I am proud that I was able to navigate and sail well, prevent drifting, keep the ship and the cargo under the control, and maintain my anchored position.
Individual meta-cognitive reflections on theorizing PC as a learning tool and use of PC in the CALL learning environments.
I believe that these theorizing essays brings a lot of meaningful insights into the theoretical challenges, recommendations, and practical solutions of the use of PCs as best learning tools in general, and its suitability for CALL process and learning in general. My intention was to offer an applicable theoretical analysis of PC as a complex learning tool, furthermore utilized in a CALL environment, by following the best theoretical and practical achievements, requirements and recommendations. Although, some of my theoretical and practical thoughts and ideas here may sound probabilistic, they are based on peer reviewed literature and best industry practices, empowered with many years of my considerable and proven ICT, hardware, software and educational technology theoretical and practical experience in language learning environment, so while striving for perfection, I am open to any kind of reflection, interaction, connection, recommendation, feedback and critical insight, which will initiate mutual learning process, and ultimately lead to building connective knowledge on this theorizing topic, and therefore, lead to updating, defining and applying of the best theoretical and practical knowledge on use of PCs for language learning, available to all kind of learners and educators. Thus, language learning administrators, instructional technology designers and teachers, may use this theorizing essay project as a more than general framework and starting point in theorizing and designing decent CALL and similar learning environments, not only for language learning, but also for PC based knowledge building and comprehensive e-learning experience in the 21st century.
Artifact References:
Ahmed, K., Corbett, G., Rogers, M., & Sussex, R. (1985). Computers, language learning and language teaching. Cambridge: CUP
Krathwohl, D. R. (2002). A Revision of Bloom's taxonomy: An overview. Theory Into Practice, 41(4), 212-218.
NewBay Media, LLC.(2012). iPads, iPod Touches, and iPhones as Assistive Technology in Education. March 28, 2011 http://www.techlearning.com/article/ipads-ipod-touches-and-iphones-as-assistive-technology-in-education/47768. Retrieved June 16, 2012.
Papert, S. (1980). Mindstorms: Children, computers, and powerful ideas. New York: Basic Books.
Scardamalia, M., & Bereiter, C. (1994). Computer support for knowledge-building communities.The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 3(3), 265-283.
Wikipedia, (2008). Personal computer.Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_computer
© 2015 by mzivko