Audio, Visual, and Podcasting Technology

Not only do students want to learn about topics that are relevant to their lives they also appreciate learning in ways that are equally relevant.  With today’s widespread use of technology, audio, visual, and podcast platforms can enhance the learning environment.  These mediums are powerful because they can address other learning styles (audio/visual) that students require in the classroom (King & Cox, 2011).  They are also especially useful in the online classroom because they eliminate some of the disconnect learners feel and provide them with audio and/or visual interactions with their instructor as well as their peers (Lee & Chan, 2007).

audio_podcast_thumb.jpg

Podcasting
Podcasts are most often digital audio files (King & Cox, 2011), although today some also come in video format.  The audio files are typically in the common MP3 format, uploaded to a server and pushed to listeners via RSS feeds (Really Simple Syndication) (King & Cox, 2011).

Faculty can use podcasts to post lectures, highlights from lectures, tutorials, or answer frequently asked questions.  Instead of repeating information multiple times, instructors can simply direct their students to listen to the podcast.  It is also helpful for students to know that they can hear the lecture again for clarity or if they missed important information the first time (King & Cox, 2011).

Students can create podcasts to enhance learning outcomes for assigned projects.  These projects might be in the form of class presentations, interviews, positional viewpoints, reenactments, or real-life applications.  Podcasts allow students to become actively engaged in the subject matter while thinking deeply and creatively about the topic.  King and Cox (2011) believe that podcast assignments are a great way to challenge students as well as observe as them as they rise to the challenge.

Instructor Podcast

Student Podcast

Asynchronous Audio Communication (AAC)
While synchronous communication is happening live, asynchronous communication does not happen simultaneously (King & Cox, 2011).  AAC is somewhat different than a podcast because they are more private and can be published to an online course or delivered through email.  The audio messages are typically of a shorter format than podcasts, resulting in smaller files for fast upload and easy sharing (King & Cox, 2011). Some methods of creating AAC files include audio software (Audacity or Wavepad) and directly into documents using software like Adobe Acrobat Pro.

Digital Videos
“...not only has video become a currency of communication and self-expression, but it has become the expected media for communicating the value of business, services, products, and learning” (King & Cox, 2011, p. 68).  

Most of us have become accustomed to technology in our daily lives.  Besides AAC and podcasting, another easy way to bring mainstream technology into the classroom and engage the learner is through video.  According to King and Cox (2011) digital video is:

• fast and easy to create
• inexpensive
• easy to integrate into current curriculums
• very effective as a learning platform

Not only can videos be used as part of instruction, they can also be assigned as student projects.  Depending on the set-up of the assignment, video creation can provide opportunities for reflection, research, knowledge construction, personalizing the content, and collaboration (King & Cox, 2011).

Below is the video I produced for my Integrating Technology into the Curriculum course at Kansas State University.  My source and interviewee was Jeff Sagstetter, Youth Ministry professor at Manhattan Christian College in Manhattan, KS.  I believe this video has the potential for a two-fold use.  Not only did it teach me as a student in learning video technology and researching topics related to the interview, it could also be used for further teaching in courses centered on technology and learning.

Limitations and Benefits
It can be hard to identify the limitations of technology in student learning.  But as I have found with my own personal experience, sometimes technology acts as barrier or distraction from actual learning.  Sometimes there are too many thrills (or frustrations) going on that I don’t seem to notice the content I am expected to learn.  However, technologies like AAC, podcasts, and digital videos are very useful most of the time.  They break up the monotony of any classroom and are beneficial to those who have different learning needs.  Instructors need simply to be mindful of how they incorporate these technologies into the classroom and how they will best fit with the curriculum and the learners present.

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King, K. P. & Cox, T. D. (Eds.).  (2011).  The professor’s guide to taming technology. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing, Inc.

Lee, M. J. & Chan, A.  (2007).  Reducing the effects of isolation and promoting inclusivity for distance learners through podcasting.  Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 8 (1), 85-104.  

Wikis for Collaborative Learning and Knowledge Construction

Sample Lesson Plan for Wiki Collaboration 

I chose to base my lesson plan on the class encyclopedia wiki project suggested by West and West (2009).  I am currently a docent for the Konza Environmental Education Program (KEEP) at the Konza Prairie Biological Station (KPBS) in Manhattan, KS.  I thought a fun idea for us to explore would be the possibility of creating an ongoing public wiki in which docents, educators, and even students could collaborate and construct an encyclopedia focused on the flora and fauna of the native tallgrass prairie.

Exploring the flora and fauna of the native tallgrass prairie ecosystem: 

An encyclopedia containing  information and identifying attribute

(a collaborative wiki for docents, educators, and students)

8 Week Orientation to the Native Tallgrass Prairie Encyclopedia 
and Creating Encyclopedia Pages in a Wiki

Week 1:  Wiki Navigation and Playing in the Sandbox

Week 2:  Guidelines for Contributors:  Exploring the Encyclopedia

Week 3:  Visit a Native Tallgrass Prairie Habitat

Week 4:  Choose a Subject: Worksheets and Resources

Week 5:  Create a Wiki Page

Week 6:  Embedding files and Images

Week 7:  Contributions and Review

Week 8:  Final Edits

Week 1:  Wiki Navigation and Playing in the Sandbox

Explore the wiki content pages and experiment with a wiki page by playing in the sandbox

Objectives

The learner will be able to navigate through pages of the wiki; orientate themselves to the existing encyclopedia and perform a subject search; explore tools and add content in the sandbox

Materials Needed

Computer with wiki access for each learner

Instructor computer on projection screen (optional)

Worksheet or slides – “Navigation Tools”

Worksheet or slides – “Using the Sandbox: Adding and Editing Content in on a Wiki Page”

Procedures

• Allow students to explore the wiki on their own and discuss openly; ask them about the content provided with each page
• Demonstrate how to perform a search in the encyclopedia;  ask students to think of something that comes to mind when thinking of the tallgrass prairie and to perform a search on that subject.
• Have students open a new window and explain the use of the sandbox.  Highlight several tools and how to use them for adding content and editing; let them experiment with this for a bit

Evaluation

• Ask students to choose a specific subject page from the encyclopedia (this could be the one they just landed on in their search).  Have them copy and paste the content on the sandbox and experiment with adding photos and links.  Students must also read the content and come up with additional questions or comments relevant to the subject.  In essence, what would they do differently about this wiki page?
• Have students print out or save a pdf of the wiki page and turn in or trade with other students for reflection

References

West, J. A. & West, M. L.  (2009).  Using Wikis for online collaboration: The power of the read-write web.  San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass.

Week 2:  Guidelines for Contributors:  Exploring the Encyclopedia

Overview of encyclopedia guidelines and discussion of proper wiki contribution etiquette

Objectives

The learner will be able to successfully follow and exhibit guidelines for updating and posting new pages in the encyclopedia.  Learners will further explore the encyclopedia and examine content for following the guidelines.

Materials Needed

Computer with wiki access for each learner

Instructor computer on projection screen (optional)

Wiki page access or Printouts – “Native Tallgrass Prairie Encyclopedia Guidelines for Contributors”

Procedures

• Explain and discuss with students why guidelines are important to this online encyclopedia.  Ask for their insightful opinions and feedback.  Discuss the importance of proper formatting, cohesion and identity, resources and credibility, and editing existing pages.
• Go over important points of the guidelines, addressing specifically editing procedures and formatting content.

Evaluation

• Have students review the guidelines on their own and identify something they learned from the guidelines that will make them better contributors to the encyclopedia.   Have them share this information with the class.  If there are some common observations, discuss why these specific points of the wiki guideline stood out to them.
• Have students browse the existing encyclopedia and look at how the content is formatted and should be identical on every page.  See if they can identify pages with incorrect formatting.  If they are more advanced students they may be able to find information that is incorrect and suggest ways to go about editing the information.

References

West, J. A. & West, M. L.  (2009).  Using Wikis for online collaboration: The power of the read-write web.  San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass.

Week 3:  Visit a Native Tallgrass Prairie Habitat

Participants will visit a tallgrass prairie and complete activities that will explore and develop an appreciation for the habitat.

Objectives

The learner will receive an overview of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem and how the plants, animals, and environmental conditions thrive together.  They will briefly be introduced to a few native species and encouraged to further discovery on their own.

Materials Needed

Tallgrass prairie access

Cameras

Worksheet or slides –  Will vary depending on the day, location, weather, etc.; many of these activities/worksheets could be included in the resource tab of the wiki....maybe students could have a say in what they want to do on the prairie!

Procedures

***procedures/activities/schedule may differ depending on external forces during the visit; this procedure is based on a trip to KPBS

• Take a docent-led tour on the bison loop.  This provide an overview of Konza and native tallgrass prairies and often encourages learners to ask questions.
• Back at headquarters, spend time talking about the importance of grasses on Konza.  Identify four main grass species and a few memorable forbs.  Show students key characteristics for identifying these particular plants.  This aid them as they make their observations for species unknown to them.
• Have groups of 2 or 3 students (or even 1) take photos of 2 or 3 unidentified plants.  Have them write down important observations that will aid them in identifying their specimens back in the classroom.

Evaluation

• Learners will be able to explain how the tallgrass prairie ecosystem works and its importance.
• Learners will be able to correctly identify a few grass and forb species.

References

Dependent on materials used for activities

Week 4:  Choose a Subject: Worksheets and Resources

Learners choose a tallgrass species to add in the Native Tallgrass Prairie Encyclopedia

Objectives

Learners will use the worksheets and resources wiki page to explore one of the native species they photographed on their visit.  

Materials Needed

Computer with wiki access for each learner

Instructor computer on projection screen (optional)

Worksheet or slides – “Plant Taxonomy: How to Identify Your Plant”

Worksheet or resource – “10 Most Common Grasses of the Tallgrass Prairie”

Worksheet or resource – “10 Most Common Forbs of the Tallgrass Prairie”

Worksheet or resource – “10 Most Common Insects of the Tallgrass Prairie” (optional)

Worksheet or resource – “10 Most Common Mammals of the Tallgrass Prairie” (optional)

Worksheet or resource – “10 Most Common Birds of the Tallgrass Prairie” (optional)

Tallgrass prairie books and online resources

Procedures

• Show students how to download their photos and save in the correct format for the wiki
• Briefly explain plant taxonomy.  Students should quickly be able to categorize their specimens and begin the identification process by looking at photos, searching key characteristics, or even following taxonomy charts.
• Once plants are identified, have students perform a search in the wiki encyclopedia to see if the plant has a page.  If it doesn’t, they can begin their own page.
• For participants whose specimens already exist in the encyclopedia, they can find one from the resources and use that as their specimen or make edits on 2-3 existing encyclopedia specimens.

Evaluation

• Students will be able to download and save photos in the correct file format for the wiki
• Students will be able to categorize plant specimens: grass, woody, forb, etc.
• Students will be able to perform a search in the wiki encyclopedia.
• Students will use investigation skills to determine plant identity and find more information about specimens.

References

West, J. A. & West, M. L.  (2009).  Using Wikis for online collaboration: The power of the read-write web.  San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass.

Any important resources used for plant identification, plant taxonomy explanation (books, websites)

Week 5:  Create a Wiki Page

Learners will dive in to creating their very own page in the Native Tallgrass Prairie Encyclopedia

Objectives

Learners will take the lead in constructing knowledge on their very own wiki page.

Materials Needed

Computer with wiki access for each learner

Instructor computer on projection screen (optional)

Worksheet or slides – “Navigation Tools”

Worksheet or slides – “Using the Sandbox: Adding and Editing Content in on a Wiki Page”

Procedures

• Allow students to get started on their own.  Be on hand to answer questions, but encourage the students to help one another.

Evaluation

• Leave time during the end of the class to discuss what is going on in their wikis (or hold a video meeting).  What did they have trouble with?  Did someone else figure it out and can they explain it to the class?  What did they find to be easy?

References

West, J. A. & West, M. L.  (2009).  Using Wikis for online collaboration: The power of the read-write web.  San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass.

Week 6:  Embedding Files, Images, and Widgets

Overview of embedding files and widgets for the wiki

Objectives

The learner will be able to easily embed files.  They will become familiar with a few different widgets and learn how to use them correctly.

Materials Needed

Computer with wiki access for each learner

Instructor computer on projection screen (optional)

Worksheet or slides – “Embedding Files and Images on a Wiki Page”

Worksheet or slides – “What is a Widget?”

Worksheet or slides – “5 Common Widgets and How to Use Them”

Procedures

• Go over the slides/worksheets for this lesson; have students get on their wiki and embed an image of their plant as well as a widget.  Some students may have already tried these things; that is okay.
• Have students work with a widget and come up with an idea to incorporate it effectively into their wiki.

Evaluation

• Have students come together as a group and discuss the widget they chose and why they used it on their wiki page.  

References

West, J. A. & West, M. L.  (2009).  Using Wikis for online collaboration: The power of the read-write web.  San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass.

Week 7:  Contributions and Review

Wiki page additions and peer reviews

Objectives

Learners will make final additions to their wiki page and be reviewed by their peers; learn additional editing techniques and etiquette

Materials Needed

Computer with wiki access for each learner

Instructor computer on projection screen (optional)

Guidelines for Contributors wiki page – “Native Tallgrass Prairie Encyclopedia Editing and Etiquette”

Worksheet or slides – “Editing a Wiki”

Procedures

• Learners should have most of their content added by this point; if not, make some time for final additions
• Show learners the expectations for editing peer pages as well as the resources they have to guide them.

Evaluation

• Have student groups provide feedback on classmates pages.  

References

West, J. A. & West, M. L.  (2009).  Using Wikis for online collaboration: The power of the read-write web.  San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass.

Week 8:  Final Edits and Submission

Wiki pages are finalized and submitted for evaluation

Objectives

Learners will review possible edits and submit their encyclopedia page for instructor review and/or present it to the class

Materials Needed

Computer with wiki access for each learner

Instructor computer on projection screen (optional)

Procedures

• Students will have some final time to wrap up their wikis.  They should mostly be considering peer edits from the previous week and making the changes they see fit.

Evaluation

• Students submit their final encyclopedia page to the class.  May also allow time for a brief presentation.

References

West, J. A. & West, M. L.  (2009).  Using Wikis for online collaboration: The power of the read-write web.  San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass.

Questions to Consider When Developing Lesson Plans for Wikis

What challenges do you see when creating a lesson plan for the wiki (for the very first time)?

How is creating a lesson plan for a wiki based learning activity different than other learning activities?

Wikis: Pros and Cons for Adult Learners

Wikis are public or private web sites that are easily editable by one or more users Hazari, North, & Moreland, 2009; Lari, 2011).   Users can share and search for information in collaborative space.  They can also work on projects and exchange information, hence, building knowledge and learning to participate as part of a group in a online learning platform (Hazari, North, & Moreland, 2009; Lari, 2011).

Wiki Sites:

Wikipedia 

Wikispaces  

Educational wikis 

A Collaborative Learning Experience

The main benefit of wikis in comparison to other types of online learning platforms (i.e. blogs, discussion boards) is that “wikis are specifically designed for multiple authors and group collaboration” (West & West, 2009, p. 4).  Multiple ideas can be integrated into a single wiki.  “...the wiki opens the door to brainstorming, group problem solving, critical evaluation, synthesis, idea refinement, and group consensus” (West & West, 2009, p. 5).  Considering this, group wikis allow for democratic practice in an educational setting through negotiation and consensus.  They leave the power in the hands of learners who may have distinct social backgrounds, making the entire learning process more culturally relevant (Boulos & Wheeler, 2007; Collin & Heaney, 2001).

Wikis allow for a shared understanding of a topic instead of the understanding or viewpoint of just one person (West & West, 2009).  My experience creating a wiki involved gathering information about an adult education pioneer and presenting the information to classmates.  I had one partner for this project and we compiled and edited all aspects of our wiki page together.  She had a few more strengths with technology that she contributed, while I worked a lot on the written content.  We communicated entirely by email and edits to the wiki to accomplish our project.  Other classmates commented on the final outcome of the wiki and added to the dialogue and knowledge construction of the project.

How Do Wikis Helps Students Learn?

• Active participation
• Interaction
• Dialogue
• Knowledge construction
• Critical reflection
• Meaning-making
• Self-direction
• Teamwork
• Negotiation
• Ethics, responsibility, and reputation

Difficulties and Possibilities

As a technology, wikis do not require users to know HTML for editing and formatting (West & West, 2009).  However, I believe even a beginner’s knowledge of HTML would greatly and quickly increase the dynamics of a wiki and keep out the kinks that are sometimes seen when this knowledge is lacking.

Like many other types of social software, wikis can also be biased in their view of information (as cited in Lari, 2011).  However, democratic processes of multiple editors may also help to eliminate some bias that would come with individual viewpoints.  
 

There are many possibilities to consider before starting a wiki.  Will you use it as an individual to provide information to a class?  Will it be a collaborative effort driven by you and your colleagues to present information publicly?  Or will you use it as a learning platform to guide your students as they acquire knowledge?  Many of the resources used in this post will provide you with ideas on where to begin.

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Boulos, M. N. K., & Wheeler, S. (2007).  The emerging Web 2.0 social software: An enabling suite of sociable technologies in health and healthcare education.  Health Information and Libraries Journal, 24 (1), 2-23.
 

Collin, S. A. J. & Heaney, T. W.  (2001).  Negotiating the democratic classroom.  New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, (91), 29-37. 

Hazari, S., North, A., Moreland, D. (2009). Investigating pedagogical value of Wiki technology. Journal of information systems education. 20 (2). 187-198.

Lari, P.  (2011).  The use of wikis for collaboration in higher education.  In K. P. King & T. D. Cox (Eds.), The professor’s guide to taming technology (pp. 89-104).  Charlotte, NC:  Information Age Publishing, Inc.

West, J. A. & West, M. L.  (2009).  Using Wikis for online collaboration: The power of the read-write web.  San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass.

Blogging: Pros and Cons for Adult Learners

Blogging and discussion boards have many similarities for adult learners.  They both provide interactivity and open communication between multiple users.  Facilitators of these learning platforms may start and stimulate the discussion, while learners are allowed to develop critical thoughts on the topics and contribute with insights from their own experience (Carter, 2011; Oravec, 2002).

In today’s modern world, many people communicate through technology.  Face-to-face interaction is becoming less of a priority.  For adult learners in formal, nonformal, and informal settings online learning is often the platform.  Blogging is a unique tool for moving beyond discussion boards and taking on a more personalized, organized approach.  It easily allows users to incorporate links, photos, and videos into their blogs, all sensibly mapped out with their topic of the moment.  Viewers can leave comments to further conversation and also be directed to additional information through the links provided (Carter, 2011; Oravec, 2002).  Although these tools are available to a certain extent through discussion boards, they tend to get lost in the jumble of messages and I personally feel that we can sometimes neglect to utilize them.  Part of what blogging is all about is sharing ideas and resources (Carter, 2011; Oravec, 2002).

Blogs can be more individualized and allow the creator to take control of the content.  They are basically online journals or diaries (http://www.blogger.com/tour_start.g).  Blogs are more personal than discussion boards, but, both allow users to collect their thoughts and gather resources to support their ideas as well as create a sense of community; both are very participatory and interactive in nature (Carter, 2011; Oravec, 2002).  However, according to Santos’ (2011) we need to carefully plan where and when blogs are incorporated into education so they do not, “interfere with the existing standard and become a hindrance rather than a facilitator of learning” (Santos, 2011, p. 16).

All in all, blogging activities are a unique tool for adult learners to reflect and construct knowledge while also giving them the ability to express themselves on a personal and professional level in a socially and technologically grounded format (Carter, 2011).

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Carter, T. J. (2011).  Blogging as reflectivepractice in the graduate classroom.  InK. P. King & T. D. Cox (Eds.), The professor’sguide to taming technology (pp. 89-104). Charlotte, NC:  Information Age Publishing, Inc.

Oravec, J. A. (2002).  Bookmarking theworld:  Weblog applications ineducation.  Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 45 (7), 616-621. 

Santos, A. N. E. (2011).  Blogs as a learningspace: Creating text of talks.  Contemporary issues in education research, 4(6), 15-19.