Technology for Teachers, Part 4: Collaborative Systems

In this last part of the series (which finally came to an end--my apologies), you will read about a bit more advanced online applications or systems that you may use for teaching. While the systems are actually inherently sophisticated, worry not. These systems that I will talk about are easy to use as they are really created with us--teaching professionals who have very little time to study new technology--in mind.

(Like in my previous post on this topic, you may click here to view my mind map about technology for teaching. Further, I tried to include only free services/applications as they are the ones that are both hard to find and need-to-find.)

Online Presentations
As teachers, we often have lessons which we tend to present repeatedly--not because the student is a slow learner, but simply--because it is a lesson that has to be given, say, every semester or every year.

While I subscribe to the idea that in presentations, the main audio-visual must be the speaker, I would also have to agree to the fact that sometimes--because we repeat the lesson over and over--we forget some points of the lesson. In such cases, don't I wish that I could record my presentation?

Perhaps five years ago, this has been possible but expensive. Nowadays, however, due to widespread availability of open source and online solutions, recording your presentation is free--virtually, because you may still need to pay for the Internet connection.

If you have a webcam, you can shoot yourself while talking and using your audiovisual. Or, if you have, say, Camtasia or Camstudio, you can record your Powerpoint presentations and then add your scripted voice-over to the presentation from your computer. The result is a video file with your voice or a song background which you could upload to--say--Youtube.com, Multiply or Google Video or any website that you may own.

What is the point? With a prepared presentation, you are in a better position to correct mistakes, it is widely available (if uploaded to a website), and you can get feedback via forum or comment (which is what you already have with Youtube and Multiply).

Of course, you could always share it with online document sharing sites, like Slideshare or Scribd.

Of course, this is assuming that you want to record your presentation before it is shown to the audience.

The other side of the coin is simply broadcasting it over the Net, or, using vodcast or podcast. This is essentially using a web-capable, Internet-connected camera so that a realtime presentation/speech can be broadcasted to Internet terminals. Most often, these -casts are stored online, together with the interaction after the speech.

Online Collaboration
What is the use of having the internet if multiple users cannot use the same resource--at the same time?

Prior to Google Docs*, if multiple users have to edit a single document, they have to confuse themselves with multiple versions. With Google Docs (and others that have followed), writers can now share documents, have them edited, without having to worry about multiple versions on which one is the latest.

(*I actually don't know if Google Docs was the first one to have online document sharing and creation service. I know Writely has been acquired by Google, and previously Google Docs was separately accessed. Let me not be sued with this qualifying statement.)

Besides Google, other providers of free document creation and sharing service are Thinkfree and Zoho. In my experience, These two have a better, closer-desktop interface (look-alike) than Google Docs, but I stick with Google Docs because of its integration with other Google services and Google's stability.

What can online collaboration systems do? What else? Freely collaborate!

This collaboration can expand to using online systems for online journals, project management (calendaring, sharing resources and tasks, such as Google Sites, Comindwork, PlanProjects, Zoho), website creation teams, writing a book, brainstorming (e.g., Mind42, Bubbl.Us), online meeting (e.g., Zoho while sharing online files, and others. This essentially made the physical table useless.

(Let me take that back.... I am using a round table right now as I am typing this document. =) )

Collaboration online is now possible in synchronous (same-time) setting.

Learning Management Systems
As a teacher, I know you have acquired a significant amount of files (i.e., PAPERS) related to your work. You might have a student record book, a syllabus (which changes every semester), book and other resources, quizzes submitted by the student, essays, and a lot of other paper outputs.

With an online learning management system (LMS), all of these can be consolidated in one system--paper-free. Take a look at Moodle, for example. Within the system, a teacher can create a document for e-learning, a quiz (with the restrictions such as time), have it recorded, and the student's identity is saved for evaluation on improvement of performance. An LMS also enhances capability of the facilitator to customize the presentation according to the learning style of the learner.

An LMS can do the following: Integrated system for record management, lesson management, and relationship of learning to work performance, continuous learning, content management (lessons).

Moodle is a free and open source system, however, it has to be hosted somewhere, so this would require a bit of support from your organization's IT department.

Online Classroom
I have observed this used--which is good, but--not as effectively as they can be. Social Networks can be used for learning. However, as I mentioned, its use must be studied in a strategic manner.

When we say strategic, we do not only mean organization-wide, but more so, behavior-based or -responsive. Social networking sites help interpersonal relationship between the teacher and the learner, but I would like to suggest that there has to be some indicators on how to evaluate the effectiveness of the applications/systems that are used. This is where organizational strategy should come in.

Other options available are Wetpaint and Ning.

Information and Knowledge Sharing
Information and knowledge are better shared. This can be done using the systems described above to create an online journal (or eJournal) on one end of the formality spectrum, and wikis and online communities on the other end.

Of course, journals are peer-reviewed, with peers meaning recognized experts, while a wiki is a community-reviewed publishing and content-management system.

Zoho and Google Sites both have these features.

High-End Technology Applications
There are certain functions that are not applicable to all educational systems/institutions. For example, the engineering profession may require simulation software; management courses may require operations research and statistical software; and accounting may need accounting software.

My only share at this point on this section is that there are open source or free license options. You do not need to limit yourselves to proprietary systems that are just as hard to learn to use. Take for example statistical software.

I appreciate SPSS (I DO!), however, the price is just not that appealing to students in the Developing Countries (like mine). If you would use just the basic statistical procedures (hypothesis testing, t-test, the usual statistical procedures you see in statistics book for management or social research) and the data to be entered is not that big (say, less than a thousand), you may want to use OpenStat or other open source software.

Back to the Basics
Let us not forget that technology has to be used properly. Take into consideration the content of your lesson, the learning style of your learners, and your own propensity to the technology you plan to use.

And of course, do not forget budget.

As for the management, I strongly suggest a strategic integration for use of technology. This helps sharing experience and style in using technology for teaching.

If you need clarification on how to use any of these, do not hesitate to contact me by posting a comment with your contact email.

Next: Strategy for Adopting Technology for Teaching

Technology for Teachers: Opportunities, Part 2

In my last post, I talked about technological opportunities for teaching. In particular, I talked about desktop document creation, website creation and network-enabled interpersonal communication being enhanced by existing computer and network technologies. In this post, I will discuss technologies or systems that are related to a bit more advanced teaching functions, but you do not need to fear of tech-speak. I am not a technical person (Although I am technically capable, from a user-point of view.).

I would like to assure you that I will always remember that not all teachers are technically oriented. I always remember that my aim here is to share existing technology that you can use without need of great amount of time and effort of learning.

Before I go on to the second part of the opportunities for teachers, I would like to review first, however, the audio-visual communication continuum, in particular, the media richness model. This model is better discussed in this website.

The model essentially suggests the proper selection of communication channel in an organizational setting. In training, proper selection of channel is very important as learners have to get what you intend to say. You have to make sure that a channel for feedback is available whenever possible.

The proper selection of your audio-visual communication channel will make your messages more effective and your image more sincere, consistent and audience-focused. This will make your audience more receptive and will be able to better judge your messages more efficiently. In learning, it is pretty much the same—whether it is traditional classroom learning, e-learning or blended learning.

Another idea that you have to consider is time. Due to the availability of various computer-aided communication and learning technologies, trainers use some types without proper consideration just to get into the fad. This, unfortunately, produces bad effect to the learners.

Take for example the use of websites. Lessons can be posted in websites, sure. But you have to consider the things that you will discuss. Complicated subjects that require more cues and immediate feedback (particularly questions) may not be effectively delivered through this channel. While e-learning enthusiasts will promote this due to always-available lesson, this asynchronous communication has to be properly planned and implemented.

With this, let's go to technological opportunities for teachers:

• Asynchronous Lesson Delivery - This refers to delivery of lessons at different times between the lesson initiator and the lesson receiver. This is practiced in cases of blogs, online blackboards, and online learning management systems like Moodle. This is useful for lectures that are pretty straightforward, or maybe as preparatory reading for discussion in the classsroom.
• Issues and News - Most of the lessons being discussed in the classroom are better related to current news and issues. With RSS (Rapid Site Syndication), you can include in your website the latest trends that are related to the topic you are discussing. RSS is integrated in most blogs and online journals, meaning, your audience can subscribe to the RSS without divulging personal contact information.
• Professional Relationship - Teachers and learning facilitators need to be in connection with people who are within the same discipline or specialization as they are, or maybe for related fields for teamwork or possible mentoring. Social networking websites, such as Friendster, Facebook, and Linked-In, provide such services for free. In the Philippines, Friendster seems to be more popular, but I have seen the credibility of Linked-In with my co-workers at the University.

Let's stop here for now. Next time, we shall discuss online collaboration tools available to you.

In the mean time, please accept my greetings of Merry Christmas!

Technology for Teachers: Opportunities, Part 1

Working as an information officer (an administrative support, non-IT position) at the University of the Philippines—while I myself have a background in communication, management and training—I have observed that even the premier tertiary educational institution in the country has yet to better appreciate (that is, understand, value and use) the opportunities of technology for teaching.

I am not exactly an advocate of distance learning as I appreciate that existing systems and culture cannot handle full e-learning applications or solutions. Teachers or faculty, however, are not using the full functionality of an Internet-enabled computer for more effective learning.

Situation
While I do not have statistics or formal studies to support my statement, I have the courage to say that faculty members at UP Manila do not use information technologies available to them. Take a look at the classrooms or the lesson plans (if there is one available) and you will see that IT-supported teaching functions are only on audio-visual presentation (which is limited to non-interactive presentations), basic interpersonal communication (like email and announcements through e-Groups) and basic grade recording system (the spreadsheet). Even faculty of computer science have yet to know more about the opportunities available—most of them free!

There are few who use blogs, but these are just for announcements and getting feedback.

In short, opportunities are present and numerous. We just need to learn how to use it—and even this is not that difficult.

(A lot of faculty members from UP Manila know the Internet but fail to use it for their tasks, often giving the excuse of difficulty of learning how to use it. I beg to disagree as practically all online systems available are intuitive and have available tutorials. For example, I created a basic customer contact management system for my training for call center wanna-bes even though I have no training in programming nor database management systems! I guess it is just a matter of humility to admit that there is something else you can learn, or plain laziness in pursuit of professional growth due to pursuit of personal pleasures.)

Enough with my personal opinion. Let's go to the different teaching functions (that I know from experience) and see what technology or technologies are available for you. They are usually free.

Basic Teaching Functions
This is where you would see teachers really use the information technology, but even here, there are other opportunities available.

• Audio-Visual Presentations - Most teachers use information technology for audio-visual presentations, like presenting their reports, lectures, and important points. Audio-visual presentations, however, should be used as support and should not replace the experience of the lecturer or speaker. Interactive presentations, however, have to be improved. For example, Microsoft Powerpoint has options for using links which can be compounded to be used for games.
• Records management - When I first became a trainer for ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps), I immediately saw the need to automatically calculate the grades of cadets. There is also a need to create a profile of the student population. A spreadsheet software will help here. There are, however, other functions that can be added, besides managing records of students. We'll look into this in the section for learning management system.
• Interpersonal and Group Communication -Email, instant messaging (chat) and electronic groups are useful here. However, these are not used effectively as they can be compounded with online presentations and storage of files. You can also use social networking sites, blogs and other Web 2.0 technologies.
  

I will stop here. Watch out for my next post which should discuss the following:

A Bit Advanced Functions
Blogging and RSS
Social Networking
Website Publishing

Advanced Functions but Still Easy-to-Learn Systems
Online Document Creation and Collaboration
Online Brainstorming
Learning Management System (LMS)
Niche Social Networking
Project management
Research
Collaboration
Web Conferences
Web Meetings
Webcasts and Online Stored Presentations
Sharing Information and Wikis
Simulations
Others!

If you have more ideas, please do not hesitate to add your comment or email me at info.casupm@gmail.com. You can also view my mindmap for this article here.