MoodleMoot Virtual Conference 2013 Video Presentation is Live!

Thank you so much for your patience, my video from August 25, 2013, where I presented my S.U.R.E. research for an international audience of educators, is now available for viewing! It is 35 minutes long.

Click on the following link:  Clarisa's WizIq MoodleMoot Presentation!

Despite the technological errors of the WizIq website, and the trials actually accessing and processing the video for editing, my team and I were able to bring this to you just in time for the S.U.R.E. Symposium on Thursday, September 19th. 

Please enjoy and leave your comments and feedback!
Give it a thumbs up with your support!

Upcoming S.U.R.E. Research Symposium (About the Poster and Presentation!)

I am very excited about the upcoming poster session that will highlight the research I have done for the S.U.R.E. Program, through Mount Saint Mary College!

I. About the Poster

My faculty advisors (Dr. Ludmila Smirnova and Dr. Bojan Lazarevic) and I had a feedback session about the rough draft of my poster. They gave me helpful advice for improvements that involved:

• Categorization of Headings
• Correct Sequence of Information
• Tips about making my graphs look uniform and organized
• References - APA format

I cannot thank them enough for all of their support and feedback from the start.

II. My Secret Ace for the Presentation (A Secret I'll Share With You!)

With luck, I should be able to borrow an iPad for the presentation; therefore, I will be making a visually appealing, informative PowerPoint presentation to go with my presentation of the research!
If I am able to access the iPad, I plan on using the app SlideShark so viewers may navigate the slides of Web 2.0 tools I will describe. This technology aspect would make the presentation really exciting!

III. Video Update

For those of you who have been taking the journey into teaching with Web 2.0 tools with me, you have noticed a previous blog post - I talk about accessing and "releasing" the video from the Moodle Moot Virtual Conference 2013 - and phase 1 is complete! The video has been converted to a format that is able to be edited using advanced video editing tools. Phase 2 (editing) is already underway! Thank you for your patience!

I'm very much looking forward to seeing everyone at the symposium, and for those of you in different states and countries, please check back after next Thursday for my final blog entry, where I give the after-symposium thoughts and entire reflection of the journey!

Teaching an Online Class - A Learning Experience!

MoodleMoot Virtual Conference 2013 and Technology Collaboration Project


In order to add an additional skill and educational experience to what I have already accomplished for the S.U.R.E. 2013 summer research project, I decided to take my faculty adviser's challenge and teach an online version of the project using the Wiziq website. 

All in all it was a very interesting experience and here's the journey from beginning to end!


Before the Conference: Preparation

Since the class would consist of me speaking through a headset with a PowerPoint presentation in the background, I created a PowerPoint of about 22 slides that would last approximately 45 minutes. I then uploaded it into the "content" section of Wiziq. The idea was that when I "launch" my class (international teachers would be viewing this live, recorded presentation), the downloaded PowerPoint presentation would be accessible and the audience would see it right in the viewer.

During the Conference: The Pits and the Pearls

I presented to teachers from at least 17 different countries, elaborating the aspects of my S.U.R.E. research project. I was very happy about the quality of the information I presented and with how the educators gave me positive feedback about what they liked from my presentation. This did not happen, however, without a major setback that we had to work around.

Despite a "practice session" designed for myself and another student involved in the S.U.R.E. research, where I expressed my concerns about the presentation document not loading, I was assured that it would work since there should not be a file limit. Unfortunately when the presentation gave me access to the live class (at the time of presentation, 5:00 since I was entered as a attendee instead of a presenter), it was then that I found out the PowerPoint was not able to load correctly. Apparently, through the help of someone knowledgeable with computer programs, they informed me that the cause of this was the website being "buggy". Therefore, another means of displaying the visual component of the class had to be done.

My faculty adviser, who facilitated the live class, had me upload the presentation to Google Drive Viewer and share the link with the other educators in the class. The educators were now able to view the PowerPoint in Google Drive as I took them slide by slide, and at the same time see the chat window provided by Wiziq. I must admit it was quite embarrassing for my presentation to not work immediately like I was told it would, but thanks to the help and patience of everyone, we were able to come up with an alternate method of presenting. 

After the Presentation: Project

I now have a small group team (myself, my fiancé, and my best friend) who are collaborating in order to get that video to you! It will be "digitally remastered" - this means that it will be shown with the PowerPoint integrated into the video - either by superimposing it or the slides will be inserted in-between each topic transition. In addition, it will be shortened for quality so that the most important points are shown seamlessly, and that unnecessary introductory time is cut out as to transition right into the main content after an short introduction.

David's job will be to take the video download, render it, and allow it to be manipulated since it is a ".exe" file which cannot be played or make into a file that Youtube accepts. David has an Associate's degree in Computer Science and Mathematics, and graduated SUNY Orange with a 3.95 GPA.

Henry's job is to use the video editing software to insert, cut, and manage the content from beginning to end. Henry is a graduate of SUNY Purchase and his Bachelor's degree is in Media/Communications.

Clarisa (I) will be the Executive Director and Producer, overseeing all aspects of the video project from beginning to end, as well as have the final decision-making authority.

Thank you all - please look forward to it!

Moodle Moot Virtual Conference Class is Today!

"You can learn new things at any time in your life if you're willing to be a beginner. If you actually learn to like being a beginner, the whole world opens up to you."

Barbara Sher

Today, I am presenting my research findings in the Moodle Moot Virtual Conference! It is an online class where I tell other educators about my research and the various ways to implement Web 2.0 technology in the classroom.

Here is the badge I have aquired!

 

I'm so proud of my protegé, Lindsay Bordonaro, for her presentation on iPad use in the classroom!

Her picture is below.

I will be back with my thoughts and reflection on teaching my class today!



Once You Go "Wiki", You Might Not Go Back

I wonder if Ward Cunningham, creator of the "wiki" in 1995, could visualize just how many possibilities wikis would offer to teachers and students.

This picture was obtained from the Web 360 Blog - Gods of the e-World, Movers and Shakers of the Internet

Wikis in the Classroom

Wikis (in the classroom setting) are collaborative learning spaces where content (lessons, links, images, etc) posted by teachers is accessible to all students who members of the wiki.

For example, a teacher wants to manage an online classroom. S/he would 

(1) have a group of students sign up with the wiki (aka the students create an account)

(2) upload the content/documents necessary for the day's/week's/month's lessons, *note that group assignments are common as well!*

(3) when the students complete the assignment, they upload their work in the form of a Word document, PowerPoint, etc. onto the site either for the teacher's eyes only or in a classroom forum

(4) students then can perform a reflection of the lesson, working with a group, implications for learning, etc!

Examples of Classroom Wikis

 Now it may be a "no-no", but I use the terms wikis and e-portfolios *almost* interchangeably due to their similarities, but note that e-portfolios are different in the sense that they do not have to be an "online classroom", where there is a moderator and student members. An e-portfolio can just be a showcase of student work where some or no feedback is given.

PB Works Wiki Screen Shot 1 (How to Navigate)

PB Works Wiki Screen Shot 2 (Cool Features)

What are your reasons for wanting to use a wiki in your classroom?

organize          save paper

   classify          collaboration

create              reflection

 creativity        engagement

 

Web 2.0 - Apps Bring News To Your Fingertips

The Newseum, Washington, DC

Last week, I was able to tour the Newseum of Washington, DC and found some interesting information about how apps are bringing the news to us more and more, instead of the "Big Three" television stations. 

 

The following is an interesting thought: "6 in 10 Americans regularly use the Internet for news." Now that I have an iPhone, I have the BBC and NPR apps that send breaking world news to my phone, which is readily accessible to me when I am in an area with wifi.

When Did Students Become "Digital Natives"?

The research continues!

While researching articles describing the ways Web 2.0 are increasing learning, I stumbled upon the name of the man who coined the term "Digital Natives" to describe the change in our society's newer generations growing with technology. This man is Marc Prensky, and I found out he is a very successful and established speaker and educator.

Photo Credit: This photo was taken by Emile Wamsteker and was obtained from Marc's website, http://marcprensky.com/.

As described in his 2001 article, Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, he believes that the school systems should support their teachers in the use and implementation of technology for all classrooms. It was nice to find a man from New York City who is well accomplished and an innovative mentor to teachers through his keynote speeches.

The following was my favorite quote from the above named article, because of my love of both education and the show mentioned in his article:

"In geography – which is all but ignored these days – there is no reason that a generation that can memorize over 100 Pokémon characters with all their characteristics, history and evolution can't learn the names, populations, capitals and relationships of all the 101 nations in the world."

Touché, Mr. Prensky.