Why Academics Should Blog?

http://henryjenkins.org/2008/04/why_academics_should_blog.html

IT IS FREE

Blogging has become beyond the idea of recording information in a digital format to the greater engagement of learners who are interested in the same topic. Thinking in using blogs creates a glorious learning environment that poses several questions. The first on that comes to my mind is that "do our students have the needed sense of responsibility regarding his own way of thinking and writing style? Then, what are the successful mechanisms of the teacher to follow up on the blogs of his students? Moreover, who we can deal with our fears for this new technology?
In our discussions, we should focus on how to develop the content our future blogs, and how we could use it: as a method for reading or evaluation or to present the course material or module. We should realize that the blogs should be suitable for students, and provide simplified information rather than just a wall to display thoughts. It could be implemented as projects to show how a student understands their colleagues and teacher as well, vies versa. From my experience, it could be a great help for learners who have difficulty in expressing their responses to an oral form and allowed them to summarize what they know and what they want to say. Finally, it is Free.

Facult Development Institute

Good afternoon GEDIs!,

I know the Faculty Development Institute courses have been mentioned in class, but I just received an email with a listing of their upcoming lunchtime workshops, so I thought I'd share. I thought it was cool that so many of the workshops relate to our Digital Learners conversation from last week.

LT Conversations - Lunch Time with Learning Technologies
Discover how other members of the VT community are using new ideas of teaching and learning integrated with new technology. These sessions are brown bag lunches bringing together a variety of opinions and ideas for creating the best teaching and learning environments to meet our students learning and engagement needs. Select the links to go to the registration pages.


1. The University Library as Partner in the Learning Environment
Wed, Feb 01, 2012 12:00 pm
https://app.fdi.vt.edu/public/modules/selfenroll/_viewevent.php?eventPk1=16087
Topic: The University Library as Partner in the Learning Environment - As an instructor, what ways can the library system work with you and your students to create a seamless system for active learning? Dr. Tyler Walters, Dean of University Libraries, will join us to describe ways our library system can work with you now plus we will discuss new ideas for the future. Be sure to bring your ideas of future collaborative possibilities.

2. Virtual Environments - 3D Blacksburg
Wed, Feb 08, 2012 12:00 pm
https://app.fdi.vt.edu/public/modules/selfenroll/_viewevent.php?eventPk1=16089
Topic: Learn and discuss the vision for a mirror world of networked cohabitation! X3D Collaborative is using Spatial Data Infrastructure to catalyze information services through online virtual environments and telecommunication networks. Learn about their goals for the new digital citizenship in the metaverse! www.3dBlacksburg.org


3. SCALE-UP Classroom
Wed, Feb 15, 2012 12:00 pm
https://app.fdi.vt.edu/public/modules/selfenroll/_viewevent.php?eventPk1=16091
Topic: SCALE-UP CLASSROOM: In 2010, the College of Science implemented a specially designed classroom that enabled highly collaborative, hands-on, interactive learning in what was traditionally a lecture-style class, called the Student-Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP). Let’s hear how things are going and what the future holds for SCALE-UP Classrooms at Virginia Tech.


4. Using Technology in the Classroom to its Full Advantage for Student Collaboration
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 12:00 pm
https://app.fdi.vt.edu/public/modules/selfenroll/_viewevent.php?eventPk1=16093
Topic: 1120 Torgersen Hall is equipped with 25 wheeled individual student tables and chairs, 5 projectors, 4 screens, 5 video inputs, and multiple-zoned sound plus 1 smartboard. This gives amble opportunities for students to work in clusters, independently and together as a whole. See how faculty members are taking full advantage of the room’s technology to create a learner-centered environment.

5. Art as a Learning Tool
Wed, Feb 29, 2012 12:00 pm
https://app.fdi.vt.edu/public/modules/selfenroll/_viewevent.php?eventPk1=16095
Topic: Art as a Learning Tool - How can art be incorporated into your content to help students better understand difficult concepts. Discussions can include art as a lens, manipulative/kinetic activities, visualizations, plus your own ideas of creativity as a learning tool.

6. Funding Your Ideas
Wed, Mar 14, 2012 12:00 pm
https://app.fdi.vt.edu/public/modules/selfenroll/_viewevent.php?eventPk1=16097
Topic: Have you thought about applying for a grant? Come hear what others are doing here at VT and what options you have for funding your idea. Find out how VT's Office of Sponsored Programs and the Office of the Vice-President of Research can assist with the submission process, negotiations and award setup.

7. Gaming as a Learning Tool
Wed, Mar 28, 2012 12:00 pm
https://app.fdi.vt.edu/public/modules/selfenroll/_viewevent.php?eventPk1=16099
Topic: Gaming has become an important tool in the K-12 curriculum. Can higher education transfer this concept to the university environment? Could gaming enhance engagement of the students with content?

8. Studio Courses
Wed, Apr 04, 2012 12:00 pm
https://app.fdi.vt.edu/public/modules/selfenroll/_viewevent.php?eventPk1=16101
Topic: Studio Courses - Many courses focus on the elements and development of design. As faculty, how can we best utilize the studio format to meet the needs of our diverse student population? Can the studio style be added to more conventional courses?

9. Free and Easy - Web 2.0 Tools
Wed, Apr 11, 2012 12:00 pm
https://app.fdi.vt.edu/public/modules/selfenroll/_viewevent.php?eventPk1=16220
Topic: There are a variety of free and easy to use web applications for faculty and students. Which ones are most appropriate for our learning environments? What are the students using?

Here's a youtube video on the SCALE-UP classroom in Derring

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUFud6MoHMo

A school where the students make the rules

The digital learning video reminded me of a recent This American Life episode that I listened to. In the final segment (act 3) the show visits the Brooklyn Free School where all of the students vote on all of the rules. Also, any student can call an all school meeting at anytime for any reason. The teachers also have a vote, but the students can overrule them. It was very interesting to learn about this new approach to learning.

You can hear the short segment (16 minutes) at the link below and listen to act 3.

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/424/kid-politics

-David

Group Digital Annotation for Classroom Texts

In December I read a post on ProfHacker that some of you may have seen already, but it really stuck with me.  The article discussed a collaborative annotation software tool called HIGHBROW, which is being used by some English classes to facilitate higher levels of interaction with the reading material of the class.

I wrote about this idea in my own blog a couple of weeks ago, and how I’m really excited about the potential application of this technology to engineering textbooks.  I’d like to see the engineering textbook become a central component of learning in the classroom (not just reference material), so that lecture time can be targeted on understanding tough concepts and interacting with the material, instead of just reiterating the same material that’s already in the text.

What are your thoughts on this?  To me it seems like a smart application of Web 2.0 in the classroom, but I’m cautious because it may only seem like a good idea to serve my preferred learning style.  Would you use this in your liberal arts classroom, or in your engineering classroom?  How could this product me improved to suit your preferred teaching style?  Of most interest to me may be the question of what niche in the learning process is filled by this product that isn't currently being filled in a different way?

Ken Robinson - Bring on the revolution

http://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_bring_on_the_revolution.html
I believe this is the one we watched in class.
Enjoy!