Educause Conference
I just got back from the Educause conference in Austin 2012, the emerging topics according to the new horizon report in one year or less is mobile apps and tablet computing, two to three years is game-based learning and learning analytics and four to five years out is gesture based computing and internet of things. Here is the report:
New Horizons Report 2012
Social Media
Social Media is what people are saying about you, your product and your institution. For example, Twitter is useful for "following" key contributors in your field and for research and trending purposes. Key tips for twitter include update your biography to personalize your twitter account and create hastags (#) for each event, workshop, production or class topic.
I am wondering how faculty is going to use Social Media in Online Learning, view the short video, do you agree with the statistics presented?
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The statistics are interesting, but I cannot say whether I agree with them or not, since I have not done that research or read other statistics. I will say that there is no doubt in my mind that educational institutions need to use social media to communicate with their audience effectively and in a timely manner if they want to stay relevant. I know, for example, that the Smithsonian Institution is working very deliberately on getting its curatorial staff to blog and tweet regularly. They can't afford not to. I am personally a bit overwhelmed by all these communication tools. I am active on Facebook and create sites for my classes but I am not yet willing to jump on Twitter. I can see how Twitter can be very useful in education but I also find that the abundance of "information bites" in our lives to be quite distracting at times. Maybe it is just a matter of getting used to it and learning how to digest information offered this way.
As an English/humanities teacher, I am searching for ways to incorporate effectively technology in the classroom. I incorporate professional "Social Media" opportunities to engage the students in the learning experience. Modern educators are eager to teach computer operating skills, but more high quality social studies materials are needed for those who use computers. Learning is a cooperative process between teachers and students.
Teachers and scholars alike acknowledge that the Internet provides teachers and students with access to virtual archives in their own schools. The use of original sources promotes higher level thinking skills. Because students are more engaged with the materials, they retain more basic content information and gain a deeper understanding of the past and present.
The electronic classrooms not only deliver original sources, but involve new ways for teachers and students to organize and present materials in an interactive mode.
In this global era, we need the technology to transcend the days of pushing carts between our classrooms. Computers in the classroom, linked to the outside world through high speed networks, will create exciting new possibilities for our students.
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