Team 4 discussion
From Instructional Technology Wiki
SECOND PAPER- METAVERSE
paper 2 Team 4 comments by Randy Colbert
I believe the ideas presented here are great. One of the best parts is it is available now. This type of educational tools would allow everyone equal opportunities to learn provided they can pay for it. It always seems that we come back to money in education, or the lack of money. Very well written paper.
Comments by Evan Herreid on Futures Paper
There is a lot of information in the paper that is very useful. I lived and went to school in Durham and have never heard of the Croquet Project until reading this paper. I am very intereted in it and will check it out to see how it is and if there is a way to have some of our teachers to test pilot it and give me feedback to see how viable it would be in our system. I have been very impressed with the technology of the Active Worlds that we have been using in this program and have shown it to many of my collegues whom have began the program since. I have also looked into the Education World and the others that are out there and all seem pretty interesting and each have their own strengths and weaknesses.
Comments by CJ Flay
I am a huge proponenent of 3D virtual instruction because it allows the student who wants to learn the ability to learn in a safe, fun, and orderly environment.
I, for one, don't like the fact one bit that China and India are kicking our backsides in the classroom. I believe in differentiated levels of instruction. Not every student has the potential to be a doctor or a lawyer. This is ok. Society needs people in the service industry. We need to give up the outdated idea that all students are to be taught to the same level. Give our gifted children a chance to learn and not rein them in, in the attempt to give our slower learners a chance to catch up.
Using 3D virtual classrooms students that want to learn and have the desire to learn can better themselves without competing with students who are taking up valuable space in the classrooms with their presence.
Comments by Kim Poole
Computer based education has really incorporated all of the other mediums discussed. I enjoyed this paper and like the use of the term 'metaverse'. Thinking of education in this form would be verry interesting. Getting students to take responsibility is something we have discussed during this class and this virtual approach would give them ownership. Education is all about giving alternative that work best for the learner and the more we have in our arsenal the better. Students of tomorrow will be more immersed in technology and have a degree of understanding gained through the use of these technologies. Obviously there will be struggles and challenges meeting students needs with this method, but that is nothing new!
Comments by Rhonda Griffith
This is a wonderful opportunity for students to incorporate so many of the skills they already have into the future of education: technological, hand/eye, desire to learn, no fear of the unknown! And this example is a great way to show teachers as true facilitators instead of mere monitors. So many of us have seen in our own classes that once you get the students started initially, they run with their own creativity. Great idea and paper Team 4! Hopefully, this is something we can all incorporate in our classes in the very near future.
Comments by Grayson Beane
We have read so much with so much to remember, I had forgotten about the metaverse. This is a great view of the future. A whole new definition of immersing oneself in one's studies. We read Snow Crash in DR's class all about the metaverse. I can see all kinds of uses for this. What about a golf tutorial where the golfer enters the program to learn. This could all lead to the holodeck of Star Trek TNG. I'm alwys on the lookout for something new, so I'll check out Squeak pretty quick.
Comments by Joy Knight
After reading your team's novel approach on the future, I was intrigued with Squeak as I had never heard of it. At this website, [1]you get a tutorial and learn how to get started. For those interested, there is a SqueakFest in Chicago, Aug. 1-3, 2007 complete with details on everything you need to plan your trip! As a science teacher, I was especially interested in the Etoys. A new series of Etoy project guides are also available on this website, in printable PDF format. Thank you for introducing me to this creative and innovative method in which students learn the principles of math/science by playing! --Travelingdoxies 17:03, 27 June 2007 (EDT)
Comments by Chad Parker
At the beginning while describing your Metaverse, I pictured myself sitting in a dimly-lit movie theater-type room, out in space somewhere, where I could see and hear others around me. :) Really, though, I could see where this would appeal to students as well as be relative to preparing students for the future world of collaborative work. As long as it was structured appropriately, this seems to be viable tool to assist in education. Regarding your statement of students, teachers, and professionals working together, I think we need much more of that to truly make education successful. Experts and professionals would not only serve to enrich learning, but also to help bridge gaps between the classroom and what truly takes place in the "real world." I also thought your strategy of having students proceed in phases was important. Thanks for the description of the various tools available and now being used by some counties. I wasn't aware of them. With so much educational software available, it sometimes seems overwhelming on what to choose to best achieve learning outcomes.--Ceparker526 15:23, 27 June 2007 (EDT)
Comments by Becky Chappell
Very sophisticated method of schooling and great for the thinking process. Your use of terminology of our own classes made a great read and could help create a visual for me. I would enjoy working in this type of environment and find it very similar to what we are doing now. Students move ahead and challenge themselves and convey a desire to have choices and learn.
comments by Dean St. Louis
This is a very interesting. I could see some great things happening with this type of learning. I just wonder does this address the unmotivated students. Would we be able to reach those students or do they just disappear into the virtual world. For the motivated students the sky is the limit they could achieve all types of learning. I especially like the safety that this offers for the insecure students. They definitely fall through the cracks in todays classes.
Comments by Josh Carver
I like that you targeted middle school when talking about the future. I teach in an elementary school and see all sorts of products targeting this age group. The same can be said for high school/college prep age kids. To me it seems the middle school age group is left, in the middle.... However, it seems this age would be perfect to implement the ideas you have in your paper. Just from being around a middle school aged cousin of mine I see how receptive he is to technology and all it can do.
Comments on 2nd paper by Kelly Roper-Massey
While sitting here in Vancouver at a worldwide conference for technology, I have enjoyed reading this team's paper. All these virtual world platforms are being discussed and demonstrated here. In a room full of presenters, most all visitors are drawn to those presenters using the virtual learning techniques. Second Life seems to be the most discussed but lots of social issues seemed to be raised concerning this virtual environment.
As a presenter for the ActiveWorlds, I have had the opportunity to talk with a researcher from Stanford and a administrator from the Smithsonian. They were very interested in how ASU is using its virtual world to educate students. I think virtual learning will be the most desirable form of learning in secondary public schools sometime in the near future.
Comments on Second Paper by Mlore
Interesting! I like the fact this team paper has included the high order thinking skills and sharing. These are important parts of student's learning skills to be built upon. We tend to teach individually, then send students out into the work world where they need to work as a team. Technology is the place we need to put an emphasis on collaborative learning.--Mlore 00:52, 26 June 2007 (EDT)
Comments on future paper by Lee Ann Luman
Marianne I agree with you. In the younger grades we work hard to create an environment for children to be able to work together in cooperative learning groups. Each person has a job and is responsible for those skills in order for the team to succeed. Technology of course enhances these groups. I wondered how far up in grade levels the group work would continue? if it continued? We are preparing these students to enter a workforce in which they must actively participate in group decisions and work as a part of teams.
Comments on Future Paper by Karon Hughes
Great way to learn to really think, do group work, learn to make choices. This environment would allow individuals to challenge themselves in the learning environment...no more waiting on the others to finish so the group can move on...
I will research more about Croquet and Squeak...It is interesting to know we have teachers in NC being trained to use Squeak.
Comments paper 2 Crystal Padgett
After being a particpant in Active Worlds, I can see the future benefits of my students being able to design their own learning environments using programming language. I think it would be a way for our students to become truly engaged in their learning.
COMPUTER ASSISTED/BASED/DELIVERED INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS
INTERNET DELIVERED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
Commment by Ryan Crater
I agree with Randy, " How do machines measure true understanding". For example: I was at Wendy Resturant the other day and I give the Waitress my money and the register missed up so she said she would give me my money back. After three times of counting the money she give me back she got it right finally. This lady new how to run the register but when it missed up she had trouble doing its job. Look at the calulator its doing the same thing to children.
Comments by Kelly Roper-Massey
I would love to see the statistics of those taking CAI and WebCT classes as opposed to those in a traditional classroom. I think CAI evolved out of a true need as more people have went to work and as our workforce has become more specialized. To get ahead in today's society, it seems like you must go back to school. What better way to do that & balance work & family than through CAI?
Comments by Randy Colbert I think this and distance education are so intertwined as to be one. The biggest problem I see is as stated, "How do machines measure true understanding?"
Comments by Chad Parker
This concisely-written paper does an excellent job in summing up computer based/instructional delivery. I liked the "drill and kill" phrase; that had to be Sara's idea. :) The computer has revolutionized the delivery of content to students in many ways. It has endless possibilities, depending on how the content is structured. As the paper mentioned, the computer is limited on measuring the true level of student understanding, and it has difficulty detecting partially correct answers...something that may be important, as in the case of students in the E.C. area. Does the benefits of computer assisted/based delivery outweigh the disadvantages? In most cases, I would say yes it probably does. Since it is very flexible, it can be used in ways such as introducing, helping "teach," reinforcing, and following up on given concepts. There is an extensive array of free applications of all sorts on the Internet that helps defray the costs of software packages, although many of the packages do have merit. A problem I have encountered is that some useful sites are often blocked by filtering software. As has been stated elsewhere, computer delivered/assisted instruction should be used as another tool in the teacher's arsenal of techniques, not "the" tool. HOW the computer is used in this capacity is crucial.
Comments by CJ Flay
Questions
1. Should Web CT be a graduation requirement for all NC students?
NO, Students are already required to pass the 8th grade computer skills test before they can graduate in NC and earn a high school diploma. To pass this test they have to show proficiency in a variety of areas on the computer. This test is a sufficient test of a student's knowledge of computers.
2. Should articulation agreements should be honored for these type classes?
Shouldn't they be required of all classes rather online or not?
3. What should the the base reqirements look like? How do you handle this on a global scale?
This question is based on the assumption that WebCT classes should be mandatory rather than optional. We tend to forget that india, China and Russia are only educating their top students to compete against the US. This is basically the flaw in NCLB that all children are educatable to the same high level.
4. Does the cost of the big software packages outweigh the benefits?
No, We need these software packages to train our students in if we expect them to be competitive in the marketplace. What we need is help from business to underwrite the cost of the materials the students are trained in.
5. How should the state handle equity for school systems with less means to purchace these big software packages?
They have already addressed the issue with NC Virtual Public Schools. Now it is up to the local school districts to embrace the virtual schools and their offerings.
6. What are the societal implications of students learning only in these types of settings?
If students don't learn what they need for the marketplace they will be left behind. Quite simple really
I have to disagree about the online requirement. I think students should do some meaningful work with a computer rather than take a test. The analogy I would use is the driving of a nail. If you give a child a hammer,some nails, and a board and tell him to drive a nail, he'll probably do a pretty good job of driving a nail into a board. If that child has to build something by driving that nail, he'll find that when he's building he'll have to drive those nails at all kinds of weird angles which takes the mastery of nail driving to a new level. It's the difference between knowing skills and using skills. Grayson Beane
Comments by Grayson Beane
This paper is a nice extention of our group's paper on Programmed Instruction. When most people hear anything about computers in the classroom, they think of CAI. When Skinner and others started teaching with machines, they actually thought that the machines could replace teachers. The early machines were not computers, but when computes arrived on the scene, experts thought they were looking at the gold at the end of the education rainbow. CAI they thought could deliver material and do just as good a job as teachers. They actually found that drill and practice, which is what CAI does well, is boring with or without a computer. Even today when we can utilize the internet and the world wide web, the teacher cannot be replaced with computer assisted education. The key is to remember the word "assisted" and not try to get the computer to deliver on its own.
Comments by Becky Chappell
Much of the information in this paper has a similar thread to our groups. Fears of teacher replacement by machines made it difficult for teachers at the onset of CAI to try and incoporate their use into classroom instruction. Now, for the most part computer instruction is seen as "dry" with no emotion or critical thinkng involved with the porgrams. As teachers breathed a sigh of relief, the started to see that for skill and drill the computer was perfect. Boring repetitive work was okay and non threatening. The Internet makes many of the sites available and self explanatory so the teacher needs to do very little to prepare for the lesson. In my opinion, I definitely think there is a place in education for these types of programs. As long as they allow for vertical learning at the pace each child needs, I would welcome the use. Following would be discussions as to what learning took place and how it is applicable to learning and real life.
This paper touched on a variety of pros and cons with technology entering more and more in the classrooms. Just with any classroom, not all teaching methods will reach all students. It is important when using CAI, or any other technology to assist in learning, that it is not "the gold at the end of a rainbow". CAI may be helpful for some students, while other students should be guided to other avenues. Half of the battle of the current teacher is finding the funding for technology that may assist with the diversity of learners found in most classrooms.
Comments on CAI and Internet access by Joy Knight
I am a firm believer of the importance of Computer aided programs, games, simulations for students. The concepts are too abstract for students unless they are able to do something hands-on. At this website, the students can see what happens when one variable is changed. Students develop problem-solving skills as they form hypotheses, manipulate variables, generate and collect data, analyze relationships, make conclusions, and more. Through the blending of these skills and concept development, students gain a greater insight into and acquire a better understanding of important concepts in physics. The website is completely free and my students LOVED it. The program was developed at the University of Colorado. It is called PHET physics simulations: [(http://www.colorado.edu/physics/phet/web-pages/simulations-base.html)] --Travelingdoxies 18:56, 14 June 2007 (EDT) Joy Knight
Comments by Terri Ferguson
I believe that Computer Aided Instruction is a great tool if used properly as described in your article. My 3-year-old gets on the computer to do educational interactive CDROMs; she has learned a great deal of stuff from shapes, colors, letters, and even how to read some basic sight words. It it not only educational for her, but she was having fun while she was learning--a great added benefit. She doesn't see it that way. All she knows is that she is having fun. I have to force her to get off the computer to go to bed or eat.
Comments by Evan Herreid
Nice article and a good companion to waht we discussed from Team 2. I have to agree that computer-assisted instruction is going to benefit more and more children ongoing in education. I cannot believe that we are not able to utilize current technology enough to assist our students. It seems, to me, that additional technology goes into the classrooms of our gifted and talented students or our AP classrooms more that it does in our remediation classes. I think if we do a little more in the way of assisting our lower performing classes we may not have the gap we do in education now. Maybe at some point all of our students will be high performers, maybe we just need to take a chance.
Comments Crystal Padgett
Anything that promotes computer use in a positive way is great. Keeping pace with the student is also valuable when you have a diverse classroom. It can benefit the lower acheiving students as well as the gifted. Web CT can reach out to those who can't be in class physically.
----Paper 2 Comments by Ryan Crater-----
This paper was interesting. I believe if we use these technologies for what they were intended for then its OK. I love being a business education teacher as well because nothing stays the same. If there is some kind of new technology out there I will try to use it in my instruction. I also find that students are more engaged in instruction when I use new technology to teach something.
Comments by Jamie Branch
I agree with all the comments above. Just I just want to confirm what Joy said above. I my subject children have a hard time soemtines visualizing the concepts and the animations and simulations give that added something to my instruction.
Comments by Karon Hughes
CAI used as a tool for reinforcing concepts learned in the classroom can be a great asset to the student. In the early 90's, a program called CCC was used in most schools in Caldwell County...the program was used to reinforce reading and math skills...teachers had some control over what levels individual students needed to be working on...and the teachers who monitored their students closely saw an increase in student understanding in the classroom. Students who did not receive help or encouragement from the teacher struggled to stay on task and/or understand the concepts of the material being presented on the computer. Teacher and students can benefit from so many web-based instructional tools but the motivation needs to be there to be successful. Most students need teachers who will monitor them while they work - cause when the cat is away the mice will play!
Comments by Rhonda Griffith
As a business teacher, I love incorporating technology into assignments in my classroom. CAI is a part of our students' lives today as much as waking up and going to sleep. If we embrace CAI as opportunities to pique interest and offer avenues of creativity to enable students to learn, we will not only become better educators but learn along with our students as well.
I love my field of instruction because it changes every day! Unlike math formulas or history that remain the same over periods of time, there is something new for me to discover every day. And often, I look to my kids to teach me what they know, how to use, and then I try to incorporate it into my curriculum guide, so they can get use what they know to pass the test.
The powers that be seem only concerned with scores and ratings of how well we perform, but can't we improvise as much as possible to keep our students empassioned about what we are trying to teach?
Comments by Lee Ann Luman
As our Team 3 members discussed correspondence education...we too found similar threads or themes. We talked about abuses in distance education as well as those who ordinarily would not have access to instruction. I liked the key points you made in your summary.
Comments by Josh Carver
When I think of CAI I think of all the times I've run across something online or at a conference that I know will truly assist a teacher in a subject area. There are so many products out there you have to just know when something will help your teachers and when it won't. You can't use every new computer program out there for 15 minutes and then move on... you need to pick something, be proficient at it, and know how it will aid your students.
Comments by Dean St. Louis
All of these technologies have a benefit in education as long we use them for their intended purpose. Computer "assisted" instruction is very valuable when used to assist not substitute. If there was a technology that could replace what i do in the classroom for my students I would be in a whole lot of trouble.
