Most Muddy Point Blog EDUC 639

EDUC 639 Most Muddy Points

Most of this video addresses what the two experts from Liberty university, David Brown and Tyler Week, gave as facts concerning plagerism, metadata, phone apps,copyright laws, protected works, non-protected works, and exceptions to the copyright laws. They also covered non text items, audio, video and imaging. The final story received by me was that if there is a question call David Brown or Tyler Week to clarify.
One area not covered by me on the video is the one of religious or theological issues. The scripture tells us that we are liable in not offending the least of these. We are not to publish anything that hurts or can do injury to another person. Ethically we are responsible for all we publish or say. We need to be very careful that someone might be hurt even if we are not. We should all ways do the best for all the people not for a certain class or person.

References.

Chen, D., Wong, A., & Hsu, J. (2003) Internet-based instructional activities: Not everything should    be on the internet. Journal of Research on Technology in Education. 36(1), 50-59.

Thorsen, C. (2009). Tech tactics technology for teachers. Boston, MA: Pearson

EDUC 629 Blog 3

EDUC 629                      BLOG  ENTRY  3

Three technologies that I would use with my diversity of students in Kibogora, Rwanda, are:

      First, the use of the internet for searching a problem. I would group three students to a group that                have  a varied learning style and academic achievement so that all three can learn from each              The students would be given an overall topic such as elections in the United States                               compared to those in Rwanda. Several questions (10) would be given to research on the                       internet. I would give a list of addresses and also several places to investigate the answers.                  The students would have two-three weeks to complete the answers and then report them to                  the  whole class.

Second, I would use Skype technology to video conference with the whole class. The video would be live and projected on the whiteboard. Audio microphones would be attached as well as three video cameras. He lesson would be called “stump the professor” in which the students would prepare questions of practical, theoretical, common, or remote. Their teacher would have prepared by teaching a lesson about questions and interviews. Students would get extra points for questions the professor (me) would not be able to answer within 30 seconds. His lesson would help with feedback, social acceptance and presence of instructor, immediacy, interactivity, prompt feedback, and answering pressing needs.

Third, I would do an audio drama using Connexions. An audio script would be prepared using each student on various roles. We would then produce the drama using Audacity and post the drama on I-tunes or Garageband. We could also then video the drama and produce it on You Tube. This lesson would help with concept reinforcement, listening skills, problem solving and analysis.

References,

Bonk, C. (2009). The world is open, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Bonk, C. & Zhang, K. (2008). Empowering online learning, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Bonk, C., Lee, M., Reeves, T., &Reynolds, T. (2015). MOOCs and open education around the world, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Webibliography EDUC 639

Webibliography: Certifying skills and knowledge: Four scenarios on the future of credentials

Verne Wortman

Liberty University

 WEBIBLIOGRAPGIES

VERNE WORTMAN

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

Certifying skills and knowledge: Four scenarios on the future of credentials

Summary

This author, (Swanson 2015) is an Emerging Fellow with the Association of Professional Futurists. He writes this report with the purpose of showing the confluence of skills and knowledge that be brought together among several scenarios. One of the tools he mentions greatly is the area of credentials of learning experiences, micro credentials and embedded badging. He approaches the K-12 sector as using transcripts of graduates’ records showing tracking of skills of cognitive abilities, social skills, and emotional skills using technologies such as LRS systems, badges, and micro-credentials. He does not replace the high school diploma but makes these skills apart of its portfolio. He documents “extra mile” students and gives meaning to extra-curricular activities and volunteering. He sees augmentation of credentials as being vital in the future of elementary and secondary education. Certificates, badges, and micro-credentials are seen by the author as very useful to students to stand out in the pack when it comes to employment and acceptance to further learning institutions. He assumes that all persons in the future will have this sort of credential along with degrees. Competency education is shown to be on the up rise although there still is a hesitancy for some employers to embrace micro-credentials. Skill tracking is an outcome that is vital to this program.

Looking into the future this author sees a do-it-yourself diploma reflecting a mixture and confluence of academic and career preparations with increased use of competency assessments, career ready credentials, and stacked scaffolded records with career connectors meeting the needs of future job employers and future academic concentrations. Words such as nanodegrees and ecosystems will become commonplace. He sees the employment sector helping schools to map competencies for career paths and to create their own forms of micro-credentials. Individual educational goals would now be more important with strong input from the employment sector. Thus, we see he adheres to increasing learning centered and less educator centered learning. Reputation becomes more important as does personal branding and social media savvy. The skills gaps of students going to college could be narrowed. Awarding credit verses seat time could be a policy.

The next area investigated is one of  “ Every Experience a Credential” . Record learning stores such as LRS systems now are becoming more important as replacements for grades and diplomas. Nano or short degrees could become very common to show competencies. We should be able to track anyone, anytime anywhere. Post-secondary schools now become certifiers of experience. Data keeping, storing, and embedding now becomes important both for the student and the institution and employer. Open source learning is important as it is used and credentialed by badges and micro-storage.

Mind-mapping could be another growth from use of badges and new tracking use. Brain functions create new credentials to students’ cognitive abilities, social skills, and emotions. Strengths and weakness can be uncovered and help k-12 students to approach their best personalized and preferred learning format. Educators using badging systems would be able to track and monitor students cognitive, social, and emotional skills and be able to use these “neuro-finger prints” as real helps for real issues and as a credential. Mind scouts become identification tools for teachers to help align students’ goals and interests. Neuro fitness programs could be developed both in secondary and higher education.

 These scenarios all speak to the possible ways of accepting new forms of tracking and use by students, educators, and employers.

Critique

All these ideas of this author are futuristic but many are being developed and talked about today. The author says very little about digital badging but does allude to its use at various points. Credentials and their use and assimilations into the present education world seem to be approached very well taking into account K-12, post- secondary, and employer development and use. Many possibilities are shown that need to be researched and strategized. Some of them are:

1.     Linkage of education with employers

2.     Employers hiring practices linked to relevant credentials other than those now accepted

3.     Assessment changes to insure meaning and value including use of badges

4.     How do credentials effect changes in employment needs?

5.     How don educators track informal learning?

6.     What new forms of technology help to create these new forms of credentials?

7.     What about alternative forms of credentials, certificates, micro-credentials, and badges?

8.     How do schools develop these ideas to practically incorporate them into present systems?

Reference

Swanson, J. (2015). Certifying skills and knowledge: Four scenarios on the future of         credentials. Knowledge Works (2015). Obtained from             http://knowledgeworks.org/sites/default/files/certifying-skills-knowledge-future-  credentials.pdf

Verne Wortman

Liberty University

Open badges: Novel means to motivate, scaffold and recognize learning

Summary

These authors (Jovaovic, & Devezie, 2014), wrote this article to summarize Open Badges relationship with concepts and challenges in recognition of learning in multiple and diverse environments, diverse kinds of skills and knowledge, with alternate forms of assessment, and with need to transport easily verifiable digital credentials. They give a definition to the term open badges as a further increase in the use of digital badges which are indicators of accomplishments, skills, competency, quality and interest in different types of learning environments. Digital badging is also a new technology that records achievements and tracks the learners’ interaction with the community, the badge issuer, and the work done to accomplish the badge. 

Open Badges goes further in that it allows the learners to identify their skills, interests, and achievements through verifiable organizations and official people. The badge organizations’ information, criteria to fulfill the requirements, the date of badge issue, the date of data release, the evidence of accomplishment, completion of certain tasks, and fulfillment of goals are all imbedded on the web program. These might also include social networks, existing networks, employers, and higher education sources to which the badges can be shared. They can be gathered and kept in one space source from several places. With standard compliant formats they can be transferred across digital boundaries and institutions. The article displays different systems that are available and free such as Badge Kit and Backpack by Mozilla Corporation, BadgeOS by Wordpress, and Passport from Purdue University. Other available platforms are given for issuing open badges.

The authors divide the main uses for open badges in an educational program into five areas. These areas are the motivated mechanisms of rewards for achievement, the means to support alternate forms of assessment, the means of recognizing and credentialing learning, and the means of charting learning routes, scaffolding, exploration, curriculum, signposts, and guidance while leaving room for the freedom of choice. The last one of these areas is that of supporting self-direction and planning and is directly connected to the freedom of choice as to what is learned, self-direction, planning of activities, self-regulation of skills, and life –long learning.

Makewaves, GRASS, MOUSE Squad, and Pathways for Lifelong Learning are listed as emerging technology in practice.

Critique

Some of the challenges to open badging expressed in this article are:

1.     The system is still unknown to many teachers and educators.

2.     Many questions are still unanswered about design and deployment.

3.     The traditional course structure will not contain because of traditional grading.

4.     Alignment of the programs’ learning objectives and requirements has not been done.

5.     Alternate grading and certification has not been developed.

6.     Low income and social status students might not be served well.

7.     Real world value has not been assigned.

8.     Focus on accumulation rather than learning could be a problem.

9.     Motivation displacement could be a problem.

10.  No standard platforms are available only hosted ones.

11.  Some systems can be abrasive with friction.

12.  No plug and play systems have been developed for universal usage.

13.  The deployment is not easy.

14.  Conceptualization is a problem. Who, What Why, When and How?

15.  Legal issues are springing up.

All these negatives need to be researched more to find answers. Many answers are available, many are only in a limited way. Our research should be to find more valid answer to these questions. The author does a good job in pointing out these weaknesses but does not have valid answers for many. In a positive way the article does point out initiatives in the following areas:

1.     Badge the UK project (http://www.digitalme.co.uk/badgetheuk), also DigitalMe OB platform (http://www.digitalme.co.uk/

2.     Makewaves (https://www.makewave.es/mwhq)

3.     Grass (http://grass.fon.bg.ac.rs)

4.     MOUSE Squad (http://mouseaquad.org/)

5.     Pathways for Lifetime Learning (http://www.mypasa.org/news/2014/03/19/case-study-pasas-open-badges)

6.     Purdue University’s passport

7.     Mozilla’s Badgekit and GritHub

8.     Mozilla’s OB Discovery

9.     The Badge Alliance

Areal need is shown for a less formal, novel, and more flexible evaluation and credentialing system. Badging may be it. We must initiate more research. This article only begins the process and does not leave us with clear answers which must be researched.

Reference

Jovanovic, J. & Devedzic, V. (2014). Open badges: Novel means to motivate, scaffold and      recognize learning. Tech Know Learn (2015) 20:115-122. DOI 10.1007/s10758-014-     9232-6

Verne Wortman

Liberty University

Webibliograpy: The World is Open

Summary

The author of this book wrote this treatise to explain how “anyone can learn anything from anyone at any time.” Bonk (2009).  He uses the model “WE-All-LEARN,” to explain how open web technology is revolutionizing the world as we shift from a formalized education pattern to compete open learner participation. He explains open in regard to free and open software, free and open web searching, free and open E-books, free and open coursework, portals for all people to object research, learner participation in open communities, collaboration for expanded group learning, open reality identities, portability, networks, and future advances and dangers. He shows how business education and technology intersect in many ways.

This article lists parents, children, teachers, trainers, bloggers, podcasts, theorists, technology administrators, school and university administrators, technology companies, government agencies, politicians, media members, and all of us as learners through open technology. The treatment of each of the areas of openness is told with real stories and possibilities of happenings and use. Each tells about developments, how they came about and are used and real stories associated with each one. Many of these are new and many are old but still used at the writing of this book. The four digital freedoms are one example of his guide to free software. The book shows over and over examples of how the world of digital learning is in our own hands as we have great freedoms of use and future development.

Critique

The history and present uses of all aspects of open world digital web technology is well laid out according to ten converging openers to the “WE-ALL-LEARN” theory. Every area of technology up 2009 is explored through real stories and encouraging uses and programs. For the novice to technology, this would be a great beginning read. The challenge at the end to different ideas to research, start and develop are a good jumping off point for this book. For teachers this is a good beginning book also but they should continue their learning and research with the authors’ new book of practical activities and suggestions. Other suggestions are sporadically given for teachers such as classes, workshops, sharing with other teachers and students. Collaboration is pushed several places in the book. One would like to see more time given validation and integration of technology with existing learning. No mention was made of digital badging or digital micro-embedding of learning experiences. I think most of that started in 2010 and onward. His newest book was released July 1, 2015, which is called, “MOOCs and Open Education”. One of the best parts of this book was written on collaboration. I would have hope for more detail in less areas.

Reference

Bonk, C. (2009). The world is open. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Verne Wortman

Liberty University

              Webibliography: Digital badges in education

Summary

In response to users around the world who are curious and need to know about digital badging, the authors, (Gibson, Otashewski, Flintoff, Grant, & Knight 2013), have written this expose of the whole universe of digital badging. It was written in response to Mozilla’s Open Badges program and the Lifetime of Learning Competition along with a global inquiry and the leadership of the Secretary of Education for the United States. Starting in 2010, digital badging became a new area to be developed and researched reaching its high points by 2013 and even now. Much needed to be exposed and tried in this area. “Open Badges” became an area that the Education Department developed through its study and research. Now there are more than 700 users and thousands of students participating. Google searches on this topic have gone up exponentially from 2009-2013. See insert 1 from the article.

The author defines digital badging as  a practice of  creating, awarding, and displaying digital badges occurring in a variety of ways for online engagement to reach performance benchmarks, responding formally or informally. Many blog sites and funded products have been observed. The authors went directly to people and sources to obtain their information first hand. They were collected in field notes, direct conversation, e-mails, and blog postings from founders, creators, and autographs. They found that in education badging was used for engaging and encouraging positive learning behaviors.  It was used to identify progress, to signify achievement, for excited learning, and scaffolding experience. They found digital uses of embedding standards, activities, situations, products, outcomes, and performance to validate the learning experience.

The origins, history and development of badging are traced. Infrastructure and metadata transfer systems are discussed as well as the impact of academic credit transfers and responsive learning systems. This is all based on students’ actions, interests, automatic scoring, organization of study teams, problem solving, course selection, links, class choice. Many badge styles were shown available along with some stand-alone products that were written.

The accepted use of blogs was divided into four areas to consider. These four were: motivation, recognition, achievement evidence, and instructor competence and leadership. Each is discussed in his article.

Critique

This article is very useful to the novice to badging who needs to know the history, definition, examples of use, links to use, the impacts on motivation, status, achievement levels, and validation procedures, in order to approach later use and research on the subject. It was a good introduction for one like myself who has not read much about the procedures involved. The article show a high potential to transform this technology to be used for generations to come in education. Research could be done to expand and set procedures to use this program in lower economic conditions and among students that are low in confidence and need to build and scaffold from this program. More use could be researched in the use of digital badge in portfolios and in future use of students in higher education and job advancement. The validating process seem to me to be one from which that many questions arise and need to be addressed and could be a subject for further research,

Reference

Gibson, D., Ostashewski, N., Flintoff, K., Grant, S., & Knight, E, (2013). Digital badges                                    in education. Education Information Technology (2015) 20, 403-410. DOI                                            10.1007/s10639-013-9291-7.

  

Webibliography : Digitalbadges in afterschool learning: Documenting the perspectives and experiences of students and educators.

Summary

(Katie Davis and Simrat Sing, 2015) investigate perspectives from a student and an educator’s standpoint. They include interviews of 43 students and 25 educators to find credibility of opportunities and their respective challenges. They measured and compared the outcomes of motivation, empowerment, learning directions, as well as the achievements gained in through taking part in afterschool activities. Badges succeeded in proving credibility to external sources such as addm9ssi0n counselors and employers. One thing that was found was the connection between settings and learning contexts that were presented externally and internally. It was found that youth benefitted most from rich learning experiences with new and challenging new media technologies. Participation gaps were challenging. It addresses the gap in low-incomes and immigrant backgrounds. Meaning is found in success and failure in different social contexts. (Lave & Wenger, 1991), say that learning is supported when students practice meaningful roles in a practice community. One such identity is track and field that shows stunts identities that are practice linked. Personal identity is shown to be imbedded as the learner engages and is able to get recognition for skills. Motivation are show and embedded from within and without.

Enthusiasm is found to increase as micro-credentials are documented. Gatekeepers and employers become involved as boundreys are set. The questions involved were asked to teachers and students about their engagement and experience with the badges in afterschool’s expanded learning experience and what are the challenges to stakeholders as badges are earned. Data collection was done over a period of time most students and teachers were unaware of badges and did not see any connection to grades and evaluation or course credit. Potential opportunities were shown as the challenges of badging were shown.

The main themes were motivation, credibility, and empowering students. These included social equity and hard work. Alternate ways of credentialing through badges were found to have the problems of recognition, documentation, key stakeholders, access to technologies, fitness to goals and values, and wide acceptance.

Critique

The paper is a good research as to the amount and kinds of participants. The findings are mostly helpful to future administrators who might want to include this in afterschool activities. Ernic codes were directly derived from the data and are included in the report. Independent researchers applied the codes in the early stages and again later in the data collection. Kappa statistics were given following guidelines and found well above the .60 threshold. Coders were primary and secondary and met together frequently with sub-codes being attached. Many relationships and connections were found to exist between the codes. By formulating these relationships four main themes emerged those of credibility, motivation, student empowerment, and integration.

Awareness of badges seemed to be a major problem that could be researched further. The opportunities and challenges of each stakeholder were charted well and each group were not very aware of badges and their purpose. Credibility was discussed by using what came first the chicken or the egg. Some statements of participants were included in the report. These included the problem of whether the badge is symbolic, just for oneself or useful for external audiences. These could be researched further. The shallowness of some badges seems to be somewhat of a problem and should also be addressed in further research. That also has links to recognition and worth of badges.

One problem with the afterschool program was the fact that all participants received a badge, thus watering down the value of such a badge. The idea of motivation seemed to unlock more opportunities for students. The idea should be researched more in the future to prove value of such programs. Some thought a single badge would not provide ample motivation. It would be interesting to compare groups of students with and without badges, or complete systems of badges against sporadic uses not interconnected. Potential empowerment of badges seems to be contingent on value, fairness, availability, and opportunities of usage. Availability to show badges to socially or to valued educational or work-related entities, is a problem addressed by some students. This idea is sometimes in conflict with itself and should be addressed in further research.

 Teachers listed problems of integrating badges into existing practices and institutions. It would   take much research to resolve how this integration can come about in a creditable way.

Of all the problems, the one of credibility was addressed well but needs more research into how the value can be increased and how many obstacles can be overcome to incorporate this program into existing technologies. Also the three high schools used may not be enough of a cross section of schools to be a completely valid study. Many other studies need to be evaluated and compared and also the idea of open badging added to these studies.

How do badges fit into the goals and values of badge holders? This question was not addressed completely and needs to be assessed by laying goals and values alongside the completed outcomes of a badge program that is more than just a superficial summer program.

Despite limitations, this article provides a good starting point for educators and administrators to help design a summer badge program and to escape many of the problems beset in this article.  The author of the article points out the need of comparing many researchers and other programs to assess the best routes for the future.

References

Davis, K. & Singh, S. (2015).Digital badges in afterschool learning: Documenting the perspectives    and experiences of students and teachers. Computers & Education, 88, 72-83.

Lave, J. & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. New York:      Cambridge University Press.

EDUC 639 Blog 2 , Best Theory

References

Bonk, C.(2009). The world is open. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

EDUC629 Blog 2

EDUC 639 BLOG 2, Most Important Point Audio

Most Important Point

*Economics

Budgets

Ages of Teachers

Group planning

Badging

Audio  Interview

EDUC 629 BLOG 1

Blog Entry 1

Diverse backgrounds are one of the problems of meeting the needs of specific cultures. Barriers have been erected and need to be removed to achieve digital unity according to Soloman (2003). Those barriers include software, hardware, connectivity, quality content, access to educator expertise, and vision and change supported through technology. The digital divide has many factors that play into children with diverse backgrounds. These include economic background, language divides, special and individualized education, tribal and native community divides, methods of teaching and pedagogy divides, regional and national divides, and language and  technology literacy. In order to bring about unity, these divides and barriers have to eliminated or reduced. 

I am presently experiencing many of these difficulties in Rwanda, Africa, in a school for orphan children that I have started. These students are varied in age and background and all are illiterate in use of English and computer and electronic technology. Our students are in a computer classroom for two hours each day and are learning computer and program use during 15-30 minutes of each hour. The computer to student ratio is one to one and the teacher to student ratio is one to eight. All computers are online and attached to a central network. Resource finding is being taught and many lessons are integrated with English writing, reading, and speaking. We use much music and dance to integrate the common culture. That is integrated into technological use.

Our students are learning one new application a week and are grouped in groups of 3-4 to achieve projects which are integrated in network. Fluency is being taught and shared from student to student. All the students are engaged in teaching each other as lessons are all geared to practical and real situations in the students’ lives. Their teachers expect much and the students are very excited about their process of learning. We are starting to use multi-media, integrating writing, reading, listening, and speaking with video production, sound, graphics, and projection in our projects. Badges are given for each literacy that is learned both in English and in use of computer technology and use. Many games are being played on the computers as well as being made up by the students. Games are all used for teaching purposes. All obsolete machines are being phased out at the rate of six per semester.

The downfall of not enough English proficiency is one we are working on as we integrate new English fluency with practical, usable new projects. In this way many students are helping each other with problems and new language that is applied and integrated into computer usage.

We have one teacher that is an IT that works with each computer, printers, cameras, and projection equipment as well as wi-fi use. He also helps teach each new application and is developing a systematic approach to include all individual learners.

Overall, unity is never achieved if we do not include a Christian worldview. All our students know and experience God’s hands upon their life each day. There is a real unity of His Spirit in all the classrooms.

Reference:

Soloman, G., Allen,J., & Resta, P. (2003). Toward digital equity: Bridging the divide in education. Boston:                Allyn and Bacon.