Tech Playtesting Assignment 3: Creativity Tools

Tech Playtesting Assignment 3: Creativity Tools

        

Introduction

For the Tech Play 3 assignment, we were asked to explore creativity tools that allows life wide and lifelong learners to create/produce fruits of one’s labors. In addition, these creativity tools are those that may include web-based or apps for tablet computers that a learner uses to produce technological evidence that can be shared with others. We were challenged with expanding our research and tech play to exploring and using apps that can be used on mobile devices. So, let’s dig in.

Nearpod

The first mobile creative technology tool that I explored is Nearpod. This is a software application that incorporates student engagement to all learning environments and includes a variety of technology platforms like tablets, mobile phones such as android and iPhone, to computer applications like Windows, Apple, and Google. Check out this overview video on How Nearpod works. This technology tool fully integrates with many other mobile applications and technology tools, mobile apps, learning management systems, and other software applications that allow for optimal uses and learning opportunities within many subjects. This tool allows for teachers and learners to engage in live lessons, student self-paced experiences, as well as in classroom learning engagements. As a teacher or student, I like this software application because it allows users to incorporate other favorite software application suites like Microsoft and Google to incorporate into this student engagement platform, which is a huge plus for everyone. In addition, it allows for learning environments to use virtual reality and gamification as well as interactive videos to assist students in engaging and interactive mobile learning experiences. Here is a video on How to Use Nearpod as a student - YouTube. One thing that seems to be a bummer, is that to fully unlock the full capabilities of this technology tool, is that either teachers (already underpaid and overworked teachers) must pay for this tool (via monthly or annual subscriptions) for their classrooms, or entire districts must buy-in to the purchase, and overall adoption of this technology application for students and teachers to use. On the other hand, school districts can add/purchase pieces of these technology features and/or resources of student engagement for grade levels, subjects, or even publishers or featured resources available for use within the Nearpod creativity student engagement technology platform. A huge plus is that individual students do not have to pay (via parents’ pocketbooks) to use these technology tools. Here is a video on HOW TO USE NEARPOD FOR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT! - YouTube. Overall, this technology tool is a great creativity tool for teachers and learners alike, to have an optimal teaching and learning, student engaged classroom using some of the latest technology resources available.

Vittle

Vittle is the next technology that I chose to explore as a creativity tool for all learners. This technology tool is a screencasting technology app that can be used by teachers and students alike. Vittle is a recording whiteboard (blank canvas) that allows learners to draw, sketch, annotate, and visually navigate or even guide through a topic of choice. The whiteboard is setup like a blank sheet of paper, where the user can create within that space whatever and however, they choose to, as the recording feature records the learners use of the technology in the background throughout the learner’s creative use of that space. It can be used to create a learning report or even a book report, where you can then submit and/or share your assignment/project with your teacher and/or others. Check out this video, Vittle - Kindergarten Farm Project - Vimeo, that provides one example of how even the youngest of learners and their teachers can use this app in the classroom. This tool allows life wide and lifelong learners to use this mobile technology platform throughout learning experiences. Users can use this digital creativity app to create evidence of learning and work (if you will), through the folio thinking process of collecting, selecting, connecting, and eventually reflecting on things and topics learned. Although it does operate like a recording whiteboard (because simply put, that is all that it is), the incorporation of a creative mind of the learner as well as embracing, exploring, and using the full capabilities of this specific technology (and then some), it enables learners to use this app as a blank canvas to create and produce from. Check out this example Vittle - Going Viral: Viruses, Replication and COVID-19 - YouTube. This learner incorporated her personal creativity, story-telling abilities, and simplistic looking, easy-to-follow originally drawn characters to create and produce a video, which became a visual representation of her learning in what may seem as a lower-level Bloom’s Taxonomy of integrating technology app, into a highest-level creation using this specific tool to work with. In addition, she indirectly was later encouraged, to reflect on her use of this specific easy-to-use technology tool by sharing with others just how she used such a simple technology tool, to create such stories or digital schoolbook chapters (if you will) etc. Check out the following videos Vittle - Easy How to Use the Flipped Classroom Teaching Method! - YouTube and Vittle and Screencasting Tips and Tricks - YouTube. In addition, check out the following video, which includes a lifelong learner in the area of emergency medicine to share knowledge and work life experiences with Emergency Medicine (EM) students at Vittle - EM Medical Students, Introduction to Evidence Based Medicine - YouTube. As a teacher or learner, I really like this technology tool specifically, because upon completing the process of creating and producing this work (i.e., high-definition video(s)), you own them, and maintain full control of your work moving forward, as well as can download/upload videos you created in the Vittles App to external hard drives etc. for future references and/or uses. Although there is a cost to purchase this app, it is reasonable (at this time), as you pay a one-time fee of $24.99 plus tax, to own the app and the teaching and learning projects that you, the user, creates, which is a huge plus for most any user. Other then that, there are endless learning possibilities afforded through using this technology tool from the various creative-minded persons who learn, explore, create, produce, reflect upon, and share projects designed with creative tools such as this one. Unfortunately, a lot of the time, users do not fully embrace, explore, and/or use specific mobile technology to their full capacity for a variety of reasons, such as Vittle, Microsoft, and Google products to name only a few.

Showbie

Showbie was the third creativity tool that I chose to research and tech play with. This is certainly a mobile app that can be used on tablet devices and other mobile devices like iPhones, but Showbie also has a web application that can be accessed on personal computers and Android devices as well, providing that you have an active internet connection. Check out this Showbie Web App on Xbox and PlayStation - YouTube.

Showbie describes itself as the modern “paperless classroom.” Using this app allows teachers and learners the ability to give feedback, share, and collaborate on work, assignments, and projects with features within the app that is right at your hands. Teachers can distribute instructional materials and instructions to students using this app. In addition, teachers can privately share feedback with individual students. This app allows for students and teachers to record verbal feedback quickly and easily, as well as voice notes. Check this out, Showbie in 3 minutes - YouTube. Within this app, there is space for learners to add individual work to ePortfolios, and they can also coordinate and organize their own individual portfolios. As a teacher, I like this creativity tool because this digital app can be used on many devices and across many subjects. As a learner, I would like this technology tool, because it is easy to use (Showbie Student Tutorial - YouTube), and it allows for quick feedback, it houses and facilitates a place for continuous addition of ones learning experiences to the portfolio area, which is a real bonus. In addition, from the perspective of the teacher and the learner, it integrates nicely with other technology tools. Check out this illustrated example of Explain Everything & Showbie in tandem! - YouTube. The only thing that teachers and learners may find daunting, is that there may be somewhat of a steep learning curve for some less tech savvy users or learn-by-doing kind of teacher or learners, which would then involve a bit of technical training and/or guidance, to make sure everyone using this tool is up to speed with the uses and features of the technology. Furthermore, for users to gain the full features of this creativity app, it will involve someone (users, school, or district…), to pay a monthly/annual subscription to fully adapt and use this creativity tool in the learning environments. All in all, this is one of many technology tools that affords users creativity, continuous interactive teacher/student engagement, and remote learning from anywhere.

Showbie affords teachers the ability to provide timely and valuable feedback to the learners. Showbie also allows the ability by the teacher and fellow classmates to collect, annotate, and share work, assignments, and projects within the class. Showbie application affords users the ability to organize and display student work in a variety of ways, such as by class, student name, or assignments/projects. In addition, as long as the instructors and students are online, this technology tool will keep you and students on the same online page. Because Showbie is accessible for mobile devices, it affords users and teachers the ability to stay connected and share feedback. In addition, Showbie affords all student-centered learning and engagement elements all retained within that software application, without much need to navigate outside of that online learning platform to take care of most classroom assignments, and engagements between the students and the teacher.

Student Work One

One example of student work that I would consider is during the properties of periodic table learning objectives area of the course (PK). Once the lesson was complete, I would have the students choose one element to research specific information on, and then write about that element from the periodic table using first person. I would give them instructions for them to include such as atomic number, symbol, neutral state, uses etc., in the “About Me Chemical” description document to use their chosen element how, and why their chemical element is where it is located on the periodic table (CK). I would have them use a presentation, word processing, or video application or program that integrates with Showbie (TK). I would also encourage them to use images, graphics, videos, or other digital components to enhance in their visual content assignment. Finally, once they have completed their digital assignment file, I would ask them to write a paragraph of reflection on that learning activity. When the students completed that assignment, they would upload that file into the designated assignment folder. Once the students have received feedback and their work is graded, I would request that they add that assignment to their portfolio area in Showbie. This is done by the student, by them clicking on the “gold star” to the right of the completed/graded work, which then labels this sample piece of the student work as a significant learning artifact that will now appear and be accessible for reviewing by student’s parents or others, as well as other selected items chosen by the student to appear within the portfolio area of the Showbie user interface.

Student Work Two

The second example that I would choose in a classroom environment with my students would be the same example from last week, which is the chemistry concept of Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory (VSEPR Theory), molecular geometry, and polarity (CK). For the assignment, I would ask them to work within a technology tool that integrates successfully the student engagement app “ShowBie.” Several examples of these technology apps include “Vittles” interactive whiteboard, “Explain Everything,” Google Jamboard, Microsoft Whiteboard, or even “TechSmith Capture” to name a few recordings, work/learn, and share software apps to explain the process/steps that you would go through to successfully draw Lewis structures for the following two molecules: water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2), or any other two comparable molecules, using and demonstrating the AXE method without using the chart. Then determine and evaluate the molecular geometry of each of the molecules above. Next, go back to the app store and use an app such as “PhET Simulations,” “Atomsmith Molecule Lab” or “Odyssey Polar Bonds – Molecules” to name a few, to further evaluate, compare, and contrast the above two molecules they drew in “ShowMe” (for example) for molecular polarity (TCK) as they are viewing these 3-D models side-by-side. Additionally, I would ask them to upload their videos (in this case) to their ePortfolios artifacts area in Google Sites, and write about the similarities and differences that you observed and evaluated in the second app, i.e., “Odyssey Polar Bonds – Molecules.” Finally, before submitting their work, I would ask them to reflect on the assignment, as they drew each of the two molecules, describing the process they used to determine whether the molecule was polar or nonpolar as well as the specific details (including the simulations about each molecule, and physical properties including melting, and boiling points etc., that they learned about each molecule. Incorporating two different purpose app technologies, method of instruction, and reflection piece to this assignment, used with my students would hopefully modify or even transform the learning process for the students in such new ways that without the use of or incorporation of technology into the assignment would not be possible or visually conceivable. Final instructions for the students would include asking them to submit their assignment to the designated folder within Showbie, and upon the return of these graded assignments, asking the students to consider selecting this work to include in their individual portfolio area within Showbie.

In Conclusion

Technology is ever evolving and vastly becoming integrated into pretty much everything we do throughout our daily lives. Because technology is now integrated into our daily living, we are all coming to realize that some of the best occasions for optimal learning environments for problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration are happening under consistent and continuous activities where everyone has technology tools in one form or another within the palm of their hands. It is important now, more than ever that we all become familiar with, gain knowledge about, and use a wide variety of creativity tools, because as opposed to learning environments of years past, where in academic environments getting “good grades” (if you will), were the priority. Now, there is an evolving focus of advancing, and excelling in academic endeavors, as well as in establishing a good job and career, a shift in perspectives of obtaining greater importance and focus towards having knowledge, experiences, and skills in being creative, using creative technology tools, as well as collaborating with others as an indicator for doing well, achieving more academically and in the workforce too. Change is an inevitable constant, with the importance of focus on developing the ability of learners to adapt to these fast-paced changes using creativity tools along with critical thinking, and problem-solving skills will be vital for everyone to keep up with our rapidly shifting world we live in and share.

Creative technology tools necessitate exchanges and connections that other tools do not offer or require. In addition, these tools, resources, and platforms allow life wide and lifelong learners the ability to delve into their individual abilities and capabilities. These newer and modern advances in educational technologies like the many creative tools including some of those I have briefly touched on above, offer learners more meaningful opportunities to identify creative sides to themselves as individual learners in ways that prior learning environments or limited numbers/uses of tools did not, and could not provide. It is with the use of creativity tools throughout ones learning in life, that we are now able to solve today’s world hurdles we all encounter each day, through deeper, more meaningful, connections, and collaborations by everyone.

As technology has evolved from my early-life, antiquated methods of instructions, teaching objectives, tools, and resources throughout my lifelong journey of learning, I have discovered that there are not very many technology tools that I have explored, used, worked with, or assisted others in, including those creativity tools that I was charged with tech-playing and learning about this past week, that I would not want to work with, use, or assist others in the use of for whatever the purpose. In fact, at this moment, I cannot recall any of the many creativity tools, that I play tested this week (many were not even commented on for this assignment despite in-depth explorations) where I had a specific dislike for, as a personal or professional user, or that I would not mind assisting my students with to use, and work with moving forward. If there were any creative tool that I did not like personally that would come to mind in the future however, I wouldn’t necessarily prevent my students from using those tools anyway, because every person is his/her own unique individual, and I would not want to discourage my students from exploring and using technology tools that they may personally and individually learn best from, benefit, and even excel in using through their learning experiences. I would consider each technology tool, as well as my group of learners before deciding what was optimal for my students and me, their teacher at that time.

Tech Playtesting Assignment 2: EPortfolio Tools

For the Tech Play 2 assignment, we were charged with exploring options of website creator, software app, and other for cost platforms that we will reflect upon as well as choose a specific platform to then begin setting up and creating our ePortfolios for this class, and for some as a program/graduation requirement. 

EPortfolio Tools, Apps, Websites, and Platforms?

SITE123 was the first site that I play-tested as a possible tool to use to create, update, and maintain an electronic portfolio. This site is straightforward, and it was designed as a do-it-yourself website creator. This site allows for drag-and-drop (similar to many other technological tools like Microsoft and Google applications) and other easily customizable features. This tool is intended for novice users who have no prior web design or HTML coding experiences. It has a multilingual user-interface. You can create an account using your Google account, which is convenient for users in that you don’t have to add yet another login password credentials to an ever-growing list of passwords that most people can’t keep up with. This definitely makes this website a plus for that reason. The user interface was easy to figure out and navigate. SITE123 allows access to a number of sections (Tabs, if you will) that you can customize and adjust the settings to those individual sections. This could easily be modeled and modified to be used as an online portfolio, but you would have to be proficient in “Folio Thinking” to fully satisfy the electronic portfolio as originally designed and intended. There are quite a few tools and plugins for features adjustments within the built-in templates that allow for customization and additional creativity. Additionally, they have image and icon libraries. They do offer a free version, which has limited storage space, and bandwidth. They offer multiple plan options, and the lowest monthly plan begins as $10.80 per month. 

Wix.com is the second site that I play-tested this past week. It is a pretty familiar website builder. It also allows you to create an account using Google or Facebook. This website builder has numerous templates including various ePortfolio choices including an optional wizard setup, called Artificial Design Intelligence (ATI, new to me), includes page prompts (if you will), and it does have a free trial plan. It is easy to use and setup and the user interface is straightforward and instinctive. It does have many robust features and tools that allow you to explore, be creative, and it includes guided tutorial message bubble tour navigation instructions as you work within the environment. The templates are user friendly to work with and modify. This platform allows for the owner to connect to their Facebook, twitter, and linked-in accounts and feeds. In addition, it allows for the use of and integrating a board array of other apps and widgets, which are pretty extensive. It does have a dashboard so that it is easy to adjust major settings and it also has a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor, which is user friendly. This site also uses “absolute positioning” (another new technology feature) that does make it difficult to change a theme of a website once you have originally used another theme to create the website you are make changes to. This website creator allows you to communicate with others using tools like an inbox, chat, contact, and even forms, which can be used to create a feedback page in your portfolio, so that is a nice feature. Wix has some many other features and tools that truly go beyond the scope of my play-testing this week. It also has Search Engine Optimization (SEO) abilities, which make it possible and easier for others to be directed/drawn to your website. Monthly plan option begins at $18.00 per month and if you purchase an annual subscription, then the next plan option is $14.00 per month, to be paid for annually. Overall, this site is more than adequate to be used to create and maintain an electronic portfolio. 

The third that I play-tested this week is Foliotek. This ePortfolio platform is one that I was introduced to well over five years previously with my work on the job at Dallas College (formerly DCCCD). This online site is designed and intended as an official ePortfolio platform. This software is user-friendly with a 1, 2, 3 steps easy to create process to setup your first ePortfolio. It affords new to “folio thinking” students the ability to follow specific page/content area prompts that guide students to document and reflect upon their showcased learning experiences and much more. Students can create an unlimited number of portfolios for a variety of required and/or optional projects. With this software platform, it provides the feature that enables students to copy for example, their already created “About Me” page from one portfolio and paste it into the newest created portfolio so that all the student needs to do is update experiences (say from one semester to another) to complete that copy/pasted “About Me” page for this newly created portfolio for another course, assignment, or purpose. This is a specific feature that I did not observe that the other two tools offered in relation to the creation of ePortfolios. Students who may not be computer savvy (not as many of these such students as a huge number of them have been born into the technology age, where they often help parents, teachers, and others better understand technology concepts and navigation 😊) would find this platform as user friendly as the other two above mentioned website creators. Faculty can use this platform to create/maintain their curriculum vitae as well as the individual progress in professional development, to name a few ideas. Unlike the others mentioned above, Foliotek provides assessment options and features that are built into their platform and they provide to academic institutions, including in our state, the University of North Texas, and others. Foliotek describes their interface as a “portfolio-based” interface that is an “information container.” Some of the many features afforded by using this platform are fully customizable homepage dashboard, an identity page, a “files” folder to collect, store, and organization your digital files that you work with and use in your portfolios. It has the user-friendly drag-and-drop feature as well as text placeholders, gizmo placeholders, and fully customizable and creative use to the design features. You can join and collaborate with others within communities, which also makes it nice for faculty who then would go directly to the community to review their “50 students’” portfolios that are all contained and easily accessible within the community. Otherwise, using such website builders as the two mentioned above, a faculty member (without some other integrated LMS) would have to be invited (if you will) to view students’ portfolios via an email link (times 50 students for example), which becomes time-consuming and tedious just for them to access the students’ work. This ePortfolio platform does offer a free trial, as well as additional purchase options including assessments for institutions. They also most recently offer reasonable multi-year plans to individuals. The have a two-year plan for $59.00, which is well worth the cost if you want to create and maintain the portfolio with the incorporated “folio thinking.” 

“Folio Thinking”

Creating portfolios whether paper (binder or book, if you will) or electronic (online cloud space/site to hold assembly of work), are an accumulation of work (student work, in this case), in a structured and organized fashion that allows the learner to collect items, proof, and experiences of learning. The learner can select items to show/share their proof of knowledge and skills. In addition, they can reflect on the things that they have learned as well as how they learn these things. Finally, they can connect with the things that they have just learned with those concepts they have previously learned over a period of time for example. The collection of this work overtime, now becomes visible evidence of the learner’s experiences, understanding, and talents…, that the portfolio owner can then draw upon those experiences to speak about with others with a retained lasting understanding of those experiences. 

Forms of Assessment

Quizzes are one form of assessment used is schools and they can be used to track the learning progress of students. They can evaluate the learning process of groups of learners throughout the progression of the learning process. Quizzes and even tests are used to measure (if you will) what knowledge (if any) that a student has learned and/or maintained since the beginning of the instruction in question, not much more than that. They do not take into account that some students do not do or learn well under pressure and/or time constraints. Homework fosters and develops discipline, study skills, and can promote learning. Presentations can be used to assess students’ knowledge of content, students subject matter preparations, and understanding of, as well as students comfort level as it relates to publicly presenting to the class. These above-mentioned forms of traditional assessment do not take into consideration the learners thinking and/or how they arrived at that knowledge and/or skills as well as how well the student retains that knowledge, information, or skills. I think that these forms of assessment require more responsibility and ownness from the teacher (if you will). Assigning a grade/number to a student for an assignment, test, presentation…, does not provide a clear indication of what and/or exactly how much the student knows about that content. Using ePortfolios to assess students learning requires more responsibilities from each student in that students’ take more individual ownership of the learning, what they learn, and how they learn. Digital portfolios make students thinking visible and make their learning process for the student an enduring lasting understanding of the content. In addition, using ePortfolios for assessments allows for not only the teacher to see the learning and growth of knowledge and skills, but it provides lasting insight to and for the student/owner of the portfolio.

As a learner pursuing a graduate degree, I know that expressing what I know and have learned about educational technology from my academic, professional, personal, and other experiences as well as providing proof of that learning through a collection of items I’ve created since the beginning of that program and beyond would be more relevant, meaningful, and important to me personally and professionally as I move on beyond my academic experience throughout the rest of my life. This will definitely prove more valuable to me than say a letter grade on a transcript, with little if any memory down the road of what I have done and/or learned when I was in graduate school. Having an electronic portfolio as a parting gift (if you will) upon graduating from graduate school will allow me, the learner, to continue to collect, select, reflect, and make connections from those learning experiences while I was in school to those I am learning in my career and beyond. Otherwise, simply having the graduate degree and letter grades on a transcript (without electronic portfolio included in the process), over time, those learning experiences may become blurred and limited (if you will) as memory fades with time.

Letters, Numbers, or Enduring, Meaningful Experiences

Frankly, it is difficult for me to imagine not using an ePortfolio throughout my higher education academic journey. Yes, I do prefer using portfolios as I continue my adventures of numerous learning experiences through graduate school. Fortunately for me, I have used and worked with portfolios in my job at the community college level, but unfortunately for students and fellow colleagues at that time, the district that we were working in wasn’t ready for this wonderful tool of, and for learning for its students for a variety of reasons. However, there were a good number of us (faculty, staff, and students) who continued to work with and use portfolios in our academic and professional journeys, which as truly , to observe/view these ePortfolio learners/users thinking becoming visible over time as they continued to add artifacts and learning experiences to their portfolios as they completed their degrees in that district and prepared for the entrances into the career paths of their choosing with a well-documented, visible representation of the knowledge and skills that they learned in while in school.

For me, I would rather have created, updated, and maintained an electronic portfolio in preparation of entering the workforce after college that I can not only share with potential employers, but my learning experiences, knowledge, thinking, and skills would be a visual (show me) representation of those skills and knowledge that I gained while in college as well as visually showing them how I arrived at those new skills and knowledge through the learning process. In addition, I have a debilitating spinal cord injury/condition that causes me excruciating chronic pain that affects my focus and concentration with every daily task, whether menial or complex, which may or may not respond well to the other forms of assessment as mentioned above, although I always do the best I can with, and through everything I do in life. As a result, I have learned to adjust accordingly, in the way I do things and how I do them. So, in the short-term and more important to me, the long-term, having created, updated, and maintained an ePortfolio throughout my academic, professional, and other experiences would be more meaningful for me as I continue my various journeys through life that I can revisit, reflect upon, and make deeper, purposeful connections throughout this life of experiences that I continue to go through.

Alternatively, simply sharing a printed resume (usually limited to one page, front-side only) would merely “tell” the prospective employer what knowledge and skills you have, and it would not “show them evidence” that you not only learned about those items, but you are able to replicate (if you will) those knowledge and skills, which they can clearly see when reviewing a prospective employee’s ePortfolio. For an employer, it is a greater risk (if you will) to hire a person based solely off a paper resume, and one, maybe two interviews as they would have to “take a chance” on that person by hiring them and paying them to do the job that their resume stated that they could do (skills and knowledge). It would be far more valuable and important to me, the recent graduate job seeker (for this example) and the employer as well to have a digital portfolio that would share and provide “visible evidence” of the job seeker’s knowledge and skills before the employer hires that individual/me. This way, the employer is able to “try it before you hire it” (it, being the knowledge and skills that were demonstrated via digital artifacts, maybe video evidence in this case of that prospective employee). 

Portfolios, Electronic or Paper

Physical/Paper Portfolios are a start and have many benefits that include 100% ownership of the content in it, the way it looks, who it is shared with, as the owner, you have complete creative control, structure, organization, and overall visual appearance of how it is laid out and setup. The owner controls what and how many items that are included in the physical portfolio (if you will) Overall, this physical/print portfolio is more cost effective as paper, writing utensils, tape, binders, dividers…, will not break the bank to purchase and maintain continued work on the physical portfolio.

Physical/Paper Portfolios over time, however, are more difficult and time-consuming to update and depending on the physical size of the book/binder (and other supplies), the owner is then limited to that number of pages (unless they choose to purchase a second, third “volume” book/binder) to continue the portfolio. There is limited time and place the owner can update and maintain the portfolio since it is a physical representation, and it can only be in one place at any time (at the owner’s home where it probably is stored between updating and physically bringing to locations and people to view). This leads to another disadvantage, which is the antiquated method of the learner’s collection of artifacts, there is the question of where and how to store and preserve the portfolio, and if this method of collection of learning experiences is continued, it becomes difficult to store a large collection of physical binders/books (what if the was a fire in storage location even), and the possibility of losing such a wealth of evidence of learning that cannot be duplicated and/or retrieved (if you will). In addition, physical/paper portfolios become bulky, cumbersome, and difficult to share with others and the owner would need to physically carry portfolio everywhere they wanted to show/share his/her evidence of learning (maybe at a job interview as an example). Also, over time, the owner’s physical portfolio becomes brittle (if you will), and eventually there becomes a breakdown of paper used, glues, tapes, ink fades, and depending on the location of storage, there is a possibility of unwanted critters satisfying their appetite on your invaluable, nonreproducible body of skills, understanding, reflections, and evidence of learning and work. They are not inclusive for people with disabilities (if you will), blind persons, color-blind individuals to name two. As for a reviewer of one’s physical portfolio, unless the owner is well organized and structured within the creative and collection phase of the portfolio, it could be very time-consuming for the reviewer to view the portfolio and/or locate specific artifacts of learning, and therefore cut short the review of the material being shared, which I’m sure would be frustrating for the physical portfolio owner and the person tasked with reviewing it.

In contrast, electronic portfolios are easily accessible providing the owner/creator has a form of computer and an internet connection. Other than the limits and/or constraints of the host site or portfolio provider, there are minimal limits to how many artifacts you place into your portfolio. Electronic portfolios are available (once published by the owner) to anyone at any time 365 days a year. The owner can quickly choose and control who to share the portfolio with (specific users and/or publicly accessible). Electronic portfolios with continued modern advances with technology, a portfolio reviewer can navigate via electronic search quickly and easily to the area and/or artifact requested or desired for reviewing, which saves time and then the reviewer can better focus on material asked to review by the portfolio owner…. Electronic portfolios are accessible and inclusive for all users including those with visual disabilities…. These portfolios are digitally enduring in that those people who owner’s portfolio has been shared with at any time is available, live, and current, even when the owner adds content shortly before the reviewer opens it up to explore your content.

Electronic portfolios do have some drawbacks (like most everything). The technology is only as good as the provider, sources, and maintenances of that technology. Technical difficulties do and I imagine will always happen. Using and storing anything online including electronic portfolios, there is always a chance that the data/information you put online will not be secure. With all use of technology, there is the possibility that your material can be infringed upon by malicious people and/or groups. Technology is ever evolving, and it is a daily struggle (if you will) for users to keep up with the updates and improvements to the software applications that are being used, which includes the sites and/or software applications that are used to create and maintain electronic portfolios. So, there is an inevitable growing learning curve when it comes to keeping up with the technical skills necessary to create, update, and maintain your electronic portfolios. Also, when the owner is creating and maintaining electronic portfolios on the world wide web, there becomes a chance that their digital forms of learning including images, videos, writings, and others may become victim to plagiarism and copyright laws. These are a few disadvantages of using technology that electronic portfolios are subject to. So, choose your digital portfolio provider wisely and make sure that these options are not overlooked when selecting primary features for your electronic portfolio.

Considerations for Students

When choosing a portfolio platform for someone other than myself, i.e., students in my class, I would quite possibly choose a different tool than I chose for myself. Reflecting on past academic experiences attempting to adopt new technologies for the classrooms, I personally would not begin to rely on my school district to direct (if you will) that part of my classes (and others). I would take initiative, and consider my immediate sphere of influence, which would be the students in my class(es) only. I would also want to choose a tool that would be a best fit for my classroom users in relation to the subject matter and content being taught, students’ proficiency in using basic technology as well as choosing a potential tool that will afford us to quickly overcome two major obstacles commonly experienced in learning, which is time and money. There are a variety of factors involved in this process including the cost to the student/family, intended purpose of the portfolio for the students, ease of use, features that are afforded depending on the website creator or ePortfolio platform, and the customization abilities to name some main considerations. I primarily at this time, work with dual credit students (junior and seniors), and first- and second-year college students, so my initial thoughts of tool to select would be Google Sites. I would choose this tool because, with my knowledge and experiences working with these students as well as those of my many young nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews who are at various stages of their primary education and the primary technology tools for the majority of them at this time is the adoption of Google Suites, which would work well for ePortfolio creation using these technology skills that they have all become very proficient in and would require very little time (if any) to train them on the use of yet another Google product like Google Sites. Additionally, there is no additional cost or huge learning curve associated with the use of incorporating Google Sites into their technology tools. As a teacher, working with students, who all struggle with finding enough time in a day to do assigned tasks…, we could save time needed to train them how to use the tool, and just dive into the assigned project and using the Google Sites tool to proceed with the assigned work at hand, which complements nicely with all the other Google applications they have already learned to use in school up to now. The only remaining and extremely important obstacle to overcome in the process of choosing Google Sites, as the teacher, since Google does not include and/or foster the “folio thinking” aspect of that tool being used to create online portfolios for my students, I would need to take some additional time to create additional guided learning and “folio thinking” prompts to the instructions so that the students would completely and thoroughly be embracing the “folio thinking” aspects of those learning experiences, which are valuable additions to their learning as they work with their portfolios. 

Generated Examples (SAMR & TPACK)

The first example I chose is for the subject matter of chemistry the concept of chemical nomenclature (C), which involves the naming of compounds and writing chemical formulas for substances. The process of chemical nomenclature is often difficult in that the students must take recently learned lessons on this topic, with the idea that they have now developed those skills, knowledge, and a deeper understanding necessary to use the given information to then go through the process of either name compounds or write formulas for compounds. In order for students to demonstrate this, I would have them use an app such as “ShowMe” interactive whiteboard, “Doceri,” “Educreations,” or even “TechSmith Capture” to name a few recording, work/learn, and share software apps to explain the process/steps that you would go through to successfully name a compound or write a chemical formula using the IUPAC Nomenclature Chart and periodic table given/shared during class (TCK). In addition, I would ask them to identify and classify the (five) types of chemical compounds (PCK), to then use two examples for each type to name the compound. Finally, I would ask them to upload their videos (in this case) to their class ePortfolios in Google Sites, and write a paragraph reflecting on that assignment (hopefully, nudging closer to TPACK). Upon completing this assignment, the students would be showing me, the instructor, what it visually looks like when they know and understand that concept. This assignment specifically (when done completely and successfully), makes the students’ “thinking” visible to them as well. This is more meaningful as a form of assessment because it helps the students make deeper connections to not only the newly learned skills and knowledge of that concept, but also how they used critical thinking to draw those conclusions throughout that learning process where they can then be mindful of these affordances as they move on to the next course, and so on for the remainder of their academic pursuits. Incorporating the technology, method of instruction, and reflection part to this assignment in the classroom with my students would certainly augment the understanding process for the learners.

The second example that I would choose in a classroom environment with my students would be the chemistry concept of Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory (VSEPR Theory), molecular geometry, and polarity (CK). For the assignment, I would ask them to use an app such as “ShowMe” interactive whiteboard, “Doceri,” “Educreations,” or even “TechSmith Capture” to name a few recording, work/learn, and share software apps to explain the process/steps that you would go through to successfully draw Lewis structures for the following two molecules: water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) using and demonstrating the AXE method without using the chart. The determine and evaluate the molecular geometry of each of the two molecules above. Then go back to the app store and use an app such as “PhET Simulations,” “Atomsmith Molecule Lab” or “Odyssey Polar Bonds – Molecules” to name a few, to further evaluate, compare, and contrast the above two molecules they drew in “ShowMe” (for example) for molecular polarity (TCK) as they are viewing these 3-D models side-by-side. Then, I would ask them to upload their videos (in this case) to their ePortfolios in Google Sites, and write about the similarities and differences that you observed and evaluated in the second app, i.e., “Odyssey Polar Bonds – Molecules.” Finally, I would ask them to reflect on the assignment, as you drew each of the two molecules, describing the process you used to determine whether the molecule was polar or nonpolar as well as the specific details (including the simulations about each molecule, and physical properties including melting, and boiling points etc., that you learned about each molecule. Incorporating two different purpose app technologies, method of instruction, and reflection piece to this assignment used with my students would hopefully modify or even redefine the learning process for the students in such new ways that without the use of or incorporation of technology into the assignment would not be possible or visually conceivable. Having students use a digital portfolio to reflect on such above-mentioned learning experiences allows them to hopefully develop a deeper understanding of the concepts being taught, as well as encouraging them to understand how they think about those learning opportunities such that their focus may shift to a better understanding of one, the concepts being taught, but also the thinking involved in arriving at the information and/or conclusions…. These types of assessments afford students a more meaningful learning experience as they begin to explore within themselves a deeper understanding of their individual “thinking” as they learn and have lifelong experiences moving forward. These types of experiences foster a more enduring and lasting understanding of what they have learned and how they learned those things as opposed to say multiple choice, true false, simple presentations, memorization of information (retained usually for short-term memory only), or even essays in general. Assessing students work, knowledge, and skills using ePortfolios encourages providing a more comprehensive understanding of how you learn what you learn, as well as provides a place of documenting your individual “thinking,” which becomes visible to the learner and those with whom their ePortfolios are shared with.

In Closing

In summary, using ePortfolios for learning are a valuable collection of visual representations of items that the portfolio owner selects personally which items (of many learning experiences) to display and share (privately and/or publicly) throughout their progress in school (even other life experiences they draw upon), that they would reflect upon as they continue their journey of life long and wide learning experiences. Finally, they can make meaningful connections from past experiences (academic, professional, and personal…) with those newer and most recent experiences of learning to then speak intelligibly about them to others including future generations.

 

Tech Playtesting Assignment 1: Blogs

Ponder. Write. Publish Web Blog.

Blogs are a condensed/combined term that refers to a "Web log." Blogs can be considered a modern form of journaling that is published online via the internet. Through the years, blogs have developed personal journals and diaries, too often used technology tool for online publishing of hobbies, certain topics, and subject matter posts, to community, group, family, library, educational, and many other wide arrays of topics and venues to distribute information online. Blogs often originate from a single author to some platforms that include the voices of multiple authors who collaborate (if you will) on a particular topic of interest. Blogs are created with the use of technology via software programs that are fairly easy to use and only a bit more advanced than your average email programs. Software programs for blogging including the following, which I have taken some time to explore including Blogger, Wix, WordPress, and Tumblr just to name a few are popular blog sites. These four blogging sites just mentioned offer very basic blogging features including templates, easy to use, with similar editing spaces that you can customize as well. Unlike mainstream large scale public websites, these blogging sites are created and published by individual people who can be as creative as they like (within the limits of the software platform users choose) as they express themselves, hobbies, interests, communities….

Using blogs, depending on the software and its available feature for that platform of choice, users can include images, videos, text, and other digital links and files, which differ from vlogs (video logs), and glogs (graphics logs) in that medium is videos specifically or graphics, respectively. Discussion boards are like blogs however they allow for cooperative and collaborative interactions via the reply feature by users. In addition, these replies/comments/responses/questions to initial threads where these replies…, are nested under the original post and they can all be grouped together. Blogs, however, are not conducive to those types of interactions between users, mainly because in general, the focus of a blog is the bloggers message and limited comments are allowed.

It is important to note that using any technology, additional technology tools within those software platforms are enabled based upon the subscription one chooses/purchases/upgrades. In general, however each of these blogging sites mentioned above (as well as others) have free versions of the software with limited features such as the WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editors, templates, layouts, and other minimal settings and features that will be perfectly acceptable for using in the classroom.

Blog Learning Experience

This experience for me as a learner (surprisingly, known for being a proficient tech-savvy user) has been an extreme and intimidating (if you will) one in that we were being asked to learn about blogging technology tools, select one to move forward and use as we learn and incorporate our learning about using technology (such as blogs) including the SAMR and TPACK Models as it relates to our teaching of our academic career subject matter. This is daunting to say the least, but thankfully, I am up for the challenge (this one learning experience being a more difficult one to overcome). This week in my exploration of blogs, I have noticed as a learner (in the moment) as well as a technology user, support resource, and educator that there are lots of things to consider when using blogs and incorporating them into the learning environments. As a learner/user, when I researched blogs, one thing stuck out primarily in my mind which was for the (future) learners in that I wanted to make sure that the specific software blogging site I choose has an easy user-interface, it is free and/or very affordable, and the specific features that the blog site offered to its adopters/users if I chose their application in my journey through becoming a blogger. As a technology support person and an educator, I wanted to make sure that the blogging site had a very user-friendly authoring interface and that I, the educator, wouldn’t have to spends droves of time (which there isn’t ever enough of in the first place for us all) that would interfere with the students time to learn subject matter, but that we just maybe do a quick technology tips session guide and prompt the students on the introductions of this technology tool, do’s and don’ts, and some helpful tips before we dove into the “using of the blog” to incorporate it into the subject matter learning. Sometimes I feel as a user, learner, and teacher that if the technology being used in the learning environment is not very intuitive, then the learners focus inadvertently gets redirected to the learning of and struggle of the software application instead of using it to learn and maintain focus on the learning of the subject matter. Thinking of this experience this week, reading and reflecting on even my fellow classmates and them working with their students of a wide variety of age and grade levels, I can imagine the priority shift and balance between learning the subject matter they are teaching/learning with their use of blogs, in this case. As an avid user of technology in every aspect of my life, when I am working with others beit my family (who are not all tech savvy), friends, students, and co-workers, my thoughts are to make sure that when using the technology in whatever the person is using it for in the classroom, at grocery stores, in our homes…, that the learning curve isn’t huge or intimidating for them, that then adversely affects the focus of learning material and subjects, purchasing items and goods, or whatever the original intended purpose and use that the technology tool was plugging the benefits of adopting/purchasing. Even more difficult in the learning environments and institutions specifically is the often lack of involving the end-users (teachers mainly, and students) in the decision making process when seeking out newer technologies needed to improve the learning process, workloads, and work processes…. These were just some of the things that I was pondering/juggling with this week as I learned about blogs, choosing the technology tool, using blogs for given assignment, how to support learning, and others. Also, the thoughts came up for me as the learner doing this assignment this week, and the guidance, learning prompts, and “choice” of the learners to select whichever blogging site software application that we want to. On that note, my thought shifted to you, Dr. Dondlinger), the professor and how this decision affects  how you, the teacher will review and grade this assignment from us by each of these individually chosen “blogsites.” In conclusion, the struggle, juggle, and balance is daunting and real.

Blog Learning Experience Affordances

Once the learner (me…) has persisted through the choice of, and learning process of the online blogsite content platform, then the learner begins to proceed through the experience/assignment at hand. Blogs allow learners to have an online published site where they express their creativity through their individual writing through journaling for example, or assignment. It also allows students to have and maintain an online visual artifact of their learning experiences, whether they are personal, academic, or even in preparation for professional that can be access from anywhere in the world providing that the learner and/or reviewers have a successful internet connection. This tool of blogs allows students to document, publish, and ultimately trace their journey of learning through their time and experiences in academia (if kept up, even beyond) for future use and reference. They can own these experiences as well as to store, review, update, collect and share these experiences as testimonies of their learning not only with the teacher, but parents, friends, job searches, or anyone for any reason, which is great. Continued advances in technology make this possible which is a transformation in and of itself for all users. If technology like the internet and blogs were not available, over time, students would not otherwise be able to document, store, review, collect evidence… of their learning experiences. In fact, this lifelong learner, me, in my formative learning experience did not have any technology to use within the classroom and through the years, my parents or me never “saved” the physical evidence of my education. (Global reflection) So when I look back at my early education years followed by those I have experienced (as a student, tutor, mentor, teaching assistant, technology trainer, and teacher) vicariously of my nieces/nephews, classmates, and colleagues, up to today, I can say that the droves of technology introduced through the years since 1970 for example, there is no doubt that learning experiences and environments have truly and optimally been transformed and completely redefined by the vast amounts of technology being used in conjunction with the “lessons/classes/subjects of learning” through time.

TPACK

This year I am not teaching classes, but the content that I would address is science and technology in general. The content and student learning outcomes in general chemistry I & II we addressed.

As mentioned in week 2 discussion, in 2004, I was working at Eastfield College as Science Learning Lab Coordinator where I taught high school chemistry and prepared experiments for our college level chemistry experiments. My colleague and I wrote and were awarded a Hewlett Packard (HP) Technology Grant in Chemistry. Back then, in general, teaching chemistry with the use of technology was not common. As a result of being awarded this HP Technology Grant in Chemistry, my chemistry faculty colleague and I wrote experiments for CHEM-1411 course (12 experiments) as well as CHEM-1412 (12 experiments). Hewlett Packard gave our chemistry department 24 laptops, and our college purchased LabWorks, chemistry computerized interface (including: conductivity probes, colorimeter probes, temperature probes, gas pressure probes, pH sensor probes, voltage probes).

The benefits of using MBL include, improve other abilities like interpretation of graphs, comparing data upon collecting data from everyone per experiment, integrate graphs. as well as contribute to higher order learning skills by incorporating equipment mentioned above. Experiments can then be repeated quickly, which allows for the collection of more data to be analyzed. Using this type of technology equipment in college affords the modeling (if you will) of how experiments are done in research laboratories. This method allows students to study maybe four reactions safely and quickly per day as opposed to the traditional manual methods offered in chemistry labs. In addition, these experiments affect students’ perceptions and interpretations of those experiments as well as those done in other environments. Students can view this data obtained in such experiments in new ways that in turn, increases their understanding of the subject, chemistry in this case. Students become interested and motivated to do the experiments as they make connections during experiments using this technology, and it assists them in beginning to think critically during and after these experiments about chemistry. When chemistry experiments in college are done without the aforementioned technology and equipment, students rarely comprehend and/or make “big connections” during the experiments.

When doing the above-mentioned experiments within our chemistry labs as we incorporated the technology of the LabWorks digital probes and sensors, this allows a higher level of thinking from our students as the technology used transformed the way we learned the chemistry objectives within lab. The students were able to analyze the data they obtained from the experiments, to then take the data, collect and combine all the data where they could then review this combined data to propose addition questions, improve their understanding of their increasing knowledge of chemistry that they were able to formulate from the reports they wrote in conclusion of each week’s experiments.

As for the pedagogy, I have learned what I use from outstanding educators that I had when I was a student at Richland College. It was there, in one role or another, (i.e. – student, student assistant, scribe, tutor, instructional specialist, lab coordinator to name some…) through the years since I began higher education in 1996 through today (prior to “corporate” overall and restructuring of DCCCD) that faculty modeled successful, optimal, and some even innovative approaches to teaching and learning at the time. The methods they used in their classrooms and the way that they interacted and engaged the students was such that it fostered practicing critical thinking, problem-solving necessary to be successful learners, not only within their course to learn the subject they were teaching, but then the students became better equipped use those strategies moving forward in other classes and subjects. They truly modeled and fostered those approaches to learning (anything), that students left that college upon completion of their academic requirements as lifelong learners that continues in other aspects of their lives to this day including in their careers.

Finally, the technology used in our chemistry courses during the above-mentioned example, was a valuable asset to these learning experiences as I reflect on my numerous biology and chemistry courses as a student in that same college district prior the incorporation and use of technology and it is eye-opening. I even thought about when I took those science courses as a student then, that I fully grasped the concepts of the topics we covered in those labs compared to years later when I start working in the same district (another campus, Eastfield) and we wrote, created, and maintained the chemistry experiments with the incorporation of the technology. I had several occasions during the later experience at Eastfield helping my faculty colleague facilitate those digital based chemistry experiments and I had several times where I had additional “lightbulb moments” regarding the chemistry concepts that I “thought” I already knew/learned. This was directly accredited to the technology that obviously I was unable to see/understand years prior to that even in an outstandingly awesome (very limited technology used at that time) chemistry learning experience. Technology genuinely made a difference. This is amazing to me. These were such wonderful experiences, educators, and combined with the later incorporated technology that contributed to this student’s higher order of thinking through those lifelong experiences!

Obstacles

Through this learning experience, I have recognized the technology blog online content platform learning-curve for the students, but not at all outweighing the benefits of using blogs in the learning experiences. In addition, time it may take to learning the blogsite user-interface (not enough of it) could be an obstacle. The assignment of learning blogsites incorporated with the SAMR and TPACK learning topics of the week helped me visualize ways that using blogs in the classrooms would be optimal for the students, not only their learning of the content for that term/semester but moving forward in future academic courses and beyond.

With the use of technology, the guidance from the professors/teachers who create and facilitate the learning experiences, and openminded, eager, and willingly learners will definitely increase the level of higher-level critical thinking skills that could not otherwise been afford without the use of technology. Case in point. I worked it out!