DL+Technologies+-+Discussion+Summary

Grace, Bernice, Murray and Danny **
 * Distributed Learning Technologies **
 * Discussion Summaries

** DL TECHNOLOGIES - DISCUSSION SUMMARY: ** **Triggering Events** //Key questions identified for// //this// //topic/issue// //were as follows:// How to choose which LMS is best for one’s place of work, ie, vendor specific or Open Source? How is the changing role of the instructors from f2f to online delivery addressed by the institutions themselves? How do we address ‘digital divide’ and equitable access for all learners? How do we ensure both learners and instructors feel comfortable and confident in the use of these tools? How do we keep up-to-date with ongoing changes in technology?
 * ACCESS ISSUES **

**Exploration** The opportunities that were discussed focused on the abundance of technology tools available today. Trying to decide what tools to use is the first step however this is not an easy task with so many factors to consider. The primary challenges were staff resistance, specifically, the comfort level and skill set of the instructors using the technology tools and the need to get instructor buy-in. From the perspective of the instructor, ‘What’s in it for them?’ is a challenge that needs to be addressed. Support throughout this entire process is critical which includes ongoing and sustainable Professional Development and the necessary IT supports for students and instructors. Instructors need the time and the space to develop the necessary skills in order to utilize these technology tools effectively. ** Integration ** The recommendations and conclusions drawn from the discussion included looking at ways to get instructors to see the value in incorporating technology into the classroom, providing sufficient Professional Development for instructors that is sustainable and ongoing, and developing a collaborative/partnership approach between and amongst teachers, support staff (library, IT, curriculum), and Administration that is tied into the Professional Development. Another key recommendation that was noted from the discussion was getting support from Administration in terms of the incentives to get instructor buy-in. One suggestion brought forward was to implement a reward system as incentive for the instructors. In order for any of this to be successful, it is critical for Administration to recognize the value in ongoing support of the development, implementation, and maintenance of these technology tools and systems.

** Resolution/Application ** //How do you plan to apply these "lessons learned" to your final assignment or your own distributed learning context?// In order for any of these issues to be addressed and to be successful in the long term, a collaborative approach amongst all of the key players must be utilized which cannot be determined by one group. If Administration mandates that specific technology tools will be utilized within the institution, this cannot occur successfully without the commitment of support and resources.

**Key Resources** Block, J. (2010). Distance education and the digital divide: An academic perspective. // Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 13 // (1), 1-5. Nugent, J.S., Reardon, R.M., Smith, F.S., Rhodes, J., Zander, M.J. & Carter, T.J. (2008). Exploring faculty learning communities: Building connections among teaching, learning, and technology. // International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 20 // (1), 51-58. Website for Developing Faculty and Professional Learning Communities (FLCs): Communities of Practice in Higher Education, Retrieved from  []

** DL TECHNOLOGIES - DISCUSSION SUMMARY: ** **Triggering Events** //Key questions identified for// //this// //topic/issue// //were as follows:// How do we incorporate the technology available to us effectively? How do we bridge the generation gap between teachers and learners? How do we balance the use of technology with a curriculum driven by exam scores? Are students able to multitask and still achieve high levels of academic success? While technology can be used to communicate with students in regards to their academics, how do we ensure that they are not just using it purely for socializing? Is technology lending itself to more "surface" rather than "deep" learning?
 * VISION OF K-12 STUDENTS TODAY **

**Exploration** //Opportunities and challenges// //that were discussed were as follows:// Students are engaged socially but not necessarily intellectually. Schools were not designed to meet the changing needs of today's learners. Knowing how to use the technology is only one part. Students need to find a way to use technology for entertainment as well as intellectual pursuits. While older people may not be as good at multitasking as younger ones, this does not mean that today's kids are especially good at it. Trying to do two things at once is usually detrimental. One example included a cashier who had given a customer an extra $5.00 in change while she was multitasking (headphones on, texting on cell phone, plus working the cash register). ** Integration ** //Recommendations and conclusions// //drawn// //from the discussion// //were as follows:// A paradigm shift will be required if educators hope to give students what they will need for the future. Students need to be taught how to be responsible digital citizens and how to make good use of their time. Assessment procedures affect how students learn. These procedures should make the assessment relevant for the real world. ** Resolution/Application ** //How do you plan to apply these "lessons learned" to your final assignment or your own distributed learning context?// More research needs to be undertaken to determine the effectiveness in using tools such as the iphone, text messaging, etc. for academic purposes and the real gains that students acquire intellectually. For me, I’m not too sure about this. We often hear that the younger generation are technologically literate but what does that really mean? Also, to what extent are students really learning when they are multitasking? ** Key Resources ** A Vision of K-12 Students Today. Retrieved from [] Bowman et al (2009). Can students really multitask? An experimental study of instant messaging while reading. // Computers and Education, 54 // (4), 927-931

** CURRENT ISSUES WITH YOUR LMS/CMS DISCUSSION SUMMARY ** Bernice ** Triggering Event ** – // What are the // // key questions identified this week? // There were 2 main triggers in this thread. To determine what LMS systems my colleagues were using in their workplace and discover what issues they had found in using their LMS. Research by Meerts (2003) cited some challenges with using LMS's and I wanted to learn if these same issues were prevalent in 2010. Exploration ** – // What // // opportunitities // // and challenges were discussed? // Unfortunately, our colleagues gave many examples of their LMS issues and these seemed remarkably similar to those cited by Meerts in 2003. They spoke of the small number of vendors driving up the price of systems, the learning curve and length of time that instructors need to invest to fully utilize the technology. They also revealed frequent mergers of the big vendors - specifically Blackboard buying out competitors to expand their market which imposed issues of interoperability between systems. One higher education institution had been forced to change this year but she had a large IT team who would manage the transfer. I would imagine this would be a cost to the institution that may not have been intended when initial purchase was made.

There was some exploration of free open source LMS but it was noted that purchase of systems such as Moodle required an IT team that could focus completely on code development. It was also discovered that courses developed in Moodle do not port to other web authoring systems which does pose potential issues in a large organization that may be using several web authoring tools and desire to merge them to one Learning Content Management System (LCMS). A couple of other smaller open source systems were explored but no one seemed to have any experience with them except Norm who had recently attended a Google offering of their Cloud Course software.

Issues identified by Meert in 2003 don’t appear to have changed in 2010 despite the changes in technology Although there are free opens source LMS available, an organization needs to have their own IT experts to manage the system It was very clear that one needs to r  esearch LMS carefully and determine if you really need a full LMS/CMS system for delivery of online learning. The issues that Meert identified in 2003 were: The issue of content management and whether an LMS can improve teaching and learning were not discussed. One institution had directly experienced the increased monopoly in the market of LMS and could not report on the success of the transfer yet.
 * Integration ** – // What recommendations and conclusions can you draw from the discussion? //
 * interoperability - sharing of content between systems
 * content management - can materials be shared within institutions
 * cost - huge costs of LMS created by small number of vendors in the market, costs of IT support and system maintenance
 * assessment - do they improve teaching and learning on campus

** Resolution/Application ** – // How do you plan to apply these “lessons learned” to your final assignment or your // // own // // distributed learning context? // The LMS systems that are currently being used among my colleagues are very limited and several of the “big” vendors have been bought out in the last few years to create a very expensive monopoly. Since raising the discussion thread I have discovered that my organization does have an LMS and a LCMS but it is not the full blown system - it is one of the modules provided with our clinical system that is used in conjunction with our web authoring tool to track all our online course attendance.

** Key Resources ** Claroline website. Retrieved May 23, 2010 from [|http://downes.ca]

Downes, S. (2010) Stephen’s Web. Retrieved May 22, 2010 from [|http://downes.ca]

Google website: CloudCourse []

Landon, B., Henderson, T. and Poulin, R. (2009). // WCET’s Study: Peer comparison of course/learning management systems, course materials life cycle and related costs. // // Final Report. // Retrieved June 4, 2010 from []

Meerts, J. (2003) Course Management Systems (CMS). // EDUCAUSE // // Evolving Technologies Committee. // // October, 2003. // Retrieved May 24, 2010 from []

Sampson, D. (2009). Web Based Thinking Tweet. Open Source LMS: 10 Alternatives to Moodle. Retrieved May 24, 2010 from []

** DL TECHNOLOGIES ** **Triggering Events** //Key questions identified for// //this// //topic/issue// //were as follows:// · What tools define Web 2.0? · What Web 2.0 technologies have been used in the workplace? · What are the security issues related with Web 2.0 technology? · How are users responding to these technologies? · How are parents responding to the use of these technologies in K-12? · Is group and individual privacy and issue with Web 2.0 tools? **Exploration** //Opportunities and challenges// //that were discussed were as follows://
 * DISCUSSION SUMMARY: WEB 2.0 TOOLS **

A concern that was presented was possible lack of support by K-12 districts and administration with professional development and resources. Guidance by business superiors in the workplace needs to be part of the process. Educators and Learners also need the opportunity for increased discussion, engagement, motivation and communication. Marketing of the classes and programs is also created by the use of Web 2.0 Tools

**Integration** //Recommendations and conclusions// //drawn// //from the discussion// //were as follows://

Most participants agreed there should be some form of these tools used in the workplace or in school. The biggest challenge is how much and what to be used. Privacy and security is also an issue that must be dealt with. Each organization and/or school needs to deal with Web 2.0 on an individual basis. ** Resolution/Application ** //How do you plan to apply these "lessons learned" to your final assignment or your own distributed learning context?// This thread is directly related to the final project that I am working on. This has to do with youth and media - web 2.0 is a big part of that. With smart phones and social networking used so commonly among young people, the use of these tools need to be explored.

**Key Resources** Web Tools - Wikis, Blogs, Google Docs, Survey Sites, Websites: polleverywhere.com inkling.com www.weebly.com www.twitter.com http://socialstudiesweb2-0.pbworks.com/ http://shex.org/wiki/Collaborative_learning_technologies www.getjealous.com www.flickr.com www.sxc.hu