The Future of Educational Technology

     The future of technology in education is only as limited as one's imagination. The possibilities for learners and educators are endless if they are willing to explore and go beyond the traditional practices. While hurdles exists for adoption they can be overcome.  In Adult Learning in the Information Age (Laureate Education, 2011) Dede stated, "...the workplace is dramatically changing because of information and communication technologies" (p. 4). My journey in exploring various emerging technologies in education led me to several tools that I can leverage in my professional practice.  I have selected the following three tools from my classmates to add to my toolkit.

Karma Tycoon - www.karmatycoon.com

     Karma Tycoon is an online strategy game that focuses on solving community issues (such as poverty, homelessness and mental health) through an organization (Purposeful Games, 2007). Kurt W. introduced this game that encourages learners to look at the factors that cause these issues and discover ways to combat and solve them. I selected this game for use in my professional practice because of its unique focus on community and social issues.  I can envision incorporating this into executive leadership courses along with my support of middle management.   Community is important in my organization and I believe key stakeholders could benefit from this activity.

Gamification - www.pewinternet.org/2012/05/18/the-future-of-gamifciation

     Gloria N. shared this site that highlights the top 10 technology trends for 2012 which includes gamification. This resource shares a wealth of information that provides options for further exploration related to this technology.  I selected this technology as it is a great way to keep learners engaged and reinforce key concepts. In my professional practice, it will be used in a variety of my courses especially those that focus on products and operations.  I will also use it for collaboration activities in my leadership courses.  The options are endless in how this technology can support learning.

Digital Citizenship - www.teachinctrl.org/

     Digital citizenship is an important topic that is often forgotten about in this technology age.  As an adult educator, it is critical that we introduce and remind our learners of the importance related to digital citizenship. Natasha N. shared this site that assists educators in facilitating these topics with learners.  I selected this tool because it provides the content in lessons.  These lessons span from communication and collaboration to media literacy (InCtrl, 2016). I will incorporate this tool into my professional practice with my work with managers and coaches. Some of the lessons will be directly included in their curricula while other topics available would be provided as supplemental reading for professional development.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011). Adult learning in the 
     information age. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Neal, Natasha (2016). Educational technologies. Retrieved 
     from https://nnealblog.wordpress.com/2016/12/08/technologies-related-to-
     digital-citizenship-ethics-and-netiquette/.

Nuckles, Gloria. (2016). Gloria nuckles. Retrieved
     from http://gloriajnuckles.blogspot.com/2016/11/week-2-blog-assignment.html.

Purposeful Games. (2007). Karma Tycoon – About the game. Retrieved
http://purposefulgames.info/post/18006475665/karma-tycoon.

Teach InCtrl. (2016). Teaching digital citizenship. Retrieved 
     from http://www.teachinctrl.org.

Watkins, Kurt. (2016). Re-examining educational technologies. Retrieved  
     from http://kurtwilkinsedtech.blogspot.com.au/.

Digital Citizenship, Ethics, and Netiquette Technologies

     Digital citizenship is an important protocol for users in this technology age.  Being responsible and behaving appropriately are key elements for using technology available today.  These elements span across all ages from children to adults.  Nine themes of digital citizenship were identified.  They include digital access, commerce, communication, literacy, etiquette, law, rights & responsibilities, health & wellness, and digital security (Ribble, n.d.).  There are many technologies that exists to support these themes.  I will explore technologies related to digital etiquette and digital security.

     Digital etiquette, also known as netiquette, are guidelines that dictate desired behaviors when communicating on the internet (Robyler & Doering, 2010).
     BrainPOP (brainpop.com/technology/digitalcitizenship) is a website that was founded by a pediatrician who felt that children needed a digital resource to help them understand difficult subjects.  While this site covers a variety of subjects one of its core focuses is on digital etiquette.  Topics include online safety, email and IM, social networking, and cyberbullying (BrainPOP, n.d.).  I chose this site due to the unique approach that has been chosen to deliver these important topics to learners.  It is extremely engaging.  The activities include a short movie, quiz, challenge, and additional activities. The site also provides a special section for educators to help facilitate the use of these tools in the classroom.
     While the target audience of the site is children, the information available and how it is presented can be easily used by adults.  As a result, I would incorporate this site into my professional practice as a reminder that digital etiquette exists and should be followed.  I would also challenge learners to identify instances where they have encountered challenges to digital etiquette and how they overcame them.

     Digital security focuses on the precautions required to guarantee the users safety on the internet.  As responsible users, it is necessary to protect our information from outside forces that could cause harm or disruption (Ribble, n.d.).  This includes virus protection and overall internet security.
    McAfee (www.mcafee.com/consumer/en-us/store/m0/catalog.html?) offers a variety of products that include internet security, anti-virus protection, and total protection which includes both. This protection includes encryption software, parental controls, anti-SPAM, secure password key, safeguards identity and online transactions, permanently deletes sensitive digital files, and protection of all devices with one subscription (McAfee, 2016). Users can download the subscription online or purchase the software at a variety of retail locations.
     I chose this technology due to its ability to protect users information in multiple ways along with its ease of use.  In my professional practice, internet and data security are managed internally.  However, it is still important for us to educate learners about the pitfalls of SPAM and opening suspicious emails.  An educated workforce only further minimizes the risk to the organization.



References:

BrainPOP (n.d.). Digital Etiquette. Retrieved December 6, 2016,     

     from https://www.brainpop.com/technology/digitalcitizenship/

McAfee (2016). Intel Security. Retrieved from

     https://www.mcafee.com/consumer/en- us/store/m0/catalog.html?

Ribble, M. (n.d.). Nine elements: Nine themes of digital citizenship. Retrieved May
     30, 2012, from http://www.digitalcitizenship.net/Nine_Elements.html
Roblyer, M. D., & Doering, A. H. (2010). Netiquette: Rules of behavior on the

     Internet. Retrieved from http://www.education.com/reference/article/netiquette-

     rules-behavior-internet/

Open and Distance Education Technologies

    Open Education includes resources that provide materials to supplement education that can be freely accessed, reused, and shared at no cost (Downes, 2011). Distance education refers to formal education where the learner and teacher are not physically in the same location during the acquisition and sharing of knowledge. The defining characteristic of distance education includes the separation of student and educator in time or space (Merriam, Caffarella, & Baumgartner, 2007). Technology is used to link the educator, learners, and resources (Laureate Education, 2009b). There are many technologies that support open and distance education.  Let's explore YouTube and web conferencing.

     YouTube is a video hosting service that is accessible to users at no charge. It includes educational videos, video clips, and audio recordings. Users can view, upload, share, and comment on videos.  The site provides videos on a wide variety of topics ranging from music to home repairs.  In order to upload videos users must register on the site however anyone can view the videos.  While most videos are provided by general users some media outlets also use this service to share their material. I selected this technology due to its ease of use and mass popularity along with its global access to share information at no cost.  YouTube would be incorporated into my professional practice by having learners search topics relevant to existing course content as well as create and post videos specific to their course study. Open education allows it users to leisurely explore as much as they would like for free (Bonk, 2009).  

     Web conferencing is an online collaborative service that provides another forum in which learning can occur at a distance in real time.  Voice and video can be shared simultaneously using this medium providing a level of personal interaction between the educator and learners.  Web conferencing is primarily used for training events, meetings, presentations, and lectures.  It is a forum that comes closest to mirroring a traditional classroom where learners and educators can interact real time and provide immediate feedback.  Today, online learning is a primary form of distance education.  Society has grown significantly in its acceptance of this type of education (Laureate Education, 2009c).

     I selected web conferencing due to its similarities to a traditional classroom while bringing learners together that are geographically dispersed.  This technology would be incorporated into my professional practice to deliver virtual sessions to accommodate learners in various locations.  In addition, specific content topics would be covered using this medium to deliver impactful learning in small sessions.

     
References:

Bonk, C. J. (2009). The world is open: How web technology is revolutionizing 
     education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. 

Downes, S. (2011). Free learning: Essays on open educational resources and 
     copyright. Retrieved from http://www.downes.ca/files/books/FreeLearning.pdf
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009b). Distance education: The
      next generation. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009c). The future of distance
     education. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Merriam, S. B., Caffarella, R. S., & Baumgartner, L. M. (2012). Learning in
      adulthood: A comprehensive guide. John Wiley & Sons.

Games, Simulations, and Virtual Environments for Learning

     The use of games, simulations, and virtual environments by adults has grown tremendously over the years and still continues to be considered a popular form of entertainment. In 2009, video games surpassed Hollywood movies in annual sales (Barab, Gresalfi, &Arici, 2009). It is evident that adults have found the gaming experience to be engaging. Bonk (2009) stated, "...our entertainment and communications technologies have become our learning technologies" (p. 276). Due to the endless options, adults can easily find relevance in their game selections. Game types such as sports, simulations, puzzles, or strategy are considered more educational (Bonk, 2009).  The two games I have selected to highlight this week are Fair Play and McDonald's Video Game.

     Fair Play (http://fairplaygame.org/) is a game that focuses on recognizing racial bias.  Players encounter racial bias while interacting with other characters as well as in the virtual environment. The primary character is an African-American male who is in the academic world on his way to becoming a professor. It highlights how bias can interfere with a successful journey. Successfully navigating the game to win involves learning to recognize and name the biases.  While many will succeed in in Fair Play, the true winners are those that learn the reality of bias.
     I selected this game because of its focus on such an important and relevant issue we face in society. The game acknowledges this issue and provides a means to help others identify and recognize these biases. In addition, it allows for an opportunity to experience this issue first hand but in a personal setting where normally many individuals are guarded and are not comfortable speaking freely. Most adults recognize that they perform best when learning by doing in the real world (Bonk, 2009).
     In my professional practice, I can see the use of this game in a variety of ways. It would be incorporated into the leadership and management courses that I oversee. I will also share this game with my human resources partners who directly support the leaders, managers, and employees. The intention would be for them us the game to bring awareness to this issue and help to minimize its occurrence.

     The McDonald's Video Game (http://www.mcvideogame.com) brings insight to the various aspects related to running a fast food company and the complexities involved in producing the end product for consumers. It focuses on the major decisions that need to be considered to be successful and profitable. This game was created to address the criticism that McDonald's has received over the years related to its negative impact on society.  Success at this game involves effectively managing all the components involved in producing the end product along with the external factors.  This includes purchasing land, producing cattle, feeding cattle, destroying infected cattle, managing production of the beef, and managing a location and its employees. In addition, corporate operations need to be monitored such as marketing, profitability, satisfaction of consumers and other groups, and the board of directors. While the game is entertaining, it provides its players with a general idea that running a corporation is not easy!
     I selected this game because it provides a comprehensive view of all the considerations and choices that need to be made in order to manage a business let alone be profitable.  It also provides great insight into the fact that just because you may be focused on one task other things are still occurring that impact your decisions which makes it necessary to keep a pulse on all activities.
     As an adult educator, I can easily see this game being incorporated into my professional practice.  I see the value for this game in my management classes.  While the industry is different, the core principles of management remain the same. I can also envision the use of this game for all supervisory roles as a coaching tool.  The general message it provides is ownership, decision making, and recognizing downstream impacts. Willis (2011) stated, "The popularity of video games is not the enemy of education, but rather a model for best teaching practices" (p. 1).


References:

Barab, S. A., Gresalfi, M., & Arici, A. (2009). Why educators should care about 
     games. Educational Leadership, (67)1, 76–80.
Bonk, C. J. (2009). The world is open: How web technology is revolutionizing 
     education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. 
Willis, J. (2011, April 14). A neurologist makes the case for the video game model as a 
     learning tool [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/video-
     games-learning-student-engagement-judy-willis 

Mobile Learning Technologies

     Mobile technologies provide the ability for learners to use their wireless devices for the purpose of learning. Examples of these devices include smartphones, laptops, tablets, and personal media players (Park, 2011). These technologies place learning at the fingertips of the user. Learners are engaged with each other and learning resources outside of the traditional classroom (Koszalka & Ntloedibe-Kuswani, 2010). I will be exploring both smartphones and webinars. Smartphones represent mobile learning technology hardware while webinars represent software.

Smartphones
     Smartphones are cellular phones that can perform many functions of a computer. They normally have a touchscreen interface for navigation, ability to access the internet, and the ability to run downloaded applications. Users can check email, send text messages, browse the internet, share information and pictures online, and manage phone calls (Bonk, 2009).
     The iPhone (www.apple.com/iphone) is the most popular brand of a smartphone with increasing technology and enhancements made regularly. Currently, the iPhone just released its 7th version. The enhancements to this version include improved battery life, enhanced speakers, and water resistance (Apple, 2016).
     The use of smartphones to support learning has become an ongoing discussion among adult educators.
The majority of adult learners own this type of device and use it for many purposes, so why not add learning to mix?
     Since smartphones have the ability to access the internet and download "apps", it makes the concept of on-the-go learning a reality for adult learners and educators. Adult learners can use their device in class to access the internet to access information relevant to the course content. Adult educators can also provide "apps" for learners to download and use to supplement their learning. Bonk (2009) stated, "The iPhone and other smartphones represent a portable learning device that is a key driver for the current learning revolution" (p. 299).

Webinars
     A webinar is a virtual instructor led training session that is conducted via the internet with specific software. Most often these sessions are conducted live to allow for interactivity between the adult educator and learners. However, in some cases it can be recorded for unlimited learner access. Ideally, webinars should focus on specific topics that can be delivered within short time frames in order to maintain learner engagement. Learners are able to be far away from educators and classmates, while cyberspace brings everyone together (Bonk, 2009).
     iMeetLive (imeetlive.pgi.com/ppc-iml-trial-lp259?) offers cloud-based webinars that only requires access to a browser. This allows learners to access without having to download any software.  This software is also configured to allow for webinar access and viewing on any mobile device. iMeetLive allows for up to 10,000 participants with the ability to customize registrations (iMeetLive, 2016). Webinar hosts have the ability to stream video, survey learners, take polls, and animate PowerPoint slides (iMeetLive, 2016).
     The use of this mobile technology software is great for reinforcing and introducing specific topics within the course content. It is also a great tool to leverage to keep learners engaged and provide learning opportunities outside of the classroom. Overall, this software fosters learner engagement and increases interaction (iMeetLive, 2016).



References:

Bonk, C. J. (2009). The world is open: How web technology is revolutionizing 
     education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
iMeetLive by PGi. (2016). PGi. Retrieved from http://imeetlive.pgi.com/ppc-iml-trial-
     lp259?.
Koszalka, T. A., & Ntloedibe-Kuswani, G. S. (2010). Literature on the safe and 
     disruptive learning potential of mobile technologies. Distance Education, 31(2), 
     139–157.
Park, Y. (2011). A pedagogical framework for mobile learning: Categorizing 
     educational applications of mobile technologies into four types. International 
     Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 12(2), 78–102.
This is 7. (2016). iPhone. Retrieved from http://www.apple.com/iphone/.

The Effect of Social Networking on Learning

Richardson (2010) stated, "...all roads now point to a Web where little is done in isolation and all things are collaborative and social in nature" (p. 85).  There are endless possibilities for both learners and educators with the use of social networking technology to enhance adult learning.  I believe the following social networks have tremendous potential to impact adult learning:

Yammer - yammer.com

     Yammer is a social network that focuses primarily on fostering collaboration.  It provides multiple uses in supporting group work, project teams, or any group forums.  Users can create public or private groups depending upon the sensitivity of the information that will be shared. This social network allows users to upload files, photos, videos, and have conversations around them (Yammer, 2015).  Yammer can be accessed online as well as via a mobile device.
     Organizations are the target audience for this network which is why it is considered a professional version of Facebook (Pinto, 2014).  In addition to supporting collaboration within organizations, Yammer has also been introduced to adult education.  In this setting, adult learners can use this network to easily collaborate and communicate to support project work.  I selected this social network due to its ability to effectively foster group collaboration by minimizing lengthy email exchange and encouraging real time discussion.  In addition, the flexibility to access the network via your laptop or mobile phone is a bonus for staying connected.
     I would incorporate the use of this social network into my professional practice in a couple of ways.  Yammer would be the primary tool for comprehensive group work that is required in my courses.  Learners would be required to demonstrate their collaboration through the use of the tool with some specific guidelines.  Yammer would also be used to facilitate ongoing discussions with prompts from the course content to allow learners to share their thoughts, ideas, and suggestions.

Twitter - twitter.com

     Twitter is considered a micro blogging tool that allows for its users to share quick updates with their followers (Richardson, 2010).  These quick updates are commonly known as tweets.  This form of micro blogging can be distributed by mobile phones or the Web (Java, Song, Finin, & Tseng, 2007).  Twitter includes categories of interest for its users beyond their individual contributions and followers.  These categories include music, sports, nonprofits, arts & culture, and many others (Twitter, n.d.).  Since the number of characters are limited for each tweet, users must be specific, clear, and direct in the information that is shared.  It is not a tool for storytelling.  While its use and technology are fairly simple, the impact that this tool can have on learning is invaluable.  Adult educators have found this social network to be powerful in supporting professional development and communication (Richardson, 2010).  Learners can use the directories to find others with similar interests and follow them to gain different insights and perspectives along with sharing their own.  I selected this social network because it is simplistic to use and it offers endless possibilities as an adult educator.  Richardson (2010) stated, "It's the blend of the professional and the personal that makes Twitter such a cool tool on so many levels" (p. 86).
     The use of this network would be incorporated into my professional practice in many ways to support learning.  I would incorporate its use into my courses by having learners identify applicable directories related to the course content, select users to follow, and share their insights with other learners.  As an adult educator, I would have learners follow me and require responses to prompts to tweets related to the course content.


References:

Java, A., Song, X., Finin, T., Tseng, B. (2007, August). Why we twitter: understanding
     microblogging usage and communities. In Proceedings of the 9th WebKDD and 1st 
     SNA-KDD2007 workshop on Web mining and social network analysis (pp. 56-
     65). ACM.
Pinto, M. B. (2014). The Use of Yammer in Higher Education: An Exploratory Study.
     Journal of Educators Online, 11 (1),
Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for 
     classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA:  Corwin Press.
Twitter. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.twitter.com.
Yammer. (2015). Retrieved from www.yammer.com.

Applications and Multimedia Resources for Learning

Engaging learners and providing transformation learning experiences are essential to be an effective adult educator.  One of the ways to accomplish this goal is with the effective use of applications and multimedia resources.  After some research, I would like to share the following technologies:

Flickr - www.flickr.com

     Flickr is a tool used for creating, publishing, and using images online (Richardson, 2010).  I selected this tool because of its endless possibilities of the use of digital images in learning and its ability to reach learners around the globe.  This tool also provides visual learners with a playground to be innovative as it relates to their learning and nurturing their development to understand the targeted subject matter.  This has become the preferred choice for web-based digital photography for many educators (Richardson, 2010).
     I would incorporate the use of this tool into my professional practice in a variety of ways.  Learners would create presentations, slide shows, and illustrate subject matter utilizing the tool.  The annotation feature would be utilized to encourage learners to add commentary as necessary.  All learners would be required to provide feedback or questions on each other's work through the online discussion to foster a dialogue to support the objective of the assignment.  Overall, the use of Flickr would be incorporated in the learning experience so that assignments would be targeted to the use of the tool while reinforcing and supplementing the content of the course.

Screencast - TechSmith.com

     Screencasting is the ability to capture computer navigation with narration (Richardson, 2010).  This action is made possible with camtasia software.  Screencasts can be created in 3 easy steps with this software (TechSmith, 2016).  I selected this tool because it can be many uses and versatility for the instructor as well as the learner.  Screencasting can be used to support a blended learning experience as well as reinforcement for learners with their direct use of the tool.
     The use of this tool would be incorporated into my professional practice in very specific ways to support learning.  Live screencasts would be created during instruction and provided as supplemental materials and review for learners.  Screencasts can be used as support materials for adult educators (Richardson, 2010).  In addition, I would use screencasts to provided a blended learning environment by pre-recording some elements of the course instruction that would allow for more specific application during the learning experience (TechSmith, 2015).  The learning experience would include specific assignments that required learners to create screencasts to demonstrate their understanding and application of skills and knowledge of the subject matter.

References:

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd ed.).
     Thousand Oaks, CA:  Corwin Press.

Make a Screencast with Camtasia. (2016).  In TechSmith.  Retrieved from www.TechSmith.com.