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.