IDT Trends in Scotland

I chose to look at trends in Scotland as I have a friend that is a director of a college in Scotland. I learned about her role during a visit to Scotland last Fall and I chose to do more research about trends in Scotland. Scotland is similar to the US because they are also promoting IDT jobs that are similar to roles here. In my research I found information about the use of Video Conferencing as a trend in Scotland as well as distance learning. Distance learning is promoted as accessible for home or work to complete degrees or to obtain a degree. 

Resources

http://www.open.ac.uk/scotland/

I found this website for this university to be helpful because I was able to understand more about the university system. 

http://www.indeed.co.uk/Instructional-Design-jobs-in-Scotland

This website was helpful because it gave me an idea of what IDT jobs are like and how they are similar to jobs available on this side of the pond. 

Cloud Computing in P-12 Education

Cloud computing is a trend that has not yet been covered in this course but I see it as an important tools for schools and classrooms. Cloud computing is a way for documents and resources to be housed in a network server and accessed by all users. Cloud computing allows for collaboration together on files; this purpose provides users opportunities to work together and not be in the same location. Cloud computing can also be used by students. Teachers can post assignments to a cloud platform and students can access documents from any device. Google Apps for Education are cloud based apps that are useful for schools and classrooms. In my school, we have been very successful with using Google Docs and the Google Drive suite of tools to share school policies and procedures and other relevant materials. 

Resources:

32 Ways to Use Google Apps for Education

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1_6fh7wXkugHQbbA2ILrjsFqysvclJCbul2I3Oc912D8/present?slide=id.i0  This resource is a series of how to use Google Apps in the Classroom using Cloud technology.

Use of Cloud Based Technology in the Classroom

http://www.edutopia.org/discussion/use-cloud-based-technologies-classroom I chose this article because it provides great definitions for cloud computing. I also selected this resource because it gives more platforms for cloud based work. 

Learning Analytics

Describe the Instructional Technology Trend.

Learning analytics is the use of data collection tools to make decisions for a student's education. Learning analytics includes grading, standard-based learning, data analysis for assessments and more specific attention on goals and progress. 

How do you think this trend is going to impact learning/education?

This is a not a new trend but the availability of new resources that collect data will impact education. Using technology based apps or sites that grade and analyze data saves time for teachers and allows them to be more productive. 

As an instructional technologist, what do you need to do to keep up with this trend?

Keeping up with this trend is critical to maximize student learning and achievement. This is a critical need for all teachers and support staff. Specifically as an instructional technology facilitator, it is important to know the platforms and teach classroom teachers how to use them.

Provide three resources (an article, web url and a video) that provide more information on this trend and explain why these resources stood out to you.

http://www.educause.edu/library/learning-analytics This article provides resources for the implications at higher education. I chose this resource because there are several resources in the article.

http://www.amazon.com/Driven-Data-Practical-Improve-Instruction/dp/0470548746 This text is a powerful resource for educators. It is a helpful way for teachers to understand why collecting data is important. 

https://exittix.com/frontend/login/ This site is a way for teachers to collect data from their students using an internet accessible device. 

Design one activity using this trend that can be applied for teaching and learning.
An example activity that can be applied for collecting data might be using exittix.com to collect data from student responses at the end of class. From the data (provided that the questions are relevant and good questions), teachers can adjust course for the next class. 

Re-use information that you shared for your main post in the discussion forum (educreation, voki etc)

http://padlet.com/jmccaughna/gm58l17qhqnk

Wearable Technologies

Describe the Instructional Technology Trend.

Wearable technology includes small devices that are used to record information as the user is wearing the device or is something that takes technology to a pocket size and allows the user to take the device anywhere. Examples of these include activity tracking devices and cameras that capture an activity as the user is wearing it. 

How do you think this trend is going to impact learning/education?

This trend can allow for students and teachers to gather and examine data in real time and to capture an experience. 

As an instructional technologist, what do you need to do to keep up with this trend?
It is important to keep up with the trend as it is something not unique to students and educators, but it a worldwide trend. 

Provide three resources (an article, web url and a video) that provide more information on this trend and explain why these resources stood out to you.

http://medcitynews.com/2012/07/movband-fitbit-for-schools-sprinting-to-the-cloud-eta-september/ This article is of interest to me because I use a FitBit personally and would like to see students monitor their activity. 

http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-we-be-allowed-to-use-ipods-in-school-for-tests-and-work This site provides a variety of opinions on the topic of ipod use in school and it is interesting to review the viewpoints.

http://edtechtimes.com/2014/07/16/wearable-technology-education/  I chose this web article because it provides additional examples. 

Design one activity using this trend that can be applied for teaching and learning.
An activity that can be done with wearable technology is a unit in a fitness class that focuses on heart health and using heart rate monitors in conjunction with pedometers to gather and analyze data. 

Re-use information that you shared for your main post in the discussion forum (educreation, voki etc)
https://noteapp.com/v3MbITVZGQ

Social Media in Education

Describe the Instructional Technology Trend.

Social media is a trend in instructional technology in which teachers, students, parents, and the community can be connected to one another through a variety of mediums. Each of these stakeholders can connect as much or as little as they see fit and the purpose is varied. They can connect in order to gather information, collaborate, share information and provide information and media to one another. 

How do you think this trend is going to impact learning/education?

This trend will impact learning in that classroom projects and school activities are shared with the world in real-time. Activities that occur in the walls of a school are no longer limited to visitors, students and teachers. Accomplishments and recognition can occur on a much broader stage. 

As an instructional technologist, what do you need to do to keep up with this trend?
In addition to social media being used as a communication tool from the school to the outside works, it is also a method of communication among students that may or may not be school related and monitored. It is critical that schools are aware of how their students use social media as their can be an emotional impact for students and negative student learning. 

Provide three resources (an article, web url and a video) that provide more information on this trend and explain why these resources stood out to you.

1. http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/dec10/vol68/num04/Using-Social-Media-to-Reach-Your-Community.aspx I like this article because it provides info about the necessary cautions for school leaders.
2. https://cit.duke.edu/blog/2012/04/six-ways-to-use-social-media-in-education/ This article provides different ideas for teachers and schools for how to use social media.
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yrjpMwHrpg This video is a great way to describe to other educators how digital natives have a different level of comfort with technology including social media.

Design one activity using this trend that can be applied for teaching and learning.

Social media can be used for teaching and learning in order to connect students to another school. For example, social media can be used to connect a classroom in one state to another through Facebook. Social media can also be a great resource to teachers by sharing content. 

Re-use information that you shared for your main post in the discussion forum (educreation, voki etc)
https://www.smore.com/z2e92 

Games in Education

Describe the Instructional Technology Trend.

Games in education are not a trend on their own. The trend however has shifted to more online/web-based/technology enhanced games. Research suggests that games by themselves are not integral in student mastery of content, but can serve other purposes with benefits. Benefits include inter-personal skills and social skills when teamed with others, high level of engagement due to the interactive and exciting nature of games, and ease of mastering skills or facts when the game is repetitive in nature. 

How do you think this trend is going to impact learning/education?

The trend of gaming has already had a impact on education in the area motivation and engagement but as technology advances and more web based applications and programs are developed, games are more advanced. 

As an instructional technologist, what do you need to do to keep up with this trend?

It is critical to keep up with the trend because it changes how teachers are engaging students in the content. As a technology facilitator, I support teachers in using games in their classrooms but provide caution as the the focus of a lesson plan can not solely be on using a tool and should be objective or skill based. 

Provide three resources (an article, web url and a video) that provide more information on this trend and explain why these resources stood out to you.

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/games-in-education-teacher-takeaways-matthew-farber This article is an overview of a Games in Education Symposium that highlights trends. The article also provides examples of what students are doing in the creation of games.

http://www.theedublogger.com/2015/01/20/gaming-in-education-gamification/ I chose this article because it provides insight into video games as a tool for educators and it is not an area that I am familiar with. The article provides context and definitions of areas of the gaming world for those that don't game!

https://quizlet.com/everywhere Quizlet is a resource that I have used for creating games to memorize facts, words, etc. This link gives more examples of how it can be used. 

Design one activity using this trend that can be applied for teaching and learning. 

An activity that can be used for teaching and learning is the use of http://www.kahoot.com/  Kahoot allows a user to create multiple choice questions that are answered using a players smartphone or other device and is a fun and engaging way to encourage audience participation and engagement. Kahoot also provides data on the respondents. 

Re-use information that you shared for your main post in the discussion forum (educreation, voki etc)
https://soundcloud.com/user190612296/games-in-education

Flipped Classroom

Describe the Instructional Technology Trend.

Flipped classrooms combine out of class content provided through an online platform with in class application of the material learned or explained out of class. Flipped classrooms allow for more in-class practice and maximize the time that the teacher interacts with students. Flipped classrooms can use teacher created content or can be linked to content from existing sources like Khan Academy. Flipped classrooms have also become part of blended learning models in which teachers use traditional instruction for some students and flipped instruction for others. 

How do you think this trend is going to impact learning/education?

This trend will greatly impact students and teachers by easily allowing for differentiated instruction and extending the reach of teacher during valuable class time. 

As an instructional technologist, what do you need to do to keep up with this trend?

Flipped classrooms are the goal for many of the teachers in my school right now in order to provide ways to teach small groups and still provide differentiated instruction to all students. My school has a chromebook for each student all day and the access to online content prescribed by teachers is a new idea but is beneficial. It is my job to support teachers through training and resources.  

Provide three resources (an article, web url and a video) that provide more information on this trend and explain why these resources stood out to you.

https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eli7081.pdf This article is an easy to read FAQ-style article of what flipped classrooms are. I think it would be a helpful resource for parents that have questions about the model

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojiebVw8O0g This video was one that I watched in learning about Flipped Classrooms and is very helpful is seeing how it might work.

https://www.khanacademy.org/ This is a link to the Khan academy site. Khan academy is a library of resources and videos that teachers can use in flipping their own classes. 

Design one activity using this trend that can be applied for teaching and learning.

An activity that can be used for teaching and learning that employs a flipped approach would be to have students watch videos on a topic using a set of teacher provided guided notes. This would need to occur for homework. On a following day, the teacher would have students practice from the lesson that they watched. The teacher would be able to jump right in with practice. 

Re-use information that you shared for your main post in the discussion forum (educreation, voki etc)

https://youtu.be/qDzQtiatNm8