A video "Mobile phones, mobile minds” produced by Teachers TV on Google video is very educational. In fect it is both interesting and educational. As technology natives, the young people are better at new technology than their parents. I think the educators are more familiar with the situation that how young people learn, use, and play with new technologies because they spend a lot of time with kids. They have mobile minds because they are in a mobile world. Mobile devices such as mobile phone can offer them more choices than a normal phone. For example, Mobile game is a video game that played not only on a mobile phone, but also can be played on a Smartphone, PDA, handheld computer or any type of handheld or wireless device. This is more powerful and unbelievable to their parents who are so called technology immigration.
In fact, mobile phone is not very new any more. The mobile phone or mobile, also called a cellular phone, cell phone, or cell, is a long-range, portable electronic device used for mobile communication. It is from traditional phone that we are using now days. But the newest mobile phone has more function that we are not familiar any more. New functions as such: SMS for text messaging, email, packet switching for accessing to the internet, and MMS for sending and receiving audio, video and graphics. Furthermore, as Dr. Yuen already created for this class – website for these kinds of mobile devices – so called cell sites.
Ok, some people may think: “Well, I am not behind the Time yet, because I know all these stuff now.” I just want to say that every body will be behind the time and called some-immigration unless the keep learning. Lifelong learning is behind the time now, some people are talking about the lifelong learning habit. Year, learning should be a habit and should be lifelong now!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
M-learning: current status and future potential
After reading the materials that provided by Dr. Yuen, I think m-learning is a new way to assist human learning. m-learning can happen at any time and any place with the help of mobile devices. Here mobile devices include cell photos, PDAs, and other portable devices.We can tell with the development of technology, especially the technology of PC and Internet, mobile devices are becoming smaller and more powerful. Form correspondences study that happened more than one hundred years to online learning, the effectiveness is improving. However, all the learning styles, even the online learning are still limited by time and access. I mean learners cannot really access the resources they need for studying either at any time, or in any places. Sometimes when learners need access to get information, communicate, check emails, or do other things, they have to go back to their offices to get online which is painful and low effective. m-learning is right the way to solve these problems that mentioned above:
M-learning is the result of the improvement of technology and the needs of high effectiveness of modern life. People need lifelong learning and high effective learning. People need to update their information at any time and in any places nowadays. Access to information resources is needed to be provided. In schools students need to know not only their schedules, learning materials, but also need to exchange materials and communicate with classmates, when we are out of school or when they are on the way home. In fact, we already saw the benefits of m-learning: some people do not always bring laptop with them any more because it is not as convenient as a PDA and Smartphone; students can do their assignments on their ways home. Emerging m-learning devices in education can benefit both educators and learners from inside and outside of teaching and learning.
M-learning allows students to carry out activities in a variety of settings and according to different paces. Instructors can lecture online and students can access these materials through mobile devices. Under this help, students with different learning styles can work well with their own learning pace through m-learning. Furthermore, mobile devices support immediate communication, whenever students have problems they can contact instructors or talk about it with their classmates. However, though m-learning holds potentials in education area, there is a long to go for implement in every school. As the author stated in this article, m-learning has its own limitations. For example, infrastructure needs to be built to support m-learning and mobile devices need to be improved to fit the need of human learning. Another thing, in my own opinion, is the price of these devices: if people, especially students can afford them and the technology supports people to create content which will be appreciate for mobile devices.
Undoubtedly, m-learning will be more popular in the future and more people will be involved. The trends are from two aspect of m-learning. One is the mobile devices including the infrastructures will be more advanced and powerful. On the other hand more learning theories based on m-learning will be explored by educators. The m-learning will be common to every one like the e-learning today when it is really efficient and helpful with human learning.Mobile Learning: Learning on the Go: http://dragon.ep.usm.edu/~yuen/teaching/it780/resources/mlearing-yuen.pdf
M-learning is the result of the improvement of technology and the needs of high effectiveness of modern life. People need lifelong learning and high effective learning. People need to update their information at any time and in any places nowadays. Access to information resources is needed to be provided. In schools students need to know not only their schedules, learning materials, but also need to exchange materials and communicate with classmates, when we are out of school or when they are on the way home. In fact, we already saw the benefits of m-learning: some people do not always bring laptop with them any more because it is not as convenient as a PDA and Smartphone; students can do their assignments on their ways home. Emerging m-learning devices in education can benefit both educators and learners from inside and outside of teaching and learning.
M-learning allows students to carry out activities in a variety of settings and according to different paces. Instructors can lecture online and students can access these materials through mobile devices. Under this help, students with different learning styles can work well with their own learning pace through m-learning. Furthermore, mobile devices support immediate communication, whenever students have problems they can contact instructors or talk about it with their classmates. However, though m-learning holds potentials in education area, there is a long to go for implement in every school. As the author stated in this article, m-learning has its own limitations. For example, infrastructure needs to be built to support m-learning and mobile devices need to be improved to fit the need of human learning. Another thing, in my own opinion, is the price of these devices: if people, especially students can afford them and the technology supports people to create content which will be appreciate for mobile devices.
Undoubtedly, m-learning will be more popular in the future and more people will be involved. The trends are from two aspect of m-learning. One is the mobile devices including the infrastructures will be more advanced and powerful. On the other hand more learning theories based on m-learning will be explored by educators. The m-learning will be common to every one like the e-learning today when it is really efficient and helpful with human learning.Mobile Learning: Learning on the Go: http://dragon.ep.usm.edu/~yuen/teaching/it780/resources/mlearing-yuen.pdf
My opinions of m-learning is based on the article of Mobile Learning: Learning on the Go.
After reading the materials that provided by Dr. Yuen, I think M-learning is new way to assist human learning. M-learning means that learning can happen at any time and in place with the help of mobile devices. Here mobile devices include cell photos, PDAs, and other portable devices.
We can tell with the development of technology, especially the technology of PC and Internet, mobile devices are becoming smaller and more powerful. Form correspondences study that happened more than one hundred years to online learning, the effectiveness is improving. However, all the learning styles, even the online learning are still limited by time and access. I mean learners can really access the resources they need for study at any time and in any places. Sometimes when learners need access to a certain resources, communicate with somebody, check emails, or check other materials, they have to go back to their offices to get online which is painful and low effective. It is the time for learning moves forward.
M-learning is right the way to solve these problems that mentioned above:
First, m-learning is the result of the improvement of technology and the needs of high effectiveness of modern life. People need lifelong learning and high effective learning. Today’s world is a world full of information and people need to gain the newest information at any time and in any places. All these need people have the access to information resources. So we have cell phones and PDAs, but these are not enough we need more for study purpose, we need to know not only our schedule, learning materials, communicating with classmates as well, when we are not in offices. What we need today for high effective learning is what m-learning can offer. And modern technology can make smaller devices to support m-learning nowadays, such as some cell phones with internet browsers can surf online and check emails. These devices can be more powerful in the future, like it said in this article that the functions of camera, cell phone, and PDA will be built within one.
Second, E-learning connects individuals together and extends the learning process out of classrooms. However, it does not support learning taking place anywhere and anytime. In other words, it just offers more accesses to classrooms. Only m-learning can connect individuals to internet with real freedom. In fact, m-learning makes learners are part of internet.
Third, m-learning can not take place of traditional learning. Here traditional learning includes classroom learning, distance learning and other modern learning. M-learning is an important way to assist traditional learning. It will make learning more efficient and unlimited by time and places.
Even m-learning holds potentials in education area there is a long to go for implement in every school. As the author stated in this article, m-learning has its own limitations. For example, infrastructure needs to be built to support m-learning and mobile devices need to be improved to fit the need of human learning. Another thing, in my own opinion, is the price of these devices: if people, especially students can afford them and the technology supports people to create content which will be appreciate for mobile devices.
Undoubtedly, m-learning will be more popular in the future and more people will be involved. The trends are from two aspect of m-learning. One is the mobile devices including the infrastructures will be more advanced and powerful. On the other hand more learning theories based on m-learning will be explored by educators. The m-learning will be common to every one like the e-learning today when it is really efficient and helpful with human learning.
We can tell with the development of technology, especially the technology of PC and Internet, mobile devices are becoming smaller and more powerful. Form correspondences study that happened more than one hundred years to online learning, the effectiveness is improving. However, all the learning styles, even the online learning are still limited by time and access. I mean learners can really access the resources they need for study at any time and in any places. Sometimes when learners need access to a certain resources, communicate with somebody, check emails, or check other materials, they have to go back to their offices to get online which is painful and low effective. It is the time for learning moves forward.
M-learning is right the way to solve these problems that mentioned above:
First, m-learning is the result of the improvement of technology and the needs of high effectiveness of modern life. People need lifelong learning and high effective learning. Today’s world is a world full of information and people need to gain the newest information at any time and in any places. All these need people have the access to information resources. So we have cell phones and PDAs, but these are not enough we need more for study purpose, we need to know not only our schedule, learning materials, communicating with classmates as well, when we are not in offices. What we need today for high effective learning is what m-learning can offer. And modern technology can make smaller devices to support m-learning nowadays, such as some cell phones with internet browsers can surf online and check emails. These devices can be more powerful in the future, like it said in this article that the functions of camera, cell phone, and PDA will be built within one.
Second, E-learning connects individuals together and extends the learning process out of classrooms. However, it does not support learning taking place anywhere and anytime. In other words, it just offers more accesses to classrooms. Only m-learning can connect individuals to internet with real freedom. In fact, m-learning makes learners are part of internet.
Third, m-learning can not take place of traditional learning. Here traditional learning includes classroom learning, distance learning and other modern learning. M-learning is an important way to assist traditional learning. It will make learning more efficient and unlimited by time and places.
Even m-learning holds potentials in education area there is a long to go for implement in every school. As the author stated in this article, m-learning has its own limitations. For example, infrastructure needs to be built to support m-learning and mobile devices need to be improved to fit the need of human learning. Another thing, in my own opinion, is the price of these devices: if people, especially students can afford them and the technology supports people to create content which will be appreciate for mobile devices.
Undoubtedly, m-learning will be more popular in the future and more people will be involved. The trends are from two aspect of m-learning. One is the mobile devices including the infrastructures will be more advanced and powerful. On the other hand more learning theories based on m-learning will be explored by educators. The m-learning will be common to every one like the e-learning today when it is really efficient and helpful with human learning.
My opinions of m-learning is based on the article of Mobile Learning: Learning on the Go.
After reading the materials that provided by Dr. Yuen, I think M-learning is new way to assist human learning. M-learning means that learning can happen at any time and in place with the help of mobile devices. Here mobile devices include cell photos, PDAs, and other portable devices.
We can tell with the development of technology, especially the technology of PC and Internet, mobile devices are becoming smaller and more powerful. Form correspondences study that happened more than one hundred years to online learning, the effectiveness is improving. However, all the learning styles, even the online learning are still limited by time and access. I mean learners can really access the resources they need for study at any time and in any places. Sometimes when learners need access to a certain resources, communicate with somebody, check emails, or check other materials, they have to go back to their offices to get online which is painful and low effective. It is the time for learning moves forward.
M-learning is right the way to solve these problems that mentioned above:
First, m-learning is the result of the improvement of technology and the needs of high effectiveness of modern life. People need lifelong learning and high effective learning. Today’s world is a world full of information and people need to gain the newest information at any time and in any places. All these need people have the access to information resources. So we have cell phones and PDAs, but these are not enough we need more for study purpose, we need to know not only our schedule, learning materials, communicating with classmates as well, when we are not in offices. What we need today for high effective learning is what m-learning can offer. And modern technology can make smaller devices to support m-learning nowadays, such as some cell phones with internet browsers can surf online and check emails. These devices can be more powerful in the future, like it said in this article that the functions of camera, cell phone, and PDA will be built within one.
Second, E-learning connects individuals together and extends the learning process out of classrooms. However, it does not support learning taking place anywhere and anytime. In other words, it just offers more accesses to classrooms. Only m-learning can connect individuals to internet with real freedom. In fact, m-learning makes learners are part of internet.
Third, m-learning can not take place of traditional learning. Here traditional learning includes classroom learning, distance learning and other modern learning. M-learning is an important way to assist traditional learning. It will make learning more efficient and unlimited by time and places.
Even m-learning holds potentials in education area there is a long to go for implement in every school. As the author stated in this article, m-learning has its own limitations. For example, infrastructure needs to be built to support m-learning and mobile devices need to be improved to fit the need of human learning. Another thing, in my own opinion, is the price of these devices: if people, especially students can afford them and the technology supports people to create content which will be appreciate for mobile devices.
Undoubtedly, m-learning will be more popular in the future and more people will be involved. The trends are from two aspect of m-learning. One is the mobile devices including the infrastructures will be more advanced and powerful. On the other hand more learning theories based on m-learning will be explored by educators. The m-learning will be common to every one like the e-learning today when it is really efficient and helpful with human learning.
We can tell with the development of technology, especially the technology of PC and Internet, mobile devices are becoming smaller and more powerful. Form correspondences study that happened more than one hundred years to online learning, the effectiveness is improving. However, all the learning styles, even the online learning are still limited by time and access. I mean learners can really access the resources they need for study at any time and in any places. Sometimes when learners need access to a certain resources, communicate with somebody, check emails, or check other materials, they have to go back to their offices to get online which is painful and low effective. It is the time for learning moves forward.
M-learning is right the way to solve these problems that mentioned above:
First, m-learning is the result of the improvement of technology and the needs of high effectiveness of modern life. People need lifelong learning and high effective learning. Today’s world is a world full of information and people need to gain the newest information at any time and in any places. All these need people have the access to information resources. So we have cell phones and PDAs, but these are not enough we need more for study purpose, we need to know not only our schedule, learning materials, communicating with classmates as well, when we are not in offices. What we need today for high effective learning is what m-learning can offer. And modern technology can make smaller devices to support m-learning nowadays, such as some cell phones with internet browsers can surf online and check emails. These devices can be more powerful in the future, like it said in this article that the functions of camera, cell phone, and PDA will be built within one.
Second, E-learning connects individuals together and extends the learning process out of classrooms. However, it does not support learning taking place anywhere and anytime. In other words, it just offers more accesses to classrooms. Only m-learning can connect individuals to internet with real freedom. In fact, m-learning makes learners are part of internet.
Third, m-learning can not take place of traditional learning. Here traditional learning includes classroom learning, distance learning and other modern learning. M-learning is an important way to assist traditional learning. It will make learning more efficient and unlimited by time and places.
Even m-learning holds potentials in education area there is a long to go for implement in every school. As the author stated in this article, m-learning has its own limitations. For example, infrastructure needs to be built to support m-learning and mobile devices need to be improved to fit the need of human learning. Another thing, in my own opinion, is the price of these devices: if people, especially students can afford them and the technology supports people to create content which will be appreciate for mobile devices.
Undoubtedly, m-learning will be more popular in the future and more people will be involved. The trends are from two aspect of m-learning. One is the mobile devices including the infrastructures will be more advanced and powerful. On the other hand more learning theories based on m-learning will be explored by educators. The m-learning will be common to every one like the e-learning today when it is really efficient and helpful with human learning.
Create a Course Website
After talking about the panning of a website and developing contents of a website, in this chapter, the author is talking about how to create the site. This is an exciting chapter because we are closing to have our own website – that is we begin to build a house.
As the author said the fest step of site creation is to decide on a design approach. There many ways for us to choose to, however, I think we should choose one of them. This is choose a fixed method to design our website is a better way because we should unify design and structure of each page, make them coherence and easy to maintain. The reasons why we choose one approach are it is easy for users to follow, navigate, and adjust. Another concern about different approaches is the problem of compatible because not all the software that used in creating website can work well with each other. Then which approach you want to choose, I think this is up to what kind of website you want to design because different tools may have different advantage or disadvantage. Normally, I prefer dreamweaver, it is easy and powerful.
Whenever we are talking about graphics that used in a website, there must be two concerns: size and resolution. We do not want to put graphics that are very big in our website because it will cause long time to download them when users are browsing the site. However, we do not want to lose resolution either, it is painful to both the creators and users when the graphics can only be shown in very bad resolution and nobody will come back to site again. So normally people choose graphic in GIFF or JEPG format. There are also some differences between these two formats too. GIF format compress images through LZW compression that is very good for the images which have large areas of single color. Let us see the JEPG format, JEPG format can achieve a higher compression than GIFF. Another advantage if using JEPG is that users can control the rate of compressing. Of course, the higher qualified images, the bigger file size. But users can adjust the rate of compression according to the different use of images. In fact, there are also other concerns about the format of images, such as safety, some people prefer to use small and lower resolution graphics to protect their works.
About the navigation system, as we already talked about at the first chapter: navigation system can not only help users go through all the pages in a website, but also show users the contents in a website. So the principles of creating navigation systems are to help users go through the whole website easily, and show users the contents clearly. We can use graphic menus, text links, or both. This is up to the situation of a real website. For example, if there are already many pictures in a website, I suggest using text links. If there are only text blocks on a web page, graphics menu may work better. Not all the problems that we may have when we are creating a website, will be mentioned in this book. We need to append time and practice to gain experience. The next website will always be better than the current one.
As the author said the fest step of site creation is to decide on a design approach. There many ways for us to choose to, however, I think we should choose one of them. This is choose a fixed method to design our website is a better way because we should unify design and structure of each page, make them coherence and easy to maintain. The reasons why we choose one approach are it is easy for users to follow, navigate, and adjust. Another concern about different approaches is the problem of compatible because not all the software that used in creating website can work well with each other. Then which approach you want to choose, I think this is up to what kind of website you want to design because different tools may have different advantage or disadvantage. Normally, I prefer dreamweaver, it is easy and powerful.
Whenever we are talking about graphics that used in a website, there must be two concerns: size and resolution. We do not want to put graphics that are very big in our website because it will cause long time to download them when users are browsing the site. However, we do not want to lose resolution either, it is painful to both the creators and users when the graphics can only be shown in very bad resolution and nobody will come back to site again. So normally people choose graphic in GIFF or JEPG format. There are also some differences between these two formats too. GIF format compress images through LZW compression that is very good for the images which have large areas of single color. Let us see the JEPG format, JEPG format can achieve a higher compression than GIFF. Another advantage if using JEPG is that users can control the rate of compressing. Of course, the higher qualified images, the bigger file size. But users can adjust the rate of compression according to the different use of images. In fact, there are also other concerns about the format of images, such as safety, some people prefer to use small and lower resolution graphics to protect their works.
About the navigation system, as we already talked about at the first chapter: navigation system can not only help users go through all the pages in a website, but also show users the contents in a website. So the principles of creating navigation systems are to help users go through the whole website easily, and show users the contents clearly. We can use graphic menus, text links, or both. This is up to the situation of a real website. For example, if there are already many pictures in a website, I suggest using text links. If there are only text blocks on a web page, graphics menu may work better. Not all the problems that we may have when we are creating a website, will be mentioned in this book. We need to append time and practice to gain experience. The next website will always be better than the current one.
Friday, February 1, 2008
A brief acknowledge of virtual school and E-learning
This is about virtual school and I will upload the E-learning part later.
Virtual school have become popular nowadays not only in the
In fact, virtual school came from distance learning. According to Verduin and Clark, distance learning is a form of normal education that the instructors and learners locate in different places (1991).
Virtual school means that teaching and learning is not happened in a school that built by "brick and mortar". All student services and courses are conducted through Internet technology. It is totally different form traditional schools that instructors and learners may do not need to meet each other physically in the real life. (http://technologysource.org/extra/20/definition/1/)
In the
I would like to talk about the e-learning and distance learning together because they are very close to together. And understanding the relationship between them is helpful to know the both concepts.
Simply to say, e- learning is a type of training, teaching, and learning that is delivered in a synchronous (real- time; instructor- led) or asynchronous (self -paced) format through internet. This is not like self - learning, because learners still need to follow the traditional instructor- led training (ILT) and computer based training (CBT).
As we all know that E - learning is always involved with any type of learning situation that is computer supported. There are many kinds of technologies that can be used in E -learning. At the same time, distance learning is related to E-learning. It is used to describe a learning type that takes place away from the actual traditional teaching and learning. E-learning have been growing with the computer for so many years, I mean when people tried to employ computer into education, e-learning began to be a part of teaching and learning. Comparing with the concept and practice of distance learning which predates the computer area by almost 100 years, the e - learning is kind of new in education area. The difference between E - learning and distance learning, I think, are about the “separating”. I mean in distance learning model instructors and students are separated physically, while e-learning is nothing to do with separating, sometimes e -learning can be part of classroom (virtual classroom or extension of classroom).
(http://technologysource.org/extra/20/definition/1/)
Virtual Schools: Trends and Issues, Tom Clark, 2001:
http://www.wested.org/online_pubs/virtualschools.pdf
Virtual schools, real concerns Amanda Paulson 2004
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0504/p11s02-legn.html
A brief instruction of the advantage and disadvantage of distance learning
Form the experiment that did by Souder in 1993, we can tell that not only did distance learners defend of the distance learning course was a better way of learning, but also the other two groups thought that the approaches they accessed were better than the other groups’. Souder did explain that why the distance learners in that study were defending for the distance learning approach. He thinks that distance learners gained more than the other groups because they can learn form their classmates, social skills, and also the experiences of learning at a distance. However, he did not explain why the other two groups — traditional group and onsite group – had the same feeling? I am not sure if there are some psychological issues, but I do think that there are other reasons which can cause the distance learners defend their distance learning. As we all know, if learners can think and discover the truth by themselves the learning effectiveness will be better than they just listen from instructors (cognitive learning theory). This is understandable because learners have to really think about the contents that they are learning and figure them out step by step. The process of this kind of learning is active. On the other hand, listening to the lecture or demonstration is sort of passive than discovering the truth by students themselves. This is also the reason why instructors like to create a similar environment when they are demonstrating. Now in the distance learning environment learners, first, have to work together with their classmates which is a social skill. For distance learning approach learners are separated from their instructors and classmates need to work together to talk and discuss more than in traditional class. Second, in distance learning, students have to use the technology skills that needed for operating the distance learning system. Third, in order to finish a course effectively, learners have more activeness than in traditional or onsite class. I mean they have the right to arrange their time and learning pace. However, more right here also means more responsibilities. That is to get everything done on time and make everything reach the requirement. These are totally different from the traditional class that everything is led by the instructors. Learners just need to be a certain place as what the instructors require. This can also explain why the effectiveness of distance learning is important in IT area. If the DL has a lower effectiveness than other approaches, the DL does not have to be exited because people, of course, do not want to learn through a way which is slow and not efficient. In fact, DL has its own problems as the author stated on the page of 76 in this chapter. So nobody can prove that DL is the “best” because it is not. It is only distance learning, it is not different learning, it is not super learning either.
As the author stated in this chapter about the medium that used for distance learning, there are two kinds of technologies: telecommunications technologies and classroom technologies. There are a lot of mediums listed in this chapter, form correspondence study to today’s online study, from postal mail to electronic mail, the technology is updating and the effectiveness of distance learning is improving. It is not necessary for us to talk about all the differences between all the mediums. But we all know that with the development of science and technology, there must be more and more chances for us to employ more effective technologies for distance learning. Online learning, for example, is the most common and effective distance learning approach used nowadays. It offers both synchronous and asynchronous communication between instructors and learners. Furthermore, it can deliver two-ways audio and video as people are talking face to face. But advanced technologies not always have advantages, some problems that appeared during using new technology are very serious. I have the experiences of taking courses online and the problem of attaching assignment is a big problem to me. Professors always want us to submit assignment through distance learning system such as WebCt, however, this system is not performing well all the time. Another problem is losing email, an adjustment of assignment that comes from instructor through email which may be delayed or lost by the system itself. This may cause learners spend hours on their assignment and then find that it is not fit the requirement. Even worse problem is virus which can cause you lose your data which you spend whole day or whole semester on. As we already talked in Chapter 3 that there are still some problems in our area which need us to solve.
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