Posting Large Rich Media Files

After finishing up a project that involved a PowerPoint presentation equipped with still images, transitions and sound, I had a problem with transfering the information to a different group member for their editing.  Although I didn’t believe that the file was very large, it was too large to send over any of my three email accounts, or to post on our course shell.  I tried to zip the file and post it again, but it was still too large.  I lastly resorted to finding some free software to compress the file.  I found software called Pando which seemed to work well, however, whoever was opening the file also needed the software.  Phew – what a hassle!  I noted that other groups in my class approached the problem of file size different ways.  We eventually posted our file to our blogs, but I saw that I was dangerously close to the limit on the blog’s free storage space. 

 I just finished watching a fellow class group’s presentation on “rich media”.  The presentation was very good – in fact, it taught me what rich media is, but I realized that if the trend is to provide rich media resources in our classrooms, we will need faster computers with more storage space and faster internet connections.  I know this is a trend that improves each day, but I find it interesting that these are the very issues that present themselves as the limiting factors into providing more rich media resources.

Virtual Losses

I just read an article in the local paper called “Reality Bytes” that discusses the losses people have suffered through the death or disappearance of a avatar in a virtual reality environment.  The article talks about what happens when “virtual reality collides with physical reality”. 

People who spend a great deal of time in the realm of virtual reality and invest emotional ties have become physically tied to the reality (or non-reality) of their virtual reality existence.  When there is a death (whether real or not), the article discusses the need for those involved to go through the normal greiving process – only this process is unclear and uncharted in the virtual reality existence.   The article talks about how a group of friends of an avatar named Monique (who died) have set up a virtual memorial fund by auctioning off articles of clothing and accessories for the avatars so that they have virtual funding to provide to virtual members who have done nice things. 

The article talks about how “Relationships are evolving, expanding.  They’re different today.”   I think that is an understatement.  I’m curious where this will lead in the future. 

Virtual Reality

Wow.  The world of virtual reality is creeping up upon us.  I never really considered that it would be a new wave of the future in educational technology but after looking into it, I see how it could definately impact our world.  People can create atavars and visit other virtual environments.  I saw information on attending virtual conferences.  I wonder if this will lead to us never having to leave our homes to attend conferences or such.  I’ve heard of virtual schools and thought that it was a good idea but I feel that there needs to be face-to-face social interaction among students – this is a vital part of the growth and learning process.

I was watching TV a couple of days ago and I can’t remember if it was CSI or Law and Order, but a homicide investigation focused on a virtual reality game where the players created atavars and lived in a virtual world.  It seemed to me that the players created atavars with characteristics and behaviors that were much more exagerated and usually extroverted than their characteristics in real life.   The crime in the show was actually solved by seeing who was playing the game at the actual time of the real homicide.  I watched this show before I looked into virtual reality so after I looked into what the current trends in virtual reality are, I kept flashing back to this show.  I am interested to see how far this phenomenon goes! 

“Educators Got Game”

I recently read an article by Cindy Long called “Educators Got Game” in the October 2007 issue of NEA Today (p 42-43)    http://www.nea.org/neatoday/0710/trythis.html .  In the article, three or four teachers talk about using video games to reinforce concepts.   Examples that were given are using The Sims in a sociology class where the game player chooses the characters careers which then steer their social and future lives.  Another example is using a game called Civ in a Civilization class because it teaches students what is needed for a civilization to survice in terms of agriculture, commerce and government. 

 I think using games could provide a hands-on avenue for kids to make decisions and then see the consequences of their decisions.  I would love to see this whole avenue expanded so that teachers and students could use games for all sorts of situations and topics.  Being a math teacher, I would love to have a game where students had to make calculations to design and then build structures.  It would be great if these structures were then subjected to a whole series of conditions provided through nature and humankind.

 I’d love to know how other educators have used games to effectively teach various skills to students.

The NEA article makes reference to a resource to “test drive games” at WWW.NEA.ORG/REF?GAMING 

I’m not sure if this link will work – I had trouble finding it – maybe someone else will have more luck.  This link may be better:  http://www.nea.org/neatoday/0710/videogameresources.html  

Blogging Applications

I admit that I have had a hard time seeing the benefits to blogging, but now I see a very worthwhile application.  One of my classmates posted a blog with a link to a current event which has made the news recently.  In his blog, he posts links to the BBC and the following blog where the world is able to become aware of what is going on in Rangoon, Mandalay and Pakokku.  What a great dynamic forum for spreading information throughout the world.  Check out his blog: http://1stblogexprmnt.blogspot.com/ along with his link to these very graphic pictures and captions: http://ko-htike.blogspot.com/  .

Impressions of “When Gadgets Get in the Way”

One of the articles that we received in our Current Trends and Issues class was titled: When Gadgets Get in the Way written by Lisa Guernsey for The New York Times  on Thursday, August 19, 2004.

When I started reading the article I thought it wouldn’t be too relevant since it was about three years old, but it is relevant in today’s classrooms!  The discussion is about how to fight for students’ attention in a world of cellphones, computers, and instant messaging.  The article takes a brief look at what five educators are (or were) doing to “fight fire with fire”. 

The emphasis of the article is that a good way to capture and keep students’ attention is to use technology, but to keep an eye on them so that they do not get distracted by their cellphones, or other electronic toys.  One of the teachers that was discussed uses games to keep students on task and learn various concepts.  Another teacher uses older technology (filmstrips) and whiteboards to keep student’s attentive as most students in today’s classrooms have not had the opportunity to view filmstrips.  Another teacher believes that by using round tables in his physics classroom each table equipt with three wireless laptops, he can roam around and make sure that students are working on the tasks at hand.  Another teacher uses a software program in her computer lab that allows her to simultaneously monitor all computers and forther allows her control of the student’s computers as she sees necessary.  She can use a pen to write messages on the student’s screens that directs students to get back to work or she can interupt classes by freezing all of the students computers at once so that she can explain a concept to the whole class.

I found it interesting that although technology allows teachers to use innovative ways to present information and even monitor on-task and off-task behavior, it can not guarantee that all students are engaged.  In each of the cases discussed, the teachers mention that they need to be vigilant in getting the students to stay on task and refocus off-task behaviors.  The difference between years ago and today is that the ways that students choose to be distracted in classrooms today often involve technological gadgets and programs such as cell phones, email, games and instant messaging.