Welcome to Demystifying the Student Perspective

Welcome to Demystifying the Student Perspective

by Diana Chan -
Number of replies: 13
Welcome to Demystifying the Student Perspective: Social Media + Educational Technology
April 26 -29, 2011

About this seminar

This seminar will uncover myths in the classroom from a students perspective.Topics will include: current technology trends, connecting with students online, and effective teaching methods.

About our facilitators

Diana Chan is a 5th year Undergraduate student at Simon Fraser University's Beedie School of Business. She is active in the social media realm creating local Vancouver blogs such as Nocturnal Vancouver and Foodology. Diana was introduced to social media at and early age and has been always finding ways to keep up with the lastest technology.

Hilda Anggraeni is a 4th year student at Simon Fraser University. She is majoring in Interactive Arts and Technology and focusing on Design and Informatic. She uses social media mostly for networking and work related stuff such as her online portfolio. She would love to know more about your experience in using social media for other purposes!

Participating in SCoPE seminars

SCoPE seminars are free and open to the public, and registration is not required. You are welcome to come and go according to your schedule and interests. To contribute you will need to create an account on the SCoPE site -- a quick process.

Please feel free to introduce yourself and don't forget to mention your affiliation with a Post Secondary Institution!

(Edited by Hilda Angggraeni - original submission Wednesday, 6 April 2011, 02:28 PM)

(Edited by Hilda Anggraeni - original submission Wednesday, 6 April 2011, 10:57 AM)

In reply to Diana Chan

Re: Welcome to Demystifying the Student Perspective

by Hilda Anggraeni -
just wondering if anyone is here with me.... come on in and say hello!

I have seen couple responses for the poll, share more of your experience using social media for teaching and learning here =)

For me, my favorite social media tools I use for my own learning process are dropbox, google docs, and skype because as a student studying Interactive arts, there's a lot of projects that need to be done in a group and these tools are excellent for sharing the work!

Aside from this, I am thinking maybe Facebook can also be a great tool for teaching and learning, especially the group functionality where we can easily create groups, upload media and links, and chat within the group! I have never use Facebook aside from social purpose, but I think it has potential. Just a thought! ;-)

Hilda
In reply to Hilda Anggraeni

Re: Welcome to Demystifying the Student Perspective

by Emma Duke-Williams -
Hi Hilda & Diana
I'm a Lecturer in the School of Computing at Portsmouth University, on the South Coast of the UK. My interests lie in the use of technology to support learning - whether it's through the more formal VLE/Online assessment tools etc., or the more informal uses of Web2 / Second Life etc.

For my own personal learning, I find Twitter invaluable - am often on there. You've mentioned Facebook - I try to keep work out of FB! My friends there are generally either nothing to do with work, or, those I've met through work but feel socially connected with them too.

I, like you, also like to use Google Docs - and now that we have it on campus it's really useful for getting students to use in groups (though at present, staff have to request accounts on it, so that's kind of interesting, when you want them to show you work!)

I'm less fond of Skype - but I've never really liked audio on the computer - would rather write on it - and then use a landline to call people - though I admit it's useful to have audio when the other party isn't in the UK. (Possibly also because I only have one decent headset, which is invariably at work when I want it at home, or upstairs when I want it downstairs etc!)

Emma

(Oh, not ignoring any answers to this - but am doing it in a few moments I have spare - we've got the day off tomorrow for the Royal Wedding & I'm going to see friends in Scotland, so off to the airport soon)
In reply to Diana Chan

Re: Welcome to Demystifying the Student Perspective

by Leva Lee -
Hi Hilda & Diana,
I work primarily with people at-a-distance in my work coordinating ETUG events. With our Steering Committee of post-secondary colleagues based around BC, tools like Skype for meetings and wikis for collaborative notes and writing are invaluable. I really like the survey form that is part of Google apps and Doodle for booking meetings. These tools have been big time savers for me. From an administrative perspective, web 2.0 tools has changed practice quite dramatically. It does take time to transition though from old to new practices.

Looking forward to hearing more about what students use and from others!

Leva
In reply to Diana Chan

Re: Welcome to Demystifying the Student Perspective

by Diana Chan -
As a business student at SFU, we don't usually have too many projects.

I find the best tool for getting all the course materials and information about the course from WEBCT. I know it's not always the best option, but I have actually grown to like it compared to Professors having separate web pages for couse materials.

There are so many platforms where teachers can post information and as a student taking several courses, it would be easy to have all the information in one place rather than checking Webct, emails and other websites.

Perhaps there needs to be better university policies where teachers should post additional course materials in one place rather than several, just to keep uniformity.

I know it's hard but it's just a suggestion.

When there are group projects, I also use Google Docs, Skype and drop box if the groups can not physically meet up.
In reply to Diana Chan

Questions from students: Why is this course stuff all over the place?

by Sylvia Currie -

Diana Chan wrote,

it would be easy to have all the information in one place rather than checking Webct, emails and other websites.

I think this will be such a revealing statement to many educators. There is such a strong trend to distribute, decentralize, bust outta the LMS...

What you're suggesting, Diana, is that although some educators might have great intentions in terms of offering more flexibility and participation options, this approach only works when there is better effort in centralizing course content and activities.

What are some ways that students have gotten around this? Any tips on strategies for organizing course content and contributions that educators could learn from?

In reply to Sylvia Currie

Re: Questions from students: Why is this course stuff all over the place?

by Bonita Bray -
I'm with you, Sylvia. Diana's point is interesting.

Sometimes I think that folks who work in a field - whether it is elearning or a specific discipline like history (something I used to teach) are a bit ahead of their students in specific areas. By that I mean that they have explored a technology or theoretical approach and have discovered the limitations. And want to move beyond them.

But the students are still discovering the technology or theoretical approach and need to work in it for awhile to get comfortable.

So while, as you've noted, here is a strong impetus to 'bust outta the LMS' by teachers/it folks who have explored the LMS and found it limiting, a significant number of students find the LMS efficient and effective for what they are doing.

Of course, that may be the core of the issue - what they are doing/asked to do is limited by the LMS. So in that way, the teaching/learning strategies are determined by the technology.

Like you, Sylvia, I'd be interested in hearing ideas on how could students and instructors could get around this. Anyone?

In reply to Bonita Bray

Re: Questions from students: Why is this course stuff all over the place?

by Emma Duke-Williams -

Bonita Bray wrote,

Of course, that may be the core of the issue - what they are doing/asked to do is limited by the LMS. So in that way, the teaching/learning strategies are determined by the technology.

I guess there are a few things coming in here; firstly - if the VLE is limiting what you want to do with students - then probably there is a reason to break out from it; (caveat: my students are computing students, and are more likely to complain about the VLE than I am!) - I think the problems really arise when either the VLE does do what you want, but staff just dislike it for whatever reason & use an alternative and/or it doesn't do what you want, so you find an alternative - but a colleague finds a different solution to the same problem, thus students have to use multiple sites.

Of course, the ideal is that all material is easily shareable via RSS or whatever, so all can browse/interact/whatever in their tool / platform of choice.

In reply to Emma Duke-Williams

Re: Questions from students: Why is this course stuff all over the place?

by Diana Chan -
Do you ever find funding an issue when implementing new VLE to suit students needs? or perhaps Institutional policies hinder you from changing the VLE?

I remember for a few computing courses I took, the programs seemed very outdated and I really did not understand why the school was teaching us programming with severely outdated software. I just assumed it was due to lack of funding and the instructors inability to change their course curriculum.

I'm very interested to hear what other think about this. Perhaps it is a misconception?
In reply to Diana Chan

Re: Questions from students: Why is this course stuff all over the place?

by Hilda Anggraeni -

Diana Chan wrote,

I remember for a few computing courses I took, the programs seemed very outdated and I really did not understand why the school was teaching us programming with severely outdated software.

 



I found this interesting too.. One time I took a course for interface design. This course discuss about how the interface of application can make a big difference for user experience. the design, the efficiency, the clarity, etc. However, the website designated for this course (plain website, and not LMS) doesn't really reflects on the material we are studying.

In reply to Diana Chan

Re: Welcome to Demystifying the Student Perspective

by Judy Southwell -

With a variety of applications potentially being used for different purposes, it could be more difficult to have one or a couple of central places from which to access coursework.  With so many of us using cell phones today, I wonder if this medium could be used more as an 'on the hip' device from which to access a variety of applications?

Also, should we consider what we want to accomplish when using social applications/technologies and have this guide us in working out more efficient ways to access, use and upload information? 

For example, if information is to be relayed for organizational matters, e.g., a reminder that a project is due, then perhaps a quick tweet to students would be effective.  Though, at a conference I attended yesterday on mobile technologies, I hear that group tweets are not possible--so for those teaching large classes this might not be a good application.

If we want to use social applications for learning activities, then we would probably want to look closely at pedagogy and which technologies would be best suited.

Level of user technology skills, internet access, and costs to be incurred by students in order to use social apps/technology would be something to think about, too.

Bates' SECTIONS framework (and others) has helped me in my work in considering technologies...Students, Ease of Use, Costs, Teaching and Learning, Interactivity, Organizational Issues, Novelty, and Speed.

Judy

In reply to Judy Southwell

Re: Welcome to Demystifying the Student Perspective

by Bonita Bray -
Hi Judy:

I loved your approach here - thinking about what is to be accomplished when using social applications/technologies.

It was great to be reminded of Bates' SECTIONS framework - so useful.

I just disappointed, though, to hear that you were told that gtoup tweets were not possible. They definitely are.

Although group tweets take a bit of time/work to set up, it's an approach that is possible and it works well. I'd say it was worth the time to set up if you were doing it for a class where the group would be together for a few weeks.

If you're interested in the process, there is a short tutorial here: http://twutorials.com/video-tutorial/private-group-tweets

I hope this information is useful.

cheers,

bonita
In reply to Bonita Bray

Re: Welcome to Demystifying the Student Perspective

by Judy Southwell -

Many thanks, Bonita, for sending the link.  Nice to know group tweets can be done with relative ease.

Cheers,

Judy

In reply to Judy Southwell

Re: Welcome to Demystifying the Student Perspective

by Diana Chan -
Definitely agree with you that its hard to have a central place for all course work.

It seems quite possible that someone could create an app for course work, but at the same time, not everyone has a smart phone or have a phone at all. Very intriguing idea, but perhaps educators could experiment depending on their class.

Social media is still quite young in my opinion, so anything is really possible.