Hi dear all,
great to be here too!
I have been a lurker for the last few years. Not sure how much I will able to participate this time, but I will try.
I tried to search for the wave, but didn't find it. Can someone pull me into it please (cristinacost@gmail.com) . I can hardly swim in there i must say...and I still haven't given Buzz a try. So all of this is very exciting for me.
Thanks Emma and Sylvia for offering this workshop.
Cris
Cristina Costa
Posts made by Cristina Costa
Sorry I couldn't attend the session synchronously, but thanks God there's a recording! :D The wonders of technology... Thanks Sylvia for sharing the link! ;-)
Not sure if I can add anything new, but here it goes...
What is your earliest memory of an educational technology?
Crayons and colouring books
Who is the most influential scholar in educational technology you can name?
Paulo Freire (one of them at least)
What is an important event in the history of educational technology?
Free and open source web 2.0 tools - grant learning power/responsibility to the "people" , opening up possibilities to a wider range of people independently of educational budgets, etc
Not sure if I can add anything new, but here it goes...
What is your earliest memory of an educational technology?
Crayons and colouring books
Who is the most influential scholar in educational technology you can name?
Paulo Freire (one of them at least)
What is an important event in the history of educational technology?
Free and open source web 2.0 tools - grant learning power/responsibility to the "people" , opening up possibilities to a wider range of people independently of educational budgets, etc
Second Life has definitely unique characteristic when compared with other web spaces. What comes to mind first is the materialization of the one’s profile through an avatar – a more “tangible” shape of the self. In many other web 2.0 scenarios, such as blogs, wikis, podcast, social network sites, etc., one’s digital identity is mainly established by text or voice recordings. Then there are also some real time communication tools which contribute to the development of one’s identity online. Nevertheless, one’s presence in SL is a little bit different as it is embodied in the form of an avatar. It adds a quite different meaning to individual and collective activity online, as it evokes a different feeling of the self.
I think SL can potentially bring some freshness to the online education sphere, as a new space to re-think identity and sense of community through Avatars.
It is also powerful in the way it augments creativity, and I would even say it may help decrease inhibition among shier individuals. In SL anonymity is in general terms accepted and there seems to be a bigger effort to tolerate “the difference”. Hierarchy is also less perceptible here too. And to be honest, I think that is what SL is all about.
Some of my concerns about this environment are related with the still technical issues and requirements. They might be somehow discouraging for the less eager to enter their second life. Once you kind of know your way around, the technical glitches will not be that relevant. The problem is to get them started, especially the less young generations.
The new generations will enter so they are getting the “training” they need.
Our current audience still need a helping hand.
In that sense, and the way I see it, the moderator will have a crucial role in phase 1 – Access and Motivation. Some “holding-hands” might have to be done to get everyone on board. A lot of experimental activities which can tie in well with the social activities, in order to get them going and keep up the motivation. I use to say the “Dynamization” of the space is an investment which will bear fruits in the end. It is necessary to keep the “troops” motivated and provide them with the know-how, and confidence, to succeed.
In SL, I perceive these 2 stages will take longer than in other online spaces. There is a lot more of groundwork to be done in SL than in blogs or wikis, for instance.
I am now co-moderating an online workshop about blogging for educators. Our audience are newbies. Some of them are experimenting the web as web 2.0 for the first time. It is not easy when everything is online and when you aer dealing with people from all continents and the most different time Zones. Yet, there is always at least one moderator online ready to give an helping –hand. We skype to give personalized support, we answered questions posed through email, which are answered through the same via and thus shared with the rest of the group. I have seen people who could hardly attach a file to an email develop a wonderful digital identity. Knowing there will be someone out there to provide them with support has give them that confidence. They have exceeded their own expectations.
just my 2 cents!
Hi Dan!
What a great intro!
Let me tell you all about me.
I am Cristina and I am a Learning Technologies Development Officer at the University of Salford, UK.
Before that I was an EFL teacher in Portugal.
Copyright is a big issue here as it also is intellectual property.
And I have some strongs views on copyright in education and that these should be different from the copyright in other contexts of our life, simply because learning is about sharing and have access to different points of view and resources.
I have noticed that staff is very reluctant about going online because of the IP rights, so they claim. However, they don't seem that worried when using materials that belong to other authors in their classes. That is slightly worrying.
I think there is a changing in the culture happening and that many people are already sharing their work more, but we still have a lot of people still wanting to own what its theirs and what is not, and that really upsets me. I have recently gone through something quite similar about that with a staff member...not pleasant let me tell.
looking forward to learning more about copyright issues with you all.
What a great intro!
Let me tell you all about me.
I am Cristina and I am a Learning Technologies Development Officer at the University of Salford, UK.
Before that I was an EFL teacher in Portugal.
Copyright is a big issue here as it also is intellectual property.
And I have some strongs views on copyright in education and that these should be different from the copyright in other contexts of our life, simply because learning is about sharing and have access to different points of view and resources.
I have noticed that staff is very reluctant about going online because of the IP rights, so they claim. However, they don't seem that worried when using materials that belong to other authors in their classes. That is slightly worrying.
I think there is a changing in the culture happening and that many people are already sharing their work more, but we still have a lot of people still wanting to own what its theirs and what is not, and that really upsets me. I have recently gone through something quite similar about that with a staff member...not pleasant let me tell.
looking forward to learning more about copyright issues with you all.
Dear Ian,
what you say is SO true!
I am - or used to be - one of those introverts.
Most of my high school and University teachers might not even remember me. I was that students that sits quietly and listens to, digesting the information for myself. I wasn't the brave one. I liked to have time to think and then once you knew the time was up and I had no time to put my ideas across. Also maybe because Ia m a little bit shyer in face to face situations.
The online world has made me a better person I think. I am now able to give more of myself. I trust myself more as here (online) I am put on the constant test. The only way to prove that I am interested in these topics and that I have an opinion about it them is to share my opinions with you all.
Since most of the interactions online are asynchronous it gives me time to consider and ponder about what I want to say - it doesn't mean I will always come up with something smart! - but It means I have been able to develop ways to trust me enough to interact . It has has its reflections on my face to face behavior as well, as the online interactions have been really good practices.
The other thing that you also mentioned and that I totally agree with is the fact that I consider my virtual friends to be true friends. In many cases the interactions and interaction online become even stronger than many of the acquaintances I make only face to face. And I also think that is because online people trust themselves more to give more of themselves, and also because online people have more time to reflect about what they say and thus show the better side of them more often.
what you say is SO true!
I am - or used to be - one of those introverts.
Most of my high school and University teachers might not even remember me. I was that students that sits quietly and listens to, digesting the information for myself. I wasn't the brave one. I liked to have time to think and then once you knew the time was up and I had no time to put my ideas across. Also maybe because Ia m a little bit shyer in face to face situations.
The online world has made me a better person I think. I am now able to give more of myself. I trust myself more as here (online) I am put on the constant test. The only way to prove that I am interested in these topics and that I have an opinion about it them is to share my opinions with you all.
Since most of the interactions online are asynchronous it gives me time to consider and ponder about what I want to say - it doesn't mean I will always come up with something smart! - but It means I have been able to develop ways to trust me enough to interact . It has has its reflections on my face to face behavior as well, as the online interactions have been really good practices.
The other thing that you also mentioned and that I totally agree with is the fact that I consider my virtual friends to be true friends. In many cases the interactions and interaction online become even stronger than many of the acquaintances I make only face to face. And I also think that is because online people trust themselves more to give more of themselves, and also because online people have more time to reflect about what they say and thus show the better side of them more often.