Annotated Bibliography

Bot, M. (2011). Online Tutorial Videos. 4th Year Project Report Software Engineering.  University of Edinburgh Division of Informatics

Description:
Bot describes the Youtute system. This is a web service from the School of Informatics tutorials which makes them accessible to students so they can use them to revise tutorials. His document describes the work performed on the YouTute system, not the initial set up of the system. He focuses mainly on the improvements made to the system in it's 4th year. 

Evaluation:
This is an interesting paper for my research because it links to the online video tutorials that I will be looking into. It has some information at the conclusion of the paper as to the success of the programme. It also has data from a user evaluation. Youtute has been set up to 'support' the classroom learning that happens in the School of Informatics, as oppose to replace it. This source is linked to university research, therefore I feel as though it would be a reliable source.

Berge, Z., and Collins, M.(1995). Computer Mediated Communication and the Online Classroom. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.

Description:
Berge and Collins describe the changes and shifts happening in education with the introduction of new technologies. In the introductory chapter they discuss the way in which education has changed to being independent exploration by the learner. They state that not all of education happens in the classroom and that students can learn through 'unplanned learning'. They find similarities between distance education with in class learning using technology. This chapter supports using technology to support education.

Evaluation:
In the introductory chapter of this book there is a lot of information relevant to my research. The writers discuss the importance of using technology in education, and they describe things I have been thinking about i.e. different learning styles, the effects of new technology for  the Teacher, learning outside the classroom. This chapter of the book has been published in a Magazine. I feel as though the editor of the magazine feels as though the information and source is reliable enough to publish their works. Therefore I feel as though it would be a reliable source to use. 

Final decisions for research topic EDEM630...parts edited from previous blog with more detail added

Well I think that after nights of thinking, a lot of feedback from Wayne and all those in my household (Thank you) and actually dreaming about it last night I have clarity on what I am going to look into for my research for EDEM630.

"With access to specific online tutorials, is the way we teach and learn starting to change in educational institutions?"
The specific digital technologies I will be looking at are online tutorials as a tool.

It is important to me because it is something I have been using in class and I am seeing a shift in education. I am wondering if it is going to benefit the teacher and students or if it is going to create laziness in educational institutions. I wonder if it raises student achievement, is it motivational, does it allow students to access new skills when they choose to, does it make some peoples jobs obsolete, or if anyone is generating income from it. I also wonder if the tutorials are always meaningful, as anyone can post a video on youtube. I would be interested to find educational videos on youtube similar to teacher tools tutorials (as the video links on www.teachertools.co.nz all link to youtube.) in other curriculum areas.

Using online tutorials affect the way we do things and how we are going about new learning. I have found that  people are referring to 'youtube' as a teaching tool if they are unsure how to do something. I also access a lot of online tutorials in my Microsoft partners in learning for my professional development. I have recently started to bring it in as a teaching tool in my classroom.

The information providers will be myself and my own experiences, people I talk to, my own experiences, students and educators who publish information on the topic. I think Microsoft will have some information on the topic, as they  have so many tutorials available. Also Apple have itunes U courses, so I am hoping there will be some information there. I have had a look at the Khan Academy and there are a a lot of resources there too.  We all find information online, and in our course notes our lecturers have left vimeo tutorials for us to use. I would like to think most educational providers in New Zealand are using online tutorials, but this is something I would like to look into further. It will be interesting to talk with Teachers in my community about what they use and how. I am also attending the ULearn 2013 in Hamilton this year, I will be interested to see if video tutorials are used or referred to.

The major questions for this topic are:

Is using online videos to teach skills changing the way we teach?

Does online learning promote a new way of learning?

Do online tutorials make jobs obsolete?

How do parents and our community feel about using online videos to learn?

Do online tutorials support classroom teaching?

What kind of learning style does this cater for?

Will it make classroom teachers lazy?

Are there students that have difficulty learning this way?

I think it is important to consider the teacher and the learner in this research, I am not looking at online tutorials exclusively, I am looking at them as a teacher resource. I am also looking at how using online tutorials may start to change the way we teach and learn in educational institutions. 

I feel that this topic is important on an international level, anyone with internet access can use online learning. I would like to look at this specifically in relation to education in NZ, but that will depend how much information I can find. I may end up spreading my research out to international institutions. A perspective suggested by one of my lecturers was to evaluate the OSNAP change model as a framework to understand or implement change with digital technology in education. I could then contrast and compare this with other models as we go through the course.  

My topic is definitely important now. Education is changing, and we are seeing a shift towards an online environment.  I will be interested to see how far back I can find research on this topic. I think that this is a great start for me as it is something I would like to know more about and it is relevant to my teaching. 

Research topic

Technology is certainly changing the way that we do things. 

As I sit in a room full of friends who are all on a device of their own it makes me think back to the cup of tea and scones culture we seem to have moved away from. At the click of a finger we can check the weather, what’s open, and what activities are highly recommended to go to. I am curious as to whether this takes some of the spontaneity out of life. After becoming a Mum last year I made an executive decision to rid my life of facebook. I was a serious facebook user and had been regularly updating my profile with posts, photos and videos of what we were up to and what Tyler (baby girl) was into. As my family all live overseas this was a great way to keep them up to date. The decision to ‘permanently delete’ my profile was met with surprise from friends. I have been asked why I did it and it came down to this….I want to have tea and scones and talk about what I have been up to with friends. When I see people in the street I want to be able to ask them how their day is going and be met with surprise when they tell me. When people see Tyler I want them to say how much she has grown or she was ‘this big’ last time they saw her.

I wonder if working on a project in the garage with Dad, or sitting down with Mum and watching her knit whilst attempting to knit some kind of scarf (because it is long and thin) might be a culture that we may soon be referring to as in the past. Certainly from a teaching point of view, I no longer need to learn everything before I attempt to teach it, because I know I can type it into a search engine and find an ‘expert’ within minutes. Online tutorials intrigue me. Today I was looking for a cable for HDMI to VGA, I didn’t know if they made them or where I could get one so I googled it, In the google search there was actually a 5 minute online tutorial of how to use one of these cables.

It just makes me think. What will the classroom end up being? Will Teachers set up a scroll down list of hyperlinked tutorials to teach their students skills? Will we no longer need a planning folder with all our own work in it? Will National Standards end up being run by online tutorials for students to follow in order to achieve At? Is youtube taking away that quick phonecall you make to Mum, an Aunty or sister to ask how to get red wine out of the carpet?

I feel like I know where I want my research to lead for my paper, I just don’t know how to specifically ask the right question……..So I have come to this

How are online tutorials changing the way we communicate with our students?

This is what I want to know…..

Research topic for EDEM630

This is a hard one......There is so much I want to research. I am constantly reading about new ideas on how to use ICT in the classroom and I am always curious as to what ideas work.

My research topic is:

"The effectiveness of online tutorials as a learning tool"

The specific digital technologies I will be looking at are online tutorials as a tool.

I chose this topic because: 

- I hear about it - people are referring to 'youtube' as a teaching tool if they are unsure how to do something

- I use it - I access a lot of online tutorials in my Microsoft partners in learning professional development

- I have recently started to bring it in as a teaching tool in my classroom

It interests me because I wonder if it raises student achievement, is it motivational, does it allow students to access new skills when they choose to, does it make some peoples jobs obsolete, or if anyone is generating income from it. I also wonder if the tutorials are always meaningful, as anyone can post a video on youtube. I would be interested to find educational videos on youtube similar to teacher tools tutorials (as the video links on www.teachertools.co.nz all link to youtube.) in other curriculum areas.

I feel as though the information providers will be people I talk to, my own experiences, students and educators who publish information on the topic. I think Microsoft will have some information on the topic, as they  have so many tutorials available. Also Apple have itunes U courses, so I am hoping there will be some information there. I have had a quick search and there is quite a lot of information about achievement and online tutorials which I am very interested in. I feel as though everyone who is studying in this day and age in developed countries is affected by my research topic. We all find information online, and in our course notes our lecturers have left vimeo tutorials for us to use. I would like to think most educational providers in New Zealand are using online tutorials, but this is something I would like to look into further.

The major questions for this topic are 

Is there a shift to a flipped classroom teaching and learning style using online tutorials?

Does online learning promote a new way of learning?

Do online tutorials make jobs obsolete?

Do online tutorials support classroom teaching?

What kind of learning style does this cater for?

Will it make classroom teachers lazy?

Are there students that have difficulty learning this way?

I think it is important to consider the teacher and the learner in this research, I am not looking at online tutorials exclusively, I am looking at them as a teacher resource.

I feel that this topic is important on an international level, anyone with internet access can use online learning. I would like to look at this specifically in relation to education in NZ, but that will depend how much information I can find.

My topic is definitely important now. Education is changing, and we are seeing a shift towards an online environment.  I will be interested to see how far back I can find research on this topic.

Hello

Hi everyone,
My name is Arnika Brown, I have been teaching at MTSS (Mt Somers Springburn School) for the past 5 years. In my spare time I do like to get outdoors, but when I am indoors I love going onto my Microsoft partners in learning profile http://www.pil-network.com, and working on my ICT skills towards badges, there is so much free PD on there. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Well, I have just realised that I did start a blog in 2010,(as I found it) and I tried to make it work in my classroom, but alas, it all fell apart.
I have a 1:1 laptop classroom that has been running for 4 years now, and I am just feeling like I am starting to work it effectively. In my class I have a huge range of learning styles and abilities, and I find that the laptop programme supports students in numerous ways. We have been predominantly using Microsoft over the years, which seems to have paid off, as we are now hopefully going to be part of the IT Academy which will be interesting.
In class,I use an Apple desktop so we have also used iMovie, iPhoto and Garage Band as a class. I think it is important for the students to experience as many different types of learning platforms as we can offer. We also have an IWB and a 50inch plasma that we use for shared learning. I am very passionate about e-learning, and am working towards my Post Grad.
Last year we set up a Weebly as a staff, and we feel like having a blog is our next step. We have had a look at numerous other blogs and are just trying to figure out how we can set one up to benefit all Teachers, students and our wider community.
I would like my blog to motivate parents to become involved in their childrens development and learning online, and to be able to comment on work they have done. We have our Weebly set up as our school website www.mtss.school.nz, and our next step is definitely to have an open space for parent feedback.
I have attached a picture of our lovely Mt Somers, I have an amazing view of it from my classroom window.

I am really looking forward to this course, and can see already that it will be great for me professionally.

Thanks, Arnika