My Conference Notes:

Educational Technology Conference - Humber - Let’s Get Creative!!

May 27 and 28 Conference at Humber College…

http://www.onlinelearning.humber.ca/etc2010/sessions.html

Annual educational technology conference for Ontario Community Colleges - 2010 Conference Theme was let’s get creative.

2010 marked a big change in the conference - twitter stream was advertised and highlighted at the conference and both keynote speakers were streamed live using “Livestream”. These changes brought us one step closer to offering conference seminars onsite as well as virtually - this type of change is necessary to continue to foster interest and attendance in educational technology conferences.

This conference marked the first time I used twitter as my main note taking and sharing tool

Twitter stream at the conference was #etc2010conf.

Opening Keynote speaker was Will Richardson @willrich45 author of “Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms.” Excellent opening Keynote on our first live look at the Apple iPad ;)

A Web of Connections: What changes in a world of anytime, anywhere, anyone learning?

Captured from the Keynote:  

• Passion based learning - learners play and connect whereever they are
• We need to be very aware of didtial literacy skills and teaching our students the critical thinking skills necessary
• Need to be more open about how we learn, when we learn and from whom we learn
• Learn and collaborate with passion - bring that passion into your teaching and learning
• Anyone can “open” or start an institution (future) what do higer-ed institutions have to offer beside their credentials.
• Need more recognition for informal and authentic learning
• we are in a disruptive moment - there are no road signs
• Traditional media is totally influx - trying to figure out how to exist or co-exist online

Education in your Pocket Session (iPhone, iTouch and applications for learning)

• Organization and Time Management apps - Outlook, Alarm Clock, Presentation timer, Istudez Lite/Pro
• Other Apps - will upload file once I have a PDF copy…

Augmented Reality (AR)

• Minimal AR - smart phone camera, compass and GPS information is needed to operate an AR browser - AR browsers label the real world
• AR and education - gimic? personalized learning path? authentic discovery?
• AR discovery based learning - youtoursx - AR visits to different colleges and Universities
• AR books available from Amazon.com
• AR book - - can’t wake up the dragon that is snoring and supposed to be protecting the book - very funny
• good ideas generated on how to use AR in the classroom - acting out scenes from historical events, games, mysteries, etc.,
• logitech cameras allow you to create an avatar for yourself so that you can change your talking head for video chats
• Play with AR apps - Talking Dog Studio
• AR Apps - HandHeld City - Toronto Museum Project - very cool!

Use of PC Tablets in a Classroom Environment

• Carol Carruthers @mathtech - Seneca College
• DyKnow Vision Software is crucial for interacting with students and the tablets (or similar software)
• Stylus/Pen was very easy to work with and the software was easy to use
• Instant feedback from students to teacher using tablets and DyKnow Software - polling and quizzing capablility
• Lesson plans can be built to include the instruction portion, the interaction portion and allow students to submit their work directly to the teacher for evaluation or feedback
• Learners can work on questions or solutions independently or in groups
• @mathtech teaches math in 2 hour blocks and stops every 20 or so minutes to give the students social media or personal computing breaks - allows the students to stay on task while working on the tablets because they are given opportunities to socials and have some fun.

Day 2 - Keynote #2 - CBC’s Jesse Hirsch @jessehirsch - very compelling and passionate speaker

The Problem of Speed - and the Importance of Critical Thinking 

• Real/Virtual - Private/Public - was thinking about this in the AR session - lines are blurring more and more
• Michael Bryant/Al Sheppard incident as a learning opportunity (TO former MP and bike courier incident). - how it played out in the media - class dynamics and urban conflict
• Media literacy and Critical thinking - pattern recognition instead of information overload
• smart mobs and flash mobs
• writing to be accessible, transparent and authentic using social media is an important skill set
• slowing down, mindfulness, aware of your community, and dialogue - makes media more meaningful
• very thoughtful keynote - “start everyday with dialogue” - use your “voice” and connect
• time management connects to literacy and relevance
• Teachers as core political consituency
• relevance is the key to the learning
• collectivist approach to social media
• academics are stressed about work - don’t try to do it all - make reasonable decisions for self.

Using Screencasting Software - Rob Theriault - Georgian College

• Direct quote from presenter - “fine line between keener and weiner” :)
• Use itunes for storage for your screencasts/podcasts so that students can subscribe and easily download
• Use iTunes as your storage and distribution point for your students - allows you to get around file size limits of LMS
• Google Georgian College and iTunesU to see what they are doing or what they are uploading for podcasts - can listen/access them
• Presenter uses narrated powerpoint for his presentations and then uploads to iTunes
• 800 schools and Universities use iTunes U to make their material available for access or downloading
• Reasons to use screencasting for learning: key concepts, small digestible chunks, lessons, promotes relevancy, free up class time for discussion or practice
• Examples of software: Camstudio, Fraps, Jing, Panopto, and Screenr

Excellent session, networking, socializing and learning at 2010 ETC conference!!

14 June 2010 ·