Future of LMS/PLE

in the past month, i've been overwhelmed with new information that has been at my fingertips for years, and yet, so distant from my thought process. the virtual realm of education continues to be groundbreaking forum for learning to occur. discoveries seem to happen over night and new methods are formed simultaneously. after a long month of academic writing, research, and experimentation in course authoring, i thought i would use this forum to communicate some of the metacognitive agendas i feel need be addressed as a result of my experience in Learming Management Systems and Organization. i chose to blog about this experience because i feel it is a reflection of the future of learning at many different levels of e-learning. furthermore, as i did research into the future of learning management systems, i found that most profundity was being conveyed on blogs and less in academic research areas. perhaps, this is due to the rapid learning transaction occuring in the e-learning setting or due the fact that blogs are a reflection of the emergence of e-learning happening in the virtual learning environment. whatever the cause, this is my forum and part of my portfolio, so someone will eventually read it.

i will start with a graphic from Scott Wilson's Flickr presentation about the need for an e-portfolio:



in week one of our studies in Dr. Gibson's class, i was particularly drawn to this notion of an e-portfolio for a number of reasons. first, an e-portfolio builds evidence of learning. whether it is planning individually or collaboratively, reflecting, or posting academically, a virtual space where work in kept and maintained allows others to view what productivity you've accomplished over time. it could be a professor checking in on your work or it could be a potential employer looking at things you've done over a period of time, the e-portfolio gives a more constructivist perspective to e-learning. it's not to say that objectivist pursuits are not met in the mean time, but they are not the end. they are just the means.

secondly, an e-portfolio solicits collaboration, another sign of the future of LMS. it gives me great confidence to know that my academic writing is part of a group of writers/researchers and that writing has built something over time in the form of wiki. blogs serve a similar function by allowing rss feed members to contribute to ongoing dialogue of points. furthermore, it opens the doors of opportunity to learn from others by contributing or asking questions of contemporaries. the environment of e-learning is unique because this phenomenon of collaboration to occur in some of the most pure forms; without competition, individualization, and ridicule, but with open-mindedness, skepticism, and questioning.

third, the realm of possibilities in the future of LMS seem to be endless. there are new technologies and mediums being developed daily that accommodate pursuits that students have. Web 2.0 is the most current and blossoming example of tools that make the notion of building an e-portfolio easier, as well as more productive. Karl Kapp makes an amazing assertion that parallels the music industry to the future of LMS. the future of LMS should be "that the content within the LMS can no longer live in the LMS trap" (Kapp, 2009). with emerging technologies and media, there is no trap and constraint because all information is available at all times. this helps the e-portfolio flourish because it enables the learner to work without hinderances that might have plagued him/her when taking a traditional e-learning class in the past. the more information and media that is available, the more productivity can occur that helps learners succeed in this particular learning environment.

fourth, in the future, an LMS will interact with multiple tools and applications without impeding the progress of the learner. currently, any particular LMS "doesn’t interact with Flickr, Google Maps, Amazon, WikiPedia, Yahoo, 43, Plazes, GTalk, LiveJournal etc." (Gunter, 2005). Most LMS do not have a live chat function either. learners in the e-learning environment have to rely heavily on the ability to connect with others at a rapid instant. a Virtual Learning Environment accommodates this, but only with a separate applications. in the future, all of the tools should be able to be utilized in the forum.

lastly, Personal and Virtual Learning Environments offer flexibility that caters to the needs of today's student who is probably a working professional or an "on-the-go" student. when a platform in open sourced, the ability to maneuver and manipulate courses and design happens instantaneously. recently, Dayton University adopted Sakai as their choice of LMS because of the ability to "provide(s) the flexibility for form‐creation and customization increasingly required
by academic programs" (2008). at the same time, the Dayton University LMS Advisory Panel found that "Sakai provides a strong electronic portfolio built‐in that can be highly customized to the
academic needs of individual programs" (2008).

the LMS of the future will rely heavily on the need to have learner-­centered approach. in his YouTube post, "dlnorman" articulates why this is so valuable:



for years, we've valued the institution of learning more than the individual. the rapid influx of technology has required us to change this mindset because learners become the center of their own world, their own reality, their own agendas, their own learning as soon as they sit at a computer. by shifting this paradigm, the institution then values the learner more so than itself. it may take more generations, more tools, and a better understanding of the world where learning occurs, but the shift is definitely happening. this is why Full Sail is so successful in any avenue of learning that occurs. there is attention to detail from the onset, but with specific dedication to the learner and his/her personal development. it does not happen overnight, but occurs when productivity is sought and collaboration manifests.

in the future, learners will be more mobile and have access to newer and more innovative mediums. their Personal Learning Environments will be administered through headsets while they are out on the town or in a movie. there will be a constant flow of information that occurs without barriers of a platform. information will be organized using metadata (as it already is), so students can access topics freely by referencing tags or keywords. their phones will be blossoming with attempts to collaborate and problem-solve using unique methods they could have only found through productivity in the Virtual Learning Environment. it is quite exciting to be apart of a field that seems infinite and entirely attractive to present learner, as well as tomorrow's steward...

References

Beumer, K., Soguttekin, M., Beyer, M., & Cooperman, M. (2005). LMS of the future [Electronic version]. Retrieved May 31, 2009 from http://www.msoguttekin.com/LMS_of_the_Future_Group_A__Master_11_28.pdf

LMS Advisory Panel - Recommendations. (2008, January 28). Dayton University. Retrieved May 31, 2009 from http://learn.udayton.edu/manuals/LMS%20Advisory%20Panel%20Recommendations.pdf

Wilson, S. (2005, May 23). e-Portfolio presentation. Message posted to Flickr, archived at http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanishing/15379885/in/set-370240/

Gunter, W. (2005, November 17). Insight into the future of LMS. Message posted to Blogspot, archived at http://wageneder.blogspot.com/2005/11/insight-into-future-of-lms.html

Kapp, K. (2009, March 30). Future of digital music - future of CMS content. Message posted to Blogspot, archived at http://karlkapp.blogspot.com/2009/03/future-of-digital-music-future-of-lms.html

Norman, D. (2008, September 26). Open mindedness. Message posted to YouTube, archived at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_abKE5N-Px0

oneplusonefilm

One Plus One: A Human Network from Brian Mehrens on Vimeo.

What I've Learned...

Adobe Bridge

adobe bridge is by the most useful asset i've gained in this class. it really helped me understand how i've organized my media. most of my media has consisted of pictures and i've just began to use those pictures in photoshop. part of my school's commitment to further education relies on participation in a 'professional learning community'. the theme for my plc this year is using photoshop in the classroom. by using adobe bridge, i've open a number of possibilities that interact with photoshop. to me, adobe bridge is the greatest example of media convergence. it takes almost every media that i've made/used and collides it applications that are most useful to its presentation. i see much of my work on my final media project working from the adobe bridge platform. furthermore, i plan to teach my fellow teachers in my plc how to use adobe bridge so that our work in photoshop will be more ingenuitive and productive.

Stickam

i feel somewhat slighted that i did not get to participate in the group session of Stickam on Feb. 26. prior obligations needed my attention and time. however, after watching the tutorial, i've decided to set up an extra credit assignment for my students where we will set up profiles in Stickam and use the forum as a way to review for one of our benchmark exams. i've already sent an email out to parents to let them know about this opportunity and request their permission. i have also welcomed parent interaction during the session so that parents will gain experience in this valuable communication tool, and will be able to dialogue with the children about content covered during our review session. i plan to screencast the session to show to other teachers so that they might be able to use the forum for future instruction and dialogue.

another idea i had that relates to Stickam would be to use it as a platform for teachers at school to plan their curriculum implementation outside school. with each year, districts have been facing further budget deficits and this could possibly be a way for teachers to interact and bring about concerns if common planning times are taken away in effort to cut costs.

Jeopardy PowerPoints

my students love Jeopardy and especially when it's boys versus girls. i actually made the game before i realized that there were templates out there for me to use. they are simple, but the younger kids love them. they also think Alex Trebec is funny-looking. it's a great tutorial for review purposes and i've often posted the powerpoint on my blackboard site for students to use at home. i like it because it's interactive, but still taps into more behaviorist models of learning. for extra credit, i've allowed my students to make their own versions of the powerpoint with their own questions and categories. it really helps the monotonous task of making these presentations become more learner-centered. i have also found that other teachers love to use them (especially when they are made prior to the lesson or test). parents have emailed me that they enjoy playing the game with their students at home because it allows them to brush up on some information that they haven't thought about it years while having some valuable time with kids. simple, but very useful...

YouTube Uploads Make Life Easier...

Facebook Phenomenon

i joined facebook in 2004 when my roommates in college told me that it was the "new" thing to do. after spending multiple hours finding people i had not talked to since high school, i realized that it was a huge waste of time. i began slowly tapering myself away from the site because my studies dictated so. when i graduated and started looking for a job, i deleted the entire profile because i was, and still am, under the impression that school districts can use it in their hiring process (if i were a principal, i'd be looking at a potential hiree's page). two years went by and alas, i found myself at Full Sail and had multiple professors suggest (almost require) that I rejoin facebook. since then, here are some things i've thought about the site (decide what you may if they are positive or negative):

1. it definitely wastes time
2. it helps the old and new generations converge
3. it lessens boundaries for educators who chose to interact with their students on the site
4. it makes educators more vulnerable
5. it helps people network
6. it allows socially inept, 8th-year college seniors to find "true love" with a 19-year-old (or vice versa)
7. it lets me communicate with friends who've moved on to other places
8. it only operates within time parameters based on when participants check it (very little real-time interaction)
9. it promotes gossip and allows other people to post innappropriate things that might be associated with you
10. it can get teachers in trouble for using it at the workplace (i've seen it happen)
11. it allowed me to be proud of my newborn son in ways that i never thought possible
12. it made me examine myself (even in the most minute ways)
13. it made me pay attention to details (trivial or not) that i hadn't before
14. it made me start taking pictures again
15. it made me write this...

facebook status: ambiguous...

Scratch and Flash

i really enjoyed both tutorials over these applications. i had been frustrated with flash since we first started using it. i'm still having trouble with code and how it works. it's as if you're learning new languages and layers of language. to be honest, i've learned the most about flash from one of my sixth grade students whom i've previously written about. he suggested a site (gotoandlearn.com) that has really helped me work through some of the details of flash. perhaps, everyone should have a sixth grader put technology in their terms? maybe we'd (as mostly novices) learn more and in a new way?

i just began trolling around Scratch. the video on FSO was very informative, but the application has highly experiential components. it was great to hear ron smith discuss how he used it in his classroom. i plan to do something similar with my students. the only difference will be that i will give some parameters for the assignment since i am dealing with 6th graders.

both programs require much creativity and thinking "outside the box." it feels like you can almost do anything visually that you want. i think that is what makes both applications the most enticing of the ones that i've gotten to work with since starting at Full Sail. i just wish i had more time to devote to it. hmm...maybe a summer vacation project and then some...

Zander - Post 2

Art of Possibility 1-6

Wimba 4 - Recap

Ron Smith Q&A

Jenkins - Journey into Transmedia Storytelling

Photo of Nine Inch Nails by Cody Haefele (George Marshall Law School student)

Media convergence continues to evolve through the input of new consumers that enter the market of media daily. The "old" media conglomerates are inevitably losing ground to forces that are enabled by new technologies and new avenues of communication. Jenkins states, "Convergence occurs within the brains of individual consumers and through their social interactions with each other." To put it plainly, convergence is ongoing. It has been accelerated by the Internet and better communication tools like cell phones. It true manifestation has not fully been realized because it's always going to occur.

Spoiling is collective intelligence in practice because it pools the knowledge of various individuals to come up with a solution, or better yet, a picture of an episode before it happens. Collective intelligence relies heavily on communication. People cannot hold back information because it could be useful to one or many members of the collective. Spoiling and collective intelligence resemble a unique and elaborate scavenger hunt. Perhaps, it's more like a long game of Clue with more participants. As each member gets new information and makes hypotheses, the group comes closer to solving the game with the end postulation. The main difference is that spoiling and collective intelligence exist infinitely, which makes it far more exciting than any game.

American Idol has created a new generation of more active participants in viewing. It has forced viewers to use technology and communication methods that wouldn't have ordinarily used such mediums. If viewers have more at stake in the show, they are more likely to watch week after week. Furthermore, it allows for a new kind of advertising to be tailored towards the viewers of these programs. Active participation opens up new avenues for people to interact with each other, instead of passively viewing what's happening on the TV. In advertising, companies know that "80 percent of purchases are made by 20 percent of their consumer base." This phenomenon accurately illustrates the notion of 'brand loyalty.' Certain consumers are going to buy commodities just because they can and because they have been using it for years. As Jenkins points out, "love marks are more powerful than traditional brands command the love and respect of consumers." This is a sharp contrast between the old and the new way of catering to consumer wants and needs. It is the future though.

Transmedia storytelling is a "a story (that) unfolds across multiple media platforms, with each new text making a distinctive and valuable contribution to the whole." Jenkins goes on to say that "a story might be introduced in a film, expanded through television, novels, and comics; its world might be explored through a game play or experienced as an amusement park attraction." As the book clearly defines, The Matrix is by far and away the most successful example of transmedia storytelling, but many others are making working to fulfill this platform. Furthermore, The Matrix meets many criteria for cult classic status. It's quotable. It's identifiable. It's pragmatic, but flexible as well. It's full of information that is either new, old (religious overtones), or synthesized.

Another great example of a transmedia storyteller is the band Nine Inch Nails. Through music, artwork, theatrics at a live show, and a collaborative attitude with its fans, Trent Reznor has been able to break conventional molds of music-making. Each album for the past 20 years has unfolded in a streamline. There are stories of pain, fear, hope, etc. told across years of music. Artwork is valuable because the band produces it and solicits fan input. The live show is the best of music, theater, and art combined. They have also released their own multi-tracks for fans to mix their own versions of original music. I feel that this band been has meeting the demands of this new notion of transmedia storytelling without widespread notoriety. Even if you do not like their music, anyone can appreciate what they have tried to accomplish over the past 20 years. Too bad they make not be making media any longer (according to Trent Reznor's latest post on his website)...

Bragging a little...

as most of you know, i teach sixth graders social studies. with each new unit (this usually coincides with a new continent to study), i assign a "country report" where students find information about a certain country in the region. the presentation method is up to them. we've had brief tutorials on powerpoint, audacity (sound engineering), and movie maker. students have a list of 20 items that have to be research and presented. items include fashion, food, gdp, a flag, and a significant figure from their country. about 3/4 of my students choose powerpoint as their means to present. of that number, about 10 percent are what i would consider exemplary. but, i have one student is blowing the doors off technology. he has even pointed me in the right direction for learning how to use adobe. his first project was built completely from adobe flash and resembled a powerpoint with buttons activated, pictures to coincide, and general information animated. today, he turned in his project for his study of italy. it was still in flash, but his progress has gone off the charts. he is a young man that we will be asking for a job or even manipulating the convergence of culture in ten years. take a look at what he's done...

Jenkins - Convergence

i've began following Jenkins' blog that is somewhat of a continuation of his book. many of his points are elaborated and reordered with new insight. one particular quote stood out to me was Jenkins stated "in order to become spreadable, the content has to be able to create worth." for us as teachers, i definitely think this applies more than even. one media might be novelty and another might be historical, but it is the duty of the educator to establish worth in that particular media. this video is completely random with the gorilla, but somehow strikes a note in the advertising world because of its appeal to grab attention. for educators, presentation of media is equally as important to the establishment of worth in the chosen media. why are my kids making powerpoints right now about specific european countries? they are refining a new technology skill, filtering their own media (mostly pictures), and showing others what is important about the region.

In Limbo

well, i've made some headway into the different media tutorials provided for us this month and still feel a bit overwhelmed. i still need direction for my media project and still want to find a more defined direction for the use of all this media in my career. there are spurts and stagnancy, but i'm still working on putting it all together. i feel it; i can theorize, but i don't know exactly what it looks like yet. i guess you should say "in due time."

Joe Bustillos posted something in my blog about helping the younger generation sort through the chaos known as media today and to come. i drew a sharp metaphor to this phenomenon when my father sent me this picture of myself and my son. when i look into the eyes and minds of the young people i work with, i'm fearful of the things they are overstimulated by. the list seems endless and media plays the largest role in it. the difference is they solicit more of it and my job as an educator has become not only filter, but to also direct them towards intellectual pathways. i had a student ask to site "Google" during a recent research project. the problem is that he is mesmerized by the number entries that appear when he searches, but he does not understand that countless amounts of those entries are also unreliable. i got the same face from him that i got in the picture of my son and me...awestruck, disbelief, and trying to make sense of the world as he encounters it. in regards to my student, i directed him to the CIA's World Fact Book for the majority of his research. Though it may not be as glamorous, he now has an outlet use later in school. it truly is surreal to think of yourself as having a young mind in your hands and they self-recognition that comes from helping a student down the right path...

Wk1 Show Me What You Know Project

Pole Vault

i somewhat proud of myself. i problem-solved using my new-found knowledge of technology this week. i coach at a middle school in the north texas area and we just began track season. i have the daunting task of coaching pole vault and before you ask, NO, i have not ever tried the sport. so, you can imagine what day one of 'tryouts' must look like when i have 40 seventh and eighth grade boys/girls staring at me trying to explain something that's been described as one of the 10 most challenging feats on the planet. this year i decided to show a few videos as a precursor to our workouts. i successfully uploaded youtube videos to a page that i created on our track website. most of my kids (except for the ones who weren't allowed to download quicktime) viewed the video with success, and this allowed me to whittle down my numbers after some became a little more realistic (frightened) about what pole vault really was. my second task came today when i was spontaneously informed that i had to present a video to girls athletics in tandem with the other female coaches who'd planned an impromptu session of videos in the computer lab. i decided to cut-up a training video that i found on youtube with a brief narration by my voice. the video was extremely long and was outdated. i used some of the basics i could find to create my own 5-minute video. i uploaded the video to youtube and sent the link to the female coach in charge of the video session tomorrow. problem solved. girls get to view what i want them to and i can have the entire period to work the boys out on the pole vault pit. chaos successfully managed...

here is the original link on youtube that i used for video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eq9IQ_HQi9U&feature=related

Holden's World

the other night, i watched in fascination as my newborn son, Holden Michael, stared aimlessly at my computer screen as i worked. i began to wonder what he could see and what kept his attention. according to our pediatrician, he can only see outlines of objects that resemble shadows. however, we know that he is getting his vision in right now because he returns a smile when you smile at him. in reference to his first computer interaction, i could only imagine what these colors and movements might seem like to an unassuming brain. do they stimulate or do they overwhelm? do they add illumination to his formative stages or do they blind him from connecting meaning? what will the world of technology have to offer him when he is old enough to handle a macbook?

all these questions are easily translated for so many digital natives that are making their first jump into the digital realm. as media designers and technology gurus, we have an obligation to view them in the same way that an infant views the new visual world. there is so much in this realm we refer to as media that more attention should be paid to helping young people and digital natives organize this digital realm instead of teaching more methods to communicate and express themselves. communication is great, but it is aimless unless newcomers have some sense of how to use it and can apply the right program/application to the right environment...

Week One - Wimba

Week One in the Wimba Session was predominantly dedicated to a course overview. Most things that were outlined in the syllabus, but each item was discussed in detail over the entire hour. The most important information discussed in the session was the laying out of the blog. The idea would be for the blog to be completed over the course of the week with 5 entries per week. There is no penalty for not finishing the work in that week, but it does create more later if the blogs are not finished. Most of the class should be dedicated to exploring what medium we will choose to execute our media project later in the program.

One piece of information I found intriguing was that Mr. Bustillos is working on his doctorate in Educational Technology. I did not know that doctoral programs existed yet in this field. I curious to find out more about this field and to see some research coming from this side of academia.

Inauguaral Address

that's it. i've been avoiding it for years, but now it looks as though i have no choice. my words will officially go on the record for you to read. initially, they will serve my pursuits academically, but most likely will evolve to more. so here it goes...

in an effort to get the ball rolling, i figured i would discuss something that bothers me. powerpoint. in particular, educational powerpoints. do i use and make them? yes. have i felt like they were effective? sometimes.

my main question, though, is why do i feel like teachers think they are the only option? i think most teachers who don't put quality time into preparation, collaboration, and execution want to rely on a script. powerpoint is your answer. but why not more?

i remember one of the first examples of media i focused on at Full Sail was a clip that showed the differences in presentation between Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Gates' presentation was full of visual media, graphics, and stimulating fonts that displayed while he regurgitated information. i was impressed, but didn't really retain anything substantial other than saying, "wow, that looked cool." Jobs, on the other, crafted his presentation through the art visual storytelling. i remember few slides that precisely illustrated the core of his presented information. it was very calculated, rehearsed (in the good way), and full of depth. i wonder which one helped me more as a learner.

i think educators can benefit from this model. make your classroom tell a story. turn your curriculum into a song or a sonnet. record your voice. make music. edit a movie. at the same time, help your students try to do the same...