The Classroom

Check out the video I did with my students, "The Classroom" - a parody of the NBC series "The Office." Great job, LHZ!

The Classroom Part 1

The Classroom Part 2

Online Tools: Are They Credible for the Classroom?

In one of my courses at UCI for my teaching degree, we've been discussing the use of Wikipedia as a credible source for students to obtain information. A few of my colleagues (mostly the older ones) are completely against the use of Wikipedia - they claim that the idea of accessing something online, that does not exist in hard copy, is sufficient to not be considered a credible source. I understand their perspective, and it got me thinking about our duty as teachers in the classroom of today and of the future. I believe that we have the responsibility to teach accountability and honesty to our students, but at the same time, we must face the inevitable: our students will continue to use the Internet as a primary source to get their information, whether it’s engaging with affinity groups and social networks online to find out the latest trends, or obtaining summaries and cliff notes of books they’re required to read for their English Lit. class. The point is, there is a huge disconnect between teachers and students because of the Internet. On the one hand, students are learning from the Internet, yet their school practices are shutting off this kind of learning once they enter the classroom. On the other hand, the teachers (not so much the younger ones), express fear of losing control over their classroom or struggle to keep up with their students because they’re not “trained” to learn how to use the Internet and online learning tools.



Regardless, we are heading (and we’re already there) to an information system where groups can work together to solve complex problems that cannot be attempted alone. In other words, the Internet allows its users to collaborate in a setting in which individuals can contribute her unique intelligence or type of knowledge. Henry Jenkins, the principal investigator of Project New Media Literacies (NML), claims that, “…schools can actively prepare students for such a world — by allowing them to develop and refine their individualized expertise, by providing complex problems which require collective effort to resolve, by teaching them the ethics involved in working in such a highly collaborative and open-ended context.” Although we implement group work into our curriculums, the kind of group work is key in benefiting our students’ futures. We cannot assume that every student knows everything. Instead we need realistic group work that honors each student’s different kind of knowledge or expertise so that they can come together and use it effectively.

In regards to using the Internet and its tools, including Wikipedia, schools need to come to terms with our this current “informational system” and prepare students to use these resources both creatively and responsibly.

Our Obligation

Here's a passage I just read in a book I'm reading (Tribes by Seth Godin). It puts things in perspective and helps us to remember our position in life in relation to the rest of the world:

"Not too far from us, a few blocks away, there are kids without enough to eat and without parents who care. A little farther way, hours by place, are people unable to reach their goals because they live in a community that just doesn't have the infrastructure to support them. A bit farther away are people being brutally persecuted by their government. And the world is filled with people who can't go to high school, never mind college, and who certainly can't spend their time focused on whether or not they got a good parking space at work.

And so, the obligation: don't settle.

To have all these advantages, all this momentum, all these opportunities and then settle for mediocre and then defend the status quo and then worry about corporate politics--what a waste.

Flynn Berry wrote that you should never use the word 'opportunity.' It's not an opportunity, it's an obligation.

I don't think we have any choice. I think we have an obligation to change the rules, to raise the bar, to play a different game,and to play it better than anyone has any right to believe is possible."

Motivating, no? Be grateful everyday. More importantly, do something!

Augmented Reality

This "New York Nearest Subway" iphone app can help users find the nearest subway station.
When I watched this video clip, I couldn't help but think about the ways augmented reality could be used in the classroom. In learning about Spain's art history, students can view Picasso's "Guernica" at the front of the classroom, but can then can select from a variety of peripheral options or icons surrounding the painting that provide more information and powerful content about Picasso. For instance, students can select an icon that displays a short video clip about Picasso's upbringing and personal life. Or they can choose a link to Wikipedia that discusses each one of his periods, from the Blue Period to Surrealism. Another icon could bring students on a virtual tour through the Museo Picasso in Barcelona where students can meander through its rooms of Picasso's works, much like a real visitor.
Augmented reality applications transform teaching material: it not only provides opportunity to discover the connected nature of information about a specific subject for students, but it also organizes the material in an easily accessible and convenient way. In other words, it embraces on-the-spot lesson plan changes (which so often happens in teaching), by providing alternative and compelling ways for students to learn almost immediately. Augmented reality enhances the learning experience because all students can access their multiple intelligences, kinesthetically, visually, or orally, thereby acquiring knowledge permanently.

The Future of Media Consumption

The Internet has made it easier and simpler for web users to access content conveniently and cheaply. Rupert Murdoch should be sh***ing his pants right now because of the plethora of video and interactive media content that exists on the Internet for free. Content is no longer complex or expensive to create. According to Clay Shirky, the fact that 174 million viewers and counting have watched the “Charlie Bit My Finger” video is enough to conclude that video doesn’t have to be professional to be successful. Rupert Murdoch is wrong in saying that web users will have to pay for what they watch and use. Complex and costly content, such as Cable, is dying. Murdoch has lost the knack for re-invention and the ability to adapt to a society that no longer awards complexity, but simplicity.

That being said, web users will be able to consume their media by streaming through the Internet. Cable will no longer exist (hopefully soon!). Just as Brian Norgard mentioned in his talk on entrepreneurialism and the future of media, the TV will serve as just another screen or frame in one’s house. All media in a household, including music, movies, programs, podcasts, etc. will be accessed through one browser. Black boxes in each room and satellite dishes will no longer exist; all media will collaborate and be retrieved through one network: the Internet.

Media consumption will become easier and more fun, as it will cater to each individual and his or her preferences. Users won’t have to sit through advertisements (or fast forward through them), but will instead interact with them based on their specific interests. It’s common sense, really. You'd think Cable would have changed its user interface by now. We’ve become so used to it, that we can’t even notice its obsolete design and format and its drawn-out loading time. Sooner or later, though, the appearance of a TV screen will become much like that of an Internet screen--with streaming capabilities of various real-time content the user wants and with ads that correspond to each user. It’s quite logical, really: the entertainment experience should be enjoyable and this looks more than possible in the prospective future. For Murdoch and the other old lords of media, if they don’t embrace this change and fail to pioneer this next movement, their empires will fall behind.

Open Culture

Open Culture is an online community that brings together hundreds of different high-quality cultural and educational media resources. It basically consolidates and organizes any kind of educational content out there and designates it to a course, e.g., Spanish, Physics, Literature, etc. They've been featured in the New York Times along with other online learning communities, including Busuu.com and Fluenz. Dan Colman started Open Culture in 2006. He's an extremely educated guy who, in his creation of Open Culture, has been following his passion by "bringing relevant, perspective-changing information to large audiences..." (All of us in APOC can understand from our Monday night guest speakers the importance of creating a community about something you're passionate about).

Last week I emailed Open Culture to inquire about a possible internship opportunity. Later that day, I received a direct email from Dan himself wanting to talk over the phone next week about a potential internship and some ideas that I may have in improving Open Culture's site. I couldn't be more excited to discuss with someone who has already established an online learning community! After perusing through Open Culture's site for some weeks now, I'm mostly disappointed in the inability for users to be able to make comments on the site's resources and material for a specific course, video, or podcast. Especially as a Spanish teacher, I want to be able to view immediately what resource works and doesn't work and why. And I want to know about it from a user's genuine perspective. Have a look yourselves: Open Culture. Please feel free to share with me (and Dan) about what you think!

Haiku

I was invited to attend a district meeting last week with a handful of teachers who teach high school courses online. At first I was excited to see teachers who have taken on the task of online learning as novices, but it disappointed me that more teachers haven't taken advantage of the new online network to help improve their teaching experience. The meeting mostly discussed how to use the district's newly acquired online learning management system, Haiku. Similar to Blackboard, Haiku is catered to the needs of a K-12 education. It's easy to use for both students and teachers in that information about a teacher's classes can be accessed from one platform. Teachers can embed lectures, Power Point presentations, videos with options for students to literally voice their comments (VoiceThread), photos, and post discussions and Google docs. They can embed the web, including lectures from AcademicEarth.org, videos from SchoolTube.com, and photos from flickr. Teachers have access to a plethora of options on Haiku, but how can it kick off if not enough teachers know how to use it? Haiku needs to be implemented consistently throughout the school's staff so that all students can go to one platform to access information for all their classes instead of having to flip-flop from individual teacher web sites to student portals. But how do you get them tuned in on the wave of online learning, especially tenure teachers who are too stuck in their ways? It seems as though the district has initiated the first step in transitioning teachers to online learning, but they've failed in executing the plan so that all teachers can become users. There needs to be more teachers who are willing to understand and implement Internet and technology to improve their curriculums. Teachers need to get on board, have no fear and learn to use evolving online learning systems and tools before it's too late.

Facebook or Google?

I think everyone can acknowledge that social media has changed the way PR and marketing now handle their products. In our talk last week with new media specialist Alex Cohen, corporations and brands are listening and tracking EVERYTHING. The music and entertainment industries are especially relying on brand cults to create buzz. Once a company has monitored and engaged their customers, the next step is monetizing their brand. Solution: social media marketing.

My biggest question for social media marketers is how does a company know when it needs to promote their website through paid placement or SEM? Will users actually take action and "click" on an ad? How do companies know if they should pay for Internet marketing on Google or a social networking site like Facebook? For instance, if an advertiser decides to use Facebook, the process to launch those ads is similar to Google's AdWords, except for the target. Facebook targeting is based on demographic, including gender, birthday, age, etc., whereas GoogleAd's targeting is by content, or the keyword a user searches for. Considering this, would a niche community that caters to a specific group be more successful using Facebook ads than Google's AdWords? Ultimately, you want whatever it is that you're promoting - a product, a service, a brand, etc. - to reach the right people with the right message. In deciding what social media marketing tools to use, it comes down to knowing your product and its objective.

The Corporate Website of the Future

Social media has helped to filter the good corporations from the bad. Corporations who have set up a web site, for both customers and employees to engage in conversation appear to be the most honest, loyal, and invested in their brand. POM Wonderful represents the ideal corporation website of the future. Customers can easily navigate the web site to join the POM community and write and read about it. By doing so, they've created an open, trusted, and genuine relationship with their customers. It seems obvious that all companies would want to take advantage of social media platforms to build loyalty. But why haven't more corporations jumped on the conversation train by now?

If, in the future, all corporate websites are not consisted of fake marketing and one-sided views and evolve into credible sources of fact and opinion, what will happen to the other conversation platforms? Will people still use Twitter and Facebook to criticize once corporate websites are equated with community resources? If everything becomes integrated, why would customers engage in conversation on other social sites when they can share their opinions directly with the corporation?

On another note, online communities across all companies, niche networks, and online projects epitomize human relations and acts of love. "Our social tools," according to writer Clay Shirkey, "is turning love into a renewable building material." Corporations need to embrace this love, have no fear, and prepare for negative criticism too--because the voice behind those written words is a real person who will forgive! Just as in human relations, if we show a real interest in listening and responding we'll absolve those mistakes and move forward. Loyalty to your brand might even grow!

Follow Your Heart

In Seth Godin's new book Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? he encourages us to "Take [our] gift, whatever it is, and use it to change the world." This sounds like the words of a prophet. So let's listen, and ask ourselves, "What's our gift? What are we APOC students passionate about that we can use to fuel the creation of an organic online community?" Though it may seem obvious, if we follow our hearts, we will become linchpins; we will be indispensable.

In today's business world, we're finally beginning to praise those who are talented and creative (maybe not as much at first--take Apple and every time they release a new product). According to Seth Godin, we have been taught to follow our "lizard brains," or remain safe instead of stepping outside of our comfort zones. I believe our nation's educational system contributes to this resistance of wanting to fit in with the rest of society. Does today's educational system (and parents) praise students' talents and gifts? Or de we label children with unique attributes, such as hyperactive or compulsive behavior, as "children with chronic conditions"? In a Ted Talk a few years ago, Sir Ken Robinson argues that schools squander children's talents. He also observes that children are not intimidated to take chances. Last November a 10-year-old boy by the name of Will Philips refused to stand for the pledge of allegiance because he believed there isn't justice for all, especially for gays and lesbians. Children like Will take chances because they're not afraid of being wrong.

Some of us are the product of this educational training machine which promotes fitting in and compliancy. Our schools frown upon giving the wrong answer or making mistakes. But if we don't mistakes, how do we improve? If we're not prepared to be wrong, how do we come up with something original? How will children learn to trust their creativity? My answer: their teachers. Although I know that it's impossible to have each one of my students become indispensable individuals, the least I can do is just be a Spanish teacher. I can promise my students that I will maximize every opportunity to reach their greatest potentials. Ultimately, though, it's the student's choice (just as it is ours) to follow our hearts and to become invaluable human beings.

Embrace the Change! Or else...

I think we can agree that users across all platforms (bloggers, podcasters, twitterers...) have officially raised the bar for advertisers, businesses and brands. Social media expert Clay Shirkey also considers this increase in power of both individuals and groups and its impact on companies in delivering constant satisfaction to their customers. "Many institutions we rely on today will not survive this change without significant alteration," he says, "and the more an institution or industry relies on information as its core product, the greater and more complete the change will be." What companies rely most on dispersing information to survive as a business? To name a few, The L.A. Times, New York Magazine, and Cable T.V. Now more than ever, companies across all industries are affected by this social media revolution. Some words of wisdom: you have to embrace the change and go with it, or else you become roadkill.

How has social media already affected companies? Take the recent Prius recall and Toyota's handling of the situation. Unexpectedly, Toyota did a poor job at utilizing major social networks such as Twitter and Facebook to communicate with their Prius customers about their faulty floormats and accelerator pads. But how can an international company like Toyota that has to work with different cultures and languages in dispersing information implement a successful communication management plan?

Though Toyota may be the exception, here's the lesson: If companies are going to engage with social media, they need to have a crisis management plan. They need to prepare for negative online chatter and execute a plan for when it happens.

Social Super Bowl

Social media activity will be a part of Super Bowl more than ever. For the first time we’ll be listening and interacting with the worlds’ thoughts in real time about one hot event: Super Bowl 44. Ladies and gentleman, we’re all in it together in this massive force of online chatter. What does this mean for advertisers? How fast will an advertisement go from hit to bust (if it hasn't already)? How empowering is social media for us, its users? One word: Liberating.

1. Advertisers are using social media to generate buzz about their commercials: Anheuser-Busch is using Facebook to get fans to vote for the commercial they most want to see on Super Bowl Sunday. Has their technique proven effective? Indeed. According to Alterian SM2, Budweiser has the highest positive sentiment score amongst its fans.

2. Pepsi has completely opted out of having a Super Bowl commercial. Instead they’ve decided to go full throttle and spend their ad dollars on a social media campaign: The Pepsi Refresh Project. Shout out to our friend Mark Sanchez! Vote for him and his support for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation! So far so good--its generating a bunch of buzz and fans are digging it.

3. The NFL is jumping on the Social Media Wagon big time. They’ve created an interactive user interface that aggregates all tagged Twitter and Flickr content. I took a peek--there’s so much content but it’s not exactly organized. Perusing through the scattered content, the Flickr photos do a better job than the the tweets at catching your eye. Have a look: The Super Bowl #SB44

Suffice to say, there is a plethora of options for advertisers to make a presence via social media. Everyone’s a part of it, including the athletes, the celebs, and the fans. Don’t miss out--get on it!

Simply put, babies help us to see the big picture in life: they bring us pure happiness and remind us of what's important. Thomas Balmés' BABIES captures the joy that they bring to our lives across the globe. As a newbie aunty since September, I can't wait to see this!

(The trailer also features one of my favorite artists, Sufjan Stevens).

Tribute to Geoffrey Canada

Promise Academy

Geoffrey Canada (through mostly private funding), has made possible excellent education for children in low-income neighborhoods who wouldn't normally receive it. It all takes place in Harlem's asylum "The Children Zone." In almost two years, Canada has dismantled the misconception that a child's culture, parents' lack of education, gang affiliation, etc. affects a child's education. We mustn't make these kinds of excuses in the face of our nation's failing public education system; instead, we need to embrace the innovation of people like Geoffrey Canada and Davis Guggenheim (who brings awareness to the problems in the system through his documentary film Waiting for Superman).

The Future of Education

Wired Campus
Bill Gates Annual Letter

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has made a few grants to push for online learning (this must be my calling!). Finally a potential answer to ending our nation's ineffective public education system! Now students can access quality lectures from some of the best professors in the world. Sites like academicearth.org will revolutionize the way students and teachers interact. Students will be motivated to enter an online course that caters to their needs and provides the individual feedback that they need from their teachers. Online learning is the solution to effective education.

The Other Road Ahead

In 1998 Paul Graham and Robert Morris sold their start-up company Viaweb that made software for building online stores for $48 million. They renamed it Yahoo! Store. In 2001, Paul Graham wrote an article on the future of software, "The Other Road Ahead." He writes, “[we] should be able to get at [our] data from any computer...or client.” Fast forward 9 years to today, users are able to get data from their email. We can also access personal photos/videos that we've chosen to post on Facebook or YouTube. However, how convenient would it be if we had access to our Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, personal photos (that we choose not to post on Facebook), and music on the Web, without having to lug around our laptops? For instance, I don’t want to have to email myself Word documents or upload them onto a flash drive in order to access them on a separate computer. Why can’t I access them via my own personal Web-based software or “Finder” (for Mac users)? If this becomes a reality, the disappointment and agony my friends have had to go through when their computers crash will be avoided. “I lost everything!” they’ll say. And not-so-calmly react, “My f***ing computer crashed! I lost my photos from Europe, all my music and 3/4 of my dissertation! S**t, mother f***er, damnit, f**********k!!!!”, etc. To avoid this kind of frustration, our Word documents, PowerPoints, etc. should be stored on the Web. As a teacher, I have to bring into school my laptop that carries my data, including class worksheets, PowerPoint presentations composed of lessons of Spanish verb conjugations, and downloaded YouTube videos (YouTube is blocked at the school’s network). Then I have to send myself whatever I need from my laptop via email, and download the data onto the classroom’s computer so that it can be projected onto the whiteboard for my students to see. This process needs to be simplified. Period.

Clase de español!

Jeff Cole's Talk

Last night we had our first APOC Intro class in Santa Monica at the "Center for the Digital Future." How catchy is that title? --makes me feel as though we're part of some major movement (which might be their point). Jeff Cole came in to speak with us and gave us an overview of Web 2.0 and some of the changes we're going to see in the future Web 3.0. Since Broadband has taken over, three major things have been happening: 1. schedules are disappearing. We know longer wait 24 hrs for the hard copy edition of the WSJ on our doorstep. Why should we when we can access the updated information we need in 30 seconds on our computer or mobile device. 2. There are too many choices in the world. Take cable: they’re screaming help! Consumers don’t want to pay the extra $25-$30 for channels they don't even watch. Instead, we want to be able to directly purchase the 8-15 channels we watch. I don't care about Hannah Montana and the Disney Channel--I just want my Food Network, please! 3. Platforms are shifting. The perception is: going digital is not a polluter. Let's not waste paper and buy books, get a Kindle instead.

So what do we do with all these changes? Jeff discusses some ways we're going to get it back together. Since Broadband has changed everything, we're going to see consolidation and an increase in brand importance. Instead of having multiple newspapers, they'll eventually consolidate down to 5 or 6, representing the world's "global voices." In college, we'll no longer have to take general education/prerequisite intro classes with random professors that will have no connection with your academic career. We'll be able to take Intro classes from the BEST professors around the world rated by other students and professors. (By the way, whatever happened to studentsenatecourseguide.com to rate professors at 'SC?--I had to guess which professor to choose my last semester!). We’ll then go to the university campus to take our specialty classes in our specific concentration.

Now with all these social networks, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and blog sites, Brand becomes important. Social media networks can kill a brand in less than a day. They can also get the word out there really, really...really fast. I was listening to NPR the other morning and Academy Award Campaigners were being interviewed for their work marketing their movies. One of the campaigners explained the importance of digital media, and sites like Twitter to get people talking about a movie--and this has become marketing.

Jeff's talk last night about all that’s happened in a decade and what's going to happen in half a decade gets my mind turning. The digital world is changing so fast and requires one to stay connected constantly in order to keep up with it. But I wonder if we're humanly capable to carry on at this increasing pace?