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.