Emerging Technology 2: Mobi



The INTERWRITEMOBI^®



In my classroom, I am fortunate enough to have an eInstruction Mobi mobile station, along with an LCD projector.  Currently, I am using the Mobi in my lectures, and really want to incorporate the Classroom Performance System (CPS).  The Mobi does a really good job in letting me navigate the computer from anywhere in my classroom.  It also allows me to incoprate highlighting key points, underlining, drawing, etc. over any lecture I am giving.  This allows me to point out and emphasize the key points the students need to know. 

With incorporating the CPS into my classroom, in need to better understand how and what these devices can do.  Below is a list of what capabilities the CPS devices could potentially do:



vClicker™



Key Features

• Automatically connects to the instructor's response database, regardless of location.
• Runs on a Mobile Internet Device (MID), laptop, Smartphone, or other portable device with a compatible Internet browser.
• Supports the same question types as CPS™ clickers, including multiple choice, multiple answer, yes/no, true/false, ranking, numeric and short text answers.
• Easily join active sessions from any browser connected to the Internet.
• Secure access prevents non-authorized users from entering response sessions.
• Enables synchronous activities in physical and distance learning environments.
• Includes robust classroom reporting capability with integration via eInstruction's^® eI Cornerstone platform for centralized data storage, retrieval, and reporting across any and all classrooms.

 I could implement these devices into my classroom anywhere from basic responses to make sure everyone in the classroom understands the concepts, to using the devices for a common assessment.  I feel this will better help the students to understand the concepts I want for them to learn, but it will also allow the students to get instant feedback. 

Issues that could potentially arise could be the students would really have to learn and be comfortable with using the devices so it will not hinder the scores solely because they didn’t know how to use the devices.  Also, if the devices are not working correctly, then there would be some trouble shooting that would have to be done in order to get them working again. 

Module: 4-1 Changes Welcome to the Digital Generation | Edutopia

Module: 4-1 Changes
Welcome to the Digital Generation Edutopia

This short video does a great job with depicting how our students perceive a classroom when it is traditional taught with no technology.  Our kids need to have these technological devices because they are around them every day.  If we incorporate technology into our own classroom, we will have the ability to reach more learners.  By doing this, the kids can meet people once they have learned the digital responsibility, can explore new ideas where they couldn’t before, and the kids will be actively engaged with in the lesson, and standards that are trying to be taught. 

The video gives several examples of what and how teachers have already incorporated this technology into their own classroom.  Teachers have the students make avatar people so the students can learn how the body moves and interacts with the other parts.  Other teachers incorporate the use of cell phones, iPods, computers, and almost any imaginable type of technological device out there, just to keep the kids engaged, which in result has the kids learning the concepts. 

After watching this video, I myself am going to try and incorporate more technology into my own classroom.  I want to incorporate 1 piece of technological device or equipment.  This will be my goal.  I should be able to do this so I can say my kids are being taught through more (1) types of technological devices as well as most importantly reach more students. 

Video from:

Ellis, K. (2009). Eutopia: The George Lucas Educational Foundation.   “Welcome to the digital Age” reviewed: October 13, 2010 from: http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-project-overview-video

Module 4-2 Digital Literacy

Not My Father's Shop Class: Fusing Career Tech with College Prep

This article is very inspiring to me, especially in this day and age.  Today, when you say the words technology, most people first think of a computer.  They do not think about hammer and nails, pliers, screwdrivers wrenches or even a manual drill.  Murphy Barron, who is featured in this article, gave these exact items to his junior in college daughter in the late 1970s.  Mr. Barron was an industrial arts teacher, also known as your old shop teacher.  However, he did not instill these preconceived findings into his students.  His students were lucky enough to have this and be push in class to not just go into the work force, which all of his students where tracked to go into, but to find another area past the work force.  Mr. Barron had one student who created such great artwork that it took a long time before he was nabbed for counterfeiting.  His suggestion, drive and push for this student were to go into the legitimate art world of advertising. 

I would call myself a 4^th generation shop teacher.  Today, however, I am teaching my kids about Engineering and Architecture in my courses.  I too can see how the kids that go into a specific area will only be preconceived to one particular job, even in today’s society.  I too am trying to break this thinking by instilling the various options after high school and what they can do with their interests and hobbies. 

I also need to prepare my kids, now more than ever, for digital literacy.  I do this by instilling the various types of media that I can to my students.  I try to incorporate more computers where originally paper and pencil will be used.  Overall, by reading this article, and reflecting on my own practices, it has made me think even more to what else I can do for the kids to get them closer to the 21^st century skills they will need.

 Baron, K. (9/28/10) Not My Father's Shop Class: Fusing Career Tech with College Prep

Eutoptia Blog Post. Retrieved October 13, 2010 from:  http://www.edutopia.org/blog/stw-merging-career-tech-college-prep  

Emerging Technology 1: AutoDesk Revit Architecture 2011 Enhanced Visualization

Emerging Technology 1:
AutoDesk Revit Architecture 2011
Enhanced Visualization

Functionality:

            What are included with Autodesk Revit Architecture 2011 are the two newly enhanced visualization settings for the consumer.  The consistent colors and realistic views really make visualizing what the building is going to look like without rendering.  If you are unaware of why this is so great, rendering usually take several minutes to hours depending on the speed of your computer to complete.  By incorporating these two new features, it will drastically cut down on the time to visually see the representation of the building/project you are working on.   Sujan-Mara (2006) states as a teacher you need to “create a favorable atmosphere for students taking part in the course” as well as “to acquaint students with new technologies.”    By incorporating these aspects to Revit 2011, I feel they have done a good job by doing both for the students.

Technology Implementation:

            These new feature will very easily be incorporated and used by the students on an everyday basis.  By incorporating these new views, the students can produce a better, more realistic, professional product than before.  The students will also turn in a better final product to me with greater detail of their buildings.  If and/or when students use this program either at home or at work, they could create life-world experiences by drawing out a project before it actually takes place.  Marc Prensky brings up a great point with our digital native students. Most of them are or have played video games recently, where the video characteristics are very good or even life like.  Autodesk Revit 2011 is trying to take on this same instance by enhancing the visualization capabilities. 

 Follow this link from Autodesk and watch the video on Enhanced Visualization:

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?siteID=123112&id=8479263


Below are the different examples of the visualization available from Autodesk Revit 2011:

Wire frame

Hidden line

Shaded

Shaded with edges like consistent with color but covers the model with even consisten lighting

NEW:

 

Consistent colors -like shaded with edges except it covers the model with even lighting so you don’t have to worry about dark areas of the model due to unintended lighting conditions. 

Realistic- shaded view with live rendered textures with all of the materials  which turns work review into a live presentation view without having to render the view but give you the rendered look. Also displays decal images without having to render the view.

 

Rendering