SearchingForInnovativeUsesofTechIndividual

**An Individual Project ** **By Ellen Feig **
 * Searching for Innovative Uses of Technology: **

Case #1

1. Reference information: Collaboration @ Blake: All Things Collaboration and Innovation in Higher Education at [|cloud.lib.wfu.edu/blog] 2. Professor Stephanie Pellet created classroom blogs and wikis for her French classes. 3. Professor Pellet used the blog to facilitate online class discussion and open collaboration. 4. Wake Forest University Cloud to create blog 5. Students were not required to have any prior skills; Pellet distributed a handout which outlined goals, steps and tips to the class on how to use both resources. 6. Students were asked to post reports on cultural figures (i.e. Celine Dion), embed videos and photos and respond to posts of colleagues. 7. Pellet gave the students an outline which listed tips on using the resources. 8. The project is advantageous as it helps students write and converse virtually in French which gives them important practice in the area. 9. The disadvantage to the project is that the layout of the blog is a bit cumbersome and lengthy, requiring students to scroll. 10. Effective instructional strategies include: a. Collaboration b. Practice in language and written skills <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;">c. Communication <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;">d. Ability to use and work in blog space <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 47.25pt; text-indent: -29.25pt;">11. The innovation is easily transferable as blogs are simple to set up, easy for students to use and work with; in addition, language teachers can use this type of project for any language taught. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 47.25pt; text-indent: -29.25pt;">12. Other resources/articles used included: <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;">a. Wake Forest University course on Pause Culture Francophone des Etudiants at cloud.lib.wfu.edu/blog/pauseculture <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">b. Web 2.0 in the Classroom at <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">[]

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Case #2

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">1. Barnet College, School of Arts, UK. [] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">2. Curriculum manager Phil Butterworth created a simple blog system for the school that allowed students to showcase their work virtually. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">3. Professor Sarah Lloyd Winter has made the blog a mandatory part of her Media Design course; students upload their work for assessment. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">4. Creation of blog template on the campus network <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">5. Although the initial class of students were not required to have any skill set, Winters has found that all of her entering students have some idea of what a blog is and how to use it. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">6. Students are asked to upload their videos, films and artwork to the blog. They may also make use of online resources including YouTube. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">7. The steps involved include an overview of the class blog, a discussion of appropriate use and review. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">8. Winters finds that students who don’t speak English as their first language or students with certain special needs love to use the blog as it allows them to express themselves without fear; she asked them to create a digital sketchbook where they wrote about themselves. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">9. There are very few disadvantages to this method; the only one is a concern that students may be harshly critical causing emotional harm. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">10. Effective instructional strategies include: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;">a. Use of resources specific to Media Studies (the class in question) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;">b. Inclusion of all students, including those with special needs <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;">c. Assessment of work by faculty and students <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;">d. Analysis and comprehension of modes of digital design <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;">e. Creation of digital portfolio <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">11. Blogs are easy to create and easy to use so this type of project can be transferred to any academic institution and any age of student. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">12. Other resources used: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;">a. Example of blog created by Barnet College faculty: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1.5in; text-indent: -1.5in;">i. [] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;">b. StateUniversity.com article on blogging in higher education: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 1.5in; text-indent: -1.5in;">i. http://www.stateuniversity.com/blog/permalink/Technology-in-the-College-Classroom.html