Assignment #5

Part 1.a Read Chapter 16 of Podcasting for Teachers"Beyond Course Casting" pay particular attention to the section on Podcasting and Assessment.

Part 1.b Read Chapter 10 in Meaningful Learning with Technology "Assessing Meaningful Learning"

Write a 250 word response for each and draw connections between the 2 chapters if you can.

Student Response

1.a I was impressed with the idea of University professors using the podcasting technology to make available the class lectures online. Although the negative results of using this new technology included a decrease in class student attendance, I believe that the positive educational values outweigh the negatives. There is much that goes on in class that perhaps being able to listen once again to a lecture you are much more able to absorb the material presented in class. It is free of distraction, and you can listen to it as often as you wish. I myself have a terrible memory, and am not an efficient note taker, would thus find this to be very useful. In addition, I can listen and study the lectures on the road, on my I-pod, while exercising or running errands. It expands on moments of study that would not otherwise be there if I only had paper notes to study and rely on. Another good reason to have this available would be for students who were not able to attend class on a particular date. As this chapter points, students who have a preference to learning in an auditory manner will benefit from this approach. Students can take advantage of the most current information posted on blogs, any last minute changes or emergencies.

1.b Chapter 10 in Meaningful Learning with Technology "Assessing Meaningful Learning" was mostly about assessments; specifically, how to use computer technology as an assessment tool. Pros and cons considered, I think, once again, all technology is good. Technology applied to all areas of education is a positive thing as improvements can be garnered through the use of it. Assessment is important, but difficult to achieve accurately and effectively. Once proper assessment is administered, which in my opinion is a trial and error process perfected with experience, then only can we differentiate instruction and make use of the results. As teachers, we must use the results of the assessment to change and direct our instruction, gearing towards correcting deficiencies in our students education. Computer assessment would be fun for the student and more efficient for the teacher, once the teacher has learned how to use this software.

Drawing similarities or comparisons between these two readings, I find it difficult other than to point out the obvious that computer technology and such is improving education on every spectrum. From test taking, to planning, to implementing lessons, to displaying to homework assignments, special projects and tasks, and now follow up activities through the online lectures and assessments, it should be streamlining and organizing the information we are processing in the process of education. Computers allow us to organize and process much more effectively and therefore reach more children and have a higher level of achievement than ever before the computer age.