Week 9 Discussions

Week 9 Discussions

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Week 9 Discussions

Discussion 1: e-Learning Endless Development

Define social software and provide at least two examples of social software. Propose effective ways to use social software in teaching

Social software refers to software systems that facilitate collaboration and collaboration of the user. Some of the examples of social software include instant messaging, chat rooms, e-mail, web blogs, and social network services. Traditionally, people think that nerds develop social software. However, in reality, social software is developed due to the collaboration of several people. As such, at face value, social software does not seem to have any collaboration involved in its development yet in reality, nothing could be further from the truth.

Social software can have various applications in education or teaching. It may enable a student to talk to the teacher and other students and request for help. It may enable students to share their experiences and information. Video game is one of the examples of social software that enables people to communicate with each other. Collaborative play helps in improving the learning process among the gamers. Social software facilitates collaborative learning, which is deemed more effective than explicit instruction. Social software also facilitates social interaction. It aligns with a programmatic, step by step learning approach, which is more effective (Minocha, 2009). The programmatic learning approach is usually used to facilitate online learning.

Discuss at least three ways can social software can benefit teacher preparation, training, and education

Social software facilitates computer-mediated communication, which can benefits the teacher in preparation, training and education. It would enable the teacher to construct or disseminate knowledge within a social setting.

Social software also facilitates the development of a feral learning or personal learning environment. In so doing, it helps in empowering the teacher and the students to learn at their own pace. This improves the effectiveness and efficiency of the learning process.

Social learning also facilitates programmed instructions and the development of learning packages. It leads to the development of a teacher-controlled virtual learning environment whereby the teacher transmits information to the students. As such, it plays a major role in the teaching of facts or dissemination of information that has been learned by an individual.

Discussion 2

What is mobile learning? Explain how mobile learning devices are being used by educational institutions and training organizations to support the e-Learning process

Mobile learning refers to the use of mobile devices to facilitate a continuous access to the learning process. Some of the mobile devices that can be used to facilitate access to education include phones, tablets, and laptops. Mobile learning enables the learner to learner wherever and whenever they want. Mobile learning has led to the drastic changes in the educational systems.

Some of the methods in which mobile learning devices can be used to support the e-Learning process include the offering of mobile learning material. It enables the learner to receive texts, videos and audios for learning whenever they want. As such, the learners can prepare homework using a video that their instructor has bulkposted online. Mobile learning can also facilitate interaction during lessons. Instructors can ask questions during the lesson, which the students would answer using their mobile devices. This enables the instructor to get immediate feedback from the students (Ally & Prieto-Blázquez, 2014).

Given the rapid advances in technology tools and applications, recommend at least two ways to promote an active, collaborative, and supportive, online learning environment for your current or future instructional environment. Provide a rationale for your recommendation

Perceiving the learning process and part of the assessment is one of the main methods of promoting active, collaborative, and supportive online learning environment. This would involve grading students based on the quality of their discussions or engagements. The instructor may also grade students based on collaborative learning standards. However, it is vital to note that this type of learning would require the instructor to provide explicit instructions during the beginning of the learning process.

Development of groups interactions is also one of the methods of promoting an active, collaborative, and supportive, online learning environment. Quality discussions would help in measuring the achievements of the group. It is vital for the instructors to provide a model that would enable the students to interact in an efficient manner within the groups. Students should have a shared leadership, as it is the best method of interacting in groups. The students should help each other in the maintenance of the functions of the group discussions.

References

Ally, M., & Prieto-Blázquez, J. (2014). What is the future of mobile learning in education?. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 11(1), 142-151.

Minocha, S. (2009). Role of social software tools in education: a literature review. Education+ Training, 51(5/6), 353-369.