Seven Things You Should Know About Learning Technology

In the online learning arena there are new ways of looking at teaching and learning.  Educause has come out with seven things we should know about learning technology.  The seven things they discuss are: badges, challenge-based learning, ecosystem, gamification, learning objectives, micro lecture, and video presentation. The learning technologies that will be implemented in my online learning module will be micro-lectures and video communication.  Both of these technologies allow students to control their learning. 

Micro-lectures are short recorded audio or video presentations on a specific topic.  They can be used in both blended as well as online learning.  They will be useful in my courses for initial instruction as well as review for students.  Microlectures should be 1-3 minutes in length. (Jan, 2014)

In my course micro-lectures will be implemented to introduce material to students.   Many students that will take the Introduction to Business course will be underclassmen who have no experience with business course or concepts.  Micro-lectures will allow them to receive instructions in small segments to absorb the material. One of the units in particular this will be essential in will be Accounting.  Accounting is a new way of looking at numbers and using them vs what they have learned in a math class.

Video presentation is the second technology I want to implement.  Video presentations are live recordings that are informal and focus on interaction. The main focus is between students.  This will be useful in my course for the reinforcement and review of materials.  I see it also being used by students as they  collaborate on activities.

Specifically in my course, I would like to do a video presentation as an introduction the second or third day of class.  This allows us to see each other.  I would  like students to participate in a discussion board introducing themselves and then a video presentation.  Then it can be reviewed by those that cannot attend.  I can also see myself using this as a review tool for exams/quizzes.  Since our school is a Google School staff and students have GAPPS accounts so the ideal tool to use will be Google Hangout. I have experimented with this with students for review sessions for quizzes in accounting and the few that participated really like it.  It did not catch on with the students much.

"7 Things You Should Know About Micro-lectures| EDUCAUSE.edu." 2012. 19 Nov. 2015 <http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/7-things-you-should-know-about-microlecturess>

Jan, Jana. "Are You Already Microlecturing?" Weblog post. ELearning Industry. ELearning Industry, 24 Mar. 2014. Web. 19 Nov. 2015. <http://elearningindustry.com/are-you-already-microlecturing>. 

"7 Things You Should Know About Video Communication| EDUCAUSE.edu." 2012. 19 Nov. 2015 <http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/7-things-you-should-know-about-video-communication>

Smyth, Robyn. "Enhancing Learner-learner Interaction Using Video Communications in Higher Education: Implications from Theorising about a New Model." British Journal of Educational Technology 42.1 (2011): 113-27. Web. <http://web.b.ebscohost.com.cmich.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=03ec8c53-c29b-46f2-b9fb-7cee5796e1b4%40sessionmgr110&vid=4&hid=105>.