Activity1(Session1:Understanding Innovation)

Activity1: Identify one example from your group of an educational ICT-innovation and it's impact on practice (200 words)It has been accepted that both of sustaining technologies and disruptive technologies are innovative. In fact, there more innovative technologies and application are created and developed, and integrated into educational context.
Following are two examples about the innovative technology to change the traditional PowerPoint.


Voicethead (http://voicethread.com/) & SlideShare (http://www.slideshare.net/)
Actually the simple Power Point has not met educator and businessmen, they need much stronger functions. Voicethead and Slide Share are good instances. The commonness of these two applications is that they allow insert audio files and make the Power Point be the sound-materials. Even teachers cannot attend the course, students can learn by themselves with the sound-PPT (which add sound into PPT with Voicethead or Slide Share). In fact, I once experienced in my module of MITE6023 in last semester. Based on my experience, I think it’s quite wonderful. Indeed, I think the quality of presentation is much better than the previous face-to –face presentation.


Prezi (http://prezi.com/ )
Similarly, prezi as a presentation tool makes the presentation much interesting. It changes the traditional style and format of presentation. It allows presentation dynamic, like a cartoon. In fact, audio files can also be added into prezi. Besides, videos, pictures even PPT can also be inserted. In my mind, prezi contains much strength from Power Point, Voicethead and SlideShare.
My classmate who is a primary teacher in Hong Kong once told me his students like prezi very much, because it is so cool and fantastic.


Thus, there will greatly stimulate the motivation and interests among students with these innovative technologies, and improve the quality of teaching and learning.

Relevant Materials:
Five Best Presentation Creation Tools:
http://lifehacker.com/5648191/five-best-presentation-creation-tools


14 Online Presentation Tools:
http://vandelaydesign.com/blog/tools/online-presentation-tools/


WebTools4u2use: Presentation Tools:
http://webtools4u2use.wikispaces.com/Presentation+Tools

MITE6024 - Individual Assignment - Introduction

Topic:

Activities with and through technology
                            —— Learn About Earthquake

Introduction

1. Objects

In this article, a series of technologies will be used in five linked activities under the theme of earthquake. The purpose is to make study both fun and easy by utilizing a variety of existing technologies. In fact, it is also an example to reveal how to get information from different medium. It aims to use a range of available Web 2.0 applications to allow children to discover, discuss, participate, and design relevant learning contents about earthquake.

2. Relevant Web 2.0 Applications in these Five Activities
YouTube, Blog, Wikipedia, Learning Objects (Animation and Simulation), Google Docs, as well as Windows Movie Maker. In these applications, Blog is the core tool to connect all elements.

3. Preparation for Activities

At first, a collective blog and Google Docs On-line Document will be created to share children’s comments and opinions. (This Blog-"Angie in IT Education")

Before these activities conducted, the children were asked to have some prior experiences in using Blog, Google Docs, and Windows Movie Maker. In fact, there are some relevant instructions firstly provided in order to assist the children to master basic skills, such as how to comment in the Blog, how to participate the on-line discussion in the Google Docs, and how to make a digital story by the Windows Movie Maker with translating PPT and utilizing some image processing software.

Individual Assignment - Activity1:A Rudimentary Knowledge of the Earthquake

Pre-activity Question:  What is your opinion about Earthquake?

Step 1: Please watch the following video ( Video is from YouTube.)
( Video Description:  A massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake shook Japan and triggered a tsunami that crashed into coastal cities on March 11, 2011. Tsunami warnings have been issued for the entire Pacific region, including Hawaii and the west coast. )



Step 2: Please look at these photos:
"the Satellite Photos of Japan, Before and After the Quake and Tsunami".

Tip: The left is Satellite Photos of Japan Before the Quake and Tsunami.

( These Photos are first discovered in the Diigo. http://diigo.com/0g9bc )
You can also click the Hyperlink (Visiting the original website) to see these photos http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/13/world/asia/satellite-photos-japan-before-and-after-tsunami.html

Now, every students post your comments in our collective Blog about the Pre-activity Question: What is your opinion about Earthquake?

Individual Assignment - Activity2:The Basic knowledge of Earthquake with Online Quiz

Warm-up Exercises: : Could you answer the following questions?

l         What is an earthquake?

l         What causes earthquakes and where do they happen?

l         Why does the earth shake when there is an earthquake?

l         How are earthquakes recorded?

l         How do scientists measure the size of earthquakes?

Step1: If Not, please read the “Wikipedia-Earthquake”.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake

Step2: After you finishing read this webpage, please click the following Hyperlink and complete the “Earthquake Quiz”.

http://www.quizplz.com/science/earth/earthquake-quiz.htm

Step3: After you finished the quiz, please post your score in the collective Blog.

Individual Assignment - Activity3:Further Recognize the Earthquake with Animation and Simulation

Key Point: visual representations of Earthquake

Step1：Understand the Cause of Earthquake

Please watch the Flash “Animated Guide of Earthquake” as the following hyperlink.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7533950.stm

(Tips: Every one can control the playing-speed as their reading speed. )

Step 2: Realize the Relationship between Earthquake and Tsunamis

Watch the “Animations of Earthquake with Its Consequent Tsunamis”

Description: This animation shows the earthquake cycle for a thrust margin. Note that elastic strain is built up in the rocks for a long period of time and is then released suddenly by an earthquake. Tsunamis are generated by the rapid uplift of the continental plate that occurs during the earthquake.  (The description is from http://www.jclahr.com/science/earth_science/animate/)

(The source is from http://www.jclahr.com/science/earth_science/animate/, which is a QuickTime Movie Demo, and uploaded by Angie-Fu)

Step3: A Fun Science Simulation Game about “Make a Quake”

It is a simple simulation game to assist children to understand which building is comparatively strong when the quake happens.

The player can choose the different items of the Ground and technological Prevention method, and the level of earthquake Intensity to simulate a quake.

Please click the following website and play it!

http://tlc.discovery.com/convergence/quakes/interactives/makeaquake.html

Is it really quite interesting?

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Additional Simulator —— the Shock Wave Simulator

Play the simulator of “The Earthquake Reader”, which was from Scratch and run by Java.

Description: This project simulates the earthquake shock wave. Users can observe the different representation of shock wave through adjusting the earthquake scale.

Learn more about this project

You are welcomed to give your comments on the Blog.
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Other Interesting Animation/Simulation:

Savage Earth Animation: Earthquake

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/savageearth/animations/earthquakes/index.html

Interactive Animations by Incorporated Research Institution for Seismology

http://www.iris.edu/hq/programs/education_and_outreach/animations/interactive

Elastic Rebound Animation (By Java)

http://projects.crustal.ucsb.edu/understanding/elastic/rebound.html

Individual Assignment - Activity4: Knowledge Review and Consolidate

This activity will use Google Docs. Thus, everyone needs to enter the online discussion page at first.
Then please answer the following questions on the Google Docs page.

Tips:

1-  After you give the answers; you can participate in the on-line discussion.

    Please comment your classmates’ answer as much as possible.

2- Please specify your name at the end of your answer.

    For example: Earthquake is about ……. (Your Name)

Question	Answer	Comments
1. Are there more earthquakes under the sea than land?
2. If there was an earthquake in your house what should you do?
3. If you fell into a crack caused by an earthquake where would you land?

If you have any other questions, you can paste your questions in the following table.

Questions	Teacher’s Answer

You can directly paste your feedbacks or comments on the Blog.

Feedbacks:

Following is the Outcome of this activity.

The hyperlink is for your reference.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1V1l-RPV1cic9F4vgVoYHgoa5XqmytmVVESUSL9m7F68/edit?hl=en_GB&authkey=CKWHk4IP

This is a screenshot for the outcome.

Individual Assignment - Activity5:Synthesize the Relevant Resources and Make a Digital Story

Topic: Do a video related to the Earthquake.

There are many different ways to get learning materials. In this activity, every one was asked to make a digital story by synthesizing all kinds of data.

Tips:

1.        Collecting data from Internet

2.        You can put your data into a PowerPoint and then outputting pictures, or use Image Processing Software to produce composite pictures by inserting or inputting your data.

3.         Using Windows Movie Maker to make a digital story.

4.         Uploading your video into Vimeo and Share your story on the collective Blog.

5.         Giving your feedback on the collective Blog.

Following is an Example By Angie—— Earthquake Preparedness.


Activity5-Earthquake Preparedness-By Angie from Angie Fu on Vimeo.

Individual Assignment- Learning outcomes and Evaluation

Learning outcomes and evaluation

1. Learning outcomes

After these five activities completed, students should be able to identify the basic theories and some assumption of earthquake by applying digital resources. Then they can describe the types, cause, and effects by doing some simple quizzes. Next, students could analyze and integrate instances by relating and contrasting different simulative environment. After that, students will reflect their own opinions about the fixed topic. At last, students can generalize and transfer their own understandings then demonstrate them by selecting and implement the appropriate information search channels, tools and software to generate a concrete product.

In other words, Students’ outcomes “can be assessed by evaluating the level of complexity displayed in their work and how well that aligns with the course objectives” (“Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO)”, n.d., para. 3).

2. Evaluation

In fact, the Structure of the Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy is used throughout the whole process of design and assessment.

Table1 Overall assessment of these five activities by SOLO taxonomy

	Different levels of understanding	Characteristics in different levels	Assessment
Activity 1	Pre-structural	Incompetence	Students can not complete answer the question.
Activity 2	Uni-structural	One relevant aspect	Students can identify the basic theories.
Activity 3	Multi-structural	Several relevant independent aspects	Students can combine the concepts and simulation in to reality.
Activity 4	Relational	Integrated into a structure	Students can analyze, justify and criticize the questions by previous knowledge and their own opinions.
Activity 5	Extended Abstract	generalized to new domain	Students can create a concrete product which reflects their own understands of the topic.

(This Table is based on “SOLO TAXONOMY” from

http://www.johnbiggs.com.au/solo_taxonomy.html)

The above table presents a simple assessment system by SOLO taxonomy. In details, Activity1 is the first stage of these activities, and students do not form a concrete idea about the topic. In fact, their views are one-sided and poor. Then with introduction the concepts and quiz, students can gradually identify the basic theories. As a result, they can get a clear direction of the further study. Next, by specific simulation, students would build the combination between the abstract concept and reality, and then enumerate the examples. Following is that students can analyze, compare, and explain the specific causes and build relationships. Finally, students can utilize a variety of searching channels which was provided in the previous activities, and create a concrete product that reflects their own understands of the topic.

6328-Overview Group Blog and Present the plan of Assignment1

Overview Group Blog

1. The Layout of Group Blog

In our blog, except weekly activities, I add some gadgets, such as daily calendar, search bar, useful links, and some preview modules. In “Partners”, it links our members’ individual blogs. “Recent Comments” is arranged in order of time of occurrence. The inviters can quickly read our comments. At the right, it is our “Article List”. It records our all activities. Besides, there are links to other groups, RISAL and Moodle.

2. The Article Format in Group Blog

Generally speaking, the article format about our weekly activity is that one member first post the key information about weekly activity, and then every member writes their opinions in the “comment table”. But, in the “comment table”, we can not share video and links other digital information. Therefore, sometimes, in order to embed some video or other digital material, every member would post their own “activity page” and give a clear indication of the author.

Following is my plan about our group assignment.

At first, every one will give a brief introduction about our organizations, including the history, culture, current plan, and employees. In order to compare the similarities and differences, we will choose the key words and fill out a comparing table. It is a quite useful and simple way to compare different data.

In the part two, we will use some models to interpret the specific situation about our organizations. The initial selected models include the “Diffusion of Innovation” model, Fullan’s “framework for leadership”, Senge’s “five principles for Learning Organizations”, and Newhouse et.al. (2002) framework. In this part, we will first make a brief introduction about these modules, and then give four cases about our organizations respectively. After finishing the basic statement, we will give a comparison or summary about our four organizations. I think in this part, we can also use some tables and key words to compare different data. (the basic structure of Assignment http://mainland4.blogspot.com/2011/03/outline-of-group-assignment.html)

After we finished comparison, we will discuss the key “What strategies does your organization have in place to encourage development, change and innovation”. I will answer this question as the implications of the above four models presented. The specific format is that I will itemize the concrete strategies as the displayed four models. I think it is a good way to keep connectivity and consistency.

MITE6024-Activity 7

1- Consider uses of mobile technology in your school or workplace.

2- Present some ideas for uses of mobile technology in your own context

1- Consider uses of mobile technology in your school or workplace.

In my domestic school, the mobile technology I can use is limited in mobile phone and laptop. However, in my domestic campus, there is not covered wireless network. As a result, I had to use dial-up connection. While, there are only three to four network ports in every class, it is so inconvenient. Therefore, students are not willing to take their laptops, and they preferred to using the lab computers or going to Internet bars.

Meanwhile, using mobile phone accessing to Internet is so convenient. Generally speaking, a majority of students like to use mobile service packages, which include basic mobile access fee. No matter where you go, you can easily access to Internet surfing. In fact, I like you using mobile phone to fast browse news, and read e-books. It is a so pleasure thing reading an e-book which avoids the book hard to be taken. Just taking out your mobile phone and selecting the e-book favorites, you can easily read your e-book.

2- Present some ideas for uses of mobile technology in your own context

Recently, there is explosive growth of Microblogs in China. At first, every person can easily have their own account. In fact, many famous enterprisers, movie starts, singers, and sportsmen drive the Microblog spread. Except for individuals, many companies, press and even government departments all create their Microblog account.

Secondly, people can easily access to the Microblogs by their laptop, mobile phone or ipad. Just accessing to the Internet, people can login your Microblog.

Thirdly, although Microblog only send 144 characters, it is influencing people’s daily life. For instance, People can quickly get the newest world affairs, know the latest fashion, acquire all kinds of information what they want to know. In my opinion, one of the most significant point about people loving Microblog is that it shortens the distance among people and world. Therefore, there is a catchword in China, “Are you playing Microblog, today?”

Now, Microblog is not limited in entertainment. In fact, it has created an opportunity for students to embrace technology in a new learning style. In my Microblog, I like some English program. One of my favorite English program in Microblog is called “kaixin English Jam” (Happy English Jam). The hosts are the former Google China president Li Kaifu and the famous writer and presenter Cha kexin. They always record some English daily dialogues and upload Microblog. Besides, they also pointed out some mistakes to other English programs in Microblogs. Besides, they teach the usage of vocabularies. In a word, I like their Microblog so much.

If you search key word in Mircoblog, you can find many similar Microblog accounts which related to educational area. In fact, more people not just the students like these Microblogs, because they can get all kinds of knowledge and interesting information from Microblogs. Indeed, it is a quite wonderful platform for education!

MITE6024- Session6-My opinion of the Experimental Classroom

What do you think of this Experimental Classroom?

Would you like to teach here?

What are the room’s affordances and what are its weaknesses and disadvantages?

At first, the Experimental Classroom is quite spacious and well-equipped. One of my favorite is that there is covered by an excellent wireless network. However, there are only seven laptops. In fact, I like using laptops to take notes at class. Therefore, I have to take my laptop to every class. It is so inconvenient.

Besides, there are seven tables in the Experimental Classroom. I like the tables in the upstairs, because I can clearly watch the contents from all screens. One day, I attended a lecture and sat in the downstairs. I felt so comfortless and tired, because I need to keep my head up. Sometimes my view was always obstructed, and I had to change the angles in order to watch the PPT. In addition, if teachers do not use microphone, I would miss some information due to its large space.

This night, it is the first time that I experience the strong functions of this Experimental Classroom. Before this class, I do not know there are so good functions. Admittedly, this classroom is well-equipped. However, I think the function is not practical. In fact, these functions can not be used in every class. In other words, not every student could have a chance to experience these advanced functions. Indeed, a majority of students only need a laptop. Therefore, I prefer the traditional classroom, like the Room 104 in Runme Shaw building. I like that room. Although there are not so advanced equipments, the room space is appropriate, and there are enough laptops to use.

In a word, I do not like the Experimental Classroom very much. However, if there could be provided enough laptops and better public address equipments, maybe, I will change above opinions.

MITE6024- Session6: Group work

Session6: Group work:Present a potential research topic that would be useful in providing a solution to an educational issue (should be relevant to IT)

Topic：Paradigm shift of teaching: How IT Application in Education Change Teacher from Sole Knowledge Disseminators to Learning Facilitators

As stepped into information age, all kinds of IT Applications are being created. Recently, there are many IT Applications used in educational area and followed with a series of change in education. One of most outstanding issues is about the changing teachers’ role from a knowledge disseminator to a learning facilitator. In order to better applied these IT applications and adjust to this context, teachers had to make a lager number of change. Besides, there some modulation happened, including adjusting the curriculum- using these applications in classes, transforming the teaching models, introducing more advanced technology and software, as well as equipped a lot of computers or laptops. In my opinions, all efforts aim to get the digitization. Following is some confusion. Are those teachers willing to receive these changes? Is it an opportunity to embrace the advanced pedagogy or just change for the sake of change?

According Lynch (2002), the key role of technology is as the link between teacher and students. It fact, there is a universal phenomenon in many local schools that many schools and teachers do not widely applied these advanced equipments. For example, there are well-equipped computer labs in many primary and secondary schools, which all installed the advanced software. Besides, those schools organized IT lessons to students. However, the impacts and practical application from these lessons are quite limited. The reason is because that the students only know and realize the existence of some software and learn some basic functions, but they do not use them in daily life. Indeed, this is one of the thorniest problems teachers faced currently. In generally, students still keep the traditional learning models, taking notes in the textbooks, submitting their homework in paper. Compared to those teachers, they only regarded teaching IT applications or software as a component of their teaching work, and they also preferred to print some paper-material to students.

However, it is a good beginning that some teachers started to ask students using IT applications in their learning and teaching. In fact, through introducing IT applications, students began to feel the learning is quite interesting. Indeed, the IT applications can motivate students’ interests in maximum. In other words, it promotes students to self-study by applying the IT. At this stage, the role of teacher is not as the lead actor —the one who must carry the show, even though there is allowance for other characters to interact (Lynch, 2002). In contrast, the teachers gradually become the information disseminator (Lynch), who master IT skills and try to introduce to students and inducing students to discovery its advantages in learning(Lynch). As Lynch pointed out, teachers need to present information to assisting students in identifying personal relevance and integrating it into their lives.

Therefore, how to induce students to use IT applications in their daily life and how present the significance of teachers’ role are the most important issue at present.

As the change of teachers’ role, Jenkins stated that “communication and learning has highlighted some significant changes in the teacher's role:

Change in relationship with pupils;

Change in role to facilitators and managers who support learning;

Change in the content and scope of teaching

Changing locus of control, from teacher to learner.”(Jenkins, 1999, p3)

In addition, there are some suggestions provided which try to give a solution and better utilize and develop these IT applications. “Wilson and Ryder (1998) outlined seven ways in which an instructor can create a common pattern of mutually supportive interaction in the class:

Encourage students to articulate their learning needs.

Provide a public forum that promotes group contributions and assistance.

Engage in help consultation, both between the learner and the teacher and among student peers.

Assess learning through a combination of self-assessment and consensual agreement.

Share difficult solutions with the entire class —perhaps through a restatement of the original problem and its solution.

Archive interactions and solutions for future reference.

Repeat this process, or any part, if necessary to support learning.” (Lynch, 2002, p71)

Reference:

Margherita MCVay Lynch (2002). "Developing faculty: the changed role of online instructors". The Online Educator. London: Routledge. Capítulo 4, page. 65-77.

6328-Activity6-Storytelling in Organizations

Activity6-Storytelling in Organizations

I think in many Chinese companies, there are lack of a clear vision and culture. It is generally believed these are only a conception. Perhaps, the following story represents many Chinese leaders' idea about their organizations.
There are two leaders in café.
One said, “you are so busy, what’s your intend?”
“To expand the business.” The other answered.
“Then, what’s your future plan?”
“Then, to dominate the market.”
“After that, what are you going to do?”
“Then, I hope to be a listed company, and earn much more money. ”
Then, they laughed.
I think this is a universal phenomenon in many Chinese organizations. “Profit , to be a listed company”, is the most important goals. But, are there any others?
I think that it is many Chinese entrepreneurs are facing now.

6328-Activity 5

Activity 5:Applying an online survey in your workplace as an learning organization.

In order to realize the organization and “determine how well is performing with each building block” (Garvin etal., 2008), the survey was used and completed.

My organization-the industrial association belongs to the local governmental department-Industrial and Commercial Bureau. Due to its special status, the organization almost is in a monopolistic circumstance. However, there is a change from 2008. The individual companies could choose to handle their industrial and commercial yearly check, by themselves. This change made the staffs stressful. Although the leaders took some measures to train their staffs and publicized their advantages to do the industrial and commercial yearly check,

the effect was quite a little. Based on on-line survey, the following statement is the survey results and a concrete analysis.

As the figure 1 indicated, the overall scores of my organization are quite low. But, the scores of three building blocks are quite consistent. They are all in the bottom quartile, and at a comparative low place. These results showed that my organization does not function as a good learning organization.

Figure 1： Learning organization Scores Summary of Industrial Association

Following is the concrete analysis of every aspect in each building block. The scores of Figure 2 pointed the five subcomponents situation in the building block of “Concrete Learning Process and Practices”. There are four scores in the bottom quartile, and experimentation gets the lowest score among them. Apparently, my organization does not receive the new ways of working. On the other hand, the score of analysis is comparatively high and in a forward position in the third quartile. It is beyond my imagination, because I always assumed the analysis of my organization being bad. It reveals that the leaders need “to think about the degree to which people test assumptions, engage in productive debate, and seek out dissenting views” (Garvin etal., 2008).

Figure2： Scores of Subcomponents in Concrete Learning Process and Practices

In the third figure, there is an interesting situation. The score of “Openness to new ideals” is below the bottom quartile, while the “Time for reflection” is in the first quartile. Although the “Appreciation of difference” is in the bottom quartile, it is quite close the second quartile. Yet the “Psychological safety” is also in the bottom quartile, at a lower position.

The report by Garvin etal. (2008) pointed that “‘openness to new ideals’ and ‘Education and training’obvious links to organizational improvement and personal development ”. In fact, these two aspects are the most difficult problems my organization faced in currently. The staffs lack enough training and further education, and staffs always feel that they could not get the respects. Indeed, staffs are eager to self-improve.

The “Psychological safety” suggested that “employees must be comfortable expressing their thoughts about the work at hand” (Garvin etal., 2008). It implied that leaders need to create a supportive environment to encourage employees to express their own opinions. The current situation is that the leaders always dislike the different opinion, or seemingly accepted. However, there is a positive sign about that the leaders gradually began to realize the significance of the difference options and appreciate them, which led to the score of “Appreciation of difference” being close to the second quartile.

The score of “Time for reflection” is the highest among the all scores. “Supportive learning environments allow time for a pause in the action and encourage thoughtful review of the organizations’ process” (Garvin etal., 2008). In fact, as a governmental department, the organization has a good schedule and a series of rules about post-audits and reviews, which had a positive function of self-reflection.

Figure 3： Subcomponents of Supportive Learning Environment

In conclusion, it is clearly indicated that my association is not a good learning organization, and there many aspects need to be improved through analysis of the above three building blocks. Admittedly, the subcomponent of “Openness to new ideas” is one of the toughest problems. If the leaders will to receive the new ideas and put into practice, the overall performance may be obviously improved. Four principles from Garvin etal. (2008) are also suitable for my organization. The leaders need to be clearly aware of “leadership alone is insufficient; organizations are not monolithic; comparative performance is the critical scorecard; and learning is multidimensional” (Garvin etal., 2008). If leaders can transfer their working style from leader-orientation to employee-orientation, it is believed that the performance will be more effective, and the organization will gradually become a good learning organization.