Moodle Week-7 Task

New technologies, new pedagogies

I did read two articles; one article was “Designing principles for mobile learning”, the second one was “using a smartphone to create digital teaching episodes as resources in adult education”

Both articles includes many ideas to apply in any classroom. For example, “Real World relevance” to engage learners with a real world contexts that have personal meaning and relevance plus allowing deeper understanding to be achieved. I think I can use this one in my class by creating more scenarios in my simulation software “packet tracer” based on best practice/Case-Based scenarios from real environments

Another idea would be using mobile learning in contexts where learners are mobile “Smartphones, mobile phones,…”. I think our LMS “BbVista” will release ipad/iphone version after sometime which could be used by our students to use it “in my case this will give opportunity to my class to access the PC hardware simulation tool using their smartphones!!!!!!!!!!WOW, I wish to have that version soon to apply this idea”. I think this will achieve many concepts "opportunities " of the “Designing principles for mobile learning”, it will make students use mobile learning spontaneously, they will have the time for exploration of mobile technology, they can use mobile learning both individually and collaboratively, and to use mobile learning to mediate knowledge construction.

Also as you all know that HCT will start deploying i-pad devices to all foundation students from next academic year which mean that m-learning will be deployed in HCT some way or another by customizing some learning applications and activities, I think that all of us need to be prepared for using the m-learning system in HCT in near future. "One of the challenges would be the training to teachers and students another one would be the availability of the LMS software to the new i-pad  and the customized learning applications". " many opportunities could be achieved using the concepts of “Designing principles for mobile learning”.

   

Moodle Week-6 Task

Follow-up to project progress

First, I would like to say that Face-to-Face meeting was very helpful for me to brainstorm about our project for this module; it was really helpful in giving professional ideas about using the selected technology and applying it inside classroom (as we always say 1+1=3).

I got a feedback from one of my colleagues (Oscar) regarding one of the simulation tools I have selected; the idea was to make it more generalized to more than one type of PC which was the starting point for me to think about using a similar tool for laptop as well as the one I use for Desktop machines. (Thanks to Oscar for his idea)

Generally speaking; the experiences of using a similar technology (Simulation tools in my case) by other colleagues in my college (HCT) was very positive as it help in project-based pedagogical approach (the technique I am using to teach my Course “Computers’ Hardware & Networking”), it extends the hands-on experience outside the lab boarders.

One of the questions that remain open for me is the “Limitations of simulation tools” which is really a challenging one for me, not all lab activities we can do it with simulation tools (bad news) but most of activities we can do it with simulation tools (good news). But as I was saying in my previous posts’ “that Simulation tools is going to give advantage in expansion of time and deep understanding but practical lab activities (hands-on experience) still a must in this course “as simulation tool cannot do it all alone”

I have already started the using of hardware simulation tool (to assembly the internal parts of PC like power supply, mother board, CPU,…) inside my classroom, some of the feedback I am getting from my students are below:                                                                                                  
 “WOW, it is working from home as if we are doing it in lab”.  “Sir, it is very good but still I prefer taking the lab’s keys from you and do it practically inside lab”.  “Sir, not all activities are covered, can you add more activities?”

I think balancing between using simulations technology and practical lab activities might be one of the dilemmas in near future as we are raising the bar about our expectations from technology.       

  

Moodle Week-3 Task

Module-2 Project

My Course Title is Hardware and Networking (Code Number: CIS 1103), this course introduces students to the essential components of a contemporary computer system.  

The learning outcomes of this course are: recognize various types of computer systems plus identifing and explaining the function of their components. Construct a computer from physical components and recognize different hardware components and specifications. Define the role of operating systems and demonstrate the ability to install and apply the required configuration of an operating system. Explain standard network models and demonstrate the ability to construct and operate a peer to peer network.

The assessment type is a combination of cognitive response (CR) through practical implementation of a project based scenario by the end of each module (60%) and Selective Response (SR) using a a BbVist exame (10%) and a final CSA exam (30%)

I will use technology in this course by using two simulation softwares; first one is PC hardware simulation tool that simulate the assembly of the PC (it identify each part visually, give a full description of each part, and shows how to assembly each part (to seek deep understanding)); second one is through a Network simulation tool (Packet tracer) that help students to design and simulate a small to medium size network contains the needed routers, switches, and PCs.

The advantage of using these technologies (PC Simulation & Network Simulation) is the engagement of students with a real life industrial scenarios where they can practice, create (innovate) new scenarios and share it with their colleagues for a collaborative activities. I believe as the article mentioned “it is learning with a technology to achieve the cognitive learning strategies and critical thinking skills”. This will acheive the expansion of time and place for students plus the deep understanding in subject matter.

Using technology is crucial in this course (CIS 1103), we need technology not only to convey the facts about the subject matter but also to enable students to practice/discover/understand these facts. To avoid learning from technology; The good point in this course is that students have their own PCs & Network Lab Room where they can apply the scenarios they designed using the simulation tool technology with practical activities which achieve “learning by doing” concept. 

Moodle Week-2 Task

Personal Learning Network

I really liked the article about Personal Learning Network (PLN). As it said; it is not something new; I used to have PLN group (face-to-face meetings) during high school/College days to exchange information and share knowledge about the curricula (Unfortunately internet was not available in my country at that time). Later on after my graduation from engineering college, I used to have a professional PLN group (face-to-face/email) with my colleagues/friends working within same field to share knowledge (unfortunately social networks/blogs/.. was not there yet). Nowadays; I have many PLN groups through social networking (Facebook/twitter/LinkedIn/..), majority of these PLN groups are mixed with professional knowledge and personal-social news/updates (LinkedIn is the only exception; it is really a pure network for professional profiles).

These PLN group really helped me in my professional life; for example, I had many situations where I faced a new technical problem to me and the PLN group was the source of solution to my technical problem; another example, in teaching-PLN groups helped me a lot not only to understand some concepts in depths but also introduced a better way to present these concepts to my students, it really provides me with helpful resources (like freeware simulation tools, useful resources, videos,….).

I have some good ideas about extending PLN groups; for example by having a group within HCT organization to exchange/share our experience/knowledge about teaching environment/classroom experiences/ …; we can have another PLN group within Higher education in UAE (HCT, UAE-U, Zayed-U, ..) for the same.

I consider my online post graduate is another PLN group for me where we use new technologies such as Google Docs, Google+, Prezi, Blogs, and LMS as tools that help us sharing, developing, and constructing knowledge.

Finally; I do believe that PLN groups is our way forward to build our network society in 21^st century. Also I do like the Open Educational Resources (OER); I believe this the way forward for our future educational system.

Regarding Team Project:
I am teaching Computer Hardware & Network course which I will use some digital narritive technology with it.

Moodle Week-1 Task

Education technologies

Hi There, Nice to meet you on my page J

A bit about me: My name is Ahmed Hamdi Abdel Monem Al-Sorouge. I am married to Yosra and have our roots in Egypt, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. We have three wonderful kids (two boys, and one girl) who are fond of breeding cats.                                                                                                                                                            I am a Senior Network Engineer at Dubai Women’s College (Plus I do part time teaching in IT for PM Students). I graduated in 1997 as an Electronics/Communication Engineer (Benha University-Egypt). I worked as an electromechanical engineer for eight years in different fields (Oil, Machines, and Industrial X-Ray); I was responsible for the training to new fellows/customers most of the time.  In 2005, I changed my career to IT field where I started my steps to get recognized certificates such as ITIL®, Project Management PMP®, and Cisco CCSP®/CCDP®/CCNP®.

Education Technologies: I am using two different educational learning systems, first one is BbVista which can be considered as the HCT official LMS (learning Management System), and the second one is MyITLab which is provided by Pearson org. I have a positive experience with both systems (especially the BbVista).

I totally agreed with the article regarding the importance and advantages the education technology have added to our learning mechanism like collaboration, fully utilization of time to learn, Depth of understanding (by providing multimedia links/format/simulations for the Curricula), and meta-cognition which I would add it as advantage to LMS if student can use it as a source to get knowledge and to test themselves “did they really understood, did they misunderstand something, did they had a wrong preconception about some topics, and ….”

Finally, I do not have any concerns regarding LMS "unless the internet is down J

  

Bb Vista Week-12

Lifelong learning is more than training.

Lifelong learner methodology is not applied yet from education system perspective.  Fortunately some steps started in Domain-oriented Design environment (especially in IT Education field) where is the integration between working and learning is taking place through some learning activities (like work placement, projects), these steps are not enough as the other elements like assessments still far away from the target of having lifelong learner graduate. I agree with the author in that lifelong learning is more than training.

From student perspective I believe that we have now many students who are really Lifelong learners, they acquires knowledge without boarder (location boarder (like Schools), time boarder (like work placement)), those students got it through their engagement in communities (internet groups, blogs...)   I am optimistic that new generation is self-directed in learning, they have most of 21^st century attributes in learning (like media literacy, technology literacy,…), they can be very easily adapted to any new  Lifelong Education learning system.

Knowledge society wise; student or learner is the main element in knowledge society and she or he is ready to build this society, they need only our help in building a new education system which deal with them as stakeholders and accept their adaptive feedback in designing the curriculum/assessments/environment/...

Fischer’s ideas are aligned with the characteristics of building knowledge society that use collaborative learning, self-directed learning, organization learning, and on-demand learning with the new media and innovative technologies to be adequately supported.

Bb Vista Week-11:

Communities of practice

Situated learning: Old assumptions was that learning is something that individual do (learning by doing or experiential learning); learning has a beginning and an end (temp not permanent); learning is best separated from the rest of our activities (not integrated with our every-day activities) ; and that is a result of teaching (teacher-Centre only). New track is totally different; learning is social and comes largely from of our experience of participating in daily life “process of engagement in a community of practices” which is known as situated learning; it is a move from legitimate peripheral participation to into full participation.

Communities of practice: Communities of practice are formed by people who engage in a process of collective learning in a shared domain of human endeavor “for example, a group of engineers works on similar problems”. Over time, this collective learning results in practices that reflect both the pursuit of our enterprises and the attendant social relations. These communities are developed around things that matter to people. In some groups we are core members, in others we are more at the margins. The characteristics of such communities of practice vary (Formal/informal, with names/without names). However, members are brought together by joining in common activities and by “what they have learned through their mutual engagement in these activities”. In this respect, a community of practice is different from a community of interest or geographical community in that it involves a shared practice. Three elements are crucial in distinguishing a community of practice from other groups and communities: The domain, which defined by the shared domain of interest. The community, engagement in activities (including complex activities and projects through cooperation) and discussions to build relationship that enables them to learn from each other. The Practice, members are practitioners, they develop a shared repertoire of resources “experiences, stories, tools…”

Conclusion: Social capital resident in communities of practice leads to behavioral change that enhances organizational effectiveness and profitability (learning communities can lead to learning organizations), Learning is in the relation between people (not only in individuals’ mind), Educators work so that people can become participants in communities of practice (educators as a facilitators/coaching/mentoring/..), and there is an intimate connection between knowledge and activity as learning is part of daily living.