Summer Institute Begins!
I'm taking a course through the Continuing Education Department, and it started today. The title is "Introduction to Emerging Technologies (Summer Institute, or SI)", and my purpose for taking this course was to learn more ways to integrate technology into my classes.
I'm teaching a summer session course, in addition to taking this course, and while this may seem a bit crazy (today confirmed that it is, in fact, crazy!), I learned some interesting things.
First, the transition from student/learner in a course to instructor of a course in a 10 minute timeframe is very disorienting! I had my head all jammed full of ideas, and was trying to sort the new ones into my current technological paradigm, and then I had to dump that information, and totally switch gears into "teacher mode" for physical geography. It doesn't sound hard, but it required some mental gymnastics.
Back in the SI, I really enjoyed the discussion we had about privacy issues and facebook. One of my ongoing concerns is the sheer volume of personal information my friends (and I) make available online. I have been surprised that some of my friends, who have been quite fanatical about their privacy in the past, have put up facebook pages and started posting information, pictures, and details about their lives.
We all leave digital imprints and create digital identities, but how much information do I want up about me? And when, if ever, do I want my students to see my facebook page? I have some former students on my facebook, but I've made a point to use it rarely. As that changes, I'm not sure I want them all to see my vacation pictures, comments to friends, or that sort of thing.
Another interesting discussion, and something I'd like to follow up on, was the idea that social software reflects the current divisions in our culture. If technology is mirroring, or amplifying, or existing class divisions, then there are rather large social implications. I'd like to explore this further.
Today we used Delicious, a social bookmarking service, and I thought it would be a good tool for students to use to find and bookmark useful websites for a course. In my Physical Geography class I provide a list with the syllabus, but this would be something the students could contribute to, and take some ownership of, during the course. And Delicious may have other uses for an assignment I'm creating...we'll see how that progresses.
I'm teaching a summer session course, in addition to taking this course, and while this may seem a bit crazy (today confirmed that it is, in fact, crazy!), I learned some interesting things.
First, the transition from student/learner in a course to instructor of a course in a 10 minute timeframe is very disorienting! I had my head all jammed full of ideas, and was trying to sort the new ones into my current technological paradigm, and then I had to dump that information, and totally switch gears into "teacher mode" for physical geography. It doesn't sound hard, but it required some mental gymnastics.
Back in the SI, I really enjoyed the discussion we had about privacy issues and facebook. One of my ongoing concerns is the sheer volume of personal information my friends (and I) make available online. I have been surprised that some of my friends, who have been quite fanatical about their privacy in the past, have put up facebook pages and started posting information, pictures, and details about their lives.
We all leave digital imprints and create digital identities, but how much information do I want up about me? And when, if ever, do I want my students to see my facebook page? I have some former students on my facebook, but I've made a point to use it rarely. As that changes, I'm not sure I want them all to see my vacation pictures, comments to friends, or that sort of thing.
Another interesting discussion, and something I'd like to follow up on, was the idea that social software reflects the current divisions in our culture. If technology is mirroring, or amplifying, or existing class divisions, then there are rather large social implications. I'd like to explore this further.
Today we used Delicious, a social bookmarking service, and I thought it would be a good tool for students to use to find and bookmark useful websites for a course. In my Physical Geography class I provide a list with the syllabus, but this would be something the students could contribute to, and take some ownership of, during the course. And Delicious may have other uses for an assignment I'm creating...we'll see how that progresses.
posted by Lisa at
9:11 p.m.
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