It was clear on the first day of the course that this one was going to be different. All things new and innovative was the theme of this class and Dr.Pianfetti clearly set the course for a fun 10 weeks introducing us to a stimulated group discussion on “What is innovation”. According to me innovation is being creative, opening our minds to something new and different, an invention or a creation of an original work of art. This course introduced us to some new technology and innovations in elearning each week.
Some of the stand-out moments of the course was definitely the video presentation that Dr.Pianfetti showed us on Augmented Reality by Pranav Mistry and the endless possibilities for innovation. After the discussion on augmented reality, I went out to search for some innovations that are out there, and I was surprised and shocked to see the number of new technological innovations that have seeped into the learning arena. The Magical Classroom (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLdHbtuCIyY&feature=related) is an interesting video that introduces smartboard technology in classrooms. It is also interesting to compare technological trends across countries. Many such innovations are already employed in classrooms in the USA. They are just beginning to see the light of day here in India. While the international schools in India are already bringing hi-end technology assisted learning, most of the older schools still teach using traditional methods. Which leads me to a question I often ponder about. How much technology is really required in a classroom? While “Wired classrooms” are becoming a trend today, is this required? While there is no answer to this question, I believe that we have to follow changing times and trends in technology and the sooner we hop onto the boat the better. It is no surprise that my daughter has her own computer at the age of 4, while I got my first computer at the age of 22 ! We introduce technology to our children and they grasp them and quench their thirst for knowledge. While traditional teaching methods still stand ummatched in quality, the digital age offers technology assisted teaching that can promise better and more consistent quality of teaching.
Gaming as a form of learning has seen success for many decades now. Small games can be embedded into the content of online learning. While gaming has many advantages in the effectiveness of imparting knowledge, elearning designers should take the time to integrate the game into the content so as to effectively carry the message that the class is meant to receive. The purpose of the game should be kept in mind always.
Learning analytics is another powerful innovation that will help connect the data that we have in terms of learning environments, learners, instructors, curriculum etc to what is needed to fill the gaps in technology. Companies like Google, Facebook, Twitter save profile information and other information on our daily internet usage and it is possible to make intelligent guesses based on our usage and who we are. Such analytics will pave the way for future inventions (http://www.elearnspace.org/blog/2010/08/25/what-are-learning-analytics/). Analytics is slowly gaining importance in the education industry as there is a lot of information with no one to make sense of it. Analytics software can read such pieces of information and form patterns, show trends and predict the future.
The Student Led Conversations (the name itself was innovative, according to me !), stood true to its name. The presentations led the way for group discussions among peers and promoted some rich insights into the technology being discussed that week. The presentation on PLE (personal learning environments) was especially interesting. I do not have an organized PLE myself, and initially I was not able to see how useful it could be to have a PLE. Our learning environment can be effectively managed, kept track of and organized to promote a healthier online learning environment.
The Case study on Innovation led me to find out about an innovative business set-up in India that spreads Indian music across the world. While there is not much research in the field of online music instruction, the success of this innovation has now led me to believe that it is possible to teach music and instruments online. We are far away from perfecting the technology, however with the adaptation of augmented reality and gesture based learning (especially important for musical instruments), I see that this is possible.
On the whole, while the 10 weeks seemed short compared to the amount of information assimilated from Dr.Pianfetti and my peers, I am happy to say that this course has definitely been a highlight in the HRE Online Program, leading me to think differently and opening my mind to the endless possibilities in the field of online learning.
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