Research Showcase Video Blog

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClnidmnuMOc

I cannot for some reason get the YouTube video to post on my blog but above is the link to the video blog.

Wiki Blog

Tiffany Warner was my group partner for this assignment and at first we struggled on choosing a topic.  This was natural because I have no civilian teaching experience/background (only military) whereas Tiffany does.  As we discussed, we both came to an agreement that reviewing literature on school administrator leadership/involvement in technology policy-making was an excellent choice.  We both decided to research as many articles on this topic, and I was responsible for finding 10 articles.  The majority of literature that I found and reviewed centered on school administrator lack of experience and involvement with technology policy-making.  After I reviewed all of the articles, I wrote about each article and how it related to the theme of our topic.  I also added the limitations of the research and the abstract.  Tiffany sent our paper to the online writing center and I made the corrections based on the feedback from the writing center. 

The wiki literature review contributed to my learning and knowledge development for several reasons.  The majority of the time spent finishing the wiki literature review is the research and reading.  The shifting through different articles and reading was definitely monotonous but it forced me to focus on our topic.  There were several articles that I initially chose and sent to Tiffany for peer oversight.  She reviewed them and provided sound feedback and really helped me focus on our topic.  The wiki literature review contributed to my learning because it opened my eyes on school administrator leadership in technology policy-making.  I was able to see how at the higher echelons of leadership in schools the less the involvement/knowledge of technology.  I also reflected on whether the leadership in the Marine Corps displays some of the same issues.  I definitely can see some parallels between technology policy-making involvement between civilian schools and the Marine Corps distance education program.  I am speculating but I think that some of the lack of involvement/knowledge with technology is due to the age/experience of the leader.  A principal, who started out in education twenty years ago, experienced a completely different school environment then what is out at schools now.  The biggest take away from the assignment was the reflection and critical thinking I was able to draw from the literature review.      

The literature review contributed my attitude toward the subject matter.  The researching and reading was monotonous but it was fulfilling to immerse into a topic that is important to students and teachers.  The school principal is the leader of that school and therefore needs to play a vital role laying out the vision of technology within the curriculum.  It was interesting to read some of the pitfalls and successes that school administrators face when tackling the technology integration into their schools.  My attitude at the end of the of the project was positive in the sense that there is research out there being analyzing and researchers are providing recommendations to school leadership on how to improve the integration of technology and policy-making.  This topic cannot be ignored by school leadership and that really aided in having a positive attitude throughout the entire assignment. 

The topic we chose was strictly focused on school leadership.  I have a career in the Marine Corps where we promote education but operate differently then civilian schools.  While the topic was based on civilian school leadership, many of the pitfalls, recommendations, and further research would be beneficial for my organization to analyze and evaluate.  I have developed a strong understanding of school administrator involvement in technology integration and understand the common trends when administrators are under educated and unknowledgeable in this area.  I think the assignment contributed to my career because I can take the lessons learned and offer recommendations to my organization so we do not commit some of the same mistakes.

I have taken a total of 3 classes with my group partner, Tiffany Warner.  The first class we took together, EDUC633 forced us to work together to develop our ISD project.  I cannot think of a better partner than Tiffany Warner.  She brings a practical experience as a middle school teacher.  I believe this assignment strengthened the cooperation we already had.  I learned that in distance education, specifically with any group project, trust and compromise in your partner is huge.  I know that if Tiffany tells me that she will get something done, she will get it done and it will produce superb results.  I strongly believe that this assignment and the past assignments have contributed to the cooperation of my classmates.

Muddiest Point Blog

After reviewing the videos, the one area that stood out as muddy and unclear was the rampant plagiarism among students.  This is a significant ethical concern for not only educators but the professional work force that in the future will hire and employ many of these students.  During the interview with my father we did not cover plagiarism however, in a recent conversation he described the same concern within the Marine Corps’ distance education program.  What was even more alarming was that the students who were caught plagiarizing were officers in the Marine Corps.  As an officer, it is your duty and responsibility to set the example of integrity.  It is one of our hallmark characteristics of leadership.  Similar to Liberty University, the Marine Corps uses the program Safe Assign to screen for any plagiarism.  My father through his subordinate leadership put out guidance to inform all students that plagiarism is not tolerated and that we (Marine Corps Distance Education Program) have software that will check for plagiarism.  While the warning and announcements are served to deter students from cheating, there is still a growing trend of young to mid-level officers caught plagiarizing work – sometimes turning in a paper verbatim from the internet.  Naturally, once the officer was caught their career in the military was over because we cannot tolerate a lack of integrity and judgment from our leaders.

It is shocking and unclear why students in a university and officers in the Marine Corps take the easy way out and plagiarize.  Some of the excuses from the officers was that they were too busy, did not understand the assignment, and laziness.  Plagiarism is relevant to my line of work because I will have Marines under my command that will enroll in distance education courses.  I think one way of curbing this trend is to talk to Marines who are currently enrolled and Marines that are about to enroll about the consequences of plagiarism.  Further, explaining to the Marines if they are having a tough time understanding an assignment that they can reach out to the instructor or peers for help.

EDUC639 Most Important Theory Blog

After reviewing several theories regarding educational technology and distance education, I chose the adult learning theory.  Tucker (2003) conducted research regarding the demographics of distance educators and the study revealed that the average age of the students is 25.  This study demonstrates that the majority of students participating in distance education courses are adults.  As more universities develop a distance education program, we are likely to see an even larger increase in adult interest and enrollment.  If this assumption is accurate, it is then important to evaluate, analyze, and research adult learning in a distance education environment.  Further, we need to address the implications regarding adult learning in distance education.

The adult learning theory is important with respect to distance education for two primary reasons – adults are the largest customers of distance education and distance education curriculum should be tailored to its audience.  As I analyzed the literature regarding the adult learning theory in distance education there were several constant themes that emerged.  Adults are more apt to enroll in distance education because they feel they have the maturity, independence, and discipline to complete coursework outside of the standard resident classroom.  On the contrary, while adults may exhibit the aforementioned traits, adult learners can and do feel anxiety, pressure, and frustration with distance education.  One example on how to tailor a curriculum that defeats the negative traits is to target the student’s experiences.  Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, Zvacek (2009) indicated that adult learners bring a world of life experiences that positively contributes to the confidence and learning of the student.  Further, adult learners thrive in discussion board forum setting because they are able to freely express their opinions/views/backgrounds.

The adult learning theory did not change my views towards distance education however, it did open my eyes to the reality of adult learning in a distance education environment.  Since the majority of students enrolled in distance education are adults, continued research needs to be constantly reviewed and analyzed in order to provide the correct program of learning for adults.  This is not to say that research in distance education for other age demographics should be overlooked – it is equally important that all students regardless of age receive a top-notch education that targets their strengths/traits.

As a Marine officer, it is our duty to promote life-long learning among our subordinate unit leaders.  The majority of Marines are  adults aged 18-22.  The adult learning theory is a perfect example of a theory that needs to be addressed and researched in the Marine Corps because our audience are adults.  With our growing distance education program, research in how we operate our program and our audience should be a priority.   

References:

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education. (4th ed.) New York City, NY: Allyn & Bacon.   

Tucker, S. (2003). A portrait of distance learners in higher education. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 4(3), 1.  

Social networking for teachers and personal use

Social networking has proven to become a popular past time for anyone who has participated in one of the several websites that offer this capability.  Social networking for personal use has revolutionized how people interact and connect to the outside world.  Without question, Facebook is arguably the most iconic social networking site with millions of people interacting on a daily basis.  Using sites such as Facebook for personal use in my opinion is an excellent way to use technology.  There are concerns with social networking sites/media for personal use and most of the concern centers around privacy issues.  While the majority of social networking sites have privacy options for the user to set in place, it is still difficult to control what people post and write on your own site.  This unfortunately can lead to embarrassing moments for users and sometimes can even lead to criminal chargers depending on the circumstance.  By and large, if users browse, interact, and connect in a responsible manner, social networking for personal use is outstanding.

On the educational side, social networking sites/media have provided an extra resource/option for distance education.  Students can setup their own personal blogs and share their blogs with fellow students/teachers.  As evident in this course, using blogs is an efficient means to assign a topic where students can informally post and reply to other students.  The blog sites bring the interactivity from a resident classroom course to an online distance education course.  The gap that is bridged demonstrates one of the benefits of social networking in an educational setting.  To go along with some of the discussion regarding social networking sites in the classroom, I believe teachers have to be cautious with sites such as Facebook because of the privacy issues.  Teachers can be innovative with social networking sites/media in the classroom however, it is important to understand the risks that are involved.

Technology that I use

It took me a few years but I upgraded my flip phone to the HTC Incredible.  It was a great decision.  I am a big fan of the Android operating system.  I also purchased the Motorola Xoom for my wife however, she would tell you that I really bought it for me!  I would say that primarily use the Incredible and Xoom for keeping up to date on my favorite sports teams.  I also like the Xoom because of the Google Chat capability.  Due to my profession, I am constantly in the field or deployed.  As long as I have access to Wi-Fi I am able to video chat with my wife.  It definitely breaks up the monotony of text messaging and traditional phone calls.  I have also used the Xoom for accessing my Liberty Online courses.  I bought the Bluetooth keyboard which allows me to type quicker rather than pressing the touch screen.  This flexibility has really enabled me to access courseware “anytime, anywhere.”  Both the Xoom and Incredible have both benefited my family.  There have been situations where I have had to access my bank accounts, and both technologies have afforded me that opportunity.  Further, my wife and I on road trips can use the Xoom on the 3G network to knock out some family tasks.  Examples like the above have really been huge for our family.

Social Networking Technologies

I have used Skype extensively in both classes and for personal use.  Skype is extremely popular among deployed servicemen and women because of the video chat capability.  I have used Skype as a synchronous technology for two Liberty online classes.  If you only have to communicate with one other person via Skype there are really no connectivity issues.  The last class I took, we tried to synch three of us total and the connectivity was degraded.  It was tough to collaborate and accomplish assigned tasks because of the loss of connection with a group member.  Skype for educational purposes is great because you are able to visually communicate with a partner.  The connectivity is the only concern with Skype as a synchronous technology.  Skype partnered with Facebook to enable users to video chat through Facebook.  This added bonus on Facebook reaches out to a broader audience which provides even more flexibility for students to use the synchronous video chat capability.

Blogs are another solid social networking resource that can be tailored to fit an educational purpose.  Blogs provide a forum where students can respond to a posed question and exchange ideas/opinions.  In a lot of ways – Blogs are similar to discussion board forums.  Teachers can use blogs as an educational site, where they post informal content on a specific lesson that students can access and read on their own time.  As seen through our current course – You Tube videos is another social networking technology that can be used for educational purposes.  Teachers and students can post videos about a specific topic and view them for content.    

asynchronous and synchronous colloboration

I frequently collaborate in asynchronous and synchronous online environments.  As a Marine officer, I am student through the USMC online distance education program.  We use Elluminate Live as our primary method of synchronous collaboration.  In one particular class, we used Elluminate Live once a week for 10 weeks.  I have found that collaboration via Elluminate Live can be effective as long as everyone understands the capabilities and limitations of the software prior to the class.  The USMC online distance education program also uses discussion board forums to promote asynchronous collaboration.  While I prefer immediate feedback and communication via synchronous learning, I do respond well to discussion board forums.  I enjoy the flexibility of asynchronous learning and tend to thrive in that environment.

As a Liberty University student, I also collaborate in asynchronous and synchronous environments.  Until recently, the majority of my online education was through asynchronous learning.  The educational technology concentration has opened the door to synchronous learning.  I have participated in Elluminate Live, Skype, and Second Life.  Each synchronous software brings its positives and negatives and all generally break up the monotony of asynchronous learning.  I am confident in operating in Elluminate Live and Skype.  Second Life is new to me and I am not well versed in the capabilities to truly collaborate.  Regardless, I feel that I have the ability to operate in both asynchronous and synchronous learning environments.

Web Based Resources

Here are some of the web resources that I have used:

1. The Smithsonian Education

The goal of the Smithsonian Education website is to have an impact as “the national education organization.”  The website offers a multitude of journals for teachers and students to reference. The website browser for finding resources is user friendly and there is little to no issue with finding a particular subject.  The unique item about the website is that it offers a browser to find each state’s standards of learning (SOL) by course subject.  The SOL browser makes life easier for educators and students who are looking for a particular SOL for their respective state.  The website also offers information on field trips, specifically, field trip work sheets and planning for a field trip.

http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/index.html

2. PBS Teachers

The PBS Teachers website offers lesson plans, activities, videos, and interactive games for educators to reference and implement within their classrooms. PBS Teachers has information and materials for Kindergarten through 12^th grade. The website browser is broken down by age group and you can filter through subject which makes finding material very simple.  The website also offers teacher discussions where teachers can collaborate and discuss about material.

http://www.pbs.org/teachers/

3. The National Education Association

The National Education Association (NEA) website offers lesson plans, current issues regarding education, and discussion/information about classroom management.  The website’s browser is not as user friendly as the other websites that I have listed.  The NEA was created to promote a better public school education system across all states and the majority of the site describes the road ahead to get to quality education for everyone.

http://www.nea.org/home

4. The History Classroom

The History Classroom provides study guide materials to the many different history specials they offer.  Teachers can show videos to their class with the corresponding study guides, such as,Jefferson.  The students can refer to the discussion ideas listed in the study guide and reflect on the discussion questions throughout the series.  The website browser is user friendly and it easy to find material.

http://www.history.com/shows/classroom

5. The Federal Resources for Educational Excellence

The Federal Resources for Educational Excellence provides information all courses that are taught in public schools.  Teachers and students can reference the website to find facts about a particular subject.  The website does have a browser but it is not user friendly.  It is best to use the drop down window for the subject you are looking for information rather than using the browser.

http://www.free.ed.gov/index.cfm

Benefits from presentations

As a visual learner, I benefit from presentations that include lots of images, videos, and anything interactive that keeps my attention.  I do not benefit from too much wording from the presentation.  I also learn from repetition, so taking notes throughout the presentation significantly increase my learning of the topic.  Interaction also aids my learning from a presentation.   I thrive on peer and instructor interaction through a period of instruction.  It forces me to stay alert and exchange ideas/opinions on the topic being discussed.  Some of the best presentations that I have sat on, deviated from the presentation and forced the class to critically analyze a topic and discuss.  Unfortunately, I do not benefit from a monotonous presentation where the instructor talks the entire time.  If the teacher is using a Power Point presentation, having the copy of the brief/presentations also aids me in staying focused because I can follow the presentation and take notes on the paper copy.  I am a big fan of online education however, I enjoy and learn more from a resident classroom presentation vice an online presentation.  I think that sitting in a classroom forces you to listen to the period of instruction whereas an online presentation you have to battle distractions.   

Online Communities

I belong to Facebook as do millions of other people around the world.  Facebook allows me to interact with family and friends and with my occupation it is great resource to get in touch with people instantly.  I would say that I use Facebook as it was created, as means of social interaction with friends and family.

The next online community that I have used are blogs.  Each time I deployed overseas, our platoon and company used a blog to update families.  We would post pictures and that had positive feedback.  I would say that the majority of my time spent on blogging is sports related.  I am a staunch San Diego Chargers fan (you probably could tell by my background).  Bolts from the Blue and Bolt Hype are just a few of the blogging sites that according wife “occupy” my time.  In my defense, everyone needs an outlet and when the Bolts are not doing well, the blogging sites are my outlet to share and exchange ideas/opinions with other passionate Charger fans!

I also belong to a Marine Corps online community.  Through the Marine Times, I am able to answer questions via You Tube on the latest and greatest topics that the Corps is facing.

Blog 1 Topic

I am not a school teacher however, I do implement technology into classes for my Marines.   I believe there is a correlation between the nature of adopting technology in a school classroom and in a military classroom.  The students are really receptive to technology and respond well to Smart Board instruction.  In general, Marines have commented to me that incorporating technology such as Smart Board, YouTube videos, and computer based programs break up the monotony of the classroom.  There are some barriers when introducing technology to students.  Not every instructor is versed with technology and some prefer a lecture based presentation versus an interactive presentation.  To alleviate the teacher barrier, a technology overview and practical application could be implemented for all instructors.  This would allow instructors to become familiar and confident with basic technology.  Additionally, a mentor who is proficient with technology should be assigned to each instructor.   Funding is another barrier that affects the adoption of technology within the classroom.  Resources require funding and it is up to the individual command to purchase educational technology to incorporate in the classroom.  This constraint is difficult to alleviate because it is up to the commander to decide how he/she will allocate money. 

A little more about me

Hello, My name is Will Kerrigan and I currently reside in Fort Monroe, Virginia.  I am pursuing a M.Ed. in Educational Technology and Online Instruction, through Liberty University. I am a Captain in the United States Marine Corps and carry 4 deployments under my belt since my commissioning in the Spring of 2005. My deployments have consisted of two tours to Iraq, a quick pump to Cuba last summer, and most recently a tour to Bahrain. Through my career with the Corps I have developed a passion for traveling.

My wife Rae shares the same passion for traveling as I do. We have set our goals and have created a list of places we would like to visit and see in our lifetime, everything from the Vatican to Bora Bora. We have been so blessed to have visited several other countries since our marriage in June 2009 and to date our favorite destination is Costa Rica. Costa Rica is dear to my heart in the sense that my mother was born and raised there and left for the United States at the age of nine. It was a wonderful experience to be able to share with my wife apart of my family history and to introduce her to some distant family members.

I am a google user.  I have an Android smart phone and the Motorola Xoom tablet.  My wife loves Apple products and she is trying to convince me to see the "light."  Right now I enjoy google technology.

v/r

Will