The end of class has arrived and on this note I wanted to bring my 544 blog together. The topics that I have discussed in my blogs have ranged from Computers specifically made for eLearning to Second Life heading for Open Source; while broad eLearning is expanding its horizons at a fast rate of speed. With this boom in explosive growth in eLearning, Training Systems is seeing how the use of technology and the internet is changing the ways we learn forever.
Today's schools are beginning not only to equip the schools with computers but the students with classmate pc's or other similar types of hardware. Allowing for all to become educated with the use of technology, making a much more efficient and environment friendly(paperless) classroom.
Expanding on the movement away from the typical classroom interaction of teaching ties in open source and software such as Cam Studio. Cam Studio which is free thanks to the numerous developers who are creating programs to make the world a better and easier place to live and learn in, allows us to create videos of our screens to teach. This allows for you to follow exactly the steps I go through exactly to the tee, aswell I can provide a voice over to help you along and explain what the steps I take you through. This fascinating technology is pushing youtube in to an educational video database like no other! Hell you can even learn calculus off of youtube just search for "MathTv".
SecondLife and other video games are now also being brought into the picture for distance education and integrating technology with entertainment, edutainment. This is the combination of creating not only something that is interactive and fun but can be used as an educational tool for anyone. Currently as i talked about in my annotated bibilography every U.S. Armed Service has a base within SecondLife for informational and educational purposes.
Finally, what I can see happening in the future is a combination of all of these technologies coming together to create a virtual world of training... Our computers will not just give us the ability to access information through a google search. Our computers will become an educational world for us to step into from anywhere we can plug... I mean connect to the internet. I find it kind of ironic to the way characters within "The Matrix" could just download their education. Our world is heading in a very similar direction without jacking in process! This class has been an absolute blast, the technologies, the textbook, and the resources have been amazing and I will continute to use them throughout my life.
Thanks Professor Keane, happy 4th and have a great summer, see you in the fall!
Over and out.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Training Session
The training session Professor Keane and my group put on about 'Open Source' was an eye opening experience when it comes to training. Although there was not many who attended, it gave me a good idea of how these training sessions should work and what you need to do to prepare before hand.
We were not the most prepared but we were well enough off to get through and teach what needed to be taught. We even made everyone happy by ending a little bit early and getting a little bit if a longer lunch break.
I wish I could of made it to the other training sessions just to see the great content that had been written up especially about web 2.0. Sadly, I received a call on Monday night that I needed to be in work because my coworker was sick. :( Anyways it was a great learning experience that I really enjoyed!
We were not the most prepared but we were well enough off to get through and teach what needed to be taught. We even made everyone happy by ending a little bit early and getting a little bit if a longer lunch break.
I wish I could of made it to the other training sessions just to see the great content that had been written up especially about web 2.0. Sadly, I received a call on Monday night that I needed to be in work because my coworker was sick. :( Anyways it was a great learning experience that I really enjoyed!
Cam Studio
Hahaha Cam Studio is my new favorite tool to use... I had completely forgotten about it from the time I used it at work to create some tutorials. Creating the video for the Open Source Wiki was an absolute blast and some how I ran over the 5minutes talking about how to create a PDF in OpenOffice.org Writer.
This type of software shows exactly the progress we have seen over the past five years in open source technology. Open source is here with a force and its only growing stronger, stabler, and much more appealing compared to proprietary software.
Anyways its been funny seeing all the different videos that each of the classmates have made.... When you hear your classmates and friends on the mic in the video they sound so much different then they do in person! haha quite funny! Keep this part of this class, it will be extremely useful to every student.
This type of software shows exactly the progress we have seen over the past five years in open source technology. Open source is here with a force and its only growing stronger, stabler, and much more appealing compared to proprietary software.
Anyways its been funny seeing all the different videos that each of the classmates have made.... When you hear your classmates and friends on the mic in the video they sound so much different then they do in person! haha quite funny! Keep this part of this class, it will be extremely useful to every student.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
The Classmate PC
Hey its me again, with another lovely blog!
The Classmate PC by Intel is a rugged netbook with a nice price tag($500 roughly) but it sure can do the job. In fact compared to the $200-$300 netbooks that most teachers would instantly fight over in the laptop aisle of BestBuy, the Classmate PC shows a lot of its value.
Currently in its 3rd generation, the Classmate PC can survive a hefty drop unlike the cheap netbooks. They also currently come with various educational software that can't be found anywhere and not for the price thats included with the laptop.
This laptop excels in exactly what it does being a smart room computer that provides a easy and asthetically pleasing environment for students to learn on. This is the way of the future of allowing students to interact with their teacher through their laptop within class rather than using the traditional pen and paper way of life.
www.classmatepc.com Check it out!
The Classmate PC by Intel is a rugged netbook with a nice price tag($500 roughly) but it sure can do the job. In fact compared to the $200-$300 netbooks that most teachers would instantly fight over in the laptop aisle of BestBuy, the Classmate PC shows a lot of its value.
Currently in its 3rd generation, the Classmate PC can survive a hefty drop unlike the cheap netbooks. They also currently come with various educational software that can't be found anywhere and not for the price thats included with the laptop.
This laptop excels in exactly what it does being a smart room computer that provides a easy and asthetically pleasing environment for students to learn on. This is the way of the future of allowing students to interact with their teacher through their laptop within class rather than using the traditional pen and paper way of life.
www.classmatepc.com Check it out!
Intel expanding eLearning opportunities
Intel has been a heavily involved corporation when it comes to e-Learning, it also completely makes sense as they are expanding their customer base. Intel has embraced the 1:1 e-Learning ability and is currently holding a 2 day e-Learning summit for all in Egypt. They believe that it is crucial that the world becomes familiar with technology and stays up to date with the rest of the world in the 21st century.
While Intel is holding these e-Learning summits which will ultimately sell more computers and more of their products, they are looking into the bright future of the worlds children. They have not only done this grateful business move but they have also donated 1,000 classmate pcs to the Ministry of Education for Egypt.
What a great company?!
While Intel is holding these e-Learning summits which will ultimately sell more computers and more of their products, they are looking into the bright future of the worlds children. They have not only done this grateful business move but they have also donated 1,000 classmate pcs to the Ministry of Education for Egypt.
What a great company?!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Second Life to Open Source
The Open Source world continues to gain market share. Second Life is following the open source trend unlocking its server code to allow for other companies to host their own internal second life's.
Whats exciting about this fascinating experiment by Second Life is how the company(Linden Lab) is going to continue to generate revenue by releasing the code.
Currently Linden Lab's main source of revenue is by selling virtual property within the virtual world of Second Life. By moving Second Life it will allow for all companies to develop and create their own worlds/properties. This will allow for Second Life to move into a larger market and more services will become available as companies develop services for the virtual world.
Second Life's open source attempt is going to be quite the experiment in allowing for internalization by companies to use the virtual world in a real world environment.
I can't wait to see what develops from Second Life after it moves to open source. Its future looks very promising considering the amount of money within the virtual world has hit up to $60 million USD.
Whats exciting about this fascinating experiment by Second Life is how the company(Linden Lab) is going to continue to generate revenue by releasing the code.
Currently Linden Lab's main source of revenue is by selling virtual property within the virtual world of Second Life. By moving Second Life it will allow for all companies to develop and create their own worlds/properties. This will allow for Second Life to move into a larger market and more services will become available as companies develop services for the virtual world.
Second Life's open source attempt is going to be quite the experiment in allowing for internalization by companies to use the virtual world in a real world environment.
I can't wait to see what develops from Second Life after it moves to open source. Its future looks very promising considering the amount of money within the virtual world has hit up to $60 million USD.
Monday, June 8, 2009
TSTM 544 Blog 2
I unfortunately missed class on thursday thanks to an evil employee who decided he couldn't make it. Well in the spare time I had sitting on the desk I did some light reading. Also I had just recieved my text book so I began diving in to the first couple of chapters.
The book seems very informative after just reading a few chapters, I was very impressed with the graphical charts and displays that is provided. These are much easier to learn and remember then just reading line after line.
Also I posted my annonated bibliography topic, Serious Games, which is the term used for military training video games/simulation. This is the next generation of military training.
The book seems very informative after just reading a few chapters, I was very impressed with the graphical charts and displays that is provided. These are much easier to learn and remember then just reading line after line.
Also I posted my annonated bibliography topic, Serious Games, which is the term used for military training video games/simulation. This is the next generation of military training.
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