OER stands for Open Educational Resources. The Web site is the gateway to an online community of educators of all sorts, from all over the world, who have come together to collaborate--to share--their methodologies, tools and techniques with the rest of the OER community. The Web site and the resources in it are easy to find and easy to use.
Describe OER’s member benefits. How much would it cost you to join?
I clicked to register but my efforts were thwarted at the "email confirmation" page--for some reason I never got my email. But it doesn't look like it costs anything to join the community. The benefits include coming in contact with others in the field of education and being able to learn from them, their methods and tools. Also, there are all types of materials and all types of subjects. The use of the Web site in itself promotes education/knowledge on educational technology and broadening the global classroom. The concept of "sharing" is very powerful in the context of learning and education. OER is taking things to the next level by promoting sharing among educators.
Explore OER’s Materials and Recommended Resources. What resources stood out to you and why?
One thing I noticed immediately was the ELATEwiki which was actually under "News&Events." Because of our work with wikis in class, I recognize the power of this tool in the classroom and was impressed to see that other's have also tapped into it. The "Recommended Resources" section made navigating easy and resources easy to find. The format of the Web site is very user-friendly which I think is a major strength-- you don't really have to be an educational technologist to get involved with and start using the site or its resources. They don't have an "English/Language" section under subjects which I noticed because that it is one of my primary areas of interest. I didn't really delve too deep into why but I noticed that they have a plethora of types
of materials with everything from notes to lesson plans to simulations.
Summarize OER’s Community. In what ways could you become involved?
OER's community is composed of researchers, students, teachers, policymakers, admininstrators...I feel like there is a little something for everybody on the site and myriad ways to get involved. Uploading resources, contributing to wikis and other content areas...all are ways to get involved.
What else stood out to you related to this website/ Describe in what ways this resource may be useful to you.
When I saw the Web site I immediately bookmarked it, knowing it will be a resource that I will use in the future. The wealth of information and resources sets it apart but the opportunities for collaboration and sharing really made it stand out. Actually it's all about collaboration.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Cafe World
Café World
About this study:
I chose Café World because I like food! I had played similar games (at least I thought they were similar) before and was curious to see what Zynga’s version of a be-your-own-chef game would look like. Like many other Zynga games, Café World is played on Facebook. Upon Googling Café World I found a plethora of information on everything from how to cheat (using a resource called Cheat Engine 5.5), tips and hints.
Café World, like Farmville, Mafia Wars etc…is a “social game.” I believe what makes it social is that it is not just me playing, rather others (friends) are playing at the same time, competing against me, serving with me (as waiters/waitresses) etc… The aim of Café World is to work your way up the culinary ranks, earning points for meals served, the popularity of your restaurant, money made etc…I saw someone in the one of the pages I found on Google refer to it as the “Iron Chef” of the virtual world.
This video on Youtube illustrates some of the spaces users have created in Café World.
Café World game plot:
Everyone is their very own restaurateur and chef in Café World. I can sauté, fry, boil and blanche my way up the Café World ladder. You can work with friends in your restaurant, make money like you would at a real restaurant (different dishes are different amounts of money), compete against other restaurant owners, decorate and expand your space and much more. Check out http://www.wikihow.com/Play-Cafe-World for more information on how to play Café World.
Café World data:
According to AppData, just this week Café World has climbed from the fourth spot on the leaderboard to the third and is third in the number of monthly active users (MAU) with more than 28 million people playing Café World monthly.
According to an article by Virtual World News Oct. 9 (a week after the game was launched), Café World had been played by 10 million and experienced a growth of 1.5 million in one day.
In the month of Novemeber alone, Café World grew from almost eight million daily active users to peaking at about nine million Nov. 8.
http://statistics.allfacebook.com/applications/single/-/101539264719/DAU
Café World is part of the billion dollar virtual goods industry. The game is tied to Facebook, probably the most popular social networking site to date. Additionally, Café World has many sites that give Café World hints, tips, ideas etc…
The popularity of Café World can be tied to several factors (many of which are similar to those cited by Prof. Sessums for his Farmville analysis):
• Building something users love to come back to is the best predictor of success. -- http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/10/29/how-to-measure-the-true-stickiness-and-success-of-a-facebook-app/
• The game is social, allowing users to interact with their FB friends and “neighbors”
• The game allows the player (you and me) to be something we could not be in real life—a restaurateur and chef.
• Growth and success requires customization, which requires time. The time investment (required to grow your restaurant, monitor the restaurant almost constantly and earn kudos from others) gives a sense of ownership and makes the user keep coming back for more play.
• Unlike a game like MafiaWars or even a non-violent game like YoVille, players are doing something good—cooking. This may be viewed as “more productive” and even educational by opponents of other games.
• Creativitiy, creativity, creativity! You are in charge! For your own recipes, your kitchen, your design…this plays again to the pyscyhology of ownership, but it’s also fun!
• Like other games, you get hooked! I almost want to go check my spitfire roasted chicken right now and whip up a new batch of French onion soup. It’s hard not to keep coming back for more, working to earn rewards and Café coins.
Educational value:
I could teach a lesson to elementary to middle school students on restaurant economics. It is virtual-world example of a real-world scenario. I believe it could give students a better understanding of what it takes to run a restaurant, and really any business for that matter, in a fun way. It’s educational in the sense that it requires creativity and imagination on the user’s part, and increases understanding of culinary tools and practices/principles (basting, chopping, dicing). At the least it could be used in a home economics course to add some variety to the curriculum/provide students with a virtual learning opportunity.
Controversies:
Like with any and every online social space, the social and psychological ramifications will be examined and assessed. Café World is not violent or immoral, religiously objectionable, sexual or otherwise a game that could be opposed the way many video and computer games, and even some virtual worlds/spaces are. However, some take issue with the concept of a “social game.” Because it’s a game online and requires no human interaction past having FB “friends” to hired for your kitchen can it really be deemed social? Or has the definition of “social” changed/adapted in such a way to include activities like Zynga gaming? I choose the latter.
Other Connections:
Prof. Sessums’ Tamagotchi example brought to mind the Furby which were SUPER popular in the late 90’s to early 2000’s. Created by Tiger Co., this toy, which was a must-have for preteens everywhere, was considered a robot and cried, ate, slept and snored! I had a Furby and I think it’s inner clock was off or something because it would be awake when I was asleep and vice versa. It would stay up at night crying because it was hungry. One day I threw it against the wall.
This really has nothing to do with Café World…What Café World does remind me of is a game I have on my computer called Diner Dash. I also have one called Cake Mania. The purpose of these games is very similar to that of Café World, however I believe the kicker for Café World is that 1. It is social and 2. It utilizes Facebook which is probably the number one most popular social networking site, making the game available to millions more people.
BOTTOM LINE:
Cook! Cook! Cook!Keep coming back for more...
EDUCATIONAL IMPACT:
I don’t agree with games like Café World (or other Zynga games) being lauded for their educational impact. While (as I stated earlier in the “Educational Value” section) some basic lessons can be learned, the benefits of these games are mostly social ones. Bottom line, they offer people an opportunity to play with their friends, doing something that they couldn’t do in the “real world”—in this case be an award-winning chef. I don’t think it can be taken too much further than that in terms of educational value.
HIDDEN AGENDA:
There is no such thing as free. While you can play the game for “free,” Café World gaming requires that you have a certain amount of money and coins. You can purchase Café Coins in packages from $9.99 to $149.99 of real US Dollars! This is what really differentiates “social games” from the ones of the good ‘ol days of computer gaming. Advertisers and creators must make money!
Monday, November 2, 2009
Participatory Divide
What would your ideal school look like?
Would your school have a specific focus like a magnet school? Who would be in charge of the school?
Is it big or small?
Would it be year-round?
What would a typical day for students be like?
Who would you hire to work with the students?
Would you use grades like conventional schools?
How would student work be assessed?
What role would digital media play in your school?
What role would parents and community members play?
Remember, you are only limited by your imagination!
Well for starters, I don't yet understand the them of this week "Participatory Divide." The participatory divides refers to the gap between the haves and the have nots of access to educational technology. At least that's my understanding. These reading speak more to the classroom, pedagogy, rethinking the traditional classroom.
I would like a school for girls (My husband will run the adjacent boy's school). Kids won't have to pay to attend, yet there will be selection criteria. There will be an interview and some sort of portfolio or other display/audition by which we will examine the girl's reasons for wanting to attend my school as well as to guage their abilities/drive/skill etc...By and large most applicants will get in. Sometimes we may scout girls who we've heard good things about. The school is pretty small so we cannnot let everybody in. The school will be like a family. The teachers will know the students, their names, career aspirations etc... Careful attention will be paid to each student. There will be uniforms.
School will start at 8:15 and end at 3:15. The girls will do the majority of their learning in collaborative groups, outside of the classroom. Also we will bring people from outside into the classroom. Everyday will be a career day of sorts. Emphasis will be placed on developing the whole human not just a certain part of the brain. The arts (musical, culinary etc...) will be explored, sports will be explored, dance. Students will get to pretty much pick their classes. Let me specify. While there is a standard curriculum, students will have latitude in deciding which courses fit into their plan.
The school is for grades 1 through 8. Digital media would play a big role in the schooling. At every opportunity, teachers will integrate the technologies that the students are using outside of the classroom into the lesson plan. Students should know that technology isn't just for wasting time, looking up celebrities, talking to friends, but that it can be an integral and fun part of learning. We will have a big field trip in every grade once a month. Teachers may take their respective classes on other trips if they choose. The students won't have to pay for the big trip. We will have a school-wide assembly once a month where we'll bring in a prominent individual to discuss something in keeping with the month's theme (Each month will have a theme like "Into the Future: College and Beyond," or "Celebrating Diversity."
Parents and community members will be a crucial part of the learning process. While it is understood that some parents will be more vested in their student's education, we will embrace the saying "It takes a village to raise a child," and take a very hands-on, group approach to ensuring that every child knows she is cared about and that her successes (and failures)are a reflection on everyone involved.
Would your school have a specific focus like a magnet school? Who would be in charge of the school?
Is it big or small?
Would it be year-round?
What would a typical day for students be like?
Who would you hire to work with the students?
Would you use grades like conventional schools?
How would student work be assessed?
What role would digital media play in your school?
What role would parents and community members play?
Remember, you are only limited by your imagination!
Well for starters, I don't yet understand the them of this week "Participatory Divide." The participatory divides refers to the gap between the haves and the have nots of access to educational technology. At least that's my understanding. These reading speak more to the classroom, pedagogy, rethinking the traditional classroom.
I would like a school for girls (My husband will run the adjacent boy's school). Kids won't have to pay to attend, yet there will be selection criteria. There will be an interview and some sort of portfolio or other display/audition by which we will examine the girl's reasons for wanting to attend my school as well as to guage their abilities/drive/skill etc...By and large most applicants will get in. Sometimes we may scout girls who we've heard good things about. The school is pretty small so we cannnot let everybody in. The school will be like a family. The teachers will know the students, their names, career aspirations etc... Careful attention will be paid to each student. There will be uniforms.
School will start at 8:15 and end at 3:15. The girls will do the majority of their learning in collaborative groups, outside of the classroom. Also we will bring people from outside into the classroom. Everyday will be a career day of sorts. Emphasis will be placed on developing the whole human not just a certain part of the brain. The arts (musical, culinary etc...) will be explored, sports will be explored, dance. Students will get to pretty much pick their classes. Let me specify. While there is a standard curriculum, students will have latitude in deciding which courses fit into their plan.
The school is for grades 1 through 8. Digital media would play a big role in the schooling. At every opportunity, teachers will integrate the technologies that the students are using outside of the classroom into the lesson plan. Students should know that technology isn't just for wasting time, looking up celebrities, talking to friends, but that it can be an integral and fun part of learning. We will have a big field trip in every grade once a month. Teachers may take their respective classes on other trips if they choose. The students won't have to pay for the big trip. We will have a school-wide assembly once a month where we'll bring in a prominent individual to discuss something in keeping with the month's theme (Each month will have a theme like "Into the Future: College and Beyond," or "Celebrating Diversity."
Parents and community members will be a crucial part of the learning process. While it is understood that some parents will be more vested in their student's education, we will embrace the saying "It takes a village to raise a child," and take a very hands-on, group approach to ensuring that every child knows she is cared about and that her successes (and failures)are a reflection on everyone involved.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Social Media and Consumer Behaviors
Have you ever vetted purchase decisions with your friends online friends? If so, describe your experience. If not, why not?
When it comes to consuming, I still make most of my decisions the old-fashioned way. For me, the Internet has not even come close to replacing more traditional consumer behviors (going out, sampling a product(s), purchasing a product, discussing a product with those trying to sell it) and I hope it never does. Internet life is a subset of REAL life and cannot replace the fun of going out and going shopping.
In what ways do you use the Internet when considering making a purchase? If I have to make a large purchase, like a bigscreen T.V., a electronic gadget, car, apartment etc... I will use the Internet to look up information, compare prices, see reviews from other users/buyers etc...
In what ways has social media* shaped your decision about purchasing an item/items? Other than the above-stated ways, social media has not done much at all to shape my purchasing decisions or habits. I rarely participate in online shopping. For me it's almost an oxymoron. Like for many people, shopping offers a sort of therapy almost. Online it's just clicking buttons. You can see or feel the real item. Test it for fit or quality, only hope that it works out.
When it comes to consuming, I still make most of my decisions the old-fashioned way. For me, the Internet has not even come close to replacing more traditional consumer behviors (going out, sampling a product(s), purchasing a product, discussing a product with those trying to sell it) and I hope it never does. Internet life is a subset of REAL life and cannot replace the fun of going out and going shopping.
In what ways do you use the Internet when considering making a purchase? If I have to make a large purchase, like a bigscreen T.V., a electronic gadget, car, apartment etc... I will use the Internet to look up information, compare prices, see reviews from other users/buyers etc...
In what ways has social media* shaped your decision about purchasing an item/items? Other than the above-stated ways, social media has not done much at all to shape my purchasing decisions or habits. I rarely participate in online shopping. For me it's almost an oxymoron. Like for many people, shopping offers a sort of therapy almost. Online it's just clicking buttons. You can see or feel the real item. Test it for fit or quality, only hope that it works out.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Social Action
You work in a school where only half of your students have high speed access and computers at home.
What could you do to bridge this digital divide? How might you use social media to change this situation
and get kids and their families decent computers and high-speed access?
This is a very difficult situation. The gap in this case is substantial and would present a MAJOR barrier to effective learning, teaching and communication to everyone involved. Getting more computers in the schools could be accomplished through partnerships and deals with corporations and businesses who receive a certain amount of money to give to a charitable cause every year, if the school didn't have enough money to purchase computers.
However, bridging the digital divide entails more than just computer access at school. It involves, as the question points out, making sure that kids AND their families have access in their homes as well. All of these technologies and social media tools are useless if you don't have access to them. I think, first of all, we must reach a consensus as a community and a society that access is important. We must educate on what the digital divide is, agree that it exists and that it is a hindrance to our educational progression, and brainstorm ideas on how to deal with it.
I think it would be a great idea if teachers/schools/school administrators started utilizing text messaging to increase the sense of community amongst students and their families. More people have cell phones than computers, including most students, and text message updates on everything from upcoming events, to student progress could be a great tool bridging the social divide (which perpetuates the digital divide).
What could you do to bridge this digital divide? How might you use social media to change this situation
and get kids and their families decent computers and high-speed access?
This is a very difficult situation. The gap in this case is substantial and would present a MAJOR barrier to effective learning, teaching and communication to everyone involved. Getting more computers in the schools could be accomplished through partnerships and deals with corporations and businesses who receive a certain amount of money to give to a charitable cause every year, if the school didn't have enough money to purchase computers.
However, bridging the digital divide entails more than just computer access at school. It involves, as the question points out, making sure that kids AND their families have access in their homes as well. All of these technologies and social media tools are useless if you don't have access to them. I think, first of all, we must reach a consensus as a community and a society that access is important. We must educate on what the digital divide is, agree that it exists and that it is a hindrance to our educational progression, and brainstorm ideas on how to deal with it.
I think it would be a great idea if teachers/schools/school administrators started utilizing text messaging to increase the sense of community amongst students and their families. More people have cell phones than computers, including most students, and text message updates on everything from upcoming events, to student progress could be a great tool bridging the social divide (which perpetuates the digital divide).
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Creatvity and Play
My childhood experiences were many and varied. Making half my childhood memories on the southside of Saint Petersburg and the other on the Southside of Chicago provided for a diversity of experiences. Play was an important part of my life. Internet and T.V. were not allowed in my house the way they are in large doses in other homes. We were sent outside, in the heat, in the snow, sometimes in the rain. In Chicago I made sprinkler memories, walks around the block memories, block party memories, dancing in the basement memories. Having a younger brother and sister made for good games of hide-and-go-seek in my grandmother's big house in North Chicago. In Saint Petersburg, my play landscape was characterized by Easy Bake Ovens, buliding "fortresses" out of chairs, blankets and pillows in the middle of my sister's bedroom, playing in the "jungle" (the plot of banana plants in the middle of my backyard) and hanging out outside in the heat.
Play was extremely important in the formation of my early ideas of life. Playtime was time to explore the world and form my own ideas about it based on how I saw things. It was time to vent, to blow off steam, to get away from my parents and to be whoever I wanted to be at the time. "Simulation games" like Easy Bake Ovens, toy cash registers, vacuums, refrigerators and grocery stores parlayed into real-world application of crucial life skills.
Play is a necessary part of the learning/educational process. Play is most key in the earlier days, when the brain of a child is still in the early stages of its development. However, and this goes along with the points that Sir Ken Robinson made in the video, play is still important throughout the learning process and beyond. "We start to educate children progressively from the waste up, then we focus on their heads." This rings true in classrooms across America. I absolutely LOVED the story he told about the Jillian the dancer.
"It was great, I walked into a room and it was full of people like me."
I loved this quote and it illustrates how we as educators must stop ignoring the other parts of the human body. As Sir Ken Robinson pointed out we must stop "educating kids out of their creative capacities." "Education [] is shifting beneath our feet." Now a Masters degree is necessary where before a Bachelors degree would suffice, and a Doctorate for a Masters...We are going to have to start reshaping/rethinking our ideas of education and what it means/will mean in the next 10-25years.
"We are educating for a future we have little to no concept of."
Play was extremely important in the formation of my early ideas of life. Playtime was time to explore the world and form my own ideas about it based on how I saw things. It was time to vent, to blow off steam, to get away from my parents and to be whoever I wanted to be at the time. "Simulation games" like Easy Bake Ovens, toy cash registers, vacuums, refrigerators and grocery stores parlayed into real-world application of crucial life skills.
Play is a necessary part of the learning/educational process. Play is most key in the earlier days, when the brain of a child is still in the early stages of its development. However, and this goes along with the points that Sir Ken Robinson made in the video, play is still important throughout the learning process and beyond. "We start to educate children progressively from the waste up, then we focus on their heads." This rings true in classrooms across America. I absolutely LOVED the story he told about the Jillian the dancer.
"It was great, I walked into a room and it was full of people like me."
I loved this quote and it illustrates how we as educators must stop ignoring the other parts of the human body. As Sir Ken Robinson pointed out we must stop "educating kids out of their creative capacities." "Education [] is shifting beneath our feet." Now a Masters degree is necessary where before a Bachelors degree would suffice, and a Doctorate for a Masters...We are going to have to start reshaping/rethinking our ideas of education and what it means/will mean in the next 10-25years.
"We are educating for a future we have little to no concept of."
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