Wednesday October 11, 2006

Blog No. 4 Simulation Software

Simulation software can be an invaluable resource for the education sector.  Teachers can present situations to students that under classroom circumstances would not be available.  Simulations also provide an opportunity for students to experience first-hand, not just read about, topics being discussed in their respective curriculums.  It seems that of the educational software that is currently available, simulations promote the use of higher-order thinking skills rather than spewing back facts.  The students should have the base knowledge to begin a simulation and then construct answers to the scenarios found in the simulations.  The ?answer? may be which behavior to choose next, what action to take etc. 

Every aspect of education provides simulation software to enhance learning.  For example, Agri-Education, Inc, www.agri-ed.com, offers many software packages that cover topics related to AgriScience.  These topics traverse elementary education up to high school Career & Technical Education.  Students interact with software to enhance their understanding of subjects such as soil and water conservation to welding simulations for the high school setting.  Social Studies students can find ?walk in the shoes? of someone else in another part of the world by using the Real Lives 2004 software that is available at www.educationalsimulations.com.  The kids run an extensive simulation to delve into life in other cultures etc.  The possibilities are endless as are the costs.  Simulation software can be purchased per CD, CD required for the simulations to run, by user or by site.  Costs can range from free to many thousands of dollars.  I did a search to locate free simulation software and found simulations regarding jet propulsion systems, aerodynamics, electrical concepts and a range of other scientific topics.

As with most educational software, all of the above mentioned software is not adaptable.  Once purchased or downloaded, it will not change.  I am sure updates or enhancements would be available for download as they became available but nothing to customize the software to a teacher?s specific needs is available. 

In terms of use of Simulation Software within my curriculums, I currently use simulation software produced by LJ Technical Systems to enhance the troubleshooting abilities of my students in Computer Engineering.  The kids are presented with a problem by an actual customer and they must use the information given, their knowledge and experience to formulate a solution.  In my Home Technology Integration Class, we use free simulations found on the web to introduce and refresh electrical concepts.  I found several sites that discuss simulation software for Business Education.  One of these sites is www.lavamind.com/edu.html.  The simulation offered by this site focuses on capitalism.  The simulations found here are based on another planet with a cartoon like environment.  Concepts needed to be successful as a business owner are reinforced in this simulation.  Other sites offering simulations are www.forio.com/simulations.htm. The cost for these business/marketing simulations is $5.00 per student.  The simulations cover business and marketing concepts and strategies and takes several weeks to complete.  The simulations available to www.forio.com can be customized, which is a positive. 

Regardless of which simulation that is integrated into the classroom, the foundation must be present for each student to receive the full benefit of running the simulation.  In some cases, running the simulation will solidify a concept that really wasn?t understood.  Helping kids realize they have to ability to answer complex questions and create solutions to those questions is critical.  

Sunday October 01, 2006

SmartBoards

Blog 3 of 6

Electronic whiteboards, more commonly referred to as Smartboards utilize a data projector which displays the output of a computer onto the whiteboard.  The Smartboard is touch-sensitive, much like a touch-screen on a computer.  Specialized equipment such as touch pens, for different colors and erasers are utilized to create or alter images on the board.  If simply clicking on an object or writing something, the user can use their finger as the mouse to interact with the board.  According to our notes for week 6, there are two major suppliers of electronic whiteboards, Hitachi and Smart Technologies.  Depending on the size and options purchased, the boards range in price from $1400 to $10,000. 

The benefits of using an interactive technology such as a Smartboard include: the accommodation of different learning styles, they are usable by students with limited motor skills and pages can automatically be saved, printed, emailed or pasted into a website.   The latter option is especially beneficial as many high school and college classes offer class websites which could house the notes given in class each day with the annotations made by the teacher during lecture.  Without the use of a Smartboard, the teacher would simply post a Powerpoint of the notes, having to omit any notes regarding comments made during class.  There are many websites discussing the benefits of this technology, one such site offering additional research information is located at http://www.waukesha.k12.wi.us/WIT/SmartBoard/benefits.htm.

As mentioned in our notes, there are many templates available to integrate Smartboards into any grade level classroom.  I would imagine Smartboards are extremely popular in elementary school as students are excited to interact with technology while answering questions provided by templates such as those found at www.Starfall.com.  After researching, I found many sites available that reference available templates for all education levels, including middle and high school.  

In terms of personally integrating this technology into my classes, I would love to use a Smartboard in each of my classes.  I can visualize using a Smartboard while teaching kids to use Macromedia?s Fireworks and Dreamweaver while learning to edit images and create websites.  Since you can use your finger as a pointer, you would be creating an image in Fireworks and editing it, almost like painting with your finger.  While looking at code in Dreamweaver you would be able to highlight with your finger or an interactive pen the specific line of code you might be referencing at that time.  In my Computer Engineering Class, I have slides of components and an interactive program the kids usually go through individually.  I would love to use a Smartboard to go over the slides, make comments on the components and go through the troubleshooting scenarios using as a group interacting with the board.  In my Home Technology Integration class, I can see making wiring diagrams viewable on the board and presenting different scenarios using the interaction with the board.  There are many websites that teach basic electricity using point-and-click scenarios, which we could cover using the Smartboard technology.    

Sunday September 24, 2006

Blog #2 Tablet PCs

Tablet PCs offer users the best of a laptop and a PDA with its touch screen.  Tablet PCs are normally categorized as one of three types:  slate, convertible or hybrid.  All of the three require an operating system written specifically for the tablet pc.  The slate does not have a keyboard connected to the screen but one can be attached as a peripheral device.  Due to the advantage of weighing less, the slate is more mobile than the other two versions.  The convertible tablet pc looks like a normal notebook computer with the exception that the screen can pivot 180° and rest on the keyboard.  Because the convertible has the keyboard permanently attached, it weighs more than the slate.  The hybrid version has a normal size keyboard that the user can totally detach to reduce the weight and make the tablet more mobile as needed. 

Additional software, other than the operating system, has been created to allow full utilization of the tablet pc.  These applications are called ink-enabled applications.  Ink-enabled Applications accommodate the use of the stylus as an input device.  According to Wikipedia.org, several sites offer information on software for the tablet pc.  Sites listed include: Tablet PC Post ,GottaBeMobile.com TabletPC2.com, Experience Pack for Tablet PC and the Education Pack for Tablet PC.  The last two are Microsoft releases and more specifically offer users the ability to use the stylus in various ways, create educational tools such as flash cards, assist in note-taking and tools to create equations for math class.  The links listed above offer additional information regarding the applications available.  ?Exploring Tablet PCs? by Godsall et.al notes that Microsoft?s One Note application is available as well as software written specifically for Physics and for Journaling.

According to the Godsall article, ?Exploring Tablet PCs? cost of a tablet can range from $1000.00 to upwards of Tablet PCs are more expensive than a ?normal? laptop which creates a disadvantage for integration of this technology.  As with all technology, it is important to compare ?apples to apples?, before declaring one tablet king.  When determining which tablet PC to purchases it becomes apparent that fewer manufacturers offer this type of PC which could be the primary reason for the extra cost.

Tablet PCs can be integrated into many curriculums.  Exceptional Children?s programs could utilize the ink-enabled applications and touch screen/stylus input to aid in teaching basic skills for low-performing students.  Skills such as writing legibly or note-taking could be aided with a Tablet PC.

Personally, I would like to integrate tablet pcs into my Home Technology Integration class.  In this class, kids have to go to our house project construction site and look at the current house plans and visualize their part of the wiring process.  Currently, we require the kids to hand sketch a diagram of their recommendations for what the house will need, where it should be etc.  I would like to see the kids use tablet PCs and ink-enabled applications to create an electronic file that could be printed, given to other contractors as necessary and then modified as necessary using the file and the tablet pc.  Real time changes without going back and redrawing the whole wiring scheme would be a great addition to our abilities in HTI.     

Sunday September 17, 2006

Hardware Blogs: 1 of 6

Integrating GPS Units into Career & Technical Education

The use of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) units is not customarily associated with Career & Technical Education.  However, after reading the article, ?Hide and Seek? by Lynn M. Lary, several opportunities came to mind. 

First, we need to understand how GPS units function.  Handheld GPS units determine location by using latitude and longitude coordinates beamed from various satellites.  The unit must connect with at least three different satellites in order to triangulate the person?s current position and assist him/her in getting where they desire to go.  The technology was originally utilized by the armed forces.  Today, GPS units are used for both recreational and business purposes. 

In order to apply this technology in the classroom, a type of geocaching could be used.  Again, referring to the Lary article, ?geocaching is a high-tech, worldwide treasure hunt where a person hides a cache for others to find?.  We would obviously not be using worldwide coordinates, remaining local, but could expand on the multi-site cache concept.  Teachers could setup each site with clues relative to their particular curriculum to point the students toward the next coordinate where they would complete each step to complete a particular portion of the grading rubric. The treasure for the student at the final coordinate would be their grade. 

Types of uses in Career & Technical Education could include the following:  an agriculture teacher could locate various types of plants/shrubs/trees around the school campus or even in the surrounding community, record the coordinates and allow the kids to use the GPS units to locate and then identify the various flora and fauna with a little knick-knack located at the final location.  Of course, students would have to be allowed to take the units home if the work was assigned as homework.  I envision the same type of scenario in areas such as masonry or carpentry.  Locate examples of different architecture or styles of brick etc. and have the kids go find and identify them using the handheld units.

In our curriculum, especially with Digital Communications, this technology could lead to a very informative and exciting exercise.  I envision this treasure hunt would require the cooperation of many individuals within the area schools as well as the business community.  I would locate area businesses that utilize technologies discussed in the Digital Communications curriculum such as PDAs, digital cameras, camcorders, tablet PCs as well as various software packages.  Obviously, we would need to partner with area businesses with the understanding that at some point, a lot of kids would be dropping by at some point to see that particular piece of technology and to get the next clue.  Some technology, such as smartboards and tablet PCs are used within the school system so students would need to access area schools to see some of the technology.  This would obviously need to be a semester long project with the kids checking the GPS units in and out as needed. 

By including other individuals outside of our classroom and school we would be forming relationships with the business community and parents.  Increasing community involvement in educating the students would lead to a greater sense of ownership and accountability for all parties involved.