Google Maps - now embeddable!
Google Maps has added a new feature allowing for any map to be embedded in a website, blog, or LMS. After entering an address or landmark in Google Maps and generating a map, click the “Link to this page” link near the upper right corner to copy either the URL for the map or the code to embed the map into another web page. Thanks Google for creating yet another Web 2.0 application that can be incorporated into the online learning environment!
Here’s an example of an embeddable map to the University of Chicago Gleacher Center, the site of the upcoming SLATE Conference:
Creating & connecting: Research and guidelines on online social and educational networking
Christopher Sessums posted the following summary concerning a recent report on social networking and education. Times sure have changed from back when I was a kid…
eSchool News Online recently reported on a survey that shows 96 percent of teens and tweens between the ages of 9 and 17 with Internet access in the U.S. are using social networking technologies such as chat, text-messaging, blogging, or visiting online communities such as Facebook and MySpace.
The study, titled “Creating & connecting: Research and guidelines on online social and educational networking” (pdf), was released by the National School Boards Association and Grunwald Associates LLC on August 14 of this year. The study is comprised of three surveys: an online survey of 1,277 nine- to 17 year old students, an online survey of 1,039 parents and telephone interviews with 250 school district leaders who make policy decisions on Internet usage. The final report did not include a copy of the survey instruments or questions asked of school district representatives. The study was carried out with support from Microsoft, News Corp. (which owns MySpace), and Verizon (hmmm… a little market exploration and needs assessment?)
The report reveals that participants’ time on the Internet rivals the television for their time and attention. Here’s a break down of some of numbers:
Who’s on first?
81% students report visiting a social networking site within the past three months.
71% report using social networking tools weekly.
59% report talk about “education” in their online social networks.
50% report talking specifically about schoolwork.
Posting messages
21% students post comments on message boards every day.
41% post comments on message boards once a week.
Sharing music
32% students report download music or audio that other users uploaded at least once a week.
29% upload third-party music or audio themselves once a week.
12% upload podcasts of their own creation at least weekly.
Sharing videos
30% students download and view videos uploaded by others once a week.
9% upload videos of their own creation at least weekly.
22% report uploading videos they have created at some point.
Sharing photos
24% students post photos or artwork created by others once a week.
22% post photos or artwork created by themselves once a week.
49% report uploading photos or artwork at some point.
Site building
12% students report updating their website or online profiles every day.
25% report updating their website or online profiles weekly.
Blogging
30% students report having a blog.
17% report adding content to their blogs at least weekly.
Creating content
16% students report using online tools to create and share compositions and virtual objects (puzzles, games, clothing and houses (?)).
14% create new characters at least weekly.
10% start or contribute to online collaborative projects weekly or more frequently.
10% send suggestions or ideas to Web sites at least once a week.
9% submit articles to sites, create polls, quizzes or surveys at least weekly.
Against Me! School rules
92% school districts require parents and/or students to sign an Internet use policy.
98% districts surveyed use software to block access to “inappropriate” sites.
84% districts have rules against online chatting.
81% districts have rules against instant messaging.
62% districts have rules against participating on bulletin boards or blogs.
60% districts have rules against sending and receiving email in school.
52% districts prohibit use of social networking sites.
For me!
49% districts report schools participating in collaborative projects with other schools.
46% districts report students participating in international pen pal projects.
35% districts say their schools and/or students run blogs.
22% districts report classroom use of wikis or sites that allow users to edit/remove content.
27% districts support online professional development communities for teachers/principals.
71% districts report active/influential parental involvement in decision making and social networking.
Required Access
96% districts report some teachers assigning homework requiring Internet access.
35% districts report more than half their teachers assign homework requiring Internet access.
94% districts of low socioeconomic status report some teachers assigning homework requiring Internet access.
27% districts of low socioeconomic status report more than half their teachers assign homework requiring Internet access.
95% districts report that at least some of their teachers use Web pages to communicate assignments, curriculum content, and other information.
88% districts subscribe to to online educational services or use learning management systems, or both.
Indecent proposals
20% students report seeing “inappropriate” pictures on social networking sites in the past three months.
18% students report seeing inappropriate language on social networking sites (16% parents concur).
7% students report someone asking for personal information.
7% students report experiencing some form of cyberbullying.
4% students report having conversations that made them uncomfortable.
3% students report unwelcome strangers trying repeatedly to communicate with them online.
2% (1 in 50) students report a stranger they met online tried to meet them in person.
.08% students report actually having met a person from an online encounter without their parents permission.
52% districts report students providing personal information online as a “significant problem.”
Value of social networking
48% district representatives expect social networking to introduce students to “new and different kinds of students.”
43% districts “hope” social networking will help students “learn to express themselves better creatively” and “develop global relationships.”
29% districts report believing social networking will improve academic abilities.
36% district reps “hope” social networking will help students learn to work together to solve academic problems.
76% parents report believing social networking will improve academic abilities.
75% parents expect social networking to improve their child’s ability to resolve conflicts.
72% parents expect social networking to improve their child’s social skills.
Prove it!
87% district leaders say “strong educational value and purpose” will be a requirement for them to permit students to access social networking sites.
Staff communication and professional development
“In districts where structured online professional communities exist…”
59% report at least half of their staff members participate.
37% report ninety percent or more participate.
WebbAlert: Daily Tech Round-Up
I just came across a great daily video podcast called “WebAlert” that provides the day’s tech news in a short video format. The podcast description via iTunes boasts,
WebbAlert is the website and daily videocast of the popular TV host Morgan Webb, covering the day’s developments in tech news, video gaming, gadgetry, and digital culture. Succinct, articulate, and visually engaging, it’s engineered to keep the busy tech executive and the avid tech consumer current on industry news and trends with a small investment of just a few minutes per day.
If you’d like to check the videocast out for yourself, it is available at webbalert.com or subscribe via either RSS or via iTunes.
Here’s the latest episode…
What is instructional design?
I’m often asked the question, “What is instructional design?” While there are certainly many ways in which to describe ID, here’s a succinct definition from the Capella University Instructional Design for Online Learning microsite:
Instructional design is a systematic process for creating instructional materials and learning activities to meet the needs of learners in a particular target group. The process includes assessing the need for instruction, analyzing the characteristics of the learners, determining the instructional objectives, creating the assessment, developing the instructional materials and activities, trying out the materials to see how effective they are, making revisions, and, finally, implementing and maintaining the instruction.
Instructional designers translate general principles of learning and instruction into plans for instructional materials and learning activities. They make use of learning theory, communication theory, and technology to create the best solution to a training or educational problem.
The focus of instructional design is the design of effective instruction.
It requires a balance of instructional design, psychology of learning, and technology.
Instructional design is NOT about teaching.
What is your definition of instructional design?
Instructional Design for Online Learning (IDOL) Ph.D. Program - Capella University
Capella University has recently developed a microsite for Instructional Design for Online Learning (IDOL) learners that includes a host of information and resource items, including: curriculum, community, resources, professional associations, & careers.
Here’s a little more information about Capella’s IDOL program:
The focus of the Instructional Design for Online Learning (IDOL) program is the design of effective instruction. It requires a balance of instructional design, psychology of learning, and technology. The program focus is not on how to teach online, but how to design instructional experiences that are interesting and engaging, and will enable learners to accomplish specific learning objectives.
The MS program in IDOL emphasizes the practical skills necessary for being an instructional designer. The PhD program in IDOL emphasizes research, theory, and leadership skills.
To learn more about the IDOL PhD program at Capella University, click here or visit the IDOL program microsite for yourself at https://www.capella.edu/idol/index.aspx.