I just watched 2 videos on TED.com. I'm still sort of unsure as to what this site is about, but the more I explore it, the more I will learn about it. So far TED.com seems like a site that shows videos (like YouTube). However, this site is not filled with random thing people post about themselves. It is filled, instead, with videos about topics that are currently relevant in the world of technology.
The first video I saw was about a comedic robot. He had a list in his 'head" of thousands of jokes, theses funnies are categorized into topics so he can tell jokes in sequence that relate to each other. He can learn about you, the more you listen to him. Like other "learning" programs, he can take what you find funny (based upon your reactions to previous jokes) and then prepare his routine based upon your interests. At first I thought this was great! A funny robot, that can learn my sense of humor and tell me jokes that I would enjoy listening to, what could be better? In reality it is pretty cool, however for my taste, I prefer listening to human beings. I think Society relies too heavily on artificial technology, and then we wonder why we have no jobs. A comedian robot certainly won't be taking over for the Saturday Night Live cast anytime soon, but other people have been ousted by quicker, easier and cheaper so much so that people's jobs are being outsourced to robots. Every robot movie I have ever seem (I realize that movies and TV are completely unrealistic) has some sort of Dooms-Day even connected to it. Robots eventually "out thinking" people and so then they take over Earth and eradicate us lowly humans. This is unfair because the robot in the video only told jokes, but my theory is that the eventual robot apocalypse has to start somewhere, why not with a comedian? My feelings are that we need to back off building robots and spend the time and money cleaning up and caring for our planet and fellow humans who are sick and starving first.
The second video I watched was more on par with helping our fellow mankind rather that building a new type of "living" creature. This video featured a woman who is (or was) a governor of one of the United States. Her idea was to create jobs and help the environments as well. These jobs would consist of creating renewable energy sources and hire people to tap into each state's specific assets. What does each state have to offer (wind, sun, water, etc.) to create this renewable energy source? I love this idea, we need jobs and we need to help our planet, so why not do it at the same time? This reminded me of the story I had heard of the CCC (conservation, corporation, something). This organization, created a long time ago was deigned to clearing out forests to preserve them into parks, and other ways that they could help this world (and our community). This new program would offer a great solution for two great problems.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Moodle: advantages and disadvantages
Moodle. It's a funny word to say, but I am learning what a useful tool it can be when it comes to distance learning. Moodle is a tool that we use in our class. We are each creating our own specific class and adding resources to it to teach the lessons we want our participants to learn. As I am creating my Moodle, I am finding some aspects that I think are beneficial and some that are not.
The first advantage of the Moodle, for me at least, is its ease of use. I have not had any problems navigating it, adding resources, creating and uploading documents to it. The icons representing each action are clear and easy to understand. I can manipulate the materials which I have added by, for example, changing their order, making them visible or not, or by adding or taking away assignments. It is easy for a novice to edit their course to make it fit their needs and those of their students'. The tools that the Moodle provides are clear and simple, and for me that is its biggest benefit.
On the other hand, Moodle is not perfect. It does have some features that are disadvantageous. The first one, which luckily enough Dr. Sponder taught us a way to overcome, is the lack of a menu. As our own course, EDT 532, progressed, it got to be a pain in the neck to scroll up and down to find the section you wanted to be on. Sometimes I would scroll past it, miss it and have to start scrolling back up again. For me it was confusing because I want to be looking for, for example, this week's homework, but I will pass it.
Other than the lack of easily created menu, my biggest problem has nothing, specifically, to do with the Moodle. I am having difficulty changing my mindset from teaching children in person to teaching adults from a distance. However, I do think I am making progress in that area.
All in all, Moodle is a good program when it comes to creating online courses. I find it easy to naivigate and it is not hard to figure out how to add resources or make changes as you feel necessary. The biggest challenge with Moodle was that I was having to scroll down to find each specific lesson, but that has changed now that Dr. Sponder showed us how to create a menu. I just wish the menu was easier to figure out. I know I would not have been able to figure it out on my own.
The first advantage of the Moodle, for me at least, is its ease of use. I have not had any problems navigating it, adding resources, creating and uploading documents to it. The icons representing each action are clear and easy to understand. I can manipulate the materials which I have added by, for example, changing their order, making them visible or not, or by adding or taking away assignments. It is easy for a novice to edit their course to make it fit their needs and those of their students'. The tools that the Moodle provides are clear and simple, and for me that is its biggest benefit.
On the other hand, Moodle is not perfect. It does have some features that are disadvantageous. The first one, which luckily enough Dr. Sponder taught us a way to overcome, is the lack of a menu. As our own course, EDT 532, progressed, it got to be a pain in the neck to scroll up and down to find the section you wanted to be on. Sometimes I would scroll past it, miss it and have to start scrolling back up again. For me it was confusing because I want to be looking for, for example, this week's homework, but I will pass it.
Other than the lack of easily created menu, my biggest problem has nothing, specifically, to do with the Moodle. I am having difficulty changing my mindset from teaching children in person to teaching adults from a distance. However, I do think I am making progress in that area.
All in all, Moodle is a good program when it comes to creating online courses. I find it easy to naivigate and it is not hard to figure out how to add resources or make changes as you feel necessary. The biggest challenge with Moodle was that I was having to scroll down to find each specific lesson, but that has changed now that Dr. Sponder showed us how to create a menu. I just wish the menu was easier to figure out. I know I would not have been able to figure it out on my own.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)