Article Title:
Media Culture 2020: Collaborative Teaching and Blended
Learning Using Social Media and Cloud-Based Technologies
APA Citation:
Vickers, R., Field, J., & Melakoski, C. (2015). Media
Culture 2020: Collaborative
Technology and Blended Learning Using Social Media and Cloud-Based
Techniques. Contemporary Educational Technology, 6(1), 62-73.
Technology and Blended Learning Using Social Media and Cloud-Based
Techniques. Contemporary Educational Technology, 6(1), 62-73.
Persistent
link to this record (Permalink): http://proxy.tamuc.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=101149548&site=ehost-live
Review:
This article describes how five different universities
across Europe participated in a project entitled “Media Culture 2020”. The
project was aimed at developing new practices that incorporated the use of “21st
Century” technologies like social media platforms and cloud based programs along
with traditional methods of instruction and delivery of media. The goal of the
project was to “break down campus and classroom walls” using new technologies.
In doing so, the desire was to be able to create an “open virtual learning
environment” where students from different countries, in varying fields, could
collaborate and learn together through the use of these tools. Some of the
technologies that were utilized in this project included “Facebook, Google +,
Google Hangout, Google Docs and Blogger”. Universities from Finland, the United Kingdom,
Spain, Latvia, and the Netherlands all participated in the project. Working
together using these tools, the project was designed to help the participants
develop “joint multidisciplinary courses”. Over the course of four weeks, two
different workshops took place in both Finland and Latvia, involving 40
students and 10 professors. The addition of both pre and post workshop
activities using social media and cloud based technologies allowed for even
greater participation amongst students and staff members through virtual
meetings and sharing of lectures without the additional cost associated with
travel. This project afforded the opportunity for “blended learning” by
combining “face-to-face instruction with computer mediated activities”. Collaboration
played a large part in this media project and allowed the participants to
evaluate the “educational merits of some of the tools used”. The article goes
on to discuss some of the advantages of incorporating the different
collaborative tools used in the study into an educational environment. Some of
the various technology tools utilized in the project include: wikis, blogs,
video conferencing, live broadcasting, social network group discussions, etc.
One of the problems that they encountered with the use of four different tools
to facilitate this project (Google Docs/Drive, Hangout, Facebook, & Blogger)
was that it was often difficult for participants to locate and understand the
organization of the information being presented over the span of the four
tools. Real-time collaboration also
often proved to be difficult due to issues with technology performance,
different time schedules, as well as varying time zones. Ultimately, in spite
of these shortcomings, the project allowed both “lecturers and students to try
and learn different traditional and new media elements in innovative ways”. By combining synchronous and asynchronous
teaching methods, this project helped to create an “open, blended learning
environment”. The Media Culture 2020 project was ultimately considered a “great
success” by all participants.
Ultimately, I found this article to be quite interesting and
informative. I can see how the idea of using various social media tools and
cloud based technology within multiple learning environments can afford
students a unique opportunity to learn. Each of the different university
participants brought their own perspectives and ideas to this project and their
ability to collaborate with one another during the learning process provided an
interesting and expanded learning environment. I like the idea of having
students and teachers from different backgrounds collaborating on a project
because I can understand the increased benefits from doing so. Today’s
technology affords individual teachers and students opportunities to
collaborate with other classrooms around the world relatively easily. I recently
discovered a free online program called ePals, which allows teachers to match
their classroom of students with other classes from around the globe and
correspond with those individuals through a safe and secure email program or
online video conferencing tool. Although I have yet to be able to use this
tool, I look forward to doing so in my future classroom and this article has
helped me to discover added benefits of using technology to form global
collaborative learning environments.
I really enjoyed reading your article. I thought the collaboration among the students was a really neat idea. I have thought about trying to do something like this in my business classes when we study business etiquette in other countries, but with less technology tools. I have not gotten far enough with the idea to research ways in which my students could contact other students in other countries so I was glad that your shared the information on ePals. Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteI found this article was very interesting, because the websites you mention such as Google, Face Book, and Blogger are the most used tools by students at home. These particular tools allow students to get more familiar with other different countries, and can be used as tools to break down language barriers. What a great way to collaborate information on group activities, and teachers have access to their students at home and in the classroom. Now I have heard of PayPal were a student can order books and pay for them so no one can access their information, but this is my first time hearing about ePal. I am going to look up more information on it, sounds like a great tool for the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI found your article fascinating. The project was an amazing idea. Giving students an opportunity to interact with students from other places provides them with a great opportunity to learn about those places in a way that would be almost as good as going to the place themselves.
ReplyDeleteI also, recently learned about ePals. I am planning on doing some research on it this during the summer and see if I can find a way to use it in my classroom with my students. I think it would be a very valuable resource for them.
I enjoyed your article review. With new, exciting tools comes new security and privacy concerns. I realize this article was at the university level, but did the authors speak at all about this?
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ReplyDeleteHello
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I used to be against social media. I thought that it was a complete waste of time. Many of the students were using it for inappropriate things and I am not big on it for myself either. However, I learned that the students had to be taught to use it for educational purposes and to collaborate across the school and district. It actually became a lot of fun to see the rich discussions. Professionals would even join in the conversation which made the learner even better for the students. We just have to develop lessons that are meaningful and teach our students how to use the media to be successful.
Staci, I think that using ePals in a business class to help your students understand business etiquette in other countries is a good idea.
ReplyDeleteMrs. A., I agree that security and privacy are important issue and although the article did refer to these elements, it did not discuss them in great detail.
ReplyDelete