My picture licensed with Creative Commons

http://www.flickr.com/photos/81552982@N00/6434137159/
(The above links shows that this is a CC licensed picture)


I had the pleasure of visiting Egypt over a year ago, and took this photograph of the great pyramid at Giza. I just uploaded it, and licensed it with creative commons. I have placed no restrictions. No attributions are required, people may use this for commercial purposes, and they are free to edit this without sharing alike. 

Image from Creative Commons

Image: 'Visual Communication Poster' by Untitled-1
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9729909@N07/5596487047

As a teacher of communication, visual communication is one component of my teaching. This picture conveys many things about visual communication. That it is holistic (i.e. you do not have to understand its parts to understand the whole), pattern-based, and can be conveyed in several different ways. This image would be a great way to start off my class in visual communication. Pictures are a great way to start a class: they can grab the attention of the students, and entice them to become curious about the subject.

The most obvious reason to include images while teaching is to accommodate visual learners. More than 60% of all students learn best with images. When an idea is illustrated through an image, it is bound to be absorbed better by these students. But there are other reasons too. The use of images empowers the teacher to explain the same idea in different ways. Using images is akin to the using a new language: the teacher has the freedom to express the additional ideas with the new language.

Teaching and learning - One style at a time

It was about 5 AM in the morning. I had been awake all night, straining my neck to check if I could see any bit of America from my window. All I could see was clouds. But now, my flight had landed in America, the land of my dreams, where I was about to embark upon a PhD degree.

Although quite successful, I was not the most content student in India. The shallow irrelevant syllabi, and general lack of organization in the field of education frustrated me. When I landed in America, little did I know that my frustration was going to increase by many fold.

I soon came to realize, that for all my discontent, I was a successful student in India, because learning mainly occurred in class. I listened and I learned. This was different from USA, where class lectures comprised only one aspect of learning. I was expected to read, as well as a write a lot. I am not particularly good at either. It became apparent to me that I am an auditory learner, a person who primarily learns by listening.

Learning style should not be confused with intelligence, skill, or be associated with related stereotypes. As an auditory learner, I do not consider myself to be inferior to visual (learn by seeing) or tactile (learn by doing) learners. It is only relevant insofar that my comprehension and learning while reading is somewhat limited. I also do not care much for visual cues or references while learning. I care more for vivid verbal descriptions, stories, and detailed verbal explanations.  More than anything else, one's learning style is the key to figuring out what helps oneself understand material better.

Ever since I concluded that I was an auditory learner (about a year ago), I have been able to attribute several of my failings to my learning style rather than to lack of intelligence. I can imagine how knowledge of their learning style can similarly be transformative to many other individuals, including my students.

 I believe it is extremely important that a teacher know about learning styles. He/she need not know about the learning style of every student. After all, it is impossible for a teacher to individually tailor their teaching to the learning styles of all students. A commonly suggested remedy, which is to teach in a way such that students of "all learning styles" can learn well from one's teaching, is easier said than done. I believe that if not for any other reasons, teachers need to know about learning styles so that they can understand the motivations and actions of their students.  

While in India, I believed all students fell in the continuum ranging from good to bad. There were no dimensions, or differentiating criteria. You either had it, or you did not. Now older and wiser, I can now understand that almost all students have the desire in them to learn. The desire to learn is a naturally occurring tendency, developed because of its obvious evolutionary benefits. It is just that the ways in which learning occur are different. Thus, the student who constantly doodles in class is not disinterested. He is learning, his way.

We are now moving from an educational culture that set non-negotiable standards, and expected students to meet them, to an new educational culture that understands students. Knowledge of learning styles is one step in the that direction.

My RSS Experience

Following my RSS feeds for the past week has overall been a disappointing experience. I added feeds from all the wrong websites, and except for one website (ISTE), none of the websites I followed had any substantial updates that I  learnt from.

The following feeds were recommended by the course, and I added them:

Technology and Learning (http://www.techlearning.com/) : Just one update in the past one week. This feed too was titled "About Us", and had no real information.

NPR Education http://www.npr.org/rss/) :  I saw about two-three feeds from this site everyday in the past week. Most of the feeds were about some scandalous or conflict-related stories such as Penn State's football coach being fired, or a teacher's strike. I found only one story interesting, an article about how kids learn science today. Overall, quite disappointed by the lack of thinkpieces and feature articles in this feed.

Web-logged (http://www.weblogg-ed.com/): No feeds in the past week! On closer inspection, it seems that this site is not updated anymore. Why are we being asked to follow inactive websites? Nevertheless, some old feeds made for an interesting read. I did not learn much about how education can be used in technology, but his stories (almost all revolving around his family) do keep you absorbed.

Literacy Education Updates (ncteblog.blogspot.com) : Again, no feeds in the past week. And on closer inspection, this blog too has been inactive for over three years. The old feeds mostly deal with political laws pertaining to education, and I did not go through more than one. It is surprising that we were asked to follow this blog.

Here are some of the blogs/sites that I followed on my own:

Penn State Communication Blog (http://psucommblog.blogspot.com/): As a communication student, I thought that this blog would keep me updated with publications emerging from this department. Sadly, the only feeds I got pertained to colloquia that this department was organizing. Following this blog turned out to be a waste of time.

Dr. C. Jack Orr's Teaching and Communication Blog (http://cjackorr.blogspot.com/): This blog had some interesting posts when I subscribed to it.  However there were no feeds from this blog in the past week.

Education World: Technology (http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/): There were no feeds in the past week. All old feeds have inactive links which only redirect you to the main page.

International Society for Technology in Education (http://www.iste.org/connect/iste-connects/blog.aspx): No less than 4 feeds (on four different days) in the past week, and all of them containing excellent stories. There was particularly one story one Kindle Fire that almost made me re-evaluate my notions of education.  Three days the feed featured an excellent article about teachers should be evaluated, which also made for an interesting read. This is definitely one website that I will continue to subscribe to.

Project Implicit (http://projectimplicit.wordpress.com/):  As a PhD student I am currently studying how media can impact moral values, and we measure morality with implicit measures. There were no feeds from this blog in the past week, and on closer inspection, this blog has also been inactive for a long time.

YourMorals.org Blog (http://www.yourmorals.org/blog/) : YourMorals.org is a website that measures the five foundations of morality (as defined by a scholar named Jon Haidt). I subscribed to its blog. There was just one feed from blog in the past week, and that was about to create groups on the main website. The old feeds though, were very interesting.

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Comment I added to a blog

I added a comment to the YourMorals.org blog in response to an argument between the site's owner Jon Haidt, and another scholar Massimo Pigluicci. The comment read thus:

While I can see the point of view that both are making, I am inclined to agree with Haidt more on this one. Pigluicci is used to attacking people who are irrational, and he does not give much consideration to the arguments made by these people (and he shouldn’t!). I think when he encountered Haidt’s statement, he just dealt with it with a broad stroke, without understanding the finer nuances of Haidt’s points.

I think that we should all take time to comment on blog posts we read because:

(i) Comments add to the understanding of the points made in the article/blog posts. The author in the main blog post may not have had the time to expand on his points. Comments help supplement the information given in the blog post.

(ii) Comments help provide differing perspectives on the same issue. It challenges the reader to consider different opinions.

(iii) Comments reassure the author that his blog posts are being read and discussed, and encourage him to keep writing.  

(iv) The very act of submitting a comment makes you read the blog post more carefully, and encourages you to check back the blog to see how others have responded to your opinion.

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What I have learnt from the contents of the news feeds that I have been tracking?

I only learnt from the news feeds of one website (ISTE), but the lesson that I learnt was substantial. It is this: classroom learning need not predominate education. Although I have always considered myself to be open-minded and forward thinking when it comes to education, I think that somwhere in my mind, the "classroom" setting has been inexorably tied to education. I always viewed technology as "supplementing" traditional lecturing. But following the ISTE feeds has made me realize that classrooms can be completely eliminated with the help of technology. We are moving towards a new era, where "schools" may not exist, and all education may take place at home, through technological tools, and these technological tools may in fact do a much better job teaching our kids than current classrooms do.

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What have I learnt about subscribing to RSS feeds?

I have learnt the following lessons pertaining to subscriptions of RSS feeds:

(i) Before subscribing check whether updates are added regularly

I subscribed to several blogs/websites that I will have to unsubscribe to now because they are completely inactive. In the future, I will first ensure that the website is active and regularly updated before I subscribe to it.

(ii) Check for the content of the old feeds. Are they relevant?

When you first subscribe, it is always a good idea to check old feeds.Do they contain substantial matter that I could learn from? Or are they only website updates or other irrelevant matter? If it is the latter, than I would unsubscribe immediately.

(iii) Check RSS feeds at fixed intervals. 

For a busy person like me, I would say twice a week is good time interval for me to check my RSS feeds.

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Describe how you might apply either the content of your RSS Reader page, or the capabilities of RSS Reader pages, in your own setting.

I will use the capabilities of the RSS reader page for the following:

(i) To update my knowledge about my field

As a media-effects researcher, it is vital that I am updated about the latest events and happenings in my field, and RSS can keep me updated about what is going in this field. I only need to locate the right sources (blogs and websites) which will regularly update me with news about my field. Talking to my colleagues about the blogs/websites they subscribe to may be a good idea. 

(ii) Enhance my knowledge of the teaching with technology

Since I have started this course, my belief in education being a dynamic process has only strengthened. I now understand that technology is not only an embellishment or supplement to conventional education, but can actually completely replace conventional education. As teachers, we all need to use our imaginations to create teaching environments with technology. RSS is my window to obtaining knowledge that will help me sculpt my new technology-based teaching environments. RSS feeds should keep providing me new ideas  and perspectives which help me become a better teacher.

 

Screen Dump of RSS page

Click on the above picture to see a slightly larger image.

PC Maintenance and Security

I checked the PC maintenance and Security videos (there are a whole lot of them!) here, and learnt quite a lot!
Here is an overview of three of the tutorials.

Tutorial 1 : Clean and speed up your PC. 

Until recently, I thought that cleaning up one's computer only meant cleaning one's desktop. I was surprised to learn that there are many more files on your desktop that can be cleaned up: Temporary internet files, cookies etc. And what's more, that there are programs (such as CleanUp!) which can be downloaded to clean up these files. Clean Up! is an excellent feature that I will definitely recommend others. It downloaded and installed in a snap, and actually told me much space it created for me!
  I was also most impressed by the msconfig feature which helps you deselect the start up options. There are lots of programs which start immediately on my computer's startup, and I thought that uninstalling the programs was the only solution. I learnt that is not the case, and managed to deselect all the programs (such as skype, gchat etc.) that I do not want to start immediately.

Tutorial 2: Organizing your computer

My desktop has mostly been an ugly sight, crowded with items that I was note sure I needed. This tutorial provided some quick solutions pertaining to organizing your files in folders, and creating more desktop space. My desktop currently just has 4 icons and looks substantially neater. One drawback of this tutorial is that everything is explained in terms of Internet Explorer, and I did not know how to customize my buttons for Firefox. The quick launch buttons worked fine for me though, and I added the icons for MS Excel and MS Word my quick launch toolbar.
I would definitely recommend the Roboform features to my friends. Again, this tool is helpful and very easy to use. Although I have most of my passwords saved through Firefox's "Remember Password" feature, it is handy to have a tool which remembers all passwords of all websites. I can now start having unique passwords for different websites: something that I have always wanted to do, but could not, for obvious reasons.

 Tutorial 3: Tips for safer browsing

Things I learnt from this tutorial are: Never click on pop-ups, keep track of cookies (I must admit there were a substantial amount of these on my computer, and I ended up clearing a lot of them), and avoid using peer-to-peer software (such as torrents). I was particularly surprised to learn that peer-to-peer software can pose such serious threats because I use them all the time.

I might recommend the use of a pop-up blocker to a friend, but many browsers (such as Mozilla Firefox) have them as an in-built feature.  I would honestly find it hard to recommend Sandboxie or a system such as Linux, as I don't see the need to go through so much inconvenience to maintain privacy? Even if someone does manage to see your temporary internet files or cookies, what harm can that do (as long as you are browsing legal sites)? While I have been able to understand the utility of these websites, I am still yet to understand how the benefits outweigh the costs.

Getting Things Done: Helpful, but some questions remain

Overview

I encountered the Getting Things Done (GTD) process through my new course (CEP 810). Information about this process was given in the lab, and in a electronic handout.  This process is an organizational system that involves listing and categorizing tasks.

Following this process has not been easy for me. I've been forced to confront some of my long-term goals and my method of functioning. As a PhD student in the most productive (by far) communication department in the country, I am in a state of constant anxiety and stress. The amount of work that needs to be done always seems impossible. By helping me externalize the tasks that need to be done, this method had helped reduce my anxiety. However, some other concerns are still left unanswered by this method.  

Steps in the GTD process

This process consists of five steps, including:

(i) Collect: Involves listing all the tasks in one location

(ii) Process: Involves examining each task, and considering if it is actionable. If it is, then doing it immediately if its under 2 minutes, else defering or delegating it.

(iii) Organize: This involves putting all information into categories or 'bins'. The categories in the handout were :

- projects (tasks that you are committed to finish)
- Calendar (Tasks that must occur on a specific day or time)
- Next Actions (Tasks that be done immediately)
- Waiting for (tasks that are dependent on others completing their assigned work)

(iv) Review: Making sure that the tasks in every category are up to date.


(v) Do: Deciding on what to do, based on your time, energy and priorities.

I used my computer to organize my process. I created a separate folder for GTD, and had separate notepad files for each category.

Going through the process for the first time was accompanied by a sense of relief. Listing down the various tasks (in my case, it was close to twenty when I first listed them), helps externalize your concerns, and helps you objectively assess what needs to be done, and whether it can can be done.

Is this process helpful?

This process is helpful to me because:

(i) It decreases my anxiety (although not does get rid of it entirely) and helps me focus better on the task at hand.

(ii) It gives me a daily plan of action which helps me manage my time and energy better.

(iii) The categories prove very helpful, as it gives me an idea about what needs to be done immediately,and what can be put away for later.


Unaddressed concerns

Some concerns left unaddressed by what I've read so far are:

(i) What if a person has an unmanageably large task list? How does one learn to recognize that point which one says "no" to the work delegated to him/her?

(ii) How exactly are we to combine our estimates of time, energy and priorities to decide whether we should do a task or not?

(iii) If work that needs to be done immediately, but we are low on energy, what are we to do? Similarly, if we are anxious about a particular task, and that task needs to be done immediately, what are we to do?


Will I continue using this system?

Yes, I do plan to continue using this system, as it has helped me organize my tasks better. However in the few days that I've used this system, I still continue to be swamped with work and anxiety (though my anxiety is a little lesser than before). I hope to read and learn more about this system so that I can effectively apply it to my life.

Social networks in my workflow

In films made in India (my native country) a common plot involves sworn enemies, out for each other's blood, finding out (in a strange twist) that they were brothers separated at birth. I equate this with the relationship between education and social networking site. These two, formerly considered the anti-theses of each another,  now constitute a fashionable and much-lauded combination.

Social networking sites in my personal life

Social networking sites have only had personal relevance in my life. I have mainly used social networks to track the lives of friends and family. Facebook has me keep up with the ongoing events in the lives of my friends and family. Photos and facebook statuses help me find out what each of my friends is up to.  I have used it to communicate with my friends and family. In place of traditional communication devices (such as cell phones or even email), I had increasingly begun to use social networking applications (such as Facebook or Skype) to communicate with friends and family.

Social networking sites in my professional workflow

As of now, not use social networking sites for professional purposes.Many of my students do send me friend requests (which I accept after the semester finishes) but my interactions with my students have been informal and personal in nature. Seldom have I used Facebook for work-related purposes (except to make the occasional class announcement). But that is going to change now, as I have come to realize the potential of these social networks in making connections, engaging students, and stimulating discussion.

PLNs (Personal Learning Networks) play a central part in one's growth as a teacher, and conventional PLNs which include family, colleagues, libraries, journals etc. are insufficient to maintain the standards of knowledge that are required in the market today. To be a step ahead of one's competition, a teacher needs to use social networking sites to expand his/her PLN. Social networking sites can enable a teacher to have access to the most advanced and up-to-date knowledge in the field. Social networking sites can also help us get in touch with individual and organizations that can provide material and knowledge-based resources in the future.

Connecting with peers

Social networking sites can help me connect with my peers, and provide me with a platform to discuss teaching and its related concerns. I believe the quality of one's teaching is dependent on reflection and thought just as much as it is based on study and preparation. Discussing teaching with other teachers not only gives me tips and strategies to become an effective teacher, it also exposes me to different perspectives about teaching: what, how, and why one should teach.


The role social networking sites in my students' lives

Social networking sites plays a pivotal role in the life of my students (college students). In the words of Marshall Mcluhan, social networking sites extend the senses of college students. To them, it is not just a sustained interest, it is a central aspect of their sensorial experience and sense of being. Thus, as instructors, we ought to understand and exploit the potential of these social networking websites. One area where the social networking sites have a particular value and use is in encouragement of discussion and the asking of questions on these websites. I have now come to believe that every course must have an online discussion forum where students are encouraged to discuss what they have learnt, and ask questions.

Sharing information: The new way.

Laurie is a single, 25 year-old office receptionist, working for an industrial firm. While she enjoys her job, her real passion is travelling. She has already been to Mexico, a few countries in Europe, and several countries in the U.S. She wants to share her pictures and experiences from her travels with friends, family, and anyone else that may be interested. A few years ago, she might have gone about this by trying to create a web-page. However, with no knowledge of code, and a limited budget, she would have likely been frustrated, and abandoned her plans to share the information.

In the emergent era of a user-friendly, interactive web (aptly titled Web 2.0), all she needs to do is start a blog. A blog is a website which allows authors to easily add and update content. After registering on a website such as Blogger or Live Journal, the author needs to fill a template. All content is published in the form on 'blog posts' which are clearly marked with date and time. Unlike in traditional web-pages, the author is not required to know any web-based code, and need only type in the content of the blog post.  

Another major difference between a blog post and webpage is that a blog post gives the author the option of allowing users to comment on the content they read.This enables the author to assess reactions and feedback to the content posted, and allows two-way communication between the author and his/her readers. Most blog authors also link other blogs to their website, leading readers to blogs that feature similar content, and building a network of blogs, whose authors and readers are inter-related.

While a blog may not be able to feature advanced web content such as flash, it is a convenient platform for people looking to express themselves, and share their opinions. Most blogs are topic-based, and topics include politics, entertainment, fashion, science, sports and weather.