McLuhan’s+Tetrad

Hey all...I tried something new on this wiki. If you hilight the text that someone put in, you can then access the comment button at the top of the page. It is the 5th button from the left on the editing toolbar. Then you can add a comment. What do you think of this? Missy

‍‍‍‍‍McLuhan's Tetrad and Handheld Devices as an Emerging Technology By: Kourtney McMenamin Within my own personal school setting and across the USA, handheld devices are a powerful emerging technology that meet the 4 requirements of Marshall McLuhan’s vision for modern media to enhance, obsolete, retrieve and reverse simultaneously (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010b). Taking a close look at what this particular emerging technology enhances, it is evident the convenience to complete tasks such as word processing, computation and communication has been enhanced with the flexibility to do such tasks anywhere from the bus, office, sporting events, or in the comfort of one’s own home. Through the use of handhelds, intensive and interactive learning can be done in a global setting.

Handhelds are replacing desktop computers and laptop computers. They have the same function as both of these technology tools but the size and cost is more effective through portable handhelds. Handhelds can still perform a wide range of functions, from document processing to communications. In terms of retrieval, this tool “rekindles something from the past” (Thornburg, 2008, p. 2), that dates back to the start of dial-up internet. This tool goes back to the discovery of dial-up internet and use of the web. Finally, when looking at reversal, I presume these devices will continue to increase in functionality with increased recording capabilities, digital imaging, and storage capacities. Also, I believe the size of these devices will also continue to decrease to improve the convenience aspect of such tools. It is obvious these are powerful tools to enhance the learning environment, student interest and differentiate instruction in a way most suitable to students and their individual needs.‍‍‍

‍‍ Response to Kourtney: I agree with you that handhelds are becmoning more and more powerful teaching and learning tools. They are certainly interactive and fun learning devices for students to be engaged with. I think that they will become smaller, lighter, and much faster as the technology progresses over time. I, and many of my students, have iPhones and iPads, and use them on a daily basis to perform tasks that can be accomplished on the computer, however, the ease of doing the task from the hallway, pratice field, school bus, etc. makes finding and using information easier for students.

-Jeremy Laird

‍‍‍‍By: Jeremy Laird
===Using video lectures outside of the classroom assigned as student homework, replaces traditional classroom lectures. This will lead to more one-on-one discussions and group interactions in the classroom. The students will have had an opportunity to view the lecture prior to the next class, which will hopefully bring more thoughtful discussions and student engagement during class time.===

===Using video lecture technology in today’s classroom could potentially lead to virtual classrooms and schools. Virtual classrooms would replace traditional classrooms where students and teachers interact through video lectures and podcasts. Students would have the flexibility of learning content and material from home rather than in the traditional school building. The potential impact video lectures can have on teaching and learning can be rewarding to both teachers and students provided that students are given the necessary technology to make this a possibility. Using technology that engages students in a daily routine for learning purposes can better prepare students with 21st-Century Skills. ‍‍‍‍ ===

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I find video lectures to be a powerful tool while studying here at Walden. I believe this will definitely be a great way to provide students with the background knowledge prior to class. This will allow students to apply the learned knowledge to go deeper into the content and apply higher level thinking skills. The traditional classroom will be replaced and the learning environment will be more suitable for 21st century learners. The idea of interactions through lectures and podcasts will be a very motivating and exciting way for students to engage in new content. Great ideas and I may just need to get started on this as a way to better engage learners and use classtime more effectively.=====

Kourtney
Response to Jeremy

Video lectures would add a new element to the traditional classroom setting. By using this tool, students could get the lectures they need from home and more time could be spent in the classroom doing other methods of learning. I believe that more classrooms will be going to this style of learning in the near future and I am very excited to be on the ground level in my school when it happens. Eventually, I could see more schools adopting this as a permanent style of learning and even making more courses that are completely web based.

Chad Martin

Emerging Technology By Missy McCoskey I have been very interested in Google tools as an emerging technology. This week I attended a training and am completely sold on Google tools. I am currently making plans for my Algebra I classes to be completely paperless by January 31. Google docs allows me to share documents, so my students can access this for notes, worksheets, tests, etc. and we can share them. I can add comments and have students revise work. I can organize group projects, presentations, spreadsheet applications, graphing etc. all through Google tools.

I am going to expand this into using as many Google tools as possible. Google has presentation apps, website builder, photo editing, spreadsheets, homepage, feeds, etc. It really has an app for everything I can imagine. If you have a Google account, the top menu bar has a short list of apps and a “more” button for more and still more after that. I highly recommend Google tools. Also, all Google items are saved to the “cloud,” so they do not take up space on your computer, nor do you have to have Word, Power Point, Excel for each student. Everything is free with a free gmail account. This could cut school expenses when purchasing new equipment and renewing licenses. The best browser to use with Google is Chrome. Some features will not work with other browsers. I am also considering trying some of my papers for Walden in Google docs. Then I can save it in Word form and turn it in. This could be revolutionary. Try some Google tools and let me know what you think.

**Response to Missy:**

**I think Google tools would work wonderfully in your educational setting. The fact that the tools could be used from any computer is a great benefit. Many times the students are working on group projects in school and it can be difficult to finish them at home. With Google Docs the students are able to access their work and continue working on it from their home setting. Since it is free any student with a computer could utilize it. You also mentioned the feature that you would be able to make comments on this work. This seems like a wonderful feature. I have used Google Docs once for a previous course a really enjoyed it. I will have to explore some of the other features as well. Great information, thanks for sharing!**

**Lyndsay**

Emerging Technology - Document Based Camera By: Lyndsay Jaskowski

Using a document based camera in the classroom replaces the use of overhead projectors and serves many benefits. The document based camera allows live images and videos to be displayed on an interactive white board and even captured on the screen. This piece of technology shows image in color by simply placing the document, picture, or object underneath the camera. With this technology there is no need to make overhead transparencies since the images are displayed and captured by putting them directly under the camera. This tool will increase student engagement and motivation to learn. Students are even able to display their work under the camera to show peer examples.

Since I use this tool daily in my classroom I have many experiences with it and understand its benefits. Even though it may be more costly than an overhead projector it is also a video recorder and camera. Therefore, this piece of technology can be used to accomplish all of those tasks. The document based camera reminds me of the LCD projector which was hooked up to the computer and displayed the images on the screen. In the future, I could imagine a wireless document based camera being created. Since the current camera is wired to the computer it can only be used in one location. If the camera was wireless it could travel throughout the classroom to display images. Overall, the camera is an innovative technology that has many benefits in schools today.


 * Emerging Technology-Netflix Style Video Service for the Classroom **
 * By: Chad Martin **
 * I have been very interested in finding ways to use video and movies in the classroom that would be much easier to use. Being a subscriber to Netflix got me wondering about how a service like this would work in the classroom. I believe that a service like this would be great because it would make movie and video watching that is connected to your content much easier. The interface would allow the teacher to select from menus by subject and then have sub-menus from there to select content. This would make everything easier for teachers as they would have a one stop shop for finding video content to go with their lessons. **
 * This technology would fit into McLuhan's Tetrad quite easily. It would enhance the way videos are used in the classroom and make it easier to access them. It would obsolete old ways of viewing video such as, dvds, various difficult to navigate video services, nad embedding video into presentations. the technology would also rekindle the viewing of videos and movies in the classroom as many teachers have got away from using this effectively. It would also be reversed by people finding ways to enhance the technology by making it more editable and personalized through uploading of student and teacher made videos. **

McLuhan's Tetrad and Tablet Computers within the Classroom **By: Colleen McCray**

 I love the idea of tablet computers in the classroom, although for my school, and indeed most, if not all the elementary schools within my district, it is a far-off possibility. I am going beyond Ipod touches and moving to the screen size of an Ipad or similar tablet. The computing capabilities, mixed with touch-screen technology makes for an engaging and interactive learning environment in which students will be excited to participate. These tablets also help eliminate some of the need for paper within the classroom. Students can use the tablets to create, and then electronically submit assignments from multiple programs. They can also use the tablets to take notes when appropriate.  They can also download e-books, both for pleasure and for the classroom. Students can take advantage of text to talk features, or have unknown words explained to them. They can quickly access the internet to see pictures and videos of a particular idea, whether it excites or confuses them and they have a desire for more information. The touch-screen also brings to mind the idea of using gaming technology to learn. Students can interact with material in a fun way to learn. If one to one tablets are available, the students can use one tablet for all of their classes, reducing the need for paper even further. The idea of tablets kind of reminded me of 3 and 5 subject notebooks - or even binders. They allow students to keep organized information all in one place where they can get to it easily.

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Georgia,serif;">McLuhan's Tetrad: Online Textbook <span style="color: #008000; font-family: Georgia,serif;">By: Nellie Murison

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Something that I would love to see implemented in my classroom that will change education is the use of an online textbook. I have read in a few articles about education in other countries completely getting rid of paper textbooks and working solely online. I have seen an online interactive textbook for math. It is amazing! The interactive textbook allows students to go through lessons, practice pages, and use manipulatives to learn math concepts. Students can work at their own pace, and are held accountable for completing activities and practice work. The flexibility of an interactive online textbook allows teachers to let students work at the pace that they need, and to work with as few or as many extra supports as they need. This allows teachers to easily have access to materials for use in the classroom and for homework.

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Georgia,serif;">This technology enhances the individuality of different students to work how they need to work in order to be successful. It also brings back the engagement to learning because students can use a laptop or tablet to complete their work. Using an interactive online textbook obsoletes the use of workbooks, textbooks, and practice worksheets. It lets students complete all of these types of activity without ever having to print or waste paper. This technology being used in the classroom retrieves the excitement of younger grades (think of the excitement of kindergarteners playing a new game). Students can use manipulatives whenever they are needed, if the student doesn't need the extra support they don't have to bother with them. Using an interactive textbook could possibly reverse into a younger age level (my brain is geared toward third graders) online classrooms. Students would be able to complete work at their own pace, as well as communicate with the teacher and classmates about what they are learning. This wouldn't remove the teacher from the classroom, but would allow for students to be work more independently while the teacher worked with students who need the extra support.

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The biggest downfall to implementing this huge change in the classroom is that the school would also have to supply laptops or tablets for each student. Because these online textbooks would be used so frequently during the school day, and also used at home for homework, the school would need one-on-one devices. It would already be expensive to purchase the interactive online textbooks, but they would also have to make some huge purchases so that students could actually use and benefit from the program.