Review of Free Web-Based Software

REVIEW of GOOGLE and ZOHO

My school utilizes Google as an interface for sharing. I use this limitedly at school and have used it as a platform for collaborating with groups in other classes (it has appeared to be the “go to” web based interface to use). As I said, I have used it limitedly and am discovering more and more what it can do. I know that Google has an outreach directed towards educators, Google Education, and this is a plus as support.

So, my immediate question was why would anyone choose to use another web-based platform with the intention to work both personally and collaboratively when Google is so familiar and used by so many? Another platform would have to offer advantages. After reading some online reviews of Google vs. Think Free vs. Zoho, I chose to further explore Zoho as it was reviewed to have more of a Microsoft Office “Windows” appeal. And, to note, that these “free” web based Office Suites were originally created in reflection of Office downloadable software that costs money and aren’t as easily “shared”. This original idea seems to have expanded exponentially with the boom in development of apps that have increased the ability to interface with technology and people. The multiple “applications” included in both Zoho and Google illustrate this.

I considered four areas when exploring Google and Zoho:

• Personal use and ease of collaboration
• Integration of Office software documents, presentations and spreadsheets
• Ease of use
• Access to free 

Both Google and Zoho offer a lot of ways to use their platforms. They both have the ability to create documents, presentations and spreadsheets. Both allow files to be uploaded. I found docs created with Microsoft Word were uploaded with integrity, but a Power Point was distorted in both; Google proved to upload with more integrity than Zoho. The format in both to create presentations was much less sophisticated than Power Point, and it was more of these “sophisticated” elements that didn’t translate well into either platform.

Both platforms offer many, many applications that come down to personal preference and application needs of what one prefers to use.

Some Google Apps	Some Zoho Apps
WEB: Includes a strong search engine HOME AND OFFICE: Personal “drive”, calendar, e-mail (30GB free) and a translation app that comes in really handy! MEDIA: “Geo” apps that includes ways to manipulate and use maps in a variety of contexts SOCIAL: Create “groups” for collaborating, create a “blog”, use “hangout” for live chatting (which can be facilitated through the use of Google+)	COLLABORATION: Mail (5GB free), Wiki, Projects, Meeting, Chat, Discussions BUSINESS: Campaign (marketing service), Creator (management system), Books (Accounting) PRODUCTIVITY: Docs, Notebook, Calendar

The ability to collaborate on projects is doable with both Google and Zoho. In Google, you can create a “group” that can share documents, participate in chats and collaboratively edit projects. This is provided for free. In Zoho, the ability to create a “workspace” and “group” is available with upgraded plans that cost $5/month for Standard and $8/month for Premium. A way to collaborate with others in Zoho can be done using the “Project” app which names one participant a “manager” and the rest “employees”. This doesn’t sound conducive for a school setting.

Although Google’s immediate interface doesn’t look “fancy”once you start digging in, there are a lot of ways you can use it.  Zoho seems to present its apps more “upfront” in a more visually pleasing manner, but it takes some navigating to see how they can be used.

Overall, it seems as if Zoho may be a better fit for a business environment if a company commits to providing training and access to it for its employees. Its apps seem to target this environment. Google, because of its popularity and engagement with the education community, appears to be more accessible in this environment. Its apps seem to engage a more “general” public who may use Google personally, which allows for its use in a variety of professional environments. Google appears to facilitate more collaborative work at no cost, while Zoho limits some application with a free account.

I would recommend to my K-5 colleagues to continue to explore more what Google can offer in regards to personal and collaborative web based use. Faculty at our school could also benefit from the training and support offered through Google Education. They offer videos and online courses that I am inspired to check out!

SUMOPAINT!!

Wow! I had heard of Sumopaint in a workshop once, but never really explored it until now. Being a visual art teacher who is implementing a digital arts center this year I have been looking for art apps for my kids to use. For my Screencast, I featured the lite version of Sketchbook Pro, Sketchbook Express.  Sumopaint, like Sketchbook Pro, offers a variety of tools and colors for use, although Sumopaint offers quite a few more. I found Sketchbook Express to be a little more user friendly and probably more appropriate for my younger kids.

Sumopaint has some sophisticated features reflective of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. You can work in layers, which can be manipulated and arranged. You can use the fx option to create glows, shadows and layer effects.

What’s really cool is that a user can obviously create an original image with this app, but one can also upload an image. This image could be a photo or image of an original artwork. This uploaded image can then be manipulated with the tools in Sumopaint. This is what I did with the example I have attached. I uploaded a drawing done by my 6 year old son and used different tools, colors and effects to fill in the space. This image can be downloaded and or printed by the user.

I can see a variety of uses for this application in middle and high school art classes. I think the sophistication of this app makes it less user friendly for the elementary student. It is great how Sumopaint appears to be a “middle ground” accessible option with features of Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator, which is significantly more sophisticated.

Created with Sumopaint

Screencasting

My screencast features the app Sketchbook Express, which is the free "lite" version of Sketchbook Pro. This is one of the apps I plan to use with my elementary students with the new iPads I am receiving for my Digital Arts Center in our elementary art studio.

I often illustrate new techniques, processes and media during short "demos" in class. At times, I am challenged to maintain all the students attention and have been pondering recording my demos ahead of time to play instead of conducting them live. Screencasting is a good way to present demos that may capture more of my students' attention. I could also "replay" them when necessary, as well.

I would use this screencast to illustrate some of the things you can do with this app. This screencast could also be used in my class blog at Weebly.com for reference and sharing with others outside our studio. Digital Arts is a new realm of which I and my students will be exploring, and I am enjoying discovering new ways to share information.

Screencast created with Jing in conjunction with Screencast.com

Concept Mapping

This is a concept map I created for a group project I am working on for my LS 5160 Professional Symposium in Reading class. Our group read the book Opening Minds by Peter Johnston and are creating a Power Point presentation to share the overall idea/meaning of the book with the rest of our class. This is an online class, as well, and my group is communicating about the project through a Google Doc. I created this map as an outline for our presentation (that I included in our Google Doc), but it can also be used as a slide in our Power Point.

This concept map created in Bubbl.us used constructed "bubbles" that could easily be arranged. The "sibling" and "child" bubbles automatically changed to colors that coordinated with the "parent" bubble. This allows for connections to easily be made between ideas. Font sizes could also easily be changed to emphasize the importance of ideas. The resulting image is visually attractive, easy to read and dynamic.

I found this "concept map" helpful in organizing my ideas about the book we read, and it also easily communicated with my group mates an idea for a presentation outline. This ability to "concept map" could also help students organize ideas while thinking critically about concepts that could be used collaboratively with others to create dialogue and build meaning, two ways to think "dynamically" ;)

Google Maps

View Traveling around the world in art! in a larger map

Above is the Google Map I've assembled offering a "trip around the world" while exploring different examples of art. Art is a "common language" that is shared between cultures and has been expressed throughout time. This "trip" explores art from both modern and indigenous culture. Travel from continent to continent while viewing art.

Students can view art from different cultures, times and locations and read a little bit about each artwork (there is a link to click on for more continued information for each artwork). Students are welcome to continue their own research on artwork from different cultures or locations that interest them. Students may add artwork that they have discovered along with relative information as locations to the map.

This map can be a continuous project visited and revisited throughout the school year. It is a work in progress, reflecting artwork that students have discovered in context of visiting this map or as the result of personal artistic pursuits. As the map develops.....the idea that art is timeless and spans culture and continent will continue to develop and be reinforced.

Types of Instructional Design & Performance Evaluation and Improvement

Assume that you are trying to teach learners how to calculate and compare the unit costs (e.g., price per ounce) of various sizes and/or brands of the same product. Select three of the theories of learning discussed in this chapter. For each of the three, describe the nature of the instructional activities that you would design if you were adhering to that theory as you were planning the instruction.

THEORY	COGNITIVE	SITUATED LEARNING	CONSTRUCTIVE
Description	An environment that involves “feedback” and is considerate of HOW information enters the mind and subsequent understanding and embedded learning. Learning occurs when information is received through “senses” and processed through short term memory while being “negotiated” into “long term” memory assisted by integration with “prior knowledge” and “doing”.	“Learning” is linked to a “situational” process that considers a learner’s personal development and learning in context of a “community” (the practices and understandings of…)	Learning that occurs “inside out”. Meaning that “the learner actively imposes organization and meaning on the surrounding environment and constructs knowledge as a result” (Driscoll 2012)
Application	Here, one would break down the task into smaller ones. First of all, what is an ounce?…what is the total of large units utilizing the measurement of an ounce? How can you multiply these amounts with the cost of one ounce? What is a resulting price? Cents vs. dollars? Can you apply this strategy amongst items of various sizes?  If you are presented with examples of calculations figured for you at the beginning, can you apply this knowledge in problems you construct?	Being that the problem presented described products that could be distributed by the “unit costs”, I have chosen  lemonade. If being sold in a lower income neighborhood, it may be sold for a reasonable price of which passers by may be willing to pay. If set up in a neighborhood of which people are influenced in purchasing by advertising and attractiveness of display, people may be willing to pay more for this considering both cost of product and “hype”. Children are going to “reflect” what happens in the environment of which they are “situated” when applying their own approach that indicates their engagement with their surroundings.	Learner approaches situation of calculating and comparing unit costs of object in context of learning situation. Figures amounts of items being sold according to individual cost. Measures choice of “figured” price of individual product in reflection of what desired to profit according to price of producing product.

What are some ways the ideas/concepts/principles discussed in this chapter could be applied in your professional work? Do you see opportunities where these ideas could help you or your students?

Regarding the concepts presented in Ch 14 and the idea of a “worker’s” individual performance being evaluated according to the overall effectiveness of an organization and its influence on the daily practice of an educator in the classroom is not one that immediately “sat” well with me.  I had to examine my immediate personal assessment in reflection of the HPI/HPT definition of “valued accomplishment” in reference to the overall success and viability of student achievement in context of the values and objectives established according to an organization (which the article prescribes) versus the individual (which I, as an educator, tend to focus on).

I did comment in my notes how our school system may benefit from a person in the position of a “Performance Consultant” (PC) to observe and reflect on the “Organizational Effectiveness” (OE) of our school as long as this was accepted as a “non-threatening” and “supportive” role in delivering what we, as an organization, have deemed as desired instructional design and resulting “performance” of our students in the pursuit of collective, identified learning objectives.  I reflected on the fact that the closest “current” person in this kind of “position” is most likely our principal, who, upon consideration, probably has a variety of other factors to consider on a daily basis that may preclude a practical focus on learning design.

Although I do value the idea of evaluating our “effectiveness” as an organization (in my situation, a small rural Michigan school district educating our community’s students), I hesitate in how this type of presented broad evaluation is productively executed in consideration of our community’s individual parameters, needs and objectives. The bottom line is we desire to apply local control according to what we know for our community. It is the idea of “one size fits all” and the overreaching idea that we, as educators,  and our students can all be accountable to it that unsettles me.

I believe that most educators are invested in what is “best” and “best practice” for their students within their environment and desire to be evaluated as such.

References

Reiser, R. and Dempsey, J. (2012). Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology. 3rd ed. Boston: Pearson, Ch. 4 & 14

Podcasts

PODCASTS

These were two resources I discovered for podcasts. The Bam Network is specifically focused on education and is great.

http://www.bamradionetwork.com/index.php 

http://podgallery.org

I’ve known about Podcasts for a while but have never listened to one. I don’t know why, because I have found them to be pretty fabulous! I’m glad I finally “took the plunge”.

Following are two of the podcasts that I listened to. One is a brief talk from Diane Ravitch, of whom I am a big fan, on Standardized Testing. The other caught my attention as its focus is on the education of the “Whole” child and the idea that education can be a factor in “leveling the playing field” for students.

Diane Ravitch on Standardized Testing:    March 7, 2013     3:00

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/standardized-testing-boycott/id376904486?i=135389461&mt=2

Students over tested. Designed that a portion will always score in the bottom half. Argument is that it will improve performance but this isn't always so. Seattle teachers said they weren't going to do it. Closing schools and paying millions for tests. Address this through united action among teachers and parents who opt out. Policy makers totally out of touch.

Whole Child Podcast: Leveling and Raising the Playing Field    April 4, 2013   31:08

http://podgallery.org/whole-child-podcast-changing/

Addressing a child's needs: hunger, health….many schools address this, but some schools have gone further. In Milwaukee, WI, students' social, economic and academic needs are addressed. (received 2013 Whole Child Award) 

Reducing barriers and expanding opportunities.

Milwaukee High School-Why aren't students acheiving? Factors: attendance (why weren't they coming?) Student health (65% free or reduced) limited access to doctor and dentists. Built a school based health center. Took five years to organize and build it. Once got them to school look at how taught. Offer opportunities to volunteer so view self as not impoverished by an important viable part of society. Offering the opportunity to serve others. Work with different community agencies  (doctors, dentists, counselors) who donate time and service.

Social justice of concern as addresses specific needs of students from their African American and Latino communities. Training on how to provide "equity": what does it look like in the school and classrooms?

Strong focus on Professional Development. Collaboration….what is working and why? Teachers have a say so on what P/D would look like based on needs. Instructional Leadership team meet once a week discussing needs of students and how to meet them. Identified common problems and communicated to brainstorm potential solutions. Programs "born" out of these open and honest dialogues. New instructional models allowing teachers to look at own practice in non-threatening way and work together teacher to teacher in development. Observe each other….helped develop a level of respect for each other. Teachers become leaders. Common lesson planning, common pacing, looking at data and growing and improving. Teamwork, trust, relationships, empowerment, willingness to take risks that creates a learning environment that encourages student success while leveling the playing field. WANT kids to be successful and want them to learn and are committed to that.

"The staff at Milwaukee High believes that there is more to education than just to teach a student to read, write and thinking critically. The physical and emotional well being of the student must be nurtured as a part of teaching and learning. When the WHOLE child is educated at Milwaukee High we are guaranteeing that we will produce a graduate ready to participate as an acting contributing community member."

Taking care of kids along with educating them. Creating a place where students feel safe. Help eliminate barriers so students can focus on school. How do they know they have succeeded? Considering attendance through examination of data and talking with families to problem solve. Celebrating student success (70% across the board is actively celebrated). Kids walking out not only with sense of accomplishment but also with a sense of direction.

Social Bookmarking

SOCIAL BOOKMARKING

WOW…..I’ve already gotten to work adding bookmarks to my Delicious account and am pretty happy to have come across it! I’ve installed my tab on my internet page and it is really easy to add links. I am “tagging” my links to organize them as I go and have created a couple of Tag Bundles. I have added many resources for the TAB Choice approach to education that will be great to have in one place and to share with colleagues. I just gave a presentation this week and created a slide with linked resources that I can now include on the Delicious site to refer to those teachers interested in resources.  I can use this to organize art websites I would like my students and parents to know about and link it into my Weebly webpage for school. 

https://delicious.com/lisavpc

The Evolving Definition of Instructional Design and the Role of Technology In It

What I have summated from our reading as a definition of instructional design that has evolved from the beginning of the 1900s until now can be described as a systematic process that includes the design and development of learning practice that facilitates learning and improves performance while providing opportunities to create, utilize what learned and manage what is being learned. Both the focus on systematic processes and use of technological resources are integral to the field. The use of media in this process is to provide a way for both better instruction, but, of more emphasis, EFFECTIVE learning.

I noted the continuing impact of the empirical approach strongly evident in today’s overreaching data driven educational system. Data is collected regarding effectiveness and materials and procedures are revised according to weaknesses identified through data; hence, the continued “testing” both daily/weekly/monthly and standardized testing our students are exposed to. I am concerned about the confluence of this practice with the influence of a more Constructivist approach which values individual development within the authentic experience of applying skills in context. I think a balance is still to be found.

It’s been so long that I completed my undergrad, that reading B.F. Skinner’s concept of behaviorism and the impact on the programmed instruction movement brought me back to my instructional design classes in my Education program. The idea of what is accepted as good lesson design including that which analyzes a task, creates appropriate objectives based on desired student outcome and criterion referenced assessment that measures achievement based on individual’s behavior is so embedded in me as an educator that I rarely have reflected on the origin of this as of late.  It’s interesting to reflect on how this still seems to be applicable instructional design within the 21st century immersion in technology. The question is how to most effectively use this technology as not just a vehicle in HOW instruction is presented but as how it can impact and transform student learning in becoming more effective.

Considering the Application Question on page 28 in our book, teachers struggle to effectively (and innovatively) incorporate technological resources into instruction because of a few reasons, reasons I have witnessed in my own school setting and have personally experienced.  First and foremost is a teacher’s hesitancy (and sometimes flat out refusal) to incorporate new technologies. Many teachers have been using methods, many found to be effective over the years, and are resistant to incorporating something of which they have no experience with. It’s challenging to envision how successful a new technology can be when one has nothing to compare to. Why would a teacher “trade” what he or she knows to have “worked” for a new approach that, seemingly, has little experience being “test-proofed” in the field? This is where effective, committed, realistic training needs to be provided by districts; NOT one shot workshops that present a new method, but quality, long term training that supports teachers and successful implementation. Of course, this costs money on top of the investment in the actual technology for teachers and students. If these new changes in how technology can transform and impact the way instruction is delivered and successfully impact student learning are going to happen, an investment in teacher support and learning needs to be committed to along with the investment in the actual technology.

While witnessing the “technological transformation” currently being encouraged in my district, I have carefully listened and watched the teachers as they are being influenced in transforming their classrooms into more project-based, collaborative environments in which technology is used in a variety of ways. Honestly, different ideas, strategies and technological applications appear to be thrown out piecemeal during this process leaving many teachers frustrated, unsure and left with diminishing confidence. In my estimation, many of our teachers cannot “envision” what our principal is encouraging. I have suggested we view videos of schools that embrace project based learning that embeds technology and collaboration. We could even take a field trip in order to illustrate an idea of this vision! It would also help to have an outline (task analysis!!) of skills our principal would like to develop in teachers that is presented and, subsequently developed formatively. The teachers could have more of an idea of what is being expected of them and be able to track personal achievement and what areas they are comfortable with and what areas they need more support in. This is all reflective of how we are influenced to design instruction in our classrooms; it only makes sense that we are provided instruction in a similar fashion to ensure more success.