Digital Divide/Digital Inequality Presentation

This was a very interesting artifact, to say the least. If I can remind you, my background is in the medical field and I am an instructor, so my experience or knowledge of the “digital divide” was as close to zero as opposed to some of you. The papers and articles that were assigned for reading opened my eyes to how powerful the tool of technology is to the overall populace of the world and how this influences the overall knowledge of all people. Bringing this topic closer to home, through my own research, I never fully grasped the impact of the “lack of technology” within our schools, and I’m sure the schools located around my house are not the only ones that have this problem. The most intimidating factor is the “gatekeeper” effect, that we are, at a point in time where all the information over the Internet can be controlled by the highest bidder, so to speak. Google being a good example of this method will put one’s website on a high search priority for the right amount of money one is to pay. Although my research indicated that the “digital divide” pretty much a thing of the past, I think we must continue our observations of this claim to ensure all have, not only the access, but the knowledge on how to obtain information.

Given more time, I would like to experiment a bit more with designing my presentation slides, this was the first time I used Google Slides and I can sense the difference. I have always used PowerPoint and it seems a bit easier to use but I see this as a new experience. I also would have liked to jazz-up my slides, I have seen a few of my fellow students presentations and I feel like such a beginner, but I’ll catch up to all of you. Overall, as challenging as this assignment was for me, it definitely gave me a new understanding of the internet and how it is applied all over the world.

 

Here you will find my presentation on Digital Divide, I hope you will enjoy it http://edtech.voicethread.com/share/6099226/

Code of Professional Ethics in Educational Technology

The issue of online cheating has made me contemplate the many possibilities that I can create and change in order deliver exams securely, but my responsibility doe not end there. I must utilize everything within my profession and the Code of Ethics to draw in the student to want to not only learn but how to process and use this information to mold into the individual they want to be. At the college, where I am an instructor, is a small portion out of the term in which I lecture on ethics within our profession (Respiratory Care), so I went into this topic thinking, “I got this”; I could not have been more wrong. We, approaching education technology, must accept the ever-dynamic role that we, collectively, have as educators. Dewy stated, “The moral responsibility of the school, and those who conduct it, is to society”(Januszewski & Molenda, 2008, p. 289), the Code of Ethics begins that journey for us all to society. It may not be perfect but it guides and allows individuals to discuss and learn to be a part of that change.

Please have a look at my paper, I hope you’ll find it eye opening: Using Technology to Fight Cheating in Online Education

EdTech Definition Graphic

After reading chapter one it’s not hard to see how we can take definitions for granted. I found that Educational technology can have a very diverse understanding to many and be used to construct many methods. This one definition points out that studying is not just collecting data but that which is more important, what we do with that research by being an active participant. By having active participation consideration must be made to what is being instructed, who are the learners? What is the type of environment that the lesson will be taught and what are the needs of the learners? Improving performance is what impressed me the most, especially since this is a model that we continuously use in the hospital setting. Empowering the learner is key to a constant evolution and it’s not just the act of knowing the information but for the learner to be capable of USING the knowledge.

 

The tool that I used is the one that I feel most comfortable at this time, Power Point. Since I have been teaching, this has been the primary tool I have used during my lectures. The cycle diagram I picked out, I felt, was sufficient to illustrate the key points of the definition but I used “call out” bubbles on each to emphasize the general principal of each. The clip art is fairly new to me so I was just experimenting on how to use illustrations to show meaning. Maybe I still need some work in this area.