RSS is Brilliant...

Image courtesy of http://www.shoutmeloud.com/google-celebrating-earth-day-with-new-logo.html

RSS - Really Simple Syndication has made my life a lot easier. Instead of trawling through the web, I now have my favourite sites coming to me at Google Reader. One site, the information I want and more time to read.
Educationally it could be used with students to keep track of their blogs without having to type in multiple URL`s.

Dominique

How I understand Blogs...

Blog is the shortening of `web logs` (Wise Geek, 2003-2009). In essence, a blog is the digital version of the old fashioned hand written journal or diary. The old fashioned part I understand, the digital version has me pondering some questions, which I will leave to the end.
Blogs are used by all types of people for a multitude of reasons, some wish to record their life`s story, some wish to impart their knowledge and some have no idea what they are doing.
Within education I can see the use of blogs as a useful tool, similar to the use of blogs in this course I can see how they would be relevant to students and their learning. Students today are digitally connected to each other. Blogs I see can be used to further their education by using digital connections, Siemens (2004) refers to this networking as connectivism, he further goes on to suggest that this model of learning is essential to the students today and in the future. Engagement in their learning is another model these student require, meaning they need to be physically and mentally involved with what they are learning, gone are the days of classrooms of children who sit listen to teachers with limited involvement except to write down what they are told to.
So how do I see Blogs being utilised in future learning experiences I prepare for students, one idea I have thought of is swapping cooking recipes and techniques.

Questions:
1. How many blogs are there in the world?
2. What happens to them when they are forgotten?

Dominique

References:
Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism: a learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved July 24, 2009, from
http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm
Wise Geek, (2003-2009). What are blogs. Retrieved July 24, 2009, from
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-blogs.htm

My Schemata and Technology...

I have spent many hours lately reading (as we all have) and have discovered a mental process within myself when it comes to trying to understand new technology! I am an immigrant to this knowledge and constantly find myself trying to relate it to what I already know - that`s my schemata (Dictionary.com, 2009) in action.
For those new to this term, one`s schemata or schema is basically a mental framework of knowledge that can built upon. When it comes to this course and all the new technologies I will be discovering, my schema will sift through what I already know and try to make the links required so that I can process this information better.
At times I will not get the terminology correct and I might miss the point totally behind the use of some technologies, but please bear with me. The purpose of this is to extend my knowledge, so that eventually I will be able to utilise some technology in teaching practices.

Dominique

References:
Dictionary.com, (2009). Schemata. Retrieved July 24, 2009, from,
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/schemata

Introduction to the Journey...

According to the course profile for Managing E-Learning FAHE11001, Assessment 1 requires students to `establish a publicly accessible Blog`. The purpose is to personally discover and utilise the required e-learning tools, then analysis and explain how these technologies can enhance student engagement and learning. This Blog will follow the course modules that are set out in the profile, with Journal entries on each new discovery.
Please Enjoy...