This is my third activity proposal for my EDUC5105 class.
One of the major issues I encounter repeatedly at work, is the fact that people do not have access to the software they want to use for their class. Budgetary restraints, lack of proper software, etc. all hamper the educator and their ability to provide the best learning experience possible. To help solve this, we can begin hosting our software in the cloud.
To do this, all we need to do is set up a server that people can remote into. I’ve done so by setting up a Ubuntu VPS through Digital Ocean, and installing VNC.
This allows the proof-of-concept to connect to a desktop via the VNC Viewer. This means people with a Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, or iOs would all be able to use the program they want, regardless of device. They just need to connect via VNC, and they’ll see the following:
By clicking on the icon labelled KStar, they’ll be able to the an interactive astronomy program which they can then use in their class regardless of device. It will also allow them to learn how to use the program regardless of location/device as well.
I’ve set up a WordPress installation that will act as a course that teachers can use to learn to use KStars via the VDI.
Meaningful: Allen writes that to make a lesson memorable, one needs to use “a context that relates to the learner’s current situation or a situation and responsibility that learners expect to encounter” (2007 p. 138). By creating a lesson that instructs educators on technology they’ll be using in the classroom, we’ll be able to tailor it to their specific needs. Each part of the lesson will relate back to the actual use of the program in the classroom, and as such, it will have a well defined context, which Allen sees as key to creating a meaningful lesson (2007, p. 139).
Motivational: Allen lists in his chapter on memorable lessons the Discovery Principle. That is, “overt telling is kept to a well-thought-out minimum, allowing ample opportunity for the learner to experiment and make discoveries” (Allen, 2007, p.185). By providing the educators access to the VDI and KStars itself, they will be able to explore and use the program as they see fit. As they experiment with what they’ve learned in the lessons, they will be able to move on through the program and make new discoveries.
Memorable: By utilizing what Allen describes as success based teaching (Allen 2007, p. 158), we will be able to create a course that allows educators succeed in the mastery of KStars. The educators will be able to “express what they’ve learned through different channels” (Allen 2007, p. 159) and will be allowed “sufficient practice” (Allen 2007, p. 159). This will be accomplished via the access to the VDI, as they’ll be able to take what they’ve learned and immediately apply it to the program in question.
References
Allen, M. (2007). Designing successful e-learning forget what you know about instructional design and do something interesting. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.