Mbati, L. (2013, December).

Online social media applications for constructivism and

observational learning. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning,
166-185. Retrieved from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/1579/2709
Category: Theory-into-practice Constructivism
The author of this paper sought to examine the experiences and usage of online social
media that foster constructivist learning. She used a qualitative approach in an attempt to
understand why, despite the potential benefits of Web 2.0 tools for synchronous and
asynchronous interaction as well as knowledge sharing between users, there is inadequate
utilization of online social media applications in learning management systems for pedagogical
purposes. According to the theories of Piaget and Vygotsky, constructivism emphasizes the
importance of the active involvement of learners in constructing knowledge for themselves based
on existing knowledge they inherently possess.
Included in the analysis at Web 2.0 tools are the concept of sharing user-generated
content such as wikis, blogs, and discussion boards. A meta-ethnographic study explored
experiences of lecturers and students regarding online applications found in learning
management systems. The researcher included study relevant study results that both cited
reasons to expect higher adaptation among educators and students, and also the challenges that
may exist. There are several interactions with technology (e.g., discussion boards) that were
found to support the constructivist learning. They include the technology aiding in the elicitation
of prior knowledge, stimulating cognitive dissonance, usage for reflection, and stimulating other
criteria. The most cited limiting factor is lack of sufficient knowledge regarding the pedagogical
benefits. Learning Management Systems (LMS) also vary widely from one to another in terms
of sophistication and adaptation.
I consumed this study while relating it to my experiences as an online student at
Georgia Southern. Compared to the majority of the implications in the article, it appears Georgia
Southerns online content delivery and engagement methods are ahead of the curve with usage of
Web 2.0 tools as a part of the GoView LMS and a critical component of many assignments.
During my first year in the program, I have utilized variations of all of the Web 2.0 tools and
functions under study, as required by the different courses. As an undergraduate in the early
1990s, there was nothing internet-related about the way my content was delivered. Having now

completed a year of graduate school, I cannot imagine a learning environment that didnt include
those tools. With such a radical shift in content delivery models in a short period of time,
institutions must adapt to technologies that advance learning objectives aligned with pervasive
learning theories, or risk becoming irrelevant.

Beeson, M. (2013). Using podcasts to express counter-narratives: Meaningfully integrating

technology in elementary social studies. Journal of the Research Center for Educational
Technology, 9(1). Retrieved June 3, 2014,
from http://www.rcetj.org/index.php/rcetj/article/view/186/275
Category: Professional Practice
Evidence shows that educational leaders are indeed purchasing a lot of technology, but
not necessarily using it effectively in the classroom. This writers goal is for her preservice
teachers to understand how to make the use of technology integral in planning, not an
afterthought. The research is specific to social studies content delivery on the elementary school
level. The inquiry here is not just about understanding if learning environments are supported by
the right tools, but to also answer questions regarding how they are implemented specific to
certain disciplines. For social studies specifically, the paper cites integration of technology
encourages the use of various instructional methods that motivate students in a subject area they
typically deem boring. The author references the Technological Pedagogical Content
Knowledge framework, which represents teacher knowledge of technology, pedagogy, and
content as having overlapping relationships. The use of technology in education is also now
integrated into national curriculum standards.
The use of relevant suggestions by the writer was most useful. Suggestions for social
studies included online simulations of historical events, video games that could transport
students to another era, and virtual field trips (VFTs) that allow students to access historical
sites and resources without leaving the school. In a case study, the author talked about the
normal limitations put on the study of Rosa Parks, without expanding the narrative to include the
connection to the Civil Rights Movement, Montgomery Bus Boycott, and Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. She included in her paper a week-long assignment that prompted students to develop a
counter-narrative to the traditional story (having introduced the fact that some sources state Rosa
sat on the first row in the black section of the bus, and not the absolute front row, among other
discrepancies with the police report.) Inserting UDL principles, the teacher suggests podcasting.
For instance, students with learning disabilities have the opportunity to record podcast multiple
times, while gifted students use the podcast to edit, modify and perfect work before sharing it
with peers.

This article went beyond the most common themes on the use of technology in education
by also seeking to qualify how we plan for its use, and how we evaluate its effectiveness. The
paper referenced extensive research in the field and did an excellent job of synergizing the input
of a wide array of though-leaders in the field. As we go forward, we must understand that
technology is not supplemental to content or simply a delivery method, its use must be integrated
into learning objectives.

Bafile, C. (2012, June). School races to promote reading through podcasts. Education World,.
Retrieved from http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech252.shtml
Category: Professional Practice
The author of the article published the output of a case study, during which she gathered
data from Malissia Bell about her incorporation of technology into education. As librarian and
student technology leadership program coordinator for Brandeis Elementary School in
Louisville, Kentucky, Bell searches for long-term projects which allow students to teach other
students and staff members about aspects of technology.
Bell created a program called Race to 500. In the program she challenged her students to
create podcasts about books they read with a goal of reaching 500 podcasts. If successful, she
would publish the podcasts on the schools website. Starting with students written book reviews,
then having them covert them to podcasts and subsequently post the files to a website allowed
the educator to foster the convergence of learning objectives with multiple tools and
technologies. It is widely accepted now in pedagogy that these concepts are no longer mutually
exclusive. Students used Audacity for sound recording, then Movie Maker to add images,
animation and other graphical elements. Hoping to foster trickle down technology, the 5th
graders were instructed to train the 4th graders, who in turn trained the 3rd graders. It is
interesting to note that the staff thought 3rd graders were most prepared for their assignments, as
they were aware of the project and had the opportunity to view the podcasts of the older students
as a matter of preparing for theirs. All students were also asked to have their parents create
podcasts.
With consideration for Universal Design for Learning principles, the coordinator
wondered how others -- early childhood classes, students in the ESL program, kindergarteners,
the hearing impaired, struggling readers -- would respond. But it turned out that the students she
worried about the most created the most precious podcasts. For example, a student who had a
stuttering problem found out that he could edit out his stuttering during the podcast.
This article brought focus to the creativity those in education must employ to meet the
holistic learning objectives of Digital Natives, the impact of public and private partnerships (a
private grant was used to purchase the recorders), and potential solutions to engaging entire

communities (parents, families) in the learning process. It is personally impactful as students are
bringing skills to the classroom that I have only recently acquired such as podcasting and
screencasting. Educators will be expected to be versed in these 21st century solutions if we are to
guide the learning process.

Sheehy, K. (2011, November). Rural students lost in connectivity gap. U.S. News & World
Report,. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/education/highschools/articles/2011/11/22/rural-students-lost-in-connectivity-gap?int=96e908
Category: Professional Practice/General Interest
This article provides a very interesting perspective on the digital divide that keeps 50% of
Americans living in rural areas of the Unites States out of the internet connectivity loop. The
article focused on a town in Missouri where internet access is spotty and limited. Though
classrooms are more connected than home environments, both are likely to provide access
through the antiquated dial-up technology. Albert Bryant, a math teacher at a local high school,
notes that the computers used in the school lab are the same ones he used when a student at the
school over 7 years ago. The implications of this financial, political and technological divide
are many. Alarmingly, some of these students are still hand-writing lengthy assignment papers.
Unlike many articles on technology in education, this one focused on the students who
are categorized as Digital Natives, but still struggling to join the digital revolution. It was
insightful in its synthesis of the roles of the student, schools, communities and governments in
bridging this gap. According to Bryant, Missouri's adoption of the Common Core State
Standards, a state-led initiative to set a consistent bar for student achievement across the United
States, means students will complete their national standardized tests online, and some questions
require that students have prior knowledge of basic computer skillsIf students score poorly on
the exams, the school's funding is impacted, further hindering its ability to invest in technology.
Like the aforementioned, this article exposed several reasons why this rural issue should not be
treated as a local issue.
Since most of Americas economic drivers are based in large cities, we must be careful
not to assume all communities in our country are advancing in the digital age at the same pace.
If we are to be a collective group of global learners, efforts must be taken on every level public
and private to ensure the connectivity does just thatconnects. Recent national initiatives
have carried names such as No Child Left Behind. We must ensure that in meeting goals aligned
with such initiatives, we not only concern ourselves with content knowledge, but with the
technology that has become ubiquitous with information and its delivery. Those in rural

communities are an equal part of the group of target learners and it is paramount that they are
reached and included.

Bonk, C.J., Kim, K-J., Oh, E.J., (2009). The present and future state of blended learning in
workplace learning settings in the United States. Performance Improvement 47(8), 5-15.
Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED504344.pdf
Category: Research
This article, written in 2007, provides an interesting retrospective on the authors
forecasts on how technology would be integrated in corporate environments by the end of the
decade 2010. When written, corporations were not as intentional as K-12, higher education,
government and military institutions regarding the use of technology in learning/training. As a
result, the mid 2000s saw the advancement of what the authors refer to as blended learning a
mix of face-to-face training and online learning. Based on the rate of adoption, it was imagined
that by 2010, 80-90 percent of college and corporate training classes (would) be blendedand
that more than one billion learners around the globe will be advancing their skills in this
fashion.
A combination of the literature review and survey responses specific to this study found
that some of the challenges to advancement of blended learning include the number of
technologies, delivery methods, and implementation models that can be used to deliver
workplace learning. Responses to a questionnaire sent to 118 individuals were utilized to conduct
the survey of industry professionals. General emerging themes speak to the increasing popularity
of blended learning in the workplace. Notably two-thirds of the respondents are with
organizations already using some form of blended training. Key drivers for implementation are
accessibility and availability of learning and the quality of the learning experience. While
respondents noted that blended learning is becoming part of their corporate strategies, they also
noted that obstacles such as the rapid pace of technological change and insufficient management
support.
I found this article insightful as it treats the blended model as viable, whereas many
readings have leaned heavily toward the technology (absent the human interaction element). As a
corporate trainer I appreciate this approach, as I see first-hand the added value of question-andanswer sessions during corporate training sessions. Technology professionals like to white
board information in order to clarify concepts. For these reasons, corporate trainers may wish to
continue to explore was of delivering content in a blended fashion.

Delvin, T.J., Feldhaus, C.R., & Bentrem, K.M. (2013). The evolving classroom: A study of
traditional and technology-based instruction in a STEM classroom. Journal of Technology
Education, 25(1). Retrieved from http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v25n1/devlin.html
Category: Research
This action research study followed the impact of calls for change brought on by
educational reform initiatives starting with those introduced at the turn of the century through to
those in place today. Specifically analyzed was the rapid rate of change since the No Child Left
Behind Act of 2001 relative to technology-based instruction in the STEM disciplines (science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics). In addition to changes brought on by NCLB, the
International Technology Education Association [has since] introduced Standards for
Technological Literacy: Content for the Study of Technology. In a comparison of traditional vs.
technology-based instruction, the authors of the research explored the hypothesis that for all the
gains achieved through technology, there is a perceived fear that there is a negating effect:
students cannot really focus and multi-task effectively given the use of social media, hand-held
technology and the completion for screen time. This was in contrast to evidence from the
literature review that suggests technology as an instructional tool enhances student learning and
educational outcomes and boosted both concentration and engagement.
In delineating the prior knowledge of the research group, researchers considered the
concepts of technological literacy and technological competence. Stressed by usage of these
terms is the importance that educators are aware of the technological knowledge that learners
bring with them to learning environments. Educators also need to be self-aware of where they fit
along the technological competence continuum. Students who perceive their instructors to be
effective users of technology report(ed) greater course engagement, more interest in the subject
matter, and better understanding of complex concepts. The study found that students now have
an expectation that their learning environment reflect the working environments they are
expected to enter including flexibility in scheduling and inclusion of wireless technology. The
research prescribes a paradigm shift that would completely change the model of education in
brick-and-mortar classrooms as we have come to know it.

The study was comprehensive and included an Appendix with reference tables and
questions utilized during the study. The paper sought to address many variables, such as
technology in the classroom, student engagement, content delivery, political factors, issues
related to STEM content. Though the research was very thorough, it was challenging to track a
clear theme or isolate information on the stated problem and related outcomes. Still, it is obvious
that we must consider how we reach our learning objectives from numerous angles. This will
inevitably lead to a complex set of variables which must be addressed for student success. Very
important among those things are the background knowledge and the expectations of the
learners.

Garcia, E., Brown, M., and Elbeltagi, I. (2013), Learning within a connectivist educational
collective blog model: A case study of UK higher education. The Electronic Journal of eLearning 11(3), 253-262. Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/131956/
Category: Theory-into-practice - Connectivism
This research cited in this article sought to explore the extent to which a newly
introduced learning theory, Connectivism, can be used to base learning and teaching activities.
Connectivism, a learning theory for the digital age, has been developed as a theory which aims
to provide a model through which teaching and learning using digital technology can be better
understood and managed. I reviewed another article as part of this article review series that
researched the adaptation of Constructivism to teaching with Web 2.0 technology. Interestingly,
this article also focused on the increased popularity of Web 2.0; however, the tools were
evaluated as a central factor in the emergence of a new theory instead of the adaptation of an
existing one.
In its newness, Connectivism is not an area in which a great deal of research,
particularly empirical research, has been conducted. It was developed with the belief that a
theory should exist which accounted for the manner in which society has changed as a result of
technological advances. Thought-leaders in the field have identified the following as some of the
key principles of connectivism: learning can reside in non-human appliances, capacity to know
is more critical than what is currently known, currency is the intent of all learning activities, and
learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes of information sources. It is key within
connectivist learning that the individual and their network is of key importance.
I found it very interesting to discover research on a new learning theory. Since
beginning my study in education, Ive only seen expansions on the popular pre-existing theories,
or works citing how those existing theories should be adapted for the digital age. It is very
insightful to see the emergence of an entirely new theory related to education. This adds a
degree of tangibility to out of the box thinking, and helps me to understand that solutions for
future challenges do not have to fit pre-existing models or paradigms.

Bolton, R. N., Parasuraman, A., Hoefnagels, A., Migchels, N., Kabadayi, S., Gruber, T., ... &
Solnet, D. (2013). Understanding Generation Y and their use of social media: a review and
research agenda. Journal of Service Management, 24(3), 245-267.
Category: Research
This research paper evaluated Generation Ys use of social media and its implications for
individuals, firms, and society. It presents managerial implications and indications for further
research. The authors note that Generation Y (the Millennials) was raised with technology
integrated into their lives, whereas older generations are not digital natives, but digital
immigrants. As I am a digital immigrant involved with corporate training of digital natives, I
found the subject of this research relevant and interesting. While noting that there are
differences in adaptation rates of technology between the rich and poor, as well as across
geographical lines, (e.g., USA vs. N. Korea), the researchers collectively assembled Generation
Y solely by age delineation for the purposes of this research. Those born between 1981 and 1999
are considered Generation Y for this study, although there is not universal agreement on the
exact birth boundaries of the group.
Generation Y actively contributes, shares, searchers for and consumes contenton
social media platforms. Their usage provides an indication of how technology may be used in
the future. These individuals have been considered the most technologically savvy of any
generation, having been born into technology and social media. For companies, social media are
a potential source of market intelligence. The implication is that firms, who are connected to
their consumers, stand to gain loyalty, market-share and long-term engagement as a result. The
most universal impact noted revolves around how social media has impacted how companies
hire, manage, and motivate employees.
The researchers outlined how they selected their Generation Y group, and the competing
conversations occurring around what constitutes Generation Y. The description of the
generation was well presented and included common character traits, habits, and social norms.
The authors also outlined what differentiates Generation Y from its older and younger
categorical peers. Regarding training them for todays workforce, it is apparent that the usage of
social media affects outcomes for businesses and therefore can influence organizational
decisions about service customization and productivity, such as how resources are allocated

between labor and automation. From a corporate training perspective, it is imperative that we
consider the background knowledge of Generation Y trainees as we create training modules and
attempt to align content delivery methods and expected learning outcomes.