Interview Podcast

For my final assignment, I chose to interview Donte McCoy, the 22-year-old program coordinator for the University of Phoenix's Asia/ Pacific division. Mr. McCoy also happens to be a technology dynamo, having built his own computer and server before even graduating high school. I sent a list of possible questions for Mr. McCoy to review before our scheduled interview. I assumed that his answers would contain points of clarification and technological jargon that I would have to decipher after the interview. To my surprise, this was not the case. Mr. McCoy explained very plainly that the most useful technologies are those that most people take for granted -- such as communications programs. In his opinion, user-friendly communication tools are indispensable to distance education because learning cannot occur if there is miscommunication on either end. I agree. After the interview, I understood why Mr. McCoy has achieved such a prestigious position at such a young age. He clearly defines his goals, has a plan for achieving them, knows the value of clarity, and communicates on a level accessible to techno-flunkies like me.

Open Written Transcript

Created at http://www.xtranormal.com 

During this process, I became intimately aware of the pitfalls of podcast technology. When I lived in Korea, I was restricted from visiting many sites originating in the U.S. because of piracy problems. For that same reason, Mr. McCoy and I were unable to take advantage of the podcast format. After two attempts, I settled for an interview via Skype. I downloaded an application which would allow me to record the conversation. Afterward, I realized that the sound was too garbled to distinguish. The poor sound quality prevented me from being able to decipher what was said. Even though I participated in the conversation, I could not recall all that was discussed. Mr. McCoy graciously emailed me a written response to the questions I previously sent. I converted that transcript into this video.

Update: Thanks to KSU Cuz for pointing this out--

"I had never heard of Microsoft Office Communicator, so I looked it up in Wikipedia (where else?). Turns out, it’s not called Communicator anymore; now it’s known as Microsoft Lync, and it’s essentially a corporate version of Windows Live Messenger"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Lync


References:

Kang, H. (2012). EDACE 765: Adult Learners and Integrating Technoloty into Curriculum Fall 2012 Syllabus. (Unpublished). 

King, K. P., & Cox, T. D. (2011). The Professor's Guide to Taming Technology. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing Inc.

Pros and Cons of Podcasts

I had no idea how popular podcasts had become until I reviewed the reading for this week’s module. I am especially impressed by the 101-year-old who uses Facebook. Generally, I tend to prefer reading the podcast transcripts because I can skip to topics I want to explore and avoid those I do not. I, like most people, also read much faster than the rate at which the podcasts are verbally delivered. When I want to cover as much material as I can in as little time as possible, I opt to read. There are occasions which lend themselves to listening to the broadcast instead of reading the transcript. If I am busy with my other adulthood responsibilities, I can download the podcast to my iPod and listen at my convenience. Downloading podcasts to listen to while showering or driving is appealing for many frenetic, multi-tasking Americans.

I first was introduced to podcasts through my alma mater, UNC-CH. They use the technology to supplement lectures, for student assignments, to broadcast events, and much more. They also share links to help students create their own podcasts.

Since the cons of podcasts are disproportionately low in comparison to the pros, I will start with them.  Though MP3 players may seem affordable to most Americans, they can be regarded as an expensive luxury for those barely able to purchase the basic necessities. That considered, using podcasts as a form of requisite instruction can be a deterrent for students with limited internet access. Secondly, podcasts can be as monotonous as face-to-face lectures if the instructor does not have the tools or knowledge to make the lessons more dynamic. Lastly, the format lends itself to accidental plagiarism or violation of copyright laws. An individual may face fines and retributions if he/she innocently broadcasts a funny blurb about the topic of discussion without prior approval.

How Stuff Works Podcasts (One of my favorite)

As a VARK aural (auditory) learner, I appreciate the power of verbal lectures. Visual learners also benefit from this technology. The most appealing aspect is that the individual has control over the transmission of data. If something comes up in the middle of a live feed, he/she can easily return to the podcast at a more convenient time. One can pause and replay sections if better clarity is needed.

From an educator’s perspective, podcasts afford the opportunity for students to feel personally acquainted with the instructor. Furthermore, students are able to showcase their understanding without the nuances of formal papers. This appeals to instructors who experience difficulties with distracting grammatical errors. Podcasts also allow guest speakers to impart practical knowledge and demonstrate application without paying the costs of travel.

Though I have rarely utilized podcast as an informative tool in the past, I plan to take advantage of the many opportunities they present.

Reference

King, K. P., & Cox, T. D. (2011). The Professor's Guide to Taming Technology. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing Inc.

Wiki for Research Study

Wiki Research Process and Proposal – 35 points
Students are expected to research and review 5-10 scholarly sources on their chosen topic by the end of week seven (10 points). Students are expected to implement acquired knowledge to design a mock ethnographic research proposal and process plan. Groups will publish their proposals on their Wiki (25 points). Wikis are expected to be informative, interactive, easy-to-read and reflective of graduate level comprehension of course work.

Purpose

The purpose of this wiki is to teach anthropology students how to frame an ethnography proposal and explore the implications of the research study they plan. It will familiarize students with data collection processes and tools as well as provide background for applying proper evaluation and analysis to amassed data.

Frame

The wiki will have a table of contents, explanation of research topic, justification, proposed method, explanation of instrumentation, resource citation and suggestion for future study. Below is an explanation for each section.

*Table of contents will serve to organize the research design. Each subsequent wiki page will be linked to this page. Additionally, group members will provide a link to a biographical page with contact information included.

*Explanation of research topic will comprehensively introduce the reader to the study and highlight merits of such a study being conducted.

*Justification will give an overview of prior literature, using 5-10 scholarly sources. It will provide an in depth explanation of the relevance of the proposed study.

*Explanation of instrumentation will be the crux of the wiki. In great detail, groups are to describe the classification of ethnography they intend to use as well as the instruments required to collect data. Internal validity, instrument validity and external validity should be addressed. The wiki should describe how sampling is conducted. Discuss limitations and benefits of chosen sample method. Data collector objectivity and instrument reliability must also be addressed.

*Resource citation will list all sources used in comprising the proposal. These include cited sources and referenced sources. If a source is quoted or paraphrased anywhere in the proposal, it must be cited. If a source is simply referenced for information, it must be included as a referenced source. If in doubt, it is safer to cite the resource rather than risk plagiarism.

*Suggestions for future study will evaluate possible outcomes of the proposal and recommend areas for follow up. For example, a future study may address limitations

For an example wiki proposal, you may refer to:  http://wikieducator.org/DEVELOPING_RESEARCH_PROPOSALencountered.

In composing this wiki guideline, I referenced West, J.A. & West, M.L. (2009). Using Wikis for Online Collaboration. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Pgs 90-93.

Applied Anthropology Lesson Plan

Applied Anthropology: Ethnography Construction

The purpose of this course is to teach students to design a qualitative research proposal using the ethnographic research method. It is a graduate level course intended for students with an interest in conducting intensive ethnographic research. Through assigned readings, classroom discussions, practical application and collaborative support, students will be expected to synthesize information to formulate mock research projects. Students will also be expected to assess peers’ projects as well as their own.

Objectives

By the end of this course, the student will be able to:

·         Understand the purpose of a modern ethnography in applied anthropology

·         Apply ethnographic model to social and business situations

·         Collect, order and utilize ethnographic data collected in the field

·         Critique ethnographic research studies

·         Plan an ethnographic process

·         Design a qualitative research proposal using the ethnographic method

·         Construct an informative Wiki displaying process map and ethnography proposal

This course requires internet access and compatibility with institution website. Students are expected to work outside class time with group members on two practice assignments and one Wiki. Required readings include:

·         Amit-Talai, Vered. 2000. Constructing the Field: Ethnographic Fieldwork in the Contemporary World. London, UK, and New York: Routledge.

·         Rossman, G. B., & Rallis, S. F. (2003). Learning in the field: An introduction to qualitative research. London: Sage.

·         Additional articles will be provided on course website

Working Outline

(Week 1) Constructing the Field: Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. 1 & 2 (Amit), Ch. 1 & 2 (Rossman) and additional articles.

(Week 2) Practical Application/ Planning Research: Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. 3 & 8 (Amit), Ch. 5 (Rossman) and additional articles. 3-4 students assigned to 6 groups.

(Week 3) Transnational Fieldwork/ Gathering and Recording Data: Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. 4 & 9 (Amit), Ch. 7 & 8 (Rossman) and additional articles in small groups. Class introduction to Wiki pages. Group activity for ethnographic project and final project plans due by the end of class.

(Week 4) In the Field & At Home: Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. 5-7 (Amit), Ch. 6 (Rossman), and additional articles in small groups. Group work (design small ethnographic study).

(Week 5) Issues in the Field: Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. 9 (Rossman) and additional articles. Group work (devise hypothetical dilemmas & discuss issues thus far encountered in small ethnographic study).

(Week 6) Data Analysis: Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. 10 & 11 (Rossman) and additional articles. Group work (critique on of assigned articles). Mid-semester evaluations due.

(Week 7) Presenting Findings: Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. 12 (Rossman) and additional articles. Group work (work on Wiki and/or ethnography presentations). Research proposal literature review due.

(Week 8) Ethnographic Presentations for Groups 1 & 2.

(Week 9) Ethnographic Presentations for Groups 3 & 4.

(Week 10) Ethnographic Presentations for Groups 5 & 6.

(Week 11) Wiki Projects due. Classroom discussion (Pros & Cons of Wiki collaboration).

(Week 12) Summary & Analysis. Proposal/Process critiques due. Final group assessments due. Critical Reflection Paper due.


Student Evaluations will be based on the following:

Individual

Class Participation/ Preparedness- 10 points
Student is expected to read all assigned literature and participate in discussions in a relevant and productive manner.

Critical Reflection Paper- 10 points
Students are expected to analyze and synthesize reading material as well as experience with group activities in a 1-2 page paper. Students are strongly encouraged to implement ideas from assigned readings to support insights.

Small Group
Individual grades will be based upon average grade from group member assessments (40%) and final grade on projects (60%). Group members will assign one another a letter grade for participation, preparation timeliness, collaboration, effort and productivity for each assignment.    

Journal Article Critique- 5 points
Students will be given class time to briefly critique one of the three journal articles assigned in required readings. Evaluation will be based on clarity, efficiency and incorporation of ethnographic considerations (e.g. ethics, internal/external validity, and instrumentation).

Wiki Research Process and Proposal – 35 points
Students are expected to research and review 5-10 scholarly sources on their chosen topic by the end of week seven (10 points). Students are expected to implement acquired knowledge to design a mock ethnographic research proposal and process plan. Groups will publish their proposals on their Wiki (25 points). Wikis are expected to be informative, interactive, easy-to-read and reflective of graduate level comprehension of course work.

Ethnographic Project- (40 points)
Students will devise a small ethnographic project based on group interest and inclination. Plans must be approved before study commences. Focus should be on the practices of interviewing and observation. Data should be recorded, analyzed and organized into a brief (20-30 minutes) classroom presentation. Each group member is expected to answer questions posed by instructor and other classmates.

This assignment has been the most challenging thus far. I implemented prior experience with research methods and drew upon my far removed background in anthropology to compose this lesson plan. I also accessed prior lesson plans of Drs. Royce Ann Collins, Jane Fishback, and Jeff Zacharakis (all of K-State) as reference guides.

 

 

Bibliography

Amit-Talai, Vered. 2000. Constructing the Field: Ethnographic Fieldwork in the Contemporary World. London, UK, and New York: Routledge.

Atkinson, P., Coffey, A., Delamont, S., Lofland, J., & Lofland, L. (Eds.). (2002). Handbook of Ethnography. London: Sage.

Caffarella, R. (2002). Planning Programs for Adult Learners (2nd Edition): A Practical Guide for Educators, Trainders and Staff Developers. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.). (2008). The Landscape of Qualitative Research.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Kasworm, C., Rose, A., & Ross-Gordon, J. (2010). Handbook of Adult and Continuing Education, 2010 edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Fraenkel, J.R., Wallen, N.E., & Hyun, H.H. (2009). How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education. New York, New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies.

Merriam, S., Caffarella, R., & Baumgartner, L. (2007). Learning in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Guide. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Ross-Gordon, J. M. (2003). Adult learners in the classroom. New Directions for Student Services, 102(Summer), 43-52.

Rossman, G. B., & Rallis, S. F. (2003). Learning in the field: An introduction to qualitative research. London: Sage.

West, J. A. & West, M. L. (2002). Using Wikis for Online Collaboration. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

A Wikiwiki Evaluation of Wikis

The very first course of my and my husband’s master’s degree program required us to design an informative Wiki page about a historical person, who had been influential in the development of adult education. My husband and I decided it would be a good idea to team up for the project. Big mistake!

Initially, I was content to research all of the material and let him post it to our page. That plan only lasted two days. For starters, I felt like I was doing the bulk of the work while he was getting all of the credit (tracked by user login activity). At night, he would drift off into peaceful sleep while I stayed awake stressing over how to accurately and eloquently present information I gleaned from my research. By day three, we came up with a new plan. He was to explore half of the remaining topics and I would explore the other half. We were both responsible for publishing the material and including other relevant links and videos. I was still responsible for grammatical structure.



Courtesy of The Creative Education Blog
http://www.creativeeducation.co.uk/blog/index.php/2011/06/class-wiki/



This new plan caused me to overcome my fear of technology incompetence. As I soon discovered, editing a Wiki is quite easy and actually somewhat fun! My experience echoed West and West’s evaluation of Wikis  as being interactive, promoting group collaboration, being easy to edit,  being cost effective and enabling file sharing. Other pros that I did not personally encounter are the ability to restrict access by password and unlimited user numbers. I also agree with King and Cox’s notion of Wikis providing a greater chance of learning the material presented. I can still remember so many details about Septima Clark that I almost feel like I met her.

Conversely, there were some bumps in our Wiki development. These mostly dealt with what King and Cox term constructive modification. My husband and I had very different and very definite views about how the content should be presented. At one point he “accidentally” changed content I spent all night editing. I was almost ready to "accidentally" change the locks when I discovered the benefit of version archiving and revision. West and West point out the limitations in editing features and customizations, which were also areas of frustration for us. Other cons listed by the two pairs of authors include distracting advertisements, rare instances of span or graffiti messages, collective bias, and the hidden audience. Again, these were not relevant concerns during our Wiki project.



Adult Education Wiki



The result of my and my husband’s collaborative effort is pretty good. If you like, you can view the Septima Clark Wiki. Looking at the final product, I’m inclined to believe that us working together was not a big mistake after all. In the end, this was a great tool to force us to develop democratic methods of completing and publishing our project.

Our current class is fortunate to have a mixture of blog activities for personal expression and Wiki activities for group participation. In my opinion, the utilization of combined technologies facilitates a better understanding of a subject and an internalization of information.


References:

King, K. & Cox, T. (2011). The Professor’s Guide to Taming Technology. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.  ISBN: 9781617353338   e-book ISBN: 9781617353352

West, J. and West, M. (2009). Using Wikis for Online Collaboration: The Power of the Read-Write Web.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.  ISBN: 9780470343333

Module 2: Trackbacks and Blogrolls and Pings OH MY!

It is easy to get lost in the jargon of the blogging community. For a novice, like me, the sheer enormity of literature revolving around blogging as an educational and effective tool for communication is overwhelming. I liken the feeling to a frog being tossed into the ocean five miles off shore. Even if it can see the coastline, it has no way to get there. It is my interpretation of what King and Cox describe as the initial experience of “techno-hell”. Fortunately, good instructors introduce tools, or lily pads, so the frog can hop to the coast. Great instructors also provide examples of how it’s done as well as strike a balance between encouraging and coercing our little froggy friend. If he optimizes his resources, before he knows it the frog is looking out to sea, marveling over the distance he travelled to make it to the sandy beach.

Now that the safety of our discussion board has been ripped away like an old Band-Aid, I have had to come to terms with my own fear of drowning in the ocean of cyberspace. Unlike discussion board activities, blogs are accessible to anyone with a computer and internet. Like Santos expresses, blogs allow students to relate-create-donate. However, the stakes are higher when you know more people are reading your words. The donation of material draws more importance. I am more critical of my postings knowing that many people may view my words. I want them to be educational while being entertaining enough that everyone, not only my classmates, can make it to the end without dozing off (drool is not good for electronics ;-).

The biggest advantages of blogs are expressed in Oravec’s article. She says that blogs allow students to develop their own voices by analyzing material then personalizing meaning in the form of subjective feedback. I admit that I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized that I could focus on content and context instead of advance design and html code. I also feel a sense of freedom and excitement composing this blog post that I did not experience responding to discussion boards. It feels like my own space. I feel like I am utilizing a different area of my brain that I do not normally associate with education.

Witte’s article perfectly surmises the concept that online journalism tunes students into the more creative parts of their brains that are usually muffled by the idea of classroom composition. It gives students a feeling of freedom of expression or of having a “voice”. The only con I can foresee, protecting minors from internet predators, is also addressed in the article. Then again, this is only my first blog. Talk to me again in five weeks to see if I make it to shore like the frog or drown in my ignorance!

Yay! You made it to…

THE END