The Digital Learning Corner

 Do you want to create engaging electronic course content? Watch this video by Mariah Coz for some practical tips (Coz, 2019)! I recently used Articulate Rise 360 to develop a short lesson introducing myself. The tool has many benefits as well as limitations. According to Giacumo et al. (2018), most novice developers of e-learning prefer to use rapid e-learning tools that are developed by professionals. This takes the guesswork out of the design process, assists with more professional development, and provides management support. One focus of online education is the integration of interactive content (Herman & Mustea, 2016). It is most important to design the online experience to encourage interaction between the student and the content. Interaction between the teacher and the student is another priority, followed by interaction between students. Accordingly, designers and educators should consider the constraints of the software and learning management system, the demands of m...

 Hi Friends!  This week we discuss a digital tool that is often overlooked for education. What is augmented reality? Check out this video if you want to know more about augmented reality and how it is different from virtual reality.    Augmented reality learning experiences have been used for classroom education and are generally considered effective tools for improving learning outcomes (Vuta, 2020). For example, using AR learning in learning can help students learn skills many skills relating to various disciplines including mathematics, engineering, language acquisition, biology, geography, and teaching. Many students who use AR technology for learning demonstrate improved critical spatial skills (Altınpulluk et al., 2020). They also experience improvement in their practical motor skills (Spinosa et al., 2020). All research about AR for learning concluded that learners generally experienced a significant increase in motivation when engaged in AR-related learning a...

Hello Friends!  This week's topic is on a tool that can be leveraged to impact your teaching.  Microblogging occurs when an author uses a digital tool to publish a small amount of textual content on a profile page (Hadian & Froese, 2014).  Photo: Cottonbro, Pexels.com Educational researchers generally recognize the importance of social networking and interacting in the learning experience and how digital technology can facilitate it (Gao & Li, 2017). Microblogging facilitates the sharing of ideas and exchanging of opinions both synchronously and asynchronously. It can also be used to ask questions, share resources, encourage reflection, and encourage informal learning outside the boundaries of a formal classroom (Hadian & Froese, 2014). Advantages of using microblogging in formal learning environments may include more active learning, self-direction, and greater engagement of timid students. Teachers become facilitators of discovery learning and constructive l...

 Watch this week's episode of the Fabulous Finds podcast!

 Listen to this week's episode of the Fabulous Finds Podcast!

Have you met someone who did not have the sufficient ability yet assumed they could accomplish a task simply because they possessed the right tool?  Sollie, T. (2017) At one point in my life, I worked in the wedding video industry. Some people would reject the need for a videographer by saying, "My brother has a nice video camera. I will have him make my wedding video." Such myopia can occur when educators assume they can create effective learning experiences for students simply because they have access to technology. Podcasts and vodcasts are media-rich recordings and are being used increasingly for education (Jalali & Bialy, 2019). Without a clear understanding of how to design pedagogically sound instruction using podcasts, teachers risk creating learning experiences for students that are less effective. If you are interested in using podcasts in your teaching, you can learn some basics to help you make the experience beneficial for your students. For instance, people ...

  Hello fellow educators! It’s time for another post about digital resources for teaching and learning.  What can we do, as teachers, to help our students prepare to enter a workforce that relies heavily on digital resources to accomplish the work? The context of the modern work environment requires the use of many older and new digital tools for communication and organization. The demand on employees to master and integrate such tools can make many employees feel overwhelmed and anxious (Korzaan & Lawrence, 2016). Mobile devices and desktop and laptop computers are ubiquitous and grant constant access to professionals for collecting information, remember important events, and organizing and communicating with teammates. Teachers can assist students in learning to use digital productivity tools before they arrive in the workplace. Learning how to operate with and within digital productivity tools can prepare students for workplace expectations like cooperating, collaborati...