TechPudding
Teaching & Learning
12 Reasons Why I Use Twitter
It’s been a long time since I last posted. In between, I (finally) discovered the power of microblogging on Twitter. I freely admit that I am late to the Twitter party and a beginner in many ways. It took me about three weeks to discover the elements of microblogging that appeal to me. Like any new innovation, you need … Continue reading
Why Do Online Discussions Fail?
Over the past few months I have been re-designing online courses that help to support teachers as they integrate technology into blended and online learning environments. I am going to try to make more time to share my insights with you, beginning with this post about using discussion boards in learning. Many educators use online … Continue reading
Three Approaches to Web 2.0 (and Web 3.0) including a Marshall McLuhan Moment
Lately I have been thinking about what the term Web 2.0 really means. According to Wikipedia, Web 2.0 “allows users to interact and collaborate with each other in a social media dialogue as creators (prosumers) of user-generated content in a virtual community, in contrast to websites where users (consumers) are limited to the passive viewing … Continue reading
Checklist for Evaluating Tech Tools, Apps, Software, and Hardware
I have been searching high and low for an efficient, easy-to-understand list of criteria for evaluating hardware, software, tools, and everything in between. Most online articles that I found focus on selling things, or are incredibly vague or incomplete so I decided to do some brainstorming based on what I have found in my own … Continue reading
Cloud Computing: What Does It Mean?
The term cloud computing seems confusing and open-ended. Many IT industry leaders as well as educational specialists that I work with claim that cloud computing is “the next big thing” so I decided to find out what it is, and through this, I came up with some questions to consider in realm of education. According … Continue reading
From Scroll to Book to Internet: Educational Technology Changes Everything
New technologies can change everything–what and how we learn, know, understand, communicate, socialize, and think. Many people have enjoyed the video called Help Desk, posted by Zauron3ooo, that hilariously depicts an interaction between two monks as they try to figure out how to use the new technology of the book, as opposed to the old way … Continue reading
Glass Walls, Carpentry, and Design: Authentic Learning at High Tech High
The web is full of inspirational, mind-blowing ideas. This post is a follow-up to my last entry that examined the studio approach, used for years in post-secondary multimedia, design, and architecture schools to make learning truly authentic, deeply collaborative, and highly rigorous. Today I watched the following video presented by The Pearson Foundation and the Mobile Learning Institute, highlighting the … Continue reading
The Studio Model: Collaborative, Real-World Learning
I am currently in the process of re-designing a high school Innovative Technology (IT) course with a group of incredible teachers, and have been documenting highlights of my work here on TechPudding. My first post about the course re-design gave an overview of our move from basic how-tos of Microsoft Office applications, to a dynamic approach to … Continue reading
Let’s Chat: Discussion-Stimulating Videos on Ed Tech & Change
My brain is getting tired since spring break is just over a week away and my city has experienced enough snow and -30-something degree (celsius) temperatures to last the entire year–in the last few weeks. So I went in search of something both light and thought-provoking in the form of short videos of high interest, design, and accessibility, … Continue reading
Usability and Visual Design: 3 Tools that Have it All
(Check the actual thing out at http://www.wix.com/techpudding/techpudding) Greetings! Today I’d like to showcase two free web 2.0 tools that are both easy to use and look incredibly professional. They are both great tools to create widgets for websites, wikis, or blogs. Unlike many free web 2.0 tools available, their designers thought hard about creating clean and simple user … Continue reading
