Instructional technology acceptance study at Virginia Tech

I recently got this email asking for our input on instructional technology acceptance, and perhaps some of us can help out with this study. This is exactly the data we would like to see as we develop our own teaching strategies.

Hello,

Have you used instructional technology (laptops, tablet PCs, smart phones, etc.) to either teach or to assist a professor as a teaching assistant in the classroom? Please tell us about your experience and let us help make it better!

I am a doctoral candidate working with Dr. Scales and Dr. Smith-Jackson and we are conducting a study to understand instructional technology acceptance and would greatly appreciate your input. This survey will take approximately between 15-20 minutes to complete. It is completely anonymous and the results will be kept confidential. I need about 20 more responses before I can close the survey, so any help will be greatly appreciated! You can access the survey by clicking the link below. If you are interested in the results or have any questions, please contact me at skoth26@vt.edu .

https://qtrial.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_6ROqf3tkCzNFyPa

Thank you!

Shreya Kothaneth

Doctoral Candidate,

Industrial and Systems Engineering

Virginia Tech

Smartphones usage in classrooms

Here is an article that talks about what we read and saw in the beginning of the semester. I am interested in it since I want to use smartphones in my research. The numbers of smartphone users is high but really not that surprising.

Education - Youth for Human Rights

http://www.youthforhumanrights.org/what-are-human-rights/videos/right-to-education.html
This is the website that has all the Youth for Human Rights videos from two classes ago...

I copied the one for education given our discussion from this evening... what is the ultimate aim of education? Personal Growth? Workforce Development? Childcare? Prison? Check out bullet number 2 in the link above...

Have a great night!
jake

This is my brain on the internet

I only got through about 2 paragraphs of the Carr article before my mind wandered to this article
http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el200903_wolf.pdf

I vaguely remembered reading this article before, and it turns out that she references Carr.
I didn't read it deeply at the time, but it clearly left an impression. So, maybe that's what we'll have until we learn how to navigate, contain and comprehend the vast amount of information available - a society of people who have the vague imprint of knowledge encountered with little deep knowledge. Or peace of mind for that matter - now, what was I doing again...?

Creativity, and how education systems throughout the world kills it

Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity | Video on TED.com

Hello everyone,
If you haven't watched this video, please take some time to watch it. Sir Ken Robinson, a prominent international figure in education and creativity, delivered a captivating speech back in 2006 at a TED conference. He talked about how the education system throughout the globe suppresses creativity and human's natural talent as most of the modern education system were built upon the basis of the industrial revolution. He is hilarious!!!

As educators, it probably takes a tremendous amount of effort to go against the mainstream of education that mostly tailors everyone towards one goal that not everyone can achieve - becoming "university professors" as Sir Ken Robinson puts it.

There is another video that's sort of the sequel to this one, and I'll post it later.

Have fun watching it!
Rose

Stuttering & Diversity

Here is an interesting article about a stuttering student those professor refused to call on him. Being hearing impaired with speech impediments, this hits very close to home. I really wished the professor hadn't declined to discuss the matter. I would like to know the whole story.

Adam

The Dreaded Teaching Statement - Eight Pitfalls

Interesting blog from an enthusiastic professor that likes to share her experience on some common mistakes we could avoid in developing a teaching statement.

MM