Podcast for Learning and Teaching

This summer, I decided to ask my doctoral students to prepare a podcast about different topics about teacher leaders, school leaders, and assessments as part of the major assignment. I asked them to research the topic, and use research and experience to discuss the topic in a podcast style. Some of them added to "case studies" and other creative things, like background music to their podcast. The final product was posted in Dowling Leadership sitehttp://www.dowling.edu/library/leadership/leadership.asp?id=97. It was a learning experience for my students and for me. I had one day to learn how to use Audacity - a free software for podcast, and how to edit it. My students learned by themselves reviewing the manual and some youtube videos. Previously, I participated in a research with a colleague Dr. Beard, analyzing the effects of podcast in learning. We published the article "Using Podcast With Narrative Pedagogy: Are Learning Objectives Met?" published in the Journal of Nursing Education Perspectives. I can say, podcast are effective. I use at least once in the semester in my classes. Sometimes I ask the students to listen a already prepared podcast, or sometimes I prepared it myself. I have to admit, some of students are not familiar with my accent. They take some time to get familiar with it!!...but sure they have a big laugh of it!...Did she said that? I always joke that I am helping them to developed more their left side of the brain. The effect is always good. Because they will remember the material. I am currently using other people voices in my podcast. Do you see yourself using podcast in your lessons? or while you learning something?

Flipped Classrooms...Really?

Flipped Classrooms...I heard it last summer! One of my students wanted to do a dissertation in flipped classroom. Flipped? it sounded like a using a flip camera or something.. After she explained me what it is, and how effective it is, I become interested on exploring it more and more. It seems like it requires some preparation, and you have to move some of the traditional class time (such as explaining concepts) outside of the classroom, and use the class time to follow up with activities or questions. I have researched this subject further. I have to tell you, the concept is not new. We have been using podcasts during the last years before class. Now this is video. What is new, is the content of this video, and the follow up in the classrooms. It is all about how we organize our lessons. Flipped classroom have demonstrated that increase learning!...Watch this TED video: http://youtu.be/nTFEUsudhfs Flipped classrooms has some advantages and few disadvantages. Some of the critiques is that teachers are assuming the students will have computers and internet in their houses. I do believe learning to use the flipped technique correctly is key to having a successful flipped classroom, and do not confuse it with simply showing a video to the student.

Creating portolios

Doctoral Cohort - 2012 - Wisers 1. http://brianbiscari.yolasite.com 2. http://christopherdillon.yolasite.com http://homeofthehurricanes.yolasite.com/ (Chris Herr) 3. http://eriklandgren.yolasite.com 4. http://janinepayton.yolasite.com 5. http://benedicttieniber.yolasite.com 6. http://www.susantietje.com/ 7. http://bwaitewilson.yolasite.com/ 8. http://apaci.yolasite.com/ (Ana Maria De Cobo) 9. http://dwbdowling.yolasite.com (Dionne Walker-Belgrave) 10. http://gailesanto.yolasite.com/ (Gail Santo) 11.http://cohenenterprise.yolasite.com/ (Yair Cohen) 12.http://denisemtoscano.yolasite.com/ Doctoral Cohort 2012 "Up" 1. http://michelledemarco.yolasite.com 2.http://debranicosia.yolasite.com/ 3. http://cnsupward.yolasite.com (Claude Stuart) 4. https://sites.google.com/site/exceptionaleducatorkms/ (Karen Sealy) 5. http://patriciathinks.yolasite.com/ (Patrica Murphy) 6. http://deanarinaldi.yolasite.com/ 7. https://sites.google.com/site/dariahseportfolio/ 8. http://wilhelmappr.yolasite.com/ 9. http://culturalchangeineducation.yolasite.com/ (Frantz)

Blogging and teaching

It took me a while to decide to use blogging for teaching. My major fear was that English as my second language I may have some grammatical mistakes and the whole word will see it! I would need someone to proofread my posts every time I write something. Let's face it, I don't have a proofreader 24/7. I have to overcome my own fears. Other teachers have different fears, such as the fear of talking to a larger audience is one. Another is the fear that someone can use their words against she or him or and try to sue them.However, because teachers want to motivate their students to learn in different ways, I believe those fears go away when they learn the benefits of blogging. When we read our students postings and we see how they develop critical thinking while writing their ideas, opinions and answering other people blogs. The rewards of seeing this effect will overcome any fears that you may have with blogging. One of my favorite teacher blogger is my former student E. she took the blogging for teaching to another level! I actually got ideas from her. She has created a database of her students work! Very valuable. What can you blog? Well, you can blog just about anything or a specific topic. Blogs are useful and and bloggers provide valuable information from it. For example, I am in Disney world right now.. Yes, I am sitting in front of a pool blogging! Before coming here I talked with my fellow blogger RB, a professor who blogs about Disney. He gave me so many tips, such as download apps to check waiting times in the lines. Fabolous! I have saved time, that I can use for to write this blogging! And you? Do you have a blog? How do you use it?

Technological Changes for a Leader in a Global Economy

While I was teaching a class in Organization Theory, we discussed several aspects of it, such as conflict resolution, decision making theories, leadership styles, motivation and others. I asked myself how all this theories would fit in the world that technology is constantly changing, and people are constantly adapting to it. How a leader or a e-leader as someone is called to deal with this constant change, and he or she will use it in the favor of the organization she is leading. Pulley, et al. (2002) used the term “eleadership”, however several researchers, including myself do not think that adding the “e” would make it a different leadership. Leaders have always dealt with several kinds of technologies in different eras. Technology has traditionally played a very important role in facilitating protest, for example; the early anti-communist protests in Poland were facilitated with the help of the Xerox machines! and now Iranian twitter users have used technology to protest. The devices or the technology changed the way we communicate.  In the last decade, we have seen technology play a crucial role in helping people gather and, most importantly, get heard. To learn how leadership reacts to technologies or vice versa. 
I personally believe that "There is a bi-directional causal relationship between leaders and their environment. Leaders are influenced by the environment but in turn they can influence their environment.", I would like to invite you to Share your leadership and technology story. Describe a case in which you have been challenged by technology in your field of work and how you dealt with it.

Virtual Trips - Peru

Have you ever thought about using Virtual Trips in your classes or with your Friends?
I have been to Thailand, China, Jerusalem, and other places and have not spent a dime in visiting places...how can this can be? Well, Virtual Trips. Although I won't ever say that it is a replacement of a physical  experience, It can be an alternative for some people to learn about other places that it would  be difficult to visit. For example, a virtual trip to space, where we can actually talk with the astronauts while they are on duty!!...what an experience!
Also, I have presented several papers in a peer review conferences in a virtual style. How does that  work? Well, you can tape your self, or your presentation, and you can have live discussions or asynchronous discussions with the attendees. Isn't that fantastic? One of my favorites places to post virtual presentations is www.aace.org conferences. In this organization you can present virtual papers as well as a in-person presentation.
Today, it is July 28, for most of you, could be like any other day, but for me, it is special, I grew up in a wonderful country in South America, called Peru. On July 28, I have friends and family, and people in the streets, telling me "Feliz 28" Happy 28. It is the independence day. I left Peru in 1990, but I always have friends and family who still call me and connect with me to tell me "Feliz 28" and I do the same. I want to invite you to visit this country, right now, yes, right now, by watching this video...This video is divided in three sections
1) Costa = coast - that shows the culture, sounds and places of the coast, that is where I grew up...close to the beaches, and dancing Marinera (see the people dancing with white customs). I love Marinera, my heart races at the beat of its music. You can also see the Afro dances. A great combination of cultures in to one: Peruvian.
2) Sierra = Andean Areas. This is where my family settled first when they moved from Europe to Peru, so I can say, my heart is Andean. Most of the Andean People speak "Quechua", which is the language the Incas spoke before the Spanish people came to Peru. You will see the dances are  more colorful, with customs.. wonderful views, and of course....you will see Macchu Picchu...one of the wonders of the world...
3) Selva = Jungle. Oh my, I lived some years in the Jungle, it was one of the happiest moments in my life...eating the food, sharing moments with the natives, and understanding that life is unique when you are close to nature..
Peru...is a wonderful place-- watch it here:
http://youtu.be/r7QNZVwSSXk
Enjoy, and "Feliz 28!"

The importance of instructional technology in education

A first year doctoral student commented in class. "I don't want to do a dissertation about virtual classrooms or electronic boards, because in three years from here, we may not have electronic boards!" He was right, right in the sense that instructional technology changes dramatically. Every year, I have changed the curricula of my Instructional Technology courses. I keep learning, and applying it more and more. My best advice for students, who will be teachers, is to learn what is new and decide what fits them, and their teaching style as well as their students learning style. The big question is, if technology changes so fast, what is its role in Education?  Should it have a role at all? 

As a researcher, I always use materials, or techniques that have shown effectiveness. Then, most of my decisions on what to use or not, are based on research. I am passionate on how technology facilitates learning but never obsessed, sometimes I use blackboard and chalk to teach.  I believe we have to change our presentation techniques in each class so we motivate the students and keep them engaged. A few years ago, I wrote a short article about Technology Closes the Gap between Students’ Individual Skills and Background Differences published in Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education proceedings in 2004. It was a discussion that a specific software help students of different backgrounds to excel in Physics. I wanted it to be used in every single school. I saw using research, how students with careless preparation compete with students that have received a better preparation.

The key point here, is that yes, there is role that instrucional technology plays in education. As teachers or professors we are ready to use anything that help retention, learning, and stimulate our students brain and critical thinking. The key point is to use it based on research and not in "fashion wave", specially that budgets are limited. Always check the cost/benefit analysis. And my last comment, if technology helps to close the gap, it definitely plays a role in education.