MODULE 2 - Modern Tools and Techniques for Knowledge Construction and Dissemination

MODULE 2 - Modern Tools and Techniques for Knowledge Construction and Dissemination

Prepared by

SABARISH-P

M.Sc., M.Ed., JRF & NET

Assistant Professor in Physical Science, Arafa Institute for Teacher Education

Attur, Thrissur.

Contact me : pklsabarish@gmail.com

Web based learning, e-learning

·         E-learning is commonly referred to the intentional use of networked information and communications technology in teaching and learning.

·         A number of other terms like online learning, virtual learning, distributed learning, network and web-based learning are also used to describe this mode of teaching and learning.

·         Fundamentally, they all refer to educational processes that utilise information and communications technology to mediate asynchronous as well as synchronous learning and teaching activities.

·         The term e-learning comprises a lot more than online learning, virtual learning, distributed learning, networked or web-based learning.

·         As the letter “e” in e-learning stands for the word “electronic”, e-learning would incorporate all educational activities that are carried out by individuals or groups working online or offline.

·         E-learning can manifest itself in four different ways :

§  Individualised self-paced e-learning online

§  Individualised self-paced e-learning offline

§  Group-based e-learning synchronously

§  Group-based e-learning asynchronously.

·         E-learning may also comprise combinations of the foregoing types of activities.

·         E-learning is growing in popularity in all areas and levels of education and training.

·         The critical attributes of e-learning include flexibility of time, place and pace of study.

·         E-learning affords opportunities to design learning environments that are authentic, situated in the learning context, and also problem-based in order to provide students with learning by doing experiences.

e-resources

·         Electronic resources (e-resources) consist of data representing numbers, text, graphics, images, maps, moving images, music, sounds, etc. and programs of instruction sets.

·         E-resources should be readily accessible to all teacher educators and teacher trainees.

·         Before the development of computer and internet technology, printed version of resources like books, journals, dictionaries, work books, etc. played a significant role in teaching and learning process.

·         The printed versions of resources are not easily accessible to all and are also expensive in nature.

·         In today’s age of internet, the electronic version of books and e-journals is available in abundance and has become inevitable.

Types of e-resources

·         E-resources in Teacher Education are generally classified into two major areas namely Online e-resources and Offline e-resources.

·         Online e-resources are :

§  e-books; e-journals; e-mail; e-library e-forum; e-learning (lessons / courses); e-shops; e-dictionaries; mobile sms / mms; search engines and metasearch engines.

§  This can be available in a three types of matter; (a) freely available resource contents  (Websites); (b) licensed resources (databases available by logging by library card) and (c) onsite resources (websites related to particular content names).

·         Offline e-resources are :

§  CD-ROM based e-resources; Offline e-books; Offline e-dictionaries; MS Office applications (documents, spreadsheets, power points); Training software; e-prompter; resources from mobile devices and secondary storage devices.

·         Library access for Teachers

·         Any library resources access by teacher educators and teacher trainees that can be accessed via computer by four e-resource items viz., electronic journals; scholarly databases; information gateways and the internet materials.

·         Electronic information sources can be seen as the most recent development in information technology and are among the most powerful tools for teacher education.

e-communication:

·         Electronic communication (e-communication) refers to the exchange of information by electronic and electrical means over a significant distance.

·         E-communication devices include telephones, mobile phones, VoIP, broadcast networks, fiber optics, satellites and the internet..

Blogs

·         The terms blog and web log (or weblog) refer to a website that contains a log or diary of information, specific topics or opinions.

·         A blog author (blogger) links to stories or other websites with relevant and interesting information.

·         These links are typically segregated according to the blog's topic or subtopic and written in reverse chronological order, meaning that the most current links display at the top of the blog's home page.

·         Another major characteristic of blogs is the ease of use to post, as understanding HTML is not required.

·         Bloggers post fresh content related to their thoughts or opinions about specific or various topics, while Web loggers refer to information they find relevant and useful.

·         That said, the term is web log is dated and was more frequently used in the early days of the Web. Using the term

·         Blog is much more popular than web log, as non technical users are allowed to publish their content by many content management systems.

Bulletin boards, Forums

·         The terms bulletin board, message board and even internet forum are interchangeable, although often one bulletin board or message board can contain a number of internet forums or discussion groups.

·         A bulletin board (pin board or notice board) is a surface intended for the posting of public messages, so that people can read.

·         Bulletin boards are sometimes referred to as message boards. An online board can serve the same purpose as a physical bulletin board.

·         A message board is also known as a forum, an online forum, and Internet forum or a discussion board.

·         A message board is an online discussion area in which users with similar interests discuss topics. These conversations or discussions are available in the form of posted messages. 

·         Discussions are listed in a central place maintained on web pages. Message boards can be specialised or general, global or local, free or subscription-based, public or private, etc.

·         Due to the simplicity and uncomplicated accessibility, message boards have become an excellent source of discussion and communication on the Internet. 

·         In these friendly discussion spots, members are able to view posts, post new queries or respond to existing queries posted by other members. 

·         A message board may include one or more sub forums, each of which can include numerous topics.

·         Inside a forum, every new discussion started is known as a thread. There is no restriction on how many messages can be posted under each thread. 

·         Most forums come with robust search features, which help users to go to an existing discussion quickly.

·         With respect to the forum's settings, users can access, read, and post messages either as an anonymous user or as a registered member. 

·         In some forums, the users must register and log in to post messages.

·         The majority of the forums allow users to read the existing threads without logging in.

·         Software programs to set up online forums are extensively available on the web.

·         Various programs may be incorporated simply into an existing website to let visitors post their comments.

·         Common jargon associated with message boards includes: 

§  User group: Some forums co-ordinate visitors and registered members into user groups. Rights and privileges are given depending on these groups. 

§  Administrator: An administrator or admin handles the technical details essential to run the site. 

§  Moderator: A moderator is a user or an employee of the message board who is granted access to the threads and posts of all members. The moderator's main job is to moderate discussions and keep the forums clean. Moderators also respond to users' concerns regarding the forum, general queries, as well as reply to specific complaints. 

§  Thread: A thread or topic is a group of posts, often exhibited from newest to oldest. 

§  Post: A post is a message submitted by the user, which is enclosed into a block that contains the user's details as well as the date and time in which the message was submitted. Members are permitted to edit or delete their own posts in most cases. Posts are held under threads, where they are displayed as blocks one after another.          

Social Media for Pedagogical Innovation

·         In most contemporary learning environments, media is skillfully integrated with the instructional method and the media plays a very influential and critical role in learning and teaching.

·         Media play a critical role in achieving the intended learning outcomes for the students.

·         Media serve to motivate students with clever use of sound, pictures and animation.

·         Media are also very useful in representing contexts and situations from the real world which are harder to bring into the classroom for live demonstrations.

·         The learning environments skillfully utilise the strengths of various media attributes with powerful learning strategies such as problem solving, collaborative inquiry and critical reflection to engage learners in meaningful and motivating learning tasks.

·         In such educational settings media take on a very important role in both learning and teaching.

·         Learning and teaching is adversely affected when media are not skillfully integrated into the learning experiences.

·         Conversely, learning and teaching is optimised when media have been carefully selected and applied with sound instructional strategies to serve specific learning needs in different domains of learning.

·         Clever use of media can serve to motivate learner’s interest.

·         Information and communication technologies provide various opportunities for capturing and representing real-world scenarios.

·         Certain media such as video has attributes that are especially valuable for capturing authentic contexts and situations from the real world.

·         Skillful integration of media and teaching methods is critical in the optimisation of learning.

·         Skillful integration of media and teaching methods can be achieved through pedagogical designs such as: real-life scenario-based learning, problem-based learning, case-based learning, role-play based learning, and design-based learning.

e-textbooks - e-journals - Digital Library

·         The impact of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is emerging in the library systems, giving way to electronic books (e-books) as well as digital knowledge centres.

·         e-textbooks,  e-journals and other electronic sources of reading are commonly referred to as e-books.

·         Electronic books or E-books can be defined as any kind of digitised information, ranging from a CD-ROM title to an online interactive database or a collection of Web pages; a collection of reactive pages of electronic information that exhibit many of the characteristic features and properties of a conventional book.

·         Digital libraries are learning environments which have an application containing a multimedia database of instructional resources that store pre-captured multimedia presentations about topics in a book.

·         A digital library could provide access to an unlimited number of copies.

·         E-books are easy to carry and they cut down the requirement of papers, save office space and take less time to process information.

e-Governance

·         E-governance can be defined as delivery of government services and information to the public using electronic means, chief aided by the applications of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).

·         E-governance requires several elements of good governance, such as transparency, accountability, participation, social integration, public financial management reform and development.

·         E-governance solution in the field of educational sector has changed the way administration, which is designed to make the system user-friendly, time saving and cost saving.

·         E-governance in education sector facilitates the processing and maintenance of large volumes of information such as registration, admission, student information, classes, time table, transport, attendance, library, salary, expenses, examinations, performance, grades, hostels, security, reports, management, transport, staff details and fees.

·         E-governance enables the Government and Citizens to access easily, to improve new class of quality of services and to provide multi-channel service delivery system.

Benefits of E-governance

·         The multi-faceted benefits of e-governance in an educational sector can be described as under these points:

§  Increase the efficiency of the various departments and reduces duplication

§  Preparation of reports becomes easy and quicker.

§  Harassment of the students is reduced.

§  Easy online information and submission of forms and payment also becomes almost immediate.

§  The management, faculty members, students and administrative staff get connected to the each other more easily leading to enhanced efficiency in delivering service by the way of faster dissemination of information that on a very low cost.

§  Equal opportunity to access to information is provided regardless of one’s physical location and physical disability thus removing distance barriers.

§  Leads to significant reduction of transaction costs, time, space, and manpower.

Digital Divide

·         The Digital Divide is a social issue referring to the differing amount of information between those who have access to the Internet, specially broadband access, and those who do not have access. The term became popular among concerned parties, such as scholars, policy makers, and advocacy groups, in the late 1990s.

·         The difference of the digital divide is not necessarily determined by the access to the Internet, but by access to ICT (Information and Communications Technologies) and to Media that the different segments of society can use.

·         The Internet and other ICTs are transforming society, improving mutual understanding, eliminating power differentials, realising a truly free and democratic world society, and other benefits.

·         There are many arguments regarding closing the digital divide, among which the following are major :

§  Economic equality : Much vital information for people's career, civic life, safety, etc. are increasingly provided via the Internet. Even social welfare services are sometimes administered and offered electronically.

§  Social mobility : Computer and computer networks play an increasingly important role in learning and career and education should computing and use of the Internet. The existing digital divide works unfairly to the children in the lower socio-economic status.

§  Democracy : The use of the internet would lead to a healthier democracy by increased public participation in elections and decision making processes.

§  Economic growth : The development and active use of information infrastructure would aid the economic growth for less developed nations. Information technologies in general tend to be associated with productivity improvements and give a competitive advantage.

Role of Teacher and learner

·         ICT offers a range of new possibilities for the administrators, teachers and students.

·         A teacher must enable the right pupils to receive the right education, at a cost within the means of the state under conditions which will enable the pupils in the best way to profit by their training.

·         Eminent teachers can be utilised for teaching at their convenience through mobile technologies and seamless communication technologies that support constant teaching and learning.

·         Teachers can fully equip students to meet the ever evolving demands in today's highly-competitive environment.

·         The e-Learning system has powerful capabilities for managing courses and tailoring instructions to meet student needs.

·         Learners are free to participate in learning activities at their convenience through online technologies.

·         Learners should maximise their E-learning and gain better access to educational resources from outside the institution on a global and instant basis.

·         Learners can flexibly exchange their respective view-points and knowledge through e-mail and online discussion forums.

·         Teachers and learners can contribute to international, cross-cultural and collaborative learning by discussing issues online, scheduling collaborative sessions and forming groups to enable teamwork across geographic boundaries and extend learning beyond the classroom.

·         The education system needs to be made more efficient and effective by implementing e-governance.

·         The educators must think in terms of imparting what is known as life-long education, or, more aptly, life-long self-education.

Concept of Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives

·         A digital immigrant is an individual who was born before the widespread adoption of digital technology.

·         The term digital immigrant may also apply to individuals who were born after the spread of digital technology and who were not exposed to it at an early age.

·         Digital immigrants are the opposite of digital natives, who have been interacting with technology from childhood.

·         Digital immigrants are believed to be less quick to pick up new technologies than digital natives.

·         A commonly used example is that a digital immigrant may prefer to print out a document to edit it by hand rather than doing onscreen editing.

Learning Management Systems (LMS)

·         A learning management system (LMS) is a software application or Web-based technology used to plan, implement, and assess a specific learning process.

·         Typically, a learning management system provides an instructor with a way to create and deliver content, monitor student participation, and assess student performance.

·         A learning management system may also provide students with the ability to use interactive features such as threaded discussions and discussion forums.

·         The Advanced Distance Learning group, sponsored by the United States Department of Defence, has created a set of specifications called Shareable Content Object Reference Model to encourage the standardisation of learning management systems.

Course Management Systems (CMS)

·         A course management system is a set of tools that enables the instructor to create online course content and post it on the Web without having to handle HTML or other programming languages.

·         Course management systems have become an integral part of the higher education system. They make teaching and course management easier by providing a framework and set of tools for instructors.

·         The administrative aspects of CMS may include class rosters and the ability to record students' grades.

·         With respect to the teaching aspects, however, it could include learning objects, class exercises, quizzes and tests.

·         The CMS may also include tools for real-time chat, or asynchronous bulletin board type communications.

·         The CMS tool also focuses on all aspects of teaching, learning and teacher-student interaction. 

·         Some of the major players in the CMS field include WebCT and Blackboard.

·         Some U.S institutions have developed open source projects such as CourseWorks, CHEF and Stellar.

·         Some colleges also develop their own small-scale course management systems.

Online Learning

·         Online Learning can be defined as learning with the assistance of the internet and a personal computer. The term e-learning, or electronic learning, often is used interchangeably with online learning.

·         Online learning can consist of both real-time interactions as well as interactions which occur over extended periods of time, such as email or an online discussion board.

·         Courses are broken up into modules that contain the learning content and activities to be completed by the learner.

·         Each module usually begins with text readings, PowerPoint, and lectures that provide the information needed to complete the assignments.

·         The learning activities vary with each module and might include discussions, scenarios, simulations, projects, or papers.

·         The important benefit of online learning is that it can span time and distance.

·         The teacher and the student need not be in the same place to obtain course related information. 

·         Online learning facilitates easy and flexible access to course documents to students with consistent interaction with classmates and teacher.

·         Online learning falls under the broader category of distance education.

·         Distance education is defined as an education program whereby students may complete all or part of an educational program in a geographical location apart from the institution hosting the program.

·         The final award given for distance education is equivalent in standard and content to an award program completed on campus.

·         Typically, students and teachers reside in different locations; a physical classroom is not necessary. Therefore the teaching and learning process relies on the internet and a personal computer.

·         The ability for learners to extend communication and access resources outside of their school or work environments, allows them to supplement - and sometimes fully replace - activities once reserved for the traditional classroom or workplace.

Blended Learning

·         Blended learning describes the combining of face-to-face learning activities with online or computer-based learning activities.

·         Blended learning is the integration of classroom learning with e-learning, as the usage of computer technologies enables students to learn effectively.

·         There is a relatively new term of workshops that deals with blending some of the different modes of online learning, especially blending synchronous with asynchronous modes.

LMS Software

·         LMS is an acronym for Learning Management System, a software platform used to deliver and track training courses.

·         Commonly used in corporate training and higher education settings, learning management systems are software platforms that store and deliver training content and then track participation in training.

·         Most LMS enable learning managers to upload online training content created by a variety of authoring tools, as long as the content is compliant with SCORM, the industry standard file format.

·         An LMS then allows companies to assign training to their employees, track their participation, and produce documentation of employee training activity and results.

·         In sectors where companies are legally required to provide certain types of safety or compliance training, an LMS is an essential tool to keep track of the company’s compliance.

·         Finally, using an LMS enables companies to create different tracks of training courses to deliver to different groups of employees in order to fulfill their specific training objectives—creating a customised learning programme for each employee, as needed.

·         In addition to delivering and tracking online training courses, many LMS enable training managers to keep track of employees’ participation in other types of training programs, such as in-person classes.

LCMS Software

·         In contrast to an LMS, Learning Content Management Systems (LCMS) are primarily used to create, store and organise e-learning content.

·         Instructional designers use this software to develop, manage and publish training content.

·         Rather than creating course catalogues for wide audiences, LCMS platforms allow single courses to be modified for individual learners.

·         An LCMS system usually allows multiple collaborators to work together to create content that can then be published in a variety of formats.

·         The key difference between an LMS and an LCMS is the target user. The LMS user is the learner, while the LCMS user is the learning content creator.

·         Many LCMS also have the ability to store and deliver older versions of courses.

·         Companies that want customised courses delivered to their employees generally use an LCMS.

·         When designing training materials to deliver through an LCMS, learning and development personnel should research quality authors and publishers. 

CMS Software

·         CMS is Content Management System, a software used to organise content comprising a website.

·         Content management systems create the framework in which content is stored and displayed on a website.

·         CMS systems manage various content forms, including files, images, electronic documents, audio files, and many more.

·         CMS functions allow distributors to decide which content is displayed privately or publicly.

·         Content can be easily tagged using metadata, which is best for searching and using content quickly and efficiently. 

·         As opposed to a CMS, a learning CMS is specialised for the creation and management of learning content.

Blackboard

·         Blackboard Learn (previously the Blackboard Learning Management System), is a virtual learning environment and course management system developed by Blackboard Inc. 

·         Blackboard is web-based server software which features course management, customisable open architecture, and scalable design that allows integration with student information systems and authentication protocols.

·         Blackboard may be installed on local servers or hosted by Blackboard ASP Solutions.

·         Main purposes of Blackboard are to add online elements to courses traditionally delivered face-to-face and to develop completely online courses with few or no face-to-face meetings.

·         Blackboard Inc. provides powerful and easy-to-use systems for educational instruction, communication, and assessment.

·         Blackboard LLC was founded in 1997 by two education advisors, Matthew Pittinsky and Michael Chasen, as a consulting firm to provide technical standards for online learning applications.

·         Blackboard Inc. offers two comprehensive product lines which are termed the Networked Transaction Environment (NTE) and the Networked Learning Environment (NLE).

·         The NTE product is the Blackboard Commerce Suite which contains the Blackboard Transaction System, the Blackboard Community System and Bb One.

·         The Blackboard Commerce Suite provides software for the establishment and functioning of universal financial and data accounts for students, faculty, and other members of the campus community, enabling clients to track commerce and access transactions on campus, off campus, and online within a one-card program.

·         The NLE product is the Blackboard Academic Suite which contains the Blackboard Learning System, the Blackboard Community System and the Blackboard Content System. This single platform integrates data and applications for e-learning.

·         The Blackboard Learning System is the heart of the NLE and it enables instructors to create and manage course matter, employ publisher content, communicate with students, and evaluate performance.

·         Students and faculty may benefit from course management systems such as the Blackboard Learning System. Potential benefits include:

§  Increased availability

§  Quick feedback

§  Improved communication

§  Tracking

§  Skill building

·         Some of the drawbacks or limitations associated with the Blackboard Learning System include:

§  The software is harder to learn than expected

§  Certain options may be restricted to specific operating systems

§  There are inefficiencies in bandwidth use when materials have to be downloaded every time access is sought

§  Cost

Moodle

·         Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (Moodle) is an open-source software that provides the ability to create, deploy and manage e-learning websites and applications.

·         Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environments are a type of learning management system (LMS) or online learning system (OLS).

·         Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environments were initially developed by an educator and are now maintained by Moodle Community and Moodle HQ.

·         Moodle course management provides the functionality to create and manage educational courses online.

·         The Moodle environment is entirely free to use, is available under General Public License.

·         Moodle's features include the ability to develop courses, enroll students, manage assignments, and provide quizzes, grading, wiki and discussion forums for thousands of virtual students at a time.

·         Besides education, Moodle is used for various other related environments such as business communication and employee or system training.

·         Moodle can also be used as a generic knowledge management system.

Desire2Learn

·         Known as Desire2Learn until the year 2014, D2L Corporation is an educational technology company with corporate headquarters in Kitchener, Ontario.

·         D2L Corporation is known for its Brightspace learning management system.

·         Desire2Learn was founded in 1999 by president and CEO John Baker.

·         In 2013, D2L Corporation acquired Wiggio and Knowillage Systems Inc., the creator of the adaptive learning engine, LeaP.

·         In 2014, D2L Corporation rebranded its learning management system as Brightspace.

Webinar

·         Short for web-based seminar, a Webinar is an interactive and live seminar, presentation, lecture, or workshop that is transmitted over the World Wide Web using video conference software.

·         A key feature of a Webinar is its interactive elements - the ability to give, receive and discuss information. Participating viewers can submit questions and comments to the presenter through chatting, video-chatting, file-sharing, or asking questions with a microphone.

·         This is in contrast with webcast, in which the data transmission is one way and does not allow interaction between the presenter and the audience.

Massive Online Open Course (MOOC)

·         A Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is a model for delivering learning content online to any person who wants to take a course, with no limit on attendance.

·         MOOC has open access and interactive participation by means of the Web.

·         MOOCs provide participants with course materials that are normally used in a conventional education setting - such as examples, lectures, videos, study materials and problem sets.

·         MOOCs offer interactive user forums, which are extremely useful in building a community for students, TAs, and professors.

·         Generally, MOOCs do not charge tuition fees or provide academic credit.

·         MOOCs are a recent progression in distance education. The concept of MOOCs originated in 2008 among the open educational resources (OER) movement.

Some of the advantages of a MOOC are as follows :

·         No tuition fees.

·         Open access, exposing top level professors at schools that would othewise be unavailable to much of the World's population.

·         Open courses for all interested, regardless of location, resulting in a more diverse student base.

·         Collecting data via computer programs helps closely monitor the success and failure of each student. Traditional classroom participation cannot offer this type of precise information.

·         Some enthusiastic professors have found global sharing of knowledge more appealing. Many acknowledge that MOOCs help them re-evaluate their pedagogical methods, while improving knowledge sharing.

·         One drawback is the low course completion rate. Some studies have shown that courses are completed by as few as 10 percent of the huge volume of students that join the MOOC.

Mobile Learning

·         Mobile learning is the delivery of learning, education or learning support on mobile phones, PDAs or tablets.

·         Mobile learning is really the same concept of e-Learning only the electronic media platform is specifically clarified as personal devices or portable technology.

·         With mobile learning, employees or students have the ability to access training content anywhere, provided their devices get signals.

Advantages of Mobile Learning

·         The ability to utilise a blended learning approach and the opportunity to access training from nearly any location.

·         The ability to exchange information and interact with other learners almost instantly, increasing social learning benefits as learners communicate and collaborate with one another.

Access of Mobile Learning

·         Mobile learning is accessed through a type of internet based software application called learning management system (LMS).

·         The LMS tool allows training co-ordinators to store all training content in one place where users can access via their mobile device.

·         An LMS can help track training activities, scores on assessments, and just about any other aspect related to the training.

·         The right LMS can help make mobile learning simple and convenient for both learners and training administrators.

Ubiquitous Computing

·         Ubiquitous computing is a model in which the processing of information is linked with each activity or object as encountered.

·         Ubiquitous computing involves connecting electronic devices, including embedding microprocessors to communicate information.

·         Devices that use ubiquitous computing have constant availability and are completely connected.

·         Ubiquitous computing focuses on learning by removing the complexity of computing and increases efficiency while using computing for different daily activities.

·         The main focus of ubiquitous computing is the creation of smart products that are connected, making communication and the exchange of data easier and less obtrusive. 

·         Ubiquitous computing goes past the arena of desktops so that virtually any device, from apparel to kitchen appliances, could be embedded with microchips, connecting these devices to a boundless network of other gadgets.

·         Ubiquitous computing creates an unobtrusive environment with full and integrated Internet connectivity. 

·         A combination of technologies is used to ubiquitous computing possible, such as internet capabilities, voice recognition, networking, artificial intelligence and wireless computing.

·         Ubiquitous computing devices make day-to-day computing activities extremely easy to access.

·         Ubiquitous computing also has a number of prospective applications, which range from home care and health, to geographical tracking and intelligent transport systems.

·         Key features of ubiquitous computing include:

§  Consideration of the human factor and placing of the paradigm in a human environment.

§  Use of inexpensive processors, thereby reducing memory and storage requirements.

§  Capturing of real-time attributes.

§  Totally connected and constantly available computing devices.

§  Focus on many-to-many relationships, instead of one-to-one, many-to-one or one-to-many in the environment, along with the idea of technology, which is constantly present.

§  Includes local/global, social/personal, public/private and invisible/visible features and considers knowledge creation, as well as information dissemination.

§  Relies on converging Internet, wireless technology and advanced electronics.

§  Increased surveillance and possible restriction and interference in user privacies, as the digital devices are wearable and constantly connected.

§  As technology progresses, the reliability factor of the different equipment used may be impacted.

·         Ubiquitous computing is also known as pervasive computing, everyware and ambient intelligence.

·         The terms ubiquitous and pervasive signify existing everywhere.

Disadvantages of ubiquitous computing

·         The devices and technologies used in ubiquitous computing do not lend themselves well to typical data security, as they combine in an ad hoc manner within the pervasive network.

·         Line connections are frequently broken.

·         Slow connections.

·         Very expensive operating costs.

·         Host bandwidths, limited in nature.

·         Location-dependent data.

·         All of these disadvantages can impede the security of ubiquitous computing as they result in multiple system vulnerabilities.

Cloud computing

·         The name cloud computing comes from the traditional usage of the cloud to represent the internet - or a wide area network (WAN) - in network diagrams or flowcharts.

·         Cloud computing is the the use of various services, such as software development platforms, servers, storage, and software, over the internet, often referred to as the cloud.

·         In general, there are three cloud computing characteristics that are common among all cloud-computing vendors: 

§  The back-end of the application, especially hardware, is completely managed by a cloud vendor.

§  A user only pays for services used like memory, processing time and bandwidth, etc.

§  Cloud computing services are scalable.

·         Cloud computing services are commonly categorised as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) or Software as a Service (SaaS).

·         The ability to pay on demand and scale quickly is largely a result of cloud computing vendors being able to pool resources that may be divided among multiple clients.

·         Cloud computing enables smaller organisations to have access to processing power storage and business processes, which were once only available to large enterprises.

To read an Abstract of my research paper published in "i-manager journal of cloud computing" Please click here

Flipped Classrooms: Need and Importance in Indian context

·         A flipped classroom is one where students are introduced to content at home, and practice working through it at school.

·         The flipped classroom describes a reversal of traditional teaching where students gain first exposure to new material outside of class, usually via reading or lecture videos, and then class time is used to do the harder work of assimilating that knowledge through strategies such as problem-solving, discussion or debates.

·         In this blended learning approach, face-to-face interaction is mixed with independent study via technology.

·         In the flipped classroom, the roles and expectations of students and teachers change where students take more responsibility for their own learning and study core content either individually or in groups before class and then apply knowledge and skills to a range of activities using higher order thinking.

·         Teaching one-to-many focuses more on facilitation and moderation than lecturing, though lecturing is still important. 

·         Significant learning opportunities can be gained through facilitating active learning, engaging students, guiding learning, correcting misunderstandings and providing timely feedback using a variety of pedagogical strategies.

·         The National Curriculum Framework (2005) strongly recommends the use of child-friendly pedagogical practices.

·         The Right to Education Act (2009) re-emphasises the use of these practices.

·         Secondary stage is a period of transition when the individual changes from a child to an adult rapidly - physically and psychologically.

·         Secondary students are encountering physical, social, emotional, and intellectual changes in their lives. It is at this time that students need a new approach, like the flipped classroom, to be brought in by the teachers into the classroom.

·         An instructional strategy, the flipped classroom is one that can provide students with the means to increase one-to-one interaction while reducing the direct-instruction in their learning process.

·         This approach can provide a self-paced instructional method that can effectively support their learning.

·         Teachers who use the Flipped Classroom approach can add additional supporting elements like assessment for learning, problem-based inquiry, and strategies for differentiation.

·         Teachers can also create an environment for instruction that is more flexible than the traditional classroom settings.

·         Flipped classroom is widely promoted in international educational circles and is an increasingly important idea for Indian Education Policy.

·         The methods for flipped classroom inside the classroom include Practice Exercises, Problem Solving & Group-Based or Open-Ended Problem Solving.

·         The methods for flipped classroom outside the classroom include Video Lectures, Closed-Ended Quizzes & Practice Exercises.

·         As most commonly proposed for secondary education, the flip means moving lectures from the class to pre-class homework, while reserving class time for having students to do the problems and exercises that have traditionally been the domain of out-of-class assignments.

·         Actual Flipped Classroom is that new ICT technologies make it easy to convert instructor lectures through digital recordings and place these online for student access outside of face-to-face class time.

·         As a result, students can review lectures in advance of the regular class, then have class sessions for working together on the assignments that traditionally have been done as homework.

·         Not only are students seen as gaining through working together on "homework" problems in class, but instructors are able to more quickly see where students are struggling and provide remedial support.

·         Positive learning differences are seen is when changes occur in the uses of classroom time. These are changes that go beyond flipping lectures for simple exercises and practice problems typically assigned as homework.

·         Much of the students' feedback need is provided in class, reducing the need for instructors to provide extensive commentary outside of class.

·         The flipped classroom is gaining support at all levels of education, including in primary, secondary and post-secondary classes.

Advantages of Flipped Classroom

·         This ICT technology provides additional supporting instructional material for students that can be accessed online.

·         Flipped Classroom method revealed three major findings :

§  Students are doing less homework in a Flipped Classroom than in a traditional lecture-based classroom

§  Students enjoyed learning in a Flipped Classroom environment

§  Students benefited from watching their lectures in condensed-lesson formats.

·         Struggling students can pause and rewind contents and have more time with the teacher.

·         Students are able to extend their learning by learning and applying technology skills at all levels.

·         Students are more engaged in their learning by working collaboratively with each other.

·         Teachers can spend more time with individual groups of students.

·         Teachers can differentiate their instruction according to the level of students.

·         Teachers are able to reach students in their digital language.

·         Teachers can work more collaboratively.

·         Teachers are excited about teaching and learning process.

Flipped class room approach in Secondary stage

·         The National Curriculum Framework 2005 (NCF) gives out a framework for governments (central and state) to develop their curriculums, text-books and standards for teaching practices, as recommended by National Centre for Education Research and Training (NCERT).

·         The NCF explicitly includes the use of practices along child-friendly lines.

·         The NCF highlights positive and negative teaching behaviours and practices that include descriptions of a suitable physical environment within schools, and suggestions for the development of nurturing and enabling environments within the classroom.

·         The NCF also stresses the importance of the participation and respectful inclusion of all children and gives advice on the appropriate use of learning resources for teaching.

Augmented Reality - pedagogical potentials

·         Augmented Reality (AR) is a type of interactive, reality-based display environment that takes the capabilities of computer generated display, sound, text and effects to enhance the user's real-world experience.

·         Augmented Reality combines real and computer-based scenes and images to deliver a unified but enhanced view of the world.

·         Augmented Reality has many different implementation models and applications, but its primary objective is to provide a rich audio-visual experience.

·         Augmented Reality works by employing computerised simulation and techniques such as image and speech recognition, animation, head-mounted and hand-held devices and powered display environments.

·         Pedagogical methodology aims for improving the quality of learning through transforming traditional instructional delivery techniques into technology-based learning.

·         As a pedagogical approach, Augmented Reality aligns well with situated and constructivist learning theory as it positions the learner within a real-world physical and social context.

·         Augmented Reality-based learning tools draw students’ attention by providing an easy-to-use and navigate interface.

·         Augmented Reality-based learning tools create a multi-user collaborative environment that enables natural interactions to enhance communication.

·         Augmented Reality affords the ability to present multiple incomplete, yet complementary perspectives on a problem situated within a physical space to a group of learners.

·         This unique affordability of Augmented Reality enables educators to incorporate collaborative pedagogical techniques and experience design approaches.

·         Augmenting the physical environment with digital information transforms that environment into a venue for multiple, otherwise unrealised learning opportunities.

Pedagogy in Bring Your own Devices (BYOD) Environment

·         Bring Your Own Device or BYOD is a simple concept of people and school staff being allowed to bring their own internet-enabled devices into school and use them to work and learn.

·         With BYOD, employers and employees have been able to share mobile use with flexible arrangements where a personal device can be used for business.

·         Modern mobile device management adds security and scalability to these kinds of uses, which can require some complex access architectures and customised engineering.

·         BYOD includes a variety of devices and may include Laptop Computers, Netbook Computers, Smartphones, Tablet Computers, eBook Readers, Audio and Video MP3/MP4 Players, etc.

·         The adoption of BYOD models in schools is largely the result of two factors namely school budget constraints and the consuming of technology.

·         BYOD could be considered as enriching and extending existing teaching methods.

·         Teachers can create online polls where students respond immediately in a lesson via their web-enabled devices.

·         Students can ask questions via text message without disrupting the flow of a lecture and can become more independent in their information seeking.

·         The increasing number of sensors present on phones and tablets can be used to support science experiments, providing accuracy as good as school or college equipment but without the expense of maintenance or training.

·         As with flipped learning, BYOD can shift the teacher’s role towards guiding and managing.

·         Students can access their own devices to achieve goals set by their teachers and become more independent learners.

·         A teacher may set activities in the classroom to be continued at home or elsewhere and then shared back at school or college.

Challenges of BYOD

·         Learners may be disadvantaged if they cannot afford the multimedia devices needed to participate fully, or if they have to monitor and restrict their data usage.

·         Giving students uncontrolled access to the internet at all times may result in students browsing the web or messaging their friends when they should be concentrating on a classroom activity.

·         Students may misuse the power of their devices.

·         In some countries, these issues of access and appropriate use have been highlighted in the press and taken up by teachers’ organisations.

Open Educational Resources (OER)

·         Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching and learning materials that are freely available online for everyone to use. In an educational context, OER relates to resources that are specifically licenced to be used and re-used.

·         Examples of OER include full courses, course modules, syllabi, lectures, homework assignments, quizzes, lab and classroom activities, pedagogical materials, games, simulations, and many more resources contained in digital media collections from around the world.

·         Many philosophies and models of OER have emerged which include sharing freely, preventing duplication, avoiding restrictive (Copyright) practices, promoting economic efficiencies and improving access to wide groups of stakeholders.  

·         Several of these philosophies have been significant within the education community both in terms of research and learning & teaching, particularly educational technology.

·         Learning resources should be considered by their levels of granularity and focus on the degree to which information content is embedded within a learning activity.

·         OER was first introduced at a conference hosted by UNESCO in 2000 and was promoted in the context of providing free access to educational resources on a global scale.

·         OER initiatives aspire to provide open access to high-quality education resources on a global scale.

·         From large institution-based or institution-supported initiatives to numerous small-scale activities, the number of OER related programmes and projects have been growing quickly within the past few years.

Creative Commons Licence

·         Creative Commons Licence is also known as Creative Commons (CC).

·         Creative Commons (CC) is a non-profit organisation formed in 2001 to provide free access to culture, education and research through the Web's open source platform.

·         Creative Commons licences a some rights reserved alternative to traditional copyright law, allowing various types of content to achieve full Web potential and compatibility.

·         Creative Commons licenses allow creators to maintain copyrights on their works while allowing others to copy and distribute those works.

·         In Creative Commons licences, work can be freely shared and distributed, as long as the creator is given proper credit and the work is distributed under the license's specified conditions.

·         The Creative Commons board includes entrepreneurs, philanthropists and experts in education, thought leadership, technology and law.

·         Creative Commons provides the legal and technical infrastructure essential to the long-term success of OER, making it possible for educational resources to be widely accessible, adaptable, interoperable and discoverable.

·         CC licences help educators to broaden the impact of their own educational resources, to customise resources made similarly available by others to suit their own curriculum needs and the needs of their students, and to easily search for and find relevant OER.

·         CC enables translation of educational resources into different languages.

·         CC enables educational resources to evolve and be improved through peer and student edits.

·         CC enables easier discovery of educational resources on the web.

·         CC offers creators a simple, standardised way to grant copyright permissions to their work. 

·         Government bodies, universities, and libraries around the world leverage CC licenses to increase access to, and the impact of, their educational resources.

·         CC licenses are available in three different formats. 

§  The first is a human-readable deed that simplifies the terms of each license into a few universal icons and non-technical language.

§  The second is the lawyer-readable terms of the license itself, which have been vetted by a global team of legal experts.

§  The third is the machine-readable code enables search and discovery.

·         The OER movement is poised to greatly further global access to and participation in education, but only if a critical mass of educational institutions and communities interoperate legally and technically via Creative Commons.

·         This will require institutions, teachers, and policymakers in all arenas to implement and recommend use of CC’s tools for educational resources.

Emerging Digital Assistive Technologies

·         Assistive Technology  includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for disability and also includes the process used in selecting, locating, and using them.

·         Assistive Technology is a measure of a computer system's accessibility to all people, including those with disabilities or impairments.

·         Assistive technology promotes greater independence by enabling people to perform tasks that they were formerly unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing, by providing enhancements to, or changing methods of interacting with, the technology needed to accomplish such tasks.

·         Assistive Technology concerns both software and hardware and how they are configured in order to enable a disabled or impaired person to use that computer system successfully.

·         Assistive Technology also can be incorporated with other forms of media, like pictures and videos.

·         Assistive Technology follows an Information and Communications Technology (ICT)-oriented convention used in the software community.

·         Assistive Technology is also known as Accessibility.

·         All participants in the student’s school and work community should receive information about assistive technology.

·         Training that provides information about assistive technology encourages the effective use of assistive technology.

·         School staff, classroom aides, family members, and service providers who will be delivering assistive technology services to the student will likely need more intense training on the device.

·         Part of this training should include instruction on setting up and using the device, working with the modifications to the device, learning to troubleshoot problems, and making use of the device to meet the student’s educational goals.

·         Staff training should be provided on a regular basis since the field of assistive technology changes rapidly. Staff will need regular updates on the latest technology.

·         The Assistive Technology Partnership (ATP) promotes awareness of assistive technology and offers statewide consultation and trainings on technology, focusing on the latest developments.

·         Training and technical assistance offered by ATP includes:

§  Individualised assessments for home, school, and worksite modifications;

§  Early childhood and school solutions;

§  Web site assessments for accessibility;

§  Training on early childhood/school age development and technology services;

§  Training on a wide range of assistive devices; and

§  Training for accessible web site design.

·         Assistive Technology is redefining what is possible for people with a various range of cognitive/ learning, print, and physical abilities and disabilities.

·         Assistive Technology is enabling all individuals, of all ages, including those with disabilities, to be more independent, self-confident, productive and better included in everyday life, education, employment and living.

·         Assistive Technology can be anything low-tech or high-tech, modified or adapted, which is used to help an individual perform some task of daily living. 

·         The term Assistive Technology encompasses such a broad range including devices (computer/laptop, tablets), software (text to speech, voice recognition, magnification, screen reading), built-in accessibility features in everyday technologies, applications and extensions, adjustable furniture/desks, adaptive keyboards and mice, adapted writing tools, walking assistance, ramps, grab bars, environmental controls, eye gaze, switches, and much more.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and inclusion.

·         Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a set of principles for curriculum development that provides teachers with a structure to develop instruction to meet the diverse needs of all learners.

·         UDL is a research-based framework which suggests that each student learns in a unique manner and the approach of one method of teaching fitting all students is not effective.

·         Instruction can be customised and adjusted to meet individual student needs by creating options for how instruction is presented, how students express their ideas, and how teachers can engage students in their learning.

·         In learning environments, such as schools and universities, individual variability is the norm, not the exception. 

·         When curricula are designed to meet the needs of an imaginary average, they fail to provide all individuals with fair and equal opportunities to learn by excluding learners with different abilities, backgrounds, and motivations who do not meet the illusive criteria for average.

·         UDL helps address learner variability by suggesting flexible goals, methods, materials, and assessments that empower educators to meet these varied needs.

·         Curricula that is created using UDL is designed from the outset to meet the needs of all learners, making costly, time-consuming, and after-the-fact changes unnecessary. 

·         The UDL framework encourages creating flexible designs from the start that have customisable options, which allow all learners to progress from where they are and not where we would have imagined them to be. 

·         Three primary principles, which are based on neuroscience research, guide UDL and provide the underlying framework for the guidelines.

Principle I : Multiple Means of Representation (the “what” of learning)

·         The first UDL principle has three supporting guidelines that help direct its implementation in the classroom and in the creation of course materials - provide options for perception, provide options for language, expressions and symbols and provide options for comprehension.

·         Students differ in the ways that they perceive and comprehend information that is presented to them.

·         This principle suggests that by showing the same material in different ways, learning opportunities are increased for all learners.

·         If these multiple options are not there, then there is an increased chance to inhibit student learning.

Principle II: Multiple Means of Action and Expression (the “how” of learning)

·         The second UDL principle has three supporting guidelines that help direct its implementation in the classroom and in the creation of course materials - provide options for physical action,  provide options for expressive and communicative skills and fluency and provide options for executive functions.

·         Expressing oneself can sometimes be a challenge in a structured environment such as a college.

·         As educators, it is essential to be attuned to the fact that there is not one form of expression that is optimal for all students.

·         Catering to the natural diversity of expression when designing a course can serve to broaden the impact of teaching.

·         Some ways to broaden the impact of teaching are through text, verbal presentations, design, film video, multimedia, 3D Models, music/art, recordings, or graphic organisers. Technology plays a big role in facilitating these implementations. 

Principle III:  Multiple Means of Engagement (the “why” of learning)

·         The third UDL principle has three supporting guidelines that help direct its implementation in the classroom and in the creation of course materials - provide options for Recruiting Interest, provide options for Sustaining Effort and Persistence and provide options for Self-Regulation.

·         This principle stresses the importance of holding student attention to maximise their engagement in the task at hand.

·         When a student is actively participating in the task at hand, they are said to be engaged.

·         Principle III places a large emphasis on engaging the individual interests of students into the components of lessons and assignments.

Technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK)

·         Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) is the knowledge base teachers need to effectively teach with the use of technology in various subjects and practicing teaching methods.

·         TPACK makes the learning of the subject for the student easier with appropriate pedagogy and technology.

·         TPACK is aimed to help teachers in creative thinking.

·         With the practice of TPACK, the process of curriculum sample will reflect teachers’ experiences to be more professional and bringing a new dimension to technology for educational purposes.

·         The frame of the TPACK model requires that teachers should develop a detailed, complex, fluent and flexible knowledge of all the components, and teachers should find the appropriate technology and should know how and why to use this technology in the teaching process.

·         Teachers’ beliefs and experiences are also effective in the involvement of information and communication technologies in education.

·         Teachers’ perception of information technologies and their views on, and practice in the use of these technologies are important in terms of determining the present progress in technology enhanced learning.

·         Teachers should improve themselves in order to harmonise the existing technology with pedagogical and professional competence, to easily overcome the possible problems, to find appropriate solutions and develop new plans.

Free and Open source software

·         Free and Open-source Software (FOSS) is the software that is distributed with source code that may be read or modified by users.

·         The FOSS community generally agrees that free and open-source software should meet the following criteria:

§  The software program must be freely distributed.

§  The source code must be included with the program.

§  The source code must be able to be modified by the user.

§  Modified versions of the source code may be redistributed.

·         FOSS licence must not require the exclusion of, or interfere with, the operation of other software.

·         Unlike traditional software distributed in an unchangeable compiled format, free and open-source software is delivered with both compiled and non-compiled formats, allowing open code modification.

·         All software developers do not favour the use of open-source software, but many have accepted it because it allows for quicker repair of software issues and may ultimately lead to higher quality applications.

Introduction to GNU/Linux

·         Linux is a free open source operating system (OS) based on UNIX that was created in 1991 by Linus Torvalds.

·         Users can modify and create variations of the source code, known as distributions, for computers and other devices.

·         The most common use is as a server, but Linux is also used in desktop computers, smartphones, e-book readers and gaming consoles, etc.

·         A distribution of Linux includes the kernel (the central OS component and the bridge between a software application and its data), system utilities, programs and tools for downloading, installing and uninstalling OS updates.

·         Distributed worldwide under a General Public License (GNU), meaning GNUs not UNIX, there are literally hundreds of Linux distributions around the world.

·         Many desktop Linux distributions have intuitive graphical user interfaces (GUI), which allow greater ease of use than their predecessors.

·         Objects and data are easily manipulated and have resizable icons, windows, buttons, folders and other features similar to Windows.

·         Proponents consider Linux a robust, scalable and flexible OS as it is suited to programming, and many companies use Linux as a development platform.

·         The Linux/Windows comparison is often a heated discussion with no easy answers, due to the inherent subjectivity.

·         GNU is a  computer operating system, similar to Unix, composed wholly of free software.

·         GNU is a recursive acronym for GNU's Not Unix! - chosen because GNU's design is similar to Unix, but differs from Unix by being free software and containing no Unix code.

·         GNU was the original focus of the Free Software Foundation (FSF).

·         However, non-GNU kernels, most famously the Linux kernel, can also be used with GNU software.

·         The combination of GNU software and the Linux kernel is commonly known as Linux or less frequently GNU/Linux.

Linux distribution

·         A Linux distribution (often called a distro for short) is an operating system made as a software collection based on the Linux kernel and, often, on a package management system.

·         Linux users usually obtain their operating system by downloading one of the Linux distributions, which are available for a wide variety of systems ranging from embedded device and personal computer to powerful supercomputer.

·         A typical Linux distribution comprises a Linux kernel, GNU tools and libraries, additional software, documentation, a Window system, a Window manager and a Desktop environment.

·         Most of the included software is free and open-source software, made available both as compiled binaries and in source code form, allowing modifications to the original software.

·         Usually, Linux distributions optionally include some proprietary software that may not be available in source code form.

·         Almost all Linux distributions are similar to Unix; the most notable exception is Android operating system, which does not include a command-line interface and programs made for typical Linux distributions.

·         A Linux distribution may also be described as a particular assortment of application and utility software, packaged together with the Linux kernel in such a way that its capabilities meet the needs of many users.

File System

·         A file system is a process that manages how and where data on a storage disk, typically a hard disk drive (HDD), is stored, accessed and managed.

·         A file system is a logical disk component that manages a disk's internal operations as it relates to a computer and is abstract to a human user.

·         Regardless of type and usage, a disk contains a file system and information about where disk data is stored and how it may be accessed by a user or application.

·         A file system typically manages operations, such as storage management, file naming, directories/folders, metadata, access rules and privileges.

·         Commonly used file systems include File Allocation Table 32 (FAT 32), New Technology File System (NTFS) and Hierarchical File System (HFS).

Hierarchies

·         Hierarchy describes a system that organises or ranks things, often according to power or importance.

·         Also known as a pecking order or power structure, a hierarchy is a formalised or implied understanding of who's on top or what's most important.

·         A hierarchical database is a design that uses a one-to-many relationship for data elements.

·         Hierarchical database models use a tree structure that links a number of disparate elements to one owner or parent primary record.

·         The idea behind hierarchical database models is useful for a certain type of data storage, but it is not extremely versatile.

·         Limitations of hierarchical database mean that it is confined to some very specific uses.

·         Hierarchical databases were popular in early database design, in the era of mainframe computers.

·         Hierarchical models make the most sense where the primary focus of information gathering is on a concrete hierarchy such as a list of business departments, assets or people that will all be associated with specific higher-level primary data elements.

User interfaces

·         User Interface (UI) is a broad term for any system, either physical or software based, that allows a user to connect with a given technology.

·         Many different kinds of user interfaces come with various devices and software programs. Many of them have some basic similarities, although each one is unique in key ways.

·         One main type of user interface is called a graphical user interface (GUI).

·         GUI includes the interfaces for the modern operating systems as well as other kinds of software programs that are made to be driven mainly by icons or images rather than text commands.

·         Other kinds of user interfaces include touch screen interfaces, a common type of UI for mobile devices, and other physical types of interfaces for hardware pieces.

·         Other kinds of software-oriented user interfaces are becoming more and more sophisticated, often using a combination of graphical and text elements to drive specific user activities.

Running an Application, File and Directory Management in Linux

·         There are several ways to start and run a Linux application.

·         If the Linux application appears on the panel, then its icon needs to be clicked.

·         If the file manager KFM is being used and the Linux application icon is seen in a window, then it can be clicked to get it started.

·         If the name of the Linux application’s program file or binary is known, then it can be typed into a shell to launch it.

·         If the Linux application is available on the Application Starter (K Menu), then it can launched by picking the appropriate entry in the menu.

·         When a Linux application is launched, Linux will load it into memory and start it. A task button is also added to the taskbar to represent it.

·         The KDE Desktop has several ways of starting an Linux application.

·         Documents or Linux applications stored in Autostart are launched the session is started.

·         Linux applications can also be started by typing their name on the command line.

·         A Linux application can also be started by clicking on the icon for a document associated with it. If a document is clicked, its application will start up and the contents of the document will be displayed.

Basics on Linux Directories and Files

·         Linux stores data and programs in files. These are organised in directories. In a simple way, a directory is just a file that contains other files (or directories).

·         The part of the hard disk data is saved is called the home directory. Normally all the data will be saved in files and directories in the home directory.

·         To find the home directory, the following command is to be typed :
echo $HOME

·         The symbol ~ can also be used for the home directory.

·         There is a general directory called /tmp where every user can write files.

·         Files in /tmp usually get erased periodically or when the system boots. Hence, data should not be stored in /tmp data that needs to be kept permanently.

Files

·         A file can be fully and uniquely identified by its full name, including all directories to which it belongs.

·         The system starts at the root directory with name / 

·         The system splits into sub-directories and these split further, until a file is located.

Creating and Removing directories

·         To make a new directory the following command is used :
mkdir directory-name

·         To remove a directory that does not contain files inside, the following command is used :
rmdir directory-name

·         To remove a directory that contains files inside, the following command is used :
rm -rv directory-name

·         The user will be asked for the deletion of each file or sub-directory.

·         To remove a file or directory, without asking for deletion, the following command is used :
rm -frv directory-name

Changing the working directory

·         To change ("enter") into a directory, where the new directory is a sub-directory, the following command is used :
cd directory-name

·         To change into a direcotyr, where the new directory is NOT a sub-directory, the following command is used :
cd /usr/local/share/bin

·         To go to the home directory the following command is used :
cd

Renaming directories

·         To change the name of a directory and to move all the files inside the directory, the following command is used :
mv directory-name new-name 

Creating and Removing files

·         To create files with an editor, the command to be used is :
editor file-name

·         To create files by copying an existing file, the command to be used is :
cp existing-file new-file

·         To create files by typing directly into a file and to remove the contents of that file, the command to be used is :
cat > file

·         To create files by typing directly into a file and to append to that file, the command to be used is :
cat >> file

·         The command is finished by typing Ctrl-D

·         To create an empty file, the command to be used is :
touch file-name

Renaming files

·         Similar to renaming a directory, the command used to rename a file is :
mv file-name new-name

Looking at the content of a file

·         To look at the content of a file with an editor, the command to be used is :
editor file-name

·         It is to be noted that if a particular file has the write permissions, then the above-mentioned command can change the contents of that file.

·         To look at the content of a file with less, the command to be used is :
less file-name

·         To quit typing, the command to be used is q.

·         To look at the content of a file with more, the command to be used is :
more file-name

·         To quit typing, the command to be used is q.

·         To look at the content of a file with cat, the command to be used is :
cat file-name

·         The cat command will type all contents of the file in the screen. If the contents are too long, the whole file will not be visible. Hence less or more is to be used.

·         Not all files can be read in the screen. Sometimes after looking at the contents of a file the screen gets into some junk characters. To go back to the regular characters, the command to be used is: reset

·         Reset command is to be typed even the screen is not readable. In some cases, the command has to be repeated twice for the screen to come back to normal.

·         The following is a list of some utilities to open or read the contents of files. 

Type of file	Common Extensions	Programs to open file
Text	.txt, .text	less, more, cat
Images	.jpg, .gif, .pnm, .xpm, .bpm	xv, display
PostScript	.ps	gv, ghostview
PDF	.pdf	acroread, gv
DOS-generated	.rtf, .doc, .xls	openoffice (soffice), abiword
ZIP compression	.zip	Unzip
GZIP compression	.gz	Gunzip
BZIP compression	.bz, .bz2	bunzip, bunzip2
Tar archive	.tar	Tar
Tar and gzip compression	.tar.gz, .tgz	tar –z
Tar and bzip compression	.tar.bz, .tar.bz2	tar –j
DOS excutable	.exe	Strings
Movie	.mpeg, .mpg	mplayer, totem, xmovie
cpio archive	.cpio	Cpio
ar archive	.ar	Ar
Debian archive	.deb	Less
Redhat archive	.rpm	Rpm
Sound	.wav	Bplay
MP3 sound	.mp3	mpg321
HTML	.html, .htm	firefox, mozilla, netscape, lynx

Types of files

·         The Linux operating system has files of many different types. Though for the operating system they are all equivalent. To find the type of a file, the command to be used is :
file file-name

·         A directory is just a file whose contents are files (names).

Symbolic Links

·         A symbolic link, also termed a soft link, is a special kind of file that points to another file, much like a shortcut in Windows or a Macintosh alias.

·         Unlike a hard link, a symbolic link does not contain the data in the target file. It simply points to another entry somewhere in the file system.

·         This difference gives symbolic links certain qualities that hard links do not have, such as the ability to link to directories, or to files on remote computers networked through.

·         When a target file is deleted, symbolic links to that file become unusable, whereas hard links preserve the contents of the file.

·         To create a symbolic link, the commands to be used are :
ln -s {/path/to/file-name} {link-name}
ln -s /shared/sales/data/file.txt sales.data.txt
vi sales.data.txt
ls -l sales.data.txt

·         To delete a symbolic link, the commands to be used are :
rm {link-name}
rm sales.data.txt
ls -l
ls -l /shared/sales/data/file.txt

·         If the soft link itself is deleted, the data file would still be there. However, if the data file is deleted, the soft link becomes a broken link and data is lost.

Permissions

·         In order to allow for reading, writing or executing in a file or a directory, permissions are required in Linux operating system.

·         The permissions are divided into three parts:

§  Permissions for the owner (user) of the file.

§  Permissions for the group to which the owner belongs.

§  Permissions for all the other users.

·         Each account, besides a name, has a group or groups to which it belongs; which are generally used for administrative purposes.

·         To look at the permissions of a file, the command to be used is :
ls -l file-name

·         The first ten characters will give the type of file (- for a file, l for a link and d for a directory), the permissions of the owner, the group and all other users.

·         The read, write and execute permissions are there even if the first character is forgot.

·         If the permission is granted then the letters r, w or x will appear in the output; otherwise a symbol - will appear.

·         To change the permissions of a file or directory, the chmod command can be used.

·         The accounts to which the changes (u for user or owner, g for group and o for others) to be applied are to be put first and then whether to grant (+) or remove (-) permissions and then r, w or x for the corresponding type of permission.

Midnight Commander (MC)

·         The Midnight Commander is a browser for easy management of the files and directories.

·         The keys can be used, usually located on top of the keyboard, to do different operations on files.

·         The help for these keys is at the bottom of the screen, but they are just labeled with numbers, no F in it.

Ubuntu

·         Ubuntu is an open-source operating system (OS) based on the Debian GNU/Linux distribution.

·         Ubuntu incorporates all the features of a Unix OS with an added customisable GUI, which makes it popular in universities and research organisations.

·         Ubuntu is primarily designed to be used on personal computers, although server editions do exist.

·         Ubuntu consists of many software packages, which are licensed under GNU General Public Licence. This allows users to copy, change, develop and redistribute their own version of the program.

·         Ubuntu comes with a wide range of software programs, including FireFox and LibreOffice. There is also proprietary software that can be run on Ubuntu.

·         Ubuntu is an African word that literally means humanity to others.

Introduction to Educational Software

·         Educational software can refer to a computer sofware whose primary purpose is either teaching or self-learning of contents.

·         Educational software can refer to most educational technologies, that comprises all software designed or used to facilitate teaching and learning.

·         In the 1960s some of the American universities laid the basis of a solid theoretical and practical foundation for a set of softwares to be used both by teachers in classrooms and students by their own concerning typical school topics.

·         Computers were used to provide information, assess students work and manage the results obtained by the students during the tests.

·         The most advanced titles were customisable and expandable by teachers in order to allow a virtually infinite collection of lessons and tests and embedded ad-hoc languages for the creation of new contents.

·         Educational software have been permanently included in school classes as powerful teaching tools.

·         Many types of educational software have been developed for a number of different purposes and many genres have been experimented.

·         The main types of educational software can be classified on the basis of their teaching approach such as Home learning, Courseware, Edutainment and Reference software.

·         Home Learning

§  A wide set of titles devoted to the home learning are grouped with particular attention being paid to children.

§  It is often difficult to distinguish real educational software from other products where the gaming nature exceeds their educational nature.

·         Courseware

§  The term courseware identifies all that software which is intended to be used as a support for school students of all ages, from primary school students to university students.

§  Courseware includes tools expressly designed to be used by the teachers at school and products suitable to be used by students at home, for improving their knowledge on specific topics.

§  Courseware products have been expanded by adding topics, knowledge improvements and organised to be used during courses and integrated in the curricula. 

·         Edutainment

§  The term edutainment is used for describing those products which combine computer games and educational software.

§  Edutainment encompasses children-friendly tools which have an educational value and which results in an optimal teaching solution for young children.

·         Reference Software

§  CD-ROMs encouraged the diffusion of reference software such as dictionaries and encyclopedias.

§  Reference software products were the digital translation of already existing prints and were enriched by means of multimedia features such as sounds and compressed video.

§  Many topic-specific products were created and commercialised together with multimedia.

§  Reference software is migrating from CD-ROMs to the web and is becoming free and open-source.

The benefits of using educational software

·         Multimedia contents and interaction with the user are the main strong point of educational software and the features that mainly differentiate them from traditional media such books and television.

·         Multimedia contents give the software the capability of attracting the user and specially children.

·         Cartoons, characters, dialogues, sounds and movies are able to stimulate the curiosity of younger users and push them to the exploration of the software.

·         Multimedia contents represent an upgrade of the learned topics.

·         A high level of interaction with the software enables the user to explore the software and establish the level of detail of the information provided.

·         Links and hyper links through the educational tools invite the user to discover new scenarios, new arguments and surprising points of view supporting the development of associative thinking and of a multidimensional and multimedial vision of the same problem.

·         All these features can drastically modify the way of learning of the users changing a passive approach into the wish of learning.

GeoGebra

·         GeoGebra is an interactive geometry, algebra, statistics and calculus application software, intended for learning and teaching mathematics and science from primary school to university level.

·         GeoGebra is available on multiple platforms with its desktop and tablet applications.

·         Constructions can be made with points, vectors, segments, lines, polygons, conic sections, inequalities, implicit polynomials and functions, which can be changed later.

·         Elements can be entered and modified directly via mouse and touch, or through the Input Bar.

·         GeoGebra has the ability to use variables for numbers, vectors and points, find derivatives and integrals of functions and has a full complement of commands like Root or Extremum.

·         Teachers and students can use GeoGebra to make conjectures and to understand how to prove geometric theorems.

·         The main features of GeoGebra are :

§  Interactive geometry environment (2D and 3D)

§  Built-in spreadsheet

§  Built-in CAS

§  Built-in statistic and calculus tools

§  Allows scripting

§  Large number of interactive learning and teaching resources.

Stellarium

·         Stellarium is a free software planetarium, licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public Licence, available for Linux, Windows and Mac OS X.

·         The fisheye and spherical mirror distortion features allow Stellarium to be projected onto domes.

·         Spherical mirror distortion is used in projection systems that utilise a digital video projector and a first surface convex spherical mirror to project images onto a dome.

·         Stellarium systems are generally cheaper than traditional planetarium projectors and fish-eye lens projectors and are thus used in budget and home planetarium setups where projection quality is less important.

PhET Interactive Simulations

·         PhET Interactive Simulations is a non-profit Open Educational Resource (OER) project founded by Nobel Laureate Carl Wieman in 2002, whose vision was to improve the way science is taught and learned.

·         The stated mission of PhET is “To advance science and math literacy and education worldwide through free interactive simulations.”

·         The project acronym “PhET” originally stood for “Physics Education Technology”, but PhET later expanded to other disciplines.

·         The PhET project now designs, develops, and releases over 125 free interactive simulations for educational use in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Earth Science and Mathematics.

·         PhET Interactive Simulations incorporates research-based practices on effective teaching to enhance the learning of science and mathematics concepts.

·         The PhET simulations are designed to be flexible so that they can be used as lecture demonstrations, labs, or homework activities.

·         The PhET simulations use an intuitive, game-like environment where students can learn through scientist-like exploration within a simplified environment, where dynamic visual representations make the invisible visible, and where science ideas are connected to real-world phenomena.

·         A PhET simulation starts with three to five people including a content expert (scientist), a teacher, an educational researcher, and a professional software developer.

·         The design begins with identifying specific learning goals that have proven to be conceptually difficult based on teachers' experiences in the classroom.

·         The simulation design, look and feel is storyboarded, discussed, and then finally coded.

·         Each simulation is user-tested through interviews with students and in classrooms, re-worked as needed and re-tested, before released on the PhET website.

·         Along with testing every simulation, the PhET team performs education research on their simulations.

·         They have shown in their research that understanding of concepts improve when students explore simulations in addition to traditional labs.

Scilab

·         Scilab is free and open source software for numerical computation providing a powerful computing environment for engineering and scientific applications. 

·         Scilab includes hundreds of mathematical functions with a high level programming language which allows access to advanced data structures, 2-D and 3-D graphical functions. 

·         Scilab includes a large number of functionalities such as :

§  Maths and Simulation : For usual engineering and science applications including mathematical operations and data analysis. 

§  2-D and 3-D visualisation : Graphics functions to visualise, annotate and export data and many ways to create and customise various types of plots and charts. 

§  Optimisation : Algorithms to solve constrained and unconstrained continuous and discrete optimisation problems. 

§  Statistics : Tools to perform data analysis and modeling 

§  Control System Design and Analysis : Standard algorithms and tools for control system study.

§  Signal Processing : Visualise, analyse and filter signals in time and frequency domains. 

§  Application Development : Increase Scilab native functionalities and manage data exchanges with external tools.

§  Xcos – Hybrid dynamic systems modeller and simulator : Modeling mechanical systems, hydraulic circuits, control systems, etc.

·         Scilab is able to interconnect with third party technologies and applications.

·         Scilab can act as a unique platform to bring together codes written in different programming languages in a single, unified language, thus facilitating their distribution, their back-up and use.

Multimedia approach

·         Multimedia in education represents the latest technology and introduces new ways of thinking about curriculum, interactions with students and the nature of learning into the classroom.

·         Multimedia can mean any kind of file or document, either a text or spreadsheet, that have audio or video effects or interactive information.

·         In terms of having training and instruction, multimedia is a powerful tool which can provide individual and interactive instructions as well as motivation for practice in an entertainment environment.

·         Multimedia also provides students with different learning styles, the opportunity to learn, share, communicate and grow using all their faculties.

Nature of Multimedia Approach

·         Multimedia approach uses a number of media, devices, techniques, in the teaching and learning process.

·         Multimedia approach has come out of researches and experiments in educational technology that have been undertaken in order to improve the process of teaching.

·         Multimedia approach aims at providing meaningful learning experiences via a mix of media in order to achieve predetermined objectives.

Role of teacher in Multimedia approach

·         The teacher would have to make the following changes to adopt multimedia approach :

§  The teacher has to be aware of the different media and their availability.

§  The teacher should be physically competent to use and demonstrate the use of different media.

§  The teacher should be skillful enough to make a judicious choice of media and be competent enough to mix them sequentially and in an orderly manner.

§  The teacher’s role is that of a facilitator or manager of activities and the teacher has to lead students for independent, individualised learning.

§  The teacher should provide experience such that the students can link practice and theory and integrate them.

Educational Implications of Multimedia 

·         Multimedia enables students to represent information using several different media.

·         Multimedia allows for self-pacing and discovery, as students can take the time needed and choose the path of learning making it meaningful.

·         Multimedia can take into account different learning styles. Some students learn by interpreting text, while others require more graphical or aural representations.

·         Hypermedia links allow students to organise information in meaningful ways.  

·         Multimedia helps in development of higher order thinking skills.

·         Multimedia helps in developing group and interpersonal skills.

·         Multimedia provided the students the flexibility of anywhere, ‘any time’ learning.

·         Better communication between students via e-mail, chat sessions etc., can encourage collaborative learning and enhance student-teacher interaction. 

·         Multimedia helps students to learn the content in a given discipline. It helps students to think effectively, practice problem solving and decision making.

Designing multimedia package

·         Multimedia design is the art of integrating multiple forms of media.

·         Multimedia design is used in video games, information kiosks, websites and many other interactive applications.

·         Careers in multimedia design can be found in a growing number of industries.

·         Multimedia design requires both creative and technical skills to integrate two or more types of media.

·         The advertising and marketing industries have jumped on the trend of using multiple forms of media to reach wider audiences.

·         Industries such as video gaming and education are also taking advantage of innovations in multimedia design.

Degrees in Multimedia Design

·         Multimedia education programmes are becoming increasingly popular at colleges and universities as well as at online institutions.

·         Students can start with an associate's degree program in multimedia and work all the way up to a doctoral program.

·         Associate's-level studies tend to focus more intensely on tools and techniques, while graduate-level programs may explore the philosophies and trends that are shaping the industry.

·         Relevant degree options in Multimedia Design could include :

§  Associate's Degree in Multimedia Technologies

§  Bachelor's Degree in Multimedia Design

§  Bachelor's Degree in Multimedia Studies

§  Master's Degree in Interactive Media

§  Ph.D. in Digital Arts

Careers in Multimedia Design

·         Careers in Multimedia Design range from marketing and advertising to telecommunications.

·         Opportunities might also exist in the gaming and entertainment industries.

·         Fine artists are even finding opportunities for creative expression in multimedia design.

·         Some of the possible careers in Multimedia Design are :

§  Web designer or programmer

§  Installation artist

§  Graphic designer

§  Software developer or programmer

§  Game developer or programmer

§  Video and audio editor

§  Special effects engineer

Overview of Models of instructional design

·         Instructional design, also known as Instructional Systems Design (ISD), is the practice of creating instructional experiences which make the acquisition of knowledge and skill more efficient, effective, and appealing.

·         The process consists broadly of determining the current state and needs of the learner, defining the end goal of instruction, and creating some intervention to assist in the transition.

·         Ideally the process is informed by pedagogically (process of teaching) and andragogically (adult learning) tested theories of learning and may take place in student-only, teacher-led or community-based settings.

·         The outcome of the instruction may be directly observable and scientifically measured or completely hidden and assumed.

·         There are many instructional design models but many are based on the ADDIE model with the five phases: analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation.

·         Instructional design is historically rooted in cognitive and behavioural psychology, though recently Constructivism (learning theory) has influenced thinking in the field.

ADDIE Model

·         The ADDIE model is the generic process traditionally used by instructional designers and training developers.

·         The five phases - Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation - represent a dynamic, flexible guideline for building effective training and performance support tools.

·         ADDIE model is an Instructional Systems Design (ISD) model.

·         Most of the current instructional design models are spin-offs or variations of the ADDIE model; which include the Dick & Carey and Kemp ISD models.

·         An improvement to ADDIE model is the use of rapid prototyping which facilitates the receiving of continual or formative feedback while instructional materials are being created.

·         ADDIE model attempts to save time and money by catching problems while they are still easy to solve.

·         Instructional theories play an important role in the design of instructional materials and help to shape and define the outcome of instructional materials.

·         In the ADDIE model, each step has an outcome that feeds into the subsequent step :
Analysis à Design à Development à Implementation à Evaluation

·         Analysis Phase

§  In the analysis phase, instructional problem is clarified, the instructional goals and objectives are established and the learning environment and learner's existing knowledge and skills are identified.

·         Below are some of the questions that are addressed during the analysis phase :

§  Who is the audience and their characteristics?

§  Identify the new behavioural outcome?

§  What types of learning constraints exist?

§  What are the delivery options?

§  What are the online pedagogical considerations?

§  What is the timeline for project completion?

·         Design Phase

§  The design phase deals with learning objectives, assessment instruments, exercises, content, subject matter analysis, lesson planning and media selection.

§  The design phase should be systematic and specific.

§  Systematic means a logical, orderly method of identifying, developing and evaluating a set of planned strategies targeted for attaining the project's goals.

§  Specific means each element of the instructional design plan needs to be executed with attention to details.

·         The following steps are used for the design phase :

§  Documentation of the project's instructional, visual and technical design strategy.

§  Apply instructional strategies according to the intended behavioral outcomes by domain (cognitive, affective, psychomotor).

§  Create storyboards.

§  Design the user interface and user experience.

§  Prototype creation.

§  Apply visual design (graphic design).

·         Development Phase

§  The development phase is where the developers create and assemble the content assets that were created in the design phase.

§  Programmers work to develop and/or integrate technologies.

§  Testers perform debugging procedures.

§  The project is reviewed and revised according to any feedback given.

·         Implementation Phase

§  During the implementation phase, a procedure for training the facilitators and the learners is developed.

§  The facilitators' training should cover the course curriculum, learning outcomes, method of delivery, and testing procedures.

§  Preparation of the learners include training them on new tools (software or hardware), student registration.

§  This is also the phase where the project manager ensures that the books, hands on equipment, tools, CD-ROMs and software are in place, and that the learning application or Website is functional.

·         Evaluation Phase

§  The evaluation phase consists of two parts: formative and summative.

§  Formative evaluation is present in each stage of the ADDIE process.

§  Summative evaluation consists of tests designed for domain specific criterion-related referenced items and providing opportunities for feedback from the users.

Dick and Carey Model

·         Another well-known instructional design model is The Dick and Carey Systems Approach Model.

·         Walter Dick and Lou Carey made a significant contribution to the instructional design field by championing a systems view of instruction, in contrast to defining instruction as the sum of isolated parts.

·         The model addresses instruction as an entire system, focusing on the inter-relationship between context, content, learning and instruction.

·         According to Dick and Carey, components such as the instructor, learners, materials, instructional activities, delivery system, and learning and performance environments interact with each other and work together to bring about the desired student learning outcomes.

·         The components of the Dick and Carey Model are as follows:

§  Identify Instructional Goal(s): A goal statement describes a skill, knowledge or attitude (SKA) that a learner will be expected to acquire.

§  Conduct Instructional Analysis: Identify what a learner must recall and identify what learner must be able to do to perform particular task.

§  Analyse Learners and Contexts: Identify general characteristics of the target audience, including prior skills, prior experience, and basic demographics; identify characteristics directly related to the skill to be taught; and perform analysis of the performance and learning settings.

§  Write Performance Objectives: Objectives consists of a description of the behaviour, the condition and criteria. The component of an objective that describes the criteria will be used to judge the learner's performance.

§  Develop Assessment Instruments: Purpose of entry behaviour testing, purpose of pre-testing, purpose of post-testing, purpose of practive items/practive problems.

§  Develop Instructional Strategy: Pre-instructional activities, content presentation, Learner participation, assessment.

§  Develop and Select Instructional Materials

§  Design and Conduct Formative Evaluation of Instruction: Designers try to identify areas of the instructional materials that need improvement.

§  Revise Instruction: To identify poor test items and to identify poor instruction

§  Design and Conduct Summative Evaluation

·         With the Dick and Carey model, components are executed iteratively and in parallel, rather than linearly.

Instructional Design for competency based learning

·         Competency-based learning refers to systems of instruction, assessment, grading, and academic reporting that are based on students demonstrating that they have learned the knowledge and skills they are expected to learn as they progress through their education.

·         In public schools, competency-based systems use state learning standards to determine academic expectations and define competency or proficiency in a given course, subject area, or grade level.

·         The general goal of competency-based learning is to ensure that students are acquiring the knowledge and skills that are deemed to be essential for success in school, higher education, careers, and adult life.

·         If students fail to meet expected learning standards, they typically receive additional instruction, practice time, and academic support to help them achieve competency or meet the expected standards.

·         In practice, competency-based learning can take a wide variety of forms from state to state or school to school—there is no single model or universally used approach.

·         While schools often create their own competency-based systems, they may also use systems, models, or strategies created by state education agencies or outside educational organisations.

·         Competency-based learning is more widely used at the elementary level, although more middle schools and high schools are adopting the approach.

·         As with any educational strategy, some competency-based systems may be better designed or more effective than others.