1. Touro University-California
Course Title EDU 749
Term: Fall 2011
Instructor: Steve Gibbs
Contact information
Email: Anthony.Gibbs@tu.edu; gibbz@pacbell.net
Office Hours: Before/after classes & 24/7 via email
Dates: 9/27, 10/11, 10/25, 11/8, 11/22, 12/6
Location of Class: American Canyon High School
Meeting Time: 4:30 - 9:30
Course Description
Emerging Trends in Technology prepares teachers to be technology leaders by exploring state-
of-the-art programs and innovations that are reshaping education in the 21st century. The
course will explore the wealth of online learning environments and adopt methods for local
implementation. Web 2.0 services, Metaverses, Virtual Learning Environments, social
networks, peer-to-peer networks, Usenet groups, and the world of peripherals and handheld
devices will be explored. Students will each select a specific new technology to explore. They
will become experts on their chosen area and present a training seminar to the class. Students
will establish long-lasting networks for staying informed of the newest trends. Reading
material will include RSS feeds, podcast and blog subscriptions, plus two print magazine
subscriptions. Students will be expected to seek out the best new ideas in education and
technology and present on their discoveries as a regular part of classroom activities.
Course Objectives/CCTC Standards
1. Students will become technology leaders
2. Students will become knowledgeable of emerging trends
3. Students will discover state-of-the-art resources for classroom use
4. Students will master a specific, complex, and challenging trend
5. Students will successfully share what they have learned
6. Students will complete their Touro Masters portfolio online
Required Texts and Readings
Reading will come from online sites associated with individual students chosen topic
One new magazine subscription, preferably Wired Magazine, or other education and
technology title (with teacher approval)
Key Assignments
1
2. • Explore your own area of interest. Select an area of technology that intrigues you,
learn about it, teach the class what you learn
• Create a web presence - design a website for your classes
• Create your MA portfolio on wiki or personal website and on Taskstream
• Understand multimedia files and formats, plus encoders, decoders, and
converters. You will convert various file formats
• Design a classroom activity based on an emerging trend. Create a student-
prototype and a presentation to the class
TOPIC and ASSIGNMENT/ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE
Date Topics/
Session 1 The central purpose of EDU 749 is to be alert to emerging trends in
educational technology in the present and throughout one’s
career. We will discover and share throughout the course. This
final elective will also provide an opportunity to bring together all
of your MA work into a comprehensive online Masters Portfolio.
Activities:
• Course introduction: Emerging Trends
• Explore what is current on that day
• Student presentations on an Emerging Trend - explain,
discuss, assign due dates
• Establishing an online teacher presence
• How to select and purchase a domain and host
• Begin building free classroom wiki
This portfolio will be a combination of individual creative design
and standardized elements.
• An introductory video of you introducing your portfolio
and your masters project
• Clear, consistent navigation and table of contents
• All files and hyperlinks to all assignments in all classes
available for viewing via widgets whenever possible and
by downloading
• All major files will be available in native formats and
PDF, and HTML if possible and practical
• Organization centered around individual courses and a
special Masters Project section
• Each course site will have an introduction and explanation
of what was studied. Link to all assignments. Explain the
assignments where necessary for clarity
• Include links to files and URLs provided by your
instructor -- the class website, syllabus, handouts,
2
3. PowerPoints, all scaffolding materials
• Dedicate a page or series of pages to your Masters
Project. Use cross-referencing: Link to all project-related
files, even if they are linked already to individual class
pages
• In your own creative way, make the presentation of your
project a multimedia experience -- include animation,
video, audio. It should be vivid, logically arranged, and
easy to navigate
• Organize your sidebar to include links to all wiki pages
and all other important, necessary URLs. Use the
Horizontal Rule between Wiki pages and outside
resources
HOMEWORK:
Begin gathering resources; research; either establish Wiki, Taskstream,
or personal website
Get your new portfolio caught up with all files and links
Session 2 Activities:
• Student Presentation on Emerging Trend
• Share classroom wikis. Discuss layout options and
decisions, difficulties, successes and failures
• Work toward completion of Masters Portfolio
• A look at Taskstream
HW:
Complete MA online portfolio except for current and pending
projects
Establish a Taskstream account and familiarize yourself with the
interface
Begin designing your Taskstream MA portfolio
Session 3 Activities:
• Student Presentation on Emerging Trend
• Share masters portfolios. Discuss layout options and
decisions
• Build a Taskstream Portfolio
HW:
Work toward completion of your Taskstream MA portfolio.
Session 4 Activities:
• Student Presentation on Emerging Trend
• Adobe for education -- a close look at what Adobe
provides to educators in the form of services, lesson ideas,
support and software. We will explore ways to integrate
Adobe into classroom activities
• Multimedia in the classroom -- a close look at how
multimedia can enrich an existing unit or be used to create
a new one. We will study file types, players, and
3
4. converters
HW:
Convert a variety of file formats -- an assignment that is never
turned in
Continue working on your three online projects
Session 5 Activities:
• Student Presentation on Emerging Trend
• Movie making in the classroom. Bring a movie camera
and a Firewire cable to class... if you have them. We will
group up and share, so a few cameras and cables will be
sufficient.
• We will in groups create a few 2-minute movies. Groups
will transfer their footage from camera to PC, edit it,
render it, and upload it to the Internet for sharing.
• We will look at hosting sites for educational video
streaming, podcasts, and the various -Tubes (YouTube,
TeacherTube, SchoolTube)
Session 6 Activities:
• End - Workshop to complete all unfinished assignments.
• Closing remarks
• Farewell
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