Tony and Joyce took a learning preferences survey and found that they are both sequential and visual learners. They found iPods very useful for their learning styles as they could access information and multimedia easily on a portable device. While they initially doubted the usefulness of iPads, they realized through the class that tablets could stimulate learning by allowing for customized visuals and mobile collaboration. Going forward, they plan to continue using their iPods but Tony also wants to try using microblogging sites like Twitter more.
2. Learning Preference
At the beginning of the class I took the learning
preferences survey and got reflective (1), visual
(1), sequential (5) and sensing (11). I have always liked
math because math problems already have formula to
answer questions. I have a good memory and can
remember formulas. I think sensing goes hand in hand with
sequential because sensing is someone who solves
problems using a well-established method and sequential is
remember steps to solving a problem. I believe you need
both for them to work effectively. As this semester went on, I
started to develop more visual learning preference. In my
classes, I tried to use all 3 to help me and they work well
together. I believe as I go through school, my other learning
preferences will start to develop as well.
Tony Ngo
3. Learning Preferences Cont.
At the beginning of the class, my scores for the learning
preferences test were active (1), sensing (3), visual (5), and
sequential (1). Around the end of this class, I realized that I
really do use these learning preferences the most. I think
that I relied and used the visual and sequential learning
strategies the most. I would be more particular to activities
that had some sort of visual such as a picture or video and
step by step instructions were very helpful for an online class
like this because I would read the instructions over and over
to make sure I understood the assignment. Overall, these
learning preferences were spot on and enhanced my
learning.
Joyce Nguyen
4. Learning Preference Thoughts
At the end of the class, our preferences have
changed a little. Joyce has decided to use other
learning preferences while Tony like to keep using the
learning preferences that he started with. We believe
learning preferences are a good learning tool, but
we just needed to find the right ones that work for us
individually. It does help if you have the right ones
and I think it would be very beneficial to have
everyone take the learning preferences survey. It
could really make a difference in how someone
learns and use the material they are presented with.
Tony Ngo
5. Learning Pathways
I chose to be a learning sage. I chose this path
because I buy a lot of technology. Stuff that wont
normally be considered for learning. I purchased the
PSP Vita and hacked it for learning needs. I installed
a flash cards card program on it, videos from
documentaries and essays on philosophy papers. I
am able to use it for learning and play games. From
the discussion in the forums, I was able to find new
technologies that I never would have thought could
help me learn. Many of which I already had already
purchased. I think this is the perfect learning path for
me.
Tony Ngo
6. Learning Pathways Cont.
At the beginning of class, I decided to choose the Learning
Sage pathway because I think it is very important to keep
up with technology in this huge technology and
informational age. I think that I was successful in getting a
broader knowledge of mobile technology because we
had quests for mobile devices like iPods and tablets and
that really helped a lot. I learned about the different types
of applications we can find for a certain purpose using the
evaluation forms and forum posts due to classmate
contribution. I also learned about the differences with
different tablets and the iPad and I concluded that the
Learning Sage path was appropriate and very successful
for me.
Joyce Nguyen
7. Activity Contributions
The iPod and MP3 player activity helped me get a broader
understand of how to use mobile technology to learn. I
always have my iPhone, which is like an iPod, but has a
connection to the Internet. This helped me because it
taught me that I could always be studying and learning
with my iPhone. Games and MMOGs helped me to get a
deeper understanding of how to use mobile technology to
learn. The games showed me that almost anything could
help with my learning. I played Assassin’s Creed and I
learned about historical figures in the character index. The
character’s action in the game isn’t not historically
accurate, but the information in the index is.
Tony Ngo
8. Top Mobile Technologies
I would say my top mobile technology is the iPod
and MP3 players. I am partially a visual learner and
iPods help me because it puts all the images I need
in the palm of my hand. iPods are so easy to use for
gathering information and that us why I think it helps
with my sensing and sequential learning preferences
because it is easy and simple to use. Because all the
information is on my phone, I have time to go back
to it later and make an analysis when I have
digested all the information. My iPhone
accommodated all my learning preferences beyond
my expectations.
Tony Ngo
9. Top Mobile Technology Cont.
For the iPad quest, I would use my friend’s old iPad as a portable
mini laptop to look up information and use apps to help me further
my learning in classes. Out of my top 4 learning preferences, the
quest mainly addressed and furthered my visual and active
preferences. For the visual preference, I would use the iPad to
download free apps that would be able to stimulate my visual
preferences like flashcards that would let me draw and add
pictures onto the virtual card to help me in classes. For the active
preference, I was able to chat with other classmates whenever I
wanted to for help on assignments and projects without being
confined to a desktop. The iPad quest stimulated my visual and
active preferences by letting me customize my own visuals that
were familiar to me for class and help me become more mobile to
chat online with groups using my active learning preference.
Joyce Nguyen
10. Synthesis
The technology that interested our group the most was social
bookmarking because I have never heard of it before. We have
heard of book marking links, but never used it for anything except
keeping track of websites I wanted to revisit. I can see why this is a
great learning tool. It makes all this information that can be very
difficult to find easy for everyone else. The technology that
surprised us the most would have to be iPads. We had thought
iPads were just a fad that would die out sooner or later. To use iPad
were like a mix of an iPhone and a laptop, too big to be portable
and too small to be powerful. We were wrong in this assumption
and we can see how they can be useful for learning purposes. For
us, the technology that does not seem to work would be iPads. I
just think they can do the same things as an iPhone or an iPod
touch but isn’t as portable. It works, but just not as well as
something more portable.
Tony Ngo
11. Synthesis Cont.
My partner’s and my preferences were similar. We were
both sequential and visual learners. We really liked using
iPods because they were easy to use and we could access
information anywhere. We are both visual learners and
iPods can be used to hold pictures and diagrams, we can
zoom in on pictures and using applications, write directly on
the image and save it. iPods are also very easy to use. If
there are any issues with the iPod, we can easily fix it. Any
issues that we can find with the iPods can be easily fixed
using simple steps. This kept us from getting
frustrated, which can happen when dealing with
technology.
Joyce Nguyen
12. Summary
We know we will continue to use iPods after this
class, but Tony will try to use more microblogs sites
such as twitter. We know microblogs are going to
be apart of everyone lives soon or later.
Companies are starting to use microblogs to get
free publicity and you might even find a job while
searching a social networking site. Joyce has
been use microblogs for a long time and will try to
not just use twitter, but other ones that might help
her in class.
Tony Ngo
13. Summary Cont.
We will continue to use our iPods and iPhones
because of how convenient they are and
easy to use. They also have apps that can
help outside of school like the Maps app or
the fandango app to find movie times. We
don’t think we will avoid anything
technologies because they all have a
purpose and can be useful if used correctly.
Joyce Nguyen