User:GKTechnology/sandbox

What is Webcasting?
Webcasting is the use of audio and visual tools to broadcast presentations, speeches, or even engage in conversations in a synchronous or asynchronous manner. Its popularity has grown with the advent of distance learning courses, and is frequently used in professional development capacities for conferencing and training purposes.

Why is Webcasting a current trend?
Webcasting allows educational content to be broadcast across long distances – and delivered in both a ‘real-time’ and ‘on-demand’ manner. Webcasts can be found in a wide variety of formats - ranging from real-time 'screencasts' and teaching presentations, to pre-recorded videos that are hosted on a website. With an increasing shift towards more personalized forms of learning, webcasting serves to provide material to students at a pace and frequency appropriate for their needs – permitting more authentic forms of education and 'just-in-time' learning opportunities. In addition, webcasting serves as a constructivist model of learning, since students can actively create their own podcasts or video content to share with the class – and beyond. In this way, educational dialogue is not limited to just between the teacher and student, but also to the members of the wider community, and society at large.

Implementation of Webcasting in the K-12 settings

 * Professionals and scholars in the field can remotely network with students in the classroom to provide guest lectures and other types of collaborative learning opportunities.
 * Students in multiple classrooms can communicate with one another via webcasting technology – permitting engaging lesson plans that favor collaboration.
 * Can potentially play a critical role in flipped-classroom efforts – where teachers upload a pre-recorded webcast onto an online server for students to access at home.
 * Webcasts are ideal for tutorial sessions to help students learn new software or applications.
 * Potentially valuable for students who have special needs – who may benefit from being able to pause, replay, or slow down progression of the lesson.

Key issues with Webcasting
Certain factors are important to keep in mind when considering the use of technology:
 * Bandwidth caps at the institution, which may hinder or prevent the use of video transmission. In these cases, audio-only webcasts can be used (podcasts).
 * Connectivity issues due to internet or technology failure.
 * Students may not have internet access at home to access pre-recorded webcasts online.
 * If information is duplicated on webcasts, student interest and attention in class may decline.
 * Potentially can be expensive due to the requirement of devices and screens, technical issues may arise due to lack of familiarity.
 * Budget status of institutions as well as backlash from traditionalists in the field.

Related Research for Webcasting

 * Baecker, R., Moore, G., & Boudreau, A. Z. (2003). Reinventing the lecture: Web casting made interactive. Faculty Scholarship (COE), Retrieved from http://commons.pacificu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1019&context=edufac
 * Giannakos, M. N., & Vlamos, P. (2013). Using webcasts in education: Evaluation of its effectiveness. British Journal of Educational Technology, 44(3), 432-441. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2012.01309.x
 * Kear, K., Chetwynd, F., Williams, J., & Donelan, H. (2012). Web conferencing for synchronous online tutorials: Perspectives of tutors using a new medium. Computers & Education, 58(3), 953-963. doi: 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.10.015
 * Riedel, T., & Betty, P. (2013). Real time with the librarian: Using web conferencing software to connect to distance students. Journal of Library & Information Services In Distance Learning, 7(2), 98-110. doi: 10.1080/1533290X.2012.705616
 * Wilson, B. G. (2001, October). Trends and futures of education: Implications for distance education. Retrieved from http://carbon.ucdenver.edu/~bwilson/TrendsAndFutures.html
 * Yunus, A. S., Kasa, Z., Asmuni, A., Samah, B. A., Napis, S., Yusoff, M. Z., Khanafie, M. R., & Wahab, H. A. (2006). Use of webcasting technology in teaching higher education. International Education Journal, 7(7), 916-923. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ854349.pdf

Recommended Resources for Webcasting

 * https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/technology/whitepapers/LectureWebcasting_Jan07.pdf
 * http://blog.inxpo.com/casting-calls/bid/117696/How-Webcasting-Technology-is-Being-Used-in-Education
 * http://www.onstreammedia.com/education.php
 * http://sofo.mediasite.com/Mediasite/Play/4d2503f797a949bba10de45d64d07ffe [video about webcasting in K-12]
 * http://www.curriculum.org/k-12/en/ [webcasts for educators in professional development]
 * http://discovervideo.com/applications/k-12-video/
 * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYe0tmvwFcY [explanation of some of the myths surrounding webcasts]
 * http://www.doleta.gov/reports/papers/tbl_paper_final.pdf

What are Simulations?
Simulations refer to a wide range of visual and exploratory tools that students can use to model, visualize, and represent their learning. Some of the potential benefits of using simulations include: learning how to manipulate models to qualitatively and quantitatively represent information, being able to visualize relationships between different variables, and learning how to utilize models to predict outcomes. Simulations also provide a valuable resource to encourage greater collaboration among the class, since lesson plans can be tailored around the simulations - especially in tandem with learning approaches such as problem-based learning. Simulations can range from simple visualizations of complex phenomena, all the way to more intricate 'sandbox' environments, where students can actively manipulate objects and fields to observe the effects.

Why are simulations a current trend?
Simulations allow students to explore authentic forms of learning by engaging with material in meaningful ways. Simulations can be of two general varieties: physical and process simulations - which focus on helping students increase their understanding about a given topics, and procedural/situational simulations - which focus on explain step-by-step processes. As a result, simulations are an effective tool in helping to explain 'how' to do certain tasks. The advent of 'virtual labs' has also been a significant innovation in the world of simulation. This allows individuals to explore create artificial environments outside the confines of the classroom, and experiment using lessons from class.

Key issues with Simulations

 * Design is critical: Often times, many simulations feature too much writing and essentially convert a text-based experience into the virtual realm. This is ineffective, since the primary advantage of simulations is in allowing students to explore, make mistakes, and redefine strategies as appropriate.
 * Simulations must be user-friendly to be effective. Students (and other users) must be able to easily access help resources and tutorials, and be able to navigate the various options without too much difficulty.
 * Focus should be on conveying models and sticking to the 'facts' - rather than putting too much analysis and interpretative materials for students to read inside the simulation. The goal of simulations is not to explain concepts like a textbook, but rather, to provide a 'playground' for students to interpret from.
 * Students may have a tendency to want to use the simulation platform before learning or understanding the theoretical basis of it. It is important for teachers to be certain that students have a basic understanding of the material before using the simulations.
 * Teachers may not effectively tie simulations into the curriculum. The value of a simulation is in how well it connects with other aspects of instruction, rather than as a stand alone tool.

Related Research for Simulations

 * Blecha, B. (2013, February 13). Teaching with simulations. Retrieved from http://serc.carleton.edu/sp/library/simulations/index.html
 * Sokolowski, A., & Rackley, R. (2011). Teaching harmonic motion in trigonometry: Inductive inquiry supported by physics simulations. Australian Senior Mathematics Journal, 25(1), 45-53. Retrieved from http://emmerson.csc.wilkes.edu:3673/ehost/detail/detail?sid=29aa8ec9-81f1-4b23-b316-4e397077f33c@sessionmgr4001&vid=18&hid=4212&bdata=
 * Hew, K. F., & Cheung, W. S. (2013). Use of web 2.0 technologies in k-12 and higher education: The search for evidence-based practice. Educational Research Review, 9, 47-64. doi: 10.1016/j.edurev.2012.08.001
 * Maushak, N. J., Chen, H., & Lai, H. (2001). Utilizing edutainment to actively engage k-12 learners and promote students. Annual Proceedings of Selected Research and Development, Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED470100

Recommended Resources for Simulations

 * http://elearningfacultymodules.org/index.php/Educational_Simulations
 * http://www.ndia.org/Resources/OnlineProceedings/Documents/21M0/MODSIM/01-Education-Lemke.pdf
 * http://www.sri.com/sites/default/files/brochures/simulations-for-stem-learning-brief.pdf
 * http://nextgenlearning.org/blog/potential-games-and-simulations-higher-education
 * https://informal.jpl.nasa.gov/museum/content/k-12-space-based-educational-simulations
 * http://www.vste.org/documents/vj_2006_02.pdf
 * http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=13078&page=105