Humanizing Interactions

There is always a downside when comes to usage of technology which is ‘human touch’ whereby there is no sign of empathy with other people’s feelings and understanding of human side of things. However, things has been improved when advancement and improvement of technology with lower cost barrier, virtual face-to-face interactions are starting to be popular and utilised among educators, lecturers, tutors as well as students. (Online Learning Insights, 2013). Skype is commonly used for webcam communication purpose. Student portal in universities give a stage for students to have discussions with lecturers or tutors via-online as well.

Source: https://onlinelearninginsights.wordpress.com/2013/12/13/three-social-trends-that-will-influence-education-in-2014/

Posted by: Phang Jue Wei B1401266

Seamless Collaboration

Google Docs can be a great example in explaining this interesting topic. Google Docs is an online are available to collaborate and discuss relevant matters efficiently and effectively. In this case, with the availability of internet connection as well as advanced internet browser, files can be viewed by authorized third parties, depending on the given permission set by the document creators. Since files can be viewed by third parties, the feedbacks, comments as well as live-chat communication hen collaborations occur via-online, it greatly ignores geographic, transportation as well as insufficient time barriers and therefore benefits educators, lecturers, tutors and students in terms of cost and time.

Source: http://www.techopedia.com/definition/13626/google-docs

Posted by: Phang Jue Wei B1401266

COST-FREE !

In this reality, it is true that almost everything comes with a price. Making payments to internet service providers is necessary in order to gain privilege of surfing online websites. As the educators, in other words, the high education leaders progressively have to plan budget cuts, it is essential for the students to utilize the tools that is cost-free. Despite safety being significant, software cost is worth paying due to teaching internet safety as well as establishing new websites (Couros. G., 2011)

Source: http://connectedprincipals.com/archives/3024#

Posted by: Phang Jue Wei B1401266

Google Apps for Education

Google Apps for Education (GAFE) is an enterprise level software solution for cloud based collaborative teaching and learning. Applications include but are not limited to Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Sites, Google Slides, Gmail and Calendar. 

Google Apps facilitates student centered collaborative learning in a cloud based environment rich with possibilities and help to prepare the students for their place in the 21st Century workforce. However, there will be concerns over data privacy and the ownership of data though Google have a clear privacy policy and Google are clear that users own the data. Security will be an issue but Google can spend more on security than just about any organization in the world. 

Source: http://www.slideshare.net/iaindoherty/google-apps-for-education-gafe

Posted by: Leow Ee Xin B1401260

Social Media Gains Momentum in Online Education

Experts say social media tools such as Instagram, Google Hangouts and Twitter allow online students to share information and build a sense of community. It is believed that social media will generate more opportunities for students to network, communicate informally with their instructors and eventually enrich and enhance the overall educational experience.

However, students can become involved with so many social media platforms that it becomes difficult as a consumer to manage all of the tools available. Besides, anything that’s posted on social media is likely available for anybody to see, which might be a deterrent for students to freely speak their minds.

Source: http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/articles/2014/11/05/social-media-gains-momentum-in-online-education

Posted by: Leow Ee Xin B1401260

Social media may lead to poor grades

Updating Twitter feeds or Facebook statuses is a common act for students nowadays. However, according to a recent study led by researchers at the The Miriam Hospital's Centers for Behavioural and Preventive Medicine in United States, using social media may impair academic performance. Students who spend much time online find it harder to concentrate in class, are permanently distracted and have shorter attention spans.

A study released by Ohio State University reveals that college students who utilize Facebook and spend less time on studying will have lower grades than students who do not use the popular social networking sites. College students who use the 500 million member social network have significantly lower grade-point averages (GPAs) than those who do not. There is a correlation between lower GPAs and higher social media use.

Source: http://www.browndailyherald.com/2013/04/24/social-media-use-may-lead-to-poor-grades/

Posted by: Cheu Che Suen  B1300810

Emoticons cannot replace face-to-face interaction

Children unable to accurately read how people are feeling in real-life as they have less time for face-to-face interaction due to their increased use of digital media, according to a UCLA psychology study. UCLA scientists found that sixth-graders who went five days without even glancing at a smartphone, television or other digital screen did substantially better at reading human emotions than sixth-graders from the same school who continued to spend hours each day looking at their electronic devices. 
“You can’t learn nonverbal emotional cues from a screen in the way you can learn it from face-to-face communication,” said lead author Yalda Uhls, a senior researcher with the UCLA’s Children's Digital Media Center, Los Angeles. People need more face-to-face interaction, emoticons are a poor substitute for it because we are social creatures, and we need device-free time.

Source: http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/in-our-digital-world-are-young-people-losing-the-ability-to-read-emotions

Posted by: Cheu Che Suen B1300810