Social Learning and Voice Thread

Voice thread is a great technology that supports connectivisim and social learning theory. This tool allows for people to upload images, video, or other graphics and to comment on them. Networks of information can be created among the people who comment on these images. I created a voice thread that I could use in my Engineering Design Course as a review of multiview drawings. The thread can be viewed and commented on at: http://voicethread.com/share/523939/ This is a very difficult concept for students to grasp and could serve as a great review for them. I can also forsee students creating their own thread that demonstrates their rationale for the location of dimensions in their multiview files. I can envision many applications of voice thread in my classes but this is just one example of how I could use it.

The social learning theory is one that I have tried to incorporate into my own classroom. It is structured around the components of culture, collaboration, and context. I find it somewhat difficult to seperate from constructionism as I often have students work in teams to create an artifact. "Cooperative Learning" is an instructional strategy that supports this theory while embedding technology. The discussions that students have with one another while working cooperatively are vital to this theory. This strategy provides an opportunity for students to problem solve, think creatively, and support one another. Some technological tools that support this strategy include the use of blogs, wikis, and document sharing applications. These tools can really aid in the communication among the team while spreadsheets, PowerPoint, and podcasts are tools that can be used in the creation of artifacts. In today's society it seems less important to be able to recall trivial facts and much more important to know where to find the answers and how to work with others and technology in doing so.