MC-DIP Project Weblog

I have chosen that topic because I think it is quite interesting and lastly quickly developing field. Today there is a lot of innovation if compare with past years. Kids live in media world which has big impact for their development. Television is most popular today. Kids make a big group of viewer. Television works as educative measure because learn by indirect contact. I am convincing today TV innovations have many positive aspects in terms of child development because pre-school is very unique time for them. Mainly because of gain important experience, knowledge and inspiration to new actions at that time. While watching TV children create imagination about the entire world. Pictures of childhood record in child memory for long time. Then it has significant influence for future life. TV receipt is beginning at home and is continue by all childhood and teenager period. There is a lot of multimedia programs use in kindergartens by teachers. Thankfully for that kids can easily to assimilate knowledge. In this blog I want to focus on different types of TV learning for kids today. What kind of multimedia educational programs does teachers use to effective learn?

Interesting viewpoint led by a narrative enquiry perspective and from Denzin what he calls postmodern/poststructural perspective. Talks about quantitative, positive research methods and assumptions and how many researcher have rejected  this approach. They argue that positive methods are telling stories about the soical world but just in a different way to qualitative methods. A science that silences too many voices. narrative approach just chooses different methods for evaluating there work including: verisimililitude, emotionality, personal responsibility, ethic of caring, political praxis, mulivoice texts, and dialogues with subjects.

So I have got there MC-DIP Question set now complete, and uploaded to Plone project site, for those I have been working with on the project - Al, Anna, Mike, Steve etc.. Massive task as the diagnostic cuts across three theoretical lenses - Multicultural education, learnign styles and creativity. The logic behind the questions sets that the diagnostic software will be built around is supporting pedagogy equity for educators and learners. In the environment I work in an imbalance on the teacher and on the Web you can see in many circles an imbalance on the learner through what is frequently termed 'autonomous learning'. The Diagnostic 2.0 software is about intervening for positive educational action for social change and hence fits well with much of the e-learning 2.0 developments and for me logical fit with Knownet software apps.

Just a little more on the background need for such an approach and underpinning thoughts. .....

For me the challenge is to create learning environments that maintain the cultural integrity of every person while enhancing their educational success. At the classroom level, culturally responsive teaching essentially involves using students’ cultural experiences and background as a medium for helping them learn important academic skills. There has also been a general agreement that the development of individual cultural identity is a major process of acceptance of the cultural norms, beliefs, attitudes and values of one cultural group rather than another. Hence multicultural education is important and necessary in order for students to be able to develop personal autonomy. To create inclusive education we need learning environments to re-configure to be in a proactive position to support diversity and equality.

Thats enough for now.. Will be posting over next week specifically on Multiculturalism, Learning Styles and eLearning 2.0 from how I see things..

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So I have got there MC-DIP Question set now complete, and uploaded to Plone project site, for those I have been working with on the project - Al, Anna, Mike, Steve etc.. Massive task as the diagnostic cuts across three theoretical lenses - Multicultural education, learnign styles and creativity. The logic behind the questions sets that the diagnostic software will be built around is supporting pedagogy equity for educators and learners. In the environment I work in an imbalance on the teacher and on the Web you can see in many circles an imbalance on the learner through what is frequently termed 'autonomous learning'. The Diagnostic 2.0 software is about intervening for positive educational action for social change and hence fits well with much of the e-learning 2.0 developments and for me logical fit with Knownet software apps.

Just a little more on the background need for such an approach and underpinning thoughts. .....

For me the challenge is to create learning environments that maintain the cultural integrity of every person while enhancing their educational success. At the classroom level, culturally responsive teaching essentially involves using students’ cultural experiences and background as a medium for helping them learn important academic skills. There has also been a general agreement that the development of individual cultural identity is a major process of acceptance of the cultural norms, beliefs, attitudes and values of one cultural group rather than another. Hence multicultural education is important and necessary in order for students to be able to develop personal autonomy. To create inclusive education we need learning environments to re-configure to be in a proactive position to support diversity and equality.

Thats enough for now.. Will be posting over next week specifically on Multiculturalism, Learning Styles and eLearning 2.0 from how I see things..

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The diagram is intended to support discussions on the plug-in module for the diagnostic and its relevance to the overall tool. The diagram should support discussions - Al, Mike, Steve - on filtering content based on VAK and skills level

During our conversation preliminary to the group call, Glenn and I discussed the following plan:
A. Testing the usability (software performance) of the diagnostic tool this summer
B. Navreme should evaluate reports from UoH from the original diagnostic tool – this testing occurred within the timeframe of the MCDIP project, and an evaluation would provide information on strengths/weaknesses of the original tool
C. Testing the MCDIP diagnostic tool outside the UK after September 2006 –testing should not occur via the Internet because a mentor should be present to explain results


A. As regards testing the usability of the diagnostic tool:
Possible target group:
- Send the tool URL to 5-7 professionals/experts in technology in different regions/countries.
Alternative suggestion:
- Send tool to non-technology people – perhaps up to 10 people in the social science field or education sector, and get their feedback on the same issues.
Methodology:
- Decide what kind of feedback we hope to collect from this kind of testing.
- Develop a short questionnaire for example on: software performance, manoeuvre-ability, attractiveness, etc.
- Send tool plus questionnaire (either as a separate file or designed into the tool itself?)
- Collect and analyse feedback, write report

First thing to consider: What kind of feedback do we want to get?
- Al – would this be helpful to your work? What kind of feedback would be most valuable to you?
- Glenn – have you done testing like this before? What kind of feedback would be most useful to you?

If we go forward with this form of testing, I think the tool can be considered ready when:
1. All sections/parts to be used for this test are complete
2. The tool produces a report after the user has answered all questions (this will be the main motivation for people to help us and return the questionnaire – they will get a report about themselves in return).
3. The questionnaire for feedback is set – either as a separate file accompanying the report, or built into the tool (I do not know how feasible it is to incorporate a questionnaire as part of the design of the tool?)

B. Evaluating UoH diagnostic tool results
For navreme: “Evaluation is used to determine the significance or worth of something by careful appraisal and study. It is a developmental process that illuminates or enlightens the specific policies, processes and practice of its stakeholders and contributes to collective learning.”

Thus, in an evaluation of the existing reports on the UoH diagnostic tool, we would:
- Examine the reports
- Assess the strengths/weaknesses of the reports in terms of feedback to testers
- Write a brief (2-3 page) evaluation document explaining findings

This exercise is limited in its usefulness to the project, because the findings are based solely on the reports – not on the testing process. However, it can be valuable to us as input for the design of the reports for the MCDIP tool.

C. Testing the MCDIP tool: Transferability of the diagnostic tool
As for the testing of the MCDIP tool, I think we should discuss this in greater detail during the Wales conference. In particular, I would like to talk about:
- What testing involves. A test cannot duplicate implementation at all levels. We need to focus on the kind of testing we are able to conduct at different phases. This might require compromises: maybe we can test only part(s) of the tool, maybe the test will not include PLEs or blogs, etc. Expectations of the testing phase should be kept realistic!
- Transferability – not only of the tool, but of testing methods. I think that if testing can only occur if a mentor is present, this limits our potential test sites, makes testing overly dependent on timing and availability of experienced mentors, and limits the argument that the tool is transferable to different cultures. The idea that there is only one acceptable way to test the tool implies that it has is very limited flexibility and applicability.
- Also related to transferability: basing the assessment of creativity on questions related to specific occupational fields may further limit the transferability of the tool. What can we do to make this part of the tool (Section 4) more open to different target groups/pools of testers?
- Multi-culturalism: what about the tool is specific to multi-culturalism? What differentiates this tool from other diagnostic tests on learning styles? How is it culturally sensitive?

The tool still has a few bugs to shake out, the reporting "engine" is built but yet to be attached. The start form with the user details is yet to be attached etc. but it's close, all the main hard work has been done.

The styling is big, shiny and bold, very web 2.0. It feels secure and substantial in use. Navigation from the keyboard is intuiative and slick although the mouse can still be used.

The blogs are starting to fill out and the mc-dip del.icio.us resource has around 30 high quality links, many to multiple resources and is building fast. Glenns del.icio.us resource is around 140 links alone and a quick look to the sidebar will see them listed
Whilst on the subject of del.icio.us, it will be of great benefit to the project for all members to obtain a del.icio.us account and to use the mc-dip tag to book relevant resource links, have a look at the current tagging regime to get the idea. Go to Simply Del.icio.us to download a comprehensive guide. Phone, Skype or email me for assistance. The gathered resource can be embedded in the site for the use of the community.

The next project meeting is in Bangor, North Wales, 29/30-Jun-2006. I will be posting maps, accommodation and travel details in the next couple of days.

Regards to all and look foward to seeing you soon.

Alan

The Plone solution from knownet absolutely great and just now want to start adding content. I have attached a scruffy diagram for site structure additions changes mainly based on Knownet site. this I feel would be final step so we can start using in a real way. site structure addition would then provide Rene with a site to lift and give attitude in terms on design. It may be worth checking out www.blackdaytofreedom.org.uk that is clean/simple but contemporary design. may be we should consider black day logo in moving mc-dip logo forward also. on blackday everything extended from the logo. anyway Al hope my scrible help on attached. I was also hoping the functionality for adding some of the additions was within Plone functionality and may be some bits like del.icio.us addition more technical... if some of this is within Plone to change love to know how