you're a mystery yourself

Sunday, February 28, 2010

11:53 PM

E-LEARNING

Do you know that e-learning websites are examples of web 2.0 usage? I didn't make the connection and only realised it when i googled 'e-learning' and saw the sentence "One of the strongest, but least hyped, uses of web 2.0 technologies over the past couple of years has been e-learning". (http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/e-learning_20_all_you_need_to_know.php)

Anyways, I had decided to look up more about the Microsoft Surface and how it can be used in a future digital classroom (provided the price drops because, really, it's too expensive to be practical!). Performing a search on YouTube led me to these videos-- Microsoft Surface is already tested out in a classroom setting!

I can see how exciting this must be for children. If I were them, I would be eager to 'play' with the new piece of equipment! Children learn concepts faster simply because it is more interactive and hands-on. For example, in mathematics, they can physically touch objects, group objects to learn simple division. This of course happens in a small group (since limited number of people can crowd around the table) which further aids their learning since the teacher is better able to give each child the attention and individual coaching necessary. Overall, this beats the old traditional way of teaching primary school math (at least in Singapore) where children sit at their seats and are only able to learn via visuals and abstract concepts.

If there is any truth to the popular saying that we learn better when we do things, then I can say that the Microsoft Surface is an exciting invention that can facilitate learning for children, making it fun and thus garnering their interests in learning new things. However, there are several drawbacks in implementing this exciting equipment in schools:
1) Cost
According to Wikipedia, a commercially sold unit is available at a whooping price of $12,500. (O.O) Though Microsoft claims to be looking towards reducing the price by 2010, I find it somewhat hard to believe that the lowered price would be very much lower than the current one. So, I don't see this being used in a classroom setting in Singapore any time in the near future

2) Target group
From reading up, it seems like using the MS Surface for educational purposes is (at least right now) only using at a primary school level. While this works because primary school classes tend to be relatively small in size, it is difficult to see it being used at higher levels of education. Of course, this is with the idea that there's only one unit per class. It can probably work if there were more, but the cost.... =/

Ah well, I think the main problem is the cost. If it can be greated reduced to a normal laptop price, then maybe it is possible for MS Surface to take over computers and stuffy worksheets in classrooms. Nevertheless, this invention has got me quite eager to see how the digital classroom would turn out in future given the time and more such inventions springing up. =]

i posted.

5:42 AM

E-commerce. Online shopping. PayPal.
These are words that I know mean what, but have never actually tried it myself. Reason? I am a skeptic with too many concerns- Is it safe to shop online? How do I know that what I get is exactly how it looks like in the photos? When I do order, how to I actually do a bank transfer? What if the order never arrives? These were just a few concerns I had which hindered me from shopping online. These, and the fact that I didnt actually own a debit card which allowed online purchases until last year. =X

I remember my very 1st purchase, which was through eBay- an iPod touch external speaker. I had gotten an iPod touch without in-built speakers (horrible, right?) and wanted speakers so badly that I searched practically everywhere. The problem was that the small portable type which I wanted was not available in stores. But, surprise surprise, when I did a Google search, there were so many favourable types! My want for the speakers overwrote my skepticism and for the 1st time in my life, I applied for an eBay account, took a leap of faith and paid for my order through PayPal.

Upon successfully getting the product in the end, my interest in online shopping peaked. Clothes, accessories.. There were so many blogshops offering various types of products. But where should I go to find these blogshops? It was through friends' recommendations that I got to know 'blogmarkets' which function as platforms for various blogshops to advertise themselves. From there, blogshops that looked attractive with clear photos and proper write-ups were the first ones that caught my attention. Reasonable prices were a definite plus, but ultimately what propels me to buy something was the reviews and recomendations from friends.

I think getting the word out is definitely one of the most important factor at the end of the day. You can have the best product and advertise on every available platform but nothing says "SOLD" faster than a recommendation from a friend. Which leads back to an important point raised in the class about social networking.

i posted.