Technology+-+When,+Why,+and+Why+Not

A Page that summaries Web 2.0 technologies and their application to teaching and learning. Substantially based on Educause's Learning Initiatives, //[|7 Things You Should Know]...// series.


 * ~ Technology ||~ When (what) ||~ Why ||~ Why Not ||
 * ~ Blogs || Need to share, reflect, debate; discriminate class information, faculty-generated information || Unedited expression, reaction, connection; high level of autonomy; includes culture, politics; anywhere access; anyone publisher; || Bias and inaccurate; online soap box; potential intellectual property rights infringement; transient; ||
 * ~ Podcast || Record lectures; lab instructions; expert interviews; student record activities, collect notes, reflections || Portable education; Very simple to use; not too difficult to create; students already familiar with technology; || Bandwidth for download; not good for hearing-impaired; one-way, no audience participation; low quality recording may miss tone, inflection; might need a bit of training to learn recording; ||
 * ~ Games/Simulations || Role-playing; apply theory to real life; research involving people; traditional lecture; virtual field trips; life skills; foreign language; 3D modeling; || Synchronous; sense of presence and improved interaction; highly interactive, collaborative; builds rapport (community of inquiry); self-directed learning; || Synchronous; potential unethical or illegal behavior since it is a virtual world; ||
 * ~ Social Bookmarking || Collaborative research with unknown peers/colleagues; multi-location; reference list distribution; || Organize resources; sync across multiple topics and locations (anywhere access); collaborate with other researchers; tagable; collect differing perspectives; community of inquiry from like-minded researchers || No oversight, so quality of information may be suspect or incomplete; skewed view of a topic; another site to maintain and update ||
 * ~ Video Blogging/Digital Storytelling / YouTube/Ustream || Need to share, reflect, debate, but use visuals to improve impact and context; share commentary, story; self-publishing; record lectures or special events; International communication; e-portfolio || Collaboration; research; Captures more than text or still photography; natural expression; tap into media literacy of students; images can remove language barriers || Bandwidth requirements; equipment and software to create and store; significant time and money investment; indexing requires metadata; ||
 * ~ Wikis || Dynamic knowledge base, repository; collaborative research and reflection; presentation tool; e-portfolio; community involvement; group activities || Immediate and wide view; Collective SME; powerful, flexible, easy to use; anywhere access; anyone publisher; versioning capabilities show contributions to group activities || Inappropriate language, spam, content; inappropriate editing; over time, develops collaborative bias, losing perspective; ||
 * ~ Mobile Learning || (Lessons and collaboration in the field; GPS tagging of images/video; delivered via smartphone or other handheld. usually includes text messaging) ||  ||   ||
 * ~ LMS/CMS ||  ||   ||   ||
 * ~ IM/Text Chat ||  ||   ||   ||
 * ~ Discussion Forum ||  ||   ||   ||
 * ~ RSS ||  ||   ||   ||
 * ~ Twitter/Microblogging || (as part of mobile learning or backchannel communication) ||  ||   ||
 * ~ Text Messaging ||  ||   ||   ||
 * ~ eBooks/eReaders ||  ||   ||   ||
 * ~ Email || (group email) ||  ||   ||
 * ~ Collaborative Annotation/editing || (annotate web pages, edit documents) ||  ||   ||
 * ~ Data Visualization || (tools to represent data in the form of charts, maps, tag clouds, animations, or any graphical means that make content easier to understand. Graphic representations of data are popular because they open up the way we think about data, reveal hidden patterns, and highlight connections among elements) ||  ||   ||
 * ~ Webinair/live question tool/virtual meeting ||  ||   ||   ||
 * ~ Location-aware applications/Map mashups || (Use GPS coordinates to place learning into a geographical context) ||  ||   ||
 * ~ Alternate reality games (ARGs) || (weave together real-world artifacts with clues and puzzles hidden virtually any place, such as websites, libraries, museums, stores, signs, recorded telephone messages, movies, television programs, or printed materials. ARGs are not computer or video games, but electronic devices are frequently used to access clues.) ||  ||   ||
 * ~ Social Networks -Facebook, mySpace, Ning ||  ||   ||   ||
 * ~ Google jockey || (someone responsible for googling terms used during a presentation. Search results display simultaneously ||  ||   ||
 * ~ Screen casting || (screen capture, demonstration) ||  ||   ||
 * ~ Augmented reality || (add context to a real object via technology - like audio tours at the museum) ||  ||   ||
 * ~ Clickers || (survey/assessment tools used during lecture) ||  ||   ||

= When considering technology, consider design =

**THE PRINCIPLES OF UNIVERSAL DESIGN** //Version 2.0 - 4/1/97// Compiled by advocates of universal design, listed in alphabetical order:  Bettye Rose Connell, Mike Jones, Ron Mace, Jim Mueller, Abir Mullick, Elaine Ostroff, Jon Sanford, Ed Steinfeld, Molly Story, and Gregg Vanderheiden

 Major funding provided by: The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, U.S. Department of Education

 //Copyright 1997 NC State University, The Center for Universal Design//

UNIVERSAL DESIGN:
**The design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.** The authors, a working group of architects, product designers, engineers and environmental design researchers, collaborated to establish the following Principles of Universal Design to guide a wide range of design disciplines including environments, products, and communications. These seven principles may be applied to evaluate existing designs, guide the design process and educate both designers and consumers about the characteristics of more usable products and environments.

 The Principles of Universal Design are presented here, in the following format: name of the principle, intended to be a concise and easily remembered statement of the key concept embodied in the principle; definition of the principle, a brief description of the principle's primary directive for design; and guidelines, a list of the key elements that should be present in a design which adheres to the principle. (Note: all guidelines may not be relevant to all designs.) **PRINCIPLE ONE: Equitable Use**  The design is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities.

 **Guidelines:** **1a.** Provide the same means of use for all users: identical whenever possible; equivalent when not.  **1b.** Avoid segregating or stigmatizing any users. <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **1c.** Provisions for privacy, security, and safety should be equally available to all users. <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **1d.** Make the design appealing to all users.

<span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **PRINCIPLE TWO: Flexibility in Use** <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities.

<span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Guidelines:** <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**2a.** Provide choice in methods of use. <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **2b.** Accommodate right- or left-handed access and use. <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **2c.** Facilitate the user's accuracy and precision. <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **2d.** Provide adaptability to the user's pace.

<span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **PRINCIPLE THREE: Simple and Intuitive Use** <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of the user's experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level.

<span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Guidelines:** <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**3a.** Eliminate unnecessary complexity. <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **3b.** Be consistent with user expectations and intuition. <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **3c.** Accommodate a wide range of literacy and language skills. <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **3d.** Arrange information consistent with its importance. <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **3e.** Provide effective prompting and feedback during and after task completion.

<span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **PRINCIPLE FOUR: Perceptible Information** <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The design communicates necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user's sensory abilities.

<span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Guidelines:** <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**4a.** Use different modes (pictorial, verbal, tactile) for redundant presentation of essential information. <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **4b.** Provide adequate contrast between essential information and its surroundings. <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **4c.** Maximize "legibility" of essential information. <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **4d.** Differentiate elements in ways that can be described (i.e., make it easy to give instructions or directions). <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **4e.** Provide compatibility with a variety of techniques or devices used by people with sensory limitations.

<span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **PRINCIPLE FIVE: Tolerance for Error** <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The design minimizes hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions.

<span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Guidelines:** <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**5a.** Arrange elements to minimize hazards and errors: most used elements, most accessible; hazardous elements eliminated, isolated, or shielded. <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **5b.** Provide warnings of hazards and errors. <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **5c.** Provide fail safe features. <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **5d.** Discourage unconscious action in tasks that require vigilance.

<span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **PRINCIPLE SIX: Low Physical Effort** <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The design can be used efficiently and comfortably and with a minimum of fatigue.

<span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Guidelines:** <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**6a.** Allow user to maintain a neutral body position. <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **6b.** Use reasonable operating forces. <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **6c.** Minimize repetitive actions. <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**6d.** Minimize sustained physical effort.

<span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **PRINCIPLE SEVEN: Size and Space for Approach and Use** <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Appropriate size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use regardless of user's body size, posture, or mobility.

<span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Guidelines:** <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**7a.** Provide a clear line of sight to important elements for any seated or standing user. <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **7b.** Make reach to all components comfortable for any seated or standing user. <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **7c.** Accommodate variations in hand and grip size. <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **7d.** Provide adequate space for the use of assistive devices or personal assistance.

<span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Please note that the Principles of Universal Design address only universally usable design, while the practice of design involves more than consideration for usability. Designers must also incorporate other considerations such as economic, engineering, cultural, gender, and environmental concerns in their design processes. These Principles offer designers guidance to better integrate features that meet the needs of as many users as possible.

<span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> //Copyright 1997 [|NC State University], [|The Center for Universal Design]//

= When considering technology, consider accessibility =

<span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Section 508 web site

**§ 1194.22 Web-based intranet and internet information and applications.**
(a) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content). (b) Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation. (c) Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup. (d) Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet. (e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map. (f) Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape. (g) Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables. (h) Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers. (i) Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation. (j) Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz. (k) A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of this part, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primary page changes. (l) When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive technology. (m) When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with §1194.21(a) through (l). (n) When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues. (o) A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links. (p) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.

**Note to §1194.22:**
1. The Board interprets paragraphs (a) through (k) of this section as consistent with the following priority 1 Checkpoints of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (WCAG 1.0) (May 5, 1999) published by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium: 2. Paragraphs (l), (m), (n), (o), and (p) of this section are different from WCAG 1.0. Web pages that conform to WCAG 1.0, level A (i.e., all priority 1 checkpoints) must also meet paragraphs (l), (m), (n), (o), and (p) of this section to comply with this section. WCAG 1.0 is available at __ [] __

= Notes from 2009 Horizon Report  = <span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman','Bitstream Charter',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">**One year to adoption** <span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman','Bitstream Charter',Times,serif;">Mobiles - personalized, anytime anywhere access to everything <span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman','Bitstream Charter',Times,serif;"> Cloud Computing - data farms; personal documents available from any Internet-connected machine; collaboration

Two-three years
Geo-everything - geo-location - where we are, where we were; geo-tagging

<span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman','Bitstream Charter',Times,serif;"> Personal Web - collection of resources (pages, gadgets, etc.) that are useful to the individual

Four-five years
Semantic web - extract meaning from search results

<span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman','Bitstream Charter',Times,serif;"> Smart objects - a physical object can collect and report information about itself into the real world

= More accessibility resources =

<span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman','Bitstream Charter',Times,serif;">AssessIT