Evaluation of Knowmia

"Technology for Teaching, Made Simple"

For my website evaluation, I chose to evaluate a website called Knowmia. Knowmia is a website and an iPad app for editing, sharing and viewing teacher videos to show to students. I used Richard Bryne’s Technology resources to find this website. On this site, teachers can learn how to create videos following a tutorial, and then use them in the classroom. Teachers then have the opportunity to share the videos they made with the website so other teachers can use them, and if they don’t want to share it is perfectly fine. The article I looked up on Knowmia was how to make video lessons. There is also a Knowmia cite for students! This posts teacher videos made available for students to help further their learning on a subject. 

This article/website is directed towards teachers trying to expand technology in the classroom. These articles are written by the Knowmia website designers. The purpose of this site is to inform and instruct teachers on how to better there classroom when it comes to technology and incorporating videos that are informative and fun for their students to learn. 

An example of what the video process looks like. 

The article, titled How to Create Video Lessons, is broken up into three different sections.  The three different sections are known as chapters. Chapter 1 is Using iPad Tools, Chapter 2 is Recording Yourself With a Camcorder, and Chapter 3 is Using Screen-casting Tools. In each chapter it breaks down into the advantages, challenges, tips, tools to consider, accessories to consider, and examples. 

This article can be accessed at anytime. This is seen as the "tutorial" on the website, and I believe it will not be taken off the website, but will be updated from time to time as the website changes. However, there is no date stating when the article was published, and therefore you do not know if this is showing you a tutorial covering everything the website has to offer including the most recent updates. 

The information comes from many different sources. In each subcategory under the chapters, they show videos from different websites, and also link many other websites you may use to further your instruction. When they are talking about different programs, they are also linking these by including the host website of the program to Knowmia. For example, the first chapter talks about iPad's, so Knowmia links different pages from the iTunes website to Knowmia. 

This website is very helpful. Not all teachers are hired being technology advanced. Many teachers have been teaching for years before this advanced technology was available to schools, and therefore do not know how to use the technology to it's fullest potential. This article also helps those who need a refresher course on how to make video lessons for the classroom, and also gives some great examples. Knowmia is a very good website and provides great references and resources on how to better a teacher's technology in the classroom, and the tutorial article is a great first step. 

I feel as though the website was extremely easy to navigate as it has categories at the top, as well as a search bar. I love seeing a search bar in a website, I feel as though it helps me out when trying to find what I'm looking for. This site pulls examples from many different educational websites and popular websites, so I feel as though this website is extremely credible. I feel as though the design could be more attractive, I don't mind the current design, but it also doesn't have the "wow factor" in my opinion. However, I am also looking at this website from a education student point of view and not from the view of a teacher. I may have a different opinion on the design of the website a few years in the future when I am a teacher, 

 “Building a School in the Cloud” Sugatra Mitra

               Schools across the world today are starting to incorporate technology more and more. However, what they are also sticking to the teaching patterns they have been doing for generations. Sitting in rows, teaching reading, writing, cursive, math, and science, at the same time every day. With the sound of a bell, you stop what you’re doing in the class and move on to the next thing whether it’s another subject, lunch, recess, specials, etc. It is the same routine every day and can very repetitive and tedious. As important as it is to implement technology in schools today, it is also very important to update teaching styles to keep the students interested, since they’re world today is completely different than a student’s world 15 years ago.           

Children eager to learn about this computer in the hole in the wall. 

                While watching Sugatra Mitra: Build a School in the Cloud, a ted talk by Dr. Sugatra Mitra, he introduces a new type of teaching. In his speech,he talks about students teaching themselves. His research, known as “A hole in the wall” is where he left a computer in specific areas, first in a very poor community. He told the children nothing of the computer, and it was in English, which the children didn’t know.
 They seemed very curious when he left it there, and were excited to learn about it. When he came back after time he found them browsing, and others claimed it was because a gifted child came and taught them how to do it. Therefore, he continued his research. Dr. Mitra went to a remote location where he left his computer, came back months later and all the kids said to him was that they needed a faster processor and a better mouse! 

               After finding that when children are left to their own devices, they teach themselves whether it's an easy lesson or a difficult lesson. He came up with a vision known as SOLE, Self Organized Learning Environments. This is which a students themselves work together, without sitting in a classroom being lectured to death. I personally like this idea. I feel as though as long as someone monitors them to make sure they stay on task, they could discover things that they wouldn't be able to learn by a lecture. 

               I feel as though SOLE could be the next thing in the world today. However, I don't agree on the teachers role. I think the teachers should be more than just the overseer, they're getting paid to be there and therefore should be more than that. Teachers shouldn't be teaching like they have in the past, they should be teaching for the future. They should incorporate technology more and more and teach students how to thrive in the world today. I think that school systems are slowly coming around to implementing technology, however not quite up to par. 

              The world is changing, therefore education must change. In my research, I found an article titled R.I.P. Lectures, Notes, and Tests. It explains how schools are going to start to change from lectures notes and tests, and move on to technology. This involves teaching through viral videos. This would mean students could equally learn as much online at home as they would in school. Although this could save money in the school budget by cutting down by not having students there as much, it could also be a disadvantage to students. Students need school to socialize, some students even look forward to school to escape from their home life. In conclusion, I believe that school's should be updated to the world today, however I do still think students need to learn some things that have been taught for years.