During todays lecture we had a visit from Darren, who works within the advertising market, to explain to us about the development of the internet and what it could look like within the years to come. It is predicted that by 2020 the internet is going to be something completely different from today, it is just about cracking the code and gaining full understanding of it to reach that level.

One of the things which were presented were Estimote Stickers, these are brilliant little pieces of hardware. They are stickers which can be stuck anywhere around a room or area, and can have information programmed onto them. This information can then be accessed through a IPad or phone. I think these can be used within the classroom to create an amazing interactive learning environment in a range of different ways. They could be placed around the room to give the children more information about daily tasks, for example they could have an interactive story on the sticker in the book corner for the children to listen to. They could also be used to collect information from around the school for a specific subject, for example a scavenger hunt based on geography.

Another interesting piece of technology that could be used within the classroom is the Nest. This is a device which links to a phone and enables the teacher to control the environmental aspects within the classroom, such as the heating and lighting. This could be used to give the teacher more control over their own environment, leading to a more comfortable school experience for both the children and teacher. There have been many times when I have been into a classroom and it has been incredibly hot, but the teacher has no control over the heating, leading to an unfocused and unbearable lesson.

This kind of technology is only within it’s infancy though, for example linking the Nest with the Amazon Echo could change the learning environment simply by listening to and collecting data from what is happening within the classroom. This is a very interesting idea, and comes under the AI branch of technology- currently being led in development by Tim Cook from Apple. This device listens to what is happening around it and then changes the environment to suit the needs of those specific people, for example if it senses that they are stressed the device could lower the lighting or put on some music for them.

Finally, the last thing which was presented was Ivyrevel and  is still under development. This again, like the Amazon Echo, listens and collects data from what is happening within your life to suggest the kinds of clothes that could be made specifically for your style. This was a fascinating concept, since based on where you are, what time you have done things, what you have looked for online can help create a picture of what you should wear! However, this is specifically targeted for those who have money, since the clothes are tailor made.

I think this could be used within the classroom, using the same concept, to help collect the data of what the children have done during the day and how they have reacted to lessons or topics to help create an overall picture of where the children need to focus on or why they are behaving in a certain way. This type of technology can give teachers a more accurate look at how the children within their class are performing individually and overall, and saves them time when it comes to the assessments, meaning teachers have more time to focus on planning and the lessons.

Although, finally there is the issue of security and safety. These types of technology are incredible and will revolutionise the way we think and teach. However, there will always be someone who wants to get into them and have that information without permission or need. Teachers need to be sure that when they use these devices that they are safe and protected from hacking and being overrun. The danger that I can think of, is if things like the Amazon Echo are always listening to what is being said, what happens when something is recorded that teachers don’t want to or shouldn’t be. Similarly, for the stickers, how can you prevent someone from changing the data on it without permission? Are they going to be password protected? Are they going to have their own anti-virus software? I’m sure these will all be answered soon…

After the CEOP training lecture, we were asked to create a presentation for either children, parents or other teachers based on E-Safety. I have linked the presentation below:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1rB2xuEBf7iLYTwSdzUuBV8TdJGf6QmP0_B6DzF2OGQ8/edit?usp=sharing

I chose to do the presentation for children, specifically KS1 children, since I believe it is important for the children to start to learn about the dangers of the internet at an early age. This can help make the children aware of how to stay safe and what to do if they see something that they don’t like.

Today we participated in a Video Conference lecture, it is a simple and effective way to connect with the group and share the information in the same way as a lecture, but without physically being in the university.

I particularly enjoyed not having to travel to get to the university, or really go very far from my bed, to take part. It was quick and easy to access, since once the link was clicked it went directly to the conference- the only thing that needed doing was allowing permission to the microphone and camera. It was easy to understand what everyone was doing and who was presenting as the conference call only showed the cameras of those who were talking.

I also was impressed by the features of the call, this included a poll, which everyone to respond quickly when a closed question was asked. The answer to the question was then displayed next to their name, meaning that if a follow up question or explanation was needed then it would be easy to identify who to ask. Another feature which is incredibly useful was the whiteboard tool, this is displayed as a central note pad so that everyone in the call is able to write onto it. We used this to share ideas and respond to questions.

Although we did come into some issues with the call, an example being sometimes the camera and sound feed would drop out, leaving that person unable to interact with the other callers. An issue that I had was that my internet connection wasn’t strong enough to stream all of the video feeds, therefore leading to me disconnecting from the call frequently. I also found it quite difficult to speak to the screen, since there wasn’t actually a physical person there. It is something that I think would go with using this kind of software a few times.

I would use this within the classroom, although I think I would use it as a whole class rather than individually. I particularly like the idea of video conferencing another school which is in a different country, since it enables the children to learn from the children about their culture and experiences.

Some other benefits of using video conferencing within the classroom are:

• Video conferencing can save time and money- instead of taking the children to the museum conference with them to see the artifacts and get the information.
• Children are able to travel in time and space- they are able to talk to someone dressed as an explorer or alien through the conference.
• It is an instant way to connect and share information, meaning that decisions or can be made or information shared quickly and efficiently.
• If the parents of the children are busy or unable to attend meetings, they could be able to video conference with the teacher- leading to heightened parent/teacher communication.

Although there are some disadvantages, these are:

• The connection that is provided by the school might not be strong or reliable enough to be able to support the call.
• If any of the software or components don’t work for any of the participants then they won’t be able to join in with the call.
• Video conferencing doesn’t allow for real human interaction, sometimes it is easier to engage with a person face-face rather than on a screen.
• It can sometimes be expensive to set up and run, ensuring that the entire school is equipped with what they need could become costly.
• An issue of safety, the children need to be safe while they are steaming online both in the classroom and at home. They need to understand the dangers of talking to other people online.