Assessed Activity 7.1 (2015)

In a departure from the usual class format of Digital Learning Technologies we attended a class demonstration of the learning technologies used in the Music Department. While the tutor Tom gave a demonstration of the classroom computer suite management software Insight by Faronics,

During the class Michael streamed the demonstration via Adobe Connect and answered and asked questions for student who attended the stream.

The Computer suite used by the music department was a setup of Apple Mac's with students having access to keyboards and headphones for the creating of music, with the network/internet access being controlled by the tutor and having control of each machine in unison and individually for effective communication within the classroom.

SWOT Analysis of the Educational Technologies

Strengths

• Allows tutor to remote monitor and provide support for students.
• Allows remote one to one, one too many and advanced remote teaching to students.
• Allows control of computers to force and lockout distracting media which student commonly use e.g. Facebook, Reddit and YouTube
• More effectively allows first hand demonstrations
• Allows collaborations to take place with ease.

Weaknesses

• Privacy issues (students may feel violated)
• inconvenient for students in the middle of work to be interrupted 
• Data stored for only Six Months
• Use of Apple Mac's

Opportunities

• Improved management of classrooms around EIT
• Allows a better remote environment for tutoring of classes
• A integrated for group messenger service within the software or an attached forum would enable better class collaboration.

Threats

• ·         Privacy breach
• ·         Lack of operating systems knowledge students may create or experience issues as they may not be familiar with the Operating System.
• ·         Intellectual theft (Students who have their screens shared may be open to theft of their work)

Privacy breach is the main concern as students may be accessing information that is personal to them, only to have their screens shared and being watched by a tutor. There needs to be blocks on pages e.g. Facebook, email and banking. As well as a consent form disclosing the methods used within the class. To enforce an understanding for what takes place and what is appropriate and safe behaviour for students.