Technology Enhanced Adventures (TEA)

 My husband and I absolutely love to travel. When our travels began, we relied on what is now referred to as the traditional map method of navigation. In typical tourist fashion, we would pull those paper maps out regardless of where we were in order to find our next destination. As our travels continued year after year, we began to realize how impractical paper maps were, not to mention how goofy they made us look. As a response to this issue, my husband decided to try something new before one of our trips.

In 2012, we planned and executed a trip to Ireland. During our planning we knew that this trip would be different than any other we had taken in a foreign country. This time we would drive rather than travel by train between cities. For this trip, our driving was not limited to two or three cities. Instead, we planned to drive across (from Dublin to Galway) and all around (down to Limerick, Kenmare, Cork, Waterford, Kilkenny, Cashel, and back up to Dublin) the country to see as many areas as possible. In order to do this, we knew we needed a more applicable way to navigate. As we thought about this possible new method we tried to consider what we already had that could be useful. Finally, we realized that our Garmin Nuvi GPS was the most advanced navigation device we possessed. Immediately my husband scoured the Garmin website and discovered that we could order a special SD card preloaded with maps of the entire country of Ireland. Purchasing this card gave us a fearless sense of ease in terms of getting around Ireland.

 

(Odhekar, 2008)

Once in Ireland, we broke out the Garmin and SD card to begin our adventure. Initially, the GPS appeared to work far better than any map we could have purchased. As the trip progressed however, we found that there had been recent changes in some of the road systems which failed to appear on the GPS. This was a technology feature that my husband and I failed to explore prior to our trip. As a result of putting so much faith into a form of technology that was flawed and unresearched, my husband and I did inevitably get lost a few times. However, we treated this technology experience as an opportunity to learn from our

                                                                                       mistakes and improve upon future trips.

            The trip to Ireland helped my husband and I prepare on a deeper technology level for our most recent travel adventure. This year we travelled to Brussels and Paris. During the planning for this trip we attempted to incorporate a more holistic navigational approach. The decision was made to use traditional paper maps and new technology applications as we attempted to find well and lesser known sites. Prior to this trip however, my husband conducted ample amounts of research on different technology apps in order to ensure we were more prepared.



(Ulmon, 2014)

           Through his research he found an app called Ulmon City Guides. Ulmon City Guides rely on smart phone GPS settings to provide real time navigational maps (Ulmon GmbH, 2014). Since the application uses GPS there is no need to be synced to the internet or use roaming features. This is an incredibly handy feature when travelling through multiple European countries while using a U.S. linked smartphone. After reading the application information, downfalls as mentioned by Ulmon, and the reviews, we agreed that this application was what we needed. So with our paper maps and app, my husband and I forged ahead.

 

We hit our first snag during the second day in Paris. The first time we attempted to use the app we were unable to get it to load. Thinking back to Ireland, I thought that this was another piece of technology that we relied on too much which ended up failing. Luckily, my husband had read all of the information he could find regarding this app so he was extremely prepared for this problem. Within moments he had the app up and running, and we followed suit. From that point on we were able to navigate the streets of Paris every single day without the use of the “touristy” paper map. I will admit that we still got lost a time or two, but with the real time map changes we could immediately see that we needed to alter our course. I saw these small detours as a success rather than a failure. In my mind, we could have had the exact same experience with a map, yet a map would not be able to tell us we were going the wrong way before we walked twenty blocks.

As the trip progressed, I became fascinated by the city guide app. We were able to find well known sites such as the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame, while at the same time answering the standard, “What is that” question. In the past, I would have asked someone what a specific building was in order to identify the place and establish a sense of location. This effort of attempting to communicate in broken French was avoided through the use of the app. Instead, I would ask my husband what a certain place was and he would be able to see right on the map where we were and what was nearby. In fact, if it was not for this app, I would have never known (so quickly) that this lovely bridge connecting archway is another entrance to the Louvre. Having this information readily at our fingertips provided us with a sense of autonomy in an otherwise dependent travel situation.

(Glasgow, 2014)

 

The more we used the app, the more we were able to learn about our surroundings. While reflecting on this trip I realized that learning was a critical piece that made it so special. We had to learn what methods of navigation were the most appropriate and when to use them. We also had to learn how to adapt to the forward momentum of the cultural world in which we were exploring. The use of the Ulmon application allowed us to adapt in a timely manner and find information as we needed it.

Based on our experiences, it has become apparent that technology can be a very useful tool for travel. However, it is important to find the appropriate mode of technology based on the needs of the traveler. Accomplishing this task requires that the traveler conduct quality research on different modes of technology, their uses, and the associated reviews. Additionally, it is important to avoid sole reliance on technology as there are always things subject to change. Technology, at its best, is a tool for guidance and instruction. Failing to realize this can lead the traveler astray from the initial goal of having an adventure in which you occasionally get lost. In some cases, allowing ourselves to get lost opens us to the possibility of finding untapped wonders.  

 

References

Glasgow, R. (Photographer). (2014, August 15). Louvre Entrance [Print Photo].

Odhekar, D. (Photographer). (2008, April 30). Garmin Nuvi 660 001 [Web Photo]. Retrieved

from https://www.flickr.com/photos/dhan/2454569568/in/photolist-4JUj1Y-4JQ5Ze-4JUjDd-79sjeA-79sjcq-79sjh1-9pZ5UP-4u6HnA-5TuDCo-5UwrcX-68yFZf-4r5hbb-4r1coT-6Xitwn-4r1cgF-4r1cmp-4r1cj2-4r5h8J-4r5hd9-4r1cei-9wUNvu-wBDvE-wBD9P-wBDdt-wBDav-wBDtU-wBDfC-wBD6Q-wBDpt-wBD7t-wBDmu-wBDrT-wBD6d-wBDnZ-wBDed-wBDbG-wBDhC-wBDcK-5QszCs-aiwa8X-4T4koA-aaSJj5-bzN6sW-8xX3WH-wBDf7-wBD8k-wBDbb-wBDjp-6YKjeV-zmN1S/  

Ulmon GmbH. (Designer). (2014). Ulmon Apps for Smart Travelers: Paris [Web Photo].

            Retrieved from http://www.ulmon.com/

 

 

Current Interactions and Self-Guided Learning amidst Blogging

           Self-guided learning in relation to technology. This was the first and most prominent thought that came to mind as I watched the videos for the module this week. Listening to the stories told by Richardson (2011) about his daughter’s method for learning a Journey song on the piano and the 17 year old cinematographer who never attended a formal class started me thinking on how I used to practice self-guided learning. The earliest memory I have of self-guided learning can be traced back to this image:  

For those readers who were children of the eighties, there may be a hint of recognition emerging from the far reaches of your memory. This image is a screen shot of the Sesame Street Letter-Go-Round computer game. I have included a YouTube link in the references section of this blog for anyone interested in seeing this game in action (I recommend watching up to the 1:45 mark to get a basic understanding). This game taught letter recognition, case matching, and simple word formation with the help of the entire Sesame Street gang. As a child I absolutely loved this game, even though I knew I was learning. My favorite part of the game was the instant gratification I gained from getting an answer correct. Of course, I was not always able to get the right answer. Most often, this was due to my inability to follow directions. While I understood the basic premise of the game, I failed to pay attention to how to actually play. I would identify the matching letter and immediately click the computer mouse. Unfortunately, the correct letter would not drop into the spot on the teeter totter and I would be forced to try again.

At an early age, I found that asking for help was not an option and I would have to instead rely on my own abilities to solve this problem. As I watched Richardson’s (2011) podcast, I felt an immediate connection between my fear of asking for help and his wife’s response. His wife felt that their daughter was not ready to tackle a Journey song on the piano (Richardson, 2011), and I was afraid my parents would say the same thing. If couldn’t figure this game out, they may take it away from me and say I was not ready. Since reading the directions was also not an option at my age, I reverted to my click until it works methodology. I began clicking on various parts of the screen until I finally realized that in order to get the right letter to drop into place I had to wait for it to circle around to the bottom of the ferris wheel and then I could click on the letter. From that point on, I knew that I could tackle any issue that Letter-Go-Round threw my way. I also knew that I enjoyed learning in my own manner and at my own speed.

            Through my progression in age and experience, I have found that I still learn best in this self-guided technology manner. As an undergraduate student, I struggled to achieve a real sense of learning. I was able to attend class, read text books and lecture materials, and eventually provide that information on a test. However, I never really developed a connection to what I was learning. Failing to develop a connection meant that I quickly forgot the material and was unable to apply it later. Learning in this manner is a great example of Richardson’s (2011) notion of school learning equaling test prep. I was filling my head with information simply because I would be tested on it, not because I was interested in it. As a graduate student, I honestly expected to have the same experience which would ultimately be unfulfilling and unsuccessful. As I have found over the course of my four semesters in this graduate degree program, this is not the case. In addition to traditional methods of readings, quizzes, and papers, students are given the opportunity to independently explore the material. Explorations include internet and library searches based on topics of personal interest, as well as discussion forums. Recently, I have been amazed by the amount of times my opinion on a topic has been changed or improved based on the discussion postings of my classmates. In a sense, each classmate has become my teacher because they all have something valuable to add to my understanding of the material.

            In order to increase this level of peer driven instruction, the members of EDOD 692B have been asked to create a blog. As a new member of the blogging community I faced this assignment with fear and skepticism. I was afraid that I would not be able to meet all of the criteria set forth in the assignment and that I would not be a very interesting blogger. These fears were somewhat abated after viewing Godin and Peters’ (2009) video on blogging. Godin (2009) mentions that it does not matter whether or not you are an interesting blogger at first. What matters are the levels of thinking, reflection, and humility represented in that blog that helps the writer become part of the conversation (Godin & Peters, 2009). After hearing this information I felt a sense of relief and appreciation. I am relieved that I do not have to be fantastic at blogging on my first attempt, rather I just have to do try. I am appreciative of the fact that if I am not good at blogging, I can rely on my audience and fellow classmates to provide me with feedback and suggestions for improvement. My audience can be my guide and gauge for learning as I explore this non-traditional method of educational interaction. So with this sense of relief and appreciation, I submit my first blog for peer review. I am incredibly eager to join my classmates in this new community setting as we attempt to redefine our local and global learning interactions.

References:

Godin, S. & Peters, T. (Performers) (2009, March). Blogging. OPEN: Inside the Entrepreneurial Mind. [Video podcast]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=livzJTIWlmY#t=37

Richardson, W. (Performer) (2011, ). TEDxNYED. [Video podcast]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni75vIE4vdk#t=30

Sesame Street Letter-Go-Round video. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTRHY0V-Hcc