Tim Johnson's Page

I’ve been taking a number of classes online through websites like Coursera and the MIT Opencourseware. While the MIT courses are entirely self-paced, the Coursera classes are done in real-time and vary from 2-weeks to 12-weeks in length. The one I’m currently taking is about algorithms and programming in Java. It’s run by teacher assistants, alongside the professor, and is exceptionally well-designed. The site itself is easily navigated, well maintained, and can be viewed from just about any…

It was very difficult to find any information in opposition to virtual reality. Most of what I found were asides in pro-VR papers talking about the possible loss of actual human interaction and how if the VR world fails to adequately represent the real world it can cause problems for those that rely on it as a teaching tool. After doing the research I am even more convinced that VR will be a useful component of future education.

The VR worlds can offer a number of things that…

In the last few years of teaching I have noticed that even though these are students that have grown up in the digital age they are still woefully unaware of how to act and maintain their safety on the net. This comes in the many forms, from unintentionally installing malware or spyware to divulging passwords to friends and even to online strangers. This unit has made me more aware of the needs of a clearly worded and straightforward digital citizenship document that all students need to be…

My school does not have a specific AUP, but covers rules for computer and electronic throughout the handbook. There is a code of conduct for the students as a whole, but no section specifically for computers. 

Due to a lack of an AUP there is no definition section. I think the lack of definitions stems from most of our students being fairly technologically adept. I would say at least 90% of them have smart phones and/or a laptop that they bring to school. They regularly use…