Monday, 21 May 2012
Thursday, 12 April 2012
Reflective Synopsis on use of digital tools in the classroom
During our first weeks course reading for ICTs for Learning Design (http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/mod/resource), we have learnt a lot about different learning styles, multiple intelligences, learners in the 21st century and learning theory. From this material it has become evident that not every individual learns in the same way. It is therefore important to tailor our lesson to suit the multiple ways of learning present in our classroom. According to Prensky (2001) teachers today are dealing with a class full of digital natives and if we want to be able to engage our students we must adapt to technology. Constructivism and Connectivism are two parts of the learning theories covered in course notes for ICTs for Learning Design (term 1 2012), Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) play a large part in constructivism and connectivism is based solely on ICTs. It is clear from my further investigations how digital tools are able to enhance and engage today's learners and help to achieve higher order thinking.
During week 2 engagement activity we were required to participate in a wiki activity on mobile phones which was scaffolded using De Bonos 6 thinking hats. I have posted on my blog about my experience participating in my first group wiki. This activity demonstrated the importance scaffolding within a wiki activity. Without the scaffolding present everyone would have merely added their personal thoughts about mobile phones in the classroom and may not have considered other options. Scaffolding ensures that the desired learning outcomes are achieved.
Group 1 digital tools consisted of bogs, wikis and websites, I have completed a SWOT analysis in my wiki page on these three tools. I have also reflected on my personal experience with each of these tools on my blog. Of the three group 1 tools I believe that I will use wikis the most in my classes, I like the idea of students working in a constructivist environment. With the correct scaffolding wikis are a great tool for group work. As the teacher I would make the page password protected and I would regularly monitor the contributions. An example of how I would use wikis in a teaching context would be a group science experiment. I would set up small groups with a wiki page for the student to design their experiment on. The space could be used for brainstorming ideas and experimental design. Students are able to add external content and links to research that they have found. Once the experiment is underway, individual observations can be recorded with photo graphic evidence included. Digital video clips of observations can also be added to demonstrate findings. This way the students are working in a constructivist environment and they are able to bounce ideas off one another. Students are still required to do some individual research and can share their personal observations with the rest of the group. Wikis are also a great example of connectivism, with so many different resources at their finger tips. Once the experiment is completed and student begin to write their formal report they are able to look back at all of the evidence of their experiment that is on the wiki page. Scaffolding that I would add as a teacher would be topic selection ideas that might include a PMI for each idea, brainstorming formatting, SWOT analysis for experimental design and pages for recording observations.
Group 2 digital tools included digital images, podcasts and digital video, on my wiki page I have completed a PMI on the use of these tools. My blog also contains a post on my journey with these tools. I have chosen podcasts from this group of tools as I think it will have an application in scientific field trips. I think that podcasts would be a creative way for students to present observations from a field trip. They can use a small inexpensive MP3 players (which most students would already have) to record their voices explaining what they can see, hear, touch and smell making their observations more 3 dimensional than just a picture. Later when using a program such as podomatic they can edit their recordings and add any images that they may have taken during the day. They are able to share their podcast with teachers and peers on the class blog page or on the field trip wiki page. This creative digital presentation will help to transform content that they have learnt in the classroom into a real experience and hopefully create higher order thinking.
Group 3 digital tools consisted of powerpoint, prezi and glogster, my wiki page contains a SWOT analysis on the use of these tools. Initially when I considered these tools I thought that powerpoint would be the tool I would use most in the classroom and I will use powerpoint to present my content to my class. However in terms of my learners using technology I have chosen glogster as the tool that I will use. I can see glogster having an application in students presenting assignments, for example an article review. This piece of assessment would usually be quite boring and dull to complete but if students were required to present their initial ideas and thoughts on their review as a glog it would make the task much more enjoyable. Content such as images, digital video and sound clips can be added as well as so many decorative items to personalise their glog in which ever way they see fit. Glogs can then be embedded into a class wiki page, this will enable students to look at what their peers have created. This will help stimulate visual and creative learners whilst at the same time it encompasses the learning theories of cognitivism, constructivism and connectivism. Students will want to view peers glogs as they are appealing to look at. Making the research fun will help transform the declarative knowledge into procedural knowledge.
Group 4 tools were open ended and there are so many to choose from, the two tools that I investigated were interactive learning objects and online concept mapping both of which I have posted about on my blog. I believe that both of these tools are useful in science. I have chosen interactive learning objects as the tool that will have the greatest impact on my teaching. As science has a lot of concepts that are simply too small to see or can't be seen at all interactive learning objects have the potential to make those item "visible". This will help student put the puzzle pieces in place and be able to see what we are teaching them. The interactive dissection of a frog on the frog guts website (2012) was amazing to me. As resources aren't always available for these particular activities it was a fun interactive way for students to be involved in a dissection. In other applications it would be great to find interactive learning objects for processes such as cell division, in an evolutionary context being able to see how an extinct animal may have moved. The cognitive domain of Bloom's taxonomy of Learning domains (1999) refers to the categories of learning behaviour , Interactive learning objects have the ability to transform the lowest category knowledge into the higher order thinking areas of evaluating and creating.
The use of all these lovely tools does have a very serious side. The Internet is a dangerous place for children and as teachers we must ensure that students are fully informed and protected. As a teacher I would present a lesson at the beginning of term outlining the dangers of the online environment. I would password protect all of our work spaces and teach students to always reference their work. I would also send home permission slips at the start of the term asking for permission to show students work in class blogs or wikis. I would also direct my students to web sites that explain the guideline explicitly. Having the computers restricted for school use is also something that the school would need to do. As the teacher I would continually monitor all class pages and contributions of students.
This course so far has started me on my ICTs learning journey, a journey that is never ending as there are always new technologies being created. As I was taught using traditional methods this was all that I knew and how I thought that I would teach. My whole mindset has been altered and I can see the advantages that incorporating ICTs into my lesson. It will make it more interesting to plan teach and assess. My students will be engaged as I will be speaking their language and hopefully I will be able to help them achieve that procedural knowledge and higher order thinking. I thought I would hate this course but it so far has proved to be the complete opposite. I am also aware that I am just scratching the surface and must continue to grow.
References
Unknown.(2012) ICTs for Learning Design term1 2012 [week 1Learning resources]
Retrieved from CQUniversity e-Courses, (EDED20491 ICTs for Learning Design):
http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au
Prensky.(2001) Digital Natives Digital Immigrants
Retrieved from CQUniversity Resources Online (EDED20491 ICTs for Learning Design):
http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky
unknown.(2012) Frog Guts.
Retrieved from CQUniversity e-courses (EDED20491 ICTs for Learning Design):
http://www.froguts.com/demo/
Clark, D.R (1999) Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning Domains
Retrieved from CQUniversity Resources Online (EDED20491 ICTs for Learning Design):
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html#cognitive
Appendix A
The following posts from my blog are linked through out my reflective synopsis
mobile phones
group 1 digital tools
digital image
digital video
podcast
group 2 digital tools
prezi
glogster
powerpoint
group 3 digital tools
group 4 digital tools
Appendix B
There are links to my wiki page through out my synopsis. I used my wiki page as a working space to analyse the digital tools and display some working examples.
During week 2 engagement activity we were required to participate in a wiki activity on mobile phones which was scaffolded using De Bonos 6 thinking hats. I have posted on my blog about my experience participating in my first group wiki. This activity demonstrated the importance scaffolding within a wiki activity. Without the scaffolding present everyone would have merely added their personal thoughts about mobile phones in the classroom and may not have considered other options. Scaffolding ensures that the desired learning outcomes are achieved.
Group 1 digital tools consisted of bogs, wikis and websites, I have completed a SWOT analysis in my wiki page on these three tools. I have also reflected on my personal experience with each of these tools on my blog. Of the three group 1 tools I believe that I will use wikis the most in my classes, I like the idea of students working in a constructivist environment. With the correct scaffolding wikis are a great tool for group work. As the teacher I would make the page password protected and I would regularly monitor the contributions. An example of how I would use wikis in a teaching context would be a group science experiment. I would set up small groups with a wiki page for the student to design their experiment on. The space could be used for brainstorming ideas and experimental design. Students are able to add external content and links to research that they have found. Once the experiment is underway, individual observations can be recorded with photo graphic evidence included. Digital video clips of observations can also be added to demonstrate findings. This way the students are working in a constructivist environment and they are able to bounce ideas off one another. Students are still required to do some individual research and can share their personal observations with the rest of the group. Wikis are also a great example of connectivism, with so many different resources at their finger tips. Once the experiment is completed and student begin to write their formal report they are able to look back at all of the evidence of their experiment that is on the wiki page. Scaffolding that I would add as a teacher would be topic selection ideas that might include a PMI for each idea, brainstorming formatting, SWOT analysis for experimental design and pages for recording observations.
Group 2 digital tools included digital images, podcasts and digital video, on my wiki page I have completed a PMI on the use of these tools. My blog also contains a post on my journey with these tools. I have chosen podcasts from this group of tools as I think it will have an application in scientific field trips. I think that podcasts would be a creative way for students to present observations from a field trip. They can use a small inexpensive MP3 players (which most students would already have) to record their voices explaining what they can see, hear, touch and smell making their observations more 3 dimensional than just a picture. Later when using a program such as podomatic they can edit their recordings and add any images that they may have taken during the day. They are able to share their podcast with teachers and peers on the class blog page or on the field trip wiki page. This creative digital presentation will help to transform content that they have learnt in the classroom into a real experience and hopefully create higher order thinking.
Group 3 digital tools consisted of powerpoint, prezi and glogster, my wiki page contains a SWOT analysis on the use of these tools. Initially when I considered these tools I thought that powerpoint would be the tool I would use most in the classroom and I will use powerpoint to present my content to my class. However in terms of my learners using technology I have chosen glogster as the tool that I will use. I can see glogster having an application in students presenting assignments, for example an article review. This piece of assessment would usually be quite boring and dull to complete but if students were required to present their initial ideas and thoughts on their review as a glog it would make the task much more enjoyable. Content such as images, digital video and sound clips can be added as well as so many decorative items to personalise their glog in which ever way they see fit. Glogs can then be embedded into a class wiki page, this will enable students to look at what their peers have created. This will help stimulate visual and creative learners whilst at the same time it encompasses the learning theories of cognitivism, constructivism and connectivism. Students will want to view peers glogs as they are appealing to look at. Making the research fun will help transform the declarative knowledge into procedural knowledge.
Group 4 tools were open ended and there are so many to choose from, the two tools that I investigated were interactive learning objects and online concept mapping both of which I have posted about on my blog. I believe that both of these tools are useful in science. I have chosen interactive learning objects as the tool that will have the greatest impact on my teaching. As science has a lot of concepts that are simply too small to see or can't be seen at all interactive learning objects have the potential to make those item "visible". This will help student put the puzzle pieces in place and be able to see what we are teaching them. The interactive dissection of a frog on the frog guts website (2012) was amazing to me. As resources aren't always available for these particular activities it was a fun interactive way for students to be involved in a dissection. In other applications it would be great to find interactive learning objects for processes such as cell division, in an evolutionary context being able to see how an extinct animal may have moved. The cognitive domain of Bloom's taxonomy of Learning domains (1999) refers to the categories of learning behaviour , Interactive learning objects have the ability to transform the lowest category knowledge into the higher order thinking areas of evaluating and creating.
The use of all these lovely tools does have a very serious side. The Internet is a dangerous place for children and as teachers we must ensure that students are fully informed and protected. As a teacher I would present a lesson at the beginning of term outlining the dangers of the online environment. I would password protect all of our work spaces and teach students to always reference their work. I would also send home permission slips at the start of the term asking for permission to show students work in class blogs or wikis. I would also direct my students to web sites that explain the guideline explicitly. Having the computers restricted for school use is also something that the school would need to do. As the teacher I would continually monitor all class pages and contributions of students.
This course so far has started me on my ICTs learning journey, a journey that is never ending as there are always new technologies being created. As I was taught using traditional methods this was all that I knew and how I thought that I would teach. My whole mindset has been altered and I can see the advantages that incorporating ICTs into my lesson. It will make it more interesting to plan teach and assess. My students will be engaged as I will be speaking their language and hopefully I will be able to help them achieve that procedural knowledge and higher order thinking. I thought I would hate this course but it so far has proved to be the complete opposite. I am also aware that I am just scratching the surface and must continue to grow.
References
Unknown.(2012) ICTs for Learning Design term1 2012 [week 1Learning resources]
Retrieved from CQUniversity e-Courses, (EDED20491 ICTs for Learning Design):
http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au
Prensky.(2001) Digital Natives Digital Immigrants
Retrieved from CQUniversity Resources Online (EDED20491 ICTs for Learning Design):
http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky
unknown.(2012) Frog Guts.
Retrieved from CQUniversity e-courses (EDED20491 ICTs for Learning Design):
http://www.froguts.com/demo/
Clark, D.R (1999) Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning Domains
Retrieved from CQUniversity Resources Online (EDED20491 ICTs for Learning Design):
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html#cognitive
Appendix A
The following posts from my blog are linked through out my reflective synopsis
mobile phones
group 1 digital tools
digital image
digital video
podcast
group 2 digital tools
prezi
glogster
powerpoint
group 3 digital tools
group 4 digital tools
Appendix B
There are links to my wiki page through out my synopsis. I used my wiki page as a working space to analyse the digital tools and display some working examples.
Wednesday, 4 April 2012
group 4 digital tools
The two tools that I chose to use from the group 4 digital tools were Interactive Learning Objects and Online Concept Mapping.
I feel that Interactive learning objects will play a large role in my teaching of science. As a lot of concepts in science aren't visible it can be really hard to describe and give the learners and accurate visual picture. Not only will these tools give students a visual but they are able to show the mechanisms by which they work. This will hopefully help to obtain higher order thinking. I loved the interactive frog dissection. There are times where it may not be possible for each and every student to be able to participate in the dissection and it can be hard for the teacher to assist everyone in the process and supervise at the same time. The digital dissection enables every student to see what they are suppose to see whilst giving them a description. It allows them to be interactive choosing the correct parts and the procedure will not move on until the correct response has been given. Also it takes time to perform that actual dissection hence reducing the time spent actually examining the organs, the digitilisation of this enables more time to be spent examining the specimen.
I used Bubbl us as the online concept mapping tool. It was really user friendly and enabled organisation of thoughts. It was easy to undo and add bubbles. It was good to be able to save the map for later use. I think that it would be a good way to get students started with assessment tasks. They could brainstorm and then organise their thoughts, whilst it is all being put on paper and saved
I feel that Interactive learning objects will play a large role in my teaching of science. As a lot of concepts in science aren't visible it can be really hard to describe and give the learners and accurate visual picture. Not only will these tools give students a visual but they are able to show the mechanisms by which they work. This will hopefully help to obtain higher order thinking. I loved the interactive frog dissection. There are times where it may not be possible for each and every student to be able to participate in the dissection and it can be hard for the teacher to assist everyone in the process and supervise at the same time. The digital dissection enables every student to see what they are suppose to see whilst giving them a description. It allows them to be interactive choosing the correct parts and the procedure will not move on until the correct response has been given. Also it takes time to perform that actual dissection hence reducing the time spent actually examining the organs, the digitilisation of this enables more time to be spent examining the specimen.
I used Bubbl us as the online concept mapping tool. It was really user friendly and enabled organisation of thoughts. It was easy to undo and add bubbles. It was good to be able to save the map for later use. I think that it would be a good way to get students started with assessment tasks. They could brainstorm and then organise their thoughts, whilst it is all being put on paper and saved
SWOT of group 3 tools
I have completed a SWOT analysis of the group 3 digital tools.
Although I think that I will use all three tools in my classroom the tool that I think that I will use the most will be powerpoint. I not only see myself using powerpoint for presenting information to my students but also for the students to use and present their work. I liked being able to organise my thoughts with concept mapping and outline my slides using word. This made the task more structured rather than adding random thoughts on a slide
In the powerpoint that I created I touched on the idea of presenting findings from a field trip to the beach. I think that this is a powerful way to present the whole of the field trip and a good support for oral assessments. Students could created slides and add images and recordings of what they found on the day of the trip. It can help them organise their thoughts and present them in a logical way. The use of images/audio and video will help their audience visualise what they are talking about.
Being able to add links to other slides and home keys allow for easy navigation around the presentation. This also means that you are create options for students to follow.
I really liked the idea of the mouse mischief using powerpoint. A great way to interact with the audience and receive feedback on understanding. I also like the idea of chosing to share my presentation with. It can always be shared with the students so that they can access when needed.
I felt that prezi was a great alternative to powerpoint and a little more entertaining. The zoom in feature is great. Once again a clever way to present information with other media able to be added.
Glogster is a really fun and creative way to share information. The possibilites are endless. I managed to upload mine to my wiki page which is a great way to share with teachers and students.
Although I think that I will use all three tools in my classroom the tool that I think that I will use the most will be powerpoint. I not only see myself using powerpoint for presenting information to my students but also for the students to use and present their work. I liked being able to organise my thoughts with concept mapping and outline my slides using word. This made the task more structured rather than adding random thoughts on a slide
In the powerpoint that I created I touched on the idea of presenting findings from a field trip to the beach. I think that this is a powerful way to present the whole of the field trip and a good support for oral assessments. Students could created slides and add images and recordings of what they found on the day of the trip. It can help them organise their thoughts and present them in a logical way. The use of images/audio and video will help their audience visualise what they are talking about.
Being able to add links to other slides and home keys allow for easy navigation around the presentation. This also means that you are create options for students to follow.
I really liked the idea of the mouse mischief using powerpoint. A great way to interact with the audience and receive feedback on understanding. I also like the idea of chosing to share my presentation with. It can always be shared with the students so that they can access when needed.
I felt that prezi was a great alternative to powerpoint and a little more entertaining. The zoom in feature is great. Once again a clever way to present information with other media able to be added.
Glogster is a really fun and creative way to share information. The possibilites are endless. I managed to upload mine to my wiki page which is a great way to share with teachers and students.
bubbl us
powerpoint
I haven't used powerpoint for a long time. It is much the same only with more functions- I think? I find powerpoint easy to use and navigate. I can see myself using powerpoint to present my classes. I really like the multiple mouses to make it more interactive. It would be a great way for students to present oral assessment and this is how I have used it in the past. Students can add all sorts of media to complete their presentation.
Monday, 2 April 2012
Wednesday, 28 March 2012
This week we were require to explore the digital tools Images, Podcasts and Digital video. I have completed a PMI digital tools.
IMAGES
I have always enjoyed taking photos and emailing them to family and friends to keep them updated. So I have had some experience with the use of this digital tool. Uploading and embedding images is somewhat new to me, however I found it quite easy to do.
Using images in the classroom is something that I had not considered before. I can see how this can create an open ended discussion. As you can only see a single image, it is not known what the complete picture represents and it is up to the imagination and interpretation of the learner. As all students learn and think differently it is easily seen how individuals can come up with different ideas.
I could see myself using images in a biology class, where I would present an image of an aquatic landscape. From this I could brainstorm ideas to see what the interpretation of that landscape is. For example a polluted creek, erosion, is it man made or perhaps a result of some natural disaster, appearances of vegetation and wildlife. It would be great to see what the students know and what they don't know, whilst engaging them and having them think like a scientist. After brainstorming I could then inform the class on the real outcome and gauge their reaction- how close were they.
PODCASTS
Before exploring this tool I had only ever heard of the term podcast. I had no idea what it was or where to find it let alone how to create one. I did find it relatively easy to do once I got the program to work for me. I can see that advantages to it, especially since you can subscribe to the podcasts on itunes. I like that you are able to record vocal information at any given time and add images later.
This is a really creative and fun way for students to present their work. For instance an application of a podcast could be during a field trip. Students could record their vocals whilst they are actually on the site, what they see at that point in time. Whilst creating their podcast they can add in any images they have taken on the field trip that will give more of a complete picture of what they have seen on the field trip. This is then able to be shared with other students.
DIGITAL VIDEO
I have taken lots of video footage of my children over the years, I have never downloaded that footage before, it was all sitting on my camcorder. I did have a few problems creating a movie, mainly due to formatting-I think. Once I found a way around these problems I had a lot of fun. I experimented with a few formatting tools to make my creation look more professional. I found uploading my movie pretty easy.
I have noticed in my ICT course notes there are a lot of Youtube clips, I have found this really engaging and it helps me to visualise the meaning of the information. It really breaks up the readings and it doesn't really seem like you are studying. This is invaluable for today's learner. I think that this is a great tool for teaching and reaching out to students.
The flip slide of this is having students create their own movies to present to the class, it would be a fun way of assessing their knowledge. I would probably have students present experimental results in this way. For example they could show their experimental design as still images, then use digital video to record the progress of their experiment at different stages. Finally they can combine all the still images and recorded footage to create a movie showing design right through to conclusion.
IMAGES
I have always enjoyed taking photos and emailing them to family and friends to keep them updated. So I have had some experience with the use of this digital tool. Uploading and embedding images is somewhat new to me, however I found it quite easy to do.
Using images in the classroom is something that I had not considered before. I can see how this can create an open ended discussion. As you can only see a single image, it is not known what the complete picture represents and it is up to the imagination and interpretation of the learner. As all students learn and think differently it is easily seen how individuals can come up with different ideas.
I could see myself using images in a biology class, where I would present an image of an aquatic landscape. From this I could brainstorm ideas to see what the interpretation of that landscape is. For example a polluted creek, erosion, is it man made or perhaps a result of some natural disaster, appearances of vegetation and wildlife. It would be great to see what the students know and what they don't know, whilst engaging them and having them think like a scientist. After brainstorming I could then inform the class on the real outcome and gauge their reaction- how close were they.
PODCASTS
Before exploring this tool I had only ever heard of the term podcast. I had no idea what it was or where to find it let alone how to create one. I did find it relatively easy to do once I got the program to work for me. I can see that advantages to it, especially since you can subscribe to the podcasts on itunes. I like that you are able to record vocal information at any given time and add images later.
This is a really creative and fun way for students to present their work. For instance an application of a podcast could be during a field trip. Students could record their vocals whilst they are actually on the site, what they see at that point in time. Whilst creating their podcast they can add in any images they have taken on the field trip that will give more of a complete picture of what they have seen on the field trip. This is then able to be shared with other students.
DIGITAL VIDEO
I have taken lots of video footage of my children over the years, I have never downloaded that footage before, it was all sitting on my camcorder. I did have a few problems creating a movie, mainly due to formatting-I think. Once I found a way around these problems I had a lot of fun. I experimented with a few formatting tools to make my creation look more professional. I found uploading my movie pretty easy.
I have noticed in my ICT course notes there are a lot of Youtube clips, I have found this really engaging and it helps me to visualise the meaning of the information. It really breaks up the readings and it doesn't really seem like you are studying. This is invaluable for today's learner. I think that this is a great tool for teaching and reaching out to students.
The flip slide of this is having students create their own movies to present to the class, it would be a fun way of assessing their knowledge. I would probably have students present experimental results in this way. For example they could show their experimental design as still images, then use digital video to record the progress of their experiment at different stages. Finally they can combine all the still images and recorded footage to create a movie showing design right through to conclusion.
podcast
Once again after numerous attempts I have my first podcast! I used my smart phone to make a recording, which I then downloaded onto my computer. Then using podomatic I have managed to create my first podcast. When i was attempting all of this on Monday, podomatic just wasn't working properly for me, it kept taking me back to the sign in page and just when I thought it was going to work I get a message telling me that the site was having internal problem- grrrr. however today I manage to complete this in about 5 minutes- easy
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
digital video
WOW!!! I can't believe that after hours of attempts both yesterday and today I managed to get my lame video on here.
I firstly attempted to use movie maker 2.6 as the course notes suggested but couldn't manage to have access to any of my video footage. I decided to try and use movie maker live and I managed to make a couple of cool movies but they were taking forever to upload as they didn't give me many options to resize. So then I imported a short movie I made in live to 2.6 and saved it. Then YIPPEE, finally I have a vido on my blog
Image
Monday, 26 March 2012
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
Group 1 digital tools
The use of digital pedagogies are required of teachers in today's classroom. I have completed a SWOT analysis on the use of blogs, wikis and websites in the classroom
SWOT analysis of digital tools
As I grow in this course I am developing an appreciation for ICT. The creation of my first blog was a lot of stress for me as my technology use was pretty limited. I am now starting to see the learning benefits that are associated with ICT. For instance I see blogs as a great tool for students to review and reflect their studies in their own personal way. Students are able to see their growth in the content area, just as I have started to see with my own development. I would ideally have my students set up a blog and just as I have been doing write a reflection at the end of each week to review what they have learnt and maybe what they are not learning. The students are able to view their colleagues work and make comments, this all contributes to their learning journey. I as a teacher am able to keep track of students progress and as entries are dated I can see when work is being contributed
So far in my ICT journey I have discovered that wikis are a useful tool for group work. As each student is able to edit the "page" students are able to construct a volume of information. Information is instantly shared with others and access is available when the student decides. As a teacher you are able to see the work that is being created (or maybe not being created). The main concern for me with a wiki is that information can be deleted, perhaps intentionally. Another issue with group work on a wiki is that you aren't able to see who is contributing. Some members might be doing all of the work whilst others might not be doing any.
I can see myself presenting units of work in a web page. It would need to be embedded with links, video clips, graphics and other useful and interesting tools to engage my students. That way students are able to access work when they are not in the classroom. They will be able to look back at notes in a fun way. Students would also be able to present assignments in this format. It would enable them to be creative with the information and allow them to actually see the results that their hard work has produced.
As an online environment is not always safe for children there will need to be precautions put in place to protect them. Password protecting bogs and wikis is one way to keep unwanted guests out. I believe that students should also be taught about the dangers of chatting on the Internet also. Another consideration is plagiarism, students must be made aware of referencing requirements. It might be useful to have a presentation embedded within the course website that helps explain guidelines for online usage.
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
mobile phones in the classroom?
We were asked to participate in a group wiki where the question was posed should mobile phones be used as a teaching aid in the classroom. We were required to use the 6 thinking hats in order to assess the topic. I had never used the 6 thinking hats before and I found it very useful, it made me think about all of the possibilities, what I do know and what I need to know. I found it made me think about parts of the question that I may have otherwise not considered.
I feel that the mobile phones wiki covered several of the learning theories.
Cognitivism was present as what we were visualising on the screen was being processed through our working memory and whether or not we perceived it to be important or relevant it was stored in our long term memory. This activity made me really think about the theories behind the question.
Constructivism could be seen as we were working in groups, all adding our thoughts and ideas and reading each others responses. Reading what other people had posted gave me a different perspective.
Connectivism was the back bone of this task! We were learning with computers, connecting all of our information in the one source.
I found this activity really interesting, I enjoyed participating and putting forward my opinions and thoughts. Being an external student I found it very helpful to be able to connect to my peers in this way. The only thing that I found an issue was that many people had already commented by the time I got to the wiki and many of my thoughts were already present. I did feel a little frustrated that I didn't have anything new to add. This did force me to think further and attempt to come up with new ideas.
The design of this wiki forced people to think about all of the possibilities rather than their initial reaction. This was a great group activity and something that I could use in the classroom. It could be performed using different analytical tools. It is a great way for the teacher to see everyone participating, even students that might normally be hesitant to put forth their opinion in a traditional classroom situation.
I feel that the mobile phones wiki covered several of the learning theories.
Cognitivism was present as what we were visualising on the screen was being processed through our working memory and whether or not we perceived it to be important or relevant it was stored in our long term memory. This activity made me really think about the theories behind the question.
Constructivism could be seen as we were working in groups, all adding our thoughts and ideas and reading each others responses. Reading what other people had posted gave me a different perspective.
Connectivism was the back bone of this task! We were learning with computers, connecting all of our information in the one source.
I found this activity really interesting, I enjoyed participating and putting forward my opinions and thoughts. Being an external student I found it very helpful to be able to connect to my peers in this way. The only thing that I found an issue was that many people had already commented by the time I got to the wiki and many of my thoughts were already present. I did feel a little frustrated that I didn't have anything new to add. This did force me to think further and attempt to come up with new ideas.
The design of this wiki forced people to think about all of the possibilities rather than their initial reaction. This was a great group activity and something that I could use in the classroom. It could be performed using different analytical tools. It is a great way for the teacher to see everyone participating, even students that might normally be hesitant to put forth their opinion in a traditional classroom situation.
TPAC Framework in plain English
TPAC is an acronym for Technological Pedagogical And Content Knowledge. What does this mean??? As teachers you know your subjects content (C, K). You also know which teaching methods assist your learners gain that knowledge (P=pedagogy). The technology acts as an assistant to engage your learners and help them to transfer the knowlege to higher order thinking (T)
Productive Pedagogies
Sunday, 4 March 2012
Reflection on week 1
After the completion of week 1, setting up my blog and wiki and I am feeling a little more secure. Apart from learning that I have a fairly balance learning style, I have discovered that i am a little lacking in the logical and musical intelligence areas- this doesn't surprise me in the least!
Although I already knew that the current generation has a love affair with technology I was unaware of how the divide between digital natives and digital immigrants might affect the learning abilities of today's students. It has made me realise the potential of this course on my teaching practises and that I must embrace technology and incorporate it into my lesson plans to be able to engage my students (especially with teenagers!)
The different types of learning theory have helped me understand the processes of learning. The You-Tube clip on connectivism was extremely helpful to me and helped me make the connections between a lot of the requirements in this course. It helped me to understand why we are creating blogs, wikis and discussion forums and why these are useful tools for the classrooms full of digital natives. I do feel that it is also important to know what to do with this information, how to digest it and apply that knowledge to everyday situations- which is what I see my role as in all of this!
Although I already knew that the current generation has a love affair with technology I was unaware of how the divide between digital natives and digital immigrants might affect the learning abilities of today's students. It has made me realise the potential of this course on my teaching practises and that I must embrace technology and incorporate it into my lesson plans to be able to engage my students (especially with teenagers!)
The different types of learning theory have helped me understand the processes of learning. The You-Tube clip on connectivism was extremely helpful to me and helped me make the connections between a lot of the requirements in this course. It helped me to understand why we are creating blogs, wikis and discussion forums and why these are useful tools for the classrooms full of digital natives. I do feel that it is also important to know what to do with this information, how to digest it and apply that knowledge to everyday situations- which is what I see my role as in all of this!
Activity 1
After taking the learning styles test I have discovered that I am balanced between most styles with the exception of the sensing/intuitive style. I have a moderate preference to the sensing style. This is fairly accurate for me as I do prefer to learn from facts with a hand on approach.
This test has made me aware of the different learning styles there will be within the classroom and that I will attempt to make allowances for all different types. I believe that getting feedback from my students and profiling them will assist me in developing strategies to give each student the best opportunity.
This test has made me aware of the different learning styles there will be within the classroom and that I will attempt to make allowances for all different types. I believe that getting feedback from my students and profiling them will assist me in developing strategies to give each student the best opportunity.
OMG! Well finally I have figured it out- well yet to see if it works! After nearly tearing my hair out I have a blog!
although I am excited about this ICT course I am daunted at the same time. I love the idea of technology in the class room but I am not all that literate. I am hoping that this ICT for learning design changes this!!!
although I am excited about this ICT course I am daunted at the same time. I love the idea of technology in the class room but I am not all that literate. I am hoping that this ICT for learning design changes this!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)