Reflective Synopsis

Reflective Synopsis

As technology evolves so does the need for teachers to be confident and comfortable with e-learning. The Queensland Government¹ states that e-learning is made up of three components, digital pedagogy, digital content (e-curriculum) and e-learning spaces (the learning place²). After using different technologies in the past weeks I think it is paramount that educators be embracing informations communications technology (ICT) to develop new ways for students to learn and interact. The learning place is a great example of a safe and secure environment for teachers and students to explore and use a comprehensive variety of resources, digital tools and online spaces to develop their learning and teaching abilities. Teachers and students can be a part of a wide-ranging eLearning space where they can network and collaborate with their peers and learn new ways to teach and learn through ICT³.

Incorporating e-learning and in turn social connectivism in teaching is vital now more than ever, technology is a major part of our lives so it makes sense that it should be intertwined with our teaching strategies and methods. The Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge framework knows as TPACK should also be addressed as a framework where digital technology is embedded into teaching and learning but also stresses the importance of your content knowledge and developing your pedagogy4.  When using e-learning you are exposing your students to a wider variety of sources and are catering to a wide-range of learning styles. In a HPE setting students can incorporate e-learning through videoing a game or action and later analysing that game/action to see what can be improved, if the action was correct, what the strengths and weaknesses were, etc. 

With e-learning students are able to participate in online discussions with other students outside their classroom through the learning place, blogs and wikis as well as being able to access unlimited resources. E-learning caters to most learning types as there are multiple ways to learn through ICT. From podcasts (audio) to videos (visual), online concept mapping (group work/individual) to blogging (individual), and from wikis (scaffolded) to prezi (active) all students get the chance to learn in an environment where they are comfortable but also challenged. When working with children and the internet it is important to highlight the legal safe and ethical standards and make sure that all students understand the risks and responsibilities that they have when working online. As a teacher it is important to protect students from any harmful sites and educate them properly about copyright, sharing information, privacy and other risks associated with online learning, some risk management documents can be located here. Through university I have had a variety of classes, from sitting, listening and taking notes in a lecture to creating blogs/wikis/prezi/podcasts/videos/etc through the term. I believe that my greatest learning was through creating and understanding through the use of ICT, as I had to actively put the work in and develop my skills through trial and error.

Wikis

The five most beneficial tools for teaching and learning that I have trialed are wikis, blogs, pictures, prezi and Google docs. Wikis are an easily scaffolded and can be added to by a large or small variety of people where there is one (or more) administrator. They are a great idea for students where scaffolded learning is appropriate and also have the security of being private if made that way to protect students. I participated in 2 wiki pages recently, one on concentrating on the use of mobile phones in schools (De Bonos wiki) and another where practice questions for a quiz were shared between a  group of people that stated their thoughts on the possible answers with reasoning ( Quiz practise). The mobile phone wiki discussion was scaffolded around De Bono’s thinking hats so that a large variety of opinions and facts were established and shared. Wikis are a great tool for collaboration no matter the distance or time restrictions between people. As the administrator you can see who has contributed, what they have contributed as well as what has been deleted or edited. Wikis are also beneficial for showing your students a term outline, where they can access the wiki any time as well as see what they will be learning. I have made a public wiki recently using ICT topics that we have covered (Melissa Jansens wiki) which anyone can contribute to.

Blogs

Blogs are a great tool for students and teachers to develop their thinking as well as track the progress and learning experience individually. Typically there is only one author to a blog where the author has complete control of what is on the blog as well as who can access the blog and leave comments. A blog can contain text, pictures, video, hyperlinks as well as being able to embed into. The author needs to be aware of who can see their blog as well as making sure that any content added is referenced properly and permission is given for any photos used. A blog can be set to private where only selected people or no one can view it. I compared blogs to wikis and websites and decided that blogs would be the most beneficial tool for students and teachers because of the ease of using them as well as the tidiness and ability for each person to personalise their own blog and take responsibility for their learning. I have created a blog that I posted to every week where I explored different tools and compared their usefulness in a teaching environment, for this particular posting I have also included PMI tables for the three evaluated tools (Melissa Jansen's Blog).

Photos

Everyone has photos and has access to photos, whether It’s from your phone, camera or Google images. Photos are easy to use and easily added to any presentation, lesson or assignment. I compared podcasts, pictures and videos and even though they all have positive and negative aspects I believe that photos would be the most beneficial for teachers. Photos are a quick and easy way to break up a lesson, add another element to a presentation or create an in class task. For a more in depth overview of photos compared to video and podcasts you can access my blog posting here.

Prezi

Prezi's are a great safe interactive tool for teachers to present information to students that would normally be boring and disengaging. I have compared prezi to glogsters and power points and believe that the benefits of prezis outweigh both glogster and power point. Prezis have the benefit of being able to add links, videos, diagrams, music, images and even power points, as you present your prezi you zoom into each section or can keep it as an overview, each student can view the prezi and move along with the presentation if they have access to computers where you can set up external links into activities. Because student information is not used in a prezi it can be a safe activity that students can access. I have created a basic prezi on my teaching journey that can be accessed here.

Google Docs

Google Docs is an online storage system where documents including power point, word, spread sheet, questionnaire, drawings, charts, movies and PDFs can be uploaded or created. I also explored online concept mapping and online timelines although ultimately decided that Google docs was more beneficial for students and teachers. Google Docs has the advantage of being able to collaborate online with as many people as you like, as well as having access to your documents on any computer, phone or laptop. As a teacher you can see what students have shared as well as who has been working on a document and what they have added. Only you have access to your document in your Google Docs as it is linked to your e-mail, therefore giving the user compete control of how can view their documents, this is great for students as their work is safe and secure. For a more in depth discussion including a SWOT analysis you can view my blog posting here.

Conclusion

After being exposed to the wide variety of ICT options available I feel confident that I will be able to successfully incorporate e-learning into my classroom comfortably. The tools that I have highlighted are my personal preferences and I believe that used properly they can all contribute positively to my teaching and in turn my TPACK. I believe that students now are being engaged constantly by so many outside influences that their learning also need to engage them. E-learning is a way to link technology with learning in a way that students are interested in doing. In order to survive as a teacher you have to change with the technology and being comfortable and confident with e-learning is essential. Initially ICT is a daunting thought, however when you explore and learn what suites you it can make teaching and learning exciting for not only the students but yourself. I will continue to incorporate e-learning in my teaching and learning and am glad to have had the opportunity to be exposed to it.

References

1. Department of Education, Training and the arts. (2008). Smart Classroom Bytes, Advice for schools on the latest ICT research for education. Queensland Government. Retrieved 4^th April 2013 from: http://education.qld.gov.au/smartclassrooms/documents/strategy/pdf/scbyte-elearning.pdf

2. Department of Education and Training. Smart Classrooms, A Strategy for 2011-2014. Queensland Government. Retrieved 4^th April 2013 from: http://education.qld.gov.au/smartclassrooms/documents/strategy/pdf/smart-classrooms-strategy.pdf

3. Department of Education, Training and Employment (2012). The Learning Centre. Queensland Government. Retrieved 4^th April 2013 from: http://education.qld.gov.au/learningplace/what-we-do.html

4. MISHRA. P, KOEHLER. M.Technological.(2006) Pedagogical Content Knowledge: A Framework for Teacher Knowledge. Teachers College Record. 108(6).1017–1054. Retrieved 4th April 2013 from: http://site.aace.org/pubs/sigs/sig-Mishra-Koehler-TCR.pdf

Google Docx, Online Concept Mapping and Online Timelines

The final review that I will do on online learning will be between Google Docs, online concept mapping and online timetables. 

Google Docs

Is a great way to save, upload and work on files safely no matter where you are. You have the benefit of being able to access your work on your laptop, computer or phone anywhere that has internet access and takes out the hassle of carrying a USB or external hard drive. If you want to work offline you can download the offline component of Google Docs as well and work offline. 

On Google Docs you can create documents, presentations (slideshow), spread sheets, questionnaires, drawings and images as well as being able to upload PDF and videos. Online live collaboration is also a great benefit in Google Docs as multiple people can work on a document online from a distance and receive updated on who has edited anything as well as what you have modified. You are also able to share documents online with selected people so that you both (or all) have access to a document. This would be particularly beneficial in a class setting where the students have access to computers and are able to collaborate and share ideas about the class lesson or upcoming assignment. If the students are sharing their documents with the teacher it would also be beneficial as the teacher could keep track of the progress of students and see if anyone may need help or is off task. This is also a safe and secure environment where the students work is safe unless they specify that they want to share their work/information.

Online Concept Mapping

Is a great way to find out what students know about a subject before you  start teaching. As a group or individually students can create an online concept mind map, this map can then be saved. There are multiple sites designed for mind/concept mapping, I have previously used a site called text2mindmap.com and found it useful to summarise my knowledge of HPE when I first started the graduate diploma of learning and teaching. At the end of a lesson or unit of work a mind map can also be created to summaries what has been covered in class and then compare the two maps so that the students can see exactly how far they have come in a lesson or term of learning. Here is the original concept map that I created a the beginning of term, unfortunately the text is very small as it had to me minimised to fit into the blog.

There is no danger for students in creating a mind map, as they are not exposed to the wider internet. Once the map has been completed they simply save or download the mind map and store it on their computer/laptop and can then use it to compare what they have learned or include it in an assignment if they are showing understanding of a particular subject.

Online Timelines

Teachers could create a timeline for the upcoming term so that students are aware of what they are learning and when they are learning it. This would help some children understand why they are learning certain things once they can relate them to the bigger picture. Images, videos, and audio can be inserted into the timeline to make it more engaging for students. The timeline can be shown in multiple ways including a flip chart and a list of events, there are also a range of templates that you can use. I signed up for dipity to create a timeline however navigating around the website seemed to lead no where and it would not let me add an event to my timeline. Needless to say that was an hour wasted, although if i could get it working i would have loved to put it onto my teaching website (in the future) so that my students could see what they were going to be learning. The website is very open to the public unless you select a private mode. For students to use this tool I would be supervising any comments that we made by the public as well as making sure only the class or I could see each persons timeline. There is a collaborative option where multiple people can add to a timeline which would be helpful if you were researching the career of an athlete and you wanted to add that to your report for a visual model.

Out of these three tools I prefer Google Docs. It is a safe and secure way to share and collate information in a classroom environment and also one on one with a student. Students can also work within a group and that way group assignments would become less stressful for the kids as they can work with their group at home. You are also able to monitor your students and keep them on track or help them which is a bonus. Thanks for reading :) 

Powerpoint, Prezi and Glogster

This week was another full on week between learning about PowerPoints, Prezi and Glogsters!

Powerpoint

I have used PowerPoint before and find it to be a neat and easy way to present information to an audience. I have completed presentations where I was at the front of a group and had a speech prepared that related to the PowerPoint next to me, as well as having a group presentation where I voice recorded over my particular slides and sent it to the next person to record over their slides (it was through distance learning at CQUniversity). I found both of these to be easy and professional and the voice recording was especially helpful for the long distance education.

PowerPoint has developed alot since it was first introduced with user being able to

• Create a customised layout to suite there presentation
• Change any colours/fonts/sizes of text as well as inserting new text boxes
• Inserting pictures instead of just clip art
• Inserting charts and diagrams
• Inserting a video
• overlaying voice recording for the whole or part of the slide show as well as music
• Inserting hyperlinks for further content exposure
• Customise any animation on the slide (eHow, 2012)

Power point can be used effectively in classrooms to draw attention to main points in a class or to finalise the important parts of a lesson. Students can easily use PowerPoint to create their own presentations and would feel comfortable with the ease that this tool has. I have made a short PowerPoint on the overview of HPE and essential learnings for year 9 as well as an image slideshow.

Overview of hpe, essential learnings from Milo Jansen

car driving from Milo Jansen

Prezi

After playing around on prezi the benefits really stated to show. It would be a great visual presentation to use in class and surpasses the powerpoint in more ways than one. The prezi that you make can have any number of templates as well as the option for you to make one from scratch. As you make your presentation you can view the page as a whole or zoom into any part that you want to emphasise, alternatively you can go through the presentation like a powerpoint where you have made a story line that the presentation follows. You can add links, videos, diagrams, music, images and even powerpoints. I have created a prezi about My journey to become a teacher. You can collaborate, share and present your prezi online, and if you want to upgrade can also work on your prezi offline. This tool seems to be a very easy and flexible way to present information in a large variety of ways, as well as having the advantage of being interactive and letting students work at their own pace if it was an individual activity.

Glogster
The interaction that is possible for students with glogster is awesome. A teacher can register up to 200 students with their own glogster account where the students can safely create and view glogs that their classmates and teacher has made. Much like prezi glogster has the advantage of being very visual as well as interactive. You can upload pictures, text, graphics, audio and video to create an online poster. Tracy Blazosky has created a great introduction on how to use a glogster as well as some of the benefits that I have listed.

Glogsters can be embedded into a wiki, blog or class website. You are also able to make your glogster public, which is how I found this interesting glog on Healthy Living and nutrition that could be a good starting point for a year 8 HPE class on being aware of what is in foods. 

That wraps up powerpoints, prezi's and glogsters. I have really enjoyed learning about the different ways to use each of these tools. I can see myself using prezi the most in class, however the ease and online safety that comes with glogster could be more beneficial when getting the kids to interact and create. Its a tough decision between the two, but I think I will stick with prezi as my tool of choice between these three. Thanks for reading :)

References

eHow. (2012).How to Use Microsoft Office PowerPoint. Retrieved 29 March 2013 from: http://www.ehow.com/how_2301070_use-microsoft-office-powerpoint.html

Blazosky, T. (2009). Detailed tutorial on glogster EDU- online teaching and learning tool. Retrieved 1st April 2013 from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=80NISdsoouE 

Photos, Podcasts and Videos in teaching

Week 4 is almost over, and i have to say it has been a big one for me! graduation this week as well as a birthday in the family and of course learning more about how to use photos, videos and podcast's in teaching!

It has been said that "students learn better from words and pictures than from words alone" (Mayer, 2001), so it seems like a good idea to use pictures in teaching. The only question is HOW to use them effectively so that the students benefit? Using photos to engage the students about healthy eating could be useful. By the students keeping a photo food diary or meals that they think are healthy by looking at the pictures and reading what ingredients are used. For younger children putting easily recognizable foods into three different columns marked unhealthy, sometimes and healthy and then explaining why they are unhealthy, etc. But before this can happen the teacher needs to be comfortable with the use of photos in class whether they are the ones creating the resources or the students are finding/taking the photos.

Online safety for the children needs to be taken into consideration when uploading photos of children the site needs to be safe and secure and the children should not be identified. Permission from parents is also a good idea when uploading photos (as well as asking permission to upload any child's work).The learners should be properly educated about referencing the photos they use if they are on the internet as well as any dangers.

By using photos you can spark a conversation in a class and get different view points on the photo. If I put a photo up what do you think straight away?

(Google images, lance armstrong: https://www.google.com.au/search?q=lance+armstrong)

Do you think:

• Great athlete?
• Cheat?
• Disgrace?
• Role model?
• Survivor (cancer)?
• or something else?

If this was in a classroom a full scale conversation could happen, opinions would fly and learner would be engaged. You could be talking about sport, law, right of athletes, role models, drugs, cancer, etc. alternatively opinions could be heard online through a wiki space. With everyone using a different colour, however the conversation would have to be somewhat scaffolded by the teacher.

I have never really thought about the size of photos that I am using, however to use photos on the internet or even in reports they should be reduced in size so that they are easier to access (less loading time means less frustrated learners). I tried to use a program that was easily installed on my laptop called mobaphoto, however I now have a task bar on my computer that I did not want, I also had to make their search and home page mine so that I could get the free version, and they havent explained anything so I ultimately cannot use it. below is my reduced image that I edited using paint on windows, the origional file size was 3.28MB and I reduced the size to 1.03MB and saved it as a GIF file instead of a JPG file. 

Now onto podcasting, instead of typing I have made a podcast on podcasting, through a site called PodOmatic. you can access it through the following link mels podcast.

Triple J has a whole page dedicated to podcasts, just in case you miss the show. You can download program podcasts that include tom and alex, hack, science on mornings, new music, the doctor and lots more. You can access the site at http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/listen/podcast.htm. A fun look into podcasts is a website that is dedicated to the song Barbra Streisand, you can remix whatever words you want to replace the main line in the song, and here is the link http://gobarbra.com/

and finally videos!

Swisher (2007) states that how the video is used is used is more important than whether the video is used. As teachers we have to decide if it will be beneficial for students to watch a video that relates to the subject or if using images and talking is enough. Creating videos are a great way for the students to engage and want to participate in an assessment piece. Although they are time consuming the planning, creation, social aspect and presentation are great skills that the students learn while making a video. I have made a short movie on the daily life of a uni student\ which you can see below.

a day in the life of a uni student.

I have added my video onto my wiki, jump on and add to the discussion! melissa jansens wiki

All three of these tools are extremely useful in the classroom as well as for assessment pieces for the students, learning tools at home, learning on the go access and also to have a bit of fun with. Fadel (2008) concluded that "The reality is that the most effective designs for learning adapt to include a variety of media, combinations of modalities, levels of interactivity, learner characteristics, and pedagogy based on a complex set of circumstances". And its true, for the new generation of learners there need to have technology as part of their learning because the reality is that it is the main part of their daily life. If teachers don't evolve with technology and develop a sound TPCK then all the amount of content in the world wont help the students learn, we need to engage the learners with what they are comfortable doing.

After comparing these three tool I think that using photos would be the most effective tool to use in a classroom. Photos can be easily made into an activity such as creating a poster made up of the elements of sport (the student could find photos of coaches, players, balls, people exercising, team mates, role models, etc). Pictures can be easily used in class, or home work and in assessment pieces with little difficulty. 

References

Fadel, C. (2008). Multimodal Learning Through Media: What the Research Says. Cisco systems, inc. p14. Retrieved 23rd March 2013:
http://www.cisco.com/web/strategy/docs/education/Multimodal-Learning-Through-Media.pdf

Google images. Lance Armstrong photos. Retrieved 23rd March 2013 from: https://www.google.com.au/search?q=lance+armstrong

Mayer, R. E. (2001) Multimedia Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Swisher, D, J. (2007). Does Multimedia Truly Enhanse Learning? Moving Beyond the Visual Media Bandwagon Toward Instructional Effectiveness. Retrieved 23rd March 2013: http://www.academia.edu/1046356/Does_Multimedia_Truly_Enhance_Learning_Moving_Beyond_The_Visual_Media_Bandwagon_Toward_Instructional_Effectiveness

Triple J. Podcasts. ABC Radio. Retrieved 23rd March 2013 from: http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/listen/podcast.htm

Blogs, Websites and Wikis!!

Teachers now have so many options when it comes to teaching, from using blogs to wikis and even websites.   Learners can be connected to a 'virtual' classroom wherever they are and whenever they want to (provided the internet isn't down of course!). For teachers the use of technology in the classroom is abundant, from using the interactive whiteboard to using cameras and ipads/computers/laptops. Students have new ways to learn in an environment that they are comfortable in (technology). Blogs, wikis and website are the three teaching tools that i will dive into today.

Blogs

Blogs seem to be well presented, they stick to a time line (they are displayed in the order of posting) and are presented neatly. The blogging space where you can read other peoples blogs is neatly set out and easy to navigate around, I cant see this being a problem for someone that isnt an expert on the internet. They can have one or multiple authors and it is up to the author who can view their blog (public/private). A teacher can keep a blog throughout a term so that the parents of student are able to keep up with what they are learning if they want to be kept in the loop (and maybe to check up on their kids!). Students can keep a blog so that the teacher can see how they are progressing, the current course that I am in is an example of this. As I become more confident in my blogging abilities I will be able to add in more content and things like photos, links, movies, podcasts, etc. It is also a great chance for the teacher to see where each child is with their learning at each stage in their learning process. 

Education Queensland offers teachers a range of tools for secure online learning, and one of these tools is blogs through the learning place. They boast that 'The Learning Place is the department's comprehensive eLearning environment providing secure access to an innovative range of digital tools, resources and online spaces for teaching and learning, collaboration and networking' (the learning place, 2012). This is a great way for teachers to get comfortable with online learning and really use the technology that is available to benefit their students.

Even though I have had my little spiel about how good blogs are there are also people that do not really like blogs that much (or maybe just prefer other forms of e-learning). The blog is often criticized as being alot of personal opinions and observations (Downes, S 2004). This can be true, especially if there is only one author, there is also no one mediating your site to make sure what you are saying is true or that your content is not offensive or stolen (although this can be the case in all sites/blogs/wikis that are put up on the internet, wikipedia is a great example of this). Here is a quick plus, minus, and interesting (PMI) table to show the different aspects that a blog can have.

PLUS	MINUS	INTERESTING
-The author controls the content -You have the option to  be public or private -You can get your ideas and thoughts out to the whole world -Teachers can keep up with the different stages of learning that each student is at -Students can control their own space and take responsibility for their learning -Parents can stay connected with what their kids are learning	- The content is not controlled (may be offensive or stolen) - Only one person’s opinion or thought (if only one author) - must be kept up to date or it would be irrelevant	- People around the world can access your blog - videos, pictures, links, audio can be added to your blog

Away from blogs now and into the world of wikis!

Wikis

Wikis are a great way to collaborate with other people that are in different locations. It is a place the anyone can change the content and contribute to the discussion. A group of people my work together on a wiki to plan a trip away, by making a list of everything they need and then each member deleting any item that they may have a making a new comment underneath saying what they have taken off the list and what they are bringing. However this is not a live chat (which has both advantages and disadvantages), more than one person could be editing the text in the wiki and this may cause problems to the overall outcome. Also anyone can delete text. When I was using a wiki I was a bit uneasy thinking that someone could easily delete what I had just spend 20 minutes typing, however the text can be retrieved at another point in time through the history tab. Teachers can keep up with who has posted, when they posted as well as what was deleted through wikis (as well as who has not participated). Because wikis are available to everyone at once there can be issues when saving work, if two people are working at the same time (editing and adding to the text) only one persons work will be saved. Wikis can be set up to be on public display with multiple people having access to editing the content or they can be private and only have invited members being able to see and edit the wiki, using the private seting would be a good way to have a class wiki page. I have put in another PMI about wikis underneath as well as a wiki that I have created.  http://melissajansen.cquniversityschoolofeducation.wikispaces.net/

PLUS	MINUS	INTERESTING
-Can collaborate with your group over distance -If scaffolded properly can lead to good group work - Is accessible to everyone with the internet	-If more than one person is working at the same time only one will be saved -Anyone can change the content of the wiki -People may get offended if their content is deleted -There is no way of telling if the content is not stolen -Always changing and may be confusing for new learners of technology	-Everyone can control the content - Can add interesting content

And finally websites!

Websites have a very organised presentation and can be structured so that they are easy to navigate around and link to more sites and video clips. A high school teacher could create a website and have a page for each class that they teach, on the page for each class could have upcoming events, what is happening in each class, assignments for the year as well as when they are due and could even link to their blog or to each students blog for an update for the parents to see how their child is progressing (and again could keep a bit of an eye on them). Websites need maintenance and need to be kept up to date, no one like clicking on a link to find that it is no longer accessible! Websites could be an easy way for students to see what is coming up in their class for the year/term and get excited for any excursions or activities that the teacher has planned. Websites can be made public or private (private- only people with the web address can access the site). Only one person runs a website (typically) if they are not really experienced. I wouldn't recommend a person that wasn't comfortable with technology launching into a website, it could end up looking unprofessional and empty. Again I have put in a PMI chart for websites and added a link to my personal (very new) website. http://learningictatcqu.weebly.com

PLUS	MINUS	INTERESTING
-can look very professional -Would be a great way for students to see what is coming up in the year as well as check what is happening now (assignments) -parents can feel connected to their child’s learning	-The creator needs to be comfortable with technology to use and update the website -could potentially be time consuming -have to keep the site updated and live	-everyone around the world can see it (if they have the address) -you can link your blog to your website )or your students blogs)

So as you can probably tell, I am a big fan of blogs! I think they are very practical and are so personal that everyone can feel like they are taking control of their learning and have to chance to say what they want. Blogs are closely followed by website, if I was more tech savvy websites would be my number 1 choice, however at the moment they are too time consuming for me to focus on. Wikis just have to many things that could go wrong for me to be a big fan, the truth is that I don't know the people that I am collaborating with and don't trust that they will all respect my thoughts and opinions enough to not delete my work. 

That's all for the moment, I hope that you know a little more about blogs, wikis and websites now than you did before. 

S, Downes (2004). Educational Blogging. EDUCAUSE Review. (39).5.p14-26. Retrieved 19th March 2013 from: http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/educational-blogging 

The Learning Place (2012), Department of Education Training and Employment, Queensland Government  Retrieved 20th March 2013 from: http://education.qld.gov.au/learningplace/what-we-do.html 

A look into wikis and technology in the classroom

Week 2 has just flown past me! the amount of information and background knowledge that goes with teaching is amazing. From De Bono's concept of the 6 thinking hats to the five dimensions of learning and everything in between! this is definitely going to be a career where the learning never stops. With all the new technology that has been creeping into teaching since computers were introduced it amazes me that people are trying to fight the inevitable outcome that technology and teaching are intertwined. 

From computers and laptops in schools to the use of mobiles in the classrooms technology is constantly around us, its in our lives to a point where  it doesn't feel like its a novelty or privilege but in most cases, a necessity. Could you imaging going a week without your phone or even the internet? not calling, texting, tweeting, posting, searching, e-mailing, taking instant photos, listening to music everywhere, playing games, checking your calendar, using navman or using youtube. Prensley (2001) stated that today's students think and process information fundamentally differently from their predecessors. Does this mean that the way that older generations have been taught was wrong? or just that we need to incorporate more of what the learners are comfortable and familiar with (although not all teachers are comfortable with technology in teaching). There needs to be a compromise between the teacher and the learner, where both sides are willing to make a genuine effort to create the most effective learning environment where everyone is comfortable. 

Using computers and laptops in schools has become a norm, with some schools requiring all students to have a laptop. Most children have a phone (especially in high school) that they bring to school, so should we try and include the use of mobile phones in schools or will this just create more problems with a lack of attention in class, bullying, etc. This following video is for using mobile phones in the classroom, it is not subject to the students having a smart phone and uses free tools.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h8O1FYiH6c

There are multiple ways to use technology in a classroom or from home in a classroom setting. I am talking about a wiki. A wiki is an online space where people can access a discussion and everyone can edit the content. I participated in a wiki this week about the use of mobile phones in classrooms. I found it to be interesting (reading everyone's opinions and ideas using De Bono's 6 thinking hats in relation to questions that had been posted), however ultimately impractical. Some might argue that it is a good tool for learning as everyone has access to the discussion and can add their opinions and thoughts whenever they like as it is not a live discussion. This is true, although that in itself was a problem for me, when I came into the discussion I felt that I had little to add as there was already so much content (I arrived a little late to the party some mite say). I would also be offended if I had put allot of time and effort into typing out my thoughts on the subject and then someone came to the wiki and deleted my comments because they didn't like or agree with them. After I posted to the wiki I didn't really think about the comments or the discussion that had taken place, I had put in my thoughts and for all I know they could be gone by now. If it was a live discussion however or we met 2-3 times and talked/typed about the subject I think that I would be more likely to remember and want to engage in the discussion.

http://etec.ctlt.ubc.ca/510wiki/images/2/23/Connectivismbump.jpg

In relation to the four learning theories (behaviourism, cognitivism, social constructivism and connectivism) I do not think that a wiki is a great learning tool. It didn't relate to behaviourism or cognitivism at all, the wiki lightly reflected social constructivism because it was a social interaction however there was no support and no one in the discussion was an expert on mobile phones in classrooms so we were all throwing ideas and thoughts around (with justification). It related to connectivism the most but only because it was online and we were able to read about mobiles in classrooms before commenting in the wiki. It will probably not be stored in my long term memory. 

If a wiki was scaffolded properly (like the one that I used was) it can be used to encourage higher order thinking, but needs to be monitored by the teacher or person with a solid knowledge in the subject. Using De Bono's thinking hats to structure the discussion was a great design and lead to different ways of thinking about the main question. Information that has been deleted can be retrieved by using the history function  however I probably wouldn't use it in a high school setting  with my student because there is just too much room for error. In a university setting the wiki was able to stay on track however in high school i don't think that the students would respect other peoples opinions as much and i would not trust the whole class to edit the work from the whole class.

That's all from me for now! have a good day :)

References

Prensley, M. (2001). Digital Naitives, Digital Immigrants. On the horizon. Mc university press. 9(5). 1-6

This week was my first look into different types of learning, I found that doing the different tests and learning about the theories was interesting and had opened up my mind to different way that people can learn as well as teach. The first test that I did was by fielder and Solomon called the index of learning styles questionnaire. I scored highly towards active and sensing learning (vs. reflective and intuitive learning) and remained balanced between visual vs. verbal and sequential vs. global learning. Once I had read and understood the differences in all the learning types I began to reflect on my past learning and how I would have benefited if I had been equipped with this knowledge earlier.  I have displayed my results below in the results table that was provided after I had completed the questionnaire.

(Table from Fielder and Solomon questionnaire results, found at http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html )

Active learning is very beneficial to me, I love working in groups and bouncing ideas off other people. When I repeat what I have learnt to someone (often my poor mother) I almost immediately start connecting what I have learnt to my life and start remembering what I have just learnt. This also ties in nicely with being a sensing learner I think.

I love learning facts and being able to link what I have just learnt to my life or another part of the real world and share that information with other people. When I am sharing this information I like to know that it is reliable and not just a thought or dodgy theory. I think that active and sensing learning ties in nicely to each other and now hopefully I will be able to use this knowledge and improve my studying and learning methods!

The course information stated that ‘everyone learns more when information is presented visually and verbally, and I agree. I scored fairly balanced between visual and verbal learning and after reading ‘Learning styles and strategies’ by Richard Felder I am keen to try new ways of studying in hopes that I can use both my visual and verbal side more effectively.

Although I scored equally with sequential and global learning I feel that I am more of a sequential learner. I prefer learning in linear steps and often can complete work or understand aspects of my work without having a full understanding of the subject. As most people I have had the ‘light bulb goes on’ moment, however from reading the text I think I am weighted towards sequential learning.

I found the tests to be very accurate and they also made me realise a few ways of learning that I was not previously aware of that can benefit myself. The multiple intelligence wheel test that I completed through the Birmingham grid of learning website (accessed through week 1 learning activities) showed similar results to the previous learning tests that I had done. With Kinaesthetic (body), Interpersonal (people), Visual/Spatial (picture) and Logical (number) intelligences scoring the highest (see results below).

(Birmingham multiple intelligence test was accessed through http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks3/ict/multiple_int/index.htm )

In my classroom I would try and include most of the learning styles, offer the learners to either discuss what they have just learnt quietly in a group or individually if they feel more comfortable. When teaching I would be visual and verbal and possible try to do a group mind map on the board that everyone would have input in. I wouldn’t pressure the learners to contribute, however I would encourage them to voice their ideas or opinions.

Using information communication technologies (ICT) in the classroom is a great way to reach the majority of students in the class. ICT supports differences in learning styles because it can be used in such a wide variety of ways. Instead of the learners filling out a sheet of questions on paper they have the opportunity to possibly click link to YouTube clips that may explain or give examples of the subject (as one example).

I agree with Prensky that technology is now something that is required in the classroom and that by using technology the younger generations will be able to benefit dramatically rather than teaching them in the more traditional way (answering questions on a sheet of paper and doing a report).  After reading Prensky’s article ‘Digital Native, Digital Immigrant’ I realised that I am half and half, I was brought up around computers, mobiles, internet, etc. However I still learnt the more traditional way at school because technology was something that was still new (and unexplored by teachers). As a teacher I will be trying new ways to bring teaching and technology together because I do believe that Prensky is right in saying that ‘Todays students think and process information fundamentally differently from their predecessors (Prensky, 2001)

I think as long as you include technology in different ways to teaching (regardless if you are a tech wiz or foreign to the idea) the elarners will benefit. Technology can help educate in different ways and should be used in every aspect that is possible to develop students in multiple ways.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. MC University Press. Vol 9. No 5.