Synopsis

The rapid influx of information communication technologies (ICTs) has significantly changed the way that the Western world functions. Communication once limited too few modes –has become possible with the click of a button, and can be achieved through multiple-modes. The technologies that allow for multi-modal forms of communication and many other functions are continually changing and adapting to meet the needs of a society whose everyday functioning relies upon them. Just as these technologies are changing, so too is the way that children in the 21st century learn. Children have been immersed in these digital technologies from a young age and as Prensky (2001) describes they are ‘digital natives’. This has caused a dramatic shift in the thinking about education, as the traditional content and methods of delivery do not meet the needs of these ‘digital natives’, nor do they provide them with the knowledge and skills needed to function in the technological society of the future. Prensky (2005) believes that technology is integral to teaching and learning in the 21st century and that without it students fail to see value in their learning. It seems that the mantra on many learners lips is ''engage me or enrage me'' (Prensky, 2005, 60). See (appendix a) for this blog posting.

I believe that this poses some serious implications for me as a future learning manager, as this course has shown me the importance of keeping up to date with the latest in ICTs that can be used to enhance learning, as well as developing the knowledge and skills needed to effectively incorporate them within the context of the classroom. Department of Education, Training and the Arts (DETA) (2008, p. 1) states that teachers and teaching methods must be able to adapt as technology is increasing at a rapid rate. Throughout my learning in this course thus far I have discovered many digital tools that will become the backbone of the classroom environment that I would like to create –one that encourages and scaffolds many opportunities for e-learning.  DETA (2008, p. 2) define eLearning as the balance between three interrelated and co-dependant components; digital pedagogy, digital content and eLearning spaces whcih together ''create the conditions for a generation of digitla learners''. I believe effective eLearning has the ability to transform learning as it provides learners with a myriad of opportunities. A digital pedagogy is one that incorporates technology, and will see the learners in my classroom engaged in rich, diverse and flexible learning opportunities, as well as collaborating and constructing knowledge together in a context that is engaging and relevant to their world (Lynch & Knight, 2010; DETA, 2008). I believe that that one of the greatest areas of learning for me has been my engagement with the Technological, Pedagogical, Content Knowledge (TPCK) framework created by Mishra and Koehler (2006) which has transformed my understanding of what a ‘digital pedagogy’ entailed (appendix b and appendix c). I now understand how technology does not stand alone in the teaching and learning context, nor is its primary use simply a different way of presenting information, instead it is one that is married with content knowledge and seamlessly integrated into a pedagogy that supports learning (Mishra & Koehler, 2006). E-learning supports multiple learning theories

One of the first activities that I engaged with in this course was the ‘Mobile Phone Wiki’ which used de Bono’s six thinking hats as a scaffold to encourage student contribution and support higher order thinking. The de Bono’s framework was an appropriate scaffold for this context and learning was achieved by comparing the perspectives of multiple people who were able to focus and redirect their thoughs by mentally wearing and switching the six hats (Practical Radical Innovative, 2011). This wiki provided me with an example of how learning can be supported in an online environment. Reflecting on my engagement with the wiki, I realise that personal learning occurred as a result of the contributions of fellow peers, whose responses both agreed and challenged my pre-existing ideas about the topic (appendix d). This activity was an example of how constructivist learning could be supported in an online space as a community of peers collaborated and discussed the responses that were the product of the contribution of multiple perspectives (Snowman, Dobozy, Scevak, Bryer, Bartlett, & Biehler, 2009, p. 413). This learning process, deeply embedded within social and cognitive constructivism enabled me to construct new understandings as I acquired and assimilated new knowledge into my schema (Snowman et al, 2009). Although my involvement with the wiki significantly contributed towards my knowledge of mobile phones in the classroom, I feel that the real learning process that I undertook was one that enabled me to see how valuable this space could be within an e-learning environment and how it could be scaffolded to support constructivist learning and provide student independence within an e-learning environment.

Group One Technologies – Online Spaces

Wikis for collaborative learning
Although both blogs (appendix e) and websites were explored this week, this reflection will focus on the wiki as a tool for e-learning due to the fact that I experienced the most growth using it, and the multiple applications for its use within the context of the classroom are evident. I was introduced to wikis during my first year of university and have since attempted to use it on a few occasions, and yet had always failed to see the relevance of using one in a learning context until now. Throughout my experience exploring wiki spaces (appendix f and appendix g) I have discovered that it is an online space that functions as a collaborative learning environment. Within this space I have witnessed how knowledge can be co-constructed as multiple users contribute their thoughts and ideas. The contribution of multiple perspectives enables a collaborative learning environment supportive of constructivist learning theory. The very nature of learning in the 21st century is one that sees learning as situated within a global context, that is learning occurs outside the individual and is a process that involves the collaboration and contribution of multiple persons (DETA, 2008, p. 1). The wiki space provides a perfect environment for such learning to occur as multiple members can join, contribute, edit, organise information in order to create a shared meaning about a particular topic.

In order for a wiki to be truly effective within a classroom, it must be scaffolded in a way that supports the learning whilst still allowing student independence and autonomy such as the ‘Mobile Phones Wiki’. Some other thinking strategies that could be used to achieve this are PMI charts, and SWOT analysis charts as they provide an idea about how the information should be presented, whilst allowing the content of the contribution to come from within the individual. Not only is the wikispace appealing because of its simplistic nature –two major functions allow information to be edited and saved, but also because it creates an inclusive learning environment that allows all to contribute regardless of level of knowledge or expertise in the topic.
Group Two Technologies – Image, visual and audio tools

Images in e-learning

Technologies have significantly the way in which society communicates. The incorporation of visual, spoken, and textual elements has exceeded the traditional notions of language and literacy. Once a relatively textual based entity, communication is now possible through multiple modes that incorporate textual, visual and audio elements (The New Consortium, 2005). Visual and audio technologies explored this week presented a variety of highly effective tools including podcasts (appendix h) that could be incorporated within the classroom; however the following will explore images in further detail.

Images are a prolific text type used commonly within this contemporary Western society. Within images lies hidden messages aimed to evoke powerful emotions from within the viewer, however the interpretation of an images lies primarily within the eye of the beholder who must be able to deconstruct this complex text type. The ability to understand, think, create and communicate graphically comes requires a whole new set of critical literacy skills -known as visual literacy (Thibault and Walbert, n.d). These visual literacy skills can be developed through exposure to imagery, and should play an important role within the classroom. Tools explored within this week including voicethread provide effective opportunities for this to happen within a scaffolded online environment. I believe that providing a scaffold for critically analysing images is imperative if the aim is to encourage students to think at a higher level and examples of how this can be done are provided within the blog titled ‘Images’ also found at (appendix i).

The technologies that exist within current society make the production, manipulation and distribution of these images far more simplistic. This promotes multiple opportunities for students to create, explore and use imagery to enhance their learning. It is imperative that legal and ethical practices are exhibited when using, reproducing, and distributing images. It is therefore the responsibility of the learning manager to know what images (such as those with a creative commons license) are able to be used and those that are not and ensure that students are also aware and follow appropriate guidelines where copying and distribution of images is concerned.

Group Three Technologies- Tools for learning and presenting learning.

Prezi

This week’s tools presented three different technologies that could be used to for learning and to present learning. Glogster (appendix j), Powerpoint and Prezi all provide opportunities for interactive and engaging learning however the appealing multiple uses that the Prezi can provide will be further explored here. The most appealing feature of the Prezi was its non-linear format. The zooming function presents an exciting and engaging way to present and explore information. The opportunities that this tool provides are endless and its flexible format makes it highly appropriate for use across all key learning areas.
Within an educational context I believe that the Prezi could be used by both learning manager and students to present and view information within a space that enables the incorporation of images, video and audio to enhance the engagement of the audience. The simplicity of this tool would enable the learning manager to effectively integrate it into the classroom without having to focus large amounts of time on the teaching of the technology itself. With knowledge of the tool the learning manager will be able to effectively teach the content about any topic. This tool is a great example of the TPCK framework as technological, pedagogical and content knowledge come together to teach highly effective lessons (Mishra & Koehler, 2006). An in depth look into the many uses of the Prezi have been outlined in a Prezi presentation found in the blog titled ‘Prezi’ (appendix k).

Group Four Technologies- Miscellaneous
Online Concept Mapping

The tools explored in this week offered a wide variety of uses for e-learning in the classroom. Google Maps and Google Earth (appendix l) promote fantastic opportunities for global learning as the enable learners to explore the world from their backyard, to Timbuktu. Online concept mapping is however the digital tool selected for reflection in this synopsis. Mind mapping is a highly effective thinking tool that reflects externally what is going on within the mind (iMindMap, 2007).
Mind maps are highly effective for brainstorming and present greater opportunities for higher order thinking to occur than other brainstorming strategies like list taking. This is because the brain works by association and imagination unlike lists which do not provide a good scaffold for either. Tony Buzan believes that ‘’without associations, you don’t have connections, and without connections you don’t have memory or thinking’’ (iMindMap, 2007). Online mind mapping present the opportunity for highly effective individual or group brainstorming as software such as Bubbl-us provide scaffolds to record the brainstorming. Creating a mind map online has great educational benefit, in particular the ease with which it can be distributed. Unlike a hand-written mind map, one created online can be printed, or shared by simply embedding a code within a space such as a blog. Another major feature is the ability to save and edit the mind map. The first program used to explore the world of online mind mapping was Bubbl-us, which was useful however the straight lines used did not provide the same opportunities that hand-written mind mapping provides –such as the use of curved lines and images to represent text. This instigated a search by me for an online program that could offer more functions. The program discovered ‘SpiderScribe’ fulfilled these requirements and is explored within the blog posting (appendix m). Another blog posting exploring Zooburst can be found here (appendix n).

Having the opportunity to engage with these tools over the past five weeks has been huge step forward in preparing myself for learning and teaching in a 21st century learning environment. These tools have both tested my knowledge, skills and patience, yet I believe that the main barrier between technology and me has been my attitude, which has seen a complete change since I have experienced the multiple opportunities that technology provide to enhance learning in all learning contexts. Although I know that technology alone will not provide great learning, I understand how I can integrate it into my pedagogy to deliver the content in ways that are engaging and provide real experiences for learners.

Reference List

Department of Education, Training and the Arts (DETA). (2008).

iMindMap. (2007, Jan 8). Maximise the power of your brain: Tony Buzan mind mapping [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlabrWv25qQ.M

Mishra, P., Koehler, M, J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: a framework for teacher knowledge. Retrieved from CQUniversity e-courses, FAHE1101 Managing E-learning, http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au

Practical Radical Innovative. (2011). Six thinking hats. Retrieved from http://www.debonothinkingsystems.com/tools/6hats.htm

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1-6. Retrieved from CQUniversity e-courses, FAHE11011Managing E-Learning, http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au.

Prensky, M. (2005, Spring). ''Engage me or enrage me'':what today's learners demand. EDUCAUSE review, 60-64. Retrieved from CQUniversity e-courses, FAHE11011Managing E-Learning, http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au.

Snowman, J., Dobozy, E., Scevak, J., Bryer, F., Bartlett, B., & Biehler, D. (2009). Psychology applied to teaching (1st ed.). Milton, QLD: John Wiley and Sons.

The New Media Consortium. (2005). A global imperative: the report of the 21st century literacy summit. Retrieved from CQUniversity e-courses, FAHE11011Managing E-Learning, http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au.

Thibaul, M., Walbert, D. (n.d). Reading images: an introduction to visual literacy. Retrieved from CQUniversity e-courses, FAHE11011Managing E-Learning, http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au.

Appendices

Appendix a: Engage me or enrage me...
Appendix b: Unpacking TPCK
Appendix c: Technology: an integral role in my learning design or just a fancy extra?
Appendix d: Mobile phones and the classroom: reflections on the wiki.
Appendix e: To blog or not to blog.
Appendix f: Wiki (a) space for (thinking, sharing, cmmunicating, contributing).
Appendix g: Tricky Wiki.
Appendix h: Podcasts
Appendix i:  Images
Appendix j: Glogster
Appendix k: I have a 'Prezi' for you
Appendix l: Googling Earth
Appendix m: Online concept mapping
Appendix n: Zooburst

Zooburst

Online concept mapping

Bubbl-us

Below are two online concept maps that I craeted using Bubbl-us.I enjoyed using this website because it was so easy to use. I have never thought about online brainstorming before, but can now really see the advantages that it would have within the classroom.

-It is simple, easy to create and easy for students to use.
-Scaffolded, students insert words within a bubble and then create branches easily.
-Enables students to share concept maps (can be embedded or printed).
-Can be saved and edited.
-Can be coloured.
-Could be used on an interactive whiteboard to allow for whole class brainstorming.

I like Ted Buzan's description of brainstorming as a 'Swiss army knife', which explains how the brain thinks centrally and then branches in all directions. The branches are a reflection of the way that the brain is thinking and create far more imaginative brainstorming than methods such as list writing which do not allow for associations.

Some other suggestions that were presented in iMindMap (2007) by Tony Buzan were, to use colour and images when brainstorming. He also believes that curved lines are far more effective when braistorming as they excite the brain. Being a visual learner I strongly agree with this and therefore set about finding an online program that would allow me to do that. I found a fantasticwikispace titled WebTools4U2Use whcih provided a whole list of online concept maps. The one that I particularly liked (and could accessss free) is called SpiderScribe. Spider scibe allows you to create mind maps using text, images, maps, calender events, and word document files within the web, all whihc can be connected through curved lines. A demo on how to use this program is available here. Any images and maps can be hyperlinked and allow the viewer to be transported to the site where the idea or information came from. I would use this within my classroom as I believe that it is not online an effective concept mapping tool but an interactive learning site where students can be connected to the world beyon the classroom.





Below is a concept map that I created using Spiderscribe.



iMindMap. (2007, Jan 8). Maximise the power of your brain: Tony Buzan mind mapping [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlabrWv25qQ.

Googling Earth

GOOGLE EARTH

Google Earth is an online virtual map with multiple functions. It enables you to find places all over the world. A function found on the left hand side of the page allows you to add layers that display a variety of geographical content including roads, trees, weather, street views, and 3D buildings. Interest layers enable the viewer to click on any place and find content including photos, you tubes, Wikipedia and National Geographic magazines relevant to that place. A simple navigation tool allows movement up and down and a hand can also be used to zoom in and move the page around.

I have previously had some very amateur experience using Google Earth, including finding my previous and current housing addresses. I think that it is amazing that I can find my childhood home –with bins in place and pool tools showing through the fence to the numerous homes that I have lived in across the globe including France, and London. Right now I am at the Noosa university campus. Approximately twelve seconds later I have been transported to my old workplace in London. Amazing!!

                                 Uni                                                                                    London

After exploring this tool however, I have realised how many other amazing functions it has that would make it so useful within my future classroom. I think that it is simple and easy to use and therefore would be appropriate for all year levels. The varieties of functions that it possesses vary in level of difficulty so that is something to keep in mind when selecting a task for your class. I think that this would be highly appropriate to use across a range of KLAs particularly geography, as it enables you to take the students beyond a static map that was once the staple in this subject.

Here are some of the other things I have discovered that I believe this tool could be used for within my own classroom:

-Find your house and look into your own backyard (I think that this would be an easy way to introduce this technology to the class. If they have already done this they could find another place of interest to them).

-Create annotated place markers (students could locate their school and other places of interest within the communities and place a marker on them).

-Measure (students could measure mountains, skyscrapers or anything in particular that they have been studying).

 This is me measuring Mount Coolum...probably not exactly how you would measure it...but you get the jist :-)
-Create a tour (students could create a tour of their local area by setting down markers and annotating them).

-Set the scene for a lesson (the interest layers could be great if introducing a topic surrounding a particular area).

-Watch the changes that occur from sunset to sunrise using the timeline strip located on the top left of screen.

-Fly to the moon, mars or check out the sky (fantastic for earth and space/astronomy lessons).

This is the trip I took to the moon today at 1pm where I learnt about Luna 8 that was launched in 1965. I found this information by clicking on one of the markers.
-View the places through the historical timeline.

-Explore topic like growth of cities, impact of civilisation on the natural environment, effects of natural disasters.

Wow I can’t believe how amazing this tool is, I actually thought that its only useful function was to spy on my backyard, and am therefore blown away by the possibilities that this would provide in an educational context. I think that this digital technology will provide many opportunities for the students to connect with the real world and I am looking forward to incorporating it into my lessons. One final benefit is that it actually provides a website to help educators learn more about how to use it within the classroom. Follow this link to Google Earth for Educators

sfd

I have a 'Prezi' for you

I have loved playing aroun dwith Prezi and I will definitely be using this in my classroom. Below I have created two Prezis. The first one includes some ideas that I have for using the Prezi in an educational context. The second Prezi -is an example of one of those ideas which is creating a story.

A Prezi Presentation on Prezi

Learning to ski on Prezi

Digital tool 5: Podcasts. ''What did you learn about today?'' ''You can hear all about it on my podcast.''

Digital tool 5: Podcasts.

I love this picture. The caption underneath it read, ''We need new ways of learning things''.

So before beginning this course, I had absolutely no idea what a podcast was, in fact I am fairly sure that this word has somehow never managed to be screened by my brain. So my understanding so far is that a podcast is an audio/sound file that can be created and posted onto the internet. These files can then be accessed on a computer (the most common medium) or on a device such as an ipod.

I can see the benefits of podcasts in the classroom, as students could create and share their own podcast or the teacher could create one to share with the class. Podcast have been alikened to radio shows that can be subscribed to and listened to at any time. The subscriber simply downloads the audio and has access to it.  I explored both kinds of podcasts on the Podcasting in Education wiki to gain a better understanding of their purpose and uses.

Podcasts for students:

The first podcast that I explored was ‘JustVocabulary’ which introduces new vocabulary and explains their meaning and gives example of it used it context.  I can understand how this could be beneficial for some students who are audio learners or even for ESL students as a male voice proceeds through the text below. I personally question how many students would use this, if they were already affluent readers who could quickly read through the same script on a print copy.

I loved the maths podcast that I found at Dansmathcast. I think that this is a fantastic idea for use inside and outside of the classroom. When I was in school I really struggled to get a grasp on many mathematical concepts and as I worked my way through the latest copy of the textbook, I would find myself getting frustrated. All that it took was an explanation of how to do a problem and I would have that ‘aha’ moment. Dansmaths podcast contains explanations of math’s concepts ‘for the masses’ and provides examples of how to work through problems surrounding that concept. I think that this would be highly beneficial for students, particularly those audio learners. I imagine myself as a child again, stuck on a problem for homework –but instead of giving up I turn on a podcast and voila –a real human explanation of the concept surrounding the question. I like how this podcast injected some humour into a concept that  could generally be very boring for some students. The particular podcast that I listened to (32) included responses to emails that he had received asking questions about particular things. What a great way to create an online learning environment where students could feel supported in a way not possible with a simple printed text explanation.

Another thought that this provokes is, ''imagine the possibilities for foreign language learning?'' I learnt Japanese throughout my schooling and the amount of times I would be reading texts and see characters that I did not recognise is countless. If a language teacher could record the exact pronunciation of each character in a text I think that this would be highly beneficial to budding language learners...such as myself :-)

The final two podcasts that I listened to were available within an early childhood course that I am currently undertaking. The first podcast was a chapter summary from the course text. Although I had already read this chapter it was great to be able to go back over it a few weeks later when searching for content for an assignment without having to re-read the whole chapter. It ‘secretly’ made me think that I could have not actually bought or read the book and still received the information that I needed…and saved a lot of time. I think that this is highly beneficial in an educational context and I would use this when students are reading a class text. I think that it would be helpful for students to be able to get a summary of the text ‘in plain English’ without all of the fancy terminology often drizzled throughout books. The next podcast that I listened to on the site was a breakdown of an assessment task in five minutes. I have spent about 30minutes previously pouring over the task sheet and trying to work out a format for my essay, when I got a far more clear breakdown of it in five minutes, in language that I could understand.

Podcasts by students:

I loved ColeyCast: The official podcast of room 34. This site had a whole range of podcasts created by the teacher and students, and included many highlights of what they are learning about. This site made me really excited to think about the potential possibilities of using podcasts in schools. A class page that contained audio files documenting students learning would be beneficial to the teachers, students and parents who could all witness this learning first hand. Students could share their work, complete assignments, peer teach, and record daily events available to anyone. I really think that this is a great way of establishing an online learning community and would add excitement to a class page or wiki.

Blabberize

I struggled to get Blabberize to work as I do not have a microphone ,and could not upload a voice file so any help on how to do this would be great. The general idea that I got from watching the introduction is that it is a way of adding a voice (or sound) to a picture. It reminded me of a film clip that I have seen recently by lloyd (uploaded below) and if you scroll through to 2 minute and 24 seconds you will be treated to a ginger cat belting out a tune. I only saw this clip about a week ago and wondered how they made the cat's mouth move. Have I just found out? Anyway I think that this would be great in a classroom to use as a hook, or an introduction to a new topic. It is humerous and I believe that it woud be engaging for students.

Tune in below to Lloyd's song: Dedication to my ex (miss that) to see what I believe to be a blabberize-esque singing cat.

Below is an example of how useful Vokis can be within an educational context. Another example of how vokis can be used within an educational context can be found under the webpage blog posting.

Images

Images are everywhere we look. This text type has become one of the most prolific forms of communication in our media-saturated society. Once upon a time language and literacy comprised primarily of written and spoken text, and therefore in order to be literate, one was only required to have a basic set of skills that enabled them to interpret and communicate with both.  The incorporation of visual, aural, and textual elements has created a language comprised of multimodal elements, and therefore what it means to be literate in the 21^st century has changed dramatically (The New Media Consortium, 2005). Just like spoken and written text, images require a specific set of literacy skills that enable one to decode and make meaning from it. Visual literacy encompasses more than one level of skill, and requires the viewer to critically examine the image, gather information and ideas contained within it, place them into a context and then determine their validity within this context (Thibult and Wilbert, n.d).

Critical literacy skills should be developed from a young age as texts (particularly images in this case) often entail hidden meanings and underlying messages that are aimed to provoke deep thought from the viewer. Visual literacy as Thibult and Wilbert (n.d) state is the “ability to read images, to see, understand and ultimately create and communicate graphically”. Luke and Freebody ‘Four resource model’ provides an excellent framework that could be used within the classroom to encourage higher order thinking, and develop those visual literacy skills.  

After just completing an assignment of the sexualisation of children through images, I realised another important reason for developing such skills is because they provide the opportunity to develop children’s critical social literacy using images in children’s popular culture. Taylor (2010, 56) believes that “early childhood educators can use children’s popular culture as a resource for building young children’s critical social literacy’. 

Developing critical media literacy skills will enable young children to be equipped with the knowledge needed to analyse, interpret and reflect upon the content available within a highly media-complex society that exposes children to adult concepts at a young age. Media exposure is inevitable in the current Western society and therefore I believe that it is far more important for educators to develop student’s visual literacy skills so that they can analyse and interpret the messages that they are trying to send, instead of trying to shelter them from them.

I love the SEE, THINK, and WONDER thinking routine outlined in this week’s readings. I think that this is a fantastic thinking strategy that could be used in the classroom when looking at images. I like the simplicity of it ‘what do you see, what do you think, what do you wonder’ because I believe that you could use it with any age year level. Using this strategy at the beginning of a unit or new topic would be a great way to motivate student interest, or at the end to encourage students to apply their new knowledge and ideas. I think that this would enable the teacher to ‘negotiate the curriculum’ as it would be a good way to gauge what the students are really interested in finding out about a particular topic.

The first technology that I used within this week’s suggestions was Voicethread. Voicethread is an online tool for having conversations around media, including videos, presentations and images. The reason that this tool appealed to me was because it was so easy to use. One of my biggest concerns with teaching in a 21^st century classroom is wasting so much time trying to learn and teach how to use the actual digital tools, that the lesson objectives are not achieved. I think that due to its simple structure, students would be able to master it quickly and therefore it could be easily embedded within the curriculum so that it becomes a tool used to reach the lesson objective and not the actual lesson objective. Here are some more reasons why I would use this in my classroom:

 -multiple ways to contribute to the conversation (text, phone, microphone, web cam, file upload).

-it is students orientated –teacher can assign a topic and then the students can pick their own content.

-provides opportunities for students to contribute who may not usually feel comfortable in a verbal face to face group discussion.

-teachers can see interactions between students that they would not usually have the time to see.

-provides students with the opportunity to become the expert as they can select content.

-it is engaging! There are multiple ways to have a discussion over a variety of content which means that multiple learning styles are being catered for –plus it is incorporating technology which is highly engaging for many 21^st century learners.

The next technology that I used was Tag Galaxy which is an online search engine used to explore word relationships, through a visual media. It is simple to use and provides a world of images from Flickr at the type of a word/words. I would use this in the classroom to:

-explore word relationships (for example if a student typed in girl they would be presented with a whole range of images. If they typed in girl + alone  a whole different set of images would be presented.

-use as a prompt for creative writing.

-encourage students to interact with the globe using an IWB.

-engage students in a guided visual search (this could take the learning to a whole new place).

The final tool that I explored was Picnik, an online image editor. I used picnik to manipulate one of their example photos displayed below. Although I am not sure that it looks any better than before, it was fun to experiment with. I think that this tool would be hard to use within a classroom to begin with as it would take some time to get used to using it  however I would use it for the following reasons:

 -explore, colour, tone and light and how this is used in imagery to create different effects and meanings.

-illustrate their work –short stories, assignments, blogs etc.

-create an artwork.

-students can add text to an image – this could be a way of providing a clue about the picture meaning or purpose.

I have truly enjoyed engaging with these digital tools as have I enjoyed rambling on about the benefits that I think that they can provide in a 21^st century classroom. So why should images be used within the classroom? I have included my personal top ten list of why I believe images should be incorporated within the classroom.

1.      To stimulate interest in a topic.

2.      To stimulate and encourage ideas.

3.      To illustrate a particular concept.

4.      As a bases for a discussion.

5.      Encourage students to create.

6.      To develop critical thinking skills.

7.      To analyse different perspectives.

8.      To develop visual literacy skills.

9.      To illustrate work: short stories, essays, book covers.

10.  To document an event: excursion, process, learning task.

webpage

Here is a webquest that I created for a year four class using a free sofware program called wix. Enjoy.


Free website - Powered By Wix.com

To blog or not to blog....

POSITIVE

1.     Students can use as an online diary.

2.     Great space for student’s creative writing.

3.     Develops reading and writing skills as well as critical thinking skills and information literacy.

4.     Students can establish worldwide connections.

5.     Teacher can follow the students learning and see where they have come from and where they are going in the learning journey.

6.     Students can link items that interest them associated with the topic.                          

7.     Encourages collaborative learning.

8.     Allows people to comment on work.   

9.     Students could discover similarities and differences between themselves…students who may not usually communicate with each other may find that they have common interests.

10   Students who may not usually voice their thoughts may feel more comfortable in an online space.          

11  Construction of knowledge is occurring as students read.            

Could be used as an assignment.                      

MINUS

1.     Student motivation levels may differ.

2.     Topic will either engage or disengage the student.

3.     Some schools do not allow blogging sites.

4.     Comments left by readers could be nasty or derogatory.

5.     Students have varying levels of ICT competence.

Time management.

INTERESTING

1.     If a student becomes disengaged with the topic, they won’t get the benefits of authentic reflective learning regardless of how good the instruction or tools are.

2.     Some students may benefit highly from creating a blog whilst others may not and will simply regard it as a ‘compulsory’ waste of time.

3.     Comments from followers enable the author of the blog to identify areas of success and weaknesses as well as what is of interest to their readers.

4.     Negative comments left by followers could take away the confidence of the writer.

5.     Sometimes the process is more important than the product. A student’s work may not be of the highest standard, however their progress would be evident to the teacher.

6.     Students are put in a situation of equity.

7.     Some students may not have the skills necessary to feel confident using the blog.

Could take a lot of teachers time to read the blogs. 

Tricky Wiki

Wikipedia, no doubt one of the most well known, free, online encyclopaedias, was created using wiki software. Is it embarrassing to admit that I had never made the connection between the two -even though wikipedia's title itself clearly mentions wiki in the title? I blame this on the fact that I had no real idea of what a wiki was and the multitude of uses that it actually possesses. Even when I began to play around with my own wiki, I did not imagine how this digital tool could be used to connect and share information with the entire world. After fiddling with my own wiki as well as participating in a group wiki I have begun to see how useful a wiki can actually be. I was blown away by some of the teaching ideas presented in Rotorua East Lakes Learning WIKIS for LEARNING page. Although I have had some troubles familiarising myself with wikis -not to mention some problems with an assignment group wiki, I have really started to witness the amazing potential that a wiki space could provide for e-learning in a 21st century classroom. In fact I was so inspired by ideas such as homework wikis, inquiry projects, challenges, group work and class discussions -just to name a very small few that I am really excited to trying creating a wiki during my internship next year, the only question looming now is what will I use it for...there are so many possibilities. One particular example that I enjoyed was presented in the video presented on moodle titled Wikis in Plain English. I love how it discussed the advantages that a wiki possesses over a tool such as email for group work, as the information and ideas contributed by members 'land in one place' so to speak, as opposed to being sporadically spread throughout multiple inboxes.

Nothing is ever as good as it seems -correct? Can collaborative learning really take place in a wiki if the information presented by members if incorrect? Take wikipedia again as an example. Although we all no doubt have used it at some point in time, we know not to assume the validity of all information presented. So what could be done in a wiki if a user discovers the information to be incorrect? What about ethical concerns? A wiki can be a fun, and creative way to present information, however it does in a sense rely on the good intentions of its users. Gerard (n.d) poses the question in 'Assume Good Faith Limitations', "how can content remain valuable when it is subject to the whims of contributors of dubious intent?"He continues to discuss how it is important that the focus is on fixing the content that is wrong rather than focusing on personal disagreements with the author of the content. I found this information really useful as I think that it is important for me to have solutions for these problems before creating one within my own classroom as problems will inevitably occur. Some other suggestions that were provided within the article included:

-Reasoning with the author. Telling them your point of view until a common agreement is reached.
-Explaining to users that all information will in some way be of offence or disagree with somebodies ideas...however it is important to discern what is truly offensive before reporting or addressing the author.
-Create a new topic providing a different perspective, adding references to support what you are saying.

After analysing the information presented regarding wikis, I have summarised my personal opinions on the uses of a wiki using a SWOT chart. This information is presented below. The left hand sides are definitely more heavily weighted as the most part of what I read presented wikis in a positive light. I would however be interested to hear someones opinions on my SWOT chart. Can anyone think of anymore threats that a wiki could pose within the classroom as I would love to be fully aware of these before using one as a part of my own learning design?

Strengths Easy to use with two primary functions (save and edit). Online collaborative environment that allows for contribution from multiple users. Easy to edit and update. Images and videos can be added to the page. Information lost can be retrieved as users are provided with the opportunity to revert back to a page previously being edited. Contribution from members is presented in an organised fashion unlike email where information would be spread over multiple inboxes. Structure can be changed. Multiple pages can be added. Provides the ability for links to be embedded –sharing of information. Time saver –resources found by one member can be shared with others who in turn save time in searching for that particular resource.

Weaknesses Opportunity for cyber-bullying. If class page was used for many class purposes (homework, group assignments) those without access to the internet and computer would be seriously disadvantaged. Relies purely upon the good intentions of contributors. Certain contribution may be offensive to other members of the wiki. Conflicting opinions could lead to a war of words and in turn detract from the purpose of the wiki.

Opportunities Can create an online community that allows students to connect with the world outside of school. Can create the opportunity for students to collaborate and share ideas. Could be used to create a class page. Could be used as a homework page that supports inquiry based learning- no lost homework sheets. Could be used as the scaffold for an inquiry based assignment. Could be used as a page for teacher, parents and students to connect and interact. Could be used as a calendar or a way to inform parents and students of important upcoming events. Teachers could set individual or group tasks or challenges (see Lynmore Schools ‘Digikidz’). Teacher can setup the page and scaffold the learning in a way that they deem appropriate and suitable to the context. Enables the teacher to monitor a group assignment progress, see the contribution of all members and see the thought processes occurring along the way. Could invite experts to join the wiki. Organise in class discussions surrounding a particular topic. Develops an online community of learners. Students could get to know each other better as they red through their contributions. Students discover similarities and differences between themselves and peers. Students who may not usually contribute verbally in class may feel more comfortable with this type of communication. Develops critical thinking skills as students are asked to contribute to a discussion on a particular topic. Could develop writing skills.

Threats Poor scaffolding could lead to an ineffective, non-engaging wiki.  Lack of students interest in outlined topics or set readings could lead to disengagement with the wiki. Cyber-bullying. Offensive contributions.

Wiki (a) space (for thinking, sharing, communicating, contributing...).

Just thought that I would add my first attempt at loading a video and a picture to my wiki. I have used a wiki previously to communicate with members of my group during an assignment but have never gone beyond adding text until today. I think that I have found so far that each of the digital tools that I have experimented with have been easy to use...it's simply a matter of 'playing around with it'. Here is a link to  some wikis that I have created and used (wiki 1 & wiki 2).

IF WE LEARN BY DOING, WHAT ARE WE LEARNING BY SITTING HERE?

This is a video that I recall watching sometime last year...my immediate reaction was oh dear...I can't do this. To begin with I had no idea what a blog, wiki or a podcast was and I wondered how I could teach these students using these technologies if I don't even know what they were. The sad thing was instead of actually taking the time to find out and engage with these foreign technologies, I dumped them straight into the 'too hard basket' where they have remained until the past few weeks. Now a confident blogger, beginning wiki user, (just uploaded my first videos and picture) and amateur podcaster I am beginning to realise the important message that 21st century learners are trying to get across to their teachers..."ENGAGE ME". THis video went beyond engagement, student's want us to teach them to think, to analyse and create. This statement portrayed in the video really resonated with me, "If we learn by doing, what are we learning by sitting here?"

How can I connect to the the rest of the world? Through a L-I-N-K

An important component of all three digital tools (webpage, blog, and wiki), is the links that are incorporated that can connect the reader to pictures, webpages, resources, and articles...just to name a few. I have previously linked articles on a word document and wiki however this is my first attempt at linking on a blog. It all appears quite simple, however I guess I will discover if it has worked once I publish this post! Above I have attempted to link a picture and here I am going to attempt to link my wiki and weebly web page so that you can all check those pages out too.

I can definitely see the benefits of creating links in all three of these digital tools. When working on a group assignment wiki page we used links to share important articles and resources with our fellow members. This made the process of researching far easier, as one person would look for a particular article and post the link on the wiki page enabling the other members to go directly to that article rather than searching around on the web for it.

I think that this function would be so beneficial in the context of the classroom. Imagine if the whole class could access articles and information set by the teacher on the net, by simply clicking on a button. No longer would printed articles need to be mass produced on paper, students could simply scour resources online and select the ones that they are interested in. Another major benefit that I can see is the ability for students to share great information that they have found with other class members. The internet provides a wealth of information and links are often the method that allows you to dig deeper and deeper into a particular topic. I think that linking also establishes connections between different sets of information. For an example I have found this website here called 'Make Poverty History'. If students were given this website as a site for research one students may select the link 3things a website that discusses ways that we can advocate for global change. One student may be interested in Recycling so they would choose this link, whilst another student may be keen to learn more about fairtrade products and so they would choose this link. Each of these pages contains numerous other links, so as you can see there are no limits on how deep you want to take your learning -in fact I often find myself going way off track when researching because I find so many other things that interest me!  I am interested to know what else can be linked to these pages...excel spreadsheets, power points, music files...any ideas??

Technology -an integral role in my learning design, or just a fancy extra?

Reading through the three vignettes in week 3, has helped me to reflect upon my own use of ICTs during my practical block in a year four classroom. I felt inspired when reading about the e-learning that occurred in the prep/ year one classroom. I loved how this learning experience was so unique and showed how rich learning can be when ICTs play an integral role in the learning. Throughout my prac I was so excited when I saw this big interactive whiteboard in the classroom, as I had never seen one before. I have heard of all of the wonderful things that they can be used for, and was determined to use it as often as I could. In reality I did not have any training to use this great resource and therefore it was mostly used by me as a large tv screen, a tool mostly used for playing video and audio clips.

At the time I thought that this was great, I incorporated the online MyPlace resource as part of a unit on Indigenous culture and lifestyle. This resource was highly effective and the students were completely engaged –as they interacted with characters from the hardcopy ‘MyPlace book’ that we were reading in class, and watched clips that represented particular decades in time.

Now after reading these three vignettes, along with the first part of this week’s materials I able to see that whilst the use of ICTs was highly effective in this instance in terms of student engagement, it was not the great achievment that I originally though as I classified this as I can now see that the technology was not integral to the learning. I was merely using this resource as a means to present the information to the students in a different way. Could this learning have occurred without the use of the interactive whiteboard? I know that the answer to this question is yes and therefore this had made me aware of the fact that effective incorporation of digital technologies into the classroom involves more than just presenting information in different ways, rather it is more importantly about using them to achieve learning experiences that could not occur without ICTs, and that teach the students how to use these tools. This has reminded me of TPCK and that it is not just about incorporating technology into the classroom, rather it is learning how to use the tools effectively to support the teaching of specific content.