Reflective Synopsis
Now as I reach the end of my blogging journey about all of the different technologies, I am amazed at just how many amazing tools are out there ready to be used, and in an educational way!
Through my own experiences in schools, it is very evident that with these great resources come many restraints. The one underlying reason for these great tools not to be used is time and in particular resource availability. In both of my practical visits so far I have been at a small country school, and now at a large coastal school. The differences between both schools are great, the first having only two computers in a classroom, whereas the later school has a number of computers in the classroom, projector and a computer lab. This would play a large part in whether such tools would be able to be implemented successfully. Another hurdle I have come across, as many of my fellow peers would know, is the fact of student access to particular web resources and the issues that arise when all are accessing the same information.
Throughout my completion of this engaging task, I have made the effort to browse through my peers online blogs and leave insightful comments that reflect the new ways of approaching ELearning tools. It has been great to read about others views on particular technologies, as it allowed me to think further about the possibilities with that particular tool and not just settle on my own ideas and opinions. From these discussions I have become aware that not only have I been analysing particular ELearning tools through different frameworks, but subconsciously participating in Kearsley and Scheinderman’s (1999) engagement theory. Other current learning theories such as Siemens (2005) have an underlying message that supports the use of ICT’s within the classroom; its focus is primarily on facilitating metacognitive and problem solving skills. And finally the constructivist theory by Vygotsky, where the focus is on authentic, student centred learning (Brady, 2006).
Of the great ELearning tools that I have experimented with, I have chosen the following to use as a future learning manager.
- Wikis: Create a collaborative story telling wiki, where students contribute to the story based on certain instructions they have been given.
-Blogs: Used to inform students of class requirements, post handouts, notices, homework, assignments, or act as a question and answer board.
-Voki Avatars: Introduce the beginning of a unit or assessment piece. I believe it would also aid those who are more audio/visual learners and not just kinesetic learners.
Google Earth: Use real time coordinates to demonstrate distance calculations and verify the results using Google earth measurement tools. View tectonic plate shift evidence by examining whole continents, mountains ranges and areas of volcanic activity. Study craters, dry lake beds and other major land forms. Explore human civilization, growth of cities, and impact of growth on the environment.
-YouTube: I would use this tool as the hook of a lesson or unit.
-Music: As a future learning manager I would use this great resource platform to gather insightful music that gets the students thinking. I would then play different sounds like the beach, the rainforest, the city to name a few and ask the students to take a moment to relax and listen to the music and think about what they are hearing, where this could be, why do we hear such noises. Then once the music was over I would ask students to form collaborative groups to discuss what they thought about the music and then they would be instructed to create a brainstorm about a particular sound they heard.
-Podcasts: I would use this great resource to record class lectures, School/ Classroom news, Homework hotline, Student centred podcasts. This would be a beneficial tool for students to use because it improves organisational skills, writing, reading and viewing is improved, peer collaboration, leadership skills, tone/ expression and supports differenation.
-Picnik: I would set a task focused around taking photos and making a point of capturing the mood, angle etc. Then I would ask the students to upload their photos onto Picnik and then experiment with different effects that would help make their feature of the photo more engaging to the audience.
Many schools around the country have made the goal of “life-long” learning as an integral part of their mission statements and that instructional technology has an important role in achieving this goal (McCollum, 1999). However, the past shows us that although this is the goal, many schools are slow to adopt these new technologies, due to a number of reasons (Rice & Miller, 2001). Green (1997) suggests that teachers are now becoming savvier with these particular technologies, as they now are using more often than not email and internet.
Summing up, as a future learning manager to students of the 21st century I am looking forward to really utilizing these great resources. This is because within the classroom it allows for a better engagement of the students, and let’s face it, classrooms of today no longer embrace the boring textbook learning, but in fact are now looking outside of the square to really motivate students and the learning journey in which they are partaking in.
References
Brady, L. (2006). Collaborative Learning in Action. Frenchs Forest, NSW, Australia: Pearson Education Australia.
Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. Retrieved July 16, 2009, from http://wwww.elearnspace.or/Articles/connectivism.htm
Kearsley, G., & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory:. Retrieved July 10, 2009, from http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm
McCollum, K. (1999). Colleges urged to use technology to promote ‘life-long learning’. Chronicle of Higher Education, 46, A39.
Rice, M.L. & Miller, M. T. (2001). Faculty involvement in planning for the use and integration of instructional and administrative technologies. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 33, 328-336.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Podcasting
A podcast is a series of digital media files, either audio or video, that are released episodically and downloaded through web syndication. Like the term broadcast, podcast can refer either to the content itself or to the method by which the content is syndicated; the latter is also called podcasting. A podcaster is the person who creates the content (Wikipedia, 2009).
Podcasting refers to the programs being made available online through a subscription feed, otherwise known as a RSS feed. Podcasts can be played on computers and even IPods (WiseGeek, 2009).
From my own investigations I became familiar with the program known as I-Tunes. This program offers thousands of different podcasts instantly. As I expected, my computer decided to not be my friend and allow me to download the program, so I then snuck in my brothers room to use his I-Tunes (I didn’t even get caught, sneaky! ;-))
As a future learning manager I have looked at possible ways to incorporate such a great tool within the classroom, and the following are some possible suggestions;
- Record class lectures
- School/ Classroom news
- Homework hotline
- Student centred podcasts
This would be a beneficial tool for students to use because it improves organisational skills, writing, reading and viewing is improved, peer collaboration, leadership skills, tone/ expression and supports differenation (SlideShare, 2009).
Therefore from my findings I have concluded that this great tool fits well within the Learning Engagement Theory (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1995). This is explained through the following;
Relate- collaboration with fellow peers to focus on effective communication, planning and social skills for a set task.
Create – Students create their own podcasts, therefore supporting an authentic approach to learning.
Donate –Publishing their own PodCast with the wider community (family, friends, peers, teacher’s).
In conclusion I am really excited about using all of these very engaging tools, and will be looking for opportunities to do so in my year seven class this week.
References
Kearsley, G. & Schneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology based teaching and learning. Retrieved August 16th, 2009 from http://home.sprynet.com/-gkearsley/engage.htm
Slide Share. (2008). Retrieved August 1st, 2009 from http://www.slideshare.net/itsco/podcasting-integration-ideas-for-the-classroom
WiseGeek (2008). PodCasting. Retrieved August 1st, 2009 from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-podcasting.htm
Wikipedia (2009). Podcast. Retrieved August 1st, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files, either audio or video, that are released episodically and downloaded through web syndication. Like the term broadcast, podcast can refer either to the content itself or to the method by which the content is syndicated; the latter is also called podcasting. A podcaster is the person who creates the content (Wikipedia, 2009).
Podcasting refers to the programs being made available online through a subscription feed, otherwise known as a RSS feed. Podcasts can be played on computers and even IPods (WiseGeek, 2009).
From my own investigations I became familiar with the program known as I-Tunes. This program offers thousands of different podcasts instantly. As I expected, my computer decided to not be my friend and allow me to download the program, so I then snuck in my brothers room to use his I-Tunes (I didn’t even get caught, sneaky! ;-))
As a future learning manager I have looked at possible ways to incorporate such a great tool within the classroom, and the following are some possible suggestions;
- Record class lectures
- School/ Classroom news
- Homework hotline
- Student centred podcasts
This would be a beneficial tool for students to use because it improves organisational skills, writing, reading and viewing is improved, peer collaboration, leadership skills, tone/ expression and supports differenation (SlideShare, 2009).
Therefore from my findings I have concluded that this great tool fits well within the Learning Engagement Theory (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1995). This is explained through the following;
Relate- collaboration with fellow peers to focus on effective communication, planning and social skills for a set task.
Create – Students create their own podcasts, therefore supporting an authentic approach to learning.
Donate –Publishing their own PodCast with the wider community (family, friends, peers, teacher’s).
In conclusion I am really excited about using all of these very engaging tools, and will be looking for opportunities to do so in my year seven class this week.
References
Kearsley, G. & Schneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology based teaching and learning. Retrieved August 16th, 2009 from http://home.sprynet.com/-gkearsley/engage.htm
Slide Share. (2008). Retrieved August 1st, 2009 from http://www.slideshare.net/itsco/podcasting-integration-ideas-for-the-classroom
WiseGeek (2008). PodCasting. Retrieved August 1st, 2009 from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-podcasting.htm
Wikipedia (2009). Podcast. Retrieved August 1st, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast
WebQuest
You may ask, ‘What is a WebQuest?’ Well according to EdWeb (2009), a WebQuest is an inquiry oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the internet.
According to Bloom Taxonomy (as cited by Uniserve- EDU, 2009) a WebQuest can be described by the following;
Knowledge – the students remember the facts.
Comprehension – the students understands relationships and contexts.
Application – the student can apply this new knowledge to different areas.
Analysis- the student can analysis and find parts.
Synthesis – the student can create something unique.
Evaluation – the students can make judgements based on facts.
Using such a great tool fits within a constructivist framework because the learning is based on the student’s active participation in problem solving and critical thinking. Using such a great tool in the classroom is very engaging to the students because the learning is very relevant, and allows students to construct their own knowledge (Castatela EDU, 2009).
Previous to this investigation I have only been exposed to WebQuests a number of times, however I did create my own just recently on a science unit for electricity. This WebQuest, however has not been used in a classroom as of yet, although it will begin to used this coming Friday. To ensure a successful WebQuest was created the following essential components of a WebQuest (WebQuest Direct, 2009) were used:
1. Introduction -draws the learner’s attention to the topic and inspiring action.
2. Task -a problem based focus question drawn from the introduction and sets out the goal.
3. Information Sources - needed to complete the task, including links to web pages.
4. Process - description of the process the learners are to apply in solving the problem
5. Evaluation - the guidelines for how students will be assessed. Usually a rubric or criteria.
6. Conclusion - closure to the quest, addresses the answering of the Focus Question
7. Teachers Page - Contains learner profiles, curriculum and Essential Learning’s.
In conclusion, as a future learning manager I look forward to introducing these new technologies in particular WebQuests, as they open up new doors and opportunities for students and I believe this is the way of the future.
References
Castatela EDU (2009). Constructivism. Retrieved August 19th, 2009 from http://curriculum.castatela.edu_acult/pspar.html
EdWeb (2009). WebQuests. Retrieved August 19th, from http:edweb.sdsu.edu/EdWeb_folder/course/EDTC59L/About_WebQuests.html
Uniserve – EDU (2009). Retrieved August 19th, 2009 from http://science.uniserve.edu.au/school/tutes/webquest/present/
WebQuest Direct, (2009). What is a WebQuest. Retrieved 19th August, 2009, from:http://www.webquestdirect.com.au/whatis_awq.asp
Youtube
Youtube is a video sharing website that offers users the option to create an account to upload videos, however you do not require an account to view the videos. Before the launch of YouTube in 2005, there were few simple methods available for ordinary computer users who wanted to post videos online. With its easy to use interface, YouTube made it possible for anyone with an Internet connection to post a video that millions of people could watch within a few minutes. The wide range of topics covered by YouTube has turned video sharing into one of the most important parts of Internet culture (Wikipedia, 2009).
One of the key features of YouTube is the ability of users to view its videos on web pages outside the site. Each YouTube video is accompanied by a piece of HTML, which can be used to embed it on a page outside the YouTube website. This functionality is often used to embed YouTube videos in social networking pages and blogs.
As a future learning manager I would use this tool as the hook of a lesson or unit. I have been browsing both teacher tube and YouTube and have found a great video as a hook for my electricity unit. Please feel free to have a look.
Youtube is a video sharing website that offers users the option to create an account to upload videos, however you do not require an account to view the videos. Before the launch of YouTube in 2005, there were few simple methods available for ordinary computer users who wanted to post videos online. With its easy to use interface, YouTube made it possible for anyone with an Internet connection to post a video that millions of people could watch within a few minutes. The wide range of topics covered by YouTube has turned video sharing into one of the most important parts of Internet culture (Wikipedia, 2009).
One of the key features of YouTube is the ability of users to view its videos on web pages outside the site. Each YouTube video is accompanied by a piece of HTML, which can be used to embed it on a page outside the YouTube website. This functionality is often used to embed YouTube videos in social networking pages and blogs.
As a future learning manager I would use this tool as the hook of a lesson or unit. I have been browsing both teacher tube and YouTube and have found a great video as a hook for my electricity unit. Please feel free to have a look.
Multiple Choice Quizes
ClasssMaker is an easy to use online test creator, it is easy to create online tests and quizzes, and then invite others to participate. You can create multiple choice, true false, free text, short answer, fill in the blank and punctuation quizzes. Furthermore, ClassMaker allows you to create ‘class rooms’ and assign different tests to each of them. At the end, you can invite participant groups to desired class and track their test progress in one place (ClassMaker, 2009).
ClassMaker is great and as a future learning manager I look forward to using this particular tool, because of its versatility. Outline below are some reasons why it is such a great tool to be using (ClassMaker, 2009).
Create online tests and quizzes.
Test types: multiple choice, true/false, free text, short answer, fill in the blank, punctuation etc.
Track and manage test results in one place.
Invite up to 1000 learners to join take your tests.
Create unlimited number of classes and manage them from one place.
Assign different quiz tests to different classes.
Instant results for you and your learners.
Upload and add images to quizzes.
Export quiz results.
Set time limits on multiple-choice quizzes.
Randomize multiple-choice questions and answers.
Keep quizzes private or share them with others.
Create quizzes in multiple languages.
This awesome tool fits well within Oliver’s learning framework (Australian University Teachers Committee, 2003) because of the three aspects; the learning tasks, resources and support. This framework supports the use of the quiz as a tool of assessment. The next phase within the framework relies upon the resources needed to complete these learning tasks, this therefore relating to the online quizzes to check for learning along the way.
Therefore in conclusion by not only having an online quiz to check for learning and as an assessment tool, it is great to have in place to allow students the support and encouragement that is seeked both from parents and students.
References
Australian University Teachers Committee. (2003). The Learning Design Construct. Retrieved August 1st, 2009, http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/project/learn_design.htm
ClassMarker. (2009). Free Quiz Maker for online Testing. Retrieved August 1st, 2009, from http://www.classmarker.com/
ClasssMaker is an easy to use online test creator, it is easy to create online tests and quizzes, and then invite others to participate. You can create multiple choice, true false, free text, short answer, fill in the blank and punctuation quizzes. Furthermore, ClassMaker allows you to create ‘class rooms’ and assign different tests to each of them. At the end, you can invite participant groups to desired class and track their test progress in one place (ClassMaker, 2009).
ClassMaker is great and as a future learning manager I look forward to using this particular tool, because of its versatility. Outline below are some reasons why it is such a great tool to be using (ClassMaker, 2009).
Create online tests and quizzes.
Test types: multiple choice, true/false, free text, short answer, fill in the blank, punctuation etc.
Track and manage test results in one place.
Invite up to 1000 learners to join take your tests.
Create unlimited number of classes and manage them from one place.
Assign different quiz tests to different classes.
Instant results for you and your learners.
Upload and add images to quizzes.
Export quiz results.
Set time limits on multiple-choice quizzes.
Randomize multiple-choice questions and answers.
Keep quizzes private or share them with others.
Create quizzes in multiple languages.
This awesome tool fits well within Oliver’s learning framework (Australian University Teachers Committee, 2003) because of the three aspects; the learning tasks, resources and support. This framework supports the use of the quiz as a tool of assessment. The next phase within the framework relies upon the resources needed to complete these learning tasks, this therefore relating to the online quizzes to check for learning along the way.
Therefore in conclusion by not only having an online quiz to check for learning and as an assessment tool, it is great to have in place to allow students the support and encouragement that is seeked both from parents and students.
References
Australian University Teachers Committee. (2003). The Learning Design Construct. Retrieved August 1st, 2009, http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/project/learn_design.htm
ClassMarker. (2009). Free Quiz Maker for online Testing. Retrieved August 1st, 2009, from http://www.classmarker.com/
File Storage – Media Fire
Media Fire is a free online file and image hosting web site (MediaFire, 2009). A great feature of this website is that is allows unlimited storage and a limit of 200mb per file (Wikipedia, 2009).
From my own investigations of this great tool, i became aware that creating an account was easy to do and also allowed me to upload information in particular content that I wanted to teach and be secure and also accessible from different locations. Having this option has allowed me to leave behind my laptop and USB and access important information at my school.
As a future learning manager I believe this tool would be great for collaboration with others, and I look forward to making this great tool more of an option to others that may find dragging expensive equipment that often decides to fail at the most inappropriate times.
References
MediaFire. (2009). What is MediaFire? Retrieved August 19th, 2009, from http://www.mediafire.com/about.php?type=1
Wikipedia. (2009). MediaFire. Retrieved August 19th, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Media Fire is a free online file and image hosting web site (MediaFire, 2009). A great feature of this website is that is allows unlimited storage and a limit of 200mb per file (Wikipedia, 2009).
From my own investigations of this great tool, i became aware that creating an account was easy to do and also allowed me to upload information in particular content that I wanted to teach and be secure and also accessible from different locations. Having this option has allowed me to leave behind my laptop and USB and access important information at my school.
As a future learning manager I believe this tool would be great for collaboration with others, and I look forward to making this great tool more of an option to others that may find dragging expensive equipment that often decides to fail at the most inappropriate times.
References
MediaFire. (2009). What is MediaFire? Retrieved August 19th, 2009, from http://www.mediafire.com/about.php?type=1
Wikipedia. (2009). MediaFire. Retrieved August 19th, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Slide Share
What is SlideShare you ask? According to Georgia State University. (2009), SlideShare is the words largest community for sharing presentations. It allows individuals to upload presentations to share their ideas and to connect with others collaboratively. SlideShare is an easy tool to use as you can find presentations that are on a particular topic, this is helped by the use of tags. This site also has the option for users to create and upload narration to their presentation. After this has been uploaded, the user can synchronise the slides to fit that particular presentation (SlideShare, 2009).
This learning tool fits great within the framework of Active Learning (ACU, 2000). To explain further when using such a tool the’ input’ is when students are viewing this new information for example music and visual images. The ‘process’ is when students are collaborating with others to create their own presentations, using a variety of tools to enhance their presentation (microphone, webcam, music, images). The ‘output’ is when students are producing their own presentation then they load their presentation on to a platform (webpage etc), where they can share this new information with others.
In conclusion I have found this tool to be great to learn about and I look forward to using it in the classroom.
References
ACU. (2000). What is Active Learning? Retrieved August 1st, 2009, from http://www.acu.edu/cte/activelearning/whatisal.htm
Georgia State University. (2009). What is SlideShare. Retrieved August 19th, 2009 from http://www.library.gsu.edu/news/index.asp?view=details&ID=14781&typeID=56
SlideShare. (2009). About Us. Retrieved August 13, 2009, from http://www.slideshare.net/about
What is SlideShare you ask? According to Georgia State University. (2009), SlideShare is the words largest community for sharing presentations. It allows individuals to upload presentations to share their ideas and to connect with others collaboratively. SlideShare is an easy tool to use as you can find presentations that are on a particular topic, this is helped by the use of tags. This site also has the option for users to create and upload narration to their presentation. After this has been uploaded, the user can synchronise the slides to fit that particular presentation (SlideShare, 2009).
This learning tool fits great within the framework of Active Learning (ACU, 2000). To explain further when using such a tool the’ input’ is when students are viewing this new information for example music and visual images. The ‘process’ is when students are collaborating with others to create their own presentations, using a variety of tools to enhance their presentation (microphone, webcam, music, images). The ‘output’ is when students are producing their own presentation then they load their presentation on to a platform (webpage etc), where they can share this new information with others.
In conclusion I have found this tool to be great to learn about and I look forward to using it in the classroom.
Technology
View more presentations from guest26dbf07.
References
ACU. (2000). What is Active Learning? Retrieved August 1st, 2009, from http://www.acu.edu/cte/activelearning/whatisal.htm
Georgia State University. (2009). What is SlideShare. Retrieved August 19th, 2009 from http://www.library.gsu.edu/news/index.asp?view=details&ID=14781&typeID=56
SlideShare. (2009). About Us. Retrieved August 13, 2009, from http://www.slideshare.net/about
Music – Incompetech
Through my own experiences in the classroom I have unfortunately not been exposed to the use of music in learning experiences. But to my own lack of experience with music I brainstormed some ideas about the different ways I could incorporate such a great tool.
As I am now aware now not all music is acceptable to use within presentations, without some form of royalties going to the owner. From my own investigations with Incompetech I became aware that this tool offers a platform where there are many different genres of music for free available for use. This is known as Royalty-free music, Wikipedia (2009) defines this as being as 'library music' licensed for a single fee, without the need to pay any subsequent royalties.
As a future learning manager I would use this great resource platform to gather insightful music that gets the students thinking. I would then play different sounds like the beach, the rainforest, the city to name a few and ask the students to take a moment to relax and listen to the music and think about what they are hearing, where this could be, why do we hear such noises. Then once the music was over I would ask students to form collaborative groups to discuss what they thought about the music and then they would be instructed to create a brainstorm about a particular sound they heard.
Resources
Wikipedia. (2009). Royalty Free Music. Retrieved August 19th, 2009 from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royalty_free_music
Through my own experiences in the classroom I have unfortunately not been exposed to the use of music in learning experiences. But to my own lack of experience with music I brainstormed some ideas about the different ways I could incorporate such a great tool.
As I am now aware now not all music is acceptable to use within presentations, without some form of royalties going to the owner. From my own investigations with Incompetech I became aware that this tool offers a platform where there are many different genres of music for free available for use. This is known as Royalty-free music, Wikipedia (2009) defines this as being as 'library music' licensed for a single fee, without the need to pay any subsequent royalties.
As a future learning manager I would use this great resource platform to gather insightful music that gets the students thinking. I would then play different sounds like the beach, the rainforest, the city to name a few and ask the students to take a moment to relax and listen to the music and think about what they are hearing, where this could be, why do we hear such noises. Then once the music was over I would ask students to form collaborative groups to discuss what they thought about the music and then they would be instructed to create a brainstorm about a particular sound they heard.
Resources
Wikipedia. (2009). Royalty Free Music. Retrieved August 19th, 2009 from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royalty_free_music
Voice Thread
A VoiceThread is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents and videos and allows people to navigate pages and leave comments in 5 ways - using voice, text, audio file, or video (Voice thread , 2009).
The stories can be shared with anyone in the world or they can be kept private for selected individuals. Like many Web 2.0 applications, you can get a free basic account as well as a VoiceThread Pro account with unlimited creation and advanced features for a fee. However, VoiceThread is offering free educator accounts for all k-12 classroom educators.
I think VoiceThread is a great classroom tool and has a great potential in education. It has a user-friendly interface and creating and sharing a video thread is a simple process and all you need is a microphone or Webcam. Teachers and students can upload their PowerPoint slides and expand on the info with audio, you can even set up an account for individual classes that allow students access to the account for group projects. VoiceThread also allows for presentations to be embedded in blogs and Web sites (Wikipedia, 2009).
From my own investigation of Voicethread the setup was easy and quick. I found that this great tool is like a slide show with commentaries by voice, text, audio or video. I then found a feature called video doodling, where you can draw on the picture itself. According to Education World (2009) "teachers and students are using Voicethread as a storytelling tool, a deep thinking tool, a research tool, an expository communication tool, and even an assessment tool." I believe Voicethread would be an excellent teaching and learning tool, as it allows teachers and students to share their thinking and knowledge. Students can show their learning in different ways by using this tool some examples might include; oral or written work. Students can also learn through different means and utilize different skills such as listening, speaking, reading, writing and viewing.
Education World (2009) says more students participate more actively in digital discussions than in the classroom. As a future learning manager I would use Voice threads by posting a variety of topics where students are free to comment on them. This would be great as it engages students in meaningful discussions and as stated by E-Learning. (2009) in a classroom conversation, there's generally one strand of conversation going at any one time, and if you're bored by that particular strand, you're completely disengaged. This would be great within the classroom as it encourages collaborative conversation (Weir, 2008). Therefore this tool fits well within the constructivist approach as the learning and knowledge that is being undertaken is by a class of diverse opinions (Siemens, 2004). This becomes clear by the online discussions, provoking different opinions and view points, these particular viewpoints can initiate new learning experiences and direction. This is therefore allowing students to make decisions about their learning, choosing what to learn and how to acquire the information and knowledge needed (Siemens, 2004).
References
Education World (2009). VoiceThread. Retrieved August 19th, 2009 from http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/columnists/dyck/dyck019.shtml
E-Learning. (2009). Retrieved August 19th from http://www.elearninglearning.com/voicethread/wikipedia/
Laila Weir (2008). VoiceThread Extends the Classroom with Interactive Multimedia Albums http://www.edutopia.org/voicethread-interactive-multimedia-albums
Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. Retrieved August 19, 2009, from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm
Voice Thread (2009). Retrieved August 19th, 2009 from http://voicethread.com/about/
A VoiceThread is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents and videos and allows people to navigate pages and leave comments in 5 ways - using voice, text, audio file, or video (Voice thread , 2009).
The stories can be shared with anyone in the world or they can be kept private for selected individuals. Like many Web 2.0 applications, you can get a free basic account as well as a VoiceThread Pro account with unlimited creation and advanced features for a fee. However, VoiceThread is offering free educator accounts for all k-12 classroom educators.
I think VoiceThread is a great classroom tool and has a great potential in education. It has a user-friendly interface and creating and sharing a video thread is a simple process and all you need is a microphone or Webcam. Teachers and students can upload their PowerPoint slides and expand on the info with audio, you can even set up an account for individual classes that allow students access to the account for group projects. VoiceThread also allows for presentations to be embedded in blogs and Web sites (Wikipedia, 2009).
From my own investigation of Voicethread the setup was easy and quick. I found that this great tool is like a slide show with commentaries by voice, text, audio or video. I then found a feature called video doodling, where you can draw on the picture itself. According to Education World (2009) "teachers and students are using Voicethread as a storytelling tool, a deep thinking tool, a research tool, an expository communication tool, and even an assessment tool." I believe Voicethread would be an excellent teaching and learning tool, as it allows teachers and students to share their thinking and knowledge. Students can show their learning in different ways by using this tool some examples might include; oral or written work. Students can also learn through different means and utilize different skills such as listening, speaking, reading, writing and viewing.
Education World (2009) says more students participate more actively in digital discussions than in the classroom. As a future learning manager I would use Voice threads by posting a variety of topics where students are free to comment on them. This would be great as it engages students in meaningful discussions and as stated by E-Learning. (2009) in a classroom conversation, there's generally one strand of conversation going at any one time, and if you're bored by that particular strand, you're completely disengaged. This would be great within the classroom as it encourages collaborative conversation (Weir, 2008). Therefore this tool fits well within the constructivist approach as the learning and knowledge that is being undertaken is by a class of diverse opinions (Siemens, 2004). This becomes clear by the online discussions, provoking different opinions and view points, these particular viewpoints can initiate new learning experiences and direction. This is therefore allowing students to make decisions about their learning, choosing what to learn and how to acquire the information and knowledge needed (Siemens, 2004).
References
Education World (2009). VoiceThread. Retrieved August 19th, 2009 from http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/columnists/dyck/dyck019.shtml
E-Learning. (2009). Retrieved August 19th from http://www.elearninglearning.com/voicethread/wikipedia/
Laila Weir (2008). VoiceThread Extends the Classroom with Interactive Multimedia Albums http://www.edutopia.org/voicethread-interactive-multimedia-albums
Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. Retrieved August 19, 2009, from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm
Voice Thread (2009). Retrieved August 19th, 2009 from http://voicethread.com/about/
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Picnik
Picnik is an online photo editing service; it offers the option to import photos from a number of social networking sites such as Facebook and Flickr to name a few. Whilst still allowing users to upload photos from a computer or website. Many of Picnik's basic photos editing tools are free to use, however you do have the option to upgrade to have additional photo editing features.
From further investigation into this great tool I found that I could edit just about anything that was wrong with my pictures. To expand further Wikipedia (2009) discusses fixing photos in the following ways; auto-fix, exposure, colors, red eye, rotate, crop, resize and sharpening. This however is only the tip of the iceberg; Picnik offers custom made effects where you can add text, shapes, backgrounds and frames. The world is in your hands with Picnik.
As a future learning manager, I would love to use this great tool. From my experiences at school there have been many times where I have seen students taking photos and editing them on very difficult programs and achieving a less then capable or underachieved result. If I was to use this program I would set a task focused around taking photos and making a point of capturing the mood, angle etc. Then I would ask the students to upload their photos onto Picnik and then experiment with different effects that would help make their feature of the photo more engaging to the audience.
In conclusion I therefore found that Picnik fits well within Kearsley and Schneiderman (1999) Engagement Theory. This is because historically, students have been taught to work and learn on their own. Research on collaborative learning suggests that in the process of collaboration, students are forced to clarify and verbalize their problems, thereby facilitating solutions. To explain in more detail, what picnic offers is a chance for students to work collaboratively in teams to come up with ideas and solutions and Kearsley and Schneiderman (1999) support this further by saying ‘Collaboration increases the motivation of students to learn.’
References
A picnik in the weather (2009). Retrieved August 19th, 2009 from http://www.slideshare.net/sciencejeremy/a-picnik-in-the-weather-1766947
Kearsley, G. & Schneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology based teaching and learning. Retrieved August 16th, 2009 from http://home.sprynet.com/-gkearsley/engage.htm
Picnik is an online photo editing service; it offers the option to import photos from a number of social networking sites such as Facebook and Flickr to name a few. Whilst still allowing users to upload photos from a computer or website. Many of Picnik's basic photos editing tools are free to use, however you do have the option to upgrade to have additional photo editing features.
From further investigation into this great tool I found that I could edit just about anything that was wrong with my pictures. To expand further Wikipedia (2009) discusses fixing photos in the following ways; auto-fix, exposure, colors, red eye, rotate, crop, resize and sharpening. This however is only the tip of the iceberg; Picnik offers custom made effects where you can add text, shapes, backgrounds and frames. The world is in your hands with Picnik.
As a future learning manager, I would love to use this great tool. From my experiences at school there have been many times where I have seen students taking photos and editing them on very difficult programs and achieving a less then capable or underachieved result. If I was to use this program I would set a task focused around taking photos and making a point of capturing the mood, angle etc. Then I would ask the students to upload their photos onto Picnik and then experiment with different effects that would help make their feature of the photo more engaging to the audience.
In conclusion I therefore found that Picnik fits well within Kearsley and Schneiderman (1999) Engagement Theory. This is because historically, students have been taught to work and learn on their own. Research on collaborative learning suggests that in the process of collaboration, students are forced to clarify and verbalize their problems, thereby facilitating solutions. To explain in more detail, what picnic offers is a chance for students to work collaboratively in teams to come up with ideas and solutions and Kearsley and Schneiderman (1999) support this further by saying ‘Collaboration increases the motivation of students to learn.’
References
A picnik in the weather (2009). Retrieved August 19th, 2009 from http://www.slideshare.net/sciencejeremy/a-picnik-in-the-weather-1766947
Kearsley, G. & Schneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology based teaching and learning. Retrieved August 16th, 2009 from http://home.sprynet.com/-gkearsley/engage.htm
Flickr
Flickr is an image, video, website and online community platform (Wikipedia, 2009). Flickr is great because it allows students to keep their focus on acquiring new skills, to build on existing knowledge while still being able to develop particular skills like writing, reading, viewing and even strengthening social ties within their own learning circle (Baird, 2005).
Not only does Flickr, but many other technologies have the ability to play an important part in motivation, retention and learning among students. Such tools like Flickr and many media forms play an important role in the interaction between many communities (Baird, 2005). This is also very important because as our world moves to more technological ways, we are now more reliant on online communities, and Flickr helps foster these new relationships.
As a future learning manager, Flickr I believe would effectively cover the approaches such as group work, comments or feedback both from students, teachers and parents, presentations and collaboration online. Baird (2005) discusses that Flickr not only is great tool but supports constructivist based learning, to explain further Baird discusses that learning can take place in a private group, but it also can extend further to the wider community.
Flickr not only is a platform to place and access many photos, it also gives the option for users to either make their photos private or public, therefore allowing privacy for those photos you only want to share with particular people. This option is great to know as a future learning manager because student’s safety is the main priority when using such a tool in the school environment and to have the option to make whatever they may be accessing private is number one.
Flickr also offers students an organization tool called Flickr Organizer, this allows photos to be placed into albums to categories, this can be great to be used in conjunction within their own digital portfolios, projects or even blogs (Wikipedia, 2009). Not only does this tool offer great organization is allows for RSS feeds so that both students and teachers can syndicate their photos. This is not only a way of the future but before such technology was available students would traditionally cut pictures out of magazines to add appeal to a project, but now students have the ability to search past their prior abilities and put their hands on relevant information.
As a future learning manager I would love to use this great tool in the classroom, some possible ways that I have investigated could include the following;
“A student in a historic preservation takes a walking tour of a historic district and takes photographs of various architectural elements. These photos are organized into a Photoset and then viewed in a Flickr generated slideshow during an oral report to his class. He later uses them as a reference resource for his coursework.” (Baird, 2005)
“After a field trip to a living history museum, student groups write a summary of their trip in a blog and use Flickr to illustrate their report. They are able to augment their own photos with relevant images found by searching tags in the global Flickr community archives. As they work on the project they are simultaneously developing writing, technology, photography, as most importantly collaborative learning skills.” (Baird, 2005)
Flickr I have found fits great within Oliver’s Learning Design Framework, because today’s students have grown up surrounded by the digital world, and as a result they have developed new ways of understanding, learning and processing information. To explain further why I feel this framework fits well is because Oliver’s framework puts emphasis on the learning resources, learning tasks and learning supports, all of which are covered within Flickr. Furthermore Flickr offers the chance for authentic assessment within the classroom and I look forward to incorporating this tool in the future.
References
AusInfo. (2003). The Learning Design Construct. Retrieved August 1st, 2009, http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/project/learn_design.htm
Derek E Baird .(2005). The Promise of Social Networks. Retrieved August 19th, 2009 from http://www.techlearning.com/article/4816
Wikipedia. (2009). Flickr. Retrieved August 19th, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flickr
Flickr is an image, video, website and online community platform (Wikipedia, 2009). Flickr is great because it allows students to keep their focus on acquiring new skills, to build on existing knowledge while still being able to develop particular skills like writing, reading, viewing and even strengthening social ties within their own learning circle (Baird, 2005).
Not only does Flickr, but many other technologies have the ability to play an important part in motivation, retention and learning among students. Such tools like Flickr and many media forms play an important role in the interaction between many communities (Baird, 2005). This is also very important because as our world moves to more technological ways, we are now more reliant on online communities, and Flickr helps foster these new relationships.
As a future learning manager, Flickr I believe would effectively cover the approaches such as group work, comments or feedback both from students, teachers and parents, presentations and collaboration online. Baird (2005) discusses that Flickr not only is great tool but supports constructivist based learning, to explain further Baird discusses that learning can take place in a private group, but it also can extend further to the wider community.
Flickr not only is a platform to place and access many photos, it also gives the option for users to either make their photos private or public, therefore allowing privacy for those photos you only want to share with particular people. This option is great to know as a future learning manager because student’s safety is the main priority when using such a tool in the school environment and to have the option to make whatever they may be accessing private is number one.
Flickr also offers students an organization tool called Flickr Organizer, this allows photos to be placed into albums to categories, this can be great to be used in conjunction within their own digital portfolios, projects or even blogs (Wikipedia, 2009). Not only does this tool offer great organization is allows for RSS feeds so that both students and teachers can syndicate their photos. This is not only a way of the future but before such technology was available students would traditionally cut pictures out of magazines to add appeal to a project, but now students have the ability to search past their prior abilities and put their hands on relevant information.
As a future learning manager I would love to use this great tool in the classroom, some possible ways that I have investigated could include the following;
“A student in a historic preservation takes a walking tour of a historic district and takes photographs of various architectural elements. These photos are organized into a Photoset and then viewed in a Flickr generated slideshow during an oral report to his class. He later uses them as a reference resource for his coursework.” (Baird, 2005)
“After a field trip to a living history museum, student groups write a summary of their trip in a blog and use Flickr to illustrate their report. They are able to augment their own photos with relevant images found by searching tags in the global Flickr community archives. As they work on the project they are simultaneously developing writing, technology, photography, as most importantly collaborative learning skills.” (Baird, 2005)
Flickr I have found fits great within Oliver’s Learning Design Framework, because today’s students have grown up surrounded by the digital world, and as a result they have developed new ways of understanding, learning and processing information. To explain further why I feel this framework fits well is because Oliver’s framework puts emphasis on the learning resources, learning tasks and learning supports, all of which are covered within Flickr. Furthermore Flickr offers the chance for authentic assessment within the classroom and I look forward to incorporating this tool in the future.
References
AusInfo. (2003). The Learning Design Construct. Retrieved August 1st, 2009, http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/project/learn_design.htm
Derek E Baird .(2005). The Promise of Social Networks. Retrieved August 19th, 2009 from http://www.techlearning.com/article/4816
Wikipedia. (2009). Flickr. Retrieved August 19th, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flickr
Google Earth
How great is Google earth!? I am obsessed, but I must admit I did discover this great tool a while back now and have been using it ever since. For those who are unsure as to what Google Earth offers, I have done some investigations of my own and came up with some pretty interesting findings.
Google (2009) themselves discuss how they use a satellite imagery-based mapping product that puts the whole world on a student's computer. It enables users to "fly" from space to street level to find geographic information and explore places around the world. Like a video game and a search engine rolled into one, Earth is basically a 3D model of the entire planet that lets you grab, spin and zoom down into any place on Earth. As now as technology advances Google has updated its Google earth to include; Google StreetView, view photo-realistic 3D buildings, and even show your students sunset around the world with the new Sunlight feature.
Kearsley and Shnneiderman Engagement Theory (1999) fits well within the use of Google Earth, because it encompasses the use of authentic learning experiences which have an overall affect of collaborative learning. As a future learning manager I would take the approach to using such a great tool by possibly doing the following;
- Use real time coordinates to demonstrate distance calculations and verify the results using Google earth measurement tools.
- View tectonic plate shift evidence by examining whole continents, mountains ranges and areas of volcanic activity.
- Study craters, dry lake beds and other major land forms.
- Explore human civilization, growth of cities, and impact of growth on the environment.
(Google, 2009)
References
Google. (2009). Google Earth: For Educators. Retrieved August 17th, 2009 from http://www.google.com/educators/p_earth.html
Kearsley, G. & Schneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology based teaching and learning. Retrieved August 16th, 2009 from http://home.sprynet.com/-gkearsley/engage.htm
How great is Google earth!? I am obsessed, but I must admit I did discover this great tool a while back now and have been using it ever since. For those who are unsure as to what Google Earth offers, I have done some investigations of my own and came up with some pretty interesting findings.
Google (2009) themselves discuss how they use a satellite imagery-based mapping product that puts the whole world on a student's computer. It enables users to "fly" from space to street level to find geographic information and explore places around the world. Like a video game and a search engine rolled into one, Earth is basically a 3D model of the entire planet that lets you grab, spin and zoom down into any place on Earth. As now as technology advances Google has updated its Google earth to include; Google StreetView, view photo-realistic 3D buildings, and even show your students sunset around the world with the new Sunlight feature.
Kearsley and Shnneiderman Engagement Theory (1999) fits well within the use of Google Earth, because it encompasses the use of authentic learning experiences which have an overall affect of collaborative learning. As a future learning manager I would take the approach to using such a great tool by possibly doing the following;
- Use real time coordinates to demonstrate distance calculations and verify the results using Google earth measurement tools.
- View tectonic plate shift evidence by examining whole continents, mountains ranges and areas of volcanic activity.
- Study craters, dry lake beds and other major land forms.
- Explore human civilization, growth of cities, and impact of growth on the environment.
(Google, 2009)
References
Google. (2009). Google Earth: For Educators. Retrieved August 17th, 2009 from http://www.google.com/educators/p_earth.html
Kearsley, G. & Schneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology based teaching and learning. Retrieved August 16th, 2009 from http://home.sprynet.com/-gkearsley/engage.htm
Windows Movie Maker
Windows Movie Maker is a fun and easy way to make movies for presentations, slideshows and much more. Windows Movie Maker is divided into three areas of viewing. There is an area for the storyboard and timeline, the panes of the movie or slideshow and the preview monitor.
As a future learning manager it would be great to use Windows Movie Maker with the students as it is an interactive way to learn different material. By using this tool, students are able to repeat what they learned in their own words and act out what they have learnt. Therefore by having such an interactive way of learning, students will be more likely to remember and understand the material. Windows Movie Maker has a lot of educational benefits but it also can add a sense of community to the classroom, with all students working together as team in order to create a movie.
Using such a technology in the classroom would fit well within the framework of the engagement theory. Kearsley, & Shneiderman (1999) discuss that within the engagement theory all student activities should involve active cognitive processes such as creating, problem-solving, reasoning, decision-making, and evaluation. Within a group context students would be able to use this tool in collaborative groups taking on different roles to complete the set task.
Kearsley & Shneiderman (1999) discuss further about how the engagement theory is based upon the idea of creating successful collaborative teams that work on ambitious projects that are meaningful to someone outside the classroom. They talk about three main components; relate-create-donate. These three areas are thought to be approached in learning situations by the following;
- occur in a group context (i.e., collaborative teams)
- are project-based
- have an outside (authentic) focus
References
Kearsley, G. & Schneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology based teaching and learning. Retrieved August 16th, 2009 from http://home.sprynet.com/-gkearsley/engage.htm
Windows Movie Maker is a fun and easy way to make movies for presentations, slideshows and much more. Windows Movie Maker is divided into three areas of viewing. There is an area for the storyboard and timeline, the panes of the movie or slideshow and the preview monitor.
As a future learning manager it would be great to use Windows Movie Maker with the students as it is an interactive way to learn different material. By using this tool, students are able to repeat what they learned in their own words and act out what they have learnt. Therefore by having such an interactive way of learning, students will be more likely to remember and understand the material. Windows Movie Maker has a lot of educational benefits but it also can add a sense of community to the classroom, with all students working together as team in order to create a movie.
Using such a technology in the classroom would fit well within the framework of the engagement theory. Kearsley, & Shneiderman (1999) discuss that within the engagement theory all student activities should involve active cognitive processes such as creating, problem-solving, reasoning, decision-making, and evaluation. Within a group context students would be able to use this tool in collaborative groups taking on different roles to complete the set task.
Kearsley & Shneiderman (1999) discuss further about how the engagement theory is based upon the idea of creating successful collaborative teams that work on ambitious projects that are meaningful to someone outside the classroom. They talk about three main components; relate-create-donate. These three areas are thought to be approached in learning situations by the following;
- occur in a group context (i.e., collaborative teams)
- are project-based
- have an outside (authentic) focus
References
Kearsley, G. & Schneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology based teaching and learning. Retrieved August 16th, 2009 from http://home.sprynet.com/-gkearsley/engage.htm
Monday, August 17, 2009
Interactive Whiteboard
From my own experiences in schools, I have witnessed Interactive Whiteboards to be a great tool to have in the classroom. As defined by the US Department of Education, "Interactive whiteboards are used in many schools as replacements for traditional whiteboards or flipcharts. They provide ways to show students anything which can be presented on a computer's desktop (educational software, web sites, and others).
Interactive Whiteboards can be a very effective instructional strategy for students, as it allows for repetition and for students to see material again in circumstances where they were absent, falling behind and for review of topics (US DOE, 2008).
As a future learning manager I wanted to research some possible engaging ways to use such a great technology. My findings include such things like (US D0E, 2008);
From my own experiences in schools, I have witnessed Interactive Whiteboards to be a great tool to have in the classroom. As defined by the US Department of Education, "Interactive whiteboards are used in many schools as replacements for traditional whiteboards or flipcharts. They provide ways to show students anything which can be presented on a computer's desktop (educational software, web sites, and others).
Interactive Whiteboards can be a very effective instructional strategy for students, as it allows for repetition and for students to see material again in circumstances where they were absent, falling behind and for review of topics (US DOE, 2008).
As a future learning manager I wanted to research some possible engaging ways to use such a great technology. My findings include such things like (US D0E, 2008);
- Save lessons to present to students who were absent
- Create video files to teach a software application, a lesson, or as a review to be posted to the server or web. Example- How to create a graph in Excel or hoe to burn a projects to cds
- Use the built in maps to teach continents, oceans, countries, or states and capitals.
- Present presentations created by student or teacher
- Have students create e-folios including samples of their work and narration
- Digital storytelling
- Teach whole group computer or keyboarding skills
- Brainstorming
- Take notes directly into PowerPoint presentations
- Reinforce skills by using on-line interactive web sites
- Creating a project calendar
- Teach editing skills using editing marks
- Use in the 6 trait writing process
- Use highlighter tool to highlight nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.
- Use it with Kidspiration or Inspiration
- Teaching students how to navigate the Internet
- Illustrate and write a book as a class. Use the record feature to narrate the text.
- Use the Interwrite software to create lessons in advance at home or at school. Then save them for future use or to be shared with other teachers
This great tool fits perfect within the frame work of Kearsley and Schneiderman (1999) engagement theory. As stated by Mitchell (2008)"students demand interactivity". This statement therefore supports the many concepts of learning, especially knowing that students must be engaged in the curriculum in order to be effective learners (Kearsley, & Shneiderman, 1999).
References
Kearsley, G. & Schneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology based teaching and learning. Retrieved August 16th, 2009 from http://home.sprynet.com/-gkearsley/engage.htm
Mitchell, B., (2008). Interactive Whiteboards: Boon or Boondoggle Retrieved 12th August, 2009, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1GQC8obImA
US Department of Education. (2008). Interactive Whiteboards. Retrieved August 16th, 2009 from http://www.fsdb.k12.fl.us/rmc/tutorials/whiteboards.html
Learning Management System
When I first read the title Learning Management System, I was unsure as to what this tool was about. But from further investigations I have come to the understanding that there are two types; proprietary LMS for example Blackboard and open sources LMS for example Moodle.
A learning management system (LMS) is software for delivering, tracking and managing training/education. LMSs range from systems for managing training/educational records to software for distributing courses over the Internet and offering features for online collaboration (Wikipedia, 2009).
I believe both as a uni student and future learning manager this is a great tool to have as it is web based and allows access to learning content wherever you are (Wikipedia, 2009). This tool fits great with Oliver’s learning design framework as it is an effective platform to ensure student success and to enhance their learning in a futures orientated way (AusInfo, 2003).
References
AusInfo. (2003). The Learning Design Construct. Retrieved August 1st, 2009, http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/project/learn_design.htm
Wikipedia. (2009). Learning Management System. Retrieved August 1st from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_management_system
When I first read the title Learning Management System, I was unsure as to what this tool was about. But from further investigations I have come to the understanding that there are two types; proprietary LMS for example Blackboard and open sources LMS for example Moodle.
A learning management system (LMS) is software for delivering, tracking and managing training/education. LMSs range from systems for managing training/educational records to software for distributing courses over the Internet and offering features for online collaboration (Wikipedia, 2009).
I believe both as a uni student and future learning manager this is a great tool to have as it is web based and allows access to learning content wherever you are (Wikipedia, 2009). This tool fits great with Oliver’s learning design framework as it is an effective platform to ensure student success and to enhance their learning in a futures orientated way (AusInfo, 2003).
References
AusInfo. (2003). The Learning Design Construct. Retrieved August 1st, 2009, http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/project/learn_design.htm
Wikipedia. (2009). Learning Management System. Retrieved August 1st from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_management_system
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Power Point
Power points in my lifetime have always been used, however in saying this I can recall them being used very poorly. Dumps of information and lots of reading, power points in my experience were never as engaging as they could have been. From further investigations on how power points could be used, I found a lot of useful and great information that I, as a future learning manager will incorporate.
Power points can be used to create interactive presentations containing text, art, animation, hyperlinks and audio and visual elements (Education World, 2007). As a future learning manager I would take the approach to using this great tool by presenting a lesson similar to the following outlined;
Students research an event that happened on a particular day in history. Each student will be then asked to create a 10 to 15 slide presentation about their findings. Students will then be asked to find graphics, sounds and other engaging tools to make their power point more appealing to the audience.
Power points not only can be used for presentations but for creative writing classes (Education World, 2007). An example to expand on this idea is a visual poetry activity, where students read a favourite poem and create a power point presentation depicting a visual interpretation of the images in the poem.
This great tool relates perfectly with Kearsley and Schneiderman’s (1999) active learning, because it relates to the real world and is a great tool to create authentic learning within the classroom environment.
Also in my investigations I concluded that power points can work well in a number of other ways. These include;
· Presenting information or instruction to an entire class.
· Creating graphically enhanced information and instructions for the learning centres.
· Creating tutorials, reviews, or quizzes for individual students.
· Displaying student work and curriculum materials or accompany teacher presentations at parent open houses.
In conclusion I look forward to using power points more effectively as they are a great engagement tool that not only enhances students knowledge but also their understanding and overall skills to complete an authentic task set (Kearsley & Schneiderman, 1999).
References
Education World. (2007). Retrieved August 5th, 2009 from http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech013.shtml
Kearsley, G. & Schneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology based teaching and learning. Retrieved August 16th, 2009 from http://home.sprynet.com/-gkearsley/engage.htm
Power points in my lifetime have always been used, however in saying this I can recall them being used very poorly. Dumps of information and lots of reading, power points in my experience were never as engaging as they could have been. From further investigations on how power points could be used, I found a lot of useful and great information that I, as a future learning manager will incorporate.
Power points can be used to create interactive presentations containing text, art, animation, hyperlinks and audio and visual elements (Education World, 2007). As a future learning manager I would take the approach to using this great tool by presenting a lesson similar to the following outlined;
Students research an event that happened on a particular day in history. Each student will be then asked to create a 10 to 15 slide presentation about their findings. Students will then be asked to find graphics, sounds and other engaging tools to make their power point more appealing to the audience.
Power points not only can be used for presentations but for creative writing classes (Education World, 2007). An example to expand on this idea is a visual poetry activity, where students read a favourite poem and create a power point presentation depicting a visual interpretation of the images in the poem.
This great tool relates perfectly with Kearsley and Schneiderman’s (1999) active learning, because it relates to the real world and is a great tool to create authentic learning within the classroom environment.
Also in my investigations I concluded that power points can work well in a number of other ways. These include;
· Presenting information or instruction to an entire class.
· Creating graphically enhanced information and instructions for the learning centres.
· Creating tutorials, reviews, or quizzes for individual students.
· Displaying student work and curriculum materials or accompany teacher presentations at parent open houses.
In conclusion I look forward to using power points more effectively as they are a great engagement tool that not only enhances students knowledge but also their understanding and overall skills to complete an authentic task set (Kearsley & Schneiderman, 1999).
References
Education World. (2007). Retrieved August 5th, 2009 from http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech013.shtml
Kearsley, G. & Schneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology based teaching and learning. Retrieved August 16th, 2009 from http://home.sprynet.com/-gkearsley/engage.htm
Voki – Avatars
Through my exploration of Voki.com I become aware what a Voki is. A Voki is a talking character with a computer generated voice. A Voki is otherwise known as a speaking avatar.
Get a Voki now!
Teachers and educators are discovering some of the unique roles these speaking avatars can play in education, in particular in an online classroom environment (Cohen, 2007). Classroom without walls discusses that many teachers are using these speaking avatars to add a more human element to the online class environment.
As a future educator I would use a Voki avatar to introduce the beginning of a unit or assessment piece. I believe it would also aid those who are more audio/visual learners and not just kinesetic learners. Voki is also a great way to get shy or reserved students involved or to share comments with their peers (Cohen, 2007). Voki’s would also be a great tool for ESL students as they can use these avatars to practices and listen to their speech (Lee & Shin, 2004).
Avatars provide a face to the students and a face to the teacher. They provide the human element to online teaching (Cohen, 2007). Therefore this great tool fits well with the framework of active learning as it provides students with authentic assessment pieces (ACU, 2000). Some examples of this authentic assessment include Message boards, email, and instant messaging. These are great tools for writing, but posting a question on a message board is not always useful as asking the question. Avatars are instant, direct, and use the nuance of voice (Cohen, 2007).
References
ACU. (2000). What is Active Learning? Retrieved August 1st, 2009, from http://www.acu.edu/cte/activelearning/whatisal.htm
Cohen A. (2007). Avatars and Education: Classrooms without Walls. Retrieved August 1st, 2009 from http://acohen843.wordpress.com/2007/11/11/avatars-and-education/
Lee, O., Shin, M. (2004). Addictive consumption of avatars in cyberspace. Retrieved August 1st, 2009 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15331028
Through my exploration of Voki.com I become aware what a Voki is. A Voki is a talking character with a computer generated voice. A Voki is otherwise known as a speaking avatar.
Get a Voki now!
Teachers and educators are discovering some of the unique roles these speaking avatars can play in education, in particular in an online classroom environment (Cohen, 2007). Classroom without walls discusses that many teachers are using these speaking avatars to add a more human element to the online class environment.
As a future educator I would use a Voki avatar to introduce the beginning of a unit or assessment piece. I believe it would also aid those who are more audio/visual learners and not just kinesetic learners. Voki is also a great way to get shy or reserved students involved or to share comments with their peers (Cohen, 2007). Voki’s would also be a great tool for ESL students as they can use these avatars to practices and listen to their speech (Lee & Shin, 2004).
Avatars provide a face to the students and a face to the teacher. They provide the human element to online teaching (Cohen, 2007). Therefore this great tool fits well with the framework of active learning as it provides students with authentic assessment pieces (ACU, 2000). Some examples of this authentic assessment include Message boards, email, and instant messaging. These are great tools for writing, but posting a question on a message board is not always useful as asking the question. Avatars are instant, direct, and use the nuance of voice (Cohen, 2007).
References
ACU. (2000). What is Active Learning? Retrieved August 1st, 2009, from http://www.acu.edu/cte/activelearning/whatisal.htm
Cohen A. (2007). Avatars and Education: Classrooms without Walls. Retrieved August 1st, 2009 from http://acohen843.wordpress.com/2007/11/11/avatars-and-education/
Lee, O., Shin, M. (2004). Addictive consumption of avatars in cyberspace. Retrieved August 1st, 2009 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15331028
E-Portfolios
Personal portfolios for assessment and presentations have been a component for many years in higher education, however now electronic portfolios have begun to enter the world of lower primary. A portfolio is a purposeful collection of student work that exhibits the student's efforts, progress, and achievements in one or more areas. The collection must include student participation in selecting content, the criteria for selection, the criteria for judging merit, and evidence of student self-reflection (Barrett, 2009).
The three most common types of portfolios are(Barrett, 2009):
The working portfolio, which contains projects the student is currently working on or has recently completed.
The display portfolio, which showcases samples of the student's best work.
The assessment portfolio, which presents work demonstrating that the student, has met specific learning goals and requirements.
As a future learning manager I would direct students to begin with a working portfolio, where overtime students select items from their ‘working portfolio’ and use these items to create a display portfolio. I would then develop and assessment portfolio where I would instruct students to place examples of their best work as well as an explanation of why each piece is significant and reflection on their own personal learning goals. A great place for this to occur is using Mahara, which I am currently exploring and will go into more detail in another blog post.
Barrett (2009) identified five steps in the development of effective electronic portfolios:
1. Selection: the development of criteria for choosing items to include in the portfolio based on established learning objectives.
2. Collection: the gathering of items based on the portfolio's purpose, audience, and future use.
3. Reflection: statements about the significance of each item and of the collection as a whole.
4. Direction: a review of the reflections that looks ahead and sets future goals.
5. Connection: the creation of hypertext links and publication, providing the opportunity for feedback.
Barrett (2009) discusses that the ability to use hyperlinks to connect sections of the portfolio is an advantage of using electronic portfolios instead of paper portfolios. Barrett also points out that paper portfolios are static, meaning they cannot be accessed from different locations and there is only one copy.
The use of electronic portfolios incorporates many different technology tools; it also acts as a process of self reflection and personal growth. This process is very personal, and is a story of self that involves a great deal of self reflection and thought (Barrett, 2005).
This would be a great tool to incorporate into the classroom as it would extend students knowledge and skills in the wider community. A great example of this would be to create a resume for a future job; this therefore links with Kearsley and Schneiderman’s (1999) theory about creating authentic assessment.
References
Barrett, H., (2009). Electronic Portfolio Development. Retrieved 1st August, 2009 from http://electronicportfolios.com/
Barrett, H., (2005) Using Technology to Support Alternative Assessment and Electronic Portfolios. Retrieved 1st August, 2009 from http://electronicportfolios.org/portfolios.html
Kearsley, G. & Schneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology based teaching and learning. Retrieved August 16th, 2009 from http://home.sprynet.com/-gkearsley/engage.htm
Personal portfolios for assessment and presentations have been a component for many years in higher education, however now electronic portfolios have begun to enter the world of lower primary. A portfolio is a purposeful collection of student work that exhibits the student's efforts, progress, and achievements in one or more areas. The collection must include student participation in selecting content, the criteria for selection, the criteria for judging merit, and evidence of student self-reflection (Barrett, 2009).
The three most common types of portfolios are(Barrett, 2009):
The working portfolio, which contains projects the student is currently working on or has recently completed.
The display portfolio, which showcases samples of the student's best work.
The assessment portfolio, which presents work demonstrating that the student, has met specific learning goals and requirements.
As a future learning manager I would direct students to begin with a working portfolio, where overtime students select items from their ‘working portfolio’ and use these items to create a display portfolio. I would then develop and assessment portfolio where I would instruct students to place examples of their best work as well as an explanation of why each piece is significant and reflection on their own personal learning goals. A great place for this to occur is using Mahara, which I am currently exploring and will go into more detail in another blog post.
Barrett (2009) identified five steps in the development of effective electronic portfolios:
1. Selection: the development of criteria for choosing items to include in the portfolio based on established learning objectives.
2. Collection: the gathering of items based on the portfolio's purpose, audience, and future use.
3. Reflection: statements about the significance of each item and of the collection as a whole.
4. Direction: a review of the reflections that looks ahead and sets future goals.
5. Connection: the creation of hypertext links and publication, providing the opportunity for feedback.
Barrett (2009) discusses that the ability to use hyperlinks to connect sections of the portfolio is an advantage of using electronic portfolios instead of paper portfolios. Barrett also points out that paper portfolios are static, meaning they cannot be accessed from different locations and there is only one copy.
The use of electronic portfolios incorporates many different technology tools; it also acts as a process of self reflection and personal growth. This process is very personal, and is a story of self that involves a great deal of self reflection and thought (Barrett, 2005).
This would be a great tool to incorporate into the classroom as it would extend students knowledge and skills in the wider community. A great example of this would be to create a resume for a future job; this therefore links with Kearsley and Schneiderman’s (1999) theory about creating authentic assessment.
References
Barrett, H., (2009). Electronic Portfolio Development. Retrieved 1st August, 2009 from http://electronicportfolios.com/
Barrett, H., (2005) Using Technology to Support Alternative Assessment and Electronic Portfolios. Retrieved 1st August, 2009 from http://electronicportfolios.org/portfolios.html
Kearsley, G. & Schneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology based teaching and learning. Retrieved August 16th, 2009 from http://home.sprynet.com/-gkearsley/engage.htm
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Wikipedia
Wikipedia is a controversial online encyclopaedia created, edited and maintained by users. At the moment, there is significant debate about whether to allow students to refer to Wikipedia in their research as the information cannot always be credible (Read, 2007). This debate is part of a larger discourse in which questions are raised about what constitutes knowledge in the information age (Rosenzweig, 2006)
This great tool is being used by all levels of students in education, yet it raises questions about the accuracy of the information, since the database of information has been placed online by the general public and not from a source such as Encyclopaedia Britannica (Read, 2007).
Searching Wikipedia for accurate information is a good choice for most students as long as they are searching for mainstream information. Wikipedia however is not recommended for uni students (Halavais, 2006).
Although Wikipedia can be easily blocked by schools to keep it out of the classrooms and libraries, this online source of information cannot be blocked from homes, public venues, and public libraries (Suit101, 2008). This collaborative tool although can be a useful resource to have in the classroom as it is a quick source of information for students to access and retrieve at the click of a button.
From my experiences both at school and university, I have found that Wikipedia was never an accepted source of information. This was in particular emphasised in my first year of university. However aaccording to the Wikipedia FAQ, "Properly written articles cite the sources, and a reader should rely on the Wikipedia article as much, but no more, than the sources the article relies on. If an article doesn't cite a source, it may or may not be reliable. Students should never use information in Wikipedia for formal purposes (such as a school essays) until they have checked those external sources." Furthermore I would take this approach in my own classroom by teaching students to research wisely, by checking sources, and making judgments whether they believe the information is reliable or not.
The use of Wikipedia fits well within the framework of the ICT Design Model. This model fits so well because it asks students to work collaboratively in teams and explore databases, this is the first step of the learning design model (AUTC, 2003). It then focuses on students gaining support not only from teachers, but also peers and other sources that support procedures and instructions. The framework then sustains the use of many resources including books, web links and many more. Which overall helps scaffold the learning journey for an authentic assessment piece to take place (AUTC, 2003).
References
Australian University Teachers Committee. (2003). Learning Design. Retrieved August 16th, 2009, from http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/project/learn_design.htm
Halavais, A. (2006). Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved 16th August, 2009 from http://educationalissues.suite101.com/general
Read, Brock. (2007). "Middlebury College History Department Limits Student' Use of Wikipedia." Chronicle of Higher Education 53, no. 24: A39-A39. Academic Search Premier,
Rosenzweig, R. (2006). Digital History: A Guide to Gathering, Preserving, and Presenting the Past on the Web. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Suite101 (2008). Wikipedias Impact on Education. Retrieved 16th August, 2009 from http://educationalissues.suite101.com/article.cfm/wikipedias_impact_on_education
Wikipedia (2009). Wikipedia FAQ. Retrieved 16th August from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:About
Wikipedia is a controversial online encyclopaedia created, edited and maintained by users. At the moment, there is significant debate about whether to allow students to refer to Wikipedia in their research as the information cannot always be credible (Read, 2007). This debate is part of a larger discourse in which questions are raised about what constitutes knowledge in the information age (Rosenzweig, 2006)
This great tool is being used by all levels of students in education, yet it raises questions about the accuracy of the information, since the database of information has been placed online by the general public and not from a source such as Encyclopaedia Britannica (Read, 2007).
Searching Wikipedia for accurate information is a good choice for most students as long as they are searching for mainstream information. Wikipedia however is not recommended for uni students (Halavais, 2006).
Although Wikipedia can be easily blocked by schools to keep it out of the classrooms and libraries, this online source of information cannot be blocked from homes, public venues, and public libraries (Suit101, 2008). This collaborative tool although can be a useful resource to have in the classroom as it is a quick source of information for students to access and retrieve at the click of a button.
From my experiences both at school and university, I have found that Wikipedia was never an accepted source of information. This was in particular emphasised in my first year of university. However aaccording to the Wikipedia FAQ, "Properly written articles cite the sources, and a reader should rely on the Wikipedia article as much, but no more, than the sources the article relies on. If an article doesn't cite a source, it may or may not be reliable. Students should never use information in Wikipedia for formal purposes (such as a school essays) until they have checked those external sources." Furthermore I would take this approach in my own classroom by teaching students to research wisely, by checking sources, and making judgments whether they believe the information is reliable or not.
The use of Wikipedia fits well within the framework of the ICT Design Model. This model fits so well because it asks students to work collaboratively in teams and explore databases, this is the first step of the learning design model (AUTC, 2003). It then focuses on students gaining support not only from teachers, but also peers and other sources that support procedures and instructions. The framework then sustains the use of many resources including books, web links and many more. Which overall helps scaffold the learning journey for an authentic assessment piece to take place (AUTC, 2003).
References
Australian University Teachers Committee. (2003). Learning Design. Retrieved August 16th, 2009, from http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/project/learn_design.htm
Halavais, A. (2006). Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved 16th August, 2009 from http://educationalissues.suite101.com/general
Read, Brock. (2007). "Middlebury College History Department Limits Student' Use of Wikipedia." Chronicle of Higher Education 53, no. 24: A39-A39. Academic Search Premier,
Rosenzweig, R. (2006). Digital History: A Guide to Gathering, Preserving, and Presenting the Past on the Web. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Suite101 (2008). Wikipedias Impact on Education. Retrieved 16th August, 2009 from http://educationalissues.suite101.com/article.cfm/wikipedias_impact_on_education
Wikipedia (2009). Wikipedia FAQ. Retrieved 16th August from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:About
Wikis
A wiki is a type of website that allows visitors to easily add, remove and edit or change some available content, sometimes without the need for registration. The name "Wiki" was inspired by the Hawaiian word wiki or wiki-wiki, which means "quick". Wikipedia is probably the most well known example of a public wiki. Many wikis are private: existing on intranets or behind firewalls with access restricted to registered users. (Augar, Raitman & Zhou, 2004) Wikis allows students to edit pages from within a browsers window, use simplified language and instantly modify pages.
Wikis are an excellent engagement tool to use with a variety of tasks. Wikis opens doors to allow students to actively participate in set tasks such as online forums, ultimately allowing students to take ownership and responsibility for their work (ACU, 2000).
This would be a great tool to use in the classroom and as a future learning manager I would be eager to try out the use of a wiki. Some possible ways that I would approach this would be to create a collaborative story telling wiki, where students contribute to the story based on certain instructions they have been given. A great example of this is shown at the address below.
http://terrythetennisball.wikispaces.com/
This Wiki was created by the students of Grade 3-4 at Bellaire Primary School in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. It is the adventures of a tennis ball called Terry.
Group work and incorporating such a tool like a wiki can be an effective way for students to gain information collaboratively. For example creating a webpage about a topic such as eye-catching advertisements and letting students leave their ideas and comments on the page. Students would therefore not need to meet face to face and could work together in the comfort of their own homes or even different schools. Wikis are a way of the future and is a great tool that needs to be used more often as we are moving towards a futures orientated approach, rather than traditional approaches used years ago.
Through my own exploration of wikis, I have found them to be a great engaging tool to use for students of the 21st century. They are useful for collaboration with both students and teachers and also parents. They are easily accessed from school and at home and offer the freedom to add, edit and change information at ease. Yet, there are some concerns whether the information can be trusted. This brings me to the point that when working with wikis and students it is of high importance that all access to wikis is private and only registered users can access the information, therefore making what goes in and out of the wiki safe and does not put the safety of young children at risk (DET, 2009).
In conclusion by exploring all the possible uses for a wiki, it has become clear that this approach to teaching fits well within the framework of ‘Active Learning’ (ACU, 2000). The reasoning behind this is because within this particular frame work there are three components which include; relate, create and donate (ACU, 2000). This therefore links great within a wiki because the first component relate, students can access different forms of information, including videos, pictures, text, audio and much more (ACU, 2000). The students are then directed to emerge themselves within the second component, create. Within this area students are immersing themselves with the resources they have collected, and creating such things like web pages and diary entries, just to name a few. Then students move towards the third component, donate. In this area students produce the item that will essentially be used for assessment; at this end stage students will then be able to show how they have collaborated with their peers and shown evidence that they were actively engaged in the active learning process (ACU, 2000). Overall having such a framework in place when working with a great tool, like a wiki, it is important to know that it not only is providing students with a great engaging assessment piece but it is providing students with an authentic setting for learning(ACU, 2000).
p.s. Please feel free to have a look at my wiki - http://kobiburnet.wetpaint.com/
References
ACU. (2000). What is Active Learning? Retrieved 16th August, 2009, from http://www.acu.edu/cte/activelearning/whatisal.htm
Augar, N., Raitman, R. & Zhou, W. (2004). Beyond the comfort zone: Proceedings of the 21st ASCILITE Conference.
Department of Education and Training. (2009). Wikis in the Classroom. Retrieved 16th August, 2009 from http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/cmis/eval/curriculum/ict/wikis/
Terry the Tennis Ball (2008). Retrieved 16th August, 2009 from http://terrythetennisball.wikispaces.com/
A wiki is a type of website that allows visitors to easily add, remove and edit or change some available content, sometimes without the need for registration. The name "Wiki" was inspired by the Hawaiian word wiki or wiki-wiki, which means "quick". Wikipedia is probably the most well known example of a public wiki. Many wikis are private: existing on intranets or behind firewalls with access restricted to registered users. (Augar, Raitman & Zhou, 2004) Wikis allows students to edit pages from within a browsers window, use simplified language and instantly modify pages.
Wikis are an excellent engagement tool to use with a variety of tasks. Wikis opens doors to allow students to actively participate in set tasks such as online forums, ultimately allowing students to take ownership and responsibility for their work (ACU, 2000).
This would be a great tool to use in the classroom and as a future learning manager I would be eager to try out the use of a wiki. Some possible ways that I would approach this would be to create a collaborative story telling wiki, where students contribute to the story based on certain instructions they have been given. A great example of this is shown at the address below.
http://terrythetennisball.wikispaces.com/
This Wiki was created by the students of Grade 3-4 at Bellaire Primary School in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. It is the adventures of a tennis ball called Terry.
Group work and incorporating such a tool like a wiki can be an effective way for students to gain information collaboratively. For example creating a webpage about a topic such as eye-catching advertisements and letting students leave their ideas and comments on the page. Students would therefore not need to meet face to face and could work together in the comfort of their own homes or even different schools. Wikis are a way of the future and is a great tool that needs to be used more often as we are moving towards a futures orientated approach, rather than traditional approaches used years ago.
Through my own exploration of wikis, I have found them to be a great engaging tool to use for students of the 21st century. They are useful for collaboration with both students and teachers and also parents. They are easily accessed from school and at home and offer the freedom to add, edit and change information at ease. Yet, there are some concerns whether the information can be trusted. This brings me to the point that when working with wikis and students it is of high importance that all access to wikis is private and only registered users can access the information, therefore making what goes in and out of the wiki safe and does not put the safety of young children at risk (DET, 2009).
In conclusion by exploring all the possible uses for a wiki, it has become clear that this approach to teaching fits well within the framework of ‘Active Learning’ (ACU, 2000). The reasoning behind this is because within this particular frame work there are three components which include; relate, create and donate (ACU, 2000). This therefore links great within a wiki because the first component relate, students can access different forms of information, including videos, pictures, text, audio and much more (ACU, 2000). The students are then directed to emerge themselves within the second component, create. Within this area students are immersing themselves with the resources they have collected, and creating such things like web pages and diary entries, just to name a few. Then students move towards the third component, donate. In this area students produce the item that will essentially be used for assessment; at this end stage students will then be able to show how they have collaborated with their peers and shown evidence that they were actively engaged in the active learning process (ACU, 2000). Overall having such a framework in place when working with a great tool, like a wiki, it is important to know that it not only is providing students with a great engaging assessment piece but it is providing students with an authentic setting for learning(ACU, 2000).
p.s. Please feel free to have a look at my wiki - http://kobiburnet.wetpaint.com/
References
ACU. (2000). What is Active Learning? Retrieved 16th August, 2009, from http://www.acu.edu/cte/activelearning/whatisal.htm
Augar, N., Raitman, R. & Zhou, W. (2004). Beyond the comfort zone: Proceedings of the 21st ASCILITE Conference.
Department of Education and Training. (2009). Wikis in the Classroom. Retrieved 16th August, 2009 from http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/cmis/eval/curriculum/ict/wikis/
Terry the Tennis Ball (2008). Retrieved 16th August, 2009 from http://terrythetennisball.wikispaces.com/
RSS Aggregator
A RSS aggregator stands for ‘Really Simple Syndication’. RSS aggregators have the ability to allow viewers to follow particular blogs and websites. In particular, it allows people to share resources, for example some of the things that are being shared include; bookmarks to important information, class blogs, collate important events, podcast lectures, monitoring student research, professional development, collaboration and even school news to name a few.
A great feed reader that I have become quite familiar with is Google Reader. Google Reader is a Web-based aggregator, capable of reading Atom and RSS feeds online or offline. Items in Google Reader can be shared with other Web users. Previously this was done by sending a link through e-mail, directing the user to the shared article; or by creating a basic webpage that includes all shared items from a user's account (Answers.com, 2009).
Through my exploration of RSS Aggregators and Google Reader I found this technology very helpful to know. My reasoning for this is because it allows me to read all new posts and websites that I am subscribed to without having to go to each individual page, instead going to one page to view all. Another positive that I found with Google Reader in particular was that once I was subscribed to my particular posts etc I was able to sort this information into folders, making it a lot easier to find information and more efficiently.
I believe this is a great tool to be used in the classroom, and as a future educator I believe it would help aid students to increase their knowledge and skills both inside and outside of the classroom. Not only will it allow students to keep track of their peers work, but it will also allow students to give peer feedback to one another. The University of Technology, Sydney states that one of the desirable outcomes of education is an increased ability in the learner to make independent judgments of their own and others' work. A peer rating format can encourage a greater sense of involvement and responsibility, establish a clearer framework and promote excellence, direct attention to skills and learning and provide increased feedback (Weaver & Cotrell, 1986).
In conclusion this pedagogical approach fits great with Kearsley and Shneiderman’s (1999) engagement theory. It involves active cognitive processes such as creating, problem-solving, reasoning, decision-making, and evaluation. Therefore, students are intrinsically motivated to learn due to the meaningful nature of the learning environment and activities they are participating in (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999). This therefore leads to the understanding that by using such tools in the classroom, teachers will then be able to create a worthwhile authentic task for their students.
References
Answers.com (2009). Google Reader. Retrieved on 16th August, 2009 from http://www.answers.com/topic/google-reader
University of Technology, Sydney. (2007)Peer Assessment. Retrieved on 16th August, 2009 from http://www.iml.uts.edu.au/assessment/students/peer.html
Kearsley, G. & Schneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technologybased teaching and learning. Retrieved August 1st, 2009 from http://home.sprynet.com/-gkearsley/engage.htm
Weaver, W., Cotrell, H.W. (1986). Peer evaluation: a case study. Innovative Higher Education, California.
5Min (2008). RSS Aggregators. Retrieved on 16th August, 2009 from http://www.5min.com/Video/Leveraging-RSS-Feeds-and-The-Sage-Too-Addon-For-Firefox-57908226
Blogs
Blogs can be used in the classroom environment in a variety of ways. They provide a communication space that teachers can utilise with students whenever there is a curriculum need to develop writing, share ideas or reflect on work being undertaken in the classroom (DET, 2009).
As a future educator it is important to know why such a new technology can be used in a classroom environment. As stated by Scott (2001) a blog is a web page containing brief, chronologically arranged items of information. A blog can take many forms including such things like a diary, journal, what's new page, or links to other web sites.
Blogs in the 21st century can have many educational purposes. They are engaging to students, and promote high levels of participation. Blogs provide opportunities for students to read and write, as well as being an effective tool for collaboration and discussions (Scott, 2001).
Personally I have only just made myself familiar with blogs, as previously I had no idea they could be used for educational purposes. However, in exploring many blogs I came across my father’s blog detailing his sailing journey. I became really appreciative of such a new technology, as it allowed me to read up on his whereabouts, what he has been doing and general updates.
Looking to the future as a learning manager, I am excited to incorporate blogs into my classroom. In my exploration of blogs I noticed they were easy to create and update and they can be used to inform students of class requirements, post handouts, notices, homework, assignments, or act as a question and answer board.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwQOyEwspKY - great youtube video showing the use of blogs.
So in conclusion blogs are a great tool to engage students and use collaboratively. This particular tool links well within the multiple learning theories (Siemens, 2005). Siemens (2005) discusses the theory that learning best occurs within networks. This is expanded further by making learning connected, and that this learning and knowledge is constructed when different perspectives and opinions are viewed (Simens, 2005).
References
Department of Education and Training (2009). Resourcing the Curriculum. Retrieved 16th August, 2009 from http://www.det.wa.gov.au/education/cmis/eval/curriculum/ict/weblogs/
Scott, P. (2001). Blogging, the New PR Tool for the Savvy. Academic Research Libraries, California, Asilomar, CA.
Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. Retrieved July 16, 2009, from http://wwww.elearnspace.or/Articles/connectivism.htm
Youtube (2007). Students 2.0 Launch Teaser. Retrieved 16th August, 2009 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwQOyEwspKY
Blogs can be used in the classroom environment in a variety of ways. They provide a communication space that teachers can utilise with students whenever there is a curriculum need to develop writing, share ideas or reflect on work being undertaken in the classroom (DET, 2009).
As a future educator it is important to know why such a new technology can be used in a classroom environment. As stated by Scott (2001) a blog is a web page containing brief, chronologically arranged items of information. A blog can take many forms including such things like a diary, journal, what's new page, or links to other web sites.
Blogs in the 21st century can have many educational purposes. They are engaging to students, and promote high levels of participation. Blogs provide opportunities for students to read and write, as well as being an effective tool for collaboration and discussions (Scott, 2001).
Personally I have only just made myself familiar with blogs, as previously I had no idea they could be used for educational purposes. However, in exploring many blogs I came across my father’s blog detailing his sailing journey. I became really appreciative of such a new technology, as it allowed me to read up on his whereabouts, what he has been doing and general updates.
Looking to the future as a learning manager, I am excited to incorporate blogs into my classroom. In my exploration of blogs I noticed they were easy to create and update and they can be used to inform students of class requirements, post handouts, notices, homework, assignments, or act as a question and answer board.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwQOyEwspKY - great youtube video showing the use of blogs.
So in conclusion blogs are a great tool to engage students and use collaboratively. This particular tool links well within the multiple learning theories (Siemens, 2005). Siemens (2005) discusses the theory that learning best occurs within networks. This is expanded further by making learning connected, and that this learning and knowledge is constructed when different perspectives and opinions are viewed (Simens, 2005).
References
Department of Education and Training (2009). Resourcing the Curriculum. Retrieved 16th August, 2009 from http://www.det.wa.gov.au/education/cmis/eval/curriculum/ict/weblogs/
Scott, P. (2001). Blogging, the New PR Tool for the Savvy. Academic Research Libraries, California, Asilomar, CA.
Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. Retrieved July 16, 2009, from http://wwww.elearnspace.or/Articles/connectivism.htm
Youtube (2007). Students 2.0 Launch Teaser. Retrieved 16th August, 2009 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwQOyEwspKY
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Fodey
Hey Everyone!
So I have been playing around with the website known as 'Fodey'. It is great! I am currently in a year seven class at my prac school and I am teaching a science unit on electricity. I found that Fodey allowed me to create a great engagement tool for the kids, as they could see their own personal links to the newspaper article and therefore felt they had ownership over their learning journey. As Tweedle(1997) suggests the use of ICTs for engaging students, in particular boys, has shown to encourage students to participate, as well as focusing on independent learning and relating it to real life contexts.
As a teacher in learning, I am slowly beginning to appreciate the true value of tools such as 'Fodey' as students of today's world expect a higher level of engagement, rather then just paper and pencil.
After delivering my lesson, I was really surprised at how much the students enjoyed reading the article. They felt they had a piece of history written about them and to much of my surprise I heard about it for the rest of the day. I will definitely be using this again in the future.
Please keep checking for further posts, as there will be more to come!
Bye Kobi
So I have been playing around with the website known as 'Fodey'. It is great! I am currently in a year seven class at my prac school and I am teaching a science unit on electricity. I found that Fodey allowed me to create a great engagement tool for the kids, as they could see their own personal links to the newspaper article and therefore felt they had ownership over their learning journey. As Tweedle(1997) suggests the use of ICTs for engaging students, in particular boys, has shown to encourage students to participate, as well as focusing on independent learning and relating it to real life contexts.
As a teacher in learning, I am slowly beginning to appreciate the true value of tools such as 'Fodey' as students of today's world expect a higher level of engagement, rather then just paper and pencil.
After delivering my lesson, I was really surprised at how much the students enjoyed reading the article. They felt they had a piece of history written about them and to much of my surprise I heard about it for the rest of the day. I will definitely be using this again in the future.Please keep checking for further posts, as there will be more to come!
Bye Kobi
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