Reflective Synposis

Reflective Synopsis

 

 

Wow.... What a crazy six weeks it has been. Throughout the first six weeks of this course I have been thrown into the e-learning world under a personal mantra of 'Sink or swim'. It has been an amazing experience thus far as we have investigated so many new and innovative technologies that are highly educational and very valuable to the classroom.

 

There is currently no one 'agreed upon' definition for e-learning. Recently, Sangra, Vlachopoulos, and Cabrera (IRRODL, Vol. 12, NO. 2 . 2012) defined e-learning as,

 

'An approach to teaching and learning representing all or part of the educational model applied, that is based on the use of electronic media and devices as tools for improving access to training, communication and interaction and that facilitates the adoption of new ways of understanding and developing learning'.

 

Through implementing this definition into the e-learning concept teachers gain a clearer understanding as to what e-learning actually consists of.

 

The first activity in this course was a wiki-spaces activity. This was a scaffolded activity that required responses to the question ' Mobile Phones - Should they be used in the classroom?'. The scaffolding was done through asking the respondents to uses the Six De Bono's hats. My responses can be found through this link, Mobile Phones Wiki.

 

Throughout the preceding six weeks we discovered many new technologies that we were required to trial, reflect and post a reflection on our blog. The technologies that I have chosen to further analyse are Blogs, Podcasts, Glogster and Concept Maps.     

 

 Group 1

 

In this group of technologies we looked at wiki-spaces, websites and blogs. After looking at each of these platforms I have chosen to analyse blogs further. I have decided upon blogs due the their ease of use, ability to be adapted quickly and are able to receive real time feedback. 

Through creating a blog (whether it be class, group, pairs or individual) students can contribute to the overall learning environment of their class and the wider community (depending on the subject and safety constraints). By using blogs in the class room (depending on subject and groupings) students gain control of their learning and create an ownership of their work. Students are able to express themselves through their learning's and provide real-time feedback to one another through the comments section. Through this comments section, students undertake peer reviews and further their learning by constructive debate and discussion. I have undertaken a SWOT analysis of the use of blogs in the classroom, so please follow the link to this posting.

 

Group 2  

 

This grouping of technology consisted of digital audio, video, photos and podcasts. Through investigation into these technologies, there are many uses for all of them in the classroom. I thoroughly enjoyed using them all and will be using a mixture of them in the classroom during my embedded professional learning experience. I have chosen to further analyse podcasts from this group as I find the possibilities for this technology very exciting.

 

Podcasts can be delivered through a range of mediums or a combination of mediums. They can also be viewed on multiple devices and are accessible at anytime on these devices (computers, phones, tablets or mp3 players). Through this access it allows the listener/viewer (student) to revisit or catch up of they are unsure of something or missed any of the content presented.

 

As outlined by Macintrust podcasts have many advantages in the classroom. A reflective posting on podcasts in the classroom can be found here.   

 

 

 Group 3
 

 

Under this grouping of technology we were asked to create a Glogster, Prezi and PowerPoint. This was a very enjoyable and creative experience for myself as I had only ever worked in PowerPoint. I was amazed at the flexibility and freedom that can be incorporated in both Glogster and Prezi. I found that PowerPoint (for myself) was very much a step backwards with regard to the other two technologies in this weeks activities.

 

I have chosen to undertake further analysis of the Glogster tool as I feel this is a technology that is very suited for the classrooms of the 21st century.

 

 

Glogster allows users to create their own 'project or story board' in such a way that it is fully engaging. This platform is a great way for a teacher to present information in a fun, interactive and educational way that also allows for the students to contribute to their learning environment. I have discussed this educational tool in further detail using a SWOT analysis on my blog. Here is also a great youtube video on how to implement Glogster into the classroom.     

 

Group 4

 

From this group of technologies I have chosen to undertake further analysis of Concept Maps. As a user of concept maps in the past (hand written) I found this technology to be  interactive, easy to use and highly enjoyable. This is a great tool to introduce topics or subjects to the class as it allows for a platform where prior knowledge on the subject can be obtained. It can also be used as a reference sheet for terms, ideas and concepts whilst working through a specific topic or subject. The concept map is also useful as a conclusion to a subject/topic as students and revisit this at the end of the unit and add/subtract or expand this to coincide with their learning.

 

Through the use of this technology students can be scaffolded into specific areas that the teacher wants them to explore. This tool also allows for links to be inserted into it thus creating an interactive learning experience. By undertaking this type of 'brainstorming' activity students get a visual concept also of how their learning is going to progress and the steps that they will be undertaking. This topic is discussed further through my blog posting where I have undertaken a PMI analysis.

 

 

Safety

 

Student safety is of paramount concern. Internet student safety is one of the major issues arising from the shift towards technology based learning (e-learning). Each school has an Internet/computer student safety policy or procedures that they have to adhere to. Each unit of work that requires the use of technology should have a lesson (if not a lesson then an amount of time) allocated to the teachings of student safety on the Internet. The following link is to Education Queensland's policies in regards to this subject.     

 

In my classroom I would follow the schools policies and procedures in regards to this matter. I would also ensure that I had a signed contract from the students stating that 'any misuse would result in lose of privileges in regards to the use of computers' and a signed form from parents and/or guardians stating that they agree to let their child/ren use the Internet and other technologies.  

 

 

Conclusion

 

Throughout this first six weeks I have gained a great deal of knowledge and experience with technologies that I did not even know existed. Through exploration of these technological platforms, I have changed the way I think about technology in the classroom. This course has made me think about the ways in which the teaching profession is changing and how myself as a Pre-service (and actual next year) teacher am going to use these wonderful, engaging, and interactive resources to further the learning experience of the students that I will teach.

 

Through this first six weeks I have felt my views and apprehensions with technology in the classroom change dramatically and I feel that this change is for the better. This has been a great journey (so far) and I look forward to the rest of this course.     

 

 

 

 

 

References

 

 

The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning. Building an Inclusive Definition of E-Learning: An Approach to the Conceptual Framework. Sangra, Vlachopoulos, and Cabrera (IRRODL, Vol. 12, NO. 2 . 2012).

 

Source retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ983277.pdf 

 

Mobile Phones wiki-space

 

http://fahe11001-3-11.wikispaces.com/Group+3+Mobile+Phones

 

Education Queensland Cyber safety/ Cyber bullying. (Internet safety resources)

 

http://education.qld.gov.au/studentservices/behaviour/qsaav/docs/cybersafety-cyberbullying.pdf

 

Education Queensland Schools Polices (ICT safety)

http://education.qld.gov.au/web/schools/policy.html

 

Matt's Preservice Blog

 

http://matthewvaughan86.blogspot.com.au/
 

Macintrust

 

http://www.macinstruct.com/node/43

 

Reading Rockets - Concept Maps

 

http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/concept_maps/

 

 



Concept Maps

Concept Maps

 

 

Concept maps are a great tool for introducing a topic or gathering prior knowledge from students about their new subject. I found working with this tool to be a great experience and one that I will definitely incorporate into my teaching.

 

 

Through the creation of a concept/mind map ideas are developed faster and knowledge is gained much quicker. This was a great experience for myself. Below I have done a simple concept map that outlines the PMI for Concept Maps .

 

 

 

 

This concept map was created with smartdraw.



Glogster

Glogster

This tool was great deal of fun, something new that I had come across and is something that I can definitely see myself incorporating into my future classrooms. Through this I have decided that this is the medium tool that I will be expanding upon for further reflection. For this further reflection I will be using the SWOT analysis tool. 

Strengths

* Easy of use
* Interactive
* Can incorporate all learners and learning styles
* Viewership is well controlled
* Can be group or individual work
* Strong applications to declarative and procedural knowledge (Michael Richardson Blog)
* Adaptive format

Weaknesses

* Time consuming 
* Is a technology based format so needs a computer and Internet to function
* Students may become 'overloaded' by the kinaesthetic of the Glogster and forget the importance of the content. 

Opportunities
 * Allows for creativity
* Is a method of combining written, visual, oral and technology texts into one form. 
* Could be used as an interactive homework sheet or activity sheet.  
* Integrates technology into the classroom

Threats

* Internet and computer reliant.
* Technology does not always work.
* Safety needs and precautions for the internet (monitoring content) need to be in place.


This tool is a great way for children to become involved learners. Through this tool the students have control of every aspect of their 'Golg', from its look to its content. If scaffolded in the right way in the classroom this would be a fantastic way for students to integrate their technological skills into their everyday classroom learning.


Here is a great video on how to use Glogster in the classroom. YouTube

PowerPoints

PowerPoint's

 

The PowerPoint tool is for all intent and purposes a great method of communicating a presentation or idea. This way however is now becoming more mundane and out of touch with the learners and learning style's in today's world. 

 

I found learning via PowerPoint presentations to be very teacher and content focused. PowerPoint's can be interactive to a degree but there are so many more platforms out there that are now more effective teaching platforms for interaction in the classroom to occur.      

Below is my PowerPoint for a recycling unit that I will be undertaking in my first placement school.

This is a great tool for 'lectures or business meetings' but in today's day and age and with the abundance of other great interactive and communication tools out there, the PowerPoint has likely come to the end of its cycle in the modern day classroom.  
 

Prezi's

Prezi's are amazing!!! This is the most fun I have had with a presentation platform for a long time.

The format that Prezi presents is a great interactive tool is a breeze to get used to and adapt. Throughout my undergraduate program I had never come across this platform before but will definitely be using this tool in the future. 

This is a great tool for students to present their learning, assignments or oral presentations on as it provides the information all on the one page with easy access. 

Below is some useful ways a Prezi can be used in a classroom:

Retreived from Prezi

Here is my attempt at a Prezi!!!

Podcasts

Podcasts

Podcasts can be either a visual or audio recording that is posted onto the internet from listening and/or viewing.

Upon investigation into this medium it is evident that this is an invaluable tool for learning, sharing and creating ideas and meaningful discussions. I was blown away by the vast amounts of podcasts in iTunes and the content that was covered.

The Western Australian Department of Education website shares the following view towards podcasts,

'Creating a podcast allows students to share learning experiences. It provides them with a world-wide audience that makes learning meaningful and assessment authentic. Teachers can use the technology to provide additional and revision material to students to download and review at a time that suits them. The flexibility that such time-shifting offers makes podcasting a valuable educational tool'.

Some advantages of podcasts in education are:

* Allows students to access content at anytime.

* If students miss the content due to being absent they are able to revisit it

* Great for revision and study purposes

* Incorporates many different learning styles

* Is a mobile format (can be viewed/listened to on many devices at anytime)

Disadvantages include:

* Is one way communication

* Can become slow and boring if speakers voice is mundane

* Not all students may have access to internet or a device that is compatible

There are many sites that offer podcasts, below are some of the ones that I looked through and found highly valuable and educational;

ABC National

ABC EdPod

iTunes

Also here is a list of tips for integrating podcasts into the classroom.
 

References

Western Australian Department of Education

http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/cmis/eval/curriculum/ict/podcasts/ 

50 Podcasting Ideas for the Classroom

http://www.podiumpodcasting.com/pdfs/podiumTopTipsGuideWEB.pdf



Digital Audio

 

 

The platform that I used for this engagement activity was Audioboo. This was a great site and very easy to use. I made the recording through my iPhone and then embedded it through their website. 

 

I found this to be a very useful tool and could be implemented into the classroom teachings very easily. Audioboo's could be very useful in the classroom context through providing students feedback, self reflection on work, class reflections on topics and even a way for teachers to communicate with parents and care givers (where internet access and computers are available). 

 

Below is my first attempt at an Audioboo

 

   

listen to ‘First audio test’ on Audioboo

Digital Videos

 

 

This video was made in Windows Movie Maker.

 

 

The process of making this movie was at first very complex, however once I become familiar with the program and its functions it was a very quick and easy process. This tool would be very suitable for use in the upper primary schooling sector and beyond.

 

 For the evaluation of this tool I will use a PMI evaluation:

 

Positives:

 

* Easy to use

* Interactive

* Prior use likely

* Engaging

* Plethora of resources

* Mobile/portable

* Peer assessable

* Easy to navigate regardless of the program or platform

 

Minuses:

 

* Students can easily get distracted or off task

* Reliance on technology (malfunctions)

* Disrupted learning due to interruptions and questions

 

 

Interesting:

 

Video and movies are now one of the biggest ways in which we as a greater society. Through using this medium in our students learning experiences they are becoming effective communicators in both theirs and the greater communities environment (for example, YouTube).   

 

 

Implementation into the classroom:

 

Through this type of medium students are given the ability to investigate, expand and create their own learning. This learning tool is a great way to engage students in their own learning and allow them to express their creativity into a specific topic. 

 

This type of learning experience is very much apart of the ACARA curriculum and needs to be imbedded where possible.

 

 

References:

 

www.youtube.com

 

http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/GeneralCapabilities/Information-and-Communication-Technology-capability/Introduction/Introduction

 

 

 

 

 

 





Uploading Photos 

 

Through investigation in these engagement activities, I have used several photos and images to explore the uses of the suggested tools. I found MobaPhoto and Flickr were generally good to use and manageable.

 

I used befunky.com to manage and manipulate a photo of a Jelly Fish from my computer. I found this tool to be really easy to use, very engaging and lots of fun.

 

 

 

Through adapting the learning experience with photos, students will have a much more in depth and engaging learning experience. Photos allow students to express themselves in different manners and are a highly effective form of non-verbal communication.

 

Through this tool students could be uploading photos of their workings in class, sporting photos and many other aspects of the schooling day that forms a story board of their learning experiences throughout the school.

 

However, the restrictions and safety measure that apply to the Internet and the posting of images needs to be adhered to at all times. Student safety on the Internet is of paramount importance.

 

  





 

 

 

 





Engagement Activity

Creating a Website - Reflection

 

 

For the following activity we were to build a website and ascertain the functionality of a static website in the classroom learning context through the scaffolding of either a PMI or SWAT evaluation. I will again be using the PMI model for this activity.


Positives

• Information can be stored in the one place
• Students have a 'starting' point for research and information gathering
• Allows for Teacher to control content and scaffold learning through links provided
• Cheap to set up

Minuses

• Is a time consuming exercise to set up
• Can be difficult to navigate with a bad layout
• Content is controlled by one person

Interesting

• Is a great way to introduce students to a topic, as all research/information can be implemented into the webpage
• Links and other forms of media enhance the learning experience and allows the teacher to scaffold the students learning
• The internet is such a big part of modern society and through intriducing the students to this type of medium in the classroom they are gaining first hadn experience in an essential communication compoent of todays world
• This type of learning also could prove very benefical for children with special needs and can be implemented in a generic and supportive sense (Michaels Blog)



Hi all,

I found this video on incorporating wiki's into the classroom and how they can be used successfully. Thought there were some very creative and innovative ways to engage students in their learning implement throughout. Take a look.

Cheers.

Engagement Activity 3

Creating a Wiki - Reflection

 

 

 

Image retreived from http://altamiroborges.blogspot.com.au/2011_11_22_archive.html

 

 

For this activity we were asked to create a wikispace and evaluaet the educational value of such a space in the classroom context. I must say that this is the first wiki I have created so I felt very  much like a fish out of water. After using this tool for a small period of time however this was a very easy medium/platform to become aquainted with. For this analysis I will be using the PMI model to scaffold the discussion.

 

Positives

 

- Very easy to use and set up

- Very functional

- Allows users/students to comment and add to disucssion

- Allows all media to be link/embedded

- Allows for student editing

- Discussion and group work

- Creates a platform where learning becomes diverse

- Allows the teacher to scaffold discussion through questions, links and other multimedia

 

Minuses

 

- Teachers control over postings is minimal

- When editing students work can become 'lost' when several students are editing at any one time

- Some students may not contribute to discussions due to this being a public (classroom) forum

 

Interesting

 

- A great way for teacher and students to discuss learning whilst involved in a topic

- May be useful as a platform for homework or group work

- A useful tool for the students to collaborate for a class presentation or group assignments

 

Through this evaluation I feel that the use of a wiki in the classroom would be a great asset to the learning of the students. Through this tool the students are collaborating with other students (where they may not face to face) and gaining insights and ideas that they may not have thought of. This is a great tool as it also is a 'blank canvas' in terms of the resources that can be implemented into the forum to enhance and guide (scaffolding) the students learning.

 

Of course there are some points of concern through the use of wiki's in regards to content, appropriate information and the monitoring of comments. Before entering into this type of learning forum clear boundries need to be set, contracts (student agreements) and permissions need to be signed.  

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





Week 3 - Engagement Activty 1

Creating A Blog - Reflection

 

Through this activity we are to reflect on the blogs that we have created and evaluate their value to the classroom learning environment and how we as teachers can implement this technology into the classroom. I will be using the SWOT method as my scaffolding to ensure that this reflection remains analytical.

 

 

Image from http://planasyougo.com/use-a-swot-analysis/ 



Strengths
 
Platform for individual and collaborative learning, easy to use, interactive learning, unlimited resources and links, engages learners, compatible with most (if not all) curriculum areas, allows users to connect with technologies.

Weaknesses

Internet access dependant, often opinionated learning (comments), monitoring of whole class difficult, is not an open forum only one person has 'control'.

Opportunities

Allows for ongoing learning, ability to involve the wider community (other classes, teachers, parents, schools etc.) in the learning, provides an easy way to monitor learning progress through postings and comments.

Threats

Inappropriate use (comments and content), poor student computer skills, students posting personal information, how does the blog get managed (what happens to the blog when no longer in use?). 

In using a blog as a learning tool in the Primary school context there are many positive ways that a blog can impact on the learning environment. Blogs allow for a greater reflection by students on their work, allows the teacher to see learning development and provides a chronological time line of when work is being completed (able to monitor progress). Blogs can also the wider community (parents, other teachers, students and schools) to comment/contribute to the learning environment. However, is using this medium as a learning tool there needs to be strict rules and guidelines in place to ensure the safety of the users and the content being posted.

Creating a blog in the classroom context is a great tool to promote interaction in the technological medium whilst also deepening the learning experience as the learners become more involved in the content and the processes involved. An ideal situation for blog use in the classroom would be group work.   












 


 

 



 

Mobile Phone Wiki Reflection

 

 

Image from www.google.com/images

 

 

I found this engagement activity to be a very useful and enjoyable one. I approached this activity with a clear set of beliefs and points of views in regards to the topic outlined. Through this medium I found that very quickly my thoughts on the matter were changing. 

Throughout the wiki there are several 'learning theories' present - Behaviourism, Constructivism and Cognitivism.

 

Behaviourism - This theory applies to the behaviours that each individual (who took part in the wiki exercise) displayed when they were attending school. Would a mobile phone have been a help or a hindrance to their learning?

 

Cognativism - Through this theory each participant reflected on their own personal learning 'schema' from their schooling days.

 

Constructivism - This theory is present through the development and building of individuals beliefs and ideas towards the topic at hand. 

 

Using the wiki as a learning tool in the classroom has both its benefits and drawbacks/ issues. The benefits that would come from using this medium in the learning process are that it provides a platform for discussion, critical thinking, is able to be monitored and edited, allows points of view to be voiced and heard and allows the teacher to scaffold the discussion through links and other postings. The drawbacks/ issues that could arise in the use of the wiki is the availability of Internet/ computers (both at home and school) and this type of medium takes away the social interaction (face to face discussion) from the subject. 

 

Throughout the journey of De Bono's Six Thinking Hats I felt I fell into the Black Hat category. I was a staunch defender of my own beliefs and opinions. However, when forced into thinking under the other hats I soon realised that there were definitely other alternatives to my beliefs form the beginning of the exercise.

 

Scaffolding is every present in this type of forum as the break up of the ways of thinking allows the teacher to build/ challenge the students to grow from their own knowledge, beliefs and perspectives on this subject and think about them in different ways, thus 'scaffolding' the students knowledge and understandings to new levels.  

 

I found this a great exercise as it challenge my ways of thinking. This would be a great tool to use in the classroom for a collaborative exercise or even a project or homework medium.              

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Understanding TPACK

 

 



Image was obtained from google.com.au/images/TPACK

 

 

TPACK: Technology, Pedagogy And Content Knowledge.

 

After reflecting on the information on TPACK, I have been able to place 'real life' meaning onto some of the processes and interactions that I see on a daily basis in classroms through my work as a teacher aide.

 

Lets disect the above model to give a better understanding:

 

Technological Knowledge (TK) - This part of the diagram refers to the digital and non-digital tools that are used in the classroom.

 

Content Knowledge (CK) - Contained in this section is the subject content that is drawn from the curriculum that is being taught in the classroom.

 

Pedagogical Knowledge (PK) - In this part refers to the teaching practices/skillls that the teacher is using to best pass on the knowledge that needs to be learned in accordance with the curriculum.

 

Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK) - This area encompasses looking at ways to encompass new technologies into the pedagogical knowlegde and identifying the positive approaches that such technologies offer. 

 

 Technological Content Knowledge (TCK) - This knowledge allows for the content to be viewed through the 'eyes' of technology to find out in which ways technology can enchance the knowledge gained through the content being taught.   

 

Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) - This area is about knowing which teaching practice/ skill is best suited to the given situation present in the classroom.

 

TPACK - Is the way in which we can describe how technology, pedagogy and content all fit together to enable enriched learning in the classroom environment.

 

Through this disection it becomes clear that an understanding of TPACK is essential to the planning process when implementing a ITC into the classroom. This understanding is essential, as the implementation of the ITC must meet the subject content needs, along with having a positive pedagogical effect.

 

Through using this model in the process of becoming a teacher (and of course once in the teaching ranks), I beleive this will be of a great benefit and allow students to become even more involved in their learning, their outcomes and achievements.



ICT article

Australia fails to take ICT education seriously

http://www.ozteacher.com.au/html/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1453:australia%C2%AD-fails%C2%AD-to%C2%AD-take%C2%AD-ict%C2%AD-education%C2%AD-seriously&catid=5:the%C2%AD-hard%C2%AD-word&Itemid=409

Above is a link to a great article I found on the integration of ITC into the National Curriculum. I found this to be a very good read with some very valid points.

Have a read and let me know what your thoughts are.

Matt

I found this whilst watching some videos after completing the first topic for PCK. Thought is was interesting and brought up some interesting points about the direction of teaching and its changing methods.

Enjoy!!

The Beginning!!!

Hi All,

Hope everyone has had a great first couple of days into this journey. I am looking forward to the adventure that is ahead of us!!

Enjoy the ride.

Matt