This course has been a difficult subject for me. Not because I find the subject content difficult or boring but because I find it TOO interesting, Limiting the time spent on researching, developing and analysing technological tools has been quite challenging. My enthusiasm for digital learning and its potential in the 21st century learning environments has resulted in my putting more time into developing usable tools for my future learning than simply focusing on the course requirements.
With this in mind, the main technological tool I have developed for my future use is the LiveBinder. Here I have placed links to any websites that are currently, have been in the past or may in the future be relevant to my studies.This subject has been a journey of discovery for me. Not only have I learnt new ways to create and use technological tools but I have discovered that I am an obsessive personality who has a passion for ICTs.
The fact that reflection is part of this assessment will benefit me as it is the “thoughtful consideration of one’s own experiences while applying knowledge to practice".
So come on my journey as I reflect, consider, explore, experiment, develop, create, facilitate, practice, demonstrate, apply and learn about digital technologies in the twenty first century learning environment.
This Search Story was created by Lynette Bidgood using http://www.youtube.com/user/SearchStories?blend=1&ob=5
Why digital technology?
Information and communication technology (ICT) competence fits under the sub heading “General capabilities” in the Australian Curriculum.With the Government recognising the importance for students to develop ICT skills that are transferable from home to school to the workforce, there is a greater emphasis on the use of ICT within the learning environment. Teaching students to investigate with, create with, communicate with and operate ICTs will fit under all learning areas in the soon to be implemented curriculum. Teachers will also be tasked with teaching appropriate ethical and social protocols to ensure students safety.
The use of professionally developed ICTs will enhance the pedagogical strategies that encourage and support higher order thinking within the learning environment. ICT competence also compliments the other general capabilities of ethical behaviour, personal and social competence and critical and creative thinking as they link across the learning areas of English, Maths, Science and History.
Cybersafety is often reported on the television and stories of what can go wrong is discussed freely, but despite this, the occurrences of unsafe Internet practices continue. A Google search using the words 'ethical, legal and safe Internet behaviour' will produce over twelve million responses. Sites such as Cybersmart.gov.au and Media Awareness.ca offer lessons to teach students about appropriate online practices.
Source:
http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/ (Australian Government website )
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/educational/lessons/secondary/cyberbullying/cyberbullying_behaviour.cfm
Cybersmart has a tool which can be downloaded called the Cyber Safety Help Button. This tool can be downloaded for free onto your child's computer desktop and if the child finds them self in a situation they aren't comfortable with they can access immediate help and advice. The three aspects of help provided are:
- access to a counsellor to discuss their concerns relating to cyberbullying
- option to report inappropriate contact, cyberbullying, offensive materials, scams or fraud
- access to tips on how to stay safe online
The other aspect of ethical behaviour is the concept of legality. Teachers and students need to be aware of their legal responsibilities when using material produced by other people (copyright and/or creative commons) or when downloading images of children.
Copyright and creative commons are discussed further in this reflection so we will focus on the reproduction of students images. Privacy laws protect children under 18 years of age from having their image posted online without the written permission of their parent or guardian.
This is relevant for teachers wishing to post photos of students participation in excursion or for students who wish to upload a photo of themselves, their friends or siblings.
Source: http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/pubs/sheets/rs18/rs18.html
At the heart of any learning environment involving ICTs is the crucial aspect of considering our own ethical, legal and safe practices and teaching these important skills to our students. In my opinion, students should not be allowed access to online technology until this component is first taught.
Exploring technology
Please use the following links to access the postings relevant to this assessment.
__________________________________________________________________________Wiki Activities from Weeks 1 & 2:
During the first two weeks we learnt about incorporating technology with learning design. As a group we worked on our class Wiki using two different thinking strategies.Reflecting on Learning Theories Wiki http://lynbid.blogspot.com/2011/08/wiki-vygotsky-pmis-and-shared-learning.html
Reflecting on De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats Wiki. http://lynbid.blogspot.com/2011/08/de-bonos-hats.html __________________________________________________________________________
Group 1 ICT tools:
The first ICT tools we learnt about were Blogs and Wikis which we developed in class. I did get a little confused about the difference between Blogs and Wikis as they both appeared to have similar uses.
Wikis are great for learning that involves shared knowledge.This is an example of a http://lynbid.wikispaces.com/Interactive+Technology Wiki entry where a PMI was used to determine the effectiveness of the intended website.
Although this example was completed by me personally, the value of using a PMI in a Wiki for class involvement is evident. Each student can contribute their ideas and knowledge then explain, hypothesise and interpret the data to solve problems and develop new understandings from different perspectives. The use of technology has the potential for supporting and encouraging higher order thinking as the teacher can create activities and environments in which the students can become the producers of knowledge.Wikis can be used for other thinking strategies such as KWLs, Think, Share, Pair, Y charts, DeBono’s Hats and SWOTs.
The ICT tool from Group One that gave me the most satisfaction was the development of an example Class Blog http://mrsbidgoodsvirtualclassroom.blogspot.com/ .Using the Blog tool I developed a “pretend” classroom environment where the students and their families had access to a shared Blog. Developing this site enabled me to think critically about what needed to be considered if I was creating one for real.
I thought about the legal, ethical and safety measures that needed to be considered.· Rules would need to be set out prior to the site being shared with the students and families.
· Passwords could be changed monthly to ensure the site remains private to the school and class families only.
· The students could do a verbal and written course on safe, ethical and legal online behaviour and be awarded a certificate prior to being given access to the site.
· The inclusion of links to Cyber Safety Awareness websites should be included as a constant reminder of appropriate online behaviour.
· These behaviours would be regularly reiterated to the students using scenarios and role-play.
· Use of students names on the site would need to be approved by the parents.
· I envisage the use of surnames, identifying information and personal details would not be appropriate.
· Photos of students would need not only parental written permission but also in-depth evaluation of the purpose, the content, the value and necessity. I.e. Could photos of completed work without the students image be used?
I have identified the uses and benefits of a class blog on the site http://mrsbidgoodsvirtualclassroom.blogspot.com/and demonstrated some of the ICT tools that could be used on a class Blog site.I feel a SWOT analysis would be a great thinking strategy to use when planning the development of a class Blog and could be contributed to by the teacher, students and the families to get a greater perspective. (Frangenheim, 2010)
If I was doing a SWOT analysis of the effectiveness of a class Blog , under weaknesses would be the possibility that some students may not have access to the Internet at home. Opportunities for these students to access a computer within the school would be required and consideration about information for their parents being provided in ways other than by the Internet would need to be addressed.___________________________________________________________________________
Group 2 ICT tools:For Group 2 we looked at Multimedia. The world of Creative Commons and copyright were explored in this week.
n Australia we have copyright laws which protect the creative products of individuals and groups, and although the Act is dated 1968 it is regularly amended to accommodate new advances in technology. (Source: www.copyright.org.au) Copyright gives the producer of the material exclusive ownership and requires other people to gain permission to use the material.“Creative Commons licenses provide simple, standardised alternatives to the “all rights reserved” paradigm of traditional copyright.” (Source: http://creativecommons.org/)
Information, audio, video and images produced under a creative commons licence can be re-used by others with consideration of the attribution. Sites like Flickr, Artist Server, CCMixer, Blip TV, Jamendo provide access to materials under a creative commons licence but I have found the best way to find material under a creative commons licence is to do a Google Advanced Search using words such as “ images, pictures, photos, creative commons".
My blog posting for Group 2 is my attempt at filming a video using a Flip video and posting it to Youtube then downloading it to my Blog. http://lynbid.blogspot.com/2011/08/youtube-flip-and-blogging-partners-in.html The outcome of this exercise was that I was able to complete the task to a amateurish degree but it did provoke my thinking about the value of the tool I had produced. For students to develop higher order thinking skills there needs to be opportunities for them to contribute to their learning and not be subjected to predetermined knowledge. (Department of Education, The State of Queensland , 2002)
A way to change my “Press Here” tool would be to use it as an example for students to think about producing their own instructional story. They could brainstorm “If I do this, what would happen?” or “What actions, illustrations and storyline would best explains colours, shapes or numbers?” ___________________________________________________________________________
Group 3 Technologies:Group 3 technologies covered ICT tools like Glogster, Prezi and PowerPoint and I of course tried them all.
Using a story I wrote myself I made a PowerPoint presentation which could be used to teach literacy by having the students come to the whiteboard to identify nouns, verbs and adjectives. By projecting the slide show onto the whiteboard the students could cross out and change adjectives to show how different words make different meanings.
My attempt at Prezi was on Technology in the Classroom and did not get posted to my Blog as I felt it was not suitable for the early childhood students that I am currently concentrating. I believe Prezi could be used by older students to explore, explain and demonstrate their knowledge on specific topics. Prezi was time consuming and would best be developed by brainstorming first on paper or the whiteboard then when you have all your information you would create the Prezi.
My example of using Glogster on my Blog is aimed at Early Childhood http://lynbid.blogspot.com/2011/08/im-now-glog-star.html. This particular Glogster would not be one I would use in a class as it was developed to show the features of a Glogster more than the educational value of the tool.
A Glogster is an interactive poster that could be used to provoke the students’ problem solving, inquiry, investigation and analysis skills by providing them a starting point to engage in higher order thinking.
The value of Glogster would be to capture the students attention though the use of pictures, text and animations. More thought would be needed to produce a Glogster that would help students develop complex reasoning processes. The complex reasoning skills identified in the Australian curriculum fit within the context of Dimension 4- Use Knowledge Meaningfully. (Manzano & Pickering, 1997) . Decision making, problem solving, investigation and analysis are all vital aspects of any ICT lesson.
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Group 4 Technologies:The final group included animations, simulations, Google Earth, Google Maps, Zooburst, Online Timelines and many more. These are many of the ICT tools I used in my “Virtual Classroom” Blog. I found Zooburst http://mrsbidgoodsvirtualclassroom.blogspot.com/p/our-excursion-pop-up-books.html to be a fun tool that could be easily used by students. I made two quick pop up books to demonstrate the possible end product that could be produced by students but I found the process to be quick and easy using the pictures available on the site.
I also used Scribble Maps http://mrsbidgoodsvirtualclassroom.blogspot.com/2011/08/scribble-maps.html and Voki http://mrsbidgoodsvirtualclassroom.blogspot.com/ to demonstrate their uses both in a classroom and on a class blog to motivate and engage learners.
The inclusion of Voki on my Blog was an early attempt at adding gadgets. A quick search on Youtube provided me with the instructions I needed to complete this task. One technological tool helping another. http://lynbid.blogspot.com/2011/07/playing-around-with-voki.html __________________________________________________________________________
In closing, the benefits of digital technology in learning is indisputable. The commencement of this new era of knowledge means our learning managers need to embrace the world of technology in which our learners are so comfortable. Ensuring the learning opportunities are valuable and relevant is an ongoing task which is simplified through consideration of pedagogical strategies and learning theories that underpin the learning environment. The term ‘connectivism’ is used to describe the principles of random interconnecting networks and complex self-organisation theories being explored simultaneously. (O'Neill & Knight, 2007)
For me, this confirms my understanding that the Internet, although a fun and interesting tool, can not be considered as educational, unless a holistic approach is undertaken which includes the curriculum, students learning styles, relevant learning theories, pedagogical strategies of SWOT, PMI, Y charts, Think, Pair, Share and KWLs and ethical, legal and safe online practices.
Reference List
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2010). The Australian Curriculum. Sydney, NSW: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority.
Bobis, J. (2010). Teachers as Learners. In R. Ewing, T. Lowrie, & J. Higgs, Teaching and Communicating: Rethinking Professional Experiences (pp. 42 - 50). Sydney, NSW: Oxford University Press .
Department of Education, The State of Queensland . (2002, ). A guide to Productive Pedagogies: Classroom reflection manual. Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Frangenheim, E. (2010). Reflections on classroom thinking strategies. Loganholme, Qld: Rodin Educational Publishing.
Manzano, R. J., & Pickering, D. J. (1997). Dimensions of learning teacher's manual (2nd ed.). Denver, Colorado: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning.
O'Neill, P., & Knight, B. (2007). Chapter Six: E-learning: a catalyst for a futures orientation. In R. Smith, D. Lynch, & B. A. Knight, Learning Management: Transitioning Teachers for National and International Change (pp. 44 - 56). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Education Australia.
