I created a movie using iMovie to familiarise myself with a digital video ICT. I used my MacBook laptop when I created my movie, therefore I found it difficult to manoeuvre adding and removing elements to it. I overcame this obstacle with practice and shortly after I started, I had mastered it. Creating the movie was not as straight forward as I had hoped. The buttons in iMovie give little description of their abilities, therefore I needed try try a few different things before I achieved the result I required. I added images in the sequence I wanted, and found that it was quite simple to change the order later on. I also decided to add sound to my movie, which was fairly straight forward when I had discovered which button to use. Changing the slide transitions was an engaging part of this creation, as I was able to add, view and change them as I wanted. It was great to have the ability to use different transition frames for each slide. While investigating the transitions, I discovered I could change the times in which the frames changed. Each frame could change after a different duration. I found this to be a great idea, as there is often specific images that need to be displayed longer than others. To complete my movie, I added text to some of the images. I wanted to familiarise myself with as many elements of iMovie as possible and achieved this successfully.
I would definitely use iMovie in my classrooms as it is an engaging tool that allows for creativity. I found this a great learning tool. As I am a kinaesthetic learner, I found that investigating the functions and possibilities gave me the ability to create further. Although I believe this is an effective ICT, when using it the classroom a well-scaffolded learning experience would be required to build students knowledge of the program. It is not as simple to navigate as other ICTs as the functions are not clearly labeled. Therefore the upper primary school sector would be most appropriate, however a younger audience would benefit with the aid of buddies in an older year level.
My iMovie is available to view below.
The image below demonstrates an overview of the possible learning outcomes when using digital video within a scaffolded learning experience. This was retrieved from the article Designing Digital Video for Learning and Assessment.
PodOmatic
Approaching the topic of podcasts made me slightly nervous this week, as I have not have much experience using them. When I was using an iPhone, I noticed the function available in iTunes but had never taken a closer look. I decided I would browse through a couple of the website suggestions on moodle and created an account for PodOmatic. Looking around the website, I saw that it was a simple step by step process to create a podcast of my own. I started the process, however I did not have any recordings on my computer, nor did I have a microphone, so I browsed through the podcasts of others. I found it interesting that there was a link for podcasts relating to education, and had a closer look at the K-12 sub-category. It was here that I found a podcast uploaded by a teacher. She had an interview with a student about the blog the student had created and a discussion about the learning outcomes. This was a perfect example of how I would like to use podcasts in a learning environment. Not only is it easy to create an account on this website, but it is so simple to create your own podcast. Using this ICT to help facilitate a learning experience would be an engaging way to let students take a hands-on approach to their own learning. Learners are able to record their own voice and video, then upload it to the podcast. Below is a screen shot I took of my PodOmatic homepage. From here, you can see the layout of the website to be very clear and easy to navigate.
After listening to the lecture surrounding group two's ICTs I was extremely interested in the concept of using images within learning experiences. An image can convey a powerful message and stimulate higher order thinking amongst learners.
Tag Galaxy
I chose to explore Tag Galaxy, and I was amazed at what I found. I chose to enter 'flowers' as my topic, expecting to find rows of images of flowers. After pressing the 'enter' key I was amazed at what came up on the screen. A moving image appeared that looked like planets in orbit. The word 'flower' was in the center and words associated with it surrounded. When clicking on the word 'flower' the image transformed and became a sphere with tiles of flowers around it.
This is a highly engaging ICT that could be used in any learning environment. It could be used to search a specific topic, or used to create stimulus for discussion, unit plan or learning inquiry. Students can interact with Tag Galaxy individually, in small groups or as a class using PowerPoint. I would use this ICT in any primary classroom as part of a learning experience, as children can be given the ability to explore as they desire. Tag Galaxy caters for several learning styles as it is both interactive and visual.
See, Think, Wonder
I also explored the visible thinking concept 'see, think, wonder' and thought it would be a great practice to use when introducing images to learners. It asks three questions;
"What do you see?"
"What do you think about that?"
"What does it make you wonder?"
This concept allows students to observe and evaluate their own interpretations. Using this alongside a wikispace or blog would create an inspiring learning environment where students could collaborate ideas and share their understandings around an image.
The World Wide Web has developed
rapidly. In my Year 10 class I was learning how to create a website
using HTML codes. Nine years later it is as simple as clicking the
mouse, dragging, typing and voila, I am a website designer.
As
directed through the course material I discovered weebly.com. It is an
interesting and engaging tool that gave me the ability to create a
website free of charge, and to add to it as I desire. Designing the
website was extremely simplistic. There were basic layouts to choose
from, and I was given the ability to change title images.. This
allowed me to modify my website to suit my personality, style and
to add as much flair as I wanted. There was also a couple of
preset games that I could add for viewers to interact with. Weebly.com
gave an abundance of settings, layouts and elements that were simple to navigate. Creating the website was not difficult and it would be a functional ICT to use in a classroom
environment. Students are able to create a website with as many pages,
images, videos, maps, sound files, slideshows, photo galleries and links
as they need. It is important that when using this tool, the learning
experience is scaffolded appropriately as it would be very easy for learners to become distracted and off-task. Giving students freedom within
constraints allows them to experience a new and engaging activity with
the ability to create, whilst following the guidance given from the
Learning Manager.
This tool is not as interactive for learners as
blogger.com or wikispaces as it does not allow for comment or
contribution from others. For the purposes of designing or following a
scaffolded learning experience this ICT is a beneficial tool for
learners of all ages.
Throughout term three this year I have
seen several wikispace examples. There have been some created for group
assignments and some designed for a cohort contribution. Prior to this I
had no experience creating or participating in a learning experience
through a wiki. After some research, the idea of collaborative
learning through a wiki seemed as though it would be a valuable
e-learning tool.
The first engagement I had with wikispaces this
term was participating in the 'Mobile Phones' page. This page
demonstrated how to scaffold an e-learning experience to encourage
higher order thinking and analysis. The Mobile Phones page required students to think using different perspectives, and to collaborate ideas with other students. Viewing and comparing personal ideas to
the contribution of others deepened the learning experience and transformed my thinking.
When creating my wiki, I found it quite simple to navigate. I created a layout for my wikispace, then added new pages. Adding these pages and changing the sequence of these pages was quick and easy to achieve. I wanted to experience as many of the features in the wiki as possible, therefore I embedded a YouTube video, created a table, added an image and experimented with different widgets. I found a YouTube video that describes how to create a wiki for education. The information was interesting and valuable so I added it to my wiki also.
Using this tool within a primary classroom would enrich a
learners experience, keeping them engaged throughout the activity.
Designing a learning experience for children in a similar way to the
Thinking Hats page, would enrich the learning experience so as intended
learning outcomes are achieved. As this ICT can be used for individual,
group or public use it is important that information and contributions
are not lost. The benefit of wikispaces is that under the 'history' tab
information from previous saves can be retrieved. The wikispace is a
rich ICT that gives learners the opportunity to contribute, compare,
analyse and reflect upon their own thoughts and the thoughts of others.
Developing a learning experience that engages learners while delivering
them an authentic education can be achieved using this e-learning tool. I
would love to try using it in my classroom in the coming months.
In just a few minutes spent 'googling' I
have discovered that there are many different websites that can be used
to construct blogs. I decided to use Blogger.com as it was recommended
during this course.
I found that blogger.com was very simple to
set up and navigate. After establishing a blog I continued to add my
details and complete my profile. I also sifted through different designs
and layouts that were available to use and alter as I pleased. There
was an abundance of options to suit individual personalities and styles,
therefore I found something I liked very quickly. After choosing a
layout and background I continued to customise the layout, as far as to
how narrow each column would be. Pleased with my accomplishments I began
to write in my blog. The first entry simply stated that I was trying
things out, which gave me the opportunity to see what each blog post
would look like.
Constructing this blog was simple, and with a
well scaffolded learning experience, children in primary school would be
able to create one for themselves. The versatility of adding photos,
videos and linking other sources to the blog enables the learner to
gain a rich variety of e-learning experiences. Having the option to
follow blogs also allows the learner to view the thoughts and learning
styles of other students. Students have the opportunity to comment on
each others blog posts. This can promote discussion about a particular
topic or idea, and can allow the learner to develop a more in-depth
understanding. This in turn creates an opportunity for critical
reflection. Students can view others learning and thinking, then discuss
further understandings before comparing it to their own to
differentiate the differences and similarities between them. Using a
blog as a scaffolded e-learning tool also creates the opportunity for
higher order thinking. Providing students with this rich engagement tool
will aid them to achieve the intended learning outcomes and beyond.
I have created a PMI chart below detailing the benefits and challenges of using a blog as a learning experience tool in the classroom.
Plus
Minus
Interesting
Simple to create
Simple to navigate
Allows learners to display unedited personal perspectives
Allows for collaboration using 'comments' tab
Allows for educator feedback using 'comments' tab
Stimulates higher order thinking
Blogs are often blocked by schools which could make them difficult to access
Information could be perceived as factual but may be inaccurate
Is visible to people all over the world
Allows for online collaboration between students
An engaging tool that can be used by learning managers for student evaluation and assessment
Reading through Prensky’s article challenged my
thinking. He identified the several types of learners that may be present in
our classrooms; however he had not considered every possibility. Many children
within society are using technology throughout their homes. Learners are
exposed to gaming consoles, Facebook, YouTube, and other engaging Web 2.0 tools
such as PowerPoint and wiki’s. However there are many children who do not
engage in these activities. Learners who engage in outdoor activities, and read
storybooks rather than e-books still reside in our classrooms. There are also
families who do live in low socioeconomic climates that cannot afford such
luxuries.
In the article ‘Are digital natives a myth or
reality?’ (Margaryan & Littlejohn, 2008), “Hulme & Traxler (2005) suggest
that that there are mismatches in the learning processes involved in classroom
settings and social situations, as these processes are often based around
different models of learning.” This statement identifies the differences in
students’ learning through different contexts. The article also suggests that
learners engage in multimodal technology outside of the classroom, and whilst
in school they are required to participate in a pedagogical regime without such
exposure to ICTs.
After reflecting upon these readings I had very
mixed emotions about Prensky’s “engage or enrage” argument. I believe that
without scaffolded learning experiences that offer students a variety of different
tools, learning outcomes may not be achieved. As learning managers, we aspire
to create meaningful learning experiences that engage the learner and stimulate
higher order thinking. Without embracing ICTs this may not be achieved for some
students. However I do not believe that this would be correct for every child
in our classrooms. We need to cater for each student and their learning style.
We do not need to use technology as tools to fill in time, or to reduce our time
spent planning. Rather we need to spend more time creating new and innovative
ways we can use technology to engage our learners, whilst incorporating learning
without the use of ICTs.
Blooms Taxonomy of Learning Domains breaks down learning types into three distinctive categories. These are cognitive (knowledge), affective (attitude) and psychomotor (skills).
The cognitive domain involves knowledge, intellectual abilities and skills. It requires learners to progress through six categories; knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. These categories are progressive in difficulty, where generally a learner will need to grasp the concepts within the first to move into the second.
The affective domain is the way learners process things emotionally with feelings and attitudes. This domain can be broken down into five categories. These include receiving phenomena, responding to phenomena, valuing, organisation and internalising values.
The psychomotor domain is a focus on physical learning using motor skills and movement. There are seven major categories within this domain, which are also progressive from the simplest behaviour to most complex. These categories are perception, set, guided response, mechanism, complex overt response, adaption and origination.
I found reading through Blooms Taxonomy very interesting. When I was first introduces to the learning domains it seemed quite intimidating. However the more I read through the concept and built my knowledge and understanding, I became more comfortable with it. I feel that Blooms Taxonomy could give me great benefit when designing learning experiences.
T - Technological
P - Pedagogical
A - And
C - Content
K - Knowledge
TPACK Framework aids Learning Managers to shape a learning experience using ICTs that supports the pedagogical design. My thoughts on this framework is that it is designed to cater for each part of the learning process. Including but not limited to the technology used or ICT's, the learning design and intended learning outcomes. While reading through the week two module on this framework, it was specifically noted that three things were required by the learning manager. They were that you MUST know your technical skills, you MUST know your content and you MUST know how to deliver your content so that your students learn effectively.
Honestly, this is a part of Learning Management that scares me. Although I am confident in my abilities to learn and learn to teach, there are still those butterflies in my stomach when the idea of teaching using ICT's is introduced. I'm sure that in time, and with practice I will come to love using ICT's as a learning tool, an I enjoy having the opportunity to familiarise myself with these during this course.
Through the use of a wiki, this week’s activity
required me to collaborate my thoughts and ideas with those of other students. The topic question “Mobile Phones – Should they
be used in the classroom” stimulated a vast variety of opinion, as the
scaffolded activity suggested. Set out in table format, the task stimulated
students thinking using Edward de Bono’s six thinking hats.
Whilst reading through the table, it was obvious it
had been constructed with clear intentions. Each part was distinctively set out
to ensure the task was understood by each student. An image of each hat, a
space for students’ names and their contribution allowed us to take ownership
of our thoughts and collaborate with others. I also noticed that the
perspective of each colour hat was reiterated with sample questions. This was a
very effective way to clarify the nature of responses required in each row.
This activity allowed me to think ‘outside the
square’. As I approached the table, I immediately contributed to the black hat
row, thinking only of the distraction and social ramifications of students
using a mobile phone in the classroom. I made a contribution to the table and
reflected upon the thoughts of my peers. Doing so allowed me to broaden my
perspective and see the benefits, possibilities and directions in which
technology is heading. I now believe that we as learning managers need to
remain open minded and embrace technology. By using these tools in our
classrooms through scaffolded teaching, students will have access to engaging
learning experiences using a multimodal resource.
The wiki activity stimulated cognitivism, as it
provided me with the ability to progress through the elements of Bloom’s Cognitive
Taxonomy. I was able to compile prior knowledge, comprehend the topic question,
apply this to real life context, analyse my ideas and those of others then
synthesise and evaluate the ideas. I was able to achieve new knowledge and
understanding of the topic question, which in turn transformed my thinking.
Through this activity I have gained valuable
knowledge about how to use an ICT to create a carefully scaffolded learning
experience. Using a wiki in the classroom provides students with an engaging learning
environment where they are able to collaborate ideas and stimulate higher order
thinking. I am looking forward to using wiki’s and mobile phones as learning
tools in the classroom.
Behaviourism - I found Pavlov's experiment very interesting. He demonstrated that an animal can affiliate an action with a sound. I have seen something similar to this in action. Friends of ours, let's call them Jack and Jill (for anonymity purposes) had two Bull Terrier dogs. One was an adult, one a puppy. They had rescued the adult dog from the pound only a few years earlier and had trained him when he was able to eat the food that was put in front of him. Jill would bring the dog food out in the bowl and place it in front of the dog. Jill would sit down in her chair and settle herself, while the dog waited patiently for his cue. After a minute or so she would say "ready, set... bananas!" The dog would move slightly but stop himself, as he knew he was not allowed to eat until he heard the words "go" When the puppy was brought into the house she followed suit. Both animals complied when strangers such as myself fed the them. This demonstrated to me similarities to Pavlov's experiment. A visual or audio cue will demonstrate an action. This is learned quite quickly. Cognitivism - The key points I have taken from the article provided are The Three-Stage Information Processing Model, meaningful effects and Piaget's theory. I wasn't aware of the Information Processing Model, and found it interesting to read about. Some information is merely passed through the mind and is often not retained in the short-term memory (STM). The STM holds important or interesting information for "20 seconds or more if rehearsed repeatedly." The STM has a limited capacity and cannot retain a lot of information. The long-term memory (LTM) can hold an unlimited amount of information. Retention of material is best achieved when deep levels of processing or links are made between prior and new knowledge. Piaget's theory illustrates cognitive development in stages. These are shown in the image on the right-hand side of the page, and is also broken down into age-specific groups.
Constructivism - I found it interesting to see the difference between the two types of constructivism demonstrates in the article provided. These were realistic and radical constructivism. The comparison I saw between these were that the realistic constructivism concentrated on the real world, and viewing things in a real life context. Whereas the radical constructivism branched further into the experiential or unknown world.
I am still a bit confused about a bit of this, as there is so much information to read through. I found the below image was helpful in distinguishing one learning theory from the other.
I have just completed the Multiple Intelligence's questionnaire and am pleased to discover my results. I found that I am predominately of visual/spatial, intrapersonal and linguistic intelligence. This got me thinking and prompted further research. I looked further into the website provided and found explanations on each intelligence.
Visual/Spatial - Picture Smart
You may be picture smart. You will be good at art and also good at other activities where you look at pictures like map reading, finding your way out of mazes and graphs. This is sometimes called being visual/spatial smart.
Intrapersonal - Myself Smart
You may be myself smart. You will know about yourself and your strengths and weaknesses. You will probably keep a diary. This is sometimes called being intrapersonal smart.
Linguistic - Word Smart
You may be word smart. You will enjoy reading, writing and talking about things. This is sometimes called being linguistic smart.
These definitions were retrieved from: http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks3/ict/multiple_int/what.cfm
So I finally have access to the internet, and I have received my iPod in the mail as I am participating in the iPod project for this course. I have been feeling pretty stressed over the past two weeks... I have changed from the Primary degree to Early Childhood and making that decision was difficult. However I have started my new journey and am excited about what is in store for me. Having access to the internet at home has also made my studying easier for me, as I don't have to travel to uni each day. This has elevated some of my worries, and hopefully it will be smooth sailing here on out.
So the first few tasks have been completed.. Creating my blog, wiki, adding some profile information and completing the first task on the group wiki.
So far so good...
I have never used a blog before, so this is a little different for me. However, I am enjoying learning new things and trying to add to them as much as possible. I have also found a Blogger application for my phone. Haven't played with it much as yet, but I think it will be an easy way for me to add to my blog when I'm on the go.
Looking forward to finishing my reading tasks for the week :D
