Assessment 2: Reflective Synopsis

ICTs: How can they be used and what methods are best?

After working diligently through the courseware for ICTs for Learning Design, I have discovered numerous examples of ICTs that can be implemented into classrooms to enhance learning experiences. ICTs, when combined with effective engagement theories can be used to broaden the experiences, knowledge and interactivity of the learning process. In this synopsis I will discuss the ways in which I would use some of these ICTs within my own teaching as well as discuss how effective learning design theories can be used to ensure that successful and meaningful outcomes are achieved.

There is no better place to begin than the foundations for effective learning. I have discovered through the courseware a theory put forth by Kearsley and Shneiderman. The theory explains that unless students are engaged in the topic, then meaningful learning cannot hope to be achieved. These theorists have adapted their ideals on engagement theory using the formula “relate-create-donate” (1998). This formula, when applied enables students to work in groups, a far cry from learning in the past where students were expected to learn individually and with little opportunity for collaboration. Through my time spent in my Embedded Professional Learning classrooms I have been able to witness the benefits of group work versus the focussed and solitary pursuit of individual tasks. As I discussed with my Mentor Teacher, Mrs Wales on my second day she prefers, “learning in groups because it allows the teacher to become less of a dictator at the front of the class and more of an assistant to each group’s learning.” When looking at this theory from Kearsley and Shneiderman I am hopeful that by adopting this approach to learning my students will not only learn the material set forth to them, but also become better learners for the future.

Becoming better learners also requires the Learning Manager to make learning interesting and this can be achieved by including some of the fantastic ICTs I have discovered and revisited in the past seven weeks. The first of these was creating this Blog. Being able to engage in Blog work has enabled me to be able to share what I have learned not only with those in the course but the global community too. I would love the opportunity to develop a class Blog for assessment purposes. I have discussed through my own Blog the benefits and approaches to blogging I hope to employ in my own future classrooms. http://samanthasjourney-gdlt.blogspot.com/2010/03/my-thoughts-on-wikis-and-blogs-in.html  I have also discussed in this posting Wikis. Having created my own Wiki as an example, http://magic-of-rainbows.wikispaces.com/  I would also love to have my students experiment with this technology. Wikis can be created in whole class scenarios or in smaller groups. The most engaging thing about Wikis is that students donate these back to the real world and they can be used as learning tools for anyone who cares to look. The creation of a Wiki also brings me to the article written by Heath (2001). In this article Heath discusses how Mode 1 knowledge is “discipline-based” whereas Mode 2 knowledge is “trans-disciplinary” and “characterised by the production in teams”. This last point further establishes that the theory from Kearsley and Shneiderman enables a much more comprehensive and inclusive learning environment. Creating a learning environment for the masses rather than singular and exclusionary as in Mode 1 knowledge.

Creating a Voki Avatar was an incredibly fun exercise and I know that by introducing one into my classroom the students will be engaged from the start. I have thought of several ideas for how I would incorporate a Voki into the classroom and with the versatility of the different characters one is able to create there is the potential for the teacher to find out if the students really are listening, especially if the Voki “teacher” is the one asking the questions. I have discussed further my thoughts on the application of a Voki into my teaching here, http://samanthasjourney-gdlt.blogspot.com/2010/04/avatar-not-quite-as-great-as-james.html.   Within this posting to my Blog I have also discussed creating my own ePortfolio. The portfolio I have on Mahara will allow me to be able to gather and store all of the work I have done to become a professional in the education world. And like me, I feel that students should have a record of their own progress. The use of an ePortfolio like Mahara would allow students to create separate views for each year level and also allow parents to track the learning journey of their student. Seeing is believing, and an ePortfolio allows the viewer to see the growth and achievement of the student.

The final two ICTs I will explore in this synopsis are PowerPoint presentations and Flickr. PowerPoint presentations can be enormously beneficial in the learning process. As seen in my own PowerPoint presentation, http://samanthasjourney-gdlt.blogspot.com/2010/04/my-powerpoint-how-great-are-these.html,  I created the Powerpoint presentation to suit the flow of my lesson delivery. The benefits of a PowerPoint presentation mean important and notable facts can be represented in each slide and this allows for discussion and engagement from the learners. In my own presentation I have asked questions and kept my factual statements succinct and to the point. Too much information on PowerPoint presentations can detract from what needs to be learned and also has the potential for disengaging the learners. Teaming a presentation with animations or song can also help to improve its appeal. And the most impressive thing about these kinds of presentations is that anyone can create them. Students can use PowerPoint to assist with oral presentations as well as consolidate the important information gathered in easy to comprehend and interesting mediums. Flickr can also help in this regard. By uploading photos to Flickr students can create a presentation and also have their photos available on the internet for everyone to view. I have also discussed in my Blog one way to use Flickr in English creative writing or as the theme for an Arts project. http://samanthasjourney-gdlt.blogspot.com/2010/04/school-playground.html


After having the opportunity to engage in these many ICTs I look forward to the potential role these will play in my classroom. When the Learning Manager applies the knowledge gained from the 8 Learning Management Questions (Smith and Lynch) as well as the Dimensions of Learning (Marzano et al 1998), the potential for engaged learning is exponential. Students can learn the curriculum while making it interesting, fun and engaging and when one looks at Dale’s Cone “direct, purposeful experiences” (http://www.acu.edu/cte/activelearning/whyuseal2.htm , 2010) is listed as the most important attribute to learning. All of these ICTs create the opportunity for hands on group work, and when the options are creating chalk and talk classrooms or classrooms where students are using the technologies available to them to stay engaged and focussed the choice is easy. I want to create learners who can make contributions to the world they live in, who can use the tools around them to make learning interesting not just for them but also the global audience.

References:

Active Learning Online Why use Active Learning
http://www.acu.edu/cte/activelearning/whyuseal2.htm 2010

Heath, G Teacher Education and the New Knowledge Environment http://www.aare.edu.au/01pap/hea01582.htm  2001

Kearsley G and Shneiderman B Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm  1998

Lynch & Smith Eight Learning Management Questions
http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/mod/resource/view.php?id=44470  2010

Marzano RJ & Pickering DJ (et al) Dimensions of Learning: Teacher’s Manual (2nd ed.) 1997 Alexandra, VA

Prior S My Journey http://samanthasjourney-gdlt.blogspot.com/  2010

Comments on Blogs:

Carolyne Thornton’s blog: Ideas on Vokis
http://learningjourneycaro.blogspot.com/2010/04/voki-for-student-centred-lesson-on.html#comments

Kylie Gupwell’s blog: Ideas on Youtube
http://kyliegupwell.blogspot.com/2010/04/youtube-teachertube-and-me.html

Megan Irwin’s blog: Ideas on DoL and Habits of Mind
http://megirwin073.blogspot.com/2010/03/all-coming-together.html

Natalie Arthur’s blog: Ideas on Flickr
http://nataliearthurgdlt.blogspot.com/2010/04/just-been-thinkin.html

Professional Conversations

Kath Wales- Mentor Teacher 14/04/2010

School playground ...

School playground ...
Originally uploaded by berik

After having a play around on Flickr I have found this great picture of a sign in a Darwin school. One way to discourage kids from playing where they shouldn't.

I love the versatility of Flickr and believe this would be a great way to get classes to write narratives using stimuli for the basis of their stories. The Learning Manager could hunt through Flickr and find a photo and present it to their class and get them to create a story based on what they see.

I would also love to use Flickr in art projects. Give the students topics and then get them to go out into the world and take a photo of the topic. Once all of the photos are gathered a gallery can be made for them all to be put into.

My Powerpoint.. How great are these?

So I have just created a powerpoint on Fractions that I wish I had made last week when I gave my first lesson during my second day on EPL. I know, I was a little gobsmacked when my Mentor Teachers asked me to give a lesson on my second day!

The lesson itself went great, I have the benefit of working with some great kids who are in the Special Education department at the school I am teaching at. The kids are very hands on and visual learners and I only wish that I had made this powerpoint in time to be able to use it.

The benefits of incorporating a powerpoint presentation into learning are numerous. Namely it enables the teacher or Learning Manager to highlight key points and attribute visual representations that can engage the learners.

Please take a look at my powerpoint. I have tailored it to suit the class that I gave the lesson for and I plan on implementing this again in the near future to gauge how well my learners are able to retain information and also to refine my own methods of teaching.

Fractions

View more presentations from guest136eb50.

Happy learning!

Avatar- not quite as great as James Cameron's.

Voki Avatars are a great way to introduce learners to new subject areas. A voki can be integrated into almost any part of the learning experience. Vokis can be used to begin the new courseware, as a means of linking new information throughout the unit or even enabling students to incorporate these into their own presentations as assessment tasks.

I really enjoyed creating my voki and I would definitely try to incorporate a voki into my teaching. I think it provides potential opportunities for lightening the atmosphere in classrooms by incorporating a "new" teacher. Learning Managers could begin the year with a particular Voki and throughout the year the "guest" teacher comes in to introduce something new or take over a particular part of a lesson for the teacher.

I would like to also perhaps try using a voki to assess students. Have the voki ask a series of questions, and the students provide answers either orally or in written forms.

At this point I would have loved to have embedded my own Voki, however, as my luck would have it the site is having "internal issues". Once this is rectified I will share my alter-ego with you all. And thank goodness it is all rectified a day later. Here is my voki.



During this week's learning I also created my own ePortfolio using Mahara. The functionality and accessibility of Mahara means that I can keep a permanent record of the learning experiences I create and the resources I find all in one place. For potential employers they will be able to see my whole body of work in one place at one time. This has one enormous benefit, it enables employers to see that I have real world skills in ICTs and that I am a progressive learner. Students can also utilise something like Mahara as a journal and record keeping of their academic history. By uploading works of art, essays and report cards students and parents will have a permanent and constantly accessible record of the learning journey from Primary school right up to and including University.

Having such a portfolio also provides students with a highly comprehensive portfolio when seeking employment. And let's face it, who doesn't wish they had kept a copy of all of their hardwork over the years?