The Ministerial
Advisory Committee for Educational Renewal’s (MACER 2001) chapter ‘The
Challenge: A Make-Over for Teachers’ outlines that education is, and the
delivery of it should be, very different in the 21st century. It
discusses the importance of lifelong learning for educators and learners alike,
as well as how changes in society have pushed and are still pushing for more
creative, innovative, futures-orientated school leavers in a global society. This
reflective synopsis will bring to light the potential I see for ICTs to
facilitate, enhance and transform learning in my teaching area of Visual Arts.
Firstly I will draw on my own experiences from experimenting with online tools
and environments to identify relevant learning theories and highlight the key
understandings I have gained. Following this I will provide an overview and
evidence of my exploration of these tools and environments as well as the
legal, safe and ethical issues that come with technology use through handy
links for quick access.
From the very beginning of the course I was able to participate in and experience online learning through the exploration of web2.0 & 3.0, websites & wikis, multimedia and group3 presentation tools in the weekly activities.
During my explorations I have discovered that ICT (Information Communication Technology) is a powerful tool for enriching the teaching and learning experience through engagement and enhanced and extended learning, however sound and flexible pedagogy skills must be applied to frame the learning; which is central to the TPACK framework (Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge), blogged about here.
Purposeful design and scaffolding of wiki activities can provide students with opportunities to analyse, evaluate and create; all higher order thinking skills as outlined in Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy (Krathwohl, 2002). Providing learners with appropriate tools and activities such as Y-charts, SWOT analysis or De Bono’s Thinking Hats (blogged about here), provide opportunities for them to use these higher order thinking skills.
My Wiki
My Weebly
During this course I have tried many new tools and learnt valuable technical skills along the way, and the importance for ICTs to be combined with appropriate pedagogy and sound content knowledge in order to create an effective platform to facilitate and enhance learning. Each tool, amazing and engaging as they are, has its limitations and these have been discussed and reflected upon in the blog postings provided throughout this analysis.
Web 2.0 tools, such as this blog, allow authors (individuals and groups), to share, network, publish, download and upload their own content. I have found during my exploration and experimentation that each of the Web 2.0 tools allowed me the prospect to create opportunities for meaningful learning.
The wiki activities were positive however, in terms of my own learning I feel I have gained the most from blogging. Already being a beginner level blogger I was amazed how easy it was to add extras and how this can enhance learning. Regularly contributing to this blog and using it as a reflective tool for my own learning allowed me to appreciate how this tool could be used as a reflective learning tool to my students too. I blogged about this here. I aim to add more followers to my blog, allowing me to respond to questions or comments posted, and to encourage deeper analysis and understanding of the process.
I experimented with and created a digital video with a voice recording using my iPad’s voice recorder app, and Windows Live Movie Maker. I encountered a few problems with this; firstly that I dislike the sound of my own voice (believing that I sound similar to a chipmunk), and secondly that the file took a very long time to upload. Please click here for evidence of my exploration. Schuck & Kearney’s report (2004, p.10) listed the three main approaches of use for digital video in education as “a communication tool, an observation or analysis and a reflection tool”. In addition, the report outlined that one of the best affordances for using digital video with learners is that the end product will have a real audience; a motivating factor to produce quality work according to their research. I aim to employ these in my classroom.
As a university student and a student teacher, I was already experienced with presentation tools, such as PowerPoint and Prezi (embedded into my blog here), having made them many times for various tasks. However, this course allowed me to discover Glogster. Glogster is an engaging way to present information to learners due to its multifaceted incorporation of text, images, audio, links and videos. At first I did not think much of Glogster, and it was not the easiest tool to use, however it looks amazing and as a visual learner it won me over. I embedded my glog poster into my weebly in a mock year 11 unit here.
My idea of implementing these tools within my classroom is that I would like to use many Web 2.0 and 3.0, as well as presentation tools and have them work seamlessly together. For example; Learners access the class web page where they will find a link to a presentation on a relevant topic. They then follow the link to a predesigned wiki which prompts the class to answer purposeful, framed questions that lead to group discussions using appropriate tools and activities to scaffold higher order thinking. Perhaps then the students could reflect upon the outcomes in their student blog, where their peers and I can comment on the post and pose more questions.
It is extremely important for teachers and learners to be aware of cyber safety, legal and ethical considerations and copyright laws when using ICTs. The minimum requirement for copyright and paying the correct attribution is the 10% fair use rule. I have blogged about this issue here. I must be aware to model this appropriately in my classroom if I am to expect my students to do the same. Guidelines for correct internet use; uploading material, acknowledging sources can be found on the Department of Education, Training and Employment Smart Classrooms (2012) web page which I have a link to within the above mentioned reflection. Just as significant is the privacy and protection for students. Care must always be taken to reduce the possible hazards involved with online environments such as the protection of student privacy by adhering to school guidelines and attaining parent/guardian and student consent for online publication of their work.
The advancement of online learning environments has meant that learning is no longer confined within the classroom walls or school grounds. Capabilities including and not limited to simulations, 3D virtual experiences (such as Visual Arts subject specific Google Art Project link: ) and the prospective worldwide connectedness encourage valid and engaging environments for teachers and learners alike. These capabilities within an education setting, as Lynch and Knight (2010) discuss, redefine the ‘what’, ‘where’, ‘when’ and ‘how’ of learning, and is beneficial not only to the teacher, but also the student as it suits and uses various approaches to learning, allowing all learners the opportunity to become involved and engaged, no matter what their preferred learning style may be.
The biggest stumbling block for me has been to understand the powerful teaching potential technology-rich learning environments represent and how to use and implement these into my classrooms. Modern day students are familiar with and obviously engaged by the digital media that surrounds them. Keeping up with the technology revolution is not easy for current teachers who grew up in an era when school and life were very different; certainly a lot of kids ‘back then’ (I am in this group and that’s not that long ago) were not engaged by ICT. Alas, today’s learners are being educated by the ‘back then’ kids. Day to day use of portable communication devices and technology is part of the norm for this generation of learners, and as supported by Smith and Lynch (2010), is the shape of the future for everyone.
I have since further researched tools that are relevent to my teaching area of Visual Arts. You can see where I have blogged about this here.
In this emergent world, and as a future Learning Manager for the 21st century, value is placed on my capability to be imaginative and to take risks, to be highly tuned to changes in society for today and into the future, and to nurture curiosity and lifelong learning. I need to know the new generation of learners in my classroom, and as Knipe (2007) discusses, prepare them to operate in a future globalised world.
From the very beginning of the course I was able to participate in and experience online learning through the exploration of web2.0 & 3.0, websites & wikis, multimedia and group3 presentation tools in the weekly activities.
Please click on each to see my reflections on each in
support of this.
Constructivist, cognitive and connectivist learning
theories outline the why and how of enhanced learning through wiki activities. Contribution,
reviewing, reflecting and editing our own work and the work of our peers within
the online social environment of the wiki space allows us to construct our own
knowledge (Pifarre & Staarman, 2011). However, meaningful learning does not
artlessly occur without careful scaffolding and modeling to ensure intended
learning outcomes are met. During my explorations I have discovered that ICT (Information Communication Technology) is a powerful tool for enriching the teaching and learning experience through engagement and enhanced and extended learning, however sound and flexible pedagogy skills must be applied to frame the learning; which is central to the TPACK framework (Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge), blogged about here.
Purposeful design and scaffolding of wiki activities can provide students with opportunities to analyse, evaluate and create; all higher order thinking skills as outlined in Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy (Krathwohl, 2002). Providing learners with appropriate tools and activities such as Y-charts, SWOT analysis or De Bono’s Thinking Hats (blogged about here), provide opportunities for them to use these higher order thinking skills.
My Wiki
My Weebly
During this course I have tried many new tools and learnt valuable technical skills along the way, and the importance for ICTs to be combined with appropriate pedagogy and sound content knowledge in order to create an effective platform to facilitate and enhance learning. Each tool, amazing and engaging as they are, has its limitations and these have been discussed and reflected upon in the blog postings provided throughout this analysis.
Web 2.0 tools, such as this blog, allow authors (individuals and groups), to share, network, publish, download and upload their own content. I have found during my exploration and experimentation that each of the Web 2.0 tools allowed me the prospect to create opportunities for meaningful learning.
The wiki activities were positive however, in terms of my own learning I feel I have gained the most from blogging. Already being a beginner level blogger I was amazed how easy it was to add extras and how this can enhance learning. Regularly contributing to this blog and using it as a reflective tool for my own learning allowed me to appreciate how this tool could be used as a reflective learning tool to my students too. I blogged about this here. I aim to add more followers to my blog, allowing me to respond to questions or comments posted, and to encourage deeper analysis and understanding of the process.
I experimented with and created a digital video with a voice recording using my iPad’s voice recorder app, and Windows Live Movie Maker. I encountered a few problems with this; firstly that I dislike the sound of my own voice (believing that I sound similar to a chipmunk), and secondly that the file took a very long time to upload. Please click here for evidence of my exploration. Schuck & Kearney’s report (2004, p.10) listed the three main approaches of use for digital video in education as “a communication tool, an observation or analysis and a reflection tool”. In addition, the report outlined that one of the best affordances for using digital video with learners is that the end product will have a real audience; a motivating factor to produce quality work according to their research. I aim to employ these in my classroom.
As a university student and a student teacher, I was already experienced with presentation tools, such as PowerPoint and Prezi (embedded into my blog here), having made them many times for various tasks. However, this course allowed me to discover Glogster. Glogster is an engaging way to present information to learners due to its multifaceted incorporation of text, images, audio, links and videos. At first I did not think much of Glogster, and it was not the easiest tool to use, however it looks amazing and as a visual learner it won me over. I embedded my glog poster into my weebly in a mock year 11 unit here.
My idea of implementing these tools within my classroom is that I would like to use many Web 2.0 and 3.0, as well as presentation tools and have them work seamlessly together. For example; Learners access the class web page where they will find a link to a presentation on a relevant topic. They then follow the link to a predesigned wiki which prompts the class to answer purposeful, framed questions that lead to group discussions using appropriate tools and activities to scaffold higher order thinking. Perhaps then the students could reflect upon the outcomes in their student blog, where their peers and I can comment on the post and pose more questions.
It is extremely important for teachers and learners to be aware of cyber safety, legal and ethical considerations and copyright laws when using ICTs. The minimum requirement for copyright and paying the correct attribution is the 10% fair use rule. I have blogged about this issue here. I must be aware to model this appropriately in my classroom if I am to expect my students to do the same. Guidelines for correct internet use; uploading material, acknowledging sources can be found on the Department of Education, Training and Employment Smart Classrooms (2012) web page which I have a link to within the above mentioned reflection. Just as significant is the privacy and protection for students. Care must always be taken to reduce the possible hazards involved with online environments such as the protection of student privacy by adhering to school guidelines and attaining parent/guardian and student consent for online publication of their work.
The advancement of online learning environments has meant that learning is no longer confined within the classroom walls or school grounds. Capabilities including and not limited to simulations, 3D virtual experiences (such as Visual Arts subject specific Google Art Project link: ) and the prospective worldwide connectedness encourage valid and engaging environments for teachers and learners alike. These capabilities within an education setting, as Lynch and Knight (2010) discuss, redefine the ‘what’, ‘where’, ‘when’ and ‘how’ of learning, and is beneficial not only to the teacher, but also the student as it suits and uses various approaches to learning, allowing all learners the opportunity to become involved and engaged, no matter what their preferred learning style may be.
The biggest stumbling block for me has been to understand the powerful teaching potential technology-rich learning environments represent and how to use and implement these into my classrooms. Modern day students are familiar with and obviously engaged by the digital media that surrounds them. Keeping up with the technology revolution is not easy for current teachers who grew up in an era when school and life were very different; certainly a lot of kids ‘back then’ (I am in this group and that’s not that long ago) were not engaged by ICT. Alas, today’s learners are being educated by the ‘back then’ kids. Day to day use of portable communication devices and technology is part of the norm for this generation of learners, and as supported by Smith and Lynch (2010), is the shape of the future for everyone.
I have since further researched tools that are relevent to my teaching area of Visual Arts. You can see where I have blogged about this here.
In this emergent world, and as a future Learning Manager for the 21st century, value is placed on my capability to be imaginative and to take risks, to be highly tuned to changes in society for today and into the future, and to nurture curiosity and lifelong learning. I need to know the new generation of learners in my classroom, and as Knipe (2007) discusses, prepare them to operate in a future globalised world.
References:
Knipe, S (ed.) 2007, Middle years schooling: Reframing
adolescence,
Pearson, NSW.
Lynch, D & Knight, BA 2010, The theory and practice of learning
management: a text for the student of learning management, Pearson, NSW.
Ministerial
Advisory Committee for Educational Renewal (MACER) 2001, A creative workforce for a smart state: professional development for
teachers in an era of innovation, Author, Brisbane.
Smith, R
& Lynch, D 2010, Rethinking teacher
education: Teacher education in the knowledge age, AACLM Press, Sydney.
Krathwohl, D 2002, A
revision of Bloom’s taxonomy: An overview, Theory into Practice, 41(4), 212-218. doi:
10.1207/s15430421tip4104_2
Pifarre, M & Staarman, K 2011, Wiki-supported collaborative learning in
primary education: How a dialogic space is created for thinking together, International Journal of
Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, 6(2), 187-205.
doi:10.1007/s11412-011-9116-x
Schuck, S & Kearney, M 2004, Students in the
director’s seat: Teaching and learning across the school curriculum with
student generated video, retrieved from http://www.ed-dev.uts.edu.au/teachered/research/dvproject/home.html
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