Thursday, August 26, 2010

Synopsis

The purpose of this synopsis is to provide a brief explanation of e-learning and why it is important, to provide information of e-learning in my context, the barriers and opportunities of e-learning in my context and to reflect upon four different teaching tools that have been explored over the last several weeks.

What is e learning and why is it important?

Clark and Mayer (2007) define e-learning as learning that is implemented using a computer, whether it is through the Internet, Intranet or from a CD-ROM that has been designed to support individual learning. E-learning gives the students opportunities to learn through a medium that they come in contact with everyday, that they are engaged in and that will be a vital tool throughout the 21st century. The Queensland Studies Authority (QSA) (2007, p.1) states “students live in a technological world where information and communication technologies (ICTs) are integral to everyday situations.” Because of this, it is important that we, as Learning Managers provide opportunities for our students to learn through and use a range of different ICTs throughout classroom instruction.

By incorporating e-learning into the classroom:

Students explore and experiment with the use of a range of ICT functions and applications. They develop the knowledge, skills and capacity to select and use ICTs to inquire, develop new understandings, transform information and construct new knowledge for a specific purpose or context. They communicate with others in an ethical, safe and responsible manner. They develop understandings of the impact of ICTs on society. (QSA, 2007, p.1)

E-Learning in my context.

I have contact once a week with a grade 3/2 composite class. The students in this class show general computer skills, being able to create basic word documents and can go on to the internet to play learning games. All students are engaged when participating in ICT activities. Students tend to work well collaboratively, although when it comes to computers, they do prefer to work individually.

What are the barriers of E-Learning in my context?

The barriers of e-learning in my context include a classroom with only 3 computers for a class of 23 students and only 1 hour per week allocated for computer lab. This allocated time slot is part of their library visit and they do not necessarily use the computers every time.

What are the opportunities of E-Learning in my context?

The classroom next door contains a Smart Board and has no allocated use except as a visual arts classroom for the older years one day a week. For the rest of the week the classroom is available for use by the grade 3/2 class. This allows the Learning Manager to have use of the Smart Board for whole class collaborative e-learning. Time could be allocated for the students to work on the 3 computers available in the classroom in pairs on collaborative tasks.

Digital Tools in my context

The following four tools are e-learning tools that I have explored over the past weeks. I have selected these tools, as I believe that they would be effective learning tools to implement in a classroom of my context. I have chosen 1 tool to fit in each of the four categories:

Access / gain information – Learning Objects.

Consolidate and refine information – Concept Maps Online.

Transform knowledge – Blogs.

Present knowledge to an audience – Digital Video.

Learning Objects

Learning objects are a great online tool that can be used in any classroom and with any aged student. Learning objects are defined by Wiley (2000, p.7, as cited in Bratina, Hayes & Blumsack, 2002, p. 1) as "any digital resource that can be reused to support learning.” Learning objects can be used to either acquire knew knowledge or extend previously learnt knowledge. They can be sourced from anywhere on the Internet, a great website is The Curriculum Exchange. One of the great things about Learning Objects is that they are available for a wide range of topics throughout most of the Key Learning Areas (KLAs).

In my class context I would use Learning Objects in the first learning experience of a new topic. After teaching the students the knowledge and skills, I would use the Learning Object as a conclusion to the lesson for them to store the knowledge.

Most Learning Objects can be reused for the higher grades as a diagnostic tool to see if they have the basic knowledge and skills for the upcoming unit of work. You can than plan from the results of the Learning Object where you need to start the learning.

In reference to the Dimensions of Learning Framework, I would class this e-learning tool as Dimension 2: Acquire and Integrate Knowledge – Store. According to Marzano and Pickering, 2006) it is believed that there should be a deemphasizing of memorizing throughout the learning process. This is because “it is more important for students to focus on understanding (not recalling) information, to learn where to find information and to learn how to access it” (Marzano & Pickering, 2006, p. 73). By using a Learning Object to store new information, the students are focusing less on “memorizing” what they have learnt and more on understanding and using the knowledge.

Concept Maps Online

Concept Maps have been used in classrooms for as long as I can remember. They are a great way of organizing information or brainstorming to bring out prior knowledge. In Dimensions of Learning Teachers Manual, Marzano and Pickering (2006) provide six patterns in which information can be organized. One of these six patterns is a concept map. Marzano and Pickering (200, p. 62) state that graphic organizers, such as concept maps, “can be used in the classroom in two ways: in teacher structured and student structured lessons.”

In my classroom I have seen concept maps used as a way to get the students’ prior knowledge before the beginning of a new unit. This was very effective and the students got to share ideas and collaborate with one another. Although I have seen this, I have never seen an online concept map used within a classroom learning experience. When first exploring this tool, I did not think I would use it in my classroom, as it seems to be quite time consuming. However, I do believe that you could collaboratively create a whole class concept map using this e-learning tool.

When using this tool for organizing new information, I do believe that it would be effective if the learners were doing so using the online version as the students would be engaged and captivated by the technology they are using. In my classroom context, I would have the students working in pairs or small groups of 3. My reason for this is time. When creating my own concept map online it took me quite a while to do. I believe if students were to work collaboratively time would not be such a big issue.

I would place this tool in The Dimensions of Learning Framework under Dimension 2: Acquire and Integrate Knowledge – organize. According to Marzano and Pickering (2006) “learning declarative knowledge involves organizing information”. This e-learning tool is a great way to organize new information and would do so in an effective way.

Blogs

A blog (or web log) is an online tool that allows users to display postings on particular topics in chronological order (Education Queensland, 2010). Blogs are a fantastic resource to use in the classroom, as they are very effective and easy to use. According to the Department of Education (WA) (2001) “blogs provide a communication space that teachers can utilize with students whenever there is a curriculum need to develop writing, share ideas and reflect on work being undertaken in the classroom.”

There are many uses for blogs in the classroom. Small selections of these uses are:

  • · Reflecting.
  • · Analysis.
  • · Evaluation.
  • · Collaborative learning.

Students could use blogs as a reflective journal, uploading posts on what they have learnt throughout the day or week or writing from a topic given by the Learning Manager.

Students could use a blog to analyse and evaluate certain topics, information or (like myself over the past few weeks) different tools.

One of the best things about blogs is that they encourage collaborative learning by allowing students to post comments on their own and each other’s blogs and participate in professional conversation with their peers. According to Bruner, 1996, p.84, cited in Brady, 2006, p. 3) “learning should be participatory, proactive, communal, collaborative, and given over to the construction of meaning.” Brady (2006) believes that learning happens when students are actively engaged and through communication and collaboration with peers, teachers and the wider community. Using a blog in classroom learning experiences allows this to occur.

Depending on how the blog is being used within the classroom, I would place this tool under the ‘Comprehension’ stage of Blooms Taxonomy or the ‘Evaluation’ state. Throughout the comprehension stage, the “student translates, comprehends, or interprets information based on prior learning” (Vieyra, 2006).

Digital Video

Digital video is a tool that allows students to create their own video, whether using still or moving images, on the computer to present their knowledge to a particular audience. Digital video is a great tool for classroom use as it benefits students in such ways:

“Development of a variety of literacies; authentic learning experiences; motivation and engagement; expression and communication; collaborative learning skills; and technological skills” (Schuck & Kearney, 2004, p. 14).

Digital video can be used in the classroom as a way for students to present their knowledge to an audience. Ultimately, it can be used as an engaging assessment tool. In my context students have used digital video to construct claymation movies using their alebrijis that they created throughout the term. The students were so engaged with this assessment item throughout the whole term and could not wait to present their movies to the class and wider school community.

I would place digital video in step 5 of the BIG 6 – Synthesis: Present Information. “Synthesis, is the point at which everything is brought together. All separate notes, thoughts, facts, research, outlines, ideas, scraps of paper, and observations are tied together into a finished product, which could take any number of forms” (The Big 6, 2007).

Comments

Throughout the last few weeks, while keeping my blog, I have made comments and have had professional conversations with my peers. You can read these comments and conversations by clicking on the links below.

The BIG 6 - Comments on Teagan's and Renee's blog.

Images - Comment on Renee's blog.

WIKIs - Comments on Jessica's and Renee's blog.

Concept Maps - Comment on Teagan's blog.

Blogs - Comment on Teagan's blog.

Conversation with Renee on my blog posting - Concepts maps.

Comment left by Teagan on my blog posting - Digital Video.


References

Brady, L. (2006). Collaborative Learning in Action. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Education Australia

Bratina, T., Hayes, D., & Blumsack, S. (2002). Preparing Teachers to Use Learning Objects. Retrieved from: http://technologysource.org/article/preparing_teachers_to_use_learning_objects/

Clark, R.C., & Mayer, R.E. (2007). E-learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning. Retrieved from: http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=MOutGGET2VwC&oi=fnd&pg=PR15&dq=E-learning+&ots=XJscDdBZEh&sig=3WadErN-FqbNGA_hhmuD4U0jhz8#v=onepage&q&f=true

Department of Education. (2010). Resourcing the curriculum: Blogs in education. Retrieved from: http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/cmis/eval/curriculum/ict/weblogs/#value

Education Queensland. (2010). The learning Place: About blogs. Retrieved from: http://education.qld.gov.au/learningplace/communication/blogs/aboutblogs.html

Marzano, R., & Pickering, D. J. (2006). Dimensions of Learning Teacher's Manual 2nd Edition. Victoria: HawkerBrownlow Education.

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/pdfs/ReportWeb.pdf

Story - Huffman, R. (2007). Big6 Stage 5: Synthesis of Information. Retrieved from: http://www.big6.com/2007/09/30/big6-stage-5-synthesis-of-information/

Vieyra, G. (2007). A Dialectical Interpretation of Factual Knowledge in Vygotskyan Terms vs. Bloom ́s Taxonomy as Interpreted by the Teaching Staff at 75th Street Elementary School (LAUSD). Retrieved from: http://www.gestaltdialektik.com/content/Factual_Knowledge_in_Vygotskyan_Terms.pdf

Queensland Studies Authority (QSA).(2007). Information and Communication Technologies: Cross Curriculum priority by the end of year 3. Retrieved from: http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/downloads/early_middle/qcar_ccp_ict_yr3.pdf


Tuesday, August 24, 2010

The BIG 6


The BIG 6 is a problem solving framework used when ever someone uses or needs information. According to this website, it "is the most widely known and widely used approach to teaching information and technology skills in the world".

The same website provides the following information on each stage of The BIG 6, stating that "successful information problem-solving encompasses six stages with two sub-stages under each":

Google Earth, Google Maps and Scribble Maps

Google Earth:



Google Earth is such a great tool. It allows users to see images from all over the Earth right there in front of them. You can zoom in to street view or zoom out for a view of the whole city, state or country. Google Earth would be a great tool to use in the classroom as it allows students to interact with a variety of different places. I have used Google Earth in the classroom for an activity on latitude and longitude, where I gave the students locations and they had to figure out the latitude and longitude of each and plot them on a map (which included a latitude and longitude grid).
Google Earth is not only good for viewing pictures but also good for interactive lessons on many other topics. I explored the Google Earth for Educators website and found so many awesome ideas I never would have thought of. I encourage you to take a look as it has heaps of lesson plan ideas, shows ways that you can use Google Earth for different subjects and so much more.
The only downfall of using Google Earth would be the need for many computers, I would recommend only 2 students per computer. However this could be overcome by good planning for a whole class activity on s smart-board.

Google Maps:



Google Maps is very similar to Google Earth. It allows you to see images of places around the world, showing street views and also city, state, country or world views. Google Maps allows you to create your own personalised map based on the places you provide. Like Google Earth, Google Maps also have a great website with ideas on how to use Google Maps in the classroom. Go to Google for Educators and have a look around.

Scribble Maps:



Scribble Maps is a website that allows you to draw lines and pictures over Google maps. It's features include:
  • Draw shapes and scribble.
  • Add custom images / overlay.
  • Place text.
  • Place markers.
  • Send maps to friends.
  • Print off custom maps.
Scribble maps is a free tool and you do not need an account to have access to it. It would be a great tool to use in the classroom for the students to interactively learn about the area they live in. For a SOSE activity you could get the students to identify and mark the areas in their school that have leaking taps on the map. This activity could be an individual activity for older students or a whole class activity for younger students. Their is an endless range of possibilities for using this tool. I am sure I will use it when I have my own classroom.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Learning Objects

Any digital resource, which can be used and reused to support students learning can be defined as a learning object (Wiley, 2002, cited in Bratina, Hayes & Blumsack, 2002).

Throughout both my practical experiences I have not seen any learning objects in use. However, I have had the chance to come in contact with a fair few throughout my university courses. I think learning objects would be a great tool to use within the classroom. They provide the opportunity for learners to not only acquire knowledge, but also to extend knowledge. Learning objects are engaging and I believe they would captivate students' interest within a lesson.
As I have been able to explore The Curriculum Exchange throughout my studies, I have noticed that there is a wide range of learning objects available for many topics in most KLAs. I would love the opportunity to see a learning object used within a classroom as this is an online tool I definitely believe I would use in my own classroom to explore certain topics with my students.

If anyone has any stories about the use of learning objects in their prac classroom I would love to hear them.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Digital Video


Digital video is a great tool for the classroom. I had a go at making my own video (with the help of other group members) for an English Curriculum assignment. Although it is fairly simple, with only images, music and little text, I still had fun creating the video. I know that students love to have a go at creating their very own video as I have seen this within my own prac experience. The students made their own Alebrijes and use those in groups to create a claymation picture story. The results were fantastic! And these were only year 2 students!! Imagine what an upper primary student could do! Some other ideas I have for the use of digital video in the classroom are to
create a photo-story or a class video for students to take home at the end of the year. I am sure there are many more uses, my mind is just a little blank at the moment =)

I do know, however, that I will definitely use digital video as an engaging and hands on tool for students in my future classroom. Does anyone have a different feeling towards digital video?

For some reason I can not get my video to upload. Can anyone help me with this?
Just press play to listen to a short comment of my thoughts of Voki's =)

Podcasting

OMG!! Podcasting? Can anyone help me? I just get so confused when it comes to podcasting. I have a small understanding of what they are as a friend of mine downloads Hamish and Andy podcasts from their radio show to listen to. I also had a small experience with podcasting when I went to QUT in Brisbane, as all the lectures would be made in to a podcast and available for download from blackboard if you were absent or wished to see some of the lecture again.

But I have never heard of podcasts being used in the primary classroom and, quite frankly, I am not sure how I could use them.

Could anyone let me know their ideas?

Thanks =)


Image Resizing

In addition to my earlier post I have decided to leave a small comment on image resizing. These days it is so easy that you could do it in Microsoft word or even in windows paint program. If you have trouble with this, you can use web resources such as MobaPhoto which is a free tool that will resize your photos for you so you are able to upload them to the internet. I have had a play with this software and personally believe it is easier to resize them using my current PC applications.

=)


Image Manipulation and Images Online

Image Manipulation:


Image Manipulation is such a great way to teach learners about visual literacy, how images are manipulated to create certain viewpoints or to evoke certain emotions. By actually getting the students to manipulate their own image they will be engaged in the learning and have the opportunity to share their work with others. I would definitely use this tool within the classroom.

Images Online:

Using images throughout the learning process is a great way to engage students in their learning. These days it is SO easy to find images of almost ANYTHING on the internet. However, you do have to be careful of what students type into the search box (although I do believe that Education Queensland have a ban on search words that are inappropriate or insensitive).
Images can be used within the classroom to enhance learning when discussing a new topic: I started a unit on droughts with a year 7/6 class last year and had pictures of drought areas in Australia in a presentation while I was introducing drought to the students. This made the students extremely engaged (I don't think they ever sat so still and quiet in the whole time I was there).
They could also be used for students to make their own presentations more interesting, to learn about visual literacy, to enhance understanding and so, SO much more.

=)

After reading Renee's blog on this same topic, I left a comment on privacy issues with uploading photos on to the internet. You can read my comment here.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

LMS - moodle

According to the Managing E-Learning moodle site an LMS is a tool that offers "a single platform that delivers content, manages assessment, provides communication forums and virtual collaboration for students."
Through the last year and a half of university I believe using blackboard and moodle have made my studies so much easier. All the information I need is so easy to access as it is all in one place.
As I haven't been able to create my own LMS I feel I am unable to really get a feel for it. I do hope to try it out in a classroom setting and see what the students think about it though. If anybody was able to create one I would love to hear your thoughts about the tool.

=)

Prezi.com

Hi all.
I just had a look at Prezi.com and I think they are fantastic. Very similar to PowerPoint but way more visually enticing. Prezi.com allows users to zoom in and slide over their information. You can also play videos, add images and animate.
Prezi.com could be used to provide information to students in a visually appealing way and i believe it would definitely enhance engagement within the learning experience. However, in saying that, if it was over used it could get boring after a while as all the excitement of something different would be gone. I believe Prezi.com has many of the same uses in PowerPoint by would be a better, more creative, fun tool to use.
I am certain students would have heaps of fun creating one of these.

PowerPoint

Hi all.
It has been a while since blogging but I think it is time I started again as the due date is getting closer. I have got a little off track with other assignments but will be focussing on my blogs from now on!
This morning I had a look at PowerPoint. PowerPoint is probably the easiest to use so far as it is so common these days. I remember when I was back at school and I was so excited to use PowerPoint for my presentations. But what I don't understand now is with all this new technology, why are teachers and students still only using PowerPoint. Obviously not all are like that, but the ones I have had experience with are. In saying that, PowerPoint is a great tool as you can add images, text, moving images, sound and great transitions (to name only a few) in to them, and not to mention soooo easy to use!
PowerPoint can also be used in many ways within the classroom. It can be used as assessment pieces, where students collate all their information into a powerpoint. It could also be used as a fun way to answer a quiz, say the learning manager gives the class an internet quiz where they have to answer set questions by finding answers on the internet, they could make a slide for each answer and make it interesting. I have also seen it used as a great tool for students to talk about what they did on their holidays. That way they can bring in some photos from home to add or find images on the web of places they had been. That way it is not just writing for half an hour.
I'm sure there are many, many ways to incorporate PowerPoint in to the classroom. I would love to hear your ideas.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Weebly Websites

I like this tool. Creating my own website was fairly simple using weebly.com. I believe this would be a fun and interactive learning experience for students in a primary school and could be incorporated in multiple ways. Learning Managers could use this tool as an assessment task for students in upper primary where the students have to create their own website to portray information on a particular topic. In the younger years the class could collaboratively create a website that they can show to parents on what they have discovered from their learning throughout the term. When I am in my own classroom I will definitely use this technology.

WIKI spaces


Today I had a go at creating my own WIKI space. I found it was actually quite easy to use. I had fun creating it and choosing a theme. It was quite similar to designing my blog. WIKI spaces can be used for anything you want to write about. But unlike blogs, a WIKI space can be edited by other people. I create a list of things I had to do for my blog and will cross them off as each one is completed.

A WIKI could be a great classroom tool for collaborative assessment, group members could upload and share new information with their group members. It could also be great to use as a site for class excursions and camps, where the class could upload lists of items they need to bring and as someone thinks of something else they could add it to the page.

I would be interested in other ideas of how to use a WIKI in the classroom as this is something that I believe could be engaging for the learners.

=)

After reading Jessica and Kelly's blogs I noticed the had a different experience to me according to using WIKI's. You can see my comment on Jessica's blog here.

Kelly's blog had a great website with many uses for WIKI's within the classroom. I urge you to take a look at it as it contains some great ideas: Smart Teaching "50 ways to use a WIKI".

Concept Mapping Online

Concept mapping is a great way to brainstorm, organize information, etc. The website bubbl.us allows you to create concept maps online. You can create your concept map, add text, change colours and connect information bubbles and overall get a great, effective looking concept map. But for some reason I do not like this tool. I am quite technologically literate and found this an easy task, except for the fact that it took me AGES to do. I like using concept maps in the classroom. I believe they are an effective teaching strategy but I don't think they should take forever to complete.

Maybe in an upper primary classroom the students could use this tool as they would be more comfortable using computers and computer programs. However, I do NOT recommend this tool for lower primary. If I was to use this in an early years classroom, however, I would write up a concept map on the white board (collaboratively) and then create the concept map myself to print out and place on the wall for future reference.

This is only my opinion though! Happy blogging all =)

I have left a comment on Teagan's blog about the use of concept maps in the early years classroom. You can read it here.

Upon further reflection I do believe this tool would be valuable to use. Although it is time consuming, you could get students to draft their concept maps on paper and create them using this tool. The students would then be more engaged in the learning as it would be a fun way to implement a usually standard learning experience. =)

Blogs


A blog is a simple online tool that allows a person to post their thoughts and feelings on a certain topic. Different people use blogs for different reasons.

At first, creating a blog seemed daunting. I thought it would be a hard process and take forever to use. However, when I began to create my blog I was amazed at how easy it actually was. Using Google Blogger I successfully created my own personalized blog. I was even able to change my background, font and colour scheme without messing anything up.

I believe that blogs would be a great classroom tool to use in the primary classroom. It would allow students to work collaboratively, share ideas and information, provide feedback to each other and to reflect on their learning. Although it seems most suitable for upper primary students, blogs could be incorporated in to the lower years by making it a whole class activity.

I am glad that I have been given blogging as a task as there is no way I would have created my own blog otherwise. I now plan on incorporating blogs in my future classroom.

Happy blogging everyone =)

After reading Teagan's blog I made a comment about the use of blogs in early year classrooms. You can read my comment here.

Procrastination


I created my blog over a week ago. Every night I tell myself that I 'HAVE to start blogging tonight', but when it comes time, I always find something else that needs doing. Today I discovered the reason for my procrastination... quite simply I'm scared to blog. I have never been someone to write a journal or a diary and frankly I not an over emotional person. I don't feel the need to tell the world my every thought or feeling. However! I have come to terms with the fact that I do HAVE to blog and have concluded that it will be beneficial in the long run. So, with that I have completed my first post and am looking forward to blogging with you all over the next month or so.

Night all =)