Group 2 tools - Audio
Podcasts are one way to embrace digital audio tools. Podcasts are similar to recorded radio shows, and are used to present information in an aural way. Usually they are simply listened to but vodcasts also fall under the podcast banner and are audio linked with aural presentation of information.
As a more verbal linguistic learner I find that the written word is easier for me to grasp than the aural information contained in podcasts however learning styles are so varied and multifaceted that being able to provide information in different ways is important to me as a future learning manager.
I can see podcasts being useful in upper primary classrooms as learners utilise technology such as ipods to access podcasts. As a learning manager I could see myself investigating producing my own podcasts or alternatively podcasts provide a way for learners to publish their information.
Podcasts already exist on a numerous amount of topics and are often accessible freely on line. For this reason they may also be an interesting source of new information on topics. However due to the large volume of information they provide another avenue to teach information literacy, as learners may have to decide on such things as the bias of the source providing the information, and how useful the information may be towards their study goals.
Digital audio can also be used in conjunction with visual tools such as Vokis. These visual tools will be explored in my next blog.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
From wikis and onto websites and integrating them into the classroom.
Group 1 tools online spaces - Websites
Using websites in an educational context.
As I've discovered Wikispaces area great way to encourage collaborative learning
However next I I investigated creating a website to familiarise myself with this type of online space. I found that this was a lot easier than I imagined it would be.
I used Weebly to create my website, and this sort of interface provides templates and tutorials to make it much easier to design a website.
My initial view of websites are to see them as a less interactive online space, one that suggests a use as some sort of online cork board such as a notice board to display classroom information. Similarly to this websites seem to suggest themselves as a way for teachers to stay organised and manage classroom information. To this end they can be used for things such as
As a learning manager the value of websites for me would be the ease of being able to connect to the learning community and the parents and other stakeholders involved in my classroom. With the proper due care given to using photographs of students, a website becomes a colourful place to display an up to date record of classroom activities.
Webquests may be a way to use websites in a more interactive fashion. Through using a webquest students have access to a website where a series of tasks are set, with provided resources. These provided resources may be other websites, or digital tools or spaces.
The use of websites in the way of webquests provides scaffolding to students through their design.
To use technology effectively scaffolding needs to be thought of by the learning manager. The technology itself is not enough to provide to the students, in some ways learning about the topics covered in a webquest could be done without the online environment through searching in books and with search engines, however the use of a specifically designed webpage that includes appropriate links allows the learning focus to be on opportunities to practise skills and search for information in a structured way to enhance learning.
Here is an example of a webquest developed for younger learners.
Similarly to the webquest, webpages can be designed to be classroom spaces for publication through the use of multiple pages. One way I would use a website like this in a classroom space could be through the use of the site as a publishing tool for class work. A writing task such as producing a school online news paper could easily utilise a website in this way, as in this example "Yesterday's News". This use of a website produces a tangible link to real life experiences.
Although I think websites are a less interactive than other online spaces, as a learning manager I am convinced of the usefulness of websites within the classroom
Using websites in an educational context.
As I've discovered Wikispaces area great way to encourage collaborative learning
I used Weebly to create my website, and this sort of interface provides templates and tutorials to make it much easier to design a website.
My initial view of websites are to see them as a less interactive online space, one that suggests a use as some sort of online cork board such as a notice board to display classroom information. Similarly to this websites seem to suggest themselves as a way for teachers to stay organised and manage classroom information. To this end they can be used for things such as
- Announcements
- Class Calendar
- Homework Assignments
- Supply Lists
- Pictures
- Post Student Work
- Parent Involvement/Volunteer Opportunities
- Classroom Rules and Policies
- Links
- Your Bio and Contact Info
As a learning manager the value of websites for me would be the ease of being able to connect to the learning community and the parents and other stakeholders involved in my classroom. With the proper due care given to using photographs of students, a website becomes a colourful place to display an up to date record of classroom activities.
Webquests may be a way to use websites in a more interactive fashion. Through using a webquest students have access to a website where a series of tasks are set, with provided resources. These provided resources may be other websites, or digital tools or spaces.
The use of websites in the way of webquests provides scaffolding to students through their design.
To use technology effectively scaffolding needs to be thought of by the learning manager. The technology itself is not enough to provide to the students, in some ways learning about the topics covered in a webquest could be done without the online environment through searching in books and with search engines, however the use of a specifically designed webpage that includes appropriate links allows the learning focus to be on opportunities to practise skills and search for information in a structured way to enhance learning.
Here is an example of a webquest developed for younger learners.
Similarly to the webquest, webpages can be designed to be classroom spaces for publication through the use of multiple pages. One way I would use a website like this in a classroom space could be through the use of the site as a publishing tool for class work. A writing task such as producing a school online news paper could easily utilise a website in this way, as in this example "Yesterday's News". This use of a website produces a tangible link to real life experiences.
Although I think websites are a less interactive than other online spaces, as a learning manager I am convinced of the usefulness of websites within the classroom
Monday, November 14, 2011
Using blogs in schools
Group 1 tools - Online spaces- Wikispaces, blogs for learning and websites
Another perspective on blogging can be found here...
http://beyond-school.org/2008/05/01/for-the-roses-my-latest-position-on-classroom-blogging/
It is a very interesting position that seeks to value writing, and argues that using blogs as a tool to magically encourage teenagers to write is flawed. Instead the author seems to suggest that writers write, and when given a blog writers blog, because it is another platform in which to write. That makes complete sense really. the author goes further to criticize homework blogs as a useless way to encourage writing. He classes himself as an 'elitist' English teacher because of his stance that it's the flowering writers that we ought to be interested in really. As a learning manager, although not in a high school situation, I am not sure I agree wholeheartedly....my first thought is that we as teachers need to carry along all students with us upstream rather than just leave behind those not 'capable/passionate' .
I also wonder if the use of blogging will magically open doors for those who wouldn't otherwise write as it can invite so many other senses and the use of a keyboard/other tools rather than a pen - I heard a story recently about someone who was illiterate until he discovered he could use a keyboard successfully and is now learning to communicate with written language via the internet in ways he never was able to using pen and paper....
Another reason why I think I could embrace blogs in my classroom is because of the simple fact that not all blogs need to contain a large amount of writing, or indeed 'writer's writing' for that matter. A blog in any case can be what you make it. The variety of opportunities could see blogs being useful tools in many classroom situations and for many different learners, natural writers or not.
I believe a certain amount of scaffolding would be needed to use blogs in classroom situations. The ethics regarding what can be used on a blog and the netiquette required in an online space is one area of prior knowledge that I think it would be the learning manager's responsibility to explicitly teach before using blogs within a classroom. Copyright law has provisions for using certain material in educational context however password protection and privacy settings are an important part of doing this safely and within the law.
Similarly to this the form of blog would need to be established.
PMI
Investigating using blogs for learning – My experiences
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Interesting
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Another perspective on blogging can be found here...
http://beyond-school.org/2008/05/01/for-the-roses-my-latest-position-on-classroom-blogging/
It is a very interesting position that seeks to value writing, and argues that using blogs as a tool to magically encourage teenagers to write is flawed. Instead the author seems to suggest that writers write, and when given a blog writers blog, because it is another platform in which to write. That makes complete sense really. the author goes further to criticize homework blogs as a useless way to encourage writing. He classes himself as an 'elitist' English teacher because of his stance that it's the flowering writers that we ought to be interested in really. As a learning manager, although not in a high school situation, I am not sure I agree wholeheartedly....my first thought is that we as teachers need to carry along all students with us upstream rather than just leave behind those not 'capable/passionate' .
I also wonder if the use of blogging will magically open doors for those who wouldn't otherwise write as it can invite so many other senses and the use of a keyboard/other tools rather than a pen - I heard a story recently about someone who was illiterate until he discovered he could use a keyboard successfully and is now learning to communicate with written language via the internet in ways he never was able to using pen and paper....
Another reason why I think I could embrace blogs in my classroom is because of the simple fact that not all blogs need to contain a large amount of writing, or indeed 'writer's writing' for that matter. A blog in any case can be what you make it. The variety of opportunities could see blogs being useful tools in many classroom situations and for many different learners, natural writers or not.
I believe a certain amount of scaffolding would be needed to use blogs in classroom situations. The ethics regarding what can be used on a blog and the netiquette required in an online space is one area of prior knowledge that I think it would be the learning manager's responsibility to explicitly teach before using blogs within a classroom. Copyright law has provisions for using certain material in educational context however password protection and privacy settings are an important part of doing this safely and within the law.
Similarly to this the form of blog would need to be established.
The case against pessimism
http://beyond-school.org/2009/12/25/on-using-technology-without-understanding-it/
I found this blog following a link from the week 3 resources and I was disappointed to find the latest entry seemed to be an adieu of sorts, I then aimlessly procrastinated by looking at the Youtubes embedded in the latest posts before I found this gem about a high school news paper's editorial comment regarding the use of technology in schools.
As I have been striving to get my head around the course materials and embrace the ideals of integrated technology that actually ensures learning the way no other tools can I have been developing a quietly pessimistic view. Surely a student could use a face to face meeting with another for collaborative learning as successfully as a wiki my mind tells me... And I fully blame being a mother of a teenager and therefore a relic of the digital immigrant society for this negative view point. Technology is stealing my past and the right to be a Luddite out from under me.
I guess that is why I enjoyed this blog post so much. The authors position, that by sharing in online environments arguments, opinions and information can be added to and built upon not just with those that are physically close to you but around the world and in ways that establish new knowledge really summed up the idea of connectivism. Similarly I applauded that someone had said and supported the idea that technology is not the be all and end all, that teacher's passion and their expertise is just as necessary and as individually important as web tools may be. I realise now that is the premise that we will be uncovering at the heart of this course but up until now I have felt that instead of recognising teacher strengths it has instead been the idea that teacher's who are not au fait with the technology must just " work harder " . Instead this author has managed to uncover for me the difference between the 'technology' and the learning, that technology can provide. Particularly his remarks about facebook as a common graffitied desk - Marc Prensky in his 2009 article regarding digital wisdom alluded to similar ideas by his admission that using technology was not an end in itself but how you use the technology - your digital literacy and its intentions in regards to knowledge creation are key.
So I can still be a mother who occasionally bemoans my children's screen time while also cautiously embracing technology in the classroom, recognising that it does offer us learning that no other tools provide. The globalisation of our world and the information overload and its associated challenges of evaluating information are part of society and I am not immune to it. My reticence to embrace the technology may be because of the lack of role models in my life who know the power of what these tools give us. This blog, this author, he just gave me a glimpse.
I found this blog following a link from the week 3 resources and I was disappointed to find the latest entry seemed to be an adieu of sorts, I then aimlessly procrastinated by looking at the Youtubes embedded in the latest posts before I found this gem about a high school news paper's editorial comment regarding the use of technology in schools.
As I have been striving to get my head around the course materials and embrace the ideals of integrated technology that actually ensures learning the way no other tools can I have been developing a quietly pessimistic view. Surely a student could use a face to face meeting with another for collaborative learning as successfully as a wiki my mind tells me... And I fully blame being a mother of a teenager and therefore a relic of the digital immigrant society for this negative view point. Technology is stealing my past and the right to be a Luddite out from under me.
I guess that is why I enjoyed this blog post so much. The authors position, that by sharing in online environments arguments, opinions and information can be added to and built upon not just with those that are physically close to you but around the world and in ways that establish new knowledge really summed up the idea of connectivism. Similarly I applauded that someone had said and supported the idea that technology is not the be all and end all, that teacher's passion and their expertise is just as necessary and as individually important as web tools may be. I realise now that is the premise that we will be uncovering at the heart of this course but up until now I have felt that instead of recognising teacher strengths it has instead been the idea that teacher's who are not au fait with the technology must just " work harder " . Instead this author has managed to uncover for me the difference between the 'technology' and the learning, that technology can provide. Particularly his remarks about facebook as a common graffitied desk - Marc Prensky in his 2009 article regarding digital wisdom alluded to similar ideas by his admission that using technology was not an end in itself but how you use the technology - your digital literacy and its intentions in regards to knowledge creation are key.
So I can still be a mother who occasionally bemoans my children's screen time while also cautiously embracing technology in the classroom, recognising that it does offer us learning that no other tools provide. The globalisation of our world and the information overload and its associated challenges of evaluating information are part of society and I am not immune to it. My reticence to embrace the technology may be because of the lack of role models in my life who know the power of what these tools give us. This blog, this author, he just gave me a glimpse.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Wikispaces, and the use of them
Group 1 tools - Online spaces, Wikispaces.
This week I joined in on adding to the mobile phone wiki for this course using the framework of De Bono's thinking hats. I found this a challenging activity, to join in collaboration with others and put my opinions into an online environment where they could be judged.
It occurs to me that students may also feel confronted by using online learning spaces to collaborate. From this I have been reflecting on the scaffolding that might be important in using wikis to support learning. A large part of my teaching philosophy includes embracing mistakes as opportunities for learning .
Following on from this thought, I liked the idea of using the thinking hats to allow for students to enter the discussion somewhere they felt comfortable. It also seemed to allow for a growth of knowledge, a real construction of knowledge, socially constructed but stored in an outward environment rather than just constructed in our minds. In this way I began to understand the ideas presented in the summary of learning theories and other course materials. Specifically the reading I have begun to do on connectivism.
This theory really challenged my thinking by presenting the idea that knowledge can be constructed outside of humans, within machines and organisations. While I was comfortable with the ideas that connectivism builds upon social constructivist theory and addresses modern issues in learning such as the judgement or valueing of information, a necessary part of learning within such an information saturated society, I pondered for a while on this notion that learning can happen in machines. It seemed to present a futuristic view of the world which hinted at intelligent machines, like something from a science fiction novel. I guess the truth is stranger than fiction though, and intelligent machines do exist and are part of our everyday world. Facebook's security system for example manages to learn through experience of spam and evolve its systems.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21095-inside-facebooks-massive-cybersecurity-system.html
Similarly machines form part of our learning, recording and assisting recall in many ways. I often no quickly look up word definitions while reading online, and follow links to further my understanding of articles. I sift through links, disseminating the information, in short connectivism rings true for me.
As a student myself the use of this wiki inspired me to engage more in online spaces for other course work. The wiki environment felt comfortable for me however I found myself wanting more control and privacy so the answer for me was to set up and use a Facebook group in another course
https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/223497821050625/ . This group allowed for interaction in an online space and the facebook doc feature worked similarly to a wiki. The advantages of using the Facebook doc was that it was a familiar environment for me and my fellow learners and in some ways that made it less intimidating. It also allowed us to have a closed group space, not accessible by other students in our cohort, although our lecturer was added to the group so that we could still share in a way that could be monitored. A downside however was the limits of the doc function, compared to a wiki editor it was difficult to really make changes and Facebook's interface was temperamental at times. Facebook is cautiously being embraced as a learning environment however there are things to consider...More here. For this reason as a teacher using a simulated facebook style form may be a safer way to use this concept one such resources already exists.
I have also seen examples of online teaching spaces that are styled on Facebook's system Edmondo is one such site and other similar sites are being trialled to varying degress of success. Notesharing forms of social media are also other ways that social media is producing online study spaces. Halsey, an educator in a school that harnessed using the internet for engaging students through the use of a platform known as 'frog' had this to say about digital environments and their usefullnes,
"[Young people] spend all their time at home on the internet," he says. "They are using technology, they've got their phones, they've got Facebook, they've got all this stuff, they are very used to processing information that way. Then come to school and we present them with a textbook and a pen. That's such a sharp contrast".
As a teacher, I think the idea of social networking is a great way to extend collaborative groups outside the classroom. As an early childhood teacher I can see that wiki spaces provide another platform for collaboratively networking, not so much the individual students in my classes but the student community by giving a classroom space for parents and other community stakeholders to also be involved. That the students themselves can also contribute to this by embedding and uploading content either from a school computer or from their homes makes this a very accessible and valuable tool .
This week I joined in on adding to the mobile phone wiki for this course using the framework of De Bono's thinking hats. I found this a challenging activity, to join in collaboration with others and put my opinions into an online environment where they could be judged.
It occurs to me that students may also feel confronted by using online learning spaces to collaborate. From this I have been reflecting on the scaffolding that might be important in using wikis to support learning. A large part of my teaching philosophy includes embracing mistakes as opportunities for learning .
Following on from this thought, I liked the idea of using the thinking hats to allow for students to enter the discussion somewhere they felt comfortable. It also seemed to allow for a growth of knowledge, a real construction of knowledge, socially constructed but stored in an outward environment rather than just constructed in our minds. In this way I began to understand the ideas presented in the summary of learning theories and other course materials. Specifically the reading I have begun to do on connectivism.
This theory really challenged my thinking by presenting the idea that knowledge can be constructed outside of humans, within machines and organisations. While I was comfortable with the ideas that connectivism builds upon social constructivist theory and addresses modern issues in learning such as the judgement or valueing of information, a necessary part of learning within such an information saturated society, I pondered for a while on this notion that learning can happen in machines. It seemed to present a futuristic view of the world which hinted at intelligent machines, like something from a science fiction novel. I guess the truth is stranger than fiction though, and intelligent machines do exist and are part of our everyday world. Facebook's security system for example manages to learn through experience of spam and evolve its systems.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21095-inside-facebooks-massive-cybersecurity-system.html
Similarly machines form part of our learning, recording and assisting recall in many ways. I often no quickly look up word definitions while reading online, and follow links to further my understanding of articles. I sift through links, disseminating the information, in short connectivism rings true for me.
As a student myself the use of this wiki inspired me to engage more in online spaces for other course work. The wiki environment felt comfortable for me however I found myself wanting more control and privacy so the answer for me was to set up and use a Facebook group in another course
https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/223497821050625/ . This group allowed for interaction in an online space and the facebook doc feature worked similarly to a wiki. The advantages of using the Facebook doc was that it was a familiar environment for me and my fellow learners and in some ways that made it less intimidating. It also allowed us to have a closed group space, not accessible by other students in our cohort, although our lecturer was added to the group so that we could still share in a way that could be monitored. A downside however was the limits of the doc function, compared to a wiki editor it was difficult to really make changes and Facebook's interface was temperamental at times. Facebook is cautiously being embraced as a learning environment however there are things to consider...More here. For this reason as a teacher using a simulated facebook style form may be a safer way to use this concept one such resources already exists.
I have also seen examples of online teaching spaces that are styled on Facebook's system Edmondo is one such site and other similar sites are being trialled to varying degress of success. Notesharing forms of social media are also other ways that social media is producing online study spaces. Halsey, an educator in a school that harnessed using the internet for engaging students through the use of a platform known as 'frog' had this to say about digital environments and their usefullnes,
"[Young people] spend all their time at home on the internet," he says. "They are using technology, they've got their phones, they've got Facebook, they've got all this stuff, they are very used to processing information that way. Then come to school and we present them with a textbook and a pen. That's such a sharp contrast".
As a teacher, I think the idea of social networking is a great way to extend collaborative groups outside the classroom. As an early childhood teacher I can see that wiki spaces provide another platform for collaboratively networking, not so much the individual students in my classes but the student community by giving a classroom space for parents and other community stakeholders to also be involved. That the students themselves can also contribute to this by embedding and uploading content either from a school computer or from their homes makes this a very accessible and valuable tool .
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Learning Styles
So,
I've done the learning styles questionnaire and my results are below. I am not sure how I feel about these types of quizzes. I find myself always debating over which answer to pick that truly represents me, and I always wonder because in a way I feel uncomfortable with having to choose one little box to define myself. I also think that after doing a lot of these tests, I've come to *see* myself one way and I therefore pick questions that I think fit with that...whether they are realistic representations of my learning style I am not sure.
The other thing that occurs to me is that when reading the explanations is that in most cases people whatever their preferred style respond to information presented in various and multiple ways. To me this indicates that differentiation across the board is important with offering information in different ways and forms the most important thing.
If you want to have a go at the learning style quiz...Click
I've done the learning styles questionnaire and my results are below. I am not sure how I feel about these types of quizzes. I find myself always debating over which answer to pick that truly represents me, and I always wonder because in a way I feel uncomfortable with having to choose one little box to define myself. I also think that after doing a lot of these tests, I've come to *see* myself one way and I therefore pick questions that I think fit with that...whether they are realistic representations of my learning style I am not sure.
The other thing that occurs to me is that when reading the explanations is that in most cases people whatever their preferred style respond to information presented in various and multiple ways. To me this indicates that differentiation across the board is important with offering information in different ways and forms the most important thing.
Alternatively I do appreciate that an understanding of different preferences for learning allows teachers to 'reach' children who may otherwise switch off from learning. One example that comes to mind was working with some children to learn spelling words and doing this while bouncing balls outside. The use of movement, and physical activity presented the spelling activity in a completely different style than traditional sitting pen and paper spelling tasks and this was a huge advantage because it offered an alternative method that could appeal to some learners who do prefer movement based tasks.
Thinking about my own learning style has caused me to reflect on the activities
that I am comfortable using to learn and consequently how much proffered activities
can enhance student engagement. For instance I do not learn well aurally, and find
myself when I am listening to a podcast or radio show thinking abselntly " oh I've
missed a whole bit, what are they talking about now". As a learner if this was the
only option offered to me for gathering information I would find engaging and
consequently learning particularly difficult. Similarly while I am comfortable
with the printed word and happy to read information I am aware that for some
learners this method would be unsuitable as the main or only delivery method.
This reflection brings me to consider that a variety of offerings is important
when providing information, and also for practicing the skills and knowledges
that students are expected to learn. Allowing for different ways to present material
also prevents one learning style being favoured above another.
If you want to have a go at the learning style quiz...Click
Results for: Miatta Wighton
ACT X REF
11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7 9 11
<-- -->
SEN X INT
11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7 9 11
<-- -->
VIS X VRB
11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7 9 11
<-- -->
SEQ X GLO
11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7 9 11
<-- -->
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Learning Theories
It strikes me as I read about learning theories that I am inclined to go off on tangents. As I read about behaviourism and Pavlov's dog I think of my own small poodle and her dog training, using food rewards, which leads me to consider how I am constructing this knowledge through adding to my schema of what I already know about learning in one environment and how this relates to this new knowledge regarding theorists and the thinking behind these things that I have seen at work in my own world. In essence I am gaining metaknowledge regarding my thinking about learning and knowledge about these theorists and theories is giving me a framework to develop my own philosophy as a teacher. I see that cognitive theory makes sense to me as I consider the workings of my thoughts, and I also feel that I am constructing my knowledge, through building on previous ideas and conceptions.
One thing that this train of thought has lead to is the specific consideration of the use of these theories within teaching and learning and how I will use this knowledge when planning learning experiences.
As it is a Sunday morning here, my posting will need to be brief, so I will say that for me, the idea of learning manager's having a role of coach, or mentor, is one that I like. I believe that learning happens continuously, and so being able to scaffold the experiences for learners aiming towards learning outcomes makes sense to me.
I feel I have only began to touch on this subject, and unfortunately my other life as a mum is intruding on my studying right now. So for the first week this blog post is it.
I have also managed to set up my Wiki page for this course... More about that later.
Happy Studying everyone :)
One thing that this train of thought has lead to is the specific consideration of the use of these theories within teaching and learning and how I will use this knowledge when planning learning experiences.
As it is a Sunday morning here, my posting will need to be brief, so I will say that for me, the idea of learning manager's having a role of coach, or mentor, is one that I like. I believe that learning happens continuously, and so being able to scaffold the experiences for learners aiming towards learning outcomes makes sense to me.
I feel I have only began to touch on this subject, and unfortunately my other life as a mum is intruding on my studying right now. So for the first week this blog post is it.
I have also managed to set up my Wiki page for this course... More about that later.
Happy Studying everyone :)
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