Synopsis

As my final blog posting on this blog this synopsis aims to make links from my own experiences with these technologies, and my growing awareness of how I would use these tools within a classroom environment . 

In reflecting on my learning in this course it is necessary for me to expand on my growing views related to learning theories and the application of digital tools from the perspective of myself as a future learning manager.  The role of teachers in regards to digital technologies is one that cannot be ignored as today’s learners are faced with a future in which technology plays an increasing role (Mishra & Koehler, 2006). Moreover Florida (2002) suggests that society is changing to embrace a creativity that requires different skill sets from the past.  Theorists have proposed that this must prompt us to consider how learners learn in a new framework, one that builds on the ideas of constructivist learning and expands this into a brave new world where learning takes place not just within people but around them in systems and through networks ( Hargreaves, 1998) The TPCK- Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge framework has been suggested as a way of integrating the related areas of teacher practice within the classroom with subject specific knowledge, the use of digital tools and environments and the learning that we seek as teachers to encourage.  Going further than simply suggesting teacher’s use technology in teaching, this framework supports knowing how to use technology in a way to enhance higher order thinking rather than for its own sake (Mishra & Koehler, 2006). The framework recognises the problems inherent in technology use such as the rapidly evolving nature of technology;  and offers solutions including the suggestion of teachers learning in a “technology-by- design” approach (Mishra & Koehler, 2006). 

The approach outlined felt ultimately familiar to me as a student teacher as I immersed myself in the course activities, as I felt that this was a hands on way to learn and integrate my understandings of the uses of technology.  In this way the TPCK framework has encouraged me to think more about the how of technology use rather than the what of simply selecting digital tools. 

As I began this course  I considered the ideas on how I learnt best and how others learners may also have learning preferences.  While there is questions surrounding multiple intelligences it is clear that different people may find benefit in different areas of the digital spaces ( Paik, 1998 ). My reflections on these different learning styles can be found HERE.  The mobile phone wiki that we contributed to really opened my eyes to my own cynical attitudes, a view expanded upon by Leadbeater (2002) who says that pessimism permeates the view of science and technology for our future in many ways, through the view that machines may out evolve humans as we know them, or the havoc that technological advances could make (Leadbeater, 2002). However like Leadbeater I also found through considering the use of technologies in a positive way that I found a new dawning appreciation for what this new technological future could hold (Leadbeater, 2002). This initial pessimism was obvious in my use of the mobile phone wiki. Looking back I can see how limited my participation was in this activity as I felt uncomfortable sharing knowledge in an online space. I then reflected on this in my blog posting. As a teacher my experience will help me to scaffold online learning environments by preparing children through the use of habits of mind and classroom climate to be confident to have a go with learning experiences. After my reticence to participate I reflected more about the importance of being allowed to make and learn through mistakes and shared an interesting talk about this within my blog postings.  I appreciated the use of de Bono’s hats as a scaffolding tool and this helped me to contribute to the wiki and elucidated the importance of scaffolding students’ response to provide an easy entry into posting in online spaces.  In this way I also experienced the ‘expert teaching’ approach described as a knowledge based profession and therefore reliant on developing thinking skills more than transferring information (Turner- Bisset,  2001).

Therefore I approached the practice of using the first group of tools, with the idea of ‘having a go at using them’  despite my fears and considering their use within a learning situation.   I found that I was able to create content and reflect on using Wikispaces  and  through investigating this kind of online space I also found myself being drawn to the use of social media as an online learning space similar to wikis, and I expand on this in my blog.  Similarly I created a website which is linked here in my Wikispace. I reflected on websites in this posting. Amongst these tools I really enjoyed blogging. I learnt that I loved writing regularly and would use this online space within a classroom setting to provide that opportunity to my students. Alternately I also found that blogs can include all sorts of multimodal content, which could encourage all students to use them as an online space for presenting other work, or a record of their learning.  From this I’ve expanded on my ideas about using blogs, as online spaces within the classroom through the use of a PMI strategy in my blog post.

The second group of tools covered the use of images, audio and video. I really enjoyed discovering these tools. I loved the easy manipulation of digital images, and considered the use of digital audio in a school context, this lead me to again reflect upon my own learning in a blog posting. My focus tool is digital video as this week prompted me to think about my limited use of video. I have uploaded a video that my daughter and I produced using movie maker and reflected on the learning involved in this blog posting here.  Using movie maker allowed us to plan, make and learn about the topic that we were making the movie for. In this way my experience of using this technology will inform my teaching practice as I see how movie maker allows for an engaging way to learn content while also learning technological skills and work through from a plan to a finished product. 

Presentation tools were the group 3 digital tools. As I had experimented with glogster previously using images, I considered PowerPoint and Prezi in this  posting.  My initial attitude of reticence to newer technologies is evident in how I began to interact with Prezi. I found the intuitiveness ‘difficult’ and the zoom feature confusing. However the effectiveness of a finished Prezi is inspiring. As a learning manager I would consider using Prezi above and beyond PowerPoint for my own presentations for this reason. I also think that younger learners would benefit from the ease of the editing in Prezi. With practice things do make sense and the pictures instead of text menus enable even non readers to navigate the editor easily. For this reason my experience with Prezi was an important one in terms of my learning as it was a tool I was not comfortable using that now I would consider using more often. As a way of presenting content Prezi’s wow factor is something that I would love my students to see and associate with their hard work.  

The last group of tools included varied online digital tools including animations and simulations. Learning objects were also included.  I loved Google Earth and as a resource it seems to have limitless applications. I have included the introductory Youtube clip in my blog for this week’s tools.  I admit I found it challenging to use and slightly frustrating to control and find what and how to do things as this was the first time I had seen the layers. My previous experience of using this tool has been for the novelty value of being able to look up local areas therefore as a learning manager I can see how my expertise in using this resources has plenty of room to grow. My focus tool for this group is ZooBurst pop up story books. This seems to be a simple tool where stories can be written with graphics that pop up when you turn the page. As an early childhood teacher this resources really appealed to me because of the simplicity. It was colourful and I immediately started to think about the application in classrooms. I think this would be a great resource in an early years environment and I’ve shared some of my ideas about using it within this blogposting.

In conclusion, I started this course with a pessimistic mindset toward the use of technology. I’ve found that using the technology has excited me and encouraged me to think about applying it within classroom situations. Using the scaffolding of ‘thinking hats’ has allowed me to understand further how digital tools for their own sakes are not enough in a classroom, and specific thought needs to be given on the learning managers behalf on how the tools will extend learning. Further to this a real integration between the content area being taught, the tools themselves and then the skills needed to use the tools and demonstrate the learning is the ideal. I’ve found through my own practice that digital tools lend themselves to a learning through doing approach, however this still needs to be carefully scaffolded to support reticent students like myself and to gently encourage students to use the tools in a way that investigates the content area, and expands thinking. I am just at the beginning of my learning journey into managing E- learning, and I am looking forward to continuing to learn.

Florida, R. (2002). The rise of the creative class: And how it’s transforming work, leisure, community and everyday life. New York, NY: Basic Books.

Hargreaves, D. ( 1998). Creative professionalism: The role of teachers in the knowledge society. London, UK: Demos.

Leadbeater. C. (2002). Up the down escalator: Why the global pessimists are wrong. London, UK: Viking.

Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. ( 2006, June). Technological Pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017-1054

Paik, H. S. (1998). One intelligence or many. Retrieved from  http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/paik.html

Turner- Bisset, R.(2001). Expert teaching. London,UK: David Fulton Publishers.