I remember acquiring my first computer
and learning how to use it – my first introduction to technology. This was many years ago and back then
computers were mainly used to type up assignments, letters and create
spreadsheets, and play games such as solitaire.
Then suddenly the world wide web
came into being and Information Technology (IT) was born. Then somehow in between this time to the
present IT has morphed into Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
with such things as emails, skype, Facebook added to the mix – the digital
world. From this, Prensky (2001) would
classify me as a digital immigrant, one who is forced to adapt to the digital
world and the generation of students that will be in my future classroom are
referred to as digital natives, ones who are born into and grow up with
technology.
Technologies are changing rapidly and the
use of technology is increasing in the classroom and globally. It is critical
that as a future learning facilitator, that I am confident and have the
necessary skills to work with ICT to not only engage digital native students
but to make learning in the classroom meaningful, purposeful and promote higher
order thinking. This is E-learning – using ICT in new and innovative ways to “transform
classroom practice and student learning opportunities” (Education Queensland, 2008).
TPACK is the Technological Pedagogical
and Content Knowledge framework that has been developed that informs learning
design decisions about the content that will be delivered to students, what ICT
tools will be used to transform learning and pedagogies that will best support
learning outcomes (Mishra & Koehler, 2006).
Exploration
and Experimentation of ICT tools
During the last five weeks, I have been
introduced to ICT tools that I have never heard of and to some that I have
heard of, but have never actually used.
I have observed my sons engaging in ICT tools that I now have
experimented with. I am highly impressed,
and so are my sons, that I am more familiar with the variety of on-line digital
tools available. I have explored most of the ICT tools that have been
recommended throughout this course but have focused mainly on one or two from
each group. Not only have I learnt to
use various ICT tools but have discovered how these tools can be integrated
into learning design to support and enhance learning. The tools that have been
explored are shown below.
Group
1 Tools: On-line spaces –Web2.0
The first group of tools that I explored
were on-line spaces, which included blogs, wikis and websites. My first post sums up my unfamiliarity of
blogs and as I was required to create one for this subject for assessment purposes,
I have investigated if and how the use of blogs would enhance learning in the
classroom using a SWOT analysis. I was more familiar with Wikis and further
explanation is in my post. Similarly,
with websites, I use them nearly everyday for information and in the subject
SOSE, I created a WebQuest. Having
created a WebQuest enabled me to be more confident in building my own website, although I probably need to add
more content to it but it is a good start. These types of ICT tools allow
students to socially interact online by sharing their thoughts, ideas and
thinking that can be accessed by others, allowing feedback from others inturn can
enhance individual learning. This can be seen as a constructivist view of learning
as Vygotsy (1962) contends that learning is influenced by social interaction. Therefore
to enhance and support learning using these tools it is important, in my future
practice, that I design a scaffolding learning environment within these tools
by using thinking strategies such as De bonos’s thinking hats, SWOT analysis, PMI
or Inquiry model that enables students to engage in higher order thinking.
Group
2 Tools: Digital technologies
Podcast, digital video and digital images
are the types of tools that were explored in this group. A podcast is a digital audio file that can be
created and shared with others on-line. It
is similar to a radio broadcast but you can download it and listen to it
repeatedly, however you may need to subscribe really like podcasts because it
is an alternative way for students to learn and also to communicate what they
have learnt. Podcasts can be used in
many different ways in the classroom to enhance learning. Students can use
podcasts to search for resources for projects or more importantly, use them as
examples of how they can create an individual or collaborative podcast to share
information. More ideas on how podcasts
can be used in the classroom are available on the Podcasting in Education wiki. Digital images can be personal
photographs that have been upoloaded to computer or images that are found
online. Digital images can be enhanced or manipulated by using a free online
tool such as Picnik or commercial software packages such as iPhoto, PaintShop
pro, Corel Paint, Adobe PhotoShop and many more. I have used Picnik previously and it is very
similar to some of the commercial packages mentioned. The use of images can be a great “hook” in a
lesson or a topic to evoke emotions and ideas to stimulate and enhance
discussion. Digital Video/Movies gives students and teachers more creative and
engaging to tell stories, provide instructions and communicate
information. I have had experience creating a digital video with
Windows MovieMaker in a previous subject in which I used all three tools,
audio, images and video, that have been explored in this group. I also explored with Voki, which is another
digital tool that allows you create a digital avatar, and you can use it in the
classroom to provide instructions, communicate information and as a
presentation tool.
Group
3 Tools: Presentation Tools
The presentation tools that are to be
explored are PowerPoint, Prezi and Glogster.
I am an avid user of PowerPoint and I have experiemented with new ways
to create a more engaging and fun use.
This is described in my post. The
challenge for me in this group was to familiarise myself with Prezi and
Glogster. I have viewed a Prezi before
and I do like how it is not a linear structure and that you can zoom in and out
of the Prezi to emphasise specific content, however I find it can make me feel queasy
in the stomach viewing it. Creating a Prezi is time consuming, sometimes frustrating but fun. A PMI of the use of a Prezi on the classroom
as well as the Prezi I created can be viewed on my post. Glogster is an
interactive postermaking tool. It allows
students to create a poster that presents their knowledge on topics,
demonstrate their creativity and can be shared online. Text and other digital items such as images,
video and audio can be embedded and flash
elements such as animations. It is
essential for students to be able to communicate their learning in the
classroom environment. As a future
learning manager, it is important that I provide students opportunities to
communicate information and their learning through ways that they are
comfortable with and excited about and also these tools will enhance student’s
learning through engaging instruction and involvement.
Group
4 Tools: Other Technologies
This group of tools included Animations
and Simulations, Google Earth, Maps and
Documents, Online concept mapping, Online timelines, Zooburst and Museum
Box.
Animations and Simulations tools are
web-based interactive tools that can be accessed anytime and anywhere. Such tools are referred to as Learning
Objects or ExploreLearning and can be used to assist students in learning
complex and abstract concepts through virtual experiences can also extend and
refine knowledge. I explored learning
objects, in particular mathematics content, that are available on online
through subscribing to the Learning Federation website and also ExploreLearning
Gizmos. These are great interactive
learning tools but as teacher it is important to use these as interactive
resources to enhance and support learning, not to constitute learning. Google Earth and Maps are fantastic
resources as they enable students to connect globally through images. More information can be accessed on my post. Online concept mapping and timeline tools,
Zooburst and Museum Box are all web-based interactive tools are user-friendly
and designed to use for specific purposes and should be familiarised with to
use in future practice. However, the one
that really excited and engaged me was Zooburst – an interactive pop-up digital
3D storybook maker . It can be used to
create narratives or even presentation of topics.
Safety,
legal and ethical issues
The Internet and associated technologies has
given people the power to access information, provide information and
communicate with others not just locally but globally. There are risks working online and therefore Internet
safety is a major concern. Children can
be exposed to inappropriate material by searching online, they can be harassed or
bullied through social networks and email.
NetSafe Kids provide some resources for child safety and NetAlert, a government body, have
developed the Cybersafe school program that is designed to assist classroom
teachers to educate their students on internet safety.
An understanding of implications of
uploading and using materials online is imperative. The official guide to Copyright Issues forAustralian Schools and TAFE can be viewed
for further clarification. It is also
important to note that basic ethics suggest that all materials that is not your
property or created by you will need to be referenced. Therefore, as a future
learning manager, it is critical that I have a thorough understanding of the
safety, legal and ethical issues of working online. Furthermore, it is imperative that students
in my classroom are also aware of these issues and that they observe the
learning manager model ethical and legal behaviours.
To sum up, by participating actively in
this course through reading weekly materials, investigating and experimenting with
various ICT tools, I have learnt how these tools can transform learning. Therefore, in order to enhance , support
and transform learning for the future digital natives in 21st
Century classroom, it is necessary that I select appropriate content knowledge
and processes, make decisions about appropriate ICT and digital tools that can
be combined effectively with pedagogies to support the learning to achieve the
intended learning outcomes.
References:
Education Queensland. (2008). Smart classrooms bytes. Retrieved from
education.qld.gov.au/smartclassrooms/pdf/scbyte-elearning.pdf
Fasso, W. (n.d) Weekly materials: week 1 to
week 5. Retrieved from CQUniversity
moodle
FAHE11001
http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/course/view.php?name=FAHE11001_2113
Mishra, P. & Koehler, M.
(2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: a
framework for
teacher knowledge.
Teachers College Record, 108(6),
1017-1054.
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