Friday, May 28, 2010
Sunday, May 2, 2010
News Theme Soundtrack
Uploading this to my blog site I had problems. The first song I tried to do just wouldn't do it, computer telling me there were errors involved. So I tried this smaller file to see how it goes - I'm typing this while waiting to see if it works. Adding music to a presentation engages learners and extends the sensory perceptions used by learners. Small children do most of their early learning through music - from nursery rhymes and the alphabet song to groups like the Wiggles and the Hooley Dooleys - so it is a proven effective LM tool that should be utilised extensively in the classroom. Music provides a key to unlocking schemas - we all have songs that make us think of a time and place - and so music can help recall past knowledge when being applied to new situations.
This my posting begun yesterday while waiting for song uploaded from incompetech, saved on my computer and trying to upload to this blog. I believe the song not being able to upload, no matter how long I wait for process to finish, is due to the small size and basic programs on the hard drive in this computer. All unit I have had problems viewing even moodle sites because the software standard with this could not automatically convert the moodle to a program it could open. I eventually learnt how to do this manually, open with a different program, but don't think I will be able to correct this one.
This my posting begun yesterday while waiting for song uploaded from incompetech, saved on my computer and trying to upload to this blog. I believe the song not being able to upload, no matter how long I wait for process to finish, is due to the small size and basic programs on the hard drive in this computer. All unit I have had problems viewing even moodle sites because the software standard with this could not automatically convert the moodle to a program it could open. I eventually learnt how to do this manually, open with a different program, but don't think I will be able to correct this one.
Action Plan
This is the Action Plan I designed before my EPL began so it is very much theory based on what I'd like to be able to carry out in school environment.
Title: Technology and the Environment
Target Year Level: Year 7
Subject Areas and Specific curriculum goals Essential Learnings targeted:
English: WoW: points #5, #6
K&U: Speaking & Listening - points #2; Reading & Viewing - #7; Writing & Designing - #7; Language elements - #1, #4
Science: WoW: #3, #10
K&U: Science as a human endeavour - #1, #3; Energy & Change - #2
SOSE: WoW: #1, #2, #4
K&U: Place and Space - #3
Technology: WoW: #9
K&U: Technology as a Human endeavour - #3
ICTs: Inquiring with ICTS - #1, #2; Creating with ICTs - #3, #4; Communicating with ICTs - #1, #3; Ethics, Issues and ICTs - #8; Operating ICTs - #1, #4
Learning Outcomes to be Achieved:
Learners will understand how ICTs are able to raise awareness of issues that affect many and can participate and contribute to these authentic campaigns through use of ICTs
Learners will be able to identify the impact a product or service used in daily life has on the environment and able to identify the technological changes that are enabling impacts to be reduced
Learners will use class Glogster account to reflect on what they know when unit begins and what they learn after each lesson and be able to monitor their K-W-L strategies through these glogs
Learners will be able to use wiki to collaborate on the planned presentation and so learn how to contribute in group context and resolve issues to reach consensus
Learners will be able locate and identify appropriate internet resources for use
Conceptual Pedagogical Frameworks on which Design is Based
Based on facets of all DoL 1-5
The Learning Engagement Theory of Kearsley and Shneiderman 1999
Dale’s Cone of Learning
Lynch’s 8 Learning Management Questions
Authentic learning design involving relate-create-donate methodology
Relate - Learners will communicate and interact both in the classroom and via wiki to research, design and present set task
Create- Learners will be able to choose an issue that they feel they can relate to and will be able to direct the methods used in design and presentation of Glogster account, wiki contributions and powerpoint presentation
Donate- Learners will have understanding of how young people can contribute to wider community issues through use of technology and have their ideas noted and feedback provided.
Length of learning experience in hours: 12 hours - 2 x 1hr lesson per week over 6 weeks
Target student learning journey (LMG5)
Lesson 1: Students will be introduced to spokesman from local environment community group Mary Burnett Regional Group. Following MBRG presentation there will be a class discussion on what this organisation does to help the environment and how learners can contribute to this cause. It will be proposed that learners can create a presentation on the works this group carry out and issues they deal with. This lesson will be used to understand what the learners know about environmental issues.
Lesson 2: Students will be introduced to the website www.kids-vs-global-warming.com. If resources permit, this lesson will be used for students adding their accounts to class Glogster account and discussion of how technology in communications assists environmental projects. Learners will be expected to have created a post by next lesson on their feelings about how technology can help the environment and how they can use it.
Lesson 3: Learners will form groups to discuss a design for a promotion in a powerpoint presentation for MBRG and media they can use to share their campaign with outside world. Depending on resources learners will be given options to choose from and brainstorming ideas will be displayed in classroom.
Lesson 4: Website and television campaigns will be viewed and learners will note ideas they felt were effective and perhaps use them. Discussion will be held about language, images and music used in campaigns and the feelings these evoked. Ideas to be posted on individual Glogster. Criteria for assessment of project will be discussed.
Lesson 5: Appropriate information sources will be viewed and criteria for what makes a source appropriate discussed. Sites such as Flickr will be seen. In groups learners will discuss resources that will be made use of.
Lesson 6: Resources permitting, this lesson will be used to create wiki and ensure students understand how to use it and the rules involved. After group discussion, learners will be asked to post their thoughts on understanding rules involved in using wiki and how media such as wiki helps the environment on the Glogster account.
Lesson 7: Wiki progress will be discussed and ideas discussed. LM will move around class to discuss with each group ideas they are working on, suggestions for sources of information and possibilities for the presentation of projects
Lesson 8: Projects will be worked on via wiki (if available) and questions answered
Lesson 9: Work-in-progress will be presented to class and feedback given. Glogs will be posted on how Learners feel their group is progressing and use of technologies involved
Lesson 10: Projects will be worked on via wiki (if available) and questions answered. Preparation for presenting projects to class and parents will be undertaken
Lesson 11: Presentation of projects to MBRG rep and feedback given. Learners will glog what they feel they have learned from this unit and how effective they feel the media used in their presentation was
Lesson 12: Student feedback on unit and learning outcomes will be discussed.
Details of the authentic product to be produced by your student groups
The authentic product will be given feedback by BMRG rep, parents and school staff. Examples of work produced will be displayed on school website and perhaps BMRG website.
Title: Technology and the Environment
Target Year Level: Year 7
Subject Areas and Specific curriculum goals Essential Learnings targeted:
English: WoW: points #5, #6
K&U: Speaking & Listening - points #2; Reading & Viewing - #7; Writing & Designing - #7; Language elements - #1, #4
Science: WoW: #3, #10
K&U: Science as a human endeavour - #1, #3; Energy & Change - #2
SOSE: WoW: #1, #2, #4
K&U: Place and Space - #3
Technology: WoW: #9
K&U: Technology as a Human endeavour - #3
ICTs: Inquiring with ICTS - #1, #2; Creating with ICTs - #3, #4; Communicating with ICTs - #1, #3; Ethics, Issues and ICTs - #8; Operating ICTs - #1, #4
Learning Outcomes to be Achieved:
Learners will understand how ICTs are able to raise awareness of issues that affect many and can participate and contribute to these authentic campaigns through use of ICTs
Learners will be able to identify the impact a product or service used in daily life has on the environment and able to identify the technological changes that are enabling impacts to be reduced
Learners will use class Glogster account to reflect on what they know when unit begins and what they learn after each lesson and be able to monitor their K-W-L strategies through these glogs
Learners will be able to use wiki to collaborate on the planned presentation and so learn how to contribute in group context and resolve issues to reach consensus
Learners will be able locate and identify appropriate internet resources for use
Conceptual Pedagogical Frameworks on which Design is Based
Based on facets of all DoL 1-5
The Learning Engagement Theory of Kearsley and Shneiderman 1999
Dale’s Cone of Learning
Lynch’s 8 Learning Management Questions
Authentic learning design involving relate-create-donate methodology
Relate - Learners will communicate and interact both in the classroom and via wiki to research, design and present set task
Create- Learners will be able to choose an issue that they feel they can relate to and will be able to direct the methods used in design and presentation of Glogster account, wiki contributions and powerpoint presentation
Donate- Learners will have understanding of how young people can contribute to wider community issues through use of technology and have their ideas noted and feedback provided.
Length of learning experience in hours: 12 hours - 2 x 1hr lesson per week over 6 weeks
Target student learning journey (LMG5)
Lesson 1: Students will be introduced to spokesman from local environment community group Mary Burnett Regional Group. Following MBRG presentation there will be a class discussion on what this organisation does to help the environment and how learners can contribute to this cause. It will be proposed that learners can create a presentation on the works this group carry out and issues they deal with. This lesson will be used to understand what the learners know about environmental issues.
Lesson 2: Students will be introduced to the website www.kids-vs-global-warming.com. If resources permit, this lesson will be used for students adding their accounts to class Glogster account and discussion of how technology in communications assists environmental projects. Learners will be expected to have created a post by next lesson on their feelings about how technology can help the environment and how they can use it.
Lesson 3: Learners will form groups to discuss a design for a promotion in a powerpoint presentation for MBRG and media they can use to share their campaign with outside world. Depending on resources learners will be given options to choose from and brainstorming ideas will be displayed in classroom.
Lesson 4: Website and television campaigns will be viewed and learners will note ideas they felt were effective and perhaps use them. Discussion will be held about language, images and music used in campaigns and the feelings these evoked. Ideas to be posted on individual Glogster. Criteria for assessment of project will be discussed.
Lesson 5: Appropriate information sources will be viewed and criteria for what makes a source appropriate discussed. Sites such as Flickr will be seen. In groups learners will discuss resources that will be made use of.
Lesson 6: Resources permitting, this lesson will be used to create wiki and ensure students understand how to use it and the rules involved. After group discussion, learners will be asked to post their thoughts on understanding rules involved in using wiki and how media such as wiki helps the environment on the Glogster account.
Lesson 7: Wiki progress will be discussed and ideas discussed. LM will move around class to discuss with each group ideas they are working on, suggestions for sources of information and possibilities for the presentation of projects
Lesson 8: Projects will be worked on via wiki (if available) and questions answered
Lesson 9: Work-in-progress will be presented to class and feedback given. Glogs will be posted on how Learners feel their group is progressing and use of technologies involved
Lesson 10: Projects will be worked on via wiki (if available) and questions answered. Preparation for presenting projects to class and parents will be undertaken
Lesson 11: Presentation of projects to MBRG rep and feedback given. Learners will glog what they feel they have learned from this unit and how effective they feel the media used in their presentation was
Lesson 12: Student feedback on unit and learning outcomes will be discussed.
Details of the authentic product to be produced by your student groups
The authentic product will be given feedback by BMRG rep, parents and school staff. Examples of work produced will be displayed on school website and perhaps BMRG website.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Learning e-Journal
This will be a synopsis of the last eight weeks that have been a huge learning curve for me. I am a believer that you should continually update your knowledge, though unfortunately that makes you constantly aware of how much you don't know. From Costa's 'Describing the sixteen habits of Mind', which to me provided a criteria to which to aspire to, to Google Earth that has transferred mapping systems to whole new levels, this unit has been an eye opener in the applications technology contribute to pedagogical frameworks.
A Primer on the Knowledge Economy on its own was a pedagogical rationale for the ICTs unit. Australia, in its relatively isolated location with an economy based on natural resource exploitation, has been often criticised for its lack of higher order exports. to survive in the burgeoning knowledge economy, the conventional industrial age style education is being rapidly updated. Before recent major advances in technology availability in schools, a teacher was viewed as one of the few few essential information providers to learners in their formative years. Today learners are exposed to so much information through so many mediums, LMs are needed to advance the 'movement towards self-managed learning experiences and student autonomy over what, how and why learning takes place (Smith, Lynch & Mienczakowski). The fact that these transformations can be daunting but the necessity is completely understood is discussed in forum posting Synopsis One.
Following the readings of the first week, the Learning Engagement Theory, Dale's Cone and the Learning Pyramid made complete sense as noted in blog posting Technology in a Student-Centric Paradigm. It is easy to be overwhelmed with information in this day and age so for information to actually go past the recall stage in learners it makes sense that 'students must be meaningfully engaged in learning activities through interaction with others and worthwhile tasks ' (Kearsley & Shneiderman 1999). Introduction to Mahara was an early of technology making tracking learning process and interaction with peers a lot easier - while being engaged in worthwhile task of building a work portfolio as you go. Though I'm still to begin contributing to this site regularly, most posting sgoing to discussion forums and my ICTs in Learning Design Blog, now that I have commenced EPL (only one day of observation so far) I will definitely making extensive use of the site.
Reflections on my own formal education with other GDLT participants confirms the consensus that learning with practical hands-on methodology makes learning experiences much more memorable and understandable. doing the various personality sorter quizzes , I must admit,
made me second guess my choice of study. Thankfully, ICTs combined with relate-create-donate framework, sees the classroom being a student-centric collaborative environment, so the fairly introverted LM is no longer expected to be focus of all attention.
My attempt at learning activity was based on the Relate-Create (though looking back at it I'm not sure about the Donate) framework in collaborative groups. ICTs assist this collaboration, both inside and out of the classroom with programs such as Wiki and Storybird. An example of Wiki can be seen in my Travellers Logbook which, though still in very novice stage, I know I will be able to develop further with understanding.
Lynch's Eight Learning Management Questions are a welcome methodology for pedagogy strategies. Their combined use with Dimensions of Learning (DoL) provide a criteria for effective learning management. Professor Richard Smith summarised the DoL aim that is to help LMs know what students will learn, how they can be assisted to learn and how they will be able to apply what they have learned to real life situations. My Action Plan I based upon the combining of Lynch and DoL and, though prepared before EPL started, with Scot's feedback
I feel my plan would be workable with technology enabling authentication and the Donate step.
As discussed in DoL, LMs need to encourage positive attitudes and perceptions in the classroom and this is assisted by tasks assigned to learners being 'valuable and interesting'. One of the first applications learnt in this unit - introduction using a Voki Avatar - was an example of how technology use engages learners and encourages creativity. Creativity is viewed as a vital resource in the knowledge economy (Wright 2003) and so creativity is encouraged and enabled with ICT tools such as presentation templates, photography examples and enhancers and music that is able to be freely used with these programs. Examples of work with PowerPoint, Flickr, Picnick and Slide Share can be seen in my Blog.
ICTs engage learners with equipment such as interactive whiteboards on which applications can be viewed while discussed, and so declarative and procedural knowledge is combined. The acquiring and integration of knowledge, is enhanced by programs such as 'Gizmos' and video sites such as 'Dissections'. Videos found on You Tube are widely accessed by today's learners and prove their value for education purposes. The video providing instructions on using Interactive Whiteboards is invaluable and the video Five Food Groups I have posted in my Blog as it will be useful for my EPL.
The extension and refinement of knowledge is enabled with inquiry and analysis promoted through exploration tools such as Gizmos, Wikipedia and Google Earth. These enable deeper understanding leading to stages of synthesis and evaluation. The use of knowledge in technology meaningfully can be ensured by learners understanding they need critical understanding and recognition of its uses to evolve with the twenty-first century real world. Habits of Mind - Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking and Self-Regulating Thinking - can all be expanded through the avenues ICTs provide.
References
Costa, A.J. (2008) Describing th Sixteen Habits of Mind. Retrieved 2010 from CQUniversity e-course, EDED20491 http://mindfulbydesign.com
Heath, G. (2001) Teacher Education and the New Knowledge Environment. RMIT University, Fremantle
Houghton, J. & Sheehan, P. (2000) A Primer on the Knowledge Economy. Victoria University, Melbourne
Kearsley, G. & Shneiderman, B. (1999) Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-base teaching and learning. Retrieved 2010 from CQUniversity e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for Learning Design, http//home.sprynet.com/-gkearsley/engage.htm
Marzano, R.J, & Pickering, D.J. etc (1997) Dimensions of Learning: teacher's manual. ASCD, Alexandra
Smith, R., Lynch, D. & Mienczakowski, J. (2003) The Bachelor of Learning Management
Some of the comments posted on others blogs:
http://annefletcher.blogspot.com/2010/04/lesson-plan_30.html?showComment=1272773231125#c221433908030620199
http://mountain2010.blogspot.com/2010/04/as-sun-broke-horizon-it-all-began-again.html?showComment=1272807067930#c4528027150512366226
A Primer on the Knowledge Economy on its own was a pedagogical rationale for the ICTs unit. Australia, in its relatively isolated location with an economy based on natural resource exploitation, has been often criticised for its lack of higher order exports. to survive in the burgeoning knowledge economy, the conventional industrial age style education is being rapidly updated. Before recent major advances in technology availability in schools, a teacher was viewed as one of the few few essential information providers to learners in their formative years. Today learners are exposed to so much information through so many mediums, LMs are needed to advance the 'movement towards self-managed learning experiences and student autonomy over what, how and why learning takes place (Smith, Lynch & Mienczakowski). The fact that these transformations can be daunting but the necessity is completely understood is discussed in forum posting Synopsis One.
Following the readings of the first week, the Learning Engagement Theory, Dale's Cone and the Learning Pyramid made complete sense as noted in blog posting Technology in a Student-Centric Paradigm. It is easy to be overwhelmed with information in this day and age so for information to actually go past the recall stage in learners it makes sense that 'students must be meaningfully engaged in learning activities through interaction with others and worthwhile tasks ' (Kearsley & Shneiderman 1999). Introduction to Mahara was an early of technology making tracking learning process and interaction with peers a lot easier - while being engaged in worthwhile task of building a work portfolio as you go. Though I'm still to begin contributing to this site regularly, most posting sgoing to discussion forums and my ICTs in Learning Design Blog, now that I have commenced EPL (only one day of observation so far) I will definitely making extensive use of the site.
Reflections on my own formal education with other GDLT participants confirms the consensus that learning with practical hands-on methodology makes learning experiences much more memorable and understandable. doing the various personality sorter quizzes , I must admit,
made me second guess my choice of study. Thankfully, ICTs combined with relate-create-donate framework, sees the classroom being a student-centric collaborative environment, so the fairly introverted LM is no longer expected to be focus of all attention.
My attempt at learning activity was based on the Relate-Create (though looking back at it I'm not sure about the Donate) framework in collaborative groups. ICTs assist this collaboration, both inside and out of the classroom with programs such as Wiki and Storybird. An example of Wiki can be seen in my Travellers Logbook which, though still in very novice stage, I know I will be able to develop further with understanding.
Lynch's Eight Learning Management Questions are a welcome methodology for pedagogy strategies. Their combined use with Dimensions of Learning (DoL) provide a criteria for effective learning management. Professor Richard Smith summarised the DoL aim that is to help LMs know what students will learn, how they can be assisted to learn and how they will be able to apply what they have learned to real life situations. My Action Plan I based upon the combining of Lynch and DoL and, though prepared before EPL started, with Scot's feedback
I feel my plan would be workable with technology enabling authentication and the Donate step.
As discussed in DoL, LMs need to encourage positive attitudes and perceptions in the classroom and this is assisted by tasks assigned to learners being 'valuable and interesting'. One of the first applications learnt in this unit - introduction using a Voki Avatar - was an example of how technology use engages learners and encourages creativity. Creativity is viewed as a vital resource in the knowledge economy (Wright 2003) and so creativity is encouraged and enabled with ICT tools such as presentation templates, photography examples and enhancers and music that is able to be freely used with these programs. Examples of work with PowerPoint, Flickr, Picnick and Slide Share can be seen in my Blog.
ICTs engage learners with equipment such as interactive whiteboards on which applications can be viewed while discussed, and so declarative and procedural knowledge is combined. The acquiring and integration of knowledge, is enhanced by programs such as 'Gizmos' and video sites such as 'Dissections'. Videos found on You Tube are widely accessed by today's learners and prove their value for education purposes. The video providing instructions on using Interactive Whiteboards is invaluable and the video Five Food Groups I have posted in my Blog as it will be useful for my EPL.
The extension and refinement of knowledge is enabled with inquiry and analysis promoted through exploration tools such as Gizmos, Wikipedia and Google Earth. These enable deeper understanding leading to stages of synthesis and evaluation. The use of knowledge in technology meaningfully can be ensured by learners understanding they need critical understanding and recognition of its uses to evolve with the twenty-first century real world. Habits of Mind - Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking and Self-Regulating Thinking - can all be expanded through the avenues ICTs provide.
References
Costa, A.J. (2008) Describing th Sixteen Habits of Mind. Retrieved 2010 from CQUniversity e-course, EDED20491 http://mindfulbydesign.com
Heath, G. (2001) Teacher Education and the New Knowledge Environment. RMIT University, Fremantle
Houghton, J. & Sheehan, P. (2000) A Primer on the Knowledge Economy. Victoria University, Melbourne
Kearsley, G. & Shneiderman, B. (1999) Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-base teaching and learning. Retrieved 2010 from CQUniversity e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for Learning Design, http//home.sprynet.com/-gkearsley/engage.htm
Marzano, R.J, & Pickering, D.J. etc (1997) Dimensions of Learning: teacher's manual. ASCD, Alexandra
Smith, R., Lynch, D. & Mienczakowski, J. (2003) The Bachelor of Learning Management
Some of the comments posted on others blogs:
http://annefletcher.blogspot.com/2010/04/lesson-plan_30.html?showComment=1272773231125#c221433908030620199
http://mountain2010.blogspot.com/2010/04/as-sun-broke-horizon-it-all-began-again.html?showComment=1272807067930#c4528027150512366226
Slideshow
Locations around australia
View more presentations from s0176998.
Like others, I didn't have the equipment to download a narration and as I have only had one placement day I felt it a bit early to ask school technician if I could borrow it. However, the staff at the school I am at do seem extremely helpful so I am sure I will get any assistance I need when implementing a lessson plan. I am going to upgrade the technology I have available for use first opportunity I get. It's frustrating not being able to explore all the options it can provide!
Using slideshow to engage learners is another way technology assists in learner engagement. Pictures, videos, music, graphs and animations being used in countless combinations with text allows creativity to be used to engage and to be expressed by learners as well.
Wikipedia and the Five Food Groups
When a grade seven student, who is a family friend, was doing an assignment on the Solar System I suggested to him to look up Wikipedia and see what useful information may be there. I was then informed that his teacher had warned students not to use information from Wikipedia as it was likely to be inaccurate and inappropriate. Knowing that Wikipedia does have strict rules and moderators to ensure consistent accuracy by contributors, I was surprised by this line of thought.
Wikipedia is an excellent source of information for learners and the referencing that is included on each page, I feel could be used by LM or learner to verify accuracy of content. As quoted on the site 'Original research and ideas which haven't appeared in other sources are therefore excluded'. The site is educational also in how learners can begin search for information on a wide scale and then narrow down to specific topics in the links subjects provide.
I've included a link to the Food Guide Pyramid page which I found useful for grade five study of nutrition and the five food groups.
References
Wikimedia Foundation Inc. (2010) Help: About Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:About
Wikipedia is an excellent source of information for learners and the referencing that is included on each page, I feel could be used by LM or learner to verify accuracy of content. As quoted on the site 'Original research and ideas which haven't appeared in other sources are therefore excluded'. The site is educational also in how learners can begin search for information on a wide scale and then narrow down to specific topics in the links subjects provide.
I've included a link to the Food Guide Pyramid page which I found useful for grade five study of nutrition and the five food groups.
References
Wikimedia Foundation Inc. (2010) Help: About Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:About
Google Earth Tours
This is a fantastic tool for classrooms, especially when discussing landmarks or where major events are occurring at. Seeing global locations in relation to home site could make these places more 'real' to learners. The depths of analysis of time and distances this software allows will assist in learners relating to wider 'global' community of which they are part of. With the grade 5 class my EPL is at, an example of its use could be for a field trip so learners could plan the route there, and directions to be taken and sites that will be seen. It could then be used in maths lessons etc when measuring distance and time taken. On locations such as school camps activities and sites to visit could be organised using the maps to see how events can be planned and the timeline that can be included.
This would be perfect for the wiki page I called Travellers Logbook as participants could plot where their pictures are taken and route taken to get there.
The education uses for this program could involve all KLAs and be used to enhance critical understanding of where subjects discussed are located and/or impact upon.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Five Food Groups
The grade five class my EPL is with is currently working on a unit titled 'Fitness Freaks' and includes learning nutrition guidelines. This covers eating from the five food groups, how many portions of each should be consumed in an average day and keeping a food diary.
This Youtube slideshow would be appropriate to use in this unit as these topics are discussed and language used would be appropriate for this age group.
This Youtube slideshow would be appropriate to use in this unit as these topics are discussed and language used would be appropriate for this age group.
Mouse
Mouse
Originally uploaded by TravellingOz
Out of all my travelling photos this is my favourite one that actually has me in it. It was great being able to enhance the image with Picnick - it was an easy to use program (easier than Photoshop I thought).
In relevance to pedagogy framework, on my first day of placement a teacher had created a slideshow of the photos taken at the learners recent camping trip (viewed on the new interactive whiteboard!) and the learners loved it. They are able to buy copies of this slideshow burned onto dvds to share with friends and family and share the experiences they had on the camp. It was a great example of relate, create and donate. The pictures showed the learners working together to accomplish tasks and the slideshow gave them the ability to donate their experience to community outside of the classroom.
Learners being able to upload and enhance their own images or their choice of images from sites such as Flickr would grant learners control of the process from beginning to completion and means to share it with wider community. This process would enable learners to add artistic elements to the images and personalise their creations - perhaps making the subject being studied more meaningful to the learners working with it.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Travellers Logbook Wiki
cindywilson2010 [licensed for non-commercial use only] / Travellers Logbook
I've started a wiki page about ten times but am only now getting an idea of how to use it. I still find myself feeling illiterate with understanding some of the concepts used, but I will perservere. The more you learn the more you realise you don't know!
I've started a wiki page about ten times but am only now getting an idea of how to use it. I still find myself feeling illiterate with understanding some of the concepts used, but I will perservere. The more you learn the more you realise you don't know!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Stranger
Stranger
Originally uploaded by Latyrx
Amazing
This picture to me is amazing and I am amazed that I worked out how to blog it so easily! Though I have only worked out this way to transfer photos from Flickr so far, blogging photos directly from Flickr, I will definitely be looking at how to make use of the photos available in other ways.
I love using photography as a journal of events - much more interesting than just writing things down. Unfortunately, the camera that travelled around Australia with me was lost in Rockhampton last year and so I am now using a very basic small camera that I find rather dissatisfying to use. In a classroom scenario it would be engaging for the students to post photos of their work, eg stages completed in assignments, to share with other students and the outside world. The photos themselves would be examples of relate-create-donate strategies. With the phenomenal amount of photos available on the site I'm sure most class work would find appropriate photos available to improve understanding, interest and different perspectives of subjects studied.
I noticed looking through Flickr self portraits that nearly all postings were of young people. Does this mean our older generation is just not into it as much - or do we only post younger photos of ourselves?
With digital technology real-life photos are only a small fraction of ways you can express yourself through photography. The picture above, titled Stranger, I thought a great example of how technology helps you to compose wonderful personalised images that many of us are unable to do with a paintbrush or pen. To have a scene in your mind and be able to transfer it to observable imagery through so many means we have available today (and the more we will have tomorrow) is an excellent way of engaging learners. Using software, like Photoshop, to edit everyday photos taken - I'm still in very beginner stages - is a great way to improve confidence and encourage people to share their work. My teenage son loves using Photoshop to do up skateboarding collages of himself and friends and post on his My Space site to share with others with similar interests. Incorporating digital photography and Flickr into Art KLA will really broaden learners ways of expressing their artistic talents and sharing it with the world.
Monday, April 12, 2010
My Powerpoint
The first challenge I had was thinking of a topic to use for the PowerPoint. I wanted to follow the Learning Engagement Framework and use a topic that the learners would deal with in life experiences. I know that nutrition is an issue that is broadly discussed because, in Australia especially, children's guidance in it seems to be lacking. I then had to decide what age audience I would address it to, so decided upon lower primary - probably grade one. I then went looking for what media to use in the PowerPoint presentation. Many websites offered excellent information for the discussion that would accompany the PowerPoint, but found that the actual images I wanted to use were found in the clipart on my computer. Recognition of food groups I feel is a basis for nutrition understanding so, because this presentation is being aimed at a very young audience, I decided to focus on the ones that are being recommended most highly for all age groups - fruit and vegetables. As soon as this was decided upon one song kept going through my head - it is played constantly in this household - and that was Wiggles' Fruit Salad. I found the ICT PowerPoint tutorial very helpful for being reminded how the soundtrack could be added to the presentation and how the animation can be varied. After going through the PowerPoint design several times I decided to automate the timing in the slides so those viewing could stand back and observe it. In the classroom I feel it would be more suitable for the PowerPoint to progress by each point being clicked on and so having time to be discussed with the class. For the presentation of the presentation on my blog I have left it automated - so you can just sit back and boogy with the Wiggles!
Fruit Salad
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Friday, April 2, 2010
Technology in Distance Education
I feel so much better for finally posting a blog. I have been having trouble understanding how you link your wiki site to your blog but I will work something out! I have found that one problem I have when using technology is that if I get stuck on one problem I have great difficulty moving on to something else. Will have to learn to move on and perhaps return to problem when I have greater understanding. Another problem is fighting my kids for my computer! They just can't understand why my university studies seem more important (to me at least) than their myspace or facebook postings.
Wish I knew as much about technology in the classroom while travelling around Australia with my kids as I do now. At that time we really only used the laptop and Internet for communicating with the distance education teacher during lesson assessment. We could have used it for so much more! Might just have to travel again...
Above is a photo of one of my jobs while travelling. It is the only photo I have of me feeding my crocodiles - a tourist very kindly dropped off a copy of it at the office before he left. I loved the job, very challenging, but don't know if I have the courage to ever do it again.
Technolgy in a Student-Centric Paradigm
Technology in the education system is essential for students born into the knowledge economy paradigm that the market place is developing, at a rapid pace, globally. Technology plays a large part in a very large percentage of global day-to-day life and so today's learners develop user knowledge from a very young age and benefit from it replacing conventional schooling methods. Technology, and the multi-source media it provides for learners, encourages a student-centric learning environment.
As stated in the 'Edutopia' sales pitch, technology provides the means for students 'to learn to communicate, collaborate and resolve conflicts together'. In conventional schooling a large part of the time spent was just the teacher actually getting the information to students (eg chalk and talk methods),and so little time was available to actually enable the students integration and extension of the knowledge provided. Technology provides means for students to access information from multiple sources through their own efforts and with this more efficient time usage learning managers are able to focus better on facilitating the students use of the knowledge meaningfully.
The relate-create-donate components in Kearsley & Schneiderman's 'Engagement Theory' highlight the necessity of technology in the classroom for student-centric education system. As noted in many pedagogical research articles, collaboration and communication skills are an essential basis for working practices in the 'real world' and students are better able to acquire and integrate knowledge when this is factored into the learning process. Emailing, blogs, wiki and phone texting provide avenues for this collaboration and communication to be carried out more efficiently and not limited by hours spent in classroom. When students share their work with, and work is reviewed by, their peers it has been shown that students will work harder as peer approval is more important to many learners than marking by a teacher. They are better able to relate to each other through shared life experience and expectations and so better able to facilitate their own and others advance in the Five Dimensions of Learning with the sharing of knowledge through digital networking.
Technology in the class room also provides the means for learners to express creativity in diverse areas and so comprehensive assessment of learners' progress in curriculum benchmarks is better monitored on the wider grounds provided. It enables learners multiple means to adapt their learning styles, synthesise information acquired and express their comprehension and analysis of tasks undertaken, in complete contrast to the limitations applied when pen and paper were virtually only instruments available.
Dale's Cone and the 'input-process-output' system is much easier accomplished when technology allows active learning to replace the large part verbal symbols played in the education process in conventional schooling. Active learning, combined with opportunity to apply learning experiences to authentic environments through technology, will see education systems better suited to the learners they are provided for and far less teacher-centric in their application.
As stated in the 'Edutopia' sales pitch, technology provides the means for students 'to learn to communicate, collaborate and resolve conflicts together'. In conventional schooling a large part of the time spent was just the teacher actually getting the information to students (eg chalk and talk methods),and so little time was available to actually enable the students integration and extension of the knowledge provided. Technology provides means for students to access information from multiple sources through their own efforts and with this more efficient time usage learning managers are able to focus better on facilitating the students use of the knowledge meaningfully.
The relate-create-donate components in Kearsley & Schneiderman's 'Engagement Theory' highlight the necessity of technology in the classroom for student-centric education system. As noted in many pedagogical research articles, collaboration and communication skills are an essential basis for working practices in the 'real world' and students are better able to acquire and integrate knowledge when this is factored into the learning process. Emailing, blogs, wiki and phone texting provide avenues for this collaboration and communication to be carried out more efficiently and not limited by hours spent in classroom. When students share their work with, and work is reviewed by, their peers it has been shown that students will work harder as peer approval is more important to many learners than marking by a teacher. They are better able to relate to each other through shared life experience and expectations and so better able to facilitate their own and others advance in the Five Dimensions of Learning with the sharing of knowledge through digital networking.
Technology in the class room also provides the means for learners to express creativity in diverse areas and so comprehensive assessment of learners' progress in curriculum benchmarks is better monitored on the wider grounds provided. It enables learners multiple means to adapt their learning styles, synthesise information acquired and express their comprehension and analysis of tasks undertaken, in complete contrast to the limitations applied when pen and paper were virtually only instruments available.
Dale's Cone and the 'input-process-output' system is much easier accomplished when technology allows active learning to replace the large part verbal symbols played in the education process in conventional schooling. Active learning, combined with opportunity to apply learning experiences to authentic environments through technology, will see education systems better suited to the learners they are provided for and far less teacher-centric in their application.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
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