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