Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Synopsis

Managing E-Learning Synopsis By Nina Simone Abbott (S0175625)

The development of technology has contributed to significant changes in culture, the economy and human society. Our students toady live remarkably different technological lives to those of twenty years ago. As and educator being introduced into this system we have big roles to play in deigning and delivering fitting contemporary technacy. (Keirl, 2007) Technology in the classroom should enhance learning and higher order thinking but there is no value in just having access to it, it is how we scaffold and utilize it that matters. This synopsis discusses a variety of diverse digital tools and their links to pedagogy. It also looks at different frameworks that can be incorporated into technology and whether or not these tools and frameworks would be appropriate for my future classroom.

The Big 6 Skills is a framework that uses six main skills to assist students in higher order thinking when using information and communication technologies. However I found that this framework could be easily adapted to all learning areas due to its main focus on problem solving. Eisenberg, Johnson & Berkowitz (2010) talk about how students who are taught the Big 6 approach outperformed students who were taught other approaches. This framework helps students and teachers to work smarter not faster and use their information findings appropriately. Each six steps are easy to follow; yet the language used must be continuous and there is need for efficient scaffolding of this tool to see overall benefits.

The Big 6 Skills Framework also sits nicely to the Dimensions of Learning in that it maintains a focus on enhancing learning and problem solving. (Marzano & Pickering, 2006) The Dimensions of learning has a focus on students to acquire and integrate knowledge then following on by extending and refining the information. (Marzano & Pickering, 2006, p. 6) suggest that successful learners develop habits of mind that facilitate them to think critically, creatively and regulate behavior and thinking. Positive habits of mind are evident throughout the Big 6 framework and are defiantly essential when tackling new information when using ICT. Both can be adapted to any task, focus on using knowledge meaningfully and consistent attention to learning. Conversation with Emma and Jasmin Click here

Education Queensland (2008) talks about how digital pedagogy is an innovative way for our 21st century learners to engage in our digital world supporting rich learning in meaningful ways. The initial digital tool was where the journey started with it's free signing up to BlogSpot this is where we created our own personal online journal. (See first ever blog) Blogs provide a communication space for students, teachers and parents. This tool can be utilized at anytime and can help with writing, sharing ideas, and reflecting on the work being undertaken in the classroom. Deng & Yuen, (2009) suggest that the pedagogical benefits of blogs are self – expression, self – reflection, social interaction and reflective dialogue. Blogs make it easy for learners and teachers to revisit, share and seek feedback using the comment section and also gaining information from outside experts. (Deng & Yuen, 2009)

Jean Piaget argued that children and adolescents build their own understanding through interaction with their surroundings and objects in our world. (McInerney & McInerney, 2006) There is a huge increase in complexity of most people’s daily lives through exposure to information, technology and the media and this is where more sophisticated digital tools are coming into play to assist in greater learning. (McInerney & McInerney, 2006). PowerPoint is a tool that can cater for all audiences with its interactive application and visual aid it can keep learners engage through any presentation. Kearsley & Shneiderman’s Engagement Theory (2001) states, “The role of technology in the theory is to facilitate all aspects of engagement”. PowerPoint can be a great way of attracting visual learners to content and give students a new exciting way of presenting assessment. Uploading images onto your PowerPoint is quick and easy and could be used as a hook at the start of a unit. I know that having a visual aid to help explain is always more engaging then just reading about it. If you think back to what helped us learn to read it was the visual aids in a storybook that helped as a prompt. On the other hand we must be careful as Learning Managers that we are not using this tool for the new calk and talk and keeping up to date to weather we are preparing students for a world that has gone beyond PowerPoint. see blog posting on PowerPoint and discussion with Jasmin click here

Concept mapping is another tool i came across and was created using Bubbl.us. (see concept mapping blog) I find concept mapping a wonderful way of brainstorming ideas with students while collaborating ideas as a class or in groups. Marzano & Pickering, (2006) talk about how graphic organizers such as concept maps help students acquire and integrate knowledge and can be used as teacher structured or student-structured lessons. Eisenberg, (2001) who wrote the Big 6 skills suggests that there is information overload these days and that we need to focus on the process as well as the content. Concept mapping sits well with these ideas, yet i prefer to use the old way of pen and paper with graphic organizers with the purpose of them being getting thoughts done in dot point and quickly. Bubbl.us i found was slightly time consuming and i was focusing on how to succeed in the application rather than getting my information down as the thoughts came to me. Concept mapping digitally is a great idea, however i must find another e learning tool for this purpose that is more suitable to my technology abilities. (see conversation on concept mapping click here

Digital video is one of the most effective learning tools that I have come across because of its variety of uses in the classroom. Digital video is a tool that caters for all types of learners and I have been using it frequently in my work experiences classes for dance. You Tube is a fantastic tool for dance you can find all types of dance on You Tube can be used to evoke emotion and be the hook when introducing a new style of dance. You Tube can be used as an analytical along with an inspirational tool to help students create their own choreography and is helpful when viewing what other genres of dance should look like. (see blog posting on You tube click here)

Kearney & Shuck (2004) talk about how the majority of teachers who use digital video in their classroom had common emphasis on developing understanding through commitment. Also noticing that slow learners and reluctant learners had increased motivation. iMovie is a Mac program that I used to explore digital video, however moviemaker is another similar program that is simple to use. See blog posting click here and discussion click here iMovie reminds me of a reflective montage using music, simple words, pictures and videos. Kearney & Shuck (2004) suggests that digital video creates technological literacy’s assisting with personal interest of students in digital video making. iMovie is a great way of expressing yourself, communicate an issue, reflecting on your own or others work and is a key tool for collaborative learning. You can utilize iMovie for a new form of assessment, collation of different dances performed throughout the year or a reflection tool for students and parents.

Students must gain an understanding of the importance of technology in their world. As learning Managers, we must ensure we are competent and constantly engage with technology in order to keep up with our learners. Fox (2007) suggests that in order to contribute and flourish in our digital age and future society all individuals must have the right to become literate in technologies. All digital tools mentioned provide great associations for classroom application. This course has made me realize that technology isn’t that scary and surprisingly a lot of fun once you get the hang of each tool. I am now going to take advantage of what I know, continue along my technological journey and embrace this exciting and interesting way of engaging learners.


References

Central Queensland University (CQU). Keirl, S, Within–it/ Without-it and the search for ethical technology literacy: Volume 27, No 3

Education Queensland. (2008). Smart classrooms Bytes: ELearning for Smart classrooms. Retrieved from http://education.qld.gov.au/smartclassrooms/pdf/scbyte-elearning.pdf

Eisenberg, d., Johnson, D., & Berkowitz, B. (2010). Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) Skills. Curriculum based on the Big6 Skills Approach to Information Problem Solving. Retrieved from http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/file.php/4033/lmc_Big6-ICT_Curriculum_LMC_June2010.pdf

Eisenberg, D., Johnson, D., & Berkowitz, B. (2010) Retrieved from http://www.big6.com/

Kearnsey, M., & Shuck, S. (2004). Teaching and learning across the curriculum with student-generated video. Sydney, Australia: Teaching Learning and Development Research Group.

Marzano, R.J., & Pickering D.J. (2006). Dimensions of Learning: Teacher’s Manual (2nd ed.). Heatherton, VIC: Hawker Brownlow

McInerney, D.M., & McInerney, V. (2006). Educational psychology: Constructing learning (4th ed.). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Education Australia.

Queensland University of Technology, 21st Century Children, Numeracy and Technology: Fox, L.J., (2007) Available: http://eprints.qut.edu.au


Sunday, August 15, 2010

The Big 6

Eisenberg, Johnson & Berkowitz (2010) talk about how students who are taught the Big 6 approach with a combination of creative and practical activities outperformed students who were taught other approches. The big 6 tool seems to be a positive framework to help students problem solve and use information technology efficiently in the classroom. The process stages are task definition, information seeking strategies, location access, use of information, synthesis and evaluation. Following this framework can only help students stay on track when using technology as we all know that technology can be an information overload more often than not. This framework helps guide students and teachers to work smarter not faster and use their information findings appropriately. This is a framework that i could use in my future classrooms, however the terminology and language must be scaffolded in a thorough manner in order to see the overall benefits.

I like this framework as it share some similarities to the Dimensions of Learning in that it maintains a focus on learning and problem solving. (Marzano and Pickering, 2006) Both these frameworks connect in that they can both be adapted to any task, focus using knowledge meaningfully and consistent attention to learning.

Check out my conversation with Emma and Jasmin in regards to our opinions on the Big 6 framework - click here

References: Marzano, R.J., & Pickering D.J. (2006). Dimensions of Learning: Teacher's Manual (2nd ed.). Heatherton, VIC: Hawker Brownlow
Retrieved August 10, 2010, from http://www.big6.com/


Tuesday, August 3, 2010

My Arts Journey (Digital Video)


I have made a short montage of my arts journey using iMovie which is a program i found on my Mac. I loved using this tool and think it would be a great tool to use in the classroom. Initially i found this hard to work out, although after playing around with it for a while it became a lot easier. Personally i think montages are a great way to inspire a class and send messages with simple words, music, video and pictures. This tool could be used in the dance curriculum to show students work in a exciting way. It could also be an interesting way of assessing students as we all know technology help enhance the learning experience.

Strengths and opportunities - Students take ownership of work and can assess and reflect on their own work.
- Helps to motivate and engage students also promoting collaborative learning.
- Kearney and Shuck (2004) suggests that digital video creates technological and digital. literacies assisting with personal interest of students in digital video making.
- Can be used to introduce a unit and create extra interest for visual and auditory learners.
- Can facilitate brainstorming of information, communication and analysis.

Weaknesses and threats - iMovie may be difficult to teach to a large group of students due to the may different functions available in the program.
- Must have the iMovie program on school computers and access to digital cameras and be relevant to the learning.

Kearney and Shuck (2004) talked about how the majority of teachers who use digital video in the classroom had common emphasis on that it developed understanding. Slow learners and reluctant learners had increased motivation. This gave extra emphasis for educators to keep up with technology in the classroom in order to keep up with their students.

Click here - to view conversation on digital video with Natalie.

Digital Video (You Tube)


You Tube is my favourite digital tool especially for dance. You can find any types of dance through you tube and use it as the hook for the beginning of lessons or units. Watching other dancers on video helps students understand how different genres of dance should look and can also be used as an inspirational tool to help them get started on their own choreography. You tube is an great way to engage your class and can also be an informative for visual and auditory learners. This You Tube clip is a example of a Australian contemporary dance company Chunky Move. This clip give examples of how technology can be used through dance to heighten a performance, using lights, generated graphics to work with the movement of the dancer.
There are many You Tube videos out there, However you must be cautious when using it in the learning context due to some irrelevant information available through You Tube. Anyone can post a video on You Tube so the best option to take when wanting to show your class a video is to load it first and make sure it is the correct clip.

Embedding this video was the easiest task i have had to do in this course so far and can only imagine that students would pick this process up immediatley. You tube is easy to use and is easy to embed into powerpoint, blogs wikki, websites and I'm sure many others and works well in a dance environment.


Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Images in the classroom

Uploading images has been the easiest, quickest and most visually rewarding task i have done so far. I didn't have to change any part of the photo it seemed to fit exactly how i wanted it and this photo was taken with a camera. Dancing is always about learning visually and having pictures for students to look at may help them to remember what a certain position looks like.
Photos are a great way to engage learners and could often be used as a hook at the start of a unit. You may be doing a musical theatre unit and could begin by showing students photos of dancers in the past and the present. Photos in the classroom cater for visual learners. I know that having a visual aid to help explain something is always more engaging then reading or talking about it. Pictures in the classroom should aim on having a purpose for outcomes to be met unless they are for decoration around the classroom.
There has been times when i have used Flickr, however i much prefer Google images because you don't have to sign up to use the photos. You can also just copy and paste the images to your desktop and then upload them from there i find this way alot easier.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

PowerPoints

Plus - Can be a great way to attract visual learners with content and make connections.
- Can be a new way of encouraging students to explore different ways of presenting assessment.
- Can be altered at any time and once scaffolded is easy to use.
- Has many different applications for example an interactive powerpoint.

Minus - Is easy to put to include to much written information.
- Can be difficult for the younger years to use.
- It can distract from presenter and become a replacement instead of a reinforcement.
- Teaching students to rely on powerpoint may be preparing them for a world that has gone beyond it.

Interesting - It is said they are often over used, however i have never known about or seen anyone use powerpoint for its interactive capabilities with easy to use hyperlinking.

My first introduction to powerpoint was last year in my first year at CQU. I have used powerpoint twice for assessment and this was for group presentations with basic powerpoint functions used. Learning powerpoint with others was definately helpful as i had no idea what it was at the beginning of my degree and scaffolding would be essential for students.

Kearsley&Shneiderman's Engagement Theory (2001) states that "The role of technology in the theory is to facilitate all aspects of engagement". The interactive powerpoint tutorial was impressive i had no idea that you could do that with powerpoint and easy hyperlinking function to create a guided presentation what a bonus. This kind of reminded me of a web quest but alot easier to use with each activity being able to be hyperlinked. The learning manager could also create interactive learning as the hook to the beginning of a lesson. This element to powerpoints has given me more inspiration to use them in the future and could be an interesting way for my dance students to present their assessment pieces.
I have one more point to make about powerpoint. It is a great tool for the classroom, however we must make sure as teachers that we are not using this tool for the new calk and talk. We must remember to use many ways of engaging our learners just because you are using technology in the classroom does not mean all learners are engaged.

Click here - In regards to a conversation between Jasmin and myself on powerpoint as a learning tool in the classroom.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Wiki



A blog is like my own personal diary that people can comment on if they wish. A wiki is also similar, however your wiki can be changed by others sort of like a sharing email that your friends can edit to create communal communication. So its like a collaborative website with unlimited number of pages and files.
This would be a great way of getting students to address any questions on content being taught at school and a place where students can post information and thoughts on a subject or even help each other with ideas on upcoming assignments ect. This can also help the teacher with insight into where students are at with the subject and whether they need extra help and so on.
Dance often does not involve alot of time with computers, however with proper scaffolding of how to operate a wiki would be great in dance. They could upload videos of their final dance pieces on their wiki and other classmates could give constructive input on where they could improve and where they went well. This would also be a great way for student's to show off their dance ability to others.

Positives of a wiki - Gives you more time for editing and getting down ideas.
- Instantly collaborative without having to email documents and downloading them at the other end.
- Everyone has a say and is available anywhere with internet connection.

Negatives of a wiki - Might not always be appropriate to be public due to unproductive content of other users.
- Need to be reasonably tech-savvy with the concept of text markup and not obvious when needing to back up your wiki software.



Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Week One

This mind map was set up using http://www.bubbl.us/
This was a easy fun way to map out some of the information covered in week one. Dance is my major teaching area in high schools and i thought this would be a great tool to help students brainstorm dance styles, dance companies, famous dancers ect. Instead of writing it up on the board students can create their own mind map and stick it up at home or in the classroom. My favourite part about this site was it was easy to save this image to my desktop and then upload it to my blog. This was a relief as i have been having trouble doing this with other sites this could be due to my lack of knowledge with computers, however i am definatley learning everyday in this course slowly but surely.

The negative side to this tool was that it was way too time consuming considering the reason for brainstorming is to get down ideas as quick as you can. This tool seemed like a fun savvy idea at the time but i honestly think i would not use this in the classroom.
Click here - to view conversations on concept mapping.

Friday, July 9, 2010

First blog ever

Hi
So my simple understanding of a blog is my reflective diary without all the juicy bits. It is created be myself and can be viewed by other followers. According to Griffith University "Blog" is as another name for "weblog". Blogs are website where new posts show on the top of your page so it's easy for follower to keep up with the new information posted. Blogs can be used for communication between students, teachers and also and easy way of keeping in contact with parents. Learning about new ways of gaining information on the web is always exciting and useful when trying to keep up with the world today. Initially in our first lecture the thought of creating a blog seemed impossible to me, however i seem to be doing alright so far.

References - Retrieved 8th August 2010 from http://www.griffith.edu.au/blogs/what-is-a-blog