Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Reflective Synopsis

“The professional environment that new teachers will enter is rapidly changing due to the confluence of a number disparate currents for change” (Heath, 2001, p. 3). Advances in technology, globalization, social change, the new knowledge economy and ICT integration, have, by association, changed the face of education (Heath, 2001, p. 3; Houghton & Sheehan, 2000; Lynch, 2005). Throughout my journey in ICTs for Learning Design, I have indeed learnt that pedagogical approaches and learning sites have changed dramatically since I began my education 20 years ago. I reflect upon this in my post 'Learner-centric and Teacher-centric Education.'

Over the past 8 weeks, I have experimented with various tools and approaches available for eLearning design, whilst participating in an online ‘community of practice’ with my GDLT peers, and engaging in professional conversations with; teachers, GDLT students and other individuals at CQUniversity (see for example my post on ‘Student Diversity’). This reflective synopsis highlights the key ICTs and pedagogical strategies I’ve discovered and how I intend to implement them, in order to; facilitate, support, enhance and extend the learning of students.

e.Journal posts:


Voki Avatars
When introduced to Voki avatars, I immediately recognized their immense potential for education. Vokis can be customized to suit a range of purposes, which I discuss in a post on vokis. Students can personalize their work, be creative and express themselves. In my teaching, avatars could serve as an exciting ‘hook’ for lessons, or to introduce a topic or homework (be it online or in the classroom). As Scot Aldred commented, avatars can also be a powerful tool for literacy development, as students can ‘play’ the text they’ve typed and learn how letters, punctuation and words relate to sound (S. Aldred, personal communication, 23 March, 2010). Furthermore, avatars cater to visual and auditory learners, addressing Smith, Lynch and Mienczakowski’s (2003) LMQ 5.

e.Journal post:


Blogs and RSS
As mentioned in the post ‘Interesting Viewing,’ learning is enhanced when students learn with technologies they are familiar with and use outside of school; blogs and RSS are two such technologies. Effective learning (Dale’s Cone) and high retention (Learning Pyramid) transpires when students are involved in active learning (Abilene Christian University Adams Center for Teaching Excellence, 2000). Moreover, students can develop independent learning skills and become active participants in their own learning via blogs (Ahrenfelt & Watkin, 2008, p. 64). Blogs also offer a global audience, motivating students to; produce their best work and to; analyse, evaluate and critique posts, thereby engaging in higher order thinking and productive “Habits of Mind,” such as; self-regulated thinking (Marzano & Pickering, 2009) and striving for accuracy and precision (Costa, 2010).

Blogs can be; an avenue for creative writing, a reflective space, a means to digital literacy, a place to document class projects, or a tutorial or homework space. They can extend interactions and enhance learning outside school walls, at times that suit the learner. ‘A blog on blogs,’ details the advantages and uses in education, elaborating on ten applications offered by Pearce and Bass (2008). In this course, I found Google Reader invaluable, as I followed the blogs of my peers. My post on RSS further details eLearning applications for RSS aggregrators.

e.Journal posts:


WIKIs
WIKIs are an ideal tool for engagement and to foster learner belonging (a pre-cursor to motivation), as recommended by Kunc (1992). WIKIs hold tremendous potential for; collaboration and self-directed learning (‘Relate’), creative, purposeful, project-oriented activities (‘Create’) and meaningful, authentic tasks (‘Donate’), all of which underpin Kearsley and Shneiderman’s Engagement Theory (1999). Referring to the post on ‘Wetpaint.com,’ the WIKI I designed could be used by a group of art students to collaborate (‘Relate’) and produce an online art gallery (‘Create’), which could then be viewed by interested parties, and even form assessment (‘Donate’), addresssing LMQs 5 and 7.

‘The Power of WIKIs,’ details eLearning applications, which include; creating online text books, collaborative creative writing, class projects and for teachers, a place to share resources. WIKIs foster; teamwork, problem solving skills, social and interpersonal skills and the capability to learn; all important skills in a futures-oriented, knowledge economy (Houghton & Sheehan, 2000, p. 21; Lynch, 2005). Due to the collaborative and transparent nature of WIKIs, associated lessons or assignments are also an ideal means to promote; netiquette, cooperation and ethical and legal online practices. ‘A Practical Consideration re. Student Use of Wikis,’ notes that allowing student responsibility for WIKIs, imbues ownership and lessens webspace breaches.

e.Journal posts:


Flickr.com and Picnik.com
Images, like music, have the power to evoke emotion, and enrich learning. The post on Flickr explores how Flickr.com could be used for students to; document and share learning experiences via online photo galleries, create online portfolios of visual work, source images and engage in social conversations with individuals across the globe. As stated in my ‘Picnik’ post, image manipulation can be used to; foster creativity, develop digital skills and engage students in active, hands-on tasks, for example editing an image for a Mother’s Day Card. Creative and enjoyable activities such as this, helps foster positive attitudes and perceptions about the classroom climate and classroom tasks (Marzano & Pickering, 2009).

e.Journal posts:

e.Portfolios
‘Exploring Mahara as an e.Portolio Tool’ documents my experimentation with Mahara and the learning opportunities e.Portolios present. Secondary students could document their; work, resume, goals and skills for; potential employers, tertiary admission or scholarship panels. An aspiring journalist for example, could create views of their writing and photographs. Mahara could also be used in secondary schools for assessment purposes. In primary schools, learners could record their goals and skills (which would inform LMQ 2), and create views of their ‘best work.’ My teaching e.Portfolio will be invaluable as I seek employment, and in my career to share lesson plans with teaching colleagues.

e.Journal post:


Youtube, PowerPoint and SlideShare
The posts ‘YouTube’ and ‘My 4/5 Science Lesson’ discuss how I’ve incorporated videos into learning experiences to consolidate knowledge and enhance learning. YouTube and PowerPoint facilitate multimedia lessons, and can be used to cater to diverse learning styles (Felder, 1988) and multiple intelligences (Birmingham Grid for Learning, 2010). In my lesson on ‘the layers of the earth’ for example, students with dominant musical intelligence profited from the musical video played. ‘SlideShare’ can be used by teachers to store presentations and share them with colleagues (illustrating how ICTs streamline teaching practices). Narration and videos can also be added to presentations, and made available to students on SlideShare to access outside class.

e.Journal posts:



Interactive White Boards
ICTs are a cross-curriculum priority for the Queensland Studies Authority (QSA) and Education Queensland (EQ), with initiatives such as; Smart Classrooms, The Learning Place and Curriculum Exchange, highlighting EQ’s commitment to embedding ICTs in all facets of learning (Department of Education and Training, 2006). From my observations, IWBs are the cornerstone of ICT integration in primary schools. This year, I've visited three state schools, all of which use IWBs extensively. ‘IWBs – The Blackboard of the 21st Century’ highlights the benefits for teachers and learners.

As I’ve discovered first hand, learning in a classroom with an IWB, becomes a visual and interactive experience; facilitating hands-on, student-centred learning. When given the opportunity to answer questions and physically interact with the board; attention levels, excitement and participation in the classroom rise exponentially (see ‘My Year 4/5 Science Lesson’ in which students developed a KWL on the IWB). With increased engagement, learning effectiveness and achievement is enhanced.

e.Journal posts:


My professional blog has proven a valuable reflective and communicative tool. I’ve come to realise that my role as a learning manager will be that of a; teacher, researcher, life long learner, facilitator, collaborator and eLearning manager. My learning journey is only just beginning. Research, technology and conceptions of ‘best practice’ teaching and learning are constantly evolving, and my e.Journal will continue to support my eLearning discovery and experimentation.

I’m keen to continue implementing the ICTs and pedagogical approaches I’ve encountered thus far, as I design engaging eLearning experiences that provide students with opportunities for creativity and higher order thinking. From Google Earth, to Dvolver, to WIKIs and the other technologies discussed above, eLearning has changed the face of teaching. Through ICTs, students can now experience and ‘achieve in’ an education that is; borderless, engaging, authentic, creative, motivating, stimulating, collaborative, individualised and satisfying!



References

Abilene Christian University Adams Center for Teaching Excellence. (2000). Why use active learning? Retrieved from http://www.acu.edu/cte/activelearning/whyuseal2.htm

Ahrenfelt, J., & Watkin, N. (2008). Innovate with ICT: Enhancing learning across the curriculum. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group.

Birmingham Grid for Learning. (2010). Multiple intelligences. Retrieved from http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks3/ict/multiple_int/index.htm

Costa, A. (2010). Describing the 16 habits of mind. Retrieved from http://www.mindfulbydesign.com/about-habits-mind

Department of Education and Training (2006). ICTs and curriculum. Retrieved from http://education.qld.gov.au/curriculum/area/ict/index.html

Felder, R. (1988). Index of learning styles (ILS). Retrieved from http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/ILSpage.html

Heath, G. (2001). Teacher education and the new knowledge environment. Paper Presented at the Australian Association for Educational Research Conference. Retrieved from http://www.aare.edu.au/01pap/hea01582.htm

Houghton, J., & Sheehan, P. (2000). A primer on the knowledge economy. Victoria University. Retrieved from CQUniversity e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au

Lynch, D. (2005). Learning management [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from CQUniversity e-courses, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au

Kearsley, G., & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning. Retrieved from CQUniversity e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au.

Kunc, N. (1992). The need to belong: Rediscovering Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Retrieved from http://www.normemma.com/armaslow.htm

Marzano, R. J. & Pickering, D. J. (with Arredondo, D. E., Blackburn, G. J., Brandt, R. S., Moffett, C. A., Paynter, D. E., Pollock, J. E., & Whisler, J. S). (2009). Dimensions of learning: Teachers manual (2nd ed.). Alexandra, VA: ASCD.

Pearce, J., & Bass, G. (2008). Technology toolkit: Introduction to web 2.0. South Melbourne, VIC: Nelson Cenegage Learning,

Smith, R., Lynch, D., & Mienczakowski, J. (2003). The bachelor of learning management (BLM) and education capability: Why we do not prepare teachers anymore. Change: Transformations in Education, (6)(2): 23-37. Retrieved from CQUniversity e-courses, EDED20491 ICTs for Learning Design, http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au



Comments Posted on the e.Journals of GDLT Colleagues

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http://nataliemccabe.blogspot.com/2010/04/wikipedia-wealth-of-knowledge.html

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