Blog Synopsis | Jessica Maree Andrews | EDED 20491 | GDLT

The following is a reflective synopsis of my learning within my ICT's for learning course here at Central Queensland University.  It has taken approximately six weeks to  develop new skills using simple educating tools that are designed to enhance student's learning. Throughout the six weeks, I have developed my learning in using new tools that will enable me (as a future teacher)  to utilise, to enhance and educate students in this new technological era. Before beginning this course, I was already a frequent user of technology, but this course has taken me through a new journey in discovery and skill building.

According to Fasso (2013) Catering for each individual is an ongoing challenge for teachers.
In the first week of my learning I discovered more about 'learning styles'. Taking the Learning styles test  helped me to understand that not everybody can learn the same way. Every student learns differently which becomes important for me as the teacher to ensure that I am teaching to cater for all of the different learning styles.

In week one I learnt just how much technology was being used in classrooms. It shocked me to think that children are no longer sitting at a desk reading the blackboard, all day, they are actually directing their focus into technology. Klopfer (2009) stated that technologies are demonstrating how they impact the way we think, learn, and interact. After reading this resource it became clear to me that technology can incorporate auditory and visual and interactive activities which can help enhance a students learning experience. Evidence shows that technology is now shaping the way in which people communicate, collaborate, think and learn. As a future teacher, I need to learn about technology more to be able to 'communicate' with my learners.

There were some very important information introduced to me in weeks two and three.  Over these two weeks I was introduced to activities that focus on web 2.0 tools . 2.0 Web tools, are web spaces (Wiki's, websites and blogs) that allow users to edit, create and upload Fasso, (2013).  These sites are a great learning tool for students in the classroom because it allows them to be creative, to learn from others, express opinions and to upload media that perhaps relates to what it is that they are learning. I have decided to focus on the use of wiki's because it can be a tool in which students can come together and be interactive on. Out of the three tools, a wiki is the only tool in which can be edited by users, most often, this tool can be used incorrectly because it opens the doors to cyber bullying and inappropriate uploading. With this, the tool needs to be monitored regularly by teachers to ensure that this issue does not occur. The tool requires very little time for explaining how to use it. It is simple to use and it also can be accessed at any time or place. A wiki is a great tool for social interaction and collaboration  with other students from different schools which is an important part of learning.
Whilst I was reading up on Wiki's I also was required to be part of a wiki. This week we were encouraged to respond to a question on the wiki using a theory known as De Bono's six thinking hats. This theory encourages students to work in a group or work individually  and it scaffolds a way to examine a range of perspectives on an issue Fasso (2013). You can read about my journey in Week 2  of my blog.

 The next following weeks, I was introduced to Group 2 tools. Group 2 tools  can consist of images, video and audio tools.  I enjoyed using all of these tools but i specifically enjoyed using the video tool. Using video's can enable a student to be creative and feel as if though they have an opportunity to express themselves. A student using a video needs to not only think about the learning intention of the video but they also need to create music, sound and also the images they wish to include in the video. The use of videos can also help enhance a student's listening skills, communication skills and can also test their interaction skills.

I have previously been a user of Group 2 tools and I believe it has enhanced my communications skills. Group 2 tools not only helps me but it also gives students a chance to express their own learning via pictures and videos. I will be using these group 2 tools in my drama classes and also my English classes in the future because this tool is essential in order to record reading activities, drama assessments and also evaluating stories in primary school English or religious education studies. I will utilize the use of videos in religious education studies to record stories books based on the life of Jesus. Students can then cut and paste their own pictures of their faces onto the story book characters (Google images). The students can then take turns to record their voices reading the story out loud and add that onto the video. The video will then present a story with students voices and students pictures. This is then presented as a classroom interaction and communication activity that they have created working together with the learning intention being:

- articulation whist reading
- Working together
- communicating a story
- Using technology to create a video version of the storybook
- knowing what they need to be doing (staying on task)
- understanding the story ( The life of Jesus)
- Knowing how to use the tool and what it can create
I have created a video to present my communication skills and learning. You can find my video under  Week 5 - Digital Video

Group 3 tools were the final set of tools presented in my learning. Week 5 I was re-introduced to PowerPoint's and then introduced to Glogster and Prezi. As part of week 5's learning, I was asked to create a Prezi and a glogster. I have been a frequent user of PowerPoint presentations and I find that this tool is the most easiest to use. PowerPoint's do not need internet connection to create, nor does it require a huge range of ICT skills to operate it. PowerPoint is useful for students or teachers wanting to present instructions or present assessment analysis. According to Bear (2013) The purpose of a PowerPoint is to present information.
PowerPoint's can be useful in assisting students in communicating with peers and with teachers. In My blog I have described more about the use of PowerPoint's in my classroom. You can find it on Week 5  of my blog  

Glogster and Prezi I found were much more complex to operate. These tools however, provide an opportunity for students to become more creative with their projects. Glogster has provides opportunities for students to upload images, videos and text all on the same page. I found it to be more engaging and exciting for children than what a PowerPoint does. A prezi is a great tool to use on a projector to show students examples or to present a speech cloud for students to collaborate and work together to fill out.
Please look at my blog- week 5 and you can find out more about my thoughts on these tools.

For the final group of tools which consist of google maps, google earth, Adobe flash and online mapping. I decided to elaborate more on google earth because I found this activity to be more engaging for students than observing a simple paper map or a map on a computer.
Students using Google maps/earth can zoom in on places all around the world. Students can then zoom right in to have a look at actual pictures of streets and houses. I discovered this activity to be great if students were sharing where the live or where their family members live. You can read more about my thoughts on Google maps on my Blog - week 5

When asking students to participate on technology or ICT tools it is important to ensure that students are using the internet legally and safely. According to Ellison (2001) schools will often use web pages that are protected by copyright. But it is most important as the teacher to ensure that you are educating your students on using the internet safely. It is vital to explain to the students that

- They are not illegally downloading videos or movies off school computers but also be warning them that it is also illegal to download movies off their own computers at home

- The students are not to upload images of themselves on public forums because they may be at risk of letting 'strangers' view their pictures and they may also be at risk of identity theft and harassment

-  encourage students to only post their first names and only upload group photographs rather than individual pictures Queensland government (2002) (parental consent may be needed)

It is also important for schools to also ensure that students are using the internet correctly. teachers need to be

-  Aware of any unlawful discrimination, harassment and cyber bullying that is occurring

- Students are accessing only what they have been asked to access (monitoring their screen regularly)

 

REFRENCES|

 

Klopfer, E., Osterweil, S., Groff, J., & Haas, J. (2009). Using technology of today, In the classroom today. The instructional power of digital games, networking, stimulations: How Teachers can leverage them. Retrieved from: http://education.mit.edu/papers/GamesSimsSocNets_EdArcade.pdf 

Bear, J., H. (2013). Before you create a powerPoint presentation. Match design to purpose. retrieved from: http://desktoppub.about.com/od/microsoft/bb/powerpointrules.htm

Minter, E., (2001). Using the internet legally. Guidelines for schools, TAFES and sytem authorities: In developing internet policies. Retrieved from: http://www.cesa.catholic.edu.au/media/files/1329.pdf

Fasso,W., (2012). Engagement activities: week 2 Retrieved from CQUniversity e-courses, EDED20491 ICT's for Learning Design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/course/view.php?name=EDED20491_2131

WEEK FIVE

A basic PowerPoint for learning| Reflection 

I have been using powerPoints to present my work for many years. PowerPoints are a great way to summarize work and to present images and videos to a classroom of students.
Powerpoints are very simple to use and you can embed pictures, videos, music, colour and shapes.
With my own experience, providing the teacher spoke as well as presented the powerPoint, it gave me two ways of receiving the information:
- Visual |
- Aural
I would use PowerPoint to present statistics in a SOSE class or to present instructions to an activity in a technology class. Classroom use of PowerPoint  presents some great ideas about using powerPoints in a classroom as a teacher as well as ideas for getting students to present their work via PowerPoint.

Creating a Prezi | Reflection | Selection on Group 3 Tool

I loved the idea of using a Prezi. I found the tool to be so engaging and easy to use (after I spent a little while working it all out). A Prezi will defiantly be used in my classroom! especially for classes that I require my students to brainstorm as a group. On the top of my page on the right hand side I have placed my Prezi that I had created. My prezi is a simple brainstorm activity that I had written up in an acting class. My prezi is a brainstorm based on the activity of 'Improvisation'. I would use this tool in my acting classes and ask my students to brainstorm what is required when we 'improvise'.
I prefer using a Prezi over a PowerPoint presentation because I found it to be more engaging and fun to create. Like most tools, there are always positives and negatives of using such a complex tool in a classroom. I have created a SWAT analysis below to show the Pro's and Con's of using a Prezi in a classroom.

Weaknesses            -   Need’s internet connection           - ICT skills are needed to use this tool            - To use in a classroom a projector may be needed to connect it to a big screen for students to see it better -      - Does require a payment if the tool wants to be used permanently

Opportunities           -             - Kids can be involved in writing up their own ideas in the flow charts for other students to see and    for the teacher to oversee.  -      - Its a positive way of getting students to contribute ideas          - Does the setting out for the users (no drawing lines, creating boxes, manually copy and pasting)

Threats            - Needs adult supervision unless you spend time teaching students how to use the tool. otherwise this is a great tool to use for classroom discussions instead of independent work - Takes a little bit to working out how to use the site and all of its features    -

Strengths            - Kids can access this site at home and use it! It can then be saved onto your computers.            - Kids can transport it to school using a USB disk  - It is more appealing to the students  -

I have selected a Prezi as the tool I would use most in a classroom and have more results. I decided on a prezi based on my own experience in using this engaging tool. I believe it was more creative and had a larger variety of features to use than what a simple PowerPoint has. The only downfall to using this tool I believe is that It does require an internet connection if you want to create your work online, otherwise you can write it all up, create it, and then save it to your USB stick and access it through your computer. A Prezi is a useful learning tool to have in a classroom of students because it has a zoom in and out feature which is helpful for younger students to see more clearly and it also has the layouts all set out for you, you only have to choose one and then write on it! So simple!

Creating a Glogster| Reflection 

Kids! Lets Warm-up for Drama!


Today, for the first time I have created a Glogster. I had heaps of fun creating my glogster for children to access. I believe that my glogster (and any created Glogster) has heaps of learning benefits! a Glogster can be used in any class to present information, questions and even display pictures of videos.
I have created a Glogster for a drama class of preps- year three's. In my Glogster I have pre drama warm up activities for children before they start their class. This glogser has a learning benefit because it teaches children to stay fit and healthy while ensuring that warming up prevents injury. I think that my created glogster can be used in a P.E class and also a dance class. Warming up children before they learn is a great way to wake them up and get their little minds active and working while keeping their bodies fit and healthy.
This tool was simple to use and was very easy to work. There are features on the tool that enables you to upload anything that will be of an advantage to a child's learning. I would defiantly be using Glogster in my classroom, especially in a history lesson or a science lesson where students can upload pictures or videos that they found interesting about a topic. The only disadvantage of this tool is that children need to have the ICT skills to use it, otherwise time needs to be set aside for the teacher to educate the students how to use this tool.

Group 4| Technologies| Assessment 2 

Types of open-ended tools include; 
- adobe flash

- Google maps

- Online concept mapping 

I decided to research more about Google maps because I am most familiar with this internet tool. I began thinking about how Google maps would benefit a students learning. I decided to make a list of all the activities that students can do using Google maps.

- Directions- A student can pick a place in their city and then another student can pick another place. The map will then show the directions. The students can then see how the map can show street names and also roads that are needed to be followed in order to get to a particular destination

- Students can show other students where they live

- Students can navigate their way around their city/town. 

The following link has a really good set out of teaching google maps to students.
take a look! freeteach4teachers

WEEK FOUR

Week four | Resizing and uploading digital photos

This weeks task was very difficult for me because I was using an old laptop which did not want to support the download of mobaphoto. After searching the web like crazy I ended up finding a site which was only a temporary download (a trial) in which you get the first month free. After the month if you were satisfied with the software you can buy it online. I found it to be a great site and was very easy to use which can be great for those people who are not very good with technology.
You can simply access this site by clicking here 
What I found to be frustrating for me with this task was that I could not work out as to why my old laptop was not supporting the software of Mobaphoto. This issue needs to be addressed if using the site in a classroom because not every student is going to have new technology. It is in the best interest of the teacher to ensure that they are teaching on a site that can be downloaded on every brand and model of computer.
Below is a resized picture that I took two years ago as the sun was setting on an Island off Rome, Italy. It is a beautiful picture and is considered to be one of my favourites.

Rome, Italy December 2011.

picture Taken by: Jessica Andrews, 2011

Digital audio recordings | reflection

When I first read the task to download audacity I was very thrilled to have realised that audacity was already on my computer. I have been the proud user of this programme for several years and I have never experienced a problem with it yet. I often used this programme to record my assessment pieces in my drama lessons in my undergraduate degree in theatre. This site enables you to record your voice and then if you make a mistake you able to edit it very easily. Audacity never came with an instruction manual but I was able to figure out how to use it so simply. This is a great tool to use in the classroom, especially for english and drama lessons. I would use this tool in a drama or english lesson because it teaches students to record their own voice and then listen back to it to see how they sound. This is a great task for students learning how to;

- Read plays and then speak them through performance

-Articulate their speech
-communication through audio (radio plays, audio storytelling)

As you can see on the top of my page on the right hand side is a voki that I have created. This is my first time creating a voki and I loved the experience. A Voki is a fun and exciting way to communicate with students on a webpage or a blog. It enabled me to record my own voice and then intergrate it into the charatcer that I was able to create. I recorded my voice by speaking into my laptop microphone but it also gave me the opportunity to use my mobile phone aswel.

Podcasting| Reflection

Poscasting is a crazy and interesting way to learn. I  have to admit, I had a bit of trouble understanding exactly what a podcast can do and so I researched this term and found a great site to help me understand What is Podcasting?  (Waithe, 2013).   Despite having itunes for years I have to admit, I have never accessed podcasts before, until now i never really KNEW itunes did podcasting! I am amazed at how interesting this way of learning is. Podomatic   is a great podcasting tool and very simple to use. I spent a while searching this site for great podcast that would be suitable to use in a classroom of students. I ended up finding a useful podcast for any drama teachers out there wanting to give their students inspiration. The Actors training   podcast I found was very detailed and I would not suggest a classroom of primary school students to listen to this, but more high school students heading out into this profession.
I would defiantly be considering podcasting as a way of engaging learners. There are so many ways students can use podcasting! these are just a couple of what I came up with.
- Audio storytelling
- engaging in History lessons (family timeline) sharing their stories

Video recordings| Reflection

 videos are a great way to communicate. There are many reason's many people all over the world create video's and then upload them to a site, such as YouTube  these reasons can include;
-Entertainment
- Educational purposes
- personal purposes
Whatever the reason may be, we are all guilty of accessing this site and watching the vars variety of videos that can either entertain us or educate us.
Tonight I decided to put my movie making skills to the test and to create a video of pictures with music in the background. I was tossing up a few ideas as to what I can base my video about and I finally settled on a issue that we as future teachers, hope to never witness. It is the issue of Child abuse. I created this video by using movie maker which was already installed onto my Sony laptop. I decided to search the web for pictures and statistics of child abuse and I then incorporated them into the movie. I used a song in the background to help capture the attention of the viewers.

Creator:  Andrews (2013)

 references: Australian Bureau of Statistics (2003)

When i created this video I wanted it to fall into the category of 'education'. I wanted to educate my viewers on child abuse. I wanted my viewers to feel 'moved' by the pictures and by the music and finally, I wanted my viewers to walk away knowing that the message has been communicated effectively.
Video's are a great way in which students can communicate their learning. In my undergraduate degree, I was asked to film myself reading a monologue. My monologue had to demonstrate my learning by showing that I could communicate emotion by only using facial expressions. This assessment was then filmed, downloaded onto my computer and then made into a movie. This assessment was then shown to the rest of my peers for evaluation and marking. Showing your peers a video that was created by yourself is a great way to show off skills and also to entertain audience members. The task can be evaluated by your peers by commenting on what worked well and what didn't work so well in regards to the monologue.
Students who are assessed through oral presentation can use videos to present, reference and show evidence of their work. This is great for science students who have recorded their experiments and are now discussing their results and findings.
When I completed school, the use of videos were often hard to access. The school did not have the money to supply enough cameras for students and the movie making  software on the school computers were often blocked or they required passwords and money to access.
These days, movie making software is automatically supplied onto laptops. Laptops are becoming more sufficient and reliable. Simple cameras are cheap to purchase and every computer has a webcam installed. This makes it more easier for students to access and to utilize videos as a way to present their learning.




WEEK THREE|

WEEK THREE| creating a blog

| Reflection

Upon creating this blog, I was a little uncertain as to how I should be expressing my work. When looking through blogs that were created by other people, it became clear to me that my blog should be my own creation that expresses my own journey through this course. Before beginning this course I was unsure about what blogs entailed and what should be on a blog and most importantly how a blog related to teaching.  Looking through valuable information I have learnt that the use of blogs are a great way to communicate. Looking through the blogs made by the other people in my course I have learnt a great deal. There are several different way's in which a topic can be answered and there are a lot of people who's opinions are different and their interpretation of a question were answered differently.
In relation to talking about the thinking tool of SAWT, using the blog method can have several strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. |
What this all means is that a blog can have its disadvantages and also its positives whist using it as a teaching tool; as shown below.

SWOT ANALYSIS

Weaknesses - Students need to have the ICT skills. (preferably computer/internet skills) - Students need to have motivation to jump on this site to help with their learning (self-motivation and control) - needs internet connection  (may be an issue for students working from home) - The site may be experiencing technical difficulties

Strengths - easily accessible. - students can access this site from home/school and on their portable devices    (mobiles,Ipads) which will make it easy to access wherever you may be.

Opportunities - A great learning tool to collaborate on - Students can reflect on/learn from other students ideas - A great tool to upload assignments for feedback from peers and teachers - A great tool to be able to meet other students - A great tool to be able to have discussions with teachers after school hours - A tool in which can help students to feel 'accepted' if used properly - A tool that is parent friendly! (For parents who want to be involved in their child's learning, the parent can jump on the site and read about what their children are learning and the feedback that the teacher is giving their children in regards to their learning)

Threats - The site may not be accessible for all ages - The site needs to be monitored to avoid inappropriate behaviour  - cyber bullying may be a huge issue if the site is used incorrectly

The use of a blog is one of the many scaffolding tools that a teacher can use in order to lead students towards a better understanding about a topic.
a blog is a great tool in which teachers can upload their students assessment pieces and then the students being able to access this and comment on and elaborate on whist assessing the work of other students to help with their own understanding. In regards to scaffolding, a teacher can type out questions in order to probe students to answer and elaborate on to help with their learning, ask for each students interpretation and then provide the student with positive feedback for the purpose of improvement.
Whilst using a blog as a learning tool it may be suitable for students of all ages, teacher supervision may be required in order to ensure that all students understand how to use it and that they know what to use it for.

REFELCTION| What I found to be interesting in regards to writing my SWAT analysis was that I had more points to write about in the 'opportunities' section than I did when I was writing about the threats and weaknesses. there are so many positives when it comes to creating and using a blog for learning purposes. Writing so many positives about a blog goes to show just how much the use of a blog can really help students. I even consider the site to be parent friendly! There are many parents who want to be involved in their child's learning and so the use of a blog can be a great way in which they can monitor how well they are doing at school and with their learning.

ATTENTION: YOUR ACCESS HAS BEEN DENIED!!

Remember this nasty sign that popped up when you tried to access your social media account from the school computers which often meant you had no choice but to do your school work?
Well according to Fasso, 2012  this nasty sign is still in play when students attempt to open up their accounts to blogs or to social media sites.
Schools today, are still blocking students from access to social media sites. I have created a SWAT chart to lay out in front of us if this is a good option or not. could blocking students from blog sites or other learning sites be effecting their learning?

Threats - Particular blogging sites may be an open door for cyber bullying and/or other member of the public can contribute if not monitored constantly - Students may not be using the site appropriately - students may be accessing their own personal accounts from the school websites instead of using their school accounts - particular blogging sites may have a virus in them (unlikely, but they might!!)

Weaknesses - students may be distracted from what they are meant to be doing on the internet -

Opportunities - Students are able to collaborate with other students from other schools during school hours - Teachers are able to have a face-to-face discussion with their students based on what they have read on eachother's blogs. - students have a chance to discuss face-to-face with other students whilst reading blog information (collaborate with eachother during school)

Strenghts - The site can be monitored more effectively at school - Students who do not have internet access at home can access the blogs from school - students are able to ask questions whist at school -

Blogs are a useful tool in order for students to collaborate and to provide feedback with each other. The use of a blog (if used appropriately and positively) can help with self-esteem levels and also with ensuring that each student is on the right track in regards to homework and assignment work.
The blogs can give students the opportunity to ask questions under each post and to express their own thoughts and opinions. As a future primary school teacher, I want to be able to have my students access the blogs that I would have posted pictures and stories based on what the students are learning at the time. With this, the students can come back to the information if they ever forget or can't remember something or just want to be reminded. The internet is a powerful tool, it is filled with information and pictures and I want my blog postings to narrow down particular information based on what my students are learning at the time. This way, students can add their own knowledge on the topic underneath the posting! this is a great way in which students can collaborate while learning!


REFRENCES:
Fasso, W. (2013). Digital tool 1: Blogs for learning, EDED20491 ICTs for Learning Design, Last viewed 22 March 2013

WEEK THREE|Creating a Wiki| Reflection

I believe a wiki can be a great tool to learn and elaborate on. What I discovered about this tool is that it holds the opportunity to upload images and videos which helps to create a great learning environment for other wiki members.
There are so many things that a wiki can do and having this useful tool in a classroom can help students to learn and to also develop their ICT skills that they may not already have.
A wiki is also a great source in which students can talk about assignment tasks or even answer questions provided by the teacher. A Wiki is a great source for students to share videos or pictures related to their learning.
what I found great about this site was that you were able to change the colour of your writing which is helpful to distinguish between which 'hat' the students fall under. changing the colour of the writing helps with distinguishing which student thinks what. An example may include the use of black representing opinion or negativity towards a topic and purple meaning that the students is in agreement and supports the topic. This is a great elaboration lesson that students can be involved in on the wiki.
Although wikis are a great learning tool they are also very 'fiddly'. It took me a long time to find out how to use the wiki and to discover what they were used for and this could be an issue in which students might be faced with in class (students need to have ICT skills to use this site) I created a SWOT analysis to help break down the positives and the negatives of using a wiki in a classroom.

Weaknesses - Students need to have the ICT skills - Students need to have the motivation to use the site. - internet connection needs to be available - Teachers providing information need to have correct references for students - The site may have 'down time' for maintenance and this could cause disruption to students when trying to access this site for homework or assignments.

Threats - cyber bullying - inappropriate use of the site can easily occur - needs to be monitored by teachers/parents

Opportunities - Learning opportunities - Students can upload videos or pictures that they have found on a topic and want to share this with their classmates/teacher.

Strengths - use of writing in different colours to help distinguish between different opinions. The 'Hat' theory. -

I found a great site that explains exactly what a Wiki is. It really helped me to develop my knowledge in using this collaborative website. Here is the link.
http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7004.pdf

Week two | Activities

 Week two  | Reflection on the use of Mobile phones in classrooms

I approached the wiki site with my own ideas/ opinions about the usage of mobile phones in classrooms although, it was very informative to hear what other people thought about this topic. The wiki was a great tool to use in order to have reflection and debate about this touchy subject with other members of this course. however, I found the wiki to be slightly unorganised and I felt as if though it was hard to follow at times. Needless to say I thought the use of a wiki helped deepen my learning.

In relation to the use of wiki's within a classroom, I feel the wiki activity would help contribute to the learning of students in a classroom environment  because the students have the opportunity to engage in an online discussion and debate/voice their opinions on the matter. The students are not only learning from what other students are saying, but they are also able to learn to accept other opinions that they may not have thought about or considered. The use of the wiki can be used for assessment collaboration where students can jump on to discuss the assignment and deepen their understanding on what is required and also for homework tasks that can be set by the teacher. Although there are plenty of positives about the use of wiki's, there are also some issues that should be addressed. One major issues would be that students may not have internet access at home or at their schools.

In relation to the discussion on the wiki about 'mobile phones in classrooms' I fell under the 'black hat' category. I was very quick to defend my own belief about this topic that I never stopped to consider the other positive/constructive opinions of mobile phones in classrooms said by the others on the wiki.
When being asked to collaborate  on the use of mobile phones on a wiki, there are four learning theories that would have been in use during my thinking and responding process.
Behaviourism- This theory would have been in use when I considered my own behaviour when I attended school. (When a student used a mobile phone in class, was it distracting for me? Was it something that the student got into trouble for? Were there strict rules in having mobiles in school?)
in regards to the other students collaborating, they too would have been considering their own experiences and behaviours towards Mobiles.
 constructivism- After reading the statements made by the other students, I had created new idea's and added that to the knowledge that I had previously already learnt.

WEEK TWO|

 

TPACK - Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge

TPACK is the beginning of a new way in which pedagogical content knowledge can be taught. A couple of years ago when I attended school, technology was only used within an ICT class or a Business class. Today teachers are integrating technology such as, Ipads, Mobile Phones, GPS and even Computers/laptops to help and support their teaching. Teachers of the 21st century are required to 'keep up' with the children of today who are currently using technology for everything. The power of technology is growing at a rapid rate and so it is becoming compulsory for all educators to learn exactly what it is that children are learning today on their technological devices. When we think about it how many people do we see each day using their mobile phones or their Ipads? We no longer need to write down our to-do-list on pieces of paper, why would we do that when an Ipad can record it all down for us? It is simply crazy! being young myself I finished school when the use technology was slowly becoming more frequent in my classes, although mobile phones, ipads and bringing your own personal laptop to school was 'not allowed' we had to use the school's out-of-date computers. What shocks me even more is that my teachers at school were still using blackboards to write on. I only graduated from high school 4 years ago. the use of technology has really developed over the past 4 years. According to author: Newhouse, P. (2002) the need for computer literacy became extremely influential and many school purchased computers based on this rationale.
What an interesting fact! It makes me stop to think about the use of technology being influenced by society. Is society the reason behind why we need to rely on technology so much? The information can be found on he following site: http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/cmis/eval/downloads/pd/impactreview.pdf Newhouse, P. (2002)
to get my head around all of the information regarding TPACK  I found a diagram in which helped my understanding of what  the TPACK framework really consisted of.

 

 

 

 

 

How I understood TPACK was that teachers are simply adding the use of ICT to their traditional teaching approaches. As future teachers it is in our best interest to learn how to use technology in several ways, as learning specific information is the basis of TPACK Koehler, M. (2011).  The educator needs to ensure that they are using creative ways to link what needs to be learnt (the content) How it is going to be taught (pedagogy) and the tools in which are going to assist in this learning process (technology).

REFLECTION |

I feel that a great way in which helps students to recognise what is being learnt is to use videos. from personal experiences, I often learnt best watching a documentary on the subject being taught because I could see the information in front of me being explained and shown in great detail. This is just one of the many technological  devices that can be incorporated into students learning.


References|
 Koehler, M. (2011). What is TPACK? last viewed on: 22 March 2012, From:
http://mkoehler.educ.msu.edu/tpack/tpack-bibliography/ 

WEEK ONE

Week One | Learning styles

Jessica Andrews- Learning styles results
(Felder & Solomon, 1991) 

 As shown above, the Felder and Solomon's online learning styles test shows the results of how I learn and obtain information. From my understanding of the results of the first scale, I am an active learner rather than a reflective learner. I am a learner who best obtains information by actively applying it or discussing it with others. I work best in a group simply because I love hearing the creativity of others and then I love applying some of that creativity and inspiration into my own work. I learn best by listening to what others have to say about their understanding of information.

The second scale shows that I am a sensing learner. To my understanding, a sensing learner is very good at remembering facts. I find that I have a very good memory to facts that I can relate to my everyday life. I often work carefully and slowly to ensure that my work is neat and tidy and also to make sure that I have obtained the information effectively. However, I find that I do not obtain information that I cannot relate to. I normally require extra assistance to broaden my unuderstanding.

The third scale shows that I am a visual learner. I learn best by seeing rather than hearing and listening. As a visual learner I need to be be shown diagrams and charts that relate to the information rather than hearing about it and listening to others. As an aspiring primary school teacher, I need to ensure my teaching habits teaching vary between activities that require group work, hands on activities, classroom discussions and activities with movement (this activity is important in a performing arts class such as, music or drama) and visual activities where students need to sit and to listen and write. As an aspiring teacher is it in my best interest to ensure that I am completing the needs of each my students by observing how each student learns best. As a student myself, I often learnt best by seeing 'examples' of how the teacher wanted the activity to play out. By ensuring that each student is learning effectively, the teacher needs to ensure that they are mixing up the learning styles rather than keeping it one style that may not suit the needs of the other students in the class.

The final scale of the diagram shows that I am a Global learner. A global learning to my understanding means that the learner may understand the information but the educator needs to explain the information in more detail so that the student can relate it to something that they already know and understand. As a Global learner myself, Information often needs to be exaplined in more detail so that I can obtain it and understand it. I need the information to come with examples and disagrams.

REFLECTION | 
I feel that if the quiz wanted to discover every detail of how I learn it would go for pages. Having only the choice to pick one of the two answers during the quiz made me question if I was picking the 'right' answer for myself.
 At the age of 22, I am finding that I am still learning about how I learn everyday. I feel as if though I am learning better by doing my univeristy work on the internet because I can read information and have time to reflect on it and print it out and read up on it at a later date.

In relation to applying this to my students in a classroom, it would become important to identify which students participated in what activities such as, reading and writting or classroom discussions and debates and which students did well in practical activities. By reading and educating myself with the different learning styles I will then be able to apply this to my teaching plan which will ensure that I am attending to the needs of my students.

"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowlege".
- Albert Einstein

A warm welcome to you all!

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to my 'ICT's For learning design' blog. This blog is about my personal reflection to adapting to students and technology in the 21st centruy. On this blog you will read about my jouney into understanding technology as a way of learning.
I am new to creating blogs so please, if you have any advice on how to make it better send me through a message! I would love to hear from you.

Thankyou for taking the time to pass by my blog. I hope you enjoy your visit.