I would just like to thank all my readers. Below is my action plan for the future...
I plan to continue with my blogs so that I can reflect upon my development and also to create a e-portfolio in the future.
I am committed to taking risks when it comes to unfamiliar technologies and down the track re-purposing any devices or programs in the classroom.
I plan on keeping up to date by networking and collaborating with peer pre-service teachers as well as online communities, twitter delioius..
I want to work on my collaborative wiki in order to share ideas, lessons and equipment in order to have a pool of resources that those involved can draw upon and instead of having a garage full of hardcopy books ect that people list what they have and can borrow from others.
In the process of uploading a Vodcast so stay tuned!
Thursday 9 June 2011
Saturday 4 June 2011
★ Too Cool 4 Skool? ★
The inevatability of the ‘technolgy classroom’, with fully intergrated
gadgets is quickly becoming realistic, excitingly realistic. There is already
an endless list of tech toys and devices out there just waiting to be utilised
in the classroom. Mishra and Koehler highlight in order to harness the
technology successfully the teacher must be fluent in the technoogies as well
as the knowledge of how to intergrate it. This issue of staying ahead of the
‘technology pack’ is daunting and I ask myself how am I going to to do? But it
just reinforces the idea of taking risks when I comes to this sort of digital
stuff. The collaborativity of the internet makes it easier to learn with
tutorials, e-training and support which is laced all through these websites and
programs, so taking risks isn’t so risky when you have all this help, you just
need to know how to find it…
The article introduces TPACK, an mouthful of an acronym; Teaching Pedagogy
And Content Knowledge. Let’s see, I think Miss James had a good way explaining
‘As educators, our job involves teaching (Pedagogy)
students specific subject matter (Content), align this with aspects of
Technological Knowledge and there you have your TPACK.’
 |
| How am I going to stay ahead of the 'tech-pack'? |
So pretty much TPACK is just an interconnected framework of knowledge for
teachers to intergrate new tech toys into their classrooms. I was entertained
by the description Mishra and Koehler gave about what new technology is and how pretty much everything is some form of
technology wether it be high or low and with each new technology comes
obstacles which we as educators must be triumphant in order to facilitate
digital learning. And remember; ‘Teachers need to develop a willingness to
play with technologies and an openness to building new experiences for students
so that fun, cool tools can be educational.’
Mishra, P. & Koehler, M. J. (2009). Too cool for school? No way!
Learning & Leading With Technology, 36(7), 14-18.
James, B.
(2011). R u TPACKED and ready? LearningITnow retrieved from: http://missjames-learningitnow.blogspot.com/2011/06/r-u-tpacked-and-ready.html
Images
are directly from Mishra and Koehler’s article, thank you!
Wednesday 1 June 2011
Stop Copying Me!
 |
| Copyright shouldn't be fuzzy! |
When posed with the question, if the school budget could only afford to
have 1 copy and 1 licence to a program that was restricted to one computer,
would you break copyright laws and copy it so that all computers, all student
could use it simultaneously? Hmm a
good question, which had the whole class discussing ways around it and other
options, and at the end of the day about 90% of us said yes we would be the
robin hood…
Just as Miss Coulson reflects on the same experience recalling her answer,
the same as mine, and that highlights that even though we would never shop-lift
but copy a program for the sake of education is, unfortunately the same thing,
stealing! I have seen the light, I know that I have never done it but this
experience has just reinforced that I will work around the limited supply of
technology if ever faced with the problem. Not only is copying software programs illegal but there are hundred of open source programs available for
FREE online as well as the creative commons such as Flickrcc that can be used
without having to pay and obtain permission to use. As well as the fact that the money paid to the software companies is used for developing new and innovative programs for the future so really we are shooting ourselves in the foot if we did copy. So dilemma averted, I will definitely
be utilising the free software available if ever faced with such a conundrum! 
Thanks to Flickrcc:
Image: 'my CC stickers
have arrived!!!'
Image: 'Copying...'
Image: 'fuzzy copyright'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58764797@N00/1384247192
Stagecoach or Jet Plane?
Papert introduces
the idea of not only improving the ‘educational stagecoach’ but reinventing it,
evolving it into a 21st century jet plane. The article reflects upon
technology in schools and how the educational industry has limited short-term
goals for today’s classrooms and only focuses on improvement to the existing
practices and teaching basic forms of computer literacy and fluency that will
be required in the workplace… Papert stresses that schools only improve rather then utilise the
possibilities for changing the system that today’s technology allows for and
that if we don’t break the mould then this phenomena will remain constant.
As much as I
love my long division, Papert reinforces that the content and subject
frameworks that we pre-service teachers know today will be gone tomorrow. I can
only concur that though maths skills (including long division) are important,
it is impractical in the age of the calculator and in fact, I distinctly
remember thinking when I was a young student (a thousand years ago) why did we
have to know this stuff when I could just turn to a calculator for my
answers? Instead Papert divulges that we
need to be focusing on more problem solving skills as well as the ‘new basic’
skills like entrepreneurial thinking and project management which do sound all
very exciting but how?
The article
continues, describing the many aspect of what we perceive as a school that is
modelled on the teaching model created in the last century, will be warped to
mean and be something entirely different. With segregated classes, traditional
teaching pedagogies and ‘the line between
home-learning, school-learning and work will be blurred, perhaps abolished’.
It is awesome just imagining the teaching revolution that is happening right as
I type… and it has only begun.
Papert,
S. (2004). ‘Technology in Schools: To
Support the System or Render it Obsolete’. Retrieved from the Milken Family
Foundation website on 29th May 2011 from http://www.mff.org/edtech/article.taf?_function=detail&Content_uid1=106
Thank
you Flickrcc…
Image: 'Breakout'
Image: 'Numbers of
efficiancy'
Tuesday 31 May 2011
A Learning Space Truly Special! No, Innovative!
As is Miss Coulson, I too was concerned as to how I will go about integrating technologies in my future classroom . However after having Glynis as a guess speaker in my tutorials she assured us that it could be done, just like Sliverton Public School. I was one of many (or all) of the class who sat at the edges of their seat watching how innovative this school is. Glynis had a horde of hands up asking questions with excitement. Like Miss Coulson I had never before seen or imagined a school that has one learning place and now want to do a practicum in this or a similar school. The way in which Silverton have integrated technology is truly ground breaking. I thought the Principal to be revolutionary how instead of buying IWBs for every classroom, they used the money to buy a variety of technology like iPads, Wiis, and a radio station, which you could clearly see how engaged that children were in their project based learning. This video is thought provoking on how as pre-service teachers can create successful meaningful learning environments with integrating technology!
Sunday 29 May 2011
The Teacher's Budd:e
This week we were introduced
to the issue of cyber safety in and around the classroom. The Australian
Government has designed the Budd:e website to help students make informed decisions about their actions and
behavior when using the internet. I can relate to Miss Kate’s blog about how
thought provoking the lecture had been and how it also got me thinking that a
website is all well and good but there needs to be a carefully designed school
program in order to keep the kids safe. We both agree, Miss Kate and I that it
is a team effort between parents and teachers for full coverage of safety in
cyberspace. I don’t think we should wrap our kids in cotton wool be make them
aware of associated dangers and what sensible behavior they should have, in
relation to cyber bullying.
I thought I all my social
networking sites were set to private and that only friends I accepted could see
my details and photos but after the tutorial I was shown that you need to vigilant
with cyber-privacy and the video we were shown is concerning and thought provoking…
Thank you:
Australian Government for Budd:e and the image used above.
http://www.staysmartonline.gov.au/
Thinkyouknow.co.uk for the video.
'Jigsaw: Assembly for 8 to 10 video'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_o8auwnJtqE
Monday 23 May 2011
To the frontiers... AND BEYOND!!
I have found the
‘Learning Conversations’ blog by Matthew Kearney to be full of useful advice
and thought provoking ideas. After leafing over Miss James’ blog I was curious when
she talked about Gardner’s MI, gaming and by the link from Learning
Conversations to Dawn Hallybone’s ‘Learning without Frontiers’ video.
Hallybone, an innovative thinker working to revolutionise the way we educate
our 21st century students by not following traditional
pedagogies but one of her favourite past times, video gaming. Hallybone
describes how integrating video game technology into her teaching practices is
not only a positive but motivational experience for learners as well as
improving outcomes and continues by supporting the new teaching pedagogy, of
‘the guide on the side’ that was originally introduced to me by my lecturer.
Before watching this stimulating video I never thought Nintendo DS could be
anything but babysitters, once again I was wrong. With select games, Hallybone
describes playful learning that allows students to develop competencies like
teamwork, numeracy, and literacy and of course problem solving and so much
more. The benefits are abundant, it enables students to collaborate,
investigate and communicate with classmates as well as with the wider online
audience.
 |
| Unlimited Opportunities! |
It is unsurprising
when normally unenthusiastic students are suddenly engaged and grades are
improved with the integration of familiar (and fun) technology. We have come so
far already with video game development, future educational opportunities are endless
and exciting. As a self confessed gamer that always believed games were not
just silly time wasters, I want to thank Miss James, Hallybone and Kearney for
highlighting the benefits and power of educational gaming!
Image: 'Streetfighter
360'
Image: 'PAL (European)
SNES'
Friday 13 May 2011
Pop it in the Blender!
On
a side note, I can recommend to have images pre-selected for the students to
use as a foundation. I discovered that if you allowed the children to look
through hundreds of images then it would take forever for them to make their
minds up… Now I am not saying that choice is a bad thing, on the contrary I
think it is great but for a quick lesson having a starting point is vital. The
concept of using others images could be a stepping-stone to creative commons
resources too.
I
look forward to seeing what they have produced using their digital
paintbrushes, the creations looked promising from the first lesson.
Images Attributed to Flickrcc:
Images Attributed to Flickrcc:
Image: 'technicolor dreamcoat'
Image: 'wallpaper - The ISLAND'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42352950@N07/4452367725
Friday 6 May 2011
Email Me, Email You!
So my very first technology lesson
went off without a hitch or a hacker! My prac students were all very engaged
into what emails are and the different ways in which we can use this wonderful
tool for connection. Unfortunately the lesson fell on un-allocated computer
time so I had to last minute change the lesson and run the lesson on the IWB
that was not what I had planned for... this is the life of a teacher I am
quickly discovering. However, having the 'experts' jump up and show the rest of
the class what they knew was really encouraging and let me tell you, even the
students who shy away from these things were jumping at the chance to show
their skills.
Practice makes perfect. When we did
have time in the computer lab I had the class compose an email, attach a file
and send it to their parents. This was not only for the students to go through
the motions of sending an email themselves but to notify their parents that
they are now online. The student had to have permission to use emails and other
online activity.so this was a good opportunity to kill multiple birds with one
stone. Accompanying the parents’ permission was a policy or contact that the
students needed to sign to agree upon appropriate use of computers, Internet
and cybersaftey. I was surprised of the extent of prior knowledge the students
had when it came to computers and emailing in particular. Some had nothing, others
had been emailing since they we knee high to a grasshopper and these students
were a challenge when it came to listening. I explicitly gave instructions as
to what the email would contain, the layout and before sending it my CT or
myself would proof read it. I wasn't sure how to work with my 'experts' in this
scenario, some left their listening ears at the door and did their own thing
which was ok, just as long as they followed the instructions to notify their
parents, some did not and got flustered when I asked them to go back complete
what was asked of them, others were more than willing to help others, “GREAT!”
I thought only to realise that they were doing the work for the beginners that
didn't advance their skills...
A revelation of the lessons on
emailing was that the majority didn't know what domain names were and why we
had to put the @place.com.au after our names, they could not fathom the idea,
if not the amount of other would have the same name as them. Also with
passwords and security reasons for the accounts, which was an eye-opener to
them and a reminder to me, that prior knowledge people hold are so vast and for
me not to make assumptions... lesson learnt!
Thank you Flickrcc for the imagery!
Image: 'Interopérabilité @ J&Bisc family'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11445550@N00/2456767724
Tuesday 3 May 2011
My first day!
As a student teacher I have been allocated a lovely class
of 25, yr5 students. My cooperating teacher is a self-confessed stranger when
it comes to technology and integrating it into her class. When asked what I
would like to teach out of the possible topics, I was excited to see that
emailing was one of these options and I quickly volunteered to my CT’s relief
as she fears the digital unknown. I was however, very impressed to find out
that last term the students were introduced to Blogging but this was guided by
one of the more techno familiar teachers. Teaching the students about the
wonderful world of the web and its uses is alone very exciting, but I can see
my self coming to the aid of my CT and am very happy to share and help her in
anyway I can, in order to promote the possibilities I have discovered whilst in
my Professional Experience class.
I am lucky to have an IWB in the class and will be using
it as much as I can, as I have been told that my techno timid teacher has only
used it a few times. My class shares 5 PCs with the adjoining yr5 class and has
an allocated 1hr on Fridays in the computer lab. So I will be making the most
of my resources and building upon prior knowledge of the students (and my CT) so that the unfamiliar becomes familiar. So as I sit here finding new
e-resources for my lessons, I get butterflies of excitement in my tummy just
thinking how much I can integrate technology into my yr5 lessons (whilst on
prac) as well as what my own future classes!
Thanks Flickrcc for the Image: 'Sunset over Pearl Qatar.'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8264376@N03/2199471245
Monday 18 April 2011
Trial & Error...
I would like to tell you the tale of my digital
storytelling experience with Vuvox...
Vuvox has three different options to create your digital
story express, collage, and studio. I chose collage for my first endeavor.
The free multimedia site allows anyone to create
interactive stories from their photos, videos, text and audio clips. My first
was pretty basic, only editing the images however will develop my Vuvox skills
using the extra editing options. The editing features include;
•
Image Cut-out and Masking
tools
•
Layer positioning and
Compositing
•
Interactive 'Hot-spots',
providing links to media, text or other websites
•
Ability to add rich media
details and Text and Soundtrack
The collage function enables you to publish, embed, and
syndicate into websites, blogs and social networking sites to share your
creation... to a wider audience. There is a function to adjust privacy settings
if you don't want to share. I did have some troubles with aligning the audio and
visual. I found that you should avoid running the mouse over the control bar
(at the bottom) whilst playing. A lot of trial and error...
All in all I enjoyed the time creating my first Vuvox story,
it was created when asked who was an inspiration in my life… I hope you enjoy
my first (of hopefully many) digital stories.
As a pre-service teacher, I look forward to utilizing digital
stories in the classroom.
E-Learning Resource Extravaganza!!!
This week we held a 'mini expo'
conference to share all the great e-learning resources that are available to us
as teachers, to help us navigate through the maze of e-resources...
The conference was designed to
entice the participants to look up our online reviews however, a lot of what
was shared in the conference fulfilled my queries about the programs available
and felt that there was no need to go and look up the reviews as the reasons
why the resources are (or aren’t) meaningful was already shared…
Some of the programs or websites
that I think looked promising to use in the classroom are:
Operation Neptune
Wonderful Words
A plus to most of these programs
available are that they are free. It is debatable on how meaningful the
learning experience is when using some of them but I think that the programs
are headed in the right direction...
All in all it was a good experience
to get us pre-service teachers in analyzing the meaningfulness of programs and
sharing our findings. As well as looking at teaching approaches that allow students to
be in control of learning and us teachers…’the guides on the side’!!!
Thank you to all those involved in our mini conference...
and Flickrcc for the imagery.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24183489@N00/252757784
Once Upon a Digital Time....
In a digital land not so far away...after all these readings about digital storytelling it made me think, the pen may be mightier than the
sword but is the computer is mightier than the pen? I believe when it comes to these short, but expressive mediums for expression that are known as digital story telling technology truly is mightier. They also portrays that pictures ARE truly stronger than words and allows for creativity... Thus, as I make my way down the path of life long learning, I have
found this medium which has emerged as an engaging and thought invoking experience (not without it hurdles, which have been successfully conquered). I feel
that my experience will be replicated and continued in myself and all the storytellers that are my students. These multimedia sonnets, as Daniel Meadows refers to them as, really
allows for exploration of ideas, the unknown and share our findings with not
only our peers but with our vast audience over the net.
I really enjoyed reading ‘Making History Come Alive’ and was excited to think of the endless possibilities for
this medium in my classroom. It enables students from any age, or ability to
think deeply and expand upon and articulate their understandings. Able to
integrate across the curriculum, digital story activities provide are the ultimate
meaningful learning experience… that would make Jonassen a very happy man.
And so the digital story, the student
and the meaningfulness of learning, all lived happily ever after…
~The End~
~The End~
Thanks to...
Daniel Meadows. Photobus.
Retrieved from http://www.photobus.co.uk/
Jonassen, D., et al. 2008, Meaningful
Learning with Technology, 3rd edn, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River,
New Jersey, pp.1-12. Retrieved
from; https://online.uts.edu.au/webapps/lobj-journal-bb_bb60/blog/012233/_530552_1/Home?cmd=GetImage&systemId=Jonassen08__0.pdf
Levin, H. (2003). Making history come
alive: Students interview Holocaust survivors and publish their stories.
Learning and Leading with Technology 31(3), 22-27.. Retrieved from
the Learning & Leading with Technology
website; http://www.usq.edu.au/course/material/edu5472/resources/files/ll31322.pdf
And Flickrcc for the images,
thanks again...
Image: 'Bussana vecchia'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29635150@N00/2320388358
Image: 'I Want to Live'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/86603835@N00/36362014
Sunday 17 April 2011
Wonderful World of the Web... 2.0
Little did I realize that the internet had
evolved right in front of my eyes from read only to a read/write function… it
wasn’t only until my eyes were opened in our tutorial that I know realize that
our options as teachers are boundless…
We need to
rethink our roles as teachers and as Richardson suggests, break free from the
traditional teaching pedagogies and jump into the e-resources that await us…
Not only do children read and write now but also they are editors and
collaborators… Students can create, collaborate, publish, and make connections
with the wide audience of our online community. The inevitability of technology
in the classroom is real and as teachers we need to ‘download’ a new
methodologies to teaching, but how? ‘Let’s Google it’!!
Attributes
Will
Richardson (2006). The Educator's Guide to the
Read/Write Web. Retrieved
on the 15th April 2011.
Thursday 14 April 2011
Digital Castles
Digital Sandcastles
My
favorite part of going to the beach as a child (and even still today) was
always exploring rock pools and building sand castles… little did I know that I
was learning in the moment. I vividly remember my Pop telling me about all the
pipi’s and other seashore creatures. I remember this because it was such an
engaging experience and now is engrained in my memory.
After
reading Digital Sandcastles by Idit Harel (2003) who uses the constructionist analogy
of the building sandcastles to learn has allowed me to deepen my understandings
of the theory, which was established by Seymour Papert. This constructioNist
theory (stemmed from the constructiVist theory, where is where ) is when
children learn whilst doing and creating which comes about un-expectantly. The
only problem with the engaging experiences of the beach is that it doesn’t
last, washed away along with the sandcastles and cannot be added to, reflected
upon or extended.
Harel
continues by recommending that in order to harness this natural learning
experience in the classroom, we should do so through the use of computers.
Unlike
the sandcastles of our yesteryears that have washed away many moons ago, the
use of computers “offers a wide-open learning environment in which children
can explore the world, express themselves, save their creations, revise and
refine them over time and exchange ideas in ways that were simply not possible
in the past”.
My
own beliefs about being a life-long learner are resonated with one of the great
artists, Picasso: “when did you learn to paint? How did you learn
to be so creative?” Picasso- “You and I started learning at the same age, and I
learnt the same way that you did. The difference is that you stopped.”
The
websites linked to the literature do allow children to be in control of their
learning, and I think we are very lucky to have all the resources available to
us and we can really provide in the moment and meaningful learning experiences
for our students!
Harel, I. (2003). Sand castles go digital. Retrieved August 4, 2006
at: http://www.mamamedia.com/areas/grownups/new/21_learning/sand_castles.html
Image: '"Castle Beach" – Singapore'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/84493444@N00/4268489129
Thursday 31 March 2011
Meaningless? I think not!
I found the article 'Meaningful Learning with
Technology' by Jonassen, et al. a thought provoking piece of
literature...Jonassen et,al questions whether we are using IT in the classroom
to its full potential to create a meaningful learning environment. The main
element throughout the literature is that technology should be an instrument or
'tool' and not a passive style of learning..."A great deal of research
on computers and other technologies has shown that they are no more effective
at teaching students than teachers/but if we begin to think about technologies
as learning tools that students learn with, not from, then the nature of
student learning will change". An idea brought to light by Jonassen,
et al. and a term suggested by my tutor that really resonates with me, is that
teachers need to be the “guide on the side” in learning. As IT is an
ever-evolving innovation, so to is our quest to incorporate these IT resources
into our everyday classroom environment. Jonassen et al. reflects that students
should be active participants in their learning experiences in order for it to
meaningful. “But how can teacher adopt IT effectively in the classroom, and
make it meaningful?” I hear you ask... simply with a community of collaborators
and with the use of all this technology at our finger tips it makes it much
easier (for example; TeacherTube, Edu-blogs and Google Reader) and with the innovation of Web 2.0 this ability to create and
explore is at our disposal.
Jonassen et al. also recommends following ‘Tasks
that require intentional, active, constructive, cooperative, and authentic
learning processes' (see figure 1.1), when strategising pedagogies to provide opportunities for
students to learn in a meaningful environment.
I have to concur with Jonassen's idea that in
order to effectively learn it must be meaningful, I remember as a young student
questioning why I had to learn something that I doubted its usefulness. As a
teacher, I will endeavor to adopt the principles highlighted in the Meaningful
Learning with Technology article as the ideas brought forward resonate with my
own personal feelings... IT is a pedagogical revolution and as teachers we need
to collaborate, create, stimulate and encourage!
References-
Jonassen, D., et al. 2008, Meaningful
Learning with Technology, 3rd edn, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River,
New Jersey, pp.1-12.
Image: 'Flat Classroom
Skype'
Sunday 20 March 2011
These Times, They Are A Changing...
However, I think we ought to think
ourselves lucky and whilst I am a 'digital
immigrant' (DI) in the quickly evolving 'digital native'
world, I encourage you to endeavor to have visa's granted so that we
can co-exist in this digital and sometimes unfamiliar world. We as 'the
immigrants' must take risks in this new world in which we find ourselves and
enjoy the ride! We the 'DI's' have never had such information at our
fingertips and it is inevitable that new innovations are developed and as
teachers we need to harness all that we can in order to teach our aspiring
'natives'...
I just hope that Gem has
taken her own advice and fought the excuses "I
don’t understand it, I don’t have the time,
and/or I don’t see what is to be gained from it" and conquered her fears
about this big old world wide web of ours... I know I am, as best as an
immigrant can.
Article Reference
From On the Horizon (MCB University
Press, Vol. 9 No. 5, October 2001) © 2001 Marc Prensky.
Thanks to Flickr for the imagery
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