Assessment Task 2- Analysis of Digital
Technologies
Introduction
Blackboards replaced by LCD Monitors, Chalk replaced by mouse. Does
this sound familiar? This is only the beginning of what is yet, to come.
Digital Information Technologies are transforming the way we work, learn and
communicate. This digital revolution addresses new learning approaches that
transform hierarchical, industrial-based models of teaching and learning. This
revolution has come to be known as E-Learning which is defined by Stockley
(2003) as, "The delivery of a learning, training or education program by
electronic means. E-learning involves the use of a computer or electronic
device (e.g. a mobile phone) in some way to provide training, educational or
learning material". Chen, Lin and Kinshuk (2004) also notes that
E-Learning is almost immediately embraced by all educational institutions as a
positive step towards improving performance, learning, speed, flexibility, versatility,
interactivity and ultimately enabling learners to be more autonomous. Educators
have become increasingly aware of the potential and practicalities of using
digital technologies in the primary classroom and essentially have adopted it
as just another pedagogy. The Smart Classrooms strategy developed by Education
Queensland, assists educators to make ICT an integral part of learning to
assist young people to develop their skills to become creative and intuitive
Queenslanders. (Department of Education
& Training (DET), 2008).
In the making of this assessment piece I have been reflecting upon
my own learning experiences as a Learning manager in the 21st century. The
development of this blog has allowed myself to really understand the importance
of ICT within the classroom. I have discovered a number of new ICT tools which
will be useful in the classroom. Before this exploration, I was not confident
in my ability to attempt such a thing as a blog or a wiki, however now that I
understand such concepts I feel confident enough to include this into my
teaching. Reinforcing the importance of the TPACK framework and Productive
Pedagogies when teaching ICT's. In the following paragraphs I will be explaining
the importance of working legally, safely and ethically online, followed by the
analysis on four digital tools.
Safe, Legal and Ethical Standards
E-learning allows the learning manager to take their children
around the world without leaving their classroom. The use of ICT's within the
classroom is only becoming more common, therefore it is the responsibility of
the learning manager to monitor safe, legal and ethical standards when exposing
students to digital tools such as those about to be mentioned. As the Learning
Manager it would be essential to read and understand not only the school
policies but also the relevant legislation in relation to online use and ensure
that your students are familiar with these policies before beginning any ICT
work. It is extremely important that students know the legal, safe and ethical
principles in regard to researching and using information from the world wide
web. Web aware is an online website which offers further information about sexual
risk and harm, cyberbullying, privacy, pornogrpahic and gaming and their
limitations. These are all topics which need to be discussed and understood by
not only the learning manager and students but also the parents before
partaking in any e-learning activities.
Tool 1: Blogs
Blogs are best known as chronologically organised personal journal
entries (Snowman, 2009) that can be a resourceful tool in collaborative
learning and enable students to reflect and evaluate. Blogs are an exciting and
modern way to support raising the levels of attainment. Blogs benefit both
reading and writing skills effectively as writing does not just become another
passive exercise, with students needing to constantly use and improve their
reading and writing skills to become valuable blog creators and editors.
Blogging is also a perfect platform to integrate a growing number of ICT tools,
such as pod-casting, digital photos, video clips and powerpoint (The School
Bloggers, 2011). It also provides the ideal environment to discuss and develop
with the students an online safety policy. A PMI analysis has been constructed
on my Blog 'Managing E-Learning' on the 22 July 2012, titled 'Blogs in a
Teaching Context'. Although all Learning Managers will have differing opinions
in relation to the effectiveness of blogs in the classroom, listed are positives,
negatives and interesting facts of blogs which I believe.
The Chronological order of Blogs are similar to those of Bloom's
Taxonomy, in the way that students begin with new information and progress to
deconstruct the knowledge and identify how to apply it accordingly by
commenting on others blogs. Blogs allow both students and teachers to voice
their opinion and make comment on other ideas. It is essential for not only the
teacher but also the students to identify the relationship between the content
and context. In order to make judgement or provide feedback it is essential to
understand the background knowledge of the topic being discussed. This is where
the TPACK Framework comes into place as the feedback will allow students to
re-evaluate their content and could be
further supported through the commenting on each other's blogs.
Tool 2: Concept Mapping-
Bubbl.us
Concept Mapping is a type of knowledge representation. Snowman, et
al (2009) recognises that students learn and recall information when it is
presented in an organised format and a meaningful context. Plotnick (1997) says
that representing the information in a visual format allows one to gain an
overview of a domain of knowledge. Concept Mapping is used to generate ideas,
design complex structures, communicate complex ideas, aid learning by
explicitly integrating old and new information and to assess understanding or diagnose
misunderstanding. Bubbl.us is an electronic device used to construct a digital
concept map. An example of this can be seen on my 'Managing E-Learning' blog
dated 17 July 2012, titled TPACK Reflection.
According to Jonassen (1990) some of the advantages of computer
support for concept mapping include: ease of adaptation and manipulation,
dynamic linking, conversion, communication and storage. Bubbl.us offers just
this, it can be used as an individual or collaborate interactive resource to
obtain prior knowledge or develop new understandings. A concept map supports
Bloom's Taxonomy by assisting in the sequence of learning. A concept map is a
hierarchy of information and contains cross links which facilitates creative
and higher order thinking. This tool allows for information to be evaluated
while students are able to visualise the relationships and links between the
knowledge. The scaffold of the concept map organises information, draws links
and enables students to retain information. The following link takes you to the Bubbl.us
Tool 3: Wiki
According to Snowman et al, a
wiki is a collaborative virtual space that invites users to upload and edit
documents. Similar to blogging's empasis on 'free speech', the wiki environment
is based on democratic principles, as it gives equal right to all people to
work jointly on a given document. Many
students find that their learning is most effective when they are actively
involved in the construction of their own knowledge. Therefore making Wiki's a
valuable form of communication as they encourage social interaction and
collaboration and support asynchronous communication allowing students to
contribute at a time, and from a place that suits them (Department of
Education, 2012). However as a Learning Manager it is important to know your
learner. Although wiki's are a great form of social interaction, some students
may not feel comfortable expressing their opinions in such a way in front of
their peers. It is important at the beginning of such a project that boundaries
and limitations are set out for all students to follow.
Wiki's are primarily used for knowledge driven project work.
Therefore, Wiki's support Blooms Taxonomy as they often require a process of
introducing student-held knowledge, analysing this knowledge, deriving and
strengthening the knowledge and theory from this analysis, and then moving
towards evaluation of the knowledge and creating as the culmination of learning
(Fasso, 2012). Beyond the ease of editing, the second powerful element of the
wiki is the ability to keep track of the history of the document as it is
revised. The following link is to a Wiki in which I have created previously in
relation to a Math Investigation for Primary School students.
Tool 4: Prezi
Prezi is another visual aid which provides the more intriguing alternate
to the overused PowerPoint program. Prezi differs from Powerpoint in that it is a web-based
program that allows you to create more of a canvas presentation instead of a
sequential slide presentation. Dr. Hamilton (2012) states that Prezi allows
the learning manager to present old or new information in a non-linear, dynamic
way that will captivate their students attention. It allows you to
incorporate not only text and pictures, but videos and other presentation
objects. A positive to the use of a Prezi is that, you can create your
presentation online and then download the final product so that you don’t
require an internet connection to display the presentation. An example Prezi
has been created on my Blog 'Managing E-learning' dated 6 August 2012, titled
Prezi.
The TPACK framework
informs the learning design decisions about the content to be introduced to the
students and how to select appropriate technologies for learning. In this case,
a Prezi should be utilised as a support tool and not heavily relied upon to
deliver new information. It would be ideally used in a presentation with a
spoken explanation of the concept and the Prezi as the supporting
documentation. This also caters for the diversity of the learners especially
those visual and auditory learners.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I feel
that ICT's in the classroom are a huge advantage to both the students and
learning managers. It allows for communication outside the usual school hours
and the development of relationships between peers. Through guided discussion
students are using higher order thinking to answer one another's questions. The
choice of ICT's are endless and the best part is that it allows for creativity.
Lastly, as a Learning Manager in the 21st century, teaching students who have
grown up in such a 'tech savy' environment, I have realised that I will
continue to learn about new tools my students are accessing and it is important
to incorporate these sort of technologies into my classroom within reason.
References
Chen, Lin and Kinshuk. (2004). E-Learning pedagogy in the
Primary School
Classroom:
the McDonaldization of Education. Retrieved
from
http://ro.ecu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1501&context=ajte
Department of Education. (2012). Wikis in the Classroom. Retrieved
from
http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/cmis/eval/curriculum/ict/wikis/
Department of Education and Training
(2008). E-learning for smart classrooms.
Smart
Classrooms Bytes. Retrieved from
education.qld.gov.au/smartclassrooms/pdf/scbyte-elearning.pdf
Fasso,
W. (2012). Blooms
Taxonomy. Retrieved from CQUniversity e-courses,
FAHE 11001 Managing E-Learning,
http://www.e-courses.cqu.edu.au
Hamilton,
D. (2012). What
is Prezi? How does it compare to powerpoint? Retrieved
from http://drdianehamilton.wordpress.com/2010/11/05/what-is-prezi-how-
does-it-compare-to-powerpoint/
Plotnick, E. (1997).
Concept Mapping. Retrieved from
http://www.mind-mapping.org/seminal-papers-in-information-
mapping/concept-mapping-overview.html
Snowman, J., Dobozy, E., Scevak, J., Bryer, F., Bartlett, B.
& Biehler. (2009).
Psychology Applied
to Teaching (1st ed.). Milton, Queensland, Australia: John
Wiley and Sons
Australia.
Stockley, D. (2012). E-Learning Definition and Explanation. Retrieved
from
http://derekstockley.com.au/elearning-definition.html
The School Bloggers Ltd. (2011). Benefits of Blogging in the
Classroom. Retrieved
from http://theschoolbloggers.co.uk/school-blogs-benefits/blogging-in-the-
classroom/
Web Aware. (2012). Virtual Worlds. Retrieved from
http://www.bewebaware.ca/english/default.html
