PowerPoints

Week Three

This week I learnt how little I knew about the wonderful world of PowerPoints.

I used basic PowerPoints frequently last year through the classroom’s data projector. After taking the time to do the PowerPoint Tutorial, I can’t believe how much more I could have been doing. I had no idea about the range of features on a standard PowerPoint: sound, animation, embedding YouTube clips (Click here for a step-by-step on how to do this) and transitions.

BUT, then I discovered the Interactive PowerPoint Tutorial. This takes the use of PPs to a whole new level. This creates a tool that is more like a website or a webquest but without the need for the students to be online. The interactive nature of the tool gives students greater choice and power over their learning. PPs are no longer just to reinforce, illustrate or complement the learning (as I have used them for in the past), now they can become the mode for the learning. This is a very flexible digital learning tool that can provide a safe and controlled learning environment to develop students understanding and skills.

PPs could be used in many different ways;
- to introduced, scaffold or be the hook to engage learners in the content
- to provide a mode for students to interacting and exploring the content
- to give students a vehicle to create and present their learning on a subject

After this week, I can now see that PowerPoints have far more value than just presenting the information. Students can engage with the tool to promote higher order thinking and problem solving skills. I will definitely be using this tool more effectively within my classroom in future lessons.

Until next time,

Lynn

Websites

Welcome to week 2 of my ICT learning journey.

This week I learnt about and created a website.

http://0140677.weebly.com/

A website is an online set of 'pages' (documents) that have been posted by an individual or a group whom alone control the content. The host of the site can add and change information while viewers can only read and sometimes comment on the material. Websites have given individuals the ability to communicate with the world. They can be used commercially, socially, by the government or by individuals.

Websites provide educators with a varied and exciting range of possibilities. Students can post information to share with their parents at home or communicate with people on the other side of the world. The limitations are only the schools resources and the teachers/students ICT skills. Creating a website would be a very engaging tool for most students as the notion of sharing their knowledge with the world would appeal to their narcissistic nature.

The website I created was a basic representation of what a student could create as a class project. The program was very easy to navigate, insert text and pictures and embed You-tube clips. For this reason this would be one of the best tools I have used so far. Young students and those with low level ICT skills could easily be guided through the steps of creating a site. The static nature of the content would also make using a website safer and easier to control than a wiki.

When I have completed this E-Learning course, this is definitely a digital tool that I will spend more time getting to know as I am sure I will be using it within my own classroom.

Until later,

Lynn

Wikis

Hi all,

This week I learnt about and made a Wiki.
http://s0140677elearning.wetpaint.com/

A Wiki is a similar to a Blog and a Web page, as an individual or group can post information and images on-line that can be viewed by others. Where a Wiki is different is that the content can be edited by those who have a differing view or want to contribute additional information.

This feature creates a digital tool that, if used well, can promote the evolution of communal knowledge, wisdom and information. Wikis can encourage debate through sharing differing ideas and the extension of understanding as learners begin to comprehend how knowledge is complex and dynamic.

The communal nature of this tool also leaves it open to misuse. Sites are vulnerable to people (intentionally or unintentionally) editing information to be misleading, deceptive or incorrect. It is for this reason that the most well known Wiki, Wikipedia, can not be used as a reliable and definitive source of information. This issue may be minimised by using a Wiki in a controlled and restricted environment such as in a Virtual Classroom on the Learning Place.

A Learning Manager could use the process of collaborative learning through Wikis in many different situations. '50 Ways to Use a Wiki' outlines some interesting and inspiring purposes for a Wiki including: class presentations, class books, a glossary, collect data and class encyclopedias.

I created my first Wiki by posting an old lesson plan and asking to get feedback. If constructive advice is given, this could be a great learning tool for teachers to develop their skills. I found that setting up the Wiki was an easy process but I had considerable difficulty with the layout functions. This would be very frustrating and time consuming for younger students.

Wikis, if used in a safe controlled environment, could be an excellent learning tool for both teachers and their students.

Until later,

Lynn

A Great Overview of Digital Pedgogy

Reflection on My Digital Pedagogy

View more presentations from S. Hendy.

I found this in week two's readings and I was surprised by the amount of 'tool's that it discussed that I knew about or had heard of. Two weeks ago, I would have struggled to open this slide show let alone understand all of the content!

I now understand when it talks about Prezi, Wordle, Bubbl.us, wikis and blogs. In the weeks to come I'm sure I will have learnt about the Toodledo, Eyelorer, Kwik and Spezify.

The interesting thing about the slide show was how it grouped the programs in the areas of develop, research, resolve and reflect. This made it easier to understand how the same programs could be used for different functions.

Till next time,

Lynn

Mind Map of Week One

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Creating this Mind Map would have to be one of the most time consuming and challenging things I have done in the course so far. It took a while to master the program and stop deleting all the information and boxes that I wanted. It was also challenging to organise the positioning of the different ideas and decide which 'parent' idea each of the 'children' should link to.

Mind Mapping software, such as the 'Bubbl.us' site used, would be useful in a class of highly skilled students. Younger and low level ICT students would need a great deal of scaffolding to create anything useful in the small window of time classes have in the computer room. Students would need to plan and draft the map by hand first to ensure the most constructive use of time. Students would also require a lot of 'play time' with the program to practice using all the functions before attempting a formal task.

I like the concept of a Mind Map, but I think that drawing one by hand may be more efficient, creative and practical in the classroom.

Further Reflections

As I have progressed through this course I have come to change some of my earlier feelings on some of the digital tools, such as concept maps. After discussions with Michael on the importance of keeping an open mind and a positive attitude towards these tools, I decided to do further research. Once I had read some of my colleague's comments on the importance of concept maps to aid students' processing and storing of information, I realised that I wasn't seeing the full potential of the tool.

It is important for me to look beyond if it will be easy or hard for students to use tool and look to the benefits they will gain that makes using the tool worthwhile.

Thanks Michael.

Sir Ken Robinson's Inspiring Views on Education in the 21st Century

Reflections on Using Blogs

A Web Log, or blog, is a website which is a type of on-line journal that is added to by posting; text, pictures, videos, audio or links. This personal publishing medium can be used in the classroom context to store and present students work. Students can comments on other students’ posts to create a dialogue on their current topics. Teachers could use the tool to post tasks, homework, games, pictures, notices and information for parents or students.


Useful sources for information on Blogs:
Educational Blogging, Remarkablogger, Moderating and Ethics for the Classroom Instructional Blog, Blogging in the Classroom and Blogs in Education




There are many positive, negative and interesting things about the use of blogs in the classroom.

Positive
- Blogs can encourage collaborative learning resulting in greater peer discussion and debate
- Information can be accessed by the students at home
- Greater pathways of communication are possible between the teacher, students and parents
- It can provide an interactive and engaging element to lessons
- It can encourage technological literacy, critical literacy, writing and editing skills
- They are a flexible tool and can be embedded within a lesson from any of the KLA’s
- They can act as a useful reflection tool that can represent students developing knowledge and understanding on a topic
- Students have the possibility to be linked with information, opinions and resources from all over the world
- The use of this popular digital tool may challenge and encourage teachers to update their own technological literacy to match the knowledge of some of the students

Negative
- Access to the technology may be limited by school resources, students resources at home or the teacher’s level of computer knowledge
- Not all ‘Digital Natives’ are as competent on the computer as it is assumed. They may spend large amounts of time gaming or on social networking sites, but lack wider technical understanding
- Blogging requires students to increase their ‘screen time’ at time when obesity is an increasing issue in Australia
- Forums may be used as a source for venting, exclusion or bullying if they are not closely monitored
- Students whom are not confident with IT’s may be less motivated to participate in the tasks
- The extra time required of teachers to set up and maintain a blog could become a source of added stress in an already crowded and demanding curriculum

Interesting
- The assumptions that just because something is a new technology that it must automatically be engaging for the students. Remarkablogger makes an interesting observation on the importance of remembering the human behind the technology. Blogging is a tool for teachers to use which can engage students with the content. Teachers must always ensure that the content is the driving force or the students will be engaged and entertained but may have learnt nothing.
- The balance that teachers must find between censorship and free expression. Starting to use a blog in the classroom would require a great deal of scaffolding, establishing rules and boundaries and monitoring of content. This could teach students important lessons about professional conduct, bullying, critical literacy and the media.

Learning Styles Inventory

My result on the Learning Styles Inventory was just as I expected as I am a very social person. I learn best when I am talking ideas through in groups, discussing different viewpoints and challenging ideas.

This test confirmed what I already knew about myself and I can see that this would be a very useful activity to do with my students. A test such as this would highlight each students areas of strength and provide a visual representation of how they learn. Students so often only focus on their weaknesses and what they find challenging, but an activity like this would help them focus on their strengths and abilities. This would also help the teacher to program lessons to suit the classes learning styles.

Week One

I was initially surprised to see the learning styles, M.I. and learning theory information presented in week one. I thought that the course would be all about technology. However, once I had gone through all the information I began to see that this information was laying a foundation for the use of technology with learners. All students have different learning styles, interests, gifts and experiences. It is through understanding these differences and the digital tools available, that teachers can help students to construct meaning, organise and store information and then use their knowledge meaningfully.

I Got It Working!

I Did It!

My first ever blog and my first ever post.

I have never been very good with computers and technology so this whole course is going to be very challenging for me. My fear of doing something wrong and breaking something has been compounded by the fact that I have a partner who is great with computers and solves any computer issues that arise. This has meant that I have not had to learn anything more complicated than basic work processing for assignment writing.

The first E-Learning lesson was a little confusing and a little exciting. There is so much information and amazing technologies out there that I need to learn about. But, it is by learning about how to use these new digital tools that I am going to be able to be a more relevant teacher, create engaging lessons and inspire students to develop their skills.

It will be a very busy, time consuming and challenging next ten weeks but I am up for the challenge.