Week 7 - Wikipedia Activites

This week my study group and I were to use the internet site Wikipedia to locate resources that could be used, for a given topic, within a classroom context.  Our chosen topic was ‘Science in the primary classroom’.  When we searched this in Wikipedia we found two good resources very quickly; www.primaryscience.ie and www.discover-science.ie.  I was particularly impressed with the Primary Science website as right from the word go, it looks like a website that would interest students.  It was a section for teachers and a section for students as well as sections for activities and awards, etc.  In the kids section is specifically designed to engage the students, with spaces for them to play science games, ask questions and learn cool facts about science as well.  In the teachers section are more resources that can be used within the classroom.  It appears to be quite a fantastic site. Within the classroom context websites such as these could be incorporated in Wiki’s, Web Quests or PowerPoint’s, to name a few, to teach children.

Reflective Synopsis

Assessment task 2—Analysis of digital technologies

“In school, rather than being empowered to choose what they want and to see what interests them, students must eat what they are served. And what they are being served is, for the most part, stale, bland, and almost entirely stuff from the past. Yesterday’s education for tomorrow’s kids. (Pensky.. 2005)”

Today’s students are growing up in a digital age, a time where technology appears to play such an integral role in everyday life.  Everything seems to be able to be done technologically, electronic roller doors can raise or lower themselves at the press of a button, cars can automatically turn on their lights when the sun has disappeared, mobile phones can read back messages and follow the commands of your voice to play any song or call anyone in your contacts list, mobile phones have turned into pocket-sized computers with the ability to search the web and find the nearest cafe to your location at the hit of a button, the list seems never ending.  In an age where people are becoming so submersed in technology it is really no wonder that today’s students need to be taught in a more digitally enhanced way.  With this turn to using more information and communication technologies (ICT’s) in learning the amazing capabilities of digital technologies and all they have to offer can be explored.  This new way of learning is referred to as E-Learning.

Sergio Vitulano (2003. p.70.) states, “In a broad sense, E-learning can be conceived as a complex, integrated process, where the Internet enables social inclusion and social cohesion – enabling us to involve and connect people, pedagogy, processes, content and technology.”  This is reinforced by Garrison and Anderson (2003. p.7.) when they affirm, “E-learning does not represent more of the same.  Electronic communications technologies, with their multiple media text, visual, voice and their capacity to extend interaction over time and distance, are transforming teaching and learning.” E-learning to me, basically translates into a new way of teaching and engaging students through the use of ICT’s.  “The fact is that even if you are the most engaging old-style teacher in the world, you are not going to capture most of our students’ attention the old way. (Pensky. 2005)” 

                                          

The importance of E-learning is undeniable. “Today’s digital kids think of ICT as something akin to oxygen: they expect it, it’s what they breathe, and it’s how they live. They use ICT to meet, play, date, and learn. It’s an integral part of their life. (Brown. NDF)” If we want students of the current and future ages to learn then we, as learning managers, need to engage them.  The focus definitely seems to be moving from chalk and blackboard type teaching to interactive whiteboards.  In order to teach with more ICT’s we need to be just as techno-savvy as the students are.  Throughout the past five weeks I have been introduced to a multitude of different digital tools, some that I have been familiar with and others that I had never even heard of.  It was through exploring each of these digital tools that I glimpsed even just the slightest potential ICT’s could have for students learning.  Personally I took to them straight away.  They were so engaging that I could spend half a day just playing with and manipulating each tool.  It didn’t take long at all to convince me that the students would love this too.

The digital tools I experimented with included, but were not limited to:

-          Digital images                                     - Digital video

-          Podcasts                                              - PowerPoint

-          Prezi                                                    - Weebly/Websites

-          Wiki                                                    - Blog

-          Wix                                                     - Mobile Learning

-          Ipod/Iphone                                        - Glogster

From these I chose four digital tools to elaborate on and further explore the potential and possibilities of.  The four I chose were; Digital Images, Mobile Learning through the use of an Ipod, Blogs and Prezi.   My general consensus was that digital tools are a brilliant way in which to engage students as they cover the different learning styles students may be suited too. 

The typical classroom contains a multitude of students with different learning styles.  Snowman (2009. p.123) states that, “teachers need to use various learning and teaching methodologies to engage all styles of learning at one time or another.” With the majority of today’s students being kinaesthetic and visual learners (Snowman. 2009) technology proves itself to be a key tool for learning.  Kinaesthetic learners learn by manipulating and by doing, for this reason technology is an asset in the classroom as the majority of programs you can use are designed to be interactive.  They are also often made for one person, allowing each student to work through the task at their own pace.  Visual learners on the other hand learn by seeing.  In this way technology is also a constructive tool to use as it is right there for the students to look at and to follow along.  Often digital tools include videos and/or pictures to illustrate tasks and desired outcomes.  Technology does not only accommodate for these two learning styles.  It also covers auditory learners when it involves music, videos, podcasts, vokis or any other auditory tool that reads out explanations and tasks to the students.   “Just as technology can be used to strengthen different forms of intelligence, so it can target different learning styles (Snowman. 2009. p.123).”  Blooms Revised Taxonomy provides a framework for teachers when scaffolding learning.  “With the dramatic changes in society over the last five decades, the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy provides an even more powerful tool to fit today's teachers' needs (Forehand. 2005).”    

The first digital tool I chose to explore was from the Digital Technologies 1catergory.  In this section the digital tools were Blogs and Wikis.  I spent a fair amount of time playing with both of these tools as I had to engage in a Wiki for both my maths assignment and for learning experiences within this course as well.  I had not used a blog before I was introduced to E-learning, but I had read many others on the web before.  It astounds me that two digital tools as simple to use as these can prove to be such a powerful and engaging way to enhance students learning.  “Blogs are best known as chronologically organised personal journal entries” while Wikis are commonly described as “collaborative virtual spaces that invite users to upload and edit documents (Snowman. 2009. p.414).”  Both tools have an unbelievable amount of potential to contribute to classroom teaching and learning.  I decided to concentrate on blogs as I had to work with these the most throughout this course.  I like the blogs because they are a space where everyone can share their own thoughts and opinions, very similar to a public diary.  Please click here to go to my blog posting about DigitalTechnologies 1 to learn about their potential in the classroom and what Ilearnt from them (please access the links within this blog).

The second digital tool that I decided to further explore was Digital Images.  It came from the catergory Digital Technologies 2 where I explored the benefits and limitations of podcasting, digital videos and images. Once again all of the tools proved to be very engaging, but as an arts student I was particularly taken by the Digital Images, in which we used a program called Piknik to manipulate an image. My experimentation with the program Piknik can be seen here (Digital Images BlogPosting).    During my senior years of high school we did a lot of work on being visual learners and developed the ability to “read” images.  To some a picture may simply seem that, a picture, but when you really look at it you can learn so much more.  What life was like at the time, what emotions are going on, how we have been positioned to feel and what effect colours and lines can also have on the viewer.  Images are truly amazing and I find that they provide a brilliant way to learn without having to do a lot of reading.  Please click here to go to my blogposting about Digital Technologies 2 to learn about their potential in theclassroom and what I learnt from them (please access the links within thisblog).

The third digital tool I chose came from the group Digital Technologies 3, this group included, PowerPoint, Prezi and Glogster.  Out of these three the only digital tool I was familiar with was PowerPoint, a tool that I had been using since the early days of primary school.  As I was already very aware of the potential PowerPoint’s had within the classroom I decided instead to focus on the benefits of Prezi.  I was first introduced to Prezi when a peer used it to present one of her assignments; I was automatically taken by the animation and visual appeal of it.  It looked fun and the only thing I wanted to do when I walked out of that classroom was to go and have a play with this program myself! Please click here to go to my blog posting about Digital Technologies3 to learn about their potential in the classroom and what I learnt from them(please access the links within this blog).

The fourth tool that I looked at was the iPod and the benefits of mobile learning.  “Mobile learning is a new way of learning.  Mobile devices including handheld computers, mobile phones and smartphones  make learning portable, spontaneous, personal and exciting (Kukulska-Hulme. & Traxler. 2005).”  Pleaseclick here to go to my blog posting about Digital Technologies 4 to learn abouttheir potential in the classroom and what I learnt from them (please access thelinks within this blog).  The iPod, and technology similar, have so much potential within a classroom.  They can be used to help students study for exams or tests, to help young children learn literacy and English skills, to develop students competence in mathematics and capture science experiments, to name a few.  The students would thrive if they had technology such as this to use in their classroom.  Please click here to access the Wiki I was apart of to see our discussion on mobile learning.

Personally, looking at the technologies that are available, I can not even imagine not making use of ICT’s when teaching.  They seem truly invaluable!  I look forward to teaching with them and to exploring them more.

Reference

Brown, J. S. (NDF)  Learning in the digital age. Retrieved from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/FFPIU015.pdf

Forehand, M. (2005). Bloom's taxonomy: Original and revised.. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from: http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Garrison, D.R., & Anderson, T. 2003.  E-learning in the 21^st century: A framework for research and practice. Retrieved from http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=iJnabU6908wC&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=definition+of+e+learning&ots=ec98y_QZ-k&sig=ItLRHbe8jl83u9vKTOuOHRclGBM#v=onepage&q=definition%20of%20e%20learning&f=false

Kukulska-Hulme, A., & Traxler. J. (2005).  Mobile learnings: A handbook for educators and trainers. Retrieved from: http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=g50i6p7Ox2wC&oi=fnd&pg=PR1&dq=mobile+learning&ots=JsXgN-GpPG&sig=E0hxUR3X-448KIhxrfeyGkAU76I#v=onepage&q=mobile%20learning&f=false

Pensky, M. (2005). Engage me or enrage me: what today's learners demand. Retrieved from:
http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0553.pdf

Snowman., Dobozy., Scevak., Bryer., Bartlett., & Beighler. (2009).  Psychology applied to teaching. 1^st australian edition. Milton., Qld: John Wiley & Sons Australia.

Vitulano, S. (2003)  Image: E-learning, understanding, information retrieval and medical.  Retrieved from http://books.google.com.au/books?id=EbcA6aZM47oC&pg=PA70&dq=what+is+elearning?&hl=en&ei=CDnpTrKmJ4bJmAW9tMSlCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CEsQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=what%20is%20elearning%3F&f=false

Learning Technologies Four

The iPod - Mobile Learning:


I am one of those people who are constantly attached to their phones - and these days, honestly,  who wouldn't be?  I search the net, I check my emails, text people, I have the choice to facetime people, I can make my calls, check the weather forecast, read newspapers, play games, learn and find directions from one place to another.. and that isn't even listing everything!  I have an iPhone and for the past 7 weeks I have been using an iPod touch as well to explore the benefits of mobile learning, and I must say.. there are so many positives!!


What wonderful, amazing devices! I mean honestly, they are a tiny computer that fit in my pocket meaning that wherever I am, at any point of the day, I can jump online and search anything I need too!  After a while of exploring I have created the following SWOT anylsis chart about iPods:

Strengths
- Pocket sized computer
- Can be carried anywhere at anytime
- Have an impressive battery life
- Are easy to charge (in the car/through the wall/linked to a computer)
- Have a lot of room to hold information
- Can record your voice and save for later - Particularly good if you are practicing a speech as you can record yourself and play it over and over to you before bed, or in the car.
- Have a notes section where you can type any notes you may need to refer back to
- Have cameras that are great for capturing information you need to revise or memories from school trips or science experiments
- Have the ability to face time - an amazing way to connect with students in other schools around the world (permitted they have the technology too)
- The multitude of apps that are downloadable... textbooks that children can have for when they are on holidays and cannot afford to carry the extra weight.  Apps that teach mathematics.  Apps that teach spelling and literacy skills


Weaknesses
- Small screen can be hard to type on.
- Some apps can cost money
- Screens are quite easily damaged when dropped

Opportunities
 -Students would have access to a mobile computer
- Students would be able to pre-record speeches or information they need to revise for exams and play it back for themselves
- Students could take videos and photos of school trips/science experiments
- Facetime and connect with other students around the world (permitted they have access to the same technology)
- Easily upload and download information to the computer


Threats
- Ethical and legal issues of how the device is used
- A device being lost or damaged.

Digital Technologies Three

 The digital tools that I explored in Digital Technologies Three were all presentation tools.  Each of them just as wonderful as the other... though, I must admit, I prefer to use Prezi and Glogster.. but that is probably just because I've used PowerPoint so much!! Who knew that such wonderful programs were available?? Certainly not I!!!  :)  If you get a chance to explore them I hope you find as much enjoyment in them as I did!!!

PowerPoint:

I have been using PowerPoint for as long as I can remember.  As a recent primary school student, PowerPoint was one of the first programs I was ever introduced to.  And what fun I used to have with them too!  As a student myself I always loved being able to create a visually appealing presentation, and they were always so easy to make to!  One of the things that I always really appreciated about PowerPoint was the clipart and wordart that it offered.  There was no need for me to have to search the net for images (very good at such an early age) because all the images I could have needed were made available to me through the program.


PowerPoint is an excellent presentation tool - but can be very time consuming once it comes to adding all of the animations.  However, for primary school aged children, PowerPoint makes an excellent introductory tool to creating presentations.  The potential seems endless.


Prezi:

While I was exploring this digital tool I decided to try it out by making my own.  It can be accessed here http://prezi.com/ntuhskbfo6dy/once-upon-a-time/ This was simply for my own benefit in learning about the tool and the different things I could do within it.  I think that Prezi is a great digital tool for presentations, it is very easy to animate it and this makes it instantly more entertaining and engaging.


I think that the students would enjoy using Prezi as an alternative to PowerPoint as it is so easy to indivualise!  If I could create something without having to follow the tutorial than the students will catch on to it very quickly!  I can really see me using this digital tool in my own classroom.


Within the classroom I believe that a Prezi has the potential to be used as a webquest.  Where the teacher specifically designs a task or a unit for the students to complete on the computer at their own pace.  Because the Prezi makes each stage very separate and distinct, I believe that it would make the perfect program for such a task.


As well as this the students could create their own Prezi to present a project or information to the class.


Another option is for the students to create a digital story that can be shared with other people. 


This is truly a wonderful program to play with!! I look forward to introducing my own children to it.


Glogster:


http://www.glogster.com/


If you get the chance to try this program out DO IT! It is fantastic!! It is just like creating your own scrapbook page digitally.  It has all of the things that student will love, pictures, images, videos and music.... and you can play with all of it to make it your own!

I would definitely use this digital tool within my own classroom.  The students task would be something along the lines of creating a poster to teach the rest of the class about an animal of their choice.  Or a poster to advertise a business they make up.  The possibilities are endless.  I can definitely see this program being popular with all students!

Its only downside may be how time consuming it can be!!

Digital Technologies Two

Learning about these 3 digital technologies has been a hoot!  I have loved exploring the different websites and creating my own video and digital image!!  What fun!!  The students will adore fun programs such as these.

Digital Images:
 To view my earlier posting on Digital Images please click here.

SWAT Analysis

Strengths
 - will really appeal to students who do not like to do not like to have to read a lot of text.
 - very engaging and appealing
 - great to use for visual learners
  - makes a great lead on to art lessons
- creates an opportunity for further research
- develops and stimulates creative thinking
- There are a large number of sites to use to edit pictures
- can be used to learn about history (family history through personal photos or war history through pin up/advertising posters, etc)

Weaknesses
- May take some time for some students to become visual learners and hence take them a while to understand what is happening in an image
- Not all options are available for free on Picnik
- Teachers cannot monitor what every student is creating at the same time


Opportunities 
 - Students can develop a visual awareness
- Students can learn to read how they are being positioned by the media through images
- Students can learn skills to edit and manipulate images

Threats 
- online safety and privacy
- students may upload an image of someone that they don't have rights too
- legal issues and copyright laws

Podcasting:
 To view my earlier posting on Podcasts please click here.

SWAT Analysis

Strengths
- Develops creative thinking and therefore higher order thinking skills
- Can be easily downloaded or accessed via many websites
- Are a brilliant way for auditory learners to learn
- Students are able to create their own
- Allows teacher to prepare other work at the same time if needed
- All students can follow along regardless of their reading level
- Students/teacher can take key points while listening

Weaknesses
- Off task behavior could result in disruption of the class and the podcast would have to be replayed
- Require a computer to be played unless burnt onto a CD, meaning if there are computer problems, the podcast can not be accessed.

Opportunities 
 - Students can create their own podcast
- Students can listen to and learn from podcasts
- Students can analyse podcasts

Threats 
 - Students would have to be aware of the ethical and legal issues surrounding the use of podcasts and what they can be made of.

Digital Video: 
To view my earlier posting on Digital Videos please click here.


SWAT Analysis

Strengths
- Promotes higher order thinking skills and encorages creative thinking
- Caters for both visual and auditory learners
- Easy to access
- Millions of videos on millions of topics available
- Free to access
- Easy to create
- Fun and engaging for students
- Make a fantastic hook as a lead on to other learning
- Teaches students more ICT skills
- Can be a great opportunity for collaborative learning.

Weaknesses
- If there are technology problems the video may not work
- Limited number of computers may limit the students accessibility to create their own video.
- Students would have to have their own headphones if working with sound.
- Can be time consuming and can take a while to load.

Opportunities 
 - Students can build their ICT skills
- Students can create their own video
- Students can create stories to go with the videos
- Can be assessable

Threats
- Students would have to be taught the ethical and legal issues surrounding where they are posted and what they can contain if they are to be publically shared.

Digital Technologies One

According to Snowman (2009.p.414) "Blogs and Wikis are frequently updated web pages on which authors post short comments about any topic."

Wikis: 
"Similar to blogging's emphasis on 'free speech', the wiki environment is also based on democratic principles, as it gives equal right to all people to work jointly on a given document (Snowman. 2009)."  See here for my earlier posting on Wikis.

From my exploration of Wikis I have decided that they are a brilliant digital tool for collaborative learning.  My only past experience with a Wiki has been in a maths task where my partner and I had to use a Wiki to discuss and prepare the task.  The Wiki made it easy for us to work as a team in our own time as it gave us the ability to both edit the pages.  The Wiki was easy to use and was formatted in such a way that was both appealing and functional.  We were able to create as many pages as we needed, all which were very easily accessible, and edit each as we found more information on each topic.  It proved to be a great way to sort and share information that we found and ideas we came up with.

Just from this experience I am able to say confidently that Wikis are a wonderful digital learning tool as they are user friendly and are particularly good for group tasks.  If I were to use a wiki in a classroom context I would use it for a task where the students, as a group were required to find and share information.  This may be the lead up to writing a report or something similar.  It is an exceptional digital tool as it is also an easy way for the teacher to monitor and comment on students work.  In a Wiki it is easy for the teacher to see who within the group has contributed what.  This is a great way to make sure that everyone is getting involved and sharing the work load.

PMI: Wiki
Plus:

• Great collaborative learning tool
• Can be edited by a number of people
• Easily monitored by teacher
• Easy design

Minus:

•  If two people are editing at the same time only one persons will save
• 
  

Implications:

• If both people are editing the same page at the same time only one persons will save (this happened to my partner and I during our maths task) and so someone may loose what they were trying to contribute, or accidently save over the other persons as they are still editing the older version.
• Group work skills are developed
• Competence with ICT's is developed.

Blogs:
"Blogs started out as personalised chats, an area where every person with access to the Internet was able to publish anything they liked, for other people to see and engage with (Snowman. 2009.)." See here for my earlier posting on blogs. 

I am convinced of a blogs worth in the classroom.  As a digital tool it provides the students with a brilliant way to learn.  Blogs seem to have endless potential, they can be used as a class journal, with students taking it in turns (or even all just contributing ideas to the teacher or too one student) to make entries either on a topic that they are learning about, or to keep parents updated on their excursion/camp. 

Personally I think it would make a great digital learning tool for recording information as a class.  Say that the students had an individual task to write a report on a specific animal, the dolphin. As the students, as a class, learn about the dolphin they can post to their class blog the key information and ideas they may discuss.  So, on the day that the class is learning about a dolphins habitat the blogs heading can be labelled 'Habitats', the next may be 'Diet', 'Reproduction' and so on.  This allows allow of the information that the students gather to be culminated in a succinct and neat way.  Having all of the information on the blog means that it cannot be lost and that all students will have access to the same information.  It opens up the opportunity for students to work on their task at home, without the worry of losing the loose note sheets or leaving their book at home.

A blog could also be used for individual assignments.  The task may be for students to reflect on their learning and to give examples of where they may use the days learning in day to day life.  Students would have a different post for each day and the teacher would be able to monitor and make comments on this regularly.  As in the previous example this would also eliminate the  possibilities of books being left at home and not brought to school the next day.  It would also make the lessons flow as the teacher would be able to mark it on his/her own computer while the students carry on with their next activity.  Obviously with activities such as this students at such a young age cannot be expected to have access to the internet at home for every task and so, if such a task was to be given, the students would have to have access to such tasks during school time as well.

PMI: Blogs
Plus:

• Great digital learning tool for reporting information
• Can only be edited by the person with the username and password
• Videos and Pictures can be added
• Posts and posted in chronological order
• Easily monitored
• Can be personalised
• Can be commented on by other people
  

Minus:

• Not an ideal website for group work
• 
  

Implications:

• Great resource for doing 'diary like' entries.

Reference:

Snowman., Dobozy., Scevak., Bryer., Bartlett., & Beighler. (2009).  Psychology applied to teaching. 1^st australian edition. Milton., Qld: John Wiley & Sons Australia.