Week 7 Reflective Synopsis

My ICT journey has definitely been a roller-coaster. I feel like a dinosaur who has been dragged out of the dark ages. As mentioned in my very first blog, I like nothing better than the feel of a book in my hands and I initially felt that using an ICT was a novelty that didn't actually add value to the learning experience. As a result of both developing a theoretical understanding of learning models and practical application, I now know this is not the case, rather the opposite.

Today’s generation of students have been raised in a world whereby they are constantly exposed to technology responsible for significant increases in available information and rapid societal and economic changes (MCEETYA, 2005). These advancements in technology mean it’s integral that students have higher levels of information and communication technology specific skills necessary to satisfy employment requirements in roles increasingly becoming more dependent on ICT for successful outcomes (MCEETYA, 2005). Quite simply;

ICT is now considered a major factor in fostering learning relevant for future generations (MCEETYA, 2009). Achieving positive outcomes will require transformational change to pedagogical approaches by modernising the practice of integrating ICTs in learning to making ICTs integral to learning (Prestridge, 2007).  In addition to good pedagogy, ICTs facilitate learning at all levels of the SAMR model.

Each week I have responded to a specific KLA within ACARA and throughout this process I have noted that our curriculum demands that students are skilled in ICTs from Prep though to Year 12. ACARA is also presently trialing ICT Literacy whereby assessment is completed online. This highlights that E-Learning environments must be developed around pedagogical principles and practices relevant to learning theories such as behaviourism, cognitivism, constructivism, connectivism and active learning. Each of these learning theories are important with characteristics of all theories present in desired learning outcomes.

I believe as a result of our technological age, connectivism is strongly evident in educational environments where ICTs are being effectively used. The digital age connects people separated by great distances, those who speak different languages, have different religious, cultural and educational backgrounds. Time and time again my reflections noted that Redefinition and Higher Order Thinking were achieved as a result of connectivism in practice.

As teachers I believe we must develop pedagogical frameworks that focus on improving student outcomes by considering and understanding the background of our learners in conjunction with their learning styles, the identification of curriculum expectations, an evaluation of teaching strategies and by utilising the best tools on hand to enhance the learning experience.

My favourite tool throughout this course has been the Weebly. I found this to be extremely simple to use and the website environment was both logical and allowed for continued development. I enjoyed the Wiki as I found it encouraged collaborative practice, though a Blog was far more user friendly. We decided to create a group Blog for our Supportive Learning Environment subject and it’s been an excellent forum to share ideas. I chose to look at Power Points as I felt this would be a tool I would be able to use immediately in any classroom. This was an excellent exercise as I discovered a number of new applications within the Power Point. ZooBurst, Google Earth, and GoAnimate all opened up an exciting world of 3D educational tools. I would like to use all in the classroom, plus a number of other mobile technologies once I have developed my ability to navigate each further. I believe that working with these technologies directly leads to evidence based decision making. I can also foresee in the future that the flip classroom will become a feature of all schooling environments.

I have especially enjoyed the creative aspects of ICTs. As educators we will constantly be faced with the challenge of capturing the attention of our students and should strive to ignite cognitive thinking as defined in Blooms Taxonomy. Every week I was thrilled to learn that not only could I create an exciting lesson using a new digital tool, I could also extend the learning experience in the process. I was constantly challenged and frustrated when faced with my lack of technical expertise and I now appreciate this course is only the beginning, ICTs are dynamic and will require constant re-education and the fine tuning of skills. An important aspect of my journey has been getting over my feeling that “if I’m not an expert, I won’t use it”. I now know that sometimes the greatest learning comes when teacher and student learn together. As mentioned in my last blog, the following quote by Professor Royce Saddlers really resonated with me; “Enduring learning comes about with wrestling with substance, with a new skill, before mastering it”. And in regards to ICTs I believe this can apply to both student and teacher alike.

An extremely important aspect of working with ICTs in the classroom is adhering to legal, ethical and safe practice. According to Leech (2006) teachers must overcome difficulties with issues such as plagiarism, piracy, equitable use, inappropriate web material and cyberbullying to ensure ICTs can provide acceptable learning outcomes. I believe my first step in the process will be to thoroughly familiarise myself with the school policy in regards to ICTs. Risk management issues such as information sharing, copyright and intellectual property infringements will threaten to compromise the privacy and safety of children under my care. Reputation management is also important in regards to both myself and the school itself. An excellent resource in regards to my legal and ethical obligations in regards to ICTs is Education Queensland’s Risk Management Policy for the web. 

I believe that if I am to successfully use ICTs in the classroom I must  respond to curriculum requirements, consider my learners and work to develop effective teaching pedagogies. This is achieved by looking to use a combination of the above mentioned learning theories and all levels of the SAMR model. Prior implementation, a PMI is an excellent tool to help analyse the strengths and weaknesses of the lesson plan and the proposed ICT tool. In regards to using ICTs in the classroom I will also ensure that I am well prepared and have tested the technology prior presentation wherever possible. When facing technical problems during the last six weeks, I was often reminded of the fact that you are never alone when on the web, help is always at hand, in my case from 24 hour online experts and my fellow colleagues. ICTs are an extremely collaborative environment. 

My first Blog ended on “Let the unlearning begin”, but I no longer believe the journey is about unlearning, I haven’t lost any of my prior based knowledge, rather I am constantly learning new ways to present this knowledge in a manner that will engage the students of a digital age. Enduring learning and evidence based decision making are key objectives of every educational environment and I believe that using ICTs for curriculum delivery will help achieve these goals.


Refrences:

Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA). (2005).Contemporary learning in an online world. Retrieved from http://www.mceecdya.edu.au/mceecdya/publications,11582.html#Teachers and teaching

Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA). (2009).Melbourne declaration on educational goals for young Australian’s. Retrieved fromhttp://www.mceecdya.edu.au/mceecdya/melbourne_declaration,25979.html

Prestridge, S. (2007). Engaging with the transforming possibilities of ICT: A discussion paper. Australian Educational Computing, 22(2), 3-9.

Leech, R. (2006). Internet ethics morality for an online world. Teacher. 172, 14-17.

Week 6, Reflection 5

The tool I decided to explore this week was ZooBurst. I began this exercise with the usual trepidation, though within minutes I realised that not only was ZooBurst easy to use, it’s applications were endless. The site allows users to create 3D books that can be saved and shared. I also chose to upgrade my membership so that I could download my books.

The process to create a book was simple, the navigation tools excellent. Users are given a number of background options, and the ability to import their own images and write text across each page. Text is also able to be added to every image and with the upgrade, users are able to introduce sound. The text can be spoken or simply used as a visual prompt. One can spin the book around to better view images at the “back” and it certainly felt like I was playing a computer game, one that allowed me to “walk” through terrain.

I chose to develop a lesson around the KLA ACHGK035 featured in ACARA. Further research led to examples of a year Year 6 Geography portfolio that responded to this same KLA. (LINK here) 

So how could ZooBurst help me create a more engaging learning environment? One that would lead to Higher Order thinking? Once I immersed myself in the process, it became obvious. The original example from the student portfolio was a table on the numbers and origins of migrants to Australia. This data was easily added across the bottom of each page. I then took it further by giving student a feel for each country of origin. 

Every page of my 3D book includes a map, visuals of the people in their native environments. Things that connect us such as sport, while the majority of Australians have vastly different religious beliefs to many Indian migrants, we all share a love of cricket! There began to emerge connections between many of the countries, with recurring images of military regimes, overpopulation, primary industries and lower socio economic environments. All of a sudden we could SEE why a number of these migrants were coming to Australia, and the richness of difference they brought with them. Following is my 3D book (please note much of the detail and some features are lost when embedding, tool is best viewed via link to actual site):

My 3D Book Created Via ZooBurst

I have applied SAMR to theZooBurst tool below:

Substitution	When used as a tool to present a Key Learning Area. The data across the bottom of each page was a simple transfer of this original data.
Augmentation	The introduction of maps, 3D images and vocals extend the original word document.
Modification	Students become actively involved in the process when they are given the opportunity to view the 3D book, they are developing higher order thinking with the linking of themes and circumstance.
Redefinition	The students could easily develop their own 3D Book on any subject. Challenging yes, but it is this process that will allow them to develop links visually, geographically, economically and to go forward with something not seen before.

I really enjoyed the process of building my 3D book and I would like to explore the various tools in more detail as there are numerous features I did not employ. I feel that ZooBurst would be an excellent tool for me to use as a topic introduction in younger grades and something older students could easily use themselves.  Following is a brief PMI overview:

PLUS Extremely easy to use. Accessible to anyone with web. Introduces connectivisim in an extremely visual manner. Appeals to a variety of learner styles. Has applications suitable for Geography, History, Science and English. Easy to share books. Encourages Higher Order Thinking. Introduction of student videos Redefines the process.

MINUS Licencing costs if you were to use in the classroom. Time needed to really understand the more advanced options. Challenges with embedding document. Copywrite considereations. (I referenced sources of images on the actual photos where necessary). Challenging when moving photos around as they tend to “duplicate”. Detail lost when embedded. Need to sign up day prior to ensure sharing option will be availble (ie once user name approved).

INTERESTING I felt like I was “within” a computer game, walking amongst the images. Something our tech savvy students would be familiar with. May be used as a Powerpoint. Can be used on an Ipad or a computer. Using a camera in the classroom there is an advanced option to introduce this video.

So what happened next? I tried to embed my book into my blog. It didn’t work. Four hours later I was still trying. I felt like crying. I could share the link, I could download it, and following the technical support of Craig from ZooBurst and my peer Geoff Joyce, I knew I was doing everything correctly.  Below is a screenshot from a document Geoff created and emailed me in an effort to help. His willingness to help me was in itself an example of how using ZooBurst promotes collaborative experiences, not to mention an example of his academic generosity (thank you again Geoff!). 

Ultimately I believe there may have been an issue from ZooBurst’s perspective as Craig who was helping me did have to approve my username as it was still “on hold” – they only do this once a day and Craig suggested this may have inhibited my ability to share and embed. 

Renowned academic and assessment expert Professor Royce Saddler spoke to us today and one of the things he said that I strongly connected with (especially after my problems embedding my book) follows:

“ Enduring learning comes about with wrestling with substance, with a new skill, before mastering it”. 


My experience today certainly involved both a struggle and a revelation.

Week 5, Reflection 4

This week I chose to expand upon using Powerpoints in the classroom. The Prezi and the Glogster had some fantastic features but I chose Powerpoint as this is a digital tool I would most definitely be able to use immediately in almost any classroom.  Powerpoints now have the ability to incorporate graphics, videos and music, they are no longer simply an word document for an electronic white board. 

I chose to create a Powerpoint addressing a Key Learning Area for Grade 3 History Students (ACHHK063) – the days and weeks celebrated or commemorated in Australia. My Powerpoint would be used a brief overview of the days to be discussed. The KLAs for this topic make reference to the importance of symbols and emblems so I included these throughout. In an effort to make the presentation interesting, I included links to government websites, videos and music clips. Using slideshare I then uploaded my presentation to the web. View my Powerpoint presentation HERE..

There are many features available in a Powerpoint presentation which I have not used, including simple tools incorporating sounds and motions. These are excellent effects when teachers wish to highlight important areas. I would also suggest that a greater number of videos, including animation would be beneficial to the presentation. 

In almost every subject and in almost every year level, ACARA demands that students become familiar with using a variety of software and Powerpoint presentations are an excellent way to help achieve this. A Powerpoint presentations allows users to bring together information and resources in a variety of formats. This in turn enhances the effectiveness of information and appeals to a number of different learning styles. 

As a teacher I would be able to re-use this document and could also make it available in a flip classroom environment as a research tool for older students. This document would be an introduction only, each of the days featured in my Powerpoint would be developed further and students given the opportunity to create their own Powerpoint presentations for each day (i.e. ANZAC DAY, DAIDOC Day etc). This level of creation introduces Modification and Redefinition into the process.

Substitution	When used as a tool to present a Key Learning Area.
Augmentation	The introduction of video links, web pages, sound grabs and more extend the usual word document/blackboard lesson.
Modification	Students become actively involved in the process when they are given the opportunity to create their own Powerpoint presentations in class.
Redefinition	The curriculum could be planned around use of this technology eg a flip classroom, where students could use the Teacher's Powerpoint presentation as a springboard to their own presentation. Using sites such as Slideshare, students can upload and share their work.  They could also work collaboratively on their presentations via the net.

Powerpoint is easy to navigate and is a format the majority of students today would be familiar with – most homes have Microsoft Office. A variety of learning styles can be introduced – audio, visual, creative and kinaesthetic are all enhanced by the use of multimedia via images, colour and sound. Working collaboratively to develop a Powerpoint is a simple process with students having the ability to work on something at home (or in the classroom), then coming together to compile their “pages” to make one final presentation.

Following is a table highlighting the Plus, Minuses and Interesting features of a Powerpoint Presentation.

PLUS	MINUS	INTERESTING
·         Extremely easy to use. Non-threatening to teachers and students alike! ·         It’s a great tool for visual and auditory learners because of its ability to include images, videos, audio and text. ·         Engages and motivates students.Ability to create interactive presentations. ·         Effective tool to use for any year level or KLA. ·         Students can show more creativity with school projects. They can focus on a learning style that suits them. ·         Accessible to anyone who has Microsoft Office. ·         Is not an online program so is less susceptible to ethics, safety and security threats.	·         Of many digital tools available, Powerpoint is one of the “oldest”. It is seen by many as simply an extension of a word document. ·         Traditionally presentations are not collaborative. ·         Possibly the most overused digital tool in the classroom. Students in the older grades will be looking to use more advanced technology. ·         By itself it does not allow students to create videos, rather it is a portal to these alternate digital tools. ·         Embeddiding some videos and other media can be tricky.	·         Newest version has more interactive features than ever before. These should be used to promote productive pedagogy. ·         Students need to be engaged. When using power Point as a presentation, it is important to introduce discussion and collaborative exercises wherever possible. ·         A Powerpoint presentation can be used as an introduction to a KLA or as a tool for discovery. ·         Using Powerpoint has the same basic ethics, safety and security considerations as all e-learning tools. However, as it’s not an online tool, it’s not susceptible to privacy and security issues (unless uploaded to a site such as Slideshare).

Technology is constantly evolving and teachers have to engage students to enhance the connectivist learning theory. Powerpoints are a very simple and effective way to begin this process. They are a tool that encourages higher order thinking, allowing students to expand on their current knowledge and broaden their learning. For me, the most important feature of the Powerpoint is that it is non-threatening to students and teachers alike, and an excellent way to introduce students to their own classroom based ICT journey.

Week 4, Reflection 3

My digital journey continues... this week I have completed a number of activities, as featured both here on my Blog and on my Weebly (See prior posts below for examples and brief summaries of my experiences with photo editing, movie making and animation).

I approached each task with a subject in mind – geography for animation, history for photo editing and HPE for movie making. I found that while completing these activities I also made connections between subjects (my photo editing exercise is one I will also feature in my Literacy assignment) and this is exactly what happens in the classrooms – students discover links between what they are learning and the outside world, a key goal of our curriculum.

For this reflection I would like to focus on video and animation. After sourcing a site named GoAnimate, and spending some time becoming familiar with the navigation tools, I decided that it would be a site that a year four student would be able to use. With this in mind, I went to ACARA to develop a lesson plan that would respond to the KLAs of Grade 4 Geography (see link) using the above mentioned animation. After putting the students in groups of four, I would supply information on the Savannah biomes (via videos and handouts), the impact of humans, mining and subsequent global warming. With this information in hand, students would then be asked to write a script and create an animated clip responding to specific questions/areas of interest.

I believe this exercise responds to the SAMR Model as follows:

Substitution	Students are supplied with information relating to the subject, via handouts and video footage.
Augmentation	This information supplied extends beyond basic information as students can visualise size of Savannahs and distances via video.
Modification	Creating videos and sharing on line.
Redefinition	The curriculum could be planned around use of this technology eg a flip classroom, where students could develop new videos and ways to share information. The creation of the film itself is previously inconceivable.

The Go Animate site has a number of layers and the animation can be far more detailed than my example. I chose a basic shell that required no further manipulation, students simply had to choose the characters (in this case animals) and voices, then type in their script (with each segment limited to 180 characters). Upon conclusion, students simply save and share, download or email their video. The GoAnimate site is free, though for the more advanced options a subscription is required.

I feel that the animation was particularly suited to Primary school students and the fact that students themselves are not featured meant it was a less threatening environment for those students who might shy away from wanting to be videoed. There were also less legal/ethical issues to address in regards to permissions. I purchased a membership so that I could share my video on these forums.

The National Teacher Training Institute highlight that teachers using videos report “students retain more information, understand concepts more rapidly and are more enthusiastic about what they are learning.” I believe the collaborative process of my lesson would enhance Higher Order Thinking. Below is a PMI table outlining my thoughts on using this animation and videos in the classroom.

PLUS	MINUS	INTERESTING
Responds to a variety of learning needs – especially visual learners. Keeps the classroom environment dynamic.	Technology can be a challenge in itself for many, it is very time consuming and some students may be “left behind”	Ability for students to illustrate a wide variety of concepts through animation and video.
Engages students in problem solving activities.	The school may not have equipment or access to programs.	Students can “travel” around the world.
Appeals to the tech savvy Generation.	Copyright and permission considerations.	They can also travel in impossible areas, such as inside the body!
Encourages collaborative work.	Technolgy “overload”	Experiments that cannot physically be done in class can be done via animation and video.
Help students to develop “media literacy”		Opportunity to bring to life history, literature and more.

In conclusion, all three digital tools featured were easy to use (once I found a site/App that worked for me) and they all offer exciting opportunities in the classroom. I would especially like to work with students to create videos as I believe this is an engaging activity that lends itself to Redefinition.

Digital Tool : Movie Maker

"First Game of Footy" : Authors own photographs used with permission of all featured.
Music "I'm Happy" by Pharrel Williams.

Movie Maker was a simple tool to use and my sample version was aimed at a Primary School HPE class. By taking photos of a sporting activity, students could easily create their own videos. The benefit of still shots, rather than simply taking a video is that students and teachers can more easily analyse their running/jumping/throwing/kicking techniques.

Digital Tool : Re-sizing and Editing Photographs

Following our tutorial this week I thought the Paint.Net website would be a great tool to use in the classroom to help Primary school students to immerse themselves in history lessons (see image). It could also be used to support English students to create images for both descriptive and persuasive prose. 

I actually found the Paint.Net site to be challenging in regards to importing and manipulating the layers. I then went on to investigate various Apps on my mobile phone and did the composite image below on the free App "Superimpose". This exercise highlighted to me the advantage of a mobile phone or Apple compatible device in the classroom as there was a far greater variety of choices available, and the tools seemed easier to use. Once image is "layered" it is saved to photo library and can be emailed to any computer.

Noah "visits" the Gallipoli trenches. Photo credit : gallipoli-tours.com and student photo Authors own.

Digital Tool : Animated Videos (The Savannah, by Vanessa Rauluni)

This Animated video was created on GoAnimate. I chose to subscribe so that I could share my video on this forum. The dialogue was written by myself as an example of what could easily be achieved in the classroom.