Information Communication Technology (ICT) is not just a subject of the school curriculum. ICT has evolved to become such a part of our everyday life that it crosses all key learning areas in the school setting and is infused throughout our daily activities.
The Queensland Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Framework (QCAR) has ICT as a Cross-curriculum priority. Across each of the year junctures (3, 5, 7 and 9) it states the same thing - that “ICTs can be integrated in a variety of ways within and across all key learning areas to support thinking, learning, collaboration and communication" (1). These are skills that students will develop in the classroom setting and will continue to use and develop throughout their lives. It is not always the subject matter that is important, it is the way in which information is accessed, integrated, managed and evaluated that promotes greater learning opportunities. Although some subjects lend themselves better to ICTs, QCAR recognises that ICTs should be used across the entire curriculum.
Before digital technologies became available, teachers had ‘chalk and talk’ which was used for all classes. But a classroom has students with different learning styles. According to my results on the Multiple Intelligences test via the Birmingham Grid for Learning (2), I am Visual/Spatial or Picture Smart. So I learn best with pictures, diagrams, flowcharts and graphs. Using a variety of digital technologies addresses different learning styles of students. Felder and Solomon (3) break
learning styles into slightly differerent categories. Having an auditory component should assist the verbal learners. Being able to interact with a progam may suit an active learner. Following steps in a program would be good for a sequential learner and so on.
Theoretically, the use of ICT as an effectivelearning tool is supported by different learning design frameworks. The Technological Pedagogical ContentKnowledge (TPACK) Framework (4 )reminded me that you can’t just turn on a computer program to teach effectively. You must know your content, target audience and choose technology using sound pedagogical design.
Blooms Revised Taxonomy (5) uses an inverted triangle to show Lower Order Thinking skills up
to Higher Order Thinking skills. Remembering and Understanding were aims for me
at Primary school. Now, with good pedagogical design and improved technology it is easier to guide even lower grade primary school children further up the domains. Applying, Evaluating and Creating are Higher Order thinking skills that are highly valued in the workplaces where the
students will go.
The other theory that is very important with ICTs is Constructivism. Constructivism builds on our own prior knowledge and beliefs. Technology enables people to collaborate locally, nationally and internationally. This enables “meanings and understandings to grow out of social encounters” (6) – (Vygotsky, 1962).
Marc Prensky particularly highlighted two important facts to me. The first is that “children need to be engaged or enraged” (7) meaning that students come into the classroom multimedia savvy. Use the technologies that interest them as a way to convey, promote and develop their knowledge
and skills further. Making them turn off their iPods, iPads , laptops, mobiles etc when they walk in is likely to disengage them and in fact frustrate them. Todays students are used to having information at their fingertips instantaneously, don’t make them trawl through an encyclopedia because that’s how it has always been done! Secondly Prensky (2001) labelled people as either “Digital Natives” or “Digital Immigrants” (8). Students of today are digital natives. People like myself will always be digital immigrants.
References:
(1) http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/downloads/early_middle/qcar_ccp_ict_yr3.pdf
(2) http://www.bgfl.org/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks3/ict/multiple_int/questions/questions.cfm
(3) http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/ILSdir/styles.htm
(4) http://site.aace.org/pubs/sigs/sig-Mishra-Koehler-TCR.pdf
(5) http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html#cognitive
(6) http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/social-development.html
(7) http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0553.pdf
(8) www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky- Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants - Part
Mobile Phones Wiki - de Bono's Hats
I have just re-read my blog entry about mobile phones using de Bono’s Hats as teacher directed scaffolding. I am still concur with what I wrote then so please click on the link below:
http://myassignmentlouise.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/week-2-digital-pedagogy.html
In contrast I found the un-scaffolded wiki practise quiz questions difficult. http://eded20591-1-12.wikispaces.com/Quiz+Practice+7
We all had different answers and ideas and little guidance. I think a tutor wrote on another quiz number but it was difficult to tell as the colour font wasn’t identified. I came away from that
experience more confused than when I started!
This shows that using a wiki for group learning tasks needs careful structure and scaffolding. It’s not just giving a group a piece of blank butcher paper and saying ‘go for it’.
Group 1 Tools
The group 1 tools that we looked into were wiki, website and blog.
A wiki is like a blank piece of paper that the author writes on. Others can build on and add to it. The original can be retrieved by the author if deleted. I struggled with the wiki in the early days
but here it is:
http://louisecreangdlt.wikispaces.com/
Not my favourite tool just yet but that is my driving skills, not the tool! I’ll get back to wikis.
A website (web 1.0) is static and only changed by the webmaster (likely to be the teacher). I had a go using Weebly. My reflections are in my blog about it:
http://myassignmentlouise.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/creating-website.html
The tool that I most valued in this group is the blog. Even looking back through my blog now I can’t believe the wealth of information that I have put there!
http://myassignmentlouise.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/reflection-creating-blog.html
I have been thinking further about how I would use a blog. I worked in a Prep class and my teacher wrote an email to the parents at the beginning of every week. This outlined what the plan was for the week, the sound of the week, number of the week etc. I would like to establish a class blog (with signed parent permission and by invitation only). This could convey group messages to home, weekly outlines, video clips (eg. if the class performed at parade) and photos of class visitors etc. (eg. Adopt-a-Cop visiting). With many parents working long hours it would
be a way to improve communication between class and home. We also had to keep a Folio for each child - the blog could become more of a record and avoid repeating some information from folder to folder. Children could verbally recount their week with their parents at home using the blog.
Group 2 Tools
The tools that we looked into here were images, audio and digital video.
Voki were great fun and attention grabbing. My own children really enjoyed this and I got an instant reply from my son at boarding school when I emailed him one!
http://myassignmentlouise.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/week-4-voki.html
Podcasting didn’t grab me but I think that is because I am not an auditory learner and I hate talk-back radio! However my blog has more positive ideas
http://myassignmentlouise.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/week-4-podacsting.html
Digital imaging got me really excited! A friend sent an Animoto clip to me as an advertisement. I decided to skip Windows Movie Maker (I can find out about it from other people’s blogs) and delve into Animoto further. My results warranted two blog postings which explain why I chose Animoto as my favourite tool from this group.
http://myassignmentlouise.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/animoto-thanks-to-yvette.html
http://myassignmentlouise.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/heron-island-animoto.html
Group 3 Tools
The tools here are PowerPoint, Prezi and Glogster.
Prezi is a fun tool for zooming in on presentations. It can be found at http://www.prezi.com/ and is free. I found it attention grabbing but it made me sea-sick. As it is text dependent it would suit older students with better literacy skills. I would use it to gain attention and to re-focus attention as continued use would become boring.
For a technology based way of making posters Glogster looked fun. It is like scrapbooking online. There are readymades online too. I checked Glogpedia via Michael Gorman’s
blog. Great idea for a resource but I checked out Respiration and ended up in a pickle with open windows everywhere and two audios running at once! I’d need more practice before using this in a classroom!
PowerPoint is something that has been around for a long time but I have avoided it until now. I have seen PowerPoint used badly too often! In our Collaborate session I recently learnt the 10-20-30 rule: 10 slides maximum, 20 minutes of talking and 30=font size. It is my favourite tool in
this group. Again, this took me two attempts, hence the two blog postings:
http://myassignmentlouise.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/week-5-powerpoint.html
http://myassignmentlouise.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/powerpoint-continues.html
Group 4 Tools
Wow, this is the open-ended, ever developing, ever evolving online tools!
I think I’m one of the few students having trouble with online concept mapping (maybe I’m still a doodle my ideas on paper person?) like bubbl.us
I had a go with Museum Box which is detailed on my blog:
http://myassignmentlouise.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/museum-box.html
My favourite so far is Google Maps and then I wandered into Google Earth and I will go back there. More detail on my blog:
http://myassignmentlouise.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/google-maps.html
Legal, Safe and Ethical Practise
Some of this I have covered within my blog postings. Firstly follow your school’s policy and procedures. Schools should have forms requiring parent signatures to allow photographs or video to be used (be aware of Parent/Court Order issues). Parents and children should have to sign a Code of Conduct form for computer/internet usage.
Use safe, educational sites approved by your school - like the Learning Place (http://education.qld.gov.au/learningplace/).
Use password protected sites.
Be a good role model for the students with online etiquette. Also think about potential pitfalls like putting “bottom” into a search engine when you really mean ‘base’ .
If ever in doubt with student photos, take the rear of their head whilst they are looking at their work. Ask for student permission to publish their work.
Be aware of cyber-bullying and ensure students are aware of acceptable online behaviour and consequences. Local QPS Adopt-a-Cops can be a great resource for this.
Finally...
At the beginning of this course I said I wanted to get back on my boat and run away from ICTs. Look at what I said on 3 March 2012:
http://myassignmentlouise.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/week-1-continues.html
Now as I continue on this carefully scaffolded learning journey ICT doesn’t feel quite so foreign. I am hoping to clear Customs and Immigration but I suspect I may always have a bit of an accent! ICTs are always evolving and I will use this course as a springboard, be inquiring of ICTs and continue to develop from here.
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