Reflective Synopsis

Reflective Synopsis
The purpose of this blog is to provide a reflective synopsis of the technologies that I have investigated and of the online conversations that I have had with peers and the course lecturer.

Today’s students differ from past generations. They have grown up in a digital world that has changed the way they think and process information. They differ from past generations in the way they access, absorb, interpret, use information and in the way they view, interact and communicate in, and with, the modern world (Jukes & Dosaj, 2006, p. 3). Digital literacy is increasingly becoming more important in society as texts become more multimodal (Healey, 2004). No longer can teachers teach lessons based solely on printed texts if they wish to engage with the digital natives whose first language is computer (Lankshear et al., 1997).

According to research (Fadel, 2008), multimodal learning has been proven to be more effective than traditional learning. The inclusion of pictures and words increases retention of information when it is presented simultaneously and on the same page or screen. Animation and narration likewise improves learning rather than when it is presented in one modality alone.

The digital tool, Movie Maker provides the platform for multimodal learning as students can create text to accompany images that are presented on the same page. Teachers can use this tool to create instructional movies or record the learning journey of their students. As Phillipa and I agree (August 11, 2010), this tool can be used by students in small groups to do peer teaching or after having written a completed script transform the script to develop new understandings by considering the pros and cons or consider the different perspectives of alternative audiences. This kind of project would address the criteria in the Engagement Theory Framework (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999) as students would be required to relate, create and donate whilst engaging in learning that is both authentic and purposeful. The end product could then be evaluated by the students. The process of creating the movie required problem solving, reasoning, decision making and evaluation. It also provides intrinsic motivation as the project although personal will be viewed and analysed by a wide audience.

Students are now part of a global society and access to the World Wide Web has influenced that change (Winch, et al., 2006). The reform package Queensland the Smart State-Education and Training Reforms for the future (Department of Education, 2003) includes information and communication technologies as one of the four major focuses to be integrated as an everyday tool in delivery of the curriculum. Technology developments have enabled students to access information at the touch of a keystroke and communicate across cultures. Globalisation and new technologies are expanding the opportunities for cultural expression and cross-fertilisation of ideas (Leadbeater, 2002).

Google earth is a real-life tool for students to gain and access information from a range of sources. This easy-to-navigate program has numerous applications for inclusion in educational settings such as research in a controlled environment that takes children around the world to many locations to view maps and related information. (August 18, 2010) It is an interactive tool that engages students and caters to a variety of learning styles. One major benefit of this tool is that Google Earth Lessons and Google Earth Showcase provide learning experiences that relate to life outside the classroom and promotes cultural understanding.

To ensure students are information literate The Big6 (Eisenberg, Johnson, & Berkowitz, 2010) approach to information problem solving is a practical guide to provide students with when they search for information on the Web. To synthesis the information a class wiki would be beneficial and support a collaborative learning environment as class members evaluate the product or information presented. Collaborative learning that is teacher and learner, and learner and learner in a supportive environment in which dialogue occurs freely optimises learning for all and encourages risk taking (Brady, 2006). It is the proactive interaction in learning and communication that can be accomplished when using a tool such as a wiki. This is further supported by Vygotsky’s (1978) theory that effective teachers scaffold learners to accomplish tasks and learning develops from dialogue.

As not all students are comfortable communicating ideas and posing questions (risk taking) in the typical classroom setting. I believe that a wiki (Red Zebra, 2010a, July 12) within an educational setting can be used by the teacher to meet the needs of their students and to achieve the outcomes as required by the English Essential Learnings (Queensland Studies Authority, 2008) in a collaborative situation.

Input may come from any corner of the world but the teacher has the ultimate power to block any unsavory comments or interests. As Tessa commented (July, 18, 2010) Wiki allows people to share information, knowledge and ideas without the use of email. It is collaborative and allows any reader to add or edit information. It is easy, fun and creative.

The benefits vastly outweigh the disadvantages (July 18, 2010) as the disadvantages of the wiki such as inappropriate posting of comments (flaming) may present the optimal opportunity to instruct students about email etiquette. The core rules of netiquette from the book Netiquette by Virginia Shea (2005) provides a comprehensive list that enables students to participate as informed global citizens when they demonstrate correct netiquette online.

The New Curriculum is placing a greater emphasis on teachers to prepare students to become global citizens, develop digital literacy competencies and meet the challenges of a technologically driven world economy (ACARA, 2010, p. 6). The accessing of information requires that students develop critical literacy’s as they view sites such as Google and YouTube. YouTube (Red Zebra, 2010b, August 6) allows the user to access information from a variety of sources not all of which are credible. Using this site in an educational setting would require that the teacher had first screened the information to check for authenticity. Or it could be used as a teaching moment to develop student’s text-analyst practices. As Luke and Freebody (1995) suggest, texts are not neutral they are constructed for an intended purpose. Students need to practice the skills of becoming effective text analysts as intertextualtiy is a major feature of many contemporary texts. Effective text analysts are critical readers who are able to make informed decisions and judgments. This would ensure our learners are prepared for the challenges of our ‘information society’ (Smith, Lynch, & Night, 2007).

To consolidate and refine information the tool bubbl.us is more effective then Text2Mindmap.com as Mrs. Daisy commented (July, 12, 2010) to gain a ‘Big Picture’ understanding of a given topic. In reflection this tool is good to include at the introduction of a topic to ascertain students’ prior knowledge or at the end of a topic to determine their understanding. Graphic organisers can be used to organise declarative knowledge can assist students to recognise patterns in information and the environment. It can also aid to cope with large amounts of information or abstract concepts (Marzano & Pickering, 2006) and present knowledge to an audience.

When presenting knowledge to an audience students are actively constructing text for a specific purpose. Blogs, digital images, podcasting and digital books and movies are all tools that can be used to present knowledge to an audience. From personal experience it was necessary with all of these tools to allow time to explore the possible applications. In the classroom, time to explore the tool is the number one inclusion that I need to incorporate when planning a unit of work with any of these tools. Digital stories as Juliet (2010, August 3) commented are particularly good for low literacy learners and English as a second language learners. Visual and verbal modalities are combined effectively and through the scaffolded construction of a narrative, students can create text to present their knowledge.

Learning to podcast caused me great frustration. After alerting the course coordinator (via the coffee lounge) of the difficulty I was experiencing she investigated and realised that the site was no longer taking any new members. After following her instructions (via email) and creating a podcast I felt jubilation which is a great feeling and one that I wish to impart to my learners. I was pushed out of my comfort zone but into the zone of proximal development, which as Vygotsky(1978) asserts, is necessary for real learning to occur. Investigating further I found that podcasts could be used for oral presentations and audio books. After overcoming my initial difficulties I now think this tool is worthy of inclusion in the contemporary classroom to present knowledge.

The tool that I found that could be used to present knowledge the most creatively was a blog. This personal journal of reflective learning can communicate globally the knowledge and skills that are gained. As learning is a process as Killen asserts (2009) a blog can be used as an on- line record of that process. It can develop community links and partnerships, as they can participate in the learning journey by adding comments. They present opportunity for teachers to use the postings as formative or summative assessment items. Reflective practice which, when scaffolded effectively promotes higher order thinking and develops deep understanding by discovering relationships and drawing conclusions (Department of Education, 2002).

In conclusion this synopsis has reflected on the technologies that I have investigated and the online conversations that I have had with peers and the course lecture and surmised the possibilities of the technological tools that were examined for inclusion in an educational setting. “Different teaching strategies are simply different ways of helping students to learn” (Killen, 2009, p. 74). Effective teaching provides opportunities for students to express their learning and e-learning provides many of the tools that can be used to allow students to express their understanding. They should not be used as stand alone experiences but included as integral to the learning outcomes as recommended by The reform package Queensland the Smart State-Education and Training Reforms for the future (Department of Education, 2003).













References

ACARA . (2010, March 5). Australian Curriculum Draft Consultation version 1.0.1 .
Retrieved from Australian Curriculum Consultation Portal.

Brady, L. (2006). Collaborative learning in action. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson.

Dosaj, A., & Jukes, I. (2006). Understanding digital children (DKs). Teaching and learning
in the new digital landscape. Retrieved fromhttp://edorigami.wikispaces.com/file/view/Jukes+-+Understanding+Digital+Kids.pdf

Education Queensland. (2002). Productive pedagogies classroom reflection manual.
Brisbane, Qld: Department of Education.

Education Queensland. (2003). Queensland the smart state education and training reforms
for the future: ICTS for learning. Coorparoo, Qld: Department of Education.

Eisenberg, M., Johnson, D., & Berkowitz. (2010). Information, communications, and
technology (ICT) skills curriculum based on the big6 skills approach to information problem-solving. Retrieved from CQUniversity e-Courses http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au

Fadel, C. (2008). Multimodal learning through media: What the research says. rom http://library-resources.cqu.edu.au

Healey, A. (2004). Emergence of multiliteracies. Practically Primary, 9(2), 5.Computer Education Group Australian Capital Territory. (2008). What is digital literacy?
from http://www.cegact.act.edu.au/public/content/ViewCategory.aspx?id=28

Kearsley, G., & Shneiderman, B. (1999) Engagement theory: a framework for technology-based teaching and learning. Retrieved, from http://home.sprynet.com

Killen, R. (2009). Effective teaching strategies: Lessons from research and practice (5th ed.). Nelson, Vic: Thomson/Social Science Press.

Lankshear, C., Gee, J., Knobel, M., & Searle, C. (1997). Changing literacies. Retrieved from http://library-resources.cqu.edu.au

Leadbeater, C. (2002). Up the down escalator: Why the global pessimists are wrong. Retrieved from http://library-resources.cqu.edu.au

Freebody, P., & Luke, A. (1995). Literacies' programs: debates and demands in cultural context: Cornerstones module 4 Frameworks for critical analysis of teaching . Adelaide , South Australia, Australia: Department for Educational and Children’s Services Curriculum Divison:
Retrieved from CQUniversity Course Resoucres Online:library-resouces.cqu.edu.au

Marzano, R., & Pickering, D. (2006). Dimensions of learning teacher’s manual (2ed.).
Heatherton, Australia: Hawker Brownlow.

Queensland Studies Authority. (2008). Essential learnings: English . Retrieved from
www.qsa.qld.edu.au

Red Zebra. (2010a, July 12). Learning in the digital age: my wiki [wiki]. Retrieved from
August 21, 2010, http://s0173579.blogspot.com/2010/07/my-wiki.html

Red Zebra. (2010b, August 6). YouTube – HIP2B2 TV show: how to build a parachute [Video file]. Retrieved from http://s0173579.blogspot.com/2010/08/youtube- hip2b2-tv-show-how-to-build.html


Smith, R., Lynch, D., & Knight, A. (2007). Learning Management. Transitioning teachers for
national and international change. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Education Australia.

Shea, V. (2008). Netiquette. Retrieved, from
http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html

Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind and society The development of higher mental
processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Winch, G., Johnston, R., March, P., Ljungdahl, L., & Holliday, M. (2006). Literacy: Reading, writing and children’s literature (3rd ed.).South Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press.





Appendix

Forum posts ............................................................ 1
Posted comments ..................................................... 2
Email ........................................................................... 3













Appendix 1


Podcast
by Olive Brittain - Monday, 26 July 2010, 06:37 PM
Hi everyone,
I've had trouble opening the link to make a pod-cast. I have googled and found that most providers want you to allow ads but I don't want ads on an educational site. Has anyone done it yet? Also the instructions on pod bean were hard to follow.
Thanks
Reply


Re: Podcast
by Wendy Fasso - Monday, 26 July 2010, 08:05 PM
Hi Olive,When you are teaching in a school, there will be support for podcasting. For example, Ed Qld teachers and students have access to a podcast lounge in the Learning Place. My preference at the moment is MyPodcast - because I can download it and run it from a flash drive so it does not need admin permissions to run. The podcasts can then be accessed by your students through iTunes.xxx W
Show parent Reply


Re: Podcast
by Wendy Fasso - Monday, 26 July 2010, 10:11 PM
Hi again Olive,Thank you for flagging this!I have added a file linking to Podomatic on the news forum!xxx W

Appendix 2

Red Zebra said...
Hi Penguin!I enjoyed your new avatar and agree that there are many different applications for this type of avatar. If this site allows you to import pictures of any kind they could easily be turned into experts for inclusion in web quests as you have already suggested. This site would also allow application of creativity and choice which students enjoy and engage with more readily. It could also become the voice of behaviour management from a pre recorded script. I used voki.com to make my first avatar and found that although the program limits choice it was easy to use for someone like me with limited technology skills. Looking forward to your next blog.
July 14, 2010 6:36 PM
WOW! I cannot believe I am blogging! I am a native to this so I am excited about learning all about blogging, wiki's etc.I was surprised just how easy it was to set up a blog and start posting. I have plenty to learn about tools so I will start to have a look.
Posted by Tessa at 2:40 AM


Red Zebra said...
Hi TessaI understand how excited you feel. Us digital immigrants (Prensky,2001) are trying our best to keep up with technology so we can understand how to use this technology effectively in the classroom without looking like we don't know what we are talking about and just having it the room because it looks good.
July 17, 2010 5:05 PM

Red Zebra said...
Hi PhilI found your comparison of the wiki and the blog very informative and like that you have shared not only what they have in common but also the positive use of each tool. In an educational setting the wiki and the blog allow for collaborative learning to occur in an authentic educational setting. These tools are effective means of teaching students the benefits of being part of a global society and how people in real world applications use these tools to communicate and collaborate in a team setting, even if they are not in the same room or in the same country.
July 18, 2010 4:02 AM

Blogs and wikis share some common traits:
They are both websites.
They are both user-generated (the content of blogs and wikis is created by the actual people who use the blogs or wikis.)
They both allow users to comment on the content.
What are wikis better at than blogs:
Wikis are better at archiving information for easy access.
Wikis are better at gathering information from a group of people. For example, the wiki Library Success collects information from librarians around the world. (See this past MPLIC Tech Train blog post for more information about Library Success)
What are blogs better at than wikis:
Blogs are better at quickly sharing new information.
Blogs are better at starting and maintaining a dialog between the publisher and reader.

Red Zebra said...
Hi Brooke I agree that it is easy to get carried away with the bubblus graphic organiser and can see that in an educational setting the teacher would need to closely monitor students to ensure that they were on task. This might mean that extra time is needed to experiment with the programme before students are required to efficiently and effectively use this tool in the classroom. Multimodal learning is proven to be more effective then the traditional style of teaching and can result in higher order thinking (www.cisco.com/web/strategy/docs/education/TechnologyinSchoolsReport.pdf)as students engage in analysis and evaluation of information.
July 18, 2010 4:23 AM
July 25, 2010 10:50 PM

Red Zebra said...
Hi Amanda,Thanks for the tip I will add picnic to my list of useful websites to use in the classroom. I can see the benefit of including a personal picture in a digital profile that students create themselves. While many students are all too happy to take pictures of themselves to be published, there remains those students who are not as confident. Uploading a photo was easy to accomplish and being able to manipulate it is great fun. This proves to be an effective learning tool as the knowledge can be synthesized into new ideas.
July 26, 2010 1:50 AM

Red Zebra said...
Hello Mrs Daisy I like your mind map and can see how this tool would be very beneficial in a classroom setting. I also agree that it would be very useful in a collaborative learning setting. Was the website www.bubbl.us.com?
July 12, 2010 4:18 AM
said...
Hi Red Zebra, Yes the site is Bubbl.us.com. I looked at Text2Mindmap.com as well but preferred the style of mind map that Bubbl.us created.


Red Zebra said...
Hello Mrs Daisy I didn't get passed the sea sick feeling and wonder if this site (Prezi)is appropriate to use in the classroom. If you have a student with underlying conditions I wonder if it could cause health problems?Although I agree that PowerPoint have been used extensively it does allow the students to discover how to use the tool on their own. The programmes included help functions which I rely on at most times myself. Powerpoints allow the students to represent information that they have synthesized. In an educational setting they still are an easy to use efective means of presentation.
July 26, 2010 2:03 AM

Hi Hamish,Great analysis! This blog really shows that you have considered the possibilities and constructed a SWOT that reflects the declarative knowledge that you have learnt. I haven't given much thought about bullying that could occur within the classroom. I have always thought about it as coming from outside sources within the school like the MySpace or other social networking sites. Creating a classroom blog would require close monitoring to ensure bullying does not occur.
July 26, 2010 2:14 AM
Hi Mrs Daisy I also experienced the same difficulty trying to upload a large file. I created another version and added text before the images to identify the information rather than adding pictures to tell the story. This may be the solution for the classroom as well to ensure that students are not just making a collection of images. The addition of text allows the user to explain the sequence of events or to tell a story.
August 14, 2010 9:59 PM
Hi Mrs DaisySorry I have posted the above comment twice to your blog. You may wish to delete it.
August 14, 2010 10:01 PM
Thursday, August 5, 2010

Red Zebra said...
Hi Elly I enjoyed watching the clip from YouTube that you have posted to your blog. I particularly liked the comparison between past generations and today’s. This reminds me of the digital native, digital immigrant (Prensky, 2001) contrast of generations past and present. Students today differ from past generations and their world provides a vast amount of information in an instant. Not all the information that they are presented with is authentic and digital literacy competency is what these students will require. Digital literacy is increasingly becoming more important in society as texts become more multimodal (Healey, 2004) no longer can teachers teach lessons based solely on printed texts if they wish to engage with the digital natives whose first language is computer(Lankshear et al., 1997).

Red Zebra said...
Hi JulesI like the implications that you have noted for using a wiki in an educational setting. The inclusion of a wiki in the classroom supports constructivist learning where the students discover how to learn a concept on their own which according to Leadbeater (2002) maybe where the future of learning is headed.
August 15, 2010 7:45 PM

Red Zebra said...
Hi JulesWhat a great discovery! This would make a fantastic inclusion within a SOSE unit of work for students that has authentic links to the real world and could become the basis of substantive conversations within the learning focus. Linking to personal experience and the real word is suggested as exemplary practice in Productive Pedagogies (Education Queensland, 2002) and generates connectedness.

Red Zebra said...
Hi JustinI to, have used Movie Maker quite a few times for my personal use and within an educational setting. Teaching students to use this program would require a large amount of time to explore and create. It would also be the appropriate time to teach students of the ethical issues such as copyright that apply to online use of images and correctly referencing the work of others http://education.qld.gov.au/web/schools. This may also lead to opportunities to engage in conversation about cyber safety which is a concern amongst many stakeholders today as children may be exposed to material that is inappropriate.
August 16, 2010 12:56 AM


Red Zebra said...
Hi Hamish I found your posting to express the reasons exactly why our group chose to use a digital video in the presentation. Can you send me the link to Kearney and Shuck? So I can read further about this interesting topic.Thanks
August 16, 2010 1:07 AM
Red Zebra said...
Thanks for the comment Phillipa,I agree that this would address the criteria in the Engagement Theory Framework by Kearsley and Shneiderman (1999. The process of creating the movie required problem solving, reasoning, decision making and evaluation. It also provides intrinsic motivation as the project although personal will be viewed and analysed by a wide audience.
August 18, 2010 2:39 AM

Red Zebra said...
Thanks for the link Mrs. DaisyThe benefit of creating this blog has been the input and sharing of resources as you have mentioned in the above comment. As we are going to become teachers in the same state it is true that we never know what year we are going to teach and collecting a bank of resources will definitely be a benefit in the future.
August 18, 2010 2:44 AM
. Red Zebra said...
Thanks for the comment Mrs. DaisyI was unaware that you could use it within a virtual classroom. It would be great to be in a classroom that used this technology so I could benefit from the guided experience of a professional rather than the hit and miss attempts that I have made at using this resource
August 18, 2010 2:48 AM
Red Zebra said...
Thanks for the comment EllyI'm glad that this blog was useful for you and provided some ideas that you could use in the future. There are more ideas in the Years 4-9 Practical Ideas for Teachers, ICTS for Learning by Education Queensland (2003) that you might be interested in looking at
August 18, 2010 2:52 AM

Red Zebra said...
Hi Tessa I agree that wiki’s are a collaborative tool for learning, that promotes a social constructivist model of teaching and learning and encourages collaborative and individual effort as Brady(2007)recommends. It also allows students to practice higher order thinking as Blooms Taxonomy (Huitt, 2009) fourth level requires students to analyse moving to the fifth level to evaluate and lastly to create improving, designing and planning ahead. This is a great tool to engage students and value the contributions of all class members.
August 18, 2010 5:26 PM


Appendix 3
Re: Podcast
From
Olive Brittain
Date
Sunday, July 25, 2010 7:53 pm
To
Jacqueline Pool

Hi Jacqui Sorry to bother you but I'm really struggling with the podcast link and I've gone to Google and most sites want you to allow ads to get the site for free.Asked a few others in the course and they don't know what to do can you help? Thanks Olive