Synopsis

The following synopsis will discuss the technologies that I have investigated and how these ICT’s can be incorporated into classroom instruction to transform, facilitate, support and enhance the learning of all students. This synopsis focuses on four tools that I closely engaged with and reflected upon in relation to my own ICT learning journey.

Tool One: Learning Management Systems
After exploring many Learning Management System tools such as Moodle, I strongly feel as though Moodle is an effective, free, user friendly virtual learning environment available to users. In my blog posting about Moodle LMS , I discussed ideas as to how to use Moodle in the classroom (also posting a YouTube clip), showing why it is an effective and an interactive ICT for learners, and also created a SWOT analysis on the tool. McInerney & McInerney (2006, p. 49) discuss Piaget’s theory and states that he strongly believes “cooperative interaction and concrete experience are essential elements in a child’s learning. Children need to be actively engaged in the content to be learnt”. This theory emphasises the importance for children to be highly engaged in hands on materials to effectively learn, which is what Moodle provides. When reflecting on my own experiences with Moodle, I feel it provides 21st Century learners with many opportunities that lead their individual learning journey to success. Students are able to access Moodle from their home in which they can engage with extension activities, parents can keep up-to-date with their child’s school progression and teachers can provide their learners with engaging data relating to their learning. After reading a peers post about Learning Management System T.H, LMS, it encouraged me to brainstorm many ideas towards implementing this tool into the classroom environment. I reflected on my own personal blog about Learning Management Systems with the brainstormed list and will use my suggestions in my future classroom. In relation to the Dimensions of Learning Manual, Marzano & Pickering (2006) believe “when student’s attitudes and perceptions are positive, learning is enhanced”. From my own experience, I have seen students have a positive and enthusiastic attitude when learning with Moodle which provides an enhanced learning environment. Being a user of Moodle myself, I encourage teachers to use this engaging and beneficial tool as there are many ways (listed on my blog and more) in which this tool can be used in the classroom.

Tool Two: Windows Movie Maker
Windows Movie Maker is a tool where you can drag images and elements to make a movie. As I stated in my blog post on Windows Movie Maker Windows Movie Maker, there are many creative uses that movie maker can be used for in the classroom. In relation to the Blooms Taxonomy, using Windows Movie Maker, students are synthesising. As sited in Frengenheim (2006) ‘this is where students are designing, creating and inventing’. I feel this creative and engaging tool is appropriate for K-12 and I have previously brainstormed my own ideas drawn from section 4 of week five’s reading; Student’s in the Director’s Seat by Schuck & Kearney on my professional blog. After viewing samples of still imaged movies made on Windows Movie Maker in a lecture, it came to my surprise that it can be effective when completed as a whole class activity, as well as in groups or individual tasks. I feel this tool can impact constructively on my future students as it allows them to be creative learners while using a stimulating technological tool. As I reflected and looked back on my experience over the years with Windows Movie Maker in my blog, Windows Movie Maker I feel this tool has impacted positively on my own personal attitude towards technology as it is so user friendly and easy to navigate your way around. After engaging in conversation with a fellow peer on her blog Windows Movie Maker I thought of more ways to use this tool to stimulate thinking and to discover your learners prior knowledge. As I reflected on this conversation, I encourage future learning managers to use this tool to enhance and embrace creativity in their classroom. As I decided to use it more, I added a YouTube clip to my blog which is a year 5 Science project that I found to be an effective and creative example when using Windows Movie MakerWindows Movie Maker.

Tool Three: Google Earth
The State of Queensland (Department of Education and Training, 2004) states “higher order thinking requires students to combine facts and ideas in order to synthesis, generalise, explain, hypothesis or arrive at some sort of conclusion or interpretation”. Google Earth provides learners with the opportunity to use higher-order thinking as they combine their facts and ideas and explore the world in any context. Reflecting on my own experience with Google Earth in the younger years, I feel that it has a relevant connection to the key learning areas of; Science, SOSE and Mathematics. In my professional blog Google Earth I have placed an example of a class using Google Earth to view missions. This short clip made me feel passionate and opened my mind up to the many opportunities that this tool creates as discussed in my blog and in the comments on my blog. A fellow peer posted on my blog and said that she has not yet seen Google Earth put to use in the classroom. This encouraged me to discuss with teachers the many ways to imbed this tool into classroom instruction. Before engaging with this tool, I never realised its full potential that allows students to use their higher order thinking. I will promote a futures orientated approach towards learning by using Google Earth in my future classroom.

Tool Four: Concept Mapping

Concept Mapping is a graphic organiser that is used to brainstorm and organise information on any topic. After creating my own concept map and viewing my fellow peers, I came to the conclusion that this tool can be incorporated into any lesson or simply be used as a class, group or individual brainstorming tool. As I reflect on my blog about concept maps Concept Mapping and the comments left by followers, I can see the different opportunities that this tool creates for both students and teachers. As I engaged in conversations with other early childhood students, we decided that for the younger students it would be a great tool to use on a smart board as a whole class activity. As I engaged more with this tool I discussed on a peers blog Concept Maps that it would be effective if modelled first, and students practiced building the skills before it is set as an individual task. As I relate this tool to the Engagement theory by Greg Kearsley & Ben Shneiderman, I discussed in my blog Concept Mapping that this tool allows students to be meaningfully engaged in learning activities through interaction with their peers, technology and worthwhile tasks. Kearsley & Shneiderman (1999) believe “technology can facilitate engagement in ways which are difficult to achieve otherwise”. When brainstorming or organising information, concept maps would facilitate engagement from students rather than an individually set task with a worksheet would. After engaging personally with this tool and creating my own concept map, I believe this tool can enhance students learning as it is a useful, online graphic organiser for students to work with to display and organise their ideas and information.

After exploring many tools that promote ICT’s into classroom instruction, it is evident that the above four tools create an engaging and interactive learning environment. Brady (2006) suggests that “technology is more a resource rather than a strategy, the extent of teacher collaboration and the quality of scaffolding depends upon how the students use the technology to learn”. Such tools are engaging; however it is up to the teacher to play an active role in providing meaningful learning experiences that imbed ICT’s into it. Looking back over my experience with ICT’s over the past 8 weeks I can now confidently say that I feel enthusiastic about imbedding ICT’s into my future classroom.









Reference List

Frangenheim, E. (2006). Reflections on classroom thinking strategies (9th ed.). NSW, Australia: Robin Educational Publishing

Kearsley, G,. & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for teachnology based teaching and learning. Retrieved from http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm

Brady, L. (2006). Collaborative Learning in Action. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Education Australia

Marzano, R.J., & Pickering, D.J. (2006). Dimensions of Learning: Teachers Manual (2nd ed.). Heatherton, NSW: Hawker Brownlow Education

McInerney, D.M., & McInerney, V. (2006). Educational Psychology: Constructing Learning (4th ed.). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Education Australia

The State of Queensland (Department of Education and Training, 2004). Higher Order Thinking: Are students using higher order thinking within a critical framework?. Retrieved from http://education.qld.gov.au/corporate/newbasics/html/pedagogies/intellect/int1a.html

21st Century Learners in Relation to the Engagement Theory

The Engagement Theory by Greg Kearsley & Ben Shneiderman underlines that students must be meaningfully engaged in learning activities through interaction with others, technology and worthwhile tasks. This relates to technology being so engaging for learners of today's society. They believe that technology facilitates engagement in ways which are difficult to achieve otherwise. It is a framework for technology-based learning and teaching.This framework focuses on the learners and their opportunities to learn collaboratively on meaningful projects. I found this YouTube clip that really shows how they need to be engaged, and us as future learning managers can embed technology into our classroom practice to provide for all learners. This will enhance their learning and skills in the classroom and beyond.

The BIG 6

The big 6 was developed by Mike Einsberg and Bob Burowitz. It is a teaching approach to teaching information and technology skills in the world. It is used in many schools and is a problem solving model. Mike Einsberg (2010) believes 'The Big6 integrates information search and use skills along with technology tools in a systematic process to find, use, apply, and evaluate information for specific needs and tasks'.

21st Century learners need to be able to solve an information problem. Information problem-solving engages with 6 stages. These 6 stages are the steps to illiminate that 'information overload' and to find the specific information that is needed.

I found some great posters with key questions that I would use in my classroom to incorporate the big six with my learners and to enhance their information problem solving skills!



















What are your ideas on the big 6 theory?

Learning Management Systems

What is a Learning Management System?

A Learning Management System is a software application for administration, tracking, classroom and online events, e-learning programs, training purposes and documentation purposes. The most popular LMS would be Blackboard or Moodle. Using Moodle for both University purposes and in prac classroom purpose I have seen the many advantages a Learning Management System can have for educational purposes.
Moodle is a virtual learning environment where asministration (teachers and lecturers) can upload documents, videos, activities, resources, content fillers and data in relation to your learning. The great thing about Moodle is that it is a free resource and this program has specialists come to your school and teach you how to navigate around and set up a Moodle.

Looking at Moodle in my prac school that I am currently at, it has so many advtanges for students and teachers. I feel Moodle supports an outcomes-orientated learning environment.

Strengths
Students can access Moodle from home.
Teachers can set up homework task's online to save those quotes like 'the dog ate my homework'.
It builds more communication between parents and teachers as teachers can upload photos, weekly posts about what is going on in the classroom and extra tasks.
Mathematic games, Literacy games and more can be uploaded which students can do in class or at home.
Saves time when the Moodle is excessivly used and up-to-date.

Weeknesses
In my prac schools staff meeting they were deciding if they should use it in their school, a major issue that the teachers had was that it would take up more time that they just don' have.Many teachers also felt that they were not technologically savy enough to build and use a Moodle and some teachers felt like there students (such as prep) would not be able to navigate their way around the site.

Opportunities
I feel Moodle (or any Learning Management System) provides students, teachers and parents with many opportunities when living and learning in the 21st Century.
It gives students opportunities to work with technology which will build their skills and confidence.
Students can learn and extend their learning from home and in school when using a LMS when the teacher uses it in an engaging and supportive way.
Parents can keep up-to-date with their childs school life which is good for parents who work full time.

Threats
A privacy issue is always a threat when using the internet and uploading photos. To illiminate this threat it would be good to hold a night where parents come in and you can take them through the Moodle site or simply just send a letter home to parents. It does ask for a User name and password which assists in the privacy issues.


I feel Learning Management Systems, when implimented effectivly and commonly used, can assist all learners in building their knowledge and provides many engaging learning experiences.

For myself, as a future orientated Learning Manager, I feel I will definatly use an LMS in my classroom for students, parents and myself. Moodle is a free resource, engaging and exciting. I cant wait to use it in my future classroom!


Have a look at this!

Teacher Tube v's YouTube

What is Teacher Tube?


Teacher Tube is an online, video sharing website which allows teachers to share educational resources such as; videos, audio, documents, photographs, groups and blogs. Teacher tube has 520, 000+ members and 200, 000 members.



What is You Tube?


YouTube is an online, video sharing website which allows anyone around the world to share, upload and view videos. You must be 18+ to be a member.


For teachers of the 21st Century, I feel it is vital that teacher tube is used more commonly in the classroom rather than YouTube. YouTube, yes, can be a valuable resources when the mentor teacher searches thou roughly. If teachers directly hook up to YouTube on the web, anything such as advertisements can pop up (which could be advertising anything) which I have seen happen.

YouTube is full of videos that do not relate to educational concepts what so ever.

Teacher Tube is full of great resources, you also just have to search.

My vote: Teacher Tube!

Windows Movie Maker

Hi Guys,

Remember Windows Movie Maker? We used it in The Arts? Well I do, and I loved it back then and have just recently tried it out again. It is such as easy tool to use, by just dragging images and elements down to make your photos twist, fade and turn. Its great that you can add text and voice overs too and encourage creativity in your classroom! This is highly important when students are living in todays society.

The lecture in week five really got my ideas flowing for how I can incorporate this tool into my future teaching. We did a jigsaw activity where we broke up into 12 groups, all becomming experts about our section of the reading; Students in the director's seat. The section of the reading that my group had was an overview of tasks using digital video. They discussed different tasks one being a year 8 class making a movie of the different phases of the moon. The section of the reading that we had gave examples from k-12 across the curriculum.

As I am doing my studies in early childhood, I had a think about the different ways preps-three could use movie maker in their learning. I came up with the following list:

1. Life cycle of a butterfly; preppies.


2. Mini beasts; year two; facts and images of different mini beasts.


3. Fairy tales; year one; narratives and plays.


4. Australian animals; year one; favourite animal; facts and images.

What are some of your ideas? Do you think this tool can effectively enhance students learning? I DO!

Friday, 20th August, 2010.
Here is a year 5 Science example that I find creative and effective.

Google Earth In The Classroom.

What is Google Earth?

Google Earth is a free, downloadable tool that allows viewers to see all over the world. This digital tool lets people zoom, spin or view anyplace! This would be great for students in the classroom as it lets them explore every corner of the globe, measure distances, share their tours with others and create their own virtual tours. Students would also be able to create and download layers of information and view them in geographic context. This tool would be effective when students are doing science, sose, geography, history or more.

My own experience with google earth.

I have seen google earth used in the younger years when they did a mathematics mapping activity- they found their own house and measured how far away from school it was.

This was a great activity, the learners were engaged and it was on a smart board which allowed all students to be envolved the entire time!

I feel students using google earth individually or in groups would be an effective learning tool as they can work towards a common goal together, using real life context virtually...GOOGLE EARTH!

What are your ideas on google earth? Have you seen it put to good, effective use in the primary setting?