ICT Assessment 2 Synopsis

ICT Assessment 2 Synopsis

Theories and Learning Frameworks for ICT

Learning is creating an environment that encourages students to embrace ideas and solutions collaboratively and individually then connect learning to meaningful context to prepare for real life situations, encourage higher order thinking, make connections between teaching and learning. Learners today are superbly worldly in social and economic environment's, technologies support all learning styles encouraging visual, oral, written, music, interpersonal, interpersonal and logic via the constant flow of resources. Technology positively creates exciting, challenging and new learning and teaching environments if scaffolded correctly. The investigating of Wikis, blogs, websites, audio, visual and movies was introduced to assess students ability to embrace digital technology in authentic collaborative learning environments that focus on connecting various learning frameworks (Fasso 2013). These frameworks include but are not limited to behaviourism theory guiding students through instruction that supports cognitive development using interactive and co-ordinated activities that re shape and re design the declarative knowledge they currently possess.

The Wiki, Blog, Website, audio, visual and movies all encourage sharing and appreciation of different views and perspectives and provide evaluation and feedback measures using positive reinforcement within collaborative learning that interconnect with Social Constructivism and Constructivism learning. Digital Learning stimulates cognitive learning using visual, and audio aids while providing content in context to real life situations. The ability of these tools to enhance student learning regardless of learning support required can only simultaneously occur if the teacher has designed familiar content to ensure benefit for all involved. Additionally teacher's must provide scaffolding procedures identifying outcomes and expectation's in place alongside appropriate security measures required to protect learners while they busily continue to evolve with new age creations (Klopfer, Osterweil, Groff & Haas 2009). (Fasso 2013).  Research by Green & Hannon (1997) identified that technology was a normal part of our young children's lives and they are embracing these tangible and creating ideas, learning, communicating and transforming their relationship with technology so as teachers' we also need to evolve and create interactive learning environment's (Klopfer et.al  2009).

Learning experience of the DeBono Wiki

The Wiki experience is a constructivism learning exercise conducted to instigate participation in collaborative learning, sharing ideas and views using declarative knowledge. It was interesting to note the Wiki prompted some students to quickly input data constructive in summary on mobile phones as a learning tool in the class environment. As the Wiki expanded later students tended to agree or synthesise the opinions of others (Fasso 2013).The Wiki exercise was based on the thinking caps of DeBono. The scaffolding prompted students to place themselves in another dimension of thinking while trying to deconstruct cognitive feelings on a different hat colour. I am left pondering whether any other subject matter would be as effective, the amazing thing about DeBono, it encourages critical, defining and evaluating response while consistently tapping into  higher order thinking (Appendix 1: Wiki Space).

The Wiki challenges the traditional approach of reading, writing and listening it embodies all of these but encourages the embedding of music, video's, digital imaging and voice controlled applications to create a more interactive live learning tool. The Wiki requires little specialised knowledge as students evaluate and assess peers input, instruction is provided in sequential order providing efficiency in a short amount of time. The use of a Wiki in a learning environment can provide students with an exchange of information that can be edited, revisited, shared and critiqued (Lundin 2008). The Wiki builds upon individual declarative knowledge, can be accessed at a time convenient to the learner and provide the teacher with effective pulling of information strategies that monitor participation and accommodate administration rights (Lundin 2008). The success of a Wiki in a digital learning environment relies heavily on correct scaffolding processes and instruction to effectively construct and understand thinking processes to the task at hand. Scaffolding in a pedagogical sense provides explicit and systematic instruction for students with learning difficulties encouraging skill development through selective and sequenced orders providing students with the ability to understand and develop knowledge via collaborative learning whilst encouraging stronger students to learn how to deconstruct and evaluate peers work (DETA 2013) (Appendix 2 Wiki Blog)

The wiki, blog and website which one to choose

The creating and designing of a Wiki, blog and website provides the learner the foundations to explore creativity plus the challenges of negotiating software to embed images and music into the final product. These exercises definitely challenge lateral thinking and encourage students to re frame their cognitive process in relation to digital tools.

The benefits of the are blog it encourages students to keep a chronological journal of their learning which they can further share with others. unfortunately the ability to embed audio easily and effectively can prove to be difficult at times so it is essential that students provide links to redirect viewers (Bakardjieva & Gradinarova 2012) (Appendix 3: Blog creating Website on Childhood Anxiety)

 My chosen tool was the creation of a Childhood Anxiety Website (Appendix 4: Weebly Website)
 I wanted to expand my knowledge of  anxiety which I and the students may feel when I begin my practical experience in Term 2. The benefits of website design as an on line teaching tool for students is it  provides them with a foundation on which to develop, enhance and organise information to share with others in the learning group (Fasso 2013). This occurs through fostering learning and knowledge in written, musical, visual and audio context appealing to several learning styles. Website design provides amazing opportunities to link additional resources whilst empowering learners to create and analyse cause and effect reasoning between the topics at hand through further acquiring of research and information while enhancing the learning process providing meaningful interactive resources that can be applied to real life situations  (Jonassen,Howland, Marra & Crismond 2013). The website design is highly recommended for student on line learning, it promotes interest and explanation, defines clear goals and outcomes for teacher evaluation and assessment, intellectual challenge, independence and control of learning as well as being able to be integrated into other multimedia usages including imaging, audio and video (Hicks, Reid & Rigmor George 1999). Finally it is important to understand and recognise privacy, copyright, legal and ethical considerations when utilising the web and sourcing works completed by others. Students need to be prepared for the different types of web blockages and have the ability to effectively disengage from anything that may jeopardise their learning experience (ACMA 2012)

Images, audio and video enhancing the product

Innovation comes in many forms and the ability to manipulate multimedia to generate a different outcome through visual, audio and written text and images can provide stepping stones to higher thinking and retention of what is being taught in smaller increments of time (Neo & Neo 2001). Research indicates that people remember 20% visual, 40% of visual and audio, and approximately 75% of what they see and hear and do simultaneously (Neo & Neo 2001).

Images provide the students with the ability to manipulate and create something new. On line resources are endless and most provide scaffolding to ensure the end result is the desired effect the learner is hoping to achieve.  Images tell a story using a combination of text and visually stimulating pictures that can be cropped and edited, furthermore it promotes self regulated learning and can build upon knowledge the student already has acquired (Neo & Neo 2001) Disadvantage of images is permission and privacy rights (Appendix 5: Blogspot Image Manipulation).

The audio creation records and manipulates voice, it promotes an evaluation on speech and grammar due to the oral presentation context it represents, additionally audio can be used to persuade listeners (Appendix 6: Podcasting Kids Lunchboxes). This task is beneficial to students who may suffer some form of anxiety when presenting work to a group of people and is easily accessible to students either through their phone, cd player, mp 3 player, ipod or computer based app such as podomatic. Research further states that audio can support learners with learning support as it can improve terminology understanding and promotes regulated learning through the pedagogical objective of learning including communicating through oral presentation and presenting it to a larger audience (Department of Education 2013). The disadvantages of the audio is it is heavily reliant on voice only so for those learners who need visual or written text it may become boring or non conducive to learning (Appendix 7 : Blogspot Podcast).

The video task for students would definitely steer away from traditional constructivist learning teaching techniques as it promotes experience in creating and negotiating different types of visual and audio to compliment self regulated work (Johnson & Maddux 2007 ). Video manipulation provides experience in articulating, editing and sharing technology through the use of short films or videos which ultimately challenges intrinsic feelings of fantasy, challenge and curiosity (Johnson & Maddux 2007) (Appendix 8: Creating Digital Video).

It was challenging to identify which single multimedia tasks would be more beneficial in a learning environment than another  all three have pedagogical benefits that provide enhancements to students learning. The media chosen was the video as it combines visual, text and musical components to enhance the learning through the support of images and audio especially for those with learning support needs including hearing or sight impaired (Appendix 9: You Tube Demonstration). This is further supported by evidence stating that visual experience is more effective in children than aural experience, children tend to remember best what they have seen however admittedly encompassing all in simultaneous context is the most effective (Box 2003). The application of video allows the learner to create the digital images through photographs or collections of pictures that they have attained by placing the images on a photo or movie maker board this then enables the student to place the pictures in a sequential free flowing order to tell a digital story. The addition of visuals provide the receiver and decoder of the video the ability to deconstruct, reflect and appraise the end product.

Conclusion

In conclusion digital learning is one that promotes learning through discovery it minimises instruction and provides the learner to analyse and develop knowledge through experimentation it engages learners to analyse the problems, solutions and fantastic world of technology. The ability to participate provides students with real life experiences that they can utilise on a daily basis. It encourages higher order thinking by tapping into creative energy and supports learning for students that have differing leaning styles and abilities. The disadvantages of this learning are the unclear boundaries in relation to copyright and privacy and the struggles to gain access to information without the correct licensing agreements in place however clearer reforms over time alongside current governing regulations can provide a basis of protection for learners and teachers alike. There are several resources available for teachers that protect children on line.

Digital learning is moving forward at a fast rate and it would be a shame for teachers not to embrace this type of learning many students are already using the technology it really is time for teachers to catch up in the classroom.




List of References

Australian Communications and Media Authority 2012 Cybersmart Program, viewed online 8 April 2013, http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/HOMEPAGE/PC=HOME

Bakardjieva, T & Gradinarova B 2012, Wikis and Blogs in E-Learnng Context, viewed 5 April 2013, http://www.intechopen.com.

Department of Education, Training and Employment 2012,  viewed online 5 April 2012 http://deta.qld.gov.au/

Fasso,  W 2013 ICT for Learning and Design, viewed online March-April 2013 www.cqu.edu.au

Hicks M, Reid I & Rigmor G 1999, Enhancing Online Teaching, viewed online 4 April 2013,.www.herdsa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/.../1999/

Johnson, D & Maddux, C 2007, Effectiveness of Information Technology in Education, viewed online 5 April 2013, Computers In School, vol.24, pg.3-4, www.cits.harworthpress.com
 
Jonassen, D, Howland, J, Marra, R & Crismond J2013, How does Technology Facilitate Learning, viewed 8 Aril 2013, http://How Does Technology Facilitate Learning Education_com.mht
Klopfer, E, Osterweil, S, Groff, J & Haas J 2009, Using the Technology of Today in the Classroom Today, accessed online 4 April 2013, www.creativecommons.org

 Lundin, R 2008, Teaching with Wikis:Toward a Networked Pedagogy, viewed online 7 April 2013, <http:www.sciencedirect.com>

 Neo, M  & Neo, K 200, Innovative Teaching:Using multimedia in a problem-based learning environment, viewed online 5 April 2013, Education and Technology Science Journal, no 4, edn. 4.



Appendices

Appendix 1:Wiki Space http://shellemery.wikispaces.com/,

Appendix 2: Wiki Blog http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7719384262923766974#editor/target=post;postID=2176070910344237930

Appendix 3:Blog creating website Childhood Anxiety http://shellem72.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/creating-my-website-on-childhood-anxiety.html

Appendix 4:Weebly Website http://www.weebly.com/weebly/main.php 

Appendix 5: Blogspot Image Manipulation  http://shellem72.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/image-manipulation.html.

Appendix 6:Podcasting Healthy Lunchboxes http://emerym58.podomatic.com/entry/2013-04-03T14_21_02-07_00

Appendix 7:Blogspot Podcast http://shellem72.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/creating-podcast.html

Appendix 8:Creating Digital Video http://shellem72.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/creating-digital-video.html

Appendix 9: You Tube Demonstration http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrbmnvbyejRtR8w6eRiYHSw/videos


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Glogster

So far we have had wiki, blog, pod cast, websites, videos, u tube and now introducing the Glog really is this just another name for an online collaborative learning when will it all end. I am unsure but here goes at my dissection of the Glogster.
 It is like a big scrap booking page that allows you to add photos, text and information to facilitate more learning.

In looking for how glogging could benefit the learning process it definitely puts a new spin on creating a poster for a particular topic. Imagine doing a science project on the planets using Glog it would almost definitely be informative, colourful and certainly my own creation.
some clearly profound learning benefits for the tool emerged.

Glogster encourages the learner to look at images in 3D something they are already participating in at the local cinema. The 3D encourages the learner to gather the message being portrayed, evaluate the information and then create meaning from the visual, audio and text meanings being communicated to the learner. The Glogster would definitely appeal to those learning styles who thrive on video and audio skills (Education World 2013) The company that created Glogster has definitely tried to attract the teacher market as they have created several teaching and education tools to help facilitate the use of Glogster in the classroom. Glogster can be integrated across so many levels of the curriculum including Arts which is self explanatory, English, Maths, Science, SOSE and HPE.

The benefits of Glogster definitely outweigh the negatives and this is supported by the many Internet tools and evaluation tips they supply the teacher. Glogster provides the teacher with interactive resources to utilise in the classroom and can provide effective assessment in the areas of listening, reading, writing and speaking. As well as appealing to a range of diverse leaning styles due to the fact students can create their glog to be visually, written, musically, orally and image focused dependent on the topic being sourced. The glogster tool can facilitate learning and encourage deeper learning knowledge by playing around with the various tools available in the glog.

Creating my own glog was an enjoyable learning tool and  I feel as it is definitely another technological tool that will gather momentum as teachers and students learn more about it.









Source:http://adaptivelearnin.wordpress.com/2011/10/14/web-2-0-interactive-posters-for-lessons-glogster-edu-for-teachers/

My Glog: http://www.glogster.com/rosey72/ict-learning-glog/g-6krg195ds4scrb11aoonoa0

Creating a Digital Video

Yahooo I did it I am so on cloud nine the last couple of days. That was so awesome I am loving this creating thank you so much Wendy for allowing and giving us the opportunity to do all this amazing learning.
I did mine a little different I took a whole pile of photos of our house then I uploaded them to movie maker, added some music and some screen display of the images and ha I could become a real estate agent right now!! Note there is a slight delay between the photos and music starting but its my first attempt so its okay.

Anyway here is a sneak peek of my work.

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrbmnvbyejRtR8w6eRiYHSw/videos


The usage of video has definitely continued to increase over time the availability of you tube is that it can provide learners with a wide variety of visually and audio stimulating topics to help facilitate the learning of topics or interests. The advantage of using videos for students is that it can accompany other theories in the class environment. It provides students with the ability to tap into their creative and the divers world of knowledge. The issues here would be the privacy and possible vandalism of you tube as posters can leave comments that may not be productive to the learning process. The learners would need to be provided with the steps in protecting their images and personal information on line (Journal of Online Learning & Teaching 2010). Now it would be ignorant of me to indicate that you tube was the only available video tool but that is incorrect there is an absolute array of applications that could assist however the reason I chose you tube is its free, widely accessible from most hand held devices that students would more than likely own an its more widely known by students. Others I came across were Animoto and one truemedia.com

The ability of multi media to innovate learners in the classroom is encouraging research indicates that multi media devices can provide students with quicker learning experiences using a variety of media whilst developing critical thinking, participating in self controlled teaching and learning and being responsible for the final outcome of work (Neo & Neo 2001)

http://jolt.merlot.org/vol7no1/snelson_0311.htm

 

Creating a Podcast

Super Super Cool.
I really am becoming an IT whizz adult (ha). I really had never thought in my life I would make my own pod cast but I really enjoyed the process. I have started to gain the confidence and am thoroughly starting to get into this whole creative process. I have never really thought of myself as being creative but this course has really encouraged me to step outside the box. I chose to do my pod cast on healthy lunchboxes as a parent sometimes it can be quite overwhelming and challenging to provide children with nutritional foods that will not only combine energy and brain food but that will ACTUALLY EAT IT. I must admit I am lucky with my girls they will really try anything but I do know of parents who struggle to get their children to eat the healthy alternative.
Anyway the link to my pod cast is here I would love your feedback on my first attempt.

http://emerym58.podomatic.com/entry/2013-04-03T14_21_02-07_00

Now down to the learning theory as its not all about having fun is it. The benefits of pod casting are its easy, convenient to use and is a teaching tool that enables the teacher to communicate the required information to the learner at at time that is convenient for the learner to listen. Pod casting can be used in conjunction with classes especially if the student has misunderstood or needs clarification on a particular topic conducted in the learning environment. Students may find that they can listen to the lecture in class then take notes form the pod cast at a later time this toe of learning may benefit and place a focus on auditory skills by being an active listener and would be a great teaching tool used in conjunction with PowerPoint presentation (Scutter S, Stupans I, Sawyer T, & King S 2010) The benefits of pod casting could support ESL students as it can help them to improve their vocabulary and terminology skills, it allows them the freedom to learn and re learn at a pace that is suitable to them. Overall the pedagogical objective and outcome of pod casting encourages many aspects of learning including communicating through oral presentation and presenting it to a larger audience.The Department of Education (2013) stated that ... a pod cast allows students to share learning experiences, provides them with a world-wide audience that makes learning meaningful...

There is limited research identifying the advantages of pod casting as a learning tool possibly due to the fact it is a new alternative to teaching some of the disadvantages recognised are those students who prefer written sequential learning may struggle there is no visual stimulation from the pod cast its just a persons voice being communicated if the teacher has a boring voice the required outcome of the pod cast may be missed. The attendance of classes and the face to face communication of teachers and learners may become reduced if only pod casting is utilised in the learning process and may increase the use of memory learning as opposed to active, passive, analysing and evaluating skills which learners will need for life.

There is definitely a shift in using different forms of technology in the classroom learning environment the evidence found so far has identified both advantages and disadvantages for the use of pod casting. Like any other learning theory it must be supported by proper pedagogical content through supportive learning environments that provide scaffolding with a clear common goal that is to be achieved through the use of pod casts (BMC 2006).









References:
http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet26/scutter.pdf
http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/cmis/eval/curriculum/ict/podcasts/#value
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/6/41.

Prezi Amazing Tool

The Prezi Tool was amazing its definitely something I will use again. I am unsure where I went wrong with the presentation part but hopefully I can rectify this problem when I do not have 2 little girls at home on school holidays. Oh yes I tried to download it onto my blog ha but to no avail. So unless I can figure out how to put it in my blog I will add the link in here for you to have a look at.

In teaching well it would be a good teaching tool for the interactive whiteboard almost like using PowerPoint maybe this has replaced the good old power point presentation. However unlike PowerPoint Prezi allows the teacher to make connections between the main points in a free flowing type discussion.The prezi allows those students that rely on visual and written learning styles to enjoy the experience however some may find that the constant changing around of the diagram may confuse them (sequential learners). The disadvantage with Prezi is its relatively new and teachers may be less inclined to use it when they have power point so readily available(McLean 2012). I think its a tool that could be used in conjuction with Powerpoint

http://prezi.com/4fbi5-ifclfi/untitled-prezi/

Voice Memo Digital Audio

Hi everyone,
This exercise encouraged us to use a digital voice recording. Now knowing that I sound much younger on the phone than my actual age I was quite hesitant but I have completed the task at hand. I  created digital audio memo using my ipod. I managed to eventually download i to my laptop and then transfer onto my wiki. So if you want to listen my wiki address is
http://shellemery.wikispaces.com/ come on over and have a listen.

It was fun to create but doubt whether it could actually be conducive to the learning environment unless incorporated with other activities that further develop learning support, learning resources and learning tasks to develop both procedural and declarative knowledge (Garner 2008)

Plus:

• Fun to create
• Learners in action
• Encourages learners to engage in Literacy using oral dialogue
• Small file that can be uploaded to any computer
• Virtual learning
• Independent learning
• Produced anywhere at a low cost to learner and teacher

Minus:

• Quick
• Voice tone could be identified  as not interested in activity
• Pedagogy would need to be very defined in what was required
• Control of teachers very limited

Interesting:

• Something different
• Ability to analyse your grammar and speaking ability
• Could utilise it if used several multi media sources

In summary there are good points and bad to using this type of learning tool. Not sure if its something I would be rushing out to use in class though.

Resizing Photos

This activity was fun. I found a pile of photos old and new and played around with them for a while before becoming completely happy with the final product. I used photos of our beloved dog Kiki from puppy to her big age of nearly 2. My girls also helped me in this one allowed me to do uni and combine some school holiday fun together.

The advantage of this activity is it allows the learner to take charge of their learning environment. It can help them re connect with their family or friends and hopefully reignite some family recollections and reflections. I must admit while completing this task I remembered when we got Kiki from the RSPCA and initially we were just carers for 3 months to ensure we liked her and she liked us. Of course the girls fell in love and there was no turning back after the fact.
Now after nearly 2 years of her antics, normal puppy chewing on water bottles, shoes and toys left lying around to swallowing fishing sinkers and having an operation, laying on the girls trampoline as if it was made for her, to taking herself on walks even after I have just ran her 5k she has now become like another person in our family.

Further reading identified that research indicates that photography and the applications that can be used to manipulate photographs allows the learner to experience first hand things they may not have had anything to do with before.Take for instance the photographs I have used in this blog not all children experience the comfort of pets. The use of these photos shows how happy my children are with their beloved KIKI. Furthermore the photo can be used as a communication tool allows the learner to look at the picture and design a story written or oral or allow their creative minds to make their own adventure with our dog KIKI. The constructivist point of view believes that children learn by being given the opportunity to take turn and participate (Byrnes & Wasik 2009). This exercise encourages the children to take the photo then shape and change the dimensions to fit with the story or topic they are discussing, increase higher order thinking and allows them to learn how to organise things to tell a story.


I gained the permission of my 2 daughters to use these photographs please respect my privacy and do not use or copyright in any shape or form. I would be extremely distressed if I was to find these pasted into the world wide web. Thanks for your understanding.

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