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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