Reflective Synopsis

What is this thing, “e-Learning”? 

E-Learning is the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in classrooms as instrumental for teaching and learning. 

According to the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians, in this knowledge-based economy, it is a necessity for young people to be highly skilled in the use of ICT. They need to learn to access ICTs effectively and appropriately, to communicate, create, collaborate and think critically. When students become confident ICT can essentially function for them as they grow in skills and confidence to use digital tools as mobile sources of learning (ACARA, 2015).

With these skills students can take full advantage of transformative digital tools available and become indispensable figures in every part of their lives as they interact with and impact upon others in their communities (ACARA, 2015). Students will discover unimaginable capacities as they access information; create and present tasks; make critical decisions and innovatively solve problems; conduct research and analyse data; they work both independently and collaboratively as they become responsible for their own learning (ACARA, 2015; Puentedura, 2015).

Source: Google Images

Over the past five weeks I have explored different categories of technologies while considering the SAMR model as a framework. I have discussed working safely, legally and ethically with ICT and the importance of linking pedagogy to practice in order to construct effective learning. This synopsis will explore these three areas discussing the impact on my future practice; lessons I have learned along the way and how ICTs can be used to transform, facilitate, support and enhance learning (Birt, 2015).

Using the SAMR framework has pushed me to think more creatively in my posts about how I have used the digital tools. The SAMR model in combination with the 4 Cs (communication, creativity, critical thinking and communication) accelerates and guides the use of technology in the classroom and opens up pathways to innovation and disposition to try new things (Soule, 2015).    According to Puentedara, 2015:

• collaborate with your peers as you begin to use the SAMR model, 
• evaluate your teaching strategies
• incorporate technology into your own practice
• start out at the enhance level (how could you do it better/)
• what in your practice can you change to incorporate modification?
• contuinually re-examine your own practice
• keep the passion alive 

Reflection 4, week 5 included the exploration of group 4 tools, I chose PowerPoint to show that the SAMR model could be incorporated at varying levels for the same task, by fine-tuning the task at each level, I feel that with practice I will successfully go on to transform lessons so students are connected to the world around them.  

Reflecting on my lesson plans and looking at what could be done differently and why has made me more aware not simply to add technology but to truly transform the whole learning experience into one that would inspire learners to use the 4Cs themsleves as they think outside the box and take charge of their own learning. I think this is reflected in my Weebly site which has been built over the past few weeks Reflections of an E-Learner.

Working Safely, Legally and Ethically

In Reflection 1, Week 2, I discussed in some depth reputation management and the importance of working safely, legally and ethically across all forms of technology which may be used in the classroom. With collaborative learning at the forefront of learning students should be taught how to be socially responsible in the use of technologies, materials, information, processes, tools and equipment. The following video is a good example of how a career could be damaged by inappropriate use of social media.




The Interview from eSafety Office on Vimeo.

‘Your digital reputation is defined by your behaviours in the online environment and by the content you post about yourself and others. Tagged photos, blog posts and social networking interactions will all shape how you are perceived by others online and offline, both now and in the future.’ (Commonwealth of Australia, 2015).

Thinking about the use of Wikis, Weeblies, Skype and social media  sitesin Reflection2, week 3 and Reflection4, week 5 teachers should be aware of the legal aspects these types of media. This website, Really Good Stuff  has some ‘really good stuff’ on technology in the classroom with a focus on keeping students safe from predators and respecting students’ privacy while using video conferencing tools and other media.

Pedagogy

Being a pre-service teacher I am constantly reminded to keep my pedagogical theories in the forefront to inform my teaching practices.  So in reviewing the use of the SAMR model pedagogically the three main theories I discussed in my week 1 blog come to mind.  The SAMR model lends itself to cognitive constructivism, the knowledge gained using this model is not passive, students are challenged to take charge of their learning and new knowledge/schema are formed as existing ideas are challenged, critical thinking skills are utilised and paradigm shift occurs.  The model is also aligned with the Social Constructivist view of pedagogy, collaborative learning is encouraged as students work with their peers and community members whether locally or remotely via video conferencing.  Learners are influenced by group discussion or debate and shared learning occurs in the Zone of Proximal development (Snowman, Dobozy, Scevak, Bryer, Bartlett, Biehler. 2009).

So what are the implications for my future practice?

As our world seems to move faster and faster, the importance of turning children into lifelong learners has always been a challenge for teachers.  In this day children are virtually born with an IPad in their hands and they understand how to manipulate the technology often before they can walk.  Introducing SAMR and the 4 Cs to students even in the youngest grades will engage them to think critically, collaborate and communicate effectively as they use their creative skills and are empowered to learn from their peers, and not only local but overseas community members too.  

References

Australiancurriculum.edu.au,. (2015). Information and Communication Technology (ICT) capability - Introduction - The Australian Curriculum v7.5. Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/GeneralCapabilities/information-and-communication-technology-capability/introduction/introduction

Hit Crew,The. (2015). Nat King Cole - LOVE - Karaoke Instrumental. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajj0khtJgsY

Jordan, B. (2015). Really Good Stuff. The Teacher's Lounge. Retrieved from http://www.reallygoodstuff.com/images/art/ReallyGoodStuff_SocialMediaInClass.pdf

National Education Association,. (2015). A Guide to the four Cs. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/A-Guide-to-Four-Cs.pdf

Puentedura, R. (2015). Applying the SAMR Model. Common Sense Media. Retrieved from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/ruben-puentedura-on-applying-the-samr-model

Skype,. (2015). Skype in the Classroom. Retrieved  from https://education.skype.com

Soule, H. (2015). Helen Soule on The 4 Cs. Commonsensemedia.org. Retrieved  from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/helen-soule-on-the-4-cs

Snowman, J. (2008). Psychology applied to teaching. Milton, Qld.: John Wiley & Sons Australia.

Reflection 5 Week 6

Reflection 5 Week 6

This week's reflection is all about the group 4 tools:  

This week I decided to use one of the Group 3 tools, a Prezi, as the platform to present my usage of two of the group 4 tools, an interactive Google Earth Activity and  a ZooBurst Pop Up book.

As an Early Childhood specialist I incorporated both of these tools in part of a Geography and Literacy unit.  Students use the Google Earth Map to view where a sister school in South Africa is and then with the teacher they would manipulate the map and zoom in closer to have a look at the school and the surrounding area,  discovering the distance between Rockhampton and Polokwane.  Skype could be used to talk to the students or they could make videos and use email to communicate to one another.  We have a bear named Barnaby who is a world traveller, he has been staying in Polokwane and is coming to visit us.  Through this activity students journal and narrate stories with Barnaby and using ZooBurst can make an electronic pop up book to display their adventures and share with their friends overseas.

Click on the Prezi below and launch my Weebly  site which contains the links Google Earth and ZoomBurst to check out my Pop Up book about Barnaby.  There is also a link to a fantastic animated video created by a student about working safely, legally and ethically with technology.

How do I feel...

Well, I feel a lot more confident approaching the technology now and even though this is just the tip of the iceberg I would be happy to try other new ways of approaching technology in the classroom.  The SAMR model has been very helpful in allowing me to approach topics and think about ways to enhance and transform them in the classroom.

Putting together the Prezi is a relatively simple task.  It's easy just to choose a template and add basic text in the boxes and then add photos and links.  There are many helpful tutorials available which explain how to hyperlink or embed files.

Using Google Earth was fairly simple, just a matter of putting the name of the school in the search engine and then the app found the school and if you save it it will add a star to that place, you can then compare the distance.  There are many, many uses for Google Earth, I feel like my little lesson is just a drop in the bucket.

ZooBurst was really easy to use.   Photos can be uploaded or chosen from the clipart library or your own files.  Then just add them to the book, create a caption and you are done.  Of course it can be as complex or simple as you like.

I think the Group 4 tools take a bit of practice like all of the other tools available.  The digital learners we encounter in classrooms are not afraid to take risks when it comes to technology and as an educator I can see that with the right mentoring these natives would embrace learning in a digital environment.

Stay tuned next week for my synopsis of this whole E-Learning experience so far...

Reflection 4 Week 5

This week was all about the Group 3 tools.  I decided to use a PowerPoint as they are reasonably easily accessed and most schools will have tools that a PowerPoint can be created on.

I decided to see how I could use a PowerPoint to demonstrate the various levels of the SAMR model and where a PowerPoint might be utilised at each level.

So I started off with something very simple and added to the task with different SAMR tools at each level, such as sending it to a WIKI or adding video and links to other websites for further discussion. I narrated my main PowerPoint and videoed it to enable me to demonstrate how to use the various levels of SAMR.  I'll add it in here so you can see how it works.

As you can see I am enjoying the video tool, I like the ease of being able to vocalise my thoughts and demonstrate how to do things.

Things to think about

Using tools involving internet usage can present many problems, so it is important to ensure you have covered your bases as a teacher.  Working safely, legally and ethically should constantly be at the forefront of planning. Privacy settings need to be high; websites used need to have your approval before allowing the students to access them.  My suggestion is to demonstrate first the sites they are allowed to use and give them the web addresses.  

SAMR

SAMR allows the teacher to think outside of the box when it comes to tasks and assessment pieces.  Creating task sheets can become more in depth, however it is important to remember this is not just about using digital tools, it is about learning from the experiences and the learning that will take place as a result of using those tools.  

Just some of the uses for a PowerPoint in the classroom

My thoughts

As I discussed in my video, PowerPoints can be boring if they are not used properly and there are so many tools about now to make using them so much more interesting for students at all levels.  I think it is a matter of the teacher letting go of the reigns and allowing students to become engaged and explore and create. 

Obviously the younger the student the more limited the PowerPoint will be as their understanding of the technology is not yet developed.  Using the tools with them in the classroom and allowing them to become familiar with the tools gradually will be a great advantage as they advance throughout schooling.  These skills can be taught from a young age, it can be as simple as re-writing a story using a PowerPoint instead of pencil and paper or for even younger students using the tool to add photographs.  These types of activities can be labour intensive with younger grades and aides and parent help would be a necessity, however as students progress and their confidence grows so will their strengths and understanding of the advantages of adding these digital tools to their repertoire.

Source: Google Images

Reflection 3, Week 4

Exciting news, this week on my blog I look closely at the SAMR model and link you to my new website which discusses the ENHANCEMENT phase of the model.  I know you can't wait to have a look at it so without further ado...click on the image below to take you to my Weebly page.

To make this Weebly, I first had to ensure the web address was available then I could choose the template I wanted and add text, images and links to videos and other web pages.  Here is an image of the header on my webpage click on it to go over to my Weebly page..

For all of the advantages of using Weebly in the classroom click here.  Personally I find Weebly very easy to use, there are templates for various pages and it is fairly self explanatory.  Uploading photos to the site was easy, I made sure they were jpeg files which are smaller in size than other types of images such as .png.  I even resized a photo using paint which was relatively painless too.  I will demonstrate how to do this in a short video later in today's blog.

I have used Weebly for several assignments during my years at CQU , so I am becoming more well versed in the usage of the site.  Personally I think  a Weebly is fine for classroom use as it is easy to set up; the teacher has control over it and can set passwords for each page if the whole class has a webpage each.  It's a great way of showing what is going on in your class and the teacher can give parents and other interested parties access to the site.

In the SAMR model the use of a website would be part of the Transformation levels of the ladder in the Modification step.  The task is modified to where the learner is uploading their information and research to a website rather than the use of a word document or posting in google docs or dropbox for collaboration with other students.  A website can have public access and educators can allow for feedback to be posted to the site or an email address associated with the site.

Podcast

Playing with the Group 1 tools has been fun and frustrating!  I decided to make a podcast...should be easy enough right!  I recorded it on my voice recorder on my iphone and then emailed it to myself.  Easy!  I then downloaded it to my laptop...so far so good.  Opened Blogger and tried to upload it (ha!) of course it's not the right format and I need to convert it to an mp3 for downloading.  NOT SO EASY!  I then found out I had to download a converter, I chose Adobe Media Converter, which is apparently according to Google sources easy to use!!  Well it took quite a while to download and I did get frustrated with that.  So if you do decide to lay down a podcast make sure you have all of the correct software first.  Click on the picture to hear my fabulous podcast...be aware I made the podcast before trying to upload it...so some of the information may not be correct.

Source: Google Images

Images
Since I had no major dramas making the video blog last week I thought I'd give it a go again this week.  Oh Boy!!! another frustration!! I could not find the file once I had recorded and saved it...It took quite a while to find and then I had to download Format Factory to change the format from an mp4 to and avi.  Once I downloaded the app it wasn't too hard to change it over and I made sure I changed the file destination to something that I would remember. It's only a short video about resizing an image.  I do enjoy using the video app so I think I'll keep on playing with it to see what else I can do with it.  

Feelings... So this week, the group one tools, while frustrating were interesting.  Of course with practice everything  becomes easier so I will keep on practicing.  

Thinking about working safely, legally and ethically when it comes to choosing images from the web for a task would need to be well thought out first by the educator and there would need to be adequate supervision and parameters set in place for web content.  The terms used for searching would need to be very specific.  Safety nets would need to be set in the settings of the network.  Alternatively the educator could have images which students are permitted to use previously downloaded so there is no need for students to access the internet to find material.  

So until next week when I explore group 2 tools

Source: Google Images

References
Brubaker, J. (2013). SAMR: Model, Metaphor, Mistakes. Retrieved from Tech Tips for Education: http://techtipsedu.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/samr-model-metaphor-mistakes.htmlGerstein, J. (2014). User Generated Education. Retrieved from Wordpress: https://usergeneratededucation.wordpress.com/2014/02/23/samr-as-a-framework-for-moving-towards-education-3-0/

Schrock, K. (2013). SAMR and Bloom. Retrieved from Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything: http://www.schrockguide.net/samr.html

Reflection 2 Week 3

Another new adventure!
Oh wow! I'm excited to have created my first online video blog. I used an app called Camtasia which was relatively easy to use. I obviously have a lot to learn about it and needed better lighting and perhaps a bit more sleep beforehand might have been good too. Well...ya gotta do, what ya gotta do! and move on. So even though it wasn't fancy, I am pleased that I was able to use it fairly painlessly. I will include the link to the website for the SAMR model discussion here . I thought the model provided a great way to briefly discuss some digital tools which could definitely find their way into my classroom.

Online Graffical Dictionary 

Source: Online Graffical Dictionary

OmniGraffle 

Source: OmniGraffle

imovie Check out some student work here



YouTube is another interesting digital tool, there is a video on youTube for virtually anything you would ever want to know such as the awesome video below, created as part of a year 12 IT assessment, the criteria was to make a photoshop tutorial and I think this is explained fairly well here.

Source: Google Images

  HOW DO I FEEL...So...in the past three weeks we have experienced the blog posts, a Wiki, and visited many websites. The experience has caused me to be stretched and find new ways of considering how to tackle each task as it has been presented. I decided to put together a PMI to discuss the use of these three tools and to engage my thoughts further on the subject.

I believe all of these would be beneficial in the classroom, with so many advantages to use. I think a class webpage would be very useful for communicating with parents, there might be times when a webcam could be in use and children's work can be displayed or there could be a certain time when parents could skype into the classroom which would be a great way of connecting with families. Using webpages to connect with students from other countries affords local students the opportunity to see another part of the world which they may not normally be exposed to. Wiki's would have their place as well, perhaps as a class when we are exploring and making judgements the answers could be written on the wiki page and shared with all students regardless of whether they are in the classroom or learning from another location. Now that I have used the blog format a few times I have found it not so hard to use and this definitely could be a tool for students to use in the classroom and for homework as they reflect on topics or study and write research notes.

Source: http://www.fodey.com/

Source: Wordle.com

References

Camtasia. (2015). Retrieved from Techsmith: https://www.techsmith.com/camtasia.html

Cox, J. (2014). Benefits of Technology in the classroom. Retrieved from Teach Hub: http://www.teachhub.com/benefits-technology-classroom

Legaspi, J. (2015). LegaspiThe AsianKid. Retrieved from Photo Shop Tutorial - Face Plant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2lUkchMTVY&feature=youtu.be

N.A. (2015). Retrieved from Google Images: http://memecrunch.com/meme/X5WY/new-fangled-technology/image.jpg?w=640&c=1

Puentedura, R. R. (2014). Hippasus. Retrieved from http://www.hippasus.com/rrpweblog/archives/2011/10/28/SAMR_TPCK_In_Action.pdf

Strang, T. (2014). The benefits of using technology in the classroom. Retrieved from Cengage Learning: http://blog.cengage.com/benefits-using-technology-in-the-classroom/

Reflection 1, Week 2

 I just made a new Voki. See it here

OK So here is my Week 2 Blogpost.  I know everyone has been holding their breath waiting, but here is is, for better or worse!

WIKI...Firstly I will comment on the use of the Wiki for the Mobile Phones research activity.  This was an interesting concept, one I have not had the pleasure of using before this week.  I felt that the process of using the Wiki was fairly simple and commenting on a group was not too hard.  This collaborative learning tool uses a social constructivist approach to learning as children learn to use their ideas and findings and present their thoughts to their peers (Snowman, Dobozy, Scevak, Bryer, Bartlett, Biehler.  2009).  The use of online or computer based tasks for collaborative learning activities engage students to have rich interactions and stay on task nearly three times as much as students who work together without the technology (Snowman, Dobozy, Scevak, Bryer, Bartlett, Biehler.  2009).

de Bono... 

The Six Thinking Hats approach is a fun and appealing way of inviting students to pay attention to their thinking. This framework can be used by children and adults alike and the colourful hats give a mental image of the thinking strategy required, so it is easier to avoid confusion by allowing groups of learners to focus on one track of thinking required at a time. Using the Hats show children that there is more than one way to think about a question and each way of thinking is important (de Bono for Schools, 2015).  I felt this was an easy way of engaging people like myself because I am a creative person and having the use of different thinking strategies made it much easier for me to focus and I noticed that I was able to move from one Hat to another and my thinking became deeper as the questions were asked.

There are many websites which have free Thinking Hat activities Click here, to learn more about using the Hats or here to find out more from de Bono himself.( de Bono, 2008).

Reputation Management - With so much online learning taking place, it is necessary for educators to incorporate technology into their classrooms.  As this becomes more and more prevalent in classrooms Reputation Manaement is esssential to be taught to children from an early age.

Source - Google Images

Children are exposed to  many different computer websites and social media such as facebook and instagram where many things are shared with complete strangers.  It is important to keep our young ones sheltered from unnecessary or unwanted contact whilst online.

Cyberbullying is the use of technology to bully an individual or a group with the intent to cause harm. The intended harm may be social, psychological and, in extreme cases, physical.

Cyberbullying can cause fear, withdrawal, shame, guilt, loneliness or depression.
Source: Australian Government

Children need to know that they can be safe online, the Australian Government have developed a Cybersafety Help Button which may be downloaded to your desktop.  Anyone can click on the button to report inappropriate online behaviour or postings. This website contains information on how you may get help when needed and discusses physical and mental problems which may occur due to misconduct using online tools.

here 

So How Am I feeling...Well, this week has been an adventure in making a video, for my blog, and getting it across from my ipad to my laptop, this was another learning curve, as the file was too big to simply email across, I tried several ways and finally came up with a solution.  I then had to convert it from a .mov file to a .avi file and found that I could actually do that fairly easily.  I am still experimenting with hyperlinks and getting the photo to carry the link hasn't worked for me yet, but I am determined to learn how to do this.  My Voki didn't go as planned, I wanted the image to come up on the blog but I couldn't get it to work, I guess I missed a step along the way but hey! at least I got it on the page.  There is always next week and more questions to be asked in class.

So until next week...happy blogging! and time to get some well earned zzzzzzzzs.









References

Australian Government. (2015). Enhancing Online Safety for Children. Retrieved from Office of the Children's eSafety Commissioner: https://esafety.gov.au/

Bono, E. d. (2008). Edward de Bono - discusses the Six Thinking Hats. Retrieved from You Tube: You-Tubehttp://nortonsafe.search.ask.com/search?geo=&prt=cr&o=apn10506&chn=&ver=&q=de+Bono&tpr=10&ctype=videos

De Bono for Schools. (2015). Retrieved from Critical and Creative Thinking tools: www.debonoforschools.com/asp/six_hats.asp

Snowman, Dobozy, Scevak, Bryer, Bartlett, & Biehler. (2009). Psychology applied to teaching. Milton: John Wiley and Sons, Australia Ltd.

Week 1

Source: Google Images

This was me today!

Well, Hello...Today in Managing E-Learning the lecturer told us we needed to write a blog as part of our assessment!  Yes, I felt like such a noob!  Sometimes you just need to ask for help and let someone else get you started and then you can get on your way.  Over the next few weeks I hope to improve my blogging skills; make my posts interesting and share any new skills I learn with others in order to help others learn too.  (Hopefully the skills will be worth sharing)

In order to learn more I did what any self-respecting noob would do; I Googled how to write a blog and found some interesting tips. (Here) and (here) (Control + Click to follow link).  Being a modern Mum, I asked my technology driven children for any tips they could give me, and of course they obliged by telling me to use Google! (HELLOOOOO...maybe I'm not such a noob after all!!)

So how am I feeling apart from being a noob!   As a mature aged student who was not born in the technology era the learning curve for me has been extreme.  However, using the tools I learn and practicing them in this format should give me confidence to embrace technology in the classroom and join the twenty-first century students I will soon be educating.

The second part of this blog is to discuss learning theories.  Cognitive Constructivist; Behaviourist; and Social Constructivist theories of how learning takes place have been embedded in detail in the Learning Management degree.  Names such as Piaget, Vygotsky, Dewey, Skinner and Bronfenbrenner have become second nature in discussing these theories.  Today I will give a short explanation of each theory and indicate my preferred learning theory.

Cognitive Constructivists:  believe that knowledge is not passive, new knowledge is constructed from existing experiences, concepts, facts and procedures.  Learning occurs when our existing understanding is challenged, we consider what we already know about a problem and using our current experiences we try to find a solution.  The addition new information along with our current knowledge is utilised to solve a problem and changes our current schema, when this occurs a paradigm shift occurs constructing new knowledge (Snowman, Dobozy, Scevak, Bryer, Bartlett, Biehler.  2009).

Behaviourists: believe that learners should receive consequences for their behaviours and those consequences will determine the learner's future behaviours.   For example, if a pleasurable or desirable consequence occcurs following certain behaviour, the learner is more likely to display that behaviour again, whereas if a negative experience follows that behaviour is less likely to be displayed.  B.F. Skinner, developed the theory of operant conditioning in order to promote self-paced learning with clear goals and a logical sequence of materials.  When learners are presented with this type of learning environment along with positive reinforcement classroom learning and behaviour is noted to be improved  (Snowman, et al., 2009).

Social Constructivists: approach learning with the view that learning is constructed and is influenced by knowledgeable others.   Learners are influenced by group discussion or debate and shared learning occurs as new knowledge is constructed.  Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is an example of Social Constructivist learning.  He believed a child can learn independently to a degree, however when they are influenced or assisted  by other learners more advanced than themselves, the child is challenged to learn beyond their current ZPD  (Snowman, et al., 2009).

Click here to view a short video explaining the ZPD.

So...which learning theory do I prefer.  I actually believe that as an educator I would use all three learning theories in my approach to pedagogy.  Every classroom and child has a unique personality based on the the culture of the community, the school, the government along with my own personal beliefs and influences.  I firmly believe in rewarding good behaviour and effort for learning.  I believe that every student can learn and will learn at their own pace and if given the right amount of scaffolding whether through collaborative learning or individual effort.

I believe learning is about building relationships with your student, their family and the local community.  It takes a village to raise a child (Lewis, n.d.)

References

HHuertrOTR. (2010). Zone of Proximal Development. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX8lRh1u5iE

Lewis, J. (n.d.). Wisdom Quotes. Retrieved from http://www.wisdomquotes.com/quote/african-proverb.html

Snowman, Dobozy, Scevak, Bryer, Bartlett, & Biehler. (2009). Psychology applied to teaching. Milton: John Wiley and Sons, Australia Ltd.