Week 3 - Blog Reflection

Technology is changing the way we interact

 

 

As part of the Information and Communication Technology for Learning Design subject I am required to write a reflection on my experience of blogging.

 

 

When first faced with the task of creating a blog I was completely perplexed as to what website to use to make a blog, how to start, what to write, how to edit it, etc. I basically had NO IDEA what I was doing. Although I am a Gen-Yer it took me two years after everyone had myspace to finally make a page. When I did, Facebook emerged and seemingly took over the need for Myspace. After a good year or so I made a Facebook page and was hooked! I love it! I'm not a frequent poster but I am a frequent viewer (if that makes sense). So Facebook was perfect for seeing what my friends were up to.

 

However Blogging is quite different. You are actually required to create posts. Posts that people want to read. hmmmmm.. this is new! So what exactly is a blog?

 

 

 

 

Wikipedia gives this explanation

 

 

‘A blog is a website in which items are posted on a regular basis and displayed in reverse chronological order. The term blog is a shortened form of weblog or web log. Authoring a blog, maintaining a blog or adding an article to an existing blog is called “blogging”. Individual articles on a blog are called “blog posts,” “posts” or “entries”. A person who posts these entries is called a “blogger”. A blog comprises text, hypertext, images, and links (to other web pages and to video, audio and other files). Blogs use a conversational style of documentation. Often blogs focus on a particular “area of interest”, such as Washington, D.C.’s political goings-on. Some blogs discuss personal experiences.’ Source.

 

This video goes further and explains the functionality of blogs and the way that blogs present news and information in a 21st century format. News is no longer merely factual.. it's personal too.

 

 

 

So where am I going with this? What is the overall purpose of a blog and how can it be used in the classroom as a learning tool? I used a PMI (Plus Minus Interesting) tool to examine its potential.

Blog	Plus	Minus	Interesting
	Online learning space readily accessible to all students	Students could have technical issues at home (eg. Computer broken/ internet not working) so they can’t access information	What could you use as a backup??
	Easy to update	Students could fall behind unless regularly accessing it	Ensure archiving is understood and used
	Personalised	Students may not be engaged unless it is visually/ technologically appealing.	Students can explore available links to videos, pictures, etc about the topic.
	Ability to comment. Teachers can see students thought processes about information presented.	Inappropriate commenting. Teacher must set clear guidelines for interactions.	Can be used as an engagement activity (i.e homework) task, in which students have to comment about articles, stories, etc.
	Means of collaboration through the sharing of links, information, etc.		Encourages students to explore issues further by utilizing other digital technology sites such as youtube.
	Provides limitless sources of information and learning opportunities	Requires specific skills to use effectively.	Relatively easy to learn how to use.
	Engaging for today’s learners	Needs to be used as a compulsory part not extra work for those who want to do it	Learners need to feel comfortable when using this type of online environment.
	Encourages reflection	Possible lack of confidence expressing opinions online	By making it mandatory students are required to analyze information in a way that they otherwise wouldn’t

So in reflection...

Blogs are fun! They are an ideal learner-centred resource as students are already online and able to navigate the web.  


They provide a readily accessible learning space, with students able to access blogs on their phones, iPads, iPods and computers. It takes learning beyond the classroom, with students able to access the blog and its wealth of information anywhere with internet access.

 
In a blog, students are encouraged to reflect on information presented, share their own ideas/opinions and contribute additional information. Previous posts are archived in reverse chronological order, so that learners can access prior topics at any time which is ideal for the sequential learner. Teachers can account for the global learner by providing an overview blog post at the introduction of a unit of study. These elements of a blog help learners form connections between information and link that information with other relevant concepts. This is an important factor in the Connectivist theory of learning, as it states that knowing how and where to get information is more important than knowing (Central Queensland University, 2013).

In the Engagement Activity 1 description the teacher is viewed as the “facilitator” in that they merely direct the students towards a focus area and let them inquire, assess, evaluate and question the information presented to them. The blog space allows them to analyse, evaluate and apply their prior and new knowledge of the materials presented by posting comments. These comments create a discussion between learners and teachers. This collaborative discussion is an important element in the constructivist theory, as scaffolding provides a means for learners to return to the conversations and evaluate, justify and build knowledge (Central Queensland University, 2013). Also, the ability to provide regular updates help the teacher to monitor students’ learning and better understand each child’s learning style, enabling scaffolded learning through feedback and mentoring. (Crie, 2006) 

Dunsiger (2011) presents some simple and effective ways of blogging in a primary classroom across a range of subjects. 

Blogging in a primary classroom from adunsiger

One important aspect that cannot be overlooked when blogging is that of safety. When blogging, as with any online source, students need to be aware of their digital footprint. Clear guidelines need to be put in place relating to how and what they post. Including a section on the blog that asks students to consider their answers to questions such as “would I be happy for my parents to read what I am about to post?” would help to instill in them a sense of responsibility for everything they post. Below is an example of online safety rules for blogging. This could be a good introductory task, where the students make up their own rules for working online. The teacher can gage how much students understand about internet safety and build on their prior learning in relation to 

 

Ethical - what is acceptable language and code of conduct when utilizing online tools

 

Legal - Plagiarism, referencing, citing, etc

Safety - How can we keep our students safe in relation to privacy and prevent exposure to inappropriate material 

Security - Using individual passwords for each student and ensuring they keep their details private

 

 

Source: http://techieteacherstricks.wordpress.com/2012/10/30/blogging-in-the-classroom/

References

1. Dunsiger, A 2011. ‘Blogging in a Primary Classroom’, Aviva Dunsiger, Wiki article, Feruary 11 2011, accessed 20 March 2013, <http://www.slideshare.net/adunsiger/blogging-in-a-primary-classroom>
2. Crie, M 2006, Using Blogs to Integrate Technology in the Classroom, Teaching Today, accessed 20 March 2012, <http://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/educationupclose.phtml/47>
3. Central Queensland University (2013). A Brief Overview of Learning Theory. Retrieved 20 March 2013 from http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/mod/page/view.php?id=115326

 

 

 

 



Engage Me!!!!

This video presents some startling statistics of today's digital learners. It is our job to teach them to think.. to teach them to create, analyse, assess, evaluate, reflect. It is our job to create a learner-centred classroom and make sure we engage them!

Just a thought

I found this incredible Youtube clip which addresses exactly why we as teachers have to move towards integrating ICT into the classroom as much as possible. It is talking about this issue in Norway but it can be applied to all 21st century learners across the world.

TPACK simplified

http://instructionaltechnology2012.blogspot.com.au/


After reading the text my interpretation of the TPACK (Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge) framework for teaching is this.

There are three key types of knowledge in today's teaching and learning environment. These are technology, pedagogy and content knowledge.

Technology Knowledge refers to the ability to effectively use technology to facilitate learning.

Pedagogy knowledge is the knowledge of the processes and practices needed in learning and teaching.

includes

• Planning
• Class rules
• Class routines
• Grouping
• Discipline techniques
• Teaching strategies

Content knowledge is the knowledge of the subject matter being taught. 

This includes

• facts
• concepts
• theories
• mental models
• analogies
• frameworks
• procedures

TPACK is a system that identifies the need for these three knowledges to be combined effectively in order to create a great learning and teaching outcome. It draws on the need to identify students existing knowledge (whether it be consistent/inconsistent) and how to strengthen that knowledge. It investigates the elements of learning and what makes concepts easy/difficult to learn. It looks at the effect that technology has in enhancing learning.

It is the specific and meticulous combination of these three knowledges that creates an environment that is ideally suited to today's tech-savvy learners. 

  

Reflection on Wiki activity

 

 

http://katekendall.com/2010/04/05/graphic-facilitation-of-de-bonos-six-thinking-hats/

"Mobile Phones - should they be used in the classroom?"

When I read the Wiki activity in the Engagement activities section I had a pretty strong opinion regarding the use of mobile phones in the classroom. To me, at that stage of the activity, I thought that it was all too complicated an issue to bother giving mobile phones a go in the classroom. However, when I "put on my hat" for each section I found myself able to think about their use in a more structured and clearer way. I also noticed that the hats were presented in a different order than some of the websites I have visited. I think that the ordering of the hats in the Wiki activity facilitated my thinking about the subject and I felt my opinion developing and changing as I put on each successive hat. I was left feeling like I needed to know more about mobile phones and their use in the classroom whereas, at the start, I was all too happy to make a judgement on their use. The ordering of the hats and my responses are as follows  

 

Judgement: What is wrong with this??
Why will this not work?
Is this safe?
Can this be done?

I can see quite a few issues with having mobile phones at school. The first is security. Very few phones come with virus protection and security which makes them vulnerable to hacking. Secondly they are distracting in that modern phones have apps and games that prove hard to resist to even the most strongwilled person. Thirdly they are delicate devices. How many of us have dropped our phones on the ground, into water, etc., smashing the screen and sometimes destroying the phone itself? What if a student had their assignment or presentation on there and this happened? Fourthly, what about the students whose families cannot afford to purchase the latest technology mobile phone needed to enable access to apps and data. I think that all of these issues can be resolved with clear guidelines on their use at school.

The Process: Where are we now?
What is the next step?
Where have we been?
What sort of thinking is needed?

Schools are definitely becoming more digital native minded. I have seen iPads used in classrooms, where children play a maths app on the iPad which is connected to a television that the class can view. I think that schools are just now starting to draw on the relevance of mobile phones in the classroom however explicit instruction and care needs to be made to ensure mobile phones are utilized in a productive way.



Creativity: What new ideas are possible with this?
What is my suggestion for success?
Can I create something new?
Possibilities:
Can we learn via mobile phones is there a possibility we can enhance learning.

Well mobile phones are equipped with all kinds of amazing resources. The camera and videorecording app could be used to create a video diary of a child’s progression through a step by step exercise. Teachers could use the calendar app to help students to self-manage their studies, by creating reminders to do certain parts of their assignments. Students could access apps that are designed by the teacher to walk the students through a unit of study at their own pace, with activities that engage students' styles of learning.



Feelings: How do I feel about this?
What do I like about the idea?
What don't I like about
the idea?

I feel that mobile phones are an amazing learning resource when used as intended. I like they are a resource that children are familiar with and confident in using. I am unsure of how a school would regulate how they are used in the classroom. Also, it may create a disparity between children if the mobile phones are not all the same type.



Benefits: What are the good points?
Why can this be successful?
Why is this a good thing?

Most, if not all, students are tech savvy and “plugged in” to the use of mobiles already. Schools would be developing students ability to utilise the technology to learn hence equipping them with the skills they will need in the digital future. Students have the ability to research any question or subject with a simple touch they simply need to be shown how.

Information:
What information do I have?
What are the facts?
What information do I need?
What do I want to KNOW?

 

The facts are that children of today are using them. They are interested in and engaged while using them so why not utilise this interest in a classroom setting? However, before recommending that they be used in the classroom I would first like to see that specific guidelines for their use be introduced. I would like to know whether any trials have been done and how the teacher was able to keep the children on task with the many distractions available on a mobile phone.

 

Is this forum reflective of Behaviourism, constructivism, cognitivism, connectivism? One, or all of the above? What are the characteristics of the wiki design that lead you to that understanding?

 

I would say that the forum was probably most reflective of social constructivism and Connectivism.

 

Social Constructivism

It was clear from the start that people were drawing on their past experience and beliefs relating to phone use. Having the Black hat first helped to draw out people's initial beliefs and ideas relating to the subject without any consideration as to benefits or need to find out more information before passing judgment.

 

I think that many people were a bit reluctant to say yes to mobile phones being used in the classroom helped influence the learning that occurred through this topic. Social Constructivism Theory states that you learn more about a subject when supported by others.

Connectivism

The exercise drew on the idea that we, as learners, would thrive on the networking nature of this task. It was presented in a ICT format, which encouraged users to share their nodes or information, feelings and opinions about the subject in a way that would encourage connections with each other's ideas.   

 

Reflect on your own personal participation in the wiki. What are the benefits, issues, drawbacks of participating in a wiki like this? How would it contribute to the learning of your students?

I found the Wiki conversation confusing and disjointed. It was hard to keep track of who was posting what information, thus inhibiting my ability to discuss a peer's opinion.

However I see many benefits to this mode of learning. The first is the scaffolding nature of the task. I was able to draw from a large group of people's ideas, many of which I had not considered myself and view all these ideas together in the one space. From what I read in the Wiki I noticed that the group seemed to act respectfully and politely however I wonder how beneficial this exercise would have been if this had not been so. People need to feel comfortable and accepted for whatever opinion they may have about the subject however some people may have seen this as an opportunity to be blunt, rude and degrading as is often the case with online material. I doubt this would happen on a university wiki however cyber bullying is a real and present danger when entering into a task of this form especially for young learners in our care.
 

How did the scaffold support the collection of a range of perspectives?

I think that it seemingly forced us to come to the best possible conclusion by examining the issue from a well-rounded and thorough perspective. We were required to complete ALL sections, whether they be for or against mobile phone use. It made us consider the situation from all sides and helped me become more open to the idea of mobile phones in the classroom when I, at first, was avidly against their use.  



Reflection on Connectivism

I do agree that learning

is a state within the individual, and therefore Connectivism cannot be regarded as a theory of learning, rather a theory about how learning is best supported. 

To have learnt something, in my opinion, is to be able to recall or explain what it is you learnt to another person or demonstrate your knowledge through written means. Saying that learning is simply being able to access information through networking is all well and good when you are able to carry your form of “knowledge” (i.e phone, tablet, etc) with you however without that has the person really learnt anything at all?

It is true that one is not able to know everything however that is why we all grow up to have a certain career. No one endeavours to learn everything but one does endeavour to learn the fundamental skills necessary PLUS become an expert in their chosen field, whether it be an accountant, chef, teacher, etc. Albeit, having a knowledge in how to access information that one does not know is a very important skill to have however it is, by no means, the be all and end all.

Learning Place - AMAZING!!!!!

I was talking to a friend of mine, who is a primary school teacher, about the whole new world of technology that I have been introduced to in ICT. I was expressing my confusion and uncertainty regarding the implications that blogs, wikis and online media had in today's classrooms. She took me to a website called Learning Place (http://education.qld.gov.au/learningplace/). This website gave a comprehensive example of how the digital-native children of today learn. On there they can access their homework, play educational games on current units of study, watch tutoring videos, interact with their teachers through blogs as well as a multitude of other amazing avenues of learning. THIS is why we are learning how to use blogs, etc!!! Because teachers and learners of today already are "logged on" to this digital world. It is definitely a great real-world application of teaching in digital environments.

Multiple Intelligences Test Results

These are the results of my Multiple Intelligences Test which is based on Gardner's eight multiple intelligences. The results show that I have good abilities in Intrapersonal (myself smart), Linguistic (word smart), Logical (number smart) and Intrapersonal (people smart) Intelligences.

When accessing the link Learning Styles provided on http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks1/ict/multiple_int/notes.htm I noticed that it had a section on possible careers for children with each intelligence. When I selected my strongest learning style, Intrapersonal, the list of careers included Psychologist, Counselor and Therapist. This prediction was spot on for me. I completed my Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology) in 2009 and have been working as a Behavioural Therapist for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder since.
 How would you use this information to inform your learning design?

I would use this information in every possible learning opportunity. I would need to keep in mind each individuals unique intelligence strengths and try to include each in the lesson. For example

Maths lesson focused on 1 digit addition (eg. 4+5)

Intrapersonal and Interpersonal - awareness of self and others.

I would start by asking the class to keep in mind whether they completely understand what I am about to teach,  sort of understand it or  really need to be shown it again. Remind them that we all have different abilities and that it is ok to ask for help by posing questions to them such as "when someone is having trouble with something what do we do?" "Is it ok to need help sometimes?".  At the end of the lesson ask them to raise their hand if they feel like they can go complete the worksheet from the lesson by themselves, whether they think they can start it themselves but might need some help or whether they want to go through it again.

Linguistic - about words and how we communicate.

I would interchangeably substitute symbols for words when possible (eg instead of simply writing 4 + 5 I would write it as a word problem (eg. I had 4 apples and my friend Jenny gave me 5 more. How many apples do I have altogether?). When discussing the sum I would use the terms "plus" and "add" to describe what we are doing.

Spatial - how well an individual processes visual information.

I would ask the children to close their eyes and imagine what I describe. I would say the math problem  (I had 4 apples and my friend Jenny gave me 5 apples. How many apples do I have altogether?) and then ask who could draw a picture of what happened on the board or ask all children to draw a picture of what happened in their books, dividing the picture into 3 boxes. First box has the child and 4 apples. The second box has the child holding 4 apples with Jenny holding/giving 5 apples. The last picture has the child holding 9 apples.

Mathematical - look for patterns when solving problems.

I would present them with the same sum, go through the same steps EXCEPT I would flip the numbers (eg. 4 + 5 become 5 + 4) and ask them what they noticed.

Kinesthetic - use their body to solve problems

I would write a sum on the board and ask the children to represent it. I would make up signs with + and = on them and select the children in groups to create the sum, with each children representing 1.

Musical - relates to rhythm, pitch, harmony, and timbre.

I would give the children a list of sums that we would all recite together or that they would repeat after me. (eg. 4+5= 9 and 5+4= 9). Then I would ask them to come up with their own and sing it to me in their own rhythm and the class and I would repeat it.

Naturalistic - hmmm... still thinking about how to integrate this one.. any ideas?




  

 

Reflection on Prensky's Ideas

 

 

When reading the article "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants" I find myself somewhat stuck in the middle. I am partially a Digital Native in that I thrive in multi-tasking and love analysing graphs, cold hard facts and figures before I read the text associated with those figures (oh dear maybe the learning styles test was a clear reflection of my need for visual information to learn). However I have definitely retained my "accent" as the text suggests, as I feel that my immigrant tendency to religiously print out assignments to edit by hand BEFORE I digitally edit them is vital to my success. The reference in the text of out-dated language such as "dialling" a number rang true to me (no pun intended). I remember last year, whilst I was working as a teacher's aide in a Year 2 class, the teacher presented the topic History of Technology. Students were presented with "old" technology and "new" technology (such as Discmans and iPods) and asked to compare them in relation to their advantages and disadvantages. I found this unit very interesting in that a) the students had no idea what the so-called old technology's were or used for and b) their lack of appreciation for these amazing and exciting technologies of the times! haha! They were quick to come up with examples of the disadvantages of the old technology, citing reasons such as "it's ugly" or "it's too big" to the Discmans I used to adore as a child of their age. I instantly felt very old at a mere 24 years of age. At the time I was their age I revelled in the ability to have music with me anywhere I went whereas now aesthetics and ease of use were important factors the new generation thought needed consideration. I felt the need to defend the old technology and was excited when they cited an advantage of my discman that it had batteries so you could always buy more and have it working again whereas an iPod requires charging!

 

The notion that students have to "power down" at school (as cited from www.hungry.com) rings all so true of children yet to enter formal primary school! I work with children aged 2-6 years old at the moment who are intently engaged with and learn through the use of interactive whiteboards and iPads. The way a 3 year old can navigate through all the apps on an iPad to find the game they want to play and complete the activities in that app astounds me.

 

 

 

Prensky's idea that

 

Today‟s teachers have to learn to communicate in the language and style of their students. This doesn’t mean changing the meaning of what is important, or of good thinking skills. But it does mean going faster, less step-by step, more in parallel, with more random access, among other things.

 

had me feeling nervous as I thrive on step by step processes and had me feeling like I need to be, dare I say it, more frivolous in my method of teaching. Frivolous to me in that it seems nonsensical at present but I am eager to see how I can build these skills.

 

So finally, as Prensky puts it, it's time for me to stop my "grousing" and take the important steps in developing the ability to teach Digital Natives.. I would say creating a blog is a good first step  ;)

 

 

 

 

A big hello to all of my fellow students completing the GDLT at CQU :) This is definitely a new adventure! Blogging is a completely foreign concept to me at this stage but I'm hoping I'll get the hang of it soon.  I am excited about this journey and look forward to reading and discussing our blogs together.