Synopsis- Assessment 2

Computer technologies are an increasingly important part of the world in which students live.” Our children have been raised in a world of instant access to knowledge” (Strommen & Lincoln 1992). With this in mind it is imperative that students have access to technology in schools, to learn how to use the internet to access tools to suit their individual needs now and in their futures. Theorists such as Prensky (2001) and educators ACARA (2010) agree that for students to learn effectively they must be engaged, motivated and on task and they believe that the use of technology achieves this. Peck & Dorricott (1994) concur with this idea and maintain that “technological tools can foster students’ abilities, revolutionize the way they work and think, and give them new access to the world”.
The following synopsis is an overview of four digital tools that can be used in the learning environment to transform, facilitate, support and enhance learning regardless of context. The aim of this synopsis is to provide you with insightful and useful information on how these digital tools meet the following four categories;
• Access and gain information
• Consolidate and refine information
• Transform information to develop new understanding
• Present knowledge to an audience

The first digital tool we will examine is a Wiki which best exemplifies the category of access and gain information. A Wiki as mentioned in my blog is “a collaborative, community website where anyone can contribute, a wiki is software that handles complex problems with simple solutions. A wiki invites all users to edit any pages or to create new pages within the wiki Web site” (Cunningham, 1995).

Wiki’s can be used in the classroom in various ways; one such way is discussed in my blog where students create a wiki to present their knowledge. Class members are encouraged to visit peers wiki’s to add or edit information and ideas. “This form of collaborative learning allows children to share the process of constructing their ideas, instead of simply labouring individually. The advantages of this collective effort are that children are able to reflect on and elaborate not just their own ideas, but those of their peers as well. Children come to view their peers not as competitors but as resources” (Strommen & Lincoln 1992). "By allowing students to be involved in the construction of the task, meaningfulness and relevance and, therefore, students’ level of engagement can increase" (Marzano 1997).Simple ideas now evolve to a more complex, higher order way of thinking. Students are moving from acquiring and integrating knowledge (Dimension 2) to extending and refining knowledge (Dimension 3). Now we see the teacher serve as a guide, rather than the source of knowledge. "This is consistent with a constructivist approach to learning where students learn best if they take on an active role in their own learning" (Duffy & Cunningham 1996). Wiki appeals to a diverse range of learners as students feel less pressure on their performance due to the expectancy of peers editing and ‘fixing’ any errors they might have. The lesson plan which was designed to use a wiki in the classroom was based on Eisenberg & Berkowitz’s “The Big 6” approach to teaching information and technology skills. To view this lesson plan please go to http://s0154220amanda.weebly.com/wiki.html

The second digital tool websites fits into the category of consolidate and refine information. Web sites hold a plethora of information on a vast range of topics and are an engaging way for students to consolidate and refine information. Web sites bring information previously unimagined by students into the classroom where they can view and discuss events they otherwise could not experience. As mentioned in my blog once students have accessed the information they then can use this knowledge to consolidate their findings and refine the information to complete their tasks. An example of how web sites can be used to enhance and promote higher order thinking is to have students create their own web sites with multiple pages to display aspects of their research. Students are encouraged to upload images and video footage to support their findings including an evaluation page with a SWOT analysis and a reflection page where they can reflect on their learning. Web creation can foster student’s creativity and it caters to a diverse range of learners and learning styles. An example of this lesson can be obtained from my web site at http://s0154220amanda.weebly.com/websites, which is based on Eisenberg & Berkowitz’s “The Big 6” approach to teaching information and technology skills

Teacher guidance is recommended before students are let loose on the internet web sites and it is recommended by Queensland Education under child safety to monitor students use closely. Teachers also have the responsibility to ensure students are aware that not all information on the websites is authentic and instruction must be given to ensure students know how to access information from reliable sources and learn how to distinguish what a reliable source and what it is not.

For the third category of transform information to develop new understanding, I have chosen blogs. As discussed in my blog, blogs are a way for students to experience the rewards of exhibiting their work to a widespread audience, and for them to receive feedback from peers. Blogs allow students to transform information onto their blogs and from feedback and comments from peers can develop new understandings. The blogs user friendly design is engaging and simple for teachers to implement. As it is on the internet it allows bloggers to access their blogs anywhere and at anytime and provides learning outside the classroom. Blogs can be multidisciplinary as they involve reading and writing and can be used in a variety of academic contexts. Huffaker (2005) "the uses of educational technology such as blogs have a two fold advantage: they can promote the types of literacy learning traditionally encouraged in learning, as well as the digital fluency needed to prosper in the digital age".

In an educational setting a blog can be used right across the learning years from P-10. For younger grades a blog can be used as a link between teachers and parents whereby the teacher uploads students work for parents to view or as a weekly newsletter for class and school events for parents to view and comment if so desired. In older grades blogs can be used as an on-line journal to document a science experiment where students upload photos and blog about their ongoing experiment. For an example of how a blog can enhance and compliment learning please refer to my web site to view a lesson plan at http://s0154220amanda.weebly.com/blogs.html. This lesson plan was based on Kearsley & Shneiderman’s Engagement theory which is a framework for technology-based teaching and learning.

Finally for my fourth digital tool I have chosen movie maker which best represents the category presenting knowledge to an audience. As mentioned in my blog movie maker is a fun way for students to present their work to their classmates and is more like play than learning. "Play and experimentation are powerful forces in the development of the individual mind" (Karppinen 2005). Movie maker is a user friendly multifunctional digital tool whereby students can create a movie using images, text, and video. "Simply presenting information in a stimulating and interesting digital video format will not automatically lead to in-depth learning, the value of the tool lies in the ways it is put to use in real life teaching, studying, and learning situations" (Karppinen 2005). As movie maker is so easy to use this makes it transdisciplinary as well as useable right across all year levels. It caters to all learning styles as well as catering to a diverse range of learners to ensure all students achieve outcomes and meets the Queensland Essential Learnings benchmarks. To view an example of a lesson where movie maker has been incorporated into the learning please go to my web site at http://s0154220.weebly.com/movie-maker.html. This lesson plan is based on Kearsley & Shneiderman’s Engagement theory which is a framework for technology-based teaching and learning.

Technology is evolving at an exponential rate and it is important that educational curriculums reflect this fact and ensure that ICTs are embedded into learning so there is not an "estrangement of schools from society, and from the children who live in it" (Strommen & Lincoln 1992). Students need to be proficient in accessing and using digital technological tools by the time they leave school Bruce, (1997) cited in Strommen & Lincoln (1992) explains that "today’s workers need the skills to gather information from diverse resources, including both traditional and electronic means and to merge that information to make common connections he goes on to say that not only problem-solving skills are vital but the ability to identify problematic issues and create logical viable solutions". Technology can motivate students to love learning and in doing so create lifelong learners. Through this E-Learning course it is apparent that technology is something that we will use for the rest of our lives and collaborative learning is a vital skill we need to succeed in society and example of collaborative learning is on my blog

We have established that computer based technology can motivate and engage students as well as “administer individualized lesson sequences that branch and remediate according to students’ unique needs” (Peck and Dorricott 1994). We have discussed the benefits of technology in the way it can promote higher order thinking, promote collaborative learning and allow students to be creative. We have looked at examples of lesson plans using the two teaching and learning frameworks, the Engagement theory and The big 6. Now that we have explored these four digital tools in detail and heard from theorists on the benefits they have in the classroom why wouldn’t teachers use computer-based technology for teaching and learning? I hope that this synopsis has convinced you to use and incorporate these four tools in your classroom.

References
Australian National Curriculum (ACARA) (2010). National Curriculum Draft. [Electronic resource]. Retrieved May 2010. From http:// www.acara.edu.au

Cunningham, W (1995). What is a Wiki, WikiWikiWeb. [Electronic resource] 1995 retrieved June 2010 from http://www.wiki.org/wiki.

Duffy, T.D., & Cunningham, D.J. (1996). Constructivism: Implications for the design and delivery of instruction. In D.H. Janssen (Ed.), Handbook of research for educational communications and technology: A project of the association for educational communications and technology, (pp. 55-85). New York: Macmillan

Eisenberg, M & Berkowitz, B (2001). Big 6 Skills Overview. Hardcopy received from CQU, June 2010. In class lecture notes, course FAHE11001, 2010, Term Two.

Huffer, D (2005). The educated blogger: Using weblogs to promote literacy in the classroom. AACE journal, 12 (2), 91-98 [electronic resource] 2005 retrieved July 2010. From www.editlib.org

Kearsley, G (1997) & Shneiderman, B (1994, 1998). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning. [Electronic resource] 1999, retrieved from moodle,cqu.edu.au/course/view.php?id=4033

Karppinen, P. (2005). Meaningful learning with digital and online videos: Theoretical perspectives. AACE Journal, 13(3), 233-250.

Marzano, R., Pickering, D., Arrendondo, D., Blackburn, G., Brandt, R., Moffett, C., Paynter, D., Pollock, J, Whisler, J. (1997). Dimensions of Learning teachers manual (2nd ed). Aurora, Colorado: McREL.


Peck, K & Dorricott, D (1994). Realising the promise of technology, (Vol 51).issue 7 [online resource] 1994. Retrieved June 2010 from http://www.dromano.com

Strommen, E. & Lincoln, B. (1992). Constructivism, Technology, and the future of classroom learning in education and urban society, Vol 21, [online resource] 1992. Retrieved July 2010 from http:// citeseerx.ist.psu.edu.

The state of Queensland (Department of Education, Training and the Arts). (2007). Essential Learnings Retrieved August 2010 from http:// education.qld.gov.au.

blog Postings

24/8/2010-s0154220 to Tori on weebly websites
16/8/2010-s0154220 to Sheena e-learning framework
1/8/2010 s0154220 to Leah on weebly
25/7/2010 s0154220 to Leah blogs
25/7/2010 s0154220 to Leah flickr
25/7/2010 s0154220 to Leah picnik
25/7/2010 s0154220 to Leah digital videos
9/7/2010 s0154220 to moodle discussion board
blogs I have recieved

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Using A YouTube Video In The Classroom

This YouTube video would be useful for a year 7 cohort where they are learning about renewable and non-renewable energy. This video would be introduced at the end of the unit when students have learnt about alternate forms of energy. They now have an understanding of global warming and are formulating ideas on what needs to be done to reduce carbon gasses by converting to renewable energy. the YouTube video sets a problem-based task of how students could create a clean carbon free city.This type of learning links nicely to Engagement Theory where students use cognitive processes such as creating, problem-solving, reasoning, decision-making, and evaluation. (Kearsley & Shneiderman (1998)
This form of problem based learning promotes higher order thinking as students now take all the knowledge they have and put it into context by solving a real life problem. They have already used dimension 3 in the Dimension of Learning framework and are now working in dimension 4 using knowledge meaningfully. Helping Students develop complex reasoning processes such as
• Decision making
• Problem solving
• Invention
• Experimental inquiry
• Investigation
• Systems analysis
(Marzano, R 1997)

Kearsley, G & Shneiderman, B (1998) Engagement Theory, A framework for technology-based teaching and learning. retrieved from CQU Moodle site Week 2
Marzano, R. (1997)Dimension of Learning, teachers manual (2nd ED). Colorado, Mcrel publishing.

web site using Weebly

A Weebly is a website creation program that is easy to use, interactive and engaging. Weebly allows users to create a multi page website on any chosen topic with a user-friendly toolbar to cater to individual designs and needs. Images, podcasts and hyperlinks can easily be added to the web page to provide a broader knowledge. To receive constructive feedback from peers or teachers a hyperlink to a blog can be added.
A web creation can be used in the classroom to create an assignment on a given topic either in groups or individually. It can be used across most of the KLAs and example would be when researching an animal each page could contain different aspects like habitat, threats, diet etc...Students can upload pictures and video to support their facts.
Using a web creation program in the classroom would be effective as it provides students with opportunities to develop an understanding of the processes and practices that lead to the design and development of new and innovative technological products as well as a result of their engagement in technology learning experiences, students will be better able to:
• Understand, evaluate and reflect on the nature and consequences of technological change within society
• Participate in the design and development of innovative technological products (QSA- Essential Learnings 2005)
As this digital tool promotes collaborative learning it would align with the Constructivist Learning Theory which emphasizes that learners construct their own knowledge, strongly influenced by what they already know. Social Constructivists view learning as an inherent social process, using peer discussions as an opportunity to share alternate view points, to challenge others’ ideas and help develop alternative points of view. (Duffy & Cunningham, 1996) say that by creating and using digital tools there is a blurring of teacher and student roles, such as that teachers model and demonstrate learning in problem-based settings, while students facilitate and manage their own learning environments. This promotes students to learn rich tasks that can be used in real life contexts and promotes life long learners.
To veiw an example of how a weebly can be incorporated into the classroom please go to http://s0154220amanda.weebly.com/websites.html
References
Duffy, T. M., & Cunningham, D.J (1996). Constructivism, Implications for Design and Delivery of Instruction. In D. H. Jonassen (Ed), Handbook of research on educational communications and technologies. New York. Macmillan
The state of Queensland (Department of Education, Training and the Arts). (2007). Essential learnings Retrieved August 2010 from http:// education.qld.gov.au.

to view my web please go to http://s0154220.weebly.com/

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Movie maker

This movie was fun to make on Movie Maker, unfornately i had trouble uploading it to my blog and had to seek help from one of my peers. Movie maker is a fun way for students to present their work to their classmates and is more like play than learning. Movie maker is very easy to use and has the ability to use images, video, add text and music.
Movie maker will be a great asset in the classroom, it could be used instead of a powerpoint as it is easy to use and more interactive. From a Learning Managers point of view it will be easy to teach students how to use it as it only takes a few simple steps. From a safety point it is just as safe as a powerpoint as it does not go on line but can be saved in their file on the school computer. Using movie maker allows the student to be as creative as they want and can be used right across the KLAs as well as catering to a diverse range of learners. this is definately a tool i would use in the classroom as it is ingaging and user friendly. Prensky (2001)states "that students need to be engaged and motivated to learn effectively. Due to the flexability of moviemaker students can add text, video footage and images all within one movie. As this task is a rich task it could easily be used for summative assessment. For an example of how Movie Maker can be incorporated into your classroom please click on the link to view a lesson plan at http://s0154220amanda.weebly.com/movie-maker.html

References
Prensky, M (2001)Digital natives, digital immigrants.On the horizon, (Vol 9)(no50.[on-line journal]2001.retrieved from http://moodle.cqu.edu.au on 3/7/2010

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Podcast

I tried to register onto mypodcast.com, unfornunatley i was unable to register as the site was no longer taking new users but to try again at a later date. This was unfortunate as i was looking forward to creating a podcast. I will update this blog if i can find another site to use or if i manage to register at a later date.

picnik

Picnic is a free program used for manipulating and resizing photos. This program is easy to use and is fun and engaging. This tool would be great for students when they are organizing self esteem programs in grade 7, or in the lower grades where students write about themselves and attach a photo.

Flickr

image courtesy of HDR- Red Gate by *atrium09 Found on flickr

Using Flickr was so easy and fun there are so many great images. Flickr is a free to use program that allows users to upload pictures and videos. There are a number of purposes for using images Teachers can present learning materials to students to promote engaging thinking, knowledge, understanding, analysis, and evaluation. Images can support skill development and influence feelings. Teachers can create dialogue between students using the image to explore beliefs, facts, culture etc... The image i chose (above) would be great for a stimulus in creative writing. what is behind the red door? or for older students i could use the photos attached quote "sometimes great ideas can be created by just opening the door".Once the picture has been shown to the class a three minute pause would be useful for students to gather their thoughts and interpret the image. For younger students brainstorming responses to the picture would help some students with ideas, as well as scaffolding how to structure the layout of the writing task. With all on-line images common courtesy should be adhered to by referencing the source.

Microsoft Powerpoint

Using Microsoft powerpoint was quite time consuming but once i got the hang of applying all the hyperlinks it became easier. The power point has enormous potential as a learning tool as it can be engaging and interesting. Due the complexity and time spent setting one up i would not teach the students how to set up the powerpoint i would only use it as a teaching tool.How i would use this power point would be to inform the students then as a whole cohort answer the quiz questions or when the students are doing rotational group work i would have this set up on the computers for them to access and work through themselves make it more student centred than teacher centred.

comparing frameworks

Comparing the two frameworks the Big 6 and Kearsley & Shneiderman's Engagement Theory i have constructed a Venn Diagram shown above. the similarities of the two frameworks is they are both advicate meanigful engagement. they both use techonology to learn and they are both future orientated. The big 6 promotes individual or group learning, it is based on the application of 6 steps Task Definition, Information Seeking Strategies, Location and Access, Use of Information, Synthesis and Evaluation . The Big 6 is simple to use and faster with a focus on problem solving.
The Engagment Theory promotes collaborative learning, it is investigative and has a real life authentic focus.It is based on a constructivist approach to learning. The Engagement Theory uses three simple steps Relate-create-Donate and emphasizes team effort in collaborative groups.
Within the classroom the Big 6 is ideal for students who have to resource information to solve a problem, make a decision or complete a complex task.
Students use the Big 6 skills whenever they need information using various computer and information technology skills which are integral parts of the Big 6.These skills can be used across the full range of grade levels and to all subject areas within school or in their personal lives.
Students would use the engagement Theory when they are specifically working in a collaborative setting. As Vogtsky advicates that collaborate learning enhances higher order thinking so this framework is based on those theories as well as promoting student motivation. Both these frameworks would be useful in the classroom

concept map

Today i created a concept map using bubbl.us and i must admit i found it difficult. Although i have not found a need to use it yet i am sure that in the future i will find a use for concept mapping in the classroom. I am glad that i have played with this tool because now i can keep this up for my sleeve for later. Once i got the hang of it, it was quick to do and the possibilities are endless. although mine is simple i can see the potential within the classroom especially when doing families of insects etc...

With regards to using a blog and/or a wiki in the learning context, i would feel comfortable to use a blog for students and parents to participate and learn in a safe on-line environment. However using a wiki within the classroom is something that I probably would not use due the fact it is accessible to outsiders. If the wiki could be loaded onto a secure sight such as the learning place then I might consider using it as a learning tool. Ignoring the safety side of using wiki the benefits of using a wiki in the classroom could be enormous especially if students are working on group assignments.

My Wiki

https://amanda-e-learning.wikispaces.com/




A wiki is a website that allows others to contribute and update to the site. According to Cunningham, (1995) "a wiki is a collaborative, community website where anyone can contribute, a wiki is software that handles complex problems with simple solutions. A wiki invites all users to edit any pages or to create new pages within the wiki Web site".
"A wiki is not a carefully crafted site for casual visitors. Instead, it seeks to involve the visitor in an ongoing process of creation and collaboration that constantly changes the Web site landscape" (Cunningham 1995).
Wiki’s are open to the general public and edits are in real-time and will show up immediately. Due the collaborative nature of a wiki there is a tendency for them to evolve from low level ideas to high order and more sophisticated ideas.
Within a classroom a wiki is a great way to promote classroom collaborate learning and enhance higher order thinking. Students will tend to edit others spelling and grammatical errors as they go and add their own ideas and thoughts. Using a wiki in a classroom is a great way for students to connect with each other in ways they could not do using traditional non-ICTs.
A great way for a wiki to be incorporated into the classroom is when they are working in groups to present information to their peers. For example if they are researching an animal from the wetlands and they are looking at habitats, diet, threats and characteristics of this animal then they have a perfect opportunity to create a wiki to present all their information in a logical and user friendly way. They can dedicate one page to each of the above topics and include images and video to compliment their work. They can also use one page dedicated to the reflective and evaluation of their project. The task has now been turned into an authentic rich task which will meet the Essential Learnings outcomes as well as be engaging and have real life context that can be used outside the classroom.To view how a Wiki can be incorporated into the classroom please click on the link below to view a lesson plan at http://s0154220amanda.weebly.com/wiki.htmlThe difference between a blog and a wiki is a blog is more of a on-line journal which is updated daily or when the author chooses to. A wiki is a platform where anyone can update information as it becomes available. A blog is owned by a person whereas a wiki is being updated by many people all around the world. Blog posts are usually one person’s opinion with others commenting agreeing or disagreeing whereas a wiki’s articles represent consensus, but can have an associated discussion/talk page. A wiki can host a blog but not viceversa. A wiki works in a more collaborative way than a blog which is mostly one person guided with postings from others. So a quick summary
wiki
· Multiple Authors,
· Edited by a group or team,
· Contains links to other Wiki pages,
· Continuousy changing and growing rapidly,
· Many-to-many communication.

blogs
· - Usually a single author. Sometimes can
· have multiple contributors,
· Author posts, user comments,
· Opinion Sharing ,
· One-to-many content.

References
Cunningham, W (1995. What is a Wiki from WikiWikiWeb. from
http://www.wiki.org/wiki.cgi?WhatIsWiki, retrieved July 2010.
QSA.(2007)Essential Learnings. retrieved July 2010.

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Blogs

This week's personal challenge was starting a blog!! This was confusing and frustrating but i must say now it is up and running i am quite proud of myself.
Blogs are an online journal made up of chronological entries. The features of a blog include instant publishing of texts and graphics. A blog is a way for people to provide comments or feedback to each blog post and hyperlink to other bloggers. Blogs provide opportunities for people to present and express themselves online.
Blogs are an excellent way to produce a traditional task of journal keeping in a modern arena within the classroom. Huffaker (2005) states that blogs provide an arena where self-expression and creativity are encouraged. He goes on to say that its linkages to other bloggers establish the same peer-group relationships found in non virtual worlds.
The blogs user friendly design is engaging and simple for teachers to implement. As it is on the internet it allows bloggers to access their blogs anywhere and at anytime and provides learning outside the classroom. Blogs cater to a diverse range of learners and learning styles.
Students using the blog can comment and give feedback, share ideas and ask and answer questions, they connect and create an “interwoven, dynamic organization” Huffaker (2005) and form social networks.

Blogs can be multidisciplinary as they involve reading and writing and can be used in a variety of academic contexts.
In an educational setting a blog can be used as journal to document a science experiment where students upload photos and blog about their ongoing experiment. For example students are growing mould on bread, they will take photos throughout the next few weeks documenting on their blog the changes of the bread as well as providing feedback, asking questions, hypothesizing and predicting.
This collaborative learning sits within a constructivism view of learning, it is "widely agreed that students learn best if they take an active role in their own learning" (Duffy & Cunningham 1996).
Blogs also fit in with Kearsley & Shneiderman’s Engagement Theory (1997) which is based upon the idea of creating successful collaborative teams that work on ambitious projects that are meaningful and engaging. The three components Relate-Create-Donate apply nicely to the class task mentioned.
Relate involves students working in teams where they communicate, plan, manage their blog and use social skills with peers.
Create is where students define the project or problem and focus their efforts on applying ideas to the task in an engaging manner.
Donate stresses the value of making a useful contribution while learning. Students ensure that collaboratively they have solved the problem. For a Learning Manager the impact of using blogs in the classroom could be huge as they are a great way to assess students either in a formative way or a summative way.To view an example of how blogs can be useful in the classroom please click on the following link to view a lesson plan using a blog go to http://s0154220amanda.weebly.com/blogs.html

References
Duffy, T.D., & Cunningham, D.J. (1996). Constructivism: Implications for the design and delivery of instruction. In D.H. Jonassen (Ed.), Handbook of research for educational communications and technology: A project of the association for educational communications and technology, (pp. 55-85). New York: Macmillan
Huffaker, D (2005). The educated blogger: Using weblogs to promote literacy in the classroom. AACE journal, 12 (2), 91-98
Keirsley, G (1997) & Shneiderman, B (1994,1998). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning. [electronic resource] 1999, retrieved from moodle,cqu.edu.au/course/view.php?id=4033

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week 1

Welcome to my blog. this is all new to me and although confusing i must admit quite interesting. Still getting my head around some of the techno words but all in all am feeling confident. feel free to add your views, thanks for visiting( is that right)