Reflection on Group 4 Tools

Animations and Simulations

MuseumBox

I played with Museumbox from http://museumbox.e2bn.org  here are my thoughts.

Museumbox seems like a good idea, but I was unable to use it sufficiently as there is a fee.  I couldn't find out how much the fee is though.  The idea is that you can create a treasure chest of artefacts that tell a story about a particular person, group or event. 
Students could create one about their family; similar to a family tree.  They could upload family pictures, scanned letters (wouldn't seeing an old love letter between grandparents be cute?), interesting facts about the people, images of favourite possessions, hopes for the future and the list goes on.

This tool could be used for a variety of KLAs, in particular SOSE, History and English.

I would definitely consider using this in a classroom, although at the moment I'm unsure whether these could be embedded into blogs or websites.  No doubt they can be, so this is an interesting tool worthy of further investigation.

There is a site which holds resources for teachers regarding MuseumBox, it can be found at http://museumbox.e2bn.org/teachers/

 Simulations: Energy Skate Park

In the past (Global Science course) I was introduced to Energy Skate Park.  I have embedded the simulation below.  This tool is amazing  and very entertaining.  The ability to be able to see how weight affects the speed of the skateboard, the relationship between kinetic and potential energy and not to mention the option to try the experiment on the moon...does lack of gravity make a difference? What does changing the track do? Where is the thermal energy coming from?  So many variables...So much opportunity for HOT thinking!

 

 Perfect to really enabling the students to 'visualise' energy.  And of course this couldn't be done in a classroom, so this simulation is brilliant.

Click to Run

From http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/energy-skate-park

Unfortunately, it needs Java and so will not run on an iPad.  Sadly this is often the case with simulations and animations.  Hopefully this will be rectified in the future as handheld tablets are already becoming commonplace in schools and this type of learning through simulations has incredible potential.

Creating a Map

I played with Google maps.  Here is a link to my map of where I grew up in London:

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zS9QT73O-bg0.k28psY-mmiyQ

This was quite good, although there seems to be no way of adding text directly onto the map itself.  It would be good if you could float images, text or hand-drawn (ok mouse drawn)content onto the map.

This could be very useful in a class where students could be given a particular location to find (anywhere in the world!) and then ask them to find the nearest Station? School? Library? Restaurant?

They could pin point using the markers and then map the shortest route using the line feature or have the map give them directions automatically.  The ability to save this map as a link on a blog, in a document etc, would be great for the teacher to assess.

Perhaps they could save the link to a class wiki and then have a partner check it out and provide feedback.

Or save the map as an image, and take it into a drawing program where a partner could 'draw' a route described using common directional language or N,S,E and W for older students. Did you both end up at the same location? Why, why not?

Frog, anyone...?

http://www.froguts.com/demo/  Wow! I didn't know whether this would be interactive or not but...The eye opens and shuts as you hover over it. Of course not to mention many other interactive elements.  This one is great for squeamish teachers such as myself, and I'm sure many students are equally put off by the thought of getting gooey...yuk. 

Google docs: Realtime collaboration: http://docs.google.com/

Truly collaborative documents.  Upto 50 people can edit AT THE SAME TIME.  I'm in awe.  Debbie and I used one to work on an assignment together.  We were able to chat (voice, speaker phone & written, chat box) whilst we typed on the document.  I was able to add comments to specific parts of what Debbie had written to ask questions and clarify thinking. 

We got chatting (as we are prone...call it brainstorming in EDU speak) about the benefits of teachers setting up one of the documents that parents could add to.  It could be a place for questions to be asked and answered.  Advertising of homework or class assignments of course with criteria sheets.  Parents could share resources. The possibilities are yet again, as with most technology,...ENDLESS!

In a nutshell

Using animations, simulations or similar in a classroom will, without a doubt appeal to a wider range of students.  Many different learning styles can be catered to using these tools.  As always, the teacher needs to be as aware as humanly possible of the strengths and needs of their students and the ways in which they best learn.  Use it only if it can make the task more interesting and engaging; only use technology to enhance learning.  If you can do the task 'hands-on', REAL 'hands-on', then do it.  Having said that...I recently experienced a strange phenomenon...Kids at our youth group (http://www.airleague.com.au/) had the opportunity to fly a remote controlled model aircraft out in the fresh air. A significant number of them chose to do the 'same' thing using a flight simulator program inside a hot stuffy building.

We had to remind them that life happens outdoors...not on a screen!! 

This poses the question of...WHY?  Why did those kids choose the simulation over real life action?  Maybe they felt safer knowing that they couldn't break the real thing? Their reasoning would certainly make an interesting study eh?  if only there was time for that!

Reflection on Group 3 Tools

Group 3 Tools: Presentation Tools:
The Writing is ANYWHERE on the page!

 Powerpoint, Glogster and Prezi

 

Having read about glogster I was very excited to use it as I couldn't wait to be able to put content anywhere on the page.  This has been a thorn in my side since looking at blogs and websites.  I want my students to be able to be more creative than just left, right or centre.  We should be encouraging creativity at every opportunity.

 

However, when I tried to use it, I found that it would not load for me.  At All!  Any site that had an example of a glogster on it, would just sit and whir at me.  This lead me to question the file sizes of glogsters!  How big are those files?  If they contain images, sounds, video, text, colours etc. Surely they are huge!  Maybe this is why I couldn't load them.  So of course, now I have to question the likelihood of being able to actually access them in a classroom.  The idea certainly sounds a good one.  Students could create a graffiti like poster showing off their findings in a more visual way than a written report could.  The ability to include image, sound etc makes the potential learning available to a range of learning styles.  Adding clickable links to websites, videos etc would also make this poster an interactive tool. 

I actually use PicCollage on my iPad which is similarly creative, although there is no way of adding audio or video.  But again it is this ability to put 'stuff' anywhere on the page that I crave.  Children are not often  linear.  How many do you see start in the middle of the page when writing or drawing?

Here is a link to a post I wrote about my experience with powerpoint: http://lovetheclassroom.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/my-experience-with-powerpoint.html  I had no idea they could be used so interactively.  In the example that Wendy Fasso put on about using powerpoints, I did find myself questioning whether or not the interactive aspects only work when they are viewed in editable mode, rather than the slide show mode.   Definitely more playtime needed with this one...

Here is a little video of a powerpoint I made where the words 'sort themselves' out.  Now I'm thinking that the students could do that part themselves directly on the screen, re-save and upload to their blogs for me to assess their answers.  (Ignore the water as a non-renewable resource, that's a whole other subject).

 

Here is another link to a previous post about Prezi: http://lovetheclassroom.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/going-to-chapel-and-were-gonna-get.html...I love these...the ability to write anywhere on the page again (insert soapbox here) is dreamy to me.  The potential for these is huge.  Upside is the ease with which they can be created. A downside could be the need to be online while editing and/or viewing.  The desktop version will fix this issue, but sadly is not free.  Of course this may not be an issue in classroom with a computer per child and super internet connection.  I can dream....
 

 Obviously my new love would be upset if I did not choose it to 'SAMR' so here goes...

 

SAMR: Prezi

Substitution: Same task, new tech	Create a persuasive brochure that provides detail about your town to be shown to potential visitors.
Augmentation: Same task, tech increases functionality	Create a logical 'path' that replaces traditional 'page turning'. Ensure that the 'global' (zoomed out) view provides an overview of the town.
Modification: Redesign parts of the task	Include text,  images and sounds that give the viewer a 'feel' for the town.
Redefinition: New tasks, once unimaginable	Make the brochure 'interactive' by including clickable links and video of (previously researched) places of local interest. Use a background image of a map that shows the town's location in relation to the coast. Present the brochure to a particular audience using email, websites, blogs or similar.

That's about it for Group 3 Tools. 

Still miffed about the Glogster...will have to try that on a different computer perhaps.

 

Over and out :)

My experience with powerpoint

Yes I've used Power Point...but

However, this is the first time I've used Scribd.

The following is the portfolio I had to create for my Art learning journey in a previous assignment.

Arts Portfolio

Using scribd was  easy.  The following is another power point I used in a maths lesson during my practicum to go with lessons on solving word problems.

Powerpoint on Solving Division and Multiplication Word Problems


I have used powerpoints many, many times and have enjoyed learning its quirks along the way.  I have used them to present assignments to my peers at uni and I have used them to introduce topics to students in my practicums.  The ability to add sound, image and video mean that you can reach a larger range of learning styles.  Being able to speed up the presentation as necessary or even skip slides means that you can keep viewers engaged.

The different effects used on these examples don't show up here (how do I show those?) but suffice to say, I'm an effect queen and probably use them too much.  :)

Students in a classroom could quite easily (only requiring minimal assistance) create some quite fantastic looking presentations which could be used to present findings from investigations or similar.  My Eight year old daughter has created some wonderful presentations of our pets and she has been able to easily add effects to text and images alike. 

As powerpoint is created by Microsoft, it follows the same taskbar layout that students will most likely be familiar with, thus making the use of this tool beneficial when time is a concern.

 

I didn't ever think of making them INTERACTIVE! 

What a world of possibilities...I'm excited to give that a try soon.

In discussions, I am reliably informed that this tool can also be used to create a kind of interactive 'room'.  More info here http://christykeeler.com/EducationalVirtualMuseums.html  I have yet to try this, but the idea certainly sounds conducive to more authentic learning tasks. In fact, Authentic tasks such as creating a marketing package or advertisements could certainly see students using this tool to create some very creative assessment pieces.

Interesting http://visualology.net/  Yet again, how sound can change how something is perceived.

Remember K.I.S.S?  Some good points about keeping powerpoints concise and to the point. http://www.pptmagic.com/articles/kiss.htm

A good article on how to use pan and zoom effects. http://office.microsoft.com/en-au/powerpoint-help/create-pan-and-zoom-effects-in-powerpoint-HA010232631.aspx  Unfortunately playing with this one will have to wait.  But I will certainly come back to it.

That's all for now folks.............

Going to the Chapel and we're gonna get married...

I love Prezi...we are soon to be married!

Thought I couldn't add sound, but you can...
Thought I couldn't change fonts, but you can...

I had trouble (and gave up) embedding my prezi into my wiki but not sure why???  Will try to embed it here instead...




OMG it worked....After clicking "start prezi" You have to click the little arrow/play button on the bottom right and choose 4sec. Then it will play...I hope!  Will get a friend to try it...you know who you are!! :)  Think you have to wait for it to load...be patient! 

This was created as a template for an idea that was running riot in my brain.  Entries are ficticious.  The idea is that after a camp, field trip or similar, students could edit (make them an editor, or allow them entry to your own) and add content to a bubble.  Maybe a recount of the journey, a recount of their activities.  They can add photos, documents, sounds...the list goes on.  The possibilities are endless and I love it because you can write ANYWHERE on the page. 

I am a global learner...this is great for me and likeminded souls.
Visual learners...creative types...auditory learners...anyone!!

Students could present one as a portfolio of work from the term or year.  Present it to parents at parent/student/teacher interviews. 
I would sing "I'm So Excited" by my cat has sensitive ears!

Would it help deepen their learning?  They would be using ICT so of course that is great.  But I have to put a different hat on...
There would be HOT thinking involved if the task was about creating a virtual tour of your town to persuade visitors to come.  Having to think about the types of images, colours, wording, sounds etc are all part of literacy and (ok, I know this is my soapbox, so I won't go on) but really the use of Prezi may just be an engagement tool to motivate them and allows them far more creativity in producing the final product.  But think about the fun you'd have marking something like this, instead of a handwritten, chicken scrawled, dog-chewed paper version.

Image, Audio and Video: Uses in a classroom

So... having played with uploading and downloading images from and to the web, and attempting to create podcasts  and making 'movies' (did I enjoy this one too much?)

I have decided to use the SAMR model to analyse the use of digital video in the classroom.

Briefly though, I would mention a couple of examples of use for the other two tools first as they certainly deserve a mention.

Images - I do see much opportunity for students uploading images (where would they get the image if they have little to no access to a camera?) to Flickr.  Also my limited understanding is that images are public to the world (if they are not, why bother using flickr anyway when there are other ways to store images?) However the use of images is extremely important in a classroom. 

 

Students must be taught to analyse images and understand that not everyone will interpret the same image the same way.  Of course images work with (and sometimes against; see Booker, 2012, available at http://www.alea.edu.au/documents/item/495) words to convey meaning that often the words alone could not achieve and vice versa.  Students could use images sourced from google images or locations managed by the teacher to enhance their recounts and reports etc.  All in all, the use of images needs no stamp of approval by me...Images are absolutely necessary and the ability to take pictures has become far easier (smartphones and tablets etc.).   The only downside I can see, is the need to explain to a students about image resizing.  It's a little like Santa and the Easter Bunny...you can't see it, so is it real?  Often to the naked eye the image looks the same, so will they understand the technical issues associated with pixel information and size?

 

Click here for some information on pixels: http://7one8design.com/expert-diy-tips-whats-a-pixel/ (this is also where the image comes from.

 

 

 

 

 So on to the use of audio in a classroom.  Ok there would be many advantages to using pre-recorded audio files for students, least of all the benefits for auditory learners.  Of course, audio files could be recorded and played back (perhaps at home) and of course there is the added benefit of being able to pause the playback, to make notes or reflect on what has been said.

Having grown up with audio stories (cassette tape and book, and...Yes, I'm that old) I love them!  I can really immerse myself in the story and make my own pictures in head as I listen.  I still do this today, often plugging in the headphones whilst in bed, when my poor eyes are too tired to read words on a page.  It goes without saying that the audio must be clear (accents can play havoc, when no gestures are there to aid interpretation). 

Now I love listening to podcasts myself, but would I get students to use them in a classroom?  Jury still out!  I can see a use where students could record (perhaps at home if possible) their oral performance for an assessment piece.  This recording could be saved to a blog, wiki, weebly or simply emailed to the teacher.  However, do you need to 'podcast' to do this? 

Ooh..just had an idea...What if students recorded themselves reading a passage using different nuances of speech, ie altering the tone or pitch, stressing different parts of the sentence and then listened with their peers to witness the interpretation of speech without the distractions of gesture or facial expression?

Also they could listen to themselves reading and self-assess their fluency, speed etc.  (I've actually done this with my son and he was amazed at how different it sounded to how he thought he was reading.)

 

SAMR model for using video in a classroom

 

 

Substitution: Same task, new tech	Students present a dramatisation which is recorded.
Augmentation: Same task, tech increases functionality	The recording of the play could then be shown (on site or emailed/uploaded) to absent family (friends/family not able attend).  Students now have the ability to  watch themselves from 'outside their bodies', thus enabling them to wholly reflect on and assess their own and their peers' performances.
Modification: Redesign parts of the task	The performance could be required to include some video from another source that is played during this performance. Students can now learn to use video cameras. More roles available: Each student now has the opportunity to assume different roles, such as cameraperson, video editor etc.
Redefinition: New tasks, once unimaginable	Students can learn to use video editing software. Students can now alter the performance by overlaying other images, audio and texts to communicate more meaning.  Their ability to do this could also become an assessable criteria. When video of a performance/presentation is uploaded (such as youtube) parents can view and reflect on their child's work, rather than just hearing "your child did really well in the poem recital assignment".

 Of course there are far more uses for video: record a field trip and present it as a movie for other students.

Record a science experiment and include the recording in the subsequent report; recording the experiment also allows for much deeper observations/analysis of outcomes, as often science happens 'quickly' so the ability to pause or slowdown playback could be beneficial to understanding.

Have them record group-work sessions for easier assessment of participation and individual understanding.

 

There are some ethical dilemmas involved and the context is important, the need to think about who will see the video, where will it be posted, are parents ok with this? etc.

 

In a nutshell, most kids love recording themselves so why not take advantage?

 

 

It only uses still images and sound...but I made a MOVIE!!!

Just had a bit of a play with Microsoft MovieMaker.  I didn't really explore all the features properly, but I like the way you can 'fit' the picture to the song lyrics.  It seems sad by making particular photos sit with certain lyrics.  Interesting how differently things could be interpreted.  I enjoyed playing with this and will definitely be showing my daughter how to use it.  She is getting quite tech savvy at the grand age of 8.  She loves powerpoints so I think this will be right up her alley.

Worth noting...I also figured out that I could just paste the code directly onto here by clicking the HTML button...maybe obvious to some, but new to me.  :)

I've heard photostory is great too.  I think so long as the interface user friendly, most students could happily use these programs in a classroom.  The option of adding text, sound, still images or other video make the possibilities endless.


I think making a brochure of a school camp as a visual recount for parents/grandparents would be a great idea.  There are many literacy skills being practiced and learnt whilst playing with making movies.  The art of persuasion is absolutely embedded.  How can I change how the viewer feels about the same set of images just by using different backing music?  How will the effect change if I speed things up?
Students could video themselves moving in particular ways and then add sound effects to see for themselves what happens.

Semiotics

Semiotics are extremely important for students to learn about in (old fashioned) literacy and even more so when multimedia is being used.  Not to mention when teaching about PERSUASIVE WRITING!!! Have a read about the use of semiotics in advertising.

Below is one slide from an group assignment I did for English last year.  The whole powerpoint is available to view for those of you interested in Semiotics: The study of signs, on my wiki..
https://lovetheclassroom.wikispaces.com/The+study+of+signs+is+called+Semiotics you will probably need to log in as userLRwiki1 and then passwordLRwiki1.  Hope this works for you!


Otherwise here is the slide that I created to change the feel of the house cleaning scene from Snow White.... (the music is just taken from the haunted forest scene earlier in the movie. It completely changes the 'feel' (mood) of the scene. Rather than the relaxed, fun cleaning experience it becomes one of rushing and worry.  For some reason the video stops halfway through, but you can still get th picture. This was a nightmare to upload...I tried to save to slideshare, but then it wouldn't play, so then I saved as a WMV file and then uploaded to youtube.  But finally here it is...

As for podcasting and Audioboo...

I'm really struggling with this one as I cannot find the embed code anywhere for the audioboo (it wasn't great anyway). I had recorded it using my iPad, as I don't have a microphone.
I have listened to many a podcast in my time (love listening to audio stories when I'm too tired to read) so I will have a reflect on their use in a classroom.

Clip and soundbite used in mixup retreived from Snow white cleaning clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAayR6ma6CM and Snow white haunted forest sound bite  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2zrs7Irzuw&feature=related

Digital Animations

 

Playing with animation, video and sound on various iPad apps

I have the Screenchomp app (by Techsmith) on my iPad.  It was free (that's always good news) and is for screencasting.  Almost sound like I know what I'm talking about now... :)
I made a short video and it was extremely easy.  However, I'm unsure how to 'shrink' the size.  Therefore it seems I'm unable to share it on here.
This is the link and hopefully it will work.
http://www.screenchomp.com/t/a786KmCoxxYN
It does take a while to load, but aside from these issues, I still think there could be a lot of room in the classroom for apps such as these.  

The app allows you to draw on a blank screen or a photo or other background, and record audio whilst drawing.  This gives the feel of an animation.  I've heard of teachers using it to record the steps to algebraic equations.  Or record their lesson for later viewing.  You are able to pause the recording as you pull up relevant pictures to show on the 'whiteboard'.  It's a Keeper!
Students could use this to explain a concept where they feel the need to draw as they explain (like my Daughter).

StoryKit app by Alex Quinn was very easy to use.  It looks very 'basic' but there are lots of possibilities with this one.  Students are able to add hand-drawn (on iPad screen) pictures, sounds and text to their book.  You can create many pages and then give your book a title.  When you wish to read the book, you can tap on the speaker icons if used to hear the audio.  The app says it has the ability to share but as yet, it seems to time out each time I try.  But if students have access to iPads it will save their stories, for later viewing by teacher, peers and parents.  Could be great for assessment of creative writing or could be used as a journal for recounts of field trips etc.  Could be particularly useful for visual/auditory learners in the classroom that wish to present in a form other than written.

Puppet Pals 2 app by polishedplay.com   OMG!!!  Its amazing.  FREE!!!  Amazing.  My daughter loves it.  You can choose a location (setting) which scrolls as you move animated puppets.  They appear to talk (their lips move in time with your voice).  You can make them get bigger or smaller (foreground or background).  This app has huge appeal for having students 'perform' poems, stories etc. After recording, you can share via email.  There are a small selection of characters and settings to choose from (although more available in the paid version which I couldn't resist at $5.49).  But definitely enough for students to play with.  Useful for teaching about voice, tone, pitch and performance.  Also great for kids that are shy to be in front of the camera.  Although, my daughter just showed me that you can in fact take a picture of your face and use it as the head of one of the characters....scary to me, but very amusing to students, no doubt!!


My daughter made a puppet pal animation and I am currently trying to upload it here.  It is taking a bit of doing...for starters it had to email me the file, (5.4MB) so I'm trying to upload it to youtube in the hope that it will shrink it for ease of viewing/downloading.

Ok here goes...

What's your opinion?

Interesting and thought provoking reading

 

Stansbury, M. (2008, March 6). Analysis: how multimedia can improve learning. Retrieved from http://www.eschoolnews.com/2008/03/26/analysis-how-multimedia-can-improve-learning

 

This article was very interesting and gave me food for thought.  The point Stansbury (2008) makes is that research has shown that the use of multimedia certainly improves learning for many students.  Although it would appear that the most learning occurs when students work individually if working with simulations or equivalent.  Also she refers to sensory input  "...Therefore, the more sensory input there is, the greater the risk of overload–and the greater the risk of leaving information out of long-term memory."  What does this mean for group work, where the sensory input could be extremely high, overhearing over groups chatting etc?  So many ideas being discussed at once, more facial expressions, body language etc to absorb???

I couldn’t help but think about the contradiction of this article with my knowledge of the research regarding groupwork. So now I feel there (I wish I had more time) is a need to do further research regarding (face-to-face) groupwork and on-line collaborative tasks.

"When students shift from non-interactive multimodal to interactive multimodal learning (such as engagement in simulations, modeling, and real-world experiences–most often in collaborative teams or groups), results are not quite as high, with average gains at 9 percentiles." [compared to non-interactive multimodal learning].

She notes that pictures and text need to be presented simultaneously. (Temporal Contiguity Principle)

Students learn best when all 'extraneous' words, pictures and sounds are removed.  (Coherence Principle)

On the whole I found myself a little confused by some of the information in this article, I feel she is saying let the 'media', be it books, online etc teach for itself, by keeping pedagogy separate and that ultimately multimedia is good when students work individually.

Would love to hear someone else's opinion on this article. 

Does it says that multimedia doesn’t mix well with Vgotsky's social constructivist approach?

lisarudd93's photostream

lisarudd93's photostream on Flickr.

Playing with Picasa 3

I used to use photoshop back in the day to edit photos and have Paint Shop Pro currently installed.  But I have to say thei Picasa is quite user friendly.  Images are automatically (it does check with you first though) resized when you export an edited photo to your hard-drive.  The image of the palm leaves here was originally 6.7MB and picase shrunk it to only 53KB...impressive I reckon.
Isn't Kevin the Cat cute? And say hi to Buttons, my silly labrador.  

And the Winner is....

Wiki, Blog or Weebly?

 

Having looked at blogs, wikis and weeblys, I'm trying to reflect on the types of situations that would be suitable to each.  They are all very similar really and so it is difficult to pin down specific uses for each.

The teacher could certainly use a weebly to create a class page that had links to homework set or  upcoming events and a certainly a page with the learning goals and success criteria would be most useful in communicating these goals to students and to parents.

In trying to think of a situation where the students would themselves use these platforms, there are issues that come to mind.  Such as the time it could take to allow students to learn how to use the site, as not all students will be computer literate and this could highlight huge gaps between learners abilities.  Most notably, will my school allow the students access to such sites as blogger, wiki and weebly.  I have already heard people talking about not being able to access them in their schools.  So really, their use becomes victim to the macro forces at play in any particular school.

Each of these examples have the ability to be used as a collaborative workspaces for students, although certainly wiki has a greater capacity to be used in this context.  There would need to be an emphasise on rules and expectations however, as the ability to delete someone else's work is extremely easy.

When I think of using wiki's in the classroom I immediately think of creative writing activities, such as story innovation.  I think this could work really well for providing sentence starters  or stems and having students add their own endings.  This could also provide opportunity for HOT if students discover their intended sentence has already been used.

If students are brainstorming, surely there are better to do this in person, rather than 'on the screen'? However, if the class were brainstorming with a class from another school, town or even better, country then the technology would be absolutely fantastic (organising logistics for this could get tricky though).

I believe the face to face interaction that the 'in school' class provides is invaluable, and so I find it hard to imagine students collaborating 'online' with their own peers.  However, if this technology is available to them at home, they could upload homework or pictures in their own time.  One teacher (http://mrsroncone.wikispaces.com/Ways+to+use+a+wiki+in+your+classroom) even noticed her students doing their school work willingly (without being asked) at home (shock, horrror).

 As I noted in an earlier blog...http://lovetheclassroom.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/to-wiki-or-not-to-wikithat-is-question.html

 "I'm wondering about the lack of human (face to face) interaction.  A detrimental effect on the ability to 'read' body language and facial expressions. The ability to share with people from all over the world is no doubt a useful and 'barrier breaking' tool.  I believe this will go a long way towards lessening prejudices.  Prejudices often come into play subconsciously and unintentionally.  We often align ourselves with our 'in-group'  and online collaborative work spaces may prevent these unintentional prejudices from surfacing, thus providing a fair and unbiased cooperative learning arena."

 

I have struggled to think of (students') uses for these tools in my context as computer lab time was a very rare occurrence.  However, if I was lucky enough to ever be in a classroom that had its own computers (even only a handful, [stares dreamily into space]) I would certainly utilise the technology of blogs in particular for recounts of specific events.  I would also love to use a wiki or a weebly for a class newspaper, where the students could assume the roles of reporter, photographer and of course, editor.  Parents could log on and check out coming events and read samples of the child's work in regular "featured student" section (similar to student of the week).  Maybe each student could add a 'put-up' on at least two student's pages using the class wiki.

I even had a few ideas (Wiki SAMR also viewable here) while playing with my wiki here: http://lovetheclassroom.wikispaces.com/Student+A

Needless to say the opportunity for building literacy skills (including online ethics and etiquette) are limitless.  I have thoroughly enjoyed learning more about these tools, as previously I was completely unaware how they could be used in a classroom.I think the blog (see SAMR at http://lovetheclassroom.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/the-use-of-blogs.html) and the weebly (http://lovetheclassroom.weebly.com) (http://resourcesdontlastforever.weebly.com)  would have to be favourites for their ease of use.  But (and the jury's in…) wiki is bringing up the rear and could be in with a chance.

 And so, in conclusion

On the whole, I still need to think more about situations where the students' use of ICT is going to 'add' to their learning or perhaps redefine  it.  These three examples of ICT, need to be used to help students learn in a way they could not do before and not merely as an engagement tool.  A recent comment from a peer, noted that many students are already so familiar with ICT (digital natives) that it may 'not actually engage' them.   Of course, not ALL students will be digital natives either, so that will take time to address.

Having said all of this, it cannot be ignored that the future is ICT and it becomes increasingly important that students are taught the variety of skills that are 'digital literacy'.

 

Image retrieved from http://blog.accusoft.com/posts/2013/july/who-makes-your-decisions-part-2.html

People with no kids don't know

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFQfylQ2Jgg

This made me smile this morning.

To Wiki or not to Wiki...That is the question!

Wikis - Useful or not? 

When and where would I use them?

I am trying to reflect on wikis and their use in the classroom.  The jury is still out...in fact I'm wondering whether they haven't just left town??

Here is a link to my wiki playground.  I hope the link works. I wonder if this is where the generic username comes in??

http://lovetheclassroom.wikispaces.com/Student+A

The student A was part of an idea where each student has a page to themselves and can link to it to answer questions etc.  My reflection mainly sits on the above page (including SAMR of use in my context).

Some other points of reflection during my looking at other peoples wikis whilst playing with my own, are as follows...

I'm not sure if its due to my lack of understanding, but the wiki seems hard to customise without knowledge of html coding.

 I have only been able to change background colours for now using the one theme available.

Ability to collaborate on a wiki, but as they are ongoing...how old are they? This thought was from a site I stumbled on where teachers were able to add their own thoughts and ideas to an ongoing wiki.  Unfortunately I cannot for the life of me, remember the address to this one. :(

 

Some ideas for the use of a wiki in a classroom...

Using a project for a collaborative team exercise where students can retell a story, describe characters (scan in their own drawings? This could also note the adjectives that led them to their mental image of the character). 

A planning page for a puppet show or play to retell the story.

A page to upload or link to the video of their play/show.

Parent/grandparents could be directed to this page to view the finished project.

A comments page for parents etc to provide feedback to the students.

 

Reflecting some more...

Online collaborative spaces may sit very well with the social constructivist theory.  There is much food for thought in this subject though.

 I'm wondering about the lack of human (face to face) interaction.  A detrimental effect on the ability to 'read' body language and facial expressions.

The ability to share with people from all over the world is no doubt a useful and 'barrier breaking' tool.  I believe this will go a long way towards lessening prejudices.  Prejudices often come into play subconsciously and unintentionally.  We often align ourselves with our 'in-group'  and online collaborative work spaces may prevent these unintentional prejudices from surfacing, thus providing a fair and unbiased cooperative learning arena.

 The ability to spell and write coherently could jeopardise collaboration.

Some students are far more adept at verbal communication and in fact could be turned off by the written aspect.

Not all 'net' connections are created equal and the ability to share could be the victim of speed.

 

Perhaps once I have played with other tools and created accounts with them, I will see more of the ways in which a wiki could be used in a classroom.  Watch this space...

Interesting reading about use of wikis in a classroom: http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com.au/2006/08/how-i-use-wikis-what-do-you-do.html and http://mrsroncone.wikispaces.com/Ways+to+use+a+wiki+in+your+classroom

 

Just reading about an idea (http://mrsroncone.wikispaces.com/Ways+to+use+a+wiki+in+your+classroom) where the teacher has a wiki page for each KLA...does she mean a separate wiki or literally a page?  Can you have subpages in a wiki.  or pages that aren't viewable to all and sundry.  Also she talks about secret passwords...is that like the generic ones we set up for this assignment?

 

A example of wiki use: http://terrythetennisball.wikispaces.com/

 

Ok that's me done for today as online tute is later.  I'm not stopping, just swapping subjects.

No rest for the wicked!!

The use of Blogs

I have been using and reflecting on the use of blogs, wikis and weeblys over the last few days.

I will post a consolidated reflection later in the week. But here are some thoughts on the Blog scenario to start with.

Blog SAMR

Substitution	Blogs are used instead of traditional diaries or journals to document learning.
Augmentation	They could be used by students to evidence an assessment task by embedding links to word documents, spreadsheets, powerpoints etc.
Modification	When used to document evidence of an assessment task (or draft), the teacher and peers could provide feedback via the comments section, allowing the student to then write a reflective entry and blog the final assessment piece.   Using a link to a teachers email address, parents could make comments to email  the teacher who is then able to use this further formative assessment evidence and which could shed light on any difficulties the student is having.
Redefinition	Students could write a story where the comments from students in other schools (states, even countries) dictate the direction of the next chapter using polls.

Blog PMI

 

Plus	Minus	Interesting
May be engaging for students.   Encourages and reinforces literacy skills and practices, such as grammar and creative writing.   Could be used to evidence assessment tasks and provide opportunity for feedback.   Ability to use embedded objects or media suits a variety of learning styles.   Available for anybody in the world to view.   Fairly customisable and easy to use.	Need to have regular use of a computer for students to update blogs at school.   Students may not like the 'writing' component.   Elements are not easy to have 'anywhere' on the page. Need to rely on the templates available.   Readability could be limited by a student's level of grammar etc.    Available for anybody in the world to view.   Have to monitor what each student is posting. (time consuming)	Are parents clued in to blogs and their potential?   Do parents need to give permission for the children to keep a blog?   Templates are adjustable with knowledge of HTML coding.   Re-reading their own work before publishing could be used as editing practice and would reinforce literacy skills.   Is global 'viewability'  going to be a problem? Need to educate about amount of information given in a blog.  Could get tricky!   Any there any blogging sites that can only be seen by those with permission?

I want to look into the 'edublog' that I've heard about on my surfing travels.  As I think that one is only viewable by permission.  I received a link to a child's class journal, but was unable to see anything.  So I'm guessing that this platform ensures privacy.  Which of course is a major consideration for the classroom teacher and indeed parent.

Wikis in Plain English

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dnL00TdmLY&feature=player_embedded



Wow...I knew it could do this...but somehow this video just makes it all the more understandable by using layman's speech.

Wiki Reflection

Activity Design:

The question of mobile phones provided an engaging hook, as most, if not all, students could relate to the question through their personal experience and knowledge.

The overall design of the mobile phone wiki was very confusing to me as I’m not overly familiar with wikis.  The concept makes sense, but I feel it would be better used for small groups of students.  Having so many perspectives can be a really useful way to instigate a bouncing of ideas and allows for some higher order thinking as students analyse and evaluate the opinions and ideas presented.  However, the sheer amount of input means that there is a great deal of reading involved and this could turn students off from the task.  I felt I had to skim as I was conscious of time constraints, thus feeling like I may have missed some important information and ideas.

I felt that the wiki looked confusing with so many pages of similar titles and whilst I wanted to add comments it was difficult to do so, as I wasn’t sure whether I had to log in, or sign in as a guest because the initial entering information for each hat could be done without signing in.  There was an assumption about our prior knowledge which I feel was not good pedagogy.  Some students become turned off if they are made to feel ‘silly’.  Of course as adult learners we need to equip ourselves with the knowledge necessary to take part, but as this was the first task, some of us may have been unaware of what we would need to know in order to participate.

Students had been asked to keep responses to 40 words but this was overlooked and as such, made the comments too long and in some cases comments combined elements from other hats.  Perhaps clearer instructions regarding this aspect could have been given.

The Theory

This type of activity builds on Vygotsky’s Social Constructivism theory where learning is founded upon interactions.  The activity clearly supports this notion as students form their own opinions and evaluate the opinions of others.  Although, if a student is the first to ‘add’ to the wiki, they are not really using others’ ideas to construct their own.  Maybe having a small group of students express an opinion and comment again after reading peers’ work would support a reflective socially constructed knowledge and learning. The collaborative and cooperative nature of the task also supports the connectivism approach by enabling students to find out whose knowledge may be able to help them with future tasks.

Value of Scaffolding and Learning Outcomes

The use of de Bono Thinking Hats was an extremely good way to illicit high order thinking as students are required to think deeply about the issue of mobile phones in the classroom.  It can be easier to think about each aspect (good, bad etc) separately in order to come to a concise opinion.

For my own learning, I found the yellow hat particularly hard to use.  I had such strong feelings (Red and Black) that it was hard to ‘switch’ hats in order to come up with a positive comment.  However, because I found it difficult, I was more likely to be using higher order thinking skills.  I had to think deeper, so in the respect of ensuring HOT skills the hats certainly provided this opportunity.