After checking out the NHC Science Animations websites, I found a mini gold mine of clips that I could use for my junior SOSE or senior Geography classes. Until now, I usually refer to YouTube or National Geographic websites when looking to embed an animation/simulation into my lesson. Animations and simulations are such an important tool to use (particularly) in junior SOSE classes as they create a visual for the process of events as opposed to giving them a hand-out or depicting the process via PowerPoint.
Up until now, I had never heard of the Exploring Earth website which offers a variety of e-learning tools ranging from simulations, investigation projects, local resources and earth news (McDougal Littell, 2009). Simulations fit into Oliver’s ICT Learning Design Model as the tool is factored into both learning resources and learning tasks (Oliver, 1999). This essentially means that simulations are an effective learning resource that can be used to depict a process by the teacher and can form the focus for a particular learning task.
I found a particularly useful clip on Cave formations which I would have loved to have used with my Year 12 Geography class who recently went on a field trip to the Capricorn Caves as part of their assessment. Follow this link to learn about cave formation: http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/visualizations/es1405/es1405page01.cfm?chapter_no=visualization. The best thing about this site is that it does not require a subscription!
References:
McDougal Littell 2009, ES1405 Observe an animation of cave formation, viewed 9 August 2009, http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/visualizations/es1405/es1405page01.cfm?chapter_no=visualization.
Oliver, R 1999, Learning Design: The Learning Design Construct, viewed 9 August 2009, http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/project/learn_design.htm.
Hi Hannah,
ReplyDeleteI think that on all your blogs you have had some fantastic ideas in incorporating several different web tools within the classroom. All I can say is I wish my highschooling years consisted of these interesting and engaging lessons instead of the "open your textbook and work on the first activity" routine. I especially like your idea of incorporating different simulations within your lessons and using these to scaffold the students learning (working at their own pace of learning). This fits in perfectly with Olivers framework and acts as an effective learning resource which can help support the learner through their learning journey!
Thanks so much for the positive feedback Amanda! While this assessment task has been very demanding it has really opened my eyes up to the different tools available to us as future Learning Managers and hopefully this gives us a 'leg-up' in the world of e-learning so that we can better meet our students' needs.
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