Student-centred technology-More Blogs!

Due to the insufficient time available for the requirements of this task (I’m on my internship), the following contains a brief synopsis of how I would incorporate blogs into my learning design.

The learning context would be my Year 11 Study of Religion class and the current unit of study is concerned with Morality and Ethics with a focus on popular ethical frameworks. As part of the students’ assessment for this unit, students have to analyse a variety of well-known ethical frameworks and apply them to contemporary ethical issues.
As this unit is largely based on what students think of the ethical frameworks in terms of their practicality in Australian society, I would set them a 10-15 minute reflection at the end of each lesson (which are usually conducted in a computer lab anyway) where they have to answer 2-3 questions in regards to the content covered that lesson. Students will use this time to generate their responses and post it to their blog. For example, in terms of looking at the Utilitarianism framework, students must decide whether or not they agree with the concept of serving the ‘greatest good for the greatest number’.

This activity would prove a suitable alternative to the typical class discussions usually conducted during these lessons, as the discussions can sometimes veer off-track and get become quite heated. By asking students to post their thoughts to a closed-network blog (which only their classmates can view), it is encouraging collaboration in a positive manner and eliminating much of the behaviour management strategies usually associated with trying to manage contentious class discussions. I would closely monitor these blogs and pick out any notable ideas/comments put forward during the start of each lesson to use positive reinforcement.

This learning design fits in with Kearsley & Shneiderman’s Active Engagement Theory (1999), as the task requires a collaborative focus (students reading and commenting on each other’s posts) and is project-based (closely linked with their assessment task-their blogging will not however be assessable).

Reference:
Kearsley, G & Shneiderman, B 1999, Engagement Theory: A Framework for technology-based teaching and learning, viewed 24 July, 2009, http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm.

Voice Threads...Brisbane Sustainability

I have again engaged with this technology and identified as to how I would use it in my teaching, specific to my current group of learners: Year 11 Geography (EPL 5). I have uploaded my slide show “Brisbane Sustainability” to Voice Thread which I then intend to use in either week 7 or 8 with my 11 Geography class to consolidate the unit “Sustaining Communities”. The presentation is simply images of Brisbane that depict topics covered throughout the unit: urban sprawl, urban decay, CBD, infrastructure and megacity.

I intend on using Voice Thread with these learners in terms of allowing them access to this technology and slide show, look at each image for several minutes and then start to comment with each other (via the tool) on what they believe the image is conveying and the social, economic and ecological issues associated with each image. By students evaluating the images in terms of these key issues (social, environmental and economic) it is meeting the requirement of the Senior Geography Syllabus (Queensland Studies Authority, 2007).

This delivery technology used in the context of this particular learning experience, conforms to Oliver's Learning Design Model (1999). This is evident in the sense that adequate scaffolding or the learning of knowledge throughout the term has equipped students with a solid understanding of these terms/concepts, so that when it comes to applying this knowledge via the ICT (Voice Thread), they can successfully do so.

References:

Oliver, R 1999, Learning Design: The Learning Design Construct, viewed 9 August 2009, http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/project/learn_design.htm.

Queensland Studies Authority 2007, Senior Syllabus: Geography 2007, viewed 20 August 2009, www.qsa.qld.edu.au.

WebQuest-a-thon!

According to March (2003, p. 1) WebQuests are “an inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the Internet”. From my learning and engagement associated with the WebQuest e-learning technology, it is an extremely beneficial activity if implemented correctly.

To do this however, it involves significant planning, development, creative pedagogical design and continual access to web-based technologies (computers, internet). In order to reap the full benefits of a WebQuest, I would develop a quest that focused on a loose, problem-based activity that formed the culminating (formative assessment) task for the unit. This would form an effective alternative to the traditional research-based assignment which the students would usually undertake as part of the curriculum requirements for this unit.

I would most likely do this in a context of my current Year 12 Geography class which focuses on the unit Sustaining Communities-Responding to Climate Change:
· Small group of learners (work in pairs)
· The unit is on Climate Change and the summative assessment task focuses on alternative green technologies.
· Students would have to take on the role of an Australian government official who has to decide on a particular green technology that should be given funding to help reduce the impacts of global warming.
· Students have to choose between wind, solar, nuclear, coal and biomass technologies, research it via the web and assess the benefits and drawbacks of choosing that particular energy source.
· Present their technology via either a collaborative class blog where students comment on their peer’s proposed technologies.

By implementing the tool in this context, it conforms to Kearsley & Shneiderman’s Active Engagement Theory (1999) as the task is problem or project-based, occurs in an authentic (real-life) context and requires collaboration amongst peers.
WebQuests strongly align with Oliver’s Learning Design Theory (1999) as WebQuests are used to scaffold the students’ learning journey via the provision of appropriate resources offered on the internet.

In the case of the proposed Year 12 Geography learning task, it conforms to Oliver’s theory as the students have to engage with a variety of web-based resources in order to propose solutions to the identified problem (the effects of climate change in Australia).
Even though there is a detailed process involved in the planning and implementation of WebQuests, there are many existing quests offered free on the web for teachers wishing to use this technology. WebQuest.org is a great site to search for existing quests that you could use or adapt to suit your learning design. Follow this link to access the site: http://webquest.org/search/index.php.

References:
Kearsley, G & Shneiderman, M 1999, Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning, viewed 9 August 2009, http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm.

March, T 2003, The Learning Power of WebQuests, viewed 17 August 2009, http://tommarch.com/writings/wq_power.php.

Oliver, R 1999, Learning Design: The Learning Design Construct, viewed 9 August 2009, http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/project/learn_design.htm.

Hands-up for more free e-learning resources! Podcasting

I am continually being asked throughout my lessons if students are allowed to listen to their iPods while they complete certain tasks. Whilst I am aware of the different learning styles apparent within my learner groups and that some students learn better by listening to music, I am always a little hesitant at allowing students to listen to their iPods while undertaking these tasks.

Podcasting on the other hand offers a completely new perspective on integrating iPods into classroom pedagogy. My understanding of podcasting is encompasses an individual being able to download a media file (audio, video) from a podcasting server (iTunes) who then transfers this file to an MP3 player or computer (Wikipedia, 2009).

This ICT tool may prove particularly useful with a junior group of learners who are continually engaging with this technology. Some immediate problems I can see with this tool include:
· is that not every student owns an MP3 player,
· it would be difficult in terms of uploading the files to students’ individual iPods
· this tool could only be used for a short 10-15 minute activity (which involves considerable planning, coordination and effort for one short activity that incorporates this tool)

I would personally incorporate the podcasting e-learning tool into the initial stage of the learning design when conveying a new idea/topic/concept to the learners as it provides a more exciting learning medium than a worksheet or textbook would when teaching a new concept. This idea fits in with Oliver’s ICT Learning Design theory which articulates that when incorporating an e-learning technology into pedagogy, it should clearly fit in with the learning design sequence and be a meaningful part of the learning experience (Oliver, 1999).

References:
Oliver, R 1999, Learning Design: The Learning Design Construct, viewed 9 August 2009, http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/project/learn_design.htm.
Wikipedia 2009, Podcast, viewed 14 August 2009, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast.

Music and Lyrics

Music is a powerful tool to use as part of your teaching as it relates to students’ interests and provides a different learning medium. The song that I have downloaded (legally!) is a well-known Australian song “I’ve been everywhere man” by Geoff Mack. In the context of a Year 9 or 10 SOSE/Geography subject, we would listen to the song in class and students would have to list down 8 town names featured in the song. Using their Atlas, students would then have to go ahead and locate these towns, write down the state or territory it resides in and locate its’ longitude and latitudinal coordinates. This would be an effective activity when aiming to develop the students’ spatial knowledge.

Using music as an e-learning tool in this context of learning, it fits in with Oliver’s ICT Learning Design theory as music can be identified as an ICT ‘learning resource’ and used in this context would form the focus of a ‘learning task’ (Oliver, 1999).

Reference:
Oliver, R 1999, Learning Design: The Learning Design Construct, viewed 9 August 2009, http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/project/learn_design.htm.

Animations and Simulations...the alternative to YouTube

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.

Static Websites...Year 9 Web Design

Static websites according to Wikipedia (2009) are websites that enable the creator to showcase their products, services or information in a simple yet effective manner. The benefits of creating a static website include the user saving on web design costs, are browser friendly, easy to navigate, and are particularly advantageous when the creator does not need to update the products, services or information being shown.

I engaged with static websites on a previous prac placement in a Year 9 Web Design class. I observed and taught a small section of this unit in regards to designing websites via HTML code. The assessment required the students to design a Travel Agent’s web page which advertised the benefits of travelling to a particular country. Students had to format their page in a similar fashion to a brochure. I think that in terms of my Business teaching area (which often requires me to teach technology) static websites are a very useful ICT to embed in classroom activities particularly if students have to create one as part of a culminating task.

By manipulating the tool this way, it would conform to Kearsley and Shneiderman’s Learning Engagement Theory (1999) as the tool would be used in a project-based context (summative assessment) and would offer an authentic (real-world) focus (the focus for the project would be relevant to my learner’s interests/outside events).

References:

Kearsley, G & Shneiderman, B 1999, Engagement Theory: A Framework for technology-based teaching and learning, viewed 24 July, 2009, http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm.

Wikipedia 2009, Website Styles: Static Websites, viewed 9 August 2009, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Website.