The shift from the old industrial economy to the new knowledge economy over the last decade has seen the need for advanced changes in education, particularly teaching and learning strategies. The idea of a teacher-directed classroom is no longer considered appropriate to engage learners and help them reach their learning goals. The old "chalk and talk" method has now been replaced with new pedagogical approach focussing on a student-centered paradigm where ICTs have been identified as essential in ensuring this. In a world where ICTs are a basic necessity for most facets of life, why not begin preparing children for later life, in teaching them the needs and uses of these pieces of technology. It is also possible that some students are already using these technologies outside of the school, so why not incorporate them in the classroom to help make them more receptive to the tasks involved in their learning journey. Marzano and Pickering (1997) suggest that students need to have develop positive attitudes towards classroom tasks and that this can be achieved by use a variety of ways to engage students' in these tasks by using a a bit of variety when planning and implementing learning experiences. This can be achieved by using ICTs in the teaching and learning process.
Active Learning, described by Dale’s Cone and Learning Pyramid suggests that students are most receptive when engaging in active learning, which involves students to be actively involved in the learning journey. The use of ICTs can ensure, especially when thinking under the Learning Engagement theory which requires students to RELATE to a problem task, CREATE solutions to the problem and then DONATE the solution back into the real world. This theory can easily be re-produced through the use of ICTs (Kearsley and Snheiderman, 1998).
Research from Kearsley and Shneiderman (1998) about Learning Engagement Theory suggests that students need to be truly engaged in purposeful, authentic and problematic learning activities involving the collaboration with their peers. Implementing digital pedagogies into the learning framework will further extend the students' interest in the subject matter.
My own personal schooling, like many of my peers, was during a time when many of these new technologies such as laptop computers and the internet were being introduced into the school, but at an infrequent rate. My own exposure to them was only by necessity of school work until I began University and realized that their need was far-more reaching than just for educational purposes and that I needed to have a reasonable knowledge about these technologies to succeed in life. Up until two months ago, I began to consider myself as computer-literate, but once I began studying in this course my eyes were opened to a whole new world of ICTs. Sure, I'd heard of YouTube and used it sometimes and I thought myself to be pretty handy with powerpoint, but never did I think I could do some of the things I can do now. And the thought of being able to transfer this knowledge into my teaching is a really exciting prospect. Even in my EPL at present I am beginning to think of ways to implement ICTs into my learning experience as if it has become a force of habit. Whilst there are some disadvantages involved with using ICTs such as breakdowns and inappropriate uses(pornography, etc), as a whole I think ICTs are invaluable in regards to planning and implementing learning experiences.
As for their vast advantages, ICTs help shift from the teacher-centric paradigm to a more student-centric paradigm and help in an increase in student engagement. They too have been proven to help increase the learning capacities of ASD students. Ashman and Elkins (2005) suggest that as ASD students have a difficulty in absorbing and understanding verbal instruction, visual aids can help ASD students in this respect by being able to follow instructions based on visual cues presented within the ICT. For example, using a powerpoint to explain the requirements for an assessment will better serve and ASD student rather than verbally explaining it to them. It has also been suggested that students suffering from ASD are highly acute and competent visual learners so the use of some sort of ICT is essential for their integration into mainstream schooling (Ashman and Elkins, 2005).
Another advantage of ICTs is their adaptiveness and various uses within each other. For example a wiki can display powerpoints which are made visible one the web via slideshare, whose photos were obtained from Flikr and edited by Piknik. Videos can be filmed on a camera, transferred to a computer, uploaded onto YouTube then featured in a powerpoint presentation. The possibilities are endless and so are the possibilities in their variety of uses across education. It is important to remember however, that for these digital pedagogies to be effective,tachers must also be sufficiently trained in these new technologies to ensure their effectiveness. Teachers today can apply for their ICT Pedagogical licence which verifys that teachers with this qualification are able to teach with these technologies within the classroom. I think this is a good idea as many teachers today are those from the industrial economy and many do not have the necessary knowledge to implement many of these ICTs in education.
This brings me to pre-service teacher training, particularly here at CQ University. I think the inclusion of this course in this degree is essential and I feel that a course much like this one should be included in all degrees/courses as ICTs influence stretches across further facets of life rather than just education and feel that some of the knowledge learnt would be valuable to people in other professions such as business. For example, a voki could be used in a business meeting presentation and Google Earth for engineering purposes. As for pre-service teachers such as myself, I feel that this course have given me the confidence to be more creative with my learning experiences, something I want to be able to proud myself on amongst my peers.
Finally I would like to thank Scot Aldred for all the time ad effort he has put into putting this course together. I would also like to thank him for all the time he spent replying to all of our questions so far throughout the term. Without you Scot I think all of our technological savviness we all now possess, would be non-existent. My interest in ICTs has increased ten-fold and can't wait to be able to use all this amazing stuff with my own classes in the future.
References:
Ashman, A. & Elkins, J. (2005). Educating children with diverse abilities, 3rd Ed. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Smith, R., Lynch, D. & Meinczakowski, . (2003). "The bachelor of learning management (BLM) in education capability", Change: Tranformations in Education, (6) (2): 23-37. Retrieved April 28, 2010 from http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/mod/resource/view.php?id=44465
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Interactive Whiteboards In the Classroom
Hi all,
In short, Interactive Whiteboards are the equivalent to colour TVs. The shift from a black and white TV to a colour TV revolutionized the world and the same can be said of interactive whiteboards. I personally have never used or seen one be used firsthand, however all the feedback and comments I have heard from others is astounding. The video below details the array of uses attached to the interactive whiteboards.
Just by using an interactive whiteboard will enhance the receptiveness of students automatically. The fact that students can actively engage with this technology makes it even more of an advantage in the classroom. The interactive whiteboard takes learning to a new dimension and can be used across any KLA.
Hopefully one day, I will have a classroom equipped with an interactive whiteboard as they look like a heap of fun, not just for students but for the teachers as well.
I have heard that Parkhurst State School have done wonders with this technology and are the self-proclaimed gurus of the technology in this area. Some of the things that I have seen come out of this school with their Interactive whiteboards is unbelievable and is evidence that this technology should be made available to all students across the country.
Like I said I have never used this technology before, so would love to hear from anyone who has and would love to hear their thoughts on the matter :)
Regards
Jon
In short, Interactive Whiteboards are the equivalent to colour TVs. The shift from a black and white TV to a colour TV revolutionized the world and the same can be said of interactive whiteboards. I personally have never used or seen one be used firsthand, however all the feedback and comments I have heard from others is astounding. The video below details the array of uses attached to the interactive whiteboards.
Just by using an interactive whiteboard will enhance the receptiveness of students automatically. The fact that students can actively engage with this technology makes it even more of an advantage in the classroom. The interactive whiteboard takes learning to a new dimension and can be used across any KLA.
Hopefully one day, I will have a classroom equipped with an interactive whiteboard as they look like a heap of fun, not just for students but for the teachers as well.
I have heard that Parkhurst State School have done wonders with this technology and are the self-proclaimed gurus of the technology in this area. Some of the things that I have seen come out of this school with their Interactive whiteboards is unbelievable and is evidence that this technology should be made available to all students across the country.
Like I said I have never used this technology before, so would love to hear from anyone who has and would love to hear their thoughts on the matter :)
Regards
Jon
Views On Mahara
Hi all,
When I was first confronted with Mahara, I can honestly say that I was not looking forward to using it. It seemed to complex a system to use but like our trusty lecturer Scot Aldred said, if you devote at least week to getting to know the application then you would be fine and this is exactly how I am. For this particular course, Mahara is used as a portfolio tool for us as students and future teachers to display our wares. I think this is a great idea because as it is similar to a resume, you can store a lot more information on this e-portfolio rather than a printed resume the size of an encyclopaedia! And it saves you a lot on printing costs! From a perspective of using Mahara for student purposes, why not use it to exhibit students' progress over their schooling lives. This will reduce the risk of losing any important documents and everything you need to know about a particular student can be accessible all in the one place. This application could be used in conjunction with parents to keep an up-todate record of their child's progress. Another use could be for the submission of assignments where a teacher would once again be able to retrieve all the information they need from place and reduces the risk of losing assignments.
I definitely am looking forward to using Mahara for the final assessment piece to showcase my teaching abilities at this point of time in my studies and will be using this application for years to come.
Feel free to comment
Regards
Jon :)
When I was first confronted with Mahara, I can honestly say that I was not looking forward to using it. It seemed to complex a system to use but like our trusty lecturer Scot Aldred said, if you devote at least week to getting to know the application then you would be fine and this is exactly how I am. For this particular course, Mahara is used as a portfolio tool for us as students and future teachers to display our wares. I think this is a great idea because as it is similar to a resume, you can store a lot more information on this e-portfolio rather than a printed resume the size of an encyclopaedia! And it saves you a lot on printing costs! From a perspective of using Mahara for student purposes, why not use it to exhibit students' progress over their schooling lives. This will reduce the risk of losing any important documents and everything you need to know about a particular student can be accessible all in the one place. This application could be used in conjunction with parents to keep an up-todate record of their child's progress. Another use could be for the submission of assignments where a teacher would once again be able to retrieve all the information they need from place and reduces the risk of losing assignments.
I definitely am looking forward to using Mahara for the final assessment piece to showcase my teaching abilities at this point of time in my studies and will be using this application for years to come.
Feel free to comment
Regards
Jon :)
Wikis In the Classroom
Hi all,
It has taken me a while to post a blog about wikis, however I didn't start one until just recently because I didn't have the faintest idea of what to base my wiki on. On my prac, my class is currently doing a unit on insects and I thought this would be a great topic to start my wiki on! Personally I think wikis are a great asset to the classroom and are so versatile in their uses. When I thought about it, wikis could be used by students to exhibit/demonstrate their own learning and be used as part of an assessment piece. On the other hand, I think that wikis could be a really good way of teachers displaying their units and associated resources amongst their peers. Another way a wiki could be used, is of a sort of interactive learning journey, much like a webquest. Students could log on daily and complete designated activities within the wiki as directed by the teacher. This would make the lesson more student-centric rather than teacher-directed.
Another advantage of wikis is that they are compatible with so many other ICT programs such as slideshare, Flikr, Youtube, etc.
At the moment my personal wiki is in its early developmental stages, but I am thinking of approaching my mentor teacher and asking if I can introduce wikis to the students and also maybe post their descriptive paragraphs about a particular insects, which are past of the assessment for this unit and make them available for others to see. This idea would have te students more receptive to their assessment task as they will be using ICTs to complete the task rather than have to write it. This will add novelty to the assessment piece and hopefully produce higher standards of work from the students. On that point, I would like to comment on an observation I have made whilst on prac in that the students who are least receptive in the traditional classroom setting are more likely to thrive in learning activities based around ICTS. Some students in my class are very reluctant to pick up a pencil and write but when in the confines of a computer lab, it is amazing to see the change in their attitude and how well they perform in learning tasks.
Oh yeah, by the way here is the link to my wiki. Watch this space to see how it ends up in a couple of weeks time:
http://jondonald1984.wikispaces.com/
Please feel free to comment.
Regards
Jon :)
It has taken me a while to post a blog about wikis, however I didn't start one until just recently because I didn't have the faintest idea of what to base my wiki on. On my prac, my class is currently doing a unit on insects and I thought this would be a great topic to start my wiki on! Personally I think wikis are a great asset to the classroom and are so versatile in their uses. When I thought about it, wikis could be used by students to exhibit/demonstrate their own learning and be used as part of an assessment piece. On the other hand, I think that wikis could be a really good way of teachers displaying their units and associated resources amongst their peers. Another way a wiki could be used, is of a sort of interactive learning journey, much like a webquest. Students could log on daily and complete designated activities within the wiki as directed by the teacher. This would make the lesson more student-centric rather than teacher-directed.
Another advantage of wikis is that they are compatible with so many other ICT programs such as slideshare, Flikr, Youtube, etc.
At the moment my personal wiki is in its early developmental stages, but I am thinking of approaching my mentor teacher and asking if I can introduce wikis to the students and also maybe post their descriptive paragraphs about a particular insects, which are past of the assessment for this unit and make them available for others to see. This idea would have te students more receptive to their assessment task as they will be using ICTs to complete the task rather than have to write it. This will add novelty to the assessment piece and hopefully produce higher standards of work from the students. On that point, I would like to comment on an observation I have made whilst on prac in that the students who are least receptive in the traditional classroom setting are more likely to thrive in learning activities based around ICTS. Some students in my class are very reluctant to pick up a pencil and write but when in the confines of a computer lab, it is amazing to see the change in their attitude and how well they perform in learning tasks.
Oh yeah, by the way here is the link to my wiki. Watch this space to see how it ends up in a couple of weeks time:
http://jondonald1984.wikispaces.com/
Please feel free to comment.
Regards
Jon :)
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Using circuits when teaching about electricity
Hi all,
I am writing this post to view my thoughts on utilising circuits into a learning experience when teaching about electricity. From my own experiences on learning about electricity at school, I can vividly remember the teacher using the chalk and talk method to explain the concept of electricity. To be honest, this learning experience was very painful and did not give me any significant insight into what was electricity and how it worked. By using circuits to explain electricity, you are giving students a visual explanation on what electricity is and how it works. It also the students to have a hands-on approach throughout the learning experience making it a more student-centered environment. I have used this from of ICT in my own learning experiences teaching about electricity and have no doubt that is a better way to allow students to reach the learning outcomes set within this particular learning experience. I personally saw that students were receptive to the tasks involved in the learning experience and were able to absorb the content knowledge being presented. If this form of ICT was utilised back when I was first taught about electricity, I have no doubt that I would of had a better understanding of it. Feel free to post your comments on this issue.
Regards
Jon
I am writing this post to view my thoughts on utilising circuits into a learning experience when teaching about electricity. From my own experiences on learning about electricity at school, I can vividly remember the teacher using the chalk and talk method to explain the concept of electricity. To be honest, this learning experience was very painful and did not give me any significant insight into what was electricity and how it worked. By using circuits to explain electricity, you are giving students a visual explanation on what electricity is and how it works. It also the students to have a hands-on approach throughout the learning experience making it a more student-centered environment. I have used this from of ICT in my own learning experiences teaching about electricity and have no doubt that is a better way to allow students to reach the learning outcomes set within this particular learning experience. I personally saw that students were receptive to the tasks involved in the learning experience and were able to absorb the content knowledge being presented. If this form of ICT was utilised back when I was first taught about electricity, I have no doubt that I would of had a better understanding of it. Feel free to post your comments on this issue.
Regards
Jon
Issues with technology
Hi all,
I am writing this post to reflect on something which I experienced whilst on prac. I am currently implementing some ICT learning experiences with my Year 3 class. In these particular LEPS, students are required to use Microsoft Paint and develop their own pictures of a ladybird in different stages of flight. When planning this learning experience, I took into account that their were many steps involved in these particular learning experiences. I covered this problem by using a projector to visually map out the steps involved in the tasks. However, one thing I didn't take into account that inserting a memory stick into the computer ad being able to open and save documents were particular skills in themselves, which needed to be focussed upon individually before getting onto the use of the Paint program. I didn't realise this problem until it was time to come and save the students' work, which really affected the flow of the lesson. As all good teachers, do I learnt from my mistakes and decided to reassess the flow of my learning experience to include individual lessons on how to open and save a document on a computer using a memory stick. By doing this hopefully it will help make my lessons flow a bit more easily and allow students more time on completing their tasks required.
Another problem I uncovered until it was too late, was that Apple Mac computers are stupid and are not totally the same as normal PCs. Once again, as a good teacher does, I learnt from my mistakes and approached the ICT guru at my particular school for a quick tutorial on how to correctly use the Mac Computers. Without the teacher having adequate knowledge on how to use a Mac computer, it would be extremely difficult for students to be able to do the same.
I am now into my third learning experience of this particular journey and feel that significant progress has been made not only by the students, but also myself. The lessons are extremely fluent and the students work is very impressive at this early stage.
Before I sign off, I would also like to mention the changes in students' attitudes when engaging in learning experiences utilising ICTs. On a personal note, I have noticed that many students get over-excited when using ICTs, especially if they get to use them infrequently. To combat this it is important that teachers explicitly outline the rules and regulations involved with using particular equipment and are also very stringent in the upholding of these rules. This must be done prior to the beginning of the learning experiences to ensure that students are aware of what is required of them in regards to rules and their obligations to completing the learning activities. This will also help ensure the lesson is free from disruption and can run smoothly.
Feel free to post any comments about your own experiences implementing a learning experience which utilises ICTS.
Regards
Jon :)
I am writing this post to reflect on something which I experienced whilst on prac. I am currently implementing some ICT learning experiences with my Year 3 class. In these particular LEPS, students are required to use Microsoft Paint and develop their own pictures of a ladybird in different stages of flight. When planning this learning experience, I took into account that their were many steps involved in these particular learning experiences. I covered this problem by using a projector to visually map out the steps involved in the tasks. However, one thing I didn't take into account that inserting a memory stick into the computer ad being able to open and save documents were particular skills in themselves, which needed to be focussed upon individually before getting onto the use of the Paint program. I didn't realise this problem until it was time to come and save the students' work, which really affected the flow of the lesson. As all good teachers, do I learnt from my mistakes and decided to reassess the flow of my learning experience to include individual lessons on how to open and save a document on a computer using a memory stick. By doing this hopefully it will help make my lessons flow a bit more easily and allow students more time on completing their tasks required.
Another problem I uncovered until it was too late, was that Apple Mac computers are stupid and are not totally the same as normal PCs. Once again, as a good teacher does, I learnt from my mistakes and approached the ICT guru at my particular school for a quick tutorial on how to correctly use the Mac Computers. Without the teacher having adequate knowledge on how to use a Mac computer, it would be extremely difficult for students to be able to do the same.
I am now into my third learning experience of this particular journey and feel that significant progress has been made not only by the students, but also myself. The lessons are extremely fluent and the students work is very impressive at this early stage.
Before I sign off, I would also like to mention the changes in students' attitudes when engaging in learning experiences utilising ICTs. On a personal note, I have noticed that many students get over-excited when using ICTs, especially if they get to use them infrequently. To combat this it is important that teachers explicitly outline the rules and regulations involved with using particular equipment and are also very stringent in the upholding of these rules. This must be done prior to the beginning of the learning experiences to ensure that students are aware of what is required of them in regards to rules and their obligations to completing the learning activities. This will also help ensure the lesson is free from disruption and can run smoothly.
Feel free to post any comments about your own experiences implementing a learning experience which utilises ICTS.
Regards
Jon :)
Comments on Beyond School Blog
Hi all,
The one thing I noticed about this blog is that it has influenced people the world over. The blog itself covers a lot of topics but it was interesting to read about others thoughts on technology in the classroom and their strategies of how to use them in the classroom. This blog is evidence of blogs being used by teachers to post and discuss their thoughts amongst others in their associated field. This is an example of lifelong learning in the sense that teachers are uncovering new ideas for their classroom practices and learning something new themselves, just from reading this blog. Whilst blogs are a good way in helping students reach their learning goals, they can also help teachers in their own professional development. Having access to blogs allows teachers to meet others in their profession and discuss ideas without having to travel to seminars, meetings, etc.
I hope everyone gathered the same ideas as me from this blog and would be glad to hear any of your thoughts on this issue.
Regards
Jon :)
The one thing I noticed about this blog is that it has influenced people the world over. The blog itself covers a lot of topics but it was interesting to read about others thoughts on technology in the classroom and their strategies of how to use them in the classroom. This blog is evidence of blogs being used by teachers to post and discuss their thoughts amongst others in their associated field. This is an example of lifelong learning in the sense that teachers are uncovering new ideas for their classroom practices and learning something new themselves, just from reading this blog. Whilst blogs are a good way in helping students reach their learning goals, they can also help teachers in their own professional development. Having access to blogs allows teachers to meet others in their profession and discuss ideas without having to travel to seminars, meetings, etc.
I hope everyone gathered the same ideas as me from this blog and would be glad to hear any of your thoughts on this issue.
Regards
Jon :)
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Powerpoint In the Classroom
Introto Insects
View more presentations from Jon Donald.
Hi all,
When talking about powerpoint in the classroom I think they are a a great idea. When thinking of ASD students the use of powerpoints to explain tasks will be extremely beneficial to them as they are more receptive to visual cues rather than verbal. Powerpoints can also be used as the "hook" of a lesson like the above powerpoint could be done when introducing a topic about insects. This particular powerpoint is aimed at Year 2/3 could also be used to test students' previous knowledge about the topic at the beginning of the unit or even used as a revision test later in the unit. It could even be used as an actual assessment task. Once again using a powerpoint as an exam is an advantage to ASD students and other visual learners as they will have a better understanding of what is required of them. Powerpoints are also useful in allowing students to use the software themselves to develop assessment tasks such as oral presentations and slideshows.
Another advantage of powerpoint is that it can be embedded into almost anything and pretty much anything can be embedded within it.
All the advantages associated with using powerpoint in the classroom make it so that they cannot be ignored as an effective form of teaching/learning strategy in the classroom and I feel that as they can be used across all KLA's, they are a must for the classroom.
Feel free to comment :)
Regards
Jon
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Piknik in the Classroom
I think that Piknik would be a great piece of technology to use in the classroom, particularly Senior Art Classes, as this type of software will help produce better pictures and students' will be able to express individuality through their own photos and how they use the program to edit them.
Not being much of a photographer myself, Piknik and other software such as Flikr have realy sparked a bit of an interest in this topic for me. Some of the photos put up on Flikr are just amazing and makes me want to be able to produce those sorts of photos myself. Piknik will then help in editing these photos to perfection.
Another advantage of Piknik is its connection/association with other software making it more user-friendly, which definitely makes it more appealing to use.
Feel free to make any comments as I would love to hear what you think about these types of software and any other uses you can think of for them in the classroom.
Regards
Jon:)
Not being much of a photographer myself, Piknik and other software such as Flikr have realy sparked a bit of an interest in this topic for me. Some of the photos put up on Flikr are just amazing and makes me want to be able to produce those sorts of photos myself. Piknik will then help in editing these photos to perfection.
Another advantage of Piknik is its connection/association with other software making it more user-friendly, which definitely makes it more appealing to use.
Feel free to make any comments as I would love to hear what you think about these types of software and any other uses you can think of for them in the classroom.
Regards
Jon:)
Flikr In the Classroom
Hi everyone,
Sorry I haven't posted in a while but I have been putting all my efforts into my prac. I am currently working with a Year 3 class and their focus topic of their Unit this term is Insects. I have found the use of ICTS within this topic is endless. Particularly Flikr where there are thousands of photos of insects in their database. This technology could also be used by students to create a photo journal of all the insects they have come across and leave a description about the particular insect. The topic I am covering at the moment is butterflies and dragonflies and I have found Flikr particularly useful in finding photos to show the students the diverse range of each species.
Another advantage of Flikr is that is user-friendly in the sense that you know that only legitimate images will be found within the website and will be safe for students to browse. Flikr's ability to work with other programs and technologies such as Piknik, Powerpoint and blogs makes it even more appealing to use.
Before using Flikr, I would just use Google Images to find pictures for presentations, learning experiences, etc, but now I use Flikr as I find it to be far more convenient.
The attached photo is of a dragonfly, which is one insect the students have become really interested in.
Please feel free to make any comments and stay tuned for more postings relating to other forms of technology used in the classroom.
Regards
Jon :)
Sorry I haven't posted in a while but I have been putting all my efforts into my prac. I am currently working with a Year 3 class and their focus topic of their Unit this term is Insects. I have found the use of ICTS within this topic is endless. Particularly Flikr where there are thousands of photos of insects in their database. This technology could also be used by students to create a photo journal of all the insects they have come across and leave a description about the particular insect. The topic I am covering at the moment is butterflies and dragonflies and I have found Flikr particularly useful in finding photos to show the students the diverse range of each species.
Another advantage of Flikr is that is user-friendly in the sense that you know that only legitimate images will be found within the website and will be safe for students to browse. Flikr's ability to work with other programs and technologies such as Piknik, Powerpoint and blogs makes it even more appealing to use.
Before using Flikr, I would just use Google Images to find pictures for presentations, learning experiences, etc, but now I use Flikr as I find it to be far more convenient.
The attached photo is of a dragonfly, which is one insect the students have become really interested in.
Please feel free to make any comments and stay tuned for more postings relating to other forms of technology used in the classroom.
Regards
Jon :)
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Costa and Kallick VS Marzano and Pickering
Hi everyone,
I think that both set of researchers findings in regards to Habits of Mind, are quite similar, with very few differences to be honest. I think the only differences I identified were that Costa and Kallick seemed to go into more detail by naming 16 Habits of Mind. In saying that, I think that with less Habits of Mind, Marzano and Pickering pretty much share the same scope, but in a much broader sense. It was interesting though to read about using all of our senses such as smell and touch to learn in Costa and Kallick's version of Habits of Mind.
Another difference I identified was that Costa and Kallick defined the term "Habits of Mind" more explicitly than Marzano and Pickering, but once again the same amount of information could be gathered from the Dol Manual.
In summary, I think that both set of researchers have nailed the topic on the head and as a learning manager, you should be confident in following either.
Feel free to comment
Regards
Jon :)
I think that both set of researchers findings in regards to Habits of Mind, are quite similar, with very few differences to be honest. I think the only differences I identified were that Costa and Kallick seemed to go into more detail by naming 16 Habits of Mind. In saying that, I think that with less Habits of Mind, Marzano and Pickering pretty much share the same scope, but in a much broader sense. It was interesting though to read about using all of our senses such as smell and touch to learn in Costa and Kallick's version of Habits of Mind.
Another difference I identified was that Costa and Kallick defined the term "Habits of Mind" more explicitly than Marzano and Pickering, but once again the same amount of information could be gathered from the Dol Manual.
In summary, I think that both set of researchers have nailed the topic on the head and as a learning manager, you should be confident in following either.
Feel free to comment
Regards
Jon :)
Integrating DoL and the 8 LMQ's
Hi everyone,
I think the diagram above suggests how well the 8 LMQ's and DoL integrate together in regards to building/designing a learning experience.
During the profiling stage, the research provided by Marzano and Pickering (1995) in their Dol Manual provides teachers with a framework to help gain positive attitudes and perceptions from their students about the classwork and classroom environment. Dimension 5 in their DoL manual provides teachers with proven methods to teach and develop positive and productive Habits Of Mind from the students.
By having such a well developed structure to follow when designing learning experiences, the Learning Manager should feel confident that all students will be able to meet the learning outcomes required from the learning experience. Adding to that, the lesson should should also be enjoyable and engaging at the same time.
In summary, I think the advent of the research done my Marzano and Pickering and Co. has really helped make teaching and learning more effective in the classroom. From a personal point of view, these frameworks have really helped me design my learning experiences and think that without them, I would have no idea how to design an effective lesson plan.
In a nutshell, if a person has the desire to teach and loves it as a profession, then the 8 LMQ's and DoL Manual are the "How to" guides to teaching and really make it a lot more easier and thus a more enjoyable job.
Feel free to comment.
Regards
Jon :)
Raise Your Pants and Raise Your Grades
Hi everyone,
I seen this video on TV earlier and thought it would be interesting for you all to see. A U.S. Senator is on a crusade to stop young people from wearing sagging pants. He goes on to say that by raising your pants, you will raise your grades. Personally, I thought it was a bit of a joke and that if the guy in charge of the campaign really thinks the campaign itself will help in regards to education, then he is kidding himself. Don't get me wrong, I think it looks ridiculous when people where their pants like this, but haven't these guys anything better to spend their time in office on such as gun and drug problems in schools????
Anyway I hope you all get a laugh out of it too!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuEhx1rtdbQ
I seen this video on TV earlier and thought it would be interesting for you all to see. A U.S. Senator is on a crusade to stop young people from wearing sagging pants. He goes on to say that by raising your pants, you will raise your grades. Personally, I thought it was a bit of a joke and that if the guy in charge of the campaign really thinks the campaign itself will help in regards to education, then he is kidding himself. Don't get me wrong, I think it looks ridiculous when people where their pants like this, but haven't these guys anything better to spend their time in office on such as gun and drug problems in schools????
Anyway I hope you all get a laugh out of it too!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuEhx1rtdbQ
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Blogs In the Classroom
Hi all,
Like vokis/avatars, I think blogs will also be a useful learning tool!!! There are so many ways to implement blogs into the classroom, it would take me all day to type in the examples I can think of!!!!!!!!!!! I did find this video on youtube that will give you some insight into how to implement blogs in the classroom.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfJETK3am1M
I also came across a of couple blogs belonging to students at Orange Grove Primary School. These blogs also are examples of how blogs can be used in the classroom.
Students involved with this blog have also gone onto create their own blog's for their classmates and family to follow.
The Albert the Bear blog was setup to encourage students to practice their creative writing skills and from reading the postings on the blog by the students this seems to have had the desired effect as many students have inputted on the blog.
I subscribed to these blogs as I thought it would give me ever-growing insights into how this school devises uses for the blog in their learning experiences. I have added the url's of these two blogs below in case anyone else would like to follow them. I hope that this posting has been helpful to anyone who reads it and I am looking forward to any comments that may come forward.
Orange Grove Primary School Blog - http://www.ogps.wa.edu.au/
Albert the Bear Blog - http://web.mac.com/albertthebear/Site/Welcome.html
Regards
Jon :)
Like vokis/avatars, I think blogs will also be a useful learning tool!!! There are so many ways to implement blogs into the classroom, it would take me all day to type in the examples I can think of!!!!!!!!!!! I did find this video on youtube that will give you some insight into how to implement blogs in the classroom.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfJETK3am1M
I also came across a of couple blogs belonging to students at Orange Grove Primary School. These blogs also are examples of how blogs can be used in the classroom.
Students involved with this blog have also gone onto create their own blog's for their classmates and family to follow.
The Albert the Bear blog was setup to encourage students to practice their creative writing skills and from reading the postings on the blog by the students this seems to have had the desired effect as many students have inputted on the blog.
I subscribed to these blogs as I thought it would give me ever-growing insights into how this school devises uses for the blog in their learning experiences. I have added the url's of these two blogs below in case anyone else would like to follow them. I hope that this posting has been helpful to anyone who reads it and I am looking forward to any comments that may come forward.
Orange Grove Primary School Blog - http://www.ogps.wa.edu.au/
Albert the Bear Blog - http://web.mac.com/albertthebear/Site/Welcome.html
Regards
Jon :)
Voki's In the classroom
Get a Voki now!
Hi all,
My name is Bullwinkle I am starting to become addicted to Voki's. In regards to using them in the classroom, I think they would be a very valuable resource. As part of designing the learning journey, we as learning managers must devise something to be the "HOOK" of the lesson and what better way than using a voki. Instead of having to stand up the front of the classroom and fight for your students attention whilst introducing a new and seemingly uninteresting topic, why not implement the use of a voki. They could be easily used as a form of instructional strategy in most activities and would more likely grab students' attention and have them more engaged in the topic.
They would also be useful in things such as webquests to help students' work their way through the learning journey of the webquest.
Another advantage of the voki, is that they will be beneficial to the learning of those students with severe reading difficulties. By using a voki for instructions rather than text, students with reading difficulties will more than likely better understand the requirements of the specific tasks and thus more than likely produce better learning outcomes.
Teaching students to develop their own vokis will also help increase their level of creativity which in turn would then be reflected back in their school work.
Once I become a registered teacher and even when on prac this year, I will definitely be implementing vokis into my learning experiences as I am certain they will engage students in their learning journey and also have them enjoy it at the same time. Of course, it is important not to overly use this piece of technology as the novelty will then wear off on students and its purpose will soon be no more. Feel free to post any comments.
Regards
Jon :)
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Types of technology that can be used in the classroom
During my time in the BLM, I was brought to the attention of Webquests. Webquests are designed as a form of inquiry-based learning and from I have seen and heard, they are very effective as a learning tool. Usually used in SOSE the webquest is designed to have students solve a real-life problem by working through a certain Inquiry Model Approach such as TELSTAR. By working through the Inquiry Model and viewing the links attached throughout the webquest, students learn by progressing through each segment of the webquest and as a final product are able to solve the real-life problem and relate it back to their own life experiences.
Not sure if my description is quite correct or even clear but I thought it might be a good idea to mention the types of technologies that I have come across in the school setting. Besides it's been a while since I have attempted a webquest and my mind is currently focused on my blog and e-portfolio, so my recollections of the wenbquest are going to be a little fuzzy.
I have attached a link to a webquest dedicated to water conservation which can be found at the following link - http://www.webquestdirect.com.au/webquest.asp?id=908&page=6977
Unfortunately, it does cost to sign up to the webquest site, however once we become teachers we can claim the subscription on tax :)
Feel free to have a look at what I have posted and hope you all find it as interesting as I did. The website for the website is as follows, along with their blog url if anyone wishes to follow it.
Blog url - http://www.webquestblog.com/
Web address - http://www.webquestdirect.com.au/
Regards
Jon :)
Not sure if my description is quite correct or even clear but I thought it might be a good idea to mention the types of technologies that I have come across in the school setting. Besides it's been a while since I have attempted a webquest and my mind is currently focused on my blog and e-portfolio, so my recollections of the wenbquest are going to be a little fuzzy.
I have attached a link to a webquest dedicated to water conservation which can be found at the following link - http://www.webquestdirect.com.au/webquest.asp?id=908&page=6977
Unfortunately, it does cost to sign up to the webquest site, however once we become teachers we can claim the subscription on tax :)
Feel free to have a look at what I have posted and hope you all find it as interesting as I did. The website for the website is as follows, along with their blog url if anyone wishes to follow it.
Blog url - http://www.webquestblog.com/
Web address - http://www.webquestdirect.com.au/
Regards
Jon :)
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Integrating Technology into the classroom video
This video really spells out how important it is to integrate technology into the classroom's of the 21st century. Check it out and feel free to leave any comments :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cxyH1qgKZQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cxyH1qgKZQ
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Finally figured it all out.....I think ;)
Hi all,
I finally figured out how to link my blog to Mahara. Like I said in an earlier post, apparently my url was invalid. To fix this, I copied the error message displayed in Mahara and pasted it into Google and did a search. I then found a website called Feed Validator where I had to type my url in to test whether it was valid or not. For some reason or other it fixed the problem with my url and allowed me to link my blog to Mahara. Anyway, hopefully I have done this all right but feel free to let me know if I haven't. Just need to see if my blog updates on Mahara after I publish this post.
I hope this helps anyone who is also having this problem, but like I said I'm not sure if it is right so don't trust my judgment just yet ;)
Regards
Jon
P.S. the web address for the feed validator website is as follows: -
http://feedvalidator.org
I finally figured out how to link my blog to Mahara. Like I said in an earlier post, apparently my url was invalid. To fix this, I copied the error message displayed in Mahara and pasted it into Google and did a search. I then found a website called Feed Validator where I had to type my url in to test whether it was valid or not. For some reason or other it fixed the problem with my url and allowed me to link my blog to Mahara. Anyway, hopefully I have done this all right but feel free to let me know if I haven't. Just need to see if my blog updates on Mahara after I publish this post.
I hope this helps anyone who is also having this problem, but like I said I'm not sure if it is right so don't trust my judgment just yet ;)
Regards
Jon
P.S. the web address for the feed validator website is as follows: -
http://feedvalidator.org
This is my first Avatar
Get a Voki now!
My name is Richard Nixon and I am not a crook!!!!
This is my first ever Avatar. Now this is something that could really keep the kids interested and make our jobs as teachers some much easier. Anyway I still can't get my blog to work in Mahara so I better keep working on getting that fixed.
RSS Feed....Still no idea????????????????????
Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrgggghhhhhh!!!!!!!!! I can't seem to get a grip on the whole RSS feed deal. I can't seem to attach my blog to my Mahara ePortfolio, even after following the instructions posted by another classmate on Moodle. Next port of call will be Scot, for I think the only way I can get Assessment Task 2 up and running is to get him to run it through to me personally. Maybe I am a visual learner after all :)
Hopefully, this time tomorrow night I will be getting stuck into the second assessment task. Will keep you posted :)
Hopefully, this time tomorrow night I will be getting stuck into the second assessment task. Will keep you posted :)
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
ICTS For Learning Design Wk 2 Learning Activities PART 2
Q4 - Write a list of formal learning experiences that you have had over the last two years and categorise each of these learning experiences (between 1 and 10) according to Dale's Cone and the Learning Pyramid (1 = poor; 10 = excellent). Add up all of the scores and divide the total by the number of learning experiences. What was the final score?
Here are some formal learning experiences I've experienced over the past couple of years, well since high school anyway;
* BHMsc (7)
* Bachelor Learning Management (1.5 years) (8)
* Rugby League Coaching Course (6)
* Workplace Safety Course (3)
Final Score = 6.
Guess that means I have been lucky and unlucky in learning :)
From the above-mentioned formal learning experiences, it was the tertiary education that benefited me most. The Bachelor of Learning Management, in particular because of the hands-on approach involved and how the theoretical of the degree is directly to the practical part of the course. The workplace health and safety training lessons I have to sit through at work are a joke and involve someone reading from a sheet of paper and usually last less than five minutes. The Human Movement degree did involve a lot of hands-on work but involved considerable more theory than in the BLM.
Q5 - What does your learning style look like and how might you cater for the individual differences in learning style for your students?
Learning Styles Results:
Results for: Jon Alan Donald
ACT X REF
11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7 9 11
<-- -->
SEN X INT
11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7 9 11
<-- -->
VIS X VRB
11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7 9 11
<-- -->
SEQ X GLO
11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7 9 11
<-- -->
From the above graph, it appears that I implement a number of different learning styles, however I seem to mainly be a visual learner.
In regards to learning experiences, I think it is important that students are subjected to a number of different learning styles, because only then will the learning manager know how each individual students works best. During the profiling stage of students, I would implement a learning styles test to attain which learning style each individual student implements. After obtaining this data it would be a good idea to provide students with handouts outlining particular traits of each learning style according to their individual learning style. This will help them successfully complete learning objectives by providing them hints and tips related with their particular learning style. It can then be referred to whenever needed and will ultimately help students understand the processes involved in their particular learning style.
Q6 - How might this information inform your learning design?
Think about how you might use this information about your students when designing learning activities.
It will inform my learning design by the fact it tells me how my students each learn best on an individual basis. Of course not all students are going to possess the same learning styles, therefore it is important that the learning manager devises learning experiences that incorporate the diverse spectrum of learning styles present in the classroom. Some students may feel uncomfortable using a different learning style, though it will not be unbeneficial for them to practise these other learning styles.
Q7 - How could you ensure that all of your students are ready to learn and
how does this understanding of learning match with what we've discussed about active learning and learner diversity?
I think to ensure that your students are ready to learn, I think it is extremely important that the learning manager has built a good rapport with all individual students. This will not only inform the learning manager of individual learning habits but will also give students that sense of belonging and worth in the classroom. If the students feel this way, they will be more than likely more receptive to the learning experiences and have the confidence in themselves to achieve the learning outcomes.
In relation to learner diversity and active learning, I think it correlates with Maslow's Heirarchy, the fact that he mentions the need for all students to have the right to an education in normal classroom settings. Maslow agrees that there are difficulties in achieving this, however if his opinions and approaches were more widely recognised and followed, there would be a dramatic improvement in the shift to inclusive education.
Q8 - How would you integrate multiple and emotional intelligences into learning design?
There are always going to be different multiple and emotional personalities throughout the students in a classroom. Our jobs as learning managers is to obtain this information and implement into our learning design. A possible example of using this information would be as follows;
A Year 7 class have shown to be primarily kineasthetic and naturalistic learners. The maths unit being covered in class Involved mapping, navigation, etc. The LM could base a learning experience on some of these concepts by having the students complete an orientation course out in the school grounds. This would keep the students moving and be outdoors which will be appealing to those kineasthetic and naturalistic learners. It will also be done in groups which would be beneficial to to the interpersonal learner who enjoys working with others. If there are any intrapersonal learners in the class who prefer to work on their own, the LM could give them the option of completing the orientation course as an individual.
This lesson plans incorporates several multiple intelligences which would thus be beneficial to the learners. Please feel free to comment.
Q9 - 8 Learning Management Questions Summary -
I think the advent of the 8 LMQ's into teacher education has helped change the way we help learners' learn. This is achieved by following the descriptive framework involved within the 8 LMQ's. The first three questions involve the profiling of students and the answering of those questions then lead you onto the strategising of learning experiences, which after implemented will follow onto the ascertainment stage where the students are made aware of their achievements and the LM can reflect on the overall learning experience. This framework is so fluent and if followed and implemented correctly I see no reason why the learning experiences developed shouldn't be a success!!!!! I also can't think of a better way to design lessons as the 8 LMQ's make things so much more easier for both the LM and the learners themselves. I don't know what I would do without it. Please feel free to comment smile.
Until Week 3 ;)
Here are some formal learning experiences I've experienced over the past couple of years, well since high school anyway;
* BHMsc (7)
* Bachelor Learning Management (1.5 years) (8)
* Rugby League Coaching Course (6)
* Workplace Safety Course (3)
Final Score = 6.
Guess that means I have been lucky and unlucky in learning :)
From the above-mentioned formal learning experiences, it was the tertiary education that benefited me most. The Bachelor of Learning Management, in particular because of the hands-on approach involved and how the theoretical of the degree is directly to the practical part of the course. The workplace health and safety training lessons I have to sit through at work are a joke and involve someone reading from a sheet of paper and usually last less than five minutes. The Human Movement degree did involve a lot of hands-on work but involved considerable more theory than in the BLM.
Q5 - What does your learning style look like and how might you cater for the individual differences in learning style for your students?
Learning Styles Results:
Results for: Jon Alan Donald
ACT X REF
11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7 9 11
<-- -->
SEN X INT
11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7 9 11
<-- -->
VIS X VRB
11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7 9 11
<-- -->
SEQ X GLO
11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7 9 11
<-- -->
From the above graph, it appears that I implement a number of different learning styles, however I seem to mainly be a visual learner.
In regards to learning experiences, I think it is important that students are subjected to a number of different learning styles, because only then will the learning manager know how each individual students works best. During the profiling stage of students, I would implement a learning styles test to attain which learning style each individual student implements. After obtaining this data it would be a good idea to provide students with handouts outlining particular traits of each learning style according to their individual learning style. This will help them successfully complete learning objectives by providing them hints and tips related with their particular learning style. It can then be referred to whenever needed and will ultimately help students understand the processes involved in their particular learning style.
Q6 - How might this information inform your learning design?
Think about how you might use this information about your students when designing learning activities.
It will inform my learning design by the fact it tells me how my students each learn best on an individual basis. Of course not all students are going to possess the same learning styles, therefore it is important that the learning manager devises learning experiences that incorporate the diverse spectrum of learning styles present in the classroom. Some students may feel uncomfortable using a different learning style, though it will not be unbeneficial for them to practise these other learning styles.
Q7 - How could you ensure that all of your students are ready to learn and
how does this understanding of learning match with what we've discussed about active learning and learner diversity?
I think to ensure that your students are ready to learn, I think it is extremely important that the learning manager has built a good rapport with all individual students. This will not only inform the learning manager of individual learning habits but will also give students that sense of belonging and worth in the classroom. If the students feel this way, they will be more than likely more receptive to the learning experiences and have the confidence in themselves to achieve the learning outcomes.
In relation to learner diversity and active learning, I think it correlates with Maslow's Heirarchy, the fact that he mentions the need for all students to have the right to an education in normal classroom settings. Maslow agrees that there are difficulties in achieving this, however if his opinions and approaches were more widely recognised and followed, there would be a dramatic improvement in the shift to inclusive education.
Q8 - How would you integrate multiple and emotional intelligences into learning design?
There are always going to be different multiple and emotional personalities throughout the students in a classroom. Our jobs as learning managers is to obtain this information and implement into our learning design. A possible example of using this information would be as follows;
A Year 7 class have shown to be primarily kineasthetic and naturalistic learners. The maths unit being covered in class Involved mapping, navigation, etc. The LM could base a learning experience on some of these concepts by having the students complete an orientation course out in the school grounds. This would keep the students moving and be outdoors which will be appealing to those kineasthetic and naturalistic learners. It will also be done in groups which would be beneficial to to the interpersonal learner who enjoys working with others. If there are any intrapersonal learners in the class who prefer to work on their own, the LM could give them the option of completing the orientation course as an individual.
This lesson plans incorporates several multiple intelligences which would thus be beneficial to the learners. Please feel free to comment.
Q9 - 8 Learning Management Questions Summary -
I think the advent of the 8 LMQ's into teacher education has helped change the way we help learners' learn. This is achieved by following the descriptive framework involved within the 8 LMQ's. The first three questions involve the profiling of students and the answering of those questions then lead you onto the strategising of learning experiences, which after implemented will follow onto the ascertainment stage where the students are made aware of their achievements and the LM can reflect on the overall learning experience. This framework is so fluent and if followed and implemented correctly I see no reason why the learning experiences developed shouldn't be a success!!!!! I also can't think of a better way to design lessons as the 8 LMQ's make things so much more easier for both the LM and the learners themselves. I don't know what I would do without it. Please feel free to comment smile.
Until Week 3 ;)
Sunday, March 7, 2010
ICTS For Learning Design Wk 2 Learning Activities PART 1
Q1 - Think about your own experiences at school and write a list of what you believe was student-centred and what was teacher-centric.
From the snippets of high school I can remember, I remember clearly of having to sit in a two-hour legal studies lesson where we would continuously write notes written by the teacher from the whiteboard. I guess this would be teacher-centric. An example of student-centered learning would of been when we went on a camp to Humpy Island for HPE and in small groups we were required to organise everything from accommodation to food. We also were given a chance to have input into what type of activities we could do on the camp to help us achieve the learning outcomes involved. This sort of student-centered activity was also mirrored in our Year 12 geography trip to Great Keppel Island.
On a whole, however, I think it would be safe to say that most learning experiences I had at school were more teacher-centric, however having spent time in schools just recently I can see a noticeable shift to student-centered learning. Please feel free to comment.
Q2 - Contrast this approach with what you have experienced in your own education and think about the advantages and possible pitfalls of this approach.
From experience, my time at school was mostly teacher-centric and involved students taking notes from the board. It wasn't enjoyable and there didn't seem to be any focus on how the students' best learnt or their individual learning styles. The advantage of the 8 LMQ's is that by using them in the learning design process the learning manager can ensure the learning experiences designed will suit the individual needs of all students and that they will also result in all students obtaining the desired learning outcomes. Essentially the 8 LMQ's is a framework designed to ensure that all students obtain the desired learning outcomes.
Q3 - Outline an example of a learning activity you might design on the "Learning Design" discussion forum and invite discussion from your colleagues
One learning experience I having actually implemented previously in a classroom setting involved the Year 6 class completing an Amazing Race type activity using the internet and a variety of websites and other technological tools such as Google Earth. This was the culminating activity of their assessment as part of the Unit of Work covering mathematical concepts such as co-ordinates, latitude and longitude, reading timetables and mapping skills. Before the assessment task, the students undertook learning experiences covering the above-mentioned topics. The students then worked collaboratively on the Amazing Race activity which required them to answer clues to find each destination and also airline websites to book flights. The students were allowed to use the web to answer the clues by using websites such as wikipedia and Google. The students were then required to use Google Earth to map out their trek. The team who finished first won the Amazing Race. This activity was very effective in the sense that the use of technology engaged all students in the class and helped them to achieve the desired outcomes. Even those students who were reluctant to work in a more teacher-centric learning experience were highly engaged in this task and more often then not were the most enthusiastic about the task.
The experience I had implementing this sequence of learning experiences, proved to me that student-centered learning can be implemented across numerous KLA's and in most instances allows the learning experiences themselves to integrate a number of KLA's at the one time.
There are negatives involved in implementing student-centered learning experiences however. Some students in the class may not be suited to the learning style of working in collaborative situations and as learning managers it is important that we cater for all individual needs. However, I believe that if the oportunity arises to implement a learning experience involving student-centered learning and it is beneficial to all students' needs, by all means use it because it can be extremely beneficial to the students' learning and development.
From the snippets of high school I can remember, I remember clearly of having to sit in a two-hour legal studies lesson where we would continuously write notes written by the teacher from the whiteboard. I guess this would be teacher-centric. An example of student-centered learning would of been when we went on a camp to Humpy Island for HPE and in small groups we were required to organise everything from accommodation to food. We also were given a chance to have input into what type of activities we could do on the camp to help us achieve the learning outcomes involved. This sort of student-centered activity was also mirrored in our Year 12 geography trip to Great Keppel Island.
On a whole, however, I think it would be safe to say that most learning experiences I had at school were more teacher-centric, however having spent time in schools just recently I can see a noticeable shift to student-centered learning. Please feel free to comment.
Q2 - Contrast this approach with what you have experienced in your own education and think about the advantages and possible pitfalls of this approach.
From experience, my time at school was mostly teacher-centric and involved students taking notes from the board. It wasn't enjoyable and there didn't seem to be any focus on how the students' best learnt or their individual learning styles. The advantage of the 8 LMQ's is that by using them in the learning design process the learning manager can ensure the learning experiences designed will suit the individual needs of all students and that they will also result in all students obtaining the desired learning outcomes. Essentially the 8 LMQ's is a framework designed to ensure that all students obtain the desired learning outcomes.
Q3 - Outline an example of a learning activity you might design on the "Learning Design" discussion forum and invite discussion from your colleagues
One learning experience I having actually implemented previously in a classroom setting involved the Year 6 class completing an Amazing Race type activity using the internet and a variety of websites and other technological tools such as Google Earth. This was the culminating activity of their assessment as part of the Unit of Work covering mathematical concepts such as co-ordinates, latitude and longitude, reading timetables and mapping skills. Before the assessment task, the students undertook learning experiences covering the above-mentioned topics. The students then worked collaboratively on the Amazing Race activity which required them to answer clues to find each destination and also airline websites to book flights. The students were allowed to use the web to answer the clues by using websites such as wikipedia and Google. The students were then required to use Google Earth to map out their trek. The team who finished first won the Amazing Race. This activity was very effective in the sense that the use of technology engaged all students in the class and helped them to achieve the desired outcomes. Even those students who were reluctant to work in a more teacher-centric learning experience were highly engaged in this task and more often then not were the most enthusiastic about the task.
The experience I had implementing this sequence of learning experiences, proved to me that student-centered learning can be implemented across numerous KLA's and in most instances allows the learning experiences themselves to integrate a number of KLA's at the one time.
There are negatives involved in implementing student-centered learning experiences however. Some students in the class may not be suited to the learning style of working in collaborative situations and as learning managers it is important that we cater for all individual needs. However, I believe that if the oportunity arises to implement a learning experience involving student-centered learning and it is beneficial to all students' needs, by all means use it because it can be extremely beneficial to the students' learning and development.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
What is an RSS Feed?????
At the Week 1 tutorial I discovered the term RSS feed. For the entire tutorial I wondered to myself, "What in the world is an RSS feed???" Of course I came home and googled it and came up with the following definition -
"Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary feed) provides summaries of web content in a simple format. It is available through an RSS feed reader, or through some browsers. It will show you what's new since the last time you checked the feed, without having to visit the website itself".
Okay, so now I know what is. I just need to find out where to get one and how to use it.
When I know.....you'll know :)
Regards
Jon
"Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary feed) provides summaries of web content in a simple format. It is available through an RSS feed reader, or through some browsers. It will show you what's new since the last time you checked the feed, without having to visit the website itself".
Okay, so now I know what is. I just need to find out where to get one and how to use it.
When I know.....you'll know :)
Regards
Jon
ICTS For Learning Design Wk 1 Learning Activities
Hi everyone,
Here are my responses to the Learning Activities for Week 1.
Q1 - Think about your own education -- what has it resembled to date? Was it a remnant of the Industrial Age or was it based around the skills required for the 21st century?
To be honest I do not recall much of my primary school days, however I do remember not much emphasis being placed on the new technologies evolving during that period such as the computers and the internet. These types of things would become crucial in the new knowledge economy, however even though their use and popularity were beginning to boom, the opportunities to learn these new technologies were few and far between. Even in my early years in high school in the late 90's, we were still being taught to use typewriters rather than computers. Other subjects such as cooking and sewing had more emphasis in the classroom than new technologies essential to the new knowledge economy. It wasn't until my senior high school years when we were allowed to select our subjects that the opportunity to use these technologies became more available. I think that only in the last 8-10 years has there been a dramatic shift towards the new knowledge economy and the skills and processes the younger generation need to succeed in this new economy have only started to be taught in the same period of time.
Q2 - Future work was written 10 years ago. Think about where we are now and the rapid changes that have occurred even since this article was written.
The rapid advancements in technology in the past decade have forced a definite change in the way of teachers and teacher education alike. The introduction of CQ University's Bachelor of Learning Management degree has seen a shift from the traditional mode of teaching such as "chalk and talk" to more innovative and effective ways that will help learners succeed in the world of the knowledge economy. Even now teachers are being referred to as learning managers because they do not just teach students but facilitate/manage their learning journeys. The strategies behind this degree are research-based and have been proven successful in the learning environment.
Another change we have noticed just recently, is the governments' attitudes towards education. The Australian Federal Government has promised Australians an "education revolution" and just recently unveiled it's draft for a National-based curriculum which will be rolled out from 2011. The government has also responded to this promise by supplying teachers with laptop computers and also unveiling a national broadband plan which will offer premium broadband services for the country. These moves by not only the Federal government, but also State and Local governments alike, show that they are aware of the necessity to educate the younger generation in such a manner to prepare them for the future, in this case the knowledge economy
There has also been an obvious shift from teaching in what we call Mode 1 knowledge and making it more transdisciplinary in the sense that learners are also being taught both Mode 1 & 2 knowledge.
Q3 - How does the author differentiate between Mode 1 and 2 knowledge and what implications does this have for you as a teaching professional?
From what I gathered after reading this article, the main difference between Mode 1 & 2 knowledge is the fact that the former is typically disciplined-based meaning it focuses on mainly one area of study, whereas when learning Mode 2 knowledge, learning experiences can be expected to cover a number of different KLA's. Mode 1 knowledge is usually produced on an individual basis, whereas Mode 2 knowledge can be characterised as being produced in teams. This point is particularly relevant to being successful in the new knowledge economy as it requires problem-solvers who are able to work together in groups to solve problems.
Q4 - How do Smith and Mienczakowski ideas work, or conflict with the three readings above?
After reading the first three articles provided for Week 1, it was clear the the authors were all adamant that there needed to be a shift in thinking in regards to education because of the demands of the knowledge economy. The works of Smith and Mienczakowski seem to describe strategies and theories which have been proven to be successful in the learning environment after extensive research on the topic. I think one point which they have made clear in their work, is that teachers/learning managers to become experts in regards to pedagogical knowledge and strategies rather than focus on the content being taught within the learning experiences.
Another point is that the previous three articles read before that of Smith and Mienczakowski stated in one way or another teachers must now be workplace-ready and futures-oriented to successfully manage the learning of their students. The Bachelor of Learning Management that has thus been introduced due to the research of such people as Smith and Mienszakowski is teaching our future teachers how to become successful learning managers.
Q5 - Post a synopsis of your ideas
To be a successful learning manager in the new knowledge economy, it is important that we gain substantial expertise in the area of pedagogical content knowledge and as a whole the concept of learning management. To be workplace-ready and futures-oriented means that we as learning managers will be able to handle any problems thrown our way, because in essence to be a successful student of the knowedge economy is to become a lifelong learner and good problem-solver. Understanding and gaining these skills may seem to be difficult but it is important to remember that it is courses such as this one that help us understand the ever-growing knowledge economy and that we ourselves as learning managers are too lifelong learners and need to adapt to any new knowledge presented.
Q6 - How valid are the speakers ideas about social capital and family values in today's children?
Teaching in the 21st century has dramatically changed in the last 10 years. I remember when I was at school, I either felt two ways about my teachers. I either was scared of them or I respected them. In today's society, it could be said that schools are a lot more dangerous than what they used to be. There are many suggestions as to why this is so, such as children having a lack of respect, videogames, bad parenting, etc. However it is hard to single-out the reasons behind it all. One thing that can be said is that everyone in society has a duty to play some role in helping sort out the problems faced in not only schools but society as a whole. As teachers today, we must not only teach our students the content presented on the curriculum but also about respect and values. It cannot be left totally up to the teachers though. Children need to be taught about these sorts of things in the different surroundings that they immerse themselves in outside of school. For example, parents should also take a large part of the responsibility for teaching their children about these things. Sadly, however, in today's society we are frequent to more unstable home enviroments and this is where other people in society must pick up the slack such as sporting coaches, extended family, etc. If children are not taught these things at school, how can they be prepared for life after school.
Here are my responses to the Learning Activities for Week 1.
Q1 - Think about your own education -- what has it resembled to date? Was it a remnant of the Industrial Age or was it based around the skills required for the 21st century?
To be honest I do not recall much of my primary school days, however I do remember not much emphasis being placed on the new technologies evolving during that period such as the computers and the internet. These types of things would become crucial in the new knowledge economy, however even though their use and popularity were beginning to boom, the opportunities to learn these new technologies were few and far between. Even in my early years in high school in the late 90's, we were still being taught to use typewriters rather than computers. Other subjects such as cooking and sewing had more emphasis in the classroom than new technologies essential to the new knowledge economy. It wasn't until my senior high school years when we were allowed to select our subjects that the opportunity to use these technologies became more available. I think that only in the last 8-10 years has there been a dramatic shift towards the new knowledge economy and the skills and processes the younger generation need to succeed in this new economy have only started to be taught in the same period of time.
Q2 - Future work was written 10 years ago. Think about where we are now and the rapid changes that have occurred even since this article was written.
The rapid advancements in technology in the past decade have forced a definite change in the way of teachers and teacher education alike. The introduction of CQ University's Bachelor of Learning Management degree has seen a shift from the traditional mode of teaching such as "chalk and talk" to more innovative and effective ways that will help learners succeed in the world of the knowledge economy. Even now teachers are being referred to as learning managers because they do not just teach students but facilitate/manage their learning journeys. The strategies behind this degree are research-based and have been proven successful in the learning environment.
Another change we have noticed just recently, is the governments' attitudes towards education. The Australian Federal Government has promised Australians an "education revolution" and just recently unveiled it's draft for a National-based curriculum which will be rolled out from 2011. The government has also responded to this promise by supplying teachers with laptop computers and also unveiling a national broadband plan which will offer premium broadband services for the country. These moves by not only the Federal government, but also State and Local governments alike, show that they are aware of the necessity to educate the younger generation in such a manner to prepare them for the future, in this case the knowledge economy
There has also been an obvious shift from teaching in what we call Mode 1 knowledge and making it more transdisciplinary in the sense that learners are also being taught both Mode 1 & 2 knowledge.
Q3 - How does the author differentiate between Mode 1 and 2 knowledge and what implications does this have for you as a teaching professional?
From what I gathered after reading this article, the main difference between Mode 1 & 2 knowledge is the fact that the former is typically disciplined-based meaning it focuses on mainly one area of study, whereas when learning Mode 2 knowledge, learning experiences can be expected to cover a number of different KLA's. Mode 1 knowledge is usually produced on an individual basis, whereas Mode 2 knowledge can be characterised as being produced in teams. This point is particularly relevant to being successful in the new knowledge economy as it requires problem-solvers who are able to work together in groups to solve problems.
Q4 - How do Smith and Mienczakowski ideas work, or conflict with the three readings above?
After reading the first three articles provided for Week 1, it was clear the the authors were all adamant that there needed to be a shift in thinking in regards to education because of the demands of the knowledge economy. The works of Smith and Mienczakowski seem to describe strategies and theories which have been proven to be successful in the learning environment after extensive research on the topic. I think one point which they have made clear in their work, is that teachers/learning managers to become experts in regards to pedagogical knowledge and strategies rather than focus on the content being taught within the learning experiences.
Another point is that the previous three articles read before that of Smith and Mienczakowski stated in one way or another teachers must now be workplace-ready and futures-oriented to successfully manage the learning of their students. The Bachelor of Learning Management that has thus been introduced due to the research of such people as Smith and Mienszakowski is teaching our future teachers how to become successful learning managers.
Q5 - Post a synopsis of your ideas
To be a successful learning manager in the new knowledge economy, it is important that we gain substantial expertise in the area of pedagogical content knowledge and as a whole the concept of learning management. To be workplace-ready and futures-oriented means that we as learning managers will be able to handle any problems thrown our way, because in essence to be a successful student of the knowedge economy is to become a lifelong learner and good problem-solver. Understanding and gaining these skills may seem to be difficult but it is important to remember that it is courses such as this one that help us understand the ever-growing knowledge economy and that we ourselves as learning managers are too lifelong learners and need to adapt to any new knowledge presented.
Q6 - How valid are the speakers ideas about social capital and family values in today's children?
Teaching in the 21st century has dramatically changed in the last 10 years. I remember when I was at school, I either felt two ways about my teachers. I either was scared of them or I respected them. In today's society, it could be said that schools are a lot more dangerous than what they used to be. There are many suggestions as to why this is so, such as children having a lack of respect, videogames, bad parenting, etc. However it is hard to single-out the reasons behind it all. One thing that can be said is that everyone in society has a duty to play some role in helping sort out the problems faced in not only schools but society as a whole. As teachers today, we must not only teach our students the content presented on the curriculum but also about respect and values. It cannot be left totally up to the teachers though. Children need to be taught about these sorts of things in the different surroundings that they immerse themselves in outside of school. For example, parents should also take a large part of the responsibility for teaching their children about these things. Sadly, however, in today's society we are frequent to more unstable home enviroments and this is where other people in society must pick up the slack such as sporting coaches, extended family, etc. If children are not taught these things at school, how can they be prepared for life after school.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
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