Reflective Synopsis

When I created my first post for my Blog, or perhaps before that when I created my name for my first blog, or maybe even before that when I was a digital immigrant to Blogs, wikis and the like, never did I think I would make it here with all the knowledge I now have of these fantastic ICT tools. I must say that my confidence in using these tools has a great deal of credit due to the fantastic scaffolding of learning that I went through to comprehend them. The three main functions in our learning of these technologies remained consistent, with the first part of the learning being readings and of course multimedia (e.g. videos/audio) on the ICT tool being introduced that week. The second important part of our learning was then creating something useful within our understanding of the tool. Lastly we were able to reflect and evaluate the ICT tool we had been introduced to make our conclusions of whether that ICT tool would be a valuable learning tool in our personal classroom context.

The above paragraph demonstrates how effective learning can be when effective digital pedagogy is present. It clearly demonstrated how higher order thinking occurred by using an appropriate scaffolding to allow my learning to unfold. It also shares a great link with the TPACK framework. The content of the topic (ICT’s for learning design) was delivered in a rich array of readings, video’s, audio and imagery. The material was also taught to us using a student centred constructivist approach, where we were able to learn from our fellow students findings in their blogs and wikis. This demonstrates a strong Pedagogical knowledge in using collaborative techniques to aid learning. Lastly technological knowledge was highly evident in the delivery of the topic itself.

So enough about out teachers fantastically scaffolded teaching, let me explain what I have found through using these great ICT tools. My experience from my first participation in a wiki forum demonstrated to me that this method of learning is grounded in both the constructivist and connectivism theories. In relation to our Wiki topic which was ‘should mobile phones be used in schools’ the wiki space demonstrated how with a topic that has so many avenues to explore, it would be impossible for a single individual to fully explore every aspect in this topic. By using the wiki we could get a broader understanding of others concepts and opinions on this topic. This is the very nature of the theory of connectivism as it proposes that learning can reside outside one selves (within an organisation or database) is focused on connecting specialized information set, and the connections that enable us to learn more are more important than are current state of knowing. (Siemens 2005).

I also feel that that the forum/wiki demonstrates the theory of social constructivism. Social Constructivist Vygotsky (1962) explains that social interaction has a large influence on learning, and that individuals learn within a zone of close proximal development. He suggests that learner move beyond what is already known through the support of others. By using the wiki we GLTD students as a group were able to learn as a social network using each other’s past experiences and feeling to the topic of mobile phone use in schools. After recognising the learning theories that relate and aid the successful use of a wiki we also need to focus on how wiki’s can assist with learning in relation to the depth of our learning. The other very important aspect of a success with using wiki’s to assist with learning is the scaffolding and pedagogy used in conjunction with the wiki. Please visit my reflection here on my findings of using De Bono’s thinking hats as our guided learning technique.  To understand what my learners will go through when being introduced to the use of wiki, I embarked on this journey myself. Please read my post “Reflection on my wiki experince” to see my SWOT analysis of this ICT tool.

So, going back to the start of our ICT journey and the introduction to Blogs and their Plus’s and minus’s for learning. My “Reflection on my experience with a blog” posting incorporates the use of a PMI chart to help with higher order thinking and evaluation of the use of Blogs in learning. From the three tools we evaluated in week 3 being Blogs, Wiki’s and static websites, I choose to further explore blogs in their usefulness to assist in e-learning. My decision to further explore Blogs was formed from the results of my PMI and SWOT analysis done on all 3 Web tools. To see my findings on the use of websites and wiki's please explore it here (website) (Wiki page). Using my findings from these analysis tools I concluded that Blogs would be more suited to my pedagogy and also most suited to my ICT skills. By having my students create Blogs to cover certain topics of their learning I feel that I could successfully implement the TPACK framework. I feel that if I used Wiki’s I would be hindering my students learning as I am not fully competent in the use of Wiki’s so this demonstrates the technological lacking in the TPACK framework. In comparison by using a website for learning I feel that it would often lack in the pedagogical content as it does not allow my students to be interactive in their learning.

From our Group 2 technologies of Images, Podcasting/digital audio and lastly digital video I have chosen to focus on Digital video. My validation to giving further consideration to this ICT tool for learning is mainly based on its ability to be used in a huge array of topics for learning. Imagery definitely has some great benefits for learning and these are further explored in my posting "Images for learning". Imagery’s main limitation is that some learners in my class may not be visual learners so this learning technique would not suit all my students. Click on my Voki below for my evaluation of audio for learning.


"learning with Podcasts"
"multipleintelligences"
“My moviemaker experience”

Group 3 tools focus on e-learning through the use of PowerPoint, Prezi and Glogster. My analysis of the use of these tools and how I would use them in my classroom can be found here (Prezi) (Glogster) (PowerPoint). I choose to post my Prezi to my Wiki as I want my students to use this tool as an interactive tool to gather information and upload it to the prezi themselves. I thoroughly enjoyed playing with Glogster and Prezi and feel that at times they will be powerful learning tools in my teaching. My main limitation I believe I would have with these tools is time restrictions. In my own making of a glogster and Prezi I feel I spent too much time on the making of it and not enough content knowledge was embedded into it as I ran out of time. PowerPoint on the other hand did not take long at all to create an informative and visually interesting slideshow. Text information can be easily inserted into a PowerPoint slide using word outline. Please view my wiki which shows my final PowerPoint.

The last group of ICT tools we investigated was from a large array of Internet programs for example Google maps, Google earth, online concept mapping, Zooburst and Museumbox.  First up I jumped onto Museumbox and within 20 minutes I was utterly frustrated that I could not create one without paying a substantial subscription fee. This tool was only then useful for me as a visual research tool. My next investigation lead to Google earth which I had a basic understanding of, but had never thought of it as a tool to be used for learning with my students. Check out my blog posting here which goes through a detailed SWOT analysis of my findings for the potential use of Google earth,Museumbox and bubbl.us with my future students. The animation/stimulation tool I chose to do further analysis on was online concept mapping. From my learning’s in week 1 and 2 on the benefits of collaborative learning I found this tool to be most useful for my future students. I hope to get a great level of higher order thinking from my students by using online concept mapping when introducing topics to my learners. By creating a map myself (this can be viewed on my blog posting) I could envision the learning journey my students would go through in this process. It really did help to get a deeper understanding of my topic Animation/Stimulation's for learning.

At all times we should model ethical and legal guidelines to our students and encourage them to do the same. It is important to teach your students how to give attribution to material they have used in their blogs, wikis and other web editing sites. The opportunities ICT’s in e-learning give far outweigh the risks, and it is my opinion that those risks can be dealt with through information and modelling as done with my blog and wiki pages. My posting “An audio light bulb moment” has a great example of safe and ethical practices on copyright. As does my posting “Reflection on my Wiki experience”.

I am very eager to put some of these great ICT tools into practise in my embedded learning practicum. By going through the process of using each of the ICT tools discussed and then evaluating their strengths and weaknesses, I feel that I can use these tools with minimal hiccups and with great confidence.  Thank you for your time in reading my blog e-learning for the learner and as much as this is the end in my last blog posting for this course, as we know we never stop learning with technology as it continually evolving, so stayed tuned for more on e-learning for the learner!!

 

References

G. Siemens, "Connectivism A Learning Theory for the Digital Age" 2005 retrieved from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

L. Vygotsky, "Social Development Theory" 1962 retrieved from http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/social-development.html