Encountering E-Learning Education

This blog posting is a reflection on Michelle’s discussion entitled “Podcasting, Languages & ESL Students”.  Michelle highlighted the immense advantages of podcasting in assisting learning for ESL students. She illustrated how podcasting can be used for students as designers in creating their own original work, but additionally can be used as a medium for ESL learning. This is notion of teaching English as a second language through podcasting is already being utilised within the educational sphere. Marc Prensky states that “new technologies have strong potential uses in education” particularly for “language teachers who make podcasts for their students”. Prensky describes podcasting as “the technology of creating audio or video files” which are then distributed across the internet.

I found this article recommended by Michelle particularly insightful and helpful in re-evaluating the role of technology in primary education. Prensky powerfully detailed how “students are learning, adopting and using technology” at a rapid pace which requires teachers to embrace the technological world. The key to adapting to this ever-evolving teaching medium is to carefully consider “strategies for teaching with technology that can make both students and teachers comfortable while allowing students to go as far as they can with these technologies.” He states that for students these technologies “characterise their age and that they love to use, and that prepare them for the twenty-first century future as well”.  

I found it particularly helpful the way Prensky perceives new technologies for education as arriving and changing too fast for teachers to expect to master. Therefore, rather than seeking to master new technologies educators should become learners alongside their students. I found it quite liberating to realise that instead of wasting limited teaching time to become technologically proficient, teachers should let students do this. This frees teachers to help students apply technologies wisely to real problems and to reflect and search for the deeper issues that the technologies raise. Prensky also evaluates Wikipedia, podcasting, instant messaging and mobile phone cameras with this educational perspective. He concludes the article by saying:

“To use the twenty-first century’s rapidly emerging technology effectively for education, we must invent best practices together. In an era whose often unbelievable technological changes we are struggling with, the mantra – for both educators and students must be this: We are all learners. We are all teachers.

Prensky, M. (2007). Emerging Technolgies for Learning. Coventry: British Educational Communcations and Technology Agency. Available from: http://eit159.googlepages.com/emerging_technologies_prensky.pdf 

It is predicted that use of computer technology for education within schools will continue to increase dramatically exponentially (U.S. Department of Education, 1994 in Bransford et al., 1999).  A “romanticized” perception on technology education is that the presence of ICTs in the classroom will automatically and undeniably enhance students’ learning (Bransford et al., 1999). However, there is increasing evidence that much money and time is wasted on computer technologies implemented to  enhance education (Education Policy Network, 1997 in Bransford et al., 1994). It is undeniable that new technologies provide opportunities for wonderful educational opportunities of older technologies such as books, blackboards and linear communication media. However, it is important to constantly assess whether in fact new technologies to enhance or guarantee effective learning. Conversely ineffective uses of technology can hinder learning and can be a very poor use of time. Students can waste time sifting through extensive internet sites in an attempt to “research” about a particular topic. In reality the vast majority of their time is not used efficiently and is wasted on mindless reading and unproductive learning.

However, many aspects of technology certainly do create enviornments where students can learn by “doing, receiving feedback and continually refine their understanding and build knowledge” (Barron et al., 1998 in Bransford et al., 1994). Interactivity and student-centered learning are two fundamental teaching and learning concepts which ensure teaching using technology is useful and worthwhile. New technologies have a plethera of benefits for primary education including:

1. Assisting students with visualising concepts (Linn et al., 1996)

2. Modelling activities and experiences which lie beyond school boundaries

3. Providing a vast array of information

4. Increasing connections between schools and communities including homese

5. Creating real-world learning contexts within the classroom

6. Providing new and innovative scaffolding tools for learning

7. Providing students and teachers with different and creative forms of feedback and reflection (such as weblogs)

(Bransford et al., 1994).

It is certainly imperative that teachers are constantly assessing the use of technology for learning in the classroom environment. Technology has become such an important instrument within primary teaching and holds great promise for new and creative approaches towards education in the future. Computer technologies are powerful pedagogical tools in expanding the dimensions and contexts for students’ learning. However, it is always essential for educational professionals to assess whether computer technologies are being used to create genuine and authentic learning environments for students. This requires constant reflection and critical evaluation of teaching and learning tools and strategies. This is the key to ensure proficient and effective teaching approaches in all educational disciplines, not just those involving technology. Consequently genuine and critical assessment of one’s teaching practice is paramount in constantly motivating, challenging, engaging and teaching students.

Bransford et al., (1999). How people learn. Ch. 9 Technology to Support Learning.

Download Video: Posted by rachelboyd at TeacherTube.com.

This vodcast is a beautiful short clip which gives us an insight into what some six and seven year old students at Nelson Central School in New Zealand think about weblogs. A number of students answer two questions firstly “what is a blog” and “why do you enjoy having a blog”. I found this blogspot particularly insightful and useful in hearing the voice of young students and their attitudes towards blogs. Their responses can be viewed below.

What is a blog?

“A blog is an internet site which tells something about people.”

“A blog is something that we do writing on for people to look at, it is on the internet.”

“It’s something you can write on and take pictures.”

“It’s a type of internet where you can write stuff and look at classrooms or you could make one at your house with your computer.”

“I think it’s a website you can go and have a look at stuff on like what we’re doing in our classroom.”

“It’s a type of internet site and you can use it at home and at school.” “It’s in the internet where people can do pictures, writing and photos and other people can leave comments so that people can look at it.”

“It’s on the internet and you can send it to anywhere in the world.”

“It’s somewhere you can store all your pictures and photos on the internet.”

Why do you like having a blog?

“You can do lots of cool writing on it and lots of people can visit it on the computer and you can get lots and lots of comments on it.”

“Because we enjoy showing other people what we have learned and it is also cool to put stuff on the internet.” “

Because you can put pictures on it and you can write stories on there.”

“You can look at your stuff that you’re doing and it will be really fun and my parents can look at stuff we’ve been doing in the classroom and we can look at it.”

“Because people can look at us and we might be famous.”

I also visited the students’ class blogspot. This was a wonderful experience as it provided me with a real and tangible learning context of students using weblogs as part of their primary education. This class weblog included class exercises such as descriptive poetry, photos, class videos, camp reflections, class podcasts on global issues and much more.

When I was browsing the blogspot I viewed a number of students’ podcasts done in December last year. This was a class exercise where students recorded a written piece of work entitled “The Lorax Speaks for…” Following this I entered the comments section which corresponded to these blog postings. I was simply amazed at the diversity of comments. This really highlighted to me the great advantage of weblogs in providing students with a global audience with whom they can share their work. Certainly I could anticipate the genuine excitement a student would have knowing that a teacher in New York, Australia or Sweden has viewed their work and left a written response! I have copied some of the comments left for the students at Central School in New Zealand below:

“The Lorax Speaks for… (7)”

3 Comments – WritePostCollapsor(); Show Original Post WriteCommentsCollapsor(); Collapse comments

Jane said…

Sam, Great video! I really enjoyed it. I am a teacher in New York City (can you find it on a map?), and I was looking to examples of student blogs to show some other teachers. They will all see you video this week. Thank you so much. I will check back to see if you and your class to more videos. Best, jane13 January, 2008

tasteach said…

G’day Sam. I am just about to start videoing and blogging with the students in my grade 6/7 class in Tasmania, Australia. How long did it take you to put together your video and what software program did you use?19 January, 2008

vi1b said…

Hello!
We are a class in Sweden. Our ages are 7 and 8. We have a blog, but we write in Swedish.07 February, 2008

References 

Boyd, R (Producer and Presenter). (2007). 6 & 7 Year Olds and BLOGS! March 3, 2008, from: http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=601b9f31bf04019c8593

Image accessed from: http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/image/images/saturn/saturn.gif

I was inspired by Jen’s reflection on her edublog entitled “But Miss, I want to go to America Today”. This blog posting arose from the NSW Public Schools newspaper “Side by Side”. Jen observed a surprising trend in the newspaper articles contained within “Side by Side”. A significant amount of content was devoted to evaluation and discussion about digital media in the classroom. The overarching opinion was for “a push for better use of technology” (Jen Yagar, 2008). Jen responded to my blog posting on Kath Cassidys podcast “Webtools for learning”. She commented on how imperative risk-taking is when teaching using ICTs. Perhaps this is the key to enabling better use of technology in the classroom as described in “Side by Side”. Whilst many classrooms may be equipped with a multiplicity of innovative and engaging technologies, the underlying problem may be an ineffective implementation of these tools. As I reflected in my earlier blog posting putting aside inhibitions and fears is often fundamental to effective teaching using technology. 

One new initiative mentioned in “Side by Side” is a new program “Connect Classrooms”. The author of the article claims that this program is “the biggest education transformation in decades” (Issue 15, February 2008). The focus for this program is collaborative learning within a networked community. This allows for students to experience virtual excursions globally or even universally. Jen indicates that this virtual world enables students to interact with their peers anywhere in Australia as well as speaking to experts in real time. Jen also discusses another new resource called “Skool”. This is an Australian web-based resource where students are educated through online stimuli primarily within a mathematic or scientific learning context.  

These resources appear to be invaluable classroom learning tools. They highlight the significant advantage of teaching using technologies which is global interactivity and the endless educational opportunities in an online, virtual world. Student’s can indeed say “But Miss, I want to visit America today” or indeed “But Miss, I want to visit Saturn today” because of the limitless online learning sphere provided by the internet and other technological software.

Image accessed from: http://reconstruction.eserver.org/064/images/blogcover1.jpg

“I think it’s the most beautiful tool of the world and it allows us the most magic thing…”—Florence Dassylva-Simard, fifth-grade student”.

This reflection upon children’s use of technology in primary education is primarily focused on Stephen Downes’ article entitled “Educational Blogging”. I have written more extensively on this article as part of my static pages. However, I found the article so insightful and intersesting that I thought it worthwhile commenting in my blog posting for other students to respond to.

The article describes online weblogs used by students at the Institute St Joseph in Quebec City as “a virtual extension of the classroom”. At St Joseph students’ use weblogs in numerous ways such as a classroom web space, site of announcement, posting for work, communication zone, reflective sphere and private personal space.

A fifth grade student at St Joseph commented:”The blogs give us a chance to communicate between us and motivate us to write more. When we publish on our blog, people from the entire world can respond by using the comments link. This way, they can ask questions or simply tell us what they like. We can then know if people like what we write and this indicates to us what to do better. By reading these comments, we can know our weaknesses and our talents. Blogging is an opportunity to exchange our point of view with the rest of the world not just people in our immediate environment.” (Downes, 2004)

I discovered that weblogs are an invaluable tool for promoting educational reflective analysis as well as developing the “emergence of a learning community that goes beyond the school walls” (Asserlin cited in Downes, 2004). Blogs used to “archive and publish student work, learn with far-flung collaborators, and manage the knowledge that members of the school community create.” (Richardson cited in Downes 2004). This learning technology can also be used by school communities as a source of information and communication.

Weblogs could be perceived as primarily consisting of a series of personal comments and observations. But Downes illustrates how this is a very restrictive and limited understanding of weblogs.  Weblogs must be recognised as more than an online journal. Weblogs have an immense capacity to link to resources as well as offering a space for personal reflection. Therefore blogs could be viewed in their simplest form as forum for “personal publishing” (Downes, 2004). This concept of weblogs has significant implication for education.  On a basic level a primary advantage of weblogs is the way they encourage students to become competent writers. As Rosalie Brochu, a student at St-Joseph, observes: “The impact of the blogs on my day to day life is that I write a lot more and a lot longer than the previous years. I also pay more attention when I write in my blog (especially my spelling) since I know anybody can read my posts.”

I found this reading very informative and worthwhile in widening my perspective on weblogs and their use in the classroom. I’m particularly looking forward to developing my understanding of weblogs as an online learning tool and using them to their greatest capacity within primary education.

Reference 

Downes, S. (2004). Educational blogging. EDUCAUSE Review, 39(5), 14–26.

Image accessed from: http://www.lighthouse-investments.com/lighthouse%20heceta_sunset.jpg

Over the last couple of days I have been reflecting on what determines the course of students’ learning. What are the many interconnecting factors which affect the success or extent of one’s discoveries, achievements or educational findings?  I was particularly challenged and enlightened by Krizzia and Shirley’s vodcast entitled “The Learning Journey”. They used four main images as metaphors for learning. The first was the image of a road. This was representative of how learning is a journey and a road to discovery. It is about discovering new places, people, experiences and spaces. They discussed how the road to discovery is not always smooth as it can involve obstacles as well as dead ends. The second illustrative metaphor was a suitcase. They conveyed how this suitcase holds your memories and knowledge, things you have found out for yourself and things you have been taught. The third metaphor was a compass which represented the guidance we seek on our journeys. This can be from teachers, friends and family. The final symbol for learning was light illustrated by a lighthouse. Krizzia and Shirley discussed how light is necessary in illuminating the direction and path to discovery. For students, the school can act as a lighthouse. It was interesting to observe the many interrelating factors which determine the path or course of learning. As Krizzia states:

“Learning is multi-facaded, it really can be everything and anything that you want to be–it’s up to the individual. I think that is what must be promoted in the primary classroom, as well as in high school and further education. Learning is an individual journey of discovery in which one is supported by so many people near and far. Today, technology has allowed students to link with other people on the other side of the world to also support them in their learning in so many ways. I believe it is true what they say, “you never stop learning”. It’s like a path which has no definite destination.”

Image accessed from: http://www.tsm.nl/Dbimages/Paginas/ICT.jpg

After reading Erin’s post entitled “But what does it add?” I thought it was worthwhile considering the motivating factor for integrating ICTs into primary teaching contexts. Apart from the deep intrigue students have when interacting with ICTs, is engagement significant enough to justify use of technology within the classroom. Erin points out “Why wouldn’t you just complete the activity on paper? Are you just using technology for technology’s sake?”. Matthew Kearney certainly was constantly asking us to carefully consider our rationale for different learning tasks within our LAMS sequence to justify or account for our use of technology.

The immense educational possibilities for primary education that technology and more specifically the Internet are worth considering. There is no doubt that the Internet provides students with a virtual and interactive world where they can connect to a global community and have experiences which are simply not possible within the four walls of a primary classroom. In Dina’s posing “The Skeptic’s Seven Questions About Technology” she states “technology has to teach the student something of value on its own before we can justify asking a teacher to pour energy and resources into it”. There is not doubt that integrating ICTs into the classroom can be an extremely time consuming process particularly as new software is developed and innovative technologies are introduced.

Perhaps it is worth discussing this debate from a different perspective. Rather than finding the floors in ICTs within education, instead list the immense benefits. Rather than being caught up on time constraints instead consider the diversity of educational possibilities and teachable moments provided by the Internet and other technologies. Certainly I adopted this approach when developing my LAMs sequence in determining my teaching philosophy or rationale.

The use of technology in this instance was invaluable in opening up a new world of coral reefs to be explored in a much more visual, interactive and real manner than a paper worksheet labelling the anatomy of a fish. Instead students could watch fish swim through a vibrant coral reef, observe its movements, its feeding habits and its interaction with other marine species. They could also develop a deeper understanding of human impacts on coral reefs by engaging with marine species who come alive using pod-casts. In this way students can imagine they are part of the underwater world and consequently comprehend the enormity of coral bleaching, dynamite fishing, tourism etc.

Finally ICTs allow students to genuinely and personally respond to the environmental impacts humans place on coral reefs. Rather than creating a paper poster to be hung on a cork board in a classroom, students can launch a real poster of protest online. They can use the stories of coral reefs they have virtually interacted with and express their opinions to a global audience. This allows for students to have a say and make a difference in the real world which makes learning so much more engaging and worthwhile.

I found Erin’s conclusion on ICTs in primary education helpful in highlighting their immense value within primary education.

“Essentially, i believe that ICT enables students to access a wider range of resources faster, and comprising of various mediums that will meet the varying learning styles of students in a class. Furthermore it provides students and teachers with a way to celebrate, share and critique their work in a worldwide forum, coming into contact with people who are geographically distant.”

This is a short video I sourced from YouTube by Kath Cassidy on primary teaching using information communication technologies. This short video was created for Terry Freedman who is the editor of “Coming of Age”. Kath contributed to this piece of educational literature by discussing how young children can use web tools to learning. Even as young as age six can use blogs, wikis, podcasts to communicate their thoughts despite the fact that they’re only  just learning to express their thoughts. The internet is a powerful learning tool for these young children as they can learn from other children and adults from around the world being a part of the global conversation.

I was intrigued to learn that these young children were blogging as part of their learning with several classes around the world. They were also using wikis to learn about “traditions”. The children were also interacting with a class of university students who were currently studying how to teach writing to primary aged children. To make this interactivity even more exciting and valuable the children met the university students though Skype. For the primary school students, their blogging had greater depth and importance because they knew that older students would be regularly reading and commenting on their work.

This short video is a testimony to the deep value of ICTs in primary classrooms. The scope of learning is unending and restricted only by the teacher’s fears and inhibitions. I can see how imperative a risk-taking approach is to teaching using ICTs in order to really open up the many teaching opportunities the internet provides.

Last week during our e-learning block we conducted an interesting and intriguing interview with Deborah Evans via the internet using Skype. She works at the Macquarie ICT Innovations Centre and is a professional on LAMS. She quotes…”LAMS has become an integral part of many aspects of Macquarie ICT Innovation Centre in developing, implementing and evaluating innovative ways of enhancing learning through the application of dynamic and emerging information and communication technologies”. Matthew Kearney had set up a class interview with her in order to give us a better understanding of the pedagogyand scope of LAMS sequences.

Debbie informed us that initially LAMS was designed for distance higher education learning and it was her role to adjust it for primary teaching contexts. She trialled LAMS on her stage three class and after six months introduced it in the context of online homework tasks. This was revolutionary for the time and really was thinking out of the square as the school was situated in a rural area. After three years LAMS was embedded in the homework system. Students thoroughly enjoyed this new learning framework and would rush home to complete their LAMS homework. Debbie could only assume that they were highly engaged in the learning. Additionally LAMS was integrated into classroom learning.

As LAMS improved she designed learning sequences which were more experimental. She taught collaboratively with another stage three class and created a live chat buddy program. She found forums were a particularly popular tool. One instance was when the boys created a “for boys only” forum. Forums were also used by the parent community for planning social events. She also found that votes were another useful tool. Debbie would sometimes use live edit informed by the results of class votes.

Her tips to us were keep it simple and rich. Have a few gates to allow for class discussion. Use live edit to manipulate the direction of learning. Once you’ve designed a good template, don’t be afraid to re-use it, particularly for younger students. Use LAMS across the KLAs such as themes in English texts, bullying within PDHPE or peer support activities. Overall it was an extremely helpful and valuable interview.

I found a useful a news, information and resource blog for teachers in the UK called Primary Teacher UK. On this blogging page I found a useful entry entitled Me and My Movie. This CBBC program is a unique film-making initiative inspiring and enabling children to make movies and tell their own stories. The website provides fun, interactive film-making tutorials and a safe space where children can upload, share and rate each other’s films. Students can enjoy publishing and tagging one another’s movies on the web. I watched a movie called The Worst Present by 12 year old Catherine. It was a short video of two girls miming. The scene was based around two girls exchanging a present. I thought it was lovely that these two young students were provided with an opportunity to publish and perform their piece of mime to a world wide audience online. The free Me and My Movie film-maker’s pack for children is also available to download from the site in the How To section. This looks like a really interesting and interactive site which would be useful in the classroom. It is visually really appealing to children and easy to navigate.