Week 4-Digital Tool 3 Podcasts

Gosh, yet another technology I had no idea about.  If you'd have asked me a month ago what pod casting was I would most likely have replied something along the lines of grading pea pods! Very 1960's I know, however, all 4 members of my family own Ipods and I regularly purchase and download music from Itunes onto them, I just wasn't aware that that was a form of Podcasting!  I know I really am starting to show that I am truly a Digital Immigrant.  I found the concept of Podcasting to be a fantastic step towards insuring all our children are learning through more convenient and technologically current means. 

The application of learning with Podcasts are endless and the benefit to the wide variety of different typed learners is astounding.  The benefit to children suffering serious illnesses that result in long visits to hospital, children who's families travel due to their parents work, children living in remote areas, children with disabilities and even children lacking in self confidence in their learning or that have learning difficulties would all benefit greatly from Podcast introduction into learning.  Images of its application are running through my head at the moment, children living on remote properties learning musical instruments, biology lessons outdoors listening to scientists on Podcasts, truck drivers being able to download directions to properties to collect livestock, emergency service operators being able to download directions to to patients and police being able to download interviews for review at times and locations more convenient to them.  The mind boggles with the ways in which Podcasts could be utilised in today's society, not just education.

My only concern, which keeps raising it ugly head when we talk about introducing new technologies into education, is the cost.  Who is going to be responsible for the purchasing of the Ipods?  Will the Government be able to improve the Education Budget for all institutions to fund their purchase or are parents going to be accountable for the costs?  I know that the majority of young people in to days society probably already own Ipods or MP3 players but what about the ones who's family situation or beliefs doesn't allow for them to possess one?  Who will be responsible also for the cost of keeping the technology current?  These questions need serious consideration but must not be allowed to override the importance of embracing this technology.

The uses of podcasting in today's education can be quite varied and only be limited by the teachers own level of creativity.

• Allow for kinetic learners to learn while on the move, limiting their 'sitting' time
• Learning can be put to music, times tables, mathematical and English usage rules
• As aids for dyslexia students learning
• Using this modern technique for 'old' lessons to update learning, ie Shakespeare done as chipmunks

UPDATE

I am sad to say that I am unable to include a Podcast.  I do not have an MP3 player and even though I have the facility on my phone, I don't have the cord to download it onto the computer.  Ah technology, its truly fantastic, if you have ALL the necessary equipment!!  However, my my eleven year old daughter informed me that we could record onto my IPod so after a 20 minute lesson, and lots of sympathetic glares for her I had recorded a short message, only to realise I couldn't use it as it's not MP3 compatible!!! I can however now see how practical its application could be for both students and teachers and wonder how long it will be before its introduction into our public school system as it is a valuable tool that is going to waste.

Week 3 Digital Tool 5 Powerpoints

How fantastic are powerpoints!  There applications in teaching could be limitless because of their adaptability, flexibility and level of learning through creativity.  Imagine a science SOSE lesson on space done through the incorporation of powerpoint. The visual and audio inclusions would make for a fantastic and education lesson.  Instead of listen to a teacher talk about the suns solar flares or seeing the pictures in a book video could be incorporated into the presentation.  Think of an assignment presented as a powerpoint with colour, visual and audio inclusion by a student as opposed to a cardboard poster and how this presentation would impact not only that students learning but also the fellow students through inclusion afforded by the powerpoint presentation.  I find powerpoint presentation to be a great, creative, simple and entertaining way to promote learning, so much so that I have created one to post in my blog to demonstrate my opinions.  However, like all other technologies they are only as productive as the user will allow them to be.  The powerpoint below took me 15  minutes to construct but 4HOURS to be able to incorporate because of my lack of technological abilities. 

The learning benefits that children could gain from the use of powerpoints in their learning are:

• Confidence from presenting to a group
• Organisation of different types of media, ie,images, videos, written word, music, photos that they could Incorporated into their presentation
• Time organisation to allow for group work and being prepared on time
• Gaining confidence in working with a variety of technologies
• Learning the skills of researching and referencing information
• Self reflection, self motivation and self evaluation

http://samarapatterson.weebly.com/powerpoint-presentations.html

Week 3-Digital Tool 7 Learning Management Systems (LMS)

Learning Management Systems

Proprietary Learning Management Systems
This type of LMS is mentioned in the study notes as expensive and when you take a look through the course like to Blackbaord it quickly becomes apparent that this is the case.  They have great backup systems and their information is well documented.  The individualisation of the system for each individual client through management teams would be an expense that most small organisations and state funded institutions would either not be able to afford or would consume an already limited amount of their budget.  Not to mention its impact, or lack of for people that are limited in technological skills or the time and money to develop these skills.  What about families that have no computer or mobile phone, families living in poverty?  How does this system work for them?  Will it be damaging to their children's education and will their financial situation lead to their children being bullied at school.  To me it reads as a fantastic technology but at a financial cost that not all can afford.

Open Source Learning Management Systems
Open Source LMS's are a much less expensive than Proprietary LMS's with greater accessibility to information and for people across a  vast cross-section of society.  The downside though needs serious consideration as these systems generally aren't afforded backup support and documentation can be poor.

In today's technologically advancing work we must be able to offer current information at rapid speed to not only have success with providing students the education they must have to succeed and develop in today's world but also prepare them for our world of the future, and for this we need viable information to be available when needed, 24 hours a day.  I guess, like everything else in education, it all comes back to finance.  If you can afford the best LMS,s then by all means utilise them to promote current and productive technological learning but if you can't then isn't it better to work with the inferior Open Source LMS's than none at all?



Image Courtesy of servitokss.com



Week 3- Really Simple Syndication (RSS)

As this course progress, I am suddenly starting to realise just how computer technology can impact upon not only us as teachers but also our students through the successful application of these technologies! RSS is a great example of one of these technologies.  In today's society both students and teachers seem to have so much to do and any way that can help us keep abreast of updated information quickly has to be utilised to its fullest extent.   If we are looking at bringing education into the technological age then systems such as RSS will allow both teachers and students an efficient method of being current.  It may seem a simple concept but it is fantastic and such a time saver, which is great for those of us that are technologically challenged and find ourselves behind the eight ball.


Image courtesy of yingster.net



Week 3- Digital Tool 6 Prezi

I found the Prezi tool was a very different way of providing information technologically.  The concept seems simple and allows for self paced interaction which caters for students as individuals.  It also promotes learning through a playful interaction between written and other visual mediums.  I found it also provides ideas to be accessible to students who may need further understanding without weighing them down with a lot of pointless reading.  My one concern was the lack of vocal applications in the Prezi's, is it possible?  I know as a learner if both my visual and audio senses are engaged I tend to retain more information.  I have attached a link to a Prezi that was created by Maria Andersen in regards to learning through play that I found interesting, if a little to long, which can be another negative to this tool.
http://prezi.com/rj_b-gw3u8xl/playing-to-learn/

Week 2: Static Website Reflection

Reflection

I am really starting to enjoy working on my blog.  I am finding extra time to "play" with the technologies and now find that my confidence is starting to build slowly.  For the first two lessons I filt like I was trying to learn a foreign language at a University level.  Lack of confidence can be a huge barrier.

I enjoy working on my blog and using Bubbl to creating concept maps, however I am not so keen when working with Wiki or Webbly.  It may just be that because of my lack of technical understanding I am only able to full master and see the benefit of one new concept at a time.

I am finding the amount of creativity affordable to the construction of these technologies limited and an not sure if it is due to my limited technological experiences.  I enjoy being creative and using lots of colours, especially when creating interactive information for children and have found the colours and types of fonts available no have no real variety.

Uses For Blogging

• Communication between school and home environments
• Encourage self and peer assessment and evaluation
• promotes the used of a variety of technologies to achieve one outcome

Benefits For Using Blogging

•  I can see the application of website learning in classroom situation as a benefit for country schools and school with limited budgets to allow for virtual field trips
• It would promote communication between different school not only in Australia but world wide through things such as collaborative presentations.
• Homework could be set on the web to not only limit the amount of books children had to lug around but also to encourage technological learning through a concept that most modern children enjoy.
• For hands on learners the application I feel would be massively beneficial by promoting learning through doing.



Curtesy of: shootingtroublecomputers.com



Week 2: Engagement Theory- The Big6

The Big6

Todays world is overrun with information.  It is imperative that we learn to distinguish what is the important information and how to remember it, however, what is significant for us to know?  How do we find what we need to know, were do we look for it when we need it and how will we need to use it when we find it.  Mike Eisenbeery and Bob Berkowitz created the Big6 process model to provide us with a system that will enable us to locate, assess, and implement the information that we need when we need it.  The Big6 is a simple process of information problem solving that can be understood and implemented by people of all ages.

From the title we can see that the Big6 consists of six simple stages, incorporating 2 steps to help us reach each stage.  I find it a fantastic tool that is simple to understand and apply and find it great that it isn't age defined.

I found these displays that I have posted in this blog on the Big6 website, (address can be found in my reference list below).  Aren't they fantastic!  Imagine their value when coloured and placed in a classroom of students learning how to learn.

References

Big6 Skills Overview.  Retrieved from

http://www.big6.com/2005/03/23/free-big6%e2%84%a2-items-for-you-to-share/

 



Week 2- Learning Theory Blooms Taxonomy







 

Put simply Blooms Taxonomy is our skills for think to promote learning in order from most simplest to most complex.  Bloom gives us a guide for thinking in step-by-step format.  However, we need to have understanding of each concept and the skills for its implementation before it can be of any use to us other wise it would be like giving a book to someone who is illiterate, pointless.

 

By looking at the digital map of Bloos Taxonomy below we can gain a greater understanding of how each element can be connected to our thought process.

 

Curtesy of http://www.techlearning.com/printablearticle/8670

 

Blooms taxonomy can be classified in 3 disiplines;

• Cognative-knowledge
• Affective-feelings
• Psychomotor-doing (never published)

The mind map below demonstrates the levels of each catagory of Blooms Taxonomy.

 

Attached is a link to a website that I found intersting.  It contains sample questions and potential activites that may give further understanding of the concept behind Blooms Taxonomy.

http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/researchskills/dalton.htm

 

 

References:

Tech & Learning

http://www.techlearning.com/printablearticle/8670

Applying Blooms Taxonomy

http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/researchskills/dalton.htm

Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives

http://www.tedi.uq.edu.au/downloads/bloom.pdf

Curtesy of: pediatricinc.wordpress.com





Week 2- Wiki and Weebly links



Image curtesy of http://free-gorgeous-flowers-screensaver.smartcode.com/images/sshots/free_gorgeous_flowers_screensaver_28945.jpeg

 In this weeks activities I have created a Wiki.  Please find the link below: http://samarapatterson.wikispaces.com/

In this weeks activities I have also created a Weebly.  Please find the link below:
http://www.weebly.com/weebly/main.php

Week 1-Digital Tool 2 Concept Maps

My Concept Map of Week 1Topics

 

The illustration below shows areas that could incorperate mind maps.  They could also be benificial for planning classes, organising portfolios and recording childrens learning levels.

Curtesy of: parkin09.wikis.birmingham.k12.mi.us

Week 1-Digital Tool1 Blogs

If you would have asked me last week what a blog was I would have looked at you with a blank expression and shrugged my shoulders before sneaking off to hid.  Over the last few day working with E-learning I have gained an appreciation of just how important Blogging can be as both an educational tool and a form of social interaction.  It has shown me that I am not the only technological deprived person on the planet and given me the courage and determination to explore learning and teaching with the use of technological aids, ensuring I become a productive Learning Manager.

Image courtesy of comments5.com

Educationally Blogging has a myriad of uses for teacher, parent and students and is a useful tool in thrusting not only teachers but also student and parents forward into the ever developing work of technology. Blogging encourage self evaluation and reassessment of ideas, professionalism in writing through accuracy and authenticity, expanding of knowledge,  and the desire to acquire and share in the diversity of human knowledge and inquisitively.  It's uses are endless while the speed and availability of Blogging to all age groups, professions, social, religious and cultural classes affords it diversity that has until now been unavailable.  In an ever changing technological society Blogging is a tool that lends itself practically to allow interaction not only with great speed but also across continents
to those of us who seek information for self learning and growth.

My First Blog

Image courtesy of myspace.com

This is my first blog for eLearning.