Assessment 1 week 5- Digital tools review- Powerpoint, Prezi and Glogster

Digital tools review- Powerpoint, Prezi and Glogster

Yesterday I attended a seminar on how students learn best, it was presented by Iian Hodge a teacher from Maryborogh. He had a wonderful pedagogical outlook that I embraced and will add to my classroom strategies. He stated that all activities should include experience and language. This style is similar to the beliefs of Uni, including the procedural and the declarative knowledge as a basis for all experiences for students. I thought about his beliefs as I wrote the SWOT analysis of each tool and I firmly believe that by creating a classroom that is safe and non threatening we are encouraging children to move from the flight, fight and freeze, to the emotional and then to the learning section of their brain. As future teachers it is our role to engage students in a fun and exciting way to build upon their knowledge and learn new information.

I see the pattern of moving up the ladder as we move from week to week. To me it is the SAMR model that we have been following every week in our reviews.

The theory behind this weeks review, I feel is a combination again, but a focus for me is the connectivism theory. It links well to the belief that literacy is critical when planning for these tools, as written text is required and reading directions is helpful to any weblink. The students can work on connecting specialised information to a wide variety of people.

I have had experience using Powerpoint and Prezi, but Glogster is something I have not used before. I have decided to investigate Prezi further for my weekly review, as this is something I need more experience with.

Powerpoint

Powerpoint is a tool many families have experienced. The deigns and media extensions are endless. It is a very good tool to begin with for students to have as it supports the topic they are discussing though, video, voice recording, weblinks, images and text.

I have created power points previously for assessment and decided to add some extensions to one for example, voice recordings and left one at the beginner stage of text and images. Please see the wiki below to view my examples.

http://managingelearningjodyrichter.wikispaces.com/Assessment+1+week+5-++Digital+tools+review-+Powerpoint%2C+Prezi+and+Glogster+examples


SWOT analysis (Powerpoint)

Strengths- What actions does it do well?

• Sharing images, text and websites.
• Learn how to add images 
• Learn how to up load evidence onto a blog.
• Free
• Privacy settings are not an issue
• Can be safely stored on computer/ USB
• Lots of features
• More people are familiar with powerpoint
• Can print off handout notes in different formats

Weaknesses- What could improve?

• If people just rely on reading the text it becomes boring
• Most people only use a small amount of its features
• Teachers to teach students about the features to extend their knowledge and skills

Opportunities- What real opportunities are present in our contemporary society?

• Share images with fellow classmates, could be used to prompt students to speak in front of groups.
• Students will achieve using this program, beginning to upload just photos without text.

Threats- What are the negative tendencies or obstacles?

• The only threat I can see is if students upload onto the web for example personal images onto Utube or Vimeo.                                                                                     Google images

Prezi                                                                                                       

To me prezi has similar technological tools to the powerpoint but is more creative in its abilities and would be used as the next stepping stone to the powerpoint. Having had more time I would have loved to explored the tool. I will use prezi for future assessments and in class tasks with students.
                                                                                                   

Please view my first prezi, I enjoyed exploring the prezi presentation on how to create your own prezi.   (Heather I emailed you a share link on Tuesday 26/11/13)

http://prezi.com/oyt6ttydwn7a/my-first-prezi-experience/

http://prezi.com/oyt6ttydwn7a/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

SWOT analysis (Prezi)

Strengths- What actions does it do well?

• Sharing images, text, movies, voice.
• Invite teachers or family to view the prezi online
• Access from any device
• Multiple people can edit
• Free

Weaknesses- What could improve?

• Can make people feel disorientated, due tot the movement of the new slides
• Needs internet to view
• Could get a little boring if all students used the same same

Opportunities- What real opportunities are present in our contemporary society?

• Share images with fellow classmates, could be used to prompt students to speak in front of groups.
• Students will achieve using this program, beginning to upload just photos without text.
• If embedding images into a blog, students may feel confident to comment in this situation.

Threats- What are the negative tendencies or obstacles?

• The only threat I can see is that it doesn't offer privacy unless the school or family updates to the next level the free component is public view.

I have added a weblink to a slideshare of powerpoint verses Prezi to visually show the different tools for both.

http://www.slideshare.net/KreativTeaching/prezi-vs-ppt

SAMR model for prezi's in the classroom

SAMR Model	How can it be used in the classroom
Redefinition- Technology allows for the creation of new tasks, previously inconceivable. Students at this transformative level and are exploring 3D and 2D forms of technology to reach a wide audience, using ICT activities such as podcasting,multimedia presentations,animating, storytelling, TV or radio events, the possibilities are endless. Students creating movies will need to present their movie to a high level making use of the editing resources on the chosesn site for example, iMovie, movie makers etc I have just read the the eSchools news for this week and they mentioned the connected classrooms. Skpe in the classroom is networking schools all over the world, sharing lessons, collaborating around topics, virtual excursions and accessing guest speakers.	iMovie, voice thread, Garageband and interview assistant to name a few. These would assist the students develop the following skills, transformation, design, originating new ideas and skills. http://www.youtube.com/videos http://www.wondershare.net/ad/video-editor-win/?gclid=CPG5ifq0-bkCFcJopAodri0Auw https://vimeo.com http://connectedclassrooms.withgoogle.com Students could create their own virtual movies and share with students all over the world.
Modification- Technology allows for significant task redesign. Visualisation tools are required at this level including looking at the frequent words using video's to modify or redesign different ways to view. There are many designs and experience levels to choose from, allowing students to challenge themselves if developmentally appropriate.	Students using digital devices to design and to record their movie, this could include, iPads, iPods, digital cameras, video recorders and phones. The students will analyse which digital device would be the best, thinking about the weather, time of day.
Augmentation- Technology acts as a direct tool substitute with functional improvement. This is the lower level of the SAMR model which prepares the student to think at a higher level.	Quick voice, google docs and Explain everything would be a fantastic selection of apps to begin the students transformation. Explain everything app: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b00ZeszvjP4 The students would gain the ability to understand how a movie is made and what web links they may need to begin creating their movie.

Substitution- Technology acts as a direct substitute with no                              functional improvement. This is the enhancement level similar to exploring information                                                                                    through library                                                                                                                                                                                          books.

Notebooks, videos, links to websites, using google search, iThoughts, Blogs. Students can attach links for various media and discuss during their presentation. Students will gain knowledge and skills in the following areas: describing, summarising, retrieving,explaining, locating, and interpreting what they have found. https://www.google.com.au http://www.ithoughts.co.uk/Start/ Welcome.html

The potential drawbacks to using digital devices to create prezi's that are free and uploaded to the world wide web is the legal and ethical guidelines. Teachers would need to ensure privacy rules are utilised by all students and that they understand the importance of only placing movies and images that do not contain students faces, the safety aspects and reasons why will need to be enforced. We also have a responsibility to ensure students understand the copyright laws and teach this to the students from a young age.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                              Google images

Glogster

 This tool is one that I didn't particularly enjoy, I found it frustrating. I felt students would need to have skills and knowledge of both powerpoint and prezi and then move onto glogster.
I completed a very basic glogster for you to view. I much prefer powerpoint or prezi.

http://jodyrichter.edu.glogster.com/shapes                                                       

SWOT analysis (Glogster)

Strengths- What actions does it do well?

• Sharing images
• Uploading videos
• Text
• Free
• Share class projects, portfolios, presentations and messages.
• Easy to add web links.

Weaknesses- What could improve?

• If students did access at home they may not use the privacy settings and this could become an issue if they put up personal photos without privacy.
• It was slow to upload and preview.
• It was frustrating for a beginner, like me.

Opportunities- What real opportunities are present in our contemporary society?

• Share images with fellow classmates, could be used to prompt students to speak in front of groups.
• Students will achieve using this program, beginning to upload just photos without text.
• If embedding images into a blog, students may feel confident to comment in this situation.

Threats- What are the negative tendencies or obstacles?

• The only threat I can see is that it is uploaded automatically to the public and this could be unsafe if adding images or videos of students.