Engagement activity- Week 3 Static website review

Static website reviewT

I have learnt that static Web defines a web page with fixed content, this style of learning is know as "what you see is what you get" (WYSIWYG). All viewers view the same content each time the page is opened, the only way the content can be changed is if the developer updates the information. Static websites is a one way communication style, lecture style, with all the control based on the teachers decision of what they want the students to learn and explore.

Flicker

The goal of this website is to allow people to share their photos using a privacy setting or share it with the world, using blogs to share where the location was, what they did and to gain peoples feedback, even asking if they want to see more images from their holiday.

The program is free, providing 1 terabyte which allows you to store up to 5000,000 photos. The beauty of this program is you only need to upload once and can share your photos to any device, with anyone and at any time. 

SWOT analysis

Strengths- What actions does it do well?

• Sharing images could be done using the privacy setting for the class only.
• Can be set to privacy setting for safety of students.
• Students can comment on the blog and links can be made to our classroom blog.

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.
• Unable to upload clips, sound to photos unlike powerpoint.

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 using the 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 if students do not have the privacy component saved and upload images onto the web.

Blogs

Blogs are an extremely useful tool when observing students involvement in a project. Students who struggle with the confidence to speak up during class discussions may prefer to write their thoughts instead of using verbal communication. I know this would have been a useful tool for me as a child.

Blogs have many uses allowing teachers a little control by adding links to the site for students to explore. Students can upload images, videos, links, vokis, popplets the tools to explore are endless.

A useful blog for understanding the difference between static websites and blogs, similar to the SWOT analysis.

http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/09/14/blogs-vs-static-websites/

                                                                              and

                                      http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/09/14/blogs-vs-static-websites/

Weebly

I have gained previous experience with creating a weebly website for teachers to use in a classroom environment (see below). The links that are available for teachers is an introduction, what is number and algebra, how it links with the curriculum, web maps to demonstrate a visual link (mind map), caters for all year levels, potential challenges and strategies, diagnostic assessment ideas, and web links to resources for students.

http://scaffoldingnumberandalgebra.weebly.com

SWOT analysis of a "Weebly"

Strengths- What actions does it do well?

• Offers training/ lecture style information in a easy to access topic based links to view up to date information that allows teachers or students to focus on the same information similar to a library book in the lower level of the SAMR model. 
• The resources on the scaffolding number and algebra weebly that I created did allow for further resources to be accessed by teachers/ students.
• Lots of media can be added.

Weaknesses- What could improve?

• In my experience it was slow and frustrating to line up the rows of wards when typing.
• Columns were difficult to add, and adjust the width.
• When more then one person in the group trying to work on things at the same time, the program didn't cope well, this was probably due to my inexperience.

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

• Allowing students to view the weebly from home, school and in the community.
• Easy for students to navigate and create their own.

Threats- What are the negative tendencies or obstacles?

• The only negatives that I can see is the inability for students to be able to add their thoughts and ideas.

Slideshare

Is similare to a powerpoint, individuals own the editing rights and upload their research topics or photos themselves. You can choose to follow peoples interests/ uploads. This is not a program that I would use a lot but could prove to be a good sharing tool with other teachers/ studnets. I have added a link to view a slidedshare on how to begin using "weebly", this is a step by step show of how to start.

http://www.slideshare.net/joeyweaver/creating-a-website-in-weebly?from_search=1

SWOT analysis on the slideshare web

Strengths- What actions does it do well?

• Clear images of the topic.
• Able to add text to the document.
• Can share to other sites.
• Can embed the URL within other web sites such as wiki, weekly etc.

Weaknesses- What could improve?

• The shareslides I explored did not have links embedded within them to take you to other sites.
• I would probably use a powerpoint or prezi instead for this reason.

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

• This would be a good starting point for students to create their own design.

Threats- What are the negative tendencies or obstacles?

• There did not seem to be any really threats, but the privacy settings may need to be set on private as people can follow you on this particular site which could pose as an issue for schools.

Assessment task 1 -Week 3- Analyses of technical aspects of using wiki's in the classroom

Overview of technical aspects of using wiki's in the classroom

Wikis in the classroom is a growing trend that allows students to continue to explore the subject they are learning in the comfort of their own home. The availability also means that parents can check on any assessments or areas their child may be needing assistance in.

I have learnt that wiki's are a 2.0 web tool, that is owned by the individual group of people working collaboratively together to publish and share a network, download, upload and add content. The social constructivism learning theory is evident (Vygotsky, 1962) as student learn to share their ideas.

The learning outcomes that they can support in the classroom and prepare students for the digital world that we live in. They allow students to work collaboratively on a single project as each person has editing rights which allows for personal input while at home, school and in the community. The curriculum content can be covered in many forms and this would be a wonderful tool to help collect the evidence required to demonstrate students skills and knowledge of any given topic.

The activities that a wiki supports is extremely vast, students can add blog links that encourage students to add their thoughts and ideas, can be directed to poppets, wordle, iMovie, youTube the possibilities are endless. They also offer opportunities for reading, writing and editing, improving on peer interaction skills while accommodating many learning styles and abilities.

I have really enjoyed exploring all that a wiki has to offer the teachers of the 21st century and I cant wait to involve students and develop their skills and knowledge.

I have created a wiki, designed to assist teachers in gaining the skills and knowledge to understand the SAMR model and the different levels it offers to develop students ICT for the 21st Century.
The wiki provides a variety of websites and apps that will allow students to explore at school, home and in the wider community.

SAMR framework and how it links to a wiki- description and strategies

http://managingelearningjodyrichter.wikispaces.com/SAMR+model-+examples+of+how+a+wiki+can+be+used+in+the+classroom

Please explore the wiki and feel free to add any of your own ideas. I have provided examples of my learning through different forms of media within my blogs such as:

• Mind map- Three frameworks and how they link.
• Bubbl.us- What is pedagogy?
• Popplet- Engagement activity 4
• Voki- Engagement activity 3

The internet offers our contemporary students with educational resources, but can also place them at risk. Before allowing students to explore the internet i would firstly explain the dangers according to their developmental needs. There are many brilliant resources with interactive programs that can explain the dangers in a child friendly manner  and resources for teachers and parents such as:

• Stranger danger  http://www.fbi.gov/fun-games/kids/kids-safety
• Net safe http://www.nap.edu/netsafekids/

It is our role as teachers to protect children from harm and educate the students and their families by providing web links in newsletters and offer inservice training for teachers and parents when required.

There is so many opportunities for students to explore and providing them with safe websites should be our number one priority.

Assessment task 1- Week 2 Analysis of mobile phones in the classroom

De Bono's hats

Assessment task 1- Analysis of digital technologies

To begin with I will let you know that I normally focus on positives and creative means of teaching, so I have chosen the black and blue hat to challenge myself and think about things differently.

Personally I felt this experience was designed to encourage me to become more productive, focused and involved in the thinking process, using higher order thinking. The Technological  Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) would be a tool that I would use to further develop teachers thinking and move forward into the 21st century. This tool would be a valuable asset to any classroom, opening up the student and teachers minds to redirect or focus their thoughts to new learning opportunities through:

• productive collaborative discussions to encourage and engage learners to reach their full potential. 
• may reduce conflict.
• stimulate innovation by generating new ideas.

When I worked through this experiences reflecting how I felt using the different coloured hats, I realised my thoughts changed dramatically without me realising. This tool provides a positive outlook exploring what I liked and what I felt would and wouldn't work in the contemporary society we live in.

According to the Melbourne Declaration on the Educational Goals for Young Australians (MDEEYTA, 2008), in our contemporary society it is our role as teachers to provide the knowledge and skills to gain confidence and have the ability to utilise the ICT in the classroom, home and in the community. 

To begin this learning journey through the De Bono's hats experience, I was a little uncertain and cautious (black hat) in my thoughts, feeling that mobile phones were not necessary, but after further research and viewing the youTube clip below and reviewing my journey using  De Bono's hats, my feelings have changed. During the questioning activity I reflected on what it might mean for teachers to introduce mobile phones into the curriculum experiences. With training I feel it would be a positive experience. I am sure if I didn't have the reflective questions to awaken my thoughts around the technological possibilities that could be introduced, I may have remained cynical of the 21st century needs of our contemporary students.

Please watch this clip to understand why I feel the way I do about mobile phones in the classroom.

                                       http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXt_de2-HB

The valuable scaffolding process (blue hat) of where we are now in our current contemporary world and moving towards including the mobile phones in our classroom planning. This experience would be a useful strategy to implement during team meetings to bring together different teaching outcomes for students and teachers of different abilities. It would also highlight the possibilities of what we can provide for students and needs of individual teachers who may require training to be able to cater for this style of teaching.

The following youTube clip demonstrates the use of "poll everywhere"  which  engages the students to participate during a time in their lives where verbal interactions are sometimes challenging for teenagers. This strategy would be beneficial in the secondary schools program allowing students to text answers that are displayed on a interactive white board and would be a fantastic asset to any classroom engaging students to learn in a way the enjoy.

                                             http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT3aZ5Ph8e8

As I mentioned in previous blogs, discovering how learners learn best is the foundation of any lessons, scaffolding their learning to be the citizens of the future, working with others, finding different ways of doing things, your strengths and weaknesses, thinking about new directions, questioning others decisions and changing your way of thinking, finding the links between new information, finding whats right and wrong, discussing feelings and what else you need to know about the topic to truly understand.

There is no simple answer when deciding which learning theory to use when teaching students of the 21st century. The constructivism theory is the component behind online learning in classrooms and can excite our students into learning, extending on their prior knowledge and encouraging higher order thinking. According to Vygotsky (1962), social interaction plays a large role in students learning, allowing students to move past what they already know and allow new ideas or thinking to construct new knowledge. This experience using the De Bonon's hats would encourage students to view others comments and think about things differently.This strategy would also assist students in thinking at a higher level and how their thoughts may change when a question is asked differently.The use of wiki's in the classroom is a level 2.0 design which is owned by the group, information can be changed and video's, text, images, audio, animations and polls can be added to encourage Information Communication Technology (ICT) strategies for student who have experience and can demonstrate this skill to their peers and open up new ideas for the classroom.  This experience is connecting our classroom to the world wide web, depending on the students technological experience, they may include links to blogs, videos, images to explain their points of view. As stated by Siemens (2005) connectivism identifies the networked nature of learning, connecting our students to a wide range of information to extend their knowledge and skills.

Three frameworks/ taxonomies- TPACK, Blooms taxonomy and the SAMR model

                       Three frameworks and how they link

I believe the three frameworks/ taxonomies work really well together. If teachers begin by using the Technological Pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) method to introduce themselves to the technological possibilities for the unit of work to gain a strong understanding of the content and how it will link to the curriculum requirements and then move to the Blooms Technology and the Substitution, Augmentation, Modification and Redefinition (SAMR) model to deliver the content to assist students in higher order thinking skills, we can provide students with endless possibilities for their future.

                                           Mind map of links between the theory models

file:///Users/mjrichter11/Downloads/Theory-mind-map_2q0qwdl6.htm

                         Individual summaries of models

• Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK)

Teachers of contemporary students must have technical skills, know content and how to deliver content effectively and in an interesting manner to transform the students learning.          

The three elements of the TPACK must be understood to be implemented in a successful manner, this id the foundation for teachers to learn about technological understanding before they begin a unit of work..

Pedagogical content knowledge- Understanding the content knowledge

               

• Substitution, Augmentation, Modification and Redefinition (SAMR) has two levels:

Enhancement and Transformative, enhancement is the lower level introductory level and where most teachers begin when understanding technology integration and transformative is the higher order thinking.

Enhancement:

Substitution- notebooks, video's, links to websites is similar to using a  library.

Augmentation- Introduces flicker, blogs beginning to add questions and comments.

Transformative:

Modification- Visualisation tools, wordless, many eyes ( look for frequent words), redesign of videos and viewing different peoples ideas.

Redefinition- Use of programs such as upstage, xtranormal (2D), Alice (3D), or 2nd life, to view things differently.

It is important to understand the three levels of technological integration to ease students into the technology programs.

This program is similar to Blooms taxonomy, starting at the lower end and moving to the higher order thinking using a variety of strategies to maintain student involvement. They both include hands on learning and ensuring the three types of learning are included using cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills.

Blooms Taxonomy- Technology ideas for each level:

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&docid=KpgCW-5h3WMawM&tbnid=mhTgTvI_fSr0TM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fzaidlearn.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F10%2Fa-juicy-collection-of-blooms-digital.html&ei=J-FhUuGKLIG-kAX8l4GwBw&bvm=bv.54934254,d.dGI&psig=AFQjCNG7TG2aWVjRJ2IHkHFCS8sv_isfCA&ust=1382232737653542

A blog to explain the SAMR model and strategies to use to assist students learning.

http://allanahk.edublogs.org/2013/09/07/how-i-see-the-samr-model/

Explain everything and everything app

http://www.morriscooke.com

Engagement activity 5- What is Pedagogy?

What is pedagogy?

Making the connections between students individual learning styles and designing learning that is interesting and caters for cultural values and beliefs, is of utmost importance when 
planning units of work.

Today I experienced 'Bubbl.us and wordle" to assist my learning in gaining the ability to unpack the question of what is pedagogy".

To facilitate deep understanding, students of the 21st century require approaches that cater for their interests and includes technology. Students need to be part of their learning journey, to take control and ownership of their individual needs.

As a future teacher, I will have the responsibility of getting to know my students on an individual basis and assessing their needs and including these in planning. Planning for higher order thinking, by engaging them in experiences that not only link to the curriculum but also cater for their interests and cultural requirements while connecting with the wider community.


"Bubbl.us" of teacher and students roles in creating a classroom that designs learning around the studnets needs.

A wordle of "what is pedagogy"
http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/7185172/Pedagogy

Engagement activity 4- Reflect on ideas presented about Learning Theory and my first week of managing e- Learning.

Learning theory reflection

I believe understanding how learners learn best is the foundation of any lessons. I have learnt that students learn through practice and reinforcement. They should be led through a series of instructions that clearly meet the desired outcome. Strategies should meet these requirements and include digital resources. I have used an example of "popplet" to demonstrate how I would use this form of technology to engage learners.

As mentioned in my first blog, using the students senses is regarded as important to ensure the information is transferred into the memory using concept mapping to scaffold students ideas. Learning should be planned as a social experience and include the whole community. Interactions can extend the students prior knowledge. The use of wiki's or discussion blogs can support students learning.

There is no simple answer when deciding which learning theory to use when teaching students of the 21st century. The constructivism theory is the component behind online learning in classrooms and can excite our students into learning, extending on their prior knowledge and encouraging higher order thinking.

As a future teacher it will be my role to offer many connections through technology to strengthen the connections with others, strategies include posting URL's, encouraging students to write blogs and comment on others learning and creating virtual texts books, to build networks, invent resources and encourage students to navigate their future.

An example of a "popplet" used for a prep program to discover all the different pets our classroom friends have at home.

http://popplet.com/app/#/1339982

Engagement activity 3- How the brain works best- Implications and benefits in the classroom

Hi, my name is Jody Richter. I am studying my Bachelor of Learning Management, Early Childhood.  It is my goal to become a teacher who has the ability to excite students to learn in an environment that is stimulating, creative, interesting and caters for individual learning styles (embedding the "voki" took me over an hour, googled how to on youtube and yay it worked).

This presentation reminded me of my last assessment for SOSE, using the "tune" in strategy to gain student's interest at the beginning of a lesson. This form of teaching is an ideal scenario for the contemporary students in our society. Understanding how the brain works is an extremely important factor to consider when planning for lessons. According to Dr Judy Willis igniting student's interest using all the senses is the beginning of moving past the reticular activating system (RAS) allowing the information to move into the thinking brain.

Behaviour issues occur when students become bored. There are several strategies teachers can implement to provide environments that benefit the classroom, such as:

• Know your learners- "Kid watching", Take observations that you can use in lessons, for example using the students name and an observation in a scenario. This strategy would provoke the student's interest and encourage learning.
• Use the senses to engage them, ask open-ended questions about the item they are exploring. Ask the students to come up with ideas about what they might be learning about.
• Here, me and know strategy, understand the students individual interests and learning styles, this will help keep the students interested in the topic.
• Use non threatening facial expressions, this prepares the students for learning that is relaxed and stress free.
• Use small white boards for students to confidently share their responses to group questions without the threat of feeling embarrassed about being wrong. This strategy also allows the Teacher to gain an understanding of the students individual understanding of the topic.
• Ball toss review- through the ball to different students and ask a review question about the topic.

The implications to current teaching methods would be time management. The curriculum requires a lot of information to shared with students in a short time frame. Using these techniques would be ideal, student's and Teachers would benefit from individualised strategies, but time is a huge factor. The Prep room that I have volunteered in, the Teacher is trying to encourage creativity, but the use of C2C and worksheet activities sometimes is overwhelming for the student's causing the Flight, Flight, Freeze, which can form misdiagnosis for student's.  Classroom stress can be a problem, as the content of the curriculum can be very structured and creativity is often not encouraged. It is my goal as a future teacher to continue to create stress free environments that excite students to learn.