Digital Video in the Classroom

This week I read “ What the Research says about Digital Video in Teaching and Learning”. This article was very helpful for a pre service teacher as it highlighted the benefits for students and teachers of incorporating the use of  digital video in the classroom. Some of the benefits for students include: can increase student motivation and enjoyment, film-making encourages expression and creativity and making and showing DV films gives students a sense of achievement.  Some of the benefits for teachers include: DV work motivates students and keeps them on task, DV production allows for differentiation of teaching and learning and teachers can re-use DV clips and re-edit them according to the needs of their different classes. I have to admit I have many memories of using video in the classroom when I was in primary school. E.g. filming activities and excursions but prior to reading this article I have never given much thought about how and if I would ever incorporate digital video into my future classroom. But after learning about digital storytelling in class on Monday and then reading this article and discovering the many advantages for both the students and the teacher, I definitely plan to  incorporate digital video into my future classroom.

Image source: Wong, N. ( 2007). JVC GZ-HD7AH [photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/14029705@N00/1035508924

Supporting Children with Special Needs

This week I read a blog post by my professional experience tutor Matthew Kearney. Matthew posted a fascinating post about how the latest developments in assistive technologies are giving children with disabilities such as autism a way to communicate. Along with the post was a wonderful video, which shows how these technologies are giving these children a voice. You can read Mathews post and watch the video here. The video showcases how Apples latest developments- the Ipod touch and Ipad are being used with specialized apps to give children with autism possibilities to communicate. This is being achieved through the use of pictures apps on their ipod touch and ipad. For example the child can communicate that they would like something to eat through clicking on a picture of food on their ipad or ipod touch.

I found this video really interesting and heart warming that the advances in technology are giving children with disabilities a voice that they have never had before. These tools would be fantastic in the classroom, if there was to be a child with special needs such as autism. These technologies would allow the child to communicate with the teacher and their peers as these developments can overcome the limitations that children with autism suffer from including difficulties in social interaction and impaired communication.

Image Source: Shields, L. (2010) iPad Dream # 3 [photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/50064005@N00/5066006163

E-learning 2.0 ( Podcast)

This week, i read the article E-learning 2.0: How Web Technologies are Shaping Education. I found this article very interesting and incredibly relevant to our Professional Experience course. This week I decided to change things up a bit instead of just writing so i have created a podcast to reflect on my thoughts of the reading.  You can find my podcast here. I hope you enjoy :)

Image source: Adesigna, A. (2008) #271 eLearning [photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/35723892@N00/2946164861

Tweet, Tweet. Twitter and its role in the classroom.

Today in Professional Experience class we were introduced to the social networking site Twitter. As I sat in class, listening to what twitter is and how it is used, I started thinking about the potential ways twitter could be used in the classroom. I came up with a few ideas on my own and then decided to search the net for some more. Whilst researching I found a great website which lists 31 ways twitter can be used in the classroom. You can find that website here.

So here is a list of ideas that I have compiled with the help of the above source on the different ways twitter can be used in the classroom.

*Create a Tweet-story. Each student of the class, must use the 140 character word limit to write part of a story, the next student continues on and then on.

*Set up a private Twitter account for your class. Invite parents to 'follow' you, and they can see what the class are up to from any computer.

*Find someone in another class, school, country who is interested in the same topic you are. Following each other on Twitter, share information, resources and ideas. Help each other find answers or even suggest questions
*Create a scavenger hunt- Firstly set the students a topic e.g. China and then each child must find a piece of information to fit into a 140-character tweet about the topic.
*Create a twitter account for a historical figure e.g. Captain Cook which each child could have to tweet one interesting fact about them.

Image Source: SigmaMarketing. (2010) Twitter Bird [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/48276902@N06/4900694109/

ANYONE can Podcast!!

This week, during my professional experience class I learnt all about podcasting. This is my very first experience with podcasting and I must admit I have never known what podcasting meant and what podcasting actually was. In case you are as podcasting deficient as I WAS, here is a basic outline of what podcasting is.

Podcasting in my own words is when you record your voice using the computers microphone and audio editing software e.g. (Mac has a fantastic program called garage band, which allows you to make podcasts) which you can then listen to on demand and upload to all different places. E.g. the Internet or any type of MP3 player. Here is a podcast that i have uploaded onto the net, to demonstrate that i have learnt how to make a podcast :)

After learning, first what podcasts where and after successfully making my own in class (who knew it would be so easy?) I started to do some research using the net about podcasting. Through my research I found a number of different ways podcasting could be used in schools. So with the help of the following source, I created a dot point round up of how podcasting could be used in schools.

* Recording what children have learnt during a lesson, which they can then playback on their computer or ipod when they are unsure or have forgotten what they have learnt.

*Students could practice their reading skills. E.g they could record themselves reading books and then play them back on the computer or ipod.

* Students could record the school news and then upload it to the school website which is a great way of telling children, and parents what is going on at the school.

Image Source: Zoomar, (2008) Roscoe Considers Recording a Podcast [photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/61456874@N00/2265202595

What is Meaningful Learning?

Meaningful Learning

This week, I read What is Meaningful Learning? By Jonassen, D., et al. This article was about how teaching in schools at this present moment inhibits students learning as the learning process is not meaningful to the child. It also focuses on how technology can be used to make the learning process more meaningful.
Basic points of the reading

*Learning is driven by the understanding and effort invested in completing a task or activity.

*Due to curriculum, students only learn to take tests.  As a result students become fully invested in passing that they make no attempt to understand the knowledge being tested.

*Because of this process of single standardised form of testing, children are not able to show how they know things in multiple ways and thus there is no meaningful learning.

*For learning to be meaningful students must be willfully engaged in the task. In order for meaningful learning to occur the tasks that students pursue should engage active, constructive, intentional, authentic and co-operative activities.

The 5 characteristics of learning

Constructive: learning through questioning what you are learning. When one is curious or puzzled by what they see, meaning is made through reflection of ones confusion.

Active learning: learning through process, trial and error, observation. The learner is actively engaged in the learning process. E.g. learning to hit a baseball through trial and error.

Intentional: Learning in order to fulfill a goal. E.g. learning in order to satisfy a need.

Authentic: Learning in the correct environment. E.g. learning about physics by driving a car instead of reading a textbook.

Co-operative: Learning through working with others and sharing skills.

The role of Technology in Meaningful learning.

*When students are engaged with technology, the student must teach the computer or use the technology to represent what they know in order for learning to be meaningful.

*The process has to be learner initiated and learner controlled.

*The technology must be intellectually engaging to the student.

* Technology as social medium. E.g. working with others.

*Technology can be used to articulate and represent what the learner knows.

Social Networking in Schools

Social Networking in Schools

Last week my fellow peer Melissa Gray wrote an interesting blog post about her thoughts on social networking sites and the advantages and disadvantages of their use in schools. Her reflection was inspired by an article, which appeared in the sun herald, which you can read here:

Melissa made many interesting points about why she believes social networking sites should be taught and permitted in schools. I found that I thoroughly agreed with Melissa on this issue as so I thought I would list some reasons why I believe social networking sites should be allowed in schools. These include:

* They can be incorporated into lessons or provide a fun way for children to play if they have spare time. E.g. Twitter could be used in an English lesson or as a fun extra time activity. An example of one twitter game is writing a story through twitter, where each child has to use the 160-character word limit to write a part of a story, which the next child continues on. This activity would be great for English in story telling and also for a creative writing activity.

* Social networking sites such as twitter could be used to update parents about what is going on in their child’s classroom, or update them whilst children are on excursions and remind them of specific dates coming up e.g. mufti days. So it would be a direct and live link between the classroom and the student’s parents.

* Social networking sites can provide a place for students to help each other with homework or study together before a test. E.g. Year 6 could have a facebook page and all the students could post comments if they were having trouble with their homework and the students could work together to work out the answers.

  

Image Source: Hamm, M. (2008) Jump on the social media bandwagon [photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/73532212@N00/2945559128

Computer as Paintbrush

Computer as Paintbrush: Technology, Play, and the Creative Society by Resnick, M. (2006)

This week I read Computer as Paintbrush: Technology, Play, and the Creative Society by Resnick, M. (2006). I found this reading very interesting so I thought I would write my thoughts on the article and how I would implement Resnick’s ideas into my classroom.

My thoughts on this reading

I really enjoyed this article and I found myself thoroughly agreeing with Resnick on many points. I definitely agree with the idea that a computer can play many different roles than just being a supplier of information. Modern technology and the latest software developments has meant that we can now do many more creative and fun learning experiences with a computer. Through programs such as Garage Band, Photoshop and Paint children can create with the computer instead of just interacting with it and as a result are able to learn more as they are able to use their imaginations and creativity to express themselves.

How could I Implement this as a teacher

As a teacher in the modern world, there are many opportunities to use technology to teach and to allow children to learn. Through this reading I will now be more cautious of just getting children to interact with the computer. E.g. typing or researching. I have now learnt that that it is also important to use programs that would allow children to learn through creating with computer programs. I could do this in the following ways. Firstly for a musical lesson I could get the children to make their own musical scores using garage band, this would enhance their musical skills, listening skills and allow them to express their creativity. I could also get the children to interact with Photoshop for an art lesson. Through this children could learn through interaction with the different mediums how to blend colours, edit photos and blend images, thus using their creativity and artistic expression.

Image Source: Couros, A. (2008) Child Computing [ Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035553780@N01/3118644319

About Me

ABOUT ME

Hi, my name is Eliza. I am 20 years old and live on the Northern Beaches in Sydney Australia. I am currently studying a Bachelor of Primary Education at UTS and have just started my second year.  I never had dreams of becoming a teacher but after studying a Bachelor of Tourism for one year, I decided that I didn’t want to go into business so I thought I would give teaching a go as I a have always loved children. From my first day of prac last year I knew that I had made the right decision and that teaching was the right career path for me. During the week when I am not at uni, I work part-time as a nanny to 4 children. I really enjoy my job as children bring so much fun and laughter to my life. In my spare time I love to go to the gym, swim in the ocean, surf the net, do Pilates, hang out with friends, go to movies and go shopping with my sister. I love to travel and in my future I would love to live in Europe or America and work as a teacher.