E-learning technologies are not just limited to computers. ICT has a vast range of digital devices and over the past few weeks I have learned that there are a numerous e-learning technologies that I could incorporate into my teaching areas of HPE and Junior science. From the group one technologies, I chose to reflect on what I have learned about wikis and how I could incorporate it into HPE and junior science. I used my wiki to illustrate most of the e-learning technologies I investigated. In the group two visual and audio technologies I see images as important in student learning, like Aristotle once said “without images, thinking is impossible” (cited in Stokes n.d). From the group three presentation technologies, I would be most comfortable teaching with interactive power point as I understand how it basically works but there are still the finer details to learn. The group four technologies had some interesting e-learning tools but I benefited from learning how the online concept maps worked and could see how they could be used in all subjects and all topics.
I have learned how to use a number of e-learning technologies, which has given me the chance to think about how I can use them in the classroom in this ever growing digital world. Once I had created my own wikispace http://karenwilkin.wikispaces.com I have used it numerous times to present examples of the other technologies I explored. I chose wikis over websites and blogs as it is a collaborative tool that you can add and upload podcasts, videos, powerpoint presentation and much more. Whereas blogs tend to be individual journals and cannot upload many of the other technologies I used. I found it interesting that it is an editable website which can be restricted. Teachers can limit access so that only members can read or post to them. This is important for privacy and security of your students and teachers. Because of the collaborative nature of wikis, teachers can lock specific sections so others cannot modify them (Wetzel, 2008).
I found wikis very appealing as they are an interactive way to create new pages, post or edit content, add links, videos, images and podcasts, upload files and having its own discussion page which will be helpful when using wikis in the classroom, especially for group assignments when students may not be in the same place at once. Students have access to the wikis not only in school but at home or wherever they are able to use a computer. To see other positives and negatives of using wikis to support student learning refer to one of my previous blogs ‘Reflection on use of wikispaces’ where I have used a PMI thinking routine. As a pre-service teacher, one of the features I will find useful when using wikis in my teaching areas is that your wiki is active indefinitely, allowing you to add/delete content so it is there ready to use when you need it next time.
Wikis are a new way of learning, getting the student involved, by letting them add any information they find, like appropriate images or videos, to the wiki. This makes the lessons more engaging and students will want to learn as it is not traditional way of learning. Wikis can be used in science in a number of ways. Students could build an interactive glossary of scientific terms; I could post the lessons on the wiki after each class, so students can go back and see if they have missed anything. All students can upload their results from experiments, so everyone can see if they all got the same results. Group assignments or investigations can be presented on wikis as the history button will allow me as a teacher, to see who has contributed to the wiki. I think this is an excellent tool to ensure students are all participating. This activity brings connectivism to the classroom as it is seen more in group work and class discussions. In HPE, wikis can be also used for various activities like watching videos, presenting digital videos that the students have created of someone performing a task or skill. Wikis could also be used to upload rules for various sports. As I used wikis to demonstrate the different technologies I investigated, I can see how wikis would be a great e-learning technology to use. Students all differ in diversity and abilities and some students may not be able to use wikis productively. Visually impaired students may not be able to see information on wikis but we can work around it by uploading podcasts for example where they can listen to information.
Visual Literacy is the ability to ‘read’ ‘interpret’ and understand information presented in images (Wileman cited in Stokes n.d). This definition made me think about creating meaning with images. I looked through photos and picked some with people, animals and landscapes. I tried to ‘read’ the photos by looking at the objects, light and the mood the photo may present. I found it quite interesting learning about images and how it would be a great tool in education as information is sometimes better presented visually rather than verbally (Stokes n.d). Bloom’s Taxonomy supports student learning with the use of images as it helps students to think creatively and use higher order thinking which requires students to analyse, synthesise and evaluate the images. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Picnik, it was a technology that I had not used before. Being able to warp photos, change the colour and add many more effects to different photos was very engaging. Below is an example of a photo I created after playing around on Picnik.
Mobaphoto was helpful in showing me how to resize photos so they can be uploaded and will not be too big. Here is one of the photos that I resized and uploaded.
I chose images over digital videos and podcasts as I would be able to integrate images more easily in HPE and junior science. Images break up the text, so rather than reading pages of text, breaking it up with images will encourage motivation among students. With digital images, digital devices are needed such as a camera, or phone which most students have these days. Some students do not have these devices so may find it difficult to complete homework that is set in this context. Images however, are everywhere, so by learning how to read and interpret images will help when students are out of school, reading newspapers or magazines. There are barriers in using images for education as some people are not visual learners or are visually impaired. Although they cannot see the image, by other students describing what they see will help the other students to understand what is in the picture. As cognitivism is the ‘thought processes’ (Shirley, 2009) it relates well with the use of images in the classroom as this activity allows students to improve their ability to think deeply and meaningfully, which is the essence of good educational practice (Wee, 2010).
In science, images could be used in experiments to show changing results rather than writing down your observations. Digital images would be great to help illustrate the phases of the moon in a power point presentation. In HPE, images can be applied when learning a new skill, showing the exact body position to acquire the skill, and by taking photos to see if the photos match to perfect the skill. Images can inspire students to form discussions. Images can be used in student diversity, as visuals can be used as a tool for communication. Students who have language barriers, hearing impaired or learning difficulties will find digital images will enhance learning as it enables the students to think about what they already know and incorporate the new ideas that the image presents. In my blog ‘Reflection on use of images in learning’ I have used a SWOT analysis to illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of using images in the classroom.
Digital technology lends itself very easily to opportunities for sharing images and the potential to be used across different ICTs. Copyright infringement may occur when images are shared with inappropriate authorisation. Students and teachers need to be aware of the other rights when using images, such as moral rights, issues of privacy and of children and adults appearing in photographs. Students and teachers should not be identified in images and must get permission to use any information that may identify the student. More information about copyright can be seen at http://www.smartcopying.edu.au/scw/go/.
I found using the interactive powerpoint as a presentation tool interesting as I have previously only added text, images and sound to create a basic presentation. By creating a storyboard in word, then an outline in word, it allowed me to see all the information I was presenting on one page rather than going back and forward between slides, which is what I had done previously. This made it quick and easy to type up all the information. You can view an example of my power point presentation on my wiki at http://karenwilkin.wikispaces.com/powerpoint+presentation. The effect I learned most about is the hyperlinks in power point, which made it fun and easy to navigate around your slide show. I chose powerpoint over prezi and glogster as powerpoint is not on the internet, unless you upload your power point presentation to slideshare, which is then made public, unless you pay for it to be private. With powerpoint not being on the internet, it allows your presentation to be secure and private, while many other e-learning technologies are on the internet, I like that this one is not. This way, students are able to learn and work on any computer as you do not need the internet. Powerpoint presentations enable students to make a more interesting presentation rather than just standing at the front talking, students have something to look at while listening. Some students may find powerpoint presentation boring as it does not have as many features as prezi. Using the knowledge they already having about using powerpoint presentation and by showing students how to navigate their way around the slide show by hyperlinks, adding videos and images, tables will make it more engaging. This relates to the learning theory of constructivism.
Using Edward De Bono’s six thinking hats in an earlier blog, ‘Group 3Technology – Power point presentations’ it allowed me to critically analyse the use of power point in the classroom. Power point presentations are mainly used to support oral presentations (Readings Group 3 Tools EDED20491).
In HPE, power point presentation can be used by the teacher and student to present ideas and assignments to the class. They can be made interactive by putting diagrams of the human body and by clicking on different parts of the body will take you to another slide where there is more in depth information. In science, students can present experiments and results with tables, graphs and images which will support their oral presentation and allow the viewers to get a better understanding.
Brainstorming is a great activity that can be used in any class. Rather than the traditional way of creating a mind map, using a piece of butchers paper and a pen to brainstorm ideas, a new way that the digital learners of today will enjoy is creating an online concept map to brainstorm their ideas interactively. I really enjoyed learning about how to construct an online concept map. This was another technology that I was not familiar with. I played around on Bubbl.us and Text2Mindmap and found Text2Mindmap simple and realised that it would be an e-learning technology that students would be able to use productively in learning. Below is an example of an online concept map that I created using text2Mindmap.
I have chosen online concept maps as opposed to the other group 4 technologies (refer to online concept map) as I think this activity will be most beneficial in the classroom as it is simple to use and easy t o read. According to Kevin Oliver and Dianne Raubenheimer, on class postsurveys, more than 90 percent of students across six sections employing multiple concept map strategies have agreed or strongly agreed that the method is useful and encourages learning. (http://www.vcu.edu/cte/resources/newsletters_archive/OC0707.pdf)
In a previous blog I have written ‘Group 4 technology – Online Concept Maps,’ I have used a PMI thinking routine to briefly outline the positives and negatives of using online concept maps for student learning.
As mind maps allow you to use knowledge and information you already have and add new ideas to the mind map, constructivism plays a part in this online concept map activity as it is a way of capturing part of what is in the mind of a learner and their responses to experience (Armstrong, Berry n.d). By getting students to create an online concept map, students will be able to see connections between ideas and concepts which have an element of connectivism. Students can create mind maps anywhere on anything, once the ideas are on paper it will be quick and easy to put into an online concept map which can be emailed, uploaded to a wiki or power point so it can be accessed more easily.
All students can contribute to creating an online concept map, whether they have learning difficulties or are unsure how to construct one. Someone can be saying the ideas while another person is typing it up this way all students are getting involved. This is a safe practice as you create an online concept map then save it to your computer. If any ideas that are used from someone else they need to be referenced along with images that you use so copyright will not be an issue.
Online concept maps can be used in all subjects. In science, students can create a mind map for global warming, energy or space. This way, students can write down what they already know and what they would like to learn about. In HPE, online concept maps can be used to plan an activity with rules, skills and images. This allows the students to see what they need to know at a quick glance as it is all set out with interconnected boxes.
I have learned that there is a number of e-learning technologies and does not just include computers. My exploration though four groups of e-learning technologies, has allowed me to be more digitally aware of the ICTs that I can integrate into my lessons so the students will be more engaged in the lesson compared to the traditional way of teaching. The four technologies I chose; wikis, images, interactive power point and online concept maps all display elements of the learning theories and all have some barriers in using these technologies in the classroom, but this will be the case with any ICT I use. I have also learned the ethical and legal issues that arise when using these technologies in the classroom and students and teachers need to be aware of these when they are using them. Overall I enjoyed learning about all the different e-learning technologies, many of which I had not even heard of, but am glad I now know how they work and how I could use them in my teaching areas.
References
Armstrong, A. and Berry,M. (n.d) School of Art, Design and Communication, RMIT University
Shirley, R. (2009) The cognitive Approach to Lesson Planning. www.suite101.com
Wee, J.D. (2010) Thinking in the Classroom: some strategies to consider
Readings Group 3 Tools EDED20491.
Wetzel, D.R. (2008) Using wikis in science classes – Teachers and students use Educational Technology to support learning. Retrieved on 12th April 2011 from: http://www.suite101.com/content
Stokes, S. (n.d) Visual Literacy in Teaching and Learning: A literature Perspective. Troy State University. Retrieved on 10th April 2011 from: http://ejite.isu.edu/Volume1No1/Stokes.hmtl
Copyright information - http://www.smartcopying.edu.au/scw/go/
Powerpoint Use Survey - http://www.vcu.edu/cte/resources/newsletters_archive/OC0707.pdf
