Week 6 Tutorial

Week 6



As the weeks progress, I feel I am learning more and more about the subject of technology and expanding my knowledge base in relation to concepts such as TPACK, the Smart Classrooms Development Framework and Bloom's Taxonomy. At the conclusion of this course, I hope to have learned enough to be confident in my ability to tackle the issue of ICT implementation in the classroom!

Jessica Beitey
s2759712

Week 5 Tutorial

Week 5 kicked off with a group discussion based on the required readings for the week, where the whole class was given the opportunity to discuss and share our thoughts. Participating in this class discussion provided extremely beneficial, as it enabled me to hear  multiple interpretations and viewpoints my peers had in relation to the readings. In this discussion, I learnt about some previously unknown facts about technologies used in my daily life. One fact I found extremely interesting was that keyboards were actually designed to slow us typers down, with the letters arranged so they don't jam if the typing is too fast!

Jason introduced a new application in the form of VotApedia:

• an audience response program enabling users to vote for specific answers, with the results shown in a bar graph. 
• is free to set up for teachers, however costs money to call or text a  vote. 
• can be used as a move towards more interactive assessment in an electronic learning environment, with teachers able to measure student engagement and understanding.

The main focus of today's workshop was exploring the software of iMovie, where, as a class, we learnt how to create a movie, edit our clip in a variety of ways and then share our finished product. iMovie, or other similiar programs are powerful and highly engaging tools for students to use to share their knowledge and express themselves in the form of digital movies (Apple Inc, 2012). I would use this tool in the classroom to encourage students to create video reports to demonstrate concepts or share what they have learnt. There really is no limit to what students and teachers alike could create using such programs! I feel confident in my iMovie abilities and will look at employing iMovie for Learning Adventure 1.

To conclude the workshop, each group presented information about their chosen topic to the whole class.  The information that was offered from each group allowed me to further increase my knowledge base. The following points clarify what I learnt from each groups presentation:

Creating with ICT:

•  concentrated on the topic of operating with ICT, with specific regard to Global Positioning Systems (GPS), PRS and scanners.
• introduced a website called Educaching which has a wide range of GSP uses in the classroom. 
•  an interactive resource incorporating GPS technology into classrooms and providing innovative lesson plans.

ICT in the Early Years:

•  focused on the idea of animated classrooms which incorporates ICT usage into early years classrooms. 
• Animated classrooms employ stop motion animation sequences through using digital media such as cameras and iMovie.
• can be implemented across all areas of the curriculum and ties in with the idea of 'play based learning'

Games in Learning:

•  focused on using games for Science learning. 
•  showed the classroom an interactive science website called Science Kids, useful as both a teacher and student resource

Google Tools:

For my groups presentation this week, we decided to explore the digital tool of Google Sketch-Up. I thoroughly enjoyed researching and playing around with this Google tool and believe there are many educational benefits:

Benefits:

• is a free, powerful, intuitive 3D modelling software
• is used by educators and students around the world to explore, explain and present their ideas using 3D models
• helps encourage students to become creators and not just consumers of content

Students can use Google Sketch-UP in the classroom too:

• model buildings and learn about architectural  design and engineering
• visualise geometry and other mathematical concepts
• design interiors, landscapes and buildings in 3D
• learn about the history of towns 
• design models of towns historical buildings

(Google, 2011). 

The readings for this week took us on a journey into the world of ICT expectations for students. The Smart Classrooms Digital Pedagogies ICT expectations for students was a thoroughly engaging read and enabled me to realise that modern day students more and more need to develop and hone their skills to be able to extensively learn and succeed in today's ever increasing digital world. While the reading mainly focused on the student side of things, I was able to make the direct link to the teacher impacts as well. As a future teacher, I will be required to keep up with these evolving technologies to ensure they are implemented and used correctly within my own classroom.

NET Standards for students:

1. Creativity and Innovation
2. Communication and Collaboration
3. Research and Information Fluency
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making
5. Digital Citizenship-
6. Technology Operations and Concepts

At the conclusion of today's workshop, I believe that I have started to discover and collect a wide variety of ways that ICT and related technologies could be implemented into my own classroom. 

Jessica Beitey

s2759712

References:

Apple Inc. (2012). What is iMovie? Retrieved 30th March, 2012 from

http://www.apple.com/ilife/imovie/what-is.html 

Google. (2011). Google SketchUp. Retrieved 29th March, 2012 from

http://sketchup.google.com/

Week 4 Tutorial

This weeks tutorial began with a whole class discussion based on the set readings for the week. This was again initiated and led by Jason to encourage the class to share our thoughts and opinions in relation to the readings. Again this week, the workshop concluded with each group presenting specific information based on their chosen topic. In this weeks student led presentations, there was a wide range of valuable information put forth and I learnt a great deal in relation to the following:


Computational Thinking and Programming:

•  focused on the programming side, with a strong concentration on Microsoft Windows Logo (MSW). 
• an interactive program created for education in the younger years and allows students to learn steps and processes required to develop a program.
•  can be used for a variety of Maths lessons to teach concepts such as geometry and in Art lessons to create pictures.

Games in Learning:

•  talked in particular about games in English learning and how they could be used to benefits students within a classroom. 

Mobile Learning:

• concentrated on appropriate apps for classroom use.
• provided examples of particular educational apps that could be used to encourage ICT interaction and how they could be implemented within the curriculum. The website Ipads for Education was explained in great deal

Early Phases:

•  provided an introduction to the website of Only 2 clicks, a bookmarking web application allowing the user to create an account and bookmark favourite or frequently used websites.  
• As I had not previously used an online bookmarking site, I was unaware of the benefits of having all your bookmarked sites stored online and accessible from any computer. 
• can be used in the classroom to encourage and facilitate collaborative learning and easily integrate ICT usage. 

Google Tools:
My group decided to focus on Google Translate for this weeks presentation. Google Translate is a free online service the provides translations between around 58 different languages (Google, n.d.). Before commencing any research into this web tool, I had a brief understanding of what Google Translate was and its purposes. However, after extensively looking into this application, I found there was quite a bit of programming involved, which I linked to my knowledge gained from the presentations on that subject. 

How Google Translate can be used in the classroom:

• offers students and teachers the chance to broaden their language horizons
• allows students to look up words in another language
•  enables teachers and other students to communicate with ESL student's in the classroom

This weeks readings examined the concept of Bloom's Taxonomy and provided a wide selection of ACARA documents. Luckily, I was familiar with concept of Blooms Taxonomy from previous subjects and was able to easily conceptualise how a range of digital technologies could be integrated into pedagogical thinking and learning environments. Upon completion of this reading, I have become more familiar with Bloom's Taxonomy through a digital perspective. Essentially, the Digital Taxonomy contains the same terms and components as the original Blooms Taxonomy, however includes additional digital characteristics. The Digital Taxonomy is broken into 6 key levels outlined below:

(Churches, 2009)

Blooms Digital Taxonomy can be incorporated into the classroom in numerous ways to facilitate students digital skills and develop overall digital literacy. Implementing this tool could prove extremely beneficial in making activities and tasks more digitally student-centred, thus proving more practical.


The second set reading for this week centred around the Australian Curriculum capabilities being addressed in the key learning areas. These general capabilities "encompass the knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions that, together with curriculum content in each learning area and the cross-curriculum priorities, will assist students to live and work successfully in the twenty-first century" (ACARA, 2012). Within the document, seven general capabilities were summarised:

(ACARA, 2012)

Through completing this reading, I now understand that these general capabilities will enable students to successfully survive in a future work or home environment.

References:

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2012). General Capabilities in the Australian Curriculum. Retrieved 19th March, 2012, from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/GeneralCapabilities/General%20capabilities.pdf



Churches, A. (2009). Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy. Retrieved 16 March, 2012, from http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/file/view/bloom%27s+Digital+taxonomy+v3.01.pdf

Google. (n.d.). Google Translate. Retrieved 19th March, 2012, from http://translate.google.com/about/intl/en_ALL/

Week 3 Tutorial

Week 3 explored the concepts of the set readings and allowed the class as a whole to experience what the tutorials were likely to contain for the duration of the semester. The tutorial for this week proved to be extremely beneficial and engaging, as a whole class discussion of the set readings was conducted. This discussion was led by Jason and focused on examining each reading in great detail to further consolidate our knowledge. I really enjoyed listening to the other members of the tutorial and hearing their interpretations of the the readings. Through engaging in the discussion, I learnt about a new website and educational tool, Khan Academy

 

Another key factor I found particularly beneficial in this weeks tutorial was learning to follow my other peers blogs. Jason outlined the processes involved in sharing our personal blogs and then subscribing to the blogs of our fellow peers by using the tool Google Reader. Through undertaking this activity, I can see how a digital tool such as Google Reader can be employed within the classroom to share content on a class wide basis. This exercise was quite useful, as it allowed me to see how my peers were faring with this course and their particular thoughts on each weeks tutorial and the set readings. I enjoyed reading about every ones opinions and believe that the blogs are a valuable education and communication tool.

Within the tutorial, I thoroughly enjoyed both watching and participating in the student led presentations this week. By engaging in each groups presentation, I am able to become more knowledgeable about certain ICT topics. I particularly enjoyed the presentation put forth by the

The concentration for my groups presentation were the digital tools Google Earth and Google Books, both of which are basic tools that can be used in a person's daily life. On a personal level, I have used both tools on numerous occasions for a variety of reasons. In working with my fellow group members for this presentation, we were all quite astounded at the multitude of educational benefits of each Google tool. The following points clarify how these digital tools can be employed within a classroom to make use of ICT integration:

Google Books:
Benefits:

• allows the user to search, bookmark, organise and share millions of books and magazines for libraries and publishers worldwide.
• provides access to millions of out-of-print books, many of which are currently difficult or impossible for readers to obtain.

How can Google Books be used in the classroom?
Students can use Google Books to:

•  to create a library of books consisting of bookshelves of titles they have read and titles they would like to read
•  read and write reviews of books
•  search for a phrase within a book or preview a book by reading the overview or a limited preview of the book
• find a book at a local library or purchase a book online

Teachers can use Google Books to:

• find a list of related books
• create an online classroom library
• embed a book in a classroom blog for easy access by students and parents
• familiarise students with a book they are about to read by previewing different editions and cover art designs of a novel

Google Earth:
Benefits:

• allows the user to fly around the Earth, Moon, Mars and the sky to view satellite imagery, terrain

How can Google Earth we used in the classroom?

• can be used to drop below the surface of the ocean to explore the sea floor in 3D

The set readings for this week concentrated on the 2011 Horizon Report and the 5 trends that have been identified as key drivers of technology adoptions for the period of 2011-2016. I really enjoyed this reading as it was extremely remarkable to actually see how fast technology is evolving in the 21st century. I can only imagine what our world will look and be like in the coming years! The Horizon Report mainly focused on describing the six areas of emerging technology and how they will impact upon education in the years to come. The following points outline my interpretation of the readings:

Week 2 Tutorial

As I was unfortunately unable to attend the first tutorial for 4001EDN, today marked my first experience within the subject. Initially, I had many questions about the subject as a whole and what it might possibly entail and was excited to embark on the journey into the world of ICT. While I consider myself a digital native, I found this initial introduction to be quite daunting, as technology is not my perceived 'forte'. However, I entered the classroom with an open mind, eager to learn more about the concept of ICT and specific tools and technologies beneficial to a teacher within a classroom.

In today's tutorial, the idea of using the tools Google Blogger and Sites as a means of ICT were explored.

Google Blogger:

•  is an interactive tool enabling users to create a personalised blog to communicate with other members of society. 
• would be an effective tool to implement within a classroom to encourage the use of communication between the students, teachers and overall schooling community.

Google Sites:

•  allows users to create collaborative web sites where multiple people can communicate together and share files. 

• is securely powered by the web, so you can access your sites from school, from home, and even on your mobile phone.

• would be extremely useful to use for the creation of our own personal E-Portfolios for Learning Adventure 2. 

(Google, 2011).

Today also marked the first day of the student led group presentations, where each group performed a 15 minute presentation based on the topics chosen from the Week 1 tutorial. I found that through providing a brief overview of their topics and an outline for the coming weeks, the groups enabled the remaining students to understand the topic and relatable concepts.

As a whole class, there was a set of prescribed readings meant to be read prior to the workshop. They focused on the following topics:

• Education Queensland's Smart Classroom Professional Development Framework
• ICT Certificate
• Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) Framework

The first readings for this week focused on Education Queensland's Smart Classroom Professional Development Framework, with specific reference to the ICT Certificate we are all working towards achieving at the conclusion of the course. "The ICT Certificate acknowledges teachers who understand how learners can use ICT purposefully" (The State of Queensland (Department of Education, Training and Employment) 2012). This reading really clarified the exact requirements required to successfully obtain the ICT Certificate and outlined for me personally, what was expected in the digital portfolio. The prospect of creating a digital portfolio originally concerned me due to the amount of work required. However, this reading was extremely informative and I believe it has helped me become more confident and ready to tackle the challenge of Learning Adventure 2!

The other focus of the weeks readings was on TPACK-Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. TPACK is a framework used to describe the types of knowledge needed by a teacher for effective pedagogical practises in a technology enhanced learning environment (Koehler, 2012). While I was already somewhat familiar with this framework, engaging in this reading really allowed me to connect my previous knowledge to that of a digitally powered ICT environment. To effectively integrate ICT and other digital pedagogies into the classroom, the TPACK framework will help to provide educators with the knowledge and skills needed for successful implementation.

Through actively engaging within these readings I was able to further consolidate my personal knowledge of Smart Classrooms and TPACK and apply this to my teaching practises. At the conclusion of Week 2, I believe my ICT knowledge base has expanded and increased to include topics such as Smart Classrooms and TPACK and digital tools in the form of Google Blogger and Google Sites. I look forward to continuing on this journey and further developing my ability to effectively work with and implement ICT practises within the classroom.

Ready and raring to go for Week 3!

Jessica Beitey

s2759712

References:
Google. (2011). Sites-Google Apps for Education. Retrieved 22nd March,  http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/edu/sites.html

Koehler, M. (n.d.). TPACK- Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge. Retrieved 1 March, 2012, from http://www.tpck.org/

The State of Queensland (Department of Education, Training and Employment). (2012). Smart Classrooms Professional Development Framework- ICT Certificate. Retrieved 1 March, 2012, from http://education.qld.gov.au/smartclassrooms/pdframework/docs/scpd-framework.pdf