The way I understand elearning technologies is they are to be used to make learning effective. Effective is the key word, here. Learning is more effective with the use of elearning technologies than it would be without their use. However, the only disadvantage I can see about using elearning technologies is they can be exclusive. They can be to some extent exclusive of learners who are not or cannot be digitally literate for one reason or another - of those with intellectual disabilities, for example. In this case, the teacher should have a back-up plan not involving elearning technologies so the learning design is inclusive of everyone. With that said, it is back to putting elearning technologies in education...
Learning is operated on the computer over the net. The technologies are not solely for education, and education is just one application for them. The teacher can use the technologies in the design stage, and learners can use the technology in the delivery stage. Elearning technologies apply to learning in many respects. They engage learners, they involve Active Learning strategies, they encourage higher-order thinking, they connect learners to outside-of-the-classroom influences. They encourage creativity. They can teach declarative knowledge in interesting ways. From the teacher's view point, elearning technologies make design and delivery easier. Time is saved for other teaching tasks. Teachers can use the technologies for assessment, portfolios, and reporting. In summary, elearning technologies can be incorporated into any key element of a Learning Design Construct/Framework, that is, Tasks, Resources, or Supports.
The elearning technologies I investigated for this assessment are SlideShare; WIKIPedia; Really Simple Syndication; WebQuest; PowerPoint; MediaFire; Music on the Web (Incompetech); Google Earth; iTunes; Quizzes; e.Portfolio; Flickr; Blog; WIKI; YouTube; and Voki Avatar. As well as from my own investigations, I learned about these technologies from my lecturer and peers (my peers postings on the discussion forum and their blogs). Although some procedures were unclear and frustrating, I came to be, in the end, somewhat enthused by what I learned. It was apparant to me immediately how I could use each technology in line with Dimensions of Learning and the theories my lecturer has given us to study (see blog posts).
So, which elearning technologies would I use, and how would I use them to enhance student learning and make my teaching more efficient? I would use all of the above in my teaching. They all - although unequally because they have differing functions and purposes, and I would use them accordingly - enhance student learning and would make my teaching more efficient because they, fundamentally, engage learners, and keep them engaged. That is the biggest hurdle taken care of right there. Engaging the learner eliminates behavioural problems and saves learning time. Alternatively, the technology is the teacher, and the teacher is now the 'learning manager', there only for support. Concurrent with Marc Prensky's "Engage Me or Enrage Me. What Today's Learners Demand", is that not who (or what) today's digital native would rather be taught by?
Prensky, M. (2005). Engage me or enrage me. What today's learners demand [Electronic Version]. In Educause review. September/October, 2005. Retrieved July 2009, from Central Queensland University, FAHE11001-Managing E-Learning moodle website
http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/
Learning Design - The Project. (2003). Learning design framework. Retrieved July 21, 2009, from
http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/project/learn_design.htm
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Using SlideShare in Education
The SlideShare concept is wonderful, but I am having trouble with the process. I can only comment on the concept at present.
SlideShare looks similar to MediaFire .
What I like mostly about SlideShare for education is the option to conduct an online meeting. On my first portal task I was at a rural school north of Rockhampton. That school had a learner who lived a few hours drive further north who would, about once a month, spend a day at the school while his mother was on business in Rockhampton. As well as with the learner, I would use Skype to meet regularly with his parents. The class could meet with the learner this way, too.
SlideShare looks similar to MediaFire .
What I like mostly about SlideShare for education is the option to conduct an online meeting. On my first portal task I was at a rural school north of Rockhampton. That school had a learner who lived a few hours drive further north who would, about once a month, spend a day at the school while his mother was on business in Rockhampton. As well as with the learner, I would use Skype to meet regularly with his parents. The class could meet with the learner this way, too.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Using WIKIPedia in Education
Connectivism can be applied to WIKIPedia. In WIKIPedia, learning is a process that occurs within nebulous environments of shifting core elements - not entirely under the control of the individual. Learning resides outside of ourselves, is focused on connecting specialised information sets, and is focused on the connections that enable us to learn more important knowledge than our current state of knowledge. New information is continually being acquired. The ability to draw distinctions between important and unimportant information is vital. The ability to recognise when new information alters the landscape based on decisions made yesterday is also critical. The 8 prinicples of Connectivism all apply to WIKIPedia. (Siemens, G., 2004).
On WIKIPedia, learners can see that truth is not always constant. They can see that something they think they know to be true today may be disproved tomorrow. They can see that others can be more knowledgeable than them. What they have to explicitly learn is how to read WIKIPedia critically. WIKIPedia has definitions, contributors' knowledge, and even a forum to debate issues.
As well as the obvious which is having learners use WIKIPedia to build up background knowledge of a topic, I would use it as a tool for teaching critical literacy.
Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism. A learning theory for the digital age. In elearnspace. Everything elearning. Retrieved July 18, 2009, from
http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm
On WIKIPedia, learners can see that truth is not always constant. They can see that something they think they know to be true today may be disproved tomorrow. They can see that others can be more knowledgeable than them. What they have to explicitly learn is how to read WIKIPedia critically. WIKIPedia has definitions, contributors' knowledge, and even a forum to debate issues.
As well as the obvious which is having learners use WIKIPedia to build up background knowledge of a topic, I would use it as a tool for teaching critical literacy.
Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism. A learning theory for the digital age. In elearnspace. Everything elearning. Retrieved July 18, 2009, from
http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm
Using Really Simple Syndication (RSS) in Education
What a time saver this is! The obvious way learners can use this technology is using it as a library for information they need for their assignments etc.
The concern would be students not being able to accept some material, according to Aldred (2009), because the school may deem it unacceptable. To solve this problem, the teacher would have to be 'gate keeper', keeping watch on what material is being subscribed to. In an unfortunate case, the teacher would be the one to subscribe to sites for the learners. Aldred (2009) can see "...draconian policies of blocking almost all Websites and virtually all the available Web 2.0 tools means that...learning experiences are much poorer than those...experienced outside of school".
Aldred, S. (2009). School internet policies: Protecting students or the organisation?? Posted March 13, 2009, in e-Learning. A learning journey of effective e-learning through learning engagement. Retrieved July 19, 2009, from
http://e-learning-engagement.blogspot.com/2009_03_01_arch...
The concern would be students not being able to accept some material, according to Aldred (2009), because the school may deem it unacceptable. To solve this problem, the teacher would have to be 'gate keeper', keeping watch on what material is being subscribed to. In an unfortunate case, the teacher would be the one to subscribe to sites for the learners. Aldred (2009) can see "...draconian policies of blocking almost all Websites and virtually all the available Web 2.0 tools means that...learning experiences are much poorer than those...experienced outside of school".
Aldred, S. (2009). School internet policies: Protecting students or the organisation?? Posted March 13, 2009, in e-Learning. A learning journey of effective e-learning through learning engagement. Retrieved July 19, 2009, from
http://e-learning-engagement.blogspot.com/2009_03_01_arch...
Using a WebQuest in Education
In reference to Scot Aldred's WebQuest, "Antarctic Ice to Water Australia", and Tom March's WebQuest, "Freedom Fighter or Terrorist":
I was really drawn in by both these WebQuests. I intended on just reading over them for this assessment question but I ended up 'getting involved' with them. They are very interesting topics. Truthfully, I am a bit disappointed I will not be going on the Quests for real. I love having the choice of taking on a role, in particular, and learning how that person works and looks at the world. This is because I like to be imaginative, step outside myself, and 'live' another way for a time. Because children are inclined to live in their imaginations, is this not an effortless way of teaching them declarative knowledge? For Scot's and Tom's topics, the declarative knowledge is about the environment, and ideologies, for example. Everything is there on the Quest for the learner. There are procedural instructions including instructions on how to work in a group, links for information-gathering, links to professionals in the field, and templates for drafts and reporting. In this respect, the learner needs no prior knowledge of the workings of a WebQuest. It is all there for him/her in the design on the screen.
One implication for teachers in the way they would go about using a WebQuest is having to prepare learners beforehand, skilling them in digital, visual, viewing, reading, and writing literacies. Included, here, would be typing skills, also. In light of this, I assume that a WebQuest is mostly suited to learners who are reasonably competent at such skills, so a WebQuest is not for every learner.
A second implication for teachers is one that I noticed in Scot's and Tom's WebQuests. They had explicit teaching in there. Teachers have to know what learners need to be taught explicitly and weave it into the Quest. Scot instructs learners how group work should be done, telling them they must be tolerant of others' perspectives.
Compared to a more traditional approach of teaching, learners can learn from any computer outside of the classroom, and at any time. Group members need not meet together all the time. Computers would be the focal point of the classroom. Chairs and desks would be arranged around the computers because the computer replaces, for the most part, the pencil, paper, and text book. The classroom would be noisy because learners are having discussions about the task.
As I said above, a WebQuest is a great tool for teaching declarative knowledge. Applicable to learning through a WebQuest is Project-Based Learning, Problem-Based Learning, Engagement Theory, Engaged Learning, Connectivism, Networking, Active Learning, Dale's Cone, the Learning Pyramid, Multiple Intelligences, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, Constructivism, enhancing learning for the disadvantaged with the effective use of ICTs, and Multimedia - just to name those we are studying now in Managing E-learning. If a WebQuest is not effective learning, then I do not know what is!
It would take some time to make a WebQuest. You have to find and read through many links to information pertaining to the topic, from many perspectives of the topic. You might have to find and ask an outside expert if he/she will participate. But before all that, you must choose your curriculum outcomes, and work out how learners will be assessed. Once you have your WebQuest up and running, it will be a time effective method to traditional methods. All the hard and long hours of work is done and saved to be used repeatedly. Because learners can do it outside of the classroom, like at home, class time is saved for trouble-shooting discussions or even for other subjects.
I was really drawn in by both these WebQuests. I intended on just reading over them for this assessment question but I ended up 'getting involved' with them. They are very interesting topics. Truthfully, I am a bit disappointed I will not be going on the Quests for real. I love having the choice of taking on a role, in particular, and learning how that person works and looks at the world. This is because I like to be imaginative, step outside myself, and 'live' another way for a time. Because children are inclined to live in their imaginations, is this not an effortless way of teaching them declarative knowledge? For Scot's and Tom's topics, the declarative knowledge is about the environment, and ideologies, for example. Everything is there on the Quest for the learner. There are procedural instructions including instructions on how to work in a group, links for information-gathering, links to professionals in the field, and templates for drafts and reporting. In this respect, the learner needs no prior knowledge of the workings of a WebQuest. It is all there for him/her in the design on the screen.
One implication for teachers in the way they would go about using a WebQuest is having to prepare learners beforehand, skilling them in digital, visual, viewing, reading, and writing literacies. Included, here, would be typing skills, also. In light of this, I assume that a WebQuest is mostly suited to learners who are reasonably competent at such skills, so a WebQuest is not for every learner.
A second implication for teachers is one that I noticed in Scot's and Tom's WebQuests. They had explicit teaching in there. Teachers have to know what learners need to be taught explicitly and weave it into the Quest. Scot instructs learners how group work should be done, telling them they must be tolerant of others' perspectives.
Compared to a more traditional approach of teaching, learners can learn from any computer outside of the classroom, and at any time. Group members need not meet together all the time. Computers would be the focal point of the classroom. Chairs and desks would be arranged around the computers because the computer replaces, for the most part, the pencil, paper, and text book. The classroom would be noisy because learners are having discussions about the task.
As I said above, a WebQuest is a great tool for teaching declarative knowledge. Applicable to learning through a WebQuest is Project-Based Learning, Problem-Based Learning, Engagement Theory, Engaged Learning, Connectivism, Networking, Active Learning, Dale's Cone, the Learning Pyramid, Multiple Intelligences, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, Constructivism, enhancing learning for the disadvantaged with the effective use of ICTs, and Multimedia - just to name those we are studying now in Managing E-learning. If a WebQuest is not effective learning, then I do not know what is!
It would take some time to make a WebQuest. You have to find and read through many links to information pertaining to the topic, from many perspectives of the topic. You might have to find and ask an outside expert if he/she will participate. But before all that, you must choose your curriculum outcomes, and work out how learners will be assessed. Once you have your WebQuest up and running, it will be a time effective method to traditional methods. All the hard and long hours of work is done and saved to be used repeatedly. Because learners can do it outside of the classroom, like at home, class time is saved for trouble-shooting discussions or even for other subjects.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Using MediaFire in Education
I would use MediaFire for reporting.
Files and images can be shared from any computer. I can create an unlimited number of folders and sub folders to store, organise and share. I can share by email, instant messenger, or on a forum. It is a possibility, bu I would definitely not share a learner's file or images on a blog or forum, unless confidentiality is unnecessary. On that note, MediaFire does provide privacy tools allowing you to keep some files hidden as private and other files downloadable as public. You can set passwords for sensitive files. What comes to mind, here, is an IEP for learners with special needs. The parent and I can still have the convenience of MediaFire, but maintain privacy as well.
Files and images can be shared from any computer. I can create an unlimited number of folders and sub folders to store, organise and share. I can share by email, instant messenger, or on a forum. It is a possibility, bu I would definitely not share a learner's file or images on a blog or forum, unless confidentiality is unnecessary. On that note, MediaFire does provide privacy tools allowing you to keep some files hidden as private and other files downloadable as public. You can set passwords for sensitive files. What comes to mind, here, is an IEP for learners with special needs. The parent and I can still have the convenience of MediaFire, but maintain privacy as well.
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