"We're changing the world with technology." Bill Gates
We are not only changing the world
with technology. We are changing the way
we learn. The way we understand and the
way we interact with the information in our world. These changes are inevitable. Technology
brings with it advances, which fosters new ways of learning. It is these things that create the domino
effect of educational change. This synopsis will look at the ways in which
e-learning can be used to enhance the classroom environment. In particular it will discuss the productive
engagement of learners through teacher driven content. This will be done through the exploration and
analysis of four specific ICT tools. These tools have been selected through the
course e-learning management and are the tools that I enjoyed using the most
and felt displayed a wide range of ability to integrate within different subject
matter. In the synopsis, the tools and
their uses will be examined to show the ways in which e-learning supports
student development across the curriculum. The options for using technology to enhance
students learning is endless, however I would argue that “learning depends on
the quality of instruction rather than on the media that is utilized” (Swisher,
2007) .
I would argue that this is true every time teaching takes place.
Digital Tool 1 – Online spaces
In looking at online spaces as a digital
tool I focused on the different roles that blogs, websites and wiki
activities play as learning enhancers.
These three online spaces all offer a variety of different constructs
for student learning. The tool
that I have chosen to broaden the scope of is that of websites. I will do this in references to other on-line spaces and in terms of the ability to use ICT design to work simultaneously
across other subjects. My post to the further scope and development of this
tool can be found in my blog at Number
9: Why weebly websites.
When I was building my website, I noticed that I was a bit lost at
first. I had no concept of what the
website would be about or how to structure it. This displayed an excellent example of how
instructive pedagogy supports ICT learning (The New Media Consortium (NMC),
2005) .
Website creation allows for teachers to scaffold lesson design with subject
matter. It lends itself to answering a
set of specific questions about given topics.
It can be seen then that through the creation of a website students
begin to understand the value of planning and that structure. These principles can
then be related back to other disciplinary areas. Using ICTs effectively is
considered to be a general capability expected of Australian students and sits
alongside of numeracy, literacy and both social and personal development (Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting
Authority, 2012) . It can be said then that e-learning works
concurrently to integrate subject matter with ICT experience.
Another great
example of this how textual medium such as websites help develop literacy skills. If drawn to relate to
the different ways that online mediums produce text then students can become
familiar with basic underlying English language principles such as mode, medium
and tenor. Blogs for example are often written in first person are reflection
based, wikkis tend to be more factual and websites are usually written in a
persuasive text to convince the reader of the subject matter and its authority (Stansbury, 2012) . This understood yet
explicit use of language in online spaces is an example of how ICTs work across
disciplinary platforms to help build and create student knowledge. This learning is happening indirectly through
contact with these mediums. The role then relies on the teacher to draw
attention to these differences and illustrate the ways in which learners
already know (UNESCO, 2008) . Language and structure are but two examples
of how e-learning enhances student learning across other disciplines. From
these examples it can be seen that websites are not to be considered a separate
element to teach from they are practical tools that need integration with
subject matter (Mishra & Koehler, 2006) .
Digital Tool 2 – technologies multimedia (images video audio)
Multimedia technologies support and
enhance learning through their exploration and use of graphics. Using graphics
to demonstrate meaning has long been considered to have positive effects on
learning outcomes. For Digital Tools 2 I
explored multimedia using voice thread and the link to further scope of this
tool can be found at Number
10: I love voice thread. There were
many options to work singularly from just voice or image including podcasts,
befunky
and art
rage but for me it was important to use a tool that excited me as both a
learner and a teacher
It is argued that multimedia and the
use of images enhance a student’s participation and enjoyment in a learning setting
(Sung & Mayer, 2012) . For me that is easy to grasp as human beings
are after all visual creatures. Our eyes
take in a constant stream of images; we are naturally capable of seeing without
losing focus. Unless of course ‘something catches our eye’ and distracts us.
The same can be said for multimedia. Using images to display meaning,
demonstrates to both teachers and students the value and role that images play
in strengthening our understanding (Sung & Mayer, 2012) .
Technologies like voice thread, gives students the opportunity to develop a more critical understanding of the purpose of image selection. It is a visual medium that relies on pictures to create meaning and tell the story. This presents the perfect opportunity for teachers to demonstrate to children that all graphics are not created equally. It also brings with it the opportunity to present ethical guidelines about where images are selected from. The use of multimedia in this way is relevant to ensuring students can learn and understand copyright laws while producing a voice thread of their own. They will also learn the relevance of ensuring that the image portrayed is about the subject being discussed (Sung & Mayer, 2012) . Voice thread is an excellent tool to be able
to demonstrate these strategies. This
particular tool also enhances learning through the ability for group discussion
and one on one teacher student interaction.
It is not necessary to be in the same room and reap these results. This
tool allows two way interactions where the presenter can draw attention to
specific details using a drawing tool.
You are able to record voice details and capture the images to slide in
sequentially timed rhythms. Whether the
subject is art, mathematics or science, this technology offers the strength of
developing shared understanding through the ability to create discussions (McLeod, 2007) .
Technologies like voice thread, gives students the opportunity to develop a more critical understanding of the purpose of image selection. It is a visual medium that relies on pictures to create meaning and tell the story. This presents the perfect opportunity for teachers to demonstrate to children that all graphics are not created equally. It also brings with it the opportunity to present ethical guidelines about where images are selected from. The use of multimedia in this way is relevant to ensuring students can learn and understand copyright laws while producing a voice thread of their own. They will also learn the relevance of ensuring that the image portrayed is about the subject being discussed
According
to Cognitivist learning theories, there are different pathways in the brain for
interpreting visual, audio and text (Metri Group, 2008) .
Multimedia tools, regardless of
how they are used always influence students learning. However in order to ensure that their use is
effective, images must be relevant to the information being taught (Sung & Mayer, 2012) . It can be seen then that working with
multimedia in a digital format offers continued and critical abilities to learn
about images, their production and selection.
This enhances student’s ability to then apply this knowledge in their everyday
contact with a world that is image dominant.
Digital Tool 3 - Presentation tools
Presentation
tools are used in classrooms and working environments world-wide (Nichols, 2003) . As an ICT the most widely recognized of the
presentation tools is power point. The ability to create instructional and
learning slides from within Microsoft office make it an easily accessible and
usable tool for teachers. Where once
learning was based on blackboards, writing and the occasional image, today’s
classroom is all about presenting.
Teachers need to be able to integrate a variety of modes within the one
lesson to demonstrate and reflect ethical, effective and appropriate ways in
which digital technologies can be used (The New Media Consortium (NMC), 2005) .
Students are used to working with several technologies at once and are familiar with building their thinking based on these strategies (Nichols, 2003) . They can often be
listening to music on you-tube, connecting to facebook and researching
interesting or funny articles on the web. Now more than ever teachers need to be able to present to entertain. However more than that, it is the role of teachers to build an
environment that fosters students' desire to want to create and use new
technologies to present their ideas (The New Media Consortium (NMC), 2005) . This is where the usefulness of presentation
tools can be best demonstrated. In this
synopsis I have selected Prezzi and
further exploration of this tool is linked in my blog at Number
19: Prezzi =Presents.
Students are used to working with several technologies at once and are familiar with building their thinking based on these strategies
Again this tool has cross curriculum capabilities. It can be used to
demonstrate a variety of presentation styles from completely textual to
auditory and visual. This tool can allow
the in depth exploration of a mathematics equation with links and references to
visual and audio texts that work to produce meaning (Siemens, 2004) . As the technological pedagogicaland content knowledge (TPACK) framework demonstrates technologies overlap and
work with subject matter to create meaning (Mishra & Koehler, 2006) . Prezzi is an excellent example of this.
Digital Tool 4 –
interactive tools
For technologies to be effective
teachers must model how to use them, by giving our students opportunities to
become the creators of the technology (Mishra & Koehler, 2006) . Interactive tools on the web, refers to those
technologies that are animated and simulated (Nichols, 2003) .
Often on their own they do not constitute as developing learning, but
they offer an interaction with technologies in a different way (Nichols,
2003) . These interactive tools are varied in
their style and form but mostly they are designed specifically for learner
interaction. Unlike other digital tools that are frequently used as teaching
platforms, interactive digital tools are about interacting. This means
that students as learner get to be involved and therefore begin their
engagement with the learning and the technology (Prensky, 2001) . For this tool I chose to use mind
mapping. I found the mind mapping and bubble concepts to be of most interest in
terms of building on prior learning to explore what you already know. Mind mapping as an educational tool
enhances a students learning by assisting them in locating and reflecting on
knowledge that they are familiar with. You can find a further
development of this interactive tool at Number
2: Mindmapping and bubbles.
E-learning and its importance to our students education
E-learning and its importance to our students education
According to Prensky (2001) we are living in a world of education where the students we teach are natives to the digital world as their teachers will be the immigrants. Our students live in the language of the internet, social media, smart phones, tablets and everything iMADE. As teachers we must be able to walk in their technological world, not simply sit on the sidelines and instruct from it. When students finish school they will enter a workforce that is digitally driven (UNESCO, 2008) . It is the responsibility of teachers to develop student knowledge for the world that they will participate in as adults. E-learning is about taking internet computer technologies (ICTs) and using them in meaningful ways. It is about the real life application of technology to express, argue, reflect and produce learning. The United Nations Educational and Scientific Organization (UNESCO 2008) states in its competency standards that schools and classrooms must have teachers who are prepared to empower their students with the latest technologies and who are able to do this while teaching effective subject matter. This is the kind of teacher that I aspire to be.
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