Group 1 Tools- Creating a website

I loved this task! It may possibly be because i created a website on a topic i loved (pugs), or it may be because i acquired new skills in something that didn't frustrate me. Like i have said in previous postings, i may be young however i am quite useless when it comes to technology. I generally do the basics with the technology i have. I often get frustrated with technology as i take a while to comprehend what i am doing. However, working with a Website was quite simple and painless.

I have not completed my Website in an shape or form, however i believe i have gained enough insight to write a reflection. I will continue to improve my website. Please visit my website here.

I used Weebly to create my website and found it very easy! Check it out and create your own website today.

Using websites as a teaching and learning tool in classrooms is an effective way of delivering content. However, teachers must ensure it is still interactive and engaging. The TPACK framework should be explored in this content to ensure teachers are using websites effectively. After a while, if correct TPACK and pedagogies are not employed, students will disengage. Ross Crear (2013) states, Websites are essentially an 'online textbook'. This is if engaging activites are not included on a webpage. Please check out his view on this subject on his blog.   Teachers need to ensure websites are not just jam-packed full of information which will disengage students.  

If used effectively, websites can be great in the classroom!  Teachers can create units of work which are placed on a website. These can be accessed by students any hour of any day. Teachers can upload almost any type of media as well as upload assignment and homework tasks related to this content.

Students can also create their own websites to explore their own creativity. It can also allow teachers to monitor their understanding and learning. This is an engaging way for students to present assignment tasks and weekly activities.

Bellow is a PMI table of my beliefs of incorporating websites in learning.

Plus	Minus	Implications
Access 24/7 Any media can be uploaded Self learning Entirely controlled by creator (unlike Wiki’s) Easier to understand (than Wiki’s)	Anyone can access a published website Can become monotonous Little room for collaboration 'Online textbook' (Crear, 2013)	Has been around for many years in schooling

Group Tools 1- Wiki Reflection

My Wiki can be found here.

Creating a Wiki is the simple step. Following detailed Youtube videos helped ensure i was doing the right thing. However, after creating the wiki, i found it hard to navigate. I was extremely hesitant at the beginning and was quite unsure where to start. I didn't know what i should be putting on it or how to do that. After having a bit of a fiddle i realised it wasn't the 'Mount Everest' i thought it was going to be. (Although it did still involve a fair few hours!) I created a home page and put some videos and images which best described me and my interests. I have not in any way or shape mastered it! I will continue to learn and improve my skills.

Using Wiki's in a classroom could be a effective tool. This is on the proviso that teachers have an extensive knowledge of how to work a Wiki. For a teacher to have a broad understanding of Wiki's, one would have to spend countless hours experimenting and navigating. This would then have to be taught to the students so they can then complete tasks on a Wiki. This is the downfall of using Wiki's in education. In todays schools, time is of the essence! There is not enough of it to go around and teachers are struggling to teach the required content in the time limit. On the addition to teaching students how to use a Wiki, students would also need to be taught the Etiquette of using a wiki.

Here is an article referring to Wiki Etiquette.

Teachers using Wiki's in the classroom need to realise that it is a time consuming process. They must be dedicated in exploring Wikis and ensuring they use TPACK and correct Pedagogies to ensure students are learning.

From exploring my own Wiki, it is evident that anything can be altered. From titles, content, pictures, videos etc... Any user can write over or remove information, not just the creator. This could pose a massive threat to the progress and successful production in a classroom.

However, Wiki's can be a great tool in education. They are excellent for collaboration between other peers. They can also be used for assessment, research, brain storming and the sharing of knowledge and research.

In my teaching area of music i could use Wiki's for:

• Practice Quizzes (similar to those used for ICT in Learning Design)
• Get students to find and post Youtube clips in relation to content
• Post youtube clips and get students to analyse the style and composer
• Any questions students are unsure about, they can collaborate online with peers, outside of school hours

I have also included a SWOT analysis on my opinions of Wiki's in Education

Strengths

• Can be accessed outside school hours
• Collaboration tool
• Teamwork and class interaction
• Uploading a large range of different sources
• Connectivisim
• Caters for multiple different learning theories

Weaknesses

• Can look 'untidy' or 'messy' if not designed or maintained well
• Extremely time consuming
• Anyone can access
• Anyone can remove information 
• Only one person can edit at a time

Opportunities

• Engagement and Learning
• Allows teachers to ensure students understanding of content

Threats

• Could be used for cyber bullying
• Anyone can access and destroy
• Child online safety

Group 1 Tools- Blog Reflection

Collaboration is a major learning tool we as teachers should strive for our students to learn during their schooling years. It is a tool which is needed in nearly any working field. People must be able to talk to others, give feedback and make suggestions in order for improvement in the work force. Imagine a school where teachers didn't collaborate! I believe this is one of the vital tools learnt through blogging.

Students can also use higher order thinking, by learning information,  looking further into a subject matter by researching and gathering more in-depth information.  Students understand this information, apply it into other areas then analyse, evaluate and create!

Since beginning this course i have started using a range of different technologies. Blogging seems to be the simplest out of the bunch! I may be young but i'm not the most fluent with technology. As i am a beginner i am still taking a little bit longer than hoped to do most things, however i believe over time i will improve and everything will just become quicker and quicker! It is because of this realisation that i believe we should be introducing this form of technology from early years. (In controlled environments ofcourse!) By later primary and through secondary, students should then be quick and efficient with different technologies.

Blogging could be very useful in a classroom, with the proviso that teachers don't use it as the soul element of learning in the lesson. Teachers still need to teacher core content with productive pedogogies. Blogging is good for reflection,  analysis, researching further and sharing new information. Teachers must be aware of the TPCK framework and ensure that Technology is being used with productive pedagogy and the content to ensure productive learning.

Teachers must ensure they construct effective lesson plans, ensuring they keep and eye on students and what they are doing online. The biggest issue online is the safety of students. We must also ensure it is not another to cyber bully!

Bellow I have created a PMI table describing my opinions of Blogging in Classroom Education:

Plus	Minus	Implications
Collaboration among students Effective use of ICT in education Great analytical and reflective tool Encourages higher order thinking Wider audience Use outside of schooling hours (students can work on content outside of school) Place for uploading assessment	Online student safety Potential cyber bullying Can be time consuming Technology reliability (Something can and will go wrong!)	Connectivisim Student to student interaction and feedback Students growth Engagement outside of school hours

Finally, I have brainstormed a few ideas about how i can incorporate Blogging into my Music classroom:

• Get students to publish their performance, analytical and composition assignments onto their blogs. Other students and members of the public can also help give feedback before submission. 
• I could post videos and music with designated questions. This will all be related to core content. Students will complete questions and also comment on other students opinions. 
• Students can use their blog as a journal, reflecting their progress throughout the term. 
• Anything i find interesting, or i believe may help, i can post onto my blog and students can access this information at anytime! 

I would love to hear your opinions or additions to this matter. If you would like to respond please comment bellow

Working on a Wiki :)

 Working with a wiki was a new experience for me and took me a while to get used to. However, after getting used to it I discover what an effective tool it can be! I now see how useful it could be in a classroom environment to engage students and incorporate the use of ICT. Mobile phones in education is a big passion of mine! I could rant for hours and hours on the topic! But I wont…. By using this wiki in a structured environment we are able to view many different incites into this topic and allows us to alter and incorporate different thoughts into our ways of thinking.  I know my mind was opened to different views which allowed me to create more questions and answers on where education is heading and how we can achieve this!

DeBono’s hat theory is an interesting concept. I’m not quite sure I used it correctly… however I believe each colour could be interpreted in different ways by different people.  The idea of this theory is to create an activity which is structured and to ensure the maximum is learnt in a fun and effective way. This could be a useful theory in a classroom situation and can allow students to change their views or see different perspectives.

So how does this activity relate to theories previously studied??

If this is successfully used in a classroom this could form part of TPACK’s framework.

Using mobile phones will allow teachers to teach students how to find effective sources and information, which is the soul purpose of ‘Connectivism’. For more information on this topic please read my previous blogs.

Overall, I believe this was a successful experience and an accomplishment in my future. I will endeavor to include wiki’s in my learning and in my future teaching!

Finally, on the topic of Mobile phones in Education, I found a simple YouTube clip from an American teacher. It was only simple however it showed a few possibilities for mobiles in a classroom. Check it out!

What is TPACK?

Bellow is my understanding of TPACK and how it works.

Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) is one of the learning design frameworks used by modern teachers. It has been built from Shulman’s, Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK).  Teaching is a complex process, which involves years of endless research and improvement of both subject matter and efficient ways of teaching and learning.

For those who are not frequent with the terms Pedagogy and Content Knowledge, bellow is a break down of my understand:

Pedagogy Knowledge: The art and science of teaching. It includes the understanding of adapting teaching and learning for different learning styles.

Content Knowledge: Simply the materials or subject matter being taught. Ie. The Composer, Beethoven or Music in the 1970’s.

TPACK simply adds the knowledge, involvement and use of technology to the curriculum being taught.  Each learning area can benefit by the use of technology.  It may be the use of blogs, wiki’s, applications or games, which are both informative and fun and YouTube videos! The list could just go on and on!

The struggle for modern teachers is gaining a good understanding of technology and how to use this technology to both engage students and help them learn! Thus, it is extremely important for myself to begin exploring these endless opportunities and gain an understanding of how to use technology to ensure I am a successful teacher!

Technology is the way of the 21^st century and we must embrace it rather than ignore it! Education must therefore adjust to incorporate this changing world. I stumbled upon this cartoon, which I believe is very true! I hope you all enjoy!  

 

(Image from http://edt514tpack.wikispaces.com/Who+Can+Use+the+TPACK+model)

And remember… EMBRASE Technology… You don’t want to be left behind!

Resources

Who Can Use TPACK Model? (2009). Retrieved from, http://edt514tpack.wikispaces.com/Who+Can+Use+the+TPACK+model