For the third assessment task in the course ‘e-learning in primary schools’, I created a mind map using mywebspiration.com. My mind map enabled me to identify what Web 2.0 is, what its best features are, and how I can utlise these digital tools to enhance learning in a primary classroom.
In her post, Ruby commented on the use of interactive whiteboards in classrooms which again identified that technology can be ‘transformative but it depends on the way in which it is utilised by teachers’.
On my pracs, I have also experienced some really great lessons using interactive whiteboards but I have also seen it used as an electronic form of a text book which does not change anything about the way in which students are learning in the classroom and is really disapointing because the potential it has to engage and motivate students is so exciting.
On my last prac, every classroom had an interactive white board but the school only sent two teachers to the course that demonstrated how to use it. Despite the teachers best efforts to relay what they learnt in the course, the majority of teachers only knew how to use the boards at a very basic level and didn’t appear to have the time outside of class to learn how to better use it. If this challenge can be overcome, and teachers are properly equipped with the knowledge and skills allowing them to operate and utilise an interactive whiteboard effectively, the students learning will benefit immensely.
In Vivien’s post on ‘Disgusing Learning’, she comments on a study done where technology was used to improve literacy skills. The study claimed to have done this by peaking the student’s interest in technology through visual programming, computer simulations and science that masked the real aim of teaching reading, writing and comprehension skills.
I went on to read the article and found it made some great insights into using technology in an innovative and effective way. The issue of technology’s benefits has been widely contested with some saying that technology has in fact been responsible for decreasing literacy standards in schools. Despite this, the results of the study suggest that ‘the students greatly enhanced their reading comprehension and writing skills, while also learning new computer skills and further advancing their science and problem solving skills. The students all expressed feelings of success while in the program.’
Upon reflection of this article, I find myself arriving at the same destination that a lot of my literature review has lead me to, and that is that technology’s success depends on how it is used.
Investigations into the use of digital video in teaching and learning by Becta suggest that like any form of ICT, the impact of technology depends on the way in which it is used. In regards to digital video, there is evidence of good practice and positive outcomes in a number of areas.
There are many benefits to using digital video in the classroom for both the teacher and the students. Some student benefits include increased motivation, encouragement of self expression and creativity, a sense of achievement resulting in improved self-esteem and the development of social skills.
For teachers, using digital video could improve the literacy skills of students due to the planning and editing involved in the process. It can provide group work, collaboration and differentiation of teaching and learning according to student’s abilities, learning styles and personalities. Additionally, it can facilitate deeper consideration of subject matter.
One unique aspect of digital video is the ability for anything to be recorded, edited, shared and reused. This is a valuable tool for both student and teacher.
A friend of mine works for Microsoft and recently made me aware of one of their websites that was created for teachers. This website aims to assist teachers to ‘create deeper engagement within the classroom, save precious time on admin, and realise your own and your students’ full potential’.
I spent some time browsing the site and was actually really impressed with what it had to offer. The site is organised into six main components;
1. ‘Bring Lessons To Life’ – Videos and case studies showing easy ways to use software to enliven lessons;
2. ‘How To’ - Simple, quick HOW TO instructions for common tasks in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other applications;
3. ‘Time Saving’ - Useful templates, tips and tools to help save time and collaborate more effectively. I could have spent hours browsing through all these templates!
4. ‘Tutorials and Lesson Plans’ - Learning how to use popular Microsoft products from the ground up and finding ideas for lesson plans;
5. ‘Community’ – Staying in the loop through the TeacherTools newsfeeds and tapping into an innovative teacher’s network.
6. ‘Tech Help’ – Guides and learning programmes to help get on top of technology and extend skills.
Despite the obvious bias towards everything Microsoft, the site provides heaps of really great ideas and resources plus gives you the technical support by showing you how to use it all. I really liked the ‘Innovative Teachers Network’ that connects a global community of educators who share a common interest in enhancing teaching and learning through the use of technology.
Another really great feature of this website is that it is for Australian teachers! So many websites similar in concept are designed for educators in the US or the UK, so this was something I really appreciated.
In the article ‘Piaget’s Constructivism, Papert’s Constructionism: What’s the difference?’, author Edith Ackermann asks, ‘What is the difference between Piaget’s constructivism and Papert’s “constructionism”?’, she answers, ‘beyond the mere play on the words, I think the distinction holds, and that integrating both views can enrich our understanding of how people learn and grow.’
Whilst Piaget’s theory of constructivism is the notion that a child’s particular interests and abilities occur at different stages of their development with constantly changing and evolving views of the world, Papert’s theory of constructionism embraces the idea of a child ‘learning to learn’ and the significance of making things in learning, the engagement of learners in converstation and how this influences self-directed learning and ultimately facilitates the construction of new knowledge.
But both believe knowledge is actively constructed by the child in interaction, and that learning is about putting one’s own words to the world, finding one’s own voice and exchanging our ideas with others.
In understanding these two concepts, we can then identify the important role that ICT has in the classroom as when used appropriately, it can facilitate enormous discovery, interaction and communication which can lead to the active construction of new knowledge.
In her post, Emma poses a very interesting question, ‘Can we really rely on technology as the sole source of educative activities? If not, does integrating technology in the classroom then involve double the effort for the well prepared teacher?
A good teacher will always be prepared when their lessons do not go according to plan. Regardless of if the problem was technology based, nothing should ever be relied upon as a sole source of educative activity, such practice would be repetitive and boring!
Teachers should be well prepared when endevouring to teach a unit of work, the content should not be prepared one set lesson at a time, instead the teacher should be working towards an overall outcome and have many different ways and ideas of achieving that outcome. If an interactive whiteboard or computer isn’t working just you are about to teach a lesson, you have to be flexible and teach it in another manner or if it is not appropriate, continue with another aspect of the unit of work.
My point (should I eventually get to it!) is this; no, we can not rely on technology as the sole source of educative activities and integrating technology in the classroom should not involve double the effort for the well-prepared teacher.
In the article ‘Tools for the Teks: Integrating Technology into the Classroom’, Wesley Fryer explores the use of podcasting in the classroom to motivate students to express themselves and communicate. A number of great benefits from podcasting are mentioned. For further information, please listen to My Podcast about the article.
In the slideshare presentation, ‘Technology in Education: The Key Factors for Success’, creator Inna Stevens displayed a quote from Marc Prensky in an open letter to the Obama administration, ‘we have reached the point where our students are no longer the ones that our systems were designed for, and that our teachers were trained to teach.’
I found this observation somewhat startling yet clearly obvious. If this is true, then what is the next step?
Is this why, as a teacher in training, I am currently undertaking ’e-learning in primary schools?’
In Australia, the average age of a primary school teacher is 44, hopefully as these teachers retire (or are professionally re-trained) and the younger generation of technologically savy teachers take over, the challenges that schools are facing in regards to technology, teaching and student learning will ease.
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Despite commenting on this article in a previous blog, Brendan and I decided to do our literature review on this article as we thought the message it outlines is an important one for educators to reflect upon. We pulled out the key points from the article…what do you think, is technology being stuffed into the curriculum?
