Week four: Reflecting upon podcasts and digital movies

 This week My blog reflection focuses upon digital tools for education,

The activities that I engaged in this week focused upon podcasting and digital movie (movie maker) as pedagogical tools for facilitating, designing learning experiences.

Podcasting I found was interesting as it allowed a different way to facilitate learning either by the learning manager or by other persons; however, what I had noticed is that when podcasts were used by learning managers, it still resembled and/or facilitated direct teaching methods. Therefore, I would like to suggest that the learning manager use this resource sparingly. Yet having said this, I believe that podcasts can be useful for students to construct, display and donate (publish) their assignments, group activities, science projects, oral presentations, and alike to other students via the mode of podcasting.

My observation on digital movie is much the same. Consequently as a learning manager, I recognise that understanding how to use these tools in the classroom, to present content, is only a small aspect to digital technologies. It is therefore in my opinion that as a learning manager, I place these tools in the hands of the students, in the same way we teach and help students to use pencils and/or pens to construct, demonstrate, and publish their learning experiences. Hence, what I have observed is that digital pedagogies do have the potential to reach a larger audience, by connecting students from other geographical regions; breaking down the barriers of remoteness.

In regards to remoteness I would like to draw your attention to an article I read by Sara Hawke Remoteness still influencing education outcomes online resource. 

in this blog I have included a link to my first podcast. As the title suggests this is my first podcast: so it is my attempt at learning how to use this resource. In doing so I have realised the wonderful potential. Therefore I have included another podcast that uses digital video to demonstrate how video can be used to facilitate digital interpretation of Poetry Entitled: Wordsworth a use of digital technology and poetry. I believe that students can also use this technology to present and publish their work.

Bibliography:

Hawke, S. (2011). Remoteness still influencing education outcomes. ABC News. Retrieved from http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/3178071.htm?site=news

Assessment Task 1-Learning design brief

The Assessment,

This reflection entitled The Assessment is an integral part of my learning experience. It demonstrates the level of understanding that I have constructed through experience and reflection; consistent with a constructivist learning theory (Westwood, 2004, p. 22). Therefore, this reflection is a synthesised summation of what I know; about learning styles, learning theories, learning design frameworks, and eLearning spaces.

Learning styles:

Know your learner, is a critical aspect for a learning manager to design authentic learning experience. Wyatt-Smith, Cumming, Elkins, & Colbert (20, p. 227) suggest, “Getting to know students as people is important”; I might add, knowing the students learning styles is equally important. The work of Felder and Soloman (n.d.) have identified four learning style axes pertaining to two binaries each, 1:Active and Reflective learners, 2:Sensing and Intuitive learners, 3:Visual and Verbal learners, and 4:Sequential and Global learners. It is therefore, in the best interest of the learning manager to have a grasp on these different learning styles.  So much so, that she/he designs learning experiences that accommodate the different learning styles of say a traditional classroom of 25 students. I think that I may struggle with this at first, however when I break down the learning experience plan into small sections, like the introductory phase of a lesson, I can see how it is possible. For example, I could refer to a graphic organiser like a learning map that outlines the lesson; either on the whiteboard or as a handout. This provides sequential steps to follow and a global outcome; it also meets the needs of visual and verbal, active and reflective, and sensing and intuitive learners. In reflection, I would agree whole-heartedly with getting to know your learners as people; people do learn differently at different rates and through a range of learning styles. Therefore, I would recommend designing learning experiences that considers the learner first, by adopting a learner-centred approach to teaching.

Learning Theories:

Understanding learning theories transpires to how I can engage my learners in authentic learning experiences. In the first week of my course I had the privilege to view and grapple with four key learning theories Behaviourism, Cognitivism, Constructivism and Connectivism to formulate perhaps, a coherent understanding of how learners learn.

Gredler (2001 as cited in Westwood, 2004, p. 17) comments on learning theories as having characteristic that “provide a mechanism for understanding the implications of events related to learning in both formal and informal settings”. Therefore, learning theories set out to try to explain how a learner learns. In response to this Peter Westwood (2004, p. 17) suggests no single theory is comprehensive or is definitive in answering the question of “What is learning?”. In light of Westwood’s analysis, I have conceded that I should adopt an eclectic approach to implementing the four learning theories. This is because I believe strongly that whilst I may have a class of twenty-four learners, I am designing learning experiences that cater for the diverse needs and learning styles of the twenty-four individual learners. Yet having said this I do favour the constructivist approach, simply because of its cyclical manner where by the learning manager is in a position of facilitator, who helps facilitate the learners construction of new knowledge and experiences, that can be reflected upon by the learner to create new knowledge; and so the cycle goes on.  Therefore, as I have indicated previously on learning styles, I believe a learner centred approach be applied to implementing learning theories.

Learning Design Frameworks:

I look at learning design frameworks as a pedagogical framework through which content is taught. In this, I have synthesised three key learning frameworks; “Engagement Theory” (Kearsley, & Shneiderman, 1999) “Productive Pedagogies” (Curriculum Implementation Unit, 2002) and Blooms’ Taxonomy (Rodin Education Consultancy, 2007) to form my own learning design framework. This framework therefore, stimulates a range of pedagogies that may be used in designing authentic learning experiences. It also accommodates Digital Pedagogies learning through the facilitated mode of ICT's or “eLearning” (Department of Education Training and the Arts, 2008).I believe that by creating authentic learning experiences that engage learners, can inspire a level of personal agency over their learning experience. This synthesised framework is by no means, a comprehensive learning design framework; nor is static. I believe as I develop as a teacher (learning manager), so to will my learning design framework.

eLearning spaces:

Over the past three weeks, I have participated in and constructed eLearning spaces such as blogs, wiki’s and web pages. The blog has been my ejournal on my progress and understanding of learning theories, learning styles and learning design frameworks. It in my opinion, that it is a quintessential reflective tool, that is consistent with standard 10 of the Profession Standards for Queensland Teachers (graduate level)  to "Commit to reflective practice and ongoing professional renewal"(Queensland College of Teachers, 2009). When it came to constructing a wiki and web page, I located them within a specific learning context so that I may reflect upon their construction as an eLearning space, with the content within the space having a direct application that may be applied to all KLA’s. Therefore, the content that I chose to insert into the wiki and the web page is within the learning context of Visual Literacies: understanding and interpreting visual literacies as a text. In reflection I have noticed that these three different eLearning spaces are autonomous, yet do display limitations when they are used individually. Yet, when I linked these learning experiences together, they formed a multilayered scaffold that presented a more comprehensive learning experience. Therefore,  I am of the opinion that the use of these three eLearning spaces are an essential element in facilitating authentic learning; that is only limited by the learning managers creativity and imagination.

Personal Reflection:

This course that I am enrolled in EDED20491 ICT’s for learning design is facilitated through a flexible mode of learning. Be that as it may, it does require a high level of engagement, engagement in collaborative learning. Raymond Brown (2010, p. 224) suggests, collaborative learning signifies learners who contribute, to “helping others to contribute to the group’s effort by sharing ideas, justifying and explaining ideas, working to understand others’ ideas and building on each others’ ideas and representations.”. Therefore, I have a concern over my level of participation in group activities and learning experiences. This is due to, and is not exclusively my own domain as other learners, I believe in this course have, or will have experienced, family and social commitments that are dare I say it nonnegotiable. This has led me to consider my learners; to which I agree with Wyatt-Smith, Cumming, Elkins, & Colbert (20, p. 227) when they suggest, that we consider our learners as “people ”.  Thus, I have come to the stark reality that learning does not happen in a sterile vacuum. With this in mind, I would like to recommend to myself that I consider the learner, when I design learning activities; by providing a structure for the learner/s to complete or attempt to complete learning activities in class time, to work alongside (collaboratively in the true sense) to help the learner/s complete their learning tasks. This may be through tailoring the learning task or the expected outcome of the task to suit the diverse needs of the individual learner. In conclusion, initially I had thought that this course would equip me to be a teacher, yet, I have found that it has done much more. Over the past three weeks, I have been privileged to learn and understand how to be a learning manager from a learner’s perspective or viewpoint. This has cemented the ideology and philosophy of a learning centred approach as quintessential to best teacher practice; including knowing the learner, learning-styles, learning theories, and learning design frameworks.

Bibliography

Brown, R. (2010) Collaborative learning. In D. Pendergast. & N. Bahr (Eds) Teaching middle years: Rethinkingcurriculum, pedagogy and assessment (2nd ed. pp. 223-23). Crows Nest NSW: Allen and Unwin.

Curriculum implementation  Unit. (2002) Productive Pedagogies; Classroom reflection manual. Department of Education Training and the Arts. Retrieved from http://education.qld.gov.au/public_media/reports/curriculum-framework/productive-pedagogies/ 

Department of Education Training and the Arts. (2008) eLearning for smart classrooms.   In.Smart Classrooms Bytes.Queensland Government. Retrieved from http://education.qld.gov.au/smartclassrooms/pdf/scbyte-elearning.pdf

Felder, R. M., & Soloman, B, A. (n.d.). Learning styles and strategies. Retrieved from

 http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/ILSdir/styles.htm

Kearsley, G. & Ben Shneiderman. (1999) Engagement theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning. Retrieved from http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm

Queensland College of Teachers (QCOT). (2009). Professional standards for Queensland teachers (graduate level): Aguide for use with preservice teachers. Retrieved from http://www.qct.edu.au/

Rodin Education Consultancy (2007). Thinking Skills Framework. Retrieved from 

http://www.itcpublications.com.au/itc-shop

Westwood, P. (2004). Learning and learning difficulties: A handbook for teachers. Camberwell, Victoria: Acer Press.

Wyatt-Smith, C.M., Cumming, J.J., Elkins, J., & Colbert, P. (2010). Assessment. In D. Pendergast. & N. Bahr (Eds)Teaching middle years: Rethinking curriculum, pedagogy and assessment (2nd ed. pp. 319-44). Crows Nest NSW:

         Allen and Unwin.

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Reflections on Week Three Activities

The activities that I have been engaged in for this week are to create and interact in eLearning spaces for the purpose of critical reflection and analysis of their effectiveness for facilitating authentic learning experiences.  The types of eLearning spaces that I have explored are blogs, wiki's, and web sites. to which I had constructed and analysed in their respective formats. So, at the risk of being repetitive, I will like to suggest that you click on the links below.

1. wiki
2. Blog Entitled:  Why Blog? As a learning facilitator. 
3. Web site Entitled: Practical Pedagogies

In constructing these eLearning sites I have found that using each one as an exclusively autonomous learning space does have its limits. However, when these learning spaces are linked together, they present a coherent multi-layered learning platform. By using this multi-layered approach, I believe provides scaflded learning experiences.So much so, that it enables the learner to enact personal agency in an authentic learning experience. Therefore, the use of these three eLearning spaces are an essential element in facilitating authentic learning; that is only limited by the learning managers creativity and imagination.

Why Blog? As a learning facilitator.

Why Blog?: Facilitate learning.

Well I believe that it has come to this; my thoughts on blogs as a valid source for facilitating learning. To start of with  I will engage in an analytical tool known as a SWOT analysis. The acronym SWOT = Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats. As seen in the table below.

Strengths Has the ability for instant publishing of: ·         Ideas, thoughts , academic information ·         An Online journal ·         The authors knowledge, and creation of new knowledge. A post has the ability to: ·         link related  topic information with other posts, web pages, accessible documents within that post. ·         Have comments left on the blog from those who view the blog. ·         be only edited by the author/s

Weakness ·         Can not be edited by anyone else other than the author/s ·         If you disagree with the content or strongly object to the legitimacy of the content in a blog, as a viewer you can only leave a comment but cannot edit the contents. ·         Is not as flexible as a wiki

Opportunities ·         Blogs can provide an alternative mode of teaching content to address different learning styles. ·         Can be an environment where learners develop, create and donate new ideas, concepts, and complex arguments to a larger audience. ·         Viewers of a blog may use the comments section to ask questions about the topic, to facilitate deeper engagement, to create and produce new knowledge. ·         Can link  other blogs together to form an online learning space.

Threats ·         Blogs, can perhaps be instruments of abuse, or cyber bullying ·         Misrepresent people and facts; unintentional or intentional. ·

Now to analyse the usefulness of blogs in an education setting like a school. I believe that we are able to see the benefits of developing an online learning community that goes beyond the boundaries of a school location.  However, I have some serious concerns in the area of Blogs being used as tools for cyber bullying. Perhaps, what I am trying to indicate is that a child's/learner's right to feel, and be safe in all contexts including online communities, is paramount. Therefore, I would be cautious in using Blogs, but I would use them as a source of facilitating learning to accommodate the different learning styles.  I also feel that using blogs to access  lesson content does display a level of flexibility for both the learner and the learning manager.


As I was constructing the SWOT analysis, I became aware of some questions floating around, about the practicability of blogs as a facilitator of learning. The questions that appeared to meander, are, who is the intended audience of a blog, what information can be retrieved and most importantly what level of engagement and agency do learners have from reading a blog? Upon doing some further investigations, I found that blogs may be beneficial in the area of reciprocal teaching First the learner/s read the text within the blog, then they formulate a a brief response to the text. The learners brief response to the text is then left in the comments section of the blog. Raymond Brown's (2010, p. 226) summation of Gaskins et. al. (1994) views on students who "complete a brief written response to a text, or a solution to a problem, or an evaluation of the efficacy of an experiment, they are more likely to participate in any discussion that follows" is important to consider.   Therefore, in the light of this I would suggest that blogs are able to stimulate and facilitate academic engagement (group discussion), either online, or in the classroom, to such a degree that it can only enhance and deepen the learning experience. So to answer the question of the practicability of blogs to facilitate learning I think that I may conclude that if a learner is simply reading material from a blog and does nothing with it; a blog is useless. However, if as I have suggested in this blog post, we use blogs to stimulate and develop learning through reciprocal teaching , then it is a valuable tool to facilitate learning. 




Now as to your views on the topic of the practicality of facilitating learning  through the medium of blogs, please leave a comment. I believe that your comments are valuable in stimulating discussion; regardless of the contextual restraints.

References:

Brown, R. (2010) Collaborative learning. In D. Pendergast. & N. Bahr (Eds) Teaching middle years: Rethinking curriculum, pedagogy and assessment (2nd ed. pp. 223-23). Crows Nest NSW: Allen and Unwin.

My reflection on week two activities: mobile phone wiki

upon reflecting on the use of mobile phones as a technology to facilitate learning. I have concluded through my participation in the mobile phone wiki a position of apprehension. I am apprehensive about the safe way of using this technology; it appears that this type of technology can be manipulated to facilitate learning, but I feel that is can also be a tool for inflicting abuse. I am also apprehensive about the level of equitability that this technology can or cannot provide. To put it simply, if you can afford mobile phone technology, great! However, if you cannot afford the technology does this mean that a learner may be disadvantaged or even excluded from an engaging learning experience? But, perhaps, it is about creating and facilitating engaging learning experiences, to this I have no reservations; use mobile phone technology.

I think that the purpose of this reflection is to look at the wiki activity through my new learning design framework. To this I would confirm that I have a logical and synthesized framework to plan authentic learning/eLearning experiences. Please view the table below.

Engagement Theory		Productive Pedagogies:	Productive Pedagogies:	Productive Pedagogies:	Productive Pedagogies:	Blooms Taxonomy
		Intellectual quality	Supportive classroom environment	Recognition of difference	Connectedness
Relate		:				·         Remember ·         Understand ·         Apply
Create Learner and Learner Manager create			Operate in the learning wiki on mobile phones develop academic engagement by using technology tools, like, wiki’s to facilitate learning.	Demonstrate  and operate in Cultural knowledge, and Inclusivity practices when contributing to the learning wiki on mobile phones and critiquing  other participants contributions.	Knowledge integration: integrate knowledge on mobile phones to create a synthesised position to argue from.	·         Design ·         Evaluate ·         Analyse ·         Apply Verbs used:, create, synthesise, operate, demonstrate,
Donate			Operate in the learning wiki on mobile phones; develop academic engagement by using technology tools, like, wiki’s to facilitate and contribute to learning. Donate to my weekly learning blog my reflection on the use of mobile phones for learning.		Argue my position one mobile phones in education, problem-based curriculum, use de Bono’s six thinking hats develop and communicate your position.	·         Design ·         Evaluate ·         Analyse Verbs used: operate, argue.
Learning Space: Designed learning activities for interacting and engaging in and with the content: Learner and Learner Manager (L.M) Participate in the Shared Learning space, and the learners learning space		Reflect on week 2 activities and post summation to my blog  the reflection will promote and engage Higher order Knowledge, Deep knowledge, Deep understanding, Substantive conversation. Knowledge as problematic, Metalanguage	Operate in the learning wiki on mobile phones; develop academic engagement by using technology tools, like, wiki’s to facilitate and contribute to learning.  Reflect upon week 2 activities; Critique and discuss mobile phone wiki post reflection to blog, promoting academic engagement. .	:	Reflect on week 2 activities justify why these reflections are important to authentic learning experiences. Knowledge integration Background Knowledge Connectedness to the world Problem-based curriculum.	·         Design ·         Evaluate ·         Analyse ·         Apply ·         Understand ·         Remember Verbs used: justify, operate, critique.

In reflecting upon using this learning design framework, I noticed that it is a framework for ethical teaching practice.

It is a framework to which I can use guide and to evaluate, and or test learning experiences that I design .  I also became mindful of how I interacted in the learning wiki, perhaps, I was guided by this new framework.  what I can conclude at this point about the learning design framework is that it maintains a student centred approach when designing learning experiences.