Reflective Synopsis

Reflective Synopsis

When I began this course the classroom seemed such a familiar place. I recall sitting in a classroom with twenty-five or so other students, listening to what we accepted as ‘the fount of all knowledge’. If a teacher didn’t know the answer, you didn’t get the answer. But that was okay, because surely anything a teacher didn’t know wasn’t worth knowing. Right?

I suppose you might say that the CQ University GDLT Course (2010) and, more particularly, ICTs for learning design (2010) opened my eyes. But it seems as though it wasn’t so much that my eyes had been tightly shut previously, as that I came to realise that there was a new direction to look in - it was as though all the information was out there if I had just glanced the other way. It sounds easy when you put it like that, but you have to learn to develop a sense of adventure and exploration: Adventure to face the fear of the unknown, and exploration to make sure new technologies don’t pass you by purely because you don’t know that they exist or that there is even a reason for them to exist.

You can see a Blog as merely being a way of presenting a text to the world, but think about how this was done only thirty years ago. Consider the difficulties of finding a publisher and getting your book onto the bookshelves. Virtually impossible… but now anyone with access to a computer and the Internet can produce a Blog. Imagine the impetus that this gives a child when asked to write a narrative or report, that they have immediate access to authentic feedback from an international audience that is interested not in assessment, but in what is being said.

Making paper planes may be fun, but think of how much more you can engage students if they get to design real planes. Providing stimulation through computer simulation isn’t just an effective pedagogy, it is a means of embedding an authentic focus in a learning experience and showing how new knowledge can be applied in the real world.

Kearsley and Shneiderman's Engagement Theory (1999) proclaims that meaningful learning, where there is a genuine outside focus, is crucial to engaging students’ interest. As learning managers, we need to ‘spot pedagogical opportunities… and analyse and evaluate the technology in terms of pedagogical requirements’ (Scot Aldred, 2010) to ensure that ICTs are presented appropriately and extensively to students to kindle engagement.

My peer Michael Rozman summarised that ‘ICTs is all about the interconnection of engagement, socialising, learning, risk taking and memorising.’ (2010) I concurred, emphasising the importance of working in and creating partnerships. In a Knowledge Economy (Haughton, J. & Sheehan, P., 2000), information equals currency. But with instantaneous transmission, and easy storage and manipulation of information, those who stand out from the crowd will not be those that have the most declarative knowledge, but those that have traits such as high communication skills and the ability to collaborate on a global scale.

WIKIs are an excellent arena for developing skills of n/etiquette and social cooperation. In my Post ‘WIKIs’ I wrote that learning to challenge other team-members opinions, defend your own, compromise and learn collaborative skills are as essential as any of the other knowledge being developed in a learning task.

Mahara applications can be used to get students thinking meta-cognitively. Provide the rubric for expected outcomes and assessment criteria then invite the students to form groups and design their own learning plan. Experimental and self-directed learning are integral to Engagement Theory, and justifying their choice of submission requires evaluation and analysis, which are the higher order thinking skills set out in Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956).

The teacher can store and assess students' work in the one location, and this will make it easier to identify patterns in learning and adapt our pedagogy as required. As Chloe Towns pointed out, Mahara is also the perfect platform to network with other professionals (2010).

Students can showcase their talents. Things that they do out of school can be recorded and uploaded to show how they have interpreted a topic; one student might incorporate a dance piece, another a narrative, and still others scientific reports. This will cater for diversity and multiple intelligences – making my teaching more efficient, as engaged learners are less likely to be disruptive ones.

When we give PowerPoint presentations we can use the editing facilities of SlideShare to include music and narrative and engage verbal as well as visual learners, and also make planning lessons more efficient, having all these applications in the one program. In my Post 'Incompetech' I outlined how music can enrich the learning experience by adding that emotional element which facilitates retention of information. Programs like Flickr can be used: Images are so important in a learning context; they provide interest, humour, colour and joy to a subject.

Students will enjoy creating their own presentations and posting them on public sites such as Scribd. Getting immediate and authentic feedback from around the globe may motivate them to produce superior works and instil a sense of excitement and satisfaction in their learning experience. When we know the world is watching, our tasks become truly meaningful.

We can use any kind of ICTs to engage learners, from the humble mobile phone, to iPods, Glogs, Blogs and Mahara. As I commented to Carolyne Thornton, here in Australia, our challenge is not so much the lack of access to these technologies, but a lack of willingness from many teachers to embrace them. But we have an obligation to embrace them, for our learners will need to be technologically literate to be successful in the 21st century.

We must make more than a token effort at incorporating new technologies, and actively involve our learners in experimenting with, evaluating and analysing them, and collaborate with others using ICTs to create meaningful and authentic tasks that are of value in the real world, and not just worthy of a tick or a cross on a piece of paper. I will be using all of the technologies I have mentioned here, and many others besides, for all the reasons mentioned. And the best thing of all, is that not only will my teaching will be more efficient, but the learners want to engage in ICTs and this learning will prepare them to enter the post-school world as confident, competent, innovative life-long learners able to participate and succeed.


REFERENCES

Bloom, B. (1956). Bloom's Taxonomy of learning domains: the three types of learning. Retrieved from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au

Haugthon, J. & Sheehan, P. (2000). A primer on the knowledge economy. Footscray, Victoria: Centre for Strategic Economic Studies, Victoria University. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au

Kearsley, G. & Schneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement theory: a framework for technology-based teaching and learning. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au


ONLINE PROFESSIONAL CONVERSATIONS WITH MY PEERS AND LECTURER

Aldred, S. (2010). Mahara and primary school. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Aldred, S. (2010). Beyond school. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Aldred, S. (2010). PowerPoint presentation. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Aldred, S. (2010). ICT Week 2: learning styles results and thoughts. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Aldred, S. (2010). ICT Week 2: personality. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Aldred, S. (2010). ICT Week 2: multiple and emotional intelligence. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Arthur, N. (2010). Geocaching. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Ball, R. (2010). Geocaching. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Bowman, K. (2010). ICT Week 2: learning styles results and thoughts. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Bridgeman, L. (2010). Geocaching. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Clark, A. (2010). Costa v. Marzano. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Ellis, N. (2010). Beyond School. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Gupwell, K. (2010). Google earth. Retrieved from http://kyliegupwell.blogspot.com/

Gupwell, K. (2010). Incompetech. Retrieved from http://alicecatherine-alice.blogspot.com/

Havens, J. (2010). Week 4 - roles of ICT in education. Retrieved from http://jhgdltlearningreflection.blogspot.com/

Holden, K. (2010). Social Capital. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

James, S. (2010). PowerPoint presentation: the causes of acne. Retrieved from http://alicecatherine-alice.blogspot.com/.

Knight, K. (2010). PowerPoint presentation: the causes of acne. Retrieved from http://alicecatherine-alice.blogspot.com/

Knight, K. (2010). WIKIs. Retrieved from http://alicecatherine-alice.blogspot.com/

Linderberg, J. (2010). Technology to change the learning experience. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Martyn, S. (2010). Costa v. Marzano. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Moore, L. (2010). Mahara. Retrieved from http://alicecatherine-alice.blogspot.com/

Plumb, E. (2010). Synopsis to ICT Activity week 1. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Prior, S. (2010). Geocaching. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Rozman, M. (2010). Week 5. Retrieved from http://mrozmansthoughts.blogspot.com/

Slattery, M. (2010). ICT classroom tools. Retrieved from http://miriamsblogonprimaryedu.blogspot.com/

Slattery, M. (2010). (2010). Incompetech. Retrieved from http://alicecatherine-alice.blogspot.com/

Smith, B. (2010). ICT Week 2: learning styles results and thoughts. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Stewart, K. (2010). ICT Week 2: rating learning experiences. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Stewart, K. (2010). Topic 2: outlining a learning activity. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Thornton, C. (2010): Learning and technology for the poor. Retrieved from http://learningjourneycaro.blogspot.com/

Thornton, C. (2010). Mahara and primary school

Thornton, C. (2010). PowerPoint presentation. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Thornton, C. (2010). Multiple intelligence and emotional intelligence. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Thornton, C. (2010). ICT Week 2: Mazlow's hierarchy and Kunc. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Towns, Chloe. (2010). Slideshare and Scribd. Retrieved from http://alicecatherine-alice.blogspot.com/
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