Synopsis

Synopsis
In the classrooms of today there is an abundance of information and resources available to learning managers. The most difficult aspect is deciding which learning tools and content are the most effective when deciding what and how to assist your learners on managing their learning journey. This is where the question of digital technologies, specifically the use of ICT’s comes into play. Are they an effective learning tool? Can they be easily used? Or on the other hand, does their use distract learners from their learning context?

During this synopsis, a selection of digital tools including Blogs, Webpage’s, Concept maps and Power Point have been chosen to be further investigated with a view for classroom integration. Each learning tool will be discussed and further explored with a link to the author’s blog page. There are many theories concerning the teaching and development of e-learning and the different teaching strategies that should be used to most effectively integrate ICT’s to the classroom. One such theory is the concept of affordance, penned by Cuthell (2006 p101).

The concept of affordance was developed by Wersch (1998), who saw computers as a tool, a vehicle for combining motor skills, language, images and symbolic manipulation through practical activities. These practical activities reflect a series of often complex thought processes. They represent a cultural tool that enables the mediation of thought. The technology enables these processes to be amplified and developed in ways which reflect the integration of technology and the enhancements that ICT, used as a tool, provides.

As learning managers, we have a responsibility to ensure that out learners are given the opportunity to become digitally literate citizens. With the use of technology ever increasing in our daily lives we need to learn to critically evaluate the digital learning tools around us. By ensuring students develop their digital technology knowledge, learning managers can make sure that they enhance and support learning and ensure that their learners are prepared for the digital world ahead of them.

The first digital tool to be explored is Blogs. Blogs are a user friendly and engaging reflective tool that can be incorporated into any learning context. Its ability to post images, text, movies and hyperlink to other web pages makes it a versatile resource. The most effective use for a Blog in the classroom would effectively be as a journal type reflective tool. The journal aspect of this tool also gives its user the ability to track their learning journey and understandings through looking back at previous posts.

A blog is also an important tool for learning managers to illustrate how important netiquette is when creating and maintaining their own blog. This would be a good introduction to explaining how important netiquette is and teaching learners to develop constructive questions as a tool to extend their knowledge base. When asking and answering questions of each other’s blogs, students can begin to learn from each other and collaboratively share information. By developing an effective blog, learners are able to engage in collaborative and reflective learning whilst incorporating the use of ICT’s in the classroom.

One drawback with the Blog site is that you are unable to upload complete files to the blog, so if you have a PowerPoint that you want to add to your blog, it would have to be added one page at a time and it would not show as a complete presentation. This can be resolved by uploading it to another digital tool such as a wiki space and hyperlinked. Refer to my blog for a further discussion about blogs and their uses.

The next digital tool is Concept maps. The learning tool Bubbl.us is simple to use and can cater for a wide range of learners, particularly visual learners as the concept mapping allows information to be organised in an easy to read style.
The organised, structured framework that concept mapping is a part of lends to the theory of Cognitivism. Using online concept mapping tools is a valuable tool for information organisation, as it shows a clear, set out process to store the information. This tool could be incorporated into the learning environment at the start of a unit with students mapping out what they already know and then at the end of the unit as a reflective tool adding in everything they have learnt. For further information on concept mapping as a digital tool within our classrooms please visit this blog entry.

The next digital tool is Web pages. Learning managers can scaffold the learning for students by setting up websites, providing information and activities on a particular topic that is appropriate for the skills and knowledge base of his or her learners. An effective way to incorporate Web pages into the classroom environment is for the learning manager to set up a website focusing on the unit of work, with links to other websites that contain useful information and is a verifiable source. Students can then answer questions from the information gathered from their research. This also allows learning managers to control to a degree the websites that students will be visiting, allowing them to support their students in a safe environment whilst using ICT.

This is not the only precautions that learning managers should take to ensure their students are protected in a safe environment and practicing legal and ethical behaviour when using ICT. Cyber safety is vitally important in the classroom environment. If students are left to explore the world wide web alone, there is no guarantee that the students are safe or looking at appropriate articles. Students need to be explicitly taught and modelled the safe behaviour when using digital tools. To view an in depth SWOT analysis of this digital learning tool please visit this blog

The final digital tool in this synopsis and this author’s favourite tool is the use of PowerPoint. (See Blog) This is an accessible tool which is very easy to use and can create effective presentations with minimal effort. The inclusion of hyper linking within the page turns a simple PowerPoint into an interactive presentation which can include separate subject matter and multiple choice quizzes.
One downside of this tool is that it is very easy to get caught up in the decorating aspect and a great amount of time can be spent changing backgrounds, fonts and pictures if not aware of this aspect. Although this may be seen as time consuming allowing learners to tweak their presentation to their standards this editing process helps to develop their digital creativity. Furthermore, this one aspect is far outweighed by the skills that the learners acquire developing and editing their Power Point presentation.

Another feature of Power Point is its ability to incorporate visual still and moving images, enhancing not only the appearance of the presentation but also increasing the information received by the visual learners in the classroom. A variety of digital tools such as digital images, You tube videos and podcasts can be incorporated into the PowerPoint presentation, enhancing the authentic learning aspect of this resource. Once the students realise that what they are learning about has meaning and demonstrates real world applications, they feel they can make a difference to the world wide community as each of the digital tools has already done.

By developing quizzes within the PowerPoint, learning managers are able to develop a behaviourist approach to teaching. “Behaviourism considers the mind as a 'black box' and does not concern itself with the internal processes of learning, only in the measurable outcomes” (Modritscher 2006, 5). Measurable outcomes being correct answers to the questions. These outcomes are what underpin the theory of behaviourism. Another aspect of behaviourism focuses on rewarding the learner through positive reinforcement which can be seen as the reward of a correct answer. “The rewards then become the motivation for the learner” (Allen 2007, 40). By using behaviourism as the theory behind using PowerPoint’s, students have the chance to extend their skill development.

In conclusion, it can be seen that the above tools would make engaging and worthwhile learning tools which could easily be integrated into the learning environment. Explicitly teaching our learners using digital tools such as these will prepare our learners to become ICT literate and prepare them for the digital world.
Throughout this synopsis and further blog readings, there are many valuable digital tools available to assist your learner in their e learning journey. When used effectively, these tools can increase deep order thinking allowing them to transform their knowledge. It is evident that when used appropriately the digital tools in the classroom play an important role in developing our learner’s knowledge and moving forward to the 21st century.

Reference

Allen, M.W (2007). Designing Successful e-Learning: Forget What You Know About Instructional Design and Do Something Interesting - Michael Allen's Online Learning Library, Jossey Bass.

Modritscher, F. (2006) 'e-Learning Theories in Practice: A Comparison of three.

Cuthell, J.(2006) Type 2 uses of technology in education projects, case studies and software applications.

Movie Maker Video Editing Tutorial

Learning Management System (LMS) for eLearning

A learning management system (commonly abbreviated as LMS) is a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, and reporting of training programs, classroom and online events, e-learning programs, and training content.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_management_system

Podcast

'Podcasting' is a blend of the words 'iPod' and 'broadcasting'. Podcasting allows you to automatically receive the latest episode or highlights of your favorite SBS programmes. You can then watch or listen to the downloaded episode via your computer, or transfer them to a portable mp3 player.
http://www.sbs.com.au/podcasts/help#whatispodcasting

Pod casting can be a valuable learning tool by allowing students to listen to educational podcasts that relate to thier unit of work.

Google Maps

Google maps is an interactive tool that allows its user to look up a place of interest and have a up close view. Any place in the world can be viewed even your own home.

Google maps is a very interesting tool that could be easily incorporated into many subjects particularly SOSE. Can you imagine instead of showing students pictures from a textbook of different cultures and the way in which they live, jumping on Google maps and showing them an interactive real life view first hand for themselves?

There is a feature that would allow students to create their own map which could be a handy tool for having students recreate a voyage from the past for example Ned Kelly or James Cook’s voyage.

There is endless opportunities for learning that can be discovered using this unique resource.

Images

Visual literacy is an important aspect of teaching the learners of today. Not only does the use of images allow for a more aesthetically pleasing presentation, it also greatly assists those learners who learn best visually. Not every student learns the same, in fact every student has a different learning style. For a more in depth understanding of learning styles please visit this website.

Not only the students who learn best through visual representation can benefit from the inclusion of images, any student no matter thier learning style will learn more effectively using both images and text rather than just text.

There are tools that can be used to manipulate images in ways such as resizing, photo galleries and many more. One such tool is the Moba Photo. As well as the photo gallery, editing focuses on an ease to use and would be relatively easy to teach learners to use.

Edited Photographs

Podcast

'Podcasting' is a blend of the words 'iPod' and 'broadcasting'. Podcasting allows you to automatically receive the latest episode or highlights of your favorite SBS programmes. You can then watch or listen to the downloaded episode via your computer, or transfer them to a portable mp3 player.
http://www.sbs.com.au/podcasts/help#whatispodcasting

Pod casting can be a valuable learning tool by allowing students to listen to educational podcasts that relate to thier unit of work.