Final Blog Posting

E-Learning Assessment Item 2
            E-learning is a modern effective up to date way that is sweeping the world; the new age of the world is all about technology. Today’s students are twenty-first century learners and are constantly changing as each year progresses. It is important that we, as educators, are able to understand the differences each one of these brings to a classroom, whilst adapting the learning design to meet their needs. Catering for these needs is an ongoing challenge that educators face. If we are able to grasp the prior knowledge and experience that these learners bring to the classroom, we will begin the process of creating a cultural classroom climate where each student is able to achieve and learn together. Through e-learning educators are able to facilitate quality learning experiences for students.
            The process of this is completed through “facilitating a deep knowledge through higher      order thinking. Enabling collaborative learning where conversations are important. Supporting students in knowing how they best learn. Lessons should be planned around the context of real life situations and contexts. Teachers are responsible for ensuring students are able to connect to their background knowledge. Allow students to own, manage and control their learning by themselves. Support socially engaging values and cultural knowledge. Lastly support the development of active citizenship, and strong identity” (Fasso, Week 2 Course Materials, 2011).

            Information that was beneficial to gaining understandings from this course were; the outlines of the three learning theories that underpin e-learning behaviourism, cognitivism and constructivism, the TPACK digital pedagogy that equips educators with tools and strategies that enhance online learning for all learners. These are just a few of the resources that aid educators in embedding information communication technologies into the curriculum.

            Everyone that participated in the mobile phone wiki has been fortunate enough to have varied experiences both good and bad with a mobile phone. Being able to reflect on how the technology can be used in the various ways which is drawn from our prior knowledge. Through the activity with Debono’s Hats, we as students were able to draw on our prior knowledge and experiences to make our suggestions for the class wiki. The scaffolding was completed through the Debono’s Hats activity which gives us a starting point for the collaboration process. Through this activity we were able to see suggestions that were made by peers. There was support for all contributions that were made to the site. We were able to make our thinking clear and visible to others in the group and the class teachers. Through the activity we were also able to create a permanent record of the discussion and conversations that were had around the topic, this will be able to be used for future analysis (Fasso, Week 1 Course Materials, 2011).
Debono’s Hats Link: http://fahe11001-3-11.wikispaces.com/Group+1+Mobile+Phones   

Group Tools 1: Blogs, Wikis and Websites

            A blog is a tool that students can use to write reflections about thoughts, diary entries, journal logs and much more. This is a tool that the author can write on and others can make comments but it cannot be edited by others. Blogs are a formative strategy to observe how thoughts and understandings may change as learning changes. Websites are constructed with a specific purpose and are managed by an administrator who is responsible for updating and changing information that is presented.  The final tool that was explored was a wiki. This is a tool that can be created but is managed by viewers. Information can be changed and added to or edited. “Where persons contribute to a collective work such as an encyclopedia, there is no joint ownership if the contributions are separate and distinguishable” (Wikipedia, 2011). Wiki’s are a useful way to engage with students and create an environment in which students are able to learn collaboratively. “The learning is centred on student based activities rather than teacher focused, there is an emphasis on students assisting each other to find answers of common inquiry rather than seeking answers from teachers. The learning is also set around solving problems by gathering data, analysis, and discussion by groups” (Kimber, 1996). Teachers are able to monitor these sites and create an environment that is available for students to utilise.  “Collaborative Learning has become a well-established management education methodology. It emphasises the cooperative efforts between students and the generation, rather than transmission, of knowledge” (Kimber, 1996).
Group 1 Tools Discussion Link: http://firsteverkayefingerblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/week-3-blog-wiki-website.html    
Link to Debono’s Hats Wiki: http://fahe11001-3-11.wikispaces.com/Group+1+Mobile+Phones  

Group Tools 2:  Images, Videos and Audio  

            A video is a moving picture with audio included into the file. Videos are a useful way to demonstrate procedures and instructions. They enable students to see a visual representation of an example and are also able to revisit when they feel it is necessary. An audio file is a sound recording without a picture. An example of this would be of a set of instructions to which students listen facilitating them to complete a task. It could also be a music file or voice recording containing any form of information.  Lastly an image is a still picture where there is no movement and no sound involved. “The use of images in teaching and learning has benefits to support student comprehension, retention, and application. For example we relate the use of images to spatial intelligence, student motivation to learn, and conditions of instruction, which are established models and theories in education” (Cavanaugh, 2006). I feel that this is a useful strategy to use in the classroom and home environment, as some students do not have access to technology that would enable them to utilise the other technologies listed. Exploring the use of images in the classroom provides teachers with opportunities to facilitate and develop active learning environments where students use photos and other images to research and create new and meaningful information with the content (Mims, 2010). The use of images in a classroom is flexible. All key learning areas are able to be related to an image of some description. Images can be used to gain the attention of students, inform the learners of the expectations that are held. Images can aid students in recalling information from prior learning and stimulating class discussions. They can also be used to provide learning guidance and feedback to students with regards to their own learning. (Cavanaugh, 2006).
Group 2 Tools Discussion Link: http://firsteverkayefingerblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/week-4-group-2-tools-images-podcasting.html   

Group 3 Tools: PowerPoint, Prezi and Glogster
            The Prezi tool is a stimulating tool that allows students to be creative and seek a global perspective on the material being presented. PowerPoint is a linear style of presentation that is simple and effective for students to use for presentations and to support presentations of information. Glogster is an online scrapbooking tool that allows students to construct and create masterpieces that convey a message with a focus to details. “By presenting information in a multisensory way, it greatly assists children with acquiring and retaining information” (Wilkins, 2009). Constantly students are asked to create posters and complete projects on various topics for presentation to their peers. Glogster offers opportunities for students to create interactive posters. “Research reveals that a good mix of different inputs will increase involvement and retention enormously - for all students, not just the ones who would have made it anyway. However many schools are not very open to multi-sensory learning” (Davies, n.d.). Students are able to insert a wide variety of elements to their glog to create a multimedia online creation. Students are also working on their literacy skills whilst completing their online glog. Any child can enhance his or her comprehension, processing and retention rates through the use of multi-sensory education (Davies, n.d.). Every child learns in a unique way through using Glogster. All students are able to interact with the software and compile an interactive multimedia image that accommodates their learning styles.

Group 3 Tools Discussion Link: http://firsteverkayefingerblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/week-5-group-3-tools-powerpoint-prezi.html   

Group 4 Tools: Animation and Simulations, Google Earth / Maps and Online Concept Mapping

            Animation and simulations are detailed information that has the ability to progress into experiments and processes enabling interaction without the actual items needed. Google earth and maps is an online resource that allows students and teachers to look at the earth and maps from a bird’s eye view. This permits students to see things from a different perspective. Concept mapping is a tool that can be used to organise and represent knowledge. It includes circles or boxes that link together with a common concept or idea. Online concept maps are a productive way to engage students’ interests and teach complex or multifaceted topics. “Concept mapping can be described as a process through which one or more participants, using brainstorming techniques, create a map using keywords that are representative of a specific concept” (Cicognani, 2000). Students are able to recall prior knowledge and use this knowledge to participate and create an individual concept map. “The result of a concept mapping session is a concept map: a series of words laid out in a graphical representation, with reciprocal connections and links” (Cicognani, 2000). In collaboration with peers and the classroom teacher students would be able to create a joint concept map that details all the information gathered through the individual concept maps.

Group 4 Tools Discussion Link: http://firsteverkayefingerblog.blogspot.com/ 

             “ICTs have impacted on educational practice in education to date in quite small ways but that the impact will grow considerably in years to come and that ICT will become a strong agent for change among many educational practices” (Oliver, 2002). Technology is advancing and will continue to advance. Educators are responsible for engaging with students to accomplish the mastering of these advancing technologies. “However we can improve many students’ lives, and improve our teaching: by valuing multi-sensory interaction for its demonstrated benefits, and accepting that it is superior to merely spoken, or merely written, communication - in establishing a healthy and stable learning environment” (Wilkins, 2009). If we as learning managers are able to implement and achieve outcomes for students through varying the way in which the curriculum is implemented. Students will remain engaged and motivated to learn and achieve using technology. “Extrapolating current activities and practices, the continued use and development of ICTs within education will have a strong impact on what is learned, how it is learned, when and where learning take place, who is learning and who is teaching” (Oliver, 2002).

 References

Cavanaugh, D. T. (2006). Images In Education. Retrieved from The Digital Camera In Education: http://drscavanaugh.org/digitalcamera/

Cicognani, D. A. (2000). Concept Mapping as a Collaborative Tool for Enhanced Online Learning . Educational Technology & Society, 150-158.

Davies, N. (n.d.). Multi-Sensory Learning. Retrieved from Medieval Education: http://www.medieval.com.au/home

Fasso, W. (2011). Week 1 Course Materials. Retrieved from CQ University Moodle Course FAHE11001 E-Learning: http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Fasso, W. (2011). Week 2 Course Materials. Retrieved from CQ University Moodle Course FAHE11001 E-Learning: http:moodle.cqu.edu.au

Kimber, D. (1996, May 13). Ultibase Articles. Retrieved from Ultibase: http://ultibase.rmit.edu.au/Articles/june96/kimbe1.htm#Directions

Mims, C. (2010, February 19). Images of Education. Retrieved from Learning Telecollaboratively: http://clifmims.wetpaint.com/

Oliver, R. (2002). The role of ICT in higher education for the 21st century: ICT as. Perth: Edith Cowan University.

Wikipedia. (2011, December 15). Wiki. Retrieved from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki

Wilkins, K. (2009, April 22). Multisensory Learning. Retrieved from Early To Learn: http://www.earlytolearn.com/2009/featured/what-is-multisensory-learning-or-avk/