Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Blog Synopsis - By Anna Phelps s0154329

Introduction
As I think back to when I first started this program to where I am now I cannot believe how much has changed and how much I have learned. As I have explored the technological competencies required within a 21st century connected society, I have discovered new tools, applications and re-evaluated my pedagogical approach to teaching. To successfully scaffold this reflection, I have gone back through my notes, papers, discussion boards, blogs and reflections to show the progression of my learning. This reflection will focus on the tools I have discovered which allow students and teachers to: access/gain information, consolidate and refine information, transform information to develop new information and present knowledge to an audience.

Generation Y was born with a mouse in one hand and a mobile phone in the other. They have always known technology and how to live and learn with technological advances (Huisman & Sjoer, 2006). They are, according to Marc Prensky (2001, p.2 ), “digital natives”, native speakers of the Internet, computers and video games. As a learning manager it is vital that I engage digitally native learners by focusing pedagogical frameworks on student focused, authentic, project based, inquiry learning, incorporating ITCs to assist students to research, organise and present information in a collaborative learning environment. By facilitating these learners and utilising a range of Internet tools in the classroom, learning managers with be fostering the learning gains of future citizens who will be active processors of information, skilled problem solvers, and effective communicators (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999).

The Internet is characterised by an abundance of information, speedy update, and ease of access (Novak, 1990). As a part of my blog reflection I compared two models or learning theories to assist students to keep on task while using the internet: Collaborative Inquiry Learning (Chang, Sung, & Lee, 2003) to the Big 6 theory (Eisenberg, 2006). Collaborative inquiry learning is a strategy utilised to assist learners to familiarise, hypothesise, explore, explain, revise and report in a structure and collaborative environment. The Big 6 Theory (Eisenberg, 2006) is a model used to assist students to define the task, seek information strategies, access and locate information, use information, synthesise and evaluate information while solving real life problems.

Throughout my reflective blog I have created a comparison table. Within this table I have listed the key traits of each stage for both the Big 6 Theory (Eisenberg, 2006) and Collaborative Inquiry Based Learning (Chang et al., 2003). It is quite evident from examining the table that these two theories are quite similar. They both elicit a process for students to follow to sort through the masses of “stuff” on the Internet to locate what they are looking for, in a time effective manner. Both of the learning theories support the three basic principles of Kearsley and Shneiderman's (1999) Engagement Theory: an emphasis on collaborative learning, project-based assignments with a non-academic focus. My research discovered by using these theories or frameworks in conjunction with each other, learning outcomes will be enhanced for students. Especially when promoting higher order thinking, such as: problem solving skills, ability to explain data, critical thinking, and understanding of crucial concepts (Chiappetta & Russel, 1982; Saunders & Shepardson, 1987).

Access/gain information
Phase three of both the Big 6 Theory (Eisenberg, 2006) and Collaborative Inquiry Based Learning (Chang et al., 2003) suggest that students need to locate the best source, create a collaborative concept map and access/gain information. As it is quite easy for students to ‘get lost’ on the Internet, learning managers need to remove unwanted distractions. A great way to narrow down students searches is through a Web-based system. A Web-based system designed according to the procedure of inquiry learning or the Big 6 theory, will empower teachers’ instruction and students as they feel in control of the learning (Novak, 1990). An interactive tool I discovered during my blog journey was Weebly Websites.

Curriculum
Weebly are free sites which can be easily used by the creator. Weebly websites can be created in a matter of minutes without any programming knowledge. These types of websites ensure that students are following safe, ethical Web practices to research information quickly and effectively (Huisman & Sjoer, 2007). They also allow learning managers to place all of materials students need to complete their research in one convenient location. Students can contact their teacher via email directly from the Weebly website. I established my Weebly website, Interactive Learning Activities: Growing Life Long Learners, as a collection of useful internet learning activities categorised into subject specific areas. Kim Thompson’s comment raised a crucial point which I had not considered; this tool removes “that awful red stop sign that kids hate so much” which assists the lesson to run smoothly. Weebly can incorporate: You-tube clips, Vokis, Digital Videos, Images and so much more.

Consolidate and Refine Information

Bubbl.us is an interactive tool that allows students to represent their declarative knowledge by sorting and categorising information into a concept map or graphic organiser. Buzan (2009) suggests that a mind map or concept map is “a thinking tool that reflects externally what is going on inside your head.” This tool could be used at the analyse phase of Bloom’s Taxonomy (Bloom et al., 1956) where students: compare and contrast, investigate influencing factors or deduce how parts interact to consolidate and refine information. Buzan (2009) furthers this idea by suggesting that mind maps assist students to: organise, learn, problem solve, memorise and manage projects. These skills are all essential in a 21st Century classroom. I found bubbl.us an easy to navigate tool which particularly appeals to visual and kinaesthetic learners as the bubbles are colour coded (Gardner, 1983).

Transform Information to Develop New Understandings
Two of the best tools I discovered to assist students to transform information to develop new understandings, with a joint construction or discussions approach, were Wikis, for the upper grades, or Primary Pads, for the lower grades. These are essentially the same tool; they both create learning in a group context, promote authentic learning and are project based (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999). However PrimaryPad is slightly easier to navigate, use and understand than a Wiki. Pauline White’s blog exposed me to PrimaryPad when she created a blog post about this great learning object. She recommended that this tool will allow students to organise, insert tables and concept maps to encourage group consolidation while fostering critical thinking, analysis, evaluation and synthesis to produce a final product. This process supports and promotes higher order thinking as students are at the exploring and explain phase of collaborative learning (Chang et al., 2003). This tool not only allows students to transform information to develop new understandings, but also assists students to consolidate and refine information in a collaborative learning environment with two-way conversation (Brady, 2006).

Personally I have utilised Wikis for group assignments at university. As a future learning manager I am considered to be ‘time poor’. Between juggling work commitments, children, relationships, assignments and the myriad of other ‘things’ which demand my attention sometimes it is nearly impossible to try and find a day and time that suits 5 or 6 busy individuals to complete a group assignment. Wikis are fantastic tools which allow learners to collaboratively contribute to an online forum around a topic and consider alternative perspectives. The two group assignments for which I used a Wiki this semester were: ‘Ensuring Student Success’ and ‘English Curriculum and Pedagogy’. The results for English Curriculum and Pedagogy were fantastic; all members were able to contribute to the Wiki and the assignment came together really well! Unfortunately one of the members from the Ensuring Student Success group accidentally deleted the entire Wiki the day it was due. Luckily I had saved the presentation to my USB the day before; however, this scenario could have easily ended in tragedy. This experience has made me more hesitant to use Wikis in the future without some protocols on backing-up the information.

Present Knowledge to an Audience
A website or a blog is both an interactive and interesting way for students to present knowledge to an audience. Both of these tools allow students to edit and change information as they follow steps outlined in the Big 6 Theory (Eisenberg, 2006) or Collaborative Inquiry Based Learning (Chang et al., 2003). Students could be the creators of information and demonstrate their understandings by embedding movies, images, digital art, animations, bubbl.us mind maps, voki’s and podcasts. If the learning manager creates realistic boundaries (criteria sheet) and allows students options of how they will show their knowledge (tools) in the Web-page assessment students will be demonstrating their understandings via their preferred learning styles (Gardner, 1983) and will take ownership for the learning (Marzano & Pickering, 1997). Throughout this process students will be utilising higher order thinking while they plan, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information to present to the audience. The learning manager could check the learners’ progression by viewing the Web-page on specific dates and assist students who may be having difficulties.

Conclusion
Throughout my learning journey in E-learning I have discovered the increasing need for technology to be embedded in all Key Learning Areas, not tacked on as an extra (Prensky, 2001). Students need to engage in technologies in collaborative, inquiry-based learning environment with learning managers who are willing and able to use technology’s power to assist them in transforming knowledge and skills into products, solutions, and new information (New Brunswick Department of Education, 2010). As a futures orientated learning manager I intend to continue to up-skill myself to keep up with the ever changing demands of incorporating ITCs into all Key Learning Areas on a daily basis.

Reference List


Conversations with peers

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