What are Blogs, Wikis, Vokis, RSS feeds and Hyperlinks?

Welcome to WEEK 4. This was the week that probably spun most of us out - especially me. I attempted to "help" myself, by organising my blog at least two weeks prior, however this was the week that we are required to make a professional posting. It has taken me a lot of time to acquire the skills needed to create my blog in the first place, let alone work out what to do with it! I have followed a few fellow classmates blogs, and am astounded at what they have been able to design. Blogs can be used as an online journal, creative writing, report writing, peer and teacher communication and interaction, and homework tasks. They can be viewed by other students, or on the web for the world to see. They can encourage online conversations and interest to be developed. As professional bodies, we can keep abreast with others who have similar interests. Teachers could get the URL address for students and check that work is being undertaken. Blogs also allow for engagement by both students and staff after hour,as it is available for use anytime, anywhere.

The world of new words such as" rss feed, wiki and hyperlink"have been discovered this week. I have found you tube to be great for demonstrating new ideas and incorporating items into my blog. At times, it has taken me quite a few hours to comprehend and then integrate these significant objects into a realistic notion. However one thing I have learnt about myself is that I am determined.This is not an endearing quality of mine, and in the past I I would often give up instead of persevering. I am still in the infant stages of my wiki, but I know what I want to include in it. In the initial stages, it will be a place for importing educational resources, either via the web or text, with the hope that it will be utilised at some stage. I also envision that I would involve students in the wiki. This may entail a question and answer section, a place to post new information that students may have found on the subject being discussed, and a way of students acquiring information about each other in an informal way.

In the classroom I would use a WIKI for pairs, groups and whole classes to work on a topic together.  Students would be motivated to work on a topic, when they feel it belongs to them as described in Mazlows hierarchy (Kunc,1992)  Students are able to design pages, add files, pictures and videos to their WIKI. The other advantage to a WIKI is that students can work on it after school and on weekends. They simply go to their wiki and contribute information, anytime. A WIKI can be viewed by anyone, so the donate aspect of learning engagement theory can be conceptualised.   Reports for outside organisations, information and resource sites that can be donated to the real world can be undertaken on a WIKI(Kearsley and Shneiderman, 1999) Year long projects, whole class pictures including artwork and examples can also be placed on a WIKI. As an end of year overview for parents, the WIKI could be used to demonstrate classroom achievements.

An activity that I have been doing with my own children this week, could be utilised in the classroom. A voki was used as a form of sentence building, structure and sight word involvement. First I asked my son ( in grade 2 ) to write down three sentences using his sight words. I then asked him if he would like to type the sentence in to the voki, or record it. He chose to type it ( which took some time, however he probably learnt a lot at the time also), and then took great pleasure in hearing the cartoon character repeat his sentence. Such a simple concept, but to see how engaged and excited he was, demonstrates the positive use of this object. This concept could also help children who have difficulty writing a sentence. When completed they could listen to the sentence and realise if it sounds correct or not. This use of technology incorporates both sight and sound in pedagogy which would assist a diverse range of learners. A voki could also be used by the learning manager as a " hook" to gain interest and engage students in a topic. The use of animation appeals to many students. Ultimately if students are engaged in the topic,  learning outcomes are more likely to be achieved. Students could use a voki if they are required to do a presentation for the class. It would also help students who are not confident to stand in front of the class, by providing a distraction. I guess the possibilities are endless.

Residential School

Residential School Well it was a long train ride from Brisbane to Rockhampton (10 hours), but it was nice to have a bit of time to myself. Finished off my Jodi Picoult novel, as I new that after February 25th, there would be no time for relaxing! Checked into the accommodation and fell blissfully asleep. Day one of residential school. Got to meet fellow students living on campus and make our way to the lecture room. After a full on day, my mind was overloaded, yet I still managed to make it to the Mahara workshop that evening. Feeling a little confused and overwhelmed, I quickly figured out that I was going to have to learn about technology very quickly! The three days went fast and I think I am going to like this course. Even though there was a lot of information to take in, I am sure it will all come together when I return home to hit the books. After trying to read some journal articles on the train ride back to Brisbane, I felt that I was going to become well acquainted with books and articles very rapidly. Since it has been such a long time since I have studied, I really had to look at how I was going to complete these tasks every week, and understand the important information. With a bit of trial and error, plus highlighters, pens and sticky notes, I quickly realised that it was taking some time. However by the end of the first week, I learnt how to skim the information, plus highlight the important sections. Then to finish the process I would write the important parts in my notebook. I found this helped to consolidate everything for me. It soon became apparent, that this was going to be very time consuming, but necessary. It is the way that I learn!

Dimensions of Learning and Creating Positive Habits of Mind

Week three threw me into a deep, deep spin. Between the two subjects, I became a little nervous about the amount of reading this week. The textbook by Marzano and Pickering arrived on Monday ( thank goodness), and there was a lot to do. Earlier in the week, I focused on reading chapter 2, which was about declarative and procedural knowledge. I found this topic very difficult to comprehend, and used note taking to excess. There was a lot of very important information, which I felt could not be skimmed over. By the weekend I was ready to read chapter 1 and 5, and found that I could understand the concepts outlined in the book. The textbook is great as the summary at the end of each chapter provides enough details to obtain a grasp on the key points discussed. The key topics for discussion this week included ' The Habits of Mind' and Dimensions of Learning. Two articles were read containing information about both ideas and how these could be linked to the LMQ's. The predominant concepts that evolved this week relate to how we, as learning managers will utilise this in our pedagogy. (Marzano and Pickering et al, 1997) identify that " attitudes and perceptions" are key elements in classroom design and functionality. Without positive attitudes and a welcoming, stable environment , effective learning will not take place.' The authors provided the reader with ideas on how to incorporate activities into the classroom, that will enable an effective learning environment to be achieved.  Continuing along the path the Dimensions of Learning discusses number 2 , which is acquire and integrate the knowledge. This section explores how teachers can ensure that students acquire the knowledge required to understand the topic/concepts. Some of these techniques include --- Dimension 3 ( extend and refine)  and the fourth is to( make meaning out of the information.  Marzano and Pickering et al, 1997)  From discussions on the forum with other students about this topic, I fully agree that the Dimensions of Learning are very beneficial concepts, which I would hope to integrate into my practice. Comparing Marzanos Dimensions of Learning with Kosta's Habits of Mind, there are some similarities between the outcomes that both believe should be achieved. Personally, I find Marzano's easier to understand and comprehend, and can see it's benefits in the classroom environment.

The knowledge Economy and it's impact on future teachers

Week one articles were interesting to read and I enjoyed discovering new information. I had never paid much attention to world issues, or thought about how education has changed over the past 30 years. (Houghton and Sheehan2000) note that communication and computing technologies used in business and community life have dramatically increased over the past 20 years. Technology is utilised everywhere, everyday and in many different ways. The Global economy is reliant on technology for survival. The knowledge economy as described by Houghton and Sheehan 2000, implies that " the creation and diffusion of knowledge are essential to it's success. As students of the future are being taught, it is essential that new technologies are integrated into their curriculum. Innovation, education and learning underpin a knowledge based economy. The diffusion of knowledge is essential to a successful knowledge economy." As learning managers we must look at ways of allowing knowledge and information to be distributed effectively. This article also highlights the importance of learning, and in turn creating life long learners. Houghton and Sheehan 2000 state that " learning involves both education and learning by doing, learning by using and learning by interacting." The highlight of these articles was that employers are looking for employees who are flexible and adaptable, able to problem solve, work collaboratively with others and share knowledge and information. How can we, as learning managers facilitate this process? Simply, it requires learning managers to recognise the importance of mode 2 knowledge, and use this as the backbone for teaching students of the future. We must always question who are we teaching and what are we teaching them for? As the future changes rapidly, we may not always know what types of employment will be available in 10 - 20 years. However if we support students in the process of knowledge acquisition, problem solving, critical thinking, flexibility and collaborative learning, they will be able to deal with the demands of their future careers. Upon reflection of my personal educational experiences the dominant paradigm was a teacher centred approach. It was mainly comprised of chalk and talk, and very little student interaction. Students sat at their desks and were " taught at " instead of "taught to", with very little opportunity for interaction, discussion and problem solving skills to be expanded upon. At the opposite end of the scale is a student centric learning environment. This revelation entails student directed activities, peer involvement and collaborative learning. (Heath 2001) As learning managers we need to recognise the importance of enabling students to take the lead with their learning, and support pedagogies that enhance this. Curriculum is vitally important, but incorporating a student centred approach that provides the learner with opportunities to develop problem solving skills, creative thinking, flexibility, sharing, and working effectively in groups lies the basis for their future. Lynch's 8 Learning Management Questions underpins the pedagogy of learning managers. This learning management plan focuses on the important steps required in the development of individual students learning journey. In essence it is a plan which takes into account students prior knowledge, where they are now and how to provide the best opportunities to enhance a students learning journey. I will use this approach in my pedagogical practice, as I believe it covers the important aspects required, and in turn provides the best learning opportunities for my students. The corresponding readings for week one suggests that active learning, engagement theory and the use of ICT"s in education are very valid. Kelsey and Schneidermann, 1999 (relate, create, donate) detail how engagement theory promotes problem solving skills, dynamic thinking and collaborative learning as students focus on an authentic task. This will have a positive effect on students futures as employers are looking at employees who have a broad range of skills and are lateral, critical thinkers and have the ability to reflect on their learning. The ability for students to be involved in authentic activities encourages active learning techniques. In an active learning approach students do not just recall facts, but reflect and use the information, skills and problem solving abilities to future learning experiences. This in turn provides students with life long learning skills that can be adapted to any situation. My conclusions in relation to active learning and engagement theory highlight the importance of teaching in this manner, and something that I believe will be embedded in my pedagogies. My education certainly lacked student interaction, which negatively impacted on my being able to express my opinions and think dynamically. Learning Managers must incorporate fresh approaches, that will positively impact on the futures of the students that we are teaching.

STUDENT CENTRIC V TEACHER CENTRIC - I PREFER STUDENT CENTRIC

My experiences to date have not been all that positive, as the majority have been a teacher centred approach. During my schooling this was the way we were taught and upon reflection I can see the negative impact that it has had on me. We were not encouraged to enter into discussions about topics, nor have an opinion, nor understand ' why' we were undertaking tasks. The teachers were presenting the information to the students and required that we remember it, with little thought about what relevance this would have on our future careers etc. In relation to Dale's Cone, my experiences are at the other end of the spectrum. ( ) However, when I first started university in 1991 (nursing) - this was the first year of commencement- it was a problem based learning course(PBL) Coming from an environment where information was handed to me and I was told what I needed to learn, university was very daunting for me. As a very young person I struggled to learn how to be self directed, motivated and was thrust into the adult learning world very rapidly. Although technology was still in the infant stages, the type of course we well ahead of it's time. ( Well for me anyway) Perhaps if I had a better understanding of the course, I may have been able to cope better, but I soon learnt that I was in control of my own learning, and did the absolute minimum. Problem based Learning (PBL) is in line with Active Learning. ( ) These concepts encourage students to be responsible for their own learning, by asking questions, undertaking their own research, working out problems and working in groups. The long term benefits of engaging in this type of pedagogy are essential in creating life long learners who are responsible for their own learning. Students today are taught how to source information, discover it's relevance, co-operate and negotiate with peers, and are educated in a way that is meaningful to them. These are all skills that employers regard as important in our modern world. Technology offers students the opportunity to be in charge of their learning, and to use approaches that will encourage creativity and engage the learners. This approach will also encourage learners to apply real life knowledge into everyday learning situations, thus making lessons meaningful to both learning manager and students. ACU Adams Center for Teaching Excellence. (2000). Active learning online. Retrieved from http://www.acu.edu/cte/activelearning/whyuseal2.htm