ESC515 Final Post

The use of technology is essential in the contemporary classroom if students are to be highly skilled in the use of ICT to share, use, develop and process information in this digital age ( (Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs [MCEETYA], 2008)). As young people are becoming increasingly dependent on technologies to communicate, gather information, and extend social experiences (Spires, 2008, p.497) it is essential that our education system evolves to meet these new demands. Schools must incorporate ICT as critical teaching and learning tools.

The use of technology can be the catalyst that changes a teacher’s educational philosophy from instructivist to constructivist, moving to student centred learning activities that are increasingly more complex in nature and can change the way learners and educators operate, learn and interact (Way & Webb, 2007; Digital Education Advisory Group [DEAG], 2013). Teachers can provide  flexible options for the diverse range of students and adopt strategies that promote more authentic learning that can be shared with peers and others beyond the classroom.

With this change in approach comes the need for teachers to develop their own technological knowledge in order to ensure that the integration of technology is meaningful and adds value to the learning. The TPACK framework (Koehler & Mishra, 2009) can assist teachers in understanding the relationship between the three core components of teaching with technology: content, pedagogy and technology.

To ensure the use of technology will add value to learning, it is important that one does not focus on the actual technology itself or the problems associated with learning how to use the technology (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 71). Rather, teachers need to focus on how the technology will add value to the learning. The process of consciously identifying the affordances of learning tasks and the e-learning tools used to facilitate learning is an important one that may not be widely understood by many teaching professionals. It is imperative that teachers understand the educational affordances of the tools they select to ensure that the identified cognitive requirements of the task can be met (Bower, 2008, p.9). Temporal affordance combined with access control affordance is of particular interest in the classroom setting as students are able to extend their learning beyond the classroom and receive feedback at any time from teachers and peers. The internet and digital technologies provide almost instant access to information, enabling students to research, analyse data and connect with other learners (DEAG, 2013, p. 10 ) at any time and place.

Whilst the use of technology can provide the tools with which to create multimodal products to demonstrate and share learning, increasing use of instructional software is being harnessed to support teaching and learning in the classroom. Five broad instructional software functions highlight the use of technology to provide opportunities for drill and practice, personalised tutorials, simulation, instruction and problem solving (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 92). These various software functions can keep students engaged and motivated and can be used to reinforce concepts and learning introduced in class. This type of software is particularly useful for students with special learning needs, especially if combined with assistive technologies.

As technologies evolve, teachers and students will need to adapt to new ways of doing things. The Australian Curriculum highlights the importance of students developing ICT general capabilities in all areas of schooling in order to  transform the ways they think and learn and to give them greater control over how, where and when they learn (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2010).

References:

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (2010)

http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/generalcapabilities/information-and-communication-technology-capability/introduction/introduction

Bower, M. (2008) Affordance analysis - matching learning tasks with learning technologies. Educational Media International, 45:1, 3-15, DOI: 10.1080/09523980701847115

Digital Education Advisory Group [DEAG] (2013). Beyond the classroom: A new digital education for young Australians in the 21st century. Retrieved from http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/deag_beyond_the_classroom_2013.pdf

Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical content knowledge? Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9(1), 60-70.

Spires, H. (2008). Having Our Say: Middle Grade Student Perspectives on School, Technologies, and Academic Engagement. Journal of research on technology in education, 40(4), 497 -515 DOI:10.1080/15391523.2008.10782518

Way, J. & Webb, C. (2007). A framework for analysing ICT adoption in Australian primary schools. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology. 23(4), 78-82.

Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs [MCEETYA] (2008) Melbourne Declaration on educational goals for young Australians.

Retrieved from http://www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/National_Declaration_on_the_Educational_Goals_for_Young_Australians.pdf

Roblyer, M., & Doering, A. (2013). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching: International Edition, 6th Edition, Pearson.

Group Interactivity in the Classroom

Beauchamp and Kennewell explore categories of interactivity in group and individual work using ICT (2009).  Following are examples of categories and how they might look in the classroom.

Group interaction: Students may brainstorm ideas prior to embarking upon a group task. This could be done either synchronously or asynchronously using Google docs

Authoritative interactivity: Students may be engaged with a program such as Mathletics where they are competing against members of the class online at the same time.

Dialectic interactivity: Students may work through an interactive learning object (available through Scootle) to solve a problem. The learning object will require the student to understand certain concepts in order to move forward in the ‘game’.
Dialogic interactivity: Students may view a projected app, eg Epic Citadel, and co construct a narrative 
Synergistic interactivity: Students contribute links, images, notes to a padlet which is projected on screen. The padlet can be accessed at a later time for further work.

Reference:

Beauchamp, G., & Kennewell, S. (2010). Interactivity in the classroom and its impact on learning. Computers & Education, 54(3), 759-766.

Collaborative Learning

Collaborative learning can sometimes be confused with cooperative learning. Whilst many teachers may think their students are engaged in collaborative learning, they are actually involved in cooperative learning. Collaborative learning involves students working together to solve a problem or create a product, encountering different perspectives of group members, being aware of their own and others’  strengths and weaknesses, working towards agreement or consensus  in order to share responsibility for deeper understanding(Sing, Wei-Ying,Hyo-Jeong & Mun, p. 6). Cooperative learning is a more scaffolded approach where the teacher sets learning goals, assigns group roles and the task is often completed through a division of labour (p. 7).

The main issue with collaborative learning, particularly in primary school, is the development of skills to work effectively as a collaborative group. Students need to be taught how to:

• express and support their ideas
• respond and build upon the ideas of others
• argue constructively in order to reach consensus
• select appropriate resources
• think creatively
• identify appropriate modes of presentation
• assume some responsibility for the knowledge building of the group

Teachers can support students in developing these skills over time by focussing on discrete skills and providing scaffolds and guidance in supporting students in their development. Timely feedback from teacher and peers, along with guided self reflection can assist students in moving towards successful group collaborators.

Reference:

Sing, C., Wei-Ying, L., Hyo-Jeong, S. & Mun, C. (2011) Advancing Collaborative Learning with ICT: conception, cases and design. Singapore: Ministry of Education

Retrieved from http://ictconnection.moe.edu.sg/ictconnection/slot/u200/mp3/monographs/advancing%20collaborative%20learning%20with%20ict.pdf

Internet Controversies

There are many controversies and issues associated with using the internet. Some are of more concern to different members of the school community. Parents, for example, are very concerned about their children’s safety when online; teachers, also concerned about safety, are also concerned with teaching students to be responsible global digital citizens by adhering to protocols and laws with regard to content/intellectual property. Roblyer & Doering (2014) highlight five potential problems associated with internet use:

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1. Accessing sites with inappropriate material
2. Safety and privacy issues for students
3. Fraud on the Internet
4. Computer viruses and hacking
5. Copyright and plagiarism issues

Of these five, some will have more impact on the primary classroom and students than others. It is important for schools to do more than have students sign an acceptable use agreement form. Crockett, Jukes & Churches (2011) highlight the fact that ‘we have all become global citizens in a digital world’ and propose six main principles to assist students in understanding appropriate use of digital tools and the internet:

• Respect themselves
• Protect themselves
• Respect others
• Protect others
• Respect intellectual property
• Protect intellectual property

A solid program that is successful in supporting students to develop these principles will contribute to addressing the five potential problems identified above.

Whilst schools employ various internet filters that can prevent access to much of the inappropriate content on the internet, no filtering system is foolproof. Nor can it  be assumed that homes have filtering software installed. Students must be given strategies to deal with the possibility of encountering inappropriate material (eg close the lid of the device and tell a teacher/adult). Teachers must also be vigilant with regard to checking sites recommended to students, considering keywords students may use when researching and, in some instances, providing students with links to sites.

With regard to safety and privacy, schools must emphasise to students and parents the importance of keeping personal information of themselves and others private, particularly name, address, phone numbers, location. Schools must be aware of the potential for cyberbullying and take action when incidents are brought to attention.

Fraud on the internet is not a major issue for primary school students, but being aware of its existence will help them to understand the scope of problems they may face in the future.

Computer viruses and hacking is a real threat whenever students are on the internet, particularly when using email. Students need to be educated in recognising potential risks including , for example, not opening attachments in email from unknown senders or clicking on ads on sites. The problems these threats pose to school networks should not be underestimated.

Copyright and plagiarism is a significant problem area for schools. As stated by Roblyer & Doering (2014, p. 236) the internet is a rich source of documents, images and other resources, much of which is protected by copyright laws. As global digital citizens, students must  respect and protect the intellectual property of others by acknowledging work that is used. Students should be taught how to access creative commons materials and how to reference these and other materials. Doing this in the simplest way possible as early as possible will provide a base to build upon as students move through primary school onto secondary and tertiary education. teachers should also build into their programs skills to help alleviate plagiarism eg effective note-taking, time to become familiar with material so plagiarism is not a response to lack of understanding of time to complete a task.

References:

Crockett, L., Jukes, I., & Churches, A. (2011) Literacy is not enough : 21st-century fluencies for the digital age [iBook] 21st Century Fluency Project Inc.

Roblyer, M., & Doering, A. (2014). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching: International Edition, 6th Edition, Pearson.

Instructional Software

With the increasing number of ICT devices available to students both at home and school, teachers are challenged to find meaningful ways of harnessing the educational potential of the wide range of available software. It is important that students are not just kept busy using technology, but are actually engaged in learning. Roblyer & Doering (2014) define instructional software as ‘a general term for computer programs designed specifically to deliver instruction on a topic’ (p. 91).Instructional software can be categorised into five main functions, although there can, of course, be much overlap with functions of various software. Roblyer & Doering identify five instructional software functions:

1. Drill and Practice
2. Tutorial
3. Simulation
4. Instructional Game
5. Problem Solving

Teachers must be discerning in their selection of instructional software to ensure that it supports students in achieving syllabus outcomes in ways that are appropriate for their particular student needs.

The thousands of Learning Objects available through Scootle would include all five types of instructional software. It can sometimes be difficult to find what you are looking for, but adding outcome code to the search field can provide great results. Searching by topic or keyword can also produce appropriate results.

Following are five examples of instructional software I have used successfully with primary school students.

Drill and Practice: Improve

This is a very useful package, especially when preparing for NAPLAN. Teachers can set tests for students (based on previous NAPLAN tests). On completion, students will receive immediate feedback on their responses and then be directed to learning objects that will allow them to practice the skills required to complete responses correctly. The teacher (and parents) have immediate access to student results. Improved can be accessed through Scootle.

Tutorial: Khan Academy

The Khan Academy provides tutorials in  maths, science, computer programming, history, art history, economics, and more. Many of the subjects have tutorials and quizzes beginning at kindergarten level. I particularly love the way Salman Khan explains the size of the universe.

Simulation: My Neighbourhood

My Neighbourhood,by Landcom,is a hit with students. I have used it when looking at Built Environments in Science as well as My Community in HSIE. Students are able to explore different types of communities, make decisions about town planning and much more. It is one of the best simulation games I have come across for primary students. It could even be used with secondary students.

Instructional Game: Count Us In.

This has been around for many years but is still relevant for infants classes learning number. I love that it is Australian. It is also useful for young students to practice their mouse skills at the same time.

Problem Solving: Murder under the microscope

This site takes problem solving to a whole new level. It is aimed at Stage 3-5 students and is focussed on the Science syllabus - environmental issues. I have used it with Stage 3 students but some have struggled. It is ideal for a group of Gifted students. If done with the whole class, support is needed for students with low to mid ability.

Reference:

Roblyer, M., & Doering, A. (2014). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching: International Edition, 6th Edition, Pearson.

Lesson Planning with ICT

The most important consideration when planning a lesson using ICT is to ensure that the learning is the centre of your intentions - not the use of ICT. At times, a task is better (and more quickly) completed without technology. Many of us would be rich if we had a dollar for every time we heard the phrase, “it’s about the learning, not the technology.”

Simmons and Hawkins (2009) caution against rushing in to a decision about what will be done before having  clear aims, objectives and learning outcomes. They also point to Bloom’s Taxonomy as a way to determine appropriate objectives that move through a continuum of cognitive challenge.

Think about the TPACK model - I find it is best to begin with Content and Pedagogy and then find the best fit for the Technology; this way you will not be distracted by the technology, allowing it to detrimentally affect  the content and pedagogy.

Assuming we understand the importance of this, there are other considerations to be aware of when planning a lesson. The most difficult is to ensure you have not planned too much for the lesson. What an experienced ICT user or adult can do in a given period is not representative of what an average child can accomplish in the same time frame.

Some considerations:

• ensure all students are able to log on (if required). Provide login cards with username and password for children who need it.
• ensure devices are charged
• break tasks into manageable sections eg research, image selection/insertion, text, recording
• have as much preparation work done prior to hands-on activities - eg storyboard completed prior to creating a movie
• provide video tutorials is appropriate (this could be viewed and practised at home)

Reference

Simmons, C., & Hawkins, C. (2009). Planning to teach an ICT lesson. In Teaching ICT (pp. 54-105). London : Sage Publications Ltd.

Technology in the Classroom

For Assignment 2 I have chosen the NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum: English Stage 3.

The specific outcome I will address is EN3-2A: composes, edits and presents well-structured and coherent texts.

The content that that relates to the ICT general Capabilities include:

• recognise and discuss issues related to the responsible use of digital communication
• plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, choosing and experimenting with text structures,language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1704, ACELY1714)
• compose increasingly complex print, visual, multimodal and digital texts, experimenting with language, design, layout and graphics
• use a range of software, including word processing programs, learning new functions as required to create texts (ACELY1707, ACELY1717)

My idea at this stage is to have Stage 3 students creat a welcome pack for new families to the school, specifically for Kinder Orientation.

The program will use iPads and laptops/Chromebooks.

The software I feel may be appropriate:

• Popplet (iPad/Laptop/Chromebook) for brainstorming ideas
• Camera (iPad) - photograph and video various places within the school as well as videos of students talking directly to the new families about life at school.
• Floor Planner (Laptop/Chromebook) - create a basic floor plan of the school to orient the new families to the layout
• Google doc storyboard (Laptop/Chromebook) Plan what will be included in the video. Feeback from teacher and group members can be given via the comment feature
• iMovie Trailer (iPad) - a brief, exciting introduction to the school