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

ICT Changes Things

It seems that the variety of ICTs appearing in schools is growing at a rate many find difficult to keep up with. Where once teachers only had to worry about what to do with a few desktop computers, we now face the challenge of deciding which of the latest technologies on offer we can/should harness in the classroom for enhancing or, indeed, improving educational outcomes for our students. Having decided that we must have the latest, dare I say, gadget in our classroom, what is the process we go through to convince the school community that this is a good idea?

Supposedly we have experimented with the new technology and have seen the educational potential of adding it to our toolkit, but the next step is not always easy, especially when funds are always short. One problem we face is the requirement from various stakeholders to demonstrate how the new technology will improve learning. This in itself is problematic given the speed with which new technologies are appearing and the difficulties with conducting long term research when the ‘goal posts’ keep changing.

Bigum (2012) describes a loop that schools can find themselves in:

1. New ICT appears in the market
2. Arguments are put forward as to how this new technology will improve current teaching and learning practices. These arguments are usually made in terms of how the technology will address a particular problem.
3. The case for the technology is successful and it is introduced into the school.

Before too long, a new technology enters the market and the loop begins again. To justify the expenditure, calls are made to explain or prove how learning is being improved. Bigum states that this search for improvement is a distraction and can cause people to miss the obvious - ICT changes things. Interesting things happen with ICT that are unexpected and bear little resemblance to what what anticipated.

The problem with this loop is that the technology is usually made to fit in with current practices - it would be difficult to successfully make a case for introducing the technology by saying, “let’s just see what happens, how it changes things.” I have attended many parent meetings in primary schools where the parents insist on knowing how the technology will improve learning - it is their main concern. It is therefore necessary to focus, not on improvements that, at this stage, cannot be quantified, but on how ICT has changed the way we do things. When we accept this, we may move towards exploring how school can change to accommodate a more contemporary approach to learning.

Reference:

Bigum, C. (2012). Schools and Computers: Tales of a Digital Romance. Transformative Approaches to New Technologies and Student Diversity in Futures Oriented Classrooms. L. Rowan and C. Bigum, Springer Netherlands: 15-28.

Affordance analysis.

In his article, Affordance analysis - matching learning tasks with learning technologies, Bower (2008) presents a design methodology for matching learning tasks with learning technologies. The use of the term affordance was previously unfamiliar to me but Bower has assisted me in understanding how consideration of affordances relating to technology as well as educational goals will greatly enhance the use of ICT in classrooms to meet the varied learning needs of students.

As with all use of technology in school, the first priority is to establish intended learning goals and the possible ways to achieve them. Once established, the affordance requirements of the task/s can be determined. The teacher must decide what it is the students will need to be able to do throughout the task e.g read, write, listen, watch, link, modify and many other affordances (some of which are represented on the figure below).

Whilst determining the affordances of the task, the teacher may begin to consider the elearning tools available that may suit the learning intention and the affordances of that technology.

Although unfamiliar with the term affordances, I have considered affordances of technology when planning for its use in class. It is often what leads to the selection of device for a particular task or component of a task. For example, if students need to capture still or video image, an iPad would be an appropriate device. If students are required to share their work and provide feedback, this could be done using blogging software on either tablet or laptop. However, if students are required to comment directly into a document, this may best be achieved using Google docs on a laptop.

Employing a methodology that focuses on affordance of both task and technology should focus the teacher more on ensuring that the learning task fulfills the pre-identified cognitive requirements and the chosen technologies, in turn, support that cognition. This will, hopefully, ensure rich tasks that can be used as exemplars for others in the learning community. Bower also suggests building a portfolio of approaches for identifying, describing, analysing and allocating technologies for deployment. Affordance analysis provides a means to do this and highlights the critical aspects of the selection process - the cognitive and technological requirements.

Bower, M. (2008). Affordance analysis—matching learning tasks with learning technologies. Educational Media International, 45, 1, 3–15. Retrieved http://www0.sun.ac.za/ctl/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/bowerarticle.pdf

Hardware in the Classroom

Over the past 10 years there has been quite a change in the types of ICT hardware found in the classrooms in which I have worked. As the ‘computer lab’ began to lose favour, desktop computers were moved into the classroom. It soon became apparent that accommodating these relatively large machines was problematic in a standard sized classroom- even with the advent of the LCD screen which alleviated some of the space issues. As wireless infrastructure was installed, laptops began to replace the older desktop computers. In some classes, netbooks were an economical way of providing greater access to technology. The small screens were not overly popular with students or teachers (particularly where 2,3 or even 4 students were required to work together on one machine). Following the netbook trend, PC laptops were becoming more affordable and decisions were made to purchase these as they were more suitable for group work as well as being preferred by individuals for their screen real estate. Apple  MacBooks were popular in some schools, particularly due to the creative software available, but these remain quite an expensive device.

Interactive Whiteboards (IWBs) also found their way into most classrooms during this time. Whilst some teachers were able to see the potential of these for student use, particularly with the accompanying software, they remained very much a teacher tool in much of my experience. They certainly are a great teacher resource but were, unfortunately, not necessarily used to their full potential.

Over the past 12 months or so, two devices are being introduced into classrooms that are quite different to what has gone before - the iPad and Chromebook.

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iPads have become very popular for many reasons:

• mobile - can easily be used anywhere including outdoors
• access to educational apps without the need for login
• software installation (apps) is very easy
• instant access to wireless network
• minimal technical support required
• instant on
• long battery life
• auto save of work
• easy recording of video and photography
• ubiquitous in community
• many uses as assistive technology

OtherKevin 

Chromebooks have gained much traction in primary classrooms in my jurisdiction over the past year - particularly as schools have rolled out Google Apps for Education. Schools that have trialled the Chromebooks with one class have gone on to purchase many more as they see the benefits of these devices for education:

• light and portable
• free educational apps to supplement Google Apps
• easy access to wireless
• minimal technical support
• fast start up
• long battery life

Both the iPad and, particularly, the Chromebook are being introduced into classrooms as teachers see the benefits to learning as students have greater access to technology and the software that can be used by students for knowledge creation as well as being able to more easily cater for individual student needs, whether they be physical or academic. Students and teachers have quickly come to understand the educational benefits of the iPad as more become available for classroom use. Parents, who initially have regarded the ipad as a device for gaming, have been introduced to the many ways that the iPad can support their children’s learning. The Chromebook has had a slower uptake possibly because they it is a relatively new device that has not been very familiar outside of school settings (although that is changing). The low cost of Chromebooks has enabled schools to purchase many more devices compared to laptop purchase. In BYOD situations, parents have embraced the low cost Chromebook and some have expressed a preference for this laptop style device with keyboard.

The Chromebook is particularly suited to schools using Google Apps for Education. Students simply sign in to gain access to all of their documents, mail and other apps.

Interestingly, just as all schools in my educational jurisdiction have finally installed IWBs in most, if not all, classrooms, many are now questioning whether or not to replace them as they come to the end of their life. Some schools embracing BYOD have already begun replacing IWBs with large TV screens. Apple TV installed enables students to share their iPad screens with the class. Some classrooms are choosing to install two or even three screens to facilitate different learning in different spaces.

Whichever hardware schools choose, often a combination of devices, teachers and students are benefitting from greater access to technology. Without access to the hardware as and when needed, it is very difficult to sustain a program that relies on ICT.