Group Four Technolgies

Group Four Technologies
There are a huge array of online programmes, tools, games and resources that provide the user with a virtual experience. Some of these are specially designed for educational purposes, others are for a broad audience and others still are for specific users. They provide access to simulations for learning that students possibly would not have been able to access themselves, being the next best thing to the `real' experience (and has potentially saved a lot of frogs!)  The array and volume is expanding continually and with the increasing trend towards mobile `anywhere and anytime' access to Internet is changing the way in which society uses and processes information and has major implications for the role of teachers (Johnson, et al 2011). Students, when completing school, will be entering a world we now find difficult to imagine and preparing them for this world will require the integration of digital technology into most aspects of learning (Borsch 2009). Utilising `Learning objects' in the classroom may be one way to assist teachers to keep pace and cater to the students needs.

Learning Objects
A `Learning Object' describes an object that is designed for a specific purpose and can be reused. The specific purpose in this instance is to facilitate learning (Bratina, Hayes, and Blumsack 2002). Learning objects in this course refer to animations, simulations and other digital technologies like google earth and maps that facilitate learning. Learning objects like Salman Khan's `Khan Academy' (Khan 2011) can be utilised to support many curriculum areas and facilitate learning. They change the dynamics of the classroom, where the teacher is a facilitator or guide, the students learn online, at their own level and pace and can go backwards if a concept is not understood. Their progress is monitored, evaluated, recorded; it is supported by constructionalist theory and uses Blooms taxonomy of moving from simpler to more complex tasks. The other beauty of learning objects is that they can be accessed where their is no classroom, so with financial support, maybe available to students in third world countries via devices like the mobile phone (World bank Report 2011). There are several online resources for learning tools, these can be added to lesson to enhance the learning or used as lessons themselves. Edna is an Australian resource that is a treasury of resources free for teachers to utilise as is the Learning Federation.


Google earth, documents and maps
We are very fortunate as educators, community members parents or students to have access to Google in education. It is a massive resource that provides the opportunity for the users to literally explore their world from their computer. The resources can be used alone, together and have other technologies added to them. Google earth, maps and sky allows for a range of users and projects from simple to complex so is suitable for use at all levels of eduction. I had a small play in the various google applications  and they can be viewed on my blog in `google presentations'.  A quick google search of `using google in education' will reveal many things that are being achieved within google earth, other than viewing places and planning routes, for example;

• gather geographical information
• view the world
• measure the shift in glacial movement
• mapping disaster zones
• community mapping

There are a few disadvantages with these technologies; Google earth requires a relatively fast connection (and this is not always the case with school networks) and students may disengage if having to wait for data retrieval. It can also be time consuming, and whilst being free, it does require some computer skills to be able to navigate and use; some experience in geography is also helpful. I asked my 9 year old son to find our place using google earth without any assistance from myself; although he eventually managed to complete the task it took him some time and he was not familiar with the tools within the application he might use. This reminded me that if and when we use these types of learning objects within the class that they too need to be well scaffolded and the learning needs to be planned and goal driven to ensure they are  not just `play time'. Whilst play time can be useful it may not meet the criteria required for learning.

Concept Maps
Concept maps are great; easy to use, a tool for structuring and ordering thinking and ideas and linking concepts. The can be simple or complex and used for any activity form planning a holiday to exploring business ideas or for structuring school projects. They can be sued to show what someone already knows and have the potential to develop new knowledge with the links and ideas generated. (Novak and Carias 2008). They can display knowledge in an easy to view and understand manner. Concept maps can be used for curriculum development, to teach planning, assessment and review, organise thought and processes and for capturing and archiving expert knowledge (Novak and Carias 2008). I used an online concept map for organising what I needed to prepare for my teacher placement; it was simple to construct and save. Although a very simple map using only knowledge I already had; it is suitable to use for more complex thinking and with groups and individuals. A detailed PMI chart is available on my wiki page at concept maps. 

As a family we have used mind maps frequently; my daughter created one the other day to plan her class captain speech (she got vice). Mind maps differ from concept maps in that they explore a single concept whereas concept maps explore many.  I have discussed them before in this blog, see mind maps and posted two in this blog. I also used a fishbone map for planning for assignment two which is another tool for organising information. I find each types of maps applicable to home, education and work situations.


Zooburst

PLUS:

• creative
• simple to use
• suitable for all ages/ skill levels
• fun and engaging,
• interesting artwork, variety of backgrounds and effects
• can be collaborative or individualised
• require skill development - planning, story telling, narrative, sequencing, design, character development etc
• can be useful for students who find it difficult to write/read as they can achieve through telling and creating of a story

MINUSES

• require resources and access to computers/Internet
• Cost of publishing or printing works or else only viewed on computer
• is time consuming
• maybe a `toy' and distract from the real learning if not structured appropriately
• authenticity of work produced may be questioned
• originality of works produced may be questioned

INTERESTING

• Everyone can produce their own story books
• The learning acquired is more than just producing a book but can the same learning take place elsewhere?
• Does this diminish or add to the quality of work already established?
• Does it take away from some aspects of creativity? Drawing in particular with the characters already established? Does everyone need to know how to draw anyway?

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Reference List

Borsch, S. (2009).  Accelerating Change Insights and Ideas in Internet, Social & Web Technology. Retrieved 10th April 2011 from http://blogs.scholastic.com/accelerating_change/2009/07/having-information-and-facts-at-your-fingertips-about-the-internet--and-web-is-absolutely-critical-whether-youre-formulatin.html

Bratina T, Hayes  D, and Blumsack, S.  Preparing Teachers To Use Learning Objects. Retrieved 1st April 2011 from http://technologysource.org/article/preparing_teachers_to_use_learning_objects/

Churches A., (2010) Facilitating 21st Century Learning Retrieved 4th April 2011 from http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/home

 

Johnson, L., Smith, R., Willis, H., Levine, A., and Haywood, K., (2011). The 2011 Horizon Report. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Retrieved 10th April 2011 from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/HR2011.pdf

Khan, S. (2011) Lets use video to reinvent education Retrieved 2^nd March 2011 from http://ted.com/

Novak, J. D. & A. J. Cañas,  (2008). The Theory Underlying Concept Maps and How to Construct Them, Technical Report IHMC CmapTools 2006-01 Rev 01-2008, Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, Retrieced 12th April 2100 from  http://cmap.ihmc.us/Publications/ResearchPapers/TheoryUnderlyingConceptMaps.pdf

World bank Report (2011) The Use of Mobile Phones in Education in Developing Countries. Retrieved 12th April 2011 from http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTEDUCATION/0,html