A Series of Reflections: The Synopsis

I have looked at the following digital learning tools: Blogs, Wikis, websites, audio, images, videos, Power Point, Prezis, Glogsters (yeah that’s a thing), and a wide selection of simulations and interactives. I have discussed in depth: Blogs, videos, Prezis, and the interactive; Google Docs, as well as my thoughts on De Bono’s Thinking Hats. All of which have contributed to the end product- this. No pressure…

Throughout this learning journey I have discovered just how E-learning can transform education and support classroom engagement. Incorporating a digital pedagogy can make learning creative, fun and colourful where it was once black and white text, accompanied with sore eyes and a sore hand from copying too much from the whiteboard- the possibilities are endless. This concept, I have found, provides options to a once limited and very linear learning journey. A journey we, as teachers, can choose to augment and finally be able to cater for the multitude of diverse learners we will all inevitably encounter throughout our teaching careers.

Upon reflection of my own experiences I have benefited from all of the new experiences, in that I feel I have been able to familiarise myself with a world my students will already be immersed in. A world where Blogging and creating websites, I assume is the ‘norm’. I am happy to have been able to brush up on my Power Point skills and learn about some completely new presentation options including Prezi Presentations which are so much fun to create. I see myself using them often and encouraging my business students to use them also as you may have learnt from “A series of reflections: prezi presentations”. I feel like I now have this new habit as a result of completing this assessment item; and that is having the need to play with settings and investigate what this button does and what that toggle changes. I have learnt many new things from programs I use on a day to day basis but have never fully made use of- as it turn out word is much more convenient than I first thought. I hope through incorporating more ICTs into my classrooms that I might be able to instil the same habit and enjoyment in using such learning tools, as it might make learning a little easier and more inviting for my students.

As for the drawbacks regarding this learning experience, well there is the one I mentioned in the previous post- regarding a repetitive criteria from the weeks two until five which limited the opportunities for an involved commenting presence. But I don’t believe that would have been an issue had the tasks been more diverse (eg, the difference between task one and two). Another drawback might be the demand for a submission each week. To safely receive a four/four your submission had around 600-800 words when most assignments for other courses give four to six weeks for a 1500 word assignment, it was slightly inconvenient. However I learnt some very valuable lessons about cyber safety, and now have a wonderful arsenal of tips and inspiration regarding the creativity of my future lessons.

With a strong digital foundation derived from key concepts selected from three crucial models and frameworks which are:

• De Bono’s Thinking Hats- this concept is designed to aid in the development of perspective thinking which is beneficial in creating an informed decision. This is done through applying the six thinking hats and answering the question with that particular thinking hat’s mindset
• The SAMR model- the letters of which stand for the levels of learning evolution that digital technologies surmount to; substitution, augmentation, modification and redefinition.
• Bloom’s Taxonomy- this refers to a series of terms which indicate the level of content knowledge a student has through their ability to demonstrate certain skills.

We can then begin to exercise the unlimited potential that the digital world provides us with and greatly increase the learning opportunities we can give our students- learning opportunities with which they can use to reach their highest potential. However to safely make use of E-learning in the classroom it is important to be aware of the risks. Such risks may include; exposure to inappropriate material, physical danger, cyber-bullying, and privacy issues. I have learnt throughout this course that when investigating new learning tools one should consider its safety precautions. To combat such risks in my own teaching career I have compiled a check list of considerations for myself to consult when considering the use of a new digital learning tool, it is as follows:

• What sort of safety precautions does the program have? 
• Is there password protection? 
• Can it be used offline? 
• Are there privacy settings?
• Is the program prone to pop-ups? 
• Does the website promote inappropriate advertisements?
• Who can the content be edited by?
• If bullying occurs by other students or strangers can it be resolved via a blocking option or a history/archives feature with which to consult?

If the answers to these questions satisfy my school's policies and my own and also align with the aforementioned frameworks and models then theoretically I can incorporate almost any new ICTs into my future pedagogy. My students will hopefully as a result of my learning not be held back in this quickly growing digital world.

A Series of Reflections: The End

As the first assessment piece for EDSE12024 comes to a close, I find myself more prepared for the teaching world. This experience has shown me the many benefits and heightened learning outcomes of which can be the product of “collaborative learning”. For example, though I have learnt plenty throughout my own research and investigation in the effort to produce our weekly reflections, this assessment piece has provided the opportunity for subject mastery in that I may also learn from other’s Blogs. I say this because while we were only required choose from a selection of learning tools each week, we did not all chose the same ones. As a result of both this and the section of criteria which encourages us to comment on each other’s work, I have learnt about many different learning tools- tools that I cannot wait to embed into my own pedagogies. These facts demonstrate the potential for learning such exercises can have when in the hands of our students.

While this experience has been valuable and enlightening, unfortunately I was not able to absorb as much as I might have were the commenting or online discussions more involved. I found that for the most part well thought out comments were posted, however were only rarely replied to. This may have limited our collaborative learning gains slightly. In regards to my own involvement I believe I made around nine comments on a selection of student Blogs, and the only replies I got were consistently along the lines of: “thanks, I agree” -to which I struggled to reply to. This may have been a result of us all having just discussed the same thing. While differing in topic the thinking “lens” or criteria of considerations were the same for the last four parts of assessment piece one, and therefore limited the amount of relevant things we could comment on. Due to the standard of completion it was also hard to add to anyone’s posts via comment, further limiting a serious online presence in the form of commenting and discussion.

The same cannot be said for in class discussion though as it is purely sharing ideas and possible considerations for the responses due each week. This allows for ease when it comes to contribution or involvement as during these times we are in construction mode and there is work yet to be done. I believe this brainstorming and contribution of ideas to create, answer a question, or generally work towards a common goal physically in class, translates to online collaboration as well. This is where I feel our students would gain the most, not through commenting on the end result. Through my own contribution and the observation of others, I feel that this is the area in which online learning and opportunity for discussion can become as involved as this course intended us to be in our own trials. As most opportunities for learning are created in the dialogue, the conversation, the problem solving or not solving (Morrison, 2012) rather than in the observation of the end result- though learning may still occur here in the form of evaluation and improvement. 

I envision myself encouraging online learning through a platform much like Blogger, where students share assessment ideas and help each other out towards both their own independent submissions and their group ones. Rather than incorporating such a collaborative tools into the actual assignment allowing for the viewing of each others work and in turn the opportunity for plagiarism and potential feelings of inadequacy when others can’t help but compare the quality of the submissions.

So to conclude, and for your ease of viewing:

E-learning advantages

• Heightened employability (see my comment) -teacher
• Heightened ability to provide diverse learning opportunities for students (see previous comment) -teacher
• Greater opportunity for subject mastery -teacher and student
• Team building and opportunity for better staff/student relations -teacher and student
• The opportunity for the inclusion of more creative and diverse methods in the production of works -teacher and student

You may find some similarities upon consulting Weimer’s (2013) five things students can learn through group work:

1. They can learn content, as in master the material
2. They can learn content at those deeper levels we equate with understanding
3. They can learn how groups function productively
4. They can learn why groups make better decisions than individuals
5. They can learn to how work with others

E-learning disadvantages:

• Opportunity for cyber bullying or editing with a malicious intent (see my comment) -teacher and student
• Participating in E-learning inhibits the development of handwritten writing skills such as grammar, editing, punctuation, as most e-learning tools and platforms do this thinking for you. Consider the importance of such skills for state and national exams and competitions which are still handwritten -students

References:

Morrison, D. (2012). Online groups – cooperative or collaborative. Retrieved from: https://onlinelearninginsights.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/online-groups-cooperative-or-collaborative/

Weimer, M. (2013). Five things students can learn through group work. Retrieved from: http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/five-things-students-can-learn-through-group-work/

A Series of Reflections: Google Docs

Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and Forms

This particular learning tool uses processing platforms much like our favourites in Microsoft Office, and creates a simple and very convenient collaborative experience. This tool allows for group work to be completed on the same document via internet connection, which also means that the work completed in a Google Doc can be viewed edited and shared by everyone with access.

Figure 1

What is it capable of?

Google Docs' on-line program allows for group word, spreadsheet, power point, and form documents to be created. These documents can be created and then shared (this connects the other authors to the document) for alteration, and are very much like the Microsoft Office version of these only simplified. The document can only be viewed and edited by those it has been shared with, so it seems to be a safe working platform with the necessary privacy settings and precautions. Google Docs also has an offline option where if enabled allows access to your account even when offline so as not to limit the utility of the program.

Figure 2

For easy use this learning tool has considerations for:

• Remembering to save, by eliminating the need for remembering at all. See figure 3.
• Keeping track of editing via a tracking feature within the auto save feature. See figure 3.
• Keeping track of who is editing what at the same time via labelled cursors. See figure 1.
• Tidiness and ease of access through a neat and familiar tool bar layout.

What are the drawbacks?

• Untrustworthy or serious co-authors may sabotage the on-line file which may in turn sabotage your offline file due to the auto-saving feature.

Figure 3

• Lack of internet connectivity make the collaborative working platform somewhat redundant.
• Offline to on-line alterations may load in with everyone else's and may require tidying up.

Use as a teacher

This learning tool could potentially be used for collaborative work with staff or forum type feedback with both students and staff. However I believe that this tool would be more suited for student use.

Use as a student

While use in a mathematical context may be limited, the versatile ways in which this tool can be utilised within a business context can be substantial. Business students need to make use of word documents, spreadsheets, power points and form creators throughout many of their tasks. This would allow for quicker and more accessible feedback on each other's work within a group task, and in a perfect world perhaps eliminates the "I forgot my USB, so I can't show you what work I have (or have not) done today" which unfairly delays the progress of others.

SAMR

The SAMR Model

Google Docs falls under the "augmentation" sector of the SAMR model as while it substitutes for Word or Excel etc., it enhances the productivity in a group context via eliminating the monitoring of multiple documents by multiple members.

A Series of Reflections: Prezi Presentations

"Audience and Purpose"

"Audience and Purpose" an article linked in the week 5 course materials, discusses some really important thoughts for capturing and engaging your target audience such as:

• Who is your audience? (In the hands of the teacher) students, (in the hands of the students) teachers, and peers of either.
• How familiar with the content will they be? Are you pitching at the right level? Will your audience understand the terminology etc.
• Is your presentation reasonable? does it have enough or too much information? Is the information displayed appropriately? Can you read the text? is it too small?
• Is your audience likely to want plenty of detail or will that be overwhelming for them?

Such considerations are all equally important cogs in a smooth running and successful presentation, and should all be thought about before deciding on a platform which best delivers your topic. In the following reflection I will discuss Prezi as one of these platforms.

Prezi

A Prezi is a free online visual aid program which allows for the presenter/creator to display "the big picture" and zoom in to see the details or minor points. This eliminates slides full of excessive text and takes the viewer on a very cool and creative journey through, sneakily enough, the important information! Prezi encourages the creator to be concise and only highlight the useful information (the true purpose of a visual aid) as if you can not do this the "bigger picture" just looks messy and overwhelming. 

In creation of that journey, the sole author (after creating a Prezi account online) may select from pre-made templates (as you will see that I have) or you can start your presentation from scratch. Both options make use of Prezi's "frames" which enable that zoom function, which come in four options: bracket, circle, rectangle or invisible. All with which can be adjusted in colour and size. To really make your presentation come alive you can also include:

• images through an embedded Google images search function, 
• or a selection of simple shapes which like the frames can be adjusted in both colour and size. 
• Text boxes can be created anywhere with just a click and include the general text customisation options such as font, size, colour, bold, underline, italic and you can also add dot points. 
• These text boxes, frames and images, even videos can also be moved around and resized at any time if needed, 
• they can even be selected to appear on a fade-in animation, 
• or be accompanied by an audio voice-over file. 

The product of such presentation customizations as listed above can be viewed in my own Prezi creations found below. When creating your own Prezi presentation it is important to consider whether using some of these features might subtract from the over-all message through creating an unpleasant distraction. While I'm sure that when used effectively or in the right context some music playing in the background can be positive, however in most cases it could be considered an unnecessary distraction, much like using too many animations etc. So keep that in mind.

These presentations are saved online in your personal account which is protected by a password of your making. In addition to that you may also download your Prezi to your computer or as a PDF, or share it to a selection of social media websites via the "share" option or "present remotely" which gives you a URL to link to, or finally you may embed the presentation via the "embed" option which opens a window where you may then adjust the specifications before finalizing.

A Prezi presentation in the hands of the teacher (a mathematics perspective)

I have decided to do this week's reflection on Prezi presentations purely because I could relate to the style myself, as I am a sequential learner. This style of presentation I feel compliments most of my mathematical instruction, as my go-to method for teaching maths includes mapping out specific steps to follow, and adjust myself from there should my students need me to. I have always worried about the limited ways in which maths can be made interesting and exciting for those who don't find it that way to begin with, however through experimenting with this Prezi program I feel I have found one way in which I can. Which is a nice start. 

Below Is an example of a Prezi presentation utilized within a mathematical teaching context. Consider my use of the "fade-in" animation option to draw the students eyes to the new information appearing, and in the case of the mathematical workings, to prompt them to have a go before revealing the next step or the answer. 

A Prezi presentation in the hands of the student (a business perspective)

In the following example of a possible student use of Prezi, within an assessment context, I have tried to indicate where this particular format of presentation encourages the development of some very handy skills as well as being a simple means of visual aid. This program (due to its limited space which when over-crowded with content, as mentioned earlier, blurs the "bigger picture") encourages the development of  some important judgement skills which effect the quality and success of a presentation such as:

• including an appropriate amount of text (enough to highlight your point, but not enough to ramble allowing your audience to lose focus), 
• choosing the appropriate pictures to enhance and make links to their discussion points
• and this program also encourages the user to really think about their speech layout and how their paragraphs flow or ease into the next topic of discussion as the links or arrows lead you from frame to frame.

As a learning tool Prezi could potentially allow for students to learn without them knowing, which in my opinion, is one of the best ways to teach.

Students may also utilize the voice-over option and record their speeches that way, to perhaps avoid some of the negative effects of nerves when presenting in front of an audience.

Bloom's Taxonomy and the SAMR model

Bloom's Taxonomy

Prezi as a tool or a means of visual aid aligns mostly with the yellow "Application" sector of Bloom's Taxonomy as in creating a visual aid you apply your knowledge to the display platform so that you may demonstrate to others that you do know enough about the topic.

The SAMR Model

Prezi, used in a business context, best aligns with the "Augmantation" sector of the SAMR model as it is almost a complete substitute for the way such assignments were presented. This tool allows for a functional and interactive visual aid with the option of including the entire speech as a voice over, however a script would still need to be submitted along with the file. 

However in a mathematics context Prezi can be considered for the "Modification" stage of the SAMR model. Currently, in the case of most mathematics assignments, they are still handwritten and drawn- then either physically submitted or scanned and submitted that way. Prezi allows for a clear step by step layout, though of course only for topics that are suitable. For example: a list of questions to complete may not be acceptable, where a scenario assignment would be. Consider the financial assignment scenario where you are given a job with x amount of income, you need to fashion a budget and discover the amount you need to put away each week for a loan on that new car you want to buy. This could put a really cool spin on a particularly drab topic, that is extremely important for students to understand.

A Series of Reflections: Videos

Nothing is more boring to a student then having to sit through a lesson you feel is of no value. "What's the point?". Upon reflection of "Multi modal composing in classrooms: Learning and teaching for the digital world" I have to agree with the importance of making anything you have to teach valid for your students. Creating that connection with your learners and giving them an interesting or important reason to participate can make the teaching and learning process much more effective and cooperative. I intend to make clear learning goals for my students, and strive to give each of my students a reason to be attentive in class. However that may go...

To also help with boredom, this week's reflection is on incorporating digital learning tools such as;

• Images: 

  

  A created image: Mobile Phone

Images can be used by the teacher to capture interest and make students think on a topic before tackling the content, a wonderful use for images which encourages such ideas could be the activity "see, think, wonder". This activity was demonstrated in one of my tutorials, which I thoroughly enjoyed, I feel that my future students may too.

Students might use images in class for reference (merely taking a picture of the board or mathematical formula, for ease of access) or for memory aids (through creation of their own image; perhaps a drawing, or digital creation containing the topic and its connections- consider flowcharts etc.)

• Audio:

Unfortunately this Blogging platform does not support audio files, and so I was unable to include my own creation here.

I feel that use of audio is somewhat limited inside the classroom, however it can be an extremely helpful learning tool outside for individual reference or study at home. Teachers could record their lesson discussions and email them out to their students or the students which were absent so that they may catch up on anything that was missed. Students might also be able to record their own thoughts or notes for future reference. This could be a convenient idea as in today's world a phone (and all of its capabilities) is usually more accessible than a pen and paper.

• Video: A further reflection

Videos seem to be the way to go in today's classroom as they utilize both image and audio, with the added perks of the union of both and moving pictures. Videos can be used, just like the others, as a "hooking" resource to create interest in a topic as mentioned in the image sector and also as a reference tool as mentioned in the audio sector. However videos have the most opportunities for encouraging student creation and self learning, which is a large step for learning when it come's to Bloom's Taxonomy:

Bloom's Taxonomy

Consider the terms included in the inner circle of "synthesis"; construct, explain, combine, manage. 

An example (which I could see myself experimenting with in the classroom) of self learning/group learning through the use of video creation could be after an introductory lesson have the students video themselves trying to explain the new concept. They could then swap videos with each other and see what they can learn from one another or simply if they were successful in their explanation. I'm am also a firm believer in the idea that if you can explain a topic clearly you have demonstrated sound knowledge.

Below I have included a video I have made demonstrating to a point my idea above. I created this video using a program called TinyTake which records your screen in a small HD video. I had it record me using OneNote while working through a simple expand and simplify problem, and I edited it using Window's Movie Maker. I adjusted the video by increasing the speed to 1.25x and I also "trimmed" some useless information off at the end of the video. TinyTake allows for 5 minutes of video (which may not be ideal for some instances), has the options during recording to pause and once the video's complete you are able to upload it straight away from the program if desired. I particularly liked the fact that it recorded the screen activity and is not limited to a writing program. For example, if I wanted to go to an internet browser and include something from there I could have. Both TinyTake and Window's Movie Maker were very simple to use (note that I have never made a video before) the tool bars are tidy and clearly display all of the options. TinyTake also supports audio, however I decided to "mute" it in my video.

Find my video here.

Videos can move the classroom into the "Transformation" stages of the SAMR model, through eliminating the need to even be present in a classroom. Consider University for example- through use of Blackboard Collaborate's video and communication program, students can watch the lesson as the teacher or lecturer in this case talks and interacts with the video to teach a concept, and also interact with the lecturer to ask questions etc. However it is understandable that students need to go to a school and discover routine and learn to interact, in some instances at least, face-to-face, considering the younger generations obsession with technology.

An Encouraging Thought

I have noticed many others are writing slightly more casual and shorter posts, so I do apologise for my longer ones which may seem to go on. However something our course co-ordinator Wendy Fasso said in a forum resonated within me, this was:

   "We are all individuals. We all communicate in different ways. If you browse enough blogs you will find some that resemble your own approach more closely. Draw on others where you can, but be proud of your own ideas and defend them! They are worth sharing." 

Although this was not intended for me, I will be sure to take it on board. I hope this might also helpful for whoever else may see this.

A Series of Reflections: Blogs

Throughout this course we have been encouraged to experiment with blogs and discover the various ways they can be used as a learning tool, to eventually aid us [as pre-service teachers] in creating our own pedagogy and increasing the chance of successful and positive learning outcomes from our potential students. In taking on this challenge I will discuss below:

• the technical aspects I have found to be particularly useful and have made use of myself in either this post or previous ones,

• the potential for positive learning outcomes and possible ways of making use of this tool [blogs] in the areas of Business and Mathematics,

• and finally I hope to outline some evidence of my experimentation and show the extent of my technical skills regarding this particular prospective learning tool.

The technical aspects

A blog enables its user/author to share their content (most commonly thoughts or opinions on a particular topic) with their readers. The content of a blog is generally only edited by the one person, however additional authors can be added in the "permissions" section of the settings. Readers can comment on, like, or +1 etc. this content to in some way provide feedback for the author. On examining my own blog the main medium of feedback seems to be based on views which can be seen via the 'overview' section. This section shows how many views there were 'today' or 'yesterday' and so on. I interpret views as feedback in the sense of a sign of interest.

Google blogs have a wide range of customisation options which aid the user to entice their target audience or to help create a certain feel or encourage a particular feeling, one of which compliments their content. As well as these options there are also simple tools within which allow you to change adapt your text and include links, images or videos, there is also a really interesting "quote" function which allows and encourages you to be creative when incorporating quotes.

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who matter don't mind and those who mind don't matter" 

~ Dr. Seuss

Overall, throughout my use of the blog i have found it to have a high level of usability. It has enough features to be useful without having an over abundance of features the average user may never touch or make use of (the same can not be said of some of Microsoft Word's features) The options available in regards to commenting and viewing are simple and reasonable (can people comment? yes or no. From which sites can one view this blog? Are the posts public or can they only be viewed by followers?). Google's "Blogger" is a comfortable program one of which requires only minutes to figure out. 

The potential for positive learning outcomes in the areas of Business and Mathematics

Immediately i can think of applying the use of blogs to both areas as a way of checking on my students. I can envision my students blogging about their thoughts on a lesson, how it went, what they had hoped to get done in class today, posting any questions they may be struggling with and having them help each other out, when i might not have time to check their posts often enough. This would encourage a higher rate of understanding across a wider range of topics, where usually a student would need to rely on whether a teacher had time to get to their queries physically in the classroom. However this may pose a problem with large classes, for example a high school teacher may have up to or more than 5 classes with student numbers ranging anywhere from 12 to 30 students. It may be difficult to keep up with everyone online. This method may best be suited with select classes of perhaps only seniors where the set work is generally open to interpretation, this might encourage discussion and collaboration of ideas between the students. 

This would also provide a better method for constant teacher feedback, as opposed to a small survey at the end of the term as i have seen many teachers do. I can surely see myself using blogs in this way.

Incorporating blogs into a business pedagogy, can be done with ease in my own opinion. Business is all about moving forward and experimenting with new ways to increase marketing outcomes, finding newer and more efficient ways to increase organisational productivity, and as a whole create more convenient ways to communicate and collaborate ideas to aid in the success of a business or organisation. Blogs can be incorporated in such a way that students can practice these skills they can post their assessment ideas and experiment with the features as discussed earlier to display their marketing pitches for example; complete with links to their research, graphs via the 'insert image' tool, or display their advertisements via the 'insert a video' tool. Such use could have positive learning outcomes in the form of: the encouragement of creativity in their work (consider Ken Robinson's ted talk, appendix 1) and a higher comfort level concerning ICT and other methods of communication that students wishing to pursue the business path will inevitably encounter.

It is my belief that this ITC method is best suited to business when compared with mathematics, where it may only be used in one or two ways (consider suggestions discussed in the first paragraph under this heading).

The SAMR Model

Blogs in business using the SAMR model:

Substitution: Using a blog to share notes instead of handwriting everything into a note book or using Word where it gets stored away and is forgotten about. This allows for others to see and catch up on anything they might have missed, whilst also allowing a teacher to see who is engaging in the classroom.

Augmentation: Elaborating on substitution through adding video's and images to demonstrate further understanding.

Modification: Elaborating on augmentation through adding external uses, such as homework or assignment brain-storming and collaborating, allowing students to further consider class topics.

Redefinition: As well as including the above points, a blog could redefine assessment items which require multiple steps. For example marketing students may need to create an advertisement; they can add their image, discuss its components below, maybe add their speech as an audio file or video as well- and all through the one program. This is much more convenient as otherwise there would need to be printouts of both the image and the speech as well as class time put aside for the speech to be delivered. This is a lot of paperwork to keep track of and mark, where as were it submitted through a blog the teacher only has to view it online.

A brief demonstration of technical skill

I hope i have been able to demonstrate a sound knowledge of some of the features within a Google blog, i believe i have covered the main text options such as headings, alignment, font and font size. I have also experimented with bold/italic/underline/highlight, as well as the image, video (below), quote and link options. I have also adjusted the look of my blog by customising the background colour scheme and layout further. Privacy and permissions settings were also discussed briefly. 

To conclude i would just like to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed this embedded task and the challenge of incorporating as much of the features as reasonable in a professional blog. I look forward to 'A Series of Reflections: Wikis' next week.

Appendix

Appendix 1: Ken Robinson's Ted Talk