In my art lessons at school we have been looking alot at colour - including warm and cool, tones, tints, shades, primary, secondary, complimentary, and the colour wheel. I created this short, 5 question Colour Quizz in powerpoint as a formative assessment tool to see how their understandings of colour is developing and which areas need more focus.
I think using PowerPoint to create quizzes is alot more exciting and fun than ClassMarker was, although that had its benefits. I would definitely opt for a PowerPoint Quizz to use as a whole class formative assessment however. I like chossing funky backgrounds and colours and it is so simple to add hyperlinks between pages and add hints when learners get the question wrong, and extra information when they get it right (which also helps if they guess it correctly - they can still learn something!).
Pretty good I say.
http://www.mediafire.com/?5zqz4nzjmjm
Please let me know what you think of my quizz.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Reflective Synopsis of my e.learning journey
I have really enjoyed discovering what is available for use out there and considering their possible roles in the classroom. It has been a welcomed challenge and it excites and inspires me about what my future as a Learning Manager has the potential to hold. Of course there are going to be a number of set backs when I get there - primarily availability of computers and what tools can actually be accessed on the internet in regards to the school's policy and what is 'blocked'. However, these are battles I'm willing to face and I am sure I can be creative with what I do have when I get there.
Experiencing these technologies has really opened my eyes as to how ICTs can be used effectively in the classroom - that is for learning and not just to type out an assignment, find a picture on Google images, or put together a slide-show for an oral. There are so many tools that promote collaboration and communication, critical thinking, creativity, problem solving skills... all attributes we want our learners to possess. Apart from this, using such tools will engage our Digital Native learners like nothing else can (Prensky, 2001). Instead of taking them out of their world to learn at school, we are stepping into their world and providing them with meaningful learning opportunities.
There are a number of theories and frameworks that support the inclusion of ICTs in the classroom. These include, but are not limited to, Kearseley & Shneiderman's (1999) Learning Engagement Theory, Oliver's (1999) ICT Learning Design Framework, and Seimen's (2005) Connectivism. I will discuss these theories and frameworks that support the use of e.learning in the context of three of the most useful (not to mention brilliant) tools that I came across - WebQuests, Voice Thread, and Slide Share.
Firstly, WebQuests are defined as "an inquiry-oriented activity" in which most or all of the information to be used comes from the internet (Dodge, 1995 in March, 2004). It is not simply a web-based activity but is a scaffolded learning experience that requires learners to actively investigate an open-ended problem, processing and transforming knowledge rather than just regurgitating facts (March, 2004). WebQuests are an absolutely outstanding elearning tool that can be supported by all three aforementioned theories. An earlier post shows how is fits in with both Learning Engagement and Learning Design, so here I will link this toll to Connectivism. There are 2 principles of Connectivism in particular that relate to WebQuests - 1. Learning and knowledge rests in a diversity of opinions and 2. Ability to see connections between fields, ideas and concepts is a core skill (Seimens, 2004).
Within the construct of a WebQuest, learners work in groups and are often asked to assume a 'role' - be it a business person or an environmentalist etc. These roles encourage learners to consider different perspectives from which to view the problem/question (March, 2004). Once each learner/pair/small group has thoroughly researched according to their role the learners come back together to discuss the 'diversity of opinions' before creating a solution (Seimens, 2004). Also, WebQuests require learners to transform information proveded via the web links into an entirely new concept or product; it's a 'transformative group process' (March, 2004). This means that learners need to be able to make connections between ideas and concepts to come up with a solution. For example, asking students to 'apply lessons from global problems to local issues' (March, 2004).
Secondly, Slide Share is a space where you can upload and share your PowerPoint Presentations, Word documents and Adobe PDF portfolios (Slideshare.net). It even has the capacity to upload audio files to synchronise to presentations. This type of technology has the greatest potential in the classroom. In the way of Oliver's Learning Design Framework it could be used to both illustrate the Learning Task - much more interactive than a sheet of paper and appeals to more sensory stimulation - and as a Learning Support, where slidecasts give learners extra scaffolding (similar to short tutorials) if they need it to successfully complete a task (Oliver, 1999). These will be available to them to view whenever they need it and however many times they need it. As well as this, learners could create their own Slidecasts in small groups that could then be published onto a class wiki or the school LMS. For example, in small groups learners may write a narrative or short story expressing their ideas/conclusions/opinions on a specific topic, record it, create a powerpoint to 'illustrate' their narrative, upload these files and synchronise them, then publish this to a wiki or blog that is set up to communicate with an e-pal class. In this way, Slide Share can also be supported by the Relate-Create-Donate cycle of the Learning Engagement theory (Kearlsey & Shneiderman, 1999). Slide Share is a great resource in that it has a two-fold use - as a teaching aid for the learning manager, and as a learning aid for the learner.
Finally, Voice Thread has to be one of my favourite technologies that I have looked at so far. It is a 'tool for having conversations around media' and can host an 'entire group discussion on one simple page' (voicethread.com, 2007). There are a number of ways Voice Thread can be used effectively in classrooms, including use as a reflective learning tool, group task contribution discussions, a tool for analysing perspectives, a space to share images of learning experiences and comment on the learning that took place, and a place to share their learning journey with their parents/guardians and other relevant stakeholders. It is a highly interactive and collaborative Learning Resource that can easily be paired with a Higher Order Thinking Learning Task (Oliver, 1999). Such tasks would require students to Analyse, Evaluate or Create using Voice Thread (Frangenheim, 2006). Learners may be added to a voice thread and there post their own analysis or evaluation of what is presented there, taking into account the comments of others. Alternately, learners may create their own voice thread for the use of others. The second option can be structured around the Relate-Create-Donate cycle (Kearlsey & Shneiderman, 1999). That is to say that learners work collaboratively to create a Voice Thread in response to a real world 'problem' which can then be made public or uploaded onto a blog, wiki etc. This tool has such a diversity of uses, it is worth getting learners to master it so it can be integrated as a 'normal' part of school.
In this age of Digital Natives, who are crying out for us to engage them in education and not enrage them, learning managers really need to stop and consider these new frameworks and theories and the new tools available to them (Prensky, 2001; 2005). I know I have been challenged as I have been writing each post - each tool takes some time to explore and get used to, but really time is a small price to pay when it comes to truly being able to engage our learners and get them excited about their learning journey. In completing this Blogging challenge I am somewhat filled with a new inspiration and enthusiasm for a different type of classroom - a classroom full of e.learners...
Frangenheim, E. (2006). Reflections on Classroom Thinking Strategies. Loganholme, QLD: Rodin Educational Consultancy
Kearsley, G. & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning. Available from http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm
March, T. (2003). 'The Learning Power of WebQuests' Educational Leadership, Vol. 61, N0.4. Available from http://tommarch.com/writings/wq_power.php
Oliver, R. (1999). Exploring strategies for online teaching and learning. Distance Education, Available from http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/project/learn_design.htm
Prensky, M. (2001). 'Digital Natives and Immigrants.' On the Horizon, Vol. 9 No. 5. MCB University Press. Available from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf
Prensky, M. (2005). “Engage me or enrage me”: What today’s learners demand. In Educause Review. Available from http://www.net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0553.pdf
Seimens, G., (2004). 'Connectivism: a learning theory for the digital age'. elearnspace. Available from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm
Slide Share (2009). available from http://www.slideshare.net
Voice Thread (n.d.) 'What's a Voice Thread Anyway?'. Available from http://voicethread.com/#u439917.b409.i848804
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Voice Thread
This is such a brilliant tool to promote higher order thinking and online discussions/collaboration.
After creating an account (which is FREE and easy), I went into my Flickr account to search for some pictures that I could upload legally (rather than using google) into the Voice Thread account. I used the search phrase 'numbers' and then 'house numbers'. I then Saved the images to my computer then uploaded them into Voice Thread. The only trouble I had was that images saved as a .GIF didn't load properly on Voice Thread so I only used files that were .jpeg s.
Here is what I put together
The idea I had with this was to use it as a maths tool for a year 3 or year 4 class. It is meant to promote higher order thinking as learners post comments about the characteristics and anything they know about the number presented. I have posted one on each as an example and to get them thinking about the types of number knowledge you can post. By reading other's comments, students not only learn more about the number but are challenged to extend themselves in their own comments so as to not be 'outdone' by their peers. When introduced in the classroom make a point that no two comments can have the same characteristic.
You could use this tool in a myriad of other ways, this is just an idea that came to mind based on a lesson I took with my Year 3 class last year. Another good thing about this tool is that you have a number of publishing options including - who can view it, who can comment, the option to moderate comments, and if it can appear on the browse page. There is also the 'group' option in which you can add people from your contacts to be a part of that thread.
If this was to be used regularly in the classroom it would be beneficial for learners to have their own account purely so they can be added to each thread the learning manager creates, or they can even create their own for their peers to use - this fits in with the Relate - Create - Donate process in a mixed around way (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999). Learners Create a thread (based on their learning in class), Donate it to Voice Thread, and then Relate to each other using the various forms of commenting - which ever type suits the individual is fine.
One thing to be careful of - the more comments there are on a thread the longer it takes to load. It may be beneficial to have one thread for a group of students rather than one thread for the entire class.
Kearsley, G. & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning. Available from http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm
After creating an account (which is FREE and easy), I went into my Flickr account to search for some pictures that I could upload legally (rather than using google) into the Voice Thread account. I used the search phrase 'numbers' and then 'house numbers'. I then Saved the images to my computer then uploaded them into Voice Thread. The only trouble I had was that images saved as a .GIF didn't load properly on Voice Thread so I only used files that were .jpeg s.
Here is what I put together
The idea I had with this was to use it as a maths tool for a year 3 or year 4 class. It is meant to promote higher order thinking as learners post comments about the characteristics and anything they know about the number presented. I have posted one on each as an example and to get them thinking about the types of number knowledge you can post. By reading other's comments, students not only learn more about the number but are challenged to extend themselves in their own comments so as to not be 'outdone' by their peers. When introduced in the classroom make a point that no two comments can have the same characteristic.
You could use this tool in a myriad of other ways, this is just an idea that came to mind based on a lesson I took with my Year 3 class last year. Another good thing about this tool is that you have a number of publishing options including - who can view it, who can comment, the option to moderate comments, and if it can appear on the browse page. There is also the 'group' option in which you can add people from your contacts to be a part of that thread.
If this was to be used regularly in the classroom it would be beneficial for learners to have their own account purely so they can be added to each thread the learning manager creates, or they can even create their own for their peers to use - this fits in with the Relate - Create - Donate process in a mixed around way (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999). Learners Create a thread (based on their learning in class), Donate it to Voice Thread, and then Relate to each other using the various forms of commenting - which ever type suits the individual is fine.
One thing to be careful of - the more comments there are on a thread the longer it takes to load. It may be beneficial to have one thread for a group of students rather than one thread for the entire class.
Kearsley, G. & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning. Available from http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm
Incompetech - FREE music... legally!
What's the catch? Simply attribute the writer of the piece in the credits. That's it!
Incompetech has a range of different styles of music available, from African to disco to classical, for use for free under the Creative Commons. Although there is not a huge list of songs in each category, and they are mostly songs/pieces original to Kevin McLeod, they are there for use in any media form for free.
For learners, Incompetech can be viewed as a Learning Resource which can help learners successfully complete an ICT-based Learning Task (Oliver, 1999). This music is simple to download and can be added to video clips (that may be uploaded to YouTube or TeacherTube), Powerpoints presentations, Drama pieces (including mime), or just for general classroom purposes (e.g. 'quiet working' music, as back-up music for a parade item etc.).
You don't have to join, the music is free to download, it can be saved to your music library on your computer... The only thing learners need to be aware of is that they must acknowledge the writer/composer of the piece.
I downloaded a classical piece entitled 'Danse Macabre', which, being classical, is acknowledged to have been written by Saint Saens in 1874. It was quite a long piece, however it only took a couple of minutes to downlaod it into iTunes.
Not a bad tool/website to keep bookmarked!
Oliver, R. (1999). Exploring strategies for online teaching and learning. Distance Education, 20(2), 240-254.
Available from http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/project/learn_design.htm
Incompetech has a range of different styles of music available, from African to disco to classical, for use for free under the Creative Commons. Although there is not a huge list of songs in each category, and they are mostly songs/pieces original to Kevin McLeod, they are there for use in any media form for free.
For learners, Incompetech can be viewed as a Learning Resource which can help learners successfully complete an ICT-based Learning Task (Oliver, 1999). This music is simple to download and can be added to video clips (that may be uploaded to YouTube or TeacherTube), Powerpoints presentations, Drama pieces (including mime), or just for general classroom purposes (e.g. 'quiet working' music, as back-up music for a parade item etc.).
You don't have to join, the music is free to download, it can be saved to your music library on your computer... The only thing learners need to be aware of is that they must acknowledge the writer/composer of the piece.
I downloaded a classical piece entitled 'Danse Macabre', which, being classical, is acknowledged to have been written by Saint Saens in 1874. It was quite a long piece, however it only took a couple of minutes to downlaod it into iTunes.
Not a bad tool/website to keep bookmarked!
Oliver, R. (1999). Exploring strategies for online teaching and learning. Distance Education, 20(2), 240-254.
Available from http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/project/learn_design.htm
On fire with Media Fire
Anyone ever lost an assignment? I failed to remember which 'folder thread' leads to a certain document? Have you ever taken a USB somewhere only to find it isn't compatable to that computer?
Well no more! Thanks to free and simple to use online file storage, such as Media Fire,you no longer need to worry. It was so simple to join and adding files is as easy as 1, 2, 3! Here is a maths activity that I uploaded - 3D Shapes Bingo.
This type of tool makes any file accessible anywhere. You can post the URL and/or make it public to share the files or you can keep it private. And not only are they saved in named folders but you can put tags on them and search the tag so you dont even have to remember where you put it! Makes life alot easier, especially for teachers - who are always finding resources, activities, lesson plans or ideas, making notes, writing letters.... our lives are full of documents!! If anything, having something like this may be good as a way of creating back-ups of files.
There is also a photo gallery to upload photos into, with the same moethod of files AND tagging.
I am not sure how you might attempt to use this in a primary school classroom, other than the learning manager. I suppose the class may create an account and it could be used as a means of viewing peer work to do a peer assessment. Or, within the Active Learning theory it could be used as a tool to Donate their work back into the real world (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999).
Overall I think this is a very helpful tool for Learning Managers - its simple to use, its free, its fast, and I can see how it would most likely reduce stress levels!
Kearsley, G. & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning. Available from http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm
Well no more! Thanks to free and simple to use online file storage, such as Media Fire,you no longer need to worry. It was so simple to join and adding files is as easy as 1, 2, 3! Here is a maths activity that I uploaded - 3D Shapes Bingo.
This type of tool makes any file accessible anywhere. You can post the URL and/or make it public to share the files or you can keep it private. And not only are they saved in named folders but you can put tags on them and search the tag so you dont even have to remember where you put it! Makes life alot easier, especially for teachers - who are always finding resources, activities, lesson plans or ideas, making notes, writing letters.... our lives are full of documents!! If anything, having something like this may be good as a way of creating back-ups of files.
There is also a photo gallery to upload photos into, with the same moethod of files AND tagging.
I am not sure how you might attempt to use this in a primary school classroom, other than the learning manager. I suppose the class may create an account and it could be used as a means of viewing peer work to do a peer assessment. Or, within the Active Learning theory it could be used as a tool to Donate their work back into the real world (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999).
Overall I think this is a very helpful tool for Learning Managers - its simple to use, its free, its fast, and I can see how it would most likely reduce stress levels!
Kearsley, G. & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning. Available from http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm
Monday, August 17, 2009
Slide Share
Latitude & Longitude
View more presentations from s0133434.
When I first saw the name SlideShare I thought it was going to be another photo sharing space. I am happy to say that I was wrong! It is a tool that will come in ever so handy in the classrooms of today (that is some of today, unfortunately for others it will be the classrooms of tomorrow...). It fits hand-in-hand with the use of PowerPoint , which is becoming the replacment for whiteboards and markers. The beauty of Slide Share is that you can upload your Powerpoint presentations to it, have them publically available, and even upload them from SlideShare onto a blog or wiki etc. No longer will we have to carry around a memory stick, or have to change our entire lesson if, God forbid, something dreadful happens to the laptop, because with slideshare, you can access it online!
The Slide Share above has not been converted to a Slide Cast (which makes it a presentation with the audio overlay) because my computer does not have a microphone - make sure yours does if you are going to use it!! As such, all the information on each page comes up at once rather than clicking through and allowing each object to come up in order. If anyone knows how to deal with this... I world appreciate the help!
The other great thing about this tool is that you can upload adio files and attach them to your presentations. Can you imagine how this might change classrooms as we know it?? We could introduce 'flexi-classes', which I guess is more of a uni-style class, but available for primary and secondary. The Learning Manager uses a Powerpoint Presentation to enhance the learning experience, while as the same time recording what is being said onto his computer. After the lesson the audio file can be converted to an .MP3 using afree tool like Format Factory (Thank you to Jim Price for showing me this tool). The audio file is then uploaded to SlideShare, synchronised to the Presentation used in class, then uploaded to the class's moodle/blog/blackboard/wiki space. That way, if a learner misses a class, they can 'do' the class online. Or if a student wants to go back to the class that can go back and take it again, with the ability to 'pause' it if they need to, or 'skip' to the relevant section. Sure, it is not as interactive as being in the class at the time, but if it's posted on, for example, a blog, learners can use the 'comment' option to ask the learning manager questions or queeries.
What a useful piece of technology! It could also be another way of giving students a Learning Task, rather than (or as well as) handing out a piece of paper and giving instruction, Learning managers could create a powerpoint to explain the task and synchronise vocal instructions to it. Then you don't have to be re-photocopying task sheets all the time for those who have the tendancy to lose them. They can also access it from any computer and watch it as many times as needed.
In a similar way it could be used to give learners their homework. This would save time in class handing out and glueing homework sheets in. It also means they have less excuses for not completing it (or a different set of them at least! "My internet was down...").
I have found another web tool that I think is really useful in this digital age. It still allows for productive pedagogies on behalf of the learning manager, and higher order thinking on behalf of the learner, it just gives a new/updated and relevant platform from which to do this.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Wikipedia - free media?
When I was in highschool we were often told NOT to use Wikipedia. My peers and I could never understand why because it had absolutely eveything you could think of on it explained it so clearley and precisely. Most of the time, especially for Modern History, we would look up concepts and events in Wikipedia before starting our 'real research' so we could get our heads around it first. Of course we never quoted or referenced wikipedia - our teacher would be very unimpressed if he had known we had even used it, but it did come in ever so handy!Since then I have discovered that there is a whole lot more to wikipedia than just the free online encyclopeadia. Still, the encyclopedia part is still useful, I think, for both teachers and students in the same way I used it in highschool - to get a good background knowledge of a concept/object etc. Also, the way it has links to other pages in its descriptions, making it non-linear, is also more relevant for learners.
Learners could use Wikipedia as a Learning Resource for ICT based Learning Tasks - for research, background knowledge etc. (Oliver, 1999). Learning Managers could also use Wikipedia to 'brush up' on topic before they teach them - there are lots of little interseting facts and histories that could be used to 'provide anecdotes and interesting "asides"' in lessons that helps learners to 'percieve tasks as valuable and interesting' (Marzano & Pickering, 1997, p.31;32).
As I mentioned, there is a whole world outside of Wikipedia - its the world of Wikimedia. Bellow is the list of what is included in Wikimedia, all of which is free to browse and, where applicable, use under the Creative Commons Licence.
 | Wikipedia Free encyclopedia |  | Wikiquote Collection of quotations |  | Wiktionary Dictionary and thesaurus |
 | Wikibooks Free textbooks and manuals |  | Wikisource Free source documents |  | Wikinews Free content news source |
 | Commons Shared media repository |  | Wikispecies Directory of species |  | Wikiversity Free learning materials |
 | MediaWiki MediaWiki software coordination |  | Bugzilla A bug tracker for MediaWiki |  | Incubator For potential new language versions |
 | Wikimania The International Conferences |  | Test Wikipedia For testing software changes |  | Wikimedia Foundation Foundation public relations |
Marzano, R., & Pickering, D., et al (1997). Dimensions of Learning: teacher's manual. Aurora, Colorado, USA : McREL
Oliver, R. (1999). Exploring strategies for online teaching and learning. Distance Education, 20(2), 240-254.
Available from http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/project/learn_design.htm
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