Collaboration with WIKIs

Because I have used WIKIs myself for quite some time, and for only the one purpose - to plan group assignments in a university context, I got really stuck for ideas of different ways of using WIKIs in a student centred way in a Primary Classroom. So after a bit of searching, I came across the great website - 50 Ways to Use Wikis for a More Collaborative and Interactive Classroom. It breaks the 50 ideas into 7 different categories:

1. Resources Creation
2. Student Participation
3. Group Projects
4. Student Interaction
5. For the Classroom
6. For the Community
7. Other

Some of the ideas that would best fit into both Oliver's Learning Design model (1999) and Keirsley & Shneiderman's Engagement Theory (1999) are the 7 ideas in the 'Community' section.

One of these ideas fits in pefectly with a Unit my Mentor teacher did last year. It was a Healthy Food Unit in a year 3 class. It was a transdisciplinary unit with a genre based approach - the genre being prcedures. This unit could be adapted so that learners use a WIKI to collaboratively create a Healthy Foods recipe book. Learners can then research and test different recipes, categorise them (e.g. snacks, salads, breakfast etc.) and use the Procedure genre to share the recipes with peers and other stakeholders on the WIKI. The URL for the WIKI can be shared with other classes for them to view and even printed in the school newsletter to encourage healthy lunch boxes. Learners may even come up with their own recipe ideas, or even find out and share why their recipes are good (both good in taste and good for you).

There are alot of other good ideas on the website that are really practical to integrate into classroom. Another one that I like is a Choose Your Own Adventure collaborative story. Check out the site for more information.

Let me know what you think of my ideas, and also if you have any others to add!!

Hot Potato, Hot Potato

I have already done 2 posts on quizzes - One about using Class Marker and the other using PowerPoint to create quizzes. Of the two, I have preferred using PowerPoint because a) you can personalise and customise the quizz as much as you like and b) it's simple enough for learners to create their own quizzes in.
However, I have just discovered and downloaded Hot Potato, which is now my new favourite quizz maker. It is very very simple and appealing to use, and only takes a couple of minutes to download onto your computer for free. It gives you the options of

• JClose - creating a fill in the blanks cloze activity
  
• JMatch - creating a matching exercise
  
• JMix - creating a jumbled sentence excercise
  
• JCross - creating a crossword puzzle
• JQuizz - with the options of multiple choice and short answer quizzes.

I am excited to use it, let alone what the learners will be like when they get to have a go. I really like that it gives you the options of different types of activities. This means that learners can choose an option that suits them and their learning the best (both style and level).
Once each group of learners has created their quizzes, there is an option called The Masher - which you can add files to to build a sequence of excercises into a complete indexed unit. This way, all the students quizzes are in one place and everyone can have a go at each other's quizzes - or a particular quizz may be assigned to a particular groups or person to complete.

When using this in the classroom I would start by creating quizzes in each category first for the learners to complete. After that I would do a modelled/shared session for creating each quizz with the class. From there learners can work in small groups (2-3) to choose a quizz type and create a quizz on a given topic (preferably to do with the unit of work being studied that term). It may even work to have different groups working on dofferent aspects of the term's work - e.g. one group doing the SOSE focus, one group maths focus, one literacy focus, one science focus, one art focus etc. Thes should all work in together if the unit is transdisciplinary.

You can also upload these to a web page so they are interactive or you can exzport them for printing.

In all, it is a really cool program!

Digital Storytelling

As the name Digital Storytelling implies, it is basically students telling a story using digital media, including the use of images, music, narrative and voice. What better way to encourage our digital learners to write! Not to mention pushing the boundaries of their imaginations.

Narratives and short story writing are core content of English curriculum. Digital Storytelling allows this content to be transfered into the digital age, engaging our learners and creating in them a whole new set of literacy skills - digital literacy! Learners still need to thoroughly plan their story and write a 'script' that includes all the elements of a narrative BEFORE even thinking about storyboards and taking photos, meaning it is still a literacy-rich task.

The fact that it is storytelling alone makes it perfect to integrate with the Learning Engagement Theory. Learners can plan and produce (Create) their narratives/stories in pairs (Relate), and then share them to an audience in a 'film festival' for thier parents or a buddy class etc.

The other greate thing about Digital Storytelling is that it should not be too difficult. Learners plans and take their photos then load them onto the computer. They can then use a free photo editing tool, such as Picnik to manipulate their images as desired. Then, each 'frame' can be created in PowerPoint, by saving each slide as a GIF or JPEG. Once this is done, the frames can be imported into Windows Photo Story 3 (which is free to download) to start making it into a 'film' with music and voice overs. Audacity is a great voiceaudio recording and editing tool that is simple to use and free to download. Also, for Royalty Free Music, learners can download music from Incompetech.

To me, this is a very straight-forward and great tool for student-centred learning.

Student Reflective Blogs

Because of my study program, I am not currently enrolled in a portal task. Although I do volunteer in a classroom one day a week, I am very limited as to what I can do with the class. I really think that student use of Blogs as a tool for reflection could be very useful - If the entire class has access to the required technology. In an ideal world it would be a perfect way for learners to relfect either at the end of a lesson, at the end of each day, or at the end of each week. I initially had the idea that the blogs, as a reflective tool, could be used not by themselves, but each reflection could be guided by the learning manager so that each post uses a different reflective technique - for example the first post might use a KWL (Know, Want to know, Learnt), the second one might be a PMI (Plus, Minus, Interesting) as the framework for learning reflection, and so on (Frangenheim, 2007). This way, learners are not only engaged in the reflecyion because they are using a favoured medium, they are also engaged in thinking and are learning and useing a variety of thinking/reflective skills. After a semester of learning how to use different strategies learners can then have the freedom to choose the most appropriate strategy to make a reflective posting.

The other idea I had was that learners could use the blogs in pairs or groups of three as a Science Journal where they can post the resukts, conclusions and discussion of their investigations. By doing this, not only the teacher can use an RSS feed to view their learners work, but learners can use an RSS feed to view each others results and compare them without having to have every group present to the class (which takes a fair bit of time). This can prompt further discussions and further investigations.

These are just two of the ways I would like to try to use a blog in the classroom. I am sure there are hundreds of other possibilities. Feel free to comment with any other ideas you may have!

Quizzing in PowerPoint

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.

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

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