Avatar's and their role in ICTs

The Internet and indeed ICTs are the first mediums to honour multiple intelligences in the classroom (Brown, 2000). If we look at the visual vs. verbal unity, we see students either favour one or the other learner styles (Felder & Soloman) . If you look at one of my previous posts I have posted an avatar. This is a great form of ICT in which students on both sides of spectrum can embrace either a learning experience introduction or small lecture in the form of an avatar. Both forms of learning styles are embraced: visual and verbal, as students can focus on the ICT itself in all its colourful glory and what is being said. If this was to be published on a mahara learning experience; text will be incorporated situated next to it (using a 'text box') so students don't have to take notes directly from the avatar (causing a stop-start effect). Scot has used this effectively in the lecture modules for this course.

How to make an avatar.

Children now engage in multi-literacies and are always 'multi-processing', they engage in several technologies at the same time: they might surf the net while listening to music or talking on the mobile phone (Brown, 2000). Learning today, not only involves textbooks, blackboard and writing pads, but image and computerised screen literacy. Brown (2000) believes the ability to read new multiple media genres is nontrivial but people still think that to watch a film (even a sensationalist hollywood blockbuster) requires no 'thinking'. But it does... it confirms what we know. If we've been secluded from society for 10 years and come back and watch one of these films; we'll find it confusing and jarring (Brown, 2000). Mature age people think children who engage in multi-processing are not concentrating, but this is not true (Brown, 2000).

If the learning theory of connectivism is utilised by the teacher, connections can be made between the curriculum and the shifts in juvenile behaviour towards technological use. Learning is focused on connecting these shifts and specialised information sets and the connections that enable us to learn about our current state of knowing (Siemens, 2004). If this new information is ignored, then the teacher and student will be left behind and even more disadvantaged when new information is dispersed.

References

- Brown, J. S. (2002). Growing up digital: how the web changes work, education and the ways people learn, United States Distance Learning Association. Retrieved from http://www.unt.edu/benchmarks/archives/2004/september04/eis.htm

- Felder, R. & Soloman, B. Learning Styles and strategies. Retrieved from http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/ILSdir/styles.htm

- Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism: a learning theory for the digital age, elearnspace. Retrieved from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

Mahara reflection and it's relationship with the wiki

Mahara is very new to me and I am still trying to figure out things. I have just left a query on the 'Ask Scot' forum as evidence of my initial confusion. I'm sure I will get my head around it eventually.

I think Mahara is certainly be a good way to let students interact with curriculum materials in their own and particularly at home. It could work as a collaborating tool for a wiki. Mahara could work as a visual guide for students who are working on an ongoing project. Students might not necessarily physically add material to the mahara 'view' (I guess this is what the wikis are for) but it could be shaped as a daily reminder for students on what they have learned in the particular day or in my case a particular day (primary school). Each view would comprise of a particular Unit of Work and be added to every time something new is learned so the students have a resource to fall back on if something is forgotten or not noted in class.

This is a particularly student-centered idea as students aren't expected to remember everything they have been made to digest in a 60 minute setting. Details on the project or Unit of Work will be readily available for students to engage in the project when they get home. Students can attain content from mahara which will not only have information, videos and visuals but suggested websites in order to encourage students to extend their reading by locating and allocating other secondary sources of information. The mahara will publish what is expected of the student in relation to criteria. This saves students from flicking through the pages of writing pads and text books to find this criteria, sometimes resulting in the student not being able to find the criteria anyway. This type of work is considered project orientated learning according to Kearsley and Shneiderman (1999). Kearsley and Shneiderman talk about meaningful engaged learning and project orientated learning is one of three aspects that fulfills this type of learning management theory. The other two aspects are group context and authentic focus which can easily be embedded into the collaboration between mahara and wiki.

I think the wiki and the mahara portfolio could coincide very well in this respect as students have the opportunity to use the wiki to record the information they have found on materials extending from mahara and create a working and finished product. In this sense the use of the two forms of computer mediated communication provides the opportunity for the teacher to assess the applicability of the mahara content from what information the students are actively participating in from what they have published on the wiki. Teachers can also 'check up' on what students are posting on the wikis.

References

- G, Kearsley & B, Shneiderman 1999, Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning, http://home.sprynet.com/%7Egkearsley/engage.htm

Really cool video on meaningful engaged learning! The underlying theme or message is that if students are to learn they need to feel a connection to the teacher.

vokis

Get a Voki now!

wiki excersise and engaged learning

The wiki concept is terrific and a certain proponent of engaged learning. I previously attempted to devise an engaged learning activity and was stuck with what kind of database students could employ to interact with each other. I suggested email. Looking back and watching the video within the lecture module, email now seems like a total waste in organisation. When I was thinking about the database to employ for students, little did I realise that there were presentation databases out there that not only lets students interact on a personal basis electronically but ones that also let students contribute to the presentation project simultaneously.

For my personal Wiki I chose what I thought was a feasible research topic that students could engage in: Australian explorers. This was something I was taught in middle school and one that I enjoyed. It was the first thing I thought of and yes, it wouldn't be universally authentic (some students would be interested who have an inclination for humanitarian and historical studies, others would be more interested in other more practical vocations), my future ideas for other Wikis will be better suited. Re-evaluating my choice, Australian Explorers probably wasn't the best choice, what kind of outsider would come in and assess the presentations? I could as the teacher be the assessor, but students would realise that I am not an authentic historian.

'Engagement theory is based upon the idea of creating successful collaborative teams that work on ambitious projects that are meaningful to someone outside the classroom. These three components, summarized by Relate-Create-Donate, imply that learning activities:

1. occur in a group context (i.e., collaborative teams)
2. are project-based
3. have an outside (authentic) focus'

(Kearsley & Shneiderman 1999)

I think Wikis have been formulated for engaged learning activities as they provide opportunities for collaborative working (class is split up into teams and given a research issue, or asked to present a solution to something like global warming). 'Teachers will need practice in organizing and conducting collaborative activities, particularly the facilitative role that is needed. A lot of attention has to be devoted to ways in which student teams can most effectively present and share their results with each other. And both students and teachers will need training and support in the use of all online communication tools' (Kearsley & Shneiderman 1999). The online communication tools referred to here can be sufficed by Wikis.

G, Kearsley & B, Shneiderman 1999, 'Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning', http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm

Experience setting up a blog

I had set up the 'blog thing' approximately a week ago merely to keep up with the other GDLT students. I was concerned so I asked Scott (my lecturer) sometime ago about the 'RSS' (what the hell was an RSS?) and he gave me a cryptic answer (which is fair enough and consequential, it was an impulsive outburst of mine... apologies!) along the lines of: 'Be patient and all will be revealed' or something to that effect. I should have checked some of the other posting as this was already clarified. What I have just discovered is that my colleagues are just getting ahead with the weekly modules, hence why I feel a bit stupid now.

Prior to this class I have never desired or needed to acquire and maintain a blog. I have always thought them to be lame and used by those who have too much time on their hands. To some extent I still do. If it has purpose and enhances educational stimulation, then I can see the advantages of maintaining and following blogs. I will definitely embrace this form of Computer Mediated Communication and hopefully implement it into the classroom effectively. As to how I am going to do this, I am still unsure. By the end of this course, hopefully I know the answer to this anxiety.

I have been following other blogs for awhile now apparently. I watched the video on working an RSS feed and logged onto the Google Reader and I am already following a few blogs. So clicking on the funny little orange icon on so many of my colleagues' blogs wasn't a complete waste time!

Carl Burrell and his gnashing giblets!

This week has really got my mental giblets going! I am watching the video on Clay Burrell's speech in Australia (he conducted it in Mooloolabah I think? Yes proximity is an amazing thing). This guys is really amazing, if there is anyone I would like to emulate in terms of aura, visions and infinite charisma, it is certainly this amazing man. He has really got me thinking in an abstract realm of why ICTs should be implemented.

We have entered the information age and children are technology savvy. There is no qualms in acknowledging this fact, children do not care for paper and illegible handwriting (since when do 'teachers' think they are doctors anyway?). Patients don't even need to read doctor's writing, last time I checked students do need to read feedback teachers give to their students. I have encountered these pesky sorts since high school and they have bugged me.

Students will zone out if meaningful engaged learning activities are not incorporated into the classroom. Learning Managers have to 'keep up with the times' and if they don't, then the ones to suffer educationally will be the students. ICTs must be employed to not only make education enjoyable but for students to realise that education is meaningful and has purpose. The challenge faced by learning managers is to create a balance between curriculum requirements and engaged learning techniques. I think it would be easy for engaged learning to sway side tracked and exclusively rely on the technology itself for learning. It is good to offer ICTs but it is also imperative that it accommodates the stimuli as well.