Week 3- Reflection 2 of "Group 1 Tools"

Reflection 2 of "Group 1 Tools"

Please click play to listen to my Voki :):)

 In this weeks class we were given three ICT tool's (Blogs, Wiki's and Websites) to study and break down and comment on here with our findings. I have decided to explore a blog, in reviewing the application for use by students in a class room setting and expanding on it from my personal experiences. I then decided to conduct a Positive, Minus and Interesting (PMI) and SAMR of using a blog in a classroom setting.

Blog Creation
A blog is seen as a type of website which is generally maintained by an individual, with entries of daily reflection, videos, images and particular events becoming a regular occurrence. "Blog", "can also be seen as a verb, meaning t maintain or add content to a blog" (CQU Moodle, 2015). 

Blogs can have videos embedded in them to enhance students learning, you can copy and paste URL links from YouTube, or upload some of your own videos into the blog. Graphs, images, screenshots are all other types of media that can be added to your blog to add a bit of flare/gain more interest from your followers or readers.

Here is a list of the top 10 free blogs issued by "Stylecaster 2014"- http://stylecaster.com/best-free-blog-sites/

1. Blog.com
2. Blogger.com
3. Penzu.com
4. Squarespace.com
5. Svbtle.com
6. Tumblr.com
7. Webs.com
8. Weebly.com
9. Wix.com
10. WordPress.com

Blog Pro's and Con's for use in a classroom
As we have used Google Blogger for the use in this subject I will discuss some of my hurdles I have jumped so far in relation to using this as a blogging application in a classroom and some of the benefits of using an online blog.

I will now discuss some of the Pro's for using a blog in a classroom setting;

1. Firstly a blog allows students to express their feelings/ideas over a computer rather than face to face contact with their teacher. This is important when some students lack confidence in sharing their own ideas in front of fellow classmates and friends. 
2. All students can share their own ideas differently from one to another, some may prefer to share YouTube video clips to understand the concept, where other's may choose to explain the concept by sharing a series of images/audio clips.
3. All blogs can be accessed from mobile phones, computers, laptops and tablets making them accessible from anywhere at anytime. 
4. A students identification may remain anonymous and use their own identification name that only the teacher and the student knows. This concept would decrease online cyber bullying and increase students confidence levels to improve as learners.
5. Blogger is free for everyone, so depending on different income levels within the classroom all students can sign up and use various blogging sites.

I will now discuss the Con's for using a blog in a classroom setting;

1.  Not all students will have internet access at home, depending on various socioeconomic backgrounds of your school. This could change from grade to grade and student to student. As a teacher you must ensure you give enough classroom time for all students to complete their blog.
2. When implementing text from other web sources, some of the text especially when using blogger can become corrupt and prove difficult for students to overcome.
3. Students may have similar design concepts from Blogger as there are not many different templates available, students may become upset when some of his/her classmates have a similar looking blog.

I would use a Blog in my classroom for some of my assessment pieces when some of the topics are quiet long and boring. As a teacher you can create a blog at the same time as the students giving them some go to points for them to refer back to. Weekly or daily lesson topics could also be uploaded so the students know what they are going to learn for that week.

Once getting started with the whole blogging concept, it starts to get easier the more you play and explore further concepts. Students need to understand that they started some where when learning to tie there shoelace, catch or kick a ball or even learn to write. Stay patient teachers!!!!!

PMI & SAMR of Blog use in a classroom
After completing this blog reflection I now conducted a PMI table and also developed a level by level SAMR model to identify blog use in a classroom. As I started to create my PMI table I began to struggle with the Negative column, but after reading a few of my classmates blogs helped me reassure that column. Please find below my "PMI table" and "SAMR Model";

Positive, Negative & Interesting (PMI)

SAMR Model for Blog use in a classroom

Redefinition- Creating a Blog for future students learning, making it accessible on the Web for other students to observe and gain valuable learning knowledge.

Modification- Creating content and displaying it with YouTube clips, images, tables etc on the blog which incorporates set planning, publishing and implementing design strategies.

Augmentation- Using some aspects of Microsoft Word, for example a spell checker, hyper linking etc, collaboration via the internet.

Substitution- Instead of using pen and paper or talking face to face with someone, students can use the online blog/ word processor to display their ideas.

I have enjoyed talking about using a Blog in a classroom setting and I hope you all have gained some valuable knowledge and ideas from my blog this week. :)

I look forward to hearing comments from everyone about my blog, until next time....

Week 2- Reflection 1 on Good Pedagogy, Bloom's Taxonomy and SAMR Model

Week 2- My Reflection on Good Pedagogy, Bloom's Taxonomy and SAMR Model

It only seems like this morning I was posting about De Bono's Thinking Hats. Now I'm going to be discussing my opinions on this weeks topics Good Pedagogy, Bloom's Taxonomy and SAMR Model.

Good Pedagogy

Good Pedagogy is not always derived from a set way of teaching, it's what works well for yourself, the class you teach and assuming all the desired learning outcomes are achieved. Students learn differently from one to another so it's important not to assume they all learn in the same ways.


I hope you all enjoy a good quote I found below when researching a few Pedagogy images.



"A mediocre teacher tells. A good teacher explains. A superior teacher demonstrates. A great teacher inspires." -William Arthur Ward

Pedagogy Wagon Wheel, (Kathryndamicone)

Bloom's Taxonomy-

Bloom's Taxonomy was created in 1956 by psychologist Dr Benjamin Bloom in order to promote higher forms of thinking in education, such as analysing and evaluating concepts, processes, procedures, and principles. Bloom's Taxonomy is often used by professionals when developing educational, training, and learning processes. There are six levels of Bloom's cognitive domain which you can see in the picture below-

Bloom's Six Cognitive Domains, (AR @ HKU)

SAMR Model

SAMR stands for Substitution Augmentation Modification Redefinition, it is somewhat similar to Bloom's Taxonomy as the lower half of the model (Substitution & Augmentation) represents Knowledge, Comprehension and Application where the top half of the model (Modification & Redefinition) represents Analysis, Synthesis and Evaluation. Please find the comparison of both models in an image form below-

SAMR Model vs Bloom's Taxonomy, (Common Sense Graphite)

References-

• https://www.graphite.org/blog/samr-and-blooms-taxonomy-assembling-the-puzzle
• http://ar.cetl.hku.hk/bloom.htm
• https://sites.google.com/a/kent.edu/kathryndamicone/educational-technology/pedagogy

Week 2- Reflection1 Mobile Phone Wiki's- De Bono's Thinking Hats

Week 2- Mobile Phone Wiki Blog Reflection 

As I sit here now typing this blog, I begin to wonder where everyone's mobile phones are sitting right now. I wish I could take a picture because my phone is on the desk with me, it has become a part of me and I never want it to leave my side. I use it for playing music, entertaining myself with games (Candy Crush). emails, social media and communication with the outside world. This weeks readings really got me thinking,

  "Can generation Y live without mobile phones??? 

In this week's blog reflection I will be talking about mobile phone use in classrooms debate, where I had to share my thoughts in a Wiki Space using "De Bono's Thinking Hats". For those who are not familiar with "De Bono's Thinking Hats" I have embedded a short video below.

"De Bono's Six Thinking Hats"

Click the video to start playing.

In this week's activity, we had to put our thinking hats on and discuss in groups the concept of mobile phone use in classrooms. The six different coloured hats is a brilliant way of sharing your idea's and looking at a topic from all different angles. My favourite two colour hats were the Red and Green hats, as I am used to expressing my initial feelings and sharing my creativity and new ideas. I found for an easier understanding of each individual hat I referred back to this image I found on another online blog-

Mister Cooke's Teaching Blog

Before completing this Wiki activity, it really got me thinking about my earlier statement "Can generation Y live without mobile phones". My early indications were that there is no way mobile phones can be used in classrooms as kids will use them disrespectfully. After putting all 6 different thinking hats on and sharing my point of view and then reading other people's ideas along the way, it made me change my thinking slightly I guess, yes today's generation Y cannot live without their mobile phones, but can we implement classroom activities, timetable reminders and various technological advances to make life easier as a student and a teacher. Only time will tell I guess....

While completing this De Bono's Thinking Hats activity I thought about the learning theories that I experienced in this topic and with the use of an online wiki were "Social Constructivism" and "Connectivism". Social Constructivism was considered as being the online Wiki Space as it collaborated everyone's ideas into one. Connectivism was then considered as using the online Wiki as a technology.

The wiki activity was some what of a learning experience for myself as I have never looked at a wiki space prior to this week. I found the wiki easy to participate in and the interaction with other students in this subject was interesting as we all shared different ideas when wearing all six of the "De Bono's Thinking Hats". If this Wiki outline was used as an online interactions for students in a high school setting I believe they would enjoy the fact that they are using a computer to learn and engage with fellow class mates and friends. A little fault I found in this wiki activity would be the ease to delete or change what fellow students have written. The teacher must also monitor the Wiki for cyber-bullying as some students will take any chance given to bully others over the internet.

I am looking forward to learning more about Wiki's over the rest of the term.

Until we speak again. Happy blogging guys.

Week 1- Bit About Me & My Blog Overview for Week 1, "Learning Theories"

Week 1- What About Me and My Overview of Learning Theories

Firstly I will just let you all know a little about me, I have just completed a Bachelor of Exercise & Sports Science degree at CQU in 2014. With this year finding myself studying a GDLT Secondary full time, with my two teaching areas consisting of HPE and Business.

As you may have noticed with HPE being one of my teaching areas I have a really big passion for sports which include Hockey, Cricket, Rugby League, Golf and Soccer, in which I hope all my background knowledge will help with my HPE teaching side of things. I am also a die hard Parramatta Eels supporter and would like to share a photo below with my sporting hero (Nathan Hindmarsh)

Me with Nathan Hindmarsh @ Parramatta Stadium April 2011. 

I better continue with what I intended on finishing, so this weeks readings (Week 1 at Uni) focused on Learning Theories, I have had a brief understanding of all these concepts from 2009-2011 when I participated in the government initiative 'Get Active' in an afterschool care setting. From my experiences with this program, I noticed that a child's behaviour can change from one visit to another, morning to afternoon or even instantly. So it becomes important that you interact and understand each child's individual needs to learn, as well as maintaining your focus on the group as a whole.

In this week's readings there were 4 main "Learning Theories" listed which consisted of-

1. Behaviourism
2. Cognitivism
3. Constructivism
4. Connectivism

1. Behaviourism- learning is seen as being characterised by an observable change in behaviour. Students learn through practice positive reinforcement, and re-shaping what they have learned through the whole process. Students are led through a series of steps  in programmed instructions, with a pre-defined end result at each stage. Teachers reinforce behaviour targets as they occur, and reinforcement is gradually withdrawn as behaviour becomes internalised and automatic.  Many digital tools such as quizzes, online tutoring systems are all based on behaviourist design.

2. Cognitivism- Cognitivists generally explained the mental processes  in terms of a three stage model. Information is picked up by the senses and transferred to the sensory memory. If it is not then immediately used it is lost. If it is regarded as important, it is transferred for short-term storage to the short term memory. With regular reinforcement and linking to other ideas, information is eventually stored in the long term memory.

3. Social Constructivism- Social constructivism differs from Behaviourism and Cognitivism in that learning is founded from social interactions within a learning community or expert community. Important in the learning process is the support from the teacher by modelling and scaffolding. These include explicit modelling by the teacher, a shared understanding of what is to be learned by teacher and learner. Scaffolding through wiki's, blogs, forums, web-conferencing and other online communication technologies is seen as a sound strategy.

4. Connectivism- Is identified as the network learning via computers with the internet and other online resources for today's digital age.

There is no specific learning theory to use as a teacher, it is what you find right for yourself and your students to learn.

Image Created on; www.text2mindmap.com

References

https://moodle.cqu.edu.au/mod/page/view.php?id=15608

www.text2mindmap.com