ESC407 Melintheclassroom

I think that it is important to distinguish between Cooperative learning and collaborative learning as the two are often confused.  Cooperative learning involves classroom techniques that involve students working in pairs or groups to improve or facilitate their learning and includes techniques such as concept mapping and brainstorming, ‘gallery walk’, ‘jigsaw groups’ or ‘expert groups’ (Goodrum & Druhan, 2012).  Collaborative learning occurs when group work is used to build understanding or meaning, to find solutions or to create something. Activities can include writing or art projects, joint problem solving, debates or anything in which students team up or work in groups to explore or create (Oxford, 1997). The way that I want to help students collaborate is with authentic Project Based Learning opportunities, where they investigate a real world problem and as part of this, develop a product, artifact or presentation for a real audience (“What is Project Based Lea...

As a beginning teacher who is experienced and comfortable with technology, the concept of TPACK seems a bit of a no-brainer; meaning I can’t really imagine planning my lessons any other way.  I suspect that I have good TK, satisfactory CK (Excellent in some areas but will surely need a brushing up in others!) and developing PK, which would place me where the red star is below.  The goal is to increase my PK to get to the yellow star. In the workplace, after setting the goal or target, standard practice for any new project or plan always starts with an assessment of the available resources and, in my eyes, this framework provides a similar approach to teaching.   Identify the goals of your project (ie the lesson or project you want to deliver – and the curriculum outcomes), assess what resources you have first (your TPACK), then identify and address any gaps in order to give your project the greatest chance of success.   Wish it was as easy as it sounds! ...

A recent Sydney Morning Herald article described the 'dark web' as "the internet's evil twin" (Callaghan, 2018) and made a distinction between it and 'the clear web' which is what we access every day.  There is so much in this article that could be applied to this module - it's an interesting, and somewhat terrifying read.  Check it out:  https://www.smh.com.au/technology/the-dark-web-uncovering-monsters-and-myths-in-the-net-s-evil-twin-20180307-p4z39d.html Disturbingly, if you Google 'the dark web', there are pages and pages on how to access it.   ESC407 Module 7/8 lecture (Tinkler, 2017) discussed ensuring that students know WHY they need to take certain precautions online which I believe is valuable advice.   As the mother of 2 teenagers, I feel that I have a high level of awareness of issues like online safety, privacy, inappropriate material and behaviour.   Our school is very proactive in this area and regularly bring in experts...

This week's post focuses on Web based learning which is defined as 'learning or learning activities that take place via the internet' (Roblyer & Doering, p8).  Whilst fully developed courses and programs are great for saving teacher time, it is important to make sure that they are relevant to our curriculum and are pedagogically sound.  However, a wide range of activities and resources are web based and can be used to enhance and enrich traditional classroom learning and open up opportunities to integrate the 4Cs - collaboration, communication, critical thinking and creativity. (Roblyer & Doering, p 260). Virtual Field Trips:  Because I live and will be teaching in regional NSW, to take a field trip anywhere often involves a very long bus trip so it had jolly well better be worth it.  Usually, the time and financial cost would simply be too great so I think rural students probably miss out on the field trip opportunities that city students could experience...

I'm loving this subject!!  Mum studying is supposed to be sacred in our house    and the boys get into trouble if they barge in on me (which they still do but one can only hope for uninterrupted peace 😊 ).  So, when my 13 year old came in last night and Dad yelled at him, he was full of glee as he said "it's OK, she's only watching YouTube".  And there goes the mystique of my teaching degree!! I had some trouble getting my head around 'Web 2.0' at first, it's not a term I've ever encountered before.   But I'm certainly familiar with what it can do outside of the classroom.   There are, of course, lots of ways in which the 'read/write-web' can be used in the classroom and after much 'watching You Tube', here are three that I think could be very useful, particularly in the science classroom. 1.  Easel.ly   https://www.easel.ly/    This is a fun and easy to use infographic creator.  Infographics or data visuali...

Buckle up people...this one is a bit too long.  In my defence, I consider that there are essentially 2 blog post topics in this week’s material – ideas about hardware/software choices in specific disciplines and also benefits and challenges associated with the TIP framework in our teaching area.  I have to say that I think the TIP framework is just sound lesson planning practice that includes a couple of extra considerations with regards to the use of technology.   Wiggins and McTighe  (as cited in Henderson and Exley, 2012, p. 26) use  the term 'backward design'  and emphasised the need for lesson planning decisions starting with outcomes and required standards, and working backwards to learning activities.  The steps identified by Wiggings & Mctighe are similar to those in the TIP framework.   I do however, particularly like the ‘determination of relative advantage’ step – sound practice to eliminate the use of technology simply...

At risk of sounding like a fence sitter who is unable to make up my mind, I find that after a lot of reading, note making and watching of videos, I still have one metaphorical foot very firmly rooted in each camp. I don’t think that there is one single theory which can be applied to all forms of learning, for all ages and at all stages, and I strongly believe that at different stages of cognitive development and maturity, there is a place for Behaviourism, Constructivism, Cognitivism and Connectivism. I see that effective teaching, particularly in this ‘digital age’ requires elements of all the major learning theories – with different focuses at different stages of education, and for children with different styles of learning. A simplified definition of a learning theory is provided by Duke, Harper & Johnston (2013) as a theory that provides a description for how learning essentially occurs. The theory of connectivism doesn’t, to me, describe how learning occurs. It descri...

As my teaching area is going to be science, this week, I’ve had a delightful time downloading science based apps and playi...sorry, testing them, so I could complete this week's blogging task.   There are, of course, numerous Apps and software programs that can be used in the science classroom but one of the most useful categories would have to be the simulation.  Simulations are available in either App form from Google Play Store or the AppStore and are also available as open source software for computers. Defined by Smetana and Bell (2012) as ‘computer generated, dynamic models of the real world and its processes’, simulations have been found to provide many advantages in the science classroom.  Whilst they have been found to be most effective when used in conjunction with teacher guidance and support materials (Smetana and Bell, 2012), the evidence is overwhelmingly in support of computer generated simulations being valuable teaching and learning tools (S...

The question that was asked was: What was your opinion about technology in the classroom?  Do you think your original position is changing? Why/why not? I have always considered that technology has a place in the classroom and my position on this has not changed.  Mainly because I believe that the role of schools is to prepare children for their futures and I see no future in which technology won’t exist.  I do think however that we need to ensure that we are not using technology, simply for school marketing purposes or to tick a syllabus requirement box.  It is critical that the distinction between informal use and formal use is made and that only formal use exists in the  classroom – as is required in a workplace.   Paige. (Artist).  (2015).   Paige | Integrating Mobile Tech Into Learning ... - Sites at Penn State. Retrieved March 7, 2018, from http://sites.psu.edu/paigevgraffmobiletechnologies/author/pvg5061/...

I saw positives and negatives in both schools in the videos.  However, I think technology should be used in schools. Regardless of our viewpoint of it, technology is here to stay and it will have a role to play in their futures. I can’t think of a single type of job or career where technology is not utilised (or at least available to be utilised) in one form or another. To be citizens in the 21st Century and beyond, they will need 21 st Century skills. However, the teaching of specific software and applications is less important as changes are sure to continue at a rapid pace.  What is going to be critical though, is the ability to blend the “legacy content” and the “future content” referred to by Prensky (2001) to ensure that the future content enhances the learning of the legacy content.  As technology changes, students will need the confidence and digital literacy to embrace new technologies and to learn to use them as they come. There are certainly times w...

hi all I find I have so much to say after Week 2's readings that I'm going to post several short posts - to ensure that I don't go too much over the word limit - always going to be a problem for me! According to Prensky's (2001) definition, I am definitely not a Digital Native.  However, I'm don't really consider myself to be an Immigrant. I am quite tech savvy and will embrace new technology as long as I see a genuine use for it; I consider myself to have a high degree of digital literacy.  BUT...I lack passion for it, it’s merely a tool for me.  I long for pen and paper, could quite happily live without social media and have no interest in gaming whatsoever.  In the workplace though, I couldn’t imagine how I’d function without technology. Amongst my friends, friend's children, family, children, children’s friends and colleagues, I can’t really think of any exceptions to the Digital Native stereotype. However, I can think of many, like me, who a...