Assessment Task 1B

The introduction of Digital Technologies into my world has been a baptism of fire. My mind has been blown away by the many resources out there to teach our students about the digital technologies of today. The Australian Curriculum talks about how digital technologies empower students to shape change, how by having a deep knowledge and understanding of information systems students can be creative and discerning decision-makers and shape our future (ACARA, 2015). It also states that 'Digital Technologies will provide students with authentic learning challenges that foster curiosity, confidence, persistence, innovation, creativity, respect and cooperation'. This is the kind of education I want my own children to have. The qualities that digital technology instills in a child sets them up for a life of continued learning and contribution to the world we live in.

I have learnt so much in these last 3 weeks and aim to continue to seek knowledge in these areas so that I can incorporate the different digital technologies into my own classroom pedagogy. I have learnt that in this day and age you no longer need to be a graphic designer or computer programmer to be able to create masterpieces on the computer. There is so much free software on the internet that enables children to produce visual media to share their learning through. From programs that create infographics to setting up classroom blogs and wikis and creating mind maps, the resources available to our students create a new and exciting learning path that teaches them skills on visual literacy, collaboration and gives them an eagerness and curiosity to learn.

A key concept that underpins the digital technologies curriculum is computational thinking. This is something I have been researching extensively so that I can grasp the concepts of what it involves and how to incorporate it into my own classroom pedagogy. Through the activities that were provided (here, here and here) I was able to more fully learn that computational thinking basically involves stretching our resourcefulness to think outside the box to come up with answers to questions and to understand that there is not always one set answer. The following screen shot is taken from my blog post on computational thinking and breaks down the four characteristics of this way of thinking.

You can read my thoughts on the implementation of computational thinking into the classroom here and the points on why it is an essential addition to a classroom.

Another important concept I discovered while undertaking this course is that although students can access software to create, it is also important that they understand the way computers work. This was introduced to me through binary code where I discovered how a computer actually talks. Before this I knew nothing about the way information is stored. I also learnt about coding through interactive sites that aim to introduce students (young and old - in my case) to basic concepts that enable them to create games and pictures. My experiences with this technology can be found here and here. The positive aspects that computer programming would have in a classroom are enormous, from promoting high order thinking to challenging students to research so they can make more informed decisions. My thoughts on this can be found here.

My journey in this subject has convinced me of the necessity of Design and Digital Technologies in our classrooms today. Our students today are the designers, innovators, creators and holders of our future. ACARA (2015) states that 'In a world that is increasingly digitised and automated, it is critical to the wellbeing and sustainability of the economy, the environment and society, that the benefits of information systems are exploited ethically.' We are giving our students the necessary skills they need in the future to become 'successful learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and informed citizens' (MCEETYA, 2008).


Reference:

Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (2015) Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/technologies/digital-technologies/rationale

MCEETYA. (2008). The Melbourne declaration on educational goals for young Australians. Melbourne: MCEETYA. Retrieved from http://www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/national_declaration_on_the_educational_goals_for_young_australians.pdf

Collaboration (through blogs and wikis) - week 8

Being able to work through the medium of a blog has given me a space to put down my thoughts on my progress in this subject. Because this is a public domain I have been more cautious in what I write, making sure I have correct information therefor researching things more thoroughly. Although this is a journal of sorts because people can view it I want to make sure it is a good representation of me and my learning journey. 

In a classroom this medium would be beneficial for a number of reasons:

• It gives students the chance to voice their opinions. Students who are shy quite often feel more confident if they don't have to stand up in front of a class to talk. This medium gives them a chance to still participate in classroom (blog) discussions.
• It helps with the home/school gap. It enables parents to engage in what their children are learning and keeps them in the loop.
• It increases their ICT skills. It teaches students how to embed text, use links, insert pictures.

Some ways a classroom blog could be used are:

• responding to readings
• guided questions
• homework reminders
• a place for final assessment pieces
• newsletter for parents
• a place to share link about topic students are learning about
• videos can be posted to enhance the learning of a subject
• additional homework challenges for those inclined to want more
• reading lists and reviews of those books from class members
• if a student is on holiday they can post a diary of their adventure for the class to see

Its all about creating a community feel in your classroom for student's, teacher's and parents.

Wiki's are another tools that could be used in a classroom. Wikis are a place to keep document and to interact with others in a collaborative way.

These are some ways wikis could be used in a classroom:

• create in online text for your classroom
• try creating a choose your own adventure
• have your students use a wiki to publish information about a topic that they are investigating
• create digital portfolios for students and teachers
• create collaboration opportunities between classes across the school and across the world

The possibilities are endless in this digital age. By incorporating these learning aspects into todays classroom we are teaching students how to present, research, share, collaborated and interpret information and am settting them up for the future of tomorrows workforce.

Computer Programming in the Primary School - week 8

Notes taken from textbook, chapter 17 - Computer Programming in the primary school 
Rory McGann and Aisling Leavy

Although everyone now days can play games on their phones etc wouldn't it be great to be able to harness the power of technology to create meaningful educational challenges and in turn stimulated and develop higher order reasoning abilities. This is why computer programming is now being introduced into primary schools.

• People construct new knowledge when engaged in constructing something meaningful. If students are learning to programme and construct artefacts they are engaging in self-directed learning therefor creating new knowledge

Game design:

Hayes and Games (2008) identify four goals that motivate the focus on game design

• to help students develop programming skills
• under-representation of females in maths and science has stimulated interest in developing game design environments of interest to females
• the use of games has been shown to enhance learning in academic domains such as science, maths, history, language and literacy
• the need to equip pupils with skills to participate in a knowledge economy has precipitated the focus on 'design thinking'. 

These gaming environments promote ongoing learning opportunities, support the development of computational thinking and systems thinking which in turn develops problem solving and design based reasoning. 

Findings about students from programming in school program

• students work collaboratively each adding their different strengths
• students learn't to use and incorporate multimedia functions
• opened up possibilities for future career paths
• students learnt to draw on others expertise if they were stuck

Observations from student teachers about the programming in school program

• stimulated a sense of wonder and curiosity among pupils
• eagerness to learn
• full of questions and wanted to move on to new areas
• experimentation in regards to programming
• it encouraged higher order thinking by giving class a chance to experiment, summarise, analyse, make inferences and deductions
• it challenged the students to suggest solutions to problems and make informed judgements supported by logical thinking and problem solving skills
• promoted collaboration in the process, helped them learn from each other and praise each other

Pedagogy

• questioning (able to see what students have learnt, what they found easy/hard0
• balance is needed between teacher-talk, pupil engagement and structured tasks
• pair work, collaboration and mixed ability groups would work in this scenario

Programming a robot - week 8

I completed an 'Hour of Code' using the Angry Birds and Plants verses Zombies theme on code.org.  The activity uses Blockly, a visual programming language that has blocks you drag and drop to write programs. Although this code was used you can click a button to see the javascript code if you wanted to. This program also has a section for teachers that gives you ideas on how to run a class using this program, ideas on how to overcome obstacles like not enough computers and lesson plans. It is a great resource for introducing students to computer programming. 

I actually loved the program. It gave instructional videos as well as used themes that young students are very into. It was bright, interactive and because the videos and games weren't to long they held my attention.

The only downside to this type of program is that students can't explore for themselves. If they don't get the steps correct then you can't move forward. Although this is good for making sure they learn how to do something it does not allow for creativity or exploration of how to use coding. 

This is a screen shot of one of the tasks I was asked to do.

This activity meets the Australian Curriculum General Capabilities by:

• developing an understanding of the characteristics of data, digital systems, audiences, procedures and computational thinking
• applying this when they investigate, communicate and create digital solutions
• learn to formulate problems, logically organise and analyse data and represent them in abstract forms
• they automate solutions through algorithmic logic
• Students decide the best combinations of data, procedures and human and physical resources to generate efficient and effective digital solutions
• They create digital solutions that consider economic, environmental and social factors. (ACARA, 2015)

I was even awarded a certificate to say that I had completed the 'Hour of Code'. (Students love awards!)

This activity would help students gain a knowledge of basic computer programming and would inform students that computers can do anything if the correct information is programmed in.

References:

Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (2015) Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/technologies/general-capabilities

Algorithm activities - week 8

Algorithms are part of our everyday life. From writing lists to following a recipe we are exposed to algorithms constantly. My 12 year old daughter is an avid list writer. I will find lists all around the house about things like what to pack in her ballet bag for class, to what she wants for lunch. Another daughter (7) creates sequencing charts with what she has to do in the morning before school. These are just two ways Algorithms are evident in my own home. They were explained in a video on moodle with direct links to how each grade can incorporate them into the classroom. I found this video very insightful.

https://vimeo.com/101981736 from Digital Learning & Teaching Vic on Vimeo.

We were given a challenge to create two tasks using Algorithms. This comes from the curriculum links in Digital Technologies for F-2-

The elaboration is -

With this curriculum as a guide my first activity; which was to give a set of instructions to a visually impaired student to move from the door to my desk, I created the following directions.

1. Forward 3 steps
2. right 2 steps
3. forward 4 steps
4. left 2 steps
5. forward 5 steps

After writing this algorithm and testing it out I realised that the steps were MY steps and not a childs steps which would obviously be a lot smaller. To counteract this I could measure the normal step of the student I was designing this algorithm for and draw a template so that I could use it to measure out the steps needed to get to my desk. This template could then be used so that the class could write a set of instructions for the visually impaired student to get to other places in the school, like the toilet or the library. 

The next activity I was asked to come up with an algorithm for was making vegemite toast. This is something I do EVERYDAY but actually thinking about the steps and writing them down to create an algorithm is something I have NEVER done! 

1. Take bread out of package
2. Get toaster out of cupboard and plug in
3. Place bread in toaster and pop down
4. Get butter out of fridge
5. Get vegemite out of cupboard
6. Get knife out of drawer
7. Get plate out of cupboard
8. Take bread out of toaster, it has now become toast
9. Place toast on plate
10. Pick up knife and put butter on it
11. Spread butter onto hot toast
12. Spread vegemite onto hot toast
13. Watch as it melts into yummy vegemite goodness
14. Pick up toast
15. Place in your mouth and enjoy!

This type of algorithm could be used in a F-2 classroom for many different activities. For foundation you could use pictures to show the steps but as they get to year 2 and are reading fluently, words could be used to create these algorithms.

Here is an algorithm used to create a 'Mr Potato Head' that could be used in a Foundation classroom.

(source)

Computational Thinking - week 7

Computational Thinking involves a set of problem solving skills and techniques used to create a solution to open-ended problems. Usually in a school setting there is always a right answer to every question posed. In computational thinking we are stretched to use our resourcefulness to solve these questions but we are also taught that there is not always a simple answer. Four characteristics are used to define computational thinking

• Decomposition
• Patterns (data representation)
• Abstraction (generalisation)
• Algorithms

(the definitions of these characteristics are here)

By decomposing a problem, identifying the variables involved using patterns, and creating an algorithm the result is a generic solution. The generic solution is a generalisation or abstraction that can be used to solve a multitude of variations of the initial problem.

Reference:

https://www.google.com/edu/resources/programs/exploring-computational-thinking/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computational_thinking

Code monster and Kahn Academy - week 7

Being introduced to coding was a bit daunting. I understood the concept and found it fun when not doing it with a computer like here in my classroom game but trying to remember the ways to code hurt my brain!! I am sure if I kept going with it and wrote down quick links to things I would get the hang of it faster and it wouldn't hurt so much.

My first go at it was through code monster. This tutorial was loooonnnngggg and I forgot lots of things before I even reached the parts where i had to code by myself. Although this site is simple and it directs you to what you are supposed to do I think students would get lost because the tutorial was so long. 

My next attempt was through the khan academy. I really liked this site. It was broken down into sections that you could click on when you felt ready or you could skip them altogether. It introduced you to things slowly, gave you a challenge (with help) and then a project to do at the end. This site was more appealing to me and I think students could work with this site.

Once these simple coding concepts were learn't students could create shapes, pictures and games. It is an easy introduction to computer coding and depending on the computer literacy of a child they could start this at an early age.

Bringing Computational thinking to K-12 - week 7

Taken from Bringing Computational Thinking to K-12: What is involved and what is the role of computer science education community
by Valerie Barr and Chris Stephenson (2011)

• Computing has made possible profound leaps of innovation and imagination as it facilitates our efforts to solve pressing problems and expands our understanding of ourselves as biological systems and of our relationships to the world around us. (p49)
• The successful embedding of computational thinking concepts into the K-12 curriculum requires two things:
• Educational policy must be changed
• Teachers need resources
• Computer science is neither programming nor computer literacy, it is the study of computers and algorithmic processes including their principles, their hardware and software design, their applications and their impact on society (p49)
• CT is an approach to solving problems in a way that can be implemented with a computer. Students become not merely tool users but tool builders (p51)
• CT sees students engage in using tools to solve problems, be comfortable with trial and error and work in an atmosphere of figuring things out together
• it teachers students that problems can be solved in multiple ways (not just black and white answers)
• CT give students;
• confidence in dealing with complexity
• persistence in working with difficult problems
• the ability to handle ambiguity
• the ability to deal with open ended problems
• the ability to set aside differences to work with others to achieve a common goal
• the opportunity to know one's strengths when working with others

This table gave me great insight into how Computational Thinking is cross-curricular:

Reference:
Barr, V. & Stephenson, C. (2011). "Bringing Computational Thinking to K-12 : What is Involved and What is the Role of the Computer Science Education Community?". pp48-54. acmInroads: DOI: 10.1145/1929887.1929905 (C) 2011 acm 2153-2184/11/0300

Abstraction - week 7

We were asked to focus on 'Abstraction' in this challenge and create a document in word that could incorporate this using input forms. The activity was designed so that students could access information from other students and teachers on their preferences for the tuck shop menu. I am having trouble trying to create this document so I thought I would just look at the curriculum links at the moment. I have decided to focus on F-2 age group.

Digital Technologies - Process and Production skills

Content Descriptor

Collect, explore and sort data, and use digital systems to present the data creatively (ACTDIP003)

Elaboration
Using digital systems to organise data to improve meaning, for example using word processing software to create a list of tasks or visualisation software to create a mind map (diagram) showing relationships between characters in a story

The cross curriculum links for this elaboration would be:

Through this task children will likely reach different conclusions depending on who they surveyed and the amount of people surveyed. Because the task would first involve setting up a document (scaffolded by teacher or done solely by teacher) and then surveying participants the students would need to know which steps to take and in which order and figure out an action plan. It would also involve researching the different types of food they could serve in a tuckshop, what types of food could be made on the premises and how to store these food by looking at different media containing this information. Because I have focused on a F-2 age group this would have to be scaffolded by teachers and information would have to be simple and direct. Other ways students could collect the data which would be more appropriate for this age group could be using mind maps, pie charts or graphs.

I think students would love to do this sort of activity in the classroom. They would feel like they were contributing to the school environment. This type of activity could be used for all different topics like;

• when students birthdays are (months, date, year)
• hair colour and how long it is (blonde, brown, long, short)
• pets in the classroom (type and how many)
• types of houses they live in (how many bedrooms, doors, lamps)

Thinking Myself - week 7

This week I was directed to a website that explained the computational thinking processes in easy terms. This website was called 'Thinking Myself'. You can explore the website yourself by clicking here. This was a great way to introduce the specifics of what computational thinking involved. It gave simple, easy to follow mini lessons on the four key areas of computational thinking, which are:

• Decomposition
• Patterns
• Abstraction
• Algorithms

Below are the definitions given by the website:

This website could be used by any age (even adults) and if used in a classroom students could self pace along the lessons and activities. Computational thinking is explained in simple terms using examples that students can relate to. For example when teaching about Algorithms it used the example of a recipe to making choc chip cookies. What child wouldn't want to learn something that way. As a bonus it has a button you can push that claps and cheers when you want it to. I had fun with that one, I love being cheered on!!

Coding in the classroom without the computer - week 7

This week has been all about coding. Learning to code so that we can create and manipulate shapes on a computer screen. I have attempted a few different programs (here) but was asked to come up with a game that uses coding but not a computer. This was quite a fun activity that set my creative mind to work. I needed to come up with a way to introduce coding into a classroom of young children that wasn't daunting or hard. I decided to start young and simple and concentrate on F-2 age group.

The links to curriculum are:

Digital Technologies - Processes and Production Skills

Content Descriptor

Follow, describe and represent a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve simple problems (ACTDIP004)

Elaborations

• experimenting with very simple, step-by-step procedures to explore programmable devices, for example providing instructions to physical or virtual objects or robotic devices to move in an intended manner, such as following a path around the classroom

Game

In pairs one child is to use grid paper to create a sequence by placing arrows to represent direction and how many steps that another child can follow to get to a destination.

Example of a sequence:

This game is simple but introduces young children to concepts in coding like creating algorithms and sequencing. In the beginning I thought coding was only for computer technologies but can now see how it can be used in a classroom as a tool for teaching across a few different curriculum.

Binary Code - week 6

Binary code is a number system, similar to the decimal system except that it represents numbers to base 2 rather than base 10. This has taken me a while to understand! To try to get my head around it I watched many tutorials on youtube on how to go from a base 10 number (using the numbers 0-9, our normal everyday number system) to a base 2 number (using only the numbers 0 and 1). I even played binary number games online (which are very addictive!). Once I got that figured out I then thought, why? Why do we need to teach this in a classroom, isn't this just for people wanting to program computers, wanting to create games, apps, robots, and then I realised I had just answered my own question.......

Once again I headed to Youtube. I found a great TED talk by Dr Marina Bers (you can view it below) on how creative expression for children is now not only found in the playground but also through using their imaginations to created things and become not just consumers but producers. She says coding is the new literacy.

This is why we need to teach binary numbers in our classroom today! All information in a computer is stored and transmitted as sequences of bits, or binary digits. A bit is a single piece of data which can be thought of as either zero or one.

Binary numbers are how computers talk! 

But 'Computers are just one of many technologies that use the binary number system — zeros and ones — to convey information. All ‘digital’ technology, such as CDs, mobile phones, fiber optics, and satellite communications use binary numbers. We now live in a digital world, and the most important digits are 1 and 0' (Lord, 2011) Binary code is just the start, we are teaching our children how technology can be manipulated to produce amazing things.

How would I teach binary numbers in a classroom? I found a blog post on how one mother taught her sons class about binary code which I thought was a nice simple way to get started. It explains about base 10 and base 2 systems using basic principals and props. You can see this post here.

I was then asked to come up with a game using binary numbers. After asking for help I came up with this game which would probably be used in a classroom of year 5-6.

Binary Numbers Game:

Needed:

• Three groups of 8 (two groups if class is smaller)
• Three sets of 8 cards with the number 1 on one side and 0 on the other.
• Headbands with large binary numbers on them (1,2,4,8,16,32,64,128)
• Jar with numbered cards in it from 1-255

Place each group in a line  facing the teacher with their binary number headbands on in order from smallest to largest number.

Have another student pull out a number (up to 255) from a jar and hold it up so students can see.

The first group to write the binary number with their 1/0 cards wins.

I definitely think there is a place for teaching binary code in the classroom. Not only is it teaching children about coding which is going to become vital in our future world but it also teaches basic maths components.

Reference:

Lord, M., 2011. Bits and Binary, retrieved from http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/bits-binary/

Infographics - week 6

I've always seen infographics and thought they were a great visual way of viewing information but creating one myself was always put it into the 'to hard' category (along with lots of the other things I have learn't in this course!) That will no longer be the case. Look out world, I now know how to make my own 'infographics'. Below is a simple one I created using easel.ly, an easy to use program that has thousands of templates I can use to create any type of infographic I chose. Infographics can also be created using everyday programs like powerpoint and excel.

An infographic is a picture that gives a visual display of data. It not only allows a great deal of data to be communicated fast, it is also much easier to view and to make connections and draw conclusion from the data that is represented. It is also a fun way to represent data to children.

Here are three ways you can use infographics in a classroom:

• As a source of information
• As a tool to teach visual literacy
• As a way for students to express their or others' data

Incorporating infographics into my classroom pedagogy is something I will definitely do. It has so many benefits. It includes both textual information, diagrams and images that can meet the needs of linguistic and visual learners. The text is often written as small amounts of information rather than long paragraphs which can be daunting for some learners. Because of the visual way it is presented it can help students who experience difficulties in literacy skills (ESL students). The visuals often display connections that may help students understand ways  things connect. It also makes learning fun. Rather than presenting a project on a piece of cardboard, students can use their imaginations to create info-graphs that incorporate everything. 

Assessment Task 1A

This course has opened my eyes to a new way of approaching challenges. It has changed how I attempt tasks and how I view the use of digital technology in a classroom. When the course first started I had no idea what it would entail but straight away I got the idea from one of the first activities we had to do that this course challenge me. We were asked to view videos on what the attributes of a designer were. They said things like; curiosity, thinking outside the box, attention to detail and executing good design. You can see others in my blog post here. These helped me to realise that this course was going to push me to step outside my own little bubble and attempt things I have been scared to do before, things like blogs, wikis, wordclouds and mindmaps. I was scared and excited all at once.

We were introduced to ‘The Design Cycle’ (view example here).  A concept I had never heard of. One that the more I looked at the more it became clearer. The design cycle would be a platform to follow once I came up with a design challenge to implement in a classroom setting.

This design challenge in itself became a challenge. I didn’t know what kind of design I needed to come up with. Eventually after flicking through online sites I decided on a challenge that enabled children to make a gift for christmas. The gift was to be a personalised candle. This would incorporate a few different elements. In the planning process of the design cycle I wanted my students to come up with ways they could transfer the image they created onto a candle.  This was outlined in the product overview on my wiki. Thinking back on this section of the design cycle I would incorporate more research and experimental processes. Hands on attempts to transfer the image using a few different methods that the students came up with themselves. This would incorporate learning outcomes from ‘Design and Technologies Knowledge and understanding’ as outlined in my wiki (Learning outcomes from the Australian Curriculum).

I discovered that the design cycle could work in many different ways. It was not designed to only follow one pattern. It gave me ideas to follow in each section but I didn’t need to do them necessarily one after the other. I could create something, then investigate it or I could investigate it, evaluate it and then create it. As children’s minds work in different ways this open thinking using the design cycle could enhance my classroom. Children could work at their own pace, getting ideas down, creating items and evaluating design, basically owning their own work. This would lead to the atmosphere of a co-constructed classroom where they could teach me and each other. You can read my thoughts on a co-constructed classroom here.

While creating documents associated through the design cycle I came across a few problems. As my target age group was year 3-4 I thought that the risk assessments and design specifications would be too hard for them to grasp. In my own classroom I would change these to cater for a younger age group. I would incorporated more brainstorming of ideas towards the risks and find creative ways they can represent the results.

A big lesson I learnt from this design challenge was learning to work collaboratively. I tend to like to work independently and feel a bit apprehensive about others seeing my work. To be put in a group where I had to share my ideas was very scary. Through being forced to work in a wiki with others I can now see the benefits of this and how it can help me as a teacher working with other teachers and help my students benefit from working collaboratively with other students. Through the wiki I was able to give and receive feedback. By working collaboratively through this medium I could see the benefits of other peoples perspectives on things. Questions were asked about things I didn’t think to put in my design and I was then able to change. I could also help others in my group by giving them a ideas on challenges they had. My thoughts on this can be found here. 

This topic has opened me up to a whole new world to include in my classroom pedagogy. My understanding of digital technology in a classroom before this course was interactive whiteboards and online maths programs. I now see the amazing opportunities my students will have if I incorporated all the different aspects of digital technology into my classroom and how their minds can be opened to all possibilities. Wilson and Harris (2004) said, subjects like art, music and technology allow for the expression of multiple intelligences because they allow for a range of domains to be uncovered. How exciting for our students to be allowed to experience all this in their classrooms.

Reference:

Wilson, V., & Harris, M. (2004) Creative change? A review of the impact of design and technology in schools in England. Journal of Technology Education. 15(2), 46-65

Reflections on Peer assessment. The 'Evaluation' of the design challenge - week 5

This week I delved into the unknown world of having to assess and give feedback to a peer on their design challenge. I was quite scared to do this, even though the girl I was assessing seemed lovely when working with her through our group wiki, I didn't want her to take things personal or think I was attacking her work or idea.

Lu & Law (2011) found that students involved in peer grading plus qualitative feedback were more satisfied and showed grater improvements in their tasks.

It was rather a simple task when I got down to it. I just used the information she had provided of her design challenge posted on our group wiki and filled in the information. When I needed to give my opinion on something I tried to be as honest as I could and give constructive criticism rather than just criticise something.

These prompt cards provided the basis for the peer evaluation I used which was put into a table format by a member of our group (thanks Bec!).

These cards would be a very effective tool to use in a classroom when teaching students about peer analysis and what to look for in a product. They provide great visuals which appeal to students as well as questions that get minds thinking about what type of things they should be looking for when evaluation something.

Reference:

Lu, J., Law, N., (2011) Online peer assessment effects of cognitive and effective feedback. Retrieved from: http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.cqu.edu.au/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=5b7e2ee4-d80e-40a2-8cdd-9a5c24e90b9c%40sessionmgr112&vid=1&hid=120

Prompt cards retrieved from www.tes.co.uk/

Web 2.0 and classrooms - week 4

Notes from textbook reading chapter 16
Mandy Peace

Technology has changed the world. Who would have thought that the computer and internet could changed the way we work, learn and play so drastically. The internet now provides us with a vast audience that can inspire us, we can collaborate with, learn from and create with. Hargreaves (2003) states, 'ICT's potentially provide a network structure to turn 25000 schools and their staff into another small world in which any two nodes can connect with each other easily and quickly' (p.13)

Web 2.0 is an umbrella term used to describe  the new generation of web-based communications including social networking, wikis, blogs and podcasts. It is now relatively simple for anyone with minimal expertise to create webspace.

It allows students to

• be creative
• have a degree of control over their own learning
• solve problems
• improve personal IT capabilities
• work cooperatively

By incorporating Web 2.0 into a classroom teachers are allowing students to be exposed to a rich and diverse learning environment. Some of the platforms that teachers could use in a classroom could be:

• blogs - this could be used as a forum for online journalling, or class blogs where students are encouraged to post specific pieces. It could be used to collect and store information on a certain topic or share work with your own class or other classes or even schools
• wikis - a place where students can place information they have researched for others to see. A collaborative place where students can work together without actually having to be in the same space
• Podcasts - a place for students to record and share things from music they compose to verbal instructions to information on topics they have learnt about.

It is important to understand that you don't need to KNOW everything. A classroom is a place of learning for teachers as well and often students find great pleasure in 'being the teacher' and teaching others about Web 2.0 capabilities.

references:
Hargreaves, D.H. (2003) Working literally: How innovation networks make an education epidemic. Nottingham: DfES Publications.

Developing a co-constructed classroom - week 5

Textbook reading - chapter 11 - Teachers and pupils incorporated
Gina Blackbury and Deb Woods 
In a co-constructed classroom the teacher moves away from being the 'authority' of information and becomes a 'guide on the side'. This opens the classroom up to be an inquiry based and experiential learning process. Through multi-model technologies such as the internet, skype, email and youtube students can explore subjects rather than just learn them.

The chapter follows a teacher 'Deb' as she is pushed out of her comfort zone to introduce her students to a different way of learning. One of the ways she did this was by letting go of the need to know everything before she taught it to her students. A co-constructed classroom values the teacher as a learner and she used this to her advantage by changing her pedagogy to get the class to teach each other. She twisted the tables on them and let them search out answers to problems and teach each-other.

There are so many benefits to having a co-constructed learning environment and the textbook outlines these. It outlines the benefits for both the students and the teacher. Some of these are:

Student

• pupils become highly engaged and motivated
• they become independent, self-regulated learners
• it encourages peer collaboration and communication
• pupils interests are identified and incorporated into the curriculum
• individualised learning programs and a self paced environment
• a community based learning environment, peer-to-peer, peer-to-teacher and teacher-to-peer learning.

Teacher

• more time to observe students which supports ongoing assessment practices
• reduction of anxiety and feeling they need to 'know it all'
• pupil motivation translates to productivity

As we can see dot pointed above this type of classroom is beneficial to both student and teacher and is a healthy addition to classroom pedagogy.

Reference:
Blackberry, G., & Woods, D. (2015). Teachers and pupils incorporated, Developing a co-constructed classroom. In S. Younie, M. Leask & K. Burden (Eds.), Teaching and learning with ICT in the primary school. New York: Routledge.