Week 8: Presentation of ICT resources.

Reflections

Well here we are at my final blog! I can honestly say I learnt a lot from my ICT classes and how I could implement this knowledge into my teaching.


Today in our ICT workshop, we worked in groups of three to present our ICT resources. We were each giving a criteria sheet to fill in about the other person's resource and our own reflection sheet to evaluate on how we felt our own presentations went. On the criteria sheet, we had to comment on each others learning objectives for our resource, if the presentation would help a child to understand the learning objectives and how the presenter justified the use of ICT to meet the objectives. During the presentations, each presenter discussed the appropriate language for the age range stated, how their resource provided differentiation and on how the children’s knowledge from the activity would be assessed. We were also asked to provide evidence on subject knowledge, on whether the use of ICT enhanced the learning and how it linked to the National Curriculum. We also had to comment on the presentation's visual and interactive impact and on whether it was well structured, clear and concise.

From watching my peers presentations, I gained an insight into different ways in which I could use the resources that are available on the smart notebook in my lessons.Some of their ideas I felt would be very useful and effective in helping to develop children's learning and knowledge of a subject. I feel I would use some of my peers ideas in their presentations in my own teaching.


In addition we had to reflect on your own presentation against the criteria, drawing on our peers feedback. I felt my presentation went extremely well, as I received very positive feedback. Some of the strenghts of my resource that were commented upon, were that it was a fun way of developing knowledge and assessing childrens learning on the parts of the plant. It was commented that the resource was very child-friendly, interactive, well structured and visually appealing. One development of the resource was that it could include a slide explaning the independent activity.


In my own teaching, I will look to use many of the resources in which we have covered in the lessons, including the interactive whiteboards, digital equipment and computer based learning games like the Dance to Advance and Scratch. I feel all this resources can be cooperating into any subject and provide a stimulating and motivating way of supporting particular children's needs and learning.

Thank you for following my blogs. I hope you enjoyed them!

Week 7: M-Learning, Stimulation/Programming Playful learning

Hello again and welcome to Week 7 of my blog!

Today in our ICT workshop we looked at definitions of M-learning (mobile learning). One definitions of m-learning comes from the eLearning Guild (2002) who defined it as:

'Any activity that allows individuals to be more productive when consuming, interacting with, or creating information, mediated through a compact digital portable device that the individual carries on a regular basis, has reliable connectivity, and fits in a pocket or purse'. 

(https://sites.google.com/a/adlnet.gov/mobile learning-guide/basics)

M-learning can provide students with accessible resources wherever they are, strong search capabilities, rich interaction, support for effective learning, and performance-based assessment. It can be used for a wide range of subjects, helping children to learn maths, english, science, history etc. During the workshop we looked at a video on how one school is using the ipod touch, to enhance and support pupils learning. The ipod touches were givin to a class of 8 year olds, who used the ipod touch in all subjects.

We also explored game based learning in the primary school. We looked at interactive games with an educational value, that could be used in the classroom and created our own. Some examples included:

• Wordie
• Dance to Advance
• Vodki
• 2 do it yourself
• Scratch
• Kodu

Wordie

Wordie is a useful way of doing mind mapping with children at primary school. It is a programme for generating 'word clouds' from words you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. When using wordie in the classroom children can experiment with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images children create  can be used for various purposes. They can be saved, printed out, and put on Wordle gallery to share with friends. In our ICT workshop we were given time to create our own wordle.

Dance to advance

Dance to Advance is an and easy-to-use dance mat activity software for math, ELA, science and other subjects, making learning interesting and engaging. The programme promotes visual, kinesthetic, and auditory learning. It is an ideal way to challenge and test student's knowledge. It  is an ideal way to challenge and test students' knowledge, while simultaneously supporting the importance of physical activity. Teachers can use this software to create, edit, and customize your own dance mat activities on any subject or topic .The software is great for students with english as an additional language by promoting  listening, speaking, reading and writing on their feet throughout a range of highly interactive activities. The programme allows children to personalize their learning experience by selecting from a range of characters, music and background scenes. Below is an example of a dance to advance activity which I created. The purpose of the activity is to help children learn their six times tables.

 How I would apply this in my teaching

As a teacher, I would use some of these programmes in the classroom. Some of the software proved to integrate inclusion within the classroom. For example, the learning programme '2 do it yourself', included different level games from simple to more complicated games. This means that children can work at their own level. The use of a microphone, in some of the games we looked at, would be very suitable and effective for children with any educational need. As well as fostering creativity, all the games promote thinking and strategy skills. According to Higgins (2003), use of computer games like these mentioned above, can enhance Children’s learning, particularly in Maths. I feel I would defiantly use these games for a range of subjects including maths, geography etc.

Further information:

http://www.m-learning.org/knowledge-centre/whatismlearning

http://www.eduworks.com/Documents/Publications/Mobile_Learning_Handheld_Classroom.pdf

http://www.rmeducation.com/us/shops/rmusa/Product.aspx?cref=PD1645897

http://www.wordle.net/

Week 6: Speaking and Listening in ICT

Welcome to Week 6 of my blog!

In our workshop today we continued from last week exploring digital equipment that can be used in the classroom to support children's learning. In small groups we were giving activities which involved making our own podcasts, photostories and digital videos. We reflected on how we could use this equipment to stimulate, motivate and enhance children's learning in the classroom. 

Podcasting 

A podcast is seen to be similar to a radio show. A podcast is recorded and then can be distributed over the internet, so that you can listen to it at any time. There are thousands of podcasts available, ranging from general interest entertainment shows to those with specific topics. Podcasting can be used within the classrooom, allowing children to share their work and experiences with a potentially huge audience over the Internet.  Podcasting is an excellent way of showing pupil's achievements on the internet and can be used as a cross curriculum link to many subjects.

Children can benefit from making a podcast as:

• It gives them a potential audience of thousands for their work.
• It's helps to develope literacy skills (writing scripts, setting up interviews etc), allowing children to practise their speaking and listening skills, aswell as their ICT skills.
• It allows them to be creative.
• Podcasts can be interactive, and children can get feedback from their work. An audience can be invited to send their comments.
•  Making podcasts can also be great for developing team-working skills.

Podcasting can be used in the classroom to:

• Report children's work - children have the opportunity to share their work. Teachers can get pupils to record their own stories, record reports about an activity they've tried at school or to reflect any school experiences.
• Record interviews - with members of staff, children, members of the community, and visitors to school.
• Record Music - children can pocasting to record school songs.

In our workshop today we recording our own podcast in small groups, reflecting on our first day of school experience on our day link visits.


( http://www.podiumpodcasting.com/~184726/mdx/ThomasNinaLi071111093941/rss.xml)

Photostory

Photostory allows users to create a visual story from their digital photos. The images can be displayed in chronological order at a constant rate. In the context of video these images are called frames.  Photostory can be used to introduce new material to help pupils learn to conduct research, synthesize large amounts of content and gain expertise in the use of digital communication and authoring tools. It also can help students organize these ideas as they learn to create stories for an audience, and to present their ideas in an unique and meaningful way.

Some ideas on how to use photostory in schools:

• To record fun day memories and school year events
• To record interviews
• Book reviews
• Practise reading skills
• Record Field trips
• Story map

An example of a photostory we created in class:

How I will apply this to my teaching

According to Johnson & Mynott (2009)  the main benefits of talking products and recording devices like these mentioned  above, are that they instantaneously and spontaneously facilitate thinking. In my teaching I would look to use some of the equipment above. I feel that for children struggling to become independent readers and EAL students, these products  would be particularly beneficial in supporting their learning and development. I feel the equipment could be used across a range of cross curricular activities within the class.

Further information:

Johnson, L & Mynott, E (2009) Talking Tins Activity Book (Volume 1) – Practical Speaking & Listening Activities Educational Development Service, London.
http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/ict/podcasting.htm.

http://21stcenturyteaching.pbworks.com/w/page/833439/Ideas%20for%20Photostory%203%20Projects

                                                      

                                                              See you next week!

Week 5: Digital Media and Computer Control Across the Curriculum

In our workshop today, we looked at the looked at the definition of computer control. It was defined as a set of instructions programmed into a machine, which causes it to operate in a predetermined manner. Examples of computer control inside and outside the home include: washing machines; central heating; t.v; traffic lights and barcode scanners. They are widely used for there many advantages: they never lose concentration; are cheaper to employ than humans and can repeat the same instructions over and over again.

Example of Programmable Toys and Robots.

• Pixie
• Pippin
• Beebot

The Beebot

What is it?

Bee-bot is a colourful programmable floor robot suitable for children in Early Key Stage 1. It allows young children to learn through play about control, directional language and programming, providing a perfect hands on introduction to robotics. Its easy to use with big arrow buttons and and is suitable for children of all abilities. It has a memory of upto 40 steps.

What Skills and Knowledge can it develop?

According to Iram and john Siraj-Blatchford (2006), significant advantage of programable toys like the Beebot includes the simplicity of the interface which provides support for young children,  allowing them to be able to simply and easily programme.  Bee-Bot can be used to support the development of skills throughout a wide range of areas. It allows learners to give a range of instructions from easy to more complex. They can be very useful for pupils with SEN to develop stage sequences using a variety of activity mats. In addition, it can be used for the development of fine motor skills through using the directional buttons. It can support imaginative play through the use of commercial or school designed covers. It allows learners to demonstrate skills in more ways than traditional sources. Its support for the development of key skills makes it a very positive ICT resource for early years in schools. Requiring the entry of logical statements in a set order to execute a sequence of commands to a floor robot or an on-screen simulation, with the end result being to follow a pre-determined path, building on the learning which has gone on before.  And while each of these programs share the same programming logical language (forward, back, and up etc), each age group of pupils will find one which suits them better.

  

  

Extended and Differentiated Activities  

The Beebot can be used in the primary classroom to promote practical learning in mathematics. For example developing pupils awareness of shape, position and movement, angle, measurement & problem solving . The Beebot can be used with shape mats to develop pupils programming skills their visual awareness of different kinds of shapes. Other popular mats include the alphabet mat, the Treasure Island mat, the Busy Street mat and the transparent mat. To differentiate this activities the teacher may give simple programming instructions to less able children and guess whats at that location. For more able children the teacher may give pupils more complex patterns and sequences, them to come up with their own sequences to get to different locations and

"The trick, of course, in a primary classroom is to make the mathematics age and stage appropriate, and to set the required problem-solving in a context which will help engage all learners.  Thus the robot becomes whatever the creative teacher and pupils want it to be, and the journey or route for that robot then becomes a part of a story".

(Malcolm Wilson, ICT Curriculum Development Officer for Falkirk Council Education Services)

Further Websites

https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/fa/ICTFalkirkPrimaries/2011/04/20/beebot-to-logo/

www.bee-bot.co.uk 
 http://elresources.skola.edu.mt/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/doc_669_2468_beebotguideA4v2.pdf

Until next time, Goodbye!

Week 4: VLES, MLES and Learning Platforms

If like myself before attending this weeks ICT workshop you are unaware of VLES and MLES, I hope this blog provides a clear definition of each and how they can be used in primary schools.

So what are VLES and MLES?   

They are learning platforms that provide a virtual learning environment and managed learning enviroments. They include an integrated set of interactive online services that provide teachers, learners, parents and others involved in education with information, tools and resources to support and enhance educational delivery and management. They are used in schools as a teaching tool that can assist teachers in lessons from assigning a piece of work to it being a whole topic or course and assist the learning of pupils. JISC (2005) defines VLE as, “a collection of integrated tools enabling the management of online learning, providing a delivery mechanism, student tracking, assessment and access to resources” (JISC, 2005). Many of these include Web 2.0 features to facilitate communication. Some of the components include bookmarking, RSS feeds, podcasts, forums and wikis.

Who can benefit from the use of learning platforms and why?

• Parents can use learning platforms to support children by accessing homework and other resources online. The can access school bulletins and join in on home-school discussions online. In addition, parents can log onto the school website and see targeted notices from staff.
• Learners can access stimulating learning materials and materials online at any time or place before and after school. They can also review and check their targets, aswell as submitting work electronically.
• Teachers can share resources and best practices online across the school. They can alo hold group discussion online and plan and organise lesson content from any online location. In addition, they can access learners data and track any missing homework or coursework online.
• Support staff and administrators can deliever, upload and update personalised lesson plans and have access to these managment systems across the school and at home. In addition, they can contribute to the creation and updating of electronic learning resources or documents.

Some rules to consider when using learning platforms may include:

1. Keep your details safe, so they can be accessed at home and at school.
2. Make sure all posted comments are polite and helpful. 
3. Use appropriate language.
4. When uploading images make sure all images are suitable, pictures of children only in groups with no names added to additional texts. 
5. Make sure all information you put on the platform is suitable to be on a school learning space.Whilst on the platform you use your real name but when using the internet outside of the platform you should use a nickname. 
6. Don't give anyone your personal details, like address or telephone number or arrange to meet up.

http://clc2.uniservity.com/GroupRenderCustomPage.asp?GroupID=167062&ResourceID=2630602.

Schools using a Virtual Learning Environment

There are an increasing number of UK schools making use of VLE. Some examples include

• Brune Park Community College in Hampshire
• King Edward VI Grammar School in Essex
• Marsden Community Primary School in Lancashire
• Our Lady's Catholic High School in Lancashire
• Perins School: A Community Sports College in Hampshire
• The Dunston School in Northamptonshire

How will this information on Learning Platforms impact my teaching?

After todays session on learning platforms I have gained an insight on the what learning platforms are, how they can be used and how they benefit teaching and learning overall. When I'm teaching in a school I will acknowledge any learning platforms that they are currently using within the school and how I can contribute to the developed of such learning platforms. I feel they have a great benefits in their use for teachers and students in discussion boards,  downloading and sharing information and linking teaching and learning applications, activites and resources with managed information systems. I would use learning platforms through-out my teaching, as I feel they provide a personal learning environment where students can add, edit, tag, comment, search, share and review their learning. Within education this helps to promote independance and interdependance amongst learners and instant interaction and feedback with students and teachers to ensure meaningful learning.

Further information:

http://sharepointineducation.com/the-personal-learning-environment-moving-beyond-the-vle-and-sharepoint-learning-platform.

http://earlyyearslearning.wordpress.com/2010/06/29/vles-in-eyfs-and-ks1/.

http://www.learningplatforms.moonfruit.com/.

Week 3: Interactive Whiteboard Smart Notebook.

Today in our ICT workshop we looked at using an interactive whiteboard (IWB) and discussed how we might use them in the classroom, to benefit our teaching and the learning of students. According to BECTA (2006), Interactive Whiteboards can be used as an alternative to virtually every other classroom. It provides ways to represent students with resources and materials that are on a computer desktop. The interactive whiteboard can serve as a huge learning bank, where a teacher's lesson can be viewed on screen and involve every pupil, allowing them to use and access it. The use of interactive whiteboards can enhance the quality of teaching and learning (Ofsted 2004). It can be used in the classroom to promote both visual and kinesthetic learning, through videos, audio and pictures. Some of the benefits of the interactive whiteboard include, developing thinking, literacy, discussion and ICT skills. In addition it can also be very useful to SEN and EAL students, who may benefit from the visual learning aspect.

Some examples of ways the interactive whiteboard is used in classrooms.

• Used to promote the learning of the contents of different subjects. From example the built in maps can be used form geography to teach the different continents, oceans etc. It can be used for teaching ways of a maths problem visually
• It can be used to teach pupils how to navigate and use the internet
• To share projects of other pupils to the class
• To teach whole group computer and keyboarding skills
• To present the teachers work or the students work in a presentation
• Teaching grammar and vocabulary using the highlighter tools to highlight vowels, nouns, punctuation etc.
• Printing and saving notes
• Web streaming and Video
• To help students with special needs
• Brainstorming
• Digital story telling
• End each day having students write what they learned.

Considerations

When teachers are using the interactive whiteboard in class there are many things to consider including the height, positioning, light and text visibility of the whiteboard. In addition all students must be able to use and see the board and materials of use must be relevant to learning.

Smart Notebook

In our workshop today we explored the different tools and resources which are available on  SMART notebook software. I learned  various different ways I could use the resources to provide interesting, useful and stimulating lesson plans. In addition we had time to create out own resource which we felt would benefit student learning in the classroom. I found a very useful science resource on the life processes of living things which I feel would actively engage students in science learning, helping them remember the seven life processes through visual and active learning.

How I will apply this in my teaching

When I start teaching, I will ensure that I am familiar with the IWB software that the school has to  offer. I will aim to use lots of interactive resources to stimulate and enhance children's learning. I feel the interactive whiteboard and IWB software can be used in any subject with an endless range of opportunities to involve children interactively. In addition I feel that that this of visual learning would be very useful to support EAL and SEN children.

Week 2: What is Web 2.0?

Welcome to Week 2 of my blog!

In our ICT workshop this week we discussed the definition of Web 2.0. I learned that it was a trent in the use of World Wide Web technology and web design, with its aims to facilitate creativity, information sharing, and most notably collaboration among fellow users. This concept has led to the development and evolution of web-based communities and hosting services including Aggregation services,Tracking and filtering, content, Social Networking, and collaborating services.

Implications of Web 2.0.

• Students as co-creators
• Sites set up for particapation
• Personalised content and tools
• User control over content
• Greater use of feeds and other external content
• Less distinction between content and tools
• Automatically undating courses.

Among the web sites which utilize Web 2.0 are the following.

• You Tube

• Twitter

• FaceBook

• Wikipedia

• LinkedIn

• WordPress

• MySpace

• Flickr

  

The blog is an online published tool that enables people to easily publish their loves, passions, dislikes, peeves, discoveries and insights. The posting and commenting process contributes to the nature of blogging. The Yale University law professor, Yochai Benkler (2001) refers to blogging as 'weighted conversation between a primary author and a group of secondary comment contributors, who communicate to an unlimited number of readers'.

How applications can be useful for teaching and in the classroom

There has been significant debates over the advantages and disadvantages of using social software through mainstream education. Those who will argue its advantages will draw upon the emphasis on lifelong learning and supporting the development of young people’s skills in creativity and innovation. From the workshop session I learned that blogging facilities to allow staff and students to create their own personal pages. The system proves to have a

variety of educational related uses such as developing essay plans, creating photo galleries and recording personal development. Students develop better communication skills by authentically communicating. It can also help students in developing their writing skills by allowing them to publish their work and invite comments from others. 

The  Web 2.0 can be useful for learning and teaching in terms of:

• group work

• projects and cases

• outside experts and content

• field work

• language teaching

• multimedia assignments/e-portfolios

Examples of primary school blogs and ways children are using new technology through learning.

Hope CE Primary School

Chorlton Park Primary School

http://www.kidsonthenet.org.uk/

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/

Useful websites.

http://www.tonybates.ca/wp-content/uploads/leicester.pdf

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/techwatch/tsw0701b.pdf

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/techwatch/tsw0701b.pdf