Reflective synopsis

Introduction
E learning is something that can easily be used within the classroom to support learning. It can also sometimes be a hindrance to learning. E learning (when used effectively) can enhance, support and transform learning activities. Learning can be enhance and transformed by using ICT’s to help further children’s learning where the teacher may not think. ICT’s such as TeacherTube, Webquests and the learning federations learning objects. Teachers can use these ICT’s to support those children who need the support in higher order thinking. Teachers can also use these tools for professional development to further their knowledge on certain key learning areas. Other ICT’s that teachers may utilise are mp3’s (for voice recording), digital cameras (for pictures and videos) and iPods for watching videos that may not be able to be accessed on school computers. Webquests and learning federation learning objects have been manipulated by other uses to enable students of all ages and ability levels. For those students who are in the outback there is online learning where the student and teacher communicate online by web chats. These webchats can be with anyone (be careful of who the child webchats with), the greatest way is for students to talk with not only teachers but also quest speakers to enable children to further their learning. For those who are too far out to be able to get internet service they communicate by school of the air, or radio, or some parents teach their children themselves. “Connectedness describes the extent to which the lesson has value and meaning beyond the instructional context, making a connection to the wider social context within which students live” (The State of Queensland: Department of Education, 2002, pg 23). ICT’s are not confined to computer but to voice recorders, video recorders, cameras- digital or phone etc. For those students who are in secondary schooling, in my experience the only ICT used was during computer studies. Other times there was use of powerpoints and over heads was used. I believe that ICT’s all have a use in the classroom, the problem is whether the tool is relevant or how long it would take for the teacher to understand the tool, teach the tool and then have the students use it. As stated before there are many tools that can be suited for each key learning areas way of working. This is shown in the post ‘How technology fits into the curriculum’. Children no matter where they are as long as they have access to technology and ICT’s are able to do or see almost anything. For those who have internet are able to perform activities using online learning objects to learn about topics such as recycling, measurement, saving energy, also looking at an online model of the earth in detail and connecting students to real life contexts that can’t be accessed within the school yard. I can use different tools to engage students, help them work cooperatively, independently and support higher order thinking. Tools such as bubbl.us are a great way to engage students in concept mapping in a new way. Tools such as wordle and tag crowd are effective ways for students to summarise large amounts of information in a short amount of time to enable students to move forward with their learning. Tools that help students work cooperatively are those such as wiki spaces. Those that allow students to think in high order ways are those such as blogger.com and weebly.com.

Body
There are many tools that can assist our learning and concept map tools such as bubbl.us, learning objects (such as those on the learning federation site) and making your own website tools (such as weebly.com) are functional for students use. I have selected these three tools for I believe that I will use them most when finished my degree.
Bubbl.us
I have found that concept mapping on the computer is not such a bad thing as what I have previously stated in my blog. I believe that bubbl.us could be an effective way for teachers to pre-create a concept map and use within the classroom. This tool could also be used to re-create a concept map that may not have been neatly constructed during a previous lesson. It could be used to support learning where students can have access to the one account and add on bubbles to the pre-existing concept map on the computer whenever they are able to. What I have done with this tool so far is trying to create an unsuccessful concept map of how colours are made and create a successful concept map of how technology links to the ways of working in a specific key learning area.

Learning Objects
Learning objects are found on the learning federation site, and are used by teachers and students alike to gain knowledge about topics in engaging ways. Learning objects allow teachers and students to learn about topics such as recycling, where newspapers come from? How to sustain environments? As well as teaching students how to dispose of technology properly. So far I have not used these learning objects in the classroom, nor have I studied the learning federation site itself. Up until this year other pre-service teachers and I have not been given access to the learning federation site. Even now we have not been given full access to the site. I believe that all pre-service teachers and parents should be given partial permission to enter the site. With parents and pre-service teachers having access to these activities, students would be able to benefit from this tool any time they wish, enabling higher order thinking to be accessed even outside school time. Kearsley and Shneidermans ‘Engagement Theory’ suggests that “The fundamental idea underlying engagement theory is that students must be meaningfully engaged in learning activities through interaction with others and worthwhile tasks” (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999). I believe that the learning objects provided on the Learning Federation site are those that are worthwhile tasks for they are teaching our children how to care for the environment.

Weeby.com
Weeby.com is a tool that is used for anyone to make a website. It can support students learning in the way that they can establish their own website. Or the students could use a website making tool such as this in an assignment that requires them to create a business and advertise it. So far I have not used weeby.com that much as I have had no real life use for it. I do believe that it can contribute to the learning of the students if given a real life example. Such tasks as these are mainly student centred with little to no input from the teacher other than guidance on ethical and safe use of the internet. “Student direction means that students influence the specific activities or tasks they will do in a lesson, or how they will undertake them. Such activities are likely to be student-centred ones such as group work, or individual research or investigative projects” (The State of Queensland: Department of Education, 2002, pg9).

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

The State of Queensland (Department of Education). (2002). A guide to... Productive Pedagogies: Classroom reflection manual. The State of Queensland (Department of Education).