Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Week Two
The world wide web can be used for many of purposes; to connect with others, to discover new learning - broadening one's mind. However, the internet also provides opportunities to harm one's safety.
It is essential that the world wide web is used in an appropriate way that does not harm the safety or wellbeing of students. Thus, explains the protection policies implied by Queensland Education. The department of Education Queensland ensures the safety and protection of all Queensland students by ensuring that inappropriate or harmful websites are blocked. These include websites that may contain inappropriate advertising. These policies are implemented on behalf of good means, however limits the students access and abilities to explore what the world wide web has to offer. For instance, common purposeful tools that may enrich a Child's learning like that of YouTube is blocked on the schooling system.This action is yet justifiable due to that fact that any individual is able to upload clips to this popular and widely used site. Furthermore, when students are required to do research on a particular subject it is discovered that many of these websites are non accessable. I have shared this frustration myself when I attended a state school (near to two years ago).
This is where I see the use of the internet in schooling is limited. It is frustrating to think that resourceful, meaningful and purposeful tools are being blocked. Guidelines or monitoring will have to eventually recognise this view of limiting a Child's right to access tools that will enhance their learning. As technology grows, so too will the ability to determine the 'unsafe' and recognise the potential it may have in learning.
Web spaces such as wikispacs and weebly allow for teachers to create a means where students are protected and able to access appropriate tools that will enhance their learning journey. Teachers are able to already to the hard yards in finding and accessing appropriate materials such as websites, interactive activities and other tools to complete tasks. However, I do believe these spaces have a time and a place within the schooling context.
An example was shown within week two of managing eLearning of a school newsletter. The teacher had used a space to communicate with parents of students within their class. However, students names and situations were identified as well as private information that parents may wish to not made public (like that of lack of funds regarding school excursion) Furthermore, the space breach of copyright and other rights, such as publishing students pictures and information without permission.
It is neccessary for teachers to ensure that these spaces are used in a appropriate manner within the classroom to protect the students as well as the students learning journey.
Evidence of using the tools: Weebly space is used to link the tools used throughout Managing elearning to Blooms Taxonomy.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Week One
eLearning allowed me to realise the opportunities that ICTs provide within the classroom and how it is able to enhance learning. Furthermore, the introduction to eLearning allowed me to recognise that the implementations of ICTs within the classroom are not always the most effective tools. Whats more, the implementation of ICTs within the classroom need to be implemented purposefully in order to gain any meaningful learning.
eLearning allows a door of opportunities within the classroom at a click of a button. It also removes the walls from learning - creating a classroom of endless opportunities to explore and discover the world around them.
Simple concepts available from the World Wide Web can be manipulated and tailored to suit the purpose and assist learners throughout their learning journey.
Week one of this course introduced me to several different features available from the web that could be used to assist learning. The main focus of this week was
1) Concept maps (available from http://bubbl.us/)
2) mind maps (available from http://www.text2mindmap.com/)
Both these tools are able to be implemented effectively in the classroom and can be considered as useful in the learning context of both the learner and the professional.
Firstly, the learner is able to work independently or collaboratively. By using concept/mind maps learners are able to document their learning about a particular learning focus. Such maps can be used as a brainstorming activity in order to identify prior knowledge, or used within the learning journey. Either way this is an opportunity to make learning visible and to establish what learning has taken place, or directs further learning. By brainstorming in this manner, alterations can take place easily and accordingly. Unlike the old butcher's paper and pen - alterations/modifications make for a complicated document. Whats more, this tool allows for learners to organise information in a manner that suits them. This can be seen to advantage different learning styles and ways of processing information. Learners are able to format the maps in a manner that allows them to process information effectively. This can be seen to advantage all learners within the learning site.
However, the draw backs that can be seen by using these tools from this particular website may in fact include the layout or setting of the website. In particular text2mind map. The tab or indent concept for each different heading may be seen as confusing for young learners. Perhaps a more user friendly and less confusing concept may need to be implemented to gain the most out of this particular tool. Furthermore, the tool can only be consider as effective if a intended purpose of its use is identified. The LM must implement the tool to assist the learners learning for a particular focus or else the learning can be consider as lacking purposefulness.
However, overall I recognize the potential that these tools can have within the learning site to enhance learning.
Evidence of using one of two tools introduced in eLearning - Week one.
