Sir Ken Robinson, in one of his speaking engagements at a TED conference,
stated that children have an ‘extraordinary capacity for innovation.” He also
said we need to prepare them for a future we cannot see and recognise their
“…creative capacities for the richness they are”, and that “our task is to
educate the whole being, so they can face this future.” (Robinson, 2007).
E-learning is a visible form of such creative capacities. Designed
by innovators who have created visually stimulating and interactive Internet
communication technologies (ICT’s), the tools are always evolving, updating,
and being replaced by the newest model. To be an effective teaching tool, guidelines
have been introduced to provide a standard of practice.
The Technologies curriculum will provide
students with opportunities to understand and apply ethical principles and
social responsibility when collaborating, creating, sharing and using technologies,
materials, data, processes, tools and equipment. (ACARA, 2012).
The emphasis on teaching, in 2013, is more
task-based, rather than tool-based, thus allowing learners to adapt with the ever
changing tools that are available (QSA, 2004). ). So, we learn and use, we adapt by connecting,
both to our experiences and to others through social constructivism. Simply
put, we use our experiences, interactions and critical thinking to problem
solve. Derry (1999) and McMahon (1997), (as cited in ACCE, 2010) state that, “Social constructivism emphasises how meanings and understandings
grow out of social encounters and that what occurs in society, and as a flow
on, constructing knowledge is based on this understanding.” According to
Brown (2001), “Knowledge is something we digest rather than merely hold: it’s
usually deeply intertwined with the knower’s understanding of the practices
surrounding its use.”
Theories that translate into practice and assist in the learning
can be varied, but some that are commonly used are behaviourism which through
routine and set expectations, sets the stage for patterns to be repeated until
they become automatic (Mergel, 1998). Cognitivism is the thinking behind the
behaviour but also involves “…learning
as involving the acquisition or reorganisation of the cognitive structures through
which humans process and store information." (Good and Brophy, 1990, pp.
187, as cited in Mergel, 1998). Constructivism
is learning based on a person’s mindset or view of the world, their schema,
their experiences which shape who they are and their beliefs (Mergel, 1998).
These theories, according to Bloom (1956, as cited in Clark, 2013) can be
broken into three types of learning in an educational context: Cognitive
(mental skills), Affective (attitude/emotions) and Psychomotor (physical
skills) (Bloom, 1956, as cited in Clark, 2013). To bring about the best
results, teachers are integrating Pedagogical knowledge, Content knowledge and Technical
knowledge; overlapping areas and combining together they are known as TPACK, to
deliver information in best way for each learner. Each of these frameworks or
theories are used to one degree or another in E-learning to make the knowledge
deeply understood and in the following paragraphs I will revisit my own
experience with such learning.
First, I made a blog. What an amazing experience. I shall never
look back! As a diary was to the 1950’s, so a blog is to the 21st
century user! It can be so much more. Blogs can be personal, as in a family record, an experiment for
an assessment for education purposes, to relay a hobby or craft, or for a newly
formed business. I can see that as a reflective tool it has great potential to
scaffold your experiences into an organised ladder. This allows you to return
to both reassess and re-frame your ideas at a later time. You write what you
experience and learn from reflection. It also allows limited feedback from
others in the social sphere, whether known (private settings) or unknown
(public settings). If you do have concerns and want to control your private
information, you as the author control what goes on and what does not! A blog
is a space to use to keep your learning meaningful, encouraging literacy and
according to Smith, Lynch and Knight (2007,p. 23), developing “the construction
of the brain’s basic architecture for information processing, by preparing and
shaping the experiences or environmental cues presented to learners.”
A limitation of the blog, as with the Internet, is that once something
is posted, others can access and copy information, photos, videos, etc.
Plagiarism can and is an issue because no one thinks to remember that the
copied items are not their intellectual property. Working ethically online is
an important consideration for all users. If it is not yours, though you love
it…give attribution! Some sites encourage you to ‘pin it’ if you like it. Be
aware that some images and ideas have copyright. Ask the owner for permission
as you are then within the law and it is common courtesy! Access music that
comes under a creative commons licence agreement and give attribution. There
are free sites that allow this. I accessed www.digccmixer to make my
video and for a fee I used a Melody Loops stock song in my Prezi. There are
stock companies that source images too and though there is usually a fee, they
are very good quality and you can use them with a clear conscience and without
fear of legal liability. For more information on learning in education
environments and the copyright law, go to: http://education.qld.gov.au/strategic/eppr/national-copyright.pdf .
Next, I looked at using ICT
tools and using Edward de Bono’s ‘Six Thinking Hats’ took part in using a wiki
(an online forum for collaboration). This breakdown using ‘hats’ to switch and
compartmentalise thoughts assisted to keep your ideas organised, formal and at
an impersonal level. This is important in critical thinking, as emotions can
cloud your ability to think rationally about a problem, or limit thoughts when
expanding upon an idea. In his book, Six
Thinking Hats, Edward de Bono (1985), states that by using this “method,
the emphasis is on “What can be” rather than on “what is,” and on how we design
a way forward – not on who is right and who is wrong.” Many companies are now
using this form of ICT to network on a global scale. A great place to find more
information is at www.wikispaces.com .
A wiki does have a few down
sides, one being that if two people are typing ideas into a wiki at the same
time, only one will be saved. Though information can be retrieved, the other
drawback is that it is easy to erase someone’s work if you aren’t familiar with
the application. As a learning tool, it builds trust, generates ideas through
collaboration, engages students into a social forum, and brings clarity to an
argument. It does not, however, teach self-reliance and discovery, develop the
mind to problem solve, expand creativity, or assist in a deep knowledge through
critical thinking processes. It is more declarative (know about), than
procedural (know how), but a blog still expands to both areas through actions
like embedding a video or photos. This means that the learner who has the
understanding of the subject, by constructing meaning, organising and storing,
is then able to builds skills they know how and when to use, thus constructing,
shaping and internalising (Marzano & Pickering, 1997).
It is amazing to think that teachers are now catering for the
learners in their class to find out how they learn best and then they tailor
lessons to cater for each person in the group. This is done through finding out
what each learner knows using the current 8 LMQ’s design process. Teachers are
able to assess, scaffold, support and encourage through these questions whilst
building a relationship and working towards a shared goal (Knight & Lynch, 2010). This is also creating
an inclusive environment for those who have a disability, learning delay, or
who are challenged in the traditional classroom. The interactions between users
are more co-operative, more flexible, less judgemental and lead the learners on
a journey of discovery that is student driven and teacher guided, working on
the learner’s “zone of proximal development” (Smith et al., 2007, pp.41-42).
Howard Gardiner’s Multiple Intelligences were also reviewed and I
found I was a little lacking in the Naturalist, Number and Musical
intelligences. I was a Linguistic (Word Smart), Inter and Intrapersonal (people
and myself) smart, Visual/Spatial (picture smart) and Kinaesthetic (body smart)
learner. I can see eyes glazing over out there in internet land, so let me
break it down to an easily understood level. I was a highly visual learner who
loved hands on experiences, could talk the leg off an iron pot in a social
situation, was empathetic to others, and could take or leave an outdoor
experience. To top it off, my maths is just mediocre and I probably should not
sing except in a crowd. Not if you like your ears that is!
Examining tools like making a website, a video and a Prezi, have
all led to a deep sense that these tools are so much more than a passing phase.
I found using each one provided challenges to overcome, each one gave a level
of satisfaction on completion and each one could be passed on as knowledge to
others by example and through discussion. Each one had more possibilities to
bring about learning than I had imagined, providing collaboration, creativity and team building, up-skilling, confidence building, extensions of ideas and inner excitement as knowledge, passion and experience grew. A Powerpoint or Prezi are tools that can be used, but beware over use! I
enjoyed making an avatar, and found that this could be used to get the
attention of young people. After its' development, an avatar would be more of an
introduction to information as after the initial learning, it does not build
skills for creativity. In fact it is within creation that the real treasures
lie. When someone switches to high order thinking their creative juices begin
to flow, they consider all the options, use their memory and responses to problem
solve within their mind and then test the progress of the practical through
application(Joseph, 2003). In Learning in the Digital Age, Brown (2001) quotes:
“Knowledge, following Michael Polanyi, can be thought of as having two
dimensions: explicit and tacit. If we think of knowledge as a tree, the explicit
dimension is like the leaves, branches, and trunk—the parts above ground. The
tacit dimension is like the roots buried below the surface and deeply immersed
in the soil that makes it robust. The explicit lives in books and in our brains
as concepts and facts and deals with the “know-what.” The tacit deals with
the “know-how” that is best manifested in work practices and skills. The
tacit resides in action, most often in participation with others. As a consequence,
tacit knowledge can be distributed as a shared, socially constructed
understanding that emerges from collaboration.”
So, ICT users within the classroom can be compared
to nature's giants because just like a tree we dig down roots with experiences, we have
our branches singed by the fire of testing as we find what we can and cannot
do, we grow as we collaborate and, if we are protected from the harsh winter
and the axe of the axeman, we flower profusely.
Reference list
Reference list
Australian Council for
Computers in Education (ACCE). (2008, June).
Digital
World, Digital Pedagogies: Reframing the
Learning Landscape. Paper presented at the Australian Council for Computers in
Education Conference.
Retrieved from
http://acce.edu.au/sites/acce.edu.au/files/archived_papers/conf_P_922_ACECpaper2June08.doc
Australian Curriculum and Reporting Authority
(ACARA). (2012).The Shape of the
Australian Curriculum: Technologies.
Retrieved from
_August_2012.pdf#search=ict
Clark, D. R. (2004). Bloom’s taxonomy of learning domains.
Retrieved April 14, 2013 from
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html
Boyle,
S. (2009). Comparison of Major Learning Paradigms in Education.
Retrieved from
https://web.gsc.edu/fs/sboyle/artifacts/6100.doc
Brown,
J.S. (2001). Learning in the digital age. In The internet and the university [Forum]. (pp. 71-72).
Retrieved April13, 2013 from
http://cmap.upb.edu.co/rid=1GQBQP34P-4ZJZS6-7HP/21945604-Learning-in-the-Digital-Age-by-John-Seely-
Brown-Aspen-Institute.pdf
De
Bono, E. (1985). Six thinking hats.
New York: Little, Brown and Company
Department of Education and
Training (DET). (2012). Cybersafety and
cyberbullying: a guide for parents and
caregivers. Retrieved from
http://education.qld.gov.au/studentservices/behaviour/qsaav/docs/cyberbullying-cybersafetyprintfriendlyguide.pdf
Joseph,
J. (2003). Learning with the brain in
mind. Retrieved April, 2013
http://www.learningtolearn.sa.edu.au/learning_workroom/files/links/LearningBrain.pdf
Knight,
B.A., & Lynch, D. (2010). Applied learning management: new approaches for the new millennium. Frenchs
Forest, NSW: Pearson Australia
Marzano,
R.J. & Pickering, D.J. (1997). (with Arrendondo, D.E., Paynter, D.E.,
Blackburn, G.J., Brandt, R.S., Moffet,
C.A., Pollock, J.E., & Whistler,
J.S.). Dimensions of learning: Teacher’s
manual (2nd ed.). Alexandra, VA:ASCD.
Mergel,
B. (1998). Instructional design and
learning theory. Retrieved from
http://members.iinet.net.au/~aamcarthur/11_March_2008_files/Learning_Theories_of_Instructional_Design.pdf
Queensland
Studies Authority. (QSA). (2004). Information
and communication technology: study area
specification. Brisbane, Qld: Author.
Retrieved from
http://pan.search.qld.gov.au/search/search.cgi?query=internet+use+in+school&num_ranks=10&
tiers=off&collection=qld-gov&profile=queensland-studies-authority
Resnick, M. (2002). Rethinking learning in the digital age. In G.S.
Kirkman, P.K. Cornelius, J.D. Sachs, K. Schwab,
The global information technology report 2001-2002: readiness for the
networked world. World Economic Forum
Oxford University Press,
New York. Retrieved from
http://hasp.axesnet.com/contenido/documentos/harvard%20global%20it%20readiness.pdf#page=48
Robinson, K. (2007, Jan 6).
Do schools kill creativity? [Video file]. Retrieved from
Smith,
R., Lynch, D., & Knight, B.A. (2007). Learning
management: transitioning teachers for national and international
change. Frenchs Forest, NSW:
Pearson Education Australia.
Further investigation:
A list of likely tools for investigation can be accessed and investigated
through the links on this website:
http://edjudo.com/web-2-0-teaching-tools-links
Primary Pad is great for collaboration
with children in a classroom. Very similar to a wiki, but it can be exported as
a PDF or Word doc. You can watch it evolve over time and it is invitation
through online connection or email. For collaboration, this is the Primary safe
site for students in a school.
iPad has a collaborative game for maths use in the classroom
No comments:
Post a Comment