E-Learning

I have just watched a Teacher Tube video produced by Dorothy Bird from Point England School in New Zealand. She gives insight to the way in which podcasting is used by students at the school. Some key features of their podcasting is the fact that students are podcasting about books they have read and because students have been so keen to podcast, they in turn have been increasing the amount that they are reading. Students are also encouraged to work collaboratively in the production process of podcasting. The video runs for just over 8 minutes but is a good rationale for podcasting with primary students.

Download Video: Posted by kpetv at TeacherTube.com.

For our first assignment in our E-Learning subject, Linda and I created a LAMS unit on the media. In the unit, students were to create a news story in the format of either a blog, a podcast or an Imovie. Michelle has found a resource that would certainly enhance our LAMS lesson. It is a newspaper clipping generator that allows you to write a news story like the one below. I would recommend you read Michelle’s newspaper story as well as having a look at Linda’s effort also.I know I would of loved this when I was at school. Well, actually, I would have to say I love it even now! Click on the thumbnail below to read my article.

At my practicum school, I have been sitting in on Computers lessons with a year 4 class. I have been finding it interesting observing how different students interact with technology. At the moment, students are learning how to use e-mail. There have been a variety of responses from the students. Some children have really embraced the idea of e-mail and have thoroughly enjoyed sending electronic messages to their peers in the school and also family and friends outside of school. Some children though aren’t as enthusiastic, in fact I had one student say, my friend is sitting just over there, I would much prefer to go and talk to him instead of sending him an email. I too feel that there are times when it feels a bit funny sending someone an email when I could just as easily phone them or go and visit. In saying this though, I certainly enjoy the benefits of e-mail and I think it is a skill that is important for students to learn. Next week, children will be sent a task on email for them to complete and send back to the teacher via email along the same lines as Jenni’s son who also funnily enough is in year 4. I will be interested to see how the students respond to this task next week. I will be also interested to see what the teacher decides to ask the students to complete for her.

I was interested to read Linda’s thoughts on student motivation after trialling podcasting with students she tutors. Technology in this instance as well as in the case of Jenni’s son in year 4, has proven to be a motivator for students engaging in learning. I feel that for students to learn they do need the motivation to do so. I think it is wonderful that Linda took the risk with the students she was working with and gave podcasting a go with them and I am sure that many other students would be interested in such experiences. Each individual students will be motivated by different stimulus, it is up to us as teachers to find out what will help our students achieve their best and for some students this will be enhanced by the use of technology. I would recommend also that you read Jen’s comments about an article she read on the six C’s of motivation, which are choice, challenge, control, collaboration, constructing meaning and consequences. I’m sure you would agree that this is a good basis for motivating students.

This is an interview with Geoff Elwood from Etech on the Channel Seven Sunrise program. Geoff talks about a research project that is underway in Victoria. A school in Victoria has issued students and teachers with Ipods and are looking at the benefits of using this technology to enhance learning. The project has the backing of the Victorian Education department as well as support from Apple. Similar projects have been undertaken previously in Scotland, Beijing and Arizona with positive results. Geoff points out that from research undertaken so far that the use of the software with students has enhanced their engagement. I don’t own an iPod myself and in fact have never really used one so I am not fully aware of their capabilities. One concern I have is that there would be students who are from families that would not be able to afford the purchase of such technology. It is fine if there is funding available to issue students with the required technology though if some students had access and others did not, this could create inequity amongst students. I would also be interested to hear your thoughts on how this technology could be used in a primary setting.

Firstly I would like to say how enjoyable it has been reading, viewing and listening to the postings on fellow student’s blog pages this week. Over the last couple of days however, for some reason when I access my blog using the Internet Explorer browser, which I am using for this post, I have no tool bar to add links and format the text etc. Strangely though, when I log in using Firefox, I am able to add links and format text etc. I thought I was going crazy last night when I was trying to insert a link and I couldn’t find the icon to do so. Today I decided to log in via Firefox and I was able to though it seemed to be a lot slower connection. Anyway what I am trying to say is that sometimes when using technology, it can be quite interesting as to why sometimes things work and at other times they don’t. I would like to know if anyone else in the blogesphere are experiencing strange occurances like me in my blogging experience. Happy blogging and have a good weekend!

I have listened to the podcast on Amy’s blog page as a result of reading comments from Linda Miles about the podcast. I agree that Garage Band was a very user friendly program that I feel students would be able to utilise in the classroom. I was excited about using Garage Band myself and I am eager to explore the other possibilities of the program. I had a conversation with the Computers teacher at my practicum school who is hoping to have students use Garage Band to create their own soundtrack for a Claymation project that they are working on. I will be interested to monitor the students progress and hopefully learn some more skills myself.

I have just watched an excellent video posting on Linda’s blog page from an Indian community. I think the key for getting on top of how to use technology effectively is to use technology regularly enough that you don’t forget. I can’t help but give thanks for the excellent access to technology we have here in Australia. I think we take for granted sometimes just the opportunities we have here. I know that socio-economic factors will play a role in how many students will have access to technology, it is fair to say though in Australia, you wouldn’t have to cram into a bus that comes to town once a week to get a dose of technology. I believe we should be making the most of what we have and reminding our students of how fortunate we are as well by showing videos like the one posted on Linda’s page.

Have a look at some Primary School students and their thoughts on using technology in the classroom. There are some great ideas for uses of technology that could be implemented in our future teaching. I found particularly interesting the race around Australia project that is mentioned.
Download Video: Posted by paulfuller75 at TeacherTube.com.

According to reports in Side by Side (The Newspaper for NSW Public schools) Issue 15 Feb 2008, government schools are set to be the recipients of somewhere in the vacinity of $158 million dollars in funding to enhance technology and internet speed. Initially 200 schools will benefit when the funding commences in July  but the  aim is for all public schools to have their fair share by 2011.

I feel that the implications of this for us as Primary School teachers is that we are going to be working in an environment in which we have access to tools for learning that are vastly different from the classrooms we were once students in. We will need to adapt to these changes and be equipped to deliver lessons in  ways that not only utilise the technology but also have a rationale for doing so. Students will benefit if we critically think about the use of technology in our classrooms and not merely use the technology available just for the sake of it.

I will be interested to monitor how well this funding is utilised by schools to maximise the students learning potential.