Assignment 2 - Analysis of Digital Technologies

This reflective synopsis will analyse the link between a select group of elearning technologies and the theory of elearning.  Through an analysis of the elearning technologies; Wikis, Digital Images, Glogster and Elluminate I will demonstrate how each tool has the potential to enhance, support and transform student learning.  By understanding the importance of the interrelated components of elearning, I will demonstrate the integral role information communication technologies (ICTs) play in transforming the “what”, “how”, “when” and “where” of learning in the 21st century.  My reflective synopsis will also consider the legal, safe and ethical guidelines associated with the use of each of these tools (Click here for a general overview). I will conclude with a summation of what I consider valuable elearning technologies.

Effective elearning is flexible, collaborative, interactive learning that is delivered and enabled using ICTs (Smart Classrooms Bytes, “Elearning for smart classrooms”, 2008, p. 12). In a 21st century classroom using digital technologies is just one of the components that contribute to a successful strategy for elearning. To maximise the effectiveness of elearning it must work with three interrelated and co-dependent components;
1.    Digital Pedagogy
2.    Digital Content
3.    eLearning Spaces.
(Smart Classrooms Bytes, “Elearning for smart classrooms”, 2008, p. 2)

Digital pedagogy is the backbone of successful elearning. Without an effective digital pedagogical framework, the use of digital tools in the classroom is ineffective (Rablin, 2005).  Technologies have changed learning in a way that means students can now “find and evaluate information and construct new knowledge” themselves (Smart Classrooms Bytes, “Elearning for smart classrooms”, 2008, p. 1). In effect the digital medium enables students to “cut, paste, change, add, edit, re-combine – and make something new” at the click of a mouse (Spender & Stewart, 2002, p. 16). Digital Pedagogy brings a new way of working and learning with ICTs to facilitate this shift in the way 21st century students learn (Smart Classrooms Bytes, “Elearning for smart classrooms”, 2008, p. 3). If used effectively then Digital Pedagogy will enhance, support and transform teaching and learning to provide “the basis for engaging students in actively constructing and applying rich learning in purposeful and meaningful ways” (Smart Classrooms Bytes, “Elearning for smart classrooms”, 2008, p. 3).

Constructivism is a learning theory that encapsulates the objectives of effective digital pedagogy and supports the learning and the flexible nature of 21st century learners. The underlying framework of constructivism is built on the notion that “learning is an active process in which learners construct new ideas or concepts based upon their current/past knowledge” (Bruner n.d). In the context of a 21st century elearning environment, students use ICTs to construct or scaffold new ideas to create their own knowledge base using complex higher order thinking skills. Digital Pedagogies shape the “how” component of learning in the 21st century.

Digital content is the second of the integral components that work together to maximise the effectiveness of elearning. Digital content comprises the learning objects that are used to enhance, support and transform student learning, for example podcasts and video. This element of elearning shapes the “what” component of learning in the 21st century. It refers to both “what” is used to teach the students and also “what” the students create using the digital content. It is important to remember that the success of learning with ICTs is dependant on the appropriateness and the effectiveness of the digital pedagogy used.

Elearning spaces are the final component of effective elearning. They are the online spaces or environments where teachers and students, formally or informally design, create, innovate, share and learn (Smart Classrooms Bytes, “Elearning for smart classrooms”, 2008, p. 8). Examples of elearning spaces can either be online communities such as virtual classrooms, a wiki or a Moodle where communication and collaboration can occur or physical spaces such as a library. Elearning spaces effectively shape the “where” and “when” of 21st century learning opening up the classroom walls and extending the access of resources from 9am-3pm to a 24/7 anywhere, anytime approach.

Chalmers and Chandra (2010) state that the Internet is rapidly becoming an agent which is changing how humans learn. Web 2.0 means that students are able to actively share knowledge through elearning spaces. A wiki is a flexible, collaborative and interactive elearning space. It allows multiple users to access an online space to contribute, add or edit content. The flexible nature of a wiki stems from its accessibility. All that is needed to access a wiki is a computer with a browser and an Internet connection (Choy & Ng, 2007), making it easy for students to access from home and further contribute to the “where” and “when” components of 21st century learning. I have selected a wiki for my chosen elearning technology for Group 1(Click here). 

Effective digital pedagogy is key to engaging students in successful elearning using a wiki.  By using a framework built on a combination of Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy and Learning Engagement theory (Refer to my blog posting on Effective eLearning Design) suitable lessons can be designed that challenge students to use higher order thinking skills and have them engaged in collaborative and meaningful activities. For example, in the context of a year 11 art class adding an ICT such as a wiki is an extremely valuable addition to the classroom. Visual and aural content can be added to a wiki to form the basis of an online discussion. On the wiki I created for Group 1 technologies (Click here), high level analysis is supported with a discussion scaffolded by a thinking routine such as a PMI on a topic related to Pop Art. Students are encouraged to work in pairs and conduct their own research on the topic and upload their findings to share with the class. This process of learning aligns with the “Relate-Create-Donate” principles of the Learning Engagement Theory whilst the thinking skills align with Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy. 

An important aspect of Kearsley and Shneiderman’s (1999) Learning Engagement Theory is that students must not only be meaningfully engaged in learning activities but also be engaged in learning activities that have links to the real world. Another beneficial feature of a wiki is being able to have a live list of resources that place the students in a real world context. For example on my wiki I have included a page of links. These links “support students to look outward” (Kopelke, 2010) and provide them with access to websites that allow them to upload their portfolios. Here they can network with industry professionals and be provided with feedback on their work. When students are participating in an online environment it is important to acknowledge the legal, safe and ethical guidelines. To ensure students have access to this information I have included a page on the wiki containing important information relating to the students (Click here to view the ‘terms’ page). It can be seen that by adding a wiki to a year 11 Art class the students learning is transformed and they become engaged in ways that simply weren’t possible before ICTs.

Marcus (2005) states that the power and prevalence of digital technologies in our culture have brought with it significant change to the traditional notions of language and literacy. What used to be unimodal and textual is now multimodal combining visual and aural elements with textual elements (The New Media Consortium, 2005, p. 1). Because Imagery in the 21st century is such a powerful tool in communication and being visually literate is so important in today’s digital society, I have selected Images as the basis of my analysis for the second group of elearning technologies (Click here). 

As with any elearning technology if it is not underpinned with appropriate digital pedagogy then the process of elearning is considered to be ineffective. In today’s digital media, images are rarely used on just a superficial level alone.  All images have “the potential to transcend traditional language and evoke an emotional response” (The New Media Consortium, 2005, p. 3). This notion that images alone are enough to communicate powerful messages and evoke certain emotions is at the forefront of the pedagogy and the purpose of using this elearning technology. The reflection on my blog places the use of imagery in advertising into the context of a year 9 media class.  The objective of asking the students questions such as:
    What do you see?,
    What do you think about that? And
    What does it make you wonder?
(Harvard Project Zero n.d) engages students in higher order thinking skills and therefore they are able to think critically about what they are “reading” in the image. “Higher order thinking skills represent abilities to imagine and create with the symbols, to synthesise information, to solve problems by designing and inventing with the symbols” (Marcus, 2005). The objective of using this elearning technology with the pedagogy is to transform the way students “see” and “read” imagery, resulting in the students using tools to digitally manipulate and create imagery that evokes an emotional response. Even though students see and use imagery everyday they might not realise the power it has to influence them (Healy, 2008, p. 83). Having enhanced visual literacy skills will support students navigation through this ever evolving digital world. The Statutory Text and Artistic Licence make it possible for students to edit an original image (Click here for more information on my blog)

Glogster is an elearning space that encapsulates all the key components of successful elearning. It combines effective digital pedagogy with digital content in an elearning space. Glogster is a multi-sensory online environment where students can present the digital content they have created through designing, innovating, sharing and learning on their Glog. Glogster forms the basis of my group 3 elearning technology analysis. Click here to read my reflection and references to legal, safe and ethical guidelines.

If we align Glogster to a constructivists framework and think about how this elearning technology allows students to actively construct and present their ideas based upon their current and past knowledge (Bruner n.d) then we can begin to see how useful Glogster is as an effective ICT. In the context of a classroom students might bring together digital content they have created for a particular unit into their Glog and present it in a way that allows for a group discussion or an opportunity for feedback. The functionality in Glogster supports the capacity to test new ideas through social negotiation and collaboration (Learning Theories Knowledgebase, 2008) and this is an essential part of learning in the 21st century.

In my blog reflection I have shown the potential of Glogster in a year 9 photography class. Glogster helps to develop and support the skills around the “new literacies” by combining different visual/aural languages (Marcus, 2005). The representation of colour, sound, space, light, rhythm, movement, line, shape and texture are all possible in a glog, supporting student’s visual literacy skills. Glogster presents information in a way that was not possible before ICTs. By combining so many elements essential to successful elearning, this tool can clearly enhance and transform how a student learns and creates in the 21st century.

Elearning spaces provide students with endless gateways to online learning, communications and collaborations (Smart Classrooms Bytes, “Elearning for smart classrooms”, 2008, p. 8). Elluminate is an elearning space that brings together the functionality of video, web conferencing, instant messaging, phone, social networking and file sharing in a safe and secure online environment. When combined with effective digital pedagogy there is no end to the possibilities that this tool offers effective elearning. Elluminate will form the final analysis of my chosen elearning technologies (Click here).

The most important aspect of teaching in the 21st century is that we must engage students with lessons that are creative, meaningful and authentic (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999). Students need to feel that what they are learning has a direct connection to the “real world”. Elluminate (or any similar online conferencing tool) has the potential to link students directly to industry professionals who can inspire, engage and support students through a particular unit of work. On my blog reflection I have talked about the idea of a class of year 12 art students having an online discussion with a gallery curator from a national art gallery. Elluminate has the potential to transform the concept of the classroom and further enhance and support students learning in the 21st century.

This reflective synopsis demonstrates that by considering the three interrelated components of elearning, ICTs can transform the “what”, “how”, “when” and “where” of student learning in the 21st century. By working within an effective digital pedagogical framework, Wikis, digital images, Glogster and Elluminate have the potential to enhance, support and transform student learning and be considered valuable technologies for elearning.

References:
Bruner, J. (n.d). Constructivist Theory. Retrieved March 14, 2011, from
http://tip.psychology.org/bruner.html

Chalmers, C., & Chandra, V. (2010). Blogs, wikis and podcasts – Collaborative knowledge building tools in a Design and Technology course. Journal of Learning Design, 3(2), 35-49.

Choy, S. O., & Ng, K. C. (2007). Implementing wiki software for supplementing online learning. Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 23(2), 209-226. Retrieved from http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet23/choy.html

Elearning for smart classrooms. (2008, August). Smart Classrooms Bytes. Retrieved from http://education.qld.gov.au/smartclassrooms/strategy/sc-bytes.html

Harvard Project Zero. (n.d). See Think Wonder Routine. Retrieved from http://www.pz.harvard.edu/vt/visibleThinking_html_files/03_ThinkingRoutines/03c_Core_routines/SeeThinkWonder/SeeThinkWonder_Routine.html

Healy, A. (Ed.) (2008). Multi Literacies and Diversity in Education: New Pedagogies for expanding landscapes. South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: Oxford University Press.

Kearsley, G., & Shneiderman, B. (1999) Engagement Theory: A Framework for Technology-Based Teaching and Learning. Retrieved March 15, 2011, from http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm

Kopelke, K. (2010, December). Looking Outward [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://staff.learningplace.eq.edu.au/blog/krisk/Looking-Outward-Keep-your-students-in-the-loop-through-the-use-of-Industry-Portfolios.aspx?PD-REFERER=auth.deta.qld.gov.au

Learning Theories Knowledgebase (2008) Constructivism at Learning-Theories.com. Retrieved March 14th, 2011 from
http://www.learning-theories.com/constructivism.html

Marcus, S. (2005). The 21st Century Literacy Summit. The New Literacies: What is Basic Education Now? Retrieved from CQUniversity e-courses, EDED20491 ICTs for Learning Design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/course/view.php?id=17135

Rablin, A. (2005). Strategies for Supporting the Development of Digital Pedagogies. Quick, 97(Summer), 3-7

Spender, D., & Stewart, F. (2002). Embracing e-Learning in Australian Schools. Retrieved from http://www.bssc.edu.au/public/learning_teaching/curriculum/index.shtml

The New Media Consortium. (2005). A Global Imperative. The Report of the 21st Century Literacy Summit. Retrieved from CQUniversity e-courses, EDED20491 ICTs for Learning Design, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/course/view.php?id=17135

Legal, Safe and Ethical Guidelines in EQ

In this day and age we can't have our eyes closed when it comes to internet safety. There are many sites out their that offer advice for parents, students and teachers on how to make the web a safe environment. Though keep in mind that it can never be entirely safe so care must always be taken. It is too much for me to summarise all the websites and it's probably more accurate to just go and visit them directly. I have taken the pieces that were relevant to each of my chosen 4 tools and have posted them in the relevant blogs. This page is a general resource of links.

Group 1 technology - Year 11 Art Space Wiki

Once I started writing my assignment I realised that my first Wiki (click here to see reflection) didn't really capture the full picture of what a wiki can be. I did a SWOT analysis for this wiki in my teaching context (Click here to view)  which I also don't think fully covered the potential of a wiki. I have since created a new one which I hope better encompasses the potential of a wiki as an elearning technology.
Click here to view the Year 11 Art Space Wiki

Group 4 technology - Elluminate to Connect Students

On Monday night we had our first online conference in Elluminate. It was engaging, interactive, easy and allowed collaboration in an online community. Overall it was a fantastic experience and one that changed my view of the virtual classroom for ever.

Elluminate supports Video, Web Conferencing, Instant messaging, phone, and Social Networking as well as allowing for file sharing. It can be seen that this ICT supports all different learning styles and multiple intelligences

Websites or Wikis?

I found a great site today called theloop.com.au. It is an online resource that allows networking amongst creative industries. Employers can look for new staff, potential employees can look for jobs but perhaps most importantly students can upload their portfolios. This is a fantastic way to get senior students to think outside the 4 walls of the classroom. A quote from Kristine Kopelke's blog on the Learning Place explains it perfectly 'One of the best things about the web is how we can use it to support students to look outward. The web provides our students with unprecedented opportunities to see what others are doing and to use this as a guide to inform their own learning goals'.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
Now I am having a dilemma, are wikis or websites more valuable as learning tools. My heart says wikis but my brain says websites. Perhaps it is the best to get the most out of both tools by using a wiki as the central elearning space where students can post the links to their online portfolio, there can be a resource page that everybody contributes to. This is where links like theloop.com.au could sit. So I guess by using Wikis as my tool of choice from Group 1 I'm not completely pushing websites out the back door. Wikis are simply more interactive and students can upload, download and link to websites from this space.
Good talking with you... thanks for reading my thinking out loud

Mag my Pic

Making a movie in Xtranormal

This is a fantastic tool! So much fun!
Making videos in class can be such timely process. It is easy for students to carried away with the technical side of shooting, compositing, making audio, using sound effects, and editing over and over that they can lose sight of what the original purpose was and the direction they should be taking.
This digital tool breaks it down. It is quick and easy and allows the learning to stay focused on one element of movie making.

Animation for Learning

www.cartoonster.com. I love love love this online resource. I found it on the Learning Place and it takes young students through the concept of Animation enhancing their visual literacy skills and further developing their multiliteracy skills. It is aimed at the younger students but as someone who loves the idea and challenge of turning a couple of still images into a moving sequence I learnt some new techniques. So much fun and potential in this resource.

Tagxedo

 

What a great, quick, fun online tool. Thanks to Kyley for posting this as a suggested digital tool. I can see this being an easy brainstorming exercise. I was a bit of a cheater and just put in the URL of my blog to create my image. If students were doing a quick brainstorm of ideas for a collaborative project they could input their words into a wiki or a google doc and these words could then be uploaded to a collaborative Tagxedo. This could then be displayed in the classroom. It's that easy to integrate ICTs into everyday learning.

Text2Mindmap

The task was to make a concept map to see the value in this online tool. I have used Bubbl.us before for concept mapping (view an example here) and I found it to be much more user friendly, quicker and easier. I've examined this further in the following SWOT analysis on the topic:

Group 3 Technology - Glogster and It's use as an elearning technology

So as it turns out, making a glog is actually pretty fun! That is of course if you have a fast internet connection. My first attempt on my dial up speed failed miserably and left me feeling frustrated for the time I had lost. Once I got on a fast connection I was able to explore freely and see the potential in the learning object. This should be a consideration when choosing such a presentation tool: no super speed broadband = no Glogster

Powerpoint as a Multimedia Authoring Tool

I officially give up on Powerpoint being an effective multimedia authoring tool. I knew there was a reason I hated powerpoint! After seeing some of the examples in the readings and activities I thought I might have been persuaded but after trying unsuccessfully for an hour to upload the file to a file sharing website I officially give up. For the record you can upload a straight boring powerpoint very easily using either google docs or Slideshare, however if you want it to retain the links embedded in the file, forget about it (or it could just be my dial up speed internet).

Digital Videos

I might have taken the easy way around this task by using a video I had already made years ago. The reason I have done this is I think the thinking behind this video is very relevant to our context here. (Please excuse the Low Res upload. I have reached my download limit on my internet and have had to revert back to dial up.... I'm living one of the frustrations of ICTs)

Podcasting For Learning

I've been listening to podcasts for what seems like forever but since the term 'Podcast' has only been around since 2005 (Ben Hammersley)  I guess it hasn't been that long. Podcasts have given me a sense of social interaction when I've needed it. I always listened to Hamish and Andy during those boring days at work, I listen to my favourite Melbourne breakfast Radio show the day after it's aired while I'm getting ready for work. And if I think back really hard I used to listen to the Grey's Anatomy podcasts where the producer and the writer used to give a breakdown of each episode through a funny and informative interview. Before I went to Italy for the first time I listened to a few language podcasts to refresh my language skills.