E Learning Student Assessment Task 2 Reflective, Analysis & Evaluation Blog

E learning capabilities can augment and enhance learning in collaborative processes, while also allowing for individual creativity. In our 21^st Century learners we are developing life long learners that will become knowledge workers. Learners of today are evolving in a world of learner centered development, ever changing design and teaching approaches, refocusing teachers to discover creative ways to encompass e learning activities in the classroom. As a student teacher or even a current teacher we could, and I would recommend undertaking different activities that involve the use of Information Technology (IT) before you let your students loose on the world wide web. These activities can be part any teachers personal development, as the following analysis shows, so join me in looking at the steps I’ve taken in my learning, as a student teacher to develop my knowledge and skills in creating, understanding, using, developing and exploring the functions of technologies through blogs, wiki’s and web site creation. Strengthen learning outcomes, identifying context and designing learning opportunities that develop higher order thinking creativity, knowledge, and wisdom to enable the transformation of skills.

Lets find out what I need to be a 21 Century tech savvy teacher, motivator, facilitator and enabler of learning and implement E Learning tools in the classroom;

The three technologies we will be looking and they are Blogs, Wiki’s and Websites, though I will touch on all three, I will be focusing on one, in this blog and you guessed it The Blog wins (Time constraints and real life impacts). I can feel everyone nodding their heads :)

What do I already know about Tech you ask – Well I will admit I’m still a learner so, lets see;

I know that I can create a blog, post, add links, photos and YouTube video’s. (Refer to last week’s blog J)

I know that I learn best when I actively participate so the next step is to jump in and test with a few tech-learning tools
I know that a blog or web log allows people to write, respond and share like an interactive journal or diary with a few fun functionality editions that you can post entries in chronological order and collaborative capabilities for others to comment on these journal entries. Haag & Cummings 2009

In trying to understand a wiki I created one :) and added in a quick page and discussion. If you don't have a go you never how you will go or where to set your benchmark to improve.
The creation of my ELearningStudentLearningSpace wiki was an interesting journey of going back and forward between the technical instructions and experimentation as the website configuration and look has changed, which meant I worked on my resilience and preserving skills too.

Wiki's? are/ is

"A wiki is a type of website that allows users to easily add and edit content and is especially suited to collaborative writing." O'Neill & Knight 2007
(Chapter 6, page 51, E:Learning: a catalyst for a futures orientation, Paul O'Neill & Bruce Allen Knight)

Activity that was created
Using be Bono 6 Thinking Hats - Answer the Discussion Questions for later evaluation and analysis

History of the Scaffold - This scaffolding tool will enhance understanding of wiki's through critical thinking (analysis and reflection), collaboration, communication and creative skills, to identify and describe specific facts about wiki's (declarative knowledge). Though this you will be learning ways to perform

Discussion Topics

What can this technology do?
What learning outcomes can they support in a classroom?
What sorts of materials/activities will they support?

Still awaiting input from other collaborators

Websites

Having created and shutdown a website for my Dance School - Eminence Dance I can identify some of the pros and cons from past experience or what I already know form using, and it is constant, updating, adding of information as it comes to hand and can be linked to a blog as well as a Facebook site. When I created the site I was all h enthusiastic and found a pretty template and put heaps of information in but forgot to check the functionality and how people would navigate the site and so Yep there were issues but once I got the hang of it I was able to change templates. I achieved via a website provider by the name of Squarespace and had interactive enrolment forms which were sent to me via email once students had enrolled in classes, this intern helped with identifying initial numbers and whether I need to book extra times or could remove age group classes. Anyway long story short they are goo if your using them for longterm but need updating with current information regularly and will be offline when you are
doing maintenance. This site has now been unpublished.

Back to creating a Blog

I know that I believe that I’m capable of doing this!

ICT Technologies Being used	Plus +	Minus -	Implications
ICT Technologies Being used	What are some positive to these ELearning Tools?	What are the negative to these ELearning Tools?	Implications of technology on learning in the classroom

Attach document link for PMI table mmmm an just how do I do that? Lets see :) may be create a link so I create an anchor by highlighting the word PMI analysis and evaluation Nope not a link.... Next option mmm maybe I can't do that (and I only have 5 hours until this blog and assessment task 2 are due.......So instead of linking the 4 page document here I'll submit with my assessment task. This to me say's blogs have some limitations to functionality. And after a lot of time rearranging tables here is the PMI for Blogs. Saved document as a web doc and I was all good

Analysis and EvaluationPlus Minus Implications (PMI)

ICT Technologies Analysis & Evaluation
What are some positive to these ELearning Tools?
Blogs Plus+	· Platform to write, respond & share info/opinions (Learnonline) · Ability to; Linking to multimedia, other blogs, peer assessments, & upload other documentation · Development (Declarative) & application (Procedural) of creative & critical thinking (analysis and evaluation) · Small customization capabilities · Easy setup blog with a creation tool & template Eg.Blogger.com · Creates a starting point for discussion s · Learner centered, collaborative links, reflecting identity individual/s or collective tone & feel of the content · Communication & discussion creation of a blog (Procedural) Beneficial professional practice (teaching focus) Noticeboard of research · Creative vision Past to Present Post order · Knowledge development from application of ICT technologies creating benchmarks · Demonstration of how to apply Etiquette & Safety needs for internet use (Procedural) · Uploading, Editing and Sharing Ideas for future learning
What are the negative to these ELearning Tools?
Blogs Minus-	· No functionality to change post or comments made by others · Difficult to manipulate, redesign or customize if big changes are required (higher level of proficiency needed) · Does not teach Etiquette, Safety and Copyright laws in setup of blog · Not everyone has access to these to work on outside of the classroom
Implications of technology on learning and learning outcomes in the classroom
Blog Implications	Behaviorism Knowledge (K) – demonstration of understanding by creating a blog, development & application of blog capabilities. Understanding & use of Internet Safety, Copyright & Netiquette rules Learning Process (LP) – Describing How What and Why has been learnt in using, creating & participating in blog/s learning activities related discovering uses as learning tool, by answering predefined questions & extend knowledge through safe discovery Motivation (M)- Student Positive: Individual ownership of the blog, creative engagement & collaboration, self directed learning. Student Negative: Undertaking the activity the old fashion way Teacher Positive: engaging students & transforming learning. Teacher Negative: Monitoring of correct use of technology Approach (A)– Positive usage & description of own use of a blog and supplying an example of a blog that I’ve created myself to the students Learning Design (LD) – Progress of knowing little to blog creation, expanding upon knowledge & skill within engagement & dialogs to develop blogs for life long learner Knowledge – Wisdom – Transformation Know that – Know how - know why Cognitive Constructivism K - Cognitive analysis of Blog environment, design & review of ideas, goals, create, use & discuss LP – Trialing links, embedding & debate topic expand gen of blogs M – Self motivation to create, learn, develop and discuss ideas A – Providing students with knowledge of Social responsibility and ethical behavior and the facilities/mlearning tools to create a blog in individual and group activities LD – Scaffolding under the umbrella of blended learning to compliment the learning styles identified in the classroom, individual and collaborative blog tasks Social Construction K – Demonstrate, develop and retain knowledge through analysis and evaluation of blogs and posted topics in collaboration with other learners LP – Singular and cooperative us of blogs M – Participation and contribute to learning, developing and discussion of blogs A – Activities that promote collaborative learning of blogs LD – Activities that link (PBL) project based learning, (PMI plus, minus, implications and others to cover blended learning to enable learner centered learner transformation, knowledge & peer partaking Explore blogs build creative avenues for ideas through Reflective – Journals/Diaries, Reviews, Editorials/Articles, Personal, News

Blogs and the SAMR Lens

Figure 1. mLearning is learning that is personalised, situated, and connected through the use of a mobile device. http://eric.ed.gov.ezproxy.cqu.edu.au/?id=EJ1036281

SAMR model As mLearning activities are developed, there is a need for a framework within which mLearning activities can be evaluated outlined by Romrel, Kidder & Wood in The Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks Volume 18 Abstract.

To help identify which tool best suits a learning group I used a Plus Minus Implications (PMI) scaffold in this example, that I could utilise in the classroom as a critical thinking tool to help identify which learning tool might work best with and then link it to other approaches for a blended learning scaffolding. This on I felt was long winded and I would really have preferred the interactive and creative capacities of a mind map

Note: See elearncqu.wikispaces.com/pmi for further details on this scaffolding

and other good one is
Learnonline, Critical Thinking Ideas, Strategies to support critical thinking using a blog or wiki

Critical Think for curriculum for years 7-12 can be access via the ACARA website
"Critical and creative thinking 55. Students develop capability in critical and creative thinking as they learn to generate and evaluate knowledge, clarify concepts and ideas, seek possibilities, consider alternatives and solve problems. Critical and creative thinking are integral to activities that require students to think broadly and deeply using skills, behaviours and dispositions such as reason, logic, resourcefulness, imagination and innovation in all learning areas and subjects.

What can blogs as a learning tool do?" ACARA p17

What sorts of materials/activities will a blog they support?

Examples of classroom use illustrated by applications in your own teaching context:

Create a blog (Journal/Storyboard) about your learning journey related to an activity or task and incorporate E Learning tools in creating a presentation.

Some examples below or choice another of learning;

Starting Point - Select a Topic

Option 1

The differences between your chosen area in the 1960's and 2015. (eg. businesses, dance styles or prominent drama's of these eras)

Option 2

Create proposal (eg New Business, New Dance Company, New Television Series)

Option 3

Create a marketing poster (for your business, dance show or play)
(Discuss options and ideas with your teacher)
Toolkit for Marketing Modern Dance

Identify 6 points on or about your subject area topic,
(in any order you like as long as your come to a consensus on 6 points)

Discuss

using classroom wiki space

Analyse & Evaluate

using SWOT analysis / PMI / de Bono's 6 Thinking Hats

Brainstorm

With a Mind Maps

Discuss findings and come to a consensus of which 6 ideas you will focus on

Analyse and Evaluate - using de Bono's 6 Thinking Hats - on a wiki or blog post

Individually work on one idea/point each then collaborate your findings in a presentation, delivered in a creative style of your choice

Reflection on each step of this assessment in you learning journal/blog/wiki etc.

Business Student Activity:

Changes in business - As a group, duo or create a mind map, undertake a Swot analysis and present your findings as presentation in your chosen medium and reflect on this in your blog.

Dance - Student Activity: As a group, duo or create a mind map, Brainstorm with a mindmap and present your findings as presentation in your chosen medium and reflect on this in your blog.

Drama - Student Activity: As a group, duo or create a mind map, undertake a Swot analysis and present your findings as presentation in your chosen medium and reflect on this in your blog.
Strong contextual and related to students you teach.

ICT use for learning - own use - student (focus)

How will this technology be used in your classroom as each level of the model?

http://langwitches.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/blogging-amplificaton-literacy.jpg

Communication of Digital Citezenship

Legal, safe and ethical principles including;

Internet Etiquette - netiquette

The etiquette guidelines that govern behaviour when communicating on the Internet have become known as netiquette. Netiquette covers not only rules of behaviour during discussions but also guidelines that reflect the unique electronic nature of the medium. Netiquette usually is enforced by fellow users who are quick to point out infractions of netiquette rules. The summary of email rules in the information below is based on published sources such as Shea's (2004) online book, Netiquette. Rboyler, Doering 2013

Connections with Curriculum

Microsoft Copyright - http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/legal/Copyright/Default.aspx

"Information and communication technology (ICT) competence 67. Students develop ICT capability as they learn to use ICT effectively and appropriately to access, create and communicate information and ideas, solve problems and work collaboratively in all learning areas and subjects at school, and in their lives beyond school. ICT capability involves students in learning to make the most of the technologies available to them, adapting to new ways of doing things as technologies evolve and limiting the risks to themselves and others in a digital environment. 68. In Civics and Citizenship students develop the knowledge and skills to use digital technologies to locate, manage, organise, analyse, represent and present information, and to collaborate, share and exchange information and support thinking and engagement. ICT capability will be particularly important for students in research and in collecting and analysing data related to Civics and Citizenship." ACARA 2014 p20

Media, Networks and Global Amplification
Discussions, Research and Practical Application of Safe practice regarding all eLearning, can be delivered using a lot of multimedia tools, that as assessable all over the world through the world wide web and an Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBce25r8vto

Reflection:
Like this post I reflect that I've run out of time and so must adjourn may eLearning journey and try again to start on next weeks blog before thursday. Hope you found some helpful tips, hints and ideas. Hopefully I've also left you room to ponder some of the questions in this blog for yourself and the implications in the class room. I dare say I've missed something, but I'm sure I will return to develop further my understanding of all that is out there in the world of eLearning

ELearningStudentCQUBlog

Friday, 31 July 2015