Reflective Synopsis

E-learning is the use of electronic sources such as programs, websites, phones and tablets, adobe documents and many more in the classroom to teach students in the classroom in an interactive and enjoyable fashion.  The strategy is about engaging the digital generation, improving individualised learning opportunities, sparking innovation in learning, enhancing teachers’ digital pedagogy and getting the best from schools’ ICT investment (Queensland Government: Department of Education, Training and the Arts, 2008). E-learning allows students to receive information in a way in which they understand and process the information. When Digital media can be observed and controlled it makes for a great tool to teach students but when incorrectly monitored can develop into a problem. Teachers must display ongoing commitment to lifelong learning to stay current with technologies and interactive media which can be used in the classroom.

It is important when using digital media to ensure students are only accessing safe sites where a learner can feel safe and operate freely within the law. Teachers must always monitor the students to ensure they are searching or posting information which is essential for the task and not becoming distracted from the task or searching inappropriate sources where the students may become endangered or endanger others in the classroom.  The ethical considerations of e-learning relate to social and cultural diversity, bias, geographical diversity, learner diversity, information accessibility, etiquette, and the legal issues (e.g., policy and guidelines, privacy, plagiarism, copyright) (Khan, 2001). Mobile phones can be hard to monitor due to privacy rights because the students may have private information recorded on these devices. Computers can be easily provided by a school which a student can use safely and can be monitored wirelessly from a computer. 

Many online spaces such as blogs allow students to add information on the site collaboratively and create an information database which all students in the class and around the world can access while being maintained by a teacher to ensure security, correctness of information and students’ information is relevant. Blogs can also be used for a teacher to follow a student’s progression through a subject when the student uploads segments of an assignment and provide feedback to the student. The students can collaborate and correlate information in a space which can be accessed anywhere in the world to help each other and provide feedback on each other’s work to attain the best possible marks.

Digital Pedagogy is defined as the convergence of technical skills, pedagogical practices and understanding curriculum design appropriate for digital learners. Digital Pedagogy used effectively supports, enhances and transforms teaching and learning to provide rich, diverse and flexible learning opportunities for a digital generation (Queensland Government: Department of Education, Training and the Arts, 2008). Pedagogy constructs a starting point in which a teacher can engage students in learning a vast basis of knowledge in an extremely purposeful and significant way. When using media like blogs, Google Earth, Wikispaces, images, movies and audio students  can collaborate and create their own learning spaces which can be edited by students and teachers and viewed by parents and the school and help each other learn new information in a way which they can relate to.

In an effort to use E-learning teachers must become life-long learners and keep updating their knowledge of different media devices and online tools to relay information to their students in a safe, unbiased and ethical manner. Lifelong learning is a process which is used outside of the classroom and is usually self-motivated and allows someone to attain more information and expand their memory bank to help teach others or use it in their field of work. In a modern society lifelong learning is essential for all professions no matter their field. Teachers must constantly research changing digital devices as to how safe they are for students and whether or not the students can use these devices in a safe manner without exposing themselves to danger outside and within the classroom and will not create an online space for students to bully each other and if it does can it be monitored to ensure that this doesn’t happen. 

I conclusion by using E-learning and staying up to date with current practices and technologies a teacher can help a student broaden their education in a enjoyable and relevant fashion. Students find it easier to study when they are in an interactive and easy to understand especially when the student comes from a digital generation. These skills will not only show in the classroom but outside the classroom in a social aspect with a more diverse range of subject which the student will be able to talk about. This will ensure students can reach their full potential and achieve in life to their maximum ability.

Retrieved from Queensland Government: Department of Education, Training and the Arts

Retrieved from A Framework for E-Learning

References

Khan, B. H. (2001, December 18). A Framework for E-learning. Retrieved from e-learning: Content, Teachnology & Services for Corporate, Government & Higher Education: http://lomo.kyberia.net/diplomovka/webdownload/partial/elearningmag.com/E-Learning%20-%20A%20Framework%20for%20E-learning.pdf

Queensland Government: Department of Education, Training and the Arts. (2008, August). Smart Classroom BYTES. Retrieved from Education Queensland: http://education.qld.gov.au/smartclassrooms/documents/strategy/pdf/scbyte-elearning.pdf

Reflection 5

By using new technologies a student can expand their knowledge with a variety of informative websites, browsing tools, mapping tools and interactive devices. These technologies are ‘open ended’ and are infinite as every day new devices are being invented with new purposes. Some can help the student learn information through informative and educational games and some are through real life images which would normally not be able to be accessed by a student due to its location and can be viewed in three dimensional models. I find the most useful of these tools to be Google Earth. Google Earth allows a student to select a particular destination and view it in a three dimensional format. Students can also access views of not only Earth but images of Mars, the Moon and also views of the known universe using collated images which have been taken by the Hubble Telescope.

If a student is in a classroom in which they need to study landmarks around the world they can use Google Earth to view these in a three dimensional space and examine the landmarks and features around them. This is a very useful tool to educate students while being fun and interactive so students will maintain focus. Google Earth will also give links to websites and photos of the landmarks when clicked on. This allows the student to easily gather information about a topic including the history, dimensions and whether it is a natural or manmade occurrence. 

Google Earth can also be accessed through other devices such as phones and tablets so students can take their findings home with them. This technology is not only used by students but professionals worldwide. Using this tool many organisations have made outstanding discoveries such as new rainforests not known previously to modern civilization with various new life forms and plants, Giant Mammal fossils found in a desert in Egypt believed to be an ancient whale, Ancient fishing techniques used to catch whales and sharks off the west coast of Wales, Ancient caves which led to the discovery of a humanoid skeleton which is believe to be a missing link in the human evolution chain, Remains of an ancient civilization in Italy and the world’s most perfectly preserved crater found in the Sahara.

By using these tools students can observe and collate information to better understand certain landmarks and cities. This tool can not only be used by student worldwide but also professionals to find new formations and discoveries with high scholarly value.

Mt Mabu, Mozambique. Previously undiscovered rainforest with various new species of plant and animal photo taken with Google Earth

Stonehenge photo taken in Google Earth

The Louvre Museum photo taken in Google Earth

Washington Monument photo taken in Google Earth

The White House photo taken in Google Earth

Reflection 4

With new technologies becoming available every day teachers can broadcast large amounts of information with ease. The use of tools allows teachers to gather, collate and convey information from multiple sources easily. Having the internet so readily available allows for easy gathering of reliable information from multiple sources and with programs such as windows movie maker and Microsoft power point we can easily collate this information into an easy to understand format. These sources can usually be accessed by students remotely and created and edited by students easily making them great multimedia tools for students to use in presentations. There are also many online tools such as Google Maps and Google Earth which can be used for students to get an up close view of certain landmarks with Google Street view and satellite imaging.

In programs like PowerPoint you can create screens that effectively incorporate colourful text and photographs, illustrations, drawings, tables, graphs, and movies and transition from one to another like a slide show. This allows for interesting and captivating slideshows which effectively convey information with the use of images and video and appeals to most of the intelligences described by Howard Gardener. Having more resources available to the student through site sound reading and video it allows the student to retain the highest amount of information possible and achieve their full potential.

Using online resources such as Google Earth, Google Maps, online concept mapping and online timelines can be an interactive and exciting way for students to learn while giving them a chance to interact with technology. Using Google Earth can be interesting for students to observe particular landmarks which they may be learning about in class and can be used both on computers and mobile devices such as phones and tablets. Students can even access Google Earth to observe sites which are not in this world such as the moon or mars as well as constellations and galaxies. 

By using these tools one can gather and collate information into a reliable format which is easy to create and understand while make it interactive to allow students to emerge themselves into the information and activity and enable them to reach their full potential.

Eiffel Tower photo taken in Google Earth

Empire State Building photo taken in Google Earth

Mt.Everest photo taken in Google Earth

Sydney Opera House photo taken in Google Earth

Reflection 3

Images, Audio and videos are very useful tools which can be used in the classroom to improve the experience for the learner. Video is the most effective of these three tools because it has a combination of images and audio to immerse the learner and improve the retention of information. Video has become a large part of modern society and is used in the classroom on a regular basis. Teachers can use simple programs such as windows movie maker to create videos to relate to a particular section of work as well as media streaming sites like YouTube which often have educational videos uploaded. Videos can help for teaching distance education students.

Images can also help students understand in the way of diagrams and figures. Images allow the student to see what is being explained to them and can often help the student understand the topic. Images are usually readily available in many outlets such as books, internet and many more making it easy to obtain. Images can also be a useful tool to have the student create their own diagrams or posters to explain their view on the subject and the teacher can determine how much the student understands the subject.

Audio is a great tool which can be used for teaching students of various cultures because of the ability to change the language so the same subject can be taught to those who speak a different language. It can also be used in a regular classroom or for distance education and can be accessed at any time period. Students can record sound in the classroom to take back to their home and re-listen to the audio of the teacher to help understand the teaching area. 

These types of learning and teaching tools are often referred to as modes of presentation. These modes play a heavy role in Howard Gardiners Multiple Intelligences.   Howard Gardiner developed the idea that each person learns in a different way and by taking his test you can identify the best way someone can take in the maximum amount of information. By having this knowledge of your students and incorporating it with various forms of image, video and audio learning, you can help students achieve at their maximum potential. 

Image retrieved from http://educ732.courseblock.com/module04/topic-4-2-gardner’s-multiple-intelligences-theory/

Reflection 2

Blog Reflection

Strengths • Cannot be adjusted by someone without the proper authority. • They can be easily attained, designed and used by adults and children of all ages. • Easily up-dateable. • Can be easily monitored by teachers, students and parents.	Weaknesses • Children can post inappropriate comments if not properly informed. • Bullying can exist in blogging. • Information in online blogs can be untruthful or inaccurate as well as bias. • Blogging can often be time consuming. • All online modes can be ‘hacked’ and changed.
Opportunities • In blogging one can have large followings of people observing the blog. • Blogs can often be easily publicised. • Blogging creates opportunities to include distance education students into the class and also children who are sick or away.	Threats • The blog can be abused if not properly monitored by an authority figure. • Risk of abuse by not only students but undesirables. • Students and parents can often be scared off by the idea due to privacy issues.

A web log or blog for short can be an extremely useful tool if used correctly. These blogs can enable a teacher to follow the students’ progression through the subject closely and will be able to assist the student if they feel they are having difficulty. These blogs can be easily designed and students often enjoy using them and a resource. Though if used incorrectly the blog can be dangerous to the students, teachers, parents and the school. Bullying is a very real threat on blogs and can often be emotionally traumatising to students. Information on these blogs can often be inaccurate because they are people’s personal opinions and can often be bias. Schools, teachers, parents and students often shy away from the idea of using blogs as an educational tool because of the privacy issues which can occur. 

Wikispaces Reflection

Strengths • Learning and teaching on a wikispace is vast and can be adapted to any class. • Critical reflections and analysis can be developed with the use of scaffolding. • Easy to use and input information by both the user and the designer. • Students can have their input in an online collaborative workplace.	Weaknesses • Wiki’s are often banned and misunderstood in schools. • Bullying can occur on in the collaborative space. • Can sometimes be hard to use while editing when using tables, etc. • Often hard to draw curriculum to a close in this kind of online workplace.
Opportunities • Can help students become aware of problems which they may face at a later date for example copyright laws and loss of work through site shutdown. • Students can learn to design their own wiki. • Creates opportunities for distance education students to collaborate with their classmates.	Threats • There is a risk of abuse in the online working space. • If the wiki is misused there may be loss of content or vandalised work. • Risk of bullying is huge when in these online faceless work places.

Wikispaces are a great tool because they are a collaborative workplace where students can comment on each other’s work and the task at hand while including those who are not within the classroom. Because of the uses of wikispaces it can be adopted and used for almost any kind of class. The idea of critical reflections and analysis can be developed while using a scaffolding program. These spaces are easy to use and easy to develop though when in editing and trying to use tables can sometimes be difficult. Wikis must be constantly monitored to ensure that the students do not post inappropriate information or bully other students in the collaborative environment. If edited a student or teacher can sometimes accidently delete information posted by others therefore the work of that person would be unnoticed. 

Website Reflection

Strengths • Students can connect with other students worldwide not just in their classroom. • Can include hyperlinks on the website to link to other website, blogs, informative and educational games and other modes of information. • Very unlikely to be hacked by an external user. • A great way to convey newly discovered sites and information to students.	Weaknesses • Unless very well designed by a professional websites tend to be static and not very interactive for students to share their thoughts. • Knowledge of web design is often needed to create an interesting website.
Opportunities • Students often realise that sharing information via this mode needs to be accurate and they perform proper research. • Websites can be managed by the teacher to ensure that the students are receiving accurate information on a particular subject matter.	Threats • Information must be accurate so that the students receive the proper information. • Very real threat of copyright laws being breached. • If one was to lose their username and password for the editing to the site the site would be rendered useless and cannot be updated.

Because of the worldwide possibilities students can often communicate and collaborate with students not only in their class but around the world. The available information that can be linked to a site is endless. Websites can be a very good way to convey new information to students and the teacher can monitor haw accurate the information on the sites are. The information which is posted on to a website must be accurate and the students must perform appropriate research before publishing information. When a website is poorly designed they can often be static and not very interactive. Knowledge of web design and creation is often needed to create a website that interests students and allows students to perform feedback on the information. 

Reflection 1

This week a task was put forward to share our opinions on the use as mobile phone in class as a learning tool for students on the wiki http://debonoshats.wikispaces.com/home. This wiki was broken up into six sections which contained the six De Bono thinking hats. These thinking hats are the black hat or negative hat, the blue hat or process hat, the green hat or creative hat, the red hat or intuitive hat, the yellow hat or positive hat and the white hat or objective hat. By using the wiki as a learning device we were able to share our ideas with other students and compare our thoughts to the thoughts of others.

De Bono’s hats are a really effective way of weighing up the positives and negatives of an idea as well as allowing you to develop new ideas and implementation techniques which you would not normally think of. They also allow me to reflect on my own opinions and I was able to compare my ideas to others and realise that my ideas of the use of mobile phones may be mistaken if I incorporate their thoughts. De Bono’s thinking hats are certainly a really useful tool and I will use them in my future career. 

My first thoughts were very negative towards mobile phones in the classroom putting me within the Black hat way of thinking. But when forced to think about the other hats and having questions posed to me, I began to find some positive and creative ideas of mobiles phone use in the classroom. After further research I found a study by Duncan, Hoekstra, and Wilcox (2012) demonstrated that students who reported regular cell phone use in class showed an average negative grade difference. This then started turning my thoughts negative and although there are many great things that can come out of mobile phones, the temptation and distraction they can cause is too great. Another interesting fact I found is that while students are using mobile phones in class other students will become distracted as a result (Tindell & Bohlander, 2011). While the mobile is distraction to the student using it, it is also a distraction to the students around so the negatives of cell phones in the classroom outweigh the positives. 

References

Duncan, D., Hoekstra, A., & Wilcox, B. (2012). Digital Devices, distraction, and student Performance: does in-class cell phone use reduce learning? Astronomy Education Review, 11, 010108-1.

Tindell, D., & Bohlander, R. (2011). The use and abuse of cell phones and text messaging in the classroom: A survey of college students. College Teaching, 60, Pgs. 1-9.

Image retrieved from http://www.mindwerx.com/cmpreview-mind-mapping-overview/files/imagecache/node-view/Mind_Map_Summary_Six_thinking_Hats.png on 12^th July 2013