Week Three – Reflection

This week’s work was all about Virtual Learning Spaces. Lisa Jacka describes Virtual Learning on Blackboard as ‘virtual learning encompasses learning spaces that require a networked connection to a place that contains objects, materials and simulations that enhance learning’.

Our assignment this week was to sign up to SecondLife and create an Avatar – this step was easy. Next we had to explore the virtual world and visit educational places suggested by Lisa – this part was not as easy.

I had a look around several places including NASA, Trinity, OpenUniversities and the SCU Islands. I thought it was a very interesting concept and with time I will get my head around it. However I think I will need several more hours of taping keys and clicking my mouse before I feel more comfortable.

I definitely do see the advantages of using virtual worlds for education. I like how you can explore two types of learning: one being Open-ended and Undirected Learning; and the other Structured, Directed Learning. It looks like a game and works like a game but in actual fact you can use it to your favour and teach with it.

I watched a YouTube video called Practical Examples of using a Virtual 3D Environment for Learning in High School which explores these ideas and how they use them in their school. I really like two activities that they have created for the students. The first is the Maths Labyrinth – where the students have to work their way through by correctly answering Maths questions. As a future Maths teacher I love this idea. The second is the discussion pods – where the students are randomly placed into pairs where they have 5 mins to discuss a topic before they are moved to another pair. I love how this activity promotes socialisation with other students – not necessarily friends – and develops group learning.

As a whole I like the idea of Virtual Worlds used for learning, I just need more practice with them.

Week Two – Reflection

For week two’s work we read Michael Zimmer’s “Tools for the 21st Century Teacher”, which discussed a lot of websites and applications that could be useful to teachers in todays classroom. Websites such as: Twitter, Google, Glogster, Prezi, Drop Box, Quizlet,Wallwisher, TitanPad, Wordle, etc. I see many areas where these websites can be implemented for use in my KLA’s of Mathematics and Music both in the classroom, for assignments and for me to connect with other teachers. However I am apprehensive at the idea of Facebook and Twitter in the classroom.

In one of my current classes at uni I sit next to a guy who uses his laptop for class. Most of his time is spent on Facebook just aimlessly wandering. If a 21 year old can be that easily distracted by it then it worries me what would happen with a class of Year 9 boys on a Friday afternoon???

I am all for using technology in the classroom and I am also all for using Facebook and Twitter, however I think that there are certain limitations that should be adhered to in the classroom. I would not allow Facebook in the classroom at all, but I would with Twitter. I think that Twitter is a more effective Education Tool.

I personally would teach the kids how to set up a Twitter page, if they don’t already have one. Then I would show them how to follow my “teacher” (not personal) account and I would follow them. I would also show them how to use the # tag function and the @ symbol so that they can ask myself or other people questions related to the work. I like that instead of the kids having to wait for a teacher to get around to their question in class they can post it before they get to it and the teacher will have it waiting! This can be used in the same way when they are at home in the afternoon working on their assignments, if they have trouble with a question as soon as they are unsure they can post it on twitter and if any of their friends can help (without just telling them the answers) they can or we can work on it in the next class (again the student won’t be able to forget it).

Another benefit of Twitter would be following people. For example when we are studying a particular topic we can follow people who post on that topic and learn from them and maybe even research some of what has been said. It will probably even teach me a thing or two or plenty.

I personally love the advancements in Technology and think it is fantastic to implement as much as possible in the classroom, however I think that there is a sensible limit.

Week One – Reflection

As I was leaving school in 2007 my high school was just starting to understand this new idea of open learning spaces and involving new technologies in the classroom. Back then it was state of the art experimental learning but unfortunately not much has changed since.

From watching all of the youtube videos that included what students actually wanted for their learning experiences at school I have come to the same conclusion that I also had when I was at school. That more adults need to remember what it is like to be a teenager and a student, to remember the feelings, and remember that students have needs not very different to that of adults.

Students want comfort and safety at school. They want to feel like they have their own identity at school and a sense of belonging. They do not want to be bored. They want colour, colour and more colour. They want to be around nature when they go outside and they want to bring natural light inside. They want to be engaged in the classes and using technologies relevant to them. They want to enjoy their time at school and in class, in the same way that we, as soon-to-be-teachers, want to enjoy being there to teach.

A big part of the lives of todays students is technology. Most of what they do, see, hear, play with, is technology. It is fun and new and exciting and best of all its tangible. They get to play with it!! My 14 year old brother knows more about history, science and geography than my 54 year old well educated father simply because he watches a lot of documentaries and googles or wikipedia’s it. Students have a thirst for knowledge they just have their own ways of finding it.

The common classroom today consists of 30 chairs with desks, facing the front of the room, where a teacher writes “stuff” on the board and then tells it to the students, whilst fluorescent lights hang above heads and as students try not to be distracted by the strange colour in the sky outside. If we can possibly bring the students attention into the classroom by making it a bright and fun place to be full of stimulating ways of using technology to learn, then we might have a shot at actually teaching them something that they will retain.

 

Hello world wide web!

So this is my blog. It is a new avenue that I am exploring for learning, reflecting and sharing. As I am studying to become a teacher my reflections and findings will be shared with you right here. I hope you enjoy it!!

Emma