Thursday, December 3, 2009
Voki Avatars
This was just way toooooo easy and way tooooo much fun. I would use this in the classroom as an alternative teaching tool. Students get bored of listening to the same teacher day in and day out. This would generate some interest and you could use a different character each time. My guy has been used to do the weekly spelling list. How cool is that? Of course I would need to work out how to slow him down so that it would be an effective learning tool. But overall a great educational tool. If used as a spelling tool then you could also make this available on your mahara page alongside the weekly homework task. I like that the different technologies are bringing everything together.
Mahara
This was very easy to set up, which is always a bonus for the technolgy challenged people of this world. I have attempted to spend time to try and navigate my way around this site but unfortunately this is where the user friendliness seems to end. Perhaps it is me being one of the challenged. I am not sure of the purpose of Mahara. However if I could get school approval (hah) I would certainly use it as a homework tool. I would set homework tasks and allow access to both students and parents. So when a student is absent they can access that days homework and not be left behind. A parent could then access what homework the student is expected to complete and assist to keep the student on task.
It would be easy for a teacher to manage multiple numbers of classes and would negate the issue of lugging around a mountain of paperwork. Making it environmentally friendly.
It would be easy for a teacher to manage multiple numbers of classes and would negate the issue of lugging around a mountain of paperwork. Making it environmentally friendly.
Internet Safety
This is a big issue for educators, students and parents. As Scot Aldred suggests in his blog postings (march 2009) many public schools have gone into overkill and students are restricted in what they can access. Unfortunately this issue is also common in the private schooling sector. I recently attended prac at a private school and students were not able to access sport websites due to their advertising content. These were Health and Physical Education students doing research for their school assignment. It was a complete waste of classroom and computer time as they were given access to very few websites.
Scot also mentioned the release of the Apple iphone 3gs (June 2009) and I happen to agree, this is a marvleous piece of technology but the education system needs to catch up to this little piece of technology. I purchased the iphone in order to download and watch university lectures. Unfortunately the lectures are not saved in the correct format and I am unable to even view them on the iphone. I found this to be very dissappointing and I am sure there would be many students througout the education system that would be dissappointed to have this new technology only to discover their schooling instution is not able to support such technology.
I have used my iphone during lectures to quickly access powerpoints and other significant pieces of information. One lecturer was very pleased to be able to confirm via my iphone that the set of powerpoints we we currently viewing were actually available on Blackboard.
So technology certainly has a place in the classroom, we just need to find the middle ground where everyone has access and the institutions can support the technology. Oh and the teachers aren't afraid to give it a go.
Scot also mentioned the release of the Apple iphone 3gs (June 2009) and I happen to agree, this is a marvleous piece of technology but the education system needs to catch up to this little piece of technology. I purchased the iphone in order to download and watch university lectures. Unfortunately the lectures are not saved in the correct format and I am unable to even view them on the iphone. I found this to be very dissappointing and I am sure there would be many students througout the education system that would be dissappointed to have this new technology only to discover their schooling instution is not able to support such technology.
I have used my iphone during lectures to quickly access powerpoints and other significant pieces of information. One lecturer was very pleased to be able to confirm via my iphone that the set of powerpoints we we currently viewing were actually available on Blackboard.
So technology certainly has a place in the classroom, we just need to find the middle ground where everyone has access and the institutions can support the technology. Oh and the teachers aren't afraid to give it a go.
Learning Theory
Can be broken down into three main parts.
1. Behaviourist - believe that human behaviour is explained in terms of cause and effect or actions have consequences, so change the action to get the desired result.
2. Cognitive - learners who develop meaning and understanding through experience and problem solving.
3. Humanist - learners of free will who choose what, how and when they will learn.
Of course there are many other theories out there, however the above seemed to have lasted for quite some time and have proven to contain some accuracy.
Reading all of these theories gets me questioning 'Where do I fit?' and 'Where do I want to fit?' also 'Which one will make the best learner in my classroom?'
I am not sure that I will have these questions answered before I step into a classroom of my own, but one thing is for sure it will certainly help me to stay one step ahead.
1. Behaviourist - believe that human behaviour is explained in terms of cause and effect or actions have consequences, so change the action to get the desired result.
2. Cognitive - learners who develop meaning and understanding through experience and problem solving.
3. Humanist - learners of free will who choose what, how and when they will learn.
Of course there are many other theories out there, however the above seemed to have lasted for quite some time and have proven to contain some accuracy.
Reading all of these theories gets me questioning 'Where do I fit?' and 'Where do I want to fit?' also 'Which one will make the best learner in my classroom?'
I am not sure that I will have these questions answered before I step into a classroom of my own, but one thing is for sure it will certainly help me to stay one step ahead.
Learning Styles
This I found to be very fascinating.
During 2008 I took a Preparatory course through University and the first thing we did was The Keirsey Temperament Sorter and a Learning Styles questionaire by Barbara Soloman. Both sent chills up and down my spine at how close they were to descibing me. But yet they could also been seen as very general responses.
The results for the Keirsey Temperament Sorter were ESTJ (Supervisor). I enjoy a step-by-step approach and a quiet, orderly classroom. So I find learning on line or by flex to be fantastic if the instructions are clear. Because I set up how I learn best. After reading the results I was intrigued by this information and wanted to know more. I read the Keirsey website (www.keirsey.com) I was totally freaked out by how acurate this description was. It contained information about the types of roles that an ESTJ - Supervisor would take and I was already involved with several of the positions that were suggested.
The questionaire by Barbara Soloman resulted in me being an Active, Intuitve Verbal/Visual, Global Learner. It also gave me several tips on how to be a better learner. For example as a Verbal learner I learn more when I do the explaining.
Knowing this type of information about yourself will definitely help you to be a better learner. But knowing this type of information about your students will go a long way to making you a better teacher. For example once you have this knowledge you can then cater to the learners needs and therefore engage them much easier.
So exciting and you don't have to be a psycologist to work it out.
During 2008 I took a Preparatory course through University and the first thing we did was The Keirsey Temperament Sorter and a Learning Styles questionaire by Barbara Soloman. Both sent chills up and down my spine at how close they were to descibing me. But yet they could also been seen as very general responses.
The results for the Keirsey Temperament Sorter were ESTJ (Supervisor). I enjoy a step-by-step approach and a quiet, orderly classroom. So I find learning on line or by flex to be fantastic if the instructions are clear. Because I set up how I learn best. After reading the results I was intrigued by this information and wanted to know more. I read the Keirsey website (www.keirsey.com) I was totally freaked out by how acurate this description was. It contained information about the types of roles that an ESTJ - Supervisor would take and I was already involved with several of the positions that were suggested.
The questionaire by Barbara Soloman resulted in me being an Active, Intuitve Verbal/Visual, Global Learner. It also gave me several tips on how to be a better learner. For example as a Verbal learner I learn more when I do the explaining.
Knowing this type of information about yourself will definitely help you to be a better learner. But knowing this type of information about your students will go a long way to making you a better teacher. For example once you have this knowledge you can then cater to the learners needs and therefore engage them much easier.
So exciting and you don't have to be a psycologist to work it out.
Active Learning
Overall I agree with Kearsley and Shneiderman (4/5/1999), learners do need to be engaged with meaningful learning activities. Keeping both their minds and bodies active.
But it does lead me to ask the question
'At what point does the learner begin to value the education?'
Shouldn't they already have a healthy apetite for learning. An attiude that values education because it will make them a better person or lead to improved oportunities to gain highly paid employment which will then lead to an improved lifestyle.
It is too late to start to develop this type of attitude when the learner begins school. This attitude needs to start at home.
Many Asian countires value education and put a lot of pressure on their children to perform well in their studies. We only need to see the amazing technology that is being produced out of these countries to see that this is working for them.
However compare that to the Aussie culture. Each generation has certainly left their mark and passed somehting onto the next generation. Is this why we now have Generation Y, recognised as the selfish generation because of their 'it is all about me' attitude.
I think when you look at the generation debate and combine it with the words of wisdom from Kearsley and Shneiderman you do end up with a society that does not value education.
It also highlights the fact that teachers and parents need to form a partnership and work together to improve and educate a child.
I know I want to make a difference as a High school teacher, but I also need the student to step up to the plate and be accountable. Perhaps then it would be less about Behaviour management and more about engaging and worthwhile learning.
But it does lead me to ask the question
'At what point does the learner begin to value the education?'
Shouldn't they already have a healthy apetite for learning. An attiude that values education because it will make them a better person or lead to improved oportunities to gain highly paid employment which will then lead to an improved lifestyle.
It is too late to start to develop this type of attitude when the learner begins school. This attitude needs to start at home.
Many Asian countires value education and put a lot of pressure on their children to perform well in their studies. We only need to see the amazing technology that is being produced out of these countries to see that this is working for them.
However compare that to the Aussie culture. Each generation has certainly left their mark and passed somehting onto the next generation. Is this why we now have Generation Y, recognised as the selfish generation because of their 'it is all about me' attitude.
I think when you look at the generation debate and combine it with the words of wisdom from Kearsley and Shneiderman you do end up with a society that does not value education.
It also highlights the fact that teachers and parents need to form a partnership and work together to improve and educate a child.
I know I want to make a difference as a High school teacher, but I also need the student to step up to the plate and be accountable. Perhaps then it would be less about Behaviour management and more about engaging and worthwhile learning.
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