Social networking in schools

Having never used MySpace, Facebook or Elgg (the social software discussed in this piece) I read the article titled Don’t Tell Your Parents: Schools Embrace MySpace by Robert Andrews with no preconceived ideas about the benefits or disadvantages of these social networking sites.

This article highlighted, that if used appropriately and well, there are many benefits for students if they have access to social networking sites at school. The author suggests that this type of online medium, used educationally, allows students to ‘document, consume and communicate their learning…’. He also identifies that this is a great medium for group work which is popular within schools.

After reading this piece I do believe that, with set conditions/regulations, there is a place for these types of social software within the school. I feel that any medium that encourages students to share their learning with others and learn from others is helpful. Courtney also discusses social software and highlights some of the disadvantages using it in the classroom.

Reference:

Andrews, R. (2007).Don’t Tell Your Parents: Schools Embrace MySpace.Wired.

Photo from:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39442289@N00/515272402

Building sandcastles – digitally that is.

I read the article by Idit Harel titled Sand Castles Go Digital to learn more about how children learn through the Constructivist theory. She identifies that children learn best and naturally through play.

In this piece, the author uses the construction of sand castles to explain how this example of play provides children with good learning experience with discussions about the tides, sand, waves and seashells naturally occurring throughout the process.

However, the author does believe that the real life sand castle example does have its limits as the child can not return to the sand castle they built at a later time to build on and extend its development and their learning.

The author does offer a suggestion whereby children can be engaged in play naturally and be able to return at a later date to add to their designs by: GOING DIGITAL!

She highlights the benefits of using digital resources such as the Internet/Web:

* it allows children to make changes to their designs as their knowledge about topics grows

* it is more open-ended

* instantly exchange ideas with others from around the world (which is only possible when it is digital)

* revise and refine their creations

* express themselves

With this in mind, my aim when I am a teacher is to remember the value of play and how naturally progressing experiences offer effective learning opportunities for children, i.e. constructionist learning. Emma also discusses this topic and her own experiences with children where a constructivist approach could have been used.  

Reference:

Harel, I. (2003). Sand castles go digital. Retrieved August 4, 2006 at:
http://www.mamamedia.com/areas/grownups/new/21_learning/sand_castles.html 

Photo sourced from:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7466508@N06/1229196499

Edutainment

I read the article titled Does Easy Do It? Children, Games, and Learning by Seymour Papert to get a better understanding of what types of computer-based games are best for children. He highlights a common type of computer game on the market nowadays – the Edutainment type of game. However, he believes that there are many pitfalls with such games including them being uninteresting for children.

While I can see the point of designers when planning these types of games; since children enjoy playing computer games why not incorporate educational aspects such as mathematical concepts into such games so they are having fun and learning, I also agree with Courtney who suggests that this just makes games boring.  

The author believes that the best games are ones that entice children, ones that develop a higher level of thinking and learning, not ones that just teach about the nine times tables!

He highlights three strategies for improving the quality of and learning gained from computer games. The first strategy that he suggests is for parents to talk with their child/ren about the games and their learning. His second strategy is to encourage children to design their own computer games and with the amount of child-friendly software out these days, I believe that this is easier than it sounds. The third strategy that he suggests is that the designers of children’s computer games should recognise their contribution to children’s learning and should, therefore, get more in touch with children’s learning wants and needs by producing better quality games that will gain and maintain their interest. 

My initial beliefs about the Edutainment type games that I had seen used within schools (such as Rainforest maths) were that they were a fantastic way for children to learn about maths rather than just learning from a textbook. However, after reading this article, my view has changed and I now see that computer games need to be more challenging and inspiring if children are to gain any valuable learning from them at all.

Reference:

Papert, S. (1998). Does Easy Do It? Children, Games, and Learning from:http://www.papert.org/articles/Doeseasydoit.html  

Phots sourced from:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26036520@N00/140388573

Is the Web the best?

The article titled What’s not on the Web by Joyce Kasman Valenza discusses the disadvantages of the Internet for research purposes.

The author raises the point that school students may not be using the Web in the best way possible when researching information for assignments. She talks mostly about how the “free web” lacks good quality information yet this is the type that most students use when researching as opposed to online databases and journals. She suggests that students will not find or be able to access high-quality reference books that are full-text non fiction, any books under copyright, journals, magazines and newspaper indexes and magazine articles written before 1990.

She believes that students using the “free web” also miss out  on a critical element of the process of researching; using library books in their search. She believes that students are at a great disadvantage when they only use the “free web” as they will miss out on gaining more comprehensive information that could be found from resources that were published before the web (and that can’t be accessed through the web databases). You have to imagine that this would affect their learning and allround knowledge on topics. 

The author believes that the solution to this problem is that students must perform research studies both online and in books as well as purchase subscriptions to quality databases such as EBSCOHost and Facts.com

While I have indicated in earlier posts that I can definitely see the benefit of the Internet within the school, I do find value in what this author suggests. To help with this problem in the school, I beleive that the teacher should raise this point with the students when handing out assignments.

  Reference:

Kasman Valenza, J. (2001). What’s not on the web. Learning & Leading with Technology, 29 (1), 6-9.

Photos sourced from:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19802834@N00/1340089439

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33377700@N00/443545349

Digital Story

This is my Digital Story about teaching

Follow the link below:

Digital story

Podcast on Podcasting!

In this podcast, I talk about Podcasting uses in the Primary school. I gained my information from Collette Cassinelli and Dan Schmit

podcast1

References:

Cassinelli, C.(year unknown). Integrating podcasting into your classroom. Sourced May 25, 2008 from: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=ExkMeQfuLGc

Schmit, D. (2005). KidCast : podcasting in the classroom. Bloomington: FTC Publishing. (KURING-GAI CAMPUS 006.7876 SCHM)

Metaphor for e-learning

Penny and I found this picture which we felt helped to describe e-learning.

Also view it here: page_1.jpg

Photo sourced from: FlickrCC

Mind map about online learning

This includes my rationale about the benefits of online learning.

onlinelearning2.jpg

Blogging in the Classroom

In this Vodcast, I talk about an article that discusses the benefits and uses of Blogs. I also make reference to Courtney’s blog.

Reference:

Huffaker, D. (2005). Let Them Blog: Using Weblogs to Promote Literacy in K-12 Education. In L. T. W. Hin & R. Subramaniam (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Literacy in Technology at the K-12 Level. Hershey, PA: Idea Group.

Can be found on UTSONLINE

Engaging students in learning

The article titled Engage me or Enrage me raised some important points about the use of technology in schools and how we must engage the range of students in the classroom.As expected, life and technolgoical resources available have changed over the last four centuries. The author identifies that, in the past, students have not had or needed the immense amount of technology to maintain their attention that is available and needed for today’s students. Personally, growing up in a time where computers were rarely used in the school, I definitely notice these changes. It is also evident that, unlike the past, technology must now be seen as an integral part of education.

As Emma suggested, attitudes about teaching technology must change if our aim is to engage students. I believe that this can be achieved if the teacher is creative in the ways that they integrate technology across the curriculum subjects and if they embrace the notion that ‘playing’ can equal ‘learning’.                                  

Reference:

 Prensky, M. (2005). Engage me or enrage me: what today’s learners demand. Educause Review. 40, 5, 60-65. 

Photo from:

www.flickr.com/photos/30008272@N00/104263974