Learners of the 21st century are being referred to as ‘digital natives’, first generation learners who were born into a highly technical era. For many generations before, like myself, we are seen as digital immigrants, ones who are learning to adapt to new information technologies (Prensky, 2001). As a future Learning Manager it was vital for me to utilize this opportunity to investigate a variety of e-learning tools during this course, and to extend and refine my own ICT knowledge. If I am going to incorporate these tools into my future classrooms I need to have exceptional skills to meet my learners needs. Prensky (2005) discusses how it is imperative for teachers to incorporate ICT’s into the classroom. He suggests that if we cannot engage our digital natives then we will only enrage.
The aim of this synopsis is to summarise and analyse potential e-learning tools that could be incorporated into classrooms. Over the past 7 weeks I have reflected on these digital tools and I will now enrich my findings by categorizing tools into accessing information, organizing knowledge, consolidating and refining knowledge, transforming knowledge to develop new understandings and presenting knowledge to an audience. Links to relevant frameworks and theorists like Marzano and Pickering’s Dimensions of Learning, The Engagement theory, The Big 6 Model and Bloom's Taxonomy have also been incorporated to show how digital tools can enhance learners knowledge.
There are many valuable digital tools that help teachers and learners access information. Gone are the days when learners would perform a simple Google search on the World Wide Web. With new strict Internet laws in schools, teachers are advised to create their own web site, like a Weebly, Blog, Wiki or Learning Management System for learners to access specific information and gain new knowledge. As you can see from my Blog I found most of these tools are user friendly and acceptable in all year levels. The great thing about these tools is that they are not just focused towards learners but can also bridge the gap between home- school connections, thus making information accessible to all. Eisenberg’s and Berkowitz’s Big 6 framework (2001) provides a 6 stage process model that would work alongside these tools for accessing information. The stages would also provide valuable information to help learners organize information. If learners where taught to use this process when accessing information online, then they would be able to locate valuable sources in a faster and simpler matter. Through the synthesis stage learners would also be able to organize information they find within these digital tools. In my prac class next term I will be completing a unit on cultures. A great way I could incorporate ICT’S into this unit would be to set up a virtual classroom, through a LMS, like Moodle. My learners would be able to enter this site to find links to credible websites and other information related to the unit of work.
During my e-learning journey I was given the opportunity to use a Wiki in a real life context. A CQ university course required me to work collaboratively in a 4 person group. As we all lived in different areas it was suggested by one group member that we upload information/ thoughts/ suggestions onto the Wiki (please view here) and we all worked collaboratively off that. I liked the idea that I could upload my ideas etc and my other group members could make changes. For me the Wiki was a new tool I had never used, so I was skeptical about this process. After surviving this assignment and receiving a good mark I now believe there is more to the Wiki tool than I first thought. I communicated on my Blog my feelings towards the use of the Wiki and was able to get other classmates perspectives and thoughts (please view here). This process enabled me to transform information to develop new understanding through the use of this tool. After this process I saw how it linked well with Marzano and Pickering’s Dimensions of Learning Framework (1997), especially dimensions 3 and 4. The Wiki enabled me to extend and refine my knowledge through teamwork, problem solving and communication. Without this online tool this may not have been so evident. Group work is essential in any year level and the Wiki is a fantastic way to incorporate an ICT perspective into classroom group work.
The digital tool I found helpful for consolidating and refining information during my journey was an online Concept Map. I created my own using a very simple program called bubble.us. It allowed me to brainstorm a topic easily and then design the layout and colours how I wanted. Frangenheim (2006) discusses how brainstorming is a popular thinking strategy used within classrooms. He feels brainstorming sends clear messages to students that their ideas and input are valued from the teacher. In his book ‘Reflections on classroom thinking strategies’ he puts a lot of emphasis on brainstorming within the classroom. This is where I find an online concept map such as bubble.us would come in extremely handy. Learners would be able to put ideas, thoughts and prior knowledge into an organized concept map. Instead of using olds ways like writing mind maps on whiteboards or in children’s books, they are able to engage in digital tools that can perform this in a more creative setting. This tool also sits within dimension two, acquire and integrate knowledge (Marzarno & Pickering, 1997). It fits well in this dimension, as learners are orgainsing knowledge within a graphic organizer. During my unit about cultures I am thinking that I will get students to work in pairs to create an online concept map during the first lesson of the unit. I will ask learners to write down all prior knowledge they have about cultures with their partner. This way I am getting an overview of LMQ1, what my learners already know. From here I will have a better idea of how to scaffold the unit and what knowledge content needs to be taught. I would also get learners to save their concept maps onto the hard drive then as a class we could refer back to them in the middle of the unit and at the end of the unit to add information about what they have learnt now.
Digital tools are becoming an acceptable way of presenting knowledge to an audience. The audience is not just limited to learners but could also include parents and the wider school community. Kearsley and Schneiderman (1998) discuss that their engagement theory is highlighting the fact that students must be meaningfully engaged in learning activities through interaction with others and worthwhile tasks. So to bring presenting knowledge into the 21st century I feel it is imperative to use digital tools that are engaging, authentic and meaningful, these could include, but are not limited to, iMovie, YouTube, Podcasts, Prezi and PowerPoints. During my e-learning journey I discovered the magic of digital movies, I created an iMovie and found it very simple to create, involved individual creativity and produced an engaging movie. I also created other things like a Podcast, which I was lucky enough to implement in my prac class. I created a PowerPoint, which I found extremely easy because I had worked with these numerous times before. However, in my opinion, PowerPoints are outdated and Prezi is the new tool to create digital presentation. I found Prezi very creative and engaging but hard to create. In my upcoming unit about cultures I will most definitely use these digital tools as hooks or information providers for learners to extend on. If I wanted to extend the critical literacy skills of my learners then I would show them a YouTube clip about poverty in third world countries. From this I would ask them to use Blooms Taxonomy of higher order thinking and explore the authenticity and purpose of this clip. From here I would ask learners to create their own digital movie using MovieMaker to educate other audiences about what they have learnt from this clip. This would also fit in with Dimension 4, analyzing perspective, as they would all portray a different experience from the YouTube clip. Of course if you are downloading information off the Internet be sure to carefully inspect the content first. If teachers or the learners would prefer to create their own meaningful e-learning tool then even better. By learners creating their own display of knowledge they are working on blooms higher order thinking (Frangenheim, 2006)
From this experience I have analysed both e-learning tools and various frameworks to come to the conclusion that we need to embed digital tools into classroom pedagogy so that our digital native learners are provided with engaging and informative ways to gain knowledge. I believe this e-learning journey has provided me with skills to create and teach engaging, authentic and meaningful ICT lessons for a variety of year levels. I feel that for teachers to move into the 21st century they need to become life long digital learners. We need to create an environment that will engage and meet learners ICT expectations and move our learners forward with the ever-changing technological era.
Reference List
Eisenberg, M., & Berkowitz, B. (2001). Big6 Skills overview. Retrevied July 17, 2010, from http://www.big6.com
Frangenheim, E. (2006). Refelections on classroom thinking strategies. Loganholme, Queensland: Rodin Educational Publishing
Kearsley, G. & Schneiderman, B. (1998). Engagement theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning. Retrieved July 17, 2010, from http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/mod/resource/view.php?id=91796
Marzano, R.J., & Pickering, D.J. (1997). Dimensions of learning: Teacher’s manual. Colorado: Mid-Continent Regional Education Laboratory
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. 9(5), 1-6. Retrieved July 10, 2010, from http://marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf
Prensky, M. (2005). Engage me or enrage me: what today’s learners demand. Retrieved July 10, 2010, from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0553.pdf
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