☺ “Lets Get Inspired” ☺

The Connected Classroom – youtube.com

WOW… Is what came to mind after watching this video for myself. I was flicking through other fellow blogger’s postings and came across this very interesting video on Victoria’s Page. The video has been put together exceptionally well as it grips the viewer from start to finish with the use of selected accommodating sounds and pictures. The author of the video is basically showing us how teaching has changed over the years and throughout history. What hit me the most was the author adding dramatically,

“As teachers we will be preparing students for a technological world which is rapidly changing. We are preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist, using technologies that have not yet been developed.”

Overall this video has really inspired me and I hope it does get other people thinking and inspired as well. What I also discovered was that I really need to incorporate technology into my teaching, not just because we are obligated to as teachers in the primary sector but for the reason that it is vitally important to the future and success of our students. I do however sometimes feel a slight chill at the thought of whether or not I’m technically capable of doing so but I know that I will strive to keeping myself updated in new developments and new technological advancements which can be used to create a perfect learning environment for my all my students.

!! Lets Seize The Moment !!

This is another one of Idit Harel’s articles and is titled ‘Sand Castles Go Digital’. 

In this piece it uses the idea of building a sand castle as a playing tool, however the idea of the child still learning whilst building and playing creates an interesting challenge for Harel and other interactive creators out there in the internet world.  To be able to create an online environment where children can play but also intellectually build certain things would be very useful and add further advantages to children using technology. 

Harel mentions “Constructionist Learning” which is a theory pioneers by Seymour Papert.  Harel states that constructionism holds that children learn best when they are in the active roles of designer and constructor.  Papert further adds, “The idea that this happens especially felicitously in a context in which the learner is consciously engaged in constructing a public entity, whether it’s a sand castle on the beach or a theory of the universe.  

There are however limitations and so Harel explores ways in which technology can be used to capture this idea of constructivist learning.  I saw that Sarah Baker, a fellow student in my class read the article as well and concluded it perfectly by saying, “The internet provides an endless learning environment where children can explore, express and share their learning experiences with a global audience. The internet can provide this ‘open-ended’ play children love, learn from and truly engage in.”

The Advanced & Remodeled Blackboard!

Interactive Whiteboards – youtube.com 

The video above on “Interactive Whiteboards” proved very informative as I found myself unfamiliar with the idea of how such a technological tool could be implemented into a classroom.  The video discusses both the positives and negatives to interactive whiteboards which is important to hear as this tells the viewer that it is therefore unbiased. 

Some interesting research which was shown was that overall, interactive whiteboards targeted and improved: 

Ø  Pace of lessons,

Ø  Student Engagement,

Ø  Student Motivation, and

Ø  Teacher preparation.

I was also amazed to learn that almost half of England’s schools where equipped with interactive whiteboards.  I found this amazing and felt in a way very old and out dated as the idea of these technologic tools seemed very advanced and modern.  Teachers are highly creative and have the ability to create materials to collaborate and share with students and with the use of the board they can go beyond the text book which has proven to be a lot more engaging for students.

Even though the video also gives a few bad points about the use of interactive whiteboards, I believe that once again it comes down to the user/teacher and they have  the power to either use this piece of technology to their advantage, thus creating an enhanced learning environment for their students.  Yet on the other hand if this tool is used improperly and without preparation then it can be said to be a waste.  What I mainly like about this tool is the engagement gained by students.  After the countless articles and research been done, it is transparent that students learn better from interactivity which makes this tool highly useful and appropriate to be added to the classroom.

What an interesting article!! Every day there are new web pages being posted up on the internet.  I myself find it extremely hard to sift through all the irrelevant material provided online to locate exactly what I was looking for.  WebDilemma’s provides a short cut and enables the teacher to save valuable time in class by providing direct links to relevant information to certain topics.   

  I found that the design of a WebDiemma very interesting as the website:

Ø  Presents a question to the reader,

Ø  Provides links to other relevant sites for both sides of the dilemma,

Ø  Teaches viewer to use the information provided to their advantage and think about the question being posed for both options,

Ø  Pair up and discuss their view amongst their peers and as a class.

This method I found very interesting.  WebDilemma’s could be one of the first interactive websites in which its uses are “intellectually challenged”, “engaged”, “enforce students to apply higher order thinking skills” and are “supported and guided” throughout the dilemma.

I believe and agree that the WebDilemma concept is a great and useful way in which challenges are made at the student, requiring them to think on their own whilst also encouraging them to acknowledge other opinions.

What Today’s Learners Demand.

By Marc Prensky  

This article was what I believe ‘Edutainment’ to be all about.  For those of you who do not know it, Edutainment is the word created to define education that is entertaining, which often incorporates technology.  The author of the article expresses exactly how I feel technology and teaching can come together to improve learning by all students in every classroom.  The article poses the question which has often been debated: “Why are some students disengaged and do not listen in class?” After reading this article it seems it is a very simple question to answer.   

The article goes on to discuss how children as young as year 2 have been brought up using technologies such as computers, video games, gaming consoles and other technologies in their every day lives.  Students often feel school is boring and this is rightfully so if one was to compare school to their after hours activities.  A way which this disengagement can be avoided is if teachers can create classrooms where students look forward to their learning, for example learning about geography with the use of Google earth and other online software available.   

Not only does engaging the student help in their understanding of what is being taught but also “if students are engaged in their learning and if they are interested and actively involved, potential management problems will be reduced” (Brady & Scully, 2005).  Thus engaging the students in the work that is set for them you would surely find less disruptions occurring and there would also be less chance of disengagement by students.

The Three X’s – by Idit Harel

I read an article titled, “The Three X’s” by Idit Harel, who is the founder and CEO of MaMaMedia Inc.  It was interesting to read how the traditional “Three R’s” being reading, writing and arithmetic have some what evolved and teachers and students alike are now becoming familiar with a new set of skills which Harel refers to as the “Three X’s”: eXploring, eXpressing and eXchanging. 

In the article Harel goes on to discuss each skill in slightly more detail and further more throughout the article the reader is given helpful hints on how to get started in each of the ‘Three X’s’.  There are links within the article to great websites that are not only fun and interactive but also provide students with a great tool to use technology.

Although I agree that these new skills are indeed valuable and should be taken onboard, I also believe strongly that the traditional three R’s should not be discarded.  Both sets of skills should be incorporated together to form a strong, rich method of learning.  The traditional three R’s provide students with needed skills to understand the basics whereas the three X’s can be used as the next step to their learning, taking it to that next level.

“Telling the New Story” – youtube.com

Wow I agree with what Jodie has said on her blog about the video.  It was extremely interesting to hear directly from a teacher about her point of view in using blogs as part of her teaching.  It was great to hear and see how the use ofblogging within the classroom could connect so many different people together.  In the video we see not only the student’s viewing each others blogs but also parents whilst at work and also a wider community around the world.  I think it is great in the sense that children using blogs feel that their work is good enough to be viewed by so many different people and this is another great motivational aspect to using blogs.

Why Let Our Student’s Blog?

(sadly it can’t be embedded any more but please follow the link)

I found this short video on teacher tube and feel that it fits in perfectly with the article I read below.  It is a perfect visual summary of how educational blogging can effect and enhance childrens learning.

“What the Research says about ICT and Motivation”

source: Google images.

I thoroughly enjoyed this article as it was not only very interesting to read, containing a wide range of facts but also it was written in a way that was quick and easy to absorb.  I found out a lot of information I realised I did not previously know.  The article listed many benefits of ICT in teaching relating to not only students but teachers and parents as well. Some effects toward the students when ICT was incorporated in their learning where things such as:

• Increased commitment to learning,
• Enhanced sense of achievement,
• Improved behaviour,
• Improved confidence, motivation and self esteem especially for children within special needs education.

I found this last point very interesting how with the incorporation of ICT in their learning it could help special need students.  A study described within the article stated, “…for the first time in their careers they have felt success. They can all go as far as they can go. There is no exclusion in opportunity.” This was very well said and I thought it was perfect as it matched my belief of teaching, that every student should be given the opportunity to be able to learn and engage themselves mental, pushing themselves to their own academic level. 

After reading this article I strongly agree that teachers can indeed maximise the impact of ICT towards student motivation by not only being confident themselves as educators in the use of ICT but also by exploring new ways in which to incorporate ICT to make lessons more stimulating and enjoyable.

“The Passion Behind My Choice To Teach…”

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