Reflective Synopsis - Concept maps, Powerpoint, Images, and Podcasting

As we move forward into the 21^st Century, teaching and learning is a far more complex and different relationship to what it has been in the past. With advances in Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) the methodology of teaching also needs to advance and evolve to not simply utilise these ICTs but to use them meaningfully in order to enhance learning. Pedagogies will also need to evolve to become not only the art of teaching that is an interaction between the teacher and learner, pedagogies must be productive in that they realise student learning outcomes (Fasso, 2010).

In a digital era, eLearning pedagogies must be employed, teaching must use pedagogical principles and instructional strategies that are applicable to an eLearning environment (Waterhouse, 2005, p. 5). According to Fasso (2010) “eLearning involves improving teaching and learning using instructional strategies enhanced by technology, especially computer technology. At the very basic level eLearning is using ICTs to engage, enhance, and extend learning in pedagogically sound, flexible, and innovative ways”. Hamilton (2003) concurs with this stating that “using a media-rich system encourages educators to instruct their students in innovative ways”.

As with all pedagogies, eLearning pedagogy must be considerate of learning frameworks (cognitivism, connectivism, constructivism, and behaviourism), as well as learning styles (such as VARK [visual, auditory, read/write, and kinaesthetic] and Gardener’s multiple intelligences). Once the learning frameworks and learning styles have been established it is necessary for the teacher to focus on the learners’ needs. Each learner will possess a “unique combination of prior experiences, prior knowledge, perceptions and attitudes, learning style, intelligence, personality and temperament” (Fasso, 2010) and therefore the teacher will need to cater for the individual as well as the learning cohort.

Prensky (2001, cited in Fasso, 2010) has classified learners as either being a digital native or a digital immigrant. According to Prensky a native will have been born into and grown up in an environment that is enveloped by digital technology whereas an immigrant will be forced to assimilate into the digital era. This approach is ‘broad brushed’ and does not take into account that not all students are digitally active. The students that are digitally active generally limit their use of ICTs to web searches, word processing, Youtube, and social networking such as Twitter and Facebook (Fasso, 2010).

ELearning pedagogies moves the focus from ICT tools to teaching learners how to work in a digital era. It has the ability to transform learning as it enables learners to develop their knowledge and understanding through enquiry and by connecting to sources of information through the internet that would usually be unavailable to them. Through this it must be remembered that learning with ICTs is only beneficial when the appropriate approaches are taken by both the teacher and the learner. We will now explore four digital tools that can be easily used in the classroom to enhance learning, as well as the pedagogical strategies that accompany each tool.

Concept maps

A concept map is a diagram that is used to explore and represent knowledge and relationships as well as to gather and share information (The graphic organiser, unknown). Concept maps can be used in a number of other ways such as assisting students to access prior knowledge, design structures and/or processes as well as assist with problem solving. Gopal (2010) states that concept mapping is a proven and effective pedagogical tool and a metalearning strategy that is useful across many subject areas. Ritchie and Volkl (2000) note that students that use concept maps show a higher level of achievement in their work. It is for these reasons I believe that using concept maps for teaching and learning is beneficial.

Novak and Carias (2008) outline the three conditions that are needed for meaningful learning to occur. First, the content must be conceptually clear and presented with language and examples that relate to the learners’ prior knowledge. Second, the learner must possess adequate and relevant prior knowledge. Lastly, the learner must decide to incorporate new meanings into their prior knowledge rather than simply remembering the lesson. This last point is perhaps the most important and the one that the teacher has the least direct influence over.

Based on the above information about concept maps and meaningful learning, the teacher would easily be able to present the content to the class using a well formatted concept map and can encourage meaningful learning by asking the learners to add to and expand on the concept map by applying to knowledge to new situations and mapping out the expected outcomes.

PowerPoint

PowerPoint is a computer program that is widely available to the community. It allows information, images, concepts and ideas to be organised and stored for later presentation. PowerPoint has the ability to include still images, audio, and video clips to be added to the presentation to further engage and enhance learning.

Jones (2003) has identified several benefits of using PowerPoint in a teaching-learning context that include that potential for PowerPoint to appeal and engage learners with varying learning styles by mixing medias. Also, the electronic file format of PowerPoint allows easy distribution of presentations as well as the ability to modify the presentation to include learners with visual and/or auditory impairments. The format of PowerPoint also allows the presenter to ‘hide’ information to assist in answering predicted questions as well as provide feedback to learners in a distance-learning scenario. Furthermore, PowerPoint presentation can be printed in a variety of layouts allowing learners to recall information, and when used as a handout, learners are able to make their own notes beside each slide to further aid their recall of information.

In addition, as PowerPoint presentations can be saved and modified at will, they can be revised, revamped and reused as necessary. However, presenters must be mindful that too much or too little text can affect the desired outcome, as well as the excessive use of images or irrelevant information. However, when used appropriately it is easy to see why PowerPoint is an easy, effective, and engaging method of delivering information to learners.

Images

‘Image’ is a broad term that can be applied to photographs, drawings, charts, tables, maps, and many other items. For this purpose, image is inclusive of all of these items. Images, when used appropriately, can assist learning, particularly still images as they allow for greater exploration of details (Slaughter, 2010). Slaughter (2010) has identified a number of reasons that images can also be particularly useful is assisting learners with problem solving including the development of reasoning by asking a student to explain a sequence, pattern, or logic through a series of images, improvement in analytical and synthesis skills through the classification of information presented in a diagram, or by bringing together a series of outwardly unrelated images into a meaningful cohort. Furthermore, Slaughter identifies sight as the most receptive sense for many learners and argues that information can be more easily understood when presented as an image such as a concept map.

As vision is commonly a main method of learning, it is important to remember that obscure or irrelevant images can distract the learner from the information that is being portrayed. In order for images to enhance learning they must be relevant to the content and the learners’ needs. Images should compliment what is being said by either explaining a technical term, triggering the description of a process, linking one argument to another, or by obtaining a response from students. In order to obtain a response from learners, the image should be easy to understand but also pose a question that needs answering or a problem that needs solving (Slaughter, 2010). Seek clarity from each image by carefully selecting the background, considering the shape, size, and spacing of accompanying text, and omitting distracting or irrelevant components and include selective emphasis. When used correctly, images can easily engage learners, enhance learning, and create opportunities for learners to further their knowledge through inquisition.

Podcasting

The ABC (2010) defines Podcasting as a convenient way of downloading audio files to a portable media player. These Podcasts can be accompanied by still images, or video clips (this is commonly known as Vodcasting). Podcasting can be easily adapted to be used in the classroom through the presentation of lectures, discussions, and interviews and may be easily disseminated among learners. The Department of Education (2010) notes that learners and teachers are able to create their own Podcasts from original material, allowing learners to reflect on their learning experiences, and teachers to provide additional or revision materials to learners.

Flannigan and Calandra (2005) provide highly appropriate and innovative ways for Podcasts to enhance learning. For example, learners can take a portable recording device on field trips to record verbal notes, interviews, ‘guest’ speakers, etc. and disseminate the information among their peers. Another example is for history teachers to share time-period music, historical speeches, radio plays, interviews, and ebooks.

REFERENCES

ABC, 2010, Podcasts, viewed 13^th December 2010, http://www.abc.net.au/services/podcasting/.

Department of Education, 2010, Podcasts in the classroom, viewed 13^th December 2010, http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/cmis/eval/curriculum/ict/podcasts/.

Fasso, W 2010, Manage eLearning, Central Queensland University e-Courses.

Flannigan, B and Calandra, B 2005, ‘Podcasting in the classroom’, Learning and Leading with Technology, vol 33, n3, p.p. 20-23, viewed 13^th December 2010, http://eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ728915.pdf.

Gopal, P 2010, Concept mapping: a pedagogical tool for grammar lessons, viewed 13^th December 2010, http://www.hbcse.tifr.res.in/episteme/episteme-1/allabs/pranita_abs.pdf.

Hamilton, J 2003, ‘Classroom of the future: teaching in a media-rich environment’, in Library Hi Tech News, vol 20, n. 5, (online Emerald).

Jones, A 2003, The use and abuse of PowerPoint in teaching and learning in the life sciences: a personal overview, viewed 13^th December 2010, http://www.bioscience.heacademy.ac.uk/journal/vol2/beej-2-3.aspx.

Novak, J.D and Carias, A. J 2008, The theory underlying concept maps and hot to construct an use them, viewed 13^th December 2010, http://www.cmap.ihmc.us/Publications/ResearchPapers/TheoryCmaps/TheoryUnderlyingConceptMaps.htm.

Ritchie, D and Volkl, C 2000, ‘Effectiveness of two generative learning strategies in the science classroom’, School Science and Mathematics, vol. 100, n. 2, viewed 13^th December 2010, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1949-8594.2000.tbl17240.x/abstract.

Slaughter, T 2010, Using images to help students learn, viewed 13^th December 2010, http://www.cshe.unimelb.edu.au/pdfs/Still_Images.pdf.

The graphic organiser, n.d., Concept map, viewed 13^th December 2010, http://www.graphic.org/concept.html.

Waterhouse, S 2005, The power of eLearning: the essential guide for teaching in the digital age, Person Education Inc, Boston.

Podcasting in the classroom - is it useful?

Hello everybody!!
I have done a recording of a brief Podcast that I intended to upload however Mypodcast.com is not accepting new Podcasters at the moment so it will have to wait. It's probably a good thing because I was having a heap of trouble with the microphone on my computer. No matter how loud I talked (yelled) the playback was bearly audible. Below is the script I used for my recording...

Podcasting in the classroom – is it useful?

I think that podcasting in the classroom can be very useful, IF it is set up and used correctly.

Podcasting will give each student the option to 'go back' and hear lessons again, to replay that tricky bit of information that they missed or didn't fully understand in class.

This would be particularly helpful for learners that are Auditory dominant learners.

Podcasting would also allow for further explanation of a topic out of the classroom.

Podcasting would also mean that the teacher does not have to continuously repeat themselves during class.

As long as the students' understand the 'basics' in the classroom they can seek further information and clarification online via the class Podcast.

I should point out that I myself am more inclined to use Vodcasting in the classroom as it combines images with the audio files.

Vodcasting would allow the teacher to further explain an image that was presented during class and would also engage Visual dominant learners as well as Auditory dominant learners.

Both Podcasting and Vodcasting would allow each student to work at their own pace through the unit.

This, of course, would need to be monitored by the teacher through a unit timeline or workbook that clearly sets dates for certain tasks to be completed by, and each task would need to be sighted and evaluated by the teacher and the teacher would also need to offer constructive, critical feedback to each student.

The major positive about Podcasting and Vodcasting is that they can be accessed online – the student does not need to be logged onto the school server to access them meaning that they can do their revision at home in their own time.

Although this Podcast did not go into much detail, I hope that it has stimulated you to look into 'new' technologies that can be used in the classroom.

So - Yes I do believe Podcasting can be very useful in the classroom. While the students are listening/watching their lessons online the teacher is free for one-on-one time with each student and is available to help in anyway possible, rather than offering a brief explanation and moving on with the lesson.

I also really do believe that if you set up a workbook that compliments the Podcast students will have the opportunity to show their understanding and application of the knowledge. Also, students will be able to show their higher level thinking in terms of mini assessment tasks that require analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. As long as the workbook outlines a timeline and due dates I believe the students would be more likely to stay on task. As mentioned in the script, students can access the Podcast/Vodcast from any computer with internet access allowing them to complete the set tasks in their own time.

For the Podcast to be effective it does need to be engaging - and this is he tricky part for the teacher. How do you make an audio file about a mundane, 'boring' topic interesting and engaging? This is why I would be more inclined to use Vodcasting. Images and mini video clips can help create connections to information. As a history/english teacher, I believe images will play a large part in my teaching. As mentioned in my blog about using images in the classroom, it is far easier to explain where a country is if the student can see a world map. Although, as a teacher, it would not be very difficult to incorporate the images into the students' workbook making a Podcast more effective. This would mean however that the teacher needs to be very specific about which image they are talking about, and what aspect of the image they are talking about. For example: on page ... of your workbook, in the top left corner, there is a picture of ..... in the background of the picture just left of the centre there is ......

This can be incredible exhausting for both the teacher and the student.

Furthermore, allowing a student to submit assessment via an audio file may have many advantages. I have found through my own experiences that many students are capable of telling you the knowledge they are required to demonstrate but have a great deal of difficulty writing it down. This can be caused by a number of factors including low literacy, poor grammar and spelling, and also the fact that the student may never have been taught how to write an academic essay or report. Allowing the student to demonstrate the required knowledge via a Podcast can allow the teacher to address these issues. For example, making a deal with the student to allow them to submit their work via a Podcast in exchange for increasing literacy, grammar, spelling, and instructing them on how to compile an academic piece of writing. Of course, this would be subject to the approval of the appropriate administrative personnel in the school, but I do believe it could be viable if managed correctly.

Hopefully you will now consider using Podcasting in the classroom. Despite the minor inconveniences of using a Podcast it is a potentially very effective teaching/learning tool.

Images in teaching

Images in teaching can be incredibly useful. For example, when teaching history a world map shows the students where and what you are talking about. It is easier to see a country in relation to other countries on a map than it is to viualise their location when the teacher makes comments such as: 'adjacent to', 'adjoining', 'inbetween', etc.
In an English course images can also be useful. It is easier for students to get an idea of costumes for their Shakespeare drama if they can see what was worn in Shakespeare's time.
Images can be used in handouts, overhead projections, webpages, stories, and stimulus responses to name a few uses. I would definitely use images when teaching. They are engaging and work well for visual learners.

PowerPoint in the class room

Ok, so there is regular PowerPoint that I'm sure everyone has used at some stage and there is Interactive PowerPoint.
Both can use text, images, and video clips to convey information and concepts. The difference is that the interactive powerpoint works similar to a website - when you click on a 'hyperlink', the slide will redirect to another slide in the same way the internet will redirect to another web page.
An interactive powerpoint can be very useful in a classroom. For example, a teacher could set up an assessment task through powerpoint and save it to the school's hard-drive for students to access. The students can then work through the slides at their own pace to complete the assessment task but also have the option of clicking on the hyperlink to access additional information or ideas for the assessment.
Students can use powerpoint to present their assessment to the class as an oral presentation, or they can email it to the teacher as a research assessment - the method of presentation will depend on the task requirements.
Allowing students to add images and video clips to their powerpoint presentation can demonstrate their ability to use ICTs, as well as allowing them to present information in the form of a video clip or image that they would not be able to include in their submission of the task if it was required to be presented in a word document.
There are many step-by-step instructions available for using powerpoint. Allowing students time to work through these will increase their familiarity with powerpoint and decrease any 'fears' in using an unknown tool to complete an assessment task.
In my opinion, allowing students to become familiar with powerpoint, and providing options for assessment submission (word or powerpoint, oral or voice-over) will allow students more creativity and flexibility in their work and increase their knowlegde and abilities with ICTs.

Websites in teaching

Websites are different from both blogs and wikis. Blogs and wikis have already been compared so I will discuss the use of websites in teaching context.
A website is created by the user and cannot be edited by anyone, nor can anyone post a comment in response to the creator.
I have set up a website, and while it is a working progress, I intend to use it as part of my final assessment for this subject. The following link will take you to my website created using weebly.com http://manageelearning.weebly.com/
I think that a website would be very useful in a teaching context. The learning manager would be able to setup the website and modify it as necessary. All information would be accessable to students at any time.
The site could be set up to cover a whole unit topic or a smaller component of the unit. New 'pages' could be set up for each new concept and/or task. Guidelines for assessments could be added for clarrification as well as other useful tools such as work sheets.
Checking that work has been completed as well as te progress of the students would be relatively easy. The learning manager would just need to add some quizzes to the website and have the students complete and print them out for their portfolio once being checked by the learning manager.
Additional resources could be added to the website for the students that are 'zooming ahead' and for the students that may be struggling to grasp a concept.
The website would only be useful if it were setup in a user friendly way and as long as all of the necessary 'minimum' information for students was added prior to the lesson it will be covered in. Students would be able to work at their own pace, however the learning manager would need to make sure that students are on task during class time to ensure they 'keep up'. One way to do this would be to set guidelines for which topics are covered each week and the minimum work that needs to be completed. For those students that aren't on track, a hard copy of the lesson should be available so that they are not tempted to look at other websites while on the computer during class time.
Hopefully this has given you something to think about for your class room.

Blog Vs Wiki

Hi again,
I have been exploring wikis this week, and have even set one up. The following link will take you to my wiki, however you should note that it is a working progress. http://manage-elearning.wikispaces.com/
A wiki is different to a blog. A blog is created by the user and other people are able to post comments in response to the blogger. The creater of the blog has the option of deleting and even blocking posts from other people. Also, no one else is able to edit their blogspace.
A wiki on the other hand, while created by the user, can be edited by any and every one that chooses to do so.
I have included to following link to a youtube clip in my wiki (embedding has been disabled). This clip demonstrates how, as a result of unvalidated input from anyone, can result in mixed and incorrect facts, as well as going completely off topic. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaADQTeZRCY

I have already discussed the use of blogs in a teaching context and maintain that if properly monitered and implemented, a blogspace can be very useful. Included in our Uni course was a link to a website '50 ways to use wikis'. http://www.smartteaching.org/blog/2008/08/50-ways-to-use-wikis-for-a-more-collaborative-and-interactive-classroom/
Even though I have reviewed this website, I remain unconvinced about using a wiki in a teaching context. I concede that there are some good ideas that may be applicable to group work, however there would need to be extra measures to ensure that all group members are contributing equally and fairly. As mentioned earlier, anyone can edit a wiki. As I am not entirely confident in my use of wikis, I would need to look into whether or not there is a way to see who has edited the page. This is for two reasons: to ensure everyone is contributing equally and fairly; and to ensure no one from another group is interferring with the wiki.
Also, many of the ideas listed in '50 ways to use wikis' can be easily applied to a blogspace created by the teacher for classroom use.
Hopefully this has been a useful comparison between wikis and blogs, and has opened up some new lines of thought in classroom practices.

Bloom's Taxonomy

Bloom's taxonomy is a catagorisation of lower and higher level thinking. Lower level thinking includes knowledge, comprehension, and application, while higher level thinking includes analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Each catagory has a list of assessment verbs that allow learning managers to create learning experience plans and determine the level of responses from learners.
For learning experience plans that intoduce and integrate new knowledge, lower level thinking would be applied. To evaluate learners' retention and comprehension, higher level thinking would be applied.
Bloom's learning framework can be applied to any unit topic in any way, and therefore there is no limit to the types of learning activities that can be designed to fulfill this framework.

This mind map is a basic demonstration of the elements of Bloom's taxonomy.







The following is a planning sheet that I obtained through a web search. It helps create links between lower and higher level thinking using the six catagories outlined by the taxonomy and also provides some of the assessment verbs to be used in the wording of the tasks, as well as possible end products to be achieved by the set task.

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy Planning Framework

Higher-order thinking		Actions	Products	Learning Activities
	Creating (Putting together ideas or elements to develop an original idea or engage in creative thinking).	Designing Constructing Planning Producing Inventing Devising Making	Film Story Project Plan New game Song Media product Advertisement Painting
	Evaluating (Judging the value of ideas, materials and methods by developing and applying standards and criteria).	Checking Hypothesising Critiquing Experimenting Judging Testing Detecting Monitoring	Debate Panel Report Evaluation Investigation Verdict Conclusion Persuasive speech
	Analysing (Breaking information down into its component elements).	Comparing Organising Deconstructing Attributing Outlining Structuring Integrating	Survey Database Mobile Abstract Report Graph Spreadsheet Checklist Chart Outline
Lower-order thinking	Applying (Using strategies, concepts, principles and theories in new situations).	Implementing Carrying out Using Executing	Illustration Simulation Sculpture Demonstration Presentation Interview Performance Diary Journal
	Understanding (Understanding of given information).	Interpreting Exemplifying Summarising Inferring Paraphrasing Classifying Comparing Explaining	Recitation Summary Collection Explanation Show and tell Example Quiz List Label Outline
	Remembering (Recall or recognition of specific information).	Recognising Listing Describing Identifying Retrieving Naming Locating Finding	Quiz Definition Fact Worksheet Test Label List Workbook Reproduction