Experimenting With The Thought of Using Digital Tools for Educational Purposes

Multimedia surrounds us. For example, using words like ‘facebook’ or ‘youtube’  in conversation is recognised by all. It would be safe to say that most emerging digital immigrants would recognise this language too. Therefore, it is important for educators to become familiar with locating, using, and creating  a variety of image, audio and video resources to develop the digital learners’ media literacy skills. These contemporary learning designs for digital learners will result in; a sense of ownership in learning as it is engaging and preferred, and they can see concrete evidence of their efforts which is being shared and displayed for all other relevant parties.

I will include a broad range of posts following this one where, I have explored with a variety of online digital tools and/ or PC software to gain a better understanding of how they work (for my own competence in the classroom) and how they can be adapted for educational purposes. In theses cases, I am comparing these tools and the context of applying them to wiki’s, blog’s and web site’s etc, as the learning process. With this in mind, uploading student and teacher work onto the web is an exception under the Copyright Act for educational purposes, however, I personally like to do my best attempt in acknowledging resources primary location as common courtesy.

The following table provides a clear explanation of how these tools can be adapted for educational purposes. Overall, incorporating these tools in the classroom provides an extremely high potential for innovation and exploration.  

Table drawn from Schwartz & Hartman (n.d). It is not television anymore: Designing digital video for learning and assessment. Stanford University.

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PMI Analysis on Using an Online WIKI for Teaching Purpose

This link provides my examples of contributing to wiki pages.

SWOT Analysis on Using Blogs for a Teaching Context

TPACK Framework & Digital Learning Design

Mishra & Koehler (2006), have researched and provided an informative document which addresses  digital Technology with the delivery of Pedagogy and Content Knowledge (TPACK). Content knowledge is the actual subject matter to be learned or taught. In short, pedagogical knowledge is a generic knowledge about the process of teaching and the process of learning. Technology will be viewed as digital technology in this summary which involves computers, software, etc. Previously, pedagogy and content knowledge components had been delivered in isolation.  Shulman (cited in Mishra & Koehler, 2006), suggested blending pedagogy and content knowledge as a learning framework. Mishra and Koehler (2006), support Shulman’s work and added technology to the framework. This means the relationship of all these components can be used in pairs and as a whole. The diagram below explains this;

As the diagram explains, teaching can be delivered in any of the pairs overlapping, or as a whole. Overall, teaching will require well planned interweaving of all three equal components to achieve effective learning results in learners.

Teachers will need to have the ability to evolve with the rapid changes in technology use. Naturally, teachers will need to consider what technological resources are available in their school and what the students are capable of when designing their teaching and learning approach. The learning designer needs to facilitate the task which  provides a rich context that is meaningful to learners. As applied to a real life context, learners will develop effective skills and techniques in researching, collaborating and revising their work in variable ways.  

Bloom's Taxonomy

Benjamin Bloom (1956), identified three domains of educational activities (thinking and learning) and divided them into categories which can be used as a tool for measuring the goals of the learning process. The three thinking and learning domains, or categories are;

o    Cognitive: mental skills (Knowledge)

o    Affective: growth in feelings or emotional areas (Attitude)

o    Psychomotor: manual or physical skills (Skills)

To clarify or simplify, when new learning has taken place, learners will have acquired new knowledge, skills and attitude. Bloom subdivided these three learning domains in hierarchical order from the simplest learning behaviour to the most complex. In other words, learners will need to know each classified level before moving on to the next more complex level. On the whole, Bloom’s Taxonomy is a tool for measuring students’ ability of intellectual behaviour in learning.

Reflecting on the delivery of the learning design delivered (mobile phone task).

The previous post was the result of a task that required learners’ to use Edward DeBono’s 6 thinking hats to analyse and evaluate the use of mobile phones as an educational tool in the classroom. This analysis was made through a scaffolded online wiki discussion with peers which ensured a variety of perspectives were considered before making an evaluation. My previous post summarises the effectiveness of using DeBono’s hats, therefore I will not draw any further into that point of the discussion.


Vygotsky states that this style of social learning supports cognitive development. Memory is enhanced through engaging discussion points with peers which benefits own knowledge and becomes internalised. In this case, learners had some prior knowledge about mobile phones and learning which is working within learners zone of proximal development (Vygotsky). As a result, learners became engaged in researching, discussing, contributing and considering variable points of view. Overall, this task was not about identifying learners’ opinions of mobile phone use in the classroom, it was strategically delivered to help learners understand ways of incorporating technology into the learning design.


Another effective strategy in this learning design was using DeBono’s hats, to assist in thinking outside the square. Students could contribute and consider all perspectives on the wiki discussion page before making a decision. This strategy links with Bloom’s taxanomy where students analyse, evaluate and create a response. This style of learning incorporates the three learning domains; 1.cognitive, or mental thinking about the topic, 2.affective, where students evaluate their own feelings about the topic, and 3.psychomotor, where students apply their response to the task. Overall, students are using higher order thinking skills in this style of learning.


Is the theory behind this learning behaviourism?


No, the behaviourist approach involves learning through a series of practiced steps. Learners build their knowledge through rote learning, revision, or repetitive practice with the behaviourist approach. This delivery style was not identified in this technological learning design.


Is the theory behind this learning constructivism?


Yes, the constructivist approach requires learners to take an active approach to acquiring information and processing that information which leads to a deeper understanding of the subject. In this case, the learning design required learners to search and evaluate information on mobile phone use in the classroom as an educational tool. No further information or instruction was provided for this task except for the use of DeBono’s hats and a wiki discussion page. Modritscher (cited in ELearning Pedagogy), states that constructivist learners are required to seek out the knowledge on their own. Applying this learning style through an elearning social context that applies to real world simulations is common.

Is the theory behind this learning cognitivism?

Yes, because cognitivism requires the learners to build new knowledge through the scaffolding of prior knowledge which as a result, alters the learners’ schema. As mentioned earlier, all learners have some background with mobile phones and some background with teaching. Therefore, students will have the ability to link new information with what they know which ensures the new knowledge is stored into their cognitive memory. Furthermore, Vygotsky states that social interaction, like the design of this learning, plays a fundamental role in cognitive development.

Is the theory behind this learning connectivism?


Yes, this learning design required learners to network with other sources and focus on specialised information regarding the use of mobile phones in the classroom as an educational tool. In addition, learners relied on other learners research of information to be able to make an informed decision about this subject. Making connections helps learners understand that information is rapidly evolving and changing beyond their current state of knowing and as a result, information should be sourced from specialised areas in that specific subject. This skill also draws on the ability to identify important and unimportant information. Learners had to make these decisions when reading responses from the discussion wiki page. Connectivism provides insight into learning skills and tasks needed for learners to flourish in a digital era.
How would this learning design contribute to the learning of your students?
I used DeBono’s six thinking hats to simplify the steps in complex thinking;

Analysing the Use of Mobile Phones as an Educational Tool....

As a part of our ELearning course, as a group, we were required to use DeBono’s 6 thinking hats to analyse and consider whether mobile phones should be used as an educational tool in the classroom.

Using DeBono’s "Six Thinking Hats" is a powerful technique that helps you separate, and individually look at each important perspective when making a decision. It helps you make better decisions by pushing you to move outside your habitual ways of thinking. As such, it helps you understand the full complexity of a decision, and spot issues and opportunities which you might otherwise not notice (De Bono 1985).

The black hat was used as a part of my contribution to the wiki group because even though there are many useful ways to use a mobile phone in the classroom, health issues must still hold a high stake in considering our children’s future.

It would be good to hear from other perspectives on here, so feel free to add your comment.
Thanks in advance
Ben.

Multiple Intelligence and Learning Style Reflection

I had undertaken Howard Gardners multiple intelligence quiz and pleasantly found that I am fairly well balanced except for the linguistic intelligence.
After reading about the various intelligences people have strengths in, and the variety learning styles from the previous blog, I have found that lesson designs need to incorporate a broad balanced range of delivery methods. In doing so, all learners will have the opportunity to learn while using their preferred style and they will also have opportunity to strengthen their non preferred styles of learning.

Catering for Different Learning Styles & Exploring My Own

I have just completed an online quiz to explore and discover my preferred personal learning style. According to the results from this website, I have the following preferred learning styles.

Active and Reflective Learners

An active learner tends to retain and understand information best by actively discussing, applying or explaining it to others. For example, they will want to attempt to find a solution before they think it through first which is what a reflective learner would do. My results indicate that I am well balanced in both of these styles of learning. With some further reading on this result, I have found that having a good balance between these two learning styles is preferable because an actively weighted learner will jump into tasks prematurely and a reflectively weighted learner will think through for too long and have difficulty in actually making a start.

A strategy for active learners to retain information better is when they do something with the information provided. For example, thinking of questions that may be asked in advance and thinking of how they might answer those questions. A reflective learner needs to continually stop and reflect or summarise what they have just read. This strategy helps their style of learning.

Sensing and Intuitive Learners

Sensing learners tend to be patient with detail. Also they are good at memorizing facts and doing hands on work. They like to learn facts and solving problems using well structured and known methods but do not like complications or surprises which is what intuitive learners seem to grasp with ease. The website I completed the quiz on had scored me as a moderate sensing level of learner. I support this result because the website states that sensing learners tend to resent material being tested that has not been explicitly covered in class. That is something I do, and also, I need to be able to relate it to real life situations. Intuitive learners like innovation and dislike repetition, they often prefer to discover new possibilities and relationships when finding solutions. Intuitive learners grasp new learning concepts comfortably and work a lot faster.
To be effective as a learner and problem solver, you need to be able to function both ways. For example, overemphasizing intuition can miss important details or steps when completing tasks and overemphasize sensing may rely on becoming familiar with methods and not enough on understanding and innovative thinking.

As mentioned earlier, sensors remember and understand information best if they can relate learning to the real world. To do this, they may need to ask for specific examples of new theory being learnt. Other ways are to brainstorm new information with peers, in other words, find new resources to better relate the information. Intuitive learners should take the time to analyse detail in questions before they begin answering, so they do not miss important steps. They should ask lectures for interpretations or theories that link the facts, or try to find the connections themselves.

Visual and Verbal Learners

I have a strong preference for visual learning, in accordance to the results. Most people are visual learners. Visual learners remember best what they see, such as pictures, diagrams, flow charts, time lines, films, and demonstrations. Verbal learners get more out of words, whether they be written or spoken explanations. To be an effective teacher, information should be presented both visually and verbally to cater for both learning styles.

Visual learners should obviously source any further information that provides visual stimulation to support learning new concepts. For example, if no further resources are available, draw colour coded concept maps that link key points from texts provided or simply highlight important key points. Verbal Learners should write summaries or outlines of course material in their own words. Group work can be particularly effective as they gain an understanding of material by hearing their peers explanations or explain things to their peers.

Sequential and Global Learners

Sequential learners learn best when good scaffolding has taken place within their zone of proximal development. Most classroom environments are taught this way. I scored with a moderate preference to this style of learning. Sequential learners will understand specific detail may have trouble relating it to different aspects of the same or different subject. Global learners seem to absorb large random chunks of material provided and it takes time to mentally gain an understanding of the information provided. Global learners may have some difficulty in explaining the steps of what they have learnt.

Sequential learners need to ensure they have clarified any missing steps for a better understanding during new learning before they progress. Also, they should practice relating their task to what they might already know for a deeper understanding. A global learner will already have the ability to relate new learning to what they already know. To enhance this, or avoid any problems, they need to take the time to skim through text prior to the delivery of learning new tasks to ensure they have an overview or big picture of the subject which will help that connection to other relative areas.

If you would like to research further about learning styles, my information was sourced from here.

Introduction

I am completing my bachelor of learning management. Therefore to be an effective teacher, learning and understanding the use of ICT’s in the classroom is vital to engage learners in the 21st century. This blog will take me through the journey of discovering and learning innovative ways to teach children from all diverse backgrounds.

Hopefully, this blog will provide some useful information for other’s who are interested in using ICT’s for learning in the classroom.

Enjoy!!!
Ben.