Glogster for a learning purpose

My glogster attempt.

Glogster is a user friendly current innovate way to display a variety of learning experiences. It caters for a range of diverse learning styles and work can be presented in a very visual engaging manner for 21^st century learners.

Work can be displayed in either chunks or sequenced. It can incorporate group or individual work. A full range of multimodal concepts in work can be addressed using glogster. Using the education version of glog ensures all students are monitored by teachers and a safe online working environment is established.

Prezi for a learning purpose.

My first experience of Prezi.

Prezi has similar types of features as PowerPoint. It is linear in the form it is presented. Although, it has very different ways about presenting the information compared to PowerPoint. Prezi is a very visual and engaging in the way the information can be presented.

In the classroom, this tool would be great for documenting a learning journal. Pictures, videos  and captions can all be added in one place. This information can be sequenced in the order of progress. Although this can be provided in chunks of information too. It just means that each chunk would haveto explained in sequence before providing the next chunk, that way information provided will still have a sense of flow. My experimentation of Prezi had found that I had made it too busy for my first attempt. It will take a few practice attempts to successfully achieve a professional presentation. In the classroom, this can be very time consuming. However, keeping it simple at the start and slowly progress on new features when time permits would be the best way to manage time.

Digital Video for learning purposes

As a whole, it involves the full impact of multimedia with audio and images most the time. Digital video can involve communication of the presentation which incorporated an analysis and reflection of a task. I used Windows Movie Maker to analyse my personal learning reflections about The Arts;

 Upload Failed.......

Another negative that I have just discovered is the upload time for a video. TOO LONG...in the end I cancelled my attempt of uploading my video. I will try this again when I am using the Universities Network Server to see if it is any quicker.

2nd, 3rd, 4th , 5th attempts and more....After an seeming endless amount of attempts to upload this video which included searching online for variable options of reducing file size without an additional cost. I have come to the conclusion that most of the free online personal websites available will not allow files with a size of 30.3mb be uploaded without paying for it. Unfortunately, I have ran out of ideas for uploading my wmv and sharing with the my viewers.

Any IT guru's advice would be appreciated at this stage. But Wait...101 attempts and.....

IT WORKS....YEH!!!

Now that it works......I hope you all enjoy.

PLUS	MINUS	INTERESTS
All learning styles. Contemporary. Engaging. Recalling learning. Explanations (specific subject technical language use). Identify areas that need improving or re-editing. Huge variable range of sources can be uploaded; for example, youtube, documentaries, news, etc. Instant capture of that time.	Limited resources; video cameras, access to PC, etc. Stealing of equipment. High costs. Potential damage. Editing. Accidental deletion of recording files to be used. Large file sizes. Large uploads.	Broad variety of educational purposes can be incorporated, for example; recording and editing progressive learning stages, global access to real world events outside the classroom.

 Overall, using video, ticks all the right boxes for the multiple intelligences and learning styles, however, it is a very costly and time consuming tool.

PowerPoint for learning puposes

When spending the time and experimenting with PowerPoint as a learning tool. I have discovered that it is much more than just an image in the background during an oral presentation. In an aim to develop my own skills, I have analysed Edward DeBono’s Six Thinking Hats as a learning tool and instead of traditionally presenting this in front of peers which can be extremely nerve racking, I have uploaded  my own recorded audio which can be synchronised in time with each slide on the PowerPoint. This tool is great for the classroom in this way as students can still demonstrate their knowledge orally with being overwhelmed by the fears of confronting presentations.

Here is my example of a ppt which goes beyond standard visuals as you present;
Upload failed......
Oh no...here we go again...i cannot seem to upload this ppt on to the blog. This has become a definent situation teachers need to consider when they plan their learning design.
Once again, I will try again later......
.....After endless attempts, I cannot seem to be upload the powerpoint that has audio as part of the presentation. I have linked it to here on slideshare, however, audio is still not working there too. Therefore, I added my speech notes to the bottom of each slide.

Just a few weeks ago in a year 5 classroom, I was required to deliver a technology task which involved the analysis and design of a magazine cover page. In accordance with the curriculum, the use of ICTs was required. Following the technology and design process, my class investigated a variety of different magazine covers and compared their similarities and differences in the classroom. Then we brainstormed and ideated our own version of an effective magazine cover which was suited to year a year five audience. After numerous drafts and shared constructive feedback about each students draft design, the class then designed their final product using PowerPoint.

In this case, it was my choice to use PowerPoint as a whole class tool because being in a school environment we may have had difficulties accessing variable web tools available through a secure school intranet service. As a result of the learning outcome, it was overwhelming to see the experience of year five students work on PowerPoint software. They were obviously very experienced with this tool. However, there experience had clearly demonstrated they were used to using this tool as a PowerPoint presentation type tool. I had taken a lot of time to break students away from this style of thinking and becoming more use to the available tools to modify and create just one page, ie, a magazine cover page, not a presentation. This is my example of a magazine cover design that I had designed to engage students. The learning outcomes had incorporated critical multimodal literacy skills into the technology design.
My example model for the class I taught;

Overall, I have found that PowerPoint is a very diverse tool that applicable to learner's from all intelligences and as an added bonus, it is accessible to everyone who has a computer.

Podcasts for a learning purpose

Podcasts

Podcasts are sound files that can be individually created and/or shared with peers. They can be uploaded onto the web or wiki but not blogs. Using digital recording tools is very useful for the needs of a variety of learners. For my first experience at assessing students reading, using a running record, I had recorded their reading ability onto the Ipod to ensure I had accurate results.

PLUS	MINUS	INTERESTS
Audio responses instead of written are highly preferred for some learners. Recalling learning. Explanations (specific subject technical language use). Running records can be recorded. Subject specific responses from professionals can be uploaded from other sources. Engaging. Instant capture of that time.	Limited resources; mp3’s, ipods, access to PC, etc. Stealing of equipment. High costs. Potential damage. Editing. Accidental deletion of audio files to be used. Cannot upload on blog. Students sometimes become nervous talking when they know they are being recorded.	Broad variety of educational purposes can be incorporated, for example; a running commentary of a task, explaining events that had taken place.

 Podcasts can also be applied as a running narrative, reflective tool, or analysing the context understanding of students with ESL.

Images for a learning purpose

 The digital tools I experimented and explored with were Picnik and Photobucket. Photobucket is free to register. It is a place where images can be stored online, similar to a picture folder on the PC. Having online access to these images means that they can be accessed or uploaded from any computer at any location that has access to the internet. Picnik is also free to register. It is a user friendly website that allows you to use basic skills in  manipulating images. For example, you can alter, crop, change file sizes, collage, add creative borders and more. Picnik allows you to easily upload images from Photobucket and once you have completed your creation you can save them either back into Photobucket or download onto your PC.

Personally, I enjoy exploring and discovering new tools online but I am definitely not digital savvy. I take hours to get things right from trial and error, and a lot of frustration along the way. However, I did find both of these tools very user friendly, as you only have to follow the prompts.

Here is my 1^st attempt of experimenting with these tools (my own pictures);

 Picture in top left had failed, with more time commitment, this could be a very engaging useful tool.

PLUS	MINUS	INTERESTS
Providing evidence of learning journey (a script or audio can be written with each image). Engaging. Instant capture of that time. Great for critical discussion of image. Critical thinking development; example is what type of picture is required to best suit the justification for the task. It’s not ability based. Visual.	Limited resources; digital cameras, ipods, access to PC, etc. Time consuming. Stealing of equipment. High costs. Potential damage. Irrelevant or inappropriate images. Accidental deletion of images to be used. Restrictes all Gardners intelligences capabilities.	Broad variety of educational purposes can be incorporated, for example; documenting Technology and Science journals, critical analysis of images in English lessons. Journal evidence, with written or audio report to back it up.

PMI Analysis on Building Individual Learner's Websites for a Teaching Purpose

Here is the link to my own personal trial of using a website.