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Applying wireless information technology in field trips
This thought provoking article from Hong Kong talks about promoting wireless technology in the classroom and for use on field trips. Particularly they talk about the benefits of providing all the children with pocket PCs to “increase the interactivity of teaching and learning in outdoor education”
Some of the key benefits mentioned include:
Interactive whiteboards are a source of technology assisting ‘new learnings’ which i am eager to take a good look at. I have never actually used or even seen one of these interactive whiteboards that are increasingly talked about, but this article Interactive whiteboards- The future is already here by Bart Halford has introduced me to some of the positive and negative aspects of Interactive whiteboards.
Positives:
A posting on Natalie’s blog provide a resourceful link to a segment from 60 minutes which addresses the issue of bullying through the internet. It is an important topic to look at and address because it is one of the downsides of technology that could prove to be a real problem if not kept under control. Children that become victims of bullying can become highly emotionally and psychologically damaged and this can be a significant aspect preventing them from learning and achieving throughout their entire life. As a teacher one of my utmost priorities will be to make sure that each and every child feels safe and has the confidence and self-esteem that they deserve.
Take a look at Nats posting bullying via the internet
http://www.parentscanada.com/uploads/schoolhead.jpg
Bits and bytes engage kids in the classroom
by Felicia Brown
This great little article talks about ‘Breaking the Barrier’ between teachers seeing technology as a learning tool and children seeing it as part of their everyday life. This article is a spark of hope to those of us who are not as technologically savvy as the new generation children. “… many teachers feel overwhelmed… but that’s not the way it needs to be.”
This article presents a program called the Learning Engagement Online (LEO) project which looks at using technology to make school fun and engage kids into their learning. Dan Isele is a Queensland teacher who took on the coordinator role of the project to cater for the increasingly high demand from schools for his technology- driven teaching projects.
LEO
There is a very thought provoking video on Caity’s blog which presents a three-dimensional virtual world which has been created for people to live a ’second life’. Much like Caity, I feel concerned that creations such as this will defer people from the real world causing more and more of us to spend our lives glued to the computer screen rather than enjoying the real world. It seems to have its benefits but is it really what we need or could it do psycological damage to those living in a fantasy world?
Second Life Posting on Caity’s blog.
http://www.pantherweb.org/sl/overview/town-hall-12.jpg http://pcwin.com/media/images/screen/73569-active_worlds_browser.jpg
I have recently recognised the importance of acknowledging copyright laws when using music and films from the web. Previously i have never put much thought on the matter as i have never needed to, but i have now realised that something as simple as putting commercial music onto a short video and publishing it online could break the law. I did some follow up reading on copyright issues and found some interesting things to know about copyright laws for teachers. If being used for educational purposes the copyright laws are more flexible for the use of videos, films and published literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work to be used in schools.
http://www.andover.edu/library/AcadInteg/Copyright-symbol.jpg
To find out more read the article Copyright issues for schools and teacher- librarians!
Constructionism is a representation of learning through actively constructing mental models and theories of the surrounding world. Constructionism is connected with experimental learning and learning through actively making things in the real world. I think that constructionism is worth researching as a teacher as it is so important that children are confronted with stimulating learning experiences from which they can discover and learn new things which will be ingrained into their minds and develop their sense of achievement. Theorists with theories on constructionism include Jean Piaget, Seymour Papert and Idit Harel.
http://www.mitchellwalkplaygroup.co.uk/images/gallery_learning_through_play.jpg
What is the difference between Constructivism and Constructionism? According to Edith Ackermann in her article Piaget’s Constructivism, Papert’s Constructionism: What’s the difference?, there are some important differences between the two, however, by integrating both views we are better able to enhance our understanding of how people learn and grow. On a basic level Ackermann recognises that Piagets theory of constructivism looks at understanding childrens ways of doing and thinking at different stages of their develpment, whereas Papert’s theory of Constructionism focus’ more on learning through making and discovery. I found it interesting that Papert’s thory developed based on Piaget’s theory and they also did alot of work together before Papert’s theory was formed. An effective quote made by Papert sums up the connection between the two theories:
“Constructionism—the N word as opposed to the V word— shares
contructivism’s view of learning as “building knowledge structures”through
progressive internalization of actions… It then adds the idea that this happens
especially felicitously in a context where 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” (Papert, 1980, p.1)
I like the constructionism thery as it has taken the best out of Piaget’s constructivism theory but added in the essential component of ‘learning through making’ which i believe is so important in the teaching and learning of young children.
Papert, S. (1980). Mindstorms. Children, Computers and Powerful Ideas. New York: Basic books.
http://www.am.dodea.edu/bragg/New-CSO/Parent_Info/Curr-Instr/images/esl-pic.jpg
I’ve read a theses program which brought up an interesting idea which I previously did not think of. It talked about using technology and computers to help those students to whom english is a second language. I think that it is a brilliant idea and sounds as though it could really break an isolation barrier for these students. Many of them have probably experienced technology and it can not only provide a means for helping them learn but can be a valuable way for them to communicate with others in the same boat as them. Definitely an idea i will be looking into!
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Boulter, Carmen Henriette
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I have recently read many readings which look at the effectivness of using computer games to help motivate students to learn and enjoy themselves at the same time. The article ‘children as multimedia critics’ (Rieber et al, 2001) lists a variety of elements of computer games that children see as important to their enjoyment of educational computer games.
Important game characteristics identified by the children included the following:
1) storyline or context
2) challenge
3) competitive affordances, especially those which promoted social interaction.
Noted in the article was that the children did not find the game’s production values or integration of game’s storyline and educational content as important game characteristics both of which were common elements thought to be important in evaluations made by adults on educational computer games.
It is important to not let kids get bored…<br />
http://www.luton.gov.uk/image_library/emotions/boredchildren.jpg
Computer games are great for keeping children motivated and thinking!<br />
http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/04_02/surfMS1204_468×516.jpg
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