Managing E-Learning
Reflective Synopsis
My E learning journey has been one of changing emotions and thoughts where I have experienced moments of anxiety, frustration and exhilaration. My appreciation for what these technologies can do to support learning has been enhanced through the practical use of these tools. What I have benefited most by learning to use the technologies presented throughout the course is the insight I have gained into just how powerful these information communication technology tools (ICT’s) can be for engaging learners of all abilities and learning styles. An assortment of tools for elearning is unlimited, and the opportunities for learning managers to provide collaborative, creative learning experiences is certainly a more effective method for engaging student participation and interest than traditional chalk and talk learning experiences.
When considering which Learning Theory I would use, I chose Kearsley and Schneiderman’s (1999) Engagement Theory; Relate-Create-Donate components of this theory were easier for me to remember and I thought it would work well as a technology –based teaching and learning framework. I felt it would best support my efforts to design real world learning experiences that would develop life long learning skills for students beyond the school environment, Siemens (2004) states that learning is a continual process lasting a lifetime. I am also a firm believer in promoting collaborative learning opportunities that involve developing team work skills, the engagement theory is recognised as promoting interaction in the context of group activities. The Relate component emphasizes team effort and as stated by Kearsley & Schneiderman the modern workplace demands proficiencies that involve communication, planning, management and social skills (1999, p. 1.) The Create component relates to creative and purposeful activity where students are able to apply their own ideas and manage aspects of their own learning. The Donate component involves students in decision making processes which require higher levels of thinking about the purpose of a project and to whom it might be of value. Another feature of the engagement theory is that it can also be used for designing learning experiences that aren’t technology based.
Throughout this course students have been exposed to numerous technology tools such as blogs, wiki’s, concept maps, podcasts, Learning management Systems, digital video, PowerPoint, images, goggle maps and earth. Testing these out has certainly been quite testing for a digital immigrant like myself. Being a novice with using most of these ICT’s I was concerned that I may not have the ability to absorb everything that I needed to know to enable me to use these tools effectively, but with more time, practise and better access I’m sure I would feel more capable. Smith, Lynch & Knight (2007, p. 44) consider that learning managers need to be experts in the instructional design strategies that inform learning with ICT’s rather than experts on technology. What is most important is the learning manager’s ability to incorporate these tools in such a way that they enhance and support the development of student’s learning.
Reflecting back on my own learning experiences of the chalk and talk days I am able to see how important it is to understand how people learn best and I wonder if I would have achieved so much more academically if this notion of understanding about learning styles had been explored back then. Knowing how students learn best is important for designing learning experiences which provide opportunities for all to reach their learning potential. How do learner’s best learn? This question is one of the eight learning management questions which learning managers use to inform the design of learning experiences (Smith, Lynch & Knight, 2007.) It is of considerable importance that learning managers understand how learner’s best learn so that the tools they choose for learning experiences actively engage students in meaningful learning. Fogarty as cited in McInerney & McInerney (2006, p. 313) refers to an enriched multi-modality training program for all students as being the best option for tailoring learning experiences which cater to different learning styles. Just as I’m certain my style of learning would have benefited most from today’s educational practices I am inclined to agree that multi-modal learning promotes positive educational outcomes for many types of learners.
Initially when learning about these new technologies, I was confronted with the uncertainty of whether or not I would ever become competent at using these tools which lead me to consider how our attitudes and perceptions impact significantly on our learning abilities. Marzano and Pickering’s (1997) Dimensions of Learning plays an important role in designing learning experiences where meaningful learning takes places and strategies are put into place to develop positive attitudes and perceptions. Now that I have experienced some of the tools, some successfully and some not so I’m feeling quite clever and not so overwhelmed.
This leads me to deliberate on which tools I would consider as being most useful in supporting and enhancing student learning. Firstly, one has to take into account the year level of the students. Some of the tools are possibly a little too sophisticated for use by younger students but can however be used by the teacher as another means of exposing students to a variety of learning engagement strategies. So bearing in mind that I hope to specialise in early childhood and for the purpose of this assessment I will focus on tools that could be used by students in lower to middle year levels.
The ability to access, refine, consolidate, transform and present information in a variety of ways is important in developing students learning potential and strengthening the success of learning outcomes. Accomplishing this using a variety of technology tools is an achievable task for any 21st century learner and learning manager. Websites provide endless sources for accessing information in a variety of context. To begin my elearning journey I had to explore the website www.blogspot.com to create my first blog. I have continually sourced numerous websites to support the different tools I have used throughout. I have used my wikispace to store websites that I have accessed for information for this course.
This website (www. bubblus.com) was accessed to create an account that enabled me to present facts about Active Learning and the Engagement Theory into a concept map format. The purpose of using these concept maps as a learning tool is to enable students to refine and consolidate information. Concept maps are useful for subjects such as English, Sose and Science for narrative and recount activities for cause and effect, and comparison charts. These maps assist to organise large quantities of information into smaller more absorbable chunks of information that can be retained easier. They are a valuable tool for learning managers to use to help students to see the information that is most important and to recognize relationships amongst the pieces of information (Marzano & Pickering, 1997)
I found blogging to be easier and more interesting than I expected. The tool’s editing features allow students to make changes to their blogs as they develop more knowledge and this makes it a useful reflective learning tool. Blogs are versatile in that images, videos, podcasts and other media can be uploaded to make the blog more interesting and appealing to readers. Comments from peers and learning managers can be added to posts which make the blog an excellent tool for evaluation and peer assessment purposes. It can be used in an informal way which would benefit struggling writers. Blogs can be used for collaborate learning purposes for journal and diary activities, science and sose projects and are a creative and resourceful tool for supporting all learning styles.
Images are one of the most powerful tools for engaging students in learning activities. Images involve students in thinking about topics, when they see an image that reminds them of something they have experienced or something theyhave knowledge of, they are more likely to be interested in contributing to discussions and actively participating in learning activities. Images are used in many different types of applications to support and enhance learning. Learning managers use images to introduce new topics and themes and to engage students in new topics. Podcasts, Moviemaker, PowerPoint, Youtube, Google earth to mention a few all use imagery for the purpose of capturing an audiences attention. All of these tools can be used by learning managers to provide creative learning experiences. As mentioned by McInerney and Mc Inerney( 2006, p 337) creative self-expression is the ultimate example of constructive thinking.
Podcasting and Movie Maker were not the easiest tools for me to use especially converting the files to upload them into the blog. The audio and visual functions would appeal to most learning styles and can be used by learning managers as a tutorial for creating products, demonstrations and performances. Although these tools may appear to be just another medium for presenting information in a fun way what is of significance is the many skills that can be developed by using these tools. Students develop higher levels of thinking by preparing written scripts which they may rehearse and refine numerous times and by making decisions about the relevance of images and music they choose to include in their presentations. I enjoyed experimenting with movie maker and I was impressed with all the effects and enhancements that could be added to normal clipart and images.
Google Earth site can be used to enhance learning experiences in subjects such as Math, Science, SOSE and English. The zoom- in feature provides a close up look at places of interest. Current affair issues of the day can be investigated as they happen and where they happen. It is a wonderful resource for enabling students to see our world in its present day state.
So my experience with elearning has all been due to what is known as Learning Management Systems (LMS) which is a software application that facilitates the management of online training and educational programs. Being an online application it provides a means for accessing learning materials which give students the opportunity to pursue further education and training outside of normal on campus mode. I am able to access learning materials whenever I want and at any time of the day or night that I choose. The option to pursue further studies whilst working fulltime has been achievable because of the availability of this type of system.
Looking back and considering the new technologies that I have learnt to use in such a short period of time I am able to understand better the importance of developing skills that support the introduction of these tools to students. These tools have so much potential to provide learning experiences which are interesting, engaging and of relevance to real life experiences. They are fundamental in supporting the development of team work, management and social skills which are highly desirable in the 21st century workplace. E-learning creates unlimited opportunities for students to develop those skills. It has been an exhausting but enjoyable and rewarding experience.
Forum Responses and Blog Contributions
Re: Multiple Intelligences Results Comparison
Hello everyone
My results code is myc3czv069985cs. Distintively kinaesthetic, naturalisitc, intrapersonal which is interesting because I thought visual spatial would have been my strongest.
Judy
My results code is myc3czv069985cs. Distintively kinaesthetic, naturalisitc, intrapersonal which is interesting because I thought visual spatial would have been my strongest.
Judy
Re: 21st Century Learners - Engage or enrage me...
Hello Kristen.
I agree with your sentiments. Not all kids want to play computer games and not all schools have the resources to support this mode of learning. I wonder what his thoughts are when his says "it's not relevance lacking for this generation but engagement". My thoughts are, engagement could mean its just fun. Sure kids might master systems ten times more complex than algebra as he states but that doesn't mean it's going to be relevant to the skills they will need to get a job when they finish school.
Judy
I agree with your sentiments. Not all kids want to play computer games and not all schools have the resources to support this mode of learning. I wonder what his thoughts are when his says "it's not relevance lacking for this generation but engagement". My thoughts are, engagement could mean its just fun. Sure kids might master systems ten times more complex than algebra as he states but that doesn't mean it's going to be relevant to the skills they will need to get a job when they finish school.
Judy
Re: 21st Century Learners - Engage or enrage me...
I agree Tanya. I think it's all about reinventing things over and over to build enthusiasm and being passionate about your job. When I look back at my generation (baby boomers) it was probably a period where noone much liked going to school because it was uninteresting etc. However, I think that generation was probably more literate than the present days generation who have all the fun gizmos and gadgets but in saying that it must be considered that the curriculum back then was not as overloaded as it is today. Attitudes and perceptions is what it's all about from both teacher and student, at least that's what I reckon.
thanks
Judy
thanks
Judy
Re: 21st Century Learners - Engage or enrage me...
I think a considerable number of teachers would be reasonably up to date with technologies what they don't do is integrate it into their lessons as much as they could and in some cases as much as they would like. Sometimes this comes back to the school not being equipped with resources like a technology room or enough computers to support learning this way. It's not just teachers who need to take responsibility but also governments need to ensure a fair playing field for all schools in respect to providing technological resources.
cheers
Judy
cheers
Judy
Blog comments
Hello Eva.. A great idea you have about uploading this youtube video clip so it can be shared at home with families. Parents would really appreciate that I'm sure. Younger kids especially love showing their mum and dad what they have learnt at school. The video also makes me wonder if anyone has produced a video using jolly phonics, it's particularly good for introducing phonics because it has actions to go with sounds. Amazing how the kids remember the sound and letter by doing the actionJudy
judij said...
Hello Eva
After watching your podcast I had a go at doing one myself. As yet I haven't been able to link it into my blog and like you have gotten lost numerous times but I will follow the instructions you gave Elsa. Making the podcast was easy enough but finding it and trying to embed it has been difficult. Used this way podcasts make great instructional tools and I like Rachels idea of using it for recording performances so students could listen to themselves over an dover. I hadn't thought of that idea.
Judy
After watching your podcast I had a go at doing one myself. As yet I haven't been able to link it into my blog and like you have gotten lost numerous times but I will follow the instructions you gave Elsa. Making the podcast was easy enough but finding it and trying to embed it has been difficult. Used this way podcasts make great instructional tools and I like Rachels idea of using it for recording performances so students could listen to themselves over an dover. I hadn't thought of that idea.
Judy
hello Eva
I agree" less is more". Picnik allows for one's creative side to go a little overboard when using the editing features and tools. I found the program was easy to use and students would have very few difficulties using it themselves. A time saving feature is the ability to save photos directly to other accounts.
Your blog looks great!
Judy
I agree" less is more". Picnik allows for one's creative side to go a little overboard when using the editing features and tools. I found the program was easy to use and students would have very few difficulties using it themselves. A time saving feature is the ability to save photos directly to other accounts.
Your blog looks great!
Judy
judij said...
Hello David
As a learning manager I would try and use mind maps as much as possible. I think they are a very effective tool for chunking information into more simplistic terms which enable students to interpet and comprehend topics more easily. This tool would suit all levels of abilities and learning styles and enables the teacher to get the concepts across more effectively and efficiently.
Judy
As a learning manager I would try and use mind maps as much as possible. I think they are a very effective tool for chunking information into more simplistic terms which enable students to interpet and comprehend topics more easily. This tool would suit all levels of abilities and learning styles and enables the teacher to get the concepts across more effectively and efficiently.
Judy
judij said...
Hello David,
Your blog looks great. I've enjoyed reading what you say as it's all written in a very informative and concise manner which makes it easier for me to absorb and is pleasurable to read. In addition to what you have already said are the benefits of videos from places like Youtube I would like to add that teachers can also learn from Youtube videos. For instance I found a video on how teachers could learn to develop peer and self assessment techniques to apply in their classrooms, so not only does it support students learning but teachers also.
Your blog looks great. I've enjoyed reading what you say as it's all written in a very informative and concise manner which makes it easier for me to absorb and is pleasurable to read. In addition to what you have already said are the benefits of videos from places like Youtube I would like to add that teachers can also learn from Youtube videos. For instance I found a video on how teachers could learn to develop peer and self assessment techniques to apply in their classrooms, so not only does it support students learning but teachers also.
References
About.com. (What is a Wiki? Wikis Explained: Understanding Wiki, Retrieved August 17, 2010 from About.com
http://webtrends.about.com/od/wiki/a/what_is_a_wiki.htm
http://webtrends.about.com/od/wiki/a/what_is_a_wiki.htm
Central Queensland University. (2010,May 30). Practical Activity: Week 3- PowerPoint, LMS and RSS. Retrieved July 21, 2010, from FAHE1101-Term 2, 2010 Managing E-Learning: http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/mod/resource/view.php?id=91800
Crie, M. (2006). Using Blogs to Integrate Technology in the Classroom. New York, America: Glencoe/ McGraw-Hill.
http://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/educationupclose.phtml/47
Lightbody, K. ( 2007). Digital Video In Education, Retrieved August 17, 2010, from: http://www.zardec.net.au/keith/digvideo.htmhttp://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/educationupclose.phtml/47
Elliot, E., King, S., & S. Scutter, S. ( 2009). To Podcast or to not Podcast:Pedagogical decision making in the use of new technologies. Retrieved 23rd August, from: http://sydney.edu.au/science/uniserve_science/images/content/2009_papers/elliot1.pdf
Kearsely, G ., Schneiderman, B. Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning, Retrieved July 19, 2010, from:http://home.sprynet.com/%7Egkearsley/engage.htm
Marsh, C. (2005) Teaching Studies of Society and Environment. (4th ed.), French Forest: NSW: Pearson Education Australia.
Marzano, R. J., & Pickering, D. J. (1997). Dimensions of Learning, Teacher's Manual.(2nd ed)Aurora, Colorado: McRel.
McInerney, D.M., & McInerney, V. (2006). Educational Psychology, Construct Learning.(4th ed) French Forest, NSW, Australia: Pearson.
Teachers First Home. (2007). Blog Basics for the Classroom. Retrieved August 17, 2010, from:
http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/blog/blogbasics.cfm
Wikibooks. (2010, August 5). Change Issues in Curriculum and Instruction/Wiki's in theclassroom. Retrieved August 17, 2010, from Wikibooks, the open-content textbooks collection http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Change_Issues_in_Curriculum_and_Instruction/Wikis_in_the_Classroom
