Synopsis

Introduction

Technology has revolutionised since the initiation of the 21st century. The world is now full of cell phones, computers, the internet, global positioning systems and so own. ‘Technology has significantly altered the ways in which people experience the world (Dahl, 1998),’ and is ‘an expected skill for high school graduates (Fisher, 2001)’. Because of this it is important for theachers to incorporate ICTs into the classroom using e-Learning. E-Learning is a form of teaching which incorporates ICTs in order to support and enhance the students learning abilities. It is now embedded within the curriculum that teachers must incorporate ICTs in the classrooms as learning tools to make students workplace ready and to use as a tool to support teaching in the classroom.


E-Learning is embedded in the curriculum to ensure that when students enter the work force (click here for more information). E-Learning tools can be used in the classroom in order to support the information which the teacher is supplying to the students. For example in the case of history a teacher can have the notes on a topic in powerpoint or prezi and talk about the topic while students are copying notes. This will engage the classroom as it will be more interesting than having a teacher continually writing notes on the board. Students will be able to take notes from the powerpoint, while the teacher explains in more depth what the notes mean. The method is also more effective then the teacher giving only auditory information verbally. If a teacher were to talk for the whole lesson students would not know what the key facts are. Auditory learners and visual learners will both benefit from this strategy of teaching.

Incorporating e-Learning into the classroom shall be fairly easy in a high school situation. Many of the students would have learnt how to use the basic technologies in primary school. The main issue a teacher will be faced with in the classroom is diversity. Students from different economic backgrounds, or primary schools would have experienced different technologies (McIntyre, 2001). This can make e-Learning hard for teachers to teach. Students who already know about the technology can either help other students out or become bored and off task. In most cases for students, especially those in the lower grades of high school are more likely to become distracted. Distraction will be the only major problem teachers have to face when incorporating technologies in the classroom. Students who are currently entering high school grew up with the advancements in and learnt how to use many tools from trial and error (Snowman, 2009). In most cases the students will know more about technology then their teachers will.

Using technologies such as the internet in a high school situation can be dangerous and need to be monitored to ensure that students are not abusing the privilege of ICTs. When using websites teachers need to monitor the sites which students are searching. Many of the sites which are classified as inappropriate are blocked by Education Queensland however there have been instances when students google their name and pornographic sites come up (Lenz, 2010). Also Education Queensland has blocked the search of games in google however, students can still access games by first entering another site. It is also important that students don’t abuse internet privileges at school by logging on to sites such as facebook. Teachers can monitor all students computers and see what sites they are on from their computer. They can see whether or not students are using their computers in order to support their education or whether they are abusing their privileges of the technology. If a teacher believes a student is abusing their privileges then the teacher can choose to give the student a warning or freeze their account for a lesson. This will affect the class dramatically as the teacher will have to play spy instead of being free to walk around the room and help students with questions. However, this will differ from class and time. Some classes will be able to earn the trust of their teacher by demonstrating that they can stay on the right program at all times.

‘In the last decade the number of computers used in classes has significantly increased (Fisher, 2001)’. There are computer labs for which students can use to support their learning with research and complete assignments. Many rooms are fitted with overhead projectors allowing teachers to show powerpoints while delivering a lesson. Students also have access to a library at most schools which they can use for research at lunch times. Many classes are also fitted with televisions and DVD players so that students can watch videos in class or make videos. However schools may be limited to technology. Smaller schools will not have as many resources as larger schools. However the ratio of technology to students in large schools will also be quite different. There are not enough computers in a school so that every student can use one at once etc. Another limitation which is placed on a school is the teachers knowledge. Although teachers are allowed to access courses for personal development which is set out in the school budget, not all teachers know much about technology, and many don’t care to learn. As stated previously many students know more about technology then their teachers do and teachers may find some technologies like Prezis and Digital Videoing simply too hard to incorporate into a lesson.

Technology has become an asset to transform all types of learning in schools. ICTs make new learning possible in both of the core subjects I wish to teach. In mathematics the introduction of technologies has lead to the calculator, making mathematics easier and faster for students. In history the internet has made it possible for students to find facts on their own. They can now access journal articles of soldiers who fought in wars and read how soldiers felt about the bombing of Dresden etc. Students can also research archives in order to obtain their own opinion about matters which ensures that propaganda taught in schools does not override the truth of fact as it has done in the past. This could not be done without the introduction of technology. Students can use now use technology to access imformation, organise knowledge, transform information to develop new understandings and present knowledge to an audience.

Access information

With the advancements in technology there have been many changes which allow students to access information. Students can now use websites, wikis and e-journals to access information now instead of scanning through books and newspapers to find resources. Websites are the best way to access information click here to see why.

Organising Knowledge

Students can now use technology in order to organise the knowledge they have learn. A site that makes mind mapping easy for students is www.bubbl.us. For more information about why mind mapping is an important tool to use in schooling environments please see Why Mind Map?

Consolidate and Refine Information

Mind maps are also a good way to consolidate and refine information. As seen in (Mel's Comments) after teaching a class about a topic a teacher can take a step back and ask students to refine what was learnt in that lesson and see how everything works. This will ensure that the class has understood what has happened in the lesson. However, this is not the only tool which can be used in order to consolidate and refine information. Producing tables, charts and databases in excel can be the easiest and most effective way to consolidate and refine information to see an example in excel click here. As a math and history teacher both of these tools will be useful to me when entering the classroom. I would be able to use databases, tables and charts to help students consolidate and refine information when doing topics such as interest in Mathematics. Whereas in History students can use Mind Maps to consolidate and refine information, helping them recall what happened when.

Transform Information and Develop New Understandings

Digital technology such as animation, videoing and podcasting can be effective ways for students to transform information and develop new understanding. Once a student has learnt about a topic they can use transform the information that has been given to them by using critical thinking etc. For primary school students the easiest technology to use would be Voki as it is simple to use and students will have fun making their animation talk click here to find out how to use a Voki. High school students in history may find it interesting to record a video of what they think may have happened in a war etc. Both of these tools will ensure that the students are using ‘critical thinking, analysis evaluation and synthesis’ (Lenz, 2010).

Present Knowledge

There are two main tools a learning manager will use in the classroom in order to assist them present knowledge to an audience. The first is Powerpoint and the second is Prezis (see blog). Both tools are used to assist a learning manager when giving the class information. Prezis are more interactive but harder to use, however it is a more effective tool to use in order to engage an audience. Powerpoints are simple and easy to use (to see instructions on how to use a powerpoint click here and go to how to use a powerpoint). They are less interactive and won’t be as engaging as they are used in schools on a daily basis and students will have seen it before. Learning managers in a high school situation will be benefited by using powerpoint, click here to see why. For students in high school who do not like to stand in front of a class and talk they may find it better to us video technology (click here to see why).

Conclusion

Regardless of which tools students are using it is evident that technology is an important part of the 21st Century. Technology is evolving on a daily basis with the introduction to new applications and tools. It is essential that students learn how to use technology in school so that they will be prepared to enter the workforce upon graduation.

Bibliography

Dahl, K.L., & Farnan, N. 1998. Children’s writing: Perspectives from research. Newark: International Reading Association and National Reading Conference.


Fisher, D. 2001. Responsive Curriculum Design in Secondary Schools. London. The Scarecrow Press, Inc..

Lenz, M. . (2010, August 25). Just a refresher before you finish. [Personal Emails].

Lenz, M. (2010). Websites [Class discussion].

McIntyre, E., Rosebery, A., & Gonzalez, N., 2001. Classroom Diversity: Connecting Curriculum to Students’ Lives. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Snowman, J., Dobozy, E., Scevak, J.K, Bryer, F., Bartlett, B., & Biehler. (2002). Physchology applied to teaching. Milton: John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Appendix (Comments)

Tarnah! Your creepy Voki woman is watching me everywhere I move!!!! I don't trust her - note the cobwebs in the corner and the glaring clock :S On a serious note, i agree, Voki's are a great way of using animation. Students would love these and it would be fantastic to encourage their use in orals and assessment tasks.

By Mel on Voki!!! at 6:42 PM


You can find our Powerpoint and Prezi on our wiki www.tarnah.wikispaces.com
By Tarnah on Powerpoints! at 6:00 PM

Yeah when I was teaching it I found the students liked to go on and find their own maps instead of being given information about made up classes.
By Tarnah on Google Maps and Google Earth at 5:11 PM


Thinking back to when i studied Navigation in High School, Google Maps would be a really great exercise to break up the monotony of working with a printed map.
By Mel on Google Maps and Google Earth at 5:06 PM


I forgot to mention that anybody can be added to a group wikki and once they have they can edited the page to their liking. Wikis are a way to access knowledge as all wikis attain information, but on most wikis you do not know who has written the information so do not know whether or not it is a reliable source.
By Tarnah on What is a WIKI??? on 8/25/10


Hey Tarnah :) I signed up for a Wiki but only to see what it was like to set one up. I think having a group one is a fantastic idea because it will be easier for us to be proactive as a group - only dealing with the one Wiki - rather than having several on the same topic. I will have a look at the Wiki now :) Love you, Mel
By Mel on Wikis on 7/15/10

Technology Makes Students Workplace Ready.

Generation Y and Z are said to be born with an ipod in one hand and a blackberry in the other.  They have grown up with the advancements in technology.  Since the the year 2000 ICTs have evolutionised.  They have become an assest in all parts of life. Technologies help people communicate, research information, organise knowlege, transform new ideas, consolidate and refine information and present knowledge.  As a result it has become a requirement that when entering the work force, 'it is a requirment that employees are familiar with a variety of types of technologie (Fisher 2001).' People need to know how to use ICTs such as excel, powerpoint, word, video, podcasting, and many other tools to be capable of completing their job.  Technology is an asset to any business, wheteher it be labouring and working with machines or working in an office. 

Today's economy could not survive without technology. All money and stocks are recorded on computers, banking is done online, people use phones and faxes to communicate, powerpoints and charts to present information, computers used to make transactions and the list could go on for days.  Without knowing how to use technology it would be impossible to survive in the workforce.

Consolidating and Refining Information in Excel

Consolidating and Refininging Information in mathematics can be done by using excel. Excel is an easy technology to use and generally does not take long to teach a class how to use. When teaching a class how to use excel a teacher has to be prepared to let sstudents help each other and walk around the class and assist struggling students themselves. For mathematics excel will be the easiest way to consolidate and refine information as it helps organise numbers however this will not be so for all subjects. The pictures attached are examples of a database and a graph of consolidated information if this blog were to recieve the p=d^2+1 people per day when p = people and d= number of days.

Website vs Wiki, which is a better way to access information?

Due to the advancements in technology it has now become easier to access information using technology rather then scan through numerous books in search of the information that is needed. All books, e-jornals, old news articles can be found in websites on the internet. Similar information can also be found on wikis. But which is a better way to access information? Wiki sites such as wikispaces and wikipedia etc. can be created and edited by anybody. Because of this wikis are not a reliable source to quote in assignments as the author is unknown and the information can be fictional, not based on proven fact or properganda. When using websites to access information you can check the credentials of the author, see wheter the site has been reviewed and form an opinion about wheter or not the site shows bias. The best website to find credited sources is google scholar. This site will search for only credible sources. Wikis are never seen as crediable sources due to the fact that anybody can enter the site to change information, making websites the better way to access information to support a topic in class.

Learning Objects

Learning objects is defined by Rory McGreal (2004) ‘to enable and facilitate the use of educational content online.’ It ia a way for students to use online interactive sites to learn while playing learning games and viewing animation. Teaching like this will keep students engaged in the class as it is a hands on activity and is a change from the way students usually learn. For geography students an easy and fun Learning onject to use is ‘Where in the World is Carmen Sandiago?’ which was designed by Gene Portwood and Lauren Elliott at Brøderbund Software in 1985. The game was originally released as a three CD pack with two other games which helped students interact with Math and English as well. Today there have been 15 games similar to where in the World is Carmen Sadiago, which have been released and can now be used in classrooms around the world without the use of CD. The games can all be downloaded from the internet from this site.

Voki!!!

Get a Voki now!

Google Maps and Google Earth

As a math teacher Google Maps and Google Earth will be slightly useful to me. I can use the programs in order to find out the distance from on town to another. By doing this I can ask students questions like how long it would take me to drive from point a to point b if I travel at the average speed of 60km/hr? This device will be useful to teach students to use especially in the higher grades as it is a tool they can use when they have completed school. When travelling they can work out an expected time of arrival based on the distance they need to travel. Google maps can also be used when students cover navigation. Maps have the North bearing on it and are to scale so students can work out how far away and in what direction they would have to trave to get from point a to point b. For example the students could use the map above, which was collected from google maps, to determine how far and in what direction is Brampton Island to mackay.

Digital Videos

Digital videos can be a useful technology to use in the classroom. Assignments that are done as oral examinations can have the option of digital videos for students who face stage fright and students who want to incorporate technology into their assignments. Digital videoing can also be used by teachers in the classroom, but it will take teachers longer to create the vidoe then the lesson would take.

Podcasting

Podcasts can be useful in a schooling enviroment if ethics are maintained. It can be a vital resource for students who are studying via distance education as it will be the only way they can see work being performed. Teachers can choose to podcast their lessons for students who miss it if they wish and have permission from other students in their class.

Learning Management Systems!

Learning Management Systems become a part of life when entering university. They are used to see assignments, class information, grades and so much more. As a result students should learn how to use this technology in high school. Learning Management Systems are a way to interact with students when they aren't at school. It can be useful for students who are in high school to use LMSs to work on group assignments, have their homework on it or ask the teacher questions. Workload should also be uploaded to a LMS for students who are absent and have missed a lesson.

Prezi vs Powerpoint.

Prezi, like powerpoint, is a way of intervating technology into the classroom to make the lesson more interesting. Prezi can be used in order to give students basic information about a topic while the teacher talks. Using prezi can be useful way to grab students attention as they may not have been taught using such technology before. The only problem with prezi is that it is not easy to use unlike powerpoint. It takes time to set up each idea in the prezi and edit it to function. Powerpoint is a much simpler technology which can provide more information (notes) for the students to jot down while teaching the class and as a result it would be more effective to use powerpoint in senior schooling.

Powerpoints!

Powerpoints are a vital form of ICT tool which can be used in teaching. They can be are simple to which is easy to use and can be used in order to present notes and information to students. As a math/history teacher I will use powerpoints on a regular basis when teaching my students especially in history. Use of powerpoints in history will give students the opportunity to write the notes while I can elaborate on the information. This will make the class more interesting as I won't have my back turned writing continuous notes on the blackboard. By explaining the notes while the students are writing them and elaborating on what they mean will give students who learn auditory will have a better understanding of the information.