To Website, or Not to Website!

This week, we (my tutorial class and I) were asked to create a website to endeavour to expand our ICT horizons. I was one of the previously uninitiated and had no clue as to what I was getting myself into. Until I had done my readings for my ICT class, I believed that one needed to know codes and algorithms (A++, Linux and the like!) in order to successfully navigate my way around to creating a website. But, I have since been informed, times have changed!! It took me a grand total of half an hour to set up my website (and that included making it look pretty!). ‘If it is this easy, why didn’t I try it before’, I pondered. I suppose, as is the reason for most things, I feared the unknown (maybe ‘fear’ is too stronger a word. ‘I am lazy’ is probably a better answer!). But the fear is felt by many older individuals (both teachers and in the wider community) who did not grow up with a computer in their household, and hence, have the opportunity to explore the internet world. Is using webpages as a tool for education really such a bad thing? Will it further or hinder the educational experience of our students?

The strength of online learning lies in the massive amount (both educational and not so educational) of information that can be found on the internet- although sources must be checked thoroughly! Also the ability to learn anywhere at any time and any pace (University of Illinois, 2010)! Students, no matter what race, religion, age or gender are less pronounced, leaving less room for stereotypes, so students can freely express (within reason!) opinions and, hopefully, contribute in a rational and logical manner to forums and other such mediums.

However, computers are not the most reliable of things and are sometimes inclined to do the opposite of exactly what you want them to- particularly when you are trying to reach a deadline! Also, not everyone is at the same level of competency when it comes to the use of computers. This is why we must begin the education of the general public, not just in schools, in new technologies. As my aim is to become a Primary/State/Prep Teacher, I would develop activities on my class website that encouraged parents to get involved in their child’s learning journey! We must also take into account that some students may know far more than the teacher/facilitator of the website (be careful of hackers!). This can cause frustration for some students and boredom may set in. Hence, Teachers must try to keep up to date with technology.

To conclude; Yes! Computers and websites are absolutely wonderful when they are working, but always have a Plan B!!!!

Wikis and Blogs and Websites, Oh My!

This week we have been asked to venture forth and create wikis and a website; a scary prospect for a computer illiterate such as myself! More on the pressing matters of Wikis and Websites in blogs to come, but for the time being I been asked to discuss Blogs in education/ the classroom.

At first I was hesitant as to the purpose of blogs in a classroom, but then I realised; if we do not teach them to use ICTs effectively and a responsible manner, then who else will?! To some teachers blogging for educational purposes in a primary school setting (as my aim is to become a Primary School/ Prep/State School Teacher, I feel it is probably more constructive to focus on these earlier years and not the more senior ones!) blogging is, in fact something they have been doing for years!!                                                                                                                                                                            Take for example, Kathleen Morris’ ‘Primary Tech’ website (http://primarytech.global2.vic.edu.au/information-about-educational-blogging/) on which she indicates; this will be her sixth year in using blogging to educate her classes. It is a wonderful and informative website, with samples and leads to her blogs. But, as well as informing me, I find it has given me confidence with which to begin my own blog with my class (once I receive one as a fully qualified teacher! I do not intend on hijacking anyone’s classroom!). As Sir Francis Bacon once quoted; ‘knowledge is power’. This is revealing itself to be quite true on the blogging front!

More and more, we are seeing schools embracing blogs as a method of making education more palatable to a new generation! This seems to be occurring particularly in New Zealand. The Waiuku Primary School has a blog for their school and one blog per classroom streaming off it! This allows not only students and teachers to converse and monitor progress, but also parents and guardians. View this wonderful innovation at http://web.waiuku.school.nz/class-blogs.

All in all, a really positive experience! I can’t wait to begin my adventures in Wikis and Websites!        

Wiki- Try Something New!

This week we (my ICT class) were asked to partake in a ‘Wiki’ forum with regards to mobile phones in the classroom (for educational purposes!). This is an interesting concept, as I reflected in my comments using the ‘Yellow Hat’ (also known as ‘the optimistic response’) from de Bono’s ‘Six Hats’ concept.

The concept of technologies such as mobile phones being used in classrooms seems to have a very mixed response of excitement and fear.    
             Excitement for the possibilities yet to come; it is almost inconceivable that, in even 5 years time, the technology we currently find new and wonderful will be completely obsolete! Some concepts that haven’t even been thought of yet will be seen as ‘old news!’ (I’m still waiting for my hover car to be invented!).
             Fearfulness of the unknown has caused a great educational rift, however, primarily due to fear of the unknown!            
             It is in the former school of thought that I agree with this new concept of mobile phones being used in schools as educational utensils! For, if we don’t begin to use them soon, we may actually find ourselves completely behind the game in the very near future!

By means of learning theories, I found this exercise to be strongly based in four main theories- Behaviourism, Cognitivism, Social Constructivism and Connectivism.              
               Behaviourism is displayed as the mobile phone wiki laid out (in table form) quite clearly the expectations of each row and column. A certain evolution can be seen down the table, as one student learns from another student, and that student learns from them before him or herself and slowly the responses in the table become more complex and thought-out.
               Cognitivism is observed in the packaging everything into neat little boxes; bite-sized bits of expectation of requirement.
               Social Constructivism is shown when we were each expected to ‘put on a hat’ and express our own views and opinions based on ‘one's prior experiences, mental structures, and beliefs’ (Jonasson, 1991).
            Finally, Connectivism is shown simply the use of the internet and computers. For some of us, this was a new experience, so not only were we learning about de Bono’s concept and mobile phones in educational contexts in classrooms, we were also learning (and hopefully growing more confident in our ability!) to use new methods of communication on the internet!

I found this experience of working on the mobile phone wiki quite, enjoyable (and was quite proud of myself for trying something new and scary!!).     
             The simplicity of the wiki and lack of ‘excess information’ (as it was all in ‘dot point’ and, as such, lead straight to the point!). The labeling was clear, not much room to digress as is so common in other exercises like essay-writing.

All in all, an educational and amusing experience!