Thursday, August 26, 2010
Thursday, August 20, 2009
YouTube
YouTube is a popular technology that I have been familiar with for many years now. YouTube is one of the ten most popular web sites on the internet. (Fieldman, 2007) YouTube is a web video sharing site founded in late 2005. YouTube is a venue for sharing videos amongst friends, family and can shown to millions of people around the globe; people who subscribe to YouTube can also comment on any video and receive information showing videos that may be of interest to them. (Ziff, 2009)
I think YouTube is an excellent technology to bring into the classroom environment for there are millions of excellent educational videos that can hook and engage learners.
From experience in high school I know that I would love to have used YouTube as an educational tool for assignments across most subjects.
Though due to the issues of internet safety YouTube was banned at my school and not only my school but all schools across Australia.
An article from The Australian explains how all schools have banned YouTube because “The website was considered unsafe because it was impossible to determine what sort of video material might be accessed by students” says Queensland Education and Training Minister Rod Welford (2007). Also a spokesman for the state's Department of Education and Training says, “There's no educational value to it and the content of the material on the site.” (2007)
I personally think that there are inappropriate videos on YouTube but it is a different matter to say that there “is no educational value to it.” I believe that there are many educational uses for YouTube when used appropriately. For example I chose an appropriate YouTube clip for the topic Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. This clip will be used as a friendly and fun clip to engage learners into this strand of SOSE and should result in a positive learning outcome for all students.
There are many other eductional videos I have found when looking through YouTube for example: Maths- Learning your times tables or English- examples of shakespeare. YouTube should not be recognised as a negative site and portrayed as completely harmful to all students because behind all the negative media you hear of a couple of mischievous boys looking up rude or racial things on YouTube (as stated by Andrew Colley, 2007) there are videos on YouTube that are decent for the educational environment.
I am not saying it is acceptable for students to be exposed to such crude videos but YouTube videos should be acceptable under certain curcumstances for students to gain appropriate learning opportunities with proper teacher supervision.
Have a look at this cool little hook for Reduce Reuse and Recycle.
Reference:
Colley, A. (2007), States still hold out on YouTube, http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,21330109-15306,00.html (18/08/09)
Fieldman, B. (2007), What is it and why us it? http://www.surfnetkids.com/safety/youtube_what_is_it_and_why_use_it-19026.htm (18/08/09)
Ziff, D (2009), YouTube http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=YouTube&i=57119,00.asp (18/08/09)
I think YouTube is an excellent technology to bring into the classroom environment for there are millions of excellent educational videos that can hook and engage learners.
From experience in high school I know that I would love to have used YouTube as an educational tool for assignments across most subjects.
Though due to the issues of internet safety YouTube was banned at my school and not only my school but all schools across Australia.
An article from The Australian explains how all schools have banned YouTube because “The website was considered unsafe because it was impossible to determine what sort of video material might be accessed by students” says Queensland Education and Training Minister Rod Welford (2007). Also a spokesman for the state's Department of Education and Training says, “There's no educational value to it and the content of the material on the site.” (2007)
I personally think that there are inappropriate videos on YouTube but it is a different matter to say that there “is no educational value to it.” I believe that there are many educational uses for YouTube when used appropriately. For example I chose an appropriate YouTube clip for the topic Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. This clip will be used as a friendly and fun clip to engage learners into this strand of SOSE and should result in a positive learning outcome for all students.
There are many other eductional videos I have found when looking through YouTube for example: Maths- Learning your times tables or English- examples of shakespeare. YouTube should not be recognised as a negative site and portrayed as completely harmful to all students because behind all the negative media you hear of a couple of mischievous boys looking up rude or racial things on YouTube (as stated by Andrew Colley, 2007) there are videos on YouTube that are decent for the educational environment.
I am not saying it is acceptable for students to be exposed to such crude videos but YouTube videos should be acceptable under certain curcumstances for students to gain appropriate learning opportunities with proper teacher supervision.
Have a look at this cool little hook for Reduce Reuse and Recycle.
Reference:
Colley, A. (2007), States still hold out on YouTube, http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,21330109-15306,00.html (18/08/09)
Fieldman, B. (2007), What is it and why us it? http://www.surfnetkids.com/safety/youtube_what_is_it_and_why_use_it-19026.htm (18/08/09)
Ziff, D (2009), YouTube http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=YouTube&i=57119,00.asp (18/08/09)
Quizzes
ClassMarker is an excellent online tool for teachers and students.
Whilst looking through ClassMarker and how easy it is to work and use I found that these quizzes can be used for multi-purposes in the educational environment. Quizzes can be used to conduct online tests or practice tests at home or in the classroom. As soon as these tests have been completed the students will receive instant results. (ClassMarker, 2009) This is a great way for the teacher to see where their students are at with their learning because it is very difficult to individually analyze each student; but using a quiz will give students revision and give teacher knowledge of where each student is at with their learning.
Quizzes can also be used for self study any student can go onto ClassMarker online and add practice quizzes to test themselves or to test their friends. (ClassMarker, 2009) There are also many other ways ClassMarker can be used outside educational purposes.
There are various advantages of using quizzes especially in the classroom these advantages are:
· You can create, save and customize tests
· Reset rests as often as you like
· You can view and analyse results instantly
· You can provide personal feedback to the learners
· Saves a lot of daunting marking time and saves paper.
(ClassMarker, 2009)
I think quizzes should be implemented more often in the classroom for I believe it is a quick and tactful way to check for learning.
Follow this link to take a short quiz. http://www.classmarker.com/quiz_maker.php#add
Reference:
ClassMarker (2009), About, http://www.classmarker.com/faq.php (18/08/09)
Whilst looking through ClassMarker and how easy it is to work and use I found that these quizzes can be used for multi-purposes in the educational environment. Quizzes can be used to conduct online tests or practice tests at home or in the classroom. As soon as these tests have been completed the students will receive instant results. (ClassMarker, 2009) This is a great way for the teacher to see where their students are at with their learning because it is very difficult to individually analyze each student; but using a quiz will give students revision and give teacher knowledge of where each student is at with their learning.
Quizzes can also be used for self study any student can go onto ClassMarker online and add practice quizzes to test themselves or to test their friends. (ClassMarker, 2009) There are also many other ways ClassMarker can be used outside educational purposes.
There are various advantages of using quizzes especially in the classroom these advantages are:
· You can create, save and customize tests
· Reset rests as often as you like
· You can view and analyse results instantly
· You can provide personal feedback to the learners
· Saves a lot of daunting marking time and saves paper.
(ClassMarker, 2009)
I think quizzes should be implemented more often in the classroom for I believe it is a quick and tactful way to check for learning.
Follow this link to take a short quiz. http://www.classmarker.com/quiz_maker.php#add
Reference:
ClassMarker (2009), About, http://www.classmarker.com/faq.php (18/08/09)
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Picnik
I think Picnik was a really enjoyable and creative tool that would be excellent for educational purposes (more for high school students then primary) and if you are the type of person who loves to create!
Picnik is a webpage which allows you to edit any photo you have saved onto your computer. It allows you to change colours, make effects, and add texts, touch ups, stickers, frames and other cool creative things to just one photo!
Students in high school could definitely benefit with this tool if the students have a knack for art and creativity. Picnik brings in technology, editing and creativity which are important when engaging a learner.
Picnik is a webpage which allows you to edit any photo you have saved onto your computer. It allows you to change colours, make effects, and add texts, touch ups, stickers, frames and other cool creative things to just one photo!
Students in high school could definitely benefit with this tool if the students have a knack for art and creativity. Picnik brings in technology, editing and creativity which are important when engaging a learner.
Above is an example of a picture using Picnik.
Flickr
I am familiar with sites such as Flickr because I have been joined with Photo Bucket for a long time and to me Flickr is very similar with only minor differences. The photo above is just something I found a while ago which had to do with the journey of the arts.
PowerPoint and Mahara
PowerPoint
PowerPoint is one of the technologies I am very comfortable and familiar with. Throughout my learning journey through primary school and high school PowerPoint played a major role when delivering information to us as students. PowerPoint is a useful technological software that lets you generate a creative presentation on whatever you like!
I created a PowerPoint presentation on Reduce Reuse and Recycle because that is the major topic that my prac students are learning at the moment. This presentation shows mostly cartoon figures for effect, direct information and interesting quotations. Each PowerPoint slide has minimal wording for it is important to not waffle on when trying to engage a learner. Excessive amount of writing is distressing for the learners.
Although PowerPoint is a very useful software which can be used for numerous learning experiences; I find that PowerPoint can sometimes be difficult to use and does not have all the features that new technologies have these days.
Mahara
A Mahara is an entirely featured electronic ePortfolio, resume builder, blogging system and social networking system. Mahara helps build reflective and personalized learning. Unlike Moodle, which is a teacher led course system; Mahara allows the uses to be in control of their own learning. Mahara allows you to manage your own files which (e.g. images, documents, videos, blogs). This is a useful format for this allows learners to take control and reflect on their own learning.
PowerPoint is one of the technologies I am very comfortable and familiar with. Throughout my learning journey through primary school and high school PowerPoint played a major role when delivering information to us as students. PowerPoint is a useful technological software that lets you generate a creative presentation on whatever you like!
I created a PowerPoint presentation on Reduce Reuse and Recycle because that is the major topic that my prac students are learning at the moment. This presentation shows mostly cartoon figures for effect, direct information and interesting quotations. Each PowerPoint slide has minimal wording for it is important to not waffle on when trying to engage a learner. Excessive amount of writing is distressing for the learners.
Although PowerPoint is a very useful software which can be used for numerous learning experiences; I find that PowerPoint can sometimes be difficult to use and does not have all the features that new technologies have these days.
Mahara
A Mahara is an entirely featured electronic ePortfolio, resume builder, blogging system and social networking system. Mahara helps build reflective and personalized learning. Unlike Moodle, which is a teacher led course system; Mahara allows the uses to be in control of their own learning. Mahara allows you to manage your own files which (e.g. images, documents, videos, blogs). This is a useful format for this allows learners to take control and reflect on their own learning.
Vokis
Vokis are an interesting and a really fun tool when engaging students.
Vokis may be used as a hook to start off a topic of discussion that students are un aware about. Technologies such as Vokis are an excellent way to facilitate engagement which is usually difficult to accomplish any other way. Vokis are an authentic and new technique for teaching and learning. (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999)
Sometimes starting a new topic can be daunting for both teachers and students, the topic introduced must be presented in a way which engages the learners and makes them motivated to learn due to the meaningful nature of the work environment and the activities. (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999)
For the Voki I created I used the topic Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The KLA for this topic is SOSE. Though this topic is important and a necessity to learn. Students may be put off from learning this topic; this is why teachers need to create a new and exciting tool to introduce this topic as positive and stimulating as possible rather then an overwhelming learning experience.
Get a Voki now!
Reference:
Kearsley, G & Shneiderman, B. (1999), Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning,
http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm (17/08/09)
Vokis may be used as a hook to start off a topic of discussion that students are un aware about. Technologies such as Vokis are an excellent way to facilitate engagement which is usually difficult to accomplish any other way. Vokis are an authentic and new technique for teaching and learning. (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999)
Sometimes starting a new topic can be daunting for both teachers and students, the topic introduced must be presented in a way which engages the learners and makes them motivated to learn due to the meaningful nature of the work environment and the activities. (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999)
For the Voki I created I used the topic Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The KLA for this topic is SOSE. Though this topic is important and a necessity to learn. Students may be put off from learning this topic; this is why teachers need to create a new and exciting tool to introduce this topic as positive and stimulating as possible rather then an overwhelming learning experience.
Get a Voki now!
Reference:
Kearsley, G & Shneiderman, B. (1999), Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning,
http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm (17/08/09)
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