In a day not too long gone, e-learning did not exist and scaffolding was limited to the confines of the classroom chalkboard, textbook and on the odd occasion – a loosely connected movie when the teacher wanted some quiet time in the classroom for an hour.
In this new era of learning however, teachers are presented with an armoury of ICT weapons for facilitating exciting and captivating learning experiences and stimulating higher order thinking.
In Assignment One we explored the concepts of learning theories and how these theories can be applied to effective e-learning design through the use of appropriate scaffolding.
This paper will investigate how the strategic use of ICT’s with a detailed understanding of learning theories, can be used to support higher order thinking.
Over the previous few weeks we have critically analysed a variety of these teaching technologies by assessing the positive and negative implications of their use. Through this critical exploration, the overall effectiveness of e-learning tools was discussed by contrasting their effectiveness with their legal, safe and ethical use.
In week 3 we began by investigating “online spaces”; and how blogs, wiki’s and websites can be utilised to facilitate learning. In my critical analyses of blogging I noted that whilst public posting of reflections may allow the progression of work to be monitored not only by teachers, but also by fellow peers; it also opens the door to potential plagiarism, bullying, and privacy issues. It is at this point we must remember:
(…except replace “Spiderman” with “a teacher”)
Teachers are privileged with the ability to educate the next generation. What many do not realise however, is that e-learning tools can also trigger negative outcomes if poorly executed. According to a study performed by Hinduja and Patchin (2008) cyber bullying has significantly increased in the last several years, which correlates with an increase in new technologies becoming available.
This may potentially become an even greater issue with the use of Wiki’s, as students are specifically instructed to interact with each other in an online environment. A good example of this is the profile wiki task from week one which encouraged students to post their student blogs for all their peers to view. Since then, extra columns have been added for students (possibly by students?) to add in their personal grades from Assignment One, and links to student’s personal blogs have also been made available in the profile wiki activity. Whilst this may be reasonable to allow amongst mature, adult peers; this must definitely be regulated much more stringently amongst students at an age where cyber-bullying is highly likely to occur.
This may potentially become an even greater issue with the use of Wiki’s, as students are specifically instructed to interact with each other in an online environment. A good example of this is the profile wiki task from week one which encouraged students to post their student blogs for all their peers to view. Since then, extra columns have been added for students (possibly by students?) to add in their personal grades from Assignment One, and links to student’s personal blogs have also been made available in the profile wiki activity. Whilst this may be reasonable to allow amongst mature, adult peers; this must definitely be regulated much more stringently amongst students at an age where cyber-bullying is highly likely to occur.
As one of our activities we were required to create a website, demonstrating our ability to effectively engage students in e-learning. Websites are useful tools in stimulating thinking routines, as students can be directed to interact in a variety of different ways. For example in the website I designed, students are able to complete an online test to review their knowledge about year 12 anatomy. If they are unsure of a question, they can refer back to the content page for more information about a subject. Questions in the test can be crafted so as that answers are not easily available, so students must then research the subject further to answer the question. In this learning environment, students are not merely accumulating knowledge, but developing valuable thinking patterns which stimulate much more effective learning.
In week 4 we began exploring digital images, podcasts and digital video. Digital images are available in abundance on the internet but as I reported in my analysis, it is not as simple as “copy & paste”. In order to use a digital image publicly on the internet, it must be uploaded correctly or the file will be empty when the web document is published. In addition to this, one must also consider the ownership of the file and the legislation protecting this ownership. Teachers are able to reproduce materials for educational purposes under strict conditions. For reference, information about these conditions (including media specific reproduction) can be found here.
Whilst developing my technical skills in these e-learning tools, I created a podcast using Podomatic. This online software allows users to upload sound files to the server, which can then be embedded in websites. As outlined in my analysis, podcasts are a useful way of engaging students, with little interaction required from the student. In an age where Ipods are a cultural icon, learning can be encouraged into a pre-existing habit through classical conditioning. This would be especially beneficial for students who are engaged verbally rather than visually.
Week 5 allowed us to delve into presentation software, animations and simulations. Powerpoint is most commonly viewed as a linear ‘slideshow’ used as a ‘lecturing’ tool; however, as outlined in my analysis it can be used for a much more interactive purpose. Story boards can be created, allowing students to view presentations in an interactive manner.
Glogster is another example of presentation software, and offers contemporary themes, bright colours and a large range of stock multimedia which can be used to decorate posters known as "Glogs". These "Glogs" (as mentioned in my critical analysis of group 3 technologies) are effective when used to convey basic concepts, but are simply insufficient in their ability to communicate information at a senior school level.
Prezi is an interactive online presentation editor which can be used to design interactive mind maps and storyboards. Powerpoint presentations can also be converted into Prezi to allow additional formatting. In my trial of Prezi I designed a basic interactive mind map where students can explore the subject of anatomy. The entire subject is displayed in a large mind map, which students can zoom in on and interact with each of the topics. Links can be shown between topics through the use of arrows, which are an effective tool in developing higher order thinking, in comparison to other linear platforms.
The role of teachers in the 21st century is to engage students in a stimulating environment which will nurture higher order thinking. The diverse array of technologies discussed in this article, when used effectively, can be scaffolded to the profile of individual learning needs. Students can then explore new concepts in a way that that will not only increase information retention, but build important thinking processes that will transfer into other areas.
Our job is not to make up anybody's mind, but to open minds and to make the agony of the decision-making so intense you can escape only by thinking. ~Author Unknown
Prezi is an interactive online presentation editor which can be used to design interactive mind maps and storyboards. Powerpoint presentations can also be converted into Prezi to allow additional formatting. In my trial of Prezi I designed a basic interactive mind map where students can explore the subject of anatomy. The entire subject is displayed in a large mind map, which students can zoom in on and interact with each of the topics. Links can be shown between topics through the use of arrows, which are an effective tool in developing higher order thinking, in comparison to other linear platforms.
The role of teachers in the 21st century is to engage students in a stimulating environment which will nurture higher order thinking. The diverse array of technologies discussed in this article, when used effectively, can be scaffolded to the profile of individual learning needs. Students can then explore new concepts in a way that that will not only increase information retention, but build important thinking processes that will transfer into other areas.
Our job is not to make up anybody's mind, but to open minds and to make the agony of the decision-making so intense you can escape only by thinking. ~Author Unknown
References:
- Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J. W. (2009). Bullying beyond the schoolyard: Preventing and responding to cyberbullying. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
- Raimi, S. (Director). (2002). Spiderman [Motion picture]. USA: Columbia Pictures.
