E-learning is essentially the computer and network-enabled transfer of skills and knowledge. E-learning applications and processes include Web-based learning, computer-based learning, virtual classroom opportunities and digital collaboration. Content is delivered via the Internet, intranet/extranet, audio or video tape, satellite TV, and CD-ROM. It can be self-paced or instructor-led and includes media in the form of text, image, animation, streaming video and audio. (Wikipedia). The use of ICT in education is becoming a necessary skill for students and teachers. As a BLM student I am learning how to incorporate the use of ICT in my lesson plans. Using computers can begin early in a child’s education, children as young as 3 years of age are learning how to use a mouse and this is an important skill.
Today’s students have grown up with a new technology. They have spent their entire lives surrounded by and using computers, videogames, digital music players, video cams, cell phones and all the other toys and tools of the digital age. (Prensky, M. 2001). It is important for us as teachers to learn and to continue keeping abreast with all the new technology available to us so that we can provide the best education for our students. I know that teaching is completely different from when I was at school, we did not have computers and now all of my learning is on a computer. Over the past 6 weeks I have learnt so much about my computer and its capabilities. I am looking forward to putting these new skills to use when I am in the class room and when planning my lessons.
Teaching eLearning is a skill that will continue through the schooling of each student, it is not just showing students how to use a computer but teaching them Netiquitte, to learn and work legally, ethically and safely. Students work digitally to develop new thinking, learning and problem solving skills to support their ongoing development. (Kearsley, G & Shneiderman, B. 1999).
Elearning is very hands on for students and it encourages students with their different learning styles, this offers a learning style for everyone. Learning can be completed at school and at home, this allows students who are struggling, to work at their pace and also ask for help from the teacher without disrupting the other students. Teachers are able to use the interactive whiteboard to display different learning experiences such as YouTube, TeacherTube, Power Points and videoing, these are all very important skills and are useful for students to learn and add to their assessments.
Wiki is a website that allows the easy creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser. Wikis may exit to serve a specific purpose and in such cases, users use their editorial rights to remove material that is considered “off topic”. (Wikipedia). I will use a Wiki to document the year of the students in the class, there maybe a issue with secruity as it is an open form of documenting. Parents would have more access to this site as they can access the Wiki from home and work and add to the Wiki with interesting information regarding their child and their development. Using Wiki would encourage parental involvement in and understanding of the student’s learning tasks and creating ‘24-hour communications between home and school’ resulted in relationships that consisted of shared understandings, therefore vastly improving and increasing the amount of regular communication. (Education Vic).
Using Wiki is a great way for parents to view photos of their child and other children in the class, there will be a written description of the activity and the benefits of this activity for the learning of the children. Downloads of information regarding learning experiences can be added to Wiki and parents are able to pass the Wiki onto their families who may have limited access to the children due to living inter-state or overseas.
A Wiki can be made individually for the class and there is no need for teachers to burn a disc for each parent as they have access of the Wiki site. There does need to be a agreed ‘rules of enagement’ by teachers and parents regarding what is on the Wiki. (Education Vic). It is important to get parents permission to publish the students work and pictures on the internet. (Education Vic)
Image a physical likeness or representation of a person, animal or thing; photographed, sculptured, painted or otherwise made visible. (Dictionary, reference). The use of imaging in ICT is a very important tool for students as they will be able to visualise what the lesson is focusing on and the use of images takes many shapes and forms such as photogragh, video, YouTube and TeacherTube are just some examples. The use of images can be downloaded onto the class Wiki for parents to look at and also in the class room they can be downloaded onto the interactive whiteboard to assist with the lesson.
In my job I take photos of the children daily, taking part in activities and in play, these photos help to document their development and growth. The images can be used in the class room to demonstrate different learning experiences and areas. Students can be encouraged to use a class camera to take photos of things that interest them and this can lead to class discussions and encourage students to interact and develop different interests. I enjoy this tool as you can look back and see how the students have changed and grown and also how the year has gone and relive all the experiences of learning.
Students art and work can be scanned and uploaded to their digital portfolio, allowing their work to stay looking orginal and if anything is ever misplaced or damaged it is in the students portfolio.
Podcast is a series of digital media files (either audio or video) that are released eprosodically and often downloaded through web syndication. (Wikipedia). I do worry about the accessiblity of a MP3 player is it affordable for everyone. Most students are familiar with MP3 players and they maybe able to access them to use when completing their assessments.
Being able to record the students enable them and the teacher to learn from the experience. Using a MP3 player will allow me to record my students interact with each other and me without me having to write everything that is said and I may miss something of importance. Being able to record children’s interactions allow teachers to document their development and learning. The recordings can be downloaded onto the student’s digital portfolios and this will mean less writing for me and allow more time to spend with the students and in the class room. The recordings can be attached to a file containing photos of the students day. The recordings can also be downloaded onto the daily power point presentation.
Podcasts from sources such as ABC broadcasting can be downloaded for information for parents and they can be sent to their email address or downloaded onto the class room computer. Podcasts allow us to access music and talk shows which provide information that are relevant to learning and teaching.
Youtube is a video-sharing website on which users can upload, share and view videos. (Wikipedia). TeacherTube is a video sharing website similar to and based on YouTube. It is designed to allow those in the educational industry, particularly teachers, to share educational resources, such as video, audio, documents, photos, groups and blogs. This site contains a mixture of class room teaching resources and other designed to aid teacher training. (Wikipedia).
Being able to access YouTube and TeacherTube allows us as teachers to use more resources in our classroom from all over the world that we would normally have access too. We are able to use them to provide information on topics of interest for the students and parents. These forms of imaging have opened the world to everyone. What wonderful resources these sites are, I have never used them before and have found TeacherTube to be a wonderful resource.
Interactive games can also be downloaded for student’s learning and another great resource I was introduced to in this course is TuxPaint. This is a resource that can be accessed from a CDROM and you do not need internet access.
Digital recording can be a useful tool as students can access this information at home and at school. Digital reading books are being introduced to education of young children and they can be created using the teaching resources suitable for the individual interests and needs of particular children in care. ( Olney, I. Herrington, J & Verenikina, I. 2008).
Through this learning experience I have tested and used many tools and am trailing the four listed in my current employment in Early Childhood Education. I have mentioned my findings from the use of these tools in my blog. As teachers we need to think of how our students would use these tools and we need to be clear of how students are to use them. (Moodle CQU, 2010).
We need to introduce ICT to children from a young age as they are going to be using these tools as soon as they start school with an interactive whiteboard being in most class rooms and technology being part of the curriculum. Students are bombarded with technology everywhere they look and go, computers are in shopping centres, our homes and even in our cars.
Elearning is an important skill and I am very excited about learning this new skill which will assist me with my continued study and in my future career. It appears to be the way of the future introducing computers and its many tools in our everyday lives. More and more it is the main tool for our jobs. As teachers using technology in the curriculum has allowed our students to learn at home and school and also expand their interests in subjects by accessing the internet to find out more information to assist with their learning and assessments. Technology is a subject that teachers and students can learn together.
References:
Moodle CQU eLearning. (2010)
Kearsley, G & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning. http://home.sprynet.con/gkearsley/engage.htm
Olney, I. Herrington, J & Verneikina, I. (2008). IPods in early childhood: Mobile technologies and story telling. http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/melbourne08/procs/olney.pdf
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20Digital%20Natives%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf
Technology A-Z Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. http://www.education.vic.gov.au/studentlearning/elearning/technology/wikis.htm
Wikipedia (2010)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-learning
http://en.wikipedia.org/podcast/E-learning
http://en.wikipedia.org./wiki/YouTube
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TeacherTube
Image
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/image
Comments made on other students blogs
I have taken a lot of time and effort to always read through everyone's blogs and Wikis. I am so surprised how much work everyone has put into their blogs and the information they contain. I have learnt so much from reading these blogs and Wikis. April introduced us to some wonderful sites such as ReadWriteThink. It has great interactive games and activities for grades K-6.
Carla asked other students to contribute to her Wiki and add their comments to her discussion board. So many students took the time and put in the effort to read her Wiki and contribute to it. What a wonderful idea and opportunity for everyone to take part and share information and ideas.
At the beginning of this course myself and other students were unsure what a blog was and entailed. I really admire how everyone took on this challenge and the results speak for themselves with the postings each week. Jennifer made a great suggestion about displaying homework and class notes onto a blog and parents having access to the blog.
When reading through the blogs and Wikis helped me to realise what a great advantage these skills and resources would be in the class room no matter what age/grade of the class. BLM students are still learning from this course and even after we complete this course I know that I will still be learning. This is seen each day when you look at our blogs.
Having the opportunity to see everyone's work and blogs demonstrates what is available and we as students are sharing websites and addresses with information that is beneficial to all. Being able to comment on each others work allows us to widen our learning and understanding.
I have made comments on the following student's blogs:
Carla Battaia
April James
Samara Patterson
Jennifer Rath
Joanne Houtzager
Sarah May
Andrew Webb
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