June 5, 2009
The most influential posts….
Here is a short (6 minute!) video of the blogging group in which we explain which posts have had the most influence on us over the past semester and why. We hope you enjoy!
Sam, Emma and Libby
x
May 31, 2009
students as designers and builders
Image sources: www.flickr.com/photos/22911005@N06/3050879660
www.flickr.com/photos/11075118@N07/3413855973
‘Building software beats using it’ is the title to this interesting article posted on http://mamamedia.com/ It states how an inner city school in Boston the fourth graders prefer to create software that using previously designed software.
“Children (and grown-ups) learn best when they actively engage in playful exploration which they design and build their own projects, try ideas out and tinker with notions – their own and those of others”.
This is why they feel so strongly about incorporating software building learning experiences into many classrooms.
This idea coincides with the constructionists learning view (as discussed in previous blogs); this is the notion of the process and product being equally important.
Here is an example given for such an activity that can be used in the classroom, it is from MaMaMedia in the Kid’s Gallery. These types of programs allow the participant to take control, explore, express and exchange their creative ideas in new ways. The Internet offers a wealth of experiences, so why not use it and incorporate such activities into the 6 key learning areas.
How do you feel about incorporating these learning tasks into the classroom?
Thanks and enjoy!
Sammy
Mammmmmmmmmmmmammmmmmmmmmmmedia
I have just spent a good 30 minutes exploring the website Mamamedia as I read that it is linked with the student-centred or “constructionism” style of teaching and learning whereby kids explore and design their own spaces; I just spent 10 minutes making my own creatures and then I went on to “play” “join” “surf” and “create” ideas and designs around the rest of the website. My favourite is probably the stamp section whereby you “create” a dinosaur by stamping the boes together – check it out! Although I don’t see this website being used for a structured lesson, I think it is a great way for kids to explore a safe, child friendly site which provides opportunities for students to interact with other students through creating and designing their own spaces with what seems like endless themes and pages to explore.
The site backs up the article “sandcastles go digital” and I can really see the link between the article and what the website is trying to create, its a fantastic idea and something which I would use in my own classroom, as freetime or as a break away from the constraints of teaching so that the children can learn in similar ways as the sandcastle article - naturally and as they play.
Libby
Image source: www.flickr.com/photos/79874304@N00/200780234
video games = learning machines
Image reference: www.flickr.com/photos/77987424@N00/561076598
http://flickrcc.bluemountains.net/?terms=video+games&edit=yes&page=1
LEARNING BY DESIGN: GOOD VIDEO GAMES AS LEARNING MACHINES
James Paul Gee expresses how it can sometimes be challenging to motivate or engage students into a difficult and lengthy learning task, however it’s not so difficult to engage them into a long and complex video game. So how do video game designers create such a motivating experience for young people? And how can educators design similar games which include valuable learning experiences?
Popular games immerse the player into issues of identity and responsibility, and Gee believes that if by paying attention to good video games and implement such techniques into the school and workplace then learning experiences can be enriched.
Some of the points Gee made that I think are quite powerful and thought provoking include:
· Good learning makes the learner feel like a producer not a consumer
· Teaching should occur through a variety of learning styles
· Deep learning requires commitment, which often occurs through the application of a new identity
· Research tells us that perception and action are closely linked in humans, and feel empowered when in control of tools etc.
· Complex problem solving assists creativity and contributes to one’s ability to solve further and more difficult problems
· Learning is best when new challenges are complex yet within ones competence regime
· Expertise are formed through repetition
· Communication skills are enhanced when individuals must apply them under pressure or “on demand”
· Fish tanks (simplified systems stressing a few aspects) engage individuals who would often see the larger system to complex and overwhelming.
· Sandboxes are a safe place to practice
· People don’t like practising skills out of context and in meaningless situations- people learn best when they can see how such skills fit into the bigger picture, how they can be later applied
· Humans reflect more on experiences rather than definitions and logical principles
From this paper I learnt more about the significance and importance an experience plays in the learning process. I agree with Gee as he discusses all the reasons why video games would engage school students into meaningful learning experiences; however I am not sure that I believe video games would be enjoyable for every student.
So I put this question forward:
Are video games appropriate for all learning styles?
Have a think,
Sammy
Reference:
Gee, P. (2005). Learning by design: Good video games as learning machines. E-Learning, 2(1), 5-16.
May 30, 2009
Technology over the years, are we doing enough???
The wired classroom is an article written in 1998. What is interesting is the author Jamie McKenzie rises many valid points. Points that are still being discussed and built upon today, more than 10 years later!
He stresses the need for a technologically enhanced, student centered classroom. He describes this as giving kids the opportunity to “connect to an exciting new world of hot and lively current information, students make meaning and develop insight while the teacher shows them how to navigate and reason through these findings”. I find this attitude to teaching extremely valuable, after all the notion of the teacher being an instructor is far gone, nowadays the teacher is the facilitator of learning experiences. Another article which looks at the idea of a student-centred technological based classroom describes that “children learn best when they use computers in a way that puts them in the active roles of designer and builder.”
Jamie McKenzie then goes on to describe how teachers can bring a wired classroom to life. He calls this ‘Engaged Learning’. The characteristics of Engaged Learners include being;
- Responsible for their own learning
- Energized by their own learning
- Strategic, and
- Collaborative.
I think each of these points are important to remember when incorporating technology into any learning experience. Furthermore, i think its extremely interesting to see that this article was written over a decade ago and we are moving in this direction as educators. It does make me think however, are we doing enough to create truly student centered learning experiences?
Emma
Image sourced from Flickrcc: www.flickr.com/photos/49968232@N00/12364944
Reactionary Post to Sam’s- Technology: A tool or environment?
V 
After just reading Sam’s posting about how we as teachers perceive technology i was driven to find out more. I went to her link, a blog written by Kim Cofino. In her blog Kim wrote described the differing attitudes towards technology. Teachers use technology as a tool, we use it to meet our needs, whereas children see technology as an environment, they are immersed in it.
Sam raised many valuable points after reading this blog. What about taking technology one step further and creating student centered learning? I found another article titled Active Learning Strategies. In this article Kathleen Mckinney describes learning as “active by nature, and that different people learn in different ways”. The authors argue that active learning focusses on more problem based, collaborative learning based activities which ultimately results in the students “greater retention of both knowledge and skills”. This article is discusses the benefits of this approach. I recommend you to take a look. I think it ties in nicely with what Kim Cofino was trying to say.
The point is that technology is largely becoming part of our environment. The teachers in the Active Learning Strategies article have conveyed ways in which they incorporate technology into their environment.
Emma
FlickrCC: www.flickr.com/photos/98063020@N00/3257469011 and www.flickr.com/photos/56012954@N00/356715278
Teachnology as an environment – external reaction
Image source:www.flickr.com/photos/27861585@N02/2606362543
I was browsing through some online blogs that were not attached to our class and came across Kim Cofino’s blog about technology and how it’s used as a tool yet children also see it as an environment. She wrote this blog after attending a summit in Hong Kong. It was exciting to read the things she had learnt. The reoccurring point in the blog suggests that technology is often only used as a tool when it meet set needs because a tool is something that you control, manipulate and use when it is suitable to you. However, if an environment is something that is constantly around us and a necessary part of life then technology certainly fits into both categories.
She defines and clarifies it by stating that we use technology as tools when they are new to our environment, yet as we evolve and the tools become a reliable source they then are part of our environment. She then questions our schools, do they need changing to keep up with the students?
I believe that schools should continuously be changing their environment to ensure that their students are engaged in technology rich learning experiences. I also think that it is sometimes the case that schools need to keep up with their students’ changes in technology.
I reccomend this to anyone who would like to know more. There are also other posts on her blog which are very useful and relevant to many of the topics we have dicussed including ‘innovative learning’.
thats all for now,
Sammy
May 26, 2009
Effective use of Videos
I was searching teacher tube for some interesting footage to provide you with another example of effective use and I came across this one, a clip used to display different photographs “best photo’s of all time”. This one was most likely set up by a teacher, however I think this as a great example of something that students can do quite easily.
Here is a link to a site which discusses different effective ways to use video in the classroom, this is useful however its main purpose is to use video footage as a visual aid when communicating specific content. I think this is a great thing to do but I also believe that it is very important to take this to the next level to ensure that a student is at the center of their learning.
So how is this possible?
Schoolastic have a page on their site about teaching with technology they have a step by step guide explaining how to teach students to make their own movies. This is a fantastic way for students to present new information. I is also similar to Libby’s blog about making movies with plasticine.
My advise would be to take this one step further again, once they are competent in their movie making skills have them present an assignment or learning task in this way. I could be used for any KLA, however most H.S.I.E project would allow more room for creativity and variety within each students work. Check this link out for another example: using video to increase student learning.
Sammy
Bri-what-coleurs?
I have been hearing a lot about the term “Constructivism” and I wanted to learn more so I found a blog which Matthew Kearney had written. His blog is titled “Young people as digital bricoleurs”. I had never heard of the term “bricoleurs”, so I investigated and according to wikipedia Seymour Papert discusses two styles of solving problems;
- The analytical style of solving problems
- The bricolage style of problem solving
The bricoleur method is what I am concerned with as and is defined as “a way to learn and solve problems by trying, testing and playing around.” So my perception is that the bricoleurs method involves problem solving and is based around a student-centred approach. The students fiddle and test software in order to investigate and learn from this discovery.
I found this interesting as it aligns with my own views of education in which students should use discovery as a guide for life-long learning. I liked the idea which Matthew discussed, whereby the students develop a high level of ownership for the work they create. Matthew gives examples of Web2.0 spaces, which I haven’t seen before but I can understand how the students could use these to create their own spaces in which to explore and interact with others. If you want to learn more about constructionism and compare it to Piaget’s constructiovism then have a look a this site
From reading Matthew’s blog I think my idea of what constructionism means to me is developing, and I learnt a new term – bricoleurs!
Libby
Image source (a bicoleur artwork): www.flickr.com/photos/44124395142@N01/207209131
May 25, 2009
Reactionary post to Libby’s “Constructivism – the learner centred approach”
After reading Libby’s post based on the article about the learner centred environment I was very drawn. I too feel that I would like a classroom that uses practical and creative learning tasks, requiring the students to participate and design, as opposed to learning passively in an environment where the teacher is the centre of the learning.
After a long read I began to realise that this reading very much coincides with the content we are learning in maths at the moment. This especially dawned on me when I read the list about what constructivism involves in the classroom, some of them include:
- exploration of multiple strategies
- Inquiry/ learning discussion
- Learner collaboration
- Learners engaging in “genuine,” authentic real-world tasks
Thanks for bringing this to my attention Libby I found it very useful and learnt a lot which I will be referring to in my review.
For further information or brief overview of the differences between traditional teaching techniques and constructivist techniques, check out the link.
Sammy
