Reflective Synopsis

Before this class, my perception of technology was that it should only be used in classes which teach ICT or if the teacher has no better way of teaching, they might use a power point. I thought that it was all really a big waste of time and effort and that there was no way that I would be using it in my classroom because Physical Education is about getting outside and being active, not sitting at a desk staring at a screen.
I was surprised when I started to make a blog and write and learn about different E-Learning tools and how they would be effective in my classroom; I could use E-learning in my classroom more than what I expected. In the theory components of HPE and even for the practical parts, I could use E-Learning to demonstrate a skill, to assist me in teaching content and to grab the attention of the technology savvy audience which I will have.
As we are in the 21st century, technology and E-learning in particular, are becoming more and more apart of our everyday lives. It’s important that as teachers (or learning managers nowadays), we are aware of the changes around us and adapt our lessons according to how our learners will best learn. This means understanding what sources of technology there are, identifying which ones will work most effectively taking into consideration the content and the learners and then using it correctly to draw the learners’ attention and have them understand what you’re teaching them.
One of the main reasons why E-learning is so important in the classroom today is that it keeps students interested and motivated to learn. Fisher and Frey (2001) suggest that, “integrating technology into classroom activities often provides additional motivation for students.” As E-learning is essential to how students learn, it will then also benefit and influence what they learn. If students enjoy the ‘what’ and ‘how’ they learn through E-learning, they will be more willing to take their learning outside of the four walls of the classroom and into their own space and time.
Incorporating E-learning into activities used as homework can also be a motivation to complete extra work at home, as it is often seen as a chore, as suggested by Leask and Pachler (2005). However, when assigning work for home, ICT should be an option, as some students may not have access to a computer and the internet where they live.
Sometimes it is necessary to mix the lesson up a bit and have students moving around, looking at different things and completing a variety of activities to relieve boredom, to prevent behaviour issues and so that they will learn more. If students are sitting down listening to the teacher speak and occasionally writing down notes, they will easily become bored and distract others and they probably won’t learn much. Cox and Web (2004 as cited in Leask & Pachler, 2005) suggest that “using ICT can make classroom management easier because it enables teachers to prepare interesting and challenging materials and it increases pupil motivation.” It’s important that teachers experiment with and teach using different styles to suit the needs of their students. Students need variety and to engage with tasks that they enjoy. E-Learning provides this opportunity for students to have another way to learn, where they are maintaining their interest and still being productive. “Technology also offers a wider range of instructional approaches that meet the diverse learning needs of students,” (Fisher & Frey, 2001).
Through experimenting with different E-learning tools, I have been able to identify the effectiveness of each tool in my classroom and recognise how I could implement appropriate tools into my lessons. E-learning tools which I believe would be most effective in my classroom are: blogs, mind mapping, wiki’s, websites, PowerPoint, digital videos, images and interactive learning objectives. I don’t think that I could use the Prezi, podcast or Google earth and maps E-learning tools to be as beneficial in my classroom (read posts Prezi, Images and podcasts and Google earth and maps below for further information). In this blog which I have already created, I have briefly talked about how I could use these tools in my classroom. I will now further discuss the effectiveness and use of these tools in my classroom.
Setting up a blog for my students to site wherever they have access to internet could be a great way to keep in contact with them and to put up any information which they may have missed during a lesson or might want to go back over. I could set up a resource list linked to other sites which may be helpful for assignments or for further reading on the topic. Having a blog (as mentioned in my first post) means that I can keep students informed about due dates for assignments, remind them when school excursions, camps or important events are coming up and have topics/ discussions where students can comment on and give their opinions. I can then comment back to their questions and other students are able to view these commments if they have similar questions or have something to add. To see the comment list which I have made with other students in this class, see the appendix below.
Mind mapping is a way of organising information and ideas which has been used for years. Personally, I really dislike using mind maps and I know that students would easily get sick of drawing them up in their book every time they need to collaborate and organise information for an assignment or classroom activities. However, the internet offers an electronic version of mind mapping, Bubbl.us and text2mindmap (refer to post 2, mind mapping). These are a great alternative to drawing it up in a book and it allows students who enjoy technology to use it to organise their thoughts, ideas and information. These programs are easy to use and you are able to save them to your computer or upload it on to websites.
If I were to have Wiki’s apart of my lessons, I wouldn’t encourage students to use them for research for assignments, but rather create one as a group to enhance their learning. Creating a wiki within a group encourages online and collaborative learning. It allows students to do something constructive with their knowledge and teach other’s about what they know. As most common wiki’s allow anyone to edit and modify information put onto a page, this opens up opportunities for students to fine tune each other’s work and as a team, construct a site that is logical and makes sense.
Creating websites in a HPE lesson sounds like a big waste of time, but if student s are actively researching information and putting it together for other people to view, they’re learning something about the content as well as using technology to exhibit their knowledge. Employers look for people with computer skills, so having a basic knowledge of how to create a website can benefit learners now as well as in the future. Creating a website allows students to use their creativity and use the technology which they engage with so often throughout their day to day basis. Students who really enjoy technology may find this way of learning more relational and enjoyable than to be writing an essay or answering questions in their work book.
PowerPoint’s are probably the most used E-Learning tool in classrooms in Australia. Both students and teachers use them as an electronic canvas to display information. If you stick to the basics when using this program, I believe that it could be very powerful. Teachers wouldn’t need to write large amounts of information on the board and get complaints from the students about their messy handwriting. PowerPoint’s can contain in their slides images, podcasts and digital videos that would appear in the correct sequence which the teacher decides, making it easy to locate and view these tools.
Video clips and Images are a really important aspect of HPE as students are able to visualise what a skill or movement looks like. Describing what it might look like with words to a student might be confusing and unclear, but displaying an image or showing a video clip can greatly minimise this confusion. As mentioned in the post, Images and Podcasts, multiple images can break down an explanation of a skill to show the different stages and/or steps required for the skill to be successful, making it easier for students to follow. Even watching YouTube clips or any type of video can be helpful in teaching a new skill for students to understand. With video clips also comes the option of editing the digital videos. I wouldn’t use this tool in my classroom, as it would probably just be a waste of time because it doesn’t have anything to do with the topic or the subject.
Interactive Learning objectives are another way of students engaging with information which will improve their learning and be enjoyable to use. They allow students to have a break from their usual learning routine and learn things even though they might not even realise it because they’re enjoying themselves. When students view appropriate animations and simulations to the topic, they are able to learn through observing, sometimes through listening and through reading. Simulations are models which are great to see finer, clear details compared to a closely zoomed photograph.
In conclusion, E-learning is a more recently used and founded way of learning that keeps students interested and motivated. There are many different tools which can be used to help support the learning needs of students and how they best learn. A number of these which we have looked at throughout this term so far, I would use in my classroom and recommend to other teachers.
Appendix
This link takes you to a comment list where other people have commented on my blog and I have commented back.
http://www.blogger.com/comment-published.g?blogID=7116343039546463495
The following links show comments which I have made on other people’s blogs and also show the blog which I commented on.
http://catherineselearningjourney.blogspot.com/2010/08/podcast.html#comments
http://rikkymurphy.blogspot.com/2010/08/youtube-teaching-video.html#comments
http://rikkymurphy.blogspot.com/2010/08/podcats.html#comments
http://davo001.blogspot.com/2010/08/learning-objects.html#comments
References
Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2001). Responsive curriculum design in secondary schools. Boston Way, Lanham, Maryland, United States of America: Scarecrow Press, inc.
Leask, M., & Pachler, N. (2005). Learning to teach using ICT in the secondary school. Madison avenue, NY, United States of America: Routledge.