A new generation of learners have ridden into school on the digital wave. There is a higher demand and importance placed upon the incorporation of digital technologies in the classroom and this is slowly being reflected in the curriculum. The teacher’s role in the classroom has undeniably developed over the years, however due to the digitalisation of the classroom the teacher now more commonly plays the role of the facilitator. The teacher is providing resources and guidelines to the students and letting students drive the activity themselves or in small groups (U.S Department of Education, n.d.).
There are many aspects of technology and many tools on the internet that can be utilised positively in the classroom. One of these tools was demonstrated by the Central Queensland Universities mobile phones wiki. This wiki allowed for a collaborative discussion around the use and incorporation of mobile phones in the classroom. Facilitating learners with the ability to discuss openly with peers online about a subject can be very beneficial to the learners self-esteem (Lamb, 2004). However often at times views can be opinionated and bias, the CQU wiki overcame this bias by encouraging learners to adopt DeBono’s six thinking hats theory. The incorporation of this theory allowed for the mobile phone topic to be viewed from multiple perspectives and encouraged learners to see the topic from different points of view. Utilising Wiki technology in the classroom is very beneficial to the learning manager as it encourages learners to learn collaboratively online, wiki’s can also be made viewable and monitored by the learning manager. The link below can provide further insight and opinion on wikis,
As mentioned there are many tools on the internet, however the differences can sometimes become confused. As a learning manager having the knowledge of how tools differ is extremely important and integral to the effective integration of technology in the classroom. The tools explored in group one were a wiki, blog and a website. Wiki’s are a collaborative learning tool. They are utilised to invoke discussion and participants can add, edit or delete any of the information on the wiki. A website is a page were the owner posts content, information can be viewed and links followed but not edited or added to. A blog is a blend of both, it is predominantly utilised to convey opinions and perspectives on a certain subject. However it differs from a wiki because the information can only be edited added to or deleted by the owner of the wiki, although members/subscribers can comment on posts. All three tools when managed and provided effectively can have a significantly positive impact on the success of the learner in the classroom (Prensky, 2001). Utilising these tools in the classroom is also great for effective time management as learners are able to complete assignments online at school and also from home.
The exploration and alteration of digital images and videos can be a fascinating way to engage your learners (Chopra, 1998) in the classroom. Imagery is ever present in a young learners life and incorporating technologies that support this can be an effective way to achieve intended learning outcomes in the classroom. In group two two websites relating to digital imagery were identified and explored. Flickr and Picnik, Flickr is an easy to navigate search engine where members are able to upload and share their photos with other members. Picnik goes one step further and offers users the ability to edit and alter their own images for free. Both websites are easy to navigate and teach thus being extremely effortless to incorporate into the classroom. The only speed bump a learning manager may incur is the legality of flickr. For examples of both of these websites click below
Photos on the website are sometimes copyrighted and it is the learning manager’s responsibility to ensure learners are aware of how to use the site safely and legally.
As highlighted the incorporation of technology in the classroom has many benefits for the learner (Papert, 1994). However learning managers cannot assume that all their learners will benefit from a technological education, therefore it is still very important to determine a learners learning style. There are many freely available websites and surveys that can assist in determining your learners preferred style, however if these websites aren’t efficient one can be created using Survey Monkey. Survey Monkey is a free website where a learning manager can create their own questionnaire and answers. It is a multi choice survey and the answers are sent straight to the learning manager along with graphs and other interpretations of the data collected. Survey Monkey is an effective tool that learning managers could utilise in any area of a learners education. Learning managers could also teach learners how to utilise this technology themselves.
It is a common misconception that because of all the new technology available the old programs are no longer valuable. In a classroom many different technologies can be utilised, however there is one that has withstood the onslaught of new technologies and is still a very valuable tool in the classroom, Powerpoint. Powerpoint is included in group three tools along with Prezi and Glogster, Powerpoint has withstood the test of time and is still incorporated in technologically effective classrooms today. However a downfall of Powerpoint is that it can be hard to use and edit, however Prezi and Glogster can be utilised to combat this. Glogster is a website that allows users to design and create online posters using multimedia such as videos, images and music. Allowing learners to explore this website can result in a rich engaging learning experience.
Group fours tools allow learners to engage with a range of technologies available online including Google Earth, Google Docs, Museum Box and online concept mapping. Google Earth is a website powered by Google that allows its users to view maps and 3D buildings using satellite imagery. Google Earth can be extremely beneficial in the classroom as it can be an engaging way to teach learners SOSE and in particular geography. Museum box allows learners to upload content including videos, information, images and web links. It is an effective way to allow children to monitor and publish a learning journey; it allows them to record their own voice and annotate content they are posting. Museum box can be a great tool to incorporate into group tasks and encourage positive collaborative learning.
By incorporating these groups of tools a learning manager is making a strong move into the digital age. This incorporation can provide learners with a rich and engaging learning environment and also allows them to complete tasks effectively outside of school hours. The tools outlined can be accessed and in some cases added to and edited by learners within the classroom, this access encourages self-exploration and develops fundamental collaborative learning skills (McClintock, 1992). When scaffolding tasks in the classroom using technology learning managers need to be aware of the legal and ethical guidelines required and illustrate these to the learners to ensure a safe learning environment. Although it is important to integrate technology into the classroom learning managers need to be aware that individual learning styles need to be addressed and accommodated for in the delivery of technologically based lessons (Papert, 1994). As a future learning manager it is evident that the effective incorporation of technology in the classroom is paramount to the development and success of learners.
References
Chopra, R. 1998. Photography in education. New Delhi, Indira Ghandi National Centre for the Arts
Lamb, B. 2004. Wide Open Spaces: Wikis ready or not. Retrieved from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERM0452.pdf
McClintock, R. 1992. Power and pedagogy: Transforming education through information technology. New York: Institute for Learning Technologies. http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/publications/Projects/digitexts/mcclintock/title.pdf
Papert, S. 1994 The Children’s Machine: Rethinking School in the Age of the Computer. New York: Basic Books
Prensky, M. 2001. Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On the horizon 9 (5)
U.S Department of Education, n.d. Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/effectsstudents.html
