Reflective Synopsis

Analysis of Digital Technologies

In the 21^st Century the merger of learning and technology is unavoidable. We live in a connected world with more and more people becoming “connected” though computers, laptops and even smaller objects such as tablets and smart phones. This ability to conduct research, socialize and contain books that have become downloadable is truly remarkable. Over the first half of this term I have seen overwhelming evidence and reasoning for schools to adopt technology sooner rather than later. The internet has a treasure trove of information that not one human could possibly completely possess and that is why, where and how to find the information has surpassed retention of information.

When working with technology it is always important for the user(s) to be aware of online safety with ethics and legalities in mind. Within the learning environment schools should have online standards and computer usage standards, which students should adhere to at all times. No online interactions for the students should occur within the school grounds until each student is made aware of the standards and computer use and acknowledge that they do though an acknowledgment process. I believe that this should occur at the beginning of each term, not just each year. Online bullying should not be tolerated on the school network or from a student’s home.

Once I begin teaching I will certainly be using some of the technological skills I have acquired throughout this course.  The most outstanding programs for me have been the use of iMovie (Fig. 1), the webpage creator Weebly (Fig. 2) and actually using DeBono’s hats. I will definitely use his strategies when considering implementing something new to the classroom. I found the tool invaluable as it made me think out of my comfort zone and think differently about something, whether I was for or against it. I have now, thanks in large part to this course used both iMovie and Weebly since the activities set for this course in another subject. I used Weebly to create my delivery format for the assignment and on one of the pages I have a Skype interview video I conducted then edited with iMovie.

Fig. 1 Creation of a video with iMovie

The implications for technology within Australian schools are many. There are teachers who have been teaching for 10 or more years and if they are uncomfortable with technology they will be reluctant in implanting the technology into their classroom. Another problem that may arise is the lack of funds to bring an iPad or tablet into the school for every student to have access to one at all times. When purchasing an iPad for every student in every class the funding required for such an item could become quite costly. However, if parents would be willing to provide an iPad to their child, the cost for the school becoming more inline with the rapid pace of technology would not be as great and they could focus on providing classrooms with interactive whiteboards.

Another implication with technology is the schools or Education Queensland’s view on creative tools used within the school environment such as Weebly or Google’s Blogger. If the school or education department do not permit the use of these great tools they should offer an alternative within their network.

Fig. 2 A web page constructed with Weebly

With the rise of technology there has been new digital learning theories to help teachers understand and exploit these advents to help engage young learners. Some of the new theories are:

TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge)

The framework of TPACK is about the integration of effectively used technology on a specific subject with the use of three important factors, these being: Technology, Pedagogy and Content. As stated on the website Teaching Teachers for the Future TPACK is:

The combination has been described as Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) and is more than the simple addition of two parts. The fusion is what enabled expert 20th century teachers to transform subject content and represent it in ways that made it accessible to individual learners in their specific contexts.

Digital pedagogy includes all use of digital technology no matter how basic it is to develop or change the educational practices from the tradition of textbooks and passive learning. These technologies can range from PowerPoints to blogs, digital softwares such as iMovie and educational apps for students. All these software tools are extremely interactive for the students.

Connectivism is a learning theory that closely ties into Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development. Vygotsky’s theory centers on the sociocultural teachings and scaffolding for students from a More Knowledgeable Other. This may be achieved though a teacher helping students research a topic online. In e-learning notes online from CQUniversity,  connectivism is described as:

It identifies the networked nature of learning with computers and the internet. Siemens stated that it is no longer possible to know everything, that it is more important to identify how and where to find knowledge than it is to know. In other words, the pipeline and its connections is more important than what is in the pipeline.

SAMR model for Mobile Devices

Substitution: The teacher shows a group of students content on an iPad – Digital pedagogy.

Augmentation: The teacher records a lesson they have with the students and distributes the recoding online via email – Digital pedagogy

Modification: Mobile Devices used within the classroom with an effective learning experience for certain tasks – TPACK

Redefinition: Using mobile devices daily with the students throughout all lessons to enhance their learning experiences – TPACK

The analysis of digital technologies has allowed me to discover various ways in which I can implement these new tools into a classroom and engage students into learning new subject matter.  Technology will only continue to grow and as a teacher, I will continue to explore and learn about these tools to ensure that all my students will benefit from future advances.

References:

Unknown Author. (2015). A Brief Overview of Learning Theory.

Retrieved from CQUniversity e-courses, EDED20491 ICTs for Learning

Design, https://moodle.cqu.edu.au/mod/page/view.php?id=15608

Unknown Author. (2015) “Digital Pedagogy”?

Retrieved from

http://www.briancroxall.net/digitalpedagogy/what-is-digital-

pedagogy/

Unknown Author. (n.d.). What is TPACK?

Retrieved from http://www.ttf.edu.au/what-is-tpack/what-is-

tpack.html

Reflection 5, Week 6

Interactive mobile devices used in the classroom can range from small devices such as smart phones to tablets and even mini laptops even though they have become less commonplace in the last five years since the tablet market has grown. Almost everyone in the western world has access to one or more of these devices. If these devices have not yet been incorporated into the classroom, they soon will be. 

It is an easy, convenient way for educators to share resources with their students.  iPads can be linked to interactive whiteboards, access the internet for research, blogging with other students not just their classroom or school peers but also students from around the world with whom they can interact without a time barrier. These mobile interactive devices are inexpensive and readily available.

                                         The iPhone 6 Image Source

There is not just the access to the Internet at the student’s fingertips, there is also many apps which have been made specifically designed for educational learning and content. These apps are not just fun games disguised to help with learning but in-depth apps about the periodic table, anatomy, business apps and music generating apps through the likes of Garageband and other compositional software.

To incorporate these technologies into the music classroom, for example to find the areas in which jazz was famous, the students would first research on the device relevant establishments in the jazz era where jazz had flourished. The students would then search for these establishments on a mapping site such as Google maps where they could see where the great jazz artists played, such as the French Quarter and Storyville in New Orleans, Birdland Jazz Club and Carnegie Hall in New York City. The students can explore the streets on their iPads, find images of the performance areas and take note of acoustical aspects of the halls.

                                               The Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet Image Sorce


All this would not have been possible without the advent of mobile devices. To not incorporate these devices into the classroom is a great disservice to the students and even the teachers as this opens up a whole new avenue in enriched interactive technology which allows the next best thing to actually taking an excursion to these locations which would be far more costly than the iPads for a class of 10 to 15 year 11 and 12 students.

                                            The Samsung Galaxy S6 Image Source


Mobile devices SWOT analyze

Strengths · Easy to interact with · A plethora of apps · Access to the internet · The teacher can update content instantly for the students and the students have the update there and then · The student can study at anytime of the day · Reduction of physical textbooks	Weaknesses · If the device is dropped and the screen or innards are damaged costly to fix · Connection to the web · Battery life · Online social distractions in class or personal study
Opportunities · Photos, video captions · Online learning, always up to date · Printscreens · Quick correspondence between students and students and teachers · Use of technology within the classroom	Threats · The device can be exposed to viruses · Online predators · Student online bullying · Online distractions

Reflection 4, Week 5

For this week’s task I chose to find out more on PowerPoint by Microsoft and it’s application within the classroom.

I remember using PowerPoint presentations as early as 2000 for a class in IT. In fact, the subject was brand new that year in the school and I remember getting my “subject wish list” for year 9 and 10 in at 8:00 am and getting stamped 1 just so I could get into the subject as it had limited placement. 

Image Source: http://www.bbhcsd.org/start/t4t/

                                   

The task we were to do in 2000 was to choose something that interested the student. They were to lightly research it then conduct an aural presentation on the slides they created. Mine was about a movie that was coming out at the time, U-571 that turned out to be a terrible movie and a disappointment. 

 

Image Source: U-571

PowerPoint has come along way in the last 15 years since my introduction to the program. The program has evolved into a simple yet powerful easy to use program. The user can make charts of all sorts, graphs and pie charts. You can upload music, sound clips and videos to the PowerPoint with an extensive range of themes, fonts and customization that no one would have believed. With programs like Mouse Mischief that allow students to interact with the teacher on screen no one would have ever thought it possible.

For my PowerPoint presentation this week I decided to create a power point to incorporate into a class lesson. I would scaffold the students for this task by starting the lessons with the presentation I have started. The lesson would be held in the library at the computers where I would show the students the type of information I have researched and added to my presentation. I would then ask them to lightly research one or two jazz greats, create a PowerPoint slide, include some interesting facts about the musician and finish it with a tune the jazz musician recorded. 

Once they have created their slide they can email it to me and I can add it to the slide. At the end of the lesson I will give all the students a choice as to who they can study more in-depth from the lesson’s research and conduct a 5 minute aural on their chosen musician using the combined students slide for their assessment. 

Jazz greats from Wesley Samuels

PMI Chart for PowerPoint

PLUS	MINUS	INTERESTING
· Program has been in use for 25 years · Many new features added over that time · A versatile program with the use of audio, images and video in the slides · Most students and staff own a copy and know the basic functionality of the program · Use with programs such as Magic Mouse	· With the age of the program the user runs the risk of their PowerPoint presentations becoming stale · If a student misses a class with the aural presentation which expand on content of slides they miss out on that information · Audience becomes distracted with reading the slide instead of listening to the speaker	· Visuals · Look and stimulus to the eye · Links to websites and youtube videos · Ease of sharing presentations with anyone who own the program · Wide range of building themes and slide layouts

Reflection 3, Week 4

This week’s selection of digital tools is very interesting and one in particular to be honest, I found absolutely daunting. Whenever I attempted video editing, as a child it was not successful and this feeling was prevalent when I started reading this week’s topics. So I dived in on the digital tool I had the most reservations about and created a video. I took photos at a setting and then a one-minute video then I started editing.

The editing software I chose to use was iMovie from Apple. I captured the photos and film on my iPhone, and then uploaded the content onto my laptop desktop for ease of finding the content. With iMovie I was amazed at the ease of use with this program.

First you input the footage you wish to use, select a theme or backdrop to use and how to transition between different focus changes in the film. The most difficult part of this was choosing a theme. To my surprise the software breaks the film into sections, which I can then pick and choose how much time in the section of film I actually want to use. Adding text over the film is as simple as select the type of text and format you wish displayed. Click and drag to the section of the video you want the text type. On the purple bar above the film itself you can set the time for the text, longer or shorter just by clicking and dragging.

                                         

                                          Theme selection screen in iMovie

Adding stills (photos) is just as simple. The user retrieves the stills from their saved location, click and drag to the desired part of the movie and then adjust the desired time shown of the still.

Final but not least at all was sound. It was again as simple as clicking on where the users music is stored (in my case iTunes) select the desired tune and you can choose from where to start the music. The user can chose at the beginning, a few seconds in right up to the last few seconds of the sound track if they wish. 

                                          Film editing in iMovie

Exporting the movie again is a simple task. Click on the share button, where nine options come up. I selected theatre as I like my files saved locally and then clicked and dragged the rendered work onto the desktop. I then uploaded the file to Youtube. I really couldn’t believe how simple this process has been considering how daunting I thought it was going to be.

If you wish to view a more in depth guide to using iMovie please see:

The film I created with iMovie:

                                          The instrumental music room

Use of video creation in a classroom setting is very engaging for the students. But the first things to consider:

-       School policy for video recording

-       Are students and parents comfortable for the students to be captured on video?

-       Who is viewing the material?

-       What is the purpose and projected outcomes for the footage?

-       Are there any legal considerations?

After all these points considered and if it was authorised by the school the assessment task I would construct is this:

I have 10 students in music class, making two bands. As apart of their performance the students are to perform at a school lunch break. While one band is performing the other is filming and this performance practicum incorporate film where they edit the film, add text and stills to the film. Each band would watch the film they were performing in and they can add a piece on the end where they evaluate their own performances and reflect on their experiences within the performance. This would not just be limited to during the performance itself but also encompass reflection on rehearsals, set up during the performance and pack down.

Substitution

Film used in the classroom as a passive tool for the students to view in class

Augmentation

Where I the teacher create a short video where I instruct the students on a task such as what are the objectives of today’s lesson

Modification

Incorporation of videos into assessment tasks where students have valuable hands on experience creating, editing and use of film within an assessment topic

Redefinition

Using video and film creation more in the school environment overall in everyday general learning.

                                          Another view of the music room

Reflection 2 Week 3

This week I chose to make a Weebly and discover how to construct one. It was a little tricky at first as I have had no previous experience in website design. However thanks to the interface I quickly learnt how to create one. On the left hand side there is a task bar that you can easily click, drag and place where you would like the body of text, link, video, picture, audio file or any other option placed. You then add your body of text or the content you want to the corresponding box. You can personalise your Weebly in any way you like. However it is important it conforms in design to a standard layout for web pages.. If people cannot navigate your website quickly or efficiently they will give up and leave your website no matter how informative your knowledge is on the website.

The link to my website which talks about blogs in the classroom: http://wsgdlt2015.weebly.com/

This video by Kate Russell on how to create a Weebly is quite comprehensive and an excellent guide:

Weeblys are a fantastic tool that can be integrated into a class I could be teaching in classroom music.

The format of the Weebly I would most likely follow would be:

Page 1. Home page: Welcoming screen and a brief overview of the assessment.

Page 2.  Instruction: This would include all instructions for the assessment on the page as well as links to related videos, audio files, websites, articles and other useful research material as starting locations for the students’ assessment. I would also conduct a basic poll on the bottom of the page for feedback on how the assessment could be improved (increased transparency etc)

Page 3.  Criteria: I would have the full marking criteria on display so all students can use this as a guide while writing their assessment.

Page 4 Blog: At the top of the page I would type expectations of the students about blog etiquette, that assessment related posts are only allowed to be discussed on this blog and that all are to contribute in some way. Also give them a reminder that I will be monitoring the blog at all times.

A SWOT chat for use of a Weebly in the classroom:

STRENGTHS ·      All relevant information, blog and criteria is in the one website ·      Blog for all students to interact together and share ideas ·      Links to all media formats ·      Polls and feedback ·      Share information with a wider community	WEAKNESSES ·      Must have an always be online to access material ·      Online Distractions ·      Online resource legitimacy
OPPORTUNITIES ·      Collaborations at anytime of the day ·      New and unviewed or known resources ·      Sharing of resources ·      Incorporate the wider community ·      Shy students have a way to contribute without personally putting themselves out there	THREATS ·      Students not using blog etiquette ·      Those outside of school looking to see what students are doing with malicious intent ·      Online Distractions ·      The blog guidelines not being adhered to ·      Some students unwilling to participate in online activities

Here is Weebly's own short demonstration video about using the website in education: