Undoubtedly, digital technologies have the power to transform, enhance and support learning in the 21st century. Web 2.0 tools are vital to education in the contemporary world because they possess the ability to engage learners of all learning styles and intelligences and they shift students from passive learners to active learners, a fundamental aspect of Constructivism. By integrating these tools in all Key Learning Areas (KLA's), students and teachers are not only exposed to resources that can be accessed, reviewed and recited wherever the internet is available, but they are also able to connect people on a global scale which is in line with Connectivism. By connecting with others they gain knowledge through a diverse range of perspectives and this enables them to "generate knowledge and meaning from an interaction between their experiences and their ideas" (Constructivism (learning theory), n.d.) , a component of Constructivism. All this can be done while fulfilling learning outcomes that have a real world focus and are generated through Problem Based Learning (PBL). However, the use of digital tools alone can not achieve this. Effective pedagogy is essential and as the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) asserts, "Teacher pedagogies will determine the extent to which the possibilities offered by technology are realised in education settings." (MCEETYA, 2005, pg.1). By looking at what students need to learn (content and learning outcomes) to succeed in the digital world and how we can best facilitate learning (pedagogy), with a specific focus in this synopsis on Blogs (Appendix A), Digital Video (Appendix B), Glogster (Appendix C) and Storybird (Appendix D & E), we can begin to see how these tools all have a valid part to play in the elearning evolution (or revolution as some may say).
Throughout the ICT's course I have looked into many Web 2.0 tools within the four groups that were presented. Blogs, digital video, Glogster and Storybird were four of my favourite and the tools I have chosen to summarise in this synopsis. This was predominantly because I felt that they are fairly simple to use which is ideal in a primary setting, they are free, and they all allow students a global audience which authenticates their learning and engages them in meaningful experiences. I chose to focus on Blogs over Wikis and websites because I feel that it is important that students have a space where they can reflect on their learning and guide others. I also felt the ability to comment allowed student to teacher and peer relationships to develop beyond the walls of the classroom and to a deeper level because of the informal nature of blogging. Digital video was chosen because of its multi-modal nature. It can combine audio, text, images, video recording which help to get the message across quickly, efficiently and in a way that relates to all learning styles unlike podcasts and digital images. Glogster produces a strong visual impact without the workload of Powerpoint or Prezi. I found that Powerpoint was difficult to navigate and did not suit global learners. Prezi ironed out some of these issues by using zooming features but this tool had the tendency to make me feel sick and because of this I lost focus on what was being said. Glogster is best because its compacts the information into one page and allows the user to freely navigate their way around. What I liked instantly about Storybird was its potential as an outlet for feelings, emotions and imagination. I feel that story writing links closely with cognitivism and constructivism by way of making meaning from the world around us. Storybird meets the essential learnings in the KLA of English set by Education Queensland and combines these with technology skill building.
Despite the potential of these Web 2.0 tools, it is vital that the integration of this technology is framed by safe, ethical and legal practices. I have mentioned the importance of these issues in my reflections (Appendix A, B, C, D and E) along with useful sites. Teachers must ensure that they are working within the guidelines surrounding school policies and copyright laws and that their students are not only adhering to these rules but understanding the implications of not doing so. Students need to be aware that what they say on the internet can have many ramifications and that working on the web means that they are not only exposed to helpful people, but those who may have other intentions. By addressing the guidelines and consequences at the beginning of a lesson, as well as using pop quiz tests on occasion to test their knowledge, students will better understand how to work effectively in the world of the web.
Blogs are authentic in that they give students a voice and an audience (Fisher, 2006). They can be accessed anywhere that the internet is available and are free and easy to set up making them very user friendly. In my analysis on Blogs it is evident that if Blogs are created individually, they can afford students a personalised space to write, critique, discuss, reflect, revise and create ideas and links in postings on anything that they deem important in their process of knowledge building. This is Blooms Revised Taxonomy at its best. I feel that personal blogs are best aimed at students Grade 5 and over. I would use Blogs as a reflection tool where students could complete homework and discuss their thoughts on class activities while also developing posing questions and ideas they may have to develop their learning. Blogs foster a learning community that extends beyond the boundaries of the classroom and this allows communication between peers (and beyond) to take place at any time. Blogging encourages writing, creativity and meta-cognition and this turns students into "autonomous intelligent novices who can learn new topics, subjects or domains faster than learners who lack such domains"(DEMOS, 2005). I feel that the fundamental shift from the traditional classroom to the contemporary classroom is the transition of roles. Classrooms are now becoming learner-centred hubs that are moving students from being passive learners to active learners and "ICT's can transform teacher role" (CEETYA, 2005, pg.3) facilitator rather than leader. What I like about Blogs from a teachers perspective is that as facilitators of learning, blogs give teachers the ability to read students thoughts and better understand what direction their learning is taking. This gives teachers the knowledge they need to provide effective scaffolding and create tasks that can build on the prior knowledge of students as well as create meaningful experiences for them that align with their interests and talents. It also gives teachers the opportunity to build relationships with their students by way of feedback in the comments box. Feedback is a vital part of how students learn and "is an essential part of effective learning. It helps students understand the subject being studied and gives them clear guidance on how to improve their learning." (Reading University, n.d.). I feel that feedback also validates the effort that a blog requires. I know in my own blog that my motivation skyrockets when I receive a comment. With this in mind I would ensure that feedback was provided by me on student blogs and I would explain to my students the benefits of commenting on each others blogs.
A teacher created blog for the whole class plays an important role in Primary Education as well, particularly in the earlier years of K-3 who may struggle with personal blogs. In this age group I would use class blogs to display homework activities like posting a 'letter of the week' and ask students to comment with words they can think of beginning with that letter. It is a great way to get parents involved in their children's learning. The fact that Blogs have the opportunity to be multi-modal means that they provide a well-balanced learning platform. Teachers can embed videos, digital images, podcasts, tables, links to games and many other tools into their blogs, allowing information to be disseminated in a variety of ways that cater for all learning styles. By doing this teachers can provide scaffolding for class activities that students can refer to repeatedly. Using this idea for older students in years 4-7, I would use employ a Class Blog that would include daily homework activities to be done by looking at the embedded files and then answering in the comments box. Blogs transform learning this way by allowing students to work in a neutral environment that doesn't discriminate (and therefore encourages shy students to participate), that is available anytime and that encourages them to become self-directed learners.
Many of the benefits of Digital Video as an effective elearning tool also revolve around the idea of self-directed learning. When making a Digital Video, as I found when making my video there are so many learning opportunities. Teachers initially need to scaffold questions that require students to consider what equipment they will need, who their intended audience is, what message they want to send out and how they will use multimedia to infuse this message in their movie. As a teacher I would use Project Based Learning (PBL) as the framework for these questions. PBL makes learning meaningful and motivating because students are given 'real' problems to solve. This applies to the theory of Engagement and the idea of relate, create, donate. Students are required throughout their movie making to build on prior knowledge and construct new meaning through collaboration, exploration and ultimately creativity. All these skills are important for the development of digital and visual literacy in the 21st century. The research conducted on student created videos by Schuck and Kearney (2003-2004) discovered that the role of the school was essential to the success of digital video integration in classrooms. In order for students to openly express their ideas and gain maximum value out of this tool, students need the equipment, technological skills and time to achieve their goals, but also need the support of their learning managers and reassurance that their creativity is the ultimate goal. Student created videos do require a lot of work, but I feel that the incorporation of multiple tools allows an amalgimation of all that has been previously learnt and a final product that reflects this as well as what was learnt during the video creation. The potential of the final product that transforms learning lies in its dissemination. Within the theory of Connectivism is the idea that students need to know where to find information, and YouTube has proved a popular place to achieve this. If students were to create a video that outlined an important topic such as recycling, this could communicate the message to students all over the world. The use of digital video to aid a lesson should not be overlooked either. In a world where digital media is second nature to our digital native (Prensky, 2001) students, using videos which are multi-modal means that the information will more easily be interpreted by students of all learning styles. As stated in the Global Imperative, "communication is multi-dimensional, engaging and increasingly unbound to text"(The New Media Consortium, 2005).
With learning theories in mind it is easy to see how Glogster could be an excellent tool for educators. Behaviourism would be reflected in the way that students learn to embed all types of files into their Glog, Cognitivsm in the way that they make meaning of their chosen topic based on prior knowledge, Constructivism in how they relate to scaffolding and Connectivism as they collaborate and comment on their own and other Glogs. Glogster "supports student creativity and engagement, is easy to learn, and can be used in any subject" (Tebbano, S. 2011). It transforms the traditional poster with the use of a multitude of interactive features such as videos, images, audio and hyperlinks. Hyperlinks "help students begin to understand the relational and contextual basis of knowledge, knowledge construction and meaning making"(Ferdig, E & Trammell, K. 2004). The fact that Glogging is limited to the size of the poster means that students have to actively critique and evaluate which information is most valuable and engaging to their audience and this produces HOT. What I found really appealing about Glogster was its focus on education, particularly that the creators have developed a Glogster EDU. By working within this program teachers are better able to provide a safe, secure environment for their students to work and collaborate in. In the classroom this program is very user friendly and the size of the poster means that students are able to review the overall effect as they develop their Glog which means that reflection can be instant and objects can be moved around and edited easily. This is not only useful for students but teachers who can use Glogster for presentations. The ability to see the overall effect and then click hyperlinks to deepen knowledge appeals to both global and sequential learners. Glogs can be accessed from anywhere which means they are excellent homework projects and just like videos they have the ability to combine many tools learnt by students. However, it is important that scaffolding guides students to a well focused poster that does not lose it's affect by having too many bells and whistles. In a classroom I would use this Glogster to develop a topic such as a country. Students could research facts, images, videos on a particular country and could also incorporate audio files of people talking (so students can hear accents) into their Glogs. It could then be presented in front of the school or to a classroom from the researched country, via the web, who could then add or alter the Glog according to what they know from growing up there. For younger grades, as a Teacher I would read a book and then compile a Glogster review made up of images, about the author and also interviews of what the students liked or disliked about the story. Glogster supports visual literacy skills which is so important in todays society as children are exposed to thousands of images everyday.
To summarise my analysis on Storybird, I feel that it has the power to inspire students to become collaborative authors and readers due to its authentic context and global audience. "As a learning tool, storytelling can encourage students to explore their unique expressiveness and can heighten a student's ability to communicate thoughts and feelings in an articulate, lucid manner"(Why Storytelling?, n.d.). It has the potential to enhance learning because of the self-chosen illustrations that can work as either scaffolds for the written story or support the pre-written story. I think that the illustrations are particularly useful for students who find drawing difficult or those who may struggle to conjure up stories without a visual prompt. Storybird allows for creativity and imagination and students can receive comments and 'hearts' as feedback from readers all over the world which can encourage a greater quality of work produced. In a primary setting I can see Storybird being a great tool for all grades. In classes K-3 students could work together to produce a class book. I could simply use one image from the Storybird collection and use a see, think, wonder routine and then document what every student says about that image. For grades 4-7 I would put students in groups and ask them to collaboratively write a Storybird that incorporated certain words or parts of speech. This tool is perhaps limited to only a few KLA's, but I feel that storytelling plays a vital role in the development of communication skills. Storybird allows students to develop these skills through a global network of readers, writers and artists.
It should be noted that while these tools are excellent tools for the classroom, they are by no means perfect. They require that stringent legal, ethical and safety guidelines be met and enforcing this in the classroom (particularly when students are working beyond the boundaries of the classroom) could be daunting for teachers. Most tools require a lot of planning and time when using them and as most classrooms are time structured, completion of tasks may be an issue. In saying that, I believe the most time consuming part is in learning the tool and I feel that my first experience with any given digital tool will always be the hardest. If teachers reflect on tools as they discover them, they can adequately scaffold activities based on their own difficulties (and prior class knowledge) to ensure students needs are met. There is also the risk of using the tool for a task that is not enhanced by the technology. Teachers need to find a balance and ensure that they have the pedagogical knowledge to back up their reasons for using a particular digital tool. It is paramount that a strong support network is formed where the school supports teachers, teachers (and parents) support students, students support each other and collaboratively the class supports those beyond the walls of the classroom.
Web 2.0 tools have the ability to engage students in learning environments that foster collaboration, autonomy, Higher Order Thinking (HOT), global connections, technological skills and problem solving skills, all framed within authentic contexts that can enrich their learning experiences. Throughout my exploration into a diverse range of digital technologies I have been challenged and exhilarated by the tools available which offer endless possibilities in the ways they can aid students in their acquisition of knowledge and Higher Order Thinking (HOT). I feel that Blogs, Digital Video, Glogster and Storybird all have characteristics that will work well in the Primary teaching context. Their greatest potential lies in the way that students and teachers choose to creatively engage with them in the classroom and I look forward to using them as a teacher in the 21st century.
References:
Constructivism (learning theory). (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructivism_(learning_theory)
Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA). (2005). Pedagogy Strategy: Learning in an Online World. Retrieved from http://www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/ICT_LearningOnlineWorld-PedagogyStrategy.pdf
Reading University. (n.d). Why is Feedback Important?. Retrieved from http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/engageinfeedback/Whyisfeedbackimportant/efb-WhyIsFeedbackImportant.aspx.
Fisher, Clarence. (March 2006). [Comment on blog Random Thoughts
about teaching, learning, technology, and life by Nancy A. Mckeand]. Retrieved from http://namckeand.blogspot.com/2006/03/and-yet-another-favor-to-ask.html?showComment=1142595900000#c114259591275024336
Shuck, Sandy., & Kearney, Matthew. (2003-2004). Students in the Director's Seat. Faculty of Education University of Technology, Sydney. Retrieved from http://www.ed-dev.uts.edu.au/teachered/research/dvproject/pdfs/ReportWeb.pdf.
Presnky, Marc. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. MCB University Press, Vol. 9 No. 5. Retrieved from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/prensky%20-%20digital%20natives,%20digital%20immigrants%20-%20part1.pdf.
Tebbano, Sheila. (April 5, 2011). GlogsterEDU Wins Den March Madness Mashup. [posting in blog You Can Do Tech]. Retrieved from http://youcandotech.blogspot.com/2011/04/glogsteredu-wins-den-march-madness-mash.html
The New Media Consortium. (2005). A Global Imperative (pp.7). Retrieved from http://www.nmc.org/pdf/Global_Imperative.pdf
Ferdig, Richard E., & Trammell Kaye D. (February 2004). Content Delivery in the 'Blogosphere'. The Journal Online. Retrieved from http://defiant.corban.edu/jjohnson/Pages/Teaching/BloggingBlogosphere.pdf
Why Storytelling?. (n.d.). Storytelling in the Classroom. Retrieved from http://www.storyarts.org/classroom/index.html#more
Appendix A - http://goodbye-comfort-zone.blogspot.com/2011/03/reflection-on-blogging-as-tool-for.html
Appendix B - http://goodbye-comfort-zone.blogspot.com/2011/03/digital-video-i-finally-got-there.html
Appendix C - http://goodbye-comfort-zone.blogspot.com/2011/04/glogster_04.html
Appendix D - http://goodbye-comfort-zone.blogspot.com/2011/04/storybird.html
Appendix E - http://goodbye-comfort-zone.blogspot.com/2011/04/my-storybird.html
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