WH&S Funny Video

Source: youtube - Channel1TrainingVids

Other why's and how's of using Blogs and e-learning tools

Through the use of blogs and other digital tools I would hope to fully engage all students by incorporating strong, safe ICTs across the KLAs in a collaborative and ethical manner.  I would allow for differentiation in e-learning.  I need to be aware that even if I use a particular digital tool that I may have differentiation within the students.  Children who do not have good numeracy and literature skills should not be held back.  I would make sure the workload and the level of teacher support was appropriate and use varied styles of learning including individual, group and whole class work. 

Learners need to know through efficient feedback which direction they are heading and what is the desired learning outcome.  Different undertakings would be developed and designed to work through the full range of Bloom's Taxonomy including higher order thinking and utilising realistic life orientated tasks to make meaning.  This would all be aided through the use of appropriate online tools, such as Glogs, concept mapping tools, digital images and Blogs and thinking routines such as PMIs, SWOT’s and de Bono's hats.  I believe that the better students are at higher order thinking skills such as these, then the better they are at completing examinations like Naplan etc.

Ethical, Safe and Responsible Practices

Students and teachers need to always show self-respect whilst sharing resources and online spaces. Students and teachers must make sure that intellectual property and copyright laws and codes of practice are followed.  This includes making sure that creators of digital media are identified and acknowledged, citing references where applicable with students understanding the concept of plagiarism. Students and teachers should have their own passwords and understand that danger can and does exist with regards to our personal information in any given online environment.

BLOGS

BLOGS

I will from now on be able to look back and say that by having to create my own blog it allowed me to start to live and operate in the digital world which is now something that I have to encourage to others, through my own teaching and examples of such that this is the area which we need to heading in to.  

With respect to blogs, I have chosen to expand on the opportunities that a Blog has through the use of a SWOT analysis for this particular digital tool.  This particular tool would also be engaging to all year levels and allows for a variety of different options to provide input.

SWOT for Blog tools

Strengths

Creates strong engagement

Interactivity by the whole class and also others outside of this.

24/7 learning availability

Others can comment (Interactive)

Can show your own personality

Flexibility in learning

Weakness

Limited physical learning

Need for computer and Internet

Can limit real life situations

Cant control feedback

Time consuming

Opportunities

Students can take control of their own learning

Creativity

Being able to work with new technology

Incorporates many multi-media forms. IE: links to web pages, other blogs, videos etc.

Threats

The use of teachers may be limited

Student safety (cyber bullying)

Predators

Role of teachers will definitely change

Group 4 Tools

Online Concept Mapping - I have looked at a number of group 4 tools and have found a number of them to be very useful.  I did however find online concept mapping tool quite easy to use and can see this as a very useful tool in the classroom particularly for students to create themselves.

This tool would be of great use in a business class as it can help students visually identify key strategies for business and also help to develop other things such as chain of command mapping for a workforce.

It can also be used in Health and Physical Education similarly to the concept map here which I have made with text2mindmap.

I found text2mindmap really easy to use and it would be ideall for lower secondary years (8, 9 and 10).

Bubbl.us was used to create my second concept map.  This was just as easy to use as text2mindmap and can be used in pretty much the same concept.  It does however appear to be more structured but depending on what you are trying to teach either concept mapping tool can be used for a variety of KLA's.

I have chosen to expand on the use of concept mapping tools through

the use of a scaffolded PMI analysis.

Plus (all the positives)	Minus (all the negatives)	Implications (the potential outcomes whether positive or negative)
Easily accessible Easy to use. Can be fun and engaging Allows for creativity through different styles of tools available (Text2Mindmap, bubbl.us, iMindMap) Students can create individually and/or in groups Useful across all KLA’s Suitable for all abilities.	Can be used ineffectively Can be used incorrectly. .	Can be used in many different ways for all class levels and across all KLA’s Can be embedded Promotes thinking methodically and sequentially

Zooburst - I also had a quick look at zooburst.  This is a very easy tool to use however I found that it would be more useful to primary school rather than secondary school as I feel it is aimed more at a lower age group and would have a greater appeal at this level.  Still quite a good tool though.

Source: http://www.zooburst.com/zb_books-viewer.php?book=4c7ef3f8366e9 - Created by shortstuff44 on October 22, 2011

Group 3 Tools

GLOGSTER - on swimming techniques.


 
Glogster References.

Source: Smoothswim. (2012, Jan 12). The smoothest swimming technique in the world? Jono Van Hazel [Video File]. Retreived from http://youtu.be/s3HhNlysFDs

Source: Vasatrainer. (2010, Feb 10). Technique: Proper Hand Placement to improve Freestyle Swimming Efficiency [Video File]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/ZTQpF_mmg44

Source: theraceclub. (2011, April 27). Fast Swimming Secret Tip - Core Exercise [Video File]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/yrz67cH_P8o

Freestyle High Elbow Catch [Photograph]. (nd). Retreived from https://www.google.com.au/search?q=freestyle+swimming+photos&hl=en&qscrl=1&rlz=1T4NOOH_enAU518AU518&biw=1920&bih=940&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=JgNpUem9DY-viQfrkoCwCw&sqi=2&ved=0CC8QsAQ

Elephant Swimming [Photograph]. (nd). Retreived from https://www.google.com.au/search?q=freestyle+swimming+photos&hl=en&qscrl=1&rlz=1T4NOOH_enAU518AU518&biw=1920&bih=940&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=JgNpUem9DY-viQfrkoCwCw&sqi=2&ved=0CC8QsAQ

Three swimmers [Photograph]. (nd). Retreived from https://www.google.com.au/search?q=freestyle+swimming+photos&hl=en&qscrl=1&rlz=1T4NOOH_enAU518AU518&biw=1920&bih=940&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=JgNpUem9DY-viQfrkoCwCw&sqi=2&ved=0CC8QsAQ

Two swimmers [Photograph]. (nd). Retreived from https://www.google.com.au/search?q=freestyle+swimming+photos&hl=en&qscrl=1&rlz=1T4NOOH_enAU518AU518&biw=1920&bih=940&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=JgNpUem9DY-viQfrkoCwCw&sqi=2&ved=0CC8QsAQ

Wow - now this to me is a very useful teaching tool.  I will definitely use this in the classroom.  This is my first Glogster and it may have taken a little bit of time but it was worth it.  A great tool for every teaching area.  Particular my two teaching areas (H&PE and Business).

For secondary students teacher support would realistically only be required for setup procedures and this would quickly reduce as this particular tool does offer a lot for each individual or groups own creativity and input.

I have chosen to do my analysis on Glogster and will use a PMI analysis on this particular tool.  I have chosen this tool as I believe it would be engaging to all year levels and allows for a variety of different options to provide input.

Plus (all the positives)	Minus (all the negatives)	Implications (the potential outcomes whether positive or negative)
·      Easy to use. ·      Can be fun and engaging ·      Allows for creativity ·      Information can be digitally stored and is easily retrievable ·      Allows for students to display their work ·      Students can create individually and/or in groups ·      Useful across all KLA’s ·      Suitable for all abilities. ·      Incorporates images, video, information, text, animation, audio	·      Access to computer and the internet is required ·      Teachers need to be very mindful of where students are retrieving their content from. ·      Can be time consuming with respect to sourcing different types of information and digital content. ·      A little slow to upload.	· Incorporates many multi media forms · Can be embedded · Unlimited styling which enhances appeal · Can be viewed publicly if desired

PREZI - on Business Studies - I made this Prezi and found it to be relatively easy. I thought I should change subjects as everything I seem to be doing has a Health and PE flavour to it.   Prezi presents itself as a useful teaching tool which can have many uses in the classroom and would cover a range of different KLA's.

INTERACTIVE POWERPOINT - on Working in a Coal Mine for Business Students

Work in coal mines from mickbusby

I created this slide show on microsoft powerpoint and then uploaded it to slideshare.net so I could then embed it onto my blog.

This was easy to make and like the other group 3 tools is also an excellent tool to use in the classroom.  This tool can be used for any year level and for any KLA which makes it a very versatile.

As you can see I have aimed this slide show at business students to try and show what is required for gaining employment at a basic level onto a mine site.  I figure that if I am going to start creating these digital tools, I may as well use it as an opportunity to start my portfolio.

I have added all these three creations as listed above to my website which I intend to now use as my online filing cabinet for future teaching needs and resources.

Providing links within the Blog

Take a look at this section of my Blog with regards to Prensky.  This is basically for my own benefit, in particular for my assignment reflection.  I can use the linking tool for other links like my website and wiki.  I just needed to make sure that I can do it within my blog.  Hope it works.  Thought I might put a photo in for the fun of it as well.

Picture of a cochlear implant.

(Image permission for use granted by the parents)

This is just another example of digital images as a useful tool in the classroom.  A lot of people including students would not know what a cochlear implant looks like.  By showing a photo we can quite easily demonstrate very quickly what it is.  With respect to my teaching area, something like this could be useful in a Physical Education class where the topic may be about health issues.

By the way do you like my little star.

Slides

I found this slide on Constructivism and thought it was worth showing.  Slides can be a useful tool in education as they allow you to talk through each slide and provide visual examples including pictures and text.  They also allow immediate feedback from students unlike videos which generally need to be finished before they can be discussed.  Like all visual aids it would also help to engage the learner.

I am hoping to develop my own slide presentation and hopefully it will be available on my wiki which you can see here.

 

Constructivism533 from Carla Piper
Source: http://www.slideshare.net/carlapiper/constructivism533-6911223

Weebly Website

Hi, I have finally created a website which didn't seem to hard to do. It was actually quite surprising how easy it was. Take a look at my website and see for yourself. I would like to try and use this website as my teaching resources (hence the name). This is just one example for its use in teaching. Other uses for creating websites in the classroom environment are endless. Due to the surprising ease of creation I believe that this particular tool would be really beneficial in teaching as students can create their own website for a particular subject. By doing this it then becomes their own creation. Other students can visit their websites and comment on them, however they cannot change them, which, in my opinion is great. You could really find out a lot more on students as it may bring out ideas and thoughts that they may not have otherwise shared.


I would like to share additional thoughts on my website with the use of online swot analysis tool.

Hi, I am going to attempt to post a video clip from youtube to my blog.

Source: Youtube kingzprductionz Well it looks like it works. For me this wasn't to bad. I see that being able to download clips from youtube is really beneficial and a great tool to use with teaching as it allows an incredible amount of different clips to use as a resource and for all subject areas. The trick is now to try and use a video like this and integrate it into a classroom, but not on a blog. I am still in the process of trying this. Stay tuned.

Resizing and Uploading digital Photo's

   Alice and Esther                                               Resized
(Image permission for use granted by parents).

Well I hoped this worked. I have uploaded two photo's. One original (Alice and Esther)on the left and one resized (Resized)on the right.

It was interesting to note that the original has a size of 571,000 bytes and the resized photo is only 41,500 bytes. The original also took a lot longer to download. At the end of the day I can see no difference in quality.

I think using photo's in the classroom is very beneficial to support great learning. Within my chosen secondary fields of H&PE and Business I believe it can help children learn by giving them great visual examples to demonstrate what you may be trying to teach. For instance if your teaching the benefits of good diet. A photo of good foods as compared to a photo of fatty foods. For business it could be a photo of how to dress for a job interview as compared to a photo of how not to dress for an interview. It can simplify your teaching methods and make it easier to understand.

Using digital images as a digital tool would also allow more scope and would also allow you to teach more content over a shorter period as digital images can help speed up the learning process particularly for the visual learner. It would also help engage the learner and keep them more interested in your teaching.

This is a great learning tool and I am glad I now understand how to convert photo's so they can be presented digitally in the classroom.

I have also analysed the use of digital images through the use of a PMI

Plus (all the positives)	Minus (all the negatives)	Implications (the potential outcomes whether positive or negative)
Easily accessible Easy to use. Can be fun and engaging Allows for creativity) Students can source images or create their own Useful across all KLA’s Suitable for all abilities. Have multiple uses in classroom	Can be used ineffectively Can be used incorrectly. Eg – in the wrong context and not for learning purposes. .	Can be used in many different ways for all class levels and across all KLA’s Promotes thinking Can be open to invasion of privacy

WIKI..WIKI..WIKI - Oi..Oi..Oi

Wow. I have just spent a long time trying to sort a few wiki problems out. I questioned myself a number of times as to what the heck am I doing but my persistence prevailed. I have finally created my own wiki and posted the address to the wiki address page on the ICT moodle site. Yor can also access it here by clicking on my Wiki link.  I wouldn't say it was exactly a fun time creating it as it seemed to take forever but by the time I had worked it out it started to become interesting. I have also come to the conclusion and suddenly realised through making my wiki and posting some youtube clips and videos that the digital world is here. I am a visual learner and it seems to have hit me like a water ballon from a great height that if I wish to become a successful teacher of young men and women that I have to embrace this digital pedagogy and start applying it to my life as a teacher. I will be back with more on this topic soon but until then please enjoy the following clip which has also helped me and given me a little inspiration. I hope it can also do the same for you.

Week 3

Well I am still getting used to this technology but it is growing on me.  To reflect on last week (after some short sharp breaths - it seemed to go very quickly).  I would like to comment on TPACK

TPack -  Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge framework.  
"Technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) is an emergent form of knowledge that goes beyond all three components (content, pedagogy, and technology)." Mishra and Koehler (2006)
This framework outlines the point that you must be technically efficient and competent using ICT, that you must not only have a thorough understanding of your content but also that that you must understand the best practice of teaching your content using ICT.

I am slowly starting to understand WIKIS and their intended use, particularly in the classroom.  I hope to do some more research and get back to my blog regarding this.

Victor the Voki for the Visual Learner and Learning Style Results

Hello again.

Well its been nearly 5 days and one (week 2) ICT tutorial since my last post.  I have been reading, reading and reading and then I do some more reading since my last post.  Believe it or not I have learnt a few things along the way, one of which is that I am probably not he best learner through reading. 

Now I would like to explain what type of learner of believe I am but due to my newly found technology knowledge I think I might let my little friend Victor explain it to you himself about my learning style. 

So here we go - HERE'S MY GOOD MATE VICTOR.



http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=7683804&height=267&width=200

Thankyou Victor. 

Below I have also posted my results of the multiple intelligence test.  Based on the results of this test I would be classed as being a kinaesthetic, visual learner who is people smart.  I am not too logical nor am I music smart.  I think this is quite close to the mark.  I totally agree that some people are better at understanding some things than others.  For instance, I understand football and sport a lot better than my wife does, however she understands music and reads books a lot more than I do.

These results seemed to be backed up by my results taken from the Felder and Solomon questionnaire as per below.

Learning Styles Results

Results for: Mick Busby       ACT      X                                            REF            11  9   7   5   3   1   1   3   5   7   9   11                               <-- -->       SEN                      X                            INT            11  9   7   5   3   1   1   3   5   7   9   11                               <-- -->       VIS      X                                            VRB            11  9   7   5   3   1   1   3   5   7   9   11                               <-- -->       SEQ                      X                            GLO            11  9   7   5   3   1   1   3   5   7   9   11                               <-- -->

LEARNING STYLES AND STRATEGIES

Richard M. Felder
Hoechst Celanese Professor of Chemical Engineering
North Carolina State University

Barbara A. Soloman
Coordinator of Advising, First Year College
North Carolina State University

Day 3 "IT WORKS"

Oh Yeah...Oh Yeah...Oh Yeah...I did it.....I did it....I did it....Oh Yeah...Oh Yeah.

Right now you probably think I am a crazy 40 plus year old lunatic.  However, to all you people who I used to call a computer geek (I realise now that YOU are actually normal and I was the geek who didn't know).  I would like to say that I am just elated and so happy that something I have just done on a computer that was more than just words, numbers or printing actually worked.

Believe it or not, this is quite fun.  I am loving it.

Now that I have that out of my system, I need to address a more serious side to this blog with reflection to the articles in the learning materials and in particular by Prensky.

I agree with Prensky that the single biggest problem facing education today is that "our Digital Immigrant instructors," (Like Me - Mick Busby) "(who speak an outdated language (that of the pre-digital age)," (Once again - currently like me - Mick Busby), "are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language."

I have a 9 year old child who wanted an itunes voucher for her birthday.  "Why not", thought my wife and I - how easy is that for a gift.  Until............ "Hey dad - can you help me download these songs that I want to buy and then put them on my ipod........PAUSE............Suddenly this gift became my headache for about 2 weeks whilst I made up excuses why I couldn't possibly do it as I always had something that was more important.  The truth was - I didn't know how. 

In reality I wasn't being fair and in all seriousness, if I don't look into learning this new language - by that, I mean a digital language (or at least improving my current knowledge of it), then I am not being fair to the students who I will teach. 

Sure, I know I would still have something to offer, but is that enough in today's society.  I don't think so.  I know I need to work on my "accent" as Prensky would put it and if I can, (I can...I can...I can), I believe I can be better accepted by these digitally native students of today and help them become better role models for the next and future generations of even further advanced digitally native students of tomorrow.

Prensky also commented, "Today's teachers have to learn to communicate in the language and style of their students."  Just like our own teachers have had to do with us. 

In reality what Prensky is preaching here is not entirely new.  Teachers have been adapting for years, however what I believe he is emphasising is that when it comes to today's technology its a bit like being on a bus a driving through the town of....say Comet....(to use as an example - no disrespect intended), blink and you will miss it.

If you fall behind it may just take a long time to catch back up.  I just hope I can catch it and then aim to always stay in front.

Day 3 Embedding.

OK.  I have watched some tutorial videos and I think Iam starting to get the hang of this, so I feel I am just about ready to embed a youtube clip onto my blog.

With regards to what I should put in (and lets hope I can do this) I have browsed youtube to try and find something that that was relevant to this course.

With this in mind, I also thought that "OK - if I am going to make this blog work for me then I want a resource that I can use in my career as a teacher when I have completed my course". 

Now without searching explicitly for the clip which I have chosen, I actually stumbled across a youtbe clip which was shown to us in our first Residential School at CQU. 

I liked this clip when I first saw it.  It appealed to me and I would like to have it in this blog to remind me of the the impact that technology has on teaching now and into the future.

So here goes - The Transformation of Teaching Through Technology.

Day 2

Wow..... It has just taken me ages to find out how to get back into my blog since learning how to create it yesterday.

The one positive - I somehow found it.

I wish my children were just that little bit older so they could show me all those little shortcuts and tricks that I know exist.

I will not be defeated though. Stay tuned to my blog page and hopefully it will improve dramatically. (I Hope).

Any help would be appreciated at this stage though.

Week 1

I am an IMMIGRANT - what will I be come week 12.