Monday, June 22, 2009
A newly Qualified Teacher....teaching
University was definitely a time where we were nutured and provided with tender love and care. However, now that I am teaching and in a school, the reality is far different. Schools are dynamic and busy places, with many people to organise and manage. Nevertheless, I do love this educational vocation, and know that for now I have chosen the appropriate profession.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Culminating Statement
Education is the key process of achieving sustainable development. However, in order for formal education to contribute to sustainability, traditional systems and methodologies need to be re-orientated, that is our teaching pedagogies need to be re-orientated to service the students of today’s world (Paas 2008). Students can not be expected to learn in today’s world with yesterdays skills.
We as educators of the 21st Century need to provide a new means of interactivity and simulation, therefore offering opportunities to improve learning and making new ways of understanding possible.
As eduactors, we feel the unequivocal urge to educate and inspire our students. Whether it is to inspire them, motivate them to learn, or work harder. Our ultimate objective is to engage students in the learning process and demonstrate the endless possibilites in the learning process. Now here lies within the question, how do we engage these students both within and outside the classroom?
Having completed this subject and my practicum, I have come to realise much about today’s students. They have a strong desire to be connected, engaged and communicating with each other. Thus, it made me consider, how am I as a teacher going to establish this connection, this necessity to use technology whilst engaging these students in their learning within the classroom? The answer after much research is this – Mind Mapping/Concept Mapping through the use of Inspiration and Blogging to engage the students, whilst ensuring higher order thinking and a deeper understanding of the subject content.
I found the following literature (Gebhardt 2001, Williams & Jacobs 2002) to be extremely relevant in broadening my understanding of mind mapping and blogging. The literature is highly informative with practical advice to ensure e-, learning in education. The literature demonstrates ways in which to incoporate these teaching pedagogies within the classroom.
As I am a PD/H/PE Teacher I have realised the importance of utilising technology within classes, particularly for revision and preparation for examinations. I feel that both mind mapping and blogging would be particularly useful to Year 12 students revising for the HSC. Both mind mapping and blogging of the subject content would challenge students, engage them into higher order thinking, deeper understanding of the subject content and broaden their use of metalanguage. Furthermore, the nature of blogging allows for the creation of legitimate warehousing of captured knowledge, and archieval for later retrieval (Baush, Haughey & Hourihan 2002).
Kennedy (2003) demonstrated that blogging assisted with students literacy levels as they become more aware of both their writing and audience.
Blogging has several advantages to students; some of these include students having the capacity to engage in a collaborative activity where knowledge can be shared and where an opportunity for reflection and debate can be established (Donaghy 2008). The use of technology within the classroom also contributes to student’s ability to become self-regulated learners.
Finally, technology is a tool to enhance teaching if used appropriately. It is integral when utilizing technology within the classroom that it is used to facilitate students learning, as noted in Takeaway Teaching and from the literature by Tufte (2003). It is essential that all teachers facilitate technology within their KLA’s. That is, students are engaged in the content and being challenged to think independently to create meaningfulness within the lesson. Technology needs to facilitate student’s literacy development whilst encouraging higher order thinking of the subject area.
In conclusion, I have come to realize that I need to embrace technology within the classroom and utilize to it’s full capacity to create meaningful learning and enable students to transfer what they have learnt at school to other aspects of their lives.
References
Baush. P, Haughey. J., & Hourihan, T(2002) The educated Blogger: Using blogs in the classroom to improve literacy. AACE Journal, 13(2), 91-98.
Donaghy. P. (2008). 10 ways to use your edublog to teach. Edublogs
Gebhardt A., & Harrell, P (2001). Inspiring Creations. High Plains Regional Technology in Education Consortium
Kennedy. A. (2003). Weblogs to learn. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology. 10 (2), 115-125
Paas, B. (2008). Sustainable teaching for a sustainable world. Journal of Education for Sustainable Development 2 (3)
Tufte, E. (2003). PowerPoint is evil. Wired. Issue 11 (9)
Williams J.B, Jacobs.J.(2004). Exploring the use of blogs as learning spaces in the higher
education sector. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology. 20(2), 232-247.
We as educators of the 21st Century need to provide a new means of interactivity and simulation, therefore offering opportunities to improve learning and making new ways of understanding possible.
As eduactors, we feel the unequivocal urge to educate and inspire our students. Whether it is to inspire them, motivate them to learn, or work harder. Our ultimate objective is to engage students in the learning process and demonstrate the endless possibilites in the learning process. Now here lies within the question, how do we engage these students both within and outside the classroom?
Having completed this subject and my practicum, I have come to realise much about today’s students. They have a strong desire to be connected, engaged and communicating with each other. Thus, it made me consider, how am I as a teacher going to establish this connection, this necessity to use technology whilst engaging these students in their learning within the classroom? The answer after much research is this – Mind Mapping/Concept Mapping through the use of Inspiration and Blogging to engage the students, whilst ensuring higher order thinking and a deeper understanding of the subject content.
I found the following literature (Gebhardt 2001, Williams & Jacobs 2002) to be extremely relevant in broadening my understanding of mind mapping and blogging. The literature is highly informative with practical advice to ensure e-, learning in education. The literature demonstrates ways in which to incoporate these teaching pedagogies within the classroom.
As I am a PD/H/PE Teacher I have realised the importance of utilising technology within classes, particularly for revision and preparation for examinations. I feel that both mind mapping and blogging would be particularly useful to Year 12 students revising for the HSC. Both mind mapping and blogging of the subject content would challenge students, engage them into higher order thinking, deeper understanding of the subject content and broaden their use of metalanguage. Furthermore, the nature of blogging allows for the creation of legitimate warehousing of captured knowledge, and archieval for later retrieval (Baush, Haughey & Hourihan 2002).
Kennedy (2003) demonstrated that blogging assisted with students literacy levels as they become more aware of both their writing and audience.
Blogging has several advantages to students; some of these include students having the capacity to engage in a collaborative activity where knowledge can be shared and where an opportunity for reflection and debate can be established (Donaghy 2008). The use of technology within the classroom also contributes to student’s ability to become self-regulated learners.
Finally, technology is a tool to enhance teaching if used appropriately. It is integral when utilizing technology within the classroom that it is used to facilitate students learning, as noted in Takeaway Teaching and from the literature by Tufte (2003). It is essential that all teachers facilitate technology within their KLA’s. That is, students are engaged in the content and being challenged to think independently to create meaningfulness within the lesson. Technology needs to facilitate student’s literacy development whilst encouraging higher order thinking of the subject area.
In conclusion, I have come to realize that I need to embrace technology within the classroom and utilize to it’s full capacity to create meaningful learning and enable students to transfer what they have learnt at school to other aspects of their lives.
References
Baush. P, Haughey. J., & Hourihan, T(2002) The educated Blogger: Using blogs in the classroom to improve literacy. AACE Journal, 13(2), 91-98.
Donaghy. P. (2008). 10 ways to use your edublog to teach. Edublogs
Gebhardt A., & Harrell, P (2001). Inspiring Creations. High Plains Regional Technology in Education Consortium
Kennedy. A. (2003). Weblogs to learn. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology. 10 (2), 115-125
Paas, B. (2008). Sustainable teaching for a sustainable world. Journal of Education for Sustainable Development 2 (3)
Tufte, E. (2003). PowerPoint is evil. Wired. Issue 11 (9)
Williams J.B, Jacobs.J.(2004). Exploring the use of blogs as learning spaces in the higher
education sector. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology. 20(2), 232-247.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Blogging and it's Advantages
Further to my previous post, I have found this article (Williams and Jacobs 2004) to be particularly relevant and highly informative. This article made me realise that blogging allows for the empowerment of students to voice their own academic opinion, become more critically analystical in their thinking. The reason, simply, is that in order to develop and sustain a clear and confident voice of one's own, one has to carefully formulate and stand by one's opinion. Writing a blog assists here because it forces a student to confront their own opinions and contemplate how their views may be interpreted and reflected upon by others.
Blogging allows students to interact and share ideas with other students in a collaboartive environment. In short, blogs have the potential to be a truely transformational technology that provides students with a high level of autonomy while simultaneously providing opportunity for greater interaction with peers.
Blogging allows students to interact and share ideas with other students in a collaboartive environment. In short, blogs have the potential to be a truely transformational technology that provides students with a high level of autonomy while simultaneously providing opportunity for greater interaction with peers.
Exploring the Use of Blogs in Education
This article by J.B. Williams and J.Jacobs 2004 provides significant insight into the history and development of blogging. Did you know the phrase 'web log' was first used by Barger in 1997.
Did you also know that blogging firstly began in 1992?
Having read this article it has made me understand and appreciate technology and blogging more. I can not believe that blogging initially began when I was 7 years of age, here I was thinking that blogging was a new phenomenon however it has been around for more than a decade! The key to bloggings success is the interactivity that it provides.
If you are interested in reading an informative article feel free to read!
J.B.Williams and J.Jacobs (2004) Exploring the use of blogs as learning spaces in the higher education sector. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology 5 (2)
H.J Baker (2003) The learning log. Journal of Information Systems Education 14 (1)
Did you also know that blogging firstly began in 1992?
Having read this article it has made me understand and appreciate technology and blogging more. I can not believe that blogging initially began when I was 7 years of age, here I was thinking that blogging was a new phenomenon however it has been around for more than a decade! The key to bloggings success is the interactivity that it provides.
If you are interested in reading an informative article feel free to read!
J.B.Williams and J.Jacobs (2004) Exploring the use of blogs as learning spaces in the higher education sector. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology 5 (2)
H.J Baker (2003) The learning log. Journal of Information Systems Education 14 (1)
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
To Blog or Not to Blog?
To blog or not to blog, that is the question.....
After much research and practical experience I have come to the conclusion that blogging is a useful medium in which to teach students. There are 10 areas(in brief) that facilitate with students learning. These include:
1. Post materials and resources
2. Host online discussions
3. Create a class publication
4. Replace your newsletter
5. Get your students blogging
6. Share your lesson plans
7. Integrate multimedia of all descriptions
8. Organise, organise, organise
9. Get feedback
10. Create a fully functional website
http://edublogs.org/10-ways-to-use-your-edublog-to-teach/
Thus I feel it is particularly useful to utilise blogging within the classroom
After much research and practical experience I have come to the conclusion that blogging is a useful medium in which to teach students. There are 10 areas(in brief) that facilitate with students learning. These include:
1. Post materials and resources
2. Host online discussions
3. Create a class publication
4. Replace your newsletter
5. Get your students blogging
6. Share your lesson plans
7. Integrate multimedia of all descriptions
8. Organise, organise, organise
9. Get feedback
10. Create a fully functional website
http://edublogs.org/10-ways-to-use-your-edublog-to-teach/
Thus I feel it is particularly useful to utilise blogging within the classroom
How much is too Much?
In today's society we can get upgrades, discounts for spending more, add 50c to receive an upgrade on your meal deal, yet we never hear an outcry from the general public that this is too much.
Yet when it comes to technology and this changing era, we are forever hearing or reading that students and adolescents are being exposed to too much information which is detrimental to them, yet as noted from this blog the power the digital generation has on society is irrefutable. Movie Producers, Teachers, Librarians have had to change and alter the way things are performed to suit this new generation of individuals however were never allowed to complain or state that enough is enough......
I do realise the importance of utilising technology to engage this digital generation, I also feel that there is a time and a place for everything, and maybe it's not necessary to use it within every class to tick a Board of Studies box. Students still need to think, write and research for themselves.
Yet when it comes to technology and this changing era, we are forever hearing or reading that students and adolescents are being exposed to too much information which is detrimental to them, yet as noted from this blog the power the digital generation has on society is irrefutable. Movie Producers, Teachers, Librarians have had to change and alter the way things are performed to suit this new generation of individuals however were never allowed to complain or state that enough is enough......
I do realise the importance of utilising technology to engage this digital generation, I also feel that there is a time and a place for everything, and maybe it's not necessary to use it within every class to tick a Board of Studies box. Students still need to think, write and research for themselves.
Inspiration
This article opened my eyes into the way that I can teach students and assist them with assessment tasks and revision, by utilising this new medium of technology. That is, I can utilise this new form of teaching pedagogy, by allowing students to develop mind-maps of core or option topic areas.
I feel that this would be a valuable activity within my KLA, PD/H/PE. The benefits of having students, particularly Yr 12 students (prior to their trials or HSC) developing concept maps of the unit of work then posting it online (either in their blogging account or on an online discussion board) would facilitate in the learning and revision process for these students. This activity would allow students to visually view their work and see the unit not as small chunks, rather as a big picture and a whole unit. This graphic organisation I hope would benefit the students, aid in their higher order thinking, deeper understanding and use of metalanguage.
Not only would an activity such as this benefit the brighter students, it would also be beneficial to the special needs students. I will definitely give this mind-mapping a go next year, even if it requires me to download the inspiration technology!
I feel that this would be a valuable activity within my KLA, PD/H/PE. The benefits of having students, particularly Yr 12 students (prior to their trials or HSC) developing concept maps of the unit of work then posting it online (either in their blogging account or on an online discussion board) would facilitate in the learning and revision process for these students. This activity would allow students to visually view their work and see the unit not as small chunks, rather as a big picture and a whole unit. This graphic organisation I hope would benefit the students, aid in their higher order thinking, deeper understanding and use of metalanguage.
Not only would an activity such as this benefit the brighter students, it would also be beneficial to the special needs students. I will definitely give this mind-mapping a go next year, even if it requires me to download the inspiration technology!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)