Resources of my choice

so I finally started to put my VLE together and I found word press very easy. It was logical, easy to navigate and so straight forward to add links, embed codes, upload word documents & Power Points.
I started making a list of the resources I wanted to work with (as shown below), and set out creating the tailored packaged VLE. 1. Class marker 2.Pinterest 3. Quizlet 4. Todays meet 5. Facebook 6. Youtube 7. PowerPoint 8. polldaddy 9.Wikihow 10. Ted talks.11. thinklink 12.audioboom

For the sake of the blog I will go through a few of the application in a little details so in future if anyone is interested they can see the benefits and maybe challenges of said applications I will also include the links to the applications within the title. The first I came across was poll daddy, mainly because it is already available within the word Press site, however I don't feel it adds any value to the overall experience of the VLE, I can see the benefit of having the application for maybe different subject areas, but I don't feel it suited my area very well. All the same I did add some of the surveys and polls mainly for the sake of it, as they do break up the page well and provide a good way on completing a section.  Poll daddy was easy to use and embed due to the fact it is an application within word press so was fit for purpose so to say.

The next application I started to work with was Todays Meet, the main reason why I have added this to my VLE is it is so easy and simple not only to set up but for the users to log on and start engaging straight away. I have used it within my teaching practise and found the students engaged very well. It lends it's self well to engaging the students and making the site interactive, which was an important issue for me. I also used Facebook as an application within my VLE, this was again for ease of use and interactivity for the students. Dewey (2014) stated that "Facebook is not a physical country,” MacKinnon wrote at the time, “but with 900 million users, its ‘population’ comes third after China and India" how then can I as an educator ignore the power that Facebook has? I don't think I can, So Facebook was added. It was a debate on to have a class account or a class page? I decided on page, this is still very interactive and they are able to post and reply as and when they want. It will be a great tool so use week on week to provide a way of feedback not only to me but also to other users. Plus Facebook is user friendly and easy to access from any type of mobile technology.

Power Point has become one of the most valuable tools I have in my teaching practise box and has such has become a key element with my VLE. I have made audio PowerPoint's so the users are able to gain a lecture or chalk and talk style experience regarding the concepts under investigation. I find PowerPoint easy to use and embed and simple for users to open and engage with.  Along side the audio PowerPoints I applied the use of Ted Talks, I personally love Ted Talks and find then very useful to provide key ideas to students, a powerful talk and change anyone's outlook and most Ted Talks are very professional, they are easy to embed and again very easy to access for the users or students. Along the same thread was the application Audio Boom  it enables you to share audio content online or on other applications for example twitter or word press, this has I have found was not easy, the embed code was difficult to locate and then use, I finally gave up on embedding a sound clip as it used up to much valuable time, but I will be revisiting this in future as I feel (as a dyslexic) it is a valuable tool for both educator and student.

Pinterest is a good application and I feel better suited to some subjects  than others, I don't connect with it fully, I can the uses for it and I have added it to the VLE for the user to access and add pins if they wish, thus making the VLE interactive, Pinterest is a virtual inspiration board and while I do use in my personal life I have found it rather lacking for educational purposes. It is easy to use and very simple to create a board so users should have no difficulties with it.  The use of YouTube upon the VLE was also considered and I felt it added something valuable to the learners who are visual, I was able to source some very good video clips and provide resources for the concepts under investigation from a different perspective. All in all the resources I have chosen for the VLE I felt were of great value and use to the users, they enabled me to provide greater application of knowledge but through a means that most would not associate with learning and I think making learning fun and interesting is vital.

The choice of resources for a VLE

Having done some research on how to use digital technology within the schemes of work I have prepared for the VLE I came across this interesting video. It gave me a lot of food for thought, how do I decide which resources I put on the VLE? Firstly I went back to session planning, just like with face to face teaching, I felt it was important to have a plan of what I wanted each student to get out from each tab (session) and then I was able to implement relevant resources. Conrad and Donaldson (2004) discuss how the collaborative attainment of knowledge between the student and the teacher is one of the keys to the success of an online learning environment. Thus activities should encourage interactivity and promote the sharing of ideas on a deeper level. This again brings me back the question of what resources should I use upon my own VLE.

So I compared the sessions I have planned on the VLE to the ones I taught face to face and most of the resources could be adapted. The use of Power Points to frame the sessions could easily cross over to the VLE, I simple added audio and spoke to the audience as I would have in any session. I could also provide reflective exercises which had been developed for the use in seminars (face to face), again by adding audio and speaking to the students on a chalk and talk teaching method. But this is not Blended learning, I needed to think outside of the box so I could provide that collaborative environment which is key to learning. Another issue I am faced with, is how to I has the educator asses the IT skills of those using the VLE, do I assume they all have good, current skills or do I assume they are all novices? The answer to this question directly affects the types of resources I display for the students.

I view the VLE as a online classroom and has such a community (of sort), any community holds shared goals and in regards to the VLE I am creating the shared goal would be learning. so I felt it was important to place some shared goals and objectives upon the VLE and leave a space for the students to add their own,  thus empowering the students to become responsible  for their own learning. Giving the students the sense of "we are all in this together" provides a starting point for the collaboration which is required for their learning success (Paloff &Pratt, 2007).  I don't want my VLE to be a static place where I dump stuff and hope people see it. I must think long and hard about how to get the students to interact and collaborate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So back to the reflexive exercises, I wanted a way to get the students to complete each session and exercise and then have the opportunity to connect with each other and myself in regards to the material covered. I felt using platforms such as Facebook and twitter and Google plus would be successful ways to open the channels of communication and so linked these to the VLE. I did however also add some ground or housekeeping rules for the use of these Social media sites within the VLE.  

 

The students have therefore been given even more opportunity to interact and improve the learning outcomes. I feel knowledge is activated was the student engages with the class and not just an interaction between the materials and self.

 

references

 

Conrad, R. &. D. L., 2004. Engaging the Online Learner: Activities and Resources for Creative Instruction. San Francisco: Wiley.

 

 

 

 

Paloff, R. &. P. K., 2007. Building Online Learning. 2nd ed. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons,.

 

 

 

 

 

My own VLE

So here is the front screen from my VLE, it has 8 week session which build up upon one another and a assessment tab, for those who wish to test their knowledge at the end of the course. Along with an about tab (self explanatory) and a home page. It is set out clearly and I think gives the user a very clear understanding of the module. Leeds University advises it's educators to consider  an Intuitive navigation and clean design with visual clarity in design and navigation allows learners to concentrate on the content. I think it clearly states this is a ten week course and eludes to the fact the course outcome is a new stress free student.

How using a VLE has been so far?

Now having been an undergraduate using a VLE for the last three years I have been able to see the system from both sides, It was a valuable tool for me to access lecture slides, resources, and even grades, but I never witnessed the system being interactive. Thus I am now from the flip side of the coin scratching my head for ways to make it interactive as the educator. I have been lucky enough to been given an opportunity to work upon a blended learning program or two, and this has given me greater insight into how not to use the system from my own experiences.

It seemed like a dumping ground for sure when I was accessing it, but I must admit I am unsure if I would have engaged with it in any other way.

 

This is the kind of pages upon the VLE (Moodle) which the university of Wales Trinity st David (UWTSD) had when I was an undergraduate. It was useful for resources but not much interactivity and now I am working on a module on Moodle myself I too struggle to make it interactive.  

You can see here the use of audio PowerPoint so the students get a similar lecture experience, I have also created reflective exercises for the students to engage in and resources for them to access, Apart from checking who has signed in and emailing those who haven't,  I have very little control over the students and who engages with the resources or not. The more independent learners all engage and this is evident in the assessments they are producing. I have offered online tutorial support on many occasions but they have been declined or no shows, however interestingly when I offered face to face support they all attended and it was a success. One of the benefits of the VLE is that the sources are available long after the sessions have been completed and the students are able to re access as and when they please. I do so wish I had this facility when I was doing my degree.  

 

The difference with the VLE is it is not supporting the face to face session but is a tool which is used to replace it. Newland (2014) make reference to the fact that students feel the use of a VLE is successful as a repository for materials and resources, but it is clear that's students do not feel the VLE could replace contact with tutors. This supports my experience so far using the Moodle system for the blended learning program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Personalised learning using a VLE

So how can a VLE impact upon each and every student who engages with it? Surely every student while accessing the same resources will take different things away from the experience. The whole idea of higher education is that the student experience while similar to that of others should be very subjective.

So while the VLE is a one size fits all platform, it is possible to for the student to tailor the resources for their own needs.

VLEs first developed from a need by users to bring together a range of tools in one product to support learning. At first, this idea of a ‘one stop shop’ was fine but as technology developed, the new approach to a VLE has seen some changes such as a "personalised learning environment (PLE)".
Chalk (2010) discussed in their recent paper how the 'one size' of approach to the use of the VLE will not fit the needs of all the students. This then become another consideration for me during my designing stage.  It became evident that I needed to provide a good range of varied curriculum choices and varied tasks so each student was able to tailor the program in a way which suited their own learning styles. This was achieved using presentations, ted talks, links to online journals, reflexives exercises, quizzes and crosswords, and as previously mentioned the social networking tools such as face book and twitter.

Britain & Liber (2004) argued that there is a strong link between the way a VLE is designed and the way it is typically used. Therefore it is  important to make sure the VLE I create is fit for purpose. This is when I feel it is important to have strong objectives for the course and the resources that will be placed within the VLE. In the case of the stress management course I feel the resources (while creative) fit the students who maybe more academic rather than those who are practical. Even though practical exercises are provided, I have no real evidence that the students are engaging with them. The implementation of social media should help with this issue, and using resources such as todays meet and Google hangouts will enable the students to be reactive to the exercise provided.

It then could be said that the VLE provides an opportunity for students to have a personalised learning experience from using the VLE and be empowered throughout their own learning experiences.  I feel while it is important for the educator to be reflective in their practise in using such technology I also feel it would be wise to encourage the learners to also be reflective regarding their own learning, and having tools such as comments boxes enables the student to think and reflect upon anything they wish to add.

 

 


References

Chalke, J., 2010. Consideration of the uses of e-learning: Does one size fit all?. Int. J. of Information and Operations Management Education, 3(4), pp. 368-381.

 

 

Britain, S. &. l. O., 2004. A Framework for the Pedagogical Evaluation of Elearning, london: Bolton University. Accessed 23/02/2015, Available from http://www.pgce.soton.ac.uk/IT/Schools&Comp/VLEusage/VLEpedagogy.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

WHY do we need a VLE?

Many years ago when I was a student the thought of a virtual learning environment (VLE) was the dream of sci-fi fans,  but now I find myself as a trainee educator trying to devise and create an environment for students to utilise so to enhance their educational experience. I have seen many different versions of VLE  and many ways in which I think it doesn't work. Certain educational establishments see it as simply a dumping ground for information for the students to access as and when, but for me this kind of environment would not translate well into a class room so should not be acceptable as an online version either.

It would be unheard of to throw lots of information at students and not give them time to respond or reflect upon what they had just learnt. Not giving the students the opportunity to actively engage in the topics or concepts under investigation could be detrimental to their learning outcomes, but when it comes to online courses this is general thought of as good practise (O'learly,2015).  This may be due to the fact training is an issue and the previous generation are nervous to use new  technology or software, but with a new generation using the net for everything it seems only reasonable to expect this will be the same for education.

Every educational establishment should now be considering the use of  an interactive VLE in the lesson planning, the setting of homework, for use within assignments or assessments,  and for peer feedback at the very least. There are many advantages for the use of a VLE such as ease of access for both the educator and student, but as I have mentioned it can also become a dumping ground which has no or very little interaction between the student and the teacher. In the case of the former is it the best way to provide education for the less confident student?

Another advantage it could be said is that if offers a way for educator to provide flexible support without a set time or place in which the students are able to communicate.  Communication can open up an infinite number of channels in the format of forums, discussion threads, polls, surveys and instant feedback either as a group or individually, the teacher is also able to link to outside sources such as journals, you tube, or any other electronic sources, (bbc, 2015).  The VLE can in fact become a dynamic resource hub for the students (dynamic not dumping is the key here), the internet has a infinite storage space and this make any VLE a huge resource for students, examples of resources could be Power Points, word documents, worksheets, revision notes, study skills, homework, all of which can be shared and accessed by the students. The tools can be very powerful to engage even the most disengaged students. I have added a small video on what a VLE looks like just in case  anyone has been living in a cave for the last ten years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Confused.com

Create a Visual Learning Environment (VLE) sounds easy right? Whats a V L E

Wrong, I am actually laying in bed and night thinking over ways to do it in my head, I have books on the subject and the more I read, the more confused I feel. How to make it interactive? I have no clue, I feel very much out of my depth with it all, and I am working on a blended learning program as we speak. So ok I need to think of some ways to devise what needs to be on my VLE so I came up with some questions.

• What is the name of your course? How long does it run for?

The course is an introduction to stress management and runs for 10 weeks. It will cover a all aspects of stress and ways to combat it.  

      How many students?  The course is aimed at roughly 10-15 students, who are taking part in a blending learning program for credits for their undergraduate degree.

• Length of course : one  hour online per week with teaching resources and two hours self directed study and one hour working through the reflective exercises provided.
• What age range? All adult learners so above 18 to 90
• Skill level : No previous skill required.
• Submission dates?  Final assessment at end of course, however the weekly sessions will require that the students have completed the session previously, so each week a small  to assessment on  what they learnt so far.
• How will you asses the work? The course will be assessed using a final piece of work which will be submitted electronically, but will also be assessed week after week.  
• How interactive would the course be? The course would be very interactive, with video, audio, image sharing with each other and the course tutor. Each session would start with students discussing how they have progressed since the week before and sharing their experiences of the course so far. This can be done via Skype, or using discussion forums such as TodaysMeet. The course content will need to be engaging and interesting to keep students motivated and focused. Student led learning will be an integral part of the course, so interactivity is a crucial element. Students will want to develop the skills they feel need working on, so they will need to be able to direct their own learning to some extent.

Resources :  

Skype

Pinterest

TodaysMeet

Podcast - Overcast is rated highly

Online forums via the VLE

Video casts : You tube uploads

Pinterest is great.

Audio PP

Quizlet

Google plus as a sharing platform.

Onedrive for sharing of ideas and work completed.

the actual VLE

Now these ideas were generated through a session within the program I am studying on, but none the less they are important questions that needed to be asked. I added a few of my own for example shall I provide a online common room for the students to socialise in? should I allocate some marks for the contributions made upon the forums and online tutorials to make sure the students are actually attending week after week (and not cramming all at the last minute). How do I plan on assessing the online activity that occurs? and should I provide an abundance of work or stagger it work after week? All of which I am not sure what the answer is.... the main one I think I need to come from though is what type of  Blend am I going for? It is all very good mixing things up but if you don't get the blend right then what would be the point... How many bad tasting coffee blends have you come across? I have sampled a few, so the essence of my biggest worry is how do I know I have the right blend for the students?

My first offical job interview

WOW, I applied thinking "not a chance in hell" and I get shortlisted.....While I am proud and very pleased at being given this opportunity I am scared to death. I started prepping and I am a firm believer in the more prep you do the better chances you have, but how do I prep for something I have never had any experience off?

I start using the web, if in doubt ask google, It is very helpful and I start to collect my thoughts on things such as "what are my teaching methods "how will I ensure equality in my classroom" I am starting to panic, I will never feel confident in any of this stuff (I am certain) but all I can do is give it my best. I have to provide a lesson plan for 60 minutes and provide a 20 minute micro teach on a subject which is a little out of my league "health and safety in  a care environment" so I again researched the subject and became enlightened.

Seems I know more about the field than I thought, I mean I did work in a care environment for 10 years.  so lesson all prepped I just have to read up and learn enough to get me through, again I think it is nerves which are holding me back. I found a helpful site which has guided me in my preparation https://targetjobs.co.uk/career-sectors/teaching-and-education/330747-perform-your-best-in-your-teaching-interview and even if I don't get the position I am very grateful for having the opportunity to just attend the interview as it is all great practise.

But promise you wont let my secret out...... I know I can rely on you lot..

I must be mad!

Ok so we get to choose options for an assignment on the course and I go and select E-learning, now I feel there is so much more for me learn when it comes to technology but after a few sessions I am overwhelmed with how little I actually know. Terms such as Podcast, wiki's and Vle's (visual learning environments)  have thrown me of my high horse (so to speak) I thought I was rather techno savvy, turns out I am more like a techno toddler. Now I have hyperlinked those techno words just in case you would like to know more about these things (not sure what to call them), as I now know how little I actually did know.

So I have delved into the world of creating a web space or page to develop for my future or current learners, and I must admit I find it all very exciting (overwhelming, but I love a challenge), it gives me a chance to get creative, and for those who know me I am not very creative so find any means that gives me creative licence exciting. I looked at good few different sites but the one which I clicked with straight away was Word press. I found it easy to use and set up a VLE (very basic I may add) within hours, I felt accomplished and very clever. The techno toddler graduated.

 

 

Now the issue I face is I know a little but not a lot so here the hard work starts. I am snowed under actually trying to teach, create and deliver a blended learning programs and stay on top of my work life balance, but I can already see the value of me giving up my time to develop a resource which will  in the future assist me in my teaching.

I just made a new Voki. See it here:

I just made a new Voki. See it here: my first attempt at making an animation... i must admit i like it.... but only tried one app and to be honest i am finding it difficult to embed within my V L E on WordPress.

it is not the end untill the fact lady sings!

well assignment was handed in a good while ago, but I think I will keep blog going, as I sit here on a dark grey Sunday, lesson planning and dreaming of a day when I can enjoy my spare time, I decide to keep my blog running as a kind of dairy :). Firstly I am still loving the path I am walking and very much look forward to each and every day. The second thing is I have decided I wish to teach abroad and am now looking into moving, maybe over to the middle east for while with my children and husband. Teaching  has always been a part of my existence I love to teach everyone and everywhere I go so why not make a good living out of it and travel the world with my sons.

I want to take education and teaching to whoever and wherever I can.

So I am going to keep my blog going and just document what the next year is going to be like for me. Will I or Wont I ? I will keep u posted!

ICT & Teaching Practice

So part of my new teaching journey involves putting together a portfolio of my teaching practise, and the sheer fact that I have to use ICT to put it together I feel needs a mention. Not only does the use ICT mean that the portfolio is easy to navigate through and clear to understand but the whole of my teaching practise is underpinned through using ICT. In fact I think it is key to mention at this point, that this blog shall be transferred to my tutor using an online admission tool known as turnitin, which I am also currently using to grade some of my own students work on.

 

 

The whole system is a plagiarism checker, (which is another modern day phenomena, as it is so easy to copy and paste from one web page to another) but also a good teaching tool. This system allows draft copies of assignments to be uploaded and feedback to be given electronically. This enables real time marking for the teacher and faster turn around on receiving feedback which may improve the paper for the students. The system is simple in many aspects, for example it is a simple data base which cross references every word which has been submitted by the student to check for any similarities with  anything which is online. This system also enables the deadlines of assignments to be closed after a certain time, so any late entries are easy to point out.

 

A lot of the lessons plans which will be within the portfolio I am currently complying will evidence the use of PowerPoint, this application has become my greatest companion, and the clever use of ICT within the University means during my lectures I have access  to TWO monitors, The primary monitor enables me to see notes which I have made upon the topic I am lecturing on, while the other shows only the presentation mode of the PowerPoint slides. I must admit I love this facility and it has made my first few weeks of teaching so much easier. I have even done a few Quiz type sessions in the lecture theatre with the PowerPoint showing the questions and then when I hit enter the answer pops up on the big screen. The students all of which fed back they enjoyed.

 

I am also able to then transfer the original lecture into a blended learning program for the students who are doing the single honours distance learning course. The likes of which would not be available without the use of ICT. I am also able to translate the seminar classes I am taking which are rather experiential over to the blended learning. The simple use of voice recording over the PowerPoint and time delays on the slide show enable me as the educator to provide reflective exercises which can be done anywhere, anytime.

 

One of the  modules I am teaching on have a first assignment due in a few days and they must use ICT to provide a portfolio of research they have under taken. The whole module is regarding employability skills and so it is paramount that the students are able to use ICT effectively for a good chance of being employed after they graduate. It is clear to see how the use of ICT is not just about education, but also the key skills which are needed now just to get by in life.  I found some very interesting research which had been performed regarding ICT and employability as I was interested in making my students aware of the use of doing well in the module wasn't just about getting through the degree but actually more to do with key skills.  The research which has a link to it above had many findings but one I felt was more relevant was that users which were attending their workshops on "how to use ICT" were there for vocational rather than social or recreational reasons. I was sure to point my students in the same direction.

 

The university that I am based within doesn't have online registration or record keeping procedures which use  ICT at the ground level. The paper system is still used. But I am sure this will all be changed as soon as they move to the new campus (in a few years) as most institutes now do most record keeping using ICT.  The last point I would like to make within this post is that I am able to offer students online tutorials within a time frame that suits then. Logging on to an online forum, such as Todays Meet, or even using the system they have on their own VLE (moodule) make it easy to touch base with everyone both on the full time or blended learning course, this makes the teaching experience very technological but very enjoyable.  

 

References

Goodison, T ., Green, A., Owen, D., & Rooney, S. (2004). ICT and Employability. Available: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ier/publications/2004/goodison_et_al_2004_rr534.pdf. Last accessed 01/12/2014 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 5 minute lesson plan

 So being in H E is tough as far as lesson planning goes, the lecture is a straight forward chalk and talk really so easy to plan for but doesn't really show depth of teaching strategy or application of teaching knowledge.  I am roughly spending about an hour per plan and that's time consuming as taking 9 hours of teaching on just my second week. So I found some very useful tools which I could use to speed my lesson planning up. The 5 minute lesson plan is perfect for me, As I have to spend a lot of time brushing up on my knowledge. Those undergrads take no prisoners.  The 5 Minute lesson planis now a daily feature in daily work.

I also found a quick guide to lesson planning which I have now posted on to my office wall until it becomes like second nature to think of my lesson aims and objectives. What I found more useful here was the evaluation section, we all hear the buzz word "reflective" and I am trying to evaluate each of my lessons at the moment as a tool to enhance my teaching so this will only make that "reflective" practise easier for me.

Another useful tool I found in my research for quick lesson planning was a glossary of teaching strategies, this is perfect for seminar preparation when I am trying to think of ways to make learning experiential rather than just the normal boring look at a journal and discuss seminar work that I was victim too. All in All a few hours research has saved me hours of planning and thinking in the future.



 

Blended Learning becomes Real

So here I am scratching my head thinking how do I do a flipped class room lesson?

I have a cunning plan a little voice in my head says and off we go. You tube is first point of call for my cunning plan, I don't want to pester my mentor and feel I can work this out if I just dedicate a few hours to it. I have already at this point researched the topic I am covering so I know that's ready to go at least. I found a very useful little clip which enabled me to learn how to put audio on a power point with timings so the slides move as and when I want them too. It is at this point PANIC sets in. I haven't done a power point yet..... In my haste I overlooked the one thing I needed most. All I can do now is smile and start work on the power point presentation.

Qualitative research SMALL AUDIO pp from Sarah Rees

The power point was ready just a few hours later and hopefully you can see it here!  now I haven't worked out yet how to blog a Power Point with audio but I am sure I will no doubt work it. Anyway back to my story so after watching the You tube clip and finally completing my presentation I record my audio, It goes well and I am happy with it, but I can't get the darn thing to play back, nothing, not a word, so I record it again and then again and still nothing, panic and frustration set in. I walk away from the computer, stand back to take a deep breath, think, think, think, means I can't think.... eventually I check it is not on mute...bet you can't GUESS the issue... It was on MUTE... while I was happy and pleased, I felt so dumb, technology and me just don't seem to mix but I did learn a new skill and was super pleased sending the finished presentation to my mentor for uploading to the VLE.
It did make me think though about the pro's and cons of a blended learning program and I can across a good web page reagrding the Pro's and Cons of Blended learning.

 My own experience was overall a great one when I used a system designed by the Open University, but I can see how easy it would be for students to fall behind when registered upon a self-directed learning course. One of the benefits of seeing your students is that you remind them, encourage them and offer extra support, but when everything is done via email I think it may not have the same impact. Another issue would be how do you keep the students motivated if they are self-directed? It is a tough one for an educator to balance out but I am sure those are skills I will no doubt learn soon enough. The main pro for blended learning which makes me a great advocate for it is that Increases accessibility, which no doubt means individuals who may never get access to education surely have a better chance now.

References
Bright, S. (2014). Pros and Cons of Blended Learning. Available:http://www.digitalchalk.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-blended-learning . Last accessed 17/11/2014

Barriers to the effective use of technology in education.

Education was changing when I was in compulsory education just a few decades (cough, cough) ago. We had the choice between typing class or computer class, I opted for the later much to all my class mates amusement. Comments such as "we will never use it in work" "What's the point of it?" and "it will never take off" still make me laugh, and most of them were from staff. The computer or I T  teacher was not very clued up either if I am being honest.

Modern day education is technology driven and vice versa, but do the barriers that existed when I was a child still persist?  Going back into education after a long gap did provide me with an ability to contrast the old view of technology in education and the new view.

It is clear to see that while the number of computers in the classrooms increase that there is now  tremendous support for technology integration within academia, a major discrepancy exists between the level of technology which is expected of educators to be used  and the actual use and integration of technology in the classroom Semary,(2011)

I must admit through my own experiences of teaching in higher education it has been very difficult for me as an educator to involve technology. The students know they are READING for a degree, now if that reading takes place on a mobile device through the use of pdf's or online journals great, but as an educator I cant really incorporate technology in to my lessons. How can a lecture be made more interactive? Ramey, (2013) discusses one of the barriers as being lack of innovation and I agree, I feel clueless as how to integrate technology into my teaching.  Using technological tools requires a certain degree of creativity and I don't feel I am creative enough, I have basic understanding of most applications. The issue with technology is that is fast moving and changes hourly sometimes, through updates and newer versions, it is easy to see how those who are not so technology savvy can easily shy away from using technology in the classroom.

Now don't get me wrong I am all for technology in classrooms, I can see how my children are far more advanced than me when it comes to anything technological, but it must be said their are a lot of educators out there who lack the ability to use technology in education. As I have said it takes creativity to  integrate technology into the curriculum and there does seem to a resistance to change attitude from old school educators, Kappan, (2009).

 The issue of access to technological tools is a great barrier for many educational establishments. The cost of installing and maintaining smart boards and projectors in each class is a real concern, the black bored would have one cost and not much upkeep, but in comparison the technology is updated constantly, and when damaged or broken can be very costly. Take for example the cost of being connected to internet servers and running a virtual learning environment, it is expensive and requires constant up keep. Schools and colleges have tight budgets and this must be factored in when considering the  pro's and con's of technology in education. Many generations have been taught without the use of modern technology and this has been successful.

The list of barriers to the effective use of technology in education goes on and on, but I have given you a flavour of the ones I think are the toughest to face, without capital the technology cant be installed or utilized, without educators being willing to adapt and change their practises, and without educators being able to think outside of the box and be creative in the use of technology  for education, this debate will keep going round and round. I will be looking at my own barriers closely from now on, and use reflective practise to ensure I am giving my students the best chance possible to have technology integrated into their education.


References.

Kappan, P. (2009). What Can We Do About. Available: http://www.updc.org/assets/files/professional_development/umta/blue-guild/Coaching%20-%20Teacher%20Resistance.pdf. Last accessed 20/11/2014.


Ramey K. (2013 ). Barriers To The Effective Use of Technology In Education. Available: http://www.useoftechnology.com/barriers-effective-technology-education/. Last accessed 20/11/2014

Semary, H. (2011 ). Barriers to the effective use of technology in education: Case study of UAE University. Available: http://library.iated.org/view/ELSEMARY2011BAR. Last accessed 20/11/2014

How technology has changed the way we learn

Michael Gove the Education Secretary gave a speech recently about how technology is changing the way we learn, the speech started with a reflection of how technology has changed the world in general and Grove stated "“Most of us carry more advanced technology in the smartphone in our pocket than Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin used to reach the Moon" but he also went on to reflect how much technology has moved the world forward but how the education system has not really changed since the Victorian aged, He even went further to note that a Victorian teacher could probably work just fine in a modern classroom (Gov.uk, 2012).
Now Gove's speech was a few years back but I agree with most of what he said. The technology we use today in all walks of life is so advanced that we do not understand how they work. We have a generation below us who are more likely to learn differently from previous generations and therefore will need teaching in a completely new way. Education has to catch up to society or educators may has well be from the Victorian age for the use they will be to learners.

So what's the answer to the question of how technology has changed the way we learn? Lets go on a journey and find out shall we? I recently gave a lecture on Trans Humanism and how we are through the use of technology able to become more than human. Surely this is already the case for most of the western world and with more and more children being brought up in a technological society it means we must learn fast how to adapt so we don't get left behind. It wasn't so long ago that children learnt through face to face interaction, story books, play, and handwriting exercises. But in 2014 most of those methods are outdated, the use of mobile technology in schools has changed how the lessons are structured, the interactivity of  student and teacher are no longer paramount to learning as the students can be much more self directed with the use of technology.

Prof. Yoram Eshet, (2014) notes that research is currently showing that children already have a high dependence upon technology and computers,  and is currently at the forefront  of many studies on all facets of learning and technologies. One of the most important changes that as evolved from technology is the  shift from passive to active learning or from a teacher-centered to a student-centered approach. This a huge advantage for a student like me who has a learning difficulty, as it puts them in control of their own learning. I came across a great blog,  SHIFT's eLearning Blog written on the topic of technology and learning, the author gutierrez (2014) states "Technology, then, becomes a tool for active learning. Through it, learners are able to research, communicate and solve problems" and I tend to agree, however it must be noted that not everything about  the use of technology  in education is positive. There have been many ways in which we have made changes to the way we has a species learn. Technology can be used as crutch, spelling is no longer something we learn as everything is autocorrected and spell checked.

  Harven (2013) even goes further and states "This may be a larger issue of technology on our memory and brain-strength, but if we are using the Internet in schools, then kids are being taught to use Google to answer all their questions and to essentially, copy and paste their knowledge.  Education needs to figure out how to use technology in a way that does not replace knowledge, but reinforces it." so how do we do this as educators and get a good balance? The way I see it is that education and technology are both tools to improve society and as educators I feel the two should work hand in hand.  In agreement is Gillis (2014) who addresses the fact that technology is a tool and tools work best when used for the purpose they were designed for. Much of technology used in classrooms today is in it's infancy and the efficacy of those tools wont really be known until a generation has passed.

 One thing is for certain that technology has changed the way we learn and the way we teach. Teaching is now an exciting profession to be entering as who knows what the future of learning holds.

 
 References

Gillis, S. (2014). Finding a balance between technology and teaching. Available: http://www.classroomtechnologyhelp.com/finding-a-balance-between-technology-and-teaching-style-in-your-classroom/. Last accessed 13/11/2014


Gove,M . (2013). Michael Gove speech at the BETT Show 2012. Available: Michael Gove speech at the BETT Show 2012. Last accessed 10/11/2014

Gutierrez,M. (2013). How technology has changed us. Available:http://info.shiftelearning.com/blog/author/karla-gutierrez . Last accessed 11/11/2014

Harven, M . (2013 ). Top 5 problems with Technology. Available: http://edtechtimes.com/2013/11/06/top-5-problems-technology-education-today/. Last accessed 09/11/2014.

Review of Learning with E's Blogging!

I spent a good few nights sat at my desk in the dark with just the only light coming from my screen to illuminate my face, looking for a good blog which I felt would be useful to me in my teaching  endeavour. There were so many to plough through (almost like a needle in a haystack), lots of  good pictures, catchy titles and great information but nothing really got me locked in. Until one night just by chance I stumble into this page  I am hooked. He uses all the right buzz words for me and my brain.

Steve Wheeler  states "I'm working through the alphabet of psychologists and theorists, providing a brief overview of each theory, and how it can be applied in education" and this fits perfectly with my outlook on teaching, I love theory and so need to read more on it but just don't have time, now I can read one post a day and all will be revealed.

The blog is set up in such a easy to use way and even has the options to change the design and layout which I think make it so interactive and for my dyslexic issues it makes it easy to read (as I can change the options which suit me best). He looks at how effective are the P L E 's and has posts regarding  the future of technology in education which can be seen here. Every post I come across I find I am super involved and just wish to know more for example what is digital learning.  The blog not only will be useful to enhance and assist my own teaching skills, but I feel the blog has such amazing insights and information it would be useful for almost anyone. I am very excited to have found his blog and that either makes me need to get out more or fully committed to my new role as an educator in the 21st century. Maybe I should let u decide?

Micro teaching: Change Blindness.

Microteaching 1.1.3 from Sarah Rees

Slideshare is a fantastic application for sharing resources, and gaining information.
First before I could write about my lesson I needed to work out how to get my power point slides upon my blog. I found this website which enables you to upload your power point. It was easy to use and upload but I had an issue trying to work out how to get the power point to show upon my blog rather than just the embedded code. Slide share is a fantastic tool but it does have it's draw backs, once you have uploaded your power point you have let go of your intellectual rights on it. This means anyone can access and use your work in future, now I am not big headed enough to think I am so clever I don't want to share unless for a benefit, but it does mean your work is no longer your own and that I may disagree with.  I  have  posted the webpage I found which taught me how to upload my power point. I think this may be useful to myself and others in teaching.

Now onto my lesson.

I have a passion and love for Psychology. I decided my lesson plan would be based around trying to teach others why psychology is important. The phenomena of change blindness is fascinating and I knew it would engage my class fully. I have posted a quick you tube clip of this below.

I found this website very useful as a starting basis for my research.
 It is important for research to be performed upon such an area so to enhance the understanding of where it may have practical implications.  It would have great importance in the class or lecture room, especially for trainees who are trying to take in a lot of new information at the same time.

My lesson went well, I was nervous and felt I spoke very fast to start with, but I soon fell into a good place when I trusted I knew my subject and that others would enjoy my lesson. I had planned the lesson and had a range activities for everyone to engage with. After an explanation of what psychologists do we did some experiments. I think everyone enjoyed, I know I did.

I feel all grown up!!!

The worry and stress of the last week has been overwhelming. It seems I didn't have a placement for me to teach on and observation week was to commence. I was left feeling lost and confused about what to do next. The response of my classmates was one thing I didn't bargain for, I was overwhelmed at their kind words for me and their support. After a weekend of worry a place was found for me within the university upon the degree which I have just graduated from. It is like a dream come true. I was able to meet with my mentor who was my favourite tutor in the degree and I being given the opportunity to have a huge input in to the course content. I have been out this week having an observation week and it has been breath taking. Walking into a lecture hall as a student was exciting but walking into the same hall as a trainee lecturer took my breath away. The room looks so much smaller now than it did before but I think that may just be my perception.
 

I will be doing blended learning course which is so exciting. I shall be given an opportunity to learn many different types of teaching techniques all of which will require the use of technology. I really feel so lucky and blessed to have been given such a unique opportunity that just a few weeks ago would have been unobtainable for me. Blended learning Is the Future.

I have found some interesting websites regarding blended learning and distance learning and will add anything I find in the future. So my blended learning journey starts here.

The value of mobile technology in teaching and learning

It is difficult to find a corner of the western world which hasn't gone mobile in terms of technology. We have a generation which carries around their computer, access to the web, cameras and means of communication all in one device in their pockets.  So it can been seen why it would be of special interest to educators to find a means of  exploiting this mobile technology for use in learning.

Going back a few years to when I was in education the thought of mobile technology was so foreign. The personal computers (pc) we had just back in the last decade were desk tops and had black and green screens.
  

Jump forward to the modern day and well it is a stark contrast.

 

If it is easy to see the impact of mobile technology on the way we live as a species then it seems obvious to see the value of mobile technology in the way we teach and thus learn.

Bright (2014) suggests that a more blended approach to the way we teach is more likely to cater to everyone. Now I am in agreement with Bright due to the fact I myself am teaching upon a blended learning program which involves some face to face teaching but mainly the use of technology for teaching where ever the students wishes to learn. One of the benefits of using mobile technology to teach is that of ease of access, mostly everyone now has access to 24/7 up to date knowledge at the touch of a button. So everyone is constantly tapped into some form of information base most of the time. This can be utilised and as Nasmith (2014) suggests whether they are welcome in the classroom right now or not, mobile devices are finding their way into classrooms in children’s pockets, thus it wold be good educational practise to find a way to incorporate these technologies. The infrastructure of education needs to change to adapt to the demands of the learners.

It is clear to see one of the main values of mobile technology for learners is the "anytime, anywhere" capability that mobile devices encourage. The learning gets taken out of the teacher led classroom environment and thus becomes student lead. This may however present a significant challenge to conventional teaching practises.

Weldon (2013) looked at two distinct studies which found that mobile technology did indeed make a difference in learning and teaching. Some of the findings of the study suggested that students had greater access to learning resources and their use of the devices for education purposes exceeded the researcher's expectations. Teachers increased their communication with students and

 Students changed their learning behaviour. It is clear to see with these results that there is great value to mobile technology and learning, but me being the critical thinker I am I looked further, this study was funded by sponsored by Kajeet, a wireless service provider that focuses on educational technology, so what did they expect for their money? We have to be careful when we are putting education behind money and not the other way around.

One way to make certain of the value of technology in teaching and learning will be to work in collaboration with learners, educators and content creators to ensure all technology is accessible and relevant to users. Usability should account for those who will be using the mobile devices for teaching in relation to those who will be using it for learning. If all bases are covered then the value will doubled for all users.

We all know the key to transforming societies is in education but is the way to change education now through mobile technology?  Each new generation changes the direction in which society develops and it should be of no surprise that young people want to employ mobile devices to make education more engaging and personalize it for their particular needs (West ,2013). It can be said that Technology-rich activities can sustain high levels of student engagement and peer collaboration compared to less technology focused activities. I can even see this at play in my own home with my own children, they grunt at each other most of the time but use applications to chat and collaborate ways to get money out me constantly. I think the key now is educating the educators to be open and accepting of the vast value mobile technology now has in the realm of teaching and learning so the new generation have a opportunity to change the direction of western society for the better. 

  








References


Bright,S. (2014). Pros and Cons of Blended Learning. Available: http://www.digitalchalk.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-blended-learning. Last accessed 15/11/2014


Nasmith, L . (2004). Mobile Technologies and Learning. Available: http://www2.futurelab.org.uk/resources/documents/lit_reviews/Mobile_Review.pdf. Last accessed 15/11/2014.

Weldon, D. (2013). Recent studies confirm value of mobile technology, tablets in classroom. Available: http://www.fiercemobileit.com/story/recent-studies-confirm-value-mobile-technology-tablets-classroom/2013-12-05. Last accessed 15/11/2014

 West, D . (2013). Mobile Learning: Transforming Education, Engaging Students, and Improving Outcomes. Available: http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2013/09/17-mobile-learning-education-engaging-students-west. Last accessed 15/11/2014.