Educational Technology for Teaching and Learning. "Technological tools are essential"
Associate Professor Joanne O’Mara from Deakin’s School of Education believes ‘The use of iPads and the internet gives young people access to unprecedented amounts of information and misinformation.'
"Using Technology as a Learning Tool, Not Just the Cool New Thing" (https://www.educause.edu/research-and-publications/books/educating-net-generation/using-technology-learning-tool-not-just-cool-new-thing)
Understanding how technology can be used to reach the most people in an effective way is they best way.
Technology must be used for a practical purpose, taking the fundamentals and techniques learned over a semester and applying it to a final project, where creativity and uniqueness are required and rewarded.
Semior Parpet (Lego Turtle) "30 Years of Collaboration Towards Empowering Children to be Creative Thinkers"
Experimentation requires trial and error, and a strong sense of failure is not the end (Self Regulation and Grit).
Tools + Teaching = Effective Learning
Creation of an innovative, creative and brave environment.
Sharing ideas and the impact it has on humans
Made use of the Constructivist theory that children learn through play, engagement and creation.
Previously coding was apart of the senior phase, the primary focus was on maths and abstract thinking.
Examples of interesting technology
Edmodo
Scaffolding student learning through sharing content, distributing quizzes, assignments, and managing communication with students, colleagues, and parents.
Explain everything
Allowed for boys to be more engaged and to interact with work. Is more creative than a simple mind map.
Handheld electronic whiteboard, blank slate, involves no content.
Bright Ideas
is a game that promoted problem solving, story and goals.
Old Man's Tale
Promoted questions such as "explain this image"
"write your own narrative
Sugata Mirtia 1960's
Unsupervised groups of children, learning by themselves.
Created collaboration through experimentation.
Italian, placed a series of computers in walls at low ses areas, they learnt English through experimentation and proceeded to teach each other.
Software
Technology in the Teacher's Hands and Technology in the Student's Hands
Content-Free Software
Children teaching other children
Blank and open environment
For Example: paint, show me, mind maps
Specific Content
Tools to reference existing knowledge
Behaviourist/Cognitivist
Presents information through questions programs (e.g. yes, no, wrong or right).
Examples: Mathletics, Reading Eggs
Digital Games
MYST
Transformative as it was constructed by the students
Puzzle game, used with a class of year 7's, used airplay to project game onto board.
Relativism due to the discovery based learning. Only built skills (general capabilities) not content based.
Used the senses, emersion of the students in the game.
Students teaching students as the teacher didn't know about the game. Improved critical thinking and collaboration skills.
Racket and Clank
Repurposed playstation through enriching content.
Used instead of a Big Book (A resource a teacher reads with the class)
The game provided students with visuals which helped students character analysis, narratives and engagement.
Engaged boys in writing, which is usually hard to get engagament.
Subtopic
Through collaboration children where silent and engaged.
Pyramids in Egypt (Peter, in History)
Students built pyramids on 50 by 50 square, using the information provided through lessons.
Minecraft 'Adventure World'
Based on the school topic the local area, for example police stations, hospitals, school, churches, balance between built and natural.
Students collaboratively built a world in Minecraft based upon information.
Appealing to interests after adapting technology tools. Means better engagement.
Statecraft
Student Centred Play
Required students to solve social problems centred around society and history. After playing the game students at the end of term were then required to write about their experience and so forth.
Showed better performance and detailed communication than years previous.
Availability at all times and one cell phones + collaboration and and strategy. Control of learning.
Helped the quieter students speak up and interact with others because they knew what they were doing/engaged with the content.
Meaningful Play, serious games, on a senior level requiring students to collaborate.
Video about learning experiences
Content for iPad=
1. Dancing = motifs and choreography
2. Technology = iPad
3. Pedagogy = student directed and collaboration
Uses IPAD (technology) recording, playback and feedback all enhance content.
Through repetition, collaboration, viewing other dancing choreography on Youtube and allows for personal critique.
Simulations are examples of tech tools.
Apple computer rooms are examples of a concrete tool
Apple provided computer labs to schools for study.
This link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a90EvWfoLU talks about an TPACK Example through teachers collaborating together first discussing there teaching styles, what they plan on teaching and how.
Go beyond posters and powerpoint's as children K-12 require creativity, problem solving skills etc.
Classroom Tech. St. Lawerence
Technology needs to start with the learner and not just with the teacher.
Technology is only used collaboratively, is essential in the classroom.
4 Teachers, one classroom, teaching pedagogy affects teaching style.
A collaborative environment, a open classroom layout
Combining old and new practices
Traditionally, classrooms have been relatively isolated, and collaboration has been limited to other students in the same classroom or building. Today, technology enables forms of communication and collaboration undreamt of in the past. (https://online.purdue.edu/blog/how-has-technology-changed-education)
Technology as a Tool to Support Instruction (https://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech004.shtml)
Its supports collaboration, and developing learning goals to be enhanced by technology.
"In a technology-rich classroom, students don't "learn" technology. Technology merely provides the tools to be used for authentic learning. It is a means, not an end."
"Technology lends itself to exploration"
"Technology For inclusive Education" Jeff Scouter
Technology/Hardware Examples
Seeing AI
Text to speech, allows modifications. Highlights words as it reads. Can read bottles in supermarket.
Braille Device
Text to voice commands/menus, screen reading.
Keyboards with braille characters. Up to 80 cells of text.
Virtual Reality (VR)
Gives students a way to experience a simulation.
Technological Terminology
Inclusive
Specfic functions, everyone can use but have extra features.
Framework
This technology is a shell with tools. (e.g Microsoft Word.)
Curriculum
Requires technology applications to enhance curricular activities.
Supportive
Technology used to improve efficiency.
Access
Allows for engagement with the curriculum.
Access Hardware Examples
IPADS
Can allow for mouse connectivity through dongle but after new update to separate operating system dongle wont be required. Issue that occurs can be people may not be able to use a touch screen so additional
Switch
It goes of muscle movement, selects the highlighted option. Requires linking.
For example Stephan Hawking was a user of this technology.
Different mouse models for example those that allow for use with different hands,can allow those with grip difficulties, smaller for better grip, chester mouse (single button, left click) joystick mouse, track board, physical movement.
Different keyboard styles, models and layouts. This includes smaller mice for prep students, different colors and sizes of keys. Keyboards can also be smaller, require use of one hand
Transforming content:
Providing variations of text, such as showing images, different fonts and colours. Which requires the steps: 1. Have a digital copy. 2. Provide an appropriate digital format for students.
Example Access Abilities
Notes App
Allows for physical manipulation, digital Reader, text-to-speech.
With enabled dictation, which allows for hard of hearing or deaf.
Curriculum Requirements
Does it specifically say that you need a pen or pencil, or a computer.
Reading Troubles
Resources for text must be prepared and allow for changes depending on student needs.
Reading from texts for those who experience difficulty may experience time limit pressure.
Students who also struggle may be disengaged, require more concentration and may make more mistakes.
"Would a text-only format be ideal for someone with a reading disorder?"
No images can help accessibility, they change also increase comprehension and usability for most audiences. Use of different media is important.
Personal Observations on 2019 Practical
Teachers has used technology to supplement, showing only videos and creative powerpoints to build on textbook knowledge and lessons. Many teachers seemed to have taken this approach and is an example that teachers are implementing technology in more creative ways as TPACK seems like a new approach to teaching.
Supplement, Enrich, Experiment
Transform (Leverage)
Leads to better engagement,
Kids teaching other kids, projects with the aim to problem solve through project/problem based learning (Collaboration).
Research and critical thinking
Constructivist, play/experiment based
Enrich (Augment)
Intergration
Addition on top, adding within the learning not at the end.
Ipad's were used to film and test hypothesis in an experiment
Only Supports learning
Apple Classroom of tomorrow
Apple put computers into the classrooms at first the computers were only limited to computer rooms but slowly began to move into the classroom in few numbers to allow fro student collaboration
Modern teaching requires Technology to be the responsibility of all teachers.
Computer rooms became seperate from the classrooms and teachers began to think it wasn't their problem (Hire another ICT teacher).
1st Computers in classrooms were only used to supplement for example to play games at the end of the class.
Tools, TPACK
Its all about how you use technology tools, as learning should be more of a focus than teaching
Table
Pedagogical Practice
Student Centred
Primarily Teacher Centred or Mixed/Balanced, Student Centred
Teacher Centred
Relativist (Conjectural) Hypothesis, manipulation and adaption.
Relevatory (Multiplistic)
Revelatory (Multiplistic) activity is discovery and content based.
Instructional (Dualistic),facts, yes or no.
Pedagogical Beliefs
Relativism
Transform
Relativistic
Multipilistic
Enrich
Dualistic
Supplementary
Is a combination of content, pedagogy and technology.
Although Content and Pedagogy are required technology can be used to enhance PCK.
What is Learning
"We all learn together" (Collaboration)
Self Regulation and Learning (Key aspect of learning)
Peer Learning
Critical Thinking
Metacognition
Effect Regulation
Time management
Learning Theory
Behaviorist
Software such as explain everything, children learning through apps. Technology is dependent on how you use it.
Traditionalists only follow a factual approach for example only technology use is powerpoint.
Constructivist
Knowledge is constructed from experiences.
Uses software such as "spreed sheets" and"show me."
Requires a pedagogy centered around big questions and investigation.
Cognitive
Knowledge exists externally to the child.
This involves using programs such as software (tutorial programs) and pedagogy (direct instructions).
Self Regulated learning involves Perseverance and Grit
Grit is required by teachers to try navigate new programs and strategies.
Is a feature of a growth mindset, which is a belief that anything can be changed with effort.
Beliefs from working hard and for long enough.
Combines passion and perseverance and tend to be more long term.
Tutorial, Building, Playing and Creating are all relevant and allows for specific orientation towards students.
ICT (information and communication)
Teachers are required to create successsful learners
TPACK
Repurposing Technology is also an important skill to have.-
Collaboration and development of critical thinking skills etc.
How teachers (pedagogy) believe students learn defines the use of technology
Pedagogy + Content + Technology
Technology use can be limited by funding and resources
Now based on principles and the specific locations
Used to be based on NATPLAN results
ICT is a valuable and necessary tool that is a part of the curriculum and should be used at a collaborative level
A part of what is good teaching and is a part of the Australian Curriculum.
