This blog posting demonstrates my thoughts and reflective ideas about the activities, and my subsequent learning, of weeks 1 and 2 for Managing e-Learning.

During week 1, I discovered learning theories, learning styles and intelligences, and Prensky's ideas. 

Learning Theories

K.W.L. Chart

These include connectivism, construvism, behaviourism and cognitivism. These ideas of various ways to learn are empowering to teachers. Although the behaviourism, cognitivism, and construvism are partially seen as being more appropriate for the traditional classroom situation, I feel these are still appropriate for the future's oriented learning environment. Behaviourism involves the concept that learning is done through practice, repetition and positive reinforcement. This is ideal for rote learning of multiplication tables, spelling, and reading. Constructivism is where the learner gains new understandings and skills through hands on experience, like conducting science experiments, creating artworks, and applying a formula to real life context. Cognitivism is where learning takes place when we understand mental processes. This involves seeing the links between sensory memory, working memory, and long-term memory. The practice of mind/concept maps, K.W.L. (What I Know, What I Want to know, What I have Learnt) charts (Frangenheim, 2010), and De Bono's 6 Thinking Hats (De Bono Thinking Systems, 2012) are ideal for this way of learning. Finally, connectivism is the better suited learning theory for online and interactive/collaborative learning. With this, students learn by finding experts or people with experiences in an area or field of work, then understand these peoples' opinions.

Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences

Multiple Intelligences

I think these two aspects link and should be acknowledged by teachers as being a good starting point for planning lessons and structuring the classroom. Both of these parts of individuals personalities change, whether it be over time with maturity or as a response to their current surroundings. Multiple Intelligences is a guide to show your range of "smarts". My results for this activity show that my "smarts" are quite strong in the areas of linguistics, interpersonal, musical, and naturalistic, yet I lack in the areas of kinaesthetic, logical, intrapersonal and visual/spatial.  For this, I would infer that a learning environment of words, music, people, and nature are more appealing and achievable for me. It is also important to include aspects of all "smarts" in order to build my learning and confidence in the areas which I am not so strong in. I discussed learning styles in my second posting: Sunday, July 22.

Marc Prensky

The concept of "Engage or Enrage" can be addressed with an acknowledgement that a combination of Learning Theories and Learning Styles/Multiple Intelligences are part of everyone. Understanding these aspects of an individual learner will improve their success. All these different parts of a person will be essential for the "before, during, and after" of a lesson. Before the lesson, build a rapport with each individual to enrich their trust in you as their teacher. During the lesson, enrich their understanding, knowledge and skills by teaching to their strengths. After the lesson, maintain the trust and new learning in preparation for the next lesson. With engagement that is appropriately suited to each individuals preferred way of learning, the possibility of un-interested, distracted, and enraged students could be minimised. Of course, there may still be underlying issues, with some students, which need to be addressed before these concepts will be fully working.

During week 2, I explored TPACK, wikis, mobile phones, as well as the legal, safe and ethical practices involved with online engagement. 

TPACK

The TPACK (Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge) framework relates to teachers, education, and three areas of importance to connect these. Firstly, technology, it is important for teachers to have the skills required to teach for, teach with, and monitor students' involvements of this new-age environment. Technology is a wonderful thing, with endless possibilities for imagination, creation and invention, but it also has serious implications if it's not used appropriately. Secondly, pedagogy is the processes or practices for teaching a specific concept so that it is learnt most efficiently. This involves understanding the content and learners so the two are moulded together smoothly. Thirdly, content knowledge involves the teacher knowing the content in which they are expecting students to learn from them. If the teacher does not have full understanding of the content, or know how to gain full understanding of the content, then the student could likely not trust the teacher's academic authority. This could lead to the student not wanting to learn from this particular teacher. With these three aspects in-tune, teachers can effectively provide learners with a distinguished, future's oriented, education. Providing the learner with an eagerness to explore and discover new knowledge, understandings and skills.

Wiki and Mobile Phone

I have had many opportunities to create and work with wikis over the few years of being enrolled in Bachelor of Learning Management. I have found this tool very useful and easy to manipulate for individual purposes. Originally I created a few as visual aides for presentations in courses, however, more recently I have had the thorough enjoyment of creating a wiki for my current school placement. My Year 7 class have started learning music and I was to teach the first lesson. With this in mind, I searched the school program online and found the first lesson was completely available through the program's website. This gave me the opportunity to present the electronic information, songs, DVDs and links through a wiki. The class have enjoyed this immensely, as they have not seen a wiki previously. So I exposed the class to the new music content, at the same time as introducing a new digital technology. I have since added each lesson as its own page on the wiki and the class have been allowed (with Mentor Teacher approval) to create their own account to access this wiki. NOTE: for privacy reasons, I created this wiki as an educational tool which limits viewing to members only. This allows students join and engage with other students and contents without their safety and privacy being exploited. Students now have the opportunity to interact with their peers and teachers through online communications, as well as gaining ownership to their learning experiences through exploring and contributing to the content on the wiki. I feel this experience will assist the Year 7 class throughout their high school education, and beyond. I have also witnessed the use of iPod's in my current school placement, where students have downloaded a copy of the current novel to be read since the school library had no copies available. Students are pleased to use this technology, and feel a sense of responsibility given to them when allowed this opportunity. 

For this course, I engaged with the mobile phone's wiki 2. This experience was a justification to my previously learnt ideas of wikis and mobile phones. With the interactive concepts of wikis, individual learners coming together to present ideas, and adding to my own thoughts of mobile phones in the educational environment, I have found many other pre-service teachers have similar ideas. I enjoy technology, and can see many advantages to using both wikis and mobile phones within the learning context, and so feel that these can be applied in many differing situations to enhance a student's experience of new knowledge. I use an iPhone on a daily basis, and have explored (and downloaded) a range of applications to enhance my experiences with this device.

Legally, Safely and Ethically online

There are many issues which need to be addressed when using Information Communication Technology (I.C.T.), in any environment. These issues range from being courteous to being aware of imminent dangers online. There are huge responsibilities with using online resources, as there are many threatening (personal and technological) bodies in the world wide web. These may be as obvious as a computer virus, or as subtle as a school yard bully. As you can see with the attached picture, there are tools available to teach students about appropriateness online. These safety precautions are part of the legislation and policy procedures followed by all educational facilities. Not only is the user's safety a concern, but also the respect and acknowledgement of data which is used online. This involves understanding copyright, plagiarism, and referencing. These aspects can be confusing, nuisances, and, at times, seemingly unnecessary. However, they are important and give attribute to the rightful owner. Students should be introduced the all these aspects before starting their online journey, as these will form the basis of any endeavour. Although, some things will be best learnt with hands on experience, others may be beneficial as a lead up to consent for online use. Perhaps developed with a certificate or licence, much like the traditional "pen licence".