Digital Technologies Part 1

This week involved exploring three digital technologies. I personally found this week highly engaging and educational as the content explored the roles of ICT’s in education and learning design.

This week’s readings and investigations into digital technologies explored the positive outcomes for teachers and students using ICT’s and how they can facilitate, support, enhance, extend and transform learners.

Digital Tool 1- Blogs for learning

A blog is an online website usually operated by an individual. Presented in a reverse-chronological order, this diary style form of text can be used to inform, engage and entertain.

Blogs can be used for private, personal, professional and educational purposes. Blogs can connect others globally. They can be customised to the “bloggers” style and purpose of the blog, can contain images, photos, videos and recordings, links to websites and can embed URL links.

Within an educational environment blogs can be used within the teaching cohort to inform staff of events, courses, training and professional development days and can contain information for further learning. Staff can comment on the blog and provide feedback.

Blogs can be created for parents and carers to communicate with the school online. School events, notices, current information and general happenings of the school can be posted onto the blog. This is a fantastic tool that can communicate parents with the school.

Within a classroom environment blogs are an engaging resource that can be used for any subject. Weekly diaries, journals, assessment tasks are just a few ways that’s blogs can be implemented into the classroom. Group blogs can create collaborative learning, developing student’s social skills and abilities.

The use of blogs within the classroom also allows the learners to develop skills relating to ethical standards and acceptable social etiquette, all important online and life skills to learn.

Personal experience

This was my first ever blog created. I found the tools easy to navigate when setting up the blog as most were commands were straight forward only referring to the set up booklet once. Several trial and error attempts were made formatting the style and layout of the blog until I found a style that best suited my purpose. 

Researching blogs opened my mind to the capabilities and possibilities of use within the classroom and their functionality. I had always brushed the idea of blogs as I thought they were only an online diary.

 This subject has made me open my eyes to never pigeon hole a program or idea until I research it- just like blogs I am now going to use them within my lessons as a scaffolding tool to enhance and engage learners.

Digital Tool 2- Wikis for collaborative learning

A Wiki is an amazing online space that engages, creates, invents and shares ideas, thoughts and experiences.

A Wiki is a 2.0 web tool that enables others to modify, edit, add, replace and explore within an online space. If permission is granted, others can join, read, contribute, delete, replace and learn from others joined to the Wiki.

It can connect others from all sides of the globe sharing information, knowledge, experiences, and ideas. A Wiki takes the concept of social networking to an entire different level. Collaborative learning and interaction can now take place wherever there is internet connection.

Within a classroom environment a Wiki can support many different learning outcomes. With a little creativity and imagination the uses for a Wiki site are endless. According to smartteaching.org “Wikis are an exceptionally useful tool from getting students more involved in curriculum.”

Online learning through sites such as Wiki, helps to prepare students for their future. The ability to work collaboratively and to prepare your learners for the 21^st century digital world creates an engaging and meaningful learning environment supporting learning outcomes. Collaborative classroom discussions, interactive glossaries, virtual experiences and global interactions are only a few classroom activities that can be enhanced through the use of an online Wiki.

A Wiki is a fantastic resource within the classroom as it can be used for group projects, collect data, a location for students to supply each other with feedback and peer assessment. 

The possibilities are endless.

I have created a Wiki that explores the ideas and suggestions relating to the use of Wikis within the classroom. Based around the SAMR model I have developed teaching aspects that can be used within a learning space.

Please click on the link below to take you to the e-learning wiki.


http://lucywoodelearning.wikispaces.com/Digital+Tool+2-+Wikis+for+collabrative+learning

Personal experience

I personally found the Wiki to be a fantastic resource whilst studying at university. I had no idea what a wiki was until I had to work with a group of students that I have never met before. The subject was via distance and an online wiki was used to collaborate ideas, research and create conversation.

It was fantastic to be able to all work together and create an assessment without ever having to meet one another. This was networking at its best. 

Within a classroom a resource like a wiki can be used to extend learners engagement with a task, can increase productivity and ownership when working collaboratively and most important- it is fun. It is fun to use and easy to learn the tools to create, add, edit and comment. I really find this resource helpful not only at university but within the classrooms.

Digital Tool 3- Websites for many purposes


I was looking forward to this component of the digital tools. Websites are fantastic. These days anyone can make a website. It can be entertaining, engaging and even educational. I have chosen to explain my favorite website creator site "Weebly."

The use of a static website such as Weebly allows the user to create a website of their choice. Numerous designs and layouts can be chosen to create the perfect website. Links, URLs, embedded codes, videos, recordings, images and movies can all be added to the website.

Below is a PMI chart investigating the positives, negatives and interesting components to a Weebly site.

Within a classroom a Weebly create by the learning manager allows for safe, secure internet access limiting students to what they can self explore. The learning manager can allow students to investigate through the sources the site allows access to. All areas of the curriculum can be taught through an engaging Weebly. The students are also able to create their own website for assessments and other learning experiences. Ethical standards and online etiquette are a major teaching issue when students are creating their own sites to publish. Lessons prior to the use of a Weebly site would involve direct instruction relating to the safety of website creation.

Personal experience 

Until this year, I never thought that I would be able to create a website. Not only have I created one, I have created so many that I have used them to teach (in real life) whilst on my EPL prac  block.
The students loved the online web quest that I created through the use of a Weebly.

Like all online tools, your imagination and creativity is the only thing that is holding you back.

I love Weebly.

I have attached several links to view the websites that I have created.

http://createyourownprocedure.weebly.com/

http://bombingofdarwinaustralia.weebly.com/

http://biologylifecycles.weebly.com/