Its fascinating how my little brother uses Powerpoint to make animations and cartoons. He manipulates the slides as his layers and slightly moves his character on the next slide. It works exactly like cartoons made with papers, only my brother takes advantage of Powerpoint.
Assessing children on ICT, may be done through tasks vary similar to blogs. In the article A Space on the Web that We Control by Steve O’Hear suggest that there ought to be an e-portfolio based on personal publishing and social networking, where students are given the opportunity to express ideas, comments, pose questions or publish work in progress. The article also mentions Elgg, a program in which attempts to combine social networking softwares to produce a software that could help reshape e-learning into something far more personal and social. Elgg is a learner-centred and learner-controlled space in which children varying tasks are set out. This may include activities such as writing a book review.
Provided that Elgg is a learner oriented software it allows children to sense greater ownership, in that learners have control over what they write, and whom to share their work with. Students may want to talk about topics such as; reflection on the maths lesson, anti-bullying discussion, or individuals responsibility as a classmate. As according to Seymour Papert in the article Constrictionism (learning theory)(from wikipedia), learning is most effective when children are engaged in the activity in that they construct a product that is meaningful to them.
Check out this Podcast created by Kids FOR kids on 1-2-3 Listen to me. Through this example of a Podcast, children have the opportunity to express themselves through audio means. Children can use Podcasts to learn a new languages, review about books to music and share jokes!
One main advantage I think is very unique is because children have the experience to share their opinions and ideas with kids, not only within their class but children throughout the whole world.
Check it out!
Kids Podcast
Seymour Papert suggests that: the constructionist mind views learning as a reconstruction rather than a transmission of knowledge, based on this knowledge these theorists broaden the thought to see that learning is most effective where children experiences an activity involving constructing a meaningful product.
In bringing IT to the classroom, teachers are enabled to use the constructionist theory into practice, where children draw their own conclusion through tasks that allows them to experiment and construct creatively. In the article Introduction to constructionist theory from Wikipedia, it explains that a constructionist teacher is a mediator not an instructor. The teacher’s role is to facilitate children’s learning by assisting children to understand and help one another to understand in facing problems in a hands-on way.
Several suggested use of technology in supporting the idea of constructionism might be taking advantage of the game SimCity for teaching English in a constructive manner or One Laptop per child as a means of practicing constructionist learning in this developing era.
Click on the link to view more about learning based on constructionism through the One Laptop per Child program.
AS
In my third practicum, the school I was placed in had Interactive White Boards (IWB) in all the permanent classrooms. I found that children experience a greater deal of engagement within their learning. This is mainly because, IWB are new form of technology used in the education area, unfortunately, there is obviously a limited number of these within schools. Rudd, T mentions in his article Interactive Whiteboards in the Classroom; the government’s e-strategy clearly outlines the need to transform teaching, learning and help to improve outcomes for children and young people through shared ideas and/or more exciting lessons. Students learn in an interactive environment. The interactive whiteboard does not only replace the normal blackboard, but it enables various tasks to be completed individually and collaboratively.
I absolutely agree with the video embedded underneath, taken from teachertube.com, where students experience a whole new and motivational learning environment through the use of interactive whiteboards.
Even though it has been suggested that white boards provide the opportunity to experiment, explore and extend learning processes, teachers are challenged in a way that they are expected to create more innovative and engaging activities as children grow with the use of this technology.
A valuable attribute educators will take advantage from educational games is the engagement and motivation that builds up when children learn through games, children are powered by their interest.
To bring out engagement in learning is more important than the content itself because as teachers teach they faced two situations, where students want to learn the context or they’re less willing to learn about the topic. Teachers will have no problem teaching kids that already have the eager to learn, but what should teachers do to those who don’t want to?
As mentioned in the video No Gamer Left Behind from http://www.edutopia.org/node/3974, the engagement acquired through virtual activities from trying new things and becoming involved in the situation of the game becomes an innovative way of learning. Virtual activities programmed for military purposes, medical research and training have developed in providing a first hand experience to solve issues and challenges that are associated within these areas. In the video No Gamer Left Behind: Virtual learning goes to the next level as it brings learners to an environment in which it encompasses the learning area where they can make mistakes without ‘real’ consequences.
if it wont open go to http://www.edutopia.org/node/3974.
AS
Wondering how internet can encourage student collaborative work?
According to Harris (1998) mentioned in the article Wherefore art though – Tellecollaboration by Judy, it is explained that there are three genres of online tasks that promotes student collaboration. This includes;
>Interpersonal Exchange tasks, where learners communicate with each other making use of the computer and internet. Global Classrooms and telementoring are examples of interpersonal exchange activities.
>Information collection and analysis activities. This involves children to collect, compile and compare information that they consider interesting. An example of this task vary from database creation to electronic publishing.
> Problem Solving online tasks. This type of activity encourages student to broaden themselves emotionally and psychologically as they confront themselves to new challenges. It allows learners to engage in critical thinking and collaboration. Parallel problem solving and simulations are examples of problem solving tasks.
I find this interesting as they explore the benefits of ICT within the classroom.
Have a look at the Global Classroom website, which allows various collaborative learning of various activities. Teachers are also provided with a variety of interactive resources in which students may become involved in.
AS
KID DESIGNER by Lloyd P. Rieber is a project applying theories of constructionism through play. It’s purpose is to enhance the natural tendency of children to explore their environment through play. Through KID DESIGNER, children are encouraged to create and design their own educational computer games that relate to the topic being discussed in class. The task emphasise on the use of high intellectual skills where instead of games merely used by students as entertainment, they are expected to design games which involves children to confront problem solving processes that encourages learners to maximise in effort and creativity. Furthermore, children not only becomes aware of the process of making and designing but is engaged in a deeper thinking of the social context of games.
The more use of ICT in the classroom, has allowed the linkage between all KLA’s in Primary Education (English, Maths, HSIE, Science and Technology, Visual Arts and PDHPE) with the use of it. Seymour Papert explains that, with the use of computers, a child whose interest is in graphic arts, can use mathematics as an instrument to produce shapes and forms and motions on a computer screen. It is about meaningful projects and powerful Ideas where children are motivated and engaged in learning when they are interested in the content. Using MicroWorlds Logo or Legos, have allowed children to work on projects where they are involved and enagged unlike learning without using these programs. Scratch is another program that encourages children to experince and try out in creating games, animated stories, interactive art, and share with others on the web.
AS
My 9 year old brother, has become very familiar in using Powerpoint since he started exploring the house computer since he was six. I think that he has used Powerpoint in a fun and productive way in terms of expressing his thoughts. He often creates narratives and shows them to his classmates at school. I have embedded a simple narrative he started when he was 8. Nowadays, he creates games and animation activities using Powerpoint.
Enjoy!
