Prezi Reflection

I have never heard of prezi until today and I am quite amazed at the technology we have at our fingertips. This is an amazing learning tool and has so much potential in being used in the classroom. Especially that is something relevantly new so I could just imagine the reaction learners would have instead of using a basic slideshow.
The pedagogical implications that could be linked to this learning tool is almost limitless. It is a teaching tool that can grab the attention of a visual and audio learner on a whole new level. A kinaesthetic learner could also be engaged, as I found a prezi just wraps you in and you just want to know what could be hiding or what the bigger picture is, even though they are not in control of the prezi the can be gulped up by the experience.
I like the idea teachers have complete control on the learning experience, by simply zooming in and out and having the students complete attention on one thing at a time or looking at the whole picture. You can put pictures in without the students knowledge until you zoom in and give them that complete understanding, without having them focus on the picture the whole time because they are not interested in what you are saying.
I believe the learning theories that could be linked to this tool are: cognitivism, constructivism and connectivism.
Cognitivism can be linked because the main points of this theory is to get the student to learn and place the information in their long term memory and not just storing it in their sensory memory and forgetting it. Prezi gives the learner the means to fully understand the topic, with audio and visual capabilities, giving the student the power to completely understand and in turn storing the information in their long term memory.
Constructivism can be linked as the learner can learn through linking the pictures, videos, text shown to their own personal perceptions and knowledge. Prezi allows you to link different pictures and different item to the same topic, so each student can construct the links to the topics and in turn learning.
Connectivism can be linked because a prezi can be placed on a wiki, blog, internet and gives the students the chance to connect between each other and people around the world. A prezi can be the start of a students connectivism journey.
The best part though is that I am only discussing the opportunities that can be given if a learning manager creates a prezi for their students. A Learning manager also has the opportunity to step back and allow students to make their own prezi, which could open up so many more pedagogical opportunities and learning experience for learners.
It is a perfect tool to be used with a TPACK framework. The prezi as the technology, the appropriate content put in place in the prezi. Knowledge and the right use pedagogy with an appropriate learning theory.
I can't think of any negatives that this tool could possibly have. Possible threats is not following copyright laws, or being aware of students safety and personal information online.
Overall I think this is an amazing learning tool that should be used in teaching contexts



Here is the link to a prezi I created in case the above one doesn't work
http://prezi.com/p1rxg39y00vl/bentley/

Casey Williams

digital audio recording

Well all I can say embedding a voki into a blog isn't the most simplest tasks, as I have spent the last 2 hours going different way to try to embed it then to try to link it via a widget on my blog and still no luck. It seems the link on how to embed it into your blog does not work so I will leave it at that and post a link to it. The voki will also be embedded into my wiki which I will post a link to as well.

The following link is a direct link to my voki

http://vhss-d.oddcast.com/vhss_editors/voki_player.swf?doc=http%3A%2F%2Fvhss-d.oddcast.com%2Fphp%2Fvhss_editors%2Fgetvoki%2Fchsm=8db76207e19909632329e953c8bb6823%26sc=7821532

 

This link is to my wiki which has a copy of my voice recording and the voki embedded into it

http://justasimplelittlewiki.cquniversityschoolofeducation.wikispaces.net/

 

 

resize images

I find the use of images as a wonderful tool for learning for all and a great support for great learning.
The tool of resizing gives the learning manager the opportunity to upload plenty of photos/ art work for the learners in a short amount of time.
Furthermore I would link the use of images to many different learning theories. For example cognitivism, a picture could be the link between sensory memory and long term memory. Or a picture could start the journey of connectivism or social constructivism theories.
There is really no limit in which a photo can be used, keeping in mind safety and legal issues and copyright laws. A picture can be a students link from not understanding to having a great understanding of the topic. Or it could be the link needed for a learner to understand how the written format can be portrayed in real life.
I personally think the use of pictures is a great tool for learning managers, as long as they know how to choose an age appropriate picture, and a picture that actually links to the learning. For example a picture of a cow will be no help when teaching children about dogs.
For my own teaching context I would use the use of pictures and the use of resizing images as much as possible, because it adds another way to learn for students especially those students who are visual learners. Using resizing would help keep the time it took to plan and implement my ideas on images to only a small amount of time and time is something teachers rarely have any to spare.
There really are hardly any negatives for the use of images as long as they are used in the right way they really can be a great support for great learning and help the journey of being able to have all learners learn.

Creating a wiki - Reflection

SWOT analysis for a wiki

Strengths

 open to change

connect globally

allows students to participate

 fun for students

 allows the use of different learning theories

 helps with children's different learning styles, by being able to add items for visual, audio and kinaesthetic learners

lots of resources can be added on one wiki

Weaknesses

open and can be changed by anyone
students getting confused on how to work a wiki



Opportunities
connecting globally
great tool to use connectivism and a wide range of learning theories
have all students learn
lots of links and resources can be used to help students


Threats
Hackers
Having students being subject to strangers online
students misusing the wiki
students feeling isolated if they do not understand

I find wikis a very interesting tool to use in the classroom, and I loved using them for my own learning with week one and two. Wikis have a wide range of advantages for students, teachers and the whole community. A wiki can be used with any learning theories you wish and can help students learn in their best environment. Achieving all learners being able to learn. The amount of things a wiki can do really surprises me, adding text, youtube videos, pictures and being able to add on hands on activities, grasping all students with their different learning style, (audio, visual and kinaesthetic). Doing this can really be able to support each and every student and allowing them the advantage of adding in and creating their own piece. Transforming learning from a simple classroom to a virtual learning environment that has different items for each student.

The legal, safe and ethical requirements is something that really needs to be discussed with learners to create a safe environment for students. I think teaching them openly and honestly about these requirements, and teaching them so they are aware of the risks while even though a wiki is fun, it can turn into a unsafe environment for all. I would go through the requirements, have students be involved in the discussion and doing activities on safe learning. Rewarding students for good behaviour and not tolerating behaviour that jeopardises other students safety.
  Here is a link to my very first wiki


http://justasimplelittlewiki.cquniversityschoolofeducation.wikispaces.net/home

Creating a Blog - Reflection

My own learnings about blogs is that they can be an extremely useful tool that can be used in classrooms, with great success. Even though they are single author and students only have the chance to comment on the blog given they have give so many opportunities. A blog is something that has little limits on what you can post for your learners, so they can thrive in their own learning styles and opens the door to every learner being able to learn and not be left behind in the classroom. The thing I love most about a blog is that they can be based on any learning theory you wish. For example cognitivism can be using the process of getting a child to store the information in their long term memory, by using a range of different learning resources to get the information from sensory memory to the working memory and finally into the learner's long term memory. Another great learning style that can be used in a blog is connectivism, by posting links and encouraging students to comment with more links that they found allowing them in the process of their own learning. I can go on and on about the other learning styles but I will leave it at that. Blogs just have so much use in the teaching context, in my own ideal teaching environment I would use blogs with the a mix of cognitivism and connectivism and use a range of different links an information for the students on my own blog and have children to create their own for reflections and commenting their own ideas on my blog. I think the students would really enjoy the use of blogs and the way they are learner based. Basing them on their own styles and differences to make a great learning environment.

Furthermore to create this reflection I used the SWAT analysis which really helped put everything into place as I was extremely all over the place while trying to write this reflection. There are just so many points to consider and simply where do I start, but back to the reflection at hand as this is my reflection on Blogs not SWAT. Well basically overall there are many strengths in using blogs in the classroom and it is proven to be an effective way for children to learn. But in saying that you cannot ignore the fact that it is not allowed in classrooms and it is an extremely hard tool to use with the board of educations permission or even the principles permission for that matter. Because even though there are many positives such as; allowing students to connect with each other and to connect globally, opens learning opportunities, is proven to bring out creativeness out in students and this is just to name a few. There are also a lot of threats and negatives in the way of blogs and not having enough power to control the use with students, such as cyber bullying or the content children decide to post on their own blog.

Blogging is a great way that students could learn effectively, but the sad truth is with all the barriers is it is something that is extremely difficult to control and to even get permission to use.

Below I have my SWAT analysis because it is something I would like to include

Strengths:

Students going on line
students interests
opens learning opportunities with links etc
allow to communicate between students
connect globally
brings creativeness out in students
if student did not grasp teaching in class post other links to teaching for more of an understanding

Weaknesses:

cyberbullying
not all students have access to internet
not all information online is truthful and need to watch on what sites are used/posted

Opportunities:

connect globally
connect between students
help each other

Threats:

cyber bullying yet blogs and wikis are often not allowed or blocked in most schools
students being to shy to ask for help


Casey :)

Productive Pedagogies Reflection

Well I have attached my productive pedagogy of tying shoe laces and found this learning tool very successful and a great eye opener. I believe this should be a valued learning experience, because it really helped to understand completely what was involved with productive pedagogies.
The underlying learning theories that I believe are involved in this activity, would be cognitivism and connectivism. I came to this conclusion, because I did the readings required beforehand and then physically doing the activity helped to put the information from my sensory memory into my long term memory. Hence using the theory of cognitivism, processing the information in steps to completely understand and put the information in my long term memory. I also believe connectivism is used because I learnt about productive pedagogies first through a reading, then a slideshow and then through links provided. Using multiple links to gain all the information required. Therefore I believe connectivism was used.
I really enjoyed this activity, because it showed me a simple task can be linked to so many different parts of productive pedagogy and all four of the major dimensions can be introduced to the activity. Even though at first I was slightly confused on what was expected, I watched the video link provided and had great understanding on what was to be done. Also a far better understanding of productive pedagogies.
The scaffold and activity structure was done extremely well because not only did the activity have written instructions it went into greater detail with the video link. I believe because this was used there would be no faults with this activity as a student has verbal, written and step by step instructions on how to do the activity. A extremely great learning tool the only problem I could see arising would be if the internet page disrupted and the activity tools did not work properly. But as I had no problem with it I can not comment on it.

This was a great activity and of great value to me because it really helped me to make the connection from words to reality. It really surprises me to understand learning in action and seeing how it affects my own learning and understanding the learning theories and I believe connectivism and cognitivism were a great way for me to learn all about productive pedagogies. The way it was structured and the scaffold of the activity was set out spectacularly because it wasn't until I sat back and did this reflection did I come to a full understanding of how I learnt the information and what learning theories were involved and as I come into a higher thinking do I realise the magnitude a small activity can have on my learning.

reflection on the mobile phone wiki

At first I found the mobile phone wiki slightly confusing.I was not sure on where to go or where the right information was and after finding the link to the information I needed, to join in, I found it did not work and would not take me to the right page. So instead of using the link provided by the wiki team I used the links provided by other students and did a little research on my own to find exactly what the six thinking hats were. Even though I had some difficulty to begin with I found this to be a really great learning tool.
I do believe this learning tool can be linked and used in relation to behaviourism, constructivism, cognitivism and connectivism, because even those all these learning styles are different in many way a wiki does not have to be the exact same thing over and over again. A wiki can be created in different ways to link to these types of learning styles.
For example in conjunction with behaviourism a wiki can be created so  the student is led through a series of steps in programed education, with a pre-defined end result at each stage. Hence using behaviourism as the learning style.
For this particular wiki though I believe the learning styles used are connectivism and social constructivism . Connectivism is linked through the mobile phone wiki as I believe it uses different connections (links) to relay the information needed. Also it relies heavily on students communicating between each other and sharing their thoughts and opinions and information they have found. Which also leads me to believe that the learning style social constructivism is used.
Like I said even though I had a bumpy ride to begin with I really enjoyed participating in the wiki and learnt quite a lot of information on the subject and the six thinking hats technique and the other students opinions helped me to come across my opinion that they mobile phones are only bad.
The benefits of this wiki is that it has a lot of information and you have other students to read on what they have to say about the topic at hand. The possible issues would be the links not working, but this can be overcome by using the links provided by other students. Another issue could be a student not willing to try and do the research and just giving up after a simple set back, and not being able to help that student to overcome their setback and continue their learning journey.
I believe this could contribute to the learning of my students by giving them another resource to continue their learning experience and could be used instead of normal (sit at home with a pen and paper) homework and get them interacting and interested in the topics given and wanting to continue their learning not only in the classroom but also at home.
I believe the scaffold supported the collection of a range of perspectives by allowing students the room to think for themselves and being allowed to choose where they could join in and it was a place to write your opinion not discuss the opinions of others, so you could write freely without feeling like you would be judged.
A really great learning experience that I enjoyed.
Casey Williams