Final Reflections

Phew!!!I got there! I'm glad I finally finished this course as I am now acutely aware of the vast array of web tools available. As more and more technology is available and with a new generation of students accessing instant information, it is getting harder for a teacher to engage the students. They have grown up in an environment where they have always had the internet, always had a mobile phone and could always get everything at the click of a button It is very difficult to get them to read a book, pick up a textbook and just answer questions on what they have read (as was the old way of teaching). As teachers we are constantly being challenged to diversify our taching methodology to allow for technological advancements. This course has given me a number of interactive tools to engage and challenge my students. It has reinforced my belief that they are only tools to be used and if used effectively can definitely enhance the learning and schooling experience of the students.I think this a worthwhile course for all teachers. I think the web 2 course provides immeasurable knowledge and advice for teachers with regard to social networking . At the same time, I think the educational revolution that is grounded in technology is a combined teacher/ student effort, where at times the lines are blurred as to who is the student and who is the teacher. Students are a valuable resource that are not always used to their potential. We sometimes assume that we as teachers always know everything. Content wise this may be true, but for tools such as the internet and the number or sites out there, it cannot be guaranteed. While this course has given us an insight to what is possible I believe the students will surpass our expectations when using these tools and create something that is unbelievable, as they explore the different sites and what they have to offer.Where to from here? I am continually implementing these tools into my teaching and seeing the positive results first hand. I look forward to being involved in this new style of teaching and seeing what is to come in the next few years.

Final Reflections

Final Reflection

Overall I have found this course very overwhelming but at the same time a beneficial and worthwhile experience. While at times I got frustrated at the number of emails and passwords, I am glad that I have completed it and am now more aware of the numerous tools that are available.In this day and age, one of the hardest things for a teacher is to engage the students. They have grown up in an environment where they have always had the internet, always had a mobile phone and could always get everything at the click of a button. It is very difficult to get them to read a book, pick up a textbook and just answer questions on what they have read (as was the old way of teaching). Teaching is changing at a rapid rate. I am only 2 years out of university and what I learnt and studied at university has already been surpassed. This course has given me a number of interactive tools to engage and challenge my students. It has reinforced my belief that they are only tools to be used and if used effectively can definitely enhance the learning and schooling experience of the students.I think this a worthwhile course for all teachers. Even if not everything is applicable in the classroom, as I did not find all tools useful, I think that being aware of what students are using and aware of is important, especially when it comes to social networking. At the same time, I think the educational revolution that is grounded in technology is a combined teacher/ student effort, where at times the lines are blurred as to who is the student and who is the teacher. Students are a valuable resource that are not always used to their potential. We sometimes assume that we as teachers always know everything. Content wise this may be true, but for tools such as the internet and the number or sites out there, it cannot be guaranteed. While this course has given us an insight to what is possible I believe the students will surpass our expectations when using these tools and create something that is unbelievable, as they explore the different sites and what they have to offer. As we embrace a new more consistent approach to elearning in the classroom I am excited by the possibilities.

Module 10 - Nings and Wikis

Nings and Wikis ... the new age of teaching?? Quite possibly! As mentioned earlier I have wanted to try out a Ning site. I guess my only hesitation at the moment is that we have to pay for it ourselves - If it flops it may be a waste of money - if it works it will cost me a fortune as I will want to create one for each of my classes! After toiling around with this idea I decided to create a Wiki-like site using Google Sites. I wanted to set this up as similar as a Ning as possible. I wanted this site to belong solely to my Year 9 English class so they could call it their own. It only took a short time to set up and I think has worked well for the time I have spent on it. I used the site in a computer lesson last week and it worked really well. The pupils really loved that it was only for "their" class. I had put work directions on there as well as a Pupil of the Month section. I was able to put up a class calendar amongst other things. I still have to work on getting some sort of discussion board up there but hopefully that won’t be too difficult. I found this really interesting as there are masses of resources and ideas from people all over the world. I have only spent a small amount of time going through it but have already found lots of interesting ideas, blogs etc. I will definitely use this for my own professional development of my Web2.0 skills!So we finally come to the question: How can Web 2.0 assist in improving learning outcomes for all students?.I think my entire blog covers this one question already. Web 2.0 is going to change the face of teaching as we know it - well in fact I believe it already has changed it! We have known for a long time that kids (both big and small) love using new technology. It's interactive, it’s fun, its fresh, it’s engaging, and it’s inevitable! Everyone spends so much time and effort using the technology that as teachers we cannot ignore its place in the classroom - in fact it would be the death of us if we tried. We all want to engage our pupils which will in turn allow them to learn more efficiently and effectively. How do we do this in this new techno-society? Use technology! If we use blogs, and wikis, podcasts, vidcasts, web-posters, social-networking sites; these are the things that our pupils love - and they will learn! The question really should be how can we find the time to implement technology in our classroom? My answer is simply Find the time ... and you may just surprise yourself and the students' response to your efforts will make it all worthwhile!

Module 9 - Scoot into 'Scootle'

I had come across Scootle before this module and I am very impressed with the collection of resources available. As n English teacher there is an enormous amount of resources out there (if you know where to look of course) and Scootle provides a great database for these. It is clearly divided up into topic areas and incredibly easy to find what you are looking for. The fact also that other teachers can comment and rate the resources is also valuable and cuts down on wasting time with poor resources. In terms of social networking sites there is a huge potential for its application in the classroom, however it needs to be highly structured. It is becoming evident that students spend way too much time on Facebook and MSN chat than any other more 'studious' activity. Facebook within the classroom is a highly debatable topic and one I do not wish to discuss here. I have found Scootle an effective Literacy tool in the English classroom which has the potential to tie in beautifully with the current courses being offered here at Marist College Pagewood. I have found it very beneficial to set up 'learning paths' prior to lessons and then offering students PIN numbers which takes them directly to the relevant pages and allows them to work through the modules at their own pace. I do like the idea of social networking and I have recently been introduced to Nings which is similar to the setup of Facebook but without all the personal information. I am going to trial this with my Year 9 English class and if successful look to expand (although you have to pay for it).

Module 8 - Google Reader

I have known about RSS feeds for a while now, but I didn't know about GoogleReader. While at the moment I don't have a personal use for these, I definitely see the value in them. They are a great way of people seeing the latest news etc, without spending a lot of time searching through a lot of different sites. I suppose its just like people using various sites that combine all of their social networking applications into the one site.I don't read a lot of the same websites - and the ones I do read regularly are already linked to my Facebook account - they are by friends of mine on Facebook, who regularly post when they have updated their site, which in turn shows on my NewsFeed (which really is like an RSS feed anyway). Perhaps in the future GoogleReader, and similar sites, will become more useful to me. I will store this idea away for future use.

Module 7 - Delicious

As a bit of a foodie, I was quite excited to explore the possibilities of this module. On reflection, it had nothing to do with food but 'Delicious' is an extremely beneficial web tool none the less. I have always used Favourites or links directly on my web browser, however Delcious seems to work so much better. I love the fact I can tag items in order to filter them, and I can be on any computer and simply log in to use all my favourites. Now I won't be losing all those fantastic websites I have come across!I have also enjoyed viewing other teachers' blogs. It is great to get a different viewpoint of particular tools. I have also found a number of new websites and tools as they have been recomended by some teachers. Also there are great ideas that are being used that I can now "borrow" and try it out on my students.

Module 6 - 'The eyes have it!!!' ( A visual Learner's Paradise)

I think ‘Bubbl.us’ and ‘Glogster’ are fantastic classroom resources that’s are not only interactive but the visual aspect makes them extremely appealing. I think these would be very useful and appropriate for visual learners.I am currently teaching a Year 10 English class on 'Australian Image' and this would be a wonderful opportunity for students to mind map their ideas of Australian Culture and Identity. Students would be able to use all the visual techniques learnt in class and have fun creating their very own glog. This would also encourage acceptable use of the laptops and demonstrate to them what is possible on the internet. I like it how audio can be added, creating another dimension to the students’ work. I feel as though these tasks are very good for differentiation especially as this is a lower ability class. Bubbl.us’ is a fun way to mindmap. Mindmapping is an excellent study technique and strategy used constantly in the classroom. By getting students to create their own mindmap on the material studied in class, not only are they enhancing their studying skills but they are also individualising it; creating a mindmap and categories they understand. Although this is very directed at students who have laptops, I feel that it could be used as a class, especially with an interactive whiteboard. As part of a recent English program I wrote, I included Bubbl.us' as a teacher and student resource. I will definately utilise this wonderful resource in the classroom.

Module 5 - Podcasts and Vodcasts

If you're like me you're a visual learner, so you can understand why podcasts and vodcasts are great teaching and learning tools.
The ability to simply search a website such as Youtube or Teacher tube and find a video that shows the students what you are trying to convey is an extremely valuable tool. Have resources 'ready made' can free up the teacher to concentrate on the business of teaching and less on resource creating, enabling teachers to concentrate on higher order skills, looking at big questions etc.
iTunesU is, again, a great resource for teachers who are looking for educational material. I found it easy to use and I like the fact that iTunes helps to keep the podcasts and vodcasts from iTunesU and other sources organised. I find the navigation and search features of iTunes very user friendly.
I have found podcasts very valuable when trying to track down segments that you hear on the radio especially with regards to current affairs.
Being able to find clips on topics a much more valuable resource to start student exploration and discussion as opposed to watching a video/DVD for an entire lesson.
I would however suggest that students are not given open access to YouTube across the school as it would definitely lead to band width issues. One alternative that we have employed is for staff to download clips to a dedicated driver on the school network. This allows students to access the same video at their own pace without chewing up the bandwidth. Often I will download a youtube video I want the students to view and show it to the class via the classroom data projector, keeping everyone engaged in the lesson and on task.

Module 4 - Flickkr Fantastica!!!

Ahhhhh...the amazing world of Flickr! What an intricate find - you can get lost going from link to link learning how to tag, share, make a badge, add comments, search for creative commons and so on!I think that I will spend some more time uploading my photos and on a personal level use this to share photos with my family and friends. I have joined snap fish and when I have time (maybe in the holiday!) I would love to use snap fish to publish a book of all the beautiful photos I have taken at various gardens. Flickr allows you to share photos and decide who sees them...you can link photos to your blog, twitter and facebook (must see how I can link them to my blog!)...create your own website and explore galleries...'The Commons' is public photography and you are invited to describe and comment on other people's photographs.The later is an important tool especially for us as teachers because we struggle with this concept of copyright. We have so many wonderful images and videos at our disposal on this wonderful world wide web, but not all of them are for us to legally use. I would 'photostory' a lot with my Junior English classes and I will be using Flickr to obtain images for them to use. In this way I will know the photos are part of Creative Commons and I can access them without legal or technical restrictions.Tags on photos can allow others to find your photos and they also link different photos together and make it possible to help when you are searching for various photographs. Sharing with others seems to be easy, so it tells me - will have to have a go soon.It is good to see that there are content filters and that students who log on have a restricted view of images and people can put filters on their images. At our College we are continously reminding students about the need for 'cyber safety' and what I love most about Flickr is that it is a completely safe site.

Module 3 - Google Docs

On reflection, Google Docs offers amazing one on one assistance to students in the classroom. Students have the ability to have their work edited and 'tweaked' on the spot, thereby allowing them to access higher bands of achievement.
In terms of assessing student performance, google docs offers the unique ability for two or more teachers to refer to and edit data where necessary in the one column, at the same time.
The idea of remote access excites me which provides an opportunity to access and edit data, information, documents by one person at school, another at home, another in Melbourne, another in Fiji... at any given time.
Also the most appealing part for me is the following potential scenario:
... you are editing through your web browser and not on your computer desktop, so if your computer crashes, your document should be safe in Google Land. No tears.
Will I be acessing 'Google Docs' in the classroom? You bet!

Module 2 Reflections

Module 2 introduced me to a new possibilities. I learnt that there are many programs and software that can be used within the classsroom that allow students to be collaboriatve and interactive with their learning.Creating blogs in the classroom is a worthwhile opportunity for both students and teachers to share information, monitor student's progress in assessment tasks and track homework. Web 2.0 has the potential for students and teachers to explore and produce their own creations through problem solving, networking and multi-tasking. In the classroom, there are so many opportunities to use blogging. I will endeavour to make good use of it in English classes especially with relevance to the study of visual literacy. Students have the potential to present their opinion about a topic, a piece of artwork, visual literacy etc. The issue of privacy is a concern for me so I will ensure I have set the maximun privacy settings and will encourage the students to also do so.

Module 1 - Initial thoughts and reflections...

My initial thoughts and reactions in undertaking this course is the wealth of classroom opportunities that present themselves.
In terms of collaborative and cooperate learning in the classroom, I am excited about the ability that the opportunities this course provides to students, in order to cater to their specific needs in terms of differentiated and individualised learning. I think it would be an effective method for students to complete an ongoing cooperative learning task.
As an English teacher, I am particularly excited about the ability the teacher will now have to check and edit the student's work on an ongoing basis, providing closer monitoring of students' literacy advancements.
Google docs is particularly for Year 12, when teaching time is of the essence and feedback to students is paramount, as students are able to attain instant assistance and encouragement.
I'm am looking forward to the rest of this course.