Reflective Synopsis

Information communication technologies (ICT's) and their purpose in a 21st century classroom is the main discussion and purpose of this reflection. I have begun a learning journey to experience and learn about the many ICT opportunities that are available to use in the classroom. There are so many wonderful communication tools that I may never pick up a piece of chalk!
The potential to engage students is unlimited and that in itself is exciting. ICT does have the potential to engage students that have in the past been detached from traditional learning styles that required immense amounts of reading and writing (Prensky, 2001). Many ICT's use visuals as the mode of literacy in their presentations and visual imaging is an effective 21st century way of communicating.
Dr. Rosie-Marie Thrupp's paper; ICT created diversity in the classroom, discusses another dimension to diversity in the classroom ICT's have created, claiming that not all students are engaged in technology and the social practices associated with ICT's are individual and must be associated with cultural and social diversity amongst students(2009). The learning manager can not assume that all 21st century primary school students are experienced and comfortable with high levels of ICT. As with all learning there will be levels of differentiation in ICT knowledge amongst students. The profiling of our students, their prior knowledge, learning styles and social practices with ICT's will be crucial to incorporating productive ICT into the classroom. We cannot assume all primary learners are digital natives (Prensky, 2001) as Thrupp's research has proved. In assessment students should be given a choice of the presentation style they are most comfortable that reflects creativity and and innovation, which does not always come from high levels of ICT.
I am a digital immigrant and as Prensky (2005) states it is highly unlikely digital natives will revert to the old ways of learning so I am going to be a smart adult immigrant and accept what I don't know and take advantage of the knowledge and skills of the digital natives in a learning environment.
I have seen the high levels of engagement in classrooms that incorporate the Interactive Whiteboard as the main teaching tool. I also take on board the findings by Margaryan and Littlejohn (2008) that suggest students use a limited range of technologies for both learning and socialisation, for example google, Wikepedia and mobile phones are used for learning and social technologies such as media sharing tools like face book are used socially, although their research was based on university students and not primary. However I have seen the levels of ICT's in workplaces and social practices and I do believe it is imperative that we as learning managers accept and embrace ICT's as tools for learning and as technologies to teach, both for ourselves and our students bearing in mind that they are not all digital natives. The disadvantages of using ICT's in the classroom come from the teachers perspective. As stated by Thrupp (2009) learners ICT identities are varied and complex. As stated not all primary learners are experienced and 'native' ICT users. I would perceive to include ICT's in the classroom ensuring to be aware with instruction of the differentiation amongst students as in all learning.


My experience with this course has taught me the potential of many ICT's as learning tools. Some of the many benefits apart from engaging the digital natives are knowledge accessibility, connectedness to the world, student controlled learning, collaborative learning, peer evaluation, self reflection, creativity and innovation; productive pedagogies and proven teaching strategies to promote higher order thinking.
I have reflected on any disadvantages ICTs may have to learning as a whole rather than as individual tools as there are no particular disadvantages if the correct learning is planned for the correct ICT. They have particular uses which is discussed in under each ICT that I have experienced. The learning frameworks are identified when discussing the advantages of the ICT's to learning and how they are effective learning support tools for particular pedagogies.


My Blog and the contents
My assignment for E.Learning was to begin a blog and research concept mapping. There are many advantages and uses of blogging in a classroom as a learning tool.
From a teacher's perspective, blogs can provide links to course content and organise class discussion. The objective for teachers in students creating and working with blogs is for students to use the processes of constructing and evaluating - high levels of Blooms taxonomy.
Blogs can also benefit students by encouraging interactivity. Blogs create opportunities for students to offer opinions. As a student teacher and a beginner blogger I will hopefully learn the technical aspects of blogging plus any possibilities they represent for my students by experiencing other blogs. I will be able to model blogging to my prac class by demonstrating the how and why plus examples.

I see the advantages of a wiki as an interactive learning tool where students can collaborate on the one assignment or project. While the blog is useful for teachers to link course content, organise class discussion and or lessons and for students to use as a journal to construct and evaluate their learning, I would encourage the use of a wiki for the collaborative group work assignment.
I found the website the best ICT for promoting a person or a product or a cause as in web quest for SOCE which was about water waste and how to prevent it.. I would use the website as a site that contained all the learning that students should link to for a unit of work. I have used the website in this case as a site about me.

PowerPoint can engage with video, audio, images charts and animations as well as text assisting all learning styles. I have used PowerPoint on a few occasions and find it has all the features required in a presentation, it is simple to construct and has the potential to be as visual and interactive as many other ICT's. Comparing the PowerPoint to the Prezi as a presentation tool I personally prefer the PowerPoint as the Prezi's Zoom feature has the potential for motion sickness!
I used bubble us.com to construct a concept map. I am sure students will far more engaged using this ICT tool to construct knowledge on an innovative and creative tool such as this.
Digital video is one of my favourite ICT's for the classroom. I use YouTube videos to engage my students in real world relevance for their learning. I actually made a movie using movie maker using pictures and an emotive song to influence people on the plight of polar bears due to global warming but after attempting to upload it on numerous occasions I gave up. I loved making it and have seen this tool used in schools. It is a creative and effective tool for visual literacy's. A picture tells a thousand words.
Learning Objects retrieved from the Learning federation website are an ICT tool that I use in my planning. They are animated and from a student teacher's perspective very helpful with the sequence of learning and the explicit teaching process especially the questioning techniques. For the student they are visual and interactive.
Learning Management Systems (LMS) are software applications for the administration, documentation, tracking and reporting of training programs classrooms and online events.I have researched LMS's as there functions and abilities are a factor in the availability and support of classroom ICT resources.They are used by educational systems to enhance learning and support classroom teaching by assembling and delivering learning content rapidly. The availability of ICT resources in a classroom is dependent on the LMS that school has. Digital Immigrants Dairy blog explains well the advantages of an LMS to a flex student.
As a teacher of children and adolescents I have a duty of care to protect their safety. The ongoing consideration of safety can effect the opportunities of online exploration but id not adhered to children are at risk of exposure to offensive and dangerous material which could be pornographic, sexually explicit, hateful and/or violent. Education awareness of the perils of Stranger danger are available. Teachers should be aware of legislation in regards to Internet use in schools.

ICT's transform the scope of learning. Many Educational courses are flex or online requiring no face to face human contact. Information can be primary, sourced from immediate references. A third world school could be the sister school for a school in Australia with immediate evidence available. This could be excellent source of information for KLA'S such as SOCE and English.Students will be able to 'see' how they can make a difference to the lives of children living in the disaster of the Pakistan floods. This can be made real and relevant via instant YouTube video's or contact via ICT's with people on the ground in Pakistan. Students can see the immediate results of an election in their classrooms and read and offer opinions globally on world issues via Blogs,Wikis,emails or web cams such as Skype. I have completed a whole course at CQUniversity in Rockhampton from Airlie Beach with the only contact through Skype. I have instructed ESL lessons with a student in Japan via Skype.

References

Eisenberg, M. & Berkowitz, B.(2001).Big6 skills overview. Retrieved fromhttp://www.big6.com/2001/11/19/a-big6%E2%84%A2-skills-overview/

Kearsley, G., & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement theory. A framework for technology. Retrieved from http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm

Margaryan, a. & Littlejohn, A. (2008).Digital natives a myth or reality?: students use of technology for learning. Retrieved from http://www.academy.gcal.ac.uk/anoush/documents/DigitalNativesMythOrReality-MargaryanAndLittlejohn-draft-111208.pdf

Marazano. R.J. & Pickering. D.J. et al(2006). Dimensions of learning: a teachers manual.(2nd Ed). McREL

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants: from on the horizon. Retrieved from: http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf.

Prensky, M. (2005). Engage me or enrage me; what today's learners demand. Retrieved from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0553.pdf.

Smith, R., Lynch, D.,& Knight, B.A. (2007). Learning management: transitioning teachers for national and international change. Frenchs Forest. Pearson Education Australia

Thrupp,R.(2009).ICT created diversity in the classroom: the contemporary learner. retrieved from http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/file.php/4033/ThruppAcec.pdf