Potential of blogs in your teaching context-SWOT

	Strengths	Weaknesses	Opportunities	Threats
Potential of blogs in your teaching context	·         Interactive form of learning accessible to students, parents/carers, administration, teacher and colleagues. ·         Has the capacity to build learning networks. ·         Blogs are an easy to use form of web authoring. ·         Can incorporate many different modalities of learning/participation via the use of uploaded links, video, audio, literacy, animations  and influence best practice of these tools. (Whatever the imagination allows)….	·         Managing such issues as access, usage, etiquette, constructive comments, content… ·         Skills to properly utilise the technology. ·         Content being meaningless. ·         Ensuring every user is able to manage incoming comments that may be critical.	·         Engage students. ·         Learn more about ICT ·         Use ICT to its fullest. ·         Influence best practice in schools. ·	·         Exposure to WWW related issues. ·         Misuse. ·         Possibility?

Reflections on week two

Reflections on week two.

Getting there!!!!! This is certainly a marathon learning process for me. Nothing to do with the ICT is screaming into my knowledge base, just whispering, sometimes incoherently.
However not all is lost as I have mastered the process of hyperlinking hyperlink. So is that such a big deal. It is for me because I can tick off one more ‘negative stimulus’ (operant conditioning) from my ICT list of things to fear, and for every one I tick off, I feel a little negative reinforcement.
That being said, the wikis, blogs, scaffolding, TPCK and learning designs should be building my repertoire of pedagogy and as such, can only mean one thing. Bringing all this together via Connectivism may be my only saviour……

Learning design Framework

Learning design framework

In undertaking this task, I wanted to demonstrate my learning framework as an activity that I will put together for an ‘imaginary’ class. Once I have outlined my activity I intend to describe the combinations of learning modalities, levels of interactivity, learner characteristics, and pedagogy my learning design framework is based on. Kearsley and Shneiderman (1999). Then I will bring together the framework as it would appear generically, allowing its application to any class, for any subject and for any cohort of students. (Did I just do some Scaffolding?).

The activity I have for my students is a project around solving a problem. That being there school has no money and wants to participate in the Sun Smart program. I want my students to find a way of raising money for the school so it can participate in the ‘Sun Smart’ initiative. By leading and supporting this activity, I will aim for students to apply for funding through an on-line funding grant, to purchase a Sun Smart outdoor marque and to present the marque to the school.

The students will be required to:

•  find the most efficient way to raise the money;
• ]undertake the process of raising the money; 
•  determine what way the school will participate in the Sun Smart program; plus,
• initiate the school’s participation.

My goal with this activity is for my students to learn in a group context (i.e. collaborative teams), learn in a project-based activity and for the activity to have an outside (authentic) focus. Kearsley and Shneiderman (1999) refer to this as engaged learning.

Kearsley and Shneiderman (1999) Engagement Theory point out that by engaging the students in something meaningful and relevant to them, it is engaging their minds by getting them to create solutions, solve problems, reason, make decisions and evaluate process and outcomes.

The combination of learning modalities used in this activity include Engagement, Connectivism, Constructivism and Behaviourism learning theories, with levels of interactivity including interpersonal (networking, collaboration, meetings, consultation), ICT (internet research, developing proposals, setting up project blogs etc.), project management, developing methods of process and evaluation.

This activity is aiming to accommodate all learning styles as it is not focusing solely on one teaching medium, but rather multiple mediums such as auditory, visual, interactivity, self-paced learning. My pedagogy is to have students in a supported environment where they can learn from each other, from the teacher, from the activity (experiential) from the community and from self-evaluation elicited through journal entries (blog) and group discussion. (Not asking much)

This activity is challenging students creativity (find the best solution to the problem of not having any money), evaluation skills (Assess how the project is going through its stages) and skills in analysing (is the project realistically reaching its goals) along the projects journey. Other elements of Blooms Cognitive Taxonomy Blooms Taxonomy I am seeking to target include the higher order elements of applying the knowledge they have learned (students suggesting other grants for other purposes), understanding (able to represent the project objectives at meetings etc.) and remembering (recalling specific issues, solutions, processes used in the project).

As a more generic outline of my Learning Framework, I intend to focus my teaching on a balance of learning theories as outlined above, catering to the full range of students eclectic learning platform. When I design learning outcomes, it will be through the reflections of Blooms Taxonomy of learning, I.e. all three (cognitive, affective and psychomotor) as I believe the inter and intra-connectivity between all three are a minimum target for learning outcomes that I wish to aspire.

Wiki blog

Wiki Blog

The mobile phone wiki was a good activity for me.  I am finding that the more of these activities I do, the more I am learning about ways to use, and use correctly, my ICT utensils. For example, in my wiki entry I utilised the hyperlink feature. The problem is that I did not recognise that I could actually name the link, rather than insert the very long link address. I now have learned this feature and am using it everywhere as novelty value. ( novelty value)

I see within myself less anxiety around the ICT learning and a greater sense of ‘rising to the challenge’ Some Constructivist learning I.e. breaking down m y reality of scary ICT and replacing it with friendly ICT. Behaviourism as well can be identified I.e. being rewarded for trying new things (Positive reinforcement).

I enjoy participating in the scaffolding exercise and do believe it is catering to all of my learning modalities. But even more importantly, I am experiencing firsthand the benefits of scaffolding, thereby not just learning, but deep rooted learning through sight, sound, participation and exhilaration at some levels of success. As a translation to the classroom, I can implement such initiatives with firsthand knowledge (expert content) of the benefits to pedagogy.

Reflections on week one

My development  of both my Profile wiki and my blog have been firsts for me and as such, I was challenged, frustrated, stressed and unsure and if I’m perfectly honest, I would say the process still has not gone past my Sensory register, let alone entered my long term memory!!!!

I am prepared to say that I am an ICT immigrant http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf and certainly Vygotsky would recognise that my past experiences with ICT have not all been robustly developmental and positive.  I identify with Vygotsky (1962) http://tip.psychology.org/vygotsky.html  in that my previous experiences may be influencing my behaviour of avoidance of ICT devices. (Can we have such interplay of theory???)

All I can say is thank goodness for some of the networks I have sourced through Wendy, as well as networking the forums for direction from other students based on their experiences. (Does Connectivism http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm + Behaviourism http://elearningpedagogy.com/behaviorist.html = learning, or just reciting the processes to get the job done?)

I am experiencing a learning curve that is new for me regarding the ICT for learning processes. For example, by undertaking the various exercises on learning styles I am finding that I have attained a somewhat superficial level of knowledge. This could be explained by the time factors. I am having to manage time for work, family, uni, health and wellbeing so maybe spending more time on the learning/uni parts would facilitate stimulus of my long term memory. Maybe that is not necessary because I am finding that the diversity of learning exercises is making up for the lack of time.

For example, when I reflect on Cognitivism and the time to get knowledge from my working memory to my long term memory, I should be able to say that I have learned more about behaviourism, given that this was the theory I undertook my PMI analysis of for the Learning theories wiki. Certainly I spent more time on this exercise. But I’m not sure my level of understanding is any better than that of the other theories.

Maybe more will be unfolded in week two?

Learning Theories PMI

The fathers of Behaviourist Theory or Behaviourism are I. Pavlov, B.F. Skinner and J.B. Watson. Behaviorism proposes that observable and measurable aspects of human behavior can be scientifically researched and therefore support the theory that human behavior is learned without consideration of any neuro-physical states.

Plus

Behaviorism as a science is underpinned by observable actions, rather than thoughts or emotions therefore making a legitimate basis for findings.

This article also follows the train of thought that if a behavior has been learned, it can be unlearned. (Refer to link for specific process) This of course has great class room implications. Unlearn non-required behavior and learn required behavior.

This article advocates that rewarding required behavior reinforces the behavior making it more concrete. The rewards can be as simple as a positive remark, therefore making behavior modification well within the reach of most teachers in class.

Minus

This article is limited by its singular focus on observable behaviors, virtually discounting many other elements that make behaviors. For example, a person’s lisp. According to this theory, a lisp is a behavior because it is observable, rewardable and punishable. However no amount of punishment will stop most people from lisping as there are organic neuro-physical implications as well.

Interesting

It interests me that this theory advocates abnormal behavior is also a function of learned habits, rather than the inner workings of the brain. I would like to explore this further.

When applied to behavior modification techniques, this theory suggests that what may work for one student may not work for another. The basis of which depends on each student's stimulus and response, and on associations made by each learner. Could explain behavior management techniques that work with some students and not others.

Modeling another person’s behavior, as suggested by Bandura, is a method of behavior learning that a lot of children adopt and learn favourable and unfavourable behaviors.

http://usindh.edu.pk/behaviourism_applications.pdf

http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Behaviorism

Siemen's Theory

1. A number of authors contest Siemens' ideas. It is unsettling to be challenged about existing perceptions of "knowing", in particular, the lack of purpose in asking our students to KNOW and be able to RECALL what they know in assessment. Do you agree with them? Can you see Siemen's point of view? What is your position?

2.Give an example of ways in which you could use this theory in your classroom/learning context?

I think Siemen’s theory explains a lot about 21^st century learning, especially his view about the pace at which information flows and becomes redundant. The importance of needing to learn where to get the relevant and sometimes topical information from compared with previous centuries is much higher. I believe a good example at this can be found when looking at a very significant current global issue I.e. the GFC.

Firstly, if I look generally at the corporate sector, there are great advantages for a new employee to learn the idiosyncrasies of an organisation very quickly so as to be in-tune with or able to read the corporate culture and hence learn the appropriate ways to operate. E.g. who’s the boss, sources of power and information, networks, what to do and what not to do, what needs doing and what needs ‘smoke and mirrors’ etc. In many ways I think this represents a good example of Siemen’s theory because one learns less about how to do a good job (content of the pipes) and more about how to fit into the workplace networks and systems (the pipes).

In sticking with the corporate theme, I believe organisations have a pulse of their own I.e. ways of doing things, a culture, beliefs and expectations. I have worked for organisations that seem to learn from experience, move with the times and stay one step ahead of the pack. I do believe that this is because of the Board’s decisions, but where does the Board learn their craft?

The ability to synthesize and recognize connections and patterns is a valuable corporate skill and will lead to sources of information (pipes). So perhaps the collective ability of Board members to synthesize and recognize connections and patterns facilitates corporate learning. Or maybe one Board member has this skill and over time, other Board members learn this skill and before you know it, the organism……oops!!!  I mean organisation is living and breathing and recognising patterns to identify where to go to get information that informs their knowledge (pipes) for decision making.

As Siemen (2005) asks, “how do learning theories address moments where performance is needed in the absence of complete understanding?” Sorry for coming back to corporate knowledge, but I believe that employees who recognise organisational patterns, as outlined above, perform well in that organisation. But is the performance to a standard that will suffice in our society?

Government policy is designed to monitor this issue. The problem is that governments also operate in a way that relates to Siemen’s question outlined above. Governments load their human resources with staffers who don’t have complete understanding and yet still make policy decisions based on ‘moments where performance is needed in the absence of complete understanding’. (No knowledge of the pipe’s content).

So coming back to the GFC, if applying Siemen’s theory to the events of the GFC, I guess the first question to be asked is, “Are the mains connected to the pipes”? A question most recent retirees would be asking as their retirement funds ‘goes down the drain’ because most global economists were too busy looking at the pipes and not the flawed economic policy and economic practice flowing within the pipes. How often have we heard global economists ask the question, “How did we not see this coming”? Perhaps because corporations and governments were focused on the pipes and not the content. (Perhaps the public backlash and financial losses will teach them a lesson. A behaviourist learning opportunity  in the making maybe?)

Siemen’s view that networks can be connected to create an integrated whole, I think is true. I expect Einstein was thinking along these lines when he referred to being so smart that he knew everyone’s phone number………by looking in a phone book. The phone book being the network.

For me though I’m sorry but I see this theory of learning as one piece of the learning puzzle. Certainly a 21^st century piece and not one we would have been discussing 30 years ago. Yes it is important to know where the phone book is to source our phone number, but I think it is equally expected to know how to reach your friends and family, police, local member etc. if you’ve misplaced your phone book, which of course most of us can do. Cognitivism maybe?

As for using this theory in one of my lessons. I do see the value of knowing where to go as a means of quick information supply, and so within a lesson I would make that knowledge, I.e. 21^st century sources of information, available to my students. However I would be cautious and I would also supplement this by balancing with traditional research/knowledge/learning methods and I would certainly opt to find out if my students had consolidated their knowledge by mechanisms of testing.