This weeks blog varies from my previous writing. This blog is a reflection on what I have covered so far.
What is e-Learning? For me it is the use of information and communication technologies ICT's to assist in educating. Why do we use ICT's? Simple to communicate. As the world evolves digitally, we as a society rely on the use of ICT to do every day tasks. So it is only natural that we as educators will use these technologies to educate the youth of today. 2.7 billion people - almost 40% of the worlds population are online (International Telecommunication Union, 2013) they are all using ICT's in some way, that is a staggering number of people involved in e-Learning. During the semester I have tried and tested many different technologies, these can all be used to engage the learner on many levels.
The digital world can be a dangerous place, we now have instant access to vast amounts of information at the click of a button. When working in a classroom environment, as educators we need to ensure the students understand the dangers of the digital world. We also need them to understand the importance of Copyright and Creative Commons licenses. It is our responsibility to ensure that we and our students work safely and ethically at all times. When using the different technologies, it is always best to attribute any work if you are not sure. To gain a better understanding of this, follow the link.smartcopying safely and ethically
E-Learning technologies have the ability to promote group participation, this can be done anonymously if needed and it sometime will be depending on the students personality. I have witnessed first hand a class not willing to share knowledge verbally however in an online space the class came to life. With participation we have collaboration, with collaboration we have constructivism. This in turn can tap into the knowledge of many being shared between a group to promote learning. The De Bono's hats theory is great for encouraging collaboration, constructivism and sharing of knowledge. From a teachers point of view this can be valuable to gauge if the class actually understands the topic being taught. Wiki's are a great example of collaboration tools and this was discussed further in an earlier blog of mine. 3rd wk reflection
Pedagogy or Digital Pedagogy in regards to e-Learning is simply the art of teaching within the digital realm with the use of ICT's to ensure quality learning is achieved. Productive pedagogy can be achieved with the use of the tools we have encountered so far, it is up to us as educators to decide which tool to use and when to use it to reach the set learning outcomes. Students are expected to attain a certain level of understanding in regards to the use of these tools, it is also as part of the State and National curriculum. Student ICT expectation Not only the students, graduate teachers also have requirements they need to meet in regards to their knowledge and use of ICT's to promote learning before they enter the teaching world. Teacher Standards
TPACK, Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge goes hand in hand with these teaching requirements, we must know our teaching subjects content however with technology improving daily we must keep up with the course content. Secondly technical knowledge is also an area that will need to be kept up with. Thirdly Pedagogy the art of teaching will also need to change to meet the requirement of your audience. It is only when you can achieve these three areas that you create the optimal window for learning. With the help of ICT's we can achieve this. These tools not only benefit the students learning, the parents can be given access to follow the individual progress of their children or the class as a group. We can't forget the parents as they have expectations of us as the educators of their children.
Finally as we continue into the digital age, the use of these technologies will become second nature to the educator. There will always be a need no matter the subject to engage in the use of ICT's to aid in the learning experience. From English to Physical Education, History to the Arts we will see an increase in the use of digital technology. I am not just referring to erasing the use of pen and paper (a positive for the environment), the ability for students to analyze, research, collaborate and engage can all be achieved form the classroom with the use of ICT's. The tools mentioned in my Blogs each week were not difficult to use, I admit I was apprehensive at the start however finding them user friendly was a relief. I now have the confidence to use these tools and explore the benefits that each will bring to my classroom.
3 Key points for this reflection
1) We are creating and improving ICT's daily. Because of this the needs of the students still must be put first and we must not solely focus on the technology as a driver.
2) Students will become bored quickly if a lesson is not engaging and we must not rely on technology to keep them engaged.
3) Learning is not only found in schools. Learning is a life long process and involves all aspects of our individual lives.
Image Acknowledgements
Leonardo Da Vinci Quote: http://europeanpaper.com/blog/2013/04/05/notes-quotes-learning-with-davinci/
