Final thoughts

In writing my final blog post I began to consider the impact of the course which has been very thought provoking. The opportunity to investigate e-learning approaches and tools has been both timely and interesting. The e-learning journey continues.

Article by D. Burt

I was reviewing the CD of readings for the course and came across this article. I had overlooked it before but, given the nature of the project I have been working on with my students, it now took on a new relevance.
The research outlined explores the effect of podcasting on reading outcomes (p20). Whilst my classroom project incorporating simple sound files has been focussed mainly on a different aspect of student learning and has an audience that is limited to the school community, there is a commonality in some of the issues raised.
It was interesting to note the positives and negatives that Burt highlights. Engagement, motivation and authenticity of context were all identified as important benefits of podcasting (p24). Lack of time to carry out necessary teacher conferencing was identified as a drawback. (p25)
The article concludes that “important questions … …still remain unanswered” (p25) This has mirrored my own experiences. Whilst student enthusiasm has been high it has been a challenge to find the time needed to carry out the necessary development work to ensure that scripts are appropriate and well crafted.
Burt also makes a critical point about the importance of the role of the teacher. (p25) It can be tempting to see the incorporation of new technologies as the being the goal whilst forgetting the point that is made in the article that “technology - no matter how inviting - is not enough on its own”(p25). This would appear to be supported by Higgins, Beauchamp and Miller (2007) who, in discussing IWB technologies, discuss the importance of technology being seen as “another pedagogical means to achieve teaching and learning goals” (P217).
This reinforces the nature of the challenge presented. If the teachers role is critical it is both vital that the time management issues inherent in the process can be addressed but also difficult to see how this can be achieved within the busy classroom.
It is certainly an area that I will need to give further consideration to as I continue to use Audacity with my class.
References
Burt, D (2008) The lure of podcasting Computers in New Zealand Schools, 20 (1), 19-25
Higgins, S., Beauchamp, G. Miller, D. (2007) Reviewing the Literature on interactive whiteboards Learning, Media and Technology, 32 (3), September 2007, pp 213-225

I was fortunate enough recently to be able to visit another school and see some of the amazing e-learning tools and approaches being used to support student learning.

One very interesting tool being used was a type of photo software that enabled students to create innovative presentations of their work through assembling layouts of photographs and adding text by using various speech bubbles. More familiar to me from use in scrapbooking this seemed a simple but effective way to engage students in creating stories and sharing ideas in a range of curriculum areas.

From developing ideas for language work where students can create exciting and interesting layouts to sharing information from inquiry learning investigations – the visual nature of the end product makes it appealing for students to use.
My own example does not fully convey the impact of what can be achieved but was, nonetheless, fun to create!

E-Learning Project

I have recently begun to develop a class intranet page. This has been a steep learning curve for me!! I have been using a programme called Kompozer (and the support of our very patient ICT technician) to create the pages for the project which was fairly straightforward. However, embedding sound files….. more of a challenge.
It is still in the early stages but as the project progresses and the students become involved with its ongoing development they will need a valuable range of skills.
As the initial intention is to make postings to our page in the form of sound files about their inquiry the students will need: collaborative writing skills to prepare a simple script together for their sound segment, oral language skills to know how to present the work effectively. They then have to record it (using a programme called Audacity) and evaluate the recording to ensure that they are happy with it. This is all quite apart from the work that they will be doing to research the elements of their inquiry!
Dialogue with other students about their learning is the key intention behind this and a ‘buddy class’ will be listening to their sound files and sending comments. This will introduce another reading and writing element. Whilst some of these outcomes might appear to be ‘incidental’ in terms of the key learning intentions, they are, nonetheless, significant.
It should be an interesting e-learning project.

Blogging

Some time ago I read an interesting article by Davis and McGrail entitled “The Joy of Blogging” which outlined a blogging project that raised a number of points about the potential of blogging to impact positively on student learning outcomes in language. Clearly the project had taken a great deal of preparation and initial teaching to set up but the article outlined the benefits to student learning that there had been as a result.
The potential of the dialogue that can ensue from blogging to contribute to the development of thinking is of particular interest to me. As the article suggests, with a suitably prepared range of critical ‘readers’ the students can interact with others to both clarify and develop their understanding of a concept.
Ideas that have made me think!
Reference
Davis, A.P. & McGrail, E., (2009) The Joy of Blogging, Educational Leadership, 66 (6), 74-77

This part of the e-learning journey begins ........

Well, when creating my first ever blog back in 2007 I waited for inspiration to arrive. And waited…..and waited. Roughly two years on inspiration never came despite numerous interesting events and challenges at least one of which you would think would be noteworthy. Hence my original Blogspot blog remains as empty as the day I first created it. Unlike the blank page that faces our students when we set a writing task my digital ‘blank page’ did not fill within the confines of 45 minutes writing time. There was no one to guide me, no learning intention or success criteria for me to refer to and, due to it residing in cyberspace, I was conveniently able to ignore it for over 700 days. There has always been something more pressing to do.

However, at last I have made some progress through the good fortune of beginning a course about e-learning in practice, a requirement being that I maintain a blog about e-learning! Even more fortuitous, the first week of reading was all about blogging!! All roads were clearly leading back to Blogspot. As I set up this new improved blog that would be certain to have content, I tried to ignore the previous blog but its lure was overpowering. I just had to have a look. Not unsurprisingly no-one has commented on it. No followers either. Perhaps that will change this time around. It was suggested to me that I delete it. But instead I will leave it ‘virtually’ hanging there as a reminder to myself of the initial challenges I faced when beginning to blog.

And so the first step on this e-learning journey is taken.

“Much to learn, you still have” (Yoda to Dooku, retrieved from http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Quote:Yoda) – he could have been referring to me!