Forget the needle and thread; welcome to VoiceThread.

     In this technological age it seems the skills that were valued by previous generations have virtually disappeared, in favour of new skills for the virtual world. It is no longer considered necessary for children to be able to mend their own clothes or whip up a set of curtains using a needle and thread, as technologies such as VoiceThread become the new essentials.
     VoiceThread is a site that allows users to upload content to present to others and collaborate with others. A thread begins with one user, and the conversation grows as others add their comments to it. The thread is versatile, and comments can be left in the form of video footage from a webcam, an audio file, images, or a voice recording from a phone or microphone.
     The site has some great built in features including security that can be a public or private as the user chooses, and the fact that one user account that can contain multiple identities (or avatars) so that within one class each student does not need to worry about creating their own account or to waste time logging in. Best of all, the site is free, which makes it accessible to all schools! There are particular packages available for educators allowing extra usage, and although there is also a paid account option, it seems unnecessary for most basic uses.
     After being introduced to VoiceThread in class, I can definitely see the benefits of the technology and the potential learning experiences that it unlocks for children. It could be used for virtually any activity; from class book reviews to uploading art work and commenting on it, narrating stories with their own illustrations, or even having a class debate on a given topic. I found this great example from a year 2 class who have created a thread to share tips to look after the environment. 
     Examples such as the one above are quite inspiring, and present a professional finished 'product' that children can be proud of. After being exposed to this website, I hope to be able to use it in my teaching in the future, and although I will happily embrace this new technology, I am not in a hurry to dispose of my old-fashioned sewing tools...

Thanks for flickr for Image: 'Imagine...' 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25691430@N04/5384600558

Think you've got secrets? Think again...

     Is PUBLIC the new PRIVATE?

     It seems so, given that the amount of information uploaded onto the Internet is phenomenal, with 23 billion gigabytes being added each every week. Most of us don’t give much thought to the personal information about us that is floating around cyberspace, but should we?

     McNair Ingenuity Research conducted a survey into the attitude of Australian’s towards their Internet privacy, for ABC television show Hungry Beast. It showed that 82% of web-connected Australians use Social Networking Sites (SNS). 93% of those people are on facebook. 77% of SNS users have adjusted their privacy settings, even though only 36% have actually read the privacy policy of the sites they use.

     Are we worried about our privacy? About half the participants of the survey were concerned about employers, law enforcement and government agencies having access to their online information, and 75% were concerned about advertisers. And the here’s the scary news: the more we share, the more we will be asked to share in the future. Hungry Beast explains that employers in the USA are already demanding facebook log-in details and passwords from prospective employees. Would you want your chances of getting a job impacted by the number of drunken photos in your account, or the number of status updates made during work hours?

     Well, it seems that at least some people do care about privacy. Google StreetView, which allows any Internet user to browse private property in suburban streets, caused controversy in 2010, when the government allowed it in, provided that all faces and number plates captured were blurred, as well as allowing any property owners the choice to opt out. 244,000 Germans opted out, choosing to have their property pixilated. Some people felt strongly enough about what they saw as a breach of privacy to vandalise and disable Google filming vehicles, whilst other anti-privacy activists vandalised the houses of those who had chosen to opted.

     Social media commentator, Jeff Jarvis, recognises the power of the Internet to connect people with ideas and with each other, and maintains that those who cut themselves off from the world of the Internet are invariably cutting themselves off from other people. Social media isn’t a fad – it has permanently changed the way in which we communicate. Don’t believe it? Watch this video that we were shown in class.

     This raises some serious ethical dilemmas for teachers; how do we teach responsible digital citizenship to our students? How much will we involve and encourage them to be active online? Can we be sure about what is happening to the information being collected and stored? 

     How much information about yourself are you willing to share? More to the point – how much information about yourself ARE you sharing, right now?

Thanks to Flickr for the above Image.

3 is a magic number! Podcasts, Movies and more...

I walked away from class in week three, feeling a little wiser in three ways:

1. I felt I knew a little more about the world of the podcast!
2. Understanding that learning really is a life-long journey;
3. And realising that on my technological journey, I may only just now be setting off with the wind in my sails...

My introduction to podcasting was brief, but informative, and I was amazed at how simple the whole thing really is! Podcasts are just another way that technology is constantly becoming more mobile, giving both the creator and the listener greater flexibility. Three things that immediately struck me about podcasts during class:

1. They're so easy! No technical software required, no obscure or expensive hardware to invest in, and no huge time commitment to get started...
2. The podcast (like so many other aspects of the internet) allows anyone to have their voice heard, get their message out and connect to (hundreds/thousands/millions of..?) people who they may otherwise have no connection with.
3. The versatility of the medium is huge! From podcasts of lectures and speeches, to stories, as well as music, radio shows, movie reviews, opinion pieces... the list is limited only by the imagination.

Using GarageBand on my mac, I easily managed to create a simple podcast: even adding some sound bytes in amongst the audio I recorded of myself speaking, and uploading it onto YouTube. Watch below to find out which three movies I believe are essential for all teachers to watch, in my first ever podcast! 

The possibilities for using podcasting with primary children are huge! It really is simple, and I believe it would be a great way for children to be able to present information in a medium that allows for creativity, encourages students to think about what they are communicating, and builds public speaking. There is a lot of potential for more able people (or children in a class) to extend their work - by adding visuals, extra sounds, cleaning up the recorded sound bytes, and so much more...

Thanks to flickr for Image: 'Gathered for the IHR Headphone Roundup' 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95601478@N00/193617487

What is the key to unlocking meaning in learning?

In this testing-obsessed educational climate, how do we, as teachers, ensure that our students are encountering meaningful learning? How do we prepare them for life, and not just the tests they need to sit? Reading the chapter ‘What is Meaningful Learning?’ has shed some light on the key for success in this department; meaningful learning occurs when teachers provide tasks that are “active, constructive, intentional, authentic and cooperative” (Jonassen, et al., 2008).

One aspect of the reading that I found particularly challenging was that of the learning ‘intention’. Jonassen, et al., (2008) assert that technology is most effectively used when it is employed by learners to achieve their own goal. Generally, technology is manipulated for the teacher’s purpose; they will show a video to teach a particular topic, or use software to create a worksheet for students to fill in. This is not meaningful because students become the passive consumers of information, rather than the driving force behind their own learning.

This reading has changed some of my views; I now see that another difference between a good teacher and a great teacher is the way in which they adhere to the tenants of meaningful learning.

Reading Reference: Jonassen, D., et al. (2008). Meaningful learning with technology (3rd ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education.

Thanks to flickr for Image: 'hanging on' 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53611153@N00/1750378617

Twitter: Brainless Babbling or Valuable Voices?

     This evening, somewhat reluctantly, I finally joined the world of Twitter. I know, I know, I can hear some sharp intakes of breath in reaction to this, and I admit I have been slow to jump on this bandwagon – in fact more than 190 million other users have already signed up to Twitter. So, why did it take me so long to take the plunge?

     To be honest, there were a few reasons. The first was that I didn’t really understand how it worked. The second was that I'm too busy and already have soooo many other online accounts to check (including – but not limited to – two personal emails, uni email, facebook, work accounts, online uni information, net-banking… on it goes, and I’m exhausted just thinking about it). The third reason was that I didn’t think there would be anything of much value to be gained from it – don’t I get enough updates on facebook about how amazing/terrible/boring/thrilling/average everyone’s day/lunch/holiday/outfit/lover has been?

     Despite my initial lack of enthusiasm, I have been pleasantly surprised, and after approximately one hour of officially becoming a Twit (is that the correct terminology, I wonder..?) I am following 6 other accounts, including 3 teaching-related organisations. Browsing some of their posts, I followed this link to the Teaching Ideas website and read an interesting opinion piece on using a Flip Video Camera in primary classrooms. I also saw a few handy tips, including this one from Scholastic Teachers reminding teachers to call parents with positive news when a child has made significant progress. Admittedly, neither of these has been life-changing, but I feel that viewing a few Tweets in a similar vein to these could be a good thing for teachers every now and again. Twitter is an easily accessible way to get immediate access to a range of ideas, on demand, for as much or as little time as teachers can afford it.

     And so I’ve begun to wonder, how many other technologies are we, as teachers, potentially missing out on because of one of those three aforementioned well-peddled excuses; I don’t understand it, I don’t have the time, and/or I don’t see what is to be gained from it. This experience has left me thinking about the way I will approach new technologies in future…

Thanks to flickr for image: 'Tweet' http://www.flickr.com/photos/45609637@N00/3330571081

Computer as Paintbrush

     What an eye-opening article! Resnick (2006) has introduced me to a world of ideas and technology that I had never known existed.

     One new concept that particularly resonated with me, was that of edutainment, referring to the wide range of products that claim to integrate learning and play. Although generally regarded as making learning experiences fun and engaging, Resnick notes that they often miss the point; learning doesn’t have to be a horrible encounter that needs to be sugarcoated. One aspect of these technologies that hadn’t occurred to me before reading this article was that learners are only passively engaged in the learning; they are consumers, not creators. But how can we get students to be creative and active in their learning, through technology? If standard ‘fun’ computer software doesn’t cut it, what does?

     Enter the next mind-blowing concept; an innovative technology called Crickets!

     Actually, not that type of cricket, although I was confused myself at first. Crickets are a type of mini computer, that can be programmed to perform a range of functions, including making a conveyer belt run, making levers move, turn switches on or off, sense movement, and so many other functions. With appropriate guidance, primary school students can achieve some absolutely amazing projects using Crickets. Hearing about this technology has made me aware of how important it is to be actively searching out new technologies, as well as new ways to use what we already have. That said, new technology can be super expensive times, and I was disappointed, after doing some research on the PicoCricket website, to find that a single Cricket can cost $250. This puts the technology well out of reach of most schools – at least for now.

     The article made me wonder how, as a teacher, I will ensure that my students not only learn to use technology in this tech-savvy world, but that they are using it in such a way that allows them to be truly engaged and creative? I don’t think there is any simple answer to that question, nor a quick fix solution. However, one certainty is that teachers with this goal in mind will need to undertake continuous reflection on their practice if there is to be any chance of attaining it.

Article Reference: 

Resnick, M. (2006). Computers as Paintbrush: Technology, Play, and the Creative Society. In Singer, D., Golikoff, R., and Hirsh-Pasek, K. (Eds.), Play = Learning: How play motivates and enhances children’s cognitive and social-emotional growth. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Thanks to flickr for Image: 'Tettigonia Viridissima' 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37229393@N07/4743044862

Why, hello there!

     Hi, and thanks for reading my blog.
     So what will you be reading about if you follow me? Well, I will attempt to document the trials and tribulations I experience as I begin to travel through the world of learning technologies. And who, exactly, am I?

(Own image)

     I'm Gemma, second year primary education student. I place myself somewhere in the grey zone between being a digital native and a digital immigrant. I have grown up surrounded by technology, and feel reasonably comforatble with most of it, but when I compare my upbringing to the school aged kids of today, there are big differences! My attitude towards technology is usually positive, and I like to try new things, even if I'm not always on the cutting edge of the new and innovative. On occasions though, I will admit to feeling frustrated and overwhelmed by all... But although I am sometimes possessed by the urge to unplug everything, and possibly even put a box over my head until I'm away from it all, technology does have the ability to excite and inspire me at other times. So, here we go, I'll have lots of thoughts and reflections to share with you this semester, and fingers crossed they'll be from the latter category rather than the former.

(Thanks to flickr for the Image: 'untitled'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7241501@N07/3083971962)