Teaching In A Digital World

Introduction

Posted on November 13, 2015 by rosereberger

Hi and welcome to my first official Blog page….

With a simple click of a mouse button, digital technologies are now an integral part in how educators plan and use teaching resources………

When I was a student at school, we used black boards and chalk. (Hard to believe I know!) As a student, the most advanced technology I had in my classroom was an over head projector…..

30 years ago…… is a drop in the ocean!….. It blows your mind at how fast things have improved and how teaching has evolved and with it, the digital technology resources available.

As you are surfing through my blog… ask yourself……’how the classroom has changed and more importantly how differently students are learning’.

The purpose of my blog page is to assist those of us that aren’t ‘digital natives’ (Teaching with ICT, 2012) on some topics and some resources that will assist with teaching in a Digital world.

See you on the web!

Rose 🙂

Digital Fluency

Posted on November 13, 2015 by rosereberger

Digital fluency is the ability to reliably achieve desired out comes through the use of digital technology. Digital Literacy means you know what tools to use and how to use them, while digital fluency means you also know when and why to use them.

As educators it is important to first realize that not all people are digitally fluent or are digital native and that the much hypothesized digital fluency appears to be restricted to recreational pursuits, not educational. (Teaching with ICT, 2012, p13)

Educators need to up skill their students, so that each individual is on a level playing field, within and outside the classroom. Therefore educators must have a digital pedagogy. A digital pedagogy is many things, but most importantly it is an attitude and aptitude. (Teaching with ICT, 2012, p8).

Educators must understand how technologies will affect their students learning, what the outcomes are likely to be and the teaching strategies that need to be used. Teachers must also be able to use the technologies themselves.(Teaching with ICT, 2012, p15) Teachers can use theses digital technologies as a way to connect and enthuse their students.

Teachers can empower their students with digital learning as;

A global information society:

Technologies over the years has dramatically changed. As educators with a school or university have a shared responsibility to ensure that students we educate today are equipped with the basics to support them heading into a digital workforce.

The Australian workforce:

Digital competence, the confident and critical use of ICT for employment, learning, self-development and participation in society is an expected attribute of a skilled worker (Teaching with ICT, 2012, p12)

Digital Natives

Digital native:

Not all people are equal in their digital fluency, not everyone is a digital native and school are often required to bridge the gap between those who can access digital technologies and those that cannot. (Teaching with ICT, 2012, p15)

Using digital technologies:

Digital technologies impacts with in the classroom, it can engage and motivate the student to enhance their individual learning.

Life long journey:

Students need the skills to be able to have the confidence to self-teach themselves out side of the classroom as technology constantly changes and evolves.

Educators must understand how technologies will affect learning, what outcomes are likely to be and the teaching strategies that need to be used. Teachers become the co-collaborators that give the students the means in which to take control of their own digital learning.

Please click on the two below links for further information.

https://www.pinterest.com/kmakice/digital-fluency/

http://www.theguardian.com/social-enterprise-network/2013/aug/02/young-people-fluent-digital

References:

Teaching with ICT. (2012). Digital Pedagogies for Collaboration and Creativity, J Howell

Digital Fluency from Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano

https://www.theguardian.com/social-enterprise-network/2013/aug/02/young-people-fluent-digital

https://www.worldinbeta.com/digital-native

Digital Curator

Posted on November 13, 2015 by rosereberger

Digital curators are no longer merely downloading or taking information from the internet, they are contributing to it; creating its content. Even the dynamics of the classroom learning has changed dramatically, it’s no longer just text book learning. Digital technologies have played a significant part in this and with the evolution of digital curation tools, it’s allowed anyone to become a creator and curator.

Digital Curators can now create various digital content of videos made from still images. Curators can also embed narration or soundtracks on video. They can also create moving objects via robotics, as well as create clay animation movies. Curators can create and maintain a blog, perhaps to chart a project or to communicate with others on a topic. (Teaching with ICT, 2012, p 136)

Curators add a level of quality control around a topic. They can filter a lot of the less important content and allow quality material to surface to the top. Digital curation sits very firmly in the context of “participatory culture” (Jenkins el al, 2009) where average users are enabled by technology, to have the capability to archive, annotate, appropriate and recirculate media content in powerful new ways.

As educators it is important to note that overly teacher-led or highly scaffold learning does NOT allow for innovation, freedom to try does. So the point for teachers here is to allow students the freedom to try.

Educators can connect with their students by harnessing the power of digital curation tools. These include;

Scoop-It
Pinterest
Storify

Digital curators often use Twitter, Facebook and news aggregators such as Feedly, Flipboard and Stumble Upon to discover newly published content. Twitter, Facebook Google+ and Linkedin can be used to publicise and share one’s curation efforts. Others use curation plug-ins or widgets to directly publish curated content onto a blog such as WordPress or Tumblr.

Common attributes of good curation tools are those that allow curators to gather web pages specific to their topic. They also allow the curator to select the best material for their site. Curators are able to publish their own collection with ease, sharing and distributing to their audience with ease. Good curation tools also enable the curator to edit and add comments. It’s important to also look for a tracking facility, to view the usage of the site and to also back up the curated work.

Using a curation tool like Scoop-It, students can identify and self critique sites that relate to their chosen topic. Students can also improve their own critical appraisal. An advantage to scoop.it, a student can build a resource that can be used beyond their studies. Students can also collaborate and share these resources with their peers.

As educators it’s important to teach students the importance of selecting information of a creditable nature, sites that are secured eg: edu and gov or unsecured eg: org.

Please Click on the two below links for further information.

http://ctl.curtin.edu.au/events/conferences/tlf/tlf2014/refereed/flintoff.html

http://www.teachthought.com/technology/why-scoopit-is-becoming-an-indispensable-learning-tool/

References:

Teaching with ICT. (2012). Digital Pedagogies for Collaboration and Creativity, J Howell

http://ctl.curtin.edu.au/events/conferences/tlf/tlf2014/refereed/flintoff.html

http://www.curatr3.com/how-to-be-an-effective-digital-curator-thoughts-and-responses-2/

http://www.teachthought.com/technology/why-scoopit-is-becoming-an-indispensable-learning-tool/

Digital Divide

Posted on November 13, 2015 by rosereberger

No other technological innovation has had as much impact on behaviours and expectations of the world’s population as the internet. It has changed how students search for information and how students interact with it. Success in life, be it professional, educational or personal, relies upon students abilities to use the internet effectively.

The idea of the “digital divide” refers to the growing gap between the underprivileged members of society, especially the poor, elderly and handicapped part of the population who do not have access to computers or the internet; whilst the wealthy, middle class and young Australians living in urban and suburban areas who have access.

Schools are increasingly asked to bridge the digital divide between what parents can afford and what they would like their children to experience or be fluent in. Today’s students would be best described as having varying levels of digital experience. There is a broad range of differing technologies in homes across Australia and while the overall rate of connectivity in homes is high this is unevenly distributed. Lower socio-economic households do not have the same access to technologies as their middle and upper socio-economic counterparts.

The digital divide grows greater with the ever increasing digital expectancy. Digital expectancy is an attitude which is not necessarily negative. Students are eager to participate in a knowledge based society. It is the product of a number of factors. (Teaching with ICT, 2012, p59)

Electronic Era

We are increasingly surrounded by electronic devices that previous generations didn’t experience.

Knowledge based society

Most knowledge and information is electronic.

eConsumerism

We shop predominantly electronically

Digital communication

Majority of our communication is conducted electronically.

All of the above factors have contributed to a digital world in which our students wish to participate in.

Please click onto the below links for further information.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaxCRnZ_CLg

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-02/bridging-the-digital-divide/5566644

References:

Teaching with ICT. (2012). Digital Pedagogies for Collaboration and Creativity, J Howell

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-02/bridging-the-digital-divide/5566644

Analogue Time

Posted on November 13, 2015 by rosereberger

1st Digital Teaching Resource.

How to tell Analogue Time.

I chose Pinterest for my Year 2 audience. Its bright, colourful and fast. Pinterest automatically connects me to hundreds of analogue resources.

These resources are free, instant usable resources at my fingertips, that caters for students at different educational levels.

Please click on the below link to view the Australian Curriculum, Mathematics, Year 2, Measurement and Geometry, using units of measurement. View the outcomes code ACMMG039 for specifics. ‘to tell time to the quarter-hour, using the language of past and to’.

http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/mathematics/curriculum/f-10?layout=1#level2

Please click on the below link to Pinterest.

https://www.pinterest.com/rosemaryreberge/analogue-time/

Evaluation Matrix

Name of teaching resource.

Web link (if web based).

https://www.pinterest.com/rosemaryreberge/analogue-time/

Who should this digital teaching resource be used with? (ie year/grade).

Foundation Year to Year 2. Or for any other student from a higher year level that needs extra work on this area.

How should it be used? (e.g. individual, whole class).

Can be used either on an individual, small group or entire class.

Which subject or learning area would it be most appropriate to use in?

Numeracy, Measurement and Geometry, Using Units of Measurement.

Identify the strengths of this teaching resource.

It’s bright and simple site to use. Multiple resources at teacher’s fingertips. Copes very well with large amounts of video footage. As there are many resources available, students would be entertained and attentive. If the Numeracy program, had to cut short due to a whole school event. The resource is easy to relocate and begin again.

Pinterest can also be used on an Ipad, Iphone as well as a Smart board. The beauty about the Ipad, is that you can also use this for any special needs students that function only on a one to one basis.

Identify any weaknesses of this teaching resource.

You can’t curator other people pins. Would need to watch to ensure that there is nothing unsuitable for students.

Explain any ideas you may have for further use of this teaching resource.

Would be a great resource to share amongst other Education Department Colleagues.

Alphabetical Names and Sounds

Posted on November 13, 2015 by rosereberger

2nd Digital Teaching Resource.

Alphabetical Names and Sounds.

I chose Scoop-It for my foundation year audience. Its bright, colourful and fast.

Although I haven’t down loaded many resources, I can update and add when I need.

These resources are innovative, fun and very engaging for students. Scoop-It can cater for students at different educational levels.

Please click on the below link to view the Australian Curriculum, English, Foundation Year, Language, Phonics and word knowledge. View the outcomes code ACELA1438 for specifics. ‘understand how to use knowledge of letters and sounds including onset and rhythm to spell words.’

http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/english/curriculum/f-10?layout=1

Please click on the below link to scoop.it website.

http://www.scoop.it/t/alphabetical-sounds

Evaluation Matrix

Name of teaching resource.

Scoop-It

Web link (if web based).

http://www.scoop.it/t/alphabetical-sounds

Who should this digital teaching resource be used with? (ie year/grade).

Foundation Year. Or for any other student from a higher year level that needs extra support in this area.

How should it be used? (e.g. individual, whole class).

Can be used either on an individual, small group or entire class.

Which subject or learning area would it be most appropriate to use in?

English

Identify the strengths of this teaching resource.

It’s bright and simple site to use. Multiple resources at teacher’s fingertips. Copes very well with large amounts of video footage. As there are many resources available students would be entertained and attentive. If the literacy program, had to cut short due to a whole school event. The resource is easy to relocate and begin again.

Scoop-it can also be used on an Ipad, Iphone as well as a Smart board. The beauty about the Ipad, is that you can also use this for any special needs students that function only on a one to one basis.

Identify any weaknesses of this teaching resource.

You can’t curator other people pins. Would need to watch to ensure that there is nothing unsuitable for students.

Explain any ideas you may have for further use of this teaching resource.

This could be used for any of the learning areas of the Australian Curriculum. Is would be a great resource to share amongst other Education Department Colleagues.