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Reflection 2 Wk 3 Wikis

I have chosen to reflect on wikis as an ICT tool. They have such a rich functionality as a learning tool. Wikis enable and encourage social interaction, collaboration and communication. Teachers can adopt a true constructivist approach with children learning from experience and social interaction (http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/mod/page/view.php?id=146071). Among its functions are :

• ability to track user history (encourage participation due to visibility of such)
• ability to track changes (control appropriate usage, edit when required)
• ability to track individual vs. group contributions (see any learning deficits)
• widgets to embed anything useful (encourage students' own resourcefulness and creativity)
• a comments facility (social interaction, collaboration)
• multiple user functionality (social interaction and collaboration)

One drawback with wikis is that they don't allow for concurrent authoring. Writers can inadvertently type over or wipe another's work. This can be tracked and corrected however with the history tracking function.

In an early primary classroom (grades 1-3) wikis could be used for any type of class project. Younger children could perhaps contribute to a class wiki through comments about individual artworks uploaded to tell the story behind it. This is a valuable literacy exercise as well as fostering ICT familiarity and socially interactive learning.
Grade 3 children could participate in wiki activities like tabulating experiment results, uploading photos and research. Small group wiki assignments enable equal contributions from participants at home as well as school and a tool to measure such contributions.

I have created a simple wiki on wikispaces. https://alliselearningwiki.wikispaces.com/ In the wiki I have created pages as I explored different functions. The last page created, "spinach growing experiment" is an example of an experiment a grade 3 class could experience. Children could be paired or grouped and a page created for each group to record their data. Children and teachers could comment on each others' pages to collaborate information and conclusions. Children may use the internet to research possible explanations for results and post links to such and photographs of their plants. They may even embed links to websites such as CSIRO and invite relevant researchers to their wiki.

Wk 3 reflections: Content Free Online Spaces

This week we have examined blogs, wikis and websites as potential learning tools in classrooms. I constructed simple samples of a wiki and a website. Personally, I will play with these some more to improve my competence and confidence. I am impressed by their possibilities and the relative ease with which they can be constructed (relative to familiarity).
These tools allow for much greater information upload than would be possible without them and also a fantastic scope for communication and collaboration on any learning topic.

Blogs

 

Plus	Minus	Implications
Record own learning journey	Excludes those children without a PC at home	Tasks would be kept simple so that completion in class time is feasible, offer time outside classes for these children
Reflection process	“Reputation control” issues with young people	Password protection and privacy locks a must
Encourage writing	Technology could be daunting for those with little experience	Children could work in pairs so experience can help inexperience.
Tool for assignment construction	Possible problems with poor readers/writers	Spell check could help with word recognition. Create a spelling blog with applicable words for each child.

In an early primary context, blogs could be used to encourage writing, visual spelling. On a class level, they could be used to document a class learning journey with prompted reflection for the comments. Artworks, videos, children's own research can all be uploaded or embedded to the blog.
Ref: http://b-7bobcats.blogspot.com.au/
Ref: http://www.aneverydaystory.com/feed/

Websites

Websites are a wonderful way to communicate with and keep participants up to date. They have a forum feature and links to social media for some interaction to occur. In an early primary context they could function as a newsletter or even curriculum information for families. Tabs/pages could be added to inform parents/carers of curriculum stages and class activities. This would be useful in instances like spelling development to explain the different stages and why children sound out words in particular ways. People wouldn't misinterpret their attempts as "bad spelling/bad teaching". I created a simple website in "Weebly" to introduce myself to website creation and functions available:
 http://wheelbarrowupahill.weebly.com/#/

Wk 2 Reflections on Mobile Phones Wiki

I found the design and presentation of the mobile phones wiki activity user friendly and easy to understand. This was my first experience with a "wiki" (I even had to Google the meaning). I used a 'connectivism' approach here to equip myself with a basic understanding of the intent of the task before I began. After viewing fellow classmates' blogs and other entries on the wiki itself, I was able to easily participate in the activity. The learning theory behind the task design is 'constructivist'. Participants learn from experience and social interaction. The use of "de Bono's Thinking Hats" provided valuable scaffolding to learning outcomes by encouraging thorough consideration of the topic (mobile phones in the classroom) and allowing multiple entries (further participation) in the wiki. As such I enjoyed the activity as an introduction to this learning tool, its purpose and scope. I added my comments to page 17 and have pasted them below.

• The page has been updated.

Mobile Phones - should they be used in the classroom?

Add your thoughts to this wiki, reflecting on mobile phones in education.You are welcome to put on and take off a new colour hat as your reflect on different issues and perspectives!

De Bono's Hats

If you are unfamiliar with de Bono's six thinking hats, visit Kurwongbah State School's diverse resources on the topic (http://www.kurwongbss.eq.edu.au/thinking/Hats/hats.htm). Then edit the table provided as scaffolding, add your ideas, opinions, and where possible your research. How will a collation of diverse perspectives from 19 different people inform your thinking? How could you use this in your classroom?

Colour Hat	Names of students adding ideas	The colour perspective	Your ideas, research, perspectives and arguments
	Allison W	Judgement: What is wrong with this? Why will this not work? Is this safe? Can this be done?	Potential for damaging/dropping phones, particularly if they are students' own phones. Haves and have-nots distinction among students (discrimination). How to police correct/appropriate usage.
	Allison W	The Process: Where are we now? What is the next step? Where have we been? What sort of thinking is needed?	Right now students are not all resourced with smart phones. Mobile phones haven't been used as a learning strategy. Can we resource the schools with ipods as a cheaper means to access the learning potential of these devices?
	Allison W	Creativity: What new ideas are possible with this? What is my suggestion for success? Can I create something new?	.   Mobile phones have enormous potential in the classroom. They can incorporate many different learning styles and enable students to resource their own learning. Mobile devices should be a standard classroom tool for our digital age. Lesson plans could suggest how they would be better delivered with mobile devices to encourage school purchases or parental support for use of children's' own devices.
	Allison W	Feelings: How do I feel about this? What do I like about the idea? What don't I like about the idea?	I love the idea of mobile devices in the classroom. They must be accessible to everyone though. They are much easier to negotiate than computer screens that you can't see over and that constantly freeze etc. The educational app world is endless and incorporates all learning styles. I don't like the idea of using children's own devices. They could be broken or stolen meaning angry parents. Also this practice would not be inclusive for children who don't have access to their own mobile device.
	Allison W	Benefits: What are the good points? Why can this be successful? Why is this a good thing?	Access to educational apps, ability to resource own learning, adaptability to different learning styles. Mobile phones have the potential to be a positive tool in the classroom.
	Allison W	Information: What information do I have? What are the facts? What information do I need? What do I want to KNOW?	Mobile phones are traditionally not allowed in the classroom. At present children are not trusted to use them appropriately independently. We need to look at rules and guidelines and how to ensure their success. What options are available for internet/usage filters? Cost feasibility of school supplying devices?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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