Voki 1

Week 4- Images

In my opinion, teaching with images is a sufficient way to not only allow students to fully understand, using visual views, but also enables visual learners to obtain the same understanding as those learners who may be kinaesthetic or auditory learners.

Often when students are asked to attach an image to a project firstly finding an image takes students a large amount of time, and secondly actually attaching the image often is difficult.

As found at the moodle page, there are many different types of images that have different uses. I, myself, as a 21 year old who considers herself competent with computers, did not know which type of image was designed for what usage and therefore I believe that without a large amount of knowledge on this, having students accessively use images as a way of learning may result in many complications.

Having said this, I have worked at a school in a situation where students used cameras to take their own pictures for an assignment which were then uploaded, by the teacher, to a folder where students then could access them. I believe that this not only allows students to personalise their work but also be able to design their project to imply the exact point that they are trying to make.

All in all the use of images as a digital tool may be beneficial as long as the processes that students will need to go through have been well thought out and explained by the teacher.

The Big 6

1. Task Definition
1.1 Define the information problem
1.2 Identify information needed

2. Information Seeking Strategies
2.1 Determine all possible sources
2.2 Select the best sources

3. Location and Access
3.1 Locate sources (intellectually and physically)
3.2 Find information within sources

4. Use of Information
4.1 Engage (eg. read, hear, view, touch)
4.2 Extract relevant information

5. Synthesis
5.1 Organise from multiple sources
5.2 Present the information

6. Evaluation
6.1 Judge the product (effectiveness)
6.2 Judge the process (efficiency)

http://www.big6.com/2001/11/19/a-big6%E2%84%A2-skills-overview/

Learning Engagement Theory

• Links to constructivism.
• Emphasis on collaboration with peers and a community of learners.
• Focused on experimental and self-directed learning.
• Involves- creating, problem solving, reasoning, decision making and evaluation.
• Meaningful learning experiences and tasks.

RELATE - CREATE - DONATE

1. Occur in group context
2. Are project-based
3. Have an authentic focus

Relate

1. Communication, planning, management, and social skills

Create

2. Define the project, focus on application of ideas to specific content.

Donate

3. Make a useful contribution.

Skills Assessed By Digital Tools

WIKI SKILLS

VIDEO CONFERENCING SKILLS

PODCASTING SKILLS

DIGITAL STORYTELLING SKILLS

BLOGGING SKILLS

http://langwitches.org/blog/2010/01/09/its-not-about-the-tools-its-about-the-skills/

Week 3- Interactive PowerPoints

For this task I created my own PowerPoint about Gorillas. I have used PowerPoint for many years and therefore didn't find it difficult to work with. An interactive PowerPoint is simple a PowerPoint that encourages students to participate in a task. For my PowerPoint on Gorillas, I included questions as the last 5 slides that relate to the information found in the PowerPoint.

From experience, I know that PowerPoint Presentation are used often in school situation for students to present information. Many students enjoy using PowerPoint and after a few lessons with the teacher on the basics of the program, students often suceed in their presentation.

Having said this, sometimes it may seem that students spend too much time working out how there presentation is going to play rather than the information in the slides itself. I guess it would be up to the teacher to monitor the length of time students have on the animation of the content compared to the content itself.

Interactive PowerPoints are a way for not only teachers but also students to present information and allow the other people in the room to participate in what is going on. Therefore this type of ICT encourages inclusive lessons.

In conclusion, Interactive PowerPoints, I believe, are an expansion on a tool that not only allows presentation to be presented but the audience to be involved.

Week 3- Prezi page

The following link is for my Prezi page.

I found Prezi an interesting way to present information however it was slightly confusing at times. Having said this, compared to PowerPoint, Prezi may be a little more simple as you only have one page and one menu to work with. With a little more practice and confidence in attempting to get to know Prezi, it may be something that even I could use for assignments.

Therefore in a school situation, Prezi may be an ICT that can be used for upper grade students to present something to a class. Prezi, unlike PowerPoint, allows for focus on the big picture and then zooming in to focus on the smaller points or parts. I believe that because of this, Prezi may even be able to be used in an intergretted ART class where students can present a painting/picture on Prezi as the big picture and then zoom in to focus on the finer detail.

As I am studying to be a Japanese teacher, I am considering the use of Prezi in a LOTE situation and have decided that it may be of good use for teachers to present students with a sentence structure (as the whole picture) then focus on each part of that sentence (as the zoomed in finer detail). Students may be able to use Prezi as a way of presenting assignments in the LOTE situation however it may depend on the assignment and whether Prezi allows for Japanese characters to be displayed.

All in all, I believe that Prezi is a convenient way of presenting information, facts, pictures or decisions in a school situation either by teachers or students. The only minus to this program may be that Prezi is different from most of the commonly used programs and therefore may be difficult for the students (and teachers) to get used to using.