Category: Submitted Assignments

Synthesis Reflection

1-2 paragraph précis of your flight path (5)

When I originally set out in ETEC 565, I recognized that I had hoped to learn much about the five areas of the course, particularly about how to create an effective LMS and how to use social software so that it appeals to both my teaching style and diverse learning styles. I recognized that Bates and Poole’s (2003) SECTIONS framework as well as Chickering and Gamson’s (1987) Seven Principles…. were both relevant frameworks that when duly applied, grounded the selection and use of learning technologies in effective practice. I noted that I could see how multimedia could be used in order to “respect diverse talents and ways of learning” but that I was unclear of how exactly to achieve this (Chickering and Gamson, 1987). I also recognized that social media and newer, user friendly communication tools have made the “I” in SECTIONS (Interactivity) much more tangible in today’s learning environments.

In looking at my flight path, I can see that I was framing LMS, multimedia, assessment tools, communication tools and social software as individual operations. I now see that really, there is much overlap and instructors should be aware of the interconnectedness of these five elements when selecting and using technology. I originally stated that my goals for this course were to learn about how to select appropriate learning technologies and how to use technology as part of communication and assessment within the classroom. In reflecting on these goals, I would say that I have certainly learned a great deal about both, particularly about how to select appropriate learning technologies.

Reflection on your eLearning toolkit experience overall (5)

The eLearning toolkit was a helpful inclusion in this course. I admit, there were some components that I found repetitive because of my existing knowledge (wikis, web design and html authoring), but overall the toolkit was not a burden or a hard assignment. Rather, it was a helpful tool that could be accessed at any time and provided great links and examples. I enjoy self-regulated learning experiences and as such, the toolkit was something that I could navigate at my own pace and customize to my existing knowledge structures. I found the social software activity to be the most thought provoking because it had me looking at terms of service and really thinking about how that affects both my own practice and the experience of my students.

Apply SECTIONS model to self-assess your portfolio, where applicable (5)

Bates and Poole’s (2003) SECTIONS – application to my LMS

Students – My students are middle school aged (grade 7) and as such, my LMS is a balance between “kid friendly” and adolescent appropriate resources and activities. The LMS also shows as awareness that grade 7 students need to be kept engaged by appealing to their interests, hence, the Facebook style activity, podcast assignment and Google Earth assignment. All are assignments that could have been presented in a more traditional way (such as a report or illustration) but these students require something that will keep them interested in their learning and allow them to use some of the tools that they already use for personal purposes.

Ease of Use – As the instructor, I found Moodle to be relatively easy to use. My students would certainly be able to handle the technology but at the same time, very specific instructions are given so that students have clear step by step instructions regarding how to proceed. Moodle is becoming a common open source tool and I am confident that it is reliable.

Cost – As open source software, Moodle is free and no other costs were incurred in the making of this course. Tools used – Google Earth, CMap Tools, Garageband, iTunes – are all either free downloads or come with Mac computers (which students will be given access to for Garageband).

Teaching and learning – Students need to be able to learn the basics about ancient civilizations while at the same time be able to assimilate existing knowledge and have access to extensions. A constructivist learning approach is something that I (and my LMS) subscribe to and while there are direct resources I created with text, there are also links to my sources and further information. As grade 7 is a pivotal grade for easing students from an elementary to secondary style of schooling, higher thinking questions are given for discussion that require students to go beyond the resources of the LMS.

Interactivity – The LMS enables students to interact with the teacher (via chat) and other students (via entire class discussion forums as well as small group discussion forums). Additionally, students are required to complete individual assignments to be viewed by the teacher only, individual assignments to be posted for all to see and group assignments to be posted for all to see.

Organizational issues – N/A

Novelty – Neither Moodle nor any of the embedded programs are brand new. All technology being utilized is well used and constantly updated to continue improved functioning.

Speed – Materials can be changed instantly by the instructor and students that do not have required programs downloaded can download them in a matter of minutes.

Describe next steps for you, in terms of your practice in educational technology (5)

As a K-12 teacher, I have found ETEC 565 to be the most useful course of my MET program so far. I will continue to apply the SECTIONS framework when I prepare technological teaching and learning activities. I think that I will be able to better analyze educational technologies and make recommendations for my own practice and the practice of others. As a result of my learning and experience here, I will be using an LMS in my classroom. My short term goal is to be able to use Moodle for one course and long term, expand its use to other classes. I also hope to utilize social software more with my students in order to appeal to their interests and make academic connections to these programs. I am hopeful that the selection and use of educational technology will become more a natural process akin to how I would plan for teaching without technology. Already, I have SECTIONS memorized and can call upon it instinctually when thinking about educational technology so I hope that this will continue and become a natural part of my practice.

References

Bates, A.W. & Poole, G. (2003). Chapter 4: a Framework for Selecting and Using Technology. In Effective Teaching with Technology in Higher Education: Foundations for Success. (pp. 77-105). San Francisco: Jossey Bass Publishers.

Chickering, A.W. and Gamson, Z.F. (1987). Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education. American Association for Higher Education Bulletin, 39 (7), p. 3-7.

Multimedia Inventory

I can’t paste a chart here in WordPress so for the full “effect” I have attached my Multimedia Inventory as a Word doc.

View my Multimedia Inventory

Submitted Assignments

Digital Story

For optimal viewing, view my digital story in Google Maps

View Adventures in Europe in a larger map

Originally, I was going to select Bubbleshare to tell my digital story. After all, I have used it for that purpose many times before. However, after viewing Alan Levine’s (2007) “50 Web 2.0 Ways to Tell a Story”, I was inspired to try something new and ultimately use a tool that will be very applicable to teaching social studies. I have used Google Maps hundreds of times for the purpose of finding directions but I never thought of it as anything other than a locator tool. After seeing the options it provided for virtual storytelling, I was convinced that it was the right tool to tell my story and the right tool to introduce to my social studies students.

The story I chose to tell was about my own experience traveling. Google Maps was the right tool for several reasons. In the context of social studies and of traveling, I don’t believe that a story necessarily has to be sequential in order to understand it. Google Maps affords both a sequential or non-sequential viewing experience that can be determined by the viewer and facilitated by the ordered plots along the left side of the map (a sequential experience) or the scattered location plots on the map itself (a non-sequential experience). In reference to my story, my trip obviously took place in a certain order but to understand my thoughts on a city or to view my images one does not need to view each part in order.

I wanted to express that my travels were not linear events but rather interconnected events that were many individual experiences that also formed a collective whole. Google Maps was the tool that could best represent this due to several features.

1) The ability to colour code locations. Note that blue markers were my first trip and green markers were my second trip with London as the sole yellow marker because it was a part of both trips.
2) The ability to “symbol code” locations. The thumbtacks represented overnight stays whereas the raindrop markers represented daytrips.
3) The ability to draw routes. Google Maps allowed for me to draw my route of travel and also colour code them.
4) The ability to allow for sequential and non-sequential viewership.
5) The ability for me to situate locations on or near a map so that viewers can physically see the locations and the distances between them.

Depending on the topic, students can use Google Maps to tell a story about where they have been or use Google Maps to support a historical or cultural understanding from class. Since Google Maps is a “zoom in, zoom out” interface, students can tell their own story utilizing photos, text and map points for a trip as broad as around the world to a trip as small as Vancouver to Kelowna. This tool would be useful in my ancient civilizations unit for the same purpose, student could plot the route of a historical figure or entire culture or tell a story about a country that demonstrated knowledge of same. The simple, unrestricted set up of Google Maps allows for different styles of writing to set the tone for the story whether it is first hand experience, taking the first person perspective of a historical figure or third person factual view. Additionally, Google Maps affords the creator the opportunity to colour code map points, create routes and embed the map within another site.

A story telling approach in the social studies classroom using social media allows for students to create outside of the static Web 1.0 in the dynamic Web 2.0. In reflection, I can already see how a story telling approach in Google Maps would enhance a project that I have already done with students. Previously, I had students complete a “Lonely Planet” assignment where they used Powerpoint to create a slideshow meeting specific criteria about a country that they wanted to visit using their newly acquired information literacy skills. However, even after spending many weeks on this, most students could not situate their country on a map! Had I used Google Maps to have students write a fictional story about traveling in a country of their choosing that demonstrated knowledge about the country, students would be physically creating on top of the map.

Furthermore, Google Maps could be utilized as a much more dynamic way of having students report on summer vacation, field trips or camps. Lamb (2007) too mentions that “integrating maps with other tools” can enhance a school’s field trip.

As Google Maps provides the options for making a map public, students can view each others maps and, in the case of reporting on a field trip, compare how the experience was the same or different as their own. Lamb (2007) states that “when remixing happens in a social context on the open web, people learn from each other’s process” and that is exactly what Google Maps affords.

Outside of Google Maps, story telling is an effective tool to use in the context of the social studies classroom. In referencing Bloom’s Taxonomy, teaching social studies has formerly favored the internalizing of knowledge and then regurgitating that knowledge in the form of essays and homework question responses. However, the emergence of social media allows for a story telling approach to be taken in actually applying knowledge in a meaningful way. I certainly could have written an essay about my travels but it was more engaging, meaningful and interesting to tell my story instead through Google Maps. Alan Levine’s (2007) “50 Web 2.0 Ways to Tell a Story”, confirms that there is not just one storytelling tool, rather, there are different tools to meet the needs of each subject and story. While the map feature of Google Maps made it particularly applicable to the social studies context, there are also other tools that will, above all, engage students in creating meaningful reflections of their learning.

Reference List:

Lamb, B. (2007). Dr. Mashup; or, Why Educators Should Learn to Stop Worrying and Love the Remix. EDUCAUSE Review, vol. 42, no. 4 (July/August 2007): 12–25. Accessed online March 9 2009 http://www.educause.edu/ER/EDUCAUSEReviewMagazineVolume42/DrMashuporWhyEducatorsShouldLe/161747

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