Gathering information regarding student misconceptions and cultural backgrounds is especially important when differentiating lessons to suit individual student needs. The theory of Constructivism suggests that learners have unique schemas built from past experience; learners both subjectively and actively transform information by modifying their cognitive structures according to new understandings. The philosophy of Constructivism mirrors my own understanding of student learning, and it has become my immediate connection to the UBC education program. Working in the MET program, in my opinion, Constructivism has been a philosophy amalgamated within educational technology.
My original Flight Plan goals are as follows:
a) Collaborative Learning
I believe that collaboration is the mechanism that drives learning; we do not live in isolation. All around us others are involved in the development of ideas. Web 2.0 applications may provide avenues that both enable and support the pooling of those individual ideas.
b) Understanding the potential of LMS within my own classroom.
Originally, I had no idea what defined LMS and how it could apply to my classroom teaching community.
My Flight Plan is riddled with nervous trepidation, and a number of poignant questions:
· Where was the time to put these theories into practice?
· How do I effectively use technology to enhance learning?
· How do I choose the best technologies for the job?
· How do I avoid using technology for the sake of using technology?
· With little training in technology, how do I implement that which I do not know?
Our school district has shifted the focus from content-based education, to determining what technologies can be used to foster an environment that enhances “the process” of student learning. While my recent practice has involved technology, I was uncertain as to how to choose those resources that would engage and motivate my students in an authentic way. These feelings could be summarized by my final statement:
My flight path is sure to be a bumpy one! Once the turbulence subsides however, I hope to develop of clearer vision of what the digital age has to offer my classroom.
At this point in the journey, clarity has begun; at least the path is a little less bumpy!
Students: Who are the students?
When I am the student…
The purpose of the e-portfolio is to display collected works that have been developed over time. My own portfolio enhanced my learning and will indirectly affect my high school students. Perhaps then, the true student in this case was me! I have learned much through the creation of this e-portfolio, and I hope it might be used as an example for others who will embark on the journey through ETEC 565.
My teenage students…
My e-portfolio consists of my Learning Management System (Moodle), specifically geared towards my grade 9 students. Our school is equipped with four computer pods each supporting 30 students. Additionally, we have access to a portable laptop cart that holds 30 computers; therefore, computers are easily accessed within my school.
I believe that my students have equitable access to web 2.0 applications, such as WordPress, and Learning Management Systems. This past school year I took a poll of how many students had access to a home computer and the result was 100%.
I plan to have my students develop an electronic portfolio that will desplay artifacts collected over the year. However, I will have to do additional research into making these e-portfolios private to protect their identities.
My Moodle (LMS) site also supports various student learning styles as it provides the opportunity for students to work at their own pace under a governed but potentially flexible period of time.
Ease of Use:
Building my Blog and LMS site was perhaps not as easy as I would have liked; it took me a rather long time to learn the procedures.
In WordPress, I had difficulties uploading tables and charts. In Moodle, I found creating the quiz and developing specific groups (general versus seperated hidden/visible) challenging. However, for a viewer navigating the resultant LMS site and my e-portfolio, it is very self-explanatory! My e-portfolio posts are clearly tagged and the pages are organized by set categories which renders the entire site easy to steer. My Blog also provides links to free plug-ins, specifically ADOBE Reader, ADOBE Flash, PowerPoint Reader , and Windows Player, showcasing the software needed for my LMS Moodle site.
Please see my Moodle Reflections for a more detailed synthesis.
Cost Structure:
Both the Blog and LMS are free, open-source venues. Monetarily, the cost of this particular e-portfolio is zero; however, it did take substantial time to create.
While the Moodle site is ‘free’ one has to beware of the potential hidden costs. For starters, school districts choosing Moodle require a place to host the LMS site. You also need tech support available not only during school hours, but in the evenings when kids will be accessing the information more frequently.
Teaching & Learning:
The process of building my e-portfolio was a learning experience that will enhance my own teaching. Teaching and learning through interactions support my philosophy of Constructivism. Completing an e-portfolio with my own students would allow them to personalize their sites and support their own individual learning style.
My LMS site also fulfills my desire to support my face-2-face teching style with addictional resources. This way students can access lesson outlines, notes, presentations, and videos all on one platform. This organizes my unit and invariable supports student learning.
Interactivity:
Components of my e-portfolio are interactive. I have incorporated multimedia presentations within my LMS for student use. Although my Blog has many links to other sites, I would not consider that going much beyond reading, listening, and posting. Interaction stimulates and engages the student in a manner that boosts their own learning. I do believe that my LMS has the potential to provide this boost for future students!
In hindsight, I could easily have arranged my Blog to be more interactive by providing thought-provoking questions to start discussion threads, thus providing a forum for brainstorming and collaboration of ideas.
Organization:
Access to technology is supported in my school. We have two well developed computer labs and a portable laptop cart. My school has the resources to support our technology; we have two employees who have teaching blocks reserved for the provision of technological assistance.
Novelty:
This is my first experience in creating a Blog through WordPress and it was a welcome relief to simply reading about theory. I know that most of my students have never created an e-portfolio and this would be an interesting challenge to incorporate in my own classroom.
Speed:
Is it quick to implement and update?
After troubleshooting the basics of a Blog, the speed of access, modification, and designing of the site was simple!