Introduction
This assignment into the Moodle experience has been a bit mind- boggling for me. Although I consider myself not technological inept, but quite kind of capable, Moodle made me feel like a fish out of water. I am a hands-on learner, and learn easier with someone near me to explain, and I can seem to visualize problems and thus solve them. But Moodle is different, if only in my own confidence in navigating its functions. Of course ‘html’ just throws me for a loop. That said, I still challenged myself to work within Moodle.
I decided to create a mini-course on the theme of web safety, for the high school students. Even before MET, this topic has been in the forefront of my educational pursuits. Then MET came along, and I have been trying to cover that sore spot ever since. Although it seems that many people agree that this issue has some merit, often web safety is put to the wayside, especially in the adult world. If I can’t educate the adult world, I might as well put my efforts toward the youth population, more precisely those at my school. By creating a well-rounded and effective unit of study for the classroom, I hope to incorporate this unit into my regular teaching duties. By doing so, I will hopefully educate the youth in my school about being safe while on the web. The expertise and feedback from my instructor and my peers in this community of learners will allow me to revise, edit and transform these activities and lessons, into an effective, easy-to-use teaching unit.
In creating this unit, I took into account Anderson’s (2008) ideas of online learning. The notion of being community centered was foremost. I achieved this by utilizing both online and face-to-face activities, with Grade 10 classes. I find grade 10 students are more responsible and open to learning. By using just these groups, everyone is more comfortable and willing to try the activities. The interactions with their friends, families and each other will help solidify and reinforce any learning. The online portions of this unit provide freedom to work independently at their own pace. The in-class, face-to-face activities will offer a collaborative aspect to this unit. Incorporating a variety of mediums for instruction will keep engagement and motivate the students.
Anderson(2008) indicates the importance of the work being learner-centered. By utilizing the prescribed introductory activity, entitled let’s find Someone, I will be able to gauge the technological background of the students, and achieve this aspect. Although I may have already taught these students, I am unsure of their technological growth. Furthermore this activity allows students the opportunity to express themselves and feel confident of their previous knowledge. The students will be bringing different levels of expertise and knowledge about technology to the classroom, so it is important for the students to feel involved in their learning.
To achieve the knowledge-centered aspect of learning, I will strive to keep the activities connected to the users of the technology, from a teenager point of reference. For example, I suspect teenagers will be more interested and engaged learning about web safety on Twitter, than web safety with inline banking. I will keep the areas of teenage interest at the forefront of this unit. After all, this age group may be using technology everyday but not for everything. Why bore them with what they deem unnecessary information? For those students who wish to expand on their learning about web safety in other areas, extra information can be easily found.
I will not focus heavily on formative evaluation for this mini course. A short quiz at the end will comprise of multiple-choice and closed constructed response questions. This quiz will serve to reinforce the main points that are presented on web safety. Much of this assessment-centered work will be summative in nature. I will assess their participation and discussions throughout the unit. My goal is for the students to feel at ease and comfortable without worrying about those right and wrong answers. I believe teenagers are more often open to this form of learning, since the information isn’t thrust upon them. They have a sense of controlling their own learning.
If I can manage all this, then my task will be complete. Then, I will feel that I understand Moodle, at least better. 🙂
Reflection
Well, was my task complete? That’s a pretty loaded question. I’m not sure being complete is possible when we discuss technology and education. As technology grows and changes, the teachers’ ideas for incorporation will have to evolve, or we will be back at the same point as now. Did my thoughts evolve as I went through this Moodle process. Yes, although I may not be a fish out of water. Now, I consider myself more as a whale in the shallow beaches—the more I twist and thrust, and exert myself, then the more I may just make some progress. I do think I made progress with the Moodle. I am more comfortable with doping the basic steps, but unable to complete the more elaborate plans. I could not link the GUI buttons to my sections. Even after reading through classmates’ posts, using the OIT resource (www.oit.umass.edu/print/1347), and wik.ubc.ca/Moodle , I was still unsuccessful. I guess I just never had a good enough understanding. However I did try it.
I totally believe that you have to try a form of technology to see if you enjoy it, and are comfortable using it. Then if you’re successful, you will impart that success or at least the confident feeling to your students. That said, I will not be using Moodle. It was too stressful, too time-consuming, and therefore was not an effective medium for me. On the other hand, the lessons, that I created, will be used. I do think I can incorporate them into a mini-course for the junior and senior high students. . The History page of www.mediasmarts.ca, offers this advice: “We live in a wired world today: kids are using a wide range of digital devices, and adults can’t keep up. So how can we make sure that our kids are safe, but also savvy and informed? In the same way we teach them street smarts we now need to teach them “media smarts.” Considering that students may come with more technological knowledge than me, I will happily be a ‘learning’ guide because websafety is still an important focus in my life.
Maybe Sharple et al.(2009) has the correct idea. “It may be more effective to educate children to appreciate when they cross the line from acceptable to abnormal and risky Web 2.0 activity. Some schools could provide such guidance, but only if they understand the norms, habits and risks of social networking.”(p74) Yet, maybe it will be more efficient and effective to educate the teachers. After all teachers are in the front line of education. If teachers can buy in to websafety and proper technology use, then students, then parents, may follow. Anastasiades et al. (2011) points out that “effective involvement of teachers is mostly associated with positive attitudes and approaches to software, their flexibility to take an approach that is relative to students’ developmental needs, beliefs, and cognitive standards, to seek, to inspire, to support and facilitate children’s critical thinking while setting the scene for an Internet safety pedagogical environment.”(p.72) So, I guess my challenge has changed. My new task is to educate the educators. Simple, right? 🙂
References
Anastasiades, P. S., Vitalaki, E. (2011). Promoting Internet safety in Greek primary schools: The teacher’s role. Educational Technology & Society, 14(2), 71-80
Anderson, T. (2008). Towards a theory of online learning. In T. Anderson & F. Elloumi (Eds.), Theory and practice of online learning. Edmonton AB: Athabasca University. Retrieved from http://www.aupress.ca/books/120146/ebook/02_Anderson_2008-Theory_and_Practice_of_Online_Learning.pdf
Sharples, M., Graber, R., Harrison, C. (2009). E-safety and Web 2.0 for children aged 11-16. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 25(1), 70-84. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2729.2008. 00304.x
www.mediasmarts.ca