Images, resizing images and Podcasts

This week we looked at images, resizing images and podcasting. Resizing images is a valuable tool, as images can take up a LOT of space. We also looked at copyright issues with images, and I must admit, I had no idea the copyright was so strict! We learnt where to get images that aren't copyrighted, so I know I will be using those from now on! Here is a photo I do have permission to use, because its mine! It was taken at my 20th birthday party.

Images are a great tool to use in the classroom. Images are visual literacy, and this is an important part of learning in the classroom. Children learn to 'read' images early on in life. For example, most children in the western world know the McDonalds golden M arches without being able to read. Images tell a story, and when they are put with words, images are very powerful in enhancing the story that is being told. Images are also important for student who are visual learners, as they play to their learning style.

For example: On Monday I went to the farm. While I was there I saw a cute little baby goat.

While I was there, I also saw a calf. I got to pat the calf. Its hair was rougher than I thought it would be!
Podcasts are something I don't know a lot about. I have listened to many podcasts before but I didn't know how to make one of my own. I had always just found them in iTunes and simply downloaded them. We used mp3 players with microphones to record a sound file and then uploaded that file onto a website called PodOmatic. Click here to hear my very first podcast. Podcasts are a great way for students to record things and share their findings with other classmates. For example, students could use a recorder to record their findings on a science project and then upload those findings. This would save time and enhance the learning as students would not need to write everything down while they are trying to complete an experiment or project, thus allowing them to concentrate wholly on the experiment or project. Podcasts could also be used as a technological version of the jigsaw puzzle. Students could all investigate their own piece of the topic and then upload their findings in a podcast. By doing this, all students can then access each others podcasts, thus completing the jigsaw puzzle. Podcasts are a great tool in the classroom and should be used to engage students and enhance the learning. I will be using them in my classroom!

Powerpoint and Videos

This week we looked at PowerPoint. Such a versatile tool! I have used PowerPoint many times over the years, as it was very common in high school and university. It is a great way to engage students and it eliminates the use of handouts. PowerPoint makes presentations interesting, as it is so easy to add images and sounds into the text. It is also a great way for students to use their creative sides when creating their own presentations. I also find that it is easy to give presentations when using PowerPoint, as you don't need to have speech notes, you can simply put it all in the PowerPoint!

I also discovered how easily you can make movies using images in PowerPoint. This is another great way to engage students and also to allow them to use their creativity in developing presentations. When I was at school, I had always thought presentations to be boring, but with the help of PowerPoint and Movie Maker, this is no longer the case!

We also looked at videos today and using Movie Maker. Videos are such a great tool for the classroom as they allows students to learn new topics in an engaging way and to see the world as it really is through videos such as documentaries. By creating their own videos, students are also able to display their own work and to document parts of their schooling to share with others. This could be used in a collaborative way to share with students in other countries and to compare the cultures. Videos could also be used to show instructions on class activities to help students to know how to complete certain activities. Video has so many uses in the classroom and really engages the students. This makes it a valuable tool.
The following video is an example of showcasing work, in this example, it is showing one routine in a dance competition.

Wikis and Websites

This week we learnt about wikis and personal websites. I've never used a wiki before so it was a new experience for me. I discovered that wikis are a great resource for the classroom, however they also have some disadvantages. The disadvantage of a wiki is that anyone can edit them and this could lead to some students abusing a wiki. I consider this to be a big disadvantage, and something that would cause me to be very cautious to use a wiki in the classroom. However, I do also see great advantages in the wiki, with students able to easily catch up on lessons, or review learning experiences.

It was interesting to develop a personal website using Weebly. When I was at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) I did a course called Introduction to Multimedia Technology and we designed our own websites using Microsoft Frontpage. In comparison, I find Weebly to be very simple and basic, as it does not have as many features as Frontpage does. Frontpage allows you to edit anything and everything. Being a creative student, I find Weebly to be frustrating in that I cant edit everything that I want to. I have begun to create my own website entitled Shannon's E-Learning on Weebly and I hope that I will be less frustrated the more I play with it.

In the classroom, personal websites would be an extrememly valuable tool, as it allows students to show their work without fear of anybody being able to edit it. It is also secure, as students can make it password protected. It also allows students to evaluate each others work.

This week we also talked about privacy and copyright. I was not aware that the laws were so strict on these issues! It seems that almost everything is protected by copyright, and as a teacher I must make sure I know the laws so that I can do the right thing. I believe this to be the big downfall to e-learning, as it can sometimes be difficult to navigate around what is legal and what is not. Perhaps this is one reason why some teachers avoid using ICTs in the classroom? Despite this difficulty however, I will not avoid using these great tools, as they are such valuable tools in the classroom! I will make sure I am always legal when using these tools.

Blogs

Blogs are a new idea that more people are experimenting with. They have become a valuable tool in the classroom. Blogs have many functions in education. They give students the ability to evaluate each others work and to give feedback. In this way, it encourages peer support and interaction. Blogs also give students a means to evaluate on their learning. Blogs are an easy way for students to share information. They are also useful for teachers to monitor their students progress. Teachers can then easily identify which students need extra help and which students may need extension activities. Blogs have many uses in the classroom and they should be used to enhance the students learning. Blogs are a modern day teaching technique!

Intro to E-Learning and Concept Maps

This week was our introduction to E-Learning. I've generally always found computers and electronics easy to use and to have their place in the classroom, but I've never really thought about how they could be used in the classroom to enhance learning. This week's tutorial has really made me think about how e-learning can be a very powerful tool in the classroom. It has also made me think about how it can also be a hindrance to the learning and how important it is to have that balance.

During the tutorial, we looked at making a mindmap of what e-learning is all about. Here is my first draft... please feel free to comment and help me add to it!

I love drawing mindmaps; they really help me to organise my thoughts and to understand a concept better. They would be a great tool in the classroom, and a great way for the students to work together!