Link to paper: Addressing the digital divide in rural Australia.
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Image available here.
Constructionism is one of those topics that seems confusing at first, but once you do some background research, the concept is clearer.
Elise was honest about her confusion in her post about constructionism, stating that she originally thought constructionism and constructivism were one in the same.
Elise quoted this from the article she had referred to:
“In a learning environment guided by constructionism, it is important to set lesson/unit goals and expectations at the outset, so that learners understand what they are trying to achieve and the level of that achievement. Explaining multiple strategies allows the learners various ways of solving the problems that they encounter. Obtaining feedback through presentation and discussion allows the learners to revise their projects/artifacts. Lastly, an involvement with application in the real world allows the learning process to take place in a more meaningful context.”
This helped to clear up any existing confusion I had on the topic. Constructionism involves the foundations of Piaget’s theory, but instead of information being transmitted from teacher to learner, students create their own ideas.
“The word with the v expresses the theory that knowledge is built by the learner, not supplied by the teacher. The word with the n expresses the further idea that happens especially felicitously when the learner is engaged in the construction of something external or at least sharable” (Papert, 1991, p.3).
Constructionism supports the constructivist viewpoint–that the learner is an active builder of knowledge.
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[ S ]
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Image available here.
After reading Games-Based Learning, I was reminded of the posting that I reacted on earlier in the semester by Alex called pushing the right buttons: why computer games are critical to the future of education. Games do have an educational value attached to them. Just as you have stated “game uses have been shown to exhibit collaboration skills and identity formation, team-based problem solving skills, systematic thinking, and… computer literacy”. I feel that this is indeed true for the majority of games.
I think games are important for students as they can develop a wide range of skills from playing them. Very interesting topic to read about!
[B]
Image reference
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Crowne, S. Fear of technology just doesn’t compute. Retrieved June 3rd 2009, from http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/mortarboard/2008/apr/04/fearofclassroomtechnologyj
I agree with you entirely throughout your blog. Computers will definitely not “replace” teachers – rather they will be used to support teaching. It is indeed the way that teachers use the technolou that will prove to be of benefit.
I love the idea provided in the article that the Shireland Collegiate Academy has introduced. I feel that it is a fantastic way to incorporate technology to support teaching. It is great that parents can also log in to see what is happening and what the future plans are. It shows a community spirit within the school and a strong relationship between the home and the school – which I feel is extremely important.
I also believe that technology enhances learnin and support teaching in the classroom. Technology will not replace teaching – rather it will be there to support teaching.
Good blog!
[B]
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Lotherington, H. & Chow, S. (2006). Rewriting “Goldilocks” in the urban, multicultural elementary school. Retrieved May 3rd 2009, from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.uts.edu.au/ehost/pdf?vid=3&hid=104&sid=a3f66f6d-9abe-42e8-a1a1-176938b03db0%40sessionmgr104
This article is fantastic! I really enjoyed reading about grade two students rewriting the extremely well-known story of Goldilocks and the three bears.
The goal of the school in the article was to update the traditional children’s story using new technologies.
“We wanted the children to learn what a story is and to retell a story from their perspectives grounded in contemporary reality, so that the story would become more inclusive of their worlds” (p. 242).
62% of the children that attended the school in the article did not speak English at home. Many of the students were not exposed to children’s books early in life and so the aim of this article was for the students to become familiar with stories and how they are written.
The digital narratives that they want the students to write are “theoretically grounded in an evolving theory of multiliteracies” which is a word they chose “because it describes two important arguments we might have with the emerging cultural, institutional, and global order. The first argument engages with the multiplicity of communications channels and media; the second with the increasing salience of cultural and liguistic diversity” (p. 244).
Another of the aims for the students was to make the stories more consistent with contemporary multicultural society – as they see it today.
I feel that this sort of lesson is amazing for students to partake in. It helps students to become familiar with the layout of a story, as well developing skills with technology.
The students used many programs to develop their own individual stories of Goldilocks and the three bears. The students used imovie to create their digital narratives. They also changed some of the stories into other languages.
Chow found that “using technology in the classroom enhances learning, improves efficiency and flexibility, and increases student motivation” (p. 246). It is for these reasons that I would like to be able to use technology in my classroom.
Overall, this article was really good as it shows how to incorporate technology into the Key Learning Areas. In this case, the KLA used was English. I thought it was fantastic that the students had to create stories based on contmporary society, making the stories meaningful to themselves.
[B]
Image reference:
Image made available under Creative Commons 2.0 Attribution.
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Harel, I. (2003). Building software beats using it. Retrieved May 27th 2009, from http://www.mamamedia.com/areas/grownups/new/21_learning/building_software.html
Images from references:
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Link to article: Han, S. & Bhattacharya, K. (2007). Constructionism, Learning by Design and Project-based Learning. In M. Orey (Ed) Emerging Perspectives on Learning, Teaching, and Technology. Retrieved May 31st 2009, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Constructionism%2C_Learning_by_Design%2C_and_Project_Based_Learning
Colleen’s post on Constructionism and E-Learning was a great read. I agree that constructionism is such an important theory for students.
I totally agree with Colleen about being interested in this theory. I think it is fantastic that the student is viewed as a designer/maker, not just someone who works straight from a text book.
I think it is fantastic when the “activity is actively constructed in the mind of the learner” (Hans & Bhattacharya) in which the students themselves come up with the ideas to incorporate into the activity.
I love the quote “learners don’t get ideas; they create ideas”. I feel that it really opens up passages for students to come up with their own original ideas. I believe that it ties in well with Colleen’s classes work on claymation. I would really love to do claymation with my own class when I become a teacher. I think it seems really fun and also extremely constructive. I really like that it linked with all of the Key learning Areas. I believe that it is essential for technology to be incorporated into each of the KLA’s so that students are exposed to a variety of ways of participating in lessons.
I, like Colleen, fully intend on maximising the use of this theory in my future years as a teacher.
[B]
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I found this video on teachertube. I thought it was fantastic (and very informal) as it demonstrated what technology means to the children in the class. Each student gives their own response to the meaning of technology. They mostly all states that it was “fun”, “awesome” and “extraordinary”. Some students went past the novelty of it and onto the learning aspects of it.
At the very start of this video, one student states “how does technology help us to become smart?” It was a good question – most students felt that they leanr much more by having technology in the classroom.
In the classroom in the video, the students each have their own cricket; and there is a smartboard in the classroom. The crickets are connected to the smartboard. One student stated that they like using the crickets because they “tell us if we’re right” with their answers.
The students feel that technology helps them to work hard, to pay attenion, to learn better and quicker from it rather than from a chalk board.
I really enjoyed wathing this video because I think it is important to see what students think of using technology, and not just the literature on it and teacher’s opionions. Very worthwhile watching and it makes me even more excited to incorporate technology into the classroom!
[B]
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Image reference: Smartboard
Video: What technology means to us
Added by: Rrc4521 (30th July 2008). What technology means to us. Retrieved May 27th 2009, from http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=44091&title=What_Technology_Means_to_Us
In week 2 of uni, we made a video of what our views on learning are. In this weeks class (week 9), we had to make a comic strip on our views of e-learning. I feel that in some ways, they correspond with each other. I feel that group work is essential both in general learning and in e-learning. So I thought I would put both up here so that we can see the differences and similarities between then and now.
This is my reasoning for e-learning being the same as playing soccer: I believe that e-learning is like playing soccer for a number of reasons. You cannot just “know”how to use technology; you also cannot just “know” how to play soccer. You need to practise using it or playing it. The skills come with time. I also believe that soccer is team sport. You cannot win on your own – you need to play as a team. Technology is much the same – it is great if you are able to learn to use it in groups. Using technology in groups is wonderful because, like playing soccer, it can help to increase social skills and also your confidence.
[B]
This comic was made in “comic life”.
Image References:
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Soccer image: Soccer
Kids on computer: Image
Smartboard image: Smartboard
I created this comic using the comiclife program, to represent my views of e-Learning.
I believe e-Learning is an avenue of teaching and learning that when implemented correctly, can support and enhance discovery and knowledge in and out of the classroom.
My comic shows an alien-looking image of myself asking have you ever been to the land of e-Learning? The images positioned at the top of the comic show a gloomy scene where exploring must be done either alone or in groups, in order to eventually end up in a place of discovery and knowledge.
Text states:
“Have you ever been to the land of e-Learning?
At first it seems scary and like you’ll never find your way.
But as you explore you’ll discover a place that supports and facilitates individual and group learning.
And soon your head will be full of ideas and you won’t be so scared to find your way or try new things!”
Although I did not feel entirely this way at the outset of this subject as I was already quite proficient with the technologies used, I can remember back to when I was participating in ICT based experiences when I was younger and this is exactly how I felt.
Too scared to click on something in case I lost the whole document; “Where did I save that darn file?”, if only I had a way of presenting my projects in a better way (I had no idea such technological advances were just around the corner!).
Maybe I felt this way because I was lacking in knowledge about technology compared to others?
I hope my comic resonates the thoughts and fears of many people, and indicates that while you may originally feel like this, you won’t always.
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