ELearning Design - Assess 3

My E-Learning Design is at http://el-design-assess3.wikispaces.com/

Some thoughts on an E-Learning Design.
Google Maps would be great to have children map / look at places and connect with other parts of the world.
Digital Books in Excel seem like a fantastic tool for children. They could write their own story to promote a point of view, or make a story which has them think of the point of view of the characters.
There is so much which can be utilized using technology today. This course is packed full of tools for teachers.

Reflective Synopsis

What is E-Learning.
E-Learning is the use of technology to enable people to learn anytime and anywhere. E-Learning can support, enhance , transform and extend learning. It is about collaboration and the new age. It is a new way of learning and allows for a great deal of creativity and imagination. It is a great way to help us organise our lives, our learning, our thoughts and others ideas. E-Learning is fast becoming a necessary commodity in our lives as teachers. As in society where we need to be able to log onto many sites now including banks, medicare, centrelink, many government agencies and many businesses, just to be able to deal effectively with them, so we must move into the 21st century and support learning with computers in school. However the use of computers in schools must be valid.

The Dimensions of Learning framework (Marzano & Pickering, 1997) are a comprehensive framework which allow for teachers to check that the use of E-Technology in their lessons is relevant and useful in the context. When considering using Dimension 3 - does the learning extend and refine knowledge and Dimension 4 - is the knowledge used meaningfully it is important to apply these to learning with technology to check for valid learning. Also using the Productive Pedagogies framework (Qld Department of Education, 2002) allows for an in-depth and comprehensive review of learning experiences to check if they meet the criteria for learning that the essential learnings requires.

When considering which tools at this stage would be useful for me in a learning context I must say that digital video would be one of the most important tools to use in teaching. Refer blog reference "Digital Video". By asking the students to create a video they are being asked to work at the highest level of blooms taxonomy.
Powerpoints are another important tool to be used in the classroom. Especially since powerpoint has proven to be more powerful as discussed in blog "Powerpoint".
Wiki is a great tool for collaborative learning. See "Wiki" in blog. A number of pages have now been set up in http://gemagreen.wikispaces.com/ to allow for collaborative learning. This task shall begin in another course and as a collaborative learning tool this is being put into practice and used immediately for learning. To see such learning unfold in a real world context will benefit all in the learning context and allow new wiki users to enjoy the benefits such as; being able to create an assignment from anywhere and yet still be interacting with other members of the group. Wiki's allow for the retrieval of information and the updating of information by all members in real time.
Concept Mapping can be used for early analysis of information to help organise thoughts and then because the concept map is an e-map it is easily changed as new thoughts or information is gathered. Concept mapping tools are important in the design process and they can also be used collaboratively. Concept mapping can help create inspirational ideas and can also be used to early and late analysis of a problem. They also allow one to view a problem or experiment, or challenge from different perspectives.
It is important to be able to use photographic programs to resize images. When opening a website or blog or other site it can be a slow process for the user if there are a lot of visual images or movies which are taking a long time to download just to view the first page. This is a useful tool and can make a site more engaging for the end user. Students would need to use this regularly if they were using images (which would be encouraged. It is important for students to engage the audience and using visuals with colour or animations can sometimes have a greater impact see Comment on Gary.
Websites are a useful tool to be used in the classroom. One of the features of the website is that they cannot be changed by anyone unless they have authority. This allows students to publish their assignments or art works or other works and their works cannot be altered or changed. Students could engage others by creating an information website for a sister school or class on the other side of the world. A website could be used to promote the conservation of a particular animal or it could also be used to advertise products as a fund raiser or to enthuse and encourage particular sporting prowess or other high achievers at a school. A website was created see http://grannyshouse.weebly.com/. Although this website is in the beginning of very early infancy stages it has been created and is intended to be used as a real world tool.
AS we progress into the future there will be less barriers to e-learning. More people will understand the e-language and more people will have grown up and interacted with computers and e-technology from earlier on in life. At this stage some barriers to e-learning are lack of resources, the slow and sometimes bad connections, the cost of technology, the lack of training available to older users, and the closed mind set of those who have not been immersed in the e-culture. E-Learning allows for a very rich experience for students and opens up the world of learning anywhere in the world. It supports the levels of Blooms Taxonomy of thinking and moves students up into the higher levels of thinking by being able to have them analyse, create, judge, select, choose, decide, justify, debate, verify, argue, recommend, assess, discuss, rate, prioritise or determine outcomes easily and collaboratively if necessary.
Swanson and Law (1993) actively purport using the whole-part-whole strategy when teaching. They state that this is a natural way of learning and should be used when teaching any new idea. Prezi.com allows for a lot of information to be embedded within larger information and allows a microscope like view to be taken or for the audience to view the whole picture.
Voki's allow a student to talk without having to use their own voice. Voki's are useful for engaging students who are not able to read, who are audio learners or if they need to have their attention caught. We all like a good speaker. Voki's can be used to explain concepts to the students but would be used secondary to real learning tools like concept mapping which requires the students to construct their own map, therefore using higher order thinking.
In conclusion using technology as a teaching tool is a must for students lifelong skills and to be competitive in an increasingly global environment. However although we engage in the cyber world it is important to remember that in many cases images, expressions, written materials, and video or voice material may be used for dubious means and we must protect our students from themselves and others when using ICT's.

Digital Video

What a marvellous tool for learning. A video could be used as a record of say plants growing in science. Or as a record of any changes over time. It can also be used for presentations, for connecting with people on the other side of the world. It could be used to record events, people, things or places for posterity. Video is another dimension. It could be used in HPE for the teacher to video students and then review their performance in sport and improve their actions or technique through watching themselves. Digital video can also be manipulated to change the way things look to meet the criteria of a particular audience. For example; a video may be changed by speeding the video up to show change over time of turtles hatching out of the sand. It may not be practical to watch this process for hours on end but by having a video and then speeding it up the process can be condensed in to minutes rather than hours.

Podcasting

Podcasting is being able to view/listen to broadcasts and also to make ones own broadcasts either with audio or video (more recently).
Strengths: What a great way to engage children. Preppies who are not able to write could make their own podcasts. The visually impaired could make a podcast instead of being required to write.
Weaknesses: Need to know the computer technology and need to be subscribed to yet another site.
Opportunities: Students could have a go at publishing their own radio show. They could also use a podcast to connect with the rest of the world.

Re-sizing Images

Yes! I have managed to use this tool. Mobaphoto which was obtained from Wendy has worked very well and I was amazed at how simple this resizing tool was.
Strengths: Easy to use.
When photos are reduced they load easier and faster when opening up a page.
Weaknesses: Need a full version/copy of the program for this to work.
Once the photo has been reduced in size then the quality of the original photo is lost forever.
If needing to keep an image with higher resolution - a copy of the original photo must be kept.
Opportunities: Can be used on any type of site where one wants a photo or other image posted.

Learning Management Systems

Learning Management Systems are an excellent resource for learning. Since we have now had experience with using Blackboard and Moodle as students we have seen only one side of the system. I would like to see some of the other sides of the system to gain a fuller understanding of the systems we have encountered. By other sides; I am aware that lecturers have a part of the system they access for uploading courses, for adding grades etc. I am sure there must be another side which would be administration and or management of the people and system. From my simple use of this technology and first hand experience I have found the Learning Management Systems hard to follow, and they have also been frustrating in that they log off before the activity is completed. I have experienced better email systems. The email system seems to be antiquated and it is also a source of frustration for an illiterate computer user to have to find pages to enter. I feel that one page should follow onto another page and that we should not have to open up new screens and type in new user identification and passwords to keep entering course materials.

RSS Feeder (Really, Simple Syndication)

An RSS Feeder is a tool which is used to hold links and web addresses in one place. It can also notify you when you have a message, or someone has made a new entry. This is a tool to help manage other tools. When using computers and signing up for many sites and accounts it would be useful to have an oganiser. This is something like having a personal secretary. However regarding the simple part of the word, with computers nothing seems to be simple. There is a whole new language to be learnt through this e-learning course. In the future this foreign computer language will become almost extinct as a foreign language because in the future almost everyone will know about, and be using computers all of the time.

Powerpoint

Powerpoint is such a powerful tool. It has many more uses than I had realised.
Microsoft PowerPoint can be used to create interactive presentations containing text, art, animation, and audio and video. Quote by Linda Starr (2000) Education World elements.http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech013.shtml. How amazing that adding sound in powerpoint is also an option. This tool could be used in the classroom in a number of ways. It could be used by students on their projects. It could be used by the teacher as a quiz exercise. I was very impressed with Power Point after being shown the buttons which advance slides or go back to a previous slide if a wrong answer is chosen. It is amazing that all of these choices and buttons are available and very few people use them. I am overjoyed to have this new knowledge and can only hope to have more time to explore the possibilities for the future teaching/learning in a classroom.

Comments

Gary
Peter

Consolidate and Refine Knowledge

I experienced an information overload when beginning this course. By not being able to go straight in and engage in all of the elements in this course (due to information overload)I have learnt that when using ICT's it is very important to be able to consolidate and refine what each person has learnt.

Organise Knowledge

My students would be given the opportunity to use a number of ICT tools for the organisation of their knowledge.
For example;
Mind Maps - allow the students to organise the information in their head into visible areas with lines leading to other areas. Mind Maps can be used to
Some examples of Mind Mapping programs are; Bubbl us and Text2Mindmap.

Design Frameworks

Well I have just spent a large chunk of time designing the most fabulous Mind Map which consisited of the Three Frameworks - Dimensions Of Learning, The Big Six and Productive Pedagogies. Alas I believe that the Mind Map may have been too large and upon saving the Map has disappeared into the world of cyberspace. It is my thought to use a number of different frameworks when designing learning. The three I have considered could cross over and complement each other.

The Dimensions Of Learning is about the learning process and thinking. It is not as simple as the Big Six however it does cover a whole range of aspects of learning including the classroom climate and not only the learning but the attitudes and influencing factors which either affect or promote learning.

The Big Six are simple, they get right to the point and are known to be favoured for teaching information technology. This is a limited framework and could not be used alone for most applications. If we did not have another framework to use in tandem then the students attitudes and perceptions and a whole range of other considerations would not be addressed.

The Productive Pedagogies are an extensive framework for planning and design. They cover a wide range of definitive points to consider when planning for higher order thinking and lifelong learning.

The Website

http://grannyshouse.weebly.com/

I have published the website I had created weeks back, however all I have actually put on it is a photo I actually took myself. This is a great start. I am ecstatic that I have actually started my own website. This needs a lot more exploration and learning. For a tool in my classes this would definitely be a must. The students could use this on the world wide web, knowing that nothing can be changed. This would mean their work would remain their own. This is an excellent example of using their learning for a lifelong skill. As they become adults they may need to know how to either make or manage a website for their own business or due to working for other people. Even if this was not the case, knowing how the site works also helps their computer literacy skills.

The Wiki

http://gemagreen.wikispaces.com/

Yes this is my Wiki. Very boring at this stage. I had created it some time back and then was not able to edit. OOOhhh!! The trials and tribulations of the computer world. I have found it is wise to be patient. This tool is fantastic. I wanted to use a wiki so that I could interact with other members of my group for an assignment. Alas none of them are taking this e-learning course as yet. (Looking at this work load, some may say a wise choice). How pleased I have taken this course now even although the workload is tremendous. I am learning so much about computers.
This is definitely a must for my students to engage in learning. They are able to interact with each other and the most wonderful back stop is that if someone changes or deletes the space in error, the information already created can be restored. Thankyou, Thankyou , Thankyou for this unbelievable operation.

The Big Six Skills

The Big Six Skills seem essential to using ICT's in the classroom. They are a simple framework, a set of questions to which students can make clear, complex ideas or problems. They also take into account the evaluation or reflection stage which is so important for learning. As a teacher I could take the Big Six questions and help students apply these as a lifelong skill. I want my students to have some lifelong skills which have been embedded in their psyche and which they can use daily for their problems and higher order thinking needs. These are simple and easy for them to remember. I shall make up a simple poem or acronym for them to remember these processes. For example TIL Use ( could be the start of something easy for them to remember). T - task definition, I - information seeking, L - locate information, U - use information, S - synthesise information, and E - evaluate information. They could be told that Til Use means that every time they have to buy something throughout life, they could use this framework to make their decisions and thus save themselves money for the Till.

Dimensions of Learning / Learning Engagement Theory

After reviewing DOL and the Learning Engagement Theory it seems to me that DOL encompasses the Learning Engagement Theory. In Dimension 1 - Attitudes and Perceptions - the engagement of students is of utmost importance. It seemt that DOL reaches into the required regions of most instructional design. It is a broad framework which can be used when planning the design of lessons which include or are totally ICT based. I am looking forward to further reading on other frameworks. I must congratulate the person who has designed this course. I am starting to understand that although there is a great deal to learn, this course is bringing everything together for me. Not only am I learning some great new programs and ways of working with ICT's, I am enjoying reading about teaching pedagogy, frameworks, learning theories and ICT tools which are all displayed in a logical manner and sectioned throughout this course.

TPack Framework

The TPack framework is a very important framework. This is an essential framework to be used when considering using ICT for planning and teaching in the classroom. I believe this framework is essential as a base only because it is important that a teacher know of the technologies which may be used, that a teacher knows the pedagogy, (of how to teach) and that the teacher has knowledge of the content - even if this is a basic knowledge, it is important that the teacher has done his/her own research into the topic they are teaching.
Frameworks play an important role by guiding the kinds of questions that we can ask, the nature of evidence that is to be collected, the methodologies that are appropriate for collecting this evidence, the strategies available for analyzing the data, and finally, interpretations that we make from this analysis. We are sensitive to the fact that in a complex, multifaceted, and illstructured domain such as integration of technology in education, no single
framework tells the ‘‘complete story’’; no single framework can provide all
the answers (Mishra & Koehler, 2006).
However it is with this quote from Mishra and Koehler (2006) that I use to say that the TPack framework is just the beginning and that there other frameworks which have us look at the what, why and how of planning in depth. Yes we must be aware of the technology, pedagogy and content in what we are teaching however teaching our students should go way beyond this surface requirement.

Mind Map - Assess 2

My mind map when thinking about completing Assessment 2. As I think about each e-tool I would normally update the map and continue to update this mind map to help my crystallise my thinking. Why would I use a mapping tool with students? This type of tool helps students in the design process whilst they are thinking of new ideas or ways to approach a problem. Without the use of ICT they would be drawing the branches directly onto paper and would not have the ability to update or change their original ideas. By using an ICT mapping tool, they are able to easily change the information and they are also able to use such a tool to collaboratively add to the thought processes taking place.

The Constructivist Approach to Learning

We should be designing lessons for our students which support the construction of knowledge and which encourage any creativity in a student as well as help them develop their problem solving skills. Students should also be taught to be resilient. The following should be considered when planning instruction for our students;
Is Based on Internal Negotiation a process of articulating mental models, using those models to explain, predict, and infer, and reflecting on their utility (Piaget's accommodation, Norman and Rumelhart's tuning and restructuring.)

Is Based on Social Negotiation a process of sharing a reality with others using the same or similar processes to those used in internal negotiation

Is Facilitated by Exploration of Real World Environments and Intervention of New Environments processes that are regulated by each individual's intentions, needs, and/or expectations

Results in Mental Models and provides Meaningful, Authentic Contexts for Learning and Using the Constructed Knowledge should be supported by case-based problems which have been derived from and situated in the real world with all of its uncertainty and complexity and based on authentic realife practice

Requires an Understanding of its Own Thinking Process and Problem Solving Methods
problems in one context are different from problems in other contexts

Modeled for Learners by Skilled Performers but Not Necessarily Expert Performers

Requires Collaboration Among Learners and With the Teacher
the teacher is more of a coach or mentor than a purveyor of knowledge

Provides an Intellectual Toolkit to Facilitate an Internal Negotiation Necessary for Building Mental Models

(Jonasson, [On-line])

So when looking at our elearning tools one should check if the tool can help the teacher meet the above requirements for designing their instruction.

Blogging

Blogging - What a new concept for me. One which has been hard for me to embrace due to my nature of wanting to have an interactive conversation. Since I have two ears - I want to listen to your comments and have a discussion now. Waiting for comments and then not knowing how to access the comments was not the most engaging way to start a blog. Because of this assignment and this course I am admitting you have made me do this blogging business. I have not wanted to look at other blogs. Why have I felt this. Well I am used to doing my own learning and thinking of ideas myself. I have found that if I listen and look at others ideas first then I seem to take on their ideas and do not come up with my own creative and sometimes fantastic ideas for myself. Yes sometimes my ideas are way off what the teacher may want however in many cases no-one else might have considered some ideas and it is my own creativity I want to embrace. Not the creativity of someone else. For this creativity to work I have to know what I am doing first and be in the creative zone for learning and thinking of new ways. I have found the following quote. This seems to sum up how I felt about the assigned blogging. On the other hand I enjoy the fact that it is something that we have to do to pass this course as it has made me embrace this type of communication.
"By its very nature, assigned blogging in schools cannot be blogging. It’s contrived. No matter how much we want to spout off about the wonders of audience and readership, students who are asked to blog are blogging for an audience of one, the teacher." When the semester ends, "students drop blogging like wet cement." Richardson wants to teach students to write with passion, but he notes: "I can’t let them do it passionately due to the inherent censorship that a high school served Weblog carries with it."34 (Educational Blogging, Downes, 2004).

blogging as a genre of writing may have "great value in terms of developing all sorts of critical thinking skills, writing skills and information literacy among other things. We teach exposition and research and some other types of analytical writing already, I know. Blogging, however, offers students a chance to a) reflect on what they are writing and thinking as they write and think it, b) carry on writing about a topic over a sustained period of time, maybe a lifetime, and c) engage readers and audience in a sustained conversation that then leads to further writing and thinking."36(Educational Blogging, Downes, 2004).

So blogging makes us think about what we have read and what we are writing. Yes this is a great tool to have us engage in the content and knowledge required. How would I use this tool in a school? Blogging would be great for students to interact with each other on assignments. Even better it would be great for them to interact with a sister school around the world or to interact with experts in a field of study. As in all of our e-learning course - "the mind bloggles at the scope for these tools".
Signing off now - (See I still wonder if any of this blogging is at all interesting to any of you).

21st Century Learner

"The ability to collectively create and share knowledge, often beyond the boundaries of one’s immediate groups and communities, the skills and behaviours needed to effectively network and engage with global professional communities, the ability to stay aware of the constantly emerging new knowledge in one’s field of practice – these are already essential competences for a modern professional (Margayran, 2008).

Marc Prensky 2001

What a fabulous article and point of view of the digital age and our children growing up in the digital age. Yes! I truly believe that one must change with the times. There is an old saying I always remember. "To stay young - change with the times". Oh! I am going to write this next sentence to give anyone who reads this a small example of why I have found this e-learning a huge task.

It is 4.47am. I now have another little baby crying and cannot finish this little bit as I am a breast feeding mother and must feed my babies - yes to keep them alive. I have been up since 2am the last time and actually got to bed reasonably early last night at approx 10.30pm. In most of my subjects I am able to take books with me to bed to read, write assignments or write out parts and then put them into the computer. This learning is not possible through the e-learning course. It is a must to have the computer and this is quite right because this is the point. I do not have the technology to be able to carry the computer and log onto the internet anywhere in the house and must therefore sit in the office. Yes the technology is available however for a student this is another cost that may not be burdened. So as I am a quite private person I have hesitated from mentioning this at all. However since we are required to do these blogs and put ourselves out there this is the reason I have typed this. My point is that I have just done all of this reading and whilst it is in my head and I am so totally engaged and actually love this course, after looking after my babies I will have to repeat the process all over again and start again to do this one blog. No - I wouldn't change any of it. If I did this course next year or the year after I would still have the same sort of interrupted life.

Good morning. from Gem

Birmingham Grid for Learning - Multiple Intelligences (Primary)

Birmingham Grid for Learning - Multiple Intelligences (Primary): "Results for 3120091zc."

So according to the Multiple Intelligences site the blog has posted successfully and all of you reading this should be able to see in what areas I have greater intelligence. Well thankfully there is not an area specifically for computers. Although I love technology and what it can do, I have not had as much learning in contemporary digital technology. I can't seem to be able to see the results from my blog site. Oh well!
The results displayed; Logical as highest intelligence then followed by
Interpersonal
Intrapersonal
Musical
Visual/Spatial
Naturalistic
Kinaesthetic
Linguistic

Actually I do not agree with this graph. Kinaesthetic should have been nearer the top and I seem to be able to express myself at a reasonable level, so Linguistic might need to be higher on the scale as well.

How could I use this information to inform my learning design. It would be beneficial to see where the children in my class came and in what proportion they were represented in each section of the pie chart. I would collect the results from all of my class, then have the results put into excel and then graph the results of the group. This would then inform my learning design so that I would ensure that my lessons were planned accordingly. I could aim to addtess the following using the results;
1. Plan a number of activities to cater for the different learners. e.g. With picture smart learners, I would need to give them pictures to learn from. Word smart learners would be given written text.
2. When preparing group work I could advise children that the roles they took in the group should be related to their strengths for assessment to give them the maximum opportunity to achieve. e.g. Interpersonal Inteligence would be more likely to be the moderators and the children with higher logical intelligences could be the time keepers.

Multiple Intelligences

http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks1/ict/multiple_int/results/results_action.cfm

Week 1 - Exercises

Week 1 -

Learning Styles
According to the test my learning is fairly even across all styles. The strongest style is in the physical which according to the memletic style of learning means that I cannot sit still and find it hard to sit in a lecture theatre and listen. This is not correct and yet I definitely do feel things are right or wrong as this style suggests. A very interesting site to visit and it would be an excellent idea to have students do the test and find out how they learn. They could then be encouraged to think about their learning which may help them to learn and retain information in a more efficient way. The idea of accelerated learning is also a good idea for students to gain information quickly. Being in a Memletic state means that you are in the best state for learning. I have found that I have not been in this state for E-Learning for the first part of this course. This is because a lot of the terms and other sites were new to me and I realised that I had to think about the different concepts and ideas for a while before I could synthesise even a bit of the information and this new way of learning.

It has been a challenge to put the learning map into this blog at the start. I have finally managed to insert this graph and what a relief.

It seems I am able to learn across the range of options; Visual, Aural, Verbal, Physical, Logical, Social and Solitary. This is correct. I was once in a group where we were all asked to describe ourselves. We were able to draw on any experiences and we were able to describe ourselves in any way. I decided at this point that the best description was fluid. This means I am capable of changing my learning and that I am open to change. Now that I have completed the memletic test the result seems to corroborate this view.

Supporting The Learning Of Students
In the classroom to support the following areas I would;
Visual - write on the board (or have pictures or some form of visual view) the instructions of information which was
Aural - Speak clearly (but not too soft or too loud) leaving appropriate pauses so as to allow the information to sink in. I know that it is important to always face the audience so as to have the voice projected throughout the room and to project the voice to all individuals around the room. I need also to be aware of background noise or other noises which would intrude upon hearing. Regularly ask students to think up a jingle or saying to help everyone remember the rule or thing that we are learning.
Verbal - there would be a time when the students would have a chance to verbalise their learning either to myself (individually or as a whole class), with each other (in pairs or small groupes) or as self talk. Students are also given time to write in their journal books.
Physical - Students would be moved from their seats into other areas of the classroom at different times of the day. e.g. Onto the carpet, around the teachers desk, into the reading corner etc. This would allow the students who need physical activity to change positions regularly.
Logical - Advise the students why we are learning a subject. Allow the students to think the path through their learning and allow them to explore reasons behind actions or content.
Social - Always set time in class for small group work or some forms of collaborative work.
Solitary - Support students with time working individually. Individual learning is required so that students can explain to themselves the links with prior knowledge, think about their thinking and allow their mind to embed the learning within.

To support these learning styles using ICT's, the students need the technology to be used comprehensively. For example; when using computers for a lesson I could make sure the lesson incorporated the following;
Sound coming from the computer, that the computer had visual images, support these learning styles, allow the students some chatter whilst using ICT's, make sure students are not required to sit in front of a computer for extended periods.
Solitary - this is one for the males. Yes they need their solitude and this is important for some students to have this time to learn.

Gems Word Art

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alt="Wordle: Gems Words"
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My Voki

Get a Voki now!

Week 1 - Overview

Oh! What a lot I have to learn. Incorporating blogs and any other interactive computing ways of learning will be a great way to engage students in the classroom. Wendy's story about the teacher who created a person who took a journey which was followed by the children was an exceptional way to engage the students and help them learn. I think if it is possible to think creatively about engaging the students and then extending their learning in this way then I shall be a tiny bit further along the continuum of becoming a teacher.
Other things learnt from Lesson 1
1. Delicious Bookmarking site.
2. Wikispace - sharing with class
3. Text2mindmap - creating mind maps.
4. Bubbl.us - creating flow charts, brainstorming on line.
5. E-learning place - resources for teachers
6. Google Maps - taking a walk down bourbong street
7. Fish shop maths resource - multiplication game. - Question - are there other ways to set up multiplication game.
Wendy showed us how to do this in e.g. powerpoint with pictures of e.g. fish or whatever and putting them in rows.
8. Bloom's Taxonomy - site with much information. A fabulous sheet on Christmas activities in this and explanations for which level the activity sits in /bloom's levels of thinking.
9. Learning Circle created - by folowing blogs of others. We learn from each other and help jog the memory of ourselves and others with this information exchange.
10. I need a little discussion please on making thinking visible. Would like others thoughts. Making thinking visible to me is actually creating something for which the students have to think how to design or implement or find out informaiton to complete the activity. The visibility is the end result of what they had to learn to be able to complete the creation.

Introduction to Blogs

Social networking on the computer is a great way to keep in touch. I have found people who I have not seen for a very long time. The E-Learning course is a great way to learn more about computers and the current trends. I have not blogged before and although I thought I knew some things about computers and think they are a great tool this course has encouraged me to engage more sites.