Digital Media across the curriculum

In today's session we looked at the use of digital media devices in schools.

The growing popularity of digital media and devices made available on the web, has lead to the negative views on the uses of these in the classroom being changed to a more positive view. 

Some still warn of potential dangers like inattention and cheating, but many now see it as an inevitable culture shift that can enrich education.

The availibility of software that integrate these media elements and the opportunities offered by the media are very hard to ignore.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2010/10/24/20101024cellphones-school-classroom.html

In today's session we looked at different types of media devices that can be used in schools and discussed how these can be used.

A first was the use of digital cameras

Digital cameras are a useful resource as teachers can use digital images in a range of work situations.

One use is...

...digital story telling

There are numerous ways that Digital Storytelling can be used in education. Some educators may decide to create their own stories and show them to their students as a way to present new material. An engaging, multimedia-rich Digital Story can serve as an anticipatory set or hook to capture the attention of students and increase their interest in exploring new ideas. A number of researchers support the use of anticipatory sets at the beginning of a lesson to help engage students in the learning process (Burmark, 2004; Ormrod, 2004) and as a bridge between existing knowledge and new material (Ausubel, 1978).

Burmark, L. (2004, May/June). Visual presentations that prompt, flash & transform. Media and Methods,
40(6).

Ormrod, J. E. (2004). Human learning (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Educational, Inc.

Ausubel, D. P. (1978). In defense of advance organizers: A reply to the critics. Review of Educational Research, 48, 251-257.

Digital Storytelling can also be a potent tool for students who are taught to create their own stories. After viewing example digital stories created by their teachers or other story developers, students may be given assignments in which they are first asked to research a topic and then choose a particular point of view and a dramatic question. This type of activity can generate interest, attention and motivation for the "digital generation" students in today’s classrooms. The process can capitalize on the creative talents of students as they begin to research and tell stories of their own as they learn to use the library and the Internet to research rich, deep content while analyzing and synthesizing a wide range of content.

In addition, students who participate in the creation of digital stories may develop enhanced communications skills by learning to organize their ideas, ask questions, express opinions, and construct narratives. It also can help students as they learn to create stories for an audience, and present their ideas and knowledge in an individual and meaningful way.

Furthermore, when digital stories are published on the Web, students have the opportunity to share their work with their peers and gain valuable experience in critiquing their own and other students’ work, which can promote gains in emotional intelligence and social learning.

http://digitalliteracyintheclassroom.pbworks.com/f/Educ-Uses-DS.pdf

The following web link is to page which shows 1001 uses for a digital camera, some really good ideas there.

http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~ucfcasio/qvuses.htm
Digital video filming and editing is also now common in schools as it is cheaper and easier to use.

In the session today, I took pictures of Makeda at each stage of walking to the bustop to produce directions on how to get to the bustop. We didn't have enough time afterwards but the aim was to then edit the these photos and make it into a video with text and sound effects to make it entertaining.

Possible Uses of digital filming and editing
- create learning resource video clips (for use by students or the professional development of staff)
- prepare educational segments on safety issues (e.g. on roads, in playground, at home)
- assist in a variety of ways with the learning of other languages
- preparation of mini documentaries, interviews or news reports
- record students role playing difficult social situations
- record school performances, excursions, special events, field trips, visits by specialists, etc.
- collect video of authentic workplace situations that can be analyzed in maths or statistics classes
- use frame by frame analysis techniques to accurately record rapid change in experiments or sport
- compile still images over a long period to produce time lapse movies
- use frame grabbing software to record and analyze critical events
- increase student awareness of manipulative techniques used in advertising
- develop greater critical literacy skills by comparing television or movie segments with own creations
- view difficult, dangerous or expensive experiments or activities (recorded with specialists)
- assist in the introduction of disabled students into mainstream classes
- show skills that are quicker to learn by observation (e.g. sewing a French seam)
- record and analyse student or teacher presentations

http://www.zardec.net.au/keith/digvideo.htm

The use of webcams in schools can also make learning

a much better experience. 

 

They can be used for children to to observe aspects of school life as a stimulus for discussion.  For

example, webcams could be set up to observe the following scenes:  

Wormery - observe worms creating their habitat 

Snail tank – observe snail behaviour at close quarters 

Bird table/bird feeder – observe the birds that visit

what they choose to eat and how they eat.

 

                                             A further type of digital media is the use of podcasts.

       Podcasting is a wonderful way of allowing children to share their work and experiences with a potentially huge audience over the Internet. Schools are increasingly using the internet to promote what they do, and to celebrate the achievements of their children, and podcasting is an excellent way of doing this.

      What is a podcast?

      A podcast is like a radio show. However, instead of being broadcast

      live, a podcast is recorded and then distributed over the internet, so that

you can listen to it whenever you please. There are thousands of podcasts available, ranging from general

interest entertainment shows to those which focus on specific topics (e.g. computers / music / education).

In today's session, myself and Makeda recorded interviews with each other about our experiences so far on
the course. We were then able to listen to it and download it as an mp3.

How do children benefit from making a podcast? 

It gives them a potential audience of thousands for their work

It's great for developing literacy skills (writing scripts, setting up interviews, etc), allows children to

develop and practise their speaking and listening skills, and they also learn some amazing ICT skills.

Podcasts can be interactive, and the audience can be invited to send comments, giving valuable feedback

to the children about their work.

Making a podcast is also great for developing teamwork skills. The children always work together really

well, as they are always keen to make a great show.

http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/ict/podcasting.htm

The following link shows a bbc report of how a radio programme carried out by children in a school in 

Norfolk, brought more creativity in the classroom.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/norfolk/content/articles/2007/02/02/voices_makingradio_20070202_feature.shtml

Thats all from me............for now!

Workshop 4: Control and Monitoring Technology

Today's session was quite different in that we started to use different ICT-related equipment and discussed how and when we would use these with children in school.

We discussed 'computer control' and spoke about the different equipment and devices which use computer control, e.g burglar alarms, washing machines, microwaves and many more.

We also discussed the advantages to using computers to control things.

In the session we looked at different programmable toys and robots.

A first was a 'Beebot'.

Bee-Bots are programmable floor robots aimed at the Eary Years and Key Stage 1 students.

Bright buttons for the students to use to input instructions. Remembers up to 40 instructions / steps entered by student

Moves accurately in 15cm steps and to turn in 90° increment. Sounds and flashing eyes let students know that their instructions have been entered.

There are many different games and activities that could be carried out with a bee bot. The first learning points are learning about the commands: forwards, backwards, left, right, clear and go. Once children have mastered how to use these commands then different levels of activities can be given to help them improve their abilities in these areas.

This is one of the activities that I carried out today in the lesson. It involved rolling dice and then programming the Bee bot to move to where the dice landed.

Listed are a few examples of actvities that can be carried out with a Bee bot.

• Literacy - Moving to different pictures in a big story book from beginning to end. Using commands in a sequence to get it to the end of the story in the correct order.
• Maths - Putting the Bee bot on a mat consisting of different shapes. Rolling a dice and entering the correct number of commands and see who could be the first to collect each of the 2D shapes (for example)
• Geography - Making a map of the school, taking the Bee bot on a tour and then writing/talking about where it had been.

http://www.terrapinlogo.com/files/TreasureMat.pdf - useful link for games using Bee bots

Below is a video of Beebots being used in a numeracy lesson.

Useful websites showing how some schools have used Bee bots in their school:

http://www.slideshare.net/stmbtech/beebots-at-st-michaels-school

http://www.schooljotter.com/showpage.php?id=118278

Here is also a website which allows you to have a go online :)

http://www.mape.org.uk/startower/unit/index.htm

Another similar programmable toy is a 'Pippin'. 

 The Pippin is just like the Bee bot except it can carry out more complex commands, (e.g. you can command it to go 20 degree to the left, whilst Bee bot would just do a straight left). These are more common with older children such as Key stage 2.

You can also place pen in the middle so that you can command it to draw perhaps shapes and things. 

The Pippins are also less attractive than the Beebot and so some schools have activities where they design covers for them, depending on the activity being carried out.
A few examples are shown below:

There are so many activities that can be used with the Pippin, the website below shows a few ideas:


http://www.swallow.co.uk/pippin/contents.htm

 
Next is Computer Monitoring.

Computer monitoring involves the use of sensors to record information about environmental changes over a period of time. The results can be examined in a table or as a graph and is known as data logging.

This equipment would normally be used in primary science lesson. Children can record information such as temperature changes, sound changes, change in light or darkness, etc.

In the lesson I went outside with my partner and we recorded temperature, light and sound changes and then connected it to the computer to see the changes recorded. I think this is brilliant!! Such an enjoyable task for children and yet they would learning a whole lot as well.


Below is a link to a step by step guide and worksheet that a teacher could use with a lesson using data loggers.

http://www.sycd.co.uk/primary/pdf/ict/3.3_teach.pdf  


The final activity that we carried out in today's lesson was using a 'Digital Microscope'.


This is such a brilliant tool to use in science with children, where they can look at things like microbes in bits of food, certain materials and much more. These can also be used in DT where they can look at patterns an structures of things.


Below is a video link showing how pupils have used digital microscopes in a lesson:




It is so evident that using resources like these really bring a sense of reality into the lessons and make it so much more realistic and enjoyable.

Until the next time! Thats all folks!

Workshop 3: Virtual learning

In today's lesson we learnt about virtual learning platforms! (VLE)

Going through the lesson today was really good to be able to see how much virtual learning can actually make life so much easier for both pupils and teachers, really useful for parents as well.

So what is a VLE and why is it so amazing?

Here is a very brief break down of it all:

A Learning Platform (LP) is “a generic term to describe a system of information and communication technologies that is used to deliver and support leaning” (DfES)

  

During my Psychology degree, I did a one-year placement at Great Ormond Street Hospital school as a teacher's assistant. In the school, children ranged from being admitted into hospital from as little as one day to about one year. 

There was a particular girl who was admitted into hospital for about 4 months and the homework that her teacher set her was online. The teacher was able to set her classwork and homework for her to complete during her time at the hospital school which was based on the work that her class would have been carrying out as well. The teacher would simply send the work on their school's system and the pupil would log into to her acocunt on the system to receive the work.

This was absolutely brilliant! It meant that she wasn't behind in any of her work and as soon as she was discharged from hospital she would be able to go back into class without being majorly behind. The teachers and TAs at the hospital school helped her with her works during lessons.

This just goes to show that virtual learning is such a valuable tool to have, children can learn from anywhere with internet access!

 

Possible Implications

• Not really an implication but there is a false perception that many have of virtual learning where children would sit at a computer all day and thus be cut off from reality and first hand experiences. This is not necessarily true. Virtual learning platforms enable comunication, interaction and the sharing of resources and information via a computer which can positively enhance learning experiences and make them more convenient for children, parents and teachers.

• Training is required for teachers in order for them to be able to teach and use it with the children. In addition for parents to become involved, they would also need to learn how to use it. This may take some time to be able to get the hang of it. 

•  As with any online system there is always the risk of it crashing, not working properly, work being lost etc

The following primary schools (along with many others) have Virtual Learning Platforms set up in their schools:

http://www.staveley.cumbria.sch.uk/

The Virtual Learning Platform in the school is brilliant! They have virtual sugestion box on the page, they have a whole section just for parents and so much more!

http://www.school-portal.co.uk/Grouphomepage.asp?GroupId=268833This school won 'Best whole school' for the south East of England in the 2010 ICT Excellence Awards.
They also have so much available with regards to their Virtual Learning Platform. Definitely worth checking out!

...And just to finish off...a few further ideas of uses with Virtual Learning Platform.

• A child’s future reception teacher could send an email or scanned letter of welcome to the child, and upload a photograph of herself.

• Create your own games, using 2DIY software. In some schools, Year 1 children are using this software to create the games themselves, and playing them at home, online.

• Let children use a digital camera at school and at home to freely take a set of photos of whatever interests them and consider adding these to their Learning Journal.

• Link up with an early years setting in another country through the Comenius eTwinning scheme and at festival times make a video of your celebrations to exchange with your twin. 

After this lesson and some extra research, I can definitely see how useful Virtual Learning Platforms are and have taken note of several ideas that I would definitely like to use with my class in the future when I teach.

References:

http://earlyyearslearning.wordpress.com/2010/06/29/vles-in-eyfs-and-ks1/

http://www.school-portal.co.uk/Grouphomepage.asp?GroupId=268833

http://www.staveley.cumbria.sch.uk/

Over and out! :)