Assessment Task 2: Analysis of Digital Technologies

eLearning, also termed online learning or web-based learning, is “the delivery of education (all activities relevant to instructing, teaching, and learning) through various electronic media. The electronic medium could be the Internet, intranets, extranets, satellite TV, video/audio tape, and/or CD ROM” (Koohang & Harman, 2005, p. 77).  There are currently initiatives to integrate eLearning opportunities in classrooms. For example, The State of Queensland (2011) has identified Information Communication Technologies (ICTs: hardware, software, peripheral devices and digital systems that enable data and information to be managed, stored, processed and communicated) as a cross curriculum priority in the Essential Learning at every year juncture. Throughout this post, I am focusing my discussion around eLearning within a primary school setting.

While there are initiatives to increase the uptake of eLearning and ICTs, I recognise there may be a number of barriers in the implementation of these. At a department and school level, there are issues related to the availability of digital resources to teachers and their learners, the costs involved in investing in the technologies, and finding the balance between teachers fulfilling traditional teaching expectations (e.g. handwriting) and stepping up and exposing learners to new, digital learning experiences. At the teacher level, there is the issue of finding time to integrate ICTs into teaching, and adapting planning and teaching strategies to incorporate ICTs. Furthermore, teachers’ may require professional development in the area of ICTs, since as Johnson, Levine, Smith & Stone (2010) point out, digital literacy skills have not traditionally been incorporated in teacher education programs. Parental attitudes could also be a potential barrier to eLearning. Parents may have concerns about their children operating in online environments, they may not perceive much value in their children engaging in ICTs as opposed to traditional learning methods, and there may not be resources or parental support for learners to continue their learning in the home environment. Finally, learners themselves could possibly become a barrier to the success of eLearning in the classroom. Learners may not present with the assumed basic digital literacy skills, those with low motivation may not respond well to self paced learning, and learners preferring more face-to-face interaction may not enjoy the reduced social interaction.

While there are no doubt boundaries that will need to be overcome in implementing eLearning and the use of ICTs in the classroom, there are also many potential benefits and opportunities. Education Queensland (2008) contends that the capacity of today’s learners to use and apply ICT tools is key to ensuring our nation’s economic growth and stability in the future.  Furthermore, the use of ICT tools offers a great number of ways to engage learners in higher order thinking, and to participate in collaborative learning. Digital technologies can also be employed to design learning experiences where learners are actively participating rather than simple receiving information, and the learning can be more purposeful and meaningful for them. (Education Queensland, 2008).

Education Queensland (2008) emphasise that an important component in eLearning is digital pedagogy, defined as "the convergence of technical skills, pedagogical practices and understanding of curriculum design appropriate for digital learners" (p. 3). Education Queensland (2008) contend that effective digital pedagogy will engage students in (1) actively constructing their own learning (2) in purposeful and meaningful ways, and (3) enhance opportunities for authentic, contextualised assessment. These characteristics are consistent with a constructivist approach to learning. Koohang, Riley, Smith and Schreurs (2009) cite research which supports the efficacy of constructivism as a learning theory compatible with, and appropriate for, eLearning design. In response to such research support, Koohang (2009) (cited in Koohang, Riley, Smith & Schreurs, 2009) proposed a framework for designing eLearning based on the elements of constructivism. According to this framework, the design of eLearning activities should include opportunities for: collaboration & cooperation; multiple perspectives; real world examples; scaffolding; self-reflection; multiple representations of ideas, and; social negotiation.

Within this post I have adopted a constructivist approach, and I am examining four eLearning tools and digital pedagogy to support their use in my teaching context (i.e. a primary setting) from that perspective. In addition, I make reference to Bloom's Revised Taxonomy (Churches, 2010), and refer the reader to blog postings where I propose how I expect the thinking learners will engage in when using the tools fits within that framework. The four tools I have chosen to analyse are blogs, digital video, Glogster EDU and Jing.

eLearning Tool 1: Blogs
A blog, short for a ‘web log’, is an online space used to post commentary, news, images and other digital resources (Wikipedia, 2011a). I have been keeping my own blog as part of my ICTs for Learning Design course. I also created my own website, and for some time I was finding it difficult to determine why I would want both. Blogs often include a function for readers to comment on entries, and it is this interactivity that distinguishes blogs from other static websites.

Based on my own experience of keeping a blog, along with reading others’ thoughts on the issue, I posted a reflection on blogs as a digital tool. In this post, I conducted a SWOT analysis of using blogs in the classroom.  In the same post, I also proposed two potential eLearning applications for blogs, one where the teacher creates a blog and another where learners create their own blog. Making use of blogs in the classroom can lead to opportunities to move learners from Lower Order on to Higher Order Thinking and I also examine this in my post analysing the use of blogs in the classroom.

Using blogs as a teaching tool can also provide opportunities for learning consistent with the constructivist approach. Maintaining their own and reading others’ blogs offers learners the chance to participate in self reflection, as well as gain multiples perspectives in different issues. Furthermore, as mentioned earlier blogs have a function for readers’ to interact with the author and leave comments. Blogs offer greater opportunities for collaboration and cooperation between learners than other alternatives, such as static websites.

eLearning Tool 2: Digital Video
There are a vast number of digital videos available on the internet, from sites such as YouTube or TeacherTube. There is also easily accessible software for creating digital video yourself, such as iMovie for Macs and Windows Movie Maker (which I used to produce my digital video).

I can see two broad categories for how digital video might be used in a teaching context; digital video sourced or created by the teacher and digital video created by learners. In an earlier post reflecting on the use of digital video, I conducted a PMI analysis of using digital video in teaching. Furthermore, in that same blog post I offer some examples of learning experiences that involve learners sourcing and creating digital video, and illustrate how using digital video in learning experiences can offer learners the opportunity to engage in higher order thinking.

As mentioned earlier, I am analysing the different eLearning tools from a constructivist approach. Digital video offers teachers an opportunity to build experiences into classroom that are consistent with a constructivist approach to learning. For example, learners have the opportunity to watch videos from multiple perspectives, to see real world examples of things they are learning about in action, and they can benefit from multiple representations of ideas (i.e. images plus audio, rather than just relying on one or the other). Furthermore, producing their own videos is likely to engage learners, making them active participants in the learning process.

eLearning Tool 3: Glogster EDU
The third eLearning tool I have chosen to analyse is Glogster EDU, a website that allows users to create free, interactive online posters, or Glogs (or Graphical Blogs) (Wikipedia, 2011b). Using Glogster EDU, the teacher registers for a teacher administered account, and then generates student accounts with safe logins and passwords. The teacher can then monitor all student activities within the account throughout the learning process (Glogster EDU, 2011).

I have created my own Glogs using Glogster EDU. Using a Mem Fox theme, I created a title Glog, Meet Mem Fox, and then linked to four other Glogs, one each for four Mem Fox books. My idea then is for learners, in groups, to create their own Glogs for the other Mem Fox books on the title Glog. For the time being, I have made all of my Glogs publicly accessible so that readers of this blog may access them without requiring login details. Based on my experience of creating my own Glogs, and my thoughts about how these could be used in a primary teaching context, I posted some reflections around Glogster EDU, and completed a PMI analysis for using Glogster in the classroom. In the same blog post, I also propose some potential applications for the use of Glogster in eLearning, and an explanation for the potential I see for Glogster to be used for engaging learners in higher order thinking.

The use of Glogster in a teaching context is consistent with a constructivist approach to learning. Learners can comment on each other’s Glogs, allowing for collaborative learning. The Glogster EDU site scaffolds the creation of the Glogs for learners by providing templates and design ideas. Furthermore, the production of a Glog, especially when learners understand how their Glog is going to be used (e.g. in the above example, posted to school website to form part of a comprehensive presentation on environmental issues), makes for an authentic, meaningful learning experience.

eLearning Tool 4: Jing
The fourth eLearning tool I am analysing is Jing, a program used to create images or short videos (with audio) of what is displayed on your computer monitor. I have investigated Jing, and created my own Jing video.

Based on my experience using Jing, and how I see the program being used in a primary teaching context, I posted to my blog a reflection of how Jing could be used and analysed Jing using de Bono’s six thinking hats to frame my thinking. The most obvious potential application for Jing in teaching is to produce tutorials for learners in how to operate the various ICT tools they are working with. In the same post as my analysis of Jing, I also proposed two other examples of potential applications of Jing in eLearning, and how the use of Jing can provide opportunities for learners’ higher order thinking.

From a constructivist viewpoint, one of the benefits of using Jing videos is that they can provide learners with scaffolding to support their work in ICTs. The teacher can demonstrate for learners, using the program and the actual screenshots learners will see, making the scaffolding much more real, and meaningful. Furthermore, as in the example above, Jing offers yet another opportunity for learners to participate in collaborative learning.


The four tools analysed in this post and within this blog have great potential for application to eLearning. There are some barriers that need to be kept in mind when considering learning experiences that make use of these and other such tools. However, employing eLearning tools also has the potential to lead to great benefits and learning opportunities.

References

Churches, A. (2010). Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy. Retrieved from http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/page/code/Bloom%27s+Digital+Taxonomy

Education Queensland (2008). eLearning for smart classrooms. Smart Classrooms Bytes, August 2008. Retrieved from http://education.qld.gov.au/smartclassrooms/pdf/scbyte-elearning.pdf

Glogster EDU (2001). What is Glogster EDU? Retrieved 12 April 2011 from http://edu.glogster.com/what-is-glogster-edu/

Johnson, L., Levine, A., Smith, R., & Stone, S. (2010). The 2010 Horizon Report. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Retrieved from http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2010-Horizon-Report.pdf

Koohang, A. (2009). A learner-centered model for blended learning design. International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 6(1), 76-91.

Koohang, A. & Harman, K. (2005). Open Source: A metaphor for E-Learning. Informing Science Journal, 8, 75-86. Retrieved from http://inform.nu/Articles/Vol8/v8p075-086Kooh.pdf

Koohang, A., Riley, L., Smith, T. & Schreurs, J. (2009). E-Learning and Constructivism: From theory to application. Interdisciplinary Journal of E-Learning and Learning Objects, 5, 91-109. Retrieved from http://www.learningdomain.com/MEdHOME/WEB-BASED/Learning.Actiivty.pdf

The State of Queensland (Queensland Studies Authority) (2011). Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) Cross-curriculum priority. Retrieved 10 April 2011 from http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/7300.html

Wikipedia (2011a). Blogs. Retrieved 10 April 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog

Wikipedia (2011b). Glogster EDU. Retrieved 10 April 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glogster_EDU

Reflection: Group 4 Technologies - Jing

In investigating Group 4 technologies - an open ended group of tools that could be valuable in a learning context - I have also looked at a program called Jing produced by TechSmith. This is essentially a program to create images or short videos (with audio) of what is displayed on your computer monitor.

It was quite easy to capture the video, including audio using my webcam. I could then save the video to my computer. However, I then started to encounter problems! I had to download a Shockwave Flash Player to view the video on my computer (outside the Jing program). I thought I could then insert the video into my Blog directly from where I saved it, but alas that did not work as Blogger encountered a problem processing the video. Then I decided I must have to upload it to the Jing web hosting application - screencast.com - and three attempts resulted in an error message saying the upload was not successful! The fourth attempt worked, though it took far longer the the "seconds" the promo video for Jing claimed! After spending a disproportionate amount of time trying to get this thing working, I finally did and have embedded it in my Blog.

I really like the potential of this application, and it was really simple to create the video. However I am disappointed (to say the least) with how difficult it was to get started with sharing videos. I got there in the end, though it took a very long time. If it was that unreliable every time I wanted to share a video screen capture with learners I certainly wouldn't make it a regular feature in my teaching! 

The free version of Jing only allows you to save the videos in a .swf format, which requires a shockwave flash player to view and cannot be edited except with Camtasia Studio software (another TechSmith product). The Jing Pro version however, which costs $14.95 per year, allows you to save in a .mp4 format, which would be much more workable. Given the potential of the tool, if I was teaching new ICTs to learners often, I would seriously consider the Jing Pro version. Fairly inexpensive, and the videos shuld be much easier to work with and share in .mp4 format. Given the problems I found with the free version though, I would of course make use of the 30 day free trial before I subscribed!

I have completed an analysis of the use of Jing in teaching,  using de Bono's six thinking hats to frame my reflections.

I have some thoughts about how I might use Jing in eLearning.

Reflections:

My learning: I have seen numerous videos like those created with Jing - videos capturing activity on a computer screen. I always find these really helpful, and I much prefer these to reading pages of instructions with screen dumps. I really liked creating the video, and the end result that is embedded in my blog. However for everything in between (trying to save it to my computer, insert it into my blog, upload it to screencast.com) I was tearing my hair out! In the end, out of all of the help forums I explored trying to solve the issue, I am concluding it was a case that there was a lot of traffic on the screencast.com server. It is useful to know that the process might not always be as straightforward as promoted.

Potential applications in eLearning: I think the most obvious application for videos created with Jing is to provide tuition to learners in different programs and applications they are learning. There are though other potential applications. There are also ways Jing could be employed in teaching by the teacher using the program or learners themselves using the program.  Two examples of potential applications for Glogs in eLearning are: 
Example 1: Learners submit digital items for assessment. The teacher used Jing to provide feedback to students on their assessment piece, making it possible to refer directly to aspects of the assessment and record audio comments. The url link for each student's feedback Jing video is then emailed to them.
Example 2: Learners produce Jing videos for any questions they have about programs, websites or other online applications the class is using. They post their videos to the class wiki. Learners are asked to review the class wiki daily, and where another learner has a problem or question they can help with, they can then produce a Jing video with a response for them.

Potential benefits for my learners: From personal experience, I feel videos such as those created using Jing are very useful in understanding how to navigate and perform functions in new programs and applications. It should prove an excellent tool for scaffolding working with ICTs.

Jing also has the potential to be used in ways to encourage learners to engage in higher order thinking. To illustrate this potential, I refer to one of the examples presented in my blog posting analysing Jing. When learning to use ICTs, learners produce Jing videos for any questions they have about programs and post their videos to the class wiki. All learners then review the class wiki daily, and where another learner has a problem or question they can help with, learners produce a Jing video with a solution for them.

My Own Jing Video

None of the other applications I had been playing with under Group 4 technologies really inspired me, and I also like the idea of finding a different application to review. I was reading a page in the wiki 21st Century Educational Technology and Learning, about various web 2.0 applications that the author had found to be use. He mentions Screen Recording Applications. I have seen little video tutorials which are essentially littel videos of someone's actions on their computer screen, and wondered how difficult they were to produce. So, decision made, I will review one of these for my Group 4 technology.

I chose Jing - a program that allows you to capture video and audio of what is happening on your computer monitor. I recall a number of people posting questions to forums about how to insert a table into their wiki, or blog, or website. So, I thought I'd make a little video about how I do it.

Reflection: Group 4 Technologies - Google Documents, Google Earth & Tagxedo

Google Documents: I have already been using Google Docs through this Blog, as well as in my Glog. For example, in a previous blog posting I referenced an activity sheet I had produced using Queensland Cursive font. I really like the idea of Google Docs - an online repository for documents you want others to be able to access. You can also set the access level for those documents - public on the web, anyone with the link, or private and requiring a sign in to access. It also allows learners to easily collaborate with each other on a document, for the teacher to review learners' work, or to work with others from anywhere around the world through the online space that is Google Docs.

Google Earth: I have previously played around with Google Earth, really just for fun, looking at our own backyard, checking out the neighbours, looking at the brother-in-law's place while he was living in London. A way to use Google Earth in a teaching context dawned on me. I have been posting ideas aroudn a Mem Fox theme, and one of her books - Sail Away - is about animals that sail around the coast of Australia. I decided we could work together to plot their path on Google Earth, giving the learners some perspective of Australia and where the animals sailed. 

Tagxedo: This is a word cloud generator, and while there are a number of work cloud generators avaialble (such as ImageChef, Wordle, Tagul) many internet reviews recommend Tagxedo as it is the most flexible and has some added features. Tagxedo's creator, Hardy Leung, has even published a presentation outlining 101 Way to Use Tagxedo. I created a few of my own Tagxedos, one for Behaviourism and one for Constructivism learning theory, using the text from the Learning and Teaching website pages.

Reflection: Group 3 Technologies - Glogster

The third tool I investigated in the Group 3 technologies was the one that was completely new to me - Glogster EDU. I have vivid memories from when I was a primary school student, of visiting the newsagent to choose my cardboard, drawing feint lines to scribe the information in my best handwriting, glueing pictures on the cardboard, and carting these precious rolled up posters to and from school. Well, Glogster it seems is an amazing alternative to all of that! Students can operate in the current digital world, easily design their own online poster, make links to information and resources across the world wide web, and easily share their poster with their teacher and classmates in a secure environment. Another advantage that appeals to me is that, as a teacher, I can easily monitor student's progress on their posters. I started my own Glog, which inevitably has become a series of Glogs. I found the tool easy to use and a lot of fun. Though for someone who enjoys creating, it certainly can use up a lot of your time!

I have completed a PMI for using Glogster in the classroom

I have some thoughts about how Glogster could be used in eLearning.

Reflections:

My learning: I really love discovering new, interesting online applications, and I was really impressed with Glogster. I found it really easy to get started, and I think students would as well. To begin with, the limitation of having only one set size poster to work within frustrated me, but it dawned on me that was the idea - this was a poster, an online version of the good ol' cardboard version. In the end, I think this helps. It forces one to work within these limitations, select the most important and relevant information, and design the elements so that they are interesting for the viewer. I think this will also make Glogster more accessible for learners, especially the younger ones. The fact that they only have a set area to fill with their information gives them some boundaries, while still allowing them to be creative about how they fill that space.

Potential applications in eLearning: Glogster is an online poster presentation application. Of course, it could be used for learners to create posters in an online space. However, I can see other potential applications beyond that obvious one. I can see applications for Glogster in the classroom for learners to create their own glogs, as well as for me to present learning and information using Glogs. Some examples of potential applications for Glogs in eLearning are: 

Example 1: Learners each choose a different current environmental issue to research. They create a Glog to educate others about the global and local impact, and the actions that people can take to help. The learners' Glog is to include information/video/audio sourced from elsewhere. In addition, learners are to create their own video/audio further detailing to local impact of the issue and what we each can do. All learners' Glogs are then collated on the class website as a comprehensive presentation to the school community of contemporary environmental issues.

Example 2: Student homework is set on Glogs. The teacher creates one Glog per week, and each homework 'poster' would contain a video clip on a topical issue, comprehension questions based on the video clip, a link to set Maths Online activities, and a  or worksheets held in Google documents. Learners are graded on their homework (using the stars rating system in Glogster), and a star rating of three or less instructs learners to revisit the homework and resubmit.

Potential benefits for my learners: Employing a poster presentation is often a welcome change for learners from the typical paper and ink written task. Using Glogster and creating online posters may make it even more interesting and exciting for learners. Additionally, making use of online spaces allows teacher the opportunity to connect learners with sources of information outside the classroom, the school, and the community.

Furthermore, learning experiences using Glogster have the potential to engage learners in higher order thinking. To demonstrate this potential I refer to one of the examples I provided in my previous post on Glogster.  Learners each choose a different current environmental issue to research. They create a Glog to educate others about the global and local impact, and the actions that people can take to help. The learners' Glog is to include information/video/audio sourced from elsewhere. In addition, learners are to create their own video/audio further detailing the local impact of the issue and what we each can do. All learners' Glogs are then collated on the school website as a comprehensive presentation to the school community of contemporary environmental issues.

Reflection: Group 3 Technologies - Powerpoint and Prezi

I have enjoyed investigating the Group 3 technologies - tools that can be used to present learning or information.

I have used Microsoft Powerpoint quite a bit in the past, though that has for the most part been for traditional, linear training or information presentations. I was especially interested in the Mouse Mischief application for Microsoft Powerpoint. The potential for this application is exciting, however the hardware requirements (eg. 25 2.4ghz wireless mice) might mean it is difficult to find the resources to implement it in the classroom. If we can get over that hurdle though, it's an exciting tool!

I also looked at Prezi, though this wasn't the first time I've visited the site. After having seen other presentations created using Prezi, I had previously investigated the tool, signed up for an account, and tried to create a presentation. Being used to Powerpoint, and inclined towards sequential learning, I found Prezi a little difficult to get used to. I appreciate the visual appeal of Prezi, and the fact that it has the potential to appeal to global learners. The security options are also appealing, since you can make the presentations fully public, or only available to invited persons. You can even invite others to edit the presentations, of course making that all important collaborative learning even more accessible.