Course Reflection and Feedback

iLe@rn Model

this is definitely a key strategy for teaching students of the 21st century. I refer to them as

"digikids" - using technology is second nature to many of them.

iLe@rn model allows students to be engaged and involved in their learning. Education is not just about textbooks - Web 2.0 (the Internet) allows content to be current and easily accessible. At Holy Spirit College Lakemba all of our classrooms have data projectors and connections for our laptops. There are also about 6-8 rooms with Promethean boards ( I used this with my year 7 maths class last year). Students in Years 9, 10 and 11 also have MacBooks to use. Some students are simply awesome with the various tools available on  their Macs - iMovie, Garage Band etc....

This allows students to control their learning and be engaged with. (However an issue is there is different types of engagements and style of learning for students) My MacBook travels with me to all my classes - I am a big fan of keynote and using visuals and various technologies to engage my students.

3As- Anything, Anytime and Anywhere.... this is so very true. With a click of button, the use of a mobile phone (iPad) one has access to the WWW...


The 21st century requires us as teachers to keep up with TECH TRENDS... its tough. By using technology it can be and it is a two way learning process. During my first year of teaching in 2007 at De La Salle College, Ashfield I initially learnt how to use the Promenthean Board through my Year 7 Religion class students. The students loved been involved in their learning plus teaching me how to use the board at the same time.


Below is the E-learning framework showing how we can become effective teachers. (a lot of stuff to get one's head around)

BLOOM's TAXONOMY - DIGITALISED for the 21st century student

I really like the Bloom's Taxonomy diagram - which has been digitally revitalised (it incorporates new terms)

Many of the terms included are commonly used by students. I have even changed the word BRAINSTORMING to Class DOWNloading... what we know. The students love it.

This diagram allows the further development of key skills students will need later in life. 

WATCH THIS CLIP - A Vision of K-12 Learners (this was shown at a recent Staff Development day at school)

Module 10

NING - absolutely love this Web 2.0 tool. SImple and easy to use.


I am currently using NING for my Year 12 Geography class.

Ning allows:

•  information (study notes) to be uploaded by both students and teacher
• Images, videos
• Discussion forums and blogs
• Email - students can contact one another as well as the teacher

Students are also able to contribute to NING - I have set it up before anything is uploaded to NING i must approve it.

My students particularly like the VIDEO section - all video or clips i have used throughout the year are here for students to review. Many of my students are visual learners.

This is definitely a fabulous way to engage students in their learning process

Photos from the unit of ECOSYSTEMS AT RISK - CORAL REEFS

Module 9

SCOOTLE - wow... what an awesome interative and collaborative learning tool.

The issue that i have is trying to get access to this site... i had access when i was working at De la Salle College Ashfield. For those trying to access Scootle you need to contact either Adrian Brown or  Cheryl Fahey... who will send passwords etc.

I am waiting for login and password... will update feedback shortly

 SOCIAL NETWORKING


I am not a fan of Facebook - i like keeping my personal life private and to myself. Particularly being a teacher my personal privacy is extremely important.

I agree with the comment made in Module 9 - The use of collaboration tools such as blogs, wikis and nings for learning with students is recommended. Personal social network sites such as Facebook and MySpace are not. 
I love using NING with my classes - especially Year 12 Geography. Students are able to contact you via NING... you can attach videos, photos, blogs, forums, documents and  have discussion etc.. All things that have been shown in previous Modules to date. Students are also able to add to the site - before content is added to the site it is sent to me for approval. A good way for monitoring what is on...

Module 8

I have seen RSS so many times but had no idea what it really meant - . As the Youtube clip stated... "THE NEW FAST WAY" - using a single website that becomes your home to receive all the new information from your favourite websites.

I am a big fan of the Sydney Morning Herald and Qantas website. I like keeping up with the latest news and great prices to fly to Brisbane on weekends. My partner is in the army based in Brisbane

RSS retrieves the latest content from the sites that I am interested in. We live in a time poor society - so RSS and Google Reader are awesome...

GOOGLE READER

Wow... what an interesting way to track all my favourite websites without searching for them individually. Google Reader makes it so easy... I added a few sites to my google reader including Sydney Morning Herald, NSW Board of Studies. It automatically updates itself....

 

Will be searching for geography related sites to added to google reader.

Web 2.0 OVERLOAD... there is so much to learn, discover and use.

Module 7

Delicious... quite easy to navigate and set up.

Great tool to create and share information... the ability to add useful/relevant sites is awesome

Quite simple to set up and navigate - was able to add other users to my page

How to use DELICIOUS - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVNZZ4YKIpE

Module 6

I do like Bubbl.us - a very useful tool for mindmapping topic and key themes.

I created a mind map 'Using Web 2.0 tools to enhance learning'

Bubbl.us - effective way to create and manage notes.

I created one for Year 12 Geography on Ecosystems at Risk.

I tried using GLOGSTER... need more practice. I did a glogster for the Great Barrier Reef

http://kimmie928.glogster.com/GBR/

Module 5

My Year 7 History class are currently learning about Contact and Colonisation - Aboriginals. To introduce the role of the Dreaming and dreaming stories I used the above clip about the Rainbow Serpent.

I use Youtube and teachertube quite frequently to find resources that would be useful in teaching Geography. 

I mainly use vodcasts - these combine images and music to present content. This is definitely something I would love to learn how to do. I have a MacBook - would like to learn how to use iMovie - my Year 8 Geography students are fabulous at this. Below is an example a group of students made on Threatened Habitats. Technology is definitely a two way learning process.

 I have used in Pacific Partnership 2010 video in Year 10 Geography class. The class have being learning about DEFENCE in a regional and global context:

Optional Challenge
 

I found the ABC podcast site fabulous - great podcasts already available to be used.

I have iTunes on my MacBook that i use to listen to music - just learnt how to download free podcasts - I downloaded Media Watch. I have also subscribed to received new ones -   I will search for Geography focused podcasts to use in my Senior classes

An issue i have is TIME... to create all these various things. I am a big fan of Keynote (Mac Presentation)