The future of the internet.

In the last lecture of the year (WOW that went by quickly) we had a guest speaker. He showed us some of the projects he had worked on in the past, mainly old Playstation adverts which were really fun. He then asked us to think of what we though technology would be like in the future. Which had a few good responses, but what he highlighted was that our ideas were based on ideas that already exist. He explained how the future will most likely involve technology that is currently inconceivable. It would be a bit like A Roman thinking up the idea of a mobile phone where you can get information at the touch of a button.

We then went on to discuss the idea of wearable tech such as Google glasses, Fitbit and Apple watches. Personally I have only really used the Fitbit and cannot see much use for the others. However, The potential these devices create is fascinating, what uses do they have? what will be invented next? can they be used in the classroom?

My last question leads me to one answer. Yes – to cheat in an exam. But do thy have more use than that? Well yes the watch can be used as a dictaphone to record useful information and data that is then sent and written down onto a google app. This means that teachers observations of children’s learning and understanding can be recorded and taken note of without the teacher having to write or type anything. Understandably there will be issues with the recording of information such as incorrect spelling however, editing these later on is less time consuming than having to write up observations later on when you may remember less.

This once again leads me to the question. what other everyday technology can be used in a classroom environment? and what technology will emerge to help children and pupils develop learning and understanding?  Currently there are thousands of apps and technologies that help children to learn already. One of these that was mentioned in this lecture was If This Then That (ITTT). This is an app that allows you to automate your environment around you.  This can be used in a classroom environment as it uses simple coding that could allow children to create ‘recipes’ that help them take control of their Phones, Ipads and other devices in a whole new way. An example of a recipe would be – if my location is “home” then un-mute my phone- So as soon as I arrive home my phone would automatically un-mute my device meaning that I don’t need to worry about forgetting to do it and potentially miss a call or text. If children were using this then they could have the opposite. If device is at ‘school’ set phone to mute.

I found the Idea of ITTT really interesting and like the idea of the different uses it could have in and out of school life.

Web 2.0 Storybird

Please find my presentation here.

I found the presentation extremely fun and interesting to conduct and research. Whilst researching web 2.0 I managed to learn allot about the web and also managed to find lots of new online resources.

The resource I chose, Storybirds, is an interesting website that allows children to create their own stories and poems using many different art styles as a cue for the learning. The site gives teachers control over the children’s content and allows them to check comments and stories before being published.

I feel that when conducting the presentation I was able to explain the resource well and give a people a clear opportunity to explore the site. if I were to do it again I would have ensure that I have researched all aspects of the resource to help me pre-empt questions more effectively, despite this I feel that the majority of questions and issues were resolved effectively.

Video conference.

This lecture was done via a group video call, or video conference, with the lecturer and my peers. The lecture was focused on the Horizon report.

I feel that this was a fun and interesting way to conduct a lecture. It was nice to be able to learn in the comfort of my own home with a cup of tea. (Until my housemates came home and became very distracting, meaning I had to move where I was sat). It was also nice knowing that I didn’t have to travel into the university that day, which for those who live much further away must have been even more rewarding. The video conference also meant that I could attend even if I had fallen ill.

Despite the positive experience I am still a little pensive about video conferences as not all of the participants will have a suitable connection all of the time which can cause delay the the meeting. Also some may not have the required knowledge of technology to join or set up a conference.

When conduction my presentation on the Horizon report I feel that I was stumbling over my words, I feel this could be due to nervousness discussing to my peers through a computer. However, I feel that it was good practice and will help boost my confidence for future video conferences.

Google Classroom, school briefing

Throughout the academic year my partner, Catherine, and I have been creating an online learning platform for a year 6 class at Drew Primary school. Our learning platform is based on Michelle Paver’s book ‘Wolf Brother’. The story is about a young boy, Torak, whose father is killed by a bear in front of him. Torak must then travel to the north to find the spirit. Through his journey, he meets many other main characters such as Ren, Hord and Oslak.

Our google classroom includes a range of activities to be done at home and in school. This meant that the children would be able to become fully involved with the topic being studied. In light of this we provided information on how to use Google classroom for parents/guardians.

When we presented our work to the year 6 teachers at Drew primary they were impressed with what we had created. However, they were very concerned about the upcoming SATS so were unsure on how or if they could use it practically. We understood this so asked them for feedback if they were to use it. They gave us some useful tips to improve, the first being that they felt they wouldn’t understand how to use the site effectively so would like some information to help such as how to videos. Another issue they highlighted was that students would be able to see each others work. We re-assured the teachers that we were looking into an effective method of publishing work without sharing it with the whole class. We also informed them that there were no private chat facilities and that the email aspect of the site was disabled and that children should be encouraged to comment on discussion topics. The final piece of advice they  gave us was potentially providing the children with site rules that would be visible as soon as they opened the classroom.

 

 

BETT 2016

This year we were instructed to go to BETT which is the world’s leading education technology event.

Prior to the lectures I had never hear about BETT so was unsure as to what to expect when I got there. It is safe to say that I was amazed by the size of the show. When Catherine and I walked in we instantly found an exhibit that we wanted to go and explore. But in the fear of losing each other we decided to stick together and visit as many exhibits as possible. We even got a free Krispy Kreme from one stand.

There were many different stalls that interested me here are some of my favourites:

Education city:

This online learning platform provides children with engaging games, songs and activities that allow the children to learn at their own pace. Education city is used in over 15,000 primary and secondary schools. The site covers subjects such as English, Maths, Science, Computing, French, Spanish and Learn English. The site also allows children in KS1 to help learn phonics. The site gives teachers the tools to monitor pupils progress and set fun and engaging tasks based on the topic the children are studying.

Technology will save us:

This company sells DIY kits and digital kits that can be used in classrooms or at home. Their aim is to inspire children to learn how to code and build through play. What I found most interesting was how they use the BBC Microbit (more info here https://www.microbit.co.uk/about). I had never heard of the Microbit before. However once the bloke at the stall informed me of the microbit and their mission I was amazed at the expectations of the children the microbit was being given to. I don’t think I could have used a microbit to create a working kit. However, children are become even more tech savvy.

 

I hope that this is successful and inspires children to learn more about code.

Mincraft education edition,

I really liked this exhibit because it spoke to my inner child. Playing Minecraft in lessons. What could be better? This exhibit’s aims were to encourage teachers to use Minecraft for educational purposes. Their reasoning behind this is that children know and love Minecraft, therefore let them learn in an environment they love. Mincraft education edition can help children to learn maths, engineering, history and many more subjects. This edition of Minecraft has added features for teachers that allow them to control which blocks the children can build on and which ones can/can’t be destroyed, Children also have a camera option to take pictures of their creations. These pictures are stored in their portfolios and provide the teacher with evidence of the child’s learning.

I really enjoyed my tie at BETT and would love to go back again. I feel that  I would need to go on more than one day to fully absorb all that is to offer as there was so much.

I even took a selfie…

Salmon (2002) Chapter 2: The 5 Stage Framework and e-Activities.

The article can be found here.

Salmon discusses how children need to be supported through a structured developmental process when learning online. She describes her 5 stage model that can be used to scaffold children’s learning to make it fun and effective. 

Stage 1: Access and motivation

Salmon discusses how children need to be given regular access to the online world and shown and supported by the e-moderator (teacher) on how to locate, pick key information and use the information that is presented to them on the screen.

She further discusses how children need to be shown the ‘joys’ of using technology. She mentions that the teacher must focus on building activities that enable children to become involved and develop skills for themselves.

Stage 2: Online socialisation

Salmon discusses how the teacher needs to help children develop a trust in others online so as to establish socialisation that doesn’t rely on physically meeting. (Teacher must ensure they teach about the dangers as well to ensure the children are safe when socialising online).

Stage 3: Information exchange

Children should be made aware of how to find information and how to share information with their peers. Teachers can help the students to locate and retrieve this information.

Stage 4: Knowledge construction

Salmon discusses how activities given to pupils at this stage will help them to develop their knowledge and skills further. She discusses how it is the teachers responsibility to ensure that the activities set are not too structured but have enough structure to ensure the children are on track.

Stage 5: Development

At this stage Salmon discusses how children will be able to take responsibility fir their own learning. They can do this by creatively using what they have learnt in the previous stages.

 

Effective and less efective school sites.

The Falcons school for Boys is an example of n effective site because:

It provides clear information.

Uses a suitable colour scheme.

Has clear links to the different website sections.

Has up to date news information.

Twitter posts from the school with information.

 

Lydney C of E is an example of a less effective website because:

It uses too many picture making it look cluttered.

It is difficult to locate the desired area you want.

There is too much information.

Despite this it does provide some useful information about calendar dates and school news as well as providing the pupils  and parent information on attendance and house points.

I also really like that the language of the page can be changed.

 

 

Jimmy Wales: The Birth of Wikipedia

Click here for the TED talk.

The main aim of the Wikimedia Foundation, is to get a free encyclopaedia to every single person on the planet. Wikipedia has over 6000 articles in English alone.

One interesting aspect of Wikipedia that Wales talked about was their neutrality policy.

Their  neutral point of view policy: “Any time there’s a controversial issue, Wikipedia itself should not take a stand on the issue. We should merely report on what reputable parties have said about it.”

This is interesting as with 600-1000 regular posters in a community it must be extremely difficult to ensure that all posts are neutral, which an encyclopaedia should be.

I was surprised to learn that”Every change goes onto the recent changes page which is checked by volunteers who will follow certain topics. They will revert any changes they see if  they are incorrect or bias. This allows changes by anonymous users. Despite this only 18% of changes are from anonymous users. This information was extremely useful as for many years I have believed that Wikipedia posts are unreliable as they come from unreliable sources. However, this talk has completely changed my view on this. (I would still avoid wikipedia when writing academic papers, but for general information I would still use it.)

E-safety

Child Exploitation & Online Protection Centre (CEOP) works with police, teachers, social workers and charities to identify the main threats to children online and stop these threats from happening.

CEOP provide children with help and support by allowing children to easily and confidently report anything they may find worrying or potentially harmful. CEOP’s https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/  gives children of all ages information and advice on how to stay safe on sites and technology children regularly use.

Click E-safety to view my e-safety presentation.

NAACE digital badges & kidSMART

 

NAACE digital badges

During this lecture we explored digital badges. Prior to this I had very little understanding as to what a digital badge is or how they could be implemented into the classroom.

Within this lecture we looked at makewav.es which is an online platform that allows teachers to safely upload videos, podcasts and blogs. This allows the teacher to set up safe blogging for the class or school. These blogs can be safely shared with family, friends and other schools across the globe. “I like being able to write down my thoughts and ideas then publish these on the site for others to see. It makes you feel really good when someone leaves a comment on your page.” — Student from Corby Reads Project

Children are able to log into their accounts and are able to access the badges they are working on and view the badges they have already collected. These can also been seen by the class teacher or parents can use their own account to monitor their child’s progress.

“An Open Badge is an image with digital data woven into it about who earned it, what they had to do and the evidence of them having done the task e.g. a link to a blog or a video – All this can be displayed on your social media profile page so visitors can easily see what skills you have and what you have achieved.” (Makewav.es, https://www.makewav.es/badgesabout)

These badges are fantastic tools to help motivate and encourage children to complete tasks set by the class teacher or challenge themselves to complete tasks to earn badges from the public library. This is a brilliant way to encourage children to create more. For teachers, badges are not only superb motivation tools but are also useful in helping track a child’s progress. This is because teachers can create their own badges that fit the aims and objectives for the class and students.

Would I use Badges in my class?

In short, yes. I feel that the badges are fantastic tools that help motivate children to create content for their blogs that they may otherwise find arduous if were being written in books. By having such motivation to create content, I feel that badges in my class would help the children to create high quality work that demonstrates their full capabilities. I feel that Makewav.es and their badges would also be useful when setting homework tasks as it will allow me to set children work online that shows them the other capabilities of the internet. Other than gaming, youtube and searching. Therefore encouraging them to become future content creators.

KidSMART

kidSMART provides teachers of KS1 and KS2 children with useful resources that promote e-safety. The site also provides children with information on how to be safe online whilst doing their favourite thing, whether that is playing games, chatting to friends or using social media.

The resources available for teachers cover many different scenarios and issues that can arise when using the internet. These resources provide children with the knowledge of how to spot the issues and what to do if they ever encounter such problems. Some of the resources also get the children to think about how they think someone would feel if they were dealing with one of the issues such as cyber bullying.

The information given to children on how to be a smart surfer uses videos and text in colourful text boxes to surmises the key thing to remember when using phones, social media, games, etc. These concise information pages provide a children with the information they need to make informed safe choices online.

The site provides children and teachers with lots of interesting and useful information and resources to help children be safe online. The information is presented using lots of bright exciting colours which makes it exciting and engaging for the children. If i were to be teaching about e-safety  I would definitely use resources from this site and encourage the children to use the site to learn more about the information.