blog

"Students and Authentic Learning"

Wed, 25 May 2011 14:34:55 +0100

I found the following article, which mentions Jan Herrington our lecturer, tonight whilst reserching for the exam; http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI3017.pdf . The article is really easy to read and interesting, outlining the 10 points of authentic learning and how the writer applied authentic learning to her studies. I am beginning to think that we should have been given these exam questions at the start of the unit to research and this might have generated a more positive feel to the unit than the negative comments which are circulating at the moment.

iPhone apps I found useful

Tue, 24 May 2011 10:02:54 +0100

I am only now really starting to feel excited by this unit. Researching for the exam questions today has been so good. I have downloaded the MyHomework app ( http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/myhomework/id303490844?mt=8 ) for my uni units and to get used to using for the future. I also found the Storykit App through a webpage suggested by a student on LMS ( http://educationaltech-med.blogspot.com/2011/05/storykit-free-mobile-multimedia.html ) I am going to use this as an example for Q 6 in the exam if it comes up. So much info and so little time!

From that to this......

Thu, 19 May 2011 15:50:02 +0100

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQAZoVvNZIhowEyi54YkBwAnKLrlg_FW3VnIDFzABC0ULupbfQY6A

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRml0BshYwS31nWMsKgX8u1__u3nT185f42LKJsFkBnjdDimGUcJA

"A Vital Title"

Thu, 19 May 2011 15:33:13 +0100

I found the above captivating title in http://www.quickblogtips.com/files/2011/04/Ben-Barden-101-tips-for-improving-your-blog.pdf. I realise I probably haven't posted enough captivating entries in my reflective journal (blog!!) but, you know what, I have tried. I have heard so many people moan about this unit, but I have learnt so much. I know that although I have read my text book from cover to cover and used it to suggest ideas for the group assignment, I haven't posted direct references to pages. The point I am probably trying to convey is that I have learnt from this, but not in time though! Back to my original thought though, I have attempted, failed often and succeeded in so many different things during this unit. Earlier in the unit I attached a "frustrated with computer" cartoon to a blog post, but I must say that these moments are becoming less. I am much less afraid to have a go at something now. When I first read the Unit guide I was horrified at the description of our assignments (see http://lms.murdoch.edu.au/webct/urw/lc1617847588001.tp1617847610001/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct?appforward=urw/lc1617847588001.tp1617847610001/startFrameSet.dowebct%3Fforward=studentCourseView.dowebct%26lcid=1617847588001 ), but now I am brave, even courageous, I think. I might even miss sitting at this computer so much in the next few weeks, although I'm sure that in researching the exam questions I will find myself here for many hours yet!

School today.....

Wed, 18 May 2011 08:29:49 +0100

This authentic way of learning and allowing the students more freedom to create their own ending (if this makes sense!!) has caused a bit of a debate at school today. I brought it up at morning tea in the staff room to find that a few of the teachers, admittedly older and longer serving, just laughed at the idea. It certainly caused a stir and was good to hear points of view of current teaching staff. The overall train of thought was that it can be difficult to implement all, or even most, of the time due to the ability range of students. There was concern expressed that some students wouldn't "get it", needing more direction or guidance on the end product, which then moves away from it being authentic. It was good to talk and learn how some teachers believe they're teaching authentically, but you should have heard them when I mentioned that one day we will be using mobile phones in classrooms! The day will come, I'm sure. Next week sees my son being given a personal notebook at his school under the government initiative, who'd have thought years ago that that would have happened? This unit has certainly opened my eyes to how I might be teaching some day. I have read so much that my brain is on overload some days. I even got carried away researching for Assignment 2b - researcher. I chose to research "why we need computers in the classroom" and the amount of info out there is huge.

The debate continues! oh, and Endnote too!

Wed, 11 May 2011 23:31:52 +0100

Maybe I shouldn't have asked on LMS whether anyone else was feeling rather deflated about feedback and results considering the amount they have learnt or the time put in as now I have had a few replies! Anyway, I am moving on and now I am so pleased I was made to use Endnote. I installed it last year when I started at Uni as a mid year intake, and I went to a 1 hour info class on it but I could never get to grips with it. Possibly I was lazy and felt subconsciously that it was above me, but now I shall always use it. I found it very easy to use although I had a glitch when inserting the website as I hadn't put in the retrieved date. I had to go back and update the database. At first I put the date I had found the info into the "cited date" field but this didn't seem to work. I then found the "retrieved date" field and whether I did something different I don't know, but it worked. Must remember that next time. I do a lot of reading and research on the go, often at work, so I presume I shall have to use my Diigo account to save items I find as I know I can access this anywhere, then put the references into my Endnote database when I use my desktop. I can't believe I am actually thinking this way these days. Amazing!!

"Online" Presentation Space

Tue, 10 May 2011 23:44:11 +0100

This unit grade will most probably not reflect the amount of time I spend thinking about it! I have posted this comment this morning on LMS in reply to a request by Suzanne for feedback on her site. Thankfully she has also kept to a similar structure as the examples for 2b posted on the resource pages for the unit as this is what I intend to do. I keep thinking I have understood the requirements but just don't get there! Our group met yesterday with Dani and it was useful. I understand his comment on how we started with an authentic task but we have structured the end products, not allowing the students to decide for themselves on the end product. I liked his example of them producing work for a competition on the Olympics and suggesting how they would spend prize money to attend London...if only we had come up with that!!! Maybe it never occurred to me as this was not the way I was taught long ago!!! Anyway, must move on from there. The other issue we had was that he didn't think we had a suggested presentation space, which we think we did. The issue was that Dani believes it should be an online presentation space which we have not read anywhere or been told. At the time of our meeting I couldn't think how we could do this but thinking about it this morning I am already doing this with my own class where I work, and have already blogged on previously. In this instance each student has their own tab on the navigation bar which enables them to have the website open on different computers at the same time and I am able to mark and/or edit their work. Why didn't I think of this for our group website??!! Must tell Shimano and Jasmine about this suggestion....oh, and hope that Dani reads this!

Authentic learning

Tue, 10 May 2011 01:51:58 +0100

Definition

Authentic learning experiences are those which best enable learners to be engaged with their learning. Because the teacher attempts to make the learning situation meaningful to the life of the student and connected to real life events, students are better able to construct knowledge and to make meaning from school-based learning.
http://projects.sd3.k12.nf.ca/multiage/authentic.htm

I really like this definition and I have spent a lot of time examining this concept again after feedback from part 2a of our group assignment. However, it appears I am struggling to get it right. This bothers me as I am the type of learner who likes to know how I can apply what I have learnt to the real world. I understand there are some concepts of course which you just have to learn though. In the group assignment we thought we had it right with the topic of the Olympics but we have apparantly moved away from being authentic. I will contact Dani to find out exactly how we can improve this and update later with the resulting advice.

Thank goodness for the blog!

Tue, 03 May 2011 13:45:58 +0100

Last night was a long night editing the presentation and the website. I will not use Google docs again. The final presentation today was good but it didn't feel polished. As a group we used Google docs because it was a way to edit the presentation from anywhere on any computer. From researching all the unit resources, Google docs is regularly referrred to, so we thought it would be a good way to present our assignment and none of us had used it before so we thought it would be good to try something new. This address is for the home page for Google Documents and from this page you click on "create new". We chose "presentation" to start the Google docs form of Powerpoint : https://docs.google.com/?tab=mo&authuser=0&pli=1#home . The basics are there, but there is no finesse to the end product, eg. no fancy transitions, limited choice of font styles. However, we managed it and we worked towards the rubric, so all categories were covered. We had even printed off copies of our presentation for the audience to view, must admit I felt a bit wary of doing this even though I prepared them as it was soon clear in the class that noone else was this prepared.
We did hit a problem in the last few weeks which I have already mentioned, which is that one of our group did not contribute even though she was supposed to do particular pages. We contacted Tandia during the week but received no reply. This morning, at 0830 during the start of the lecture, she texted Jasmine to state she was not attending, in fact she had dropped out of her degree. Thankfully I think we all saw it coming and had done the work she was suposed to do.
I am so pleased this part is all over as we really have put in so much work. Now for the task of 2B. My mind is still racing and that I forgot to mention that last night my brain became fuddled and couldn't remember how to link onto our presentation! A quick flick to my blog and I was fine again, otherwise I would have been trawling the Google docs help pages again.

Linking sites..still

Sun, 01 May 2011 09:24:14 +0100

I am feeling quite the expert now at linking websites to either our Yola site and presentation. During the week I sat and struggled with achieving this task, yet today I have managed straight away to link the DET webpage to our Google presentation, to illustrate where the Syllabus requirements came from. Here is the link should you need quick access http://www.det.wa.edu.au/curriculumsupport/k10syllabus/detcms/portal/ This link goes to the main K-10 Syllabus page, from where you can choose the subject choice. What I was initially doing, was expecting the link to come directly up by copying and pasting. On the presentation I had to copy the DET site URL, go to the presentation slide I wanted this put on, click on the slide, then click on the underlined word "Link" in the toolbar. This brings you to another box to "Edit Link". A text box appears in which you can type the link words you want on the slide and after this you copy the DET web address into the first box and press ok. The link is then on the presentation slide! Why couldn't I manage that last Wednesday?
Today, it seems, things are going well, probably because I am under pressure with final editing!