February 2018 – Page 5

Digital Technology Week 5 – Mobile Devices

Digital Technology Week 5 – Mobile Devices This week’s focus was based on mobile devices and hoe they could be used in the classroom to benefit the learning of the children. This week we looked at the use of eBooks in the class. These can be used either for the children to read then do […]

Digital Technology Week 5 – Mobile Devices

This week’s focus was based on mobile devices and hoe they could be used in the classroom to benefit the learning of the children. This week we looked at the use of eBooks in the class. These can be used either for the children to read then do activities based on them or as a lesson for the children to make their own eBooks using the iPads to then be shared with the others in the class.

The first thing we did was made a mind map of what we thought eBooks were and how we thought they could be used in the classroom. At the end of the PowerPoint lecture we went back to these and filled them in with a different colour to show how our understanding had widened after learning about them further. The oxford dictionary defines eBooks as “An electronic version of a printed book which can be read on a computer or a specifically designed handheld device.” This is a very simple definition as now after having experience making eBooks they can do a lot of different advanced things that paper book can’t do such as have videos included in the book to make instructions or the story clearer.

We did our tasks for this tutorial using movie maker on the iPads as these are mobile devices and were easy to use and to be able to move about the university campus to take pictures and videos to support our book. The first task we were to do was in groups we were to create an eBook that showed what life at UWS is like. This was to get us used to using the apps and to try out the different things you can add to your book to make it more interesting and interactive. In my group we focussed on the specific things UWS has to offer such as the library and the gym. We added videos, pictures, text, handwriting and sound effects to our book to explore all the different options the movie maker has to offer.

The second task was individual, and we were to either create a book that could be used in a lesson with story and questions to go along and be answered. The second option was to summarise a well-known children’s story as this is a lesson you would instruct pupils to do. I chose to summarise the children’s book little red riding hood. I identified the key parts of the story that needed to be included for the story to still make sense. I used YouTube to get consistent pictures of the same characters and back grounds as there was no paper book available to me. I used text and writing in alternating black and red colours to go either the books colour theme. I added sound to make the book more interactive. also, this can help children who struggle with reading or have additional support needed this means they can stull enjoy the book as much as the children who can easily read the words. This is one of many benefits of using mobile devices such as movie maker on the iPad in the classroom. Beauchamp sums up using technology in the classroom as “The first, and perhaps most important, reason for using ICT in the classroom is that it can have a positive effect on attainment” I feel like this clearly explains why technology should be used more in the classroom.
There are two experiences and outcome I would connect with this lesson the first being the technology one refers to the use of the iPads and learning how to use the movie maker app.” I can explore and experiment with digital technologies and can use what I learn to support and enhance my learning in different contexts.” TCH 1-01a. the other refers to the making of the book or the answering of the questions in connection with literacy. This Experience and outcome refers to the identification of the key points of a story to be able o summarise it with it sill making sense. ” As I listen or watch, I can identify and discuss the purpose, key words and main ideas of the text, and use this information for a specific purpose.” LIT 1-04a.

Overall, I really enjoyed using the eBooks they are interesting and give a whole new dimension to the original paper books. I find them a real benefit as it can hep certain children who need different questions or who need a book rad to them instead of left to read themselves, so this allows the teacher to read the book to them without having to sit with that child and take their attention away from the rest of the class. When I am in a classroom I would love to do this activity with the children if the resources are available to do so.

References

• Beauchamp, G. (2012) ICT in the Primary School: From Pedagogy to Practice. Pearson.
• Education Scotland (2004) – Curriculum for Excellence; Experiences and Outcomes [Online] https://education.gov.scot/scottish-education-system/policy-for-scottish-education/policy-drivers/cfe-(building-from-the-statement-appendix-incl-btc1-5)/Experiences%20and%20outcomes [Accessed on 12th February 2018]
• Oxford Dictionary (2018) – E-Book Definition[Online] https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/us/e-book Author: Oxford University [Accessed on 12th February 2018]

Digital Technologies Week 5 – 6.2.18

In our fifth week of Digital Technologies, we learned how to use the application Book Creator on the iPads. In addition to this, we also found out the benefits of using an eBook for children and educators. Today we had to complete an assessment where we had to create two eBooks. The first one we created was Life as a Student at UWS. The second eBook was to create the summary of a well-known children’s book.

The Oxford dictionary defines an eBook as ” an electronic version of a printed book which can be read on a computer or a specifically designed handheld device” (Oxford Dictionary, 2018).Book Creator is an easy way of making your own eBooks through an application on the iPad. It is a very useful tool that can make different books such as, children’s picture books, comic books, textbooks and many more. There are many benefits of using eBooks.According to Beauchamp (2012,p81) “eBooks use many modes of communication which includes visual representation, sound, movement, gesture and language.” It is a great way of communication with others as it has various tools available. Moreover, it can also provide personalisation. By allowing pupils yo write down their thoughts and feelings in a variety of ways. For example, they can write, record sound and video, draw, and even combine them together. This depends on their age and ability (Beauchamp, 2012, p101). Ebooks are considered to be multimodal as they combine two or more semiotic systems. Altogether there are five semiotic systems which are linguistic, visual, audio, gestural and spatial. Another advantage of an eBook is “being small and highly portable with very small power requirements, eBook readers and tablets work in a tremendous range of environments” (Jarvis, 2005, p146-7). This is especially useful for children as they can take their device outside the classroom and use it to take pictures or record videos or sound. This is something I can relate to as I went around the UWS campus taking pictures, videos and sounds whilst creating our eBook. According to Education Scotland (2009), when planning for learning in any curriculum area it is important for practitioners to make sure that children have access and encounter a wide range of texts of different types, in different media. Examples of texts are novels, short stories, poems, CVs, letters, emails, graphs, timetables, films, games, reviews, text messages and so much more.

The Experience and Outcomes for this task are:

TCH 1-01a “I can explore no experiment with digital technologies no can use what I learn to support and enhance my learning in different contexts.”

TCH 0-11a ” I explore and discover different ways of representing ideas in imaginative ways.”

LIT 0-21b ” As I play and learn, I enjoy exploring interesting materials for writing and different ways f recording my experiences and feelings, ideas and information” (Education Scotland, 2009)

Overall, I think that eBooks have many advantages in the classroom and are very useful for developing literacy skills as well their technology skills. Book Creator is a very flexible, easy tool to use and is easily accessible. Book Creator allows children to use their imagination and record their ideas and thoughts. EBooks can also be used as a teaching tool and therefore children can be left to follow instructions on their own. This can improve their problem solving skills. This is also useful for the educator as one group could be working on the eBook whilst the teacher focuses on another group. I would definitely use this tool in the classroom.

References

Beauchamp, G. (2012) ICT in the Primary School: From Pedagogy to Practice. Pearson.

Education Scotland (2009) Building the Curriculum 4. [Online] http://www.gov.scot/Resource/Doc/288517/0088239.pdf [Accessed: 6th February 2018].

Education Scotand (2009) Curriculum for Excellence: Literacy and English. Experiences and Outcomes. [Online] https://education.gov.scot/Documents/literacy-english-eo.pdf [Accessed 6th February 2018].

Education Scotand (2009) Curriculum for Excellence: Technologies. Experiences and Outcomes. [Online] https://education.gov.scot/Documents/Technologies-es-os.pdf [Accessed: 6th February 2018].

Jarvis, M. (2015) Brilliant Ideas for Using ICT in the Classroom: A Very Practical Guide for Teachers and Lecturers. Routledge

OxFord Dictioary (2018) [Online] https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/e-book [Accessed: 6th February].

Digital Technologies Week 4 (Coding) 30/1/18

Discussing why coding is an important part of learning in today’s society and creating an interactive story using the coding program ‘Scratch Jr’ were the main focuses of this week’s lesson. I recognise that these skills are beneficial to me as a student teacher since the ability to code computer programs is a significant part of today’s society as some even make the bold statement that coding is the new literacy. Learning to code not only develops that skill alone, it also develops your problem solving, creativity and communication abilities. This was supported when The Lead Project (2014) stated that, “as young people create Scratch projects, they are not just learning how to write computer programs. They are learning to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively – essential skills for success and happiness in today’s world.”

To enhance our knowledge of coding, we created our own stories using Scratch Jr. This is an introductory programming tool which can enable any school age children to produce a personal interactive story or game. We were first directed to tutorial videos which made understanding the program, and all that is potential while using it, quick and easy. Scratch also has a website that children and teachers can access for instructions and ideas as well as having Scratch Jr Programming Cards which contain instructions allowing you to create your own simple interactive story or game. Scratch was developed to improve creative learning skills such as logical reasoning and collaboration in young people for the 21st century. The Lead Project (2014) informed us that Scratch can be used in schools in a variety of subjects ranging from mathematics and english to music and art.

Coding programs such as Scratch Jr have many benefits such as being helpful for children who potentially struggle with using their imagination to devise a story line consisting of an introduction, middle and conclusion. Scratch Jr, for example, provides backgrounds, props and characters which can stimulate ideas in younger minds. With Scratch, you are also able to alter a character’s colour and size making them unique to fit in with your story. Creating a story using animation also means what is happening can be shown without the writer using words at all times. This is beneficial for children who have plenty ideas however have difficulty putting these ideas on paper in words. Scratch Jr allows you to make characters move, dance and talk using a variety of codes.

My story consisted of two characters, two varied backgrounds and a variety of props. I was able to make my characters move simultaneously and interact by letting one character speak at a time then letting the other respond when suitable. I made my props move and even fly to bring the story to life. My story was based on the First and Second level Curriculum for Excellence outcome: I explore and experiment with the features and functions of computer technology and I can use what I learn to support and enhance my learning in different contexts TCH 1-04a / TCH 2-04a.

This session helped me understand the importance and benefits of knowing how to code and of teaching children how to do so also. Coding comes with many teaching opportunities such as beginning a story then allowing your pupils to finish it and come up with their own conclusion for those who struggle with introductions when working individually. Coding programs also allow you to create fun and engaging games for the classroom. Coding develops many learning skills across a variety of subjects offering a new, enjoyable way of teaching that pupils can easily understand. I am glad I have improved my understanding of this topic and plan to use my skills frequently in future classroom settings.

References:
The Lead Project (2014) Super Scratch Programming Adventure: Learn to Program by Making Cool Games! No Starch Press.
Beauchamp, G. (2012) ICT in the Primary School: From Pedagogy to Practice. Pearson.

Learning in and through the Outdoor Environment in the Expressive Arts

This session aimed to highlight the benefits of allowing children the opportunity to experience art through the outdoor environment. I was not present for this lesson so I do not know what activities took place, however I have carried out some personal research to increase my knowledge and understanding of learning in and through the … Continue reading “Learning in and through the Outdoor Environment in the Expressive Arts”

I believe that is vital that children are provided with numerous opportunities to take their learning outside the classroom, especially with the arts, as children are still able to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills whether they are in a classroom or in the playground. Adams (2008) says that allowing children to engage in art projects using the outdoors will “nurture different ways of thinking and feeling, provide opportunities for active learning and problem solving, develop skills of perception, communication and invention and encourage the exploration of different social roles and relationships.” Therefore as a future educator, it is my role to ensure that I provide the pupils with opportunities to develop these skills and learn from their peers in a fun, engaging and safe learning environment.

I believe that teachers should use the outdoors for lessons as it provides the children with a vast amount of space, opportunities to develop their physical and mental health, provides them with constant states of curiosity as well as the opportunities to explore as well as the options to use and create things from natural resources. Whilst researching the benefits of teaching outdoors I found a manifesto from The Learning Outside the Classroom (2006) which states: “Every young person should experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of learning and personal development, whatever their age, ability or circumstances.” This outlined to me the importance of providing all children, regardless of their age, ability or circumstance, with the chance to experience their learning of the arts in an outdoor environment. I believe it is vital for me to take their age, ability, circumstance and stage of development into account when planning the lesson but they should all have the same opportunity to experience the outdoor environment for their learning.

On reflection, I feel that learning in and through the outdoor environment is often overlooked and undervalued throughout education. Teachers often appear to have concerns about taking children outside, in regards to time management, safety, lack of control and adhering to important guidelines and documents. It is important to note that you do not need vast amounts of green space to produce a fun and engaging lesson, a simply playground with various trees and bushes will capture a child’s curiosity and imagination and therefore lead to a more creative result. In a different module called ‘Sustainable Development’ we were given the opportunity to take markings from leaves and trees outdoors using different coloured pencils to allow us to explore the different textures felt on the leaves and trees. This was an excellent opportunity to combine science and art, it was a very engaging, knowledgeable and fun lesson, one that I think many pupil’s would enjoy to participate in.

As a student teacher, I often feel anxious and worried about taking the children outside as I feel that I might have a lack of control and pupils could get lost, hurt or messy. However, it is important for me to get over this fear and realise that I should be confident in my own abilities and my fears and worries should not impact on the pupil’s learning.

Throughout this week, I had been working on my concrete poetry at home to hopefully have completed next week to hand in to our lecturer. I have been paying particular focus to the piece of writing incorporating 62 words on our feelings and emotions surrounding our evocative object. I have added more words, drawn the symbol and included a range of materials such as cardboard love hearts to provide texture, depth and creativity to my piece of work. Next week, I will have my poster completed and will post some pictures of the final piece.

My poster with the symbol and some more words focusing on my feelings and emotions around my evocative object.

This is my poster, including colours and different material to provide texture and depth.

References:

Adams, E. (2008) Art and Design Education and the Built Environment. In Coutts, G. and Jokela, T. (Eds) Art, Community and Environment: Education Perspectives. Bristol: Intellect.

British Government, (2006) Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto. [Online] Available: http:// www.lotc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/G1.-LOtC-Manifesto.pdf [Accessed: 11th February 2018]

Digital Technologies Week 5 – eBooks

The Oxford English Dictionary defines an eBook as “an electronic version of a printed book which can be read on a computer or a specifically designed handheld device.” Today in Digital Technologies we designed our own eBooks and examined how they could be useful in the classroom. First of all, we were given a task … Continue reading “Digital Technologies Week 5 – eBooks”

First of all, we were given a task in groups to create a brochure for UWS with prospective students in mind. We used the Book Creator app on an iPad. To make the University seem appealing to new applicants, we fully utilised the features of the app. It was very easy to customise the book by selecting appropriate colours and fonts for our purpose. It was also simple to insert videos and images taken or saved on the iPad. In less than half an hour we had managed to familiarise ourselves with the app and create an effective multimodal text which made use of a number of semiotic systems through the inclusion of text, sound and video. Another group took a look at our UWS brochure and said that it was engaging and attractive. This made clear to me how useful it could be in the classroom to be able to create a small eBook in such a short space of time.

With this experience of the book creator app, we were then tasked with creating either a summary of a well-known book or a small eBook to help someone engage with the book. I chose “Matilda” by Roald Dahl. As it is such a long book, I chose to create a short close reading exercise for Key Stage 2 which would encourage reflection on personal relationships. The eBook asks questions about where Matilda likes to spend time and how that relates to the way the people around her treat her. It then goes on to ask for a comparison of how Miss Honey treats her and how her parents treat her, which is an activity which links to LIT 2-14a: “I can make notes, organise them under suitable headings and use them to understand information, develop my thinking, explore problems and create new texts, using my own words as appropriate.” (Scottish Executive, 2004). The last page of the eBook asks for reflection on how different people in their life make them feel through their actions, and how they can affect the feelings of others with their own actions. This links a literacy lesson to Health and Wellbeing outcome HWB 2-05a (“I know that friendship, caring, sharing, fairness, equality and love are important in building positive relationships. As I develop and value relationships, I care and show respect for myself and others.” (Scottish Executive, 2004).). These exercises were not simply written down on paper. I believe that being able to use an iPad to flick through the exercise makes it more effective for a number of reasons. Firstly, it was multimodal as I used a number of Quentin Blake’s illustrations from relevant parts of the book to help prompt the answers to close reading questions that I both wrote in text on the page and inserted as voice clips. As we know, multimodal texts encourage accessibility in the classroom and are a useful way to close a gap in higher order thinking for individuals who may find it more difficult to follow along with reading text. Beauchamp (2012, p.88) further suggests that children who are reading from tablets in the house will be more inclined to use the same mobile devices in their learning than they may be, perhaps, to use physical books.

For myself as a prospective teacher, this was an interesting tool to learn to use. I did not realise how quickly an eBook could be created or that they could include video or voice clips – it was my own misconception that eBooks were simply novels in digital form. It is particularly relevant to me as a budding teacher in Scotland as our Digital Teaching and Learning Strategy specifically aims to develop the skills of our educators (Scottish Government, 2016). While I consider myself relatively competent and experienced with using computers the creation of eBooks for a purpose like this had never occurred to me as a way to embed technology in the classroom. An eBook like this can be created quickly, edited easily for different levels and distributed to students efficiently using Apple AirDrop – as long as iPads are available in the classroom. While this may seem like an unrealistic expectation in the classroom, tablets are getting cheaper all the time and there is motivation in particular by Education Scotland to ensure there are handheld devices available in school to enhance learning (BBC, 2012).

By the time I am a fully qualified teacher, if handheld devices are as widely available as this, I think that the ability to quickly create an eBook will be a useful skill to have.

References

BBC (2012). Education Scotland looks to expand use of tablets in schools. BBC News. [Online] 16 May. Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-18081005 [Accessed: 9 February 2018].

Beauchamp, G. (2012). ICT in the Primary School: From Pedagogy to Practice. Harlow: Pearson. p.88.

Scottish Executive (2004) Curriculum for Excellence. Edinburgh: Scottish Executive.

Scottish Government (2016) Enhancing Teaching and Learning through the use of Digital Technology: A Digital Learning and Teaching Strategy for Scotland. [Online] Available: https://beta.gov.scot/publications/enhancing-learning-teaching-through-use-digital-technology/ [Accessed: 8 January 2017].

Digital Technologies Reflection 06.02.18

eBooks can be beneficial throughout a learning environment, they are defined as ‘an electronic version of a printed book which can be read on a computer or a specifically designed handheld devices’ (Oxford Dictionary). Texts can be more than just books and printed, as listed below these are examples of texts that are stated from …

Continue reading “Digital Technologies Reflection 06.02.18”

Texts can be more than just books and printed, as listed below these are examples of texts that are stated from the curriculum for excellence: Novels, short stories, plays, poems, spoken word, charts, maps, graphs, newspapers, CV’s, letters, emails, films, games, TV programmes, labels, recipes, text messages, social networking sites, web pages and directions. These are the most popular forms of texts in the 21st century.

Knowing the five semiotic systems, enables to reach to children in a different way, that could aid them to a deeper understanding by allowing them to visualise, audoise, being gestural, linguistic and finally enabling them to learn from spatial. For a multimodal text to be given in front of the children they must have at least two semiotic systems in the powerpoint, or the form of learning.

There are many advantages to using ebooks in the classroom and it can also benefit the children as well as it is more interactive and be used through many different devices such as computers, iPads and mobile devices and also that it will allow the children to stay engaged for a longer period of time as they are participating by using different applications such as book creator. This will allow the children to make their own eBooks on the iPads and devices.

Digital Technologies Week 4 – Coding

This week in digital Technologies I planned a lesson in which children would be asked to create their own twist on a fairy-tale using the coding app Scratch Jr. This lesson bundled literacy outcomes with technology outcomes and gave children some practical experience with coding. To do this I had to familiarise myself with Scratch … Continue reading “Digital Technologies Week 4 – Coding”

To do this I had to familiarise myself with Scratch Jr., which I had never used before. I had around half an hour to get used to the app. This lesson would need to be carried out in a class with a good amount of prior experience coding using Scratch Jr. I created my own twist on the Princess and the Frog which could be used as a hook at the beginning of the lesson to help engage and inspire students. It would be important in this lesson to highlight the breadth of possibilities in this task – for instance writing the fairy tale from the perspective of the villain or sidekick. It would be important to suggest some ideas to minimise the chance of anxiety for students when attempting to create their story. The Experiences and Outcomes that would be explored in this lesson are as follows:

By considering the type of text I am creating, I can select ideas and relevant information, organise these in a logical sequence and use words which will be interesting and/or useful for others. LIT 1-26a
I can convey information, describe events, explain processes or combine ideas in different ways. LIT 2-28a
I can demonstrate a range of basic problem solving skills by building simple programs to carry out a given task, using an appropriate language. TCH 1-15a
I can create, develop and evaluate computing solutions in response to a design challenge. TCH 2-15a

(Scottish Government, 2004).

Learning to code as early as primary school is important to ensure that “that the next generation of digital natives will not just be able to consume digital content but create it.” (Curtis, 2013). Obviously, it will equip children with practical skills needed to succeed in STEM fields, but another, lesser known, benefit of learning to code is the variety of problem-solving skills it develops. Coding will give children valuable experience in breaking processes and problems down into smaller segments to be solved (Naughton, 2012).

Coding in the classroom using an application such as Scratch Jr. is a valuable way to create engaging lessons across the curriculum. It is also useful in helping to develop a number of transferable skills in problem-solving for a generation immersed in technology.

References

Curtis, S. (2013). Teaching our children to code: a quiet revolution. The Telegraph. [Online] 4^th November. Available: The Telegraph. [Accessed: 8 February 2018].

Naughton, J. (2012). Why all our kids should be taught how to code. The Observer. [Online] 31^st March. Available: The Guardian. [Accessed: 8 February 2018].

Scottish Executive (2004). Curriculum for Excellence. Edinburgh: Scottish Executive.

eBooks – Week 5 Digital Technology

Today, class was quite different as we were out of class for a short time. We were walking around the university campus taking photographs and videos on an iPad in order to create an ebook brochure about life at UWS. This was simply just a practice for us in preparation for our ebook assessment later in class. Some other ways that we prepared for our ebook assessment was watching youtube videos and tutorials about how to create an ebook using the ‘Book-Creator’ app on the iPad. The videos were easily accessible and it was fairly easy to follow the step by step instructions.

So why are we learning about ebooks? When a teacher plans a lesson, they will try to include many different kinds of text and as a trainee teacher it is important that I keep up to date with recent technologies. The reason for doing this is, we must ‘future proof’ our young learners because if we as educators do not keep up to date and teach young learners about new digital technologies we a basically short changing young learners in the classroom Naughton (2012).

The variation of text now a days are pretty much endless, for example text books, white boards, short movies, comics, interactive smart boards and of course ebooks. There are various benefits of an ebook, such as they can be interactive, personalised, interesting, space saving, reduces carbon foot print and they give young learners the opportunity to work and learn independently.

The ebook that I was creating today had to fall into the category of ‘multimodal’. For an ebook to be multimodal it must have two out of the five semiotic systems which are linguistic, visual, audio, gestural and spatial. Beauchamp (2012) suggests that young learners need to be around digital technology in order to understand ‘metamode language’ this enables them to understand the meanings of the many different ways in which we can read and understand such as texts, images, sounds and information.

The ebook I created today was based around ‘Room on the Broom’ by Julia Donaldson. The reason I picked this book is because it is one of my daughters favourite books and I know it well, I knew I could create a good multimodal ebook based around the story. To ensure it would be multimodal the semiotic systems I included in the ebook were:

Visual – Using a variety of colourful illistrations to attract attention.
Audio – I recorded my voice and sound effects to play throughout the ebook for interaction.
Spatial – I strategically placed the illustrations and text to ensure the ebook was easy to follow.

Before I created the ebook I looked at the curriculum for excellence experiences and outcomes and in order for me to decided which level I was creating the text for. I am aiming for level one, which is roughly p2-p4 children aged 5 – 8 years old, however I also feel that the text can be easily adjusted to suit lower or higher levels in primary school if need be. The experiences and outcomes chosen are listed below:

LIT 1-04a: As I listen or watch, I can identify and discuss the purpose, the key words and main ideas of the text, and use this information for a specific purpose.

TCH 1-01a: I can explore and experiment with digital technologies and can use what I learn to support and enhance my learning in different context.

Looking over todays activities and assessment it has opened my eyes up to the potential that is out there with in digital technology across the curriculum. As each week passes in this module I am delighted with the wealth of knowledge that I gain each week. To think this morning I hadn’t read an ebook before and now I have created one, it goes to show how fast technology is moving. Some say that they love nothing more than buying a brand new book, they like the smell and the feeling of pages however when you list these benefits next to ebook benefits the ebook will most certainly win each time.

References

Beauchamp, G. (2012) ICT in the Primary School. [Online] Available: dawsonera.com/readonline/9781408251379 [Accessed: 7th February 2018].
Education Scotland (2004) Curriculum for Excellence; Experiences and Outcomes [Online] Available: https://education.gov.scot/scottish-education-system/policy-for-scottish-education/policy-drivers [Accessed: 7th February 2018].
Naughton, J. (2012) Why all our kids should be taught how to code. [Online] Available: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2012/mar/31/why-kids-should-be-taught-code [Accessed: 7th February 2018].

Coding – Week 4 Digital Technology

This week in the Digital Technology we were introduced to ‘coding’. To be successful in coding, means you must have the ability to input ‘communicate’ information in a specific sequence, which will lead you to an end result, a finished product. I think coding is similar to building a jigsaw, each piece plays a part in creating the finished jigsaw and with a piece missing the jigsaw is incomplete, in other words, it is unsuccessful. Coding works in a similar way, therefor in order for young learners to do this successfully they need to challenge their problem solving and communication skills.

It is crucial that young learners today learn about coding and also most importantly that they understand coding, this is because technology is ever changing, ScratchJr (n.d). Education must keep up to date with digital technology on the same level that they keep up to date with mathematics, literacy and science. It is vital for future generations that this is understanding is actioned now, “The reason is that there’s no better way of helping someone to understand ideas such as recursion or algorithms than by getting them to write the code that will implement those concepts”. (Naughton, J. p.3).

The application we were using today was ScratchJr, which is used by educators and children across education. ScratchJr is an introductory programming language that enables young children from 5 years old to create their own interactive stories and games. Skills developed while using ScratchJr include:

Creative thinking skills
Logical reasoning skills
Problem solving skills
Collaboration skills

As part of class today we were asked to create an interactive story for a literacy lesson using ScratchJr. Some thing that would promote literacy skills such as missing out the end to a story in order for children to predict an ending. By doing this children can then explore their thoughts and ideas, get creative! The lesson I planned today will be aimed at for around early level, which is roughly nursery aged 3 yrs – primary 1 aged 5yrs. The literature is based around a mission to space, traveling through the solar system which includes a moon landing and the potential to explore the moon.

LIT 0 – 19a: I enjoy exploring events and characters in stories and other text, sharing my thoughts in different ways.

TCH 0 – 01a: I can explore digital technologies and use what I learn to solve problems and share ideas and thoughts.

SCN 0 – 20a: I can talk about science stories to develop my understanding of science and the world around me.

Looking back over class today and having the opportunity to use the iPad and ScratchJr I can see how beneficial this type of technology is to young learners. It really engages your creativeness and it also allows you to correct any mistakes you have made therefor there is an opportunity to learn and progress further from making mistakes and fixing them. I am happy that I am being introduced to yet another coding device that I can use in the classroom, in this case the device was assisting mostly with literacy where as before I used coding with the Bee Bot for mathematics.

I understand ways in which these technologies can be used across the curriculum and that they will develop over the years, allowing our young learners to be confident in the future when dealing with digital technology in various context.

References

Education Scotland (2004) Curriculum for Excellence; Experiences and Outcomes. [Online] Available: https://education.gov.scot/scottish-education-system/policy-for-scottish-education/policy-drivers [Accessed: 3rd February 2018].
Naughton, J. (2012) Why all our kids should be taught how to code. [Online] Available: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2012/mar/31/why-kids-should-be-taught-code [Accessed: 3rd February 2018].
ScratchJr. (n.d) [Online] Available: https://www.scratchjr.org/about/info [Accessed: 3rd February 2018].

Coding- Scratch Jr (30/1/2018)

This week our Digital Technology module introduced Coding programmes, specifically focusing on Scratch Jr. Scratch Jr is a programme that allows children to create their own interactive stories and activities. They can make their chosen characters move, interact and sing to bring their story to life. Prior to today’s lesson I had no knowledge of Scratch Jr or the impact it can have on children’s learning throughout a lesson. I often thought that fun and engaging games like Scratch Jr. could be included in a lesson as opposed to an end of lesson activity. I feel that many teachers particularly student teachers such as myself would feel reluctant to introduce fun technology games into a class lessons from fear of losing the children’s attention and causing too much excitement that it would be difficult to recover from. However, throughout the class we studied the benefits of using Scratch Jr in the classroom while acknowledging the opinions and views of educators aside the curriculum and I learned that this might not be the case.

Firstly, it is the opinion of some that coding is the new literacy and while I feel that this statement is far-fetched I understand that learning the skill of coding is largely beneficial for learners. It is important today that we teach children from a young age the skills to comfortably use code computer programmes as the use of coding is becoming increasingly popular in today’s schools. The lead project reiterated this point as they spoke of the vital skills young learners may acquire from using Scratch Jr. “They are learning to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively – essential skills for success and happiness in today’s world.” (Lead Project 2014). Thus, after acknowledging these points it is apparent as to why coding is a valuable component of literacy in modern society.

As a result, todays lesson involved using Scratch Jr to create our own story that we could use as a lesson. I chose to base my story on a baby pig named ‘Bella’ who on her birthday wishes to go swimming in the ocean. After being told by her parents that pigs cannot swim she enlists the help of her friend ‘Froggy’ to help make her wish come true. My story ends with both Bella and Froggy jumping into the ocean without indicating the outcome. I chose to leave my story on a cliff-hanger as during todays lesson we looked at how educators can use Scratch Jr in a literacy lesson with Scratch Jr being used as an introductory activity for story writing. Therefore, by leaving my story on a cliff-hanger I am providing an aid to the children who struggle with their imagination by showing them an example of the beginning of a story while providing learners with the opportunity to continue the story and add on characters, use imagery, describe the ocean setting and develop the plot. As a result, my lesson followed the curriculum outcomes for both First and Second level of ICT to enhance learning and First level tools for writing:

“I explore and experiment with the features and functions of computer technology and I can use what I learn to support and enhance my learning in different contexts.” TCH 1-04a / TCH 2-04a

“I can present my writing in a way that will make it legible and attractive for my reader, combining words, images and other features.” LIT 1-24a

As well as being a fun and engaging resource for children Scratch Jr can be used in a variety of different lessons and can be used in line with various curriculum outcomes. The Lead project supports this view by stating that “Scratch is designed for exploration and experimentation, so it supports any different learning style.” Schools can use Scratch to aid teachers in subjects like mathematics, English, music, art, design and information technology.” (Lead Project 2014)

Upon reflection on today’s lesson of using Scratch Jr I feel the programme is easy and enjoyable to use and a programme that I would consider using as a resource for future lessons. I feel the programme is an undoubtedly beneficial and engaging resource for children of various levels and that there is a range of ways I could use Scratch Jr in future lessons to enhance children’s literacy and digital literacy. Therefore, I am eager to continue experimenting with the Scratch Jr programme as an aspiring student teacher to further improve my skills of using the programme and inspire my ideas for future lessons.

References:

The Lead Project (2014) Super Scratch Programming Adventure: Learn to Program by Making Cool Games! No Starch Press.