Category: Uncategorized

“Digital Games-based Learning is the integration of games into learning experiences to increase engagement and motivation” (Higher Education Academy).  The connotations of the title insist the use of video games and the themes throughout them, but according to Edutopia Website they declares : “novels, films, plays and other media, games can be high quality materials a teacher uses to enable students to access the curriculum.”

There are benefits to Games-based Learning as it increases the children’s motivation, it is attention grabbing, it is easy to recall the information from it, it also reinforces knowledge and it is stress-free and pleasurable for the children.

These games can be used as a stimulus which is the starting point for other activities to endure from it, also we can use games to teach the children content as games can be used to illustrate concepts and materials which can be used to teach, it also teaches them social skills when playing the games. As educators it is our job to ensure that the children receives a positive impact on social skills, that it is supported in learning and enhances the learning of children, we need to ensure that it is developing the correct skills and it is providing opportunities to apply the skills in a every day life occurance.

Potential challenges that might arise when carrying out this particular activity might be identifying a suitable game to go with the lesson, it might be integrating the game within the time or day structure, it potentially could be confidence in the teacher and whether she has enough skills to manage this for the children to make the most out of the lesson and finally it could be a difficulty claiming the resources and whether the school has the budget to afford the games on each iPad or PC.

References:

https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/gamification-and-games-based-learning

CFE Technologies: Experiences and Outcomes

Reflecting on mobile devices and how they have enhanced throughout the years, was brought tom attention recently. Many questions have been brought to the horizon whether mobile devices should be used in education. The British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) state that “technology such as game consoles and smartphones are playing an important role in primary-aged children’s education.”

As a learner in mobile devices I believe that they are the new way to engaging children’s attention spans for longer. I also believe that the many applications that you can access from the different stores can help and aid with many situations including education and educational games.

As an educator, I have mixed emotions whether or not mobile devices should be incorporated into the education system and whether not they will enrich children’s learning or if they will distract children.

Challenges that could be faced with mobile devices is the distraction of children due to the applications that include message and fictive etc. This could challenge educators to come up with a solution on how we could resolve this problem and try and make them for an education purpose and nothing more.

When teachers across the board were asked whether they think mobile devices should be in education or not. 39% of teachers stated that children should not have access to mobile phones, while 29% declared that they should have access. Teachers and educators know that children preference for technology both at home and at school is evolving quickly, just as the same rate of technology changing at a rapid speed.

References:

Children’s Parliament (2016) A Digital Learning and Teaching Strategy for Scotland: The View’s of Children

[Online] http://www.childrensparliament.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/REPORT_digital-learning-consultation_Childrens-Parliament-1.pdf [Accessed: 21.2.18]

CFE Technologies: Experiences and Outcomes

Animation can be used in schools to portray lessons across the curricular, varying from mathematics to art and design. Beauchamp states that ‘young children do not seperate experiences into different compartments. ICT  is not viewed as a seperate ‘subject’ but something that contributed to all areas of learning’ (2015).

As a learner, I enjoyed the interactive element as it created an element of focus and engagement, it also helped to have the visual representation there as it allowed the illustrations to process better for me personally.

As an educator delivering this lesson, confidence would be the key to portraying it well and effectively. To be able to conquer this we should ensure that we have the computer or other devices set up and prepared before the children enter the classroom but also ensuring we have back up equipment incase the technology does not work.

Curriculum for excellence states that “Throughout all my learning, I can use search facilities of electronic sources to access ad retrieve information, recognising the importance this has in my place of learning, at home and in the workplace” (TCH 2-03b).

References:

›Beauchamp, G. (2012) ICT in the Primary Classroom: From Pedagogy top Practice. Pearson.

CFE Technologies: Experiences and Outcomes

Movies can be beneficial for classrooms and as the Scottish Government states ’‘There is conclusive evidence that digital equipment, tools and resources can, where effectively used, raise the speed and depth of learning in science and mathematics for primary and secondary age learners’ (Scottish Government, 2015).

As a learner, movie making abled us to work in teams which made it more fun and engaging, once elaborated it then turned into a cinema setting where we were handed popcorn and juice etc which is something that can be incorporated into lesson preparation.

As an educator doing this programme it showed me that Movie Making can be used throughout many curricular areas such as Health and Wellbeing, Numeracy and literacy. It can also help children develop practical and functional skills, critical thinking skills, awareness of e-safety, collaboration skills, ability to find and select information, effective communication and finally creativity.

The curriculum for Excellence suggests that first and second level enables the child to “extend and enhance [my] knowledge of features of various types of software, including those which help find, organise, manage and access information, I can apply what I learn in different situations” (TCH 1-03a/TCH 2-03a).

References:

›The Scottish Government (2015) Literature Review on the Impact of Digital Technology on Learning and Teaching.  [Online] http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/24843/1/00489224.pdf [Accessed: 5.2.18]

CFE Technologies: Experiences and Outcomes

eBooks are recent into the school environment, but can be very beneficial. They are defined as “an electronic version of a printed books 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 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.

As a learner, I believe that eBooks have an advantage over printed books personally as it keeps the reader engaged due to the different qualities such as audio reading where the eBook reads to you while you listen. Personally it enables me to relax and listen to the book and visualise the content of the novel.

As an educator it was brought to my attention that eBooks are more interactive and can be used through many different devices such as; computers, iPads and mobile devices which allows the children to stay engaged for a longer period of time as they are participating in a classroom setting by using the application of Book Creator, this allows children to create their own eBooks on the devices.

Curriculum for Excellence states that by using eBooks it enables to “enhance [my] learning by applying my ICT skills in different learning contexts across the curriculum” (TCH 3-04a).

References:

CFE Technologies: Experiences and Outcomes

Scratch Jr. is a reliable resource to engage children in their learning, there are many advantages to use coding in the classroom. When people learn to code, they learn important strategies for solving problems, designing projects and communicating ideas, some people believe and have verbally communicated that coding is the new literacy. “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 todays world.”

As a learner, I thoroughly enjoyed Scratch as I was able to be creative and make decisions of positioning, the storyline and how it flowed from one thing to the next.

As an educator, personally I believe this is a good resource to use in a classroom setting. Many ideas can be performed on this application such as; creative writing and drama as well as many others. Skills that are developed include creative thinking, logical reasoning, problem solving and collaboration these skills are useful as it will help children in the school environment , home environment as well as a social environment.

From the subject of technology, the most relevant outcome towards my lesson was “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).

From the subject of literacy, I begin to search deeper into story telling and creativity, this led me to be guided by “I can convey information, describe events or processes, share my opinions or persuade my reader in different ways” (LIT 1-28a/LIT 2-28a).

References –

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

CFE Technologies: Experiences and Outcomes

 

 

The definition of a multimodal text declares that it must include two or more of the five semiotic systems which are listed as visual, Audio, Gestural, Spatial and finally Linguistic. “The multimodality of technology is another reason to use it, as it allows teachers to present an idea in a variety of different ways to help pupils understand it (Beauchamp 2012).

By using milutimodal texts it enriches the children learning as they have several ways to relate and remember its whether through a picture or sound etc.

As a learner, I personally felt that it helped me remember the key ideas of the lesson through a picture as from past experiences I know that I am a visual learner, therefore this helped me in my own knowledge and understanding to process the information correctly and accurately. I learned an important piece of information, using the colour yellow and pink on the background can help children with dyslexia.

As an educator, it came to my attention how much a multimodal text can change a lesson and make it a lot more helpful for the children. Multimodal presentation are captivating, motivating, interactive, personalised, dynamic, memorable and finally engaging. This is therfeore a better outcomes for the teacher and for the pupils as they are fully engaged and are interested in the activity they are participating in whether that be as a whole class, groups or individually. Using the app ActivPrimary/Activstudio/Activinspire can help teachers prepare a multimodal presentation or lesson for the children.

Curriclum for Excellence backs this idea of multimodality enhancing children’s learning as it states in first level “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 (TCH1-04a/TCH2-04a).

References:

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

Interactive Displays in Early Years Classes

CFE Technologies: Experiences and Outcomes

Programmable toys can range from working with Logo Online to BeeBots, historic times can prove that the logo ’Turtle’ provided children with an opportunity to learn complex programming by controlling the movement of the arrow to draw lines on the screen.

There are many benefits of programmable toys but thee gadgets can develop skills such as interactive responsible learning, problem-solving skills, learner is in control, hands on learning.

As a learner enduring this lesson, I engaged due to the interactive aspects. During the time, I faced challenges but also enjoyed myself learning about the different aspects of programmable toys, I also understood how this one area could relate and link into other curricular areas. “The curriculum introduces programmable toys as a good example for developing knowledge and understanding of the contemporary world” (Janka, 2008).

As an educator, I understand that children with face enjoyment through using the programmable toys and they will also learn and develop new skills such as communication and instruction taking, this will help them in the future in School and in the environment around them. Relating this activity to different curricular areas such as maths and literacy will encourage the children to enjoy the other areas and see them with a different mind set helping them to achieve them in their own minds.

The Curriculum for Excellence relates by adding the experiences and outcomes which states that a child should “[be] developing problem-solving strategies, navigation and co-ordination skills, s I play and learn with electronic games, remote control or programmable toys” (TCH0-09a/TCH1-09a).

References:

Janka, P. (2008) Using a Programmable Toy at Preschool Age: Why and How? [Online] http://www.terecop.eu/downloads/simbar2008/pekarova.pdf

CFE Technologies: Experiences and Outcomes

Commencing into the chosen module of ‘Digital Technologies’ has portrayed many things including the key question of ‘What is Digital Technology?’. Making a statement of what I thought was digital technology, prior to beginning the module, I believed that digital technology was a way to include technology into education and a way to make the children’s learning more enjoyable for them. Talking with my peers and completing my first introductory session in this module it is now confirmed that digital technology is a way to enrich the children’s learning and aiding them through different ways and resources to help build skills and confidence for them proceeding to workforce.

Being able to come to this conclusion, we were given a reading from the Scottish Government who defined what digital technology was and their description of the following matter which was presented under the title of ‘A Digital Learning andTeaching Strategy for Scotland’. In this document it was shown to me, that there are four key objectives that need to be met to enhance the learning and teaching of our pupils. These areas are; developing skills and confidence of educators in the appropriate and effective use of digital technology to support learning and teaching, improving access to digital technology for all learners, ensuring that digital technology is a central consideration in all areas of curriculum and assessment delivery and empowering leaders of change to drive innovation and investment in digital technology for learning and teaching. These four objectives will enhance the strategy development by the Scottish Government who will then lead this onto other companies, then given the opportunity to train teachers and other professionals who provide to the age range of three to eighteen about this particular topic of digital technology as this is becoming a key consideration in planning due to society changing around us with technology being the centre of it.

 

References

Digital Technologies(2016) A Digital Learning and Teaching Strategy for Scotland [Module Resource] Available: http://www.moodle.uws.ac.uk Digital Technologies Module on Moodle [Accessed on 09/01/18]