Digital Technologies Week 10 – 13.3.18

2.1 Curriculum, Digital Techologies, Literacy

This week in Digital Technologies we continued to look at Games-Based Learning, and in particular we looked at the video game Minecraft. I was apprehensive at playing the game, as it was something I had never played before. Thankfully, we had a group of Digital Leaders from a local primary school to show us how to use Minecraft.

Before the pupils arrived, we watched a few YouTube videos to show us what Minecraft was, the aim of the game, and the basic tools on how to create a Minecraft World. At first, it looked very complicated and confusing, as the graphics did not seem to be very modern. However, there are many children in today’s society that play Minecraft frequently so I tried to have an open mind whilst exploring the game. According to Magbook (2014) “Minecraft is a worldwide phenomenon. Since it was first released back in 2011, it’s been taken to the hearts of thousands and thousands of gamers.” The Digital Leaders from a local primary school arrived and they showed us how to use it and what creations they had made. The pupils created various objects such as scenes from Harry Potter, shops, and houses. If they are in the same room, they can share their worlds with each other to see what they have created. There are so many possibilities and I thought it was a great stimulus for their imagination. The pupils explained that Minecraft can be used for literacy, technology, health and wellbeing, and many topic areas such as the Romans, Titanic, or the Egyptians. The task for the day was to design a World by creating objects using Minecraft.

Video games are extremely popular in today’s society. Ofcom Report (2011) states that “gaming is hugely popular in the UK with almost 86% of 5-7 year old children and 90% of 8-11 year old children using gaming devices regularly.” As a student teacher, I think it is important to integrate Games-Based Learning into the classroom. As Ofcom suggests, children are using their gaming devices regularly, therefore teachers should embed it within their learning. It will keep pupils interested in the task at hand, it is something they relate to from out of school and it can stimulate creativity.  Beauchamp (2012, p.9) suggests that “Children spend most of their time on games not found in schools.” However, if schools introduced games to children during a lesson, they may start to use it outside of school and this can have an great educational impact on them. Bray (2012) suggests that “in a classroom setting, games  should not just be used as rewards or for entertainment  but as a whole new approach to learning.” The game part is only a small part of the task, but if the game is introduced as a stimulus and is then followed by a task, the children are more likely to be engaged and enthusiastic. In addition to this, Beauchamp (2012, p10) states that there are many skills that could be enhanced by playing ICT games such as strategic thinking, planning, communication, application of numbers, negotiating skills, group decision-making and data handling skills. All of these skills are very important and can benefit the child’s learning.

Links to Experiences and Outcomes:

“I can communicate clearly when engaging with others within and beyond my place of learning, using selected resources as required. “LIT 1-10a

“As I play and learn, I enjoy exploring interesting materials for writing and different ways of recording my experiences and feelings, ideas and information.” LIT 0-21b

“In everyday activity and play, I explore and make choices to develop my learning and interests. I am encouraged to use and share my experiences.” HWB 0-19

(Education Scotland, 2004)

“I can explore and experiment with sketching, manually or digitally, to represent ideas in different learning contexts.” TCH 1-11a

(Education Scotland, 2016)

 

After exploring Minecraft, I have found that it is a great game for stimulating the imagination. It enhances so many valuable skills in pupils that can be applied to many curricular subjects. Video games are played by children outside of school so by using them in class it would keep them engaged and interested in the topic. It was interesting to gain the knowledge of primary school children and I learned a lot of valuable information from them. Games-Based Learning is something I would use in my classroom because it is important to keep subjects interesting and make the learning enjoyable.

 

 

 

 

 

References

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

Bray, O. (2012) Playful Learning: Computer Games in Education. [Online] Available: https://www.slideshare.net/Microsofteduk/playful-learning-computer-games-in-education [Accessed: 19th March 2018]

Education Scotland (2004) Curriculum for Excellence: Literacy and English. Experiences and Outcomes.[Online] Available: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/literacy-english-eo.pdf [Accessed: 19th March 2018]

Education Scotland (2004) Curriculum for Excellence: Health and Wellbeing. Experiences and Outcomes. [Online] Available: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/health-and-wellbeing-eo.pdf [Accessed: 19th March 2018]

Education Scotland (2016) Curriculum for Excellence: Technologies. Experiences and Outcomes. [Online]Available: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/Technologies-es-os.pdf [Accessed: 19th March 2018]

Ofcom (2001) Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes [Online] Available: https://www.slideshare.net/Microsofteduk/playful-learning-computer-games-in-education [Accessed: 19th March 2018]

MagBook (2014) How to Do Everything in Minecraft.

Pixabay. [Online] Available: https://pixabay.com/en/photos/?q=minecraft&hp=&image_type=all&order=popular&cat=&min_width=&min_height= [Accessed: 19th March 2018]

 

Digital Technologies Week 9 – 6.3.18

Digital Techologies, Literacy

The topic of discussion today in Digital Technologies was about Games-based Learning and why we should be using it in schools. In addition to this, we looked at the video game Mario Kart. It was a game I played throughout my childhood, so it was very familiar to me. We created our own Mario character and our own kart too. We also created a mind map of the positive effects of Games-based Learning in the classroom. This was followed by an Interdisciplinary Learning plan where we came up with activities that could be used in the classroom, based on Mario Kart. Our Mario kart with a rocket exhaust and had pizza wheels. We based our activities on the pizza wheels and related them to areas of the curriculum. Our maths activity was based on fractions of the pizza, where they would be asked questions like “If someone ate 1/8th of a pizza, how many 8ths are left?” They had to research the recipe using the search engine on the internet and then write down the recipe structured the way a recipe should be. This involved digital and literacy skills. Finally, we would get them to make a pizza which would link into Health and Wellbeing area of the Curriculum. Whilst finding the experience and outcomes of these tasks, I found that some of them overlapped. For example, maths was also used in the weighing and measuring of the ingredients. This would also cover the weight and measure experience and outcome.

Digital Games-based Learning is defined as “ the integration of gaming into learning experiences to increase engagement and motivation” (Higher Education Academy, 2017). From personal experience of growing up around video games, I think it is engaging and is something that children would enjoy as it is something that I enjoy. My initial thought was that games based learning might not be really effective tool for the classroom, as it may be a  distraction. However, after discussing and reading in detail on the use of games-based learning, I found that there are many advantages of using it in the classroom. Some of these advantages include an increase in motivation, reinforces knowledge, it is enjoyable, engaging and will grab children’s attention. “Like novels, films, plays and other media, games can be high quality materials a teacher uses to enable students to access the curriculum” (Edutopia, 2016). Game-based Learning is another useful and interesting tool that can be used effectively in the class and can link to many experiences and outcomes from the Curriculum for Excellence.

Computing started in the 1980s and when the internet came along in the 1990s, it allowed children to play in the form of video and computer games (Higher Education Academy, 2017).  However, the transition of using Games-based Learning in classrooms is moving slowly. This could be down to the fact that teachers do not have the confidence to use video games as part of their lesson. Jean Piaget and Leonard Vygotsky suggest that play is a vital part of cognitive development throughout someone’s entire life (Higher Education Academy, 2017). It is important that as teachers we are clear about what the learning intentions are and also that we implement games and the discussion around them. In addition to this, appropriate and relevant games must be used for the tasks to achieve the outcomes (Learning and Teaching Scotland). We are role models for our pupils, therefore we must ensure that game-based learning has positive impacts on their social skills, enhances their learning, supports and develops learning and that they are given the opportunity to apply those skills.

After today’s session, my opinion has changed about the use of video/ computer games in the classroom. I have increased my understanding and knowledge into how game-based learning can have positive effects on the children and their learning. It is important to keep them engaged, so they can develop their skills.  This also has benefits for teachers, as there are many activities that can be planned around a video game. One activity can cross many curricular areas in the Curriculum for Excellence.  I think classrooms need to use this resource more often.

 

Experiences and Outcomes for this resource:

“I can share out a group of items by making  smaller groups. I can split a whole object into smaller parts.”  MNU 0-07a

“Through exploring how groups of items can be shared equally, I can find a fraction of an amount by applying my knowledge of division.” MNU 1-07b

“I have experimented with everyday items as units of measure to investigate and compare sizes and amounts in my environment, sharing my findings with others.” MNU 0-11a

“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

“I enjoy eating a diversity of foods in a range of social situations. ”
HWB 0-29a / HWB 1-29a / HWB 2-29a

“I experience a sense of enjoyment and achievement when preparing simple healthy foods and drinks.”  HWB 1-30b

(Education Scotland, 2004)

“I can use digital technologies to explore how to search and find information.” TCH 0-02a (Education Scotland, 2016)

 

 

 

References

Education Scotland (2004) Curriculum for Excellence.[Online] Available: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/all-experiences-and-outcomes.pdf [Accessed: 6th March]

Edutopia (2016) 3 Ways to Use Game-Based Learning. [Online] Available: https://www.edutopia.org/article/3-ways-use-game-based-learning-matthew-farber  [Accessed:6th March 2018]

Higher Education Academy (2017) Gamification and Games-Based Learning. [Online] Available: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/gamification-and-games-based-learning  [Accessed: 6th March 2018]

 

Digital Technologies Week 8 – 27.2.18

Digital Techologies

Mobile devices are becoming a prominent feature in the majority of households in today’s society. The discussion in our class today was whether mobile devices should be used in the classroom and what benefits they bring to learning. We also explored the talking tins and the easi speak microphones and how they can be used in the classroom. The aim of today was to create an ‘I am’ poem using the voice recordings from the easi speak microphones, and then create a powerpoint with those recordings and images.

Technology is playing a central role in the classroom, not just in ICT, but in English, Maths and Science. According to the Telegraph (2014), four in ten households have a tablet, so children are computer literate before going to school.  Mobile devices have many benefits in the classroom. Technology can retain the children’s attention for a longer period of time than the traditional way of teaching. It keeps them engaged because it’s something that they are familiar with outside of school. According to Teaching Times (2018), only a quarter of schools believe they only use it for entertainment. However, it has other benefits not only for children but for teachers too. For example, in maths children can submit their answers straight away and find out the answers instantly. This is a faster way of learning. Teachers are also able to look at the children’s answers and can easily note down their marks.   Parent/carers are often trying to get children to stop playing on their mobile devices for too long. Some children agreed that if they played it for too long it would make them tired or frustrated, but on the other hand some children find it relaxing and calming (Children’s Parliament, 2006). Technology is also useful as an additional support tool if the teacher is busy with other children. They can be left on their own and this would increase their independence. For example, they could use mobile devices to clarify the spellings of words, or play educational games to enhance learning if they had completed all of their tasks. (Children’s Parliament, 2006). Personally, I think mobile devices are a great resource for the classroom if they are used effectively.

Technology is growing at a rapid pace and it is important to keep up to date with it. However, there are some teachers that are not confident with using mobile devices. This is mainly because there is little support being given to teachers to integrate technology into the curriculum (Telegraph, 2o15).  In my opinion, if teachers had additional support or even attended an ICT class, it would have a positive impact on the pupils’ learning in the classroom. Teachers who are not as confident must also be aware that their uncertainty towards technology can also have a negative impact on the pupils. They must not pass on the fear they have.   Using technology in schools also allows children to make use of their devices to enhance their learning.

Although there are many advantages of mobile devices, there are also disadvantages of using them in the classroom.  Technology is very expensive and according to the Telegraph (2015), technology in schools in England is costing around £623 million per year. This means that many schools may not the same access to mobile devices that other schools have. In addition to this, most mobile devices will need Wi-Fi to set up the applications and devices, and schools have reported that they are under resourced in Wi-Fi. This makes it difficult for children and teachers to get online to use the technology facilities such as educational websites. Despite the negatives, I think there are far more many advantages when it comes to using mobile devices.

The Experiences and Outcomes for using mobile devices:

“I can extend and enhance my knowledge of digital technologies to collect, analyse ideas, relevant information and organise these in an appropriate way.” TCH 2-01a

“Using digital technologies responsibly I can access, retrieve and use information to support, enrich or extend learning in different contexts.” TCH 1-02a

“I can extend my knowledge of how to use digital technology to communicate with others and I am aware of ways to keep safe and secure.” TCH 1-03a

(Education Scotland, 2016)

We must keep up to date with the ever changing technology, as children are now fast becoming more intuitive when it comes to technology in today’s society. It’s essential that as teachers that we keep up to date with technology. I think as a student teacher is it vital to use mobile devices in the classroom. It can enhance learning and keep children engaged in lessons.  Therefore, they are more likely to enjoy and take more information from a lesson.

 

Powerpoint – easi speak microphone 

 

References

Children’s Parliament (2006) A Digital Learning and Teaching Strategy for Scotland: The Vies of Children. [Online] Available: http://www.childrensparliament.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/REPORT_digital-learning-consultation_Childrens-Parliament-1.pdf  [Accessed: 28th February 2018]

Education Scotland (2016) Curriculum for Excellence: Technologies Experiences and Outcomes. [Online] Available: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/Technologies-es-os.pdf [Accessed: 28th February 2018]

Teaching Times (2018) Games Consoles Benefit Children’s Education. [Online] Available: http://www.teachingtimes.com/articles/games-consoles-education.htm [Accessed : 28th February 2018]

Telegraph (2014) Digital Learning: How Technology is Reshaping Teaching [Online] Available: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/11051228/Digital-learning-how-technology-is-reshaping-teaching.html [Accessed: 28th February 2018]

Telegraph (2015) Classroom Technology Barely Used By Half of Teachers [Online]Available: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/12013650/Classroom-technology-barely-used-by-half-of-teachers.html [Accessed: 28th February 2018]

Digital Technologies Week 7 – 20.2.18

2.1 Curriculum, Digital Techologies, Literacy

This week in Digital Technologies, we learned about animation by using the applications, Puppet Pals and iStop Motion. Firstly, we looked at Puppet Pals on the iPad. As a pair, we had to create a fairy tale story using the Puppet Pals application. Personally, it took a little while to familiarise myself with how to change the scene and move the characters in and out of a different scene. Although, once I was familiar with the concept of it, I thought it was a really useful tool, as children can talk and record the story whilst moving the characters. It was really effective. It would be something I would use in my classroom.

iStop motion was the other animated application we looked at today. I also found this slightly tricky to use at first but after playing around with it for five or ten minutes it became fairly straight forward to use. Jarvis (2005) suggests that “Animation involves the stringing together a sequence of static images, generally so that they appear to move.” We used lego to create a space story, using only music and pictures. By combining these together it created an animated video. The only drawback is that it is very time consuming.

However, animation has a “big visual impact” (Jarvis, 2005). Using cut out animation is the easiest technique to begin with. “Animation breathes life into something that would not normally move (Moving Image Education). There are five main types of animation according to Moving Image Education : Cut out which is the quickest and easiest; iStop motion for example using plasticine models; pixilation where humans become puppets; drawings for example the Disney animation; and computer such as games and movie. Animation can be used to enhance learning. Bertrancourt (2005) suggests that there are three easy that animation can do this. It can enhance the learners’ visual representation, it illustrates information processes and it can provide an interactive element. I think animation should be used in classrooms as it has many benefits to a child’s learning. Technology is changing at a rapid pace in today’s society, and Beauchamp (2012, p 66) feels that “ICT equipment is part of pupils’ everyday life, so should be part of their everyday play.” I think this is vital for children as technology will keep them interested in their task as it is something they use everyday. ICT allows children to create things that they would not be able to achieve in any other way. e-Inclusion also uses digital technologies to help children with learning difficulties and minimises the problems they face with this. In addition to this, teachers must be confident with using digital technologies. As technology grows teachers may be worried by new technologies so it is important that they do not pass this onto young children, as they should be exploring these new technologies (Beauchamp, 2012).

Experiences & outcomes for animation:

“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  (Education Scotland, 2016)

“I can use a range of graphic techniques, manually and digitally, to communicate ideas, concepts or products, experimenting with the use of shape, colour and texture to enhance my work.” TCH 2-11a  (Education Scotland, 2016)

“I enjoy exploring events and characters in stories and other texts, sharing my thoughts in different ways.” LIT 0-01c (Education Scotland, 2004)

“I enjoy creating texts of my choice and I regularly select subject, purpose, format and resources to suit the needs of my audience.” LIT 1-20a / LIT 2-20a    (Education Scotland, 2004)

 

Overall, I enjoyed using Puppet Pals and iStop Motion on the iPads to create stories. I think it is a very beneficial tool for the classroom. However, iStop Motion is very time consuming so this is something that as a teacher I would have to be mindful of when creating a task. It is something I would use often in the classroom even though I think it is a fun and useful application.

 

 

 

References

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

Education Scotland (2004) Curriculum for Excellence: Literacy and English. Experience and Outcomes. [Online] Available: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/literacy-across-learning-eo.pdf [Accessed: 28th February 2018]

Education Scotland (2016) Curriculum for Excellence: Technologies Experiences and Outcomes. [Online] Available: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/Technologies-es-os.pdf [Accessed: 28th February 2018]

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

›Moving Image Education. [Online] Available:  https://movingimageeducation.org/create-films/animation [Accessed: 28th February 2018]

 

 

 

 

Digital Technologies Week 6 – 13.2.18

2.1 Curriculum, Digital Techologies, Literacy

In our Digital Technologies class today, we learned about the importance of internet safety. It is a pressing issue within society and children must be made aware of these issues and know what to do if something goes wrong. It is vital that children know who they are talking with on the internet and the dangers of the internet.

The aim of today was to create a story through iMovie, sending a message of online safety. According to Beauchamp (2012) “the key idea [is] that e-safety is not about restricting children, but about educating them.” It is vital that children can approach their parents/teachers/carers with any issues that arise around the internet. In society today, the internet plays a prominent role in children’s lives, therefore it is important that if they use the internet that they be safe whilst online. The most successful schools will ensure that pupils know what to do when things go wrong (Beauchamp, 2012).

iMovie is a great application for children to create digital stories. Porter (2004) suggests that digital storytelling begins with the notion of sharing a story digitally through  imagery, text, sound, voice, music, video and animation.  This will be the principle hobby of the people in the world today.  I think digital applications such as iMovie are great for children’s imagination. It allows them to create whatever they want in whichever way they want to.  Literacy skills, practical skills and communication skills  can be improved by using Digital Technology. “The digital environment provides a unique opportunity to empower people of all ages to manipulate, combine and distribute their self-expressions as living stories that can be sent into the world and through time (Porter, 2004, p 35).

For our assessment, we created a trailer based on the story of Little Red Riding Hood. In our trailer Little Red Riding Hood was texting who she thought was her Gran. However, it was actually the big, bad Wolf. Little Red Riding Hood was not aware of this and continued to text the Wolf and they agreed to meet. She then realised it was not her Gran she was texting all along.  In this case, Gran’s phone had been stolen and someone else was pretending to be her.  This conveys that not everyone you speak to online is who they say they are. At the end of the trailer, there is advice on what children should do if someone they do not know is contacting them. They should speak to their parent/guardian/carer, visit the CEOP or childline website for advice.

Digital technology is a great tool and can be very useful in helping with literacy, numeracy, and health and wellbeing. The Scottish Government (2015) go further and state that there is indicative evidence that the same can be said for some aspects of literacy, especially writing and comprehension. Digital technologies appear to be the appropriate means to improve basic literacy and numeracy skills, especially in primary settings. However, it is important to acknowledge that things can go wrong online. As teachers, we must be a role model for children and ensure we gain children’s trust so that they are able to come to us if something does go wrong.

Overall, I think iMovie was another great tool that can be used in the classroom. It allows children to be creative by creating stories on the iPad. It is a different from the traditional pen and paper for writing a story, however it can be just as effective. They can use video recording, pictures and add sound effects and also add props and dress up for it too.  It gives them the opportunity to act out a story and create their own dialogue. It’s literacy in the modern way. This would give them the inspiration to create their story then write it down, as they created it themselves. I would definitely use this in my classroom as I think it would be very effective. It also covers the health and well-being topic to ensure children stay safe online.

 

The Curriculum of Excellence experience and outcomes for this subject:

“I can extend my knowledge of how to use digital technology to communicate with others and I am aware of ways to keep safe and secure.” TCH 1-03a  (Education Scotland, 2016)

“I can explore online communities demonstrating an understanding of responsible digital behaviour and I’m aware of how to keep myself safe and secure.” TCH 2-03a  (Education Scotland, 2016)

As I play and learn, I enjoy exploring interesting materials for writing and different ways of recording my experiences and feelings, ideas and information. LIT 0-21a  (Education Scotland, 2004)

 

Videos & Pictures

 

References

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

Education Scotland (2004) Curriculum for Excellence: Literacy and English Experiences & Outcomes [Online] Available: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/literacy-english-eo.pdf [Accessed: 13th February 2018]

Education Scotland (2016) Curriculum for Excellence: Technologies Experiences & Outcomes [Online] Available: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/Technologies-es-os.pdf [Accessed: 13th February 2018]

›Porter, B. (2004) Digi Tales: The Art of Telling Digital Stories. Bernajean Porter Publication.

›The Scottish Government (2015) Literature Review on the Impact of Digital Technology on Learning and Teaching. [Online] Available:  http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/24843/1/00489224.pdf [Accessed: 13th February 2018]

 

 

 

 

Digital Technologies Week 5 – 6.2.18

2.1 Curriculum, Digital Techologies, Literacy

In our fifth week of Digital Technologies, we learned how to use the application Book Creator on the iPads and 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. I thought it would be a very challenging assessment as I had never used the eBook application before.

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 to 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. By using eBooks this covers all of these semiotic systems. 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.”  (Education Scotland, 2016)

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

(Education Scotland, 2016)

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, 2004)

 

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. I found the assessment task challenging today as there was a lot to do in the time we had but I enjoyed the challenge and learned something new that I could use in a classroom.

 

References

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

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

Education Scotand (2004) Curriculum for Excellence: Literacy and English. Experiences and Outcomes. [Online] Available: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/literacy-english-eo.pdf  [Accessed 6th February 2018].

Education Scotand (2016) Curriculum for Excellence: Technologies. Experiences and Outcomes. [Online] Available:  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] Available: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/e-book  [Accessed: 6th February].

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Digital Technologies Week 4 – 30.1.18

2.1 Curriculum, Digital Techologies, Literacy

In our fourth week of Digital Technologies, we looked at the concept of coding using the Scratch Jr application. Scratch Jr is an introductory programming language that allows children aged 5 and up to be creative and interactive by creating their own stories and games. Children can add programming blocks together to make characters move, sing and talk (ScratchJr, 2017).

When children create programs, it allows them to develop their creative thinking skills, logical reasoning skills, problem solving skills and their collaboration skills (Scratch Jr, 2017). “Scratch was developed for young people to help them develop creative learning skills for the 21st century” (Scratch, 2017). According to The Lead Project (2014), “Scratch is designed for exploration and experimentation, so it supports any different learning style.” It can help support teachers in many different subjects such as maths, literacy, art, music and information technology (The Lead Project, 2014). The ability to code computer programs is a vital part of literacy in society today. Some people believe that coding is the new literacy. Coding can aid people in learning important strategies for problem solving, the communicating  ideas and designing projects (The Lead Project, 2014).

The aim of today was to complete an assessment by creating our own adventure story using Scratch Jr on the iPads. Initially I thought it would be a challenging task. However, after following the activity card instructions on how to move characters, change the backgrounds and add speech, it became easier to do. My activity started off with an under the sea theme with animals that live under the sea. I started off the story with a fish looking for his friend and the task for the children would be to write about what they think will happen next. As a teacher, I would also ask them about the animals that are in the story and what other animals could live under the sea. In addition to this, I would also ask questions about how the characters are feeling throughout the story and how that made them feel. This would give children ideas for writing their part of the story and open up their imagination, whilst also learning about animals that live under water.

 

The Experiences and Outcomes that are covered within this activity are:

“I can create, capture and manipulate sounds, text and images to communicate experiences, ideas and information in creative and engaging ways.” TCH 1-04b/2-04b, (Education Scotland, 2016)

“I enjoy  exploring events and characters I stories and other texts and I use what I learn to invent my own, sharing these with others in imaginative ways.” LIT 0-09b/LIT 0-31a,   (Education Scotland, 2004)

 

Codeacademy is another website that provides various coding languages. It can be easily accessed at school and at home. This means that children can log into the browser at school, log their progress and pick up where they left off. They would also be able to use this resource to set homework, do quizzes and play games.  In addition to this, teachers can use lesson plans for all levels throughout school and is an effective way of checking homework (Telegraph,2014). The ability to code computer programs is a vital part of literacy in society today. Some people believe that coding is the new literacy. Coding can aid in learning important strategies for problem solving, communication of ideas and designing projects (TESL-EJ, 2017).

Today was my first experience of coding, and I thought it would be really complex and difficult to understand. However, it turned out to be simple and straight forward as I followed the instruction cards. As a student teacher, I would use Scratch Jr in my classroom as it has many benefits for the children, and also for me as an educator.  It  would increase and improve the children’s imagination skills,  literacy and numeracy skills, problem solving skills, and logical skills. In addition to this, Scratch Jr can be tailored to any subject which is very useful and effective as a teacher.  As individuals we must keep up with the digital technology that is readily available to us. In education, we should use this to our advantage to ensure that children grow up understanding how to use technology surrounding them and not be afraid to use it. Overall, Scratch Jr is easy to use, is readily available on the internet browser and is free to use. It is an effective resource for the classroom.

 

References

Education Scotland (2004) Curriculum for Excellence : Literacy and English. Experiences and Outcomes.  [Online] Available:  https://education.gov.scot/Documents/literacy-english-eo.pdf [Accessed : 30th January 2018]

Education Scotland (2016) Curriculum for Excellence : Technologies. [Online] Available: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/Technologies-es-os.pdf [Accessed : 30th January 2018]

Scratch (2017). [Online] Available: https://scratch.mit.edu/ [Accessed: 30th January 2018]

Scratch Jr (2017). [Online] Available:  https://www.scratchjr.org/teach/activities  [Accessed:30th January 2018]

Telegraph (2014) Teaching our children to code: a quiet revolution [Online] Available:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/10410036/Teac…[Accessed: 30th January 2018]

TESL-EJ (2017) [Online] Available:  http://www.tesl-ej.org/wordpress/issues/volume21/ej82/ej82int/ [Accessed : 30th January 2018]

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

 

Digital Technologies Week 3 – 23.1.18

2.1 Curriculum, Digital Techologies, Mathematics

In our third week of Digital Technologies, we looked at the definition of a multimodal text to create multimodal presentations through the program ActivInspire. A multimodal text is the combination of two or more semiotic systems. In total there are five semiotic systems in total and they are: linguistic, visual, audio, gestural and spatial. Beauchamp (2012, p.8) states that “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.” I think that the use of multimodal texts are vital in the classroom as it allows children to be interactive and is a fun way of learning. Using multimodal presentations can be captivating, engaging and motivating. However, I think the most important reason to use multimodal presentations is that it should be memorable for children. It is beneficial for teachers as it helps bring a lesson to life by using the IWB which encourages interaction. Although, as a teacher it is important that we have an understanding of the programmes we are using (Beauchamp, 2012, p100).

Today we looked at support videos of how to use ActivInspire and its features. The aim of today was to create an ActivInspire slide with a partner by using a variety of tools. The focus of our activity was to learn how to tell the time, identify when/where we use time and also the different ways of telling the time. We would encourage children to write on the IWB where they see the time and when we use it. Then we would introduce how to tell the time using the 12 hour clock and we would then explain that this is an analogue clock. As part of our slide, we had an analogue clock where the hands could move. We would then move onto a slide with the 24 hour time using the digital clock which we could also move. I think this is a great tool for children as they are able to physically change the time themselves. This would be interactive and stimulating for children as they are doing the work. Our activity was targeted mainly at 1st level.

ActivInspire was something I had never used before. At first I thought it was tricky to use but after using it for a while I became familiar with the features and how they could support teachers on a wide variety of topics. This tool is very beneficial for children as they can physically change some of the features on there which enables them to be interactive. It is also a fun way of learning and its important that children are enjoying the lesson as they will gain more information from it. If I had more practise on ActivInspire, it is something I would like to use in my classroom as a future teacher.

 

Curriculum for Excellence Experiences and Outcomes:

I can tell the time using 12 hour clocks realising there is a link with 24 hour notation, explain how it impacts on my daily routine and ensure that I am organised and ready for events throughout my day.” MNU 1-10a

(Education Scotland, 2004)

 

References

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

Education Scotland (2004). Curriculum for Excellence: Numeracy and Mathematics. Experience and Outcomes. [Online] Available : 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: 23rd January 2018]

 

 

 

 

 

Digital Technologies Week 2 – 16.1.18

2.1 Curriculum, Digital Techologies

In week 2 of Digital Technologies, we were looked at the concept of programmable toys and in particular we focused on the Bee-Bot. I had some knowledge of the Bee-Bot from when we previously looked at it in semester 1 in our Literacy for Understanding unit. The purpose of today’s assessment task was to create a theme and make links to numeracy using the Bee-Bot. In addition to this, we also had to consider the Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes that would relate to our task. I was excited at the prospect of creating an activity using the Bee-Bot. Before we started creating our activity, we watched some support videos to convey how children were responding to the Bee-Bot and how it can be tailored to suit any age through primary school. In our group, we came up with a game where we had a board with squares which were numbered from 1-12. We created flashcards with various addition and subtraction questions which were worded differently. These were split into two categories. One category had questions that were basic questions, which  were worth one point. The other category had slightly harder questions for children who were more able and they were worth two points each.  The aim of the game is to answer the questions and move the Bee-Bot to the correct position by programming it. The person who reaches a total of 5 points first wins the game. This activity was tailored to the needs of the early level. However, by changing the questions on the flashcards, it could be used for first and second level too. It is a great activity that is easily adaptable to the topic as well as the age range.  I found the use of the Bee-Bot quite effective and is something I will keep in mind for my teaching career.

There are many benefits of using the Bee-Bot in the classroom. According to Lydon (2008), children are interacting with technology every day and she discovered  that nursery children have improved their problem solving, literacy, numeracy and thinking skills whilst using programmable toys. The Bee-Bot is said to increase concentration levels, the  attention span of children and can enhance their engagement in the activity (Lydon, 2008). Another benefit of the Bee-Bot is that children gain independence. Lydon (2008,p.2) claimed that “twelve children out of twenty-eight were able to use the Bee-Bot without any adult help after the initial instructions.”  The children are able to quickly and intuitively work out how the Bee-Bot works and this is a useful tool for them. It is very simple and effective. Janka (2008)  states that “the curriculum introduces programmable toys as a good example for developing knowledge and understanding of the contemporary world.” In addition to this, the Bee-Bot can also  improve other areas of the Curriculum including social science subjects such as history, geography, science and religious education (Janka,2008). I think it is a useful resource and can be tailored to suit all subjects and all ages.  The National Centre for Technology (2012, p.1)  also states that “[Floor robots in the classroom] help with the development of skills such as a logical sequencing, measuring, comparing lengths, space orientation, and expressing concepts in words.”

Links to Curriculum for Excellence:

“I use practical materials and can ‘count on and back’ to help me to understand addition and subtraction, recording my ideas and solutions in different ways.” MNU 0-03a

“I can use addition, subtraction, multiplication and division when solving problems, making best use of the mental strategies and written skills I have developed.” MNU 1-03a  (Education Scotland, 2004)

“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
“I can develop a sequence of instructions and run them using programmable devices or equivalent.” TCH 0-15a

(Education Scotland, 2016)

 

Overall, many professionals agree that programmable toys definitely have a positive impact on the child’s learning. After trialling out our Bee-Bot activity today, I can understand and visualise how effective this would be in classrooms. Technology is advancing in our society and I think it is vital as a teacher, that we keep up with technology and use it to our advantage.  Programmable toys cover various experiences and outcomes in the Curriculum for Excellence and is an excellent resource for teachers.

 

 

 

References

Education Scotland (2004). Curriculum for Excellence: Numeracy and Mathematics. Experience and Outcomes. [Online] Available:  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: 16th January 2018]

Education Scotland (2016) Curriculum for Excellence: Technologies. Experiences and Outcomes. [Online] Available: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/Technologies-es-os.pdf [Accessed: 16th January 2018]

ICTopus Article (2008) Sharing Good Practice: Robots in Early Education by Alison Lydon. [Online] Available:  https://oponoa-programmeertalen.wikispaces.com/file/view/BeeBot_article.pdf [Accessed: 16th January 2018]

Janka, P. (2008) Using a Programmable Toy at Preschool Age: Why and How?  [Online] Available: http://www.terecop.eu/downloads/simbar2008/pekarova.pdf  [Access: 16th January 2018]

NCTE (National centre for Technology in Education) (2012) NCTE Floor Robots – Focus on Literacy & Numeracy. [Online] Available: http://www.ncte.ie/media/NCTE_Floor_robots_focus_on_literacy_numeracy_primary_12-06.pdf [Accessed: 16th January 2018]

 

 

Digital Technologies Week 1- 9.1.18

Digital Techologies

During my first class of Digital Technologies, we found out the definition of Digital Technology and the benefits it has for children in our education system. I will go on to discuss these benefits within my blog and explain what I learned and reflected on in my first session.

Digital technology is defined as a term used to describe those digital applications, services and resources which are used to find, analyse, create, communicate and to use information in a digital context.  According to the Scottish Government (2016), there are four objectives to be successful in digital technology, teaching and assessment which are: developing  the skills of our educators in the appropriate and effective use of digital technology to support learning and teaching; improve access to digital technology for all learners; ensure that digital technology is a central consideration in all areas of the curriculum and assessment delivery and to empower leaders of change to drive innovation and investment in digital technology for learning and teaching.  I have learned that digital technology has many benefits that bring positive impacts to a child’s learning which has a massive impact on education. There has been indicative evidence which shows that digital technologies can help close the attainment gap in education (Scottish Government 2016).  It can also  help children with Additional Support Needs and it can help maintain interest in various subjects. For example if a child is under achieving in a particular subject , the use of technology can improve their skills in that subject which increases their confidence. In addition to this, it can create  digital skills that prepare children for the transition into  employment.  Many jobs now require the use of digital technology, so it is vital that they have these skills which will create more career opportunities for them. It also gives them the opportunity to be creative in a way that could not happen without it (Beauchamp, 2012). There are also benefits for teachers, parents and carers too. Teachers can have access to a range of career-long learning experiences. They can share those experiences, information with other teachers  and there are opportunities there to support the professional development of teachers. I think it is great that teachers and children can have access to various areas of digital technology. It is also useful for carers/parents as it allows them to be able to communicate easily with their child’s school to keep up to date with their learning.  In addition to this, I explored Glow and found out that it has many beneficial and useful applications such as Yammer, Glow TV and Glow Meet. We can share experiences and speak with each other from the comfort of our homes. I feel that this will be beneficial throughout my degree at University and also my teaching career.  Moreover,  I also reflected on what I am competent and confident in with regards to digital technology. I realised that I  know a lot of the basics such as MS Word and Excel, however I found out that I do not know anything about programming or coding and the devices used for them. However, I am keen to develop these areas and learn more about them, as I think it would be great resources for the classroom.

Overall, I have learned that digital technology has many benefits, not only for children but for teachers, parents and carers too. It plays an important role in society and by having digital technology in schools it prepares children for their future career. On reflection, I realised that although I know the basics about digital technology, there are still so many applications and programmes out there that I have never experienced before. Glow is also another tool that has many uses for everyone , which I was not aware of.  However, throughout this module I hope to increase that knowledge and hope to use it further in my career.

 

References

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

Scottish Government (2016) A Digital Learning and Teaching Strategy for Scotland. Edinburgh: Scottish Government [Online] Available :   http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0050/00505855.pdf [Accessed: 9th January 2018]