Monthly Archives: April 2019

Overall Reflection

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Final Reflection

This is my last digital technologies blog post, I cannot believe how fast this module has went by! I definitely have so much more knowledge on digital technologies and how I can use them in the classroom, but I have also learned a lot about the Curriculum for Excellence in general. In my very first blog post I said how I wanted to increase my understanding of technologies and be able to use them effectively in the classroom and I do feel as though I’ve achieved this. This module has not only allowed me to familiarise and learn about apps, software’s, games and different technologies but I have been able to plan lessons and connect everything I’ve learned to the Curriculum for Excellence. I have learned how I can effectively use games like Minecraft in the classroom. I have also learned how I can make eBooks more interactive through using Book Creator and I have learned the effectiveness of getting children to create movies, animations and coding activities as these are able to engage them and enhance their learning.

I feel a lot more confident using software like ActiveInspire to present lessons and I feel as though I am able to include digital technologies in multiple lesson plans. Prior to doing this module I had a very traditional way of looking at teaching, but this module has proved to me that digital technologies can be used to enhance lessons, make them more fun and engaging. Before taking this module, I didn’t realise how ICT should be incorporated throughout the curriculum and shouldn’t just be treated as a separate subject of ‘ICT’. ICT is something that contributes to all areas of learning and isn’t considered to be a separate experience (Beauchamp, 2012). Through doing extensive reading for this module I learned how this generation of children process information completely differently as they are digitally native, they like to have instant information and enjoy digital learning as it comes naturally to them (Prensky 2001).

I now understand the importance of teachers having significant knowledge of different digital technologies, so they are able to confidently teach and use digital technologies in the classroom. I feel a lot more confident in using digital technologies after doing this module. I also understand how technology changes all the time and I will constantly have to build my ICT skills even when I have my own class as it is important teachers are able to keep up with the generation their teaching.

I am really glad I decided to do this module as it has allowed me to build on my own ICT skills and I now fully understand the importance of digital technologies in the classroom. My knowledge of apps, websites and different software’s has increased so much since the start of this module and I can’t wait to continue to develop my knowledge of digital teaching resources in my own time. This module will help me as a teacher as I have developed many new skills and been made aware of many resources that I will be able to use while I’m out teaching. As a teacher I will now definitely always try and incorporate ICT and the use of digital technologies into my everyday lessons as I now understand just how important it is in children’s learning.

REFERENCES

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

Marc Prensky (2001) Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. [pdf] Available:  https://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf [Accessed 26 March 2019].

Images from Pixaby

Outdoor Learning and Using QR Codes

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Tuesday 12 March 2019

Today in our session we looked at the advantages of outdoor learning and how we could use QR codes to create a fun lesson. QR codes are like bar codes, you can scan them by using an app or if you have an iPhone the camera can actually detect the code and redirect you. QR stands for ‘Quick Response’, and once you scan a QR code within seconds it redirects you to text, a website, an audio recording, a phone number, an email, address, a location or  a calendar event.

Outdoor learning experiences are often remembered for a lifetime according to Education Scotland (2010). Children will likely remember a learning experience that is out with their usual environment, the outdoors allows for so many possibilities as there is such a vast amount of space and materials. The outdoors provides children with more exciting, motivating, relevant and easily accessible activities (Education Scotland, 2010). Outdoor learning activities definitely would enhance learning and engage a handful of children. Outdoor learning activities allow children to develop communication skills, problem solving skills and team working skills (Education Scotland, 2010). Using QR codes outside would be a really fun idea as children could work collaboratively to follow the clues from each QR code. You are able to do a sort of treasure hunt activity with QR codes, using them outdoors would be really memorable and engage children in their learning. Outdoor learning is great because it can allow certain pupils to demonstrate certain skills that they maybe couldn’t showcase in the classroom, this would increase their self-esteem and also some children might gain a new perspective on another pupil (Education Scotland, 2010).

QR codes promote student engagement as the children are motivated to get to the next QR code as often there is promise of a reward (Professional Learning Board, 2013). QR codes are a really great resource for teachers as they have complete control of what information is displayed once the QR code is scanned and they can create a really fun lesson which is completely customised towards their class and their learning outcomes. Using ICT has a positive effect on attainment (Beauchamp, 2012). QR codes stand out to me as if you do something like a QR hunt children aren’t just sitting in the one place using digital technologies but they’re having the opportunity to move around and explore different areas of the school or the outdoors. Using QR codes outside can be especially effective as it can fit in with health and wellbeing, science and probably many more curricular areas.

Our task was to create a classroom activity using QR codes. In a group we picked to do our activity at level 1 and we ensured the level of sums and language we used was appropriate to this level. We wanted to base this task off of previous learning and so we decided to focus again on money in the context of a supermarket, just like we did for Programmable Toys and Multimodality. We wanted to create an activity which would be interactive and allow children to work collaboratively. We then sat together and figured out how we would create a task like this using QR codes, this was good as we worked really well as a team to solve a problem and team building skills and problem-solving skills will be really important skills for me to use as a teacher.

We decided we would make the QR hunt start buy giving the children a sum. The answer to the sum would be the number of rooms they had to go to in order to find the next QR code. The next QR code would give them the next item on the shopping list which they would be able to score off their list.

They would also have another sum which would lead them to the next room and so on. As the hunt went on, the children would have to write the price of each item next to it and add it up to make find the total of their shopping at the end. We could’ve done this task for second level learning if we made the sums more advanced by using multiplication or even division.

We used the website ‘QRStuff.com’ to create our QR codes. The QR codes were easy to create and really simple. We pasted each QR code onto a word document and printed them out.

Creating the sums for each QR code, connecting each clue and putting up the QR codes however was very time consuming and reflecting on this it took us quite a long time to create the activity and it turned out to be really very short. If I was doing this activity with a class, I would need to ensure it lasted a good amount of time even if that meant it took a little longer to plan.

While the QR code generator was simple to use it had limited features and we couldn’t add pictures to the text link which we really wanted to do. If we had some more time, we could’ve printed out pictures of each item and placed them with the QR codes as I feel visuals would help in making the activity more fun and relevant to real life.

 

Our task could follow this outcome from the curriculum for excellence:

I can use money to pay for items and can work out how much change I should receive. MNU 1-09a

(Scottish Government, n.d.).

I enjoyed creating a QR code activity. Until this session I had no idea there were even sites available that allowed you to create your own QR codes. Using QR codes to create a treasure hunt whether its inside a building or outdoors is great because it gets children moving around and experiencing learning in different environments. Using QR codes would defiantly enhance learning as it is so interactive and allows the children to experience a different type of learning while also incorporating the use of digital technologies.

The only issue I have with this QR code activity is that it took so long to create and ended up being a relatively short task, if I were to use this in a classroom I would need to make it so it lasted a reasonable amount of time. If you have the time to plan a lesson with QR codes then it can be a really useful and fun activity to do with a class, hopefully I will be able to use QR codes and create a similar activity for a class of my own.

REFERENCES

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

Education Scotland (2010) Curriculum for Excellence Through Outdoor Learning. [pdf] Available:  http://moodle1819.uws.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/39956/mod_resource/content/3/cfeoutdoorlearningfinal_tcm4-596061%20copy.pdf [Accessed 19 March 2019]

Professional Learning Board (2013) How can I use QR codes to Enhance Learning in the Classroom? [Online] Available: https://k12teacherstaffdevelopment.com/tlb/how-can-i-use-qr-codes-to-enhance-learning-in-the-classroom/ [Accessed 19 March 2019]

Scottish Government (n.d). Curriculum for Excellence. [pdf] Available: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/All-experiencesoutcomes18.pdf [Accessed 19 March 2019]

 

 

Games-Based Learning

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Tuesday 5 March 2019

We are on week 9 of the module and I can’t believe how fast time has gone. In the nine weeks of doing the module I have learned so much about the importance of digital technologies in the classroom. My knowledge about how to use technology and how to integrate it throughout learning has improved greatly and I feel a lot more confident in using digital technologies as a learning tool.

This week we looked at using games-based learning and how it can be used within the classroom. We focused on looking at the computer game ‘Minecraft’. “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.”  (How to do Everything in Minecraft, 2014, p.3). Today’s generation of children spend so much of their free time playing games on their computers, phones, tablets or games consoles, it has actually been reported that 86% of 5-7-year-old children and 90% of 8-11-year old children use game devices regularly (Ofcom, 2001). With games playing such a huge role in children’s lives today I think it’s a great idea to use them in the classroom as it is certainly something that will engage a lot of children and allow them to demonstrate their knowledge of games while also following learning outcomes from the Curriculum for Excellence.

The popularity of using games as a learning tool has sparked the growth of the ‘Edutainment’ industry. This industry looks at designing games specifically to aid learning and to develop skills (Groff et al, 2010).  In today’s session we were looking at using Minecraft ‘Education Edition’. I had never used Minecraft before this session, so I learned a lot about this game. The education addition was really good as it had healthy food options, elements of the periodic table, a map which you could use when teaching coordinates in numeracy and it also allowed students to join the same world so they can work together in the game. Getting students to work together in the game could be a really good thing but I think many children could also be distracted by the idea of meeting their friends on the game and so the rules would need to be made clear before using the game. I loved how you could find elements and react them together to make a compound, this would be great when looking at the periodic table in a science lesson. I did however think the controls were quite confusing, I figured out the space bar moved your character up, shift was down, and W was forward but before using Minecraft in the classroom I would want to ensure I fully understood all the controls and features so I could provide the best lesson I could.

It is essential teachers understand the game so they can use it in such a way that it promotes learning. “Not only do (teachers) have to become familiar with the games, they also have to ensure that they make clear the way in which they want the game to be used” (Beauchamp, 2012, p.9). If teachers do not properly understand how a game works, it is likely it won’t be that effective as a learning tool as teachers need to have a clear understanding of the game in order to see how they can use it effectively as a learning tool. Bray (2012) states games-based learning has the most transformational impact when it is combined with good learning and teaching. Teachers should consider and analyse if the game provides relevant content which they are able to connect to an area of learning, they should ensure it is appropriate and is of the right age rating – it shouldn’t depict something like violence. Teachers also have the responsibility to assess whether a game is too complex or too simple, the game has to challenge them in some way but not too much. A game should have good graphics but also shouldn’t be too distracting because the children can’t lose focus on the learning at hand (Ladey, 2010).

Beauchamp, (2012) states these skills could be developed by using games in the classroom:

  • Strategic thinking
  • Planning
  • Communication
  • Application of number
  • Negotiating skills
  • Group decision-making
  • Data Handling skills

A lot of games could also help children with reading as their having to read instructions and so I would say games can develop skills in literacy too. Games can be a really good way of allowing children to learn in groups and so can benefit their communication skills and team working skills.

I think ICT games would enhance children’s learning, it’s claimed that games are more motivational, engaging and more challenging than formal teaching methods, they also provide a more authentic teaching experience (Ulicsak et al, 2011). Many children would enjoy using games as children will remember more and learn more if they’re enjoying their lesson. Children may however get carried away with a game and might not focus on learning so much but that is why it is so important for the teacher to make the learning clear and keep the class on task. Games like the ‘Planet Coaster’ could be good if you’re looking at speed in science or maths as you can build a rollercoaster and then it tells you how fast it goes, the g-force levels and if it could be built in a real theme park  or if it’s too dangerous which is great as it makes real life connections.

Our task in today’s session was to create an interdisciplinary plan for using Minecraft Education Edition in the classroom. We created our plan in groups and started off by making a mind map in which we essentially analysed Minecraft. We looked at where in the curriculum it would fit, what skills could be developed, the principles it allows to be developed and how effective it would be as a learning tool. We then made another mind map which explained our lesson idea.

We decided that for our lesson we would put children in groups and give them a historical or famous landmark. The group would have to use computers or iPads to research their landmark, they can look at pictures and find out some information about the landmark and create a short fact file. They would then have the opportunity to use Minecraft to build their given landmark. We thought it would fit into the following curricular areas:

  • Expressive Arts
  • Languages
  • Numeracy/Mathematics
  • Social Studies

The children would then have the opportunity to show another group what they built and tell them about their building, like when it was built, where is it, who built it etc. The children might be able to learn more by doing this ‘show and tell’ / ‘teacher to pupil’ method as it allows them to not only learn in depth about the landmark their given, but they can also learn about another landmark.

I think that using games in the classroom would enhance learning and engage a lot of children, however it is important for teachers to have knowledge of the game and ensure effective learning can come from playing it. Games need to be used throughout the curriculum as an approach to learning and shouldn’t only be brought out as rewards according to Bray (2012).

I have learned a lot about Minecraft Education Edition as before the session I had never used Minecraft at all. I got to explore this game and learn how to work some of the features, but I still think I need to become more familiar with the game before using it with a class. I can see real benefits of using games-based learning and think Minecraft Education Edition could be a really useful thing to use as its engaging and also covers multiple Curricular Areas. I really enjoyed making an interdisciplinary plan as it really got me thinking about all the features I saw in Minecraft and allowed me to directly compare it to the Curriculum. Games-based learning would really engage children and enhance their learning in many ways as long as the learning is made clear. I think games should be normalised more and used more often as learning tools and not just as rewards.

REFERENCES

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

Bray, O. (2012) Playful Learning: Computer Games in Education. [pdf] Available: https://www.slideshare.net/Microsofteduk/playful-learning-computer-games-in-education  [Accessed: 8 March 2019]

Groff, J., Howells C and Cranmer, S. (2010) The Impact of Games in the Classroom: Evidence from Schools in Scotland. [pdf] Available: file:///C:/Users/User/Desktop/Uni%20Work%20BA1/Digital%20Technologies/GAMES%20BASED%20LEARNING%205TH%20MARCH/Console_Games_report.pdf [Accessed 8 March 2019]

Ladey, P. (2010) Games Based Learning Analysis and Planning Tool. [pdf] Available: file:///C:/Users/User/Desktop/Uni%20Work%20BA1/Digital%20Technologies/GAMES%20BASED%20LEARNING%205TH%20MARCH/Games_Based_Learning_Analysis_and_Planning_Tool_0.9.pdf [Accessed 8 March 2019]

Ulicsak, M. and Williamson, B. (2011) Computer Games and Learning: a handbook. [pdf] Available: file:///C:/Users/User/Desktop/Uni%20Work%20BA1/Digital%20Technologies/GAMES%20BASED%20LEARNING%205TH%20MARCH/Computer_games_and_learning.pdf [Accessed 8 March 2019]

 

Animation

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Tuesday 19th and 26th February 2019

These past two weeks we have been looking at animation and how it can be used effectively in the classroom. During the first week of looking at animation we were familiarising ourselves with the applications ‘puppet pals’ and ‘iStopMotion’ which are both apps used to make short animations on the iPad.

Animations are often many images put together to make something appear to be moving (Jarvis, 2015). Generally, there are five particular types of animation, according to Moving Image Education. Cut-out animations are often the simplest and involve cut up images and pieces of paper which you move slightly each frame, so it appears to be moving. Stop-motion animations are also very popular, with this you could use objects like Lego men or plasticine and move them each frame. There is also pixilation, drawn and computer animation, but it’s more likely that you would use the first two in a Primary School setting.

I started off by looking at animation through using the app ‘Puppet Pals’. I generally disliked this app as you had access to very limited features, and it made you pay for the majority of the characters and backgrounds. It is however easy to work and with access to all the features the app offers I think it could be really quite good to use with children.

We then began to explore iStopMotion, I worked with a friend and we used bendy men figures to create a short animation. This really allowed us to get used to the app and explore all its features. Before using iStopMotion to create animations I didn’t understand how much work went into making short animations. Through practicing and making my own animation I realised just how much you have to move each part of the character in order to make it look as real and as professional as possible, its not just a case of moving it twice then you’re done. We had to move each body part of the bendy men a little each time to achieve a good-looking animation.

tester

We were then given time to plan for the next week, our task was to create an animation in groups which did one of the following: recreates a historical event, represents a geographical process, recreates a real-life scenario or explains a mathematical principle. My group decided to re-create a historical event, which was the moon landing. We created a storyboard then decided which type of animation we would create.

My group decided we would create a ‘cut-out’ animation. Cut-Out animation is the easiest technique to start on and would be really good to use in the classroom (Moving Image Education). This involved us drawing each element from our storyboard and cutting them out individually. We drew and coloured the backgrounds, people and objects. For our space background we used glue on stars which I really liked. We made our animation by moving each individual cut-out and taking a picture on iStopMotion after every movement. We also added music to enhance to the overall effect of the animation. Our animation worked out well and showcased the moon landing in a really fun way.

If we showed our animation to a class of children, it could enhance their learning as it could promote them to ask questions. If the children were shown a more professional animation it might also allow them to have a better understanding of something as they are able to get a visual picture of an event or maths problem. Bertrancourt (2005) suggests three ways which animation is used to enhance learning:

  • To enhance learners’ visual representations
  • Illustrate processes
  • Provide interactive element.

(Jarvis, 2015, p.89).

Moon Landing

I really enjoyed using iStopMotion as it put together the animation really smoothly and you could change the framerate to make it faster or slower at any point. I also liked how you were able to add sound to your animation within the app. An aspect we found challenging was keeping the iPad in the same place. Obviously in a more professional setting the camera would be set-in place with a tripod or some sort of stand, but we didn’t have this. We had to hold the camera and reposition it as well as we could before taking a picture of the next frame. It was generally easy to use, and I think a class of children would really enjoy having the opportunity to do this task.

ICT is something that contributes to all areas of learning and isn’t considered to be a separate experience (Beauchamp, 2012). Getting children to create an animation like this allows them to demonstrate their ICT skills while also benefiting their learning in other curricular areas. I think that children would really enjoy a task like this, and it would make many of them engaged in their learning as they’d get to create something, they would be learning but in a fun way. Creating an animation would also promote collaborative learning as it is a task, they’d likely do this in groups. Children could create animations on anything from literacy to science. I think they’d have so much fun recreating something like a natural disaster after learning about it and then getting them to re-create what they have learned about could show learning consolidation.

“Successful utilisation of digital technology depends not just upon sufficient access to equipment tools and resources but also on the availability of sufficient training, knowledge and support networks for teachers” (Scottish Government, 2016). Digital technologies and the use of ICT in the classroom is so important as for this generation everything is digitalised. I have talked about this heavily throughout each week. Teachers should have access to the appropriate training and tools which can ensure they understand how to work a varied amount of technologies as teachers can’t teach a class using ICT if they don’t have an understanding themselves.

During these last two sessions looking at animation my understanding of how animations work has increased significantly through getting to create my own animation. I have a lot more appreciation for the work that is put into animations and also now understand how beneficial watching or creating an animation can have on teaching and learning. Showing animations or getting children to create animations can be really effective and can enhance learning as they can allow children to have a more interactive lesson and can help consolidate learning through visuals and illustrations. I hadn’t used iStopMotion until these recent sessions and I now feel comfortable working the app. Using iStopMotion has helped develop my ICT skills and I feel a lot more confident creating animations. I think using iStopMotion in a classroom setting would really enhance learning in multiple different curricular areas.

REFERENCES

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

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

Moving Image Education website: [Online] https://movingimageeducation.org/create-films/animation [Accessed 27 February 2019]

The Scottish Government. (2015) Literature Review on the Impact of Digital Technology on Learning and Teaching: CHILDREN, EDUCATION AND SKILLS. [pdf] Available: file:///C:/Users/User/Desktop/Uni%20Work%20BA1/Digital%20Technologies/ANIMATION%2019TH%20AND%2026TH%20FEB/Digital%20Literacy%20Impact%20Review%20.pdf [Accessed 28 February]