IN CONCLUSION TO THE MODULE…                           20/3/18

I am pleased to say that this entire module has had me smiling with enjoyment and growing with my digital technology confidence throughout the module.

After comparing my initial confidence and competence to now, it is clear to me that whereas before I was hesitant and wary of technology and rather clueless of its possibilities and details, I am now able to critically think of various ways in which technology can be added to a lesson for enhancement. I have learnt so many new things that I would never have considered before or been too scared to try.

All in all, this module was a delight to experience and I am happy that I chose this, as well as excited for all the opportunities now available to me for a future classroom.

BLOG 11 – OUTDOOR LEARNING & QR CODES           20/3/18

The last week of Digital technologies was about Outdoor Learning. Personally, I was very excited for this class as I was eager to see the link between Digital technology and the outdoors as I have always had this preconceived idea that due to technology people are not outside as often.

The reasons that I think outdoor learning is important for children is that it adds a breath of realness to any and all learning that they do compared to in the classroom, the learning is confined to the school and may not seem realistic. It is suggested that “Integrating learning and outdoor experiences, whether through play in the immediate grounds or adventures further afield, provides relevance and depth to the curriculum in ways that are difficult to achieve indoors” (Learning and Teaching Scotland 2010). And as always, the CfE encourage the draw of links between learning and relevance to real life.

Also, Beauchamp has stated that “…children are citizens of their localities, making contributions to the communities whether playing sport, interacting with others or simply hanging out with friends…” (Beauchamp, 2012, p.126). This proves that the outdoors is already a big part of their life and their school life should seem relevant to that. As well as promoting a healthy lifestyle, encouraging play, acknowledging and interacting with the community, the children will become aware of personal safety. They will get the chance to understand and learn the risks and how to deal with them.

Another positive feature of outdoor learning is that it allows both the pupils and the teachers to experience different sides to their peers that are not always obvious in the classroom.  In this respect it allows for improved understanding of others and positive relationship building (Education Scotland 2010). This is especially relevant for students with ASN. Additionally outdoor learning will also help their understanding of responsibility and etiquette.

We also learned about QR Codes.  QR Codes are an ‘image-based hypertext link’ and are a type of two-dimensional barcode. The ‘QR’ stands for “quick response” as the information is instant. This can be because a standard barcode can only store up to 30 numbers whereas a QR code has a larger storage and can store 7089 numbers. A QR code can link to a short bit of text, a website, a phone number, an email address, a map location or a calendar event. These are relevant to learn and maybe even teach as nowadays much of social media, many businesses and company share information this way. They can be found almost everywhere such as on food wrappers, books and museums.

One idea of integrating QR Codes in the classroom was demonstrated to us through our lecturer who took us on a creative Treasure-Hunt quiz! He had hidden a lot of QR codes across the outer campus and we had to go looking for them with the QR code reader on the iPad. We were to scan the code when we found it, follow the link answer the questions. According to the answer we chose, it would then give us a letter from a scrabbled word we had to figure out at the end, the answer to the final question. I do have to say that this was very fun! By the end we were are all laughing, running around and getting super competitive. By experiencing this activity, I can see so many situations where I could apply this to a curricular area. Some examples include spelling words, revision, Physical Activity and Literacy creative writing or even educational trips.

When we had finished, we came back to the classroom and decided to make our own game of QR code treasure hunt and quiz. My group decided to use Mathematics as the focus of the questions and honestly, the process was very fun, to the point and easy!

The Curriculum for Excellence outcomes (CfE) linking to this are:

• TCH 1-04a/TCH 2-04a – 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.

• HWB 2-19a – Opportunities to carry out different activities and roles in a variety of settings have enabled me to identify my achievements, skills and areas for development. This will help me to prepare for the next stage in my life and learning.

• HWB 1-25 – Within and beyond my place of learning I am enjoying daily opportunities to participate in physical activities and sport, making use of available indoor and outdoor space.

To document our process and progress with outdoor learning we had been taking pictures along the way which we now gathered together and put together as a collage with the Picollage app. This was another great app which I believe could also be used within the classroom for class displays, progress or pictures from any trips. The children would enjoy joining in with the teachers when making them and would have the added bonus of being able to share them with their parents electronically.

References:

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

Education Scotland (2010) Curriculum for Excellence Through Outdoor Learning.

Learning and Teaching Scotland (2010) Curriculum for Excellence Through Outdoor Learning.

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

BLOG 10- Game Based Learning (Minecraft)             13/03/18

This week was a continuation of GBL. It has been stated that ‘the use of computer games, particularly console games, is firmly embedded in 21^st century youth culture’ (Ofcom 2011). As future teachers of this generation’s youth culture we need to be more aware of the games that children play with at home or in their spare time and how it can be used to help them learn. As previously discussed the potential of Game Based Learning is massive and can be used to encourage friendships, communication, discussion and so much more.

Beauchamp (2012) states that the type of skills that could be developed by ICT games are:

• Strategic Thinking
• Planning
• Communication
• Application of numbers
• Negotiating Skills
• Group decision-making
• Data Handling Skills.

(Beauchamp, 2012, p.10)

To start with we were guided towards several YouTube videos which explained the basics to us of the game. However, I do have to say that they did nit help as much as I thought they might have.

We were then teamed up with a digital leader who demonstrated for us how to play the basics of the game and how to stay in control. I must admit that I was sceptical at first and when trying myself I realised that it was definitely not easy! This reminded me of where Bray (2012) states that ‘Games-based Learning has the most transformational impact when it is combined with good learning and teaching.’ This encouraged me to not give up and keep on trying.

Overall, I believe that Minecraft provides many opportunities to be used in a classroom and teaching and learning environment and it is up to me to keep on top of it to be there for any future students. So, despite my failings and weak attempts I believe that Minecraft can help with many curricular areas in school such as Literacy, Art, Design, Graphics Communication and Digital technology. I hope I get better at it to be the best I can be!

References:

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

Bray, O. (2012) Playful Learning: Computer Games in Education. [Online] https://www.slideshare.net/Microsofteduk/playful-learning-computer-games-in-education [Accessed: 4^th April 2018]

Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes, Ofcom (2001) https://www.slideshare.net/Microsofteduk/playful-learning-computer-games-in-education (Accessed: 5^th April 2018)

BLOG 9- Game Based Learning (Nintendo Wii)       06/03/18

This week’s lesson was about Game Based Learning (GBL) regarding the Nintendo Wii and in particular, Mario Kart. We focused on how to use the Nintendo-Wii as a stimulus for learning. Unfortunately, we were not able to access the actual Wii game of Mario Kart due to unforeseen circumstances but for that reason exactly I think today’s workshop was especially important and inspiring. It showed me that GBL can help so much with teaching and learning even without having the technology present at all times. This is because despite not having the Wii itself, we were still able to widen our understanding and explore its wide range benefits. The Higher Education Academy website supports this where it states, “Digital Games-based Learning is the integration of gaming into learning experiences to increase engagement and motivation.” (Higher Education Academy website)

Firstly, we were asked to consider the question ‘why use GBL?’

There are three characteristics of Game Based Learning (the complex environment):

1. Experimentation and Risk taking
2. Narrative and Thematic threads
3. Social Interaction

After this we were shown all the characters and each race car in the Mario Kart game. Following that we were instructed to create our very own character, kart and names. This is where I felt that GBL could help in schools such as in Art, Literacy and ICT.

On completing that we were put into groups and advised to discuss and map out an Interdisciplinary learning plan around Mario kart. Our discussion was then written out and displayed in this way:

The Curriculum for Excellence Experiences and Outcomes we linked to this lesson plan across the curriculum (Expressive arts, Technology, Numeracy, Drama and Literacy) were:

• EXA 2-02a – I have the opportunity to choose and explore an extended range of media and technologies to create images and objects, comparing and combining them for specific tasks.

• TCH 1-01a – I can explore and experiment with digital technologies and can use what I learn to support and enhance learning in different contexts.

• EXA 1-12a – I enjoy creating, choosing and accepting roles, using movements, expression and voice.

• EXA 0-13a, EXA1-13a, EXA 2-13a – Inspired by a range of stimulae, I can express and communicate my ideas, thoughts and feelings through drama.

• LIT 1-26a – By considering the type of text I am creating I can select ideas and relevant information, organise these in a logical sequence and use words which will be interesting and/or useful to others.

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

• MNU 2-09a – I can manage money and compare costs from different retailers, and determine what I can afford to buy

• MNU 2-16a – Having explored a range of 3D objects and 2D shapes I can use mathematical language to describe their properties and through investigation can discuss where and why particular shapes are used in the environment.

References:

Higher Education Academy website [Online] Available at: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/gamification-and-games-based-learning  [Accessed: 6^th March 2018]

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

BLOG 8- Mobile Devices      27/02/18

In this weeks’ class we learned about another mobile device, one that I’d never heard of before; Talking Tins and Easy speak microphones. These devices are generally used to record audio sounds and can store and play them for you.

As a start to the day we were told do ponder over and discuss the following question: “Should mobile devices be used in primary schools?” We were then told to post our opinion on the forum. Many of the responses were super interesting to read and I agreed with some and disagreed with some. However, my opinion is that the children of today are native to technology and that is how they have grown up. If we continue to teach them as was in the past, we will be failing to prepare them for the real world, the world at present. Despite this, I still believe that moderation is essential. There is a time and place for everything and the key to this is to ask yourself whether or not technology will make the lesson better? If so, then that’s great! Otherwise just don’t use it for that particular lesson. Sometimes teachers are reluctant to bring technology into the classroom due to self-fear but as Beauchamp says, “Although teachers may be worried by new technologies… we need to be sure that this is not transmitted to young children, or that other obstacles are not put in the way of their natural curiosity and willingness to explore new technologies.” (Beauchamp, 2012, p.66)

The talking tins were used in the past as aid for the blind with cans so that when they lifted something the tin would let them know what it was, hence the magnetic bottom. The tin was really easy to use with simple buttons and after some interaction with it I understood the potential of the tins in a classroom. For example: Shy readers, language learning, matching letters to sounds etc.

The easy speak microphones were also extremely simple to use with a sub storage port, buttons easy to use and an LED light to indicate ‘on and off.’

We used the easy speak microphones for our activity of the day to complete an ‘I am…’ poem. We filled out the blanks of the template and then used both Power Point and the microphone to put together a slideshow of the poem. Using free images from Pixabay we filled in the slides with the text of the poem and a complementary picture. We then had to record ourselves reciting the verses of the poem and then transferred the audio file onto the slide, hidden and on auto play.

Curriculum for Excellence Experiences and Outcomes possibly relevant to the use of these devices:

• HWB 0-01a/1-01a/2-01a – I am aware of and able to express my feelings and am developing the ability to talk about them.

• LIT 0-09a – Within real and imaginary situations, I share experiences and feelings, ideas and information in a way that communicates my message.

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

• LIT 0-01a / LIT 0-11a /LIT 0-20a – I enjoy exploring and playing with the patterns and sounds of language and can use what I learn.

References:

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

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

BLOG 7- Animation         20/02/18

This week we began to explore Animation through the Puppet Pals and iStop Motion applications on the iPad. To gain some understanding of ‘Animation’ we were guided to the Moving Image Education website (MIE) where 5 main categories of animation were categorised:

• Cut-out – generally considered the quickest and easiest
• Stop-motion – example is plasticine models
• Pixilation – humans become the puppets
• Drawn – example is the classical Disney animation
• Computer – also known as CGI and found in games and movies.

(Moving Image Education website)

With this information it was plain to me how I could bring animation to a classroom learning environment as the breadth of the possibilities was large. From something as simple as an ICT class to something as complex as Drama, Arts and Crafts or Literacy animation will appeal to the children.

For our tasks, firstly we looked at Puppet Pals and explored the basic steps of animation with premade backgrounds and characters. This was fairly simple with just small extra tweaks such as audio input. Once we were comfortable enough with the basics we moved onto our main task which was to create a short animation of our own choosing. We were allowed to pick what type we wanted to work with from the 5 mentioned above. My animation was a mix of cut-out and stop-motion animation and I used both paper and toy figurines for my video. The main plot is that of 3 alien humanoid creatures travelling through space and arriving at a new planet: Earth. I understand from some of my classmates that they found the accrual recording part of animation quite tiresome and time consuming but for me it didn’t seem too long at all.

As Jarvis (2005) has suggested that “Animation involves the stringing together a sequence of static images, generally so that they appear to move,” I had to capture consecutive still images repeatedly and when put together an animation was created. I very much enjoyed this session and totally understand the appeal to children. This could be used for Literacy, photography, all throughout the curriculum and also for real life scenarios as well to deepen their understanding of maybe cartoons etc. Lastly this can also be applied for students who may struggle with written work as ‘e-inclusion aims to use digital tech to minimise the problems that pupils with learning difficulties experience’ (Beauchamp, 2012, p.55).

References:

Beauchamp, G. (2012) ICT in the Primary Classroom: From Pedagogy to 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] Available at: https://movingimageeducation.org/create-films/animation [Accessed: 20^th February 2018]

BLOG 6- Movie-Making           13/02/18

Today during our Digital technology class, we were taught about internet safety and the importance of being aware of how to stay safe online. To start off the day we watched a cartoon video on internet safety in the sea aimed at children. This was followed by Graeme giving us a quiz on the details of what it means to be safe online. Even as an adult I found this very informative and cautioning and mean to keep note of this for any future use.

Our aim today was to create a trailer on the iMovie app which broadcasted the message of online safety. A very inspirational quote from Beauchamp (2012) was that “the key idea [is] that e-safety is not about restricting children, but about educating them.” This is something that resonated with me as, to me, it seemed to define several aspects of teaching itself. This emphasises how important it is that children feel supported, confident and comfortable enough to approach their carers or teachers about any problems or concerns regarding the internet. Today and especially in this generation, the internet plays a prominent role in everyday life and thus in children’s lives, it is therefore significantly vital that they be safe whilst online. The most successful schools will ensure that pupils know what to do when things go wrong (Beauchamp, 2012).

In my opinion digital applications such as iMovie have many benefits not restricted to but including the following:

• Literacy skills
• Increases imagination
• Creativity is boosted
• Communication skills
• Practical skills

In my group we decided on the theme of ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ and got started on our plan first. As highlighted before, at this point we all had to use communication skills and co-operate with one another. Once individual roles were assigned (camera/video shooter, writer and actors) the drama skills had to come out. With funny and elaborate costumes and repeated videos taken we finished the second part of our task. The third part was where we worked as a team to piece the trailer together. This part took the most time, but it was still rather fun. As a learner I feel that I took away a lot of skills and knowledge from this task and I can just imagine that children would too.

The Curriculum of Excellence experience (CfE) and outcomes for this subject:

• TCH 1-03a – 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 2-03a – I can explore online communities demonstrating an understanding of responsible digital behaviour and I’m aware of how to keep myself safe and secure.
• LIT 0-21a – As I play and learn, I enjoy exploring interesting materials for writing and different ways of recording my experiences and feelings, ideas and information.

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]

BLOG 5- EBOOKS         06/02/18

Within this session of Digital Technology, we were made aware of the benefits of mobile devices regarding eBooks such as: iPads, mobile phones, Kindles and tablets. E-Books are an “electronic version of a printed book which can be read on a computer or a specifically designed handheld device” (Oxford Dictionary) and a ‘multimodal text.’ These can be accessed and viewed through many modes of digital technology, e-readers and handheld devices such as Kindles and iPads.

The task that went with today’s lesson was to create an eBook of our own consisting of at least 2 or more semiotic systems and summarising a well-known book with teaching aids. I chose the book ‘Journey to the River Sea,’ and I found that this task was rather to the point and easy to complete, albeit it did take some time, and provided a great impact.

In my personal opinion, I believe that the benefits of using eBooks in a classroom are vast and many. Due to their easily accessible quality, light-weight feature and their interactive possibilities, within a teaching and learning environment children will be able to access and explore many and different resources simultaneously to add to their knowledge.

E-Books also have the benefit of being hugely appealing and of great interest to the students; having been born, grown up and living in the 21st century, digital devices and technology has become and is a norm in their daily lives. As well as gaining enjoyment, the children will be able to apply their skills learnt at home with the skills being improved in a classroom and will therefore instantly be making, maybe subconsciously, the connections between real life and school. This is also similar to any and all cross-curricular links that may and can be made in lessons, such as Literacy, Art and Drama.

Additionally, as the world progresses and constantly evolves towards a more technical world and lifestyle, common sense would dictate that teaching and learning should follow. How unfortunate would it be to leave our children with outdated knowledge and teachings of the past without including sound information and skills of the world of today and the future?

It is obvious to me that the many benefits of using eBooks can only add to a good learning experience. According to Beauchamp (2012, p81) “eBooks use many modes of communication which includes visual representation, sound, movement, gesture and language.” They provide a great way of communication with others due to the various tools available. Furthermore, through personalisation it allows 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 also depends on their age and ability as appropriate (Beauchamp, 2012, p101).

From the perspective of a teacher it is clear to me how these tools can be used to create an engaging and educational learning environment and branch out to many cross curricular activities. For students struggling with imagining ideas, pronouncing words or reading eBooks could be a saviour in their eyes. As it is quite simple and concise to navigate this also adds to its benefits.

A number of Curriculum for Excellence Experiences and Outcomes (Scottish Executive 2004) related to this can be:

• LIT 1-01a / LIT 2-01a – I regularly select and listen to or watch texts which I enjoy and find interesting, and I can explain why I prefer certain sources. I regularly select subject, purpose, format and resources to create texts of my choice.
• LIT 1-20a / LIT 2-20a – I enjoy creating texts of my choice and I regularly select subject, purpose, format and resources to suit the needs of my audience.
• LIT 1-24a – I can present my writing in a way that will make it legible and attractive for my reader, combining words, images and other features.
• TCH 0-01a – I can explore digital technologies and use what I learn to solve problems and share ideas and thoughts.
• TCH 1-01a – I can explore and experiment with digital technologies and can use what I learn to support and enhance my learning in different contexts.
• TCH 0-11a – I explore and discover different ways of representing ideas in imaginative ways. (Education Scotland, 2016)

References:

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

Education Scotland (2016) Curriculum for Excellence: Technologies. Experiences and Outcomes. [Online] Available:  https://education.gov.scot/Documents/Technologies-es-os.pdf  [Accessed: 8th February 2018].

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

BLOG 4- Coding        30/01/18

Today we focused on Coding, similar to the Bee-Bot but this time more complex and on the iPad app Scratch Jr. Scratch Jr is an app which allows the user to code a storyline to a range of complexity and detail. It was developed for young people to help them develop creative learning skills for the 21^st century. “As young people create Scratch projects, they are not just learning how to write computer programs. They are learning to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively – essential skills for success and happiness in today’s world” (The Lead Project 2014).

To get used to the concept and as an introduction we first went on to Puppet Pals where we completed certain tasks. After we were comfortable with that, we moved onto Scratch Jr and were given the chance to explore the app before any real activity was appointed. I have always liked getting the chance to experience each digital technology device/concept as a learner before the role of the teacher as it allows me to feel more confident and comfortable with the task at hand as well as allowing room for broader ideas. We were given instructions to create an adventure story with background changes, several characters, programmes for character movement and the addition of speech. Initially it was rather tricky to get every code to flow the way I wanted it but, in the end, I had created a short cliff-hanger story of ‘Sad News’ where a family discover that something has happened to gran.

From the prospect of a student teacher I immediately saw the limitless possibilities this sort of technology could bring into a classroom, our Literacy based session included. From something as simple as a starter for descriptive or creative writing to an alternative of storytelling for ASN students I am beyond glad there are opportunities available when needed. Moreover, this is also a question of moving with the time. As things do, life is constantly changing and as such things are changing in education, and they need to, especially if we consider the thoughts of those such as Prensky (2008).  His belief is that the single skill that will distinguish a literate person in the 21^st century is programming literacy, to have the ability to make digital technology do whatever is required.

References:

Prensky, M (2008) Programming: The New Literacy  [Online] http://classtap.pbworks.com/f/Prensky+-+Programming:+The+New+Literacy.pdf [Accessed: 4^th February 2018]

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

BLOG 3- Multimodality     23/01/18

In todays session we were reinforced with the concept of ‘multimodality.’ Graeme had previously briefly touched upon it in a BA1 Literacy lecture the term before, however, today we were given a lot more in depth understanding and detail. A Multimodal text is in short, a text consisting of a combination of two or more semiotic systems. This includes; linguistic, visual, audio, gestural and spatial elements that can all be added to a text to enhance its impact.

In this third instalment of Digital Technology our task of the day was to explore and familiarise ourselves with PowerPoint presentations and, something completely new to me, ActivInspire. This application is something that intrigued me throughout the class, as it was a completely different way to present a lesson with so many possibilities to make it interactive as well. Through ActivInspire the children are given the slight bit of freedom to control and play a role in their learning as well as gaining hands on experience. Me and my partner chose to target early level students in the Mathematics’ section of subtraction of numbers less than 10. By adding bright backgrounds, colourful images, moving text and an interactive activity I could see from the start just how it would appeal to the children’s understanding. The only problem I encountered was that it was very time consuming, however I believe I can put that down to my lack of experience and expertise. After having completed this task we were invited to take a look at the rest of the classes ideas and I was astonished to say the least at the immense possibilities ActivInspire presented.

Multimodality ‘allows teachers to present an idea in a variety of different ways to help pupils understand it’ (Beauchamp, 2013, p8.) This resonates a lot with how I felt about today’s session as through multimodal texts I feel that the children would be captivated, interactive, engaged and motivated with/by the text and the information is portrayed as dynamic and memorable. The fact that the knowledge becomes solidified in the child’s mind is what most interests me as, if the knowledge is remembered it will help a great amount in the overall understanding of the subject.

As a potential teacher I can see the vast opportunities that an application such as ActivInspire presents for a classroom. 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). For this reason I am very happy that we got a chance to explore the application as a learner first, as not only did it give me an insight to a child’s learning experience, but also as it reminded me a lot of this quote: “The ability of ICT to present ideas in a variety of ways can help to structure new experiences but only if you as the teacher have sufficient understanding on the area yourself” (Beauchamp, 2012, p.100). By learning more about Digital Technologies I hope I become competent enough to always increase a child’s understanding and knowledge and never to limit it in any way through my own inadequacy.

References:

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