Tag Archives: Internet Safety

Week 12 – The Last Post For Digital Technologies

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The Final Blog

Tuesday 28th March 2017

 

Well, time really does fly! It only felt as though I was coming back after a wonderful festive season and could not really be bothered seeing the Uni’s bare front entrance again! Coming back to the realisation of another year with more modules and more hard work, was a disgusting thought. With the festive spirit having slowly faded out and disappeared and seeing bare businesses and houses again, with the decorations being packed away. I was not looking forward to returning!

 

However, I stuck it up and manged to get through the Monday Morning of a new module but I felt as though I was somehow going to hate the next day with another new module Digital Technologies. The reason behind me thinking I would not enjoy this module was the fact it was to do with technology and I was hopeless with technology. Someone had told me that Scratch Jr. and coding would be included in the program and I thought of the painful memories of school. I absolutely hated computing at school, I thought I was hopeless at it! My teacher always said I was good and should take it on as a subject but I struggled and did not enjoy it. However, this module was NOTHING I had imagined it to be. For all the right reasons. I can well and truly say, that-to-date this has been the most interesting; fun and enjoyable module. I have loved the relevance of every single Tuesday toward using digital technologies in the classroom. In this module you well and truly put your teacher’s hat on and I could not be happier that we did this. I feel so much more confident in how to use different technologies in each of the lessons plans I will make and teach to the children. There was not one Tuesday I dreaded in-fact I always attended and looked forward to the class. For me this was the quickest 12 weeks. I will truly miss my class and the work we did on a Tuesday.

 

The main areas we focused on in the module were:

  • Glow
  • Activinspire
  • Programming (BeeBot)
  • Coding (Scratch)
  • Internet Safety
  • Animation/Movie Making
  • Mobile Devices (eBooks/Nintendo’s)
  • Digital Based Learning (Wii)
  • Digital technology enhancing Outdoor Learning (iPads – photo booth; Pic Collage; QR Reader)

 

I can well and truly say I have learned so much about the above topics. I will remember each week and take what I have learned and use it on my journey to becoming a successful teacher. I will be able to look back at the benefits of these programs and how enhancing and engaging they are for successfully getting children to learn. There was not one week I did not like any of the above digital programs. I will hopefully use them all in my class and in the children’s learning. The most significant thing that has stood out for me is how important it is to have technology in the classroom. I have to admit I thought we were verging having to much technology used in classrooms, but really we are not using them enough or effectively enough. I am surprised how important digital technology is within a classroom. The children learn so much more with the use of different technologies now, meaning all schools and teachers should be using all of the technologies available to them. I say this, as each week with each different digital program an advantage is always the children engage more with what is happening meaning they are engaging more with what they are learning. I hope to see more technology used in classrooms and I hope I am a teacher that uses it, as, it seems to be actively getting children to learn and if that is what is successfully getting the pupils to learn, then we need to use it. It is about providing the best learning experiences for the children and this seems to tick that box!

 

It has been a great journey and I hope you have liked following my weekly journal. If any teacher’s have read this, I hope I have inspired you to use technology more or start if not already doing so. Also, here is the list of all the references of literature and internet articles by other people I used, if anyone wants to read up about them:

 

All the best, and a sad goodbye from me!

Christopher Ewing 🙂

 

References throughout the module I have used:

 

  • Armstrong, 2015 – Education Scotland

 

  • Loveless A. and Babs D. (2002) ICT in the Primary School. Graphicraft, Hong Kong: Biddles Limited, Guildford and Kings Lynn

 

  • Allen J. Potter J. Sharp J. and Turvey K. (2011) Primary ICT. 4th Edition, Glasgow: Learning Matter ltd.

 

  • Education Scotland – Resources

 

  • Leask, M. and Meadows J. Teaching and Learning with ICT in the Primary School (2000) London: Routledge Falmer

 

 

 

 

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

 

  • Beuchamp, G. (2017) ICT In The Primary School – From Pedagogy to Practice. 2nd Harlow: Pearson

 

  • Scottish Government (2015) Literature Review on the Impact of Digital Technology on Learning and Teaching [online] Available: resource/content/1/Digital%20Literacy%20Impact%20Review%20.pdf [Accessed: 14 February 2017]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DT Week 7 – Animation/Movie Making 2

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Tuesday 21st February

Animation/Movie Making 2

This week had a different aspect to it. We were given around 30 minutes to put the finishing touches onto our animation tasks. As we had completed the majority of the editing and adding sounds throughout the week; we as a group went through each scene and checked what went well, what could have been improved and if we were portraying the message we wanted to. We also thoroughly watched it once last time before officially handing it in.

 

When we had all completed the assessment tasks, we were going to have an Oscar premier. Our lecturer thought that our work was so good that we should all show one another. As we watched all of the other groups’ I was amazed as to how creative and good we all were at portraying the important message of how to be safe on the internet and the consequences that can be brought if we do not stay safe online. It was so interesting from a teacher’s point of view how inventive some of us have become. It only makes you think of the potential of the children and their imagination and creative ideas that can be created with this program.

 

Some of the animations focused on: actual acting and the dangers associated with internet (social media etc); some groups focused on children stories like Hansel and Gretel. Another group also made a treasure map to show how the smallest of details put on the internet can lead you to the person which can have disastrous consequences for anyone that these details falls into the wrong hands of.

 

Today really showed me how important internet safety is not only for children but for everyone who accesses it and what details, pictures etc posted on it should be tackled with caution. As we had finished we had a discussion and made it like the Oscars. Our group did very well, and we won the best acting award. Even an imaginative thing like this would be very fun for the children. It would make them want to strive with whatever activity was given through the program iMovie.

 

All of the above iMovie’s made by my class have shown just how dangerous the internet can be. However, we cannot forget the advantages it brings as well. A definition of social media is: “all social media facilitate communicating, collaborating and self-publication/broadcast” (Beuchamp, G. 2017, P.112). Although social media can be a danger to children, it can be an excellent way of taking learning out-with the classroom. It can encourage children to try homework at home, or communicate with others at home. It can be a real platform for encouraging active learning and communication.

 

This animation task was very fun and has given an insightful view for me as to how to use a program in anyway to portray an important message. Having an extra thing such as the Oscars also gives the children motivation and I hope to use it in the classroom as it was very effective. I think I speak for everyone when I say this task was not only fun but portrayed a very important message on how damaging the internet can be if abused and the dangers and consequences that can come from the worldwide web.

 

Also, by using technology we backed up the statement made by the Scottish government: There is conclusive evidence that digital equipment, tools and resources can, where effectively used, raise the speed and depth of learning in science and mathematics for primary and secondary age learners. (Scottish Government, 2015). Such tasks as getting the children to be involved with the use of technology in terms of the iMovie will actively encourage and develop their learning as the government states.

 

I will attach the final trailer and movie for the animation internet safety task below:

(c) Mr C Ewing & Group – Animation Assessment – 21.2.17

 

Until next week,

Christopher

 

References:

Scottish Government (2015) Literature Review on the Impact of Digital Technology on Learning and Teaching [online] Available: resource/content/1/Digital%20Literacy%20Impact%20Review%20.pdf [Accessed: 14 February 2017]

 

Beuchamp, G. (2017) ICT In The Primary School – From Pedagogy to Practice. 2nd Edition. Harlow: Pearson

DT Week 6 – Animation/Movie Making 1

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imovie

Tuesday 14th February

Animation/Movie Making 1

This week we began by clarifying as a class what we were making in our animation assessment tasks. We started a discussion on what digital literacy is and how iMovie could facilitate digital literacy. This then lead to the discussion of how iMovie could then be used in other areas of the curriculum for education such as using iMovie in a health and well-being lesson or a mathematics lesson etc. Firstly, we discussed what it meant to be digitally literate and this is was we agreed with “by digital literacy we mean those capabilities which fit an individual for living, learning and working in a digital society” (Jisc, 2011). We then spoke about how beneficial this app would be through such things as story-telling, which would make it more engaging and interactive as the children can share one’s story through the multiple mediums of digital imagery, text, voice, sound, music, video and animation. (Porter, B, 2004)

 

Then, we as a class met and had a group discussion to check that everyone was on task and that each group had an idea. We also watched some videos on how to work the program we had chosen. As a group we got together and decided which program we were using which we vaguely discussed last week which was iMovie. Once we had clarified our roles and went over the script of what we were all doing, we left to create our own animation.

 

Although there were points of fun and hilarity we ensured that we stayed on task and that we were portraying the important message of how important internet safety is. “Nearly three quarters (72%) of internet users have a social media profile, compared to 22% in 2007. Furthermore, four fifths (81%) of these people use social media at least once a day: increased from 30% in 2007″ (Beuchamp, G. 2017, P. 106). This is why we decided to film a social media scenario gone wrong, as you do not know who is on the other side of the computer talking at you. And as so many people now have social media there will be a few bad eggs. This is why we wanted to raise awareness for children on the dangers of social media usage and their accounts. As we filmed the worst case scenarios we put ourselves in these situations and how we would feel and how we would react. It helped us to begin thinking not only to children but everyone using the internet what the dangers and consequences that can come from such as simple thing as talking to someone you do not know on Facebook. This can lead to the stranger becoming a dangerous person that will pick up any small details given to them which can lead to anything…

 

When we had completed all of the filming we began to edit all of the footage. I was surprised how easy this was. The program made it very easy to insert: pictures, videos and animation. The program provided easy and accessible applications that were modern and easy to use. They had an easy template that could be used easily and made to suit your own. The trailer that we made also had a very efficient layout and template. As the trailer and film making programs have an efficient adaptable template to use; will not only help the teacher save time but also help the children using the program. They will be able to edit things easily rather than it being complicated and confusing for them. A plus point of the program iMovie is that it can be accessed by both desktop computers and iPads. This gives different schools which may have funds or not enough funds whatever may be the case. Both can be accessed in different ways, making it more accessible to schools, teacher and pupils.

 

However, such uses with technology need time, so teachers can grasp the new programs. This may mean the school may have to offer training programs to teachers so they are fully confident in using such as program/app as iMovie. In fact it was found that teachers gave a more confident and effective lesson once they had been fully trained with the different uses of technology. This meaning the school may want to provide training so it is an effective learning tool used in the classroom. These findings come from the Digital Literacy Review Report where it says: “the authors conclude that training and support could be identified in around half of the studies and that it did appear to have a positive impact of the effectiveness of the literacy intervention” (DLRV, 2015, P.15)

 

We were just lucky enough to fit in all of the filming and had just begun putting the footage together. I will conclude next week when all of the editing and what the finished product looks like.

 

Until then, Christopher

 

References:

Jisc (2011) [online] Available: https://www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/developing-students-digital-literacy [Accessed: 14 February 2017]

 

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

 

Beuchamp, G. (2017) ICT In The Primary School – From Pedagogy to Practice. 2nd Edition. Harlow: Pearson

 

Scottish Government (2015) Literature Review on the Impact of Digital Technology on Learning and Teaching [online] Available: resource/content/1/Digital%20Literacy%20Impact%20Review%20.pdf [Accessed: 14 February 2017]