I’m a little bit quiet..a little shy..and have never been good with words. My paternal grandparents are published writers, but somehow I never got the hang of putting pen to paper.
Needless to say, having to blog was like pulling teeth for me. It was intimidating knowing that other people could read it- people with eyes (!), people with views and far more intelligent opinions.. But once I let go of that (slowly but surely) it did get a little easier to ‘speak up’. I almost had to treat it like a personal diary really. An academic one, that is. There were even times where I simply thought out loud, almost like having a conversation with myself. (I’m not crazy, I promise).
The blogging experience, I have to say, was really worthwhile. And I am actually thankful for this digital ‘nudge’. I can guarantee I would have never otherwise started blogging; I never would have learned to embed or hyperlink or add links, and so on. As a reflective tool, it was extremely useful as it made me really think about the topics covered and also motivated me to read/research further. I am a visual learner so finding relevant videos and presentations on how to use certain digital technologies was really helpful in consolidating my understanding. I did find it difficult to comment on others’ blogs. Similar to the discussion boards on WebCT, I learnt so much from my classmates’ views and posts- I simply felt that I didn’t have anything of value to contribute.
Overall, blogging served as a gateway for me. It opened up the digital world and what it has to offer in our future practice. Having to reflect on course content, reading (and learning from) others’ blogs, receiving lecturer insights, trying out tools, discovering resources, all of these made the unit a success.
All things considered, I started this blog as part of an assessment- but looking back and looking through it, beneath everything (that I thought was) ordinary was something extraordinary. So thank you!
May 31, 2010
May 30, 2010
Looking ahead
I remember…
… my dad’s story of watching the moonlanding of 1969 on their brand new black and white TV
… as a little girl, playing tetris and interactive barbie-doll games on our first computer
… getting my first handphone in 1999, and getting my blackberry in 2009
… going from vcr’s to vcd’s to dvd’s
… listening to music on cassette tapes, to cd’s, to ipods
… searching the world wide web using ‘Ask Jeeves’ (the first search engine I was introduced to)
… having my first skype session with family back home
As mentioned and illustrated in the video 'Did you know? Technology', we are living in exponential times. And how anxiously thrilling that is (both exciting and scary).
Advancements in digital technologies will not stop, nor will it ever disappear. Technology is a human endeavour and personally, I am quite excited about how digital technologies will develop over the next decade. Will it grow as rapidly as it did in the last decade? Time will tell. As it is, Web 3.0 or the ‘semantic web’ as coined by Tim Berners-Lee, is upon us. With all things new and unfamiliar, I suppose the challenge is to keep an open and positive mind.
The advantages of digital technologies in the context of learning are continual. For instance, M-learning is becoming a fairly common tool with more and more students having access to mobile phones and i-touches. In point in fact, according to this updated “Shift Happens” video, the mobile device will be the world’s primary connection tool to the internet in 2020.
Augmented realities are also fantastic tools in making it possible to interact with our surroundings. This is very useful for instance in guided tours. Virtual worlds also offer endless educational opportunities, e.g. attending a talk in UWA in Second Life, The British Council, etc. Simulated environments in the virtual world give us entry to places we otherwise could not physically access, e.g. famous museums, ancient Rome, the inner workings of the human blood system, and so on. Educating children means educating them for the future. And with digital technologies, that future is now, and will only continue to build and expand.
If interested, have a look at Dr. Patrick Dixon's blog, specifically on the future of digital technologies. Also, check out his latest video as he talks about becoming a hologram at a conference where he is able to have a conversation between himself in the past (the hologram) and his then present self.
… my dad’s story of watching the moonlanding of 1969 on their brand new black and white TV
… as a little girl, playing tetris and interactive barbie-doll games on our first computer
… getting my first handphone in 1999, and getting my blackberry in 2009
… going from vcr’s to vcd’s to dvd’s
… listening to music on cassette tapes, to cd’s, to ipods
… searching the world wide web using ‘Ask Jeeves’ (the first search engine I was introduced to)
… having my first skype session with family back home
As mentioned and illustrated in the video 'Did you know? Technology', we are living in exponential times. And how anxiously thrilling that is (both exciting and scary).
Advancements in digital technologies will not stop, nor will it ever disappear. Technology is a human endeavour and personally, I am quite excited about how digital technologies will develop over the next decade. Will it grow as rapidly as it did in the last decade? Time will tell. As it is, Web 3.0 or the ‘semantic web’ as coined by Tim Berners-Lee, is upon us. With all things new and unfamiliar, I suppose the challenge is to keep an open and positive mind.
The advantages of digital technologies in the context of learning are continual. For instance, M-learning is becoming a fairly common tool with more and more students having access to mobile phones and i-touches. In point in fact, according to this updated “Shift Happens” video, the mobile device will be the world’s primary connection tool to the internet in 2020.
Augmented realities are also fantastic tools in making it possible to interact with our surroundings. This is very useful for instance in guided tours. Virtual worlds also offer endless educational opportunities, e.g. attending a talk in UWA in Second Life, The British Council, etc. Simulated environments in the virtual world give us entry to places we otherwise could not physically access, e.g. famous museums, ancient Rome, the inner workings of the human blood system, and so on. Educating children means educating them for the future. And with digital technologies, that future is now, and will only continue to build and expand.
If interested, have a look at Dr. Patrick Dixon's blog, specifically on the future of digital technologies. Also, check out his latest video as he talks about becoming a hologram at a conference where he is able to have a conversation between himself in the past (the hologram) and his then present self.
New to Bing
www.bing.com
Bing is a relatively new (just under a year old) ‘decision engine’ that I just started using. It claims to prevent search overload syndrome as it gives information that is more targeted and relevant. Although I am a loyal Google fan, so far Bing seems quite effective.
If you have time to spare, you can view some of the commercial ads for Bing below, which highlight information overload in a rather amusing way. :)
Bing is a relatively new (just under a year old) ‘decision engine’ that I just started using. It claims to prevent search overload syndrome as it gives information that is more targeted and relevant. Although I am a loyal Google fan, so far Bing seems quite effective.
If you have time to spare, you can view some of the commercial ads for Bing below, which highlight information overload in a rather amusing way. :)
Information overload
I’m pretty sure I.O.S. (information overload syndrome) is something that we have all shared at one point or another. (If you have time to waste here is a funny video about ‘I.O.S.’ in the business world)
I know I definitely have had many, many episodes of feeling overwhelmed by all the websites and articles I have open from multiple sources, especially when doing literature review assignments. (Shamefully, I used to print every article out, sort through them and categorise them accordingly).
In talking about dealing with information overload in class, one great tool that caught my attention was the social bookmarking tool called ‘Delicious’. See a youtube video on how it works and how to use it in the previous post below. It’s a great way to store and index your results and to discover others’ related webpages also. Outside of academic searches for university-work purposes, I don’t think I experience a lot of information overload. Really simple syndication (RSS) is something that I do actually utilise already.
On my laptop desktop I have an RSS gadget that feeds me headlines from MSNBC News. Similarly, now that I am on twitter (thanks to Mark’s invitation to join and follow him), I have chosen to follow other news sources. I have RSS feeds from CNN, The New York Times, etc. directly to my twitter account, which I can access on my smartphone. Surprisingly, (or perhaps unsurprisingly) I don’t feel the obligation to read every new feed or click on every link. The key is definitely finding balance in getting just the right amount of information that I need.
I know I definitely have had many, many episodes of feeling overwhelmed by all the websites and articles I have open from multiple sources, especially when doing literature review assignments. (Shamefully, I used to print every article out, sort through them and categorise them accordingly).
In talking about dealing with information overload in class, one great tool that caught my attention was the social bookmarking tool called ‘Delicious’. See a youtube video on how it works and how to use it in the previous post below. It’s a great way to store and index your results and to discover others’ related webpages also. Outside of academic searches for university-work purposes, I don’t think I experience a lot of information overload. Really simple syndication (RSS) is something that I do actually utilise already.
On my laptop desktop I have an RSS gadget that feeds me headlines from MSNBC News. Similarly, now that I am on twitter (thanks to Mark’s invitation to join and follow him), I have chosen to follow other news sources. I have RSS feeds from CNN, The New York Times, etc. directly to my twitter account, which I can access on my smartphone. Surprisingly, (or perhaps unsurprisingly) I don’t feel the obligation to read every new feed or click on every link. The key is definitely finding balance in getting just the right amount of information that I need.
Beware of online dangers
For some reason, the often quoted "With great power comes great responsibility" from Spiderman is the first thing that popped in my head in thinking about digital safety. Well I suppose it’s because we have been introduced to the (basically) infinite world of digital technologies, and how it can be used to support teaching and learning. Without a doubt, the internet is a valuable educational tool. But with those endless possibilities, come many risks and dangers also. As educators, it is important for us to bring these dangers to light and teach cybersafety.
According to this article from CNET, the top 5 internet dangers for kids online are data theft, malicious software, inappropriate content, cyberbullying and predators.
On the face of it, tackling these very probable risks seem quite challenging, especially in communicating this to children. The good news is that there are actually quite a lot of resources available out there to boost digital safety. For instance, ACMA has online educational resources specifically for the teaching of cybersafety. Activities provided are suitable for children in 5 different year levels spanning from primary to secondary level.
The same article mentioned above also includes this checklist which I think is pretty useful too— the general idea of ‘think before you click’ could be a great motto to teach kids, and one that could easily be emphasised both at home and in school.
According to this article from CNET, the top 5 internet dangers for kids online are data theft, malicious software, inappropriate content, cyberbullying and predators.
On the face of it, tackling these very probable risks seem quite challenging, especially in communicating this to children. The good news is that there are actually quite a lot of resources available out there to boost digital safety. For instance, ACMA has online educational resources specifically for the teaching of cybersafety. Activities provided are suitable for children in 5 different year levels spanning from primary to secondary level.
The same article mentioned above also includes this checklist which I think is pretty useful too— the general idea of ‘think before you click’ could be a great motto to teach kids, and one that could easily be emphasised both at home and in school.
May 25, 2010
Sixth sense
not the movie. but in reality! potentially.
A friend of mine shared this video with me a couple of weeks ago and today's lesson on how the web meets the world reminded me of it.
Part 1:
Part 2:
It must be awesome to be this curious and brilliant. Absolutely feast for thought.
A friend of mine shared this video with me a couple of weeks ago and today's lesson on how the web meets the world reminded me of it.
Part 1:
Part 2:
It must be awesome to be this curious and brilliant. Absolutely feast for thought.
Information/critical literacy
‘Begin at the beginning’, as emphasised in the Scottish Information Literacy Project slideshow below, sums up my thoughts on the importance of teaching information/critical literacy. There is a lot of information out there, and obviously, a lot of misinformation too. It was quite funny, but also extremely worrying when a classmate related her ‘hotdog’ story. While on prac she saw the children do an online search for a particular topic, come across and actually accept a silly and nonsensical answer (i.e. hotdog) which needless to say, ended up being completely wrong.
As defined in the slideshow, “critical literacy is the way we interact and make meaning from different texts” and “involves the reader analysing and engaging with the text”. In early childhood, this usually starts with children’s literature in the form of books. (However, the project researchers point to many other examples of texts including digital sources such as blogs, social networking sites and webpages).
So in developing children’s information/critical literacy, I would start with texts they are most familiar with first, e.g. information/nonfiction books, novels/fiction books, short stories, poems, etc. In looking at these texts, typical activities would involve thinking about the purpose, the audience, (author and reader), the type of text, the main ideas, making connections and comparisons (i.e. trinagulation) extracting and organising information and so on. These strategies for reading and comprehending what is read, would certainly be appropriate for digital literacies also.
‘Crap detection 101’ should be a class made available in the lower levels, definitely. :)
As defined in the slideshow, “critical literacy is the way we interact and make meaning from different texts” and “involves the reader analysing and engaging with the text”. In early childhood, this usually starts with children’s literature in the form of books. (However, the project researchers point to many other examples of texts including digital sources such as blogs, social networking sites and webpages).
So in developing children’s information/critical literacy, I would start with texts they are most familiar with first, e.g. information/nonfiction books, novels/fiction books, short stories, poems, etc. In looking at these texts, typical activities would involve thinking about the purpose, the audience, (author and reader), the type of text, the main ideas, making connections and comparisons (i.e. trinagulation) extracting and organising information and so on. These strategies for reading and comprehending what is read, would certainly be appropriate for digital literacies also.
‘Crap detection 101’ should be a class made available in the lower levels, definitely. :)
May 2, 2010
Podcasting
Once again, a whole new world welcomed and secured into my memory bank.
Thus far, my knowledge/experience of podcasts has definitely been in a web 1.0 sense. For example, in undertaking my degree I utilised Lectopia the university’s iLecture system, greatly. It was fantastic and not to mention convenient that recorded lectures were available on the internet to refer to at anytime (either streamed or downloaded). I remember really content-heavy lectures where 1) concepts would go completely over my head and/or 2) I simply couldn’t keep up with my notetaking. Thus, having access to those ilectures was excellent in that I could re-sit the lesson and listen and watch it in my own pace. Of course, it was also extremely useful for those who had clashing classes, other commitments, etc.
But from a web 2.0 approach specifically in primary education, I can definitely see children being engaged and excited about creating their own podcasts. Not only will they be able to share their work with lots of other people by publishing it on the web, but it will also develop multiliteracies (e.g. writing, speaking, listening and ICT skills combined). I also like how risks are minimal since there’s no need for the children’s faces to be shown. I found the following video quite informative and it includes some great ideas for using podcasts in the classroom. I quite like her dubbed nickname of being a 'technology evangelist'!
To quote, 'the possibilities are endless'.
Thus far, my knowledge/experience of podcasts has definitely been in a web 1.0 sense. For example, in undertaking my degree I utilised Lectopia the university’s iLecture system, greatly. It was fantastic and not to mention convenient that recorded lectures were available on the internet to refer to at anytime (either streamed or downloaded). I remember really content-heavy lectures where 1) concepts would go completely over my head and/or 2) I simply couldn’t keep up with my notetaking. Thus, having access to those ilectures was excellent in that I could re-sit the lesson and listen and watch it in my own pace. Of course, it was also extremely useful for those who had clashing classes, other commitments, etc.
But from a web 2.0 approach specifically in primary education, I can definitely see children being engaged and excited about creating their own podcasts. Not only will they be able to share their work with lots of other people by publishing it on the web, but it will also develop multiliteracies (e.g. writing, speaking, listening and ICT skills combined). I also like how risks are minimal since there’s no need for the children’s faces to be shown. I found the following video quite informative and it includes some great ideas for using podcasts in the classroom. I quite like her dubbed nickname of being a 'technology evangelist'!
To quote, 'the possibilities are endless'.
April 26, 2010
April 18, 2010
Netspeak/Textspeak.
In ‘teaching and learning with new technologies’ class, we were presented with the following example of netspeak or textspeak.
My smmr hols wr CWOT
B4, we usd 2 go 2 NY 2C my bro,
His GF & thr 3 :-@ kds FTF.
Before the unit, I considered myself as a digital native in a way, having grown up with digital technology. I got my first handphone at the age of 13 and I started IM-ing before that with programs like ICQ. So netspeaking/textspeaking is something I’ve been doing for quite awhile. Moreover, texting family overseas on a regular basis and being mindful of international costs, I’ve definitely gotten used to abbreviating words and using slang. But looking at the text we were given above, I realised that perhaps I haven’t really ‘mastered’ textspeaking as I had no idea what CWOT and FTF stood for. (Translations: complete waste of time, face to face). Or maybe i just got used to the same txtspk shortcuts time and time again, and probably converse with those who use the same ones also. In that sense I suppose people would have different txtspk language repertoires due to differences in exposure and experience.
Whether you’re a master or a novice at this type of language, I’m certain you’ll learn something new about texting lingo in the following website http://lingo2word.com/.
But what is its place in the classroom, if any? I think it’s perfectly okay for students to use this type of language when note-taking as a time-saver. The writer would obviously (expectedly) understand his or her own abbreviations and slang. It makes sense that one would have an understanding of the English language for such linguistic playfulness to occur. However it’s also possible that textspeak is used without fully understanding the rules of the language. For example, in the context of the early primary years when children begin to write, vowels are often missed out. So what might appear as textspeak is in fact an actual mistake…
I think the bottomline of using textspeak in the classroom is the issue of context. Textspeak may be acceptable for personal or group note-taking for instance, but it definitely isn’t appropriate for essay writing. Appropriateness depends on the audience, which dictates what type of language is used.
At present, I personally wouldn’t teach textspeak as I do believe that it will come about naturally outside the classroom walls.
p.s. I’m quite excited to finally hyperlink- and to wikipedia(!) no less. :)
My smmr hols wr CWOT
B4, we usd 2 go 2 NY 2C my bro,
His GF & thr 3 :-@ kds FTF.
Before the unit, I considered myself as a digital native in a way, having grown up with digital technology. I got my first handphone at the age of 13 and I started IM-ing before that with programs like ICQ. So netspeaking/textspeaking is something I’ve been doing for quite awhile. Moreover, texting family overseas on a regular basis and being mindful of international costs, I’ve definitely gotten used to abbreviating words and using slang. But looking at the text we were given above, I realised that perhaps I haven’t really ‘mastered’ textspeaking as I had no idea what CWOT and FTF stood for. (Translations: complete waste of time, face to face). Or maybe i just got used to the same txtspk shortcuts time and time again, and probably converse with those who use the same ones also. In that sense I suppose people would have different txtspk language repertoires due to differences in exposure and experience.
Whether you’re a master or a novice at this type of language, I’m certain you’ll learn something new about texting lingo in the following website http://lingo2word.com/.
But what is its place in the classroom, if any? I think it’s perfectly okay for students to use this type of language when note-taking as a time-saver. The writer would obviously (expectedly) understand his or her own abbreviations and slang. It makes sense that one would have an understanding of the English language for such linguistic playfulness to occur. However it’s also possible that textspeak is used without fully understanding the rules of the language. For example, in the context of the early primary years when children begin to write, vowels are often missed out. So what might appear as textspeak is in fact an actual mistake…
I think the bottomline of using textspeak in the classroom is the issue of context. Textspeak may be acceptable for personal or group note-taking for instance, but it definitely isn’t appropriate for essay writing. Appropriateness depends on the audience, which dictates what type of language is used.
At present, I personally wouldn’t teach textspeak as I do believe that it will come about naturally outside the classroom walls.
p.s. I’m quite excited to finally hyperlink- and to wikipedia(!) no less. :)
March 29, 2010
Wiki not so icky afterall
First of all, I didn’t know that Wikipedia was only launched in 2001. Somehow it seems older than that. Secondly, I will be the first to admit that I am ‘one of those’ who considered it a completely unreliable source. In school I remember having to avoid wikipedia like the plague.. And once that was ingrained in my head, I never turned back. In my tertiary education especially, there was such a heavy and relentless emphasis on only referring to peer-reviewed literature. Unfortunately, clicking the little box for ‘only peer-reviewed journal articles’ in search engines was probably the extent of teaching us critical literacy skills. Well actually that’s not true.. The case is that most of my assignments back then (I did my bachelors degree in psychology) required the critical analysis of specific theories, so it was important for us to pull only ‘reliable’ journal articles about studies relevant to the topic at hand. So in a way, the source/pool of information was pre-determined already.
Anyway! Since wikipedia had taken a backseat in the deepest corner in my brain, I thought it was really interesting listening to my fellow classmates talk about (rave about) their wikipedia uses and experiences (I had such little faith in wikipedia that I didn’t even realise that it would in fact be a good starting point for research).
On top of that, Ive always favoured the teaching and learning perspective of social constructivism, but I never made the connection of wikipedia as a stage for collective intelligence.. Quite foolish, I know. I was also pleasantly surprised to learn about 'simple english wikipedia' for primary school children.
Speaking of a primary school setting, I can definitely see the value of creating class wikis for collaborative learning, allowing for group work and having the children build their knowledge. The trick I see right now is teaching the necessary skills to evaluate and verify the information they come across. Surely it’s not too early to teach critical literacy skills?
Anyway! Since wikipedia had taken a backseat in the deepest corner in my brain, I thought it was really interesting listening to my fellow classmates talk about (rave about) their wikipedia uses and experiences (I had such little faith in wikipedia that I didn’t even realise that it would in fact be a good starting point for research).
On top of that, Ive always favoured the teaching and learning perspective of social constructivism, but I never made the connection of wikipedia as a stage for collective intelligence.. Quite foolish, I know. I was also pleasantly surprised to learn about 'simple english wikipedia' for primary school children.
Speaking of a primary school setting, I can definitely see the value of creating class wikis for collaborative learning, allowing for group work and having the children build their knowledge. The trick I see right now is teaching the necessary skills to evaluate and verify the information they come across. Surely it’s not too early to teach critical literacy skills?
March 15, 2010
Blogs in education
According to the quick tour/set up guide on the blogger hosting service, a blog is 'a personal diary. A daily pulpit. A collaborative space. A political soapbox. A breaking-news outlet. A collection of links. Your own private thoughts. Memos to the world.'
Focusing on the personal diary definition (within a primary education context), blogging = reflecting. In these compulsory years, there is a huge emphasis on writing as a literacy aspect. In my experience as a pre-service teacher on my first prac in a year 2/3 classroom, diary-writing was encouraged. In class, the students had diary-writing once a week. Granted, the kids wrote their entries by hand and later read them aloud to the class. Obviously, their handwriting skills and oral presentation skills are developed in doing so.
However, I do think reflecting through blogging would also be a good activity. There would be more opportunities for comments and feedback from fellow classmates, as opposed to giving responses verbally after a student reads their account/recount. In this regard, blogging then creates an interactive platform for students, teachers and family members as well. It provides a more 'collaborative space' for thinking and learning. And of course the availability and accessibility of blogging software makes the process of sharing and collaborating all the more easier.
Focusing on the personal diary definition (within a primary education context), blogging = reflecting. In these compulsory years, there is a huge emphasis on writing as a literacy aspect. In my experience as a pre-service teacher on my first prac in a year 2/3 classroom, diary-writing was encouraged. In class, the students had diary-writing once a week. Granted, the kids wrote their entries by hand and later read them aloud to the class. Obviously, their handwriting skills and oral presentation skills are developed in doing so.
However, I do think reflecting through blogging would also be a good activity. There would be more opportunities for comments and feedback from fellow classmates, as opposed to giving responses verbally after a student reads their account/recount. In this regard, blogging then creates an interactive platform for students, teachers and family members as well. It provides a more 'collaborative space' for thinking and learning. And of course the availability and accessibility of blogging software makes the process of sharing and collaborating all the more easier.
hey, hi and hello.
Well, well, well.. So here we are.
I never thought I would enter the blogging word. I've always considered myself more of an observer, a listener. And let's face it, I'm only one out of billions crowding the world (literally and electronically). But alas, I am 'connected'. The digital push has come to shove. Like I said, I'm not much of a speaker. They say silence is golden, but shouting is fun. Bear with me as I find my 'voice'. Who knows, I may end up having fun.
I never thought I would enter the blogging word. I've always considered myself more of an observer, a listener. And let's face it, I'm only one out of billions crowding the world (literally and electronically). But alas, I am 'connected'. The digital push has come to shove. Like I said, I'm not much of a speaker. They say silence is golden, but shouting is fun. Bear with me as I find my 'voice'. Who knows, I may end up having fun.
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