Struggles to incorporate ICTs

After reading Jade Brown’s ( http://jbrown16.wordpress.com/) prac experience  blog after two weeks it was nice to hear that I was not the only one that struggled with incorporating ICTs into every aspect of learning. As I was in a classroom that had access to iPads they were used to demonstrate lessons and deliver content through a different more interesting way for students to be engaged in their learning. The iPads were not used  in all aspects of learning as their aren’t available apps for all aspects. The one thing that can be used in most aspects of learning is the use of the smart board. The smart board was used to give students a visual of activities that the students were to do. For example I taught a maths lesson on subitising recognition using dominos to match to numerals. I used the smart board to demonstrate the lesson and had students come up and show other students what they are to do when using this activity on any sort of ICTs. ICTs are an asset to education and will be forever a part of our lives so introducing young children such as prep to the opportunities available to them. 

 

 

iPad apps used with the students on professional experience.

While on professional experience I was exposed to a range of apps for students to use for literacy and maths. As my context was prep the students were developing in their use of ICTs by making connection to the content they were learning. The app eggy words was a great app for the students to help recognise and read the sight words they have learnt. The eggy words app is used during literacy rotations that will enable students to use their sight words in guided reading, sentence writing and  sound recognition. Other apps used in literacy to increase students development of language include doodle buddy and glow draw that allows students to use fine motor skills by drawing sight words on the app. Glow draw is an app that students are able to practice the writing of their sight words also but while they are writing the app takes a video of their work which enables students to replay and ensure they have written the letters correctly within each word.

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

My experience on prac was very rewarding and informative, I have not only learnt what ICTs are able to be integrated within a primary classroom but how to integrate them with a prep class. The classroom that I attended was one of 7 prep classes in a school from a low socio economic area.  The class was made up of a diverse range of students within the classroom who were challenging and interesting. The students had access  to ICTs through the use of iPads as a learning tool in maths and literacy groups, I felt this was a very productive way of involving children in a range of ICTs that is hands on and interesting. iPads give students a gain of fine motor development that will educate students on their abilities in progressing with ICTs. Another use of ICTs that I was exposed to during professional experience was the apple tv and the use of the smart board, I was able to use these ICTs to explain lessons and educate the students within the focused topic. the apple tv and iPad link was a new development that I found was very helpful as students work could be visualised differently. This prac has reassured myself that I want nothing more than to be a teacher and that knowing you have taught a child something beneficial is more rewarding then anything before.

MY STUDENTS!

1. While on professional experience I will be using the ACARA as the curriculum, as my context is in a school prep setting. As stated by the Australian curriculum ICT’S is seen as a general capability becoming more and more apart of education in the 21st century. ACARA will be used as a guide to ensure students are being taught to the curriculum and are developing skills that will enable them to use ICT’S.

ACARA states that the capability involves students in learning to make the most of the digital technologies available to them, adapting to new ways of doing things as technologies evolve and limiting the risks to themselves and others in a digital environment.

Students should be able to

Applying social and ethical protocols and practices when using ICT

Investigating with ICT

Creating with ICT

Communicating with ICT  

Managing and operating ICT

Those expectations need to be filled through ICT integrated lessons where students develop on their prior skills and fulfil their expectations. To know exactly what my students are able to do I will document what prior development they have acquired before I develop planning on lessons. To help students within their ICT development I will gradually introduce the use of ICT’S on a scale that I believe will be beneficial for each child.

DIGITAL FOOT PRINT

I really liked the concept of the digital footprint. Within this society we put our whole lives on the internet to socialise and network in all different ways, because of this there are thoughts on who you should be networking with, within reason and what you should be putting online to ensure that your digital footprint is appropriate. 

Within the digital footprint there are 3 components to think about

The content you publish about yourself.

The content that others publish about you.

The data you leave.

With this in mind as a professional I will consider my digital footprint when considering what I do and share online.

CYBER SMART

After completion of the cyber smart modules I am left to think outside the box about young students and their use in ICT.

Going through the modules I thought that most of them were common sense and easy to understand in terms of the risks benefits and perspectives of other stake holder involved in being cyber smart. I liked the idea of understanding the use of cyber and social networking through different age groups within the school environment. Doing these modules I now have gained an inside perspective as well as an outside perspective as an educator. I thought that the use of quizzes and tests through out the modules helped me stay on track and take in what was expected.  I think that modules like this can be adjusted to different age groups and should be integrated before the use of ICT’S is effective, for students to have a full understanding of the do’s and dont’s in the use of social networking.

Is ICT ruining our communication or making it stronger ?

 

I came across this photo on facebook the other day and thought it would be a good one to share. I have been thinking about the pros and cons of technology and there are definitely many pros, as technology is getting better we are able to involve learning with technologies that advance education, but socially should we be worried. This picture gives me a clear idea of what it has come to and I’m sad to say that this is definitely what I see a fair bit. How can we minimise technology but also use it to the extend that benefits us?

I believe that children need to be educated through the correct use of technology but also educated about the cons it has for example to our eye sight, interaction with others, the missing of context when communication is used through technology and how people skills are becoming less and less. 

JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.

 

To implement ICT into a lesson I will consider the learning goal, what the students need to know, how they are going to use it and what skills they need to acquire to do so. I would start with basic integration such as use of the smart board or activity with Ipad use these are skills the students will already have allowing them to reinforce what skills they have and gain more confidence in using them.

 

To plan a lesson I would need to brainstorm and think about the age and context of my students, what level they are up to and abilities they have to consider the outcome of the lesson.

 

 I would relate it to curriculum documents such as the ACARA curriculum and use it to ensure my students are gaining the best support for their education 

I would also need to think about what I will use in my lesson that will differentiate for all learners of the class.

I will also consider what learning area the lesson is focused on and what can be used to best implement what the students need to learn with the help of basic ICT skills.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

 

This photo reminds me of what is involved during professional experience as a pre service teacher.

Professional Experience is an exciting time of the uni semester for myself as I am able to develop further in my teaching career. I feel I learn so much more in the field as I am more hands on and faced with different challenges that help me develop my teaching confidence. For assignment 3 we need to reflect on our professional experience and provide 5 lesson plans with integration of ICT, with this in mind the process of developing lessons need to involve many aspects including learning goals, context understanding, special needs consideration and differentiation.  Using ICT’S as an integration on professional experience, i feel I will be gaining another part to my PKM knowing and understanding how to use ICT’S in a lesson. I feel it will be a positive contribution to my learning experience as a pre service educator. I look forward to learning more about ICT use and how it benefits students in the field.

How will I measure the success of ICT integration into my teaching?

I enjoyed this activity in the week 8 learning path as it made me think about what I’m learning within this course and how I will use it and implement it within my own pedagogy to perform whilst on professional experience.

My answer for this activity included this:

To think about a lesson involving ICT’S learning experiences are very important as they are not lessons they are an overview that provides a description of the activities and strategies, including how ICTs will be a strategy for the expected learning.

To know if your use of ICT’S was successful would be if your students are focused and interested in the learning experience. 

To also know would be during assessment of the effects your learning experiences and use of ICT’S has further developed your students learning in the context and ICT use.