This word search was fun and easy to create, I am definitely going to make up a couple of these that my daughter and I can do together. If you would like to have a go at creating one for yourself it can be accessed by clicking here
Sunday, 7 December 2014
Create your own word search
My daughter and I love Word Searches, so finding out that you can create your own on line, is brilliant. It is so simple to create and they can be tailored to suit any topic or subject. Here is one I created containing words associated with technology in learning, hope you'll have a go.
This word search was fun and easy to create, I am definitely going to make up a couple of these that my daughter and I can do together. If you would like to have a go at creating one for yourself it can be accessed by clicking here
This word search was fun and easy to create, I am definitely going to make up a couple of these that my daughter and I can do together. If you would like to have a go at creating one for yourself it can be accessed by clicking here
Blog Appreciation
When I first began this blog, I wasn't really sure what a blog was. I did a little research and had the direction from the my tutor, but it was a completely alien concept to me. I started to explore other blogs, mainly educational, to see what types of things people were concerned or passionate about, because that seems to be the main point about a blog; sharing things you are passionate about with like minded people.
One of the blogs that I have looked at and now follow is Learning with 'e's, a blog written by Steve Wheeler. Steve is an Associate professor in learning technology at the Plymouth Institute of Education at Plymouth University. His blog is about learning technology and all things digital.
I really like Steve's blog, being new to both technology and teaching, I find that I am learning a lot from him. As well as being educational, some of his posts are quite humorous and I really like his style of writing.
Some of his posts have really struck a chord with me and give me an idea of the kind of teacher that I aspire to be. In his post 'Looking Ahead', he discusses the importance of encouraging students to prepare for some of the challenges that may lay ahead of them, he poses that simply teaching children about what we know, will not equip them with the skills to meet the challenges of the world that they are growing up in. We must encourage them to discover the answers to what so far are unwritten problems, for themselves. I agree with Steve's view that "learning through exploration and problem-solving should replace the largely passive education models of the last century", meaning that as educators we should be encouraging learners to be curious and innovative. A 21st Century learning strategy for dealing with 21st Century issues.
I have already learnt a lot from reading this blog and intend to keep following Steve Wheeler, I highly recommend it.
One of the blogs that I have looked at and now follow is Learning with 'e's, a blog written by Steve Wheeler. Steve is an Associate professor in learning technology at the Plymouth Institute of Education at Plymouth University. His blog is about learning technology and all things digital.
I really like Steve's blog, being new to both technology and teaching, I find that I am learning a lot from him. As well as being educational, some of his posts are quite humorous and I really like his style of writing.
Some of his posts have really struck a chord with me and give me an idea of the kind of teacher that I aspire to be. In his post 'Looking Ahead', he discusses the importance of encouraging students to prepare for some of the challenges that may lay ahead of them, he poses that simply teaching children about what we know, will not equip them with the skills to meet the challenges of the world that they are growing up in. We must encourage them to discover the answers to what so far are unwritten problems, for themselves. I agree with Steve's view that "learning through exploration and problem-solving should replace the largely passive education models of the last century", meaning that as educators we should be encouraging learners to be curious and innovative. A 21st Century learning strategy for dealing with 21st Century issues.
I have already learnt a lot from reading this blog and intend to keep following Steve Wheeler, I highly recommend it.
Saturday, 6 December 2014
Google Drive
Since beginning this course I have discovered many new apps and really fun and useful stuff. Some I can see have excellent potential for use in teaching and learning. One of the best so far is Google Drive. It is an online storage system and then some. You receive 15GB of storage free, but if you feel you require more then there are various plans that you can get for a monthly fee.
Google drive allows you to store documents, photos or email attachments, as you would imagine it is built to work with Google and so from within Google applications you can save easily to your Google Drive, but you can store just about any file, even Microsoft files. Your files are safe and secure until you decide to share them and then you can allow others to view, edit or comment on your files as you see fit. This would enable a group of people to work collaboratively on a project using a live document, editing and commenting as you go. Everyone with permission can then see those files.
When I created my on-line questionnaire in my blog post Using Google Forms the responses went directly to my Google Drive everytime someone completed it. They are then stored there for me to view and collate results if required. This would be really useful if you used Google Forms to create a course evaluation for your students to complete, their responses would then go straight to your Google Drive for you to reflect on. This means that all of your evaluations would be collated and stored in one place.
I am really starting to enjoy using Google Drive and exploring the possibilities that it offers. I am still learning when it comes to ICT and how it could benefit me in my teaching, but really enjoying every minute!!
Google drive allows you to store documents, photos or email attachments, as you would imagine it is built to work with Google and so from within Google applications you can save easily to your Google Drive, but you can store just about any file, even Microsoft files. Your files are safe and secure until you decide to share them and then you can allow others to view, edit or comment on your files as you see fit. This would enable a group of people to work collaboratively on a project using a live document, editing and commenting as you go. Everyone with permission can then see those files.
When I created my on-line questionnaire in my blog post Using Google Forms the responses went directly to my Google Drive everytime someone completed it. They are then stored there for me to view and collate results if required. This would be really useful if you used Google Forms to create a course evaluation for your students to complete, their responses would then go straight to your Google Drive for you to reflect on. This means that all of your evaluations would be collated and stored in one place.
I am really starting to enjoy using Google Drive and exploring the possibilities that it offers. I am still learning when it comes to ICT and how it could benefit me in my teaching, but really enjoying every minute!!
Has technology changed the way we learn
Technology has definitely changed the way I learn! In just the first few months of the PCE (PCET), I have learnt so much surrounding technology, to say my learning curve has been steep would be an understatement. I have gone from being a 'semi-technophobe', i.e. only using the technology that I needed to carry out my role as a Coastguard Officer, to someone who is actively searching for new technological experiences. This blog is one of them...
During the 1990's massive investment in technology in education promised a revolution in how we would learn, But as Cuban (2001) stated this investment actually produced "disappointingly meagre changes in classroom practices". I totally understand this observation when I reflect on my lessons in computers, when I was in school in the late 80s. The image of 3-4 pupils crowded around 1 computer for a 35 minute lesson, was less than futile. If you managed to touch the keyboard 5 times in the course of the lesson, you were doing well.
Fortunately things have changed and I believe for the better. My daughter is in primary school and she comes home from school everyday and tells me about the "really cool" things that they did on ipads and computers. Her school is now moving towards an almost 1:1 ratio for tablets and computers which is phenomenal. This seems a long way from my rather disappointing and boring IT lessons.
But then technology figures very highly in my daughters life on a daily basis, She has literally grown up using it, I still remember being amazed at her chubby little fingers finding their way round my iphone when she was only 2 or 3. Then it was a fantastic way of keeping her amused but now looking back and also as a result of my studies, I can see that she learnt so much too. It developed her motor skills by finding her way round the various apps, the apps themselves helped with her speech, reading and letter forming. When I downloaded apps for her, I was amazed at the variety that was available. They were fun, colourful and sometimes noisy so that children were immediately drawn to them, but they also helped them learn in a fun and engaging way.
It is still important to consider how technology is going to be used and to ensure that using it will enhance learning and teaching. Petty (2009) highlighted that " It is what students do that creates learning, not what technology does." (p391)
With this in mind, I find it really encouraging that technology now features so prominently in education, in a digital age that is exactly how it should be. I believe investment in resources and training for teachers has improved considerably, which has allowed teachers to become more engaged with technology and its potential benefits to enhancing learning.
Technology is certainly changing the way I learn and with a chasm of unexplored technology at my fingertips, I hope that my new found love affair with all things 'ICT' will continue for a long time.
Cuban, L. (2001). Oversold and underused: Computers in the classroom.
Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press
Halverson, R, & Smith, A. (2009). How New Technologies Have (and Have Not) Changed Teaching and Learning in Schools, Journal of Computing in Teaching Education, 26, 2, pp. 49-54, Education Source, EBSCOhost, viewed 6 December 2014
Petty, G. (2009). Teaching Today: A Practical Guide. Fourth Edition. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes Ltd.
During the 1990's massive investment in technology in education promised a revolution in how we would learn, But as Cuban (2001) stated this investment actually produced "disappointingly meagre changes in classroom practices". I totally understand this observation when I reflect on my lessons in computers, when I was in school in the late 80s. The image of 3-4 pupils crowded around 1 computer for a 35 minute lesson, was less than futile. If you managed to touch the keyboard 5 times in the course of the lesson, you were doing well.
Fortunately things have changed and I believe for the better. My daughter is in primary school and she comes home from school everyday and tells me about the "really cool" things that they did on ipads and computers. Her school is now moving towards an almost 1:1 ratio for tablets and computers which is phenomenal. This seems a long way from my rather disappointing and boring IT lessons.
But then technology figures very highly in my daughters life on a daily basis, She has literally grown up using it, I still remember being amazed at her chubby little fingers finding their way round my iphone when she was only 2 or 3. Then it was a fantastic way of keeping her amused but now looking back and also as a result of my studies, I can see that she learnt so much too. It developed her motor skills by finding her way round the various apps, the apps themselves helped with her speech, reading and letter forming. When I downloaded apps for her, I was amazed at the variety that was available. They were fun, colourful and sometimes noisy so that children were immediately drawn to them, but they also helped them learn in a fun and engaging way.
It is still important to consider how technology is going to be used and to ensure that using it will enhance learning and teaching. Petty (2009) highlighted that " It is what students do that creates learning, not what technology does." (p391)
With this in mind, I find it really encouraging that technology now features so prominently in education, in a digital age that is exactly how it should be. I believe investment in resources and training for teachers has improved considerably, which has allowed teachers to become more engaged with technology and its potential benefits to enhancing learning.
Technology is certainly changing the way I learn and with a chasm of unexplored technology at my fingertips, I hope that my new found love affair with all things 'ICT' will continue for a long time.
Cuban, L. (2001). Oversold and underused: Computers in the classroom.
Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press
Halverson, R, & Smith, A. (2009). How New Technologies Have (and Have Not) Changed Teaching and Learning in Schools, Journal of Computing in Teaching Education, 26, 2, pp. 49-54, Education Source, EBSCOhost, viewed 6 December 2014
Petty, G. (2009). Teaching Today: A Practical Guide. Fourth Edition. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes Ltd.
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