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Well, I have hardly had a wonderful start to my technology integration in the classroom. I had a great action plan... that involved integration (using ipads )with the Year 6 class that would not only help my young class learn new skills, but would also hopefully be a positive learning experience for the older students as well.
 * Forum Postings 1 **
 * Anne-marie Overton || Date: || Tue 27-Aug-13 08:34 pm ||
 * To: |||| EMT501_201360_A_D ||
 * Subject: |||| Designs and disasters!! ||

 However, this didn't happen, didn't even get a chance to start, as on closer examination, the Year 6 teacher felt there simply wasn't enough time to include my plan as there were so many extra curricular events happening to crowd the days. So, thinking this would all be good fodder for the ever hungry portfolio I simply moved to plan B, which was merely to take a few extra lessons to share with my class alone.

 Lesson 1 went really well with the first steps of taking photos shown and completed successfully!

 Today, I did lesson 2 which involved using several of the photos that each child had taken and putting them into a storytelling app that then has oral recordings added. Knowing I had no wifi, I chose my app carefully,and had a great practice at home. All was going according to plan until we got further in and I realised that first I had to allow access to photos in the privacy settings... done individually for each ipad... and then we couldn't even access the photos due to no wifi....

 consequently.... much muttering and consternation on my behalf, but jubilation and happiness on the class behalf as the children ended up with more of their beloved free time than I had planned!!

 I truly thought I had covered everything  The moral of the story..... never give in, never give up. Resilience!!


 * David Ferguson || Date: || Wed 04-Sep-13 07:51 am ||
 * To: |||||| EMT501_201360_A_D ||
 * Subject: |||||| Re: Designs and disasters!! ||

 great story anne-marie. the literature mentions so much about technology and integration but your plan b was a stroke of brilliance. all implementation plans now must include a plan b - a quick re-shuffle of the original idea. great stuff. david. Hi Anne-Marie
 * Stephen Carter || Date: || Sun 01-Sep-13 11:57 am ||
 * To: |||||| EMT501_201360_A_D ||
 * Subject: |||||| Re: Designs and disasters!! ||

The difference between the outcomes I am SURE you will achieve - is your persistence with technology. I think this needed to be included in Australia's recent Standards for Professional Teachers when it comes to technology - it is a characteristic that teachers need with the ever increasing evolution of technological skills. Not only is life changing for our students, but for us, and we need to be willing to ride the slippery slopes of troubleshooting to succeed - well done! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Hi Anne-Marie, When you or your tech guys are setting up the apps on your iPads there is a tricky question that you will encounter app after app. Do you want to allow ( your app name here) access to your photo roll. You must always answer yes to this so that the app can track back to your photo roll to access the photos your students have taken or the images they have saved from the web. It sounds a little threatening to a tech guy so they always say no. It is something you will have to explain to them - the iPad is designed as a personal device and hence assumes you - the person who has the iPad in your hands is able to control everything. Ask the techs to go into Privacy setting and allow access to each app that has asked for permission to access.
 * Pauline Thomas || Date: || Wed 28-Aug-13 07:31 pm ||
 * To: |||||| EMT501_201360_A_D ||
 * Subject: |||||| Always have a plan B ||

They will have to trust you on this one. Good luck and don't give up!!! ...and always have a plan B, and C and D

maybe they could have jumped into a drawing app to create their own images for the storytelling app - but then maybe they would have to share back to the camera roll - and then your scenario of access privacy is back to haunt you again! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">I love how you were able to think on your feet, adapt quickly to tricky situations and solve the problems presented to you! Well done Ree! I'm sure the children in your class are learning these really important skills as well as they watch you :)
 * Louise Hall || Date: || Tue 27-Aug-13 09:37 pm ||
 * To: |||||| EMT501_201360_A_D ||
 * Subject: |||||| Re: Designs and disasters!! ||

Lou
 * David Watkins || Date: || Tue 27-Aug-13 09:19 pm ||
 * To: |||||| EMT501_201360_A_D ||
 * Subject: |||||| Re: Designs and disasters!! ||

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Hi Anne-marie. I hope it goes better from here. I also had a few hiccoughs such as one of the three trial computers (brand new) having an LCD screen stop working, and one of my trial teachers hurting his hand. Worst of all was the realisation that the data projectors in the classrooms that we were going to use were too low a resolution to work. I managed to get enough finance for one high resolution data projector which we have to share. Anyway, I have enough data to start the second assignment and it looks like we both have some material for the evaluation. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #008000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 25px; text-align: center;">
 * Forum Postings 2 **
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">Anne-marie Overton || <span style="color: #8d8b8b; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">Date: || <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">Wed 14-Aug-13 11:06 pm ||
 * <span style="color: #8d8b8b; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">To: |||| <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">EMT501_201360_A_D ||
 * <span style="color: #8d8b8b; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">Subject: |||| <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">Chpt 1- reading and ponderings ||

<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">While reading through the Top Ten summary in Chapter 1 (p20 Ed 6) I was looking at the points about Digital Divide and Distance education. I wonder if since the role of teachers as mentors and facilitators is regarded as being not only highly valued but essential to effective teaching and learning, combined with the cost of technology coming down and being more affordable, whether we will come to a “reversal” where the low socio-economic can only afford distance learning provided by the technologies(as they are cheaper) and the more fortunate can afford to get access to the more labour intensive and therefore more expensive mentor or real live teacher?? <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> What a switch that would be? Would they pay me more???


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Adele Lynch || <span style="color: #8d8b8b; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Date: || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Tue 03-Sep-13 11:34 am ||
 * <span style="color: #8d8b8b; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">To: |||| <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">EMT501_201360_A_D ||
 * <span style="color: #8d8b8b; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Subject: |||| <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Re: Chpt 1- reading and ponderings ||

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">When reading through chapter one and linking it to the chapter about distance learning, I found a few connections that I also thought were quite interesting when drawing them on my own experiences. During high school, I attended a public school in a low socio-economic area. I studied Textiles by correspondence. I did not use the internet at all to communicate with my teacher or my peers across Sydney. Instead, my teacher contacted me weekly via telephone to discuss the content. I found that I established a really good relationship with my teacher via what would be considered an older technology. Textiles turned out to be the subject I did the best in! Working in a rural high school at the moment (also from a low socio-economic area) I see that distance education has now progressed to video conferencing that happens between teachers and students on a regular basis. From this, I have drawn that costs do not really influence the distance learning that occurs, with schools obviously allocating funding in an area that needs adequate technology.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">However, by comparing my undergraduate degree that I completed last year (which I did all on campus sitting in classrooms) I can see just how valuable it is to have those relationships between teachers and students in the flesh! I felt a lot more comfortable speaking in forums such as this one because I was friends with my peers and not strangers. It was a lot easier to confront tutors as I could actually go and meet with them in person

<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">I think it is important for people to know and understand that distance education is not for everyone- that it really does take a lot of intrinsic motivation and skills to push through.


 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">Catherine Manning || <span style="color: #8d8b8b; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">Date: || <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">Sun 18-Aug-13 03:44 pm ||
 * <span style="color: #8d8b8b; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">To: |||| <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">EMT501_201360_A_D ||
 * <span style="color: #8d8b8b; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">Subject: |||| <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">Re: Chpt 1- reading and ponderings ||

<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Good questions Anne-Marie. It is not the future that I imagine many teachers would want or would fit into why they teach. Distance learning usually requires learners to be very self motivated and work independently. Both attributes that may cause low socio-economic groups to become disconnected with the education system. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> For me quality teacher-student connections and student-student connections create a better learning experience and are an essential component of learning. Is that level of connectivity really possible on-line learning? I see it happening in personal lives (see Celine's post) and I see it written about in on-line teaching literature but I have to say, I am not yet seeing it in practice. Distance learning really needs greater level of connecting with others to come close to the relationships formed in a classroom. This is a high cost model but one we should be striving for.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> I do hope your question about the possible future of on-line education does not come to bear as it will not benefit society, students or us as teachers. I think as teachers using technology for teaching and learning we need to constantly advocate for the learning design that support quality student-student and teacher-students communication. Not to keep our jobs, but because that is where quality learning happens.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Catherine Manning || <span style="color: #8d8b8b; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Date: || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sun 18-Aug-13 04:12 pm ||
 * <span style="color: #8d8b8b; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">To: |||| <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">EMT501_201360_A_D ||
 * <span style="color: #8d8b8b; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Subject: |||| <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Re: Chpt 1- reading and ponderings ||

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">And to support what I just said I just read these words:

<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">"At the core of this process is a community of inquiry that supports learning environments that integrates social, cognitive, and teaching elements in a way that will precipitate and sustain critical reflection and discourse" <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Garrison, D. R. (2011). Blended Learning in Higher Education Framework, Principles, and Guidelines. Hoboken: Hoboken : John Wiley & Sons. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">This sums up what I think we should be aiming for in designing on-line learning.


 * Anne-marie Overton || Date: || Tue 20-Aug-13 09:41 pm ||
 * To: |||||| EMT501_201360_A_D ||
 * Subject: |||||| UDL and brain networks ||

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"> While reading through Chpt 2 of our text and getting an understanding of the TIP model, I also read the section about adapting for special needs. In this section they refer to a site called: Teaching every student in a digital age- @http://www.cast.org/teaching everystudent/ideas/tes

In Chpt 2 section on this site, I found an activity called Use the 3 brain network to analyze individual difference @http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/tools/main.cfm?t_id=10 it was fun and very enlightening. I thought it would be great to use to show others why we need to differentiate in our classrooms Hope this is helpful and at least interesting.
 * Anne-marie Overton || Date: || Tue 20-Aug-13 09:41 pm ||
 * To: |||||| EMT501_201360_A_D ||
 * Subject: |||||| UDL and brain networks ||

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"> While reading through Chpt 2 of our text and getting an understanding of the TIP model, I also read the section about adapting for special needs. In this section they refer to a site called: Teaching every student in a digital age- @http://www.cast.org/teaching everystudent/ideas/tes

In Chpt 2 section on this site, I found an activity called Use the 3 brain network to analyze individual difference @http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/tools/main.cfm?t_id=10 it was fun and very enlightening. I thought it would be great to use to show others why we need to differentiate in our classrooms Hope this is helpful and at least interesting.

<span style="color: #008000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 25px; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Working in an infant school I can see the use/value of using old technologies, but also the need to adapt and change with the times. Currently this juxtaposition between old and new is shaping many classroom, however I agree wholeheartedly with Roblyer & Doering (2013) in their belief that technology of the past should always guide and inform the decisions of the present/future.
 * Forum Postings 3 **
 * Benjamin Farr || Date: || Wed 04-Sep-13 11:41 am ||
 * To: |||||| EMT501_201360_A_D ||
 * Subject: |||||| Use of Old Technologies ||

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Children in this age group respond extremely well to technology that is offered, whether that be the latest product or something quite old. Sometimes I think educators lose sight of the importance of HOW children use and respond to technology, and focus on WHAT is being offered. Whether children are accessing the latest gadget is futile if the basis and reasoning for their learning is not explicit and meaningful.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Is it really so bad if a child uses a CD or tape rather than accessing music through an MP3 player? Likewise with a DVD as opposed to an iMovie. Shouldn't we be exposing children to the myriad of technological choices so that they can be informed of the progress, range, history and development of technology?

Would love to hear your thoughts!

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"> I have mixed feelings about the use of older technologies in the classroom. I think things like OHP can be useful for the odd art or maths lesson, but finding one that still has a bulb in tact and that is useful can be harder than it's worth. A lot of the focus of this course has been on technology being beneficial for student engagement to keep 21st century learners motivated towards their learning. I feel that older technologies such as blackboards and OHP do not cater for this, mainly because the teacher is always in control and allow no room for student interaction. Older technologies do not lend themselves to students using them in a hands on approach, which is often the stimulus for engagement. Perhaps educators can find ways to include older technologies in an interactive environment, where students can be motivated to use them as facilitators to learning. Otherwise, it seems these older technologies will simply cause teachers to slip back in time, where teacher led environments and rote learning were a commonplace. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"> I agree with you. Using old technologies in the way they were intended seems to be continuing a teaching style that we are trying to move away from. However, it seems to me that using old technologies in new and different ways can add that 21st century twist to it to allow for collaborative or creative integration. Eg. the old OHP was designed for the teacher to use images of lessons to instruct. Used however, for art shadow work etc, or creating a class comic strip with coloured markers, is at least an inventive use for todays students. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Some interesting points being made in this thread. I agree with your point that it is the learning objective and the needs of the student that should determine how and what technology is used in the classroom. If we are clear in what we want students to learn and understand how we are going to assess their learning, the integration of technology can occur "naturally". Rather than using technology for the sake of using technology, it is using technology as a supportive tool or resource towards learning. It also opens the door to differentiation as students may prefer to use a variety of different tools and media based upon their learning needs and strengths. Some of these tools may be technology-based while others may not.
 * Adele Lynch || Date: || Thu 19-Sep-13 09:54 am ||
 * To: |||||| EMT501_201360_A_D ||
 * Subject: |||||| Re: Use of Old Technologies ||
 * Anne-marie Overton || Date: || Fri 20-Sep-13 08:26 pm ||
 * To: |||||| EMT501_201360_A_D ||
 * Subject: |||||| Re: Use of Old Technologies ||
 * Dick Takahashi || Date: || Thu 12-Sep-13 01:28 pm ||
 * To: |||||| EMT501_201360_A_D ||
 * Subject: |||||| Re: Use of Old Technologies ||

When I was teaching video production, it presented the perfect opportunity to bring together old tech with new. Perhaps in one instance it was necessary to use green screen and key framing to achieve a certain look but in another situation it was easier and just as effective to use camera tricks (ex. forced perspective) to achieve another look. In the end, its the story and the overall look and feel of the video that is important and what essentially drives the variety of tech (old and new) that goes into the production of a video or film. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Good points, Ben. I still occasionally use a tape player in my class and even still have a CRT TV that I occasionally use to show my students video tapes that I haven't had time to transfer to digital format. Funnily, my new class started this week and I had the TV covered up in a blanket so you could obviously see the size of the clunker and one of the students asked me if this was a "new" TV <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">HI Ben
 * Celine Lim || Date: || Sat 07-Sep-13 05:52 pm ||
 * To: |||||| EMT501_201360_A_D ||
 * Subject: |||||| Re: Use of Old Technologies ||
 * Stephen Carter || Date: || Sat 07-Sep-13 11:26 am ||
 * To: |||||| EMT501_201360_A_D ||
 * Subject: |||||| Re: Use of Old Technologies ||

Totally agree that an exposure to a wide variety of technologies should be in place. A colleague an I were presenting this week on technology and assessment practices this week and engaged in a discussion on What Is Technology? We cannot dismiss the pencil, the piece of chalk, the photocopier, etc, etc. It's not just about the latest technology, ie mps players, iPads, etc. If we focus on particular tools, we are loosing sight of the real purpose - engaging and improving student outcomes with a variety of tools. As you say - variety is the key.

Thanks

Steve <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">For me being a digital immigrant, I like to think that I can see both sides to this older technology argument. however the bottom line is that a good teacher is a good teacher. That teacher will survive and prosper in any situation with or without technology at their disposal. For the rest of us 'normal' teachers who have good and bad days in good and 'bad' schools we like to use anything that will make our lessons more effective. We survive with the budgets we are given and the class sizes that are dealt to us. Personally I have not used an OHP for over a decade yet can still remember my collection of acetates and the comfort they gave me knowing they were there. This has surely now changed with the use of VLE's to store these resources digitally? What is older technology today? Is it older software that no longer works on the latest operating systems or in a school that converts to Apple products is it the Windows software that now no longer works? Been there, seen that happen. I read that there are experts who are questioning the effective use of IWB's in the classroom and their role in the future - its a scary thought that maybe in five years we will see these as old unsuccessful technology!
 * David Cooke || Date: || Sun 08-Sep-13 06:03 pm ||
 * To: |||||| EMT501_201360_A_D ||
 * Subject: |||||| Re: Use of Old Technologies ||