Wiki's, Blogs, RSS Readers, Voki's and Engagement Theory!

Hello All,

I hope you will take pleasure in reading yet another post for my Blog. I am enjoying Blogging the more I do it. Everyday I am thinking of new ways to integrate technology into the classroom. I am becoming more open minded about the positive effects ICTs can have on 21^st century education.

This week I have enjoyed creating a Wiki. I can see how beneficial a Wiki can be to a learner, it gives the students a sense of responsibility, as they are in control of the information and data that is placed on their page. Moreover, I see Wiki’s being a great tool for group assignments as it allows for the collection and collaboration of information all in one location, on the Internet. In my undergraduate degree I did a lot of group work assessment tasks, I wish our group would have been introduced to Wiki’s. Using a Wiki is a lot easier then individual group emails, phone calls and text messages. All information is provided on one page and every student has the opportunity for equal input. Wiki’s are a great tool to engage students in learning as they are able to take on the constructivist approach. Wiki’s permit for active student learning, moreover, it allows teachers to place assignments, projects and the resources students need all in the one place, in order to create a successful learning experience. I think Wiki’s are not only great to use in education, but in all areas of life, from sporting teams, family events and organising rosters for a business.

Below is an interesting clip about why schools should introduce Wiki’s into student learning.

This week is our first official introduction to Web Logs, or Blogs as we call them. This course has pushed me to explore with technology I never previously felt the need to interact with. As I have Blogged in previous posts I am becoming addicted to this technology and I am enjoying exploring its added benefits to my own university studies. I am going to continue to use a Blog after the completion of ICTs for Learning Design. I am now discovering that a Blog is a great way to keep a professional journal. I love that I am able to engage in professional discourse electronically with my peers. I have used examples of other students Blogs in conversations I have had. I was debating about how often ICTs should be used within a classroom and if schools embraced the power of using ICTs, with a fellow student. He directed me to a peer Blog he had read. Due to this technology I was then able to engage further in the conversation with a third party. This amazing technology is allowing students and teachers in the 21^st century to embrace connectivism and build networks and partnerships.

Having seen first hand the positive effects this Blog is having on my education and learning process (as I am excited to write on here, add links, share videos and respond to posts), I cannot wait to integrate this technology into different KLAs.

RSS READER

I was apprehensive about setting up an RSS Reader for my Blog. I was nervous I would not be able to use the technology and I thought that going to each Blog individually would be just as easy. I was wrong! Using the RSS Reader has made following my peers Blogs so easy. Every time I log onto Google Reader it automatically highlights who has posted an update to their Blog and with just one click I am able to read the post.

RSS Readers are a fantastic tool and I will incorporate the use of them into my classroom. Using an RSS Reader with your class has endless possibilities. An RSS Reader could be used to inform students when you have added new homework for them to complete (to a sight much like Moodle). Using an RSS Reader can also inform students, parents and teachers when a new Blog has been posted. Additionally, RSS Readers can be used to follow topics for a current Unit of Work, thus allowing the teacher and students to see if an update has been made to a website about a particular topic they are following (ie. The Australian Government- follow news sites regarding decisions made in Parliament).

This week I also created several Voki’s. Voki’s are brilliant tools to use in the classroom. The following film clip demonstrates how students use technology to create a Voki.