3D Shapes

Final Analysis Of Digital Technologies:
Chris Sachlikidis

Part 1

Wiki Reflection

Earlier in the course, the class participated in a Wiki based activity that looked at the use of mobile phones in the classroom. As expected their was divide amongst the group, some believing mobile phones had no place in the classroom and others excited about the idea that another tool could be used within the classroom. The Wiki activity used the scaffolding technique of de Bono's Six Thinking Hats to analyse the effects of mobiles in the classroom, which provided greater analysis to reach a justified decision. Click here for the Wiki

As a very new technique to me the use of a Wiki was initially foreign and daunting. But the simplicity and ease of use makes it possible for anyone to pick up. It was great to collaborate with the group and view each person's opinion and stance on the discussion topic, often bringing idea's to light that I would not of thought of as an individual, allowing me to easily investigate ideas further. Being a large group, the design and layout of the Wiki was not clear and not easy to see who contributed the information. So in this case it was hard to follow but this could be easily corrected by better formatting. The use of de Bono's Six Thinking Hats in this topic caused me to explore six different aspects which gave me a better understanding by dividing the topic into six parts which resulted in analysing the topic in more depth and having a wider range of perspective.

The wiki forum on mobile phones in the classroom was reflective of several learning theories which supports the design of the activity, these include Cognitivism, Contructivism and Connectivism (CQUniveristy, 2013). It was evident that the activity required us (the learner) to learn by processing new information that may have occurred during research or to process alternative views from fellow learners which is reflective of Cognitivism. The use of the Contructivism theory is backed up by the fact that we learned by social interaction on the wiki, we were able to look at other ideas\views, add to, and relate to our own views or provide an alternative opinion. It was also evident that the Connectivism theory was reflective of this activity as we could provide others with links to other information sources that could link us to further information about specific topics, Click Here for my thoughts on Siemens idea of Connectivism.

The elements of the wiki design that supports these learning theories are as follows;

• Social
• Access to further resources
• Required mental processing of new and alternative ideas
• Develop new understanding  

The use of the scaffolding technique, de Bono's Six thinking hats, provides a framework for students to explore and analyse topics in greater depths, and allow them to see various perspectives which will give a greater level and more accurate analysis of a topic. Another technique used to scaffold learning is the use of PMI (Positive, Minus and Implications), this tool is used to give the topic perspective by looking at the positive and negative effects and helping the user to identify the best outcome through justified decision making (Fasso, W. 2013).
An example of a PMI chart I have created for the use of the Wiki can be seen by Clicking Here.

Part 2

Digital Tools

This section provides an analysis of digital tools from 4 different groups of tools.
These include;
Group 1: Online Spaces: Analysis of Blogs
Group 2: Digital Images, Audio and Video: Analysis of Movie Maker
Group 3: Presentation tools: Analysis of Prezi
Group 4: Animations and Simulations: Analysis of Google Earth

BLOGS:

Blogs are an online work space where, in a classroom setting, students can create and add information to a blog site. Each post can be edited at anytime (by the author) allowing for corrections to take place which can aid in developing writing and research skills and developing independent learning. By using a blog, students are able to present information in a ordered and visual way, and topics can be brought to life and made enhance learning by using images, sounds and video and links to further information. They can also gain feedback from readers commenting on their posts.
Click Here to view a PMI table outlining the strengths and weaknesses a blog might have.

One example of where a blog could be used is in a primary science setting where students could do an experiment to grow a plant.  Students could document, photograph, analyse, research, predict and draw stages of the plant and post this up to date information on the blog, continuously updated much alike a diary update. See an example of a blog I have created that a class might complete Example Plant Blog-Click.

Similar tools to the blog are available and may include the use of a wiki or website.
Websites are great for displaying information and creating a more user friendly or interactive site, but they lack the ease to edit and continuously update\edit information and do not allow others to comment or develop the information.
Wiki's allow students to work more collaboratively than they can on blogs, they are able to edit anyone's information and because of this those who can access it must be trusted. A major issue with this technique is that it does not allow for multiple users to work on the space, which is why I opted for the blog in this activity which requires input from the entire class. Wiki PMI

WINDOWS MOVIE MAKER:  
A great tool to develop video media is a program called Windows Movie Maker (version 2.6). This program is free and very user friendly making it a great tool for the classroom. The program follows a simple format of uploading and dragging the images, video or audio to the preferred place in the filmstrip. The software is compatible with common image files including PNG and JPEG as well as other file types. The audio system is compatible with common files including MP3 and WAV files. The user is also able to record themselves which would allow a student to narrate the movie which could be used in presentations and teaching. There is not a great deal of visual effects available for use, particularly when it comes to 'cutting' film or audio, but this is ideal for a novice movie maker as the functions are clear and not overcomplicated. Click Here to look at a sample movie I have created which uses still images, video and audio using Windows Movie Maker 2.6.

SWOT Analysis of Windows Movie Maker 2.6

Strengths  User friendly  Free  Creates quality film The film can be viewed and edited before final copy is saved. Allows student to create a presentation (including narrative) without being confronted by anxiety caused by oral presentation. Students can edit and develop their work, improving their independent learning.	Weaknesses  Lack of effects Limited editing tools Once a film is finished it cannot be edited.
Opportunities  Other editing tools could be used to edit or add effects then uploaded to the software.	Threats  Unable to edit once movie is finished

This tool could be used in small groups or as an individual, allowing collaborative or independent learning to occur. One scenario in which this could be used  is in a Health and Physical Education setting. Students could be asked to work collaboratively in small groups to develop a video highlighting technique when serving in tennis. Students could be filmed then compared and analysed displaying and describing to the viewer the good and bad points of each serve and technical ways to improve each serve (training skills they can use). Not only would this be beneficial to the viewer to learn techniques for better serving but would develop a greater level of analysis and understanding of the students personal technique. The students are able to identify key points in their own serve which would allow for areas to improve their technique which could increase their ability resulting in a better theoretical understanding as well as practical performance.



                                                                          PREZI:
Presentation tools are more important than ever, and you will be hard pressed to find a teacher or educator in any workplace that is not using a digital presentation tool. More commonly used is the software called Microsoft Powerpoint, this is great for teachers as it allows information to be presented students and can include images, video and audio to make teaching points clearer. This style of presentation can however be quite linear and often boring and simple. A great tool that is almost the 'evolution' on Powerpoint is Prezi. 

Prezi offers a more dynamic and exciting presentation to be created. It is more flexible in creation and allows the user to give their presentations with 'Wow-Factor', which makes the presentation more engaging for the learner. Prezi allows comparisons and more in depth information to be presented. I initially found Prezi somewhat tricky to use, but after viewing the online demonstrations it showed how easy this program is to use. The great range of templates allowed me to pick a suitable style that saved a lot of time. The finished presentation allows the user the possibility to look around the page without being restricted to the linear and sequential style of other tools. I did find that a good internet connection is essential otherwise loading of pages and downloading can take quite a while. The free software allows the user to save up too 100MB of presentations but all presentations are available to the public. More presentation can be saved, kept private and personalised logos can used by using the upgraded edition which a monthly payment is required. This tool is also available as a free application for i-pads and i-phones. Click here to take a look at a Prezi presentation I have created.

PMI for Prezi

Positive	Minus	Implication\Interesting
·Create exciting and engaging presentations. ·A wide range of templates available. ·User friendly. ·Online Presentations. ·Available online.	·Good internet required. ·Internet is required to use and edit presentation. ·Limited storage on free software.	·Upgrade available to increase storage and privacy. ·User can scroll around the presentation in a non-linear and non-sequential order.

One application where Prezi could be used to enhance learning is in a High School Chemistry setting. A presentation could be made to show the periodic table, at each element the user can be shown information such as name, the make molecular make up, uses and the group it belongs to. This would be an advantage to learning as each element could contain pictures and other media to support learning. As the Prezi is available online, students could individually refer back to the presentation to learn in more depth and at their own pace. The fact that Prezi is non-linear allows the viewer to scroll around the page zooming into areas of their interest (must be saved to allow this).



                                                                  GOOGLE MAPS:
Google Maps is an online mapping program. The program allows the user to use satellite or non-satellite styled maps in top view or 3D. The program has street maps, route planner (drive, walk or public transport), and a business locator. The program does not have live satellite footage but is updated regularly. Google Maps also offers pictures of the regions. I found Google Maps very easy to use. Click Here for a look at Google maps which has been embedded into my blog. An alternative to Google Maps is Google Earth, this program can be downloaded which then does not require an internet connection to use. I found that using Google Earth was very slow and actually caused my computer to slow down which is why I opted to use Google Maps.

PMI analysis of Google maps

Positive	Minus	Implications\Interesting
·         Accurate ·         Regularly Updated ·         Available in 3D view as well as top view ·         Extra tools can be added such as scale, longitude and latitude location. ·         No software required to download ·         Easy to use ·         Map can be embedded in online space.	·         Requires internet connection ·         Less detailed in rural areas.	·         Does not show polar regions ·         The maps are not a live view, so map may actually appear different to real life in between updates.

An activity I would plan for a group of primary students is to use Google maps to design an itinerary for road travel from Brisbane to Cairns, this will include route, accommodation, sights, fuel and supplies. This activity will encourage the students to plan amount travel per day, research towns to identify accommodation and attractions, and create a budget including items such as fuel, food, activities, accommodation and other expenses they may incur on the trip.


Legal, safe and ethical guidelines

Students are able to use information, images, audio and video if properly referenced and "copyright will not be infringed where the copy or communication is done" (Smart copy, 2013);

• "with the express permission of the copyright owner. See 1.10: Dealing with Copying for further information
• under the fair dealing, flexible dealing and educational exceptions 
• See 1.13: Copyright Exceptions for further information"  (Smart copy, 2013)

 Sourced from: http://www.smartcopying.edu.au

As we are aware, the world wide web is exactly that 'world-wide'. It is extremely important students stay safe online and are taught about the dangers associated with using online work spaces such as blogs. Ensuring students understand the risks and ways to minimise these, for example not disclosing personal details. It is also very important that student know what to do if they feel there safety is in jeopardy, a great website is http://www.staysmartonline.gov.au/school which covers topics such as a cyber safety and cyber security.

Online ethics should be continuously taught to students to ensure they understand appropriate uses of ICT. Click Here for ways this could be achieved through the Education Queensland smart classroom site

References:

CQUniversity Australia. (2013). EDED20491—ICT's for Learning design: Course   
                       materials;engagement. Rockhampton, Qld: Wendy Fasso.    
               

Index of learning theories and models (2013). Retrieved from
                       http://www.learning-theories.com/

Fasso, W.(2013). PMI Charts. Retrieved April 7, 2013. from
                      http://elearncqu.wikispaces.com/

Description of connectivism (2013). Retrieved from
                      http://www.connectivism.ca/about.html 

Australian Government (2013). Stay smart online; school (2013). Retrieved from
                      http://www.staysmartonline.gov.au/school

 Smart Copying (2013). What can i copy/communicate. Retrieved from
                      http://www.smartcopying.edu.au 

Google Maps

Below is a map used from Google Maps that has been embedded in this blog.


View Larger Map

Prezi

Below is a Prezi I have created to show how the style of Prezi is different to other presentation tools.