Context for Games Based Learning

This week our task was to develop a context for learning using a piece of games technology for a class of primary 6.  We chose the game Just Dance for the Wii for a number of reasons.  Firstly, we were all familiar with the game therefore felt confident and competent to use this as a context for a learning experience for the children.  Also, we believed most children would have played on a Wii before, and maybe even have played the game Just Dance before so we thought it would be interesting and motivating for the children.  Finally, from a practical aspect we thought the Wii was a good choice of console as we could have four children playing the game at the same time, thus making the organisation of the activity more manageable.  I have previously talked about the benefits of contexts for learning, so if you would like to read those points please visit my blog post Digital Literacy and ICT.

Using the game Just Dance as a context opened up a wide range of opportunities for learning experiences.  Our focus learning, through the context of Just Dance, was to create an attractive and informative poster advertising a dance performance.  Below is a copy of our full lesson plan should you wish to read and understand it in greater detail.

Class/Group: P6 group (8 children)           Lesson: Just Dance          Date: 16.2.12

Previous Experience We are not sure if they have experience with Just Dance on the Wii, but we think mostly all children will have had some sort of experience working with computer consoles.  We assume children will have had some experience making a poster before.
Working towards outcomes of a Curriculum for Excellence I can select ideas and relevant information, organise these in an appropriate way for my purpose and use suitable vocabulary for my audience. LIT 2-06A I can develop and communicate my ideas, demonstrating imagination and presenting at least one possible solution to a design problem. EXA 2-06A
		ASSESSMENT
Learning Intentions WALT: -          create an attractive and informative poster		Success Criteria I will be able to:  - make my poster eye-catching and colourful  - include relevant information e.g. venue, cost  - create a name and logo for my dance crew	Methods -          Thumbs up, thumbs down -          Checking children’s posters and assessing it against the success criteria
Timing				Resources
5 mins  5 mins	Setting the context/Beginning the lesson (Introduction) Introduce ourselves and let the children introduce themselves.  Let everyone put a name tag on, including us Q – Has anyone ever seen a dance performance before? (real life, tv…) Q – Has anyone ever participated in a dance performance before? Show them a dance performance they may be familiar with – Diversity on Britain’s got Talent (youtube clip) Teaching the learning intentions (Development) Diversity’s clip has led quite nicely into what we will be doing today – focusing on dance performances. Our learning intention today is to create an attractive and informative poster. We have two activities for today: 1. To explore Just Dance 3 on the Wii. (Children will be trained on the job). 2. To create a poster advertising a dance performance.  We would like you to do one each but you can all discuss it together and help each other out. Resources on table – help yourselves. Logo examples on table to give you some inspiration for creating your own logos. Go over the success criteria which are on the ‘think about…’ sheet and answer any questions the children may have about the task.			Paper, pens, sellotape Youtube clip Projector Screen Wii console, 4 controllers, just dance game A4 & A3 paper, pens, pencils, rulers, logo examples, ‘think about’ sheets

15 mins  5 mins	All children will start working on their poster, minus one group of 4 children who will go straight onto the Wii. The children will take it in turns (in groups of 4) on the Wii, having the opportunity to complete two short songs in each turn. The children will continue to rotate in this manner. Ending the lesson (Plenary) Stop the children and do ‘thumbs up, thumbs down’ so see if they feel they have met the success criteria. Q – Have you had experience with two stars and a wish before? Inform the children they will be giving todays activities two stars and a wish.  Give the children a post it note each and once they have finished they can stick it on a big piece of paper on the wall.		A3 piece of paper, post it notes
Success Criteria Results		Next steps for the children
EVALUATING MY PRACTICE
Going well (what worked and why?)		Areas for development (what didn’t work and why?)
Next Steps for Me

In planning our lesson, we decided to introduce it with a video clip from ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ winners Diversity.  We chose this dance group because we believed they would be meaningful and relevant to the children as we thought most children would have seen them before.  Also we believed their type of dance would appeal to both boys and girls therefore allowing all children to be engaged through the context.

For the vast majority of children our context was really engaging and enjoyable.  One child was slightly hesitant about joining in with the dancing but did so and enjoyed it, then went on to produce a fantastic poster.  However another child was completely disengaged from the dancing context, meaning he was then disengaged with making a poster as he was so upset by the whole dance experience.  I believe we could have avoided this situation if we allowed an element of personalisation and choice to the context.  This was difficult to do as we had no communication with the children before they came to the University.  However what we could have done was: create two contexts with a different task for each one, then let each group of 8 children choose between them which context they wanted to engage in.  Another factor contributing to this child’s disengagement was because we didn’t know the children.  When I spoke to their class teacher about the situation she said she knew this would happen with this child as he thinks he is too cool for such things and has acted like this before.  This reinforced the importance of knowing the children in your class so you can cater to individual’s needs and interests.

A further observation from today was that the final group (3 groups in total) engaged most in both the context and in making the posters.  This could be due to a few reasons.  It could be because by our third time of presenting the context and activity we made it more exciting, meaning the children responded better to the context.  Or it could simply be that the children in the third group were the most interested and motivated by dance in comparison to the children in the other groups, so it was always going to happen that way.

The vast majority of children really enjoyed engaging with the game Just Dance on the Wii and making a poster.  The general opinion of the children’s feedback was that they enjoyed being active but wanted to spend more time exploring the game Just Dance and have longer to complete their poster.  To be very honest, I thought this would be the case.  If I was to use this context in the classroom myself I would have split the lesson over two classes so all children could engage in the Just Dance game together.  Then later, all children could engage in making their posters together without being distracted from what was going on around them (which I believe happened).  Due to the rushed nature of the learning experience I am not sure the children fully understood the relevance Just Dance had to making their poster.  Brooks-Young says:

“…students need to be provided with opportunities to reflect on their gaming experiences to be sure they understand the content learning” Brooks-Young, S (2010, p.95).

I believe that if the exploration of the Just Dance game and making the posters was done in two separate lessons then the children would have more likely seen the relevance of the context to their learning experience.  Also, we as teachers would have had more time to make this clear to the children.

A final point to consider would be the organisation and management of this activity if I were to do it myself in the classroom.  Today we had a ratio of 5 students to 8 pupils.  I felt this was far too many students to the number of children and made it an uncomfortable environment for me to work in as I often felt I had no purpose.  However I do realise if I were to do this activity myself in the primary classroom it would be a whole new difficult as there would be a ratio of 30 children to 1 teacher.  Saying that I quietly feel confident I would manage the children’s learning effectively.

References

Brooks-Young, S (2010).  Teaching with the tools kids really use – learning with web and mobile technologies.  London: Sage Ltd.

Games Based Learning

Today we were visited by three lecturers at the University of Dundee who presented us with some research they had gathered through different experiments they had carried out in primary schools.  The purpose of their studies was to find out more information in relation to using games technology in the primary classroom, with a hope of being able to successfully prove that they can enhance learning.  David Miller and his colleague, Derek Robertson, researched Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training game for the Nintendo DS.  Divya Jindal-Snape researched the effectiveness of guitar hero during the transition between primary school and secondary school, which my friend Nicole has discussed in great detail.  Jill Shimi, and three colleagues, researched the game Nintendogs for the Nintendo DS to see whether it was successful in promoting valuable opportunities in teaching.  My friend Susan discusses this in greater depth.

All three studies were done using commercial off the shelf (COTS) games.  This means that these games were not made with the intention of being used for educational purposes in the primary school, but for the sole purpose to make a profit.  However, through these investigations we have discovered that each COTS game can support and enhance children’s learning and development if used appropriately.  The cost of the COTS games is a huge disadvantage but there are ways around such problems if effective organisation and management is in place.  For example: each school could buy one set of 30 Nintendo DS’s and Brain Training games, then have a rota where each class gets them at a different time each day.

Today I am going to reflect on David Miller and Derek Robertson’s classic experiment with Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training game for the Nintendo DS.  The purpose of their investigation was to find out if Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training game enhanced children’s learning, but more specifically to see if it helped children improve their number bonds and their processing speed.  Miller and Robertson’s investigation is summarised nicely by Rachel.

Brooks-Young says “games are an engaging way to…reinforce a variety of skills” Brooks-Young, S (2010, p.89) and I believe Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training game allows just that.  This is identified in the video below:

Scottish Government (undated).

Games based learning (GBL) has the opportunity to develop many principles in the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) which I have discussed in my previous blog post, Digital Literacy and ICT.  Alongside these, Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training game has clear links to a number of the CfE principles for specific reasons.  I believe the game has clear links with relevance, firstly due to today’s children being born into a digital world but also because it is a COTS game, so it is likely the children have seen it (or something similar) before therefore it will have more meaning to them.

I believe the game also fulfils the CfE principle challenge and enjoyment, as due to children growing up in a world of technology, learning through games will likely achieve a high level of motivation and enjoyment.  Challenge can be found through the games requirement for speed but from this challenge, increased social interaction can take place in the classroom as children not only want to do their best but want to help their friends do their best to “enable each individual to achieve his or her potential” Scottish Government (2008).

Through the range of different activities available in Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training game, the CfE principle, personalisation and choice is drawn on.  Personalisation is available through this game as it allows each child to work at their own individual ability.  Choice is evident in this game through allowing children to choose what they focus on each time they play the game, for example: arithmetic skills, reading etc.

The final CfE principle I see strong links with Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training game is progression.  By allowing children to play this game for twenty minutes each morning it is allowing them to “build upon earlier knowledge and achievements” Scottish Government (2008) thus continuing their progression in learning.  Through Miller and Robertson’s investigation, they have proved that progression does take place as when comparing the children’s first arithmetic test to their second one (after ten weeks of using the Brain Training game) there was a significant improvement.

Miller said that they did not yet know whether Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training game made cognitive transfer possible, however I would disagree.  Through the 10 week investigation, teachers noticed a huge improvement in the neatness of children’s handwriting.  I believe this was because if you do not form numbers or letters correctly on the Nintendo DS your answer is marked incorrectly, therefore I believe children made a conscious effort to improve their handwriting in order to get the best score.  I believe this improved handwriting was then transferred into other aspects of the children's school work.

In my opinion, GBL needs to be used more often in children’s educational development than is currently being done.  The only glimmer of games technology I have ever seen in a primary school was a play station 2 which was used only for golden time.  Teachers have a duty to “prepare students for this new world…based on the assumption that they have some idea of what to prepare them for” Brooks-Young, S (2010, p.5).  I am not certain all teachers know how to prepare children for the 21^st century and I think one of the main reasons is a lack of confidence in technology themselves.  The world is changing therefore changes in education need to be made.  I look forward to going on my next placement and using GBL as a tool to enhance learning.

References

Miller D., Robertson D. (2010). Educational benefits of using game consoles in a primary

classroom: A randomised controlled trial.  Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.

Available:https://my.dundee.ac.uk/@@/D99F5ACD8523C387DF10E1D16A484267/courses/1/ED22018_CAS_D65_201112/content/_2971228_1/MILLER%26ROBERSON2010b.pdf  [Last accessed: 20.2.12]

Brooks-Young, S (2010).  Teaching with the tools kids really use – learning with web and mobile technologies.  London: Sage Ltd.

Scottish Government (undated).  Video Bank.  Edinburgh: Scottish Government.

Available:http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/video/d/video_tcm4625482.asp [Last accessed: 20.2.12]

Scottish Government (2008). Curriculum for Excellence: Principles for curriculum design. Edinburgh: Scottish Government.

Available:http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/understandingthecurriculum/howisthecurriculumstructured/principles/index.asp  [Last accessed: 21.2.12]

Digital Literacy and ICT

Today we were visited from four of Fife’s ICT education advisors.  They were extremely enthusiastic, knowledgeable and up-to-date with how digital literacy and ICT can be developed in the primary classroom.  It was an insightful experience and I am excited to try out some of the software they shared with us today.  They talked about: Comic Life, Pivot, Sequal, Skoog and games based learning.  My friend Nicole talks about Sequal and Skoog in great detail and my friend Susan talks about Comic Life in more depth.  Today I am going to focus on digital literacy in games based learning (GBL).

Many people believe digital literacy is simply being able to use a computer or some software packages, however digital literacy is much more than that:

“Digital literacy is the skills, knowledge and understanding that enables critical, creative discerning and safe practices when engaging with digital technologies in all areas of life” Futurelab (2010).  The diagram below helps us understand digital literacy more fully.  It is a wide range of components that overlap each other.

A few years ago there was a lot of bad publicity in regard to GBL.  One of the gentleman from Fife said that if children were to play a violent game (e.g. grand theft auto), which presents a violent context; only violent learning will take place.  He then went on to say that if children were to play a non violent game then positive learning can take place.  However Prensky disagrees:

“For whenever one plays a game, and  whatever game one plays, learning happens constantly, whether the players want it to, and are aware of it, or not.  And the players are learning “about life,” which is one of the great positive consequences of all game playing” Prensky (2002, p.1).  I understand what the gentleman from Fife was saying, however I agree with Prensky as I believe learning always takes place when using games technology.  I no not believe violent games are the best form of GBL nor should be encouraged as they do not represent good values or the ‘real world’ in it’s true form.  Nevertheless, I believe learning does still take place.  For example: hand eye coordination and problem solving, (e.g. learning the rules of the game and the controls to play the game).  Yet I do believe that much richer and fuller learning can take place through positive contexts in GBL.

Our main focus when using ICT should always be to improve the digital literacy of our children.  GBL can motivate children and provide many opportunities to develop literacy, numeracy and problem solving skills.  When using GBL it is very important that we apply it in a context that can be used for a range of learning across the curriculum.  I believe this meets the curriculum for excellence (CfE) principle breadth.  (Examples further down).

“Research is beginning to suggest that computer games can help to stimulate a successful learning environment and provide motivational learning contexts that suit many learners” Scottish Government (undated)”. 

One of Fife’s ICT education advisors introduced us to an open sourced web game called Super Tux.  I was absolutely amazed!  It is such a fantastic resource for creating a context to develop digital literacy through GBL.  The game Super Tux is very similar to Super Mario, but because it’s an open source web game there are no copyright infringements attached to it.  The main advantage however is that you can edit the game (name of the game, background, character, level design) meaning that you can make the context relevant to your children’s age or class topic.  This meets the CfE principle relevance.  For example, if your class is doing a topic on castles then you could change the game to make it a more visually relevant context, so the children can be more inspired.

When using Super Tux to develop digital literacy, you would first let the children explore the game themselves.  This would draw on the CfE principle challenge and enjoyment.  Learning would take place as the children develop their hand eye coordination, problem solving skills and communication skills.  For example: they would perhaps need problem solving and communication skills to work out the controls to play the game and they may do this by talking to their friends.

Once the children had thoroughly explored the game, you would then issue them with a task.  It is very important that the children play the game before they do the task as the game is a key element in helping the children visualise a context.  For example: if the children’s task was to write a story about a penguin who went on a skiing holiday – many children may find this very difficult as they may never have seen a skiing slope before, so you must give them that experience through a visual context.  Also, by allowing the children to play the game first, they can then use contextual clues from the game for writing the setting of their own story.  A relevant visual context focuses the children’s thinking, allowing a better piece of work to be produced by the child.

I believe there is huge scope across the curriculum in what you could do to develop digital literacy through Super Tux, which fulfils the CfE principle breadth.  For example, you could allow the children to play the game, ask them to write a review of the game, ask them to create ideas for a new level, ask them to make a new level (which will obviously need a lot of preparation and guidance) and ask them to write a set of instructions explaining how to play the game Super Tux and their new level.

I have grown up in a world of ICT and games technology, as have all of the children I will go on to teach.  I feel confident and competent to engage in GBL with children and a lot more so now after listening to Fife’s inspiring ideas.  I know that if I engage in GBL it will help my teaching, thus having a great impact on the children I teach:

“For many students, using technology is inherently motivating: it’s part of their culture.  Engagement is a necessary component in learning” Green T., Brown A., Robinson L. (2008, p.13). 

This again meets the CfE principle relevance, as children today are being born into a world of technology therefore learning through games technology would somewhat seem natural to them.  I look forward to having the opportunity to implement GBL in the primary school as I know so much learning and enjoyment can be gained from it.

References

Futurelab (2010).   Digital literacy across the curriculum.

Prensky, M (2002). What Kids Learn That’s POSITIVE From Playing Video Games.  Marc Prensky.

Available:http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/prensky%20%20what%20kids%20learn%20thats%20positive%20from%20playing%20video%20games.pdf  [Last accessed: 15.2.12]

Scottish Government (2008). Curriculum for Excellence: Principles for curriculum design. Edinburgh: Scottish Government.

Available:http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/understandingthecurriculum/howisthecurriculumstructured/principles/index.asp  [Last accessed: 15.2.12]

Scottish Government (undated). About game based learning.  Edinburgh: Scottish Government.

Available:http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/usingglowandict/gamesbasedlearning/about/aboutgamebasedlearning.asp [Last accessed: 15.2.12]

Green T., Brown A., Robinson L. (2008). Making the most of the web in your classroom: A teachers guide to blogs, podcasts, wikis, pages, and sites. London: Corwin Press.

Moving Image Education

I have not had any experience with Moving Image Education (MIE) in the primary school, so it is all new to me.  I also unfortunately missed the input on MIE so I have done my best to research it.  I apologise in advance if this post is not too great!

The term 'moving image education' refers to learning and teaching practices which develop moving image media literacy. Creative Scotland (2009).  This includes learning through cartoons, films and adverts.  This makes a strong link to the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) principle relevance as television is significant in the vast majority of children’s present lives, therefore children are likely to “see the value of what they are learning” Scottish Government (2008).

MIE can be used to encourage children to discuss what they see and hear:

“Moving Image Education is about helping young people to question, analyse, explore and understand the meaning of what they’re watching and hearing” Creative Scotland (2009).

It helps develop children’s higher order thinking skills, which is extremely important to their educational development.

Children can develop 21^st century literacy as they analyse in MIE.  If children are to spend time analysing other people’s films, they can hugely improve the quality of their own creative work.  I believe this again links to the principle relevance as there is a great purpose for children analysing other people’s films and if this is explained to them, they will be able to see the importance of what they’re learning and how it benefits them.

“'Exploring' moving images involves enjoying a wide variety of films and using them as springboards into lots of different areas of culture” Creative Scotland (2009).  This links to the CfE principle breadth, as here a range of subjects can be covered across the curriculum.  I also believe it meets the CfE principle coherence as clear links between proposed learning would be evident and there would be many “opportunities for extended activities” Scottish Government (2008).

ICT can be a remarkable enhancement to learning, if used properly.  “Many believe that moving image education should be an integral part of literacy work across the curriculum, rather than a separate 'subject'” Creative Scotland (2009).  I agree with this, as I do with ICT as a whole.  I think ICT should be used to enhance learning across all areas of the curriculum, to engage children deeper and to make learning more enjoyable.

References

Creative Scotland and D fie foe (2009). Moving Image Education.

Available: http://www.movingimageeducation.org/ [Last accessed: 11.2.12]

Scottish Government (2008). Curriculum for Excellence: Principles for curriculum design. Edinburgh: Scottish Government.

Available:http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/understandingthecurriculum/howisthecurriculumstructured/principles/index.asp  [Last accessed: 11.2.12]

Meredith Belbin’s Team Roles

Belbin suggests that when working collaboratively (in a community of practice for example) there are a number of different roles which have essential parts to play in producing successful group work over a period of time.  She suggests that the preferred roles are linked to our personalities and categorises them into 3 groups: doing/acting, thinking/ problem solving, people/feelings.  She also makes it clear that in order to achieve the most effective result; a combination of these roles must be in place as “more of the same won’t work” Scottish Executive (2006) (cited Scarlett, V., 2010). 

                                                                                                               ARTSFWD (2012).

I did a lesson in the primary school where the children were to work collaboratively in groups to create a board game.  I gave each group a set of cards with different roles on them, to help them decide who was going to do what in order to complete the project.  This way it was a lot less likely for someone to completely take over and do everything, or for someone to sit back and do nothing.  “There are many forms of cooperative learning, but in most all models a group is given a specific task and each member of the group is assigned a role or specific activity that will contribute to the completion of the task” Green T., Brown A., Robinson L. (2008, p.14).  The role cards worked really well and allowed all children to participate more fully as they had a designated role, so although they were working together to create the board game they still had an individual role to fulfil in the process.

Belbin’s roles can be linked to the Curriculum for Excellence’s principle personalisation and choice:

“The curriculum should…support particular aptitudes and talents. It should give each child…increasing opportunities for exercising responsible personal choice… There should be safeguards to ensure that choices are soundly based and lead to successful outcomes” Scottish Government (2008).

By allowing the children to choose what role they would like to carry out, keeping in mind what best suits their personality definitely accomplishes the principle: personalisation and choice.

From looking at Belbin’s roles and the roles I gave to the children, I can definitely see a link.  I am glad we have learned about Belbin’s roles today as now I understand the theory behind the roles I created for the children (as I was unaware of the theory when I did the lesson).

References

Scarlett, V. (2009). A Social Work Perspective.  1CM1 Module, School of Education, Social Work and Community Education, University of Dundee.

ARTSFWD (2012). Building an innovative team. 
Available: http://artsfwd.org/how-innovation-works/5-steps/building-an-innovation-team/  [Last accessed: 10.2.12]

Green T., Brown A., Robinson L. (2008). Making the most of the web in your classroom: A teachers guide to blogs, podcasts, wikis, pages, and sites. London: Corwin Press.

Scottish Government (2008). Curriculum for Excellence: Principles for curriculum design. Edinburgh: Scottish Government.

Available:http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/understandingthecurriculum/howisthecurriculumstructured/principles/index.asp  [Last accessed: 10.2.12]

Communities of Practice

I had previously learned about communities of practice (CoP) in the first year module ‘The Developing Professional – Working Together to Achieve Social Justice’.  I first of all thought I had a good understanding of CoP, but after reflecting on Sharon’s input, my 1CM1 assignment and some new reading – I realised that my ‘good understanding’ was from a very closed minded point of view.  I had only ever thought about CoP in relation to the 1CM1 module where professionals worked together to achieve a common goal.  I had never thought about it in relation to children being a CoP and when I did, I was really quite shocked I had never thought about it in that way before.  I have had the children work in CoP in the classroom before and fully understood that they were working together to achieve a common goal, I had just never realised that they were working in a CoP, so this was a nice realisation today.

I am glad my mind has now been opened in relation to CoP as I can now see how a CoP can be applied to many situations.  For example: I am in a CoP with my ICT group as we work together to complete tasks.

Communities of practice are simply “groups of people who share a concern or passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly” Wenger, E (2006).  According to Wenger, a CoP begins at the domain (see appendix 1) where mutual engagement is involved by members of the group in a shared task.  They are individually, and collaboratively, focused on the task to which a high level of commitment is required of each member.  In order to make effective collaborative working, it is critical that each member of the group is open minded, a competent social communicator and a good listener in order to avoid the barriers that can delay effective collaborative working (see appendix 2).

The second stage to form a CoP is the community (see appendix 3).  Here a common endeavour is present where members of the group learn from one another through sharing information to help each other during activities and discussions.  I have found this stage of Wenger’s process to be crucial during my experience of working in my ICT group.

The final stage in forming a CoP, according to Wenger, is the practice (see appendix 4).  Here the group has developed a shared repertoire which means they now have a very similar approach to their practice.  From working collaboratively in a CoP, a better result can be created in the end as all members of the group’s expertise can be taken into account.  Consequently, I am very glad to have worked in a CoP as it substantially enhanced our level of output in tasks.

Web projects are a fantastic way for collaborative working in a CoP to take place in the primary classroom.  “There is a general myth that if students use technology, they will spend too much time online and will fail to develop social skills outside of cyberspace.  This won’t happen with a web project!” Green T., Brown A., Robinson L. (2008, p.14).  Web projects lend themselves really well for collaborative learning as there will be a high level of engagement in the children therefore masses of interaction will take place allowing for an effective CoP to develop.

References

Wenger, E. (2006). Communities of Practice: a Brief Introduction. United States of America: Wenger, E.

Available: http://www.ewenger.com/theory/index.htm  [Last Accessed: 23/02/10]

Scottish Executive (2006). Changing Lives: Report of the 21^st Century Social Work Review. Edinburgh: Scottish Executive Publications.

Available: www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/02/02094408/16  [Last accessed 24/02/10].

Rawson (2003). Going inter-professional. London: Routledge.

Scottish Government (2008). Curriculum for Excellence: Principles for curriculum design. Edinburgh: Scottish Government.

Available:http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/understandingthecurriculum/howisthecurriculumstructured/principles/index.asp  [Last accessed: 10.2.12]

Green T., Brown A., Robinson L. (2008). Making the most of the web in your classroom: A teachers guide to blogs, podcasts, wikis, pages, and sites. London: Corwin Press.

Appendices

Appendix 1:

“The domain: It has an identity defined by a shared domain of interest. Membership therefore implies a commitment to the domain, and therefore a shared competence that distinguishes members from other people.”  Wenger, E (ewenger.com).

For example: a group of engineers working on similar problems or a network of surgeons exploring novel techniques.  Wenger, E (2006).

Appendix 2:

Barriers to Effective Collaboration:

Poor communication skills and language difficulties

Conflicting power relationship

Ideological differences

Role confusions                               Rawson (2003).

Appendix 3:

“The community: In pursuing their interest in their domain, members engage in joint activities and discussions, help each other, and share information. They build relationships that enable them to learn from each other. A website in itself is not a community of practice. Having the same job or the same title does not make for a community of practice unless members interact and learn together.”  Wenger, E (2006).

For example: a group of accountants in an accounts department cannot be classed as a community of practice unless they collaborate one with another, rather than completing their individual required tasks only.

Appendix 4:

“The practice: A community of practice is not merely a community of interest--people who like certain kinds of movies, for instance. Members of a community of practice are practitioners. They develop a shared repertoire of resources: experiences, stories, tools, ways of addressing recurring problems—in short a shared practice. This takes time and sustained interaction.”  Wenger, E (2006).

Social Media Tools

This is my first ever blog entry!  I am really excited about beginning a blog and I hope that I will be inspired (along my ICT elective journey and through my own independent research) with a greater knowledge and understanding of how I can implement effective ICT in the primary school through the curriculum for excellence.  I look forward to seeing myself learn and grow through these experiences and I am eager to compare my final blog post to this very first one.  Here goes…

Today we focused on the use of social media tools in the 21^st century, communities of practice and Meredith Belbin’s team roles.

There are numerous different examples of social media tools that are widely used across the world today.  For example: facebook, emailing, text messaging, you tube, twitter, skype, blogging, the list goes on.  Today I learned that these social media tools can be grouped into two categories: a synthesis and synthesis.  A synthesis is when a response does not take place immediately.  For example, during an email conversation it may take minutes, hours or even days before a response is given.  Synthesis social media tools allow instant communication to take place.  For example, during a skype conversation both participants are receiving and responding at the exact same time.  Facebook is an exception, along with a few others, where it is both an a synthesis and synthesis type of social media tool as instant communication can take place through the chat feature, but also people can post on one another’s wall which is treated similar to an email.  

I believe that both types of social media tools can be and should be used effectively in the primary classroom as they allow valuable learning and sharing to take place.  There are advantages and disadvantages to both types of social media tools but it depends on what purpose you are using the social media tool for to determine whether it will be an advantage or disadvantage to you and your chosen learning.  I think it is extremely important when deciding which social media tool to use that you make sure it is relevant to the task as this will allow the desired learning to take place more effectively.  For example, if the children were in communication with another school (doing a bear exchange) I think it would be more appropriate to choose an a synthesis social media tool such as emailing and blogging to communicate for the most part, as it is unlikely that both classes would always be progressing at the same pace and ready to communicate at the same time.  However, through emailing and blogging, the children could organise to use an a synthesis social media tool such as skype.

In order for children to achieve greater depth in their learning, I believe a synthesis social media tools would be useful.  For example, if the children were communicating with another school (doing a bear exchange) through emails and blogs, due to the nature of these social media tools the children have time between sharing information to learn more about what they might want to share with the other school.  For example, if the children at the other school were to ask questions about what the children had shared with them in their blog post, the children would then have time to research and deepen their own knowledge and understanding in the search for answers to the other children’s questions.

References

Scottish Government (2008). Curriculum for Excellence: Principles for curriculum design. Edinburgh: Scottish Government.

Available:http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/understandingthecurriculum/howisthecurriculumstructured/principles/index.asp  [Last accessed: 10.2.12]