Digital toolbox for blended learning environments

A Digital Toolbox for Blended Learning

Environments

Britt Gow, Hawkesdale P12 College

Science, Maths, Biology and Environmental Science (online) teacher atHawkesdale P12 CollegeSW Victoria, Australia

Technoscience blog since 2008

Twitter @brittgow brittgow@gmail.comSkype: britt.gow

http://digitaltoolbox.wikispaces.com

Introduction

1. What are blended learning environments?

2. How does this relate to the conference theme “Engaging Learners for Sustainable Futures?”

Blended learning is a continuum……

From no technology whatsoever…

to access anytime, anywhere.

Blended Learning at Hawkesdale P12 College, Australia

“A decade ago, a

review of Australian

science education,

revealed many

students were

disappointed with

their high school

science. Today, this

disenchantment

continues, as

evidenced by the

declining number of

students choosing to

study science in

senior secondary

school.” Prof. S. Cory

Created online with “Create-A-Graph”

http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/index.asp

• The Power to Engage• Students use technology already • It's not going to go away...it will only grow• Professional development• Employers want their workers to use internet tools

How do we engage learners in education for sustainability?

• Meet students in their “zone of proximal development”, as well as the spaces they like to operate in (context )

• Ensure there are a variety of ways that students can access the knowledge & skills

• Provide authentic opportunities for learners to find their passion

“If our kids are going to live longer than us, they need to

have a passion for learning to sustain them. Not content

knowledge, but learning to learn. One eighth of the 21st

century is gone already – get cracking with 21st century

learning” Stephen Heppell

Today’s learner’s are:

• Multi-taskers

• Digitally literate

• Mobile and connected 24/7

• Experiential and Social

• Visual / spatial learners with

• Fast response times & short attention spans

● Know your students well and how they learn best

● Mix it up - offer a variety of learning opportunities

● Use photos, diagrams, cartoons, video, music● Give students choices● Tell a story and create memories with all the

senses● Provide opportunities to create a product

Six Strategies…..

S Increasing success in an

online environment.

(+, +)

Successful in both face to

face and online environments.

(-, -)

Less successful in both

face to face and

online environments.

Increasing success in a face to

face environment

(+, -)

Successful in a face to face

environment, but not as

successful in an online

environment.

(-, +)

Successful in an online

environment, but not as

successful in a face to

face environment.

S Increasing success in an

online environment.

Confident, well-organised,

persistent, independent

learners

Increasing success in a face to

face environment

Sociable, likes teamwork and

learning collaboratively.

Persistent, flexible, good

technology skills,

introverted, difficulty

socialising.

Lacks confidence and

persistence, poor

organisational skills,

needs structure &

scaffolding.

Teacher

Student Parent

Traditional classrooms

Student

Teacher Parent

21st century classrooms

Student

Teacher Parent

School Family

Peers

Knowledge

Skills Attitudes

Traditional Learning

Knowledge

Skills Attitudes

21st Century Learning

Knowledge Skills Attitudes

Literacy

Numeracy

Digital literacy

Critical thinking

Collaboration

Communication

Creativity

Media skills

Technology

skills

Confidence

Persistence

Organisation

Resilience

Teamwork

Flexibility

http://www.p21.org/our-work/p21-framework

Models for Integrating

Technology….

● Collective Knowledge Construction

http://www.ideaslab.edu.au/design-lab/ckc/

● T-Pack - Technological Pedagogical Content

Knowledge http://tpack.org/

● SAMR Model - Substitution, Augmentation,

Modification, Redefinition

https://sites.google.com/a/msad60.org/techn

ology-is-learning/samr-model

Collective Knowledge Construction

● Connect

● Communicate

● Collaborate

● Collective Knowledge Construction

SAMR Model

● Substitution - computer technology is used to do the same task.

● Augmentation - computers are an effective tool to perform common tasks

● Modification - computers enhance learning by allowing creativity

● Redefinition - computers support student-centered learning and collaboration

Substitution

● Typing text instead of writing

● Research online instead of in the library

● Ebooks on tablets

● PowerPoint instead of posters

● Online concept maps instead of on paper

● Google docs as worksheets

● Padlet as “post it” notes

● QR codes to access videos

Over 50,000 views

and 1,200

downloads on

Slidesharehttp://www.slideshare.net/brittgow/malaria-powerpoint

https://www.youtube.com/user/brittgow/videos

Polycom with Gene Technology Access Centre,

Melbourne

https://bubbl.us

Augmentation● Padlet for online pinboards - brainstorming,

exit slips, questions and reflectiohttp://padlet.com/wall/Learn2013

● Wordle or Tagxedo for word clouds

http://www.wordle.net/

http://www.tagxedo.com/

• Prezi for presentations at http://prezi.com

http://padlet.com/

Modification

● Google forms for feedback, quizzes, student surveys and gathering data

● Skype and Twitter allowing synchronous connections with experts, peers and communities outside the classroom.

● Minecraft as an engaging platform to learn maths

http://www.slideshare.net/brittgow/year-7-minecraft-

maths

Twitter

• Experts in your classroom

• Global conversations

• Instant answers to your questions

• Just-in-time conversations

@genegeekCatherine Anderson, a geneticist from Canada.

@ScienceMagsMagdeline Lum, a

Metallurgist, photographer and science writer from

Perth

Redefinition

● QR codes

● Quizlet (games) for vocabulary

● Student-created videos

● Collaborative Google docs

● Blogs and wikis

● Digital buckets (eg. Thinglink and Blendspace - formerly edcanvas)

Quizlet

• Teachers and students create their own vocabulary sets to improve scientific literacy

• Can choose definitions from a user databank and use other people’s sets of terms and definitions

• Can access the material in a variety of ways –flashcards, games, test, scatter and race.

https://quizlet.com/Brittgow

Redefinition

● Thinglink allows users to create a dynamic, interactive image with links to YouTube, wikipedia, how stuff works and other websites. http://www.thinglink.com/

● Blendspace allows the user to collate multiple resources under one URL. https://www.blendspace.com/

http://www.edublogs.or

g

Start small – find a tool that meets a learning need in your classroom.

1. Are some students more likely to complete their studies and achieve

good outcomes by participating in an online learning environment?

2. What characteristics of students are likely indicators of success in an online

learning environment?

3. Is virtual, blended provision just a different way of doing the same

things?

4. What teaching strategies are more effective in an online

learning environment?

5. What aspects of virtual classrooms are advantageous to

student learning?

Thank you for your participation in this workshop session.

Please contact me if you have any questions, contributions or if you

would like to explore these questions further.

brittgow@gmail.combrittgow @ Twitter

REFERENCES

• Clemons, Stephanie A. (2005) “Brain-based learning: Possible Implications for Online Instruction”

• Illeris, Knud (2007) “How We Learn: Learning and Non-learning in School and Beyond”

• Olsen, Richard (2011) “Understanding Virtual Pedagogies for Contemporary Teaching and Learning”