Analysis of eLeaning Technologies

Hi All,

We the past couple of weeks I've been so busy looking at new things and reading about all these resources that are available to use in educations setting that i haven't had time to jump on and blog about them. So here is a quick overview of my thoughts.

BLOGS

Welcome to ones of my postings on my blogs, if you have had a chance to look around you would notice that I'm new to this and was not familiar with a blog. However, over the past couple of weeks I have learnt of this great new tool not only for teaching purposes but also personal reflections. Blogs can support learning through a wide range of critical thinking strategies such as Plus, Minus, Interesting (PMI) analysis, Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis and collaborative authoring which can be published to the blog (Learn Online, n.d.). Evidence of this is shown through-out my blog.  Please refer to a previous SWOT analysis on Blogs

This article on blogging in education is good.

WIKI

We'll start of with my Wiki, I myself haven't done much to mine however I spent a bit of time looking at others and seeing how they can be used. 

Strengths

- Free
- anyone can add and edit the page
 - it is available to anyone anywhere who has access to the internet

Weaknesses

- Information in not always correct and information can get lost

- Anyone can edit it

- Open to spam, vandalism, bullying an unwanted advertising

Opportunities

- Students and Teachers can upload video's and podcasts for everyone to see

Threats

- Anyone can add to the Wiki 

Google Earth

Another free program with endless teaching opportunities, as a class we can literally fly to anyplace on the world and have a look around. 

Plus 

- Can see images of places all over the world and follow the path from were you are to were the place is. 

- Can place markers on important places for future reference

- Great use for setting scenes in teaching.

- Improves navigational skills

- Initiates high order thinking by providing the students with facts to combine with their own ideas to reach a hypothesis

Minus 
- Does take some time to get used to and be familiar with it's functions
- Can give you the sea sickness feeling after flying for to long

Interesting
- Google has brought out some teaching resources to use with Google Earth
- After doing some research there are some other programs similar however do not have the additional teaching resources.

WEEBLY

Next I looked at Weebly, which was seem very similar to a Wiki.

Strengths

- Free website and blog
- if it is the education version the teacher is able to manage the accounts and mediate what is published
- it keeps parents and teacher up to date 
- it is available to anyone anywhere who has access to the internet

Weaknesses

- No feedback section

Opportunities

- Students and Teachers can upload video's and podcasts for everyone to see

Threats

- The information is available to everyone

IRFANVIEW, PICASA, FLICKR & PICNIK

Next we looked at picture editing programs. In the past I have used Irfanview  regularly to crop photos or save/edit screens on my computer. As a photo editing tool I've also used Google's Picasa  to organise my photos and edit red eyes ect. However, no i have been introduced to number of new photo editing tools and ways to incorporate imagery affectively in educational settings. Flickr and Picnik are two I enjoyed playing with. And the major bonus... All these programs are FREE!

This is an example of something it did using Picnik, There are so many opportunities and things to play around with.

All of these programs can be used to present learning materials to engage thinking, influence feelings, or to support skill development. They can also encourage thinking routine similar to See, Think, Wonder, where the students use visual thinking to make thoughtful interpretation of an image (Visual Thinking, n.d)However, it is important that images are used for a purpose and not for the sake of it. Check out my blog on images in education for more on images.

POWERPOINT

We have also looked at using images in powerpoint to create stop motion movies. I've used powerpoint for years but now am looking at is as a new recourse to engage students. There are endless opportunities for students to learn using powerpoint including inactive games and voice recording on presentations. It initiates high order thinking by the endless creativity that can be added to the slides in the design, experimenting and construction of their presentation

Plus 
- User friendly
- already on most computers
- endless teaching opportunities
- presents organised information

Minus 
- it can be quiet time consuming to get all your actions, movies, video, recordings ect. to work in how you want them
- needs a projector and screen to present to a group

Interesting 
- so many ways this program can be and even for the people who use it quiet frequently you always find new ways fore using it.
- Microsoft Mouse Mischeif
- Tuscaloosa City School has come up with some great ways to use powerpoint

PREZI

Prezi is a new one also that I hadn't herd of but had seen in action. You are able to create your own learning web (as i like to call it) and can zoom to all the different spot on it. However, i can see how excessive use of this tool can cause sea sickness...


Here's an example of a Pezi i made just paying around

GLOGSTER

Glogster is probably my favorite after Picnik, it's like an interactive scrap booking page that you have quizzes, photos, movies, resources, the list is endless and you can post it to your blog.

Ok so that's my splurge for the day I recommend if anyone is interested jump on and have a look at these different resources. I know by the end of the day it feels like you've got so many different accounts and registrations but at this stage in our GDLT we need to look at whats available, i'm sure theres lots more we don't even know that exist yet.

Thanks

Danielle


References:

Learn Online. (n.d.) Strategies to support Critical Thinking using a Blog or a Wiki. Retrieved from http://weblearn.weebly.com/critical-thinking-ideas.html 

Visual Thinking. (n.d.). See Think Wonder Routine. Retrieved from http://www.pz.harvard.edu/vt/visibleThinking_html_files/03_ThinkingRoutines/03c_Core_routines/SeeThinkWonder/SeeThinkWonder_Routine.html