Final Refection

What an amazing journey the web 2.0 course has been…It has been in many ways like visiting a foreign country. At first there were so many terms and sites that were completely unfamiliar to me…glogster, flikr, google docs, bubbl.us... just to name a few. Now I feel much more confident in actually using  some of this web 2.0 language.  At times, I did encounter some frustrations and challenges…it took me literally hours to navigate and understand some of the sites and tools and I wondered if I would actually make it to the end.  However, as with any journey there were many high points and “Ah ha” moments when the penny dropped and I feel that I have achieved a lot. Fortunately my laptop and I are still friends as there were times when the relationship was definitely at risk.

The e-learning and  iLE@RN video is spot on in that we really need to provide students with engaging learning environments. Web 2.0 can definitely provide stimulation for students, however the technology is only as effective as the teachers and students using it. We need to remember that the technology is merely a tool that teachers can use to help student develop important thinking skills.

The Bloom’s digital technology map provides a very clear outline of how Web 2.0 technology can be used to develop thinking skills at a variety of levels. I plan to embed some of these skills in my program for next term.

Completing the Web 2.0 course is really just the end of the beginning. Technology is expanding at such a fast rate and it is so important to keep abreast of this wave of change so that we can make learning as engaging as possible for students. My challenge now is to continue to use the many skills I have learnt in a practical and effective way so that I will consolidate and continue to develop in this world of technology. I am very grateful for having had this opportunity and encourage others to persevere as it is very practical and relevant course.

Module 10

I think as a teacher, I need to be open Web 2.0 technology it as has great implications for my own learning as well as my students. Although initially, a reluctant beginner, the enthusiasm of the students to this technology and the benefits that it brings to their education has encouraged me to continue down this exciting path.

During this module, I was captivated by Voice Thread, which I found throught the wiki link  50+ Web 2.0 Ways To Tell a Story 
I could have spent hours on this site and have added it to my Delicious account and encourage others to explore it further too.

I can see great potential in using voice thread, especially with ESL students. The images in voice thread can provide motivating stimuli for students to communicate for a variety of puposes, whether it be to comment, describe, tell a story, give an opinion...the list is endless. Students can record, edit and playback their responses which gives them immediate feedback. I do need to explore the privacy issues around this tool with students further.

The    mystery places http://voicethread.com/share/522404/   voice thread gave me some great ideas for introducing orientations for narratives. Definitely a fun and imaginative way to inspire students.

For teachers, being part of online communities can connect us with networks of educators far beyond our own schools. It gives us the opportunity to collaborate in ways that are continually expanding.

I was a member of the Successful Language Learners (SLL) NING in 2009 and 2010 and it provided the network of teachers involved in this project with a valuable online community. Through this network we were able to share resources and ideas, participate in forums, communicate about events and support each other. It was highly effective for the duration of the project, however as it is no longer a free facility and the project has been completed, we no longer continue with our NINGing! 

For students, I believe Wikis are also very effective as they provide endless opportunities for collaborative learning and give students an audience for communicating with. For students, who may be less confident in participating in large group discussions, Wikis can provide them with a non- threatening way of contributing. I’m looking forward to following up the ideas from this module further.

Module 9

Scootle is another fabulous resources for students and teachers..and best of all it’s Australian! I was introduced to some of the Learning Federation object a few years ago through the ESL teachers network and was impressed by the interactive, creative nature of the tools. I’ve have found them very effective to use with ESL students. It was great to see that access to many more of these resources is available through Scootle and I will definitely be exploring this further.

I have been a member of Facebook for a couple of years and find it a useful way to keep in touch with friends who are overseas. As mentioned in the module, it is not appropriate for primary students and I think it is essential that both students and teachers are aware of the privacy settings of social networks.

I’ve not yet been tempted to use Twitter….I sometimes wonder why people need to let people know that they are having a coffee or going to sleep??  I do see the benefits, however in the way it can allow people to participate in public forums like the ABCs Q and A show, where the audience can tweet in their comments…it can make the discussion more interesting. Another benefit educationally, is that it could possibly motivate reluctant writers.

As for Second Life...I was initially not very open to this as I think having enough time for just one life seems more than enough so I can’t see myself using it personally. The educational purposes however outlined in the video link, made me open to the potential of it in the classroom. Its interactive nature would definitely appeal to students and I can see how it could bring to life places that would be impossible and impractical for them to visit. eg going inside a Dell computer or a Van Gogh painting. I like the way it also has a language translator, which could be very useful for New Arrival students. It may be worth a go!

Module 8

This is the first time I had heard of RSS and initially I thought it would be not something I could use because I’m not a big blogger . After exploring some of the possible sites that I could subscribe to, however, I could definitely see some of the benefits.

I already receive newsletters and publications on line via email and tend to plan to come back to them when I’m going through my inbox which inevitably rarely happens. I like the way with google reader, you can keep track of what you intend to read and what still needs to be read. That way it doesn’t just get lost in my inbox and I can consciously make a plan to read articles at a time that suits me.

Some of the sites that I have subscribed to include- The Sydney Morning Herald, Caritas Australia, The Big Picture and Amnesty Australia. Hopefully with this new tool, I can keep abreast of the latest news articles and stories of interest.

Module 7

Delicious is a fabulous tool, which I was fortunately introduced to last year as part of a Network of ESL teachers working on The Successful Language Learners (SLL) project. The tool allowed us to easily share great websites in a very simple way. I now have a really valuable collection of useful websites. It also has helped me be much more organised in how I store useful websites. I tend to work regularly on at least 2 different computers and makes it much easier to track my favourites between home and work.
I anyone is interested in becoming part of the SLL Delicious network, let me know and I will add you add you as a contact.
I haven’t yet used this tool with students but imagine that it could be useful at creating a list of websites for a group of students completing a research assignment

Module 6

I found Flickr relatively simple to use as I am familiar with photo sharing on social networks sites such as Facebook.  I’m not sure that I would use it for personal use as a I have other means of sharing photos through social networking, however can see the benefits of using it in the classroom. The highly secure privacy settings make it appealing for using in the classroom as teachers can be assured that children will only view images which are appropriate.

I can also see benefits for students with special interests and talents to access the group option to explore topics of interest to them eg dinosaurs, cricket, dancing to name just a few. Students with more specific interests could even start their own group, which could be fun.

It was interesting to read through some of the rules and regulations for students and copyright. I think we often take it for granted that images and material that we can access on line is public, however this made me much more aware of how important it is to respect the creator of the material. Students, particularly those in upper primary who are often researching topics, need to be aware of this too. Flickr can simplify this process  as it can be used in the classroom in many creative without child safety or copyright concerns.

 Flickr could also used by teachers and schools to safely share information about events such as excursions, sports days, special feast days etc. Here is a photo that I uploaded on my Flickr account showing one of the guest speakers sharing with Year 4 students on Refugee Day.