Synopsis

How do ICT tools relate to classroom learning and what are the benefits of applying these? This blog entry explores this question in detail whilst adhereing to the positives and negatives of students engaging with ICT tools. The past few weeks have seen learning of various tools such as blogging, website, wiki, digital images, podcasts, digital video, powerpoint, prezi, glogster, animations and simulations, google earth, google maps, google documents for collaboration, online concept mapping and zooburst for interactive digital storybooks. While I've been exposed to a number of these prior to this course, there were some that became a learning curve for me. Many I enjoyed interacting with, others I didn't. As an educator it was important to engage in all and learn the process of them, to efficiently educate students and allow them to choose those they find easy and enjoy using just as I have in the weeks prior to this evaluation. What may not interest me as an educator, may just be the tool to engage students learning of a particular topic, making them all equally important irrespective of my experience in using them.

Blogging
Blogging is a constructive learning process where students engage in collaboration with peers and reflection of their learning journey. Through the technique of scaffolding students demonstrate understanding while taking ownership of their course direction. Social interaction unfolds through peer connections between bloggers. These connections allow for students to make comments causing individuals to relinquish their vulnerability. The fact that blogging is both educational and personal in a sense; makes students "raw" in the eyes of their peers. In this aspect "meaning making" is most certainly influenced via social interaction. Consider Krauss (2005, p. 763) "meaning is the underlying motivation behind thoughts, actions and even the interpretation and application of knowledge." "Learning is defined as the social process of construing and appropriating a new or revised interpretation of the meaning of one’s experience as a guide to action" (Mezirow, 1994, pp. 222-223). (Krauss 2005, p. 763). Blogging is an internal view of an individuals learning, demonstrating their interpretation on various levels whilst allowing them to portray creativity through the presentation of the learning process. Its ability to produce such an intimate journey of learning while giving students control over the process and progression makes blogging such a valuable ICT tool. I would certainly utilise this in terms of continual learning on a yearly basis of any subject. Not just as a means of following students ability and personal journey's, but also as a reflection on my ability to educate them. Blogging allows for the positives and negatives in learning, scaffolding this learning and reflection. All these aspects in my view are imperative. While these are all benefits its equally important to realise its limitations. Blogging cannot show work in project form like a website can. Blogging does not allow for others to learn in a discussion forum like a wiki. Therefore through all the positives blogging is only benefitial if used appropriately and within its limitations. As a beginner to this style of learning, I was able to learn all the benefits of blogging and how to operate a blog with ease which makes me as an educator more confident, using it for my future student's learning.

Images in elearning
Images provide visuals in support of learning. They initiate critical thinking which similarly to blogging is contructive learning. Images support greater understanding of a topic, encouraging feelings and at times a sense of personal experience. They encourage imagination, appreciation of a particular topic and indepth understanding. The most positive aspect would be the students involvment. Images can actually be taken by the students themselves and uploaded. This is a process that includes the development of numeracies and literacies. It also brings awareness to students legal rights and obligations through the ownership of images (see appendix A). Its multimodal when uploaded to different tools such as websites, powerpoint presentations and digital videos. The ability to incorporate images into these other tools combines and connects elearning. The fact that images are a major factor in most ICT tools demonstrates its responsibility and importance in terms of student awareness. Images in cultural settings encourage students learning through presentation, again this needs to be used appropriately. When teaching students with visual impairments clearly images would not be suitable. This is where a sense of touch would be more applicable. Using cultural objects for students to feel, smell and taste would provide equal learning opportunities that other students achieve through images. Visual learning usually remains longer in an individuals memory as it engages students on a deeper level. Making images in elearning convenient and appropriate in most situations. I would certainly utilise images to support learning to draw the students interest. The fact that images can be both interactive and non-interactive makes them multipurposeful. They can be manipulated, connected with sound and used in movie format. All these uses are engaging and pedagogically supportive.

PowerPoint
PowerPoint incorporates images on a large scale. The benefits of PowerPoint allow for images, sound and text to come together both in interactive and non-interactive methods. As an educator this tool presents topics to support lecturing. Similar to blogging PowerPoint allows for creativity. Students can utiilise this program for assigments, orals, debates and group activities to name a few. So it's safe to say PowerPoint is multifunctional and diverse in terms of learning. The numeracies associated with this form of ICT involve image resizing and format considered in the sense of its ability to be saved due to size. Another is the incorporation of sound files. Literacies involve grammar used together with appropriate use of sound to support the presented images.  As is the research required to present a particular topic. The main literacy through the use of images in presenting the story is visual literacy.  PowerPoint is not what I would call a simple ICT tool to learn. It has various techniques that require attention. However students new to this tool can learn its various uses and abilities with time. As an educator in relation to PowerPoint I would encourage my students to learn and utilise. The difficulty for me personally, is PowerPoint is a favourite of mine and therefore is important that students are exposed to a variety of ICT's, rather than repetition. Students need variety to ensure they remain engaged and interested in the learning process. Just as students are educated on the appropriate uses of PowerPoint, its important as an educator to be putting this into practice, rather than consuming any and all forms of learning with this tool. PowerPoint incorporates all styles - visual, auditory and kineasthetic making it appealing to the class as a whole. Regardless of disabilities within the classroom, PowerPoint can be effective through the attachment of sound and use of text together with images. Being that PowerPoint primarily is not an online program, students are not exposed to the dangers that can be associated with the use of the internet. Only when incorporated with online tools does this become an issue. Therefore PowerPoint is basically user friendly in all legal aspects.

Online Concept Mapping
Concept Mapping encourages students to exercise critical thinking and display the process of brainstorming.  It's used to encourage group activities while also serving a purpose for individual learning. This program displays the brainstorming process without limitations, whereby a concept map has the ability to never end in terms of branching out ideas. Students can also connect ideas demonstrating relevant relationships between strands. Research of a particular topic displayed using concept mapping collects data together, groups relevant ideas, forms relationships, develops critical thinking and presents information in a way that encourages learning through making reporting/assessment writing easier to achieve - this is scaffolding.  Concept mapping can be used across the curriculum in various subject areas making this particular tool valuable to all educators in terms of learning its capabilities and ability to teach students how to use it. The ability to choose numerous programs gives students the freedom to find the most comfortable, what best suits or is easier to read. Concept mapping can be incorporated into a website, blogs, PowerPoint and Prezi just to name a few. Rather than following a set criteria structure, it allows each and every input to be acceptable as opposed to discriminating depending on learning levels, so all students feel a sense of inclusion. Considering safety, students are utilising this program online though there is no connection with online users. This brings a safe level of learning in reference to its creation. For these many reasons I find this suitable for learning and an appropriate classroom technique. The online program is no different to concept mapping on paper in a classroom, which makes it very simple for students to learn how to operate and produce. Any student with basic online capabilities would be able to teach themselves how to operate it, just as I did taking part in the activity.

ICT tools are extremely appropriate with Digital Natives, as the 21st Century progresses into a highly efficient technology driven world. Students through these various tools are exposed and connected to diverse cultures, foreign education institutes, all age groups and learning levels, peers and society in general. This form of learning could never be achieved through simple classroom teaching excluding online technology. The most important benefit I've gained through studying these various ICT's is that global connections expand cognitive development, engage students on deeper levels, encourage critical thinking and support cultural diversities. Depending on the form of disabilities some students may encounter through life, many of these are non-discriminating in this aspect. For some that are, there are ways of correcting and overcoming these disabilities by utilising another form of presentational methods. Personally, in terms of classroom teaching as an educator, I would keep students exposed to various ICT's as well as teaching them how to engage in the use of these to support elearning. It's important they understand the relevance of each tool in order to use their own judgement when presenting/developing their journey. The way these tools connect to each other demonstrates the relationship of ICT along with reasoning of when to appropriately apply these connections. Its vital that students learn the dangers associated with online connections, together with effective monitoring methods. While elearning invites bullying and invasion of privacy to name a few, there are ways around these negatives which students need to learn just as importantly as learning their operation. As an educator it is our job to keep students safe through learning so they understand ICT tools can be friendly and positive if used correctly. Technology is the fuel of Digital Natives and therefore needs to be embraced and appreciated for all its capabilities.

REFERENCE:
Krauss, S. E. (2005). Research paradigms and meaning making: A primer. The Qualitative Report, 10(4), 758-770. Retrieved April 6, 2011, from http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR10-4/krauss.pdf.